Wesley Corpus

You go on: “He says likewise, he was admonished of God to ordain one Numidicus, a Confessor, who had been left for dead, half burnt and buried in stones.” (Pages 103, 104.) True, but what “questionable point of doctrine” or discipline did he introduce hereby ? or by ordaining Celerinus; “who was over-ruled and compelled by a divine vision to accept that office?” So you affirm Cyprian says. But Cyprian says it not; at least, not in those words which you cite in the margin: which, literally translated, run thus: “I recommend to you Celerinus, joined to our Clergy, not by human suffrage, but by the divine favour.”f “In another letter, speaking of Aurelius, whom he had ordained a Reader, he says to his Clergy and people, “In ordain ing Clergy, my dearest brethren, I use to consult you first; but * Utar ea admonitione, quá me Dominus uti jubet. Epis. 9. t Non humaná suffragatione, sed diviná dignatione, conjunctum. Epis. 34. there is no need to wait for human testimonies, when the divine suffrage has been already signified.’” An impartial man would wonder what you could infer from these five passages put together. Why, by the help of a short postulatum, “He was fond of power,” (you have as much ground to say, “He was fond of bloodshed,”) you will make it plain, “this was all a trick to enlarge his episcopal authority.” But as that postulatum is not allowed, you have all your work to begin again. 7. Hitherto then the character of Cyprian is unhurt; but now you are resolved to blow it up at once. So you proceed : “The most memorable effect of any of his visions was his flight from his Church in the time of persecution. He affirms, that he was commanded to retire by a special revelation from heaven.