§ 1.
Thus we have exposed all, who introduce wicked opinions of our Maker and Framer, Who was also the Framer of this world, above Whom is no other God: and by absolute proofs we have overthrown those who teach falsely concerning the substance of our Lord, and the Economy contrived by Him for the sake of His creature man: while the preaching of the Church is on all sides consistent and continues like itself, and hath its testimony from the Prophets and Apostles and from all disciples: as we have traced out our proof through the beginning and middle and end, and through the whole Economy of God, and His ordinary way of working for the salvation of man, which is by our Faith. Which Faith, received in the Church, we guard, and which, coming of the Spirit of God, is like some noble treasure in a precious vessel, continually reviving its youth, and causing the very vessel which holds it to revive in like manner. For the Church is entrusted with this gift of God, for the inspiration (so to speak) of that which He hath made, that all her members, partaking thereof, may be quickened. And in the same gift is dispensed the communion of Christ, i.e., the Holy Spirit—the earnest of incorruption, and confirmation of our faith, and the ladder whereby to ascend to God.1 For in Church it, is said, God hath set Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, and all the other working of the Spirit: whereof none are partakers, who run not unto the Church; rather they defraud themselves of life, by their evil views and intolerable doings. For where the Church is, there also is the Spirit of God; and where the Spirit of God is, there is the Church,2 and all grace: but the Spirit is Truth. Wherefore they who do not partake of Him neither have nourishment unto life from their Mother’s breasts, nor receive of that purest fountain proceeding from the Body of Christ,3 but hew unto themselves broken cisterns from earthly ditches and drink water which is foul with clay: flying from the Faith4 of the Church, to avoid exposure, and rejecting the Spirit, that they may not receive instruction.
§ 2.
And being alienated from the truth, worthily do they wallow in all error, tossed thereby as with a tempest, judging of the same things according to the time, now one way now another, and never having any settled view. For they chuse rather to be sophists about words than disciples of the Truth: not being founded upon the One Rock, but upon sand, having in it many stones. Wherefore also they feign to themselves many Gods, and ever they have as their pretence that they are seeking (for they are blind) but to find they never are able. For they blaspheme the Maker, Him, namely, Who is truly God, Who also gives them power to find: thinking that they have discovered another God above God, or another Pleroma,5 or another Economy. And therefore the Light which is of God shineth not unto them, because they have dishonoured and scorned God; accounting Him very insignificant, because for His love’s sake and His infinite graciousness He came within men’s knowledge:—(within their knowledge, I mean, not in magnitude, nor in substance; for no one hath measured, nor handled Him; but in respect of our knowing that He Who made and fashioned them, and breathed into them the breathing of life, and Who by His creatures nourisheth us, by His Word confirming and by His Wisdom cementing all things, He it is Who is the only true God:)—and they further dream of one who is not, as being above Him; that they may be thought to have discovered a great God, whom no one can know, as communicating with mankind, or as administering earthly things: inventing forsooth an Epicurean God, such as achieves nothing either for himself or for others, i.e., who hath providence over nothing.