Against Praxeas; Against Marcion; On Baptism; Apology

All souls, therefore, are shut up within Hades: do you admit this? (It is true, whether) you say yes or no: moreover, there are already experienced there punishments and consolations; and there you have a poor man and a rich. And now, having postponed some stray questions¹ for this part of my work, I will notice them in this suitable place, and then come to a close. Why, then, cannot you suppose that the soul undergoes punishment and consolation in Hades in the interval, while it awaits its alternative of judgment, in a certain anticipation either of gloom or of glory? You reply: Because in the judgment of God its matter ought to be sure and safe, nor should there be any inkling beforehand of the award of His sentence; and also because (the soul) ought to be covered first by its vestment² of the restored flesh, which, as the partner of its actions, should be also a sharer in its recompense. What, then, is to take place in that interval? Shall we sleep? But souls do not sleep even when men are alive: it is indeed the business of bodies to sleep, to which also belongs death itself, no less than its mirror and counterfeit sleep. Or will you have it, that nothing is there done whither the whole human race is attracted, and whither all man's expectation is postponed for safe keeping? Do you think this state is a foretaste of judgment, or its actual commencement? a premature encroachment on it, or the first course in its full ministration? Now really, would it not be the highest possible injustice, even³ in Hades, if all were to be still well with the guilty even there, and not well with the righteous even yet? What, would you have hope be still more confused after death? would you have it mock us still more with uncertain expectation? or shall it now become a review of past life, and an arranging of judgment, with the inevitable feeling of a trembling fear? But, again, must the soul always tarry for the body, in order to experience sorrow or joy? Is it not sufficient, even of itself, to suffer both one and the other of these sensations? How often, without any pain to the body, is the soul alone tortured by ill-temper, and anger, and fatigue, and very often unconsciously, even to itself? How often, too, on the other hand, amidst bodily suffering, does the soul seek out for itself some furtive joy, and withdraw for the moment from the body's importunate society? I am mistaken if the soul is not in the habit, indeed, solitary and alone, of rejoicing and glorifying over the very tortures of the body. Look for instance, at the soul of Mutius Scævola as he melts his right hand over the fire; look also at Zeno's, as the torments of Dionysius pass over it.⁴ The bites of wild beasts are a glory to young heroes, as on Cyrus were the scars of the bear.⁵ Full well, then, does the soul even in Hades know how to joy and to sorrow even without the body; since when in the flesh it feels pain when it likes, though the body is unhurt; and when it likes it feels joy though the body is in pain. Now if such sensations occur at its will during life, how much rather may they not happen after death by the judicial appointment of God! Moreover, the soul executes not all its operations with the ministration of the flesh; for the judgment of God pursues even simple cogitations and the merest volitions. "Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."⁶ Therefore, even for this cause it is most fitting that the soul, without at all waiting for the flesh, should be punished for what it has done without the partnership of the flesh. So, on the same principle, in return for the pious and kindly thoughts in which it shared not the help of the flesh, shall it without the flesh receive its consolation. Nay more,⁷ even in matters done through the flesh the soul is the first to conceive them, the first to arrange them, the first to authorize them, the first to precipitate them into acts. And even if it is sometimes unwilling to act, it is still the first to treat the object which it means to effect by help of the body. In no case, indeed, can an accomplished fact be prior to the mental conception⁸ thereof. It is therefore quite in keeping with this order of things, that that part of our nature should be the first to have the recompense and reward to which they are due on account of its priority. In short, inasmuch as we understand "the prison" pointed out in the Gospel to be Hades,⁹ and as we also interpret "the uttermost farthing"¹⁰ to mean the very smallest offence which has to be recompensed there before the resurrection,¹¹ no one will hesitate to believe that the soul undergoes in Hades some compensatory discipline, without prejudice to the full process of the resurrection, when the recompense will be administered through the flesh besides. This point the Paraclete has also pressed home on our attention in most frequent admonitions, whenever any of us has admitted the force of His words from a knowledge of His promised spiritual disclosures.¹² And now at last having, as I believe, encountered every human opinion concerning the soul, and tried its character by the teaching of (our holy faith,) we have satisfied the curiosity which is simply a reasonable and necessary one. As for that which is extravagant and idle, there will evermore be as great a defect in its information, as there has been exaggeration and self-will in its researches.

The character of the times in which we live is such as to call forth from us even this admonition, that we ought not to be astonished at the heresies (which abound)¹³ neither ought their existence to surprise us, for it was foretold that they should come to pass;¹⁴ nor the fact that they subvert the faith of some, for their final cause is, by affording a trial to faith, to give it also the opportunity of being "approved."¹⁵ Groundless, therefore, and inconsiderate is the offence of the many¹⁶ who are scandalized by the very fact that heresies prevail to such a degree. How great (might their offence have been) if they had not existed.¹⁷ When it has been determined that a thing must by all means be, it receives the (final) cause for which it has its being. This secures the power through which it exists, in such a way that it is impossible for it not to have existence.

Taking the similar case¹⁸ of fever, which is appointed a place amongst all other deadly and excruciating issues (of life) for destroying man: we are not surprised either that it exists, for there it is, or that it consumes man, for that is the purpose of its existence. In like manner, with respect to heresies, which are produced for the weakening and the extinction of faith, since we feel a dread because they have this power, we should first dread the fact of their existence; for as long as they exist, they have their power; and as long as they have their power, they have their existence. But still fever, as being an evil both in its cause¹⁹ and in its power, as all know, we rather loathe than wonder at, and to the best of our power guard against, not having its extirpation in our power. Some men prefer wondering at heresies, however, which bring with them eternal death and the heat of a stronger fire, for possessing this power, instead of avoiding their power when they have the means of escape: but heresies would have no power, if (men) would cease to wonder that they have such power. For it either happens that, while men wonder, they fall into a snare, or, because they are ensnared, they cherish their surprise, as if heresies were so powerful because of some truth which belonged to them. It would no doubt be a wonderful thing that evil should have any force of its own, were it not that heresies are strong in those persons who are not strong in faith. In a combat of boxers and gladiators, generally speaking, it is not because a man is strong that he gains the victory, or loses it because he is not strong, but because he who is vanquished was a man of no strength; and indeed this very conqueror, when afterwards matched against a really powerful man, actually retires crest-fallen from the contest. In precisely the same way, heresies derive such strength as they have from the infirmities of individuals—having no strength whenever they encounter a really powerful faith.

It is usual, indeed, with persons of a weaker character, to be so built up (in confidence) by certain individuals who are caught by heresy, as to topple over into ruin themselves. How comes it to pass, (they ask), that this woman or that man, who were the most faithful, the most prudent, and the most approved²⁰ in the church, have gone over to the other side? Who that asks such a question does not in fact reply to it himself, to the effect that men whom heresies have been able to pervert²¹ ought never to have been esteemed prudent, or faithful, or approved? This again is, I suppose, an extraordinary thing, that one who has been approved should afterwards fall back? Saul, who was good beyond all others, is afterwards subverted by envy.²² David, a good man "after the Lord's own heart,"²³ is guilty afterwards of murder and adultery.²⁴ Solomon, endowed by the Lord with all grace and wisdom, is led into idolatry, by women.²⁵ For to the Son of God alone was it reserved to persevere to the last without sin.²⁶ But what if a bishop, if a deacon, if a widow, if a virgin, if a doctor, if even a martyr,²⁷ have fallen from the rule (of faith), will heresies on that account appear to possess²⁸ the truth? Do we prove the faith²⁹ by the persons, or the persons by the faith? No one is wise, no one is faithful, no one excels in dignity,³⁰ but the Christian; and no one is a Christian but he who perseveres even to the end.³¹ You, as a man, know any other man from the outside appearance. You think as you see. And you see as far only as you have eyes. But says (the Scripture), "the eyes of the Lord are lofty."³² "Man looketh at the outward appearance, but God looketh at the heart."³³ "The Lord (beholdeth and) knoweth them that are His;"³⁴ and "the plant which (my heavenly Father) hath not planted, He rooteth up;"³⁵ and "the first shall," as He shows, "be last;"³⁶ and He carries "His fan in His hand to purge His threshing-floor."³⁷ Let the chaff of a fickle faith fly off as much as it will at every blast of temptation, all the purer will be that heap of corn which shall be laid up in the garner of the Lord. Did not certain of the disciples turn back from the Lord Himself,³⁸ when they were offended? Yet the rest did not therefore think that they must turn away from following Him,³⁹ but because they knew that He was the Word of Life, and was come from God,⁴⁰ they continued in His company to the very last, after He had gently inquired of them whether they also would go away.⁴¹ It is a comparatively small thing,⁴² that certain men, like Phygellus, and Hermogenes, and Philetus, and Hymenæus, deserted His apostle:⁴³ the betrayer of Christ was himself one of the apostles. We are surprised at seeing His churches forsaken by some men, although the things which we suffer after the example of Christ Himself, show us to be Christians. "They went out from us," says (St. John,) "but they were not of us. If they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us."⁴⁴

But let us rather be mindful of the sayings of the Lord, and of the letters of the apostles; for they have both told us beforehand that there shall be heresies, and have given us, in anticipation, warnings to avoid them; and inasmuch as we are not alarmed because they exist, so we ought not to wonder that they are capable of doing that, on account of which they must be shunned. The Lord teaches us that many "ravening wolves shall come in sheep's clothing."⁴⁵ Now, what are these sheep's clothing's, but the external surface of the Christian profession? Who are the ravening wolves but those deceitful senses and spirits which are lurking within to waste the flock of Christ? Who are the false prophets but deceptive predictors of the future? Who are the false apostles but the preachers of a spurious gospel?⁴⁶ Who also are the Antichrists, both now and evermore, but the men who rebel against Christ?⁴⁷ Heresies, at the present time, will no less rend the church by their perversion of doctrine, than will Antichrist persecute her at that day by the cruelty of his attacks,⁴⁸ except that persecution make seven martyrs, (but) heresy only apostates. And therefore "heresies must needs be in order that they which are approved might be made manifest,"⁴⁹ both those who remained stedfast under persecution, and those who did not wander out of their way⁵⁰ into heresy. For the apostle does not mean⁵¹ that those persons should be deemed approved who exchange their creed for heresy; although they contrariously interpret his words to their own side, when he says in another passage, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good;"⁵² as if, after proving all things amiss, one might not through error make a determined choice of some evil thing.

Moreover, when he blames dissensions and schisms, which undoubtedly are evils, he immediately adds heresies likewise. Now, that which he subjoins to evil things, he of course confesses to be itself an evil; and all the greater, indeed, because he tells us that his belief of their schisms and dissensions was grounded on his knowledge that "there must be heresies also."⁵³ For he shows us that it was owing to the prospect of the greater evil that he readily believed the existence of the lighter ones; and so far indeed was he from believing, in respect of evils (of such a kind), that heresies were good, that his object was to forewarn us that we ought not to be surprised at temptations of even a worse stamp, since (he said) they tended "to make manifest all such as were approved;"⁵⁴ in other words, those whom they were unable to pervert.⁵⁵ In short, since the whole passage⁵⁶ points to the maintenance of unity and the checking of divisions, inasmuch as heresies sever men from unity no less than schisms and dissensions, no doubt he classes heresies under the same head of censure as he does schisms also and dissensions. And by so doing, he makes those to be "not approved," who have fallen into heresies; more especially when with reproofs he exhorts⁵⁷ men to turn away from such, teaching them that they should "all speak and think the selfsame thing,"⁵⁸ the very object which heresies do not permit.

On this point, however, we dwell no longer, since it is the same Paul who, in his Epistle to the Galatians, counts "heresies" among "the sins of the flesh,"⁵⁹ who also intimates to Titus, that "a man who is a heretic" must be "rejected after the first admonition," on the ground that "he that is such is perverted, and committeth sin, as a self-condemned man."⁶⁰ Indeed, in almost every epistle, when enjoining on us (the duty) of avoiding false doctrines, he sharply condemns⁶¹ heresies. Of these the practical effects⁶² are false doctrines, called in Greek heresies,⁶³ a word used in the sense of that choice which a man makes when he either teaches them (to others)⁶⁴ or takes up with them (for himself).⁶⁵ For this reason it is that he calls the heretic self-condemned,⁶⁶ because he has himself chosen that for which he is condemned. We, however, are not permitted to cherish any object⁶⁷ after our own will, nor yet to make choice of that which another has introduced of his private fancy. In the Lord's apostles we possess our authority; for even they did not of themselves choose to introduce anything, but faithfully delivered to the nations (of mankind) the doctrine⁶⁸ which they had received from Christ. If, therefore, even "an angel from heaven should preach any other gospel" (than theirs), he would be called accursed⁶⁹ by us. The Holy Ghost had even then foreseen that there would be in a certain virgin (called) Philumene⁷⁰ an angel of deceit, "transformed into an angel of light,"⁷¹ by whose miracles and illusions⁷² Apelles was led (when) he introduced his new heresy.

These are "the doctrines" of men and "of demons"⁷³ produced for itching ears of the spirit of this world's wisdom: this the Lord called "foolishness,"⁷⁴ and "chose the foolish things of the world" to confound even philosophy itself. For (philosophy) it is which is the material of the world's wisdom, the rash interpreter of the nature and the dispensation of God. Indeed⁷⁵ heresies are themselves instigated⁷⁶ by philosophy. From this source came the Æons, and I known not what infinite forms,⁷⁷ and the trinity of man⁷⁸ in the system of Valentinus, who was of Plato's school. From the same source came Marcion's better god, with all his tranquillity; he came of the Stoics. Then, again, the opinion that the soul dies is held by the Epicureans; while the denial of the restoration of the body is taken from the aggregate school of all the philosophers; also, when matter is made equal to God, then you have the teaching of Zeno; and when any doctrine is alleged touching a god of fire, then Heraclitus comes in. The same subject-matter is discussed over and over again⁷⁹ by the heretics and the philosophers; the same arguments⁸⁰ are involved. Whence comes evil? Why is it permitted? What is the origin of man? and in what way does he come? Besides the question which Valentinus has very lately proposed—Whence comes God? Which he settles with the answer: From enthymesis and ectroma.⁸¹ Unhappy Aristotle! who invented for these men dialectics, the art of building up and pulling down; an art so evasive in its propositions,⁸² so far-fetched in its conjectures, so harsh, in its arguments, so productive of contentions—embarrassing⁸³ even to itself, retracting everything, and really treating of⁸⁴ nothing! Whence spring those "fables and endless genealogies,"⁸⁵ and "unprofitable questions,"⁸⁶ and "words which spread like a cancer?"⁸⁷ From all these, when the apostle would restrain us, he expressly names philosophy as that which he would have us be on our guard against. Writing to the Colossians, he says, "See that no one beguile you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, and contrary to the wisdom of the Holy Ghost."⁸⁸ He had been at Athens, and had in his interviews (with its philosophers) become acquainted with that human wisdom which pretends to know the truth, whilst it only corrupts it, and is itself divided into its own manifold heresies, by the variety of its mutually repugnant sects. What indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem? What concord is there between the Academy and the Church? what between heretics and Christians? Our instruction comes from "the porch of Solomon,"⁸⁹ who had himself taught that "the Lord should be sought in simplicity of heart."⁹⁰ Away with⁹¹ all attempts to produce a mottled Christianity of Stoic, Platonic, and dialectic composition! We want no curious disputation after possessing Christ Jesus, no inquisition after enjoying the gospel! With our faith, we desire no further belief. For this is our palmary faith, that there is nothing which we ought to believe besides.

I come now to the point which (is urged both by our own brethren and by the heretics). Our brethren adduce it as a pretext for entering on curious inquiries,⁹² and the heretics insist on it for importing the scrupulosity (of their unbelief).⁹³ It is written, they say, "Seek, and ye shall find."⁹⁴ Let us remember at what time the Lord said this. I think it was at the very outset of His teaching, when there was still a doubt felt by all whether He were the Christ, and when even Peter had not yet declared Him to be the Son of God, and John (Baptist) had actually ceased to feel assurance about Him.⁹⁵ With good reason, therefore, was it then said, "Seek, and ye shall find," when inquiry was still be to made of Him who was not yet become known. Besides, this was said in respect of the Jews. For it is to them that the whole matter⁹⁶ of this reproof⁹⁷ pertains, seeing that they had (a revelation) where they might seek Christ.

"They have," says He, "Moses and Elias,"⁹⁸ —in other words, the law and the prophets, which preach Christ; as also in another place He says plainly, "Search the Scriptures, in which ye expect (to find) salvation; for they testify of me;"⁹⁹ which will be the meaning of "Seek, and ye shall find." For it is clear that the next words also apply to the Jews: "Knock, and it shall be opened unto you."¹⁰⁰ The Jews had formerly been in covenant with¹⁰¹ God; but being afterwards cast off on account of their sins, they began to be¹⁰² without God. The Gentiles, on the contrary, had never been in covenant with God; they were only as "a drop from a bucket," and "as dust from the threshing floor,"¹⁰³ and were ever outside the door. Now, how shall he who was always outside knock at the place where he never was? What door does he know of, when he has passed through none, either by entrance or ejection? Is it not rather he who is aware that he once lived within and was thrust out, that (probably) found the door and knocked thereat? In like manner, "Ask, and ye shall receive,"¹⁰⁴ is suitably said¹⁰⁵ to one who was aware from whom he ought to ask,—by whom also some promise had been given; that is to say, "the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob." Now, the Gentiles knew nothing either of Him, or of any of His promises. Therefore it was to Israel that he spake when He said, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."¹⁰⁶ Not yet had He "cast to the dogs the children's bread;"¹⁰⁷ not yet did He charge them to "go into the way of the Gentiles."¹⁰⁸ It is only at the last that He instructs them to "go and teach all nations, and baptize them,"¹⁰⁹ when they were so soon to receive "the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, who should guide them into all the truth."¹¹⁰ And this, too, makes towards the same conclusion. If the apostles, who were ordained¹¹¹ to be teachers to the Gentiles, were themselves to have the Comforter for their teacher, far more needless¹¹² was it to say to us, "Seek, and ye shall find," to whom was to come, without research,¹¹³ our instruction¹¹⁴ by the apostles, and to the apostles themselves by the Holy Ghost. All the Lord's sayings, indeed, are set forth for all men; through the ears of the Jews have they passed on to us. Still most of them were addressed to Jewish persons;¹¹⁵ they therefore did not constitute instruction properly designed¹¹⁶ for ourselves, but rather an example.¹¹⁷

I now purposely¹¹⁸ relinquish this ground of argument. Let it be granted, that the words, "Seek, and ye shall find," were addressed to all men (equally). Yet even here one's aim is¹¹⁹ carefully to determine¹²⁰ the sense of the words¹²¹ consistently with¹²² (that reason),¹²³ which is the guiding principle¹²⁴ in all interpretation. (Now) no divine saying is so unconnected¹²⁵ and diffuse, that its words only are to be insisted on, and their connection left undetermined. But at the outset I lay down (this position) that there is some one, and therefore definite, thing taught by Christ, which the Gentiles are by all means bound to believe, and for that purpose to "seek," in order that they may be able, when they have "found" it, to believe. However,¹²⁶ there can be no indefinite seeking for that which has been taught as one only definite thing. You must "seek" until you "find," and believe when you have found; nor have you anything further to do but to keep what you have believed provided you believe this besides, that nothing else is to be believed, and therefore nothing else is to be sought, after you have found and believed what has been taught by Him who charges you to seek no other thing than that which He has taught.¹²⁷ When, indeed, any man doubts about this, proof will be forthcoming,¹²⁸ that we have in our possession¹²⁹ that which was taught by Christ. Meanwhile, such is my confidence in our proof, that I anticipate it, in the shape of an admonition to certain persons, not "to seek" anything beyond what they have believed—that this is what they ought to have sought, how to avoid¹³⁰ interpreting, "Seek, and ye shall find," without regard to the rule of reason.

Now the reason of this saying is comprised in three points: in the matter, in the time, in the limit.¹³¹ In the matter, so that you must consider what it is you have to seek; in the time, when you have to seek; in the limit, how long. What you have "to seek," then, is that which Christ has taught,¹³² (and you must go on seeking) of course for such time as you fail to find,¹³³ —until indeed you find¹³⁴ it. But you have succeeded in finding¹³⁵ when you have believed. For you would not have believed if you had not found; as neither would you have sought except with a view to find. Your object, therefore, in seeking was to find; and your object in finding was to believe. All further delay for seeking and finding you have prevented¹³⁶ by believing. The very fruit of your seeking has determined for you this limit. This boundary¹³⁷ has He set for you Himself, who is unwilling that you should believe anything else than what He has taught, or, therefore, even seek for it. If, however, because so many other things have been taught by one and another, we are on that account bound to go on seeking, so long as we are able to find anything, we must (at that rate) be ever seeking, and never believe anything at all. For where shall be the end of seeking? where the stop¹³⁸ in believing? where the completion in finding? (Shall it be) with Marcion? But even Valentinus proposes (to us the) maxim, "Seek, and ye shall find." (Then shall it be) with Valentinus? Well, but Apelles, too, will assail me with the same quotation; Hebion also, and Simon, and all in turn, have no other argument wherewithal to entice me, and draw me over to their side. Thus I shall be nowhere, and still be encountering¹³⁹ (that challenge), "Seek, and ye shall find," precisely as if I had no resting-place;¹⁴⁰ as if (indeed) I had never found that which Christ has taught—that which ought¹⁴¹ to be sought, that which must needs¹⁴² be believed.

There is impunity in erring, if there is no delinquency; although indeed to err it is itself an act of delinquency.¹⁴³ With impunity, I repeat, does a man ramble,¹⁴⁴ when he (purposely) deserts nothing. But yet, if I have believed what I was bound to believe, and then afterwards think that there is something new to be sought after, I of course expect that there is something else to be found, although I should by no means entertain such expectation, unless it were because I either had not believed, although I apparently had become a believer, or else have ceased to believe. If I thus desert my faith, I am found to be a denier thereof. Once for all I would say, No man seeks, except him who either never possessed, or else has lost (what he sought). The old woman (in the Gospel)¹⁴⁵ had lost one of her ten pieces of silver, and therefore she sought it;¹⁴⁶ when, however, she found it, she ceased to look for it. The neighbour was without bread, and therefore he knocked; but as soon as the door was opened to him, and he received the bread, he discontinued knocking.¹⁴⁷ The widow kept asking to be heard by the judge, because she was not admitted; but when her suit was heard, thenceforth she was silent.¹⁴⁸ So that there is a limit both to seeking, and to knocking, and to asking. "For to every one that asketh," says He, "it shall be given, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened, and by him that seeketh it shall be found."¹⁴⁹ Away with the man¹⁵⁰ who is ever seeking because he never finds; for he seeks there where nothing can be found. Away with him who is always knocking because it will never be opened to him; for he knocks where there is none (to open). Away with him who is always asking because he will never be heard; for he asks of one who does not hear.

As for us, although we must still seek, and that always, yet where ought our search to be made? Amongst the heretics, where all things are foreign¹⁵¹ 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 woman¹⁵² 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 instruction¹⁵³ from that which tends to destruction.¹⁵⁴ 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,¹⁵⁵ which can become an object of inquiry without impairing the rule of faith.

Now, with regard to this rule of faith—that we may from this point¹⁵⁶ acknowledge what it is which we defend—it is, you must know, that which prescribes the belief that there is one only God, and that He is none other than the Creator of the world, who produced all things out of nothing through His own Word, first of all sent forth;¹⁵⁷ that this Word is called His Son, and, under the name of God, was seen "in diverse manners" by the patriarchs, heard at all times in the prophets, at last brought down by the Spirit and Power of the Father into the Virgin Mary, was made flesh in her womb, and, being born of her, went forth as Jesus Christ; thenceforth He preached the new law and the new promise of the kingdom of heaven, worked miracles; having been crucified, He rose again the third day; (then) having ascended¹⁵⁸ into the heavens, He sat at the right hand of the Father; sent instead of Himself¹⁵⁹ the Power of the Holy Ghost to lead such as believe; will come with glory to take the saints to the enjoyment of everlasting life and of the heavenly promises, and to condemn the wicked to everlasting fire, after the resurrection of both these classes shall have happened, together with the restoration of their flesh. This rule, as it will be proved, was taught by Christ, and raises amongst ourselves no other questions than those which heresies introduce, and which make men heretics.¹⁶⁰