Chapter 24.—34. I remember that I have already discussed at sufficient length the question of "the temple of God," and how this saying is to be taken, "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."1554
For neither are the covetous the
temple of
God, since it is written, "What
agreement hath the
temple of
God with
idols?"
1555
And Cyprian has adduced the
testimony of
Paul to the fact that
covetousness is
idolatry. But men put on
Christ, sometimes so
far as to receive the sacrament, sometimes so much further as to receive
holiness of
life. And the first of these is common to good and bad alike; the second,
peculiar to the good and pious. Wherefore, if "
baptism cannot be without the Spirit," then
heretics have the Spirit also,—but to
destruction, not to
salvation, just as was the case with
Saul.
1556
For in the
Holy Spirit devils are cast out through the name of
Christ, which even he was able to do who was without the
Church, which called forth a suggestion from the
disciples to their
Lord.
1557
Just as the covetous have the
Holy Spirit, who yet are not the
temple of
God. For "what
agreement hath the
temple of
God with
idols?" If therefore the covetous have not the Spirit of
God, and yet have
baptism, it is possible for
baptism to exist without the Spirit of
God.
35. If therefore heresy is rendered "unable to engender sons to God through Christ, because it is not the bride of Christ,"1558
neither can that
crowd of
evil men established within the
Church, since it is also not the
bride of
Christ; for the
bride of
Christ is described as being without spot or wrinkle.
1559
| 1559 Eph. v. 27. Cp. Aug. Retract. ii. 18, quoted above, I. 17, 26.
|
Therefore either not all
baptized persons are the sons of
God, or even that which is not the
bride can engender the sons of
God. But as it is asked whether "he is spiritually
born who has received the
baptism of
Christ in the midst of
heretics,"
1560
so it may be asked whether he is spiritually
born who has received the
baptism of
Christ in the Catholic Church, without being turned to God in a true heart, of whom it cannot be said that he has not received baptism.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
