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| Chapter XXXV.—Heretics confirm the Catholics in the faith.
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Chapter XXXV.—Heretics confirm the
Catholics in the faith.
And Trypho said, “I believe, however, that many
of those who say that they confess Jesus, and are called Christians, eat
meats offered to idols, and declare that they are by no means injured in
consequence.” And I replied, “The fact that there are such
men confessing themselves to be Christians, and admitting the crucified
Jesus to be both Lord and Christ, yet not teaching His doctrines, but
those of the spirits of error, causes us who are disciples of the true
and pure doctrine of Jesus Christ, to be more faithful and stedfast in
the hope announced by Him. For what things He predicted would take place
in His name, these we do see being actually accomplished in our sight.
For he said, ‘Many shall come in My name, clothed outwardly in
sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.’
”2035
And, ‘There shall be schisms and
heresies.’2036
And, ‘Beware of
false prophets, who shall come to you clothed outwardly in sheep’s
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.’2037
And, ‘Many false Christs and false apostles shall arise,
and shall deceive many of the faithful.’2038
There are, therefore, and there were many, my friends, who,
coming forward in the name of Jesus, taught both to speak and act impious
and blasphemous things; and these are called by us after the name of the
men from whom each doctrine and opinion had its origin. (For some in one
way, others in another, teach to blaspheme the Maker of all things, and
Christ, who was foretold by Him as coming, and the God of Abraham, and of
Isaac, and of Jacob, with whom we have nothing in common, since we know
them to be atheists, impious, unrighteous, and sinful, and confessors of
Jesus in name only, instead of worshippers of Him. Yet they style
themselves Christians, just as certain among the Gentiles inscribe the
name of God upon the works of their own hands, and partake in nefarious
and impious rites.) Some are called Marcians, and some Valentinians, and
some Basilidians, and some Saturnilians, and others by other names; each
called after the originator of the individual opinion, just as each one
of those who consider themselves philosophers, as I said before, thinks
he must bear the name of the philosophy which he follows, from the name
of the father of the particular doctrine. So that, in consequence of
these events, we know that Jesus foreknew what would happen after Him, as
well as in consequence of many other events which He foretold would
befall those who believed on and confessed Him, the Christ. For all that
we suffer, even when killed by friends, He foretold would take place; so
that it is manifest no word or act of His can be found fault with.
Wherefore we pray for you and for all other men who hate us; in order
that you, having repented along with us, may not blaspheme Him who, by
His works, by the mighty deeds even now wrought through His name, by the
words He taught, by the prophecies announced concerning Him, is the
blameless, and in all things irreproachable, Christ Jesus; but, believing
on Him, may be saved in His second glorious advent, and may not be
condemned to fire by Him.”E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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