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On Works and Alms

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 23

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

23. What do we reply to these things, dearest brethren?

‹ Section 22 Section 24 ›

With

what

reason

do

we

defend

the

minds

of

rich

men

,

overwhelmed

with

a

profane

barrenness

and

a

kind

of

night

of

gloom

?

With

what

excuse

do

we

acquit

them

,

seeing

that

we

are

less

than

the

devil’s

servants

,

so

as

not

even

moderately

to

repay

Christ

for

the

price

of

His

passion

and

blood

?

He

has

given

us

precepts

;

what

His

servants

ought

to

do

He

has

instructed

us

;

promising

a

reward

to

those

that

are

charitable

,

and

threatening

punishment

to

the

unfruitful

.

He

has

set

forth

His

sentence

.

He

has

before

announced

what

He

shall

judge

.

What

can

be

the

excuse

for

the

laggard

?

what

the

defence

for

the

unfruitful

?

But

when

the

servant

does

not

do

what

is

commanded

,

the

Lord

will

do

what

He

threatens

,

seeing

that

He

says

:

“

When

the

Son

of

man

shall

come

in

His

glory

,

and

all

the

angels

with

Him

,

then

shall

He

sit

in

the

throne

of

His

glory

:

and

before

Him

shall

be

gathered

all

nations

;

and

He

shall

separate

them

one

from

another

,

as

a

shepherd

divideth

his

sheep

from

the

goats

:

and

He

shall

set

the

sheep

on

His

right

hand

,

but

the

goats

on

the

left

.

Then

shall

the

King

say

unto

them

that

shall

be

on

His

right

hand

,

Come

,

ye

blessed

of

my

Father

,

receive

the

kingdom

that

is

prepared

for

you

from

the

foundation

of

the

world

.

For

I

was

an

hungered

,

and

ye

gave

me

to

eat

:

I

was

thirsty

,

and

ye

gave

me

to

drink

:

I

was

a

stranger

,

and

ye

took

me

in

:

naked

,

and

ye

clothed

me

:

I

was

sick

,

and

ye

visited

me

:

I

was

in

prison

,

and

ye

came

to

me

.

Then

shall

the

righteous

answer

Him

,

saying

,

Lord

,

when

saw

we

Thee

an

hungered

,

and

fed

Thee

?

thirsty

,

and

gave

Thee

drink

?

When

saw

we

Thee

a

stranger

,

and

took

Thee

in

?

naked

,

and

clothed

Thee

?

Or

when

saw

we

Thee

sick

,

and

in

prison

,

and

came

unto

Thee

?

Then

shall

the

King

answer

and

say

unto

them

,

Verily

I

say

unto

you

,

Insomuch

as

you

did

it

to

one

of

the

least

of

these

my

brethren

,

ye

did

it

unto

me

.

Then

shall

He

say

also

unto

those

that

shall

be

at

His

left

hand

,

Depart

from

me

,

ye

cursed

,

into

everlasting

fire

,

which

my

Father

hath

prepared

for

the

devil

and

his

angels

.

For

I

was

an

hungered

,

and

ye

gave

me

not

to

eat

:

I

was

thirsty

,

and

ye

gave

me

not

to

drink

:

I

was

a

stranger

,

and

ye

took

me

not

in

:

naked

,

and

ye

clothed

me

not

:

sick

,

and

in

prison

,

and

ye

visited

me

not

.

Then

shall

they

also

answer

Him

,

saying

,

Lord

,

when

saw

we

Thee

an

hungered

,

or

athirst

,

or

a

stranger

,

or

naked

,

or

sick

,

or

in

prison

,

and

ministered

not

unto

Thee

?

And

He

shall

answer

them

,

Verily

I

say

unto

you

,

In

so

far

as

ye

did

it

not

to

one

of

the

least

of

these

,

ye

did

it

not

unto

me

.

And

these

shall

go

away

into

everlasting

burning

:

but

the

righteous

into

life

eternal

.

”

What

more

could

Christ

declare

unto

us

?

How

more

could

He

stimulate

the

works

of

our

righteousness

and

mercy

,

than

by

saying

that

whatever

is

given

to

the

needy

and

poor

is

given

to

Himself

,

and

by

saying

that

He

is

aggrieved

unless

the

needy

and

poor

be

supplied

?

So

that

he

who

in

the

Church

is

not

moved

by

consideration

for

his

brother

,

may

yet

be

moved

by

contemplation

of

Christ

;

and

he

who

does

not

think

of

his

fellow

-

servant

in

suffering

and

in

poverty

,

may

yet

think

of

his

Lord

,

who

abideth

in

that

very

man

whom

he

is

despising

.

Notes

61
Matt. xxv. 31–46.