Anf-03 v.iv.vi.xv Pg 22
1 Thess. v. 19, 20.
Not the Creator’s spirit, nor the Creator’s prophesyings, Marcion of course replies. For he has already quenched and despised the thing which he destroys, and is unable to forbid what he has despised.5912 5912 Nihil fecit. This is precisely St. Paul’s ἐξουθενεῖν, “to annihilate” (A.V. “despise”), in 1 Thess. v. 20.
It is then incumbent on Marcion now to display in his church that spirit of his god which must not be quenched, and the prophesyings which must not be despised. And since he has made such a display as he thinks fit, let him know that we shall challenge it whatever it may be to the rule5913 5913 Formam.
of the grace and power of the Spirit and the prophets—namely, to foretell the future, to reveal the secrets of the heart, and to explain mysteries. And when he shall have failed to produce and give proof of any such criterion, we will then on our side bring out both the Spirit and the prophecies of the Creator, which utter predictions according to His will. Thus it will be clearly seen of what the apostle spoke, even of those things which were to happen in the church of his God; and as long as He endures, so long also does His Spirit work, and so long are His promises repeated.5914 5914 Celebratur.
Come now, you who deny the salvation of the flesh, and who, whenever there occurs the specific mention of body in a case of this sort,5915 5915 Si quando corpus in hujus modi prænominatur.
interpret it as meaning anything rather than the substance of the flesh, (tell me) how is it that the apostle has given certain distinct names to all (our faculties), and has comprised them all in one prayer for their safety, desiring that our “spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord and Saviour (Jesus) Christ?”5916 5916
Anf-03 v.iii.iv Pg 10
1 Thess. v. 21. [But Truth is to be demonstrated as a theorem, not treated as a problem of which we must seek the solution.]
as if, after proving all things amiss, one might not through error make a determined choice of some evil thing.
