Chapter 82.—179. Petilianus said: "But the holy apostle said this: ‘In any way, whatsoever it may be,’ he says, ‘let Christ be preached.’"
180. Augustin answered: You speak against yourself; but yet, since you speak on the side of truth, if you love it, let what you say be counted for you. For I ask of you of whom it was that the Apostle Paul said this? Let us, if you please, trace this a little further back. "Some," he says, "preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will, some of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. But some
indeed preach Christ even of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds. What then? notwithstanding every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice."2191
We see that they
preached what was in itself holy, and pure, and true, but yet not in a pure manner, but of
envy and
contention, without
charity, without
purity. Certainty a short time ago you appeared to be urging the
praises of
charity as against us, according to the witness of the
apostle, that where there is no
charity, whatever there is is of no avail; and yet you see that in those there is no
charity, and there was with them the
preaching of
Christ, of which the
apostle says here that he
rejoices. For it is not that he
rejoices in what is
evil in them, but in what is good in the name of
Jesus Christ. In him assuredly there was the
charity which "rejoiceth not in
iniquity, but rejoiceth in the
truth."
2192
The
envy, moreover, which was in them is an
evil proceeding from the
devil, for by this he has both
killed and cast down. Where then were these
wicked men whom the
apostle thus condemns, and in whom there was so much that was good to cause him to
rejoice? Were they within, or without? Choose which you will. If they were within, then
Paul knew them, and yet they did not pollute him. And so you would not be polluted in the
unity of the whole
world by those of whom you
make certain charges, whether these be true, or falsehoods
invented by yourselves. Wherefore do you separate yourself? Why do you
destroy yourself by the criminal
sacrilege of
schism? But if they were without, then you see that even in those who were without, and who certainly cannot
belong to
everlasting life, since they have not
charity, and do not
abide in
unity, there is yet found the
holiness of the name of
Christ, so that the
apostle joyfully confirms their teaching, on account of the
intrinsic
holiness of the name, although he repudiates them. We are right, therefore, in not doing wrong to the actual name, when those come to us who were without; but we correct the individuals, while we do
honor to the name. Do you therefore take heed, and see how wickedly you act in the case of those whose acts as it seems you
condemn, by treating as naught the sacrament of the name of
Christ, which is holy in them. And you, indeed, as is shown by your words, think that those men of whom
the
apostle spoke were outside the limits of the
Church. Therefore, when you fear persecution from the Catholics, of which you speak in order to create odium against us, you have confirmed in heretics the name of Christ to which you do despite by rebaptizing.
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