A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

237Concerning the martyrs, the Apostle John writes in the Apocalypsethat the souls of those who have been slain for the name [214]of the Lord Jesus are present at the altar; but he who is presentat the altar is shown to perform the duties of priest. But theduty of a priest is to make intercession for the sins of the people.Wherefore I fear, lest, perchance, inasmuch as there are madeno martyrs, and sacrifices of saints are not offered for our sins,we will not receive remission of our sins. And therefore I fear,lest our sins remaining in us, it may happen to us what the Jewssaid of themselves, that not having an altar, nor a temple, norpriesthood, and therefore not offering sacrifices, our sins remainin us, and so no forgiveness is obtained.… And therefore thedevil, knowing that remission of sins is obtained by the passionof martyrdom, is not willing to raise public persecutions againstus by the heathen.(c) Cyprian, Epistula 55, 14 (=51). (MSL, 3:805.)The opinion of the Church as to the libellatici. The date is251 or 252.Since there is much difference between those who have sacrificed,what a want of mercy it is, and how bitter is the hardship,to associate those who have received certificates with those whohave sacrificed, when he who has received the certificate maysay, “I had previously read and had been informed by the discourseof the bishop that we ought not to sacrifice to idols, thatthe servant of God ought not to worship images; and thereforethat I might not do this which is not lawful, when the opportunityof receiving a certificate was offered (and I would not havereceived it, if the opportunity had not been offered) I either wentor charged some one other person going to the magistrate to saythat I am a Christian, that I am not allowed to sacrifice, that