Church is our paternal dwelling. It is one body, one spirit.” Hom. xi. in c. 4. ad Eph. T. xi. p. 83, 88.
CENT. V.
ST. AUGUSTIN, L. C. No one has written so much as this learned Father in support of the Unity of the Church, particularly in his works against the Donatists. They had separated themselves, under weak pretences, from the general communion, and continued to disturb the peace of the faithful; insolently maintaining, that by opposing them, all the Churches of the earth had fallen into error, and that the true faith was now only among the followers of Donatus, cooped up as they were in a corner of Africa. This schism, as we have seen, was combated by St. Optatus of Milevis; and St. Augustin now opposed their vain pretensions with fresh powers of argument, shewing, that agreeably to the predictions of the ancient prophets, and the positive declarations of Christ, his Church must ever be an extended society; composed indeed of good and bad livers, but united in the bonds of one faith and one communion; that to this Church had always been given the name of Catholic, which could not, in any sense, be applied to the Donatists; and, that under any pretence, to separate from that Church must be deemed the crime of schism. He introduces the Church thus addressing them : “My children, why do you complain of your mother? I wish to hear why you have deserted me? You accuse your brethren, and I am lacerated by you. When the Gentiles persecuted me, I suffered much. Many left me; but they left me through fear. You, no one forced thus to rebel against me. You say that you are with me, but you know that it is false. I am called Catholic; you are with Donatus.” Psalm. contra part. Donati T. ix. p. 8.
