Be subject to all governmental power and dominion in things which are pleasing to God, as to the ministers of God and the punishers of the ungodly.^[1] Render all the fear that is due to them, all offerings, all customs, all honor, gifts and taxes.^[2] For this is God’s command, that you owe nothing to anyone but the pledge of love, which God has commanded by Christ.^[3]

Therefore, with regard to the honors due to kings or emperors, we have a sufficient rule, that it is fitting to be in all obedience, according to the apostle’s instruction, subject to magistrates, and princes and powers. But this must be within the limits of discipline, so long as we keep ourselves separate from idolatry.

If what the emperor or leader orders is good, follow the will of him who orders. But if it is evil and is contrary to God, answer to it from the words of the Acts of the Apostles, it is more important to obey God than men.^[1]

If men honor emperors, who are often corrupt and impious sinners, as well as those appointed by them to rule over provinces, who often are greedy and violent, in obedience to the words of the divine apostle, Be submissive to rulers and authorities and Pay all of them their dues, honor to whom honor is due; respect to whom respect is due^[1] and Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s^[2]—if we do all this, how much more ought we to worship the King of kings?

Paul, the apostle from Israel, came to us as one blameless according to the justice in the law.^[1] Yet he says we ourselves, those from Israel, were then deceitful, foolish. So not only those from the pagan nations were deceitful, nor only sinners, but we also, who have been taught by the law, were such before the coming of Christ.

Therefore we ought to be gently disposed to all. For he who was formerly in such a state and has been delivered from it ought not to reproach others but to pray, to be thankful to him who has granted both to him and them deliverance from such evils. Let no one boast. All have sinned. If then, doing well yourself, you are inclined to revile others, consider your own former life and the uncertainty of the future, and restrain your anger.

One who breaks down the wall and steals something from within is not the only burglar, but also he who corrupts justice and wrongfully takes something from his neighbor. Let us not, then, overlook our own faults and sit in judgment on those of others. When it is the time for mercy, let us not search too closely into evil doing, but, keeping in mind what we ourselves have been previously like, let us now become gentle and merciful.

Paul could be fulfilling the open works of the law, either by fear of man or God, and yet have evil affections within himself. . . . Knowing himself to be such in his internal affections, before the grace of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord, the apostle elsewhere confesses this very plainly. . . . For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish and unbelieving, erring, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and holding one another in hatred. Such was Saul even when he says that he was touching the righteousness which is in the law, without reproach.

Every kind of help comes to our souls through Christ. Various appropriate titles have been devised for each particular kind of care. When he presents a blameless soul to himself, a soul which like a pure virgin has neither spot nor wrinkle, he is called Bridegroom. But when he receives someone paralyzed by the devil’s evil strokes and heals the heavy burden of his sins, he is called Physician. Because he cares for us, will this make us think less of him? Or will we not be struck with amazement at our Savior’s mighty power and love for mankind,^[1] who patiently endured to suffer our infirmities with us and condescended to our weakness? No heaven, or earth, or the great oceans, or all creatures living in the waters and on dry land, or plants, stars, air, or seasons or the vast expanse of the universe can illustrate the surpassing greatness of God’s might so well as he has himself. The infinite God, remaining changeless, assumed flesh and fought with death, freeing us from suffering by his own suffering!

By the delay of his saving work, he has made us better disposed to accept his calling. In this is shown the goodness and kindness of God. By this means, what had been foretold through so many ages by numerous signs, numerous words and numerous mysteries would no longer be open to doubt in these days of the gospel. That way, the birth of the Savior—which was to exceed all wonders and the whole measure of human intelligence—would engender in us a faith all the more steadfast, the more often and the earlier it had been proclaimed beforehand.

For this reason, charity, which has more regard for the common good than for its own, is said not to seek the things that are its own.. . . Hence, this charity is practiced now in the good works of love, by which it reaches out to give aid in whatever direction it can, and this is its breadth. It bears adversity with longsuffering, and perseveres in what it holds as true, and this is its length. But it does all this in order to attain eternal life which is promised to it on high, and this is its height. This charity, indeed, is hidden in the place where we are founded and, so to speak, rooted in depth.^[1] Hence we do not search into the reasons for God’s will, by whose grace we are saved. This has come not by the works of justice which we have done but according to his mercy. For of his own will he has begotten us by the word of truth,^[2] and this will of his is hidden.

Strange, isn’t it, how we were so drowned in wickedness that we could not be purified? We needed a new birth! For this is implied by regeneration. For as when a house is in a ruinous state no one places props under it nor makes any addition to the old building, but pulls it down to its foundations and rebuilds it anew. So in our case, God has not repaired us but made us anew.

There came out from his side water and blood.^[1] Beloved, do not pass this mystery by without a thought. For I have still another mystical explanation to give. I said that there was a symbol of baptism and the mysteries in that blood and water. It is from both of these that the church is sprung through the bath of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit, through baptism and the mysteries. But the symbols of baptism and the mysteries, water and blood, come from the side of Christ. It is from his side, therefore, that Christ formed his church, just as he formed Eve from the side of Adam.

If the forgiveness of sins were not to be had in the church, there would be no hope of a future life and eternal liberation. We thank God, who gave his church such a gift. Here you are; you are going to come to the holy font, you will be washed in saving baptism, you will be renewed in the bath of rebirth. You will be without any sin at all as you come up from that bath. All the things that were plaguing you in the past will be blotted out.

It is true we have not yet risen as Christ has, but we are said to have risen with him on account of the hope which we have in him. So again he says: According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration. Evidently what we obtain in the washing of regeneration is not the salvation itself but the hope of it. And yet, because this hope is certain, we are said to be saved, as if the salvation were already bestowed.

Who is the one who is born of the Spirit and is made Spirit? It is one who is renewed in the Spirit of his mind.^[1] It is one who is regenerated by water and the Holy Spirit. We receive the hope of eternal life through the laver of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. And elsewhere the apostle Peter says: You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.^[2] For who is he that is baptized with the Holy Spirit but he who is born again through water and the Holy Spirit? Therefore the Lord said of the Holy Spirit, Truly, truly, I say to you, except a man be born again by water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.^[3] And therefore he declared that we are born of him into the kingdom of God by being born again by water and the Spirit.

Little children alone who have performed no deeds of their own, either good or bad, will be condemned solely because of original sin, unless the grace of the Savior has freed them from it through the laver of regeneration. All others [are condemned], who have used their free will to add their own sins to original sin, but also for the deliberate acts of their own will. This is so unless they are delivered from the power of darkness and translated to the kingdom of Christ by the grace of God.^[1]

For if anyone should ask of me whether we have been saved by baptism, I shall not be able to deny it, since the apostle says, He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. But if he should ask whether by the same washing he has already in every way immediately saved us, I shall answer: It is not so. Because the same apostle also says, For we are saved by hope.^[1]

I will also relate the way in which we dedicated ourselves to God when we were made new through Christ. . . . As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, and are instructed to pray and to entreat God with fasting, for the remission of their past sins, we pray and fast with them. Then they are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same way that we were regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. For Christ also said, “Unless you be born again, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven”.

Moreover, the things proceeding from the waters were blessed by God, that this also might be a sign of men being destined to receive repentance and remission of sins through the water and washing of regeneration, as many as come to the truth, and are born again, and receive blessing from God.

Being baptized, we are illuminated; illuminated, we become sons; being made sons, we are made perfect; being made perfect, we are made immortal. “I,” says he, “have said that you are gods, and all sons of the highest.” This work is variously called grace, and illumination, and perfection, and washing: washing, by which we cleanse away our sins; grace, by which the penalties accruing to transgressions are remitted; and illumination, by which that holy light of salvation is beheld—that is, by which we see God clearly.

Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life. . . . [But] a viper of the Cainite heresy, lately conversant in this quarter, has carried away a great number with her most venomous doctrine, making it her first aim to destroy baptism. This is in accordance with nature; for vipers and asps . . . themselves generally live in arid and waterless places. But we, little fishes after the example of our [great] fish, Jesus Christ, are born in water, have safety in no other way than by permanently abiding in water; so that most monstrous creature, who had no right to teach even sound doctrine, knew full well how to kill the little fishes, by taking them away from the water!

And the bishop shall lay his hand upon [the newly baptized], invoking and saying: “O Lord God, who counted these worthy of the forgiveness of sins through the bath of regeneration, make them worthy to be filled with your Holy Spirit, grant to them your grace [in confirmation], that they may serve you according to your will”.

[F]rom baptism do we receive the Spirit of Christ. For in that hour in which the priests invoke the Spirit, the heavens open and it descends and moves upon the waters [Gn 1:2]. And those that are baptized are clothed in it; for the Spirit stays aloof from those who are born of the flesh, until they come to the new birth by water, and then they receive the Holy Spirit. . . . [I]n the second birth, through baptism, they received the Holy Spirit.

For prisoners, baptism is ransom, forgiveness of debts, the death of sin, regeneration of the soul, a resplendent garment, an unbreakable seal, a chariot to heaven, a royal protector, a gift of adoption.

But the sacrament of baptism is undoubtedly the sacrament of regeneration.

And this is the meaning of the great sacrament of baptism that is solemnized among us, that all who attain to this grace should die to sin, as he is said to have died to sin, because he died in the flesh, which is the likeness of sin; and rising from the font regenerated, as he arose alive from the grave, should begin a new life in the Spirit, whatever may be the age of the body. For from the newborn infant to the old man bent with age, as there is none shut out from baptism so there is none who does not die to sin in baptism. But infants die only to original sin; those who are older also die to all the sins their evil lives have added to the sin they brought with them.

Blessed is that servant [Paul] who can say: I have fed you with milk and not with meat; for until now you were not able to bear it.^[1] . . . Yet he—being so great a man and chosen by Christ for the care of his flock in order to strengthen the weak and to heal the sick—rejects immediately after a single admonition a heretic from the fold entrusted to him. This he does for fear that the taint of one erring sheep might infect the whole flock with a spreading sore. He further bids that foolish questions and contentions be avoided.

Contentions, he means, with heretics. He would not have us labor to no purpose, where nothing is to be gained, for they end in nothing. For when a man is perverted and predetermined not to change his mind, whatever may happen, why should you labor in vain, sowing upon a rock, when you should spend your honorable toil upon your own people, in discoursing with them upon almsgiving and every other virtue?

He shows that they do not so much err from ignorance as they owe their ignorance to their indolence. Those who are contentious for the sake of money you will never persuade. They are only to be persuaded, so long as you keep paying out, and even so you will never satisfy their desires. . . . From such then, as being incorrigible, it is right to turn away.

This monster’s cavern [of heresies], your sacred Majesty, is thick laid (as seafaring men do say it is) with hidden lairs, and all the surrounding neighborhood, where the rocks of unbelief echo to the howling of her black dogs, we must pass by with ears stopped up. For it is written: Hedge your ears about with thorns^[1] and again: Beware of dogs. Beware of evil workers;^[2] and yet again: One who is a heretic, avoid after the first reproof knowing that such a one is fallen and is in sin, being condemned of his own judgment. So then, like prudent pilots, let us set the sails of our faith for the course wherein we may pass by most safely and again follow the coasts of the Scriptures.

Perhaps even thus being put to shame by the bad odor of their names, they [the heretics] may be enabled to grasp the depth of impiety into which they have fallen. It would be within our rights not to answer them at all, according to the apostolic advice: One who is heretical, after a first and a second admonition refuse, knowing that such a one is perverted and sins, being self-condemned. This is even more the case, in that the prophet says about such men: The fool shall utter foolishness, and his heart shall imagine vain things.^[1] But since, like their leader, they too go about like lions seeking whom among the simple they shall devour,^[2] we are compelled to write in reply to your piety, that the brethren being once again instructed by your admonition may still further reprove the vain teaching of those men.

If he who has been corrected for his first sins and has been deemed worthy of pardon again falls, he prepares for himself a more wrathful judgment.^[1] He who after the first and second admonition remains in his fault should be reported to the superior, that perhaps he may be ashamed when further rebuked. But, if he does not even in this case correct himself, he must be cut off from the rest as a cause of scandal and be looked upon as a heathen and a publican.^[2]

It is the same Paul who, in his epistle to the Galatians, counts heresies among the sins of the flesh,^[1] who also intimates to Titus that a man who is a heretic must be rejected after the first admonition. This is on the ground that he that is perverted and commits sin as a self-condemned man. Indeed, in almost every epistle, when enjoining on us [the duty] of avoiding false doctrines, he sharply condemns heresies. Of these the practical effects are false doctrines, called in Greek heresis, a word used in the sense of that choice which a man makes when he either teaches them [to others] or takes up with them [for himself]. For this reason it is that he calls the heretic self-condemned, because he has himself chosen that in which he is condemned.

The church cannot be rent or divided against itself. It maintains the unity of a single, indivisible house. . . . All who are to live and escape the destruction of the world must be gathered into one house alone, the church. If any of the gathered goes outside, that is, if anyone who once obtained grace in the church nevertheless abandons the church, his blood will be upon his head. He will have himself to blame for his damnation. The apostle Paul explains this, directing us to avoid a heretic as perverted, sinful and self-condemned.

For the heretic damns himself when he casts himself out of the Catholic church and under no compulsion leaves the gathering of the saints. He who separates himself from everyone by his own judgment shows what is merited from everyone. The heretic himself, I say, damns himself because, although all the wicked are cast out from the Christian assembly by the sentence of the bishop, the heretic departs himself, by the judgment of his own will, before anyone’s subsequent wishes are expressed.

Paul urges that they not wait for those who are needy to come to them but that they seek out those who need their assistance. Thus the considerate man shows his concern, and with great zeal he will perform his duty. For in doing good actions, it is not those who receive the kindness who are benefitted, so much as those who do the kindness that make gain and profit, for it gives them confidence toward God.

Nevertheless, after the apostle had said in such instruction and advice: Now such persons we charge and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ that they work quietly and eat their own bread,^[1] he was mindful of such needs of the holy persons who, although they would obey his commands to work quietly and eat their own bread, would, for many reasons, lack some provision of such necessary commodities. Hence, with foresight he added immediately: But you, brothers, do not grow tired of well-doing,^[2] so that those who had the means of furnishing sustenance to the servants of God would not grow careless in this respect. Furthermore, when in writing to Titus he said: Help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way, taking care that nothing be wanting to them. He continued thus, in order to show why nothing should be lacking in their regard: And let the people also learn to excel in good works, in order to meet cases of necessity, that they may not be unfruitful.

Heretics bring sentence upon themselves since by their own choice they withdraw from the Church, a withdrawal that, since they are aware of it, constitutes damnation. Between heresy and schism there is this difference: heresy involves perverse doctrine, while schism separates one from the Church on account of disagreement with the bishop. Nevertheless, there is no schism that does not trump up a heresy to justify its departure from the Church.

The apostle Paul has said, “Reject a man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a man is subverted and sins, and condemns himself” [Ti 3:10–11]. But though the doctrine men hold may be false and perverse, if they do not maintain it with passionate obstinacy, especially when they have not devised it by the rashness of their own presumption, but have accepted it from parents who had been misguided and fallen into error, and if they are with anxiety seeking the truth, and are prepared to be set right when they have found it, such men are not to be counted heretics.