Opening the library…

Search the Bible

On the Lapsed

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 18

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

18. But if any one, by an overhurried haste

‹ Section 17 Section 19 ›

,

rashly

thinks

that

he

can

give

remission

of

sins

to

all

,

or

dares

to

rescind

the

Lord’s

precepts

,

not

only

does

it

in

no

respect

advantage

the

lapsed

,

but

it

does

them

harm

.

Not

to

have

observed

His

judgment

is

to

have

provoked

His

wrath

,

and

to

think

that

the

mercy

of

God

must

not

first

of

all

be

entreated

,

and

,

despising

the

Lord

,

to

presume

on

His

power

.

Under

the

altar

of

God

the

souls

of

the

slain

martyrs

cry

with

a

loud

voice

,

saying

,

“

How

long

,

O

Lord

,

holy

and

true

,

dost

Thou

not

judge

and

avenge

our

blood

upon

those

who

dwell

on

the

earth

?

”

And

they

are

bidden

to

rest

,

and

still

to

keep

patience

.

And

does

any

one

think

that

,

in

opposition

to

the

Judge

,

a

man

can

become

of

avail

for

the

general

remission

and

pardon

of

sins

,

or

that

he

can

shield

others

before

he

himself

is

vindicated

?

The

martyrs

order

something

to

be

done

;

but

only

if

this

thing

be

just

and

lawful

,

if

it

can

be

done

without

opposing

the

Lord

Himself

by

God’s

priest

,

if

the

consent

of

the

obeying

party

be

easy

and

yielding

,

if

the

moderation

of

the

asking

party

be

religious

.

The

martyrs

order

something

to

be

done

;

but

if

what

they

order

be

not

written

in

the

law

of

the

Lord

,

we

must

first

know

that

they

have

obtained

what

they

ask

from

God

,

and

then

do

what

they

command

.

For

that

may

not

always

appear

to

be

immediately

conceded

by

the

divine

majesty

,

which

has

been

promised

by

man’s

undertaking

.

Notes

42
“To any.”
43
“On his facility;” v. l.
44
Apoc. vi. 10.
45
“Worthy of.”
46
[i.e., the confessors awaiting martyrdom. See vol. iv. p. 693, note 2.]