This was no new idea in Hebrew theology; see Dan. iv. 27: “Break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shoving mercy to the poor.” See Prov. xvi. 6, and also Tob. xii. 8, 9. So in the _Testaments of the XII. Patriarchs_, put out in the first quarter of the second century: “For in proportion as a man is pitiful to the poor, will the Lord be pitiful towards him” (Zabulon 7). “Almsgiving therefore is a good thing, even as repentance from sin. Fasting is better than prayer, but almsgiving than both; and ‘love covereth a multitude of sins,’[64] but prayer out of a good conscience delivereth from death. Blessed is every man that is found full of these. For almsgiving lifteth off the burden of sin.”--_2nd Epistle of Clement_ (part of an ancient homily put out _circa_ A.D. 130 to 150).[65] _S. Cyprian_ about the middle of the third century develops almsgiving into a formal means of grace, and indeed assigns a distinct propitiatory value to alms, representing them as a means of prolonging the effectiveness of baptism and abolishing subsequent frailties.[66] _Lactantius_--_Inst._ vi. 12--_circa_ end of fourth century: “Mercy has a great reward (_magna est misericordiæ merces_), for God promises to it that He will remit all sins.” _S. Chrysostom_ speaks of this as “the medicine for our sins.” In the _Apostolical Constitutions_, vii. 12 (probably put out in the form that we possess them _circa_ the end of the fourth or early in the fifth century), we read: “If thou hast (acquired anything by the work of thy hands) give, that thou mayest labour for the redemption of thy sins; for by alms and acts of faith sins are purged away.” All this is somewhat an exaggerated development of a teaching which in the primitive Church undoubtedly elevated almsgiving to a chief place in Christian practice; but that charity and kindness to the poor and needy in primitive times often were regarded positively as _a formal means of grace_, is clear from the weighty early references just quoted, such honoured names as Cyprian and later even Chrysostom appearing among the supporters of this view. That it was an exaggerated estimate is, however, clear from the plain words of Paul in his exquisite Psalm of Love (1 Cor. xiii.), where under the general term of love or charity he expressly includes much besides mere almsgiving.