Epistle XXVII.204    Oxford ed.: Ep. xxxiv. a.d. 250.

To the Presbyters and Deacons.

Argument.—The Argument of This Letter is Sufficiently in Agreement with the Preceding, and It Appears that It is the One of Which He Speaks in the Following Letter; For He Praises His Clergy for Having Rejected from Communion Gaius of Didda, a Presbyter, and His Deacon, Who Rashly Communicated with the Lapsed; And Exhorts Them to Do the Same with Certain Others.

1. Cyprian to the presbyters and deacons, his brethren, greeting. You have done uprightly and with discipline, beloved brethren, that, by the advice of my colleagues who were present, you have decided not to communicate with Gaius the presbyter of Didda, and his deacon; who, by communicating with the lapsed, and offering their oblations,205    [At the Eucharist the alms and oblations were regarded in the light of Matt. v. 23, 24.] have been frequently taken in their wicked errors; and who once and again, as you wrote to me, when warned by my colleagues not to do this, have persisted obstinately, in their presumption and audacity, deceiving certain brethren also from among our people, whose benefit we desire with all humility to consult, and whose salvation we take care for, not with affected adulation, but with sincere faith, that they may supplicate the Lord with true penitence and groaning and sorrow, since it is written, “Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent.”206    Rev. ii. 5. And again, the divine Scripture says, “Thus saith the Lord, When thou shalt be converted and lament, then thou shalt be saved, and shalt know where thou hast been.”207    Isa. xxx. 15, LXX.

2. Yet how can those mourn and repent, whose groanings and tears some of the presbyters obstruct when they rashly think that they may be communicated with, not knowing that it is written, “They who call you happy208    “They which lead thee.”—E.V. cause you to err, and destroy the path of your feet?”209    Isa. iii. 12, LXX. Naturally, our wholesome and true counsels have no success, whilst the salutary truth is hindered by mischievous blandishments and flatteries, and the wounded and unhealthy mind of the lapsed suffers what those also who are bodily diseased and sick often suffer; that while they refuse wholesome food and beneficial drink as bitter and distasteful, and crave those things which seem to please them and to be sweet for the present, they are inviting to themselves mischief and death by their recklessness and intemperance. Nor does the true remedy of the skilful physician avail to their safety, whilst the sweet enticement is deceiving with its charms.

3. Do you, therefore, according to my letters, take counsel about this faithfully and wholesomely, and do not recede from better counsels; and be careful to read these same letters to my colleagues also, if there are any present, or if any should come to you; that, with unanimity and concord, we may maintain a healthful plan for soothing and healing the wounds of the lapsed, intending to deal very fully with all when, by the Lord’s mercy, we shall begin to assemble together. In the meantime, if any unrestrained and impetuous person, whether of our presbyters or deacons or of strangers, should dare, before our decree, to communicate with the lapsed, let him be expelled from our communion, and plead the cause of his rashness before all of us when, by the Lord’s permission, we shall assemble together again.210    [Thus Cyprian keeps in view “the whole Church,” and adheres to his principle in letter xiii. p. 294, note 1, supra.] Moreover, you wished me to reply what I thought concerning Philumenus and Fortunatus, sub-deacons, and Favorinus, an acolyte, who retired in the midst of the time of trial, and have now returned. Of which thing I cannot make myself sole judge, since many of the clergy are still absent, and have not considered, even thus late, that they should return to their place; and this case of each one must be considered separately and fully investigated, not only with my colleagues, but also with the whole of the people themselves.211    [Thus Cyprian keeps in view “the whole Church,” and adheres to his principle in letter xiii. p. 294, note 1, supra.] For a matter which hereafter may constitute an example as regards the ministers of the Church must be weighed and adjudged with careful deliberation. In the meanwhile, let them only abstain from the monthly division,212    Some read this, “dictione,” preaching. not so as to seem to be deprived of the ministry of the Church, but that all matters being in a sound state, they may be reserved till my coming. I bid you, beloved brethren, ever heartily farewell. Greet all the brotherhood, and fare ye well.

EPISTOLA XXVIII. (Pamel., Rig., Baluz., XXVIII. Paris., XXVI. Oxon., Lips., XXXIV.)AD PRESBYTEROS ET DIACONOS.

ARGUMENTUM.---Argumentum hujus epistolae satis convenit cum praecedenti, ac puto eam esse de qua in sequenti epistola loquitur; laudat enim clerum suum, quod Gaium Diddensem presbyterum, et diaconum ejus, qui lapsis temere communicabant, communione movissent, et ut de aliis quibusdam idipsum fiat hortatur.

I. Cyprianus presbyteris et diaconibus fratribus salutem. Integre et cum disciplina fecistis, fratres 0300B charissimi, quod, consilio collegarum meorum qui praesentes erant, Gaio Diddensi presbytero et diacono ejus censuistis non communicandum, qui, communicando cum lapsis et offerendo oblationes eorum, in pravis erroribus suis frequenter deprehensi, et semel atque iterum, secundum quod mihi scripsistis, a collegis meis moniti ne hoc facerent, in praesumptione et audacia sua pertinaciter perstiterunt, decipientes quosdam fratres ex plebe nostra; quibus nos omni humilitate consultum cupimus, et quorum saluti non adulatione composita, sed sincera fide prospicimus ut vera poenitentia et gemitu et dolore pleno Dominum deprecentur, quia scriptum est: Memento unde cecideris, et age poenitentiam (Apoc. II, 5); et iterum loquitur Scriptura divina: Sic dicit 0300C Dominus: Cum conversus gemueris, tunc salvaberis, et scies ubi fueris (Isa. XXX, 15).

II. Ingemiscere autem et agere poenitentiam quomodo possunt quorum gemitibus et lacrymis intercedunt quidam de presbyteris, ut communicandum cum illis temere existiment? nescientes quia scriptum est: Qui vos felices dicunt, in errorem vos mittunt, et semitam pedum vestrorum turbant (Isa. III, 12). Merito salubria nostra et vera consilia nihil promovent, dum blanditiis et palpationibus perniciosis salutaris 0301A veritas impeditur, et patitur lapsorum saucia et aegra mens quod corporaliter quoque aegri et infirmi saepe patiuntur, ut, dum salubres cibos et utiles potus quasi amaros et abhorrentes respuunt, et illa quae oblectare et ad praesens suavia videntur esse appetunt, perniciem sibi et mortem per inaudientiam et intemperantiam provocent, nec proficiat ad salutem artificis medela vera, dum blandimentis decipit dulcis illecebra.

III. Vos itaque, secundum litteras meas fideliter et salubriter consulentes, a consiliis melioribus ne recedatis. Legite vero has easdem litteras et collegis meis, si qui aut praesentes fuerint aut supervenerint, ut unanimes et concordes ad fovenda et sananda lapsorum vulnera consilium salubre teneamus, tractaturi 0301B plenissime de omnibus cum convenire in unum per Domini misericordiam coeperimus. Interea, si quis immoderatus et praeceps, sive de nostris presbyteris vel diaconibus, sive de peregrinis, ausus fuerit ante sententiam nostram communicare cum lapsis, a communicatione nostra arceatur, apud omnes nos causam dicturus temeritatis suae quando in unum, permittente Domino, convenerimus. Desiderastis quoque ut de Philumeno et Fortunato hypodiaconis et Favorino acolytho, qui medio tempore recesserunt et nunc venerunt, quid mihi videatur rescribam. Cui rei non potui me solum judicem dare, cum multi adhuc de clero absentes sint, nec locum suum vel 0302A sero repetendum putaverunt, et haec singulorum tractanda sit et limanda plenius ratio, non tantum cum collegis meis, sed et cum plebe ipsa universa. Expensa enim moderatione libranda et pronuntianda res est, quae in posterum circa ministros Ecclesiae constituat exemplum. Interim se a divisione mensurna tantum contineant, non quasi a ministerio ecclesiastico privati esse videantur, sed ut integris omnibus ad nostram praesentiam differantur . Opto vos, fratres charissimi, semper bene valere. Fraternitatem universam salutate, et valete.