THE SEVEN BOOKS OF AUGUSTIN, BISHOP OF HIPPO, ON BAPTISM, AGAINST THE DONATISTS. This treatise was written about 400 A.D. Concerning it Aug. in Retract. Book II. c. xviii., says: I have written seven books on Baptism against the Donatists, who strive to defend themselves by the authority of the most blessed bishop and martyr Cyprian; in which I show that nothing is so effectual for the refutation of the Donatists, and for shutting their mouths directly from upholding their schism against the Catholic Church, as the letters and act of Cyprian. BOOK I. HE PROVES THAT BAPTISM CAN BE CONFERRED OUTSIDE THE CATHOLIC COMMUNION BY HERETICS OR SCHISMATICS, BUT THAT IT OUGHT NOT TO BE RECEIVED FROM THEM; AND THAT IT IS OF NO AVAIL TO ANY WHILE IN A STATE OF HERESY OR SCHISM. propose to do, in order that all whose judgment is not blinded by party spirit may understand that, so far from Cyprian's authority being in their favor, it tends directly to their refutation and discomfiture. CHAP. 1.-1. In the treatise which we wrote | tyr Cyprian, which they endeavor to use as a against the published epistle of Parmenianus prop, to prevent their perversity from falling to Tichonius, we promised that at some fu- before the attacks of truth. And this we ture time we would treat the question of baptism more thoroughly; and indeed, even if | we had not made this promise, we are not unmindful that this is a debt fairly due from us to the prayers of our brethren. Wherefore in this treatise we have undertaken, with the help of God, not only to refute the objections which the Donatists have been wont to urge against us in this matter, but also to advance what God may enable us to say in respect of the authority of the blessed mar 1 Parmenianus was successor to Donatus the Great in the See of Carthage, circ. 350 A.D., and died circ. 392 A.D. 2 Tichonius, who flourished circ. 380,was the leader of a reformatory movement in Donatism, which Parmenianus opposed, in the writing here alluded to. The reformer was excommunicated. He had the clearest ideas concerning the church and concerning interpretation of any of the ancients. 3 Contra Epist. Parmen, ii. 14, also written circ. 400 A.D. 2. In the treatise above mentioned, it has already been said that the grace of baptism can be conferred outside the Catholic communion, just as it can be also there retained. But no one of the Donatists themselves denies that even apostates retain the grace of baptism; for when they return within the pale of the Church, and are converted through re 4 Cyprian, in his controversy with Pope Stephen of Rome, denied the validity of heretical or schismatical baptism. The Donatists denied the validity of Catholic baptism. See Schaff, Church History, vol. ii. 262 sqq. 66 himself from them with Maximianus, was not held by the Donatists themselves to have lost either the sacrament of baptism or the sacrament of conferring baptism. For now he is a recognized member of their own body, in company with those very men whom he baptized while he was separated from them in the schism of Maximianus. And so others could receive from them, whilst they still had not joined our society, what they themselves had not lost by severance from our society. And hence it is clear that they are guilty of impiety who endeavor to rebaptize those who are in Catholic unity; and we act rightly who do not dare to repudiate God's sacraments, even when administered in schism. For in all points in which they think with us, they also are in communion with us, and only are severed from us in those points in which they dissent from us. For contact and disunion are not to be measured by different laws in the case of material or spiritual affinities. For as union of bodies arises from continuity of position, so in the agreement of wills there is a kind of contact between souls. If, therefore, a man who has severed himself from unity wishes to do anything different from that which had been impressed on him while in the state of unity, in this point he does sever himself, and is no longer a part of the united whole; but wherever he desires to conduct himself as is customary in the state of unity, in which he himself learned and received the lessons which he seeks to follow, in these points he remains a member, and is united to the corporate whole. pentance, it is never given to them a second the laity. For Felicianus, when he separated time, and so it is ruled that it never could have been lost. So those, too, who in the sacrilege of schism depart from the communion of the Church, certainly retain the grace of baptism, which they received before their departure, seeing that, in case of their return, it is not again conferred on them; whence it is proved, that what they had received while within the unity of the Church, they could not have lost in their separation. But if it can be retained outside, why may it not also be given there? If you say, "It is not rightly given without the pale;" we answer, 'As it is not rightly retained, and yet is in some sense retained, so it is not indeed rightly given, but yet it is given." But as, by reconciliation to unity, that begins to be profitably possessed which was possessed to no profit in exclusion from unity, so, by the same reconciliation, that begins to be profitable which without it was given to no profit. Yet it cannot be allowed that it should be said that that was not given which was given, nor that any one should reproach a man with not having given this, while confessing that he had given what he had himself received. For the sacrament of baptism is what the person possesses who is baptized; and the sacrament of conferring baptism is what he possesses who is ordained. And as the baptized person, if he depart from the unity of the Church, does not thereby lose the sacrament of baptism, so also he who is ordained, if he depart from the unity of the Church, does not lose the sacrament of conferring baptism. For neither sacrament may be wronged. If a sacrament necessarily becomes void in the case of the wicked, both must become void; if it remain valid with the wicked, this must be so with both. If, therefore, the baptism be acknowledged which he could not lose who severed himself from the unity of the Church, that baptism must also be acknowledged which was administered by one who by his secession had not lost the sacrament of conferring baptism. For as those who return to the Church, if they had been baptized before their secession, are not rebaptized, so those who return, having been ordained before their secession, are certainly not ordained again; but either they again exercise their former ministry, if the interests of the Church require it, or if they do not exercise it, at any rate they retain the sacrament of their ordination; and hence it is, that when hands are laid on them,' to mark their reconciliation, they are not ranked with 1 Comp. v. 23, and iii. 16, note. CHAP. 2.-3. And so the Donatists in some matters are with us; in some matters have gone out from us. Accordingly, those things wherein they agree with us we do not forbid them to do; but in those things in which they differ from us, we earnestly encourage them to come and receive them from us, or return and recover them, as the case may be; and with whatever means we can, we lovingly busy ourselves, that they, freed from faults and corrected, may choose this course. We do not therefore say to them, "Abstain from giving baptism," but "Abstain from giving it in schism." Nor do we say to those whom we see them on the point of baptizing, "Do 2 Felicianus, bishop of Musti, headed the revolt against Primianus, the successor of Parmenianus in the Carthaginian See. deposed by Primianus, a synod was convened in 393 at Cabarsussis, title Maximianista. Primianus, in 394, at the council of Bagai, was which ordained Maximianus as bishop of Carthage Hence the Listening to the complaint of the deacon Maximianus, who had been recognized by 310 bishops. The larger fraction, according to the Catholics, was subsequently forced into reunion. Prætextatus, bp. of Assuris, was also one of the leaders in this separation. not receive the baptism," but "Do not re- choose our Church as a medium for Christian ceive it in schism." For if any one were salvation, and that the baptism of Christ is compelled by urgent necessity, being unable only profitable in it, even when it has been to find a Catholic from whom to receive bap. received elsewhere, but yet wishes to be baptism, and so, while preserving Catholic peace tized in the schism of Donatus, because not in his heart, should receive from one without they only, nor we only, but both parties alike the pale of Catholic unity the sacrament say that baptism exists with them, let him which he was intending to receive within its pause and look to the other three points. For pale, this man, should he forthwith depart if he has made up his mind to follow us in this life, we deem to be none other than a the points which they deny, though he prefers Catholic. But if he should be delivered from what both of us acknowledge to what only we the death of the body, on his restoring him- assert, it is enough for our purpose that he self in bodily presence to that Catholic con- prefers what they do not affirm and we alone gregation from which in heart he had never assert, to what they alone assert. That bapdeparted, so far from blaming his conduct, tism exists in the Catholic Church, we assert we should praise it with the greatest truth and they deny. That it is rightly received and confidence; because he trusted that God in the Catholic Church, we assert and they was present to his heart, while he was striving deny. That it is not rightly received in the to preserve unity, and was unwilling to depart schism of Donatus, we assert and they deny. this life without the sacrament of holy bap- As, therefore, he is the more ready to believe tism, which he knew to be of God, and not of men, wherever he might find it. But if any one who has it in his power to receive baptism within the Catholic Church prefers, from some perversity of mind, to be baptized in schism, even if he afterwards bethinks himself to come to the Catholic Church, because he is assured that there that sacrament will profit him, which can indeed be received but cannot profit elsewhere, beyond all question he is perverse, and guilty of sin, and that the more flagrant in proportion as it was committed wilfully. For that he entertains no doubt that the sacrament is rightly received in the Church, is proved by his conviction that it is there that he must look for profit even from what he has received elsewhere. what we alone assert should be believed, so let him be the more ready to do what we alone declare should be done. But let him believe more firmly, if he be so disposed, what both parties assert should be believed, than what we alone maintain. For he is inclined to believe more firmly that the baptism of Christ exists in the schism of Donatus, because tha is acknowledged by both of us, than that it exists in the Catholic Church, an assertion. made alone by the Catholics. But again, he is more ready to believe that the baptism of Christ exists also with us, as we alone assert, than that it does not exist with us, as they alone assert. For he has already determined and is fully convinced, that where we differ, our authority is to be preferred to theirs. So that he is more ready to believe what we CHAP. 3.-4. There are two propositions, alone assert, that baptism is rightly received moreover, which we affirm,—that baptism ex- with us, than that it is not rightly so received, ists in the Catholic Church, and that in it since that rests only on their assertion. And, alone can it be rightly received,-both of by the same rule, he is more ready to believe which the Donatists deny. Likewise there what we alone assert, that it is not rightly reare two other propositions which we affirm,- ceived with them, than as they alone assert, that baptism exists among the Donatists, but that it is rightly so received. He finds, that with them it is not rightly received, therefore, that his confidence in being bapof which two they strenuously confirm the tized among the Donatists is somewhat profitformer, that baptism exists with them; but less, seeing that, though we both acknowledge they are unwilling to allow the latter, that in that baptism exists with them, yet we do not their Church it cannot be rightly received. both declare that it ought to be received from Of these four propositions, three are peculiar them. But he has made up his mind to cling to us; in one we both agree. For that bap- rather to us in matters where we disagree. tism exists in the Catholic Church, that it is Let him therefore feel confidence in receiving rightly received there, and that it is not baptism in our communion, where he is asrightly received among the Donatists, are assured that it both exists and is rightly resertions made only by ourselves; but that ceived; and let him not receive it in a combaptism exists also among the Donatists, is munion, where those whose opinion he has asserted by them and allowed by us. If any determined to follow acknowledge indeed that one, therefore, is desirous of being baptized, it exists, but say that it cannot rightly be reand is already convinced that he ought to ceived. Nay, even if he should hold it to be a doubtful question, whether or no it is im- guide, because Thou art become my hope, a possible for that to be rightly received among tower of strength from the face of the the Donatists which he is assured can rightly enemy." By means of His promises, which be received in the Catholic Church, he would are like spears and javelins stored up in a commit a grievous sin, in matters concerning the salvation of his soul, in the mere fact of preferring uncertainty to certainty. At any rate, he must be quite sure that a man can be rightly baptized in the Catholic Church, from the mere fact that he has determined to come over to it, even if he be baptized elsewhere. But let him at least acknowledge it to be matter of uncertainty whether a man be not improperly baptized among the Donatists, when he finds this asserted by those whose opinion he is convinced should be preferred to theirs; and, preferring certainty to uncertainty, let him be baptized here, where he has good grounds for being assured that it is rightly done, in the fact that when he thought of doing it elsewhere, he had still determined that he ought afterwards to come over to this side. strongly fortified place, the enemy is not only guarded against, but overthrown, as he clothes his wolves in sheep's clothing,3 that they may say, "Lo, here is Christ, or there;" and that they may separate many from the Catholic city which is built upon a hill, and bring them down to the isolation of their own snares, so as utterly to destroy them. And these men, knowing this, choose to receive the baptism of Christ without the limits of the communion of the unity of Christ's body, though they intend afterwards, with the sacrament which they have received elsewhere, to pass into that very communion. For they propose to receive Christ's baptism in antagonism to the Church of Christ, well knowing that it is so even on the very day on which they receive it. And if this is a sin, who is the man that will say, Grant that for a single day I may commit sin? For if he proposes to pass over CHAP. 4.-5. Further, if any one fails to to the Catholic Church, I would fain ask why. understand how it can be that we assert that What other answer can he give, but that it is the sacrament is not rightly conferred among ill to belong to the party of Donatus, and not the Donatists, while we confess that it exists to the unity of the Catholic Church? Just among them, let him observe that we also so many days, then, as you commit this ill, of deny that it exists rightly among them, just so many days' sin are you going to be guilty. as they deny that it exists rightly among those And it may be said that there is greater sin who quit their communion. Let him also in more days' commission of it, and less in consider the analogy of the military mark, fewer; but in no wise can it be said that no which, though it can both be retained, as by sin is committed at all. But what is the need deserters, and, also be received by those who of allowing this accursed wrong for a single are not in the army, yet ought not to be either day, or a single hour? For the man who received or retained outside its ranks; and, wishes this license to be granted him, might at the same time, it is not changed or renewed as well ask of the Church, or of God Himself, when a man is enlisted or brought back to that for a single day he should be permitted his service. However, we must distinguish to apostatize. For there is no reason why between the case of those who unwittingly he should fear to be an apostate for a day, if join the ranks of these heretics, under the he does not shrink from being for that time a impression that they are entering the true schismatic or a heretic. Church of Christ, and those who know that there is no other Catholic Church save that which, according to the promise, is spread abroad throughout the whole world, and extends even to the utmost limits of the earth; which, rising amid tares, and seeking rest in the future from the weariness of offenses, says in the Book of Psalms, "From the end of the earth I cried unto Thee, while my heart was in weariness: Thou didst exalt me on a rock." But the rock was Christ, in whom the apostle says that we are now raised up, and set together in heavenly places, though not yet actually, but only in hope. And so the psalm goes on to say, "Thou wast my I 2 CHAP. 5.-6. I prefer, he says, to receive Christ's baptism where both parties agree that it exists. But those whom you intend to join say that it cannot be received there rightly; and those who say that it can be received there rightly are the party whom you mean to quit. What they say, therefore, whom you yourself consider of inferior authority, in opposition to what those say whom you yourself prefer, is, if not false, at any rate, to use a milder term, at least uncertain. I entreat you, therefore, to prefer what is true to what is false, or what is certain to what is uncertain. For it is not only those whom |