Letter 17

Cyprian to the presbyters and deacons, his brothers, greetings. The Lord says: "On whom shall I look, but on the one who is humble and quiet, and who trembles at my words?" [Isaiah 66:2] We should all be like this, but especially those who must work hard after a serious fall, earning the Lord's favor through genuine repentance and deep humility. I have now read the letter from the full body of confessors. They want me to circulate it to all my colleagues, and in it they request that peace be guaranteed to everyone whose conduct since their sin has, in our judgment, been satisfactory. But this is a matter that requires the counsel and judgment of all of us, and I do not dare to prejudge it or claim a collective decision as my own. So for now, let us stand by the letters I recently wrote to you. I have already sent copies to many of my colleagues, and they have written back expressing their approval of my position. They agree that we must not depart from it until the Lord grants us peace and we can assemble together in one place to examine each case individually. But so you can see what my colleague Caldonius wrote to me and how I replied, I have enclosed copies of both letters. Please read them in full to our brothers and sisters, so they can settle more firmly into patience and not pile a new offense on top of their earlier one — refusing to obey either me or the Gospel, and not allowing their cases to be examined in accordance with the letters of all the confessors. Farewell, beloved brothers, and remember me in your prayers. Greet the whole brotherhood.

Epistle 17 Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99... To the Presbyters and Deacons About the Foregoing and the Following Letters. Argument.— No Account is to Be Made of Certificates from the Martyrs Before the Peace of the Church is Restored. Cyprian to the presbyters and deacons, his brethren, greeting. The Lord speaks and says, Upon whom shall I look, but upon him that is humble and quiet, and that trembles at my words? Isaiah 66:2 Although we ought all to be this, yet especially those ought to be so who must labour, that, after their grave lapse, they may, by true penitence and absolute humility, deserve well of the Lord. Now I have read the letter of the whole body of confessors, which they wish to be made known by me to all my colleagues, and in which they requested that the peace given by themselves should be assured to those concerning whom the account of what they have done since their crime has been, in our estimation, satisfactory; which matter, as it waits for the counsel and judgment of all of us, I do not dare to prejudge, and so to assume a common cause for my own decision. And therefore, in the meantime, let us abide by the letters which I lately wrote to you, of which I have now sent a copy to many of my colleagues, who wrote in reply, that they were pleased with what I had decided, and that there must be no departure therefrom, until, peace being granted to us by the Lord, we shall be able to assemble together into one place, and to examine into the cases of individuals. But that you may know both what my colleague Caldonius wrote to me, and what I replied to him, I have enclosed with my letter a copy of each letter, the whole of which I beg you to read to our brethren, that they may be more and more settled down to patience, and not add another fault to what had hitherto been their former fault, not being willing to obey either me or the Gospel, nor allowing their cases to be examined in accordance with the letters of all the confessors. I bid you, beloved brethren, ever heartily farewell; and have me in remembrance. Salute all the brotherhood. Farewell!