4 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN. and bring the poor thatare withouta home intothy house. If thou seestthenaked,clothehim; and despisenot thehouse hold of thineown seed. Then shallthy lightbreak forthin season,and thy garments shallarisespeedily; and righteous nessshallgo beforethee,and the gloryof God shallsurround thee. Then shaltthou cry,and God shallhear thee; whilst yet thou artspeaking,He shallsay,Here I am." 1 5. The remedies for propitiatingGod are given in the words of God Himself ; the divineinstructionshave taught what sinnersought to do,thatby works of righteousnessGod issatisfied,thatwith the desertsof mercy sinsare cleansed. And in Solomon we read, "Shut up alms in the heart of the poor,and these shallintercedeforthee from allevil."2 And again: " Whoso stoppethhisearsthathe may not hear the weak, he also shallcallupon God, and there willbe none to hear him."3 For he shallnot be able to deservethe mercy of the Lord, who himselfshallnot have been merciful; nor shallhe obtainaught from the divinepityin hisprayers, who shallnot have been humane towards the poor man's prayer. And thisalsothe Holy Spiritdeclaresin the Psalms, and proves,saying,"Blessed is he that considerethof the poor and needy ; the Lord willdeliverhim in the evilday."4 Remembering which precepts,Daniel,when king Nebuchodo- nosorwas in anxiety,being frightenedby an adversedream, gave him, for the turningaway of evils,a remedy to obtain the divinehelp,saying," Wherefore, O king,letmy counsel be acceptableto thee; and redeem thy sinsby almsgivings, and thineunrighteousnessesby merciesto the poor,and God willbe patient5 to thy sins."6 And as the king did not obey him, he underwent the misfortunesand mischiefswhich he had seen,and which he might have escapedand avoidedhad he redeemed hissinsby almsgiving. Raphael,also,the angel witnessesthe like,and exhortsthatalms shouldbe freelyand 1Isa.lriii.1-9. 1 Ecclus.xxix.12. aProv.xxi.18. 4Ps.xli.1. 5 Some editorsread " parcens" insteadof " patiens,"making the meaning" sparingtothysins." « Dan.iv.27.