By Water & Blood

A weak serpent among the heresies

Next in order after these heresies—after the one against the Phrygians, and the Quintillians, and those called Quartodecimans—another heresy sprang up in the world, like a feeble serpent unable to withstand the scent of dittany, or of storax, or frankincense-plant, or of southernwood, or the smell of asphalt, or of incense, or of the gagate stone, or of the stag’s horn.

For those who have experience of these things say that such species drive away venomous reptiles. And dittany some call “tiktamnon,” from the fact that physicians’ attendants use it to help women in childbirth. So it is fitting that we should liken it to the God Word (Θεὸς Λόγος) who came from above, from the heavens, begotten of the Father timelessly and without beginning.

For Solomon says of the foolish and worthless woman that she “hates the word of safety.” So also these people have hated the solid things of the preaching, being earthly and hostile toward the things of heaven.

Hence they fear the voice of the Holy Spirit that says, “The voice of the Lord perfects the stags”—the voice of him who said to his own servants and apostles, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon all the power of the enemy.”

For that was the voice that perfects the stags, the voice given into the world through the holy apostles and evangelists to trample the opposition of the devil. And among them holy John, standing at the summit, exposed and refuted the power of those who had gone astray and were serpent-formed.