35. These things, moreover,
he has said with the view of showing us that all others who may come
after him will be false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan
himself is transformed, like an angel of light. What great thing
therefore is it, if his ministers also be transformed into the
ministers of righteousness?—whose end shall be according to their
works.1800
| 1800
2 Cor. ix. 14, 15. The text gives
“velut angelum lucis,” as if the Greek had read
ὡς. So also Cyprian, in the beginning of
his book on The Unity of the Church. [Vol. v. p. 422, sec.
3.] |
He
indicates, further, what manner of men these were, and points out by
whom they were being
circumvented. And when the Galatians are
minded to turn away from
the
Gospel, he says to them: “I
marvel that ye are so soon
removed from Him that called you unto another
gospel: which is
not another; but there be some that
trouble you, and would turn you
away
1801
from the
Gospel
of
Christ. But though we, or an
angel from
heaven,
preach any
other
gospel unto you than that which has been
delivered to you, let
him be accursed.”
1802
And again he says: “To
me, who am the least of all the
apostles,
1803
| 1803
Infimo omnium apostolorum. |
is this
grace given;”
1804
and,” I
fill up that which was behind of the
afflictions of
Christ in my
flesh.”
1805
And once
more, in another place, he declares of himself that he was a
minister
of
Christ more than all others,
1806
as though after him none other was to be
looked for at all; for he enjoins that not even an
angel from
heaven is
thus to be received. And how, then, shall we credit the
professions of this Manes, who comes from Persis,
1807
| 1807 The
Codex Casinensis gives, “de Persida venientem monet;” for
which corrupt reading it is proposed to substitute “de Perside
venientem Manem,” etc. |
and declares himself to be the
Paraclete? By this very thing, indeed, I rather recognise in him
one of those men who
transform themselves, and of whom the
Apostle
Paul, that
elect vessel, has given us very clear indication when he
says: “Now in the last times some shall depart from the
faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of
devils;
speaking
lies in
hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a
hot
iron; forbidding to marry, and
commanding to
abstain from meats,
which
God hath
created to be received
1808
| 1808
Reading percipiendum with the Vulgate. But the Codex
Casinensis has perficiendum. |
with thanksgiving of them which believe
and know the
truth. For every creature of
God is good, and
nothing to be refused, if it be received with
thanksgiving.”
1809
The Spirit in the
evangelist
Matthew is also careful to give note of these words of our
Lord Jesus
Christ: “Take heed that no man
deceive you: for many
shall come in my name, saying, I am
Christ; and shall
deceive
many. But if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is
Christ, or
there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and
false
apostles,
1810
| 1810 These
words falsi apostoli seem to be added by way of explanation, as
they are not found either in the Greek or the Vulgate. |
and false
prophets, and shall show great
signs and
wonders; insomuch that, if it
were possible, they shall
deceive the very
elect. Behold, I have
told you before. If they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the
desert; go not forth: if they shall say, Behold, he is in the
secret chambers; believe it not.”
1811
And yet, after all these
directions, this man, who has neither sign nor portent of any
kind to
show, who has no affinity to exhibit, who never even had a place among
the number of the
disciples, who never was a follower of our departed
Lord, in whose inheritance we
rejoice,—this man, I say, although
he never stood by our
Lord in His
weakness, and although he never came
forward as a witness of His testament, yea rather, although he never
came even within the acquaintance of those who
ministered to Him in His
sickness, and, in fine, although he obtains the
testimony of no person
whatsoever, desires us to believe this profession which he makes of
being the Paraclete; whereas, even were you to do
signs and
wonders, we
would still have to reckon you a false
Christ, and a false
prophet,
according to the Scriptures. And therefore it is well for us to
act with the greater caution, in accordance with the warning which the
sainted
apostle gives us, when, in the
epistle which he wrote to the
Colossians, he speaks in the following terms: “Continue in
the
faith grounded and rooted,
1812
and not to be moved away
1813
from the
hope
of the
Gospel, which we have heard,
1814
and which was
preached to every creature
which is under
heaven.”
1815
And again: “As ye have
therefore received
Christ Jesus the
Lord, so
walk ye in Him; rooted and
built up in Him, and stablished in the
faith, as ye have been taught,
abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Beware lest any one
spoil
you through philosophy and
vain deceit, after the rudiments of the
world, and not after
Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness
of the
Godhead.”
1816
And after all these matters have
been thus carefully set forth, the
blessed apostle, like a
father
speaking to his
children, adds the following words, which serve as a
sort of seal to his testament: “I have
fought a good
fight,
I have
finished my course,
1817
| 1817 The
text gives “circum cucurri,” perhaps for
“cursum cucurri.” The Vulgate has
“cursum consummavi.” |
I have kept the
faith: henceforth
there is laid up for me a
crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but
unto all them also that love His appearing.”
1818
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