Epistle XIII.124    Oxford ed.: Ep. xix. [See letter xxvii. infra.]

To the Clergy, Concerning Those Who are in Haste to Receive Peace. a.d. 250.

Argument.—Peace Must Be Attained Through Penitence, and Penitence is Realized by Keeping the Commandments. They Who are Oppressed with Sickness, If They are Relieved by the Suffrages of the Martyrs, May Be Admitted to Peace; But Others are to Be Kept Back Until the Peace of the Church is Secured.

1. Cyprian to the presbyters and deacons, his brethren, greeting. I have read your letter, beloved brethren, wherein you wrote that your wholesome counsel was not wanting to our brethren, that, laying aside all rash haste, they should manifest a religious patience to God, so that when by His mercy we come together, we may debate upon all kinds of things, according to the discipline of the Church, especially since it is written, “Remember from whence thou hast fallen, and repent.”125    Rev. ii. 5. Now he repents, who, remembering the divine precept, with meekness and patience, and obeying the priests of God, deserves well of the Lord by his obedience and his righteous works.

2. Since, however, you intimate that some are petulant, and eagerly urge their being received to communion, and have desired in this matter that some rule should be given by me to you, I think I have sufficiently written on this subject in the last letter that was sent to you, that they who have received a certificate from the martyrs, and can be assisted by their help with the Lord in respect of their sins, if they begin to be oppressed with any sickness or risk; when they have made confession, and have received the imposition of hands on them by you in acknowledgment of their penitence, should be remitted to the Lord with the peace promised to them by the martyrs. But others who, without having received any certificate from the martyrs, are envious126    Faciunt invidiam: “are producing ill-will to us.” Those who were eager to be received into the Church without certificates would produce ill-will to those who refused to receive them, as if they were too strict. Thus Rigaltius explains the passage. “These,” Cyprian says, “should wait until the Church in its usual way gives them peace publicly.” (since this is the cause not of a few, nor of one church, nor of one province, but of the whole world), must wait, in dependence on the protection of the Lord, for the public peace of the Church itself. For this is suitable to the modesty and the discipline, and even the life of all of us, that the chief officers meeting together with the clergy in the presence also of the people who stand fast, to whom themselves, moreover, honour is to be shown for their faith and fear, we may be able to order all things with the religiousness of a common consultation.127    [Elucidation IV.] But how irreligious is it, and mischievous, even to those themselves who are eager, that while such as are exiles, and driven from their country, and spoiled of all their property, have not yet returned to the Church, some of the lapsed should be hasty to anticipate even confessors themselves, and to enter into the Church before them! If they are so over-anxious, they have what they require in their own power, the times themselves offering them freely more than they ask. The struggle is still going forward, and the strife is daily celebrated. If they truly and with constancy repent of what they have done, and the fervour of their faith prevails, he who cannot be delayed may be crowned.128    [i.e., they can become martyrs, if they will.] I bid you, beloved brethren, ever heartily farewell; and have me in remembrance. Greet all the brotherhood in my name, and tell them to be mindful of me. Fare ye well.

EPISTOLA XIII. (Erasm., III, 18; Pamel., XIV; Rigalt., Baluz., Paris., XIII; Oxon., Lips., XIX.)AD CLERUM, DE HIS QUI AD PACEM FESTINANT.

0260A

ARGUMENTUM.---Ad pacem per poenitentiam veniendum: illa autem agitur servando mandata. Infirmitate pressi, si martyrum suffragiis subleventur, ad pacem admitti possunt: caeteri usque ad pacem Ecclesiae factam detinendi.

I. Cyprianus presbyteris et diaconibus fratribus salutem. Legi litteras vestras, fratres charissimi, quibus scripsistis salubre consilium vestrum non deesse fratribus nostris, ut, temeraria festinatione deposita, religiosam 0260B patientiam Deo praebeant, ut, cum in unum per ejus misericordiam venerimus, ²³ de omnibus speciebus secundum ecclesiasticam disciplinam tractare possimus, maxime cum scriptum sit: Memento unde cecideris, et age poenitentiam (Apocal. II, 5). Poenitentiam autem ille agit qui, divini praecepti memor, mitis et patiens et sacerdotibus Dei obtemperans, obsequiis suis et operibus justis Dominum promeretur.

II. Quoniam tamen significatis quosdam immoderatos esse et communicationem accipiendam festinanter urgere, et desiderastis in hac re formam a me vobis dari, satis plene scripsisse me ad hanc rem proximis litteris ad vos factis credo, ut qui libellum a martyribus acceperunt, et auxilio eorum adjuvari 0260C apud Dominum in delictis suis possunt, si premi infirmitate aliqua et periculo coeperint, exomologesi 0261A facta et manu eis a vobis in poenitentiam imposita, cum pace a martyribus sibi promissa ad Dominum remittantur. Caeteri vero qui, nullo libello a martyribus accepto, invidiam faciunt, quoniam non paucorum, nec ecclesiae unius aut unius provinciae, sed totius orbis haec causa est, expectent de Domini protectione Ecclesiae ipsius publicam pacem. Hoc enim et verecundiae et disciplinae et vitae ipsi omnium nostrum convenit, ut praepositi cum clero convenientes, praesente etiam stantium plebe , quibus et ipsis pro fide et timore suo honor habendus est, disponere omnia consilii communis religione possimus. Caeterum, quam irreligiosum est et ipsis quoque festinantibus perniciosum, ut, cum extorres et patria pulsi ac bonis suis omnibus spoliati, nondum ad Ecclesiam 0261B redierint, quidam de lapsis confessores ipsos praevenire et ante eos ad Ecclesiam introire festinent! Qui si nimium properant, habent in sua potestate quod postulant, tempore ipso sibi plus quam postulant largiente. Acies adhuc geritur, et agon quotidie celebratur. Si commissi vere et firmiter poenitet et fidei calor praevalet , qui differri non potest, potest coronari. Opto vos, fratres charissimi, semper bene valere et nostri meminisse. Fraternitatem universam meo nomine salutate, et ut nostri memores sint admonete. Valete.