the highest praise—and his pastoral exhortations, where they were received, left effects of unadulterated piety, through the divine influence that attended there The 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. 1. That it is of great consequence in afflictions to consider that they are 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 5. That it was an impertinent complaint which Christians made of their suffering in common with the Gentiles 6. That Job and other good men are as remarkable for their afflictions as 7. That affictions 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 preventing any one's martyrdom 11. What we should principally regard is composing ourselves to do or 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 ..... 20 14 It is a very just foundation of joy to a Christian, that death shall associate him with Christ, and deliver him from persecution...... 22 15. Especially since now at the end of the world many calamities hover 16. That we should always bear in mind our baptismal vow, and that state LETTER TO DEMETRIAN. 1. The reason of the author's former silence, and of his present writing.. 27 2. That national sin is the cause of national punishment... 3. That men are unreasonable in their expectations of having all things answer their wishes, when they will not acknowledge God who has all things at his disposal....... 4. Our author appeals to the conscience of Demetrian. 5. That 'tis the height of madness to worship idols, and provoke the living 6. That Christians bear with the injustice of their persecutors, because they are secure that God will avenge their quarrel ... 7. That the evils which befal in common, the faithful and the unbelieving, SECTIOX. PAGE. 8. That national judgments should lead to repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ 44 9. That we can give our enemies no better proof of our charity, than by exhorting them to repentance 46 10. That after this life there will be no room for repentance 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..... 54 3. That heresies owe their rise to an ignorance of the Scripture 56 4. He makes a shipwreck of the faith who departs from the unity of the true Church of Christ... 57 5. Out of the Church of Christ there is no salvation 60 6. That the coat of Christ was not to be rent nor divided. 61 7. Much less his body, the Church....... 62 8. That heresy discovers the secret naughtiness of a cankered heart, and approves the constancy and truth of a good Christian... 63 9. A description given of heretics 65 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 65 11. That martyrdom itself cannot atone for the guilt of schism 68 12. That he is a Christian in name only who does not improve and cultivate brotherly love 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 75 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. 79 18. That the state of the Church is at this time declining 81 ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. 1. The praises of gospel precepts 84 2. That the Father will hear those who ask in his Son's name.. 85 3. That he who prays should do it with reverence and godly fear 86 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 91 SECTION. PAGR. 6. Upon the first petition, that the name of God may be hallowed.. 93 7. That his kingdom may come 95 8. That his will may be done in earth as it is in heaven 96 9. In what the will of God consists 97 10. That it must be performed both with our bodies and our souls 98 11. That in the petition, “Give us this day our daily bread,” the mystical bread of the holy eucharist may be alluded to. ..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. .113 20. The solemn hours of prayer... .,115 ....118 ON THE DUTY OF CHRISTIAN PATIENCE. 1. That there can be no true wisdom without patience... 2. That the virtue of patience is common to us with God .120 3. That the precepts of the gospel do, in a very particular manner, recommend patience .123 4. That our Lord exemplified in practice the patience which he recommended by precept .. .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 . 134 11. That all good men have been tried by this test. .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 2. That emulation and envy are to be avoided 3. Envy traced to its origin... 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 7. That it was not without its meaning, that Christ called his disciples 8. That emulation and envy should be mortified as being in a most par- ticular manner the works of the flesh 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 1. A pious congratulation of our author's to the church of Christ, upon the restoration of peace and liberty... .165 2. That the case of the lapsed was a very sad one... 3. That the corruption of manners among Christians was the cause of those calamities befalling them...... 4. That therefore their lapse was utterly inexcusable. 5. That it is the greatest cruelty to soothe these men in their sin .172 6. That none but God can forgive sins 7. That the vengeance of God is denounced against the lapsed .177 8. What sort of life becomes penitents...... 9. That the penitent's humiliation should vie with the magnitude of his sin 181 |