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On Works and Alms

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 13

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

13. Wherefore do you applaud yourself in those vain and silly

‹ Section 12 Section 14 ›

conceits

,

as

if

you

were

withheld

from

good

works

by

fear

and

solicitude

for

the

future

?

Why

do

you

lay

out

before

you

certain

shadows

and

omens

of

a

vain

excuse

?

Yea

,

confess

what

is

the

truth

;

and

since

you

cannot

deceive

those

who

know

,

utter

forth

the

secret

and

hidden

things

of

your

mind

.

The

gloom

of

barrenness

has

besieged

your

mind

;

and

while

the

light

of

truth

has

departed

thence

,

the

deep

and

profound

darkness

of

avarice

has

blinded

your

carnal

heart

.

You

are

the

captive

and

slave

of

your

money

;

you

are

bound

with

the

chains

and

bonds

of

covetousness

;

and

you

whom

Christ

had

once

loosed

,

are

once

more

in

chains

.

You

keep

your

money

,

which

,

when

kept

,

does

not

keep

you

.

You

heap

up

a

patrimony

which

burdens

you

with

its

weight

;

and

you

do

not

remember

what

God

answered

to

the

rich

man

,

who

boasted

with

a

foolish

exultation

of

the

abundance

of

his

exuberant

harvest

:

“

Thou

fool

,

”

said

He

,

“

this

night

thy

soul

is

required

of

thee

;

then

whose

shall

those

things

be

which

thou

hast

provided

?

”

Why

do

you

watch

in

loneliness

over

your

riches

?

why

for

your

punishment

do

you

heap

up

the

burden

of

your

patrimony

,

that

,

in

proportion

as

you

are

rich

in

this

world

,

you

may

become

poor

to

God

?

Divide

your

returns

with

the

Lord

your

God

;

share

your

gains

with

Christ

;

make

Christ

a

partner

with

you

in

your

earthly

possessions

,

that

He

also

may

make

you

a

fellow

-

heir

with

Him

in

His

heavenly

kingdom

.

Notes

38
“Him who knows it,” Oxford translation.
39
[Prov. i. 19. “The eagle stole a lamb from the altar,” say the Rabbims, “to feed his young; but a coal from the altar came with it, and burnt up nest and all.”]
40
According to Manutius, Pamelius, and others, “too heavily” is here added.
41
Luke xii. 20.