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On the Lapsed

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 22

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

22. What good can you think of him, what

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fear

can

you

suppose

to

have

been

with

him

,

or

what

faith

,

whom

neither

fear

could

correct

nor

persecution

itself

could

reform

?

His

high

and

rigid

neck

,

even

when

it

has

fallen

,

is

unbent

;

his

swelling

and

haughty

soul

is

not

broken

,

even

when

it

is

conquered

.

Prostrate

,

he

threatens

those

who

stand

;

and

wounded

,

the

sound

.

And

because

he

may

not

at

once

receive

the

body

of

the

Lord

in

his

polluted

hands

,

the

sacrilegious

one

is

angry

with

the

priests

.

And

—

oh

your

excessive

madness

,

O

frantic

one

—

you

are

angry

with

him

who

endeavours

to

avert

the

anger

of

God

from

you

;

you

threaten

him

who

beseeches

the

divine

mercy

on

your

behalf

,

who

feels

your

wound

which

you

yourself

do

not

feel

,

who

sheds

tears

for

you

,

which

perhaps

you

never

shed

yourself

.

You

are

still

aggravating

and

enhancing

your

crime

;

and

while

you

yourself

are

implacable

against

the

ministers

and

priests

of

God

,

do

you

think

that

the

Lord

can

be

appeased

concerning

you

?

Notes

54
“And are angry.”
55
Some omit “and priests.”