136 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN. to day, and desireto know my ways, as a people which did righteousness,and did not forsakethe judgment of God. They ask of me now a righteousjudgment, and desireto approach to God, saying, What! because we have fasted, and Thou hast not seen: we have humiliatedour souls,and Thou hast not known. For in the days of fastingare found your own wills; foreitherye torment thosewho are subjectedto you, or ye fastforstrifesand judgments,orye strikeyour neighbours with fists.For what do you fast unto me, thatto-dayyour voiceshouldbe heard in clamour! This fastI have not chosen,savethata man should humble his soul. And if thou shaltbend thy neck likea ring,and spreadunder thee sackclothand ashes,neitherthus shallit be calledan acceptablefast. Not such a fasthave I chosen, saiththe Lord ; but looseevery knot of unrighteousness,let go the chokingsof impotentengagements.1 Send away the harassed into rest,and scatterevery unrighteouscontract. Break thy bread to the hungrj',and bring the houseless poor intothy dwelling. If thou seestthe naked, clothehim; and despisenot them of thy own seed in thy house. Then shallthy seasonablelightbreak forth,and thy garments shall quicklyarise; and righteousnessshallgo before thee: and the gloryof God shallsurroundthee. Then thou shaltcry out,and God shallhear thee; whilethou artyet speaking, He shallsay,Here I am." 3 Concerning thissame thingin Job: "I have preservedthe needy from the hand of the mighty ; and I have helped theorphan,towhom therewas no helper. The mouth of the widow blessedme, sinceI was the eye of the blind; I was alsothe footof the lame, and the fatherof the weak."3 Of thissame matterin Tobit: " And I said to Tobias,My son,go and bringwhatever poor man thou shaltfind out of our brethren,who stillhas God in mind with hiswhole heart. Bring him hither,and he shall eatmy dinnertogetherwith me. Behold,I attend thee,my son,untilthou come."4 Also in the same place: " All the days of thy life,my son,keep God in mind, and transgress 1 " Impotentiumcommerciorum." sIsa.lviii.1-9. 3Jobxxix.12,13,15,16. *Tob.ii.2.