Chapter I.—The Opinions of Hermogenes, by the Prescriptive Rule of Antiquity Shown to Be Heretical. Not Derived from Christianity, But from Heathen Philosophy. Some of the Tenets Mentioned.

We are accustomed, for the purpose of shortening argument,1    Compendii gratia. [The reference here to the De Præscript. forbids us to date this tract earlier than 207 a.d. Of this Hermogenes, we only know that he was probably a Carthaginian, a painter, and of a versatile and clever mind.] to lay down the rule against heretics of the lateness of their date.2    This is the criterion prescribed in the Præscript. Hæret.xxxi. xxxiv., and often applied by Tertullian.  See our Anti-Marcion, pp. 272, 345, 470, and passim. For in as far as by our rule, priority is given to the truth, which also foretold that there would be heresies, in so far must all later opinions be prejudged as heresies, being such as were, by the more ancient rule of truth, predicted as (one day) to happen. Now, the doctrine of Hermogenes has this3    The tam novella is a relative phrase, referring to the fore-mentioned rule. taint of novelty. He is, in short,4    Denique. a man living in the world at the present time; by his very nature a heretic, and turbulent withal, who mistakes loquacity for eloquence, and supposes impudence to be firmness, and judges it to be the duty of a good conscience to speak ill of individuals.5    Maldicere singuiis. Moreover, he despises God’s law in his painting,6    Probably by painting idols (Rigalt.; and so Neander). maintaining repeated marriages,7    It is uncertain whether Tertullian means to charge Hermogenes with defending polygamy, or only second marriages, in the phrase nubit assidue. Probably the latter, which was offensive to the rigorous Tertullian; and so Neander puts it. alleges the law of God in defence of lust,8    Quoting Gen. i. 28, “Be fruitful and multiply” (Rigalt.).and yet despises it in respect of his art.9    Disregarding the law when it forbids the representation of idols.  (Rigalt.). He falsifies by a twofold process—with his cautery and his pen.10    Et cauterio et stilo. The former instrument was used by the encaustic painters for burning in the wax colours into the ground of their pictures (Westropp’s Handbook of Archæology, p. 219).  Tertullian charges Hermogenes with using his encaustic art to the injury of the scriptures, by practically violating their precepts in his artistic works; and with using his pen (stilus) in corrupting the doctrine thereof by his heresy. He is a thorough adulterer, both doctrinally and carnally, since he is rank indeed with the contagion of your marriage-hacks,11    By the nubentium contagium, Tertullian, in his Montanist rigour, censures those who married more than once. and has also failed in cleaving to the rule of faith as much as the apostle’s own Hermogenes.12    2 Tim. i. 15. However, never mind the man, when it is his doctrine which I question. He does not appear to acknowledge any other Christ as Lord,13    Thus differing from Marcion. though he holds Him in a different way; but by this difference in his faith he really makes Him another being,—nay, he takes from Him everything which is God, since he will not have it that He made all things of nothing. For, turning away from Christians to the philosophers, from the Church to the Academy and the Porch, he learned there from the Stoics how to place Matter (on the same level) with the Lord, just as if it too had existed ever both unborn and unmade, having no beginning at all nor end, out of which, according to him,14    The force of the subjunctive, ex qua fecerit. the Lord afterwards created all things.

CAPUT PRIMUM.

Solemus haereticis compendii gratia de posteritate praescribere. In quantum enim veritatis regula prior, quae etiam futuras haereses praenuntiavit , in tantum posteriores quaeque doctrinae haereses praejudicabuntur, quia sunt quae futurae veritatis antiquiore regula praenuntiabantur. Hermongenis autem doctrina tam novella est, denique ad hodiernum homo in saeculo, et natura quoque haereticus etiam turbulentus, 0197C qui loquacitatem facundiam existimet, et impudentiam constantiam deputet, et maledicere singulis, 0198A officium bonae conscientiae judicet. Praeterea pingit illicite , nubit assidue ; legem Dei in libidinem defendit , in artem contemnit ; bis falsarius , et cauterio et stylo; totus adulter, et praedicationis et carnis siquidem etnubentium contagio foetet , nec ipse apostolicus Hermogenes in regula perseveraverit. Sed viderit persona, cum doctrina mihi quaestio est. Christum Dominum non alium videtur aliter cognoscere, alium tamen facit quem aliter cognoscit: imo totum quod est Deus aufert, nolens illum ex nihilo universa fecisse. A Christianis enim conversus ad Philosophos, de Ecclesia in Academiam et Porticum, inde sumpsit a Stoicis materiam cum Domino ponere, quae ipsa semper fuerit neque nata, neque facta, nec initium habens omnino 0198B nec finem, ex qua Dominus omnia postea fecerit.