The works of Nathaniel Lardner - The Christian Researcher - Home

50 Credibility of the Gospel History.
served, though young, a higher degree iu the clergy, but
he thought it best that he should begin with the ofhee of a
reader. Nothing,' says he, ' can be more fit than that he,
who has made a glorious confession of the Lord, should
read publicly in the church ; that he who has shown himself
willing- to die a martyr should read the gospel of Christ,
by which martyrs are formed ; and that he should be advanced
from the rack to the desk.' Of Celerinus he writes
in the following letter; ' That^ it was very fit and becomingthat
he who was already so illustiious in the world should
be placed upon the pulpit, that is, the tribunal of the
church ; that being conspicuous to the people he may read
the precepts and gospel of the Lord, which he faithfully and
courageously observes and maintains :' and more there to
the like purpose in behalf of his fitness, as a confessor, for
the office to which Cyprian had ordained him.
We have not remaining' any sermons or homilies of our
author : but it may be reckoned very likely that the scriptures,
which were so much read in the church of Carthage
by a person particularly appointed to that office, were also
explained there by the bishop, sometimes at least ; and that,
from the portions of scripture publicly read in the assemblies
of the faithful, he gave them exhortations to the practice of
virtue. And there is a passage in Cyprian's last letter to
his clergy and people, which seems to put this matter out
of question. He is there giving- them some directions for
their conduct in that time of persecution. ' As^ for you,
my dearest brethren, I must charge you to be quiet and
peaceable, according- to the commandments of theLord,which
I have frequently recomiuended to you, and upon which
you have very often heard me preaching.'
X. I would now put down some general titles and divisions
of the books of the New Testament, which we find in
martyrium prolocuta sunt, evangelium Christi legere, unde martyres fiunt, ad
pulpitum post catastam venire ; illic fuisse conspicuum gentilium multitiidini,
hie a fratiibus conspici: illic auditum esse cum miraculo circumstantis populi,
hie cum gaudio fratemitafis audiii. Hune igitur, fratres dilectissimi, a me et a
collegis qui praesentes aderant, ordinatum sciatis. Ep. 38. [al. 33.] p. 75.
' illustrem, quid aliud quam super pulpitum, id est, super tribunal
ecclesiae oportebat imponi, ut loci altioris celsitate subnixus, et plebi univei-saj
pro honoris sui claritate eonspieuus, kgat praecepta et evangelium Domini, quae
fortiter et fideliter sequitur ? Nihil est in quo magis confessor fratribus prosit,
quam et dum evangel ica lectio de ore ejus auditur, lectoris fidem quisquis
audient, imitetur. Ep. 39. [al. 34.] p. 77. ' Vos autem, fratres
carissimi, pro disciplina, quam de mandatis Dominicis a me semper accepistis,
et secundum quod me tractante saepissime didicistis, quietem et tran quill itatem
tenete, &c. Ep. 81. [al. 83.] p. 239.