Opening the library…

Search the Bible

The Prescription Against Heretics

Tertullian

Chapter 12

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 XII.—A Proper Seeking After Divine Knowledge, Which Will Never Be Out of Place or Excessive, is Always Within the Rule of Faith.

As for us, although we must still

‹ Chapter 11 Chapter 13 ›

seek

,

and

that

always

,

yet

where

ought

our

search

to

be

made

?

Amongst

the

heretics

,

where

all

things

are

foreign

and

opposed

to

our

own

verity

,

and

to

whom

we

are

forbidden

to

draw

near

?

What

slave

looks

for

food

from

a

stranger

,

not

to

say

an

enemy

of

his

master

?

What

soldier

expects

to

get

bounty

and

pay

from

kings

who

are

unallied

,

I

might

almost

say

hostile

—

unless

forsooth

he

be

a

deserter

,

and

a

runaway

,

and

a

rebel

?

Even

that

old

woman

searched

for

the

piece

of

silver

within

her

own

house

.

It

was

also

at

his

neighbour’s

door

that

the

persevering

assailant

kept

knocking

.

Nor

was

it

to

a

hostile

judge

,

although

a

severe

one

,

that

the

widow

made

her

appeal

.

No

man

gets

instruction

from

that

which

tends

to

destruction

.

No

man

receives

illumination

from

a

quarter

where

all

is

darkness

.

Let

our

“

seeking

,

”

therefore

be

in

that

which

is

our

own

,

and

from

those

who

are

our

own

:

and

concerning

that

which

is

our

own

,

—

that

,

and

only

that

,

which

can

become

an

object

of

inquiry

without

impairing

the

rule

of

faith

.

Notes

1
Extranea.
2
Although Tertullian calls her “anus,” St. Luke’s word is γυνή not γραῦς.
3
Instrui potest.
4
Unde destruitur.
5
Idque dumtaxat.