Chapter 23.—31. Cyprian writes also to Pompeius1542
| 1542 Cypr. Ep. lxxiv., which is examined by Augustin in the remaining chapters of this book.
|
about this selfsame matter, and clearly shows in that letter that
Stephen, who, as we
learn, was then
bishop of the
Roman Church, not only did not agree with him upon the points before us, but even wrote and taught the opposite views. But
Stephen certainly did not "communicate with
heretics,"
1543
merely because he did not
dare to impugn the
baptism of
Christ, which he knew remained
perfect in the midst of their perversity. For if none have
baptism who
entertain false views about
God, it has been
proved sufficiently, in my opinion, that this may happen even within the
Church. "The
apostles," indeed, "gave no injunctions on the point;"
1544
but the
custom, which is opposed to Cyprian, may be supposed to have had its origin in apostolic
tradition, just as there are many things which are observed by the whole
Church, and therefore are fairly held to have been enjoined by the
apostles, which yet are not mentioned in their writings.
32. But it will be urged that it is written of heretics that "they are condemned of themselves."1545
What then? are they not also
condemned of themselves to whom it was said, "For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself?"
1546
But to these the
apostle says, "Thou that preachest a man should not
steal, dost thou
steal?"
1547
and so forth. And such truly were they who, being
bishops and established in Catholic
unity with Cyprian himself, used to plunder
estates by treacherous frauds,
preaching all the time to the people the words of the
apostle, who says, "Nor shall extortioners
inherit the
kingdom of
God."
1548
33. Wherefore I will do no more than run shortly through the other sentiments founded on the same rules, which are in the aforesaid letter written to Pompeius. By what authority of holy Scripture is it shown that "it is against the commandment of God that persons coming from the society of heretics, if they have already there received the baptism of Christ, are not baptized again?"1549
But it is clearly shown that many pretended
Christians, though they are not joined in the same
bond of
charity with the
saints, without which anything holy that they may have been able to possess is of no
profit to them, yet have
baptism in common with the
saints, as has been already sufficiently
proved with the greatest fullness. He says "that the
Church, and the Spirit, and
baptism, are mutually incapable of separation from each other, and therefore" he wishes that
"those who are separated from the
Church and the
Holy Spirit should be understood to be separated also from
baptism."
1550
But if this is the case, then when any one has received
baptism in the Catholic
Church, it remains so long in him as he himself remains in the
Church, which is not so. For it is not restored to him when he returns, just because he did not lose it when he seceded. But as the disaffected sons have not the
Holy Spirit in the same manner as the
beloved sons, and yet they have
baptism; so
heretics also have not the
Church as Catholics have, and yet they have
baptism. "For
the
Holy Spirit of
discipline will
flee deceit,"
1551
and yet
baptism will not
flee from it. And so, as
baptism can continue in one from whom the
Holy Spirit withdraws Himself, so can
baptism continue where the
Church is not. But if "the laying on of
hands" were not "applied to one coming from
heresy,"
1552
he would be as it were judged to be wholly blameless; but for the uniting of
love, which is the greatest
gift of the
Holy Spirit, without which any other holy thing that there may be in a man is profitless to his
salvation,
hands are laid on
heretics when they are brought to a
knowledge of the truth.
1553
| 1553 Cyprian, in the laying on of hands, appears to refer to confirmation, but Augustin interprets it of the restoration of penitents. Cp. III. 16, 21.
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