Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies 3.2
When they are refuted from the Scriptures, they turn around and accuse those same Scriptures, as if the Scriptures were not in order, lacked authority, were spoken in contradictory ways, and could not yield the truth to anyone who does not know the tradition. That tradition was not handed down in writing, but by living voice; and for this reason Paul declared, "We speak wisdom among the mature, a wisdom not of this age" (1 Corinthians 2:6-7). Each of these heretics claims that this wisdom is his own private discovery — an obvious fiction — so that the truth may appear credible on his terms. Sometimes it appears in Valentinus, sometimes in Marcion, sometimes in Cerinthus, later in Basilides, and even in the one who argues against them but could speak nothing that saves. Every one of them is thoroughly perverted; each makes himself the rule of truth and preaches without shame.
But when we appeal to the tradition that comes from the Apostles and is preserved in the Churches through the succession of Presbyters, they resist it, boasting that they have found the pure truth and are wiser not only than the Presbyters but than the Apostles themselves. They allege that the Apostles mixed legalistic material with the Savior's words, and that the Lord Himself spoke sometimes from the Demiurge, sometimes from the Middle, sometimes from the Top — while they, they claim, know the hidden mystery without doubt, without stain, in perfect purity. This is nothing less than the most impudent blasphemy against their own Maker. Consequently they agree with neither the Scriptures nor the tradition. Our struggle, dear friend, is against such people, who slip away on every side like cunning serpents. Therefore we must oppose them at every point, if by refuting some we may confound them and lead them to the conversion of truth. For although it is not easy for a soul seized by error to recover, it is not utterly impossible to escape error when the truth is set before it.
Latin
1. Cvum enim ex Seripturis arguuntur, in accusationem con-vertuntur ipsarum Seripturarum, quasi non recte habeant, neque sint ex auctoritate, et quia varie sint dictez, et quia non possit ex his inveniri veritas ab his qui nesciant traditionem. Non enim per literas traditam illam, sed per vivam vocem: ob quam causam et Paulum dixisse: Sapientiam autem loquimur inter perfectos: sapientiam autem non mundi hujus. Et hane sapientiam unusquisque eorum esse dicit, quam a semetipso adinvenit, fictionem videlicet, ut digne secundum eos sit veritas, aliquando quidem in Valentino, aliquando autem in Marcione, aliquando in Cerintho, postea deinde in Basilide, fuit aut et in illo qui contra disputat, qui nihil salutare loqui potuit. Unusquisque enim ipsorum omnimodo perversus, semetipsum regulam veritatis depravans preedicare non confunditur, ' 2. Cum autem ad eam iterum traditionem, que est ab Apostolis, quee per successiones Presbyterorum in Ecclesiis. custoditur, provocamus eos, adversantur traditioni, dicentes se non solum Presbyteris, sed etiam A postolis exsistentes sapientiores, sinceram invenisse veritatem. Apostolos enim admiscuisse ea que sunt legalia Salvatoris verbis: et non solum Apostolos, sed etiam ipsum Dominum, modo quidem a Demiurgo, modo autem a medietate, interdum autem a summitate fecisse sermones : se vero indubitate, et intaminate, et sincere absconditum scire mysterium: quod quidem impudentissime est blasphemare suum factorem. Eyenit itaque, neque Scripturis jam, neque traditioni consentire eos. Adversus tales certamen nobis est, o dilectissime, more serpentum lubrici [7. lubrice] undique effugere conantes. Quapropter undique resistendum est illis, si quos ex his retusione confundentes, ad conversionem veritatis adducere possimus. Etenim si non facile est ab errore apprehensam resipiscere animam, sed non omnimodo impossibile est errorem effugere apposita veritate.