By Water & Blood

Book 1, Chapter 15: With what words Marcellus attacked Sabellius, pretending not to share his views

Hear now how he slandered the man, mentioning him by name, when he writes about him in these very syllables (Nr. 38):

“For Sabellius too, having slipped from the right faith, knew neither God exactly nor his holy Word. For he who did not know the Word was ignorant also of the Father. For ‘no man knoweth,’ he says, ‘the Father, save the Son’—that is, the Word; for the Word through himself grants the knowledge of the Father. For thus also he said to those of the Jews at that time who supposed that they knew God but rejected his Word, through whom alone God is known: ‘No man knoweth the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.’ For since it was impossible to know God otherwise, he teaches men to know him through his own Word. So that he too was mistaken, not knowing exactly the Father and his Word.”

These things Marcellus wrote, clearing himself of the suspicion of Sabellianizing as far as sound and word go. Yet in mind and in his agreement with the man he is caught, piercing himself through with the same darts as he—so that, for my part, ***** it would have been a matter for prayer that he not fall into the same things. But as it is, he appears to offend worse than that man. For the one perhaps erred in ignorance; but the other, confessing that the man erred, and then thrusting himself over the manifest precipice of the same impiety, could be worthy of no pardon at all. But let us examine what has been said.