Chapter 17.—26. Therefore, whether they seem to abide within, or are openly outside, whatsoever is flesh is flesh, and what is chaff is chaff, whether they persevere in remaining in their barrenness on the threshing-floor, or, when temptation befalls them, are carried out as it were by the blast of some wind. And even that man is always severed from the unity of the Church which is without spot or wrinkle,
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| 1195 In the Retractations, ii. 18, Augustin notes on this passage, that wherever he uses this quotation from the Epistle to the Ephesians, he means it to be understood of the progress of the Church towards this condition, and not of her success in its attainment; for at present the infirmities and ignorance of her members give ground enough for the whole Church joining daily in the petition, "Forgive us our debts."
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who associates with the
congregation of the
saints in
carnal obstinacy. Yet we ought to
despair of no man, whether he be one who shows himself to be of this
nature within the pale of the
Church, or whether he more openly opposes it from without. But the
spiritual, or those who are steadily advancing with pious exertion towards this end, do not stray without the pale; since even when, by some perversity or necessity among men, they seem to be driven forth, they are more
approved than if they had remained within, since they are in no degree roused to
contend against the
Church, but remain rooted in the strongest
foundation of
Christian charity on the solid
rock of
unity. For hereunto belongs what is said in the sacrifice of Abraham: "But the birds divided he not."
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