Opening the library…

Search the Bible

Cyprian correspondence, Epistle XLVI

Cyprian of Carthage

Letter 46

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

Epistle XLVI.

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

Argument.—He Congratulates Him on the Return of the Confessors to the Church, and Reminds Him How Much that Return Benefits the Catholic Church.

Section 1

1. Cyprian to Cornelius his

brother

,

greeting

.

I

profess

that

I

both

have

rendered

and

do

render

the

greatest

thanks

without

ceasing

,

dearest

brother

,

to

God

the

Father

Almighty

,

and

to

His

Christ

the

Lord

and

our

God

and

Saviour

,

that

the

Church

is

thus

divinely

protected

,

and

its

unity

and

holiness

is

not

constantly

nor

altogether

corrupted

by

the

obstinacy

of

perfidy

and

heretical

wickedness

.

For

we

have

read

your

letter

,

and

have

exultingly

received

the

greatest

joy

from

the

fulfilment

of

our

common

desire

;

to

wit

,

that

Maximus

the

presbyter

,

and

Urbanus

,

the

confessors

,

with

Sidonius

and

Macarius

,

have

re

-

entered

into

the

Catholic

Church

,

that

is

,

that

they

have

laid

aside

their

error

,

and

given

up

their

schismatical

,

nay

,

their

heretical

madness

,

and

have

sought

again

in

the

soundness

of

faith

the

home

of

unity

and

truth

;

that

whence

they

had

gone

forth

to

glory

,

thither

they

might

gloriously

return

;

and

that

they

who

had

confessed

Christ

should

not

afterwards

desert

the

camp

of

Christ

,

and

that

they

might

not

tempt

the

faith

of

their

charity

and

unity

,

who

had

not

been

overcome

in

strength

and

courage

.

Behold

the

safe

and

unspotted

integrity

of

their

praise

;

behold

the

uncorrupted

and

substantial

dignity

of

these

confessors

,

that

they

have

departed

from

the

deserters

and

fugitives

,

that

they

have

left

the

betrayers

of

the

faith

,

and

the

impugners

of

the

Catholic

Church

.

With

reason

did

both

the

people

and

the

brotherhood

receive

them

when

they

returned

,

as

you

write

,

with

the

greatest

joy

;

since

in

the

glory

of

confessors

who

had

maintained

their

glory

,

and

returned

to

unity

,

there

is

none

who

does

not

reckon

himself

a

partner

and

a

sharer

.

Section 2

2. We can estimate the joy of that day from our own feelings. For if, in this place, the whole number of the brethren rejoiced at your letter which you sent concerning their confession, and received this tidings of common rejoicing with the greatest alacrity, what must have been the joy there when the matter itself, and the general gladness, was carried on under the eyes of all? For since the Lord in His Gospel says that there is the highest “joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth,” how much greater is the joy in earth, no less than in heaven, over confessors who return with their glory and with praise to the Church of God, and make a way of returning for others by the faith and approval of their example? For this error had led away certain of our brethren, so that they thought they were following the communion of confessors. When this error was removed, light was infused into the breasts of all, and the Catholic Church has been shown to be one, and to be able neither to be cut nor divided. Nor can any one now be easily deceived by the talkative words of a raging schismatic, since it has been proved that good and glorious soldiers of Christ could not long be detained without the Church by the deceitfulness and perfidy of others. I bid you, dearest brother, ever heartily farewell.

Notes

1
Oxford ed.: Ep. li. a.d. 251.
2
Some read, “might not be tried by the faith of their charity and unity.”
3
Some old editions read, “of that thing.”
4
Luke xv. 7.