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J. Patout Burns
Cyprian the Bishop -----
 
Allen Brent
Cyprian and Roman Carthage -----
 
Everett Ferguson
Baptism in the Early Church |
Epistle LXX.
To Quintus, Concerning the Baptism of Heretics.
Argument.—An Answer is Given to Quintus a Bishop in Mauritania, Who Has
Asked Advice Concerning the Baptism of Heretics.
1. Cyprian to Quintus his brother, greeting. Lucian, our co-presbyter, has
reported to me, dearest brother, that you have wished me to declare to you what
I think concerning those who seem to have been baptized by heretics and
schismatics; of which matter, that you may know what several of us
fellow-bishops, with the brother presbyters who were present, lately determined
in council, I have sent you a copy of the same epistle. For I know not by what
presumption some of our colleagues are led to think that they who have been
dipped by heretics ought not to be baptized when they come to us, for the reason
that they say that there is one baptism which indeed is therefore one, because
the Church is one, and there cannot be any baptism out of the Church. For since
there cannot be two baptisms, if heretics truly baptize, they themselves have
this baptism. And he who of his own authority grants this advantage to them
yields and consents to them, that the enemy and adversary of Christ should seem
to have the power of washing, and purifying, and sanctifying a man. But we say
that those who come thence are not re-baptized among us, but are baptized. For
indeed they do not receive anything there, where there is nothing; but they come
to us, that here they may receive where there is both grace and all truth,
because both grace and truth are one. But again some of our colleagues would
rather give honour to heretics than agree with us; and while by the assertion of
one baptism they are unwilling to baptize those that come, they thus either
themselves make two baptisms in saying that there is a baptism among heretics;
or certainly, which is a matter of more importance, they strive to set before
and prefer the sordid and profane washing of heretics to the true and only and
legitimate baptism of the Catholic Church, not considering that it is written,
“He who is baptized by one dead, what availeth his washing?” Now it is manifest
that they who are not in the Church of Christ are reckoned among the dead; and
another cannot be made alive by him who himself is not alive, since there is one
Church which, having attained the grace of eternal life, both lives for ever and
quickens the people of God.
2. And they say that in this matter they follow ancient custom; although among
the ancients these were as yet the first beginnings of heresy and schisms, so
that those were involved in them who departed from the Church, having first been
baptized therein; and these, therefore, when they returned to the Church and
repented, it was not necessary to baptize. Which also we observe in the present
day, that it is sufficient to lay hands for repentance upon those who are known
to have been baptized in the Church, and have gone over from us to the heretics,
if, subsequently acknowledging their sin and putting away their error, they
return to the truth and to their parent; so that, because it had been a sheep,
the Shepherd may receive into His fold the estranged and vagrant sheep. But if
he who comes from the heretics has not previously been baptized in the Church,
but comes as a stranger and entirely profane, he must be baptized, that he may
become a sheep, because in the holy Church is the one water which makes sheep.
And therefore, because there can be nothing common to falsehood and truth, to
darkness and light, to death and immortality, to Antichrist and Christ, we ought
by all means to maintain the unity of the Catholic Church, and not to give way
to the enemies of faith and truth in any respect. 3. Neither must we prescribe
this from custom, but overcome opposite custom by reason. For neither did Peter,
whom first the Lord chose, and upon whom He built His Church, when Paul disputed
with him afterwards about circumcision, claim anything to himself insolently,
nor arrogantly assume anything; so as to say that he held the primacy, and that
he ought rather to be obeyed by novices and those lately come. Nor did he
despise Paul because he had previously been a persecutor of the Church, but
admitted the counsel of truth, and easily yielded to the lawful reason which
Paul asserted, furnishing thus an illustration to us both of concord and of
patience, that we should not obstinately love our own opinions, but should
rather adopt as our own those which at any time are usefully and wholesomely
suggested by our brethren and colleagues, if they be true and lawful. Paul,
moreover, looking forward to this, and consulting faithfully for concord and
peace, has laid down in his epistle this rule: “Moreover, let the prophets speak
two or three, and let the rest judge. But if anything be revealed to another
that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.” In which place he has taught and
shown that many things are revealed to individuals for the better, and that each
one ought not obstinately to contend for that which he had once imbibed and
held; but if anything has appeared better and more useful, he should gladly
embrace it. For we are not overcome when better things are presented to us, but
we are instructed, especially in those matters which pertain to the unity of the
Church and the truth of our hope and faith; so that we, priests of God and
prelates of His Church, by His condescension, should know that remission of sins
cannot be given save in the Church, nor can the adversaries of Christ claim to
themselves anything belonging to His grace. 4. Which thing, indeed, Agrippinus
also, a man of worthy memory, with his other fellow-bishops, who at that time
governed the Lord’s Church in the province of Africa and Numidia, decreed, and
by the well-weighed examination of the common council established: whose
opinion, as being both religious and lawful and salutary, and in harmony with
the Catholic faith and Church, we also have followed. And that you may know what
kind of letters we have written on this subject, I have transmitted for our
mutual love a copy of them, as well for your own information as for that of our
fellow-bishops who are in those parts. I bid you, dearest brother, ever heartily
farewell.
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