Writings in Connection with the Donatist ControversyAugustine, of Hippo, Saint
ReligionChristian
Writings in Connection with the Donatist Controversy
Augustine, of Hippo, Saint
Donatists; Donatists -- Controversial literature
44. Further, if we inquire more carefully what is meant by "outside,"
especially as he himself makes mention of the rock on which the Church
is built, are not they in the Church who are on the rock, and they who
are not on the rock, not in the Church either? Now, therefore, let us
see whether they build their house upon a rock who hear the words of
Christ and do them not. The Lord Himself declares the contrary, saying,
"Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken
him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock;" and a little
later, "Every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them
not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon
the sand."[469] If, therefore, the Church is on a rock, those who are
on the sand, because they are outside the rock, are necessarily outside
the Church. Let us recollect, therefore, how many Cyprian mentions as
placed within who build upon the sand, that is, who hear the words of
Christ and do them not. And therefore, because they are on the sand,
they are proved to be outside the rock, that is, outside the Church;
yet even while they are so situated, and are either not yet or never
changed for the better, not only do they baptize and are baptized,
but the baptism which they have remains valid in them though they are
destined to damnation.
45. Neither can it be said in this place,[470] Yet who is there that
doeth all the words of the Lord which are written in the evangelic
sermon itself, at the end of which He says, that he who heard the said
words and did them built upon a rock, and he who heard them and did
them not built upon the sand? For, granting that by certain persons all
the words are not accomplished, yet in the same sermon He has appointed
the remedy, saying, "Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven."[471] And after
the Lord's prayer had been recorded in detail in the same sermon, He
says, "For I say unto you, if ye forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."[472]
Hence also Peter says, "For charity shall cover the multitude of
sins;"[473] which charity they certainly did not have, and on this
account they built upon the sand, of whom the same Cyprian says, that
within the Church they held conversation, even in the time of the
apostles, in unkindly hatred alien from Christian charity;[474] and
therefore they seemed indeed to be within, but really were without,
because they were not on that rock by which the Church is signified.
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