Chapter 10.—15. But what attitude do they assume, when it is shown that the holy Cyprian, though he did not himself admit as members of the Church those who had been baptized in heresy or schism, yet held communion with those who did admit them, according to his express declaration, "Judging no one, nor depriving any one of the right of communion if he differ from us?"1248
If he was polluted by
communion with persons of this
kind, why do they follow his
authority in the
question of
baptism? But if he was not polluted by
communion with them, why do they not follow his example in maintaining
unity? Have they anything to urge in their
defense except the plea, "We choose to have it so?" What other answer have any
sinful or
wicked men to the
discourse of
truth or
justice,—the voluptuous, for instance, the drunkards,
adulterers, and those who
are impure in any way,
thieves, robbers, murderers, plunderers,
evil-doers,
idolaters,—what other answer can they make when
convicted by the voice of
truth, except "I choose to do it;" "It is my
pleasure so"? And if they have in them a tinge of Christianity, they say further, "Who art thou that judgest another man’s
servant?"
1249
Yet these have so much more remains of modesty, that when, in accordance with
divine and human
law, they meet with
punishment for their abandoned
life and
deeds, they do not style themselves martyrs; while the Donatists wish at once to lead a sacrilegious
life and
enjoy a blameless
reputation, to
suffer no
punishment for their
wicked deeds, and to
gain a martyr’s
glory in their just
punishment. As if they were not experiencing the greater
mercy and
patience of
God, in
proportion as "executing His judgments upon them by little and little, He giveth them place of repentance,"
1250
and ceases not to redouble His scourgings in this
life; that, considering what they
suffer, and why they
suffer it, they may in time grow
wise; and that those who have received the
baptism of the party of Maximianus in order to
preserve the
unity of Donatus, may the more readily embrace the
baptism of the whole
world in order to
preserve the
peace of
Christ; that they may be restored to the root, may be
reconciled to the
unity of the
Church, may see that they have nothing
left for them to say, though something yet remains for them to do; that for their former
deeds the
sacrifice of
loving-
kindness may be offered to a long-suffering
God, whose
unity they have broken by their
wicked sin, on whose sacraments they have
inflicted such a lasting wrong. For "the
Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to
anger, plenteous in
mercy and
truth."
1251
Let them embrace His
mercy and long-suffering in this
life, and
fear His
truth in the next. For He willeth not the
death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his way and live;
1252
because He bends His judgment against the wrongs that have been inflicted on Him. This is our exhortation.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
