Celestine and Sixtus Against Novelty

What has been said would be enough, and far more than enough, to crush and wipe out every profane novelty. Yet so that nothing might be lacking to the completeness of the proof, we added at the close the twofold authority of the Apostolic See: first, that of holy Pope Sixtus, the venerable prelate who now adorns the Roman church; and second, that of his predecessor, Pope Celestine of blessed memory. We think it necessary to insert these here as well. [a]

Holy Pope Sixtus, then, in a letter he wrote about the affair of Nestorius to the bishop of Antioch, says, “Therefore, since, as the apostle says, the faith is one,” evidently the faith that has prevailed until now, “let us believe the things that are to be said, and say the things that are to be held.” What are the things that are to be believed and to be said? He goes on: “Let no license be allowed to novelty, because it is not fitting that any addition be made to antiquity. Let the clear faith and belief of our forefathers not be fouled by any muddy mixture.” A truly apostolic thought! He honors the belief of the fathers with the word “clear”; profane novelties he calls muddy.

Holy Pope Celestine also speaks in the same way and to the same effect. In the letter he wrote to the priests of Gaul, he charges them with conniving at error, in that by their silence they failed in their duty to the ancient faith and allowed profane novelties to spring up. He says, “We are rightly to blame if we encourage error by silence. Therefore rebuke these people. Restrain their freedom to preach.” But here someone may wonder whose freedom to preach as they please he forbids: the preachers of antiquity, or the devisers of novelty? Let him tell us himself; let him settle the reader’s doubt himself. For he goes on: “If this is so” (that is, if it is as certain people complain to me about your cities and provinces, that by your harmful looking the other way you lead them to consent to certain novelties), “if this is so, let novelty cease to assail antiquity.” This, then, was the ruling of blessed Celestine: not that antiquity should cease to overthrow novelty, but that novelty should cease to assail antiquity. [c]