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THE LIM AND PASSION OF CYPRIAN. xxiii
solves ii they Would persuade us against God. To them, it is a severe punishment to live oulside their own ci ; to tho Christian, the whole of this Worid is one home. Whereiare, though he wero banished into a hidden and secret place, yet, associaled with the assairs of his God, he cannot regard it asan exile. In addition, Whilo honestly serving God, lis is astranger even in his o n city. For While the continency of tho HOU Spirit restrains him from carnal destres, he laysaside tho conversation of the tormer man, and everi among
his sello citigens, Or, I might almost sari among the parenta themselves of his earthly lise, he is a stranger. Besides, although this might otherWise appear to be a punishment, Fet in causes and sentences of this hilid, which wo suffer fortho trial of tho proos of Our viriue, it is not a punishment, because it is a glory. But, indeed, suppose banishment notio be a punishment to us, yet the witness of their oWn conscience may stili attributo the last and worst wickedness tothose Who can lay upon the innocent What thoy thinh to be apunishment. I Will not noW describe a charming place; and,
ior the present, I pras over the addition os ali possibis deligitis. Let us conceive of the place, filthy in siluation, squalid in
tWeen the inhospitable j-s of a totalty deserted solitude, fax removed in the pathiess regions of the worid. Such a placemight have borne the name os exile, ii Cyprian, the priestos God, had come thither; although to him, is the ministrations of men had been wanting, Etther birds, as in the case os Elias, or angeis, as in that os Daniel, Would have ministered. Away, a V With tho bellei that anything Would bo mantingeo the least oi us, so long as he stands for the confession of
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delay accorded, yet trembled so With fear of the uncertainuos the interpretation, that tho remains of sear stili set myexultim heari beating mitti excessivo agitation.' 13. What could bo moro plain than this revelation What could bo more blessed than this condescension
a ut in pam in the worid aster his vision. For, to spe more plainin on stat day, aiter the year Was expired, he masero nia, on Which, at tho commencement of the year, the fact had Men announced in him. For although me do notroad of tho My of the Lord as a year in sacred Scripture, Dimo rogard that space of time as due in mahing promise offuture things. Whenco it is of no consequencs is, in this case, under the ordinam expression Oi a day, it is Only a Darthat in this place is implied, because that which is the greator ot to bo fuller in meaning. Μοreover, that it Was e plainod rather by signf than by speech, was because theuiterance of speech mas reserved for the manifestation of
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xxvi THE LIM AND PASSION OF CYPRIAM When, on the very day on Which he had Men it, he was cro ned. Neverthelem, in the meantime, his impendingsuffering Was certainly known by ali, but the exact day os his passion Was not spolien of by any os the fame, just as ii theywere ignorant of it. And, indoed, I finit something simila in tho Scriptures. For Zacharias the pHest, because he didnot belleve the promise os a son, made to him by the angel, becanio dumb ; so that he asked for tableis is a sign, beingabout to write his son's name rather than ulter it. Withreason, also in this case, Where God's messeliger declared
arrange his assairs and setile his Mili. Yet what assalas orvhat will had he to arrange, except ecclesiastical conceras' And thus that last delay was received, in order that Whateverhad to bo disposed os by his final decision concerning the careoi cherishing the poor might be arranged. And I think that
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heaven, and did not consent to their tempting persuasions. IIo Would perhaps even then have done What was being
great a man must not be passed over Without announcement,
that nom When the world was sWelling, and of iis trust in iis princes breathing out halred of the name, he was instructingGod's servant' as opportunity Was given, in the exhortations of the Lord, and was animating them to tread under soot tho sufferings of this present time by the contemplation os a glory to come hereaster. Indeed, such Was his love os sacreddiscourae, that he Wished that his prayers in regard to his suffering might he so ans ered, that he would be put to death in the very act of speaking about God. 15. And these were the datly acts of a priest destinod sora pleasing sacrifice to God, When, belloid, at the bidding of the proconsul, the ossicer With his soldiora on a sudden cameunexpectedly on him, or milier, to Speah more trutri thoughtthat he had come unexpectedly on him, at his gardens,-athis gardens, I say, Whicli at tho beginning of his fatili ho had sold, and whicli, being restored by God's mercy, he would assuredly have sold again for the use of the poor, is he had
the Gentiles. Α genue custody, hoWever, had him in charge
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priest. Yet, perhaps, sOme one may ask What was the re onos his returning from the praetorium to the ossicer. And somethinh that this aroso from the faci, that for his oWn part tho proconsul Was then unWilling. Far be it irem me to complain, in mattera divinely ordered, of aloth fulness or aversionin the proconsul. F. be it from me in admit such an ovilinto the consciousnem os a religious mind, as that the fan of man should decido the fate of so blessed a martyr. Buttho moreo , Which a year beiore the divino condescension
running to the crown os righteousnem. But when ho hineome to the praetorium, as the proconsul had not yet come fortii, a place os retirement Was accorded him. There, as hesat moistened aster his long journey with excessive perspir tion the seat was by chance covered Mith linen, so that evenin the very moment of his passion he might enjoy the honour
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to his people ; and that with his biood disciplino mould boonto tablished. Nothing could be more complete, nothingmore true, than this sentence. For ali the things Whicli morosaid, although said by a hsathen, are divino. Nor is it indoed
discipline began to bo establishod; but it Was the disciplino ofmartyre, Who, emulating their teacher, in the imitation os a glory liho his o , themselves also gavo a confirmation to di ciplino by the very blood of their om example. 18. And whon he lest tho doors of the praetorium, a cro dot soldiery accompanted him; and that nothing might bo anting in his passion, centuriona and tribunes Mardod his
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xxx TNE LVE AND PASSION OF CYPRIAM
dissiculty clasped tho blado in his falling right hand with
Vig. that the entire congregation ahould suffer at once in tho
did in somo sori send a missi ve to God, as his ambassador.
19. His passion being thus accomptisheri it resulted that Cyprian, who had been an example to ali good men, Was also
oi martyrdomJ, because he was the first Who begati to be suchaster the apostles. For from the time at Whicli the episcopalorder is enumerated at Carthage, not one is ever recorded, even of good men and priesu, to have come to suffering. Although devotion surrendered to God is always in cons crated men rechoned instead os martyrdom; yet Cyprianaitained even to the perfect crown by the consummation
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E LIM AND PASSION OF CYPRIAN. xxxi insignia of his heavenly pHesthood milli glorious gore. Whatshali I do no Bel eon joy at his passion, and gries at stili remaining, my mind is divided in disserent directions, and twosold affections aro b dening a heari too limited forthem. Shali I meus stat Ι was not his associale Butyet I must triumph in his victory. Shali I triumph at his victo Stili I grievo that Ι am not his companion. Yot stili is you I must in simplici confess, What Fou also area ars os, that it Was my intention to be his companion.