Library › St Optatus of Milevis › Against the Donatists

Against the Donatists

St Optatus of Milevis, tr. Vassall-Phillips, 1917

Book 4, 2. That the Donatists are the Brethren of Catholics

That the Donatists are the Brethren of Catholics¹

If, that is, you are freely content to hear this ascription of brotherhood which I have so often used. And I would beg of you to recognise that, however distasteful the word brother may be to you, still it has of necessity to be employed by us, lest perchance (considering the proof that it ought to be used) we should, by refraining from it, be blameworthy. For, if you are not willing to be my brother, I should begin to be unbrotherly,² were I to keep silence concerning this name. For you are our brethren, and we are yours, as the Prophet says:
‘Has not one God made you, and one Father begotten you?’³

Nor can you avoid being our brethren, since to all has it been said:
‘You are all gods and sons of the Most High.’⁴

And both you and we have received the one command in the words:
‘Call no man your father on earth, because One is your Father in the Heavens.’⁵

Our Saviour Christ alone is the Son of God by Birth,⁶ but both you and we have been made sons of God in the same manner, as it has been written in the Gospel:
‘The Son of God has come. As many as received Him, to them has He given the power to become sons of God, to those who believe in His Name.’⁷

We have both been made and are called His sons; you have been made His sons, but are not so called,⁸ because you are not willing to be in peace, or to listen to the Son of God Himself, when He says:
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.’⁹

Christ by His coming recalled God and man to Peace,¹⁰ and
‘taking away the wall of partition, made both One.’¹¹

But you will not have peace with us, that is, with your brothers. For you cannot escape being our brothers----you whom together with us one Mother Church has borne from the same bowels of her Mysteries,¹² and whom God the Father has received in the same manner as sons of adoption.

Wherefore Christ, foreseeing this time----how it would come to pass that you should to-day be at variance with us, gave such commands with regard to prayer, that, at least in prayer,¹³ unity might remain, and that supplications might join those who should be torn asunder by faction. We pray for you, for we wish to do so, and you pray for us, even though you do not wish it. Otherwise let any one of you say:
‘My Father, who art in Heaven,’ and ‘Give me my daily bread,’ and ‘Forgive me my trespasses, as I forgive him who trespasses against me.’

Accordingly, if things which have been prescribed may not be changed, you see that we have not been absolutely¹⁴ divided from one another, whilst we willingly pray for you, and you (though unwillingly) pray for us. You perceive, my brother Parmenian, that the bonds of holy brotherhood between you and us do not admit of being absolutely¹⁵ broken.

Previous · Contents · Next