Likewise another, Felix of Gurgites, said: I judge that, according to the precepts of the holy Scriptures, those who have been unlawfully baptized by heretics outside the Church, if they wish to flee to the Church, should obtain the grace of baptism where it is lawfully given. Pusillus of Lamasba said: I believe that there is no saving baptism except in the Catholic Church. Whatever is outside the Catholic Church is a pretense. Salvianus of Gazaufala said: It is agreed that heretics have nothing, and therefore they come to us, that they may receive what they do not have. Honoratus of Thucca said:
Since Christ is the truth, we ought to follow truth rather than custom, so that we may sanctify with the Church's baptism the heretics who come to us for this reason, that outside they could receive nothing. Victor of Octavum said: As you yourselves also know, I was not appointed bishop long ago, and therefore I was awaiting the counsel of my predecessors. This therefore is my opinion: that those who come, since they are from heresy, should without doubt be baptized. Clarus of Mascula said: The sentence of our Lord Jesus Christ is manifest, sending His apostles and permitting to them alone the power given to Him by the Father, to whom we have succeeded, governing the Church of the Lord with the same power and baptizing the faith of believers.
And therefore heretics, who have neither power outside nor the Church of Christ, can baptize no one with His baptism. Secundianus of Thambis said: We ought not by our presumption to deceive heretics, lest, not being baptized in the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore not having obtained the remission of sins, when the day of judgment comes they impute it to us that through us they were not baptized and did not obtain the indulgence of the divine grace. Wherefore, since there is one Church and one baptism, when they are converted to us, let them obtain together with the Church also the Church's baptism. Likewise another, Aurelius of Chullabi, said: The apostle John laid down in his epistle:
'If anyone comes to you and does not have the doctrine of Christ, do not receive him into your house, nor say to him, Hail. For he who says to him, Hail, communes with his evil deeds.' How can such men be rashly admitted into the house of God, who are forbidden to be admitted into your private house? Or how can we commune with them without the baptism of the Church, with whom, if we say to them only Hail, we commune in their evil deeds? Litteus of Gemellae said: 'If a blind man lead a blind man, both will fall into the pit.' Since therefore it is agreed that heretics, being blind, cannot enlighten anyone, their baptism is of no avail. Natalis of Oea said:
Both I who am present, and Pompeius of Sabrata, and also Dioga of Leptis Magna, who have charged me, being indeed absent in body but present in spirit, judge what our colleagues also judge: that heretics cannot have communion with us unless they have been baptized with the ecclesiastical baptism. Iunius of Neapolis said: I do not depart from what we once judged, that we baptize heretics coming to the Church. Cyprian of Carthage said:
My opinion is most fully expressed in the letter which was written to Iubaianus our colleague: that heretics, according to the evangelical and apostolic testimony, have been called the adversaries of Christ and antichrists, and that when they come to the Church they ought to be baptized with the one baptism of the Church, so that from adversaries they may become friends, and from antichrists, Christians. Printed by Carolus Gerold's Son.