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| Heresy Lowers Respect for Christ, and Destroys All Fear of His Great Judgment. The Tendency of Heretical Teaching on This Solemn Article of the Faith. The Present Treatise an Introduction to Certain Other Anti-Heretical Works of Our Author.
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Chapter
XLIV.—Heresy Lowers Respect for Christ, and Destroys All Fear of
His Great Judgment. The Tendency of Heretical Teaching on This Solemn
Article of the Faith. The Present Treatise an Introduction to Certain
Other Anti-Heretical Works of Our Author.
These evidences, then, of a stricter discipline
existing among us, are an additional proof of truth, from which no man
can safely turn aside, who bears in mind that future judgment, when
“we must all stand before the judgment-seat of
Christ,”2299
to render an
account of our faith itself before all things. What, then, will they
say who shall have defiled it, even the virgin which Christ committed
to them with the adultery of heretics? I suppose they will allege that
no injunction was ever addressed to them by Him or by His apostles
concerning depraved2300
and perverse
doctrines assailing them,2301
or about their
avoiding and abhorring the same. (He and His apostles, perhaps,)
will acknowledge2302
| 2302 It seems to us, that
this is the force of the strong irony, indicated by the
“credo,” which pervades this otherwise unintelligible
passage. Dodgson’s version seems untenable:
“Let them (the heretics) acknowledge that the fault is with
themselves rather than with those who prepared us so long
beforehand.” | that the blame
rather lies with themselves and their disciples, in not having given us
previous warning and instruction! They2303
will, besides, add a good deal respecting the high authority of each
doctor of heresy,—how that these mightily strengthened belief in
their own doctrine; how that they raised the dead, restored the sick, foretold the future,
that so they might deservedly be regarded as apostles. As if this
caution were not also in the written record: that many should come who
were to work even the greatest miracles, in defence of the deceit of
their corrupt preaching. So, forsooth, they will deserve to be
forgiven! If, however, any, being mindful of the writings and the
denunciations of the Lord and the apostles, shall have stood firm in
the integrity of the faith, I suppose they will run great risk
of missing pardon, when the Lord answers: I plainly forewarned you that
there should be teachers of false doctrine in my name, as well as that
of the prophets and apostles also; and to my own disciples did I give a
charge, that they should preach the same things to you. But as for you,
it was not, of course, to be supposed2304
| 2304 This must be the force
of a sentence which is steeped in irony: “Scilicet cum vos
non crederetis.” We are indebted to Oehler for restoring the
sentence thus. |
that you would believe me! I once gave the gospel and the doctrine of
the said rule (of life and faith) to my apostles; but afterwards it was
my pleasure to make considerable changes in it! I had promised a
resurrection, even of the flesh; but, on second thoughts, it struck
me2305
that I might not be able to keep my
promise! I had shown myself to have been born of a virgin; but
this seemed to me afterwards to be a discreditable thing.2306
I had said that He was my Father, who is the
Maker of the sun and the showers; but another and better father has
adopted me! I had forbidden you to lend an ear to heretics; but in this
I erred! Such (blasphemies), it is possible,2307
do
enter the minds of those who go out of the right path,2308
and who do not defend2309
the true faith from the danger which besets
it. On the present occasion, indeed, our treatise has rather
taken up a general position against heresies, (showing that they must)
all be refuted on definite, equitable, and necessary rules,
without2310
| 2310 This sense comes from
the “repellendas” and the “a collatione
Scripturarum.” | any comparison with
the Scriptures. For the rest, if God in His grace permit, we shall
prepare answers to certain of these heresies in separate
treatises.2311
| 2311 Specialiter. He did
this, indeed, in his treatises against Marcion, Hermogenes, the
Valentinians, Praxeas, and others. [These are to follow in this Series.
Kaye (p. 47) justly considered this sentence as proving the De
Præscript, a preface to all his treatises against particular
heresies.] | To those who may
devote their leisure in reading through these (pages), in the belief of
the truth, be peace, and the grace of our God Jesus Christ for
ever.2312
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