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On Works and Alms

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 22

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

22. And that the indolent and the barren, and those,

‹ Section 21 Section 23 ›

who

by

their

covetousness

for

money

do

nothing

in

respect

of

the

fruit

of

their

salvation

,

may

be

the

more

ashamed

,

and

that

the

blush

of

dishonour

and

disgrace

may

the

more

strike

upon

their

sordid

conscience

,

let

each

one

place

before

his

eyes

the

devil

with

his

servants

,

that

is

,

with

the

people

of

perdition

and

death

,

springing

forth

into

the

midst

,

and

provoking

the

people

of

Christ

with

the

trial

of

comparison

—

Christ

Himself

being

present

,

and

judging

—

in

these

words

:

“

I

,

for

those

whom

thou

seest

with

me

,

neither

received

buffets

,

nor

bore

scourgings

,

nor

endured

the

cross

,

nor

shed

my

blood

,

nor

redeemed

my

family

at

the

price

of

my

suffering

and

blood

;

but

neither

do

I

promise

them

a

celestial

kingdom

,

nor

do

I

recall

them

to

paradise

,

having

again

restored

to

them

immortality

.

But

they

prepare

for

me

gifts

how

precious

!

how

large

!

with

how

excessive

and

tedious

a

labour

procured

!

and

that

,

with

the

most

sumptuous

devices

either

pledging

or

selling

their

means

in

the

procuring

of

the

gift

!

and

,

unless

a

competent

manifestation

followed

,

they

are

cast

out

with

scoffings

and

hissings

,

and

by

the

popular

fury

sometimes

they

are

almost

stoned

!

Show

,

O

Christ

,

such

givers

as

these

of

Thine

—

those

rich

men

,

those

men

affluent

with

abounding

wealth

—

whether

in

the

Church

wherein

Thou

presidest

and

beholdest

,

they

set

forth

a

gift

of

that

kind

,

—

having

pledged

or

scattered

their

riches

,

yea

,

having

transferred

them

,

by

the

change

of

their

possessions

for

the

better

,

into

heavenly

treasures

!

In

those

spectacles

of

mine

,

perishing

and

earthly

as

they

are

,

no

one

is

fed

,

no

one

is

clothed

,

no

one

is

sustained

by

the

comfort

either

of

any

meat

or

drink

.

All

things

,

between

the

madness

of

the

exhibitor

and

the

mistake

of

the

spectator

,

are

perishing

in

a

prodigal

and

foolish

vanity

of

deceiving

pleasures

.

There

,

in

Thy

poor

,

Thou

art

clothed

and

fed

;

Thou

promisest

eternal

life

to

those

who

labour

for

Thee

;

and

scarcely

are

Thy

people

made

equal

to

mine

that

perish

,

although

they

are

honoured

by

Thee

with

divine

wages

and

heavenly

rewards

.

Notes

60
Some editors add here, “warned by Thy precepts, and who shall receive heavenly things instead of earthly.”