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

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. Therefore that deluge which happened under Noah showed forth the figure of the persecution which now lately was poured forth over the whole world. Moreover, by the waters, the cataracts broken forth meeting together on all sides, and growing, were signified the peoples which grew up for the desolation of the Church; as the Apocalypse teaches, saying, “The waters which thou sawest are peoples, and nations, and kingdoms.”16    Rev. xvii. 15.  Moreover, the dove which could not find rest for its feet, bore the likeness of the lapsed, who fell forgetful of the divine announcements, either ignorant in simplicity, or feigning in audacity. Of whom the Lord had intimated the future destruction in the Gospel in these words, saying, “He who heareth my words and doeth them not, I will liken him to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand: the tempests came and beat upon that house, and it fell; and great was its destruction.”17    Matt. vii. 26, 27. And lest we should seem to have made the comparison inconsiderately of that dove bearing the image of the lapsed, the prophet rebukes the city as a dove, that is, the character of the lapsed, saying, “The dove hearkens not to the voice; that is, the illustrious and redeemed city receives not teaching, and trusted not in the Lord.”18    Zeph. iii. 1, 2, 3, LXX.

V. Illa arca figuram Ecclesiae, sicut superius diximus, portabat, quae verberabatur hinc atque inde aquis insurgentibus tantum. Cataclysmus ergo ille qui sub Noe factus est, figuram persecutionis quae per totum orbem nunc nuper supereffusa, ostendit. Aquis autem, diruptis cataractis, undique convenientibus et excrescentibus significabantur gentes, quae ad vastandam Ecclesiam excreverunt. Sicut Apocalypsis docet, dicens: Aquae quas vidisti, populi sunt, et gentes, et regna (Apoc. XVII, 15). Columba 1209D autem quae pedibus suis requiem habere non poterat, lapsorum imaginem portabat; qui immemores divinarum praedictionum, vel simpliciter ignorantes, vel audacter dissimulantes ceciderunt: quorum Dominus ruinam in Evangelio futuram his verbis significaverat, dicens: Qui audit verba mea et 1210Anon facit ea, similabo eum viro stulto qui aedificavit domum suam super arenam: venerunt tempestates, et impegerunt in domum illam, et cecidit, et facta est ruina ejus magna (Matth. VII, 26, 27). Et ne temere comparasse videamur, columbam illam lapsorum imaginem portare; Propheta civitatem ut columbam, hoc est lapsorum personam, increpat, dicens: Columba non exaudit vocem, id est praeclara et redempta civitas non recipit doctrinam, et in Dominum fidens non fuit (Sophon. III, 1, 2).