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On Works and Alms

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 9

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

9. If you dread and fear, lest, if you begin

‹ Section 8 Section 10 ›

to

act

thus

abundantly

,

your

patrimony

being

exhausted

with

your

liberal

dealing

,

you

may

perchance

be

reduced

to

poverty

;

be

of

good

courage

in

this

respect

,

be

free

from

care

:

that

cannot

be

exhausted

whence

the

service

of

Christ

is

supplied

,

whence

the

heavenly

work

is

celebrated

.

Neither

do

I

vouch

for

this

on

my

own

authority

;

but

I

promise

it

on

the

faith

of

the

Holy

Scriptures

,

and

on

the

authority

of

the

divine

promise

.

The

Holy

Spirit

speaks

by

Solomon

,

and

says

,

“

He

that

giveth

unto

the

poor

shall

never

lack

,

but

he

that

turneth

away

his

eye

shall

be

in

great

poverty

;

”

showing

that

the

merciful

and

those

who

do

good

works

cannot

want

,

but

rather

that

the

sparing

and

barren

hereafter

come

to

want

.

Moreover

,

the

blessed

Apostle

Paul

,

full

of

the

grace

of

the

Lord’s

inspiration

,

says

:

“

He

that

ministereth

seed

to

the

sower

,

shall

both

minister

bread

for

your

food

,

and

shall

multiply

your

seed

sown

,

and

shall

increase

the

growth

of

the

fruits

of

your

righteousness

,

that

in

all

things

ye

may

be

enriched

.

”

And

again

:

“

The

administration

of

this

service

shall

not

only

supply

the

wants

of

the

saints

,

but

shall

be

abundant

also

by

many

thanksgivings

unto

God

;

”

because

,

while

thanks

are

directed

to

God

for

our

almsgivings

and

labours

,

by

the

prayer

of

the

poor

,

the

wealth

of

the

doer

is

increased

by

the

retribution

of

God

.

And

the

Lord

in

the

Gospel

,

already

considering

the

hearts

of

men

of

this

kind

,

and

with

prescient

voice

denouncing

faithless

and

unbelieving

men

,

bears

witness

,

and

says

:

“

Take

no

thought

,

saying

,

What

shall

we

eat

?

or

,

What

shall

we

drink

?

or

,

Wherewithal

shall

we

be

clothed

?

For

these

things

the

Gentiles

seek

.

And

your

Father

knoweth

that

ye

have

need

of

all

these

things

.

Seek

first

the

kingdom

of

God

,

and

His

righteousness

;

and

all

these

things

shall

be

added

unto

you

.

”

He

says

that

all

these

things

shall

be

added

and

given

to

them

who

seek

the

kingdom

and

righteousness

of

God

.

For

the

Lord

says

,

that

when

the

day

of

judgment

shall

come

,

those

who

have

laboured

in

His

Church

are

admitted

to

receive

the

kingdom

.

Notes

29
Prov. xxviii. 27.
30
2 Cor. ix. 10.
31
2 Cor. ix. 12.
32
Matt. vi. 31–33.