Early Christian Beliefs About Heretics and Church Discipline

Tertullian, On Baptism Direct teaching

Heretics, however, have no fellowship in our discipline, whom the mere fact of their excommunication testifies to be outsiders.

Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching

Moreover, since we and heretics have not one God, nor one Lord, nor one Church, nor one faith, nor even one Spirit, nor one body, it is manifest that neither can baptism be common to us with heretics, since between us there is nothing at all in common.

Tertullian, On Prescription Against Heretics Direct teaching

For as they are heretics, they cannot be true Christians, because it is not from Christ that they get that which they pursue of their own mere choice, and from the pursuit incur and admit the name of heretics.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Direct teaching

...s original succession and gather themselves anywhere, viewing them as heretics with perverse minds, schismatics who are arrogant and self-serving, or as hypocrites acting for gain or vanity. All these have fallen from the truth. The heretics who bring strange fire to the altar of God, meaning strange doctrines, will be consumed by fire from heaven, as Nadab and Abiud were. Those who oppose the truth and urge others against the Church of God will remain among those in hell, as they are swallowed by an earthquake, just as those with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were. Those who divide and separate the unity of the Church will receive the same punishment from God as Jeroboam did. Amen

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Direct teaching

These heretics have been sent out by Satan to slander the divine name of the Church before the Gentiles. And the devil's purpose is this: when people hear the teachings of those heretics, now in one form and now in another, they may think that all of us are the same kind of people. Then they may turn their ears away from the preaching of the truth. Or else, by looking at all the teachings of those heretics without rejecting them, they may speak evil against us. The followers of Carpocrates claim that souls pass from body to body, so that they may complete the full measure of all their sins. But when not one of these sins is left, the Carpocratians say that the soul is then set free and goes away to that God above the angels who made the world. And they say that in this way all souls will be saved. But if some souls, during one lifetime in the body, should already become involved ahead of time in the full measure of transgressions, then, according to these heretics, they no longer undergo metempsychosis. Souls of this kind, after paying off all their trespasses at once, will, the Carpocratians say, be freed from ever living in a body again. Some of these heretics also brand their ow

Anonymous, Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian Direct teaching

...I also will deny them.” But whom will the Lord Christ chiefly deny, if not all of you heretics, and schismatics, and strangers to His name? For you, who were once Christians, but now are Novatians, no longer Christians, have changed your first faith by later perfidy in taking this name. I want you to answer your own claim. Read and teach: which of those who had failed or denied Him, while He was still with them, did our Lord deny? Yet He also says to the other disciples who had remained with Him, “Will you also go away?” John 6:67. Even Peter, whom He had previously foretold as about to deny Him, when he had denied Him, He did not deny, but sustained him. And He Himself soothed him afterward, when he bitterly bewailed his denial.

Cyprian, Seventh Council of Carthage Supporting witness

On the other hand, if heresy is not the Church, how can the Church's baptism be among heretics?

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

An Exhortation Commanding to Avoid the Communion of the Impious Heretics.

Irenaeus, Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenæus Supporting witness

these opinions, even the heretics beyond the Church’s pale have never ventured to broach;

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness

(Now these heretics) have themselves been sent forth by Satan, for the purpose of slandering before the Gentiles the divine name of the Church.

Caius, Fragments Supporting witness

... sent. First of all, and at considerable length, he wrote to the Corinthians to check the schism of heresy. Then he wrote to the Galatians to forbid circumcision. Then he wrote to the Romans about the rule of the Old Testament Scriptures, and also to show them that Christ is the first subject in these Scriptures. We need to discuss these one by one, since the blessed Apostle Paul, following the pattern of his predecessor John, writes by name to no more than seven churches, in this order: first to the Corinthians, second to the Ephesians, third to the Philippians, fourth to the Colossians, fifth to the Galatians, sixth to the Thessalonians, and seventh to the Romans. Moreover, although he writes twice to the Corinthians and Thessalonians for their correction, it is still shown, that is, by this sevenfold writing, that there is one Church spread throughout the whole world. And John too, in the Apocalypse, although he writes only to seven churches, still speaks to all. Besides these, Paul also wrote one letter to Philemon, one to Titus, and two to Timothy, out of simple personal affection and love indeed. Yet these are held in honor by the Catholic Church, and are used in the order

Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Supporting witness

Yea, it were better for him that a millstone should be hung about [his neck], and he should be sunk in the depths of the sea, than that he should cast a stumbling-block before one of my little ones.” Your schism has subverted [the faith of] many, has discouraged many, has given rise to doubt in many, and has caused grief to us all. And still your sedition continueth.

Tertullian, On Prescription Against Heretics Direct teaching

I must not omit an account of the conduct also of the heretics— how frivolous it is, how worldly, how merely human, without seriousness, without authority, without discipline, as suits their creed.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching

...l the questions the heretics propose to us, and having explained the doctrine of the apostles and clearly presented many of the things that were said and done by the Lord in parables, I will endeavor, in this fifth book of the entire work on the exposure and refutation of falsely called knowledge, to provide proofs from the rest of the Lord's doctrine and the apostolic letters. I do this in compliance with your request, as you asked of me (since I have indeed been given a place in the ministry of the word), and labor using every means in my power to assist you against the contradictions of the heretics. I also aim to reclaim the wanderers and convert them to the Church of God, strengthening the minds of the new believers so that they may steadfastly preserve the faith they have received, safeguarded by the Church in its integrity, ensuring they are not led astray by those who seek to teach them false doctrines and lead them away from the truth. It is essential for you, however, and all who may read this writing, to carefully review what I have already said, so you may gain an understanding of the subjects I am challenging. This way, you will be able to refute them legitimately a

Tertullian, On Modesty Supporting witness

... am content with the fact that among the apostles there is a common agreement in rules of faith and discipline. For, "Whether it be I," says Paul, "or they, thus we preach." Accordingly, it is important for the interest of the whole sacrament to believe that John conceded nothing which Paul flatly refused. Whoever observes this harmony of the Holy Spirit shall by Him be conducted into His meanings. For that angel of the church in Thyatira was secretly introducing into the Church, and rightly urging to repentance, a heretical woman who had taken upon herself to teach what she had learned from the Nicolaitans. For who doubts that a heretic, deceived by a false baptismal rite, upon discovering his mischance, and expiating it by repentance, both attains pardon and is restored to the bosom of the Church? Therefore even among us, as being on a par with a heathen, indeed even more than a heathen, a heretic likewise is purged through the baptism of truth from each character, and admitted to the Church. Or else, if you are certain that that woman, after a living faith, subsequently fell away and turned heretic, so that you may claim pardon as the result of repentance, not, as it were, fo

Origen, Against Celsus Direct teaching

And if those who hold different opinions will not be convinced, we observe the injunction laid down for the treatment of such: A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sins, being condemned of himself.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

warning them in order to their conversion: chiding them in order to their reformation and better course of life;

Titus 3:10 Direct teaching

A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

Romans 16:17 Direct teaching

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

2 Thessalonians 3:14 Supporting witness

If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.

Matthew 18:17 Supporting witness

And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

1 Timothy 5:20 Supporting witness

As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.

Titus 1:9 Supporting witness

He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

2 John 1:9 Supporting witness

Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Direct teaching

...tinue my questions." He said, "Go on." And I said, "Sir, I heard some teachers say that there is no repentance except the one that happens when we go down into the water and receive forgiveness of our former sins." He said to me, "What you heard was sound teaching, for that is really so. For the person who has received forgiveness of sins ought not to sin anymore, but to live in purity. However, since you are asking carefully about everything, I will explain this to you also. I do not say it in order to give an excuse for error to those who are going to believe, or who have recently believed, in the Lord. For those who have now believed, and those who are going to believe, do not have repentance for sins, but they do have forgiveness of their previous sins. But for those who were called before these days, the Lord has appointed repentance. For the Lord, knowing the heart and knowing beforehand all things, knew the weakness of human beings and the many tricks of the devil, that he would bring some evil on the servants of God and would act wickedly toward them. Therefore the Lord, being merciful, had mercy on the work of His hand and appointed repentance for them. And He has given

Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Direct teaching

...et since they escaped the notice of their persecutors by doing this, let a penalty of six months of penance be imposed on them. For in this way they will profit more, by meditating on the prophet's words and saying, "To us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called the Messenger of My mighty counsel." Isaiah 9:6 As you know, before His coming, another infant, in the sixth month of his conception, preached repentance for the remission of sins, Luke 1:76-77 and He Himself also was conceived to preach repentance. Moreover, we hear that both also preach, first of all, not only repentance, but also the kingdom of heaven, which, as we have learned, is within us. Luke 17:21 For the word that we believe is near us, in our mouth and in our heart. Being reminded of this, they will learn to confess with their mouths that Jesus is the Christ, believing in their heart that God has raised Him from the dead, and being like those who hear, that with the heart man believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. Romans 10:8-10

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

Therefore, O bishop, judge with authority like God, yet receive those who repent, for God is a God of mercy. Rebuke those who sin. Warn those who have not turned back. Encourage those who stand firm to continue in their goodness. Receive those who repent, for the Lord God has promised with an oath to grant forgiveness to those who repent for the wrong things they have done. For He says through Ezekiel: "Speak to them, 'As I live,' says the Lord, 'I do not desire the death of a sinner, but that the wicked turn from his evil way and live. Therefore turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?'" Ezekiel 33:11. Here the word gives hope to sinners, so that if they repent, they will have hope of salvation. Otherwise, out of despair, they might give themselves over to their transgressions. But having hope of salvation, they may be converted, and may pray to God with tears because of their sins, and may repent from their hearts, and so calm His displeasure toward them. Then they will receive pardon from Him, as from a merciful Father.

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

But I am amazed that some are so stubborn that they think repentance should not be granted to the lapsed, or that pardon should be denied to those who repent, when it is written, “Remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works,” Revelation 2:5. This is clearly said to someone who has plainly fallen, and whom the Lord urges to rise again by his works, because it is written, “Alms do deliver from death,” Tobit 4:10. This certainly does not mean from that death which the blood of Christ once destroyed, and from which the saving grace of baptism and of our Redeemer has delivered us, but from that death which afterward creeps in through sins. Also, in another place, time is given for repentance, and the Lord threatens the one who does not repent: “I have,” He says, “many things against you, because you allow your wife Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols; and I gave her time to repent, and she will not repent of her fornication. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds,” Re

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Direct teaching

...he Lord, that it is great and glorious, and that He has given His Spirit to those who are worthy of repentance." "Then why, sir," I said, "did not all these repent?" He answered, "To those whose heart He saw would become pure and obedient to Him, He gave power to repent with the whole heart. But to those whose deceit and wickedness He perceived, and saw that they intended to repent hypocritically, He did not grant repentance, lest they should again profane His name." I said to him, "Sir, show me now, concerning those who gave in the branches, what sort they are, and what their dwelling place is, so that those hearing it who believed, and received the seal, and broke it, and did not keep it whole, may, on coming to know their deeds, repent, and receive a seal from you, and may glorify the Lord because He had compassion on them and sent you to renew their spirits." "Listen," he said. "Those whose branches were found withered and moth-eaten are the apostates and traitors of the Church, who have blasphemed the Lord in their sins, and have also been ashamed of the name of the Lord by which they were called. These, therefore, in the end were lost to God. And you see that not a single

Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Supporting witness

Balsamon. These canons deal with those who, during the persecution, denied the faith and are doing penance. The first canon orders that those who, after many tortures, sacrificed to the gods because they were too weak to endure, and who have spent three years in penitence, should be given another forty days. Then they should be admitted into the Church. Pay attention to these canons. They set out various useful rules for those who have denied their God and are seeking repentance, and for those who willingly sought martyrdom and fell away, and then confessed the faith again, and for other similar matters. Also consult many canons of the Council of Ancyra, because that will be helpful to you.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

... He must free it from its offenses and give hope. In this way he must restore it in strength to the Church, bringing it back into the flock. Bring back what has been driven away. That is, do not allow the one who remains in sins and has been cast out as punishment to stay excluded. Instead, receive that one, bring him back, and restore him to the flock, that is, to the people of the undefiled Church. Seek what is lost. That is, do not allow the one who has despaired of salvation because of the great number of offenses to perish completely. Search for the one who has grown sleepy, drowsy, and sluggish, and who is careless about his own life because of the depth of his sleep, and who is far from his own flock, so that he is in danger of falling among the wolves and being devoured by them. Bring him back by admonition. Urge him to be watchful, and plant hope in him. Do not allow him to say what some have said: “Our impieties are upon us, and we pine away in them; how then shall we live?” Therefore, as much as possible, let the bishop make the offense his own, and say to the sinner, “Only return, and I will undertake to suffer death for you, as our Lord suffered death for me and for

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Direct teaching

...stray on a journey, those who have followed a wandering path were allowed to correct their error by repentance, rashness would be more easily corrected." But it is completely allowed. For if we think our children are corrected when we see that they repent of their faults, and even though we have disinherited them and cast them off, we receive them again, cherish them, and embrace them, why should we despair that the mercy of God our Father can also be appeased again by repentance? Therefore, He who is both Lord and a most gentle Father promises that He will forgive the sins of those who repent, and that He will blot out all the iniquities of the man who begins again to practice righteousness. For just as the uprightness of his past life is of no help to the man who lives badly, because his later wickedness has destroyed his works of righteousness, so also former sins do not stand in the way of the man who has corrected his life, because his later righteousness has wiped away the stain of his former life. For the man who repents of what he has done understands his former error. And for this reason the Greeks speak better and more meaningfully of metanoia, which we may express in

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

...become useless to their Lord because they have taken on savage habits. Therefore, these people have repentance in their power, unless they are found to have denied from the heart. But if anyone is found to have denied from the heart, I do not know whether he can live. And I say this not about these present days, as if anyone who has denied now may receive repentance, for it is impossible for someone to be saved who now intends to deny his Lord. But for those who denied Him long ago, repentance seems to be possible. If, therefore, anyone intends to repent, let him do so quickly, before the tower is completed. For if not, he will be completely destroyed by the women. And the chipped stones are the deceitful and the slanderers. And the wild beasts that you saw on the ninth mountain are the same. For just as wild beasts destroy and kill a person by their poison, so also the words of such people destroy and ruin a person. Accordingly, these are crippled in their faith because of the deeds they have done in themselves. Yet some repented and were saved. And the rest, who are like this, can be saved if they repent. But if they do not repent, they will perish with those women, whose powe

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

Admonition, then, is the correction that comes from loving care, and it produces understanding. This is how the Instructor speaks in His admonitions, as when He says in the Gospel, "How often I wanted to gather your children, as a bird gathers her young under her wings, and you were not willing!" Matthew 23:37 And again, Scripture gives admonition, saying, "They committed adultery with wood and stone, and burned incense to Baal." For it is a very great proof of His love that, although He knew well the shamelessness of the people who had kicked and leaped away, He nevertheless urges them to repent, and says through Ezekiel, "Son of man, you dwell in the midst of scorpions; nevertheless, speak to them, if perhaps they will hear." Ezekiel 2:6-7 Further, He says to Moses, "Go and tell Pharaoh to let My people go; but I know that he will not let them go." Exodus 3:18-19 For He shows both things: His divinity, in His foreknowledge of what would happen, and His love, in giving the soul's free choice an opportunity for repentance. He also admonishes through Esaias, in His care for the people, when He says, "This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." What follow

Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Supporting witness

...emembering the struggles they endured for God's sake before their fall, and also their later worthy repentance, and that they show that because of their sin they have been, as it were, strangers to their own city. And we will not only have communion with them, but also pray for their reconciliation, along with other fitting things, including the good works they ought to do, for example, fasting, giving to the poor, and penance. By these things, he who is our Advocate makes the Father favorable toward us. Then he uses a passage from Holy Scripture, and it is taken from the first catholic epistle of the holy apostle and evangelist John.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

... of being an apostle and preacher of the word. And Zacchaeus, whom the Lord received because of his repentance and his prayers to Him, was also at first a tax collector in the same way. Besides this, even the soldiers and the crowd of tax collectors who came to hear the Lord's word about repentance heard this from the prophet John after he had baptized them: "Do nothing more than what is appointed for you." Luke 3:13 In the same way, life is not denied to the Gentiles if they repent and cast away their unbelief. Therefore, regard everyone who is convicted of any wicked action and has not repented as a tax collector or a Gentile. But if he afterward repents and turns from his error, then, just as we receive the Gentiles, when they wish to repent, into the Church indeed to hear the word, but do not receive them to communion until they have received the seal of baptism and are made complete Christians, so we also permit such people to enter only to hear, until they show the fruit of repentance. This is so that by hearing the word they may not utterly and beyond recovery perish. But let them not be admitted to communion in prayer, and let them leave after the reading of the law, the

Tertullian, On Prescription Against Heretics Direct teaching

This is the discipline which I no longer say foretold that heresies should come, but from which they proceeded.

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Direct teaching

...d among certain fickle men to be of great prudence and constancy. And, gifted with the arrogance of heretics, whose only consolation in destruction is not to seem to sin alone, he should be renowned among those most like and agreeable to himself, as having corrected the errors and vices of all the churches. For this is the desire and purpose of all heretics: to frame as many slanders of this kind as possible against our most holy mother the Church, and to think it a great glory to have discovered anything that can be charged against her as a crime, or even as a folly. And since it becomes no faithful man of sound mind to dare to hold such a view, especially no one ordained in any clerical office at all, and much more in the order of bishops, it is a shocking thing for bishops themselves to devise such scandals, and not to fear to set forth too irreverently, against the precept of the law and of all the Scriptures, with their own disgrace and danger, the disgrace of their mother the Church—if they think that there is any disgrace in this matter; although in this case the Church has no disgrace except in the error of men such as these themselves. Therefore the sin of men of this k

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

Namely, Those Who, After the Custom Prevailing Among Heretics, Began Their Heresy and Schisms with the Contempt of One Bishop in the Church.

Alexander of Alexandria, Epistles on the Arian Heresy Supporting witness

...er covered in silence, so that perhaps the evil might wear itself out only among the leaders of the heresy, and not spread to other places and corrupt the hearing of any of the more simple-minded. But Eusebius, the present bishop of Nicomedia, imagines that all church matters depend on him. For he left Berytus and fixed his eyes on the church of the Nicomedians, and no punishment has been inflicted on him. He has been put over these apostates, and he has taken it on himself to write everywhere in their praise, if somehow he may draw some ignorant people away into this most shameful and Antichristian heresy. Therefore it became necessary for me, since I know what is written in the law, no longer to remain silent, but to make this known to you all. I do this so that you may know both those who have become apostates and the miserable words of their heresy, and so that if Eusebius writes, you may not pay attention to him.

Victorinus, Commentary on the Apocalypse Supporting witness

To this I will also add another point. In it, the heretic, while he rejoices as if at the loss of some power of seeing special truth and light, actually admits the complete blindness of his error. Again and again, and very often, he objects that it was said, "Have I been with you so long, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father also." But let him learn what he does not understand. Philip is rebuked, and rightly and deservedly so, because he said, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." For when had he either heard from Christ, or learned, that Christ was the Father? On the contrary, he had often heard and often learned that He was the Son, not that He was the Father. For when the Lord said, "If you have known me, you have known my Father also: and from now on you have known Him, and have seen Him," He did not say this because He wanted to be understood as being the Father Himself. Rather, He meant that whoever came near to the Son of God fully, completely, with all faith and all reverence, would certainly reach the Father through the Son Himself, in whom he believes, and would see Him. For, He says, "No one can come to the Father, but by

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness

Callistus tried to strengthen this heresy. He was a man clever in wickedness and skillful in deceit, and he was driven by restless ambition to climb onto the bishop's throne. This man shaped Zephyrinus to serve his purpose. Zephyrinus was ignorant and uneducated, and unskilled in church doctrine. Since Zephyrinus was open to bribes and greedy, Callistus was able to lead him into whatever action he wanted, by tempting him with gifts and unlawful demands. So Callistus succeeded in constantly stirring up disturbances among the brothers, while he himself later took care, with crafty words, to win both sides over to himself in goodwill. At one time, he would privately claim to those who held true opinions that they taught the same doctrines as he did, and so he deceived them. At another time, he would act the same way toward those who held the teachings of Sabellius. But Callistus also corrupted Sabellius himself, even though he was able to correct this heretic's error. For whenever we warned Sabellius, he did not show stubbornness. But as long as he was alone with Callistus, he was persuaded by this same Callistus to fall back into the system of Cleomenes, because Callistus claimed tha

Irenaeus, Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenæus Supporting witness

...se of the display it gives, but also because of the timing when it is shown. For instance, consider early fruit from the grape or the fig, or any fruit really, which no one expects to be mature or fully developed while it's still growing. Yet, although someone might see it as somewhat imperfect, they don't dismiss the immature grape as useless when they pick it. On the contrary, they gather it with pleasure because it appears early in the season, not worrying if the grape possesses perfect sweetness. They feel satisfaction knowing it came before the rest. Similarly, God, when He sees the faithful with wisdom that is still imperfect and faith that is small, overlooks their shortcomings in this regard and does not reject them. Instead, He kindly welcomes and accepts them as early fruits, honoring the mind, whatever state it may be in, that is marked with virtue, even if not yet perfect. He makes allowances for it, considering it a precursor to the harvest and esteems it highly since, being more willing than the rest, it has, in a sense, claimed the blessing early for itself.

Anonymous, Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian Supporting witness

...“The servants of God are blinded.” Isaiah 13:19 And they are rightly blinded, because the desire of schismatics is not in the law. That law points out to us the one and only Church in the ark that was made, by God's providence, under Noah before the flood. In it—to answer you briefly, O Novatian—we find that not only clean animals, but also unclean ones, were shut up. That ark alone was saved, together with those who were in it, while everything not found in it perished in the flood. From that ark two birds were sent out, a raven and a dove. This raven truly represented impure men, men who would remain in perpetual darkness on the world's broad road, and apostates who would arise, feeding on unclean things and never returning at last to the Church. And as we read, we find that it was sent out and did not return again. Therefore, whoever is found to be like this bird, that is, like the impure spirit, will no longer be able to return to the Church, since the Lord will forbid them, even if they should wish it, as He commanded Moses, saying, “Everything leprous and impure, cast outside the camp.” Numbers 5:2 But the dove that was sent out and returned signifies the man who does not

Anonymous, Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian Supporting witness

See how glorious and how dear to the Lord are the people whom these schismatics are not ashamed to call wood, hay, and stubble, according to 1 Corinthians 3:12. They dare to say that the equals of these people—that is, those who are still under the same guilt because of their fall—must not be admitted to repentance. They judge this from the Lord's statement where He says, "Whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven," in Matthew 10:33. Oh, what grief! Why do they fight against the Lord's commands, so that this offspring of Novatian, following the example of his father the devil, now tries to carry out the things that Christ will do at the time of His judgment? For Scripture says, "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay," says the Lord, in Hebrews 10:30.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

Yet if wholesome counsel cannot recall to the way of salvation certain leaders of schisms and originators of dissensions, who abide in blind and obstinate madness, yet do you others, if either taken in simplicity, or induced by error, or deceived by some craftiness of misleading cunning, loose yourselves from the nets of deceit, free your wandering steps from errors, acknowledge the straight way of the heavenly road.

Ignatius, Epistle to the Philadelphians (Short Version) Supporting witness

Do not err, my brethren. If any man follows him that makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Ignatius, Epistle to the Smyrnaeans (Long Version) Supporting witness

But flee from all abominable heresies, and those that cause schisms, as the beginning of evils.