XXXIX.

88 Noble sufferings of Celerinus §his ancestry—commemorated.

EPIST. away by a long endurance of hunger and thirst; but his A. 250. soul, living by faith and courage, God fed with spiritual nourishment. He lay amidst tortures, mightier than his tortures; in prison greater than his imprisoners; prostrate, loftier than those who stood; bound, firmer than the chains that bound him; judged, higher than his judges; and although his feet were bound in the stocks, yet the serpent was trodden on, crushed, and conquered. Bright marks of wounds shine in his glorious body; the traces stamped thereon stand out, plain to sight, on the sinews and limbs of one worn by long wasting. Great and wonderful are the things which the brotherhood have to hear of his virtues and praises. And if there be one like Thomas, who believeth not on hearing, ocular proof is not wanting, so that what he heareth he may also see. To the servant of God the glory of his wounds gave the victory; the memorial of his scars preserve that glory. Nor is this a strange or new title of glory to our most beloved Celerinus. He walks in the steps of his own kindred; he is equalled to his ancestors and relatives, by the likeness of the honour vouchsafed by God. His grandmother Celerina' was long since crowned with martyrdom. His paternal and maternal uncles too, Laurentius and Ignatius, who also formerly warred in the armies of this world, but true and spiritual soldiers of God, whilst they overthrew the devil by the Confession of Christ, earned wreaths and crowns from the Lord by a glorious suffering. We continually offer oblations for them, as you remember, whenever we celebrate the sufferings and days of the Martyrs in the annual commemoration. He then could neither be degenerate nor inferior, whom the dignity and high-souled nobility of his family so called forth by domestic examples of courage and of faith. But if in a family of the world it is matter of distinction and praise to be a patrician, how much greater the praise and honour, to become of noble birth in heavenly distinction! I know not which to call more blessed, whether them for a posterity so illustrious, or him for an origin so glorious. So cqually doth the Divine favour flow to and fro amid them, that both the dignity of their offspring adorns bably is mentioned in Victor Vit. de Pers. Afr. 1. i. [B. P. viii. 676.] B.

⚫ S. Aug. Serm. 48 and 174 are stated to have been delivered in the basilica of Celerina. The same pro

Confessors the fittest to read our Lord's words in the Gospel. 89 their crown, and the loftiness of his race sheds lustre on his glory.

2. This man, coming to me, dearest brethren, with such vouchsafements from the Lord, illustrious by the testimony and wonder of the very person who had persecuted him, what else was to be done than that he should be placed on the pulpit, that is, on the tribunal of the Church, that, placed on the eminence of a loftier station, and conspicuous to the whole people conformably to the brightness of his honour, he may read the precepts and the Gospel of the Lord, which he courageously and faithfully follows? Be the voice, which hath confessed the Lord, daily heard in the words which the Lord hath spoken! Be it considered whether there is any higher degree to which he may be advanced in the Church!

3. There is nothing wherein a Confessor can more benefit the brethren, than if, while the reading of the Gospel is heard from his mouth, whoso hears, would imitate the faith of the Reader. He ought to be joined with Aurelius in reading, with whom also he had been joined in a fellowship of divine honour, with whom he had been united in all distinctions of virtue and praise. Both equal, and each resembling the other; highly exalted in glory, yet as lowly in modesty; exalted by Divine favour, humbling themselves in their own quiet and calm demeanour; giving examples to all, alike of courage and of conduct; formed both for persecution and for peace; praiseworthy, in the one for strength, in the other for modesty. In such servants the Lord rejoiceth. In Confessors of this kind He glorieth, whose walk and conversation so contributes to the heralding of their glory, that it gives to others an example of discipline. To this end Christ willed them to remain longer here in the Church; to this end, withdrawn from the midst of death, by a sort of resurrection, if I may so speak, wrought on them, He reserved them in safety; that while nothing more exalted in honour, nothing more lowly in humility, is seen by the brethren, the brotherhood follow and imitate these same persons. may Understand then that they are for the present appointed Readers,

P Decius. This with an expression in the beginning of this Ep. and in Ep. 22. implies that some temporary impression was made on the Emperor by this en

durance of Celerinus, or that at least he felt himself baffled, and that some testimony was wrung from him.

XL.

90 St. C. bidden in vision to enrol Numidicus in his Clergy.

EPIST. because it was fitting that the candle should be set in a A. 250, candlestick, whence it may give light to all, and their glorious

countenances be placed on a higher station, where, beheld by all the surrounding brotherhood, they may to the beholders furnish an incitement to glory. But understand that I have already designed them for the honour of the Presbytery, that they may be honoured with the same allowances as the Presbyters, and share the monthly divisions in equal quantities, hereafter to sit with us in their advanced and strengthened years; though in no respect can one be accounted inferior in age, who has fulfilled his age by the greatness of his glory.

I bid you, dearest and much longed for brethren, ever heartily farewell.

EPISTLE XL.

Cyprian to the Presbyters and Deacons, and the whole people, dearest and much longed for brethren, greeting.

I must announce to you, dearest brethren, what pertaineth both to the common joy, and to the exceeding glory of our Church. For you are to know that I have been admonished and instructed by a Divine vouchsafement, to enrol Numidicus the presbyter in the number of the Carthaginian presbyters, and that he should sit with us among the Clergy, in the lustre of the brightest light of Confession, and exalted by the glory of his courage and faith; who, by his exhortations, sent before himself a numerous band of Martyrs, slain by stones and the flames; and who with joy beheld the wife at his side, burnt (I should rather say preserved) together with the rest. He himself half-burnt and buried under the stones and left for dead, when shortly after, his daughter, with the anxious devotion of piety, sought the corpse of her father, being found half dead, and extricated and brought to life, unwillingly remained behind from among the companions whom himself had sent before; but this, as we see, was the occasion of his remaining, that the Lord might join him with our Clergy, and might adorn with glorious priests the number of our presbytery, that was desolate by the lapse of some. And

a invitus. The Ben. has invictus, but no authorities are given.

a

Occasion of the schism of Felicissimus.

91

indeed he shall be promoted, when God shall permit, to a higher degree in his quarter, when by the favour of the Lord we have returned amongst you. Meanwhile let what is shewn' be done, that we receive this gift with thanksgiving, in vihoping from the Lord's mercy many more ornaments of the same kind; that so, when the strength of the Church is renewed, He may cause men so meek and humble to flourish in honour in our consistory.

I bid you, dearest and much longed for brethren, ever heartily farewell.

sion

EPISTLE XLI.

Cyprian to Caldonius and Herculanus, his Colleagues; also to Rogatianus and Numidicus, his fellow-Presbyters, greeting.

I was exceedingly afflicted, dearest brethren, at the receipt of your letter; that, whereas it has ever been my purpose and wish to hold together our whole brotherhood in safety, and to preserve the flock unspoiled according as charity requires; yet ye now announce that Felicissimus hath planned many wicked and treacherous devices; so that beyond his old frauds and extortions, of which I had already known much, he hath now attempted also to divide a portion of the people from their Bishop, that is, to separate sheep from the shepherd, and sons from their parent, and to scatter the members of Christ. And whereas I sent you as my deputies, to discharge with certain sums the necessary expenses of our brethren; and, if any would follow their trades, to aid their purposes, by such an addition as need required; and at the same time to ascertain their ages, conditions, and deserts; that so I, on whom this care is incumbent, might best know them all, and promote to offices of ecclesiastical administration whosoever are worthy and humble and meek, he however has interfered, so that no one be relieved, nor the things, that I desired, be by diligent enquiry ascertained; he has threatened our brethren too, who first came to be relieved, with reckless assumption of power and violent menaces, that those who chose to obey us should not communicate with him in death. And whereas after all these things, he, neither moved by the dignity of my office, nor

A. 251.

A. 251.

92 F. threatening the Church, pronounces his own sentence.

EPIST. deterred by your authority and presence, of his own impulse XLI. disturbing the quiet of the brethren, hath cast himself forth with many more, with headlong madness declaring himself leader of a faction and chief of sedition, (wherein indeed I rejoice that very many brethren have withdrawn from this boldness, and have preferred to remain contented under you, that so they may abide with their mother the Church, and receive her pay at the Bishop's hands; which moreover I feel assured others also will peaceably do, and will soon withdraw from their rash error;)-meanwhile whereas Felicissimus has threatened, that they should not communicate with him in death, who have obeyed us, that is, who communicate with us; let him receive the sentence which he has first pronounced; and let him know that he is excommunicated by us; since to his fraud and extortion, whereof we are cognizant by the clear truth, the crime of adultery is also added; which brethren of ours, grave men, have announced that they have detected, and have solemnly declared that they will prove. All which matters we will then take cognizance of, when, by God's permission, we shall have met together with more of our Colleagues. Moreover Augendus, who, regarding neither the Bishop nor the Church, has equally associated himself with him in this conspiracy and faction, if he shall continue longer with him, must bear the sentence which that factious and rash man has brought down upon himself. Moreover, whosoever shall join himself to his conspiracy and faction, must know that he cannot communicate in the Church with us, who of his own accord has chosen to be separated from the Church. Read this my Epistle to our brethren, and transmit it also to the Clergy at Carthage, adding the names of those who have joined themselves to Felicissimus.

I bid you, dearest brethren, ever heartily farewell, and remember me. Farewell.

EPISTLE XLII.

Caldonius with Herculanus and Victor, his Colleagues; also with Rogatianus and Numidicus, Presbyters, to Cyprian, greeting.

We have deprived Felicissimus and Augendus of com