much. If the very Gentiles, had they heard them in the rostrum, would probably have believed forthwith, what should a Christian people do, whose very name begins in faith? Accordingly ministrations are divided among them at once, according to the ranks and circumstances of such. Many who from stress of poverty were unable to shew forth benefits of cost, shewed forth what was more than costliness; by their personal toil doing other services more precious than all riches. Who indeed under such a teacher but must haste to be occupied in some part of that warfare, by which he would be pleasing God the Father, and Christ the Judge, and so good a Priest besides? Accordingly they did good in the profusion of exuberant works to all, and not only to the household of faith. They did somewhat more than is recorded of the incomparable benevolence of Tobias. He must pardon the word, again pardon it, pardon it often; or, to speak more truly, he must in equity grant, that, although there was room for very much before Christ, yet after Him there has been room for somewhat more, since to Christ's times the fulness is ascribed. The slain of the king and the outcasts, whom Tobias gathered together, were of his own kin only. 257. 11. To these so good and so merciful deeds banishment A.D. succeeded. For unbelief ever makes such return, recompensing the worse for the better. Nor need I mention what God's Priest answered the proconsul who questioned him, for there are Acts which relate it. Any how he is forbidden the city, he who had done some good towards its health; he who had toiled lest the eyes of the living should suffer the horrors of the infernal abode; he, I say, who sleepless in the watchings of benevolence had by a blameless kindness, (O the crime!) secured a deserted state and destitute country from the sight of many exiles, when all were flying from the loathsome look of the city. But this is the world's concern in it, with whom exile is a punishment. To us our country is less dear, who have a name in common, who abhor even our own parents if they would persuade us contrary to the Lord. To them it is a heavy punishment to live away from their city. To the Christian the whole world is our home. Wherefore, though he be sent away into ever so hidden and remote a place, having share in the things of his God, he cannot count it banishment. Besides, while he serves God entirely, even in his own city he is a stranger. For while he abstains from desires of the flesh by continence of the Holy Ghost, putting off the conversation of the old man, he is a foreigner even among his citizens, or I may say, among the very parents of his earthly life. Moreover, though this might seem a punishment under other circumstances, yet in such causes and sentences which we suffer for trial of our virtue, it is not punishment, it is glory. But even suppose banishment to be a punishment to us. If so, they are guilty of the most extreme of crimes and the worst impiety, as their own conscience testifies, who bring themselves to visit the innocent with what they deem a punishment. I will not at present delineate a delightful spot; I say nothing at first of the addition of all kinds of beauties. Let us suppose the place offensive in its circumstances, wretched to look upon, without wholesome water, or pleasant green, or neighbouring shore; with vast rocks covered with forests, amid the inhospitable depths of an altogether desert solitude, far off in the world's trackless districts. Such a place might indeed bear the name of exile, had Cyprian, priest of God, come thither; to whom if man's ministrations failed, even the birds as to Elias, or the Angels as to Daniel, would minister. Far, far indeed be it from any one to believe, that even the least among us, provided he remained in the confession of the Holy Name, should want any thing; so far was he God's Pontiff, who had ever been urgent in matters of mercifulness, from wanting the aid of all these things. 12. Next let us recount with thanksgiving what 1 had put as the second supposition; namely, that there was divinely provided for the soul of such a man, a sunny and sufficient place, a place of sojourn, secret, as he could wish it, and whatever has been before promised as his portion who seeks the kingdom and righteousness of God. And, not to dwell upon the frequent visits of his brethren, nay, the love of the very citizens, which afforded to him all things whereof he seemed 66 • Curubis, the place of S. Cyprian's exile, was a free and maritime city of Zeugitania, in a pleasant situation, a fertile territory, and at the distance of about forty miles from Carthage." Gibbon, Hist. ch. 16. to be despoiled, I will not pass over the wonderful visitation of God, by which He willed His Priest to be so sure in exile of his passion which was to follow, that from his more abundant assurance of the impending Martyrdom, Curubis possessed not an exile only, but even a Martyr. For on that day when first we remained in the place of banishment, (for me he chose out of his household in the condescension of his love to be a voluntary exile, which, O had I been also in his passion!) "there appeared to me," said he, " before I was yet sunk in slumber, a young man greater than the human stature, by whom being led as if to the prætorium, I seemed to myself to be brought near to the tribunal of the proconsul then sitting. He, on seeing me, forthwith began to write down upon a tablet a sentence, which I knew not, for he had not asked me questions in the usual form; however, that young man, who stood behind his back, with great anxiety read whatever had been set down. And, since he could not utter it in words, he intimated it by signs, which declared what was in the writing of that tablet. For opening his hand and flattening it like a blade, and imitating the blow of customary execution, he expressed what he would have signified as if in clear words. I understood the future sentence of my passion. I began at once to ask and seek, that the delay even of one day might be given me, in order to my settling my affairs in a regular way. After I had frequently repeated my prayer, he began again to set down something on the tablet. I perceived however, from the sereneness of his countenance, that the judge's mind was influenced by the request, as if reasonable. Moreover, that youth, who already had divulged somewhat by gesture, if not by word, concerning my passion, made haste to signify by secret signs from time to time, twisting his fingers one behind another, that the delay was granted which I asked until the morrow. For me, although the sentence was not read, while my heart exulted at the pleasant news of delay granted, yet such was my alarm, from the chance of mistaking the interpretation, that it was still all in flutter and agitation from the remains of apprehension.” 13. What revelation could be more manifest? what condescending mercy more blessed? All that happened after in due course, were announced to him beforehand. In nothing did the words of God come short; in nothing was the holy promise mutilated. Do but review each particular as it was shewn to him. He seeks a delay till the morrow when his sentence of suffering was under deliberation; alleging his wish to settle his affairs on the day which he had gained. His one day signified a year, which he was to pass in this world after the vision. For, to speak more distinctly, he was crowned, at the completion of the year, on that very day, on which this had been announced to him at its commencement. For the day of the Lord, though we do not find it used for year in divine Scripture, yet in making promise of things to come, we consider that that space of time ought to be given. Hence it matters not, if nothing short of a year be announced while a day was spoken of, since that would necessarily be more complete, which is greater. And whereas it was explained by gesture not by speech, express speech was reserved for the presence of the time itself. For it is usual then to set forth a thing in words, when what is set forth is actually fulfilled. For no one knew for certain wherefore this was shewn to him, till it turned out that he was crowned on the same day on which he had seen it. And yet in the interval his impending passion was known for certain by all; but as to the particular day of his passion all those very persons were silent, as if they were ignorant. And indeed I find some such thing in the Scriptures. For the Priest Zacharias, when a son was promised him by the Angel, because he believed not, became dumb; so that by signs he asked for a tablet, seeing he had, not to utter, but to write his son's name. Reasonably here too, when God's messenger signified the Bishop's impending passion mainly by signs, he both administered his faith and fortified his Priest. But again the reason for seeking delay was his arranging his affairs and settling his will. Now what affairs had he, what will to arrange, except Ecclesiastical matters? For this reason there is a final delay granted, that arrangements may be made as to whatever wants arrangement by a final determination concerning the maintenance of the poor. And I consider that for this sole end and for nothing else was he thus indulged by those who had banished and were to kill him, that while here he might relieve the poor who were here, with whatever remained to be given of his final bounty, or, to speak more exactly, with the total of his means. When then he had arranged matters so mercifully, and thus ordered them in his last wishes, to-morrow's day drew near. Rome. 258. 14. And now a messenger came to him from the City from From Xystus, that good and peace-making Priest, and therefore Sextus. most blessed Martyr. The executioner was expected every A.D. day, who was to strike through that devoted neck of our most holy victim; and by this daily expectation of dying, every day, as it came, became to him as though a day of crowning. Meanwhile there came to him numbers of eminent and illustrious persons, men of rank and family and secular distinction, who for the sake of their old friendship with him, urged him many times to retire, backing their solicitations with the offer of suitable places. But he, with mind hanging upon heaven, had put the world out of sight, and did not assent to their persuasive solicitations. Perhaps he would have done then also, what was urged on him, and by many of the faithful too, if he had been bidden by divine command". Nor must we leave unheralded the sublime glory of such a man, in that, when the world was now raging and in reliance on its Rulers breathing out hatred of the sacred Name, he, as occasion was given, fortified God's servants with exhortations of the Lord, and animated them to tread under foot sufferings of the present time, on the contemplation of the glory which is to follow. In truth, there was in him so great a love of sacred discourse, that while he prayed for passion, he desired that it might be granted him while he was conversing concerning God. 15. And these were the daily acts of a Priest destined for a sacrifice, pleasing to God; when behold at the orders of the Proconsul, the Prætor's Official with his soldiers suddenly surprised his gardens, those gardens which in the beginnings of his faith he had sold, and, when God's kindness restored P He did at first retire and conceal himself at the advice of his friends. This was on the Proconsul's coming to Utica; on the latter's returning to Carthage, he came back to his gardens, and remained there, without moving farther, till the officers arrested him. He had sold his gardens on his con- infr. 15. The opening of Treatise i. |