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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may fear to die, Who, not betag regeneraled os mater and the Spirit, is desivered over to the fidis of Gehenna; he may fearto die .ho is not inrested in the croas and passion es Christ; ho may fear to die, Who hom inis Math stati pam ovor is a second death; ho may iam to die, Whom in his departuro fram inis World eternat flamo inali torment With nove ending punishmenis; he may fear to die Who has this adontage in alenphened dela' that in tho meanWhilo his groanings and his anguish ars bring postponeae 15. Many of our peoplo die in this mortali , that is, many of our po te are liberaled fram inis Worid. This mortali , as it is a plague to JeWs and Gentiles, and ene es of Christ,so it is a departure in salvation to God's servants. The factinat, mithout any differenco made Miseen one and another,

the righteous dis as meli as ine u ighimus, is no reason for Fouto supposo that it is a common death for tho good and ovilalthe. Tho righteous are called to their place of refreshing, tho unrighteous are malched aWay to punishment; sasely istho more speedily given to the fiathsul, penalty to the unb liering. We are thoughilem and ungrateiul, beloved brethron, for tho divino bonfiis, and do not achnowledge What is conferred Mon us. Lo, virgins depari in peace, sese With their glor' not tiaring the threata of the coming antichrist, and his corruptions and his brotheis. Boys escape the perit ostheir u table age, and in happineas attain the re ard of

continence and innocence. NoW the delicato matron does

not fear the tortures; for ino has escaped by a rapid deaththe fear of persecution, and the handa and the tormenta ofine executioner. By the droad of the mortali and of the timo the lukowarm are inflamod, the stach are neoed ΠΡ, the Mothsul are stimulated, tho deserters are compelled toratum, the heastens are eonstra,ed to bellave, the ancient congregation of the salthsul is called to rest, tho neW and abundant amy is gathered to the batus missi a braver vigo ,

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bemum it comes to the wariare in the time of the mortali .

16. And further, boloved brethren, What is it, What agreat thing is it, hoW pertinent, hoW necessa , that that pestilence and plague which seems horribio and deadly.searches out the righteo ness of each one, and examines theminds of the human race, to Me Whether they Who are in

health tend tho sich; whether relations affectionalely love thoir hindred; Whother masters pity their languishing se Vanis; Whether physicians do not forsae the beseechingpatiendi; whether the fierce suppress their violence; Whether the rapacious can quench the ever insatiabie ardour of theirraging avarice even by the sear of death; whether theliaughu bend their nech; Whethor the wiched sosten theirboldness; Whether, When their dear ones periis, the rich, even then besto anything,' and give, When they are to die without heire. Even although this mortality conferred n thing else, it has dono this bonefit to Christians and to Gossis servanis, that we begin gladiy to destre martyrdom as melearn not to scar death. These are trainings sor us, notdeatlis: they give tho mind the glory of fortitudo; by contempt of death they prepare for the croWn. 17. But perchance some one may objeci, and say, It is this, then, that saddens mo in the present mortality, that Lwhο had been preparod for confession, and had devoted my- seli to the eniturance of suffering with my Whole heari and with abundant courage, am deprived of martyrdom, in that I am anticipaled by death. In the fidit place, martyrdomis not in your po er, but in the condescension os God; neither can you say that you have lost What you do not

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mind, anticipaled iis condemnation. As in that caso the ovit thought and mischievous intention mere foreseeny by a foreseeing God, so also in God's servanis, among Whom confession is purposed and martyrdom conceived in the minit,

tho intention dedicated to good is crowned by God the judge.

ii tho captivity of earlli delighis us 3 Why with frequently

Christi

19. Bosides, that tho indications of the divino providoneo may be more evidently manifest, proving that the Lord, pre-

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scient of tho future, tines counses for the truo salvation os Hispeople, When ono oi our colleagues and fella Uriesis, WEinedout missi infirmi , and anxio out the present approach

It was the word of one rebuhing and Warnium one Who, When men are anxious about persecution, and indifferent co ceming their summons, consenta not to their present destre,

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466 THE TREANSES OF CYPRIAM conform it to tho boo of His glo Christ tho Lord

departum and translation. 23. Thus, momover, Wo find that Εnoch also Was tran

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468NIE TREANSES OF CYPRIAM

There the glorious company of the apostles-there the hostos the rejoicing prophets-there the innumerable multitude of martyrs, croWned for the victo of their struggle and passion-there the triumphant virgins, who subdued the lustof tho flesti and of tho body by the strength of their contibnency-there are mercitui men reWarded, Who by laedingand helping tho poor have done the works of righteousness-Who, heeping the Lord's precepis, have transferred theirearthly patrimonies to the heavenly treasuries. To these, boloved brothren, let us hasten With an eager destre; let us

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Harmony of tho Synopucia Evangelista, a vola. Commentary on John's Goapol, 2 Vola.. on Acta of tho Apositos, 2 vola.. on Romana, 1 Vol. . on Corinthians, 2 vias.. Galatiana and Ephosiana, I Vol. . on Philippiana, colossiana, and The saloniana, I voLν on Timothy, Titus, and Philomon, I

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