On Baptism, Against the Donatists.
Chapter 19.—32. Felix of Bagai said: As when the blind leads the blind, both fall into the ditch,
Chapter 37.—71. Libosus of Vaga said: The Lord says in the gospel, ‘I am the truth ’
Chapter 10.—18. Likewise another Felix of Marazana said: There is one faith, one baptism,
Chapter 14.—26. Aymnius of Ausuaga
Chapter 26.—50. Also another Lucius of Membresa said: It is written, ‘God heareth not sinners.’
Chapter 15.—28. Saturninus of Victoriana658 Victoriana was in ecclesiastical province of Byzacium. [The name Saturninus is found in Cypr. Epp. xxi. 4, xxii. 3, xxvii. 1, 11, lvii. ter. lxvii. bis, lxx. quinquies. said: "If heretics may baptize, they are excused and defended in doing unlawful things; nor do I see why either Christ called them His adversaries, or the apostle called them antichrists."659 Conc. Carth. sec. 51.
29. To him we answer: We say that heretics have no authority to baptize in the same sense in which we say that defrauders have no authority to baptize. For not only to the heretic, but to the sinner, God says, "What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?" To the same person He assuredly says, "When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him."660 Ps. l. 16, 18. How much worse, therefore, are those who did not consent with thieves, but themselves were wont to plunder farms with treacherous deceits? Yet Cyprian did not consent with them, though he did tolerate them in the corn-field of the Catholic Church, lest the wheat should be rooted out together with it. And yet at the same time the baptism which they themselves conferred was the very selfsame baptism, because it was not of them, but of Christ. As therefore they, although the baptism of Christ be recognized in them, were yet not excused and defended in doing unlawful things, and Christ rightly called those His adversaries who were destined, by persevering in such things, to hear the doom, "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity,"661 Matt. vii. 23. whence also they are called antichrists, because they are contrary to Christ while they live in opposition to His words, so likewise is it the case with heretics.