Epistle LVI.508    Oxford ed.: Ep. lx. a.d. 252.

To Cornelius in Exile, Concerning His Confession.

Argument.—Cyprian Praises in Cornelius and His People Their Confession of the Name of Christ Even to Banishment; And Exhorts Them to Constancy and to Mutual Prayer for One Another, as Well in Respect of the Approaching Day of Struggle in This Life, as After Death.509    Damasus mentions this epistle in the life of Cornelius, as being that on account of which a calumny arose, whence the tyrant took an excuse for his death.

1. Cyprian to Cornelius his brother, greeting. We have been made acquainted, dearest brother, with the glorious testimonies of your faith and courage, and have received with such exultation the honour of your confession, that we count ourselves also sharers and companions in your merits and praises. For as we have one Church, a mind united, and a concord undivided, what priest does not congratulate himself on the praises of his fellow-priest510    [Note the entire equality of these bishops. Carthage and Rome are of equal sacerdocy.] as if on his own; or what brotherhood would not rejoice in the joy of its brethren?  It cannot be sufficiently declared how great was the exultation and how great the joy here, when we had heard of your success and bravery, that you had stood forth as a leader of confession to the brethren there; and, moreover, that the confession of the leader had increased by the consent of the brethren; so that, while you precede them to glory, you have made many your companions in glory, and have persuaded the people to become a confessor by being first prepared to confess on behalf of all; so that we are at a loss what we ought first of all to commend in you, whether your prompt and decided faith, or the inseparable love of the brethren. Among you the courage of the bishop going before has been publicly proved, and the unitedness of the brotherhood following has been shown. As with you there is one mind and one voice, the whole Roman Church has confessed.511    [Cornelius the voice of his diocese only because they concur with him. Compare Leto, Vat. Council, p. 223 and passim.]

2. The faith, dearest brethren, which the blessed apostle commended in you has shone brightly. He even then in the spirit foresaw this praise of courage and firmness of strength; and, attesting your merits by the commendation of your future doings, in praising the parents he provokes the children. While you are thus unanimous, while you are thus brave, you have given great examples both of unanimity and of bravery to the rest of the brethren. You have taught them deeply to fear God, firmly to cling to Christ; that the people should be associated with the priests in peril; that the brethren should not be separated from brethren in persecution; that a concord, once established, can by no means be overcome; that whatsoever is at the same time sought for by all, the God of peace will grant to the peaceful. The adversary had leapt forth to disturb the camp of Christ with violent terror; but, with the same impetuosity with which he had come, he was beaten back and conquered; and as much fear and terror as he had brought, so much bravery and strength he also found. He had thought that he could again overthrow the servants of God, and agitate them in his accustomed manner, as if they were novices and inexperienced—as if little prepared and little cautious. He attacked one first, as a wolf had tried to separate the sheep from the flock, as a hawk to separate the dove from the flying troop; for he who has not sufficient strength against all, seeks to gain advantage from the solitude of individuals. But when beaten back as well by the faith as by the vigour of the combined army, he perceived that the soldiers of Christ are now watching, and stand sober and armed for the battle; that they cannot be conquered, but that they can die; and that by this very fact they are invincible, that they do not fear death; that they do not in turn assail their assailants, since it is not lawful for the innocent even to kill the guilty; but that they readily deliver up both their lives and their blood; that since such malice and cruelty rages in the world, they may the more quickly withdraw from the evil and cruel. What a glorious spectacle was that under the eyes of God! what a joy of His Church in the sight of Christ, that not single soldiers, but the whole camp, at once went forth to the battle which the enemy had tried to begin!  For it is plain that all would have come if they could have heard, since whoever heard ran hastily and came. How many lapsed were there restored by a glorious confession! They bravely stood, and by the very suffering of repentance were made braver for the battle, that it might appear that lately they had been taken at unawares, and had trembled at the fear of a new and unaccustomed thing, but that they had afterwards returned to themselves; that true faith and their strength, gathered from the fear of God, had constantly and firmly strengthened them to all endurance; and that now they do not stand for pardon of their crime, but for the crown of their suffering.

3. What does Novatian say to these things, dearest brother? Does he yet lay aside his error? Or, indeed, as is the custom of foolish men, is he more driven to fury by our very benefits and prosperity; and in proportion as the glory of love and faith grows here more and more, does the madness of dissension and envy break out anew there? Does the wretched man not cure his own wound, but wound both himself and his friends still more severely, clamouring with his tongue to the ruin of the brethren, and hurling darts of poisonous eloquence, more severe in accordance with the wickedness of a secular philosophy than peaceable with the gentleness of the Lord’s wisdom,—a deserter of the Church, a foe to mercy, a destroyer of repentance, a teacher of arrogance, a corrupter of truth, a murderer of love?  Does he now acknowledge who is the priest of God; which is the Church and the house of Christ; who are God’s servants, whom the devil molests; who the Christians, whom Antichrist attacks? For neither does he seek those whom he has already subdued, nor does he take the trouble to overthrow those whom he has already made his own. The foe and enemy of the Church despises and passes by those whom he has alienated from the Church, and led without as captives and conquered; he goes on to harass those in whom he sees Christ dwell.

4. Even although any one of such should have been seized, there is no reason for his flattering himself, as if in the confession of the name; since it is manifest that, if people of this sort should be put to death outside the Church, it is no crown of faith, but is rather a punishment of treachery. Nor will those dwell in the house of God among those that are of one mind, whom we see to have withdrawn by the madness of discord from the peaceful and divine household.

5. We earnestly exhort as much as we can, dearest brother, for the sake of the mutual love by which we are joined one to another, that since we are instructed by the providence of the Lord, who warns us, and are admonished by the wholesome counsels of divine mercy, that the day of our contest and struggle is already approaching, we should not cease to be instant with all the people in fastings, in watchings, in prayers. Let us be urgent, with constant groanings and frequent prayers. For these are our heavenly arms, which make us to stand fast and bravely to persevere. These are the spiritual defences and divine weapons which defend us. Let us remember one another in concord and unanimity. Let us on both sides always pray for one another. Let us relieve burdens and afflictions by mutual love, that if any one of us, by the swiftness of divine condescension, shall go hence the first, our love may continue in the presence of the Lord, and our prayers for our brethren and sisters not cease in the presence of the Father’s mercy. I bid you, dearest brother, ever heartily farewell.

EPISTOLA LVII. ANNO CHRISTI CCLII. EPISTOLA XIII. SANCTI CYPRIANI AD S. CORNELIUM PAPAM. (Erasm. I, 1; Pamel. Rigalt. Baluz. LVII; Paris. 56; Coustant. I, col. 190; Galland. III, p. 360.)

0829C

0830A ARGUMENTUM. Cyprianus Cornelio gratulatus quod forti confessione populo suo ad confitendum sese ducem praebuerit, in Romanorum laudes excurrit. Tum adversam Novatiani sortem perstringit. Demum ad proximum agonem qui sese praeparare mutuo debeant exponit.

CYPRIANUS CORNELIO FRATRI SALUTEM.

I. Cognovimus, frater charissime, fidei ac virtutis vestrae testimonia gloriosa: et confessionis vestrae honorem sic exsultanter accepimus, ut in meritis ac laudibus vestris nos quoque participes et socios computemus. Nam cum nobis et Ecclesia una sit, et mens juncta, et individua concordia; quis non sacerdos in consacerdotis sui laudibus tamquam in suis propriis gratuletur? aut quae fraternitas non in fratrum 0830B gaudio ubique laetetur? Exprimi satis non potest, quanta istic exsultatio fuerit et quanta laetitia, cum de vobis prospera et fortia comperissemus, ducem te illic confessionis fratribus exstitisse; sed et confessionem ducis de fratrum confessione crevisse : ut dum praecedis ad gloriam, multos feceris gloriae comites, et confessorem populum suaseris fieri, dum primus paratus es pro omnibus confiteri: ut non inveniamus quid prius praedicare in vobis debeamus, utrumne tuam promptam et stabilem fidem, an inseparabilem fratrum charitatem. Virtus illic episcopi praecedentis publice comprobata est, adunatio sequentis fraternitatis ostensa est. Dum apud vos unus animus et una vox est, Ecclesia omnis Romana confessa est.

0830C II. Claruit, frater charissime, fides quam de vobis 0831A beatus Apostolus praedicavit. Hanc laudem virtutis et roboris firmitatem jam tunc in spiritu praevidebat, et praeconio futurorum merita vestra contestans, dum parentes laudat, filios provocabat . Dum sic unanimes , dum sic fortes estis, magna et caeteris fratribus unanimitatis et fortitudinis exempla tribuistis. Docuistis granditer Deum timere, Christo firmiter adhaerere, plebem sacerdotibus in periculo jungi, in persecutione fratres a fratribus non separari; concordiam simul junctam vinci omnino non posse; quidquid simul petitur a cunctis, Deum pacis pacificis exhibere. Prosilierat adversarius terrore violento Christi castra turbare; sed quo impetu venerat, eodem impetu pulsus est ; et quantum formidinis et terroris attulit, tantum fortitudinis invenit 0831B et roboris. Supplantare se iterum posse crediderat Dei servos, et velut tyrones et rudes, quasi minus paratos et minus cautos, solito suo more concutere. Unum primo aggressus , ut lupus ovem secernere a grege, ut accipiter columbam ab agmine volantium 0832A separare tentaverat : nam cui non est adversus omnes satis virium, circumvenire quaerit solitudinem singulorum. Sed retusus adunati exercitus fide pariter et vigore, intellexit milites Christi vigilare jam sobrios, et armatos ad praelium stare; vinci non posse, mori posse; et hoc ipso invictos esse, quia mori non timent; nec repugnare contra impugnantes, cum occidere innocentibus nec nocentes liceat , sed prompte et animas et sanguinem tradere: ut cum tanta in saeculo malitia et saevitia grassetur, a malis et saevis velocius recedatur. Quale illud fuit sub oculis Dei spectaculum gloriosum? quale, in conspectu Christi ejus Ecclesiae suae gaudium, ad pugnam quam tentaverat hostis inferre, non singulos milites, sed tota simul castra prodisse? Omnes enim constat 0832B venturos fuisse, si audire potuissent; quando accurrerit properanter et venerit, quisquis audivit. Quot illic lapsi gloriosa confessione sunt restituti? Steterunt fortes, et ipso dolore poenitentiae facti ad praelium fortiores; ut appareat nuper subitatos esse, 0833A et novae atque insuetae rei pavore trepidasse; rediisse ad se postmodum fidem veram, et vires suas de Dei timore collectas ad omnem patientiam constanter et firmiter roborasse, nec jam stare ad criminis veniam, sed ad passionis coronam.

III. Quid ad haec Novatianus, frater charissime? Utrumne jam deponit errorem? an vero, qui dementium mos est, ipsis bonis et prosperis nostris plus adactus est ad furorem ; et quo magis ac magis dilectionis ac fidei crescit hic gloria, illic dissensionis et zeli recrudescit insania; nec vulnus suum miser curat, sed adhuc gravius et se et suos vulnerat; in perniciem fratrum lingua sua perstrepens, et facundiae venenatae 0834A jacula contorquens; magis durus saecularis philosophiae pravitate, quam philosophiae Dominicae , lenitate pacificus; desertor Ecclesiae, misericordiae hostis, interfector poenitentiae , doctor superbiae, veritatis corruptor, perditor charitatis ? Agnoscitne jam qui sit sacerdos Dei, quae sit Ecclesia et domus Christi, qui sint Dei servi quos diabolus infestet, qui sint Christiani quos Antichristus impugnet? Neque enim quaerit illos quos jam subegit, aut gestit evertere quos jam suos fecit. Inimicus et hostis Ecclesiae quos alienavit ab Ecclesia et foras duxit, ut captivos et vinctos contemnit, et praeterit eos, et 0835A pergit lacessere, in quibus Christum cernit habitare.

IV. Quamquam et si aliquis ex talibus fuerit apprehensus, non est quod sibi quasi in confessione nominis blandiatur: cum constet, si occisi ejusmodi extra Ecclesiam fuerint, fidei coronam non esse, sed poenam potius esse perfidiae; nec in domo Dei inter unanimes habitaturos esse, quos videmus de pacifica et divina domo furore discordiae recessisse.

V. Hortamur plane, quantum possumus, frater charissime, pro charitate mutua qua nobis invicem cohaeremus, ut quoniam providentia Domini monentis 0836A instruimur, et divinae misericordiae consiliis salubribus admonemur appropinquare jam certaminis et agonis nostri diem, jejuniis, vigiliis, orationibus insistere cum omni plebe non desinamus. Incumbamus gemitibus assiduis et deprecationibus crebris. Haec sunt enim nobis arma coelestia, quae stare et perseverare fortiter faciunt: haec sunt munimenta spiritalia et tela divina, quae protegunt. Memores nostri invicem simus, concordes atque unanimes, utrobique pro nobis semper oremus, pressuras et angustias mutua charitate relevemus. Et si quis istinc nostrum prior divinae dignationis celeritate 0837A praecesserit, perseveret apud Dominum nostra dilectio pro fratribus et sororibus nostris apud misericordiam 0838A Patris non cesset oratio. Opto te, frater charissime, semper bene valere.