Note N5 — St. PETER (continued 2)

Cornelius is reckoned, by St. Jerom, among the Ecclesiastic Writers, on account of the Four Letters, which he writ to Fabius Bishop of Antioch, who seemed not to dislike the Tenets of Novatian[1]. He writ several other Letters, whereof Two are still extant among those of St. Cyprian[2]; and some Fragments of his Fourth Letter to Fabius have been transmitted to us by Eusebius. As for the Letter to Lupicinus, Bishop of Vienne, which was found in the Archives of that Church, and published by Father du Bosc, the Cardinals Baronius[3] and Bona[4] think it genuine; but it is, without all Doubt, supposititious: for, according to Ado and Baronius himself[5], Florentius, whom Lupicinus is supposed to have succeeded, was raised to that See in the Reign of Maximus, or Gordian, about the Year 240. and held it till the Reign of Valerian, and about the Year 258. so that in 252. when Cornelius died, Lupicinus was not yet Bishop. Besides, in the Title of the Letter, which Baronius has suppressed, Lupicinus is styled Archbishop; which Title was not known then, nor long after. The Letter is therefore rejected by Launoy[6], and Dr. Pearson[7], as a forged and spurious Piece. Erasmus ascribes to Cornelius the Treatise on Charity[8]; and du Pin both that, and the other on the public Shews, with the Discourse against Novatian[9], which are all to be found among St. Cyprian’s Works.