7. For as to those whose soul and heart were
one, I ask whether they were one through faith in God? Yes,
assuredly, through faith, for through this the soul and heart of all
were one. Again I ask, is the faith one or is there a second
faith? One undoubtedly, and that on the authority of the Apostle
himself, who proclaims one faith even as one Lord, and one baptism, and
one hope, and one God Eph. iv. 4, 5.. If then it
is through faith, that is, through the nature of one faith, that all
are one, how is it that thou dost not understand a natural unity in the
case of those who through the nature of one faith are one? For
all were born again to innocence, to immortality, to the knowledge of
God, to the faith of hope. And if these things cannot differ
within themselves because there is both one hope and one God, as also
there is one Lord and one baptism of regeneration; if these things are
one rather by agreement than by nature, ascribe a unity of will to
those also who have been born again into them. If, however, they
have been begotten again into the nature of one life and eternity,
then, inasmuch as their soul and heart are one, the unity of will fails
to account for their case who are one by regeneration into the same
nature.