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| Chapter XI. He removes the silent objection of heretics who want to recant the profession of their faith made in childhood.
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Chapter XI.
He removes the silent objection of heretics who want to
recant the profession of their faith made in childhood.
But perhaps you say that
you were a baby when you were regenerated, and so were not then able to
think or to contradict. It is true: that your infancy did
prevent you from contradicting, when if you had been a man you would
have died for contradicting. For what if when in that most faithful and
devout Church of Christ the priest delivered the Creed2560
| 2560 The reference is the
ceremony known as the Traditio Symboli, which is thus described
by Professor Lumby: “The practice of the early church in the
admission of converts to baptism seems to have been of this nature. For
some period previous to their baptism (the usual seasons for which were
Easter and Pentecost) the candidates for admission thereto were trained
in the doctrines of the faith by the presbyters. A few days before they
were to be baptized (the number of days varying at different periods)
the Creed was delivered to them accompanied with a sermon. The ceremony
was known as Traditio Symboli, the delivery of the Creed. At the
time of Baptism each candidate was interrogated upon the articles of
the Creed which he had received, and was to return an answer in the
words which had been given to him. This was known as Redditio
Symboli, the repetition of the Creed, and Baptism was the only
occasion on which the Creed was introduced into any public service of
the Church.” History of the Creeds, pp. 11, 12. | to the Catechumen and the attesting people,
you had tried to hold your tongue at any point, or to contradict?
Perhaps you would have been heard, and not sent forth at once like some
new kind of monster or prodigy as a plague to be expelled. Not because
that most earnest and religious people of God has any wish to be
stained with the blood of even the worst of men: but because especially
in great cities the people inflamed with the love of God cannot
restrain the ardour of their faith when they see anyone rise up against
their God. But be it so. As a baby, if it be so, you could not
contradict and deny the Creed. Why did you hold your tongue when you
were older and stronger. At any rate you grew up, and became a man, and
were placed in the ministry of the Church. Through all these years,
through all the steps of office and dignity, did you never understand
the faith which you taught so long before? At any rate you knew that
you were His deacon and priest. If the rule of salvation was a
difficulty to you, why did you undertake the honour of that, of which
you disliked the faith? But indeed you were a far sighted and simply
devout man, who
wished so to
balance yourself between the two, as to maintain both your wicked
blasphemy, and the honour of Catholicity!E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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