TREAT. Ps. 6,6 [5]. not V. 114 The duty of making confession. 114. That while any is in the flesh, he ought to make Confession. In the fifth Psalm; But in death who will confess to Thee? Likewise in the twenty-ninth Psalm; Shall the Ps. 29, dust make Confession unto Thee? Likewise elsewhere that [30,] 10 [9]. not Confession is to be made; I had rather the repentance of the V. wicked, than his death. Likewise in Jeremiah; Thus saith Ez. 33, the Lord; Shall he that falleth not arise? or he that is Jer. 8,4 turned away, not be converted? 11. not V. Is. 3,12. not V. Luke 7, 47. not V. 115. That adulation is pernicious. In Isaiah; They which call you blessed lead you into error, and disturb the paths of your feet. 116. That God is more loved by him, to whom in Baptism more sins are forgiven. In the Gospel according to Luke; To whom much is forgiven, he loveth much; and to whom little is forgiven, he loveth little. 117. That we have a hard combat against the Devil, and that therefore we ought to stand firmly, that we may be able to overcome. Eph. 6, In the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians; Our wrestling is 12-17. not V. not against flesh and blood, but against the powers and princes of this world, and of this darkness, against spiritual things of wickedness in high places. Wherefore put on the arms of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the most evil day, that when ye have done all, ye may stand; having your loins girt in the truth of the Gospel, putting on the breast-plate of righteousness, and having your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; in all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the most Wicked; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword Verbum of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Js. 14, 118. Concerning Antichrist, that he will come in man's nature. In Isaiah; This the man which shaketh the earth, which 16. not maketh kings disturbed, which maketh the whole earth a V. Ps. 2, 1-3. not V. wilderness. 119. That the yoke of the law was heavy, which is cast off by us; and the yoke of Christ is light, which is put on by us. In the second Psalm; Why are the nations in tumult, and 28-30. the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord, and against His Christ, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their yoke from us. Likewise in the Gospel according to Matthew; Come unto Me, all ye that labour, Mat. 11, and are heavy-laden, and I will make you to rest. Take My not V. yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am mild and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is kind, and My burden is light. Likewise in the Acts of the Apostles; It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay Acts 15, upon you no burden, than these things which are necessary; not V. that ye should abstain from things offered to idols, and from the shedding of blood, and from fornication. And whatsoever vid. Mat. ye would not to be done to you, do ye not to others. 120. That we are to be instant in prayers. 28. 29. 7, 12. Luke 6, 31. 2. V. In the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians; Continue in Colos. 4, prayer, and watch in the same. Likewise in the first Psalm; But in the law of the Lord is his pleasure, and in His law Ps. 1, 2. will he meditate day and night. Likewise in Solomon; Be Ecclus. not hindered from praying ever, and delay not unto death to 18, 22. be justified; for the repayment of the Lord abideth for evera. a S. Cyprian's agreement or disagreement from the Vulgate, will not be noticed henceforth. It may be observed, that in referring to "the Gospel ac- not V. TREATISE IV. ON THE DRESS OF VIRGINS. [Fell and Pearson consider this Treatise to have been written A. D. 248, when St. Cyprian was a priest; others assign it to his Episcopate, on which he entered before the end of the year. It is written, after the Author's manner, in apparent imitation of Tertullian's De Cultu Fœminarum and de Virginibus velandis; for instance, (as Fell observes, Adv. Jud. i. præfat.) whereas Tertullian wrote on Baptism, St. Cyprian wrote on the grace of God; as Tertullian on Idolatry, so did St. Cyprian on the Vanity of Idols. As Tertullian wrote against the Jews, on Patience, to the Martyrs, on Prayer, on Penitence, and on the Prescription of Antiquity, so St. Cyprian in turn wrote his Testimonies against the Jews, his benefit of Patience, his exhortation to Martyrdom, on the Lord's Prayer, on the Lapsed, and on the Unity of the Church.] TREAT. IV. Ps. 2, 12. DISCIPLINE, the safe-guard of hope, the stay of faith, our guard in the way of salvation, the stimulant and nutriment of inward goodness, the teacher of virtue, makes us to abide in Christ alway, and live unto God continually, and to come to the promises of heaven, and the divine rewards. It tends to salvation to follow her, to death to turn away and neglect her. The Holy Ghost speaks in the Psalms; Hold Discipline, lest the Lord be angry, and so ye perish from the right way, if His Ps. 50, wrath be quickly kindled against you. And again: But unto the ungodly said God; Why dost thou preach My laws and takest My covenant in thy mouth; whereas thou hatest Discipline, and Wisd. 3, hast cast My words behind thee? And again we read, Whoso despiseth Discipline is miserable. From Solomon again we Prov. 3, receive the instructions and warnings of wisdom: My son, despise not thou the Discipline of the Lord, and faint not when thou art rebuked of Him; for whom the Lord loveth He rebuketh. If then God rebukes whom He loves, and the end of His 17. 11. 11. , The regenerate cleansed from all impurity of original sin. 117 rebuke is amendment, then is it from love and not from hatred, that the brethren, and Clergy especially, rebuke whom they would amend; God having afore told and signified our times by the word of Jeremiah; And I will give you pastors Jer. 3, according to My heart, which shall feed you with the food of 15. Discipline. 2. Since then in holy Scripture Discipline is oftentimes. and in every part inculcated, and since the whole foundation of religion and faith proceeds from obedience and fear, what is there, that we should aim after with more heart, what wish for or lay hold on rather, than, with foundation ever deeper, with our house reposing in solid vigour upon the rock, to stand undisturbed against the storms and winds of this world, so as to attain unto God's recompense through obedience to His will? thinking as well as knowing that our members are the temples of God, purged from all impurity of the old contagion, by the cleansing of a lively washing, and must not henceforth undergo injury or pollution, since he who injures them, is injured himself. In those temples we are worshippers and priests; let us submit ourselves to Him, whose we have now begun to be. Paul tells us in those Epistles of his, wherewith he hath formed us by divine instructions for our course in life; Ye are not your own: with a great price ye 1 Cor. 6, are bought. Glorify and possess God in your body. Let us portate glorify and possess God in a pure and chaste body, and with Deum, an increased obedience; let us who are redeemed by the v. blood of Christ, do service. to our Redeemer in all the attentions of devotion, and take heed that nothing unclean or profane be brought into the temple of God, lest He be offended, and leave the place wherein He dwells. 19. and so V. 14. 3. It is the word of the Lord, when giving health and teaching together, at once curing and admonishing, Behold, John 5, thou art made whole, sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. He gives him his rule of life; having granted him health, he gives the law of innocency; suffering him no more to wander with lax and easy rein, but threatening more grievous things to him who becomes the slave again of those evils of which he had been healed; seeing it is less guilt to have offended before one learnt the discipline of God, but there is no more license to offend further, when one has 118 Vows of Virginity lead to high rewards. IV. TREAT. attained to know Him. Let men and women alike, let young and old, of either sex and every age, give heed and care herein, according to the duty and faith which they owe to God, lest what is received in holiness and purity from the Lord's condescension, may be kept with an inadequate Mat. 10, solicitude; for it is written, He who perseveres unto the end, the same shall be saved. 22. ad Vir 4. My present word is with those females, who have gines. professed the single life; proportioned to the high place they fill, is the interest that excite. They are the flower of the Church's growth, the charm and ornament of spiritual grace, a happy nature, a perfect and inviolate work of praise and honour, an image of God fashioned after the Lord's sanctity, the more famous portion of the flock of Christ. Through them doth rejoice, in them doth richly flourish, the glorious fruitfulness of Mother Church; and as Her numerous Virginity multiplies, so grows the Mother's joy. To these I speak, these I exhort, in affection rather than by authority; not claiming a liberty of censure,-last and least as I am, and very conscious of unworthiness,-but because the growing interest which I feel, is attended by an increase of fear of the assaults of Satan. It is not a vain caution, nor a groundless fear, which turns its regard into the way of salvation, and guards the Lord's living precepts, to the end that Females, who have dedicated themselves to Christ, and retiring from carnal lusts, vowed themselves to God in flesh and spirit, may complete this work of theirs which is destined to high reward, and aim no more at adornment, or at acceptance, except at the Lord's hands, from whom, according to His own word, they expect Mat. 19, the reward of virginity; as He Himself has said, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs which were so born from their mother's womb and there are some eunuchs which were made eunuchs of men and there are eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. Again, in these words of the Angel, is the condition of continency Rev. 14, held forth, and Virginity is preached; These are they which have not defiled themselves with women, for they have remained virgins; these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. Not that to the male sex only, doth God 11. 4. |