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Against the Donatists

St Optatus of Milevis, tr. Vassall-Phillips, 1917

Book 1, 11. The Marks of the Catholic Church, and of Schism

Catholicism is constituted by a simple and true understanding in the law,¹ by an unique and most true mystery,² and by unity of minds. But schism, after the bond of peace has been broken, is brought into existence through passion, is nourished by hatred, is strengthened by envy and dissensions, so that the Catholic Mother is abandoned, whilst her unfilial children go forth outside and separate themselves (as you have done) from the root of Mother Church----cut off by the shears of their hatred----and wickedly depart in rebellion. They are not able, however, to do anything new, or different³ from that which long ago they learned from their Mother.

Notes

Catholicam facit simplex et verus intellectus in lege. Harnack quotes this passage and understands by lege the two Testaments (History of Dogma, vol. v, p. 43), but states elsewhere that the word lex is used more than 100 years before the time of Optatus, of the Apostolic tradition preserved by the Roman Church, and Lex Catholica is a common expression in the documents placed by St. Optatus in his Appendix, so that the meaning of lege in this passage is not quite certain. Also it is doubtful whether in lege is the true reading here. PG have it, but Bvb give intelligere, R has intellegere. Ziwsa deserts P and prints intellegere (= ‘a true and simple understanding points out’ etc.). Casaubon is inclined to reject intelligere. He evidently had not seen in lege. Du Pin, though he had not the advantage of seeing P, has the merit (I think) of printing in lege. He boldly relied on G.
singulare ac verissimum sacramentum. Du Pin explains ‘sacramentum symboli,’ and Albaspinaeus ‘unum symbolum, una Fidei regula.’
novum aliquid aut aliud, i.e. as long as they remain schismatics only----until they become heretics also.