On the Unity of the Catholic Church · §1 · Cyprian of Carthage

The serpent's hidden attack is more to be feared than open persecution

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Cyprian opens his treatise by addressing his beloved brethren, warning that the devil's hidden, deceptive attacks are more dangerous than open persecution.

The Lord warns us and says, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13), and he commands us to be simple unto innocence, yet prudent with simplicity. So what else, dearly beloved brothers, should we do but look ahead, and with watchful hearts stay alert, so that we both understand and avoid the snares of the crafty enemy? For we have put on Christ, the wisdom of God the Father, and we must not seem to lack wisdom in guarding our salvation. Persecution alone is not what we must fear, nor the attacks that rage openly to overthrow and cast down the servants of God. Caution is easier where the danger is plain, and the mind is prepared for battle beforehand when the adversary admits who he is. The enemy we must fear and guard against more is the one who creeps up secretly, who deceives through the appearance of peace and crawls near by hidden approaches. That is where he got the name “serpent.” This is always his cunning; this is the blind and lurking deceit by which he traps a person. So from the very beginning of the world he deceived, flattering the untried soul with lying words and catching it by careless trust. So too he tried to tempt the Lord himself, approaching secretly as if he could creep up and deceive him again. But he was recognized and repulsed, and therefore thrown down, because he was known and exposed.

Latin

Cum moneat Dominus et dicat: uos estis sal terrae cumque esse nos iubeat ad innocentiam simplices et tamen cum, simplicitate prudentes, quid aliud, fratres dilectissimi, quam prouidere nos conuenit et sollicito corde uigilantes subdoli hostis insidias intellegere pariter et cauere, ne qui Christum sapientiam Dei patris induimus minus sapere in tuenda salute uideamur? neque enim persecutio sola metuenda est et ea quae subruendis ac deiciendis semis Dei aperta inpugnatione grassantur, facilior cautio est ubi manifesta formido est, et ad certamen animus ante praestruitur, quando se aduersarius confitetur. plus timendus est et cauendus inimicus, cum latenter obrepit, cum per pacis imaginem fallens occultis accessibus serpit, unde et nomen serpentis accepit. ea est eius semper astutia, ea est circumueniendi hominis caeca et latebrosa fallacia. sic ab initio statim mundi fefellit et uerbis mendacibus blandiens rudem animam incauta credulitate decepit: sic dominum ipsum temptare conatus, quasi obreperet rursus et falleret, latenter accessit: intellectus tamen est et retusus et ideo prostratus quia agnitus adque detectus.

About this text

Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, writes in 251 against the Novatian schism: the Church Christ founded is one and cannot be divided.

Cyprian of Carthage (c. 200–258) wrote this treatise as bishop of Carthage, addressing the faithful brethren and especially the bishops who preside in the Church. He composed it in 251 to warn Christians against schism and heresy, which he regarded as a subtler and more dangerous attack by the devil than open persecution, and to defend the unity of the Church against those who had broken away from it.

The immediate occasion was the schism of Novatian, which had been stirred up in part by Novatus and other presbyters of Cyprian's own church. Cyprian wrote to keep the Carthaginians from following the breakaway movement. He argues that the Church is one and indivisible, founded by Christ upon Peter as the single source of its unity, and that this unity is preserved through the one episcopate. Schismatics and heretics, even if they claim the name of Christian and suffer death, are cut off from the Church and cannot be saved.

A reader will meet Peter, the apostle upon whom Christ founded the Church, and Paul and John, whose letters and Gospel are quoted on unity, love, and those who went out from the Church. Old Testament figures such as Korah, Dathan, Abiram, Uzziah, Aaron, Ahijah, Rahab, Solomon, and Judas appear as examples of rebellion, division, or prefigurations of the Church. The Lord, Paul, John, the Holy Spirit, Ahijah the prophet, and Scripture all speak in the treatise.

New English from the Latin base text; no published English used as wording.

Printed text used

Translated from CSEL 3.1 (1868) (Latin)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.