Chapter 34.—The Calling Together of a Synod Not Always Necessary to the Condemnation of Heresies.

What is it, then, that they say, that “subscription was extorted from simple bishops sitting in their places without any Synodal congregation”? Was subscription extorted against such heretics as these from the most blessed and excellent men in the faith, Cyprian and Ambrose, before such heretics as these were in existence?—seeing that they overthrow their impious dogmas with such clearness that we can scarcely find anything more manifest to say against them. Or, indeed, was there any need of the congregation of a Synod to condemn this open pest, as if no heresy could at any time be condemned except by a Synodal congregation?—when, on the contrary, very few heresies can be found for the sake of condemning which any such necessity has arisen; and those have been many and incomparably more which have deserved to be accused and condemned in the place where they arose, and thence could be known and avoided over the rest of the lands. But the pride of such as these, which lifts itself up so much against God as not to be willing to glory in Him but rather in free will, is understood as grasping also at this glory, that a Synod of the East and West should be gathered together on their account. In fact, they endeavour, forsooth, to disturb the catholic world, because, the Lord being against them, they are unable to pervert it; when rather they ought to have been trodden out wherever those wolves might have appeared, by watchfulness and pastoral diligence, after a competent and sufficient judgment made concerning them; whether with a view of their being healed and changed, or with a view of their being shunned by the safety and soundness of others, by the help of the Shepherd of the sheep, who seeks the lost sheep also among the little ones, who makes the sheep holy and righteous freely; who both providently instructs them, although sanctified and justified, yet in their frailty and infirmity to pray for a daily remission for their daily sins, without which no one lives in this world, even although he may live well; and mercifully listens to their prayers.

34. Quid est ergo quod dicunt, Simplicibus episcopis , sine congregatione synodi in locis suis sedentibus, 0638 extorta subscriptio est? Numquid beatissimis et in fide catholica excellentissimis viris Cypriano et Ambrosio ante istos, adversus istos extorta subscriptio est: qui eorum impia dogmata tanta manifestatione subvertunt, ut quae contra eos manifestiora dicamus, vix nos invenire possimus? Aut vero congregatione synodi opus erat, ut aperta pernicies damnaretur? quasi nulla haeresis aliquando nisi synodi congregatione damnata sit: cum potius rarissimae inveniantur, propter quas damnandas necessitas talis exstiterit; multoque sint atque incomparabiliter plures, quae ubi exstiterunt, illic improbari damnarique meruerunt, atque inde per caeteras terras devitandae innotescere potuerunt. Verum istorum superbia, quae tantum se extollit adversus Deum, ut non in illo velit, sed potius in libero arbitrio gloriari, hanc etiam gloriam captare intelligitur, ut propter illos Orientis et Occidentis synodus congregetur. Orbem quippe catholicum, quoniam Domino eis resistente pervertere nequeunt, saltem commovere conantur: cum potius vigilantia et diligentia pastorali post factum de illis competens sufficiensque judicium, ubicumque isti lupi apparuerint, conterendi sint, sive ut sanentur atque mutentur, sive ut ab aliorum salute atque integritate vitentur; adjuvante Pastore pastorum, qui ovem perditam et in parvulis quaerit, qui oves sanctas et justas gratis facit, qui eas quamvis sanctificatas et justificatas, tamen in ista fragilitate atque infirmitate pro quotidianis peccatis, sine quibus hic non vivitur, etiam cum bene vivitur, quotidianam remissionem, et ut petant providenter instruit, et petentes clementer exaudit.