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On Works and Alms

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 2

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

2. The Holy Spirit speaks in the sacred Scriptures, and says

‹ Section 1 Section 3 ›

,

“

By

almsgiving

and

faith

sins

are

purged

.

”

Not

assuredly

those

sins

which

had

been

previously

contracted

,

for

those

are

purged

by

the

blood

and

sanctification

of

Christ

.

Moreover

,

He

says

again

,

“

As

water

extinguisheth

fire

,

so

almsgiving

quencheth

sin

.

”

Here

also

it

is

shown

and

proved

,

that

as

in

the

laver

of

saving

water

the

fire

of

Gehenna

is

extinguished

,

so

by

almsgiving

and

works

of

righteousness

the

flame

of

sins

is

subdued

.

And

because

in

baptism

remission

of

sins

is

granted

once

for

all

,

constant

and

ceaseless

labour

,

following

the

likeness

of

baptism

,

once

again

bestows

the

mercy

of

God

.

The

Lord

teaches

this

also

in

the

Gospel

.

For

when

the

disciples

were

pointed

out

,

as

eating

and

not

first

washing

their

hands

,

He

replied

and

said

,

“

He

that

made

that

which

is

within

,

made

also

that

which

is

without

.

But

give

alms

,

and

behold

all

things

are

clean

unto

you

;

”

teaching

hereby

and

showing

,

that

not

the

hands

are

to

be

washed

,

but

the

heart

,

and

that

the

foulness

from

inside

is

to

be

done

away

rather

than

that

from

outside

;

but

that

he

who

shall

have

cleansed

what

is

within

has

cleansed

also

that

which

is

without

;

and

that

if

the

mind

is

cleansed

,

a

man

has

begun

to

be

clean

also

in

skin

and

body

.

Further

,

admonishing

,

and

showing

whence

we

may

be

clean

and

purged

,

He

added

that

alms

must

be

given

.

He

who

is

pitiful

teaches

and

warns

us

that

pity

must

be

shown

;

and

because

He

seeks

to

save

those

whom

at

a

great

cost

He

has

redeemed

,

He

teaches

that

those

who

,

after

the

grace

of

baptism

,

have

become

foul

,

may

once

more

be

cleansed

.

Notes

6
Prov. xvi. 6. [“By mercy and truth,” etc., Eng. Version.]
7
Ecclus. iii. 30.
8
Luke xi. 41.