Epistle L.335    Oxford ed.: Ep. liv. a.d. 252.

From Cyprian to the Confessors, Congratulating Them on Their Return from Schism.

Argument.—Cyprian Congratulates the Roman Confessors on Their Return into the Church, and Replies to Their Letters.

1. Cyprian to Maximus the presbyter, also to Urbanus, and Sidonius, and Macharius, his brethren, greeting.  When I read your letters, dearest brethren, that you wrote to me about your return, and about the peace of the Church, and the brotherly restoration, I confess that I was as greatly overjoyed as I had before been overjoyed when I learnt the glory of your confession, and thankfully received tidings of the heavenly and spiritual renown of your warfare. For this, moreover, is another confession of your faith and praise; to confess that the Church is one, and not to become a sharer in other men’s error, or rather wickedness; to seek anew the same camp whence you went forth, whence with the most vigorous strength you leapt forth to wage the battle and to subdue the adversary. For the trophies from the battle-field ought to be brought back thither whence the arms for the field had been received, lest the Church of Christ should not retain those same glorious warriors whom Christ had furnished for glory. Now, however, you have kept in the peace of the Lord the fitting tenor of your faith and the law of undivided charity and concord, and have given by your walk an example of love and peace to others; so that the truth of the Church, and the unity of the Gospel mystery which is held by us, are also linked together by your consent and bond; and confessors of Christ do not become the leaders of error, after having stood forth as praiseworthy originators of virtue and honour.

2. Let others consider how much they may congratulate you, or how much each one may glory for himself: I confess that I congratulate you more, and I more boast of you to others, in respect of this your peaceful return and charity. For you ought in simplicity to hear what was in my heart. I grieved vehemently, and I was greatly afflicted, that I could not hold communion with those whom once I had begun to love. After the schismatical and heretical error laid hold of you, on your going forth from prison, it seemed as if your glory had been left in the dungeon. For there the dignity of your name seemed to have stayed behind when the soldiers of Christ did not return from the prison to the Church, although they had gone into the prison with the praise and congratulations of the Church.

3. For although there seem to be tares in the Church, yet neither our faith nor our charity ought to be hindered, so that because we see that there are tares in the Church we ourselves should withdraw from the Church: we ought only to labour that we may be wheat, that when the wheat shall begin to be gathered into the Lord’s barns, we may receive fruit for our labour and work.  The apostle in his epistle says, “In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honour and some to dishonour.”336    2 Tim. ii. 20. Let us strive, dearest brethren, and labour as much as we possibly can, that we may be vessels of gold or silver. But to the Lord alone it is granted to break the vessels of earth, to whom also is given the rod of iron. The servant cannot be greater than his lord, nor may any one claim to himself what the Father has given to the Son alone, so as to think that he can take the fan for winnowing and purging the threshing-floor, or can separate by human judgment all the tares from the wheat. That is a proud obstinacy and a sacrilegious presumption which a depraved madness assumes to itself. And while some are always assuming to themselves more dominion than meek justice demands, they perish from the Church; and while they insolently extol themselves, blinded by their own swelling, they lose the light of truth. For which reason we also, keeping moderation, and considering the Lord’s balances, and thinking of the love and mercy of God the Father, have long and carefully pondered with ourselves, and have weighed what was to be done with due moderation.

4. All which matters you can look into thoroughly, if you will read the tracts337    [i.e., On Unity and On the Lapsers.] which I have lately read here, and have, for the sake of our mutual love, transmitted to you also for you to read; wherein there is neither wanting for the lapsed, censure which may rebuke, nor medicine which may heal. Moreover, my feeble ability has expressed as well as it could the unity of the Catholic Church.338    “Of the Unity of the Church.” [And note, Cyprian innocently teaches these Roman clergy the principles of Catholic unity, without an idea that they were in a position to know much more on the subject than they could be taught by a bishop in Africa.] Which treatise I now more and more trust will be pleasing to you, since you now read it in such a way as both to approve and love it; inasmuch as what we have written in words you fulfil in deeds, when you return to the Church in the unity of charity and peace. I bid you, dearest brethren, and greatly longed-for, ever heartily farewell.

EPISTOLA LI. (Erasm., III. Pamel., Rigalt., Baluz., LI. Paris., L. Oxon., Lips., LIV.)CYPRIANI AD CONFESSORES, DE REDITU EX SCHISMATE CONGRATULATORIA.

ARGUMENTUM.---Gratulatur Cyprianus confessoribus Romanis de eorum reditu in Ecclesiam et litteris eorum respondet.

I. Cyprianus Maximo presbytero, item Urbano, et Sidonio et Machario fratribus salutem. Lectis litteris 0343A vestris, fratres charissimi, quas ad me de vestra regressione et de ecclesiastica pace ac fraterna redintegratione fecistis, in tantum me laetatum esse confiteor in quantum fueram et ante laetatus quando confessionis vestrae gloriam comperi et militiae vestrae coelestem ac spiritalem laudem gratulabundus excepi. Nam et haec fidei et laudis vestrae alia confessio est unam esse Ecclesiam confiteri, nec alieni erroris vel potius pravitatis participem fieri, repetere eadem castra unde prodistis, unde ad gerendum praelium et adversarium subigendum fortissimis viribus prosilistis. Illuc enim erant de acie trophaea referenda unde ad aciem fuerant arma suscepta, ne quos ad gloriam Christus parasset, eosdem gloriosos Christi Ecclesia non haberet. Nunc vero et vos congruentem fidei vestrae 0343B tenorem atque individuae charitatis et concordiae legem Dominica pace tenuistis, et exemplum caeteris dilectionis et pacis vestro itinere fecistis, ut Ecclesiae veritas et evangelici sacramenti unitas, quae a nobis tenebatur, vestro etiam consensu ac vinculo necteretur, nec confessores Christi erroris duces fierint qui virtutis et honoris auctores laudabiles extitissent.

II. Viderint quantum vobis caeteri gratulentur, vel quantum apud se ipsos singuli glorientur. Ego me et gratulari magis vobis et plus caeteris gloriari in hac vestra pacifica regressione et charitate confiteor. Simpliciter enim quid in meo corde fuerit debetis audire. Dolebam vehementer et graviter angebar quod eis communicare non possem quos semel diligere coepissem. 0344A Posteaquam vos de carcere prodeuntes schismaticus et haereticus error excepit, sic res erat quasi vestra gloria in carcere remansisset. Illic enim resedisse vestri nominis dignitas videbatur quando milites Christi non ad Ecclesiam de carcere redirent, in quem prius cum Ecclesiae laude et gratulatione venissent.

III. Nam, etsi videntur in Ecclesia esse zizania, non tamen impediri debet aut fides aut charitas nostra, ut quoniam zizania esse in Ecclesia cernimus, ipsi de Ecclesia recedamus. Nobis tantum modo laborandum est ut frumentum esse possimus, ut, cum coeperit frumentum Dominicis horreis condi, fructum pro opere nostro et labore capiamus. Apostolus in epistola sua dicit: In domo autem magna non solum 0344B vasa sunt aurea et argentea, sed et lignea et fictilia, et quaedam quidem honorata, quaedam vero inhonorata (II Tim. II, 20). Nos operam demus, fratres charissimi, et quantum possumus laboremus ut vasa aurea vel argentea simus . Caeterum, fictilia vasa confringere Domino soli concessum est, cui et virga ferrea data est. Esse non potest major domino suo servus; nec quisquam sibi quod soli filio pater tribuit vindicare potest, ut putet aut, ad aream ventilandam et purgandam, palam ferre posse, aut a frumento universa zizania humano judicio separare . Superba est ista obstinatio et sacrilega praesumptio quam sibi furor pravus assumit; et, dum dominium sibi semper quidam plusquam mitis justitia deposcit assumunt, 0345A de Ecclesia pereunt; et dum se insolenter extollunt, ipso suo tumore caecati, veritatis lumen amittunt. Propter quod et nos temperamentum tenentes et librum Domini contemplantes, et Dei Patris pietatem ac misericordiam cogitantes, diu multumque tractatu inter nos habito justa moderatione quae sunt agenda libravimus.

IV. Quae omnia penitus potestis inspicere, lectis libellis quos hic nuper legeram et ad vos qnoque legendos pro communi dilectione transmiseram; ubi lapsis nec censura deest quae increpet, nec medicina quae sanet. Sed et catholicae Ecclesiae unitatem quantum potuit expressit nostra mediocritas. Quem libellum magis ac magis nunc vobis placere confido, quando eum jam sic legitis ut et probetis et ametis; 0345B siquidem quod nos verbis conscripsimus vos factis impletis quando ad Ecclesiam charitatis ac pacis unitate remeatis. Opto vos, fratres charissimi ac desiderantissimi, semper bene valere.