250. invenit consilium tacita fides.
251. fides quantum praesumpsit exegit. Quantum, 'so far as,' = 'all that.' Ziwsa, however, thinks that exegit here = impetravit.
252. dantis est, non accipientis. It is clear that Parmenian had given a series of proofs, concluding at the end of each: Dantis est, non accipientis, and Optatus ironically repeats the words. According to the argument of St. Optatus there are three 'species': ( α ) The Name of the Trinity by which all the grace is given; ( β ) the minister of the Sacrament, who is only instrumental----a servant; and ( γ ) the faith of the recipient, which by the ministry of ( γ ) impetrates the grace from ( α ). Finally therefore all depends upon ( γ ). The Trinity is unchangeable, the minister a mere servant, but the disposition of the recipient all-important. If, then, outside the Church the recipient has faith the Baptism will be valid. Of course this implies that although baptism by heretics (if administered in the Name of the Trinity) is valid, the baptism of a heretic is invalid. But we have to bear in mind that St. Optatus assumes (for such had so far for the most part been the experience of the Church) that a heretic does not believe in the Trinity or in the Catholic Doctrine of the Incarnation (cf. note i, p. 17). His argument, so far as it is here stated (apart from any implications), is good, but incomplete. The doctrine of character handed down by the Greek Fathers was unknown to St. Optatus. He had no idea of character being given without grace, nor of reviviscentia on arriving at true and living Faith.
253. quasi immaturam quandam durissimorum nascentium vulnerum massam. [Note to the online text - the last couple of words were obliterated in the printed copy]
254. scabrosissimis moribus.
255. qui lenissimam gratiam aquae salutaris accipere detractaret.
256. hominis innovationem.
257. veternosam. Cf. 'vetus, vietus, veternosus senex': Ter. Eun. iv, 4, 21.
258. talis commemorata est lectio.
259. Cf. 4 Reg. v.
260. iussione. Casaubon reads with G ante . . . iussionem.
261. ut merito denuo melius lavaretur.
262. nec sic vobis occurreret.
263. primitivum.
264. illi homini.
265. populorum peccata. This use of populi = multitude is not uncommon in Optatus.
266. qui ianitores et ministros fefellerit vestros.
267. foras.
268. si ita est.
269. quod resurrectio repraesentet.
270. sc. the Wedding Garment.
271. Casaubon supplies the word caelestis after Rex, but since the word Deus follows, caelestis (which is not in the MSS.) hardly seems necessary.
272. praesentia multorum gaudeat et de aliquorum absentia contristetur. aliquorum, i.e. the Donatists. Optatus on several occasions already has spoken of God grieving (cf. i, 2 bis; ii, 24; ii, 26; iii, 2 'Deus dolet'). Here he represents Him as grieving over the absence of those first called, and rejoicing over the presence of others from the byways and hedges. St. Optatus evidently leaves the opposition between his praesentia multorum and the pauci electi without noticing it.
273. Cf. Matt, xxii, 14.
274. cum Films Dei Ipse Christus sit Sponsus et vestis et tunica natans in aqua, quae multos vestiat. Casaubon has suggested natos in aqua for natans in aqua. If this suggestion be adopted, we translate 'and the Tunic, wherewith He may clothe many who are born in the water (the baptised).' This, however, has no MS. authority, and is quite unnecessary. The spiritual garment of grace is Christ, whom the baptised 'puts on' (induit), as the water flows over him. But St. Optatus will not identify Christ with the water----so He is the Grace in the water----a spiritual garment invisibly 'floating in the water,' which clothes the baptised, as the water covers him. It is a very beautiful idea. There seems to be no reference here to the i0xqu&j. (Still cf. iii, 2: 'Hic est piscis, qui in baptismate per invocationem fontalibus undis inseritur.')