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what is the so-called apple-green wool, and the fiery-colored, meaning the scarlet garments, and the hyacinth-colored, to show the turquoise wool. 35. But these, not having received the Holy Spirit, are judged spiritually, not understanding the things of the Spirit and wanting to speak against the words of the Spirit and not knowing the gifts in the holy church, which the Holy Spirit truly and steadfastly, in consequence and with a sound mind, has related, both the holy prophets and the holy apostles; among whom also holy John, through the Gospel and the Epistles and the Apocalypse, from the same holy gift has imparted to the holy church. And the saying also reaches them, that “for him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in 2.311 the one to come.” For these have campaigned against the words spoken by the Spirit. But having considered that enough of such and so many things has been said against such a heresy, and having trampled it down by the power and truth of God like a centipede or the reptile called a millipede, small in the power and agony of its venom, but many-footed and long-shaped, let us proceed again to the next things, going with the power of God, beloved.

Against the Adamites, 32, and in the series, 52.

1. They call a certain animal a mole-rat, a four-footed creature that lives in a burrow down in the earth, breaking up the ground and having its dwelling in its inmost recesses. All the features of the animal are like a small puppy dog, having the same general size, but it has no sight at all. And being a destructive animal, from below it uproots all the crops of men, especially all the cucumber-patches and the pungent plantings of onions and garlic, of bulbs and such things, of lilies and the others. But if, while burrowing, it unawares happens to come out upon the earth into the air, or is caught and hunted by men, it creates a certain amusement for all who have hunted this animal. Thus I also attempt to speak about the heresy now at hand, how it is blind in heart and 2.312 foolish, and how it works desolation for itself and cuts out its own foundation from below, and works the ruin of many roots, I mean of the men who have fallen into it. But if it should ever be observed by the intelligent, it provides no small laughter; just as the aforementioned animal is mocked for its blindness and for its lack of sight, not finding where to make its entrance, so also is this heresy. For they have taken upon themselves the name of Adam. And we say this from having heard the report of many men; for we have not found it in writings, nor indeed have we encountered any such people. Since many have spoken of it, we have deemed it right to make mention of it also. Therefore we have rightly compared it to the aforementioned blind animal, which is not quickly seen by men, because it is hidden in the earth and works its ruin from below. But it is ridiculous, and I was considering not bringing it into the count at all. But because there is a report of it at all in the world, it would in no way grieve the intelligent hearer to know about all the tares sown in the world by the devil. For whether such a thing exists or does not exist, since I have heard many speaking of it, it has appeared reasonable to me for the sake of security to speak about it and not to omit it, even if it has been dissolved and no longer exists. For I do not know for certain whether it still exists or not. But why do I extend the time at length, using a preface for the narrative? I will begin to narrate the ridiculous thing,

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τίς ἐστι μηλίνη οὕτω καλουμένη ἐρεᾶ, τὰ δὲ πύρινα, ἵνα εἴπῃ τὰ κόκκινα ἐνδύματα καὶ τὰ ὑακίνθινα, ἵνα δείξῃ τὴν καλλαΐνην ἐρεᾶν. 35. Ἀλλὰ οὗτοι μὴ δεξάμενοι πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἀνακρίνονται μὲν πνευματικῶς, μὴ νοοῦντες τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος καὶ κατὰ τῶν λόγων τοῦ πνεύματος βουλόμενοι λέγειν καὶ οὐκ εἰδότες τὰ ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ ἐκκλησίᾳ χαρίσματα, ἅτινα ἀληθῶς καὶ εὐσταθῶς ἐν παρακολουθήσει καὶ ἐρρωμένῳ νῷ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον διηγήσατο, οἵ τε ἅγιοι προφῆται καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι ἀπόστολοι· ἐν οἷς καὶ ὁ ἅγιος Ἰωάννης διά τε τοῦ εὐαγγελίου καὶ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν καὶ τῆς Ἀποκαλύψεως ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ χαρίσματος τοῦ ἁγίου μεταδέδωκε τῇ ἁγίᾳ ἐκκλησίᾳ. φθάνει δὲ καὶ ἐπ' αὐτοὺς τὸ εἰρημένον ὅτι «τῷ βλασφημοῦντι εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ οὔτε ἐν τούτῳ τῷ αἰῶνι οὔτε ἐν 2.311 τῷ μέλλοντι». καὶ γὰρ κατὰ τῶν ῥημάτων τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος εἰρημένων οὗτοι ἐστρατεύσαντο. Τῶν δὲ τοιούτων καὶ τοσούτων εἰρημένων κατὰ τῆς τοιαύτης αἱρέσεως ἱκανῶς ἔχειν νομίσαντες καὶ ὡς σκολόπενδραν ἢ ἴουλον καλούμενον ἑρπετὸν πολύποδα, ὀλίγον μὲν τῇ δυνάμει καὶ τῇ περιωδυνίᾳ τοῦ ἰοῦ, πολύπουν δὲ καὶ μακροείκελον, τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ δυνάμει καὶ ἀληθείᾳ καταπατήσαντες ἐπὶ τὰς ἑξῆς πάλιν προβαίνοντες σὺν τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ δυνάμει ἴωμεν, ἀγαπητοί.

Κατὰ Ἀδαμιανῶν ˉλˉβ, τῆς δὲ ἀκολουθίας ˉνˉβ.

1. Ἀσπάλακα καλοῦσί τι ζῷον ἐν τῇ γῇ κάτω ἐμφωλεῦον τετράπουν ῥῆττόν τε τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐν τοῖς μυχαιτάτοις αὐτῆς ἔχον ἑαυτοῦ τὴν οἴκησιν. τὰ δὲ πάντα τοῦ ζῴου ὑπάρχει ὡσεὶ μικροῦ σκύλακος κυνός, τὴν αὐτὴν περιφέρειαν τῆς ἡλικίας ἔχον, ᾧ οὐδ' ὅλως ὑπάρχει ὅρασις. ἐρημωτικὸν δὲ ὂν τὸ ζῷον κάτωθεν ἐκριζοῖ πάντα τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γεωργήματα, τά τε σικυήλατα πάντα μάλιστα καὶ τὰ δριμέα φυτεύματα κρομμύων τε καὶ σκορόδων, βολβῶν καὶ τῶν τοιούτων, κρίνων τε καὶ τῶν ἄλλων. ἐὰν δὲ λαθὼν ἐν τῷ ῥήττειν φθάσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἔξω εἰς τὸν ἀέρα γενέσθαι ἢ ἁλοὺς θηρευθείη ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, γελοῖόν τι ἐμποιεῖ πᾶσι τοῖς τοῦτο τὸ ζῷον θηρεύσασιν. οὕτως καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπιχειρῶ λέγειν περὶ τῆς νυνὶ μετὰ χεῖρας οὔσης αἱρέσεως, ὡς μὲν κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν τυφλώττει καὶ 2.312 ἀνοητεῖ, ἐρημίαν δὲ ἑαυτῇ ἐργάζεται καὶ τὴν στάσιν ἑαυτῆς κάτωθεν ἐκτέμνει, ῥιζῶν τε πολλῶν φημὶ δὲ τῶν εἰς αὐτὴν ἐμπεπτωκότων ἀνδρῶν τὴν λύμην ἀπεργάζεται. τοῖς δὲ συνετοῖς εἴ ποτε γένοιτο κατοπτευθῆναι αὐτήν, γέλωτα οὐ τὸν τυχόντα παρασκευάζει· ὡς καὶ τὸ προειρημένον ζῷον διὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ τύφλωσιν ἐμπαιζόμενον καὶ διὰ τὴν ἀορασίαν καὶ μὴ εὑρίσκον ποῦ τὴν εἰσαγωγὴν ποιήσασθαι, οὕτως καὶ αὕτη ἡ αἵρεσις. ἐπέθεντο γὰρ ἑαυτοῖς τοῦ Ἀδὰμ τὸ ὄνομα. τοῦτο δὲ ἀπὸ ἀκοῆς ἀνδρῶν πολλῶν ἀκηκοότες φαμέν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν συγγράμμασιν ηὕραμεν οὔτε μὴν περιετύχομεν τοιούτοις τισί. πολλῶν οὖν εἰρηκότων ἄξιον καὶ αὐτῆς μνησθῆναι ἐδικαιώσαμεν. διὸ καὶ δικαίως ταύτην παρεικάσαμεν τῷ προειρημένῳ τυφλῷ ζῴῳ καὶ ἀνδράσιν οὐ τάχιον φαινομένῳ, διὰ τὸ κρύβδην ἐν τῇ γῇ εἶναι καὶ κάτωθεν τὴν λύμην ἐργάζεσθαι. περιγέλαστος δέ ἐστι, καὶ ἐσκεπτόμην μηδ' ὅλως εἰς ἀριθμὸν αὐτὴν φέρειν. διὰ δὲ τὸ ὅλως ἦχον αὐτῆς εἶναι ἐν κόσμῳ, οὐδὲν λυπήσειε τὸν συνετὸν ἀκροατὴν περὶ πάντων εἰδέναι τῶν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου ζιζανίων ἐσπαρμένων. εἴτε γὰρ ἔστιν ἡ τοιαύτη εἴτε μὴ ἔστι, πολλῶν λεγόντων ἀκηκοότι ἀσφαλείας χάριν καὶ περὶ αὐτῆς εἰπεῖν εὔλογόν μοι πέφηνε καὶ μὴ παραλεῖψαι, κἄν τε καταλέλυται καὶ οὐκέτι ὑπάρχει. οὐ γὰρ ἀσφαλῶς ἐπίσταμαι εἰ ἔτι ἔστιν ἢ μὴ ἔστι. τί δὲ εἰς μακρὸν ἀποτείνομαι χρόνον τῷ προοιμίῳ χρώμενος πρὸς διήγησιν; ἄρξομαι δὲ τὸ γελοῖον διηγεῖσθαι,