Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews.

Cyprian to his son Quirinus, greeting. It was necessary, my beloved son, that I should obey your spiritual desire, which asked with most urgent petition for those divine teachings wherewith the Lord has condescended to teach and instruct us by the Holy Scriptures, that, being led away from the darkness of error, and enlightened by His pure and shining light, we may keep the way of life through the saving sacraments. And indeed, as you have asked, so has this discourse been arranged by me; and this treatise has been ordered in an abridged compendium, so that I should not scatter what was written in too diffuse an abundance, but, as far as my poor memory suggested, might collect all that was necessary in selected and connected heads, under which I may seem, not so much to have treated the subject, as to have afforded material for others to treat it. Moreover, to readers also, brevity of the same kind is of very great advantage, in that a treatise of too great length dissipates the understanding and perception of the reader, while a tenacious memory keeps that which is read in a more exact compendium. But I have comprised in my undertaking two books of equally moderate length: one wherein I have endeavoured to show that the Jews, according to what had before been foretold, had departed from God, and had lost God’s favour, which had been given them in past time, and had been promised them for the future; while the Christians had succeeded to their place, deserving well of the Lord by faith, and coming out of all nations and from the whole world.  The second book likewise contains the sacrament of Christ, that He has come who was announced according to the Scriptures, and has done and perfected all those things whereby He was foretold as being able to be perceived and known.1    This sentence is otherwise read, “whereby it may be perceived and known that it is He Himself who was foretold.” And these things may be of advantage to you meanwhile, as you read, for forming the first lineaments of your faith. More strength will be given you, and the intelligence of the heart will be effected more and more, as you examine more fully the Scriptures, old and new, and read through the complete volumes of the spiritual books.2    [P. 227, note 3, supra. I cannot but note repeatedly how absolutely the primitive Fathers relied on the Holy Scriptures, and commended a Berean use of them. Acts xvii. 11.] For now we have filled a small measure from the divine fountains, which in the meantime we would send to you. You will be able to drink more plentifully, and to be more abundantly satisfied, if you also will approach to drink together with us at the same springs of the divine fulness.3    [The canon assumed to be universally known.] I bid you, beloved son, always heartily farewell.

TESTIMONIORUM LIBRI TRES ADVERSUS JUDAEOS.

0675C CYPRIANUS Quirino filio salutem. Obtemperandum fuit, fili charisime , desiderio tuo spiritali impensissima 0675D petitione divina magisteria poscenti quibus nos 0676C Dominus per Scripturas sanctas erudire et instruere dignatus est , ut, a tenebris erroris abducti et luce 0676D ejus pura et candida luminati, viam vitae per salutaria 0677A sacramenta teneamus. Et quidem, sicut petisti, ita a nobis sermo compositus et libellus compendio breviante digestus est, ut quae scribebantur , non copia latiore diffunderem, sed, quantum mediocris memoria suggerebat , excerptis capitulis et annexis necessaria quaeque colligerem quibus non tam tractasse quam tractantibus materiam praebuisse videamur. Sed et legentibus brevitas ejusmodi plurimum prodest, dum non intellectum legentis et sensum liber longior spargit , sed subtiliore compendio id quod legitur tenax memoria custodit. Complexus sum vero libellos duos pari aequalitate moderatos : unum, quo ostendere enisi sumus , Judaeos, secundum quae fuerant ante praedicta, a Deo recessisse, et indulgentiam Domini, quae sibi jam pridem 0677B data et in posterum promissa fuerat, perdidisse, successisse vero in eorum locum Christianos fide Dominum promerentes et de omnibus gentibus ac de toto orbe venientes. Item libellus alius continet Christi sacramentum, quod idem venerit qui secundum Scripturas annuntiatus est, et gesserit ac perfecerit universa quibus intelligi et cognosci posse praedictus est, quae legentibus interim prosint ad prima fidei lineamenta formanda. Plus roboris dabitur et magis ac magis intellectus cordis operabitur scrutanti Scripturas veteres ac novas plenius, et universa Librorum spiritalium volumina perlegenti. Nam nos nunc de divinis fontibus implevimus modicum quod tibi interim mitteremus. Bibere uberius et saturari copiosius poteris, si tu quoque ad eosdem 0677C divinae plenitudinis fontes nobiscum pariter potaturus accesseris. Opto te, fili charissime, semper bene valere.