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On Works and Alms

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 26

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

26. What, dearest brethren, will be that glory of those

who

labour

charitably

—

how

great

and

high

the

joy

when

the

Lord

begins

to

number

His

people

,

and

,

distributing

to

our

merits

and

good

works

the

promised

rewards

,

to

give

heavenly

things

for

earthly

,

eternal

things

for

temporal

,

great

things

for

small

;

to

present

us

to

the

Father

,

to

whom

He

has

restored

us

by

His

sanctification

;

to

bestow

upon

us

immortality

and

eternity

,

to

which

He

has

renewed

us

by

the

quickening

of

His

blood

;

to

bring

us

anew

to

paradise

,

to

open

the

kingdom

of

heaven

,

in

the

faith

and

truth

of

His

promise

!

Let

these

things

abide

firmly

in

our

perceptions

,

let

them

be

understood

with

full

faith

,

let

them

be

loved

with

our

whole

heart

,

let

them

be

purchased

by

the

magnanimity

of

our

increasing

labours

.

An

illustrious

and

divine

thing

,

dearest

brethren

,

is

the

saving

labour

of

charity

;

a

great

comfort

of

believers

,

a

wholesome

guard

of

our

security

,

a

protection

of

hope

,

a

safeguard

of

faith

,

a

remedy

for

sin

,

a

thing

placed

in

the

power

of

the

doer

,

a

thing

both

great

and

easy

,

a

crown

of

peace

without

the

risk

of

persecution

;

the

true

and

greatest

gift

of

God

,

needful

for

the

weak

,

glorious

for

the

strong

,

assisted

by

which

the

Christian

accomplishes

spiritual

grace

,

deserves

well

of

Christ

the

Judge

,

accounts

God

his

debtor

.

For

this

palm

of

works

of

salvation

let

us

gladly

and

readily

strive

;

let

us

all

,

in

the

struggle

of

righteousness

,

run

with

God

and

Christ

looking

on

;

and

let

us

who

have

already

begun

to

be

greater

than

this

life

and

the

world

,

slacken

our

course

by

no

desire

of

this

life

and

of

this

world

.

If

the

day

shall

find

us

,

whether

it

be

the

day

of

reward

or

of

persecution

,

furnished

,

if

swift

,

if

running

in

this

contest

of

charity

,

the

Lord

will

never

fail

of

giving

a

reward

for

our

merits

:

in

peace

He

will

give

to

us

who

conquer

,

a

white

crown

for

our

labours

;

in

persecution

,

He

will

accompany

it

with

a

purple

one

for

our

passion

.

Notes

65
A more ancient reading seems to be, “of return” (scil. “reditionis”).