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On Works and Alms

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 16

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

16. But neither let the consideration, dearest brethren, restrain and

‹ Section 15 Section 17 ›

recall

the

Christian

from

good

and

righteous

works

,

that

any

one

should

fancy

that

he

could

be

excused

for

the

benefit

of

his

children

;

since

in

spiritual

expenditure

we

ought

to

think

of

Christ

,

who

has

declared

that

He

receives

them

;

and

not

prefer

our

fellow

-

servants

,

but

the

Lord

,

to

our

children

,

since

He

Himself

instructs

and

warns

us

,

saying

,

“

He

that

loveth

father

or

mother

more

than

me

is

not

worthy

of

me

,

and

he

that

loveth

son

or

daughter

more

than

me

is

not

worthy

of

me

.

”

Also

in

Deuteronomy

,

for

the

strengthening

of

faith

and

the

love

of

God

,

similar

things

are

written

:

“

Who

say

,

”

he

saith

,

“

unto

their

father

or

mother

,

I

have

not

known

thee

;

neither

did

they

acknowledge

their

children

,

these

have

observed

Thy

words

,

and

kept

Thy

covenant

.

”

For

if

we

love

God

with

our

whole

heart

,

we

ought

not

to

prefer

either

our

parents

or

children

to

God

.

And

this

also

John

lays

down

in

his

epistle

,

that

the

love

of

God

is

not

in

them

whom

we

see

unwilling

to

labour

for

the

poor

.

“

Whoso

,

”

says

he

,

“

hath

this

world’s

goods

,

and

seeth

his

brother

have

need

,

and

shutteth

up

his

bowels

from

him

,

how

dwelleth

the

love

of

God

in

him

?

”

For

if

by

almsgiving

to

the

poor

we

are

lending

to

God

—

and

when

it

is

given

to

the

least

it

is

given

to

Christ

—

there

is

no

ground

for

any

one

preferring

earthly

things

to

heavenly

,

nor

for

considering

human

things

before

divine

.

Notes

48
Matt. x. 37.
49
Deut. xxxiii. 9.
50
1 John iii. 17.