Cyprian of Carthage, The Epistles of Cyprian

To the Clergy, Concerning Certain Presbyters Who Had Rashly Granted Peace to the Lapsed Before the Persecution Had Been Appeased, and Without the Privity of the Bishops.

Argument.—The Argument of This Epistle is Contained in the Following Words of the XIV^th Epistle:—“To the Presbyters and Deacons,” He Says, “Was Not Wanting the Vigour of the Priesthood, So that Some, Too Little Mindful of Discipline, and Hasty with a Rash Precipitation, Who Had Already Begun to Communicate with the Lapsed, Were Checked.”

1. Cyprian to the presbyters and deacons, his brethren, greeting. I have long been patient, beloved brethren, hoping that my forbearing silence would avail to quietness. But since the unreasonable and reckless presumption of some is seeking by its boldness to disturb both the honour of the martyrs, and the modesty of the confessors, and the tranquility of the whole people, it behoves me no longer to keep silence, lest too much reticence should issue in danger both to the people and to ourselves. For what danger ought we not to fear from the Lord’s displeasure, when some of the presbyters, remembering neither the Gospel nor their own place, and, moreover, considering neither the Lord’s future judgment nor the bishop now placed over them, claim to themselves entire authority,98 In letter ii. we have noted a limited exercise of jurisdiction: the canons seem not to have allowed them the full powers these presbyters had used.]—a thing which was never in any wise done under our predecessors,—with discredit and contempt of the bishop?

2. And I wish, if it could be so without the sacrifice of our brethren’s safety, that they could make good their claim to all things; I could dissemble and bear the discredit of my episcopal authority, as I always have dissembled and borne it. But it is not now the occasion for dissimulating when our brotherhood is deceived by some of you, who, while without the means of restoring salvation they desire to please, become a still greater stumbling-block to the lapsed. For that it is a very great crime which persecution has compelled to be committed, they themselves know who have committed it; since our Lord and Judge has said, “Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven; but whosoever shall deny me, him will I also deny.”99 Matt. x. 32, 33. And again He has said, “All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies; but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost shall not have forgiveness, but is guilty of eternal sin.”100 Mark iii. 28, 29. Also the blessed apostle has said, “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table and of the table of devils.”101 1 Cor. x. 21. He who withholds these words from our brethren deceives them, wretched that they are; so that they who truly repenting might satisfy God, both as the Father and as merciful, with their prayers and works, are seduced more deeply to perish; and they who might raise themselves up fall the more deeply. For although in smaller sins sinners may do penance for a set time, and according to the rules of discipline come to public confession,102 “Exomologesis.” and by imposition of the hand of the bishop and clergy receive the right of communion: now with their time still unfulfilled, while persecution is still raging, while the peace of the Church itself is not yet restored, they are admitted to communion, and their name is presented; and while the penitence is not yet performed, confession is not yet made, the hands of the bishop and clergy are not yet laid upon them, the eucharist is given to them; although it is written, “Whosoever shall eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.”103 1 Cor. xi. 27.

3. But now they are not guilty who so little observe the law of Scripture; but they will be guilty who are in office and do not suggest these things to brethren, so that, being instructed by those placed above them, they may do all things with the fear of God, and with the observance given and prescribed by Him. Then, moreover, they lay the blessed martyrs open to ill-will, and involve the glorious servants of God with the priest of God; so that although they, mindful of my place, have directed letters to me, and have asked that their wishes should then be examined, and peace granted them,—when our Mother, the Church herself, should first have received peace for the Lord’s mercy, and the divine protection, have brought me back to His Church,—yet these, disregarding the honour which the blessed martyrs with the confessors maintain for me, despising the Lord’s law and that observance, which the same martyrs and confessors bid to be maintained, before the fear of persecution is quenched, before my return, almost even before the departure of the martyrs, communicate with the lapsed, and offer and give them the eucharist: when even if the martyrs, in the heat of their glory, were to consider less carefully the Scriptures, and to desire anything more, they should be admonished by the presbyters’ and deacons’ suggestions, as was always done in time past.104 [Compare Tertullian, Ad Martyras, vol. iii. p. 693.]

4. For this reason the divine rebuke does not cease to chastise us night nor day. For besides the visions of the night, by day also, the innocent age of boys is among us filled with the Holy Spirit, seeing in an ecstasy with their eyes, and hearing and speaking those things whereby the Lord condescends to warn and instruct us.105 [Note this persuasion of Cyprian, and compare St. Matt. xxi. 15, 16; Luke xix. 40.] And you shall hear all things when the Lord, who bade me withdraw, shall bring me back again to you. In the meanwhile, let those certain ones among you who are rash and incautious and boastful, and who do not regard man, at least fear God, knowing that, if they shall persevere still in the same course, I shall use that power of admonition which the Lord bids me use; so that they may meanwhile be withheld from offering,106 [Celebrating the Lord’s Supper; Rom. xv. 16 (Greek) compared with Mal. i. 11, texts which seem greatly to have influenced the language of the early Church.] and have to plead their cause both before me and before the confessors themselves and before the whole people, when, with God’s permission, we begin to be gathered together once more into the bosom of the Church, our Mother. Concerning this matter, I have written to the martyrs and confessors, and to the people, letters; both of which I have bidden to be read to you. I wish you, dearly beloved brethren and earnestly longed-for, ever heartily farewell in the Lord; and have me in remembrance. Fare ye well.

EPISTOLA IX. (Erasm., III, 14; Pamel., X; Rig., Baluz., Paris., IX; Oxon., Lips., XXI.)AD CLERUM, DE QUIBUSDAM PRESBYTERIS QUI TEMERE PACEM LAPSIS DEDERUNT, NECDUM SEDATA PERSECUTIONE ET CITRA CONSCIENTIAM EPISCOPORUM.

ARGUMENTUM---hujus Epistolae habes infra in haec verba, Epistola XIV: «Presbyteris, inquit, et diaconibus non defuit sacerdotii vigor, ut quidam, minus disciplinae memores et temeraria festinatione praecipites, 0250B qui cum lapsis communicare jam coeperant, comprimerentur.»

I. Cyprianus presbyteris et diaconibus fratribus salutem. Diu patientiam meam tenui, fratres charissimi, quasi verecundum silentium nostrum proficeret ad quietem: sed, cum quorumdam immoderata et abrupta praesumptio temeritate sua et honorem martyrum et confessorum pudorem et plebis universae tranquillitatem turbare conetur, tacere ultra non oportet, ne ad periculum et plebis pariter et nostrum taciturnitas nimia procedat. Quod enim non periculum metuere debemus de offensa Domini quando aliqui de presbyteris, nec Evangelii nec loci sui memores, sed neque futurum Domini judicium neque nunc sibi praepositum 0250C episcopum cogitantes, quod numquam omnino sub antecessoribus factum est, cum contumelia et contemptu praepositi totum sibi vindicent?

II. Atque utinam non prostrata fratrum nostrorum salute sibi omnia vindicarent! Contumeliam episcopatus 0251A nostri dissimulare et ferre possem , sicut dissimulavi semper et pertuli. Sed dissimulandi nunc locus non est quando decipitur fraternitas nostra a quibusdam vestrum, qui, dum sine ratione restituendae salutis plausibiles esse cupiunt, magis lapsis obsunt. Summum enim delictum esse quod persecutio committi coegit, sciunt ipsi etiam qui commiserunt, cum dixerit Dominus et judex noster: Qui me confessus fuerit coram hominibus, et ego illum confitebor coram Patre meo qui in coelis est. Qui autem me negaverit, et ego illum negabo (Matth. X, 32, 33); et iterum dixerit: Omnia peccata remittentur filiis hominum et blasphemiae . Qui autem blasphemaverit in Spiritum sanctum, non habebit remissam, sed reus est aeterni peccati (Marc. III, 28, 29); item beatus Apostolus dixerit: 0251B Non potestis calicem Domini bibere et calicem daemoniorum. Non potestis mensae Domini communicare et mensae daemoniorum (I Cor. X, 20, 21). Haec qui subtrahit fratribus nostris, decipit miseros; ut qui possunt, agentes poenitentiam veram, Deoque patri et misericordi precibus et operibus suis satisfacere, seducantur ut magis pereant, et qui erigere se possent, plus cadant. Nam, cum in minoribus peccatis agant peccatores poenitentiam justo tempore, et, secundum disciplinae ¹⁹ ordinem, ad exomologesim veniant, et per manus impositionem episcopi et cleri 0252A jus communicationis accipiant, nunc crudo tempore, persecutione adhuc perseverante, nondum restituta Ecclesiae ipsius pace, ad communicationem admittuntur et offertur nomen eorum, et, nondum poenitentia acta, nondum exomologesi facta, nondum manu eis ab episcopo et clero imposita, Eucharistia illis datur, cum scriptum sit: Qui ederit panem aut biberit calicem Domini indigne, reus erit corporis et sanguinis Domini (I Cor. XI, 27).

III. Sed nunc illi rei non sunt qui minus Scripturae legem tenent. Erunt autem rei qui praesunt et haec fratribus non suggerunt, ut, instructi a praepositis, faciant omnia cum Dei timore et cum data ab eo et praescripta observatione. Exponunt deinde invidiae beatos martyres, et gloriosos servos Dei cum Dei sacerdote 0252B committunt, ut, cum illi memores loci notri ad me litteras direxerint, et petierint tunc desideria sua examinari et pacem quando ipsa ante mater nostra Ecclesia pacem de misericordia Domini prior sumpserit, et nos divina protectio reduces ad ecclesiam suam fecerit, hi, sublato honore quem nobis beati martyres cum confessoribus servant, contempta Domini lege et observatione quam iidem martyres et confessores tenendam mandant, ante extinctum persecutionis metum, ante reditum nostrum, ante ipsum pene martyrum excessum, communicent cum lapsis 0253A et offerant et Eucharistiam tradant, quando, etiamsi martyres per calorem gloriae Scripturam minus contemplantes , plus aliquid cuperent, a presbyteris et diaconis suggerentibus admoneri deberent, sicut semper in praeteritum factum est.

IV. Castigare nos itaque divina censura nec noctibus desinit nec diebus. Praeter nocturnas enim visiones, per dies quoque impletur apud nos Spiritu sancto puerorum innocens aetas, quae in ecstasi videt oculis et audit et loquitur ea quibus nos Dominus monere et instruere dignatur. Et audietis omnia quando ad vos reducem me Dominus fecerit, qui ut secederem jussit. Interim temerarii et incauti et tumidi quidam inter vos, qui hominem non cogitant, vel Deum timeant, scientes, quoniam si ultra in iisdem perseveraverint, 0253B utar ea admonitione qua me uti Dominus jubet, ut interim prohibeantur offerre, acturi et apud nos et apud confessores ipsos et apud plebem universam causam suam; cum, Domino permittente, in sinum matris Ecclesiae recolligi coeperimus. De hoc ad martyres et confessores et ad plebem litteras feci, quas utraque vobis legi mandavi. Opto vos, fratres charissimi ac desiderantissimi, in Domino semper bene valere et nostri meminisse. Valete.