A Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian by an Anonymous Bishop.

 1. While I was meditating and impatiently tossing in my mind what I ought to do concerning those pitiable brethren who, wounded, not of their own will

 2. Why, therefore, shouldst thou be lifted up with vain things? Thou wilt gain loss rather than profit. Why, from the very fact that thou art become p

 3. And I, beloved brethren,—as I not heedlessly meditate these things, and not in harmony with human wisdom, but as it is permitted to our minds by th

 4. Let us now take the second character also of the dove sent forth from the ark, that is to say, in the time of the deluge, when all the abysses brok

 5. That ark bore the figure of the Church, as we have said above, which was stricken hither and thither to such a degree by the tumultuous waters. The

 6. Moreover, that that dove could not find rest for her feet, as we have said above, this signified the footsteps of those who deny that is, those, w

 7. Behold how glorious, how dear to the Lord, are the people whom these schismatics do not shrink from calling “wood, hay, stubble ” the equals of who

 8. We will answer them as to that utterance of the Lord, which they ill understand, and ill explain to themselves. For that He says, “Whosoever shall

 9. What sort of folly is thine, Novatian, only to read what tends to the destruction of salvation, and to pass by what tends to mercy, when Scripture

 10. Thus we have heard that the Lord is of great compassion. Let us hear what the Holy Spirit testifies by David: “If his children forsake my law, and

 11. Moreover, this is proved in the Gospel, where is described that woman who was a sinner, who came to the house of a certain Pharisee whither the Lo

 12. And now blush if thou canst, Novatian cease to deceive the unwary with thy impious arguments cease to frighten them with the subtlety of one par

 13. I beseech thee, hast thou not read, “Boast not, and speak not loftily, and let not arrogancy proceed out of your mouth: for the Lord lifteth the p

 14. O impious and wicked as thou art, thou heretic Novatian! who after so many and great crimes which in past times thou hadst known to be voluntarily

 15. Who is it that says these things?  Certainly He who, having left the ninety and nine sheep, went to seek that one which had wandered from His floc

 16. Let us then arouse ourselves as much as we can, beloved brethren and breaking away from the slumber of indolence and security, let us be watchful

 17. Like things to these also says Daniel:  “I beheld a throne placed, and the Ancient of days sat upon it, and His clothing was as it were snow, and

 18. Let us, then, with the whole strength of our faith, give praise to God let us give our full confession, since the powers of heaven rejoice over o

3. And I, beloved brethren,—as I not heedlessly meditate these things, and not in harmony with human wisdom, but as it is permitted to our minds by the condescension of the heavenly Lord, needfully and pertinently to conceive,—say that that dove signifies to us of itself a double type. Formerly, that is, from the beginning of the divine administration, it suggests its own figure, the first indeed and chief—that is, the figure of the Spirit. And by its mouth the sacrament of baptism which is provided for the salvation of the human race, and that by the heavenly plan it is celebrated in the Church only.13    This passage is altogether corrupt and unintelligible: some force is necessary even to give it an appearance of meaning. Moreover, three times sent forth from the ark, flying about through the air over the water, it already signified the sacraments of our Church. Whence also the Lord Christ charges upon Peter, and moreover also upon the rest of His disciples, “Go ye and preach the Gospel to the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”14    Matt. xxviii. 19. [For the next sentence see Acts ii. 33.] That is, that that same Trinity which operated figuratively in Noah’s days through the dove, now operates in the Church spiritually through the disciples.

III. Et ego quidem, fratres dilectissimi, non temere ista cogitans, nec humana sapientia conspirans, sed ut coelestis Domini dignatione necessarie et pertinenter mentibus nostris concipere permittitur; dico illam, id est, columbam, duplicem nobis per semetipsam significare figuram. Primam quidem et principalem, suam, hoc est spiritalem, olim, id est, ab initio divinae administrationis insistit, et sacramentum Baptismatis quod in salutem generis humani provisum, et soli Ecclesiae coelesti ratione celebrare, per os suum praeostendit. Ter enim emissa ex arca, volitans per aerem super aquam, significabat jam 1209B tunc Ecclesiae nostrae sacramenta. Unde et Dominus Christus Petro, sed et caeteris discipulis suis mandat, dicens: Euntes evangelizate gentibus, baptizantes eos in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus sancti (Matth. XXVIII, 19). Hoc est, ut Trinitas illa quae sub Noe per columbam figuraliter operata est, haec nunc in Ecclesia per hos spiritaliter operetur.