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On Works and Alms

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 8

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

8. In fine, He calls those the children of Abraham whom

‹ Section 7 Section 9 ›

He

sees

to

be

laborious

in

aiding

and

nourishing

the

poor

.

For

when

Zacchæus

said

,

“

Behold

,

the

half

of

my

goods

I

give

to

the

poor

;

and

if

I

have

done

any

wrong

to

any

man

,

I

restore

fourfold

,

”

Jesus

answered

and

said

,

“

That

salvation

has

this

day

come

to

this

house

,

for

that

he

also

is

a

son

of

Abraham

.

”

For

if

Abraham

believed

in

God

,

and

it

was

counted

unto

him

for

righteousness

,

certainly

he

who

gives

alms

according

to

God’s

precept

believes

in

God

,

and

he

who

has

the

truth

of

faith

maintains

the

fear

of

God

;

moreover

,

he

who

maintains

the

fear

of

God

considers

God

in

showing

mercy

to

the

poor

.

For

he

labours

thus

because

he

believes

—

because

he

knows

that

what

is

foretold

by

God’s

word

is

true

,

and

that

the

Holy

Scripture

cannot

lie

—

that

unfruitful

trees

,

that

is

,

unproductive

men

,

are

cut

off

and

cast

into

the

fire

,

but

that

the

merciful

are

called

into

the

kingdom

.

He

also

,

in

another

place

,

calls

laborious

and

fruitful

men

faithful

;

but

He

denies

faith

to

unfruitful

and

barren

ones

,

saying

,

“

If

ye

have

not

been

faithful

in

the

unrighteous

mammon

,

who

will

commit

to

you

that

which

is

true

?

And

if

ye

have

not

been

faithful

in

that

which

is

another

man’s

,

who

shall

give

you

that

which

is

your

own

?

”

Notes

27
Luke xix. 8, 9.
28
Luke xvi. 11, 12.