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A Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian by an Anonymous Bishop

Anonymous

Section 12

About this work

Author: Anonymous

12. And now blush if thou canst,

‹ Section 11 Section 13 ›

Novatian

;

cease

to

deceive

the

unwary

with

thy

impious

arguments

;

cease

to

frighten

them

with

the

subtlety

of

one

particular

.

We

read

,

and

adore

,

and

do

not

pass

over

the

heavenly

judgment

of

the

Lord

,

where

he

says

that

He

will

deny

him

who

denies

Him

.

But

does

this

mean

the

penitent

?

And

why

should

I

be

taking

pains

so

long

to

prove

individual

cases

of

mercies

?

since

the

mercy

of

God

is

not

indeed

denied

to

the

Ninevites

,

although

strangers

,

and

placed

apart

from

the

law

of

the

Lord

,

when

they

beseech

it

on

account

of

the

overthrow

announced

to

their

city

.

Nor

to

Pharaoh

himself

,

resisting

with

sacrilegious

boldness

,

when

formerly

he

was

stricken

with

plagues

from

heaven

,

and

,

turning

to

Moses

and

to

his

brother

,

said

,

“

Pray

to

the

Lord

for

me

,

for

I

have

sinned

.

”

At

once

the

anger

of

God

was

suspended

from

him

.

And

yet

thou

,

O

Novatian

,

judgest

and

declarest

that

the

lapsed

have

no

hope

of

peace

and

mercy

,

nor

inclinest

thine

ear

to

the

rebuke

of

the

apostle

,

when

he

says

,

“

Who

art

thou

,

who

judgest

another

man’s

servant

?

To

his

own

master

he

standeth

or

falleth

.

Yea

,

he

shall

stand

.

God

is

mighty

to

establish

him

.

”

Whence

pertinently

and

needfully

the

Holy

Spirit

,

in

the

person

of

those

same

lapsed

people

,

rebukes

you

when

He

says

,

“

Rejoice

not

over

me

,

O

mine

enemy

:

because

if

I

have

fallen

,

I

shall

also

rise

again

;

and

if

I

shall

walk

in

darkness

,

the

Lord

is

my

light

.

I

will

bear

the

indignation

of

the

Lord

,

because

I

have

sinned

against

Him

,

until

He

justify

my

cause

,

and

execute

judgment

and

justice

,

and

bring

me

forth

to

the

light

.

I

shall

behold

His

righteousness

;

and

she

that

is

mine

enemy

shall

see

me

,

and

shall

cover

herself

with

confusion

.

”

Notes

38
Ex. ix. 28.
39
Rom. xiv. 4.
40
Mic. vii. 8–10.