Chapter XLI.—The Conduct of Heretics: Its Frivolity, Worldliness, and Irregularity. The Notorious Wantonness of Their Women.

I must not omit an account of the conduct 2278 also of the heretics—how frivolous it is, how worldly, how merely human, without seriousness, without authority, without discipline, as suits their creed. To begin with, it is doubtful who is a catechumen, and who a believer; they have all access alike, they hear alike, they pray alike—even heathens, if any such happen to come among them. “That which is holy they will cast to the dogs, and their pearls,” although (to be sure) they are not real ones, “they will fling to the swine.” 2279 Simplicity they will have to consist in the overthrow of discipline, attention to which on our part they call brothelry. 2280 Peace also they huddle up 2281 anyhow with all comers; for it matters not to them, however different be their treatment of subjects, provided only they can conspire together to storm the citadel of the one only Truth. All are puffed up, all offer you knowledge.  Their catechumens are perfect before they are full-taught. 2282 The very women of these heretics, how wanton they are! For they are bold enough to teach, to dispute, to enact exorcisms, to undertake 2283 cures—it may be even to baptize. 2284 Their ordinations, are carelessly administered, 2285 capricious, changeable. 2286 At one time they put novices in office; at another time, men who are bound to some secular employment; 2287 at another, persons who have apostatized from us, to bind them by vainglory, since they cannot by the truth. Nowhere is promotion easier than in the camp of rebels, where the mere fact of being there is a foremost service. 2288 And so it comes to pass that to-day one man is their bishop, to-morrow another; to-day he is a deacon who to-morrow is a reader; to-day he is a presbyter who tomorrow is a layman. For even on laymen do they impose the functions of priesthood.

Footnotes

Conversationis.

See Matt. vii. 6.

Lenocinium. “Pandering” is Archdeacon Dodgson’s word.

Miscent.

Edocti.

Repromittere.

Compare Tertullian’s tract, de Bapt. I. and de Veland. Virg. viii. [Also, Epiphan. iv. p. 453, Ed. Oehler.]

Temerariæ.

They were constantly changing their ministers. It was a saying of the heretics, “Alius hodie episcopus, cras alius” (Rigalt.).

Sæculo obstrictos.

Promereri est.