Migne Reading Room

PL 4 · cols. 408–411

Cyprianus, Epistolae LXX-LXXXIII, cum epistola Cornelii papae

Letters LXX–LXXII

EPISTOLA LXX.

Letter 70.

(Erasm., I, 2. Pamel., Rigalt., Baluz., Oxon., Lips., LXX. Paris., LXIX. Routh., Rell. ser. III, p. 84 et 135.)

(Erasmus, 1, 2. Pamelius, Rigault, Baluze, Oxford, Leipzig, 70. Paris, 69. Routh, Reliquiae, vol. 3, pp. 84 and 135.)

AD JANUARIUM ET CAETEROS EPISCOPOS NUMIDAS, DE BAPTIZANDIS HAERETICIS.

To Januarius and the other Numidian bishops, on baptizing heretics.

ARGUMENTUM. — Argumentum hujus et sequentis epistolae habes tertia post hanc epistola ad Stephanum in haec verba: « Baptismum non esse quo haeretici utuntur, nec quemquam apud eos qui Christo adversantur per gratiam Christi posse proficere, diligenter nuper expressum est in epistola quae ad Quintum, collegam nostrum in Mauritania constitutum super ea rescripta est; item in litteris quas collegae nostri ad episcopos in Numidia praesidentes ante fecerunt, cujus utriusque epistolae exempla subdidi. » Utriusque etiam fit mentio in epistola ad Jubaianum, et hujus epistola sequenti.

Argument. The argument of this letter and of the following one you have in the third letter after this one, the letter to Stephen, in these words: « That what heretics use is not baptism, and that no one among those who oppose Christ can profit by the grace of Christ, was carefully set out recently in the letter that was written in reply on that matter to Quintus, our colleague stationed in Mauritania; likewise in the letter which our colleagues earlier sent to the bishops presiding in Numidia; copies of both these letters I have appended. » Mention of both is also made in the letter to Jubaianus, and in the letter following this one.

EPISTOLA LXXI.

Letter 71.

(Erasm. ad Quintinum, p. 337. Pamel., Rigalt., Baluz., Oxon. Lips. LXXI Paris., LXX.)

(Erasmus, To Quintinus, p. 337. Pamelius, Rigault, Baluze, Oxford, Leipzig, 71; Paris, 70.)

AD QUINTUM, DE HAERETICIS BAPTIZANDIS.

To Quintus, on baptizing heretics.

ARGUMENTUM. — Respondetur Quinto, in Mauritania episcopo, consulenti de haereticis baptizandis.

Argument. A reply is given to Quintus, a bishop in Mauritania, who sought counsel about baptizing heretics.

I. Cyprianus Qui⟨n⟩to fratri salutem. Re⟨t⟩ulit ad me, frater charissime, Lucianus compresbyter noster te desiderasse ut significaremus tibi quid sentiamus de his qui apud haereticos et schismaticos baptizati videntur. De qua re quid nuper in concilio plurimi coepiscopi, cum compresbyteris qui aderant, censuerimus

I. Cyprian to his brother Quintus, greeting. Lucianus, our fellow-presbyter, has reported to me, dearest brother, that you desired us to make known to you what we think about those who appear to have been baptized among heretics and schismatics. On this matter, what we, very many fellow-bishops, with the fellow-presbyters who were present, recently determined in council,

Editors' notes and page, col. 408

Footnotes

LECTIONES VARIANTES.

VARIANT READINGS.

(printed under page 197)

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 408

Quid servo Oxon.

"Quid servo" (What do I keep), Oxford edition.

(printed under page 197)

(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 408

Crederet Impr.

"Crederet" (he would believe), printed editions.

(printed under page 197)

(c) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 408

Incipit Rigalt.

"Incipit" (Here begins), Rigault.

(printed under page 197)

(d) ‹anchor: recitabitur› · call in col 407

Utræque recitabuntur Oxon.

"Utraeque recitabuntur" (both will be read out), Oxford edition.

STEPH. BALUZII NOTÆ.

NOTES OF ÉTIENNE BALUZE.

[Baluze, continued] ‹anchor: (lemma on previous page)› · col 408

(continued) in Ecclesia esse et Ecclesiam in episcopo. Ecclesia enim est plebs sacerdoti adhærens. Fuit quidam scriptor non incelebris qui desinente Christi sæculo xvi, ita explicaret hunc Cypriani locum ac si Cyprianus sensisset summum Pontificem esse supra concilium, cum tamen nulla istic mentio fiat Episcopi Romani neque concilii. Sic sæpe fit ut zelus abripiat homines in opiniones detortas.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Quid mihi sit ostensum› · col 408 X.— Quid mihi sit ostensum. Vetustis illis temporibus revelationes accipiebantur in somno, ut patet ex Tertulliano, Cypriano, Rufino, et aliis. Postea, cum Religio Christiana libertate integra fruebatur, Christus, beata virgo Maria, Petrus apostolus, et cæteri sancti se conspicuos præbuerunt piis et credulis hominibus et cum eis loquebantur facie ad faciem sicut amicus loqui solet ad amicum suum. Harum visionum infinita exstant exempla in Historia Ecclesiastica. Sanctus Vincentius Ferrarii Sermone in Octava Innocentium: Multa somnia sunt quæ creduntur divinæ revelationes et sunt illusiones. Vide supra, pag. 452.

X. — "What has been shown to me." In those ancient times revelations were received in sleep, as is clear from Tertullian, Cyprian, Rufinus and others. Later, when the Christian religion enjoyed full freedom, Christ, the blessed Virgin Mary, the apostle Peter and the other saints showed themselves visibly to pious and credulous people and spoke with them face to face, as a friend is wont to speak to his friend. Countless examples of these visions survive in ecclesiastical history. Saint Vincent Ferrer, in the Sermon on the Octave of the Innocents: "Many are the dreams believed to be divine revelations, and they are illusions." See above, p. 452.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Somnia› · col 408 Somnia. Ammianus Marcellinus, lib. xv, tradit doctos quosdam doluisse quod apud Atlanteos nati non essent, ubi memorantur somnia non videri. Idem testatur Martianus Capella, lib. vi, in Descriptione interioris Africæ.

"Dreams." Ammianus Marcellinus, Book 15, records that certain learned men were sorry not to have been born among the Atlantes, where dreams are said not to be seen. Martianus Capella, Book 6, in his description of inner Africa, testifies to the same.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Visiones ineptas› · col 408 Visiones ineptas. Ælius Spartianus in Adriano, cum narrasset historiam de muliere quadam quæ dicebat somnio se monitam ut insinuaret Adriano ne se occideret, addit Marium Maximum commemorare hæc per simulationem facta. Nam ethnici multum tribuebant nocturnis illis visionibus, ut patet ex extrema parte Metamorphoseon Apuleii, ex libro secundo T. Livii, Valerio Maximo, et aliis. Quintilianus, lib. iv, cap. 2: Somniorum et superstitionum colores ipsa jam facilitate auctoritatem perdiderunt. Vide etiam Lactantium lib. ii, cap. 8, et præfationem Nicolai Gerbelii ad librum Pastoris.

"Foolish visions." Aelius Spartianus, in his Hadrian, after telling the story of a woman who said she had been warned in a dream to suggest to Hadrian that he should not kill himself, adds that Marius Maximus records that this was done by pretence. For the heathen set great store by those night visions, as is clear from the last part of Apuleius's Metamorphoses, from the second book of Titus Livius, from Valerius Maximus and others. Quintilian, Book 4, ch. 2: "Colourings of dreams and superstitions have by their very facility already lost their authority." See also Lactantius, Book 2, ch. 8, and Nicolaus Gerbelius's preface to the book of the Shepherd.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Utrumque recitabitur› · col 408 Utrumque recitabitur. Ita veteres editiones, duodecim libri nostri veteres, et unus Bodleianus. Manutius edidit: utræque recitabuntur. Quamvis autem sciam lectionem illam exstare in tribus antiquis exemplaribus et posse esse bonam, non dubito quin ea præferenda sit quam retinui.

"Each will be read out." So the old editions, twelve of our old manuscripts, and one Bodleian. Manutius printed "utraeque recitabuntur" (both will be read out). And although I know that reading occurs in three ancient copies and may be good, I do not doubt that the one I have kept is to be preferred.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Epist. LXXI› · col 408 497 Epist. lxxi. — I. Hujus Epistolæ prima editio debetur Erasmo, qui illam edidit anno 1519. Verum quia exstat extra ordinem Epistolarum, et posita est post libros Testimoniorum, post Epistolas ad Jubaianum et ad Pompeium, non animadvertens Eckius illam esse extra numerum Epistolarum, cum illius exemplar haberet, ex ea tamquam inedita fragmentum attulit in libro ii, cap. 1, de Primatu Papæ, et quædam ejus verba describit ex libro ii Augustini contra Donatistas, cap. 1. Emendavi illam collatione facta cum sexdecim codicibus antiquis.

[p.] 497. Letter 71. — I. The first edition of this letter is owed to Erasmus, who published it in 1519. But because it stands outside the order of the Letters, placed after the books of Testimonies and after the Letters to Jubaianus and to Pompeius, Eck, not noticing that it was outside the numbered Letters although he had a copy of it, cited a fragment from it as if unpublished in Book 2, ch. 1, of his On the Primacy of the Pope, and copies some of its words from Augustine's Against the Donatists, Book 2, ch. 1. I have corrected it by collation with sixteen ancient manuscripts.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Quinto fratri› · col 408 Quinto fratri. Episcopum fuisse in Mauritania docebit sequens epistola.

"To his brother Quintus." The following letter will show that he was a bishop in Mauretania.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Lucianus› · col 408 Lucianus. Illum ego esse puto qui scripsit Epistolas xvi et xxi, cujus etiam mentio habetur in Epistola xxii.

"Lucianus." I think he is the one who wrote Letters 16 and 21, and who is also mentioned in Letter 22.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: In concilio› · col 408 In concilio. Vide Epistolam lxx ad Numidas.

"In council." See Letter 70, to the Numidians.

(printed under page 197)

Page

running head: [cut off at left] VI CYPRIANI 408
marginal letters: A EPISTOLA LXX.; B Utriusque etiam fit mentio; C Incipit Rigalt. (variae lectiones, not set); D praeferenda sit quam retinui (Baluze notes, not set)
old-edition numerals: 126 before EPISTOLA LXXI (superior figure, not set; may be an old-edition number rather than a note call)
other: editors' matter set: the bibliographic line "(Erasm., I, 2. Pamel...)", "ARGUMENTUM. — Argumentum hujus et sequentis", "(Erasm. ad Quintinum...)", "ARGUMENTUM. — Respondetur Quinto". "hujuset" is printed without a space and is set as "hujus et". "Rell. ser." is set as printed (it perhaps stands for Reliquiae sacrae). In Qui⟨n⟩to and Re⟨t⟩ulit a letter is damaged. The column ends with censue- split at the column break. The full-width headings "[LECTI]ONES VARIANTES." and "[STE]PH. BALUZII NOTAE." are cut off at the left edge and not set. The variae lectiones and Baluze's notes at the page foot are left for the later pass.
Q1: the call of note d stands in col 407 ("utrumque recitabitur d", the last line of Epistle LXIX above the left foot); no note call is printed in col 408. Q1 UNSURE: in Baluze's note on Epist. LXXI the page may print an accent on "ex ea" (eà/eâ) and "exstare" may be printed "extare"; not legible enough at this scan to change.

ut scires, ejusdem epistolae exemplum tibi misi. Nescio etenim qua praesumptione ducuntur quidam de collegis nostris, ut putent eos qui apud haereticos tincti sunt, quando ad nos venerint, baptizari non oportere, eo quod dicant unum Baptisma esse: quod unum scilicet ideo est, quia Ecclesia una est, et esse Baptisma extra Ecclesiam non potest. Nam, cum duo baptismata esse non possint, si haeretici vere baptizant, ipsi habent baptisma. Et qui hoc illis patrocinium de auctoritate sua praestat, cedit illis et consentit ut hostis et adversarius Christi habere videatur abluendi et purificandi et sanctificandi hominis potestatem. Nos autem dicimus eos qui inde veniunt non rebaptizari apud nos, sed baptizari. Neque enim accipiunt illic aliquid ubi nihil est; sed veniunt ad nos ut hic accipiant ubi et gratia et veritas omnis est, quia et gratia et veritas una est. Porro autem quidam de collegis nostris malunt haereticis honorem dare quam nobis consentire; et dum, unius Baptismi asseveratione, baptizare venientes nolunt, sic aut duo baptismata ipsi faciunt, dum et apud haereticos baptisma esse dicunt, aut certe, quod est gravius, haereticorum sordidam et profanam tinctionem vero et unico et legitimo Ecclesiae catholicae Baptismo praeponere et praeferre contendunt, non considerantes scriptum esse: Qui baptizatur a mortuo, quid proficit lavatio ejus (Eccli. XXXIV, 30)? Manifestum est autem eos qui non sunt in Ecclesia Christi inter mortuos computari, nec posse ab eo vivificari alterum qui ipse non vivat, quando una sit Ecclesia, quae vitae aeternae gratiam consecuta et vivit in aeternum et vivificat Dei populum.

so that you might know, I have sent you a copy of that same letter. For I do not know by what presumption certain of our colleagues are led to think that those who have been dipped among heretics ought not to be baptized when they come to us, on the ground that they say there is one Baptism: which is indeed one for this reason, that the Church is one, and there cannot be Baptism outside the Church. For since there cannot be two baptisms, if heretics truly baptize, they themselves have baptism. And he who by his own authority grants them this patronage yields to them and consents that the enemy and adversary of Christ should seem to have the power of washing and purifying and sanctifying a man. We, however, say that those who come from there are not rebaptized among us, but baptized. For they do not receive anything there, where there is nothing; but they come to us so that here they may receive, where all grace and truth is, because both grace and truth are one. But further, certain of our colleagues prefer to give honour to heretics rather than to agree with us; and while, by asserting one Baptism, they are unwilling to baptize those who come, they thus either themselves make two baptisms, in saying that there is baptism among heretics as well, or certainly, what is graver, they strive to set the sordid and profane dipping of heretics before the true and only and lawful Baptism of the Catholic Church and to prefer it, not considering that it is written: He who is baptized by a dead man, what does his washing profit? (Sir. 34:30). It is manifest, moreover, that those who are not in the Church of Christ are counted among the dead, and that another cannot be given life by one who does not himself live, since there is one Church, which, having obtained the grace of eternal life, both lives for ever and gives life to the people of God.

II. Et dicunt se in hoc veterem consuetudinem sequi, quando apud veteres haereseos et schismatum prima adhuc fuerint initia, ut hi illic essent qui de Ecclesia recedebant, et hic baptizati prius fuerant;

II. And they say that in this they follow an ancient custom, from when, among the ancients, the beginnings of heresy and schisms were still at their first, so that those who were there were the ones who were withdrawing from the Church, and they had previously been baptized here;

Editors' notes and page, col. 409

Footnotes

LECTIONES VARIANTES.

VARIANT READINGS.

(printed under page 198)

(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 409

Et schismaticos Lam. Ebor. NC. 1. Bod. 2.

"Et schismaticos" (and schismatics), Lambeth, York, New College 1, Bodleian 2.

(printed under page 198)

(b) ‹anchor: lavatio ejus› · call in col 409

Lavatione Bod. 1. Lin.

"Lavatione" (by the washing), Bodleian 1, Lincoln.

(printed under page 198)

Page

running head: 409 EPISTOLA LXXI.
marginal letters: A rimus ut scires, ejusdem epistolae; B ubi nihil est; sed veniunt ad nos; C ipse non vivat, quando una sit Ecclesia; D terum librorum, quae mihi videtur (in Baluze's notes at page foot)
old-edition numerals: 127 after alterum

quos tunc tamen, ad Ecclesiam revertentes et poenitentiam agentes, necesse non erat baptizare. Quod nos quoque hodie observamus, ut quos constet hic baptizatos esse et a nobis ad haereticos transiisse, si postmodum, peccato suo cognito et errore digesto, ad veritatem et matricem redeant, satis sit in poenitentiam manum imponere; ut quia ovis jam fuerat, hanc ovem abalienatam et errabundam in ovile suum pastor recipiat. Si autem qui ab haereticis venit, baptizatus in Ecclesia prius non fuit, sed alienus in totum et profanus venit, baptizandus est ut ovis fiat, quia una est aqua in Ecclesia sancta quae oves faciat. Et idcirco, quia nihil potest esse commune mendacio et veritati, tenebris et luci, morti et immortalitati, antichristo et Christo, per omnia debemus Ecclesiae catholicae unitatem tenere, nec in aliquo fidei et veritatis hostibus cedere.

whom nevertheless at that time, when they returned to the Church and did penance, it was not necessary to baptize. This we too observe today: that for those who are established to have been baptized here and to have passed over from us to the heretics, if afterwards, having recognized their sin and digested their error, they return to the truth and to the mother, it is enough to lay a hand on them for penance; so that, because he had already been a sheep, the shepherd may receive this sheep, estranged and wandering, into his fold. But if he who comes from the heretics was not previously baptized in the Church, but comes wholly a stranger and profane, he must be baptized in order that he may become a sheep, because one is the water in the holy Church which makes sheep. And therefore, because nothing can be common to falsehood and truth, to darkness and light, to death and immortality, to antichrist and Christ, we ought in all things to hold to the unity of the Catholic Church, and not to yield in anything to the enemies of faith and truth.

III. Non est autem de consuetudine praescribendum, sed ratione vincendum. Nam nec Petrus, quem primum Dominus elegit, et super quem aedificavit Ecclesiam suam, cum secum Paulus de circumcisione postmodum disceptaret, vindicavit sibi aliquid insolenter aut arroganter assumpsit, ut diceret se primatum tenere et obtemperari a novellis et posteris sibi potius oportere. Nec despexit Paulum quod Ecclesiae prius persecutor fuisset, sed consilium veritatis admisit, et rationi legitimae quam Paulus vindicabat facile consensit (Gal. II, 14); documentum scilicet nobis et concordiae et patientiae tribuens, ut non pertinaciter nostra amemus, sed quae aliquando a fratribus et collegis nostris utiliter et salubriter suggeruntur, si sint vera et legitima, ipsa potius nostra ducamus. Cui rei Paulus quoque prospiciens, et concordiae et paci fideliter consulens, in epistola sua posuit dicens: Prophetae autem duo aut tres loquantur, et caeteri examinent. Si autem alii revelatum fuerit sedenti, ille prior taceat (I Cor. XIV, 29, 30).

III. But the matter is not to be settled by prescription from custom, but won by reason. For not even Peter, whom the Lord chose first and upon whom He built His Church, when Paul afterwards disputed with him about circumcision, claimed anything for himself insolently or assumed it arrogantly, so as to say that he held the primacy and that he ought rather to be obeyed by newcomers and those who came after. Nor did he despise Paul because he had formerly been a persecutor of the Church, but he admitted the counsel of truth, and readily agreed to the legitimate reasoning which Paul was maintaining (Gal. 2:14); giving us, that is, a lesson both of concord and of patience, that we should not obstinately love what is our own, but should rather count as our own those things which are at times usefully and wholesomely suggested by our brothers and colleagues, if they are true and legitimate. Paul too, looking ahead to this matter, and faithfully taking counsel for concord and peace, set it down in his epistle, saying: But let two or three prophets speak, and let the others examine. But if it has been revealed to another sitting by, let the former keep silent (1 Cor. 14:29–30).

Editors' notes and page, col. 410

Footnotes

(c) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 410

Ovis fuerat Oxon.

"Ovis fuerat" (had been a sheep), Oxford edition.

(printed under page 198)

(e) ‹anchor: not visible (the call in the text above reads "ducamus d")› · call in col 410

Ipsa potius amplectamur Thu. Ista Foss.

"Ipsa potius amplectamur" (let us rather embrace them), Thuanus; "Ista" (these), Fossatensis.

STEPH. BALUZII NOTÆ.

NOTES OF ÉTIENNE BALUZE.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Quidam de collegis› · col 409 Quidam de collegis, ut Florentius cognomento Pupianus, ut patet ex Epistola lxix ad eum scripta.

"Some of our colleagues," such as Florentius surnamed Puppianus, as is clear from Letter 69, written to him.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Quod unum scilicet› · col 409 Quod unum scilicet. Retinui lectionem quinque veterum librorum, quæ mihi videtur esse optima. Erasmus et alii post eum posuerunt, quod unum scilicet in Ecclesia Catholica est. Quæ Ecclesia si est una, esse extra Ecclesiam Baptisma non potest. Quidam libri veteres habent præter Ecclesiam.

"Which is, namely, one." I have kept the reading of five old manuscripts, which seems to me the best. Erasmus and others after him printed "which is, namely, one in the Catholic Church. And if this Church is one, there can be no baptism outside the Church." Some old manuscripts have "praeter Ecclesiam" (besides the Church).

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Duo baptismata› · col 409 Duo baptismata. Editiones Erasmi et Morellii addunt aut multa. Verum ea desunt in quatuordecim libris veteribus. Habentur tamen in Corbeiensi. Arator lib. ii Actuum Apostolicorum: Quid geminum Baptisma cupis simulare profana. Optatus, lib. i: Vides ergo, frater Parmeniane, hæreticos a domo veritatis extorres solos habere varia et falsa baptismata, quibus inquinatus non possit abluere, immundus emundare, supplantator erigere. Ubi nemo non videt legendum esse supplantatus.

"Two baptisms." The editions of Erasmus and Morel add "or many." But these words are missing in fourteen old manuscripts. They are found, however, in the Corbie manuscript. Arator, Book 2 of the Acts of the Apostles: "Why, profane one, do you wish to feign a twofold baptism?" Optatus, Book 1: "You see then, brother Parmenian, that the heretics, exiles from the house of truth, alone have various and false baptisms, by which the defiled cannot wash, the unclean cannot cleanse, the supplanter cannot raise up." Where everyone sees that "supplantatus" (one tripped up) must be read.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Hostis et adversarius› · col 409 Hostis et adversarius. Sic restituimus hunc locum pro eo quod aliæ editiones habent hostes et adversarii, quia ita scriptum vidimus in omnibus antiquis codicibus.

"Enemy and adversary." So we have restored this passage, in place of "enemies and adversaries," which other editions have, because we saw it so written in all the ancient manuscripts.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Qui baptizatur› · col 410 498 Qui baptizatur. Hunc morem explicat sanctus Joannes Chrysostomus in initio Homiliæ xl, in primam Pauli Epistolam ad Corinthios. Vide Rigaltii observationes ad librum Tertulliani de Resurrectione carnis, Christophorum Justellum in notis ad Canonem xii synodi Antiochenæ, Fridericum Spanhemium et Joannem Harduinum in dissertationibus quas emiserunt de Baptismo pro mortuis. Vide etiam præfationem Amboesii ad Abælardum, pag. 24.

[p.] 498. "He who is baptized." Saint John Chrysostom explains this custom at the beginning of Homily 40 on Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians. See Rigault's observations on Tertullian's book On the Resurrection of the Flesh, Christophe Justel in his notes on Canon 12 of the Synod of Antioch, and Friedrich Spanheim and Jean Hardouin in the dissertations they published On Baptism for the Dead. See also d'Amboise's preface to Abelard, p. 24.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Abalienatam› · col 410 II.—Abalienatam. Tres libri veteres habent abigeatam, octo alii abjectam, alius abactam, unus regius abjectam et tremebundam in ovile. Rigaltius magis probat abigeatam.

II. — "Estranged." Three old manuscripts have "abigeatam" (driven off), eight others "abjectam" (cast away), another "abactam" (driven away), one royal manuscript "abjectam et tremebundam in ovile" (cast away and trembling into the fold). Rigault prefers "abigeatam".

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Nam nec Petrus› · col 410 III. — Nam nec Petrus. Refert hunc locum sanctus Augustinus in initio libri secundi de Baptismo adversus Donatistas.

III. — "For not even Peter." Saint Augustine quotes this passage at the beginning of the second book of On Baptism, against the Donatists.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Se primatum tenere› · col 410 Se primatum tenere. In glossemate libri de Unitate Ecclesiæ: Primatus Petro datur ut una Christi Ecclesia et una Cathedra esse monstretur. Vide illic observationes Rigaltii.

"That he held the primacy." In the gloss in the book On the Unity of the Church: "The primacy is given to Peter so that it may be shown that the Church of Christ is one and the Chair one." See Rigault's observations there.

(printed under page 198)

Page

running head: [E]PISTOLA LXXI. 410 (initial letter cut off at image edge)
marginal letters: A quos tunc tamen; B per omnia debemus; C a fratribus et collegis; D (in Baluze's notes at page foot, beside "mam Pauli Epistolam", not in this column's text)
old-edition numerals: (none)

Qua in parte docuit et ostendit multa singulis in melius revelari, et debere unumquemque, non pro eo quod semel imbiberat et tenebat pertinaciter congredi, sed, si quid melius et utilius extiterit, libenter amplecti. Non enim vincimur quando offeruntur nobis meliora, sed instruimur, maxime in his quae ad Ecclesiae unitatem pertinent et spei ac fidei nostrae veritatem; ut nos sacerdotes Dei, et Ecclesiae ejus de ipsius dignatione praepositi sciamus remissam peccatorum non nisi in Ecclesia dari posse, nec posse adversarios Christi quidquam sibi circa ejus gratiam vindicare.

In this he taught and showed that many things are revealed to individuals for the better, and that each one ought not to contend obstinately for what he had once imbibed and held, but, if anything better and more useful has come to light, to embrace it gladly. For we are not defeated when better things are offered to us, but instructed, above all in those things which pertain to the unity of the Church and to the truth of our hope and faith; so that we, priests of God and set over His Church by His favour, may know that remission of sins cannot be given except in the Church, and that the adversaries of Christ cannot claim anything for themselves with regard to His grace.

IV. Quod quidem et Agrippinus, bonae memoriae vir, cum caeteris coepiscopis suis qui illo in tempore in provincia Africa et Numidia Ecclesiam Domini gubernabant, statuit et librato consilii communis examine firmavit. Quorum sententiam et religiosam et legitimam et salutarem, fidei et Ecclesiae catholicae congruentem, nos etiam secuti sumus. Et quales super hac re litteras fecerimus ut scires, exemplum earum ad notitiam tam tuam quam coepiscoporum nostrorum qui illic sunt, pro communi dilectione, transmisimus. Opto te, frater charissime, semper bene valere.

IV. This indeed Agrippinus too, a man of good memory, together with his other fellow bishops who at that time governed the Church of the Lord in the province of Africa and Numidia, decreed and, after a weighed examination in common council, confirmed. Their judgement, religious and lawful and salutary, in agreement with the faith and with the Catholic Church, we too have followed. And so that you might know what kind of letters we have written on this matter, we have sent a copy of them, out of our common love, for the information both of yourself and of our fellow bishops who are there. I pray, dearest brother, that you may always fare well.

EPISTOLA LXXII.

Letter 72.

(Erasm., II, 1. Pamel., Rigalt., Baluz., Oxon., Lips., LXXII. Paris., LXXI. Coustant., Epist. Rom. Pont., I, p. 216. Routh. Rell. scr. III, p. 88 et 144.)

(Erasmus, 2, 1. Pamelius, Rigaltius, Baluze, Oxford, Leipzig, 72. Paris, 71. Coustant, Letters of the Roman Pontiffs, 1, p. 216. Routh, Reliquiae sacrae 3, pp. 88 and 144.)

AD STEPHANUM PAPAM, DE CONCILIO.

To Pope Stephen, concerning the council.

ARGUMENTUM. — Cyprianus cum collegis in concilio quodam, nuntiat Stephano Romano Pontifici, a sese statutum esse, tum ut ob haereticis ad Ecclesiam revertentes baptizentur, tum ut alia conditione non

Argument. Cyprian, with his colleagues in a certain council, announces to Stephen the Roman Pontiff that it has been decreed by them, both that those returning from the heretics to the Church should be baptized, and that on no other condition

Editors' notes and page, col. 411

Footnotes

LECTIONES VARIANTES.

VARIANT READINGS.

(printed under page 199)

(a) ‹anchor: tam tuam quam› · call in col 411

Tuam tamquam Bod. 2.

"Tuam tamquam" (your … as if), Bodleian 2.

STEPH. BALUZII NOTÆ.

NOTES OF ÉTIENNE BALUZE.

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Agrippinus bonæ memoriæ vir› · col 411  IV.—Agrippinus bonæ memoriæ vir. Citat hunc locum sanctus Augustinus lib. ii de Baptismo contra Donatistas, cap. 9. Sed ego non invenio in hoc loco Cypriani quod Augustinus paulo ante ait Cyprianum dixisse consuetudinem de recipiendis hæreticis absque novo Baptismo quasi cœpisse corrigi per Agrippinum, et mox de suo ait eam per Agrippinum corrumpi cœpisse, non corrigi. Ista explicanda sunt. Ait Augustinus quæstionem de repetitione baptismi nondum ætate Cypriani fuisse pertractatam diligenter, sed tamen saluberrima consuetudine tenuisse Ecclesiam, Romanam videlicet, ut planum est ex Epistola Firmiliani, in ipsis quoque schismaticis et hæreticis corrigere quod pravum erat, non iterare quod datum esset. Alia erat consuetudo ecclesiæ Africanæ. Et quia Papa Stephanus nihil afferebat ad confirmandam opinionem suam quam consuetudinem, sugillat Cyprianus hanc disputandi methodum, et ait Epist. lxxi, p. 127 et Epist. lxxiv, pag. 141, agendum esse ratione, non consuetudine, quam vocat erroris vetustatem. Nam quamvis consuetudo legem imitetur et non minus quam quod scriptum est usurpetur, tamen non de longa consuetudine præscribendum est, nisi sit rationabilis et per tantum temporis duraverit quod ejus initium non teneatur in hominum memoria. Consuetudinem enim aiunt jurisconsulti esse usum rationabilem competenti tempore firmatum, nullo actu contrario interruptum. Cyprianus contra consuetudini Romanorum, quam aiebat non dimanare de fonte Apostolico, ut agnovit etiam Baronius, opponebat consuetudinem veritatis, quam putabat esse in ecclesia Africana. Sane Augustinus ait consuetudinem cedere debere veritati manifestatæ. Et quia illa non erat manifestata ævo Cypriani, ut quæ nondum pertractata fuerat diligenter, propterea illum excusat, et putat illum recepturum fuisse veritatem, si tum ea fuisset manifestata, uti postea fuit in Concilio plenario. Cæterum istic adnotandum est diu ante Cyprianum receptam fuisse disciplinam de baptizandis hæreticis ad Ecclesiam venientibus, ut dicemus in notis ad Concilium Carthaginense, adeoque falsum fuisse Nicephorum Callistum cum scripsit Cyprianum primum fuisse qui baptizandos esse censuerit hæreticos. Addam in hoc loco Gregorium Papam VII, usum esse auctoritate Cypriani adversus consuetudinem cujus usus contrarius est veritati, quia quælibet consuetudo, quantumvis vetusta, quantumvis vulgata, veritati est postponenda. Exstat ea Gregorii, Epistola apud Gratianum, dist. viii, cap. Si consuetudinem.

IV. — "Agrippinus, a man of good memory." Saint Augustine cites this passage in On Baptism against the Donatists, Book 2, ch. 9. But I do not find in this passage of Cyprian what Augustine says a little earlier, that Cyprian said the custom of receiving heretics without a new baptism had, as it were, begun to be corrected through Agrippinus; and soon after he says on his own account that through Agrippinus it began to be corrupted, not corrected. These things need explaining. Augustine says that in Cyprian's time the question of repeating baptism had not yet been thoroughly examined, but that the Church — the Roman, namely, as is plain from Firmilian's letter — had nonetheless held to a most wholesome custom: in schismatics and heretics too, to correct what was wrong and not to repeat what had been given. The custom of the African church was different. And because Pope Stephen brought forward nothing but custom to support his opinion, Cyprian taunts this way of arguing, and says in Letter 71, p. 127, and Letter 74, p. 141, that one must proceed by reason, not by custom, which he calls the antiquity of error. For although custom imitates law and is applied no less than what is written, yet no prescription is to be made from long custom unless it is reasonable and has lasted so long that its beginning is not held in human memory. For the jurists say that custom is a reasonable usage, confirmed by sufficient time, interrupted by no contrary act. Against the custom of the Romans, which he said did not flow from the apostolic source (as Baronius also acknowledged), Cyprian set the custom of truth, which he thought was in the African church. Augustine indeed says that custom must yield to truth once made plain. And because that truth had not been made plain in Cyprian's age, as it had not yet been thoroughly examined, he therefore excuses him, and thinks he would have accepted the truth had it been made plain then, as it later was in a plenary Council. For the rest, it should be noted here that the practice of baptizing heretics who came to the Church had been accepted long before Cyprian, as we shall say in the notes on the Council of Carthage; and so Nicephorus Callistus was wrong when he wrote that Cyprian was the first to hold that heretics must be baptized. I will add here that Pope Gregory VII used Cyprian's authority against a custom whose use is contrary to the truth, because any custom, however ancient, however widespread, is to be set below the truth. This letter of Gregory's is found in Gratian, Distinction 8, chapter "Si consuetudinem".

[Baluze] ‹anchor: Librato› · col 411 Librato. Tres libri veteres, librato consilio communi. Alii septem et editio Erasmi, librata consilii communis examinatione. Qui scribendi modus exstat etiam in initio Epistolæ sequentis.

"Weighed." Three old manuscripts read "librato consilio communi" (by common counsel weighed). Seven others and Erasmus's edition read "librata consilii communis examinatione" (by a weighed examination of common counsel). This manner of writing is found also at the beginning of the next letter.

(printed under page 199)

Page

running head: 411 DIVI CYPRIANI (cut off at the right edge)
marginal letters: A ‹Qua in parte docuit›; B ‹gubernabant, statuit et librato›; C ‹quodam, nuntiat Stephano›; D ‹sed tamen saluberrima consuetudine› (beside the Baluze note, not set)
old-edition numerals: 128 (superior figure) before EPISTOLA LXXII.
misprints kept as printed: "ob haereticis" (Argumentum) for "ab haereticis"
other: editors' matter set: the edition-concordance line ‹(Erasm., II, 1.›, the title ‹AD STEPHANUM PAPAM›, and the Argumentum ‹Cyprianus cum collegis› (not Cyprian's); full-width headings "LECTIONES VARIANTES." and "STEPH. BALUZII NOTAE." at the page foot belong to the notes; the column ends mid-sentence at "alia conditione non"