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Cyprian of Carthage. A. D. 248. 51
this ancient writer: wo shall at the same lime observe more
tokens of high esteem ior them.
It is fit, hoM ever, that we should lirst take notice of his
general division ol'all the scriptures received by christians,
which is" that of Old and New. The study of both these
Cyprian recommends as very beneficial for confirming- our
virtue and increasing our knowledge ; and he calls them the
books of the Spirit, or inspired m ritings, the divine fountains,
and fountains of the divine fulness. So he writes in his
preface to his first tMo books of Testimonies.
The general titles and divisions of the New Scriptures are
such as these: Cyprian himself, delivering his sentiment in
the forementioned council, says; ' My^ opinion is, that
heretics, which by the evangelic and apostolic authority are
declared adversaries of Christ, and antichrists, Mhen they
come to the church, are to be baptized with the one only
baptism of the church.' In another place" he observes Avhat
is written of obtaining remission of sins ' in the gospels and
the epistles of the apostles.' Again; ' Whence,' says'' he,
' is that tradition ? Does it descend from the authority of the
Lord and the gospels, or does it come from the commandments
and epistles of the apostles? For those things ought
to be done which are written, as God taught Joshua the son
of Nun :' Josh. i. 8. And soon after; ' Ify therefore it is
commanded in the gospel, or is contained in epistles or Acts,
that they who come over from any heresy should not be
baptized, but only have imposition of hands in order to
penance, let that sacred and divine tradition be observed.'
From this passage it may be argued, that the book of the
Acts of the Apostles was joined with the epistles, not with
the gospels. We see plainly that this general division of
" —quce legenti tibi [al. legentibus] interim prosint ad prima fidei linea-
menta formanda. Plus roboris [tibi] dabitur, et magis ac magis intellectus
cordis operabitur scratanti scripturas veteres ac novas plenius.etuniverea librorum
spiritual ium volumina perlegenti. Nam nos nunc de divinis fontibus implevimus
modicum, quod ibi interim mitteremus. Bibere et saturari copiosius
poteris, si tu quoque ad eosdem divinse plenitudinis fontes nobiscum pariter
potaturus accesseris. p. 18. " Haereticos secundum evangelicam et
apostolicam contestationem adversaries Christi et antichristos appellatos, quando
ad ecclesiam venerint, unico ecclesiae baptismo baptizandos esse. p. 243.
* Quod enim in evangeliis et apostolorum epistolis Jesu Cluisti nonien in-
sinuaturad remissionem peccatorum, non ita est quasi aut sine Patre, aut contra
Patrem prodesse cuipiam solus Filius possit. Ep. 73. p. 205.
" Unde est ista traditio ? utrumne de Dominica et evangelica auctoritate
descendeas, an de apostolorum mandatis atque epistolis veniens ? Ea enim
facienda esse, quae scripta sunt, Deus testatur et proponit ad Jesum Nave, dicens,
&c. Ep. 74. p. 21 1. y Si ergo aut in evangelio praecipitur, aut in
apostolorum epistolis aut Actibus continetur ;— observetur divina hfec ct sancta
traditio. ibid.
E 2