Tertullian — Against Marcion 1.6
So far we still seem to dispute as if Marcion constitutes two equals. For while we defend that God, the supreme great, ought to be believed unique, excluding equality from him, we have treated of these as of two equals; yet nonetheless by teaching that they cannot be equals according to the form of the supreme great we have sufficiently confirmed that there cannot be two—otherwise certain that Marcion constitutes unequal gods: one a judge, fierce, war-potent; the other mild, placid, and only good and best. Let us equally examine this part too: whether diversity at least admits two, if equality could not.
Further here too the same rule of the supreme great will patronize us, as that which vindicates the whole status of divinity. For, convening and somehow with thrown hand holding the adversary’s sense who does not deny the Creator God, I most justly prescribe to him that there is no place for diversity among those whom, having confessed equally as gods, he cannot make diverse—not because humans too may not under the same appellation be most diverse, but because he will not be to be called God, because not to be believed, unless the supreme great.
When therefore he is compelled to acknowledge as supreme great him whom he does not deny as God, it cannot be admitted that he ascribe to the supreme great some diminution by which it is subjected to another supreme great. For it ceases if it is subjected. But it is not of God to cease from his status—that is, from the supreme great. For even in that supposedly superior god the supreme great will be able to be endangered if it begins to be depreciated in the Creator. So when two gods are pronounced two supreme greats, necessarily neither is greater or lesser than the other, neither loftier or more cast down than the other. Deny as God him whom you call worse; deny as supreme great him whom you believe lesser. But having confessed both as God you have confessed two supreme greats. You will take nothing from one or ascribe to the other. Recognizing divinity you have denied diversity.
Latin
Sic adhuc uidemur disputare, quasi Marcion duos pares constituat. nam dum defendimus deum, summum magnum, unicum credi oportere, excludentes ab eo parilitatem, tamquam de duobus paribus de his retractauimus, nihilominus tamen docendo pares esse non posse secundum summi magni formam satis confirmauimus duos esse non posse, alioquin certi Marcionem dispares deos constituere, alterum iudicem, ferum, bellipotentem, alterum mitem, placidum et tantummodo bonum atque optimum. dispiciamus aeque et hanc partem, an diuersitas saltim duos capiat, si parilitas capere non potuit. porro et hic eadem regula summi magni patrocinabitur nobis, utpote quae totum statum uindicet diuinitatis. conueniens enim et quodammodo iniecta manu detinens aduersarii sensum non negantis creatorem deum, iustissime praescribo illi diuersitati locum non esse inter eos, quos ex aequo deos confessus non potest facere diuersos. non quia non et homines licet sub eadem appellatione diuersissimos esse, sed quia deus non erit dicendus, quia nec credendus, nisi summum magnum. cum ergo summum magnum cogatur agnoscere quem deum non negat, non potest admitti, ut summo magno aliquam adscribat diminutionem, qua subiciatur alii summo magno. desinit enim, si subiciatur. non est autem dei desinere de statu suo, id est de summo magno. nam et in illo deo potiore periclitari poterit summum magnum, si depretiari capit in creatore. ita cum duo dii pronuntiantur duo summa magna, necesse est neutrum altero aut maius sit aut minus, neutrum altero aut sublimius aut deiectius. nega deum quem dicis deteriorem; nega summum magnum quem credis minorem. deum uero confessus utrumque duo summa magna confessus es. nihil alteri adimes aut alteri adscribes. agnoscens diuinitatem negasti diuersitatem.