14 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN. repaymeat and drinkforHis blood. So thatfrom thisitmay appear how much he sinsin the church,who, preferringhim selfand hischildrento Christ,preserveshiswealth,and does not sharean abundant estatewith the povertyof the needy. 18. Moreover,also,[you say] there are many childrenat home ; and the multitudeof your childrenchecks you from giving yourselffreelyto good works. And yet on thisvery accountyou ought tolabourthe more, forthe reasonthatyou arethefatherof many pledges. There arethemore forwhom you must beseechthe Lord. The sinsofmany have to be re deemed, the consciencesof many to be cleansed,the soulsof many to be liberated.As in thisworldlylife,in the nourish ment and bringingup of children,the largerthe number the greateralsoistheexpense;so alsoin thespiritualand heavenly life,the largerthe number of childrenyou have,the greater ought tobe theoutlayof your labours. Thus alsoJob offered numerous sacrificeson behalfof hischildren; and as large as was the number of the pledgesin hishome, so large also was the number of victimsgiven to God. And sincethere cannot dailyfailto be sinscommitted in the sightof God, there wanted not dailysacrificeswherewith the sinsmight be cleansedaway. The holy Scriptureproves this,saying: " Job, a true and righteousman, had seven sons and three daughters,and cleansedthem, offeringfor them victimsto God accordingto the number of them, and fortheirsinsone calf."1 If,then,you trulylove your children,if you show to them the fulland paternalsweetnessof love,you ought to be the more charitable,thatby your righteousworks you may commend your childrento God. 19. Neithershouldyou thinkthathe isfatherto your chil dren who isboth changeableand infirm,but you shouldobtain Him who isthe eternaland unchanging Father of spiritual children.Assign toHim your wealthwhich you aresavingup foryour heirs. Let Him be theguardianforyour children; letHim be theirtrustee; letHim be theirprotector,by His divinemajesty,againstallworldlyinjuries.The stateneither takesaway the propertyentrustedto God, nor does the ex- 1Jobi.5,LXX.