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

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 for the observance of the Lord’s precepts. Let us with all our hearts seek for what we have lost, that we may be able to find; because “to him that seeketh,” says the Scripture, “it shall be given, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”62    Luke xi. 10. Let us cleanse our house with spiritual cleanliness, that every secret and hidden place of our breast, truly enlightened by the light of the Gospel, may say, “Against Thee only have I sinned, and done this great evil in Thy sight.”63    Ps. li. 4.  Because the death of sinners is evil, and in hell there is no repentance. Let us have in contemplation especially the day of judgment and retribution, and what must be believed by all of us, and firmly maintained, that “there is no acceptance of persons with God;”64    Rom. ii. 11. since He commanded in Deuteronomy, that the person must not be accepted in judgment: “Thou shalt not accept,” says He, “the person, neither shalt thou judge according to the least nor according to the greatest.”65    Deut. i. 17. Like words to these He also said by Ezekiel: “All souls,” said He, “are mine; as the soul of the father, so is the soul of the son: the soul that hath sinned, it shall die.”66    Ezek. xviii. 4. It is then He who must be revered by us; He must be held fast; He must be propitiated by our full and worthy confession, “who has the power of sending soul and body to the Gehenna of fire,”67    Matt. x. 28.—as it is written, “Behold, He cometh with many thousands of His messengers, to execute judgment upon all, and to destroy all the wicked, and to condemn all flesh, for all the deeds of the wicked which they have wickedly done, and for all the impious words which sinners have spoken about God.”68    Jude 14, 15.

XVI. Excitemus itaque nos quantum possumus, fratres dilectissimi, et abrupto inertiae et securitatis somno, ad observanda Domini praecepta vigilemus. Quaeramus tota mente quod perdidimus, ut invenire possimus; quia Quaerenti, ait Scriptura, dabitur, et 1216Cpulsanti aperietur (Luc. XI, 10). Mundemus domum nostram munditia spiritali, ut secreta quaeque et abdita pectoris nostri, vero Evangelii lumine radiata, dicant: Tibi soli deliqui, et nequissimum in conspectu tuo feci (Psal. L, 6); Quia mors peccatorum mala; (Psal. XXXIII, 22) et apud inferos poenitentia nulla (Eccli. XI, 17): habentes in contemplatione maxime diem judicii et retributionis: et quod ab omnibus nobis credendum, et firmiter est tenendum, quia acceptio personarum non est apud Deum (Rom. II, 11); cum praeceperit in Deuteronomio non accipiendam personam in judicio: Non accipies, ait, personam, nec secundum minimum, nec secundum maximum judicabis (Deut. I, 17; XVI, 19). His similia et per Ezechielem dixit: Omnes, inquit, animae meae sunt; 1216Dsicut anima patris, et anima filii: anima quae peccaverit, ipsa morietur (Ezech. XVIII, 4). Hic erit igitur a nobis venerandus, hic tenendus, hic per plenam et dignam nostram confessionem propitiandus, qui habet potestatem animam et corpus mittendi in gehennam ignis (Matth. X, 28), sicut scriptum est: Ecce venit cum multis millibus nuntiorum suorum facere judicium de omnibus, et perdere omnes impios, et arguere omnem carnem de omnibus factis impiorum 1217Aquae fecerunt impie, et de omnibus verbis impiis quae de Deo locuti sunt peccatores (Judae 14, 15).