Against Heresies, Book IV

Book IV

• Against Heresies IV.1 — The Lord acknowledged but one God and Father. 1. Since, therefore, this is sure and stedfast, that no other God or Lord was announced by the Spirit, except Him who, as God, rules over all, together with His Word, and…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.2 — 1. Moses, therefore, making a recapitulation of the whole law, which he had received from the Creator (Demiurge), thus speaks in Deuteronomy: “Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.3 — 1. Again, as to their malignantly asserting that if heaven is indeed the throne of God, and earth His footstool, and if it is declared that the heaven and earth shall pass away, then when these pass away the God who…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.4 — 1. Further, also, concerning Jerusalem and the Lord, they venture to assert that, if it had been “the city of the great King,” it would not have been deserted. This is just as if any one should say, that if straw…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.5 — 1. God, therefore, is one and the same, who rolls up the heaven as a book, and renews the face of the earth; who made the things of time for man, so that coming to maturity in them, he may produce the fruit of…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.6 — 1. For the Lord, revealing Himself to His disciples, that He Himself is the Word, who imparts knowledge of the Father, and reproving the Jews, who imagined that they, had [the knowledge of] God, while they…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.7 — 1. Therefore Abraham also, knowing the Father through the Word, who made heaven and earth, confessed Him to be God; and having learned, by an announcement [made to him], that the Son of God would be a man among men,…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.8 — 1. Vain, too, is [the effort of] Marcion and his followers when they [seek to] exclude Abraham from the inheritance, to whom the Spirit through many men, and now by Paul, bears witness, that “he believed God, and it…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.9 — There is but one author, and one end to both covenants. 1. All things therefore are of one and the same substance, that is, from one and the same God; as also the Lord says to the disciples “Therefore every scribe,…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.10 — 1. Wherefore also John does appropriately relate that the Lord said to the Jews: “Ye search the Scriptures, in which ye think ye have eternal life; these are they which testify of me. And ye are not willing to come…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.11 — 1. But that it was not only the prophets and many righteous men, who, foreseeing through the Holy Spirit His advent, prayed that they might attain to that period in which they should see their Lord face to face, and…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.12 — 1. For the tradition of the elders themselves, which they pretended to observe from the law, was contrary to the law given by Moses. Wherefore also Esaias declares: “Thy dealers mix the wine with water,” showing that…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.13 — 1. And that the Lord did not abrogate the natural [precepts] of the law, by which man is justified, which also those who were justified by faith, and who pleased God, did observe previous to the giving of the law,…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.14 — 1. In the beginning, therefore, did God form Adam, not as if He stood in need of man, but that He might have [some one] upon whom to confer His benefits. For not alone antecedently to Adam, but also before all…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.15 — 1. They (the Jews) had therefore a law, a course of discipline, and a prophecy of future things. For God at the first, indeed, warning them by means of natural precepts, which from the beginning He had implanted in…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.16 — 1. Moreover, we learn from the Scripture itself, that God gave circumcision, not as the completer of righteousness, but as a sign, that the race of Abraham might continue recognisable. For it declares: “God said unto…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.17 — 1. Moreover, the prophets indicate in the fullest manner that God stood in no need of their slavish obedience, but that it was upon their own account that He enjoined certain observances in the law. And again, that…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.18 — Concerning sacrifices and oblations, and those who truly offer them. 1. The oblation of the Church, therefore, which the Lord gave instructions to be offered throughout all the world, is accounted with God a pure…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.19 — 1. Now the gifts, oblations, and all the sacrifices, did the people receive in a figure, as was shown to Moses in the mount, from one and the same God, whose name is now glorified in the Church among all nations. But…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.20 — 1. As regards His greatness, therefore, it is not possible to know God, for it is impossible that the Father can be measured; but as regards His love (for this it is which leads us to God by His Word), when we obey…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.21 — Abraham’s faith was identical with ours; this faith was prefigured by the words and actions of the old patriarchs. 1. But that our faith was also prefigured in Abraham, and that he was the patriarch of our faith,…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.22 — 1. Now in the last days, when the fulness of the time of liberty had arrived, the Word Himself did by Himself “wash away the filth of the daughters of Zion,” when He washed the disciples’ feet with His own hands. For…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.23 — 1. For which reason the Lord declared to the disciples: “Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look upon the districts (regiones), for they are white [already] to harvest. For the harvest-man receiveth…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.24 — 1. Wherefore also Paul, since he was the apostle of the Gentiles, says, “I laboured more than they all.” For the instruction of the former, [viz., the Jews,] was an easy task, because they could allege proofs from…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.25 — Both covenants were prefigured in Abraham, and in the labour of Tamar; there was, however, but one and the same God to each covenant. 1. For thus it had behoved the sons of Abraham [to be], whom God has raised up to…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.26 — The treasure hid in the Scriptures is Christ; the true exposition of the Scriptures is to be found in the Church alone. 1. If any one, therefore, reads the Scriptures with attention, he will find in them an account…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.27 — 1. As I have heard from a certain presbyter, who had heard it from those who had seen the apostles, and from those who had been their disciples, the punishment [declared] in Scripture was sufficient for the ancients…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.28 — 1. Inasmuch, then, as in both Testaments there is the same righteousness of God [displayed] when God takes vengeance, in the one case indeed typically, temporarily, and more moderately; but in the other, really,…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.29 — 1. “But,” say they, “God hardened the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants.” Those, then, who allege such difficulties, do not read in the Gospel that passage where the Lord replied to the disciples, when they asked…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.30 — Refutation of another argument adduced by the Marcionites, that God directed the Hebrews to spoil the Egyptians. 1. Those, again, who cavil and find fault because the people did, by God’s command, upon the eve of…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.31 — 1. When recounting certain matters of this kind respecting them of old time, the presbyter [before mentioned] was in the habit of instructing us, and saying: “With respect to those misdeeds for which the Scriptures…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.32 — That one God was the author of both Testaments, is confirmed by the authority of a presbyter who had been taught by the apostles. 1. After this fashion also did a presbyter, a disciple of the apostles, reason with…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.33 — 1. A spiritual disciple of this sort truly receiving the Spirit of God, who was from the beginning, in all the dispensations of God, present with mankind, and announced things future, revealed things present, and…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.34 — Proof against the Marcionites, that the prophets referred in all their predictions to our Christ. 1. Now I shall simply say, in opposition to all the heretics, and principally against the followers of Marcion, and…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.35 — 1. Then again, in opposition to the Valentinians, and the other Gnostics, falsely so called, who maintain that some parts of Scripture were spoken at one time from the Pleroma (a summitate) through means of the seed…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.36 — The prophets were sent from one and the same Father from whom the Son was sent. 1. Which [God] the Lord does not reject, nor does He say that the prophets [spake] from another god than His Father; nor from any other…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.37 — 1. This expression [of our Lord], “How often would I have gathered thy children together, and thou wouldest not,” set forth the ancient law of human liberty, because God made man a free [agent] from the beginning,…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.38 — Why man was not made perfect from the beginning.. 1. If, however, any one say, “What then? Could not God have exhibited man as perfect from beginning?” let him know that, inasmuch as God is indeed always the same and…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.39 — 1. Man has received the knowledge of good and evil. It is good to obey God, and to believe in Him, and to keep His commandment, and this is the life of man; as not to obey God is evil, and this is his death. Since…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.40 — One and the same God the Father inflicts punishment on the reprobate, and bestows rewards on the elect. 1. It is therefore one and the same God the Father who has prepared good things with Himself for those who…vatican.va
• Against Heresies IV.41 — 1. Inasmuch as the Lord has said that there are certain angels, [viz. those] of the devil, for whom eternal fire is prepared; and as, again, He declares with regard to the tares, “The tares are the children of the…vatican.va