Ante-Nicene Christian Library; Translations Of The Writings Of The Fathers Down To A.D. 325, Volume 8: The Writings Of Cyprian, Volume 1, Containing the Epistles and some of the Treatises

발행: 1868년

분량: 525페이지

출처: archive.org

분류: 미분류

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tageous to this extent, that tho fauit is tess, not that the conscienco is guttiless. He can more eastly attain to pardon os his crime, yet he is not fres from crime; and let him notcease to carry out his repentance, and to entreat the Lord's

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ON THE LAPSED. 373

31. Manias, Azarias, and Misael, the illustrious and nobis youilis, even amid the flamos and the ardours of a raong furnace, did not desist trom mahing public confession to God.

Although possessed os a good conscience, and haring ostendoserved weli of tho Lord by obedience of faith and fear, yet they did not cease Dom maintaining their humili , and

hom mahing Monement to tho Lord, even amid the glorio martyr ms of their viriues. The sacred Scriptum speari,

mouili, made confession before God togother With his companions in the midst os the firo. Daniol also, after thomanisold grace of his faith and innocency, aiter the condescension of the Lord osten ropeated in respect of his virium and praises, strives by fastings stili further in deservo wellos God, wraps himself in sackcloth and ashes, sorrowfullymining confession, and saying, o Lord God, great, and strong, and Meadfui, heeping Thy covenant and mercy forthom that lovo Thoe and keep Thy commandmendi, Wo hmosinned, We have committed iniqui , and have done Wiaedly:We have transgressed, and departed imm Thy precepta, and hom Thy judgmenta; nsither have me hearhened in thowotas of Thy servanis the propheta, Which they spine in Thyname to our hings, and to ali the nations, and to est the earth. o Lord, righteousnem' belongeth unis Thoe, but unis us

32. Theso things Were done by men, meeli, simple, inn cent, in deseruing weli of the majesty of God; and nom inoso ho have donisd ths Lord refuse in mahe atonement to tho Lord, and in entreat Him. I beg you, brethren, acquiesce

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374TNE TREANSES OF CYPRIAM God sor 3 ou ibat He Would pity you. Repent abundantly,

prove the sorrow of a grieving and lamenting minit. 33. Neithor let that imprudent error or vain stupor offome moVe you, Who, although they are involved in so gravo a crime, are struch Mith blindness of mind, so that thoyneither understand nor lament their sins. This is the greater

munion as valid with those who are not communicanis; theybellevo men against God, although they have not belleve l

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ON TNE LAPSED. 375 God, and whose mind, although it is placed in the midst offa grievou lapse, is mindiui os iis mise , do you in re

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378THE TREANSES OF CYPRIAM

an anxious heari, both to perceive and to beWare os thewiles os the crasty foe, that we, who have put on Christ thewisdom os God the Father, may not seem to be Wanting in Wisdom in the matter of providing for our salvation ' Forit is not persecution alono that is to be feared; nor thosethings which advanco by open attach to ovor helm and castdown the servants of God. Caution is more easy Wheredanger is mani sest, and tho mind is prepared besoreliand sorthe contest When the adversary avoms himself. The enemy is more to be feared and to be marded against, When he creepson us secretiy; When, deceiving by the appearance os peace, he steals forWard by hidden approaches, Whence also he has received the namo of tho Serpent the creeping, steat ing

again, and deceive; yet he was underatood, and beaten bach, and therelare prostrated, because he vas recognised and

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salvation.

3. But, beloved brethron, not only must me beWare ofWhat is open and manifest, but also of What deceives by thoerast os subile fraud. And What can be more cras , or vliat more subile, than for this enemn detected and cast lown by the advent of Christ, after light has como to thonations, and saving rays have stione for the preservation of

temples deserted by the numerous concourae os bellevers-to

devise a nem fraud, and under the very titie of the Christianname to doceius the incautio Ho has inventod herosi and schisms, Whereby lis might subvere the faith, might corrupi the truth, might divide the uni . Those whom hecannot keep in the darkness of the old way, he circumvenis

and deceives by the error os a neW Way. Ηe snatches men

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according to the apostle's Word, transforms himself into an anget os light, and equips his ministere M is they mero thoministere os righteo ness, Who maintain night instead os dandeath sor salvation, despiar under the offer of hope, perfidyunder the pretexi of faith, antichrist under the namo M

brethren, so long as We do not return to the wurce of truth, as Wo do not Meh the head nor Mep the reaching of tho heavenly Master. 4. Is any one consider and examine these things, there is no need for tengthened discussion and arguments. Thero is easy proos for faith in a shore summary of tho truth. The Lota speas in Peter, saying, I say unis thee, that thou art

rest of the apostles Were also the fame as Was Peter, endo ed

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