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.Lord be merciful to us as we explain their blasphemies!41.[You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’(Matt.5.38)]‘You have heard it said that an eye should be taken for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ They say that the eyes are the two laws, that of Moses and that of the Gospel.82 Christ came to give a law instead of a law, the gospel law for the law of Moses, a way for a way, the narrow for the broad.How broad is the stupidity of the ignorant!42.[‘When you pray, go into your room and shut the door.’ (Matt.6.6)]‘When you pray, go into your room.’ They say that the room is the mind, and starting from this point, that none of them should pray in 82 Ficker adds: ‘the teeth ( odontes) are the two ways ( hodoi), the broad and the narrow’.P199CDH119911/28/97, 10:53 AMCHRISTIAN DUALIST HERESIESassemblies,83 although they have clearly heard the prophet David ordering us to pray in the assemblies [Ps.22.22].43.[‘Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap.[Matt.6.26].Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.’ (Matt.6.28–9)]‘Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow nor reap.’ They think that the birds of the air are the monks who live on columns84 and who lead a life without labour and are nourished for nothing by the heavenly Father.They call themselves the lilies of the field because they are white in purity of heart and fiery in virtues.Solomon could not compare with any of these, as the covering of his soul was stained.44.[‘Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before swine.’(Matt.7.6)]‘Do not give what is holy to dogs, nor throw your pearls in front of swine’[Matt.7.6].What is holy is their simpler faith; the pearls are the more secret and more valuable doctrines of their error.By dogs and swine –what overweening arrogance – are meant the pious among us, as being idolaters.I shudder even to mention the remainder of their unspeakable opinions.They add that they receive one who converts to them as a dog or a pig.First they mortify him with prayer and fasting, and then baptize him, as we have shown before.Then to one who distinguishes himself more by small steps and additions, little by little they entrust what is holy and the pearls.45.[‘Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.’ (Matt.7.15)]‘Beware of false prophets.’ They say that false prophets – how absurd –means Basil, who was great in teaching, and Gregory the star of theology, and John the Golden-tongued, because they taught the received 83 In the Greek the word for ‘assembly’ and for ‘church’ are the same.84 ‘Stylites’ – ascetic monks who spent their lives on pillars – had existed in some numbers in the fourth and fifth centuries.It is not certain that there were any contemporary with Euthymius, but they were commonly represented on icons and in illuminated manuscripts, so the image would have been familiar.P200CDH120011/28/97, 10:53 AMEUTHYMIUS ZIGABENUS AGAINST THE BOGOMILSdoctrine.85 I leave out the other absurdities of the sect, which they utter against these saints more than the rest, and which deserve thunder and a chasm and punishment of every sort.46.[On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and cast out demons in Your name?.And then I will declare unto them, ‘I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of iniquity.’ (Matt.7.22–3)]‘Many will say on that day, “Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons?” Then I will say to them, “I never knew you, depart from me, ye workers of iniquity” [Matt.7.22–23]
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