Translation Hide
Les prescriptions contre les Hérétiques

II.

Nous ne sommes pas surpris que la fièvre soit placée parmi les principes de douleur et de mort qui affaiblissent le corps humain: telle est sa nature. Par conséquent, si nous sommes effrayés que les hérésies puissent produire l'affaiblissement et l'extinction de la foi, nous devons l'être d'abord qu'elles existent; car n'existant que pour produire cet effet, elles ont nécessairement ce pouvoir, dès qu'elles existent. C'est parce que nous savons que la fièvre est un mal, et par sa cause, et par sa nature, qu'elle nous effraie sans nous étonner. Ne pouvant la détruire, nous faisons tous nos efforts pour nous en garantir. Mais pourquoi nous étonner que les hérésies qui nous brûlent de feux bien plus dévorants, et qui donnent la mort éternelle, puissent avoir de tels effets, au lieu d'empêcher qu'elles ne les aient? C'est uniquement ce dernier point qui dépend de nous. Au reste, elles n'ont de pouvoir qu'autant que nous nous en laissons effrayer; troublés par la frayeur, nous nous scandalisons; nous scandalisant, nous nous persuadons que ce pouvoir ne vient que de la vérité. Il serait étonnant sans doute que le mal eût tant de pouvoir, si c'était sur d'autres que sur des hommes faibles dans la foi. Dans les combats d'athlètes et de gladiateurs, le vainqueur n'est, pour l'ordinaire, ni brave, ni encore moins invincible; mais il a eu en tête un faible adversaire, aussi lui en propose-t-on un plus courageux. Le vainqueur est vaincu à son tour. Il en est de même des hérésies: puissantes par notre faiblesse, elles ne peuvent rien sur une foi ferme et solide.

Translation Hide
The Prescription Against Heretics

Chapter II.--Analogy Between Fevers and Heresies. Heresies Not to Be Wondered At: Their Strength Derived from Weakness of Men's Faith. They Have Not the Truth. Simile of Pugilists and Gladiators in Illustration.

Taking the similar case ¹ of fever, which is appointed a place amongst all other deadly and excruciating issues (of life) for destroying man: we are not surprised either that it exists, for there it is, or that it consumes man, for that is the purpose of its existence. In like manner, with respect to heresies, which are produced for the weakening and the extinction of faith, since we feel a dread because they have this power, we should first dread the fact of their existence; for as long as they exist, they have their power; and as long as they have their power, they have their existence. But still fever, as being an evil both in its cause ² and in its power, as all know, we rather loathe than wonder at, and to the best of our power guard against, not having its extirpation in our power. Some men prefer wondering at heresies, however, which bring with them eternal death and the heat of a stronger fire, for possessing this power, instead of avoiding their power when they have the means of escape: but heresies would have no power, if (men) would cease to wonder that they have such power. For it either happens that, while men wonder, they fall into a snare, or, because they are ensnared, they cherish their surprise, as if heresies were so powerful because of some truth which belonged to them. It would no doubt be a wonderful thing that evil should have any force of its own, were it not that heresies are strong in those persons who are not strong in faith. In a combat of boxers and gladiators, generally speaking, it is not because a man is strong that he gains the victory, or loses it because he is not strong, but because he who is vanquished was a man of no strength; and indeed this very conqueror, when afterwards matched against a really powerful man, actually retires crest-fallen from the contest. In precisely the same way, heresies derive such strength as they have from the infirmities of individuals--having no strength whenever they encounter a really powerful faith.