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The Life and Passion of Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr. By Pontius the Deacon

Pontius the Deacon

Section 5

About this work

Author: Pontius the Deacon

5. It would be tedious to go

‹ Section 4 Section 6 ›

through

individual

circumstances

,

it

would

be

laborious

to

enumerate

all

his

doings

.

For

the

proof

of

his

good

works

I

think

that

this

one

thing

is

enough

,

that

by

the

judgment

of

God

and

the

favour

of

the

people

,

he

was

chosen

to

the

office

of

the

priesthood

and

the

degree

of

the

episcopate

while

still

a

neophyte

,

and

,

as

it

was

considered

,

a

novice

.

Although

still

in

the

early

days

of

his

faith

,

and

in

the

untaught

season

of

his

spiritual

life

,

a

generous

disposition

so

shone

forth

in

him

,

that

although

not

yet

resplendent

with

the

glitter

of

office

,

but

only

of

hope

,

he

gave

promise

of

entire

trustworthiness

for

the

priesthood

that

was

coming

upon

him

.

Moreover

,

I

will

not

pass

over

that

remarkable

fact

,

of

the

way

in

which

,

when

the

entire

people

by

God’s

inspiration

leapt

forward

in

his

love

and

honour

,

he

humbly

withdrew

,

giving

place

to

men

of

older

standing

,

and

thinking

himself

unworthy

of

a

claim

to

so

great

honour

,

so

that

he

thus

became

more

worthy

.

For

he

is

made

more

worthy

who

dispenses

with

what

he

deserves

.

And

with

this

excitement

were

the

eager

people

at

that

time

inflamed

,

desiring

with

a

spiritual

longing

,

as

the

event

proved

,

not

only

a

bishop

,

—

for

in

him

whom

then

with

a

latent

foreboding

of

divinity

they

were

in

such

wise

demanding

,

they

were

seeking

not

only

a

priest

,

—

but

moreover

a

future

martyr

.

A

crowded

fraternity

was

besieging

the

doors

of

the

house

,

and

throughout

all

the

avenues

of

access

an

anxious

love

was

circulating

.

Possibly

that

apostolic

experience

might

then

have

happened

to

him

,

as

he

desired

,

of

being

let

down

through

a

window

,

had

he

also

been

equal

to

the

apostle

in

the

honour

of

ordination

.

It

was

plain

to

be

seen

that

all

the

rest

were

expecting

his

coming

with

an

anxious

spirit

of

suspense

,

and

received

him

when

he

came

with

excessive

joy

.

I

speak

unwillingly

,

but

I

must

needs

speak

.

Some

resisted

him

,

even

that

he

might

overcome

them

;

yet

with

what

gentleness

,

how

patiently

,

how

benevolently

he

gave

them

indulgence

!

how

mercifully

he

forgave

them

,

reckoning

them

afterwards

,

to

the

astonishment

of

many

,

among

his

closest

and

,

most

intimate

friends

!

For

who

would

not

be

amazed

at

the

forgetfulness

of

a

mind

so

retentive

?

Notes

8
[The charismata of a higher ministry.]