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The Prescription Against Heretics

Tertullian

Chapter 15

About this work

Tertullian argues that apostolic churches possess the proper claim to interpret Christian Scripture and that rival teachers should not be granted equal standing in debates over the inherited rule of faith.

Author: Tertullian
Date: c. AD 200–210
Origin: Carthage, North Africa
Genre: Heresiology

Chapter XV.—Heretics Not to Be Allowed to Argue Out of the Scriptures. The Scriptures, in Fact, Do Not Belong to Them.

We are therefore come to (the gist

‹ Chapter 14 Chapter 16 ›

of

)

our

position

;

for

at

this

point

we

were

aiming

,

and

for

this

we

were

preparing

in

the

preamble

of

our

address

(

which

we

have

just

completed

)

,

—

so

that

we

may

now

join

issue

on

the

contention

to

which

our

adversaries

challenge

us

.

They

put

forward

the

Scriptures

,

and

by

this

insolence

of

theirs

they

at

once

influence

some

.

In

the

encounter

itself

,

however

,

they

weary

the

strong

,

they

catch

the

weak

,

and

dismiss

waverers

with

a

doubt

.

Accordingly

,

we

oppose

to

them

this

step

above

all

others

,

of

not

admitting

them

to

any

discussion

of

the

Scriptures

.

If in these lie their resources, before they can use them, it ought to be clearly seen to whom belongs the possession of the Scriptures, that none may be admitted to the use thereof who has no title at all to the privilege.

Notes

2
Obtendunt.
3
Audacia.
4
De Scripturis. But as this preposition is often the sign of the instrument in Tertullian, this phrase may mean “out of,” or “by means of the Scriptures.” See the last chapter.