(ob
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October 1869.
A:^rTE-NICENE
CHRISTIAN LIBRAE Y;
TRANSLATIONS OF THE WRITINGS OF THE FATHERS
DOWN TO A.D. 325.
EDITED BY THE
EEV. ALEXANDER EGBERTS, D.D.,
JA:\[ES DONALDSON, LL.D.
VOL. XIII.
THE WEITINGS OF CYPRIAN, ETC
A'OL. 11.
EDINBURGH: T. & T. CLARK,. 38, GEORGE STREET.
MDCCCLXIX.
MURRAY AND GIBB, EDINBURGH, PRINTERS TO HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE.
THE
WRITINGS OF CYPRIAN,
BISHOP OF CAETHAGE.
VOL. II. CONTAINING THE REMAINDER OF THE TREATISES.
TOOETHEK WITH
THE WRITINGS OF NOVATIM, MINUCIUS FELIX,
TRANSLATED BY
REV. EOBEET ERNEST WALLIS, Ph.D.
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MDCCCLXIX.
CONTENTS.
The Treatises of Cr-pRixy:— continued.
8. On Works and Alms, ....
9. On the Advantage of Patience,
10. On Jealousy and Envy,
11. Exhortation to Martyrdom, addressed to Fortunatus.
12. Three Books of Testimonies agamst the Jews, .
1 21
39 52
78
The Seyexth Council of Carthage under Cyprian— Concerning the Baptism of Heretics,
199
Treatises attributed to Cyprian on Questionable Authority—
On the Public Shows, .....
On the Glory of Martyrdom, ....
Of the Discipline and Advantage of Chastity, Exhortation to Repentance, ....
221 231 253 261
The Passion of the Holy Martyrs Perpetua and Felicitas,
27G
The Writings of Novatian-
Concerniug the Trinity, On the Jewish Meats,
297 382
vi CONTENTS.
PAGE
Acts and Records of the Famous Controversy about the Baptis:m of Heretics —
A Roman Council celebrated under St. Stephen, . . 397
Carthaginian Councils, ..... 397
A Fragment of a Letter of Dionysius of Alexandria to Pope
Stephen, ....... 399
A Treatise on Re-baptism, ..... 401
a tr.eatise against the heretic novatian, . . . 429
The Works of Minucius Felix—
The Octavius of Minucius Felix, .... 451
THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
TREATISE VIIL
ON WORKS AND ALMS.
ANY and great, beloved brethren, are tlie divine benefits wherewith the large and abundant mercy of God the Father and Christ both has laboured and is always labouring for our sal- vation : that the Father sent the Son to preserve us and give us life, in order that He might restore us ; and that the Son was willing^ to be sent and to become the Son of man, that He might make us sons of God ; humbled Himself, that He might raise up the people who before were prostrate ; was wounded that He might heal our wounds ; served, that He might draw out to liberty those who were in bondage ; under- went death, that He might set forth immortality to mortals. These are many and gi'eat boons of divine compassion. But, moreover, what is that providence, and how great the cle- mency, that by a plan of salvation it is provided for us, that more abundant care should be taken for preserving man after he is already redeemed ! For when the Lord at His advent had cured those wounds which Adam had borne," and had healed the old poisons of the serpent,^ He gave a law to the sound man, and bade him sin no more, lest a worse thing
^ A slight and scarcely noticeable difference occurs here in the Oxford text, which reads the passage, " that the Son was sent, and willed to be called the Son of man."
2 Portaverat ; " had brought" (Oxf. transl.)-
^ " Poisons of the old serpent." CYP. — VOL. II. A
2 THE TREATISES OF CTPBIAN.
should befall the sinner. We had been limited and shut up into a narrow space by the commandment of innocence. Nor would the infirmity and weakness of human frailty have any resource, unless the divine mercy, coming once more in aid, should open some way of securing salvation by pointing out works of justice and mercy, so that by almsgiving we may wash away whatever foulness we subsequently contract.
2. The Holy Spirit speaks in the sacred Scriptures, and says, " By almsgiving and faith sins are purged." ^ Not assuredly those sins which had been previously contracted, for those are purged by the blood and sanctification of Christ. Moreover, He says again, " As water extinguisheth fire, so almsgiving quencheth sin."^ Here also it is shown and proved, that as in the laver of saving water the fire of Gehenna is extinguished, so by almsgiving and works of righteousness the flame of sins is subdued. And because in baptism re- mission of sins is granted once for all, constant and ceaseless labour, following the likeness of baptism, once again bestows the mercy of God. The Lord teaches this also in the Gospel. For when the disciples were pointed out, as eating and not first washing their hands. He replied and said, " He that made that which is within, made also that which is without. But give alms, and behold all things are clean unto you ;"^ teaching hereby and showing, that not the hands are to be washed, but the heart, and that the foulness from inside is to be done away rather than that from outside ; but that he who shall have cleansed what is within has cleansed also that which is without ; and that if the mind is cleansed, a man has begun to be clean also in skin and body. Further, admonishing, and showing whence w^e may be clean and purged. He added that alms must be given. He who is pitiful teaches and warns us that pity must be shown ; and because He seeks to save those whom at a great cost He has redeemed. He teaches that those who, after the grace of baptism, have become foul, may once more be cleansed.
3. Let us then acknowledge, beloved brethren, the whole- some gift of the divine mercy ; and let us, who cannot be
1 Prov. xvi. 6. - Ecclus. iii. 30. ^ jjoke xi. 41.
ON WORKS AND ALMS. 3
without some wound of conscience, heal our wounds by the spiritual remedies for the cleansing and purging of our sins. Nor let any one so flatter himself with the notion of a pure and immaculate heart, as, in dependence on his own inno- cence, to think that the medicine needs not to be applied to his wounds ; since it is written, " Who shall boast that he hath a clean heart, or who shall boast that he is pure from sins?"^ And again, in his epistle, John lays it down, and saj^s, " If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." ^ But if no one can be without sin, and whoever should say that he is without fault is either proud or foolish, how needful, how kind is the divine mercy, which, knowing that there are still found some wounds in those that have been healed, even after their healing, has given wholesome remedies for the curing and healing of their wounds anew !
4. Finally, beloved brethren, the divine admonition in the Scriptures, as well old as new, has never failed, has never been silent in urging God's people always and every- where to works of mercy ; and in the strain and exhorta- tion of the Holy Spirit, every one who is instructed into tlie hope of the heavenly kingdom is commanded to give alms. God commands and prescribes to Isaiah : " Cry," says lie, "with strength, and spare not. Lift up thy voice as a trumpet, and declare to my people their transgressions, and to the house of Jacob their sins." ^ And when He had com- manded their sins to be charged upon them, and with the full force of His indignation had set forth their iniquities, and had said, that not even though they should use suppli- cations, and prayers, and fastings, should they be able to make atonement for their sins ; nor, if they were clothed in sackcloth and ashes, be able to soften God's anger, yet in the last part showing that God can be appeased by almsgiving alone, he added, saying, " Break thy bread to the hungry,
^ Prov. XX. 9.
^ 1 Joliri i. 8, 9. Oxford editors add : *' If we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." ^ Isa. Iviii. 1.
4 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
and bring the poor that are without a home into thy house. If thou seest the naked, clothe him; and despise not the house- hold of thine own seed. Then shall thy light break forth in season, and thy garments shall arise speedily ; and righteous- ness shall go before thee, and the glory of God shall surround thee. Then shalt thou cry, and God shall hear thee ; whilst yet thou art speaking, He shall say. Here I am." ^
5. The remedies for propitiating God are given in the words of God Himself ; the divine instructions have taught what sinners ought to do, that by works of righteousness God is satisfied, that with the deserts of mercy sins are cleansed. And in Solomon we read, "Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and these shall intercede for thee from all evil." ^ And again : " Whoso stoppeth his ears that he may not hear the weak, he also shall call upon God, and there will be none to hear him."^ For he shall not be able to desen^e the mercy of the Lord, who himself shall not have been merciful ; nor shall he obtain aught from the divine pity in his prayers, wdio shall not have been humane towards the poor man's prayer. And this also the Holy Spirit declares in the Psalms, and proves, saying, " Blessed is he that considereth of the poor and needy ; the Lord will deliver him in the evil day." * Kemembering which precepts, Daniel, when king Nebuchodo- nosor was in anxiety, being frightened by an adverse dream, gave him, for the turning away of evils, a remedy to obtain the divine help, saying, " Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to thee ; and redeem thy sins by almsgivings, and thine unrighteousnesses by mercies to the poor, and God will be patient ^ to thy sins." ^ And as the king did not obey him, he underwent the misfortunes and mischiefs which he had seen, and which he might have escaped and avoided had he redeemed his sins by almsgiving. Kaphael, also, the angel witnesses the like, and exhorts that alms should be freely and
1 Isa. Iviii. 1-9. ^ Ecclus. xxix. 12.
3 Prov. xxi. 13. * Ps. xli. 1.
« Some editors read " parcens " instead of " patiens," making the meaning " sparing to thy sins." 6 Dan. iv. 27.
ON WORKS AND ALMS. 5
liberally bestowed, saying, " Prayer is good, witli fasting and alms ; because alms doth deliver from death, and it purgeth away sins."^ He shows that our prayers and fastings are of less avail, unless they are aided by almsgiving ; that entrea- ties alone arc of little force to obtain what they seek, unless they be made sufficient ^ by the addition of deeds and good works. The angel reveals, and manifests, and certifies that our petitions become efficacious by almsgiving, that life is redeemed from dangers by almsgiving, that souls are deli- vered from death by almsgiving.
6. Neither, beloved brethren, are we so bringing forward these things, as that we should not prove what Kaphael the angel said, by the testimony of the truth. In the Acts of the Apostles the faith of the fact is established ; and that souls are delivered by almsgiving not only from the second, but from the first death, is discovered by the evidence of a matter accomplished and completed. When Tabitha, being greatly given to good works and to bestowing alms, fell sick and died, Peter was summoned to her lifeless body ; and when he, with apostolic humanity, had come in haste, there stood around him widows weeping and entreating, showing the cloaks, and coats, and all the garments which they had pre- viously received, and praying for the deceased not by their words, but by her own deeds. Peter felt that what was asked in such a way might be obtained, and that Christ's aid would not be wanting to the petitioners, since He Himself was clothed in the clothing of the widows. When, therefore, falling on his knees, he had prayed, and — fit advocate for the widows and poor — had brought to the Lord the prayers entrusted to him, turning to the body, which was now lying washed on the bier,^ he said, " Tabitha, in the name of Jesus Christ, arise ! "'^ Nor did He fail to bring aid to Peter, who had said in the Gospel, that whatever should be asked in His name should be given. Therefore death is suspended, and
1 Tob. xii. 8, 9.
2 Some have read for "satientur," " farciantur," and others " socicn- tur," "be filled up," or " be associated."
^ Other translators read, " in the upper chamber." * Acts ix. 40.
6 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
the spirit is restored, and, to the marvel and astonisliinent of all, the revived body is quickened into this worldly light once more ; so effectual were the merits of mercy, so much did righteous works avail ! She who had conferred upon suffering widows the help needful to live, deserved to be recalled to life by the widows' petition.
7. Therefore in the Gospel, the Lord, the Teacher of our life and Master of eternal salvation, quickening the assembly of believers, and providing for them for ever when quickened, among His divine commands and precepts of heaven, com- mands and prescribes nothing more frequently than that we should devote ourselves to almsgiving, and not depend on earthly possessions, but rather lay up heavenly treasui'es. " Sell," says He, " your goods, and give alms." ^ And again : " Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust do corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for 3- ourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where thy treasure is, there vnll thy heart be also." ^ And when He wished to set forth a nian perfect and complete by the observation of the law,^ He said, " If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven ; and come and follow me." * Moreover, in another place He •says that a merchant of the heavenly grace, and a gainer of eternal salvation, ought to purchase the precious pearl — that is, eternal life — at the price of the blood of Christ, from the amount of his patrimony, parting with all his wealth for it. He says : " The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant- man seeking goodly pearls. And when he found a precious pearl, he went away and sold all that he had, and bought it." '
8. In fine. He calls those the children of Abraham whom He sees to be laborious in aiding and nourishing the poor.
1 Luke xii. 33. 2 ^i^^^^ ^i 19-21.
2 " When He would show to one who had observed the law how to become perfect and finished" (Oxf. transl.).
4 Matt. xix. 21. 5 ]^£.^tt. xiii. 45, 46.
ox WORKS AND ALMS. 7
For when Zaccliseus said, " Behold, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have done any ^y^ong to any man, I restore fourfold," Jesus answered and said, " That salva- tion has this day come to this house, for that he also is a son of Abraham." ^ For if Abraham believed in God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness, certainly he who gives alms according to God's precept believes in God, and he who has the truth of faith maintains the fear of God ; moreover, he who maintains the fear of God considers God in showing mercy to the poor. For he labours thus because he believes — because he knows that what is foretold by God's word is true, and that the holy Scripture cannot lie — that unfruitful trees, that is, unproductive men, are cut off and cast into the fire, but that the merciful are called into the kin^rdom. He also, in another place, calls laborious and fruitful men faithful ; but He denies faith to unfruitful and barren ones, saying, "If ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who wdll commit to you that which is true ? And. if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, wdio shall give you that which is your own? " ^
9. If you dread and fear, lest, if you begin to act thus abun- dantly, your patrimony being exhausted with your liberal deal- ing, you may perchance be reduced to poverty ; be of good courage in this respect, be free from care : that cannot be ex- hausted whence the service of Christ is supphed, whence the heavenly work is celebrated. Neither do I vouch for this on my own authority ; but I promise it on the faith of tlie 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 tumeth aw^ay 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 tlie sower, shall both minister bread for your food, and shall multiply your seed sown, and shall increase the growth of the fruits of
1 Luke xix. 8, 9. 2 L^ke xvi. 11, 12. ^ ^^^y^ xxviii. 27.
8 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
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 for these thinojs the Gentiles seek. And your Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteous- ness ; 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.
10. You are afraid lest perchance your estate should fail, if you begin to act liberally from it ; and you do not know, miserable man that you are, that while you are fearing lest your family property should fail you, life itself, and salva- tion, are failing ; and whilst you are anxious lest any of your wealth should be diminished, you do not see that you your- self are being diminished, in that you are a lover of mam- mon more than of your own soul ; and while you fear, lest for the sake of yourself, you should lose your patrimony, you yourself are perishing for the sake of your patrimony. And therefore the apostle well exclaims, and says : " We brought nothing into this world, neither indeed can we carry anything out. Therefore, having food and clothing, let us therewith be content. For they who will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many and hurtful desires, which drown a man in perdition and in destruction. For covetousness is a root of all evils, which some desiring, have made shipwreck
1 2 Cor. ix. 10. - 2 Cor. ix. 12. ^ ^jatt. vi. 31-33.
ON WORKS AND ALMS. 9
from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." ^
11. Are you afraid that your patrimony perchance may fall short, if you should begin to do liberally from it ? Yet when has it ever happened that resources^ could fail the righteous man, since it is written, " The Lord will not slay with famine the righteous soul ? " ^ Elias in the desert is fed by the ministry of ravens ; and a meal from heaven is made ready for Daniel in the den, when shut up by the king's command for a prey to the lions ; and you are afraid that food should be wanting to you, labouring and deserving well of the Lord, although He Himself in the Gospel bears witness, for the re- buke of those whose mind is doubtful and faith small, and says : " Behold the fowls of heaven, that they sow not, nor reap, nor gather into barns ; and your heavenly Father f eedeth them : are you not of more value than they ? " * God feeds the fowls, and daily food is afforded to the sparrows ; and to creatures which have no sense of things divine there is no want of drink or food. Thinkest thou that to a Christian — thinkest thou that to a servant of the Lord — thinkest thou that to one given up to good works — thinkest thou that to one that is dear to his Lord, anything will be wanting ?
12. Unless you imagine that he who feeds Christ is not himself fed by Christ, or that earthly things will be wanting to those to whom heavenly and divine things are given. Whence this unbelieving thought, whence this impious and sacrilegious consideration ? What does a faithless heart do in the home of faith ? Why is he who does not altocrether trust in Christ named and called a Christian ? The name of Pharisee is more fitting for you. For when in the Gospel the Lord was discoursing concerning almsgiving, and faithfully and wholesomely warned us to make to ourselves friends of our earthly lucre by provident good works, who might after- wai'ds receive us into eternal dwellings, the Scripture added after this, and said, '^ But the Pharisees heard all these things, who were very covetous, and they derided Him."^
^ 1 Tim. vi. 7-10. ^ Some editors read, " the resources of life." 3 Prov. X. 3. 4 Matt. v. 26. ^ Luke xvi. lA,
10 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
Some suchlike we see now in tlie cliurcli, whose closed ears and darkened hearts admit no light from spiritual and saving warnings, of whom we need not wonder that they contemn the servant in his discourses, when we see the Lord Himself despised by such.
13. Wherefore do you applaud yourself in those vain and silly conceits, as if you were withheld from good works by fear and solicitude for the future? Why do you lay out before you certain shadows and omens of a vain excuse? Yea, confess what is the truth ; and since you cannot deceive those who know,^ utter forth the secret and hidden things of your mind. The gloom of barrenness has besieged 3^our mind ; and while the light of truth has departed thence, the deep and profound darkness of avarice has blinded your carnal heart. You are the captive and slave of your money ; you are bound with the chains and bonds of covetousness ; and you whom Christ had once loosed, are once more in chains. You keep your money, which, when kept, does not keep you. You heap up a patrimony which burdens you" with its weight ; and you do not remember vrhat God an- swered to the rich man, who boasted with a foolish exultation of the abundance of his exuberant harvest : " Thou fool," said He, " this night thy soul is required of thee ; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided ? " ^ Why do you watch in loneliness over your riches ? why for your punishment do you heap up the burden of your patrimony, that, in proportion as you are rich in this world, you may become poor to God ? Divide your returns with the Lord your God ; share your gains with Christ ; make Christ a partner with you in your earthly possessions, that He also may make you a fellow-heir with Him in His heavenly kingdom.
14. You are mistaken, and are deceived, whosoever you are, that think yourself rich in this world. Listen to the voice of your Lord in the Apocalypse, rebuking men of your
^ " Him who knows it," Oxford translation.
2 According to Manutius, Pamelius, and others, " too heavily" is here added.
3 Luke xii. 20.
ON WORKS AND ALMS. 11
stcamp with rigliteoiis reproaches : " Thou sayest," says He, ^' I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing ; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and bhnd, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich ; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear in thee ; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see."^ You therefore, who are rich and wealthy, buy for yourself of Christ gold tried by fire ; that you may be pure gold, with your filth burnt out as if by fire, if you are purged by alms- giving and righteous w^orks. Buy for yourself white raiment, that you who had been naked according to Adam, and were before frightful and unseemly, may be clothed with the white garment of Christ. And you wdio are a wealthy and rich matron in Christ's church,^ anoint your eyes, not with the collyrium of the devil, but with Christ's eye-salve, that you may be able to attain to see God, by deserving well of God, both by good works and character.
15. But you who are such as this, cannot labour in the church. For your eyes, overcast with the gloom of black- ness, and shadowed in night, do not see the needy and poor. You are wealthy and rich, and do you think that you celebrate the Lord's Supper, not at all considering the offering,^ who come to the Lord's Supper without a sacrifice, and yet take part of the sacrifice which the poor man has offered ? Con- sider in the Gospel the widow that remembered the heavenly precepts, doing good even amidst the difficulties and straits of poverty, casting two mites, which were all that she had, into the treasury ; whom when the Lord observed and saw, regarding her work not for its abundance, but for its inten- tion, and considering not how much, but from how much, she had given, He answered and said, " Verily I say unto you, that that widow hath cast in more than they all into the offerings of God. For all these have, of that wdiich they had
1 Rev. iii. 17, 18.
2 These words, " in Christ's church," are omitted in a few texts. » " Corban." '
12 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
in abundance, cast in unto the offerings of God ; but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had." ^ Greatly blessed and glorious woman, who even before the day of judgment hast merited to be praised by the voice of the Judo-e! Let the rich be ashamed of their barrenness and unbehef. The widow, the widow needy in means,^ is found rich in works. And although everything that is given is conferred upon widows and orphans, she gives, whom it be- hoved to receive, that we may know thence what pimishment awaits the barren rich man, when by this very instance even the poor ought to labour in good works. And in order that we may understand that their labours are given to God, and that whoever performs them deserves well of the Lord, Christ calls this " the offerings of God,'' and intimates that the widow has cast in two farthings into the offerings of God, that it may be more abundantly evident that he who hath pity on the poor lendeth to God.
16. But neither let the consideration, dearest brethren, restrain and recall the Christian from good and righteous works, that any one should fancy that he could be excused for the benefit of his children ; since in spiritual expenditure we ought to think of Christ, who has declared that He re- ceives them ; and not prefer our fellow-servants, but the Lord, to our children, since He Himself instructs and warns us, saying, " He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he that loveth son or daugliter more than me is not worthy of me." ^ Also in Deuteronomy, for the strengthening of faith and the love of God, similar things are written : " Who say," he saith, *^ unto their father or mother, I have not known thee ; neither did they acknow- ledge their children, these have observed Thy words, and kept Thy covenant." * For if we love God with our whole heart, we ought not to prefer either our parents or children to God. And this also John lays down in his epistle, that
1 Luke xxi. 3, 4.
2 This is differently read " a widow, a poor widow is found," etc. ; or, " a woman widowed and poor."
3 Matt. X. 37. ^ Deut. xxxiii. 9.
ON WORKS AND ALMS, 13
the love of God is not in tliem whom we see unwilling to labour for the poor. "• Whoso," says he, " hath tliis world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him ? " ^ For if by almsgiving to the poor we are lending to God — and when it is given to the least it is given to Christ — there is no ground for any one preferring earthly things to heavenly, nor for considering human things before divine.
17. Thus that widow in the third book of Kings, when in the drought and famine, having consumed everything, she had made of the little meal and oil which was left, a cake upon the ashes, and having used this, was about to die with her children, Elias came and asked that something should first be given him to eat, and then of what remained that she and her children should eat. Nor did she hesitate to obey ; nor did the mother prefer her children to Elias in her hunger and poverty. Yea, there is done in God's sight a thing that pleases God : promptly and liberally is presented what is asked for. Neither is it a portion out of abundance, but the whole out of a little, that is given, and another is fed before her hungry children ; nor in penury and want is food thought of before mercy ; so that while in a saving work the life according to the flesh is contemned, the soul according to the spirit is preserved. Therefore Elias, being the type of Christ, and showing that according to His mercy He re- turns to each their reward, answered and said : '' Thus saith the Lord, The vessel of meal shall not fail, and the cruse of oil shall not be diminished, until the day that the Lord giveth rain upon the earth." ^ According to her faith in the divine promise, those things which she gave were multiplied and heaped up to the widow ; and her righteous works and deserts of mercy taking augmentations and increase, the vessels of meal and oil were filled. Nor did the mother take away from her children what she gave to Elias, but rather she conferred upon her children what she did kindly and piously. And she did not as yet know Christ ; she had not yet licard His precepts ; she did not, as redeemed by His cross and passion, ^ 1 John ill. 17. - 1 Kings xvii. 14.
14 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
repay meat and drink for His blood. So that from this it may appear how much he sins in the church, who, preferring him- self and his children to Christ, preserves his wealth, and does not share an abmidant estate with the poverty of the needy.
18. Moreover, also, [you say] there are many children at home; and the multitude of your children checks you from giving yourself freely to good works. And yet on this very account you ought to labour the more, for the reason that you are the father of many pledges. There are the more for whom you must beseech the Lord. The sins of many have to be re- deemed, the consciences of many to be cleansed, the souls of many to be liberated. As in this worldly life, in the nourish- ment and bringing up of children, the larger the number the greater also is the expense; so also in the spiritual and heavenly life, the larger the number of children you have, the greater ought to be the outlay of your labours. Thus also Job offered numerous sacrifices on behalf of his children ; and as large as was the number of the pledges in his home, so large also was the number of victims given to God. And since there cannot daily fail to be sins committed in the sight of God, there wanted not daily sacrifices wherewith the sins might be cleansed away. The holy Scripture proves this, saying : " Job, a true and righteous man, had seven sons and three daughters, and cleansed them, offering for them victims to God according to the number of them, and for their sins one calf." ^ If, then, you truly love your children, if you show to them the full and paternal sweetness of love, you ought to be the more charitable, that by your righteous works you may commend your children to God.
19. Neither should you think that he is father to your chil- dren who is both changeable and infirm, but you should obtain Him who is the eternal and unchanging Father of spiritual children. Assign to Him your wealth which you are saving up for your heirs. Let Him be the guardian for your children ; let Him be their trustee ; let Him be their protector, by His divine majesty, against all worldly injuries. The state neither takes away the property entrusted to God, nor does the ex-
1 Job i. 5, LXX.
ON WORKS AND ALMS, 15
cliequer intrude on It, nor does any forensic calumny over- throw it. That inheritance is placed In security which Is kept under the guardianship of God. This is to provide for one's dear pledges for the coming time ; this is wltli paternal affec- tion to take care for one's future heirs, according to the faith of the holy Scripture, which says : " I have been young, and now am old ; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed wanting bread. All the day long he is merciful, and lendeth ; ^ and his seed is blessed." ^ And again : " He who walketh without reproach in his integrity shall leave blessed children after him." ^ Therefore you are an unfair and traitorous father, unless you faithfully consult for your children, unless you look forward to preserve them in religion and true piety. You who are careful rather for their earthly than for their heavenly estate, rather to commend your chil- dren to the devil than to Christ, are sinning twice, and allowing a double and twofold crime, both in not providing for your children the aid of God their Father, and in teach- ing your children to love their property more than Christ.
20. Be rather such a father to your children as was Tobias. Give useful and saving precepts to your pledges, such as he gave to his son ; command your children what he also com- manded his son, saying : " And nov*^, my son, I command thee, serve God in truth, and do before Him that which pleaseth Him ; and command thy sons, that they exercise righteousness and alms, and be mindful of God, and bless His name always." * And again : " All the days of thy life, most dear son, have God in your mind, and be not willing to transgress His commandments. Do righteousness all the days of thy life, and be not willing to walk in the way of iniquity ; because if thou deal truly, there will be respect of thy works. Give alms of thy substance, and turn not away thy face from any poor man. So shall it be, that neltlier shall the face of God be turned away from thee. As thou hast, my son, so do. If thy substance is abundant, give alms of it the more. If thou hast little, communicate of that
^ The original is variously read " foenerat " and " commodat."
2 Ps. xxxvii. 25, 26. » Prov. xx. 7. "* Tob. xiv. 10, 11.
16 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
little. And fear not when thou doest alms ; for thou layest up a good reward for thyself against the day of necessity, because that alms do deliver from death, and suffereth not to come into Gehenna. Alms is a good gift to all that give it, in the sight of the most high God." ^
21. What sort of gift is it, beloved brethren, whose setting forth is celebrated in the sight of God ? If, in a gift of the Gentiles, it seems a great and glorious thing to have pro- consuls or emperors present, and the preparation and display is the greater among the givers, in order that they may please the higher classes; how much more illustrious and greater is the glory to have God and Christ as the spectators of the gift ! How much more sumptuous the preparation and more liberal the expense to be set forth in that case, when the powers of heaven assemble to the spectacle, when all the angels come together ! — where it is not a four-horsed chariot or a consulship that is sought for the giver, but life eternal is bestowed ; nor is the empty and fleeting favour of the rabble grasped at, but the perpetual reward of the kingdom of heaven is received !
22. And that the indolent and the barren, and those, who by their covetousness for money do nothing in respect of the fruit of their salvation, may be the more ashamed, and that the blush of dishonour and disgrace may the more strike upon their sordid conscience, let each one place before his eyes the devil with his servants, that is, with the people of perdition and death, springing forth into the midst, and pro- voking the people of Christ with the trial of comparison — Christ Himself being present, and judging — in these words : ^'I, for those whom thou seest with me, neither received buffets, nor bore scourgings, nor endured the cross, nor shed my blood, nor redeemed my family at the price of my suffer- ing and blood ; but neither do I promise them a celestial kingdom, nor do I recall them to paradise, having again re- stored to them immortality. But they prepare for me gifts how precious ! how large ! with how excessive and tedious a labour procured ! and that, with the most sumptuous devices,
1 Tob. iv. 5-11.
ON WORKS AND ALMS. 17
either pledging or selling tlieir means in the procuring of the gift ! and, unless a competent manifestation followed, they are cast out with scoffings and hissings, and by the popular fury sometimes they are almost stoned ! Show, O Christ, such givers as these of Thine ^ — those rich men, those men affluent with abounding wealth — whether in the church wherein Thou presidest and beholdest, they set forth a gift of that kind, — having pledged or scattered their riches, yea, having transferred, them, by the change of their possessions for the better, into heavenly treasures ! In those spectacles of mine, perishing and earthly as they are, no one is fed, no one is clothed, no one is sustained by the comfort either of any meat or drink. All things, between the madness of the exhibitor and the mistake of the spectator, are perishing in a prodigal and foolish vanity of deceiving pleasures. There, in Thy poor. Thou art clothed and fed ; Thou promisest eternal life to those who labour for Thee ; and scarcely are Thy people made equal to mine that perish, although they are honoured by Thee wath divine wages and heavenly rewards. 23. What do w^e reply to these things, dearest brethren ? With what reason do we defend the minds of rich men, overwhelmed with a profane barrenness and a kind of night of gloom? With what excuse do we acquit them, seeing that we are less than the devil's servants, so as not even moderately to repay Christ for the price of His passion and blood ? He has given us precepts ; what His servants ought to do He has instructed us ; promising a rew^ard to those that are charitable, and threatening punishment to the un- fruitful. He has set forth His sentence. He has before announced what He shall judge. AVhat can be the excuse for the laggard ? what the defence for the unfruitful ? But when the servant does not do what is commanded, the Lord will do wdiat He threatens, seeing that He says : " When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then shall He sit in the throne of His glory : and before Him shall be gathered all nations ; and He shall
^ Some editors add here, " warned by Thy precepts, and -who shall receive heavenly things instead of earthly."
CYP. — VOL. II. * B
18 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
separate tliem one from another, as a slieplierd divideth his sheep from the goats : and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them that shall be on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom that is prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me to eat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me in : naked, and ye clothed me : I was sick, and ye visited me : I was in prison, and ye came to me. Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, and fed Thee ? thirsty, and gave Thee drink ? When saw we Thee ^a stranger, and took Thee in ? naked, and clothed Thee ? Or when saw we Thee sick, and in prison, and came unto Thee ? Then shall the King answer and say unto them. Verily I say unto you. Insomuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me. Then shall He say also unto those that shall be at His left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which my Father hath prepared for the devil and his angels. For I Avas an hungered, and ye gave me not to eat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me not to di'ink : I was a stranger, and ye took me not in : naked, and ye clothed me not : sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and ministered not unto Thee? And He shall answer them, Verily I say unto you. In so far as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not unto me. And these shall go away into everlasting burning : but the righteous into life eternal." ^ What more could Christ declare unto us ? How more could He stimulate the works of our righteousness and mercy, than by saying that whatever is given to the needy and poor is given to Himself, and by saying that He is aggrieved unless the needy and poor be supplied ? So that he who in the church is not moved by consideration for his brother, may yet be moved by contemplation of Christ ; and 1 Matt. XXV. 31-46.
ON WORKS AND ALMS. 19
he who does not think of his fellow-servant in suffering and in poverty, may yet think of his Lord, who abideth in that very man whom he is despising.
24. And therefore, dearest brethren, whose fear is inclined towards God, and who having already despised and trampled under foot the world, have lifted up your mind to things heavenly and divine, let us with full faith, with devoted mind, w^ith continual labour, give our obedience, to deserve well of the Lord. Let us give to Christ earthly garments, that we may receive heavenly raiment ; let us give food and drink of this world, that we may come with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob to the heavenly banquet. That we may not reap little, let us sow abundantly. Let us, while there is time, take thought for our security and eternal salvation, according to the admonition of the Apostle Paul, who says : " There- fore, while Ave have time, let us labour in wdiat is good unto all men, but especially to them that are of the household of faith. But let us not be weary in well-doing, for in its season we shall reap." ^
25. Let us consider, beloved brethren, what the cono-recra- lion of believers did in the time of the apostles, when at the first beginnings the mind flourished with greater virtues, when the faith of believers burned w^ith a warmth of faith as yet new. Then they sold houses and farms, and gladly and liberally presented to the apostles the proceeds to be dispensed to the poor ; selling and alienating their earthly estate, they transferred their lands thither where they might receive the fruits of an eternal possession, and there prepared homes where they might begin an eternal habitation. Such, then, was the abundance in labours, as was the agreement in love, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles : " And the mul- titude of them that believed acted with one heart and one soul ; neither was there any distinction among them, nor did they esteem anything their own of the goods which belonged to them, but they had all things common." ^ This is truly to become sons of God by spiritual birth ; this is to imitate by the heavenly law the equity of God the Father. For what-
1 Gal. vi. 10, 9. 2 Acts iv. 32.
20 THE TREATISES OF CYPEIAN.
ever is of God is common in our use; nor is an}^ one excluded from His benefits and His gifts, so as to prevent the whole human race from enjoying equally the divine goodness and liberality. Thus the day equally enlightens, the sun gives radiance, the rain moistens, the wind blows, and the sleep is one to those that sleep, and the splendour of the stars and of the moon is common. In which example of equality,^ he who, as a possessor in the earth, shares his returns and his fruits with the fraternity, while he is common and just in his gratuitous bounties, is an imitator of God the Father.
26. What, dearest brethren, will be that glory of those who labour charitably — how great and high the joy when the Lord begins to number His people, and distributing to our merits and good works the promised rewards, to give heavenly tilings for earthly, eternal things for temporal, great things for small ; to present us to the Father, to whom He has re- stored us by His sanctification ; to bestow upon us immor- tality and eternity, to which He has renewed us by the quickening of His blood ; to bring us anew to paradise, to open the kingdom of heaven, in the faith and truth of His promise ! Let these things abide firmly in our perceptions, let them be understood with full faith, let them be loved with our whole heart, let them be purchased by the magnanimity of our increasing: labours. An illustrious and divine thino\ dearest brethren, is the saving labour of charity ; a great comfort of believers, a wholesome guard of our security, a protection of hope, a safeguard of faith, a remedy for sin, a thing placed in the power of the doer, a thing both great. and easy, a crown of peace without the risk of persecution ; the true and greatest gift of God, needful for the weak, glorious for the strong, assisted by which the Christian accomplishes spiritual grace, deserves well of Christ the Judge, accounts God his debtor. For this palm of works of salvation let us gladly and readily strive ; let us all, in the struggle of right- eousness, run with God and Christ looking on ; and let us who have already begun to be greater than this life and the
1 This appears to be the less usual reading, the ordinary one being ♦' equity."
ON THE ADVANTAGE OF PATIENCE. 21
world, slacken onr course by no desire of this life and of this world. If the day shall find us, whether it be the day of reward ^ or of persecution, furnished, if swift, if running in this contest of charity, the Lord will never fail of giving a reward for our merits : in peace He will give to us who con- quer a white crown for our labours ; in persecution, He will accompany it with a purple one for our passion.
TREATISE IX.
ON TPIE ADVANTAGE OF PATIENCE.
Aegument. — Ci/prian hbnself hriefly sets forth the occasion of tills treatise at the conclusion of his Epistle to Juhaianus as folloios : " Charity of spirit^ the honour of our college, the bond of faith, and priestly concord, are maintained by us icith patience and gentleness. For this reason, more- over, we have, with the best of our poor abilities, by the p)er- mission and inspiration of the Lord, written a p)amphlet * On the Benefit of Fatience^ ichich, for the sake of our mutual love, ice have transmitted to your Having, there- fore, at the outset distinguished true patience from tlie false patience of philosophers, he commends Christian j^aiience by the patience of God, of Clirist, and of all righteous men. He farther proves, as ivell by Scrip)ture as by rea- son, and, moreover, by the instances of Job and Tobias, that not only is patience useful, but that it is needful also ; and in order that the excellence of p)atience may shine forth the more by contrast with the vice opposed to it, he sets forth what is the evil of impatience. Finally, he reproves the desire of vengeance, and teaches that o^evenge ought, according to Scripture, to be left to God rather tlian to be arrogated to ourselves. If in any ivriting Cyprian is an imitator of Tertullian, assuredly in this he imitates that writer s treatise " On Patience.^'
1. As I am about to speak, beloved brethren, of patience, and to declare its advantages and benefits, from what point ^ A more ancient reading seems to be, " of return " (soil. " reditionis").
22 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
should I rather begin than this, that I see that even at this time, for your audience of me, patience is needful, as you cannot even discharge this duty of hearing and learning with- out patience ? For wholesome discourse and reasoning are then effectually learnt, if what is said be patiently heard. Nor do I find, beloved brethren, among the rest of the ways of heavenly discipline wherein the path of our hope and faith is directed to the attainment of the divine rewards, anything of more advantage, either as more useful for life or more helpful to glory, than that we who are labouring in the precepts of the Lord with the obedience of fear and devotion, should especially, with our whole watchfulness, be careful of patience.
2. Philosophers also profess that they pursue this virtue ; but in their case the patience is as false as their wisdom also is. For whence can he be either wise or patient, who has neither known the wisdom nor the patience of God ? since He Himself warns us, and says of those who seem to them- selves to be wise in this world, '' I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will reprove the understanding of the pru- dent." ^ Moreover, the blessed Apostle Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, and sent forth for the calling and training of the heathen, bears witness and instructs us, saying, " See that no man despoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the w*orld, and not after Christ, because in Him dwelleth all the fulness of divinity." ^ And in another place he says : " Let no man deceive himself ; if any man among you thinketh himself to be wise, let him become a fool to this world, that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, I will rebuke the wise in their own craftiness." And again : " The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are foolish." ^ Wherefore if the wisdom among them be not true, the patience also cannot be true. For if he is wise* who is lowly and meek — but we do not see that philosophers are either lowly or meek, but
1 Isa. xxix. 14. 2 Col, ij, g^ iq. ^ i Cor. iii. 18-20.
■* The Oxford edition, and many others, read " patient."
ON THE ADVANTAGE OF PATIENCE. 23
greatly pleasing themselves, and, for the very reason that they please themselves, displeasing God — It is evident that the patience is not real among them where there is the inso- lent audacity of an affected liberty, and the immodest boast- fulness of an exposed and half-naked bosom.
3. But for us, beloved brethren, who are philosophers, not in words, but in deeds, and do not put forward our wisdom in our garb, but in truth — who are better acquainted with the consciousness, than with the boast, of virtues — who do not speak great things, but live them, — let us, as servants and worshippers of God, show, in our spiritual obedience, the patience which we learn from heavenly teachings. For we have this virtue in common with God. From Him patience begins ; from Him its glory and its dignity take their rise. The origin and greatness of patience proceed from God as its author. Man ought to love the thing which is dear to God ; the good which the Divine Majesty loves. It commends. If God is our Lord and Father, let us Imitate the patience of our Lord as well as our Father ; because It behoves servants to be obedient, no less than it becomes sons not to be dege- nerate.
4. But what and how great is the patience in God, that, most patiently enduring the profane temples and the images of earth, and the sacrilegious rites Instituted by men, in con- tempt of His majesty and honour. He makes the day to begin and the light of the sun to arise alike upon the good and the evil ; and while He waters the earth with showers, no one is excluded from His benefits, but upon the righteous equally with the unrighteous He bestows His undiscriminat- ing rains ! We see that with undistlngulshlng^ equality of patience, at God's behest, the seasons minister to the guilty and the guiltless, the religious and the impious — those who give thanks and the unthankful ; that the elements wait on them ; the winds blow, the fountains flow, the abundance of the harvests increases, the fruits of tlie vineyards ripen,- the
^ " Inseparabili."
- The original here is read variously " matnrescerc " and " inites- cere."
24 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
trees are loaded with apples, the groves put on then* leaves, the meado^YS their verdure ; and while God is provoked with frequent, yea, with continual offences. He softens His indig- nation, and in patience waits for the day of retribution, once for all determined ; and although He has revenge in His power. He prefers to keep patience for a long while, bearing, that is to say, mercifully, and putting off, so that, if it might be possible, the long protracted mischief may at some time be changed, and man, involved in the contagion of errors and crimes, may even though late be converted to God, as He Himself warns and says, " I do not w^ill the death of him that dieth, so much as that he may return and live."^ And again, " Return unto me, saith the Lord."^ And again : " Return to the Lord your God ; for He is merciful, and gracious, and patient, and of great pity, and who inclines His judgment towards the evils inflicted." ^ Which, moreover, the blessed apostle referring to, and recalling the sinner to repentance, sets forward, and says : " Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the patience and goodness of God leadeth thee to re- pentance ? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart thou treasurest up unto thyself wrath in the day of wrath and of revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who shall ren- der to every one according to his works."* He says that God's judgment is just, because it is tardy, because it is long and greatly deferred, so that by the long patience of God man may be benefited for life eternal. Punishment is then executed on the impious and the sinner, wdien repentance for the sin can no longer avail.
5. And that we may more fully understand, beloved brethren, that patience is a thing of God, and that whoever is gentle, and patient, and meek, is an imitator of God the Father; when the Lord in His gospel was giving precepts for salvation, and bringing forth divine warnings, was instruct-
1 Ezek. xviii. 32.
- Mai. iii. 7. The Oxford edition omits this quotation, and introduces the next with the words, " And again the prophet."
3 Joel ii. 13. ■* Rom. ii. 4-6.
ON THE ADVANTAGE OF PATIENCE. 25
ing His disci2:)les to perfection, He laid it down, and said, *' Ye have heard that it is said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and have thine enemy in hatred. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them which persecute you ; that ye may be the chikh'en of your Father which is in heaven, who maketh His sun to rise on the good and on the evil, and raineth upon the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, wdiat reward shall ye have? do not even the publicans the same ? And if ye shall salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others] ? do not even the heathens the same thing ? Be ye tlierefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." ^ He said that the chil- dren of God would thus become perfect. He showed that they were thus completed, and taught that they were restored by a heavenly birth, if the patience of God our Father dwell in us — if the divine likeness, which Adam had lost by sin, be manifested and shine in our actions. What a glory is it to become like to God ! w^hat and how great a felicity, to possess among our virtues, that which may be placed on the level of divine praises !
6. Nor, beloved brethren, did Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, teach this in words only ; but He fulfilled it also in deeds. And because He had said that He had come down for this purpose, that Pie might do the will of Plis Father ; among the other marvels of His virtues, whereby He showed forth the marks of a divine majesty, He also maintained the patience of His Father in the constancy of His endurance. Finall}', all His actions, even from His very ad^-ent, arc characterized by patience as their associate ; in that, first of all, coming down from that heavenly sublimity to earthly things, the Son of God did not scorn to put on the flesh of man, and although He Himself was not a sinner, to bear the sins of others. His immortality being in the meantime laid aside, Pie suffers Himself to become mortal, so that the guiltless may be put to death for the salvation of the guilty. The Lord is baptized by the servant; an»! Pie wlio is about to bestow remission of sins, does not Himself disdain to wash 1 Matt. V. 43-48.
26 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
His body in the laver of regeneration. For forty days He fasts, by whom others are feasted. He is hungry, and suffers famine, that they who had been in hunger of the word and of grace may be satisfied with heavenly bread. He wrestles with the devil tempting Him ; and content only to have over- come the enemy, He strives no further than by words. He ruled over His disciples not as servants in the power of a master ; but kind and gentle. He loved them with a brotherly love. He deigned even to wash the apostles' feet, that since the Lord is such among His servants. He might teach, by His example, what a fellow-servant ought to be among his peers and equals. Nor is it to be wondered at, that among the obedient^ He showed Himself such, since He could bear Judas even to the last with a long patience — could take meat with His enemy — could know the household foe, and not openly point him out, nor refuse the kiss of the traitor. Moreover, in bearing with the Jews, how great equanimity and how great patience, in turning the unbelieving to the faith by persuasion, in soothing the unthankful by concession, in answering gently to the contradictors, in bearing the proud with clemency, in yielding with humility to the persecutors, in wishing to gather together the slayers of the prophets, and those who were always rebellious against God, even to the hour of His cross and passion !
7. And moreover, in His very passion and cross, before they had reached the cruelty of death and the effusion of blood, what infamies of reproach were patiently heard, what mockings of contumely were suffered, so that He received^ the spittings of insulters, who with His spittle had a little before made eyes for a blind man ; and He in whose name the devil with his angels is now scourged by His servants, Himself suffered scourgings ! He was crowned with thorns, who crowns martyrs with eternal flowers. He was smitten on the face with palms, who gives the true palms to those who overcome. He was despoiled of His earthly garment, who
1 Baluzius reads, " compares obaudientes" — His obedient peers. The MSS. liave " obaudientes" only.
2 Erasmus adds, " with patience."
ON THE ADVANTAGE OF PATIENCE. 27
clothes others in tlie vesture of immortality. He was fed with gall, who gave heavenly food. He was given to drink of vinegar, who appointed the cup of salvation. That guiltless, that just One, — nay. He who is innocency itself and justice itself, — is counted among transgressors, and truth is oppressed with false witnesses. He who shall judge is judged; and the Word of God is led silently to the slaughter. And when at the cross of the Lord the stars are confounded, the ele- ments are disturbed, the earth quakes, night shuts out the day, the sun, that he may not be compelled to look on the crime of the Jews, withdraws both his rays and his eyes. He speaks, not, nor is moved, nor declares lils majesty even in His very passion itself. Even to the end all things are borne perseveringly and constantly, in order that in Christ a full and perfect patience may be consummated.
8. And after all these things. He still receives His mur- derers, if they will be converted and come to Him ; and with a saving patience. He who is benignant^ to pre- serve, closes His church to none. Those adversaries, those blasphemers, those who were always enemies to His name, if they repent of their sin, if they acknowledge the crime com- mitted. He receives, not only to the pardon of their sin, but to the reward of the heavenly kingdom. What can be said more patient, what more merciful? Even he is made alive by Christ's blood who has shed Christ's blood. Such and so great is the patience of Christ ; and had it not been such and so great, the church would never have possessed Paul as an apostle.
9. But if we also, beloved brethren, are in Christ ; if we put Him on, if He is the way of our salvation, who follow Christ in the footsteps of salvation, let us walk by the ex- ample of Christ, as the Apostle John instructs us, saying, " He who saith he abldeth in Christ, ought himself cilso to walk even as He walked."^ Peter also, upon whom by the Lord's condescension the church was founded, lays it down in his epistle, and says, " Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that ye should follow His steps, who did no sin,
^ Some editors insert " and patient." ^ 1 John ii. G.
28 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
neither was deceit found in His mouth ; who, when He was reviled, reviled not again ; when He suffered, threatened not, but gave Himself up to him that judged Him unjustly."^
10. Finally, we find that both patriarchs and prophets, and all the righteous men who in their preceding Ukeness wore the figure of Christ, in the praise of their virtues were watchful over nothing more than that they should preserve patience with a strong and stedfast equanimity. Thus Abel, who first initiated and consecrated the origin of martyrdom, and the passion of the righteous man, makes no resistance nor strusrsles acralnst his fratricidal^ brother, but with lowliness and meekness he is patiently slain. Thus Abraham, believing God, and first of all instituting the root and foundation of faith, when tried in respect of his son, does not hesitate nor delay, but obeys the commands of God with all the patience of devotion. And Isaac, prefigured as the likeness of the Lord's victim, when he is presented by his father for immo- lation, is found patient. And Jacob, driven forth by his brother from his country, departs with patience ; and after- wards with greater patience, he suppllantly brings him back to concord with peaceful gifts, when he is even more impious and persecuting. Joseph, sold by his brethren and sent away, not only with patience pardons them, but even bounti- fully and mercifully bestows gratuitous supplies of corn on them when they come to him. Moses is frequently con- temned by an ungrateful and faithless people, and almost stoned ; and yet with gentleness and patience he entreats the Lord for those people. But in David, from whom, accord- ing to the flesh, the nativity of Christ springs, how great and marvellous and Christian is the patience, that he often had it in his power to be able to kill king Saul, who was persecuting him and desiring to slay him ; and yet, chose rather to save him when placed in his hand, and delivered up to him, not repaying his enemy in turn, but rather, on the contrary, even avenging him when slain ! In fine, so many prophets were slain, so many martyrs were honoured with glorious deaths,
1 1 Pet. ii. 21-23, with a singular departure from the received text.
2 According to some, " parricidal."
ON THE ADVANTAGE OF PATIENCE. 29
who all have attained to the heavenly crowns by the praise of patience. For the crown of sorrows and sufferings cannot be received unless patience in sorrow and suffering precede it.
11. But that it may be more manifestly and fully known how useful and necessary patience is, beloved brethren ; let the judgment of God be pondered, which even in the begin- ning of the world and of the human race, Adam, forgetful of the commandment, and a transgressor of the given law, received. Then we shall know how patient in this life we ought to be who are born in such a state, that we labour here with afflictions and contests. " Because," says He, " thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which alone I had charged thee that thou shouldest not eat, cursed shall be the ground in all thy works : in sorrow and in groaning shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns and thistles shall it give forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the food of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou cat thy bread, till thou return into the ground from which thou wast taken : for dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou go." ^ We are all tied and bound with the chain of this sentence, until, death being expunged, we depart from this life. In sorrow and groaning we must of necessity be all the days of our life : it is necessary that we eat our bread with sweat and labour.
12. Whence every one of us, when he is born and received in the inn of this world, takes his beginning from tears ; and, althouo;h still unconscious and io;norant of all thincrs, he knows nothing else in that very earliest birth except to weep. By a natural foresight, the untrained soul laments the anxieties and labours of the mortal life, and even in the beginning bears witness by its wails and groans to the storms of the world which it is entering. For the sweat of the brow and labour is the condition of life so lonop as it lasts. Nor can there be supplied any consolations to those that sweat and toil other than patience ; which consolations, while in this world they are fit and necessary for all men, are especially so for us who are more shaken by the siege of the devil, who, daily standing in the battle-field, are wearied with the
1 Gen. iii. 17-19.
30 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
wrestlings of an inveterate and skilful enemy ; for us who, besides the various and continual battles of temptations, must also in the contest of persecutions forsake our patrimonies, undergo imprisonment, bear chains, spend our lives, endure the sword, the Avild beasts, fires, crucifixions — in fine, all kinds of torments and penalties, to be endured in the faith and courage of patience ; as the Lord Himself instructs us, and says, " These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. But in the world ye shall have tribula- tion ; yet be confident, for I have overcome the world." ^ And if we who have renounced the devil and the world, suffer the tribulations and mischiefs of the devil and the world with more frequency and violence, how much more ought we to keep patience, wherewith as our helper and ally, we may bear all mischievous things !
13. It is the wholesome precept of our Lord and Master : " He that endureth," saith He, " unto the end, the same shall be saved ;"^ and again, ^^If ye continue," saith He, " in my word, ye shall be truly my disciples ; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." ® We must endure and persevere, beloved brethren, in order that, being admitted to the hope of truth and liberty, we may attain to the truth and liberty itself ; for that very fact that we are Christians is the substance of faith and hope. But that hope and faith may attain to their result, there is need of patience. For we are not following after present glory, but future, according to what Paul the apostle also warns us, and says, " We are saved by hope ; but hope that is seen is not hope : for what a man seeth, why doth he hope for ? But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we by patience wait for it." * Therefore, waiting and patience are needful, that we may fulfil that which we have begun to be, and may receive that which we believe and hope for, accord- ing to God's own showing.^ Moreover, in another place, the
1 John xvi. 33. 2 j^jatt. x. 22.
3 John viii. 31, 32. 4 ^^^^ ^-^^ 24, 25.
^A common reading here is "giving" instead of "showing," sell. "prsestante" for " representante."
ON THE ADVANTAGE OF PATIENCE. 31
same apostle instructs the rigliteous and the doers of good works, and them who lay up for themselves treasures in heaven with the increase of the divine usury, that they also should be patient ; and teaches them, saying, " Therefore, while we have time, let us labour in that which is good unto all men, but especially to them who are of the household of faith. But let us not faint in well-doing, for in its season we shall reap." ^ He admonishes that no man should impatiently faint in his labour, that none should be either called off or overcome by temptations and desist in the midst of the praise and in the way of glory ; and the things that are past perish, while those which have begun cease to be perfect ; as it is written, " The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in whatever day he shall transgress ; " - and again, " Hold that which thou hast, that another take not thy crown." ^ Which word exhorts us to persevere with patience and courage, so that he wdio strives towards the crown with the praise now near at hand, may be crowned by the continuance of patience.
14. But patience, beloved brethren, not only keeps watch over what is good, but it also repels what is evil. In harmony with the Holy Spirit, and associated with what is heavenly and divine, it struggles with the defence of its strength against the deeds of the flesh and the body, wherewith the soul is assaulted and taken. Let us look briefly |^into a few things out of many, that from a few the rest also may be understood. Adultery, fraud, manslaughter, are mortal crimes. Let patience be strong and stedfast in the heart ; and neither is the sanctified body and temple of God polluted by adultery, nor is the innocence dedicated to righteousness stained with the contagion of fraud ; nor, after the Eucharist carried in it,* is the hand spotted witli the sword and blood.
15. Charity is the bond of brotherhood, the foundation of peace, the holdfast and security of unity, which is greater than both hope and faith, which excels both good works and martyrdoms, which will abide with us always, eternal witli
1 Gal. vi. 10, 9. 2 Ezek. xxxiii. 12. ^ Rgy. iij. n.
* The older editions have "gustatam," "tasted," instead of "gesta- tam," " carried," as above.
32 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
God in the kingdom of heaven. Take from it patience; and deprived of it, it does not endure. Take from it the substance of bearing and of enduring, and it continues with no roots nor strength. The apostle, finally, when he would speak of charitj, joined to it endurance and patience. " Charity," he says, " is large-souled ; charity is kind ; cha- rity envieth not, is not puffed up, is not provoked, thinketh not evil ; loveth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all thine^s, beareth all things." ^ Thence he shows that it can tenaciously persevere, because it knows how to endure all things. And in another place : " Forbearing one another," he says, "in love, using every effort to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." ^ He proved that neither unity nor peace could be kept unless brethren should cherish one another with mutual toleration, and should keep the bond of concord by the intervention of patience.
16. What beyond ; — that you should not swear nor curse; that you should not seek again your goods when taken from you ; that, when you receive a buffet, you should give your other cheek to the sniiter ; that you should forgive a brother who sins against you, not only seven times, but seventy times seven times,^ but, moreover, all his sins altogether ; that you should love your enemies ; that you should offer prayer for your adversaries and persecutors % Can you accomplish these things unless you maintain * the stedfastness of patience and endurance ? And this we see done in the case of Stephen, who, when he was slain by the Jews with violence and ston- ing, did not ask for vengeance for himself, but for pardon for his murderers, saying, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." ^ It behoved the first martyr of Christ thus to be, who, forerunning the martyrs that should follow him in a glorious death, was not only the preacher of the Lord's passion, but also the imitator of His most patient gentleness.
1 1 Cor. xiii. 4-7. - Eph. iv. 2, 3.
3 Manutius, Pamelius, and others add, " not only seventy times seven times."
* Or, " them with the stedfastness of patience," etc. « Acts vii. 60.
ON THE ADVANTAGE OF PATIENCE. 33
What shall I say of anger, of discord, of strife, which thino-s ought not to be found in a Christian ? Let there be patience in the breast, and these things cannot have place there ; or should they try to enter, they are quickly excluded and de- part, that a peaceful abode may continue in the heart, where it delights the God of peace to dwell. Finally, the apostle warns us, and teaches, saying : " Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and anger, and wTath, and clamoui', and blasphemy, be put away from you." ^ For if the Christian have departed from rage and carnal contention as if from the hurricanes of the sea, and have already begun to be tranquil and meek in the harbour of Christ, he ought to ad- mit neither anger nor discord within his breast, since he must neither return evil for evil, nor bear hatred.
17. And moreover, also, for the varied ills of the flesh, and the frequent and severe torments of the body, wherewith the human race is daily wearied and harassed, patience is necessary. For since in that first transgression of the com- mandment strength of body departed with immortality, and weakness came on with death — and strenorth cannot be re- ceived unless when immortality also has been received — it behoves us, in this bodily frailty and weakness, always to struggle and to fight. And this struggle and encounter cannot be sustained but by the strength of patience. But as we are to be examined and searched out, diverse suffer- ings are introduced ; and a manifold kind of temptations is inflicted by the losses of property, by the heats of fevers, by the torments of wounds, by the loss of those dear to us. Nor does anything distinguish between the unrighteous and the righteous more, than that in aflliction the unrighteous man impatiently complains and blasphemes, while the righteous is proved by his patience, as it is written : " In pain endure, and in thy lov/ estate have patience ; for gold and silver are tried in the fire." ^
18. Thus Job was searched out and proved, and was raised up to the very highest pinnacle of praise by the virtue
1 Eph. iv. 30, 31. 2 Ecclus. ii. 4, 5.
CYP. — VOL. II. C
/ /
34 ■ THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
of patience. What darts of the devil were sent forth against him ! what tortures were put in use ! The loss of his estate is inflicted, the privation of a numerous offspring is ordained for him. The master, rich in estate, and the father, richer in children, is on a sudden neither master nor father ! The wasting of wounds is added ; and, moreover, an eating pest of worms consumes his festering and wasting limbs. And that nothing at all should remain that Job did not experi- ence in his trials, the devil arms his wife also, making use of that old device of his wickedness, as if he could deceive and mislead all by woman, even as he did in the beginning of the world. And yet Job is not broken down by his severe and repeated conflicts, nor the blessing of God withheld from being declared in the midst of those difficulties and trials of his, by the victory of patience. Tobias also, who, after the sublime works of his justice and mercy, was tried with the loss of his eyes, in proportion as he patiently endured his blindness, in that proportion deserved greatly of God by the praise of patience.
19. And, beloved brethren, that the benefit of patience may still more shine forth, let us consider, on the contrary, what mischief impatience may cause. For as patience is the benefit of Christ, so, on the other hand, impatience is the mischief of the devil ; and as one in whom Christ dwells and abides is found patient, so he appears always impatient whose mind the wickedness of the devil possesses. Briefly let us look at the very beginnings. The devil suffered with impatience that man was made in the image of God. Hence he was the first to perish and to ruin others. Adam, contrary to the heavenly command with respect to the deadly food, by impatience fell into death ; nor did he keep the grace received from God under the guardianship of patience. And in order that Cain should put his brother to death, he was impatient of his sacrifice and gift ; and in that Esau descended from the rights of the first-born to those of the younger, he lost his priority by impatience for the pottage. Why was the Jewish people faithless and ungrateful in respect of the divine benefits ? Was it not the crime of impatience, that they first
ON THE ADVANTAGE OF PATIENCE. 35
departed from God ? Not being able to bear the delays of Moses conferring with God, they dared to ask for profane gods, that they might call the head of an ox and an earthen image leaders of their march ; nor did they ever desist from their impatience, until, impatient always of docility and of divine admonition, they put to death their prophets and all the righteous men, and plunged even into the crime of the crucifixion and bloodshedding of the Lord. Moreover, impa- tience makes heretics in the church, and, after the likeness of the Jews, drives them in opposition to the peace and charity of Christ as rebels, to hostile and raging hatred. And, not at length to enumerate single cases, absolutely everything which patience, by its works, builds up to glory, impatience casts down into ruin.
20. Wherefore, beloved brethren, having diligently pon- dered both the benefits of patience and the evils of impa- tience, let us hold fast with full watchfulness the patience whereby we abide in Christ, that with Christ we may attain to God; which patience, copious and manifold, is not re- strained by narrow limits, nor confined by strait boundaries. The virtue of patience is widely manifest, and its fertility and liberality proceed indeed from a source of one name, but ^ si.;,\diffused by overflowing streams through many ways of ;And; nor can anything in our actions avail for the perfec- tion of praise, unless from this it receives the substance of its perfection. It is patience which both commends and keeps us to God. It is patience, too, which assuages anger, which l>ri.al\5s .the tongue, governs the mind, guards peace, rules tisdpline, breaks die force of lust, represses the violence of pride/ extinguishes, +,"210 fire of enmity, checks the power of tne rick, soothes the want of the poor, protects a blessed integrity in virgins, a careful purity in widows, in those who ai*e united and married a single affection. It makes men hnmble in prosperity, brave in adversity, gentle towards w^-ongs and contempts. It teaches us quickly to pardon those who wrong us ; and if you yourself do wrong, to entreat long and earnestly. It resists temptations, suffers persecu- tions, perfects passions and martyrdoms. It is patience which
36 THE TREATISES OF CYPPdAN.
firmly fortifies tlie foundations of our faith. It is this which lifts up on high the increase of our hope. It is this which directs our doing, that we may hold fast the way of Christ while we walk by His patience. It is this that makes us to persevere as sons of God, while we imitate our Father's patience.
21. But since I know, beloved brethren, that very many are eager, either on account of the burden or the pain of smarting wTongs, to be quickly avenged of those w^ho act harshly and rage against them,^ we must not withhold the fact in the furthest particular, that placed as we are in the midst of these storms of a jarring w^orld, and, moreover, the persecutions both of Jews or Gentiles, and heretics, we may patiently wait for the day of vengeance, and not hurry to revenge our suffering with a querulous ^ haste, since it is written, "Wait ye upon me, saith the I^ord, in the day of my rising up for a testimony ; for my judgment is to the con- gregations of the nations, that I may take hold on the kings, and pour out upon them my fury." ^ The Lord commands us to wait,* and to bear with brave patience the day of future vengeance; and He also speaks in the Apocalypse, saying, " Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book : for now the time is at hand for them that persevere in injurin^"- .^ injure, and for him that is filthy to be filthy still ; bil^"''^ him that is righteous to do things still more righteous, and likewise for him that is holy to do things still more holy. Behold, I come quickly ; and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to his deeds." * Whence pJiso 'cne martyrs, crying out and hastening with grit;!: breaking forth to their revenge, are bidden still to wait, and to give patience for the times to be fulfilled and the martyrs to be cxiDipleted. " And when He had opened," says he, " the fifth seal, 1 sav'/
1 The Oxford edition adds here, according to some authorities, " and will not put off the recompense of evils mitil that day of last judgment, we exhort you, for the meanwhile, embrace with us this benefit oi patience, that," etc. ; and it omits the following ten words.
- On the authority of one codex, Pamehus here adds, "and envious."
" Zeph. iii. 8. * " Dearest brethren," Oxford edit.
5 Rev. xxii. 10-12.
ON THE ADVANTAGE OF PATIENCE. 37
under the altar of God the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for their testimony ; and they cried with a loud voice, saying. How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth ? And there were given to them each white robes ; and it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season, until the number of their fellow-servants and brethren is fulfilled, who afterwards shall be slain after their example." ^
22. But when shall come the divine vengeance for the right- eous blood, the Holy Spirit declares by Malachi the prophet, saying, " Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, burning as an oven ; and all the aliens and all the wicked shall be stubble ; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord."'^ And this we read also in the Psalms, where the approach of God the Judge is announced as worthy to be reverenced for the majesty of His judgment : " God shall come mani- fest, our God, and shall not keep silence ; a fire shall burn before Him, and round about Him a great tempest. He shall call the heaven above, and the earth beneath, that He may separate His people. Gather His saints together unto Him, who establish His covenant in sacrifices; and the heavens shall declare His rio-hteousness, for God is the Judo-e." ^ And Isaiah foretells the same things, saying : " For, behold, the Lord shall come like a fire, and His chariot as a storm, to render vengeance in anger ; for in the fire of the Lord they shall be judged, and with His sword shall they be wounded."'* And again : " The Lord God of hosts shall go forth, and sli '^ crumble the war to pieces : He shall stir up the battle, anil mil cry out against His enemies with strength, I have he. my peace ; shall I always hold my peace ? " ^
23. But who is this that says that he has held his peace before, and will not hold his peace for ever? Surely it is He who Avas led as a sheep to the slaughter ; and as a lamb before its shearer is without voice, so He opened not His mouth. Surely it is He who did not cry, nor was His voice heard
^ Rev. vi. 9-11. -' Mai. iv. 1. ^ p.^. i. 3_6.
* Isa. Ixvi. 15, 16. ^ Isa. xlii. 1^. 14.
38 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
in the streets. Surely He who was not rebellious, neither contradicted, when He offered His back to stripes, and His cheeks to the palms of the hands ; neither turned away His face from the foulness of spitting. Surely it is He who, when He was accused by the priests and elders, answered nothing, and, to the wonder of Pilate, kept a most patient silence. This is He who, although He was silent in His passion, yet by and by will not be silent in His vengeance. This is our God, that is, not the God of all, but of the faithful and believing ; and He, when He shall come mani- fest in His second advent, will not be silent. For although He came first shrouded in humility, yet He shall come mani- fest in power.
24. Let ns wait for Him, beloved brethren, our Judge and Avenger, who shall equally avenge with Himself the congre- gation of His church, and the number of all the righteous from the beginning of the world. Let him who hurries, and is too impatient for his revenge, consider that even He Him- self is not yet avenged who is the Avenger. God the Father ordained His Son to be adored ; and the Apostle Paul, mind- ful of the divine command, lays it down, and says : " God hath exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things heavenly, and things earthly, and things beneath."^ And in the Apocalypse the angel withstands John, who wishes to worship him, and says : " See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren. Worship Jesus the Lord." ^ How great is the Lord Jesus, and how great is His patience, that He who is adored, in heaven is not yet avenged on earth ! Let us, beloved jire- thren, consider His patience in our persecutions and suffer- ings; let us give an obedience full of expectation to His advent ; and let us not hasten, servants as we are, to be defended before our Lord with irreligious and immodest eao-erness. Let us rather press onward and labour, and, watching with our whole heart, and stedfast to all en- durance, let us keep the Lord's precepts ; so that when that 1 Phil. ii. 9, 10. 2 Kev. xxii. 9.
ox JEALOUSY AND ENVY. 30
clay of anger and vengeance shall come, we may not be punished with the impious and sinners, but may be honoured with the righteous and those that fear God.
TEEATISE X.
ON JEALOUSY AND ENVY.
Argument. — The deacon Pontius thus briefly suggests the purpose of this treatise in his lAfe of Cyprian : " Who was there to restrain the ill blood arising from the en- venomed malignity of envy with the sweetness of a whole- some remedy V After pointing out that jealousy or envy is a sin all the more heinous in pro2:)ortion as its ivicked- ness is hidden, and that its origin is to be traced to the devil, he gives illustrations of envy from the Old Testa- ment, and gathers, by reference to special vices, that envy is the root of all wichedness. Therefore ivith reason was fraternal hatred forbidden not in one j^lace only, both by Clirist and His apostles. Finally, exhorting to the love of ones enemies by God^s example, he dissuades from the sin of envy, by urging the rewards set before the indulgence of love.
1. To be jealous of what you see to be good, and to be envious of those who are better than yourself, seems, beloved brethren, in the eyes of some people to be a slight and petty wrong ; and being thought trifling and of small account, it is not feared ; not being feared, it is contemned ; being con- temned, it is not easily shunned : and it thus becomes a dark and hidden mischief, which, as it is not perceived so as to be guarded against by the prudent, secretly distresses incautious minds. But, moreover, the Lord bade us be prudent, and charged us to watch with careful solicitude, lest the adver- sary, who is ahvays on the watch and always lying in wait, should creep stealthily into our breast, and blow up a flame from the sparks, magnifying small things into tlie greatest : and so, while soothing!: the un<Tuarded and careless with ii
40 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
milder air and a softer breeze, should stir up storms and whirlwinds, and bring about the destruction of faith and the shipwreck of salvation and of life. Therefore, beloved brethren, we must be on our guard, and strive with all our powers to repel, with solicitous and full watchfulness, the enemy, raging and aiming his darts against every part of our body in which we can be stricken and wounded, in accord- ance with what the Apostle Peter, in his epistle, forewarns and teaches, saying, " Be sober, and watch ; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking any one to devour." ^
2. He goeth about every one of us ; and even as an enemy besieging those who are shut up [in a city], he examines the walls, and tries whether there is any part of the walls ^ less firm and less trustworthy, by entrance through which he may penetrate to the inside. He presents to the eyes seduc- tive forms and easy pleasures, that he may destroy chastity by the sight. He tempts the ears with harmonious music, that by the hearing of sweet sounds he may relax and enervate Christian vigour. He provokes the tongue by reproaches ; he instigates the hand by exasperating wrongs to the reck- lessness of murder ; to make the cheat, he presents dishonest gains ; to take captive the soul by money, he heaps together mischievous hoards; he promises earthly honours, that he may deprive of lieavenly ones ; he makes a show of false things, that he may steal away the true ; and when he cannot hiddenly deceive, he threatens plainly and openly, holding forth the fear of turbulent persecution to vanquish God's servants — always restless, and always hostile, crafty in peace, and fierce in persecution.
3. Wherefore, beloved brethren, against all the devil's de- ceiving snares or open threatenings, the mind ought to stand arrayed and armed, ever as ready to repel as the foe is ever ready to attack. And since those darts of his which creep on us in concealment are more frequent, and his more hidden and secret hurling of them is the more severely and fre- quently effectual to our wounding, in proportion as it is the
^ 1 Pet. v. 8. ^ Accordine to some, " of our members."
ON JEALOUSY AND ENVY. 41
less perceived, let us also be watcliful to understand and repel these, among which is the evil of jealousy and envy. And if any one closely look into this, he will find that nothino- should be more guarded against by the Christian, notliing more carefully watched, than being taken captive by envy and malice, that none, entangled in the blind snares of a de- ceitful enemy, in that the brother is turned by envy to hatred of his brother, should himself be unwittingly destroyed by his own sword. That we may be able more fully to collect and more plainly to perceive this, let us recur to its fount and origin. Let us consider whence arises jealousy, and when and how it begins. For so mischievous an evil will be more easily shunned by us, if both the source and the magnitude of that same evil be known.
4. From this source, even at the very beginnings of the world, the devil was the first who both perished [himself] and destroyed [others]. He who^ was sustained in angelic majesty, he who was accepted and beloved of God, when he beheld man made in the image of God, broke forth into jealousy with malevolent envy — not hurling down another by the instinct of his jealousy before he himself was first hurled down by jealousy, captive before he takes captive, ruined before he ruins others. While, at the instigation of jealousy, he robs man of the grace of immortality conferred, he himself has lost that which he had previously been. How great an evil is that, beloved brethren, whereby an angel fell, whereby that lofty and illustrious grandeur could be defrauded and overthrown, whereby he who deceived was himself deceived ! Thenceforth envy rages on the earth, in that he who is about to perish by jealousy obeys the author of his ruin, imitating the devil in his jealousy ; as it is written, " But through envy of the devil death entered into the world." ^ Therefore they who are on his side imitate him.
5. Hence, in fine, began the primal hatreds of the new brotherhood, hence the abominable fratricides, in that the unrighteous Cain is jealous of the righteous Abel, in that the wicked persecutes the good with envy and jealousy. So far
^ Some add, " long ago." 2 \(i^d. ii. 2-i.
42 THE TREATISES OF CYPBIAN.
prevailed the rage of envy to the consummation of that deed of wickedness, that neither the love of his brother, nor the immensity of the crime, nor the fear of God, nor the penalty of the sin, was considered. He was unrighteously stricken who had been the first to show righteousness; he endured hatred who had not known how to hate ; he was impiously slain, who, dying, did not resist. And that Esau was hostile to his brother Jacob, arose from jealousy also. For because the latter had received his father's blessing, the former was mflamed to a persecuting hatred by the brands of jealousy. And that Joseph was sold by his brethren, the reason of their selling him proceeded from envy. When in simpli- city, and as a brother to brethren, he set forth to them the prosperity which had been shown to him in visions, their malevolent disposition broke forth into envy. Moreover, that Saul the king hated David, so as to seek by often repeated persecutions to Idll him — innocent, merciful, gentle, patient in meekness — what else was the provocation save the spur of jealousy ? Because, when Goliath was slain, and by the aid and condescension of God so great an enemy was routed, the wondering people burst forth with the suffrage of acclama- tion into praises of David, Saul through jealousy conceived the rage of enmity and persecution. And, not to go to the length of numbering each one, let us observe the destruction of a people that perished once for all.^ Did not the Jews perish for this reason, that they chose rather to envy Christ than to believe Him ? Disparaging those great works which He did, they were deceived by blinding jealousy, and could not open the eyes of their heart to the knowledge of divine things.
6. Considering which things, beloved brethren, let us with vigilance and courage fortify our hearts dedicated to God against such a destructiveness of evil. Let the death of others avail for our safety ; let the punishment of the un- wise confer health upon the prudent. ^Moreover, there is no ground for any one to suppose that evil of that kind is con- fined in one form, or restrained Avithin brief limits in a narrow ^ Variously "semel" or " simul."
ON JEALOUSY AND ENVY. 43
boundary. The mischief of jealousy, manifold and fruitful, extends widely. It is the root of all evils, the fountain of disasters, the nursery of crimes, the material of transgressions. Thence arises hatred, thence proceeds animosity. Jealousy inflames avarice, in that one cannot be content with what is his own, while he sees another more wealthy. Jealousy stirs up ambition, w^hen one sees atiother more exalted in honours.^ When jealousy darkens our perceptions, and reduces the secret agencies of the mind under its command, the fear of God is despised, the teaching of Christ is neglected, the day of judgment is not anticipated. Pride inflates, cruelty em- bitters, faithlessness prevaricates, impatience agitates, discord rages, anger grows hot ; nor can he who has become the sub- ject of a foreign authority any longer restrain or govern him- self. By this the bond of the Lord's peace is broken ; by this is violated brotherly charity ; by this truth is adulterated, unity is divided ; men plunge into heresies and schisms wdien priests are disparaged, when bishops are envied, when a man complains that he himself was not rather ordained, or disdains to suffer that another should be put over him. Hence the man who is haughty through jealousy, and perverse through envy, kicks, hence he revolts, in anger and malice the oppo- nent, not of the man, but of the honour.
7. But what a gnawing worm of the soul is it, what a plague-spot of our thoughts, what a rust of the heart, to be jealous of another, either in respect of his virtue or of his happiness ; that is, to hate in him either his own deservings or the divine benefits — to turn the advantages of others into one's own mischief — to be tormented by the prosperity of illustrious men — to make other people's glory one's own penalty, and, as it were, to apply a sort of executioner to one's own breast, to bring the tormentors to one's own thoughts and feelings, that they may tear us with intestine pangs, and may smite the secret recesses of the heart with the hoof ot malevolence ! To such, no food is joyous, no drink can be cheerful. They are ever sighing, and groaning, and griev- ing ; and since envy is never put off by the envious, the pos- ^ Or, with some editors, " more iucreased in hououis."
44 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
sessed heart is rent without intermission day and night. Other ills have their limit ; and whatever wrong is done, is bounded by the completion of the crime. In the adulterer the offence ceases when the violation is perpetrated ; in the case of the robber, the crime is at rest when the homicide is committed ; and the possession of the booty puts an end to the rapacity of the thief ; and the completed deception places a limit to the wrong of the cheat. Jealousy has no limit ; it is an evil continually enduring, and a sin without end. In proportion as he who is envied has the advantage of a greater success, in that proportion the envious man burns with the fires of jealousy to an increased heat.
8. Hence the threatening countenance, the lowering aspect, pallor in the face, trembling on the lips, gnashing of the teeth, mad words, unbridled revilings, a hand prompt for the vio- lence of slaughter ; even if for the time deprived of a sword, yet armed with the hatred of an infuriate mind. And accordingly the Holy Spirit says in the Psalms : " Be not jealous against him who walketh prosperously in his way." ^ And again : " The wicked shall observe the righteous, and shall gnash upon him with his teeth. But God shall laugh at him ; for He seeth that his day is coming." ^ The blessed Apostle Paul designates and points out these when he says, " The poison of asps is under their lips, and their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their ways, who have not known the way of peace ; neither is the fear of God before their eyes."^
9. The mischief is much more trifling, and the danger less, when the limbs are wounded with a sword. The cure is easy where the wound is manifest ; and when the medicament is applied, the sore that^ is seen is quickly brought to health. The wounds of jealousy are hidden and secret ; nor do they admit the remedy of a healing cure, since they have shut themselves in blind suffering within the lurking-places of the
1 Ps. xxxvii. 7. 2 Ps, xxxvii. 12, 13. ^ Rom. iii. 13-18.
^ Erasmus and others give this reading. Baluzius, Routh, and many codices, omit " vulnus," and tliiis read, " what is seen."
ON JEALOUSY AND ENVY. 45
conscience. Whoever you are that are envious and malig- nant, observe how crafty, mischievous, and hateful you are to those whom you hate. Yet you are the enemy of no one's well-being more than your own. Whoever he is whom you persecute with jealousy, can evade and escape you. You can- not escape yourself. Wherever you may be, your adversary is w^ith you ; your enemy is always in your own breast ; your mischief is shut up within ; you are tied and bound wdth the links of chains from which you cannot extricate yourself ; you are captive under the tyranny of jealousy ; nor will any con- solations help you. It is a persistent evil to persecute a man who belongs to the grace of God. It is a calamity without remedy to hate the happy.
10. And therefore, beloved brethren, the Lord, taking thought for this risk, that none should fall into the snare of death through jealousy of his brother, wdien His disciples asked Him which among them should be the greatest, said, " Whosoever shall be least among you all, the same shall be great." ^ He cut off all envy by His reply. He plucked out and tore away every cause and matter of gnawing envy. A disciple of Christ must not be jealous, must not be envious. With us there can be no contest for exaltation ; from humi- lity we grow to the highest attainments ; we have learnt in what way we may be pleasing. And finally, the Apostle Paul, instructing and warning, that we who, illuminated by the light of Christ, have escaped from the darkness of the conversation of night, should walk in the deeds and works of light, writes and says, " The night has passed over, and the day is approaching : let us therefore cast away the works of darkness, and let us put upon us the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day ; not in rioting and drunken- ness, not in lusts and wantonness, not in strifes and jealousy."^ If the darkness has departed from your breast, if the night is scattered therefrom, if the gloom is chased away, if the bright- ness of day has illuminated your senses, if you have begun to be a man of light, do those things w^hich are Christ's, because Christ is the light and the day.
1 Luke ix. 48. 2 ^^^^^ xiii. 1l\ 13.
46 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN,
11. Why do you riisli into the darkness of jealousy ? why do you enfold yourself in the cloud of malice 1 why do you quench all the light of peace and charity in the blindness of envy? why do you return to the devil, whom you had re- nounced ? why do you stand like Cain ? For that he who is jealous of his brother, and has him in hatred, is bound by the guilt of homicide, the Apostle John declares in his epistle, saying, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath life abiding in him." ^ And again : " He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now, and walketh in dark- ness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that dark- ness hath blinded his eyes."^ Whosoever hates, says he, his brother, walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth. For he goeth unconsciously to Gehenna, in ignorance and blindness ; he is hurrying into punishment, departing, that is, from the light of Christ, who warns and says, " I am the lio;ht of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." ^ But he follows Christ who stands in His precepts, who walks in the way of His teaching, who follows His footsteps and His ways, who imitates that which Christ both did and taught ; in accord- ance with what Peter also exhorts and warns, saying, "Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example that ye should follow His steps."'*
12. We ought to remember by what name Christ calls His people, by w^hat title He names His flock. He calls them sheep, that their Christian innocence may be like that of sheep; He calls them lambs, that their simplicity of mind may imi- tate the simple nature of lambs. Why does the w^olf lurk under the garb of sheep? why does he who falsely asserts himself to be a Christian, dishonour the flock of Christ ? To put on the name of Christ, and not to go in the way of Christ, what else is it but a mockery of the divine name, but a de- sertion of the way of salvation ; since He Himself teaches and says that he shall come unto life who keeps His com-
1 1 John iii. 15. ^ i John ii. 9-11.
3 John viii. 12. * 1 Pet. ii. 21.
ON JEALOUSY AND ENVY. 47
mandments, and that he is wise who hears and does His words ; that he, moreover, is called the greatest doctor in the kingdom of heaven who thus does and teaches ; that, then, will be of advantage to the preacher what has been well and usefully preached, if what is uttered by his mouth is fulfilled by deeds following ? But what did the Lord more frequently instil into His disciples, what did He more charge to be guarded and observed among His saving counsels and hea- venly precepts, than that with the same love wherewith He Himself loved the disciples, we also should love one another? And in what manner does he keep either the peace or the love of the Lord, who, when jealousy intrudes, can neither be peaceable nor loving ?
13. Thus also the Apostle Paul, when he was urging the merits of peace and charity, and when he w^as strongly assert- ing and teaching that neither faith nor ahns, nor even the passion itself of the confessor and the martyr,^ would avail him, unless he kept the requirements of charity entire and inviolate, added, and said : " Charity is magnanimous, charity is kind, charity envieth not ; " ^ teaching, doubtless, and show- ing that wdioever is magnanimous, and kind, and averse from jealousy and rancour, such an one can maintain charity. Moreover, in another place, when he was advising that the man who has already become filled with the Holy Spirit, and a son of God by heavenly birth, should observe nothing but spiritual and divine things, he lays it down, and says : " And I indeed, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, not with meat : ^ for ye were not able hitherto : moreover, neither now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal : for whereas there are still among you jealousy, and conten- tion, and strifes, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? "^
14. Vices and carnal sins must be trampled down, beloved brethren, and the corrupting plague of the earthly body must
1 Or, according to ancient authority, " of confession and martyrdom."
2 1 Cor. xiii. 4.
3 Or, "I have given you milk to drink, not meat," is read by some. * 1 Cor. iii. 1-3.
48 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
be trodden under foot with spiritual vigour, lest, while we are turned back again to the conversation of the old man, we be entangled in deadly snares, even as the apostle, with fore- sight and wholesomeness, forewarned us of this very thing, and said : " Therefore, brethren, let us not live after the flesh ; for if ye live after the flesh, ye shall begin to die ; but if ye, through the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God." ^ If we are the sons of God, if we are already beginning to be His temples, if, having received the Holy Spirit, we are living holily and spiritually, if we have raised our eyes from earth to heaven, if we have lifted our hearts, filled with God and Christ, to things above and divine, let us do nothing but what is worthy of God and Christ, even as the apostle arouses and exhorts us, saying : " If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God ; occupy your minds with things that are above, not with things which are upon the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. But when Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." ^ Let us, then, who in baptism have both died and been buried in respect of the carnal sins of the old man, who have risen again with Christ in the heavenly regeneration, both think upon and do the things which are Cluist's, even as the same apostle again teaches and counsels, savino; : " The first man is of the dust of the earth ; the second man is from heaven. Such as he is from the earth, such also are they who are from the earth ; and such as he the heavenly is, such also are they who are heavenly. As we have borne the image of him who is of the earth, let us also bear the image of Him who is from heaven." ^ But we cannot bear the heavenly image, unless in that condi- tion wherein we have already begun to be, we show forth the likeness of Christ.
15. For this is to change what you had been, and to begin to be what you were not, that the divine birth might shine forth in you, that the godly discipline might respond to God,
1 Kom. viii. 12-14. ^ q,q\^ iii, i_4. 3 i Cor. xv. 47-49.
ON JEALOUSY AND ENVY. 40
the Father, that in the honour and praise of living, God may be glorified in man ; as He Himself exhorts, and warns, and promises to those who glorify Him a reward in their turn, saying, " Them that glorify me I will glorify, and he who despiseth me shall be despised."^ For which glorification the Lord, forming and preparing us, and the Son of God in- stilling ^ the likeness of God the Father, says in His Gospel : " Ye have heard that it hath been said. Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them which persecute you ; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven, who maketh His sun to rise on the good and on the evil, and sendeth rain upon the just and on the unjust." ^ If it is a source of joy and glory to men to have children like to them- selves— and it is more agi'eeable to have begotten an offspring then when the remaining "* progeny responds to the parent with like lineaments — how much greater is the gladness in God the Father, when any one is so spiritually born that in his acts and praises the divine eminence of race ^ is announced ! What a palm of righteousness is it, what a crown, to be sucli an one ^ as that the Lord should not say of you, " I have be- gotten and brought up children, but they have despised me !" ^ Let Christ rather applaud you, and invite you to the reward, saying, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world." ^ 16. The mind must be strengthened, beloved brethren, by these meditations. By exercises of this kind it must be con- firmed ao;ainst all the darts of the devil. Let there be the divine reading in the hands,® the Lord's thoughts in the mind ; let constant prayer never cease at all ; let saving labour persevere. Let us be always busied in spiritual
1 1 Sam. ii. 30.
2 " And engendering in the sons of God." — Oxford ed.
^ Matt. V. 43-45. * Or, " successive." ^ " Generositas."
® Or, " that one should be such ; " or, " that thou shouldst be such." ^ Isa. i. 2. 8 Matt. xxv. 34.
^ Pamelius, from four codices, reads, " Let there be the divine reading before the eyes, good works in the hands."
CYP. — VOL. II. D
50 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
actions, that so often as the enemy approaches, however often he may try to come near, he may find the breast closed and armed against him. For a Christian man's crown is not only that which is received in the time of persecution : peace also has its crowns, wherewith the victors, from a varied and manifold engagement, are crowned, when their adversary is prostrated and subdued. To have overcome lust is the palm of continency. To have resisted against anger, against in- jury, is the crown of patience. It is a triumph over avarice to despise money. It is the praise of faith, by trust in the future, to suffer the adversity of the w^orld. And he who is not haughty in prosperity, obtains glory for his humility ; and lie who is disposed to the mercifulness of cherishing the poor, obtains the retribution of a heavenly treasure ; and he who knows not to be jealous, and who with one heart and in meekness loves his brethren, is honoured with the recom- pense of love and peace. In this course of virtues we daily run ; to these palms and crowns of justice we attain without intermission of time.
17. To these rewards that you also may come who had been possessed with jealousy and rancour, cast away all that malice wherewith you were before held fast, and be reformed to the way of eternal life in the footsteps of salvation. Tear out from your breast thorns and thistles, that the Lord's seed may enrich you with a fertile produce, that the divine and spiritual corn-field may abound to the plentifulness of a fruitful harvest. Yomit forth the poison of gall, cast out the virus of discords. Let the mind which the malice^ of the serpent had infected be purged ; let all bitterness which had settled within be softened by the sweetness of Christ. If you take both meat and drink from the sacrament of the cross, let the wood which at Mara ^ availed in a figure for sweetening the taste, avail to you in reality for soothing your softened breast ; and you shall not strive for a medicine for your increasing health. Be cured by that whereby you had
^ The Oxford translator gives " blackness ; " the original is " livor." 2 Or " myrrh," variously given in originals as " myrrham " or *' merrham."
ON JEALOUSY AND ENVY. 61
been wounded. Love those whom you previously had hated ; favour those whom you envied with unjust disparagements. Imitate good men, if you are able to follow them ; but if you are not able to follow them, at least rejoice with them, and congratulate those who are better than you. Make yoiurself a sharer ^ with them in united love ; make yourself their associate in the alliance of charity and the bond of brotherhood. Your debts shall be remitted to you when you yourself shall have forgiven. Your sacrifices shall be re- ceived when you shall come in peace to God. Your thoughts and deeds shall be directed from above, when you consider those things w^hich arc divine and righteous, as it is written : " Let the heart of a man consider righteous things, that his steps may be directed by the Lord." ^
18. And you have many things to consider. Think of paradise, wdiither Cain does not enter, ^ who by jealousy slew his brother. Think of the heavenly kingdom, to which the Lord does not admit any but those who are of one heart and mind. Consider that those alone can be called sons of God who are peacemakers, wdio in heavenly'* birth and by the divine law are made one, and respond to the likeness of God the Father and of Christ. Consider that we are stand- ing under the eyes of God, that we are pursuing the course of our conversation and our life, with God Himself looking on and judging, that we may then at length be able to attain to the result of beliolding Him, if we now delight Him who sees us, by our actions, if we show ourselves worthy of His favour and indulgence ; if we, who are always to please Him in His kingdom, previously please Him in the world.
^ " A fellow-heir," according to Baluzius and Routli. 2 Prov. XV. 1, LXX. ^ " Return " is a more common reading.
* Routh omits the word '* heavenly," on the authority of fourteen codices.
52 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
TKEATISE XL
EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM, ADDRESSED TO FORTUNATUS.
PREFACE.
1. You have desired, beloved Fortunatus, that, since the "burden of persecutions and afflictions is lying heavy upon us, and in the ending and completion of the world the hate- ful time of Antichrist is already beginning to draw near, I would collect from the sacred Scriptures some exhortations for preparing and strengthening the minds of the brethren, w^hereby I might animate the soldiers of Christ for the hea- venly and spiritual contest. I have been constrained to obey your so needful wish, so that as much as my limited powers, instructed by the aid of divine inspiration, are sufficient, some arms, as it were, and defences might be brought forth from the Lord's precepts for the brethren who are about to fight. For it is little to arouse God's people by the trumpet call of our voice, unless we confirm the faith of believers, and their valour dedicated and devoted to God, by the divine readings.
2. But what more fitly or more fully agrees with my own care and solicitude, than to prepare the people divinely en- trusted to me, and an army established in the heavenly camp, by assiduous exhortations against the darts and weapons of the devil ? For he cannot be a soldier fitted for the war who has not first been exercised in the field ; nor will he who seeks to gain the crown of contest be rewarded on the racecourse, unless he first considers the use and skilfulness of his powers. It is an ancient adversary and an old enemy with whom we wage our battle : six thousand years are now nearly completed since the devil first attacked man. All kinds of temptation, and arts, and snares for his overthrow, he has learned by the very practice of long years. If he finds Christ's soldier unprepared, if unskilled, if not careful and watching with his whole heart ; he circumvents him if ignorant, he deceives him incautious, he cheats him inexperienced. But if a man, keeping the Lord's precepts, and bravely adhering
AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYBDOM. 53
to Christ/ stands against liim, he must needs be conquered, because Christ, whom that man confesses, is unconquered.
3. And that I might not extend my discourse, beloved brother, to too great a length, and fatigue my hearer or reader by the abundance of a too diffuse style, I have made a compendium ; so that the titles being placed first, which every one ought both to know and to have in mind, I might subjoin sections of the Lord's word, and establish what I had pro- posed by the authority of the divine teaching, in such wise as that I might not appear to have sent you my own treatise so much, as to have suggested material for others to discourse on, — a proceeding wliicli will be of advantage to individuals with increased benefit. For if I were to give a man a garment finished and ready, it would be my garment that another was making use of, and probably the thing made for another w^ould be found little fitting for his figure of stature and body. But now I have sent you the very w'ool and the purple from the Lamb, by whom we were redeemed and quickened; which, when you have received, you will make into a coat for yourself according to your own will, and the rather that you will rejoice in it as your own private and special garment. And you will exhibit to others also wdiat we have sent, that they themselves may be able to finish it according to their will ; so that that old nakedness being covered, they may all bear the garments of Christ robed in the sanctifica- tion of heavenly grace.
4. Moreover also, beloved brethren, I have considered it a useful and wholesome plan in an exhortation so needful as that which may make martyrs, to cut off all delays and tardi- ness in our w^ords, and to put away the windings of human discourse, and set down only those things which God speaks, wherewith Christ exhorts His servants to martyrdom. Those divine precepts themselves must be supplied, as it w^ere, for arms for the combatants. Let them be the incitements of the warlike trumpet ; let them be the clarion-blast for the war- riors. Let the ears be roused by them ; let the minds be prepared by them ; let the powers both of soul and body be
^ Some read, "bravely abiding in the footsteps of CLriist."
54 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
strengthened to all endurance of suffering. Let us only who, by the Lord's permission, have given the first baptism to believers, also prepare each one for the second ; urging and teaching that this is a baptism greater in grace, more lofty in power, more precious in honour — a baptism wherein angels baptize — a baptism in which God and His Christ exult — a baptism after which no one sins any more — a baptism which completes the increase of our faith — a baptism which, as we withdraw from the world, immediately associates us with God. In the baptism of water is received the remission of sins, in the baptism of blood the crown of virtues. This thing is to be embraced and desired, and to be asked for in all the entreaties of our petitions, that w^e who are God's servants should be also His friends.
HEADS OF THE FOLLOWING BOOK.
1. Therefore, in exhorting and preparing our brethren, and in arming them with firmness of virtue and faith for the heralding forth of the confession of the Lord, and for the battle of persecution and suffering, we must declare, in the first place, that the idols which man makes for himself are not gods. For things which are made are not greater than their maker and fashioner ; nor can those things protect and preserve anybody, which themselves perish out of their temples, unless they are preserved by man. But neither are those elements to be worshipped ^ which serve man according to the disposition and ordinance of God.
2. The idols being destroyed, and the truth concerning the elements being manifested, we must show that God only is to be worshipped.
3. Then we must add, what is God's threatening against those who sacrifice to idols.
4. Besides, we must teach that God does not easily pardon idolaters.
5. And that God is so angry with idolatry, that He has even commanded those to be slain who persuade others to sacrifice and serve idols.
1 The Oxford edition here adds, " in the place of gods."
AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 55
6. After this we must subjoin, that being redeemed and quickened by the blood of Christ, we ought to prefer nothing to Christ, because He preferred nothing to us, and on our account preferred evil things to good, poverty to riches, ser- vitude to rule, death to immortality; that we, on the contrary, in our sufferings are preferring the riches and delights of paradise to the poverty of the world, eternal dominion and kingdom to the slavery of time, immortality to death, God and Christ to the devil and antichrist.
7. We must urge also, that when snatched from the jaws of the devil, and freed from the snares of this world, if they begin to be in difficulty and trouble, they must not desire to return again to the world, and so lose the advantage of their withdrawal therefrom.
8. That we must rather urge on and persevere in faith and virtue, and in completion of heavenly and spiritual grace, that we may attain to the palm and to the crown.
9. For that afflictions and persecutions are brought about for this purpose, that we may be proA'ed.
10. Neither must we fear the injuries and penalties of persecutions, because greater is the Lord to protect than the devil to assault.
11. And lest any one should be frightened and troubled at the afflictions and persecutions which we suffer in this world, we must prove that it was before foretold that the world would hold us in hatred, and that it would arouse persecu- tions against us ; that from this very thing, that these things come to pass, is manifest the truth of the divine promise, in recompenses and rewards which shall afterwards follow ; that it is no new thing which happens to Christians, since from tlie beo-innino; of the world the sood have suffered, and have been oppressed and slain by the unrighteous.
12. In the last place, it must be laid down what hope and what reward await the righteous and martyrs after the struggles and the sufferings of this time, and that we sliall receive more in the reward of our suffering than what we suffer here in the passion itself.
56 THE TREATISES OF CYPEIAN.
ON THE EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM.
1. That idols are not gods, and that the elements are not
to be worshipped in the place of gods. In the 113th Psalm it is shown that "the idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have a mouth, and speak not ; eyes have they, and see not. They have ears, and hear not ; neither is there any breath in their mouth. Let those that make them be made like unto them."^ Also in the Wisdom of Solomon : " They counted all the idols of the nations to be gods, which neither have the use of eyes to see, nor noses to draw breath, nor ears to hear, nor fingers on their hands to handle ; and as for their feet, they are slow to go. For man made them, and he that borrowed his own spirit fashioned them ; but no man can make a god like unto himself. For, since he is mortal, he worketh a dead thing with wicked hands ; for he himself is better than the things which he worshippeth, since he indeed lived once, but they never." ^ In Exodus also: "Thou shalt not make to thee an idol, nor the likeness of any- thing." ^ Moreover, in Solomon, concerning the elements : "Neither by considering the works did they acknowledge who was the workmaster; but deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the sun, or the moon, to be gods.'' On account of whose beauty, if they thought this, let them know how much more beautiful is the Lord than they. Or if they admired their powers and operations, let them understand by them, that He that made these mighty things is mightier than they." ^
2. That God alone must be worshipped.
" As it is written. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,
1 Ps. cxxxv. 15-18, cxv. 4-8. 2 ^jg^j xv. 15-17. ^ gx. xx. 4.
* Pamelius and others read here, " the gods who rule over the world," apparently takmg the words from the thirteenth chapter of the book of Wisdom, and from the Testimonies, iii. 59, below, where they are quoted.
^ Wisd. xiii. 1-4.
AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 57
and Him only shalt thou serve." ^ Also in Exodus : " Thou shalt have none other gods beside me." ^ Also in Deutero- nomy : " See ye, see ye that I am He, and that there is no God beside me. I will kill, and will make alive ; I will smite, and I w^ill heal ; and there is none who can deliver out of mine hands." ^ In the Apocalypse, moreover : " And I saw^ another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the ever- lasting gospel to preach over the earth, and over all nations, and tribes, and tongues, and peoples, saying with a loud voice. Fear God rather, and give glory to Him : for the hour of His judgment is come ; and worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that therein is."'' So also the Lord, in His Gospel, makes mention of the first and second commandment, saying, " Hear, O Israel, The Lord thy God is one God;"^ and, "Thou shalt love thy Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. This is the first ; and the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two command- ments hang all the law and the prophets."^ And once more: "And this is life eternal, that they may know Thee, the only and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent."^
3. What is God's threatening against those who sacrifice to idols ?
In Exodus : " He that sacrificeth unto any gods but the Lord only, shall be rooted out." ^ Also in Deuteronomy : " They sacrificed unto demons, and not to God."*^ In Isaiah also : " They worshipped those which their fingers have made ; and the mean man was bowed down, and the great man was humbled: and I will not forgive them."^^ And again : "To them hast thou poured out drink-offerings, and to them tliou hast offered sacrifices. For these, therefore, shall I not be angry, saith the Lord ?"^^ In Jeremiah also : " Walk ye not
1 Deut. vi. 13, X. 20. - Ex. xx. 3. ^ Deut. xxxii. 39.
* Rev. xiv. 6, 7. ^ Mark xii. 29-31. ^ Matt. xxii. 37^0.
7 John xvii. 3. » Ex. xxii. 20. » Deut. xxxii. 17.
" Isa. ii. 8, 9. ^^ Isa. Ivii. 6.
58 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
after other gods, to serve tliem ; and worship them not, and provoke me not m the works of your hands, to destroy you."^ In the Apocalypse too : " If any man worship the beast and his imasfe, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, he shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in the cup of His wrath, and shall be punished with fire and brimstone before the eyes of the holy angels, and before the eyes of the Lamb : and the smoke of their torments shall ascend for ever and ever : and they shall have no rest day or night, whosoever worship the beast and his image." ^
4. That God does not easily pardon idolaters.
Moses in Exodus prays for the people, and does not obtain his prayer, saying : " I pray, O Lord, this people hath sinned a great sin. They have made them gods of gold. And now, if Thou forgivest them their sin, forgive it ; but if not, blot me out of the book which Thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses, If any one hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book."^ Moreover, when Jeremiah besought for the people, the Lord speaks to him, saying : " And pray not thou for this people, and entreat not for them in prayer and supplication ; because I will not hear in the time wherein they shall call upon me in the time of their affliction." * Ezekiel also denounces this same anger of God upon those who sin against God, and says ; " And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying. Son of man, whatsoever land sinneth against me, by committing an offence, I will stretch forth mine hand upon it, and will crush the support of the bread thereof ; and I will send into it famine, and I will take away from it man and beast. And though these three men were in the midst of it, Noah, Daniel, and Job, they shall not deliver sons nor daughters; they themselves only shall be delivered."^ Like- wise in the first book of Kings : " If a man sin by offending against another, they shall beseech the Lord for him ; but if a man sin against God, who shall entreat for him ?" ®
1 Jer. vii. 6. ^ Rev. xiv. 9-11.
3 Ex, xxxii. 31-33. "^ Jer. vii. 16.
« Ezek. xiv. 12-14. « 1 Sam. ii. 25.
AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 59
5. That God is so angry against idolatry, that He has even enjoined those to be slain who persuade others to sacrifice and serve idols. In Deuteronomy : " But if thy brother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or thy wife which is in thy bosom, or thy friend which is the fellow of thine own soul, should ask thee secretly, saying. Let us go and serve other gods, the gods of the nations, thou shalt not consent unto him, and thou shalt not hearken unto him, neither shall thine eye spare him, neither shalt thou conceal him, declaring thou shalt declare con- cerning him. Thine hand shall be upon him first of all to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people ; and they shall stone him, and he shall die, because he hath sought to turn thee away from the Lord thy God."^ And again the Lord speaks, and says, that neither must a city be spared, even though the whole city should consent to idolatry : " Or if thou shalt hear in one of the cities which the Lord thy God shall give thee, to dwell there, saying. Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known,^ slaying thou shalt kill all who are in the city with the slaughter of the sword, and burn the city with fire, and it shall be without habitation for ever. Moreover, it shall no more be rebuilt, that the Lord may be turned from the indignation of His anger. And He will show thee mercy, and He will pity thee, and will multiply thee, if thou wilt hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt observe His precepts."^ Remember- ing which precept and its force, Mattathias slew him who had approached the altar to sacrifice. But if before the coming of Christ these precepts concerning the worship of God and the despising of idols were observed, how much more should they be regarded since Christ's advent ; since He, when He came, not only exhorted us with words, but with deeds also, but after all wrongs and contumelies, suffered also, and was crucified, that He might teach us to suffer and to
1 Deut. xiii. 6-10.
2 The Oxford edition inserts here, " Thou shalt inquire dihgently ; and if thou shalt find that that is certain which is said."
3 Deut. xiii. 12-18.
60 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN,
die by His example, that there might be no excuse for a man not to suffer for Him/ since He suffered for us ; and that since He suffered for the sins of others, much rather ought each to suffer for his own sins. And therefore in the Gospel He threatens, and says : " Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven ; but whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."^ The Apostle Paul also says : " For if we die with Him, we shall also live with Him ; if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us."^ John too : " Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father ; he that acknowledgeth the Son, hath both the Son and the Father." ^ Whence the Lord exhorts and strengthens us to contempt of death, saying : " Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul ; but rather fear Him which is able to kill soul and body in Gehenna." ^ And again : " He that loveth his life shall lose it ; and he who hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal."^
6. That, being redeemed and quickened by the blood of Christ, we ought to prefer nothing to Christ.''
In the Gospel the Lord speaks, and says : " He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not w^orthy of me ; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me ; and he that taketh not his cross and followeth me, is not worthy of me." ^ So also it is written in Deuteronomy : " They who say to their father and their mother, I have not known thee, and have not acknowledged their own children, these have kept Thy precepts, and have observed Thy cove- nant."'^ Moreover, the Apostle Paul says: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or
1 Or, " for a man who does not suffer." ^ Matt. x. 32, 33.
3 2 Tim. ii. 11, 12. "* 1 John ii. 23. « Matt. x. 28.
^ John xii. 25.
^" The Oxford edition adds, " because neither did He account of any- thing before us."
8 Matt. X. 37, 38. ^ Deut. xxxiii. 9.
^iV^ EXB.OETATION TO MARTYRDOM. CI
distress, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ? As it is written, Because for Thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we overcome on account of Him who hath loved us." ^ And again : " Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in your body." - And again : " Christ died for all, that both they which live may not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again." ^
7. That those who are snatched from the jaws of the devil, and delivered from the snares of this world,* ought not again to return to the world, lest they should lose the advantage of their withdrawal therefrom.
In Exodus the Jewish people, prefigured as a shadow and image of us, when, with God for their guardian and avenger, they had escaped the most severe slavery of Pharaoh and of Egypt — that is, of the devil and the world — faithless and un- grateful in respect of God, murmur against Moses, looking back to the discomforts of the desert and of their labour ; and, not understanding the divine benefits of liberty and salvation, they seek to return to the slavery of Egypt — that is, of the w^orld whence they had been drawn forth — when they ought rather to have trusted and believed on God, since He who delivers His people from the devil and the world, protects them also when delivered. " AVherefore hast thou thus done with us," say they, '' in casting us forth out of Eg}^t *? It is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in this wilderness. And Moses said unto the people. Trust, and stand fast, and see the salvation which is from the Lord, which He shall do to you to-day. The Lord Himself shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." ^ The Lord, admonishing us of this in His Gospel, and teaching that we should not return again to the devil and to the world,
1 Rom. viii. 35-37. 2 i Qq^.^ y^ 20. ^ o Cor. v. 15.
^ The Oxford edition here interpolates, ' ' if they find themselves in straits and tribulations." ^ Ex. xiv. 11-14.
62 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
which we have renounced, and whence we have escaped, says : " No man looking back, and putting his hand to the plough, is fit for the kingdom of God." ^ And again : " And let him that is in the field not return back. Remember Lot's wife."^ And lest any one should be retarded by any covetousness of wealth or attraction of his own people from following Christ, He adds, and says : " He that forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple." ^
8. That we must press on and persevere in faith and virtue, and in completion of heavenly and spiritual grace, that we may attain to the palm and the crown.
In the book of Chronicles : " The Lord is with you so long as ye also are with Him ; but if ye forsake Him, He will for- sake you." * In Ezekiel also : " The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in what day soever he may transgress." ^ Moreover, in the G ospel the Lord speaks, and says : " He that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved." ^ And again : " If ye shall abide in my word, ye shall be my disciples indeed ; and jo, shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." '^ Moreover, forewarning us that we ought always to be ready, and to stand firmly equipped and armed. He adds, and says : " Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord when he shall return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him. Blessed are those servants whom their lord, when he cometh, shall find watching." ^ Also the blessed Apostle Paul, that our faith may advance and grow, and attain to the highest point, exhorts us, saying : " Know ye not, that they which run in a race run all indeed, yet one receiveth the prize ? So run, that ye may obtain.^ And they, indeed, that they may receive a corruptible crown ; but ye an
1 Luke ix. 62. 2 L^^te xvii. 31, 32. » L^jj-g xiv. 33.
4 2 Chron. xv. 2. ^ Ezek. xxxiii. 12. « Matt. x. 22.
'' John viii. 31, 32. » Luke xii. 35-37.
^ Oxford edition : " For every one that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things."
AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 63
incorruptible." ^ And again : " No man that warretli for God binds himself to anxieties of this world, that he may be able to please Him to whom he hath approved himself. Moreover, also, if a man should contend, he will not be crowned unless he have fought lawfully." ^ And again : ^' Now I beseech you, brethren, by the mercy of God, that ye constitute your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God ; and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed in the renewing of yom' spirit, that ye may prove what is the will of God, good, and acceptable, and perfect." ^ And again : " We are children of God : but if children, then heirs ; heirs indeed of God, but joint-heirs with Christ, if we suffer together, that we may also be glorified together." * And in the Apocalypse the same exhortation of divine preaching speaks, saying, " Hold fast that which thou hast, lest another take thy crown ; " ^ which example of perseverance and per- sistence Is pointed out In Exodus, when Moses, for the over- throw of Amalek, wdio bore the type of the devil, raised up his open hands in the sign and sacrament of the cross, and could not conquer his adversary unless when he had sted- fastly persevered in the sign with hands continually lifted up. " And it came to pass," says he, " when Moses raised up his hands, Israel prevailed ; but when he let down his hands, Amalek grew mighty. And they took a stone and placed It under him, and he sate thereon. And Aaron and Hur held up his hands on the one side and on the other side, and Moses' hands were made steady even to the going down of the sun. And Jesus routed Amalek and all his people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this, and let it be a memorial In a book, and tell it in the ears of Jesus ; because in destroying I will destroy the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven." ^
9. That afflictions and persecutions arise for the sake of
our being proved. In Deuteronomy, *^ The Lord your God proveth you, that He may know if ye love the Lord your God with all your
1 1 Cor. ix. 24, 25. » 2 Tim. ii. 4, 5. ^ Rom. xii. 1, 2.
* Rom. viii. 16, 17. « Rev. iii. 11. « Ex. xvii. 11-14.
64 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
lieartj and with all your soul, and witli all your strength." ^ And again, in Solomon : " The furnace proveth the potter's vessel, and righteous men the trial of tribulation." ^ Paul also testifies similar things, and speaks, saying : " We glory in the hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also ; knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope ; and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given unto us." ® And Peter, in his epistle, lays it down, and says : " Beloved, be not surprised at the fiery heat which f alleth upon you, which happens for your trial ; and fail not, as if some new thing were happening unto you. But as often as ye communicate with the sufferings of Christ, rejoice in all things, that also in the revelation made of His glory you may rejoice with gladness. If ye be reproached in the name of Christ, happy are ye ; because the name of the majesty and power of the Lord resteth upon you ; which indeed according to them is blasphemed, but according to us is honoured." *
10. That injuries and penalties of persecutions are not to be feared by us, because greater is the Lord to pro- tect than the devil to assault.
John, in his epistle, proves this, saying : " Greater is He who is in you than he that is in the world." ^ Also in the 117th Psalm: "I will not fear what man can do unto me; the Lord is my helper." ^ And again : " These in chariots, and those in horses ; but we wdll glory in the name of the Lord our God. They themselves are bound,' and they have fallen ; but we have risen up, and stand upright." ^ And even more strongly the Holy Spirit, teaching and showing that the army of the devil is not to be feared, and that, if the foe should declare war against us, our hope con-
1 Deut. xiii. 3. ^ Ecclus. xxvii. 5. ^ Rom. v. 2-5.
* 1 Pet. iv. 12-14. ^ 1 John iv. 4. ^ Ps. cxviii. 6.
7 The Oxford editor reads, " Their feet are bound."
8 Ps. XX. 7, 8.
AJ^ EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. C5
sists rather in that war itself ; and that by that conflict the righteous attain to the reward of the divine abode and eternal salvation, — lays down in the twenty-sixth Psalm, and says : ^^ Though an host should be arrayed against me, my heart shall not fear ; though war should rise up against me, in that will I put my hope. One hope have I sought of the Lord, this will I require ; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." ^ Also in Exodus, the holy Scripture declares that we are rather multiplied and increased by afflictions, saying: "And the more they afflicted them, so much the more they became greater, and waxed stronger." " And in the Apocalypse, divine protection is promised to our sufferings. "Fear nothing of these things," it says, " which thou shalt suffer." ^ Nor does any one else promise to us security and protection, than He who also speaks by Isaiah the prophet, saying : " Fear not ; for I have redeemed thee, and called thee by thy name : thou art mine. And if thou passest through the water, I am with thee, and the rivers shall not overflow thee. And if thou passest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, and * the flame shall not burn thee ; for I, the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, am He wdio maketh thee safe." ^ Who also promises in the Gospel that divine help shall not be wanting to God's servants in persecutions, saying : " But when they shall deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak. For it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaketh in you." * And again : " Settle it in your hearts not to medi- tate before how to answer. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which your adversaries shall not be able to resist." ' As in Exodus God speaks to Moses when he delayed and trembled to go to the people, saying : " Who hath given a mouth to man? and who hath made the stammerer? and who the deaf man ? and who the seeing, and the blind man ? Have not I, the Lord God ? And now go, and I will open
1 Ps. xxvii. 3, 4. 2 Ex. i. 12. ^ Rev. ii. 10.
* The common reading is, " through the fire, the flame," etc. ^ Isa. xliii. 1-3. ^ jyjatt. x. 19, 20. ' Luke xxi. 14, 15.
CYP. — VOL. II. E
66 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
thy mouth, and will instruct thee what thou shalt say." ^ Nor is it difficult for God to open the mouth of a man de- voted to Himself, and to inspire constancy and confidence in speech to His confessor ; since in the book of Numbers He made even a she-ass to speak against the prophet Balaam. Wherefore in persecutions let no one think what danger the devil is bringing in, but let him indeed consider what help God affords ; nor let human mischief overpower the mind, but let divine protection strengthen the faith ; since every one, according to the Lord's promises and the deservings of his faith, receives so much from God's help as he thinks that he receives. Nor is there anything which the Almighty is not able to grant, unless the failing faith of the receiver be deficient and give way.
11. That it was before predicted that the world would
hold us in abhorrence, and that it would stir up
persecutions against us, and that no new thing is
happening to the Christians, since from the beginning
of the world the good have suffered, and the righteous
have been oppressed and slain by the unrighteous.
The Lord in the Gospel forewarns and foretells, saying :
" If the world hates you, know that it first hated me. If ye
were of the w^orld, the world would love what is its own : but
because ye are not of the world, and I have chosen you out
of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Eemember the
word that I spoke unto you, The servant is not greater than
his master. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute
you also." ^ And again : " The hour will come, that every
one that killeth you will think that he doeth God service ;
but they will do this because they have not known the Father
nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the
hour shall come ye may remember them, because I told you."*
And again : " Verily, verily, I say unto you. That ye shall
weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; ye shall be
sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." * And
again : " These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye
1 Ex. iv. 11, 12. 2 joiin xv. 18-20. » joi^n xvi. 2-4. ^ John xvi. 20.
AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 67
may have peace ; but in the world ye shall have tribulation : but be of good confidence, for I have overcome the world." ^ And when He was interrogated by His disciples concerning the sign of His coming, and of the consummation of the world, He answered and said : " Take care lest any deceive you : for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall begin to hear of wars, and rumours of wars ; see that ye be not troubled : for these things must needs come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against king- dom : and there shall be famines, and earthquakes, and pesti- lences, in every place. But all these things are the beginnings of travailings. Then they shall deliver you up into affliction, and shall kill you : and ye shall be hateful to all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall arise, and shall seduce many ; and because wickedness shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he who shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached through all the world, for a testimony to all nations; and then shall come the end. When, therefore, ye shall see the abomination of desolation which is spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him who readeth understand), then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains ; and let him which is on the house-roof not go down to take anything from the house ; and let him who is in the field not return back to carry away his clothes. But woe to them that are pregnant, and to those that are giving suck in those days ! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the Sabbath-day : for there shall be great tribulation, such as has not arisen from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall arise. And unless those days should be shortened, no flesh should be saved ; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any one shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or, Lo, there ; believe him not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false pro- 1 John xri. 33.
68 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
pliets, and shall show great signs and wonders, to cause error, if it be possible, even to the elect. But take ye heed : behold, I have foretold you all things. If, therefore, they shall say to you, Lo, he is in the desert ; go not forth : lo, he is in the sleeping chambers ; believe it not. For as the flashing of lightning goeth forth from the east, and appeareth even to the west, so also shall the coming of the Son of man be. Wheresoever the carcase shall be, there shall the eagles be gathered together. But immediately after the affliction of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be moved : and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven : and all the tribes of the earth shall lament, and shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with great power and glory. And He shall send His angels with a great trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the heights of heaven, even into the farthest bounds thereof." ^ And these are not new or sudden things which are now hap- pening to Christians ; since the good and righteous, and those who are devoted to God in the law of innocence and the fear of true religion, advance always through afflictions, and wTongs, and the severe and manifold penalties of troubles, in the hardship of a narrow path. Thus, at the very begin- ning of the world, the righteous Abel was the first to be slain by his brother ; and Jacob was driven into exile, and Joseph was sold, and king Saul persecuted the merciful David ; and king Ahab endeavoured to oppress Elias, who firmly and bravely asserted the majesty of God. Zacharias the priest was slain between the temple and the altar, that himself might there become a sacrifice where he was accus- tomed to offer sacrifices to God. So many martyrdoms of the righteous have, in fact, often been celebrated ; so many examples of faith and virtue have been set forth to future generations. The three youths, Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, equal in age, agreeing in love, stedfast in faith, con- stant in virtue, stronger than the flames and penalties that 1 Matt. xxiv. 4-31.
AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 69
urged them, proclaim that they only obey God, that they know Him alone, that they worship Him alone, saying : " O kinix Nebuchodonosor, there is no need for ns to answer thee in this matter. For the God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of the furnace of burning fire ; and Pie will deliver us from thy hands, O king. And if not, be it known unto thee, that we do not serve thy gods, and we do not adore the golden image which thou hast set up." ^ And Daniel, devoted to God, and filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaims and says : " I worship nothing but the Lord my God, who founded the heaven and the earth." ^ Tobias also, although under a royal and tyrannical slavery, yet in feeling and spirit free, main- tains his confession to God, and sublimely announces both the divine power and majesty, saying : " In the land of my cap- tivity I confess to Him, and I show forth His power in a sinful nation." ^ What, indeed, do we find in the Maccabees of seven brethren, equals alike in their lot of birth and vir- tues, filling up the number seven in the sacrament of a per- fected completion ? Seven brethren were thus associating in martyrdom — as the first seven days in the divine arrangement containing seven thousand of years, as the seven spirits and seven angels which stand and go in and out before the face of God, and the seven-branched lamp in the tabernacle of witness, and the seven golden candlesticks in the Apocalypse, and the seven columns in Solomon upon which Wisdom built her house ; so here also the number seven of the brethren, embracing, in the quantity of their number, the seven churches, as likewise in the first book of Kings we read that the barren hath borne seven. And in Isaiah seven w^omen lay hold on one man, whose name they ask to be called upon them. And the Apostle Paul, who refers to this lawful and certain number, writes to the seven churches. And in the Apocalypse the Lord directs His divine and heavenly pre- cepts to the seven churches and their angels, which number is now found in this case, in the seven brethren, that a lawful consummation may be completed. With the seven children is manifestly associated also the mother, their origin and root, ^ Dan. iii. lG-18. * Bel and Dragon, vcr. 5. ^ Tob. xiii. G.
70 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
who subsequently begat seven cliurclies, slie herself having been first, and alone founded upon Peter ^ by the voice of the Lord. Nor is it of no account that in their sufferings the mother alone is with her children. For martyrs who witness themselves as the sons of God in suffering are now no more counted as of any father but God, as in the Gospel the Lord teaches, saying, " Call no man your father upon earth ; for one is your Father, which is in heaven." ^ But what utterances of confessions did they herald forth ! how illustrious, how great proofs of faith did they afford ! The king Antiochus, their enemy — yea, in Antiochus Antichrist was set forth — sought to pollute the mouths of martyrs, glorious and unconquered in the spirit of confession, with the contagion of swine's flesh ; and when he had severely beaten them with whips, and could prevail nothing, commanded iron plates to be heated, which being heated and made to glow, he commanded him who had first spoken, and had more provoked the king with the con- stancy of his virtue and faith, to be brought up and roasted, his tongue having first been pulled out and cut off, which had confessed God ; and this happened the more gloriously to the martyr. For the tongue which had confessed the name of God, ought itself first to go to God. Then in the second, sharper pains having been devised, before he tortured the other limbs, he tore off the skin of his head with the hair, doubtless with a purpose in his hatred. For since Christ is the head of the man, and God is the head of Christ, he who tore the head in the martyr was persecuting God and Christ in that head. But he, trusting in his martyrdom, and promising to himself from the retribution of God the reward of resm^rection, exclaimed and said, " Thou indeed impotently destroyest us out of this present life ; but the King of the world will raise us up, who die for His laws, unto the eternal resurrection of life."^ The third being challenged, quickly put forth his tongue ; for he had learned from his brother to despise the punishment of cutting off the tongue. Moreover, he firmly held forth his
1 " Petrum" is the reading of Migiie ; but by far the more authorita- tive reading is " Petram," " a rock.'
2 Matt, xxiii. 9. * 2 Mace. vii. 9.
AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 71
Iiancls to be cut off, greatly happy in sucli a mode of pimisli- ment, since it was his lot to imitate, by stretching forth his hands, the form of his Lord's passion. And also the fourth, with like virtue, despising the tortures, and answering, to restrain the king, with a heavenly voice exclaimed, and said, " It is better that those who are given to death by men should wait for hope from God, to be raised up by Him again to eternal life.^ For to thee there shall be no resurrection to life."* The fifth, besides treading under foot the torments of the king, and his severe and various tortures, by the strength of faith, animated to prescience also and knowledge of future events by the Spirit of divinity, foretold to the king the wrath of God, and the vengeance that should swiftly follow. " Having power," said he, " among men, though thou art corruptible, thou doest what thou wilt. But think not that our race is forsaken of God. Abide, and see His great power, how He will torment thee and thy seed." ^ What alleviation was that to the martyr ! how great,* how sub- stantial a comfort in his sufferings, not to consider his own torments, but to predict the penalties of his tormentor ! But in the sixth, not his bravery only, but also his humility, is to be set forth ; that the martyr claimed nothing to himself, nor even made an account of the honour of his own confession with proud words, but rather ascribed it to his sins that he was suffering persecution from the king, while he attributed to God that afterwards he should be avenged. He taught that martyrs are modest, that they were confident of ven- geance, and boasted nothing in their suffering. " Do not," said he, " needlessly err ; for we on our own account suffer these things, as sinning against our God. But think not thou that thou shalt be unpunished, who darest to fight against God."^ Also the admirable mother, who, neither broken down by the weakness of her sex, nor moved by her manifold bereavement, looked upon her dying children with cheerful- ness, and did not reckon those things punishments of her dar-
^ " To eternal life" is omitted in the Oxford edition.
^ 2 Mace. vii. 14. •'* 2 Mace. vii. 16.
* " How great" is omitted in some editions. ^ 2 Mace. vii. 18.
72 THE TREATISES OF CYPPdAN,
lings, but glories, giving as great a witness to God by the virtue of her eyes, as her children had given by the tortures and suf- fering of their limbs ; when, after the punishment and slaying of six, there remained one of the brethren, to whom the king promised riches, and power, and many things, that his cruelty and ferocity might be soothed by the satisfaction of even one being subdued, and asked that the mother would entreat that her son might be cast down with herself ; she entreated, but it was as became a mother of martyrs — as became one who was mindful of the law and of God — as became one who loved her sons not delicately, but bravely. For she entreated, but it was that he would confess God. She entreated that the brother would not be separated from his brothers in the alliance of praise and glory ; then only considering herself the mother of seven sons, if it should happen to her to have brought forth seven sons, not to the world, but to God. Therefore arming him, and strengthening him, and so bearing her son by a more blessed birth, she said, " O son, pity me that bare thee ten^ months in the w^omb, and gave thee milk for three years, and nourished thee and brought thee up to this age ; I pray thee, O son, look upon the heaven and the earth ; and having considered all the things which are in them, understand that out of nothing God made these things and the human race. Therefore, O son,^ do not fear that executioner ; but being made worthy of thy brethren, receive death, that in the same mercy I may receive thee with thy brethren."^ The mothers praise was great in her exhortation to virtue, but greater in the fear of God and in the truth of faith, that she promised nothing to herself or her son from the honour of the six martyrs, nor believed that the prayer of the brothers w^ould avail for the salvation of one who should deny, but rather persuaded him to become a sharer in their suffering, that in the day of judgment he might be found with his brethren. After this the mother also dies with her children ; for neither was anything else becoming,
^ Otherwise " nine."
2 " Thus it shall turn out that you," etc., is the Oxford reading.
3 2 Mace. vii. 27.
^.V EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 73
than that she who had borne and made martyrs, should be joined in the fellowship of glory with them, and that she herself should follow those whom she had sent before to God. And lest any, when the opportunity either of a certificate or of any such matter is offered to him whereby he may deceive, should embrace the wicked part of deceivers, let us not be silent, moreover, about Eleazar, who, when an opportunity was offered him by the ministers of the king, that having re- ceived the flesh which it was allowable for him to partake of, he might pretend, for the misguiding of the king, that he ate those things which were forced upon him from the sacrifices and unlawful meats, would not consent to this deception, say- ing that it was fitting neither for his age nor nobility to feign that, whereby others would be scandalized and led into error; if they should think that Eleazar, being ninety years old, had left and betrayed the law of God, and had gone over to the manner of aliens ; and that it was not of so much conse- quence to gain the short moments of life, and so incur eternal punishment from an offended God. And he having been long tortured, and now at length reduced to extremity, while he was dying in the midst of stripes and tortures, groaned and said, " O Lord, that hast the holy knowledge, it is manifest that although I might be delivered from death, I suffer the severest pains of body, being beaten with scourges ; but with my mind, on account of Thy fear, I willingly suffer these things."^ Assuredly his faith was sincere and his virtue sound, and abundantly pure, not to have regarded king Antiochus, but God the Judge, and to have known that it could not avail him for salvation if he should mock and deceive man, when God, who is the judge of our conscience, and who only is to be feared, cannot at all be mocked nor deceived. If, therefore, we also live as dedicated and devoted to God — if we make our way over the ancient and sacred footsteps of the righteous, let us go through the same proofs of sufferings, the same testimonies of passions, considering the glory of our time the greater on this account, that while ancient examples may be numbered, yet that subsequently, 1 2 Mace. vi. 30.
74 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN,
when the abundance of virtue and faith was in excess, the Christian martyrs cannot be numbered, as the Apocalypse testifies and says : " After these things I beheld a great multi- tude, which no man could number, of every nation, and of every tribe, and people, and language, standing in the sight of the throne and of the Lamb ; and they were clothed in white robes, and palms were in their hands ; and they said with a loud voice. Salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb ! And one of the elders an- swered and said unto me. Who are those which are arrayed in white robes, and whence come they ? And I said unto him. My lord, thou knowest. And he said unto me. These are they who have come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple."^ But if the assembly of the Christian martyrs is shown and proved to be so great, let no one think it a hard or a difficult thing to become a martyr, when he sees that the crowd of martyrs cannot be numbered.
12. What hope and reward remains for the righteous and
for martyrs after the conflicts and sufferings of this
present time.
The Holy Spirit shows and predicts by Solomon, saying :
"And although in the sight of men they suffered torments, yet
their hope is full of immortality. And having been troubled
in a few things, they shall be in many happily ordered, be-
because God has tried them, and has found them worthy of
Himself. As gold in the furnace, He hath tried them ; and
as whole burnt-offerings of sacrifice. He hath received them,
and in its season there will be respect of them. They will
shine and run about as sparks in a place set with reeds.^
They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the
peoples ; and their Lord sliall reign for ever." ^ In the same
also our vengeance is described, and the repentance of those
^ Rev. vii. 9-15. ^ In many editions this clause is wanting.
3 AVisd. iii. 4-8.
AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 75
who persecute and molest us is announced. " Then," saith he, "shall the righteous stand in great constancy before such as have afflicted them, and who have taken away their labours ; when they see it, they shall be troubled with a horrible fear : and they shall marvel at the suddenness of their unexpected salvation, saying among themselves, re- penting and groaning for anguish of spirit. These are they whom we had sometime in derision and as a proverb of re- proach. We fools counted their life madness, and their end to be without honour. How are they numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints ! There- fore have we erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shined unto us, and the sun hath not risen upon us. We have been wearied in the way of un- righteousness and perdition, and have walked through hard deserts, but have not known the way of the Lord. What hath pride profited us, or what hath the boasting of riches brought to us? All these things have passed away like a shadow." Likewise in the 115th Psalm is shown the price and the reward of suffering : " Precious," it says, " in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." ^ In the 125th Psalm also is expressed the sadness of the struggle, and the joy of the retribution : " They who sow," it says, " in tears, shall reap in joy. As they walked, they walked and wept, casting their seeds; but as they come again, they shall come in exultation, bearing their sheaves."^ And again, in the 118th Psalm : " Blessed are those that are undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who search His testimonies, and seek Him out with their whole heart." ^ Moreover, the Lord in the Gospel, Himself the avenger of our persecution and the rewarder of our suffering, says : " Blessed are they who suffer persecution for righteous- ness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." * And again : " Blessed shall ye be when men shall hate you, and shall separate you, and shall expel you, and shall revile your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy ; for, behold, your reward is great in 1 Ps. cxvi. 15. 2 ps cxxvi. 5, 6. 3 Pg. cxix. 1, 2. ^ Matt. v. 10.
76 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
heaven." ^ And once more : " Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it." ^ Nor do the rewards of the divine promise attend those alone who are reproached and slain ; hut if the passion itself be wanting to the faith- ful, while their faith has remained sound and unconquered, and having forsaken and contemned all his possessions, the Christian has shown that he is following Christ, even he also is honoured by Christ among the martyrs, as He Himself promises and says : " There is no man that leaveth house, or land, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, but shall receive seven times as much in this present time, and in the w^orld to come eternal life." ^ In the Apocalypse also He says the same thing : " And I saw," saith he, " the souls of them that were slain for the name of Jesus and the word of God." And when he had placed those who were slain in the first place, he added, saying; "And whosoever had not worshipped the image of the beast, neither had received his mark upon their forehead or in their hand ;" all these he joins together, as seen by him at one time in the same place, and says, " And they lived and reigned with Christ." ^ He says that all live and reign with Christ, not only who have been slain ; but even whosoever, standing in firmness of the faith and in the fear of God, have not worshipped the image of the beast, and have not consented to his deadly and sacrilegious edicts.
13. That w^e receive more as the reward of our suffering than what we endure here in the suffering itself.
The blessed Apostle Paul proves ; who by the divine con- descension, being caught up into the third heaven and into paradise, testifies that he heard unspeakable w^ords, who boasts that he saw Jesus Christ by the faith of sight, who professes that which he both learnt and saw with the greater truth of consciousness, and says : " The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory which shall be revealed in us." ^ Who, then, does not with all his
1 Luke vi. 22, 23. ^ Luke ix. 24. " Luke xviii. 29, 30.
* Rev. XX. 4, 5. ^ Rom. viii. 18.
AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM, 77
powers labour to attain to such a glory that he may become the friend of God, that he may at once rejoice with Christ, that after earthly tortures and punishments he may receive divine rewards ? If to soldiers of this world it is glorious to return in triumph to their country when the foe is van- quished, how much more excellent and greater is the glory, when the devil is overcome, to return in triumph to paradise, and to bring back victorious trophies to that place whence Adam was ejected as a sinner, after casting down him who formerly had cast him down ; to offer to God the most ac- ceptable gift — an uncorrupted faith, and an unyielding virtue of mind, an illustrious praise of devotion ; to accompany Him when He shall come to receive vengeance from His enemies, to stand at His side when He shall sit to judge, to become co-heir of Christ, to be made equal to the angels ; with the patriarchs, with the apostles, with the prophets, to rejoice in the possession of the heavenly kingdom ! Such thoughts as these, wdiat persecution can conquer, what tortures can over- come ? The brave and stedfast mind, founded in religious meditations, endures ; and the spirit abides unmoved against all the terrors of the devil and the threats of the world, wdien it is strengthened by the sure and solid faith of things to come. In persecutions, earth is shut up,^ but heaven is opened ; Antichrist is threatening, but Christ is protecting ; death is brought in, but immortality follows; the w^orld is taken away from him that is slain, but paradise is set forth to him restored ; the life of time is extinguished, but the life of eternity is realized. What a dignity it is, and what a security, to go gladly from hence, to depart gloriously in the midst of afflictions and tribulations ; in a moment to close the eyes with which men and the world are looked upon, and at once to open them to look upon God and Christ! Of such a blessed departure how great is the swiftness ! You shall be suddenly taken away from earth, to be placed in the heavenly kingdoms. It behoves us to embrace these things in our mind and consideration, to meditate on these things day and night. If persecution should fall upon such a ^ " The eyes of the earth are closed " is the reading of other editions.
78 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN,
soldier of God, liis virtue, prompt for battle, will not be able to be overcome. Or if his call should come to him before, his faith shall not be without reward, seeing it was prepared for martyrdom ; without loss of time, the reward is rendered by the judgment of God. In persecution, the warfare, — in peace, the purity of conscience, is crowned.
TREATISE XII.
THREE BOOKS OF TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS.
Cypeian to his son Quirinus, greeting. It was necessary, my beloved son, that I should obey 3^our spiritual desire, which asked with most urgent petition for those divine teachings wherewith the Lord has condescended to teach and instruct us by the holy Scriptures, that, being led away from the darkness of error, and enlightened by His pure and shining light, we may keep the way of life through the saving sacra- ments. And indeed, as you have asked, so has this discourse been arranged by me ; and this treatise has been ordered in an abridged compendium, so that I should not scatter what was written in too diffuse an abundance, but, as far as my poor memory suggested, might collect all that was necessary in selected and connected heads, under which I may seem, not so much to have treated the subject, as to have afforded material for others to treat it. Moreover, to readers also, brevity of the same kind is of very great advantage, in that a treatise of too great length dissipates the understanding and perception of the reader, while a tenacious memory keeps that which is read in a more exact compendium. But I have comprised in my undertaking two books of equally moderate length : one wherein I have endeavoui'ed to show that the Jews, according to what had before been foretold, had departed from God, and had lost God's favour, which had been given them in past time, and had been promised them for the future ; while the Christians had succeeded to their place, deserving well of the Lord by faith, and coming
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 79
out of all nations and from the whole world. The second book likewise contains the sacrament of Christ, that He has come who was announced according to the Scriptures, and has done and perfected all those things whereby He was fore- told as being able to be perceived and known.^ And these things may be of advantage to you meanwhile, as you read, for forming the first lineaments of your faith. More strength will be given you, and the intelligence of the heart will be effected more and more, as you examine more fully the Scrip- tures, old and new, and read through the complete volumes of the spiritual books. For now we have filled a small measure from the divine fountains, which in the meantime we would send to you. You will be able to drink more plen- tifully, and to be more abundantly satisfied, if you also will approach to drink together with us at the same springs of the divine fulness. I bid you, beloved son, always heartily farewell.
FIRST BOOK. HEADS.
1. That the Jews have fallen under the heavy wrath of God, because they have departed from the Lord, and have followed idols.
2. Also because they did not believe the prophets, and put them to death.
3. That it was previously foretold that they would neither know the Lord, nor understand nor receive Him.
4. That the Jews would not understand the holy Scrip- tures, but that they would be intelligible in the last times, after Christ had come.
5. That the Jews could understand nothing of the Scrip- tures unless they first believed on Christ.
6. That they would lose Jerusalem, and leave the land which they had received.
7. That they would also lose the Light of the Lord.
^ This sentence is otlierwise read, " whereby it may he perceived and known that it is He Himself who was foretold."
80 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
8. That the first circumcision of the flesh was made void, and a second circumcision of the spirit was promised instead.
9. That the former law, which was given by Moses, was about to cease.
10. That a new law was to be given.
11. That another dispensation and a new covenant was to be given.
12. That the old baptism was to cease, and a new one was to begin.
13. That the old yoke was to be made void, and a new yoke was to be given.
14. That the old pastors were to cease, and new ones to begin.
15. That Christ should be God's house and temple, and that the old temple should pass away, and a new one should begin.
16. That the old sacrifice should be made void, and a new one should be celebrated.
17. That the old priesthood should cease, and a new priest should come who should be for ever.
18. That another prophet, such as Moses, was promised, to wit, who should give a new testament, and who was rather to be listened to.
19. That two peoples were foretold, the elder and the younger; that is, the ancient people of the Jews, and the new one which should be of us.
20. That the church, which had previously been barren, should have more sons from among the Gentiles than the synagogue had had before.
21. That the Gentiles should rather believe in Christ.
22. That the Jews should lose the bread and the cup of Christ, and all His grace ; while we should receive them, and that the new name of Christians should be blessed in the earth.
23. That rather the Gentiles than the Jews should attain to the kingdom of heaven.
24. That by this alone the Jews could obtain pardon of their sins, if they wash away the blood of Christ slain in His baptism, and, pasing over into the church, should obey His precepts.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 81
TESTIMONIES.
1. That the Jews have fallen under the heavy wrath of
God because they have forsaken the Lord, and have
followed idols. In Exodus the people said to Aaron : " Arise, and make us gods which shall go before us ; because as for this man Moses, who brought us out of Egypt, we know not what has become of him." ^ In the same place also Moses says to the Lord : " O Lord, I pray thee, this people have smned a great sin. They have made to themselves gods of gold and silver. And now, if Thou wilt forgive them their sin, forgive ; but if not, blot me out of the book which Thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses, If any one hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book." ^ Likewise in Deuteronomy : " They sacrificed unto demons, and not unto God." ^ In the book of Judges too : " And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed the gods of the peoples that were round about them, and offended the Lord, and forsook God, and served Baal."^ Also in the same place : " And the children of Israel added again to do evil ^ in the sight of the Lord, and served Baal and the gods of the strangers, and forsook the Lord, and served Him not." ^ In Malachi : " Judah is forsaken, and has become an abomination in Israel and in Jerusalem, because Judah has profaned the holiness of the Lord in those things wherein He hath loved, and courted strange gods. The Lord will cut off the man who doeth this, and he shall be made base in the tabernacles of Jacob." '
2. Also because they did not believe the prophets, and put
them to death. In Jeremiah the Lord says : " I have sent unto you my servants the prophets. Before the daylight I sent them (and
1 Ex. xxxii. 1. 2 Ex. xxxii. 31-33. ^ Dent, xxxii. 17.
^ Judg. ii. 11-13. fi " And again they did evil."
c Jiidg. iv. 1. 7 Mai. ii. 11.
CYr. — VOL. II. P
82 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
ye heard me not, and did not listen with your ears), saying, Let every one of you be converted from his evil way, and from your most wicked desires ; and ye shall dwell in that land which I have given you and your fathers for ever and ever." ^ And again :^ "Go not after other gods, to serve them, and do not worship them ; and provoke me not to anger in the works of your hands to scatter you abroad ; and ye have not hearkened unto me." ^ Also in the third book of the Kings, Elias saith unto the Lord : " In being jealous I have been jealous for the Lord God Almighty ; because the children of Israel have forsaken Thee, have demolished Thine altars, and have slain Thy prophets with the sword ; and I have remained solitary, and they seek my life, to take it away from me." ^ In Ezra also : " They have fallen away from Thee, and have cast Thy law behind their backs, and have killed Thy prophets which testified against them that they should return to Thee." ^
3. That it was previously foretold that they would neither know the Lord, nor understand, nor receive Him.
In Isaiah : " Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth : for the Lord hath spoken ; I have begotten and brought up chil- dren, but they have rejected me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib : but Israel hath not known me, and my people hath not perceived me. Ah sinful nation, a people filled with sins, a wicked seed, corrupting children : ye have forsaken the Lord, and have sent that Holy One of Israel into anger." ^ In the same also the Lord says : " Go and tell this people, Ye shall hear with the ear, and shall not understand ; and seeing, ye shall see, and shall not perceive. For the heart of this people hath waxed gross, and they hardly hear with their ears, and they have shut up their eyes, lest haply they should see with their eyes, and hear with their
1 Jer. vii. 25, xxv, 4.
2 The words " and again " are sometimes omitted; and sometimes read '• Moreover, in the same place."
3 Jer. XXV. 6, 7. * 1 Kings xix. 10. 5 Neh. ix. 26. « Isa. i. 2-4.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 83
ears, and understand with their heart, and should return, and I should heal them." ^ Also in Jeremiah the Lord says : " Tliey have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have dug for themselves worn-out cisterns, which could not hold water." ^ Moreover, in the same : " Behold, the word of the Lord has become unto them a reproach, and they do not wish for it." ^ Again in the same the Lord says : " The kite knoweth his time, the turtle, and the swallow ; * the spar- rows of the field keep the time of their coming in ; but my people doth not know the judgment of the Lord. How say ye. We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us ? The false measurement^ has been made vain; the scribes are con- founded ; the wise men have trembled, and been taken, because they have rejected the word of the Lord."^ In Solo- mon also : " Evil men seek me, and shall not find me ; for they held wisdom in hatred, and did not receive the word of the Lord." '' Also in the twenty-seventh Psalm : " Eender to them their deserving, because they have not perceived in the works of the Lord." ^ Also in the eighty-first Psalm : " They have not known, neither have they understood ; they shall walk on in darkness." ^ In the Gospel, too, accord- ing to John : " He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God who believe on His name." ^*^
4. That the Jews would not understand the Holy Scrip- tures, but that they would be intelligible in the last times, after that Christ had come. In Isaiah : " And all these words shall be unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which, if you shall give to a man that knoweth letters to read, he shall say, I cannot read, for it is sealed. But in that day the deaf shall hear the
1 Isa. vi. 9, 10. 2 jer. ii. 13. 3 j^^. vi. 10.
* According to the Oxford edition: "The turtle and the sAvallow knoweth its time," etc.
^ Six ancient authorities have " your measurement."
c Jcr. viii. 7-9. '' Prov. i. 28, 29. » Ps. xxviu. 4, 5.
» Ps. Ixxxii. 5. 10 John i. 11, 12.
84 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
Avords of the book, and tliey who are in darkness and in a cloud ; the eyes of the bhnd shall see." ^ Also in Jeremiah : ^' In the last of the days ye shall know those things." ^ In Daniel, moreover : " Secure the words, and seal the book until the time of consummation, until many learn, and know- ledge is fulfilled, because when there shall be a dispersion they shall know all these things." ^ Likewise in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " Brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, that all our fathers were under the cloud." ^ Also in the second Epistle to the Corinthians : " Their minds are blinded even unto this day, by this same veil which is taken away in Christ, while this same veil remains in the reading of the Old Testament, which is not unveiled, because it is made void in Christ ; and even to this day, if at any time Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. But by and by, when they shall be turned unto the Lord, the veil shall be taken away." ^ In the Gospel, the Lord after His resiuTection says : " These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me. Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scrip- tures ; and said unto them, That thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name even among all nations." ^
5. That the Jews could understand nothing of the Scrip- tures unless they first believed in Christ.
In Isaiah : " And if ye will not believe, neither will ye understand." '^ Also the Lord in the Gospel : " For if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins." ^ More- over, that righteousness should subsist by faith, and that in it
1 Isa. xxix. 11-18. ^ Jcr. xxiii. 20. " Dan. xii. 4-7.
4 1 Cor. X. 1.
^ 2 Cor. iii. 14-16. There is a singular coiifuson in the reading of this quotation. The translator has followed Migne's text.
^ Luke xxiv. 44-47. ^ Isa. vii. 9. ^ John viii. 24.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 85
was life, was predicted in TIabakkuk : " Now tlie just shall live by faith of me." ^ Hence Abraham, the father of the nations, believed ; in Genesis : " Abraham believed in God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." ^ In like manner, Paul to the Galatians : " Abraham believed in God, and it was counted unto him for riMiteousness. Ye know, therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are children of Abraham. But the Scripture, foreseeing that God justi- fieth the heathens by faith, foretold to Abraham that all nations should be blessed in him. Therefore they who are of faith are blessed ^ with faithful Abraham." ^
6. That the Jews should lose Jerusalem, and should leave
the land which they had received. In Isaiah : " Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire : your land, strangers shall devour it in your sight ; and the daughter of Zion shall be left deserted, and overthrown by foreign peoples, as a cottage in a vine- yard, and as a keeper's lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a city which is besieged. And unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we should have been as Sodoma, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah." ^ Also in the Gospel the Lord says : " Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the pro- phets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldst not ! Behold, your house shall be left unto you desolate." ^
7. Also that they should lose the light of the Lord.
In Isaiah : " Come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord. For He hath sent away His people, the house of Israel." ^ In His Gospel also, according to John : " That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into this world. He was in this world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not." ^ Moreover, in the
1 Hab. ii. 4. 2 Qen. xv. 6.
^ The Burgundian codex reads, " are justified." ** Gal. iii. 6-9.
« Isa. i. 7-9. 6 Matt, xxiii. 37, 38. ^" Isa. ii. 5, 6. » j^hn i. 9, 10.
86 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
same place : " He that believetli not is judged already, be- cause he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the judgment, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light." ^
8. That the first circumcision of the flesh is made void,
and the second circumcision of the spirit is promised instead. In Jeremiah : " Thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah, and to them who inhabit Jerusalem, Renew newness among you, and do not sow among thorns : circumcise yourselves to your God, and circumcise the foreskin of your heart ; lest my anger go forth like fire, and burn you up, and there be none to extinguish it."^ Also Moses says : " In the last days God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God."^ Also in Jesus the son of Nave : " And the Lord said unto Jesus, Make thee small knives of stone, very sharp, and set about to circumcise the children of Israel for the second time."* Paul also, to the Oolossians : "Ye are circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands in the putting off of the flesh, but with the circumcision of Christ."^ Also, because Adam was first made by God un- circumcised, and righteous Abel, and Enoch, who pleased God and was translated ; and Noah, who, when the world and men were perishing on account of transgressions, w^as chosen alone, that in him the human race might be preserved ; and Melchizedek, the priest according to whose order Christ was promised. Then, because that sign did not avail women,^ but all are sealed by the sign of the Lord.
9. That the former law which was given by Moses was to
cease. In Isaiah : " Then shall they be manifest who seal the law, that they may not learn ; and he shall say, I wait upon the
1 Jolin iii. 18, 19. " Jer. iv. 3, 4. ^ D^ut. xxx. 6,
* Josh. V. 2. ^ Col. ii. 11.
6 This appears to be the natural reading, but it rests on slight autho- rity ; the better accredited reading being " seminis " for " feminis."
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 87
Lord, who turnetli away His face from the house of Jacob, and I shall trust in Him." ^ In the Gospel also : " All the prophets and the law prophesied until John."^
10. That a new law was to be given.
In Micah : " For the law shall go forth out of Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among many peoples, and He shall subdue and uncover strong nations.'" ^ Also in Isaiah : " For from Sion shall 20 forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem ; and He shall judge among the nations."* Likewise in the Gospel according to Matthew : " And behold a voice out of the cloud, saying. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am w^ell pleased ; hear ye Him." ^
11. That another dispensation and a new covenant was to
be given. In Jeremiah : " Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, and I will complete for the house of Israel, and for the house of Judah, a new testament, not according to the testament which I ordered with their fathers in that day in which I took hold of their hands to bring them out of the land of Egypt, because they remained not in my testament, and I disregarded them, saith the Lord : Because this is the testament which I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord : I will give them my laws, and into their minds I will write them ; and I will be to them for a God, and they shall be to me for a people ; and they shall not teach every man his brother, saying. Know the Lord : for all shall know me, from the least even to the greatest of them : for I will be merciful to their iniquities, and will no more be mindful of their sins."^
12. That the old baptism should cease, and a new one
should bemn. In Isaiah : " Therefore remember ye not the former things, neither reconsider the ancient things. Behold, I make new
1 Isa. viii. 16, 17. 2 ^att. xi. 13. ^ ^ic. iv. 2, 3.
* Isa. ii. 3, 4. ^ ^att. xvii. 5. « Jer. xxxi. 31-34.
88 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
the tilings wliich shall now arise, and ye shall know it ; and I will make in the desert a way, and rivers in a dry place, to give drink to my chosen race, my people whom I ac- quired, that they should show forth my praises."^ In the same also : " If they thirst. He wdll lead them through the deserts ; He will bring forth water from the rock ; the rock shall be cloven, and the water shall flow : and my people shall drink." ^ Moreover, in the Gospel according to Matthew, John says : " I indeed baptize you with water unto repent- ance : but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not w^orthy to bear ; He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." ^ Also according to John : " Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. For that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that wliich is born of the Spirit is spirit." "^
13. That the old yoke should be made void, and a new yoke
should be given. In the second Psalm : '^ For what purpose have the heathen raged, and the people imagined vain things ? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers have gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ. Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yoke from us."^ Likewise in the Gospel according to Matthew, the Lord says : " Come unto me, all ye that labour and are burdened, and I will cause you to rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is excellent, and my burden is light." ^ In Jeremiah : " In that day I will shatter the yoke from their neck, and will burst their fetters ; and they shall not labour for others, but they shall labour for the Lord God ; and I will raise up David a king unto them."^
14. That the old pastors should cease and new ones begin. In Ezekiel : " Wherefore thus saitli the Lord, Behold, I
1 Isa. xliii. 18-21. 2 jg^^. xlviii. 21. - Matt. iii. 11.
4 John iii. 5, 6. « Ps. ii. 1-3. 6 Matt. xi. 28-30.
"^ Jer. XXX. 8, 9.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 89
am above the sheplierds ; and I will require my sheep from their hands, and I will turn them away from feeding my sheep ; and they shall feed them no more, and I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, and I will feed them with judg- ment." ^ In Jeremiah the Lord says : " And I will give you sheplierds according to my own heart, and. they shall feed you with the food of discipline."^ In Jeremiah, moreover: " Hear the word of the Lord, ye nations, and. tell it to the islands which are afar off. Say, He that scattereth Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd his flock : for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and taken him out from the hand of him that was stronger than he." ^
15. That Christ should be the house and temple of God,
and that the old temple should cease, and the new
one should begin. In the second book of Kings : " And the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying. Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in ; but it shall be, when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall come from thy bowels, and I will make ready his kingdom. He shall build me an house in my name, and I will raise up his throne for ever ; and I will be to him for a father, and he shall be to me for a son : and his house shall obtain confidence, and his kingdom for evermore in my sight."* Also in the Gospel the Lord says: "There shall not be left in the temple one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down."^ And, "After three days another shall be raised up without hands."®
16. That the ancient sacrifice should be made void, and
a new one should be celebrated. In Isaiah : " For what purpose to me is the multitude of your sacrifices ? saith the Lord : I am full ; I will not have
1 Ezek. xxxiv. 10-10. 2 j^r. iii. 15.
» Jer. xxxi. 10, 11. ■* 2 Sam. vii. 4, 5, 12-16.
fi Matt. xxiv. 2. « John ii. 19 : Mark xiv. 58.
90 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
the burnt sacrifices of rams, and fat of lambs, and blood of bulls and goats. For who hath required these things from your hands ? " ^ Also in the forty-ninth Psalm : " I will not eat the flesh of bulls, nor drink the blood of goats. Offer to God the sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee: and thou shalt glorify me." ^ In the same Psalm, moreover : " The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me : therein is the way in which I will show him the salvation of God." * In the fourth Psalm too : " Sacrifice the sacrifice of right- eousness, and hope in the Lord." ^ Likewise in Malachi : " I have no pleasure concerning you, saith the Lord, and I will not have an accepted offering from your hands. Because from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, my name is glorified among the Gentiles ; and in every place odours of incense are offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice, because great is my name among the nations, saith the Lord." ^
17. That the old priesthood should cease, and a new priest
should come, who should be for ever. In the 109th Psalm : " Before the morning star I begat thee. The Lord hath sworn, and He will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek." ^ Also in the first book of Kings, God says to the priest Eli : " And I will raise up to me a faithful priest, who shall do all things which are in my heart : and I will build him a sure house; and he shall pass in the presence of my anointed ones for all days. And it shall be, whosoever shall remain in thine house, shall come to worship for an obolus of money, and for one loaf of bread." '
18. That another Prophet such as Moses was promised, to
wit, one who should give a new testament, and who
rather ought to be heard. In Deuteronomy God says to Moses : " And the Lord said 1 Isa. i. 11, 12. 2 ps^ 1, i3_i5. 3 Ps. i. 23. * Ps. iv. 5.
fi Mai. i. 10, 11. "^ Ps. ex. 3. ^ 1 Sam. ii. 35, 36.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 91
to me, A Prophet will I raise up to them from among their brethren, such as thee, and I will give my word in His mouth ; and He shall speak unto them that which I shall command Him. And whosoever shall not hear whatsoever things that Prophet shall speak in my name, I will avenge it." ^ Con- cerning whom also Christ says in the Gospel according to John : " Search the Scriptures, in which ye think ye have eternal life. These are they wdiich set forth testimony con- cerning me ; and ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. Do not think that I accuse you to the Father : there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, on whom ye hope. For if ye had believed Moses, ye would also believe me : for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words ? " ^
19. That two peoples were foretold, the elder and the
younger; that is, the old people of the Jews, and the
new one which should consist of us. In Genesis : " And the Lord said unto Rebekah, Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy belly ; and the one people shall overcome the other people ; and the elder shall serve the younger." ^ Also in Hosea : " I will call them my people that are not my people, and her beloved that was not beloved. For it shall be, in that place in which it shall be called not my people, they shall be called the sons of the living God." *
20. That the church which before had been barren should
have more children from amono; the Gentiles than
CD
what the synagogue had had before. In Isaiah : " Rejoice, thou barren, that barest not ; and break forth and cry, thou that travailest not : because many more are the children of the desolate one than of her who hath an husband. For the Lord hath said. Enlarge the place of thy tabernacle, and of thy curtains, and fasten them: spare not, make long thy measures, and strengthen thy
1 Deut. xviii. 18, 19. 2 j^i^n v. 39, 40, 45-47.
3 Gen. XXV. 23. * Hos. ii. 23, i. 10.
92 THE TREATISES OF CYPPdAK.
stakes : stretcli forth yet to thy right hand and to thy left hand; and thy seed shall possess the nations, and shall inhabit the deserted cities. Fear not; because thou shalt overcome : nor be afraid because thou art cursed ; for thou shalt forget thy eternal confusion." ^ Thus also to Abra- ham, when his former son was born of a bond-woman, Sarah remained long barren ; and late in old age bare her son Isaac, of promise, who was the type of Christ. Thus also Jacob received two wives : the elder Leah, with weak eyes, a type of the synagogue; the younger the beauti- ful Kachel, a type of the church, who also remained long barren, and afterwards brought forth Joseph, who also was himself a type of Christ. And in the first of Kings it is said that Elkanah had two wives : Peninnah, with her sons ; and Hannah, barren, from whom is born Samuel, not ac- cording to the order of generation, but according to the mercy and promise of God, when she had prayed in the temple ; and Samuel being born, was a type of Christ. Also in the first book of Kings : " The barren hath borne seven ; and she that had many children has grown weak." ^ But the seven children are the seven churches. Whence also Paul wrote to seven churches ; and the Apocalypse sets forth seven churches, that the number seven may be pre- served ; as the seven days in which God made the world ; as the seven angels who stand and go in and out before the face of God, as Raphael the angel says in Tobit; and the sevenfold lamp in the tabernacle of witness ; and the seven eyes of God, which keep watch over the world ; and the stone with seven eyes, as Zechariah says ; and the seven spirits ; and the seven candlesticks in the Apocalypse ; and the seven pillars upon which Wisdom hath builded her house in Solomon.
21. That the Gentiles should rather believe in Christ.
In Genesis : " And the Lord God said unto Abraham, Go
out from thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy
father's house, and go into that land which I shall show
thee : and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will
1 Isa. liv. 1-4. 2 1 Sam. ii. 5.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 93
bless thee, and I will magnify thy name ; and thou shalt be blessed : and I will bless him that blessetli thee, and I ^Yill curse him that curseth thee : and in thee shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed." ^ On this same point in Genesis : " And Isaac blessed Jacob.^ Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a plentiful field which the Lord hath blessed : and God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fertility of the earth, abundance of corn, and wine, and oil : and peoples shall obey thee, and princes shall worship thee : and thou shalt be lord over thy brother, and the sons of thy father shall worship thee : and he that curseth thee shall be cursed, and he that blessetli thee shall be blessed." ^ On this matter too in Genesis: "But when Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it seemed dis- pleasing to him : and Joseph laid hold of his father's hand, to lift it from the head of Ephraim on to the head of Manasseh. Moreover, Joseph said unto his father. Not so, my father : this is my first-born ; place thy right hand upon his head. But he would not, and said, I know it, my son, I know it : and he also shall be a people, and he shall be exalted ; but his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations."* Moreover in Genesis: "Judah, thy brethren shall praise thee : thine hand shall be upon the back of thine enemies ; the sons of thy father shall worship thee. Judah is a lion's whelp : from the slender twig,^ my son, thou hast ascended : thou layedst down and sleepedst as a lion, and as a lion's whelp ; who shall stir him up ? There shalt not fail a prince from Judah, and a leader from his loins, until those things entrusted to him shall come ; and he
1 Gen. xii. 1-3.
^ The quotation in the Oxford edition begins from this point.
3 Gen. xxvii. 27-29.
^ Gen. xlviii. 17-19. The whole of this quotation is wanting in more than one codex.
^ "Frutice." The Oxford translator has here, witliout any autlio- rity as it appears, from the text, adopted the reading of the Vulgate, " ad prsedam." Cyprian has used the LXX., reading apparently, ix, fiTidarov. The Hebrew P]lt2?3 gives a colour to either reading. See Gesen. Lex. in voce P)1D.
94 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
is the hope of the nations : binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the branch of the vine;^ he shall wash his garments in wine, and his clothing in the blood of the grape : terrible are his eyes with wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk." ^ Hence in Numbers it is written con- cerning our people : " Behold, the people shall rise up as a lion-like people." ^ In Deuteronomy : " Ye Gentiles shall be for the head; but this unbelieving people shall be for the tail." * Also in Jeremiah : " Hear the sound of the trumpet. And they said, We will not hear : for this ckuse the nations shall hear, and they who shall feed their cattle among them."^ In the seventeenth Psalm: "Thou shalt establish me the head of the nations : a people whom I have not known have served me : at the hearing of the ear they have obeyed me." ® Concerning this very thing the Lord says in Jere- miah : " Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee ; and before thou wentest forth from the womb, I sanctified thee, and established thee as a prophet among the nations." '^ Also in Isaiah : " Behold, I have manifested him for a wit- ness to the nations, a prince and a commander to the peoples." ^ Also in the same : " Nations which have not known Thee shall call upon Thee ; and peoples which were ignorant of Thee shall flee to Thee." ^ In the same, moreover : " And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall rise to rule in all the nations; in Him shall the Gentiles hope : and His rest shall be honour." ^° In the same again : " The land of Zebulon, and the land of Nephtalim, by the way of the sea, and ye others who inhabit the maritime places, and beyond Jordan ^^ of the nations. People that walk in darkness, behold ye a great light ; ye who dwell in the region of the shadow of death, the light shall shine upon you." ^^ Also in the same : " Thus saith the Lord God to
^ Original, " ad cilicium ;" LXX. rn sKiki, " the tendril of the vine ;" Oxford transl. " the choice vine."
2 Gen. xlix. 8-12. ^ Num. xxiii. 14. ^ Deut. xxviii. 44.
5 Jer. vi. 18. ^ Ps. xviii. 43, 41. "^ Jer. i. 5.
8 Isa. Iv. 4. ^ Isa. Iv. 5. ^^ Isa. xi. 10.
^^ Oxford edition adds " GalQee." ^^ ig^. ix. 1, 2.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 95
Christ my Lord, whose right hand I hold, that the nations may hear Him; and I will break asunder the strength of kings, I will open before Him gates ; and cities shall not be shut." ^ Also in the same : " I come to gather together all nations and tongues ; and they shall come, and see my glory. And I will send out over them a standard, and I will send those that are preserved among them to the nations which are afar off, which have not heard my name nor seen my glory ; and they shall declare my glory to the nations."^ Also in the same: "And in all these things they are not converted ; therefore He shall lift up a standard to the nations which are afar, and He will draw them from the end of the earth." ^ Also in the same : " Those who had not been told of Him shall see, and tliey who have not heard shall understand." * Also in the same : " I have been made manifest to those who seek me not : I have been found of those who asked not after me. I said, Lo, here am I, to a nation that has not called upon my name." ^ Of this same thing, in the Acts of the Apostles, Paul says : " It was neces- sary that the word of God should first be shown to you ; but since ye put it from you, and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles : for thus said the Lord by the Scriptures, Behold, I have set Thee a light among the nations, that Thou shouldest be for salvation even to the ends of the earth." ^
22. That the Jews would lose while we should receive the
bread and the cup of Christ and all His grace, and
that the new name of Christians should be blessed in
the earth.
In Isaiah : " Thus saith the Lord, Behold, they who serve
me shall eat, but ye shall be hungry : behold, they who serve
me shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty -J behold, they who
1 Isa. xlv. 1. 2 iga. ]xvi. 18, 19.
3 Isa. V. 25, 26. * Isa. lii. 15.
^ Isa. Ixv. 1. 6 ^cts xiii. 46, 47.
^ This second clause, " Behold, they who serve me shall drink," etc., is wanting in some editions.
96 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
serve me shall rejoice, but ye shall be confounded ; the Lord shall slay you. But to those who serve me a new name shall be named, which shall be blessed in the earth." ^ Also in the same place : " Therefore shall He lift up an ensign to the nations which are afar off, and He will draw them from the end of the earth ; and, behold, they shall come swiftly with lightness ; they shall not hunger nor thirst." ^ Also in the same place : " Behold, therefore, the Ruler, the Lord of Sabaoth, shall take away from Judah and from Jerusalem the healthy man and the strong man, the strength of bread and the strength of water." ^ Likewise in the thirty-third Psalm : " O taste and see how sweet is the Lord. Blessed is the man that hopeth in Him. Fear the Lord God, all ye His saints : for there is no want to them that fear Him. Rich men have wanted and have hungered ; but they who seek the Lord shall never want any good thing."* Moreover, in the Gospel according to John, the Lord says : " I am the bread of life : he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that trusteth in me shall never thirst." ^ Likewise He saith in that place : " If any one thirst, let him come and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."® Moreover, He says in the same place : " Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye shall have no life in you." ^
23. That the Gentiles rather than the Jews attain to the
kingdom of heaven. In the Gospel the Lord says : " Many shall come from the cast and from the west, and shall lie down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven ; but the children of the kingdom shall go out into outer darkness : there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." ^
24. That by this alone the Jews can receive pardon of
their sins, if they wash away the blood of Christ slain,
1 Isa. Ixv. 13-15. 2 isa. y. 26, 27. ^ iga. iii. i, 2.
* Ps. xxxiv. 8-10. ^ John vi. 35. « joij^ vii. 37, 38.
^ John vi, 53. « Matt. viii. 11, 12.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 97
in His baptism, and passing over into His cliurcli,
obey His precepts. In Isaiah the Lord says : " Now I will not release your sins. When ye stretch forth your hands, I will turn away my face from you ; and if ye multiply prayers, I will not hear you : for your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean ; take away the wickedness from your souls from the sight of mine eyes ; cease from your wickedness ; learn to do good ; seek judgment ; keep him w^ho suffers wrong ; judge for the orphan, and justify the widow. And come, let us reason together, saith the Lord : and although your sins be as scarlet, I will whiten ^ them as snow ; and although they were as crimson, I will whiten^ them as wool. And if ye be willing and listen to me, ye shall eat the good of the land ; but if ye be unwilling, and will not hear me, the sword shall con- sume you ; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken these things."^
SECOND BOOK. HEADS.
1. That Christ is the Fii'st-born, and that He is the Wisdom of God, by whom all things were made.
2. That Christ is the Wisdom of God ; and about the sacra- ment of His incarnation, and passion, and cup, and altar, and the apostles who were sent and preached.
3. That Christ also is Himself the Word of God.
4. That the same Christ is God's hand and arm.
5. That the same is Angel and God.
6. That Christ is God.
7. That Christ our God should come as the Illuminator and Saviour of the human race.
8. That although from the beginning He had been Son of God, He had yet to be begotten again according to the flesh.
9. That this should be the sign of His nativity, that He should be born of a virgin — man and God — Son of man and of God.
1 " Exalb.ibo." 2 u Inalbabo." ^ j.^^, j. i5_20.
CYr. — VOL. ir. G
98 THE TREATISES OF CYPEIAK
10. That Christ is man and God, compounded of either nature, that He might be a mediator between ns and the Father.
11. That He was to be born of the seed of David after the flesh.
12. That He should be born in Bethlehem,
13. That He should come in lowly condition on His first advent.
14. That He was the righteous One whom the Jews should put to death.
15. That He was called a Sheep and a Lamb who would have to be slain, and concerning the sacrament of the passion.
16. That He is also called a Stone.
17. That subsequently that stone should become a moun- tain, and should fill the whole earth.
18. That in the last times the same mountain should be manifested, upon which the Gentiles should come, and on which the righteous should go up.
19. That He is the Bridegroom, having the church as His bride, from whom children should be spiritually born.
20. That the Jews should fasten Him to the cross.
21. That in the passion and the sign of the cross is all virtue and power.
22. That in this sign of the cross is salvation for all who are marked on their forelieads.
23. That at mid-day, during His passion, there should be darkness.
24. That He should not be overcome of death, nor should remain in hell.
25. That He should rise again from hell on the third day.
26. That when He had risen. He should receive from His Father all power, and His power should be eternal.
27. That it is impossible to attain to God the Father, except through the Son Jesus Christ.
28. That He is to come as a Judge.
29. That He is to reign as a King for ever.
30. That He is both Judge and King.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 99
TESTIMONIES.
1. That Christ is the First-born, and that He is the Wisdom of God, by whom all things were made.
In Solomon in the Proverbs : " The Lord established me in the beginning of His ways, into His works : before the world He founded me. In the beginning, before He made the earth, and before He appointed the abysses, before the fountains of waters gushed forth, before the mountains were settled, before all the hills, the Lord begot me. He made the countries, and the uninhabitable places, and the unin- habitable bounds under heaven. When He prepared the heaven, I was present with Him; and when He set apart His seat. When He made the strong clouds above the winds, and when He placed the strengthened fountains under heaven, when He made the mighty foundations of the earth, I was by His side, ordering them : I was He in whom He delighted : moreover, I daily rejoiced before His face in all time, when He rejoiced in the perfected earth." ^ Also in the same in Ecclesiasticus : " I went forth out of the mouth of the Most High, first-born before every creature : I made the unweary- ing light to rise in the heavens, and I covered the whole earth with a cloud : I dwelt in the high places, and my throne in the pillar of the cloud : I compassed the circle of heaven, and I penetrated into the depth of the abj^ss, and I walked on the waves of the sea, and I stood in all the earth ; and in every people and in every nation I had the pre-eminence, and by my own strength I have trodden the hearts of all the excel- lent and the humble : in me is all hope of life and virtue : pass over to me, all ye who desire me."^ Also in the eighty- eighth Psalm : " And I will establish Him as my first- born, the highest among the kings of the earth. I will keep my mercy for Him for ever, and my faithful covenant for Him; and I will establish his seed for ever and ever. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judg- ments ; if they profane my judgments, and do not observe my precepts, I will visit their wickednesses with a rod, and 1 Prov. viii. 22-31. 2 Ecclus. xxiv. 3-7.
100 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAK.
tlieir sins with scourges; but my mercy will I not scatter away from them." ^ Also in the Gospel according to John, the Lord says : " And this is life eternal, that they should know Thee, the only and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee on the earth : I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do. And now, do Thou glorify me with Thyself, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was made."- Also Paul to the Colossians : " Who is the image of the invisible God, and the first-born of every creature."^ Also in the same place: " The first-born from the dead, that He might in all things become the holder of the pre-eminence." * In the Apocalypse too : " I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will ffive unto Him that is thirsting from the fountain of the water of life freely."^ That He also is both the wisdom and the power of God, Paul proves in his first Epistle to the Corinthians. " Because the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom : but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews indeed a stumbling-block, and to the Gentiles foolishness ; but to them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."^
2. That Christ is the Wisdom of God ; and concerning the sacrament of His incarnation and of His passion, and cup and altar ; and of the apostles who were sent, and preached. In Solomon in the Proverbs : " Wisdom hath builded her- self an house, and she has placed under it seven pillars ; she has slain her victims ; she hath mingled her wine in the goblet, and hath made ready her table, and hath sent her servants, calling with a loud announcement to the cup, say- in o-. Let him who is foolish turn to me : and to them that want understanding she has said. Come, eat of my loaves, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you. Forsake foolishness, and seek wisdom, and correct knowledge by un- derstanding." ''
1 Ps. Ixxxix. 27-33. ^ jo^n xvii. 3-5. » Col. i. 15. * Col. i. 18. 5 Rev. xxi. 6. ^ 1 Cor. i. 22-24. ^ Prov. ix. 1-6.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 101
3. That the same Christ is the Word of God.
In the forty-fourtli Psalm : " My heart hath breathed out a good word. I tell my works to the King." ^ Also in the thirty-second Psalm : " By the word of God were the heavens made fast ; and all their strength by the breath of His mouth." ^ Also in Isaiah: "A word completing and shortening in righteousness, because a shortened word will God make in the whole earth." ^ Also in the 106th Psalm : " He sent His Word, and healed them." * Moreover, in the Gospel according to John : " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. The same was in the beo-innino; with God. All thino;s were made by Him, and without Him was nothing made that was made. In Him was life ; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness ; and the darkness compre- hended it not." ^ Also in the Apocalypse : " And I saw the heaven opened, and lo, a white horse ; and he who sate upon him was called Faithful and True, judging rightly and justly ; and He made war. And He was covered with a i^arment sprinkled with blood ; and His name is called the Word of God." «
4. That Christ is the hand and arm of God.
In Isaiah ; "■ Is God's hand not strong to save? or has He made His ear heavy, that He cannot hear ? But your sins separate between you and God ; and on account of your sins He turns His face away from you, that He may not pity. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with sins. Moreover, your lips have spoken wickedness, and your tongue meditates unrighteousness. No one speaketh truth, nor is there true judgment : they trust in vanity, and speak emptiness, who conceive sorrov/, and bring forth wicked- ness."' Also in the same place : *' Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of God revealed?"^ Also in the same: "Thus saith the Lord, Heaven is my
1 Ps. xlv. 1. 2 Ps xxxiii. 6. » Isa. x. 23.
4 Ps. cvii. 20. « John i. 1-5. ^ Kev. xix. 11-13.
' Isa. lix. 1-4. 8 jsa. Hij. i.
102 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
throne, and the earth is the support of my feet. What house will ye build unto me ? or what is the place for my rest ? For all these things hath mine hand made." ^ Also in the same : " O Lord God, Thine arm is high, and they knew it not ; but when they know it, they shall be confounded." ^ Also in the same : " The Lord hath revealed His arm, that holy arm, in the sight of all nations ; all nations, even the ends of the earth, shall see salvation from God." ^ Also in the same place : " Behold, I have made thee as the wheels of a thrashing chariot, new and turned back upon themselves ; ^ and thou shalt thrash the mountains, and shalt beat the hills small, and shalt make them as chaff, and shalt winnow them ; and the wind shall seize them, and the whirlwind shall scatter them : but thou shalt rejoice in the saints of Israel ; and the poor and needy shall exult. For they shall seek water, and there shall be none. For their tongue shall be dry for thirst. I the Lord God, I the God of Israel, will hear them, and will not forsake them ; but I will open rivers in the moun- tains, and fountains in the midst of the fields. I will make the wildernesses watery groves, and a thirsty land into water- courses. I will establish in the land of drought the cedar- tree and the box-tree, and the myrtle and the cypress, and the elm ^ and the poplar, that they may see and acknowledge, and know and believe together, that the hand of the Lord hath done these things, and the Holy One of Israel hath shown them." ^
5. That Christ is at once Angel and God.
In Genesis, to Abraham : " And the Angel of the Lord called him from heaven, and said unto him, Abraham, Abraham ! And he said, Here am I. And He said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him. For now I know that thou fearest thy God, and hast
1 Isa. Ixvi. 1, 2. 2 isa. xxvi. 11. » Isa. Hi. 10.
* Original: "Eotas vchiculi triturantis novas in se retornatas." The Oxford edition reads the three last words, " in serras formatas ;" and the translator gives, "the wheels of a thrashing iustrimient made with new teeth."
^ Some editions omit " and the elm." ^ Isa. xli. 15-20.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS, 103
not spared thy son, thy beloved son, for my sake." ^ Also in the same place, to Jacob : " And the Angel of the Lord spake unto me in dreams, I am God, whom thou sawest in the place of God ^ wliere thou anointedst me a pillar of stone, and vowedst to me a vow." ^ Also in Exodus : " But God went before them by day indeed in a pillar of cloud, to show them the way ; and by night in a pillar of fire." * And afterwards, in the same place: "And the Angel of God moved forward, which went before the army of the children of Israel." ^ Also in the same place : " Lo, I send my Angel before thy face, to keep thee in the way, that He may lead thee into the land which I have prepared for thee. Observe Him, and obey Him, and be not disobedient to Him, and He will not be wanting to thee. For my name is in Him." ^' Whence He Himself says in the Gospel : " I came in the name of my Father, and ye received me not. When another shall come in his own name, hiiii ye will receive." ^ And again in the llTtli Psalm: "Blessed is He who cometh in the name of the Lord." ^ Also in Malachi : " My covenant of life and peace was with Levi ; ^ and I gave him fear, that he should fear me, that he should go from the face of my name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and un- righteousness was not found in his lips. In the peace of the tongue correcting, he walked with us, and turned many away from unrighteousness. Because the lips of the priests shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at His mouth ; for He is the Angel of the Almighty." ^^
6. That Christ is God.
In Genesis : " And God said unto Jacob, Arise, and go up to the place of Bethel, and dwell there ; and make there an altar to that God who appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of thy brother Esau." ^^ Also in Isaiali :
1 Gen. xxii. 11, 12. ^ sdl. " Beth-el," " the liousc of God."
3 Gen. xxxi. 13. * Ex. xiii. 21. ^ e^. xiv. 19.
« Ex. xxiii. 20, 21. ' Jq^^ y, 43^ 8 Pg. cxviii. 26.
® Otherwise, " My covenant was with life and peace." 10 Mai. ii. 5-7. " Gen. xxxv. 1.
104 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
" Thus saitli the Lord, the Gocl of Sabaoth, Egypt is wearied ; and the merchandise of the Ethiopians, and the tall men of the Sabeans, shall pass over unto Thee, and shall be Thy servants ; and shall walk after Thee bound with chains ; and shall worship Thee, and shall pray to Thee, because God is in Thee, and there is no other God beside Thee. For Thou art God, and we knew it not, O God of Israel, our Saviour. They shall all be confounded and fear who oppose Thee, and shall fall into confusion."^ Likewise in the same : " The voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God. Every channel shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and all crooked places shall be made straight, and rough places plain ; and the glory of the Lord shall be seen, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God, because the Lord hath spoken it." ^ Moreover, in Jeremiah : " This is our God, and no other shall be esteemed beside Him, who hath found all the w^ay of knowledge, and hath given it to Jacob liis son, and to Israel His beloved. After this He was seen upon earth, and He conversed Avith men." ® Also in Zechariah God says : " And they shall cross over through the narrow sea, and they shall smite the waves in the sea, and they shall dry up all the depths of the rivers ; and all the haughtiness of the Assyrians shall be confounded, and the sceptre of Egypt shall be taken away. And I will strengthen them in the Lord their God, and in His name shall they glory, saith the Lord." "* ^loreover, in Hosea the Lord saith : " I will not do accordino; to the answer of mine indignation, I will not allow Ephraim to be destroyed : for I am God, and there is not a holy man in thee : and I will not enter into the city ; I will go after God." ^ Also in the forty-fourth Psalm : '' Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever : the sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy king- dom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity: wherefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows." ° So, too, in the forty-fifth
1 Isa. xlv. 14-16. 2 isa^ ^L 3-5. ^ Baruch iii. 35-37.
* Zecli. X. 11, 12. 5 IIos. xi. 9, 10. » Ps. xlv. 6, 7.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 105
Psalm : " Be still, and know that I am God. I -svlll Le exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth." ^ Also in the eighty-first Psalm : " They have not known, neither have they understood : they will walk on in dark- ness." ^ Also in the sixty-seventh Psalm : " Sing unto God, sing praises unto His name : make a way for Him who goeth up into the west : God is His name." ^ Also in the Gospel accordincv to John : " In the bemnnino; was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word." ^ Also in the same : " The Lord said to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands : and be not faithless, but be- lieving. Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him. Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed : blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed." ^ Also Paul to the Romans : " I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren and my kindred according to the flesh ; who are Israelites ; whose are the adoption, and the glory, and the covenant, and the appointment of the law, and the service [of God], and the promises ; whose are the fathers, of whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is God over all, blessed for evermore." ^ Also in the Apocalypse : " I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end : I will give to him that is athirst, of the fountain of living water freely. He that overcometh shall possess these things, and their in- heritance ; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." "^ Also in the eighty-first Psalm : " God stood in the congrega- tion of gods, and judging gods in the midst." ^ And again in the same place : " I have said. Ye are gods ; and ye are all the children of the Highest : but ye shall die like men." ^ But if they who have been righteous, and have obeyed the divine precepts, may be called gods, how much more is Christ, the Son of God, God ! Thus He Himself says in the Gospel according to John : " Is it not written in the law, that I said, Ye are gods ? If He called them gods to whom the word
1 Ps. xlv. 10. - Ps. Ixxxii. 5. ^ Ps. Ixviii. 4.
4 John i. 1. c John xx. 27-29. « Rom. \x. S-5.
7 Rev. xxi. G, 7. « Ps. Ixxxii. 1. » Ps. Ixxxit. G, 7.
106 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
of God was given, and the Scripture cannot be relaxed, do ye say to Him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, that thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God ? But if I do not the works of my Father, believe me not ; but if I do, and ye will not believe me, be- lieve the works, and know that the Father is in me, and I in Him." ^ Also in the Gospel according to Matthew : " And ye shall call His name Emmanuel, which is, being inter- preted, God with us." ^
7. That Christ our God should come, the Enlightener and Savioui' of the human race.
In Isaiah : " Be comforted, ye weakened hands ; and ye weak knees, be strengthened. Ye who are of a timorous heart, fear not. Our God will recompense judgment, He Himself will come, and will save us. Then shall be opened the eyes of the blind, and the ears of the deaf shall hear. Then the lame man shall leap as a stag, and the tongue of the dumb shall be intelligible ; because in the wilderness the water is broken forth, and the stream in the thirsty land." " Also in that place : " Not an elder nor an angel, but the Lord Himself shall deliver them ; because He shall love them, and shall spare them, and He Himself shall redeem them." * Also in the same place : ^' I the Lord God have called Thee in righteousness, that I may hold Thine hand, and I will comfort Thee ; and I have given Thee for a covenant of my people, for a light of the nations ; to open the eyes of the blind, to bring forth them that are bound from chains, and those who sit in darkness from the prison-house. I am the Lord God, that is my name. I will not give my glory to another, nor my powers to graven images." ^ Also in the twenty-fourth Psalm : " Show me Thy ways, O Lord, and teach me Thy paths, and lead me unto Thy truth, and teach me ; for Thou art the God of my salvation." ^ Whence, in the Gospel according to John, the Lord says : " I am the light of the world. He tliat will follow me shall not walk in
1 John X. 34-38. ^ Matt. i. 23. 3 jga. xxxv. 3-6.
4 Isa. Ixiii. 9. ^ Isa. xlii. Q^. ^ Ps. xxv. 4, 5.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 107
darkness, but shall have the light of life." ^ Moreover, in that according to Matthew, the angel Gabriel says to Joseph : " Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mar}- thy wife. For that which shall be born of her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins." ^ Also in that according to Luke : " And Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, wdio hath fore- seen redemption for His people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David." ^ Also in the same place, the angel said to the shepherds : " Fear not ; for, behold, I bring you tidings that unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ Jesus." '
8. That although from the beginning He had been the Son of God, yet He had to be begotten again accord- ing to the flesh.
In the second Psalm : " The Lord said unto me, Thou art my Son ; this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of me, and I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, and the bounds of the earth for Thy possession." ^ Also in the Gospel according to Luke : " And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb ; and she was filled with the Holy Ghost, and she cried out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And wdience does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me ?"^ Also Paul to the Galatians : " But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent His Son, born of a woman." ^" Also in the Epistle of John : " Every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flcsli is of God. But whosoever denies that He is come in the flesh is not of God, but is of the spirit of antichrist." ^
1 John viii. 12. 2 ^att. i. 20, 21. ^ Luke i. 67-69.
4 Luke ii. 10, 11. « Ps. ii. 7, 8. « Luke i. 41-43.
7 Gal. iv. 4. 8 1 John iv. 2, 3.
108 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN,
9. That this should be the sign of His nativity, that He should be born of a virgin — man and God — a son of man and a Son of God.
In Isaiah : " And the Lord went on to speak to Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign from the Lord thy God, in the height above and in the depth below. And Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not tempt the Lord my God. And He said. Hear ye, therefore, O house of David : it is no trifling contest unto you with men, since God supplies the struggle. On this account God Himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and ye shall call His name Emmanuel. Butter and honey shall He eat ; before that He knows to prefer the evil. He shall exchange the good." ^ This seed God had foretold would proceed from the woman that should trample on the head of the devil. In Genesis : " Then God said unto the serpent. Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou from every kind of the beasts of the earth. Upon thy breast and thy belly shalt thou crawl, and earth shall be thy food all the days of thy life. And I will place enmity between thee and the woman and her seed. He shall regard thy head, and thou shalt watch his heel." 2
10. That Christ is both man and God, compounded of
both natures, that He might be a Mediator between
us and the Father.
In Jeremiah : " And He is man, and who shall know
Him?"^ Also in Numbers: "A star shall arise out of
Jacob, and a man shall rise up from Israel." * Also in the
same place : " A man shall go forth out of his seed, and
shall rule over many nations ; and His kingdom shall be
exalted as Gog,^ and His kingdom shall be increased ; and
^ Isa. vii. 10-15. The ordinary reading here is, " before He knows, to refuse the evil and to choose the good." The reading in the text, however, is more authentic.
2 Gen. iii. 14, 15. ^ Jer. xvii. 9. ■* Num. xxiv. 17.
^ The Oxford translator follows the English version, and reads, " over Agag."
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 109
God bronglit Him forth out of Egypt. His glory is as of the iinicorii, and He shall cat the nations of His enemies, and shall take out the marrow of their fatnesses, and will pierce His enemy with His arrows. He couched and lay down as a lion, and as a lion's whelp. Who shall raise Him up? Blessed are they who bless Thee, and cursed are they who curse Thee." ^ Also in Isaiah : "The Spirit of the Lord is upon mo ; on account whereof He hath anointed me : He hath sent me to tell good tidings to the poor ; to heal the bruised in heart, to preach deliverance to the captives, and sight to the blind, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of retribution." ^ Whence, in the Gospel according to Luke, Gabriel says to Mary : " And the angel, answering, said to her. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. Wherefore that holy thing which is born of thee shall be called the Son of God."^ Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " The first man is of the mud ^ of the earth ; the second man is from heaven. As was he from the soil, such are they also that are of the earth ; and as is the heavenly, such also are the heavenly. As we have borne the image of him who is of the earth, let us also bear the image of Him who is from heaven." ^
11. That Christ was to be born of the seed of David, according to the flesh.
In the second of Kings : " And the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying. Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in ; but it shall come to pass, when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fatliers, I will raise up thy seed after tliee who shall come from thy loins, and I will establisli His kingdom. He shall build me a house in my name, and I will set up His throne for ever ; and I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to me a son ; and His house shall obtain confidence, and His kingdom for ever in my sight." ^
1 Num. xxiv. 7-9. 2 jg^. ixi. 1, 2. - Luke i. 35.
* "Limo." « 1 Cor. xv. 47-49. c 2 Sam. vii. 5, 12-1 G.
110 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
Also in Isaiah : " And a rod shall go forth of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall go up from his root ; and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and piety; and the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill Him." ^ Also in the 131st Psalm: "God hath sworn the truth unto David himself, and He has not repudiated it ; of the fruit of thy belly will I set upon my throne." ^ Also in the Gospel according to Luke : " And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary. For thou hast found favour before God. Behold, thou shalt conceive, and shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus. The same shall be great, and He shall be called the Son of the Highest ; and the Lord God shall give Him the throne of His father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end." ^ Also in the Apocalypse : " And I saw in the right hand of God, who sate on the throne, a book written within, and on the back sealed with seven seals ; and I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice. Who is worthy to receive the book, and to open its seals ? Nor was there any one either in heaven or upon the earth, or under the earth, who was able to open the book, nor even to look into it. And I wept much because nobody was found worthy to open the book, nor to look into it. And one of the elders said unto me. Weep not ; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath pre- vailed to open the book, and to loose its seven seals." *
12. That Christ should be born in Bethlehem.
In Micah : " And thou, Bethlehem, house of Ej^hrata, art not little, that thou shouldst be appointed among the thou- sands of Judah. Out of thee shall He come forth to me, that He may be a prince in Israel, and His goings forth from the beginning from the days of old." ^ Also in the Gospel : " And when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judah, in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi came from the east to
1 Isa. xi. 1-3. 2 Ps. cxxxii. 11. ^ l^^^^ i. 30-33.
* Rev. V. 1-5. ^ Mic. v. 2.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. Ill
Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews ? For we have seen His star in the east, and we have come with gifts to worship Him." ^
13. That Christ was to come in low estate in His first advent.
In Isaiah : " Lord, who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ? We have declared in His presence as children, as a root in a thirsty ground. There is no form nor glory in Him ; and we saw Him, and He had no form nor beauty ; but His form was without honour, and lacking beyond other men. He was a man set in a plague, and knowing how to bear weakness ; because His face was turned away, He was dishonoured, and was not accounted of. He bears our sins, and grieves for us ; and we thought that He was in grief, and in wounding, and in afflic- tion ; but He was wounded for our transgressions, and He was weakened^ for our sins. The discipline of our peace was upon Him, and with His bruise we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray ; man has gone out of his way. And God has delivered Him for our sins ; and He, because He was afflicted, opened not His mouth." ® Also in the same : '^ I am not rebellious, nor do I contradict. I gave my back to the stripes, and my cheeks to the palms of the hands. Moreover, I did not tui'n away my face from the foulness of spitting, and God was my helper." * Also in the same : " He shall not cry, nor will any one hear His voice in the streets. He shall not break a bruised reed, and a smokino; flax He shall not extinguish ; but He shall bring forth judgment in truth. He shall shine forth, and shall not be shaken, until He set judgment in the earth, and in His name shall the nations trust." ^ Also in the twenty-first Psalm : " But I am a worm, and no man ; the accursed of man, and the casting away of the people. All they who saw me despised me, and spoke within their lips, and moved their head. He hoped in the Lord, let Him deliver him ; let Him save him, since he
1 Matt. ii. 1, 2. 2 u infirmatiis ; " Oxford transl. " bruised."
3 Isa. liii. 1-7. •* Isa. 1. 5-7. ^ Isa. xlii. 2-4.
112 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
will have Him." ^ Also in that place : " My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue is glued to my jaws." ^ Also in Zechariah : " And the Lord showed me Jesus, that great priest, standing before the face of the Angel of the Lord, and the devil was standing at his right hand to oppose him. And Jesus was clothed in filthy garments, and he stood before the face of the Angel Himself ; and He an- swered and said to them who were standing before His face, saving, Take away his filthy garments from him. And he said to him. Behold, I have taken away thine iniquities. And put upon him a priestly garment," and set a fair mitre * upon his head." ^ Also Paul to the Philippians : " Who, being established in the form of God, thought it not robbery that He was equal with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men ; and being found in fashion as a man. He humbled Himself, be- coming obedient even unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore also God exalted Him, and gave Him a name which is above every name, that in tlie name ^ of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, of things in earth, and of infernal things, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord in the glory of God the Father." ^"
14. That He is tlie righteous One whom the Jews should put to death.
In the Wisdom of Solomon : " Let us lay hold of the righteous, because He is disagreeable to us, and is contrary to our works, and reproacheth us with our transgressions of the law.^ He professeth that He has the knowledge of God,
1 Ps. xxii. 6-S. 2 ps_ xxii. 15.
3 " Poderem," " a long priestly robe reacliing to the heels " (Migne's Lexicon). The Oxford translation gives the meaning " an alb," which also is given in Migne.
^ Cidarim, the head-dress for the Jewish high priest.
-^ Zech. iii. 1, 3, 5.
6 " In nomine ;" Oxford translator, " at the name," following the Eng. ver. But see the Greek, h to» ovo^uccn.
7 Phil. ii. 6-11.
8 The Oxford translation here inserts from the Apocrypha, without
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 113
and calls Himself the Son of God ; He has become to us an exposure of our thoughts ; He is grievous unto us even to look upon, because His life is unlike to others, and His ways are changed. We are esteemed by Him as frivolous, and He restraineth Himself from our ways, as if from uncleanness ; and He extols the last end of the righteous, and boasts that He has God for His Father. Let us see, then, if His words are true, and let us try what will come to Him. Let us in- terrogate Him with reproach and torture, that we may know His reverence and prove His patience. Let us condemn Him with a most shameful death. These things they con- sidered, and erred. For their maliciousness hath blinded them, and they knew not the sacraments of God." ^ Also in Isaiah : " See ye how the righteous perisheth, and no man understandeth ; and righteous men are taken away, and no man regardeth. For the righteous man is taken away from the face of unrighteousness, and his burial shall be in peace."^ Concerning this very thing it was before foretold in Exodus ; "Thou shalt not slay the innocent and the righteous."^ Also in the Gospel : " Judas, led by penitence, said to the priests and elders, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the inno- cent blood." ^
15. That Christ Is called a sheep and a lamb who was to be slain, and concerning the sacrament of the passion.
In Isaiah : " He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His judgment was taken away : who shall relate His nativity ? Because His life shall be taken away from the earth. By the transgi'essions of my people He was led to death; and I Avill give the wicked for His burial, and the rich themselves for His death ; because He did no wickedness, nor deceits with His mouth. Wherefore He shall gain many, and shall divide the spoils of the strong ; be-
autliority even for the Oxford text, "and objcctcth to us the trausgres- sions of the law."
1 Wisd. ii. 12-22. 2 jsa. ivii. 1, 2.
3 Ex. xxiii. 7. ■* Matt, xxvii. 3, 4.
CYP. — VOL. II. H
114 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
cause His soul was delivered up to death, and He was counted among transgressors. And He bare the sins of many, and was delivered for their offences." ^ Also in Jeremiah : " Lord, give me knowledge, and I shall know it : then I saw their meditations. I was led like a lamb without malice to the slaughter; against me they devised a device, saying, Come, let us cast the tree into His bread, and let us erase His life from the earth, and His name shall no more be a remem- brance."^ Also in Exodus God said to Moses : " Let them take to themselves each man a sheep, through the houses of the tribes, a sheep without blemish, perfect, male, of a year old it shall be to you. Ye shall take it from the lambs and from the goats, and all the congregation of the synagogue of the children of Israel shall kill it in the evening ; and they shall take of its blood, and shall place it upon the two posts,^ and upon the threshold in the houses, in the very houses in which they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh on the same night, roasted with fire ; and they shall eat unleavened bread with bitter herbs.* Ye shall not eat of them raw nor dressed in water, but roasted with fire ; the head with the feet and the inward parts. Ye shall leave nothing of them to the morning ; and ye shall not break a bone of it. But what of it shall be left to the morning shall be burnt with fire. But thus ye shall eat it ; your loins girt, and your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hands ; and ye shall eat it in haste : for it is the Lord's passover."^ Also m the Apocalypse : " And I saw in the midst of the throne, and of the four living creatui'es, and in the midst of the elders, a lamb standing as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth through- out all the earth. And He came and took the book from the right hand of God, who sate on the throne. And when
1 Isa. liii. 7-9, 12. 2 jer^ xi. 18, 19.
^ Migne's reading differs considerably from this, and is as follows : " They shall take from the lambs and the goats of its blood, and shall place it upon the two posts," etc.
^ Erasmus reads for "picridibus," "lactucis agrestibus," wild lettuces.
5 Ex. xii. 3-12.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 115
He had taken the book, the four hving creatures and the four and twenty elders cast themselves before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden cups^ full of odours of supplications, which are the prayers of the saints ; and they sang a new song, saying, Worthy art Thou, O Lord, to take the book, and to open its seals : for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us with Thy blood from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation ; and Thou hast made us a kingdom unto our God, and hast made us priests, and they shall reign upon the earth." ^ Also in the Gospel : " On the next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and saith. Behold the Lamb of God, and behold Him that taketh away the sins of the world! "3
16. That Christ also is called a stone.
In Isaiah : " Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I place on the foundations of Sion a precious stone, elect, chief, a corner stone, honourable ; and he who trusteth in Him shall not be confounded."* Also in the 117th Psalm: "The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner. This is done by the Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made ; let us rejoice and be glad in it. O Lord, save therefore; O Lord, direct therefore. Blessed is He who Cometh in the name of the Lord." ^ Also in Zechariah : " Behold, I bring forth my servant. The East is his name, because the stone which I have placed before the face of Jesus ; upon that one stone are seven eyes." ^ Also in Deuteronomy : " And thou shalt write upon the stone all this law, very plainly."^ Also in Jesus the son of Nave: "And he took a great stone, and placed it there before the Lord; and Jesus said unto the people. Behold, this stone shall be to you for a testimony, because it hath heard all the things which were spoken by the Lord, which He hath spoken to you to-day ; and it shall be for a testimony
1 " Patcras." - Rev. v. 6-10. » John i. 29.
4 Isa. xxviii. IG. ^ Ps. cxviii. 21-26. « Zecli. iii. 8, 9.
^ Deut. xxvii. 8.
116 THE TREATISES OF CYPFJAN.
to you in the last of the days, when ye shall have departed from your God." ^ Also in the Acts of the Apostles, Peter : "Ye princes of the people, and elders of Israel, hearken: Behold, we are this day interrogated by you about the good deed done to the impotent man, by means of which he is made whole. Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Naza- reth, whom ye have crucified, whom God hath raised up from the dead, by Him he stands whole in your presence, but by none other. This is the stone which was despised by you builders, which has become the head of the corner. For there is no other name given to men under heaven in which we must be saved."' ^ This is the stone in Genesis, which Jacob places at his head, because the head of the man is Christ ; and as he slept he saw a ladder reaching to heaven, on which the Lord was placed, and angels were ascending and descending.^ And this stone he designating Christ con- secrated and anointed with the sacrament of unction. This is the stone in Exodus upon which Moses sate on the top of a hill when Jesus the son of Nave fought against Amalek ; and by the sacrament of the stone, and the stedfastness of his sitting, Amalek was overcome by Jesus, that is, the devil was overcome by Christ. This is the great stone in the first book of Kings, upon which was placed the ark of the covenant when the oxen brought it back in the cart, sent back and returned by the strangers. Also, this is the stone in the first book of Kings, with which David smote the forehead of Goliath and slew him ; signifying that the devil and his servants are thereby thrown down — that part of the head, namely, being conquered^ which they have not had sealed. And by this seal we also are always safe nnd live. This is the stone which, when Israel had conquered the aliens, Samuel set up and called its name Ebenezer; that is, the stone that helpeth.
1 Josh. xxiv. 26, 27. 2 Acts iv. 8-12.
^ The Oxford edition omits " and descending."
* The Oxford edition reads, " conqnered, that is, in that part of the head."
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 117
17. That afterwards tliis stone should become a mountain,
and should fill the whole earth. In Daniel : " And behold a very great image ; and the aspect of this image was fearful, and it stood erect before thee ; whose head was of fine gold, its breast and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were of brass, and its feet were partly indeed of iron, and partly of clay, until that a stone was cut out of the mountain, without the hands of those that should cut it, and struck the image upon the feet of iron and clay, and brake them into small fragments. And the iron, and the clay, and the brass, and the silver, and the gold, was made altogether ; and they became small as chaff, or dust in the threshing-floor in summer ; and the wind blew them away, so that nothing remained of them. And the stone which struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the wdiole earth." -"^
18. That in the last times the same mountain should be
manifested, and upon it the Gentiles should come, and on it all the righteous should go up. In Isaiah : " In the last times the mountain of the Lord shall be revealed, and the house of God upon the tops of the mountains ; and it shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall come upon it, and many shall walk and say. Come, and let us go up into the mountain of the Lord, and into the house of the God of Jacob ; and He will tell us His way, and we will walk in it. For from Sion shall proceed the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem ; and He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke much people ; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, and they shall no more learn to fight." ^ Also in the twenty-third Psalm: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, or who shall stand in His holy place ? He that is innocent in his hands, and of a clean heart ; who hath not received his life in vanity, and hath not sworn craftily to his neighbour. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and mercy ^ from the God that ^ Dan. ii. 31-35. 2 js^. ii. 2-4. ® " Miscricordiam."
118 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
savetli him. This is the generation of those who seek Him, that seek the face of the God of Jacob." ^
19. That Christ is the Bridegroom, having the church as His bride, from which spiritual children were to be born. In Joel : " Blow with the trumpet in Sion ; sanctify a fast, and call a healing ; assemble the people, sanctify the church, gather the elders, collect the little ones that suck the breast ; let the Bridegroom go forth of His chamber, and the bride out of her closet." ^ Also in Jeremiah : " And I will take away from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jeru- salem, the voice of the joyous, and the voice of the glad ; the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride." ^ Also in the eighteenth Psalm: " And he is as a bridegroom going forth from his chamber ; he exulted as a giant to run his course. From the height of heaven is his going forth, and his circuit even to the end of it ; and there is nothing which is hid from his heat." * Also in the Apocalypse : " Come, I will show thee the new bride, the Lamb's wife. And he took me in the Spirit to a great mountain, and he showed me the holy city Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God." ^ Also in tlie Gospel according to John : " Ye are my witnesses, that I said to them who were sent from Jerusalem to me, that I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before Him. For he who has the bride is the bridegroom ; but the friend of the bridegroom is he who standeth and heareth him with joy, and rejoiceth be- cause of the voice of the bridegroom." ^ The mystery of this matter was shown in Jesus the son of Nave, when he was bidden to put his shoes from off him, doubtless because he himself was not the bridegroom. For it was in the law, that whoever should refuse marriage should put off his shoe, but that he should be shod who was to be the bridegToom : " And it happened, when Jesus was in Jericho, he looked around
1 Ps. xxiv. 3-6. 2 Joel ii. 15, I6.
3 Jer. xvi. 9. * Ps. xix. 5, 6.
fi Rev. xxi. 9-11. ^ John iii. 28, 29.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 119
witli his eyes, and saw a man standing before his face, and holding a javelin ^ in his hand, and said. Art thou for us or for our enemies ? And he said, I am the leader of the host of tlie Lord ; now draw near. And Jesus fell on his face to the earth, and said to him. Lord, what dost Thou command unto Thy servant. And the leader of the Lord's host said, Loose thy shoe from thy feet, for the place whereon tliou standest is holy ground." ^ Also, in Exodus, Closes is bidden to put off his shoe, because he, too, was not the bridegroom : "And there appeared unto him the angel of the Lord in a flame of fire out of a bush ; and he saw that the bush burned with fire, but the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will pass over and see this great sight, why the bush is not consumed. But when He saw that he drew near to see, the Lord God called him from the bush, saying, Moses, Moses. And he said, What is it? And He said, Draw not nigh hither, unless thou hast loosed thy shoe from off thy feet ; for the place on which thou standest is holy ground. And He said unto him, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of .Jacob." ^ This was also made plain in the Gospel according to John : " And John answered them, I indeed baptize with water, but there standeth One in the midst of you whom ye know not : He it is of whom I said. The man that cometh after me is made before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to un- loose." * Also according to Luke : " Let your loins be girt, and your lamps burning, and ye like to men that wait for their master when he shall come from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him. Blessed are those servants whom their Lord, when He cometh, shall find watching." ^ Also in the Apocalypse : " The Lord God omnipotent reigneth : let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give to Him the honour of glory ; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife liatli made herself ready." ^
^ Frameam. 2 Josh. v. 13-15.
8 Ex. iii. 2-6. * John i. 26, 27.
« Luke xii. 35-37. « Rev. xix. 6, 7.
120 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
20. That the Jews would fasten Christ to the cross.
In Isaiah : " I have spread out my hands all day to a people disobedient and contradicting me, who walk in ways that are not good, but after their own sins." ^ Also in Jeremiah : " Come, let us cast the tree into His bread, and let us blot out His life from tlie earth." ^ Also in Deuteronomy : " And Thy life shall be hanging (in doubt) before Thine eyes ; and Thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt not trust to Thy life." ^ Also in the twenty- first Psalm : " They tore my hands and my feet ; they numbered all my bones. And they gazed upon me, and saw me, and divided my garments among them, and upon my vesture they cast a lot. But Thou, O Lord, remove not Thy help far from me ; attend unto my help. Deliver my soul from the sword, and my only one from the paw* of the dog. Save me from the mouth of the lion, and my lowliness from the horns of the unicorns. I will declare Thy name unto my brethren ; in the midst of the church I will praise Thee." ^ Also in the 118th Psalm : " Pierce my flesh with nails throuo;h fear of thee." ^ Also in the 140th Psalm : " The lifting up of my hands is an evening sacri- fice." ^ Of which sacrifice Sophonias said : " Fear from the presence of the Lord God, since His day is near, because the Lord hath prepared His sacrifice. He hath sanctified His elect." ^ Also in Zechariah : " And they shall look upon me, whom they have pierced." ^ Also in the eighty -seventh Psalm : " I have called unto thee, O Lord, the whole day ; I have stretched out my hands unto Thee." ^^ Also in Num- bers : " Not as a man is God suspended, nor as the son of man does He suffer threats." ^^ Whence in the Gospel the Lord says : " As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilder- ness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoso- ever believeth in the Son may have life eternal." ^^
1 Isa. Ixv. 2. 2 Jer. xi. 19. ^ Deut. xxviii. (SQ.
4 " Manu." ^ Ps. xxii. 16-22. ^ pg, cxix. 120.
7 Ps. cxTi. 2. « Zeph. i. 7. ^ Zech. xii. 10.
10 Ps. Ixxxviii. 9. ^^ Num. xxiii. 19. ^^ John iii. U, 15.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS, 121
21. That in the passion and the sign of the cross is all
virtue and power. In Habakkuk : " His virtue covered the heavens, and the earth is full of His praise, and His splendour shall be as the light ; there shall be horns in His hands. And there the virtue of His glory was established, and He founded Plis strong love. Before His face shall go the Word, and shall go forth unto the plains according to His steps." ^ In Isaiah also : " Behold, unto us a child is born, and to us a son is given, upon whose shoulders shall be government ; and His name shall be called the Messenger of a mighty thought." ^ By this sign of the cross also Amalek was conquered by Jesus through Moses. In Exodus Moses said to Jesus : " Choose thee out men, and go forth, and order yourselves with Amalek until the morrow. Behold, I will stand on the top of the hill, and the rod of God in mine hand. And it came to pass, when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel prevailed ; but wdien Moses had let down his hands, Amalek waxed strong. But the hands of Moses were heavy ; and they took a stone, and placed it under him, and he sate upon it ; and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, on the one side and on the other side ; and the hands of Moses were made steady even to the setting of the sun. And Jesus routed Amalek and all his people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this, that it may be a memorial in a book, and tell it unto the ears of Jesus, that I may utterly destroy the memory of Amalek from under heaven."^
22. That in this sign of the cross is salvation for all people
who are marked on their foreheads.
In Ezekiel the Lord says : " Pass through the midst of Jerusalem, and thou shalt mark the sign upon the men's foreheads, who groan and grieve for the iniquities which are done in the midst of them."'* Also in the same place : " Go and smite, and do not spare your eyes. Have no pity on the old man, and the youth, and the virgin, and slay little children and women, that they may be utterly destroyed.
1 Hab. iii. 3-5. ^ iga. ix. 6. ^ Ex. xvii. 9-14. * Ezek. ix. 4.
122 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
But ye shall not touch any one upon whom the sign is written, and begin wdth my holy places themselves." ^ Also in Exodus God says to Moses : " And there shall be blood for a sign to you upon the houses wherein ye shall be ; and I will look on the blood, and will protect you. And there shall not be in you the plague of wasting when I shall smite the land of Egypt." ^ Also in the Apocalypse : "And I saw^ a Lamb standing on Mount Sion, and with Him a hundred and forty and four thousand ; and they had His name and the name of Plis Father written on their foreheads."* Also in the same place : " I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that thev may have power over the tree of life."^
23. That at mid-day in His passion there should be
darkness. In Amos : " And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, the sun shall set at noonday, and the day of light shall be darkened ; and I will turn your feast-days into grief, and all your songs into lamentation." ^ Also in Jeremiah : " She is frightened that hath borne children, and her soul hath grown weary. Her sun hath gone down while as yet it was mid-day ; she hath been confounded and accursed : I will give the rest of them to the sword in the sight of their enemies." ^ Also in the Gospel : " Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the earth even to the ninth hour."«
24. That He was not to be overcome of death, nor should
remain in hell. In the twenty-ninth Psalm : " O Lord, Thou hast brought back my soul from hell." ^ Also in the fifteenth Psalm : " Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt Thou
1 Ezek. ix. 4-6. ^ Ex. xii. 13.
3 " And behold," Oxford text. * Rev. xiv. 1.
5 Rev. xxii. 13, 14. ® Amos viii. 9, 10.
^ Jer. XV. 9. » Matt, xxvii. 45. ^ Ps. xxx. 3.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 123
suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption."^ Also in the third Psalm : " I laid me down and slept, and rose up again, be- cause the Lord helped me." ^ Also according to John : " No man taketh away my life from me ; but I lay it down of myself. I have the power of laying it down, and I have the power of taking it again. For this commandment I have received from my Father." ^
25. That He would rise again from the dead on the third
day. In Hosea : " After two days He will revive us ; we shall rise again on the third day." * Also in Exodus : " And the Lord said unto Closes, Go down and testify to the people, and sanctify them to-day and to-morrow ; and let them ^vash then' garments, and let them be prepared against the day after to-morrow. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai." ^ Also in the Gospel : " A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign ; and there shall no sign be given unto it but the sign of the prophet Jonas : for as Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." ^
26. That after He had risen again He should receive from
His Father all power, and His power should be ever- lasting. In Daniel : " I saw in a vision by night, and behold as it were the Son of man, coming in the clouds of heaven, came even to the Ancient of days, and stood in His sight. And they who stood beside Him brought Him before Him : and to Him was given a royal power, and all the kings of the earth by their generation, and all glory obeying Him : and His power is eternal, which shall not be taken away, and His kingdom shall not be destroyed." ^ Also in Isaiah : '^ Now will I arise, saith the Lord ; now will I be glorified, now will
1 Ps. xvi. 10. 2 pg iij_ 5 3 John x. 18.
* Hos. vi. 2. 5 Ex. xix. 10, 11. « Matt. xii. 39, 40.
7 Dan. vii. 13, 14.
124 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
I be exalted, now ye shall see, now ye shall understand, now ye shall be confounded. Vain will be the strength of your spirit : the fire shall consume you." ^ Also in the 109th Psalm : " The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right hand, until I make Thine enemies the footstool of Thy feet. God will send the rod of Thy power out of Sion, and Thou shalt rule in the midst of Thine enemies." ^ Also in the Apocalypse : " And I turned and looked to see the voice which spake with me. And I saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a long garment,^ and He was girt about the paps with a golden girdle. And His head and His hairs were white as wool or snow, and His eyes as a flame of fire, and His feet like to fine brass from a furnace of fire, and His voice like the sound of many waters. And He had in His right hand seven stars ; and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword ; and His face shone as the sun in his might. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, and said. Fear not ; I am the first and the last, and He that liveth and was dead ; and, lo, I am living for evermore,'^ and I have the keys of death and of hell."^ Likewise in the Gospel, the Lord after His resurrection says to His disciples : " All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." ^
27. That it is impossible to attain to God the Father, except by His Son Jesus Christ.
In the Gospel : " I am the way, and the truth, and the life : no one cometh to the Father but by me." ^ Also in the same place : " I am the door : by me if any man shall enter in, he shall be saved." ^ Also in the same place : " Many
1 Isa. xxxiii. 10, 11. 2 ps. ex. 1, 2. 3 u Podere."
■* One codex reads liere, " living in the assembly of the saints."
« Rev. i. 12-18. <^ Matt, xxviii. 18-20. ^ John xiv. 6. ^ John X. 9.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 125
prophets and rigliteous men have desired to see the thino-s which ye see, and have not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." ^ Also in the same place : " He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life : he that is not obedient in word to the Son hath not life ; but the wrath of God shall abide upon him."^ Also Paul to the Ephesians : " And when He had come, He preached peace to you, to those which are afar off, and peace to those which are near, because through Him we both have access in one Spirit unto the Father." ^ Also to the Romans : " For all have sinned, and fail of the glory of God ; but they are justified by His gift and grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus."* Also in the Epistle of Peter the apostle : " Christ hath died once for our sins, the just for the unjust, that He might present us to God." ^ Also in the same place : " For in this also was it preached to them that are dead, that they might be raised again." ^ Also in the Epistle of John : " Whosoever denieth the Son, the same also hath not the Father. He that confesseth the Son, hath both the Son and the Father." ^
28. That Jesus Christ shall come as a Jud^re.
In Malachi : '' Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, burning as an oven ; and all the aliens and all the wicked shall be as stubble ; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord." ^ Also in the forty-ninth Psalm : " God the Lord of gods hath spoken, and called the earth. From the rising of the sun even to the going down thereof, out of Sion is the beauty of His glory. God shall come manifestly, our God, and shall not keep silence. A fire shall burn before Him, and round about Him shall be a m-eat storm. He hath called the heaven above, and the earth, that He may separate His people. Gather together His saints unto Him, those who arrange His covenant with sacrifices. And the heavens shall announce His righteousness, for God is the judge." ^ Also
1 Matt. xiii. 17. 2 joiiji iii, 2>C,. - Eph. ii. 17, 18.
4 Rom. iii. 23, 24. 5 i j>Qi, iii. 18. « 1 Pet. iv. 6.
7 1 John ii. 23. 8 Mai. iv. 1. » Fs. 1. 1-6.
126 THE TREATISES OF CYPBIAN.
in Isaiali : " The Lord God of strength shall go forth, and shall break war in pieces : He shall stir up contest, and shall cry over His enemies with strength. I have been silent ; shall I always be silent ? " ^ Also in the sixty-seventh Psalm : " Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered : and let those who hate Him flee from His face. As smoke vanisheth, let them vanish : as wax melteth from the face of fire, thus let the sinners perish from the face of God. And let the right- eous be glad and rejoice in the sight of God : and let them be glad with joj^fulness. Sing unto God, sing praises unto His name : make a way to Him who goeth up into the west. God is His name. They shall be put to confusion from the face of Him who is the Father of the orphans, and the Judge of the widows. God is in His holy place : God, who maketh men to dwell with one mind in an house, bringing forth them that are bound with might, and equally those who provoke unto anger, who dwell in the sepulchres : God, when Thou wentest forth in the sight of Thy people, in passing into the desert."^ Also in the eighty-first Psalm: ''Arise, O God; judge the earth : for Thou wilt exterminate among all na- tions." ^ Also in the Gospel according to Matthew : " What have we to do with Thee, Thou Son of David ? why art Thou come hither to punish us before the time ? " ^ Likewise according to John : " The Father judgeth nothing, but hath given all judgment to the Son, that all may honour the Son as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father who hath sent Him."^ So too in the second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may bear the things proper to his body, according to those things which he hath done, whether they be good or evil." ''
29. That He will reign as a King for ever. In Zechariah : " Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King Cometh unto thee : just, and having salvation ; meek,
1 Isa. xlii. 13, 14. 2 pg. ixviii. 1-7.
3 Ps. Ixxxii. 8. 4 Matt. viii. 29.
fi John V. 22, 23. c 2 Cor. v. 10.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 127
sitting upon an ass that hath not been tamed." ^ Also in Isaiah : " Who will declare to you that eternal place ? He that walketh in righteousness, and holdeth back his hands from gifts ; stopping his ears, that he may not hear the judg- ment of blood ; and closing his eyes, that he may not see unrighteousness : this man shall dwell in the lofty cavern of the strong rock ; bread shall be given him, and his water shall be sure. Ye shall see the King with glory." ^ Likewise in Malachi : " I am a great King, saith the Lord, and my name is illustrious among the nations." ^ Also in the second Psalm : " But I am established as a King by Him upon His holy hill of Zion, announcing His empire." ^ Also in the twenty-first Psalm : " All the ends of the world shall be reminded, and shall turn to the Lord : and all the countries of the nations shall worship in Thy sight. For the kingdom is the Lord's : and He shall rule over all nations." ^ Also in the twenty-third Psalm : " Lift up your gates, ye princes ; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors ; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory ? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord strong in battle. Lift up your gates, O ye princes ; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors ; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory ? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory." ^ Also in the forty-fourth Psalm ; " ^ly heart hath breathed forth a good discourse ; I tell my works to the king ; my tongue is the pen of a writer intelligently writing. Thou art lovely in beauty above the children of men : grace is shed forth on Thy lips, because God hath blessed Thee for ever. Be girt with Thy sword on Thy thigh, O most mighty. To Thy honour and to Thy beauty both attend, and dh'ect Thyself, and reign, because of truth, and meekness, and righteous- ness." ^ Also in the fifth Psalm : " My King, and my God, because unto Thee will I pray. O Lord, in the morning Thou shalt hear my voice ; in the morning I will stand be- fore Thee, and will contemplate Thee." ^ Also in the ninety-
1 Zech. ix. 9. 2 jg^, xxxiii. 14-17. ^ Mai. i. 14.
^ Ps. ii. 6. 5 Ps. xxii. 27, 28. « Ps. xxiv. 7-10.
7 Ps. xlv. 1-1. 8 Ps. y. 2, 3.
128 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN. '
sixth Psalm : "The Lord hath reigned; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad." ^ Moreover, in the forty-fourth Psalm : " The queen stood at thy right hand in a golden garment ; she is clothed in many colours. Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear, and forget thy people and thy father's house ; for the King hath desired thy beauty, for He is thy Lord God." ^ Also in the seventy-third Psalm : " But God is our King before the world ; He hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth." ^ Also in the Gospel according to Matthew : " And when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judah in the days of Herod the king, behold, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem, saying. Where is He who is born King of the Jews ? for we have seen His star in the east, and have come to w^orship Him." * Also, according to John, Jesus said : " My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would be in trouble, that I should not be delivered to the Jews ; but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate said, Art thou a king, then ? Jesus answered. Thou sayest that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I am come into the world, that I might bear testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my
30. That He Himself is both Judge and King.
In the seventy-first Psalm : " O God, give Thy judgment to the king, and Thy righteousness to the king's son, to judge Thy people in righteousness." ^ Also in the Apocalypse : " And I saw the heaven opened, and behold a white horse ; and He who sate upon him was called Faithful and True ; and He judgeth justice and righteousness, and maketh war. And His eyes were, as it were, a flame of fire, and upon Plis head were many crowns ; and He bare a name written that was known to none other than Himself : and He was clothed with a garment sprinkled with blood, and His name is called the Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven fol-
1 Ps. xcvii. 1. ■' Ps. xlv. 9-11. ^ pg j^xiv. 12.
^ Matt. ii. 1,2. ^ John i. 36, 37. ^ Ps. Ixxii. 1, 2.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 129
lowed Him on white liorses, clothed in linen, white and clean. And out of His mouth went forth a sword with two edo-es, that with it He should smite the nations, which He shall shepherd ^ with a rod of iron ; and He shall tread the wine- press of the wrath of God Almighty. Also He has on His £>:arment and on His thio;h the name written, KIncp of klno-s, and Lord of lords." ^ Likewise In the Gospel : " When the Son of man shall come In His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He shall sit In the throne of His glory ; and all nations shall be gathered together before Him, and He shall separate them one from another, even as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats ; and He shall place the sheep at His rlo^ht hand, but the floats at His left hand. Then shall the King say unto them who shall be at His riglit hand. Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom which Is prepared for you from the beginning of the world : for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat ; I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink : I was a stranger, and ye received me : naked, and ye clothed me : sick, and ye visited me : I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer, and say unto Him, Lord, when saw we Thee hungry, and fed Thee ? thirsty, and gave Thee to drink ? And when saw we Thee a stranger, and received Thee ? naked, and clothed Thee ? And when saw we Thee sick, and in prison, and came unto Thee ? And the King, answering, shall say unto them. Verily I say unto you. In as far as ye have done It to the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall He say unto them who shall be on His left hand. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which my Father hath prepared for the devil and his angels : for I have been liungry, and ye gave me not to eat : I liave been thirsty, and ye gave me not to drink : I was a stranger, and ye received me not : naked, and ye clothed me not : sick, and In prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall tliey also answer and say. Lord, when saw we Thee hungry, or tliirsty,
^ The words " which He shall feed," or " shepherd," are wantiug in the Ajiocalypse ; and they are not found in many authorities. 2 Rev. xix. 11-lG. CYP. — VOL. II. I
130 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN,
or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and have not ministered unto Thee? And He shall answer unto them, Yerily I say unto you. Inasmuch as ye have not done it to one of the least of these, ye have not done it unto me. And these shall go away into everlasting burning, but the right- eous into life eternal." ^
THIED BOOK.
Cyprian to his son Quirinus, greeting. Of your faith and devotion which you manifest to the Lord God, beloved son, you asked me to gather out for your instruction from the Holy Scriptures some heads bearing upon the religious teach- ing of our school; seeking for a succinct course of sacred reading, so that your mind, smTendered to God, might not be wearied with long or numerous volumes of books, but in- structed with a summary of heavenly precepts, might have a wholesome and large compendium for nourishing its memory. And because I owe you a plentiful and loving obedience, I have done what you wished. I have laboured for once, that you might not always labour. Therefore, as much as my small ability could embrace, I have collected certain pre- cepts of the Lord, and divine teachings, which may be easy and useful to the readers, in that a few things digested into a short space are both quickly read through, and are fre- quently repeated. I bid you, beloved son, ever heartily farewell.
HEADS.
1. On the benefit of good works and mercy.
2. In works and alms, even if by smallness of power less be done, that the will itself is enough.
3. That charity and brotherly love must be religiously and stedfastly practised.
4. That we must boast in nothing, since nothing is our own.
5. That humility and quietness is to be maintained in all things.
1 Matt. XXV. 31-46.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 131
6. That all good and righteous men suffer more, but ought to endure because they are proved.
7. That we must not grieve the Holy Spirit whom we have received.
8. That anger must be overcome, lest it constrain us to sin.
9. That brethren ought to sustain one another.
10. That we must trust in God only, and in Him we must glory.
11. That he who has attained to faith, having put off the former man, ought to regard only celestial and spiritual things, and to give no heed to the world which he has al- ready renounced.
12. That we must not swear.
13. That we are not to curse.
14. That we must never murmur, but bless God concern- ing all things that happen.
15. That men are tried by God for this purpose, that they may be proved.
16. Of the benefit of martyrdom.
17. That what we suffer in this world is of less account than is the reward which is promised.
18. That nothing must be preferred to the love of God and of Christ.
19. That we must not obey our own will, but that of God.
20. That the foundation and strength of hope and faith is fear.
21. That we must not rashly judge of another.
22. That when we have received a wrong, we must remit and forgive it.
23. That evil is not to be returned for evil.
24. That it is impossible to attain to the Father but by Christ.
25. That unless a man have been baptized and born again, he cannot attain to the kingdom of God.
26. That it is of small account to be baptized and to re- ceive the Eucharist, unless one profits by it both in deeds and works.
132 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
27. That even a baptized person loses tlie grace wliicli lie lias attained, unless lie keep innocency.
28. That remission cannot in the church be granted unto him who has sinned against God.
29. That it was before predicted concerning the hatred of the Name.
30. That what any one has vowed to God, he must quickly pay.
31. That he who does not believe is judged already.
32. Of the benefit of virginity and of continency.
33. That the Father judgeth nothing, but the Son ; and the Father is not honoured by him by whom the Son is not honoured.
34. That the believer ought not to live like the Gentiles.
35. That God is patient for this end, that we may repent of our sin and be reformed.
36. That a woman ought not to be adorned in a worldly manner.
37. That the believer ought not to be punished for other offences but for the name he bears only.
38. That the servant of God ought to be innocent, lest he fall into secular punishment.
39. That the example of living is given to us in Ghiist.
40. That we must not labour boastfully or noisily.
41. That we must not speak foolishly and offensively.
42. That faith is of advantage altoo;ether, and that we can do as much as we believe.
43. That he wdio truly believes can immediately obtain.
44. That the believers who differ among themselves ought not to refer to a Gentile judge.
45. That hope is of future things, and therefore that faith concerning those things which are promised ought to be patient.
4G. That a w^oman ought to be silent in the church.
47. That it arises from our fault and our desert that we suffer, and do not perceive God's help in everything.
48. That we must not take usury.
49. That even our enemies are to be loved.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 133
50. That the sacrament of the faith must not be pro- faned.
51. That no one should be uplifted in his doing.
d2. That the liberty of believing or of not believing is placed in free choice.
53. That the secrets of God cannot be seen through, and therefore that our faith ought to be simple.
54. That none is without filth and without sin.
55. That we must not please men, but God.
56. That nothing that is done is hidden from God.
57. That the believer is amended and reserved.
58. That no one should be made sad by death, since in living is labour and peril, in dying peace and the certainty of resurrection.
59. Of the idols which the Gentiles think ffods.
60. That too great lust of food is not to be desired.
61. That the lust of possessing, and money, are not to be desired.
62. That marriage is not to be contracted with Gentiles.
63. That the sin of fornication is grievous.
64. What are those carnal things which beget death, and what are the spiritual things which lead to life.
65. That all sins are put away in baptism.
66. That the discipline of God is to be observed in churcli precepts.
67. That it was foretold that men would despise sound discipline.
(d^. That we must depart from him who lives irregularly and contrary to discipline.
69. That the kingdom of God is not in the wisdom of tlie world, nor in eloquence, but in the faitli of the cross and in virtue of conversation.
70. That we must obey parents.
71. xind that fathers ought not to be bitter against tlieir children.
72. That servants, when they believe, ought the more to be obedient to their fleshly masters.
73. Likewise that masters ouirlit to be more <][entle.
134 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
74. That every widow that is approved ought to be honoured.
75. That every person ought to have care rather of his own people, and especially of believers.
76. That one who is older must not rashly be accused.
77. That the sinner is to be publicly reproved.
78. That we must not speak with heretics.
79. That innocency asks with confidence, and obtains.
80. That the devil has no power against man unless God have allowed it.
81. That wages be quickly paid to the hireling.
82. That divination must not be used.
83. That a tuft of hair ^ is not to be worn on the head.
84. That the beard must not be plucked.
85. That we must rise when a bishop or a presbyter comes.
86. That a schism must not be made, even although he who withdraws should remain in one faith and in the same tradition.
87. That believers ought to be simple w^ith prudence.
88. That a brother must not be deceived.
89. That the end of the world comes suddenly.
90. That a wife must not depart from her husband ; or if she departs, she must remain unmarried.
91. That every one is tempted so much as he is able to bear.
92. That not everything is to be done which is lawful.
93. That it was foretold that heresies would arise.
94. That the Eucharist is to be received with fear and honour.
95. That we are to live with the good, but to avoid the evil.
96. That we must labour with deeds, not with words.
97. That we must hasten to faith and to attainment.^
98. That the catechumen ought to sin no more.
99. That judgment will be in accordance with the terms, before the law, of equity ; after Moses, of the law.
1 " Cirrum in capite non habendum." " Cirrus " means " a tuft of haii*," or a curl or lovelock.
2 Soil "of baptism," Oxford transl.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 135
100. That the grace of God ought to be gratuitous.
101. That the Holy Spirit has often appeared in fire.
102. That all good men ought willingly to hear rebuke.
103. That we must abstain from much speaking.
104. That we must not lie.
105. That they are frequently to be corrected who do wrong in domestic service.
106. That when a wrong is received, patience is to be main- tained, and that vengeance is to be left to God.
107. That we must not use detraction.
108. That we must not lay snares against our neigh- bour.
109. That the sick are to be visited.
110. That tale-bearers are accursed.
111. That the sacrifices of evil men are not acceptable.
112. That those are more severely judged who in this world have more power.
113. That widows and orphans ought to be protected.
114. That while one is in the flesh, he ought to make con- fession.
115. That flattery is pernicious.
116. That God is more loved by him who has had many sins forgiven in baptism.
117. That there is a strong conflict to be waged against the devil, and that therefore we ought to stand bravely, that we may be able to conquer.
118. Of Antichrist, that he will come as a man.
119. That the yoke of the law was heavy, which is cast off by us ; and that the Lord's yoke is light, which is taken up by us.
120. That we are to be urgent in prayers.
TESTIMONIES.
1. Of the benefit of good works and mercy.
In Isaiah : ^' Cry aloud," saith He, " and spare not ; lift up thy voice like a trumpet ; tell my people their sins, and the house of Jacob their wickednesses. They seek me from day
136 THE TREATISES OF CYFFJAN.
to day, and desire to know my ways, as a people wliicli did righteousness, and did not forsake tlie judgment of God. They ask of me now a righteous judgment, and desire to approach to God, saying,' What! because we have fasted, and Thou hast not seen : we have humihated our souls, and Thou hast not known. For in the days of fasting are found your own wills ; for either ye torment those who are subjected to you, or ye fast for strifes and judgments, or ye strike your neighbours with fists. For what do you fast unto me, that to-day your voice should be heard in clamour ? This fast I have not chosen, save that a man should humble his soul. And if thou shalt bend thy neck like a ring, and spread under thee sackcloth and ashes, neither thus shall it be called an acceptable fast. Not such a fast have I chosen, saith the Lord ; but loose every knot of unrighteousness, let o-o the chokings of impotent engagements.^ Send away the harassed into rest, and scatter every unrighteous contract. Break thy bread to the hungry, and bring the houseless poor into thy dwelling. If thou seest the naked, clothe him ; and despise not them of thy own seed in thy house. Then shall thy seasonable light break forth, and thy garments shall quickly arise ; and righteousness shall go before thee : and the glory of God shall surround thee. Then thou shalt cry out, and God shall hear thee ; while thou art yet speaking, He shall say. Here I am." ^ Concerning this same thing in Job : "I have preserved the needy from the hand of the mighty ; and I have helped the orphan, to whom there was no helper. The mouth of the widow blessed me, since I was the eye of the blind ; I was also the foot of the lame, and the father of the weak." ^ Of this same matter in Tobit : " And I said to Tobias, My son, go and bring whatever poor man thou shalt find out of our brethren, who still has God in mind with his whole heart. Bring him hither, and he shall eat my dinner together with me. Behold, I attend thee, my son, until thou come." * Also in the same place : ^' All the days of thy hfe, my son, keep God in mind, and transgress
^ " Impotentium commerciorum." - Isa. hnii. 1-9.
3 Job xxix. 12, 13, 15, 16. * Tob. ii. 2.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 137
not His precepts. Do justice all the days of thy life, and do not walk in the way of unrighteousness ; because if thou act truly, there will be respect of thy works. Give alms of thy substance, and turn not thy face from any poor man. So shall it come to pass that the face of God shall not be turned away from thee. Even as thou hast, my son, so do : if thou hast abundant substance, give the more alms there- from ; if thou hast little, communicate even of that little. And do not fear when thou givest alms : thou layest up for thyself a good reward against the day of need ; because alms delivereth from death, and does not suffer to go into darkness. Alms is a good office for all who do it in the sight of the most high God." ^ On this same subject in Solomon in Proverbs : " He that hath pity on the poor lendeth unto the Lord." ^ Also in the same place : " He that giveth to the poor shall never want ; but he who turns away his eye shall be in much penmy." ^ Also in the same place : " Sins are purged away by alms-giving and faith." ^ Again, in the same place : " If thine enemy hunger, feed him ; and if he thirst, give him to drink : for by doing this thou slialt scatter live coals upon his head." * Again, in the same place : " As water extinguishes fire, so alms-giving extinguishes sin." ^ In the same in Proverbs : " Say not, Go away, and return, to-morrow I will give ; when you can do good immediately. For thou knowest not what may happen on the coming day." ^ Also in the same place : " He who stoppeth his ears that he may not hear the weak, shall himself call upon God, and there shall be none to hear him." ^ Also in the same place : " He who has his conversation without reproach in righteous- ness, leaves blessed children." ^ In the same in Ecclesias- ticus : " My son, if thou hast, do good by thyself, and present worthy offerings to God ; remember that death delayeth not." ^^ Also in the same place : " Shut up alms in the heart of the poor, and this will entreat for thee from all eviL" ^^
1 Tob. iv. 5-11. 2 prov. xix. 17. ^ Prov. xxviii. 27.
* Prov. xvi. 6. ^ Prov. xxv. 21. ^ Ecclus. iii. 30.
7 Prov. iii. 28. s Proy_ ^xi. 13. » I'rov. xx. 7.
^° Ecclus. xiv. 11. 1^ Ecclus. xxix. 12.
138 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
Concerning this thing in the thirty-sixth Psalm, that mercy is beneficial also to one's posterity : " I have been young, and I have also grown old ; and I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread. The whole day he is merciful, and lendeth ; and his seed is in blessing." ^ Of this same thing in the fortieth Psalm : " Blessed is he "who considereth over the poor and needy : in the evil day God will deliver him." ^ Also in the 111th Psalm : " He hath distributed, he hath given to the poor ; his righteousness shall remain from generation to generation." ^ Of this same thing in Hosea : "I desire mercy rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than whole burnt-offerings." * Of this same thing also in the Gospel according to Matthew : " Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness : for they shall be satisfied." ^ Also in the same place : " Blessed are the merciful : for they shall obtain mercy." ^ Also in the same place ; '' Lay uj) for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not dig through and steal : for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." '' Also in the same place : " The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant-man seek- ing goodly pearls : and wdien he hath found a precious pearl, he went away and sold all that he had, and bought it." ^ That even a small work is of advantage, also in the same place : " And whoever shall give to drink to one of the least of these a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you. His reward shall not perish." ^ That alms are to be denied to none, also in the same place : " Give to every one that asketh thee ; and from him who would wish to borrow, be not turned away." ^^ Also in the same place : " If thou wdlt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith. Which? Jesus saith unto him. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and mother : and. Thou shalt
1 Ps. xxxvii. 25, 2G. - Ps. xli. 1. ^ Ps. cxii. 9.
4 Hos. vi. 6. ^ -"^tatt. v. (3. ^ jy^att. v. 7.
'' ilatt. vi. 20, 21. ^ ilatt. xiii. 45, 4G. '^ Matt. x. 42. 10 Matt. V. 42.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. ICD
love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto Him, All these things have I observed : what lack I yet ? Jesus saith unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven ; and come, follow me." ^ Also in the same place : " When the Son of man shall come in His majesty, and all the angels with Him, then He shall sit on the throne of His glory : and all nations shall be gathered together before Him ; and He shall separate tliem one from another, even as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats : and He shall place the sheep on the right hand, but the goats on the left hand. Then shall the King say unto them that are on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the be- ginning of the world. For I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me in : naked, and ye clothed me : I was sick, and ye visited me : I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer Him, and say, Lord, when saw we Thee ^ a stranger, and took Thee in : naked, and clothed Thee ? And when saw we Thee sick, and in prison, and came to Thee ? And the King, answering, shall say unto them. Verily I say unto you. Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me. Then shall He say unto them who are on His left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which my Father hath prepared for the devil and his angels : for I was hungry, and ye gave me not to eat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me not to drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me not in : I was naked, and ye clothed me not : sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer, and say, Lord, when saw we Thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee ? And He shall answer them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these,
1 Matt. xix. 17-21.
2 The Oxford edition inserts here, "an hungered, and fed Thee : thirsty, and gave Thee drink ? when saw we Thee — "
140 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
ye did it not imto me. And these shall go away into ever- lasting burning : but the righteous into life eternal." ^ Con- cerning this same matter in the Gospel according to Luke : " Sell your possessions, and give alms." ^ Also in the same place : " He who made that which is within, made that which is without also. But give alms, and, behold, all things are pm-e unto you." ^ Also in the same place : " Behold, the half of my substance I give to the poor ; and if I have de- frauded any one of anything, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, that salvation has this day been wrought for this house, since he also is a son of Abraham." "^ Of this same thing also in the second Epistle to the Corinthians : '^ Let your abundance supply their want, that their abun- dance also may be the supplement of your want, that there may be equality : as it is written, He who had much had not excess ; and he who had little had no lack." ^ Also in the same place : "He who soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly ; and he who soweth in blessing shall reap also of blessing. But let every one do as he has proposed in his heart : not as if sorrowfully, or of necessity : for God loveth a cheerful giver." ^ Also in the same place : "As it is written. He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor : his righteousness remaineth for ever." ^" Likewise in the same place : " Now he who ministereth seed to the sower, shall both supply bread to be eaten, and shall multiply your seed, and shall increase the growth of the fruits of your righteousness : that in all things ye may be made rich." ^ Also in the same place : " The administration of this service has not only supplied that which is lacking to the saints, but has abounded by much giving of thanks unto God." ^ Of this same matter in the Epistle of John : " Whoso hath this world's substance, and sceth his brother desiring, and shutteth UT) his bowels from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him ? " ^^ Of this same thing in the Gospel according to
1 Matt. XXV. ol-4G. - Luke xii. 33. " Luke xi. 40, 41.
4 Luke xix. 8, 9. '^ 2 Cor. viii. 14, 15. ^ 2 Cor. ix. 6, 7.
7 2 Cor. ix. 9. 8 2 Cor. ix. 10, 11. » 2 Cor. ix. 12. 10 1 Jolin iii. 17.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 141
Luke : " "When tliou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor brethren, nor neighbours, nor the rich ; lest haply they also invite thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a banquet, call the poor, the "weak, the blind, and lame : and thou shalt be blessed ; be- cause they have not the means of rewarding thee : but thou shalt be recompensed in the resurrection of the just." ^
2. In works and alms, even if by smallness of power less
be done, that the will itself is sufficient. In the second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " If there be a ready will, it is acceptable according to what a man hath, not according to that which he hath not ; nor let there be to others a mitigation, but to you a burdening."^
3. That charity and brotherly affection are to be religiously
and stedfastly practised. In Malachi : " Hath not one God created us ? Is there not one Father of us all ? Why have ye certainly deserted every one his brother?"^ Of this same thing according to John : " Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you."* Also in the same place : " This is my commandment. That ye love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love than this has no man, than that one should lay down his life for his friends."^ Also in the same place : " Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God."^ Also in the same place : " Yerily I say unto you. That if two of you shall agree on earth concerning everything, whatever you shall ask it shall be given you from my Father which is in heaven. For wherever two or three are o^athered tofrethcr in my name, I am with them." ' Of this same thing in the first Epistle to the Corinthians : " And I indeed, brethren, could not speak unto you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I have given you milk for drink, not meat : for while ye were yet little ye were not able to bear it,
> Luke xiv. 12-14. 2 2 Cor. viii. 12, 13. ^ Mai. ii. 10.
4 John xiv. 27. « joj^ij ^v. 12, 13. « ^fatt. v. 9.
7 Matt, xviii. 10, 20.
142 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN,
neither now are ye able. For ye are still carnal : for wliere there are in you emulation, and strife, and dissensions, are ye not carnal, and walk after man?"^ Likewise in the same place : *' And if I should have all faith, so that I can remove mountains, but have not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods for food, and if I should deliver up my body to be burned, but have not charity, I avail nothing. Charity is great-souled ; charity is kind; charity envieth not; chanty dealeth not falsely; is not puffed up ; is not irritated ; thinketh not evil ; rejoiceth not in injustice, but rejoiceth in the truth. It loveth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, beareth all things. Charity shall never fail."^ Of this same thing to the Gala- tians : " Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and accuse one another, see that ye be not consumed one of another." ^ Of this same thing in the Epistle of John : " In this appear the children of God and the children of the devil. Whosoever is not righteous is not of God, and he who loveth not his brother. For he who hateth his brother is a murderer ; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."^ Also in the same place: "If any one shall say that he loves God, and hates his brother, he is a liar : for he who loveth not his brother whom he seeth, how can he love God whom he seeth not?"^ Of this same thing in the Acts of the Apostles : " But the multitude of them that had believed acted with one soul and mind : nor was there among them any distinction, neither did they esteem as their own anything of the possessions that they had ; but all things were common to them." ^ Of this same thing in the Gospel according to Matthew : ''If thou wouldest offer thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee ; leave thou thy gift before the altar, and go ; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift at the altar." ^" Also in the Epistle of John : " God is love ; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him."®
1 1 Cor. iii. 1-3. ^ i Cor. xiii. 2-8. » ^^1. y. 14, 15.
4 1 John iii. 10, 15. ^ 1 John iv. 20. c Acts iv. 32.
7 Matt. V. 23, 24. « 1 John iv. 16.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 143
Also in the same place : " He who saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is a liar, and walketh in darkness even until now."^
4. That we must boast in nothing, since nothing is our own. In the Gospel according to John : " No one can receive
anything, except it were given him from heaven."^ Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " For what hast thou that thou hast not received ? But if thou hast received it, why boastest thou, as if thou hadst not received it ? " ^ Also in the first of Kings : " Boast not, neither speak lofty things, and let not great speeches proceed out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge."^ Also in the same place: " The bow of the mighty men has been made weak, and the weak are girt about with strength."* Of this same thing in the Maccabees : " It is just to be subjected to God, and that a mortal should not think things equal to God." ^ Also in the same place : " And fear not the words of a man that is a sinner, because his glory shall be filth and worms. To-day he shall be lifted up, and to-morrow he shall not be found ; because he is turned into his earth, and his thought has perished."®
5. That humility and quietness are to be maintained in all
things. In Isaiah : " Thus saith the Lord God, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is the stool of my feet. What seat Avill ye build for me, or what is the place for my rest ? For all those things hath my hand made, and all those things are mine. And upon whom else will I look, except upon the lowly and quiet man, and him that trembleth at my words? "^ On this same thing in the Gospel according to Matthew: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."* Of this same thing, too, according to Luke : " He that shall be least among you all, the same shall be great." ^ Also in
1 1 John ii. 9. 2 joj^^ iii. 27. » 1 Cor. iv. 7.
^ 1 Sam. ii. 3, 4. ^2 Mace. ix. 12. ^1 ^facc. ii. G2, 63.
7 Isa. Ixvi. 1, 2. 8 Matt. v. 5. » Luke ix. 48.
144 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
the same place : " "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be made low, and whosoever abaseth himself shall be exalted."^ Of this same thing to the Komans : '^ Be not high-minded, but fear : for if God spared not the natural branches, [take heed] lest He also spare not thee."^ Of this same thing in the thirty-third Psalm : " And He shall save the lowly in spirit."^ Also to the Romans : " Render to all what is due : tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear tu whom fear, honour to whom honour ; owe no man any- thing, except to love another." ^ Also in the Gospel according to Matthew : " They love the first place of reclining at feasts, and the chief seat in the synagogues, and salutations in the market, and to be called of men Rabbi. But call not ye Rabbi, for One is your IMaster."^ Also in the Gospel accord- ing to John : " The servant is not greater than his lord, nor the apostle greater than He that sent himself. If ye know these things, blessed shall ye be if ye shall do them."^ Also in the eighty-first Psalm : '^ Do justice to the poor and lowly." ^
6. That all good and righteous men suffer more, but ought to endure because they are proved.
In Solomon : " The furnace proveth the vessels of the potter, and the trial of tribulation righteous men."^ Also in the fiftieth Psalm : " The sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit ; a contrite and humbled heart God will not despise."^ Also in the thirty-third Psalm : " God is nearest to them that are contrite in heart, and He will save the lowly in spirit." ^^ Also in the same place : '^ Many are the afflictions of the riixhteous, but out of them all the Lord will deliver them."^^ Of this same matter in Job : "• Naked came I out of my mother's womb, naked also shall I go under the earth : the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away : as it hath pleased the Lord, so it is done ; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all these things which happened to him Job sinned in nothing
1 Luke xiv. 11. ^ Rom. xi. 20, 21. ^ Ps. xxxiv. 18.
4 Rom. xiii. 7, 8. ^ Matt, xxiii. 6-8. ^ Jobn xiii. 16, 17.
5" Ps. Ixxxii. 3. ^ Eccliis. xxvii. 5. ^ Ps. li. 17.
10 Ps. xxxiv. 18. 11 Ps. xxxiv. 19.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 145
with his lips in the sight of the Lord."^ Concerning this same thing in the Gospel according to Matthew : " Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted."^ Also according to John : *' These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. But in the world ye shall have affliction ; but have confidence, for I have overcome the world." ^ Concerning this same thing in the second Epistle to the Corinthians : " There was given to me a thorn in the fleshj a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted. For which thing I thrice besought the Lord, that it should depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee ; for strength is perfected in weak- ness.""* Concerning this same thing to the Romans : "We glory in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we also glory in afflictions : knowing that affliction worketh pa- tience ; and patience, experience ; and experience, hope : and hope does not confound ; because the love of God is infused in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which is given unto us."^ On this same subject, according to Matthew : " How broad and spacious is the w^ay which leadeth unto death, and many there are who go in thereby : how^ strait and narrow is the way that leadeth to life, and few there are that find it!"® Of this same thing in Tobias : " Where are thy righteous- nesses ? behold what thou sufferest." '^ Also in the Wisdom of Solomon : " In the places of the wicked the righteous groan ; but at their ruin the righteous will abound." ®
7. That w^e must not grieve the Holy Spirit, whom we have received.
Paul the apostle to the Ephesians : " Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in which ye were scaled in the day of redemp- tion. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and indignation, and clamour, and blasphemy, be taken away from you."^
1 Job i. 21, 22. 2 ;^fatt. v. 4. = John xvi. 33.
* 2 Cor. xii. 7-9. « Rom. v. 2-5. e >[att. vii. 13, 14.
7 Tob. ii. 14. 8 Prov. xxviii. 28. » Eph. iv. 30, 31.
CYr. — VOL. II.
146 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
8. That anger must be overcome, lest it constrain us to sin. In Solomon in the Proverbs: "Better is a patient man
than a strong man ; for he who restrains his anger is better than he who taketh a city." ^ Also in the same place : " The imprudent man declareth his anger on the same day, but the crafty man hideth away his dishonour."^ Of this same thing to the Ephesians : " Be ye angry, and sin not. Let not the sun set upon your wrath." ^ Also in the Gospel according to Matthew : " Ye have heard that it was said by the ancients, Thou shalt not kill ; and whoever shall kill shall be guilty of the judgment. But I say unto you, That every one who is angry with his brother without cause shall be guilty of the judgment." *
9. That brethren ought to support one another.
To the Galatians : " Each one having others in considera- tion, lest ye also should be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so ye shall fulfil the law of Christ." ^
10. That we must trust in God only, and in Him we must
glory. In Jeremiah : " Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the strong man glory in his strength, nor let the rich man glory in his riches ; but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understands and knows that I am the Lord, who do mercy, and judgment, and righteousness upon the earth, because in them is my pleasure, saith the Lord."^ Of the same thing in the fifty-fourth Psalm : " In the Lord have I hoped ; I will not fear what man can do unto me." '' Also in the same place : " To none but God alone is my soul subjected."^ Also in the 117th Psalm : " I will not fear what man can do unto me ; the Lord is my helper." ^ Also in the same place : " It is good to trust in the Lord rather than to trust in man ; it is good to hope in the Lord rather than to hope in princes." ^^
1 Prov. xvi. 32. - Pro v. xii. 16. ^ Epb. iv. 26.
4 Matt. V. 21, 22. ^ Gal. vi. 1, 2. ^ jgr. ix. 23, 24.
7 Ps. Ivi. 11. 8 Ps, ixii. 1. 9 Ps. cxviii. 6. 10 Ps. cxviii. 8.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 147
Of this same thing in Daniel : " But Shadi'ach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, there is no need to answer thee concerning this word. For God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the fur- nace of burning fire; and He will deliver us from thine hand, O king. And if not, be it known unto thee that we serve not thy gods, and we adore not the golden image which thou hast set up." ^ Likewise in Jeremiah : " Cursed is the man who hath hope in man ; and blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and his hope shall be in God." ^ Concerning this same thing in Deuteronomy : " Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him onl}- shalt thou serve." ^ Of this same thing to the Romans : " And they worshipped and served the creature, forsaking the Creator. Wherefore also God gave them up to ignominious passions." * Of this thing also in John : " Greater is He who is in you than he who is in this world." ^
11. That he who has attained to trust, having put off the former man, ought to regard only celestial and spi- ritual things, and to give no heed to the world which he has already renounced. In Isaiah : " Seek ye the Lord ; and when ye have found Him, call upon Him. But when He hath come near unto you, let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts : and let him be turned unto the Lord, and he shall obtain mercy, because He will plentifully pardon your sins." ^ Of this same thing in Solomon : " I have seen all the vrorks which are done under the sun ; and, lo, all are vanity." ^ Of this same thing in Exodus : " But thus shall ye eat it ; your loins girt, and your shoes on your feet, and your staves in your hands : and ye shall eat it in haste, for it is the Lord's passover."^ Of this same thing in the Gospel according to Matthew : " Take no tliought, saying, What shall we eat ? or, What shall we drink ? or, Wherewith shall we
1 Dan. iii. 16-18. - Jer. xvii. 5-7. ^ Deut. vi. 13.
* Rom. i. 25, 26. ^ 1 John iv. 4. c Isa. Iv. 6, 7.
y Eccles. i. 14. s Ex. xii. 11.
H8 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
be clothed ? for these things the nations seek after. But 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."-^ Likewise in the same place : " Think not for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for itself. Sufficient unto the day is its own evil."^ Likewise in the same place : " No one looking back, and putting his hands to the plough, is fit for the kingdom of God."^ Also in the same place: "Behold the fowls of the heaven : for they sow not, nor reap, nor gather into barns ; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of more value than they V^ ^ Concerning this same thing, ac- cording to Luke : " Let your loins be girded, and your lamps burning; and ye like unto men that wait for their lord, when he Cometh from the wedding ; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him. Blessed are those servants, Avhom their lord, when he cometh, shall find w\atching." ^ Of this same thing in Matthew : " The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests ; but the Son of man hath not where He may lay His head." ^ Also in the same place : " Whoso forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple." ' Of this same thing in the first to the Corinthians : " Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear God in your body." ^ Also in the same place : " The time is limited. It remaineth, therefore, that both they who have wives be as though they have them not, and they who lament as they that lament not, and they that rejoice as they that rejoice not, and they who buy as they that buy not, and they wdio possess as they who 230ssess not, and they who use this world as they that use it not ; for the fashion of this world passeth away." ^ Also in the same place : " The first man is of the clay of the earth, the second man from heaven. As he is of the clay, such also are they who are of the clay ; and as is the heavenly, such also are the heavenly. Even as we have borne the image of
1 Matt. vi. 31-33. " Matt. vi. 34. ^ L^ke ix. 62.
^ Matt. vi. 26. ^ Luke xii. 35-37. ^ Matt. viii. 20.
7 Luke xiv. 33. « 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. ^ 1 Cor. vii. 29-31.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 149
liim who is of the clay, let us bear His image also who is from heaven." ^ Of this same matter to the Philippians : "All seek their own, and not those things which are Christ's; whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and their glory is to their confusion, who mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven, whence also we expect the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, w^ho shall transform the body of our humiliation conformed to the body of His glory." ^ Of this very matter to Galatians : " But be it far from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by wdiom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." ^ Concerning this same thing to Timothy : " No man that warreth for God bindeth himself with worldly annoyances, that he may please Him to whom he hath approved himself. But and if a man should contend, he will not be crowned unless he fight lawfully."^ Of this same thing to the Colossians : " If ye be dead with Christ from the elements of the w^orld, why still, as if living in the world, do ye follow vain things ? "'' Also concerning this same thing : " If ye have risen together with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God. Give heed to the things that are above, not to those things which are on the earth ; for ye are dead, and your life is hidden wath Christ in God. But when Christ your life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." ^ Of this same thing to the Ephesians : " Put off the old man of the former conversation, who is corrupted, according to the lusts of deceit. But be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, him who according to God is ordained in righteousness, and holiness, and truth." '' Of this same thing in the Epistle of Peter : " As strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul ; but having a good conversation among the Gentiles, that while they detract from 3'ou as if from evil-doers, yet, beholding your good works, they may magnify God." ^ Of this same thing in the Epistle of John :
1 1 Cor. XV. 47-49. 2 pj^ji^ jj 2I, iii. 19-21.
3 Gal. vi. 14. 4 2 Tim. ii. 4, 5. ^ Col. ii. 20.
« Col. iii. 1-4. ' Eph. iv. 22-24. » 2 Pot. ii. 11, 12.
150 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN,
"He who saitli he abldeth in Christ, ought himself also to walk even as He walked." ^ Also in the same place : " Love not the v/orkl, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Because everything which is in the world is lust of the flesh, and lust of the eyes, and the ambition of this world, which is not of the Father, but of the lust of this world. And the world shall pass away with its lust. But he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever, even as God abideth for ever." "" Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corin- thians : " Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new dough, as ye are unleavened. For also Christ oui* passover is sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not in the old leaven, nor in the leaven of malice and wickedness, but in the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." ^
12. That we must not swear.
In Solomon : " A man that sweareth much shall be filled with iniquity, and the plague shall not depart from his house ; and if he swear vainly, he shall not be justified." ^ Of this same matter, according to Matthew : " [Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old, Thou shalt not swear falsely, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths.] I say unto you, Swear not at all : [neither by heaven, because it is God's throne ; nor by the earth, because it is His footstool ; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King ; neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.] But let your discourse be. Yea, yea ; Nay, nay : [for whatever is fuller than these is of evil."] ^ Of this same thing in Exodus : " Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." ^
1 1 John ii. 6. ^ i j^^^ jj^ l^-Yl. 3 i Cor. v. 7, 8.
^ Ecclus. xxiii. 11. From some ancient text the Oxford edition adds here, " Et si frustra juraverit dupliciter punietur " — "and if he swear with no purpose, he shall be punished doubly."
^ Matt. V. 34-37. All these passages are wanting in the Oxford text.
« Ex. XX. 7.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 151
13. That we must not curse.
In Exodus : " Thou shalt not curse nor speak ill of the ruler of thy people." ^ Also in the thirty-third Psalm : " Who is the man who desires life, and loveth to see good days ? Eestrain thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile." ^ Of this same thing in Leviticus : " And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Bring forth him who hath cursed abroad outside the camp ; and all who heard him shall place their hands upon his head, and all the assembly of the children of Israel shall stone him." ^ Of this same thing in Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians : " Let no evil discourse proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good for the edification of faith, that it may give grace to the hearers." * Of this same thing to the Romans : " Blessing, and not cursing."^ Of this same thing in the Gospel accord- ing to ^latthew : " He who shall say to his brother. Thou fool ! shall be liable to the Gehenna of fire." ® Of this same matter, according to the same Matthew : " But I say unto you, That every idle word which men shall speak, they shall give account for it in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." ^"
14. That w^e must never murmur, but bless God concern-
ing all things that happen. In Job : " Say some word against the Lord, and die. But he, looking upon her, said. Thou speakest as one of the foolish w^omen. If we have received good things from the Lord's hand, wdiy shall we not endure evil things ? In all these things which happened unto him. Job sinned not with his lips in the sight of the Lord." ^ Also in the same place : " Hast thou regarded my servant Job ? for there is none like unto him in the earth : a man without complaint : a true worshipper of God, restraining himself from all evil." ^ Of this samic thing in the thirty-third Psalm : " I will bless the
1 Ex. xxii. 28. 2 pg xxxiv. 12, 13. ^ Lev. xxiv. 13, 14.
4 Eph. iv. 29. ^ Rom. xii. 14. « .Afatt. v. 22.
^ Matt. xii. 3G, 37. » Job ii. 9, 10. » Job i. 8.
152 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN,
Lord at all times : His praise shall ever be in my mouth." ^ Of this same thing in Numbers : " Let their murmuring cease from me, and they shall not die."^ Of this same thing in the Acts of the Apostles : " But about the middle of the night Paul and Silas prayed and gave thanks to God, and the prisoners heard them." ^ Also in the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians : " But doing all things for love, without murmurings and revilings,* that ye may be without com- plaint, and spotless sons of God." ^
15. That men are tried by God for this purpose, that they
may be proved. Li Genesis : " And God tempted Abraham, and said to him, Take thy only son whom thou lovest, Isaac, and go into the high land, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell thee." ° Of this same thing in Deuteronomy : '' The Lord your God proveth you, that He may know if ye love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul." "^ Of this same thing in the Wisdom of Solomon : " Althouo-h in the sio;ht of men they suffered torments, their hope is full of immortality ; and having been in few things distressed, yet in many things they shall be happily ordered, because God tried them, and found them worthy of Himself. As gold in the furnace He proved them, and as a burnt-offering He received them. And in their time there shall be respect of them ; they shall judge the nations, and shall rule over the people ; and their Lord shall reign for ever." ^ Of this same thing in the Maccabees : " Was not Abraham found faithful in tempta- tion, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness ?" ^
16. Of the benefits of martyrdom.
In the Proverbs of Solomon : " The faithful martyr de- livers his soul from evils." ^^ Also in the same place : " Then
1 Ps. xxxiv. 1. - Num. xvii. 10. ^ Acts xvi. 25.
* Reputationibus ; possibly " complainings."
^ Phil. ii. 14, 15. « Gen. xxii. 1, i. ^" Deut. xiii. 3.
8 Wisd. iii. 4-8. ^ 1 Mace. ii. 52. lo Yvoy. xiv. 25.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 153
shall the righteous stand in great boldness against them who have afflicted them^ and who took away their labours. When they see them, they shall be disturbed with a horrible fear ; and they shall wonder at the suddenness of their unhoped-for salvation, saying among themselves, rej)enting and groaning with distress of spirit, These are they whom some time we had in derision, and in the likeness of a proverb ; we fools counted their life madness, and their end without honour. How are they reckoned among the children of God, and their lot among the saints ! Therefore we have wandered from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness has not shined upon us, and the sun has not risen upon us. We have been wearied in the way of iniquity and of perdition, and w^e have walked through difficult solitudes ; but we have not known the w^ay of the Lord. What hath pride profited us ? or what hath the boasting of riches brought to us? All these things have passed away as a shadow." ^ Of this same thing in the 115th Psalm : " Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." ^ Also in the 125th Psalm : "They wdio sow in tears shall reap in joy. Walking they walked, and wept as they cast their seeds ; but coming they shall come in joy, raising up their laps." ^ Of this same thing in the Gospel according to John : " He wdio loveth his life shall lose it ; and he that hateth his life in this w^orld shall find it to life eternal." * Also in the same place : " But when they shall deliver you up, take no thought what ye shall speak ; for it is not ye who speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." * Also in the same place : " The hour shall come, that every one that killeth you shall think he doetli service to God ; but they shall do this also because they have not known the Father nor me." ^ Of this same matter, according to Matthew : " Blessed are they which shall suffer persecution for righteousness' sake ; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." ^ Also in the same place : " Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the
1 Wisd. V. 1-9. 2 Ps, cxvi. 5. 3 y&. cxxvi. 5, G.
* John xii. 25. « Matt. x. 19. 20. ^ John xvi. 2, 3.
7 Matt. V. 10.
154 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN,
soul ; but rather fear Him whicli is able to kill the soul and body in Gehenna." ^ Also in the same place : " Whosoever shall confess me before men, him also will I confess before my Father which is in heaven ; but he who shall deny me before men, him also will I deny before my Father which is in heaven. And he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved." ^ Of this same thing, according to Luke : " Blessed shall ye be when men shall hate you, and shall sepa- rate you [from their company], and shall drive you out, and shall speak evil of your name, as wicked, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice in that day, and exult ; for, lo, your reward is great in heaven." ^ Also in the same place : " Verily I say unto you, There is no man that leaveth house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, and does not receive seven times as much in this present time, but in the world to come life everlasting."* Of this same thing in the Apocalypse : " And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar of God the souls of them that were slain on account of the w^ord of God and His testimony. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth ? And unto every one of them were given white robes ; and it was said to them, that they should rest still for a short time, until the number of their fellow-servants, and of their brethren, should be fulfilled, and they who shall afterwards be slain, after their example."^ Also in the same place : " After these things I saw a great crowd, which no one among them could number, from every nation, and from every tribe, and from every people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb ; and they were clothed with white robes, and palms were in their hands. And they said with a loud voice. Salvation to our God, that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb. And one of the elders answered and said to me. What are these which are clothed with white robes ? who are they, and whence have they come ? And I said unto
1 Matt. X. 28. 2 Matt. x. 32, 33. ^ l,^]-^ ^i. 22, 23.
•^ Luke xviii. 29, 30. ^ Rev. vi. 9-11.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 155
him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are they who have come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple ; and He who sitteth upon the throne shall dwell among them. They shall neither hunger nor thirst ever ; and neither shall the sun fall upon them, nor shall they suffer any heat : for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall protect them, and shall lead them to the fountains of the waters of life ; and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes." ^ Also in the same place : " He who shall overcome I will give him to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of my God." ^ Also in the same place : " Be thou faithful even unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."^ Also in the same place: " Blessed shall they be who shall watch, and shall keep their garments, lest they walk naked, and they see their shame." * Of this same thing, Paul in the second Epistle to Timothy : " I am now offered up, and the time of my assumption is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. There now remains for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me in that day ; and not only to me, but to all also who love His appearing." ^ Of this same thing to the Romans : " We are the sons of God : but if sons and heirs of God, we are also joint-heirs with Christ ; if we suffer together, that we may also be magnified together." ^ Of this same thing in the 118th Psalmi; "Blessed are they who are undefiled in the way, and walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who search into His testimonies." ^
17. That what we suffer in this world is of less account
than is the reward which is promised. In the Epistle of Paul to the Romans : " The sufferings of this present time are not worthy of comparison with the
1 Rev. vii. 9-17. 2 Rev. ii. 7. ■' Rev. ii. 10.
* Rev. xvi. 15. ^ 2 Tim. iv. Q-9'. « Rom. viii. 16, 17.
^Ps. cxix. 1, L>.
156 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
glory that is to come after, which shall be revealed in us." ^ Of this same thing in the Maccabees : " O Lord, who hast the holy knowledge, it is manifest that wdiile I might be delivered from death, I am suffering most cruel pains of body, being beaten with whips ; yet in spirit I suffer these things willingly, because of the fear of thine own self." ^ Also in the same place : " Thou indeed, being powerless, destroyest us out of this present life ; but the King of the world shall raise us up who have died for His laws into the eternal resurrection of life." ^ Also in the same place : " It is better that, given up to death by men, we should expect hope from God to be raised again by Him. For there shall be no resurrection to life for tiiee." * Also in the same place : " Having power among men, although thou art cor- ruptible, thou doest what thou wilt. But think not that our race is forsaken of God. Sustain, and see how His great power will torment thee and thy seed." ^ Also in the same place : " Do not err without cause ; for we suffer these things on our own accounts, as sinners against our God. But think not thou that thou shalt be unpunished, having undertaken to fight against God."^
18. That nothing is to be preferred to the love of God and Christ.
In Deuteronomy : " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." '^ Also in the Gospel according to Matthew : " He that loveth fatlier or mother above me, is not worthy of me ; and he that loveth son or daughter above me, is not worthy of me ; and he that taketh not up his cross and followeth me, is not my disciple."^ Also in the Epistle of Paul to the Komans : " Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ? As it is written. Because for thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are counted as
1 Rom. viii. 18. - 2 Mace. vi. 30. ^ 2 Mace. vii. 9.
* 2 Mace. vii. 14. ^ 2 Mace. vii. 16, 17. " Deut. vi. 5. ^ Matt. x. 37, 38.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 157
sheep for the slaughter. But in all these things we are more than conquerors for His sake who loved us." ^
19. That we are not to obey our own will, but the will of
God. In the Gospel according to John : " I came not down from heaven to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me." ^ Of this same matter, according to Matthew : " Father,, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me ; nevertheless, not what I will, but what Thou wilt." ^ Also in the daily prayer : '' Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth." * Also ac- cording to Matthew ; " Not every one who saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he who doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." ^ Also according to Luke : " But that servant which knoweth his Lord's will, and obeyed not His will, shall be beaten with many stripes." ^ Li the Epistle of John : " But he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever, even as He Himself also abideth for ever."^
20. That the foundation and strength of hope and faith is
fear. In the 110th Psalm : "The fear of the Lord is the begin- ning of wisdom." ^ Of the same thing in the Wisdom of Solomon : " The beginning of wisdom is to fear God." ^ Also in the Proverbs of the same : " Blessed is the man who reverences all things with fear." ^° Of the same thing in Isaiah : " And upon whom else will I look, except upon him that is lowly and peaceful, and that trembleth at my words ?"^^ Of this same thing in Genesis : " And the angel of the Lord called him from heaven, and said unto him, Abraham, Abra- ham : and he said. Here am I. And he said. Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do anything unto him : for now I know that thou fearest thy God, and hast not spared thy bc-
1 Rom. viii. 35-37. 2 JqI^^ vi. 38. ^ ^fatt. xxvi. 39.
* Matt. vi. 10. ^ Matt. vii. 21. ^ Luke xii. 47.
7 1 John ii. 17. » Ps. cxi. 10. » Ecclus. i. 14
^^ Prov. xxviii. 14. ^^ Isa. Ixvi. 2.
158 THE TREATISES OF CYPPJAN.
loved son for my sake." ^ Also in the second Psalm : ^* Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice unto Him in trembling."^ Also in Deuteronomy, the word of God to Moses : " Call the people together to me, and let them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they themselves shall live upon the earth." ^ Also in Jeremiah : "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perfect upon the house of Israel, and in the house of Judah, a new covenant : not according to the covenant that I had ordered with their fathers in the day when I laid hold of their hand to bring them out of the land of Egy|Dt ; because they have not abode in ni}^ covenant, and I have been unmindful of them, saith the Lord ; because this is the covenant which I will ordain for the house of Israel ; After those days, saith the Lord, I will give my law, and will ■write it in their mind ; and I wall be to them for a God, and they shall be to me for a people. And they shall not teach every man his brother, saying. Know the Lord : because all shall know me, from the least even to the greatest of them : because I will be favourable to their iniquities, and their sins I w^ill not remember any more. If the heaven should be lifted up on high, saith the Lord, and if the earth should be made low from beneath, yet I will not cast away the people of Israel, saith the Lord, for all the things which they have done. Behold, I wall gather them together from every land in which I have scattered them in anger, and in my fury, and in great indignation ; and I will grind them down into that place, and I will leave them in fear; and they shall be to me for a people, and I will be to them for a God : and I will give them another way, and another heart, that they may fear me all their days in prosperity with their children : and I will perfect for them an everlasting covenant, which I will not turn away after them ; and I will put my fear into their heart, that they may not depart from me : and I will visit upon them to do them good, and to plant them in their land
1 Gen. xxii. 11, 12.
2 Ps. ii. 11. The whole of the remainder of this section, except the two concluding quotations from the Psalms, is wanting in many editions.
3 Deut. iv. 10.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 159
in faith, and with all the heart, and with all the mind." ^ Also in the Apocalypse : " And the four and twenty elders which sit on their thrones in the sight [of God], fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, saying, We give Tliee thanks, O Lord God omnipotent, which art and which wast ; because Thou hast taken Thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time in which it should be judged concerning the dead, and the reward should be given to Thy servants the prophets, and the saints that fear Thy name, small and great ; and to disperse those who have corrupted the earth." ^ Also in the same place : " And I saw another angel flying through the midst of the heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell upon the earth, and to all the nations, and tribes, and tongues, and peoples, saying with a loud voice. Fear God, and give Him honour, because the hour of His judgment is come ; and adore Him who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." ^ Also in the same place : " And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and the beasts were feeding with His lambs ; ^ and the number of His name a hundred and forty and four, standing upon the sea of glass, having the harps of God ; and they sing the song of Closes, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and mar- vellous are Thy works, O Lord God Almighty ; just and true are Thy ways. Thou King of the nations. Who would not fear Thee, and give honour to Thy name? for Thou only art holy : and because all nations shall come and worship in Tliy sight, because Thy righteousnesses have been made manifest." * Also in Daniel : " There was a man dwelling in Babylon whose name was Joachim; and he took a wife by name Susanna, the daughter of Helchias, a very beautiful woman, and one that feared the Lord. And her parents were righteous, and taught their daughter according to the
1 Jer. xxxi. Sl^il. 2 j^cv. xi. 16, 17. ^ j^qx. xiv. IG, 17.
* There is considerable departure here from the Apocalyptic text, for which it is not easy to account. ^ Rev. XV. 2-4.
160 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
law of Moses." ^ Moreover, in Daniel : " And we are lowly this day in all the earth because of our sins, and there is not at this time any prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt- offering, or oblation, or sacrifice, or incense, or place to sacrifice before Thee, and to find mercy from Thee. And yet in the soul and spirit of lowliness let us be accepted as the burnt-offerings of rams and bulls, and as it wxre many thousands of lambs which are fattest. If our offering may be made in Thy presence this day, their power shall be con- sumed, for they shall not be ashamed who put their trust in Thee. And now we follow with our whole heart, and we fear and seek Thy face. Give us not over unto reproach, but do with us according to Thy tranquillity, and according to the multitude of Thy mercy deliver us." ^ Also in the same place : " And the king exceedingly rejoiced, and com- manded Daniel to be taken up out of the den of lions ; and the lions had done him no hurt, because he trusted and had believed in his God. And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel ; and they cast them in the den of lions, and their wives and their children. And before they had reached the pavement- of tlie den they were seized by the lions, and they brake all their bones in pieces. Then Darius the king wrote, To all peoples, tribes, and languages which are in my kingdom, peace be unto you from my face. I decree and ordain that all those who are in my kingdom shall fear and tremble before the most high God whom Daniel serves, because He is the God who liveth and abideth for ever, and His kingdom shall not pass away, and His dominion goeth on for ever ; and He alone doeth signs, and prodigies, and marvellous things in the heaven and the earth, who snatched Daniel from the den of lions." * Also in Micah : " Wherewith shall I approach the Lord, and lay hold upon Him ? in sacrifices, in burnt-offerings, in calves of a year old ? Does the Lord favour and receive me with thousands of fat goats ? or shall I give my first-fruits of unrighteousness, the fruit of my belly, the sin of my soul ?
^ Hist, of Susannah, 1-3.
2 Song of the Three Children, 14-19. ^ d^u. yi. 24-28.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. ICl
It is told thee, O man, what is good ; or what else the Lord doth require, save that thou shouldst do judgment and jus- tice, and love mercy, and be ready to go with the Lord thy God. The voice of the Lord shall be invoked in the city, and He will save those who fear His name." ^ Also in Micah : " Feed Thy people with Thy rod, the sheep of Thine inheritance ; and pluck up those who dwell separately in the midst of Carmel. They shall prepare Bashan and Gilead according to the days of the age ; and according to the days of their going forth from the land of Egypt I will show them wonderful things. The nations shall see, and be con- founded at all their might ; and they shall place their hand upon their mouth. Their ears shall be deafened, and they shall lick the dust as do serpents. Dragging the earth, they shall be disturbed, and they shall lick the dust : in their end they shall be afraid towards the Lord their God, and they shall fear because of Thee. Who is a God as Thou art, raising up unrighteousness, and passing over impiety?"- And in Nahum : " The mountains were moved at Him, and the hills trembled ; and the earth was laid bare before His face, and all who dwell therein. From the face of His anger who shall bear it, and who withstandeth in the fury of His soul ? His rage causes the beginnings to flow, and the rocks were melted by Him. The Lord is good to those who sus- tain Him in the day of affliction, and knoweth those who fear Him." ^ Also in Haggai : " And Zerubbabel the son of Salathiel, of the tribe of Judah, and Jesus the son of Josedech, the high priest, and all who remained of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, because the Lord sent him to them, and the people feared from the face of God."* Also in Malachi : " The covenant was with life and peace ; and I gave to them the fear to fear me from the face of my name." ^ Also in the thirty-third Psalm : " Fear the Lord, all ye His saints : for there is no w^ant to them that fear Him." ^ Also in the eighteenth Psalm : " The fear of the Lord is chaste, abiding for ever." "
1 Mic. vi. G-9. 2 Mic. vii. 14-18. » Nah. i. 5-7. " Hag. i. 12. 5 Mai. ii. 5. « Vs. xxxiv. 9. ^ Ps. xix. 0.
CYr. — VOL. II. L
162 THE TREATISES OF CTPEIAiV,
21. That we must not rashly judge of another.
In the Gospel according to Luke : " Judge not, that ye be not judged : condemn not, that ye be not condemned." ^ Of this same subject to the Romans : " Who art thou that judgest another man's servant ? to his own master he standeth or falleth. But he shall stand ; for God is able to make him stand." ^ And again : " Wherefore thou art without excuse, O every man that judgest : for in that in which thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself ; for thou doest the same things which thou judgest. But dost thou hope, who judgest those who do evil, and doest the same, that thou thyself shalt escape the judgment of God I " ^ Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " And let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." * And again : ^' If any man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth not yet in what manner he ought to know." ^
22. That when we have received a wrong, we must remit
and forgive it. In the Gospel, in the daily prayer : " Forgive us our debts, even as we forgive our debtors." ^ Also according to Mark : ^^ And when ye stand for prayer, forgive, if ye have ought against any one ; that also your Father who is in heaven may forgive you your sins. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive you your sins." ^ Also in the same place : *^ In what measure ye mete, in that shall it be measured to you again." ^
23. That evil is not to be returned for evil.
In the Epistle of Paul to the Romans : " Rendering to no man evil for evil." ^ Also in the same place : " Not to be overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." ^° Of this same thing in the Apocalypse : " And He said unto me, Seal not the words of the prophecy of this book ; because
1 Luke vi. 87. ^ ^0^1. xiv. 4. ^ Rom. ii. 1-3.
* 1 Cor. X. 12. 5 1 Cor. viii. 2. ^ Matt. vi. 12.
7 Matt. xi. 25, 26. ^ Mark iv. 24. » Rom. xii. 17. 10 Rom. xii. 21.
I
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 163
now tlie time is at hand. And let those who persist in hmt- ing, hurt : and let him who is filthy, be filthy still : but let the righteous do still more righteousness : and in like manner, let him that is holy do still more holiness. Behold, I come quickly ; and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to his deeds." ^
24. That it is impossible to attain to the Father but by His
Son Jesus Christ. In the Gospel according to John : " I am the way, the truth, and the life : no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."' ^ Also in the same place : " I am the door : by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." *
25. That unless a man have been baptized and born again,
he cannot attain unto the kingdom of God. In the Gospel according to John : " Except a man be born again of water and tlie Spirit, he cannot enter into the king- dom of God. For that which is born of the flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." * AIgo in the same place : " Unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye shall not have life in you." ^
26. That it is of small account to be baptized and to re-
ceive the Eucharist, unless one profit by it both in
deeds and w^orks. In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " Know ye not, that they which run in a race run indeed all, although one receiveth the prize ? So run, that ye may obtain. And those indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible." ^ In the Gospel according to Matthew : " Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down, and cast into the fire." ^ Also in the same place : " ^lany shall say unto me in that day. Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name have cast out
1 Rev. xxii. 10-12. - John xiv. G. » John x. 9.
* John iii. 5, 6. •' John vi. 53. « i Cor. ix. 24, 25.
^ Matt. iii. 10.
164 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
devils, and in Thy name have done great works ? And then shall I say to them, I never knew you ; depart from me, ye who work iniquity." ^ Also in the same place : " Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." ^ Also Paul to the Philippians : " Shine as lights in the world." ^
27. That even a baptized person loses the grace that he
has attained, unless he keep innocency. In the Gospel according to John : " Lo, thou art made whole : sin no more, lest a worse thing happen unto thee." * Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God abideth in you ? If any one violate the temple of God, him will God destroy." ^ Of this same thing in the Chronicles : " God is with you, while ye are with Him : if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you." ^
28. That remission cannot in the church be granted unto
him who has sinned against God. In the Gospel according to Matthew : " Whosoever shall say a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him ; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world nor in the world to come." '^ Also according to Mark : '^ All sins shall be forgiven, and blasphemies, to the sons of men ; but whoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be for- given him, but he shall be guilty of eternal sin." ^ Of this same thing in the first book of Kings : " If a man sin by offending against a man, they shall pray the Lord for him ; but if a man sin against God, who shall pray for him ? " ^
29. That it was before predicted, concerning the hatred of
the Name, In the Gospel according to Luke : " And ye shall be hated
1 Matt. vii. 22, 23. ^ Matt. v. 16. ^ phn^ jj, 15,
4 John. V. 14. ^ 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. ^ 2 Cbron. xv. 2.
^ Matt. xii. 32. « Mark iii. 28, 29. ^ 1 Sam. ii. 25.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS, 165
of all men for my name's sake." ^ Also according to John : " If the world hate you, know ye that it first hated me. If ye were of the world, the world w^ould love what would be its own : but because ye are not of the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word which I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you." ^ Also in Baruch : *' For the time shall come, and ye shall seek me, both ye and those wdio shall be after you, to hear the w^ord of wisdom and of understand- ing ; and ye shall not find me. But the nations shall desire to see the wise man, and it shall not happen to them ; not because the wisdom of this world shall be wanting, or shall fail to the earth ; but neither shall the word of the law^ be wanting to the world. For wisdom sliall be in a few who watch, and are silent and quiet, and who hold converse with one another ; because some shall dread them, and shall fear them as evil. But some do not believe the word of the law of the Higliest. But some who are amazed in tlieir coun- tenance will not believe ; and they also who contradict will believe, and will be contrary to and hindering the spirit of truth. Moreover, others will be wise to the spirit of error, and declaring the edicts, as if of the Higliest and the Strong One. Moreover, others iiVQ possessors of faith (^.).^ Others are mighty and strong in the faith of the Highest, and hate- ful to the stranfrer." *
30. That what any one has vowed to God, he must quickly repay.
In Solomon : " According as thou hast vowed a vow to God, delay not to pay it."^ Concerning this same thing in Deuteronomy : " But if thou liast vowed a vow to the Lord
1 Luke xxi. 17. 2 j^i^j^ ^v. 18-20.
3 Personales fidei. This, like many other expressions in this strange passage, gives no clue to a meaning.
^ The whole of this quotation, as it is called, from Barucli, is wanting in all codices but two. It is remarkable, as finding no place in any text of Scripture, nor in any translation, whether Greek or Latin.
^ Eccles. V. 4.
166 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
thy God, thou shalt not delay to pay it : because the Lord thy God inqumng shall seek it of thee ; and it shall be for a sin. Thou shalt observe those things that shall go forth out of thy lips, and shalt perform the gift which thou hast spoken with thy mouth." ^ Of this same matter in the forty-ninth Psalm : " Sacrifice to God the sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows to the Most High. Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."^ Of this same thing in the Acts of the Apostles ; " Why hath Satan filled thine heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Ghost, when thy estate was in thine own power ? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." ^ Also in Jeremiah ; " Cursed is he who doeth the work of God negligently." *
31. That he who does not believe is judged already.
In the Gospel according to John : " He that believeth not is already judged, because he hath not believed in the name of the only^ Son of God. And this is the judgment, that light has come into the world, and men have loved darkness rather than light." ^ Of this also in the first Psalm : " There- fore the ungodly shall not rise up in judgment, nor sinners in the council of the righteous." '^
32. Of the benefit of virginity and of continency.
In Genesis : " Multiplying I will multiply thy sorrows and thy groanings, and in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children ; and thy turning shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." ^ Of this same thing in the Gospel according to Matthew : " All men do not receive the word, but they to whom it is given : for there are some eunuchs who were born so from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who have been constrained by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kino;dom of heaven's sake. He who can receive it, let him receive it." ®
1 Deut. xxiii. 21-23. 2 pg. 1. 14, 15. 3 ^cts v. 3, 4.
4 Jer. xlviii. 10. ^ t/nice; but some read ««zz^rem/i, "only-begotten."
« John iii. 18, 19. 7 Ps. i. 5. » Gen. iii. IG.
9 Matt. xix. 11, 12.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 167
Also according to Luke : " The children of this world beget, and are begotten. But they who have been considered worthy of that world, and the resurrection from the dead, do not marry, nor are married : for neither shall they begin to die : for they are equal to the angels of God, since they are the childi'en of the resurrection. But, that the dead rise again, Moses intimates when he says in the bush. The Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living : for all live unto Him." ^ Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " It is good for a man not to touch a woman. But, on account of fornication, let every man have his own wife, and every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render what is due to the wife, and similarly the wife to the husband. The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband. And in like manner, the hus- band hath not power over his own body, but the wife. De- fraud not one the other, except by agreement for a time, that ye may have leisure for prayer; and again return to the same point, lest Satan tempt you on account of your incontinency. This I say by way of allowance, not by way of command. But I wish that all men should be even as I am. But every one has his proper gift from God ; one in one way, but another in another way." ^ Also in the same place : " An unmarried man thinks of those things which are the Lord's, in what way he may please God ; but he who has contracted marriage thinks of those things that are of this world, in what way he may please his wife. Thus also, both the woman and the unmarried virgin thinketh of those things which are the Lord's, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit ; but she that hath married thinks of those things which are of this world, in what way she may please her husband."^ Also in Exodus, when the Lord had commanded Moses that he should sanctify the people for the third day, he sanctified them, and added : " Be ye ready, for three days ye shall not approach to women."* Also in the first book
1 Luke XX. 34-38. - 1 Cor. vii. 1-7.
3 1 Cor. vii. 32-34. * Ex. xix. 15.
168 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
of Kings : " And the priest answered to David, and said. There are no profane loaves in my hand, except one sacred loaf. If the young men have been kept back from women, they shall eat."^ Also in the Apocalypse: " These are tliey who have not defiled themselves wdth women, for they have continued virgins ; these are they wdio follow the Lamb whithersoever He shall go." ^
33. That the Father judge th nothing, but the Son ; and
that the Father is not glorified by him by whom the
Son is not glorified. In the Gospel according to John : " The Father judgeth nothing, but hath given all judgment unto the Son, that all may honour the Son as they honour the Father. He who honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father who hath sent Him." ^ Also in the seventy-first Psalm : " O God, give the king Thy judgment, and Thy righteousness to the king's son, to judge Thy people in righteousness." * Also in Genesis : "And the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrha sulphur, and fire from heaven from the Lord." ^
34. That the believer ought not to live like the Gentile.
In Jeremiah : " Thus saith the Lord, Walk ye not accord- ing to the way of the Gentiles." ^ Of this same thing, that one ought to separate himself from the Gentiles, lest he should be a companion of their sin, and become a partaker of their penalty, in the Apocalypse : " And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Go forth from her, my people, lest thou be partaker of her crimes, and lest thou be stricken with her plagues ; because her crimes have reached even to heaven, and the Lord God hath remembered her iniquities. There- fore He hath returned unto her double, and in the cup wdiich she hath mixed double is mingled for her ; and in how much she hath glorified herself and possessed of delights, in so much is given unto her both torment and grief. For in her heart she says, I am a queen, and cannot be a widow, nor
1 1 Sam. xxi. 4. ^ ]^ev. xiv. 4. » John v. 22, 23.
* Ps. Ixxii. 1,2. 5 Gen. xix. 24. ^ jej.^ x. 2.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 169
shall I see sorrow. Therefore in one hour her plagues shall come on her, death, grief, and famine ; and she shall be bui'ned with fire, because the Lord God is strong who shall judge her. And the kings of the earth shall weep and lament themselves for her, who have committed fornication with her, and have been conversant in her sins." ^ Also in Isaiah : " Go forth from the midst of them, je who bear the vessels of the Lord." ^
35. That God is patient for this end, that we may repent
of our sin, and be reformed. Li Solomon, in Ecclesiasticus : " Say not, I have sinned, and what sorrow hath happened to me ? For the Highest is a patient repayer." ^ Also Paul to the Romans : ^' Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ? But, according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up to thyself wrath in the day of wrath and of revelation of the just judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds." *
36. That a Avoman ought not to be adorned in a worldly
fashion. In the Apocalypse : " And there came one of the seven angels having vials, and approached me, saying. Come, I will show thee the condemnation of the great whore, Avho sitteth upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication. And I saw a woman who sate upon a beast. And that woman was clothed with a purple and scarlet robe ; and she was adorned with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, holding a golden cup in her hand full of curses, and impurity, and fornication of the whole earth." ^ Also to Timothy : " Let your women be such as adorn them- selves with shamefacedness and modesty, not with twisted hair, nor with gold, nor with pearls, or precious garments,
1 Rev. xviii. 4-9. The Oxford text reads " deliciis" instead of " dc- lictis," — making the last clause, " and have walked in delicacies."
2 Isa. Hi. 11. 3 Ecclus. v. 4. •* Rom. ii. 4-G. ^ Rev. xvii. 1-1.
170 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
but as becometli women professing chastity, with a good conversation." ^ Of this same thing in the Epistle of Peter to the people at Pontus : " Let there be in a woman not the outward adorning of ornament, or of gold, or of apparel, but the adorning of the heart." ^ Also in Genesis : " Thamar covered herself with a cloak, and adorned herself ; and when Judah beheld her, she appeared to him to be a harlot." ^
37. That the believer ought not to be punished for other
offences, except for the name he bears. In the Epistle of Peter to them of Pontus : " Nor let any of you suffer as a thief, or a murderer, or as an evil-doer, or as a minder of other people's business, but as a Christian."*
38. That the servant of God ought to be innocent, lest he
fall into secular punishment. In the Epistle of Paul to the Eomans : " Wilt thou not be afraid of the power ? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of it." ^
39. That there is given to us an example of living in
Christ. In the Epistle of Peter to them of Pontus : " For Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that ye may follow His steps ; who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth ; who, when He was reviled, reviled not again ; when He suffered, threatened not, but gave Himself up to him that judgeth unrighteously."^ Also Paul to the PhiHppians : *' Who, being appointed in the figure of God, thought it not robbery that He was equal with God ; but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, He was made in the hkeness of man, and was found in fashion as a man. He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, and the death of the cross. For which cause also God hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name, that it may be above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should be bowed,
1 1 Tim. ii. 9, 10. ^ i Pet. iii. 4. '■^ Gen. xxxviii. 14, 15.
4 1 Pet. iv. 15, 16. ^ Rom. xiii. 3. « i Pet. ii. 21-23.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 171
of things heavenly, and earthly, and infernal ; and that every tongue should confess that tlie Lord Jesus Christ is in glory of God the Father."^ Of this same thing in the Gospel according to John : " If I have washed your feet, being your Master and Lord, ye also ought to wash the feet of others. For I have given you an example, that as I have done, ye also should do to others." ^
40. That we must not labour noisily nor boastfully.
In the Gospel according to Matthew : " Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, that thine alms may be in secret ; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall render to thee." ^ Also in the same place : " When thou doest an alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the streets and in the synagogues, that they may be glorified of men. Verily I say unto you, They have fulfilled their reward." *
41. That we must not speak foolishly and offensively.
In Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians : " Foolish speaking and scurrility, which are not fitting for the occasion, let them not be even named among you." ^
42. That faith is of advantage altogether, and that we can
do as much as we believe. In Genesis : " And Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." ^ Also in Isaiah ; " And if ye do not believe, neither shall ye understand." ' Also in the Gospel according to Matthew : " O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ? " ^ Also in the same place : " If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain. Pass over from here to that place, and it shall pass over ; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." ^ Also according to ^lark : " All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye shall receive them, and they shall be
1 Phil. ii. 6-11. 2 joiiii xiii. 14, 15. ^ .Afatt. vi. 3, 4.
^ :Matt. vi. 2. 5 Epii^ y, 4 e Gen. xv. 6.
7 Isa. vii. 9. « ^att. xiv. 31. » Matt. xvii. 20.
172 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
yours." ^ Also in the same place : " All things are possible to him that believeth." ^ In Habakkuk : " But the righteous liveth by my faith." ^ Also in Daniel: "Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, trusting in God, were delivered from the fiery flame."
43. That he who truly believes can immediately obtain. In the Acts of the Apostles : " Lo, here is water ; wdiat
is there which hinders me from being baptized ? Then said Philip, If thou believest wdth all thine heart, thou mayest." *
44. That believers who differ among themselves ought not
to refer to a Gentile judge. In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " Dares any of you, having a matter against another, to discuss it among the unrighteous, and not among the saints ? Know ye not that the saints shall judge this world?" ^ And again : "Now indeed there is altogether a fault among you, because ye have judgments one against another. Wherefore do ye not rather suffer injury? or wherefore are ye not rather de- frauded? But ye do wrong, and defraud, and this your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not obtain the kingdom of God?" «
45. That hope is of future things, and therefore that our
faith concerning those things which are promised
ought to be patient.
In the Epistle of Paul to the Romans : " We are saved by
hope. But hope that is seen is not hope ; for what a man
seeth, why doth he hope for ? But if we hope for wdiat w^e
see not, we hope ^ for it in patience." ^
46. That a woman ought to be silent in the church.
In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: "Let women be silent in the church. But if any wish to learn anything,
1 Mark xi. 24. ^ Mark ix. 22. ^ Hab. ii. 4.
4 Acts viii. 36, 37. '' 1 Cor. vi. 1, 2. . ^ i Cor. vi. 7-9.
' Some read " exspectamus," " we wait for it." 8 Rom. viii. 24, 25.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 173
let them ask their husbands at home." ^ Also to Timothy ; " Let a woman learn with silence, in all subjection. But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to be set over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve ; and Adam was not seduced, but the woman was seduced." -
47. That it arises from our fault and our desert that we
suffer, and do not perceive God's help in everything. In Hosea : " Hear ye the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel : because judgment is from the Lord against the inhabitants of the earth, because there is neither mercy nor truth, nor acknowledgment of God upon the earth ; but cursing, and lying, and slaughter, and theft, and adultery is scattered abroad upon the earth : they mingle blood to blood. There- fore the land shall mourn, with all its inhabitants, with the beasts of the field, with the creeping things of the earth, with the birds of heaven ; and the fishes of the sea shall fail : so that no man may judge, no man may refute." ^ Of this same thing in Isaiah : " Is not the Lord's hand stroncj to save, or has He weighed down His ear that He may not hear ? But your sins separate between you and God; and on account of your iniquities He turns away His face from you, lest He should pity. For your hands are polluted with blood, and your fingers with sins ; and your lips have spoken wickedness, and your tongue devises unrighteousness. No one speaks true things, neither is judgment true. They trust in vanity, and speak emptiness, who conceive sorrow, and bring forth wicked- ness." * Also in Zephaniah : " In failing, let it fail from the face of the earth, saith the Lord. Let man fail, and cattle ; let the birds of heaven fail, and the fishes of the sea ; and I will take away the unrighteous from the face of the earth." ^
48. That we must not take usury.
In the thirteenth Psalm :^ "He that hath not i^iven his money upon usury, and has not received gifts concerning the
^ 1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35. 2 1 ^^^ jj^ ;^j_i4 3 Hos. iv. 1-4.
* Isa. Hx. 1-4. 5 zeph. i. 2, 3.
« The Oxford edition lias " the fourteenth Psahn."
174 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
innocent. He who doetli these things shall not be moved for ever." ^ Also in Ezekiel : " But the man who will be righteous, shall not oppress a man, and shall return the pledge of the debtor, and shall not commit rapine, and shall give his bread to the hungry, and shall cover the naked, and shall not give his money for usury." ^ Also in Deuteronomy: " Thou shalt not lend to thy brother with usury of money, and with usury of victuals." ^
49. That even our enemies must be loved.
In the Gospel according to Luke : " If ye love those who love you, what thank have ye ? For even sinners love those who love them." ^ Also according to Matthew : " Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh His sun to rise upon the good and the evil, and giveth rain upon the righteous and the unrighteous." ^
.50. That the sacrament of faith must not be profaned.
In Solomon, in the Proverbs : " Say not anything in the ears of a foolish man ; lest, when he hears it, he may mock at thy wise words." ^ Also in the Gospel according to Matthew: " Give not that which is holy to dogs ; neither cast ye your pearls before the swine, lest perchance they trample them down with their feet, and turn again and crush you." ^
51. That no one should be uplifted in his labour.
In Solomon, in Ecclesiasticus : " Extol not thyself in doing thy work." ^ Also in the Gospel according to Luke : " Which of you, having a servant ploughing, or a shepherd, says to him when he cometh from the field, Pass forward and recline ? But he says to him. Make ready somewhat that I may sup, and gird thyself, and minister to me, until I eat and drink; and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink? Does he thank that servant because he has done what was
1 Ps. XV. 6. 2 Ezek. xviii. 7, 8. s Dgut. xxiii. 19.
* Luke vi. 32. ^ Matt. v. 44, 45. ^ Prov. xxiii. 9.
'' Matt. vii. 6. ^ Ecclus. x. 20.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS, 175
commanded him ? So also ye, when ye shall have done that which is commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants ; we have done what we had to do." ^
52. That the liberty of believing or of not believing is
placed in free choice. In Deuteronomy: "Lo, I have set before thy face life and death, good and evil. Choose for thyself life, that thou mayest live." ^ Also in Isaiah : " And if ye be willing, and hear me, ye shall eat the good of the land. But if ye be unwilling, and will not hear me, the sword shall consume you. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken these things." ^ Also in the Gospel according to Luke : '' The kingdom of God is within you." *
53. That the secrets of God cannot be seen through, and
therefore that our faith ought to be simple. In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " We sec now through the glass in an enigma, but then with face to face. Now I know partly ; but then I shall know even as also I am known." ^ Also in Solomon, in Wisdom: '^And in simplicity of heart seek Him." ^ Also in the same : "He who w^alketh with simplicity, walketh trustfully." ^ Also in the same : " Seek not things higher than thyself, and look not into things stronger than thyself." ^ Also in Solomon : " Be not excessively righteous, and do not reason more than is required." ^ Also in Isaiah : ^' Woe unto them who are convicted in themselves." ^^ Also in the Maccabees : " Daniel in his simplicity was delivered from the mouth of the lions." ^^ Also in the Epistle of Paul to the Komans : " Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! How incomprehensible are His judgments, and how unsearchable are His w^ays ! For who has known the mind of the Lord ? or who has been His counsellor ? or who has first given to
1 Luke xvii. 7-10. - Deut. xiii. 10. ^ is,^. i. 19.
^ Luke xvii. 21. ^ i Qq^. xiii. ll>. ^ ^^y^^^l i 1.
• Prov. x. 9. 8 Ecclus. iii. 21. » Eccles. vii. 17.
^^ Isa. xxLx. 15. 11 1 Mac. ii. 60.
176 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
Him, and it shall be recompensed to him again ? Because from Him, and through Him, and in Him, are all things : to Him be glory for ever and ever." ^ Also to Timothy : "But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they generate strifes. But the servant of God ought not to strive, but to be gentle towards all men." ^
54. That no one is without filth and without sin.
In Job : '^ For who is pure from filth ? Not one ; even if his life be of one day on the earth." ^ Also in the fiftietli Psalm : " Behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins hath my mother conceived me." * Also in the Epistle of John : "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." ^
.55. That we must not please men, but God.
In the fifty-second Psalm : " They that please men are confounded, because God hath made them nothing." ® Also in the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians : "If I wished to please men, I should not be the servant of Christ." ^
56. That nothing that is done is hidden from God.
In the Wisdom of Solomon : " In every place the eyes of God look upon the good and evil." ^ Also in Jeremiah : ^' I am a God at hand, and not a God afar off. If a man should be hidden in the secret place, shall I not therefore see him? Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord."^ Also in the first of Kings : " Man looketh on the face, but God on the heart." ^° Also in the Apocalypse : " And all the churches shall know that I am the searcher of the reins and heart ; and I will give to every one of you according to his works." ^^ Also in the eighteenth Psalm : " Who under- stands his faults ? Cleanse Thou me from my secret sins, O Lord." ^^ Also in the second Epistle of Paul to the
1 Rom. xi. 33-36. ^ 2 Tim. ii. 23, 24. 3 Jq^ ^iv. 4, 5.
4 Ps. li. 5. ^ 1 John i. 8. ^ pg, jiij 5^
7 Gal. i. 10. ^ Prov. xv. 3. » Jer. xxiii. 23, 24.
10 1 Sam. xvi. 7. ^^ Rev. ii. 23. 12 pg_ xix. 12.
TESimONIES AGAINST THE JEWS, -ill
Corinthians : "We must all be manifested before tlie tribunal of Christ, that every one may bear again the things which belong to his own body, according to what he hath done, whether good or evil." ^
57. That the believer is amended and reserved.
In the 117th Psalm : "The Lord amending hath amended me, and hath not delivered me to death." ^ Also in the eighty- eighth Psalm : " I will visit their transgressions with a rod, and their sins with scourges. But my mercy will I not scatter away from them." ^ Also in Malachi : "And He shall sit melt- ing and purifying, as it were, gold and silver ; and He shall purify the sons of Levi."* Also in the Gospel : " Thou shalt not go out thence until thou pay the uttermost farthing." ^
58. That no one should be made sad by death, since in
living is labour and peril, in dying peace and the
certainty of resurrection. In Genesis : " Then said the Lord to Adam, Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of that tree of which alone I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat, cursed shall be the ground in all thy works ; in sadness and groaning shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life : thorns and thistles shall it cast forth to thee ; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field in the sweat of thy brow. Thou shalt eat thy bread until thou return unto the earth from which also thou wast taken ; because earth thou art, and to earth thou shalt go." ® Also in the same place : " And Enoch pleased God, and was not found afterwards ; because God translated him."^ And in Isaiah : " All flesh is grass, and all the glory of it as the flower of grass. The grass withered, and the flower hath fallen away ; but the word of the Lord abideth for ever."^ In Ezekiel : "They say, Our bones are become dry, our hope hath perished : we have ex- pired. Therefore prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord,
1 2 Cor. V. 10. 2 ps^ cxviii. 18. ^ p^. Lxxxix. 32, 33.
* Mai. iii. 3. « .Afatt. v. 26. ^ g^u. iii. 17-19.
7 Gen. V. 24. « Isa. xl. 6, 7. CYP. — VOL. IT. M
178 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
Belioldj I open your monuments, and I will bring you forth from your monuments, and I will bring you into the land of Israel ; and I will put my Spirit upon you, and ye shall live ; and I will place you into your land : and ye shall know that I the Lord have spoken, and will do it, saitli the Lord."^ Also in the Wisdom of Solomon : " He was taken away, lest wickedness should change his understanding; for his soul was pleasing to God."^ Also in the eighty-third Psalm: " How beloved ^ are thy dwellings, Thou Lord of hosts ! My soul desires and hastes to the courts of God."^ And in the Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians : " But we would not that you should be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who sleep, that ye sorrow not as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also them which have fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him."^ Also in the first Epistle to the Corinthians : " Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened except it have first died." ^ And again : " Star differeth from star in glory : so also the resurrection. The body is so'wn in corruption, it rises without corruption ; it is sown in ignominy, it rises again in glory ; it is sown in w^eakness, it rises again in power ; it is sown an animal body, it rises again a spiritual body." '' And again : "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality. But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the w^ord that is written, Death is absorbed into striving. Where, O death, is thy sting? Where, O death, is thy striving?"^ Also in the Gospel according to John : " Father, I will that those whom Thou hast given me be with me wdiere I shall be, and may see my glory which Thou hast given me before the founda- tion of the world." ^ Also according to Luke: "Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, O Lord, according to the word ; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation." ^^ Also ac-
1 Ezek. xxxvii. 11-14. ~ Wiscl. iv. 11, 14.
^ Some read "amabilcs," " amiable." "* Ps. Ixxxiv. 1, 2.
5 1 Thess. iv. 13, 14. « 1 Cor. xv. 3G. ^ i Cor. xv. 41-44.
8 1 Cor. XV. 53-55. » Johii xvii. 24. i» Luke ii. 29, 30.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 179
cording to John : " If ye loved me, ye would rejoice because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I."^
59. Of the idols which the Gentiles think to be gods.
In the Wisdom of Solomon : " All the idols of the nations they counted gods, which neither have the use of their eyes for seeing, nor their nostrils to receive breath, nor their ears for hearing, nor the fingers on their hands for handling ; but their feet also are slow to walk. For man made them ; and he who has borrowed his breath, he fashioned them. But no man will be able to fashion a god like to himself. For since he is mortal, he fashioneth a dead thing with wicked hands. But he himself is better than they whom he worships, since he indeed lived, but they never." ^ On this same matter: " Neither have they who regarded the works kno\vn who was the artificer, but have thought that either fire, or wind, or the rapid air, or the circle of the stars, or the abundant water, or the sun and moon, were the gods that rule over the world ; and if, on account of the beauty of these, they have thought thus, let them know how much more beautiful than these is the Lord ; or if they have admired their powers and opera- tions, let them perceive from these very things that He who has established these mighty things is stronger than they."^ Also in the 134th Psalm : " The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have a mouth, and speak not; they have eyes, and see not; they have ears, and hear not; and neither is there any breath in their mouth. Let them who make them become like unto them, and all those who trust in them."* Also in the ninety-fifth Psalm : " All the gods of the nations are demons, but the Lord made the heavens."^ Also in Exodus: " Ye shall not make unto yourselves gods of silver nor of gold."^ And again: "Thoushalt not make to thyself an idol, nor the likeness of anything."'' Also in Jeremiah:
1 John xiv. 28. - Wisd. xv. 15-17. ^ ^^-^^^ xiii. 1-4.
^* Ps. cxxxv. lG-18. ^ Ps. xcvi. 5. ^ Ex. xx. 23.
^ Ex. XX. 4. This section closes here, according to the Oxford text. The Leipzic edition continues as in the above reading.
180 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
'' Tims saith the Lord, Walk not according to the ways of the heathen ; for they fear those things in their own persons, because the lawful things of the heathen are vain. Wood cut out from the forest is made the work of the carpenter, and melted silver and gold are beautifully arranged ; they strengthen them with hammers and nails, and they shall not be moved, for they are fixed. The silver is brought from Tharsis, the gold comes from INIoab. All things are the works of the artificers; they will clothe it with blue and purple ; lifting them, they will carry them, because they will not go forward. Be not afraid of them, because they do no evil, neither is there good in them. Say thus. The gods that have not made the heaven and the earth perish from the earth, and from under this heaven. The heaven hath trembled at this, and hath shuddered much more vehemently, saith the Lord. These evil things hath my people done. They have forsaken the fountain of living water, and have duo- out for themselves worn-out wells, which could not hold water. Thy love hath smitten thee, and thy wickedness shall accuse thee. And know and see that it shall be a bitter thinof for thee that thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord thy God, and that thou hast not hoped in me, saith thy Lord. Because of old time thou hast resented my yoke, and hast broken thy bonds, and hast said, I will not serve, but I will go upon every lofty mountain, and upon every high hill, and upon every shady tree : there I will be confounded with for- nication. To the wood and to the stone they have said. Thou art my father ; and to the stone, Thou hast begotten me : and they turned to me their back, and not their face." ^ In Isaiah : '^ The dragon hath fallen or is dissolved ; their carved works have become as beasts and cattle. Labouring and hungry, and without strength, ye shall bear them bound upon your neck as a heavy burden." ^ And again : " Gathered together, they shall not be able to be saved from war ; but they them- selves have been led captive with thee." ^ And again : " To
1 Jer. X. 2-5, 9, 11, ii. 12, 13, 19, 20, 27. ^ ig^. xlvi. 1, 2, 5.
2 Migne refers this to Jer. li. 15-18, but there is nothing corresponding to it in the passage.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 181
whom have ye likened me ? See and understand that ye err in your heart, who lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, bringing it up to the weight. The workmen have made with their hand the things made ; and bowing themselves, they have adored it, and have raised it on their shoulders : and thus they walked. But if they should place them down, they will abide in their place, and will not be moved ; and they will not hear those who cry unto them : they will not save them from evils." ^ Also in Jeremiah : ^' The Lord, who made heaven and earth, in strength hath ordered the world, in His wisdom hath stretched forth the heaven, and the multitude of the waters in the heaven. He hath brought out the clouds from the end of the earth, the lio;litnino;s in the clouds; and lie hath broucjht forth the winds from His treasures. Every man is made foolish by his knowledge, every artificer is confounded by his graven images ; because he hath molten a falsehood : there is no breath in them. The works shut up in them are made vain ; in the time of their consideration they shall perish."^ And in the Apocalypse : '' And the sixth angel sounded with his trumpet. And I heard one of the four corners of the golden ark, which is in the presence of God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound upon the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, to slay the third part of men ; and the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundi'ed thousand of thousand : I heard the number of them. And then I saw the horses in the vision, and those that sate upon them, having breastplates of fire, and of hyacinth, and of sulphur : and the heads of the horses [as the heads of lions] ; and out of their mouth went fire, and smoke, and sulphur. By these three plagues the third part of men was slain, by the fire, and the smoke, and the sulphur which went forth from their mouth, and is in their tails : for their tails were like unto eels ; for they had heads, and with them they do mischief. And the rest of the men who were not slain by these plagues, nor repented of 1 Isa. xlvi. 6, 7. 2 j^r. li. 16_19.
182 THE TREATISES OF CYPPJAK
the works of the deeds of their hands, that they should not wor- ship demons and idols, that is, images of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood, which can neither see nor walk, repented not also of their murders."^ Also in the same place : " And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice. If any man w^orship the beast and his image, and hath received his mark in his forehead or upon his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of His "v\Tath, and shall be punished with fire and sulphur, under the eyes of the holy angels, and under the eyes of the Lamb ; and the smoke of their torments shall ascend up for ever and ever."^
60. That too great lust of food is not to be desired.
In Isaiah : " Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die. This sin shall not be remitted to you even until ye die." ^ Also in Exodus : " And the people sate down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." * Paul, in the first to the Corinthians : " Meat commendeth us not to God ; neither if we eat shall we abound, nor if we eat not shall we w^ant." ^ And again : " When ye come together to eat, wait one for another. If any is hungry, let him eat at home, that ye may not come together for judgment." ^ Also to the Komans : " The kino-dom of God is not meat and drink, but rio-hteous- ness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." '' In the Gospel according to John : " I have meat which ye know not of. My meat is, that I should do His will who sent me, and should finish His work." ^
61. That the lust of possessing, and money, are not to be
sought for.
In Solomon, in Ecclesiasticus : " He that loveth silver
shall not be satisfied with silver." ^ Also in Proverbs : " He
who holdeth back the corn is cursed among the people ; but
blessing is on the head of him that communicateth it." ^^
1 Rev. ix. 1, 13-21. 2 Rev, ^iv. 9-11. » iga. xxii. 13, 11.
4 Ex. xxxii. 6. ■"' 1 Cor. viii. 8. ^ i c^r. xi. 33.
7 Rom. xiv. 17. ^ John. iv. 32, 31. '' Eccles. v. 10. 10 Prov. xi. 2G.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 183
Also in Isaiali : " Woe unto them who join house to house, and lay field to field, that they may take away sometliino; from their neighbour. Will ye dwell alone upon the earth ?" ^ Also in Zephaniah : " They shall build houses, and shall not dwell in them ; and they shall appoint vineyards, and shall not drink the wine of them, because the day of the Lord is near." ^ Also in the Gospel according to Luke : " For what does it profit a man to make a gain of the whole world, but that he should lose himself ? " ^ And ao;ain : " But the Lord said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul is required of thee. Whose, then, shall those things be which thou hast provided ? " * And again : " Kemember that thou hast re- ceived thy good things in this life, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now he is besought, and thou grievest." ^ And in the Acts of the Apostles : " But Peter said unto him, Silver and gold indeed I have not ; but what I have I give unto you ; In tlie name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And, taking hold of his right hand, he lifted him up." ^ Also in the first to Timothy : " We brought nothing into this world, but neither can we take anything away. Therefore, having maintenance and clothing, let us with these be content. But they who will become rich fall into temptation and a snare, and many and lun'tful lusts, which drown man in perdition and destruction. For the root of all evils is covetousness, which some coveting, have made ship- wreck from the faith, and have plunged themselves in many
62. That marriage is not to be contracted with Gentiles.
Li Tobias : " Take a wife from the seed of thy parents, and take not a strange woman who is not of the tribe of thy parents." ^ Also in Genesis, Abraham sends his servant to take from his seed Bebecca, for his son Isaac. Also in Esdras, it was not sufficient for God when the Jews were laid waste, unless they forsook their foreign wives, with the
1 Isa. V. 8. ' Zeph. i. 13, 14. ^ Lnlcc ix. 25.
* Luke xii. 20. ^ Luke xvi. 25. ^ Acts iii. 6.
7 1 Tim. vi. 7-10. « Tob. iv. 12.
184 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN,
children also whom they had begotten of them. Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " The woman is bound so long as her husband liveth ; but if he die, she is freed to marry whom she will, only in the Lord. But she will be happier if she abide thus." ^ And again : " Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ ? Shall I take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot ? Far be it from me. Or know ye not that he who is joined together with an harlot is one body ? for two shall be in one flesh. But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit." ^ Also in the second to the Corinthians : " Be not joined to- gether with unbelievers. For what participation is there between rio;hteousness and unriojhteousness ? or what com- munication hath liMit with darkness ? " ^ Also concernino; Solomon in the third book of Kings : " And foreign wives turned away his heart after their gods." *
63. That the sin of fornication is grievous.
In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " Every sin whatsoever a man doeth is outside the body ; but he who committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a great price. Glorify and bear the Lord in your body." ^
64. What are those carnal things which beget death, and
what are the spiritual things which lead to life. Paul to the Galatians : " The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh : for these are contrary the one to the other, that ye cannot do even those things which ye wish. But the deeds of the flesh are manifest, which are : adulteries, fornications, impurities, filthiness, idola- tries, sorceries, murders, hatreds, strifes, emulations, animosi- ties, provocations, hatreds, dissensions, heresies, envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like : witli respect to which I declare, that they who do such things shall not possess the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy,
1 1 Cor. vii. 39, 40. ^ i Cor. vi. 15-17. » 2 Cor. vi. 14.
* 1 Kinirs xi. 4. ^ 1 Cor. vi. 18-20.
TESTIMONIES A GAINST THE JE WS. 1 85
peace, magnanimity, goodness, faith, gentleness, continency, chastity. For they who are Christ's have crucified their flesh, with its vices and lusts." ^
Qb, That all sins are put away in baptism.
In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " Neither fornicators, nor those who serve idols, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor the lusters after mankind, nor thieves, nor cheaters, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers, shall obtain the kingdom of God. And these things indeed ye were : but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." ^
Q>Q. That the discipline of God is to be observed in church precepts.
In Jeremiah : " And I will give to yon shepherds accord- ing to my own heart ; and they shall feed the sheep, feeding them with discipline." ^ Also in Solomon, in the Proverbs : " My son, neglect not the discipline of God, nor fail w^hen rebuked by Him. For whom God loveth. He rebuketh." •* Also in the second Psalm : " Keep discipline, lest perchance the Lord should be angry, and ye perish from the right way, when His anger shall burn up quickly against you. Blessed are all they who trust in Him." ^ Also in the forty-ninth Psalm : " But to the sinner saith God, For what dost thou set forth my judgments, and takest my covenant into thy mouth ? But thou hatest discipline, and hast cast my words behind thee." ® Also in the Wisdom of Solomon : " He who casteth away discipline is miserable." ^
67. That it was foretold that men should despise sound discipline.
Paul, in the second to Timothy : " There will be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine ; but according to their own lusts will heap to themselves teachers itching in
1 Gal. V. 17-24. 2 1 c^p ^i. 9-11. ^ Jer. iii. 15.
* Prov. iii. 11, 12. •'' Ps. ii. 12. ^ pg. j. ig.
7 Wisd. iii. 11.
186 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
hearing, tickling their ears ; and shall turn away their hear- ing indeed from the truth, but they shall be converted unto fables." ^
68. That we must depart from him who lives irregularly
and contrary to discipline. Paul to the Thessalonians : '' But we have commanded you, in the name of Jesus Christ, that ye depart from all brethren who walk disorderly, and not according to the tra- dition which they have received from us." ^ Also in the forty-ninth Psalm : " If thou sawest a thief, at once thou rannest with him, and placedst thy portion with the adul- terers." ^
69. That the kingdom of God is not in the wisdom of the
world, nor in eloquence, but in the faith of the cross,
and in virtue of conversation. In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " Christ sent me to preach, not in wisdom of discourse, lest the cross of Christ should become of no effect. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who perish ; but to those who are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will reprove the prudence of the prudent. Where is the wise ? where is the scribe ? where is the disputer of this world % Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Since indeed, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Because the Jews desire signs, and the Greeks seek for wisdom : but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews indeed a stumbling-block, and to the Gentiles foolishness ; but to them that are called, Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."* And again : "Let no man deceive himself. If any man think that he is wise among you, let him become a fool to this world, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written. Thou shalt rebuke the wise in their 1 2 Tim. iv. 3, 4. ^2 Thcss. iii. 6. ^ Ps. 1. 18. ^ i Qq^,^ j^ 17-24.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 187
own craftiness.*' ^ And again : " The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are foohsh.*' *
70. That we must obey parents.
In the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians ; " Children, be obedient to your parents: for this is right. Honour thy father and thy mother (which is the first command with pro- mise), that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest be long-lived on the earth." ^
71. And that fathers also should not be harsh in respect
of their children. Also in the same place : " And, ye fathers, drive not your children to wrath : but nourish them in the discipline and rebuke of the Lord." *
72. That servants, when they have believed, ought to
serve their carnal masters the better. In the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians : " Servants, obey your fleshly masters with fear and trembling, and in sim- plicity of your heart, as to Christ ; not serving for the eye, as if you were pleasing men ; but as servants of God." ^
73. Moreover, that masters should be the more gentle. Also in the same place : " And, ye masters, do the same
things to them, forbearing anger : knowing that both your blaster and theirs is in heaven ; and there is no choice of persons with Him." ^
74. That all widows that are approved are to be held in
honour.
In the first Epistle of Paul to Timothy : ^' Honour widows
which are truly widows. But the widow that is wanton, is
dead while she liveth." ^ And again : " But the younger
widows pass by : for when they shall be wanton in Christ,
1 1 Cor. iii. 18-20. 2 pg. xciii. 11. s Epi,. vi. 1-3.
* Eph. vi. 4. 5 Eph. vi. 5, 6. « Eph. vi. 9.
7 1 Tim. v. 3, 6.
188 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
they wish to marry; having judgment, because they have cast off their first faith." ^
75. That every person ought to have care rather of his
own people, and especially of believers. The apostle in his first Epistle to Timothy : " But if any take not care of his own, and especially of those of his own household, he denies the faith, and is worse than an infidel." ^ Of this same thing in Isaiah : "If thou shalt see the naked, clothe him ; and despise not those who are of the household of thine own seed." ^ Of which members of the household it is said in the Gospel : " If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much rather them of his house- hold!"*
76. That an elder must not be rashly accused.
In the first to Timothy : " Against an elder receive not an accusation." ^
77. That the sinner must be publicly reproved.
In the first Epistle of Paul to Timothy : " Rebuke them that sin in the presence of all, that others also may be afraid." ^
78. That we must not speak with heretics.
To Titus : " A man that is an heretic, after one rebuke avoid ; knowing that one of such sort is perverted, and sinneth, and is by his own self condemned." ^ Of this same thing in the Epistle of John : " They went out from among us, but they were not of us ; for if they had been of us, they would doubtless have remained ^vith us." ^ Also in the second to Timothy : " Their word doth creep as a canker." ^
79. That innocency asks with confidence, and obtains.
In the Epistle of John : " If our heart blame us not, we have confidence towards God ; and whatever we ask, we
1 1 Tim. V. 11, 12. 2 I Y\m. v. 8. ^ iga. Iviii. 7.
* Matt. X. 25. ^ 1 Tim. v. 19. « 1 Tim. v. 20.
f Tit. iii. 10, 11. Q 1 John ii. 19. ^ 2 Tim. ii. 17.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 189
shall receive from Him." ^ Also in the Gospel according to Matthew : " Blessed are they of a pure heart, for they shall see God." ^ Also in the twenty-third Psalm : " Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ? or who shall stand in His holy place ? The innocent in hands and of a pure heart." ^
80. That the devil has no power against man unless God have allowed it.
In the Gospel according to John : " Jesus said, Thou couldest have no power against me, unless it were given thee from above." * Also in the third of Kings : " And God stirred up Satan against Solomon himself." ^ Also in Job, first of all God permitted, and then it was allowed to the devil ; and in the Gospel, the Lord first permitted, by saying to Judas, " What thou doest, do quickl3\" ^ Also in Solomon, in the Proverbs: "The heart of the king is in God's hand."^
8L That wages be quickly paid to the hireling. In Leviticus : " The wages of thy hireling shall not sleep W'ith thee until the morning." ^
^2. That divination must not be used.
In Deuteronomy : " Do not use omens nor auguries." '
83. That a tuft of hair is not to be worn on the head.
In Leviticus : " Ye shall not make a tuft from the hair of your head." ^«
84. That the beard must not be plucked.
" Ye shall not deface the figure of your beard." ^^
85. That we must rise when a bishop or a presbyter comes. In Leviticus : " Thou shalt rise up before the face of the
elder, and shalt honour the person of the presbyter." ^^
1 1 John ii. 21, 22. 2 j^r^tt v. 8. 3 p^. ^xiv. 3, 4.
* John xix. 11. ^ 1 Kings xi. 23. ^ John xiii. 27.
^ Prov. xxi. 1. ^ Lev. xix. 13. '' Dent, xviii. 10.
10 Lev. xix. 27. ^^ Lev. xix. 27. ^- Lev. xix. 32.
190 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN,
^^. That a schism must not be made, even although he who withdraws should remain in one faith, and in the same tradition.
In Ecclesiasticus, in Solomon : " He that cleaveth firewood shall be endangered by it if the iron shall fall off." ^ Also in Exodus : " In one house shall it be eaten : ye shall not cast forth the flesh abroad out of the house." ^ Also in the 132d Psalm : " Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is that brethren should dwell in unity ! " ^ Also in the Gospel according to Matthew : " He that is not with me is against me ; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth." * Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " But I be- seech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all say the same thing, and that there be no schisms among you ; but that ye be all joined together in the same mind and in the same opinion." ^ Also in the sixty-seventh Psalm : " God, who maketh men to dwell with one mind in a house." ^
87. That believers ought to be simple, with prudence.
In the Gospel according to Matthew : " Be ye prudent as serpents, and simple as doves." "^ And again : " Ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt have lost his savour, in what shall it be salted ? It is good for nothing, but to be cast out abroad, and to be trodden under foot of men." ^
88. That a brother must not be deceived.
In the first Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians : " That a man do not deceive his brother in a matter, because God is the avenger for all these." ^
89. That the end of the world comes suddenly.
The apostle says: "The day of the Lord shall so come as a thief in the night. When they shall say. Peace and security, then on them shall come sudden destruction." ^^
1 Eccles. X. 9. 2 Ex. xii. 4. s pg, cxxxiii. 1. ^ ;Matt. xii. 30.
5 1 Cor. i. 10. ^ Ps. Ixviii. 6. '' Matt. x. IG. » ]\Xatt. v. 13.
9 1 Thess. iv. C. ^» 1 Thess. v. 2, 3.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 191
Also in the Acts of the Apostles : " No one can know the times or the seasons which the Father has placed in His own power." ^
90. That a wife must not depart from her husband; or
if she should depart, she must remain unmarried. In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " But to them that are married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, that the w ife should not be separated from her husband ; but if she should depart, that she remain unmarried or be recon- ciled to her husband : and that the husband should not put away his wife." ^
91. That every one is tempted so much as he is able to
bear. In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: ^'No temptation shall take you, except such is human. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able ; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." ^
92. That not everything is to be done which is lawful. Paul, in the first Epistle to the Corinthians : " All things
are lawful, but all things are not expedient : all things are lawful, but all things edify not." ^
93. That it was foretold that heresies would arise.
In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : " Heresies must needs be, in order that they which are approved may be made manifest among you." ^
94. That the Eucharist is to be received with fear and
honour. In Leviticus : ^' But whatever soul shall eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of salvation, which is the Lord's, and his un- cleanness is still upon him, that soul shall perish from his
1 Acts i. 7. 2 1 Cor. vii. 10, 11. M Cor. x. 13.
* 1 Cor. X. 23. 5 I Cor. xi. 19.
192 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN,
people." ^ Also in the first to the Corinthians : " Whosoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." ^
95. That we are to live with the good, but to avoid the
evil. In Solomon, in the Proverbs : *^ Bring not the impious man into the habitation of the righteous." ^ Also in the same, in Ecclesiasticus : " Let righteous men be thy guests." * And affain : " The faithful friend is a medicine of life and of immortality." ^ Also in the same place : " Be thou far from the man who has the power to slay, and thou shalt not suspect fear." ^ Also in the same place : " Blessed is he who findeth a true friend, and who speaketh righteousness to the listening ear." ^ Also in the same place : '^ Hedge thine ears with thorns, and hear not a wicked tongue." ^ Also in the seventeenth Psalm : " With the righteous Thou shalt be justified ; and with the innocent man Thou shalt be innocent ; and with the froward man Thou shalt be froward." ^ Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians : '* Evil com- munications corrupt good dispositions." ^°
96. That we must labour not with words, but with deeds. In Solomon, in Ecclesiasticus : " Be not hasty in thy
tongue, and in thy deeds useless and remiss." -^^ And Paul, in the first to the Corinthians : " The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." ^^ Also to the Romans : '' Not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." ^^ Also in the Gospel according to Matthew : " He who shall do and teach so, shall be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven." ^* Also in the same place : " Every one who heareth my words, and doeth them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his
1 Lev. vii. 20. ^ i Cor. xi. 27. ^ Prov. xxiv. 15.
-* Ecclus. ix. 16. ^ Ecclus. vi. 16. ^ Ecclus. ix. 13.
7 Ecclus. XXV. 9. 8 Ecclus. xxviii. 21. » Ps. xviii. 25, 26.
10 1 Cor. XV. 33. " Ecclus. iv. 29. ^- 1 Cor. iv. 20.
13 Rom. ii. 13. 1^ Matt. v. 19.
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 193
house upon a rock. The rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not : for it was founded upon a rock. And every one who heareth my words, and doeth them not, I will liken him to the foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. The rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew, and beat upon that house ; and it fell : and its ruin became great."
" 1
97. That we must hasten to faith and to attainment.
In Solomon, in Ecclesiasticus : *' Delay not to be con- verted to God, and do not put off from day to day ; for His anger cometh suddenly." ^
98. That the catechumen ouMit now no lono-er to sin.
In the Epistle of Paul to the Komans : " Let us do evil until the good things come ; whose condemnation is just." ^
99. That judgment will be according to the times, either
of equity before the law, or of law after Moses. Paul to the Pomans : '' As many as have sinned without law, shall perish without law ; and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged also by the law." ^
100. That the grace of God ought to be without price.
In the Acts of the Apostles : " Thy money be in perdition with thyself, because thou hast thought that the grace of God is possessed by money." ^ Also in the Gospel : ^' Freely ye have received, freely give." ^ Also in the same place : " Ye have made my Fatlier's house a house of merchandise ; and ye have made the house of prayer a den of thieves." ^" Also in Isaiah : " Ye who thirst, go to the water, and as many as have not money : go, and buy, and drink without money." ^ Also in the Apocalypse : " I am Alpha and
1 Mcatt. vii. 24-27. 2 Ecclus. v. 7. 3 Rom. iii. 8.
4 Rom. ii. 12. s ^^cts viii. 20. « Matt. x. 8.
'' Matt. xxi. 13. The latter clause of this quotation is omitted by the Oxford editor. ^ Isa. Iv. 1. CYP. — VOL. IT. N
194 THE TREATISES OF CTPETAK
Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to him that thirsteth from the fountain of the water of life freely. He who shall overcome shall possess these things, and their in- heritance ; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son," ^
101. That the Holy Spirit has frequently appeared in fire. In Exodus : " And the whole of Mount Sinai smoked,
because God had come down upon it in fire." ^ Also in the Acts of the Apostles : " And suddenly there was made a sound from heaven, as if a vehement blast were borne along, and it filled the whole of that place in which they were sitting. And there appeared to them cloven tongues as if of fire, which also settled upon each of them ; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost." ^ Also in the sacrifices, what- soever God accounted accepted, fire descended from heaven, which consumed what w^as sacrificed. In Exodus : " The angel of the Lord appeared in a fiame of fire from the bush." *
102. That all good men ought willingly to hear rebuke. In Solomon, in the Proverbs : " He who reproveth a
wicked man shall be hated by him. Eebuke a wise man, and he will love you." ^
103. That we must abstain from much speaking.
In Solomon : " Out of much speaking thou shalt not escape sin ; but sparing thy lips, thou shalt be wise." ®
104. That we must not lie.
" Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord." ^
105. That they are frequently to be corrected who do
Avrong in domestic duty. In Solomon : " He who spareth the rod, hateth his son." * And again : " Do not cease from correcting the child." ^
|
^ Rev. xxi. 6, 7. |
2 Ex. xix. 18. |
3 Acts ii. 2-4. |
|
* Ex. iii. 2. |
5 Prov. ix. 8. |
6 Prov. X. 19. |
|
7 Prov. xii. 22. |
^ Prov. xiii. 24. |
9 Prov. xix. 18. |
TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 195
106. That when a wrong is received, patience is to be
maintained, and vengeance to be left to God. Say not, I will avenge me of mine enemy ; but wait for the Lord, that He may be thy help." ^ Also elsewhere : " To me belongeth vengeance ; I will repay, saith the Lord." ^ Also in Zephaniah : " Wait on me, saith the Lord, in the day of my rising again to witness ; because my judgment is to the congregations of the Gentiles, that I may take kings, and pour out upon them my anger." ^
107. That we must not use detraction.
In Solomon, in the Proverbs : " Love not to detract, lest thou be taken away." * Also in the forty-ninth Psalm : " Thou sattest, and spakest against thy brother ; and against the son of thy mother thou placedst a stumbling-block." ^ Also in the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians : ^ "To speak ill of no man, nor to be litigious." ^
108. That we must not lay snares against our neighbour. In Solomon, in the Proverbs : " He who diggeth a pit for
his neighbour, himself shall fall into it." ^
109. That the sick are to be visited.
In Solomon, in Ecclesiasticus : " Be not slack to visit the sick man ; for from these things thou shalt be strengthened in love." ^ Also in the Gospel : " I was sick, and ye visited me ; I was in prison, and ye came unto me." ^"
110. That tale-bearers are accursed.
In Ecclesiasticus, in Solomon : " The tale-bearer and the double-tongued is accursed ; for he will distm-b many who have peace." ^^
1 Lev. xix. 18. * Deut. xxxii. 35.
3 Zeph. iu. 8. * Prov. xx. 13 (LXX.).
^ Ps. 1. 20. 6 Oxford edition, " to Titus.»»
' Tit. iii. 2. 8 Prov. xxvi. 27.
^ Ecclus. vii. 39. lo Matt. xxv. 36. ^^ Ecclus. xxviii. 15.
196 THE TREATISES OF CYPPJAN.
111. That the sacrifices of the wicked are not acceptable. In the same : " The Highest approveth not the gifts of
the unrighteous." ^
112. That those are more severely judged, who in this
world have had more power. In Solomon : " The hardest judgment shall be made on those who govern. For to a mean man mercy is granted ; but the powerful shall suffer torments mightily." ^ Also in the second Psalm : " And now, ye kings, understand ; be amended, ye who judge the earth." ^
113. That the widow and orphans ought to be protected. In Solomon : " Be merciful to the orphans as a father, and
as a husband to their mother ; and thou shalt be the son of the Highest if thou shalt obey." * Also in Exodus : " Ye shall not afflict any widow and orphan. But if ye afflict them, and they cry out and call unto me, I will hear their cryings, and will be angry in mind against you ; and I will destroy you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children orphans." ^ Also in Isaiah : " Judge for the fatherless, and justify the widow ; and come, let us reason, saith the Lord." ® Also in Job : '^ I have preserved the poor man from the hand of the mighty, and I have helped the fatherless, who had no helper : the mouth of the widow hath blessed me." '' Also in the sixty-seventh Psalm : " The Father of the orphans, and the Judge of the widows."^
114. That while one is in the flesh, he ought to make
confession. In the flfth Psalm : '^ But in the grave who will confess unto Thee f ° Also in the twenty-ninth Psalm : " Shall the dust make confession to Thee ?" ^^ Also elsewhere that con-
1 Ecclus. xxxiv. 19. ^ ^yisd. vi. 6. 3 pg. n iq.
4 Ecclus. iv. 10. ^ Ex. xxii. l>2-24. ^ jga. i. 17, IS.
7 Job xxix. 12, 13. s Ps. Ixviii. 5. ^ Ps. vi. 5. 10 Ps. XXX. 9.
TESTIMONIES A GAINST THE JE WS, 1 9 7
fession Is to be made : " I would rather have the repentance of the sinner than his death." ^ Also In Jeremiah : " Thus salth the Lord, Shall not he that falleth arise ? or shall not he that Is turned away be converted ?" ^
115. That flattery Is pernicious.
In Isaiah : " They who call you blessed, lead you into error, and trouble the paths of your feet." ^
116. That God is more loved by him who has had many
sins forgiven in baptism. In the Gospel according to Luke : " To whom much is forgiven, he loveth much ; and to whom little is forgiven, tlie same loveth little." *
117. That there Is a strong conflict to be waged against
the devil, and that therefore we ought to stand bravely, that we may be able to conquer. In the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians : " Our wrestle Is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers and princes of this world, and of this darkness ; against the spi- ritual things of wickedness in the heavenly places. Because of this, put on the whole armour of God, that ye ma}^ be able to resist in the most evil day ; that when ye have accomplished all, ye may stand, having your loins girt in the truth of the gospel, putting on the breastplate of righteousness, and having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace ; In all things taking the shield of faith. In which ye may extingaish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one ; and take tlie helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which Is the word of God." ^
118. Also of Antichrist, that he will come as a man.
In Isaiah : " This is the man who arouscth the earth, who disturbeth kings, who maketh the whole earth a desert." ^
^ Ezck. xxxiii. 11. 2 jj^j. yjji 4^
3 Isa. iii. 12. * lAike vii. 47.
5 Eph. vi. 12-17. 6 Isa. xiv. IC.
198 THE TREATISES OF CYPPJAN.
119. That the yoke of the law was heavy, which is cast
off by us, and that the Lord's yoke is easy, which
is taken up by us. In the second Psalm : " Wherefore have the heathen been in tumult, and the peoples meditated vain things ? The kings of the earth have stood up, and their princes have been gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ. Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away from us their yoke." ^ Also in the Gospel according to Matthew : " Come unto me, ye who labour and are burdened, and I will make you to rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me : for I am meek and lowly of heart,^ and ye shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is good, and my burden is light." ^ Also in the Acts of the Apostles : " It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to impose upon you no other burden than those things which are of necessity, that you should abstain from idolatries, from shedding of blood, and from fornication. And whatsoever you would not to be done unto you, do not to others." -
120. That we are to be urgent in prayers.
In the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians : " Be instant in prayer, and watch therein." ^ Also in the first Psalm : " But in the law of the Lord is his will, and in His law will he meditate day and night." ^
1 Ps. ii. 1-3.
2 In one codex, from this point all the rest is wanting,
3 Matt. xi. 28-30. * Acts xv. 28, 29. ^^ Col. iv. 2.
^ Ps. i. 2. The Oxford edition continues : " Likewise in Solomon ; ' Be not hindered from praying ever, and delay not unto death to be justified ; for the repayment of the Lord abideth for ever.'"
THE
SEVENTH COUNCIL OF CAETHAGE UNDER CYPEIAN.
A.D. 256.
CONCERNING THE BAPTISM OF HERETICS.
THE JUDGMENT OF EIGHTY-SEVEN BISHOPS ON THE BAPTISM OF HEKETICS.
Peocemium. — }Vhen the Pope Stephen had hy his letters con- demned the decrees of the African Council on the hajytism of heretics,^ Cyprian lost no time in holding another council at Carthage ivith a greater number of bishops. Having therefore summoned eighty-seven bishops from Africa, Numidia, and Mauritania, who assembled at Carthage in the kalends of September 258, this third council on the same matter of baptism was then celebrated; at the beginning of which, after the letters on either side had been read, Cyprian, by implication, condemns the assump- tion of Stephen, Of this council there exists no further memorials than such as have been here collected from Cyprian, and from St. Augustine, '' De Baptismo contra JDonatistas,'" Look iii. cli. iv. v. and vi., and book vii. cli. i. ; a7id in these nothing else is contained than the judg- ments of the eighty-seven bishops on the nullity of baptisju administered by heretics. If any one desires to see these judgments impugned, let him consult Augustine as above.
IIEN, in the kalends of Se]3tember, a great many
bishops from the provinces of Africa, Numidia,
and ^lauritania, had met together at Carthage,
together with the presbyters and deacons, and a
considerable part of the congregation who were also present ;
^ The results of this council are given in Ep. Ixxi. vol. i. p. 256.
199
200 THE SEVENTH COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE,
and when the letter of Jubaianus written to Cyprian had been read, as also the reply of Cyprian to Jubaianus, about baptizing heretics, and what the same Jubaianus had sub- sequently rejoined to Cyprian, — Cyprian said : You have heard, my dearly beloved colleagues, what Jubaianus our co-bishop has written to me, taking counsel of my poor in- telligence concerning the unlawful and profane baptism of heretics, as well as what I wrote in answer to him, decreeing, to wit, what we have once and again and frequently de- termined, that heretics who come to the church must be baptized and sanctified by the baptism of the church. Moreover, another letter of Jubaianus has also been read to you, wherein, replying, in accordance with his sincere and religious devotion, to my letter, he not only acquiesced in what I had said, but confessing that he had been instructed thereby, he returned thanks for it. It remains, that upon this same matter each of us should bring forward what we think, judging no man, nor rejecting any one from the right of communion, if he should think differently from us. For neither does any of us set himself up as a bishop of bishops,^ nor by tyrannical terror does any compel his colleague to the necessity of obedience ; since every bishop, according to the allowance of his liberty and power, has his own proper right of judgment, and can no more be judged by another than he himself can judge another. But let us all wait for the judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only one that has the power both of preferring us in the government of His church, and of judging us in our conduct there.
Csecilius of Bilta ^ said : I know only one baptism in the church, and none out of the church. This one will be here, where there is the true hope and the certain faith. For thus it is written: "One faith, one hope, one baptism;"^ not among heretics, where there is no hope, and the faith is false, where all things are carried on by lying ; where a demoniac
^ Of course this implies a rebuke to the assumption of Stephen.
2 Sell of Mauritania ; possibly, says the Oxford translator, Bidil, Bita, or " urbs Abitensis."
3 Eph. iv. 5.
CONCERNING THE BAPTISM OF HERETICS. 201
exorcises ; where one^ whose mouth and words send forth a cancer puts the sacramental interrogation ; ^ the faithless gives faith ; the wicked bestows pardon of sins ; and Antichrist baptizes in the name of Christ ; he who is cursed of God blesses ; he who is dead promises life ; he who is unpeaceful gives peace; the blasphemer calls upon God; the profane person administers the office of the priesthood; the sacrile- gious person establishes an altar. In addition to all these things, there is also this evil, that the priests of the devil dare to celebrate the Eucharist ; or else let those who stand by them say that all these things concerning heretics are false. Behold to what kind of things the church is com- pelled ^ to consent, and is constrained without baptism, with- out pardon of sins, to hold communion. And this thing, brethren, we ought to flee from and avoid, and to separate ourselves from so great a wickedness, and to hold one baptism, which is granted by the Lord to the church alone.
Primus of Misgirpa * said : I decide, that every man who comes to us from heresy must be baptized. For in vain does he think that he has been baptized there, seeing that there is no baptism save the one and true baptism in the chui'ch ; because not only is God one, but the faith is one, and the church is one, wherein stands the one baptism, and holiness, and the rest. For whatever is done without, has no effect of salvation.
Polycarp from Adrumetum * said : They who approve the baptism of heretics make void our baptism.
Novatus of Thamugada ® said : Although we know that all the Scriptures give witness concerning the saving baptism, still we ought to declare our faith, that heretics and schis- matics who come to the church, and appear to have been
1 According to some editions, "the sacrilegious man," etc.
^ " Sacramentum interrogat."
^ By the despotism of Stephen.
* A city of Zeugitana. Augustine calls this bishop FeHx, and speaks of him as ihQ first of that name who spoke.— FeZZ.
^ This is the Polycarp referred to in Ep. xliv. vol. i. p. 119. Adru- metum was a colony on the coast, about eighty-five miles from Carthage.
^ In Numidia.
202 THE SEVENTH COUNCIL OF CAETHAGE.
falsely baptized, ought to be baptized in the everlasting fountain ; and therefore, according to the testimony of the Scriptures, and according to the decree of our colleagues, men of most holy memory, that all schismatics and heretics who are converted to the church must be baptized; and moreover, that those who appeared to have been ordained must be received among lay people.
Nemesianus of Thubunsa ^ said : That the baptism which heretics and schismatics bestow is not the true one, is every- where declared in the Holy Scriptiu'es, since their very leading men are false Christs and false prophets, as the Lord says by Solomon : " He who trusteth in that which is false, he feedeth the winds ; and the very same, moreover, followeth the flight of birds. For he forsaketh the ways of his own vineyard, he has wandered from the paths of his own little field. But he walketh through pathless places, and dry, and a land destined for thirst ; moreover, he gathereth together fruitless things in his hands." ^ And again : " Abstain from strange w^ater, and from the fountain of another do not drink, that you may live a long time ; also that the years of life may be added to thee." ^ And in the Gospel our Lord Jesus Christ spoke with His divine voice, saying, " Except a man be born again of w^ater and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." * This is the Spirit which from the beginning was borne over the waters ; for neither can the Spirit operate without the water, nor the water mthout the Spirit. Certain people therefore interpret for themselves ill, when they say that by imposition of the hand they receive the Holy Ghost, and are thus received, when it is manifest that they ought to be born again in the Catholic Church by both sacraments. Then indeed they will be able to be sons of God, as says the apostle : " Taking care to keep the unit}' of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, as ye have been called in one hope of your calling ; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God." ^ All these things speaks the Catholic Church. And again, in the
1 In Mauritania Csesariensis. ^ Prov. ix. 12, LXX.
3 Prov. ix. 19. ** John iii. 5. ^ Eph. iv. 3-6.
CONCERNING THE BAPTISM OF HERETICS. 203
Gospel the Lord says : " That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit ; because God is a Spirit, and he is born of God." ^ Therefore, what- soever things all heretics and schismatics do are carnal, as the apostle says : " For the works of the flesh are mani- fest, which are, fornications, uncleannesses, incest, idolatries, witchcrafts, hatreds, contentions, jealousy, anger, divisions, heresies, and the like to these ; concerning which I have told you before, as I also foretell you now, that whoever do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." ^ And thus the apostle condemns, with all the wicked, those also who cause division, that is, schismatics and heretics. Unless therefore they receive saving baptism in the Catholic Church, wdiich is one, they cannot be saved, but will be condemned with the carnal in the judgment of the Lord Christ.
Januarius of Lambesis ^ said : According to the authority of the holy Scriptures, I decree that all heretics must be baptized, and so admitted into the holy church.
Lucius of Castra Galbse * said : Since the Lord in His Gospel said, '^ Ye are the salt of the earth : but if the salt should have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted ? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out of doors, and to be trodden under foot of men." ^ And again, after His resurrection, sending His apostles, He gave them charge, saying, " All power is given unto me, in heaven and in earth. Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." ^ Since, therefore, it is manifest that heretics — that is, the enemies of Christ — have not the sound confession of the sacrament ; moreover, that schismatics cannot season others with spiritual wisdom, since they themselves, by departing from the church, which is one, having lost the savour, have become contrary to it, — let it be done as it is written, " The house of those that are contrary to the law owes a cleansing." ^" And it is a con- sequence that those who, having been baptized by people who
^ John ill. 6. 2 Gal. y. 19-21. « In Numidia.
4 Or Gilba. « Matt. v. IS. « Matt, xxviii. 18, 19.
7 Prov. xiv. 9, LXX.
204 THE SEVENTH COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE.
are contrary to the cliurch, are polluted, must first be cleansed, and then at length be baptized.
Crescens of Cu'ta ^ said : In such an assembly of most holy fellow-priests, as the letters of our most beloved Cyprian to Jubaianus and also to Stephen have been read, containing in them so much of the holy testimonies which descend from the divinely made Scriptures, that with reason we ought, all being made one by the grace of God, to consent to them ; I judge that all heretics and schismatics who wish to come to the Catholic Church, shall not be allowed to enter without they have first been exorcised and baptized ; with the excep- tion of those indeed who may previously have been baptized in the Catholic Church, and these in such a way that they may be reconciled to the penitence of the church by the imposition of hands.
Nicomedes of Segermoe ^ said : My opinion is this, that heretics coming to the church should be baptized, for the reason that among sinners without they can obtain no remis- sion of sins.
Munnulus ^ of Girba ^ said : The truth of our Mother the Catholic Church, brethren, hath always remained and still remains with us, and even especially in the Trinity of baptism, as our Lord says, " Go ye and baptize the nations, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." ^ Since, then, we manifestly know that heretics have not either Father, or Son, or Holy Spirit, they ought, when they come to the Church our ^Mother, truly to be born again and to be baptized ; that the cancer which they had, and the anger of damnation, and the witchery of error, may be sanctified by the holy and heavenly laver.
Secundinus of Cedias ® said : Since our Lord Christ says, " He who is not with me is against me ; " ^ and John the apostle calls those who depart from the church Antichrists —
1 Cirta Julia in Nuraidia. 2 j^-^ J^umidia.
^ Ep. liii. vol. i. p. 155. Munnulus is mentioned as one of the bishops who write with Cyprian to Cornelius. He is there called " Monulus." 4 Gerra. ^ Matt, xxviii. 19.
^ Perhaps Quidias in Mauritania Csesariensis. ^" Matt. xii. 30.
CONCERNING THE BAPTISM OF HERETICS. 205
imdoubteclly enemies of Christ — any such as are called Anti- christs cannot minister the grace of saving baptism. And therefore I think that those who flee from the snares of the heretics to the church must be baptized by us, who are called friends of God, of His condescension.
Felix of Bagai ^ said : As, when the blind leads the blind, they fall together into the ditch ; so, when the heretic baptizes a heretic, they fall together into death. And therefore a heretic must be baptized and made alive, lest we who arc alive should hold communion with the dead.
Pollanus of Mlleum ^ said : It is right that a heretic be baptized in the holy church.
Theogenes of Hippo Regius ^ said : According to the sacrament of God's heavenly grace which we have received, we believa one baptism which is in the holy church.
Dativus of Badis ^ said : We, as far as in us lies, do not hold communion with heretics, unless they have been baptized in the church, and have received remission of their sins.
Successus of Abbir Germaniclana ^ said : Heretics can either do nothing, or they can do all. If they can baptize, they can also bestow the Holy Spirit. But if they cannot give the Holy Spirit, because they have not the Holy Spirit, neither can they spiritually baptize. Therefore we judge that heretics must be baptized.
Fortunatus of Tuccaboris ° said : Jesus Christ our Lord and God, Son of God the Father and Creator, built His church upon a rock, not upon heresy ; and gave the power of baptizing to bishops, not to heretics. Wherefore they who are without the church, and, standing in opposition to Christ, disperse His sheep and flock, cannot baptize, being without.
Sedatus of Tuburbo ^ said : In the deOTce in which water
^ In Numidia. Here was lield the Donatist " Concilium Bagaiense "' of 310 bishops (Oxford cd.).
2 In Numidia.
2 The See of St. Augustine in Numidia, 218 miles from Carthage, and ICO miles from Hippo Diarrhytus ; quod vide p. 215.
■* Badea, or Badel, in Numidia. ^ In Zeugitana.
^ Tucca-terebinthina in Zeugitana.
^ Thuburbo, or Thubiu-bis, in Zeugitana.
206 THE SEVENTH COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE.
sanctified in the cliurcli by the prayer of the priest, washes away sins ; in that degree, if infected with heretical discourse as with a cancer, it heaps up sins. Wherefore we must endeavour with all peaceful powers, that no one infected and stained with heretical error refuse to receive the single and true baptism of the church, by which whosoever is not baptized, shall become an alien from the kingdom of heaven. Privatianus of Suf etula ^ said : Let him who says that heretics have the power of baptizing, say first who founded heresy. For if heresy is of God, it also may have the divine indulgence. But if it is not from God, how can it either have the grace of God, or confer it upon any one ?
Privatus of Sufes ^ said : He who approves the baptism of heretics, what else does he do than communicate with heretics ?
Hortensianus of Lares ^ said : Let either these presump- tuous ones, or those who favour heretics, consider how many baptisms there are. We claim for the church one baptism, which we know not except in the church. Or how can they baptize any one in the name of Christ, whom Christ Himself declares to be His adversaries ?
Cassius of Macomadge * said : Since there cannot be two baptisms, he who yields baptism to the heretics takes it away from himself. I judge therefore that heretics, lamentable and corrupt, must be baptized when they begin to come to the church ; and that when washed by the sacred and divine washing, and illuminated by the light of life, they may be received into the church, not as enemies, but as made peace- ful ; not as foreigners, but as of the household of the faith of the Lord ; not as children of adultery, but as sons of God ; not of error, but of salvation ; except those who once faithful have been supplanted, and have passed over from the church to the darkness of heresy, but that these must be restored by the imposition of hands.
Another Januarius of Vicus Csesaris ^ said : If error does
^ A city of Numidia Byzacense. ^ j^^ Byzacena.
3 A city of Numidia Ptolemais. * Or Macodama in Numidia.
^ Perhaps Nova Csesaris in Numidia.
CONCERNING THE BAPTISM OF HERETICS. 207
not obey truth, much more truth does not consent to error ; and therefore we stand by the church in which we preside, that, claiming her baptism for herself alone, we should baptize those whom the church has not baptized.
Another Secundinus of Carpi ^ said : Are heretics Chris- tians or not? If they are Christians, why are they not in the church of God ? If they are not Christians, how come they to make Christians ? Or whither will tend the Lord's discourse, when He says, " He that is not with me is against me, and he who gathereth not with me scattereth ?" ^ Whence it appears plain that upon strange children, and on the off- spring of Antichrist, the Holy Ghost cannot descend only by imposition of hands, since it is manifest that heretics have not baptism.
Victoricus of Thabraca ^ said : If heretics are allowed to baptize and to give remission of sins, wherefore do we brand them with infamy and call them heretics ?
Another Felix of Uthina* said : Nobody doubts, most holy fellow-priests, that human presumption is not able to do so much as the adorable and venerable majesty of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, remembering the danger, we ought not only to observe this also, but moreover to confirm it by the voice of all of us, that all heretics who come to the bosom of Mother Church should be baptized, that thus the heretical mind that has been polluted by a long decay, purged by the sanctification of the laver, may be reformed for the better.
Quietus of Baruch^ said : We who live by faith ought to obey with careful observance those things which before have been foretold for our instruction. For it is written in Solo- mon: " He that is baptized from the dead, [and again toucheth the dead, ^] what availeth his washing ? " '' which certainly speaks of those who are washed by heretics, and of those
^ In Zengitana, on the borders of Tunis.
2 Matt. xii. 30.
^ A colony variously called Tabraca or Tabatlira.
* Ovdi'jce, in Zeugitana.
^ Or Buruch, probably Bourka in Numidia.
* This clause is omitted in the larger number of editions. ^Eccliis. xxxiv. 25.
208 THE SEVENTH COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE.
that wasli them. For if those who are baptized among them obtain by remission of their sins life eternal, why do they come to the church ? But if from a dead person no salva- tion is received, and therefore, acknowledging their previous error, they return to the truth with penitence, they ought to be sanctified with the one vital baptism which is in the Catholic Church.
Castus of Sicca^ said : He who with contempt of the truth presumes to follow custom, is either envious and malignant in respect of his brethren to whom the truth is revealed, or is ungrateful in respect of God, by whose inspiration His church is instructed.
Euchratius of Theno3^ said: God and our Lord Jesus Christ, teaching the apostles with His own mouth, has en- tirely completed our faith, and the grace of baptism, and the rule of the ecclesiastical law, saying : " Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." ^ Thus the false and wicked baptism of heretics must be rejected by us, and re- futed with all detestation, from whose mouth is expressed poison, not life, not celestial grace, but blasphemy of the Trinity.^ And therefore it is manifest that heretics who come to the church ought to be baptized with the sound and catholic baptism, in order that, being purified from the blas- phemy of their presumption, they may be reformed by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Libosus of Yaga ^ said : In the Gospel the Lord says, '^ I am the truth." ° He said not, "I am the custom." There- fore the truth being manifest, let custom yield to truth ; so that, although for the past any one was not in the habit of baptizing heretics in the church, let him now begin to baptize them.
Lucius of Thebeste '' said : I determine that blasphemous
^ Sicca Veneria, a city of Zeugitana.
2 A city of Byzacena. ^ Matt, xxviii. 18.
* " Let the reader observe here, as elsewhere, that the word ' Trinity' is simply used for the persons of the Godhead " (Oxford edit.).
5 A city of Xumidia. ^ John xiv. 6. ''A city of Niimidia.
CONCERNING THE BAPTISM OF HERETICS. 209
and unrigliteous heretics, who with various words tear asunder the holy and adorable words of the Scriptures, are to be accursed, and therefore that they must be exorcised and baptized.
Euffenius of Ammedera ^ said : And I determine the same — that heretics must be baptized.
Also another Felix of Amaccora ^ said : And I myself, following the authority of the divine Scriptures, judge that heretics must be baptized ; and, moreover, those also who con- tend that they have been baptized among the schismatics. For if, according to Christ's warning, our font is private to us, let all the adversaries of our church understand that It cannot be for another. Nor can He who is the Shepherd of the one flock give the saving water to two peoples. And therefore It is plain that neither heretics nor schismatics can receive anything heavenly, seeing that they dare to receive from men who are sinners, and from those who are external to the church. When there is no place for the giver, assuredly there is no profit for the receiver.
Also another Januarius of Muzzuli ^ said : I am surprised, since all confess that there is one baptism, that all do not perceive the unity of the same baptism. For the church and heresy are two things, and different things. If heretics have baptism, we have it not ; but If we have it, heretics cannot have it. But there is no doubt that the church alone pos- sesses the baptism of Christ, since she alone possesses both the grace and the truth of Christ.
Adelphlus of Thasvalte* said: Certain persons without reason impugn the truth by false and envious words, in saying that we rebaptize, when the church does not rebaptize heretics, but baptizes them.
Demetrius of Leptlmlnus ^ said : We maintain one baptism, because we demand for the church catholic alone her own property. But they who say that heretics truly and leglti-
^ A city of Numidia.
2 " Damatcorc," or " Yamaccorc," in Xumidia.
3 Mazula in Numidia. ^ A city of Byzaccna. ^ AiTTTi; y.t>cpa — a city of Byzacena.
CYr. — VOL. II. O
210 THE SEVENTH COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE.
mately baptize, are themselves the people who make not one, but many baptisms. For since heresies are many, according to their number will be reckoned baptisms.
Vincentius of Thibaris ^ said : We know that heretics are worse than Gentiles. If, therefore, being converted, they should wish to come to the Lord, we have assuredly the rule of truth which the Lord by His divine precept commanded to His apostles, saying, " Go ye, lay on hands in my name, expel demons."^ And in another place : '^ Go ye and teach the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." ^ Therefore first of all by imposition of hands in exorcism, secondly by the regenera- tion of baptism, they may then come to the promise of Christ. Otherwise I think it ought not to be done.
Marcus of Mactaris * said ; It is not to be wondered at if heretics, enemies, and impugners of the truth claim to them- selves a matter in the power and condescension of others. But it is to be wondered at, that some of us, prevaricators of the truth, support heretics and oppose themselves to Chris- tians. Therefore we decree that heretics must be baptized.
Sattius of Sicilibba^ said : If to heretics in baptism their sins are remitted, they come to the church without reason. For since, in the day of judgment, they are sins which are punished, there is nothing which the heretics can fear from Christ's judgment, if they have already obtained remission of their sins.
Victor of Gor^ said : Since sins are not remitted save in the baptism of the church, he who admits a heretic to com- munion without baptism does two things against reason : he does not cleanse the heretics, and he befouls the Christians.
Aurelius of Utica'' said : Since the apostle says that we are
^ Tabora, a city of Mauritania Csesariensis.
2 Apparently in reference to Mark xvi. 17, 18.
3 Matt, xxviii. 19. ^ A city of Byzacena.
^ A city of Zeugitana — " Sicilibra," thirty-four uiiles from Cartliage.
^ Probably " Garra," a city of Mauritania Csesariensis, or " Garriana," a city of Byzacena.
^ A city of Zeugitana, famous as being tbe place of Cato's death, now called Byzerta.
CONCERNING THE BAPTISM OF HERETICS. 211
not to communicate witli other people's sins, what else does he do but communicate Avitli other people's sins, who holds communion with heretics without the church's baptism? And therefore I judge that heretics must be baptized, that they may receive forgiveness of tlieir sins ; and thus com- munion may be had with them.
Iambus of Germaniciana^ said : They who approve of the baptism of heretics, disapprove of ours, in denying that they who are, I will not say washed, but befouled, outside the church, ought to be baptized in the church.
Lucianus of Rucuma^ said : It is WTitten, " And God saw the light, that it was good, and divided between the light and the darkness."^ If there can be agreement between light and darkness, there may be something in common between us and heretics. Therefore I determine that heretics must be baptized.
Pelagianus of Luperciana* said : It is written, " Either the Lord is God, or Baal is God." ^ Therefore in the present case also, either the church is the church, or heresy is the church. On the other hand, if heresy is not the church, how can the church's baptism be among heretics ?
Jader of Midila^ said : We know that there is but one baptism in the Catholic Church, and therefore we ought not to receive a heretic unless he has been baptized among us ; lest he should think that he has been baptized out of the Catholic Church.
Also another Felix of Marazana '^ said : There is one faith, one baptism, but of the Catholic Church, which alone has the right to baptize.
Paulus of Obba^ said : It does not disturb me if any man does not assert the faith and truth of the church, since the apostle says, " For what if some of them have fallen away
^ Scil. " urbs," a city of Byzacena. Tlie epithet refere to its beiug a place frequented by the veterans of German cohorts, and distinguishes it from " Abbiritana."
2 A city of Zeugitana. * Gen. i. 4.
^ Possibly " Lubertina." ^ 1 Kings xviii. 21.
^ A city of Numidia. "^ A city of Byzacena.
^ Otherwise " Bobba," a city of Mauritania.
212 THE SEVENTH COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE.
from the faith ? Has their unbelief made the faith of God of no effect? By no means. For God is true, but everj man a liar."-^ But if God is true, how can the truth of baptism be among the heretics, among ^yhom God is not ?
Pomponius of Dionysiana^ said : It is evident that heretics cannot baptize and give remission of sins, seeing that they have not power to be able to loose or to bind anything on earth.
Venantius of Timisa^ said : If a husband, going into foreign parts, had commended his wife to the guardianship of his friend, that friend would take care of her who was com- mended to him with all possible diligence, that her chastity and holiness should not be corrupted by any one. Christ the Lord and our God, going to His Father, has commended to us His bride. Shall we guard her incorrupt and inviolate, or shall we betray her integrity and chastity to adulterers and corrupters % For he who makes the chm'ch's baptism common to heretics, betrays the spouse of Christ to adulterers.
Ahymnus of Ansvaga* said : We have received one baptism, and that same we maintain and practise. But he who says that heretics also may lawfully baptize, makes two baptisms.
Saturninus of Yictoriana^ said: If heretics may baptize, they who do unlawful things are excused and defended ; nor do I see why either Christ should have called them adver- saries, or the apostle should have called them Antichrists.
Saturninus'^ of Thucca'' said : The Gentiles, although they worship idols, do yet know and confess a supreme God^ as Father and Creator. Against Him Marcion blasphemes, and some persons do not blush to approve the baptism of Marcion. How do such priests either observe or vindicate God's priesthood, who do not baptize God's enemies, and hold communion with them as they are !
1 Rom. iii. 3, 4. ^ A city of Byzacena. ^ A city of Zeugitana.
* This seems to be " Ausana ". or " Aiisagga." ^ A city of Byzacena. ^ The Oxford reads " Another Saturninus." ^ A city of Numidia. 8 Manifestly, says the Oxford editor, this expression refers to " Jupiter the father of gods and men."
CONCERNING THE BAPTISM OF HERETICS. 213
Marcellus of Zama^ said : Since sins are not remitted save in the baptism of the church, he who does not baptize a lieretic holds communion with a sinner.
IrensDus of Ululi^ said : If the church does not baptize a heretic, for the reason that he is said to be already baptized, it is the greater heresy.
Donatus of Cibaliana^ said : I know one church and her one baptism. If there is any who says that the grace of baptism is with heretics, he must first show and prove that the church is among them.
Zosimus of Tharassa"^ said : When a revelation of the truth is made, let error give place to truth ; because Peter also, who previously circumcised, yielded to Paul when he preached the truth. ^
Julianus of Telepte^ said : It is written, " No man can receive anything unless it have been given him from heaven."^ If heresy is from heaven, it can also give baptism.
Faustus of Timida Peo'ia'' said : Let not them who are in favour of heretics flatter themselves. He who interferes with the baptism of the church on behalf of heretics, makes them Christians, and us heretics.
Geminius of Farni^ said : Some of our colleagues may prefer heretics to themselves, they cannot to us ; and therefore what we have once determined we maintain — that we baptize those who come to us from the heretics.
Kogatianus of Nova^ said : Christ instituted the church ; the Devil, heresy. How can the synagogue of Satan have tlie baptism of Christ?
Therapius of Bulla^" said: He who concedes and betrays
^ A city of Numiclia ; the scene of Hannibal's overthro"\v by Scipio. 2 " Usilla," a city of Byzaccna. ^ Possibly " Ccrbaliana " in Byzacena. * A city of Numidia.
^ A city of Numidia Byzaccncc. ^ John iii. 27.
^ A city of Zeugitana ; some read " Tumida." ^ A city of Zeugitana.
^ A city of ^fauritania Csesariensis. l^cll observes that in Niunidia are many cities of tlie name of " Nova " or " Noba."
1° A city of Zeugitana. There were two cities of the name — BovX-hocpfoe,
214 THE SEVENTH COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE.
the cliurcli's baptism to heretics, what else has he been to the spouse of Christ than a Judas ?
Also another Lucius of Membresa^ said : It is written, " God heareth not a sinner."^ How can a heretic who is a sinner be heard in baptism ?
Also another Felix of Bussacene^ said : In the matter of receiving heretics without the baptism of the churchj let no one prefer custom to reason and truth, because reason and truth always exclude custom.
Another Saturninus of Avitini * said : If Antichrist can give to any one the grace of Christ, heretics also are able to baptize, for they are called Antichrists.
Quintus of Aggya : ^ He can give something who has some- thing. But what can heretics give, who, it is plain, have nothing ?
Another Julianus of Marcelliana ^ said : If a man can serve two masters, God and mammon, baptism also can serve two masters, the Cliristian and the heretic.
Tenax of Horrea Cselise ^ said : Baptism is one, but it is the church's. Where the church is not there, there can be no baptism.
Another Victor of Assuri ^ said : It is written, that " God is one, and Christ is one, and the church is one, and baptism is one." ^ How, therefore, can any one be baptized there, where God, and Christ, and the one church is not ?
Donatulus of Capse ^° said : And I also have always thought this, that heretics, who can obtain nothing without
or Bulla Regia, and BovT^T^x/^ivacc, or Bulla Minor. The latter is pro- bably referred to.
1 Otherwise " Memosita," a city of Zeugitana. It is also written '^ Membrosa."
2 John ix. 31. ^ Probably " Byzacene." * This is supposed to be " Autenti," a city of Byzacene.
^ Supposed to be Aggiva.
6 Mention of the bishop of MarceUiana is found in Notitla Episcopatus
Africse. ,
"^ A village belonging to Byzacene, seventy-five miles from Carthage. 8 A city of Zeugitana. ^ Eph. iv. 5.
10 A city of Byzacene.
CONCERNING THE BAPTISM OF HERETICS. 215
tlie church, when they are converted to the church, must be baptized.
Yerukis ^ of Rusiccada ^ said : A man who is a heretic can- not give what he has not ; much more a schismatic, who has lost what he once had.
Pudentianus of CuicuHs ^ said : The novelty of my epis- copal office, beloved brethren, has caused me to await what my elders should judge. For it is manifest that heresies have nothing, nor can have anything. And thus, if any one comes from them, it is most justly decreed that they must be baptized.
Peter of Hippo Diarrhytus * said : Since there is one bap- tism in the Catholic Church, it is manifest that one cannot be baptized outside the church. And therefore I judge that those who have been dipped in heresy or in schism, when they come to the church, should be baptized.
Also another Lucius of Ausaf a ^ said : According to the direction of my mind, and of the Holy Spirit, as there is one God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one Christ, and one hope, and one Spirit, and one church, there ought also to be one baptism. And therefore I say, that if anything have been set on foot or accomplished by heretics, it ought to be rescinded, and that those who come thence must be baptized in the church.
Also another Felix of Gurgites ^ said : I judge that, accord- ing to the precepts of the holy Scriptures, he who is unlaw- fully baptized by heretics outside the church, when he wishes to take refuge in the church, should obtain the grace of baptism where it is lawfully given.
Pusillus of Lamasba'' said: I believe that there is no saving baptism except in the Catholic Church. Whatsoever is apart from the Catholic Church is a pretence.
^ Called in some editions " a martyr from the schismatics."
2 A city of Kumidia. ^ ^ gj^-y ^f Numidia.
^ A city of Zciigitaua, called Diarrhytiis because of the number of the
streams that water it. The name is otherwise read " Hippo Diarrhy-
torum."
^ A city of Zeugitana, sometimes written " Assapha."'
* A city of Bysacena. "^ " Lambesa," a city of Xumidia.
216 THE SEVENTH COUNCIL OF CABTHAGE.
Salvianus of Gazanfala ^ said : It is certain that heretics have nothing, and therefore they come to us that they may receive what they have not.
Honoratiis of Thncca^ said : Since Christ is the truth, we ought rather to follow truth than custom ; so that we should sanctify heretics with the church's baptism, seeing that they come to us for the reason that they could receive nothing without.
Victor of Octavum ^ said : As yourselves also know, I have not long been appointed a bishop, and I therefore waited for the decision of my predecessors. I therefore think this, that as many as come from heresy should undoubtedly be baptized.
Clarus of Mascula * said : The sentence of our Lord Jesus Christ is plain, when He sent His apostles, and accorded to them alone the power given to Him by His Father ; and to them we have succeeded, governing the Lord's church with the same power, and baptizing the faith of believers. And therefore heretics, who neither have power without, nor have the church of Christ, are able to baptize no one with His baptism.
Secundianus of Thambei^ said : We ought not to deceive heretics by our presumption ; so that they who have not been baptized in the church of our Lord Jesus Christ, and have not obtained by this means remission of their sins, when the day of judgment shall come, should impute to us that through us they were not baptized, and did not obtain the indulgence of divine grace ; on which account, since there is one church and one baptism, when they are converted to us they should obtain, together with the church, the church's baptism also.
Also another Aurelius of Chullabi ^ said : John the apostle laid it down in his epistle, saying : " If any one come unto you, and have not the doctrine of Christ, receive him not into
1 A city of Numidia, otlicrwise TuvaocC^vce, (Ptol.) and T cc>^6(pv'ha. (Procop.).
- There are four cities in Africa of this name.
3 A city of Numidia, otherwise called " Octabum."
4 A city of Numidia. ^ A city of Byzacena. 6 This is otherwise called " Cululi," a city of Byzacena.
CONCERNING THE BAPTISM OF HERETICS. 217
your house, and say not to him, HalL For he that saith to him, Hail, partakes with his evil deeds." ^ How can such be rashly admitted into God's house, who are prohibited from being admitted into our private dwelling ? Or how can we hold communion with them without the church's baptism, to whom, if we should only say Hail, we are partakers of their evil deeds ?
Litteus - of Gemelli ^ said : If the blind lead the blind, both fall into the ditch. Since, then, it is manifest that heretics cannot give light to any, as being themselves blind, their baptism docs not avail.
Natalis of Oca'* said: As well I who am present, as Pompey^ of Sabrata,® as also Dioga of Leptis Magna ^ — who, absent indeed in body, but present in spirit, have given me charge — • judge the same as our colleagues, that heretics cannot hold communion with us, unless they shall be baptized with eccle- siastical baptism.
Junius of Neapolis ^ said : From the judgment which we once determined on I do not recede, that we should baptize heretics who come to the church.
Cyprian of Carthage said : The letter which was written to our colleague Jubaianus very fully expresses my opinion, that, according to evangelical and apostolic testimony, heretics, who are called adversaries of Christ and Antichrists, when they come to the church, must be baptized with the one bap- tism of the church, that they may be made of adversaries, friends, and of Antichrists, Christians.
1 2 John 10, 11.
2 This Litteus is mentioned in Ep. Ixxvi. vol. i. p. 315.
3 A city of Xumidica. A Roman colony was planted there under the Emperor Hadrian.
^ A city of Tripolis.
^ Probably the same to whom Ep. Ixxiii. (vol. i. p. 27 G) was written.
6 A city of Tripolis.
7 A city of Tripolis, thus distinguished from Leptis parva. ^ A city of Tripolis.
TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN
ON QUESTIONABLE AUTHORITY.
HE treatises which follow are usually classed under the doubtful works of Cyprian. Baluzius, however, gives the two first, On the Public Shows, and On the Glory of Martiirdom, among the genuine Opus- aula, and says : " I have not thought it fit to prejudice any one amid the diversity of opinions on the subject, but have refrained from separating the following from the genuine works of the blessed martyr, especially since many have observed that there is no such difference of style in these writings as to justify the denial of their authorship to Cyprian."
Of course the question is one almost entirely of criticism, and the translator leaves the discussion of it to abler hands. He ventures, however, to record his impression, that the style of the following writings throughout is more preten- tious and laboured, and far more wordy and involved, than that of Cyprian's undoubted works. With a more copious vocabulary, there is manifested less skill in the use of words ; and if the text be not in some places most elaborately and unintelligibly corrupt, the accumulation of epithets, as well as their collocation, seems the very wantonness of rhetoric. The text, however, is undoubtedly far less to be depended upon than in the case of the genuine works.
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220 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN.
The treatises On the Discipline and Benefit of Chastity and the Exhortation to Repentance are generally placed under the Opuscula duhia. The former was first edited by Baluzius, with the title " Epistle of an Unknown Author." Its Cyprianic authorship was maintained by Bellarmin, Pamelius, and others ; while Erasmus, Tillemont, and others have rejected it as spurious. The second treatise was first published by Joannes Chrysostomus Trombellius in 1751, who regarded it as a genuine work of Cyprian's. And in- deed, as far as internal evidence goes, the treatise, consisting merely of a collection of quotations from Scripture, in the manner of the Testimonies against the JewSy may probably be attributed to him with as much reason as the Testimonies.
It is, however, right to add, that Professor Blunt quotes from the Treatise on the Glory of Martyrdom as being Cyprian's, without referring to any doubts on the subject.
ON THE PUBLIC SHOWS.
Argument. — The imiter first of all treats against those who endeavoured to defend the public exhibitions of the hea- thens by scriptural authority ; and he jwoves that, al- though they are never jyj^ohibited by the express icords of Scripture, yet that they are condemned in the scriptural 2?rohibition of idolatry^ from the fact thcd there is no kind of public shoio ichich is not consecrated to idols. He then p)rosecutes the subject^ by going through the several kinds of p)ubliG exhibitions^ and sets forth, a little more diffusely than in the Epistle to Donatus, ichat risks are incurred by the spectators, and especicdJy in respect of those exhibitions icherein, as he says, " representcdions of lust convey instruction in obscenity T Fincdly, he briefly enumerates such exhibitions as are icorthy of the interest of a Christian man, and in ichich he ought right- fully to find pleasure, obviously imitating Tertullians treatise " De Spectaculis,'^
YPRIAN to the con m'e «ration wlio stand fast in the gospel, sends greeting. As it greatly saddens me, and deeply afflicts my soul, when no opportunity of writing to you is presented to me, for it is my loss not to hold converse with you ; so nothing restores to me such joyfulness and hilarity, as when that opportunity is once more afforded me. I think that I am with you when I am speaking to you by letter. Although, therefore, I Imow that you are satisfied that what I tell you is even as I say, and that you have no doubt of the truth of
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222 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN.
my words, nevertheless an actual proof will also attest the reality of the matter. For my affection [for you] is proved, when absolutely no opportunity [of writing] is passed over. However certain I may be, then, that you are no less respect- able in the conduct of your life than faithful in respect of your sacramental vow ;^ still, since there are not wanting smooth- tongued advocates of vice, and indulgent patrons who afford authority to vices, and, what is worse, convert the rebuke of the heavenly- Scriptures into an advocacy of crimes ; as if the pleasure derived from the public exhibitions might be sought after as being innocent, by way of a mental relaxation ; — for thereby the vigour of ecclesiastical discipline is so relaxed, and is so deteriorated by all the languor of vice, that it is no longer apology, but authority, that is given for wickedness, — it seemed good in a few words not now to instruct you, but to admonish you who are instructed, lest, because the w^ounds are badly bound up, they should break through the cicatrix of their closed soundness. For no mischief is put an end to with so much difficulty but that its recurrence is easy, so long as it is both maintained by the consent, and caressed by the excuses of the multitude.
2. Believers, and men w^ho claim for themselves the autho- rity of the Christian name, are not ashamed — are not, I repeat, ashamed to find a defence in the heavenly Scriptures for the vain superstitions associated with the public exhibi- tions of the heathens, and thus to attribute divine authority- to idolatry. For how is it, that what is done by the heathens in honour of any idol is resorted to in a public show by faithful Christians, and the heathen idolatry is maintained, and the true and divine religion is trampled upon in contempt of God? Shame binds me to relate their pretexts and de- fences in this behalf. " Where," say they, '^ are there such Scriptures ? where are these things prohibited ? On the contrary, both Elias is the charioteer of Israel, and David himself danced before the ark. We read of psalteries, horns,^ trumpets, drums, pipes, harps, and choral dances. Moreover, the apostle, in his struggle, puts before us the 1 " In Sacramento." ^ u x^^i^ia."
(
ON THE PUBLIC SHOWS. 223
contest of the Caestus, and of our wrestle against the spiritual things of wickedness. Again, when he borrows his illustra- tions from the racecourse, he also proposes the prize of the crown. Why, then, may not a faithful Christian man gaze upon that which the divine pen might write about ? " At this point I might not unreasonably say that it would have been far better for them not to know any wTitings at all, than thus to read the writings [of the Scriptures]. For words and illustrations which are recorded by way of exhortation to evangelical virtue, are translated by them into pleas for vice ; because those things are written of, not that they should be gazed upon, but that a greater eagerness might be aroused in our minds in respect of things that will benefit us, seeing that among the heathens there is manifest so much eagerness in respect of things which will be of no advan- tage.
3. These are therefore an argument to stimulate virtue, not a permission or a liberty to look upon heathen error, that by this consideration the mind may be more inflamed to gospel virtue for the sake of the divine rewards, since through the suffering of all these labours and pains it is granted to attain to eternal benefits. For that Elias is the charioteer of Israel is no defence for gazing upon the public games ; for he ran his race in no circus. And that David in the presence of God led the dances, is no sanction for faithful Christians to occupy seats in the public theatre ; for David did not twist his limbs about in obscene movements, to represent in his dancing the story of Grecian lust. Psalteries, horns, pipes, drums, harps, were used in the service of the Lord, and not of idols. Let it not on this account be objected that unlawful things may be gazed upon ; for by the artifice of the devil these are changed from things holy to things unlawful. Then let shame demur to these things, even if the Holy Scriptures cannot. For there are certain things wherein the Scripture is more careful in giving instruction. Acquiescing in the claim of modesty, it has forbidden more where it has been silent. The truth, if it descended low enough to deal with such things, would think very badly of its faithful votaries.
224 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN,
For yerj often, in matters of precept, some things are advan- tageously said nothing about ; they often remind when they are expressly forbidden. So also there is an implied silence even in the writings of the Scripture ; and severity speaks in the place of precepts ; and reason teaches where Scripture has held its peace. Let every man only take counsel with himself, and let him speak consistently with the character of his profession/ and then he will never do any of these things.^ For that conscience will have more weight which shall be indebted to none other than itself.
4. What has Scripture interdicted? Certainly it has forbidden gazing upon what it forbids to be done. It condemned, I say, all those kinds of exhibitions when it abrogated idolatry — the mother of all public amusements,^ whence these prodigies of vanity and lightness came. For what public exhibition is without an idol ? what amusement w^ithout a sacrifice ? what contest is not consecrated to some dead person ? And what does a faithful Christian do in the midst of such things as these ? If he avoids idolatry, why does he * who is now sacred take pleasure in things which are worthy of reproach? AVhy does he approve of supersti- tions which are opposed to God, and which he loves while he gazes upon them ? Besides, let him be aware that all these things are the inventions of demons, not of God. He is shameless who in the church exorcises demons while he praises their delights in public shows ; and although, once for all renouncing him, he has put away everything in baptism, when he goes to the devil's exhibition after [receiving] Christ, he renounces Christ as much as [he had done] the devil. Idolatry, as I have already said, is the mother of all the public amusements; and this, in order that faithful Christians may come under its influence, entices them by the
1 " Cum persona professionis suae loquatur."
2 Baluzius reads with less probability " indecorum," " anything un- becoming." The reading adopted in the text is, according to Fell, " inde eorura."
3 Vid. Ovid's Fasti, lib. v.
* The Oxford text here has the reading, " Why does he speak of it ? why does he," etc.
ON THE PUBLIC SHOWS. 225
delight of the eyes and the ears. Eomulus was the first who consecrated the games of the circus to Census as the god of counsel, in reference to the rape of the Sabine women. But the rest of the scenic amusements were provided to distract the attention of the people while famine invaded the city, and were subsequently dedicated to Ceres and Bacchus, and to the rest of the idols and dead men. Those Grecian contests, whether in poems, or in instrumental music, or in words, or in personal prowess, have as their guardians various demons ; and whatever else there is which either attracts the eyes or allures the ears of the spectators, if it be investigated in reference to its origin and institution, presents as its reason either an idol, or a demon, or a dead man. Thus the devil, who is their original contriver, because he knew that naked idolatry would by itself excite repugnance, associated it with public exhibitions, that for the sake of their attraction it miglit be loved.
5. What is the need of prosecuting the subject further, or of describing the unnatural kinds of sacrifices in the public shows, among which sometimes even a man becomes the victim by the fraud of the priest, when the gore, yet hot from the throat, is received in the foaming cup while it still steams, and, as if it were thrown into the face of the thirsting idol, is brutally drunk in pledge to it ; and in the midst of the pleasures of the spectators the death of some is eagerly besought, so that by means of a bloody exhibition men may learn fierceness, as if a man's own private frenzy were of little account to him unless he should learn it also in public ? For the punishment of a man, a rabid wild beast is nourished with delicacies, that he may become the more cruelly fero- cious under the eyes of the spectators. The^ilful trainer instructs the brute, which perhaps might have been more merciful had not its more brutal master taught it cruelty. Then, to say nothing of whatever idolatry more generally recommends, how idle are the contests themselves ! — strifes in colours, contentions in races, acclamations in mere questions of honour; rejoicing because a horse has been more fleet, grieving because it was more sluggish, reckoning up the
CYP. — VOL. II. r
226 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN-.
years of cattle, knowing the consuls [under whom they ran], learning their age, tracing their breed, recording their very grandfathers and great-grandfathers! How unprofitable a matter is all this; nay, how disgraceful and ignominious! "Were you to inquire of this man — this very man, I say, who can compute by memory the whole family of his equine race, and can relate it with great quickness without interfering with the exhibition — who were the parents of Christ, he cannot tell, or he is the more unfortunate if he can. But if, again, I should ask him by what road he has come to that exhibition, he will confess [that he has come] by the naked bodies of prostitutes and of profligate women, by [scenes of] public lust, by public disgrace, by vulgar lasciviousness, by the common contempt of all men. And, not to object to him what perchance he has done, still he has seen what was not fit to be done, and he has trained his eyes to the exhibition of idolatry by lust: he would have dared, had he been able, to take that which is holy into the brothel with him ; since, as he hastens to the spectacle when dismissed from the Lord's [table], and still bearing with him, as is usual, the Eucharist, that unfaithful man has carried about the holy body of Christ among the filthy bodies of harlots, and has deserved a deeper condemnation for the way [by which he has gone thither], than for the pleasure he has received from the exhibition.
6. But now to pass from this to the shameless corruption of the sta^e. I am ashamed to tell what things are said ; I am even ashamed to denounce the things that are done — the tricks of arguments, the cheatings of adulterers, the im- modesties of women, the scurrile jokes, the sordid parasites, even the toga'd fathers of families themselves, sometimes stupid, sometimes obscene, but in all cases dull, in all cases immodest. And though no individual, or family, or pro- fession, is spared by the discourse of these reprobates, yet every one flocks to the play. The general infamy is de- lightful to see or to recognise ; it is a pleasure, nay, even to learn it. People flock thither to the public disgrace of the brothel for the teaching of obscenity, that nothing less may
ON THE PUBLIC SHOWS. 227
be done in secret than what is learnt in public ; and in the midst of the laws themselves is taught everything that the laws forbid. What does a faithful Christian do among these things, since he may not even think upon wickedness ? Why does he find pleasure in the representations of lust, so as among them to lay aside his modesty and become more daring in crimes? He is learning to do, while he is becoming accustomed to see. Nevertheless, those women whom their misfortune has introduced and degraded to this slavery, con- ceal their public wantonness, and find consolation for their disgrace in their concealment. Even they who have sold their modesty blush to appear to have done so. But that public prodigy is transacted in the sight of all, and the obscenity of prostitutes is surpassed. A method is sought to commit adultery with the eyes. To this infam}^ an infamy fully worthy of it is superadded : a human being broken down in every limb, a man melted to something beneath the effemi- nacy of a woman, has found the art to supply language with his hands; and on behalf of one I know not what, but neither man nor woman, the whole city is in a state of commotion, that the fabulous debaucheries of antiquity may be represented in a ballet. Whatever is not lawful is so beloved, that what had even been lost sight of by the lapse of time is brought back again into the recollection of the eyes.
7. It is not sufficient for lust to make use of its present moans of mischief, unless by the exhibition it makes its own that in which a former age had also gone wrong. It is not lawful, I say, for faithful Christians to be present ; it is not lawful, I say, at all, even for those whom for the delight of their ears Greece sends everywhere to all who are in- structed in her vain arts. One imitates the hoarse warlike clangours of the trumpet ; another with his breath blowing into a pipe regulates its mournful sounds; another with dances, and with the musical voice of a man, strives with his breath, which by an effort he had drawn from his bowels into the upper parts of his body, to play upon the stops of pipes, — now letting forth the sound, and now closing
228 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN.
it Tip inside, and forcing it into the air by certain openings of the stops ; — now breaking the sound in measure, he endea- vours to speak with his fingers, ungrateful to the Artificer who gave him a tongue. Why should I speak of comic and tiseless efforts ? Why of those great tragic vocal ravings % Why of strings set vibrating with noise ? These things, even if they were not dedicated to idols, ought not to be approached and gazed upon by faithful Christians ; because, even if they were not criminal, they are characterized by a worthlessness which is extreme, and which is little suited to believers.
8. Now that other folly of others is an obvious source of advantage to idle men ; and the first victory is for the belly to be able to crave food beyond the human limit, — a flagitious traffic for the claim to the crown of gluttony : the wretched face is hired out to bear wounding blows, that the more wTetched belly may be gorged. How disgusting, besides, are those struggles ! Man lying below man is enfolded in abomi- nable embraces and twinings. In such a contest, whether a man looks on or conquers, still his modesty is conquered. Behold, one naked man bounds forth towards you ; another with straining powers tosses a brazen ball into the air. This is not glory, but folly. In fine, take away the spectator, and you will have shown its emptiness. Such things as these should be avoided by faithful Christians, as I have frequently said already, — spectacles so vain, so mischievous, so sacri- leoious, from which both our eyes and our ears should be guarded. We quickly get accustomed to what w^e hear and wdiat we see. For since man's mind is itself drawn towards vice, wdiat will it do if it should have inducements of a bodily nature as well as a downward tendency in its slippery will ? What will it do if it should be impelled [from with- out] % ^ Therefore the mind must be called away from such things as these.
9. The Christian has nobler exhibitions, if he wishes for
1 There is much confusion in the reading of this passage, which in the original runs, according to Baluzius : " Nam cum mens hominis ad vitia ipsa ducatur, quid faciet, si habuerit exempla naturae corporis lubrica quae sponte corruit? Quid faciet si fuerit impulsa ? "
ON THE PUBLIC SHOWS. 229
tliem. He has true and profitable pleasures, if he will recol- lect himself. And to say nothing of those which he cannot yet contemplate, he has that beauty of the world to look upon and admire. He may gaze upon the sun's rising, and again on its setting, as it brings round in their mutual changes days and nights ; the moon's orb, designating in its waxings and wanings the courses of the seasons; the troops of shining stars, and those which glitter from on high with ex- treme mobility, — their members divided through the changes of the entire year, and the days themselves with the nights distributed into hourly periods ; the heavy mass of the earth balanced by the mountains, and the flowing rivers with their sources ; the expanse of seas, with their waves and shores ; and meanwhile, the air, subsisting equally everywhere in perfect harmony, expanded in the midst of all, and in con- cordant bonds animating all things with its delicate life, now scattering showers from the contracted clouds, now recalling the serenity of the sky wdth its refreshed purity ; and in all these spheres their appropriate tenants — in the air the birds, in the waters the fishes, on the earth man. Let these, I say, and other divine w^orks, be the exhibitions for faithful Christians. What theatre built by human hands could ever be compared to such works as these ? Although it may be reared with immense piles of stones, the mountain crests are loftier ; and although the fretted roofs glitter with gold, they will be surpassed by the brightness of the starry firmament. Never will any one admire the works of man, if he has recog- nised himself as the son of God. He deo;rades himself from the height of his nobility, w^ho can admire anything but the Lord.
10. Let the faithful Christian, I say, devote himself to the sacred Scriptures, and there he shall find worthy exhibitions for his faith. Pie will see God establishinsc His world, and making not only the other animals, but that marvellous and better fabric of man. He will gaze upon the world in its delightfulness, righteous shipwrecks, the rewards of the good, and the punishments of the impious, seas drained dry by a people, and again from the rock seas spread out by a
230 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN.
people. He will behold harvests descending from heaven, not pressed in by the plough ; rivers with their hosts of waters bridled in, exhibiting dry crossings. He Avill behold in some cases faith struggling with the flame, wild beasts overcome by devotion and soothed into gentleness. He will look also upon souls brought back even from death. Moreover, he will con- sider the marvellous souls brought back to the life of bodies which themselves were already consumed. And in all these things he will see a still greater exhibition — that devil who had triumphed over the whole world lying prostrate under the feet of Christ. How honourable is this exhibition, brethren! how delightful, how needful ever to gaze upon one's hope, and to open our eyes to one's salvation ! This is a spectacle which is beheld even when sight is lost. This is an exhibition which is given by neither pr^tor nor consul, but by Him who is alone and above all things, and before all things, yea, and of whom are all things, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and honour for ever and ever. I bid you, brethren, ever heartily farewell. Amen,
ON THE GLOEY OF MARTYEBOM.
Argument. — The writer describes with a lofty style of expres- sion the glory of martyrdom, treating at large throughout the work chiefly of three questions^ — namely , what martyr- dom is, hoio great it is, and of what advantage it is. In the meantime, by captivating similitudes, and by argument deduced from the daily deaths, he exhorts to joyous sub- inission to death for Chrises sake. Moreover, among the benefits of mcLrtyrdom he enumerates that the propitia- tion of Christ crowns martyrs ivithout experience of the universal suffering that prevails, in such a way that against them that saying of Christ is not applicable, that they must 'pay the very last farthing. In place of reward, he sets before than not only security from the fear of Gehenna, but also the attainment of everlasting life, describing both alter- natives briefly in a poetical manner ; and then he points out, that to some, martyi^dojn serves as a crown, ivhile to others who are baptized in their own blood, it serves as redemption. Finally, ivhen from the Scriptures he has stirred up) his o^eaders to confession of the name of Christ, he asks them to remember him when the Lord begins to honour martyrdom in them, since the Lord is known not to deny such as they when they ask Him for anything.
LTHOUGH, beloved brethren, it is unfitting, while my speaking to you receives this indul- gence, to profess any trepidation, and it very little becomes me to diminish the glory of so great a devotion by the confession of an incipient doubt; yet
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232 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN,
at the same time I say that my mind is clividecl by that very dehberation, being influenced by the desire of describing the glory, and restrained from speaking by the magnitude of the virtue [to be described] ; since it is either not becoming to be silent, or it is perilous to say too little, save that to one who is tossing in doubt this consideration alone is helpful, that it would appear easy for him to be pardoned who has not feared to dare. Wherefore, beloved brethren, although my mental capacity is burdened by the importance of the subject in such a way, that in proportion as it puts itself forth in declaring the dignity of martyrdom, in that degree it is overwhelmed by the very weight of the glory, and by its estimation of all those things concerning which, when it speaks most, it fails, by its address being weakened, and broken, and self-entangled, and does not with free and loosened reins display the might of such glory in the liberal eloquence of discourse ; yet, if I am not mistaken, some power there will be in my utterance, which, when fortified by the appeal of the work itself, may here and there pour forth what the unequal consciousness of my ability withheld from my words. Since, therefore, beloved brethren, involved as we are in affairs so many and important, we are endea- vouring with all eagerness and labour to confirm the excellent and most beautiful issues of salvation, I do not fear being so deterred by any slothful dread as to be withheld or ren- dered powerless ; since, if any one should desire to look into that of which we are considering, the hope of devotion being taken into account, and the very magnitude of the thing being weighed, he would rather wonder that I could have dared at all, in a matter wherein both the vastness of the subject oppressed me, and the earnestness of its own desire drove my mind, confused with its joy, into mental difficulties. For who is there whom such a subject would not alarm? who is there whom it would not overthrow with the fear of its own wonder ?
2. For there is indeed, unless I am mistaken, even in the very power of conscience, a marvellous fear which at once disturbs and inflames us ; whose power, the more closely you.
av THE GLORY OF MABTYRDOM. 233
look into, the more the dreadful sense of its obligation is gathered from its very aspect of venerable majesty. For assuredly you ought to consider what glory there is in ex- piating any kind of defilement of life, and the foulness of a jDolluted body, and the contagions gathered from the lono- putrefaction of vices, and the worldly guilt incurred by so great a lapse of time, by the remedial agency of one stroke, whereby both reward may be increased, and guilt may be excluded. Whence every perfection and condition of life is included in martyrdom. This is the foundation of life and faith, this is the safeguard of salvation, this is the bond of liberty and honour ; and although there are also other means whereby the light may be attained, yet we more easily arrive at nearness to the promised reward, by help of tliese punish- ments, which sustain us.
3. For consider what glory it is to set aside the lusts of this life, and to oppose a mind withdrawn from all commerce with nature and the world, to all the opposition of the adver- sary, and to have no dread of the cruelty of the torturer ; that a man should be animated by the suffering whereby he might be believed to be destroyed, and should take to himself, as an enhancement of his strength, that which the punisher thinks will aggravate his torments. For although the hook, springing forth from the stiffening ribs, is put back again into the wound, and with the repeated strokes of the whip the returning lash^ is drawn away with the rent portions of the flesh; still he stands immoveable, the stronger for his sufferings, revolving only this in his mind, that in that bru- tality of the executioners Christ Himself is suffering more in proportion to what he suffers. For since, if he should deny the Lord, he would incur guilt on His behalf for wliom he ought to have overcome, it is essential that He should be seen to bear all things to whom the victory is due, even in the suffering.
4. Therefore, since martyrdom is the cliief thing, there are three points arising out of it on which we liave proposed to ourselves to speak : What it is, how great it is, and of what advantage it is. What, then, is martyrdom ? It is the
^ " Habena;" but according to Baluzius "arena," "an oat-straw."
234 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN.
end of sinSj tlie limit of dangers, the guide of salvation, the teacher of patience, the home of life, on the journey to which those things moreover befall which in the coming crisis might be considered torments. By this also testimony is borne to the Name, and the majesty of the Name is greatly enhanced : not that in itself tliat majesty can be diminished, or its mag- nitude detracted from, by the guilt of one who denies it ; but that it redounds to the increase of its glory, when the terror of the populace that howls around is giving to suffering, fear- less minds, and by the threats of snarling hatred is adding to the title whereby Christ has desired to crown the man, that in proportion as he has thought that he conquered, in that proportion his courage has grown in the struggle. It is then, therefore, that all the vigour of faith is brought to bear, then facility of belief is approved, when you encounter the speeches and the reproaches of the rabble, and when you strengthen yourself by a religious mind against those madnesses of the people, — overcoming, that is, and repelling whatever their blas- phemous speech may have uttered to wrong Christ in your person, as when the resisting breakwater repels the adverse sea, although the waves dash and the rolling water again and again beats upon it, yet its immoveable strength abides firm, and does not yield even when covered over by the waves that foam around, until its force is scattered over the rocks and loses itself, and the conquered billow lying upon the rocks retires forth into the open spaces of the shore.
5. For what is there in these [blasphemous speeches] other than empty discourse, and senseless talk, and a depraved pleasure in meaningless words % As it is written : '^ They have eyes, and they see not ; ears have they, and they hear not." ^ " Their foolish heart is made sluggish, lest at any time they should be converted, and I should heal them." ^ For there is no doubt but that He said this of all whose hardened mind and obstinate brutality of heart is always driven away and repugnates from a vital devotion, folly leading them, madness dragging them, in fine, every kind of ferocity enraging them, whereby they are instigated as 1 Ps. cxiii. 13. 2 isa. vi. 10.
ON THE GLORY OF MARTYRDOM. 235
well as carried away, so that in their case their own deeds would be sufficient for their punishment, their guilt would burden the very penalty of the persecution inflicted.
6. The wdiole of this tends to the praise of martyrdom, the whole illuminates the glory of suffering wherein the hope of time future is beheld, wherein Christ Himself is engaged, of whom are given the examples that we seek, and whose is the strength by which we resist. And that in this behalf something is supplied to us to present, is surely a lofty and marvellous condescension, and such as we are able neither mentally to conceive nor fully to express in words. For what could He with His liberal affection bestow upon us more, than that He should be the first to show forth in Himself what He would reward with a crown in others? He became mortal that we might be immortal, and He underwent the issue of human destiny, by whom things human are governed; and that He might appear to have given to us the benefit of His having suffered. He gave us confession. He suggested martyrdoms ; finally. He, by the merits of His nativity, imputed all those things whereby the light [of life] may be quenched, to a saving remedy, by His excellent humility, by His divine strength. Whoever have deserved to be worthy of this have been without death, have overcome all the foulest stains of the world, having subdued the condition of death.
7. For there is no doubt how much they obtain from the Lord, who have preferred God's name to their own safety, so that in that judgment-day their blood-shedding would make them better, and the blood spilt would show them to be spot- less. Because death makes life more complete, death rather leads to glory. Thus, whenever on the rejoicing wheat-stalks the ears of corn distended by rains grow full, the abundant harvests are forced ^ by the summer ; thus, as often as the vine is pruned by the knife from the tendrils that break forth upon it, the bunch of grapes is more liberally clothed. For whatever is of advantage by its injury turns out for the in- crease of the time to come ; just as it has often been of avail
* "Coguntur," or "coquuutur," — "are matured."
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to the fields to let loose the flames, that by the heat of the wanderinor conflaizratlon the blind breathing-holes of the earth might be relaxed. It has been useful to parch the light stalks with the crackling fire, that the pregnant corn-field might raise itself higher, and a more abundant grain might flourish on the breeding stems. Therefore such also is first of all the calamity, and by and by the fruit of martyrdom, that it so contemns death, that it may preserve life in death.
8. For what is so illustrious and sublime, as by a robust devotion to preserve all the vigour of faith in the midst of so many weapons of executioners'? What so great and honourable, as in the midst of so many swords of the sur- rounding guards, again and again to profess in repeated words the Lord of one's liberty and the author of one's salva- tion ? — and especially if you set before your eyes that there is nothing more detestable than dishonour, nothing baser than slavery, that now you ought to seek nothing else, to ask for nothing else, than that you should be snatched from the slaughters of the world, be delivered from the ills of the world, and be engaged only as an alien from the contagion of earth, among the ruins of a globe that is speedily to perish? For what have you to do with this light, if you have the promise of an eternal light? AVhat interest have you in this commerce of life and nature, if the ampHtude of heaven is awaiting you? Doubtless let that lust of life keep hold, but let it be of those whom for unatoned sin the raging fire will torture w^ith eternal vengeance for their crimes. Let that lust of life keep hold, but let it be of those to whom it is both a punishment to die, and a torment to endure [after death]. But to you both the world itself is subjected, and the earth yields, if, when all are dying, you are reserved for this fate of being a martyr. Do we not behold daily dyings? AYe behold new kinds of death of the body long worn out with ra^-ing diseases, the miserable results of some plao;ue hitherto unexperienced; and we behold the destruction of wasted cities, and hence we may acknowledge how great is to be con- sidered the dignity of martyrdom, to the attainment of the glory of which even the pestilence is beginning to drive us.
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9. Moreover, beloved brethren, regard, I beseech you, this consideration more fully ; for in it both salvation is involved, and sublimity accounted of, although I am not unaware that you abundantly know that we are supported by the judgments of all who stand fast, and that you are not ignorant that this is the teaching handed down to us, that we should main- tain the power of so great a name without any dread of the warfare; because we whom once the desire of an everlasting remembrance has withheld from the loncrino; for this lio-ht, and whom the anticipations of the future have wrenched away, and whom the society of Christ so longed for has kept aloof from all wickedness, shrink from offering our soul to death except it be in the way of yielding to a mischief, and that those benefits of God must no longer be retained and clung to by us, since beyond the burning up of these things the reward is so great as that human infirmity can hardly attain sufiiciently to speak of it. Heaven lies open to our blood — the dwelling-place of Gehenna gives way to our blood ; and among all the attainments of glory, the title of blood is sealed as the fairest, and its crown is designated as most complete.
10. Thus, whenever the soldier returns from the enemy laden with triumphant spoils, he rejoices in his wounds. Thus, whenever the sailor, long harassed with tempests, arrives at safe shores, he reckons his happiness by the dangers tliat he has suffered. For, unless I am mistaken, that is assuredly a joyous labour whereby safety is found. Therefore all things must be suffered, all things must be endured ; nor should we desire the means of rejoicing for a brief period and being punished with a perpetual burning. For ought to remember that you are bound, as it were, by a certain federal paction, out of which arises the just condition either of obtaining salvation, or the merited fearfulness of punishment. You stand equally among adverse things and prosperous, in the midst of arms and darts ; and on the one hand, worldly ambition, on the other heavenly greatness, incites you.
11. If you fear to lose salvation, know that you can die ; and, moreover, death should be contemned by you, for whom
vou
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Christ was slain. Let the examples of the Lord's passion, I beseech you, pass before your eyes; let the offerings, and the rewards, and the distinctions prepared come together before you, and look carefully at both events, how great a difficulty they have between them. For you will not be able to confess unless you know what a great mischief you do if you deny. Martyrs rejoice in heaven; the fire will consume those who are enemies of the truth. The paradise of God blooms for the witnesses; Gehenna will enfold the deniers, and eternal fire will burn them up. And, to say nothing of other matters, this assuredly ought rather to urge us, that the con- fession of one word is maintained by the everlasting confession of Christ ; as it is written, " Whosoever shall confess me on earth before men, him also will I confess before my Father, and before His angels." ^ To this are added, by way of an enhancement of glory, the adornments of virtue ; for He says, " The righteous shall shine as sparks that run to and fro among the stubble; they shall judge the nations, and shall have dominion over the peoples." ^
12. For it is a great glory, beloved brethren, to adorn the life of eternal salvation with the dignity of suffering : it is a great sublimity before the face of the Lord, and under the gaze of Christ, to contemn without a shudder the torments inflicted by human power. Thus Daniel, by the constancy of his faith, overcame the threats of the king and the fury of raging lions, in that he believed that none else than God w^as to be adored. Thus, when the young men were thrown into the fm^nace, the fire raged against itself, because, being righteous, they endured the flames, and guarded against those of Gehenna, by believing in God, whence also they received things worthy of them : they were not delayed to a future time : they were not reserved for the reward of eter- nal salvation. God saw their faith ; that what they had promised to themselves to see after their death, they merited to see in their body. For how great a reward was given them in the present tribulation could not be estimated. If there was cruelty, it gave way ; if there was flame, it stood 1 Lulcc xxii. 8. ^ Wisd. iii. 7.
ON THE GLORY OF MARTYRDOM. 239
still. For there was one mind to all of them, which neither violence could break down nor wrath could subvert ; nor could the fear of death restrain them from the obedience of devotion. Whence by the Lord's grace it happened, that in this manner the king himself appeared rather to be punished in those men [who were slain], whilst they escape wdiom he had thought to slay.
13. And now, beloved brethren, I shall come to that point whence I shall very easily be able to show you how highly the virtue of martyrdom is esteemed, wdiich, although it is well known to all, and is to be desired on account of the insignia of its inborn glory, yet in the desire of its enjojniient has received more enhancement from the necessity of the times. Because if any one be crowned at that season in which he supposes himself to be crowned, if perchance he should die, he is greatly rewarded. Therefore, sublime and illustrious as martyrdom is, it is the more needful now, when the world itself is turned upside down, and, while the globe is partially shattered, failing nature is giving evidence of the tokens of its final destruction. For the rain-cloud hangs over us in the sky, and the very air stretches forth the mournful rain-[curtain] ; and as often as the black tempest threatens the raging sea, the glittering lightning-flashes glow terribly in the midst of the opening darkness of the clouds. Moreover, when the deep is lashed into immense billows, by degrees the wave is lifted up, and by degrees the foam whitens, until at length you behold it rush in such a manner, that on those rocks on which it is hurled, it throws its foam higher than the wave that was vomited forth by the swelling sea. You read that it is written, that we must pay even the uttermost farthing. But the martyrs alone are relieved of this obligation ; because they who trust to their desires for eternal salvation, and have overcome their lonmnffs for this life, have been made by the Lord's precepts free from the universal suffering. Therefore from this especially, beloved brethren, we shall be able to set forth what great things the virtue of martyrdom is able to fulfil.
14. And, to pass over everything else, we ought to rcmem-
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ber what a glory it is to come immaculate to Christ — to be a sharer in His suffering, and to reign in a perpetual eternity with the Lord — to be free from the threatening destruction of the world, and not to be mixed up with the bloody carnage of wasting diseases in a common lot wqth others ; and, not to speak of the crown itself, if, being situated in the midst of these critical evils of nature, you had the promise of an escape from this life, w^ould you not rejoice with all your heart? If, I say, while tossing amid the tempests of this world, a near repose should invite you, would you not con- sider death in the light of a remedy ? Thus, surrounded as you are with the knives of the executioners, and the instru- ments of testing tortures, stand sublime and strong, consider- ing how great is the penalty of denying, in a time when you are unable to enjoy, the world for the sake of which you would deny, because indeed the Lord knew that cruel tor- ments and mischievous acts of punishment would be armed against us for our destruction, in order that He might make ns strong to endure them all. " My son," says He, " if thou come to serve God, stand fast in righteousness, and fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation." ^ Moreover, also, the blessed Apostle Paul exclaimed, and said, " To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."^
15. Wherefore, beloved brethren, with a firm faith, with a robust devotion, with a virtue opposed to the fierce threaten- ings of the world, and the savage murmurs of the attending crowds, we must resist and not fear, seeing that ours is the hope of eternity and heavenly life, and that our ardour is inflamed with the lonmno; for the light, and our salvation rejoices in the promise of immortality. But the fact that our hands are bound with tightened bonds, and that heavy links fastened round our necks oppress us with their solid weight, or that our body strained on the rack hisses on the [application of the] red-hot plates, is not for the sake of seeking our blood, but for the sake of trying us. For in wdiat manner should we be able to recognise even the dignity of martyrdom, if we were not constrained to desire it, even at 1 Ecclus. ii. 1. 2 piio. i. 21.
ON THE GLORY OF MARTYRDOM. 211
the price of the sacrifice of our body ? I indeed have known it, and I am not deceived in the truth of what I say, when the cruel hands of the persecutors were WTenching asunder the martyr's hmbs, and the furious torturer was ploughing up his lacerated muscles, and still could not overcome him. I have known it by the words of those who stood around. " This is a great matter. Assuredly I know not what it is — that he is not subdued by suffering, that he is not broken down by w^earing torments." Moreover, there were other words of those wdio spoke : " And yet I believe he has chil- dren : for he has a wife associated with him in his house ; and yet he does not give way to the bond of his offspring, nor is he withdrawn by the claim of his family affection from his stedfast purpose. This matter must be known, and this strength must be investigated, even to the very heart ; for that is no trifling confession, whatever it may be, for which a man suffers, even so as to be able to die."
16. Moreover, beloved brethren, so great is the virtue of martyrdom, that by its means even he who has wished to slay you is constrained to believe. It is written, and we read : " Endure in suffering, and in thy humiliation have patience, because gold and silver are tried by the fire." ^ Since, therefore, the Lord proves us by earthly temptations, and Christ the Judge weighs us by these worldly ills, we must congratulate ourselves, and rejoice that He does not reserve us for those eternal destructions, but rejoices over us as purged from all contagion. But from those whom He adopts as partners of His inheritance, and is willing to receive into the kingdom of heaven, wdiat else indeed does He ask than a walk in integrity ? He Himself has said that all things are His, both those things which are displayed upon the level plains, and wdiich lift themselves up into sloping hills ; and moreover, whatever the greatness of heaven surrounds, and what the gliding w^ater embraces in the cir- cumfluent ocean. But if all things are within His ken, and He does not require of us anything but sincere actions, we ought, as He Himself has said, to be like to gold. Because, 1 Ecclus. ii. 4.
CYP. — VOL. II. Q
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when you behold in the glistening earth the gold glittering under the tremulous light, and melting into a liquid form by the roaring flames (for this also is generally the care of the workmen), whenever from the panting furnaces is vomited forth the glowing fire, the rich flame is drawn away from the access of the earth in a narrow channel, and is kept back by sand from the refluent masses of earth. Whence it is necessary to suffer all things, that we may be free from all wickedness, as He has said by His prophet ; " And though in the sight of men they have suffered torments, yet is their hope full of immortality ; and being vexed in a few things, they shall be well rewarded in many things, because God has tried them, and has found them worthy of Himself, and has received them as a sacrifice of burnt-offering." ^
17. But if ambitious dignity deter you, and the amount of your money heaped up in your stores influence you — a cause which ever distracts the intentions of a virtuous heart, and assails the soul devoted to its Lord with a fearful trembling — I beg that you would again refer to the heavenly words. For it is the very voice of Christ who speaks, and says, "Whosoever shall lose his life for my name's sake, shall receive in this world a hundred-fold, and in the world to come shall possess eternal life."^ And we ought assuredly to reckon nothing greater, nothing more advantageous, than this. For although in the nature of your costly garments the purple dye flows into figures, and in the slackening threads the gold strays into a pattern, and the weighty metals to which you devote yourselves are not wanting in your ex- cavated treasures; still, unless I am mistaken, those things will be esteemed vain and purposeless, if, while all things else are added to you, salvation alone is found to be wanting; even as the Holy Spirit declares that we can give nothing in exchange for our soul. For He says, " If you should gain the whole world, and lose your own soul, what shall it profit you, or what exchange shall a man give for his soul ? " ^ For all those things which w^e behold are worthless, and such as resting on weak foundations, are unable to sustain the 1 Wisd. iii. 4. ^ Matt. x. 39. ^ ^^^tt. xv. 26.
ON THE GLORY OF MAETYEDOM. 243
weight of their own mass. For whatever is received from the world is made of no account by the antiquity of time. Whence, that nothing sliould be sweet or dear that might be preferred to the desires of eternal life, things which are of personal right and individual law are cut off by the Lord's precepts ; so that in the undergoing of tortures, for instance, the son should not soften the suffering father, and private affection should not change the heart that was previouslv pledged to enduring strength, into another disposition. Christ of His own right ordained that truth and salvation alone must be embraced in the midst of great sufferings, under which wife, and children, and grandchildren, under which all the offspring of one's bowels, must be forsaken, and the victory be claimed.
18. For Abraham also thus pleased God, in that he, when tried by God, spared not even his own son, in behalf of whom perhaps he might have been pardoned had he hesitated to slay him. A religious devotion armed his hands ; and his paternal love, at the command of the Lord who bade it, set aside all the feelings of affection. Neither did it shock him that he was to shed the blood of his son, nor did he tremble at the word ; nevertheless for him Christ had not yet been slain. For what is dearer than Him who, that you might not sustain anything unwillingly in the present day, first of all Himself suffered that which He taught [others to suffer] ? What is sweeter than Him who, although He is our God and Lord, nevertheless makes the man who suffers for His sake His fellow-heir in the kingdom of heaven ? Oh grand — I know not what ! — whether that reason scarcely bears to receive that consciousness, although it always marvels at the greatness of the rewards ; or that the majesty of God is so abundant, that to all who trust in it, it even offers those things which, while we were considering what we have done, it had been sin to desire. Moreover, if only eternal salvation should be given, for that very perpetuity of living we should be thankful. But now, when heaven and the power of judging concerning others is bestowed in the eternal world, what is there wherein man's mediocrity may not find itself equal to [the endurance
244 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN.
of] all these trials ? If you are assailed with injuries, He was first so assailed. If you are oppressed with reproaches, you are imitating the experience of God. Whence also it is but a little matter whatever you undergo for Him, seeing that you can do nothing more, unless that in this consists the whole of salvation, that He has promised the whole to martyrdom. Finally, the apostle, to whom all things were always dear, while he deeply marvelled at the greatness of the promised benefits, said, " I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not w^orthy to be compared to the glory that is to follow, which shall be revealed in us."^ Because he was musing in his own mind how great would be the reward, that to him to whom it would be enough to be free from death, should be given not only the prerogative of salvation, but also to ascend to heaven — to heaven which is not constrained into darkness, even when light is expelled from it, and the day does not unfold into light by alternate changes ; but the serene temperature of the liquid air unfolds a piu'e brightness through a clearness that reddens with a fiery glow.
19. It now remains, beloved brethren, that we are bound to show what is the advantage of martyrdom, and that we should teach that especially, so that the fear of the future may stimulate us to this glorious title. Because those to whom great things are promised, seem to have greater things which they are bound to fear. For the soldier does not arouse him- self to arms before the enemy have brandished their hostile weapons; nor does a man withdraw his ship in an anchorage, unless the fear of the deep have checked his courage. INIore- over also, while eager for his wealth, the considerate husband- man does not stir up the earth with a fortunate ploughshare, before the crumbling glebe is loosened into dust by the rain that it has received. Thus this is the natural practice of every man, to be ignorant of what is of advantage, unless you recognise what has been mischievous. Whence also a reward is given to all the saints, in that the punishment of their deeds is inflicted on the unrighteous. Therefore what the Lord has promised to His people is doubtful to none, however ignorant 1 Rom. viii. 18.
ON THE GLORY OF MARTYRDOM. 245
he is ; but neither is there any doubt what punitive fires He threatens. And since my discourse has led me thus to argue about both these classes of things in a few words, as I have already spoken of both, I will briefly explain them.
20. A horrible place, of which the name is Gehenna, with an awful murmuring and groaning of souls bewailing, and with flames belchine; forth throuMi the horrid darkness of thick night, is always breathing out the raging fires of a smoking furnace, [while] the confined mass of flames is re- strained or relaxed for the various purposes of punishment. Then there are very many degrees of its violence, as it gathers into itself whatever tortures the eatino; fire of the heat emitted can supply. Those by whom the voice of the Lord has been rejected, and His control contemned, it punishes with different dooms; and in proportion to the different degree of deserving of the forfeited salvation it applies its power, while a portion assigns its due distinction to crime. And some, for example, are bowed down by an intolerable load, some are hurried by a merciless force over the abrupt descent of a precipitous path, and the heavy weight of clanking chains bends over them its bondage. Some there are, also, whom a wdieel is closely turning, and an unwearied dizziness [is tormenting] ; and [others] whom, bound to one another with tenacious close- ness, body clinging to body compresses : so that both fire is consuming, and the load of iron is weighing down, and the uproar of many is torturing.
21. But those by whom God has always been sought or known, have never lost the position which Christ has given them, where grace is found, where in the verdant fields the luxuriant earth clotlies itself with tender grass, and is pastured with the scent of flowers ; where the groves are carried up to the lofty hill-top, and where the tree clothes with a thicker foliage whatever spot the canopy, expanded by its curving branches, may have shaded. There is no excess of cold or of heat, nor is it needed that in autumn the fields should rest, or, again in the young spring, that the fruitful earth should brino; forth. All thin^js are of one season : fruits are borne of a continued summer, since there neither does the
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moon serve the purpose of her months, nor does the sun run his course along the moments of the hours, nor does the banishment of the light make way for night. A joyous repose possesses the people, a calm home shelters them, where a gushing fountain in the midst issues from the bosom of a broken hollow, and flows in sinuous mazes by a course deep- sounding, at intervals to be divided among the sources of rivers springing from it. Here there is the great praise of martyrs, here is the noble crown of the victors, who have the promise of greater things than those whose rewards are more abundant. And that either their body is thrown to wild beasts, or the threatening sword is not feared, is shown as the reason of their dignity, is manifested as [the ground of] their election. Because it would have been inconsistent, that he who had been judged equal to such a duty, should be kept among earthly vices and corruptions.
22. For you deserve, O excellent martyrs, that nothing should be denied to you who are nourished with the hope of eternity and of light; whose absolute devotion, and whose mind dedicated to the service of heaven, is evidently seen. Deservedly, I say deservedly, nothing is forbidden to you to wish for, since by your soul this world is looked down upon, and the alienated appearance of the time has made you to shudder, as if it were a confused blindness of darkness ; to whom this world is always regarded in the light of a dungeon, its dwellings for restraints, in a life which has always been esteemed by you as a period of delay on a journey. Thus, indeed, in the triumph of victory he is snatched from these evils, whom no vain ambition with pompous step has subdued, nor popular greatness has elated, but whom, burning with heavenly desire, Christ has added to His kingdom.
23. There is nothing, then, so great and venerable as the deliverance from death, and the causing to live, and the giving to reign for ever. This is fitting for the saints, needful for the wretched, pleasing to all, in which the good rejoice, the abject are lifted up, the elect are crowned. Assuredly God, who cares for all, gave to life a certain medicine as it were in martyrdom, when to some He assigned
ON THE GLORY OF MARTYRDOM. 247
it on account of their deserving, to others He gave it on account of His mercy. We have assuredly seen very many distinguished by their faith, come to claim this illustrious name, that death might ennoble the obedience of their devotion. Moreover, also, we have frequently beheld others stand undismayed, that they might redeem their sins com- mitted, and be regarded as washed in their gore by [His] blood ; and so being slain they might live again, who when alive were counted slain. Death assuredly makes life more complete, death finds the glory that was lost. For in this the hope once lost is regained, in this all salvation is restored. Thus, when the seed-times shall fail on the withering plains, and the earth shall be parched wdth its dying grass, the river has delighted to spring forth from the sloping hills, and to soothe the thirsty fields with its gushing streams, so that the vanquished poverty of the land might be dissolved into fruitful wheat-stems, and the corn-field might bristle up the thicker for the counterfeited showers of rain.
24. What then, beloved brethren, shall I chiefly relate, or what shall I say? When all dignified titles thus combine in one, the mind is confused, the perception is misled ; and in the very attempt to speak with brilliancy, my unworthy discourse vanishes away. For what is there to be said which can be sufficient, when, if you should express the power of eternal salvation, its attending glories come in your way; if you would speak of its surroundings, its greatness prevents you ? The things at the same time are both in agreement and in opposition, and there is nothing which appears w^orthy to be uttered. Thus the instances of martyrdom have held in check the impulses of daring speech, as if entangled and ensnared by an opponent. What voice, what lungs, what strength, can undertake to sustain the form of such a dignity ? At the confession of one voice, adverse things give way, joyous things appear, kingdoms are opened, empires are prepared, suffering is overcome, death is subdued, life is preferred, and the resisting weapons of a mischievous enemy are broken up. If there is sin, it perishes ; if there is crime, it is left behind. Wherefore I beseech you, weigh this in
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your minds, and from my address receive so much as you know that you can feel.
25. Let it present itself to your eyes, what a day that is, when, with the people looking on, and all men watching, an undismayed devotion is struggling against earthly crosses and the threats of the world ; how the minds in suspense, and hearts anxious about the tremblings of doubt, are agitated by the dread of the timid fearfulness of those who are con- gratulating them ! What an anxiety is there, what a prayer- ful entreaty, what desires are recorded, when, with the victory still wavering, and the crown of conquest hanging in doubt over the head while the results are still uncertain, and when that pestilent and raving confession is inflamed by passion, is kindled by madness, and finally, is heated by the fury of the heart, and by gnashing threats ! For who is ignorant how great a matter this is, that our, as it were, despised frailty, and the unexpected boldness of human strength, should not yield to the pangs of wounds, nor to the blows of tortures, — that a man should stand fast and not be moved, should be tortured and still not be overcome, but should rather be armed by the very suffering whereby he is tormented ?
26. Consider what it is, beloved brethren : set before your perceptions and your minds all the endurance of martyrdom. Behold, indeed, in the passion of any one you will, they who are called martyrs rejoice as being already summoned out of the world ; they rejoice as being messengers of all good men ; they rejoice in like manner as elected. Thus the Lord rejoices in His soldier, Christ rejoices in the vritness to His name. It is a small matter that I am speaking of, beloved brethren ; it is a small matter, so great a subject in this kind of address, and so marvellous a difficulty has been under- taken by me ; but let the gravity of the issue, I beseech you, not be wanting for my own purpose, knowing that as much can be said of martyrdom as could be appreciated. Whence also this alone has been the reason of my describing its glory, not that I judged myself equal and fitted for its praise, but that I saw that there was such a virtue in it, that however little I might say about it, I should profess that I
ON THE GLORY OF MARTYRDOM. 249
had said as much as possible. For although the custody of faith may be preferred to the benefit of righteousness, and an immaculate virginity may recognise itself as better than the praises of all ; yet it is necessary that even it should give place to the claim of blood, and be made second to a gory death. The former have chosen what is good, the latter have imitated Christ.
27. But now, beloved brethren, lest any one should think that I have placed all salvation in no other condition than in martyrdom, let him first of all look especially at this, that it is not I who seem to speak, that am of so great importance, nor is the order of things so arranged that the promised hope of immortality should depend on the strength of a partial advocacy. But since the Lord has testified with His own mouth, that in the Father's possession are many dwell- ings, I have believed that there is nothing greater than that glory whereby those men are proved who are unworthy of this worldly life. Therefore, beloved brethren, striving with a religious rivalry, as if stirred up with some incentive of reward, let us submit to all the abundance and the endurance of strength. For things passing away ought not to move us, seeing that they are always being pressed forward to their own overthrow, not only by the law proposed to them, but even by the very end of time. John exclaims, and says, " Now is the axe laid to the root of the tree ; " ^ show^ing, to wit, and pointing out that it is the last old age of all things. More- over, also, the Lord Himself says, " AYalk while ye have the light, lest the darkness lay hold upon you." ^ But if He has foretold that we must walk in that time, certainly He shows that we must at any rate walk.
28. And to return to the praise of martyrdom, there is a word of the blessed Paul, who says : " Know ye not that thoy who run in a race strive many, but one receiveth the prize ? But do ye so run, that all of you may obtain." ^ Moreover also elsewhere, that he may exhort us to martyr- dom, he has called us fellow-heirs with Christ ; nay, that he might omit nothing, he says, " If ye are dead with Christ,
1 Matt. iii. 10. ^ JqI^ xii. 35. ^ i Cor. ix. 21.
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why, as if living in the world, do ye make distinctions *? " ^ Because, dearest brethren, we who bear the rewards of resur- rection, who seek for the day of judgment, who, in fine, are trusting that we shall reign with Christ, ought to be dead to the world. For you can neither desire martyrdom till you have first hated the world, nor attain to God's reward unless you have loved Christ. And he who loves Christ does not love the world. For Christ was given up by the world, even as the world also was given up by Christ ; as it is written, " The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.'' ^ The world has been an object of affection to none whom the Lord has not previously condemned ; nor could he enjoy eternal salvation who has gloried in the life of the world. That is the very voice of Christ, who says : ^' He that loveth his life in this world, shall lose it in the world to come ; but he that hateth his life in this world, shall find it in the world to come." ^ Moreover, also, the Apostle Paul says : " Be ye imitators of me, as I also am of Christ."'' And the same elsewhere says : " I wish that all of you, if it were possible, should be imitators of me." ^
29. He said this who suffered, and who suffered for this cause, that he might imitate the Lord ; and assuredly he wished us also to suffer for this cause, that through him we might imitate Christ. If thou art righteous, and believest in God, why f earest thou to shed thy blood for Him whom thou knowest to have so often suffered for thee ? In Isaiah He was sawn asunder, in Abel He was slain, in Isaac He was offered up, in Joseph He was sold into slavery, in man He was crucified. And I say nothing of other matters, such as neither my discourse is able to tell nor my mind to bear. My consciousness is overcome by the example of His humi- lity; and when it considers what things befell when He suffered, it marvels that He should suffer on whose behalf all things quaked. The day fled into the night ; the light gave up all things into darkness ; and its mass being inclined backwards and forwards, the whole earth was jarred, and
1 Col. ii. 20 ; " decernitis." ^ Qj^^. ^i. 14, 3 Matt. x. 39.
* 1 Cor. vi. 4. ^1 Cor. vii. 7.
ON THE GLORY OF MAltTYRDOM. 251
burst open ; the ]\Ianes were disturbed, the graves were laid bare, and as the tombs gaped open into the rent of the earth, bodies returning to the light were restored ; the world trembled at the flowing of Plis blood ; and the veil which hung from the opening of the temple was rent, and all the temple uttered a groan. For which cause it is a great matter to imitate liim who, in dying, convicted the world. Therefore when, after the example of the Lord's passion, and after all the testimony of Christ, you lay down your life, and fear not to shed your blood, everything must absolutely give way to martyrdom. Inestimable is the glory of martyr- dom, infinite its measure, immaculate its victory, invaluable its title, immense its triumph ; because he who is presented to Him with the special glory of a confessor, is adorned with the kindred blood of Christ.
30. Therefore, beloved brethren, although this is alto- gether of the Lord's promise and gift, and although it is given from on high, and is not received except by Plis will, and moreover, can neither be expressed in words nor de- scribed by speech, nor can be satisfied by any kind of powers of eloquence, still such will be your benevolence, such will be your charity and love, as to be mindful of me when the Lord shall begin to glorify martyrdom in your experience. That holy altar encloses you within itself, that great dwelling- place of the venerable Name encloses you within itself, as if in the folds of a heart's embrace : the powers of the everlast- ing age sustain you, and that by which you shall ever reign and shall ever conquer. O blessed ones ! and such as truly have your sins remitted, if, however, you who are Christ's peers ever have sinned ! O blessed ones ! whom the blood of the Lord has dyed from the beginning of the world, and whom such a brightness of snowy clothing has deservedly invested, and the whiteness of the enfolding robe has adorned I Finally, I myself seem to myself to behold already, and, as far as is possible to the mind of man, that divine and illus- trious thing occurs to my eyes and view. 1 seem, I say to myself, already to behold, that that truly noble army accom- panies the glory and the path of their Christ. The blessed
252 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN.
band of victors will go before His face ; and as the crowds become denser, the whole army, illuminated as it were by the rising of the sun, will ascribe to Him the power. And would that it might be the lot of such a poor creature as myself to see that sight ! But the Lord can do what He is believed not to deny to your petitions.
OF THE DISCIPLINE AND ADYANTAGE OF CHASTITY.
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-^* (S'^^SSl ^O not conceive that I have exceeded any portions of my duty, in always striving as much as possible, by daily discussions of the Gospels, to afford to you from time to time the means of growth, by the Lord's help, in faith and knowledge. For what else can be effected in the Lord's church with greater advantage, wdiat can be found more suitable to the office of a bishop, than that, by the teaching of the divine words, recommended and commented on by Him, believers should be enabled to attain to the promised kingdom of heaven? This assuredly, as the desired result day by day of my work as well as of my office, I endeavour, notwithstanding my absence, to accomphsh ; and by my letters I try to make myself present to you, addressing you in faith, in my usual manner, by the exhortations that I send you. I call upon you, therefore, to be established in the power of the root of the gospel, and to stand always armed against all the assaults of the devil. I shall not believe myself to be absent from you, if I shall be sure of you. Nevertheless, everything which is advantageously set forth, and which either defines or promises the condition of eternal life to those who are investigating it, is then only profitable, if it be aided in attaining the reward of the effort by the power of the divine mercy. We not only set forth words which come from the sacred fountains of the Scriptures, but with these very words we associate prayers to the Lord, and wishes, that, as well to
253
254 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAJST.
us as to you, He would not only unfold the treasures of His sacraments, but would bestow strength for the carrying into act of what we know. For the danger is all the greater if we know the Lord's will, and loiter in the work of the will of God. 2. Although, therefore, I exhort you always, as you are aware, to many things, and to the precepts of the Lord's admonition (for what else can be desirable or more important to me, than that in all things you should stand perfect in the Lord ?) ; yet I admonish you, that you should before all things maintain the barriers of chastity (as also you do) : knowing that you are the temple of the Lord, the members of Christ, the habitation of the Holy Spirit, elected to hope, consecrated to faith, destined to salvation, sons of God, brethren of Christ, associates of the Holy Spirit, owing no- thing any longer to the flesh, as born again of water, that the chastity, over and above the will, which we should always desire to be ours, may be afforded to us also, on account of the redemption, that that which has been conse- crated by Christ might not be corrupted. For if the apostle declares the church to be the spouse of Christ, I beseech you [consider] what chastity is required, where the church is given in marriage as a betrothed virgin. And I indeed, except that I have proposed to admonish you with brevity, think the most diffuse praises due, and could set forth abun- dant laudations of chastity ; but I have thought it super- fluous to praise it at greater length among those who practise it. For you adorn it while you exhibit it ; and in its exer- cise you set forth its more abundant praises, being made its ornament, while it also is yours, each lending and borrowing honour from the other. It adds to you the discipline of good morals ; you confer upon it the ministry of saintly works. For how much and what it can effect has on the one hand been manifest by your means, and on the other it has shown and taught what you are wishing for, — the two advantages of precepts and practice being combined into one, that nothing should appear maimed, as would be the case if either principles were wanting to service, or service to principles.
OF TEE DISCIPLINE OF CHASTITY. 255
3. Chastity is the dignity of the body, the ornament of morality, the sacredness of the sexes, the bond of modesty, the source of purity, the peacefulness of home, the crown of concord. Chastity is not careful whom it pleases but itself. Chastity is always modest, being the mother of innocency ; chastity is ever adorned with modesty alone, then rightly conscious of its ow^n beauty if it is displeasing to the wicked. Chastity seeks nothing in the way of adornments : it is its own glory. It is this which commends us to the Lord, unites us with Christ ; it is this which drives out from our members all the illicit conflicts of desire, instils peace into our bodies : blessed itself, and making those blessed, whoever they are, in whom it condescends to dwell. It is that which they can never accuse even who possess it not ; it is even venerable to its enemies, since they admire it much more because they are unable to capture it. Moreover, as mature, it is both always excellent in men, and to be earnestly desired by women ; so its enemy, unchastity, is always detestable, making an obscene sport for its servants, sparing neither bodies nor souls. For their own proper character being overcome, it sends the entire man under its yoke of lust, alluring at first, that it may do the more mischief by its attraction, exhausting both means and modesty — the foe of continency; the perilous madness of lust frequently attain- ing to the blood, the destruction of a good conscience, the mother of impenitence, the ruin of a more virtuous age, the disgrace of one's race, driving away all confidence in blood and family, intruding one's own children upon the affections of strangers, interpolating the offspring of an unknown and corrupted stock into the testaments of others. And this also, very frequently burning without reference to sex, and not restraining itself within the permitted limits, thinks it little satisfaction to itself, unless even in the bodies of men it seeks, not a new pleasure, but goes in quest of extraordinaiy and revolting extravagances, contrary to nature itself, of men with men.
4. But chastity maintains the first rank in virgins, the second in those who are continent, the third in the case of
256 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN.
wedlock. Yet in all it is glorious, with all its degrees. For even to maintain the marriage-faith is a matter of praise in the midst of so many bodily strifes ; and to have determined on a limit in marriage defined by continency is more virtuous still, because herein even lawful things are refused. Assuredly to have guarded one's purity from the womb, and to have kept oneself [pure as] an infant even to old age throughout the whole of life, is certainly the part of an admirable virtue ; only that never to have known the body's seductive capacities is the greater blessedness, to have overcome them when once known is the greater virtue ; yet still in such a sort that that virtue comes of God's gift, although it manifests itself to men in their members.
5. The precepts of chastity, brethren, are ancient. Where- fore do I say ancient ? Because they were ordained at the same time as men themselves. For both her own husband belongs to the woman, for the reason that besides him she may know no other ; and the woman is given to the man for the purpose that, when that which had been his own had been yielded to him, he should seek for nothing belonging to another. And in such wise it is said, " Two shall be in one flesh," ^ that what had been made one should return together, that a separation without return should not afford any occasion to a stranger. Thence also the apostle declares that the man is the head of the woman, that he might com- mend chastity in the conjunction of the two. For as the head cannot be suited to the limbs of another, so also one's limbs cannot be suited to the head of another : for one's head matches one's limbs, and one's limbs one's head ; and both of them are associated by a natural link in mutual con- cord, lest, by any discord arising from the separation of the members, the compact of the divine covenant should be broken. Yet he adds, and says : " Because he who loves his wife, loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh ; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ the church." ^ From this passage there is great authority for charity with chastity, if wives are to be loved by their husbands even as 1 Matt. xix. 5. 2 Eph. V. 28, 29.
OF THE DISCIPLINE OF CHASTITY. 257
Christ loved the church, and wives ought so to love their hushands also as the church loves Christ.
6. Christ gave this judgment when, being inquired of, He said that a wife must not be put away, save for the cause of adultery ; such honour did He put upon chastity. Hence arose the decree : " Ye shall not suffer adulteresses to live." ^ Hence the apostle says : " This is the will of God, that ye abstain from fornication." ^ Hence also he says the same thing : " That the members of Christ must not be joined with the members of an harlot." ^ Hence the man is delivered over unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, who, treading under foot the law of chastity, practises the vices of the flesh. Hence with reason adulterers do not attain the kingdom of heaven. Hence it is that every sin is without the body, but that the adulterer alone sins against his own body. Hence other authoritative utterances of the instructor, all of which it is not necessary at this time to collect, especially among you, who for the most part know and do them ; and you cannot find cause for complaint con- cerning these things, even though they are not described. For the adulterer has not an excuse, nor could he have, be- cause he mio;ht take a wife.
7. But as laws are prescribed to matrons, who are so bound that they cannot thence be separated, while virginity and continency are beyond all law, there is nothing in the laws of matrimony which pertains to virginity; for by its loftiness it transcends them all. If any evil undertakings of men endeavour to transcend laws, virginity places itself on an equality with angels; moreover, if we investigate it, even excels them, because stru^^Mino; in the flesh it o;ains the victory even against a nature which angels have not. What else is virginity than the glorious preparation for the future life? Virginity is of neither sex. Virginity is the con- tinuance of infancy. Virginity is the triumph over plea- sures. Virginity has no children ; but what is more, it has contempt for offspring : it has not fruitfulness, but neither has it bereavement ; blessed that it is free from the pain of 1 Lev. XX. 10. 2 I Tj^css. iv. 3. ^ i Cor. vi. 15.
CYr. — VOL. II. K
258 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN,
bringing forth, more blessed still that it is free from the calamity of the death of children. What else is virginity than the freedom of liberty? It has no husband for a master. Virginity is freed from all affections : it is not given up to marriage, nor to the world, nor to children. It cannot dread persecution, since it cannot provoke it from its secm-ity.
8. But since the precepts of chastity have thus briefly been set forth to us, let us now give an instance of chastity. For it is more profitable when we come in the very presence of the thing ; nor will there be any doubt about the virtue, when that which is prescribed is also designated by illustra- tions. The example of chastity begins with Joseph. A Hebrew youth, noble by his parentage, nobler by his inno- cence, on account of the envy excited by his revelations exposed for sale by his brethren to the Israelites, had attained to the household of a man of Egypt ; by his obedience and his innocence, and by the entire faithfulness of his service, he had aroused in his favour the easy and kindly disposition of his master ; and his appearance had commended itself to all men, alike by his gracious speech as by his youthfulness. But that same nobility of manner was received by his master's wife in another manner than was becoming ; in a secret part of the house, and w^ithout witnesses, — a place high up, and fitted for deeds of wickedness, the unrestrained unchastity of the w^oman thought that it could overcome the youth's chastity, now by promises, now by threats. And Avhen he w^as restrained from attempting flight by her holding his garments, shocked at the audacity of such a crime, tearing his very garments, and able to appeal to the sincerity of his naked body as a witness of his innocence, the rash woman did not shrink from adding calumny to the crime of her un- chastity; dishevelled, and raging that her desire should be despised, she complained both to others and to her husband that the Hebrew youth had attempted to use that force to her which she herself had striven to exercise.-^ The hus- band's passion, unconscious of the truth, and terribly inflamed 1 " Irro2;are."
OF THE DISCIPLINE OF CHASTITY, 259
by his wife's accusation, is aroused ; and tlie modest youth, because he did not defile his conscience with the crime, is thrust into the lowest dungeon of the prison. But chastity is not alone in the dungeon ; for God is with Joseph, and the guilty are given into his charge, because he had been guiltless. Moreover, he dissolves the obscurities of dreams, because his spirit was watchful in temptations, and he is freed from chains by the master [of the prison]. He who had been an inferior in the house with peril, was made lord of the palace without risk ; restored to his noble station, he received the reward of chastity and innocence by the judgment of God, from whom he had deserved it.
9. But not less from a different direction arises to us another similar instance of chastity from the continence of w^omen. Susanna, as we read, the daughter of Chelcias, the wife of Joachim, was exceedingly beautiful — more beautiful still in character. Her outward appearance added no charm to her, for she was simple : chastity had cultivated her ; and in addition to chastity, nature alone. With her, tw^o of the elders had begun to be madly in love, mindful of nothing, neither of the fear of God, nor even of their age, already withering with years. Thus the flame of resuscitated lust recalled them into the glowing heats of their bygone youth. Kobbers of chastity, they profess love, while they really hate. They threaten her with calumnies when she resists ; the adulterers in wish declare themselves the accusers of adultery. And between these rocks of lust she sought help of the Lord, because she was not equal to prevailing against them by bodily strength. And the Lord heard from heaven chastity crying to Him ; and when she, overwhelmed with injustice, was being led to punishment, she was delivered, and saw her revenge upon her enemies. Twice victorious, and in her peril so often and so fatally hedged in, she escaped both the lust and death. It will be endless if I continue to produce more examples ; I am content with these two, espe- cially as in these cases chastity has been defended wuth all their might.
10. The memory of noble descent could not enervate
260 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN.
them, although to some this is a suggestive licence to lasci- viousness ; nor the comeliness of their bodies, and the beauty of their well-ordered limbs, although for the most part this affords a hint, that being, as it were, the short-lived flower of an age that rapidly passes away, it should be fed with the offered opportunity of pleasure ; nor the first years of a green but mature age, although the blood, still inexperienced, grows hot, and stimulates the natural fires, and the blind flames that stir in the marrow, to seek a remedy, even if they should break forth at the risk of modesty ; nor any opportunity afforded by secrecy, or by freedom from witnesses, which to some seems to ensure safety, although this is the greatest tempta- tion to the commission of crime, that there is no punishment for meditating it. Neither was a necessity laid upon them by the authority of those who bade them yield, and in the boldness of association and companionship, by which kind of temptations also righteous determinations are often overcome. Neither did the very rewards nor the kindliness, nor did the accusations, nor threats, nor punishments, nor death, move them ; nothing was counted so cruel, so hard, so distressing, as to have fallen from the lofty stand of chastity. They were w^orthy of such a reward of the Divine Judge, that one of them should be glorified on a throne almost regal ; that the other, endowed with her husband's sympathy, should be rescued by the death of her enemies. These, and such as these, are the examples ever to be placed before our eyes, the like of them to be meditated on day and night.
11. Nothing so delights the faithful soul as the healthy ■consciousness of an unstained modesty. To have vanquished pleasure is the greatest pleasure; nor is there any greater victory than that which is gained over one's desires. He who has conquered an enemy has been stronger, but it was stronger than another ; he who has subdued lust has been stronger than himself. He who has overthrown an enemy has beaten a foreign foe ; he who has cast dio^xn desire has vanquished a domestic adversary. Every evil is more easily conquered than pleasure ; because, whatever it is, the former is repulsive, the latter is attractive. Nothing is crushed
OF THE DISCIPLINE OF CHASTITY, 261
witli such difficulty as that which is armed by it. He who gets rid of desires has got rid of fears also ; for from desires come fears. He who overcomes desires, triumphs over sin ; he who overcomes desires, shows that the mischief of the human family lies prostrate under his feet ; he who has over- come desires, has given to himself perpetual peace ; he who has overcome desires, restores to himself liberty, — a most difficult matter even for noble natures. Therefore we should always meditate, brethren, as these matters teach us, on chastity. That it may be the more easy, it is based upon no acquired skill. For the right will that is therein carried to perfection — which, were it not checked, is remote \scil. from our consciousness] — is still our will ; so that it is not a will to be acquired, but that which is our own is to be cherished.^ 12. For what is chastity but a virtuous mind added to watch- fulness over the body ; so that modesty observed in respect of the sexual relations, attested by strictness [of demeanour], should maintain honourable faith by an uncorrupted off- spring ? ^loreover, to chastity, brethren, are suited and are known first of all divine modesty, and the sacred meditation of the divine precepts, and a soul inclined to faith, and a mind attuned to the sacredness of relifrion : then carefulness that nothing in itself should be elaborated beyond measure, or extended beyond propriety ; that nothing should be made a show of, nothing artfully coloured ; that there should be nothing to pander to the excitement or the renewal of wiles. She is not a modest woman who strives to stir up the fancy of another, even although her bodily chastity be preserved. Away with such as do not adorn, but prostitute their beauty. For anxiety about beauty is not only the wisdom of an evil mind, but belongs to deformity. Let the bodily nature be
i This passage is allowed by all to be corrupt. If we were to punc- tuate differently, to insert " nisi " before " consummata," and change " longe est " into " non deesset," we get the following sense : " There- fore we should always meditate, brethren, on chastity, as 'circumstances teach us, that it may be more easy for us. It depends on no arts ; for what is it but perfected will, which, if it were not checked, would certainly not fail to arise ? And it is our own will, too : therefore it has not to be acquired, but we have to cherish what is already our own."
262 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN.
free, nor let any sort of force be intruded upon God's works. She is always wretclied who is not satisfied to be such as she is. Wherefore is the colour of hair changed ? Why are the edges of the eyes darkened ? Why is the face moulded by art into a different form ? Finally, why is the looking-glass consulted, unless from fear lest a woman should be herself ? Moreover, the dress of a modest woman should be modest ; a believer should not be conscious of adultery even in the mix- ture of colours. To wear gold in one's garments is as if it were desirable to corrupt one's garments. What do rigid metals do among the delicate threads of the woven textures, except to press upon the enervated shoulders, and unhappily to show the extravagance of a boastful soul ? Why are the necks oppressed and hidden by outlandish stones, the prices of which, without workmanship, exceed the entire fortune of many a one % It is not the woman that is adorned, but the woman's vices that are manifested. What, when the fingers laden with so much gold can neither close nor open, is there any advantage sought for, or is it merely to show the empty parade of one's estate ? It is a marvellous thing that women, tender in all things else, in bearing the burden of their vices are stronger than men.
13. But to return to what I began with : chastity is ever to be cultivated by men and women ; it is to be kept with all watchfulness within its bounds. The bodily nature is quickly endangered in the body, when the flesh, which is always fall- ing, carries it away with itself. Because under the pretext of a nature which is always urging men to desires whereby the ruins of a decayed race are restored, deceiving with the enticement of pleasure, it does not lead its offspring to the continence of legitimate intercourse, but hurls them into crime. Therefore, in opposition to these fleshly snares, by which the devil both obtrudes himself as a companion and makes himself a leader, we must struggle with every kind of strength. Let the aid of Christ be appropriated, accord- ing to the apostle, and let the mind be withdrawn as much as possible from the association of the body ; let consent be withheld from the body ; let vices be always chastised, that
OF THE DISCIPLINE OF CHASTITY. 2G3
tliey may be hated ; let that misshapen and degraded shame wliich belongs to sm be kept before our eyes. Repentance itself, with all its struggles, is a discreditable testimony to sins committed. Let not curiosity be indulged in scanning other people's countenances. Let one's speech be brief, and one's laughter moderate, for laughter is the sign of an easy and a negligent disposition ; and let all contact, even that which is becoming, be avoided. Let no indulgence be per- mitted to the body, when bodily vice is to be avoided. Let it be considered how honourable it is to have conquered dishonour, how disgraceful to have been conquered by dis- honour.
14. It must be said, moreover, that adultery is not plea- sure, but mutual contempt ; nor can it delight, because it kills both the soul and modesty. Let the soul restrain the provocations of the flesh; let it bridle the impulses of the body. For it has received this power, that the limbs should be subservient to its command ; and as a lawful and accom- plished charioteer, it should turn about the fleshly impulses when they lift themselves above the allowed limits of the body, by the reins of the heavenly precepts, lest that chariot of the body, carried away beyond its limits, should hurry into its own peril the charioteer himself as well as it. But in the midst of these things, nay, before these things, in opposition to disturbances and all vices, help must be sought for from the divine camp ; for God alone, who has conde- scended to make men, is powerful also to afford sufficient help to men. I have composed a few words, because I did not propose to write a volume, but to send you an address. Look ye to the Scriptures ; seek out for yourselves from those precepts greater illustrations of this matter. Beloved brethren, farewell.
EXHOETATION TO EEPENTANCE.
fHAT all sins may be forgiven him who has turned to God with his whole heart.
In the eighty-eighth Psalm : " If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments, and keep not my commandments, I will visit their iniquities w^ith a rod, and their sins with stripes ; nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not scatter away from them."^
Also in Isaiah : " Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, When thou shalt turn and mourn, then thou shalt be saved, and shalt know where thou wast."^
Also in the same place : " Woe unto you, children of de- sertion, saith the Lord ! ye have made counsel not by me, and my covenant not by my Spirit, to add sin to sin." ^
Also in Jeremiah : '^ Withdraw thy foot from a rough way, and thy face from thirst. But she said, I will be com- forted, I am willing ; for she loved strangers, and went after them."*
Also in Isaiah : " Be ye converted, because ye devise a deep and wicked counsel."^
Also in the same place : " I am He, I am He that blotteth out thy iniquities, and will not remember them ; but do thou remember them, and let us be judged together ; do thou first tell thine unrio;hteousnesses."*^
Also in the same : '^ Seek the Lord ; and when ye shall have found Him, call upon Him. But when He has drawn near to you, let the wicked forsake his ways, and the un-
1 Ps. Ixxxix. oO. '^ Isa. xxx. 15, LXX. » jga. xxx. 1, LXX.
4 Jer. ii. 25, LXX. ^ Isa. xxxi. 6, LXX. « Isa. xliii. 25, LXX.
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EXHORTATION TO REPENTANCE. 265
righteous man his thoughts ; and let him be converted to the Lord, and mercy shall be prepared for him, because He does not much^ forgive your sins."^
Also in the same : " Remember these things, O Jacob and Israel, because thou art my servant. I have called thee my servant ; and thou, Israel, forget me not. Lo, I have washed away thy unrighteousnesses as ... , and thy sins as a rain- cloud. Be converted to me, and I will redeem thee."*
Also in the same : " Have these things in mind, and groan. Repent, ye that have been seduced ; be converted in heart unto me, and have in mind the former ages, because I am God."*
Also in the same : " For a very little season I have for- saken thee, and with great mercy I will pity thee. In a very little wrath I turned away my face from thee ; in everlasting mercy I will pity thee." ^
Also in the same : '^ Thus said the Most High, who dwelleth on high, for ever Holy in the holies, His name is the Lord, the Most High, resting m the holy places, and giving calmness of mind to the faint-hearted, and giving life to those that are broken-hearted : I am not angry with you for ever, neither will I be avenged in all things on you : for my Spirit shall go forth from me, and I have made all inspiration; and on account of a very little sin I have grieved him, and have turned away my face from him ; and he has suffered the vile man, and has gone away sadly in his ways. I have seen his ways, and have healed him, and I have comforted him, and I have given to him the true con- solation, and peace upon peace to those who are afar off, and to those that are near. And the Lord said, I have healed them; but the unrighteous, as a troubled sea, are thus tossed about and cannot rest. There is no joy to the wicked, saith the Lord." ^
Also in Jeremiah : " Shall a bride forget her adornment,
1 Non multiim remittit — probably a misprint for " permiiltum."
2 Isa. Iv. 6, 7, LXX. "- Isa. xliv. 21, 22, LXX. * Isa. xlvi. 8, LXX. ^ jga. liv. 7, 8, LXX.
^ Isa. Ivii. 15 ct seq., LXX.
266 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYFPJAN.
or ^ a virgin the girdle of her breast ? But my people has forgotten my days,^ whereof there is no number." ^
Also in the same : " For a decree, I will speak upon the nation or upon the kingdom, or I will take them away and destroy them. And if the nation should be converted from its evils, I will repent of the ills which ^ I have thought to do unto them. And I will speak the decree upon the nation or the people, that I should rebuild it and plant it ; and they will do evil before me, that they should not hearken to my voice, and I will repent of the good things which I spoke of doing to them." ^
Also in the same : " Return to me, O dwelling of Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not harden my face upon you ; because I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not be angry against you for ever." *^
Also in the same : " Be converted, ye children that have departed, saith the Lord ; because I will rule over you, and will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you into Sion : and I will give you shepherds after my heart, and they shall feed you, feeding you with discipline." ''
Also in the same: "Be converted, ye children who are turning, and I will heal your affliction." ^
Also in the same : '^ Wash thine heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, that thou mayest be healed : how long shall there be in thee thoughts of thy sorrows V ^
Also in the same : " Thus saith the Lord, Does not he that falleth arise? or he that turns away, shall he not be turned back? Because this people hath turned itself away by a shameless vision, and they have persisted in their presump- tion, and would not be converted." ^^
Also in the same : " There is no man that repenteth of his
^ It is taken for granted that the "ut" of the original is a misprint for " aut."
2 Otherwise, " has forgotten me days without number."
3 Jer. ii. 32, LXX.
^ Here also the emendation of "quae" for "quod" is obviously necessary.
5 Jer. xviii. 7. « Jer. iii. 12, LXX. ' Jer. iii. 14, LXX.
8 Jer. iii. 22, LXX. '-^ Jer. iv. 1-4, LXX. ^o Jer. viii. 4, LXX.
EXHORTATION TO REPENTANCE. 267
iniquity, saying, What have I done ? The runner has failed from his course, as the sweating horse in his neighing." ^
Also in the same : " Therefore let every one of you turn from his evil way, and make your desires better. And they said. We will be comforted, because we will go after your ^ inventions, and every one of us will do the sins which please his own heart." ^
Also in the same : " Pour down as a torrent tears, day and night give thyself no rest, let not the pupil of thine eye be silent." *
Also in the same : " Let us search out our ways, and be turned to the Lord. Let us purge our hearts with our hands, and let us look unto the Lord who dwelleth in the heavens. We have sinned, and we have provoked Thee, and Thou hast not been propitiated." ^
Also in the same: "And the Lord said to me in the days of Josias the king, Thou hast seen what the dwelling of the house,^ the house of Israel, has done to me. It has gone away upon every lofty mountain, and has gone under every shady'' tree, and has committed fornication there ; and I said, after she had committed all these fornications. Return unto me, and she has not returned." ^
Also in the same : " The Lord will not reject for ever ; and when He has made low, He will have pity according to the multitude of His mercy. Because He will not bring low from His whole heart, neither will He reject the children of men." ^
Also in Ezekiel : " And the righteous shall not be able to be saved in the day of transgression. When I shall say to the righteous. Thou shalt surely live ; but ^° he will trust to his own righteousness, and will do iniquity: all his right- eousnesses shall not be remembered; in his iniquity which he
^ Jer. viii. 6, LXX. 2 Otherwise " our." 3 Jer. xviii. 12, LXX.
* Lam. ii. 18, LXX. « Lam. iii. 40.
^ There is evident confusion here, and no place can be foimJ for the word " vocem."
"^ It has been taken for granted that " numerosum " is a misprint for *' nemorosum."
« Jer. iii. 6, LXX. » Lain. iii. 31, LXX.
10 TrombelHus suggests " if " instead of " but."
268 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN.
has done, in that he shall die. And when I shall say to the wicked, Thou shalt surely die, and he turns himself from his sin, and doeth righteousness and judgment, and restoreth to the debtor his pledge, and giveth back his robbery, and walketh in the precepts of life, 'that he may do no iniquity, he shall surely live, and shall not die ; none of his sins which he hath sinned shall be stirred up against him : because he hath done justice and judgment, he shall live in them." ^
Also in the same : " I am the Lord, because I bring low the high tree, and exalt the low tree, and dry up the green tree, and cause the dry tree to flourish." ^
Also in the same : '' And thou, son of man, say unto the house of Israel, Even as ye have spoken, saying. Our errors and our iniquities are in us, and we waste away in them, and how shall we live ? Say unto them, I live, saith the Lord : if I will the death of a sinner, only let him turn from his way, and he shall live." ^
Also in the same : " I the Lord have built up the ruined places, and have planted the wasted places." *
Also in the same : " And the wicked man, if he turn him- self from all his iniquities that he has done, and keep all my commandments, and do judgment, and justice, and mercy, shall surely live, and shall not die. None of his sins which he has committed shall be in remembrance ; in his righteous- ness which he hath done he shall live. Do I willingly desire the death of the unrighteous man, saith Adonai the Lord, rather than that he should turn him from his evil way, and that he should live ?" ^
Also in the same : " Be ye converted, and turn you from all your wickednesses, and they shall not be to you for a punishment. Cast away from you all your iniquities which ye have wickedly committed against me, and make to yourselves a new heart and a new spirit ; and why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith Adonai the Lord." ^
1 Ezek. xxxiii. 12, etc., LXX. ^ gzek. xvii. 24, LXX.
3 Ezek. xxxiii. 10, LXX. ■* Ezek. xxxvi. 30, LXX.
* Ezek. xviii. 21, LXX. ^^ Ezek. xviii. 30, LXX.
EXHORTATION TO BEPENTANCE. 2G9
Also in Daniel : '^ And after tlie end of the days, I Na- buchodonosor lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my sense returned to me, and I praised the Most High, and blessed the King of heaven, and praised Him that liveth for ever ; because His power is eternal. His kingdom is for genera- tions,^ and all who inhabit the earth are as nothing." ^
Also in Micah : " Alas for me, O my soul, because truth has perished from the earth, and among all there is none that correcteth; all judge in blood. Every one treadeth down his neighbour with tribulation; they prepare their hands for evil." ^
Also in the same : " Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy, because I have fallen, but I shall arise; because altliouo;h I shall sit in darkness, the Lord will mve me lisht : I will bear the Lord's anger, because I have sinned against Him, until He justify my cause." ^
Also in Zephaniah : " Come ye together and pray, O undisciplined people; before ye be made as a flower that passeth away, before the anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's fury come upon you, seek ye the Lord, all ye humble ones of the earth ; do judgment and seek justice, and seek for gentleness ; and answer ye to Him, that ye may be protected in the day of the Lord's anger." ^
Also in Zechariah : " Be ye converted unto me, and I will be turned unto you." ^
Also in Plosea : " Be thou converted, O Israel, to the Lord thy God, because thou art weakened by thine iniquities. Take many with you, and be converted to the Lord your God ; worship Him, and say. Thou art mighty to put away our sins ; that ye may not receive iniquity, but that ye may receive ffood thinirs." ^
Also in Ecclesiasticus : ^' Be thou turned to the Lord, and forsake thy sins, and exceedingly hate cursing, and know righteousness and God's judgments, and stand in the lot of
1 "In generatione." 2 d^q. iy. 34. 3 ;^jic. vii. 1, 2, 3, LXX. ^ Mic. vii. 8, LXX. 5 zeph. ii. 1, LXX.
^ Zcch. i. 3. ^" Hos. xiv. 2.
270 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN.
the propitiation of the most High : and go into the portion of hfe with the Hving, and those that make confession. Delay not in the error of the wicked. Confession perisheth from the dead man, as if it were nothing. Living and sound, thou shalt confess to the Lord, and thou shalt glory in His mercies ; for great is the mercy of the Lord, and His pro- pitiation unto such as turn unto Him." ^
Also in the same : " How good is it for a true heart to show forth repentance ! For thus shalt thou escape voluntary sin." '
Also in the Acts of the Apostles : " But Peter saith unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou thinkest to be able to obtain the grace of God by money. Thou hast no part nor lot in this faith, for thy heart is not right with God. Therefore repent of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if haply the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. For I see that thou art in the bond of iniquity, and in the bitterness of gall." ^
Also in the second Epistle of the [blessed ^] Paul to the Corinthians : " For the sorrow which is according to God worketh a stedfast repentance unto salvation, but the sorrow of the world worketh death." ^
Also in the same place of this very matter : " But if ye have forgiven anything to any one, I also forgive him ; for I also forgave what I have forgiven for your sakes in the person of Christ, that we may not be circumvented by Satan^ for we are not ignorant of his wiles." ^
Also in the same : ^' But I fear lest perchance, when I come to you, God may again humble me among you, and I shall bewail many of those who have sinned before, and have not repented, for that they have committed fornication and lasciviousness." ^"
Also in the same : " I told you before, and foretell you as I sit present ; and absent now from those who before have
1 Eccliis. xvii. 26. ^ Ecclus. xx. 3. ^ Acts viii. 20, etc.
^ The original has only " ben," which TrombcUius reasonably assumes to be meant for "benedicti."
5 2 Cor. vii. 10. ^ 2 Cor. ii. 10. ^ 2 Cor. xii. 21.
EXHORTATION TO REPENTANCE. 271
sinned, and to all others ; as, if I shall come again, I will not spare." ^
Also in the second to Timothy : " But shun profane novelties of words, for they are of much advantage to im- piety. And their word creeps as a cancer : of whom is Hymenseus and Philetus, who have departed from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened, and have subverted the faith of certain ones. But the foundation of God stahdeth firm, having this seal, God knoweth them that are His. And, Every one who nameth the name of the Lord shall depart from all iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of clay ; and some indeed for honour, and some for con- tempt. Therefore if any one shall amend ^ himself from these things, he shall be a vessel sanctified for honour, and useful for the Lord, prepared for every good work. INIoreover, flee youthful lusts : but follow after righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call upon the Lord from a pure heart. But avoid questions that are foolish and without learning, knowing that they beget strifes. And the servant of the Lord ought not to strive ; but to be gentle, docile to all men, patient with modesty, correcting those who resist, lest at any time God may give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth, and recover themselves from the snares of the devil, by whom they are held captive at his will." ^
Also in the Apocalypse : ^' Remember whence thou hast fallen, and repent ; but if not, I will come to thee quickly, and remove thy candlestick out of its place." ^
1 2 Cor. xiii. 2.
2 " Emendaverit," probably a mistake for " emimdaverit," " shall purge," as in the Vulg. ; scil. ItcKaQxp'/i.
8 2 Tim. ii. 16. ' * Ecv. ii. 5.
THE PASSION OF THE HOLY MAETIES PEEPETUA AND FELICITAS.
CYP. — VOL. II.
INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.
ERPETIJA and Felicitas suffered martyrdom in the reign of Septimius Sever us, about the year 202 A.D. TertuUian mentions Perpetua ; and a further clue to the date is given in the allusion to the birth-day of " Geta the Csesar," the son of Septimius Severus. There is, tlierefore, good reason for rejecting the opinion held by some, that they suffered under Valerian and. Gallienus. Some think that they suffered at Tuburbium in ^lauritania ; but the more general opinion is, that Carthage was the scene of their martyrdom.
The Acta, detailing the sufferings of Perpetua and Feli- citas, has been held by all critics to be a genuine document of antiquity. But much difference exists as to who was the compiler. In the writing itself, Perpetua and Saturus are mentioned as having written certain portions of it ; and there is no reason to doubt the statement. Who the writer of the remaining portion was, is not known. Some have assigned the work to TertuUian ; some have maintained that, whoever the writer was, he was a Montanist ; and some have tried to show that both martyrs and narrator were Montanists. The narrator must have been a contemporary ; according to man}- critics, he was an eye-witness of the sufferings of the martyrs. An.d he must havevn-itten the narrative shortly after the events. Dean Milman says, " There appear strong indications that the acts of these African martyrs are translated from the Greek ; at least it is difficult otherwise to account for the frequent untranslated Greek words and idioms in the text" {Hist, of Clivistianity^ vol. i. ch. viii.).
The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas was edited by Petrus Possinus, Rome 1663; by Henr. Yalesius, Paris 1664; and the Bollandists. The best and Litest edition is by Ruissart, whose text is adopted in Gallandi's and Migne's collections of the Fathers.
THE PASSION OF THE HOLY MAETYES PEEPETUA AND EELICITAS.
P K E F A C E.
F ancient illustrations of faltli which both testify to God's grace and tend to man's edification are collected In writing, so that by the perusal of them, as if by the reproduction of the facts, as well God may be honoured, as man may be strengthened ; why should not new instances be also collected, that shall be equally suitable for both purposes, — if only on the ground that these modern examples will one day become ancient and available for posterity, although in their present time they are esteemed of less authority, by reason of the presumed venera- tion for antiquity? But let men look to it, if they judge the power of the one Holy Spirit to be one, according to the times and seasons ; since some things of later date must be esteemed of more account, as being nearer to the very last times, in accordance with the exuberance of grace manifested to the final periods determined for the world. For " in the last days, salth the Lord, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh ; and their sons and their daughters shall prophesy. And upon my servants and my handmaidens will I pour out of my Spirit ; and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams." ^ And thus we — who both acknowledge and reverence, even as we do the pro- phecies, modern visions as equally promised to us, and consider the other powers of the Holy Spirit as an agency of the church for which also He was sent, administering all
1 Joel ii. 28, 29. 276
PASSION OF PERPETUA AND FELICITAS. 277
drifts in all, even as the Lord distributed to everv one — as well needfully collect them in writing, as commemorate them in reading to God's glory ; that so no weakness or despond- ency of faith may suppose that the divine grace abode only among the ancients, whether in respect of the condescension that raised up martyrs, or that gave revelations ; since God always carries into effect what He has promised, for a testi- mony to unbelievers, to believers for a benefit. And we therefore, what we have heard and handled, declare also to 3'ou, brethren and little children, that as well you who were concerned in these matters may be reminded of them again to the glory of the Lord, as that you who know them by re- port may have communion with the blessed martyrs, and through them with the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and honour, for ever and ever. Amen.
CHAPTER L
Argument. — When the saints icere apprehended, St. Perpetua successfully resisted her father s p>leadingj tvas hap)tized loith the others, was thimst into a filthy dungeon ; and, being anxious about her infant, by a vision granted to her of a ladder raised to heaven, and of the ascent of St. Saturus and herself, and of a small loaf of bread offered to them, she understood that her martyrdom woidd take place very shoi^tly.
1. The young catechumens, Revocatus and his fellow- servant Felicitas, Saturninus and Secundulus, were appre- hended. And among them also was Vivia Perpetua, respectably born, liberally educated, a married matron, having a father and mother and two brothers, one of whom, like herself, was a catechumen, and a son an infant at the breast. She herself was about twenty-two years of age. From this point onward she shall herself narrate the whole course of her martyrdom, as she left it described by her own hand and with her own mind.
2. " While," says she, " we were still with the persecutors.
278 THE PASSION OF
and my father, for the sake of his affection for me, was per- sisting in seeking to tm^n me away, and to cast me down [from the faith], — ^ Father,' said I, ' do you see, let us say, this vessel lying here to be a little pitcher, or something else?'' And he said, ' I see it to be so/ And I replied to him, ^ Can it be called by any other name than what it is ? ' And he said, ' No.' ' Neither can I call myself anything else than what I am, a Christian.' Then my father, provoked at this saying, threw himself upon me, as if he would tear my eyes out. But he only distressed me, and went away overcome by the devil's arguments. Then, in a few days after I had been without my father, I gave thanks to the Lord ; and his absence became a source of consolation ^ to me. In that same interval of a few days we were baptized, and to me the Spirit prescribed that in the water [of baptism] nothing else was to be sought for than bodily endurance.^ After a few days we are taken into the dungeon, and I was very much afraid, because I had never felt such darkness. O terrible day ! 0 the fierce heat of the shock of the soldiery, because of the crowds ! I was very unusually distressed by my anxiety for my infant. There were present there Tertius and Pom- ponius, the blessed deacons who ministered to us, and had arranged by means of a gratuity that we might be refreshed by being sent out for a few hours into a pleasanter part of the prison. Then going out of the dungeon, all attended to their own wants.^ I suckled my child, which was now enfeebled with hunger. In my anxiety for it, I addressed my mother and comforted my brother, and commended to their care my son. I was languishing because I had seen them languishing on my account. Such solicitude I suffered for many days, and I obtained leave for my infant to remain in the dungeon with me ; and forthwith I grew strong, and was relieved from distress and anxiety about my infant; and the dungeon became to me as it were a palace, so that I preferred being there to being elsewhere.
1 " Kefrigeravit," Graece dviTrccvasu, scil. "requiem dedit." - i.e. the grace of martyrdom. ^ Sibi vacabant.
PEJRPETUA AND FELICITAS. 279
3. " Then my brother said to me, ' My dear sister, you are ah'eady in a position of great dignity, and are such that you may ask for a vision, and that it may be made known to you whether this [trial] is to result in a passion or an escape.'^ And I, who knew that I was privileged to converse with the Lord, whose kindnesses I had found to be so great, boldly promised him, and said, ' To-morrow I will tell you/ And I asked, and this was what was shown me. I saw a golden ladder of marvellous height, reaching up even to heaven, and very narrow, so that persons could only ascend it one by one ; and on the sides of the ladder was fixed every kind of iron weapon. There were there swords, lances, hooks, daggers ; so that if any one went up carelessly, or not looking upwards, he would be torn to pieces, and his flesh would cleave to the iron weapons. And under the ladder itself was couching a dragon of wonderful size, who lay in wait for those who ascended, and frightened them from the ascent. And Saturus went up first, who had subsequently delivered him- self up freely on our account, not having been present at the time that we were taken prisoners. And he attained the top of the ladder, and turned towards me, and said to me, ' Perpetua, I am waiting for ^ you ; but be careful that the dragon do not bite you.' And I said, ' In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, he shall not hurt me.' And from under the ladder itself, as if in fear of me, he slowly lifted up his head ; and as I trod upon the first step, I trod upon his head. And I went up, and I saw an immense extent of garden, and in the midst of the garden a white-haired man sitting in the dress of a shepherd, of large stature, milking sheep ;^ and standing around were many thousand white-robed ones. And he raised his head, and looked upon me, and said to me, ^ Thou art welcome, daughter.' And he called me, and from the cheese as he was milking he gave me as it were a little cake, and I received it with folded hands ;
1 Commeatus.
2 " Sustineo," Grgece v~oyAvu, scih " exspecto."
•^ This was an ordinary mode of picturing our Lord in the oratories and on the sacred vessels of those days.
280 THE PASSION OF
and I ate It, and all who stood around said Amen. And at the sound of their voices I was awakened, still tasting a sweetness which I cannot describe. And I immediatelj related this to my brother, and we understood that it was to be a passion, and we ceased henceforth to have any hope in this world.
CHAPTER II.
Akgument. — Perpetua, tvJien besieged by her fatlier, comforts liim. When led ivith others to the tribunal, she avows her- self a Christian, and is condemned ivith the rest to the wild beasts. She frays for her brother Dinocrates, ivho was dead, ivhom in a vision she ijerceives to be afflicted, and to be released from the i^cciii-s of purgatory,
1. "After a few daj^s there prevailed a report that we should be heard. And then my father came to me from the city, worn out with anxiety. He came up to me, that he might cast me down, saying, * Have pity, my daughter, on my grey hairs. Have pity on your father, if I am worthy to be called a father by you. If with these hands I have brought you up to this flower of your age, if I have preferred you to all your brothers, do not deliver me up to the scorn of men. Have regard to your brothers, have regard to your mother and your aunt, have regard to your son, who will not be able to live after you. Lay aside your courage, and do not bring us all to destruction ; for none of us will speak in freedom if you should suffer anything.' These things said my father in his affection, kissing my hands, and throwing himself at my feet; and with tears he called me not Daughter, but Lady. And I grieved over the grey hairs of my father, that he alone of all my family would not rejoice over my passion. And I comforted him, saying, ^ On that scaffold ^ whatever God wills shall happen. For know that we are not placed in our
1 " Catasta," a raised platform on which the martyrs were placed either for trial or torture.
PERPETUA AND FELICITAS. 281
own power, but in that of God/ And he departed from me in sorrow.
2. "Anotlier day, while we were at dinner, we were suddenly taken away to be heard, and we arrived at the town-hall. At once the rumour spread through the neighbourhood of the public place, and an immense number of people were gathered together. We mount the platform. The rest were interrogated, and confessed. Then they came to me, and my father immediately appeared with my boy, and withdrew me from the step, and said in a supplicating tone, ' Have pity on your babe.' And Hilarianus the procurator, wdio had just received the power of life and death in the place of the proconsul Minucius Timinianus, who was deceased, said, ' Spare the grey hairs of your father, spare the infancy of your boy, offer sacrifice for the well-being of the emperors.' And I replied, ^I will not do so.' Hilarianus said, ^ Are you a Christian ? ' And I replied, ^ I am a Christian.' And as my father stood there to cast me down [from the faith], he was ordered by Hilarianus to be throw^n down, and w^as beaten with rods. And my father's misfortune grieved me as if I myself had been beaten, I so grieved for his wretched old age. The procurator then delivers judgment on all of us, and condemns us to the wild beasts, and we went down cheerfully to the dungeon. Then, because my child had been used to receive suck from me, and to stay with me in the prison, I send Pomponius the deacon to my father to ask for the infant, but my father would not give it him. And even as God -willed it, the child no longer desired the breast, nor did my breasts cause me uneasiness, lest I should be tormented by care for my babe and by the pain of my breasts at once.
3. "After a few days, whilst w^e were all praying, on a sudden, in the middle of our prayer, there came to me a word, and I named Dinocrates ; and I was amazed that that name had never come into my mind until then, and I was grieved as I remembered his misfortune. And I felt myself immediately to be worthy, and to be called on to ask on his behalf. And for him I began earnestly to make supplica-
282 THE PASSION OF
tion, and to cry with groaning to the Lord. Without delay, on that very night, this was shown to me in a vision.^ I saw Dinocrates going out from a gloomy place, where also there were several others, and he was parched and very thirsty, with a filthy countenance and pallid colour, and the wound on his face which he had when he died. This Dinocrates had been my brother after the flesh, seven years of age, who died miserably with disease — his face being so eaten out with cancer, that his death caused repugnance to all men. For him I had made my prayer, and between him and me there was a large interval,^ so that neither of us could approach to the other. And moreover, in the same place where Dinocrates was, there was a pool full of water, having its brink higher than was the stature of the boy ; and Dino- crates raised himself up as if to drink. And I was grieved that, although that pool held water, still, on account of the height of its brink, he could not drink. And I was aroused, and knew that my brother was in suffering. But I trusted that my prayer would bring help to his suffering; and I prayed for him every day until we passed over into the prison of the camp, for we were to fight in the camp-show. Then was the birth-day of Geta Csesar, and I made my prayer for my brother day and night, groaning and weeping that he might be granted to me.
4. " Then, on the day on which we remained in fetters,^ this was shown to me. I saw that that place which I had formerly observed to be in gloom was now bright ; and Dino- crates, with a clean body well clad, was finding refreshment. And where there had been a wound, I saw a scar ; and that pool which I had before seen, [I saw now] with its margin lowered even to the boy's navel. And one drew water from the pool incessantly, and upon its brink was a goblet filled with water ; and Dinocrates drew near and began to drink from it, and the goblet did not fail. And when he was satisfied, he went away from the water to play joyously, after the manner of children, and I awoke. Then I understood that he was translated from the place of punishment. 1 "Oromate." ^ "Diadema," or rather "diastema." ^ "Nervo."
PERPETUA AND FELICITAS, 283
CHAPTER III.
Argument. — Perpetua is again tempted hy her father. Her third vision, wherein she is led aiuay to struggle against an Egyptian for a reivard ; she fights, conquers, and receives the reward.
1. "Again, after a few days, Piidens, a soldier, an assistant overseer^ of the prison, who began to regard ns in great esteem, perceiving that the great power of God was in us, admitted many brethren to see ns, that both we and they might be mutually refreshed. And when the day of the exhibition drew near, my father, worn out with suffering, came in to me, and began to tear out his beard, and to throw himself on the earth, and to cast himself down on his face, and to reproach his years, and to utter such words as might move all creation. I grieved for his unhappy old age.
2. " The day before that on which we were to fight, I saw in a vision that Pomponius the deacon came hither to the gate of the prison, and knocked vehemently. I went out to him, and opened the gate for him ; and he was clothed in a richly ornamented white robe, and he had on manifold * calliculse.' ^ And he said to me, ' Perpetua, we are wait- ing for you; come!' And he held his hand to me, and we began to go through rough and winding places. Scarcely at length had we arrived breathless at the amphitheatre, when he led me into the middle of the arena, and said to me, * Do not fear, I am here with you, and I am labouring with you ; ' and he departed. And I gazed upon an immense assembly in astonishment. And because I knew that I was given to the wild beasts, I marvelled that the wild beasts were not let loose upon me. Then there came forth against me a certain
1 Optio.
2 It seems uncertain what may be the meaning of this word. It is variously supposed to signify little round ornaments either of cloth or metal attached to the soldier's dress, or the small bells on the priestly robe. Some also read the word " gallicuhT!," small sandals.
284 THE PASSION OF
Egyptian, horrible in appearance, with his backers, to fight with me. And there came to me, as my helpers and en- couragers, handsome youths ; and I was stripped, and became a man. Then my helpers began to rub me with oil, as is the custom for contest ; and I beheld that Egyptian on the other hand rolling in the dust.* And a certain man came forth, of wondrous height, so that he even overtopped the top of the amphitheatre ; and he wore a loose tunic and a purple robe between two bands over the middle of the breast; and he had on ' calliculse ' of varied form, made of gold and silver ; and he carried a rod, as if he were a trainer of gladiators, and a green branch upon which were apples of gold. And he called for silence, and said, ' This Egyptian, if he should overcome this woman, shall kill her with the sword ; and if she shall conquer him, she shall receive this branch.' Then he departed. And we drew near to one another, and began to deal out blows. He sought to lay hold of my feet, while I struck at his face with my heels ; and I was lifted up in the air, and began thus to kick at him as if spurning the earth. But when I saw that there was some delay, I joined my hands so as to twine my fingers with one another; and I took hold upon his head, and he fell on his face, and I trod upon his head. And the people began to shout, and my backers to exult. And I drew near to the trainer and took the branch ; and he kissed me, and said to me, ' Daughter, peace be with you : ' and I began to go gloriously to the Sanavivarian gate.^ Then I aw^oke, and perceived that I was not to fight with beasts, but against the devil. Still I knew that the victory was awaiting me. This, so far, I have completed several days before the ex- hibition ; but wdiat passed at the exhibition itself let who will write."
^ " Afa" is the Greek word «^'^, " a grip ;" lience used of the yellow sand sprinkled over wrestlers, to enable them to grasp one another.
2 This was the way by which the victims spared by the popular clc- meiicy escaped from the amphitheatre.
PERPETUA AND FELICITAS. 285
CHAPTER IV.
Argument. — St. Saturns {in a vision granted to him) and St. Perpetua being carried by angels into the great lights behold the martyrs; and being brought to the throne of God, are received ivith a kiss. They reconcile Optatus the bishop and Aspasius the presbyter,
1. Moreover, also, the blessed Saturus related this his vision, which he himself committed to writing : — " We had suffered," says he, " and we were gone forth from the flesh, and we were beginning to be borne by four angels into the east ; and their hands touched us not. And we floated not supine, looking upwards, but as if ascending a gentle slope. And being set free, we at length saw the first boundless light ; and I said, ' Perpetua ' (for she w^as at my side), ^ this is what the Lord promised to us ; we have received the pro- mise.' And while we are borne by those same four angels, there appears to us a vast space which was like a pleasure- garden, having rose-trees and every kind of flower. And the height of the trees was after the measure of a cypress, and their leaves were falling^ incessantly. Moreover, there in the pleasure-garden four other angels appeared, brighter than the previous ones, who, when they saw us, gave us honour, and said to the rest of the angels, ' Here tliey are ! Here they are !' with admiration. And those four angels who bore us, being greatly afraid, put us down ; and we passed over on foot the space of a furlong in a broad path. There we found Jocundus, and Saturninus, and Artaxius, who having suffered the same persecution w^ere burnt alive ; and Quintus, who also, himself a martyr, had departed in the prison. And we asked of tlicm where the rest were. And the angels said to us, ' Come first, enter and greet your Lord.'
2. ''And we came near to a place, the walls of which were such as if they were built of light; and before the
^"Cadcbant;" but "ardebaut" — "were burning" — seems a more probable reading.
286 THE PASSION OF
gate of that place stood four angels, who clothed those who entered with white robes. And being clothed, we entered and saw the boundless light, and heard the united voice of some who said without ceasing, ^Holy! Holy! Holy !'^ And in the midst of that place we saw as it were a hoary man sitting, having snow-white hair, and with a youthful countenance; and his feet we saw not. And on his right hand and on his left were four-and-twenty elders, and behind them a great many others were standing. We entered with great wonder, and stood before the throne ; and the four angels raised us up, and we kissed Him, and He passed His hand over our face. And the rest of the elders said to us, 'Let us stand;' and we stood and made peace. And the elders said to us, ' Go and play.' And I said, ' Perpetua, you have what you wish.' And she said to me, ' Thanks be to God, that joyous as I was in the flesh, I am now more joyous here.'
3. " And we went forth, and saw before the entrance Optatus the bishop at the right hand, and Aspasius the pres- byter, a teacher,^ at the left hand, separate and sad ; and they cast themselves at our feet, and said to us, ' Kestore peace between us, because you have gone forth and have left us thus.' And we said to them, ' Art not thou our father, and thou our presbyter, that you should cast yourselves at our feet f And we prostrated om'selves, and we embraced them : and Perpetua began" to speak with them, and we drew them apart in the pleasure-garden under a rose-tree. And while we were speaking with them, the angels said unto them, ' Let them alone, that they may refresh themselves f and if you have any dissensions between you, forgive one another.' And they drove them away. And they said to Optatus, ' Eebuke thy people, because they assemble to you as if returning from the circus, and contending about factious matters.' And then it seemed to us as if they w^ould shut the doors. And
1 "Agios."
2 A presbyter, tliat is, whose office was to teacli, as distinct from otLer presbyters. See Cyprian, Epistles, vol. i. Ep. xxiii. p. 68, note 1, transl.
2 More probably, " rest and refresh yourselves."
PERPETUA AND FELICITAS. 287
in that place we began to recognise many brethren, and. moreover martyrs. We were all nourished with an inde- scribable odour, which satisfied us. Then I joyously awoke."
CHAPTER V.
Argument. — St. Secundulus dies in the prison. St. Felicitas is pregnant, hut with many prayers she brings forth in the eighth month without suffering. The courage of St. Per- petua and of St. Saturus is unbroken.
1. The above were the more eminent visions of the blessed martyrs Saturus and Perpetua themselves, which they them- selves committed to writing. But God called Secundulus, while he was yet in the prison, by an earlier exit from the world, not without favom-, so as to give a respite to the beasts. Nevertheless, even if his soul did not acknowledge cause for thankfulness, assuredly his flesh did.
2. But respecting Felicitas (for to her also the Lord's favour approached in the same way), when she had already gone eight months with child (for she had been pregnant when she was apprehended), as the day of the exhibition was di'awing near, she was in great grief lest on account of her pregnancy she should be delayed, — because pregnant women are not allowed to be publicly punished, — and lest she should shed her sacred and guiltless blood among some who had been wicked subsequently. Moreover, also, her fellow-martyrs were painfully saddened lest they should leave so excellent a friend, and as it were companion, alone in the path of the same hope. Therefore, joining together their united cry, they poured forth their prayer to the Lord three days before the exhibition. Immediately after their prayer her pains came upon her ; and when, with the difficulty natural to an eight months' delivery, in the labour of bringing forth she was sor- rowing, some one of the servants of the Cataractarii^ said to
^ " The gaolers," so called from the " cataracta," or prison-gate, which they guarded.
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her, " You who are in such suffering now, what will you do when you are thrown to the beasts, which you despised when you refused to sacrifice?" And she replied, "Now it is I that suffer what I suffer ; but then there will be another in me, who will suffer for me, because I also am about to suffer for Him." Thus she brought forth a little girl, which a certain sister brought up as her daughter.
3. Since then the Holy Spirit permitted, and by permit- ting willed, that the proceedings of that exhibition should be committed to writing, although w^e are unworthy to complete the description of so great a glory ; yet we obey as it were the command of the most blessed Perpetua, nay her sacred trust, and add one more testimony concerning her constancy and her loftiness of mind. When they were being treated with more severity by the tribune, because, from the intimations of certain deceitful men, he feared lest they should be with- drawn from the prison by some sort of magic incantations, Perpetua answered to his face, and said, " Why do you not at least permit us to be refreshed, being as w^e are objection- able to the most noble Caesar, and having to fight on his birth-day ? Or is it not your glory if w^e are brought for- ward fatter on that occasion ? " The tribune shuddered and blushed, and commanded that they should be kept wdth more humanity, so that permission was given to their brethren and others to go in and be refreshed with them ; even the keeper of the prison trusting them now himself.
4. Moreover, on the day before, when in that last meal, which they call the free meal, they were partaking as far as they could, not of a free supper, but of an agape ; with the same firmness they were uttering such words as these to the people, denouncing [against them] the judgment of the Lord, bearing witness to the felicity of their passion, laughing at the curiosity of the people who came together ; while Saturus said, " To-morrow is not enough for you, for you to behold with pleasure that which you hate. Friends to-day, enemies to-morrow. Yet note our faces diligently, that you may recognise them on that day of judgment." Thus all departed thence astonished, and from these things many believed.
A
PEBPETUA AND FELICITAS. 289
CHAPTER VI.
Argument. — From the 2^rison tliei/ are led forth loitli joy into the amphitlieatre, especially Perpetua and Felicitas ; all refuse to put on profane garments ; they are scourged^ they are thrown to the %dld leasts. Saturus twice is unhurt. St. Perpetua and St. Felicitas are throiun down ; they are called bach to the Sanavivarian gate. St. Saturus wounded hy a leopard, exhorts the soldier ; they hiss one another J they are slain ivith the sword.
1. The clay of their victory shone forth, and they pro- ceeded from the prison into the amphitlieatre, as if to an assembly, joyous and of brilliant countenances ; if perchance shrinking, it was with joy, and not with fear. Perpetua followed with placid look, and with step and gate as a matron of Christ, beloved of God ; casting down the lustre of her eyes from the gaze of all. Moreover, Felicitas rejoicing that she had safely brought forth, so that she might fight with the wild beasts ; from the blood and from the midwife to the gladiator, to wash after childbirth w^ith a second baptism. And when they were brought to the gate, and were being constrained to put on the clothing — the men, that of the priests of Saturn, and the women, that of those who were consecrated to Ceres — that noble-minded woman resisted even to the end with constancy. For she said, " We have come thus far of our own accord, for this reason, that our liberty might not be restrained. For this reason we have yielded our minds, that we might not do any such thing as this : we have agreed on this with you." Injustice acknowledged the justice ; the tribune yielded to their being brought as simplj' as they were. Perpetua sang psalms, already treading under foot the head of the Eo:yptian ; Revocatus, and Satur- ninus, and Saturus uttered threateninf^s aijainst the sazino; people about this martyrdom. When they came within sight of Hilarianus, by gesture and nod, they began to say to Hilarianus, " Thou judgest us," say they, ^^ but God will
CYP. — VOL. II. T
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judge thee." At this the people, exasperated, demanded that they should be tormented with scourges as they passed along the rank of the venatores} And they indeed rejoiced that they should have incurred any one of their Lord's passions.
2. But He who had said, " Ask, and ye shall receive," ^ gave to them when they asked, that death which each one had wished for. For when at any time they had been discoursing among themselves about their wish in respect of their martyr- dom, Saturninus indeed had professed that he wished that he might be thrown to all the beasts ; doubtless that he might wear a more glorious crown. Therefore in the beginning of the exhibition, he and Revocatus made trial of the leopard, and moreover upon the scaffold they were harassed by the bear. Saturus, however, held nothing in greater abomination than a bear ; but he imagined that he would be put an end to with one bite of a leopard. Therefore, when a wild boar was supplied, it was the huntsman rather who had supplied that boar who was gored by that same beast, and died the day after the shows. Saturus only was drawn out; and when he had been bound on the floor near to a bear, the bear would not come forth from his den. And so Saturus for the second time is recalled unhurt.
3. Moreover, for the young women the devil prepared a very fierce cow, provided especially for that purpose contrary to custom, rivalling their sex also in that of the beasts. And so, stripped and clothed with nets, they were led forth. The populace shuddered as they saw one young woman of delicate frame, and another with breasts still dropping from her recent childbirth. So, being recalled, they are unbound.^ Perpetua is first led in. She was tossed, and fell on her loins ; and when she saw her tunic torn from her side, she drew it over her as a veil for her middle, rather mindful of her modesty than her suffering. Then she was called for
^ A row of men drawn up to scourge them as they passed along, — a punishment probably similar to what is called " running the gauntlet."
2 John xvi. 24.
3 Ita revocatae discinguntur. Dean Milman prefers reading this, " Thus recalled, they are clad in loose robes."
PEBPETUA AND FELICITAS. 291
again, and bound up her dishevelled hair ; for it was not be- coming for a martyr to suffer with dishevelled hair, lest she should appear to be moui'ning in her glory. So she rose up ; and when she saw Felicitas crushed, she approached and gave her her hand, and lifted her up. And both of them stood together ; and the brutality of the populace being appeased, they wxre recalled to the Sanavivarian gate. Then Perpetua was received by a certain one who was still a catechumen, Rusticus by name, who kept close to her; and she, as if aroused from sleep, so deeply had she been in the Spirit and in an ecstasy, began to look round her, and to say to the amazement of all, *^ I cannot tell when we are to be led out to that cow." And when she had heard what had already happened, she did not believe it until she had perceived certain signs of injury in her body and in her dress, and had recognised the catechumen. Afterwards causing that catechumen and her brother to approach, she addressed them, saying, " Stand fast in the faith, and love one another, all of you, and be not offended at my sufferings."
4. The same Saturus at the other entrance exhorted the soldier Pudens, saying, " Assuredly here I am, as I have promised and foretold, for up to this moment I have felt no beast. And now believe with your whole heart. Lo, I am going forth to that beast, and I shall be destroyed with one bite of the leopard." And immediately at the conclusion of the exhibition he was thrown to the leopard ; and with one bite of his he was bathed wdth such a quantity of blood, that the people shouted out to him as he was returning, the testi- mony of his second baptism, " Saved and washed, saved and washed." ^ Manifestly he was assuredly saved who had been glorified in such a spectacle. Then to the soldier Pudens he said, " Farewell, and be mindful of my faith ; and let not these things disturb, but confirm you." And at the same time he asked for a little ring from his finger, and returned it to him bathed in his wound, leaving to him an inherited token and the memory of his blood. And then lifeless he is cast down with the rest, to be slaughtered in the usual
^ A cry in mockery of what was known as the effect of Christian baptism.
292 PASSION OF PERPETVA AND FELICITAS.
place. And when tlie populace called for them into the midst, that as the sword penetrated into their body they might make their eyes partners in the murder, they rose up of their own accord, and transferred themselves whither the people wished ; but they first kissed one another, that they might consummate their martyrdom with the kiss of peace. The rest indeed, immoveable and in silence, received the sword-thrust; much more Saturus, who also had first ascended the ladder, and first gave up his spirit, for he also was waiting for Perpetua. But Perpetua, that she might taste some pain, being pierced between the ribs, cried out loudly, and she herself placed the wavering right hand of the youthful gladiator to her throat. Possibly such a woman could not have been slain unless she herself had willed it, because she was feared by the impure spirit.
O most brave and blessed martyrs ! O truly called and chosen unto the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ ! whom who- ever magnifies, and honours, and adores, assuredly ought to read these examples for the edification of the church, not less than the ancient ones, so that new virtues also may testify that one and the same Holy Spirit is always operating even until now, and God the Father Omnipotent, and His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, whose is the glory and infinite power for ever and ever. Amen,
THE WRITINGS OF NOVATIAN.
INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.
HE biography of Novatian belongs to the ecclesias- tical history of the third century. He was, or is reputed to have been, the founder of a sect which claimed for itself the name of Puritan (;^a^apo/) ; and he is also said to be the first false Pope (Pseudo-Papa). For a long time he was in determined opposition to Cornelius, bishop of Pome, in regard to the admission of the lapsed and penitent into the church ; but the facts of the controversy and much of our information in regard to Novatian are to be got only from his enemies, the Poman bishop and his adherents. Accordingly, some have believed all the accusations that have been brought against him, while others have been inclined to doubt them all.i
It is not known where Novatian was born. Some have appealed to Philostorgius ^ in behalf of the opinion that he was a Phrygian ; but others maintain that, supposing this to be a statement of the historian, it is a mere conjecture of his, based on the character of Novatian's teaching. It is also stated by Cyprian, that he was a Stoic before he passed over to the Christian church ; but this also has been doubted. While amongst the catechumens, he was seized by a violent disease, attributed to demoniac agency; and being near death, he received baptism. He was ordained presbyter by Fabian, bishop of Pome, against the wishes of the rest of the clergy, who objected thereto his having received clinic baptism. The subsequent circumstances of his schism and his contest with CorneHus, are stated at leno;th with no friendly spirit in a letter to Antonianus by Cyprian.^
^ See the last portion of Section Second of Neander's Church History. ^ Hist. Eccl. lib. viii. c. 15. The text of Yalcsius has Ovxtou^ not Novatus or Novatian.
^ Vol. i. Ep. li. p. 133, transl.
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296 INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.
Socrates^ states that he suffered martyrdom ; but his authority, amid the silence of all others, is not sufficient to guarantee the fact.
Novatlan composed many works. The following are extant : —
I. De Trinitate, formerly attributed by some to Tertullian, by others to Cyprian ; but now on all hands allowed to be the work of Novatian, to whom Jerome expressly assigns it.^ It was written after the heresy of Sabellius, which appeared 256 a.d.
II. De Cihis Judaicis : at first also attributed by some to Tertullian or Cyprian ; but now assigned to Novatian on the testimony of Jerome. It was written during the time of the Decian persecution, about 250 a.d.
III. Novatian was the author of the letter addressed by the Eoman clergy to Cyprian, contained in vol. i. of the Writings of Cyprian (Ante-Nicene Chr. Lib.), Ep. xxx. p. 85 ; as Cyprian himself states. See p. 135, c. 5, of the same volume. Some have also attributed to him Ep. xxix. without any authority.
Jerome attributes to him writings on Circumcision, on the Sabbath, on the Passover, on the Priesthood, on Prayer, on Attains, on the Present Crisis, and Letters.
The best editions of Novatian are by Welchman, Oxford 1724 ; and by Jackson, London 1728.
1 Hist. Eccl lib. iv. c. 28. ^ x>e vlrls Illaslrlhus, c. 70.
I
A TEEATISE OF NOVATIAN.
A ROMAN PRESBYTER.
CONCEKNING THE TKINITY.
ARGUMENT.
Novatian's treatise concerning the Trinity is divided into thirty-one chapters. He first of all considers those words of the Rule of Truth or Faith (that we call the Creed), which bid us believe on God the Father and Lord Almighty, the absolutely perfect Creator of all things, from chapter first to the eighth, wherein among the other divine attributes he moreover ascribes to Him, partly from reason and partly from the Holy Scriptures, immensity, eternity, miity, goodness, immutability, immortality, spirituality ; and adds that neither passions nor members can be attributed to God, and that these things are only asserted of God in Scripture anthropopathically. From the ninth chapter to the twenty- eighth he enters upon the diffuse explanation also of those words of our creed which commend to us faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Lord our God, the Christ promised in the Old Testament, and proves by the authority of the old and new covenant that He is very man and very God. In chapter eighteenth he refutes the error of the Sabellians, and by the authority of the sacred writings he establishes the distinction of the Father and of the Son, and replies to the objections of the above- named heresiarchs and others. In the twenty-ninth chapter lie treats of faith in the Holy Spirit, saying that finally the authority of the faith admonishes us, after the Father and the Son, to believe also on the Holy Spirit, whose operations he recounts and proves from the Scriptures. He then labours to associate the unity of God with the matters previously contended for, and at lecgth sets forth the sum of the doctrines above explained.
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CHAPTER I.
Argument. — Novatian, witJi the vieiv of treating of the Triniti/, sets forth from the Rule of faith that we should first of all believe in God the Father and Lord Omnipotent^ the absolute Founder of all things. The works of creation are beautifidly described. Man s free-icill is asserted; God^s mercy in i?iflicting penalty on man is shoivn ; the condition after death of the souls of the righteous and unrighteous is determined.
HE Rule of truth requires that we should first of all things believe on God the Father and Lord Omnipotent; that is, the absolutely per- fect Founder of all things, who has suspended the heavens in loft}^ sublimity, has established the earth with its lower mass, has diffused the seas with their fluent moisture, and has distributed all these things, both adorned and supplied with their appropriate and fitting instruments. For in the solid vault of heaven He has both awakened the light-bringing Sunrisings; He has filled up the white globe of the moon in its monthly •■• waxings as a solace for the night ; He, moreover, kindles the starry rays with the varied splendours of glistening light ; and He has willed all these things in their legitimate tracks to circle the entire compass of the world, so as to cause days, months, years, signs, and seasons, and benefits of other kinds for the human race. On the earth, moreover. He has lifted up the loftiest mountains to a peak, He has thrown down valleys into the depths, He has smoothly levelled the plains, He has ordained the animal herds usefully for the various services of men. He has also established the oak trees of the woods for the future benefit of human uses. He has developed the harvests into food. He has unlocked the mouths of the springs, and has poured them into the flowing ^ "Mensurnis," or otherwise " menstruis."
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 299
rivers. And after these tilings, lest he should not also provide for the very delights of the eyes, He has clothed all things with the various colours of the flowers for the pleasure of the beholders. Even in the sea itself, moreover, although it was in itself marvellous both for its extent and its utility. He has made manifold creatures, sometimes of moderate, sometimes of vast bodily size, testifying by the variety of His appoint- ment to the intelligence of the Ai'tificer. And, not content with these things, lest perchance the roaring and rushing waters should seize upon a foreign element at the expense of its human possessor. He has enclosed its limits with shores ; so that when the raving billow and the foaming water should come from its deep bosom, it should return again unto itself, and not transgress its conceded bounds, but keep its pre- scribed laws, so that man might the rather be careful to observe the divine laws, even as the elements themselves observed them. And after these things He also placed man at the head of the world, and man, too, made in the image of God, to wdiom He imparted mind, and reason, and foresight, that he might imitate God ; and although the first elements of his body were earthly, yet the substance was inspired by a heavenly and divine breathing. And wdien He had given him all things for his service. He willed that he alone should be free. And lest, again, an unbounded freedom should fall into peril, He laid down a command, in which man was taught that there was no evil in the fruit of the tree ; but he was forwarned that evil would arise if perchance he should exer- cise his free will, in the contempt of the law that was given. For, on the one hand, it had behoved him to be free, lest the image of God should unfittingly be in bondage ; and on the other, the law was to be added, so that an unbridled liberty might not break forth even to a contempt of the GiA^er : so that he might receive as a consequence both worthy rewards and a deserved punishment, having in his own pow^r that wdiich he might choose to do, by the ten- dency of his mind in either direction : whence, therefore, by envy, mortality comes back upon him ; seeing that, although he might escape it by obedience, he rushes into
300 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
it by hurrying to be God under the influence of perverse counsel. Still, nevertheless, God indulgently tempered his punishment by cursing, not so much himself, as his labours upon earth. And, moreover, what is required does not come without man's knowledge ; but He shows forth man's hope of future discovery ^ and salvation in Christ. And that he is prevented from touching of the wood of the tree of life, is not caused by the malignant poison of envy, but lest, living for ever without Christ's previous pardon of his sins, he should always bear about with him for his punishment an immortality of guilt. Nevertheless also, in higher regions — that is, above even the firmament itself — regions which are not now discernible by our eyes — He previously ordained angels. He arranged spiritual powers. He put in command thrones and powers, and founded many other infinite spaces of heavens, and unbounded works of His sacraments; so that this world, immense as it is, might almost appear rather as the latest, than the only work of corporeal things. And truly,^ what lies beneath the earth is not itself void of dis- tributed and arranged powers. For there is a place whither the souls of the just and the unjust are taken, conscious of the anticipated dooms of future judgment; so that w^e might behold the overflowing greatness of God's works in all directions, not shut up within the bosom of this world, however capacious as we have said, but might also be able to conceive of them beneath both the abysses and the depths of the world itself ; and thus considering the greatness of the works, we might worthily admire the Artificer of such a structure.
1 " Inventionis." " Redemptionis " is a reasonable emendation.
2 Or probably, "Neither indeed is," etc.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 301
CHAPTER 11.
Argument. — God is above all tilings, Himself containing all things, immense, eternal, transcending the mind of man ; inexplicable in discourse, loftier than all sublimity.
And over all these things He Himself, containing all things, having nothing vacant beyond Himself, has left room for no superior God, such as some people conceive. Since, indeed, He Himself has included all things in the bosom of perfect greatness and power, He is always intent upon His own work, and pervading all things, and moving all things, and quickening all things, and beholding all things, and so linking together discordant materials into the concord of all elements, that out of these unlike principles one world is so established by a conspiring union, that it can by no force be dissolved, save when He alone who made it commands it to be dissolved, for the purpose of bestowing other and greater things upon us. For we read that He contains all things, and therefore that there could have been nothing beyond Himself ; because, since He has not any beginning, so con- sequently He is not conscious of an ending ; unless per- chance— and far from us be the thought — He at some time began to be, and is not above all things, but as He began to be after something else, He would be beneath that which was before Himself, and would so be found to be of less power, in that He is designated as subsequent even in time itself. For this reason, therefore. He is always unbounded, because nothing is greater than Him ; always eternal, because nothing is more ancient than Him. For that which is with- out beginning can be preceded by none, in that He has no time. He is on that account immortal, that He docs not come to an end by any ending of His completeness. And since everything that is without beginning is without law. He excludes the mode of time by feeling Himself debtor to none. Concerning Him, therefore, and concerning those things which are of Himself, and are in Him, neither can the mind of man worthily conceive what they are, how great
302 NOV ATI AN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
they are, and what they are like ; nor does the eloquence of human discourse set forth a power that approaches the level of His majesty. For to conceive and to speak of His majesty, as well all eloquence is with reason mute, as all mind poor : for He is greater than mind itself ; nor can it be conceived how great He is, seeing that, if He could be conceived. He would be smaller than the human mind wherein He could be conceived. He is greater, moreover, than all discourse, nor can. He be declared ; for if He could be declared. He would be less than human discourse, whereby being declared. He can both be encompassed and contained. For whatever could be thought concerning Him must be less than Himself ; and whatever could be declared must be less than Him, when compared in respect of Him- self. Moreover, we can in some degree be conscious of Him in silence, but we cannot in discourse unfold Him as He is. For should you call Him Lights you would be speaking of His creature rather than of Himself — ^you would not declare Him; or should you call Him Strength, you would rather be speaking of and bringing out His power than speaking of Himself ; or should you call Him Majesty , you would rather be describing His honour than Himself. And why should I make a long business of going through His attri- butes one by one ? I will at once unfold the whole. What- ever in any respect you might declare of Him, you would rather be unfolding some condition and power of His than Himself. For what can you fittingly either say or think con- cerning Him who is greater than all discourses and thoughts ? Except that in one manner (and how can we do this, — how can we by possibility conceive how we can grasp these very things?), we shall mentally grasp what God is, if we shall consider that He is that which cannot be understood either in quality or quantity, nor, indeed, can come even into the thought itself. For if the keenness of our eyes grows dull on looking at the sun, so that the gaze, overcome by the brightness of the rays that meet it, can- not look upon the orb itself, the keenness of our mental per- ception suffers the same thing in all our thinking about God ;
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 303
and in proportion as we give our endeavours more directly to consider God, so much the more the mind itself is blinded by the light of its own thought. For what (to repeat once more) can you worthily say of Him, who is loftier than all sublimity, and higher than all height, and deeper than all depth, and clearer than all light, and brighter than all bright- ness, more brilliant than all splendour, stronger than all strength, more powerful ^ than all power, and more mighty than all might, and greater than all majesty, and more potent than all potency, and richer than all riches, more w^ise than all wisdom, and more benignant than all kindness, better than all goodness, juster than all justice, more merciful than all clemency ? For all kinds of virtues must needs be less than Himself, who is both God and Parent of all virtues, so that it may truly be said that God is that, which is such that nothing can be compared to Him. For He is above all that can be said. For He is a certain Mind generating and filling all things, which, without any beginning or end of time, con- trols, by the highest and most perfect reason, the naturally linked causes of things, so as to result in benefit to all.
CHAPTEE III.
Argument. — That God is the Founder of all things, their Lord and Parent, is proved from the Holy Scriptures.
Him, then, w^e acknowledge and know to be God, the Creator of all things — Lord on account of His power, Parent on account of His discipline — Him, I say, who " spake, and all things were made;"^ He commanded, and all things went forth : of whom it is ^vritten, " Thou hast made all things in wisdom;"^ of whom Moses said, ^* God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath;"^ who, according to Isaiah, " hath meted out the heaven with a span, the earth with the hollow of His hand;"^ "who looketh on the earth, and maketh it tremble; who boundeth the circle of the earth,
1 Viritior. 2 pg^ cxlviii. 5. ^ pg. ciii. 24.
'^ Deut. iv. 39. ^ pg. ciii. 32.
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and those tliat dwell in it like locusts ; who hath weighed the mountains in a balance, and the groves in scales," ^ that is, by the sure test of divine arrangement ; and lest its great- ness, lying unequally, should easily fall into ruins if it were not balanced with equal w^eights. He has poised this burden of the earthly mass with equity. Who says by the prophet "I am God, and there is none beside me."^ Who says by the same prophet, " Because I will not give my majesty to another,"^ that He may exclude all heathens and heretics with their figments; proving that that is not God wdio is made by the hand of the workman, nor that which is feigned by the intellect of a heretic. For he is not God for whose existence the workman must be asked. And He has added hereto by the prophet, '' The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool : what house will ye build me, and where is the place of my rest? "^ that He may show that He whom the world does not contain is much less contained in a temple ; and He says these things not for boastfulness of Himself, but for our knowledge. For He does not desire from us the glory of His magnitude ; but He wishes to confer upon us, even as a father, a religious wisdom. And He, wishing moreover to attract to gentleness our minds, brutish, and swelling, and stubborn with cloddish ferocity, says, " And upon whom shall my Spirit rest, save upon him that is lowly, and quiet, and that trembleth at my words ?"^ — so that in some degree one may recognise how great God is, in learning to fear Him by the Spirit given to him : Who, similarly wishing still more to come into our knowledge, and by -^vay of stirring up our minds to His worship, said, " I am the Lord, who made the light and created the darkness ;"^ that w^e might deem not that some Nature, — what I know not, — was the artificer of those vicissitudes whereby nights and days are controlled, but might recognise God rather (as is more true) as their Creator. And since by the gaze of our eyes we cannot see Him, we rightly learn of Him from the greatness, and the power, and the majesty of His works.
1 Isa. xl. 22, 12. 2 isa. xlv. 22. s jga. xlii. 8.
^ Isa. Ixvi. 1. ^ Isa. Ixvi. 2. ^ Isa. xlv. 7.
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" For the invisible things of Him," says the Apostle Paul, " from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by those things which are made, even His eternal power and godhead ;" ^ so that the human mind, learning hidden things from those that are manifest, from the greatness of the works which it should behold, might with the eyes of the mind consider the greatness of the Architect. Of whom the same apostle, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, in- visible, the only God, be honour and glory." ^ For He has gone beyond the contemplation of the eyes who has surpassed the gi'eatness of thought. " For," it is said, " of Him, and through Him, and in Him are all things."^ For all things are by His command, because they are of Him ; and are ordered by His word as being through Him ; and all things return to His judgment ; as in Him expecting liberty when corruption shall be done away, they appear to be recalled to Him,
CHAPTER IV.
Aegument. — Moreover, He is good, alivays the same, immiit- ahle, one and only, infinite ; and His oiun name can never he declared, and He is incorrwptihle and immortal.
Him alone the Lord rightly declares good, of whose goodness the whole world is witness ; which world He would not have ordained if He had not been good. For if " everything was very good,"^ consequently, and reasonably, both those things which were ordained have proved that He that ordained them is good, and those things which are the work of a good Or- dainer cannot be other than good ; wherefore every evil is a departure from God. For it cannot happen that He should be the originator or architect of any evil work, who claims to Himself the name of " the perfect," both Parent and Judge, especially when He is the avenger and judge of every evil work; because, moreover, evil does not occur to man from any other cause than by his departure from the good God. Moreover, this very thing is specified in man, not because it
1 Rom. i. 20. 2 1 Y\m. i. 17. 3 Rom. xi. 33. * Gen. i. 31.
CYP. — VOL. II. U
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was necessary, but because he liimself so willed it. Whence it manifestly appeared also what was evil; and lest there should seem to be envy in God, it was evident whence evil had arisen. He, then, is always like to Himself ; nor does He ever turn or change Himself into any forms, lest by change He should appear to be mortal. For the change im- plied in tm^ning from one thing to another is comprehended as a portion of a certain death. Thus there is never in Him any accession or increase of any part or honour, lest anything should appear to have ever been wanting to His perfection, nor is any loss sustained in Him, lest a degree of mortality should appear to have been suffered by Him. But what He is, He always is ; and who He is. He is always Himself ; and what character He has, He always has.^ For as well increas- ing argues beginning, as losses prove death and perishing. And therefore he says, "I am God, I change not;"^ hold- ing His condition always, in that what is not born cannot suffer change. For whatever it be in Him which constitutes Divinity, must necessarily exist always, maintaining itself by its own powers, so that He should always be God. And thus He says, '^I am that I am."^ For what He is has this name, because it always maintains the same quality of Himself. For change takes away the force of that name that He is ; for whatever at any time is changed, is shown to be mortal in that very particular which is changed. For it ceases to be that which it had been, and consequently begins to be what it was not; and therefore, reasonably, there remains always in God His position, in that without any loss arising from change. He is always like and equal to Himself. And what is not born cannot be changed : for only those things undergo change which are made, or which are begotten; in that those things which had not been at one time, learn to be by coming into being, and therefore to suffer change by being born. Moreover, those things which neither have nativity nor maker, have excluded from them-
1 In other words, God is always the same in essence, in personality, and in attributes.
2 MaL iii. 6. ^ Ex. iii. 14.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 307
selves the capacity of change, not having a beginning wherein is cause of change. And thus He is declared to be one, having no equal. For whatever can be God, must as God be of necessity the Highest. But whatever is the Highest, must certainly be in such sense the Highest as to be without any equal. And thus that must needs be alone and one on which nothing can be conferred, having no peer ; because there cannot be two infinites, as the very nature of things dictates. And that is infinite which neither has any sort of beginning nor end. For whatever has occupied the whole excludes the be- ginning of another. Because if He does not contain all which is, whatever it is ; seeing that what is found in that whereby it is contained is found to be less than that whereby it is con- tained ; He will cease to be God ; being reduced into the power of another [existence], in whose greatness He, being smaller, shall have been included ; and therefore what contained Him would then rather claim to be God. Whence it results that God's own name also cannot be declared, because He cannot be conceived. For that is contained in a name which is in any way comprehended from the condition of His nature. For the name is the signification of that thing which could be com- prehended from a name. But when that which is treated of is such that it cannot be worthily gathered into one form by the very understanding itself, how shall it be set forth fittingly in the one word of an appellation, seeing that as it is beyond the intellect, it must also of necessity be above the significancy of the appellation ? As with reason when He applies and prefers from certain reasons and occasions His name of God, we know that it is not so much the legitimate propriety of the appellation that is set forth, as a certain sig- nificancy determined for it, to which, while men betake them- selves, they seem to be able thereby to obtain God's mercy. He is therefore also both immortal and incorruptible, neither conscious of any kind of loss nor ending. For because He is incorruptible, He is therefore immortal ; and because He is immortal. He is certainly also incorruptible, — each being involved by turns in the other, with itself and in itself, by a mutual connection, and prolonged by a vicarious con catena-
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tion to the condition of eternity, as well immortality arising from incorruption, as incorruption coming from immortality.
CHAPTER V.
Argument. — If we regard the anger, and indignation^ and hatred of God described in the sacred pages, we must rememher that they are not to he understood as hearing the character of human vices,
MoEEOVER, if we read of His wrath, and consider certain descriptions of His indignation, and learn that hatred is asserted of Him, yet we are not to understand these to be asserted of Him in the sense in which they are human vices. For all these things, although they may corrupt man, cannot at all corrupt the divine power. For such passions as these will rightly be said to be in men, and will not rightly be judged to be in God. For man can be corrupted by these things, because he can be corrupted; God cannot be cor- rupted by them, because He cannot be corrupted. These things, forsooth, have their force which they may exercise, but only where a material capable of impression precedes them, not where a substance that cannot be impressed pre- cedes them. For that God is angry, arises from no vice in Him, but He is so for our advantage. For He is merciful even then when He threatens, because by these threats men are recalled to rectitude. For, for those who want the motive to a virtuous life fear is necessary, that they who have forsaken reason may at least be moved by terror. And thus all those, either angers of God or hatreds, or whatever they are of this kind, being displayed for our medicine (as the case teaches), have arisen of wisdom, not from vice, nor do they originate from frailty ; wherefore also they cannot avail for the corruption of God. For the diversity of the materials in us of which we consist, is accustomed to arouse the discord of anger which corrupts us ; but this, whether of nature or of defect, cannot subsist in God, seeing that He is
CONCEimiNG THE TRINITY. 309
known to be constructed assuredly of no associations of bodily parts. For he is simple and without any corporeal commixture, being wholly of that essence, whatever it be, which He alone knows constitutes His being, since He is called Spirit. And thus those things which in men are faulty and corrupting, since they arise from the corruptibility of the body, and matter itself, in God cannot exert the force of corruptibility, since, as we have said, they have come, not of vice, but of reason.
CHAPTER VI.
Argument. — And that, although Scripture often changes the divine aj)2:>earance into a human form, yet the measure of the divine majesty is not included zcithin these lineaments of our bodily nature.
AxD although the heavenly Scripture often turns the divine appearance into a human form, — as when it says, "The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous;"^ or wdien it says, "Tlie Lord God smelled the smell of a good savour;"^ or when there are given to Moses the tables " written with the finger of God ;"^ or when the people of the children of Israel arc set free from the land of Egypt "' with a mighty hand and with a stretched out arm;"'^ or when it says, "The mouth of the Lord hath spoken these things;"^ or when the earth Is set forth as " God's footstool ; " ^ or when it says, " Incline thine ear, and hear," ' — we who say that the law is spiritual do not Include within these lineaments of our bodily nature any mode or figure of the divine majesty, but diffuse that character of unbounded magnitude (so to speak) over Its plains without any limit. For it is written, " If I shall ascend into heaven. Thou art there ; if I shall descend into hell. Thou art there also ; and if I shall take my wings, and go away across the sea, there Thy hand shall lay
1 Ps. xxxiv. 15. 2 Qej^. y^\i 21. s y.x. xxxi. 18.
** Ps. cxxxvi. 12. ■5 Isa. i. 1^0. ^ Isa. Ixvi. 1.
^ 2 Chrou. xix. IG.
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hold of me, and Thy riglit hand shall hold me." ^ For we recognise the plan of the divine Scripture according to the proportion of its arrangement. For the prophet then was still speaking about God in parables according to the period of the faith, not as God was, but as the people were able to receive Him. And thus, that such things as these should be said about God, must be imputed not to God, but rather to the people. Thus the people are permitted to erect a taber- nacle, and yet God is not contained within the enclosure of a tabernacle. Thus a temple is reared, and yet God is not at all bounded within the restraints of a temple. It is not therefore God who is limited, but the perception of the people is limited ; nor is God straitened, but the understand- ing of the reason of the people is held to be straitened. Finally, in the Gospel the Lord said, " The hour shall come wdien neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem shall ye worship the Father ;"^ and gave the reasons, saying, " God is a Spirit ; and those therefore who worship, must worship in spirit and in truth." ^ Thus the divine agencies are there [sc. in the Old Testament] exhibited by means of members ; it is not the appearance of God nor the bodily lineaments that are described. For when the eyes are spoken of, it is implied that He sees all things ; and when the ear, it is set forth that He hears all things ; and when the finger, a certain energy of His will is opened up ; and when the nostrils, His recognition of prayers is shown forth as of odours ; and when the hand, it is proved that He is the author of every creature ; and when the arm, it is announced that no nature can withstand the power of His arm ; and when the feet, it is unfolded that He fills all things, and that there is not any place where God is not. For neither members nor the offices of members are needful to Him to whose sole judgment, even unexpressed, all things serve and are present. For why should He require eyes who is Himself the light ? or why should He ask for feet who is everywhere? or wdiy should He wish to go wdien there is nowhere where He can go beyond Himself ? or why shouldj He seek for hands whose will is, even when silent, the archi- 1 Ps. cxxxix. 8, 9, 10. - Jolm iv. 21. » johu \\\ 24.
CONCEBNING THE TRINITY. 311
tect for the foundation of all things? He needs no ears who knows the wills that are even unexpressed ; or for what reason should He need a tongue whose thought is a command? These members assuredly were necessary to men, but not to God, because man's design would be ineffectual if the body did not fulfil the thought. Moreover, they are not needful to God, whose will the works attend not so much without any effort, as that the works themselves proceed simultaneously with the will. Moreover, He Himself is all eye, because He all sees ; and all ear, because He all hears ; and all hand, because He all works ; and all foot, because He all is every- where. For He is the same, whatever it is. He is all equal, and all everywhere. For He has not in Him any diversity in Himself, being simple. For those are the things which are reduced to diversity of members, which arise from birth and go to dissolution. But things which are not concrete cannot be conscious of these things.^ And what is immortal, whatever it is, that very thing is one and simple, and for ever. And thus because it is one it cannot be dissolved; since what- ever is that very thing which is placed beyond the claim of dissolution, it is freed from the laws of death.
CHAPTEE VII.
Argument. — Moreover^ that when God is called a Spirit, Brightness, and Light, God is not sufficiently expressed hy those appellations.
But when the Lord says that God is a Spirit, I think that Christ spoke thus of the Father, as wishing that something still more should be understood than merely that God is a Spirit. For although, in His Gospel, He is reasoning for the purpose of giving to men an increase of intelligence, nevertheless He Himself speaks to men concerning God, in such a way as they can as yet hear and receive; although, as we have said. He is now endeavouring to give to His liearers ^ That is to say, "of birth and dissolution."
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religious additions to their knowledge of God. For we find it to be written that God is called Love, and yet from this the 'substance of God is not declared to be Love; and that He is called Light , while in this is not the substance of God. But the whole that is thus said of God is as much as can be said, so that reasonably also, when He is called a Spirit, it is not all that He is which is so called ; but so that, while men's mind by understanding makes progress even to the Spirit itself, being already changed in spirit, it may conjecture God to be something even greater through the Spirit. For that which is, according to what it is, can neither be declared by human discourse, nor received by human ears, nor gathered by human perceptions. For if " the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him, neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor the heart of man, nor even his mind has perceived ; " ^ what and how great is He Himself who pro- mises these things, in understanding which both the mind and nature of man have failed! Finally, if you receive the Spirit as the substance of God, you will make God a creature. For every spirit is a creature. And therefore, then, God will be made. In which manner also, if, according to Moses, you should receive God to hQ fire, in saying that He is a creature, you will have declared what is ordained, you will not have taught who is its ordainer. But these things are rather used as figures than as being so in fact. For as, in the Old Testament, God is for this reason called Fire, that fear may be struck into the hearts of a sinful people, by suggesting to them a Judge ; so in the New Testament He is announced as Spirit, that, as the Eenewer and Creator of those who are dead in their sins. He may be attested by this goodness of mercy granted to those that believe.
CHAPTER VIIL
Argument. — It is this God, therefore, that the church has known and adores ; and to Him the testimony of things as 1 1 Cor. ii. 9.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 313
well visible as invisible is given, both at all times and in all fomis, by the nature which His 2or evidence rules and governs.
This God, tlien, setting aside the fables and figments of lieretics, the church knows and worships, to wdiom the uni- versal and entire nature of things as well visible as invisible gives witness ; whom angels adore, stars wonder at, seas bless, lands revere, and all things under the earth look up to ; whom the wdiole mind of man is conscious of, even if it does not express [its consciousness] ; at whose command all things are set in motion, springs gush forth, rivers flow, waves arise, all creatures bring forth their young, wdnds are compelled to blow, showers descend, seas are stirred up, all things every- where diffuse their fruitfulness ; Who ordained, peculiar to the protoplasts of eternal life, a certain beautiful paradise in the east; He planted the tree of life, and similarly placed near it another tree of the knowledge of good and evil, gave a command, and decreed a judgment against sin ; He pre- served the most righteous Noe from the perils of the deluge, for the merit of his innocence and faith ; He translated Enoch ; He elected Abraham into the society of His friend- ship ; He protected Isaac ; He increased Jacob ; He gave Moses for a leader unto the people ; He delivered the groan- ing children of Israel from the yoke of slavery; He wrote the law; He brought the offspring of our fatliers into the land of promise ; He instructed the prophets by His Spirit, and by all of them He promised His Son Christ ; and at the time at which He had covenanted that He would give Him, He sent Him, and through Him He desired to come into our knowledge, and shed forth upon us the liberal stores of His mercy, by conferring His abundant Spirit on the poor and abject. And, because He of His own free-will is both liberal and kind, lest the whole of this globe, being turned away from the streams of His grace, should wither. He willed the apostles, as founders of our family, to be sent by His Son into the whole world, that the condition of the human race might be conscious of its Founder; and if it should choose to
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follow Him, might have One whom even in its supplications it might now call Father instead of God. And His providence has had or has its course among men, not only individually, but also among cities themselves, and states whose destruc- tions have been announced by the words of prophets ; yea, even through the whole world itself; whose end, whose miseries, and wastings, and sufferings on account of unbelief He has allotted. And lest moreover any one should think that such an indefatigable providence of God does not reach to even the very least things, " One of two sparrows," says the Lord, " shall not fall without the will of the Father ; but even the very hairs of your head are all numbered."^ And His care and providence did not permit even the clothes of the Israelites to be worn out, nor even the vilest shoes on their feet to be wasted ; nor, moreover, finally, the very garments of the captive young men to be burnt. And this is not without reason ; for if He embraces all things, and contains all things (and all things, and the whole, consist of individuals), His care will consequently extend even to every individual thing, since His providence reaches to the whole, whatever it is. Hence it is that He also sitteth above the cherubim ; that is. He presides over the variety of His works, the living creatures which hold the control over the rest being subjected to His throne : a crystal covering being thrown over all things ; that is, the heaven covering all things, which at the command of God had been consolidated into a fir- mament from the fluent material of the waters, that the strong hardness that divides the midst of the waters that covered the earth before, might sustain as if on its back the weight of the superincumbent water, its strength being establislied by the frost. And, moreover, wheels lie below — that is to say, the seasons — whereby all the members of the world are always being rolled onwards ; such feet being added by which those things do not stand still for ever, but pass onward. And, more- over, throughout all their limbs they are studded with eyes ; for the works of God must be contemplated with an ever watchful inspection : in the heart of which things, a fire of 1 Matt. X. 29, 30.
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embers is in the midst, eitlier because tins world of ours is hastening to the fiery day of judgment ; or because all the works of God are fiery, and are not darksome, but flourish ; ^ or, moreover, lest, because those things had arisen from earthly beginnings, they should naturally be inactive, from the rigidity of their origin, the hot nature of an interior spirit was added to all things ; and that this nature con- creted with the cold bodies might minister ^ for the purpose of life equal measures for all. This, therefore, according to David, is God's chariot. " For the chariot of God," says he, "is multiplied ten thousand times ;"^ that is, it is innu- merable, infinite, immense. For, under the yoke of the natural law given to all things, some things are restrained, as if withheld by reins ; others, as if stimulated, are urged on with relaxed reins. For the world, which is that chariot of God ^vith all things, both the angels themselves and the stars guide ; and their movements, although various, yet bound by certain laws, we watch them guiding by the bounds of a time prescribed to themselves ; so that rightly we also are now disposed to exclaim with the apostle, as he admires both the Architect and His works : " Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! how inscrutable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out ! " * — and the rest.
CHAPTER IX.
Akgument. — Further, that the same rule of truth teaches us to believe, after the Father, also in the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord God, being the same that was promised in the Old Testament, and manifested in the New,
The same rule of truth teaches us to believe, after the Father, also on the Son of God, Christ Jesus, the Lord our God, but the Son of God— of that God who is both one
1 "Yigent," or otherwise '• lucent."
2 " Ministraret " seems to be preferable to " monstraret."
3 Ps. Ixviii. 18. ■* Rom. xi. 33.
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and alone, to wit the Founder of all things, as already has been expressed above. For this Jesus Christ, I will once more say, the Son of this God, we read of as having been promised in the Old Testament, and we observe to be mani- fested in the New, fulfilling the shadows and figures of all the sacraments, w^ith the presence of the truth embodied. For as well the ancient prophecies as the Gospels testify Him to be the son of Abraham and the son of David. Genesis itself anticipates Him, when it says: " To thee will I give it, and to thy seed." ^ He is spoken of when it shows how a man wrestled with Jacob ; He too, when it says : "There shall not fail a prince from Judah, nor a leader from between his thighs, until He shall come to whom it has been promised ; and He shall be the expectation of the nations." ^ He is spoken of by Moses when he says : " Pro- vide another wdiom thou mayest send." ^ He is again spoken of by the same, when he testifies, saying : " A Prophet will God raise up to you from your brethren ; listen to Him as if to me." ^ It is He, too, that he speaks of when he says : " Ye shall see your life hanging in doubt night and day, and ye shall not believe Him." ^ Him, too, Isaiah alludes to: " There shall go forth a rod from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall grow up from his root." ^ The same also when he says : " Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son." ^" Him he refers to when he enumerates the healings that were to pro- ceed from Him, saying : " Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear : then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be eloquent." ^ Him also, when he sets forth the virtue of patience, saying : " His voice shall not be heard in the streets ; a bruised reed shall He not destroy, and the smoking flax shall He not quench." ^ Him, too, when he described His gospel : " And I will ordain for you an everlasting covenant, even the sure mercies of David." ''^
1 Gen. xvii. 8. ^ Gen. xlix. 10. » Ex. iv. 13.
^ Deut. xviii. 15. ^ Deut. xxviii. (j(j. ^ Isa. xi. I.
7 Isa. vii. 13. « Isa. xxxv. 3-C. ^ Isa. xlii. 2, 3. 10 Isa. Iv. 3.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 317
Him, too, when he foretells that the nations should believe on Him : ^'Behold, I have given Him for a Chief and a Com- mander to the nations. Nations that knew not Thee shall call upon Thee, and peoples that knew Thee not shall flee unto Thee." ^ It is the same that he refers to when, con- cerning His passion, he exclaims, saying: "As a sheep He is led to the slaughter; and as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so He opened not His mouth in His humility."^ Him, moreover, when he described the blows and stripes of His scourgings : " By His bruises we were healed." ^ Or His humiliation : " And we saw Him, and He had neither form nor comeliness, a man in suffering, and who knoweth how to bear infirmity." ^ Or that the people would not believe on Him: "All day long I have spread out my hands unto a people that believeth not." ^ Or that He would rise again from the dead : " And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, and one who shall rise to reign over the nations ; on Him shall the nations hope, and His rest shall be honour." ^ Or when he speaks of the time of the resurrection : " We shall find Him, as it were, prepared in the morning." ^ Or that He should sit at the right hand of the Father : " The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at my right hand, until I shall place Thine enemies as the stool of Thy feet." ^ Or when He is set forth as possessor of all things : " Ask of me, and I w^ill give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the boundaries of the earth for Thy possession." ^ Or when He is shown as Judge of all : " O God, give the King Thy judgment, and Thy righteousness to the King's Son." ^^ And I shall not in this place pursue the subject further : the things which are announced of Christ are known to all heretics, but are even better known to those who hold the truth.
1 Isa. Iv. 4, 5, 2 isa. liii. 7. 3 iga. Hii. 5.
^ Isa. liii. 2. « Isa. Ixv. 2. ^ Isa. xi. 10.
^ Hos. vi. 3. ■ 8 Ps. ex. 1, 2. » Ps. ii. 8. 10 Ps. Ixxii. 1.
318 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
CHAPTER X.
Argument. — That Jesus Christ is the Son of God and truly man, as opposed to the fancies of heretics , who deny that He took upo7i Him true flesh.
But of tliis I remind [my reader], that Christ was not to be expected in tlie gospel in any other wise than as He was promised before by the Creator, in the Scriptm-es of the Old Testament ; especially as the things that were predicted of Him were fulfilled, and those things that were fulfilled had been predicted. As with reason I might truly and con- stantly say to that fanciful — I know not what — of those heretics who reject the authority of the Old Testament, as to a Christ feigned and coloured up from old wives' fables, " Who art thou ? Whence art thou I By whom art thou sent? Wherefore hast thou now chosen to come? Why such as thou art ? Or how hast thou been able to come ? Or wherefore hast thou not gone to thine own, except that thou hast proved that thou hast none of thine own, by coming to those of another? What hast thou to do with the Creator's world? What hast thou to do with the Creator's man ? What hast thou to do with the image of a body from which thou takest away the hope of resurrection ? Why comest thou to another man's servant, and desirest thou to solicit another man's son ? Why dost thou strive to take me away from the Lord ? Why dost thou compel me to blaspheme, and to be impious to my Father ? Or what shall I gain from thee in the resurrection, if I do not receive myself when I lose my body ? If thou wishest to save, thou shouldest have made a man to whom to give salvation. If thou desirest to snatch from sin, thou shouldest have granted to me previously that I should not fall into sin. But what approbation of law dost thou carry about with thee ? What testimony of the prophetic word hast thou ? Or what sub- stantial good can I promise myself from thee, when I see that thou hast come in a phantasm and not in a bodily sub-
CONCERNING TEE TRINITY, 319
stance? What, then, hast thou to do with the form of a body, if thou hatest a body ? Nay, thou wilt be refuted as to the hatred of bearing about the substance of a body, since thou hast been wilHng even to take up its form. For thou oughtest to have hated the imitation of a body, if thou hatedst the reality; because, if thou art something else, thou oughtest to have come as something else, lest thou shouldest be called the Son of the Creator if thou hadst even the likeness of flesh and body. Assuredly, if thou hatedst being born because thou hatedst the Creator's marriage union, thou oughtest to refuse even the likeness of a man who is born by the marriage of the Creator. Neither, therefore, do we acknowledge that that is a Christ of the heretics who was (as it is said) in appearance and not in reality; for of those things which he did, he could have done nothing real, if he himself was a phantasm, and not reality. Nor him who wore nothing of our body in himself, seeing he received nothing from Mary ; neither did he come to us, since he appeared as a vision, not in our substance. Nor [do we acknowledge] that [to be Christ] who chose an ethereal or starry flesh, as some heretics have pretended. Nor can we perceive any salvation of ours in him, if we do not even recognise the substance of our body [in him] ; nor, in short, any other who may have worn any other kind of fabulous body of heretical device. For all such fables as these are confuted as well by the nativity as by the death itself of our Lord. For John says : " The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us ; " ^ so that, reasonably, our body should be in Him, because indeed the Word took on Plim our flesh. And for this reason blood flowed forth from His hands and feet, and from His very side, so that He might be proved to be a sharer in our body by dying according to the laws of our dissolution. And that He was raised again in the same bodily substance in which He died, is proved by the wounds of that veiy body, and thus He showed the laws of our resurrection in His flesh, in that He restored the same body in His resurrection which He had from us. For a law of 1 Jolm i. 14.
320 A'OVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
resurrection is established, in that Christ is raised up in the substance of the body as an example for the rest ; because, when it is written that " flesh and blood do not inherit the kingdom of God," ^ it is not the substance of the flesh that is condemned, which was built up by the divine hands that it should not perish, but only the guilt of the flesh is rightly rebuked, which by the voluntary daring of man rebelled against the claims of divine law. Because in bap- tism and in the dissolution of death the flesh is raised up and returns to salvation, by being recalled to the condition of innocency when the mortality of guilt is put away.
CHAPTER XL
Argument. — And indeed that Christ teas not only man, hut God also ; that even as He luas the Son of many so also He ivas the Son of God,
But lest, from the fact of asserting that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Creator, was manifested in the substance of the true body, we should seem either to have given assent to other heretics, who in this place maintain that He is man only and alone, and therefore desire to prove that He was a man bare and solitary ; and lest we should seem to have afforded them any ground for objecting, w^e do not so express [the truth] concerning the substance of His body, as to say that He is only and alone man, but so as to maintain, by the association of the divinity of the Word in that very materiality, that He was also God according to the Scriptures. For there is a great risk of saying that the Saviour of the human race, the Lord of all, and the Chief of the world, to whom all things w^ere delivered, and all things were granted by His Father, by whom all things were ordained, all things w^ere created, all things were arranged, the King of all ages and times, the Prince of all the angels, before whom there is none but the Father, 1 1 Cor. xvi. 50.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 321
was only man, and denying to Him divine authority In these things. For this contempt of the heretics will recoil also upon God the Father, if God the Father could not beget God the Son. But, moreover, no blindness of the heretics shall prescribe to the truth. Nor, because they maintain one thing in Christ and do not maintain another, they see one side of Christ and do not see another, shall there be taken away from us that which they do not see for the sake of that which they do. For they regard the weaknesses In Him as if they were a man's weaknesses, but they do not count the powers as if they were a God's powers. They keep in mind the infirmities of the flesh, they exclude the powers of the divinity ; when if this argument from the infirnritles of Christ is of avail to the result of proving Him to be man from His Infirmities, the argument of divinity in Him gathered from His powers avails to the result also of assert- ing Him to be God from His works. For If His suiferlngs show In Him human frailty, why may not His works assert in Him divine power? For If this should not avail to assert Him to be God from His powers, neither can His sufferings avail to show Him to be man also from them. For whatever principle be adopted on one or the other side, will be found to be maintained [_scil. In Its alternative]. For there will be a risk that He should not be shown to be man from His suffer- ings. If He could not also be approved as God by His powers. We must not then lean to one side and evade the other side, because any one who should exclude one portion of the truth will never hold the perfect truth. For Scripture as much announces Christ as also God, as It announces God Him- self as man. It has as much described Jesus Christ to be man, as moreover it has also described Christ the Lord to be God. Because it does not set forth Him to be the Son of God onl}', but also the Son of man ; nor does it only say, the Son of man, but it has also been accustomed to speak of Him as the Son of God. So that being of both, He is both, lest If He should be one only. He could not be the other. For as nature itself has prescribed that he must be believed to be a man who is of man, so the same nature
CYP. — VOL. IT. X
322 NOVATIAJSr THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
prescribes also that He must be believed to be God who is of God ; but if he should not also be God when he is of God, no more should he be man although he should be of man. And thus both doctrines would be endangered in one and the other way, by one being convicted to have lost belief in [the assertion of] the other. Let them, therefore, who read that Jesus Christ the Son of man is man, read also that this same Jesus is called also God and the Son of God. For in the manner that as man He is of Abraham, so also as God He is before Abraham himself. And in the same manner as He is as man the '^ Son of David," ^ so as God He is proclaimed David's Lord. And in the same manner as He was made as man " under the law,"^ so as God He is declared to be " Lord of the Sabbath."^ And in the same manner as He suffers, as man, the condemnation, so as God He is found to have all judgment of the quick and dead. And in the same manner as He is born as man subsequent to the world, so as God He is manifested to have been before the world. And in the same way as He was begotten as man of the seed of David, so also the world is said to have been ordained by Him as God. And in the same way as He was as man after many, so as God He was before all. And in the same manner as He was as man inferior to others, so as God He was greater than all. And in the same manner as He ascended as man into heaven, so as God He had first descended thence. And in the same manner as He goes as man to the Father, so as the Son in obedience to the Father He shall descend thence. So if imperfections in Him prove human frailty, majesties in Him affirm divine power. For the risk is, in reading of both, to believe not both, but one of the two. Wherefore as both are read of in Christ, let both be believed ; that so finally the faith may be true, being also complete. For if of two prin- ciples one gives way in the faith, and the other, and that indeed which is of least importance, be taken up for belief, the rule of truth is thrown into confusion ; and that boldness will not confer salvation, but instead of salvation will effect a great risk of death from the overthrow of the faith. ^ Matt, xxiii. 42 et seq. ^ q^\^ {^^ 4^ 3 Luke vi. 5.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY, 323
CHAPTER XII.
Argument. — That Christ is God, is proved hy the authority of the Old Testament Scriptures.
Why, then, should we hesitate to say what Scripture does not shrink from declaring ? Why shall the truth of faith hesitate in that wherein the authority of Scripture has never hesitated? For, behold, Hosea the prophet says in the person of the Father : " I will not now save them by bow, nor by horses, nor by horsemen; but I Avill save them by the Lord their God." ^ If God says that He saves by God, still God does not save except by Christ. Why, then, should man hesitate to call Christ God, when he observes that He is declared to be God by the Father according to the Scrip- tures? Yea, if God the Father does not save except by God, no one can be saved by God the Father unless he shall have confessed Christ to be God, in whom and by whom the Father promises that He will give him salvation : so that, reasonably, whoever acknowledges Him to be God, may find salvation in Christ God; whoever does not acknowledge Him to be God, would lose salvation which he could not find else- where than in Christ God. For in the same way as Isaiah says, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and ye shall call His name Emmanuel, which is, interpreted, God with us ; " ^ so Christ Himself says, " Lo, I am with you, even to the consummation of the world." ^ Therefore He is " God with us;" yea, and much rather. He is [God] in us. Christ is with us, therefore it is He whose name is God with us, because He also is with us ; or is He not with us ? How then does He say that He is with us ? He, then, is with us. But because He is with us He was called Emmanuel, that is, God with us. God, therefore, because He is with us, was called God with us. The same prophet says : " Be ye strengthened, ye relaxed hands, and ye feeble knees; be consoled, ye that are cowardly in heart ; be strong ; fear not. ^ Hos. i. 7. - Isa, vii. 14. ^ Matt, xxviii. 20.
324 NOV ATI AN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
Lo, our God shall return judgment ; He himself shall come, and shall save you: then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear ; then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be eloquent." ^ Since the prophet says that at God's advent these should be the signs which come to pass; let men acknowledge either that Christ is the Son of God, at whose advent and by whom these wonders of healings were performed; or, overcome by the truth of Christ's divinity, let them rush into the other heresy, and refusing to confess Christ to be the Son of God, and God, let them declare Him to be the Father. For, being bound by the words of the prophets, they can no longer deny Christ to be God. What, then, do they reply when those signs are said to be about to take place on the advent of God, which were manifested on the advent of Christ? In what way do they receive Christ as God ? For now they cannot deny Him to be God. As God the Father, or as God the Son ? If as the Son, why do they deny that the Son of God is God % If as the Father, why do they not follow those who appear to maintain blas- phemies of that kind ? unless because in this contest against them concerning the truth, this is in the meantime sufficient for us, that, being convinced in any kind of way, they should confess Christ to be God, seeing they have even wished to deny that He is God. He says by Habakkuk the prophet : " God shall come from the south, and the Holy One from the dark and dense mountain." ^ Whom do they wish to represent as coming from the south? If they say that it is the Almighty God the Father, then God the Father comes from a place, from which place, moreover. He is thus ex- cluded, and He is bounded within the straitnesses of some abode ; and thus by such as these, as we have said, the sacri- legious heresy of Sabellius is embodied. Since Christ is believed to be not the Son, but the Father ; since by them He is asserted to be in strictness a bare man, in a new manner, by those, again, Christ is proved to be God the Father Almighty. But if in Bethlehem, the region of which local ^ Isa. XXXV. 3, etc. 2 jia]t>. iii. 3.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY, 325
division looks towards the southern portion of heaven, Christ is born, who by the Scriptures is also said to be God, this God is rightly described as coming from the south, because He was foreseen as about to come from Bethlehem. Let them, then, choose of the two alternatives, the one that they prefer, that He who came from the south is the Son, or the Father; for God is said to be about to come from the south. If the Son, why do they shrink from calling Him Christ and God? For the Scripture says that God shall come. If the Father, why do they shrink from being associated with the boldness of Sabellius, who says that Christ is the Father? unless because, whether they call Him Father or Son, from his heresy, however unwillingly, they must needs withdraw if they are accustomed to say that Christ is merely man ; when compelled by the facts themselves, they are on the eve of exalting Him as God, whether in wishing to call Him Father or in wishing to call Him Son.
CHAPTER XIII.
Argument. — That the same truth is proved from the sacred writings of the New Covenant.
And thus also John, describing the nativity of Christ, says : " The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." ^ For, moreover, *' His name is called the Word of God," ^ and not without reason. " My heart has emitted a good word ; " ^ which w^ord He subsequently calls by the name of the King inferentially, " I will tell my works to the King." ^ For " by Him were made all the works, and without Him was nothing made." ^ " Whether," says the apostle, " they be thrones, or domina- tions, or powers, or mights, visible things and invisible, all things subsist by Him." ^ Moreover, this is that Word
1 John i. 14. ' Rev. xix. 13. ^ Ts. xlv. 1.
* Ps. xlv. 1. ^ John i. 3. ^ Coh i. 16.
326 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PEESBYTEE
which " came unto His own, and His own received Him not. For the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not." ^ Moreover, this Word " was in the beginning with God, and God was the Word."^ Who then can doubt, when in the last clause it is said, " The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us," that Christ, whose is the nativity, and because He was made flesh, is man ; and because He is tlie Word of God, who can shrink from declaring without hesitation that He is God, especially when he considers the evangelical Scriptare, that it has associated both of these substantial natures into one concord of the nativity of Christ ? For He it is who " as a bridegroom goeth forth from his bride-chamber; He exulted as a giant to run his way. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and His return unto the ends of it." ^ Because, even to the highest, " not any one hath ascended into heaven save He who came down from heaven,. the Son of man who is in heaven." "^ Repeat- ing this same thing. He says : " Father, glorify me with that glory wherewith I was with Thee before the world was." ^ And if this Word came down from heaven as a bridegroom to the flesh, that by the assumption of flesh He might ascend thither as the Son of man, whence the Son of God had descended as the Word, reasonably, while by the mutual connection both flesh wears the Word of God, and the Son of God assumes the frailty of the flesh ; when the flesh being espoused ascending thither, whence without the flesh it had descended, it at length receives that glory which in being shown to have had before the foundation of the world, it is most manifestly proved to be God. And, nevertheless, while the world itself is said to have been founded after Him, it is found to have been created by Him ; by that very divinity in Him whereby the world was made, both His glory and His authority are proved. ^Moreover, if, whereas it is the property of none but God to know the secrets of the heart, Christ beholds the secrets of the heart ; and if, whereas it belongs to none but God to remit sins, the same Christ
1 John i. 10, 11. - John i. 1. 3 -p&. xix. 6, 7.
^ John iii. 13. ^ John xvii, 5.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 827
remits sins ; and if, whereas it is the portion of no man to come from heaven, He descended by coming from heaven ; and if, whereas this word can be true of no man, " I and the Father are one," ^ Christ alone declared this word out of the consciousness of His divinity; and if, finally, the Apostle Thomas, instructed in all the proofs and conditions of Christ's divinity, says in reply to Christ, "My Lord and my God ; " - and if, besides, the Apostle Paul says, " Whose are the fathers, and of whom Christ came according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed for evermore," " writing in his epistles ; and if the same apostle declares that he was ordained " an apostle not by men, nor of man, but by Jesus Christ ; " ^ and if the same contends that he learned the gospel not from men or by man, but received it from Jesus Christ, reasonably Christ is God. Therefore, in this respect, one of two things must needs be established. For since it is evident that all things were made by Christ, He is either before all things, since all things were by Him, and so He is justly God ; or because He is man He is sub- sequent to all things, and justly nothing was made by Him. But we cannot say that nothing was made by Him, when we observe it written that all things were made by Him. He is not therefore subsequent to all things ; that is. He is not man only, who is subsequent to all things, but God also, since God is prior to all things. For He is before all things, because all things are by Him, while if He were only man, nothing would be by Him ; or if all things were by Him, He would not be man only, because if he were only man, all things would not be by Him ; nay, nothing would be by Him. What, then, do they reply ? That nothing is by Him, so that He is man only ? How then are all things by Him ? Therefore He is not man only, but God also, since all things are by Him ; so that we reasonably ought to understand that Christ is not man only, who is subsequent to all things, but God also, since by Him all things were made. For liow can you say that He is man only, when you see Him also in the
1 John X. 30. - Jolni xx. 2S.
3 Uom. ix. 5. •* Gal. i. 1 and 12.
328 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
flesh, unless because when both aspects are considered, both truths are rightly believed ?
CHAPTER XIV.
Argument. — The author prosecutes the same argument.
And yet the heretic still shrinks from urging that Christ is God, whom he perceives to be proved God by so many words as well as facts. If Christ is only man, how, when He came into this world, did He come unto His own, since a man could have made no world ? If Christ was only man, how is the world said to have been made by Him, when the world was not by man, but man was ordained after the world ? If Christ was only man, how was it that Christ was not only of the seed of David ; but He was the Word made flesh and dwelt among us ? For although the Protoplast was not born of seed, yet neither was the Protoplast formed of the conjunction of the Word and the flesh. For He is not the Word made flesh, nor dwelt in us. If Christ vv^as only man, how does He " who cometh from heaven testify what He hath seen and heard," ^ when it is plain that man cannot come from heaven, because he cannot be born there ? If Christ be only man, how are " visible things and invisible, thrones, powers, and dominions," said to be created by Him and in Him ; when the heavenly powers could not have been made by man, since they must needs have been prior to man ? If Christ is only man, how is He present wherever He is called upon ; when it is not the nature of man, but of God, that it can be present in every place ? If Christ is only man, why is a man invoked in prayers as a Mediator, when the invocation of a man to afford salvation is condemned as in- effectual ? If Christ is only man, why is hope rested upon Him, when hope in man is declared to be accursed? If Christ is only man, why may not Clu'ist be denied without destruction of the soul, when it is said that a sin committed 1 Jolm iii. 31.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY, 329
against man may be forgiven ? If Christ Is only man, how comes John the Baptist to testify and say, " He who comcth after me has become before me, because He was prior to me ;"^ when, if Christ were only man, being born after John, He could not be before John, unless because He preceded him. In that He Is God ? If Christ Is only man, how Is it that " what things the Father doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise," ^ when man cannot do works like to the heavenly operations of God ? If Christ Is only man, how Is it that " even as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself," ^ when man cannot have life in him after the example of God the Father, because he Is not glorious in eternity, but made with the materials of mortality ? If Christ is only man, how does He say, " I am the bread of eternal life which came down from heaven," * when man can neither be the bread of life, he himself being mortal, nor could he have come down from heaven, since no perishable material Is established In heaven ? If Christ is only man, how does He say that *' no man hath seen God at any time, save He which is of God ; He hath seen God ? " ^ Because If Christ is only man, He could not see God, because no man has seen God ; but if, being of God, He has seen God, He wishes It to be understood that He is more than man. In that He has seen God. If Christ is only man, why does He say, " What if ye shall see the Son of man ascend- ing thither where He was before ? " ^ But He ascended into heaven, therefore He was there, in that He returned thither where He was before. But if He was sent from heaven by the Father, He certainly Is not man only ; for man, as we have said, could not come from heaven. Therefore as man He was not there before, but ascended thither where He was not. But the Word of God descended which was there, — the Word of God, I say, and God by whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was made. It was not therefore man that thus came thence from heaven, but the Word of God ; that is, God descended thence.
1 John i. 15. 2 John ^^ 19^ 3 John v. 2G.
* John vi. 51. 5 j^hn vi. 46. ^ John vi. 62.
330 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
CHAPTER XV.i
Argument. — Again he proves from the Gospel that Christ
is God.
If Christ is only man, how is it that He says, " Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true : because I know whence I came, and whither I go ; ye know not whence I came, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh ? " ^ Behold, also He says, that He shall return thither whence He bears witness that He came before, as being sent, — to wit, from heaven. He came down therefore from whence He camic, in the same manner as He goes thither from whence He descended. Whence if Christ were only man, he would not have come thence, and therefore would not depart thither, because he would not have come thence. Moreover, by coming thence, whence as man He could not have come, He shows Himself to have come as God. For the Jews, ignorant and untaught in the matter of this very descent of His, made these heretics their successors, seeing that to them it is said, ^' Ye know not whence I come, and whither I go : ye judge after the flesh." As much they as the Jews, holding that the carnal birth of Christ was the only one, believed that Christ was nothing else than man ; not considering this point, that as man could not come from heaven, so as that he might return thither. He who descended thence must be God, seeing that man could not come thence. If Christ is only man, how does He say, " Ye are from below, I am from above ; 3^e are of this world, I am not of this world ? " ^ But there- fore if every man is of this world, and Christ is for that reason in this world, is He only man ? God forbid ! But consider what He says : " I am not of this world." Does He then speak falsely when He says " of this world," if He is only man 1 Or if He does not speak falsely. He is not of this world ; He is therefore not man only, because He is not.
^ According to Pamelius, eh. xxiii.
2 John viii. 14, 15. ^ John viii. 23.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 331
of tins world. But that it sliould not be a secret who He was, He declared whence He was : " I," said He, " am from above," that is, fx'om heaven, whence man cannot come, for he was not made in heaven. He is God, therefore, who is from above, and therefore He is not of this world ; although, moreover, in a certain manner He is of this world : wherefore Christ is not God only, but man also. As reasonably in the way in which He is not of this world according to the divinity of the Word, so He is of this world according to the frailty of the body that He has taken upon Him. For man is joined with God, and God is linked with man. But on that account this Christ here laid more stress on the one aspect of His sole divinity, because the Jewish blindness contem- plated in Christ the aspect alone of the flesh ; and thence in the present passage He passed over in silence the frailty of the body, which is of the world, and spoke of His divinity alone, which is not of the world : so that in proportion as they had inclined to believe Him to be only man, in that proportion Christ might draw them to consider His divinity, so as to believe Him to be God, desirous to overcome their incredulity concerning His divinity by omitting in the meantime any mention of His human condition, and by setting before them His divinity alone. If Christ is man only, how does He say, '^ I proceeded forth and came from God," ^ when it is evident that man was made by God, and did not proceed forth from Him ? But in the way in which as man He proceeded not from God, thus the Word of God proceeded, of whom it is said, "My heart hath uttered forth a good Word;"^ which, because it is from God, is with reason also with God. And this, too, since it was not uttered without effect, reasonably makes all things : " For all things were made by Him, and without Him was notliing made."^ But this Word whereby all things were made [is God]. "And God," says he, "was the Word."* Therefore God proceeded from God, in that the Word which proceeded is God, who proceeded forth from God, If Christ is only man, how does He say, " If any man
1 John viii. 42. 2 pg, xlv. 1.
3 John i. 3. * John i. 1.
332 NOVATIAJSr THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
shall keep my word, lie shall not see death for ever?"^ Not to see death for ever! what is this but immortality? But immortality is the associate of divinity, because both the divinity is immortal, and immortality is the fruit of divinity. For every man is mortal ; and immortality cannot be from that which is mortal. Therefore from Christ, as a mortal man, immortality cannot arise. " But," says He, " whosoever keepeth my word, shall not see death for ever;" therefore the word of Christ affords immortality, and by immortality affords divinity. But although it is not possible to maintain that one who is himself mortal can make another immortal, yet this word of Christ not only sets forth, but affords immor- tality : certainly He is not man only who gives immortality, which if He were only man He could not give ; but by giving divinity by immortality. He proves Himself to be God by offering divinity, w^hich if He were not God He could not give. If Christ w^as only man, how did He say, '^ Before Abraham was, I am ?"^ For no man can be before Him from whom he himself is ; nor can it be that any one should have been prior to him of w^iom he himself has taken his origin. And yet Christ, although He is born of Abraham, says that He is before Abraham. Either, therefore. He says what is not true, and deceives, if He was not before Abraham, seeing that He was of Abraham ; or He does not deceive, if He is also God, and was before Abraham. And if this were not so, it follows that, being of Abraham, He could not be before Abraham. If Christ was only man, how does He say, '^ And I know them, and my sheep follow me ; and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish?"^ And yet, since every man is bound by the laws of mortality, and therefore is unable to keep himself for ever, much more will he be unable to keep another for ever. But Christ promises to give salvation for ever, which if He does not give, He is a deceiver ; if He gives, He is God. But He does not deceive, for He gives what He promises. Therefore He is God who proffers eternal salvation, wdiich man, being unable to keep himself [for ever], cannot be able to give to another. If 1 John viii. 51. ^ JqIj^ ^111. 68. ^ John x. 27, 28.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 333
Christ is only man, what is that which He says, " I and the Father are one ?"^ For how can it be that " I and the Father are one," if He is not both God and the Son? — who may there- fore be called one, seeing that He is of Himself, being both His Son, and being born of Him, being declared to have proceeded from Him, by which He is also God,; which when the Jews thought to be hateful, and believed to be blasphe- mous, for that He had shown Himself in these discourses to be God, and therefore rushed at once to stoning, and set to work passionately to hurl stones. He strongly refuted His adversaries by the example and witness of the Scriptures. " If," said He, " He called them gods to whom the words of God were given, and the Scriptures cannot be broken, ye say of Him whom the Father sanctified, and sent into this world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God."^ By which words He did not deny Himself to be God, but rather He confirmed the assertion that He was God. For because, undoubtedly, they are said to be gods unto whom the words of God were given, much more is He God who is found to be superior to all these. And never- theless He refuted the calumny of blasphemy in a fitting manner with lawful management.^ For He wishes that He should be thus understood to be God, as the Son of God, and He would not wish to be understood to be the Father Him- self. Thus He said that He was sent, and showed them that He had manifested many good works from the Father ; whence He desired that He should not be understood to be the Father, but the Son. And in the latter portion of His de- fence He made mention of the Son, not the Father, when He said, '' Ye say. Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God." Thus, as far as pertains to the guilt of blasphemy. He calls Himself the Son, not the Father ; but as pertain- ing to His divinity, by saying, " I and the Father are one," He proved that He was the Son of God. He is God, there- fore, but God in such a manner as to be the Son, not the Father.
1 John X. 30. 2 joiin x. 35, 3G.
• " Dispositione," soil. oIkouo,uix. — Jackson.
334 NOV ATI AN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
CHAPTER XVI.^
Akgument. — Again from the Gospel He proves Christ to he God.
If Christ was only man, how is it that He Himself says, " And every one that believeth in me shall not die for ever- more ? "^ And yet he who believes in man by himself alone is called accursed; but he who believes on Christ is not accursed, but is said not to die for evermore. Whence, if on the one hand He is man only, as the heretics will have it, how shall not any- body who believes in Him die eternally, since he who trusts in man is held to be accursed ? Or on the other, if he is not ac- cursed, but rather, as it is read, destined for the attainment of everlasting life, Christ is not man only, but God also, in whom he who believes both lays aside all risk of curse, and attains to the fruit of righteousness. If Christ was only man, how does He say that the Paraclete " shall take of His, those things which He shall declare ? " ^ For neither does the Paraclete receive anything from man, but the Paraclete offers knowledge to man ; nor does the Paraclete learn things future from man, but instructs man concerning futurity. Therefore either the Paraclete has not received from Christ, as man, what He should declare, since man could give nothing to the Paraclete, seeing that from Him man himself ought to receive, and Christ in the present instance is both mistaken and de- ceives, in saying that the Paraclete shall receive from Him, being a man, the things which He may declare ; or He does not deceive us (as in fact He does not), and the Paraclete has received from Christ what He may declare. But if He has received from Christ what He may declare to us, Christ is greater than the Paraclete, because the Paraclete would not receive from Christ unless He were less than Christ. But the Paraclete being less than Christ, moreover, by this very fact proves Christ to be God, from whom He has received what He declares : so that the testimony of Christ's 1 Accordino: to Pamelius, cli. xxiv. ^ John xi. 26. ^ Jolm xvi. 14.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY, 335
divinity is immense, in the Paraclete being found to be less than Christ, and taking from Him what He gives to others; seeing that if Christ were only man, Christ would receive from the Paraclete what He should say, not the Paraclete receive from Christ what He should declare. If Christ was only man, wherefore did He lay down for us such a rule of believing as that in which He said, " And this is life eternal, that they should know Thee, the only and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent ? " ^ Had He not wished that He also should be understood to be God, why did He add, " And Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent," except because He wished to be received as God also ? Because if He had not wished to be understood to be God, He would have added, " And the man Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent ; " but, in fact. He neither added this, nor did Christ deliver Himself to us as man only, but associated Himself with God, as He wished to be understood by this conjunction to be God also, as He is. We must therefore believe, according to the rule prescribed, on the Lord, the one true God, and consequently on Him whom He has sent, Jesus Christ, who by no means, as we have said, would have linked Himself to the Father had He not wished to be understood to be God also : for He would have separated Himself from Him had He not wished to be understood to be God. He w^ould have placed Himself among men only, had He known Himself to be only man ; nor would He have linked Him- self with God had He not known Himself to be God also. But in this case He is silent about His being man, be- cause no one doubts His being man, and with reason links Himself to God, that He might establish the formula of His divinity for those who should believe. If Christ was only man, how does He say, " And now glorify me with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was?" ^ If, before the world was. He had glory with God, and maintained His glory with the Father, He existed before the world, for He would not have had the glory unless He Himself had existed before, so as to be able to keep the glory. For no one 1 John xvii. 3. ^ Jolm xvii. 5.
336 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
could possess anything, unless he himself should first be in existence to keep anything. But now Christ has the glory before the foundation of the world ; therefore He Himself was before the foundation of the world. For unless He were before the foundation of the world, He could not have glory before the foundation of the world, since He Himself was not in existence. But indeed man could not have glory before the foundation of the world, seeing that he was after the world; but Christ had — therefore He was before the world. Therefore He was not man only, seeing that He was before the world. He is therefore God, because He was before the world, and held His glory before the world. Neither let this be explained by predestination, since this is not so expressed, or let them add this who think so; but woe is denounced to them who add to, even as to those who take away from, that which is written. Therefore that may not be said, which may not be added. And thus, predestina- tion being set aside, seeing it is not so laid down, Christ was in substance before the foundation of the world. For He is "the Word by which all things were made, and without which nothing was made." Because even if He is said to be glorious in predestination, and that this predestination was before the foundation of the world, let order be main- tained, and before Him a considerable number of men was destined to glory. For in respect of that destina- tion, Christ will be perceived to be less than others if He is designated subsequent to them. For if this glory was in predestination, Christ received that predestination to glory last of all ; for prior to Him Adam will be seen to have been predestinated, and Abel, and Enoch, and Noah, and Abraham, and many others. For since with God the order of all, both persons and things, is arranged, many will be said to have been predestinated before this predestination of Christ to glory. And on these terms Christ is discovered to be inferior to other men, although He is really found to be better and greater, and more ancient than the angels them- selves. Either, then, let all these things be set on one side, that Christ's divinity may be destroyed ; or if these things
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 337
cannot be set aside, let His proper divinity be attributed to Christ by the heretics.
CHAPTER XVIL*
Argument. — It is, moreover, proved hy Moses in the beginning of the Holy Scriptures,
"What if Moses pursues this same rule of truth, and delivers to us in the beginning of his sacred writings, this principle by which we may learn that all things were created and founded by the Son of God, that is, by the Word of God ? For He says the same that John and the rest say ; nay, both John and the others are perceived to have received from him what they say. For if John says, " All things were made by Him, and without Him was nothing made," ^ the prophet too says, " I tell my works to the King." * Moses, moreover, introduces God commanding that there should be light at the first, that the heaven should be established, that the waters should be gathered into one place, that the dry land should appear, that the fruit should be brought forth according to its seed, that the animals should be produced, that lights should be established in heaven, and stars. He shows that none other was then present to God — by whom these w^orks were commanded that they should be made — than He by whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was made. And if He is the Word of God — " for my heart has uttered forth a good Word " — He shows that in the beginning the Word was, and that this Word was with the Father, and besides that the Word was God, and that all things were made by Him. Moreover, this " Word was made flesh and dwelt among us,""^ — to wit, Christ the Son of God; whom both on receiving subsequently as man according to the flesh, and seeing before the foundation of the world to be the Word of God, and God, we reasonably, according to the instruction
^ According to Pamelius, ch. xxv. ^ John i. 3.
" Ps. xlv. 1. ■♦ John i. 14.
CYP. — VOL. II. Y
338 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
of the Old and New Testament, believe and hold to be as well God as man, Christ Jesus. What if the same Moses introduces God saying, " Let us make man after onr image and likeness ; " ^ and below, " And God made man ; in the image of God made He him, male and female made He them?" ^ If, as we have already shown, it is the Son of God by whom all things were made, certainly it was the Son of God by whom also man was ordained, on whose account all things were made. Moreover, when God commands that man should be made, He is said to be God who makes man ; but the Son of God makes man, that is to say, the Word of God, "by whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was made." And this Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us: therefore Christ is God; therefore man was made by Christ as by the Son of God. But God made man in the image of God ; He is therefore God who made man in the image of God ; therefore Christ is God ; so that with reason neither does the testimony of the Old Testament waver con- cerning the person of Christ, being supported by the mani- festation of the New Testament; nor is the power of the New Testament detracted from, while its truth is resting on the roots of the same Old Testament. Whence they who presume Christ the Son of God and man to be only man, and not God also, do so in opposition to both Old and New Testaments, in that they corrupt the authority and the truth both of the Old and New Testaments. What if the same Moses everywhere introduces God the Father infinite and without end, not as being enclosed in any place, but as one who includes every place ; nor as one who is in a place, but rather one in whom every place is, containing all things and embracing all things, so that with reason He can neither descend nor ascend, because He Himself both contains and fills all things, and yet nevertheless introduces God descend- ing to consider the tower which the sons of men were build- ing, asking and saying, " Come;" and then, " Let us go down and there confound their tongues, that each one may not understand the words of his neio'hbour." ® Whom do thev
CD i/
1 Gen. i. 2G. 2 Qg^^ ^ 27. ^ Qen. xi. 7.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 339
pretend here to have been the God who descended to that tower, and asking to visit those men at that time ? God the Father ? Then thus He is enclosed in a place ; and how does He embrace all things ? Or does He say that it is an angel descending with angels, and saying, "Come;" and subse- quently, "Let us go down and there confound their tongues ?" And yet in Deuteronomy we observe that God told these things, and that God said, where it is written, "When He scattered abroad the children of Adam, He determined the bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels of God." ^ Neither, therefore, did the Father descend, as the subject itself indicates ; nor did an angel command these things, as the fact shows. Tlien it remains that He must have descended, of whom the Apostle Paul says, " He who descended is the same who ascended above all the heavens, that He might fill all things," ^ that is, the Son of God, the Word of God. But the Word of God was made flesh, and dwelt among us. This must be Christ. Therefore Christ must be declared to be God.
CHAPTEE XVIII.3
Argument. — Moreover also, from the fact that He who icas seen of Abraham is called God; ivhich cannot be under- stood of the Father, whom no man hath seen at any time ; hut of the Son in the likeness of an angel.
Behold, the same Moses tells us in another place that " God was seen of Abraham." * And yet the same Moses hears from God, that " no man can see God and live." ^ If God cannot be seen, how was God seen ? Or if He was seen, how is it that He cannot be seen? For John also says, "No man hath seen God at any time;"^ and the Apostle Paul, " Whom no man hath seen, nor can see." "^
1 Dent, xxxii. 8. 2 gpij jy iq.
^ According to Pamelius, ch. xxvi. ** Ccn xii. 7.
^ Ex. xxxiii. 20. « 1 John iv. 12. "^ 1 Tiin. vi. 16.
340 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
But certainly the Scripture does not lie; therefore, truly, God was seen. Whence it may be understood that it was not the Father who was seen, seeing that He never was seen ; but the Son, who has both been accustomed to descend, and to be seen because He has descended. For He is the image of the invisible God, as the imperfection and frailty of the human condition was accustomed sometimes even then to see God the Father in the image of God, that is, in the Son of God. For gradually and by progression human frailty was to be strengthened by the image to that glory of being able one day to see God the Father. For the things that are great are dangerous if they are [seen on a] sudden. For even the sudden light of the sun after darkness, with its too great splendour, will not make manifest the light of day to unaccustomed eyes, but will rather strike them with blindness.
And lest this should occur to the injuiy of human eyes, the darkness is broken up and scattered by degrees ; and the rising of that luminary, mounting by small and unnoticed increments, gently accustoms men's eyes to bear its full orb by the [gradual] increase of its rays. Thus, therefore, Christ also — that is, the image of God, and the Son of God — is looked upon by men, inasmuch as He could be seen. And thus the weakness and imperfection of the human destiny is nourished, led up, and educated by Him ; so that, being ac- customed to look upon the Son, it may one day be able to see God the Father Himself also as He is, that it may not be stricken by His sudden and intolerable brightness, and be hindered from being able to see God the Father, whom it has always desired. Wherefore it is the Son who is seen ; but the Son of God is the Word of God : and the Word of God was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and this is Christ. What in the world is the reason that we should hesitate to call Him God, who in so many ways is acknowledged to be proved God ? And if, moreover, the angel meets with Hagar, Sarah's maid, driven from her home as well as turned away, near the fountain of water in the way to Shur ; asks and learns the reason of her flight, and after tliat offers her advice that
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 341
she should humble lierself ; and, moreover, gives her the hope of the name of mother, and pledges and promises that from lier womb there should be a numerous seed, and tliat she should have Ishmael to be born from her ; and with other things unfolds the place of his habitation, and describes his mode of life; yet Scripture sets forth this angel as both Lord and God (for He would not have promised the bless- ing of seed unless the angel had also been God). Let them ask what the heretics can make of this present pas- sage. Was that the Father that was seen by Hagar or not? For He is declared to be God. But far be it from us to call God the Father an angel, lest He should be subordinate to another whose angel He would be. But they will say that it was an angel. How then shall He be God if He was an angel? — since this name is nowhere -conceded to angels, except that on either side the truth compels us into this opinion, that we ought to understand it to have been God the Son, who, because He is of God, is rightly called God, because He is the Son of God ; be- cause He is subjected to the Father, and the Announcer of the Father's will, He is declared to be the Angel of Great Counsel. Therefore, although this passage neither is suited to the person of the Father, lest He should be called an angel, nor to the person of an angel, lest he should be called God ; yet it is suited to the person of Christ that He sliould be both God because He is the Son of God, and should be an angel because He is the Announcer of the Father's mind. And the heretics ought to understand that they are setting themselves against the Scriptures, in that, while they say that they believe Christ to have been also an iingel, they are unwilling to declare Him to have been also God, when they read in the Old Testament that He often came to visit the liuman race. To this, moreover, Moses added the instance of God seen of Abraham at the oak of Mamre, when he was sitting at the opening of his tent at noon-day ; and nevertheless, although he had beheld three men, that Jie called one of them Lord ; and when he had washed their feet, he offers them bread baked on the ashes, with butter
342 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
and abundance of milk itself, and nrges them that, being detained as guests, they would eat. And after this he hears also that he should be a father, and learns that Sarah his wife should bring forth a son by him ; and acknowledges con- cerning the destruction of the people of Sodom, what they deserve to suffer ; and learns that God had come down on account of the cry of Sodom. In which place, if they will have it that the Father was seen at that time to have been received with hospitality in company with two angels, the heretics have believed the Father to be visible; but if an angel, although of the three angels one is called Lord, why, although it is not usual, is an angel called God ? unless be- cause, in order that His proper invisibility may be restored to the Father, and the proper inferiority be remitted to the angel, it was only God the Son, who also is God, who was seen by Abraham, and was believed to have been received with hospitality. For He anticipated sacramentally what He was hereafter to become. He was made a guest of Abraham, being about to be among the sons of Abraham. And his chil- dren's feet, by way of proving what He was. He washed ; re- turning in the children the claim of hospitality which formerly the Father had put out to interest to Him. Whence also, that there might be no doubt but that it was He who was the guest of Abraham on the destruction of the people of Sodom, it is declared: "Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrha fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven." ^ For thus also said the prophet in the person of God : " I have overthrown you, as the Lord overturned Sodom and Gomorrha."^ Therefore the Lord overturned Sodom, that is, God overturned Sodom; but in the over- turning of Sodom, the Lord rained fire from the Lord. And this Lord was the God seen by Abraham; and this God was the guest of Abraham, certainly seen because He was also touched. But although the Father, being invisible, was assuredly not at that time seen. He who was accustomed to be touched and seen was seen and received to hospitality. But this the Son of God, "The Lord rained from the 1 Gen. xix. 24. - Amos iv. 11.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY, 343
Lord upon Sodom and Gomorrha brimstone and fire." And this is the Word of God. And the Word of God was made flesh, and dwelt among us ; and this is Christ. It was not the Father, then, who was a guest with Abraham, but Christ. Nor was it the Father who was seen then, but the Son ; and Christ was seen. Rightly, therefore, Christ is both Lord and God, who was not otherwise seen by Abraham, except that as God the Word He was begotten of God the Father before Abraham himself. Moreover, says the Scrip- ture, the same Angel and God visits and consoles the same Hagar when driven with her son from the dwelling of Abraham. For when in the desert she had exposed the infant, because the water had fallen short from the pitcher ; and when the lad had cried out, and she had lifted up her weeping and lamentation, " God heard,*' says the Scripture, " the voice of the lad from the place where he w^as." ^ Having told that it was God who heard the voice of the infant, it adds : '' And the an^el of the Lord called Hao-ar herself out of heaven," saying that that was an angel whom it had called God, and pronouncing Him to be Lord whom it had set forth as an angel; which Angel and God moreover promises to Hagar herself greater consolations, in saying, " Fear not ; for I have heard the voice of the lad from the place where he was. Arise, take up the lad, and hold him ; for I will make of him a great nation." ^ Why does this angel, if angel only, claim to himself this right of saying, I will make of him a great nation, since assuredly this kind of power belongs to God, and cannot belong to an angel? Whence also He is confirmed to be God, since He is able to do this ; because, by way of proving this very point, it is immediately added by the Scripture : "And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of running water; and she went and filled the bottle from the well, and gave to the lad : and God was with the lad." ^ If, then, this God was with the Lord, who opened the eyes of Hagar that she might see the well of running water, and might draw the water on account of the urgent need of [the lad's] thirst, and this God who calls her ^ Gen. xxi. 17, etc. - Gen. xxi. 18. ^ Gen. xxi. 20.
344 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
from heaven is called an angel when, in previously hearing the voice of the lad crying, He was rather God ; is not under- stood to be other than angel, in like manner as He was God also. And since this cannot be applicable or fitting to the Father, who is God only, but may be applicable to Christ, who is declared to be not only God, but angel also, it manifestly appears that it was not the Father who thus spoke to Hagar, but rather Christ, since He is God ; and to Him also is applied the name of angel, since He became the " angel of great counsel." ^ And He is the angel, in that He declares the bosom of the Father, as John sets forth. For if John himself says, that He Himself who sets forth the bosom of the Father, as the Word, became flesh in order to declare the bosom of the Father, assuredly Christ is not only man, but angel also ; and not only angel, but He is shown by the Scriptures to be God also. And this is believed to be the case by us ; so that, if we will not consent to apprehend that it was Christ who then spoke to Hagar, we must either make an angel God, or we must reckon God the Father Almighty among the angels.
CHAPTER XIX.2
Argument. — That God also ajypeared to Jacob as an angel; namely, the Son of God.
What if in another place also we read in like manner that God was described as an angel? For when, to his wives Leah and Rachel, Jacob complained of the injustice of their father, and when he told them that he desired now to go and return into his own land, he moreover interposed the authority of his dream ; and at this time he says that the angel of God had said to him in a dream, " Jacob, Jacob. And I said," says he, " What is it ? Lift up thine eyes, said He, and see, the he-goats and the rams leaping upon
1 Isa. ix. 6, LXX.
2 According to Pamelius, eh. xxvii.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 345
tlie sheep, and the she-goats are black and white, and many- coloured, and grizzled, and speckled : for I have seen all that Laban hath done to thee. I am God, who appeared to thee in the place of God, where thou anointedst for me there the standing stone, and there vowedst a vow unto me : now therefore arise, and go forth from this land, and go unto the land of thy nativity, and I will be with thee." ^ If the Angel of God speaks thus to Jacob, and the Angel him- self mentions and says, " I am God, who appeared unto thee in the house of God," we see without any hesitation that this is declared to be not only an angel, but God also ; because He speaks of the vow directed to Himself by Jacob in the place of God, and He does not say, in my place. It is then the place of God, and He also is God. Moreover, it is written simply in the place of God, for it is not said in the place of the angel and God, but only of God ; and He who promises those things is manifested to be both God and Angel, so that reasonably there must be a distinction between Him who is called God only, and Him who is declared to be not God simply, but Angsl also. Whence if so great an authority cannot here be regarded as belonging to any other angel, that He should also avow Himself to be God, and should bear witness that a vow was made to Him, except to Christ alone, to whom not as angel only, but as to God, a vow can be vowed ; it is manifest that it is not to be received as the Father, but as the Son, God and Angel. IMoreover, if this is Christ, as it is, he is in terrible risk who says that Christ is either man or angel alone, withholding from Him the power of the divine name, — an authority which He has constantly received on the faith of the heavenly Scriptures, which continually say that He is both Angel and God. To all these things, moreover, is added this, that in like manner as the divine Scripture has frequently declared Him both Angel and God, so the same divine Scripture declares Him also both man and God, expressing thereby what He should be, and depicting even then in figure what He was to be in the truth of His substance. " For," it says, " Jacob remained » Gen. xxxi. 11-13.
346 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
alone ; and there wrestled witli liim a man even till daybreak.
And He saw that He did not prevail against him ; and He
touched the broad part of Jacob's thigh while He was
wrestling with him and he with Him, and said to him, Let
me gOj for the morning has dawned. And he said, I will
not let Thee go, except Thou bless me. And He said, What
is thy name ? And he said, Jacob. And He said to him,
Thy name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel shall
be thy name ; because thou hast prevailed with God, and thou
art powerful with men." ^ And it adds, moreover : " And
Jacob called the name of that place the Vision of God : for
I have seen the Lord face to face, and my soul has been
made safe. And the sun arose upon him. Afterwards he
crossed over the Vision of God, but he halted upon his
thigh." ^ A man, it says, wrestled with Jacob. If this was
a mere man, who is he ? Whence is he ? Wherefore does
he contend and wrestle with Jacob ? What had intervened ?
What had happened ? What was the cause of so great a
dispute as that, and so great a struggle ? Why, moreover,
is Jacob, who is found to be strong enough to hold the man
with whom he is wrestling, and asks for a blessing from Him
whom he is holding, asserted to have asked therefore, except
because this struggle was prefigured as that which should
be between Christ and the sons of Jacob, which is said to
be completed in the gospel ? For against this man Jacob's
people struggled, in which struggle Jacob's people was found
to be the more powerful, because against Christ it gained
the victory of its iniquity : at which time, on account of the
crime that it committed, hesitating and giving way, it began
most sorely to halt in the walk of its own faith and salvation ;
and although it was found the stronger, in respect of the
condemnation of Christ, it still needs His mercy, still needs
His blessing. But, moreover, the man who wrestled with
Jacob says, " Moreover, thy name shall no longer be called
Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name ; " and if Israel is the
man who sees God, the Lord was beautifully showing that
it was not only a man who was then wrestling with Jacob,
1 Gen. xxxii. 24-27. - Gen. xxxii. 30, 31.
I
CONCEEXING THE TRIMTY. 347
but God also. Certainly Jacob saw God, with whom he wrestled, although he was holding the man in his own wrestle. And in order that there might still be no hesitation, He Himself laid down the interpretation by saying, " Because thou hast prevailed with God, and art powerful with men." For which reason the same Jacob, perceiving already the force of the Sacrament, and apprehending the authority of Him with whom he had wrestled, called the name of that place in which he had wrestled the Vision of God. He, moreover, superadded the reason for his interpretation being offered of the Vision of God : " For I have seen," said he, " God face to face, and my soul has been saved." Moreover, he saw God, with whom he wrestled as with a man ; but still indeed he held the man as a conqueror, though as an inferior he asked a blessino; as from God. Thus he wrestled with God and with man ; and thus truly was that struggle pre- figured, and in the Gospel was fulfilled, between Christ and the people of Jacob, wherein, although the people had the mastery, yet it proved to be inferior by being shown to be guilty. Who will hesitate to acknowledge that Christ, in whom this type of a wrestle was fulfilled, was not man only, but God also, since even that very type of a wrestle seems to have proved Him man and God ? And yet, even after this, the same divine Scripture justly does not cease to call the Angel God, and to pronounce God the Angel. For when this very Jacob was about to bless Manasseh and Ephraim, the sons of Joseph, with his hands placed across on tlie heads of the lads, he said, " The God which fed me from my youth even unto this day, the Angel who delivered me from all evils, bless these lads." ^ Even to such a point does he afiirm the same Beino; to be an Ane^el, whom he liad called God, as in the end of his discourse, to express the person of whom he was speaking as one, when he said " bless ^ these lads." For if he had meant the one to be understood as God, and the other as an angel, he would have comprised the two persons in the plural number ; but now he defined the singular number of one person in the ^ Gen. xlviii. 14, 15. - Benedicat.
U8 NOV ATI AN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
blessing, whence lie meant it to be understood that the same person is God and Angel. But yet He cannot be received as God the Father ; but as God and Angel, as Christ He can be received. And Him, as the author of this blessing, Jacob also signified by placing his hands crossed upon the lads, as if their father was Christ, and showing, from thus placing his hands, the figure and future form of the passion. Let no one, therefore, who does not shrink from speaking of Christ as an Angel, thus shrink from pronouncing Him God also, when he perceives that He Himself was invoked in the blessing of these lads, by the sacrament of the passion, in- timated in the type of the [crossed] hands, as both God and Angel.
CHAPTER XX.1
Argument. — It is j^roved from the Scriptures that Christ icas called an angel. But yet it is shown from other 2)ci^"ts of holy Scripture that He is God also.
But if some heretic, obstinately struggling against the truth, should persist in all these instances either in understand- ing that Christ was properly an angel, or should contend that He must be so understood, he must in this respect also be subdued by the force of truth. For if, since all heavenly things, earthly things, and things under the earth, are sub- jected to Christ, even the angels themselves, with all other creatures, as many as are subjected to Christ, are called gods, rightly also Christ is God. And if any angel at all subjected to Christ can be called God, and this, if it be said, is also professed without blasphemy, certainly much more can this be fitting for Christ, Himself the Son of God, for Him to be pronounced God. For if an angel who is subjected to Christ is exalted as God, much more, and more consistently, shall Christ, to whom all angels are subjected, be said to be God. For it is not suitable to nature, that what is conceded to the ^ According to Pamclius, eh. xv.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 349
Jesser should be denied to the greater. Thus, if an angel be inferior to Christ, and yet an angel is called God, rather by consequence is Christ said to be God, who is discovered to be both greater and better, not than one, but than all angels. And if " God standeth in the assembly of the gods, and in the midst God distinguisheth between the gods," ^ and Christ stood at various times in the synagogue, then Christ stood in the synagogue as God, — judging, to wit, between the gods, to whom He says, " How long do ye accept the persons of men?" consequently, that is to say, charging the men of the synagogue with not practising just judgments. Further, if they who are reproved and blamed seem even for any reason to attain this name without blasphemy, that they should be called gods, assuredly much more shall He be esteemed God, who not only is said to have stood as God in the synagogue of the gods, but moreover is revealed by the- same authority of the reading as distinguishing and judging between gods. But if they who " fall like one of the princes " are still called gods, much rather shall He be said to be God, who not only does not fall like one of the princes, but even overcomes both the author and prince of wickedness himself. And what in the world is the reason, that although they say that this name was given even to Moses, since it is said, " I have made thee as a god to Pharaoh,"^ it should be denied to Christ, who is declared to be ordained not to Pharaoh [only], but to every creature, as both Lord and God ? And in the former case indeed this name is given with reserve, in the latter lavishly ; in the former by measure, in the latter above all kind of measure : " For," it is said, " the Father giveth not to the Son by measure, for the Father loveth the Son."* In the former for the time, in the latter without reference ta time ; for He received the power of the divine name, both above all things and for all time. But if he who has re- ceived the power of one man, in respect of this limited power given him, still without hesitation attains that name of god, how much more shall He who has power over Moses himself as well be believed to have attained the authority of that name? ^ P3. Ixxxii. 1, 2, etc. 2 Ex^ ^-^^ j^ 3 joini jij. 3^^ 35^
350 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
CHAPTER XXI.i
x^RGUMENT. — That the same divine majesty is again confirmed in Christ hy other Scriptures.
And indeed I could set forth the treatment of this subject by all the heavenly Scriptures, and set in motion, so to speak, a perfect forest [of argument] concerning that manifestation of the divinity of Christ, except that I have not so much undertaken to speak against this special form of heresy, as to expound the rule of truth concerning the person of Christ. Although, however, I must hasten to other matters, I do not think that I must pass over this point, that in the Gospel the Lord declared, by way of signifying His majesty, saying, " Destroy this temple, and in three days I will build it up again ;"^ or wdien, in another passage, and on another subject. He declares, " I have power to lay down my life, and again to take it up ; for this commandment I have re- ceived of my Father."^ Now who is it who says that He can lay down His hfe, or can Himself recover His life again, because He has received it of His Father ? Or who says that He can again resuscitate and rebuild the destroyed temple of His body, except because He is the "Word who is from the Father, who is with the Father, " by whom all things w^ere made, and without whom nothing was made;"* the imitator of His Father's -works and powers, " the image of the invisible God;"^ "who came down from heaven;"^ who testified what things He had seen and heard ; who " came not to do His own will, but rather to do the will of the Father," ^ by whom He had been sent for this very purpose, that being made the "messenger of great counsel,"^ He might unfold to us the laws of the heavenly mysteries ; and who as the Word made flesh dwelt among us, of us this Christ is proved to be not man only, because He w^as the son of man, but also God,
1 According to Pamelius, cli. xvi. ^ John ii. 19.
3 John X. 18. * John i. 3. « CoL i. 15.
c John iii. 31, 32. '' John iv. 38. » Tsa. ix. 6.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 351
because He is the Son of God? And if by the apostle Christ is called '^ the first-born of every creature,"^ how could He be the first-born of every creature, unless because according to His divinity the Word proceeded from the Father before every creature ? And unless the heretics re- ceive it thus, they will be constrained to show that Christ the man was the first-born of every creature; which they will not be able to do. Either, therefore, He is before every creature, that He may be the first-born of every creature, and He is not man only, because man is after every creature ; or He is man only, and He is after every creature. And how is He the first-born of every creature, except because being that Word which is before every creature ; and therefore, the first-born of every creature, He becomes flesh and dwells in us, that is, assumes that man's nature which is after every creature, and so dwells with him and in him, in us, that neither is humanity taken away from Christ, nor His divinity denied ? For if He is only before every creature, humanity is taken away from Him ; but if He is only man, the divinity which is before every creature is interfered with. Both of these, therefore, are leagued together in Christ, and both are conjoined, and both are linked with one another. And ricfhtlv, as there is in Him somethino; which excels the creature, the agreement of the divinity and the humanity seems to be pledged in Him : for which reason He who is declared as made the "Mediator between God and man "^ is revealed to have associated in Himself God and man. And if the same apostle says of Christ, that " having put off the flesh, He spoiled powers, they being openly triumphed over in Himself,"^ he certainly did not without a meaning pro- pound that the flesh was put off, unless because he wished it to be understood that it was again put on also at the resur- rection. Who, therefore, is He that thus put off and put on [the flesh] ? Let the heretics seek out. For we know that the Word of God was invested with the substance of flesh, and that He again was divested of the same bodily material, which again He took up in the resurrection and resumed as 1 Col. i. 15. 2 1 Tim. ii. 5. » Qq\^ -^i 15^
352 NOV ATI AN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
a garment. And yet Christ could neither have been divested of nor invested with manhood, had He been only man : for man is never either deprived of nor invested with himself. For that must be something else, whatever it may be, which by any other is either taken away or put on. Whence, reasonably, it was the Word of God who put off the flesh, and again in the resurrection put it on, since He put it off because at His birth He had been invested with it. There- fore in Christ it is God who is invested, and moreover must be divested, because He who is invested must also likewise be He who is divested ; whereas, as man, He is invested with and divested of, as it were, a certain tunic of the compacted body.^ And therefore by consequence He w^as, as we have said, the Word of God, w^ho is revealed to be at one time invested, at another time divested [of the flesh]. For this, moreover, He before predicted in blessings : " He shall wash His garment in wine, and His clothing in the blood of the grape." ^ If the garment in Christ be the flesh, and the clothing itself be the body, let it be asked who is He wdiose body is clothing, and garment flesh ? For to us it is evident that the flesh is the garment, and the body the clothing of the Word ; and He washed His bodily substance, and purified the material of the flesh in blood, that is, in wine, by His passion, in the human character that He had undertaken. Whence, if indeed He is washed. He is man, because the garment which is washed is the flesh ; but He w^ho washes is the AYord of God, who, in order that He might wash the garment, was made the taker up of the garment. Rightly, from that substance which is taken that it might be washed. He is revealed as a man, even as from the authority of the Word who washed it He is manifested to be God.
1 Perhaps the emendation liomine instead of liomo is right. " He puts on and puts off humanity, as if it were a kind of tunic for a compacted body."
2 Gen. xlix. 11.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 353
CHAPTER XXII.^
APtaU3lENT. — That the same divine majesty is in Christ, he once more asserts by other Scriptures.
But why, although we appear to hasten to another branch of the argument, should we pass over that passage in the apostle : " Who, although He was in the form of God, did not think it robbery that He should be equal with God ; but emptied Himself, taking up the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore also God hath highly exalted Him, and hath given Him a name which is above every name ; that in the name of Jesus every knee should be bent, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth ; and every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord, in the glory of God the Father?" ^ "Who, although He was in the form of God," he says. If Christ had been only man, He would have been spoken of as in "the image" of God, not "in the form" of God. For we know that man was made after the image or likeness, not after the form, of God. W^ho then is that angel who, as we have said, was made in the form of God ? But neither do we read of the form of God in angels, except because this one is chief and royal above all — the Son of God, the Word of God, the imitator of all His Father's works, in that He Himself worketh even as His Father. He is (as we have declared) in the form of God the Father. And He is reasonably affirmed to be in the form of God, in that He Himself, being above all things, and having the divine power over every creature, is also God after the example of the Father. Yet He obtained this from His own Father, that He should be both God of all and should be Lord, and be begotten and made known from Himself as God in the form of God the Father. He then, altliouch He was in the form of God, thought it not robbery that He should be equal with
^ According to Pamelius, ch. xvii. ^ Phil. ii. G-11.
' CYP. — VOL. II. Z
354 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
God. For although He remembered that He was God from God the Father, He never either compared or associated Himself with God the Father, mindful that He was from His Father, and that He possessed that very thing that He is, because the Father had given it Him. Thence, finally, both before the assumption of the flesh, and moreover after the assumption of the body, besides, after the resurrection itself, He yielded all obedience to the Father, and still yields it as ever. Whence it is proved that He thought that [the assertion of] a certain divinity would be robbery, to wit, that of equalling Himself with God the Father ; but, on the other hand, obedient and subject to all His rule and will, He even was contented to take on Him the form of a servant (that is, to become man) ; and the substance of flesh and body which, as it came to Him from the bondage of His forefathers' sins according to His manhood. He under- took by being born, at which time moreover He emptied Himself, in that He did not refuse to take upon Him the frailty incident to humanity. Because if He had been born man only. He would not have been emptied in respect of this ; for man, being born, is increased, not emptied : for in beginning to be that which He could not possess, so long as He did not exist, as we have said, He is not emptied, but is rather increased and enriched. But if Christ is emptied in being born, in taking the form of a servant, how is He man only ? of whom it could more truly have been said that He was enriched, not emptied, at the time that He was born, except because the authority of the divine Word, reposing for awhile in taking upon itself humanity, and not exercis- ing itself with its real strength, casts itself down, and puts itself off for the time, in bearing the humanity which it has undertaken ? It empties itself in descending to injuries and reproaches, in bearing abominations, in experiencing things unworthy ; and yet of this humility there is present at once an eminent reward. For He has "received a name which is above every name," which assuredly we understand to be none other than the name of God. For since it belongs to God alone to be above all things, it follows
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 355
that the name wliich is that God's who is above all things, is above every name; which name by consequence is certainly His who, although He was in the form of God, thought it not robbery for Him to be equal with God. For neither, if Christ were not God, would every knee bend itself in His name, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth ; nor would tilings visible and invisible, even every creature of all things, be subjected or be placed under man, when they might remember that they were before man. AYhence, since Christ is said to be in the form of God, and since it is shown that for His nativity according to the flesh He emptied Himself; and since it is declared that He received from the Father that name which is above every name ; and since it is shown that in His name every knee of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, bend and bow themselves; and this very thing is asserted to be a furtherance of the glory of God the Father ; consequently He is not man only, from the fact that He became obedient to the Father, even to death, yea, the death of the cross ; but, moreover, from the proclamation by these higher matters of the divinity of Christ, Christ Jesus is shown to be Lord and God, which the heretics will not have.
CHAPTEK XXIII.^
Argument. — And this is so manifest, that some heretics have thought Him to he God the Father, others that lie was only God without the flesh.
In this place I may be permitted also to collect arguments from the side of other heretics. It is a substantial kind of proof which is gathered even from an adversary, so as to prove the truth even from the very enemies of truth. For it is so far manifest that He is declared in the Scriptures to be God, that many heretics, moved by the magnitude and truth of this divinity, exaggerating His honours above ^ According to Pamelius, eh, xvili.
356 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
measure, have dared to announce or to think Him not the Son, but God the Father Himself. And this, although it is contrary to the truth of the Scriptures, is still a great and excellent argument for the divinity of Christ, who is so far God, except as Son of God, born of God, that very many heretics (as we have said) have so accepted Him as God, as to think that He must be pronounced not the Son, but the Father. Therefore let it be considered whether He is God [or not], since His authority has so affected some, that they have thought Him, as we have already said above, God the Father Himself, and have confessed the divinity in Christ with such impetuosity and effusion — compelled to it by the manifest divinity in Christ — that they thought that He whom they read of as the Son, because they perceived Him to be God, must be the Father. Moreover, other heretics have so far embraced the manifest divinity of Christ, as to say that He was without flesh, and to withdraw from Him the wdiole humanity which He took upon Him, lest, by associating with Him a human nativity, as they conceived it, they should diminish in Him the power of the divine name. This, how- ever, we do not approve ; but we quote it as an argument to prove that Christ is God, to this extent, that some, taking away the manhood, have thought Him God only, and some have thought Him God the Father Himself; wdien reason and the proportion of the heavenly Scriptures show Christ to be God, but as the Son of God ; and the Son of man, having been taken up, moreover, by God, that He must be believed to be man also. Because if He came to man, that He might be Mediator of God and men, it behoved Him to be wdth man, and the Word to be made flesh, that in His own self He might link together the agreement of earthly things w4th heavenly things, by associating in Himself pledges of both natures, and uniting God to man and man to God ; so that reasonably the Son of God might be made by the assumption of flesh the Son of man, and the Son of man by the reception of the Word of God the Son of God. This most profound and recondite sacrament, destined before the worlds for the salvation of the human race, is found to be
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 357
fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ, both God and man, that the human race might be placed within the reach of the enjoyment of eternal salvation.
CHAPTER XXIV.^
Argument. — That these have therefore erred, hy thinking that there icas no difference between the Son of God and the Son of man ; because they have ill understood the Scriptni^e,
But the material of that heretical error has arisen, as I judge, from this, that they think that there is no distinction between the Son of God and the Son of man ; because if a distinction were made, Jesus Christ would easily be proved to be both man and God. For they will have it that the self-same that is man, the Son of man, appears also as the Son of God ; that man and flesh and that same frail sub- stance may be said to be also the Son of God Himself. Whence, since no distinction is discerned between the Son of man and the Son of God, but the Son of man Himself is asserted to be the Son of God, the same Christ and the Son of God is asserted to be man only ; by which they strive to exclude, " The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." ^ " And ye shall call His name Emmanuel ; which is, interpreted, God with us." ^ For they propose and put forward what is told in the Gospel of Luke, whence tliey strive to maintain not wliat is the truth, but only what they want it to be : " The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow^ thee; there- fore also the holy tiling which is born of thee shall be called the Son of God." "* If, then, say they, the angel of God says to ^lary, " That holy thing which is born of thee," the substance of flesh and body is of Mary ; but he has set forth that this substance, that is, that holy thing which is born of her, is the Son of God. ^Man, say they,
^ According to Pamelius, cli. xix. ^ John i. 14.
3 Matt. i. 23. •♦ Luke i. 35.
358 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
himself, and that bodily flesh; that which is called holy, itself is the Son of God. That also when the Scripture says that '^ holy thing," we should understand thereby Christ the man, the Son of man ; and when it places before us the Son of God, we ought to perceive, not man, but God. And yet the divine Scripture easily convicts and discloses the frauds and artifices of the heretics. For if it were thus only, " The Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee ; therefore that holy thing which is born of thee shall be called the Son of God," perchance we should have had to strive against them in another sort, and to have sought for other arguments, and to have taken up other weapons, with which to overcome both their snares and their wiles ; but since the Scripture itself, abounding in heavenly fulness, divests itself of the calumnies of these heretics, we easily depend upon that that is written, and over- come those errors without any hesitation. For it said, not as we have already stated, " Therefore the holy thing which shall be born of thee ; " but added the conjunction, for it says, " Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee," so as to make it plain that that holy thing which is born of her — that is, that substance of flesh and body — is not the Son of God primarily, but consequently, and in the secondary place ; ^ but primarily, that the Son of God is the Word of God, incarnate by that Spirit of whom the angel says, " The Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee." For He is the legitimate Son of God who is of God Plimself ; and He, while He assumes that holy thing, and links to Himself the Son of man, and draws Him and transfers Him to Himself, by His connection and mingling of association becomes responsible for and makes Him the Son of God, which by nature He was not, so that the original cause ^ of that name Son of God is in
^ [" The miraculous generation is here represented as the natural, but by no means as the only cause for which He who had no human father was to receive the name of God's Son." — Oosteuzee, in loco, on Luke.— Tr.]
2 Principalitas.
I
CONCERNING THE TPdNITY. 359
the Spirit of the Lord, who descended and came, and that there is only the continuance of the name in the case of the Son of nian;^ and by consequence He reasonably became the Son of God, although originally He is not the Son of God. And therefore the angel, seeing that arrange- ment, and providing for that order of the sacrament, did not confuse everything in such a way as to leave no trace of a distinction, but established the distinction by saying, " Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God ; " lest, had he not arranged that distribution with his balances, but had left the matter all mixed up in confusion, it had really afforded occasion to heretics to declare that the Son of man, in that He is man, is the same as the Son of God and man. But now, explaining severally the ordinance and the reason of so great a sacrament, he evidently set forth in saying, " And that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God ; " the proof that the Son of God descended, and that He, in taking up into Himself the Son of man, consequently made Him the Son of God, because the Son of God associated and joined Him to Himself. So that, while the Son of man cleaves in His nativity to the Son of God, by that very mingling He holds that as pledged and derived which of His own nature He could not possess. And thus by the word of the angel the distinction is made, against the desire of the heretics, between the Son of God and man ; yet with their association, by pressing them to understand that Christ the Son of man is man, and also to receive the Son of God and man the Son of God ; that is, the Word of God as it is written as God ; and thus to acknowledge that Christ Jesus the Lord, connected on both sides (so to speak), is on both sides woven in and grown together, and associated in the same agreement of both substances, by the binding to one another of a mutual alliance — man and God by the truth of the Scripture which declares this very thing.
^ The edition of Pamelius reads : ut sequela nominis iii Filio Dei et hominis sit. Dei et was expelled by Welchmaii, whom we have fol- lowed.
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CHAPTER XXV.^
Akg-ument. — And that it does not follow thence, that because Christ died it must also he received that God died ; for Scripture sets forth that not only was Christ God, hut man also.
Therefoke, say they, if Christ is not man only, but God also — and Scripture tells us that He died for us, and was raised again — then Scripture teaches us to believe that God died; or if God does not die, and Christ is said to have died, then Christ will not be God, because God cannot be admitted to have died. If they ever could understand or had understood what they read, they would never speak after such a perilous fashion. But the folly of error is always hasty in its descent, and it is no new thing if those who have forsaken the lawful faith descend even to perilous results. For if Scripture were to set forth that Christ is God only, and that there was no association of human weak- ness mingled in His nature, this intricate argument of theirs might reasonably avail something. If Christ is God, and Christ died, then' God died. But when Scripture determines, as we have frequently shown, that He is not only God, but man also, it follows that wdiat is immortal may be held to have remained uncorrupted. For who cannot understand that the divinity is impassible, although the human weakness is liable to suffering ? When, therefore, Christ is understood to be mingled and associated as well of that which God is, as of that which man is — for " the Word was made flesli, and dwelt in us " — who cannot easily apprehend of himself, without any teacher and interpreter, that it was not that in Christ that died which is God, but that in Him died which is man ? For what if the divinity in Christ does not die, but the substance of the flesh only is destroyed, when in other men also, who are not flesh only, but flesh and soul, the flesh indeed alone suffers the inroads of wasting and death, ^ According; to Pamelius, cb. xx.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY, 361
while the soul is seen to be uncorrupted, and beyond the laws of destruction and death ? For this also our Lord Himself said, exhorting us to martyrdom and to contempt of all human power : *' Fear not those wdio slay the body, but cannot kill the soul." ^ But if the immortal soul cannot be killed or slain in any other, although the body and flesh by itself can be slain, how much rather assuredly could not the Word of God and God in Christ be put to death at all, although the flesh alone and the body was slain ! For if in any man whatever, the soul has tliis excellence of immortality that it cannot be slain, much more has the nobility of the Word of God this power of not being slain. For if the power of men fails to slay the sacred power of God, and if the cruelty of man fails to destroy the soul, much more ought it to fail to slay the Word of God. For as the soul itself, which was made by the Word of God, is not killed by men, certainly much rather will it be believed that the Word of God cannot be destroyed. And if the sanguinary cruelty of men cannot do more against men than only to slay the body, how much more certainly it will not have power against Christ beyond in the same way slaying the body! So that, while from these considerations it is gathered that nothing but the human nature in Christ was put to death, it appears that the Word in Him was not drawn down into mortality. For if Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob — who, it is admitted, were only men — are manifested to be alive (for all they, says He, live unto God ; and death in them does not destroy the soul, although it dissolves the bodies themselves : for it could exercise its power on the bodies, it did not avail to exercise it on the souls : for the one in them w^as mortal, and therefore died; the other in them was immortal, and therefore is understood not to have been extinguished : for which reason they are aflirmed and said to live unto God), much rather death in Christ could have power against the material of His body alone, while against the divinity of the Word it could not bring itself to bear. For the power of death is broken when the authority of immortality intervenes. 1 Matt. X. 28.
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CHAPTEE XXYI.i
Argument. — Moreover, against the Sahellians he 'proves that the Father is one, the Son another.
But from this occasion of Christ being proved from the sacred authority of the divine writings not man only, but God also, other heretics, breaking forth, contrive to impair the religious position in Christ ; by this very fact wishing to show that Christ is God the Father, in that He is asserted to be not man only, but also is declared to be God. For thus say they. If it is asserted that God is one, and Christ is God, then say they. If the Father and Christ be one God, Christ will be called the Father. Wherein they are proved to be in error, not knowing Christ, but following the sound of a name ; for they are not willing that He should be the second person after the Father, but the Father Himself. And since these things are easily answered, few words shall be said. For who does not acknowledge that the person of the Son is second after the Father, when he reads that it was said by the Father, consequently to the Son, " Let us make man in our image and our likeness;"^ and that after this it was related, "And God made man, in the image of God made He him ? " Or when he holds in his hands : " The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrha fire and brimstone from the Lord from heaA-en?"^ Or when he reads [as hav- ing been said] to Christ : " Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of me, and I will give Thee the heathens for Thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Thy possession ? " ^ Or when also that beloved writer says : ^' The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right hand, until I shall make Thine enemies the stool of Thy feet ? " ^ Or wdien, unfolding the prophecies of Isaiah, he finds it written thus: "Thus saith the Lord to Christ my Lord?"^ Or
1 According to Pamclius, cli. xxi. 2 Qen. i. 26.
3 Gen. xix. 24. * Ps. ii. 7, 8. « Ps. ex. 1.
^ Isa. xlv. 1. Some transcriber has written Kvpia for Kvpu., "the Lord" for " Gyrus," and the mistake has been followed by the author.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 363
when he reads : " I came not down from heaven to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me ? " ^ Or when he finds it written : " Because He who sent me is greater than I ? " ^ Or when he considers the passage : " I go to my Father, and your Father ; to my God, and your God ? " ^ Or when he finds it placed side by side with others : "More- over, in your law it is written that the witness of two is true. I bear witness of myself, and tlie Father who sent me beareth witness of me ? " ^ Or when the voice from heaven is: "I have both glorified Him, and I will glorify Him again ? " ^ Or when by Peter it is answered and said : " Thou art the Son of the living God? " ^ Or when by the Lord Himself the sacrament of this revelation is approved, and He says: "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee, but my Father which is in heaven ? " ^" Or when by Christ Himself it is expressed : " Father, glorify me with that glory with which I was with Thee before the world was made ? " ^ Or when it was said by the same: "Father, I knew that Thou hearest me always; but on account of those who stand around I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent me ? " ^ Or when the definition of the rule is established by Christ Himself, and it is said : " And this is life eternal, that they should know Thee, the only and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee upon the earth, I have finished the work which Thou gavest me ? " ^^ Or when, moreover, by the same it is asserted and said: "All things are delivered to me by my Father ? " ^^ Or when the session at the right hand of the Father is proved both by apostles and prophets? And I should have enough to do were I to endeavour to gather together all the passages what- ever on this side; since the divine Scripture, not so much of the Old as also of the New Testament, everywhere shows Him to be born of the Father, by whom all things were
1 John vi. 38. 2 j^hj^ xiv. 28. » John xx. 17.
4 John viii. 17, 18. ^ John xii. 20. ^ I^Iatt. xvi. IG.
^ Matt. xvi. 17. ^ John xvii. 5. ® John xi. 12.
^^ John xvii. 3, 4. " Luke x. 22.
364 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
made, and without whom nothing was made, who always has obeyed and obeys the Father; that He always has power over all things, but as delivered, as granted, as by the Father Himself permitted to Him. And what can be so evident [by way of proof] that this is not the Father, but the Son ; as that He is set forth as being obedient to God the Father, unless, if He be believed to be the Father, Christ may be said to be subjected to another God the Father ?
CHAPTER XXVII.1
Argument. — He skilfully replies to the passage^ " I and the Father are one^'' which the heretics employed in defence of their own opinion.
But since they frequently urge upon us the passage where it is said, "I and the Father are one,"^ in this also we shall overcome them with equal facility. For if, as the heretics think, Christ were the Father, He ought to have said, " I and the Father are one"^ [scil, person]. But when He says I, and afterwards introduces the Father by saying, " I and the Father," He severs and distinguishes the peculiarity of His, that is, the Son's person, from the paternal authority, not only in respect of the sound of the name, but moreover in respect of the order of the distribution of power, since He might have said, " I the Father," if He had had it in mind that He Himself was the Father. And since He said " one '^ (^scil. thing), let the heretics understand that He did not say *"' one " [scil. person]. For one placed in the neuter, inti- mates the social concord, not the personal unity. He is said to be one [neuter], not one [masculine], because the expres- sion is not referred to the number, but it is declared with reference to the association of another. Finally, He adds, and says, " We are," not " I am," so as to show, by the fact of His saying "I and the Father are," that they are two
^ According to Pamelius, ch. xxii. 2 John X. 30 ; scil. " unum," Gr. h. ^ Original, "unus."
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 365
persons. Moreover, that He says one [neuter], has reference to the agreement, and to the identity of judgment, and to the loving association itself, as reasonably the Father and Son are one in agreement, in love, and in affection; and because He is of the Father, whatsoever He is, He is the Son ; the distinction however remaining, that He is not the Father who is the Son, because He is not the Son who is the Father. For He would not have added " We are,'' if He had had it in His mind that He, the only and sole Father, had become the Son. In fine, the Apostle Paul also apprehended this agreement of unity, with the distinction of persons not- withstanding ; for in writing to the Corinthians he said, " I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. Therefore neither is he that planteth anything, nor he that watereth, but God who gives the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one." ^ And who does not perceive that Apollos is one person and Paul another, and that Apollos and Paul are not one and the same person? Moreover, also, the offices mentioned of each one of them are different ; for one is he who plants, and another he who waters. The Apostle Paul, however, put forward these two not as being one [person], but as being one ; so that although Apollos indeed is one, and Paul another, so far as respects the distinction of persons, yet as far as respects their agree- ment both are one. For when two persons have one judg- ment, one truth, one faith, one and the same religion, one fear of God also, they are one even although they are two persons : they are the same, in that they have the same mind. Since those whom the consideration of person divides from one another, these same acrain are broui^-lit together as one by the consideration of religion. And although they are not actually the self-same people, yet in feeling the same, they are the same ; and although they are two, are still one, as having an association in faith, even although they bear diversity in persons. Besides, when at these words of the Lord the Jewish ignorance had been aroused, so that hastily they ran to take up stones, and said, '^ For a good work we 1 1 Cor. iii. 6, 7, 8 [scil h'].
366 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
stone thee not, but for blasphemy ; and because thou, being a man, makest thyself God,"^ the Lord established the dis- tinction, in giving them the principle on which He had either said that He was God, or wished it to be understood, and says, ^' Say ye of Him, whom the Father sanctified, and sent into this world. Thou blasphemest ; because I said, I am the Son of God?"^ Even here also He said that He had the Father. He is therefore the Son, not the Father : for He would have confessed that He was the Father had He con- sidered Himself to be the Father ; and He declares that He was sanctified by His Father. In receiving, then, sanctifica- tion from the Father, He is inferior to the Father. Now, consequently. He who is inferior to the Father, is [not the Father], but the Son; for had He been the Father, He would have given, and not received, sanctification. Now, however, by declaring that He has received sanctification from the Father, by the very fact of proving Himself to be less than the Father, by receiving from Him sanctification, He has shown that He is the Son, and not the Father. Besides, He says that He is sent : so that by that obedience wherewith the Lord Christ came, being sent. He might be proved to be not the Father, but the Son, who assuredly would have sent had He been the Father ; but being sent, He was not the Father, lest the Father should be proved, in being sent, to be subjected to another God. And still after this He added what might dissolve all ambiguity, and quench all the controversy of error : for He says, in the last portion of His discourse, "Ye say. Thou blasphemest, because I said I am the Son of God." Therefore if He plainly testifies that He is the Son of God, and not the Father, it is an instance of great temerity and excessive madness to stir up a controversy of divinity and religion, contrary to the testimony of the Lord Christ Himself, and to say that Christ Jesus is the Father, when it is observed that He has proved Himself to be, not the Father, but the Son.
1 John X. 33. 2 John ^. 36.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 3G7
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Argument. — He loroves also that the words, " He who sees me, sees the Father also,^^ make nothing for the Sabellians.
Hereto also I will add that view wherein the heretic, while he rejoices as if at the loss of some power of seeing special truth and light, acknowledges the total blindness of his error. For again and again, and frequently, he objects that it was said, " Have I been so long time with you, and do ye not know me, Philip? He who hath seen me, hath seen the Father also."^ But let him learn what he does not under- stand. Philip is reproved, and rightly, and deservedly indeed, because he has said, " Lord, show us the Father, and it suf- ficeth us."^ For when had he either heard from Christ, or learnt that Christ was the Father ? although, on the other hand, he had frequently heard, and had often learned, rather that He was the Son, not that He was the Father. For what the Lord said, " If ye have known me, ye have known my Father also : and henceforth ye have known Him, and have seen Him,"^ He said not as wishing to be understood Him- self to be the Father, but [as meaning] that he who thoroughly, and fully, and with all faith and all religiousness, drew near to the Son of God, by all means shall attain, through the Son Himself, in whom he thus believes, to the Father, and shall see Him. " For no one," says He, " can come to the Father, but by me."* And therefore he shall not only come to God the Father, and shall know the Father Himself ; but, more- over, he ought thus to hold, and so to presume in mind and heart, that he has henceforth not only known, but seen the Father. For often the divine Scripture announces tln'ngs that are not yet done as being done, because thus they shall be ; and things which by all means have to happen, it does not predict as if they were future, but narrates as if they were done. And thus, although Christ had not been born as
1 John xiv. 9. ^ John xiv, 8.
3 John xiv. 7. * John xiv. 6.
368 A'-OVATIAN THE BOMAN PRESBYTER
yet in tlie times of Isaiali the prophet, he said, " For unto us a child is born;"^ and although Mary had not yet been approached, he said, " And I approached unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son."^ And when Christ had not yet made known the mind of the Father, [the prophet] said, *'And His name shall be called the Angel of Great Counsel."^ And when He had not yet suffered, he declared, " He is as a sheep led to the slaughter."* And although the cross had never yet existed. He said, " All day long have I stretched out my hands to an unbelieving people."^ And although not yet had He been scornfully given to drink, the Scripture says, " In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." ^ And although He had not yet been stripped, He said, " Upon my vesture they did cast lots, and they numbered my bones : they pierced my hands and my feet."^ For the divine Scripture, foreseeing, speaks of things which it knows shall be as being already done, and speaks of things as perfected which it regards as future, but which shall come to pass without any doubt. And thus the Lord in the present pas- sage said, " Henceforth ye have known and have seen Him." Now He said that the Father should be seen by whomsoever had followed the Son, not as if the Son Himself should be the Father seen, but that whosoever was willing to follow Him, and be His disciple, should obtain the reward of being able to see the Father. For He also is the image of God the Father; so that it is added, moreover, to these things, that "as the Father worketh, so also the Son worketh."^ And the Son is an imitator of all the Father's works, so that every one may regard it just as if he saw the Father, when he sees Him who always imitates the invisible Father in all His works. But if Christ is the Father Himself, in what manner does He immediately add, and say, " Whosoever believeth in me, the works that I do he shall do also ; and greater works than these shall he do ; because I go to my Father?"^ And He further subjoins, ^'If ye love me, keep
1 Isa. ix. 6. ^ Isa. viii. 3. ^ Isa. ix. 6, LXX.
4 Isa. liii. 7. « Isa. Ixv. 2. c Ps. Ixix. 21.
7 Ps. xxii. 18, 17. » John v. 17. ^ John xiv. 12.
CONCERNING TEE TPdNITY. 369
my commandments ; and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter."^ After which also He adds this : "If any one loveth me, he shall keep my word : and my Father will love Him ; and we will come unto him, and will make our abode with him."^ Moreover, also. He added this too : " But the Advocate, that Holy Spirit whom the Father will send. He will teach you, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."^ He utters, further, that passage when He shows Himself to be the Son, and reasonably subjoins, and says, "If ye loved me, ye would rejoice because I go unto the Father : for the Father is greater than I."* But what [shall we say] when He also continues in these words : " I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh away ; and every branch that beareth fruit He purgeth, that it may bring forth more fruit ?"^ Still He persists, and adds : " As the Father hath loved me, so also have I loved you : remain in my love. If ye have kept my commandments, ye shall remain in my love ; even as I have kept the Father's commandments, and remain in His love."^ Further, He says in addition : " But I have called you friends ; for all things which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." ^ Moreover, He adds to all this : " But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not Him that sent me."^ These things then, after the former, evidently attesting Him to be not the Father but the Son, the Lord w^ould never have added, if He had had it in mind, either that He was the Father, or wished Himself to be understood as the Father, except that He might declare this, that every man ought henceforth to consider, in seeino; the imairc of God the Father through the Son, that it was as if he saw the Father ; since every one believing on the Son may be exercised in the contemplation of the likeness, so that, being accustomed to seeing the divinity in likeness, he may go forward, and
^ John xiv. 15, 16. - John xiv. 23. ^ John xiv. 26.
4 John xiv. 28. '* John xv. 1. *^ John xv. 9, 10.
'' John XV. 15. 8 John xv. 21. CYP. — VOL. II. 2 A
S70 JSfOVATIAN THE BOM AN PRESBYTER
grow ieven to tlie perfect contemplation of God the Father Almighty. And since he who has imbibed tliis truth into his mind and soul, and has beHeved of all things that thus it shall be, he shall even now see, as it were, in some measure the Father whom he will see [eventually] ; and he may so regard it, as if he actually held, what he knows for certain that he shall one day hold. But if Christ Himself had been the Father, why did He promise as future, a reward which He had already granted and given ? For that He says, " Blessed are they of a pure heart, for they shall see God,"^ it is understood to promise the contemplation and vision of the Father ; therefore He had not given this ; for why should He promise if He had abeady given ? For He had given if He was the Father : for He was seen, and He was touched. But since, when Christ Himself is seen and touched. He still promises, and says that he who is of a pure heart shall see God, He proves by this very saying that He who was then present was not the Father, seeing that He was seen, and yet promised that whoever should be of a pure heart should see the Father. It was therefore not the Father, but the Son, who promised this, because He who was the Son pro- mised that wdiich had yet to be seen ; and His promise would have been superfluous unless He had been the Son. For why did He promise to the pure in heart that they should see the Father, if already they who were then present saw Christ as the Father ? But because He was the Son, not the Father, rightly also He was then seen as the Son, because He was the image of God ; and the Father, because He is invisible, is promised and pointed out as to be seen by the pure in heart. Let it then be enough to have suggested even these points against that heretic ; a few words about many things. For a field which is indeed both w^ide and expansive would be laid open if we should desire to discuss that heretic more fully ; seeing that in these two particulars, bereaved as it were of his eyes plucked out, he is altogether overcome in the blindness of his doctrine.
1 Matt. V. 8.
CONCERNING THE THINITY. 371
CHAPTER XXIX.
Argument. — He next teaches us that the authority of the faith enjoins, after the Father and the Son, to believe also on the Holy Spirit, whose operations he enumerates from Scripture.
Moreover, the order of reason, and the authority of the faith in the disposition of the words and in the Scriptures of the Lord, admonish us after these things to believe also on the Holy Spirit, once promised to the church, and in the appointed occasions of times given. For He was promised by Joel the prophet, but given by Christ. "In the last days," says the prophet, " I will pour out of my Spirit upon my servants and my handmaids." ^ And the Lord said, " Receive ye the Holy Ghost : whose sins ye remit, they shall be remitted ; and whose ye retain, they shall be re- tained."^ But this Holy Spirit the Lord Christ calls at one time " the Paraclete," at another pronounces to be the " Spirit of truth." ^ And He is not new in the Gospel, nor yet even newly given ; for it was He Himself who accused the people in the prophets, and in the apostles gave them the appeal to the Gentiles. For the former deserved to be accused, because they had contemned the law ; and they of the Gentiles who believe deserve to be aided by the defence of the Spirit, because they earnestly desire to attain to the Gospel law. Assuredly in the Spirit there are different kinds of offices, because in the times there is a different order of occa- sions ; and yet, on this account, He who discharges these offices is not different, nor is He another in so acting, but He is one and the same, distributing His offices according to the times, and the occasions and impulses of things. Moreover, the Apostle Paul says, " Having the same Spirit ; as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken ; we also believe, and therefore speak." * He is therefore one and the same Spirit
1 Joel ii. 28 ; Acts ii. 17. 2 joim xx. 22, 23.
8 John xiv. 16, 17. "* 2 Cor. iv. 13.
372 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
■wlio was in the prophets and apostles, except that in the former He was occasional, in the latter always. But in the former not as being always in them, in the latter as abiding always in them ; and in the former distributed with reserve, in the latter all poured out; in the former given sparingly, in the latter liberally bestowed ; not yet manifested before the Lord's resurrection, but conferred after the resur- rection. For, said He, " I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, that He may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth." ^ And, " When He, the Advocate, shall come, whom I shall send unto you from my Father, the Spirit of truth who proceedeth from my Father." ^ And, " If I go not away, that Advocate shall not come to you ; but if I go away, I will send Him to you." ^ And, " When the Spirit of truth shall come. He will direct you into all the truth."* And because the Lord was about to depart to the heavens. He gave the Paraclete out of necessity to the disciples ; so as not to leave them in any degree orphans, which was little desirable, and forsake them without an advocate and some kind of protector. For this is He wdio strengthened their hearts and minds, who marked out the Gospel sacraments, who was in them the enlightener of divine things ; and they being strengthened, feared, for the sake of the Lord's name, neither dungeons nor chains, nay, even trod under foot the very powers of the world and its tortures, since they were henceforth armed and strengthened by the same Spirit, having in themselves the gifts which this same Spirit distributes, and appropriates to the church, the spouse of Christ, as her ornaments. This is He who places prophets in the church, instructs teachers, directs tongues, gives powers and healings, does wonderful works, offers discrimination of spirits, affords powers of government, suggests counsels, and orders and arranges whatever other gifts there are of charismata; and thus makes the Lord's church everywhere, and in all, perfected and completed. This is He who, after the manner of a dove, when our Lord
1 John xiv. IG, 17. - John xv. 20.
3 John xvi. 7. * John xvi. 13.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 373
was baptized, came and abode upon Him, dwelling in Christ full and entire, and not maimed in any measure or portion ; but with His whole overflow copiously distributed and sent forth, so that from Him others might receive some enjoyment of His graces : the source of the entire Holy Spirit remaining in Christ, so that from Him might be drawn streams of gifts and works, while the Holy Spirit dwelt affluently in Christ. For truly Isaiah, prophesying this, said : " And the Spirit of wisdom and understanding shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and piety ; and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill Him." ^ This self-same thing also he said in the person of the Lord Himself, in another place : " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because He has anointed me. He has sent me to preach the gospel to the poor." ^ Similarly David : " Wherefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows."" Of Him the Apostle Paul says : " For he who hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of His." ^ " And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." ^ He it is who effects with water the second birth, as a certain seed of divine genera- tion, and a consecration of a heavenly nativity, the pledge of a promised inheritance, and as it were a kind of hand- writing of eternal salvation ; who can make us God's temple, and fit us for His house ; who solicits the divine hearing for us wath groanings that cannot be uttered, filling the offices of advocacy, and manifesting the duties of our defence, — an inhabitant given for our bodies and an effector of their holi- ness ; who, w^orking in us for eternity, can also produce our bodies at the resurrection of immortality, accustoming them to be associated in Himself with heavenly power, and to be allied with the divine eternity of the Holy Spirit. For our bodies are both trained in Him and by Him to advance to im- mortality, by learning to govern themselves with moderation according to His decrees. For this is He who " desireth acrainst the flesh," because " the flesh resisteth against the
1 Isa. xi. 2, 3. 2 isa. ixi. 1. 3 pg. xlv. 7.
* Rom. viii. 9. «2 Cor. iii. 17.
374 NOV ATI AN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
Spii'it."^ This is He who restrains insatiable desires, controls immoderate lusts, quenches unlawful fires, conquers reckless impulses, repels drunkenness, checks avarice, drives away luxurious revellings, links love, binds together affections, keeps down sects, orders the rule of truth, overcomes heretics, turns out the wicked, guards the gospel. Of this sajs the same apostle : " We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God." ^ Concerning Him he exultingly says : " And I think also that I have the Spirit of God." ^ Of Him he says : " The Spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets." * Of Him also he tells : " Now the Spirit speaketh plainly, that in the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, doctrines of demons, who speak lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience cauterized." ^ Established in this Spirit, ^* none ever calleth Jesus anathema ; " ® no one has ever denied Christ to be the Son of God, or has rejected God the Creator ; no one utters any words of his own contrary to the Scriptures ; no one ordains other and sacrilegious decrees ; no one draws up different laws. Whosoever shall blaspheme against Him, " hath not forgiveness, not only in this world, but also not in the world to come." ^ This is He who in the apostles gives testimony to Christ ; in the martyrs shows forth the constant faithfulness of their religion ; in virgins restrains the admirable continency of their sealed chastity ; in others, guards the laws of the Lord's doctrine incorrupt and uncontaminated ; destroys heretics, corrects the perverse, condemns infidels, makes known pretenders ; moreover, rebukes the wicked, keeps the church uncorrupt and inviolate, in the sanctity of a perpetual virginity and truth.
1 Gal. V. 17. 2 1 Cor. ii. 12. ^\ Cor. vii. 40.
4 1 Cor. xiv. 32. « 1 Tim. iv. 1. « i Cor. xii. 3.
7 Matt. xii. 32.
CONCERNING TEE TRINITY. 375
CHAPTER XXX.
Akgument. — In fine, for all that the said heretics have gathered the oingin of their error from consideration of the fact of its being written there is one God, although we call Christ God, and the Father God, still that Scrip- ture does not set forth two Gods, any more than two Lords or tivo Teachers.
And now, indeed, concerning the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, let it be sufficient to have briefly said thus much, and to have laid down these points concisely, without carrying them out in a lengthened argument. For they could be presented more diffusely and continued in a more expanded disputation, since the whole of the Old and New Testaments might be adduced in testimony that thus the true faith stands. But because heretics, ever struggling against the truth, are accustomed to prolong the controversy of pure tradition and catholic faith, being offended against Christ — that He is, moreover, asserted to be God by the Scriptures also, and this is believed to be so by us — we must riglitly contend (that every heretical calumny may be removed from our faith) concerning the fact that Christ is God also, in such a way as that it may not militate against the truth of Scripture, nor yet against our faith, how there is declared to be one God by the Scriptures, and it is held and believed by us. For as well they who say that Jesus Christ Himself is God the Father, as moreover they who would have Him to be only man, have gathered thence [scil. from Scripture] the sources and reasons of their error and perversity; because when they perceived that it was written that " God is one," they thought that they could not otherwise hold such an opinion than by supposing that it must be believed either that Christ was man only, or really God the Father. And they were accustomed in such a way to connect their sophis- tries as to endeavour to justify their own error. And thus they who say that Jesus Christ is the Father ai-gue as follows : — If God is one, and Christ is God, Clnist is the
876 NOV ATI AN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
Father, since God is one. If Christ be not the Father, be- cause Christ is God the Son, there appear to be two Gods introduced, contrary to the Scriptures. And they who con- tend that Christ is man only, conclude on the other hand thus : — If the Father is one, and the Son another, but the Father is God and Christ is God, then there is not one God, but two Gods are at once introduced, the Father and the Son ; and if God is one, by consequence Christ must be a man, so that rightly the Father may be one God. Thus indeed the Lord is, as it were, crucified between two thieves, even as He was formerly placed ; and thus from either side He receives the sacrilegious reproaches of such heretics as these. But neither the Holy Scriptures nor we suggest to them the reasons of their perdition and blindness, if they either will not, or cannot, see what is evidently written in the midst of the divine documents. For we both know, and read, and believe, and maintain that God is one, who made the heaven as well as the earth, since we neither know any other, nor shall we at any time know such, seeing that there is none. " I," says He, " am God, and there is none beside me, righteous and a Saviour." ^ And in another place : " I am the first and the last, and beside me there is no God who is as I." ^ And, " Who hath meted out heaven with a span, and the earth with a handful? Who has suspended the mountains in a balance, and the woods on scales ? " ^ And Hezekiah : " That all may know that Thou art God alone." * Moreover, the Lord Himself: " Why askest thou me concern- ing that which is good ? God alone is good." ^ Moreover, the Apostle Paul says : " Who only hath immortality, and dwelleth in the light that no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see." ^ And in another place : '' But a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one." "^ But even as we hold, and read, and believe this, thus we ought to pass over no portion of the heavenly Scriptures, since indeed also we ought by no means to reject those
1 Isa. xliii. 11. ^ jga. xliv. 6, 7. » Isa. xl. 12.
* Isa. xxxvii. 20. ^ Matt. xix. 17. ^ 1 Tim. vi. 16.
7 Gal. iii. 20.
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 377
marks of Christ's divinity which are laid down in the Scriptures, that we may not, by corrupting the authority of the Scriptures, be held to have corrupted the integrity of our holy faith. And let us therefore believe this, since it is most faithful that Jesus Christ the Son of God is our Lord and God ; because " in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. The same was in the beginning with God." ^ And, "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt in us." ^ And, "My Lord and my God." ^ And, " Whose are the fathers, and of whom ac- cording to the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for evermore." * What, then, shall we say ? Does Scripture set before us two Gods ? How, then, does it say that " God is one? " Or is not Christ God also? How, then, is it said to Christ, " My Lord and my God ? " Unless, therefore, we hold all this with fitting veneration and lawful argument, we shall reasonably be thought to have furnished a scandal to the heretics, not assuredly by the fault of the heavenly Scriptures, which never deceive ; but by the presumption of human error, whereby they have chosen to be heretics. And in the first place, we must turn the attack against them who undertake to make against us the charge of saying that there are two Gods. It is written, and they cannot deny it, that " there is one Lord." ^ What, then, do they think of Christ ? — that He is Lord, or that He is not Lord at all ? But they do not doubt absolutely that He is Lord ; therefore, if their reasoning be true, here are already two Lords. How, then, is it true according to the Scriptures, there is one Lord? And Christ is called the " one Master." ^ Nevertheless we read that the Apostle Paul also is a master.'^ Tlien, accord- ing to this, our Master is not one, for from these things we conclude that there are two masters. How, then, according to the Scriptures, is "one our Master, even Christ?" In the Scriptures there is one " called good, even God;" but in the same Scriptures Christ is also asserted to be good. There is not, tlien, if they rightly conclude, one good, but even two
1 John i. ] , 2. 2 joiin j 14 3 joi^n ^x. 28. * Rom. ix. 5.
* Deut. vi. 4. 6 Matt, xxiii. 8-10. ^ lihxoKu-hoi.
378 NOVATIAJSr THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
good. How, then, according to the scriptural faith, is there said to be only one good ? But if they do not think that it can by any means interfere with the truth that there is one Lord, that Christ also is Lord, nor vAili the truth that one is our Master, that Paul also is our master, or with the truth that one is good, that Christ also is called good ; on the same reasoning, let them imderstand that, from the fact that God is one, no obstruction arises to the truth that Christ also is declared to be God.
CHAPTER XXXI.
Akgument. — But that Gody the Son of God, horn of God the Father from everlasting, ivho icas always in the Father, is the second person to the Father , who does nothing without His Father s decree ; and that He is Lord, and the Angel of God's great counsel, to whom the Father's godhead is given by community of substance.
Thus God the Father, the Founder and Creator of all things, who only knows no beginning, invisible, infinite, im- mortal, eternal, is one God ; to whose greatness, or majesty, or power, I would not say nothing can be preferred, but nothing can be compared ; of whom, when He willed it, the Son, the Word, was born, who is not received [as the Word formed] in the sound of the stricken air, or in the tone of voice forced from the lungs, but is acknoAvledged in the substance of the power put forth by God, the mysteries of whose sacred and divine nativity neither an apostle has learnt, nor prophet has discovered, nor angel has known, nor creature has apprehended. To the Son alone they are known, who has known the secrets of the Father. He then, since He was begotten of the Father, is always in the Father. And I thus say always, that I may show Him not to be unborn, but born. But He who is before all time must be said to have been always in the Father ; for no time can be assigned to Him who is before all time, xlnd He is always in the Father, unless the Father be not always Father, only
CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 379
that the Father also precedes Him (in a certain sense), since it is necessary (in some degree) that He should he before He is Father. Because [in any wise] it is essential that He who knows no beginning must go before Him who has a begin- ning ; even as He is the less as knowing that He is in Him, having an origin because He is born, and of like nature with the Father in some measure by His nativity, although He has a beginning in that He is born, inasmuch as He is born of that Father who alone has no beginning. He, then, when the Father willed it, proceeded from the Father, and He who was in the Father came forth from the Father; and He who was in the Father because He was of the Father, was sub- sequently with the Father, because He came forth from the Father, — that is to say, that divine substance whose name is the Word, whereby all things were made, and without whom nothing was made. For all things are after Him, because they are by Him. And reasonably. He is before all things, but after the Father, since all things were made by Him, and He proceeded from Him of whose will all things were made. Assuredly God proceeding from God, causing a person second to the Father as being the Son, but not taking from the Father that characteristic that He is one God. For if He had not been born — compared with Him who was unborn, an equality being manifested in both — He would make two unborn beings, and thus would make two Gods. If He had not been begotten — compared with Him who was not begotten, and as being found equal — they not being begotten, would have reasonably given two Gods, and thus Christ would have been the cause of two Gods. Had He been formed without beginning as the Father, and He Him- self the beginning of all things as is the Father, this would have made two beginnings, and consequently would have shown to us two Gods also. Or if He also were not the Son, but the Father begetting from Himself another Son, reason- ably, as compared with the Father, and designated as great as He, He would have cavised two Fathers, and thus also He would have proved the existence of two Gods. Had He been invisible, as compared with the Invisible, and declared
380 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
equal, He would have shown forth two Invisibles, and thus also He would have proved them to be two Gods. If incom- prehensible, if also whatever other attributes belong to the Father, reasonably we say. He would have given rise to the allegation of two Gods, as these people feign. But now, whatever He is, He is not of Himself, because He is not unborn ; but He is of the Father, because He is begotten, whether as being the Word, whether as being the Power, or as being the Wisdom, or as being the Light, or as being the Son ; and whatever of these He is, in that He is not from any other source, as we have already said before, than from the Father, owing His origin to His Father, He could not make a disagreement in the divinity by the number of two Gods, since He gathered His beginning by being born of Him who is one God. In which kind, being both as well only-begotten as first-begotten of Him who has no beginning. He is the only one, of all things both Source and Head. And there- fore He declared that God is one, in that He proved Him to be from no source nor beginning, but rather the begin- ning and source of all things. Moreover, the Son does nothing of His own will, nor does anything of His own determination ; nor does He come from Himself, but obeys all His Father's commands and precepts ; so that, although birth proves Him to be a Son, yet obedience even to death declares Him the minister of the will of His Father, of whom He is. Thus making Himself obedient to His Father in all things, although He also is God, yet He shows the one God the Father by His obedience, from whom also He drew His beginning. And thus He could not make two Gods, because He did not make two beginnings, seeing that from Him who has no beginning He received the source of His nativity before all time. For since that is the bemnnine; to other creatures which is unborn (which God the Father only is, being beyond a beginning of whom He is who was born), while He who is born of Him reasonably comes from Him who has no begin- ning, proving that to be the beginning from which He Him- self is, even although He is God who is born, yet He shows Him to be one God whom He who was born proved to be
CONCERNING THE TRINITY, 381
witliout a beginning. He tlierefore is God, but begotten for this special result, that He should be God. He is also the Lord, but born for this very purpose of the Father, that He might be Lord. He is also an angel, but He was destined of the Father as an angel to announce the great counsel of God. And His divinity is thus declared, that it may not appear by any dissonance or inequality of divinity to have caused two Gods. For all things being subjected to Him as the Son by the Father, while He Himself, with those things which are subjected to Him, is subjected to His Fatlier, He is indeed proved to be Son of His Father; but He is found to be both Lord and God of all else. Whence, while all things put under Him are delivered to Him who is God, and all things are subjected to Him, the Son refers all that He has received to the Father, remits again to the Father the whole authority of His divinity. The true and eternal Father is manifested as the one God, from whom alone this power of divinity is sent forth, and also given and directed upon the Son, and is again returned by the com- munion of substance to the Father. God indeed is shown as the Son, to whom the divinity is beheld to be given and extended. And still, nevertheless, the Father is proved to be one God; while by degrees in reciprocal transfer that majesty and divinity are again returned and reflected as sent by the Son Himself to the Father, who had given them ; so that reasonably God the Father is God of all, and the source also of His Son Himself wliom He beo;ot as Lord. More- over, the Son is God of all else, because God the Father put before all Him whom He begot. Thus the Mediator of God and men, Christ Jesus, having the power of every creature subjected to Him by His own Father, inasmuch as He is God ; with every creature subdued to Him, found at one with His Fatlier God, has briefly proved God His Father to be one and only and true God by abiding in that condition that He moreover " icas hearcir ^
^ There is apparently some indistinct reference here to the passage in Heb. V. 7, " and v/as heard in that He feared " — cIt^o r-^j iv'hxSiia;.
A LETTER OF NOVATIAN,
THE ROMAN PRESBYTER,
ON THE JEWISH MEATS.
CHAPTER I.
Akgument. — Novatian, a Roman presbyter, durmg his re- tirement at the time of the Decian ijersecution, being urged hy various letters from his brethren, had written tivo earlier epistles against the Jews on the subjects of circum- cision and the Sabbath, and now whites the present one on the Jeivish meats,
LTHOUGH, most holy brethren, the day in which I receive your letters and writings is most ardently longed for by me, and to be reckoned among the chief and happiest (for what else is there now to make me more joyous?^), still I think that the day is to be deemed not less notable, and among special days, wherein I return to you similar communications, with the affection of love that I owe you, and write you letters with a correspond- ing interest. For nothing, most holy brethren, holds me bound with such bonds, nothing stirs and arouses me with such a stimulus of care and anxiety, as the fear lest you should think that any disadvantage is suffered by you by reason of my absence; and this I strive to remedy, in labouring to show myself present with you by frequent letters. Although,
1 " Liberiorem," translated, according to a plausible emendation, as " liilariorem."
382
NOV ATI AN ON THE JEWISH MEATS. 383
therefore, the duty which T owe, and the charge I have under- taken, and the very ministerial office imposed upon me, re- quire of me this necessity of writing letters, yet you still fur- ther enhance it, by stirring me up to write through means of your continual communications ; and inclined although I am to those periodical expressions of love, you urge me the more by showing that you stand fast continually in the gospel : whence it results, that by my letters I am not so much instructing you who are already informed, as inciting you who are already prepared. For you, who not only hold the gospel pure and purged from all stain of perverse doctrine, but also energetically teach the same, seek not man for a master, since you show yourselves by these very things to be teachers. Therefore as you run, I exhort you ; and as you Tvatch, I stir you up; and as you contend against "the spiritual things of wickedness,"^ I address you; and as you press "in your course to the prize of your calling in Christ,"^ I urge you on, — that, treading under foot and rejectmg as well the sacrilegious calumnies of heretics as also the idle fables of Jews, you may hold the sole word^ and teaching of Christ, so as worthily to claim for yourselves the authority of His name. But how perverse are the Jews, and remote from the under- standing of their law, I have fully shown, as I believe, in two former letters,* wherein it was absolutely proved that they are ignorant of what is the true circumcision, and what the true Sabbath ; and their ever increasing blindness is confuted in this present epistle, wherein I have briefly discom'sed con- cerning their meats, because that in them they consider that they only are holy, and that all others are defiled.
1 Eph. vi. 12. 2 piiii iii. 14 3 Traditionem.
^ These letters are not extant, but they are mentioned by Jerome, de vir. illustr. ch. Ixx.
384 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PBESBYTER
CHAPTER 11.
Akgument. — He first of all asserts that the laio is spiritual; and thence, as mans first food was only the fruit of trees, and the use of flesh was added, that the law that followed subsequently — which, distinguishing between meats, granted certain animals as clean, and interdicted certain others as not clean — ivas to be understood spiritually^ especially as all animals were declared " ve7y good,^ and even unclean animals were reserved for offspring in Noalis ar\ al- though they otherwise might have been got rid of if they ought to have been destroyed on account of their uncleanness,
Therefoke, first of all, we must avail ourselves of that passage, "that the law is spiritual;"^ and if they deny it to be spiritual, they assuredly blaspheme ; if, avoiding blas- phemy, they confess it to be spiritual, let them read it spiritually. For divine things must be divinely received, and must assuredly be maintained as holy. But a grave fault is branded on those who attach earthly and human doctrine to sacred and spiritual words; and this we must beware of doing. Moreover, we may beware, if any things enjoined by God be so treated as if they were assumed to diminish His authority, lest, in calling some things impure and unclean, their institution should dishonour their ordainer. For in reprobating what He has made, He will appear to have condemned His own works, Avhich He had approved as good ; and He will be designated as seeming capricious in both cases, as the heretics indeed would have it ; either in having blessed things which were not clean, or in subse- quently reprobating as not good, creatures which He had blessed as both clean and good. And of this the enormity and contradiction will remain for ever if that Jewish doctrine is persisted in, which must be got rid of with all our ability ; so that whatever is irregularly delivered by them, may be taken away by us, and a suitable arrangement of His works, ^ Rom. vii. 14.
ON THE JEWISH MEATS. 385
and an appropriate and spiritual application of the divine law, may be restored. But to begin from the beginning of things, whence it behoves me to begin; the only food for the first men was fruit and the produce of the trees. For after- wards, man's sin transferred his need from the fruit-trees to the produce of the earth, when the very attitude of his body attested the condition of his conscience. For although innocency raised men up towards the heavens to pluck their food from the trees so long as they had a good conscience, yet sin, when committed, bent men down to the earth and to the ground to gather its grain. Moreover, afterwards the use of flesh was added, the divine favour supplying for human necessities the kinds of meats generally fitting for suitable occasions. For while a more tender meat was needed to nourish men who were both tender and unskilled, it was still a food not prepared without toil, doubtless for their advantage, lest they should again find a pleasure in sinning, if the labour imposed upon sin did not exhort innocence. And since now it was no more a paradise to be tended, but a whole world to be cultivated, the more robust food of flesh is offered to men, that for the advantage of culture somethino; more might be added to the vigour of the human body. All these things (as I have said) were by grace and by divine arrangement : so that either the most vigorous food should not be given in too small quantity for men's support, and they should be enfeebled for labour; or that the more tender meat should not be too abundant, so that, oppressed beyond the measure of their strength, they should not be able to bear it.^ But the law which followed subsequently ordained the flesh foods with distinction : for some animals it ffave and granted for use,^ as being clean ; some it interdicted as not clean, and conveying pollution to those that eat them. Moreover, it gave this character to those that were clean, that those which chew the cud and di\^de the hoofs are clean ; those are unclean which do neither one nor other of these
^ This sentence is very unintelligible, but it is the nearest approach to a meaning that can be gathered from the original.
2 Or, as some read, " for eating," substituting " csum " for " iisiim." CYP. — VOL. II. 2 B
386 NOV ATI AN TEE R02IAN PRESBYTER
tilings. So, in fishes also, the law said that those indeed were clean which were covered with scales and supplied with fins, but that those which were otherwise were not clean. More- over, it established a distinction among the fowls, and laid down what was to be judged either an abomination, or clean. Thus the law ordained [the exercise of] very great subtlety in making a separation among those animals which the ancient appointment had gathered together into one form of blessing. What, then, are we to say ? Are the animals therefore un- clean ? But what else is it [to say] that they are not clean, than that the law has separated them from the uses of food % And what, moreover, is that that we have just now said? Then God is the ordainer of things which are not clean; and the blame attached to things which are made will recoil upon their Maker, who did not produce them clean ; to say which is certainly characteristic of extreme and excessive folly : it is to accuse God as having created unclean things, and to charge upon the divine majesty the guilt of having made things which are abomination, especially when they were both pronounced " very good," -^ and as being good have obtained the blessing from God Himself " that they should increase and multiply." Moreover also they were reserved by the command of the Creator in Noah's ark for the sake of their offspring, that so being kept they might be proved to be needful ; and being needful, they might be proved to be good, although even in that case also there is a distinction appended. But still, even then, the creation of those very creatures that were not clean might have been utterly abolished, if it had needed to be abolished on account of its own pollution.
CHAPTER III.
Argument. — And thus undeaji animals are not to he re- pi'oacliedj lest the reproach he thrown upon their Author ; hut ivhen an irrational animal is rejected on any account^ 1 Gen. i. 31.
ON THE JEWISH MEATS, 387
it is rather that that very thing should he condemned in man ivho is rational; and therefore that in animals the character J the doingsj and the icills of men are depicted.
How far, then, must that law, which (as I have shown by the authority of the apostle) is spiritual, be spiritually received in order that the divine and sure idea of the law may be carried out ? Firstly, we must believe that whatever was ordained by God is clean and purified by the very authority of His crea- tion; neither must it be reproached, lest the reproach should be thrown back upon its Author. Then [we must believe] that the law was given to the children of Israel for this purpose, that they might profit by it, and return to those virtuous manners which, although they had received them from their fathers, they had corrupted in Egypt by reason of their in- tercourse with a barbarous people. Finally, also, those ten commandments on the tables teach nothing new, but remind them of what had been obliterated — that righteousness in them, which had been put to sleep, might revive again as it were by the afflatus of the law, after the manner of a fire [nearly extinguished]. But tliey could profit by the perception that those vices were especially to be avoided in men which the law had condemned even in beasts. For when an irrational animal is rejected on any account, it is rather that very thing which is condemned in the man who is rational. And if in it anything which it has by nature is characterized as a defilement, that same thing is most to be blamed when it is found in man opposed to his nature. Therefore, in order that men might be purified, the cattle were censured — to wit, that men also who had the same vices might be esteemed on a level with the brutes. Whence it results, that not only were the animals not condemned by their Creator because of His agency ;^ but that men might be instructed in the brutes to return to the unspotted nature of their own creation. For we must consider how the Lord distinguishes clean and not clean. The creatures that are clean, it says, both chew the cud and divide the hoof ; the
^ Sui culpa.
388 NOV ATI AN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
-unclean do neither, or only one of the two. All these things were made by one Workman, and He who made them Him- self blessed them. Therefore I regard the creation of both as clean, because both He who created them is holy, and those things wdiich w^ere created are not in fault in being that which they were made. For it has never been customary for nature, but for a perverted w^ill, to bear the blame of guilt. What, then, is the case? In the animals it is the characters, and doings, and wills of men that are depicted. They are clean if they chew the cud ; that is, if they ever have in their mouth as food the divine precepts. They divide the hoof, if with the firm step of innocency they tread the w^ays of righteousness, and of every virtue of life. For of those creatures which divide the foot into two hoofs the walk is always vigorous; the tendency to slip of one part of the hoof being sustained by the firmness of the other, and so retained in the substantial footstep. Thus they wdio do neither are unclean, wdiose walk is neither firm in virtues ; nor do they digest the food of the divine precepts after the manner of that chewing of the cud. And they, too, who do one of these things are not themselves clean either, inasmuch as they are maimed of the other, and not perfect in both. And these are they wdio either do both, as believers, and are clean ; or one of the two, as Jews and heretics, and are blemished ; or neither, as the Gentiles, and are consequently unclean. Tlius in the animals, by the law, as it w^ere, a certain mirror of human life is established, wherein men may consider the images of penalties; so that everything which is vicious in men, as committed against nature, may be the more condemned, when even those things, although naturally ordained in brutes, are in them blamed. For that in fishes the roughness of scales is regarded as constituting their cleanness; rough, and rugged, and unpolished, and substantial, and grave manners are ap- proved in men ; while those that are without scales are un- clean ; because trifling, and fickle, and faithless, and eifemi- nate manners are disapproved. Moreover, what does the law mean when it says, ^'Thou slialt not eat the camel? "^ —
^ Lev. xi. 4.
ON TEE JEWISH MEATS, 389
except that by the example of that animal it condemns a life nerveless ^ and crooked with crimes. Or when it forbids the swine to be taken for food ? It assuredly reproves a life filthy and dirty, and delighting in the garbage of vice, placing its supreme good not in generosity of mind, but in the flesh alone. Or when it forbids the hare ? It rebukes men de- formed into women. And who w^ould use the body of the weasel for food ? But in this case it reproves theft. Who would eat the lizard? But it hates an aimless waywardness of life. Who the eft? But it execrates mental stains. Who would eat the hawk, who the kite, who the eagle ? But it hates plunderers and violent people who live by crime. Who the vulture ? But it holds accursed those wdio seek for booty by the death of others. Or who the raven ? But it holds accused crafty wills. Moreover, when it forbids the sparrow, it condemns intemperance; when the owl, it hates those who fly from the light of truth ; when the swan, the proud with high neck ; when the sea-mew, too talkative an intemperance of tongue ; when the bat, those who seek the darkness of night as well as of error. These things, then, and the like to these, the law holds accursed in animals, which in them indeed are not blameworthy, because they are born in this condition ; in man they are blamed, because they are sought for contrary to his nature, not by his creation^ but by his error.
CIIAPTEE lY.
Argument. — To these things also icas added another reason for prohibiting many hinds of meats to the Jews ; to icity for the restraint of the intemperance of the people^ and that they might serve the one God.
To these considerations, then, thus enumerated, w^ere added also other reasons for which many kinds of meats were with- held from the Jews ; and that this might be so, many things ^ " Enervem," "but more probably " informem."
890 NOV ATI AN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
were called unclean, not as being condemned in themselves, but that the Jews might be restrained to the service of one God ; because frugality and moderation in appetite were be- coming to those who were chosen for this purpose. And such moderation is always found to be approximate to religion, nay, so to speak, rather related and akin to it ; for luxury is inimical to holiness. For how shall religion be spared by it, when modesty is not spared ? Luxury does not entertain the fear of God ; since while pleasures hurry it on, it is carried forward to the sole daring [of the indulgence] of its desires : for the reins being loosened, it increases in the application of expense without measure, as if it were its food, exceeding its patrimony with its modesty ; or as a torrent rushing from the mountain-peaks not only overleaps wdiat is opposed to it, but carries with it those very hindrances for the destruction of other things. Therefore these remedies were sought for to restrain the intemperance of the people, that in propor- tion- as luxury w^as diminished, virtuous manners might be increased. For what else did they deserve, than that they should be restrained from using all the pleasures of divers meats, who dared to prefer the vilest meats of the Egyptians to the divine banquets of manna, preferring the juicy meats of their enemies and masters to their liberty ? They were truly worthy that the slavery wdiich they had coveted should pamper them, if the food that was more desirable and free was so ill pleasing to them.
CHAPTER V.
Argument. — But there ivas a limit to the use of these shadows or figures ; for afterwards, ivhen the end of the law, Chist, came^ all things ivere said by the apostle to he pure to the pure, and the true and holy meat icas a right faith and an unspotted conscience.
And thus there was a certain ancient time, wherein those shadows or figures were to be used, that meats should be
ON THE JEWISH MEATS. 391
abstained from which had indeed been commended by their creation, but had been prohibited by the law. But now Christ, the end of the law, has come, disclosing all the ob- scurities of the law — all those things which antiquity had covered with the clouds of sacraments. For the illustrious ]\Iaster, and the heavenly Teacher, and the ordainer of the perfected truth, has come, under whom at length it is rightly said: "To the pure all things are pure; but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled." ^ Moreover, in another place : " For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused which is received with thanksgiving ; for it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer." " Again, in another place: "The Spirit expressly says that in the last days some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypo- crisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, for- bidding to marry, and [commanding to] abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by them which believe and those who know God." ^ Moreover, in another passage : " Everything that is sold in the market- place eat, asking nothing." * From these things it is plain that all those things are returned to their [original] blessed- ness now that the law is finished, and that we must not revert to the special observances of meats, which observances were ordained for a certain reason, but which evangelical liberty has now taken away, their discharge being given. The apostle cries out : " The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy." ^ Also else- where : " Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats : but God shall destroy both it and them. 'Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord ; and the Lord for the body." ^ God is not worshipped by the belly nor by meats, which the Lord says will perish, and are purged by natural law in the draught. For he who worships the Lord by meats, is merely as one who has his belly for his Lord. The meat, I say,
1 Tit. i. 15. - 1 Tim. iv. 4, 5. » 1 Tim. iv. 1, 2, 3.
4 1 Cor. X. 25. « Rom. xiv. 17. ^ 1 Cor. vi. 13.
392 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
true, and lioly, and pure, is a true faith, an unspotted con- science, and an innocent soul. Whosoever is thus fed, feeds also with Christ. Such a banqueter is God's guest : these are the feasts that feed the angels, these are the tables which the martyrs make. Hence is that word of the law : " Man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word which pro- ceedeth out of the mouth of God." ^ Hence, too, that saying of Christ : " My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work." ^ Hence, " Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of my loaves and were filled. But labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which endureth to life eternal, which the Son of man will give you; for Him hath the Father sealed."* By rigliteousness, I say, and by continency, and by the rest of the virtues, God is worshipped. For Zecharias also tells lis, saying : " If ye eat or drink, is it not ye that eat or drink?"'* — declaring thereby that meat or drink attain not unto God, but unto man : for neither is God fleshly, so as to be pleased with flesh ; nor is He careful ^ for these plea- sures, so as to rejoice in our food. God rejoices in our faith alone, in our innocency alone, in our truth alone, in our virtues alone. And these dwell not in our belly, but in our soul; and these are acquired for us by divine awe and heavenly fear, and not by earthly food. And such the apostle fitly rebuked, as " obeying the superstitions of angels, puffed up by their fleshly mind; not holding Christ the head, from whom all the body, joined together by links, and in- woven and grown together by mutual members in the bond of charity, increaseth to God ; " ^ but observing those things : "Touch not, taste not, handle not; which indeed seem to have a form of religion, in that the body is not spared." ^ Yet there is no advantage at all of righteousness, while we are recalled by a voluntary slavery to those elements to which by baptism we have died.
1 Dent. viii. 3. 2 JqI^^ iv. 34.
» John vi. 26, 27. ^ Zech. vii. 6, LXX.
^ " Attonitus" is assumed to be rightly read "atteutus." c Col. ii. 18, 19. ^ Col. ii. 21, 23.
ON THE JEWISH MEATS. 393
CHAPTER YI.
Argument. — But, on the ground that liherty in meats is granted to usy there is no permission of luxury, there is no taking away of continence and fasting : for these things greatly become the faithful^ — to ivit, that they should jy ray to God, and give Him thanks, not only hy day, hut hy night.
But from the fact that liberty [in respect] of meats is granted to us, it does not of necessity follow that luxury is allowed us ; nor because the gospel has dealt with us very liberally, has it taken away continency. By this, I say, the belly is not provided for, but the form of meats was shown : it was made manifest what was right, not that we might go into the gulf of desire, but to give a reason for the law. But nothing has so restrained intemperance as the gospel ; nor has any one given such strict laws against gluttony as Christ, who is said to have pronounced even the poor blessed, and the hun- gering and thirsting happy, the rich miserable ; to whom, obeying the government of their belly and their palate, the material of their lusts could never be wanting, so that their servitude could not cease ; who think it an argument of their happiness to desire as much as they can, except that they are thus able to attain less than they desire. For, moreover, preferring Lazarus in his very hunger and in his sores themselves, and with the rich man's dogs. He restrained the destroyers of salvation, the belly and the palate, by examples. The apostle also, when he said, " Having food and raiment, we are therewith content," ^ laid down the law of frugality and continency ; and thinking that it would be of little advantage that he had written, he also gave him- self as an example of what he had written, adding not with- out reason, that " avarice is the root of all evils ;'' " for it follows in the footsteps of luxury. Whatever the latter has wasted by vice, the former restores by crime ; the circle of crimes being re-trodden, that luxury may again take away 1 1 Tim. vi. 8. 2 i Tim. vi. 10.
894 NOV ATI AN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
whatever avarice had heaped together. Nor yet are there wanting, among such things, those who, although they have claimed to themselves the sound of the Christian name, afford instances and teachings of intemperance ; whose vices have come even to that pitch, that while fasting they drink in the early morning, not thinking it Christian to drink after meat, unless the wine poured into their empty and un- occupied veins should have gone down directly after sleep : for they seem to have less relish of what they drink if food be mingled with the wine. Thus you may see such in a new kind, still fasting and already drunk, not running to the tavern, but carrying the tavern about with them; and if any one of them offers a salute, he gives not a kiss, but drinks a health. What can they do after meat, whom meat finds intoxicated ? Or in what kind of state does the sun at his setting leave them, whom at his rising he looks upon as already stupid with wine ? But things which are detestable are not to be taken as our examples. For those things only are to be taken by which our soul may be made better ; and although in the gospel the use of meats is universally given to us, yet it is understood to be given to us only with the law of frugality and continence. For these things are even greatly becoming to the faithful, — to wit, those who are about to pray to God and to give Him thanks, not only by day, but by night also ; which cannot be if the mind, stupefied by meat and wine, should not prevail to shake off hea^^ sleep and the load heaped upon the breast.
CHAPTEE VIL
Argument. — Moreover^ ice must he careful that no one sliould think that this licence may he carried to such an extent as that he may approach to things offered to idols.
But it must be very greatly guarded against in the use of food, and we must be warned lest any should think that liberty is permitted to that degree that even he may approach
I
ON THE JEWISH MEATS. 395
to [partake of] what has been offered to idols. For, as far as pertains to God's creation, every creature is clean. But when it has been offered to demons, it is polluted so long as it is offered to the idols ; and as soon as this is done, it belongs no longer to God, but to the idol. And wdien this creature is taken for food, it nourishes the person who so takes it for the demon, not for God, by making him a fellow-guest with the idol, not with Christ, as rightly do the Jews also [soil. abstain]. And the meaning of these meats being perceived, and the counsel of the law being considered, and the kindness of the gospel grace being known, and the rigour of tem- perance being observed, and the pollution of things offered to idols being rejected, we wdio keep the rule of truth throughout all things, ought to give thanks to God through Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord, to whom be praise, and honour, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Letter luritten to Cyprian hy Novatian the Boman Preshyter, in the name of the Roman Clergy, will be found trans- lated at page 85 of the first volume, Ep. xxx.
«
ACTS AND KECORDS
OF THE
FAMOUS CONTKOVERSY ABOUT THE BAPTISM OF HERETICS.
A EOMAN COUNCIL CELEBRATED UNDER ST. STEPHEN.
From the Synodal Roll.
A divine and sacred provincial synod, gathered together at Rome by Stephen, the blessed martyr and pope, which ex- communicated those who in an African synod had, without reason, conceded that they who came to the catholic church from any heresy should be re -baptized.*
CARTHAGINIAN COUNCILS.
The Third Carthar/inian Council under Cyprian, on the Baptism of Infants ; held anno Domini 253.
This document is translated at page 195 in the first volume, Ep. Iviii.
The Fourth Carthaginian Council under Cyprian; held anno Domini 254. About Basilides and Martial, hisliops of Spain, udio had i^eceived certificates.
This document is translated at page 235, vol. i. Ep. Ixvii.
^ Reference is made to this council in Epistles of Cyprian^ No. Ixxiii., and at large in Epistles Ixix. to Ixxiv., vol i. pp. 250 to 285.
a97
398 ACTS AND RECOBDS ABOUT BAPTISM.
The Fifth Carthaginian Council under Cyprian, the first about Baptism; held anno Domini 255, the third year of St, Stephen^ s papacy.
This will be found translated in vol. i. p. 250, Ep. Ixix.
The Sixth Carthaginian Council under Cyprian, the second about Baptism, from a province of Africa and Numidia ; held anno Domini 256, in the third year of Stephens papacy.
This will be found translated in vol. i. p. 256, Ep. Ixxi.
The Seventh Carthaginian Council under Cyprian, the third about Baptism, from three provinces of Africa; held anno Domini 256, in the third year of Stephen! s papacy.
This will be found translated in the former part of the present volume, p. 199.
I
A FKAGMENT
OF A
LETTEE OF DIONYSIUS OF ALEXANDRIA
TO
POPE STEPHEN.
PREFACE.
To the subjoined fragment Eusebius says, by way of introduction: " Dionysius indited to Stephen the first of those letters which were vrritten on the subject of baptism, when no small controversy had arisen whether they who are converted from any kind of heresy ought to be purged by baptism ; because an ancient custom had prevailed, that in receiving such there should only be hands laid upon them with prayers. Cyprian, who then ruled the church of Carthage, was the first who judged that they must not be admitted to communion unless they were first purified from error by baptism ; but Stephen, thinking that nothing should be innovated contrary to the tradition which had already obtained in that matter from the beginning, was indignant at this. And as Dionysius had already written to him on this argument many letters, he intimates to him finally, that all the churches everywhere, now that the fury of persecution was abated, detesting the turbulent novelty of Novatian,! had estabhshed peace with one another." And thus he writes : ^ —
UT know, my brother, that all the churches throughout the East, and those that are placed beyond, which formerly were separated, are now at length returned to unity; and all the presi- dents ^ [of the churches] everywhere think one and the
^ Eusebius calls him Novatus. 2 Euseb. B. viii. ch. ii. iii. and iv.
400 FRAGMENT OF A LETTER OF DIONYSIUS.
same thing, and rejoice with incredible joy on account of the unlooked-for return of peace : to wit, Demetrianus in Antioch ; Theoctistus in C?esarea ; Mazaloenes in ^lia, after the death of Alexander; Marinus in Tyre; Heliodorus in Laodicea, after the death of Thelymidres ; Helenus in Tarsus, and all the churches of Cilicia ; Firmilianus, with all Cappa- docia. And I have named only the more illustrious bishops, lest by chance my letter should be made too prolix, and my address too wearisome. The wdiole of the Syrias, indeed, and Arabia, to which you now and then send help, and to which you have now written letters ; Mesopotamia also, and Pontus, and Bithynia ; and, to comprise all in one word, all the lands everywhere, are rejoicing, praising God on account of this concord and brotherly charity.
Letters of Cyprian to Quintus, to Juhaianiis, to Pompey^ on the haptism of heretics; and to Magnus on hap)tizing the JVovatians, and those u'ho obtain grace on a sicJc-hedy will be found translated in vol. i. at p. 253, Ep. Ixx. ; p. 260, Ep. Ixxii.; p. 276, Ep. Ixxiii. ; and p. 302, Ep. Ixxv. respectively ; and the Letter of Firmilian to Cyi^rian against the LMter of Stephen^ at vol. i. p. 285, Ep. Ixxiv. ; — all which are repeated, in extenso, in the Monumenta Veterum'^
ANONYMOUS TEEATISE ON EE-BAPTISM.
INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.
HE following treatise on Ee-baptism has been attributed by some authorities to the pen of one Ursinus/ a monk, who is said to have written in the fourth century. But internal evidence seems to point to a bishop as having been the writer f and it seems very probable that it was written while the baptismal con- troversy was still agitating the church, from the manner in which he refers to it. Moreover, the bitter attack contained in the first chapter was probably levelled against Cyprian' as the leader of the party in favour of the re-baptism of heretics. And this would hardly have been the case, at least the attack would not have been characterized by the same rancour, if Cyprian had already suffered martyrdom, and the controversy had lost its acrimony and intensity.
Rigaltius, who first edited the treatise amonc; his notes to the works of Cyprian, judged that it was written about the time of that father. And Fell, Cave, Tillemont, and Galland, are of the same opinion. The two latter, indeed, conjecture that it was actually intended against Cyprian.
The difficulty arising to the translator from a loose and rambling style, and very involved argument, has been en- hanced by a text singularly uncertain ; but he ventures to think that there are points in the treatment of the subject which will not be without interest to the theological student of the present day, although its immediate purpose has passed away.
^ Gennadius, de Script. Ecclcs. cap. xxvii. ^ Section x.
CYP. — VOL. II. 2 C
A TKEATISE ON KE-BAPTIS
BY AN ANONYMOUS WRITER.
Argument. — That they ivho have once been ivashed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christy ought 7iot to he 7'e-haptized.
OBSEEVE that it lias been asked among the brethren what course ought specially to be adopted towards the persons of those who, al- though baptized in heresy, have yet been bap- tized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and subsequently departing from their heresy, and fleeing as supplicants to the church of God, should repent with their whole hearts, and only now perceiving the condemnation of their error, implore from the church the help of salvation : whether, according to the most ancient custom and ecclesiastical tradition, it would suffice, after that baptism which they have received outside [the church] indeed, but still in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, that only hands should be laid upon them by the bishop for their reception of the Holy Spirit, and this impo- sition of hands would afford them the renewed and perfected seal of faith ; or whether indeed a repetition of baptism would be necessary for them, as if they should receive nothing if they had not obtained baptism afresh, just as if they were never baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. And therefore some things were talked about as having been written and replied on this new question, wherein both sides endeavoured with the greatest eagerness to demolish what had been written by their antagonists. In which kind of debate, as it appears to me, no controversy or discussion could have arisen at all if each one of us had been content with the venerable authority
402
A TREATISE ON BE-BAPTISM. 403
of all the cliurclies, and with becoming humility had desired to innovate nothing, as observing no kind of room for contradic- tion. For everything which is both doubtful and ambiguous, and is established in opinions differing [from those] of prudent and faithful men, if it is judged to be against the ancient and memorable and most solemn observance of all those holy and faithful men who have deserved well, ought assuredly to be condemned ; since in a matter once arranged and ordained, whatever that is which is brought forward against the quiet and peace of the church, will result in nothing but discords, and strifes, and schisms. And in this no other fruit can be found but this alone, — that one man, whoever he is, should be vain gloriously declared among certain fickle men to be of great prudence and constancy; and, being gifted wath the arrogance of heretics, whose only consolation in destruction is the not appearing to sin alone, should be renowned among those that are most similar and agreeable to himself, as having corrected the errors and vices of all the churches. For this is the desire and purpose of all heretics, to frame as many calumnies of this kind as possible against our most holy mother the church, and to deem it a great glory to have discovered anything that can be imputed to her as a crime, or even as a folly. And since it becomes no faithful man of sound mind to dare to hold such a view, especially no one who is ordained in any clerical office at all, and much more in the episcopal order, it is like a prodigy for bishops themselves to devise such scandals, and not to fear to unfold too irreverently against the precept of the law and of all the Scriptures, with their own disgrace and risk, the disgrace of their mother the church — if they think that there is any disgrace in this matter, although the church has no disgrace in this instance, save in the error of such men as these themselves. Therefore it is the more grievous sin in men of this kind, if that which is blamed by them in the most ancient observance, as if it were not rightly done, is manifestly and forcibly shown as well to have been rightly observed by those who were before us, as to be rightly observed also by us ; so that even if we should engage in the controversy with equal arguments on both sides, yet, since that which was innovated
404 A TREATISE ON BE-BAPTISM,
could not be establislied without dissension among the brethren and mischief to the church, assuredly it ought not, right or wrong, as they say — that is, contrary to what is good and proper — rashly to be flung like a stain upon our mother the church ; and the ignominy of this audacity and impiety ought with reason to be attached to those who w^ould attempt this. But since it is not in our power, according to the apostle's precept, " to speak the same thing, that there be not schisms among us ;" ^ yet, as far as we can, we strive to demonstrate the true condition of this argument, and to persuade turbulent men even now to mind their own business, as we shall even attain a great deal if they will at length acquiesce in this sound advice. And therefore we shall, as is needful, collect into one mass whatever passages of the Holy Scriptures are pertinent to this subject. And we shall manifestly harmonize as far as possible those which seem to be differing or of various meaning ; and we shall to the extent of our poor ability ex- amine both the utility and advantage of each method, that we may recommend to all the brethren, that the most wholesome form and peaceful custom be adopted in the church.
2. To such, then, as approach to a discussion of saving and modern, that is, of spiritual and evangelical baptism, there occurs first of all the annoancement universally well known, made and begun by John the Baptist, wdio, somewhat departing from the law, that is, from the most ancient bap- tism of Moses, and preparing the way of the new and true grace, both preoccupied the ears of the Jews gradually by the baptism of water and of repentance which for the time he practised, and took possession of them with the announce- ment of a spiritual baptism that was to come, exhorting them, and saying, " He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose : He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire ; " ^ and for this reason we also ought to make a beginning of this dis- course from this point. For in the Acts of the Apostles, the Lord after His resurrection, confirming this same word of John, " commanded them that they should not depart from 1 1 Cor. i. 10. 2 Matt. iii. 11.
A TREATISE ON BE -BAPTISM. 405
Jerusalem, but wait for that promise of the Father which, [saith He], ye have heard from me ; for John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." ^ And Peter also related these same words of the Lord, when he gave an account of himself to the apostles, saying : " And as I began to speak, the Holy G host fell upon them as on us at the beginning ; and I remembered the word of the Lord, how that He said, John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. If, therefore, He gave them a like gift as to us, who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand the Lord ? " ^ And arrain : " Men and brethren, ye know how from ancient days God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the Avord of the gospel, and believe. And God, who knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as He did unto us." " And on this account we ou^ht to consider what is the force and power of this saying. For the Lord says to them who would have to be subsequently baptized because they should believe, that they must be baptized not in like manner as by Him in water, unto repent- ance, but in the Holy Ghost. And of this announcement, as assuredly none of us can doubt it, it is plain on what principle men were baptized in the Holy Spirit. For it was peculiarly in the Holy Spirit Himself alone that they who believed were baptized. For John distinguished, and said that he indeed baptized in water, but that one should come who would baptize in the Holy Ghost, by the grace and power of God ; and they are so by the [Spirit's] bestowal and opera- tion of hidden results. Moreover, they are so no less in the baptism of the Spirit and of water. They are so, besides, also in the baptism of every one in his own proper blood.* Even as the Holy Scriptures declare to us, from which we shall adduce evident proofs throughout each individual instance of those things which we shall narrate.
1 Acts i. 4, 5. 2 Acts xi. 15-17. ^ Acts xv. 7, 8.
* There is something needed to make the connection of this passage complete.
406 A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM.
3. And to these things thou perchancej who art bnnging in some novelty, mayest immediately and impatiently reply, as thou art wont, that the Lord said in the Gospel : " Except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." ^ Whence it manifestly appears that that baptism alone is profitable wherein also the Holy Spirit can dwell ; for that upon the Lord Him- self, wdien He was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended, and that His deed and word are quite in harmony, and that such a mystery can consist with no other principle. To which reply none of us is found either so senseless or so stubborn as to dare, contrary to right or contrary to truth, to object, for instance, so to the doing of things in their integrity, and by all means in the church, and the observation of them according to the order of discipline perpetually by us. But if, in the same New Testament, those things which in that matter we come upon as associated, be sometimes found in some sort divided, and separated, and arranged, and ordered just as if they were by themselves ; let us see wdiether these solitary instances by themselves may not sometimes be such as are not imperfect, but, as it were, entire and complete. For when by imposition of the bishop's hands the Holy Spirit is given to every one that beheves, as in the case of the Samaritans, after Philip's baptism, the apostles did to them by laying on of hands ; in this manner also they conferred on them the Holy Spirit. And that this might be the case, they themselves prayed for them, for as yet the Holy Spirit had not descended upon any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Moreover, our Lord after His resurrection, when He had breathed upon His apostles, and had said to them, " Receive ye the Holy Ghost," ^ thus and thus only bestowed upon them the Spirit.
4. And tliis being found to be so, wdiat thinkest thou, my brother ? If a man be not baptized by a bishop, so as even at once to have the imposition of hands, and should yet die before having received the Holy Spirit, should you judge
1 John iii. 3, 5. 2 joj^n xx. 22.
A TREATISE ON HE-BAPTISM. 407
liim to have received salvation or not ? Because, indeed, both the apostles themselves and the disciples, who also baptized others, and were themselves baptized by the Lord, did not at once receive the Holy Spirit, for He had not as yet been given, because that Jesus had not as yet been glorified ; and after His resurrection no small interval of time elapsed before that [gift of the Spirit] took place, — even as also the Samaritans, when they were baptized by Philip, [did not receive the gift] until the apostles invited from Jeru- salem to Samaria went down to them to lay hands upon them, and conferred on them the Holy Spirit by the im- position of hands. Because in that interval of time any one of them who had not attained the Holy Spirit, might have been cut off by death, and die defrauded of the grace of the Holy Spirit. And it cannot be doubted also, that in the present day this sort of thing is usual, and happens frequently, that many after baptism depart from this life without imposition of the bishop's hands, and yet are esteemed perfected believers, — just as the Ethiopian eunuch, when he was returning from Jerusalem and reading the prophet Isaiah, and was in doubt, having at the Spirit's suggestion heard the truth from Philip the deacon, believed and was baptized ; and when he had gone up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more. For he went on his way rejoicing, although, as thou observest, hands were not laid on him by the bishop, that he might receive the Holy Spirit. But if thou admit- test this, and believest it to be saving, and dost not gainsay the opinion of all the faithful, thou must needs confess this, that even as this principle proceeds to be more largely dis- cussed, that other also can be more broadly established; that is, that by the imposition of hands alone of the bishop — because baptism in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ has gone before it — may the Holy Spirit also be given to another man who repents and believes. Because the Holy Scripture has affirmed that they who should believe in Christ, must needs be baptized in the Spirit ; so that these also may not seem to have anything less than those who are perfectly
408 A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM.
Christians ; lest it slioulcl be needful to ask what sort of a thing was that baptism which they have attained in the name of Jesus Christ. Unless, perchance, in that former discussion also, about those who should only have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, thou shouldst decide that they can be saved even without the Holy Spirit, or that the Holy Spirit is not accustomed to be bestowed in this manner only, but by the imposition of the bishop's hands; or even shouldst say that it is not the bishop alone who can bestow the Holy Spirit.
5. And if this be so, and the occurrence of any of these things cannot deprive a man who believes, of salvation, thou thyself also affirmest that the fact of the mystery of the faith being divided in a manner, and its not being, as thou con- tendest, consummated, where necessity intervenes, cannot take away salvation from a believing and penitent man. Or if thou sayest that a man of this kind cannot be saved, we de- prive all bishops of salvation, whom thou thus engagest, under risks as assured as possible, to be bound themselves to afford help to all those who live under their care, and are in weak health in their districts scattered up and down, because other men of less deo;ree anion o; the clerics who venture cannot confer the same benefit, so that the blood of those w^ho shall appear to have departed from this life without the benefit would have of necessity to be required at the hands of the bishops. And further, as you are not ignorant, the Holy Spirit is found to have been given to men who believe, by the Lord without baptism of water, as is contained In the Acts of the Apostles after this manner : " While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Ghost fell upon all them who heard the word. And they who were of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. For they heard them speak with their tongues, and they magnified God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ? And he commanded them to be baptized in
A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM. 409
the name of Jesus Christ." ^ Even as Peter also subsequently most abundantly taught us about the same Gentiles, saying : " And He put no difference between us and them, their hearts being purified by faith." ^ And there will be no doubt that men may be baptized with the Holy Ghost without water, as thou observest that these ^Yere baptized before they were baptized with water, that the announcements of both John and of our Lord Himself were satisfied ; forasmuch as they received the grace of the promise both without the imposi- tion of the apostle's hands and -without the laver, which they attained afterwards. And their hearts being purified, God bestowed upon them at the same time, in virtue of their faith, remission of sins ; so that the subsequent baptism conferred upon them this benefit alone, that they received also the in- vocation of the name of Jesus Christ, that nothing might ap- pear to be wanting to the integrity of their service and faith. 6. And this also, looking at it from the opposite side of this discussion, those disciples of our Lord themselves attained, upon whom, being previously baptized, the Holy Spirit at length came down on the day of Pentecost, descending from heaven indeed by the will of God, not of His own accord, but effused for this very office, and more- over upon each one of them ; although these were already righteous, and, as we have said, liad been baptized by the Lord's baptism even as the apostles themselves, who never- theless are found on the night on which He was apprehended to have all deserted Him. And even Peter himself, wdio boasted that he should persevere in his faith, and most obstinately resisted the prediction of the Lord Himself, yet at last denied Him, that by this means it might be shown to us, that whatever sins they had contracted in the meantime and in any manner, these same sins, by the faith in them subsequently attested as sincere, were without doubt put away by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Nor, as I think, was it for any other reason that the apostles had charged those whom they addressed in the Holy Spirit, tliat they should be baptized in the name of Christ Jesus, except that 1 Acts X. 44-18. 2 Acts XV. 9.
410 A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM.
the power of tlie name of Jesus invoked upon any man by baptism might afford to him who should be baptized no slight advantage for the attainment of salvation, as Peter relates in the Acts of the Apostles, saying : '^ For there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." ^ As also the Apostle Paul unfolds, showing that God hath exalted our Lord Jesus, and given Him a name, that it may be above every name, that in the name of Jesus all should bow the knee, of things heavenly and earthly, and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord in the glory of God the Father. And he on whom, when he should be baptized, invocation should be made in the name of Jesus, although he might obtain baptism under some error, still would not be hindered from knowing the truth at some time or another, and correcting his error, and coming to the church and to the bishop, and sincerely con- fessing our Jesus before men; so that then, when hands were laid upon him by the bishop, he might also receive the Holy Spirit, and he would not lose that former invocation of the name of Jesus, wdiich none of us may disallow, although this invocation, if it be standing bare and by itself, could not suffice for affording salvation, lest on this principle we should believe that even Gentiles and heretics who abuse the name of Jesus could attain unto salvation without the true and entire thing. Yet it is extremely useful to believe that this invocation of the name of Jesus, together with the correction of error and the acknowledgment of the belief of the truth, and with the putting away of all stain of past conversation, if rightly performed with the mystery of God among men of this kind, obtains a place which it would not have had, and finally, in the true faith and for the maintenance of the integrity of the sign, is no hindrance, when its supplement which had been wanting is added ; and that it is consistent with good reason, with the authority of so many years, and so many churches and apostles and bishops ; even as it is the very greatest disadvantage and damage to our most holy mother church, now for the first time suddenly and without reason to rebel against former decisions 1 Acts iv. 12.
A TREATISE ON BE-BAPTISM. 411
after so long a series of so many ages. For not for any otlier reason was Peter, who had ah^eady been baptized and had been asked what he thought of the Lord by the Lord Him- self, and the truth of the revelation of the Father in heaven beinfr bestowed on him had confessed that Christ was not only our Lord, but was the Son of the living God — was shown subsequently to have withstood the same Christ when He made announcement of His passion, and therefore was set forth as being called Satan, except because it would come to pass that some, although varying in their own judgment, and somewhat halting in faith and doctrine, although they were baptized in the name of Jesus, yet, if they had been able to rescind their error in some interval of time, were not on that account cut off from salvation ; but at any time that they had come to the right mind, obtained by repentance a sound hope of salvation, especially when they received the Holy Spirit, to be baptized by Whom is the duty of every man, they would have intended some such thing. Even as we do not apprehend that Peter in the Gospel suffered this alone, but all the disciples, to whom, though already baptized, the Lord afterwards says, that " all ye shall be offended in me," ^ — all of whom, as we observe, having amended their faith, were baptized after the Lord's resurrection with the Holy Spirit; so that not without reason we also in the present day may believe that men amended from their former error may be baptized in the Holy Spirit, who, although they were baptized with water in the name of the Lord, might have had a faith somewhat im.perfect. Because it is of great importance whether a man is not baptized at all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, or indeed whether in some respect he halts when he is baptized with the baptism of water, which is of less account provided that afterwards a sincere faith in the truth is evident in the baptism of the Spirit, which undoubtedly is of greater account.
7. Neither must you esteem what our Lord said as being contrary to this treatment : " Go ye, teach the nations ; baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, ^ Mark xiv. 27.
412 A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM.
and of the Holy Ghost." ^ Because, although this is true and right, and to be observed by all means in the church, and moreover has been used to be observed, yet it behoves us to consider that invocation of the name of Jesus ought not to be thought futile by us on account of the veneration and power of that very name, in which name all kinds of power are accustomed to be exercised, and occasionally some even by men outside the church. But to what effect are those words of Christ, who said that He w^ould deny, and not know, those who should say to Him in the day of judgment, " Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name cast out demons, and in Thy name done many wonderful works," when He answered them, even with emphasis,^ " I never knew you; depart from me, ye who work iniquity,"^ unless that it should be shown to us, that even by those who work iniquity might these good works also be done, by the superfluous energy of the name of Christ? Therefore ought this invocation of the name of Jesus to be received as a certain beginning of the mystery of the Lord common to us and to all others, which may afterwards be filled up with the remainino; things ; otherwise such an invocation would not avail if it should remain alone, because after the death of a man in this position there cannot be added to him anything at all, nor supplemented, nor can in anything avail him in the day of judgment, when they shall begin to be reproached by our Lord with those things which we have above men- tioned, none of wdiom notwithstanding in this present time may by any man be so hardly and cruelly prohibited from aiding themselves in those ways which we have above shown.
8. But these things thou wilt, as thou art wont, contradict, by objecting to us, that when they were baptized, the dis- ciples were baptized perfectly, and rightly, and not as these heretics ; and this thou must needs assume from their con- dition, and His who baptized them. And therefore w^e reply to this proposition of thine, not as accusers of the Lord's dis- ciples, but as we are constrained, because it is necessary that we should investigate by reasons where and when, and in what
^ Matt, xxviii. 19. ^ " Jurejuranclo." ^ Mark xiv. 27.
A TREATISE OJS^ RE-BAPTISM. 413
measure, salvation has been bestowed on each of us. For that our Lord was born, and that He was the Christ, appeared by many reasons to be beheved, not unjustly, by His disciples, because He had been born of the tribe of Judah, of the family of David, and in the city of Bethlehem ; and because He had been announced to the shepherds by the angels at the same moment that there was born to them a Saviour ; because His star being seen in the east, He had been most anxiously sought for and adored by the ^lagi, and honoured with illustrious pre- sents and distinguished offerings ; because while still a youth, sitting in the temple with the doctors of the law. He wisely, and with the admiration of all, had disputed; because when He was baptized He had been glorified, as had happened to none others, by the descent of the Holy Spirit from the opened heavens, and by its abode upon Him ; and moreover by the testimony of His Father, and also of John the Baptist ; because, beyond the inferior capacity of man, He understood the hearts and thoughts of all men ; because He cured and healed weak- nesses, and vices, and diseases, with very great power ; because He bestowed remissions of sins, with manifest attestation ; be- cause He expelled demons at His bidding ; because He purified lepers with a word ; because, by converting water into wine, He enlarged the nuptial festivity with marvellous joy fulness ; because He restored or granted sight to the blind ; because He maintained the doctrine of the Father with all confidence ; because in a desert place He satisfied five thousand men with five loaves; because the remains and the fragments filled more than twelve baskets ; because He everywhere raised up the dead, according to His mercy; because He commanded the winds and the sea to be still ; because He walked with His feet upon the sea ; because He absolutely performed all miracles. 9. By which things, and by many deeds of this kind tend- ing to His glory, it appeared to follow as a consequence, that in whatever manner the Jews think about Christ, and although they do not believe concerning Jesus Christ our Lord, that even they themselves thought that such and so great a one would without any death endure to eternity, and would possess the kingdom of Israel, and of the whole world for
4U A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM.
ever ; and tliat it should not be destroyed. Whence, more- over, the Jews dared to seize Him by force, and anoint Him for the kingdom, which indeed He was compelled to evade ; and therefore His disciples thought that in no other way would He bestow upon them eternal life, except He Himself had first continued this temporal life into that eternal one in His own experience. In fine, when they were passing through Galilee, Jesus said to them, " The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him ; and after three days He shall rise again." ^ And they were greatly grieved, because, as we have said, they had formed a very different notion previously in their minds and hearts. And again, this also was the speech of the Jews, in contra- diction against Him, when He taught them of Himself, and announced future things to them, and they said, " We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever : and how sayest thou that the Son of man must be lifted up?"^ And so there was this same presumption concerning Christ in the mind of the disciples, even as Peter himself, the leader and chief of the apostles, broke forth into that expression of his own incredulity. For when he, together with the others, had been asked by the Lord what he thought about Him, that is, whom he thought Him to be, and had first of all confessed the truth, saying that He was the Christ the Son of the living God, and therefore was judged blessed by Him because he had arrived at this truth, not after the flesh, but by the revelation of the heavenly Father; yet this same [Peter], when Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders, and priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after the third day rise again from the dead, nevertheless that true confessor of Christ, after a few days, taking Him aside, began to rebuke Him, saying, " Be propitious to Thyself : this shall not be ; " ^ so that on that account he deserved to hear from the Lord, " Get thee behind me, Satan ; thou art an offence unto me," because he savoured not the things which are of God, but those things which are of men; — which rebuke 1 Mark ix. 30. ^ jobn xii. 34. 3 ^att. xvi. 22.
A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM. 415
against Peter became more and more apparent when the Lord was apprehended, and, frightened by the damsel, he said, "I know not what thou sayest, neither know I thee;"^ and again when, using an oath, he said this same thing ; and for the thu'd time, cui'sing and swearing, he affirmed that he knew not the man, and not once, but frequently, denied Him. And this disposition, because it was to continue to him even to the Lord's passion, was long before made manifest by the Lord, that we also might not be ignorant of it. Again, after the Lord's resurrection, one of His disciples, Cleopas, when he was, according to the error of all his fellow-disciples, sorrowfully telling what had happened to the Lord Himself, as if to some unknown person, spoke thus, saying of Jesus the Nazarene, " who was a prophet mighty in deed and in word before God and all the people; how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and fastened Him to the cross. But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel."^ And in addition to these things, all the disciples also judged the declaration of the women who had seen the Lord after the resurrection to be idle tales ; and some of themselves, when they had seen Him, believed not, but doubted ; and they who were not then pre- sent believed not at all until they had been subsequently by the Lord Himself in all ways rebuked and reproached; because His death had so offended them that they thought that He had not risen again, who they had believed ought not to have died, because contrary to their belief He had died once. And thus, as far as concerns the disciples themselves, they are found to have had a faith neither sound nor perfect in such matters as we have referred to ; and what is much more serious, they moreover baptized others, as it is written in the Gospel accord- mg to John.
10. Besides, what wilt thou say of those who are in many cases baptized by bishops of very bad character, who yet at length, when God so wills it, convicted of their crimes, are even deprived of their office itself, or absolutely of com- munion ? Or what wilt thou decide of those who may have 1 Matt. xxvi. 70. 2 Luke xxiv. 20, 21.
416 A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM.
been baptized by bisliops, wliose opinions are unsound, or who are very ignorant ? — when they may not have spoken clearly and honestly, or even have spoken otherwise than is fit in the tradition of the sacrament, or at least may have asked any- thing, or asking, have heard from those who answered what ouo-ht by no means to be so asked or answered. And still this does not greatly injure that true faith of ours, although, moreover, these more simple men may deliver the mystery of the faith without the elegance and order that thou wouldst use. And thou wilt assuredly say, with that marvellous carefulness of thine, that these too should be baptized again, since this is especially the thing which is wanting to them, or hinders their being able to receive uncorrupted that divine and inviolable mystery of the faith. And yet, O excellent man, let us attribute and allow to the heavenly agencies their power, and let us concede to the condescension of the divine majesty its appropriate operations ; and understanding how great is the advantage therein, let us gladly acquiesce in it. And thus, as our salvation is founded in the baptism of the Spirit, which for the most part is associated with the baptism of water, if indeed baptism shall be given by us, let it be conferred in its integrity and with solemnity, and with all those means wdiich are written ; and let it be administered without any discon- nection of anything. Or if, by the necessity of the case, it should be administered by an inferior cleric, let us wait for the result, that it may either be supplied by us [sciL the bishop], or reserved to be supplied by the Lord. If, however, it should have been administered by strangers, let this matter be amended as it can and as it allows. Because outside the church there is no Holy Spirit, sound faith moreover cannot exist, not alone among heretics, but even among those who are established in schism. And for that reason, they who repent and are amended by the doctrine of the truth, and by their own faith, wdiich subsequently has been improved by the purification of their heart, ought to be aided only by spiritual baptism, that is, by the imposition of the bishop's hands, and by the ministration of the Holy Spirit. More- over, the perfect seal of faith has been rightly accustomed to
A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM. All
be given in this manner and on tliis principle in tlie cliurcli, so that the invocation of the name of Jesus, which cannot be clone away, may not seem to be held in disesteem by us; which assuredly is not fitting ; although such an invocation, if none of those things of which we have spoken should follow it, may fail and ,be deprived of the effect of salvation. For when the apostle said that there was ^' one baptism,"^ it must needs have been by the continued effect of the invocation of the name of Jesus, because, once invoked, it cannot be taken away by any man, even although we might venture, against the decision of the apostles, to repeat it by giving too much, yea, by the desire of superadding baptism. If he who returns to the church be unwilling again to be baptized, the result will be that we may defraud him of the baptism of the Spirit, whom we think we must not defraud of the baptism of water. 11. And what wilt thou determine against the person of him who hears the word, ^ and haply taken up in the name of Christ, has at once confessed, and has been punished before it has been granted him to be baptized with water? Wilt thou declare liim to have perished because he has not been baptized with water ? Or, indeed, wilt thou think that there may be something from without that helps him to salvation, although he is not baptized with water ? Thy thinking him to have perished will be opposed by the sentence of the Lord, who says, " Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven;"^ because it is no matter whether he who confesses for the Lord is a hearer of the word or a believer, so long as he confesses that same Christ whom he ouMit to confess: because the Lord, by confessing him, in turn Himself graces His confessor before His Father with the glory of his martyrdom, as He promised. But this assuredly ought not to be taken too liberally, as if it could be stretched to such a point as that any heretic can confess tlie name of Christ who notwith- standing denies Christ Himself ; that he believes on another
1 Epli. IV. 5.
2 By him who hoars the word is meant a catechiimeu (Rigaltius) 8 Matt. X. 32.
CYP. — VOL. II. 2 D
418 A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM.
Christ, when Christ avows that it cannot avail him at all ; forasmuch as the Lord said that He ^ must needs be brought to confession by us before men, which cannot be done without Him, and without veneration of His name. And therefore both [soil, baptisms (?)] ought to stand by the confessor, sound, and sincere, and uncontaminated, and inviolated, without any choice being made of the confessor himself, whether he is righteous or a sinner, and a perfect Christian or an imper- fect one, who has not feared to confess the Lord at his ovvii greatest peril. And this is not contrary to the former dis- cussion, because there is left therein time for the correction of many things which are bad, and because certain things are conceded to the very name only of our Lord ; while martyr- dom cannot be consummated except in the Lord and by the Lord Himself, and therefore nobody can confess Christ with- out His name, nor can the name of Christ avail any one for confession without Christ Himself.
12. Wherefore the whole of this discussion must be con- sidered, that it may be made clearer. For the invocation of the name of Jesus can only be an advantage if it shall be subsequently properly supplemented, because both prophets and apostles have so declared. For James says in the Acts of the Apostles : " Men and brethren, hearken : Simon hath declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name. And to this agree the words of the prophets ; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down ; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will raise it up anew ; that the residue of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called upon them, saith the Lord, who doeth these things." ^ Therefore also the residue of men, that is, some of the Jews and all the Gentiles upon whom the name of the Lord is called, may and of necessity must seek the Lord, because that very invocation of the name affords them the oj)portunity, or even imposes on them the necessity, of seeking the Lord ; and with these they prescribe the Holy Scriptures — whether
1 The original interpolates "non." ^ ^cts xv. 13-17.
A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM. 419
all or only some of tliem — to discuss still more boldly con- cerning the truth than with the Gentiles upon whom the name of the Lord Jesus, the Son of the living God, has not been invoked, as it likewise has not upon the Jews who only receive the Old Testament Scriptures. And thus men of both of these kinds, that is, Jews and Gentiles, fully believing as they ought, are in like manner baptized. But heretics who are already baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ must only be baptized with the Holy Spirit ; and in Jesus, which is the only name given under heaven whereby we must be saved, death is reasonably despised, although, if they continue as they are, they cannot be saved, because they have not sought the Lord after the invocation of His name upon them, — even as those who, on account of false Christs, per- chance have refused to believe, of whom the Lord says, "Take heed that no man lead you into error. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall lead many into error." ^ And again He says : " Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo here is Christ, or lo there ; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders ; so that, if it w^ere possible, even the very elect shall be deceived." ^ And these miracles, without doubt, they shall then do under the name of Christ ; in which name some even now appear to do certain miracles, and to prophesy falsely. But it is certain that those, because they are themselves not of Christ, therefore do not belong to Christ, in like manner as if one should depart from Christ, abiding only in His name, he would not be much advantaged ; nay, rather, he is even burdened by that name, although he may have been previously very faithful, or very righteous, or honoured with some clerical office, or endowed with the dignity of confession. For all those, by denying the true Christ, and by introducing or following another, although there [truly] is no other at all, leave them- selves no hope or salvation ; not otherwise than they who have denied Christ before men, who must needs be denied by Christ ; no consideration for them being made from their 1 Matt. xxiv. 4, etc. 2 Matt. xxiv. 23,. 24.
420 A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM.
previous conversation, or feeling, or dignity, equally as tliey themselves have dared to do away with Christ, that Is, their own salvation, they are condemned by the short sentence of this kind, because it was manifestly said by the Lord, "Whoso- ever shall deny me before men, I also will deny him before my Father which is in heaven." As this word wliosoever, also in the sentence of confession, most fully shows us that no condi- tion of the confessor himself can stand in the way, although he may have been before a denier, or a heretic, or a hearer, or one who is beginning to hear, who has not yet been bap- tized or converted from heresy to the truth of the faith, or one who has departed from the church and has afterwards returned, and then when he returned, before the bishop's hands could be laid upon him, being apprehended, should be compelled to confess Christ before men, even as to one who again denies Christ, no special ancient dignity can be effectual to him for salvation.
13. For any one of us will hold it necessary, that whatever is the last thing to be found in a man in this respect, is that whereby he must be judged, all those things which he has pre- viously done being wiped away and obliterated. And there- fore, although in martyrdom there is so great a change of things in a moment of time, that in a very rapid case all things may be changed ; let nobody flatter himself who has lost the occasion of a glorious salvation, if by chance he has excluded himself therefrom by his own fault ; even as that wife of Lot's, who in a similar manner In time of trouble only, con- trary to the angel's command, looked behind her, and she be- came a pillar of salt. On which principle also, that heretic who, by confessing Christ's name, is put to death, can subse- quently correct nothing, if he should have thought anything erroneously of God or of Christ, although by believing on another God or on another Christ he has deceived himself: he is not a confessor of Christ, but in the name only of Christ ; since also the apostle goes on to say, " And if I shall give up my body so that I may be burnt up with fire, but have not love, I profit nothing."^ Because by this deed he profits 1 1 Cor. xiii. 3.
A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM. 421
nothing who has not the love of that God and Clu'Ist who is announced by the law and the prophets and in the Gospel in this manner : " Thou slialt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy thought ; and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. For on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets;"^ — even as John the evangelist said, " And every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God; for God is love;"^ even as God also says, '^ For God so loved the world, that lie gave His only-begotten Son, that every one that believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life,'"" — as it manifestly appears that he who has not in him this love, of loving us and of being loved by us, profits nothing by an empty confession and passion, except that thereby it appears and is plain that he is a heretic who believes on another God, or receives another Christ than Him whom the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament manifestly declare, which an- nounce without any obscurity the Father omnipotent. Creator of all things, and His Son. For it shall happen to them as to one who expects salvation from another God. Then, finally, contrary to their notion, they are condemned to eternal punishment by Christ, the Son of God the Father omnipotent, the Creator whom they have blasphemed, when God shall begin to judge the hidden things of men according to the Gospel by Christ Jesus, because they did not believe in Him, although they were washed in His name.
14. And even to this point the whole of that heretical baptism may be amended, after the intervention of some space of time, if a man should survive and amend his faith, as our God, in the Gospel according to Luke, spoke to His disciples, saying, " But I have another baptism to be baptized with."'* Also according to Mark He said, with the same purpose, to the sons of Zebedee : " Are ye able to drink of the cup which I drink of, or to be baptized with the baptism wherewith lam baptized?"^ Because He knew that those men had to be baptized not only with water, but also in their
1 ^ratt. xxii. o7. 2 i j^,|^,^ j^_ 7^ g^ 3 John iii. 16.
* J.ukc xii. 50. « .Mark x. 08.
422 A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM.
own blood ; so that, as well baptized in this baptism only, they might attain the sound faith and the simple love of the laver, and, baptized in both ways, they might in like manner to the same extent attain the baptism of salvation and glory. For what was said by the Lord, " I have another baptism to be baptized wdth," signifies in this place not a second baptism, as if there were two baptisms, but demon- strates that there is moreover a baptism of another kind given to us, concurring to the same salvation. And it was fitting that both these kinds should first of all be initiated and sanctified by our Lord Himself, so that either one of the two or both kinds mi^ht afford to us this one twofold savins^ and glorifying baptism ; and certain ways of the one baptism might so be laid open to us, that at times some one of them might be wanting without mischief, even as in the case of martyrs that hear the word, the baptism of water is wanting without evil ; and yet we are certain that these, if they had any indulgence, would also be used to be baptized with water. And also to those who are made lawful believers, the baptism of their own blood is wanting without mischief, because, being baptized in the name of Christ, they have been redeemed with the most precious blood of the Lord; since both of these rivers of the baptism of the Lord proceed out of one and the same fountain, that every one who thirsts may come and drink, as says the Scripture, " From his belly flowed rivers of living water ; " ^ which rivers were manifested first of all in the Lord's passion, when from His side, pierced by the soldier's spear, flowed blood and water, so that the one side of the same person emitted two rivers of a different kind, that v/hosoever should believe and drink of both rivers might be filled with the Holy Spirit. For, speaking of these rivers, the Lord set this forth, signifying the Holy Spirit whom they should receive who should believe on Him : " But the Spirit was not yet [given], because Jesus was not yet glorified."^ And when He thus said how baptism might be produced, which the apostle declares to be one, it is assuredly manifest on that principle that there are different kinds of 1 Jolm vii. 38. - John vii. 39.
A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM. 423
one and the same baptism tliat flow from one wound into water and blood ; since there are there two baptisms of water of which we have spoken, that is, of one and the same kind,^ altliough the baptism of each kind^ ought to be one, as we have more fully spoken.
15. And since we seem to have divided all "spiritual baptism in a threefold manner, let us come also to the proof of the statement proposed, that we may not appear to have done this of our own judgment, and with rashness. For John says of our Lord in his epistle, teaching us : " This is He who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ ; not by water only, but by water and blood : and it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For three bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood : and these three are one ; " ^ — that we may gather from these words both that water is wont to confer [the Spirit], and that men's own blood is wont to confer the Spirit, and that the Spirit Himself also is wont to confer the Spii'it. For since water is poured forth even as blood, the Spirit also was poured out by the Lord upon all who believed. Assuredly both, in water, and none the less in their own blood, and then especially in the Holy Spirit, men may be baptized. For Peter says : " But this is that which was spoken by the prophet ; It shall come to pass in the last days, saith the Lord, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh : and their sons and their daughters shall prophesy, and their young men shall see visions, and their old men shall dream dreams : and upon my servants, and upon my handmaidens, will I pour out of my Spirit ; " ^ — which Spirit we discover to have been communicated in the Old Testament, not indeed everywhere nor at large, but with other gifts ; or, moreover, to have sprung of His own will into certain men, or to have invested them, or to have been upon them, even as we observe that it was said by the Lord to Moses, about the seventy elders, *' And I will take of the Spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them." ^ For which reason also, according to
1 Unius atque ejusdem species. - 1 Jolm v. 0.
8 Acts ii. 17, 18. ^ :N'um. xi. 17.
424 A TREATISE ON BE-BAPTISM.
His promise, God put upon tliem from another of tlie Spirit which had been upon Moses, and they prophesied in the camp. And Moses, as a spiritual man, rejoiced that this had so happened, aUhough he "was un^Yi^ingly persuaded by Jesus the son of Nave to oppose this thing, and ^yas not thereby induced. Further, also in the book of Judges, and in the books of Kings too, we observe that upon several, there either was the Spirit of the Lord, or that He came unto them, as upon Gothoniel, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson, Saul, David, and many others. Which comes to this result, that the Lord has taught us most plainly by them the liberty and power of the Holy Spirit, approaching of His own wdll, saying, " The Spirit breathes where He will ; and thou liearest His voice, and knowest not whence He cometh or whither He goeth." ^ So that the same Spirit is, moreover, sometimes found to be upon those who are unworthy of Him ; not certainly in vain or without reason, but for the sake of some needful operation ; as He was upon Saul, upon whom came the Spirit of God, and he prophesied. However, in later days, after the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, and after a malign spirit from the Lord vexed him, because then he had come, after the messengers whom he had pre- viously sent before with care, with intent to kill David ; and they therefore fell into the chorus of the prophets, and they prophesied, so that they neither were able nor willing to do what they had been bidden. And this we believe that the Spirit which was upon them all effected with an admir- able wisdom by the will of God. Which Spirit also filled John the Baptist even from his mother's womb ; and it fell upon those who were with Cornelius the centurion before they were baptized with water. Thus, cleaving to the baptism of men, the Holy Spirit either goes before or follows it ; or failing the baptism of water, it falls upon those who believe, we are counselled that either we ought duly to maintain the integrity of baptism, or if by chance baptism is given by any one in the name of Jesus Christ, we ought to supplement it, guarding the most holy invocation
^ John iii. 5.
A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM. 425
of the name of Jesus Christ, as we have most abundantly set forth ; guarding, moreover, the custom and authority which so much claim our veneration for so long a time and for such great men.
IG. But since the first part of this argument seems to be unfolded, we ought to touch on its subsequent part, on account of the heretics ; because it is very necessary not to pass over that discussion which once falls into our hands, lest per- chance some heretic should dare of his subtlety to assail those of our brethren who are more simple. For because John said that we must be baptized in the Holy Ghost and in fire, from the fact that he went on to say and fire, some desperate men have dared to such an extent to carry their depravity, and therefore very crafty men seek how they can thus corrupt and violate, and even neutralize the baptism of holiness ; who derive the origin of their notion from Simon Magus, practising it with manifold perversity through various errors; to whom Simon Peter, in the Acts of the Apostles, said, " Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the grace of God could be possessed by money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this work : for thy heart is not rii>;ht with God."-^ And such men as these do all these thinojs in the desire to deceive those who are more simple or more inquisitive ; and some of them try to argue that they only administer a sound and perfect, not as we, a mutilated and curtailed baptism, which they are in such wise said to desig- nate, that immediately they have descended into the water, fire at once appears upon the water ; which if it can be effected by any trick, as several tricks of this kind are affirmed to be — of Anaxilaus — whether it is anything natural, by means of which this may happen, or whether they think that they behold this, or whether the work and magic poison of some malimiant beino; can force fire from the water ; still they declare such a deceit and artifice to be a perfect baptism, which if faithful men have been forced to receive, there will assuredly be no doubt but that they have lost that which they had ; just as, if a soldier after taking an oath should 1 Acts viii. 20, 21.
426 A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM.
desert his camp, and in the very different camp of the enemy should wish to take an oath of a far other kind, it is plain that in this way he is discharged from his old oath.
17. Moreover, if a man of this sort should again return to thee, thou wilt assuredly hesitate whether he may have baptism or no ; and yet it will behove thee, in whatever way thou canst, to aid even this man if he repent. For of this adulterous, yea, murderous baptism, if there is any other author, it is then certainly a book devised by these same heretics on behalf of this same error, which is inscribed The Preaching of Paul ;^ in which book, contrary to all Scrip- tures, thou wilt find both Christ confessing His own sin — although He alone did no sin at all — and almost compelled by His mother Mary unwillingly to receive John's baptism. Also, that when He was baptized, fire was seen to be upon the water, which is written in neither of the Gospels ; and that after such long time, Peter and Paul, after the col- lation of the Gospel in Jerusalem, and the mutual con- sideration and altercation and arrangement of things to be done finally, were known to one another as if then for the first time ; and certain other things devised of this kind disgracefully and absurdly ; — all which things thou wilt find gathered together into that book. But they who are not ignorant of the nature of the Holy Spirit, understand that what is said of fire is said of the Spirit Himself. For in the Acts of the Apostles, according to that same promise of our Lord, on the very day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit had descended upon the disciples, that they might be baptized in Him, there were seen sitting upon each one tongues as if of fire, that it might be manifest that they were baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire — that is, with that Spirit which was, whether fire, or as fire, such as was the fire which burned in the bush, and did not consume the bush ; and such as is that fire which is the Spirit of the
^ Eigaltius says that Jerome mentions this document, and regards it as apocryphal. And Euscbius refers to the Uspioooi Uirpov, which, ac- cording to the common reading of Peter for Paul in the text, may point to the same document.
A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM, 427
Angelj as saitli the Scripture, " Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a burning fire ; " ^ whom if thou shouldst resemble, or be a companion or sharer with, thou shalt be able to dread no fire, not even that which, eoinir before the Lord in the day of judgment, shall burn up the whole world, save those who are baptized in the Holy Spirit and in fire.
18. And the Spirit, indeed, continues to this day invisible to men, as the Lord says, " The Spirit breathes where He will ; and thou knowest not whence He cometh, or whither He goeth." ^ But in the beginning of the mystery of the faith and of spiritual baptism, the same Spirit was manifestly seen to have sat upon the disciples as it had been fire ; more- over, the heavens being opened, to have descended upon the Lord like a dove ; because many things, yea, almost all things which were to be, are manifest — which, however, were only invisible nevertheless, — now also are shown to the eyes and to the incredulity of men, either partially, or at times, or in figure, for the strengthening and confirming of our faith. But neither should I omit that which the Gospel well announces. For our Lord says to the paralytic man, " Be of good cheer, my son, thy sins are forgiven thee," ^ that He might show that hearts were purified by faith for the forgiveness of sins that should follow. And this remission of sins that woman also which was a sinner in the city ob- tained, to whom the Lord said, '^ Thy sins are forgiven thee." * And when they who were reclining around began to say among themselves, " Who is this that f orgiveth sins ? " ^ — because concerning the paralytic the scribes and Pharisees had murmured crossly — the Lord says to the woman, " Thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." ® From all which things it is shown that hearts are pm'ified by faith, but that souls are washed by the Spirit ; further, also, that bodies are washed by water, and moreover that by blood we may more readily attain at once to the rewards of salvation.
19. I think that we have fully followed out the announce- 1 Ps. civ. 4. 2 joi^i iii^ 8^ 3 Matt. ix. 2.
* Luke vii. 48. ^ Luke vii. 50. ^ Luke vii. 50.
428 A TREATISE ON RE-BAPTISM.
ment of Joliii tlie Baptist, whence we began our discoursey wlien he said to the Jews, " I indeed baptize you with.water unto repentance ; but He who cometh after me is greater than I, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose : He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." ^ Moreover, I think also that we have not unsuitably set in order the teach- in o- of the Apostle John, who says that " three bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood ; and these three are one." ^ And, unless I am mistaken, we have also explained what our Lord says : ^' John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized w^ith the Holy Ghost." ^ Moreover, I think that we have given no weak reason as the cause of the custom. Let us have a care, although we do that in a subsequent place, that none may think that we are stirring up the present debate on a single article; although this custom even alone ought, among men who have the fear of God, and are lowly, to maintain a chief place.
1 Luke iii. IG. ^ i jdm y. 8. ^ Acts i. 5.
ANONYMOUS TREATISE AGAINST THE HEEETIC NOVATIAN.
INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.
I HE writer of the following treatise was undoubtedly a contemporary of Cyprian, and wrote in the early part of the reign of Valerian [254-256], during an interval of peace to the church. This much may be collected from the fact that he names one, and only one, persecution after that of Decius — namely, that of Gallus and Volusianus — and speaks of those who had lapsed under the former, as liaving been stedfast and victorious in the latter.^ He is generally believed to have been an African, and Tille- mont is only withheld from attributing the work to Cyprian himself by what he judges to be a difference of style. But although from the exordium it may be concluded that the writer was a bishop, yet, from his manifest uncertainty as to the fitting way to treat those who had lapsed, it is evident that Cyprian cannot have been the author ; for that prelate, when the persecution of Gallus and Volusianus was just threatening, had already decided upon receiving to com- munion the penitents who had yielded to temptation under Decius.^
Ceillier ^ says that this treatise was written about the year 255, while Novatian was still alive,'' and when the schism of Felicissimus was all but extinct.
Erasmus first published it among the known works of Cyprian in the year 1520.
1 Ch. vi. p. 435. 2 Epislks, vol. i. p. 155.
3 Hist. Gen. des Auteurs, torn. iii. ch. i. art. 4, sect. 2, n. 4. * Ch. i. p. 431.
429
A TEEATISE AGAINST THE HEEETIC NOVATIAN.
BY AN ANONYMOUS WRITER.
Tliat the hope of pardon should not he denied to the lapsed,
IHILE I was meditating and impatiently tossing in my mind what I ought to do concerning those pitiable brethren who, wounded, not of their own will, but by the onset of a raging devil, have lived until now, that is, through a long course of time, in the en- durance of their punishment; lo, there appeared opposed to me another enemy, and the adversary of his own paternal affec- tion— the heretic Novatian — who not only, as it is signified in the Gospel, passed by the prostrate wounded m.an, as did the priest or the Levite, but by an ingenious and novel cruelty rather would slay the wounded man, by taking away the hope of salvation, by denying the mercy of his Father, by rejecting the repentance of his brother. Marvellous, how bitter, how harsh, how perverse are many things ! But one more easily perceives the straw in another's eye than the beam in one's own. Let not the abrupt madness of that perfidious heretic move or disturb us however, beloved brethren, who, although he is placed in such great guilt of dissension and schism, and is separated from the church, with sacrilegious temerity does not shrink from hurling back his charges upon us : for although he is now by himself made unclean, defiled with the filth of sacrilege, he contends that we are so. And although it is written that the docjs should remain without, and the apostle has taught that these same dogs must be shunned, as we read, for he says, ^' Beware of
430
A TREATISE AGAINST NOV ATI AN. 431
dogs, beware of evil workers," ^ lie does not cease stirring up his frenzy with barkings, after the manner of wolves seeking the gloomy darkness, where with his brutal cruelty he may easily rend in his dark caves the sheep snatched away from the Shepherd. Certainly he declares that he and his friends whom he collects are gold. Nor do we doubt but that deserters of the church who have become apostates could now easily be converted into gold, but it must be that gold in which the first sins of the people of Israel were designated. But the gold and silver vessels which were wrested from the Egyptians con- tinue in the Lord's power, that is, in Christ's church; in which house if thou hadst continued, Novatian, thou hadst perchance been also a precious vessel ; but now thou neither perceivest nor complainest that thou art changed into chaff and straw.
2. Why, therefore, shouldst thou be lifted up with vain things ? Thou wilt gain loss rather than profit. Why, from the very fact that thou art become poorer, believest thou thy- self rich ? Hear in the Apocalypse the Lord's voice rebuking thee with righteous reproaches : " Thou sayest," says He, " I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing ; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and blind, and poor, and naked." ^ Let him think for certain that he possesses these riches of poverty, whoever he may be, that, forsaking the church of Christ, with his darkened reason does not shrink from being turned to those rash leaders of schisms and authors of dissension, whom John calls Anti- christs, whom the Evangelist likens to chaff, whom the Lord Christ characterizes as thieves and robbers, as He Himself declares in the Gospel, saying that " he who entereth not by the door into the sheep-fold, but goeth down by some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." ^ ^loreover, in the same He also says, " All who have come are thieves and robbers."* Who are such but the deserters of the faith, and the transgressors of God's church, who strive against God's ordinance? — whom the Holy Spirit rightly rebukes by the prophet, saying, " Ye have taken counsel, but not by me ; and [ye have made] a convention, but not by my Spirit, to add
1 Phil. iii. 2. - Rev. iii. 17. » John x. 1. * Joiin x. 8.
432 A TREATISE AGAINST NOVATIAN.
sin to sln."^ What now can those most perverse friends of Novatian, even now the most unhappy^ few, reply to these things, who have broken forth to such a folly of madness as to have no reverence either for God or man ? Among them, shamelessly, and without any law of ordination, the episcopate is sought after; but among us in its own Sees, and in those of the throne delivered to it by God, it is renounced. There the Truth says, "They reject me, that they may sacrifice to me ; nor do they offer the holy oblations of the children of Israel, nor do they approach to offer the holy of holies, but they shall receive their ignominy in the error wherein they have erred." ^ Let it be enough in a few words to have proved what they are. Hear, therefore, O Novatians, among whom the heavenly Scriptures are read rather than under- stood ; well, if they are not interpolated. For your ears are closed, and your hearts darkened, seeing that ye admit no light from spiritual and saving warnings ; as Isaiah says, " The servants of God are blinded."^ And deservedly blinded, because the desire of schismatics is not in the law; which law points out to us the one and only church in that ark, to wit, which was fashioned, by the providence of God, under Noah before the deluge, in which — to answer you quickly, O Novatian — we find that there were shut up not only clean animals, but also unclean ; which ark was saved alone, with those who were in it, whereas the other things which were not found therein perished in the deluge. From that ark there were loosed two birds, a raven and a dove; and this raven truly bore the figure or type of impure men, and men who would be in perpetual darkness through the world's broad road, and of apostates who should arise, feeding on unclean things, and not turning themselves eventually to the church ; and as we read, we find that it was sent forth, and returned no more. Whoever should be found to resemble this bird, then, that is, the impure spirit, will no more be able to return
1 Isa. XXX. 1.
2 Infelicissimi. This is supposed to be a play upon the name of Felicissimus, referred to in Cyprian's letter.
3 Ezek. xliv. 10-13. * Isa. xlii. 19.
A TREATISE AGAINST NOV ATI AN. 433
to the church, seeing that the Lord will forbid them, even if they should wish it, as He commanded Moses, saying, " Every- thing leprous ^ and impure, cast abroad outside the camp." ^ But the dove sent forth that returned, is signified by the man who does not delay, because he would have no rest for his feet. And Noah received it into the ark ; and when it w^as sent forth again on the seventh day, received it, bearing in its mouth an olive leaf.
3. And I, beloved brethren, — as I not heedlessly meditate these things, and not in harmony with human wisdom, but as it is permitted to our minds by the condescension of the heavenly Lord, needfully and pertinently to conceive, — say that that dove signifies to us of itself a double type. For- merly, that is, from the beginning of the divine administra- tion, it suggests its own figure, the first indeed and chief — that is, the figure of the Spirit ; and by its mouth the sacra- ment of baptism which is provided for the salvation of the human race, and that by the heavenly plan it is celebrated in the church only.^ ^loreover, three times sent forth from the ark, flying about through the air over the w^ater, it already sig- nified the sacraments of our church. Whence also the Lord Christ charges upon Peter, and moreover also upon the rest of His disciples, " Go ye and preach the gospel to the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." ^ That is, that that same Trinity which operated figuratively in Noah's days through the [figure of the] dove, now operates m the church spiritually through the disciples.
4. Let us now take the second character also of the dove sent forth from the ark, that is to say, in the time of the deluge, when all the abysses broke forth, when the cataracts of heaven were opened upon the earth, on account of the wickedness of men which they daily practised before the Lord ; as said Moses, " And the Lord God saw that the
^ Yarium. - Ximi. v. 2.
^ This passage is altogether corrupt and iinintenigible ; some force is necessary even to give it an appearance of meaning. ^ Matt, xxviii. 19. CYP. — VOL. II. 2 E
434 A TREATISE AGAINST NOVATIAN.
wickednesses of men were overflowing upon the earth, and that all of them were remembering for evil from the beginning of their days ; and He said, I will destroy man whom I have made from off the face of the earth, from man even unto cattle, and from the creeping thing even unto the fowls of the air." ^ Therefore in the time of the flood the dove is sent forth from the ark, when the waters were violently rushing with all their force upon the earth.
5. That ark bore the figure of the church, as we have said above, which was stricken hither and thither to such a degree by the tumultuous waters. Therefore that deluge which happened under Noah showed forth the figure of the persecu- tion which now lately was poured forth over the whole world. Moreover, by the waters, the cataracts broken forth meeting together on all sides, and growing, were signified the peoples which grew up for the desolation of the church ; as the Apocalypse teaches, saying, " The waters which thou sawest are peoples, and nations, and kingdoms."^ Moreover, the dove which could not find rest for its feet, bore the likeness of the lapsed, who, forgetful of the divine announcements, either in simplicity ignorant, or in audacity feigning, fell, of whom the Lord had intimated the future destruction in the Gospel in these words, saying, " He who heareth my words and doeth them not, I will liken him to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand : the tempests came and beat upon that house, and it fell ; and great was its destruction." ^ And lest we should seem to have made the comparison in- considerately of that dove bearing the image of the lapsed, the prophet rebukes the city as a dove, that is, the character of the lapsed, saying, " The dove hearkens not to the voice ; that is, the illustrious and redeemed city receives not teaching, and trusted not in the Lord."^
6. Moreover, that that dove could not find rest for her feet, as we have said above, this signified the footsteps of those who deny, that is, those who sacrifice, wounded by the poison of the shining serpent, turned towards their fall,
1 Gen. vi. 5-7. 2 Rev. xvii. 15.
6 Matt. vii. 26, 27. * Zeph. iii. 1^ 2, 3, LXX.
A TREATISE AGAINST NOVATIAN. 435
wliicli could not any further climb upon the asp and the basilisk, and tread upon the dragon and the lion. For this power the Lord gave to His disciples, as He says in the Gospel : " Lo, I give unto you power to tread on all the power of the enemy, and upon serpents and scorpions; and they shall not harm you." ^ When, therefore, these so many and such malignant spirits are attacking and bestirring them- selves for the destruction of the lapsed, a way of salvation is provided for the wounded, that with wdiatever strength they have they may drag themselves with their whole body, and betake themselves to their camp, wherein being received, they may heal their wounds with spiritual medicaments. Thus the dove received, after the intervention of a few days, is again sent forth from the ark ; and returning, not only shows its firm footsteps, but moreover the signs of its peace and victory, in those olive leaves which it bore in its mouth. Therefore that twofold sending forth shows to us a twofold trial of persecution : the first, in which they who have lapsed have fallen conquered ; the second, in which they who have fallen have come out conquerors. For to none of us is it doubtful or uncertain, beloved brethren, that they who in the first struggle — that is, in the Decian persecution — were wounded ; afterwards, that is in the second encounter, per- severed so bravely, that, despising the edicts of the princes of the w^orld,^ they maintained that unconquered; in that they did not fear, after the example of the good Shepherd, to give up their life, and to shed their blood, and not to shrink from any barbarity of the raging tyrant.
7. Behold how glorious, how dear to the Lord, are the people whom these schismatics do not shrink from calling '^ wood, hay, stubble," ^ — the equals of whom, that is, those who are even still placed in the same guilt of their lapse, they presume must not be admitted to repentance ; from that utterance of the Lord, where He says, " Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I deny before my Father which is in heaven." * Oh grief ! why do they strive against
1 Luke X. 19. 2 g(.ii Gallus and Volusianus (Pamcl.).
3 1 Cor. iii. 12. * Matt. x. 33.
436 A TREATISE AGAINST NOVATIAN,
the Lord's precepts, that this offspring of Novatian, following the example of his father the devil, should now endeavour to put in force those things which Christ will do in the time of His judgment ? — when Scripture says, " Vengeance is mine ; and I will repay, saith the Lord." ^
8. We wall answer them to that utterance of the Lord, which they ill understand, and ill explain to themselves. For that He says, " Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven," its meaning is assuredly wdth respect to future time — to the time at which the Lord shall begin to judge the secrets of men — • to the time at wdiich w^e must all stand before the judgment- seat of Christ — to the time at wdiich many shall begin to say, " Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name cast out devils, and in Thy name done many wonderful w^orks ? " ^ and yet shall hear the voice of the Lord saying, " Depart from me, all ye that have worked iniquity : I know you not." ^ Then shall it be fulfilled that He says, " 1 also wdll deny them." But whom will the Lord Christ chiefly deny, if not all of you heretics, and schismatics, and strangers to His name ? For ye who were some time Christians, but now are Novatians, no longer Christians, have changed your first faith by a subsequent perfidy in the call- ing of your name. I should wish you to reply to your ow^i proposition. Read and teach : whom of those who had failed or denied Him, while He w^as still with them, did our Lord deny? Yet also to the others of the disciples who had remained with Him He saith, " Will ye also go aw^ay ? " * Even Peter, whom He had previously foretold as about to deny Him, when he had denied Him, He did not deny, but sustained ; and He Himself soothed him when subsequently bitterly bew^ailing his denial.
9. What sort of folly is thine, Novatian, only to read wdiat tends to the destruction of salvation, and to pass by what tends to mercy, when Scripture cries, and says, " Repent, ye who err ; be converted in heart ; " ^ and when the same
1 Heb. X. 30. 2 ^[att vii. 22, 23. 3 Matt. vii. 22, 23.
^ Jolin vi. 67. ^ Ezek. xviii. 30.
A TREATISE AGAINST NOVATIAN. 437
prophet also exhorts, and sajs, " Be converted unto me with all your heart, in fasting, and weeping, and mourning ; and rend your hearts, and not your garments ; be ye converted to tlie Lord your God : for lie is merciful, and one who pities with great compassion ? " ^
10. Thus we have heard that the Lord is of great com- passion. Let us hear what the Holy Spirit testifies by Da^'id : " If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my commandments ; if they should profane my righteous- ness, and should not keep my precepts ; I will visit their crimes with a rod, and their sins with stripes. But my mercy will I not utterly disperse from them." ^ Words like to these we read that the Lord said also by Ezekiel : " Son of man, the house of Israel has dwelt on its own land, and they have defiled it by their crimes : their uncleanness has become like that of a menstruous woman before my face. I have poured out my anger upon them, and I have scattered them among the nations ; and I have judged them according to their sins, because they have defiled my holy name ; and because it was said of them, This is the people of the Lord, I have spared them, because of my holy name, which the house of Israel despised among the nations." " And in con- junction with this he says, " Therefore say to the people of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, I spare you not, O house of Israel ; but I will spare you on account of my holy name, which ye have defiled among the nations : and ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall be sanctified in you." Also the Lord to the same : " Son of man, say unto the people of Israel, Wherefore have ye spoken, saying, We are pining away in our sins, and how shall we be able to be saved ? Say unto them, I live, saith the Lord : for I do not desire the death of the sinner ; but I desire that the sinner should turn from his evil way, and live : therefore return ye from your evil way : why do ye give yourselves over to death, O house of Israel ? " '' So, too, by Isaiah the prophet : ^' I will not be angry with you for ever, nor will I abstain
1 Joel ii. 12, 13. - Ps. Ixxxix. 30 et seq.
s Ezck. xxxvi. 17-23. •* Ezck. xxxiii. 10, 11.
438 A TREATISE AGAINST NOV ATI AN.
from defending you always." ^ And because Jeremiah tlie prophet, in the person of the sinful people, prays to the Lord, saying, " Amend us, O Lord, but in judgment, and not in anger, lest Thou make us few ; " ^ Isaiah '' also added, and said, " For his sin I have slightly afflicted him ; and I have stricken him, and have turned away my face from him : and he was afflicted, and went away sadly in his ways." ^ And because he labours, he added and said, "I have seen his ways, and I have healed him ; and I have given him a true exhortation, peace upon peace;"* that to those who repent, and pray, and labour, restoration is possible, because they would miserably perish, and because they would dechne from Christ. 11. Moreover, this is proved in the Gospel, where Is de- scribed that woman who was a sinner, who came to the house of a certain Pharisee whither the Lord had been bidden with His disciples, and she brought a vessel of ointment, and stood at the Lord's feet, and washed His feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair, and pressed kisses upon them ; so that that Pharisee was provoked, and said, '' If this man were a prophet, he would know^ wdio and wdiat sort of a w^oman this is who touches him ; for she is a sinner." ^ Whence immediately the Lord, the remitter of sins and the receiver of the penitent, says, " Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he answered, saying. Master, say on. And the Lord, There was a certain creditor which had two debtors ; one who had ^ live hundred pence, and the other fifty. When they had nothing to pay, he forgave both. And He asked, Which of these loved most ? And Simon answered, Assuredly he to whom he forgave most. And He added, saying, Seest thou that woman % I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no kiss ; but she hath not ceased to kiss my feet ; thou washedst not my feet, but she has washed them with her tears, and wiped them with her hair ; thou didst not anoint my feet with oil, but she hath anointed them. Wherefore I say unto thee, Simon, that her sins are forgiven her." Behold, the Lord grants the debt with His
1 Isa. Ivii. 16. - Jcr. x. 24. ^ jga. Ivii. 17. ^ Isa. Ivii. 19.
« Luke vii. 39 et seq. ^ "Habebat," but probably "debebat"— owed.
A TREATISE AGAINST NOV ATI AN. 439
liberal kindness to botli debtors ! Behold Him who pardons sins ! Behold the woman who was a sinner, penitent, weep- ing, praying, and receiving remission of her sins !
12. And now blush if thou canst, Novatian; cease to deceive the unwary with thy impious arguments ; cease to frighten them with the subtlety of one particular. We read, and adore, and do not pass over the heavenly judgment of the Lord, where he says that He will deny him who denies Him. But does this mean the penitent ? And why should I be taking pains so long to prove individual cases of mercies? since the mercy of God is not indeed denied to the Ninevites, although strangers, and placed apart from the law of the Lord, when they beseech it on account of the overthrow announced to their city. Nor to Pharaoh himself, resisting with sacrile- gious boldness, when formerly he was stricken with heavenly plagues, and turning to Moses and to his brother, said, " Pray to the Lord for me, for I have sinned," ^ at once the anger of God was suspended from him. And yet thou, O Novatian, judgest and declarest that the lapsed have no hope of peace and mercy, nor inclinest thine ear to the rebuke of the apostle, when he says, "Who art thou, who judgest another man's servant ? To his own master he standcth or f alleth. Yea, he shall stand. God is mighty to establish him." ^ Whence pertinently and needfully the Holy Spirit, in the person of those same lapsed people, rebukes you when He says, "Rejoice not over me, O mine enemy : because if I have fallen, I shall also rise again ; and if I shall walk in darkness, the Lord is my light. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, until He justify my cause, and execute judgment and justice, and bring me forth to the light. I shall behold His righteousness ; and she that is mine enemy shall see me, and shall cover herself with con- fusion." ^
13. I beseech thee, hast thou not read, "Boast not, and speak not loftily, and let not arrogancy proceed out of your mouth : for the Lord lifteth the poor from the earth ; He raiseth up the beggar from the dunghill, and maketh him to
1 Ex. ix. 28. 2 Ko,,,_ xiv. 4. » ^ji^. vii. 8-10.
440 A TREATISE AGAINST NOVATIAN.
sit with the mighty ones of the people ? " ^ Hast thon not read, that " the Lord resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble? " ^ Hast thou not read, "Whoso exalteth him- self shall be humbled ? " ^ Hast thou not read, that " God destroys the remembrance of the proud, and does not forsake the memory of the lowly?" Hast thou not read, that '' with what judgment a man shall judge he must be judged?"* Hast thou not read, that " he who hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes ? " ^ Whence, then, this Novatian has become both so wicked and so lost, so mad with the rage of discord,'! cannot discover, since he always in one household — that is, the church of Christ — would have bewailed the sins of his neighbours as his own ; ^ would have borne the burthens of his brethren, as the apostle exhorts ; w^ould have strengthened the faltering in the faith with heavenly counsel. But now, from the time when he began to practise that heresy of Cain which only delights in slaying, he does not even of late spare himself. But if he had read, that " the righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day on which he shall have erred, and the wickedness of the wicked shall not harm him from the day in which he shall have been converted," ^ he would long ago have repented in ashes, who is always opposed to penitents ; w^ho labours more readily in the destruction of those things wdiich are built and standing, than in the building up of those which are prostrate ; who has once more made heathens of many most wretched brethren of ours, terrified by his false oppositions, by saying that the repentance of the lapsed is vain, and cannot avail them for salvation, although the Scripture cries aloud and says, "Remember whence thou hast fallen, and repent, or else I will come to thee except thou repent." ^ And indeed, writing to the seven churches, rebuking each one of them with its own crimes and sins, it
1 1 Sam. ii. 3-8. ^ j^g. iv. 6. ^ Matt, xxiii. 12.
4 Matt. vii. 2. ^1 John ii. 11.
* This refers to Novatian's letter in the name of the Roman people. 7 Ezek. xxxiii. 12. ^ Rev. ii. 5.
A TREATISE AGAINST NOVATIAN. 441
said, Repent. To whom but to tliem, doubtless, whom He had redeemed at the great price of His blood ?
14. O impious and wicked as thou art, thou heretic Novatian, who after so many and great crimes which in past times thou hadst known to be voluntarily committed in the church before thou thyself wast an apostate in the family of God, and hadst certainly taught that these might be abolished from memory if well-doing followed, according to the faith of the Scripture which says, "But if the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed, and will do righteousness, he shall live in eternal life, and shall not die in his wickedness." ^ (For the sins which he has committed shall be abolished from memory by the good deeds which succeed.) Thou reconsiderest now, whether the wounds of the lapsed ought to be cured Avho have fallen stripped bare by the devil, [carried away] by the "violence of the flood which the serpent sent forth from his mouth after the woman." ^ But " What shall I say?" says the apostle. " Do I praise you ? In this I praise you not; that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse." ^ For where there are " rivalries and dissensions among you, are ye not carnal, and walk according to man ?" * Nor indeed ought we to wonder wdiy this Novatian should dare now to practise such wicked, such severe things against the person of the lapsed, since we have previous examples of this kind of prevarication. Saul, that good ^ man, besides other things, is subsequently over- thrown by envy, and strives to do everything that is harsh and hostile against David. That Judas, who was chosen among the apostles, who was always of one mind and faith- ful in the house of God, himself subsequently betrayed God.
And indeed the Lord had foretold that many should come as ravening wolves in the skins of sheep. Who arc those ravening wolves but such as conspire with treacherous in- tent to waste the flock of Christ ? — as we read it written in Zechariah : " Lo, I raise up a shepherd in the land, wlio shall
^ Ezek. xviii. 21. 2 Rcv. xii. 15. » 1 Cor. xi. 17.
* 1 Cor. iii. 3. ^ i gj^^i. ix. 2.
442 A TREATISE AGAINST NOV ATI AN.
not visit that which is turned away, and will eat the flesh of the chosen, and tear their claws in pieces." ^ Similarly also in Ezekiel he rebukes shepherds of this kind, to wit, robbers and butchers (I will speak as he had thought ^), saying, " O shepherds, wherefore do ye drink the milk, and eat up the curdled milk, and have brought that which is strong to nothing, and have not visited the weak, have not healed the halting, and have not recalled the wandering, and have per- mitted my people to wander among thorns and briers ? For these things, says the Lord, lo, I will come against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep of their hands ; and I will drive them away, that they may not feed my sheep ; and my sheep shall no more be for them to devour, and I will seek them out as a shepherd his flock in the day in which there shall be darkness and cloud. Thus I will seek out my sheep, and I will seek them out in every place wherever they are scattered ; and I w^ill seek out what had perished, and I will recall what had wandered, and what had halted I will heal, and what is weak I will watch over ; and I will feed my sheep with judgment." ^
15. Who is it that says these things ? Certainly He who, having left the ninety and nine sheep, went to seek that one which had wandered from His flock ; as David says, " I have gone astray like a sheep which was lost," * which being found Christ brings back, bearing on His shoulder the tender sinful one; and He, rejoicing and exulting, having called His friends and domestics, says, " Kejoice with me ; for my sheep which was lost is found. I say," says He, " unto you, that there will be such joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth." ^ And in continuation. He says : " Or what woman, having ten denarii, if she should lose one of the denarii, does not light a lamp, and all the day long clean out her house, seeking till she finds it ? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, Eejoice with me ; for I have found the denarius that I had lost. I say unto you, that such joy shall be in the sight of the angels of God over one
^ Zecli. xi. 16. ^ This parentliesis is unintelligible.
3 Ezek. xxxiv. * Ps. cxix. 176. ^ Luke xv. 6-10
A TREATISE AGAINST NOV ATI AN. 443
sinner that repentetli." ^ But, on the other hand, they who do not repent of their wickedness, let them know from the answer of the Lord Himself what remaineth for them ; for we read in the Gospel, that ^' certain men came from the Galileans to the Lord, telling Him of those whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices ; to whom the Lord answered, saying. Think ye that those Galileans had been sinners above other Galileans, because they suffered such things ? No ; for I say unto you, unless ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, think ye that they were debtors to death above all men who dwell in Jerusalem ? No ; I say unto you," said He, " that unless ye repent, .ye shall all likewise perish."^
16. Let us then arouse ourselves as much as we can, beloved brethren ; and breaking away from the slumber of indolence and security, let us be watchful for the observance of the Lord's precepts. Let us with all our hearts seek for w^hat w^e have lost, that we may be able to find ; because " to him that seeketh," says the Scripture, " it shall be given, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." ^ Let us cleanse our house with spiritual cleanliness, that every secret and hidden place of our breast, truly enlightened by the light of the gospel, may say, " Against Thee only have I sinned, and done this great evil in Thy sight." * Because the death of sinners is evil, and in hell there is no repentance. Let us have in contemplation especially the day of judgment and retribution, and what must be believed by all of us, and firmly maintained, that " there is no acceptance of persons with God ;" ^ since He commanded in Deuteronomy, that the person must not be accepted in judgment : " Thou shalt not accept," says He, " the person, neither shalt thou judge ac- cording to the least nor according to the greatest." ^ Like words to these He also said by Ezekiel : " All souls," said He, " are mine ; as the soul of the father, so is the soul of the son : the soul that hath sinned, it shall die." '' It is then
1 Liike XV. 6-10. ^ Luke xiii. 1-5. - Luke xi. 10.
4 Ps. li. 4. « Rom. ii. 11. « Deut. i. 17.
"^ Ezek. xviii. 4.
444 A TREATISE AGAINST NOVATIAN.
He who must be revered by us ; He must be held fast ; He must be propitiated by our full and worthy confession, *• who has the power of sending soul and body to the Gehenna of fire," -^ — as it is written, " Behold, He cometh with many thousands of His messengers, to execute judgment upon all, and to destroy all the wicked, and to condemn all flesh, for all the deeds of the wicked which they have wickedly done, and for all the impious words which sinners have spoken about God." ^
17. Like things to these also says Daniel : " I beheld a throne placed, and the Ancient of days sat upon it, and His clothing was as it were snow, and the hairs of His head as it were white wool : His throne was a flame of fire, its wheels were burning fire. A river of fire came forth before Him ; thousand thousands ministered to Him, and thousand thousands stood before Him : He sat to judgment, and the books were opened." ^ And John still more plainly declares, both about the day of judgment and the consummation of the world, saying, " And when," said he, " He had opened the sixth seal, lo, there was a great earthquake ; and the sun be- came black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as of blood ; and the stars fell to the earth, even as a fig-tree, shaken by a mighty wind, casteth her unripe figs. And the heaven departed as a book when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved from their places. And the kings of the earth, and all the great men, and the tribunes, and the rich men, and the strong men, and every slave, and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the caverns of the mountains ; saying to the mountains and to the rocks. Fall upon us, and hide us from the sight of the Father that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb : be- cause the day of destruction cometh ; and who shall be able to stand?" * Also in the same Apocalypse John says that this too was revealed to him. " I saw," says he, " a great throne, and one in white who sat upon it, from whose face the heaven and the earth fled away ; and their place was not found. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing be- 1 Matt. X. 28. 2 jmie 14, 15. ^ Dan. vii. 9, 10. ^ Rev. vi. 12-17.
A TREATISE AGAINST NOVA TI AN. 445
fore the sight of tlie Lord's throne : and the books were opened ; and another book was opened, which is [the book] of Hfe : and every one was judged according to those things that were written in the book, according to their own works." ^ Moreover, too, the apostle, giving good advice, thus exhorts us, saying, " Let no one deceive you with vain words : for because of these things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience. Be not partakers with them." ^
18. Let us, then, with the whole strength of our faith, give praise to God ; let us give our full confession, since the powers of heaven rejoice over our repentance, all the angels rejoice, and Christ also rejoices, who once again with full and merciful moderation exhorts us, laden with sins, overwhelmed with crimes, to cease from wickedness, saying, " Turn je, and return from your impieties, and your iniquities shall not be to you for a punishment. Cast away from you all your im- pieties which ye have committed against me ; and make to yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. And why do ye deliver yourselves over to death, O house of Israel ? For I do not desire the death of the sinner." ^ ^' I am He, I am He wdio blot out thy crimes, and 1 will not remember them. But do thou have in mind, and let us judge ; tell thou thy wickednesses first, that thou mayest be justified." * While the way of mercy, brethren, is open, let us entreat God with full atonements ; let us humble ourselves, that we may be exalted ; let us acquiesce in the divine exhortation, whereby we may escape the day of the Lord and His anger. For thus He says : " Look, my son, upon the nations of men, and know who hath hoped in the Lord, and has been confounded ; or has remained in His commandments, and has been forsaken ; or has called upon Him, and He has despised him. For the Lord is loving and merciful, and forgiving in time of tribula- tion their sins to all those that seek after Him in truth." * Therefore He says, " First tell thou thy sins, that thou mayest be justified." Let there be first in your hand that prayer full of confession.
1 Rev. XX. 11-13. 2 Ep]j^ y^ Q^ 7, 3 Ezek. xviii. 30-32.
* Isa. xliii. 25, 26. ^ Ecclus. ii. 10, 11.
THE WOEKS
OF
MINUCIUS FELIX
INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.
INUCIUS FELIX is said by Jerome^ to have been an advocate at Eome prior to his conversion to Clu'istianity. Very httle else is known, how- ever, of his history ; and of his writings nothing with any certainty, except the following dialogue ; although Jerome speaks of another tract as having, probably without reason, been ascribed to him.
The Octavhis, which is here translated, is a supposed argument between the heathen Caacilius and the Christian Octavius — the writer being requested to arbitrate between the disputants. The date of its composition is still a matter of keen dispute. The settlement of the point hinges upon the answer to the question — Whether, in the numerous pas- sages which are strikingly similar, occurring in the Apolo- geticiis and the Octavius^ Tertullian borrowed from Minucius, or jNIinucius borrowed from Tertullian ? If ^linucius bor- rowed from Tertullian, he must have flourished in the com- mencement of the third century, as the Aijologeticus was written about the year 198 a.d. If, on the other hand, Tertullian borrowed from Minucius, the Octavius was written probably about the year 166, and Minucius flourished in the reign of Marcus Aurclius. The later date was the one adopted by earlier critics, and the reasons for it are well given by Mr. Plolden in his introduction. The earlier date was suggested by Rosier, maintained by Nicbuhr, and ela- borately defended by Muralto. An exhaustive exhibition of arguments in favour of the earlier date has been given by Adolf Ebert in his paper, Tertullian s Verhdltniss zu Minu- cius Felix, Leipzig 1868.
^ De Viris Illustrihus, c. 58. CYP. — VOL. II. 2 P
450 INTUODUCTORY NOTICE.
Of the literary character of the dialogue, it is sufficient to quote the testimony of the late Dean Milman : " Perhaps no late work, either Pagan or Christian, reminds us of the golden days of Latin prose so much as the Octavius of Minu- cius Felix." ^
In considering the claim of the dialogue to such praise as this, it must be borne in mind that the text as we have it is very uncertain, and often certainly corrupt; so that many passages seem to us confused, and some hopelessly obscure. Only one manuscript of the work has come down to us, which is now in the Imperial Library in Paris. It is beau- tifully written. Some editors have spoken of two other MSS. ; but it is now known that they were wrong. They supposed that the first edition was taken from a different MS. than the Codex Regius, and they were not aware that a codex in Brussels was merely a transcript of the one in Paris.
The Octavius appears in the MS. as the eighth book of Arnobius, and at first it was published as such. To Fran- ciscus Balduinus (1560) is due the merit of having discovered the real author.
There are very many editions of the Octavius. Among the earlier, those of Gronovius (1709) and Davies (1712) are valuable. Among the later, Lindner (1760), Eduard de Muralto (1836), and Oehler (1847) may be mentioned. There is a very good English edition by the Rev. H. A. Holden, M.A., Cambridge 1853. The most recent edition is that of Carl Halm, published under the auspices of the Imperial Academy of Letters in Vienna, Yindobonse 1867. Both Holden and Halm give new recensions of the Codex Regius.
^ Milman's Hist, of Christianity^ vol. iii. book iv. ch. iii.
THE OCTAYIDS OE MINUCIUS EELIX.
CHAPTER L
Argument. — Minucius relates 7iow delightful to him is the recollection of the things that had happened to him with Octavius ichile he ivas associated with him at Rome, and especially of this disputation.
HEN I consider and mentally review my re- membrance of Octavius, my excellent and most faithful companion, the sweetness and charm of the man so clings to me, that I appear to myself in some sort as if I were returning to past times, and not merely recalling in my recollection things which have long since transpired and gone by. Thus, in the degree in which the actual contemplation of him is withdrawn from my eyes, it is bound up in my heart and in my most intimate feelinf^s. And it was not without reason that that remarkable and holy man, when he departed [this life], left to me an unbounded regret for him, especially since he him- self also glowed with such a love for me at all times, that, whether in matters of amusement or of business, he agreed with me in similarity of will, in either liking or disliking the same things. You would think that one mind had been shared between us two. Thus he alone was my confidant in my loves, my companion in my mistakes ; and when, after the gloom had been dispersed, I emerged from the abyss of dark- ness into the light of wisdom and truth, he did not cast off his associate, but — what is more glorious still — he outstripped
451
452 THE OCTAVIUS OF
him. And thus, when my thoughts were traversing the entire period of our intimacy and friendship, the direction of my mind fixed itself chiefly on "that discourse of his, wherein by very weighty arguments he converted C^ciHus, who was still cleaving to superstitious vanities, to the true rehgion.
CHAPTEE II.
Argument. — The arrival of Octavius at Rome during the time of the public holidays was very agreeable to Minucius. Both of them were desirous of going to the marine baths of Ostia, with Ccedlius, associated ivith them as a companion of Minucius. On their ivay together to the sea, Ccecilius, seeing an image of Serapis, raises his hand to his mouth, and worships it.
For, for the sake of business and of visiting me, Octavius had hastened to Rome, having left his home, his wife, his children, and that which is most attractive in children, while yet their innocent years are attempting only half-uttered Avords, — a language all the sweeter for the very imperfection of the falterlno; tonnrne. And at this his arrival I cannot express in words with how great and with how impatient a joy I exulted, since the unexpected presence of a man so very dear to me greatly enhanced my gladness. Therefore, after one or two days, when the frequent enjoyment of our continual association had satisfied the craving of affection, and when we had ascertained by mutual narrative all that we were ignorant of about one another by reason of our separation, we agreed to go to that very pleasant city Ostia, that my body might have a soothing and appropriate remedy for drying its humours from the marine bathing, especially as the holidays of the courts at the vintage-time had released me from my cares. For at that time, after the summer days, the autumn season was tending to a milder temperature. And thus, when in the early morning we were going towards the sea along the shore [of the Tiber], that both the breathing air might gently
MINUCIUS FELIX. 453
refresli our limbs, and that the yielding sand might sink down under our easy footsteps with excessive pleasure ; Ciecilius, observing an image of Serapis, raised his hand to his moutli, as is the custom of the superstitious common people, and pressed a kiss on it with his lips.
CHAPTER III.
Akgument. — Octavius, displeased at the act of tJds supersti- tions onan, sliarply reproaches Minucias, on the (jroimd that the disgrace of this icicJced deed is reflected not less on himself, as Ca^cilius host, than on Ccecilius.
Then Octavius said : " It is not the part of a good man, my brother Marcus, so to desert a man wdio abides by your side at home and abroad, in this blindness of vulgar ignorance, as that you should suffer him in such broad daylight as this to give himself up to stones, however they may be carved into images, anointed and crowned ; since you know that the dis- grace of this his error redounds in no less degree to your discredit than to his own." With this discourse of his we passed over the distance between the city and the sea, and w^e were now walking on the broad and open shore. There the gently rippling wave was smoothing the outside sands, as if it would level them for a promenade ; and as the sea is always restless, even when the winds are lulled, it came up on the shore, although not with waves crested and foaming, yet with waves crisped and curling. Just then we were excessive^ delighted at its vagaries, as on the very threshold of the water we were wetting the soles of our feet, and it now by tmuis approaching broke upon our feet, and now the wave retiring and retracing its course, sucked itself back into itself. And thus, slowly and quietly going along, we tracked the coast of the gently bending shore, beguiling the way with stories. These stories were related by Octavius, who was discoursing on navigation. But when we had occupied a sufficiently reasonable time of our walk with discourse, retracing the same
454 THE OCTAVIUS OF
way again, we trod the path with reverted footsteps. And when we came to that place where the little ships, drawn up on an oaken framework, were lying at rest supported above the [risk of] ground-rot, we saw some hoys eagerly gesti- culating as they played at throwing shells into the sea. This play is : To choose a shell from the shore, rubbed and made smooth by the tossing of the waves ; to take hold of the shell in a horizontal position w^ith the fingers; to whirl it along sloping and as low down as possible upon the waves, that when thrown it may either skim the back of the wave, or may swim as it glides along with a smooth impulse, or may spring up as it cleaves the top of the waves, and rise as if lifted up with repeated springs. That boy claimed to be conqueror whose shell both went out furthest, and leaped up most frequently.
CHAPTEE IV.
Argument. — Ccecilius, somewhat grieved at this Jcind of rehuhe which for his sake Minucius had had to hear from Octavius, begs to argue ivith Octavius on the truth of his o'eligion. Octavius with his companion consents^ and Minucius sits in the middle betiveen Ccecilius and Octavius.
And thus, while we were all engaged in the enjoyment of this spectacle, Csecilius was paying no attention, nor laughing at the contest ; but silent, uneasy, standing apart, confessed by his countenance that he was grieving for I knew not what. To whom I said : " What is the matter ? Wherefore do I not recognise, Cascilius, your usual liveliness? and why do I seek vainly for that joyousness which is characteristic of your glances even in serious matters % " Then said he : " For some time our friend Octavius' speech has bitterly vexed and worried me, in which he, attacking you, reproached you with negli- gence, that he might under cover of that charge more seri- ously condemn me for ignorance. Therefore I shall proceed further : the matter is now wholly and entirely between me
MINUCIUS FELIX. 455
and Octavius. If he is willing that I, a man of that form of opinion, should argue with him, he will now at once perceive that it is easier to hold an argument among his comrades, than to engage in close conflict after the manner of the philosoiDhers. Let us be seated on those rocky barriers that are cast there for the protection of the baths, and that run far out into the deep, that we may be able both to rest after our journey, and to argue with more attention." And at his word we sat down, so that, by covering me on either side, they sheltered me in the midst of the three.^ Nor was this a matter of observance, or of rank, or of honour, because friendship always either receives or makes equals ; but that, as an arbitrator, and being near to both, I might give my attention, and being in the middle, I might separate the two. Then Csecilius began thus :
CHAPTER Y,
Aegument. — Cwcilius begins his argument first of all by re- minding them that in human affairs all things are doubt- ful and uncertain, and that therefore it is to be lamented that Chnstians, ivho for the most part are untrained and illiterate persons^ should dare to determine on anything with certainty concerning the chief of things and the Divine Majesty : hence he argues that the ivorld is governed by no providence, and concludes that it is better to abide by the received forms of religion,
"Although to you, Marcus my brother, the subject on which especially we are inquiring is not in doubt, inasmuch as, being carefully informed in both kinds of life, you have rejected the one and assented to the other, yet in the present case your mind must be so fashioned that you may hold the balance of a most just judge, nor lean with a disposition to one side [more than another], lest your decision may seem ^ " Ita ut me ex tribus medium lateris ambitione protegerent."
456 THE OCTAVIUS OF
not to arise so mucli from our arguments, as to be originated from your own perceptions. Accordingly, if you sit in judg- ment on me, as a person who is new, and as one ignorant of either side, there is no difficulty in making plain that all things in human affairs are doubtful, uncertain, and un- settled, and that all things are rather probable than true. Wherefore it is the less^ wonderful that some, from the weari- ness of thoroughly investigating truth, should rashly succumb to any sort of opinion rather than persevere in exploring it with persistent diligence. And thus all men must be indig- nant, all men must feel pain,^ that certain persons — and these unskilled in learning, strangers to literature, without know- ledo-e even^ of sordid arts — should dare to d^etermine on any certainty concerning the nature at large, and the [divine] majesty, of which so many of the multitude of sects in all ages [are still in doubt], and philosophy itself deliberates still. Nor without reason ; since the mediocrity of human intelligence is so far from [the capacity of] divine investigation, that neither is it given us to know, nor is it permitted to search, nor is it religious to ravish,* the things that are supported in suspense in the heaven above us, nor the things which are deeply sub- merged below the earth ; and w^e may rightly seem sufficient!}^ happy and sufficiently prudent, if, according to that ancient oracle of the sage, we should know ourselves intimately. But even if we indulge in a senseless and useless labour, and wander away beyond the limits proper to our humility, and though, inclined towards the earth, we transcend with daring ambition heaven itself, and the very stars, let us at least not entangle this error with vain and fearful opinions. Let the seeds of all things have been in the beginning condensed by a nature combining them in itself — what God is the author here ? Let the members of the whole w^orld be by fortuitous
1 The MS. and first edition read " more ;" Ursiniis suggested minus instead of magis.
2 This clause is otherwise read : ' ' Therefore we must be indignant, nay, must be grieved."
3 Otherwise for '^ even," " except."
* The reading of the MS. is " stuprari," as above. " Scrutari," " sci- ari," or "lustrare" and "suspicari," are proposed emendations.
MINUCIUS FELIX. 457
concurrences united, digested, fashioned — wliat God is the contriver ? Although fire may have ht up the stars; although [the lightness of] its own material may have suspended the heaven ; although its own material may have established the earth by its weight ; ^ and although the sea may have flowed in from moisture/ whence is this religion? Whence this fear? What is this superstition ? Man, and every animal which is born, is inspired with life, and is nourished,^ is as a voluntary concretion of the elements, into which again man and every animal is divided, resolved, and dissipated : so all things flow back again into their source, and are turned again into them- selves, without any artificer, or judge, or creator. Thus the seeds of fires, being gathered together, cause other suns, and again others, always to shine forth. Thus the vapours of the earth, being exhaled, cause the mists always to grow, which being condensed and collected, cause the clouds to rise higher ; and wdien they fall, cause the rains to flow, the winds to blow, the hail to rattle down ; or wdien the clouds clash together, they cause the thunder to bellow, the lightnings to grow red, the thunderbolts to gleam forth. Therefore they fall every- where, they rush on the mountains, they strike the trees ; without any choice,''* they blast places sacred and profane ; they smite mischievous men, and often, too, religious men. Why should I speak of tempests, various and uncertain, wherein the attack upon all things is tossed about without any order or discrimination ? — in shipwrecks, that the fates of good and bad men are jumbled together, their deserts confounded ? — in conflagrations, that the destruction of inno- cent and guilty is united ? — and when with the plague- taint of the sky a region is stained, that all perish without distinction ? — and when the heat of war is raging, that it is the better men who generally fall ? In peace also, not only is wickedness put on the same level with [the lot of] those who
^ Or, " although its weight may have established the earth." 2 Or, " although the moisture may have flowed into the sea." ^ Variously read, " is raised up," or " and is raised up." The MS. has " attollitur," which by some is amended into " ct alitiir," or " et tollitur." ^ Either " dclcctu " or " dilcctu."
458 THE OCTAVIUS OF
are better, but it is also regarded in such esteem/ that, in the case of many people, you know not whether their depravity is most to be detested, or their fehcity to be desired. But if the world were governed by divine providence and by the autho- rity of any deity, Phalaris and Dionysius would never have deserved to reign, Rutilius and Camillus would never have merited banishment, Socrates would never have merited the poison. Behold the fruit-bearing trees, behold the harvest already white, the vintage, already dropping, is destroyed by the rain, is beaten down by the hail. Thus either an uncer- tain truth is hidden from us, and kept back ; or, which is rather to be believed, in these various and wayward chances, fortune, unrestrained by laws, is ruling over us.
CHAPTER VI.
Akgument. — The object of all nations, and especially of the Romans^ in ivorshipping their divinities, has been to attain for their worship the supreme dominion over the whole earth.
" Since, then, either fortune is certain or nature is uncertain, how much more reverential and better it is, as the high priests of truth, to receive the teaching of your ancestors, to cultivate the religions handed down to you, to adore the gods- whom you were first trained by your parents to fear rather than to know^ with familiarity ; not to assert an opinion con- cerning the deities, but to believe your forefathers, who, while the age was still untrained in the birth-times of the world itself, deserved to have gods either propitious to them, or as their kings.^ Thence, therefore, we see through all empires, and provinces, and cities, that each people has its national rites of worship, and adores its local gods : as the Eleusinians
1 Or, " it is extolled."
2 " To think of rather than to know " in some texts.
3 Xeander quotes this passage as illustrating the dissatisfied state of the pagan mind with the prevailing infidehty at that time.
MINUCIUS FELIX. 459
wors jip Ceres ; the Phrygians, Mater ; ^ the Epidaurlans, ^sculapius ; the Chaldseans, Belus ; the Syrians, Astarte ; the Taurians, Diana ; the Gauls, Mercurius ; the Romans, all divinities. Thus their power and authority has occupied the circuit of the whole world : thus it has propagated its empire beyond the paths of the sun, and the bounds of the ocean itself ; in that in their arms they practise a religious valour ; in that they fortify their city with the religions of sacred rites, with chaste virgins, with many honours, and the names of priests ; in that, when besieged and taken, all but the Capitol alone, they worship the gods which when angry any other people would have despised ; " and through the lines of the Gauls, marvelling at the audacity of their superstition, they move unarmed with weapons, but armed with the wor- ship of their religion ; while in the city of an enemy, when taken while still in the fury of victory, they venerate the conquered deities ; while in all directions they seek for the gods of the strangers, and make them their own ; while they build altars even to unknown divinities, and to the Manes. Thus, in that tliey acknowledge the sacred institutions of all nations, they have also deserved their dominion. Hence the perpetual course of their veneration has continued, which is not weakened by the long lapse of time, but increased, because antiquity has been accustomed to attribute to ceremonies and temples so much of sanctity as it has ascribed of age.
CHAPTER VII.
Akgument. — That the Roman auspices and auguries have been ner/Iected icith ill consequences , hut have been observed with good fortune,
^' Nor yet by chance (for I would venture in the meantime even to take for granted [the point in debate], and so to err on the safe side) have our ancestors succeeded in their under-
^ Or, "the great mother."
2 Or, "which another people, wheu angry, would have despised."
460 TILE OCTAVIUS OF
takings either by the observance of auguries, or by consulting the entrails, or by the institution of sacred rites, or by the dedication of temples. Consider what is the record of books. You will at once discover that they have inaugurated the rites of all kinds of religions, either that the divine indulgence might be rewarded, or that the threatening anger might be averted, or that the wrath already swelling and raging might be appeased. Witness the Idsean mother,^ who at her arrival both approved the chastity of the matron, and delivered the city from the fear of the enemy. Witness the statues of the equestrian brothers,^ consecrated even as they had showed themselves on the lake, wdio, with horses breathless,^ foaming, and smoking, announced the victory over the Persian on the same day on which they had gained it. Witness the renewal of the games of the offended Jupiter,* on account of the dream of a man of the people. And an acknowledged witness is the devotion of the Decii. Witness also Curtius, who filled up the opening of the profound chasm either with the mass, or with the glory of his knighthood. Moreover, more frequently than we wished have the auguries, when despised, borne witness to the presence of the gods : thus Allia is an unlucky name; thus the battle of Claudius and Junius is not a battle against the Carthaginians, but a fatal shipwreck. Thus, that Thrasimenus might be both swollen and dis- coloured with the blood of the Romans, Flaminius despised the auguries ; and that we might again demand our standards from the Parthlans, Crassus both deserved and scoffed at the imprecations of the terrible sisters. I omit the old stories, w^hich are many, and I pass by the songs of the poets about the births, and the gifts, and the rewards of the gods. More- over, I hasten over the fates predicted by the oracles, lest antiquity should appear to you excessively fabulous. Look at the temples and fanes of the gods by which the Roman city is both protected and armed : they are more august by
^ Otherwise, " the goddess mother."
2 Soil Castor and Pollux.
3 Otherwise, " w^ho breathless with horses foaming," etc.
* Otherwise, " the offence of Jupiter, the renewal of the games," etc.
MINUCIUS FELIX. 4G1
the deities which are their inhabitants, who are present and constantly dwelling in them, than opulent by the ensigns and gifts of worship. Thence therefore the prophets, filled with the god, and mingled with him, collect futurity beforehand, give caution for dangers, medicine for diseases, hope for the afflicted, help to the wretched, solace to calamities, alleviation to labours. Even in our repose we see, we hear, we acknow- ledge the gods, whom in the day-time we impiously deny, refuse, and abjure.
CHAPTEE VIII.
Argument. — The impious temeinty of Theodorus, Diagoras, and Protagoras is not at all to he acquiesced in, ivho tvished either altogether to get rid of the religion of the gods, or at least to weaken it; but infinitely less to he endured is that skulking and light-shunning people of the Chi^istians, icho reject the gods, and icho, fearing to die after death, do not i?i the meantime fear to die,
"Therefore, since the consent of all nations concernino- the existence of the immortal gods remains established, although their nature or their origin remains uncertain, I suffer no- body swelling with sucli boldness, and with I know not what irreligious wisdom, who would strive to undermine or weaken this religion, so ancient, so useful, so wholesome, even although he may be Theodorus of Cyrene, or one who is before him, Diagoras the iMelian,^ to whom antiquity applied the surname of Atheist, — both of whom, by asseverat- ing that there were no gods, took away all the fear by which humanity is ruled, and all veneration absolutely; yet never will they prevail in this discipline of impiety, under tlie name and autliority of their pretended philosophy. AVhcn the men of Athens both expelled Protagoras of Abdera, and in public assembly burnt his writings, because he disputed deliberately^
"^ According to the codex, " the Milesian."
2 Some have corrected this word, reading "without consideration,"
462 TRE OCTAVIUS OF
rather than profanely concerning the divinity, why is it not a thing to be lamented, that men (for you will bear with my making nse pretty freely of the force of the plea that I have undertaken) — that men, I say, of a reprobate, unlawful, and desperate faction, should rage against the gods ? who, having gathered together from the lowest dregs the more unskilled, and women, credulous and, by the facility of their sex, yield- ing, establish a herd of a profane conspiracy, which is leagued together by nightly meetings, and solemn fasts, and inhuman meats — not by any sacred rite, but by that which requires expiation — a people skulking and shunning the light, silent in public, but garrulous in corners. They despise the temples as dead-houses, they reject the gods, they laugh at sacred things ; wretched, they pity, if they are allowed, the priests ; half naked themselves, they despise honours and purple robes. Oh, wondrous folly and incredible audacity ! they despise present torments, although they fear those which are uncer- tain and future ; and while they fear to die after death, they do not fear to die for the present ; so does a deceitful hope soothe their fear with the solace of a revival [to come].^
CHAPTEE IX.
AegUMENT. — The religion of the Christians is foolish^ inas- much as they worship a crucified man^ and even the instru- ment itself of his punishment. They are said to worship the head of an ass, and even the secret parts of their father. They are initiated by the slaughter and the blood of an infant, and in shameless darkness they are all mixed up in an uncertain medley.
" And now, as wickeder things advance more fruitfully, and abandoned manners creep on day by day, those abominable
sell. " inconsulte ; " and the four first editions omit tlie subsequent words, " concerning the divinity."
1 There are various emendations of this passage, but their meaning is somewhat obscure. One is elaborately ingenious: " Ita illis pavorum
MINUCIUS FELIX, 463
slirines of an impious assembly are maturing themselves throughout the whole world. Assuredly this confederacy ought to be rooted out and execrated. They know one another by secret marks and insignia, and they love one another almost before they know one another ; everywhere also there is mingled among them a certain religion of lust, and they call one another promiscuously brothers and sisters, that even a not unusual debauchery may by the intervention of that sacred name become incestuous : it is thus that their vain and senseless superstition glories in crimes. Nor, concerning these things, would intelligent report speak of things so great and various,^ and requir- ing to be prefaced by an apology, unless truth were at the bottom of it. I hear that they adore the head of an ass, that basest of creatures, consecrated by I know not what silly persuasion, — a worthy and appropriate religion for such manners. Some say that they worship the genitals of their pontiff and priest,^ and adore the nature, as it were, of their common parent. I know not whether these things are false ; certainly suspicion is applicable to secret and nocturnal rites ; and he who explains their ceremonies by reference to a man punished by extreme suffering for his wickedness, and to the deadly wood of the cross, appropriates fitting altars for reprobate and wicked men, that they may worship what they deserve. Now the story about the initiation of young novices is as much to be detested as it is well known. An infant covered over with meal, that it may deceive the unwary, is placed before him who is to be stained with their rites : this infant is slain by the young pupil, who has been urged on as if to harmless blows on the surface of the meal, with dark and secret wounds. Thirstily — 0 horror ! — they lick up its blood ; eagerly they divide its limbs. By this victim they are pledged
fallax spes solatio redivivo blanditur," which is said to imply, " Thus the hope that deceives their fears, soothes them with the hope of living again."
^ Otherwise read " abominable."
2 This charge refers apparently to the kneeling postui'e in which peni- tents made confession to their bishop (Oehler).
464 THE OCTAVIUS OF
together; with this consciousness of wickedness they are covenanted to mutual silence.-^ Such sacred rites as these are more foul than any sacrileges. And of their banqueting it is well known all men speak of it everj'where ; even the speech of our Cirtensian ^ testifies to it. On a solemn day they assemble at the feast, with all their children, sisters, mothers, people of every sex and of every age. There, after much feasting, when the fellowship has grown warm, and the fervour of incestuous lust has grown hot with drunken- ness, a dog that has been tied to the chandelier is provoked, by throwing a small piece of offal beyond the length of a line by which he is bound, to rush and spring ; and thus the con- scious light being overturned and extinguished in the shame- less darkness, the connections of abominable lust involve them in the uncertainty of fate. Although not all in fact, yet in consciousness all are alike incestuous, since by the desire of all of them everything is sought for which can happen in the act of each individual.
CHAPTER X.
Argument. — Whatever the Christians ivorshipy they strive in every tvay to conceal : they have no altars, no temples, no achioivledged images. Their God, like that of the Jews, is said to he one, ivhom, although they are neither able to see nor to shoiv, they think nevertheless to he mischievous, restless, and unseasonahly inquisitive.
" I PURPOSELY pass over many things, for those that I have mentioned are ah-eady too many ; and that all these, or the greater part of them, are true, the obscurity of their vile religion declares. For why do they endeavour with such pains to conceal and to cloak whatever they worship, since honourable things always rejoice in publicity, wdiile crimes
^ This calumny seems to have originated from the sacrament of the Eucharist.
2 Soil. Fronto of Cirta, spoken of again in ch. xxxi.
MINUCIUS FELIX. 465
are kept secret ? Why have they no altars, no temples, no acknowledged images ? ^ Why do they never speak openly, never congregate freely, unless for the reason that what they adore and conceal is either worthy of punishment, or some- thing to be ashamed of ? Moreover, whence or who is he, or where is the one God, solitary, desolate, whom no free people, no kingdoms, and not even Roman superstition, have known ? The lonely and miserable nationality of the Jews worshipped one God, and one peculiar to itself; but they worshipped him openly, with temples, with altars, with victims, and with ceremonies ; and he has so little force or power, that he is enslaved, with his own special nation, to the Eomari deities. But the Christians, moreover, what w^onders, what monstrosities do they feign ! — that he who is their God, whom they can neither show nor behold, inquires diligently into the character of all, the acts of all, and, in fine, into their words and secret thoughts ; that he runs about every- where, and is everywhere present : they make him out to be troublesome, restless, even shamelessly inquisitive, since he is present at everything that is done, wanders in and out in all places, although, being occupied with the whole, he can- not give attention to particulars, nor can he be sufficient for the whole while he is busied with particulars. What ! be- cause they threaten conflagration to the whole world, and to the universe itself, with all its stars, are they meditatino- its destruction ? — as if either the eternal order constituted by the divine laws of nature would be disturbed, or the leao-ue of all the elements would be broken up, and the heavenly struc- ture dissolved, and that fabric in which it is contained and bound together ^ would be overthrown.
1 Otherwise, " no consecrated images."
2 Otherwise, " we are contained and bound toi^'ether."
/
CYP. — YOL. II. 2 G
466 THE OCTAVIUS OF
CHAPTEE XL
Argument. — Besides asserting the future conflagration of the whole world, they promise afterwards the resurrection of our bodies : and to the righteous an eternity of most blessed life ; to the unrighteous, of extreme punishment.
" And, not content with this wild opinion, they add to it and associate with it old women's fables : they say that they will rise again after death, and ashes, and dust ; and with I know not what confidence, they believe by turns in one another's lies : you would think that they had already lived again. It is a double evil and a twofold madness to denounce destruc- tion to the heaven and the stars, which we leave just as we find them, and to promise eternity to ourselves, who are dead and extinct — who, as we are born, so also perish ! It is for this cause, doubtless, also that they execrate our funeral piles, and condemn our burials by fire, as if every body, even although it be withdrawn from the flames, were not, never- theless, resolved into the earth by lapse of years and ages, and as if it mattered not whether wild beasts tore the body to pieces, or seas consumed it, or the ground covered it, or the flames carried it away ; since for the carcases every mode of sepulture is a penalty if they feel it ; if they feel it not, in the very quickness of their destruction there is relief. De- ceived by this error, they promise to themselves, as being good, a blessed and perpetual life after their death ; to others, as being unrighteous, eternal punishment. Many things occur to me to say in addition, if the limits of my discourse did riot hasten me. I have already shown, and take no more pains to prove,^ that they themselves are unrighteous ; al- though, even if I should allow them to be righteous, yet your agreement also concurs with the opinions of many, that guilt and innocence are attributed by fate. For whatever we do, as some ascribe it to fate, so you refer it to God : thus it is
1 " And I have already shown, without any trouble," is another reading.
MINUCIUS FELIX. 467
according to your sect to believe that men will, not of their own accord, but as elected to will. Therefore you feign an iniquitous judge, who punishes in men, not their will, but their destiny. Yet I should be glad to be informed whether or no you rise again with bodies ;^ and if so, with what bodies — whether with the same or with renewed bodies ? Without a body ? Then, as far as I know, there will neither be mind, nor soul, nor life. With the same body ? But this has already been previously destroyed. With another body ? Then it is a new man who is born, not the former one re- stored ; and yet so long a time has passed away, innumerable ages have flowed by, and what single individual has returned from the dead either by the fate of Protesilaus, with permis- sion to sojourn even for a few hours, or that we might believe it for an example ? All such figments of an unhealthy belief, and vain sources of comfort, with which deceiving poets have trifled in the sweetness of their verse, have been disgracefully remoulded by you, believing undoubtingly ^ on your God.
CHAPTER XII.
Argumet^T. — Moreover J lohat ivill happen to the Chnstians themselves after death^ may he anticipated from the fact that even noiv they are destitute of all means, and are afflicted loith the heaviest calamities and miseries,
" Neither do you at least take experience from things pre- sent, how the fruitless expectations of vain promise deceive you. Consider, wretched creatures, [from your lot] while you are yet living, what is threatening you after death.^ Behold, a portion of you — and, as you declare, the larger and v/ better portion — are in want, are cold, are labouring in hard work and hunger; and God suffers it. He feigns ; He either
1 Otherwise, " without a body or with."
2 Otherwise, " too credulous."
^Otherwise, "while you consider, while you are yet alive, poor wretches, what is threatening after death."
4G8 THE OCTAVIUS OF
is not willing or not able to assist His people ; and thus He is either weak or inequitable. Thou, who dreamest over a posthumous immortality, when thou art shaken by danger/ when thou art consumed with fever, when thou art torn with pain, dost thou not then feel thy real condition ? Dost thou not then acknowledge thy frailty? Poor wretch, art thou unwillingly convinced of thine infirmity, and wilt not con- fess it? But I omit matters that are common to all alike. Lo, for you there are threats, punishments, tortures, and crosses ; and that no longer as objects of adoration, but as tortures to be undergone ; fires also, which you both predict and fear. Where is that God who is able to help you when you come to life again, since he cannot help you while you are in this life? Do not the Komans, without any help from your God, govern, reign, have the enjoyment of the Avhole world, and have dominion over you ? But you in the meantime, in suspense and anxiety, are abstaining from respectable enjoyments. You do not visit exhibitions ; you have no concern in public displays ; jou reject the public banquets, and abhor the sacred contests ; the meats previ- ously tasted by, and the drinks made a libation of upon, the altars. Thus you stand in dread of the gods whom you deny. You do not wreath your heads with flowers ; you do not grace your bodies with odoui's ; you reserve unguents for funeral rites ; you even refuse garlands to your sepulchres — pallid, trembling beings, worthy of the pity even of our gods ! Thus, wretched as you are, you neither rise again, nor do you live in the meanwhile. Therefore, if you have any wisdom or modesty, cease from prying into the regions of the sky, and the destinies and secrets of the world: it is sufficient to look before your feet, especially for untaught, uncultivated, boorish, rustic people : they who have no capa- city for understanding civil matters, are much more denied the ability to discuss divine.
1 Some read, " with shivering."
MINUCWS FELIX, 4C9
CHAPTER XIII.
Argument. — Ccecilius at length concludes that the new reli- gion is to he repudiated; and that ive must not rashly pronounce upon douUful matters.
'^ However, if you have a desire to pliilosopliizc, let any one of you who is sufficiently great, imitate, if he can, Socrates the prince of wisdom. The answer of that man, whenever he was asked about celestial matters, is well known: ' What IS ABOVE US IS NOTHING TO US.' Well, therefore, did he deserve from the oracle the testimony of singular wisdom, which oracle he himself had a presentiment of, that he had been preferred to all men for the reason, not that he had discovered all things, but because he had learnt that he knew^ nothino;. And thus the confession of imiorance is the height of wisdom. From this source flowed the safe doubting of Arcesilas, and long after of Carneades, and of very many of the Academics,^ in questions of the highest moment, in wdiich species of philosophy the unlearned can do much with caution, and the learned can do gloriously. What ! is not the hesitation of Simonides the lyric poet to be admired and followed by all? Which Simonides, when he was asked by Hiero the tyrant what, and what like he thought the gods to be, asked first of all for a day to deliberate ; then postponed his reply for two days ; and then, when pressed, he added only another ; and finally, when the tyrant inquired into the causes of such a long delay, he replied that, the longer his research continued, the obscurer the truth became to him.^ In my opinion also, things which are uncertain ought to be left as they are. Nor, while so many and so great men are deliberating, should we rashly and boldly give an opinion in another direction, lest either a childish superstition should be introduced, or all religion should be overthrown."
^ This is otherwise read, " Academic Pyrrhonists." 2 Cicero, de Natura Deorum, i. 22.
470 THE OCTAVIUS OF
CHAPTER XIV.
Argument. — With sometMng of the ijride of self-satisfaction^ Ca'cilius urges Octavius to reply to his arguments; and Minucius with modesty answers him, that he must not exult at his oivn hy no means ordinary eloquence^ and at the harmonious variety of his address.
Thus far Cascilins; and smiling cheerfully (for the vehe- mence of his lengthy discourse had relaxed the ardour of his indignation), he added : "And what does Octavius venture to reply to this, a man of the race of Plautus/ who, while he w^as chief among the millers, was still the lowest of philosophers ? " " Restrain," said I, " your self-approval against him ; for it is not worthy of you to exult at the harmony of your discourse, before the subject shall have been more fully argued on both sides ; especially since your reasoning is striving after truth, not praise. And in however great a degree your discourse has delighted me by its subtile variety, yet I am very deeply moved, not concerning the present discussion, but concerning the entire kind of disputation — that for the most part the condition of truth should be changed according to the powers of discussion, and even the faculty of perspicuous eloquence. This is very well known to occur by reason of the facility of the hearers, who, being distracted by the allurement of words from attention to things, assent without distinction to every- thing that is said, and do not separate falsehood from truth ; unaware that even in that which is incredible there is often truth, and in verisimilitude falsehood. Therefore the oftener they believe bold assertions, the more frequently they are convinced by those who are more clever, and thus are con-
^ " Plautinse prosapise." The expression is intended as a reproach against the humble occupations of many of the Christian professors. Plautus is said, when in need, to have laboured at a baker's hand-mill. Caecilius tells Octavius that he may be the first among the millers, but he is the last among the philosophers. Stieber proposes " Christianorum "' instead of " pistorum" — " Christians" instead of " millers."
MINUCIUS FELIX. 471
tliiiially deceived by their temerity. They transfer the blame of the judge to the complaint of uncertainty ; so that, every- tliing being condemned, they would rather that all things should be left in suspense, than that they should decide about matters of doubt. Therefore we must take care that we do not in such sort suffer from the hatred at once of all dis- courses, even as very many of the more simple kind are led to execration and hatred of men in general. For those who are carelessly credulous are deceived by those whom they thought worthy; and by and by, by a kindred error, they begin to suspect every one as wicked, and dread even those whom they might have regarded as excellent. Now there- fore we are anxious — because in everything there may be argument on both sides ; and on the one hand, the truth is for the most part obscure ; and on the other side there is a marvellous subtlety, which sometimes by its abundance of words imitates the confidence of acknowledged proof— as carefully as possible to weigh each particular, that we may, while ready to applaud acuteness, yet elect, approve, and adopt those things which are right."
CHAPTEE XV.
Argument. — Ccecilius retorts upon Minucius, with some little appearance of being hurt, that he is foregoing the office of a religious umpire, ichen he is iceahening the force of his argument. He says that it should he left to Octavius to confute all that he had advanced,
'^ You are withdrawing," says Ciecilius, ^' from the oflice of a religious judge ; for it is very unfair for you to weaken the force of my pleading by the interpolation of a very important argument, since Octavius has before him each thing tliat I have said, sound and unimpaired, if he can refute it." " What you are reproving," said I, " unless I am mistaken, I have brought forward for the common advantage, so that by a scrupulous examination we miglit weigh our decision, not by the pom-
472 THE OCTAVIUS OF
pous style of the eloquence, but by the solid character of the matter itself. Nor must our attention, as you complain, be any longer called away, but with absolute silence let us listen to the reply of our friend Januarius,^ who is now beckoning to us [that he is about to speak]."
CHAPTEE XVL
Akgument. — Octavius therefore arranges his reply , and trusts that he shall he able to dilute the bitterness of reproach u'ith the river of truthfid icords. He then 'proceeds to weaken the individual arguments of Coicilius. And he first of all lays it down, that nobody need complain that the Christians, unlearned though they may be, dispute about heavenly things, because it is not the authority of Mm u'ho argues, but the truth of the argument itself that should be considered.
And thus Octavius began : '^ I will indeed speak as I shall be able to the best of my powers, and you must endeavour w'ith me to dilute the very offensive stain of recriminations in the river ^ of veracious words. Nor will I disguise in the outset, that the opinion of my friend Natalis ^ has swayed to and fro in such an erratic, vague, and slippery manner, that Ave are compelled to doubt whether your * information was confused, or whether it w^avered backwards and forwards ^ by mere mistake. For he varied at one time from believing the gods, at another time to being in a state of hesitation on the subject ; so that the direct purpose of my reply was estab- lished with the greater uncertainty,'' by reason of the uncer- tainty of his proposition. But in my friend Natalis — I will
1 Sell " Octavius." 2 gome i^g^d, " in tlie light."
^ Crecilius. * Otherwise " his."
^ Some read " cavillaverit " instead of " vacillavcrit," which would
give the sense, " make captious objections."
^ This is otherwise given " certainty," which helps the meaning of the
passage.
MINUCIUS FELIX. 473
not allow, I do not believe in, any chicanery — far from his simplicity is crafty trickery.^ What then ? As he who knows not the right way, when as it happens one road is separated into many, because he knows not the way, remains in anxiety, and dares neither make choice of particular roads, nor try them all ; so, if a man has no stedfast judgment of truth, even as his unbelieving suspicion is scattered, so his doubting opinion is unsettled. It is therefore no wonder if Ccecilius in the same way is cast about by the tide, and tossed hither and thither among things contrary and repugnant to one another ; but that this may no longer be the case, I will con- vict and refute all that has been said, however diverse, con- firming and approving the truth alone ; and for the future he must neither doubt nor waver. And since my brother broke out in such expressions as these, that he was grieved, that he was vexed, that he was indignant, that he regretted that illiterate, poor, unskilled people should dispute about heavenly things ; let him know that all men are begotten alike, with a capacity and ability of reasoning and feeling, without preference of age, sex, or dignity; nor do they obtain wisdom by fortune, but have it implanted by nature ; moreover, that the very philosophers themselves, or any others who have gone forth unto celebrity as discoverers of arts, before they attained an illustrious name by their mental skill, were esteemed plebeian, untaught, half naked : thus, that rich men, attached to their means, have been accustomed to gaze more upon their gold than upon heaven, while our sort of people, though poor, have both discovered wisdom, and have delivered their teaching to others ; whence it appears that intelligence is not given to wealth, nor is gotten by study, but is begotten with the very formation of the mind. Therefore it is nothing to be angiy or to be grieved about, though any one should inquire, should think, should utter his thoughts about divine things ; since what is wanted is not the authority of the arguer, but the truth of the argu- ment itself : and even the more unskilled the discourse, the
^ Otherwise, " fear from his guileless subtlety is so crafty a trickery." But the readings are very unsettled.
474 THE OCTAVIUS OF
more evident the reasoning, since it is not coloured by the pomp of eloquence and grace ; but as it is, it is sustained by the rule of ri^ht.
CHAPTER XYII.
Aegument. — He confesses that man ought indeed to know himselfy hut absolutely denies that this knoivledge can be attained by him unless he first of all acknoiuledges the entire scope of things, and God Himself , And from the constitution and furniture of the world itself every one endowed with reason holds it as discovered that it ivas established by God, and is governed and administered by Him,
" Neither do I refuse to admit what Csecilius earnestly en- deavoured to maintain among the chief matters, that man ought to know himself, and to look around and see what he is, whence he is, why he is ; whether collected together from the elements, or harmoniously formed of atoms, or rather made, formed, and animated by God. And it is this very thing which we cannot seek out and investigate without inquiry into the universe ; since things are so coherent, so linked and associated together, that unless you diligently examine into the nature of divinity, you must be ignorant of that of humanity. Nor can you well perforin your social duty unless you know that community of the world which is common to all, especially since in this respect we differ from the wild beasts, that while they are prone and tending to the earth, and are born to look upon nothing but their food, we, whose countenance is erect, whose look is turned towards heaven, as is our converse and reason, whereby we recognise, feel, and imitate God,^ have neither right nor reason to be igno- rant of the celestial glory which forms itself into our eyes and senses. For it is as bad as the grossest sacrilege even, to seek on the ground for what you ought to find on high. ^ Some read, " the Lord God."
MINUCIUS FELIX. 475
Wherefore the rather, they who deny that this furniture of the whole world was perfected by the divme reason, and assert that it was heaped together by certain fragments ^ casually adhering to each other, seem to me not to have either mind or sense, or, in fact, even sight itself. For what can possibly be so manifest, so confessed, and so evident, w^hen you lift your eyes up to heaven, and look into the things which are below and around, than that there is some Deity of most excellent intelligence, by whom all nature is inspired, is moved, is nourished, is governed? Behold the heaven itself, how broadly it is expanded, how rapidly it is whirled around, either as it is distinguished in the night by its stars, or as it is lightened in the day by the sun, and you will know at once how the marvellous and divine balance of the Supreme Governor is engaged therein. Look also on the year, how it is made by the circuit of the sun ; and look on the month, how the moon drives it around in her increase, her decline, and decay. What shall I say of the recurring changes of darkness and light ; how there is thus provided for lis an alternate restoration of labour and rest ? Truly a more prolix discourse concerning the stars must be left to astronomers, whether as to how they govern the course of navigation, or bring on ^ the season of ploughing or of reap- ing, each of which things not only needed a Supreme Artist and a perfect intelligence, nor only to create, to construct, and to arrange ; but, moreover, they cannot be felt, perceived and understood without the highest intelligence and reason. What ! when the order of the seasons and of the harvests is distinguished by stedfast variety, does it not attest its Author and Parent? As well the spring with its flowers, and the summer with its harvests, and the grateful maturity of autumn, and the wintry olive-gathering,^ are needful ; and this order would easily be disturbed unless it were established by the highest intelligence. Now, how great is the providence needed, lest there should be nothing but winter to blast with
1 Sell " atoms."
2 According to some, " point out " or " indicate."
3 Olives ripen in the month of December.
476 THE OCTAVIUS OF
its frost, or nothing but summer to scorcli with its heat, to interpose the moderate temperature of autumn and spring, so that the unseen and harmless transitions of the year returning on its footsteps may gUde by ! Look attentively at the sea ; it is bound by the law of its shore. Wherever there are trees, look how they are animated from the bowels of the earth ! Consider the ocean ; it ebbs and flows with alternate tides. Look at the fountains, how they gush in perpetual streams ! Gaze on the rivers ; they always roll on in regular courses. Why should I speak of the aptly ordered peaks of the moun- tains, the slopes of the hills, the expanses of the plains ? Wherefore should I speak of the multiform protection pro- vided by animated creatures against one another ? — some armed with horns, some hedged with teeth, and shod with claws, and barbed w^ith stings, or with freedom obtained by swiftness of feet, or by the capacity of soaring furnished by wings ? The very beauty of our own figure especially con- fesses God to be its artificer : our upright stature, our uplook- ing countenance, our eyes placed at the top, as it were, for outlook ; and all the rest of our senses as if arranged in a citadel.
CHAPTER XVIIL
Argument. — Moreover, God not only takes care of the uni- versal world, hut of its individual parts. That hy the decree of the one God all things are governed, is proved hy the illustratio7i of earthly emjnres. But although He, heing infinite and immense — a7id hoiv great He is, is knoivn to Himself alone — cannot either he seen or named hy us, yet His glory is heheld most clearly ichen the use of all titles is laid aside.
" It would be a long matter to go through particular in- stances. There is no member in man which is not calculated both for the sake of necessity and of ornament ; and what is more wonderful still, all have the same form, but each has
MINUCIUS FELIX. 477
certain lineaments modified, and thus we arc eacli found to be unlike to one another, while we all appear to be like in general. What is the reason of our being born ? what means the desire of begetting ? Is it not given by God, and that the breasts should become full of milk as the offspring grows to maturity, and that the tender progeny should grow up by the nourishment afforded by the abundance of the milky mois- ture ? Neither does God have care alone for the universe as a whole, but also for its parts. Britain is deficient in sun- shine, but it is refreshed by the warmth of the sea that flows around it. The river Nile tempers the dryness of Egypt; the Euphrates cultivates Mesopotamia; the river Indus makes up for the want of rains, and is said both to sow and to water the East. Now if, on entering any house, you should behold everything refined, well arranged, and adorned, assuredly you would believe that a master presided over it, and that he himself was much better than all those excellent things. So in this house of the world, when you look upon the heaven and the earth, its providence, its ordering, its law, believe that there is a Lord and Parent of the universe far more glorious than the stars themselves, and the parts of the whole world. Unless, perchance — since there is no doubt as to the existence of providence — you think that it is a subject of inquiry, whether the celestial kingdom is governed by the power of one or by the rule of many ; and this matter itself does not involve much trouble in opening out, to one who considers earthly empires, for which the examples certainly are taken from heaven. When at any time was there an alliance in royal authority which either began with good faith or ceased without bloodshed ? I pass over the Persians, who gathered the augury for their chieftainship from the neighing of horses ; and I do not quote that absolutely dead fable of the Theban brothers.-^ The story about the twins [Romulus and Remus], in respect of the dominion of shepherds, and of a cottage, is very well known. The wars of the son-in-law and the father- in-law^ were scattered over the whole world; and the fortune *
1 Etcocles and Polynices. ^ Pompey and Csesar.
^ Accordiiifr to some, " one fate."
478 THE OCTAVIUS OF
of so great an empire could not receive two rulers. Look at other matters. The bees have one king ; the flocks one leader; among the herds there is one ruler. Canst thou believe that in heaven there is a division of the supreme power, and that the whole authority of that true and divine empire is sundered, when it is manifest that God, the Parent of all, has neither beginning nor end — that He who gives birth to all gives per- petuity to Himself — that He who was before the world, was Himself to Himself instead of the world ? He orders every- thing, whatever it is, by a word ; arranges it by His wisdom ; perfects it by His power. He can neither be seen — He is brighter than light ; nor can be grasped — He is purer than touch ; ^ nor estimated ; He is greater than all perceptions ; infinite, immense, and how great is known to Himself alone. But our heart is too limited to understand Him, and therefore we are then worthily estimating Him when we say that He is beyond estimation. I will speak out in what manner I feel. He who thinks that he knows the magnitude of God, is diminishing it ; he who desires not to lessen it, knows it not. Neither must you ask a name for God. God is His name. We have need of names when a multitude is to be separated into individuals by the special characteristics of names; to God, who is alone, the name God is the whole. If I were to call Him Father, you would judge Him to be earthly ; if a King, you would suspect Him to be carnal ; if a Lord, you will certainly understand Him to be mortal. Take away the additions of names, and you will behold His glory. What ! is it not true that I have in this matter the consent of all men ? I hear the common people, when they lift their hands to heaven, say nothing else but Oh God, and God is great, and God is true, and if God slicdl ^permit. Is this the natural discourse of the common people, or is it the prayer of a confessing Christian ? And they who speak of Jupiter as the chief, are mistaken in the name indeed, but they are in agreement about the unity of the power.
1 These words are omitted by some editors.
MINUCIUS FELIX. 479
CHAPTER XIX.
Argument. — Moreovevy the poets have called Him the Parent of gods and men, the Creator of all things, and their Mind and Spirit. And, besides, even the more excellent p)hiloso- phers themselves have come almost to the same conclusion as the Christians about the unity of God.
" I HEAR the poets also announcing ' the One Father of gods and men ; ' and that such is the mind of mortal men as the Parent of all has appointed His day.^ What says the [Mantuan Maro ? Is it not even more plain, more apposite, more true ? ' In the beginning/ says he, ' the spirit within nourishes, and the mind infused stirs the heaven and the earth/ and the other members ' of the world. Thence arises the race of men and of cattle/ ^ and every other kind of animal. The same poet in another place calls that mind and spirit God. For these are his words : ^ ' For that God per- vades all the lands, and the tracts of the sea, and the profound heaven, from whom are men and cattle, from whom are rain and fire.' * What else also is God announced to be by us, but mind, and reason, and spirit? Let us review, if it is agreeable, the teaching of philosophers. You will find them, although in varied kinds of discourse, yet in these matters concur and agree in this one opinion. I pass over those untrained and ancient ones who deserved to be called wise men for their sayings. Let Thales the Milesian be the first of all, for he first of all disputed about heavenly things. That same Thales the Milesian said that water was the be- ginning of things, but that God was that mind which from water formed all thinors. Ah ! a hisiher and nobler account of water and spirit than to have ever been discovered by man. It was delivered to him by God. You see that the
1 Homer, Odijiis. xviii. 136.
2 Virgil, JEne'id, vi. 724.
' Some read, " For these things are true." * Virgil, Georgic, iv. 221 ; ^Eneid, i. 747.
480 THE OCTAVIUS OF
opinion of this original philosopher absolutely agrees with ours. Afterwards Anaximenes, and then Diogenes of Apol- Ionia, decide that the air, infinite and unmeasured, is God. The agreement of these also as to the Divinity is like ours. But the description of Anaxagoras also is, that God is said to be the motion of an infinite mind ; and the God of Pytha- goras is the soul passing to and fro and intent, throughout the universal nature of things, from whom also the life of all animals Is received. It is a known fact, that Xenophanes delivered that God was all infinity with a mind ; and Antis- thenes, that there are many gods of the people, but that one God of Nature was the chief of all; that Xeuxippus^ acknow- ledged as God a natural animal force, whereby all things are governed. What says Democritus ? Although the first dis- coverer of atoms, does not he especially speak of nature, which is the basis of forms, and intelligence, as God ? Strato also himself says that God Is nature. Moreover, Epicurus, the man who feigns either otiose gods or none at all, still places above all. Nature. Aristotle varies, but nevertheless assigns a unity of power : for at one time he says that Mind, at another the World, Is God ; at another time he sets God above the world.^ Heraclides of Pontus also ascribes, although in various ways, a divine mind to God. Theophrastus, and Zeno, and Chrysippus, and Cleanthes are Indeed themselves of many forms of opinion ; but they are all brought back to the one fact of the unity of providence. For Cleanthes discoursed of God as of a mind, now of a soul, now of air, but for the most part of reason. Zeno, his master, will have the law of nature and of God, and sometimes the air, and sometimes reason, to be the beginning of all things. Moreover, by Interpreting Juno to be the air, Jupiter the heaven, Neptune the sea, Yulcan to be fire, and in like manner by showing the other gods of the common people to
^ Otherwise, " Speusippus."
2 The MS. here .inserts, " Aristoles of Pontus varies, at one tune attri- buting the supremacy to the workl, at another to the divine mind." Some think that this is an interpolation, others transfer the words to Theo- phrastus below.
MINUCIUS FELIX. 481
be elemonts, lie forcibly denounces and overcomes the public error. Chrysippus says almost the same. He believes that a divine force, a rational nature, and sometimes the world, and a fatal necessity, is God ; and he follows the example of Zeno in his physiological interpretation of the poems of Hesiod, of Homer, and of Orpheus. Moreover, the teaching of Diogenes of Babylon is that of expounding and arguing that the birth of Jupiter, and the origin of ^linerva, and this kind, are names for other things, not for gods. For Xenophon the Socratic says that the form of the true God cannot be seen, and therefore ought not to be inquired after. Aristo the Stoic ^ says that He cannot at all be com- prehended. And both of them were sensible of the majesty of God, while they despaired of understanding Him. Plato has a clearer discourse about God, both in the matters them- selves and in the names by which he expresses them ; and his discourse would be altogether heavenly, if it were not occa- sionally fouled by a mixture of merely civil belief. There- fore in his Timociis Plato's God is by His very name the parent of the world, the artificer of the soul, the fabricator of heavenly and earthly things, whom both to discover he declares is difiicult, on account of His excessive and incredi- ble power ; and when you have discovered Him, impossible to speak of in public. The same almost are the opinions also wdiich are ours. For we both know and speak of a God who is parent of all, and never speak of Him in public unless we are interro2;ated.
CHAPTER XX.
Argument. — But if the u-orld is ruled hy 2^^'ovidence and governed hy the icill of one God, an ignorant antiquity ought not to carry us away into the error of agreement loith it : although delighted ivith its oivn fables, it has brought in ridiculous traditions. Nor is it shown less plainly that the ivorship of the gods has ahvays been silly and impious, ^ Otherwise, " Aristo the Chiau." CYP. — VOL. II. 2 H
482 THE OCTAVIUS OF
in that the most ancient of men have venerated their Mugs, their illustrious generals, and inventors of arts, on account of their remarkable deeds, no otherwise than as Gods.
'^ I HAVE set forth the opinions ahnost of all the philosophers whose more illustrious glory it is to have pointed out that there is one God, although with many names ; so that any one might think either that Christians are now philosophers, or that philosophers were then ah^eady Christians. But if the world is governed by providence, and directed by the will of one God, antiquity of unskilled people ought not, however delighted and charmed with its own fables, to carry us away into the mistake of a mutual agreement, when it is rebutted by the opinions of its own philosophers, who are supported by the authority both of reason and of antiquity. For our ancestors had such an easy faith in falsehoods, that they rashly believed even other monstrosities as marvellous won- ders ; ^ a manifold Scylla, a Chimasra of many forms, and a Hydra rising again from its auspicious wounds, and Cen- taurs, horses entwined mth their riders; and whatever Eeport was allowed^ to feign, they were entirely willing to listen to. Why should I refer to those old wives' fables, that men were changed from men into birds and beasts, and from men into trees and flowers ? — which things, if they had happened at all, would happen again ; and because they cannot happen now, therefore never happened at all. In like manner with respect to the gods too, our ancestors believed carelessly, credulously, with untrained simplicity ; while worshipping their kings religiously, desiring to look upon them when dead in outward forms, anxious to preserve their memories in statues,^ those things became sacred which had been taken up merely as consolations. Thereupon, and before the world was opened up by commerce, and before the nations confounded their rites and customs, each particu-
1 Some editors read, " mere wonders," apparently on conjecture only.
2 Otherwise, " was pleased."
3 Four early editions read " instantius " for " in statuis," making the meaning probably, "more keenly," " more directly."
MINUCIUS FELIX. 483
lar nation venerated its Founder, or illustrious Leader, or modest Queen braver than her sex, or the discoverer of any sort of faculty or art, as a citizen of worthy memory ; and thus a reward was given to the deceased, and an example to those who were to follow.
CHAPTER XXL
Argument. — Octavius attests the fact that men were adopted as gods, by the testimony of Euliemerus, ProdicuSj Per- sceus, and Alexander the Great, who enumerate the country, the birthdays, and the burial-places of the gods. Moreover he sets forth the mournful endings, misfortunes, and deaths of the gods. And, in addition, he laughs at the ridiculous and disgusting absurdities ivhich the heathens continually allege about the form and appearance of their gods,
" Eead the WTitings of the Stoics,^ or the writings of wise men, you will acknowledge these facts with me. On account of the merits of their virtue or of some gift, Euhemerus asserts that they were esteemed gods ; and he enumerates their birthdays, their countries, their places of sepulture, and throughout various provinces points out these circumstances of the Dictsean Jupiter, and of the Delphic Apollo, and of the Pharian Isis, and of the Eleusinian Ceres. Prodicus speaks of men who were taken up among the gods, because they were helpful to the uses of men in their wanderings, by the discovery of new kinds of produce. Persseus philosophizes also to the same result ; and he adds thereto, that the fruits discovered, and the discoverers of those same fruits, were called by the same names ; as the passage of the comic writer runs, that Venus freezes without Bacchus and Ceres. Alexander the Great, the celebrated Macedonian, wrote in a remarkable document^
^ Otherwise, according to some, " of the historians." 2 This treatise is mentioned by Athenagoras, Legal, pro Christ, eh. xxiv. ; and by Augustine, de Civ. Dei, Hb. viii. ch. iii. and xxvii. In the fifth chapter Augustine calls the priest by the name of Leo.
484 THE OCTAVIUS OF
addressed to his mother, that tinder fear of his power there liad heen betrayed to him by the priest the secret of the gods having been men : to her he makes Vulcan the original of all, and then the race of Jupiter. And you behold the swallow and the cymbal of Isis/ and the tomb of your Serapis or Osiris empty, wath his limbs scattered about. Then consider the sacred rites themselves, and their very mysteries : you will find mournful deaths, misfortunes, and funerals, and the griefs and Tvailings of the miserable gods. Isis bewails, laments, and seeks after her lost son, with her Cynocephalus and her bald priests; and the wretched Isiacs beat their breasts, and imitate the grief of the most unhappy mother. By and by, when the little boy is found, Isis rejoices, and the j^riests exult, Cynocephalus the discoverer boasts, and they do not cease year by year either to lose wdiat they find, or to find what they lose. Is it not ridiculous either to grieve for what you worship, or to worship that over which you grieve ? Yet these were formerly Egyptian rites, and now are Roman ones. Ceres with her torches lighted, and surrounded - with a serpent, with anxiety and solicitude tracks the footsteps of Proserpine, stolen away in her wandering, and corrupted. These are the Eleusinian mysteries. And what are the sacred rites of Jupiter ? His nurse is a she-goat, and as an infant he is taken away from his greedy father, lest he should be devoured; and clanging uproar^ is dashed out of the cymbals of the Corybantes, lest the father should hear the infant's wailing. Cybele of Dindymus — I am ashamed to speak of it — who could not entice her adulterous lover, who unhappily was pleasing to her, to lewdness, because she her- self, as being the mother of many gods, was ugly and old, mutilated him, doubtless that she might make a god of the eunuch. On account of this story, the Galli also worship her by the punishment of their emasculated body. Now certainly these things are not sacred rites, but tortures. What are the very forms and appearances [of the gods] ? do
^ This passage is very doubtful both iu its text and its meaning.
2 Otherwise, " carried about."
2 Otherwise, " his approach is drowned."
MINUCIUS FELIX. 485
they not argue the contemptible and disgraceful characters of your gods ^^ Vulcan is a lame god, and crippled ; Apollo, smooth-faced after so many ages ; jZEsculapius well bearded, notwithstanding that he is the son of the ever youthful Apollo; Neptune with sea-green eyes; Minerva with eyes bluish grey ; Juno with ox-eyes ; ^Mercury with winged feet ; Pan with hoofed feet ; Saturn with feet in fetters ; Janus, indeed, wears two faces, as if that he might walk with looks turned back ; Diana sometimes is a huntress, with her robe girded up high ; and as the Epheslan she has many and fruitful breasts ; and when exaggerated as Trivia, she is horrible with three heads and with many hands. What is your Jupiter himself? Now he is represented in a statue as beardless, now he is set up as bearded ; and when he is called Hammon, he has horns ; and when Capltolinus, then he wields the thunderbolts ; and when Latlaris, he is sprinkled with gore ; and when Feretrius, he Is not approached ; ^ and not to mention any further the multitude of Juplters, the monstrous appearances of Jupiter are as numerous as his names. Eriffone was hano:ed from a noose, that as a viroln she might be glowing ^ among the stars. The Castors die by turns, that they may live, ^sculapius, that he may rise into a god, is struck with a thunderbolt. Hercules, that he may put off humanity, is burnt up by the fires of G^ta.'*
CHAPTEE XXII.
Argument. — Moreover, these fahles, icJnch at first ivere in- vented hj ignorant men, icere afterwards celebrated hy
^ Otherwise, " do tlicy not show what are the sports and the honoui'S of your gods ? "
2 These words are very variously read, Davis conjectures that they should be, " When Feretrius, he does not hear," and explains the allusion as follows: that Jupiter Feretrius could only be approached with the spolia opima ; and Minucius is covertly ridiculing the liomans, because, not having taken t^polla opima for so long a time, they could not ap- proach Feretrius.
^ Otherwise, "pointed out," or "designated."
* Otherwise corrupted into JEtna.
486 THE OCTAVIUS Oi
otiiersj ayid chiefly hy poets, icJio did no little mischief to the truth hy their authority ; and hy fictions of this kindy and hy falsehoods of a yet more attractive nature, the minds of young people are corompted, and thence they miserahly grow old in these heliefs, although, on the other hand, the truth is obvious to them if they will only seek after it,
" These fables and errors we both learn from ignorant parents, and, what is more serious still, we elaborate them in our very studies and instructions, especially in the verses of the poets, who as much as possible have prejudiced ^ the truth ^ by their authority. And for this reason Plato rightly expelled from the state which he had founded in his discourse, the illustrious Homer whom he had praised and crowned.^ For it was he especially who in the Trojan war allowed your gods, although he made jests of them, still to interfere in the affairs and doings of men : he brought them together in contest ; he wounded Venus ; he bound, wounded, and drove away Mars. He relates that Jupiter was set free by Briareus, so as not to be bound fast by the rest of the gods; and that he bewailed in showers of blood his son Sarpedon, because he could not snatch him from death; and that, enticed by the girdle of Venus, he lay more eagerly with his wife Juno than he was accustomed to do with his adulterous loves. Elsewhere Hercules threw out dung, and Apollo is feed- ing cattle for Admetus. Neptune, however, builds walls for Laomedon, and the unfortunate builder did not receive the wages for his work. Then Jupiter's thunderbolt is fabri- cated ^ on the anvil with the arms of ^neas, although there were heaven, and thunderbolts, and lightnings long before Jupiter was born in Crete ; and neither could the Cyclops imitate, nor Jupiter himself help fearing, the flames of the real thunderbolt. Why should I speak of the detected adul- tery of Mars and Venus, and of the violence of Jupiter against Ganymede, — a deed consecrated, [as you say,] in heaven?
^ Some read, " and it is marvellous bow these have prejudiced," etc. 2 Some read, " the truth itself." ^ pij;^^^ jg p^^p lib. jij.
* Otherwise, " Then Vulcan fabricates," etc.
MINUCIUS FELIX, 487
And all these things have been put forward with this view, that a certain authority might be gained for the vices^ of men. By these fictions, and such as these, and by lies of a more attractive kind, the minds of boys are corrupted ; and with the same fables clinging to them, they grow up even to the strength of mature age ; and, poor wretches, they grow old in the same beliefs, although the truth is plain, if they will only seek after it. For all the writers of antiquity, both Greek and Roman, have set forth that Saturn, the beginner of this race and multitude, was a man. Nepos knows this, and Cas- sius in his history ; and Thallus and Diodorus speak the same thing. This Saturn then, driven from Crete by the fear \ of his raging son, had come to Italy, and, received by the hospitality of Janus, taught those imskilled and rustic men many things, — as, being something of a Greek, and poHshed, — to print letters for instance, to coin money, to make in- struments. Therefore he preferred that his hiding-place, because he had been safely hidden [latent] there, should be called Latium ; and he gave a city, from his own name, the name of Saturnia, and Janus, Janiculum, so that each of them left their names to the memory of posterity. Therefore it was certainly a man that fled, certainly a man who was con- cealed, and the father of a man, and sprung from a man. He was declared, however, to be the son of earth or of heaven, because among the Italians he was of unknown parents ; as even to this day we call those who appear unexpectedly, sent from heaven, those who are ignoble and unknown, sons of the earth. His son Jupiter reigned at Crete after his father was driven out. There he died, there he had sons. To this day the cave of Jupiter is visited, and his sepulchre is shown, and he is convicted of being human by those very sacred rites of his.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Akgumext. — AltJiough the heathens achioideclne their kings to he mortal^ yet they feign that they are gods even against ^ Otlienvise, "judgments."
488 THE OCTAVIUS OF
their own icill, not because of their belief in their divinity^ but in honour of the j^oiver that they have exerted: and yet a true God has neither rising nor setting. Thence Octavius criticises the images and shines of the gods,
*' It is needless to go tlirougli each individual case, and to
develope the entire series of that race, since in its first parents
their mortality is proved, and must have flowed down into the
rest by the very law of their succession, unless perhaps you
fancy that they were gods after death ; as by the perjury of
Proculus, Komulus became a god ; and by the good-will of
the Mauritanians, Juba is a god ; and other kings are divine
who are consecrated, not in the faith of their divinity, but in
honour of the power that they exercised. ]\ioreover, this
name is ascribed to those wdio are unwilling to bear it. They
desire to persevere in their human condition. They fear that
they may be made gods ; although they are already old men,
they do not wish it. Therefore neither are gods made from
dead people, since a god cannot die ; nor of people that are
born, since everything wdiich is born dies. But that is divine
which has neither rising nor setting. For why, if they were
born, are they not born in the present day also ? — unless,
perchance, Jupiter has already grown old, and child-bearing
has failed in Juno, and Minerva has grown grey before she
has borne children. Or has that process of generation ceased,
for the reason that no assent is any longer yielded to fables
of this kind ? Besides, if the gods could create,^ they could
not perish : we should have more gods than all men together ;
so that now, neither w^ould the heaven contain them, nor the
air receive them, nor the earth bear them. Whence it is
manifest, that those w^ere men whom we both read of as
having been born, and know to have died. Who therefore
doubts that the common people pray to and publicly worship
the consecrated images of these men ; in that the belief and
mind of the ignorant is deceived by the perfection of art, is
blinded by the glitter of gold, is dimmed with the shining of
silver and the whiteness of ivory ? But if any one were to
^ " Be created " is a more probable reading.
MINUCIUS FELIX. 489
present to his mind with what instruments and with what machinery every image is formed, he woukl blush that he had feared matter, treated after his fancy by the artificer to make a god.^ For a god of wood, a portion perhaps of a pile, or of an unlucky log, is hung up, is cut, is hewn, is planed ; and a god of brass or of silver, often from an impure vessel, as was done by the Egyptian king, is fused, is beaten with hammers and forged on anvils ; and the god of stone is cut, is sculptured, and is polished by some abandoned man, nor feels the injury done to him in his nativity, any more than afterwards it feels the worship flowing from your veneration ; unless perhaps the stone, or the wood, or the silver is not yet a god. When, therefore, does the god begin his exist- ence ? Lo, it is melted, it is wrought, it is sculptured — it is not yet a god ; lo, it is soldered, it is built together — it is set up, and even yet it is not a god ; lo, it is adorned, it is con- secrated, it is prayed to — then at length it is a god, when man has chosen it to be so, and has dedicated it [for the purpose].
CHAPTER XXIY.
Argument. — He briefly sJwivSy moreover , ivhat ridiculous^ obscene, and cruel rites ivere observed in celebrating the mysteries of certain gods.
^' How much more truly do dumb animals naturally judge concerning your gods ? Mice, swallows, kites, know that they have no feeling : they gnaw them, they trample on them, they sit upon them; and unless you drive them off, they build their nests in the very mouth of your god. Spiders, indeed, weave their webs over his face, and suspend their threads from his very head. You wipe, cleanse, scrape, and you protect and fear those whom you make ; while not one of you tli'nks that he ought to know God before he worships
1 Otherwise, " that he had rashly been so deceived by the artificer in the material, as to make a god."
490 THE OCTAVIUS OF
Him ; desiring without consideration to obey their ancestors, choosing rather to become an addition to the error of others, than to trust themselves ; in that they know nothing of what they fear. Thus avarice has been consecrated in gold and silver ; thus the form of empty statues has been established ; thus has arisen Roman superstition. And if you reconsider the rites of these gods, how many things are laughable, and how many also pitiable ! Naked people run about in the raw winter ; some walk bonneted, and carry around old bucklers, or beat drums, or lead their gods a-begging through the streets. Some fanes it is permitted to approach once a year, some it is forbidden to visit at all. There is one place where a man may not go, and there are some that are sacred from women : it is a crime needing atonement for a slave even to be present at some ceremonies. Some sacred places are crowned by a woman having one husband, some by a woman with many ; and she who can reckon up most adulteries is sought after with most religious zeal. What! would not a man who makes libations of his own blood, and supphcates [his God] by his own wounds, be better if he were altogether pro- fane, than religious in such a way as this ? And he whose shameful parts are cut off, how greatly does he wrong God in seeking to propitiate Him in this manner ! since, if God wished for eunuchs. He could bring them as such into exist- ence, and would not make them so afterwards. Who does not perceive that people of unsound mind, and of weak and degraded apprehension, are foolish in these things, and that the very multitude of those who err affords to each of them mutual patronage ? Here the defence of the general mad- ness is the multitude of the mad people.
CHAPTER XXV.
Argument. — TJien he sJwivs that Ccecilms had been ivrong in asserting that the Romans had gained theu' power over the whole ivorld by means of the due observance of supersti- tions of this kind. Bather the Romans in their origin
Jim^UCIUS FELIX. 491
were collected by crime, and grew by the terrors of their ferocity. And therefore the Romans were not so great because they ivere religious, but because they ivere sacri- legious ivith impunity,
"Nevertheless, you will say that that very superstition itself gave, increased, and established their empire for the Romans, since they prevailed not so much by their valour as by their religion and piety. Doubtless the illustrious and noble justice of the Eomans had its beginning from the very cradle of the growing empire. Did they not in their origin, when gathered together and fortified by crime, grow by the terror of their own fierceness ? For the first people were assembled together as to an asylum. Abandoned people, profligate, incestuous, assassins, traitors, had flocked together; and in order that Romulus himself, their commander and governor, might excel his people in guilt, he committed fatricide.^ These are the first auspices of the religious state ! By and by they carried off, violated, and ruined foreign virgins, already betrothed, already destined for husbands, and even some young women from their marriage vows — a thing unexampled^ — and then engaged in war with their parents, that is, with their fathers-in-law, and shed the blood of their kindred. What more irreligious, what more audacious, what could be safer than the very con- fidence of crime ? Now, to drive their neighbours from the land, to overthrow the nearest cities, with their temples and altars, to drive them into captivity, to grow up by the losses of others and by their own crimes, is the course of training common to the rest of the kings and the latest leaders with Romulus. Thus, whatever the Romans hold, cultivate, possess, is the spoil of their audacity. All their temples are built from the spoils of violence, that is, from the ruins of cities, from the spoils of the gods, from the murders of priests. This is to insult and scorn, to yield to conquered religions, to adore them when captive, after having vanquished them. For to adore what you have taken by force, is to consecrate sacrilege, not divinities. As often, therefore, as the Romans triumphed ^ Parricidium. 2 Yipg. jEneid, viii. C35.
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so often they were polluted ; and as many trophies as they gained from the nations, so many spoils did they take from the gods. Therefore the Romans were not so great because they were religious, but because they were sacrilegious with impunity. For neither were they able in the wars themselves to have the help of the gods against whom they took up arms ; and they began to worship those when they were triumphed over, whom they had previously challenged. But what avail such gods as those on behalf of the Romans, wlio had had no power on behalf of their own worshippers against the Roman arms ? For we know the indigenous gods of the Romans — Romulus, Picus, Tiberinus, and Census, and Pilum- nus, and Picumnus. Tatius both discovered and worshipped Cloacina ; Plostilius, Fear and Pallor. Subsequently Fever was dedicated by I know not whom : such was the superstition that nourished that city, — diseases and ill states of health. Assuredly also Acca, Laurentia, and Flora, infamous harlots, must be reckoned among the diseases ^ and the gods of the Romans. Such as these doubtless enlarged the dominion of the Romans, in opposition to others who were worshipped by the nations : for against their own people neither did the Thracian Mars, nor the Cretan Jupiter, nor Juno, now of Argos, now of Samos, now of Carthage, nor Diana of Tauris, nor the Idsean mother, nor those Egyptian — not deities, but monstrosities — assist them ; unless perchance among the Romans the chastity of virgins was greater, or the religion of the priests more holy : though absolutely among very many of the virgins unchastity was punished, in that they, doubtless without the knowledge of Vesta, had intercourse too carelessly with men ; and for the rest their impunity arose not from the better protection of their chastity, but from the better fortune of their immodesty. And where are adul- teries better arranged by the priests than among the very altars and shrines'? where are more panderings debated, or more acts of violence concerted ? Finally, burning lust is more frequently gratified in the little chambers of the keepers of the temple, than in the brothels themselves. And still, long ^ Some read "probra" for "morbos," soil, "reproaches."
MINUCIUS FELIX. 493
before tlie Romans, by tlie ordering of God, the Assyrians held dominion, the Medes, the Persians, the Greeks also, and the Egyptians, although they had not any Pontiffs, nor Arvales, nor Salii, nor Vestals, nor Augurs, nor chickens shut up in a coop, by whose feeding or abstinence the highest concerns of the state were to be governed.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Argument. — The weapon that Ccecilius had slightly brandished against hirn, taken from the auspices and auguries of hirds^ Ootavius retorts by instancing the cases of BegiduSy Man- cinuSj Paulus, and Ccesar. And he shoivs by other ex- amples^ that the argument from the oracles is of no greater force than the others,
^^ And now I come to those Roman auspices and auguries which you have collected with extreme pains, and have borne testimony that they were both neglected with ill consequences, and observed with good fortune. Certainly Clodius, and Flaminius, and Junius lost their armies on this account, because they did not judge it well to wait for the very solemn omen given by the greedy pecking of the chickens. But what of Regulus? Did he not observe the auguries, and was taken captive ? Mancinus maintained his religious duty, and was sent under the yoke, and was given up. Paulus also had greedy chickens at Cannce, yet he was overthrown with the greater part of the republic.^ Caius Csesar despised the auguries and auspices that resisted his making his voyage into Africa before the winter, and thus the more easily he both sailed and conquered. But what and how much shall I go on to say about oracles ? After his death Amphiariius answered as to thino-s to come, thouo-h he knew not fwhile living] that he should be betrayed by his wife on account of
^ Reipublicse ; but it is shrewdly conjectured that the passage was written, "cum majore K. P. parte" — "with the greater part of the Eoman people," and the mistake made by the transcriber of the MS.
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a bracelet. The blind Tiresias saw the future, although he did not see the present. Ennius invented the replies of the Pythian Apollo concerning Pyrrhus, although Apollo had already ceased to make verses ; and that cautious and ambi- guous oracle of his, failed just at the time when men began to be at once more cultivated and less credulous. And Demos- thenes, because he knew that the answers were feigned, com- plained that the Vythm philippized. But sometimes, it is true, even auspices or oracles have touched the truth. Although among many falsehoods chance might appear as if it imitated forethought ; yet I will approach the very source of error and perverseness, whence all that obscurity has flowed, and both dig into it more deeply, and lay it open more manifestly. There are some insincere and vagrant spirits degraded from their heavenly vigour by earthly stains and lusts. Now these spirits, after having lost the simplicity of their nature by being weighed down and immersed in vices, for a solace of their cala- mity, cease not, now that they are ruined themselves, to ruin others : and being depraved themselves, to infuse into others the error of their depravity ; and being themselves alienated from God, to separate others from God by the introduction of degraded superstitions. The poets know that those spirits are demons ; the philosophers discourse of them ; Socrates knew it, who, at the nod and decision of a demon that was at his side, either declined or undertook affairs. The Magi, also, not only know that there are demons, but, moreover, whatever miracle they affect to perform, do it by means of demons ; by their aspirations and communications they show their wondrous tricks, making either those things appear which are not, or those things not to appear which are. Of those magicians, the first both in eloquence and in deed, Sosthenes,^ not only describes the true God with fitting majesty, but the angels that are the ministers and messengers of God, even the true God. And he knew that it enhanced His veneration, that in awe of the very nod and glance of their Lord they should tremble. The same man also declared that demons were earthly, wandering, hostile to humanity. ^ Otherwise Hostanes.
MINUCIUS FELIX, 495
What said Plato, who believed that it was a hard thino- to find out God ? Does not he also, without hesitation, tell of both angels and demons ? And in his Si/mjwsium also, does not he endeavour to explain the nature of demons ? For he will have it to be a substance between mortal and immortal — that is, mediate between body and spirit, compounded by a mingling of earthly weight and heavenly lightness ; whence also he warns us of the desire of love,^ and he says that it is moulded and glides into the human breast, and stirs the senses, and moulds the affections, and infuses the ardour of lust.
CHAPTEK XXVII.
Akgument. — To conjiimi what he has said, he goes over the ground again from its first beginning. Doubtless here is a source of error : demons lurh under the statues and images, they haunt the fanes, they animate the fibres of the entrails, direct the flights of birds, govern the lots, pour forth oracles involved in false responses. Nevertheless these thi7igs are not from God ; hut they are constrained to confess that they are made by themselves, when they are adjured by Christians in the name of the true God, and are driven from the possessed bodies. Hence they flee hastily from the neighbourhood of Christians, and stir up such a hatred against them in the minds of the Gentiles, that they begin to hate them before they know them, lest they may be able to imitate them if known, or should be unable to condemn them.
" These impure spirits, therefore — the demons — as is shown by the Magi, by the philosophers, and by Plato, consecrated under statues and images, lurk there, and by their afflatus attain the authority as of a present deity ; while in the mean- time they are breathed into the prophets, while they dwell in
^ According to some editors, " -vvariis us that the desii-e of love is received."
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the shrines, while sometimes they animate the fibres of the entrails, control the flights of birds, direct the lots, are the cause of oracles involved in many falsehoods. For they are both deceived, and they deceive ; inasmuch as they are both ignorant of the simple truth, and for their own rain they confess not that which they know. Thus they weigh men downwards from heaven, and call them away from the true God to material things : they disturb the life, render all men^ unquiet ; creeping also secretly into human bodies, with sub- tlety, as being spirits, they feign diseases, alarm the minds, wrench about the limbs ; that they may constrain men to worship them, that, being gorged with the fumes of altars or the sacrifices of cattle, by remitting what they had bound, they may seem to have cured it. These raging maniacs also, whom you see rush about in public, are moreover themselves prophets without a temple ; thus they rage, thus they rave, thus they are whirled around. In them also there is a like insticration of the demon, but there is a dissimilar occasion for their madness. From the same causes also arise those things which were spoken of a little time ago by you, that Jupiter demanded the restoration of his games in a dream, that the Castors appeared with horses, and that a small ship was following the leading of the matron's girdle. A great many, even some of your own people, know all those things that the demons themselves confess concerning themselves, as often as they are driven by us from bodies by the tor- ments of our Avords and by the fires of our prayers. Saturn himself, and Serapis, and Jupiter, and wdiatever demons you worship, overcome by pain, speak out what they are ; and assuredly they do not lie to their own discredit, especially when any of you are standing by. Since they themselves are the witnesses that they are demons, believe them when they confess the truth of themselves ; for when adjured by the only and true God, unwillingly the wretched beings shudder in^ their bodies, and either at once leap forth, or vanish by degrees, as the faith of the sufferer assists or the
1 Some read " slumbers*' for " all men."
2 " Cliiii? to " is another reading.
MINUCIUS FELIX. 497
grace of the healer inspires. Thus they fly from Christians when near at hand, whom at a distance they harassed by your means in their assemblies. And thus, introduced into the minds of the ignorant, they secretly sow there a hatred of us by means of fear. For it is natural both to hate one whom you fear, and to injure one whom you have feared, if you can. Thus they take possession of the minds and obstruct the hearts, that men may begin to hate us before they know us ; lest, if known, they should either imitate us, or not be able to condemn us.
CHAPTER XXVIIL
Argu3IEXt. — Nor is it only hatred that they arouse against the Christians, hut they charge against them horrid crimes, ichich up to this time have been j^roved hy nobody. This is the work of demons. For by them a false report is both set on foot and propagated. Most triumpliaiitly, Octavius proves that the Christians are falsely accused of sacrilege, of incest, of adultery, of parricide; and, moreover, that it is certain and true that the very same crimes, or crimes like to or greater than these, are in fact committed hy the Gentiles themselves,
" But how unjust it is,^ to form a judgment on things un- known and unexamined, as you do ! Believe us ourselves when penitent, for we also were the same as yon, and formerly, while yet blind and obtuse, thought the same things as you ; to wit, that tlie Christians worshipped monsters, devoured infants, mingled in incestuous banquets. And we did not perceive that such fables as these were always set afloat by those [newsmongers], and were never either inquired into nor proved ; and tliat in so long a time no one had appeared to betray [their doings], to obtain not only pardon for their crime, but also favour for its discovery : moreover, that it was to this extent not evil, that a Christian, when accused, 1 Otherwise read, " But how great a fault it is." CYr. — VOL. II. 2 I
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neither blushed nor feared, and that he only repented that he had not been one before. We, however, when we undertook to defend and protect some sacrilegious and incestuous persons, and even parricides, did not think that these [sc. Christians] were to be heard at all. Sometimes even, when we affected to pity them, we were more cruelly violent against them, so as to torture them ^ when they confessed, that they might deny, to wit, that they might not perish ; making use of a perverse inquisition against them, not to elicit the truth, but to compel a falsehood. And if any one, by reason of greater weakness, overcome with suffering, and conquered, should deny that he was a Christian, we showed favour to him, as if by forswear- ing that name he had at once atoned for all his deeds by that simple denial. Do not you acknowledge that we felt and did the same as you feel and do ? when, if reason and not the insti- gation of a demon were to judge, they should rather have been pressed not to disavow themselves Christians, but to confess themselves guilty of incests, of abominations, of sacred rites polluted, of infants immolated. For with these and such as these stories, did those same demons fill up the ears of the ignorant against us, to the horror of their execration. Nor yet was it wonderful, since the common report of men,^ which is always fed by the scattering of falsehoods, is wasted away when the truth is brought to light. Thus this is the business of demons, for by them false rumours are both sown and cherished. Thence arises what you say that you hear, that an ass's head is esteemed among us as a divine thing. Wlio is such a fool as to worsliip this ? Who is so much more foolish as to believe that it is an object of worship ? unless that you even consecrate whole asses in your stables, together with your Epona,^ and religiously devour^ those same asses with Isis. Also you offer up and worship the heads of oxen and of wethers, and you dedicate gods mingled also of a goat and a man, and gods witli the faces of dogs and lions. Do you not adore and feed Apis the ox, with the Egyptians ? And
1 " To urge them " is the reading in some texts.
2 " Of all men" is another reading. ^ Otherwise, " Hippona." * Otherwise, " devote," and other readings.
MINUCIUS FELIX. 499
you do not condemn tlicir sacred rites instituted in honour of serpents, and crocodiles, and other beasts, and birds, and fishes, of which if any one were to kill one of these gods, he is even punished with death. These same Egyptians, to- gether with very many of you, are not more afraid of Isis than they are of the pungency of onions, nor of Serapis more than they tremble at the basest noises produced by the foulness of their bodies. He also who fables against us about our adoration of the secret parts of the priest, tries to confer upon us what belongs really to himself. [Ista enim impudiciti33 eorum forsitan sacra sint, apud quos sexus omnis membris omnibus prostat, apud quos tota impudicitia vocatur urbanitas ; qui scortorum licentijB invident, qui medios viros lambunt, libidinoso ore inguinibus inhaerescunt, homines maljB linguse etiam si tacerent, quos prius taBdescit impudi- citioe sua3 quam pudescit.] Abomination ! they suffer on themselves such evil deeds, as no age is so effeminate as to be able to bear, and no slavery so cruel as to be compelled to endure.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Argument. — Nor is it more true that a man fastened to a cross on account of his crimes is worshipped hy Christians^ for they believe not only that He was innocent, hut with reason that He ivas God, But, on the other hand, the heathens invoke the divine powers of kings raised into gods hy themselves ; they pray to images, and heseech their genii.
" These, and such as these infamous things, we are not at liberty even to hear ; it is even disgraceful with any more words to defend ourselves from such charges. For you pre- tend that those things are done b}^ chaste and modest persons, which we should not believe to be done at all, unless you proved that they were true concerning yourselves. For in that you attribute to our religion the worship of a criminal and his cross, you wander far from the neighbourhood of the
500 THE OCTAVIUS OF
truth, in thinking either that a criminal deserved, or that an earthly being was able, to be believed God. Miserable in- deed is that man whose whole hope is dependent on mortal man, for all his help is put an end to with the extinction of the man. The Egyptians certainly choose out a man for themselves whom they may worship ; him alone they propi- tiate; him they consult about all things; to him they slaughter victims ; and he who to others is a god, to himself is certainly a man whether he will or no, for he does not deceive his own consciousness if he deceives that of others. Moreover, a false flattery disgracefully caresses princes and kings, not as great and chosen men, as is just, but as gods ; whereas honour is more truly rendered to an illustrious man, and love is more pleasantly given to a very good man. Thus they invoke their deity, they supplicate their images, they implore their Genius, that is, their demon ; and it is safer to swear falsely by the genius of Jupiter than by that of a king. Crosses, moreover, we neither worship nor wish for. You, indeed, who consecrate gods of wood, adore wooden crosses perhaps as parts of your gods. For your very stan- dards, as well as your banners, and flags of your camp, what else are they but crosses gilded and adorned ? Your victo- rious trophies not only imitate the appearance of a simple cross, but also that of a man affixed to it. We assuredly see the sign of a cross naturally, in the ship when it is carried along with swelling sails, when it glides forward with ex- panded oars ; and when the military yoke is lifted up, it is the slo-n of a cross ; and when a man adores God with a pure mind, with hands outstretched. Thus the sign of the cross either is sustained by a natural reason, or your own religion is formed with respect to it.
CHAPTER XXX.
Argument. — Octavius sJiows ^^Zam/y that the story aJjout Christians drinking the blood of an infant that they have murderedj is a most barefaced calumny. But the Gentiles,
MINUCIUS FELIX. 501
he says, loth cmelly expose their children newly horn, and before they are horn destroy them hy a cruel ahortion. Cliristians are neither alloived to see nor to hear of man- slaughter.
" And now I sliould wish to meet him who says or believes tliat we are initiated by the sLanghter and blood of an infant. Think you that it can be possible for so tender, so little a body to receive those fatal wounds ; for any one to shed, pour forth, and drain that new blood of a youngling, and of a man scarcely come into existence ? No one can believe this, except one who can dare to do it. And I see that you at one time expose your begotten children to wild beasts and to birds; at another, that you crush them when strangled with a miser- able kind of death. There are some women who, by drink- ing medical preparations,^ extinguish the source of the future man in their very bowels, and thus commit a parricide before they bring forth. And these things assuredly come down from the teaching of your gods. For Saturn did not expose his children, but devoured them. . With reason were infants sacrificed to him by parents in some parts of Africa, caresses and kisses repressing their crying, that a weeping victim might not be sacrificed. Moreover, among the Tauri of Pontus, and to the Egyptian Busiris, it was a sacred rite to immolate their guests, and for the Galli to slaughter to Mercury human, or rather inhuman, sacrifices. The Roman sacrificers buried living a Greek man and a Greek woman, a Gallic man and a Gallic woman ; and to this day, Latiaris Jupiter is worshipped by them with murder ; and, what is worthy of the son of Saturn, he is gorged with the blood of an evil and criminal man. I believe that he himself taiiMit Catiline to conspire under a compact of blood, and Bellona to steep her sacred rites with a draught of human gore, and taught men to heal epilepsy with the blood of a man, that is, with a worse disease. They also are not unlike to him who devour the wild beasts from the arena, besmeared and stained with blood, or fattened with the limbs or the entrails of men. ^ By medicaments and drinks.
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To Tis it is not lawful either to see or to hear of homicide ; and so much do we shrink from human blood, that we do not use the blood even of eatable animals in our food.
CHAPTER XXXI.
Argument. — The cliarge of our entertainments heing polluted with incest, which is objected to Christians, is entirely opposed to all prohahility, ivhile it is plain that Gentiles are actually guilty of incest. The banquets of Christians are not only modest, but temperate. In fact, incestuous lust is so unheard of, that ivith many even the modest asso- ciation of the sexes gives rise to a blush.
" And of the incestuous banqueting, the plotting of demons has falsely devised an enormous fable against us, to stain the glory of our modesty, by the loathing excited by an outrageous infamy, that before inquiring into the truth it might turn men away from us by the terror of an abominable charge. It was thus your own Fronto acted in this respect : he did not pro- duce testimony, as one who alleged a charge, but he scattered reproaches as a rhetorician. For these things have rather originated from your own nations. Among the Persians, a promiscuous association between sons and mothers is allowed. Marriages with sisters are legitimate among the Egyptians and in Athens. Your records and your tragedies, which you both read and hear with pleasure, glory in incests : thus also you worship incestuous gods, who have intercourse with mothers, with daughters, with sisters. With reason, therefore, is incest frequently detected among you, and is continually permitted. Miserable men, you may even, without knowing it, rush into what is unlawful : since you scatter your lusts promiscuously, since you everywhere beget children, since you frequently expose even those who are born at home to the mercy of others, it is inevitable that you must come back to your own children, and stray to your own offspring. Thus you continue the story of incest, even although you have no
MINUCIUS FELIX. 503
consciousness of your crime. But we maintain our modesty not in appearance, but in our heart we gladly abide by the bond of a single marriage ; in the desire of procreating, we know either one wife, or none at all. We practise sharing in banquets, which are not only modest, but also sober : for we do not indulge in entertainments nor prolong our feasts with wine ; but we temper our joyousness with gravity, with chaste discourse, and with body even more chaste — several of us unviolated ; enjoy rather than make a boast of a per- petual virginity of body. So far, in fact, are they from indulging in incestuous desire, that with some even the modest intercourse of the sexes causes a blush. Neither do we at once stand on the level of the lowest of the people, if we refuse your honours and purple robes ; and we are not fastidious, if we all have a discernment of one good, but are assembled together with the same quietness with which we live as individuals; and we are not garrulous in corners, although you either blush or are afraid to hear us in public. And that day by day the number of us is increased, is not a ground for a charge of error, but is a testimony which claims praise ; for, in a fair mode of life, our actual number both continues and abides undiminished, and Strangers increase it. Thus, in short, Ave do not distinguish our people by some small bodily mark, as you suppose, but easily enough by the sign of innocency and modesty. Thus we love one another, to your regret, with a mutual love, because we do not know how to hate. Thus we call one another, to your envy, brethren, as being men born of one God and Parent, and companions in faith, and as fellow-heirs in hope. You, how- ever, do not recognise one another, and you are cruel in your mutual hatreds ; nor do you acknowledge one another as brethren, unless indeed for the purpose of fratricide.
CHAPTER XXXII.
Argument. — Nor can it he said that the Christians conceal what they ivorship because they have no temj^les and no
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altars^ inasmuch as they are persuaded that God can he circumscribed by no temple^ and that no likeness of Him can he made. But He is everyivhere jyresent, sees all things, even the most secret thoughts of our heart; and ice live near to Him, and in His protection.
" But do you think that we conceal what we worship, if we have not temples and altars ? And yet what image of God shall I make, since, if you think rightly, man himself is the image of God ? What temple shall I build to Him, when this whole world fashioned by His work cannot receive Him ? And when I, a man, dwell far and wide, shall I shut up the might of so great majesty within one little building ? Were it not better that He should be dedicated in our mind, con- secrated in our inmost heart? Shall I offer victims and sacrifices to the Lord, such as He has produced for my use, that I should throw back to Him His own gift ? It is un- grateful Avhen the victim fit for sacrifice is a good disposition, and a pure mind, and a sincere judgment.-^ Therefore he who cultivates innocence supplicates God ; he who cultivates justice makes offerings to God ; he who abstains from fraudu- lent practices propitiates God ; he who snatches man from danger slaughters the most acceptable victim. These are our sacrifices, these are our rites of God's worship; thus, among us, he who is most just is he who is most religious. But certainly the God whom we worship we neither show nor see. Verily for this reason we believe Him to be God, that we can be conscious of Him, but cannot see Him ; for in His works, and in all the movements of the world, we behold His power ever present when He thunders, lightens, darts His bolts, or when He makes all bright again. Nor should you wonder if you do not see God. By the wind and by the blasts of the storm all things are driven on and shaken, are agitated, and yet neither wind nor tempest comes under our eyesight. Thus we cannot look upon the sun, which is the cause of seeing to all creatures : the pupil of the eye is withdrawn from his rays, the gaze of the beholder ^ According to some editions, "conscience."
MINUCIUS FELIX. 505
is dimmed ; and if you look too long, all power of sight is extinguished. What ! can you sustain the Architect of the sun Himself, the very source of light, when you turn your- self away from His lightnings, and hide yourself from His thunderholts ? Do you wish to see God with your carnal eyes, when you are neither able to behold nor to grasp your own soul itself, by which you are enlivened and speak ? But, moreover, it is said that God is ignorant of man's doings ; and being established in heaven. He can neither survey all nor know individuals. Thou errest, O man, and art deceived; for from where is God afar off, when all things heavenly and earthly, and which are beyond this province of the universe, are known to God, are full of God ? Everywhere He is not only very near to us, but He is infused into us. Therefore once more look upon the sun : it is fixed fast in the heaven, yet it is diffused over all lands equally ; present everywhere, it is associated and mingled with all things ; its brightness is never violated. How much more God, who has made all things, and looks upon all things, from whom there can be nothing secret, is present in the darkness, is present in our thoughts, as if in the deep darkness. Not only do we act in Him, but alsOj I had almost said, w^e live with Him.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Argument. — That even if God he said to have nothing availed the Jeios^ certainly the writers of the Jewish annals are the most sufficient witnesses that tlieij forsook God before they IV ere forsaken hy Him,
" Neither let us flatter ourselves concerning our multitude. We seem many to ourselves, but to God we are very few. We distinguish peoples and nations ; to God this whole world is one family. Kings only know all the matters of their kingdom by the ministrations of their servants ; God has no need of information. We not only live in His eyes, but also in His bosom. But [it is objected] that it availed the Jews
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nothing that they themselves worshipped the one God with altars and temples, with the greatest superstition. You are guilty of ignorance if you are recalling later events while you are forgetful or unconscious of former ones. For they themselves also, as long as they worshipped our God — and He is the same God of all — with chastity, innocency, and religion, as long as they obeyed His wholesome precepts, from a few became innumerable, from poor became rich, from being servants became kings ; a few overwhelmed many ; un- armed men overwhelmed armed ones as they fled from them, following them up by God's command, and with the elements striving on their behalf. Carefully read over their Scrip- tures, or if you are better pleased with the Roman writings, inquire concerning the Jews in the books (to say nothing of ancient documents) of Flavins Josephus or Antoninus Julianus, and you shall know that by their wickedness they deserved this fortune, and that nothing happened which had not before been predicted to them, if they should persevere in tlieir obstinacy. Therefore you will understand that they forsook before they were forsaken, and that they were not, as you impiously say, taken captive with their God, but they were given up by God as deserters from His discipline.
CHAPTER XXXIY.
Argument. — Moreover, it is not at all to he wondered at if this ivorld be at length to he consumed hy fire, since every- thing which has a beginning has also an end. And the ancient philosophers are not averse from the opinion of the probable burning up) of the ivorld. Yet it is evident that God having made man from nothing, can raise him up from death into life. And all nature suggests a future resurrection.
" Further, in respect of the burning up of the world, it is a vulgar error not to believe either that fire will fall upon it in an unforeseen way, or that the world will be destroyed
MINUCIUS FELIX. 507
by it.^ For who of wise men doiibtSj who is ignorant, that all things which have had a beginning perish, all things wliicli are made come to an end ? The heaven also, with all things which are contained in heaven, will cease even as it beo-an. The nourishment of the seas by the sweet waters of the springs shall pass away into the power of fire.^ The Stoics have a constant belief that, the moisture being dried up, all this world will take fire ; and the Epicureans have the very same opinion concerning the conflagration of the elements and the destruction of the world. Plato speaks, saying that parts of the world are now inundated, and are now burnt up by alternate changes ; and although he says that the world itself is constructed perpetual and indissoluble, yet he adds that to God Himself, the only artificer,^ it is both dissoluble and mortal. Thus it is no wonder if that mass be destroyed by Him by wdiom it was reared. You observe that philosophers dispute of the same things that we are saying, not that we are following up their tracks, but that they, from the divine announcements of the prophets, imitated the shadow of the corrupted truth. Thus also the most illustrious of the wise men, Pythagoras first, and Plato chiefly, have delivered the doctrine of resurrection with a corrupt and divided faitli ; for they will have it, that the bodies being dissolved, the souls alone both abide for ever, and very often pass into other new bodies. To these things they add also this, by way of misrepresenting the truth, that the souls of men return into cattle, birds, and beasts. Assuredly such an opinion as that is not worthy of a philosopher's inquiry, but of the ribaldry of a buffoon."* But for our argument it is sufficient, that even in this your wise men do in some measure harmonize with us. But who is so foolish or so brutish as to
^ This passage is very indefinite, and probably corrupt ; the meaning is anything but satisfactory. The general meaning is given freely thus : " Further, it is a vulgar error to doubt or disbelieve a future conflagra- tion of the world."
2 This passage is very variously read, without substantial alteration of the sense.
^ Otherwise, " to God Himself alone, the artificer."
* This is otherwise read, " the work of the mimic or buflfoon."
508 THE OCTAVIUS OF
dare to deny that man, as he could first of all be formed by God, so can agam be re-formed; that he is nothing after death, and that he was nothing before he began to exist; and as from nothing it was possible for him to be born, so from nothing it may be possible for him to be restored? Moreover, it is more difficult to begin that which is not, than to repeat that which has been. Do you think that, if anything is withdrawn from our feeble eyes, it perishes to God? Every body, whether it is dried up into dust, or is dissolved into moisture, or is compressed into ashes, or is attenuated into smoke, is withdrawn from us, but it is reserved for God in the custody of the elements. Nor, as you believe, do we fear any loss from sepulture,^ but we adopt the ancient and better custom of burying in the earth. See, therefore, how for our consolation all nature suggests a future resurrection. The sun sinks down and arises, the stars pass away and return, the flowers die and revive again, after their wintry decay the shrubs resume their leaves, seeds do not floui'ish again unless they are rotted : thus the body in the sepulchre is like the trees which in winter hide their verdure with a deceptive dryness. Why are you in haste for it to revive and return, while the winter is still raw? We must wait also for the spring-time of the body. And I am not ignorant that many, in the consciousness of what they deserve, rather desire than believe that they shall be nothing after death ; for they would prefer to be altogether extinguished, rather than to be restored for the purpose of punishment. And their error also is enhanced, both by the liberty granted them in this life, and by God's very great patience, whose judgment, the more tardy it is, is so much the more just.
CHAPTEE XXXV.
Argument. — Octavius i^roceeds to sJioiu that rigJiteoiis and pious men shall he reicarded icith never-ending felicity , hnt that wirighteous men shall he visited ivith eternal punish- ^ Sell. " by burning."
MINUCIUS FELIX, 509
ment Then he thoroughly demonstrates that the morals of Christians are far more hohj than those of the Gentiles.
" And yet men are admonished in the books and poems of tlie most learned poets of that fiery river, and of the heat flowing in manifold turns from the Stygian marsh, — things which, prepared for eternal torments, and known to them by the information of demons and from the oracles of their prophets, they have delivered to us. And therefore among them also even king Jupiter himself swears religiously by the parching banks and the black abyss ; for, w4th foreknowledge of the punishment destined to him, with his worshippers, he shudders. Nor is there either measm-e or termination to these torments. There the intelligent fire ^ burns the limbs and restores them, feeds on them and nourishes them. As the fires of the thunderbolts strike upon the bodies, and do not consume them ; as the fires of Mount Etna and of Mount Vesuvius, and of burning lands everywhere, glow, but are not wasted ; so that penal fire is not fed by the waste of those wdio burn, but is nourished by the unexhausted eating aw^ay of their bodies. But that they who know not God are deservedly tormented as impious, as unrighteous persons, no one except a profane man hesitates to believe, since it is not less wicked to be ignorant of, than to offend the Parent of all, and the Lord of all. And althouo-h imiorance of God is sufficient for punishment, even as knowledge of Him is of avail for pardon, yet if we Christians be compared with you, although in some things our discipline is inferior, yet we shall be found much better than you. For you forbid, and yet commit, adul- teries ; we are born " men only for our own wives : you punish crimes wdien committed ; wdtli us, even to think of crimes is to sin : you are afraid of those who are aware of what you do ; we are even afraid of our own conscience alone, witliout which we cannot exist : finally, from your numbers the prison
^ rrvp aaippo'jovv is an expression of Clemens Alexandrinus, so that there is no need for the emendation of " rapiens" instead of " sapiens," that is suggested by one editor.
2 ' ' Are known as " is another reading.
510 THE OCTAVIUS OF
boils over ; but there is no Christian there, unless he is accused on account of his religion, or a deserter.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Argument. — And he teaches with no less clearness that fate is nothing, except so far as FATE is GoD. Mans 7nind is free, and therefore so is his action : his birth is not brought into judgment. Afterwards he makes it ve7y evident that it is not a matter of infamy, but of glory, that Christians are reproached for their poverty ; and the fact that they suffer bodily evils is not as a penalty, but as a discipline,
" Neither let any one either take comfort from, or apologize for what happens from fate. Let what happens be of the dis- position of fortune, yet the mind is free ; and therefore man's doing, not his dignity, is judged. For what else is fate than what God has spoken \_fatus'\ of each one of us ? who, since He can foresee our constitution, determines also the fates for us, according to the deserts and the qualities of individuals. Thus in our case it is not the star under which we are born that is punished, but the particular nature of our disposition is blamed. And about fate enough is said ; or if, in conside- ration of the time, we have spoken too little, we shall argue the matter at another time more abundantly ^ and more fully. But that many of us are called poor, this is not our disgrace, but our glory ; for as our mind is relaxed by luxury, so it is strengthened by frugality. And yet who can be poor if he does not want, if he does not crave for the possessions of others, if he is rich towards God ? He rather is poor, who, although he has much, desires more. Yet I will speak ^ according as I feel. No one can be so poor as he is born. Birds live without any patrimony, and day by day the cattle are fed ; and yet these creatures are born for us — all of which
1 Otherwise read, " both more truly."
2 Some read, " I will speak at length."
MINUCIUS FELIX, 511
things, if we do not lust after, we possess. Therefore, as he who treads a road is the happier the lighter he walks, so happier is he in this journey of life who lifts himself along in poverty, and does not breathe heavily under the burden of riches. And yet even if we thought w^ealth useful to us, we should ask it of God. Assuredly He might be able to indulge us in some measure, whose is the whole ; but we would rather despise riches than possess them : ^ we desire rather innocency, we rather entreat for patience, we prefer being good to being prodigal ; and that we feel and suffer the human mischiefs of the body is not punishment — it is warfare. For fortitude is strengthened by infirmities, and calamity is very often the discipline of virtue ; in addition, strength both of mind and of body grows torpid without the exercise of labour. There- fore all your mighty men whom you announce as an example have flourished illustriously by their afflictions. And thus God is neither unable to aid us, nor does He despise us, since He is both the ruler of all men and the lover of His own people. But in adversity He looks into and searches out each one ; He weighs the disposition of every individual in dangers, even to death at last ; He investigates the will of man, certain that to Him nothing can perish. Therefore, as gold by the fires, so are we declared by critical moments.
CHAPTER XXXVIL
Argument. — Tortuy^es most unjustly inflicted for the confes- sion of Chrises name are spectacles worthy of God, A nd this indeed Octavius most j^lainly showsy by a comparison instituted between some of the bravest of the heathens and the holy martyrs. He declares that Christians do not present themselves at public shows and processionSj because they know them^ with the greatest certainty, to be no less impious than cruel.
" How beautiful is the spectacle to God when a Christian 1 Probably a better reading is " strive for tliein."
512 THE OCTAVIUS OF
does battle with pain ; when lie is drawn up against threats, and punishments, and tortures ; when, mocking ^ the noise of death, he treads under foot the horror of the executioner ; when he raises up his liberty against kings and princes, and yields to God alone, whose he is ; when, triumphant and victorious, he tramples upon the very man who has pro- nounced sentence against him ! For he has conquered who has obtained that for which he contends. What soldier would not provoke peril with greater boldness under the eyes of his general? For no one receives a reward before his trial, and yet the general does not give what he has not : he cannot preserve life, but he can make the warfare glorious. But God's soldier is neither forsaken in suffering, nor is brought to an end by death. Thus the Christian may seem to be miserable ; he cannot be really found to be so. You yourselves extol unfortunate men to the skies ; Mucins Scggvola, for instance, who, when he had failed in his attempt against the king, would have perished among the enemies unless he had sacrificed his right hand. And how many of our people have borne that not their right hand only, but their whole body, should be burned — burned up without any cries of pain, especially when they had it in their po^yer to be sent away ! Do I compare men with Mucins or Aquilius, or with Regulus ? Yet boys and young women among us treat with contempt crosses and tortures, wild beasts, and all the bugbears of punishments, with the inspired ^ patience of suf- fering. And do you not perceive, O wretched men, that there is nobody who either is willing without reason to undergo punishment, or is able without God to bear tor- tures ? Unless, perhaps, the fact has deceived you, that those who know not God abound in riches, flourish in honours, and excel in power. Miserable men ! in this respect they are lifted up the higher, that they may fall down lower. For these are fattened as victims for punishment, as sacrifices
1 " Arridens," but otherwise " arripiens," scil. "snatching at," sug- gesting possibly the idea of the martyrs chiding the delays of the exe- cutioners, or provoking the rush of the wild beasts.
2 Otherwise, " unhoped-for."
MINUCIUS FELIX. 513
thcj are crowned for the slaughter. Tims in this respect some are lifted up to empires and dominations, that the un- restrained exercise of power might make a market of their spirit to the unbridled licence that is characteristic of a ruined soul.^ For, apart from the knowledge of God, what solid happiness can there be, since death must come ? Like a dream, happiness slips away before it is grasped. Are you a king ? Yet you fear as much as you are feared ; and however you may be surrounded with abundant followers, yet you are alone in the presence of danger. Are you rich ? But fortune is ill trusted ; and with a large travelling equipage the brief journey of life is not furnished, but burdened. Do you boast of the fasces and the magisterial robes ? It is a vain mistake of man, and an empty worship of dignity, to glitter in purple and to be sordid in mind. Are you elevated by nobility of birth ? do you praise your parents ? Yet w^e are all born with one lot ; it is only by virtue that we are distinguished. We therefore, wdio are estimated by our character and our modestv, reasonably abstain from evil pleasures, and from your pomps and exhibitions, the origin of which in connection with sacred things we know, and condemn their mischievous en- ticements. For in the chariot o;ames who does not shudder at the madness of the people brawling among themselves ? or at the teaching of murder in the gladiatorial games ? In the scenic games also the madness is not less, but the de- bauchery is more prolonged : for now a mimic either expounds or shows forth adulteries ; now a nerveless player, while he feigns lust, suggests it ; the same actor disgraces your gods by attributing to them adulteries, sighs, hatreds; the same provokes your tears with pretended sufferings, with vain gestures and expressions. Thus you demand murder, in fact, while you weep at it in fiction.
1 This passage is peculiar; the original is, "Ut ingenium eornm pcr- ditre mentis licentire potcstatis liberse nundinentur," with various modi- fications of reading.
CYr. — VOL. IT. 2 K
514 THE OCTAVIUS OF
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Argument. — Moreover, the Christians abstain from things connected with idol sacrifices, lest any one shoidd think either that they yield to demo7is, or that they are ashamed of their religion. They do not indeed despise all the colour and scent of flowers, for they are accustomed to use them scattered about loosely and 7iegligently, as ivell as to entivine their necks with garlands ; bat to crown the head of a corpse they think superfluous and useless. Moreover, with the same tranquillity loith which they live they bury their dead, waiting ivith a very captain hope the crown of eternal felicity. Therefore their religion, rejecting all the supersti- tions of the Gentiles, should be adopted as true by all men.
" But that we despise the leavings of sacrifices^ and the cups out of which libations have been poured, is not a confession of fear, but an assertion of our true liberty. For although nothing which comes into existence as an inviolable gift of God is corrupted by any agency, yet we abstain, lest any should think either that we are submitting to demons, to whom libation has been made, or that we are ashamed of our religion. But who is he who doubts of our indulging our- selves in spring flowers, when we gather both the rose of spring and the lily, and whatever else is of agreeable colour and odour among the flowers'? For these we both use scattered loose and free, and we twine our necks with them in garlands. Pardon us, forsooth, that we do not crown our heads ; we are accustomed to receive the scent of a sweet flower in our nos- trils, not to inhale it with the back of our head or with our hair. Nor do we crown the dead. And in this respect I the more wonder at you, in the way in which you apply to a lifeless person, or to one who does not feel, a torch ; or a garland^ to one who does not smell it, when either as blessed he does not want, or, being miserable, he has no pleasure in,
^ The probable reading here is, " You apply to a lifeless person, either if he has feeling, a torch ; or, if he feels not, a garland."
MINUCIUS FELIX. 515
flowers. Still we adorn our obsequies with the same tran- quilHty with which we live; and we do not bind to us a withering garland, but we wear one living with eternal flowers from God, since we, being both moderate and secure in the liberality of our God, are animated to the hope of future felicity by the confidence of His present majesty. Thus we both rise again in blessedness, and are already living in con- templation of the future. Then let Socrates the Athenian buffoon see to it, confessing that he knew nothing, although boastful in tlie testimony of a most deceitful demon ; let Arcesilaus also, and Carneades, and Pyrrho, and all the mul- titude of the Academic philosophers, deliberate ; let Simonides also for ever put off the decision of his opinion. We despise the bent brows of the philosophers, whom we know to be corrupters, and adulterers, and tyrants, and ever eloquent against their own vices. We who^ bear wisdom not in our dress, but in our mind, we do not speak great things, but we live them ; we boast that we have attained what they have sought for with the utmost eagerness, and have not been able to find. Why are we ungrateful ? why do we grudge if the truth of divinity has ripened in the age of our time? Let us enjoy our benefits, and let us in rectitude moderate our judg- ments; let superstition be restrained; let impiety be expiated; let true religion be preserved."
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Argument. — When Octavius had finished this address^ Mimi- cius and Cceciliiis sate for some time in attentive and silent wonder. And Minucius indeed hept silence in admiration of Octavius, silently revolving what he had heard.
When Octavius had brought his speech to a close, for some time Ave were struck into silence, and held our countenances fixed in attention ; and as for me. I was lost in the greatness
1 "We who do not," etc., is a conjectural reading, omitting the sub- sequent " we."
516 THE OCTAVIUS OF
of my admiration, that he had so adorned those things which it is easier to feel than to say, both by arguments and by examples, and by authorities derived from reading ; and that he had repelled the malevolent objectors with the very weapons of the philosophers with which they are armed, and had moreover shown the truth not only as easy, but also as agreeable.
CHAPTER XL.
Aegument. — Then Ccecilius exclaims that he is vanquished hy Octaviiis ; and that, being now conqueror over error, he professes the Christian religion — postponing, hoicever, till the morrow a training in the fuller belief of its mys- teries.
While, therefore, I was silently turning over these things in my own mind, Csecilius broke forth : " I congratulate as well my Octavius as myself, as much as possible on that tran- quillity in which we live, and I do not w^ait for the decision. Even thus we have conquered : not unjustly do I assume to myself the victory. For even as he is my conqueror, so I am triumphant over error. Therefore, in what belongs to the substance of the question, I both confess concerning pro- vidence, and I yield to God ; ^ and I agree concerning the sincerity of the way of life wdiich is now mine. Yet even still some things remain in my mind, not as resisting the truth, but as necessary to a perfect training ; of which on the morrow, as the sun is already sloping to his setting, we shall inquire at length in a more fitting and ready manner."
CHAPTER XLI.
ARGUMENT. — Fi7ially, all are p)leased, and joyfully depart : Ca'cilius, that he had believed ; Octavius, that he had con- ^ Otherwise read, " and I believe concerning God."
MINUCIUS FELIX, 517
quered; and Minuciiis, that the former had believed, and the latter had conquered.
'' But for myself," said I, " I rejoice more fully on behalf of all of us ; because also Octavius has conquered for me, in that the very great invidiousness of judi:^iiig is taken away from me. Nor can I acknoAvledge by my praises the merit of his words : the testimony both of man, and of one man only, is weak. lie has an illustrious reward from God, in- spired by wdiom he has pleaded, and aided by whom he has gained the victory."
After these things we departed, glad and cheerful : Ci^ci- lius, to rejoice that he had believed ; Octavius, that he had conquered ; and I, that the one had believed, and the other had conquered.
INDEXES.
I.— INDEX OF TEXTS.
|
ren. i. 4, |
Vol. ii. 211 |
Ex. ix. 28, . |
Vol. ii. 349 |
|
i. 26, . i. 314, ii. 338,. 362 |
xii. 3-12, |
. ii. 114 |
|
|
i. 27, . |
. ii. 338 |
xii. 4, |
. ii. 190 |
|
i. 31, . |
ii. 305, 386 |
xii. 6, . |
. ii. 219 |
|
iii. 14, 15, |
. ii. 108 |
xii. 11, . |
. ii. 147 |
|
iii. 16, . |
. i. 348, ii. 116 |
xii. 1,3, . |
i. 440, ii. 122 |
|
iii. 17-19, |
ii. 29, 177 |
xii. 46, . |
i. 305, 384 |
|
V. 24, . |
i. 446, ii. 177 |
xiii. 21, . |
. ii. 103 |
|
vi. 5-7, . |
. ii. 434 |
xiv. 11-14, |
. ii. 61 |
|
viii. 21, . |
. ii. 309 |
xiv. 19, . |
. ii. 103 |
|
xi. 7, . |
. ii. 338 |
XV. 1, |
. ii. 103 |
|
xii. 1-3, . |
. ii. 93 |
xvii. 9-14, |
. ii. 121 |
|
xii. 7, |
. ii. 339 |
xvii. 11-14, |
. ii. 63 |
|
xiv. 18, . |
. i. 210 |
xix. 10, 11, |
. ii. 123 |
|
XV. 6, . |
i. 85, 171 |
xix. 15, . |
. ii. 167 |
|
xvii. 8, . |
. ii. 316 |
xix. 18, . |
. ii. 194 |
|
xix. 11, . |
. i. 212 |
xix. 22, . |
i. 233, 236, 259 |
|
xix. 24, . |
li. 108, 342, 362 |
XX. 3, . |
. ii. 57 |
|
xxi. 1, 2, |
. ii. 152 |
XX. 4, |
ii. 56, 179 |
|
xxi. 17, . |
. ii. 343 |
XX. 12, . |
. i. 271 |
|
xxi. 18, . |
, ii. 343 |
XX. 23, . |
. ii. 179 |
|
xxi. 20, . |
. ii. 343 |
xxi. 33, . |
. ii. 253 |
|
xxii. 11, 12, |
i. 103, 158 |
xxii. 20, . i. 17 |
0, 222, 356, 435, |
|
XXV. 23, |
. ii. 91 |
ii. 57 |
|
|
xxvii. 27-29, |
. ii. 93 |
xxii. 28, |
. ii. 151 |
|
xxxi. 11-13, |
. ii. 103 |
xxiii. 7, . |
. ii. 113 |
|
xxxii. 24-27, |
. ii. 346 |
xxiii. 20, 21, |
. ii. 103 |
|
xxxii. 30, 31, |
. ii. 346 |
xxviii. 43, |
i. 223, 236, 259 |
|
XXXV. 1, |
. ii. 103 |
xxix. 3, . |
. i. 427 |
|
xxxvii. 19, 20, . |
. i. 249 |
xxxi. 18, |
. ii. 309 |
|
xxxviii. 14, 15, . |
. ii. 170 |
xxxii. 1, |
. ii. 81 |
|
xlviii. 14, 15, |
. ii. 347 |
xxxii. 6, |
. ii. 182 |
|
xlviii. 17-19, |
. ii. 93 |
xxxii. 31, |
. i. 364 |
|
xlix. 8-12, |
. ii. 94 |
xxxii. 31-33, |
ii. 58, 81' |
|
xlix. 10, |
. ii. 316 |
X xxiii. 20, |
. ii. 339 |
|
xlix. 11, |
. ii. 352 |
Lev. vi. 4, |
. ii. 338 |
|
X. i. 12, . |
. ii. 65 |
vii. 20, . |
i. 362, ii. 192 |
|
iii. 2, |
. ii. 194 |
X. 20, . |
. ii. 257 |
|
iii. 2-6, . |
. ii. 119 |
xix. 2, . |
. i. 252 |
|
iii. 14, . |
. ii. 306 |
xix. 13, . |
. ii. 189 |
|
iv. 11, 12, |
. ii. 66 |
xix. 18, . |
. i. 26, ii. 195 |
|
iv. 13, . |
. ii. 316 |
xix. 27, . i |
. 272, ii. 189 l/is |
|
vii. 1, . |
. ii. 349 |
xix. 32, . |
. ii. 189 |
519
520
INDEX OF TEXTS.
|
Lev. XX. 7, . |
Vol. i. 406 |
1 Sam. i. 13, |
Vol. i. 401 |
|
xxi. 17, . |
i. 223, 236 |
ii. 3, 4, . |
. ii. 143 |
|
xxi. 21, . |
. i. 258 |
ii. 3-8, . |
. ii. 440 |
|
xxiv. 13, 14, |
. ii. 151 |
ii. 5, |
. ii. 92 |
|
Num. V. 2, . |
. ii. 433 |
ii. 25, . |
ii. 58, 164 |
|
viii. 5-7, |
. i. 312 |
ii. 30, . |
i. 406, ii. 49 |
|
xi. 17, . |
. ii. 423 |
ii. 35, 36, |
. ii. 90 |
|
xii. 3, . |
. i. 142 |
viii. 7, . |
i. 163, 226, 245 |
|
xvi. 26, . |
i. 237, 309 |
ix. 2, |
. ii. 441 |
|
xvii. 5, . |
. i. 309 |
xvi. 7, . |
i. 870, ii. 176 |
|
xvii. 10, |
i. 459, ii. 152 |
xxi. 4, |
. ii. 168 |
|
xix. 2, . |
. i. 251 |
2 Sam. vii. 4, 5, 12-] |
6, ii. 89, 109 |
|
xix. 8, 12, 13, . |
. i. 312 |
1 Kings xi. 4, |
. ii. 184 |
|
xix. 9, . |
. i. 312 |
xi. 14, . |
. i. 416 |
|
XX. 25, 26, |
. i. 238 |
xi. 23, . |
. ii. 189 |
|
xxiii. 14, |
. ii. 94 |
xi. 31, . |
. i. 383 |
|
xxiii. 19, |
. ii. 120 |
xvii. 14, |
. ii. 13 |
|
xxiv. 7-9, |
. ii. 109 |
xviii. 21, |
. ii. 211 |
|
xxiv. 17, |
. ii. 108 |
xix. 10, . |
. ii. 82 |
|
Deut. iv. 20, . |
. ii. 158 |
2 Kings xvii. 21, |
. i. 307 |
|
iv. 24, . |
. i. 265 |
xxiv. 11, |
. i. 415 |
|
iv. 39, . |
. ii. 303 |
2 Chron. xv. 2, |
ii. 62, 164 |
|
vi. 4, |
. ii. 377 |
xix. 16, . |
. ii. 309 |
|
vi. 5, . |
. ii. 156 |
xxiv. 20, |
. i. 177 |
|
vi. 13, . i. 356, |
427, ii. 57, 147 |
Neh. ix. 26, . |
. ii. 82 |
|
viii. 2, . |
. i. 459 |
Job i. 5, |
. ii. 14 |
|
viii. 3, . |
. ii. 392 |
i. 8, |
i. 458, ii. 158 |
|
xiii. 3, . i. |
459, ii. 64, 152 |
i. 12, . |
. i. 416 |
|
xiii. 5, . |
. i. 109 |
i. 21, . |
. i. 457 |
|
xiii. 6-10, |
. ii. 59 |
i. 21, 22, |
. ii. 145 |
|
xiii. 12-18, |
. ii. 59 |
ii. 9, 10, |
. ii. 151 |
|
xiii. 19, . |
ii. 174, 175 |
ii. 10, . |
. i. 458 |
|
xvii. 12, |
. i. Ill |
xiv. 4, 5, |
. ii. 176 |
|
xvii. 12, 13, ] |
. 163, 207, 236, |
xxix. 12, 13, |
. ii. 196 |
|
245 |
xxix. 12, 13, 15, |
16, . ii. 136 |
|
|
xviii. 10, |
. ii. 189 |
Ps. i. 1, 2, . |
. ii. 196 |
|
xviii. 15, |
. ii. 316 |
i. 5, |
. ii. 90 |
|
xviii. 18, 19, |
. ii. 91 |
ii. 1-3, . |
ii. 88, 198 |
|
xxii. 29, |
. ii. 57 |
ii. 6, . |
. ii. 127 |
|
xxiii. 21-23, |
. ii. 106 |
ii. 7, 8, . |
ii. 107, 362 |
|
xxiv. 26, |
. i. 150 |
ii. 8, . |
. ii. 317 |
|
xxvii. 8, |
. ii. 118 |
ii. 10, . |
. ii. 196 |
|
xxviii. 14, |
. ii. 94 |
ii. 11, . |
. ii. 158 |
|
xxviii. 66, |
ii. 120, 316 |
ii. 12, . i. |
205, 334, ii. 185 |
|
XXX. 6, . |
. ii. 86 |
iii. 5, |
. ii. 123 |
|
xxxii. 8, |
. ii. 339 |
iv. 4, . |
. i. 401 |
|
xxxii. 17, |
ii. 57, 81 |
iv. 5, . |
. ii. 90 |
|
xxxii. 35, |
. ii. 195 |
V. 2, |
. 1. 422 |
|
xxxiii. 9, |
i. 404, ii. 12, 60 |
V. 2, 3, . |
. ii. 127 |
|
Josh. i. 8, |
. i. 278 |
vi. 5, . |
. ii. 196 |
|
ii. 18, 19, |
. i. 305 |
xi. 10, . |
. ii. 157 |
|
ii. 19, . |
. i. 384 |
XV. 6, . |
. ii. 174 |
|
V. 2, . |
. ii. 86 |
xvi. 10, . |
. ii. 123 |
|
V. 13-15, |
. ii. 119 |
xvii. 25, 26, |
. i. 252 |
|
xxiv. 26, 27, |
. ii. 116 |
xviii. 25, 2(5, |
. ii. 192 |
|
Judg. ii. 11-13, |
. ii. 81 |
xviii. 43, 44, |
. ii. 94 |
|
iv. 1, . |
. ii. 81 |
xix. 5, 6, |
. ii. 118 |
INDEX OF TEXTS.
521
|
. xix. 6, 7, . Vc |
)1. ii. 326 |
Ps. Ixviii. 5, |
Vol. ii. 190 |
|
xix. 9, . |
. ii. 161 |
Ixviii. 6, i. 29, 307, 384, 403, |
|
|
xix. 12, . |
. ii. 176 |
ii. 190 |
|
|
XX. 7, 8, |
. ii. 64 |
Ixviii. 18, |
. ii. 315 |
|
xxii. G-S, |
. ii. 112 |
Ixix. 21, |
. ii. 368 |
|
xxii. 15, |
. ii. 112 |
Ixxii. 1, . |
ii. 105, 146, 317 |
|
xxii. lC-22, |
. ii. ]20 |
Ixxii. 1, 2, |
ii. 128, 16S |
|
xxii. 17, IS, |
. ii. 368 |
Ixxii. 6, 7, |
. ii. 105 |
|
xxii. 27, 28, |
. ii. 127 |
Ixxiii. 27, |
. i. 287 |
|
xxiii. 5, . |
. i. 215 |
Ixxiv. 12, |
. ii. 128 |
|
xxiv. 3-6, |
. ii. 152 |
Ixxxii. 1, |
. ii. 349 |
|
xxiv. 7-10, |
. i. 127 |
Ixxxii. 5, |
ii. S3, 105 |
|
xxiv. 12, 13, . |
. ii. 151 |
Ixxxii. 8, |
. ii. 126 |
|
XXV. 4, 5, |
. ii. 106 |
Ixxxiv. 1, |
. i. 46(; |
|
xxvii. 3, 4, |
. ii. 65 |
Ixxxiv. 1, 2, |
. ii. 178 |
|
xxviii. 4, 5, |
. ii. S3 |
Ixxxiv. 8-10, |
. ii. 95 |
|
xxix, 13, |
. i. 279 |
Ixxxiv. 12, 13, |
. i. 39(> |
|
XXX. 3, . |
. ii. 122 |
Ixxxviii. 9, |
. ii. 120 |
|
XXX. 9, . |
. ii. 169 |
Ixxxix. 27-33, |
. ii. 100 |
|
xxxiii. 6, |
ii. 101 |
Ixxxix. 30, i. |
355, ii. 264, 437 |
|
xxxiv. 1, |
. ii. 152 |
Ixxxix. 30-32, |
. i. 146 |
|
xxxiv. 3, 4, |
. ii. 189 |
Ixxxix. 32, 33, |
. ii. 177 |
|
xxxiv. 9, |
. ii. 161 |
Ixxxix. 33, |
. i. 28 |
|
xxxiv. l;>. |
i. 115 |
xciii. 11, |
. ii. 187 |
|
xxxiv. 15, |
ii. 309 |
xcvi. 5, . |
. ii. 179 |
|
xxxvii. 25, 26, . ii |
15, 138 |
xcvii. 1, . |
. ii. 128 |
|
xxxNai. 35, |
i. 412 |
ciii. 24, . |
. ii. 30;5 |
|
xxxviii. 35, 36, . |
i. 162 |
ciii. 32, . |
. ii. 30;i |
|
xli. 1, . . i |
i. 4, 138 |
civ. 4, |
. ii. 427 |
|
xlv. 1, . ii. 101, 325 |
his, 331 |
cvii. 20, . |
. ii. 101 |
|
xlv. 1-4, |
ii. 127 |
ex. 1, . |
. ii. 362 |
|
xlv. 6, 7, |
ii. 104 |
ex. 1, 2, |
ii. 124, 317 |
|
xlv. 7, . |
ii. 373 |
ex. 3, . |
. ii. 90 |
|
xlv. 9-11, |
li. 128 |
ex. 4, . |
. i. 210 |
|
xlv. 10, . |
ii. 105 |
cxii. 9, . |
. ii. 138 |
|
xlv. 11, . |
i. 295 |
cxiii. 1.3, |
. ii. 2.34 |
|
1.1-6, . |
ii. 125 |
exv. 4-8, |
ii. oij |
|
1. 3-6, . |
ii. 37 |
cxvi. 5, . i. |
34, ii. 153, 179 |
|
1. 13-15, . |
ii. 90 |
cxvi. 12, 13, 15, |
. i. 319 |
|
1. 14, 15, |
ii. 166 |
cxvi. 15, |
i. 326, ii. 75 |
|
1. 16, . |
ii. 185 |
cxviii. 6, |
ii. 64, 14G |
|
1. 16-18, . |
i. 220 |
exviii. 8, |
. ii. 146 |
|
.1. 17, . |
i. 335 |
exviii. 18, |
. ii. 177 |
|
1. 17, 18, |
i. 242 |
cxviii. 21-26, . |
. ii. 115 |
|
1. 18, . |
ii. 186 |
exviii. 22, |
. i. 422 |
|
1. 19, 20, |
i. 115 |
cxviii. 26, |
. Ji. 10.3 |
|
1. 20, . |
ii. 195 |
cxix. 1, 2, |
ii. 75, 155 |
|
1. 23, . |
ii. 90 |
cxix. 120, |
. ii. 120 |
|
H., |
ii. 176 |
cxix. 176, |
. ii. 442 |
|
Ii. 4, . . . |
ii. 443 |
cxxvi. 5, 6, |
ii. 75, 153 |
|
li. 17, . |
i. 459 |
exxxii. 11, |
. ii. 110 |
|
li. 18, . |
i. 318 |
exxxiii. 1, |
i. 190, 286 |
|
li. 19, . |
i. 326 |
cxxxv. 15-18, . |
. ii. 56 |
|
liii. 5, . . i. 337 |
, ii. 176 |
cxxxv. 15-18, . |
. ii. 179 |
|
Ivi. 11, . |
ii. 146 |
cxxxvi. 12, |
. ii. 309 |
|
Ixviii. 1-7, |
ii. 126 |
cxxxix. 8, 9, 10, |
. ii. 310 |
|
Ixviii. 4, |
ii. 105 |
exxxLx. 16, |
. i. 370 |
522
INDEX OF TEXTS,
|
P.'. cxli. 2, . Vol. i. 219, ii. 120 i |
|
|
cxlviii, 5, |
. ii. 303 |
|
Prov. i. 28, 29, |
. ii. 83 |
|
iii. 11, 12, |
i. 334, ii. 185 |
|
iii. 18, . |
. i. 265 |
|
iii. 28, . |
. ii. 137 |
|
viii. 22, . |
. ii. 99 |
|
ix. 1-5, . |
. i. 211 |
|
ix. 1-6, . |
. ii. 100 |
|
ix. 8, . |
. ii. 194 |
|
ix. 12, . |
. ii. 202 |
|
ix. 19, . i. |
251, 299, ii. 202 |
|
X. 3, . |
. i. 412 |
|
X. 9, . |
. ii. 175 |
|
X. 19, . |
. ii. 194 |
|
xi. 26, . |
. ii. 182 |
|
xii. 10, . |
. i. 208 |
|
xii. 16, . |
. ii. 146 |
|
xii. 22, . |
. ii. 194 |
|
xiii. 24, . |
. ii. 194 |
|
xiv. 9, . |
. ii. 203 |
|
xiv. 25, . |
. ii. 152 |
|
XV. 1, . |
. ii. 51 |
|
XV. 3, . |
i. 401, ii. 176 |
|
xvi. 6, . |
ii. 2, 137 |
|
xvi. 27, . |
. i. 179 |
|
xvi. 32, . |
. ii. 146 |
|
xvii. 4, . |
i. 179, 247 |
|
xviii. 19, |
. i. 143 |
|
xix. 5, . |
. i. 299 |
|
xix. 17, . |
. ii. 137 |
|
xix. 18, . |
. ii. 194 |
|
XX. 7, . |
ii. 15, 137 |
|
XX. 9, . |
. ii. 3 |
|
XX. 13, . |
. ii. 195 |
|
XX. 22, . |
. i. 436 |
|
xxi. 1, . |
. ii. 189 |
|
xxi. 13, . |
ii. 4, 137 |
|
xxiii. 9, |
. i. 424, ii. 174 |
|
xxiv. 15, |
. ii. 192 |
|
XXV. 21, |
. ii. 137 |
|
xxvi. 4, . |
. i. 424 |
|
xxvi. 27, |
. ii. 195 |
|
XX viii. 14, |
. ii. 157 |
|
xxviii. 27, |
ii. 7, 137 |
|
xxviii. 28, |
. ii. 145 |
|
xxix. 22, |
. i. 300 |
|
Cant. iv. 8, . |
. i. 295 |
|
iv. 12, . |
. i. 304 |
|
iv. 12, 13, |
i. 284, 295 |
|
V. 1, . |
. i. 295 |
|
V. 2, . |
. i. 419 |
|
vi. 9, . |
i. 304, 381 |
|
Eccles. i. 14, |
. ii. 147 |
|
V. 4, . |
. ii. 165 |
|
V. 10, . |
. ii. 182 |
|
vii. 17, . |
. ii. 175 |
Eccles. X. 9, . Isa. i. 2,
i. 2-4, .
i. 3, .
i. 7-9, .
i. 11, 12,
i. 15-20,
i. 17, IS,
i. 19, .
i. 20, .
ii. 2,
ii. 2, 4, .
ii. 3, 4, .
ii. 5, 6, .
ii. 8, .
ii. 8, 9, .
ii. 12, .
iii. 1, 2,
iii. 12, .
iii. 16, .
V. 8, .
V. 25, 20,
V. 26, 27,
vi. 9, 10,
vi. 10, .
vii. 9, .
vii. 13, .
vii. 14, .
viii. ], .
viii. 3, .
viii. 16, 17,
ix. 1, 2, .
ix. 6, .
X. 22, . x. 23, . xi. 1, 3, . xi. 1-3, . xi. 2, 3, . xi. 10, . xiii. 6-9, xiv. 13, 14, xiv. 15, 16, xiv. 16, . xxvi. 11, xxviii. 16, xxix. 10, xxix. 11-18, xxix. 13, xxix. 14, XXX. 1, . XXX. 15, xxxi. 6, xxxiii. 10, 11 xxxiii. 14-17, XXXV. 3, XXXV. 3-6,
222,
11.
Vol. ii. 190
ii. 49
ii. 82
i. 405
ii. 85
ii. 90
ii. 97
ii. 196
ii. 175
ii. 309
i. 286
ii. 117
ii. 87
ii. 85
i. 435
56, ii. 57
i. 162
ii. 96
9, 361, ii. 197
i. 343
ii. 183
ii. 95
ii. 96
ii. 83
ii. 234
84, 171
i. 35, ii. 316
i. 35, ii. 323
ii. 3
. ii. 368
. ii. 87
. ii. 94
ii. 121, 344, 350,
368 his
. i. 417
. ii. 101
. ii. 316
. ii. 110
. ii. 373
ii. 94, 317
. i. 439
. i. 162
. i. 162
. ii. 196
. ii. 102
. ii. 115
i. 172, 374
. ii. 84
. i. 218
ii. 22, 175
264, ii. 432
79, 376, ii. 264
. ii. 234
. i. 124
. ii. 127
. ii. 324
ii. 106, 316
165
INDEX OF TEXTS.
523
Isa, xxxvii. 20, xl. 3-5, . xl. 6, . xl. 6, 7, xl. 12, . xl. 22, . xli. 15-20, xlii. 2, 3, xlii. 2-4, xlii. 6-8, xlii. 8, . xlii. 13, 14, xlii. 19, . xlii. 24, . xliii. 1-3, xliii. 18-21, xliii. 25, xliii. 25, 20, xliv. 6, 7, xliv. 21, 22, xlv. 1, . xlv. 7, . xlv. 14-16, xlv. 22, xlvi. 1, 2, 5, xlvi. 6, 7, xlvi. 8, . xlviii. 21, 1. 5, 6, . 1. 5-7, . li. 1, . Hi. 10, . lii. 11, . lii. 15, . liii. 1, . liii. 1-7, • liii. 2, . liii. 5, liii. 7, . liii. 7-0, 12, liv. 1-4, liv. 7, 8, Iv. 3, . Iv. 4, . Iv. 4, 5, Iv. 5, . Iv. 6, 7, Ivii. 1, 2, Ivii. 0, Ivii. 10-15 Ivii. 15, Ivii. 16, Ivii. 17, Ivii. 19, Iviii. 1-9, Iviii. 6-9, Iviii. 7,
Vol. ii. 376 . ii. 104 . i. 338 . ii. 177 ii. 304, 376 . ii. 304 . ii. 102 . ii. 316 . ii. Ill . ii. 106 . ii. 304 . ii. 126 . ii. 432 i. 366, 415 . ii. 65 i. 212, ii. 88 . ii. 264 . ii. 445 . ii. 376 . li. 265 ii. 95, 362 ii. 304 ii. 104 ii. 304 ii. 180 ii. 181 ii. 265 i. 213, ii. 88 . i. 25 . ii. Ill . ii. 193 . ii. 102 i. 358, ii. 109 . ii. 95 . ii. 101 . ii. Ill . ii. 317 . ii. 317 25, ii. 317, 368 . ii. 114 . ii. 92 1 . ii. 265 i . ii. 316 j . ii. 94 . ii. 317 . ii. 94 ii. 147, 265 . ii. 113 170, 222, ii. 57 . ii. 108 . ii. 265 . ii. 438 . ii. 438 . ii. 438 ii. 844, 136 . i. 480 . ii. 1S8
Isa.
Jer
lix. 1. . lix. 1-4, Ixi. 1, . Ixi. 1, 2, Ixiii. 2, . Ixiii. 9, . Ixv. 1, . Lxv. 2, . Ixv. 13-15, Ixvi. 1, . Ixvi. 12, Ixvi. 2, . i. 24 Ixvi. 15, 16, Ixvi. 18, 19, Ixvi. 24, . i. 5, . ii. 12, 13, 19, 20 ii. 13, . ii. 25, . ii. 30, . ii. 32, . iii. 6, iii. 9, 10, iii. 12, .
i. 204,
iii. 14, iii. 15, iii. 22, . iv. 3, 4, iv. 14, . V. 3,
vi. 10, . vi. 18, . vii. 6, vii. 16, . %'iii. 25, . viii. 4, . viii. 6-9, viii. 7-9, ix. 23, 24, X. 2, .
X. 2-5, 9, 11,
X. 24,
xi. 18, 19,
xi. 19, .
XV. 9, .
XV. 18, .
xvi. 9, .
xvii. 5, .
xvii. 5-7,
xvii. 9, .
xviii. 7, .
xviii. 12,
xxiii. 16-21,
xxiii. 20,
xxiii. 23,
xxiii. 23, 24
xxiii. 28, 30, 32,
Vol. i. 366, ii. 101, . ii. . ii. . i. . ii. ii 120, 317, ii ii. 304, ii. 101, 55, ii. 157, ii ii . i. i. 365, ii 27, ii. 251, 386, ii ii . i. . ii. . ii. . i. . ii. • ii. 335, ii. 89, . ii. ii . ii. . ii. ii ii ii . 365, ii ii ii. 197, . ii.
. 11
. ii.
. ii.
. ii.
. ii.
. ii.
. ii.
. ii.
. i.
. ii.
. i.
. ii.
. ii.
. ii.
. ii.
. i. ii
. i. i. 401, ii.
. i.
432 173 373
109 212 106 . 95 368 . 96 309 142 304 . 37 I. 95 441 . 94 180 . 83 . 64 428 266 267 220 266 266 185 266 , 86 266 428 . 83 . 94 . 58 . 58 . 82 266 267 . 83 146 168 ISO 438 114 120
263 118 363 147 108 266 267 386 . 84 370 176 220
524
INDEX OF TEXTS.
|
Jei'. XXV. 4, . V |
ol. ii. 82 |
Hos. vi. 3, . |
. Vol. ii. 317 |
|
XXV. 6, |
. i. 428 |
vi. 6, . |
. ii. 138 |
|
XXV. 6, 7, |
ii. 82 |
viii. 4, . |
i. 165, 239 |
|
XXX. 8, 9, |
ii. 88 |
ix. 4, |
i. 165, 237, 309 |
|
xxxi. 10, 11, . |
ii. 89 |
xi. 9, 10, |
. ii. 104 |
|
xxxi. 31-34, . ii |
87, 158 |
xiv. 2, . |
. ii. 269 |
|
xxxiii. IG, 17, . |
i. 108 |
Joel ii. 12, . |
. i. 372 |
|
xlviii. 10, |
ii. 166 |
ii. 12, 13, |
. i. 146, ii. 437 |
|
Ii. 15-18, |
ii. 180 |
ii. 13, . |
. ii. 24 |
|
Ii. 16-19, |
ii. 181 |
ii. 15, 16, |
. ii. 118 |
|
Lam. ii. 18, . |
ii. 267 |
ii. 28, . |
. ii. 371 |
|
iii. 26, . |
i. 35 |
ii. 28, 29, |
. ii. 272 |
|
iii. 31, . |
ii. 267 |
Amos iv. 7, . |
. i. 428 |
|
iii. 40, . |
ii. 267 |
iv. 11, . |
. ii. 342 |
|
Ezck. ix. 4, . . i. 43^ |
), ii. 121 |
V. 6, |
. ii. 440 |
|
ix. 4-6, . |
ii. 122 |
viii. 9, 10, |
. ii. 122 |
|
ix. 5, |
i. 439 |
Mic. ii. 5, |
. ii. 110 |
|
xiv. 12-14, |
ii. 58 |
iv. 2, 3, . |
. ii. 87 |
|
xiv. 13, |
i. 365 |
vi. 6-9, . |
. ii. 161 |
|
xvii. 24, |
ii. 268 |
vii. 1, 2, 3, |
. ii. 269 |
|
xviii. 4, |
ii. 443 |
vii. 8, . |
. ii. 269 |
|
xviii. 7, 8, |
ii. 174 |
vii. 8-10, |
. ii. 439 |
|
xviii. 20, |
i. 150 |
vii. 14-18, |
. ii. 161 |
|
xviii. 21, . ii. |
268, 440 |
Nahum i. 5-7, |
. ii. 161 |
|
xviii. 30, . li. |
268, 436 |
Hab. ii. 4, . |
ii. 85, 172 |
|
xviii. 30-32, |
ii. 445 |
ii. 5, |
i. 162, 234 |
|
xviii. 32, |
ii. 24 |
iii. 5, |
. ii. 324 |
|
xxiii. 10, |
i. 376 |
iii. 3-5, . |
. ii. 121 |
|
xxxiii. 10, |
ii. 268 |
iii. 17, . |
. i. 438 |
|
xxxiii. 10, 11, . |
ii. 437 |
Zeph. i. 1, 2, 3, |
. ii. 173 |
|
xxxiii. 11, |
ii. 199 |
i. 7, . |
. ii. 120 |
|
xxxiii. 12, ii. 31, G2, |
268, 440 |
i. 13, 14, |
. ii. 183 |
|
xxxiv., . |
ii. 442 |
ii. 1, |
. ii. 169 |
|
xxxiv. 3, 4, |
i. 14 |
iii. 1, 2, 3, |
. ii. 434 |
|
xxxiv. 3-6, 10-16, |
i. 158 |
iii. 8, |
ii. 36, 195 |
|
xxxiv. 4-6, 10, 16, |
ii. 89 |
Hag. i. 9, . |
. i. 428 |
|
xxxiv. 10-16, . |
ii. 89 |
°i. 12, . |
. ii. 161 |
|
xxxvi. 17-23, . |
ii. 437 |
Zech. i. 3, . |
. ii. 269 |
|
xxxvi. 25, 26, i. |
251, 312 |
i. 1, 3, 5, |
. ii. 112 |
|
xxxvi. 36, |
ii. 268 |
iii. 8, 9, . |
. ii. 115 |
|
XXX vii. 11-14, . |
. ii. 178 |
vii. 6, . |
. ii. 392 |
|
xliv. 10-13, |
. ii. 432 |
ix. 9, . |
. ii. 127 |
|
Dan. ii. 31-35, |
ii. 117 |
X. 11, 12, |
. ii. 104 |
|
iii. 16-18, i. 104, 328, ii |
. 69, 146 |
xi. 16, . |
. ii. 442 |
|
iv. 27, . |
ii. 4 |
xii. 10, . |
. ii. 120 |
|
iv. 34, . |
ii. 269 |
Mai. i. 10, 11, |
. ii. 90 |
|
vi. 24-28, |
. ii. 160 |
i. 14, . |
. ii. 127 |
|
vii. 9, 10, |
. ii. 444 |
ii. 1, 2, . |
i. 173, 282 |
|
vii. 13, 14, |
. ii. 123 |
ii. 5, . |
. i. 161 |
|
ix. 4, . |
. i. 373 |
ii. 5-7, . |
. ii. 103 |
|
xii. 4-7, |
. ii. 84 |
ii. 10, . |
. ii. 141 |
|
Hos. i. 7, . |
. ii. 323 |
ii. 11, . |
. ii. 81 |
|
i. 10, . |
. ii. 91 |
iii. 3, |
. ii. 177 |
|
ii. 23, . |
. ii. 91 |
iii. 6, |
. ii. 306 |
|
iv. 1-4, . . i. 43 |
0, ii. 173 |
iii. 7, . |
. ii. 24 |
|
vi. 1, . |
. i. 422 |
iv. 1, . ii. |
439, ii. 37, 125 |
|
vi. 2, |
ii. 123 |
iv. 2, |
. i. 422 |
INDEX OF TEXTS.
i)2o
APOCRYPHA,
1 Esdras iv. 38-40, Tobit ii. 2, .
ii. 14, .
iv. 5-11,
iv. 10, .
iv. 12, .
xii. 8, 9,
xii. 11-15,
xii. 12-15,
xiii. 6, .
xiv. 10, 11,
XX. 8, . Wisd. i. 1, .
i. 13, .
ii. 12-22,
iii. 1,
iii. 4,
iii. 4-8, . i
iii. 11, . i.
iv. 11, .
iv. 11-14,
V. 1-9, .
V. 8,
vi. 6,
xiii. 1-4,
XV. 15-17, Ecclus. i. 1, .
i. 14, .
ii. 1-4, .
ii. 4, .
ii. 4, 5, .
ii. 5,
ii. 10, 11,
iii. 21, .
iii. 30, .
iv. 10, .
iv. 29, .
V. 4,
V. 7, .
vi. IG, .
vii. 29, .
vii. 31, .
vii. 39, .
ix. 13, .
ix. 16, .
X. 20, .
xi. 28, .
xiv. 11, .
xvi. 1, 2,
xvii. 26,
XX. 3, .
xxii. 24,
xxiii. 11,
xxiv. 3-7,
XXV. 9, .
205,
Vol. i. 283
. ii. 136
458, ii. 145
16, 137
i. 145
ii. 183
i. 441
11.
i. 458
i. 420
ii. 69
ii. 15
i. 419
ii. 175
i. 146
ii. 113
ii. 238
ii. 242
74, 152
334, ii. 185
i. 146
ii. 178
, ii. 153
i. 340
ii. 196
56, 179
56, 179
ii. 240
ii. 157
i. 457
ii. 241
ii. 33
i. 457
ii. 445
ii. 175
i. 2, 137
ii. 196
ii. 192
ii. 169
ii. 193
ii. 192
i. 227
i." 227
ii. 195
ii. 192
ii. 192
ii. 174
i. 21
ii. 137
i. 175
ii. 270
ii. 270
ii. 41
ii. 150
ii. 99
ii. 192
Ecclus. xxvii. 5, Vol. i. 400, ii xxviii. 15, . . ii.
xxviii. 24, i. 179, 247, 391, ii. ii
XXIX. 12,
xxxiv. 19,
xxxiv. 25, Baruch iii. 35-37, Song of the Three Children
ver. 2, . 14-19, 28, . Susanna, vers. 1-3, Bel and the Dragon
ver. 5, ,
1 Mace. ii. 52,
ii. 60, . ii. 62, 63,
2 Mace. vi. 30,
vii. 9, . vii. 14, . vii. 16, . vii. 16, 17, vii. 18, . vii. 18, 19, 97.
Vll.
ix. 12, .
Matt. i. 20, 21, i. 23, . ii. 1, 2, . iii. 9, . iii. 10, . iii. 11, . V. 4,
V. 5, . V. 6, V. 7, V. 8,
V. 9, . V. 10, . V. 10-12, V. 13, . V. 16, . V. 19, . V. 21, 22, V. 22, . V. 23, 24, V. 26, . V. 34-37, V. 36, . V. 37, . V. 42, . V. 43-45, V. 43-48, V. 44, 45, vi. 2, vi. 3, 4, .
i. 184, ii, . ii. . ii. i. 162, ii. ii. 73, ii. 70, ii. 71, ii . ii. ii . ii. ii . ii.
. 04 195 192 137 196 254 104
373
160 403 160
. 69 152 175 143 156 156 156
71 156
71 156 , 72 143
. ii. 107
. ii. 357
ii. Ill, 128
. i. 211
. ii. 249
. ii. 404
. ii. 145
. ii. 143
ii. 138, 213
. ii. 138
!, ii. 189, 370
. i. 397
ii. 75, 153
. i. 73
377, ii. 190, 203 i. 24, ii. 164
218, 319, ii. 192 . ii. 146 i. 163, ii. 151 . ii. 142 ii. 9, 177 . ii. 150 . i. 345 . i. 174 . ii. 138 . ii. 49 . ii. 25 . ii. 174 . ii. 171 . ii. 171
526
INDEX OF TEXTS,
Matt. vi. 9, vi. 10, . vi. 12, . vi. 19-21, vi. 20, 21, vi. 24, . vi. 26, . vi. 31, . vi. 31-33, vi. 34, . vii. 2, . vii. 7, . vii. 9-11, vii. 12, . vii. 13, 14. vii. 21, . vii. 22, . vii. 22, 23, vii. 24, . vii. 24-27, vii. 26, 27, viii. 4, . viii. 11, . viii. 11, IS viii. 20, . viii. 22, . viii. 29, . ix. 2, . ix. 9, . ix. 12, . X. 5, X. 8,
X. 16, . X. 18, . X. 19, . X. 19, 20,
i. 41
i. 414, ii. 440 i. 424, ii. 174 . i. 146 . i. 417 . ii. 145 i. 269, ii. 157 . i. 390 ii. 164, 436 Us . i. 379 . ii. 193 . ii. 434 i. 162, 227 . i. 407 . ii. 96 . ii. 148 . i. 404 . ii. 126 . ii. 427 . i. 404 i. 142, 234 . i. 307 . ii. 193 . ii. 190 . i. 73 . i. 35 158, 184, 319, 361, ii. 65, 153 X. 22, . i. 21, 102, ii. 30, 62 X. 25, . . . ii. 188 X. 28, i. 186, 327, ii. 60, 154, 444 X. 29, . . i. 164, 243 X. 29, 30, . . ii. 314 X. 32, . . i. 102, ii. 417 X. 32, 33, i. 38, ii. 60, 154 X. 33, . i. 91, 170, ii. 435 X. 37, . . . ii. 12 X. 37, 38, . i. 73, ii. 60 X. 39, . . ii. 242, 250 X. 42, . . . ii. 138 xi. 25, 26, . . ii. 162 xi. 28-30, . ii. 88, 198 xii. 29-31, . . i. 417 xii. 30, i. 382, ii. 190, 204, 207 xii. 32, . . ii, 164, 374
Vol. i. 402 . ii. 157 . ii. 162 . ii. 6 . ii. 138 . i. 370 . ii. 148 . i. 412 ii. 8, 148 ii. 148
xii. 34, 35, xii. 36, 37, xii. 39, 40,
i. 163 ii. 151 ii. 123
Matt. xiii. 17, xiii. 45, 46, xiv. 31, . XV. 4, XV. 13, . XV. 14, . XV. 26, . xvi. 17, . xvi. 18, 19, xvi. 19, . xvi. 22, . xvii, 5, . xvii. 18, 19, xvii. 20, . xviii. 17, xviii. 19, xviii. 19, 20, xviii. 20, xviii. 32, xix. 5, xix. 11, . xix. 11, 12, xix. 17, . xix. 17-21, xix. 21, . XX. 36, . xxi. 13, . xxi. 22, . xxii. 32, xxii. 37, xxii. 37-40, xxii. 39, xxii, 40, xxiii. 9, . xxiii. 9, 10, xxiii. 12, xxiii. 37, 38, xxiii. 42, xxiv. 2, . xxiv. 4, etc., xxiv. 4-31, xxiv. 5, 25, xxiv. 23, 24, XXV. 31-36, xxv. 34, XXV. 36, xxvi. 28, 29, xxvi. 39, xxvii. 3, 4, xxvii. 45, xxviii. 9, xxviii. 18, xxviii. 18, 10, xxviii. 18-20, xxviii. 19, xxviii. 20, Mark iii. 28, 29,
Vol. ii. 125
ii. 6, 138
. ii. 171
. i. 271
i. 129, 166, 271
i. 109, 391
. ii. 242
. ii. 363
. i. 77
. i. 296
. ii. 414
i. 217, ii. 87
. i. 380
. ii. 171
i. 179, 303
. i. 29
i. 387, ii. 141
. i. 386
i. 91, 413
. ii. 256
. i. 337
. ii, 166
i. 378, ii. 376
. ii. 139
i. 359, ii. 6
. ii. 190
. ii. 193
. i. 73
. i. 77
. ii. 421
. ii. 57
. i. 26
. i. 417
i. 404, ii. 70
. ii. 377
. ii. 440
. ii. 85
. ii. 322
. ii. 89
. ii. 419
. ii. 68
. i. 169
. ii. 419
.ii. 18, 129, 140
i. 407, ii. 49
. i. 201
. i. 214
. i, 408, ii. 157
. ii. 113
. ii. 122
. ii. 432
. ii. 208
i. 69, 263, ii. 203
. i. 221, ii. 124
ii. 204, 210, 412
. i, 326, ii. 323
. i. 28, ii. 164
INDEX OF TEXTS.
527
|
Mark iv. 24, |
Vol. ii. 162 |
Luke xii. 48, |
Vol. i. 394 |
|
vii. 9, |
i. 109, 393, 400 |
xii. 50, . |
. i. 273, ii. 421 |
|
vii. 13, |
i. 218, 237, 279 |
xiii. 1-5, |
. ii. 443 |
|
viii. 38, |
. i. 218 |
xiv. 11, . |
. i. 22 |
|
ix. 22, |
. ii. 172 |
xiv. 12-14, |
. ii. 241 |
|
ix. 30, |
. ii. 414 |
xiv. 33, i |
411, ii. 62, 148 |
|
X. 29, |
. i. 360 |
XV. 6-10, |
ii. 442, 443 |
|
X. 38, |
. ii. 421 |
XV. 7, . |
i. 124, 146 |
|
xi. 24, |
. ii. 172 |
xvi. 4, . |
.' ii. 9 |
|
xi. 25, |
i. 388, 414 |
xvi. 8, . |
. i. 271 |
|
xii. 29-31 |
. i. 390, ii. 57 |
xvi. 11, 12, |
. ii. 7 |
|
xiii. 6, . |
i. 291, 389 |
xvi. 15, , |
. i. 234 |
|
xiii. 23, . |
. i. 391 |
xvi. 25, . |
. ii. 183 |
|
xiv. 27, . |
ii. 411, 412 |
xvii. 7-10, |
. ii. 175 |
|
xiv. 38, |
. i. 416 |
xvii. 10, |
. i. 78 |
|
xiv. 58, |
. ii. 89 |
xvii. 21, |
. ii. 175 |
|
xvi. 17, ] |
8, . . ii. 210 |
xvii. 31, 32, |
. ii. 62 |
|
Luke i. 25, |
. ii. 357 |
xviii. 8, . |
i. 282, 307 |
|
i. 30-33, |
. ii. 110 |
xviii. 10-14, |
. i. 402 |
|
i. 35, . |
. ii. 109 |
xviii. 14, |
. i. 394 |
|
i. 41-43, |
. ii. 107 |
xviii. 29, 30, i. |
182, ii. 76, 154 |
|
i. 67-0^), |
. ii. 107 |
xix. S, 9, |
ii. 7, 40 |
|
ii. 10, 11 |
. ii. 107 |
xix. 9, . |
. i. 211 |
|
ii. 29, . |
. i. 454 |
XX. 34-38, |
. ii. 167 |
|
ii. 29, 30 |
. ii. 178 |
XX. 35, 36, |
. i. 349 |
|
ii. 37, . |
. i. 422 |
xxi. 14, 15, |
i. 319, ii. 65 |
|
iii. 10, . |
. ii. 428 |
xxi. 17, . |
. ii. 165 |
|
V. IG, . |
. i. 417 |
xxi. 31, . |
. i. 454 |
|
vi. 5, |
. ii. 322 |
xxii. 8, . |
. ii. 238 |
|
vi. 12, . |
i. 30, 417 |
xxii. 31, . |
. i. 418 |
|
vi. 22, 23 |
, i. 182, 360, ii. 76, 154 |
xxii. 31, 32, |
. i. 30 |
|
vi. 32, |
. ii. 174 |
xxiv. 20, 21, |
. ii. 415 |
|
vi. 36, . |
. ii. 142 |
xxiv. 44-47, |
. ii. 84 |
|
vi. 37, |
. ii. 162 |
John i. 1, |
li. 105, 326, 331 |
|
vii. 39, . |
. ii. 438 |
i. 1, 2, . |
. ii. 377 |
|
vii. 47, . |
. ii. 197 |
i. 1-5, . |
. ii. 110 |
|
vii. 48, . |
. ii. 426 |
i. 3, . ii. 32 |
5, 331, 337, 350 |
|
vii. 50, . |
ii. 427 his |
i. 9, 10, . |
. ii. 85 |
|
ix. 24, . |
. ii. 76 |
i. 10, 11, |
. ii. 326 |
|
ix. 25, |
. ii. 183 |
i. 11, . |
. i. 404 |
|
ix. 48, |
i. 25, ii. 45, 143 |
i. 11, 12, |
. ii. 83 |
|
ix. 56, |
. i. 196 |
i. 14, ii. 319, Zi |
J4, 337, 357, 377 |
|
ix. 62, |
i. 32, ii. 62, 148 |
i. 15, . |
. ii. 329 |
|
X. 16, |
i. 163, 246 |
i. 26, 27, |
. ii. 119 |
|
X. 19, |
. ii. 435 |
i. 29, . |
. ii. 115 |
|
X. 22 |
. ii. 363 |
i. 36, 37, |
. ii. 128 |
|
xi.~i6. |
. i. 28, ii. 443 |
ii. 19, . |
ii. 89, 350 |
|
xi. 23, |
i. 253, 295, 303 |
iii. 3, 5, . |
. ii. 406 |
|
xi. 40, 4] |
. ii. 140 |
iii. 5, i. 257, 1 |
273, ii. 202, 424 |
|
xi. 41, |
. ii. 2 |
iii. 5, 6, . |
ii. SS, 163 |
|
xii. 8, |
. i. 365 |
iii. 6, |
. ii. 203 |
|
xii. 9, |
. i. 91 |
iii. 8, . |
. ii. 427 |
|
xii. 20, |
i. 412, ii. 10, 183 |
iii. 13, . |
. ii. 326 |
|
xii. 33, |
ii. 6, 140 |
iii. 14, 15, |
. ii. 120 |
|
xii. 35, |
. i. 398 |
iii. 16, . |
. ii. 421 |
|
xii. 35-3' |
r, ii. 62, 119, 148 |
iii. 18, 19, |
ii. 86, 166, 213 |
|
xii. 47, |
. i. 48, ii. 157 |
iii. 28, 29, |
. ii. lis |
528
INDEX OF TEXTS.
|
a iii. 31, . |
Vol. ii. 328 1 |
Jolin X. 36, . |
, Vol. ii. 366 |
|
iii. 31, 32, |
. ii. 350 |
xi. 12, . |
. ii. 363 |
|
iii. 34, 35, |
. ii. 349 |
xi. 25, . |
. i. 465 |
|
iii. 36, . |
. ii. 125 |
xi. 26, . |
. ii. 334 |
|
iv. 4, . |
. i. 33 |
xii. 25, i. |
327, ii. 60, 153, 363 |
|
iv. 13, 14, |
. i. 213 |
xii. 34, . |
. ii. 414 |
|
iv. 21, . |
. ii. 310 |
xii. 35, . |
. ii. 249 |
|
iv. 23, . |
. ii. 400 |
xiii. 14, 15, |
. i. 21, ii. 171 |
|
iv. 24, . |
. ii. 310 |
xiii. 16, |
. i. 25 |
|
iv. 32, 34, |
. ii. 182 |
xiv. 6, i. 269, 283, ii. 124, 208, |
|
|
iv. 34, . |
. ii. 392 |
367 |
|
|
iv. 38, . |
. ii. 350 |
xiv. 7, . |
. ii. 367 |
|
V. 14, . i. 24, |
149, 335, ii. 164 |
xiv. 8, . |
. ii. 367 |
|
V. 17, . |
. ii. 368 |
xiv. 9, . |
. ii. 367 |
|
V. 19, . |
. ii. 329 |
xiv. 12, . |
. ii. 368 |
|
V, 22 23 |
ii. 126, 168 |
xiv. 15, . |
. i. 378 |
|
V. 26^ .' |
. ii. 329 |
xiv. 15, 16, |
. ii. 369 |
|
V. 31, . |
. i. 244 |
xiv. 16, 17, |
ii. 370, 372 |
|
V. 39, 40, 45-47, |
. ii. 91 |
xiv. 23, . |
. ii. 3G9 |
|
V. 43, . |
. ii. 103 |
xiv. 25, . |
. i. 186 |
|
vi. 26, 27, |
. ii. 392 |
xiv. 26, . |
. ii. 369 |
|
vi. 35, . |
. ii. 96 |
xiv. 27, . |
. i. 397, ii. 141 |
|
vi. 38, ii. 339, |
108, ii. 157, 363 |
xiv. 28, i. |
456, ii. 179,363,369 |
|
vi. 46, . |
. ii. 329 |
XV. 1, . |
i. 209, 269 |
|
vi, 51, . |
. ii. 329 |
XV. 9, 10, |
. ii. 369 |
|
vi. 53, . |
ii. 96, 163, 410 |
XV. 12, . |
i. 29, 389 |
|
vi. 58, . |
. i. 410 |
XV. 12, 13, |
. ii. 141 |
|
vi. 62, . |
. ii. 329 |
XV. 14, . |
. ii. 334 |
|
vi. 65, . |
. i. 271 |
XV. 14, 15, |
. i. 217 |
|
vi. 67, . |
. i. 166, ii. 436 |
XV. 15, . |
. ii. 369 |
|
vi. 67-69, |
. i. 248 |
XV. 18-20, |
i. 135, ii. 66, 165 |
|
vii. 37, 38, |
. i. 266, ii. 96 |
XV. 20, . |
. ii. 373 |
|
vii. 37-39, |
. i. 213 |
XV. 21, . |
. ii. 369 |
|
vii. 38, . |
. ii. 422 |
xvi. 2, 3, |
. ii. 153 |
|
vii. 39, . |
. ii. 422 |
xvi. 2-4, |
. i. 181, ii. 66 |
|
viii. 12, . i. |
220, ii. 46, 107 |
xvi. 7, . |
. ii. 372 |
|
viii. 14, 15, |
. ii. 330 |
xvi. 13, . |
. ii. 372 |
|
viii. 17, 18, |
. ii. 63 |
xvi. 20, . |
. i. 455, ii. 66 |
|
viii. 23, . |
. ii. 330 |
xvi. 22, . |
. i. 455 |
|
viii. 24, . |
. ii. S4 |
xvi. 23, . |
. i. 400 |
|
viii. 31, 32, |
ii. 30, 62 |
xvi. 24, . |
. ii. 290 |
|
viii. 34, . |
. i. 405 |
xvi. 33, . |
. ii. 30, 67, 145 |
|
viii. 42, . |
. ii. 331 |
xvii. 3, . |
i. 269, 417, 440, |
|
viii. 44, . |
. i. 405 |
ii. 57, 335 |
|
|
viii. 51, , |
. ii. 332 |
xvii. 3-5, |
. ii. 100 |
|
viii. 58, . |
. ii. 332 |
xvii. 5, . |
ii. 326, 335, 363 |
|
ix. 31, . |
i. 223, 237, 252 |
xvii. 20, |
. i. 418 |
|
X. 1, |
. ii. 431 |
xvii. 21, |
. i. 287 |
|
X. 8, |
. ii. 431 |
xvii. 24, |
. i. 466, ii. 178 |
|
X. 9, . |
ii. 124, ]63 |
xviii. 22, |
. i. 163 |
|
X. 11, 12, |
. i. 15 |
xviii. 28, |
i. 164, 227, 245 |
|
X. 16, . |
i. 306, 383 |
xix. 11, . |
. i. 416, ii. 189 |
|
X. 18, . |
ii. 123, 350 |
xix. 23, 24, |
. i. 383 |
|
X. 27, 28, |
. ii. 332 |
XX. 17, . |
. ii. 363 |
|
X. 30, i. 306, |
382, ii. 327, 333 |
XX. 21, . |
. i. 380 |
|
X. 33, . |
. ii. 366 |
XX. 21-23, |
. i. 2(54 |
|
X. 35, 36, |
. ii. 333 |
XX. 22, 23, |
. i. 296, ii. 370 |
INDEX OF TEXTS.
529
|
John XX. 27-29, . Vol |
. ii. 105 |
|
XX. 28, . . ii. . |
m, 377 |
|
xxi. 15, . |
i. 380 |
|
xxi. 17, . |
i. 15 |
|
Acts i. 4, 5, . |
ii. 405 |
|
i. 5, . |
i. 428 |
|
i. 7, . |
ii. 191 |
|
i. 14, . . i. |
397, 403 |
|
i. 15, . |
i. 238 |
|
ii. 2-4, . |
i. 193 |
|
ii. 17, . |
ii. 371 |
|
ii. 17, 18, |
ii. 423 |
|
ii. 38, 39, |
i. 270 |
|
iii. 6, . |
ii. 183 |
|
iv. 8-12, |
ii. 117 |
|
iv. 12, . |
ii. 410 |
|
iv. 32, . i. 29, 397, ii. |
19, 142 |
|
V. 3, 4, . |
ii. 166 |
|
vi, 2, |
i. 238 |
|
vii. 60, . |
ii. 32 |
|
viii. 20, . . ii. |
193, 270 |
|
viii. 20, 21, |
ii. 425 |
|
viii. 3C, 37, |
ii. 172 |
|
ix. 40, . |
ii. 5 |
|
X. 2, 4, . |
i. 420 |
|
X. 28, . |
i. 198 |
|
X. 44-48, |
ii. 409 |
|
xi. 15-17, |
ii. 205 |
|
xiii. 4G, 47, |
ii. 95 |
|
XV. 7, 8, |
ii. 405 |
|
XV. 9, . |
ii. 409 |
|
XV. 13-17, |
ii. 418 |
|
XV. 28^ 29, |
ii. 198 |
|
xvi. 25, , |
ii. 152 |
|
xxiii. 4, . |
i. 164 |
|
xxiii. 4, 5, . i. |
227, 245 |
|
xxiii. 5, . |
i. 164 |
|
Ptom. i. 8, . |
. i. 86 |
|
i. 20, . |
. ii. 305 |
|
i. 25, 26, |
. ii. 147 |
|
i. 30-32, , |
. i. 243 |
|
ii. 1-3, . |
. ii. 162 |
|
ii. 4-6, . . ii |
. 24, 169 |
|
ii. 11, . |
. ii. 443 |
|
ii. 12, . |
. ii. 193 |
|
ii. 13, . |
. ii. 192 |
|
ii. 24, . |
. i. 24 |
|
iii. 3, . |
. i. 395 |
|
iii. 3, 4, . i. 107, 212, |
248, 295 |
|
iii. 8, . |
. ii. 193 |
|
iii. 23, 24, |
. ii. 125 |
|
V. 2-5, . . ii |
. 64, 145 |
|
V. 8, 9, . |
. i. 144 |
|
vii. 14, . |
. ii. 384 |
|
viii. 3, 4, |
. i. 141 |
|
viii. 9, . |
. ii. 373 |
|
viii. 12, . |
. ii. 106 |
|
CYP. — VOL. II. |
|
Ptom. viii. 12-14, |
Vol. ii. 48 |
|
viii. 16, 17, i. |
181, 327, ii. 63, |
|
155 |
|
|
viii. 18, i. 188, |
320, 327, ii. 77, |
|
156, 246 |
|
|
viii. 24, 25, |
ii. 31, 172 |
|
viii. 35, . |
i. 31, 73 |
|
viii. 35-37, |
ii. 61, 157 |
|
ix. 3-5, . |
. ii. 105 |
|
ix. 5, |
ii. 305, 315 |
|
x. 34-38, |
. ii. 106 |
|
xi. 20, 21, |
. i. 25 |
|
xi. 33, . |
ii. 305, 315 |
|
xi. 33-36, |
. ii. 176 |
|
xii. 1, 2, |
i. 318, ii. 63 |
|
xii. 14, . |
. ii. 151 |
|
xii, 17, . |
. ii. 162 |
|
xii. 19, . |
. i. 436 |
|
xii. 21, . |
. ii. 162 |
|
xiii. 3, , |
• ^i-.i'? |
|
xiii. 12, 13, |
ii. 45 |
|
xiv, 4, . i. |
143, ii. 162, 439 |
|
xiv. 12, 1.3, |
. i. 315 |
|
xiv. 17, . |
ii. 182, 191 |
|
1 Cor. i. 10, . |
ii. 190, 404 |
|
i. 17-24, |
. ii. 186 |
|
i. 22-24, |
. ii. 100 |
|
ii. 9, |
. ii. 312 |
|
ii. 12, . |
. ii. 374 |
|
iii, 1-3, . |
ii. 47, 142 |
|
iii. 3, . |
. ii. 441 |
|
iii. 6, 7, S, |
. ii. 365 |
|
iii. 12, . |
. ii. 435 |
|
iii. 16, . |
. i. 20 |
|
iii. 16, 17, |
. ii. 164 |
|
iii. 18-20, |
ii. 22, 187 |
|
iv. 7, . |
. ii. 143 |
|
iv. 20, . |
. ii. 192 |
|
V. 7, . |
. i. 345, ii. 261 |
|
V. 7, 8, . |
. ii. 150 |
|
vi. 1, 2, . |
. ii. 172 |
|
vi. 4, |
. ii. 250 |
|
vi. 7-9, . |
. ii. 172 |
|
vi. 9, . |
. i. 406 |
|
vi. 9-11, |
. ii. 185 |
|
vi. 10, . |
. i. 163 |
|
vi. 13, . |
. ii. 391 |
|
vi. 15, . |
. ii. 257 |
|
vi. 15-17, |
. ii. 184 |
|
vi. 18, . |
. i. 149 |
|
vi. 18-2(>, |
• ii- 1S4 |
|
vi, 19, . |
i. 335 |
|
vi. 19, 20, |
. ii. 148 |
|
vi. 20, . |
i. 406, ii. G |
|
vii. 1-7, . |
. ii. 167 |
|
vii. 7, |
. ii. 250 |
|
vii. 10, 11, |
. ii. 191 |
|
2L |
530
INDEX OF TEXTS.
|
1 Cor. vii. 29-31, . |
Vol. ii. 148 |
2 Cor. ix. 10, |
Vol. ii. 8 |
|
vii. 30, 31, |
. i. .341 ! |
ix. 12, . |
ii. 8, 140 |
|
vii. 32, . |
. i. 337 |
xi. 2, |
. i. 294 |
|
vii. 32-34, |
. i. 167 |
xi. 29, . |
i. 43, 199 |
|
vii. 39, 40, |
. ii. 184 |
xii. 7-9, . |
i. 460, ii. 145 |
|
vii. 40, . |
. ii. 374 |
xii. 21, . |
i. 149, ii. 270 |
|
viii. 2, . |
. ii. 162 |
xiii. 2, . |
. ii. 271 |
|
viii. 8, . |
. ii. 182 |
Gal. i. 1, 12, |
. ii. 327 |
|
viii. 13, . |
. i. 206 |
i. 6-9, . |
i. 66, 215 |
|
ix. 22, . |
. i. 142 |
i. 10, . i. 167 |
, 208, 219, 337, |
|
ix. 24, . |
i. 35, ii. 249 |
ii. 176 |
|
|
ix. 24, 25, |
ii. 63, 163 |
iii. 6-9, . |
. i. 211 |
|
X. 1, 2, 6, |
. i. 314 |
iii. 20, • . |
. ii. 376 |
|
X. 12, . |
i. 143, ii. 162 |
iii. 27, . |
i. 200, 280, 294 |
|
X. 13, . |
. ii. 191 |
iv. 4, . |
ii. 107, 322 |
|
X. 21, . |
i. 38, ii. 362 |
iv. 16, . |
. i. 208 |
|
X. 23, . |
. i. 340, ii. 191 |
V. 14, 15, |
. ii. 142 |
|
X. 25, . |
. ii. 391 |
V. 15, . |
. i. 26 |
|
X. 38, . |
. i. 142 |
V. 17-22, |
. i. 409 |
|
xi. 1, . |
. i. 142 |
V. 17-24, |
. ii. 185 |
|
xi. 10, . |
. i. 385 |
V. 19, 20, |
. ii. 203 |
|
xi. 17, . |
. ii. 441 |
V. 24, . |
. i. 338 |
|
xi. 19, . |
. ii. 191 |
vi. 1, 2, . |
i. 143, ii. 146 |
|
xi. 23-26, |
. i. 214 |
vi. 7, |
i. 239, 371 |
|
xi. 26, . |
. i. 219 |
vi. 10, 9, |
ii. 19, 31 |
|
xi. 27, i. 39, 41, |
299, 362, ii. 192 |
vi. 14, . i. : |
338, ii. 149, 250 |
|
xi. 33, . |
. ii. 182 |
Eph. ii. 17, 18, |
. i. 125 |
|
xii. 3, . |
. ii. 374 |
iv. 1-6, . |
. i. 302 |
|
xii. 26, . |
i. 43, 142, 199 |
iv. 2, 3, . |
i. 408, ii. 32 |
|
xiii. 2-5, 7, 8, |
. i. 389 |
iv. 3, . |
. i. 384 |
|
xiii. 2-8, |
. ii. 142 |
iv. 3-6, . |
. i. 202 |
|
xiii. 3, . |
. i. 272, ii. 420 |
iv. 4, . |
. i. 381 |
|
xiii. 4, . |
. ii. 47 |
iv. 5, |
ii. 19, 214, 217 |
|
xiii. 4-7, |
. ii. 32 |
iv. 5, 6, . |
. i. 301 |
|
xiii. 12, . |
. ii. 175 |
iv. 10, . |
. ii. 339 |
|
xiv. 29, 30, |
. i. 256 |
iv. 22-24, |
. ii. 149 |
|
xiv. 30, . |
. i. 283 |
iv. 26, . |
. ii. 146 |
|
xiv. 32, . |
. ii. 374 |
iv. 27, . |
. i. 205 |
|
xiv. 34, 35, |
. ii. 173 |
iv. 29, . |
i. 115, ii. 151 |
|
XV. 33, . i. |
179, 391, ii. 192 |
iv. 30, 31, |
ii. 33, 145 |
|
XV. 36, . ii. |
178, 391, ii. 192 |
V. 4, |
. ii. 171 |
|
XV. 41-44, |
. ii. 178 |
V. 5, . |
. i. 149 |
|
XV. 47, . |
. i. 350 |
V. 6, |
. ii. 396 |
|
XV. 47-49, |
ii. 48, 109, 149 |
V. 6, 7, . i. |
110, 225, ii. 445 |
|
XV. 50, . |
. ii. 50 |
V. 25, 26, |
i. 281, 304 |
|
2 Cor. ii. 10, |
. ii. 270 |
V. 28, 29, |
. ii. 256 |
|
iii. 14-16, |
. ii. 84 |
V. 31, 32, |
. i. 127 |
|
iii. 17, . |
. ii. 373 |
vi. 1-3, . |
. ii. 187 |
|
iv. 13, . |
. ii. 371 |
vi. 4, . |
. ii. 187 |
|
V. 10, . |
ii. 126, 177 |
vi. 5, 6, . |
. ii. 187 |
|
V. 15, . |
. ii. 61 |
vi. 9, |
. ii. 187 |
|
vi. 14, . |
. i. 268, ii. 184 |
vi. 12, . |
. ii. 383 |
|
vii. 10, . |
. ii. 270 |
vi. 12-17, |
i. 187, ii. 197 |
|
viii. 12, i;^, |
. ii. 141 |
Phil. i. 18, . |
. i. 267 |
|
viii. 14, 15, |
. ii. 140 |
i. 21, . |
i. 457, ii. 240 |
|
ix. 6, 7, . |
. ii. 140 |
ii. 6-11, . ] |
i. 112, 171, 353 |
|
ix. 9, . |
. ii. 140 |
ii. 9, 10, |
. ii. 38 |
INDEX OF TEXTS.
531
Phil. ii. 14, 15,
ii. 15,
ii. 21,
iii. 2,
iii. 14,
iii. 21,
iv. 18, Oul. i. 2,
i. 15,
i. 16,
i. 18,
ii. 8,
ii. 8-10,
ii. 11,
ii. 15,
ii. 18,
ii. 20,
ii. 21, 22
ii. 28,
iii. 1-4,
iii. 5, 6,
iv. 2,
1 Thess. iii. 8
iv. 3, iv. 6, iv. 13, iv. 13, 14 V. 2, 3,
2 Thess. ii. 10
iii. 6,
1 Tim. ii. 5,
ii. 9, 10, ii. 11-14 iv. 1, iv. 1, 2, iv. 4, 5, iv. 12, V. 3, 6, V. 8, V. 11, 12, V. 19, V. 20, vi. 3-5, vi. 7, vi. 7-10, vi. 8, vi. 9, vi. 10, vi. 16,
2 Tim. ii. 4,
ii. 4, 5, ii. 11, 12, ii. 16, ii. 17, ii. 20, ii. 23, 24, ii. 24, .
-12.
|
Vol. ii. 152 |
2 Tim. iii. 1-9, |
Vol. i. 391 |
|
i. 24, ii. 164 |
iv. 6-8, . |
i. 35, ii. 155 |
|
. ii. 149 |
Tit. i. 7, |
. i. 240 |
|
. ii. 431 |
i. 13, . |
. i. 267 |
|
. ii. 383 |
i. 15, . |
i. 197, 391 |
|
i. 318, 466 |
iii. 2, |
. ii. 195 |
|
. i. 421 |
iii. 5, |
. i. 280 |
|
. i. 419 |
iii. 10, 11, |
i. 179, ii. 188 |
|
100, 350, 351 |
Heb. V. 7, . |
. ii. 381 |
|
. ii. 325 |
X. 30, . |
. ii. 436 |
|
. ii. 100 |
xii. 6, . |
. i. 30 |
|
. i. 142 |
Jas. iv. 6, |
. ii. 440 |
|
. ii. 22 |
1 Pet. ii. 11, 12, |
. i. 25 |
|
. ii. 86 |
ii. 21, . |
. ii. 46 |
|
. ii. 351 |
ii. 21-23, |
ii. 28, 170 |
|
. ii. 392 |
iii. 3, 4, . |
. i. 340 |
|
. ii. 250 |
iii. 4, . |
. ii. 170 |
|
. ii. 392 |
iii. 18, . |
. ii. 125 |
|
. ii. 149 |
iii. 20, 21, |
i. 284, 304 |
|
ii. 148, 149 |
iii. 21, . |
. i. 295 |
|
. i. 150 |
iv. 1-6, . |
. ii. 125 |
|
;0, 258, ii. 198 |
iv. 12-14, |
i. 182, ii. 64 |
|
. i. 22 |
iv. 15, 16, |
. ii. 170 |
|
. ii. 257 |
V. 8, . |
. ii. 40 |
|
. ii. 190 |
2 Pet. ii. 11, 12, |
. ii. 149 |
|
. i. 465 |
1 John i. 8, . |
i. 413, ii. 176 |
|
. ii. 178 |
i. 8, 9, . |
. ii. 3 |
|
. ii. 190 |
ii. 1, 2, . |
. i. 143 |
|
i. 172, 374 |
ii. 3, 4, . |
. i. 70 |
|
9, 396, ii. 186 |
ii. 6, . i. 181 |
339, ii. 27, 150 |
|
. i. 351 |
ii. 9, |
. ii. 143 |
|
i. 340, ii. 170 |
ii. 9-11, . |
. ii. 46 |
|
. ii. 73 |
ii. 11, . |
. ii. 440 |
|
. ii. 374 |
ii. 15, . |
. i. 467 |
|
. ii. 391 |
ii. 15-17, i. |
339, 408, ii. 150 |
|
. ii. 391 |
ii. 17, . |
. ii. 157 |
|
. i. 228 |
ii. 18, 19, |
i. 253, 303 |
|
. ii. 187 |
ii. 19, . i. |
107, 385, ii. 188 |
|
. ii. 188 |
ii. 21, 22, |
. ii. 189 |
|
. ii. 188 |
ii. 23, . |
ii. 60, 125 |
|
. ii. 188 |
iii. 10-15, |
. ii. 142 |
|
. ii. 188 |
iii. 15, . |
i. 415, ii. 46 |
|
i. 110, 279 |
iii. 17, . |
ii. 13, 140 |
|
. i. 412 |
iii. 27, . |
. ii. 143 |
|
ii. 9, 183 |
iv. 2, 3, . |
. ii. 107 |
|
. ii. 293 |
iv. 3, . |
. i. 268 |
|
. i. 358 |
iv. 4, |
ii. 64, 147 |
|
. ii. 293 |
iv. 7, 8, . |
. ii. 421 |
|
ii. 339, 376 |
iv. 12, . |
. ii. 339 |
|
. i. 229 |
iv. 16, . |
i. 389, ii. 142 |
|
. ii. 149 |
iv. 20, . |
. ii. 142 |
|
. ii. 60 |
V. 6, |
. ii. 423 |
|
. ii. 271 |
v. 7, . |
. . ii. 382 |
|
i. 268, ii. 188 |
V. 8, |
. ii. 428 |
|
i. 132, 149 |
2 John 10, 11, |
. ii. 217 |
|
. ii. 176 |
Jude 14, 15, |
. ii. 441 |
|
. i. 283 |
Ptev. i. 12-18, |
. ii. 124 |
532
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
|
Eev. i. 14, . |
Vol. i. 345 |
Eev. xiv. 6, 7, '. |
Vol. ii. 57 |
|
ii. 5, . i. 47, 78, 145, 270, 363 |
xiv. 9-11, i. 186, 222, ii. 58, 182 |
||
|
ii. 7, . |
. ii. 155 |
xiv. 16, 17, |
. ii. 159 |
|
ii. 10, . i. 21, 132, ii. 65, 155 |
XV. 2-4, . |
. ii. 159 |
|
|
ii. 23, . i. 36, 401, |
463, ii. 176 |
xvi. 15, . |
. ii. 155 |
|
ii. 28, . |
. i. 370 |
xvii. 1, . |
. i. 342 |
|
iii. 11, . |
i. 31, 63 |
xvii. 1-4, |
. ii. 169 |
|
iii. 17, . |
. ii. 431 |
xvii. 15, |
i. 216, ii. 432 |
|
iii. 19, . |
. i. 361 |
xvii. 18, |
. ii. 11 |
|
iii. 21, . |
. i. 73 |
xviii. 4, . |
. i. 358 |
|
V. 1-5, . |
. ii. 110 |
xviii. 4-9, |
. ii. 169 |
|
V. 2, . |
. ii. 440 |
xix. 6, 7, |
. ii. 119 |
|
V. 6-10, . |
. ii. 115 |
xix. 11-13, |
. ii. 101 |
|
vi. 9-11, . |
ii. 37, 154 |
xix. 11-16, |
. ii. 129 |
|
vi. 10, . |
. i. 364 |
xix. 13, . |
. ii. 325 |
|
vi. 12-17, |
. ii. 444 |
XX. 4, 5, |
. ii. 76 |
|
vii. 9-17, |
. ii. 155 |
XX. 11-13, |
. ii. 445 |
|
ix. 1, 13-21, |
. ii. 182 |
xxi. 6, . |
. ii. 100 |
|
xi. 16, 17, |
. ii. 159 |
xxi. 6, 7, |
ii. 105, 194 |
|
xii. 15, . |
. ii. 441 |
xxi. 9-11, |
. ii. lis |
|
xiii. 11, . |
. i. 394 |
xxii. 9, . |
. ii. 38 |
|
xiv. 1, . |
. ii. 122 |
xxii. 10-12, |
ii. 36, 163 |
|
xiv. 4, . . i |
. 337, ii. 168 |
xxii. 13, 14, |
. ii. 122 |
IL— INDEX OF PRINCIPAL MATTEPS.
Actor, an, to be forLidden tlie com- raunion of the church while he continues his disgraceful employ- ment, i. 202 ; and even if he has given up the stage, if he con- tinues to teach the art to others, 203.
Adulterers, is peace to be granted to, when penitent, i. 144, 145.
Adultery, the sinfulness of, ii. 257.
Afflictions, the use and design of, ii. 63 ; ought to be patiently en- dured, 144.
Agrippinus, bishop of the pro\'ince of Africa and Numidia, i. 256.
Alms, the use and efficacy of, ii. 1, etc. ; the reward of those who give, 20 ; the benefit of, proved by Scripture testimonies, 135- 141.
Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, 1. 183, 184 ; their courage and constancy, 328, 373.
Angel, the, who appeared to Jacob, ii. 344, etc.
Anger, to be restrained, ii. 146.
Animals, clean and unclean, Nova-
tian's views respectinsr, ii. 384,
etc., 386. Antiquity, an ignorant, ought not to
rule us, ii. 481, 482. Antonianus, Cyprian's ej)istle to,
respecting Cornelius and Nova-
tian, i. 133. Apostles, the attitude of the, to- wards heretics, i. 268. Ark, the, of Noah, an emblem of the
church, i. 295, 304, ii. 434 Assur^e, an epistle of the people of,
respecting Fortunatianus, their
lajjsed bishop, i. 22, etc. Aurelius, the confessor, raised to be
a reader, i. 93. Auspices and auguries, the, of the
heathen, ii. 493.
Baptism, various references to, i. 3, 26, 66, 91, 145 ; cleanses from sin, i. 311, ii. 2 ; necessarj^, 163 ; to be followed by good works, 163, 164; sin put away in, 185.
Baptism, a threefold, ii. 421-423.
MDEX OF SUBJECTS.
533
Baptism by sprinkling, i. 311, 312.
Daptism, the cessation of the old, and the beginning of the new, foretold, ii. 87.
Baptism, evangelical and saving, ii. 4U4.
Baptism, the, of infants, i. 196.
Baptism, the, of heretics, on their repentance, asserted and defended in varioixs epistles, i. 250, etc., 253, etc., 257, etc., 260, etc., 276, etc., 285, etc., 303, etc. ; the judgment of eighty-seven bishops on, ii. 199, etc. ; acts and records respecting the controversy relating to, 396, 397.
Baptism of blood, the, i. 157.
Baptism by lire, heretical perver- sion of the meaning of, ii. 425.
Baptismal regeneration, i. 280, 281, 294, ii. 2.
Baptized, the, may lose the grace which they have received, ii. 164.
Baptizing of Novatians, the, an epistle on, i. 302.
Baptizing, the, of persons on a sick- bed, i. 311. _
Basilides and Martial, lapsedbishops, an epistle respecting, i. 235-242.
Baths, promiscuous, censured, i. 346, 347.
Battle, the Christian's, with the devil, i. 455.
Believer, the, should not live as the Gentiles, i. 168.
Birth, the new, effected in baptism, ]. 2, 3, 280, 281.
Bishop, the fall of a, various refer- ences to, i. 17, 38, 44, 145, 226, 227, 246, 248, 249.
Bishops, chosen bv popular suffrage, i. 106, 165, 238," 239.
Boasting, to be avoided, ii. 143.
Bread, daily, to be prayed for, i. 410.
Brother, on helping a fallen and wounded, i. 144.
Brotherly affection, ii. 141.
Brothers, the seven, of the Maccabees, ii. 69-73.
Burdens, bearing one another's, i. 143.
Cnecilius, a heathen, salutes an image of Serapis, ii. 452, 453 ; disputes with Octavius in defence of his religion, 454, 455.
Creoilius, an epistle to, on the sacra-
ment of the cup of the Lord. i. 208, etc.
Cain and Abel, their offering, i. 414, 415.
Caldonius, an epistle of, to Cyprian, respecting certain of the lapsed who had in a new persecution confessed Christ, i. 5Q ; Cyprian's reply to, 57.
Calumniators, an epistle to Flavins Pupianus on, i. 243.
Candida and Numeria, lapsed sisters, i. 59, 60.
Captives, Christian, an epistle on the redemption of, i. 199, etc.
Cirnal and spiritual things, ii. 184.
Catechumens who suffer martyrdom before they are baptized, the case of, i. 273.
Caution, the need of, i. 378.
Celerinus, an epistle of, to Lucian, entreating peace for his lapsed sisters, from the confessors of Carthage, i. 58, etc. ; extolled — ordered to be made a reader, 95.
Certificate, a written, in the name of the martyrs by Lucianus, i. 54.
Certificates from tlae martyrs to the lapsed, no account to be made of, before the peace of the church is restored, i. 55, etc.
Certificates received from the hea- then in times of persecution con- demned, i. 370 ; the difference be- tween those who receive and those who sacrifice, 140, 141.
Charity and brotherly affection, ii. 141.
Chastity, ii. 253 ; the praises of, 255; degrees of, 255, 256; the precepts of ancient, 256 ; Joseph and Susanna examples of, 258-260 ; the plea- sures of, 260 ; the real nature of, 261 ; things inconsistent with, 261, 262 ; to be cultivated by both men and women, 262, 263.
Children, the three, in the fiery fur- nace, i. 403.
Christ, the source of salvation to men, i. 449 ; predicted, 450 ; cast out demons, 450 ; His death and resurrection, 450, 451 ; His patience and compassion, ii. 25 ; foretold as the temple of God, 89 ; the First- born and Wisdom of God, 99, 100 ; the Word of God, 101 ; the Hand and Arm of God, 101, 102 ; at
534
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
once angel and God, 102-106 ; the Enlightener and Saviour, 106 ; although existing from the begin- ning, yet begotten according to the flesh, 107 ; born of a virgin, 108 ; God and man, 108, 109 ; of the seed of David, 109 ; to be born in Bethlehem, 110; His first advent in a low estate. 111 ; the Righteous One whom the Jews would put to death, 112; called a sheep and a lamb — His passion, 113 ; called a stone, 115 ; a stone destined to become a mountain, 117 ; the Bridegroom of the church, 118 ; His crucifixion foretold, 120 ; the power of the passion and cross of, 121 ; other prophecies respecting, 122, etc. ; shall come as Judge, 125, etc. ; Judge and King, 128 ; our example, 170 ; really the Son of God and' truly man, 318, etc. ; truly God, Son of God, and Son of man, 320, etc. ; His Godhead proved from the Old Testament Scriptures, 323, etc. ; and from the writings of the JSTew Testa- ment, 325, etc., 328, etc., 330, etc.
Christian, the, greater than the world, i. 12.
Christians born again in baptism, i. 280, 281.
Christians, the, accused of being the cause of famines, etc., i. 424, etc. ; the madness of cruelty to, 433, etc. ; their quiet submission to persecution, 436, etc. ; avenged on their persecutors, 436 ; con- trast between the heathen and the, in suffering the same outward evils, 437, etc. ; in the coming judgment their cause will be up- held, 439 ; attacked by disease as well as the heathen, 456 ; destined to suffer more than others, 457 ; the abominable charges brought against, by the heathen refuted, 463, 464 ; heathen charges against the religion of the, 464, 465, 466- 471 ; refutation of such charges against, 471, etc., 497, etc., 501, etc. ; the belief of, in the Crucified One, 499, etc. ; do not conceal the object of their worship, 502, etc. ; the morals of, far superior to those of the Gentiles, 510.
Chrrch, the, compai'ed to a ship, i.
86 ; the unity of the, 108, 127, 147, 148, 284, 304, 305, 306, 377, 378 ; hearing the, 303 ; predic- tions respecting, ii. 91.
Clean and unclean animals, the rea- son of the distinction of, ii. 384, etc., 386, etc., 389, etc. ; the dis- tinction of, abolished by Chiist, 390, etc.
Clementius, i. 14.
Clergy, the duty of the, in times of persecution, i. 16, 18, 20, 21.
Clinic baptism, i. 311.
Coat, the seamless, of Christ, i. 382.
Confessing Christ, i. 72, 73, 87, 365, 393, 394.
Confession of sins, i, 371.
Confessors, i. 19, 21 ; the bad con- duct of some, 22, 25, 26, 27 ; an epistle to, 23, etc. ; exhorted, stimulated, and eulogized, 51-54 ; a certificate of the, to the peni- tent lapsed, 54 ; kindness to be shown to, in prison, 101 ; the days of their departure to be com- memorated, 102 ; exhortation to the Eoman, seduced by Novatian, to return to unity, 117 ; Cornelius informs Cyprian of the return of the Roman, to the church, 121 ; Cyprian's congratulation on the return of the, 124 ; a letter to Cyprian informing him of the re- turn of, to the church, 130 ; Cy- prian's letter of congratulations to, 130 ; an epistle to certain, in prison, encouraging, 325, etc. ; the constancy of, lauded, 352.
Confirmation, i. 257.
Continency, everything opposed to, to be avoided, i. 346 ; and mar- riage, 349.
Contest, the, of the martyrs, 1. 34, 35, 36, 186, 187.
Cornelius, letter of Cyprian to, re- specting his ordination, i. 113; an epistle to, respecting his confes- sion, 189; a blessed martyr, 194.
Council, the, assembled at Carthage to consider the baptism of heretics, ii. 199; other coimcils held for the same purpose, 396, 397.
Courage required in a bishop, i. 160, 161.
Covenant, the new, foretold, ii. 87.
Creation, the works of, described, ii. 298.
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
535
Cross, the potency of the, ii. 121.
Cup of the Lord, the, not to be water, but wine mixed with water, i. 209, etc.
Cursing, to be avoided, ii, 151.
Custom and truth, i. 298, 299.
Cyprian, an epistle of the Roman clergy respecting the retirement of, i. 14, 49, etc.; conspiracy against, 106 ; exile of, 108 ; his character, 137, 138; defence of himself, 243, etc. ; explains the reason of his re- tirement, 331.
Daily bread, prayed for, i. 410-413.
Deacon, an epistle respecting one who contended against his bishop, i. 225, etc.
Death, the door to immortality, i. 465.
Death, none should be made sad by, ii. 177.
Deluge, the, of Noah, ii. 434,
Demetriamxs, proconsul of Africa, an epistle to, defending Christians from the calumnies of, i. 424.
Demons, lurk under statues and images, but flee from Christians, ii. 495 ; bring false charges against Christians, 497, etc.
Demons, impure wandering spirits, seeking to ruin men, i. 446, 447.
Departed, the, not to be lamented, i. 444, 445.
Devil, the, his work to wound God's servants with lies, i. 139 ; his malignity prevails up to the sav- ing water, not further, 314 ; the Christian's warfare with, 455 ; has no power over man unless allowed by God, ii. 189.
Diagoras, the Melian, ii. 461.
Dinocrates, brother of Perpetua, de- livered from purgatory through his sister's prayers, ii. 281, 282.
Dionysius of Alexandria, the frag- ment of aletter of, to Pope Stephen, ii. 399.
Disease attacks Christians as well as heathens ; the uneasiness this fact causes to some persons, i. 456.
Discipline, to be maintained, i. 86, 87, 88, 162, 242; its excellency, 334, 335.
Discipline of God, the, to be observed in church precepts, 185 ; that men should despise, foretold, 185, 186;
those who act contrary to, to be shunned, 191.
Divinity of Jesus Christ, the, proved, ii. 320, etc.
Donatus, i, 1.
Dove, the, of Noah, of what an em- blem, ii. 344, 345.
Dove, the Holy Spirit under the emblem of a, i. 384.
Dress, the, of virgins, i. 334, 335 ; Avhen it pleases men, it offends God, 337 ; when line, is a proof of glorying in the flesh, 338 ; wealth no excuse for indulging in costly, 339 ; fine, does not befit virgins, but rather immodest women, 342; indulgence in rich, denounced by Isaiah, 342, 343 ; fine, an inven- tion of the devil, 343-345 ; indul- gence in, renders liable to divine rejection, 345; exhortations against the love of, 347, etc.
Duties, relative, ii. 187.
Duties' of the clergy in times of per- secution, i. 16, 18, 20, 21.
Elements, the, not to be worshipped as gods, ii. 56.
Eli as and the widow of Zarephath, ii. 13.
Enemy, the, the craft of, i. 379.
Enoch, the translation of, i. 466.
En\'y, a heinous sin, ii. 39 ; of the devil, 40, etc. ; the forms of, manifold, 43 ; a source of misery, 43, 44 ; indications of, 44 ; Christ fortifies us against, 45; is homicide, 46 ; exhortation against, 46-51.
Eternal generation, the, of the Son of God, ii. 378.
Ethics, a compendious system of, ga- thered from Scripture, ii. 130-198.
Euchratius, an epistle to, respecting a Christian who was an actor, i. 202-208.
Evaristus, superseded in the episco- pate by Zetus, i. 126, 127.
Evil, deliverance from, asked, i. 416.
E vil, not to be rendered for evil, ii. 1 62.
Fabian, i. 89.
Faith, the advantage of, ii. 171.
Father, we are taught to pray to
God as our, i. 404-406. Father, the, the first person in the
Trinity, ii. 298 ; and the Sou,
distinct, 360.
536
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
Faustimis, Geminius, a presbyter, wrongly appointed executor by Geminius Victor, i. 228-230.
Fear, the foundation and strength of hope and faith, ii. 157.
Felicissimus and his companions in sedition, the excommunication of, i. 103, 104 ; epistle concerning live schismatical presbyters of the faction of, 105 ; character and conduct of, 160.
Felicitas, and Perpetua, martyrs, ii. 275 ; brings forth in prison, 2S7 ; exposure of, in the amphitheatre, sufferings and death, 289-292.
Pidus, an epistle to, on the baptism of infants, i. 196, etc.
Fire, baptism with, the perverse in- terpretation of, by heretics, ii. 427.
Firmilian, bishop of Cffisarea in Ca^Dpadocia, an epistle of, against the letter of Stephen on the baptism of heretics, i. 285, etc.
Florentius Pupianus, an epistle to, on calumniators, i. 243, etc.
Food, the first given to man, ii. 385.
Food, the lust of, ii. 182.
Forgiveness asked of God, i. 413.
Forgiveness of injuries, ii. 162.
Fortunatianus, the lapsed bishop of Assurre, i. 221, etc.
Fortunatus, i. 167, 174; an exhortation to martyrdom addressed to, ii. 52.
Forum, the depravity abounding in the, i. 8, 9.
Free-will, the, of man, ii. 299.
Furni, an epistle to the clergy and people of, respecting Geminius Victor, who appointed a presbyter his executor, i. 228, etc,
Futurus, i. 85.
Gaius, presbyter of Didda, rejected from communion for rashly commu- nicating with the lapsed, i. 79, etc.
Gehenna, ii. 245.
Gentiles, the, their faith in Christ foretold, ii. 92.
Gladiatorial games, the, i. 6.
God, is one, i. 448 ; His greatness, 448, 449 ; Plis patience, ii. 23 ; alone to be worshipped, 56 ; His threatenings against the worship- j)crs of idols, 57 ; does not easily pardon the worshippers of idols, 58 ; His anger against idolatry illus- trated, 59 ; His secrets cannot be
seen through, 175 ; nothing can be hidden from, 176 ; the Father Almighty, description of, 298, etc. ; the immensity of, 301 ; tLe Founder, Lord, and Parent of all things, 303 ; the goodness and im- mutability of, 305 ; the name of, cannot be declared, 307 ; described in Scripture anthropomorphically, 309, etc. ; the terms — spirit, brightness, and light, cannot ex- press Him, 311 ; adored by the church, and witnessed to by nature, 313 ; the Son of, 315 ; al- though Christ is God, yet there is but one God, not two Gods, 375 ; discovered from His works, 474-476 ; takes care of the universe and of all its parts, 476 ; incom- prehensible, yet acknowledged by men, 4-78 ; acknowledged by poets and philosophers, 479, etc. ; not confined to temples, 503-505 ; for- saken by the Jews before He forsook them, 491.
Godhea,d of Christ, the, ii. 320, etc.
Gods, the, of the heathen, how re- presented in theatres, i. 7 ; the vanity of the worship of, 435 ; can't avail their own worshipj)ers, 445 ; idols not gods, ii. 56 ; the worship of, silly, 482; men adopted as, 483 ; ridiculed, 484, etc. ; the fables relating to, celebrated by poets, mischievous and corrupting, 486, 487 ; kings feigned to be, 488, 489 ; ridiculous, obscene, and cruel rites practised in celebrating the mj'steries of certain, 489, 490 ; the Homans did not attain to power by the worship of, but by arms and terror, 491.
Hair, dyeing the, censured, i. 345.
Hallowed be Thy name, i. 406.
Hannah, the prayer of, i. 491.
Heresies permitted by God, why ? i. 385.
Heretic, the, not benefited by con- fessing Christ, or even by baptism in his own blood, i. 272.
Heretics, an epistle directed against, i. 159-180 ; on the baptizing of, and its necessitj^, 250, etc., 253, etc., 257, etc., 260, etc. ; ve^Aj to the letter of Pope Stephen re- specting the baptizing of, 276, etc. ;
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
537
second reply, addressed to Fir- j niilian, bishop of Cappadocia, 285, j etc. ; epistle to Magnus on tlie | baptizing of, 302, etc. I
Heretics execrated by the apostles, ! i. 268. _ . . 1
Iliero, his question to Simonides, I and Simonides' reply, ii. 4G9. I
Holy Spirit, those onh'' who have the, can remit sins in baptism, i. 310 ; given equally to all in the church, 313 ; to be believed in equally with the Father and the Son, ii. 371, etc. ; given by the imposition of the bishop's hands, j 400, 407.
Holy Spirit, the, under the emblem i of a dove, i. 384. j
Holy Spirit, grieving the, ii. 145. 1
Home, the joy of going, i. 467, 4GS.
Hours of prayer, i. 421-423. |
Humility, to be cultivated, ii. 143.
Idols, the vanity of, i. 443-451 ; not gods, ii. 56 ; divine threatenings against the worshippers, 57 ; God does not easily pardon the worship- pers of, 59 ; more resj)ecting, 170.
Idolatry, necessarily involved in the public shows, ii. 224.
Idols, things offered to, not allowed to be eaten, ii. 304, 305.
Immensity of God, the, ii. 301.
Immortality, reachcdby death, i. 465.
Impatience, the mischiefs of, i. 465.
" Increase and multiply," God's first decree, His second continency, i. 340.
Infant, a curious story of a Christian, to which bread mixed with Avine was given in the presence of an idol, i. 368.
Infants, the baptism of, i. 196.
Intemperance in Christians detest- able, ii. 394.
Isaiah, his denunciation of the daughters of Zion for their dress and ornamentation, i. 342.
Januarius, an epistle to, on the baptism of heretics, i. 250, etc.
Januarius of Vicus Ciusaris, ii. 206, 207.
Jealousy and envy, ii. 39, etc.
Jesus Christ. See Christ.
Jewish meats, Novatian on, ii. 382, etc.
Jews, three books against, summary of, ii. 78, etc. ; their treatment of the prophets, 81, etc. ; their un- belief and ignorance foretold, 82 ; other predictions respecting their sins and calamities, 85, etc., 95, etc. ; how they may obtain par- don, 96, 97 ; forsook God before He forsook them, 505-507.
Job, alUicted, but not conquered by atlliction, i. 457 ; an example of jjatience, ii. 33.
Joseph, an example of chastit}', ii. 258.
Julianus, an epistle to, on the bap- tizing of heretics, i. 260, etc.
Judah, the blessing of, i. 211.
Judas, the painful example of, i. 395.
Judgment, the coming, i. 493, etc.
Judgments, rash, to be avoided, ii. 163.
Kingdom of God, the prayer for the
coming of the, i. 406 ; in what it
consists, ii. 186. Kingdoms, the rise of, i. 446. Kings, often feigned by the heathen
to be gods, ii. 487-489. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, the
sin of, i. 226, 237, 308, 309.
Lapsed, the, an epistle to certain pres- byters who had too soon granteiL peace to, i. 37, etc. ; an epistle to certain martyrs and confessors, who sought that peace should be granted to, 40, etc. ; an epistle to the people respecting, 43, etc. ; an epistle to the clergy respecting, 4.5, etc. ; peace to be granted to, only on repentance, 47 ; the daring con- duct of some, 50 ; the seditious demand of some to be restored to peace, 64 ; how to be purged, 75 ; an epistle to, 77, etc. ; none to communicate with, 80 ; epistle of the lloman clergy respecting, 82 ; prayer for, 89, 90 ; proper conduct required of, 90 ; how to be dealt with, 91 ; an epistle concerning granting peace to, 154, etc. ; un- christian severity of Xovatiau to- ward, 150, 151, 171, 173 ; an epistle concerning Basilides and Martial, who were of the number of, 235, etc.; bewailed, 353; the causes of the fall of, 354, etc..
538
INDEX OF SUBJECTS,
S58-360 ; some of, fell at tlie first word of threatening, 356 ; some overcome by tortures, 360 ; com- munion sinfully granted to, before full repentance, 361, etc. ; must appease the Lord by atonement before reception to communion, 363 ; mercy to, can be granted by God alone, 363, 364-366 ; the temerity of some of the, 367 ; the punishment inflicted on some of, 367, 368 ; a curious case of an in- fant, 368, 369 ; the supernatural punishment of certain women of the number of, 369, 370 ; certifi- cates received by some who had not actually sacrificed, 370 ; all exhorted to repentance, 371 ; the genuine fruits of repentance in, 372 ; the stupor of some who are to be avoided — the depth of the repentance required of, 374, 375 ; a worse crime than that of, 393 ; hope of pardon must not be denied to, ii. 430.
Law, abolition of the old, and giving of a new, foretold, ii. SQ, 87.
Lord's Prayer, the, expounded, i. 399-423 ; the preface of, 403, 404 ; first petition, 406 ; second petition, 406, 407 ; third petition, 407-410 ; fourth petition, 410-413 ; fifth pe- tition, 413-416; sixth petition, 416.
L:>rd's Supper, the, the cup in, not to be water, but -vvine mixed with water, i. 208, etc. ; the institution of, 214.
Love of God and Christ, the, to be preferred to everything, ii. 156.
Lucian, the forwardness of, to grant peace to the lapsed, i. 64, etc.
Lucius, bishop of Eome, an epistle to, i. 193.
Lust of food, and of possessing, ii.l82.
Luxury, ii. 390, 393.
Maccabean brothers, the seven he- roic, ii. 69-73.
Maccabees, the, i. 184.
Magisterial office, the, the depravity which characterized, i. 10.
Magnus, an epistle to, respecting the baptizing of Novatians, etc., i. 302, etc.
Mappalicus, the African martyrs exhorted to perseverance by the example of, i. 35, 36.
Man, created free, but subject to law, ii. 299.
Manna, the equality observed in the distribution of, a type, i. 313.
Marcian, bishop of Aries, who had joined himself to JSTovatian, i. 231, etc.
Marcion, those who come from, to be baptized, i. 262 ; the faith of, dif- ferent from the faith of the church, 263.
Marriage, and continency, i. 349 ; not to be contracted with the Gen- tiles, ii. 183; chastity in, 256.
Marriage of Cana, the, i. 216.
Martialis and Basilides, lapsed bishops, i. 235-242.
Martyr, no one can be a, who is not / in the church, i. 388. V
Martyrdom, exhortation and en- couragements to, i. 180-188, ii. 52, etc. ; examples of, i. 183 ; not in man's will, but in God's conde- scension— the spirit of, the main thing, 463; the benefits of, ii. 152, etc. ; the glory of, 231-252 ; the nature of, 233, etc. ; how great it is, 239; the advantage of, 244, etc.
Martyrdom, the, of the seven Mac- cabean brothers, ii. 69-73.
Martyrs, the African, an epistle to, i. S3, etc. ; the tortures and con- test of the, 34, 35 ; some of, seek that peace be granted to the lapsed, 40, etc. ; no account to be made of certificates from, to the lapsed till the peace of the church is re- stored, 55 ; an epistle to those in the mines, 316 ; the replies of those in the mines, 321, 323, 324 ; the hope and reward of the, ii. 74- 78; PerpetuaandFelicitas, 275, etc.
]\Iaximus and Jovinus, i. 168, 169.
Meat, the true, ii. 391, 392.
Meats, the distinction of clean and unclean, how explained by Nova- tian, ii. 384, etc. , 386 ; why cer- tain, were prohibited to the Jews, 389 ; the distinctions of clean and unclean, abolished, 390, etc. ; the abolition of the distinction be- tween, does not allow luxury, 393, etc. ; offered to idols not allowed to be eaten, 394, 395.
Melchizedek, i. 210.
Mercy, the benefit of, ii. 135.
Mimes, the, i. 7, ii. 227.
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
539
Minesf, an epistle to the martyrs in
the, i. 316, etc. Minucius Felix, anotice of, i. 449, 450. Modesty demanded of the lapsed, i.
90. Money, the lust of possessing, ii. 282. Moses, the prayer of, for his people,
i. 364, 365. Moses, the Prophet like unto, fore- told, ii. 90, 91. Mortality, a treatise on the, i. 453-468. Mother, the noble, of the seven
heroic brothers, ii. 71-73. Moyses and Maximus, confessors, i.
51, &S, 70, 135. Murmuring under affliction, to be
avoided, i. 458, 459.
Name, hatred of the, predicted, ii. 164, 165.
Name of God, hallowing the, i. 406.
Nature, the beauties of, a noble ex- hibition for the Christian, ii. 229.
Nicostratus, i. 126, 127.
Noah a type, i. 210.
Noah, the ark of, a type of the unity of the church, i. 295, 304.
Novatianon JeAvishmeats, ii. 382, etc,
Novatian, the messengers sent to announce the ordination of, re- jected by Cyprian, i. Ill, etc. ; Cornelius' account of the faction of, 125, etc. ; account of the dis- turbance betvreen Cornelius and, 133, etc. ; his character and arro- gance, 147 ; presumes to search the heart, 148 ; acts unequally, 149; further referred to, 191 ; he and his followers re-baptize the Catholics who come to them, 261 ; a biographical sketch of, ii. 295 ; works of, 296 ; treatise on the Trinity, 297, etc. ; on Jewish meats, 382, etc. ; an anonymous treatise against, 429, etc.
Novatus, the crimes of, i. 126, 127. '
Numidian bishops, an epistle to the, on the redemption of captives, i. 199.
Numidicus ordained presbyter, i. 98.
Octavius reproves Felix for a super- stitious act of his friend Crccilius, ii. 453 ; disputes with Ccecilius, 455 ; his reply to the argument of Csecilius against Christianity, 472, etc.
Oil used in baptism, i. 252. Ornaments, unbefitting virgins, i. 342.
Painting the face, condemned, i. 3-14.
Pardon, can be granted by God alone for sins committed against Himself, i. 363.
Passions must be subdued, ii. 262.
Patience, the advantage of, ii. 21 ; true and false, 22 ; an imitation of God, 23, 24 ; taught and exem- plified by Jesus Christ, 25 ; the, of righteous men, 28 ; and per- severance, 30 ; repels evil, 31 ; r.ecessary to the fulfilment of Christian duty, 32 ; necessary to bear afflictions, 33 ; mischiefs re- sulting from the want of, 34.
Patience of God, the, i. 169, ii. 23.
Paulus the martyr, i. 62.
Peace, Pope Stephen accused by Firmilianus of breaking the, i. .301.
Peace to the lapsed, various refer- ences to the granting of, i. 37, 40, 44,47.
People, the, C3rprian's letter to, re- specting the lapsed, i. 43, etc.
Perpetua and Felicitas, martyrs, the passion of, ii. 275-292.
Perpetua, Vivia, apprehended and cast into prison ; she resists her father's entreaties, ii. 277, 278 ; her vision, 279 ; visited by her father, whom she comforts, 280 ; before the tribunal avows herself a Christian, 281 ; prays for her brother Dinocrates, who was dead, 281, 282 ; is again tempted by her father, 283 ; her vision of Pom- ponius the deacon, and of her con- flict -with an Egyptian enemy, 283, 284 ; the vision of, granted to St. Saturus, 285-287 ; the courage of, 288; the cruel treatment of, and of Felicitas in the amphitheatre, 2S9 ; is tossed by a wild cow, 290, 291 ; is slain with the sword, 292. '
Persecution, the, at Home under Valerian, i. 329.
Persecution, exhortation to endur- ance under, i. 15 ; duties of tlie clergy in times of, 16, IS, 21 ; tlio duty of rejoicing in, 182; the madness of, as directed against Christians, 438 ; designed to provo us, ii. 63 ; not to be feared — fore- told, and to be expected, 06.
540
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
Perseverance, exhortations to, i. lo, 23, 24 ; necessary to obtain tlie crown, ii. 62.
Pestilence, a deadly, considerations to supj)ort and cheer Christians under it, i. 453-468 ; the terrible nature of it, 460 ; the influence of, on various classes, 461 ; the com- plaint that it robs of the glory of martyrdom ansv/ered, 462, etc.
Peter claimed no superiority over Paul, i. 255.
Peter, the church built on, i. SSO.
Pharaoh pursuing Israel as far as the Ptcd Sea, and there discomfited, a type, i. 314.
Pharisee and publican, the, their re- spective prayers, i. 402.
Philosophers and Christians, the dif- ference between, i. 142.
Play, the, the abominations of, ii. 226.
Polycarj) the Adrumetine, an epistle to Cornelius respecting, i. 49, etc.
Pompey, an ei^istle to, against Pope Stephen's letter respecting the baptizing of heretics, i. 276, etc.
Pomponius, an epistle to, respecting the disgraceful conduct of certain Adrgins, i, 204, etc.
Poor, the care of the, i. 100.
Popular suffrage in the election of bishops, i. 106, 165, 239.
Prayer, Lord's. See Lord's Prayer.
Prayer, i. 28, 29, 30, 32 ; instituted by God— what to pray for, 399 ; to be made as we are taught, 400 ; to God as our Father — the example of Christ in, 417 ; watchfulness in,
418 ; not to be fruitless or naked,
419 ; ascends to God, 420 ; times of, 421, 422.
Prayer of the three children, i. 403.
Pra5''er, the, of Hannah, i. 401.
Prayer, the, of the Pharisee and the publican, i. 402.
Prayer for the lapsed, i. 89, 90.
Prayer of the Lord for us, i. 418.
Presbyter, one who has joined the heretics, on his return to the church, to be received as a lay- man, i, 258.
Priesthood, the new, foretold, ii. 90.
Priests, reverence to be showar to, i. 163 ; the evil consequences of dis- obeying, 164, 226, etc., 248, 249; insult offered to, 171 ; bearing labour incumbent on, 172 ; hold-
ing fast the gospel, cannot be con- quered, 176 ; who are sinners, not to be communicated with by the people, 237 ; how to be chosen, 238.
Privatus, i. 85, 168.
Prophet, the, like unto Moses, ii. 90, 91.
Prophetess, a false, in the days of the Emperor Alexander, described by Firmilianus, i. 292, 293.
Protagoras of Abdera, denies the gods, ii. 461.
Punishment, supernatural, inflicted on certain of thelai)sed, i. 367-309.
Pupianus, an epistle to, i. 2J3.
Quintus, an epistle to, on the baptiz- ing of heretics, i. 253.
Quirinus, Cyprian's dedication of his third book against the Jews to, ii. 130.
Eahab gathering her relatives into her house for safety, a type, i. 305.
Ptaphael, the words of, to Tobias, i. 420.
Pe- baptism, the, of heretics con- demned by an anonymous author, ii. 401, etc.
Redeemed, the, should prefer Christ to everything, ii. 60 ; should not return to the world, 61 ; should persevere in virtue to obtain the crown, 62.
Pedemption, the, of Christian cap- tives, i, 199.
Remission of sins through the church, i. 251 ; given in baptism, 264, 296, 310 ; cannot be granted in the church to those who have sinned against God, ii. 164.
Repentance, must be sincere, i. 143; a time of, granted to the greatest sinners, 144, 145, 146 ; the error of Xovatian and his follow^ers as to, 150, 151, 171 ; the lapsed ex- horted to, 371 ; the lapsed re- quired to show the sincerity of their, 372 ; the depth of the, re- quired in the lapsed, 374-376 ; efficacy of sincere, 376 ; exhorta- tion to, ii. 264, etc.
Repostus of Saturnica, i. 169.
Resurrection, nature suggests a, ii. 507, 508.
Retirement, the, of Cyprian in a
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
541
time of persecution, an epistle explaining the reason of, i. 3ol.
Tiich, the, exhorted to impart of their riches to those who are in need, ii. 7, etc.
Eich man, the, the misery of, i. 10, 11.
Ilich women, addressed on the right use of their wealth, i. 3oS-312.
Riches, i. 412.
Eighteous, the, the afflictions of, ii. 144 ; the rewards of, o09.
Eogatianus, i. 23 ; an epistle to, respecting a deacon who contended against his bishop, 225, etc. ; an epistle to, and other confessors in prison, encouraging them, 325, etc.
Eomans, the, how they acquired their power over the world, ii. 491-493.
Sabellians, the, refuted, ii. 3G2.
Sacrament, the, of the cup of the Lord, an epistle on, i. 20S, etc.
Sacrifice, the abolition of the old, and the introduction of the new, foretold, ii. 89.
Saturninus, i. 61 ; and Eevocatus, martyrs, ii, 277, 290.
Saturus, and Optatus, i, G7 ; the vision granted to, ii. 285 ; suffer- ings of, in the amphitheatre, 290, 291.
Schism, i. 164, ii. 190.
Scriptures, the sacred, the exhibi- tions contained in, worthy of the Christian's faith, ii. 229, 230.
Secrets of God, the, cannot be seen through, ii. 175.
Secundulus, ii. 277, 287.
Serapis, Crccilius salutes an image of, ii. 453.
Ship, the, of the church, ii. B>Q.
Shows, public, ii, 221 ; attempted defence of, by some, 222 ; refuta- tion of the arguments for, 223 ; forbidden by the Scriptures when idolatry is forbidden, 224 ; the unnatural sacrifices and scenes exhibited in, 225 ; the shameless corruption of, 220 ; the nobler exhibitions which Christians have, 228-230,
Sick persons, the baptism of, on their beds, i, 311.
Simeon, i. 454,
Simonides, the question which Hiero asked, ii. 469.
Sins, committed against God can be pardoned by God alone, i. '.^I6:^, 'j64, 365 ; all, may be forgiven the penitent, proved by Scripture, ii. 264, etc.
Sins, the remission of, in the church, i. 251 ; given in baptism, 264,
Sins, alms purge from, ii. 2,
Son of God, the, the rule of- truth teaches us to believe in, after the Father, ii. 315 ; Jesus Christ is truly, 318; is the Angel which appeared to Jacob, 344 ; one, and the Father one, 355 ; objections of heretics refuted, 364, 367 ; be- gotten from eternitj', the second person in the Trinity, 378, etc. ; his community of substance with the Father, 381.
Son of man, and Son of God, the difference between, ii. 359, etc.
Soul, the, the charioteer of the body, ii. 263.
Spectacles, public, exposed and con- demned, ii. 221, etc.
Spirit, the freedom and power of, i. 45.
Sprinkling, baptism by, i. 311,
Stage, the shameless corruption of the, ii. 226, etc.
Stephanus, bishop of Eome, an epistle to, respecting Marcian, bishop of Aries, i, 231, etc, ; an epistle to, respecting the baptiz- ing of heretics, 257, etc, ; an epistle against, on the baptizing of heretics, 276, etc, ; forbids the baptizing of heretics on their re- turn to the church, 277 ; Fir- milianus' letter against, on the same question, 285, etc.
Stupor, the, into which some of the lapsed fall, i. 374.
Succcssus, an epistle to, respecting a persecution which had broken out at Eome, i. 329.
Sufferings for Christ, the rcAvard of, ii. 74, 76 ; of less account than the reward promised, 155.
Suffrage, popular, in the election of bishops, i, 106, 165, 239.
Susanna, an example of chastity, ii. 259.
Swearing, to be avoided, ii. 150, 151.
Temptation, the prayer not to be led
into, i. 415. Ten tribes, the, i, 307.
542
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
Tertullus, i. 20, 102.
Thacius, Cyprian so named, why ? i. 243 (note).
Theatres, the abominations of, i, 6. \_See Shows — Spectacles. ]
Theodoras of Cyrene, ii. 461.
Thibaris, an epistle to the people of, exhorting to martyrdom, i. 180.
Tobias, his prayers, i. 420 ; his suf- ferings and stedfastness under them, 458.
Torture, an epistle respecting those who have been overcome by, i. 152, etc. ; alleged by some of the lapsed as an excuse for their fall, 360, 361.
Trials, God's purpose in sending, ii. 152.
Trinity, the, Novatian's treatise on, ii. 297 ; the Father, 298, etc. ; the Son, 315, etc. ; the Holy Spirit, 371, etc, ; one God, 375, etc.
Trophimus, i. 139.
Trust in God, ii. 146, 147.
Truth, to be preferred to custom, i. 298, 299.
Two or three met together in the name of Christ, i. 386, 387.
Unity of the church, the, i. 108, 127, 147, 284, 304, 305, 306 ; dis- cussed at length, 377-398 ; argued from the appointment of Peter, 880 ; illustrations of, 381 ; argued from the church being the spouse of Christ, 382 ; from the seamless robe of Christ, 382, 383; one flock, 383 ; objection met, 386 ; evils of discord and schisms, 388, etc.
Usury forbidden, ii. 173.
Valerian, the Emperor, decrees the persecution of the Christians, i. 329, 330.
Vengeance, to be left to God, ii. 36, 38.
Vices, the secret, which abounded in the heathen world, i. 8.
Victor of Furni, who appointed a presbyter his executor, excluded from the benefit of offerings or ' commemoration, i. 228-230.
Virgins, the disgraceful conduct of some, sleeping with men, etc., i. 204-208 ; warned against in- dulging in dress, 337, etc. ; impro- perly present at wedding parties, ^46 J mixing in promiscuous baths,
XT
346, 347 ; faithfully warned and exhorted, 347-350 ; the great re- ward of faithful, 348.
Virginity, the excellency and glory of, i. 336, 337 ; the benefit of, ii. 166; its praises again set forth, 257.
Vows to be paid, ii. 165.
Warfare, the, of the Christian, i. 455. Watchfulness in prayer, i. 418. Water, the saving, i. 3. Water, in Scripture, always denotes
baptism, i. 212. Water for baptism must be first
sanctified by the priest, i. 251. Water, the cup of the Lord not to
be of, 209, etc. ; the custom of
making the cup of the Lord of,
condemned, 216-220. Wedding parties, virgins improperly
present at, i. 346. Wicked men, the punishment of,
ii. 509, 510. Widow of Zarephath, the, an ex- ample, ii. 13. Will of God, the, the prayer that it
may be done on earth, i. 407-410 ;
the duty of submission to, 463 ;
to be obeyed, not our own, ii. 157. Vv^ine mixed with water, the cup of
the Lord is to consist of, i. 209,
210 ; the reason of this, 216 ; the
contrary custom condemned, 217. Woman, a Christian, ought not to be
adorned in worldly fashion, ii. 169;
to be silent in the church, 172. Woman, the, who was a sinner, ii.
438, 439. Women, rich, shown the right use
of riches, i. 338-342. Women confessors, i. 327. Wood, the sacred, i. 317. Works, good, and alms, propitiate
God, ii. 4; the benefit of good,
135 etc. World, the, the beauty of, ii. 229 ;
at last to be consumed by fire, ii.
506-508. World, the, the wish to remain long
in, reproved, i. 466, 467 ; the end
of, drawing near, 467. World, the, a survey of the moral
condition of, i, 5, etc.
Xistus the martyr, i. 330. Yoke, the old and the new, ii. 88.
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