Chapter 14.—22. But we must not despair of the conversion of any man, whether situated within or without, so long as "the goodness of God leadeth him to repentance,"1423
and "
visits their
transgressions with the
rod, and their inquiry with
stripes." For in this way "He does not utterly take from them His
loving-
kindness,"
1424
if they will themselves sometimes "
love their own
soul, pleasing
God."
1425
But as the good man "that shall
endure unto the end, the same shall be
saved,"
1426
so the bad man, whether within or without, who shall persevere in his
wickedness to the end, shall not be
saved. Nor do we say that "all, wheresoever and howsoever
baptized, obtain the
grace of
baptism,"
1427
| 1427 From a letter of Pope Stephen’s, quoted Cypr. Ep. lxxiii. 16.
|
if by the
grace of
baptism is understood the actual
salvation which is conferred by the celebration of the sacrament; but many
fail to obtain this
salvation even within the
Church, although it is clear that they possess the sacrament, which is holy in itself. Well, therefore, does the
Lord warn us in the
gospel that we should not
company with
ill-advisers,
1428
who
walk under the pretence of
Christ’s name; but these are found both within and without, as, in fact, they do not proceed without unless they have first been
ill-disposed within. And we know that the
apostle said of the
vessels placed in the great
house, "If a man therefore
purge himself from these, he shall be a
vessel unto
honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good
work."
1429
But in what manner each man ought to
purge himself from these he shows a little above, saying, "Let every one that nameth the name of
Christ depart from
iniquity,"
1430
that he may not in the last day, with the
chaff, whether with that which has already been driven from the threshing-floor, or with that which is to be separated at the last, hear the command, "Depart from me, ye that
work iniquity."
1431
Whence it appears, indeed, as Cyprian says, that "we are not at once to admit and
adopt whatsoever is professed in the name of
Christ, but only what is done in the
truth of
Christ."
1432
| 1432 Cypr. Ep. lxxiii. 16.
|
But it is not an action done in the
truth of
Christ that men should "
seize on
estates by fraudulent pretenses, and increase their
gains by accumulated
usury,"
1433
or that they should "renounce the world in word only;"
1434
and yet, that all this is done within the Church, Cyprian himself bears sufficient testimony.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
