Chapter XVIII.—Great Evil Ensues to the Weak in Faith, from Any Discussion Out of the Scriptures. Conviction Never Comes to the Heretic from Such a Process.

But with respect to the man for whose sake you enter on the discussion of the Scriptures,190    Or, “from the Scriptures.” with the view of strengthening him when afflicted with doubts, (let me ask) will it be to the truth, or rather to heretical opinions that he will lean? Influenced by the very fact that he sees you have made no progress, whilst the other side is on an equal footing191    Æquo gradu. (with yourself) in denying and in defence, or at any rate on a like standing192    Statu certe pari. he will go away confirmed in his uncertainty193    Incertior. by the discussion, not knowing which side to adjudge heretical. For, no doubt, they too are able194    Habent. to retort these things on us. It is indeed a necessary consequence that they should go so far as to say that adulterations of the Scriptures, and false expositions thereof, are rather introduced by ourselves, inasmuch as they, no less than we195    Proinde. maintain that truth is on their side.

CAPUT XVIII.

Ille etiam, cujus caussa in congressum Scripturarum descendis, incertior discedet, de pari altercatione negandi et defendendi.

Ille vero, si quis est, cujus caussa in congressum descendis Scripturarum, ut eum dubitantem confirmes, ad veritatem, an magis ad haereses deverget? Hoc ipso motus, quod te videat nihil promovisse, aequo gradu negandi et defendendi diversa parte statuto , certe pari, altercatione incertior discedet, nesciens quam haeresin judicet. Haec utique et ipsi 0031A habent in nos retorquere. Necesse est enim et illos dicere a nobis potius adulteria Scripturarum et expositionum mendacia inferri, qui proinde sibi defendant veritatem.