Chapter 2.—3. "When, on the calends of September, very many bishops from the provinces of Africa,1217
| 1217 That is, the proconsular province of Africa, or Africa Zeugitana, answering to the northern part of the territory of Tunis.
|
Numidia, and Mauritania, with their presbyters and
deacons, had met together at Carthage, a great part of the laity also being present; and when the letter addressed by Jubaianus
1218
| 1218 The letters of Jubaianas, Mauritanian bishop, are not extant.
|
to Cyprian, as also the answer of Cyprian to Jubaianus, on the subject of
baptizing heretics, had been read, Cyprian said: ‘Ye have heard, most
beloved colleagues, what Jubaianus, our fellow-
bishop, has written to me,
consulting my moderate ability concerning the
unlawful and
profane baptism of
heretics, and what answer I gave him,—giving a
judgment which we have once and again and often given, that
heretics coming to the
Church ought to be
baptized, and sanctified with
the
baptism of the
Church. Another letter of Jubaianus has likewise been read to you, in which, agreeably to his sincere and
religious devotion, in answer to our
epistle, he not only expressed his assent, but returned thanks also, acknowledging that he had received
instruction. It remains that we severally declare our opinion on this subject, judging no one, nor depriving any one of the right of
communion if he differ from us. For no one of us sets himself up as a
bishop of
bishops, or, by
tyrannical
terror, forces his colleagues to a necessity of obeying, inasmuch as every
bishop, in the free use of his
liberty and
power, has the right of forming his own
judgment, and can no more be judged by another than he can himself
judge another. But we must all await the
judgment of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who alone has the power both of setting us in the government of His Church, and of judging of our acts therein.’"
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
