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De Praescriptione Haereticorum

XXXI.

[1] Sed ab excessu reuertar ad principalitatem ueritatis et posteritatem mendacitatis disputandam, ex illius quoque parabolae patrocinio quae bonum semen frumenti a Domino seminatum in primore constituit, auenarum autem sterilis faeni adulterium ab inimico diabolo postea superducit. [2] Proprie enim doctrinarum distinctionem figurat quia et alibi uerbum Dei seminis similitudo est. [3] Ita ex ipso ordine manifestatur id esse dominicum et uerum quod sit prius traditum, id autem extraneum et falsum quod sit posterius immissum. [4] Ea sententia manebit aduersus posteriores quasque haereses, quibus nulla constantia de conscientia competit ad defendendam sibi ueritatem.

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The Prescription Against Heretics

Chapter XXXI.--Truth First, Falsehood Afterwards, as Its Perversion. Christ's Parable Puts the Sowing of the Good Seed Before the Useless Tares.

Let me return, however, from this digression ¹ to discuss ² the priority of truth, and the comparative lateness ³ of falsehood, deriving support for my argument even from that parable which puts in the first place the sowing by the Lord of the good seed of the wheat, but introduces at a later stage the adulteration of the crop by its enemy the devil with the useless weed of the wild oats. For herein is figuratively described the difference of doctrines, since in other passages also the word of God is likened unto seed. From the actual order, therefore, it becomes clear, that that which was first delivered is of the Lord and is true, whilst that is strange and false which was afterwards introduced. This sentence will keep its ground in opposition to all later heresies, which have no consistent quality of kindred knowledge ⁴ inherent in them--to claim the truth as on their side.