Chapter 46

Chapter 46.—90.  Litteus ¹⁸⁸¹ of Gemelli ¹⁸⁸² said:  "‘If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.’ ¹⁸⁸³   Since, therefore, it is clear that heretics can give no light ¹⁸⁸⁴ to any one, as being blind themselves, therefore their baptism is invalid." ¹⁸⁸⁵

91.  Neither do we say that it is valid for salvation so long as they are heretics, just as it is of no value to those murderers of whom we spoke, so long as they hate their brethren:  for they also themselves are in darkness, and if any one follows them they fall together into the ditch; and yet it does not follow that they either have not baptism or are unable to confer it.

Footnotes

510:1881

Some read Licteus; not unlikely the bishop of Cypr. Ep. lxxvi.

510:1882

Gemelli was a Roman colony in ecclesiastical province of Numidia.

510:1883

Matt xv. 14.

510:1884

Illuminare; baptism being often called φωτισμός.

510:1885

Conc. Carth. sec. 82.