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| Chapter XXXII.—Further exposure of the wicked and blasphemous doctrines of the heretics.
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Chapter XXXII.—Further exposure of
the wicked and blasphemous doctrines of the heretics.
1. Moreover,
this impious opinion of theirs with respect to actions—namely,
that it is incumbent on them to have experience of all kinds of deeds,
even the most abominable—is refuted by the teaching of the Lord,
with whom not only is the adulterer rejected, but also the man who
desires to commit adultery;3266
and
not only is the actual murderer held guilty of having killed another to
his own damnation, but the man also who is angry with his brother without
a cause: who commanded [His disciples] not only not to hate men, but also
to love their enemies; and enjoined them not only not to swear falsely,
but not even to swear at all; and not only not to speak evil of their
neighbours, but not even to style any one “Raca” and
“fool;” [declaring] that otherwise they were in danger of
hell-fire; and not only not to strike, but even, when themselves struck,
to present the other cheek [to those that maltreated them]; and not only
not to refuse to give up the property of others, but even if their own
were taken away, not to demand it back again from those that took it; and
not only not to injure their neighbours, nor to do them any evil, but
also, when themselves wickedly dealt with, to be long-suffering, and to
show kindness towards those [that injured them], and to pray for them,
that by means of repentance they might be saved—so that we should
in no respect imitate the arrogance, lust, and pride of others. Since,
therefore, He whom these men boast of as their Master, and of whom they
affirm that He had a soul greatly better and more highly toned than
others, did indeed, with much earnestness, command certain things to be
done as being good and excellent, and certain things to be abstained from
not only in their actual perpetration, but even in the thoughts which
lead to their performance, as being wicked, pernicious, and abominable,
—how then can they escape being put to confusion, when they affirm
that such a Master was more highly toned [in spirit] and better than
others, and yet manifestly give instruction of a kind utterly opposed to
His teaching? And, again, if there were really no such thing as good and
evil, but certain things were deemed righteous, and certain others
unrighteous, in human opinion only, He never would have expressed Himself
thus in His teaching: “The righteous shall shine forth as the sun
in the kingdom of their Father;”3267
but He
shall send the unrighteous, and those who do not the works of
righteousness, “into everlasting fire, where their worm shall not
die, and the fire shall not be quenched.”3268
2. When they further maintain that it is incumbent on
them to have experience of every kind3269
of work and conduct, so
that, if it be possible, accomplishing all during one manifestation in
this life, they may [at once] pass over to the state of perfection, they
are, by no chance, found striving to do those things which wait upon
virtue, and are laborious, glorious, and skilful,3270
which also are approved universally as being good. For if it be necessary
to go through every work and every kind of operation, they ought, in the
first place, to learn all the arts: all of them, [I say,] whether
referring to theory or practice, whether they be acquired by self-denial,
or are mastered through means of labour, exercise, and perseverance; as,
for example, every kind of music, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and
all such as are occupied with intellectual pursuits: then, again, the
whole study of medicine, and the knowledge of plants, so as to become
acquainted with those which are prepared for the health of man; the art
of painting and sculpture, brass and marble work, and the kindred arts:
moreover, [they have to study] every kind of country labour, the
veterinary art, pastoral occupations, the various kinds of skilled
labour, which are said to pervade the whole circle of [human] exertion;
those, again, connected with a maritime life, gymnastic exercises,
hunting, military and kingly pursuits, and as many others as may exist,
of which, with the utmost labour, they could not learn the tenth, or even
the thousandth part, in the whole course of their lives. The fact indeed
is, that they endeavour to learn none of these, although they maintain
that it is incumbent on them to have experience of every kind of work;
but, turning aside to voluptuousness, and lust, and abominable actions,
they stand self-condemned when they are tried by their own doctrine. For,
since they are destitute of all those [virtues] which have been
mentioned, they will [of necessity] pass into the destruction of fire.
These men, while they boast of Jesus as being their Master, do in fact
emulate the philosophy of Epicurus and the indifference of the Cynics,
[calling Jesus their Master,] who not only turned His disciples away from
evil deeds, but even from [wicked] words and thoughts, as I have already
shown.
3. Again, while they assert that they possess souls
from the same sphere as Jesus, and that they are like to Him, sometimes
even maintaining that they are superior; while [they affirm that they
were] produced, like Him, for the
performance of works
tending to the benefit and establishment of mankind, they are found doing
nothing of the same or a like kind [with His actions], nor what can in
any respect be brought into comparison with them. And if they have in
truth accomplished anything [remarkable] by means of magic, they strive
[in this way] deceitfully to lead foolish people astray, since they
confer no real benefit or blessing on those over whom they declare that
they exert [supernatural] power; but, bringing forward mere boys3271
| 3271 “Pureos
investes,” boys that have not yet reached the age of puberty.
| [as the subjects on whom they practise], and deceiving their
sight, while they exhibit phantasms that instantly cease, and do not
endure even a moment of time,3272
| 3272 The text has “stillicidio temporis,”
literally “ a drop of time” (σταγμῇ
χρόνου); but the
original text was perhaps στιγμῇ χρόνου, “a
moment of time.” With either reading the meaning is the same.
| they are proved to be like, not Jesus our Lord, but Simon the
magician. It is certain,3273
| 3273
Some have deemed the words “firmum esse” an
interpolation. | too, from the fact that the Lord rose from the
dead on the third day, and manifested Himself to His disciples, and was
in their sight received up into heaven, that, inasmuch as these men die,
and do not rise again, nor manifest themselves to any, they are proved as
possessing souls in no respect similar to that of Jesus.
4. If,
however, they maintain that the Lord, too, performed such works simply in
appearance, we shall refer them to the prophetical writings, and prove
from these both that all things were thus3274
| 3274 That is, as being done in reality, and not in
appearance. | predicted regarding Him, and did take place
undoubtedly, and that He is the only Son of God. Wherefore, also, those
who are in truth His disciples, receiving grace from Him, do in His name
perform [miracles], so as to promote the welfare of other men, according
to the gift which each one has received from Him. For some do certainly
and truly drive out devils, so that those who have thus been cleansed
from evil spirits frequently both believe [in Christ], and join
themselves to the Church. Others have foreknowledge of things to come:
they see visions, and utter prophetic expressions. Others still, heal the
sick by laying their hands upon them, and they are made whole. Yea,
moreover, as I have said, the dead even have been raised up, and
remained3275
| 3275 Harvey here
notes: “The reader will not fail to remark this highly interesting
testimony, that the divine χαρίσματα bestowed
upon the infant Church were not wholly extinct in the days of Irenæus.
Possibly the venerable Father is speaking from his own personal
recollection of some who had been raised from the dead, and had continued
for a time living witnesses of the efficacy of Christian faith.”
[See cap. xxxi., supra.] | among us for many years. And
what shall I more say? It is not possible to name the number of the gifts
which the Church, [scattered] throughout the whole world, has received
from God, in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius
Pilate, and which she exerts day by day for the benefit of the Gentiles,
neither practising deception upon any, nor taking any reward3276
from them [on account of such miraculous
interpositions]. For as she has received freely3277
from God, freely also does she minister [to others].
5. Nor does she
perform anything by means of angelic invocations,3278
| 3278 Grabe contends that these words imply
that no invocations of angels, good or bad, were practised in the
primitive Church. Massuet, on the other hand, maintains that the words of
Irenæus are plainly to be restricted to evil spirits, and have no
bearing on the general question of angelic invocation. | or by
incantations, or by any other wicked curious art; but, directing her
prayers to the Lord, who made all things, in a pure, sincere, and
straightforward spirit, and calling upon the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, she has been accustomed to work3279
| 3279 We follow the common reading, “perfecit;”
but one ms. has
“perficit,” works, which suits the context better.
| miracles for the advantage of mankind, and not to lead them into
error. If, therefore, the name of our Lord Jesus Christ even now confers
benefits [upon men], and cures thoroughly and effectively all who
anywhere believe on Him, but not that of Simon, or Menander, or
Carpocrates, or of any other man whatever, it is manifest that, when He
was made man, He held fellowship with His own creation, and3280
| 3280 We insert “et,”
in accordance with Grabe’s suggestion. | did all things
truly through the power of God, according to the will of the Father of
all, as the prophets had foretold. But what these things were, shall be
described in dealing with the proofs to be found in the prophetical
writings.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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