XVIII.
(Return to our Lord and Origin, p. 389.)
Here is an appeal to the archaia ethe, that explains other references to "the Root and Origin," which he here identifies with our Lord, [3090] and "the evangelical and apostolic tradition." This was the understanding at Nicæa: "ut si in aliquo nutaverit et vacillaverit veritas, ad originem dominicam et evangelicam et apostolicam traditionem revertamur." Is not this the grand catholicon for the disorders of modern Christendom? "Nam consuetudo, sine veritate, vetustas erroris est," says Cyprian in this very Epistle. [3091] And, "If we return to the head and source of divine tradition, human error ceases."
XIX.
(Firmilianus to Cyprian, p. 390.)
The contest with Stephen, bishop of Rome, will require no great amount of annotation here, chiefly because the matter has no practical bearings, except as it incidentally proves what was the relation of Stephen to other bishops and to the Catholic Church. In this letter (sec. 6) Firmilian accuses Stephen of "daring to make a departure from the peace and unity of the Catholic Church." And (in sec. 16), further, he sets forth, for the Easterns, the same theory of unity which Cyprian had expounded for the West; viz., the unity of the episcopate. He interprets the parallel texts (Matthew xvi. 19 and John xx. 22, 23) of bestowal in the same manner. His idea is, that, had the latter bestowal been the only one, the apostles might have felt that each had only a share in the same respectively; while, as it stands, there is one episcopate only: in effect, only "one bishop;" each apostle and every bishop, by "vicarious ordination," holding for his flock in his own See all that Christ gave to Peter himself, save only the personal privilege of a leader in opening the door to the Gentiles, [3092] and in teaching the apostles the full meaning of the gift. The point here is not whether this was the true meaning of our Lord: it is merely that such was the understanding of the Ante-Nicene Fathers. [3093]
Further (sec. 17), he complains of Stephen for his folly in assuming that he had received some superior privileges as the successor of Peter; also censures him for "betraying and deserting unity." So (in sec. 25) he reflects on Stephen for "disagreeing with so many bishops throughout the world...with the Eastern churches and with the South." He adds, "with such a man, can there be one spirit and one body?"
Firmilian was of Cappadocia, and a disciple of Origen. The interest of his letter turns upon its entire innocence of any conception that Stephen has a right to dictate; and, while it shows a dangerous tendency in the latter personally to take airs upon himself as succeeding the primate of the apostolic college, it proves not less that the Church was aware of no ground for it, but held all bishops equally responsible for unity by communion with their brethren. To make them thus responsible to him and his See had probably not even entered Stephen's head. He was rash and capricious in his resort to measures by which every bishop felt bound to separate himself from complicity with open heretics, and he seems to have had local usage on his side. But how admirable the contrasted forbearance of Cyprian, whose views were equally strong, but who protested against all coercive measures against others.
XX.
(Clinics, p. 401.)
Cyprian's moderation is conspicuous in his views of clinic baptism; for, though Novatian knew none other, he forbore to urge this irregularity against him. Even the good Cornelius was not so forbearing. [3094] St. Cyprian seems to be the earliest apologist for sprinkling. See Wall, Reflections on Baptism of Infants (Wall's Works), vol. iii. p. 219, for a refutation of Tertullian's supposed admission of "a little sprinkling." [3095] And see Beveridge on Trine Immersion, Works, vol. xii. p. 86; also Canon L., Apostolical Canons.
XXI.
(Senators and men of importance and Roman knights, p. 408.)
1 Cor. i. 26. We have already seen tokens of the gradual enlightenment of the higher classes in the empire; "the palace, senate, forum," are mentioned by Tertullian. [3096] The fiercer persecutions seem now to be stimulated by this very fact, and a fear lest Christianity should spread too freely among patricians must have prompted this decree.
XXII.
(The Lord...speaks in that hour, p. 409.)
The saying of Christ (Matt. x. 10; Mark xiii. 11), "It is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost," was literally accepted, and acted upon. Is it marvellous that it inspired believing men to be martyrs, or that martyrs were so much venerated? And ought not the same texts to be more faithfully accepted in explaining the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures? Language could hardly be stronger: "It is not ye that speak." So we reach the close of this holy and heroic life of the great, the fervid, the intrepid, but, withal, the gentle and generous Cyprian. And in these last words we see the spirit of the man cropping out in his proposal to "arrange in common" with the clergy and people what should be observed, as requisite for the diocese after his decease, according to "the instruction of the Lord." Qui facit voluntatem Dei manet in æternum. 1 John ii. 17.
[3054] Cap. xv. 15, 16, compared with Mal. i. 11.
[3055] Revised Version, margin. Rather, "ministering hierurgically."
[3056] For which, see vol. vii., this series.
[3057] See the Trent Catechism, cap. iv. quæstt. 73, 75.
[3058] Epistle xxiii. and Elucidation III.
[3059] Proposals, etc., by the Reverend Ministers of the Presbyterian Persuasion, London, 1661. An extract may be found in Leighton's Works, p. 637 Edinburgh, 1840.
[3060] Catechism of the Council of Trent, cap. vii. quæst. 12.
[3061] See the said work, p. 41.
[3062] Bishop Whittingham quotes the edition of Gerard Vossius, pp. 286-291.
[3063] Church Review, vol. xi. 1859, pp. 88-127.
[3064] Consult Epistles xxv. (sec. 6, p. 304) and xxx. (sec. 5, p. 310), supra. It is interesting to note how the primitive clergy of Rome recognise this free principle, with no suspicion that their own cathedra is not only their sufficient resource, but the oracle of God to all mankind.
[3065] See Elucidation III. p. 154, supra.
[3066] Cyprian facetiously remarks (see Ep. xlviii. p. 325) that Novatus reserved his greater crimes for the greater city; "since Rome, from her magnitude, ought to take precedence of Carthage."
[3067] Lombard., Sentences, p. 394, ed. Migne. Compare Aquinas.
[3068] Macarius, Théologie Orthodoxe, vol. iii. p. 244.
[3069] Catechism of the Council of Trent, cap. vii. quæst. 2.
[3070] A monstrous statement. See Ignatius passim.
[3071] L'Union Chrétienne, p. 69, 1870.
[3072] A Letter to Pius the Ninth, Bishop of Rome, etc., published by Parker, London, 1870. It also appeared in most of the languages of Europe, and was circulated by the Greeks in their own tongue.
[3073] Same epistle and section, farther on. It seems needless to say that these Punic "Africans" were Asiatics, in fact.
[3074] Ep. xxix. p. 308, supra.
[3075] Ep. xxx. p. 309, supra.
[3076] Gal. v. 12 in the Greek.
[3077] Cap. xx. p. 252, note 7, etc. See vol. iii., this series.
[3078] Vol. iii. p. 260, cap, xxxvi. and note 13.
[3079] Gal. ii. 5.
[3080] This canon of the Council of Milevis ( a.d. 402), at a much later date, maintains the ancient principle.
[3081] Calvin, De necessitate reformanda ecclesiæ, Works, vol. viii. p. 60. Amstelodami, 1667.
[3082] Elucidation III. p. 411, supra.
[3083] Bingham, Antiquities, book iii. capp. ii., iii.
[3084] Eusebius, H. E., book vi. cap. xliii.
[3085] Consult Cave, Dissertation on the Ancient Church Government, appended to his Primitive Christianity, p. 366.
[3086] Vol. iii. p. 631.
[3087] Burgon, Letters from Rome, p. 34. London, 1862.
[3088] Introduction to Criticism, etc., p. 453, also 564. Compare the Treatise on Unity, sec. 6, p. 423, infra.
[3089] Calling attention to evidence that verse 8 is a sort of apodosis implying theprotasis of verse 7, as read in the Vulgate and English Received.
[3090] P. 322, note 2.
[3091] See secs. 9 and 10.
[3092] Acts xv. 7.
[3093] See illustrations in Faber's Difficulties of Romanism, cap. iii. pp. 46-88, London, 1830. This work is a succinct reply to Berington and Kirk lately reprinted in New York. It refutes itself. Compare vol. i. pp. ix. and x., with the new dogmas, vol. iii. pp. 443-460.
[3094] See Eusebius, H. E., vi. cap. lxiii.
[3095] Tertullian, vol. iii. p. 661.
[3096] Vol. iii. p. 45, this series.
cyprian treatises anf05 cyprian-treatises The Treatises of Cyprian /ccel/schaff/anf05.iv.v.html
The Treatises of Cyprian
The Treatises of Cyprian.
------------------------
Treatise I.
On the Unity of the Church. [3097]
Argument.--On the Occasion of the Schism of Novatian, to Keep Back from Him the Carthaginians, Who Already Were Not Averse to Him, on Account of Novatus and Some Other Presbyters of His Church, Who Had Originated the Whole Disturbance, Cyprian Wrote This Treatise. And First of All, Fortifying Them Against the Deceits of These, He Exhorts Them to Constancy, and Instructs Them that Heresies Exist Because Christ, the Head of the Church, is Not Looked To, that the Common Commission First Entrusted to Peter is Contemned, and the One Church and the One Episcopate are Deserted. Then He Proves, as Well by the Scriptures as by the Figures of the Old and New Testament, the Unity of the Church.
1. Since the Lord warns us, saying, "Ye are the salt of the earth," [3099] and since He bids us to be simple to harmlessness, and yet with our simplicity to be prudent, what else, beloved brethren, befits us, than to use foresight and watching with an anxious heart, both to perceive and to beware of the wiles of the crafty foe, that we, who have put on Christ the wisdom of God the Father, may not seem to be wanting in wisdom in the matter of providing for our salvation? For it is not persecution alone that is to be feared; nor those things which advance by open attack to overwhelm and cast down the servants of God. Caution is more easy where danger is manifest, and the mind is prepared beforehand for the contest when the adversary avows himself. The enemy is more to be feared and to be guarded against, when he creeps on us secretly; when, deceiving by the appearance of peace, he steals forward by hidden approaches, whence also he has received the name of the Serpent. [3100] That is always his subtlety; that is his dark and stealthy artifice for circumventing man. Thus from the very beginning of the world he deceived; and flattering with lying words, he misled inexperienced souls by an incautious credulity. Thus he endeavoured to tempt the Lord Himself: he secretly approached Him, as if he would creep on Him again, and deceive; yet he was understood, and beaten back, and therefore prostrated, because he was recognised and detected.
2. From which an example is given us to avoid the way of the old man, to stand in the footsteps of a conquering [3101] Christ, that we may not again be incautiously turned back into the nets of death, but, foreseeing our danger, may possess the immortality that we have received. But how can we possess immortality, unless we keep those commands of Christ whereby death is driven out and overcome, when He Himself warns us, and says, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments?" [3102] And again: "If ye do the things that I command you, henceforth I call you not servants, but friends." [3103] Finally, these persons He calls strong and stedfast; these He declares to be founded in robust security upon the rock, established with immoveable and unshaken firmness, in opposition to all the tempests and hurricanes of the world. "Whosoever," says He, "heareth my words, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, that built his house upon a rock: the rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock." [3104] We ought therefore to stand fast on His words, to learn and do whatever He both taught and did. But how can a man say that he believes in Christ, who does not do what Christ commanded him to do? Or whence shall he attain to the reward of faith, who will not keep the faith of the commandment? He must of necessity waver and wander, and, caught away by a spirit of error, like dust which is shaken by the wind, be blown about; and he will make no advance in his walk towards salvation, because he does not keep the truth of the way of salvation.
3. But, beloved brethren, not only must we beware of what is open and manifest, but also of what deceives by the craft of subtle fraud. And what can be more crafty, or what more subtle, than for this enemy, detected and cast down by the advent of Christ, after light has come to the nations, and saving rays have shone for the preservation of men, that the deaf might receive the hearing of spiritual grace, the blind might open their eyes to God, the weak might grow strong again with eternal health, the lame might run to the church, the dumb might pray with clear voices and prayers--seeing his idols forsaken, and his lanes and his temples deserted by the numerous concourse of believers--to devise a new fraud, and under the very title of the Christian name to deceive the incautious? He has invented heresies and schisms, whereby he might subvert the faith, might corrupt the truth, might divide the unity. [3105] Those whom he cannot keep in the darkness of the old way, he circumvents and deceives by the error of a new way. He snatches men from the Church itself; and while they seem to themselves to have already approached to the light, and to have escaped the night of the world, he pours over them again, in their unconsciousness, new darkness; so that, although they do not stand firm with the Gospel of Christ, and with the observation and law of Christ, they still call themselves Christians, and, walking in darkness, they think that they have the light, while the adversary is flattering and deceiving, who, according to the apostle's word, transforms himself into an angel of light, and equips his ministers as if they were the ministers of righteousness, who maintain night instead of day, death for salvation, despair under the offer of hope, perfidy under the pretext of faith, antichrist under the name of Christ; so that, while they feign things like the truth, they make void the truth by their subtlety. This happens, beloved brethren, so long as we do not return to the source of truth, as we do not seek the head nor keep the teaching of the heavenly Master.