The Benefits Of Discipline

Cypriano papae presbyteri et diaconi Romae consistentes salutem.  Quamquam bene sibi conscius animus, et evangelicae disciplinae vigore subnixus et verus in decretis coelestibus testis effectus, soleat solo Deo judice esse contentus, nec alterius aut laudes petere aut accusationes pertimescere, tamen geminata sunt laude condigni qui, cum conscientiam sciant Deo soli debere se judici, actus tamen suos desiderant etiam ab ipsis suis fratribus comprobari. Quod te, frater Cypriane, facere non mirum est, qui, pro tua verecundia et ingenita industria consiliorum tuorum, nos non tam judices voluisti quam participes inveniri, ut in tuis rebus gestis laudem tecum, dum illas probamus, inveniremus, et tuorum consiliorum bonorum cohaeredes, quia et affirmatores, esse possimus. Idem omnes credimur operati, in quo deprehendimur eadem omnes censurae et disciplinae consensione sociati. Quid enim magis aut in pace tam aptum aut in bello persecutionis tam necessarium quam debitam severitatem divini vigoris tenere? quam qui remiserit, instabili rerum cursu erret semper necesse est, et huc atque illuc variis et incertis negotiorum tempestatibus dissipetur, et, quasi extorto de manibus consiliorum gubernaculo, navim ecclesiasticae salutis illidat in scopulos; ut appareat non aliter saluti ecclesiasticae consuli posse nisi si qui et contra ipsam faciunt, quasi quidam adversi fluctus repellantur, et disciplinae ipsius semper custodita ratio quasi salutare aliquod gubernaculum in tempestate servetur. Nec hoc nobis nunc nuper consilium cogitatum est, nec haec apud nos adversus improbos modo supervenerunt repentina subsidia; sed antiqua haec apud nos severitas, antiqua fides, disciplina legitur antiqua: quoniam nec tantas de nobis laudes Apostolus protulisset dicendo, Quia fides vestra praedicatur in toto mundo, nisi jam exinde vigor iste radices fidei de temporibus illis mutuatus fuisset; quarum laudum et gloriae degenerem fuisse maximum crimen est. Minus est enim dedecoris numquam ad praeconium laudis accesssisse, quam de fastigio laudis ruisse, minus est criminis honoratum bono testimonio non fuisse, quam honorem bonorum testimoniorum perdidisse. Minus est sine praedicatione virtutum ignobilem sine laude jacuisse, quam exhaeredem fidei factum laudes proprias perdidisse. Ea enim quae in alicujus gloriam proferuntur, nisi anxio et sollicito labore serventur, in invidiam maximi criminis intumescent. Sanctus Cyprianus, Epistola XXXI, Cleri Romani ad Cyprianum Source: Migne PL 3.307b-309b

To Father Cyprian, from the presbyters and deacons established at Rome, greeting.  Although a soul conscious of itself, and relying on the vigour of evangelical discipline, and made a true witness in the heavenly decrees, is accustomed to be content with God alone for its judge, and neither seeks the praises nor fears the accusations of any other, yet they are worthy of double praise, who, knowing that they owe their conscience to God alone as the judge, yet desire that their actions should be approved also by their brethren. That you do this is no wonder, brother Cyprian, you who, with your modesty and inborn industry, have wished that we should be found not so much judges as partakers of your counsels, so that we might find praise with you in your deeds while we approve them, and might be able to be fellow heirs with you in your good counsels, because we affirm them. In like manner we are all thought to have laboured in that in which we are all regarded as allied in the same agreement of censure and discipline. For what more is there either in peace so suitable, or in a war of persecution so necessary, than to maintain the due severity of the Divine rigour? Which he who rejects, will of necessity wander in the unsteady course of affairs and be thrown about here and there by the various and uncertain storms of things, and as if the rudder of counsel were wrenched from his hands, he will drive the ship of the Church's safety onto the rocks, so that it appears that the Church's security can not otherwise be provided for unless any who are adverse waves are repelled, and by attending to the eternally guarded rule of discipline itself as to the rudder of safety in a storm. Nor is it now but lately that this counsel has been considered by us, nor have these sudden aids against the wicked recently come to us, but this is read of among us as the ancient severity, the ancient faith, the ancient discipline, since the Apostle would not have brought forth such praise about us, saying, 'that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world,' 1 unless already from there the vigour had borrowed the roots of faith from those times, from which praise and glory to decline is a very grave crime. For it is less shameful never to have attained to having one's praise announced than to have fallen from the pinnacle of praise; it is a smaller crime not to have been honoured with good testimony than to have lost the honour of good testimonies; it is lesser thing to have lain without the announcement of virtues, ignoble without praise, than, disinherited of the faith, to have lost one's proper praises. For those things which are brought forth to the glory of any one, unless maintained by anxious and careful labour, swell up into the odium of the gravest crime. Saint Cyprian of Carthage, from Letter 31, The Roman Clergy To Cyprian 1 Rom 1.8