Section 68

Antony was also remarkable in faith and reverence for God. He never entered into communion with the Meletian schismatics, because from the beginning he knew their wickedness and their separation from the Church.

Nor did he maintain friendly association with the Manichaeans or with other heretics, except when speaking to them for the purpose of urging them to turn toward true devotion. He believed and taught that close association with such people brought harm and destruction to the soul.

In the same way he detested the heresy of the Arians and exhorted everyone neither to approach them nor to accept their false belief.

Once some fanatical Arians came to him. After questioning them and learning the impiety of their teaching, he drove them away from the mountain, saying that their words were more poisonous than serpents.