Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
De controversia Paschali (Author: Cummianus Hibernus)

paragraph 9

Having examined these things, I come to Cyprian the all knowing’’

(as they say) and I find him nearly the strictest of all concerning the unity of the Church. He says: We came into this world from one father and one mother, and so we shall go into the world to come. He who does not have one mother on earth, neither shall he have one father in heaven. Therefore, after the confession of the Trinity in which there is the Father with the Son and the Holy Spirit, there follows a devout confession of one Mother, saying that she is the Holy Catholic Church. Why was one Adam formed and one Eve taken from his side and fashioned into woman? Surely this is, as the Apostle says, a great mystery in Christ and in the Church?’’

Eph. 5:32

 Thus, there is no other fashioned from the side of Christ except the one. Hence there is one mystical place in Jesus Christ's side, from the lance of the soldier, from which flowed water and blood. These are two symbols of the one Church. Hence there was one ark saved in the flood and no other. If anyone could have escaped outside of Noah's Ark, then one who is outside of the Church might escape.’’

Cyprianus, De unitate ecclesiae 56 (CCSL 3: 253-254)

 Hence, there was one tabernacle on the mountain and one exemplar shown to Moses. Hence there was one place before the Lord in which Moses saw the final work of the supreme hand, the Lord saying;

p.81

There is a place by me. Stand in the cleft of the rock and you will see my back.’’

Exod. 33:21-23

 The rock, however, was Christ;’’

1 Cor. 10:4

 the back of his hand was the incarnation; the one cleft, the one Passion; the one place can be figuratively understood as the one Church. Take note that the right hand of the Lord is not seen except in one place, in one rock, in one cleft. Only the one home of Rab the harlot was saved from the burning of Jericho through the scarlet rope. Hence one temple was built by Solomon. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!’’

Ps. 132:1

 I believe you have well remembered how all these things are explained with regard to the unity of the Church.