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On the Vanity of Idols

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 11

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

11. Moreover, God had previously foretold that it would happen

‹ Section 10 Section 12 ›

,

that

as

the

ages

passed

on

,

and

the

end

of

the

world

was

near

at

hand

,

God

would

gather

to

Himself

from

every

nation

,

and

people

,

and

place

,

worshippers

much

better

in

obedience

and

stronger

in

faith

,

who

would

draw

from

the

divine

gift

that

mercy

which

the

Jews

had

received

and

lost

by

despising

their

religious

ordinances

.

Therefore

of

this

mercy

and

grace

the

Word

and

Son

of

God

is

sent

as

the

dispenser

and

master

,

who

by

all

the

prophets

of

old

was

announced

as

the

enlightener

and

teacher

of

the

human

race

.

He

is

the

power

of

God

,

He

is

the

reason

,

He

is

His

wisdom

and

glory

;

He

enters

into

a

virgin

;

being

the

holy

Spirit

,

He

is

endued

with

flesh

;

God

is

mingled

with

man

.

This

is

our

God

,

this

is

Christ

,

who

,

as

the

mediator

of

the

two

,

puts

on

man

that

He

may

lead

them

to

the

Father

.

What

man

is

,

Christ

was

willing

to

be

,

that

man

also

may

be

what

Christ

is

.

Notes

14
“Of greater obedience and of stronger faith” is a varied reading here.
15
Some add, “and discipline.”
16
“With the co-operation of the Holy Spirit,” is perhaps a more probable reading. [See vol. iii. p. 609.]