Chapter 11.—18. What shall we say of what is also wonderful, that he who carefully observes may find that it is possible that certain persons, without violating Christian charity, may yet teach what is useless, as Peter wished to compel the Gentiles to observe Jewish customs,1399
as Cyprian himself would force
heretics to be
baptized anew? whence the
apostle says to such good members, who are rooted in
charity, and yet
walk not rightly in some points, "If in anything ye be otherwise
minded,
God shall
reveal even this unto you;"
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and that some again, though devoid of
charity, may
teach something wholesome? of whom the
Lord says, "The
scribes and the
Pharisees sit in
Moses’ seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say and do not."
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Whence the
apostle also says of those envious and malicious ones who yet
preach salvation through
Christ, "Whether in pretense, or in
truth, let
Christ be
preached."
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Wherefore, both within and without, the waywardness of man is to be corrected, but the
divine sacraments and utterances are not to be attributed to men. He is not, therefore, a "patron of
heretics" who refuses to attribute to them what he knows not to
belong to them, even though it be found among them. We do not grant
baptism to be theirs; but we recognize His
baptism of whom it is said, "The same is He which baptizeth,"
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wheresoever we find it. But if "the treacherous and blasphemous man" continue in his treachery and blasphemy, he receives no "
remission of
sins either without" or within the
Church; or if, by the
power of the sacrament, he receives it for the moment, the same force operates both without and within, as the
power of the name of Christ used to work the expulsion of devils even without the Church.
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