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For such a person did not live according to God, but in conspiracy resisted the Creator Lord God. Such a person will be carried away by a greater desire. For indeed the eunuch is mentioned by the wise man not as abstaining from desire, but as * being unable to fulfill the desire, as he says, “A eunuch's desire to deflower 2.363 a maiden.” and from everywhere * O the great vanity contrived in many ways in the world. And these are the things we have learned about these matters. Therefore, having spoken about them briefly and having, as I said, suspected these to be the ones mentioned before, leaving them aside and mocking them like a two-stinged scorpion that with its horns and claws opposes the lives of the fathers from of old, and with its stinger resists the model of the holy church of God, having trampled and mocked them with a firm sandal, that is, through the words of the gospel, proceeding according to custom to the next things, let us here put an end to their foolishness. Against the Cathari, the impure, 39, but in sequence, 59. 1. Next after these, some called Cathari arose, from a certain Novatus, as the common account goes. This Novatus was in Rome, at the time of the persecution that happened first, before Maximian; I think it was perhaps then of Decius or Aurelian. And on the pretext of those who had lapsed in the persecution, 2.364 being lifted up by arrogance, together with his followers, he, being unwilling to have communion with those who repented after the persecution, turned to such a heresy, saying that there is no salvation for them, but only one repentance, and that after the bath no one who has lapsed can any longer receive mercy. And we ourselves also say that there is one repentance and that this salvation comes through the bath of regeneration, but we do not abolish the loving-kindness of God, knowing the preaching of the truth and the mercy of the master and the pardonableness of nature, the changeableness of the soul, the weakness of the flesh, the abounding in transgressions of the perception of all men, because “no one is sinless and pure from filth, not even if his life on earth is but a single day.” And perfect repentance is indeed found in the bath; but if someone has lapsed, the holy church of God does not destroy him. For it grants both a return and, after repentance, remorse. For to Cain God said, “You have sinned, be at peace,” and to the paralytic, “Behold, you have become well, sin no more,” and the Lord calls Peter back after he had denied him and in place of the three denials, three times 2.365 he calls him to a confession: “Do you love me, Peter? Do you love me, Peter? Do you love me, Peter?” and says, “Feed my little sheep.” 2. But the saying of the apostle leads them astray, which says, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and have fallen away, to be renewed again to repentance, since they crucify to themselves the Son of God and make a public example of him. For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and brings forth herbs useful for those for whom it is cultivated, receives blessing; but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near to a curse, whose end is to be burned.” And for in reality it is impossible to renew those who have been once renewed and have fallen away. For Christ will not be born again, to be crucified for us, nor can anyone re-crucify the Son of God who is no longer crucified, nor can anyone receive a second bath; for there is one baptism and one renewal. But immediately the holy apostle brings the cure for these things, healing the church and caring for its members, and says, “But we are persuaded of better things concerning you, beloved, and things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this way. For God is not unjust to forget your good work.” and you see how the renewal cannot

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οὐ γὰρ κατὰ θεὸν ἐπολιτεύσατο, ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἐπιβουλὴν τῷ δημιουργῷ κυρίῳ θεῷ ἀντέστη ὁ τοιοῦτος. ἐπιθυμίᾳ δὲ περισσοτέρᾳ ὁ τοιοῦτος ἐνεχθήσεται. καὶ γὰρ ὁ εὐνοῦχος ᾄδεται παρὰ τῷ σοφῷ οὐκ ἀπεχόμενος τῆς ἐπιθυμίας, ἀλλὰ * μὴ δυνάμενος τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἐπιτελέσαι, ὡς λέγει «ἐπιθυμία εὐνούχου ἀποπαρθενεῦσαι 2.363 νεάνιδα». καὶ ἐκ πανταχόθεν * ὦ τῆς πολλῆς ματαιότητος τῆς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ πολυτρόπως ἐπινενοημένης. Καὶ ταῦτά ἐστιν ἃ περὶ τούτων ἔγνωμεν. διὸ καὶ ἐν συντόμῳ περὶ αὐτῶν εἰρηκότες καὶ ὡς ἔφην ὑπονοήσαντες εἶναι τούτους τοὺς προειρημένους, καταλιπόντες τοὺς αὐτοὺς καὶ καταγελάσαντες αὐτῶν ὥσπερ σκορπίου δικέντρου τοῖς μὲν κέρασι καὶ χηλαῖς ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνέκαθεν τῶν πατέρων βίοις ἐναντιωθέντος, ἐν δὲ τῷ κέντρῳ τῷ τύπῳ τῆς ἁγίας τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκλησίας ἀνθισταμένου, ὑποδήματι ἐστηριγμένῳ καταπατήσαντες τούτους καὶ καταγελάσαντες, τουτέστιν διὰ τῶν ῥητῶν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, κατὰ τὸ ἔθος ἐπὶ τὰς μετέπειτα βαίνοντες ἐνταῦθα λήξωμεν τῆς τούτων ἀβελτηρίας. Κατὰ Καθαρῶν τῶν ἀκαθάρτων ˉλˉθ, τῆς δὲ ἀκολουθίας ˉνˉθ. 1. Καθεξῆς δὲ τούτων Καθαροί τινες λεγόμενοι ἐφύησαν, ἀπὸ Ναυάτου τινός, ὡς πολὺς ᾄδεται λόγος. οὗτος δὲ ὁ Ναυάτος ἐπὶ τῆς Ῥωμαίων ὑπῆρχεν, ἐν καιρῷ τοῦ διωγμοῦ τοῦ πρὸ τοῦ Μαξιμιανοῦ γενομένου πρώτου· τάχα δὲ οἶμαι ∆εκίου τότε ἦν ἢ Αὐρηλιανοῦ. ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς προφάσεως τῶν ἐν τῷ διωγμῷ παραπεσόντων 2.364 ἐπάρματι ἀρθεὶς ἅμα τοῖς αὐτῷ ἑπομένοις μὴ θελήσας κοινωνῆσαι τοῖς μετανοοῦσιν ἀπὸ τοῦ διωγμοῦ, εἰς αἵρεσιν τοιαύτην τέτραπται, λέγων μὴ εἶναι αὐτοῖς σωτηρίαν, ἀλλὰ μίαν μετάνοιαν, μετὰ δὲ τὸ λουτρὸν μηκέτι δύνασθαί τινα ἐλεεῖσθαι παραπεπτωκότα. Καὶ αὐτοὶ δέ φαμεν εἶναι μετάνοιαν μίαν καὶ διὰ λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας ταύτην γίνεσθαι τὴν σωτηρίαν, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀναιροῦμεν τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν, εἰδότες τὸ κήρυγμα τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τὸν ἔλεον τοῦ δεσπότου καὶ τὸ σύγγνωστον τῆς φύσεως, τὸ εὐρίπιστον τῆς ψυχῆς, τὸ ἀσθενὲς τῆς σαρκός, τὸ πολύβλυστον τῆς τῶν πάντων ἀνθρώπων αἰσθήσεως ἐν παραπτώμασιν, διότι «οὐδεὶς ἀναμάρτητος καὶ καθαρὸς ἀπὸ ῥύπου, οὐδ' ἂν κἂν μία ἡμέρα ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.» καὶ ἡ μὲν τελεία μετάνοια ἐν τῷ λουτρῷ τυγχάνει· εἰ δέ τις παρέπεσεν, οὐκ ἀπόλλει τοῦτον ἡ ἁγία τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκλησία. δίδωσι γὰρ καὶ ἐπάνοδον καὶ μετὰ τὴν μετάνοιαν τὴν μεταμέλειαν. τῷ γὰρ Κάϊν εἶπεν ὁ θεός «ἥμαρτες, ἡσύχασον», καὶ τῷ παραλυτικῷ «ἰδού, ὑγιὴς γέγονας, μηκέτι ἁμάρτανε», καὶ Πέτρον ἀνακαλεῖται ὁ κύριος μετὰ τὸ ἀρνήσασθαι καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν τριῶν ἀρνήσεων τρὶς 2.365 αὐτὸν προκαλεῖται πρὸς ὁμολογίαν «ἀγαπᾷς με, Πέτρε; ἀγαπᾷς με. Πέτρε; ἀγαπᾷς με, Πέτρε;» καί φησι «ποίμαινε τὰ προβάτιά μου». 2. Σφάλλει δὲ αὐτοὺς τὸ ῥητὸν τοῦ ἀποστόλου τὸ εἰρημένον «ἀδύνατον γὰρ τοὺς ἅπαξ φωτισθέντας καὶ καλὸν γευσαμένους θεοῦ ῥῆμα δυνάμεις τε τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος καὶ παραπεσόντας πάλιν ἀνακαινίζειν εἰς μετάνοιαν, ἀνασταυροῦντας ἑαυτοῖς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ παραδειγματίζοντας. γῆ γὰρ ἡ πιοῦσα πολλάκις τὸν ἐπ' αὐτῆς ἐρχόμενον ὑετὸν καὶ τίκτουσα βοτάνην εὔθετον ἐκείνοις, δι' οὓς καὶ γεωργεῖται, μεταλαμβάνει εὐλογίας· ἐκφέρουσα δὲ ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους ἀδόκιμος καὶ κατάρας ἐγγύς, ἧς τὸ τέλος εἰς καῦσιν». καὶ γὰρ τῷ μὲν ὄντι τοὺς ἅπαξ ἀνακαινισθέντας καὶ παραπεσόντας ἀνακαινίζειν ἀδύνατον. οὔτε γὰρ ἔτι γεννηθήσεται Χριστός, ἵνα σταυρωθῇ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, οὔτε ἀνασταυροῦν δύναταί τις τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν μηκέτι σταυρούμενον, οὔτε δύναταί τις λουτρὸν δεύτερον λαμβάνειν· ἓν γάρ ἐστι τὸ βάπτισμα καὶ εἷς ὁ ἐγκαινισμός. ἀλλὰ εὐθὺς ἐπιφέρει τὴν τούτων ἴασιν ὁ ἅγιος ἀπόστολος, τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἰατρεύων καὶ τῶν αὐτῆς μελῶν ἐπιμελόμενος, καί φησι «πεπείσμεθα δὲ περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀγαπητοί, τὰ κρείττονα καὶ ἐχόμενα σωτηρίας, εἰ καὶ οὕτως λαλοῦμεν. οὐ γὰρ ἄδικος ὁ θεὸς ἐπιλαθέσθαι τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἔργου ὑμῶν». καὶ ὁρᾷς πῶς μὲν τὸν ἐγκαινισμὸν μὴ δύνασθαι