35. These things, moreover, he has said with the view of showing us that all others who may come after him will be false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed, like an angel of light. What great thing therefore is it, if his ministers also be transformed into the ministers of righteousness?—whose end shall be according to their works. 1800 He indicates, further, what manner of men these were, and points out by whom they were being circumvented. And when the Galatians are minded to turn away from the Gospel, he says to them: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would turn you away 1801 from the Gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which has been delivered to you, let him be accursed.” 1802 And again he says: “To me, who am the least of all the apostles, 1803 is this grace given;” 1804 and,” I fill up that which was behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh.” 1805 And once more, in another place, he declares of himself that he was a minister of Christ more than all others, 1806 as though after him none other was to be looked for at all; for he enjoins that not even an angel from heaven is thus to be received. And how, then, shall we credit the professions of this Manes, who comes from Persis, 1807 and declares himself to be the Paraclete? By this very thing, indeed, I rather recognise in him one of those men who transform themselves, and of whom the Apostle Paul, that elect vessel, has given us very clear indication when he says: “Now in the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received 1808 with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.” 1809 The Spirit in the evangelist Matthew is also careful to give note of these words of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Take heed that no man deceive you: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. But if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false apostles, 1810 and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. If they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: if they shall say, Behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.” 1811 And yet, after all these directions, this man, who has neither sign nor portent of any kind to show, who has no affinity to exhibit, who never even had a place among the number of the disciples, who never was a follower of our departed Lord, in whose inheritance we rejoice,—this man, I say, although he never stood by our Lord in His weakness, and although he never came forward as a witness of His testament, yea rather, although he never came even within the acquaintance of those who ministered to Him in His sickness, and, in fine, although he obtains the testimony of no person whatsoever, desires us to believe this profession which he makes of being the Paraclete; whereas, even were you to do signs and wonders, we would still have to reckon you a false Christ, and a false prophet, according to the Scriptures. And therefore it is well for us to act with the greater caution, in accordance with the warning which the sainted apostle gives us, when, in the epistle which he wrote to the Colossians, he speaks in the following terms: “Continue in the faith grounded and rooted, 1812 and not to be moved away 1813 from the hope of the Gospel, which we have heard, 1814 and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven.” 1815 And again: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him; rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any one spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead.” 1816 And after all these matters have been thus carefully set forth, the blessed apostle, like a father speaking to his children, adds the following words, which serve as a sort of seal to his testament: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, 1817 I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.” 1818 1800     2 Cor. ix. 14, 15 . The text gives “ velut angelum lucis,” as if the Greek had read ὡς . So also Cyprian, in the beginning of his book on The Unity of the Church. [Vol. v. p. 422, sec. 3.] 1801     Avertere vos. 1802     Gal. i. 6–8 . 1803     Infimo omnium apostolorum. 1804     Eph. iii. 8 . 1805     Col. i. 24 . 1806     2 Cor. xi. 23 . 1807     The Codex Casinensis gives, “de Persida venientem monet;” for which corrupt reading it is proposed to substitute “de Perside venientem Manem,” etc. 1808     Reading percipiendum with the Vulgate. But the Codex Casinensis has perficiendum. 1809     1 Tim. iv. 1–4 . 1810     These words falsi apostoli seem to be added by way of explanation, as they are not found either in the Greek or the Vulgate. 1811     Matt. xxiv. 4, 5, 23–26 . 1812     Radicati. 1813     Immobiles. 1814     Audivimus. 1815     Col. i. 23 . 1816     Col. ii. 6–9 . 1817     The text gives “ circum cucurri,” perhaps for “ cursum cucurri.” The Vulgate has “cursum consummavi.” 1818     2 Tim. iv. 7, 8 .