The Epistles of Cyprian.

 The Epistles of Cyprian.

 From the Roman Clergy to the Carthaginian Clergy, About the Retirement of the Blessed Cyprian.

 Epistle III.

 To the Presbyters and Deacons.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 To the Clergy, Concerning Prayer to God.

 To the Martyrs and Confessors.

 Epistle IX.

 To the Martyrs and Confessors Who Sought that Peace Should Be Granted to the Lapsed.

 Epistle XI.

 Epistle XII.

 To the Clergy, Concerning Those Who are in Haste to Receive Peace. a.d. 250.

 Epistle XIV.

 To Moyses and Maximus, and the Rest of the Confessors.

 The Confessors to Cyprian.

 To the Presbyters and Deacons About the Foregoing and the Following Letters.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Cyprian Replies to Caldonius.

 Epistle XX.

 Lucian Replies to Celerinus.

 To the Clergy Abiding at Rome, Concerning Many of the Confessors, and Concerning the Forwardness of Lucian and the Modesty of Celerinus the Confessor.

 To the Clergy, on the Letters Sent to Rome, and About the Appointment of Saturus as Reader, and Optatus as Sub-Deacon. a.d. 250.

 To Moyses and Maximus and the Rest of the Confessors.

 Moyses, Maximus, Nicostratus, and the Other Confessors Answer the Foregoing Letter. a.d. 250.

 Cyprian to the Lapsed.

 To the Presbyters and Deacons.

 To the Presbyters and Deacons Abiding at Rome.

 The Presbyters and Deacons Abiding at Rome, to Cyprian.

 The Roman Clergy to Cyprian.

 To the Carthaginian Clergy, About the Letters Sent to Rome, and Received Thence.

 To the Clergy and People, About the Ordination of Aurelius as a Reader.

 To the Clergy and People, About the Ordination of Celerinus as Reader.

 To the Same, About the Ordination of Numidicus as Presbyter.

 To the Clergy, Concerning the Care of the Poor and Strangers.

 To the Clergy, Bidding Them Show Every Kindness to the Confessors in Prison.

 To Caldonius, Herculanus, and Others, About the Excommunication of Felicissimus.

 The Letter of Caldonius, Herculanus, and Others, on the Excommunication of Felicissimus with His People.

 To the People, Concerning Five Schismatic Presbyters of the Faction of Felicissimus.

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

 To Cornelius, About Cyprian’s Approval of His Ordination, and Concerning Felicissimus.

 To the Same, on His Having Sent Letters to the Confessors Whom Novatian Had Seduced.

 To the Roman Confessors, that They Should Return to Unity.

 To Cornelius, Concerning Polycarp the Adrumetine.

 Cornelius to Cyprian, on the Return of the Confessors to Unity.

 Cyprian’s Answer to Cornelius, Congratulating Him on the Return of the Confessors from Schism.

 Cornelius to Cyprian, Concerning the Faction of Novatian with His Party.

 Cyprian’s Answer to Cornelius, Concerning the Crimes of Novatus.

 Maximus and the Other Confessors to Cyprian, About Their Return from Schism.

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

 To Antonianus About Cornelius and Novatian.

 To Fortunatus and His Other Colleagues, Concerning Those Who Had Been Overcome by Tortures.

 To Cornelius, Concerning Granting Peace to the Lapsed.

 To Cornelius, Concerning Fortunatus and Felicissimus, or Against the Heretics.

 To the People of Thibaris, Exhorting to Martyrdom.

 To Cornelius in Exile, Concerning His Confession.

 Argument .—Cyprian, with His Colleagues, Congratulates Lucius on His Return from Exile, Reminding Him that Martyrdom Deferred Does Not Make the Glory

 To Fidus, on the Baptism of Infants.

 To the Numidian Bishops, on the Redemption of Their Brethren from Captivity Among the Barbarians.

 To Euchratius, About an Actor.

 To Pomponius, Concerning Some Virgins.

 Cæcilius, on the Sacrament of the Cup of the Lord.

 To Epictetus and to the Congregation of Assuræ, Concerning Fortunatianus, Formerly Their Bishop.

 To Rogatianus, Concerning the Deacon Who Contended Against the Bishop.

 To the Clergy and People Abiding at Furni, About Victor, Who Had Made the Presbyter Faustinus a Guardian.

 To Father Stephanus, Concerning Marcianus of Arles, Who Had Joined Himself to Novatian.

 To the Clergy and People Abiding in Spain, Concerning Basilides and Martial.

 To Florentius Pupianus, on Calumniators.

 To Januarius and Other Numidian Bishops, on Baptizing Heretics.

 To Quintus, Concerning the Baptism of Heretics.

 To Stephen, Concerning a Council.

 To Jubaianus, Concerning the Baptism of Heretics.

 To Pompey, Against the Epistle of Stephen About the Baptism of Heretics.

 Firmilian, Bishop of Cæsarea in Cappadocia, to Cyprian, Against the Letter of Stephen.  a.d. 256.

 To Magnus, on Baptizing the Novatians, and Those Who Obtain Grace on a Sick-Bed.

 Argument .—He Extols with Wonderful Commendations the Martyrs in the Mines, Opposing, in a Beautiful Antithesis, to the Tortures of Each, the Consolat

 The Reply of Nemesianus, Dativus, Felix, and Victor, to Cyprian.

 The Reply to the Same of Lucius and the Rest of the Martyrs.

 The Answer of Felix, Jader, Polianus, and the Rest of the Martyrs, to Cyprian.

 Cyprian to Sergius, Rogatianus, and the Other Confessors in Prison.

 To Successus on the Tidings Brought from Rome, Telling of the Persecution.

 To the Clergy and People Concerning His Retirement, a Little Before His Martyrdom.

 Not translated

 Not translated

 Not translated

Epistle XXXIV.257    Oxford ed.: Ep. xl. a.d. 250.

To the Same, About the Ordination of Numidicus as Presbyter.

Argument.—Cyprian Tells the Clergy and People that Numidicus Has Been Ordained by Him Presbyter; And Briefly Commends His Worth.

Cyprian to the presbyters and deacons, and to the whole people, his brethren, very dear and longed-for, greeting.  That which belongs, dearest brethren, both to the common joy and to the greatest glory of our Church ought to be told to you; for you must know that I have been admonished and instructed by divine condescension, that Numidicus the presbyter should be appointed in the number of Carthaginian presbyters, and should sit with us among the clergy,—a man illustrious by the brightest light of confession, exalted in the honour both of virtue and of faith; who by his exhortation sent before himself an abundant number of martyrs, slain by stones and by the flames, and who beheld with joy his wife abiding by his side, burned (I should rather say, preserved) together with the rest. He himself, half consumed, overwhelmed with stones, and left for dead,—when afterwards his daughter, with the anxious consideration of affection, sought for the corpse of her father,—was found half dead, was drawn out and revived, and remained unwillingly258    Otherwise, “unconquered.” from among the companions whom he himself had sent before. But the reason of his remaining behind, as we see, was this: that the Lord might add him to our clergy, and might adorn with glorious priests the number of our presbyters that had been desolated by the lapse of some.259    [Let us put ourselves in Cyprian’s place, and share his anxiety to fill up the vacant places in his list of presbyters at this terrible period.] And when God permits, he shall be advanced to a larger office in his region, when, by the Lord’s protection, we have come into your presence once more. In the meantime, let what is revealed be done, that we receive this gift of God with thanksgiving, hoping from the Lord’s mercy more ornaments of the same kind, that so the strength of His Church being renewed, He may make men so meek and lowly to flourish in the honour of our assembly. I bid you, brethren, very dear and longed-for, ever heartily farewell.

EPISTOLA XXXV. (Erasm., IX, 10. Pamel., Rigalt., Baluz., XXXV. Paris., XXXIV. Oxon., Lips., XL.)AD EOSDEM, DE NUMIDICO ORDINATO PRESBYTERO.

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ARGUMENTUM.---Nuntiat clero et plebi Numidicum a se ordinatum presbyterum, paucis dignitatem illius commendans.

Cyprianus presbyteris et diaconibus et plebi universae, 0325A charissimis ac desiderantissimis fratribus, salutem. Nuntiandum vobis fuit, fratres charissimi, quod pertineat et ad communem laetitiam et ad ecclesiae nostrae maximam gloriam. Nam admonitos nos et instructos sciatis dignatione divina ut Numidicus presbyter adscribatur presbyterorum Carthaginensium numero et nobiscum sedeat in clero, luce clarissima confessionis illustris , et virtutis ac fidei honore sublimis; qui hortatu suo copiosum martyrum numerum, lapidibus et flammis necatum, ante se misit ; quique uxorem adhaerentem lateri suo concrematam simul cum caeteris, conservatam magis dixerim, laetus aspexit. Ipse semiustulatus et lapidibus obrutus et pro mortuo derelictus, dum postmodum filia sollicito pietatis obsequio cadaver patris inquirit, 0325B semianimis inventus et extractus et refocillatus, a comitibus quos ipse praemiserat remansit invictus . Sed remanendi, ut videmus, haec fuit causa ut eum clero nostro Dominus adjungeret et desolatam per lapsum quorumdam presbyterorum nostrorum copiam gloriosis sacerdotibus adornaret. Et promovebitur quidem, cum Deus permiserit, ad ampliorem locum regionis suae, quando in praesentiam protegente Domino venerimus. Interim quod ostenditur fiat, ut cum gratiarum actione suscipiamus hoc Dei munus, sperantes de misericordia Domini ejusmodi 0326A ornamenta complura, ut, redintegrato Ecclesiae suae robore, tam mites et humiles faciat in consessus nostri honore florere. Opto vos, fratres charissimi ac desiderantissimi, semper bene valere.