Chapter 7.—10. I have already, I think, argued to the best of my power, in the preceding books, in the interests of Catholic unanimity and counsel, in whose unity these continued as pious members, in reply not only to the letter which Cyprian wrote to Jubaianus, but also to that which he sent to Quintus, and that which, in conjunction with certain of his colleagues, he sent to certain other colleagues, and that which he sent to
Pompeius. Wherefore it seems now to be fitting to consider also what the others severally thought, and that with the liberty of which he himself would not deprive us, as he says, "Judging no one, nor removing any from the right of communion if he entertain different opinions." And that he did not say this with the object of arriving at the hidden thoughts of his colleagues, extracted as it were from their secret lurking-places, but because he really loved peace and unity, is very easily to be
seen from other passages of the same sort, where he wrote to individuals as to Jubaianus himself. "These things," he says, "we have written very shortly in answer to you, most beloved brother, according to our poor ability, not preventing any one of the bishops by our writing or judgment, from acting as he thinks right, having a free exercise of his own judgment."1593
| 1593 Cypr. Ep. lxxiii. 26.
|
And that it might not seem that any one, because of his entertaining different opinions in this same free
exercise of his
judgment, should be driven from the society of his
brethren, he goes on to say, "We, so
far as
lies in us, do not
strive on behalf of
heretics against our colleagues and fellow-
bishops, with whom we maintain godly
unity and the
peace of our
Lord;"
1594
| 1594 Cypr. Ep. lxxiii. 26.
|
and a little later he says, "
Charity of spirit, respect for our fraternity, the
bond of
faith, the harmony of the
priesthood, are by us maintained with
patience and
gentleness."
1595
| 1595 Cypr. Ep. lxxiii. 26.
|
And so also in the
epistle which he wrote to Magnus, when he was asked whether there was any difference in the efficacy of
baptism by sprinkling or by immersion, "In this matter," he says, "I am too
modest and diffident to prevent any one by my
judgment from thinking as he deems right, and acting as he thinks."
1596
By which discourses he clearly shows that these subjects were being handled by them at a time when they were not yet received as decided beyond all
question, but were being investigated with great care as being yet unrevealed. We, therefore, maintaining on the subject of the identity of all
baptisms what must be acknowledged everywhere to be the
custom1597
| 1597 De baptismi simplicitate ubique agnoscendam consuetudinem. The Benedictines give the reading of some Mss.: "De baptismi simplicitate ubique agnoscenda," etc., "maintaining the custom of the universal Church to acknowledge everywhere the identity of baptism."
|
of the universal
Church, and what is confirmed by the decision of general
Councils,
1598
| 1598 Conciliis universalibus.
|
and taking greater
confidence also from the words of Cyprian, which allowed me even then to hold opinions differing from his own without forfeiting the right of
communion, seeing that greater importance and
praise were attached to
unity, such as the
blessed Cyprian and his colleagues, with whom he held that
Council, maintained with those of different opinions, disturbing and overthrowing thereby the seditious calumnies of
heretics and schismatics in the name of the
Lord
Jesus Christ, who, speaking by His
apostle, says, "Forbearing one another in
love, endeavoring to keep the
unity of the Spirit in the
bond of
peace;"
1599
and again, by the mouth of the same
apostle, "If in anything ye be otherwise
minded,
God shall
reveal even this unto you,"
1600
—we, I say, propose for consideration and discussion the opinions of the holy
bishops, without violating the
bond of
unity and peace with them, in maintaining which we imitate them so far as we can by the aid of the Lord Himself.
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