Book V.—General Reply to Sundry of Marcion’s Heresies.
The first Book did the enemy’s words recall
In order, which the senseless renegade
Composed and put forth lawlessly; hence, too,
Touched briefly flesh’s hope, Christ’s victory,
5 And false ways’ speciousness. The next doth teach
The Law’s conjoined mysteries, and what
In the new covenant the one God hath
Delivered. The third shows the race, create
From freeborn mother, to be ministers
10 Sacred to seers and patriarchs; whom Thou,
O Christ, in number twice six out of all,
Chosest; and, with their names, the lustral times
Of our own elders noted, (times preserved
On record,) showing in whose days appeared
15 The author of this wickedness, unknown,
Lawless, and roaming, cast forth with his brood.
The fourth, too, the piacular rites recalls
Of the old Law themselves, and shows them types
In which the Victim True appeared, by saints
20 Expected long since, with the holy Seed.
This fifth doth many twists and knots untie,
Rolls wholly into sight what ills soe’er
Were lurking; drawing arguments, but not
Without attesting prophet.
And although
25 With strong arms fortified we vanquish foes,
Yet hath the serpent mingled so at once
All things polluted, impious, unallowed,
Commaculate,—the blind’s path without light!
A voice contaminant!—that, all the while
30 We are contending the world’s Maker is
Himself sole God, who also spake by voice
Of seers, and proving that there is none else
Unknown; and, while pursuing Him with praise,
Who is by various endearment known,
35 Are blaming—among other fallacies—
The Unknown’s tardy times: our subject’s fault
Will scarce keep pure our tongue. Yet, for all that,
Guile’s many hidden venoms us enforce
(Although with double risk) to ope our words.
40 Who, then, the God whom ye say is the true,
Unknown to peoples, alien, in a word,
To all the world? Him whom none knew before?
Came he from high? If ’tis his own he seeks,