Chapter II.—Marcion, Who Would Blot Out the Record of Christ’s Nativity, is Rebuked for So Startling a Heresy.

Clearly enough is the nativity announced by Gabriel.9    Luke i. 26–38. But what has he to do with the Creator’s angel?10    This is said in opposition to Marcion, who held the Creator’s angel, and everything else pertaining to him, to be evil. The conception in the virgin’s womb is also set plainly before us. But what concern has he with the Creator’s prophet, Isaiah?11    A reference to Isa. vii. 14. He12    Marcion. will not brook delay, since suddenly (without any prophetic announcement) did he bring down Christ from heaven.13    See also our Anti-Marcion, iv. 7. “Away,” says he, “with that eternal plaguey taxing of Cæsar, and the scanty inn, and the squalid swaddling-clothes, and the hard stable.14    Luke ii. 1–7. We do not care a jot for15    Viderit. that multitude of the heavenly host which praised their Lord at night.16    Luke ii. 13. Let the shepherds take better care of their flock,17    Luke ii. 8. and let the wise men spare their legs so long a journey;18    Matt. ii. 1. let them keep their gold to themselves.19    Matt. ii. 11. Let Herod, too, mend his manners, so that Jeremy may not glory over him.20    Matt. ii. 16–18, and Jer. xxxi. 15. Spare also the babe from circumcision, that he may escape the pain thereof; nor let him be brought into the temple, lest he burden his parents with the expense of the offering;21    Luke ii. 22–24. nor let him be handed to Simeon, lest the old man be saddened at the point of death.22    Luke ii. 25–35. Let that old woman also hold her tongue, lest she should bewitch the child.”23    Luke ii. 36–38. After such a fashion as this, I suppose you have had, O Marcion, the hardihood of blotting out the original records (of the history) of Christ, that His flesh may lose the proofs of its reality. But, prithee, on what grounds (do you do this)? Show me your authority. If you are a prophet, foretell us a thing; if you are an apostle, open your message in public; if a follower of apostles,24    Apostolicus. side with apostles in thought; if you are only a (private) Christian, believe what has been handed down to us: if, however, you are nothing of all this, then (as I have the best reason to say) cease to live.25    Morere. For indeed you are already dead, since you are no Christian, because you do not believe that which by being believed makes men Christian,—nay, you are the more dead, the more you are not a Christian; having fallen away, after you had been one, by rejecting26    Rescindendo. what you formerly believed, even as you yourself acknowledge in a certain letter of yours, and as your followers do not deny, whilst our (brethren) can prove it.27    Compare our Anti-Marcion, i. 1, iv. 4 and de Præscr. Hær. c. xxx. Rejecting, therefore, what you once believed, you have completed the act of rejection, by now no longer believing:  the fact, however, of your having ceased to believe has not made your rejection of the faith right and proper; nay, rather,28    Atquin. by your act of rejection you prove that what you believed previous to the said act was of a different character.29    Aliter fuisse. What you believed to be of a different character, had been handed down just as you believed it. Now30    Porro. that which had been handed down was true, inasmuch as it had been transmitted by those whose duty it was to hand it down.  Therefore, when rejecting that which had been handed down, you rejected that which was true. You had no authority for what you did. However, we have already in another treatise availed ourselves more fully of these prescriptive rules against all heresies.  Our repetition of them hereafter that large (treatise) is superfluous,31    Ex abundanti. [Dr. Holmes, in this sentence actually uses the word lengthy, for which I have said large.] when we ask the reason why you have formed the opinion that Christ was not born.

CAPUT II.

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Plane nativitas a Gabriele annuntiatur: quid illi eum angelo Creatoris? Et in virginis uterum conceptus inducitur: quid illi cum Esaia propheta Creatoris? Odit moras, qui subito Christum de coelis deferebat. «Aufer hinc, inquit , molestos semper Caesaris census, et diversoria angusta, et sordidos pannos, et dura praesepia. Viderit angelica multitudo, Dominum suum noctibus honorans. Servent potius pecora pastores. Et Magi ne fatigentur de longinquo; dono illis aurum suum. Melior sit et Herodes, ne Hieremias glorietur . Sed nec circumcidatur infans, ne doleat; nec ad templum deferatur, ne parentes suos oneret sumptu oblationis ; nec in manus tradatur Simeoni , ne senem moriturum 0755B exinde contristet . Taceat et anus illa, ne fascinet puerum.» His, opinor, consiliis tot originalia instrumenta Christi delere Marcion ausus est , ne caro ejus probaretur. Ex qua, oro te , auctoritate? Si propheta es, praenuntia aliquid; si apostolus, praedica publice; si apostolicus, cum apostolis senti; si tantum christianus es, crede quod traditum est ; si nihil istorum es, merito dixerim, morere: nam et mortuus es, qui non es christianus, non credendo quod traditum christianos facit. Et eo magis mortuus es, quo magis non es christianus: qui cum fuisses, excidisti, rescindendo quod retro credidisti; sicut et ipse confiteris in quadam epistola, et tui non negant, et nostri probant. Igitur rescindens 0756A quod credidisti, jam non credens rescidisti: non tamen quia credere desiisti, recte rescidisti. Atque in rescindendo quod credidisti, probas, antequam rescinderes, aliter fuisse quod credidisti. Aliter illud, ita erat traditum: porro, quod traditum erat, id erat verum, ut ab eis traditum, quorum fuit tradere; ergo quod erat traditum rescindens, quod erat verum rescidisti, nullo jure fecisti. Sed plenius ejusmodi praescriptionibus adversus omnes haereses, alibi jam usi sumus . Post quas nunc ex abundanti retractamus desiderantes rationem, qua non putaveris natum esse Christum.