212 THE SEVENTH COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE. from the faith? Has theirunbeliefmade the faithof God of no effect? By no means. For God is true,but every man a liar."1But if God is true,how can the truthof baptism be among the heretics,among whom God isnot? Pomponius of Dionysiana*said: It isevidentthatheretics cannot baptizeand give remissionof sins,seeingthatthey have not power to be able to looseor to bind anythingon earth. Venantiusof Timisa8said:If a husband,goingintoforeign parts,had commended his wife to the guardianshipof his friend,that friendwould take care of her who was com mended to him with allpossiblediligence,that her chastity and holinessshouldnot be corruptedby any one. Christthe Lord and our God, going to His Father,has commended to us His bride. Shallwe guard her incorruptand inviolate,or shallwe betrayher integrityand chastityto adulterersand corrupters? For he who makes thechurch'sbaptismcommon to heretics,betraysthe spouseof Christto adulterers. Ahymnus of Ausvaga4 said: We have receivedone baptism,and that same we maintain and practise.But he who saysthat hereticsalsomay lawfullybaptize,makes two baptisms. Saturninus of Victoriana5said: If hereticsmay baptize, they who do unlawfulthingsareexcusedand defended; nor do I seewhy eitherChrist should have calledthem adver saries,or the apostleshouldhave calledthem Antichrists. Saturninus6of Thucca7 said: The Gentiles,althoughthey worshipidols,do yet know and confessa supreme God8 as Father and Creator. Against Him Marcion blasphemes, and some personsdo not blush to approve the baptismof Marcion. How do such priestseitherobserveor vindicate God's priesthood,who do not baptizeGod's enemies,and hold communion with them as they areI 1Rom.iii.8,4. *A cityofByzacena. s A cityofZeugitans. 4Thisseemstobe " Ausana" or" Ausagga," *A cityofByzacena. 0The Oxfordreads" AnotherSaturninus." 7A cityofNumidia. 8 Manifestly,saystheOxfordeditor,thisexpressionrefersto"Jupiter thefatherofgodsandmen."