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
among whom the Lord yet knoweth them that are His, which hear only the
voice of the Shepherd, even when He calls by the voice of men like the
Pharisees, of whom it was said, "Whatsoever they bid you observe, that
observe and do."[392]
2. For as the spiritual man, keeping "the end of the commandment,"
that is, "charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and
of faith unfeigned,"[393] can see some things less clearly out of a
body which is yet "corruptible and presseth down the soul,"[394] and is
liable to be otherwise minded in some things which God will reveal[395]
to him in His own good time if he abide in the same charity, so in a
carnal and perverse man something good and useful may be found, which
has its origin not in the man himself, but in some other source. For as
in the fruitful branch there is found something which must be purged
that it may bring forth more fruit, so also a grape is often found to
hang on a cane that is barren and dry or fettered. And so, as it is
foolish to love the portions which require purging in the fruitful
branch, whilst he acts wisely who does not reject the sweet fruit
wherever it may hang, so, if any one cuts himself off from unity by
rebaptizing, simply because it seemed to Cyprian that one ought to
baptize again those who came from the heretics, such a man turns aside
from what merits praise in that great man, and follows what requires
correction, and does not even attain to the very thing he follows
after. For Cyprian, while grievously abhorring, in his zeal for God,
all those who severed themselves from unity, thought that thereby they
were separated from baptism itself; while these men, thinking it at
most a slight offence that they themselves are severed from the unity
of Christ, even maintain that His baptism is not in that unity, but
issued forth with them. Therefore they are so far from the fruitfulness
of Cyprian, as not even to be equal to the parts in him which needed
purging.
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