but aware that true faith alone was acceptable to heaven, he enquired of him was he in communion with the Catholic Bishops, that is, with the Roman Bishop ? for the country, he knew, was infected with schism. The Bishop, at the time, had withdrawn himself from our communion; and though he was in banishment for his faith, yet in schism there could be no true faith. He had faith towards God, but not towards the Church, whose members he permitted to be torn asunder. For since Christ died for the Church, and the Church is the body of Christ, they by whom his passion is made void, and his body is torn asunder, cannot hold his faith. How desirous soever, therefore, my brother might be to express publicly his gratitude, he chose to defer it; because he knew that true faith was necessary for its due accomplishment.” De Ohitu fratris Satyri: T. ii. p. 1127. I have mentioned this fact because it shews, more than any reasoning on the subject of union could do, how great was the horror then entertained of schism, or of departing from the faith of the Church.
St. EPIPHANIUS, G. C. “For the Church, taking her origin from one faith, and established by the Divine Spirit, is the only child of her mother, who also is only one. They that have come out after her, or even before her, are called harlots; which, though they be not quite cut off from her inheritance, yet they have no dowry from Christ; no influence from the Holy Ghost. There remains only one, namely, the Holy Catholic Church, which is truly called the Christian Religion. To this Church, all they who at any time pleased God, have given their faith.” In exposit. fidei. Ad calcem, L. adv. Hær. T. i. p. 1083.
