Chapter 21.—23. Lastly, it has been said, as he himself has also quoted, "Ye shall know them by their fruits:"1956
let us therefore
examine into their fruits. You bring up against our predecessors their delivery of the
sacred books. This very charge we urge with greater probability against their accusers themselves. And not to carry our search too
far, in the same city of Constantina your predecessors
ordained Silvanus
bishop at the very outset of his
schism. He, while he was still a subdeacon, was most unmistakeably entered as a
traditor in the archives of the city.
1957
| 1957 See below, III. 57, 69; 68, 70; and Contra Cresc. III. 29, 33, IV. 56, 66.
|
If you on your side bring forward documents against our predecessors, all that we ask is equal terms, that we should either believe both to be true or both to be false. If both are true, you are unquestionably
guilty of
schism, who have pretended that you
avoid offenses in the
communion of the whole
world, which you had commonly among you in the
small fragment of your own
sect. But again, if both are false, you are unquestionably
guilty of
schism, who, on account of the
false charges of giving up the sacred books, are staining yourselves with the heinous offence of severance from the Church. But if we have something to urge in accusation while you have nothing, or if our charges are true whilst yours are false, it is no longer matter of discussion how thoroughly your mouths are closed.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
