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I
202 THE SEVENTH COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE.
falselybaptized,ought to be baptized in the everlasting
fountain; and therefore,according to the testimonyof the
Scriptures,and according to the decree of our colleagues,
men of most holy memory, that allschismaticsand heretics
who are converted to the church must be baptized;and
moreover, that those who appeared to have been ordained
must be receivedamong lay people.
Nemesianus of Thubunae 1 said: That the baptismwhich
hereticsand schismaticsbestow isnot the trueone,isevery
where declared in the Holy Scriptures,since theirvery
leadingmen are falseChristsand falseprophets,as theLord
saysby Solomon : " He who trustethin thatwhich isfalse,
he feedeththe winds ; and theverysame,moreover,followeth
the flightof birds. For he forsakeththe ways of hisown
vineyard,he has wandered from the pathsof his own little
field.But he walketh through pathlessplaces,and dry,and
a land destinedfor thirst; moreover,he gatherethtogether
fruitlessthingsin hishands."2 And again: " Abstainfrom
strangewater, and from the fountain of another do not
drink,that you may livea long time; alsothatthe yearsof
lifemay be added to thee."8 And in the Gospel ourLord
J esusChrist spoke with His divinevoice,saying," Excepta
man be born againof water and the Spirit,he cannotenter
the kingdom of God." * This is the Spiritwhich from the
beginning was borne over the waters; for neithercan the
Spiritoperatewithout the water,nor the water withoutthe
Spirit. Certainpeoplethereforeinterpretfor themselvesill,
when they say that by impositionof the hand they receive
the Holy Ghost, and are thus received,when itismanifest
thatthey ought to be born againin the CatholicChurch by
both sacraments. Then indeed they willbe abletobe sons
of God, as saysthe apostle: " Taking careto keep theunity
of the Spiritin the bond of peace. There isone body,and
one Spirit,as ye have been called in one hope of your
calling; one Lord, one faith,one baptism,one God." * All
thesethingsspeaksthe CatholicChurch. And again,inthe
1 InMauritaniaCffisariensis. * Prov.ix.12,LXX.
3 Prov.ix.19. *Johniii.5. 5 Eph.iv.3-fl.