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On the Lapsed

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 23

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

23. Receive rather, and admit what we say.

‹ Section 22 Section 24 ›

Why

do

your

deaf

ears

not

hear

the

salutary

precepts

with

which

we

warn

you

?

Why

do

your

blind

eyes

not

see

the

way

of

repentance

which

we

point

out

?

Why

does

your

stricken

and

alienated

mind

not

perceive

the

lively

remedies

which

we

both

learn

and

teach

from

the

heavenly

Scriptures

?

Or

if

some

unbelievers

have

little

faith

in

future

events

,

let

them

be

terrified

with

present

ones

.

Lo

,

what

punishments

do

we

behold

of

those

who

have

denied

!

what

sad

deaths

of

theirs

do

we

bewail

!

Not

even

here

can

they

be

without

punishment

,

although

the

day

of

punishment

has

not

yet

arrived

.

Some

are

punished

in

the

meantime

,

that

others

may

be

corrected

.

The

torments

of

a

few

are

the

examples

of

all

.

Notes

56
[There can be no doubt where Cyprian would have been found in the times of Savonarola. See Perrens, Vie, etc., tom. ii. p. 350.]