1. Since the Lord warns us, saying, “Ye are the salt of the earth,” and since He bids us to be simple to harmlessness, and yet with our simplicity to

 2. From which an example is given us to avoid the way of the old man, to stand in the footsteps of a conquering Christ, that we may not again be incau

 3. But, beloved brethren, not only must we beware of what is open and manifest, but also of what deceives by the craft of subtle fraud. And what can b

 4. If any one consider and examine these things, there is no need for lengthened discussion and arguments.  There is easy proof for faith in a short s

 5. And this unity we ought firmly to hold and assert, especially those of us that are bishops who preside in the Church, that we may also prove the ep

 6. The spouse of Christ cannot be adulterous she is uncorrupted and pure. She knows one home she guards with chaste modesty the sanctity of one couc

 7. This sacrament of unity, this bond of a concord inseparably cohering, is set forth where in the Gospel the coat of the Lord Jesus Christ is not at

 8. Who, then, is so wicked and faithless, who is so insane with the madness of discord, that either he should believe that the unity of God can be div

 9. Therefore also the Holy Spirit came as a dove, a simple and joyous creature, not bitter with gall, not cruel in its bite, not violent with the rend

 10. Hence heresies not only have frequently been originated, but continue to be so while the perverted mind has no peace—while a discordant faithless

 11. Against people of this kind the Lord cries from these He restrains and recalls His erring people, saying, “Hearken not unto the words of the fals

 12. Nor let any deceive themselves by a futile interpretation, in respect of the Lord having said, “Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in

 13. Thus, also, when He gave the law of prayer, He added, saying, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any that your Father

 14. Even if such men were slain in confession of the Name, that stain is not even washed away by blood: the inexpiable and grave fault of discord is n

 15. For both to prophesy and to cast out devils, and to do great acts upon the earth is certainly a sublime and an admirable thing but one does not a

 16. This evil, most faithful brethren, had long ago begun, but now the mischievous destruction of the same evil has increased, and the envenomed plagu

 17. Yet let not the excessive and headlong faithlessness of many move or disturb us, but rather strengthen our faith in the truthfulness which has for

 18. Thus Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who endeavoured to claim to themselves the power of sacrificing in opposition to Moses and Aaron the priest, under

 19. These, doubtless, they imitate and follow, who, despising God’s tradition, seek after strange doctrines, and bring in teachings of human appointme

 20. Nor let any one marvel, beloved brethren, that even some of the confessors advance to these lengths, and thence also that some others sin thus wic

 21. Confession is the beginning of glory, not the full desert of the crown nor does it perfect our praise, but it initiates our dignity and since it

 22. For the Lord chose Judas also among the apostles, and yet afterwards Judas betrayed the Lord. Yet not on that account did the faith and firmness o

 23. I indeed desire, beloved brethren, and I equally endeavour and exhort, that if it be possible, none of the brethren should perish, and that our re

 24. The Holy Spirit warns us, and says, “What man is he that desireth to live, and would fain see good days? Refrain thy tongue from evil, and thy lip

 25. This unanimity formerly prevailed among the apostles and thus the new assembly of believers, keeping the Lord’s commandments, maintained its char

 26. But in us unanimity is diminished in proportion as liberality of working is decayed. Then they used to give for sale houses and estates and that

14. Even if such men were slain in confession of the Name, that stain is not even washed away by blood: the inexpiable and grave fault of discord is not even purged by suffering. He cannot be a martyr who is not in the Church; he cannot attain unto the kingdom who forsakes that which shall reign there. Christ gave us peace; He bade us be in agreement, and of one mind. He charged the bonds of love and charity to be kept uncorrupted and inviolate; he cannot show himself a martyr who has not maintained brotherly love. Paul the apostle teaches this, and testifies, saying, “And though I have faith, so that I can remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I give all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity is magnanimous; charity is kind; charity envieth not; charity acteth not vainly, is not puffed up, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; loveth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.  Charity never faileth.”40    1 Cor. xiii. 2–5, 7, 8. “Charity,” says he, “never faileth.” For she will ever be in the kingdom, she will endure for ever in the unity of a brotherhood linked to herself. Discord cannot attain to the kingdom of heaven; to the rewards of Christ, who said, “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you:”41    John xv. 12. he cannot attain42    According to some readings, “to Christ,” or “to the rewards of Christ.” who has violated the love of Christ by faithless dissension. He who has not charity has not God. The word of the blessed Apostle John is: “God,” saith he, “is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God dwelleth in him.”43    1 John iv. 16. They cannot dwell with God who would not be of one mind in God’s Church. Although they burn, given up to flames and fires, or lay down their lives, thrown to the wild beasts, that will not be the crown of faith, but the punishment of perfidy; nor will it be the glorious ending of religious valour, but the destruction of despair. Such a one may be slain; crowned he cannot be. He professes himself to be a Christian in such a way as the devil often feigns himself to be Christ, as the Lord Himself forewarns us, and says, “Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many.”44    Mark xiii. 6. As he is not Christ, although he deceives in respect of the name; so neither can he appear as a Christian who does not abide in the truth of His Gospel and of faith.

XIV. Tales etiamsi occisi in confessione nominis fuerint, macula ista nec sanguine abluitur: inexpiabilis et gravis culpa discordiae nec passione purgatur. 0510B Esse martyr non potest qui in Ecclesia non est: ad regnum pervenire non poterit qui eam quae regnatura est derelinquit. Pacem nobis Christus dedit, concordes atque unanimes esse praecepit, dilectionis et charitatis foedera incorrupta atque inviolata servari mandavit. Exhibere se non potest martyrem qui fraternam non tenuit charitatem. Docet hoc et contestatur Paulus apostolus dicens: Et si habuero fidem ita ut montes transferam, charitatem autem non habeam, nihil sum. Et si in cibos pauperum distribuero omnia mea, et si tradidero corpus meum ut ardeam, charitatem autem non habeam, nihil proficio. Charitas magnanima est, charitas benigna est, charitas non aemulatur, non agit perperam, non inflatur, non irritatur, non cogitat malum , omnia diligit, omnia credit, omnia sperat, omnia sustinet. 0510CCharitas numquam excidit (I Cor. XIII, 2, 5, 7, 11). Numquam, inquit, excidit charitas. Haec enim semper in regno erit, haec in aeternum fraternitatis sibi cohaerentis unitate durabit. Ad regnum coelorum non potest pervenire discordia; ad praemia Christi , qui dixit, Hoc est mandatum meum, ut diligatis invicem, quemadmodum dilexi vos (Joan. XV, 12), pertinere non 0511A poterit qui dilectionem Christi perfida dissensione violavit. Qui charitatem non habet, Deum non habet. Joannis beati apostoli vox est: Deus, inquit, dilectio est; et qui manet in dilectione, in Deo manet , et Deus in illo manet (I Joan. IV, 16). Cum Deo manere non possunt qui esse in Ecclesia Dei unanimes noluerunt. Ardeant licet flammis et ignibus traditi vel objecti bestiis animas suas ponant, non erit illa fidei corona, sed poena perfidiae; nec religiosae virtutis exitus gloriosus, sed desperationis interitus. Occidi talis potest, coronari non potest. Sic se christianum esse profitetur quomodo et Christum diabolus saepe mentitur, ipso Domino praemonente et dicente: Multi venient in nomine meo dicentes: Ego sum Christus, et multos fallent (Marc. XIII, 6). Sicut ille Christus non est, quamvis 0511B fallat in nomine, ita nec christianus videri potest qui non permanet in Evangelii ejus et fidei veritate.