432 A TREATISE AGAINST NOVATIAN. sinto sin."1 What now can those most perversefriendsof Novatian,even now the most unhappy1 few, replyto these things,who have broken forthto such a follyof madness as to have no reverenceeitherfor God or man ? Among them, shamelessly,and without any law of ordination,the episcopateissought after;but among us in itsown Sees,and in thoseof the thronedeliveredto itby God, itisrenounced. There theTruth says,"They rejectme, thattheymay sacrifice to me ; nor do theyofferthe holyoblationsof the childrenof Israel,nor do they approach to offerthe holy of holies,bat they shallreceivetheirignominy in the errorwherein they have erred."3 Let it be enough in a few words to have proved what they are. Hear, therefore,O Novatians,among whom the heavenly Scripturesare read rather than under stood; well,if they are not interpolated.For your earsare closed,and your heartsdarkened,seeingthat ye admitno lightfrom spiritualand savingwarnings; asIsaiahsays,"The servantsof God are blinded."4 And deservedlyblinded, because the desireof schismaticsis not in the law; which law pointsout to us the one and only church in thatark,to wit,which was fashioned,by the providenceof God, under Noah before the deluge,in which— to answer you quickly, O Novatian— we findthattherewere shut up not onlyclean animals,but alsounclean; which ark was saved alone,with thosewho were in it,whereas the other things which were not found thereinperishedin the deluge. From thatark therewere loosedtwo birds,a raven and a dove; and thisraven trulybore the figureor type of impure men, and men who would be in perpetualdarkness through the world'sbroad road,and of apostateswho should arise,feedingon unclean things,and not turning themselveseventuallyto thechurch; and as we read,we find thatitwas sentforth,and returned no more. Whoever should be found to resemble thisbird, then,thatis,the impure spirit,willno more be abletoreturn 1 Isa.xxx.1. s Infelicissimi.Thi9issupposedto be a playupon thenameof Felicissinius,referredtoinCyprian'sletter. 8 Ezek.xliv.10-13. * Isa.xlii.19.