X.

And the apostles, who speak of God, ¹ in establishing the truth of the advent of the Lord Jesus Christ, have each of them indicated the appearing of these abominable and ruin-working men, and have openly announced their lawless deeds. First of all Peter, the rock of the faith, whom Christ our God called blessed, the teacher of the Church, the first disciple, he who has the keys of the kingdom, has instructed us to this effect: "Know this first, children, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts. ² And there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies." ³ After him, John the theologian, ⁴ and the beloved of Christ, in harmony with him, cries, "The children of the devil are manifest; ⁵ and even now are there many antichrists; ⁶ but go not after them. ⁷ Believe not every spirit, because many false prophets are gone out into the world." ⁸ And then Jude, the brother of James, speaks in like manner: "In the last times there shall be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts. There be they who, without fear, feed ⁹ themselves." ¹⁰ You have observed the concord of the theologians and apostles, and the harmony of their doctrine.