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On the Lapsed

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 14

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

14. But now, what wounds can those who are

‹ Section 13 Section 15 ›

overcome

show

?

what

gashes

of

gaping

entrails

,

what

tortures

of

the

limbs

,

in

cases

where

it

was

not

faith

that

fell

in

the

encounter

,

but

faithlessness

that

anticipated

the

struggle

?

Nor

does

the

necessity

of

the

crime

excuse

the

person

compelled

,

where

the

crime

is

committed

of

free

will

.

Nor

do

I

say

this

in

such

a

way

as

that

I

would

burden

the

cases

of

the

brethren

,

but

that

I

may

rather

instigate

the

brethren

to

a

prayer

of

atonement

.

For

,

as

it

is

written

,

“

They

who

call

you

happy

cause

you

to

err

,

and

destroy

the

paths

of

your

feet

,

”

he

who

soothes

the

sinner

with

flattering

blandishments

furnishes

the

stimulus

to

sin

;

nor

does

he

repress

,

but

nourishes

wrong

-

doing

.

But

he

who

,

with

braver

counsels

,

rebukes

at

the

same

time

that

he

instructs

a

brother

,

urges

him

onward

to

salvation

.

“

As

many

as

I

love

,

”

saith

the

Lord

,

“

I

rebuke

and

chasten

.

”

And

thus

also

it

behoves

the

Lord’s

priest

not

to

mislead

by

deceiving

concessions

,

but

to

provide

with

salutary

remedies

.

He

is

an

unskilful

physician

who

handles

the

swelling

edges

of

wounds

with

a

tender

hand

,

and

,

by

retaining

the

poison

shut

up

in

the

deep

recesses

of

the

body

,

increases

it

.

The

wound

must

be

opened

,

and

cut

,

and

healed

by

the

stronger

remedy

of

cutting

out

the

corrupting

parts

.

The

sick

man

may

cry

out

,

may

vociferate

,

and

may

complain

,

in

impatience

of

the

pain

;

but

he

will

afterwards

give

thanks

when

he

has

felt

that

he

is

cured

.

Notes

32
Isa. iii. 12.
33
Apoc. iii. 19.