278. 1 Cor. vi, 20; vii, 28.
279. sicut vultis.
280. quis virtutes novas aut alter as fecit? (Cf. 'Suam virtutem mittere'; 'a Filio Dei tantas celebrari virtutes,' v, 8.)
281. cum miraculo quodam.
282. Common names, as if we should say 'Mary, or Nicholas' (cf. vi, 8). So St. Augustine (De Bapt. ii, 7) tells us that the Donatists used to say to Catholics 'Bonus homo esses, si non esses Traditor, consule animae tuae, esto Christianus.'
283. professus est. Sc. by Baptism.
284. ante aram. Catechumens were not allowed to pray before the altar and were not taught the Our Father until just before Baptism.
285. deliquerit.
286. For a baptised man to become a pagan would be a miracle ( miraculum quoddam ), for' quod factum est (sc. Baptisma) infectum non potest fieri.'
287. si tibi consenserit.
288. In Penance.
289. tam tibi.
290. christianum faciunt de christiano.
291. quasi facile.
292. qui iamdudum in vestro collegio fuerant.
293. qui gustaret aut acciperet.
294. de sacrificio adventantis unitatis, = ' of the Sacrifice of [the newly recovered] Unity,' i.e. who communicated at the general Communion of union.
295. de sacro ----sc. sacrilege St. Optatus will explain immediately that the Donatists put about the calumny that Paulus and Macarius would cause the images of the Emperors to be exposed on the altar during the offering of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist in their camp. Hence they concluded that the Catholic Sacrifice was not dissimilar to the sacrifice of the Pagans----a sacrilege (sacro).
296. quos constat postea tota securitate fecisse, unde paulo ante populos deterrebant.
297. alia ratio exegit has voces, alia invitavit in factum.
298. cum alt aria solemniter aptarentur.
299. sc. of the Emperor.
300. qui inde gustat de sacro gustat.
301. visa est puritas, et ritu solito solemnis consuetudo perspecta est.
302. divinis sacrificiis.