A View of Antiquity Presented, Part 7

A View of Antiquity Presented · Part 7

p. 248Cyprianus.

§ 1. CYprianus, Epist. 69. Pamel. in vitâcalled also Thascius, was born at Carthage, one of the chief Cities of Africa, he was very rich,Nazianz. orat. 29. and of great note and power there, being one of the Senatorian Order, and among them held the first or chief place: his breeding was liberal and ingenuous from his tender years,Pontius in vitâ. being trained up in, and seasoned with the knowledge of the Arts wherein his proficiency was such, that (among the rest) he became an excellent Rhetorician,Lactant. de institut. lib. 5. cap. 1. and publickly professed and taught that art at Carhage, being had in very great esteem among them; but all this while an Ethnick, without the knowledge of Christ, yea, a most bitter persecutor of the Christians, withal à Magician,Nazianz. ibid. Epist. 2. § 1. edit. Goula…t. and skilled in those curious arts, though this last be very improbable in the judgment both of Baronius and Pamelius.

How long he continued in this condition is uncertain, yet that he was well stricken in years before converted unto Christianity, may be conjectured, 1. Partly from his own words: for (while being a Gentile, he thought of receiving the Christian Faith) he conflicted with such reasonings as these; he conceived it a hard and difficult thing (as p. 249sometime did Nicodemus) for a man to be born again, that he should by the washing of water put off what he was before, and have his mind changed: How (saith he) can such a conversion be possible, that so suddenly that should be put off which was genuine and natural, and through length of time and old age had taken such deep rooting?Ad an. 25…. § 7. Hence it appears (saith Baronius) that he was senescens, near unto and upon the verge of old age when he was about to give up his name to Christ. 2. Partly also from the time that he sate Bishop of Carthage, which is generally conceived to be about the space of ten years,Pamel. in vitâ. and not above; for he was chosen unto the office about the year 249, and suffered martyrdom, an. 259. Now both Baronius and Pamelius, as also before them, Pontius his Deacon and companion in his exile, who wrote the story of his life, do all affirm, that he was made Bishop shortly after his conversion, and while but Neophytus & Novellus, a Novice in Christianity, and newly come to the Faith.

The instrumens by whom he was converted,Pontius in vitâ Cypr. was one Caecilius a Presbyter, who partly by his pious conversation (which was very exemplary, he being a just man, and in honour, as well as age, a true Presbyter) and partly by his perswasions (upon which his eloquence did set such an edge,Cent. 3. cap. 10. that they were of great force and pierced deeply) prevailed with him,Baron. ad an. 250. § 6. and brought him unto the knowledge and profession of Christianity. It seems the special portion of Scripture that wrought upon him, was the prophecy of p. 250Ionab, In Jonan cap. 3.which haply Caecilius was unfolding and preaching upon at that time; for so much Ierom intimates, where he saith, Blessed Cyprian having been before an assertour of Idolatry, at length hearing the Sermon of Ionab, was converted and brought unto repentance. It is not unlikely that he had been before prepared and somewhat inclined unto the Christian Religion, by reading the Books of Christians, and particularly of Tertullian his Country-man, unto whom he was much addicted, and greatly admired him; for had it not been so,Ad an. 250. §. 11. Baronius seeth not how (unless you will ascribe it to a miracle) he could in so short a time attain unto such a height of knowledge both in Doctrine and Discipline, as should furnish him for so high a function in the Church.

His love and affection unto his Caeeilius ever after was so great,Pontius in vitâ. that he respected and and reverenced him not as a friend and equal only, but as a spiritual Father, and one by whom he had received a new life, which he gave clear testimony of unto the world, by prefixing his name unto his own: so that unto this day he is called and commonly known by the name of Caecilius Cyprianus, as did Eusebius in after times annex the name of Pamphylus unto his own,Post non multum temporis electus in Presbyterum etiam Episcopus Carthagi…iensis con…titutus est. Hieronym. in catalog. Pontius in vitâ. for the love that he bare unto that Martyr.

But a very little time did intervene between his conversion and advancement unto the chief Dignity in the Church; so great was his growth in the faith, that in a short space he attained unto such maturity as few perhaps do arrive at. Herein he was singular, there p. 251having been scarce the like example before, which Pontius speaks of as a thing almost incredible: Nemo (inquit) metit, statim ut s…vit: Nemo vindemiam de novellis scrobibus expressit: Nemo adhuc unquam de noviter plant…tis arbusculis matura poma quaesivit: In illo omnia incredibilia occurrerunt. Praevenit, si potest dici, (res enim fidem non capit) praevenit, inquam, tritura sementem, vindemia palmit…m, Ad an. 250poma radicem. Baronius sets down the story of his addition unto the Church, and ascending unto the Episcopal Chair, as the occurrents of the same year.

Unto this Dignity of sitting at the Helm,Baron. ad an. 250. § 1. in the first and principal of the African Churches was he elected by the unanimous consent of the whole Clergy and people, none contradicting, but the unhappy Presbyter Felieissimus, with a few of his Associates, the seat being being vacant by the decease of Donatus, Cent 3. cap. 10.Agrippinus or some other; for 'tis uncertain who was his immediate predecessour.

Being called unto,Pamel. in vitâ. and having undertaken so weighty a charge, as a careful Pastour he bestirs himself accordingly: and in the first place, and while as yet the peace of the Church lasted, he applyed himself with all his might to restore the Discipline delivered by the Lord (whereof he was a great lover and advancer, and which long tranquillity had corrupted) unto its ancient purity.

But this continued not long;Baron. ad an. 25… ▪. § 30. for a very sore porsecution ensued very shortly after under the Emperour Decius, which mightily wasted the Church of Christ: the violence whereof reaching as far as Carthage, Cyprian p. 252felt amongst the rest,In vitâ Cypr. attaining not long after he was made Bishop (as Pamelius gathers from the words of Pontius, who saith it sell out, statim, eftsoon after) the Glory of Proscription, unto which was added (that not satisfying the people) their violent clamour often repeated in the Theatre, requiring him to be cast unto the Lions.

To avoid the violence of this storm,Pontius in vitâ. he withdrew not so much out of fear,Baron. ad an. 253. § 30. Pamel. in vitâ. as for divers other weighty reasons: as

1. In obedience to God, whose providences spake out no less than his command what he should do,Epist. 10. § 4. as he himself speaks: You shall (saith he in an Epistle to the Clergy) hear all things, when the Lord shall bring me back again unto you, who commanded me to withdraw. Of which Pontius gives us a larger account:In vitâ Cypr. 'Twas fear indeed (saith he) moved him so to do, but it was that just fear lest he should offend God, that fear which would rather obey God than be so crowned; for his heart being in all things devoted unto God, and his faith subject unto divine admonitions, he believes that if he had not obeyed the Lord, requiring him then to hide, he should have sinned in his very suffering.

2. Lest by his presence he should stir up envy of the people,Pamel. in vitâ. who could less away with him than any other of the Presbyters;Cypr Epist. 15. § 1. & Epist. 6. § 1. & Epist. 36. and so the sedition already begun among them, should grow unto a greater height.

3. The Church could not have been deprived of him but to her exceeding great detriment,Pontius in vitâ. especially at that time, there being p. 253none so able to afford that comfort, encouragement, direction, correction and restoring, which multitudes in the Church did then stand in need of: Well, well, therefore, (saith Pontius) and truly by divine providence, it came to pass that a man so necessary in many regards, should be delayed the consummation of Martyrdom. Yet it seems that some were unsatisfied with, and calumniated this his action,Pamel. in vitâ. which he therefore took occasion to clear and vindicate in divers of his Epistles;Baron. ad an. 253. § 32. whereby he gave satisfaction unto the Clergy of Rome, who took it well, and judged what he did to be war…antable.

During the time of this his secession (which was about the space of two years) he was not wanting (though absent in body,Pamel. in vitâ. yet very vigilant as present in spirit) by his admonitions, and otherwise to provide for and promote the welfare of the Brethren as much as he could, constituting divers Presbyters to execute his office in his room. But that which did occasion no small grief unto him, was the schism and disorders that happened in the Church,Baron. ad an. 254. § 39. Pamel in vitâ. whereof his former adversary Felicissimus was the principal author, with whom joyned five other Presbyters, who granted rashly and promiscuously peace and communion to the Lapsi, or such as through fear had faln in that time of persecution.Euseb. lib. 6. c. 42. These were set on and abetted by Novatus a Presbyter of Carthage (from whom afterward sprung Donatus and his Sect) with whom sided Fortunatus, Baron. ad an. 255. § 10, 11.set up by his party as a Mock-Bishop in opposition unto Cyprian, who yet p. 254were of a contray opinion to the former;H…nce Cyprian calls Novatus interfector poenitentiae. denying all hope of peace to the Lapsi: but though they were opposite in judgement unto each other, yet did they all at length conspire together, and made up one faction against Cyprian; who had given order, that as the Lapsi should not be altogether excluded▪ so neither should they be admitted unto communion, but upon their repentance and satisfaction given unto the Church.

This Felicissimus with his complices proceeded so far,Baron. ad an. 254. § 35. as that of those who adhered unto him (who in number increased daily) he constituted a Church of his own, which he congregated in a certain Mountain; from whence the name of the Montenses took its Original,Ibid. § 38. given afterward unto the party of the Donatists, who in imitation of these, lived in the Mountains.Ibid. § 39. But though Felicissi…us were the first in the Schism, yet was he the less famous;August. de haeres. cap. & Danaeus in comment. for his name growing more obscure, Novatus gave the title unto the whole Sect, who from him were called Novations; as also Cathari or pure; …ecause they refused to communicate with the Lapsi, Pamel. in vitâ.though repenting, accounting them unclean.

These Schismaticks growing unto this height, the careful Cyprian, though in exile, is very sollicitous how to suppress them; and to prevent further mischie…s, that hereupon might ensue:Baron. ad an. 254. § 35. He falls upon the last remedy, writing unto Caldonius and Herculanu… his Collegues,Pamel. in vitâ. as also unto Rogatian and Numidicus, Compresbyters, that they excommunicate Felicissimus and his followers,Epist. 38. which accordingly they performed,Epist. Cypr. 39. as appears p. 255by their Letters unto the Clergy of Carthage. After two years he returned from his banishment,Pamel. in vitâ. Decius that cruel Persecutor being slain by the Gotbs, and so peace restored unto the Church. Immediately after his return he useth his utmost endeavours to close up the rent that had been made in the Church during his absence; for which end he convenes a Synod, wherein after due debate, this moderate temperament was agreed upon concerning the Lapsi; that the causes and necessities of their fall being examined, the Libellatici (who were such as by their friends did offer or give in their Libels unto the Magistrate, wherein they did deny Christ, but withal desire that they might not be compelled to sacrifice) as the less Delinquents should be admitted unto communion upon their repentance;Go…lat. in notis in Cypr. Epist. 52. n. 39. but the Sacrificati (who were such,Angelocrat▪ Epit. Concil. as to preserve their Estates, or being by others perswaded thereunto, did offer unto the Idols) should have a longer time of repentance set and assigned unto them;Gesner. Hist. Concil. and in case in…irmity urged, they should receive peace, or be reconciled at the time of their death. In which Decree Cornelius Bishop of Rome agreed with them,Pamel. in vitâ. a little after calling a Council at Rome, Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 42.which consisted of sixty Bishops, so many Presbyters,Gesner. Hist. Concil. and many Deacons, wherein the business of the Lapsi was throughly scann'd, and Novotian (set up as Bishop of Rome by his party against Cornelius) together with Novatus and Felicissimus, were excommunicated; the sum of which decree was this, that Novatus together with such as consented unto his opinion, which was repugnant p. 256unto brotherly love, should be banished the Church, and that the Brethren, fallen through infirmity in the troublesome time of persecution, should be received, after that the salve of repentance and confession had been applied unto the Maladies.Baron. ad an. 256. § 34. By these Schisms was the Church much vexed for sometime, and Cyprian loaded with calumnies by the Authors and Maintainers of them; which he bare and overcame with invincible courage and patience. Many Councils were celebrated at Carthage, Pamel. in vitâ.and in other Provinces, both of the Eastern and Western Churches, for the suppressing of them. What afterward became of these Schismaticks is not found;Baron. ad an. 255. § 28. but persecution being renewed, seems for the present to have put an end unto these Controversies.

After this arose the question about the rebaptization of Hereticks returning again unto the Church:Baron. ad an. 258. which had been in use in the African Churches,Pamel. in vitâ Cypr. in the time of Agrippinus, the Predecessor of Cyprian, and before him in the time of Tertullian. Baron. ad an. 258. § 11. 12.This was occasioned by the practice of the Novatians, who were wont to baptize again, as unclean, such as they had drawn from the Church unto their faction; which provoked divers African Bishops to emulation, among whom Cyprian was the chief.Ibid. § 27. 42. Three Councils were by him call'd about this thing, in the last whereof were assembled at Carthage, Bin. d… Concil. tom. 1.out of Africa, Numidia and Mauritania, eighty and seven Bishops; by whom it was concluded, that such as had been by Hereticks baptized, were upon their return unto the Church to p. 257be admitted again, by rebaptization: and that, because there is but one Baptism, which is no where to be found, but in the true Church. The sentence of Cyprian is in the last place set down in these words.Binnius ibid. My sentence (or judgement herein) (saith he) the Epistle written unto our Collegue Iubaianus hath most fully express'd, viz. that according to the Evangelical and Apostolical contestation, the Adversaries of Christ, and called Antichrists, when they come unto the Church, are to be baptized with the only Baptism of the Church; that they may be made friends of foes, and of Antichrists Christians. Which Opinion was rejected by Stephen Bishop of Rome, Baron. ad an. 258. § 42.and the Council by him there assembled. Yet did many of the Eastern Bishops, and of Egypt, as well as of Africa consent with Cyprian in this his opinion;Ibid. 49. which having for a while, to their utmost defended,Daille of the Fathers, lib. 2. they at last relinquished it, subscribing to Stephen, and the rest of the Church of Rome; Baron. ad an. 259. § 1. 3. 4.and that Cyprian did so among the rest is very probable, of which more hereafter.

Shortly after followed another grievous persecution under the Emperour Valerian and Galienus, Ibid. § 6.which lasted three years and an half;Baron. ad an. 260. § 33. and extending very far, Africa as well as other Provinces felt the violence thereof;Pamel. in vitâ. where the first that was aimed at and vexed,Plin. Hist. nat. lib. 5. cap. 3. was Cyprian, who by Paternus the Proconsul was banished unto Curubis (or Curobis, as Ptolemy) a Town invironed with the Lybian Ocean,In Geograph. lib. 4. almost in the manner of an Island, standing on the Promontory of Mercury, Baron. ad an. 260▪ § 39.over against Sicily, distant from p. 258Carthage about fifty miles. In this place, of a pleasant situation,Pontius In in vitâ Cypr. was he fitted with a convenient lodging, and visited by many of the brethren: Continuing here the most part of a year,Pamel. in vitâ. he was not idle, as his Letters, not a few, written from hence do testifie; wherein he ceased not to exhort those, unto whom he wrote, to constancy in suffering, even unto the laying down of their lives for Christ; in which imployment let us a while leave him, till we shall come to speak of his Matyrdom.

§ 2. He was a man of excellent natural parts (the elaborate piece of Nature,In orat. in laudem Cypr. ingenio faceto, copioso, suavi & aperto. Lactant. lib. 5. cap. 1. saith Nazianzen, the Flower of Youth) and these to the utmost improved by Education and industry; so that he attained unto a great height of secular Learning in all kinds, before his conversion. For besides his exactness in the art of Rhetorick, (whereof he was publick Professor in the famous City of Carthage, Pamel. in vitâ.and he so far excelled, that he went beyond other men in Eloquence,Nazianz. in orat. in laud. Cypr. as much as we exceed the brute Creatures) he was accurately skill'd in all other Arts; One (saith Nazianzen) that had gotten unto the top of Learning,Ibid. not only of Philosophy, but other Sciences, in every kind, take him where you will: so that, in variety of knowledge, and in absolute insight into the Arts, yea, in every regard, he excelled all others. To which was added, his through knowledge in the Tongues, viz. the Greek and Latin, (the two learned Languages) wherein he was most skilful.Possevin. in apparat. The most Eloquent Preacher, Danie… p. 259Tossanus, In Rhetoric. Eccles. lib. 2. cap. 3. § 9.did perswade both my self (saith Keckerman) and other candidates of the Ministery, that among all the Fathers, we would in the next place after the holy Scriptures, and most diligently, read Cyprian: and certainly I know not what spirit of Eloquence breaths upon us, when we have read this Author. These things did afterward prove of great advantage unto him, as did unto the Jews the Gold and Silver whereof they spoiled the Egyptians; 'Tis Augustine's allusion,De doct. Christ. lib. 2. cap. 40. whose words for their weight and worth do deserve perusal, which I shall here insert. As the Egyptians (saith he) had Gold and Silver, and Rayment, which the people of Israel departing out of Egypt, did clancularly challenge for a better use, not by their own Authority, but by the command of God; the Egyptians ignorantly lending them those things, which they used not well: So the Doctrines of the Gentiles do contain the Liberal Arts, very useful to the Truth, and some most profitable moral precepts; as also some Truths concerning the worship of that one God; Which Gold and Silver, as it were, of theirs (that they themselves instituted not, but did dig out certain Mines of the Divine Providence, extending it self every where, and which they perversly and injuriously abused to the worshipping of Devils) … Christian, when he departs from them, and in heart separates himself from their miserable society, ought to take or bring away for the just use of preaching the Gospel; and what else did many of our good and faithful men? Do we not see with how great a burden of p. 260Gold, Silver and Rayment, the Most sweet Doctor and blessed Matyr, Cyprian departed out of Egypt? So also did Victorinus, Optatus, Hilarius, and innumerable of the Greeks, &c. thus he: And not much unlike is that passage of Ierom (… alluding unto those words of Moses, Epist. 84.Deut, 21. 10, &c). who being demanded by Magnus a Roman Orator, Cur in opusculis suis saecularium literarum interdum poneret exempla & caudorem Ecclesiae ethnicorum sordibus pollueret? responsum, (inquit) breviter habeto: Quis nesciat & in Moyse & in Prophetarum voluminibus quaedam assumpta de gentilium libris? Tit. 1. 12.Titus 1:12Sed & Paulus Apostolus P…etarum Epimenidis, 1 Cor. 1…. 33. act. 17. …8.1 Cor 1:33Menandri, & Arati versiculis abusus est. Quid ergò mirum, si & ego sapientiam saecularem propter eloquii venustatem & membrorum pulchritudinem, de aneillâ & captivâ Israelitidem facere cupio? & si quicquid in eâ mortuum est idololatriae, voluptatis, erroris, libidinum, vel praecido vel rado; & mixtos purissimo corpori vernaculo, ex eâ genero Domino Sabaoth? labor meus in familiam Christi profecit.

But the most splendid Jewels, that were his principal Ornaments, Christianity only furnished him withal; which made him exceeding amiable in the eyes both of God and Men▪ so that nothing was more illustrious or famous in the whole world:In notis in Nazianz. orat▪ 42. (saith Billi…s quoting the words of Ierom) accounted by the Church as a Star of the greatest Manitude: Non solùm malos Catholicos (inquit Augustinus) nullo modo comparamus, De baptis…. contr… Do ratist. lib. 6. cap. 2.sed nec bonos facilè coaequamus beato Cypriano, quem inter r…ros & & paucos excellentissimae gratiae viros numer… p. 261pia mater Ecclesia. In orat. in laud Cyprian.He was (saith Nazianzen) sometime (viz. before his conversion) the singular honour of Carthage; but now, viz. since his becoming a Christian, of the whole world. His natural disposition was very sweet and lovely; but being polished by Religion, it became much more so:Pontius in vitâ Cypr. in whom was to be found such an equal composition of gravity and chearfulness, severity and mildness, that it might be doubtful whether he deserved to be more feared or loved, but that indeed he equally deserved both.

His knowledge in the Mysteries of the Gospel was such, that for it he was renowned every where, his writings that were dispersed f…r and near, did spread his fame and made him of great note not only in the African and Western,Augustin. contr. dnas Epist. Pelagianor. lib. 4. cap. 8. but also in the Churches of the East. In comparison of whom the great Augustin doth so far undervalue himself, that (saith he) I am very much▪ Contrà Crescon. prammatic. lib.yea incomparably inferiour unto the desert of Cyprian. And he was not only a shining, but also a burning light,Pontius in vitâ. so exemplary in his conversation, that the Rays of Grace and Holiness streaming forth therein, did even confound the minds of the beholders.In praefat. ante opera Cypriani Talis ubique Sermonis habitus et (inquit Erasmus) ut loqui sentias verè Christianum Episcopum, ac Martyrio destinatum. Pectus ardet Evangelicâ pietate, & pectori respondet oratio: loquitur diserta, sed magis fortia quàm diserta: neque tam loquitur fortia, quàm vivit. Insomuch that in the sentence pronounced upon him,Pontius in vit… ejus. he is stiled the Standard-bearer of his Sect, and enemy of the gods qui futurus esset ipse documento, & cujus sa…guine inciperet Disciplina sanciri▪ p. 262Among the rest, those graces, whose lustre and brightness, the place he held, the employments he managed, and the condition of the times that he lived in, did more especially discover, were such as these.

1. His humility, that sweet grace, peculiar to Christianity, this added a beauty unto all the rest,De baptism. contr. Donatist. lib. 2. tanto erat excelientior, quanto humilior, inquit Augustinus; who was so much the higher in the account of others, by how much the lower he was in his own. Being to deliberate about weighty affairs, his manner was to decree nothing without his colleagues, neither would he pertinaciously love and adhere unto his own apprehensions,Cent. 3 c. 10. Scultet. in Medull. but rather embrace what was by others profitably and wholesomely suggested.

2. His Charity and compassion to those in want and durance:Pontius in vitâ ejus. for immediately upon his conversion he parted with what he had, and gave it for the relief of the Poor. He was (as Iob speaks of himself) eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame; Job 29. 15, 16, 17.Job 29:15Job 29:16Job 29:17a Father unto the Put, and the cause which he knew not, he searched out; he brake the jaws of the Wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his Teeth. And when many had been taken Captives by the barbarous Goths, Pamel. in vitâ ejus & in notis in Epist. 60.or Scythians, he sent an hundred thousand Sestertia from the Church, for the redeeming of them: so himself speaks: misimus (inquit) Sestertia centum millia nummû…, quae isthic in Ecclesiâ, Epist. 60. § 4.cui de Domini indulgentiâ praesumus, Cleri & plebis apud nos consistentia collatione collecta sunt. The sum being so vast, Pamelius conjectures it ought to be only Sestertia centum, In notis. num. 5.and that millia nummûm, added p. 263for explications sake,See Brerewood de pretiis vet. nummorum. is from the Margin crept into the Text: or else, he thinks it should be thus read: Sestertium centum millia nummûm. Yea while he was in exile, he not only wrote, but also sent relief unto those poor Christians who were condemned unto the Mines.Pamel. in vitâ ejus. Cypr. Ep. 77. He manifested also this Grace in his Indulgence to forgive and receive those offenders, who repenting returned unto the Church:Epist. 55. § 18. Hear his own words—Remitto omnia, inquit, multa dissimulo, studio & voto colligendae fraternitatis, etiam quae in Deum commissa sunt, non pleno judicio Religionis examino, delictis plusquam oportet remittendo penè ipse delinquo: amplector promp…â & plenâ dilectione cum paenitentiâ revertentes, peccatum suum satisfactione humili & simplici const…entes.

3. His patience in bearing injuries and wrongs: whereof he gave an ample testimony in his behaviour toward those who opposed him,Pontius in vitâ ejus. when he was chosen Bishop; Oh how patiently did he bear with them, and with what a deal of clemency did he forgive them; reckoning them among his friends to the admiration of many.

4. His equanimity and peaceableness; being a very great lover and maintainer of unity among Brethren, which he was studious to preserve and hold, even with those that dissented from him:August. contrà Donatist. lib. 1. & contrà Crescqu. lib. 2. as appears in the grand difference between him and Stephen Bishop of Rome, and others about the rebaptization of Hereticks: for, as himself did not break Communion by separating from them, so neither did he cease to perswade p. 264others also, that they should bear with one another in love,Epist. 76. § 12. endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: his words that he used in the Council of Carthage, speaks out this sweet temper of his Spirit. Super est (inquit) Collegae dilectissimi, ut de hac ipsâ re quid singuli sentiamus, proferamus, neminem judicantes, …. Concil. Tom. 1.aut à jure Communionis, aliquem, si diversum senserit, amoventes.

To these many more might be added, as his contempt of riches,Nazianz in Orat. in Laud. Cypr. keeping under of his body, purity of Life, diametrically opposite to the lusts of his former conversation, gravity joyned with humanity, equi-distant both, from arrogancy and baseness: fidelity, prudence, industry, watchings and the like, which more at large are commemorated and recorded by Pontius and Nazianzen, in all which regards he was very eminent:Lyrinens. contr. haeres. cap. 10. Hence Vincentius stiles him, illud Sanctorum omnium & Episcoporum & Martyrum lumen, beatissimum Cyprianum: In praefat. ante opera Cypr.He may be instead of many (saith Erasmus) whether you respect eloquence or Doctrine, or the dignity of a Pastor, or a brest every where breathing forth the vigour of an Apostolical Spirit, or the glory of Martyrdom. Whose writings (saith Scultetus) have in them so happy a genius,In medull. that, although they were interwoven with divers errours, yet they found some Doctors of the Church, not only admirers of the more sound Doctrine, but candid Interpreters even of the errours contained in them. How transcendent a Man he was in the judgement of the great Augustin is evident, and may be collected from the Titles he gives him, wherein p. 265the Epithets which for the most part he makes use of, such as are Doctor Suavissimus, lucidissimus, pacis amantissimus, excellentissimae gratiae, also Martyr beatissimus, fortissimus, gloriosissimus, &c.Contrà Crescon. lib. 2. cap. 32. A Man (saith he) whose praise I cannot reach, to whose many Letters I compare not my writings, whose Wit I love, with whose mouth I am delighted, whose Charity I admire, and whose Martyrdom I reverence. Add hereto the Encomium of Prudentius, whose words are:

—Tenet ille Regna coeli,foreign

Nec minùs involitat terris, nec ab hoc recedit orbe;

Disserit, eloquitur, tractat, docet, instruit, prophetat.

Nec Lybiae populos tantum regit exitusque in ortum.

Solis, & usque obitum, Gallos fovet, imbuit Britanuos,

Praesidet Hesperiae, Christum serit ultimis Hiberis.

Let me shut up all with the words of Pontius: In vitâ Cypr.I pass by (saith he) many other and great things, which the Volume, lest it swell too big, suffers me not more largely to relate, of which let it suffice to have said this only, that if the Gentiles might have heard them at their Bars, they would perhaps forthwith have believed and become Christians.

§ 3. The monuments of this excellent and choice spirit were many,Hieronym. in catal. Sole clariora, lively representing as in a glass his great worth, and p. 266wherein though dead, he yet liveth and speaketh:Strigel. cited in criseis Melancthon. Of which Augustin had so venerable an esteem, that he accounted all his own works not equal unto one of Cyprian's Epistles: And Ierom giving directions unto the noble Widow Laeta for the pious education of her Daughter Paula, recommends the works of Cyprian to her continual perusal: Cypriani (inquit) opuscula semper in manu teneat. Ad Laetam Epist. 7. Bucholcer Chronolog.Cujus singula prope verba spirant Martyrium. They are but fragments as it were, that remain, and the loss of what is wanting is much bewailed by Erasmus.

Of those many that are lost, I find but few mentioned in any Authors: so that it seems, not only the Books themselves, but even their very Names and Titles are exstinct with them.In passione Cyprian. apud Pamel. Paulus Diaconus reckoneth among the innumerable Volumes (as he hath it) which he wrote, a very profitable Chronicle compiled by him: Also that he discoursed most excellently upon the Evangelists and other Books of the Scripture. But how little credit this report deserves, will appear from the words of Ierom (a Man as well as most acquainted with the writings of those that went before him) who tells us,Epist. ad Paulinum. n. 13. that he never commented upon the sacred Scriptures,Marian Victor. in Schol. Erasm. in praefat. ante opera Cyprian. being wholly taken up with the exercise of vertue (totus in exereitatione, aliàs, exhortatione virtutum) and occupied or hindred by the straits of persecution: Unless his three books of testimonies unto Quirinus (which are as it were common places out of the Scriptures) might be looked on by him as Commentaries,Pamel. in vitâ ejus. wherein indeed he briefly glosseth upon and giveth some light p. 267unto many Texts, though this were not the thing that he intended in those Tables.

Among the works of Cyprian that remain unto this day, his excellent Epistles are deservedly ranked in the first place;In Orat. de lect patr ante loc. commun. as having a notable vein of piety running through them; (Epistolae Cypriani, inquit Chemnitius, referunt pectus ardens Pietate, ita ut lectorem accendere possint) and wherein is discovered abundance of that prudence, candour, meekness, modesty, gravity, and holy severity, wherewith his rare spirit was so much adorned. These are the most genuine births of our Author, though yet they have not continued altogether untouched, nor have escaped the injury of those, whose fingers have been itching to tamper with and corrupt them,Rivet. Crit. Sac. For they have been bold to add not only sundry Epistles, but have blotted and blurred divers of them, which were most evidently written by that blessed Martyr, Dr. James, of the mysteries of the Indic… Expurgat. for the support of their tottering cause, which truth will never patronize.

There are at this day eighty three of them in number,Cent. 3. c. 10. whereof some few were from others unto himself, the rest written by him unto the Bishops, Presbyters, and Churches or Brethren. They are by Pamelius digested and cast into this order, two were written shortly after his Baptism,Index ante opera Cypr. edit. Goulart. thirty and eight in his first Exile, which lasted the space of two years; eighteen during the time wherein Cornelius and Lucius sate Bishops of Rome; eight miscellany Epistles, written in the times of the peace of the Church; ten in the time of Stephen Bishop of Rome, concerning the Rebaptization p. 268of Hereticks; and seven in his last secession a little before his Martyrdom. The same Authour hath taken good pains in his more exact Chronological account of the particular years, wherein these Epistles (as also his other Treatises) were written,Pamel. praefat. ad lectorem. which affords not a little light for the better understanding of them: for he had found them to have such a mutual dependance one upon another, that many of them without the help of others could not well be understood. This Chronology is prefixed by Pamelius in his Edition of these Epistles, together with the rest of Cyprian's works, in whose diligence in his emendations and annotations (which contain many Ecclesiastical Antiquities for the illustration of them) deserveth commendation; Yet in this was he unhappy, that being a sworn Vassal of the Romish Synagogue, he strains his Wit and skill,…oulart. in Epist. ante opera Cypria. to reconcile (which cannot be) the opinions and judgement of Cyprian and other Ancients, with Pontifician Traditions and the Anathematisms of the Tridentine Conventicle: which filth cast upon the famous Cyprian and Orthodox antiquity, Simon Goulart hath with good success endeavoured to wipe off in his Learned notes,Coci censur. as an antidote subjoyned unto those of Pamelius: by which means this Edition comes to be more exact than any that were before it,Bilson's difference. though there were divers.In Epist. ante opera Cypr. Of which Pamelius a Lovain Divine, the said Goulart gives this approbation, that he was an ingenious Man, of much reading, most diligent, of very accurate and quick expression, and one that had merited much of those studious in Theology in his p. 269Edition of Cyprian: if contenting himself to have pointed at the various readings, he had, either not touched, or more sincerely explicated, those Antiquities.

As touching these Epistles,In medall… Pat…um. I shall refer the Reader for the Analysis and contents of them unto Scultetus, who hath taken laudable pains in surveying the works of our Authour, together with divers other of the Ancients. It shall suffice me to reflect upon them in a more general way, and what is remarkable in them; and to hint somewhat that may be of use in reference unto them: And herein I shall observe that order wherein they are ranked and set down by Pamelius.

The second Epistle contains a flourishing and eloquent Narration of his conversion and Baptism, savouring much for its quaintness, of the Rhetorick Schools from whence he was newly come.Cent. 3. c. 10. In annotatiuncul. The phrase of this Epistle (saith Erasmus) is more neat and florid, then that of the rest, retaining still the scent of Scholastical eloquence.Erasm. in praefat. ante opera Cypr. In Secundâ Epistolâ nonnihil lusit apparatu pompâque Sermonis; unde & Augustinus, (Lib. 4. cap. 14. de Doctr. Christian) comptae, jucundae splendidaeque dictionis depromit exemplum. De Script. Eccles.It is entituled by Trithemius, Chronic. ad an. 263.lib. de gratiâ Dei. And by Antoninus, De Gratiâ & abundantiâ malitiae saeculi. But this accurate Eloquence of his gotten with so much sweat,Baron. ad an. 250. § 11. and augmented with continual exercise, and for which he was famous every where, he laid aside as of little profit and necessity, preferring before it Christian simplicity. Yet, that in this Epistle he wrote in so high a strain, I suppose it therefore so fell p. 270out (saith Augustine) or rather was advisedly done,De doct. Christ. lib. 4. cap. 14. that posterity might know, what a tongue the soundness of Christian Doctrine had recalled from such redundance or superfluity, and restrained to a more grave and modest eloquence: such as in his following writings is securely loved, religiously desired, but most difficulty performed. Wherefore this holy Man did shew, that he could so speak, because some where he spake so; but withal that he would not, because he afterward no where doth so.In praefat. ante opera Cypr. Nihil (inquit Erasmus) reperies in Cypriaeno, quod ad ostentationem inge… videri possit ascitum, aut quod ullo pacto vafrieiem sapiat.

In the twelfth Epistle,Ad plebem. ad plebem, wherein he desires them to wait for his return, that we (saith he) and our fellow Bishops being assembled together, may examine the Letters and desires of the blessed Martyrs, according to the Doctrine of our Lord, and in the presence of the Confessors, & secundum vestr… quoque sententiam, and according as you shall think convenient. Those last words are maliciously left out; because (saith Daille) they would not have us to know,Treatise of the Fathers. that the faithful people had ever any thing to do with, or had any vote in the affairs of the Church.

In the thirty first Epistle, there remained for a long time a foul fault uncorrected,Cypriano Papae, Presbyteri & Diaconi Romae consistentes, salutem. by which the place was so depraved, that no perfect sence could be made of it: which was at length happily amended by the dexterity of that Phoenix of her Sex for Learning,M. S. the Life of Sir Thomas Moor. Margaret the Daughter of Sir Thomas Moor: one unto whom Erasmus wrote many Epistles p. 271and dedicated his Commentaries on certain Hymns of Prudentius, calling her the flower of all the Learned Matrons of England. She was of a quick and sharp Wit, and composed in Greek and Latin both Verse and Prose; and that most eloquently, to the admiration of those that perused her writings. This Gentlewoman reading this Epistle, and being come to the place corrupted, (which was this; Absit enim ab Ecclesiâ Romanâ vigorem suum tam profanâ facilitate dimittere, & NISI VOS severitatis eversâ fidei Majestate dissolvere) presently without help of other example or instruction, quoth she, those words Nisi Vos, must be, Nervos: and so the sentence by that word is made plain and perspicuous.In annotat. num. 15. With this emendation is this Epistle set forth in the Edition of Pamelius, who making honourable mention of the Author thereof,In Schol. in Vincent. Lyrinens. reports it from Costerus, that tells us he had it from Doctor Clement a Learned Physician, one familiarly acquainted with Sir Thomas his Family, as having married Mrs. Margaret Gage another rare proficient in that famous Female Academy. Rhenanus stiles it a very notable Epistle;In annotat. in lib. Tert. de … Habemus (inquit) de Disciplinâ Romanae Ecclesiae valdè insignem Epistolam Presbyterorum & Diaconorum urbis Romae.

In the general there are three things especially observable in the Epistles of our Author.

1. There are to be found in them divers evident footsteps of the ancient Discipline of the Churches of Christ. As concerning Officers and the manner of electing them: of the power of those Officers, and how it was p. 272made use of by them; of the excommunication of offenders, and the restoring of them unto Communion again, upon their repentance and satisfaction given unto the Church: of the care that ought to be had of the poor, imprisoned, &c. of which see Epist. 6. 11, 12, 13 31, 34, 37, 52, 54, 64▪ 65.

2. Many notable cases propounded unto, and resolved by him; particularly, these following among the rest.

1. Whether Novatian the Schismatick could or might baptize or no?Ad Magnum Epist. 76. he denies that he could (though herein he erred) which he endeavours to maintain and make good by divers arguments: but the good Bishop (as Goulart observes in his notes) undertook a bad cause, in defending whereof he discovered much weakness, though withal no less modesty, in the close of his discourse.

2. Whether a Stage-Player, persevering in the exercise of that unseemly Art,Ad Eucratium Epist. 62. ought to communicate? To which his answer is in the Negative, that he ought not. Puto, inquit, nec Majestati Divinae, nec Evangelicae Discipline congruere, ut pudor & honor Ecclesiae tam turpi & infami contagione foedetur, which place (saith Goulart) meets with those who admit unto the Communion without distinction,In Notis. such as are impious and impure.

3. Whether those who had been baptized by Hereticks, upon their return unto the Catholick Church, ought again to be baptized? His answer is Affirmative, (wherein joyned with him many other Bishops) and as the ground of it, he labours to prove the Baptism of Hereticks to be a nullity; wherein he doth p. 273humanum aliquid pati. And this is the chief subject of divers Epistles, viz. from the seventieth unto the seventy seventh, among which in the seventy sixth Epistle, the first Quaere, viz. that about the Baptism of Novatian, is answered.

4. Whether the Clinici (i. e. those who were baptized upon their sick Beds) are to be accounted legitimate or rightful Christians,Epist. 76. because they are not washed, but only sprinkled with baptismal water? Unto which his answer is affirmative: Nos, inquit, aestimamus in nullo mutilari & debilitari posse beneficia divina, nec minus aliquid illic posse contingere, ubi plenâ & totâ fide & dantis & sumenlis accipitur, quod de divinis muneribus hauritur, &c. This by Pamelius is made to be the latter part of the seventy sixth Epistle, and not an entire one by it self:In annotat▪ ante opera Cyprian. and so thinks Erasmus of it also, though in some Editions it be disjoyned from it: It's plain, saith Erasmus, from the first words, that it is no entire Epistle; for who would begin an Epistle after this manner, Quaesisti etiam: yet in his Edition are these made two distinct Epistles, viz. one the sixth of the first Book: the other the seventh of the fourth.

5. Whether Fortunatianus (sometime a Bishop) who had sacrificed unto Idols,Epist. 64. might challenge or take unto himself his office again? He answers negatively, rendring divers reasons why he so judgeth.

3. Many excellent and pressing exhortations un…o constancy in suffering for the name of Christ; as also sundry choice documents and directions for Holiness and Christian Conversation; p. 274for which work he was so completely furnished, that Pontius would conclude from thence, his flight in the time of persecution, and reservation from Martyrdom for a while, to be from the special providence of God, because of the need the Church then had of him: For, saith he, who should teach the Lapsi Repentance,In vitâ Cyprian. Hereticks Truth, Schismaticks Unity, the Sons of God peace and the Law of Evangelical Prayer? Who should comfort Christians tenderly affected with their losses, or rather those of little faith, with the hope of future things? Whence should we so learn mercy or patience? Who should raise up so many Martyrs with divine exhortations? Well then it happened, that a man so many ways so necessary, should be for a while respited from Martyrdom.In vitâ ejus. He was therefore, saith Pamelius, saved by the Lord, that being destined unto Martyrdom afterward, he might by his exhortations send before many Martyrs unto the Lord, who, had they wanted the incentive of this celestial Trumpet, might else have fallen from the faith. Hear the words of the Presbyters and Deacons at Rome, Epist. 31▪to this purpose, say they in an Epistle unto him, Maximas tibi atque uberes gratias referre debtmus & reddimus, quòd—victores … viribus tui sermonis animasti, ut quanquam h…e totum de fide confitentium & de divinâ indulgentiâ venire videatur, tamen in martyrio … tibi ex aliquo debitores facti esse videantur. Of this kind among the rest are Epist. 6. 8, 9. 16. wherein in an eloquent and plainly divine stile,Pamel. in argument. he confirmeth the confessors: also Epist. p. 27525. 56. 77. & 81. In Epistolâ 77. (inquit Baronius) elucet mirificè Christiani nominis excellentiâ quae eo gloriosior redditur, atque praeclarior, quo magis fuerit afflictata molestiis, ac rebus fatigata contrariis, praestat eas literas audire, utpote novissimos cygnaeos viri sanctissimi cantus, qui mirificum quendam reddunt flagrantis spiritus cum suavitate concentum.

For his other works, Pamelius conceives, that in the last recited words of Pontius, In praefat. in Tom. 2.is hinted the order in which they were written; for who can think, saith he, that meerly by accident, and not rather purposely and with mature deliberation, he should observe such an order in his words, which he therefore observes in his Edition, and so shall I in the recital of them. His Treatises then are these following.

1. Of the discipline and habit of Virgins, entituled by Erasmus, Epist. ad Demetriad. n. 8. de Script. Pamel. in vitâ.only De habitu Virginum: and by Ierom and Trithemius, de virginitate. It was written by him while he was yet a Presbyter, or at least shortly after he was made Bishop, viz. in the first year: of which Rhenanus thus speaks, Cyprianus scripsit de habitu Virginum, In argument. lib. Tertull. de patient. Epist.nitidior aliquanto f…ciliorque hoc nostro authore, viz. Tertulliano. Ierom stiles it an egregious Volume, wherein he exhorts Virgins to a conversation suitable to their profession, to contemn the world, and to shun the abuses and corruptions of it, which in a lofty strain he stirs them up unto: for so Augustin, De doct. Christ. lib. 4. cap 21. Erasm. in Margin.ad virginitatem magno accendit eloquio Cyprianus: In this Tract, (as in others also) he much imitates his Master, as he calls him, Tertullian upon the like subject.

p. 2762. De Lapsis. Pamel. in praefat. ante tom. 2.1. Of such as fell in time of persecution, which Erasmus calls by the name of Sermo: this with the two following was written shortly after his return from exile, peace being restored unto the Church:Pamol. in annotat. wherein congratulating the Confessors, and blessing God for their invincible constancy under the Cross, he greatly bewails the fall of such, as by the threatenings of the adversary were drawn to sacrifice, and did not rather withdraw according unto the counsel of Christ, blaming them, that before their repentance they would even extort communion and peace from some Presbyters without the consent of the Bishop: and lastly, by divers arguments he exhorts them unto a publick acknowledgment of their sin, and to give satisfaction unto the Church. Herein also he imitates Tertulian in his Book of repentance.

3. Of the unity of the Church;Antonin. chron. part. 1. tit. 7. in annotat. in Epist. 5…. & in annotat. in lib. de unitat. Eccles. some do add the word Catholick: and this Pamelius (as himself more than once boastingly tells us) from the fifty first Epistle, first found out to be the true Title of this Book, which Erasmus and some others do stile, A Treatise of the Simplicity of Prelates: and Augustine an Epistle touching unity.Co…tra Creseon. lib. 2. c. 33. A golden Book, written by occasion of the Novatian Rent or Schism,Pamel. in vitâ. that he might deter his Carthaginians from siding with Novatus, Pamel. in notis.who were too much inclining unto, and not so averse from him as they should have been. Wherein he earnestly presseth the Pastours carefully to preserve unity in the Church, by many weighty arguments; shewing the original and sourse of Heresies to be the contempt of the truth p. 277and celestial Doctrine of Christ, commending unity in the Church; and in the close he discourseth of the Duty of those who stand firm in the unity of the Church, viz. to shun the society of Schismaticks. This excellent piece of Cyprian the Vassals of the Romish See have been most busily tampering with, and as palpably corrupting for their advantage in point of the Popes Supremacy; having boldly foysted in here and there,Daille lib. 1. cap. 4. as they thought fit, whole periods and sentences against the faith of the best and most uncorrupted Manuscripts:Treatise of the Fathers. the additions are these following,

1. He built his Church on him alone (viz. Peter) and commanded him to feed his Sheep.

2. He established one Chair.

3. The Primacy was given unto Peter, to shew that there was but (one Church of Christ) and but one Chair.

4. He that forsakes the Chair of Peter, on which the Church was founded, doth he hope himself to be in the Church? Of these last words, saith Philander (after Theophilus had named six Editions of Cyprian, Bilson's difference, part. 1.in which they are not) indeed I confess the words were wanting, till Pamelius a Canon of Bruges found them in an old written Copy lying in the Abby of Cambron. All these additions will evidently appear unto any one, who (without having recourse unto other copies) will but compare Erasmus and Pamelius their Editions together. He that desireth to be farther satisfyed in the foul fraud of these shameless forgers in this particular, let him please to peruse the learned Doctor Reynolds in his p. 278conference with Hart, chap. 5. division. 2. Bilson in his difference, &c. part 1. pag. 89. and Doctor Iames, of the Corruption of the Fathers, part 2.

So many have been the mutations, additions, detractions and variations of this small Book, that the laborious abovenamed Doctor Iames (in a little Treatise written by him, which he entituled Cyprian restored or revived) hath observed no less than two hundred and eighty eight of them,Rivet. crit. sac. by a diligent collation of four manuscript Copies: this the bold Jesuit Possevine in his Apparatus, James of the corrups. of of the Fathers. part. 2. pag. 10. 20. 22.inserts as his own, which the Doctor thus chargeth him with: It hath pleased him, saith he, in his first Tome, at the word Cyprian, to steal a Treatise of mine, and concealing my name, mutatis mutandis, chopping and changing some few words at his pleasure, to publish it unto the world: Sic no… non nobis mellificamus apes. A most unworthy act, and at least deserving the brand of base ingenuity: a fault that Crinitus blames in Macrobius, De honest. discipl. lib. 20. cap. 7.who having been much beholding unto A. Gellius, makes no acknowledgment thereof: Cum sit, inquit, obnoxiae mentis & ingenii maximè infaelicis, uunquam fateri, pe… quos authores profeceris.

4. Of the Lord's Prayer, which Treatise Augustine thus commends,Lib. de grat. & lib. arbit. cap. 13. I admonish, saith he, and much exhort you to read diligently that Book of Blessed Cyprian, which he wrote of the Lord's Prayer; and as the Lord shall help you, to understand and commit it to memory: he writes it unto one Valentinus and the Monks that were with him. p. 279In this piece commending this prayer;Schultet. in Medull. he shews how we ought to draw near unto God; then explains the several parts and petitions of it: unto which he subjoyns somewhat of the necessity of prayer, how the mind ought to be composed in this duty; and when it should be performed. Herein also he imitates Tertullian de Oratione. Bibl. Sanct. lib. 4.Est, inquit Sixtuì Senensis sanctae & venustae brevitatis expla…tio.

5. Unto Demetrianus, the Proconsul of Africa; an Apologetical or invective Oration;In Annotat. Erasm. in Margine. Erasmus wonders why any should rather call it a Treatise, then an Epistle. Wherein, using a more elaborate stile, he clears the Christians of those calumnies that were cast upon them by Demetrian and other Ethnicks; who imputed it unto the Christians not worshipping the Gods, that those grievous judgments of famine, pestilence and war, did so rage in the Romane Empire: the true cause whereof he shews to be their contempt of Christianity, which he proves by divers …guments; and closeth with an exhortation unto the Gentiles to come unto God, and to believe on Jesus Christ. In this likewise he imitates his Master Tertullian in his Apology,Pamel. in Annotat. De Justit. lib. 6, cap. 4. and in his book against Scapula; but is blamed by Lactantius for not handling the matter as he ought; because he dealt with an Heathen by Scripture testimonies, which Demetrian esteemed as fained and vain; who should have been refuted by reason and arguments grounded thereupon;Hieronym. in epist. ad Mag. n. 84. Ad an. 256. § 30. yet herein is he defended by Baronius who labors to excuse him.

p. 2806. Of the vanity of idols; or, that idols are not gods: wherein he proves that they were men, and consequently that the worshipping of them can be no way profitable: And that there is but one true God and Lord of all, whom the Christians worship. Erasmus suspects it to be a fragment of a larger work,In Annotat. because it begins so abruptly. Of which piece Ierom thus speaks,Ad Magnū. epist. 84. commending his wit and skill: with what brevity, with what knowledge of all Histories, with what splendor of words and sense hath Cyprian discussed that idols are not Gods? Herein also as he imitated Tertullian in his Apology, so likewise doth he Minutius Foelix in his Octavius; Pamel. in vitâ ejus.or Minutius him: for they lived near about the same time.

7. Of Mortality; written by him in a time wherein the pestilence invaded and raged in divers provinces,Ens. in Chro. refers it ad An. 255. Ans. to the Jes. chall. and chiefly Alexandria and the rest of Egypt. Vsher calls it a famous Treatise: wherein by divers arguments, he armeth Christians against the fear of death; and admonisheth them not to grieve immoderately for those that die, shewing what are the fruits of death, and of how great advantage it is unto them that die in Lord.De praedest. l. 1. c. 14. A book, saith Augustine, laudably known to many, yea almost to all that love Ecclesiastical writings; in quo dicit mortem fidelibus utilem reperiri, quoniam peccandi periculis hominem subtrahit, & in non peccandi securitatem constituit.

8. Of works and almsdeeds:Contr. …. Epist. Pelag. …. 4. c. 8. Epi. ad Pammach. 26. Augustin calls it an Epistle: and Ierom grande volumen, a great volum wherein he exhorteth those p. 281that were able, to contribute toward the relieving of the poor, who by pestilence, famine and other calamities had been reduced unto great exigencies.

9. Of the good of Patience, wherein, virtutem hanc per effecta magnificè amplificat: Keck. rheto. Eccles.commending the practice of it from the example of God, Christ & the Saints: proving also both by Scripture and reason, that 'tis not only profitable, but also necessary for a Christian. Baronius shews us the occasion of the writing hereof. Veritus, inquit, magnopere Cyprianus, ne inter Episcopos obortis contentionibus, Ad An. 258. § 35.magno aliquo sebismate Catholica scinderetur Ecclesia, ad …ntevertenda futura mala, egregium illud prop…ylacticon praeparavit antidotum, libellum illum de bono Patientiae scribens, quò demonstraret abs que , patientiâ impossibile esse servari inter fratres mutuam charitatem. And Cyprian himself in his Epistle to Iubaianus concerning the rebaptization of hereticks, having said in the last paragraph,Id Jubaian. Epist. 73. that he would not for Hereticks contend with his fellow Bishops; he shuts up all with these words: servatur à nobis patienter & firmiter charitas …nimi, collegii honor, vinculum fidei, & concordia sacerdotii. Propter hoc etiam libellum de bono patientiae, quantum valuit nostra medi… critas, permittente Domino & inspirante, conscripsimus quem ad te pro mutuâ dilectione transmisimus. In this book also he much imitates Tertullian upon the same subject, with a pious and commendable emulation:Rhenan. in Annotat. in Tertull. de patient. for he feared lest (as it afterward fell out) the writings of so eminent a man should be lost or laid aside:Id. in arg. in 1. Tertul. de patient. many even then abstaining p. 282from the reading of him, because he had so unhappily separated from the Church.

10. Of zeal (he takes this word here in the worse sense) and envy: which by many arguments he dehorteth from; shewing whence it proceeds, and how much evil it produceth.Rhetor. Eccles. lib. 1. lib. de bapt. cont. Donat. l. 4. c. 8. Sermo praeclarus, inquit Keckerman…us, & egregia coneio. Augustine calls this Tract also an Epistle; and Ierom, librum valdè optimum. In Epist. ad Galat. cap. 5. Pamel. in praefat. ante tom. 2. opera Cypr.Gal 5The occasion of the writing of this, as of the former Treatise also, was the controversie and great contest that arose between Stephen Bishop of Rome and the African Bishops about the Baptizing of Hereticks.

11. An exhortation to Martyrdom; written unto Fortunatus; distinguished into twelve Chapters containing so many arguments, whereby he presseth unto Martyrdom: which are collected almost verbatim out of the Scriptures.Pamel. in arg. & Baro. ad an. 255. §. 45. Baronius and Pamelius are very confident, that it is Cyprians, and much wonder that any should ascribe it unto Hilary; In Annotat. in Hierony. Epist. 50. ad Pammach. Cens. Patr.which yet Marianus Victorinus doth as confidently, induced hereunto by the stile, and authority of Ierom. For which cause the industrious Mr. Cooke doubts not to rank it among the works falsly ascribed unto this Father.

12. Three books of Testimonies unto Quirinus, being none other then a rapsody or collection of several places of Scripture. The two first, against the Jews: In the one he shews that the Jews have departed from God,In praefat. Cypr. and so have lost that grace and indulgence which formerly was afforded unto p. 283them; and that the Gentiles from among all nations have succeeded them, and come into their place. The other contains the mystery of Christ, that he came according as the Scriptures had foretold, and hath done and performed all things by which he might be known. In the third,Cent. 3. c. 10. praefa. Cypr. in lib. 3. which the Centurists stile, de disciplina Christianorum, he instructs Quirinus in a Christian life; it being a Collection of Divine Precepts and Commands, which may be the more easie and profitable for the Readers, for that, being but a few and digested into a Breviary, they are the sooner Read over, and more frequently repeated.In argu. in l. Eras. in Annot. ante opera Cypr. In Medull. Pamelius cannot wonder enough at the censure of Erasmus, that it should seem more probable unto him, that these books are not Cyprians: Yet is this sagacious censor seconded by Scultetus, who renders some reasons why he should make question of it, viz. that some Greek forms of speech, are used in the third book, which are not to be sound in the other works of Cyprian: withal he adds, that many things do offer themselves unto the diligent Reader, by which without any great ado they may be distinguished from what of this Father is genuine.

13. The sentences or suffrages of the Council of Carthage concerning the baptizing of Hereticks:Eras. in Annotat. which is none other than a rehearsal of what was done and said in that Council; as things were taken by the publick Notaries, whereof he gives an account unto Quirinus. This piece shuts up the second Tome in Pamelius his Edition.

p. 284His third Tome contains those books that are doubted of or falsly ascribed unto Cyprian: … tom. 3.though in his preface Pamelius makes them to be of three sorts. First, Some, that by the stile and Scriptures cited, do certainly appear to be his genuine works: but how true this is, we shall hereafter examine. Secondly, Others, of which there is some doubt; yet are there many things to perswade us that they are his, or at least, of some Author, no less Ancient then he. 3. Some that are certainly found to be none of his. But though divers pieces have his name affixed unto them, that he was never the Author of; yet, saith Erasmus, herein was he more happy then some others,In praefat. ante opera Cypr. that nothing is ascribed unto him but what is Learned, and proceeded from great men.

These are, first, his book of Spectacles; which, he shews 'tis unlawful for Christians to be present at and behold. A book, which neither Trithemius nor the Centurists nor Erasmus take notice of:Bellar. de script. Eccle. Rivet. Crit. …ae. and therefore not without cause suspected; which also the stile gives sufficient ground for. Herein the Author much imitates Tertullian upon the same subject.

2. Of Discipline, or the good of chastity; wherein many passages are almost verbatim taken out of Tertullian. Pamel. in Annotat. De script. Eccles.Bellarmine and Pamelius conceive it to be Cyprians: 'Tis a work of an uncertain but Learned Author, so that 'twere pitty it should be lost;In Annotat. (saith Erasmus) yet in his judgement, the stile plainly shews it to be none of Cyprians.

p. 2853. Of the praise of Martyrdom,Baron. ad an 255. § 38. Erasm. in Annotat. unto Moses and Maximus; wherein, pennis eloquentiae se mirificè extulit. But the stile is so elaborate and unequal, that Erasmus supposeth no man is of so dull a scent, but he must needs perceive it to be far different from that of Cyprian. He thinks it therefore to be an Essay of some one that would exercise his pen; wherein he shewed more care then, wit, and more affectation then ability. Cardinal Baronius is very angry with him for this his censure,Ad an. 255. § 37, 38. calling him Mome; telling us that he that will prudently compare it with the Apologetick unto Demetrian, or his Epistle unto Donatus, will easily perceive by the same lineaments of their faces, that they proceeded from the same Author. But the wit and wisdom of Erasmus (dictator ille rei literariae) and his ingenuity in this kind are sufficiently known and approved of by the Learned.Sphinx. c. 25. And as he was able, so was he no less diligent in comparing one thing with another, that he might the better give a right judgment: So that the cavil might well have been spared and deserves little to be regarded, as issuing rather from heat and interest, then from candid and impartial animadversion. The truth is, both the Cardinal and the Canon Pamelius looked on it as advantageous and making somewhat for their market;Coci censu…. affording them a considerable authority for the Doctrines of Purgatory and the Invocation of Saints▪ who therefore strain hard and would fain perswade us that it is Cyprians; Rivet. Crit. Sac.though they be levissima argumenta, very trivial and slender arguments, p. 286whereby they endeavor to make it appear so to be.

4. Unto Novatian the Heretick: that hope of pardon ought not to be denied unto the Lapsi, such as fell in time of persecution: which,In Annotat. saith Erasmus, the stile will not suffer us to believe that it is Cyprians: But withal, it is so Eloquent and Learned, that he judgeth it not altogether unworthy of Cyprian; In Margine.yet rather thinks, that Cornelius Bishop of Rome wrote it: which conjecture he grounds upon the words of Ierom; In Catalog. Cornelius.whom herein Honorius Augustodunensis follows and explains:De script. Eccles. saying, Cornelius wrote a very large Epistle unto Novatian and Fabius.

5. Of the Cardinal or Principal works of Christ, unto his ascension unto the Father: which, besides the Preface, consisteth of twelve Chapters or Sermons:

1. Of the Nativity of Christ.

2. Of his Circumcision.

3. Of the Star and Wisemen.

4. Of the Baptism of Christ, and manifestation of the Trinity.

5. Of his Fasting and Temptations.

6. Of the Lords Supper, and first institution of the (Sacrament) consummating all Sacraments;Goulart. in animadvers. wherein is comprehended the sense and consent of Orthodox Antiquity, and the Catholick Church concerning the Lords Supper.

7. Of washing the Disciples feet.

8. Of Annointing with Oyl and other Sacraments.

9. Of the passion of Christ.

p. 28710. Of his Resurrection.

11. Of his Ascension.

12. Of the Holy Ghost.

All these are urged as the authority of Cyprian by divers Romish Champions for the maintenance of many of their unsound Doctrines;Coci Censur. Iames Bastardy of the Fathers. though it be doubted of by themselves for sundry weighty reasons; among the rest these following,

1. The stile is lower than Cyprian's useth to be.Bellar. de script. Eccl. Possevin. in apparat.

2. The Author (in serm. de tentatione) s…ith that the Devil fell from Heaven before the creation of man,Pamel. in apparat. Pamel. in annotat. in praefat. contrary unto the opinion of Cyprian, in his Treatise de telo & invidiâ.

3. In the Preface he gives unto Cornelius Bishop of Rome, the Title of sublimitas ve…ra, your Highness: whereas Cyprian always stiles him brother and Collegue.

The stile, saith Erasmus, argues it to be none of Cyprian's, though it be the work of some learned man, whereof that age had store.Exercitat. 16. § 29. De amiss. grat. lib. 6. cap. 2. Non Cypriani quidem (inquit Casaubonus) sed non indignus Cypriano. And Bellarmin himself elsewhere affirms, that the author of these Sermons, without doubt, lived long since Cyprian, yea, after the time of Augustine; and taxeth the boldness of him that first put Cornelius his name in the fore front of this Book. But in a very ancient Manuscript in the Library of All-Souls Colledge in Oxford, Iames B… stardy… of the Fathers.the Author is called Arnaldus B…na…illacensis, who lived in the time of Bernard, unto whom he hath written one or two Epistles; and the Book is dedicated, not unto p. 288Cornelius, who lived about the year of Christ, 220. but unto Adrian the Fourth, who lived about the year, 1154. and succeeded Eugenius the Third, unto whom Bernard wrote his Book of Consideration.Answ. to the Iesuits challenge. Also that Learned Antiquary the Reverend Vsher saith, he hath seen besides the abovenamed, another Manuscript in the publick Library at Oxford, Arnald…s Carnotensis Abbas bonae vallis.wherein this Book bears the name of the said Arnaldus, as the author thereof. Taking it then for granted, that it is none of Cyprian's, let us give it its due in the words of Scultetus, It is a Book full of Religious Piety,In Medull. and of great use to Preachers: for they are popular declamations which do breath affections stirred up by the spirit of God.

6. Of Dicers, which Game he proves by many arguments to be unworthy of a Christian, especially an Ecclesiastical man.Rivet. crit. sac. But it certainly appears to be none of his by the stile, and seems to be written in the corrupter times of the Church.De script. Eccles. in annotat. Bellarmin and Pamelius speak doubtfully of it; the former supposing it rather to be written by some one of the Bishops of Rome, as plainly appears from the Author's assuming unto himself the Presidentship of the universal Church, and to be Christ's Vicar, which indeed none ever dared to do, but that proud Prelate of Rome.

7. Of the Mountains Sina and Sion, against the Jews, being a mystical interpretation of them;De script. Eccles. in annotat. the stile shews it to be none of his,Pamel. in argument. as both Bellarmin and Pamelius confess, yea, it is altogether different both from the stile, and also the Genius of Cyprian, and is stuffed with such allegories and expositions of p. 289Scripture as are far from the Learning, Piety and Simplicity of this Blessed Martyr.

8. As for those Poems, viz. Genesis, Sodo…, & ad Senatorem, Pamelius hath adjudged them rather unto Tertullian, because of the stile,Pamel. in Tertull. and because Cyprian was never ranked among the Christian Poets, but only by Fabricius (he might have added Gyraldus) so that he leaves the matter doubtful: And, saith Bellarmin, De script. Eccles.we have no certain ground whence to conclude it. So also for the Hymn de Pascha, in many Manuscripts it is ascribed …nto Victorinus Pictaviensis: Rivet. crit. …ic. De script. Eccles. De Poet. Hist.But, saith Bellar…in of them, Opera sunt gravia & docta, & S. Cyprian… digna. To which I add the Verses de Sanctae Crucis ligno, which Lilius Gyrald…s ascribes unto Cyprian, being sixty nine Heroicks in number, Quos, inquit, ego legi: & si semel legatis, iterum & saepe legetis. But as I find them no where else mentioned as Cyprian's; so I conceive Pamelius would not have failed to rank them among the rest, had he seen but the least probability why he might have eutituled them unto Cyprian.

9. Those two Prayers, one for the Martyrs, the other made use of by himself (as is pretended) on the day of his suffering, have the like censure from Bellarmine that the Po…s had,De script. Eccles. who leaves them altogether uncertain.

10. Of the single life of the Clergy, and that they ought to abstain from the company of women.In annotat. In praefat. ante Tom. 3. operum Cypr. & in annotat. The work is not Cyprian's (as the many barbarous words to be found in it, and the phrase do plainly shew) as Erasmus conceives, to whose censure Pamelius subscribes, p. 290who thinks it rather to be Origen's, being induced hereunto by some authorities, (Vincentius Bellovacensis in speculo Hist. lib. 11. cap. 15. mentions a Book of Origen's, which he calls Liber pulcherrimus de singularitate clerieorum. Also Laziardus Caelestinus in Epitom. Hist. universal. …aec babet: fertur Originem codicem de singularitate clericorum composuisse) by his mentioning without dislike those who make themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdom of God, and by divers Grecisms here and there to be found in it.Ad an. 253. § 45. crit. sac. Prideaux. in orat. de Pseudepigraph. In annotat. But, saith Bellarmine the stile is against this, which shews it to be the work not of a Greek but some Latine Author. Baronius supposeth it to be Cyprian's, though upon weak and slender grounds, as Rivet shews. Liber de singularitate Clericorum, Originem, Cyprianum, De script. Eccles.Augustinum praefert autores. It is therefore very uncertain whose it is; But, saith Erasmus, whoever were the author of it, it cannot be denyed that he was a learned and eloquent man: And without doubt, saith Bellarmine, very ancient.

11. An exposition of the Apostles Creed, which (though it be inserted among the works of Cyprian) yet is it generally conceived to belong unto Ruffinus a Presbyter of Aquileia, Bellarm. de script. In catalog.as appears both by the phrase, and also by the authority of Gennadius, who stileth him not the least part of the Doctors of the Church, and of an elegant wit to translate out of Greek into Latine: And, saith he, in this exposition, he through the Grace of God so far excelled,… that others in comparison of of him can scarce be said to have expounded it. Pam…lius therefore entitles it unto Ruffine, p. 291as the true author thereof, and not Cyprian; whose, that 'tis not, it's evident from the mention therein made of the Heresies of Arius, the Manichees, Samosatenus, Eunomius, who all lived after the time of Cyprian. Yet by the consent of all it is a learned piece,In annotat. and most worthy to be read; but herein blamed by Pamelius, because it denies the Books of Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Tobit, Iudith and the Maccabees to be of authority for the confirmation of the faith; but for what cause is obvious enough.Pamel. in argument. Bellar. de. script. Eccles.

12. Of the incredulity of the Jews, unto Vigilius: it is none of Cyprians, but rather the preface of one Celsus upon the altercation between one Iason a Christian, and Paviscus a Jew of Alexandria: Goulart. in annotat.and indeed in the close of it, the author so stiles himself: In mente, inquit, … habe puerum tuum Celsum. A confused piece it is,Pamel. in a… ment. Bellar. de script. no way suitable unto the piety or learning of Cyprian.

13. Against the Jews who persecuted our Lord Jesus Christ, written by an uncertain author, the stile discovering it not to be Cyprian's.Pamel. in argument. Erasm. in annotat.

14. Of the Revelation of the head of Iohn the Baptist,Helvic. chron. and the translation of it into France under Pipin the Son of Charles Mar…ell. who lived about the year 750. by which it appears as clear as the Sun to be none of Cyprian's,Scultet. in Medull. Ri…t. crit. sac. who was some hundreds of years before this time: and they are meer fables that are contained in it, it might well come but of the Cell of some superstitious Monk,Bellar. de script. Eccles. Rivet. crit. sac. Coci censur. being fabulous, superstitious and ridiculous.

15. Of a twofold Martyrdom unto Fortunatus; it is to seek of a Father; for Cyprian's p. 292it is not, as the mention of Dioclesian, and of the Emperour's war against the Turk, do fully evidence.In argumen. Pamelius thinks it to be the work of some Neoterick, and not unlikely (as Henry Grave conjectures) of Erasmus: But this is very improbable, considering how sharp Erasmus is against those, who by counterfeiting their writings,Rivet. crit. sac. have so abused the Fathers: and if he would in this kind have imposed upon the world, surely he was not so weak to let fall such passages as should so palpably discover it to be an imposture and supposititious; we leave it therefore as an exposed Birth.Trithem. de script.

16. Of the twelve abuses of the world: the phrase is not Cyprian's, and the quotation of the Scriptures according to Ierom's Translation speaks it of a later date.Coci censur. Erasmus is of the mind that it came from some honest Laick: and Pamelius guesseth it to have been written by one Ebrardus, or Iohannes Climacus.

17. A small Tract entituled Coena: Goulart. in annotat.so unworthy the name of Cyprian, Pamel. in argument.that it deserves rather to bear that of a Turk than a Christian, it is so impure and ridiculous; the author seemeth to have been an Italian, some profane knave, being so well acquainted with all sorts of that Country Wine.

§ 4. His stile is such as hath a certain proper and peculiar face whereby it may be known:Epist. 48. Nec omuinò nihil habet Africum Cyprianus. Eras…. in Epist. ante opera Hilarii. In praefat. ante opera Cypr. saith Augustin, It tangs of his Country, but yet is he more plain and candid than the rest of the Africans: And I wish, saith Erasmus, that as Augustin did exceed him in the number of the Volumes which he wrote, p. 293so that he had attained unto, and equalled him in the elegancy of his language: Oh would he had as happily emulated his tongue, as he ingenuously admires it! Tertulliano, inquit Ludovicns Vives, De▪ trad. discipl. lib. 3. Ibid.loquitur clariùs, sed & ipse nonnunquam Afrè. Time was, saith Erasmus, when I accounted Ierom for the chief among the Orthodox Writers; but when I looked a little more narrowly into Cyprian, I was doubtful whether of the two to prefer, they both seemed to excel: but if a true and natural kind of speaking, and that which is more remote from a declamatory shadow, deserve the precedency; herein Cyprian went as far beyond Ierom, as Demosthe…s beyond Cicero; he is every where more serious, and hath less of affectation; his habit or form of speech is such that you may perceive him to be a true Christian Bishop, and destined unto Martyrdom: his heart burns with Evangelical Piety, and his words are answerable;Erasm. in Epist. ante opera Chrysostom. (Non minùs fortiter quàm disertè loquens) he speaks no less strongly than eloquently; for worthyness became him more than neatness: yet is he quick enough sometimes; as where he derides a certain Heretick that denyed him to be a Bishop: and likewise when he refutes those who deemed such not meet to be called Christians, but Clinicks, that in perilous diseases were baptized not only by immersion, but aspersion or sprinkling of water. For here besides that perpetual sweetness, which as blood runs through the whole Body, he useth quips and jests. Again, Africa sent forth many men famous for eloquence and learning; among p. 294whom Tertul…ian and Augustin were chief; but scarcely unto any one happened the genuine purity of the Roman Language, but only unto Cyprian. Thus Erasmus, Like a pure fountain he flows sweetly and smoothly;Hieronym. Epist. …3. ad Pa…linum. and withal he is so plain and open (which is the chief virtue of speech) that you cannot discern,Lib. 5. cap. 1. institut. saith Lactantius, whether any one were more comly in speaking, or more facil in explicating,In Hymn. de pass. Cypr. or more powerful in perswading. Prudentius also in this regard thus extols him:

O nive candidius linguae genus! O novum saporem!

Vt liquor Ambrosius cor mitigat, imbuit palatum,

Sedem animae penetrat, mentem fovet, & pererrat artus?

His phrase is most elegant (saith Sixtus Senensis) and next unto Ciceronian Candour.Biblioth. sanct. lib. 4. E…cyclop. Hist. And in the judgment of Alsted, as Lactantius may be truly accounted the Christian's Cicero; so may Cyprian their Caesar; for these two among the Latines added ornament unto Christian Doctrine. Now Caesar, saith Vives, De trad. disciplin. lib. 3.is egregiously useful for dayly speech, unto whom Tully gives the praise of a pure and uncorrupted dialect: Quintilian of elegancy, whom he peculiarly studyed: and Mr. Ascham in that learned and grave discourse which he calls his Schoolmaster, judgeth that in Caesar's Commentaries (which are to be read with all curiosity) without all exception to be made either by friend or p. 295foe, is seen the unspotted propriety of the Latine Tongue, even when it was in foreign, at the highest pitch of all perfectness: yet is his phrase various: sometimes he soars aloft, and is very copious with abundance of words:Baron. adan. 255. § 37. August. de doct. Christ. lib. 4. cap. 21. as in his Epistle unto Donatus: another time he falls as low, as in his Epistle unto Caecilius, of the Sacrament of the Lord's Cup: but most commonly he is temperate, and keeps the middle way between these extremes, as in his Treatise of the Habit of Virgins.De stud. Theolog. In a word, he was, saith Hyperius, plain, vehement, serious, and not unhappily fluent; his words breathing a venerable elegancy,Scultet. in Medull. as the things which he wrote did piety and martyrdom: whereof I now proceed to give a taste.

§ 5. In his Treatise of the vanity of Idols,§ 6, 7, 8. we have a sum of his Faith, which Froben in his Index affixed unto the edition of Erasmus, stiles the most elegant Creed or Symbol of Cyprian: containing the Doctrines of Christ, his Deity, Incarnation, Miracles, Death, Resurrection, Ascension and second coming. His words are these,

Indulgentiae Dei, gratiae, disciplinaeque arbiter & magister sermo & filius Dei mittitur, qui per Prophetas omnes retrò illuminator & doctor humani generis praedicabatur. Hic est virtus Dei, hic ratio, hic sapientia ejus & gloria, hic in Virginem illabitur: carnem, Spiritu Sancto cooperante, induitur; Deus cum homine miscetur; hic Deus noster, hic Christus est, qui mediator duorum, hominem induit, quem perducat ad Patrem; quòd homo est, Christus esse voluit, ut & homo possit esse quòd Christus est—Cum p. 296Christus Iesus secundùm a Prophetis ante praedicta, verbo & vocis imperio daemonia de hominibus excuteret, leprosos purgaret, illuminaret caecos, claudis gressum daret, mortuos rursus animaret, cogeret sibi element a famulari, servire ventos, maria obedire, inferos cedere; Iud…ei qui illum crediderant hominem tontùm, de humilitate carnis & corporis; existimabant magum de licentiâ potestatis. Hunc Magistri eorum atque primores, hoc est, quos & doctrina illâ ille & sapientiâ revincebat, accensi irâ & indignatione provocati, postremò detentum Pontio Pilato, qui tunc ex parte Romanâ Syriam procura…at, tradiderunt, crucem ejus & mortem suffragiis violentis ac pertinacibus flagitantes—Crucifix…s, prevento carnis officio, spiritum sponte dimisit, & die tertio rursus a mortuis sponte surrexit. Apparuit discipulis talis ut fuerat, agnoscendum se videntibus praebuit, simul junctus & substantiae corporalis firmitate conspicuus ad dies quadraginta remoratus est, ut d… vel ab eo ad praecepta vitalia instrui possent, & discerent que docerent. Tunc in Coelum circumfusâ nube sublatus est, ut hominem quem dilexit, quem induit, quem a morte protexit, ad patrem victor imponeret; jam venturos & è Coelo ad poenam Diaboli, & ad censuram generis humani, ultoris vigore, & judicis potestate.

2. Concerning the Article of Christ's descent into Hell,§ 2…. the Author of the Exposition of the Apostles Creed, thus speaks, We are, saith he, verily to know that it is not to be found in the Creed of the Roman Church, neither in the Oriental Churches; yet the force of the words seemeth to be the same with those wherein he is said to be buryed.

p. 2973. Of the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, the same Author of the Exposition of the Apostles Creed, having enumerated the same Books that we do: These, saith he, are they which the Fathers concluded within the Canon, out of which they would have the assertions of our Faith to consist: But we are to know further, that there are other Books which our Predecessors called not Canonical, but Ecclesiastical, as the Books of Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Toby, Iudith and Maccabees, all which they would indeed have to be read in the Churches, but yet not to be produced for the confirmation of the Faith.

4. Of how little esteem custom ought to be,§12. Epist. 74. Pompeio. if not founded upon truth, he pithily shews in that short sentence; Consuetudo sine veritate, vetustas erroris est: Custom without truth is but mouldy errour. In vain therefore, saith he,Epist. 53. § 11 ad Jubaianum. do some that are overcome by reason, oppose or object custom unto us, as if custom were greater than truth; or that in Spirituals were not to be followed, which for the better hath been revealed by the Holy Ghost. Again, if Christ alone must be heard, as Matth. 17. 5. we ought not to heed what another before us thought fit to be done,Epist. 63. § 11. Caecilio. but what Christ, who is before all, first did. Neither ought we to follow the custom of man, but the truth of God.

5. He understands by Tradition, nothing but that which is delivered in the Scripture: Let nothing be innovated, saith Stephen unto him,Epist. 74. § 2. Pompeio. but what is delivered. He replyeth, whence is this Tradition? whether doth it p. 298descend from the authority of the Lord, and the Gospel, or doth it come from the Apostles Commands and Epistles: for those things are to be done, that are Written:—If therefore this (speaking of the Rebaptization of Hereticks, or receiving them into the Church only by imposition of hands, which later was Stephens opinion against Cyprian) be either commanded in the Evangelists, or contained in the Epistles or Acts of the Apostles, let it be observed as a Divine and Holy Tradition.

6. That the Baptism of children was then received and practised in the Church; and that performed by aspersion, as valid as that by immersion. This, saith he, was our sentence in the Council,Epist. 59. § 4. ad Fidum. that none ought by us to be kept back from baptism, and the grace of God, who is merciful unto all. Now seeing this ought to be retained and observed toward all, then we think it is much more to be observed about even Infants and such as are newly born.—Neither ought it to move any one that the sick are sprinkled or have water poured on them, seeing they obtain grace of the Lord.—it appears therefore that sprinkling also obtains even as the Salutary Laver: and when these things are done in the Church, where the faith both of the giver and receiver is sound, all things may stand, be consummated and perfected, with or by the Majesty of the Lord and truth of Faith. Concerning which opinion of his Augustine thus speaks;Epist. 28. Hieronymo. Beatus Cyprianus non aliquod decretum condens novum, sed Ecclesiae fidem firmis…imam servans, ad corrigendum eos p. 299qui putabant ante octavum diem nativitatis non esse parvulum baptizandum, non carnem, fed …imam dixit non esse perdendam, & mox natum …itè baptizari posse, cum suis quibusdam coëpiscopis censuit.

7. That Devils were cast out in his time.§ 12. itē. de vanit. idol. Be ashamed (saith he unto Demetrian) to worship those Gods,§ 4. whom thou thy self must defend.—Oh, that thou wouldst but hear and see them, when they are adjured by us, and tortured with Spiritual scourges, and by the torments of words are cast out of possessed bodies, when wailing and groaning with humane voice and by Divine Power feeling whips and stripes, they confess the judgment to come. Come and know the things we say to be true—thou shalt see us to be intreated by them whom thou intreatest, to be feared by those whom thou adorest: thou shalt see them stand bound under our hand, and being captives to tremble whom thou dost honor and reverence as Lords. Certainly even thus maist thou be confounded in these thine errors, when thou shalt behold and hear thy gods at our demand forthwith to bewray what they are, and although you be present, not to be able to conceal their sleights and fallacies.

8. The various operations of the three persons in the Trinity,Tract. de bapt. Christi. § 6. are thus elegantly described in the book of the Cardinal works of Christ. In this School of Divine Mastership, it is the Father that doth teach and instruct; the Son that doth reveal and open the hidden things of God; the holy Spirit that doth p. 300replenish and endue us. From the Father we receive Power from the Son Wisdom, from the holy Spirit Innocence. By the Father is given us eternity, by the Son conformity unto his image; by the holy Spirit integrity and liberty; In the Father we are, in the Son we live, in the holy Spirit we move and go forward.

9. Of inadvertency in Prayer;Tract. de orat. Dom. § 22. what slothfulness is it, saith he, to be alienated and drawn away with foolish and profane thoughts, when thou art praying unto the Lord? as if there were some other things that thou oughtest to think on, then that thou art speaking with God. How dost thou desire to be heard of God, when thou hearest not thy self? wilt thou have the Lord to be mindful of thee when thou prayest seeing thou art not mindful of thy self? this is, not wholly to beware of the enemy; this is, when thou prayest unto God, to offend with the negligence of prayer the Majesty of God; this is, to watch with the eyes, and sleep with the heart; whereas a Christian ought, even when he sleeps with his eyes, to have his heart waking.

10. He doth most Rhetorically upbraid the slothfulness and sterility of the Lords people,Tract. de eleemosyn. § 19, 20. by bringing in Sathan with his sons of perdition, thus speaking; I, for those, O Christ whom thou seest with me, have neither received blows, nor sustained stripes, nor born the cross, nor redeemed my family with the price of my passion and death; neither do I promise them the Kingdom of heaven, nor restoring unto them immortality do I call p. 301them back again to Paradise: And yet they prepare me gifts very precious, great and gotten with too much and long labor, &c. Shew me, O Christ, any of thine, admonished by thy precepts, and that shall receive for earthly heavenly things, who bring thee such gifts:—By these My terrene and fading gifts (he means the Ethnick Spectacles) no man is fed, none clothed, none sustained by the comfort of any meat or drink; all perish in the prodigal and foolish vanity of deceiving pleasures, between the madness of him that sets them forth, and the error of the beholders, —thou promisest eternal life to those that work, and yet unto mine that perish, thine are scarce equal, who are honored by thee with Divine and Celestial rewards. Oh; my dear brethren, what shall we answer …nto these things?

11. Of Admission into the Church, thus. We (saith he) that must render an account unto the Lord,Epist. ad Cornel. 55. § 17. do anxiously weigh and sollicitously examine; those who are to be received and admitted into the Church: For some there are, whose crimes do so stand in the way, or whom the brethren do so stiffly and firmly oppose, that they cannot at all be received without the scandal and danger of many. For neither are some rotten shells so to be gathered, as that those who are whole and sound should be wounded; nor is he a profitable and advised Pastor who so mingles diseased and infected sheep with the flock, as to contaminate the whole flock by the afflictation (afflictatione) of evil cohering: Oh, if you could (dear brother) be present p. 302here with us when these crooked and perverse ones return from schism, you should see what ado I have to perswade our brethren to patience, that laying asleep or suppressing the grief of their mind, they would consent unto the receiving and curing of those evil ones. For as they rejoyce and are glad, when such as are tolerable and less culpable do return; so on the other side they murmur and strive, as often as such as are incorrigible and froward, and defiled either with adulteries or sacrifices (and after these things yet over and above proved) do so return unto the Church, that they corrupt good dispositions within: I scarce perswade, yet extort from the common sort, to suffer such to be admitted: and the grief of the fraternity is made the more just, because that one or other of those (who though the people did withstand and contradict, yet were through my facility received) became worse then they were before, nor could keep the promise of repentance, because they came not with true repentance.

12. That the people had at that time a voice in the election of their Bishop or Pastor, even in Rome it self plainly appears in the case of Cornelius so chosen; yea that it was the use every where, is evident, by these words of his:Epist. 68. § 6 That (saith he) is to be held and observed diligently from Divine Tradition and Apostolical observation, which is held with us also, and almost through all provinces; that to the right celebrating of ordinations, the Bishops of the same province next unto that people over whom the Chief p. 303Officer is ordained, do convene or meet together; and that the Bishop be chosen in the presence of the people, who most fully know the life and conversation of every one. Again,§ 4. the people obeying the Lords Commands and fearing God, ought to separate themselves from a sinful overseer, nor to mingle themselves with the sacrifices of a sacrilegious Priest; seeing they chiefly have the power either of chusing such as are worthy, or refusing the unworthy. Which very thing we see to descend from Divine Authority. And else where, speaking of Cornelius, and of his great modesty and humility when called unto the Office of a Bishop; he hath these words worth our notice;Epist. 52. Anton. §. 4. Non, inquit, ut quidam vim fecit ut Episcopus fieret; sed ipse vim passus est, ut Episcopatum coactus …ciperet. Et factus est Episcopus à plurimis … nostris, qui tunc in urbe Româ aderant, … ad nos literas honorificas, & laudabiles, & testimonio suae praedicationis illustres, de ejus ordinatione miserunt. Factus est autem Cornelius Episcopus de Dei & Christi ejus judicio, de Clericorum penè omnium testimonio, … plebis, quae tunc affuit, suffragio, & de sacerdotum antiquorum & bonorum virorum c…llegi….

13. Of the interest of the people in the management of the affairs of the Church,Epist. 6. § 5. ad Presbyteros & Diaco…os. thus he. I determined, saith he, from the very beginning of my Bishoprick, to do nothing by my private sentence, without your counsel, and the consent of my people: but when, by the grace of God, I shall come unto you, we will then handle in common p. 304those things which either have been done, or are to be done, as mutual honor requires. Again, to the same purpose: This agreeth with the modesty, and discipline, and the very life of us all,Ep. 14. § 2. that (many Bishops meeting together in one, the people also being present, unto whom even unto them honor is to be given for their faith and fear.) We should dispose of all things with the Religious care of Common Counsel.

14. Of the Original and rise of Heresies,Epist. ad Pupianū. 69. § 4. thus; Thence Schisms and Heresies have, and do arise, when the Bishop (who is one and set over the Church) is by the proud presumption of some contemned, and, a man honored with the dignity of God, is by men judged unworthy.An Exposition hereof, See in the hist. of the Council of Trent. l. 2. By one Bishop, that he means one Bishoply Office (unus Episcopatus) appertaining alike unto all rightly called thereunto, appears from. Epist. ad Antonianum. 55. § 16. & tract. de unitate Ecclesiae. § 4.

§ 6. These and many the like excellent passages are to be found in the writings of this eminent Father; Yet was not the beautiful face even of this man without its blemishes; though they were fewer then are to be observed in most of the Ancients; and, those that were, for the most part so small, that they may not unfitly be called rather freckles and morphew that do detract but little from his great worth. Such as were some hard expressions that fell from his pen; either through in advertency and want of caution; or because they were in those times commonly p. 305made use of, perhaps harmlesly then, but abused in after ages by those, who (to palliate their errors with a shew and pretence of Antiquity) strained them higher, and wrested them to another sense, then the innocent Authors intended in them.

Of this kind are the following instances.

1. Concerning free-will;Ep. ad Corneliū. 55. § … Test. ad Quirin. l. 3. § 5…. Ep. 7…. § 5. which in divers places he seems to assert: he some other where seemingly crossing himself, speaks the contrary. e. g. God, saith he, remunerates with the reward of paternal piety, whatsoever he himself hath performed, and honors that which he himself hath wrought in us.Ep. 2. § 2. Again, 'tis of God, I say, 'tis of God, (saith he) all that we can: thence we live, thence we have our strength.

2. He ascribes too much unto good works,Tract. de Eleemosyn. § 1. particularly unto alms; by which, he saith, the defilement contracted after baptism, is washed away; but that the sins preceding conversion are purged by the blood of Christ. Which yet he may be conceived to have uttered in a declamatory way:Goulart. in notis. n. 3. and is to be understood here (and throughout this whole treatise) of works as conjoyned with or accompanying Faith.

3. He attributes remession of sins to our satisfaction,Tract. de lapsis. § 1… ▪ wherewith, saith he, God is to be appeased: but of this a tolerable interpretation may be made; the word satisfaction being▪ Catachrestically taken, for the repentance and confession of the Lapsi, wherewith the Church was satisfied,Goulart. in n…tis. n. 6…. whereupon they were p. 306again admitted unto communion. And that they might the more commend unto men those Ecclesiastical Rites;Chemnit. examen. part. secund. cap. 10. the Ancients by little and little in their exhortations unto the people, began to speak hyperbolically of them, as, that pardon of sin and reconciliation were this way obtained: upon which ground, those passages of satisfaction and alms, fell inconsiderately (saith Chemnitius) from the pen of Cyprian.

4. He too eagerly and even superstitiously urgeth the mixture of water with wine in the Eucharist,Epist. 63. because water and blood came out of the side of Christ;Chem…i…. in exam. part. secund. c. 9. True it is, that in the primitive times, the custom was in many Churches (that they might Celebrate the Lords Supper with the greater sobriety) to temper the wine with water: at length some went so far (so did the Aquarii, who had thence their name, quòd aquam offerunt in poculo Sacramenti) as to make use of water only,August. de haeres. c. 64. whom here Cyprian justly reprehends; though yet he urgeth the mixture of both too vehemently and upon too slender grounds. Had he left it as a thing indifferent and not pressed it as necessary (for which Chemnitius justly blames the Council of Trent) it needed not to have been ranked among his errors.Ubi supra.

5. He seems to allow of the admission of Infants or those not come to years of discretion, Tract. de …apsis § 20.unto the Lords Supper; (its like to have been the common error of that time) as appears by the story he relates of a young Girl, who had been partaker of the Idol Sacrifices: Afterward coming with her p. 307mother unto the Christian Assembly, puella mixta cum sanctis (to give you his own words) precis nostrae & orationis impatiens, nunc ploratu concuti, nunc mentis astu coepit fluctuabunda jactari, & velut tortore cogente, quibus poterat indi…iis, conscientiam facti in simplicibus adhuc anuis (facinus enim commissum tam loqui & indicare non potuit, quàm nec intelligere prius potuit, nec arcere) rudis anima fatebatur. Vbi verò solennibus adimpletis, cali…em diaconus offerre praesentibus coepit, & accipientibus caeteris locus ejus advenit; faciem suam parvula instinctu Divinae Majestatis avertere, os labiis obturautibus premere, calicem recusare. Perstitit …men Diaconus, & reluctanti licet, de Sacramento calicis infudit. Tunc sequitur singul… & vomitus. In corpore & ore violato Eucharistia permanere non potuit. Sanctificatus in domini sanguine potus, & de polutis visceribus erupit; tanta est potestas Domini, tanta Majest…s. The necessity of this and the other Sacrament he seems to conclude from. Iohn 3. 5. Except a man be …orn of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God; And, Ad Q…irin. l. 3. § 25.I…hn 6. 53. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son if man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

6. But the greatest errour to be noted in him, (which yet, oh how small, in comparison of some in many other of the ancients) was that about rebaptization,In orat. de lect. pa…ru… ante loc. com. by Chemnitius too harshly called a fundamental errour: Ha …, inquit, errorem in fundamento. His p. 308judgment was this, that those who having been baptized by Hereticks, did forsake their Heresies, and return unto the Church, were to be received by Baptism. In this opinion many Bishops,Bin. Tom. 1. concil. not of Africa only, but of Asia also, consented with him: about which, there having been three Councils convened at Carthage; in the third (wherein Cyprian was President) it was agreed in the affirmative, upon this ground chiefly, because they thought the Baptism of Hereticks to be a nullity.

Great was the contest between the African and Western Churches about this controversie:Epist. ad Pompeium contra Steph. Epist. 74. § 1. these latter holding with the Bishop of Rome, that Hereticks returning unto the Church, were to be received only by prayer and imposition of hands: wherein they are to be conceived no less erroneous than the former; for that they allowed the Baptism of all sorts of Hereticks,Bin. concil. tom. 1. ca…. 19. without making any distinction between them: whereas, not long after in the Council of Nice, if any one flie unto the Catholick Church from the Paulianists (meaning the Samosatenians,Hieronym. advers. Lucifer. dialog. August. de Haeres. cap. 44. called by either name from the Author Paulus Samosatenus) and Cataphrygians, it is ordained or decreed that they ought altogether to be rebaptized. The reason was, because these Hereticks holding Christ to be none other than a meer man, they baptized not in the name of Christ; and so the substance and true form of Baptism not being retained by them, it was adjudged to be no Baptism. And indeed whoever is baptized by such an Heretick as openly denies the Holy Trinity, ought to p. 309be rebaptized:Osian. Epist. cent. 3. l. b. 2. cap. 13. so that it was the errour of Stephen, and those who joyned with him, that they excepted not such Hereticks as these; as Cyprian erred in excepting none.

But Stephen, though he were little less erroneous than Cyprian herein, yet did he differ much in his disposition and carriage:Epist Firmil. ad Cypr. 75. § 21. for according unto his hot and cholerick temper, he declared publickly against Firmilian Bishop of Cesarea in Cappadocia (of Cyprian's opinion) and excommunicated all those that dissented from himself. Contrariwise, Cyprian discovering herein the mildness of his spirit, thus bespeaks his colleagues in the Council of Carthage: (Ierom in commendation of him,Advers. Luciferian. cites two passages of his to the same purpose, the one ex Epistolâ ad Stephanum Episcopum Romanum: the other ex Epistolâ ad Iubaianum: In the former his words are these, Quâ in re, inquit, nec nos vim cuiquam facimus aut legem damus; cum habeat in Ecclesiae administratione voluntatis suae liberum arbitrium unusquisque praepositus, rationem actus sui Domino redditurus.)Bin. Tom. 1. concil. It remains, saith he, that we produce what each of us thinks concerning this thing, judging no man, or removing any of another judgment from the right of Communion: for none of us makes himself a Bishop of Bishops, or with tyrannical terrour drives his collegues to a necessity of obeying: seeing every Bishop hath a proper judgment, according unto his own liberty and power; as, who cannot be judged by another, seeing that he himself cannot judge another. But we all expect the judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ, who only and alone p. 310hath power of preferring us in the Government of his Church, and of judging our actions.See de … contra Donatist. lib. 5. cap. 17. Oh how much is Augustin taken and delighted with the peaceableness, charity and moderation of Cyprian herein, for which he greatly admires and commends him.Ibid. lib. cap. 18. And, saith he, the Lord therefore did not discover this truth unto him, that his pious humility and charity in wholsomly keeping the peace of the Church, might be the more open and manifest, and taken notice of as a remedy, not only by the Christians of that time, but also by posterity, &c.

Moreover, let me add (as making much to his praise) that he was not obstinate in his errour; for as he was learned and skilful to teach oth…rs, so was he also docil and pat…ent to learn of others:Ibid lib. 2. …. 4 …. 4. cap. 5. which I doubt not, saith Augustin, he would have demonstrated, had he discussed this question with holy and learned men. Yea, saith he, perhaps he did correct his errour, but we know it not: for neither could all things, which at that time were done among the Bishops, be committed to memory and writing; nor do we know all things that were so committed.Epist. 48. Again, we do not find, saith he, that he corrected his errour; yet may we imagine not incongruously of such a man, that he did correct it, and that it was perhaps suppressed by those who were too much delighted with this errour, and were unwilling to want so great a patronage. And this hath been by some so far charitably believed, that they have plainly affirmed so much, that he did, being convinced by the Orthodox, renounce his errour herein: p. 311so Bede, In vitâ Cyprian.quoted by Pamelius, Supplement, Bergomens. Platina in vitâ Lucii: Scaliger in Elench. Ad an. 258. § 51.Trihaeres…i Nicolai Serari, cap. 31. And Baronius, who tells us that none can justly doubt of it, seeing both the Eastern and Western Churches have always used to celebrate the Birth Day of the Martyr Cyprian. Briefly, either he was not,Epist. 48. saith Augustin, of the opinion that you the (Donatists) report him to have been of, or he afterward corrected it by the rule of truth, or else he covered this (quasi naevum) spot as it were of his white Breast,Ubere: velo saith Doctor Gaude…. in his Suspiria Eccles. Anglican. lib. 3. c 13. with the pap or veil of charity; while he most copiously defended the unity of the Church increasing through the whole world, and most perseveringly detain'd the bond of peace.

§ 7. As touching his Martyrdom,Pontius in vitâ Cypr. it is recorded, that upon his first entrance into Cu…ubis (the place of his banishment) it was revealed unto him in a Vision (whereof he had divers,Epist. 69. § 8. and attributed much unto them) that upon that same day in the year following he should be consummate and crowned;Pamel. in vitâ ejus. which accordingly fell out: For being by Galerius Maximus (who succeeded Paternus in the Proconsulship) recalled from his banishment,Paul. Diacon. in pass. Cyprian…. Pamel. … ejus he according unto the Imperial Edict, abode a while in his own Garden; from whence, being certified that certain Officers were sent to bring him unto Vtica (a famous Town not far from Carthage) he withdrew for certain days,Epist. 83. § 1. by the perswasion of his dearest Friends, unto whom herein he consented, and, as himself saith, not without p. 312just cause; for that it is meet a Bishop should in that City wherein he is set over the Lord's Church, there confess the Lord, and so make the whole people famous by the confession of their present Overseer: for whatsoever in that moment of Confession, the Confessour Bishop speaketh, God inspiring him, he speaks with the mouth of all. If it should be otherwise, the honour of our so glorious a Church shall be maimed, &c. Here therefore lying hid, we expect the coming of the Proconsul, saith he, returning unto Carthage, that we may hear what the Emperour shall command, and speak what the Lord shall give in that hour. Accordingly there came suddenly (upon the Ides of September) two Apparitours to bring him before the new Pròconsul Galerius; Pamel. in vi…â.but being put off till the next day (the Lord so willing that he might dispose of the affairs of the Church) he was brought then into the Court of Judgment, where he received this sentence, that having been the Standard bearer of his Sect,Pontius in vitâ ejus. Paul. Discon. in passion. Cypr. and an Enemy of the gods, and one that would still be an example unto his own, refusing to offer sacrifice, It is my pleasure, saith Galerius, that he be beheaded. Which Sentence being passed, he was led away unto a certain place called Sexti, about four miles (six saith Baronius) from the City,Ad an. 261. § 22. a great multitude following him, and crying, Let us die together with the Holy Bishop. Being come unto the place, he submitted himself unto the stroke of the Sword, by which his Head being severed from his Body, he changed this frail for an eternal life, being the first of p. 313the Bishops of Carthage that sealed the truth with his blood.Pamel. in vitâ. He suffered under the Emperours Valerian and Galerius, anno Christi, 259.

The Carthaginians did so highly honour,Niceph. lib. 17. cap. 12. and had him in such veneration, that they erected unto him a most magnificent Temple, and kept a yearly Festival in memory of him, which from his name they call Cypriana: as Mariners do also a certain storm that usually falls out about the same time.