THE OPINIONOF THE FATHERS. 357 Lord commands us to " beware of false prophets," and to " see that no man deceive us," chap. vii. 15; although he wear the clothing of a sheep, or come under the name of a shepherd, " coming in his name," chap. xxiv. 4. St Paul informs us, Gal. i. 8, 9, that " if an apostle," if " an angel from heaven," preach beside the old apostoli- cal doctrine (introducing any newgospel, or adivinity devisedby him- self), he is to be held " accursed" by us. He affirms that even the apostles themselves were not " lords of our faith," 2 Cor. i. 24, nor might challenge any power inconsistent with the maintenance of Christian truth and piety. " We," says he, "can donothing against the truth, but for the truth," chap. xiii. 8; which an ancient writer well applies to the pope, saying that he " could do nothing against the truth more than any of his fellow-priests could do ;"1 which St Paul in practice showed, when he " resisted St Peter, declining from the truth of the gospel." He charges that if anyone po&accon xs v, " teaches heterodoxies," we should " stand off from him ;"3 that " if any brother walketh disorderly, and not according to apostolical tra- dition, we should withdraw from him;"3 that if any one " raises divisions and scandals beside the doctrines received from the apostles, we should decline from him; "4 that we are to " refuse any heretical person," Tit. iii. 10. He tells us that " grievous wolves should come into the church, not sparing the flock;"3 that " from among Chris- tians there should arise men speaking perverse things, to draw dis- ciples after them," Acts xx. 30; but no man, surely, ought to follow, but to shun them. These precepts and admonitions are general, without any respect or exception of persons, great or small, pastor or layman; nay, they may, in some respect, more concern bishops than others, for that they declining from truth are more dangerous and contagious. 14. The fathers, in reference to this case, clearly accord, both in their doctrine and practice. St Cyprian tells us that " a people obedient to the Lord's commandments and fearing God ought to separate itself from a sinful bishop,"6that is, from one guilty of such sins which unqualify him fromChristian communionor pastoral charge. And, "Let not," addshe, " the common people flatter itself, as if it could be free from the contagion of guilt if it communicate with a sinful bishop, ' whose irreligious doctrine or practice renders ' Nec aliquid contra veritatem, sed pro veritate, plus suis consacerdotibus potest. Fac. Her772ian.., ii. 6 Gal. ii. 11, 14, "Ors ,Lx ópioaoSoú,, erpár ,rgv dT >Aises roï súayysxícu. 2 1 Tim. vi. 3, 5, Ei r,, lrspoSsSavxaxsï .... dspivraQ,s dorò , , asoúr,n. 3 2 Thess. iii. 6, 2.rixxsnia, doró aravrór áSsxfci, &c. Rom. xvi. 17, 'Exxaím, chi, aúrmv. 5 acts xx. 29, Eiosxsúoovras sir ú¡sGr. 3 Plebs obsequens proeceptis Dominicis et Deum metuens a peccatore przeposito sepa. rare se debet. Cypr., Ep. lxviii. 7 Nec sibi plebs blandiatur, quasi immunis esse a contagio delicti possit cum sacer- dote peccatore communicans.Aid.
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