E02927: Coptic Sermon On Vigilance by Besa (abbot of the White Monastery near Sohag in Upper Egypt), referring to the saints as examples to follow in order to ensure lasting protection through Christ, written in the late 5th century.

Besa, Sermon, ed. Kuhn 1.3.3:

ⲛⲑⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛⲟⲩⲉϩ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲛⲥⲁ ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲛⲡⲣⲁⲝⲉⲓⲥ · ⲛⲑⲉ ⲉⲛⲧⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲕⲟⲩⲁϩⲕ ⲛⲥⲁ ⲧⲁⲥⲃⲱ · ⲡⲁⲥⲙⲟⲧ ⲡⲁⲧⲱϣ ⲧⲁⲡⲓⲥⲧⲓⲥ · ⲧⲁⲙⲛⲧϩⲁⲣϣϩⲏⲧ · ⲧⲁⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ · ⲧⲁϩⲩⲡⲟⲙⲟⲛⲏ ·ⲛⲁⲇⲓⲱⲅⲙⲟⲥ · ⲛⲁϩⲓⲥⲉ ⲟⲩⲉϩ ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲟⲛ ⲛⲥⲱⲟⲩ ϩⲙ
ⲡϩⲁⲣⲉϩ ⲉⲛⲉⲧⲛϩⲓⲥⲉ ⲛⲏⲧⲛ · ⲛⲉⲧⲉⲟⲩⲛⲧⲁⲩ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲛⲧⲙⲛⲧⲣⲙⲙⲁⲟ ⲛⲁⲧⲧⲁⲕⲟ ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲭⲥ ⲛⲧⲟⲟⲩ ⲟⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲏⲡ ⲉⲣⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲩ

‘For just as you have followed all the saints through your actions, as it has been said, “But you followed my teaching, my example, my purpose, my faith, my long-suffering, my love, my patience, my persecutions, my sufferings” (2 Tim. 3:10–11), follow them also by guarding for yourselves your sufferings. For those who have imperishable wealth in Christ ought to watch over it.’

Text and translation: Kuhn 1956, p. 2 (text), p. 2 (trans.).