EPIST. the lapsed to communion, were checked by my interposition. XX. I have also, as much as I could, composed the minds of the people, and have instructed them that Ecclesiastical discipline must be upheld. A. 250. 2. But afterwards, when some of the lapsed, either of their own accord, or some one inciting them, broke out into bold demands, so as to endeavour to extort by violence the peace promised them by the Martyrs and Confessors, I twice wrote on this subject also to the Clergy, and ordered my Epistles to be read to them, directing, (if so I might by any means mitigate their violence at present,) that any who, having received letters from the Martyrs, were departing this life, should, having confessed, and received imposition of hands unto repentance, be remitted to the Lord with the peace promised them by the Martyrs. Nor in this did I lay down a law, or rashly make myself its author. But whereas it seemed right that both honour should be shewn to the Martyrs, and yet the violence of those, who desired to throw every thing into confusion, be checked, and moreover, having read your letter, lately sent to my Clergy through Crementius the Subdeacon, to the effect that those should be holpen who, having lapsed, were seized with sickness, and who repenting desired communion-I thought it right to abide by what was your opinion also, lest our conduct in the Ministry, which ought to be united and to agree in all things, should in some respect differ. As to the cases of the rest, notwithstanding they have received letters from the Martyrs, I ordered them to be entirely deferred; and to be reserved until my return: that so, when the Lord shall have vouchsafed us peace, and several Bishops shall have met together, we may, with the assistance of your counsel also, set in order and restore every thing. I bid you, dearest brethren, ever heartily farewell. Sympathy felt and craved while suffering for Christ. 49 EPISTLE XXI. Celerinus to Lucianus, greeting. As I write this to you, my lord and brother, I am both glad and sorrowful; glad in that I have heard you are imprisoned for the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and have confessed His Name before the magistrates of this world; sorrowful, in that since I accompanied you, I have never been able to receive a letter from you. And just now a double sorrow weighs upon me; for that although you knew that Montanus, our common brother, was coming from you out of prison to me, yet you have not signified to me. how you fare, or what is being done about you. This, indeed, usually happens to the servants of God, especially to those who are set for the confession of Christ. For I know that each one no longer regards the things of the world, in that he hopes for a heavenly crown. For I have said that perhaps you have forgotten to write to me. For, if I, out of the lowest place, may be named to thee as thine, or as brother, if I am worthy of the name of Celerinus-still when I too was in the same empurpled confession, I remembered. my oldest brethren: and I mentioned them in my Epistles, and that their ancient dearness still continued with me, and mine. However, dearest brother, I pray the Lord that if you should be first washed in that sacred Blood, and have suffered for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, before my Epistle reaches you in this world; or now should it reach you, that you would write in answer to me. So may He crown you, Whose Name you have confessed. For I believe that although we see not each other in this world, yet in that to come we shall embrace in the presence of Christ. Beg that I too may be worthy to be crowned in your number. Know, however, that I am set in great tribulation, and night and day so call to mind your ancient affection, as if you were present with me, God alone knoweth. Therefore I beg of you to grant my Both this Epistle and the answer seem written by persons little versed in writing, Confessors probably of the E less instructed sort. (see Ep. 15 and 27. §. 1.) The meaning given is in some few places conjectural. XXI. A. 250. 50 Intercession asked for, upon penitence and good works. EPIST. request, and mourn with me over the death of my sister, who in this time of desolation has fallen from Christ. For she has sacrificed, and provoked the anger of the Lord: this is manifest to us. For whose deeds I, in this period of Easter joy, weeping day and night, have in sackcloth and ashes spent my days in tears, and still spend them to this present day, until aid be given by our Lord Jesus Christ, and pity obtained through you or through those my Masters who shall have been crowned, from whom you will entreat, that these dreadful wrecks of the Faith may be pardoned; for I bear in mind your ancient affection, so that you will grieve with all for our sisters, whom you also know well, I mean, Numeria and Candida; for whose sins, since they have us as brethren, we ought to hold watch. For I believe that Christ will have respect to their repentance and good works, which they have done towards our colleagues in banishment who have come from you, from whom too you will hear of their works:-I believe, I say, that Christ will pardon them on the entreaty of you His Martyrs. For I hear that you have received the ministry of those that have confessed unto blood. Happy thou! to fulfil those wishes which thou always longedst for; ever sleeping on the ground. Thou hast wished to be imprisoned for His Name, which has now befallen thee, as it is Ps.20,4. written, The Lord grant thee according to thine own heart. And now made a priest of God over them, yet the same their minister, hath reviewed the case. Therefore, my lord, I beg and entreat by our Lord Jesus Christ, that you would refer the matter to the rest, your colleagues, your brethren, my lords, and entreat of them, that whoever of you shall first be crowned, will remit that so great sin, to those our sisters Numeria and Candida. Moreover, this latter I have ever called Etecusa, God is my witness, because she gave money for herself that she might not sacrifice; but she seems only to have gone up to the Tria Fata', and after Ministering to the Saints a ground of restoration. 51 that to have come down. I know therefore that she has not sacrificed. When their cause was lately heard, the ruling Presbyters bade them wait as they are, until a Bishop is appointed. But as far as you may by your holy prayers and petitions, in which we confide, since ye are friends, and moreover witnesses of Christ, that you will indulge us in all things I entreat therefore, dearest lord, Lucianus, that you would remember me, and grant my petition. So may Christ confer upon you that holy crown, which He has given you not only in confession, but also in holiness of life, wherein you have ever run, and been an example to the saints, and ever a witness. I entreat that you will refer this matter to all my lords, your brethren, the Confessors, that these my sisters may obtain assistance from you. This too you should know, lord and brother, that not only do I entreat this for them, but Statius also, and Severianus, and all the Confessors, who have come hither from you, to whom these our sisters went down in the harbour, and brought up to the city; wherein they have ministered to as many as sixty-five, and to this day tend them in all things. For all are with them. But I ought not to trouble your pious breast further, for I know the promptness of your will. Macarius greets you, with his sisters Cornelia and Emerita, who rejoice in your empurpled confession, and that of all the brethren, and Saturninus, who himself also has wrestled with the devil, and who has confessed the Name of Christ, and who boldly confessed when tortured by the grappling-irons, and who earnestly begs and entreats the same. Your brethren Calphurnius, and Maria, and all the holy brethren, greet you. This too you should know, that I have written also to my lords, your brethren, and I beg you would read my Epistle to them. EPISTLE XXII. Lucianus to Celerinus his lord, and if I am worthy so to be called, Colleague in Christ, greeting. I have received your letter, most dearly beloved lord and brother, in which you have so overwhelmed me with obligain place of Fabian. 52 Letters of reconciliation given in the name of Paulus. EPIST. tions, that I was almost overset by excess of joy, so that your XXII. letter, which I too wished, after so long an interval, to read, in A. 250. which you deigned to make mention of me, I rejoiced above measure at reading, through the kindness of your so great condescension; who writing to me, say, " If I am worthy to be called your brother;" and this, of a man who confessed the Name of God with fear, before a more petty tribunal. For thou, by God's will, in thy confession didst not only drive back the great dragon himself, the pioneer of Antichrist, [but] by that voice and those deific words, which I know, hast conquered, as a lover of the faith, and jealous for the doctrine of Christ, with that lively energy, which I know in you, wherein I rejoice that you abide. Now, dearest, already to be numbered among the Martyrs, thou hast been pleased to oppress me by thy letter, in which thou hast signified of our sisters; of whom would that the mention arose not in the commission of so great a crime. Then in truth we should not shed so many tears, as now. Thou shouldest know what has been done about us. When the blessed Martyr Paulus was still in the body, he called me, and said to me, "Lucian, I charge thee before Christ, that if any one shall ask peace of thee after I am summoned away, grant it in my name." Moreover all of us whom the Lord, in this so great tribulation, hath deigned to summon, all of us by mutual compact, have by our letters given peace to all. Thou seest then, brother, that part hereof Paulus hath enjoined to me; we too gave our sentence in behalf of all, of whom we also were in this tribulation', when we were commanded, by the Emperor's order, to be put to death by hunger and thirst, and were shut up in two dungeons, that they might subdue us by hunger and thirst, and moreover by suffocation from smoke; and our distress was intolerable, such as no one could endure"; but now we have attained to the very brightness itself'. Therefore, dearest brother, greet h The Emperor Decius. This seems said in humility; the confessors and the lapsed were involved in one common trial, belonged to one body, and so the confessors might the rather be called upon to relieve the lapsed. In the former part of the sentence, Bp. Fell's text furnishes a comment on the obscurer Benedictine. k Sed et ignis vapore: et pressura nostra erat intolerabilis F. è Vat. sed et ignis ab opere pressuræ nostræ, Edd. et Bal. A freer air, F. or it may be like, "Thou hast made us pass through fire and water, and broughtest us out into a wealthy place." |