58 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN. afterothergods, to servethem ; and worshipthem not, and provoke me not in theworks of your hands,to destroyyou."1 In the Apocalypse too: " If any man worshipthe beastand his image, and receivehis mark in his foreheador in his hand, he shallalsodrink of the wine of the wrath of God, which ismixed inthecup of His wrath,and shallbe punished with fireand brimstonebeforethe eyesof theholyangels,and beforethe eyesof the Lamb :and thesmoke of theirtorments shallascend for ever and ever: and theyshallhave no rest day or night,whosoeverworshipthe beastand hisimage."2 4. That God doesnot easilypardon idolaters. Moses in Exodus prays forthe people,and doesnot obtain hisprayer,saying: " I pray,O Lord, thispeoplehath sinneda greatsin. They have made them gods of gold. And now, if Thou forgivestthem theirsin,forgiveit; but if not, blot me out of the book which Thou hastwritten. And the Lord saidunto Moses,If any one hath sinnedagainstme, him willI blotout of my book."3 Moreover, when Jeremiah besought forthepeople,theLord speakstohim,saying: " And pray not thou forthispeople,and entreatnot forthem in prayer and supplication; becauseI willnothear in thetime whereinthey shallcallupon me inthetimeoftheiraffliction."* Ezekielalso denouncesthissame anger of God upon thosewho sinagainst God, and says: " And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,Son of man, whatsoeverland sinnethagainstme, by committingan offence,I willstretchforth mine hand upon it,and willcrushthesupportof the bread thereof; and I will send intoitfamine,and I willtake away from it man and beast. And though thesethreemen were in the midst of it, Noah, Daniel, and Job, they shallnot deliversons nor daughters; they themselvesonly shallbe delivered."5 Like wise in the firstbook of Kings : " If a man sinby offending againstanother,they shallbeseechthe Lord forhim ; but if a man sinagainstGod, who shallentreatforhim ?" 4 1Jer.vii.6. 3 Rev.xiv.9-11. 3 Ex.xxxii.31-33. * Jer.vii.16. * Ezek.xiv.12-14. « 1 Sam.ii.25.