Gospel of Christ and the observance of His law
Gospel of Christ and the observance of His law; though walking in darkness they think they still enjoy the light. The Enemy cajoles and deceives them; as the Apostle says, he transforms himself into an angel of light, and primes his servants to act as servants of justice, to call the night day, and damnation salvation, to teach recklessness under the pretext of hope, disbelief under the colour of faith, Antichrist under the name of Christ, so that by lies that have all the appearance of truth, the undermine the truth with trickery. All this has come about, dearest brethren, because men do not go back to the origin of realities, because they do not look for their source, nor keep to the teaching of their heavenly Master.
But if anyone considers those things carefully, he will need no long discourse or arguments. The proof is simple and convincing, being summed up in a matter of fact. The Lord said to Peter: "I say to thee, that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not overcome it. I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And what thou shalt bind upon earth shall be bound also in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven."
St. Cyprian of Carthage
