Cyprian of Carthage, The Epistles of Cyprian

1. Cyprian to Cornelius his brother, greeting. I profess that I both have rendered and do render the greatest thanks without ceasing, dearest brother, to God the Father Almighty, and to His Christ the Lord and our God and Saviour, that the Church is thus divinely protected, and its unity and holiness is not constantly nor altogether corrupted by the obstinacy of perfidy and heretical wickedness. For we have read your letter, and have exultingly received the greatest joy from the fulfilment of our common desire; to wit, that Maximus the presbyter, and Urbanus, the confessors, with Sidonius and Macarius, have re-entered into the Catholic Church, that is, that they have laid aside their error, and given up their schismatical, nay, their heretical madness, and have sought again in the soundness of faith the home of unity and truth; that whence they had gone forth to glory, thither they might gloriously return; and that they who had confessed Christ should not afterwards desert the camp of Christ, and that they might not tempt the faith of their charity and unity,322 Some read, “might not be tried by the faith of their charity and unity.” who had not been overcome in strength and courage. Behold the safe and unspotted integrity of their praise; behold the uncorrupted and substantial dignity of these confessors, that they have departed from the deserters and fugitives, that they have left the betrayers of the faith, and the impugners of the Catholic Church. With reason did both the people and the brotherhood receive them when they returned, as you write, with the greatest joy; since in the glory of confessors who had maintained their glory, and returned to unity, there is none who does not reckon himself a partner and a sharer.

2. We can estimate the joy of that day323 Some old editions read, “of that thing.” from our own feelings. For if, in this place, the whole number of the brethren rejoiced at your letter which you sent concerning their confession, and received this tidings of common rejoicing with the greatest alacrity, what must have been the joy there when the matter itself, and the general gladness, was carried on under the eyes of all? For since the Lord in His Gospel says that there is the highest “joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth,”324 Luke xv. 7. how much greater is the joy in earth, no less than in heaven, over confessors who return with their glory and with praise to the Church of God, and make a way of returning for others by the faith and approval of their example? For this error had led away certain of our brethren, so that they thought they were following the communion of confessors. When this error was removed, light was infused into the breasts of all, and the Catholic Church has been shown to be one, and to be able neither to be cut nor divided. Nor can any one now be easily deceived by the talkative words of a raging schismatic, since it has been proved that good and glorious soldiers of Christ could not long be detained without the Church by the deceitfulness and perfidy of others. I bid you, dearest brother, ever heartily farewell.

EPISTOLA XLVII. EPISTOLA VIII. (Erasm. II, 12; Pamel. Rigalt. Baluz. XLVII, Oxon. Lips. LI. Paris. XLVI. Coustant. I, 143. Galland. III, 340.)

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S. CYPRIANI CARTHAGINENSIS EPISCOPI AD CORNELIUM PAPAM.

De Confessorum ad Ecclesiam reditu gratulatur. Quantum is reditus Ecclesiae catholicae conferat.

CYPRIANUS CORNELIO FRATRI SALUTEM.

I. Et egisse nos et agere, frater charissime, maximas gratias sine cessatione profitemur Deo Patri omnipotenti et Christo ejus Domino et Deo nostro salvatori , 0732A quod sic Ecclesia divinitus protegatur, ut unitas ejus et sanctitas non jugiter, nec in totum perfidiae et haereticae pravitatis obstinatione vitietur . Legimus enim litteras vestras, et voti communis amplissimum gaudium exsultanter excepimus, Maximum presbyterum et Urbanum confessores cum Sidonio et Macario ad Ecclesiam Catholicam regressos esse, id est errore deposito, et schismatico, immo haeretico furore deserto, unitatis ac veritatis domicilium fideli sanitate repetisse; ut unde ad gloriam processerant, illuc gloriosi redirent; ne qui Christum confessi essent, Christi postmodum castra desererent, nec tentarent charitatis atque unitatis fidem, qui victi robore et virtute non fuerant. Ecce incolumis et immaculata laudis integritas, ecce incorrupta et solida 0732B confitentium dignitas, a desertoribus et profugis recessisse, proditores fidei et Ecclesiae Catholicae impugnatores reliquisse. Merito illos revertentes summo, ut scribitis, gaudio et clerus et plebs et fraternitas omnis excepit: quoniam in confessoribus gloriam suam conservantibus, et ad unitatem revertentibus, nemo non socium se et participem eorum gloriae computat.

II. Hujus diei laetitiam de nostris possumus sensibus aestimare. Nam cum istic ad litteras vestras, quas de eorum confessione misistis, laetatus sit omnis fratrum numerus, et summa alacritate hunc nuntium communis gratulationis exceperit; quid illic, ubi res ipsa 0733A et praesens laetitia sub oculis omnium gerebatur? Cum enim Dominus in Evangelio suo dicat, esse summum gaudium in coelo super uno peccatore poenitentiam agente (Luc., XV, 7); quanto majus est gaudium et in terris pariter et in coelo super Confessoribus ad Ecclesiam Dei cum gloria sua et cum laude redeuntibus, et redeundi viam caeteris exempli sui fide et probatione facientibus? Hic enim quosdam fratres nostros error induxerat, quod sibi communicationem 0734A Confessorum sequi viderentur. Quo errore sublato, lux omnium pectoribus infusa est, et Ecclesia catholica una esse, nec scindi nec dividi posse monstrata est. Ne quisquam jam facile poterit schismatici furentis verbis loquacibus decipi; quando probatum sit bonos et gloriosos Christi milites non potuisse diu aliena fallacia et perfidia extra Ecclesiam detineri. Opto te, frater charissime, semper bene valere.