But whoever is unlearned, ignorant, and silly, let him come without fear! Thus they own that they can gain only the foolish, the vulgar, the stupid slaves, women, and children." "At first, when they were but few, they agreed.

But when they became a multitude, they were rent, again and again, and each will have their own factions: for factious spirits they had from the beginning." "All wise men are excluded from the doctrine of their faith; they call to it only fools, and men of a servile spirit." "The preachers of their divine word only attempt to persuade silly, mean, senseless persons, slaves, women, and children.

What harm is there in being well-informed; and both in being, and appearing a man of knowledge?
What obstacle can this be to the knowledge of God?
Must it not be an advantage ?" "We see these Itinerants shewing readily their tricks to the vulgar, but not approaching the assemblies of wise men, nor daring there to show themselves.

But wherever they see boys, a crowd of slaves, and ignorant men, there they thrust in themselves, and show off their doctrine." "You may see weavers, tailors, and fullers, illiterate and rustic men, not daring to utter a word before persons of age, experience, and respectability; but when they get hold of boys privately, and silly women, they recount wonderful things; that they must not mind their fathers, or their tutors, but obey them; as their fathers, or guardians are quite ignorant, and in the dark; but themselves alone have the true wisdom.

And if the children obey them, they pronounce them happy, and direct them to leave their fathers, and tutors, and go with the women, and their play-fellows, into the chambers of the females, or into a tailor's, or fuller's shop, that they may learn perfection." Celsus compares a Christian teacher to a quack--"who promises to heal the sick, on condition that they keep from intelligent practitioners, lest his ignorance be detected." "If one sort of them introduces one doctrine, another another, and all join in saying, 'Believe if you would be saved, or depart:' what are they to do, who desire really to be saved?
Are they to determine by the throw of a die, where they are to turn themselves, or which of these demanders of implicit faith they are to believe." Omitting what Celsus says reproachfully of the moral characters of the Apostles, and the first teachers of Christianity, for which we certainly shall not take his word; it is easy to perceive from the above quotations, that they had more success among simple, and credulous people, than among the intelligent, and well-informed.
Their introductory lesson to their pupils, was, "Believe, but do not examine;" and their succeeding instructions seem to have been a continued repetition, and practice of the dogma of implicit faith*..