Chapter 3.—4. Let us therefore, seeing that we adhere to the example of Cyprian, go on now to consider Cyprian’s Council. What says Cyprian? "Ye have heard," he says, "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."1265
| 1265 See above, II. ii. 3.
|
In these words of the
blessed Cyprian, we find that he had been
consulted by Jubaianus, and what answer he had given to his
questions, and how Jubaianus acknowledged with gratitude that he had received
instruction. Ought we then to be thought unreasonably persistent if we desire to consider this same
epistle by which Jubaianus was convinced? For till such time as we are also convinced (if there are any arguments of
truth whereby this can be done), Cyprian himself has
established our
security by the right of Catholic
communion.
5. For he goes on to say: "It remains that we severally declare our opinion on this same subject, judging no one, nor depriving any one of the right of communion if he differ from us."1266
| 1266 See above, II. ii. 3.
|
He allows me, therefore, without losing the right of
communion, not only to continue inquiring into the
truth, but even to hold opinions differing from his own. "For no one of us," he says, "setteth himself up as a
bishop of
bishops, or by tyrannical
terror forces his colleagues to a necessity of obeying." What could be more
kind? what more
humble? Surely there is here no
authority restraining us from inquiry into what is
truth. "Inasmuch as every
bishop," he says,
"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,"—that is, I suppose, in those
questions which have not yet been brought to
perfect clearness of solution; for he knew what a
deep question about the sacrament was then occupying the whole
Church with every
kind of disputation, and gave free
liberty of inquiry to every man, that the
truth might be made known by investigation. For he was
surely not uttering what was false, and trying to catch his simpler colleagues in their
speech, so that, when they should have
betrayed that they held opinions at variance with his, he might then propose, in violation of his
promise, that they should be excommunicated.
Far be it from a
soul so holy to
entertain such accursed treachery; indeed, they who hold such a view about such a man, thinking that it conduces to his
praise, do but show that it would be in
accordance with their own
nature. I for my part will in no
wise believe that Cyprian, a Catholic
bishop, a Catholic martyr, whose greatness only made him proportionately
humble in all things, so as to find
favor before the
Lord,
1267
should ever, especially in the
sacred Council of his colleagues, have uttered with his mouth what was not echoed in his
heart, especially as he further adds, "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."
1268
| 1268 See above, II. ii. 3.
|
When, then, he called to their remembrance so solemn a
judgment, hoping to hear the
truth from his colleagues, would he first set them the example of
lying? May God avert such madness from every Christian man, and how much more from Cyprian! We have therefore the free liberty of inquiry granted to us by the most moderate and most truthful speech of Cyprian.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
