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On the Lapsed

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 12

About this work

Cyprian addresses Christians who sacrificed or obtained certificates during persecution, balancing rebuke, repentance, pastoral restoration, the claims of confessors, and the discipline of the church.

Author: Cyprian of Carthage
Date: c. AD 251
Origin: Carthage, North Africa
Genre: Theological Treatise

12. But how can they follow Christ, who are

‹ Section 11 Section 13 ›

held

back

by

the

chain

of

their

wealth

?

Or

how

can

they

seek

heaven

,

and

climb

to

sublime

and

lofty

heights

,

who

are

weighed

down

by

earthly

desires

?

They

think

that

they

possess

,

when

they

are

rather

possessed

;

as

slaves

of

their

profit

,

and

not

lords

with

respect

to

their

own

money

,

but

rather

the

bond

-

slaves

of

their

money

.

These

times

and

these

men

are

indicated

by

the

apostle

,

when

he

says

,

“

But

they

that

will

be

rich

,

fall

into

temptation

,

and

a

snare

,

and

into

many

foolish

and

hurtful

lusts

,

which

drown

men

in

destruction

and

in

perdition

.

For

the

root

of

all

evil

is

the

love

of

money

,

which

,

while

some

have

coveted

,

they

have

erred

from

the

faith

,

and

pierced

themselves

through

with

many

sorrows

.

”

But

with

what

rewards

does

the

Lord

invite

us

to

contempt

of

worldly

wealth

?

With

what

compensations

does

He

atone

for

the

small

and

trifling

losses

of

this

present

time

?

“

There

is

no

man

,

”

saith

He

,

“

that

leaves

house

,

or

land

,

or

parents

,

or

brethren

,

or

wife

,

or

children

,

for

the

kingdom

of

God’s

sake

,

but

he

shall

receive

seven

fold

even

in

this

time

,

but

in

the

world

to

come

life

everlasting

.

”

If

we

know

these

things

,

and

have

found

them

out

from

the

truth

of

the

Lord

who

promises

,

not

only

is

not

loss

of

this

kind

to

be

feared

,

but

even

to

be

desired

;

as

the

Lord

Himself

again

announces

and

warns

us

,

“

Blessed

are

ye

when

men

shall

persecute

you

,

and

when

they

shall

separate

you

from

their

company

,

and

shall

cast

you

out

,

and

shall

speak

of

your

name

as

evil

,

for

the

Son

of

man’s

sake

!

Rejoice

ye

in

that

day

,

and

leap

for

joy

;

for

,

behold

,

your

reward

is

great

in

heaven

.

”

Notes

25
Some substitute, “have made shipwreck of.”
26
1 Tim. vi. 9.
27
Or, “a hundred-fold.”
28
Mark x. 29.
29
Luke vi. 22.