Writings in Connection with the Donatist ControversyAugustine, of Hippo, Saint
ReligionChristian
Writings in Connection with the Donatist Controversy
Augustine, of Hippo, Saint
Donatists; Donatists -- Controversial literature
CHAP. VII.--8. Truly, when I look at the actual words of Cyprian, I am
warned to say some things which are very necessary for the solution of
this question. "For if they were to see," he says, "that it was settled
and established by our formal decision and vote, that the baptism with
which they are baptized in heresy is considered just and lawful, they
will think that they are in just and lawful possession of the Church
also, and all its other gifts." He does not say "that they will think
they are in possession," but "in just and lawful possession of the
gifts of the Church." But we say that we cannot allow that they are _in
just and lawful_ possession of baptism. That they are in possession of
it we cannot deny, when we recognise the sacrament of the Lord in the
words of the gospel. They have therefore lawful baptism, but they do
not have it lawfully. For whosoever has it both in Catholic unity, and
living worthily of it, both has lawful baptism and has it lawfully; but
whosoever has it either within the Catholic Church itself, as chaff
mixed with the wheat, or outside, as chaff carried away by the wind,
has indeed lawful baptism, but not lawfully. For he has it as he
uses it. But the man does not use it lawfully who uses it against the
law,--which every one does, who, being baptized, yet leads an abandoned
life, whether inside or without the Church.
* * * * *
CHAP. VIII.--9. Wherefore, as the apostle said of the law, "The law is
good, if a man use it lawfully,"[309] so we may fairly say of baptism,
Baptism is good, if a man use it lawfully. And as they who used the
law unlawfully could not in that case cause that it should not be in
itself good, or make it null and void, so any one who uses baptism
unlawfully, either because he lives in heresy, or because he lives the
worst of lives, yet cannot cause that the baptism should be otherwise
than good, or altogether null and void. And so, when he is converted
either to Catholic unity, or to a mode of living worthy of so great a
sacrament, he begins to have not another and a lawful baptism, but that
same baptism in a lawful manner. Nor does the remission of irrevocable
sins follow on baptism, unless a man not only have lawful baptism, but
have it lawfully; and yet it does not follow that if a man have it not
lawfully, so that his sins are either not remitted, or, being remitted,
are brought on him again, therefore the sacrament of baptism should be
in the baptized person either bad or null and void. For as Judas, to
whom the Lord gave a morsel, gave a place within himself to the devil,
not by receiving what was bad, but by receiving it badly,[310] so each
person, on receiving the sacrament of the Lord, does not cause that
it is bad because he is bad himself, or that he has received nothing
because he has not received it to salvation. For it was none the less
the body of the Lord and the blood of the Lord, even in those to whom
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