386 DISCOURSE ON THE UNITY OE THE CHURCH. Wherefore, the most notorious violations of charity being the caus- ing of dissensions and factions in the church, the causeless separation from any church, the unjust condemnation of churches .... who- ever was guilty of any such unchristian behaviour was rejected by the fathers, and held to be no Christian. Such were the Novatians, the Donatists, the Meletians, the Luciferians, and other schismatics. " For what can be more acceptable and pleasant than to see those who are severed and scattered into so many places, yet knit and joined together in the bond and union of charity, as harmonious members of the body of Christ? "' as In old time, when the church of God flourished, being rooted in the same faith, united in love; there being, as it were, one conspi- racy or league of different members in one body."' " For the communion of the Spirit is wont to knit and unite men's minds; which conjunction we believe to be betweenus and your charitable affection."' " They, therefore, who by the bond of charity are incorporated into the building settled upon the rock."' " But the members of Christ are joined together by the charity of union, and by the same cleave close to their head, which is Christ."' III. All Christians are united by spiritual cognation and alliance, as being all " regenerated by the same incorruptible seed," being alike " born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God," 1 Pet. i. 23; James i. 18; John i. 13; whence, as " the sons of God," and " brethrenof Christ," they become breth- ren one to another, John i. 12; Gal. iii. 26: so that it is a peculiar title or appellationof Christians, "The brethren," signifying all Chris- tian people, and " A brother" being the same with a Christian pro- fessor, Heb. ii. 10, 11; 1 Cor. vii. 15, v. 11; Rom. xiv. 10, &c. IV. The whole Christian church is one, by its incorporation into the mystical body of Christ, or as fellow-subjects of that spiritual, heavenly kingdom of which Christ is the sovereign head and go- vernor; whence they are governed by the same laws, are obliged by the same institutions and sanctions.' They partake of the same privi- t Ti yap áv yivavro xeeprioTEpov, ñ .7.01; rovoúTá Try m'a.AE, Tmv Tórwv SrerpyAcivous 4 e áyá've in', xaAopicv eis paiav paexmv áepaaviav i, c j ,,,, XproTZ Seliegar. Bas. Ep. ccxx. 8 'Eri Tdiv ápxarmv zarpo-iv . ñvixa ,,i,,, ai ixianeiar zaû e,aii iPPrY,4evar rñ aid'rEr, itvorpoivar Tñ áyairn rilerEp iv ivi awpcaTr paras oupervoias Sra¢ópmv teexmv úrapxoons.Bas., Ep. cecxxxviii. 7 `H xaTel nveúp ec ouvárpera iperorEiv ri(pu,E ,1415, oixeiworv, ry 41.4.7v eivar rp'c 'r a'yárnr úparúv rerroreúx etcev. Bas., Ep. elxXxii. 4 Qui ergo compage charitatis incorporati sunt eedificio super petram constituto, &c. Aug. de Unit., cap. xviii. a Membra vero Christi per unitatis charitatem sibi copulantur, et per eandemcapiti suo coheerent, quod est Christus.Aug. de Unit., cap. ii. Omnes sancti sibi charitate cohserent, &c. Aug. de Bapt. vi. 3. They are under a covenant of allegiance.
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