Opening the library…

Search the Bible

On the Unity of the Church

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 2

About this work

A pastoral argument for the visible unity of the church around its bishops, written amid schism and persecution and framed through biblical images of one people and one household.

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

2. From which an example is given us to

‹ Section 1 Section 3 ›

avoid

the

way

of

the

old

man

,

to

stand

in

the

footsteps

of

a

conquering

Christ

,

that

we

may

not

again

be

incautiously

turned

back

into

the

nets

of

death

,

but

,

foreseeing

our

danger

,

may

possess

the

immortality

that

we

have

received

.

But

how

can

we

possess

immortality

,

unless

we

keep

those

commands

of

Christ

whereby

death

is

driven

out

and

overcome

,

when

He

Himself

warns

us

,

and

says

,

“

If

thou

wilt

enter

into

life

,

keep

the

commandments

?

”

And

again

:

“

If

ye

do

the

things

that

I

command

you

,

henceforth

I

call

you

not

servants

,

but

friends

.

”

Finally

,

these

persons

He

calls

strong

and

stedfast

;

these

He

declares

to

be

founded

in

robust

security

upon

the

rock

,

established

with

immoveable

and

unshaken

firmness

,

in

opposition

to

all

the

tempests

and

hurricanes

of

the

world

.

“

Whosoever

,

”

says

He

,

“

heareth

my

words

,

and

doeth

them

,

I

will

liken

him

unto

a

wise

man

,

that

built

his

house

upon

a

rock

:

the

rain

descended

,

the

floods

came

,

the

winds

blew

,

and

beat

upon

that

house

;

and

it

fell

not

:

for

it

was

founded

upon

a

rock

.

”

We

ought

therefore

to

stand

fast

on

His

words

,

to

learn

and

do

whatever

He

both

taught

and

did

.

But

how

can

a

man

say

that

he

believes

in

Christ

,

who

does

not

do

what

Christ

commanded

him

to

do

?

Or

whence

shall

he

attain

to

the

reward

of

faith

,

who

will

not

keep

the

faith

of

the

commandment

?

He

must

of

necessity

waver

and

wander

,

and

,

caught

away

by

a

spirit

of

error

,

like

dust

which

is

shaken

by

the

wind

,

be

blown

about

;

and

he

will

make

no

advance

in

his

walk

towards

salvation

,

because

he

does

not

keep

the

truth

of

the

way

of

salvation

.

Notes

5
Or, “living.”
6
Matt. xix. 17.
7
John xiv. 15.
8
Matt. vii. 24.