Epistle XL.290    Oxford ed.: Ep. xliv. a.d. 251.

To Cornelius, on His Refusal to Receive Novatian’s Ordination.291    [Cornelius has succeeded to the cathedra in Rome. Here opens a new chapter in the history of Cyprian and of the Roman See.]

Argument.—The Messengers Sent by Novatian to Intimate His Ordination to the Church of Carthage are Rejected by Cyprian.

1. Cyprian to Cornelius, his brother, greeting. There have come to us, beloved brother, sent by Novatian, Maximus the presbyter, and Augendus the deacon, and a certain Machæus and Longinus. But, as we discovered, as well from the letters which they brought with them, as from their discourse and declaration, that Novatian had been made bishop; disturbed by the wickedness of an unlawful ordination made in opposition to the Catholic Church, we considered at once that they must be restrained from communion with us; and having, in the meanwhile, refuted and repelled the things which they pertinaciously and obstinately endeavoured to assert, I and several of my colleagues, who had come together to me, were awaiting the arrival of our colleagues Caldonius and Fortunatus, whom we had lately sent to you as ambassadors, and to our fellow-bishops, who were present at your ordination,292    Ordination to the episcopate was the term used.  Consecration is the inferior term now usual in Western Christendom. Elucidation VIII.] in order that, when they came and reported the truth of the matter, the wickedness of the adverse party might be quelled through them, by greater authority and manifest proof. But there came, in addition, Pompeius and Stephanus, our colleagues, who themselves also, by way of instructing us thereon, put forward manifest proofs and testimonies in conformity with their gravity and faithfulness, so that it was not even necessary that those who had come, as sent by Novatian, should be heard any further.  And when in our solemn assembly293    “In statione,” “stationary assembly;” these being the Wednesdays and Fridays in each week (Marshall). [See vol. i. p. 33.] they burst in with invidious abuse and turbulent clamour, demanding that the accusations, which they said that they brought and would prove, should be publicly investigated by us and by the people, we said that it was not consistent with our gravity to suffer the honour of our colleague, who had already been chosen and ordained and approved by the laudable sentence of many, to be called into question any further by the abusive voice of rivals. And because it would be a long business to collect into a letter the matters in which they have been refuted and repressed, and in which they have been manifested as having caused heresy by their unlawful attempts, you shall hear everything most fully from Primitivus our co-presbyter,294    [Note the free use of this phrase by Cyprian. This also to the Bishop of Rome.] when he shall come to you.

2. And lest their raging boldness should ever cease, they are striving here also to distract the members of Christ into schismatical parties, and to cut and tear the one body of the Catholic Church, so that, running about from door to door, through the houses of many, or from city to city, through certain districts, they seek for companions in their obstinacy and error to join to themselves in their schism. To whom we have once given this reply, nor shall we cease to command them to lay aside their pernicious dissensions and disputes, and to be aware that it is an impiety to forsake their Mother; and to acknowledge and understand that when a bishop295    [Nothing of a “universal bishop” is intimated or heard of. The election is that of a bishop like any other bishop.] is once made and approved by the testimony and judgment of his colleagues and the people, another can by no means be appointed.296    [Here note, that the episcopate of Rome is in no otherwise regulated or regarded than that of any other See.] Thus, if they consult their own interest peaceably and faithfully, if they confess themselves to be maintainers of the Gospel of Christ, they must return to the Church. I bid you, dearest brother, ever heartily farewell.

EPISTOLA XLI. ANNO CHR. CCLI. EPISTOLA PRIMA. S. CYPRIANI CARTHAGINENSIS EPISCOPI AD S. CORNELIUM PAPAM. (Erasm., II, 11; Pamel., Rigalt., Baluz., XLI; Paris. XL; Oxon., Lips., XLIV; Coustant, I, 125; Galland. III, 333.)

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ARGUMENTUM.---Legatorum Novatiani detegitur pravitas, et ideo a communione cohibentur. Petentibus publice audiri, hoc negatur. Quaerentes undique schismatis atque haeresis socios sibi adsciscere, reprimuntur.

0700A CYPRIANUS CORNELIO FRATRI SALUTEM.

I. Venerunt ad nos, frater charissime, missi a Novatiano, Maximus presbyter, et Augendus diaconus, et Machaeus quidam, et Longinus. Sed enim cum ex litteris, quas secum ferebant, et ex eorum sermone atque asseveratione Novatianum episcopum factum comperissemus, illicitae et contra Ecclesiam catholicam factae ordinationis pravitate commoti, a communicatione eos nostra statim cohibendos esse censuimus: et , refutatis interim ac retusis, quae obstinate ac pertinaciter asserere tentabant, jam ego et 0701A collegae plurimi, qui ad me convenerant, exspectabamus adventum collegarum nostrorum Caldonii et Fortunati, quos ad te nuper et coepiscopos nostros, qui ordinationi tuae adfuerant, legatos miseramus, ut eis adventantibus et rei gestae veritatem reportantibus, majore auctoritate et lucida per eos probatione, partis adversae improbitas frangeretur. Supervenerunt vero Pompeius ac Stephanus collegae nostri, qui et ipsi quoque ad instruendos istinc nos manifesta secundum gravitatem ac fidem suam indicia ac testimonia protulerunt; ut nec necesse fuerit audiri ultra eos, qui a Novatiano venerant missi. Qui cum in statione invidiosis quoque conviciis et clamoribus turbulentis proruerent, et flagitarent ut crimina, quae se afferre ac probare dicebant, publice 0701B a nobis et plebe cognoscerentur; gravitati nostrae negavimus convenire, ut collegae nostri jam delecti et ordinati, et laudabili multorum sententia comprobati, ventilari ultra honorem maledica aemulantium voce pateremur. Et quia, quibus refutati et compressi sunt, et illicitis conatibus haeresim fecisse nudati sunt, in epistolam congerere longum fuit; ex Primitivo compresbytero nostro plenissime singula, quando ad vos venerit, audietis.

II. Ac ne eorum furens audacia umquam desisteret, 0702A hic quoque in schismatis partes Christi membra distrahere, et catholicae Ecclesiae corpus unum scindere ac laniare nituntur; ut ostiatim per multorum domos, vel oppidatim per quasdam civitates discurrentes, obstinationis suae et erroris scissis sibi quaerant comites. Quibus semel responsum dedimus, nec mandare desistimus, ut perniciosa dissensione et concertatione deposita impietatem esse sciant, matrem deserere: et agnoscant atque intelligant, episcopo semel facto, et collegarum ac plebis testimonio et judicio comprobato alium constitui nullo modo posse: proinde si pacifice sibi ac fideliter consuluisse, si se assertores Evangelii et Christi esse confitentur, prius ad Ecclesiam revertantur. Opto te, frater charissime, semper bene valere.