The the highest praise—and his pastoral exhortations, where they were received, left effects of unadulterated piety, through the divine influence that attended ther calamity of the Plague gave him an opportunity of impressing on the minds of his people what in truth had been the ruling object of his own life since his conversion, namely a warm and active regard for the blessings of immortality, joined with a holy indifference for things below. In his letter to Demetrian, he preaches justification, by faith only, with an affectionate spirit and great clearness of doctrine, he appeals to the conscience as affording full proof of guilt before God, and exhibits, in lively colours, the all-important scenes of the last judgment. A truly regenerated person will not only relish his compositions, but also will not fail to be affected with a generous glow of the purest godliness upon reading them with care and attention. "As a Christian Bishop scarcely any age has seen his superior—in activity, disinterestedness, and steady attention to discipline. He was equally remote from the extremes of negligent remissness, and impracticable severity; and he possessed a charity and a patience unwearied, and ever consistent. He may safely be recommended as a model to all pastors, and particularly to those of rank and dignity throughout Christendom. Whoever feels a desire to serve God in the most arduous and the most important of all professions, may profitably,-next after the study of the sacred oracles,—give days and nights to Cyprian's writings." CONTENTS OF THE SECTIONS. EPISTLE TO THE CHURCH OF CARTHAGE. 2. That afflictions argue the kingdom of God to be near. 3. That no security nor lasting rest is to be expected before death 4. That our great aversion to death proceeds from want of faith 7. That afflictions of all sorts serve to the proof of Christian fortitude.... 12 8. That how formidable soever death may be to heathens, it should by no 9. Several advantages recounted as attending this dispensation 10. That this distemper should not be dreaded under the pretence of its 12. A remarkable account of the death of a certain Bishop 13. That to be afraid of death is to betray our faith and hope 14 It is a very just foundation of joy to a Christian, that death shall associate him with Christ, and deliver him from persecution.... 15. Especially since now at the end of the world many calamities hover LETTER TO DEMETRIAN. 3. That men are unreasonable in their expectations of having all things SECTION. PAGE. 8. That national judgments should lead to repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ .... 9. That we can give our enemies no better proof of our charity, than by exhorting them to repentance 10. That after this life there will be no room for repentance 44 46 47 ON THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH. 1. That with christian simplicity, prudence and obedience should be joined 52 2. That Christians should be aware of the devices of Satan..... 3. That heresies owe their rise to an ignorance of the Scripture 54 56 ....... 4. He makes a shipwreck of the faith who departs from the unity of the true Church of Christ.... 5. Out of the Church of Christ there is no salvation 6. That the coat of Christ was not to be rent nor divided.. 7. Much less his body, the Church.... 62 5668 57 60 61 8. That heresy discovers the secret naughtiness of a cankered heart, and approves the constancy and truth of a good Christian... 63 65 9. A description given of heretics 10. That the promise, made by Christ, of vouchsafing his presence to a few, was made to them upon the supposition of their being gathered together, not separated from each other 11. That martyrdom itself cannot atone for the guilt of schism. 12. That he is a Christian in name only who does not improve and cultivate brotherly love 65 68 .... 70 13. It was foretold by the apostles that schisms were to arise in the church 72 14. That the invaders of the priesthood have had always the vengeance of God attending them 74 15. That it is no wonder if confessors themselves be sometimes betrayed into sin 16. That the fall of some confessors does not lessen the glory of the rest.. 78 17. That all intercourse with schismatics is to be avoided 18. That the state of the Church is at this time declining 2. That the Father will hear those who ask in his Son's name.......... 3. That he who prays should do it with reverence and godly fear 4. That Christians should use a prayer in common, which should suit the occasions and wants of others, as well as their own in particular.. 89 5. That prayer begins most auspiciously with the acknowledgment of God as our Father ...... 84 85 86 91 SECTION. 6. Upon the first petition, that the name of God may be hallowed.... 7. That his kingdom may come ..... 8. That his will may be done in earth as it is in heaven 10. That it must be performed both with our bodies and our souls 11. That in the petition, "Give us this day our daily bread," the mystical bread of the holy eucharist may be alluded to........... PAGE. 93 95 96 97 98 ..100 12. That our daily food is likewise comprised in this petition ..101 .3. That God would forgive us our debts.... ..104 14. That our pardon from God is suspended upon the condition of our granting it to our brethren... ...105 15 We farther desire, not to be led into temptation ..108 16. Finally we ask of God that he would deliver us from evil ..110 17. That our Lord hath taught us to pray as well by example as by precept 111 18. That attention of mind is necessary in prayer. ..112 19. That alms are to be joined with prayer.. 20. The solemn hours of prayer... ..113 .115 ON THE DUTY OF CHRISTIAN PATIENCE. 1. That there can be no true wisdom without patience. .118 .120 4. That our Lord exemplified in practice the patience which he recommended by precept ... 3. That the precepts of the gospel do, in a very particular manner, recommend patience .123 ..124 5. That the patriarchs and prophets all have trod the same path of patience 127 6. The advantage of patience illustrated from our being born to labour and trouble .129 7. That Christians, who wage a perpetual war against the devil, have a peculiar occasion for this virtue.... .130 8. That the christian religion requires our faith and hope, which must have patience to support them .131 9. That patience not only confers upon us many great advantages, but secures us from many evils..... .132 10. That all virtues are preserved and do subsist by patience 11. That all good men have been tried by this test... .134 .136 12. The advantages of patience appear upon the comparison with its contrary fault.... .137 13. That impatience produces heretics in the church. .138 14. That patience is a very comprehensive virtue .139 15. That the consideration of a future judgment is a great persuasive to this duty ...140 16. That he who is so much in haste to take vengeance, should consider that God is not himself avenged .144 1. That envy is really the greater evil for being esteemed a little one....146 4. That we may perceive by the examples of such as have been undone through envy, that it is not a single, but a complicated evil ......151 5. That envy always punishes and torments the person who is guilty of it 152 6. That to cut off all occasion of envy our Saviour pronounced that the 9. That in regard to the command of their heavenly Father, and to the reward laid up in store for them, Christians should cultivate peace |
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