Also another Felix of Gurgites [4795] said: I judge that, according to the precepts of the holy Scriptures, he who is unlawfully baptized by heretics outside the Church, when he wishes to take refuge in the Church, should obtain the grace of baptism where it is lawfully given.
Pusillus of Lamasba [4796] said: I believe that there is no saving baptism except in the Catholic Church. Whatsoever is apart from the Catholic Church is a pretence.
Salvianus of Gazaufala [4797] said: It is certain that heretics have nothing, and therefore they come to us that they may receive what they have not.
Honoratus of Thucca [4798] said: Since Christ is the Truth, we ought rather to follow truth than custom; so that we should sanctify heretics with the Church's baptism, seeing that they come to us for the reason that they could receive nothing without.
Victor of Octavum [4799] said: As yourselves also know, I have not long been appointed a bishop, and I therefore waited for the decision [4800] of my predecessors. I therefore think this, that as many as come from heresy should undoubtedly be baptized.
Clarus of Mascula [4801] said: The sentence of our Lord Jesus Christ is plain, when He sent His apostles, and accorded to them alone the power given to Him by His Father; and to them we have succeeded, governing the Lord's Church with the same power, [4802] and baptizing the faith of believers. And therefore heretics, who neither have power without, nor have the Church of Christ, are able to baptize no one with His baptism.
Secundianus of Thambei [4803] said: We ought not to deceive heretics by our presumption; so that they who have not been baptized in the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, and have not obtained by this means remissions of their sins, when the day of judgment shall come, should impute to us that through us they were not baptized, and did not obtain the indulgence of divine grace. On which account, since there is one Church and one baptism, when they are converted to us they should obtain, together with the Church, the Church's baptism also.
Also another Aurelius of Chullabi [4804] said: John the apostle laid it down in his epistle, saying: "If any one come unto you, and have not the doctrine of Christ, receive him not into your house, and say not to him, Hail. For he that saith to him, Hail, partakes with his evil deeds." [4805] How can such be rashly admitted into God's house, who are prohibited from being admitted into our private dwelling? Or how can we hold communion with them without the Church's baptism, to whom, if we should only say Hail, we are partakers of their evil deeds?
Litteus [4806] of Gemelli [4807] said: If the blind lead the blind, both fall into the ditch. Since, then, it is manifest that heretics cannot give light to any, as being themselves blind, their baptism does not avail.
Natalis of Oëa [4808] said: As well I who am present, as Pompey [4809] of Sabrata, [4810] as also Dioga of Leptis Magna [4811] --who, absent indeed in body, but present in spirit, have given me charge--judge the same as our colleagues, that heretics cannot hold communion with us, unless they shall be baptized with ecclesiastical baptism.
Junius of Neapolis [4812] said: From the judgment which we once determined on I do not recede, that we should baptize heretics who come to the Church.
Cyprian of Carthage said: The letter which was written to our colleague Jubaianus very fully expresses my opinion, that, according to evangelical and apostolic testimony, heretics, who are called adversaries of Christ and Antichrists, when they come to the Church, must be baptized with the one baptism of the Church, that they may be made of adversaries, friends, and of Antichrists, Christians. [4813]
[4673] [On councils, see Oxford trans., pp. 232, 240.]
[4674] Of this council there exists no further memorials than such as have been here collected from Cyprian, and from St. Augustine, De Baptismo contra Donatistas, book iii. ch. iv., v., and vi., and book vii. ch. i.; and in these nothing else is contained than the judgments of the eighty-seven bishops on the nullity of baptism administered by heretics. If any one desires to see these judgments impugned, let him consult Augustine as above. The results of this council are given in Ep. lxxi. p. 378, supra.
[4675] Of course this implies a rebuke to the assumption of Stephen, ["their brother," and forcibly contrasts the spirit of Cyprian with that of his intolerant compeer].
[4676] [This, then is the primitive idea of the relations existing, mutually, among bishops as brethren.]
[4677] Scil. of Mauritania; possibly, says the Oxford translator, Bidil, Bita, or "urbs Abitensis."
[4678] Eph. iv. 5.
[4679] According to some editions, "the sacrilegious man," etc.
[4680] "Sacramentum interrogat."
[4681] By the despotism of Stephen.
[4682] A city of Zeugitana. Augustine calls this bishop Felix, and speaks of him as the first of that name who spoke.--Fell.
[4683] This is the Polycarp referred to in Ep. xliv. p. 322, supra. Adrumetum was a colony on the coast, about eighty-five miles from Carthage.
[4684] In Numidia.
[4685] In Mauritania Cæsariensis.
[4686] Prov. ix. 12, LXX.
[4687] Prov. ix. 19.
[4688] John iii. 5.
[4689] Eph. iv. 3-6.
[4690] [He has no idea that this voice proceeds from any one bishop.]
[4691] John iii. 6.
[4692] Gal. v. 19-21.
[4693] In Numidia.
[4694] [This appeal to Scripture against Stephen must be noted, whatever we may think of his conclusions.]
[4695] Or Gilba.
[4696] Matt. v. 13.
[4697] Matt. xxviii. 18, 19.
[4698] Prov. xiv. 9, LXX.
[4699] Cirta Julia in Numidia.
[4700] In Numidia.
[4701] Ep. liii. p. 336, supra. Munnulus is mentioned as one of the bishops who write with Cyprian to Cornelius. He is there called "Monulus."
[4702] Gerra.
[4703] [Testimony to the meaning of the Holy Catholic Church in the Nicene Creed.]
[4704] Matt. xxviii. 19.
[4705] Perhaps Quidias in Mauritania Cæsariensis.
[4706] Matt. xii. 30.
[4707] In Numidia. Here was held the Donatist "Concilium Bagaiense" of 310 bishops (Oxford ed.).
[4708] In Numidia.
[4709] The See of St. Augustine in Numidia, 218 miles from Carthage, and 160 miles from Hippo Diarrhytus. See p. 571, infra.
[4710] Badea, or Badel, in Numidia.
[4711] In Zeugitana.
[4712] Tucca-terebinthina in Zeugitana.
[4713] [Evidently he never suspects that Stephen is the rock.]
[4714] Thuburbo, or Thuburbis, in Zeugitana.
[4715] A city of Numidia Byzacenæ.
[4716] In Byzacena.
[4717] A city of Numidia Ptolemais.
[4718] [Stephen and those who accept his ideas.]
[4719] Or Macodama in Numidia.
[4720] Perhaps Nova Cæsaris in Numidia.
[4721] In Zeugitana, on the borders of Tunis.
[4722] Matt. xii. 30.
[4723] A colony variously called Tabraca or Tabathra.
[4724] Outhina in Zeugitana.
[4725] Or Buruch, probably Bourka in Numidia.
[4726] This clause is omitted in the larger number of editions.
[4727] Ecclus. xxxiv. 25.
[4728] Sicca Veneria, a city of Zeugitana.
[4729] A city of Byzacena.
[4730] Matt. xxviii. 18.
[4731] "Let the reader observe here, as elsewhere, that the word Trinity' is simply used for the persons of the Godhead" (Oxford edit.).
[4732] A city of Numidia.
[4733] John xiv. 6.
[4734] [Here is a concession that at least the local custom could be pleaded by Stephen.]
[4735] A city of Numidia.
[4736] A city of Numidia.
[4737] "Damatcore," or "Vamaccore," in Numidia.
[4738] [Here we may think as we choose as to this conclusion, but the appeal to Holy Scripture proves that this is the only infallible authority.]
[4739] Mazula in Numidia.
[4740] A city of Byzacena.
[4741] Leptis mikra--a city of Byzacena.
[4742] Tabora, a city of Mauritania Cæsariensis.
[4743] Apparently in reference to Mark xvi. 17, 18.
[4744] Matt. xxviii. 19.
[4745] A city of Byzacena.
[4746] A city of Zeugitana--"Sicilibra," thirty-four miles from Carthage.
[4747] Probably "Garra," a city of Mauritania Cæsariensis, or "Garriana," a city of Byzacena.
[4748] [Referring to Acts xxii. 16 and John xx. 23.]
[4749] A city of Zeugitana, famous as being the place of Cato's death, now called Byzerta.
[4750] Scil. "urbs," a city of Byzacena. The epithet refers to its being a place frequented by the veterans of German cohort, and distinguishes it from "Abbiritana."
[4751] A city of Zeugitana.
[4752] Gen. i. 4.
[4753] Possibly "Lubertina."
[4754] 1 Kings xviii. 21.
[4755] A city of Numidia.
[4756] A city of Byzacena.
[4757] Otherwise "Bobba," a city of Mauritania.
[4758] Rom. iii. 3, 4.
[4759] A city of Byzacena.
[4760] A city of Zeugitana.
[4761] This seems to be "Ausana" or "Ausagga."
[4762] A city of Byzacena.
[4763] The Oxford reads "Another Saturninus."
[4764] A city of Numidia.
[4765] Manifestly, says the Oxford editor, this expression refers to "Jupiter the father of gods and men."
[4766] A city of Numidia; the scene of Hannibal's overthrow by Scorpio.
[4767] [The Nicene Creed is emphatic in the article based on this idea; and it proves that the primitive discipline of penitence was not in those days a "sacrament of absolution," to which all were compelled to submit. Private confessions seem to have been unknown.]
[4768] "Usilla," a city of Byzacena.
[4769] Possibly "Cerbaliana" in Byzacena.
[4770] A city of Numidia.
[4771] [The bearings of this simple statement upon the later claims of Stephen's See must not be overlooked.]
[4772] A city of Numidia Byzacenæ.
[4773] John iii. 27.
[4774] A city of Zeugitana; some read "Tumida."
[4775] A city of Zeugitana.
[4776] A city of Mauritania Cæsariensis. Fell observes that in Numidia are many cities of the name of "Nova" or "Noba."
[4777] A city of Zeugitana. There were two cities of the name--Boullaria, or Bulla Regia, and Boullaminsa, or Bulla Minor. The latter is probably referred to.
[4778] Otherwise "Memosita," a city of Zeugitana. It is also written "Membrosa."
[4779] John ix. 31.
[4780] Probably "Byzacene."
[4781] [Custom, then, was elsewhere established: and it ultimately prevailed; whether against truth or not, need not here be discussed.]
[4782] This is supposed to be "Autenti," a city of Byzacene.
[4783] Supposed to be Aggiva.
[4784] Mention of the Bishop of Marcelliana is found in Notitia Episcopatus Africæ.
[4785] A village belonging to Byzacene, seventy-five miles from Carthage.
[4786] A city of Zeugitana.
[4787] Eph. iv. 5.
[4788] A city of Byzacene.
[4789] Called in some editions "a martyr from the schismatics."
[4790] A city of Numidia.
[4791] A city of Numidia.
[4792] [Noteworthy examples of episcopal modesty. In the colleges of bishops, however, it is now usual to call upon juniors first, that, if they should think differently from older brethren, their free opinion need not be restrained by deference.]
[4793] A city of Zeugitana, called Diarrhytus because of the number of the streams that water it. The name is otherwise read "Hippo Diarrhytorum."
[4794] A city of Zeugitana, sometimes written "Assapha."
[4795] A city of Byzacene.
[4796] "Lambesa," a city of Numidia.
[4797] A city of Numidia, otherwise Gausaphna (Ptol.) and Gazophula (Procop.)
[4798] There are four cities in Africa of this name.
[4799] A city of Numidia, otherwise called "Octabum."
[4800] [Noteworthy examples of episcopal modesty. In the colleges of bishops, however, it is now usual to call upon juniors first, that, if they should think differently from older brethren, their free opinion need not be restrained by deference.]
[4801] A city of Numidia.
[4802] [This is Cyprian's theory of the origin of the episcopate. Elucidation infra.]
[4803] A city of Byzacena.
[4804] This is otherwise called "Cululi," a city of Byzacena.
[4805] 2 John 10, 11.
[4806] This Litteus is mentioned in Ep. lxxvi. p. 402, supra.
[4807] A city of Numidia. A Roman colony was planted there under the Emperor Hadrian.
[4808] A city of Tripolis.
[4809] Probably the same to whom Ep. lxxiii. (p. 386, supra) was written.
[4810] A city of Tripolis.
[4811] A city of Tripolis, thus distinguished from Leptis parva.
[4812] A city of Tripolis.
[4813] [Here Cyprian sums up, and gives the sentence of the council, after the example of St. James, who presided in the Council of Jerusalem, Acts xv. 13, 19.]
Elucidation.
------------------------
(To them we have succeeded, p. 572.)
The theory of Cyprian is thus recognised in full council, by his colleagues, with respect to the unity of the Church Catholic. They have never heard of any counter theory, and they state it as a matter of course. Fortunatus of "Tuccaboris" had shortly before referred to the Church as "built upon a rock," with evident reference to the faith, for he adds, "not upon heresy." Of a perpetuated construction, of which any one bishop was the perpetuated foundation, nobody as yet seems to have dreamed. "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid," says St. Paul; viz., "Christ." On Him, "the Stone, Elect, precious," St. Peter and all the apostles (the prophets as well) are built as foundation-stones; and we also, as "lively stones," are built upon that foundation, [4814] into a holy temple.
This Council of Carthage sustains Cyprian also in his judgment concerning the question of baptism, and it is a mistake to say that it was ever overruled. Compare St. Basil, Ad Amphilochium (Epist. Canonica prima, p. 19, vol. iii., ed. Paris, 1638), where he refers to Cyprian and Firmilian ("our Firmilian") as "ancient men," and treats the question as still an open one.