Chapter I.—The Methods of Marcion’s Argument Incorrect and Absurd.  The Proper Course of the Argument.

The occasion of reproducing this little work, the fortunes of which we noticed in the preface of our first book, has furnished us with the opportunity of distinguishing, in our treatment of the subject of two Gods in opposition to Marcion, each of them with a description and section of his own, according to the division of the subject-matter, defining one of the gods to have no existence at all, and maintaining of the Other that He is rightly372    Instinctum.    Digne. God; thus far keeping pace with the heretic of Pontus, who has been pleased to admit one unto, and exclude the other.373    St. Luke vi. 43 sq.    From the dignity of the supreme Godhead. For he could not build up his mendacious scheme without pulling down the system of truth. He found it necessary to demolish374    Languens.    Snbruere. some other thing, in order to build up the theory which he wished. This process, however, is like constructing a house without preparing suitable materials.375    Isa. xlv. 7.    Propria paratura. The discussion ought to have been directed to this point alone, that he is no god who supersedes the Creator. Then, when the false god had been excluded by certain rules which prescriptively settle what is the character of the One only perfect Divinity, there could have remained no longer any question as to the true God. The proof of His existence would have been clear, and that, too, amid the failure of all evidence in support of any other god; and still clearer376    Mala.    With the tanto (answering to the previous quanto) should be understood magis, a frequent omission in our author. would have seemed the point as to the honour in which He ought without controversy to be held: that He ought to be worshipped rather than judged; served reverentially rather than handled critically, or even dreaded for His severity.  For what was more fully needed by man than a careful estimate of377    [This purely good or goodish divinity is an idea of the Stoics. De Præscript. chap. 7.]    Cura in. the true God, on whom, so to speak, he had alighted,378    Hospitam.    Inciderat. because there was no other god?

CAPUT PRIMUM.

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Occasio reformandi opusculi hujus, cui quid acciderit primo libellulo praefati sumus, hoc quoque contulit nobis, uti duobus diis adversus Marcionem retractandis, sui cuique titulum et volumen distingueremus pro materiae divisione, alterum deum definientes omnino non esse, alterum defendentes digne Deum esse: quatenus ita Pontico placuit, alterum inducere, alterum excludere. Non enim poterat aedificare mendacium sine demolitione veritatis. Aliud subruere necesse habuit, ut quod vellet, exstrueret. Sic aedificat qui propria paratura caret. Oportuerat autem in hoc solum disceptasse, quod nemo sit deus ille qui Creatori superducitur; ut falso deo depulso, regulis certis et unicam et perfectam praescribentibus 0284D divinitatem, nihil jam quaereretur in Deum verum: quem quanto constaret esse, sic quoque dum alium esse non constat, tanto qualemcumque sine controversia haberi deceret, adorandum potius quam judicandum; et demerendum magis quam retractandum, vel quam timendum ob severitatem. 0285A Quid enim amplius homini necessarium, quam cura in Deum verum, in quem, ut ita dixerim, inciderat, quia alius Deus non erat.