Cyprian

“ For we are not ignorant that there is one God; that there is one Christ the Lord whom we have confessed, and one Holy Spirit; and that in the Catholic Church there ought to be one bishop.” [7] Were we not rightly induced by that confession of theirs, [8] to allow that what they had confessed before the power of the world they might approve when established in the Church? Wherefore we bade Maximus the presbyter to take his own place; the rest we received with great approbation of the people. But we remitted all things to Almighty God, in whose power all things are reserved. ”

“ The whole of this transaction therefore being brought before me, I decided that the presbytery [5] should be brought together; (for there were present five bishops, who were also present to-day;) so that by well-grounded counsel it might be determined with the consent of all what ought to be observed in respect of their persons. ”

“ Ep. xlix. a.d. 251.↑ Novatian.↑ Baluz.: “Announced the swelling pride of some, the softened temper of others.”↑ [i.e., for episcopal ordination and consecration.] ↑ [See Ep. xvii. p. 296, supra.] ↑ Matt. v. 8.↑ [Episcopatus unus est. One bishop, i e., one episcopate. See the note, Oxford translation of this letter, p. 108, and Cyprian’s theory of the same in his Treatise on Unity.] ↑ Baluzius reads, without authority: “Who would not be moved by that profession of theirs,” etc. ”