IRENAEUS AGAINST HERESIES BOOK I
PREFACE.
1. INASMUCH(1) as certain men have set the truth aside, and bring in lying
words and vain genealogies, which, as the apostle says,(2) "minister
questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith," and by means
of their craftily-constructed plausibilities draw away the minds of the
inexperienced and take them captive, [I have felt constrained, my dear friend,
to compose the following treatise in order to expose and counteract their
machinations.] These men falsify the oracles of God, and prove themselves
evil interpreters of the good word of revelation. They also overthrow the
faith of many, by drawing them away, under a pretence of [superior] knowledge,
from Him who rounded and adorned the universe; as if, forsooth, they had
something more excellent and sublime to reveal, than that God who created
the heaven and the earth, and all things that are therein. By means of specious
and plausible words, they cunningly allure the simple-minded to inquire
into their system; but they nevertheless clumsily destroy them, while they
initiate them into their blasphemous and impious opinions respecting the
Demiurge;(3) and these simple ones are unable, even in such a matter, to
distinguish falsehood from truth.
2. Error, indeed, is never set forth in its naked deformity, lest, being
thus exposed, it should at once be detected. But it is craftily decked out
in an attractive dress, so as, by its outward form, to make it appear to
the inexperienced (ridiculous as the expression may seem) more true than
the truth itself. One(4) far superior to me has well said, in reference
to this point, "A clever imitation in glass casts contempt, as it were,
on that precious jewel the emerald (which is most highly esteemed by some),
unless it come under the eye of one able to test and expose the counterfeit.
Or, again, what inexperienced person can with ease detect the presence of
brass when it has been mixed up with silver?" Lest, therefore, through
my neglect, some should be carried off, even as sheep are by wolves, while
they perceive not the true character of these men,-because they outwardly
are covered with sheep's clothing (against whom the Lord has enjoined(5)
us to be on our guard), and because their language resembles ours, while
their sentiments are very different,--I have deemed it my duty (after reading
some of the Commentaries, as they call them, of the disciples of Valentinus,
and after making myself acquainted with their tenets through personal intercourse
with some of them) to unfold to thee, my friend, these portentous and profound
mysteries, which do not fall within the range of every intellect, because
all have not sufficiently purged(6) their brains. I do this, in order that
thou, obtaining an acquaintance with these things, mayest in turn explain
them to all those with whom thou art connected, and exhort them to avoid
such an abyss of madness and of blasphemy against Christ. I intend, then,
to the best of my ability, with brevity and clearness to set forth the opinions
of those who are now promulgating heresy. I refer especially to the disciples
of Ptolemaeus, whose school may be described as a bud from that of Valentinus.
I shall also endeavour, according to my moderate ability, to furnish the
means of overthrowing them, by showing how absurd and inconsistent with
the truth are their statements. Not that I am practised either in composition
or eloquence; but my feeling of affection prompts me to make known to thee
and all thy companions those doctrines which have been kept in concealment
until now, but which are at last, through the goodness of God, brought to
light. "For there is nothing hidden which shall not be revealed, nor
secret that shall not be made known."(1)
3. Thou wilt not expect from me, who am resident among the Keltae,(2) and
am accustomed for the most part to use a barbarous dialect, any display
of rhetoric, which I have never learned, or any excellence of composition,
which I have never practised, or any beauty and persuasiveness of style,
to which I make no pretensions. But thou wilt accept in a kindly spirit
what I in a like spirit write to thee simply, truthfully, and in my own
homely way; whilst thou thyself (as being more capable than I am) wilt expand
those ideas of which I send thee, as it were, only the seminal principles;
and in the comprehensiveness of thy understanding, wilt develop to their
full extent the points on which I briefly touch, so as to set with power
before thy companions those things which I have uttered in weakness. In
fine, as I (to gratify thy long-cherished desire for information regarding
the tenets of these persons) have spared no pains, not only to make these
doctrines known to thee, but also to furnish the means of showing their
falsity; so shalt thou, according to the grace given to thee by the Lord,
prove an earnest and efficient minister to others, that men may no longer
be drawn away by the plausible system of these heretics, which I now proceed
to describe.(3)
CHAP. I.--ABSURD IDEAS OF THE DISCIPLES OF VALENTINUS AS TO THE ORIGIN,
NAME, ORDER, AND CONJUGAL PRODUCTIONS OF THEIR FANCIED AEONS, WITH THE PASSAGES
OF SCRIPTURE WHICH THEY ADAPT TO THEIR OPINIONS.
1. THEY maintain, then, that in the invisible and ineffable heights above
there exists a certain perfect, pre-existent AEon,(4) whom they call Proarche,
Propator, and Bythus, and describe as being invisible and incomprehensible.
Eternal and unbegotten, he remained throughout innumerable cycles of ages
in profound serenity and quiescence. There existed along with him Ennoea,
whom they also call Charis and Sige.(5) At last this Bythus determined to
send forth from himself the beginning of all things, and deposited this
production (which he had resolved to bring forth) in his contemporary Sige,
even as seed is deposited in the womb. She then, having received this seed,
and becoming pregnant, gave birth to Nous, who was both similar and equal
to him who had produced him, and was alone capable of comprehending his
father's greatness. This Nous they call also Monogenes, and Father, and
the Beginning of all Things. Along with him was also produced Aletheia;
and these four constituted the first and first-begotten Pythagorean Tetrad,
which they also denominate the root of all things. For there are first Bythus
and Sige, and then Nous and Aletheia. And Monogenes, perceiving for what
purpose he had been produced, also himself sent forth Logos and Zoe, being
the father of all those who were to come after him, and the beginning and
fashioning of the entire Pleroma. By the conjunction of Logos and Zoo were
brought forth Anthropos and Ecclesia; and thus was formed the first-begotten
Ogdoad, the root and substance of all things, called among them by four
names, viz., Bythus, and Nous, and Logos, and Anthropos. For each of these
is masculo-feminine, as follows: Propator was united by a conjunction with
his Ennoea; then Monogenes, that is Nous, with Aletheia; Logos with Zoe,
and Anthropos with Ecclesia.
2. These AEons having been produced for the glory of the Father, and wishing,
by their own efforts, to effect this object, sent forth emanations by means
of conjunction. Logos and Zoe, after producing Anthropos and Ecclesia, sent
forth other ten AEons, whose names are the following: Bythius and Mixis,
Ageratos and Henosis, Autophyes and Hedone, Acinetos and Syncrasis, Monogenes
and Macaria.(6) These are the ten AEons whom they declare to have been produced
by Logos and Zoe. They then add that Anthropos himself, along with Ecclesia,
produced twelve AEons, to whom they give the following names: Paracletus
and Pistis, Patricos and Elpis, Metricos and Agape, Ainos and Synesis, Ecclesiasticus
and Macariotes, Theletos and Sophia.
3. Such are the thirty AEons in the erroneous system of these men; and they
are described as being wrapped up, so to speak, in silence, and known to
none [except these professing teachers]. Moreover, they declare that this
invisible and spiritual Pleroma of theirs is tripartite, being divided into
an Ogdoad, a Decad, and a Duodecad. And for this reason they affirm it was
that the "Saviour"--for they do not please to call Him "Lord"--did
no work in public during the space of thirty years,(1) thus setting forth
the mystery of these AEons. They maintain also, that these thirty AEons
are most plainly indicated in the parable(2) of the labourers sent into
the vineyard. For some are sent about the first hour, others about the third
hour, others about the sixth hour, others about the ninth hour, and others
about the eleventh hour. Now, if we add up the numbers of the hours here
mentioned, the sum total will be thirty: for one, three, six, nine, and
eleven, when added together, form thirty. And by the hours, they hold that
the AEons were pointed out; while they maintain that these are great, and
wonderful, and hitherto unspeakable mysteries which it is their special
function to develop; and so they proceed when they find anything in the
multitude(3) of things contained in the Scriptures which they can adopt
and accommodate to their baseless speculations.
CHAP. II.--THE PROPATOR WAS KNOWN TO MONO-GENES ALONE. AMBITION, DISTURBANCE,
AND DANGER INTO WHICH SOPHIA FELL; HER SHAPELESS OFFSPRING: SHE IS RESTORED
BY HOROS. THE PRODUCTION OF CHRIST AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, IN ORDER TO THE
COMPLETION OF THE AEONS. MANNER OF THE PRODUCTION OF JESUS.
1. They proceed to tell us that the Propator of their scheme was known only
to Monogenes, who sprang from him; in other words, only to Nous, while to
all the others he was invisible and incomprehensible. And, according to
them, Nous alone took pleasure in contemplating the Father, and exulting
in considering his immeasurable greatness; while he also meditated how he
might communicate to the rest of the AEons the greatness of the Father,
revealing to them how vast and mighty he was, and how he was without beginning,--beyond
comprehension, and altogether incapable of being seen. But, in accordance
with the will of the Father, Sige restrained him, because it was his design
to lead them all to an acquaintance with the aforesaid Propator, and to
create within them a desire of investigating his nature. In like manner,
the rest of the AEons also, in a kind of quiet way, had a wish to behold
the Author of their being, and to contemplate that First Cause which had
no beginning.
2. But there rushed forth in advance of the rest that AEon who was much
the latest of them, and was the youngest of the Duodecad which sprang from
Anthropos and Ecclesia, namely Sophia, and suffered passion apart from the
embrace of her consort Theletos. This passion, indeed, first arose among
those who were connected with Nous and Aletheia, but passed as by contagion
to this degenerate AEon, who acted under a pretence of love, but was in
reality influenced by temerity, because she had not, like Nous, enjoyed
communion with the perfect Father. This passion, they say, consisted in
a desire to search into the nature of the Father; for she wished, according
to them, to comprehend his greatness. When she could not attain her end,
inasmuch as she aimed at an impossibility, and thus became involved in an
extreme agony of mind, while both on account of the vast profundity as well
as the unsearchable nature of the Father, and on account of the love she
bore him, she was ever stretching herself forward, there was danger lest
she should at last have been absorbed by his sweetness, and resolved into
his absolute essence, unless she had met with that Power which supports
all things, and preserves them outside of the unspeakable greatness. This
power they term Horos; by whom, they say, she was restrained and supported;
and that then, having with difficulty been brought back to herself, she
was convinced that the Father is incomprehensible, and so laid aside her
original design, along with that passion which had arisen within her from
the overwhelming influence of her admiration.
3. But others of them fabulously describe the passion and restoration of
Sophia as follows: They say that she, having engaged in an impossible and
impracticable attempt, brought forth an amorphous substance, such as her
female nature enabled her to produce.(4) When she looked upon it, her first
feeling was one of grief, on account of the imperfection of its generation,
and then of fear lest this should end(5) her own existence. Next she lost,
as it were, all command of herself, and was in the greatest perplexity while
endeavouring to discover the cause of all this, and in what way she might
conceal what had happened. Being greatly harassed by these passions, she
at last changed her mind, and endeavoured to return anew to the Father.
When, however, she in some measure made the attempt, strength failed her,
and she became a suppliant of the Father. The other AEons, Nous in particular,
presented their supplications along with her. And hence they declare material
substance(1) had its beginning from ignorance and grief, and fear and bewilderment.
4. The Father afterwards produces, in his own image, by means of Monogenes,
the above-mentioned Horos, without conjunction,(2) masculo-feminine. For
they maintain that sometimes the Father acts in conjunction with Sige, but
that at other times he shows himself independent both of male and female.
They term this Horos both Stauros and Lytrotes, and Carpistes, and Horothetes,
and Metagoges.(3) And by this Horos they declare that Sophia was purified
and established, while she was also restored to her proper conjunction.
For her enthymesis (or inborn idea) having been taken away from her, along
with its supervening passion, she herself certainly remained within the
Pleroma; but her enthymesis, with its passion, was separated from her by
Horos, fenced(4) off, and expelled from that circle. This enthymesis was,
no doubt, a spiritual substance, possessing some of the natural tendencies
of an AEon, but at the same time shapeless and without form, because it
had received nothing.(5) And on this account they say that it was an imbecile
and feminine production.(6)
5. After this substance had been placed outside of the Pleroma of the AEons,
and its mother restored to her proper conjunction, they tell us that Monogenes,
acting in accordance with the prudent forethought of the Father, gave origin
to another conjugal pair, namely Christ and the Holy Spirit (lest any of
the AEons should fall into a calamity similar to that of Sophia), for the
purpose of fortifying and strengthening the Pleroma, and who at the same
time completed the number of the AEons. Christ then instructed them as to
the nature of their conjunction, and taught them that those who possessed
a comprehension of the Unbegotten were sufficient for themselves.(7) He
also announced among them what related to the knowledge of the Father,--namely,
that he cannot be understood or comprehended, nor so much as seen or heard,
except in so far as he is known by Monogenes only. And the reason why the
rest of the AEons possess perpetual existence is found in that part of the
Father's nature which is incomprehensible; but the reason of their origin
and formation was situated in that which may be comprehended regarding him,
that is, in the Son.(8) Christ, then, who had just been produced, effected
these things among them.
6. But the Holy Spirit(9) taught them to give thanks on being all rendered
equal among themselves, and led them to a state of true repose. Thus, then,
they tell us that the AEons were constituted equal to each other in form
and sentiment, so that all became as Nous, and Logos, and Anthropos, and
Christus. The female AEons, too, became all as Aletheia, and Zoe, and Spiritus,
and Ecclesia. Everything, then, being thus established, and brought into
a state of perfect rest, they next tell us that these beings sang praises
with great joy to the Propator, who himself shared in the abounding exaltation.
Then, out of gratitude for the great benefit which had been conferred on
them, the whole Pleroma of the AEons, with one design and desire, and with
the concurrence of Christ and the Holy Spirit, their Father also setting
the seal of His approval on their conduct, brought together whatever each
one had in himself of the greatest beauty and preciousness; and uniting
all these contributions so as skilfully to blend the whole, they produced,
to the honour and glory of Bythus, a being of most perfect beauty, the very
star of the Pleroma, and the perfect fruit [of it], namely Jesus. Him they
also speak of under the name of Saviour, and Christ, and patronymically,
Logos, and Everything, because He was formed from the contributions of all.
And then we are told that, by way of honour, angels of the same nature as
Himself were simultaneously produced, to act as His body-guard.
CHAP. III.--TEXTS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE USED BY THESE HERETICS TO SUPPORT THEIR
OPINIONS.
1. Such, then, is the account they give of what took place within the Pleroma;
such the calamities that flowed from the passion which seized upon the AEon
who has been named, and who was within a little of perishing by being absorbed
in the universal substance, through her inquisitive searching after the
Father; such the consolidation(1) [of that AEon] from her condition of agony
by Horos, and Stauros, and Lytrotes, and Carpistes, and Horothetes, and
Metagoges.(2) Such also is the account of the generation of the later AEons,
namely of the first Christ and of the Holy Spirit, both of whom were produced
by the Father after the repentance(3) [of Sophia], and of the second(4)
Christ (whom they also style Saviour), who owed his being to the joint contributions
[of the AEons]. They tell us, however, that this knowledge has not been
openly divulged, because all are not capable of receiving it, but has been
mystically revealed by the Saviour through means of parables to those qualified
for understanding it. This has been done as follows. The thirty AEons are
indicated (as we have already remarked) by the thirty years during which
they say the Saviour performed no public act, and by the parable of the
labourers in the vineyard. Paul also, they affirm, very clearly and frequently
names these AEons, and even goes so far as to preserve their order, when
he says, "To all the generations of the AEons of the AEon."(5)
Nay, we ourselves, when at the giving of thanks we pronounce the words,
"To AEons of AEons" (for ever and ever), do set forth these AEons.
And, in fine, wherever the words AEon or AEons occur, they at once refer
them to these beings.
2. The production, again, of the Duodecad of the AEons, is indicated by
the fact that the Lord was twelve(7) years of age when He disputed with
the teachers of the law, and by the election of the apostles, for of these
there were twelve.(8) The other eighteen AEons are made manifest in this
way: that the Lord, [according to them,] conversed with His disciples for
eighteen months(9) after His resurrection from the dead. They also affirm
that these eighteen AEons are strikingly indicated by the first two letters
of His name [Ihsous], namely Iota(10) and Eta. And, in like
manner, they assert that the ten AEons are pointed out by the letter Iota,
which begins His name; while, for the same reason, they tell us the Saviour
said, "One Iota, or one tittle, shall by no means pass away until all
be fulfilled."(11)
3. They further maintain that the passion which took place in the case of
the twelfth AEon is pointed at by the apostasy of Judas, who was the twelfth
apostle, and also by the fact that Christ suffered in the twelfth month.
For their opinion is, that He continued to preach for one year only after
His baptism. The same thing is also most clearly indicated by the case of
the woman who suffered from an issue of blood. For after she had been thus
afflicted during twelve years, she was healed by the advent of the Saviour,
when she had touched the border of His garment; and on this account the
Saviour said, "Who touched me?"(12)--teaching his disciples the
mystery which had occurred among the AEons, and the healing of that AEon
who had been involved in suffering. For she who had been afflicted twelve
years represented that power whose essence, as they narrate, was stretching
itself forth, and flowing into immensity; and unless she had touched the
garment of the Son,(13) that is, Aletheia of the first Tetrad, who is denoted
by the hem spoken of, she would have been dissolved into the general essence(14)
[of which she participated]. She stopped short, however, and ceased any
longer to suffer. For the power that went forth from the Son (and this power
they term Horos) healed her, and separated the passion from her.
4. They moreover affirm that the Saviour(15) is shown to be derived from
all the AEons, and to be in Himself everything by the following passage:
"Every male that openeth the womb."(16) For He, being everything,
opened the womb(17) of the enthymesis of the suffering AEon, when it had
been expelled from the Pleroma. This they also style the second Ogdoad,
of which we shall speak presently. And they state that it was clearly on
this account that Paul said, "And He Himself is all things;"(1)
and again, "All things are to Him, and of Him are all things;"(2)
and further, "In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead;"(3)
and yet again, "All things are gathered together by God in Christ."(4)
Thus do they interpret these and any like passages to be found in Scripture.
5. They show, further, that that Horos of theirs, whom they call by a variety
of names, has two faculties,--the one of supporting, and the other of separating;
and in so far as he supports and sustains, he is Stauros, while in so far
as he divides and separates, he is Horos. They then represent the Saviour
as having indicated this twofold faculty: first, the sustaining power, when
He said, "Whosoever doth not bear his cross (Stauros), and follow after
me, cannot be my disciple;"(5) and again, "Taking up the cross
follow me;"(6) but the separating power when He said, "I came
not to send peace, but a word."(7) They also maintain that John indicated
the same thing when he said, "The fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly
purge the floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff
He will burn with fire unquenchable."(8) By this declaration He set
forth the faculty of Horos. For that fan they explain to be the cross (Stauros),
which consumes, no doubt, all material(9) objects, as fire does chaff, but
it purifies all them that are saved, as a fan does wheat. Moreover, they
affirm that the Apostle Paul himself made mention of this cross in the following
words: "The doctrine of the cross is to them that perish foolishness,
but to us who are saved it is the power of God."(10) And again: "God
forbid that I should glory in anything(11) save in the cross of Christ,
by whom the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world."
6. Such, then, is the account which they all give of their Pleroma, and
of the formation(12) of the universe, striving, as they do, to adapt the
good words of revelation to their own wicked inventions. And it is not only
from the writings of the evangelists and the apostles that they endeavour
to derive proofs for their opinions by means of perverse interpretations
and deceitful expositions: they deal in the same way with the law and the
prophets, which contain many parables and allegories that can frequently
be drawn into various senses, according to the kind of exegesis to which
they are subjected. And others(13) of them, with great craftiness, adapted
such parts of Scripture to their own figments, lead away captive from the
truth those who do not retain a stedfast faith in one God, the Father Almighty,
and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
CHAP. IV.--ACCOUNT GIVEN BY THE HERETICS OF THE FORMATION OF ACHAMOTH; ORIGIN
OF THE VISIBLE WORLD FROM HER DISTURBANCES.
1. The following are the transactions which they narrate as having occurred
outside of the Pleroma: The enthymesis of that Sophia who dwells above,
which they also term Achamoth,(14) being removed from the Pleroma, together
with her passion, they relate to have, as a matter of course, become violently
excited in those places of darkness and vacuity [to which she had been banished].
For she was excluded from light(15) and the Pleroma, and was without form
or figure, like an untimely birth, because she had received nothing(16)
[from a male parent]. But the Christ dwelling on high took pity upon her;
and having extended himself through and beyond Stauros,(17) he imparted
a figure to her, but merely as respected substance, and not so as to convey
intelligence.(18) Having effected this, he withdrew his influence, and returned,
leaving Achamoth to herself, in order that she, becoming sensible of her
suffering as being severed from the Pleroma, might be influenced by the
desire of better things, while she possessed in the meantime a kind of odour
of immortality left in her by Christ and the Holy Spirit. Wherefore also
she is called by two names--Sophia after her father (for Sophia is spoken
of as being her father), and Holy Spirit from that Spirit who is along with
Christ. Having then obtained a form, along with intelligence, and being
immediately deserted by that Logos who had been invisibly present with her--that
is, by Christ--she strained herself to discover that light which had forsaken
her, but could not effect her purpose, inasmuch as she was prevented by
Horos. And as Horos thus obstructed her further progress, he exclaimed,
IAO,(1) whence, they say, this name Iao derived its origin. And when she
could not pass by Horos on account of that passion in which she had been
involved, and because she alone had been left without, she then resigned
herself to every sort of that manifold and varied state of passion to which
she was subject; and thus she suffered grief on the one hand because she
had not obtained the object of her desire, and fear on the other hand, lest
life itself should fail her, as light had already done, while, in addition,
she was in the greatest perplexity. All these feelings were associated with
ignorance. And this ignorance of hers was not like that of her mother, the
first Sophia, an AEon, due to degeneracy by means of passion, but to an
[innate] opposition [of nature to knowledge].(2) Moreover, another kind
of passion fell upon her her (Achamoth), namely, that of desiring to return
to him who gave her life.
2. This collection [of passions] they declare was the substance of the matter
from which this world was formed. For from [her desire of] returning [to
him who gave her life], every soul belonging to this world, and that of
the Demiurge(3) himself, derived its origin. All other things owed their
beginning to her terror and sorrow. For from her tears all that is of a
liquid nature was formed; from her smile all that is lucent; and from her
grief and perplexity all the corporeal elements of the world. For at one
time, as they affirm, she would weep and lament on account of being left
alone in the midst of darkness and vacuity; while, at another time, reflecting
on the light which had forsaken her, she would be filled with joy, and laugh;
then, again, she would be struck with terror; or, at other times, would
sink into consternation and bewilderment.
3. Now what follows from all this? No light tragedy comes out of it, as
the fancy of every man among them pompously explains, one in one way, and
another in another, from what kind of passion and from what element being
derived its origin. They have good reason, as seems to me, why they should
not feel inclined to teach these things to all in public, but only to such
as are able to pay a high price for an acquaintance with such profound mysteries.
For these doctrines are not at all similar to those of which our Lord said,
"Freely ye have received, freely give."(4) They are, on the contrary,
abstruse, and portentous, and profound mysteries, to be got at only with
great labour by such as are in love with falsehood. For who would not expend
lull that he possessed, if only he might learn in return, that from the
tears of the enthymesis of the AEon involved in passion, seas, and fountains,
and rivers, and every liquid substance derived its origin; that light burst
forth from her smile; and that from her perplexity and consternation the
corporeal elements of the world had their formation?
4. I feel somewhat inclined myself to contribute a few hints towards the
development of their system. For when I perceive that waters are in part
fresh, such as fountains, rivers, showers, and so on, and in part salt;
such as those in the sea, I reflect with myself that all such waters cannot
be derived from her tears, inasmuch as these are of a saline quality only.
It is clear, therefore, that the waters which are salt are alone those which
are derived from her tears. But it is probable that she, in her intense
agony and perplexity, was covered with perspiration. And hence, following
out their notion, we may conceive that fountains and rivers, and all the
fresh water in the world, are due to this source. For it is difficult, since
we know that all tears are of the same quality, to believe that waters both
salt and fresh proceeded from them. The more plausible supposition is, that
some are from her tears, and some from her perspiration. And since there
are also in the world certain waters which are hot and acrid in their nature,
thou must be left to guess their origin, how and whence. Such are some of
the results of their hypothesis.
5. They go on to state that, when the mother Achamoth had passed through
all sorts of passion, and had with difficulty escaped from them, she turned
herself to supplicate the light which had forsaken her, that is, Christ.
He, however, having returned to the Pleroma, and being probably unwilling
again to descend from it, sent forth to her the Paraclete, that is, the
Saviour.(5) This being was endowed with all power by the Father, who placed
everything under his authority, the AEons(6) doing so likewise, so that
"by him were all things, visible and invisible, created, thrones, divinities,
dominions."(7) He then was sent to her along with his contemporary
angels. And they related that Achamoth, filled with reverence, at first
veiled herself through modesty, but that by and by, when she had looked
upon him with all his endowments, and had acquired strength from his appearance,
she ran forward to meet him. He then imparted to her form as respected intelligence,
and brought healing to her passions, separating them from her, but not so
as to drive them out of thought altogether. For it was not possible that
they should be annihilated as in the former case,(1) because they had already
taken root and acquired strength [so as to possess an indestructible existence].
All that he could do was to separate them and set them apart, and then commingle
and condense them, so as to transmute them from incorporeal passion into
unorganized matter.(2) He then by this process conferred upon them a fitness
and a nature to become concretions and corporeal structures, in order that
two substances should be formed,--the one evil, resulting from the passions,
and the other subject indeed to suffering, but originating from her conversion.
And on this account (i.e., on account of this hypostatizing of ideal matter)
they say that the Saviour virtually(3) created the world. But when Achamoth
was freed from her passion, she gazed with rapture on the dazzling vision
of the angels that were with him; and in her ecstasy, conceiving by them,
they tell us that she brought forth new beings, partly after her oven image,
and partly a spiritual progeny after the image of the Saviour's attendants.
CHAP. V.--FORMATION OF THE DEMIURGE; DESCRIPTION OF HIM. HE IS THE CREATOR
OF EVERYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE PLEROMA.
1. These three kinds of existence, then, having, according to them, been
now formed,--one from the passion, which was matter; a second from the conversion,
which was animal; and the third, that which she (Achamoth) herself brought
forth, which was spiritual,--she next addressed herself to the task of giving
these form. But she could not succeed in doing this as respected the spiritual
existence, because it was of the same nature with herself. She therefore
applied herself to give form to the animal substance which had proceeded
from her own conversion, and to bring forth to light the instructions of
the Saviour.(4) And they say she first formed out of animal substance him
who is Father and King of all things, both of these which are of the same
nature with himself, that is, animal substances, which they also call right-handed,
and those which sprang from the passion, and from matter, which they call
left-handed. For they affirm that he formed all the things which came into
existence after him, being secretly impelled thereto by his mother. From
this circumstance they style him Metropator,(5) Apator, Demiurge, and Father,
saying that he is Father of the substances on the right hand, that is, of
the animal, but Demiurge of those on the left, that is, of the material,
while he is at the same time the king of all. For they say that this Enthymesis,
desirous of making all things to the honour of the AEons, formed images
of them, or rather that the Saviour(6) did so through her instrumentality.
And she, in the image(7) of the invisible Father, kept herself concealed
from the Demiurge. But he was in the image of the only-begotten Son, and
the angels and archangels created by him were in the image of the rest of
the AEons.
2. They affirm, therefore, that he was constituted the Father and God of
everything outside of the Pleroma, being the creator of all animal and material
substances. For he it was that discriminated these two kinds of existence
hitherto confused, and made corporeal from incorporeal substances, fashioned
things heavenly and earthly, and became the Framer (Demiurge) of things
material and animal, of those on the right and those on the left, of the
light and of the heavy, and of those tending upwards as well as of those
tending downwards. He created also seven heavens, above which they say that
he, the Demiurge, exists. And on this account they term him Hebdomas, and
his mother Achamoth Ogdoads, preserving the number of the first-begotten
and primary Ogdoad as the Pleroma. They affirm, moreover, that these seven
heavens are intelligent, and speak of them as being angels, while they refer
to the Demiurge himself as being an angel bearing a likeness to God; and
in the same strain, they declare that Paradise, situated above the third
heaven, is a fourth angel possessed of power, from whom Adam derived certain
qualities while he conversed with him.
3. They go on to say that the Demiurge imagined that he created all these
things of himself, while he in reality made them in conjunction with the
productive power of Achamoth. He formed the heavens, yet was ignorant of
the heavens; he fashioned man, yet knew not man; he brought to light the
earth, yet had no acquaintance with the earth; and, in like manner. they
declare that he was ignorant of the forms of all that he made, and knew
not even of the existence of his own mother, but imagined that he himself
was all things. They further affirm that his mother originated this opinion
in his mind, because she desired to bring him forth possessed of such a
character that he should be the head and source of his own essence, and
the absolute ruler over every kind of operation [that was afterwards attempted].
This mother they also call Ogdoad, Sophia; Terra, Jerusalem, Holy Spirit,
and, with a masculine reference, Lord.(1) Her place of habitation is an
intermediate one, above the Demiurge indeed, but below and outside of the
Pleroma, even to the end.(2)
4. As, then, they represent all material substance to be formed from three
passions, viz., fear, grief, and perplexity, the account they give is as
follows: Animal substances originated from fear and from conversion; the
Demiurge they also describe as owing his origin to conversion; but the existence
of all the other animal substances they ascribe to fear, such as the souls
of irrational animals, and of wild beasts, and men. And on this account,
he (the Demiurge), being incapable of recognising any spiritual essences,
imagined himself to be God alone, and declared through the prophets, "I
am God, and besides me there is none else."(3) They further teach that
the spirits of wickedness derived their origin from grief. Hence the devil,
whom they also call Cosmocrator (the ruler of the world), and the demons,
and the angels, and every wicked spiritual being that exists, found the
source Of their existence. They represent the Demiurge as being the son
of that mother of theirs (Achamoth), and Cosmocrator as the creature of
the Demiurge. Cosmocrator has knowledge of what is above himself, because
he is a spirit of wickedness; but the Demiurge is ignorant of such things,
inasmuch as he is merely animal. Their mother dwells in that place which
is above the heavens, that is, in the intermediate abode; the Demiurge in
the heavenly place, that is, in the hebdomad; but the Cosmocrator in this
our world. The corporeal elements of the world, again, sprang, as we before
remarked, from bewilderment and perplexity, as from a more ignoble source.
Thus the earth arose from her state of stupor; water from the agitation
caused by her fear; air from the consolidation of her grief; while fire,
producing death and corruption, was inherent in all these elements, even
as they teach that ignorance also lay concealed in these three passions.
5. Having thus formed the world, he (the Demiurge) also created the earthy
[part of] man, not taking him from this dry earth, but from an invisible
substance consisting of fusible and fluid matter, and then afterwards, as
they define the process, breathed into him the animal part of his nature.
It was this latter which was created after his image and likeness. The material
part, indeed, was very near to. God, so far as the image went, but not of
the same substance with him. The animal, on the Other hand, was so in respect
to likeness; and hence his substance was called the spirit of life, because
it took its rise from a spiritual outflowing. After all this, he was, they
say, enveloped all round with a covering of skin; and by this they mean
the outward sensitive flesh.
6. But they further affirm that the Demiurge himself was ignorant of that
offspring of his mother Achamoth, which she brought forth as a consequence
of her contemplation of those angels who waited on the Saviour, and which
was, like herself, of a spiritual nature. She took advantage of this ignorance
to deposit it (her production) in him without his knowledge, in order that,
being by his instrumentality infused into that animal soul proceeding from
himself, and being thus carried as in a womb in this material body, while
it gradually increased in strength, might in course of time become fitted
for the reception of perfect rationality.(4) Thus it came to pass, then,
according to them, that, without any knowledge on the part of the Demiurge,
the man formed by his inspiration was at the same time, through an unspeakable
providence, rendered a spiritual man by the simultaneous inspiration received
from Sophia. For, as he was ignorant of his mother, so neither did he recognise
her offspring. This [offspring] they also declare to be the Ecclesia, an
emblem of the Ecclesia which is above. This, then, is the kind of man whom
they conceive of: he has his animal soul from the Demiurge, his body from
the earth, his fleshy part from matter, and his spiritual man from the mother
Achamoth.
CHAP. VI.--THE THREEFOLD KIND OF MAN FEIGNED BY THESE HERETICS: GOOD WORKS
NEEDLESS FOR THEM, THOUGH NECESSARY TO OTHERS: THEIR ABANDONED MORALS.
1. There being thus three kinds of substances, they declare of all that
is material (which they also describe as being "on the left hand")
that it must of necessity perish, inasmuch as it is incapable of receiving
any afflatus of incorruption. As to every animal existence (which they also
denominate "on the right hand"), they hold that, inasmuch as it
is a mean between the spiritual and the material, it passes to the side
to which inclination draws it. Spiritual substance, again, they describe
as having been sent forth for this end, that, being here united with that
which is animal, it might assume shape, the two elements being simultaneously
subjected to the same discipline. And this they declare to be "the
salt"(1) and "the light of the world." For the animal substance
had need of training by means of the outward senses; and on this account
they affirm that the world was created, as well as that the Saviour came
to the animal substance (which was possessed of free-will), that He might
secure for it salvation. For they affirm that He received the first-fruits
of those whom He was to save [as follows], from Achamoth that which was
spiritual, while He was invested by the Demiurge with the animal Christ,
but was begirt(2) by a [special] dispensation with a body endowed with an
animal nature, yet constructed with unspeakable skill, so that it might
be visible and tangible, and capable of enduring suffering. At the same
time, they deny that He assumed anything material [into His nature], since
indeed matter is incapable of salvation. They further hold that the consummation
of all things will take place when all that is spiritual has been formed
and perfected by Gnosis (knowledge); and by this they mean spiritual men
who have attained to the perfect knowledge of God, and been initiated into
these mysteries by Achamoth. And they represent themselves to be these persons.
2. Animal men, again, are instructed in animal things; such men, namely,
as are established by their works, and by a mere faith, while they have
not perfect knowledge. We of the Church, they say, are these persons.(3)
Wherefore also they maintain that good works are necessary to us, for that
otherwise it is impossible we should be saved. But as to themselves, they
hold that they shall be entirely and undoubtedly saved, not by means of
conduct, but because they are spiritual by nature.(4) For, just as it is
impossible that material substance should partake of salvation (since, indeed,
they maintain that it is incapable of receiving it), so again it is impossible
that spiritual substance (by which they mean themselves) should ever come
under the power of corruption, whatever the sort of actions in which they
indulged. For even as gold, when submersed in filth, loses not on that account
its beauty, but retains its own native qualities, the filth having no power
to injure the gold, so they affirm that they cannot in any measure suffer
hurt, or lose their spiritual substance, whatever the material actions in
which they may be involved.
3. Wherefore also it comes to pass, that the "most perfect" among
them addict themselves without fear to all those kinds of forbidden deeds
of which the Scriptures assure us that "they who do such things shall
not inherit the kingdom of God."(5) For instance, they make no scruple
about eating meats offered in sacrifice to idols, imagining that they can
in this way contract no defilement. Then, again, at every heathen festival
celebrated in honour of the idols, these men are the first to assemble;
and to such a pitch do they go, that some of them do not even keep away
from that bloody spectacle hateful both to God and men, in which gladiators
either fight with wild beasts, or singly encounter one another. Others of
them yield themselves up to the lusts of the flesh with the utmost greediness,
maintaining that carnal things should be allowed to the carnal nature, while
spiritual things are provided for the spiritual. Some of them, moreover,
are in the habit of defiling those women to whom they have taught the above
doctrine, as has frequently been confessed by those women who have been
led astray by certain of them, on their returning to the Church of God,
and acknowledging this along with the rest of their errors. Others of them,
too, openly and without a blush, having become passionately attached to
certain women, seduce them away from their husbands, and contract marriages
of their own with them. Others of them, again, who pretend at first. to
live in all modesty with them as with sisters, have in course of time been
revealed in their true colours, when the sister has been found with child
by her [pretended] brother.
4. And committing many other abominations and impieties, they run us down
(who from the fear of God guard against sinning even in thought or word)
as utterly contemptible and ignorant persons, while they highly exalt themselves,
and claim to be perfect, and the elect seed. For they declare that we simply
receive grace for use, wherefore also it will again be taken away from us;
but that they themselves have grace as their own special possession, which
has descended from above by means of an unspeakable and indescribable conjunction;
and on this account more will be given them.(6) They maintain, therefore,
that in every way it is always necessary for them to practise the mystery
of conjunction. And that they may persuade the thoughtless to believe this,
they are in the habit of using these very words, "Whosoever being in
this world does not so love a woman as to obtain possession of her, is not
of the truth, nor shall attain to the truth. But whosoever being of(1) this
world has intercourse with woman, shall not attain to the truth, because
he has so acted under the power of concupiscence." On this account,
they tell us that it is necessary for us whom they call animal men, and
describe as being of the world, to practise continence and good works, that
by this means we may attain at length to the intermediate habitation, but
that to them who are called "the spiritual and perfect" such a
course of conduct is not at all necessary. For it is not conduct of any
kind which leads into the Pleroma, but the seed sent forth thence in a feeble,
immature state, and here brought to perfection.
CHAP. VII.--THE MOTHER ACHAMOTH, WHEN ALL HER SEED ARE PERFECTED, SHALL
PASS INTO THE PLEROMA, ACCOMPANIED BY THOSE MEN WHO ARE SPIRITUAL; THE DEMIURGE,
WITH ANIMAL MEN, SHALL PASS INTO THE INTERMEDIATE HABITATION; BUT ALL MATERIAL
MEN SHALL GO INTO CORRUPTION. THEIR BLASPHEMOUS OPINIONS AGAINST THE TRUE
INCARNATION OF CHRIST BY THE VIRGIN MARY. THEIR VIEWS AS TO THE PROPHECIES.
STUPID IGNORANCE OF THE DEMIURGE.
1. When all the seed shall have come to perfection, they state that then
their mother Achamoth shall pass from the intermediate place, and enter
in within the Pleroma, and shall receive as her spouse the Saviour, who
sprang from all the AEons, that thus a conjunction may be formed between
the Saviour and Sophia, that is, Achamoth. These, then, are the bridegroom
and bride, while the nuptial chamber is the full extent of the Pleroma.
The spiritual seed, again, being divested of their animal souls,(2) and
becoming intelligent spirits, shall in an irresistible and invisible manner
enter in within the Pleroma, and be bestowed as brides on those angels who
wait upon the Saviour. The Demiurge himself will pass into the place of
his mother Sophia;(3) that is, the intermediate habitation. In this intermediate
place, also, shall the souls of the righteous repose; but nothing of an
animal nature shall find admittance to the Pleroma. When these things have
taken place as described, then shall that fire which lies hidden in the
world blaze forth and bum; and while destroying all matter, shall also be
extinguished along with it, and have no further existence. They affirm that
the Demiurge was acquainted with none of these things before the advent
of the Saviour.
2. There are also some who maintain that he also produced Christ as his
own proper son, but of an animal nature, and that mention was(4) made of
him by the prophets. This Christ passed through Mary(5) just as water flows
through a tube; and there descended upon him in the form of a dove it the
time of his baptism, that Saviour who belonged to the Pleroma, and was formed
by the combined efforts of all its inhabit ants. In him there existed also
that spiritual seed which proceeded from Achamoth. They hold, accordingly,
that our Lord, while preserving the type of the first-begotten and primary
tetrad, was compounded of these four substances,--of that which is spiritual,
in so far as He was from Achamoth; of that which is animal, as being from
the Demiurge by a special dispensation, inasmuch as He was formed [corporeally]
with unspeakable skill; and of the Saviour, as respects that dove which
descended upon Him. He also continued free from all suffering, since indeed
it was not possible that He should suffer who was at once incomprehensible
and invisible. And for this reason the Spirit of Christ, who had been placed
within Him, was taken away when He was brought before Pilate. They maintain,
further, that not even the seed which He had received from the mother [Achamoth]
was subject to suffering; for it, too, was impassible, as being spiritual,
and invisible even to the Demiurge himself. It follows, then, according
to them, that the animal Christ, and that which had been formed mysteriously
by a special dispensation, underwent suffering, that the mother might exhibit
through him a type of the Christ above, namely, of him who extended himself
through Stauros,(6) and imparted to Achamoth shape, so far as substance
was concerned. For they declare that all these transactions were counterparts
of what took place above.
3. They maintain, moreover, that those souls which possess the seed of Achamoth
are superior to the rest, and are more dearly loved by the Demiurge than
others, while he knows not the true cause thereof, but imagines that they
are what they are through his favour towards them. Wherefore, also, they
say he distributed them to prophets, priests, and kings; and they declare
that many things were spoken(7) by this seed through the prophets, inasmuch
as it was endowed with a transcendently lofty nature. Themother also, they
say, spake much about things above, and that both through him and through
the souls which were formed by him. Then, again, they divide the prophecies
[into different classes], maintaining that one portion was uttered by the
mother, a second by her seed, and a third by the Demiurge. In like manner,
they hold that Jesus uttered some things under the influence of the Saviour,
others under that of the mother, and others still under that of the Demiurge,
as we shall show further on in our work.
4. The Demiurge, while ignorant of those things which were higher than himself,
was indeed excited by the announcements made [through the prophets], but
treated them with contempt, attributing them sometimes to one cause and
sometimes to another; either to the prophetic spirit (which itself possesses
the power of self-excitement), or to [mere unassisted] man, or that it was
simply a crafty device of the lower [and baser order of men].(1) He remained
thus ignorant until the appearing of the Lord. But they relate that when
the Saviour came, the Demiurge learned all things from Him, and gladly with
all, his power joined himself to Him. They maintain that he is the centurion
mentioned in the Gospel, who addressed the Saviour in these words: "For
I also am one having soldiers and servants under my authority; and whatsoever
I command they do."(2) They further hold that he will continue administering
the affairs of the world as long as that is fitting and needful, and specially
that he may exercise a care over the Church; while at the same time he is
influenced by the knowledge of the reward prepared for him, namely, that
he may attain to the habitation of his mother.
5. They conceive, then, of three kinds of men, spiritual, material, and
animal, represented by Cain, Abel, and Seth. These three natures are no
longer found in one person,(3) but constitute various kinds [of men]. The
material goes, as a matter of course, into corruption. The animal, if it
make choice of the better part, finds repose in the intermediate place;
but if the worse, it too shall pass into destruction. But they assert that
the spiritual principles which have been sown by Achamoth, being disciplined
and nourished here from that time until now in righteous souls (because
when given forth by her they were yet but weak), at last attaining to perfection,
shall be given as brides to the angels of the Saviour, while their animal
souls of necessity rest for ever with the Demiurge in the intermediate place.
And again subdividing the animal souls themselves, they say that some are
by nature good, and others by nature evil. The good are those who become
capable of receiving the [spiritual] seed; the evil by nature are those
who are never able to receive that seed.
CHAP. VIII.--HOW THE VALENTINIANS PERVERT THE SCRIPTURES TO SUPPORT THEIR
OWN PIOUS OPINIONS.
1. Such, then, is their system, which neither the prophets announced, nor
the Lord taught, nor the apostles delivered, but of which they boast that
beyond all others they have a perfect knowledge. They gather their views
from other sources than the Scriptures;(4) and, to use a common proverb,
they strive to weave ropes of sand, while they endeavour to adapt with an
air of probability to their own peculiar assertions the parables of the
Lord, the sayings of the prophets, and the words of the apostles, in order
that their scheme may not seem altogether without support. In doing so,
however, they disregard the order and the connection of the Scriptures,
and so far as in them lies, dismember and destroy the truth. By transferring
passages, and dressing them up anew, and making one thing out of another,
they succeed in deluding many through their wicked art in adapting the oracles
of the Lord to their opinions. Their manner of acting is just as if one,
when a beautiful image of a king has been constructed by some skilful artist
out of precious jewels, should then take this likeness of the man all to
pieces, should rearrange the gems, and so fit them together as to make them
into the form of a dog or of a fox, and even that but poorly executed; and
should then maintain and declare that this was the beautiful image of the
king which the skilful artist constructed, pointing to the jewels which
had been admirably fitted together by the first artist to form the image
of the king, but have been with bad effect transferred by the latter one
to the shape of a dog, and by thus exhibiting the jewels, should deceive
the ignorant who had no conception what a king's form was like, and persuade
them that that miserable likeness of the fox was, in fact, the beautiful
image of the king. In like manner do these persons patch together old wives'
fables, and then endeavour, by violently drawing away from their proper
connection, words, expressions, and parables whenever found, to adapt the
oracles of God to their baseless fictions. We have already stated how far
they proceed in this way with respect to the interior of the Pleroma.
2. Then, again, as to those things outside of their Pleroma, the following
are some specimens of what they attempt to accommodate out of the Scriptures
to their opinions. They affirm that the Lord came in the last times of the
world to endure suffering, for this end, that He might indicate the passion
which occurred to the last of the AEons, and might by His own end announce
the cessation of that disturbance which had risen among the AEons. They
maintain, further, that that girl of twelve years old, the daughter of the
ruler of the synagogue,(1) to whom the Lord approached and raised her from
the dead, was a type of Achamoth, to whom their Christ, by extending himself,
imparted shape, and whom he led anew to the perception of that light which
had forsaken her. And that the Saviour appeared to her when she lay outside
of the Pleroma as a kind of abortion, they affirm Paul to have declared
in his Epistle to the Corinthians [in these words], "And last of all,
He appeared to me also, as to one born out of due time."(2) Again,
the coming of the Saviour with His attendants to Achamoth is declared in
like manner by him in the same Epistle, when he says, "A woman ought
to have a veil upon her head, because of the angels."(3) Now, that
Achamoth, when the Saviour came to her, drew a veil over herself through
modesty, Moses rendered manifest when he put a veil upon his face. Then,
also, they say that the passions which she endured were indicated by the
Lord upon the cross. Thus, when He said, "My God, my God, why hast
Thou forsaken Me?"(4) He simply showed that Sophia was deserted by
the light, and was restrained by Horos from making any advance forward.
Her anguish, again, was indicated when He said, "My soul is exceeding
sorrowful, even unto death;"(5) her fear by the words, "Father,
if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me;"(6) and her perplexity,
too, when He said, "And what I shall say, I know not."(7)
3. And they teach that He pointed out the three kinds of men as follows:
the material, when He said to him that asked Him, "Shall I follow Thee?"(8)
"The Son of man hath not where to lay His head;"-- the animal,
when He said to him that declared, "I will follow Thee, but suffer
me first to bid them farewell that are in my house," "No man,
putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom
of heaven"(9) (for this man they declare to be of the intermediate
class, even as they do that other who, though he professed to have wrought
a large amount of righteousness, yet refused to follow Him, and was so overcome
by [the love of] riches, as never to reach perfection)--this one it pleases
them to place in the animal class;--the spiritual, again, when He said,
"Let the dead bury their dead, but go thou and preach the kingdom of
God,"(10) and when He said to Zaccheus the publican, "Make haste,
and come down, for to-day I must abide in thine house"(11)--for these
they declared to have belonged to the spiritual class. Also the parable
of the leaven which the woman is described as having hid in three measures
of meal, they declare to make manifest the three classes. For, according
to their teaching, the woman represented Sophia; the three measures of meal,
the three kinds of men-- spiritual, animal, and material; while the leaven
denoted the Saviour Himself. Paul, too, very plainly set forth the material,
animal, and spiritual, saying in one place, "As is the earthy, such
are they also that are earthy;"(12) and in another place, "But
the animal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit;"(13) and again:
"He that is spiritual judgeth all things."(14) And this, "The
animal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit," they affirm to
have been spoken concerning the Demiurge, who, as being animal, knew neither
his mother who was spiritual, nor her seed, nor the AEons in the Pleroma.
And that the Saviour received first-fruits of those whom He was to save,
Paul declared when he said, "And if the first-fruits be holy, the lump
is also holy,"(15) teaching that the expression "first- fruits"
denoted that which is spiritual, but that "the lump" meant us,
that is, the animal Church, the lump of which they say He assumed, and blended
it with Himself, inasmuch as He is "the leaven."
4. Moreover, that Achamoth wandered beyond the Pleroma, and received form
from Christ, and was sought after by the Saviour, they declare that He indicated
when He said, that He had come after that sheep which was gone astray.(16)
For they explain the wandering sheep to mean their mother, by whom they
represent the Church as having been sown. The wandering itself denotes her
stay outside of the Pleroma in a state of varied passion, from which they
maintain that matter derived its origin. The woman, again, who sweeps the
house and finds the piece of money, they declare to denote the Sophia above,
who, having lost her enthymesis, afterwards recovered it, on all things
being purified by the advent of the Saviour. Wherefore this substance also,
according to them, was reinstated in Pleroma. They say, too, that Simeon,
"who took Christ into his arms, and gave thanks to God, and said, Lord,
now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word,"(1)
was a type of the Demiurge, who, on the arrival of the Saviour, learned
his own change of place, and gave thanks to Bythus. They also assert that
by Anna, who is spoken of in the gospel(2) as a prophetess, and who, after
living seven years with her husband, passed all the rest of her life in
widowhood until she saw the Saviour, and recognised Him, and spoke of Him
to all, was most plainly indicated Achamoth, who, having for a little while
looked upon the Saviour with His associates, and dwelling all the rest of
the time in the intermediate place, waited for Him till He should come again,
and restore her to her proper consort. Her name, too, was indicated by the
Saviour, when He said, "Yet wisdom is justified by her children."(3)
This, too, was done by Paul in these words," But we speak wisdom among
them that are perfect."(4) They declare also that Paul has referred
to the conjunctions within the Pleroma, showing them forth by means of one;
for, when writing of the conjugal union in this life, he expressed himself
thus: "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the
Church."(5)
5. Further, they teach that John, the disciple of the Lord, indicated the
first Ogdoad, expressing themselves in these words: John, the disciple of
the Lord, wishing to set forth the origin of all things, so as to explain
how the Father produced the whole, lays down a certain principle,--that,
namely, which was first-begotten by God, which Being he has termed both
the only-begotten Son and God, in whom the Father, after a seminal manner,
brought forth all things. By him the Word was produced, and in him the whole
substance of the AEons, to which the Word himself afterwards imparted form.
Since, therefore, he treats of the first origin of things, he rightly proceeds
in his teaching from the beginning, that is, from God and the Word. And
he expresses himself thus: "In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God; the same was in the beginning with
God."(6) Having first of all distinguished these three--God, the Beginning,
and the Word--he again unites them, that he may exhibit the production of
each of them, that is, of the Son and of the Word, and may at the same time
show their union with one another, and with the Father. For "the beginning"
is in the Father, and of the Father, while "the Word" is in the
beginning, and of the beginning. Very properly, then, did he say, "In
the beginning was the Word," for He was in the Son; "and the Word
was with God," for He was the beginning; "and the Word was God,"
of course, for that which is begotten of God is God. "The same was
in the beginning with God"--this clause discloses the order of production.
"All things were made by Him, and without Him was nothing made;"(7)
for the Word was the author of form and beginning to all the AEons that
came into existence after Him. But "what was made in Him," says
John, "is life."(8) Here again he indicated conjunction; for all
things, he said, were made by Him, but in Him was life. This, then, which
is in Him, is more closely connected with Him than those things which were
simply made by Him, for it exists along with Him, and is developed by Him.
When, again, he adds, "And the life was the light of men," while
thus mentioning Anthropos, he indicated also Ecclesia by that one expression,
in order that, by using only one name, he might disclose their fellowship
with one another, in virtue of their conjunction. For Anthropos and Ecclesia
spring from Logos and Zoe. Moreover, he styled life (Zoe) the light of men,
because they are enlightened by her, that is, formed and made manifest.
This also Paul declares in these words: "For whatsoever doth make manifest
is light."(9) Since, therefore, Zoe manifested and begat both Anthropos
and Ecclesia, she is termed their light. Thus, then, did John by these words
reveal both other things and the second Tetrad, Logos and Zoe, Anthropos
and Ecclesia. And still further, he also indicated the first Tetrad. For,
in discoursing of the Saviour and declaring that all things beyond the Pleroma
received form from Him, he says that He is the fruit of the entire Pleroma.
For he styles Him a "light which shineth in darkness, and which was
not comprehended"(10) by it, inasmuch as, when He imparted form to
all those things which had their origin from passion, He was not known by
it.(11) He also styles Him Son, and Aletheia, and Zoe, and the "Word
made flesh, whose glory," he says, "we beheld; and His glory was
as that of the Only-begotten (given to Him by the Father), full of grace
and truth."(12) (But what John really does say is this: "And the
Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we beheld His glory, the glory
as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."(1))
Thus, then, does he [according to them] distinctly set forth the first Tetrad,
when he speaks of the Father, and Charis, and Monogenes, and Aletheia. In
this way, too, does John tell of the first Ogdoad, and that which is the
mother of all the AEons. For he mentions the Father, and Charis, and Monogenes,
and Aletheia, and Logos, and Zoe, and Anthropos, and Ecclesia. Such are
the views of Ptolemaeus.(2)
CHAP. IX.--REFUTATION OF THE IMPIOUS INTERPRETATIONS OF THESE HERETICS.
1. You see, my friend, the method which these men employ to deceive themselves,
while they abuse the Scriptures by endeavouring to support their own system
out of them. For this reason, I have brought forward their modes of expressing
themselves, that thus thou mightest understand the deceitfulness of their
procedure, and the wickedness of their error. For, in the first place, if
it had been John's intention to set forth that Ogdoad above, he would surely
have preserved the order of its production, and would doubtless have placed
the primary Tetrad first as being, according to them, most venerable and
would then have annexed the second, that, by the sequence of the names,
the order of the Ogdoad might be exhibited, and not after so long an interval,
as if forgetful for the moment and then again calling the matter to mind,
he, last of all, made mention of the primary Tetrad. In the next place,
if he had meant to indicate their conjunctions, he certainly would not have
omitted the name of Ecclesia; while, with respect to the other conjunctions,
he either would have been satisfied with the mention of the male [AEons]
(since the others [like Ecclesia] might be understood), so as to preserve
a uniformity throughout; or if he enumerated the conjunctions of the rest,
he would also have announced the spouse of Anthropos, and would not have
left us to find out her name by divination.
2. The fallacy, then, of this exposition is manifest. For when John, proclaiming
one God, the Almighty, and one Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten, by whom
all things were made, declares that this was the Son of God, this the Only-begotten,
this the Former of all things, this the true Light who enlighteneth every
man this the Creator of the world, this He that came to His own, this He
that became flesh and dwelt among us,--these men, by a plausible kind of
exposition, perverting these statements, maintain that there was another
Monogenes, according to production, whom they also style Arche. They also
maintain that there was another Saviour, and another Logos, the son of Monogenes,
and another Christ produced for the re-establishment of the Pleroma. Thus
it is that, wresting from the truth every one of the expressions which have
been cited, and taking a bad advantage of the names, they have transferred
them to their own system; so that, according to them, in all these terms
John makes no mention of the Lord Jesus Christ. For if he has named the
Father, and Charis, and Monogenes, and Aletheia, and Logos, and Zoe, and
Anthropos, and Ecclesia, according to their hypothesis, he has, by thus
speaking, referred to the primary Ogdoad, in which there was as yet no Jesus,
and no Christ, the teacher of John. But that the apostle did not speak concerning
their conjunctions, but concerning our Lord Jesus Christ, whom he also acknowledges
as the Word of God, he himself has made evident. For, summing up his statements
respecting the Word previously mentioned by him, he further declares, "And
the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." But, according to their
hypothesis, the Word did not become flesh at all, inasmuch as He never went
outside of the Pleroma, but that Saviour [became flesh] who was formed by
a special dispensation [out of all the AEons], and was of later date than
the Word.
3. Learn then, ye foolish men, that Jesus who suffered for us, and who dwelt
among us, is Himself the Word of God. For if any other of the AEons had
become flesh for our salvation, it would have been probable that the apostle
spoke of another. But if the Word of the Father who descended is the same
also that ascended, He, namely, the Only-begotten Son of the only God, who,
according to the good pleasure of the Father, became flesh for the sake
of men, the apostle certainly does not speak regarding any other, or concerning
any Ogdoad, but respecting our Lord Jesus Christ. For, according to them,
the Word did not originally become flesh. For they maintain that the Saviour
assumed an animal body, formed in accordance with a special dispensation
by an unspeakable providence, so as to become visible and palpable. But
flesh is that which was of old formed for Adam by God out of the dust, and
it is this that John has declared the Word of God became. Thus is their
primary and first-begotten Ogdoad brought to nought. For, since Logos, and
Monogenes, and Zoe, and Phos, and Sorer, and Christus, and the Son of God,
and He who became incarnate for us, have been proved to be one and the same,
the Ogdoad which they have built up at once falls to pieces. And when this
is destroyed, their whole system sinks into ruin,--a system which they falsely
dream into existence, and thus inflict injury on the Scriptures, while they
build up their own hypothesis.
4. Then, again, collecting a set of expressions and names scattered here
and there [in Scripture], they twist them, as we have already said, from
a natural to a non-natural sense. In so doing, they act like those who bring
forward any kind of hypothesis they fancy, and then endeavour to support(1)
them out of the poems of Homer, so that the ignorant imagine that Homer
actually composed the verses bearing upon that hypothesis, which has, in
fact, been but newly constructed; and many others are led so far by the
regularly-formed sequence of the verses, as to doubt whether Homer may not
have composed them. Of this kind(2) is the following passage, where one,
describing Hercules as having been sent by Eurystheus to the dog in the
infernal regions, does so by means of these Homeric verses,-- for there
can be no objection to our citing these by way of illustration, since the
same sort of attempt appears in both:--
"Thus saying, there sent forth from his house deeply groaning."--
Od., x. 76. "The hero Hercules conversant with mighty deeds."--Od.,
xxi. 26. Eurystheus, the son of Sthenelus, descended from Perseus."--Il.,
xix. 123. "That he might bring from Erebus the dog of gloomy Pluto."--Il.,
viii. 368. "And he advanced like a mountain-bred lion confident of
strength."--Od., vi. 130. "Rapidly through the city, while all
his friends followed."--Il., xxiv. 327. "Both maidens, and youths,
and much-enduring old men."--Od., xi. 38. "Mourning for him bitterly
as one going forward to death."--Il., xxiv. 328. "But Mercury
and the blue-eyed Minerva conducted him."--Od., xi. 626. "For
she knew the mind of her brother, how it laboured with grief."--Il.,
ii. 409.
Now, what simple-minded man, I ask, would not be led away by such verses
as these to think that Homer actually framed them so with reference to the
subject indicated? But he who is acquainted with the Homeric writings will
recognise the verses indeed, but not the subject to which they are applied,
as knowing that some of them were spoken of Ulysses, others of Hercules
himself, others still of Priam, and others again of Menelaus and Agamemnon.
But if he takes them and restores each of them to its proper position, he
at once destroys the narrative in question. In like manner he also who retains
unchangeable(3) in his heart the rule of the truth which he received by
means of baptism, will doubtless recognise the names, the expressions, and
the parables taken from the Scriptures, but will by no means acknowledge
the blasphemous use which these men make of them. For, though he will acknowledge
the gems, he will certainly not receive the fox instead of the likeness
of the king. But when he has restored every one of the expressions quoted
to its proper position, and has fitted it to the body of the truth, he will
lay bare, and prove to be without any foundation, the figment of these heretics.
5. But since what may prove a finishing-stroke(4) to this exhibition is
wanting, so that any one, on following out their farce to the end, may then
at once append an argument which shall overthrow it, we have judged it well
to point out, first of all, in what respects the very fathers of this fable
differ among themselves, as if they were inspired by different spirits of
error. For this very fact forms an a priori proof that the truth proclaimed
by the Church is immoveable,(5) and that the theories of these men are but
a tissue of falsehoods.
CHAP. X.--UNITY OF THE FAITH OF THE CHURCH THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD.
1. The Church, though dispersed through our the whole world, even to the
ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and their disciples this
faith: [She believes] in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven,
and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them; and in one Christ
Jesus, the Son of God, who became incarnate for our salvation; and in the
Holy Spirit, who proclaimed through the prophets the dispensations(6) of
God, and the advents, and the birth from a virgin, and the passion, and
the resurrection from the dead, and the ascension into heaven in the flesh
of the beloved Christ Jesus, our Lord, and His [future] manifestation from
heaven in the glory of the Father "to gather all things in one,"(7)
and to raise up anew all flesh of the whole human race, in order that to
Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Saviour, and King, according to the
will of the invisible Father, "every knee should bow, of things in
heaven,, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every
tongue should confess"(8) to Him, and that He should execute just judgment
towards all; that He may send "spiritual wickednesses,"(9) and
the angels who transgressed and became apostates, together with the ungodly,
and unrighteous, and wicked, and profane among men, into everlasting fire;
but may, in the exercise of His grace, confer immortality on the righteous,
and holy, and those who have kept His commandments, and have persevered
in His love, some from the beginning [of their Christian course], and others
from [the date of] their repentance, and may surround them with everlasting
glory.
2. As I have already observed, the Church, having received this preaching
and this faith, although scattered throughout the whole world, yet, as if
occupying but one house, carefully preserves it. She also believes these
points [of doctrine] just as if she had but one soul, and one and the same
heart, and she proclaims them, and teaches them, and hands them down, with
perfect harmony, as if she possessed only one mouth. For, although the languages
of the world are dissimilar, yet the import of the tradition is one and
the same. For the Churches which have been planted in Germany do not believe
or hand down anything different, nor do those in Spain, nor those in Gaul,
nor those in the East, nor those in Egypt, nor those in Libya, nor those
which have been established in the central regions(1) of the world. But
as the sun, that creature of God, is one and the same throughout the whole
world, so also the preaching of the truth shineth everywhere, and enlightens
all men that are willing to come to a knowledge of the truth. Nor will any
one of the rulers in the Churches, however highly gifted he may be in point
of eloquence, teach doctrines different from these (for no one is greater
than the Master); nor, on the other hand, will he who is deficient in power
of expression inflict injury on the tradition. For the faith being ever
one and the same, neither does one who is able at great length to discourse
regarding it, make any addition to it, nor does one, who can say but little
diminish it.
3. It does not follow because men are endowed with greater and less degrees
of intelligence, that they should therefore change the subject-matter [of
the faith] itself, and should conceive of some other God besides Him who
is the Framer, Maker, and Preserver of this universe, (as if He were not
sufficient(2) for them), or of another Christ, or another Only-begotten.
But the fact referred to simply implies this, that one may [more accurately
than another] bring out the meaning of those things which have been spoken
in parables, and accommodate them to the general scheme of the faith; and
explain [with special clearness] the operation and dispensation of God connected
with human salvation; and show that God manifested longsuffering in regard
to the apostasy of the angels who transgressed, as also with respect to
the disobedience of men; and set forth why it is that one and the same God
has made some things temporal and some eternal, some heavenly and others
earthly; and understand for what reason God, though invisible, manifested
Himself to the prophets not under one form, but differently to different
individuals; and show why it was that more covenants than one were given
to mankind; and teach what was the special character of each of these covenants;
and search out for what reason "God(3) hath concluded every man(4)
in unbelief, that He may have mercy upon all;" and gratefully(5) describe
on what account the Word of God became flesh and suffered; and relate why
the advent of the Son of God took place in these last times, that is, in
the end, rather than in the beginning [of the world]; and unfold what is
contained in the Scriptures concerning the end [itself], and things to come;
and not be silent as to how it is that God has made the Gentiles, whose
salvation was despaired of, fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers
with the saints; and discourse how it is that "this mortal body shall
put on immortality, and this corruptible shall put on incorruption;"(6)
and proclaim in what sense [God] says, "'That is a people who was not
a people; and she is beloved who was not beloved;"(7) and in what sense
He says that "more are the children of her that was desolate, than
of her who possessed a husband."(8) For in reference to these points,
and others of a like nature, the apostle exclaims: "Oh! the depth of
the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God; how unsearchable are
His judgments, and His ways past finding out!"(9) But [the superior
skill spoken of] is not found in this, that any one should, beyond the Creator
and Framer [of the world], conceive of the Enthymesis of an erring AEon,
their mother and his, and should thus proceed to such a pitch of blasphemy;
nor does it consist in this, that he should again falsely imagine, as being
above this [fancied being], a Pleroma at one time supposed to contain thirty,
and at another time an innumerable tribe of AEons, as these teachers who
are destitute of truly divine wisdom maintain; while the Catholic Church
possesses one and the same faith throughout the whole world, as we have
already said.
CHAP. XI.--THE OPINIONS OF VALENTINUS, WITH THOSE OF HIS DISCIPLES AND OTHERS.
1. Let us now look at the inconsistent opinions of those heretics (for there
are some two or three of them), how they do not agree in treating the same
points, but alike, in things and names, set forth opinions mutually discordant.
The first(1) of them, Valentinus, who adapted the principles of the heresy
called "Gnostic" to the peculiar character of his own school,
taught as follows: He maintained that there is a certain Dyad (twofold being),
who is inexpressible by any name, of whom one part should be called Arrhetus
(unspeakable), and the other Sige (silence). But of this Dyad a second was
produced, one part of whom he names Pater, and the other Aletheia. From
this Tetrad, again, arose Logos and Zoe, Anthropos and Ecclesia. These constitute
the primary Ogdoad. He next states that from Logos and Zoe ten powers were
produced, as we have before mentioned. But from Anthropos and Ecclesia proceeded
twelve, one of which separating from the rest, and falling from its original
condition, produced the rest(2) of the universe. He also supposed two beings
of the name of Horos, the one of whom has his place between Bythus and the
rest of the Pleroma, and divides the created AEons from the uncreated Father,
while the other separates their mother from the Pleroma. Christ also was
not produced from the AEons within the Pleroma, but was brought forth by
the mother who had been excluded from it, in virtue of her remembrance of
better things, but not without a kind of shadow. He, indeed, as being masculine,
having severed the shadow from himself, returned to the Pleroma; but his
mother being left with the shadow, and deprived of her spiritual substance,
brought forth another son, namely, the Demiurge, whom he also styles the
supreme ruler of all those things which are subject to him. He also asserts
that, along with the Demiurge, there was produced a left-hand power, in
which particular he agrees with those falsely called Gnostics, of whom to
we have yet to speak. Sometimes, again, he maintains that Jesus was produced
from him who was separated from their mother, and united to the rest, that
is, from Theletus, sometimes as springing from him who returned into the
Pleroma, that is, from Christ; and at other times still as derived from
Anthropos and Ecclesia. And he declares that the Holy Spirit was produced
by Aletheia(5) for the inspection and fructification of the AEons, by entering
invisibly into them, and that, in this way, the AEons brought forth the
plants of truth.
2. Secundus again affirms that the primary Ogdoad consists of a right hand
and a left hand Tetrad, and teaches that the one of these is called light,
and the other darkness. But he maintains that the power which separated
from the rest, and fell away, did not proceed directly from the thirty AEons,
but from their fruits.
3. There is another,(4) who is a renowned teacher among them, and who, struggling
to reach something more sublime, and to attain to a kind of higher knowledge,
has explained the primary Tetrad as follows: There is [he says] a certain
Proarche who existed before all things, surpassing all thought, speech,
and nomenclature, whom I call Monotes (unity). Together with this Monotes
there exists a power, which again I term Henotes (oneness). This Henotes
and Monotes, being one, produced, yet not so as to bring forth [apart from
themselves, as an emanation] the beginning of all things, an intelligent,
unbegotten, and invisible being, which beginning language terms "Monad."
With this Monad there co-exists a power of the same essence, which again
I term Hen (One). These powers then--Monotes, and Henotes, and Monas, and
Hen--produced the remaining company of the AEons.
4. Iu, Iu! Pheu, Pheu!--for well may we utter these tragic exclamations
at such a pitch of audacity in the coining of names as he has displayed
without a blush, in devising a nomenclature for his system of falsehood.
For when he declares: There is a certain Proarche before all things, surpassing
all thought, whom I call Monoten; and again, with this Monotes there co-exists
a power which I also call Henores,- -it is most manifest that he confesses
the things which have been said to be his own invention, and that he himself
has given names to his scheme of things, which had never been previously
suggested by any other. It is manifest also, that he himself is the one
who has had sufficient audacity to coin these names; so that, unless he
had appeared in the world, the truth would still have been destitute of
a name. But, in that case, nothing hinders any other, in dealing with the
same subject, to affix names after such a fashion as the following: There(5)
is a certain Proarche, royal, surpassing all thought, a power existing before
every other substance, and extended into space in every direction. But along
with it there exists a power which I term a Gourd; and along with this Gourd
there exists a power which again I term Utter-Emptiness. This Gourd and
Emptiness, since they are one, produced (and yet did not simply produce,
so as to be apart from themselves) a fruit, everywhere visible, eatable,
and delicious, which fruit-language calls a Cucumber. Along with this Cucumber
exists a power of the same essence, which again I call a Melon. These powers,
the Gourd, Utter-Emptiness, the Cucumber, and the Melon, brought forth the
remaining multitude of the delirious melons of Valentinus.(1) For if it
is fitting that that language which is used respecting the universe be transformed
to the primary Tetrad, and if any one may assign names at his pleasure,
who shall prevent us from adopting these names, as being much more credible
[than the others], as well as in general use, and understood by all?
5. Others still, however, have called their primary and first-begotten Ogdoad
by the following names: first, Proarche; then Anennoetos; thirdly, Arrhetos;
and fourthly, Aoratos. Then, from the first, Proarche, there was produced,
in the first and fifth place, Arche; from Anennoetos, in the second and
sixth place, Acataleptos; from Arrhetos, in the third and seventh place,
Anonomastos; and from Aoratos, in the fourth and eighth place, Agennetos.
This is the Pleroma of the first Ogdoad. They maintain that these powers
were anterior to Bythus and Sige, that they may appear more perfect than
the perfect, and more knowing than the very Gnostics To. these persons one
may justly exclaim: "O ye trifling sophists!" since, even respecting
Bythus himself, there are among them many and discordant opinions. For some/declare
him to be without a consort, and neither male nor female, and, in fact,
nothing at all; while others affirm him to be masculo-feminine, assigning
to him the nature of a hermaphrodite; others, again, allot Sige to him as
a spouse, that thus may be formed the first conjunction.
CHAP. XII.--THE DOCTRINES OF THE FOLLOWERS OF PTOLEMY AND COLORBASUS.
1. But the followers of Ptolemy say(2) that he [Bythos] has two consorts,
which they also name Diatheses (affections), viz., Ennoae and Thelesis.
For, as they affirm, he first conceived the thought of producing something,
and then willed to that effect. Wherefore, again, these two affections,
or powers, Ennoea and Thelesis, having intercourse, as it were, between
themselves, the production of Monogenes and Aletheia took place according
to conjunction. These two came forth as types and images of the two affections
of the Father,--visible representations of those that were invisible,--Nous
(i.e., Monogenes) of Thelesis, and Aletheia of Ennoea, and accordingly the
image resulting from Thelesis was masculine,(3) while that from Ennoea was
feminine. Thus Thelesis (will) became, as it were, a faculty of Ennoea (thought).
For Ennoea continually yearned after offspring; but she could not of herself
bring forth that which she desired. But when the power of Thelesis (the
faculty of will) came upon her, then she brought forth that on which she
had brooded.
2. These fancied beings(4) (like the Jove of Homer, who is represented(5)
as passing an anxious sleepless night in devising plans for honouring Achilles
and destroying numbers of the Greeks) will not appear to you, my dear friend,
to be possessed of greater knowledge than He who is the God of the universe.
He, as soon as He thinks, also performs what He has willed; and as soon
as He wills, also thinks that which He has willed; then thinking when He
wills, and then willing when He thinks, since He is all thought, [all will,
all mind, all light,](6) all eye, all ear, the one entire fountain of all
good things.
3. Those of them, however, who are deemed more skilful than the persons
who have just been mentioned, say that the first Ogdoad was not produced
gradually, so that one AEon was sent forth by another, but that all(7) the
AEons were brought into existence at once by Propator and his Ennoea. He
(Colorbasus) affirms this as confidently as if he had assisted at their
birth. Accordingly, he and his followers maintain that Anthropos and Ecclesia
were not produced,(8) as others hold, from Logos and Zoe; but, on the contrary,
Logos and Zoe from Anthropos and Ecclesia. But they express this in another
form, as follows: When the Propator conceived the thought of producing something,
he received the name of Father. But because what he did produce was true,
it was named Aletheia. Again, when he wished to reveal himself, this was
termed Anthropos. Finally, when he produced those whom he had previously
thought of, these were named Ecclesia. Anthropos, by speaking, formed Logos:
this is the first-born son. But Zoe followed upon Logos; and thus the first
Ogdoad was completed.
4. They have much contention also among themselves respecting the Saviour.
For some maintain that he was formed out of all; wherefore also he was called
Eudocetos, because the whole Pleroma was well pleased through him to glorify
the Father. But others assert that he was produced from those ten AEons
alone who sprung from Logos and Zoe, and that on this account he was called
Logos and Zoe, thus preserving the ancestral names.(1) Others, again, affirm
that he had his being from those twelve AEons who were the offspring of
Anthropos and Ecclesia; and on this account he acknowledges himself the
Son of man, as being a descendant of Anthropos. Others still, assert that
he was produced by Christ and the Holy Spirit, who were brought forth for
the security of the Pleroma; and that on this account he was called Christ,
thus preserving the appellation of the Father, by whom he was produced.
And there are yet others among them who declare that the Propator of the
whole, Proarche, and Proanennoetos is called Anthropos; and that this is
the great and abstruse mystery, namely, that the Power which is above all
others, and contains all in his embrace, is termed Anthropos; hence does
the Saviour style himself the "Son of man."
CHAP. XIII.--THE DECEITFUL ARTS AND NEFARIOUS PRACTICES OF MARCUS.
I. But(2) there is another among these heretics, Marcus by name, who boasts
himself as having improved upon his master. He is a perfect adept in magical
impostures, and by this means drawing away a great number of men, and not
a few women, he has induced them to join themselves to him, as to one who
is possessed of the greatest knowledge and perfection, and who has received
the highest power from the invisible and ineffable regions above. Thus it
appears as if he really were the precursor of Antichrist. For, joining the
buffooneries of Anaxilaus(3) to the craftiness of the magi, as they are
called, he is regarded by his senseless and cracked-brain followers as working
miracles by these means.
2. Pretending(4) to consecrate cups mixed with wine, and protracting to
great length the word of invocation, he contrives to give them a purple
and reddish colour, so that Charis,(5) who is one of those that are superior
to all things, should be thought to drop her own blood into that cup through
means of his invocation, and that thus those who are present should be led
to rejoice to taste of that cup, in order that, by so doing, the Charis,
who is set forth by this magician, may also flow into them. Again, handing
mixed cups to the women, he bids them consecrate these in his presence.
When this has been done, he himself produces another cup of much larger
size than that which the deluded woman has consecrated,) and pouting from
the smaller one consecrated by the woman into that which has been brought
forward by himself, he at the same time pronounces these words: "May
that Chaffs who is before all things, and who transcends all knowledge and
speech, fill thine inner man, and multiply in thee her own knowledge, by
sowing the grain of mustard seed in thee as in good soil." Repeating
certain other like words, and thus goading on the wretched woman [to madness],
he then appears a worker of wonders when the large cup is seen to have been
filled out of the small one, so as even to overflow by what has been obtained
from it. By accomplishing several other similar things, he has completely
deceived many, and drawn them away after him.
3. It appears probable enough that this man possesses a demon as his familiar
spirit, by means of whom he seems able to prophesy,(6) and also enables
as many as he counts worthy to be partakers of his Charis themselves to
prophesy. He devotes himself especially to women, and those such as are
well-bred, and elegantly attired, and of great wealth, whom he frequently
seeks to draw after him, by addressing them in such seductive words as these:
"I am eager to make thee a partaker of my Charis, since the Father
of all doth continually behold thy angel before His face. Now the place
of thy angel is among us:(7) it behoves us to become one. Receive first
from me and by me [the gift of] Chaffs. Adorn thyself as a bride who is
expecting her bridegroom, that thou mayest be what I am, and I what thou
art. Establish the germ of light in thy nuptial chamber. Receive from me
a spouse, and become receptive of him, while thou art received by him. Behold
Charis has descended upon thee; open thy mouth and prophesy." On the
woman replying," I have never at any time prophesied, nor do I know
how to prophesy;" then engaging, for the second time, in certain invocations,
so as to astound his deluded victim, he says to her," Open thy mouth,
speak whatsoever occurs to thee, and thou shalt prophesy." She then,
vainly puffed up and elated by these words, and greatly excited in soul
by the expectation that it is herself who is to prophesy, her heart beating
violently [from emotion], reaches the requisite pitch of audacity, and idly
as well as impudently utters some nonsense as it happens. to occur to her,
such as might be expected from one heated by an empty spirit. (Referring
to this, one superior to me has observed, that the soul is both audacious
and impudent when heated with empty air.) Henceforth she reckons herself
a prophetess, and expresses her thanks to Marcus for having imparted to
her of his own Chaffs. She then makes the effort to reward him, not only
by the gift of her possessions (in which way he has collected a very large
fortune), but also by yielding up to him her person, desiring in every way
to be united to him, that she may become altogether one with him.
4. But already some of the most faithful women, possessed of the fear of
God, and not being deceived (whom, nevertheless, he did his best to seduce
like the rest by bidding them prophesy), abhorring and execrating him, have
withdrawn from such a vile company of revellers. This they have done, as
being well aware that the gift of prophecy is not conferred on men by Marcus,
the magician, but that only those to whom God sends His grace from above
possess the divinely-bestowed power of prophesying; and then they speak
where and when God pleases, and not when Marcus orders them to do so. For
that which commands is greater and of higher authority than that which is
commanded, inasmuch as the former rules, while the latter is in a state
of subjection. If, then, Marcus, or any one else, does command,--as these
are accustomed continually at their feasts to play at drawing lots, and
[in accordance with the lot] to command one another to prophesy, giving
forth as oracles what is in harmony with their own desires,--it will follow
that he who commands is greater and of higher authority than the prophetic
spirit, though he is but a man, which is impossible. But such spirits as
are commanded by these men, and speak when they desire it, are earthly and
weak, audacious and impudent, sent forth by Satan for the seduction and
perdition of those who do not hold fast that well- compacted faith which
they received at first through the Church.
5. Moreover, that this Marcus compounds philters and love-potions, in order
to insult the persons of some of these women, if not of all, those of them
who have returned to the Church of God--a thing which frequently occurs--have
acknowledged, confessing, too, that they have been defiled by him, and that
they were filled with a burning passion towards him. A sad example of this
occurred in the case of a certain Asiatic, one of our deacons, who had received
him (Marcus) into his house. His wife, a woman of remarkable beauty, fell
a victim both in mind and body to this magician, and, for a long time, travelled
about with him. At last, when, with no small difficulty, the brethren had
converted her, she spent her whole time in the exercise of public confession,(1)
weeping over and lamenting the defilement which she had received from this
magician.
6. Some of his disciples, too, addicting themselves(2) to the same practices,
have deceived many silly women, and defiled them. They proclaim themselves
as being "perfect," so that no one can be compared to them with
respect to the immensity of their knowledge, nor even were you to mention
Paul or Peter, or any other of the apostles. They assert that they themselves
know more than all others, and that they alone have imbibed the greatness
of the knowledge of that power which is unspeakable. They also maintain
that they have attained to a height above all power, and that therefore
they are free in every respect to act as they please, having no one to fear
in anything. For they affirm, that because of the "Redemption"(3)
it has come to pass that they can neither be apprehended, nor even seen
by the judge. But even if he should happen to lay hold upon them, then they
might simply repeat these words, while standing in his presence along with
the "Redemption:" "O thou, who sittest beside God,(4) and
the mystical, eternal Sige, thou through whom the angels (mightiness), who
continually behold the face of the Father, having thee as their guide and
introducer, do derive their forms(5) from above, which she in the greatness
of her daring inspiring with mind on account of the goodness of the Propator,
produced us as their images, having her mind then intent upon the things
above, as in a dream,--behold, the judge is at hand, and the crier orders
me to make my defence. But do thou, as being acquainted with the affairs
of both, present the cause of both of us to the judge, inasmuch as it is
in reality but one cause."(6) Now, as soon as the Mother hears these
words, she puts the Homeric(7) helmet of Pluto upon them, so that they may
invisibly escape the judge. And then she immediately catches them up, conducts
them into the bridal chamber, and hands them over to their consorts.
7. Such are the words and deeds by which, in our own district of the Rhone,
they have deluded many women, who have their consciences seared as with
a hot iron.(1) Some of them, indeed, make a public confession of their sins;
but others of them are ashamed to do this, and in a tacit kind of way, despairing
of [attaining to] the life of God, have, some of them, apostatized altogether;
while others hesitate between the two courses, and incur that which is implied
in the proverb, "neither without nor within;" possessing this
as the fruit from the seed of the children of knowledge.
CHAP. XIV.--THE VARIOUS HYPOTHESES OF MARCUS AND OTHERS. THEORIES RESPECTING
LETTERS AND SYLLABLES.
1. This Marcus(2) then, declaring that he alone was the matrix and receptacle
of the Sige of Colorbasus, inasmuch as he was only-begotten, has brought
to the birth in some such way as follows that which was committed to him
of the defective Euthymesis. He declares that the infinitely exalted Tetrad
descended upon him from the invisible and indescribable places in the form
of a woman (for the world could not have borne it coming in its male form),
and expounded to him alone its own nature, and the origin of all things,
which it had never before revealed to any one either of gods or men. This
was done in the following terms: When first the unoriginated, inconceivable
Father, who is without material substance,(3) and is neither male nor female,
willed to bring forth that which is ineffable to Him, and to endow with
form that which is invisible, He opened His mouth, and sent forth the Word
similar to Himself, who, standing near, showed Him what He Himself was,
inasmuch as He had been manifested in the form of that which was invisible.
Moreover, the pronunciation of His name took place as follows:--He spoke
the first word of it, which was the beginning(4) [of all the rest], and
that utterance consisted of four letters. He added the second, and this
also consisted of four letters. Next He uttered the third, and this again
embraced ten letters. Finally, He pronounced the fourth, which was composed
of twelve letters. Thus took place the enunciation of the whole name, consisting
of thirty letters, and four distinct utterances. Each of these elements
has its own peculiar letters, and character, and pronunciation, and forms,
and images, and there is not one of them that perceives the shape of that
[utterance] of which it is an element. Neither does any one know(5) itself,
nor is it acquainted with the pronunciation of its neighbour, but each one
imagines that by its own utterance it does in fact name the whole. For while
every one of them is a part of the whole, it imagines its own sound to be
the whole name, and does not leave off sounding until, by its own utterance,
it has reached the last letter of each of the elements. This teacher declares
that the restitution of all things will take place, when all these, mixing
into one letter, shall utter one and the same sound. He imagines that the
emblem of this utterance is found in Amen, which we pronounce in concert.(6)
The diverse sounds (he adds) are those which give form to that AEon who
is without material substance and unbegotten, and these, again, are the
forms which the Lord has called angels, who continually behold the face
of the Father.(7)
2. Those names of the elements which may be told, and are common, he has
called AEons, and words, and roots, and seeds, and fulnesses, and fruits.
He asserts that each of these, and all that is peculiar to every one of
them, is to be understood as contained in the name Ecclesia. Of these elements,
the last letter of the last one uttered its voice, and this sound(8) going
forth generated its own elements after the image of the [other] elements,
by which he affirms, that both the things here below were arranged into
the order they occupy, and those that preceded them were called into existence.
He also maintains that the letter itself, the sound of which followed that
sound below, was received up again by the syllable to which it belonged,
in order to the completion of the whole, but that the sound remained below
as if cast outside. But the element itself from which the letter with its
special pronunciation descended to that below, he affirms to consist of
thirty letters, while each of these letters, again, contains other letters
in itself, by means of which the name of the letter is expressed. And thus,
again, others are named by other letters, and others still by others, so
that the multitude of letters swells out into infinitude. You may more clearly
understand what I mean by the following example:-- The word Delta contains
five letters, viz., D, E, L, T, A: these letters again, are written by other
letters,(1) and others still by others. If, then, the entire composition
of the word Delta [when thus analyzed] runs out into infinitude, letters
continually generating other letters, and following one another in constant
succession, how much raster than that [one] word is the [entire] ocean of
letters! And if even one letter be thus infinite, just consider the immensity
of the letters in the entire name; out of which the Sige of Marcus has taught
us the Propator is composed. For which reason the Father, knowing the incomprehensibleness
of His own nature, assigned to the elements which He also terms AEons, [the
power] of each one uttering its own enunciation, because no one of them
was capable by itself of uttering the whole.
3.Moreover, the Tetrad, explaining these things to him more fully, said:--I
wish to show thee Aletheia (Truth) herself; for I have brought her down
from the dwellings above, that thou mayest see her without a veil, and understand
her beauty--that thou mayest also hear her speaking, and admire her wisdom.
Behold, then, her head on high, Alpha and Omega; her neck, Beta and Psi;
her shoulders with her hands, Gamma and Chi; her breast, Delta and Phi;
her diaphragm, Epsilon and Upsilon; her back, Zeta and Tau; her belly, Eta
and Sigma; her thighs, Theta and Rho; her knees, Iota and Pi; her legs,
Kappa and Omicron; her ancles, Lambda and Xi; her feet, Mu and Nu. Such
is the body of Truth, according to this magician, such the figure of the
element, such the character of the letter. And he calls this element Anthropos
(Man), and says that is the fountain of all speech, and the beginning of
all sound, and the expression of all that is unspeakable, and the mouth
of the silent Sige. This indeed is the body of Truth. But do thou, elevating
the thoughts of thy mind on high, listen from the mouth of Truth to the
self-begotten Word, who is also the dispenser of the bounty of the Father.
4. When she (the Tetrad) had spoken these things, Aletheia looked at him,
opened her mouth, and uttered a word. That word was a name, and the name
was this one which we do know and speak of, viz., Christ Jesus. When she
had uttered this name, she at once relapsed into silence. And as Marcus
waited in the expectation that she would say something more, the Tetrad
again came forward and said, "Thou hast reckoned as contemptible that
word which thou hast heard from the mouth of Aletheia. This which thou knowest
and seemest to possess, is not an ancient name. For thou possessest the
sound of it merely, whilst thou art ignorant of its power. For Jesus (Ihsous)
is a name arithmetically(2) symbolical, consisting of six letters, and is
known by all those that belong to the called. But that which is among the
AEons of the Pleroma consists of many parts, and is of another form and
shape, and is known by those [angels] who are joined in affinity with Him,
and whose figures (mightinesses) are always present with Him.
5. Know, then, that the four-and-twenty letters which you possess are symbolical
emanations of the three powers that contain the entire number of the elements
above. For you are to reckon thus--that the nine mute(3) letters are [the
images] of Pater and Aletheia, because they are without voice, that is,
of such a nature as cannot be uttered or pronounced. But the semi-vowels(4)
represent Logos and Zoe, because they are, as it were, midway between the
consonants and the vowels, partaking(5) of the nature of both. The vowels,
again, are representative of Anthropos and Ecclesia, inasmuch as a voice
proceeding from Anthropos gave being to them all; for the sound of the voice
imparted to them form. Thus, then, Logos and Zoe possess eight [of these
letters]; Anthropos and Ecclesia seven; and Pater and Aletheia nine. But
since the number allotted to each was unequal, He who existed in the Father
came down, having been specially sent by Him from whom He was separated,
for the rectification of what had taken place, that the unity of the Pleromas,
being endowed with equality, might develop in all that one power which flows
from all. Thus that division which had only seven letters, received the
power of eight,(6) and the three sets were rendered alike in point of number,
all becoming Ogdoads; which three, when brought together, constitute the
number four-and-twenty. The three elements, too (which he declares to exist
in conjunction with three powers,(7) and thus form the six from which have
flowed the twenty-four letters), being quadrupled by the word of the ineffable
Tetrad, give rise to the same number with them; and these elements he maintains
to belong to Him who cannot be named. These, again, were endowed by the
three powers with a resemblance to Him who is invisible. And he says that
those letters which we call double(8) are the images of the images of these
elements; and if these be added to the four-and-twenty letters, by the force
of analogy they form the number thirty.
6. He asserts that the fruit of this arrangement and analogy has been manifested
in the likeness of an image, namely, Him who, after six days, ascended(1)
into the mountain along with three others, and then became one of six (the
sixth),(2) in which character He descended and was contained in the Hebdomad,
since He was the illustrious Ogdoad,(3) and contained in Himself the entire
number of the elements, which the descent of the dove (who is Alpha and
Omega) made clearly manifest, when He came to be baptized; for the number
of the dove is eight hundred and one.(4) And for this reason did Moses declare
that man was formed on the sixth day; and then, again, according to arrangement,
it was on the sixth day, which is the preparation, that the last man appeared,
for the regeneration of the first, Of this arrangement, both the beginning
and the end were formed at that sixth hour, at which He was nailed to the
tree. For that perfect being Nous, knowing that the number six had the power
both of formation and regeneration, declared to the children of light, that
regeneration which has been wrought out by Him who appeared as the Episemon
in regard to that number. Whence also he declares it is that the double
letters(5) contain the Episemon number; for this Episemon, when joined to
the twenty-four elements, completed the name of thirty letters.
7. He employed as his instrument, as the Sige of Marcus declares, the power
of seven letters,(6) in order that the fruit of the independent will [of
Achamoth] might be revealed. "Consider this present Episemon,"
she says--"Him who was formed after the [original] Episemon, as being,
as it were, divided or cut into two parts, and remaining outside; who, by
His own power and wisdom, through means of that which had been produced
by Himself, gave life to this world, consisting of seven powers,(7) after
the likeness of the power of the Hebdomad, and so formed it, that it is
the soul of everything visible. And He indeed uses this work Himself as
if it had been formed by His own free will; but the rest, as being images
of what cannot be [fully] imitated, are subservient to the Enthymesis of
the mother. And the first heaven indeed pronounces Alpha, the next to this
Epsilon, the third Eta, the fourth, which is also in the midst of the seven,
utters the sound of Iota, the fifth Omicron, the sixth Upsilon, the seventh,
which is also the fourth from the middle, utters the elegant Omega,"--as
the Sige of Marcus, talking a deal of nonsense, but uttering no word of
truth, confidently asserts. "And these powers," she adds, "being
all simultaneously clasped in each other's embrace, do sound out the glory
of Him by whom they were produced; and the glory of that sound is transmitted
upwards to the Propator." She asserts, moreover, that "the sound
of this uttering of praise, having been wafted to the earth, has become
the Framer and the Parent of those things which are on the earth."
8. He instances, in proof of this, the case of infants who have just been
born, the cry of whom, as soon as they have issued from the womb, is in
accordance with the sound of every one of these elements. As, then, he says,
the seven powers glorify the Word, so also does the complaining soul of
infants.(8) For this reason, too, David said: "Out of the mouth of
babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise;"(9) and again: "The
heavens declare the glory of God."(10) Hence also it comes to pass,
that when the soul is involved in difficulties and distresses, for its own
relief it calls out, "Oh" (W), in honour of the
letter in question,(11) so that its cognate soul above may recognise [its
distress], and send down to it relief.
9. Thus it is, that in regard to the whole name,(12) which consists of thirty
letters, and Bythus, who receives his increase from the letters of this
[name], and, moreover, the body of Aletheia, which is composed of twelve
members, each of which consists of two letters, and the voice which she
uttered without having spoken at all, and in regard to the analysis of that
name which cannot be expressed in words, and the soul of the world and of
man, according as they possess that arrangement, which is after the image
[of things above], he has uttered his nonsensical opinions. It remains that
I relate how the Tetrad showed him from the names a power equal in number;
so that nothing, my friend, which I have received as spoken by him, may
remain unknown to thee; and thus thy request, often proposed to me, may
be fulfilled.
CHAP. xv.--SIGE RELATES TO MARCUS THE GENERATION OF THE TWENTY-FOUR ELEMENTS
AND OF JESUS. EXPOSURE OF THESE ABSURDITIES.
1. The all-wise Sige then announced the production of the four-and-twenty
elements to him as follows:--Along with Monotes there coexisted Henotes,
from which sprang two productions, as we have remarked above, Monas and
Hen, which, added to the other two, make four, for twice two are Four. And
again, two and four, when added together, exhibit the number six. And further,
these six being quadrupled, give rise to the twenty-four forms. And the
names of the first Tetrad, which are understood to be most holy, and not
capable of being expressed in words, are known by the Son alone, while the
father also knows what they are. The other names which are to be uttered
with respect, and faith, and reverence, are, according to him, Arrhetos
and Sige, Pater and Aletheia. Now the entire number of this Tetrad amounts
to four-and-twenty letters; for the name Arrhetos contains in itself seven
letters, Seige(1) five, Pater five, and Aletheia seven. If all these be
added together--twice five, and twice seven--they complete the number twenty-four.
In like manner, also, the second Tetrad, Logos and Zoe, Anthropos and Ecclesia,
reveal the same number of elements. Moreover, that name of the Saviour which
may be pronounced, viz., Jesus 'Ihsous, consists of six letters,
but His unutterable name comprises for-and-twenty letters. The name Christ
the Son(2) (uios Xreistos) comprises twelve
letter, but that which is unpronounceable in Christ contains thirty letters.
And for this reason he declares that fie is Alpha and Omega, that he may
indicate the dove, inasmuch as that bird has this number [in its name].
2. But Jesus, he affirms, has the following unspeakable origin. From the
mother of all things, that is, the first Tetrad; there came forth the second
Tetrad, after the manner of a daughter; and thus an Ogdoad was formed, from
which, again, a Decad proceeded: thus was produced a Decad and an Ogdoad.
The Decad, then, being joined with the Ogdoad, and multiplying it ten times,
gave rise to the number eighty; and, again, multiplying eighty ten times,
produced the number eight hundred. Thus, then, the whole number of the letters
proceeding from the Ogdoad [multiplied] into the Decad, is eight hundred
and eighty-eight.(3) This is the name of Jesus; for this name, if you reckon
up the numerical value of the letters, amounts to eight hundred and eighty-eight.
Thus, then, you have a clear statement of their opinion as to the origin
of the supercelestial Jesus. Wherefore, also, the alphabet of the Greeks
contains eight Monads, eight Decads, and eight Hecatads(4), which present
the number eight hundred and eighty-eight, that is, Jesus, who is formed
of all numbers; and on this account He is called Alpha and Omega, indicating
His origin from all. And, again, they put the matter thus: If the first
Tetrad be added up according to the progression of number, the number ten
appears. For one, and two, and three, and four, when added together, form
ten; and this, as they will have it, is Jesus. Moreover, Chreistus, he says,
being a word of eight letters, indicates the first Ogdoad, and this, when
multiplied by ten, gives birth to Jesus (888). And Christ the Son, he says,
is also spoken of, that is, the Duodecad. For the name Son, (uios)
contains four letters, and Christ (Chreistus) eight, which, being combined,
point out the greatness of the Duodecad. But, he alleges, before the Episemon
of this name appeared, that is Jesus the Son, mankind were involved in great
ignorance and error. But when this name of six letters was manifested (the
person bearing it clothing Himself in flesh, that He might come under the
apprehension of man's senses, and having in Himself these six and twenty-four
letters), then, becoming acquainted with Him, they ceased from their ignorance,
and passed from death unto life, this name serving as their guide to the
Father of truth.(5) For the Father of all had resolved to put an end to
ignorance, and to destroy death. But this abolishing of ignorance was just
the knowledge of Him. And therefore that man (Anthropos) was chosen according
to His will, having been formed after the image of the [corresponding] power
above.
3. As to the AEons, they proceeded from the Tetrad, and in that Tetrad were
Anthropos and Ecclesia, Logos and Zoe. The powers, then, he declares, who
emanated from these, generated that Jesus who appeared upon the earth. The
angel Gabriel took the place of Logos, the Holy Spirit that of Zoe, the
Power of the Highest that of Anthropos, while the Virgin pointed out the
place of Ecclesia. And thus, by a special dispensation, there was generated
by Him, through Mary, that man, whom, as He passed through the womb, the
Father of all chose to [obtain] the knowledge of Himself by means of the
Word. And on His coming to the water [of baptism], there descended on Him,
in the form of a dove, that Being who had formerly ascended on high, and
completed the twelfth number, in whom there existed the seed of those who
were produced contemporaneously with Himself, and who descended and ascended
along with Him. Moreover, he maintains that power which descended was the
seed of the Father, which had in itself both the Father and the Son, as
well as that power of Sige which is known by means of them, but cannot be
expressed in language, and also all the AEons. And this was that Spirit
who spoke by the mouth of Jesus, and who confessed that He was the son of
Man as well as revealed the Father, and who, having descended into Jesus,
was made one with Him. And he says that the Saviour formed by special dispensation
did indeed destroy death, but that Christ made known the Father.(1) He maintains,
therefore, that Jesus is the name of that man formed by a special dispensation,
and that He was formed after the likeness and form of that [heavenly] Anthropos,
who was about to descend upon Him. After He had received that AEon, He possessed
Anthropos himself, and Loges himself, and Pater, and Arrhetus, and Sige,
and Aletheia, and Ecclesia, and Zoe.
4. Such ravings, we may now well say, go beyond Iu, Iu, Pheu, Pheu, and
every kind of tragic exclamation or utterance of misery.(2) For who would
not detest one who is the wretched centriver of such audacious falsehoods,
when he perceives the truth turned by Marcus into a mere image, and that
punctured all over with the letters of the alphabet? The Greeks confess
that they first received sixteen letters from Cadmus, and that but recently,
as compared with the beginning, [the vast antiquity of which is implied]
in the common proverb: "Yesterday and before;"(3) and afterwards,
in the course of time, they themselves invented at one period the aspirates,
and at another the double letters, while, last of all, they say Palamedes
added the long letters to the former. Was it so, then, that until these
things took place among the Greeks, truth had no existence? For, according
to thee, Marcus, the body of truth is posterior to Cadmus and those who
preceded him--posterior also to those who added the rest of the letters--posterior
even to thyself! For thou alone hast formed that which is called by thee
the truth into an [outward, visible] image.
5. But who will tolerate thy nonsensical Sige, who names Him that cannot
be named, and expounds the nature of Him that is unspeakable, and searches
out Him that is unsearchable, and declares that He whom thou maintainest
to be destitute of body and form, opened His mouth and sent forth the Word,
as if He were included among organized beings; and that His Word, while
like to His Author, and bearing the image of the invisible, nevertheless
consisted of thirty elements and four syllables? It will follow, then, according
to thy theory, that the Father of all, in accordance with the likeness of
the Word, consists of thirty elements and four syllables! Or, again, who
will tolerate thee in thy juggling with forms and numbers,--at one time
thirty, at another twenty-four, and at another, again, only six,--whilst
thou shuttest up [in these] the Word of God, the Founder, and Framer, and
Maker of all things; and then, again, cutting Him up piecemeal into four
syllables and thirty elements; and bringing down the Lord of all who founded
the heavens to the number eight hundred and eighty-eight, so that He should
be similar to the alphabet; and subdividing the Father, who cannot be contained,
but contains all things, into a Tetrad, and an Ogdoad, and a Decad, and
a Duodecad; and by such multiplications, setting forth the unspeakable and
inconceivable nature of the Father, as thou thyself declarest it to be?
And showing thyself a very Daedalus for evil invention, and the wicked architect
of the supreme power, thou dost construct a nature and substance for Him
whom thou callest incorporeal and immaterial, out of a multitude of letters,
generated the one by the other. And that power whom thou affirmest to be
indivisible, thou dost nevertheless divide into consonants, and vowels,
and semi-vowels; and, falsely ascribing those letters which are mute to
the Father of all things, and to His Enncea (thought), thou hast driven
on all that place confidence in thee to the highest point of blasphemy,
and to the grossest impiety.(4)
6. With good reason, therefore, and very fittingly, in reference to thy
rash attempt, has that divine elders and preacher of the truth burst forth
in verse against thee as follows:--
"Marcus, thou former of idols, inspector of portents, Skill'd in consulting
the stars, and deep in the black arts of magic, Ever by tricks such as these
confirming the doctrines of error, Furnishing signs unto those involved
by thee in deception, Wonders of power that is utterly severed from God
and apostate, Which Satan, thy true father, enables thee still to accomplish,
By means of Azazel, that fallen and yet mighty angel,-- Thus making thee
the precursor of his own impious actions." Such are the words of the
saintly elder. And I shall endeavour to state the remainder of their mystical
system, which runs out to great length, in brief compass, and to bring to
the light what has for a long time been concealed. For in this way such
things will become easily susceptible of exposure by all.
CHAP. XVI.--ABSURD INTERPRETATIONS OF THE MARCOSIANS.
1. Blending in one the production of their own AEons, and the straying and
recovery of the sheep [spoken of in the Gospel(1)], these persons endeavour
to set forth things in a more mystical style, while they refer everything
to numbers, maintaining that the universe has been formed out of a Monad
and a Dyad. And then, reckoning from unity on to four, they thus generate
the Decad. For when one, two, three, and four are added together, they give
rise to the number of the ten AEons. And, again, the Dyad advancing from
itself [by twos] up to six--two, and four, and six--brings out the Duodecad.
Once more, if we reckon in the same way up to ten, the number thirty appears,
m which are found eight, and ten, and twelve. They therefore term the Duodecad--because
it contains the Episemon,(2) and because the Episemon [so to speak] waits
upon it--the passion. And for this reason, because an error occurred in
connection with the twelfth number,(3) the sheep frisked off, and went astray;
for they assert that a defection took place from the Duodecad. In the same
way they oracularly declare, that one power having departed also from the
Duodecad, has perished; and this was represented by the woman who lost the
drachma,(4) and, lighting a lamp, again found it. Thus, therefore, the numbers
that were left, viz., nine, as respects the pieces of money, and eleven
in regard to the sheep,(5) when multiplied together, give birth to the number
ninety-nine, for nine times eleven are ninety-nine. Wherefore also they
maintain the word "Amen" contains this number.
2. I will not, however, weary thee by recounting their other interpretations,
that you may perceive the results everywhere. They maintain for instance,
that the letter Eta (h) along with the Episemon (e)
fifteen are formed; then adding seven to that number, the sum of twenty-two
is reached. Next, Eta being added to these, since its value is eight, the
most wonderful Triacontad is completed. And hence they give forth that the
Ogdoad is the mother of the thirty AEons. Since, therefore, the number thirty
is composed of three powers [the Ogdoad, Decad, and Duodecad], when multiplied
by three, it produces ninety, for three times thirty are ninety. Likewise
this Triad, when multiplied by itself, gives rise to nine. Thus the Ogdoad
generates, by these means, ninety-nine. And since the twelfth AEon, by her
defection, left eleven in the heights above, they maintain that therefore
the position of the letters is a true coordinate of the method of their
calculation(6) (for Lambda is the eleventh in order among the letters, and
represents the number thirty), and also forms a representation of the arrangement
of affairs above, since, on from Alpha, omitting Episemon, the number of
the letters up to Lambda, when added together according to the successive
value of the letters, and including Zambda itself, forms the sum of ninety-nine;
but that this Lambda, being the eleventh in order, descended to seek after
one equal to itself, so as to complete the number of twelve letters, and
when it found such a one, the number was completed, is manifest from the
very configuration of the letter; for Lambda being engaged, as it were,
in the quest of one similar to itself, and finding such an one, and clasping
it to itself, thus filled up the place of the twelfth, the letter Mu (M)
being composed of two Lambdas (L). Wherefore also they,
by means of their "knowledge," avoid the place of ninety-nine,
that is, the defection--a type of the left hand,(7)--but endeavour to secure
one more, which, when added to the ninety and nine, has the effect of changing
their reckoning to the right hand.
3. I well know, my dear friend, that when thou hast read through all this,
thou wilt indulge in a hearty laugh over this their inflated wise folly!
But those men are really worthy of being mourned over, who promulgate such
a kind of religion, and who so frigidly and perversely pull to pieces the
greatness of the truly unspeakable power, and the dispensations of God in
themselves so striking, by means of Alpha and Beta, and through the aid
of numbers. But as many as separate from the Church, and give heed to such
old wives' fables as these, are truly self-condemned; and these men Paul
commands us, "after a first and second admonition, to avoid."(8)
And John, the disciple of the Lord, has intensified their condemnation,
when he desires us not even to address to them the salutation of "good-speed;"
for, says he, "He that bids them be of good-speed is a partaker with
their evil deeds;"(1) and that with reason, "for there is no good-speed
to the ungodly,"(2) saith the Lord. Impious indeed, beyond all impiety,
are these men, who assert that the Maker of heaven and earth, the only God
Almighty, besides whom there is no God, was produced by means of a defect,
which itself sprang from another defect, so that, according to them, He
was the product of the third defect.(3) Such an opinion we should detest
and execrate, while we ought everywhere to flee far apart from those that
hold it; and in proportion as they vehemently maintain and rejoice in their
fictitious doctrines, so much the more should we be convinced that they
are under the influence of the wicked spirits of the Ogdoad,--just as those
persons who fall into a fit of frenzy, the more they laugh, and imagine
themselves to be well, and do all things as if they were in good health
[both of body and mind], yea, some things better than those who really are
so, are only thus shown to be the more seriously diseased. In like manner
do these men, the more they seem to excel others in wisdom, and waste their
strength by drawing the bow too tightly,(4) the greater fools do they show
themselves. For when the unclean spirit of folly has gone forth, and when
afterwards he finds them not waiting upon God, but occupied with mere worldly
questions, then, "taking seven other spirits more wicked than himself,"(5)
and inflating the minds of these men with the notion of their being able
to conceive of something beyond God, and having fitly prepared them for
the reception of deceit, he implants within them the Ogdoad of the foolish
spirits of wickedness.
CHAP. XVII.--THE THEORY OF THE MARCOSIANS, THAT CREATED THINGS WERE MADE
AFTER THE IMAGE OF THINGS INVISIBLE.
1. I wish also to explain to thee their theory as to the way in which the
creation itself was formed through the mother by the Demiurge (as it were
without his knowledge), after the image of things invisible. They maintain,
then, that first of all the four elements, fire, water, earth, and air,
were produced after the image of the primary Tetrad above, and that then,
we add their operations, viz., heat, cold, dryness, and humidity, an exact
likeness of the Ogdoad is presented. They next reckon up ten powers in the
following manner:--There are seven globular bodies, which they also call
heavens; then that globular body which contains these, which also they name
the eighth heaven; and, in addition to these, the sun and moon. These, being
ten in number, they declare to be types of the invisible Decad, which proceeded
from Logos and Zoe. As to the Duodecad, it is indicated by the zodiacal
circle, as it is called; for they affirm that the twelve signs do most manifestly
shadow forth the Duodecad, the daughter of Anthropos and Ecclesia. And since
the highest heaven, beating upon the very sphere [of the seventh heaven],
has been linked with the most rapid precession of the whole system, as a
check, and balancing that system with its own gravity, so that it completes
the cycle from sign to sign in thirty years,--they say that this is an image
of Horus, encircling their thirty-named mother.(6) And then, again, as the
moon travels through her allotted space of heaven in thirty days, they hold,
that by these days she expresses the number of the thirty AEons. The sun
also, who runs through his orbit in twelve months, and then returns to the
same point in the circle, makes the Duodecad manifest by these twelve months;
and the days, as being measured by twelve hours, are a type of the invisible
Duodecad. Moreover, they declare that the hour, which is the twelfth part
of the day, is composed(7) of thirty parts, in order to set forth the image
of the Triacontad. Also the circumference of the zodiacal circle itself
contains three hundred and sixty degrees (for each of its signs comprises
thirty); and thus also they affirm, that by means of this circle an image
is preserved of that connection which exists between the twelve and the
thirty. Still further, asserting that the earth is divided into twelve zones,
and that in each zone it receives power from the heavens, according to the
perpendicular [position of the sun above it], bringing forth productions
corresponding to that power which sends down its influence upon it, they
maintain that this is a most evident type of the Duodecad and its offspring.
2. In addition to these things, they declare that the Demiurge, desiring
to imitate the infinitude, and eternity, and immensity, and freedom from
all measurement by time of the Ogdoad above, but, as he was the fruit of
defect, being unable to express its permanence and eternity, had recourse
to the expedient of spreading out its eternity into times, and seasons,
and vast numbers of years, imagining, that by the multitude of such times
he might imitate its immensity. They declare further, that the truth having
escaped him, he followed that which was false, and that, for this reason,
when the times are fulfilled, his work shah perish.
CHAP. XVIII.--PASSAGES FROM MOSES, WHICH THE HERETICS PERVERT TO THE SUPPORT
OF THEIR HYPOTHESIS.
1. And while they affirm such things as these concerning the creation, every
one of them generates something new, day by day, according to his ability;
for no one is deemed "perfect," who does not develop among them
some mighty fictions. It is thus necessary, first, to indicate what things
they metamorphose [to their own use] out of the prophetical writings, and
next, to refute them. Moses, then, they declare, by his mode of beginning
the account of the creation, has at the commencement pointed out the mother
of all things when he says, "In the beginning God created the heaven
and the earth;"(1) for, as they maintain, by naming these four,--God,
beginning, heaven, and earth,--he set forth their Tetrad. Indicating also
its invisible and hidden nature, he said, "Now the earth was invisible
and unformed."(2) They will have it, moreover, that he spoke of the
second Tetrad, the offspring of the first, in this way--by naming an abyss
and darkness, in which were also water, and the Spirit moving upon the water.
Then, proceeding to mention the Decad, he names light, day, night, the firmament,
the evening, the morning, dry land, sea, plants, and, in the tenth place,
trees. Thus, by means of these ten names, he indicated the ten AEons. The
power of the Duodecad, again, was shadowed forth by him thus:--He names
the sun, moon, stars, seasons, years, whales, fishes, reptiles, birds, quadrupeds,
wild beasts, and after all these, in the twelfth place, man. Thus they teach
that the Triacontad was spoken of through Moses by the Spirit. Moreover,
man also, being formed after the image of the power above, had in himself
that ability which flows from the one source. This ability was seated in
the region of the brain, from which four faculties proceed, after the image
of the Tetrad above, and these are called: the first, sight, the second,
hearing, the third, smell, and the fourth,(3) taste. And they say that the
Ogdoad is indicated by man in this way: that he possesses two ears, the
like number of eyes, also two nostrils, and a twofold taste, namely, of
bitter and sweet. Moreover, they teach that the whole man contains the entire
image of the Triacontad as follows: In his hands, by means of his fingers,
he bears the Decad; and in his whole body the Duodecad, inasmuch as his
body is divided into twelve members; for they portion that out, as the body
of Truth is divided by them--a point of which we have already spoken.(4)
But the Ogdoad, as being unspeakable and invisible, is understood as hidden
in the viscera.
2. Again, they assert that the sun, the great light-giver, was formed on
the fourth day, with a reference to the number of the Tetrad. So also, according
to them, the courts(5) of the tabernacle constructed by Moses, being composed
of fine linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, pointed to the same image.
Moreover, they maintain that the long robe of the priest failing over his
feet, as being adorned with four rows of precious stones,(6) indicates the
Tetrad; and if there are any other things in the Scriptures which can possibly
be dragged into the number four, they declare that these had their being
with a view to the Tetrad. The Ogdoad, again, was shown as follows:--They
affirm that man was formed on the eighth day, for sometimes they will have
him to have been made on the sixth day, and sometimes on the eighth, unless,
perchance, they mean that his earthly part was formed on the sixth day,
but his fleshly part on the eighth, for these two things are distinguished
by them. Some of them also hold that one man was formed after the image
and likeness of God, masculo-feminine, and that this was the spiritual man;
and that another man was formed out of the earth.
3. Further, they declare that the arrangement made with respect to the ark
in the Deluge, by means of which eight persons were saved,(7) most clearly
indicates the Ogdoad which brings salvation. David also shows forth the
same, as holding the eighth place in point of age among his brethren.(8)
Moreover, that circumcision which took place on the eighth day,(9) represented
the circumcision of the Ogdoad above. In a word, whatever they find in the
Scriptures capable of being referred to the number eight, they declare to
fulfil the mystery of the Ogdoad. With respect, again, to the Decad, they
maintain that it is indicated by those ten nations which God promised to
Abraham for a possession.(10) The arrangement also made by Sarah when, after
ten years, she gave(11) her handmaid Hagar to him, that by her he might
have a son, showed the same thing. Moreover, the servant of Abraham who
was sent to Rebekah, and presented her at the well with ten bracelets of
gold, and her brethren who detained her for ten days;, Jeroboam also, who
received the ten sceptresa (tribes), and the ten courts(3) of the tabernacle,
and the columns of ten cubits(4) [high], and the ten sons of Jacob who were
at first sent into Egypt to buy com,(5) and the ten apostles to whom the
Lord appeared after His resurrection,--Thomas(6) being absent,--represented,
according to them, the invisible Decad.
4. As to the Duodecad, in connection with which the mystery of the passion
of the defect occurred, from which passion they maintain that all things
visible were framed, they assert that is to be found strikingly and manifestly
everywhere [in Scripture]. For they declare that the twelve sons of Jacob,(7)
from whom also sprung twelve tribes,--the breastplate of the high priest,
which bore twelve precious stones and twelve little bells,(8)--the twelve
stones which were placed by Moses at the foot of the mountain,(9)--the same
number which was placed by Joshua in the river,(10) and again, on the other
side, the bearers of the ark of the covenant,(11)--those stones which were
set up by Elijah when the heifer was offered as a burnt-offering;(12) the
number, too, of the apostles; and, in fine, every event which embraces in
it the number twelve,--set forth their Duodecad. And then the union of all
these, which is called the Triacontad, they strenuously endeavour to demonstrate
by the ark of Noah, the height of which was thirty cubits;(13) by the case
of Samuel, who assigned Saul the chief place among thirty guests;(14) by
David, when for thirty days he concealed himself in the field;(15) by those
who entered along with him into the cave; also by the fact that the length
(height) of the holy tabernacle was thirty cubits;(16) and if they meet
with any other like numbers, they still apply these to their Triacontad.
CHAP. XIX.--PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE BY WHICH THEY ATTEMPT TO PROVE THAT THE
SUPREME FATHER WAS UNKNOWN BEFORE THE COMING OF CHRIST.
1. I judge it necessary to add to these details also what, by garbling passages
of Scripture, they try to persuade us concerning their Propator, who was
unknown to all before the coming of Christ. Their object in this is to show
that our Lord announced another Father than the Maker of this universe,
whom, as we said before, they impiously declare to have been the fruit of
a defect. For instance, when the prophet Isaiah says, "But Israel hath
not known Me, and My people have not understood Me,"(17)
they pervert his words to mean ignorance of the invisible Bythus. And that
which is spoken by Hosea, "There is no truth in them, nor the knowledge
of God,"(18) they strive to give the same reference. And, "There
is none that understandeth, or that seeketh after God: they have all gone
out of the way, they are together become unprofitable,"(19) they maintain
to be said concerning ignorance of Bythus. Also that which is spoken by
Moses, "No man shall see God and live,"(20) has, as they would
persuade us, the same reference.
2. For they falsely hold, that the Creator was seen by the prophets. But
this passage, "No man shall see God and live," they would interpret
as spoken of His greatness unseen and unknown by all; and indeed that these
words, "No man shall see God," are spoken concerning the invisible
Father, the Maker of the universe, is evident to us all; but that they are
not used concerning that Bythus whom they conjure into existence, but concerning
the Creator (and He is the invisible God), shall be shown as we proceed.
They maintain that Daniel also set forth the same thing when he begged of
the angels explanations of the parables, as being himself ignorant of them.
But the angel, hiding from him the great mystery of Bythus, said unto him,
"Go thy way quickly, Daniel, for these sayings are closed up until
those who have understanding do understand them, and those who are white
be made white."(21) Moreover, they vaunt themselves as being the white
and the men of good understanding.
CHAP.XX.--THE APOCRYPHAL AND SPURIOUS SCRIPTURES OF THE MARCOSIANS, WITH
PASSAGES OF THE GOSPELS WHICH THEY PERVERT.
1. Besides the above [misrepresentations], they adduce an unspeakable number
of apocryphal and spurious writings, which they themselves have forged,
to bewilder the minds of foolish men, and of such as are ignorant of the
Scriptures of truth. Among other things, they bring forward that false and
wicked story(22) which relates that our Lord, when He was a boy learning
His letters, on the teacher saying to Him, as is usual, "Pronounce
Alpha," replied [as He was bid], "Alpha." But when, again,
the teacher bade Him say, "Beta," the Lord replied, "Do thou
first tell me what Alpha is, and then I will tell thee what Beta is."
This they expound as meaning that He alone knew the Unknown, which He revealed
under its type Alpha.
2. Some passages, also, which occur in the Gospels, receive from them a
colouring of the same kind, such as the answer which He gave His mother
when He was twelve years of age: "Wist ye not that I must be about
My Father's business?"(1) Thus, they say, He announced to them the
Father of whom they were ignorant. On this account, also, He sent forth
the disciples to the twelve tribes, that they might proclaim to them the
unknown God. And to the person who said to Him, "Good Master,"(2)
He confessed that God who is truly good, saying, "Why callest thou
Me good: there is One who is good, the Father in the heavens;"(3) and
they assert that in this passage the AEons receive the name of heavens.
Moreover, by His not replying to those who said to Him, "By what power
doest Thou this?"(4) but by a question on His own side, put them to
utter confusion; by His thus not replying, according to their interpretation,
He showed the unutterable nature of the Father. Moreover, when He said,
"I have often desired to hear one of these words, and I had no one
who could utter it,"(5) they maintain, that by this expression "one"
He set forth the one true God whom they knew not. Further, when, as He drew
nigh to Jerusalem, He wept over it and said, "If thou hadst known,
even thou, in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace, but they
are hidden from thee,"(6) by this word "hidden" He showed
the abstruse nature of Bythus. And again, when He said, "Come unto
Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, and
learn of Me,"(7) He announced the Father of truth. For what they knew
not, these men say that He promised to teach them.
3. But they adduce the following passage as the highest testimony,(8) and,
as it were, the very crown of their system:--"I thank Thee, O Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise
and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes. Even so, my Father; for so
it seemed good in Thy sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My
Father; and no one knoweth the Father but the Son, or the Son but the Father,
and he to whom the Son will reveal Him."(9) In these words they affirm
that He clearly showed that the Father of truth, conjured into existence
by them, was known to no one before His advent. And they desire to construe
the passage as if teaching that the Maker and Framer [of the world] was
always known by all, while the Lord spoke these words concerning the Father
unknown to all, whom they now proclaim.
CHAP. XXI.--THE VIEWS OF REDEMPTION ENTERTAINED BY THESE HERETICS.
1. It happens that their tradition respecting redemption(10) is invisible
and incomprehensible, as being the mother of things which are incomprehensible
and invisible; and on this account, since it is fluctuating, it is impossible
simply and all at once to make known its nature, for every one of them hands
it down just as his own inclination prompts. Thus there are as many schemes
of "redemption" as there are teachers of these mystical opinions.
And when we come to refute them, we shall show in its fitting-place, that
this class of men have been instigated by Satan to a denial of that baptism
which is regeneration to God, and thus to a renunciation of the whole [Christian]
faith.
2. They maintain that those who have attained to perfect knowledge must
of necessity be regenerated into that power which is above all. For it is
otherwise impossible to find admittance within the Pleroma, since this [regeneration]
it is which leads them down into the depths of Bythus. For the baptism instituted
by the visible Jesus was for the remission of sins, but the redemption brought
in by that Christ who descended upon Him, was for perfection; and they allege
that the former is animal, but the latter spiritual. And the baptism of
John was proclaimed with a view to repentance, but the redemption by Jesus(11)
was brought in for the sake of perfection. And to this He refers when He
says, "And I have another baptism to be baptized with, and I hasten
eagerly towards it."(12) Moreover, they affirm that the Lord added
this redemption to the sons of Zebedee, when their mother asked that they
might sit, the one on His right hand, and the other on His left, in His
kingdom, saying, "Can ye be baptized with the baptism which I shall
be baptized with?"(13) Paul, too, they declare, has often set forth,
in express terms, the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; and this was
the same which is handed down by them in so varied and discordant forms.
3. For some of them prepare a nuptial couch, and perform a sort of mystic
rite (pronouncing certain expressions) with those who are being initiated,
and affirm that it is a spiritual marriage which is celebrated by them,
after the likeness of the conjunctions above. Others, again, lead them to
a place where water is, and baptize them, with the utterance of these words,
"Into the name of the unknown Father of the universe--into truth, the
mother of all things--into Him who descended on Jesus--into union, and redemption,
and communion with the powers." Others still repeat certain Hebrew
words, in order the more thoroughly to bewilder those who are being initiated,
as follows: "Basema, Chamosse, Baoenaora, Mistadia, Ruada, Kousta,
Babaphor, Kalachthei."(1) The interpretation of these terms runs thus:
"I invoke that which is above every power of the Father, which is called
light, and good Spirit, and life, because Thou hast reigned in the body."
Others, again, set forth the redemption thus: The name which is hidden from
every deity, and dominion, and truth which Jesus of Nazareth was clothed
with in the lives(2) of the light of Christ--of Christ, who lives by the
Holy Ghost, for the angelic redemption. The name of restitution stands thus:
Messia, Uphareg, Namempsoeman, Chaldoeaur, Mosomedoea, Acphranoe, Psaua,
Jesus Nazaria.(3) The interpretation of these words is as follows: "I
do not divide the Spirit of Christ, neither the heart nor the supercelestial
power which is merciful; may I enjoy Thy name, O Saviour of truth!"
Such are words of the initiators; but he who is initiated, replies, "I
am established, and I am redeemed; I redeem my soul from this age (world),
and from all things connected with it in the name of Iao, who redeemed his
own soul into redemption in Christ who liveth." Then the bystanders
add these words, "Peace be to all on whom this name rests." After
this they anoint the initiated person with balsam; for they assert that
this unguent is a type of that sweet odour which is above all things.
4. But there are some of them who assert that it is superfluous to bring
persons to the water, but mixing oil and water together, they place this
mixture on the heads of those who are to be initiated, with the use of some
such expressions as we have already mentioned. And this they maintain to
be the redemption. They, too, are accustomed to anoint with balsam. Others,
however, reject all these practices, and maintain that the mystery of the
unspeakable and invisible power ought not to be performed by visible and
corruptible creatures, nor should that of those [beings] who are inconceivable,
and incorporeal, and beyond the reach of sense, [be performed] by such as
are the objects of sense, and possessed of a body. These hold that the knowledge
of the unspeakable Greatness is itself perfect redemption. For since both
defect and passion flowed from ignorance, the whole substance of what was
thus formed is destroyed by knowledge; and therefore knowledge is the redemption
of the inner man. This, however, is not of a corporeal nature, for the body
is corruptible; nor is it animal, since the animal soul is the fruit of
a defect, and is, as it were, the abode of the spirit. The redemption must
therefore be of a spiritual nature; for they affirm that the inner and spiritual
man is redeemed by means of knowledge, and that they, having acquired the
knowledge of all things, stand thenceforth in need of nothing else. This,
then, is the true redemption.
5. Others still there are who continue to redeem persons even up to the
moment of death, by placing on their heads oil and water, or the pre-mentioned
ointment with water, using at the same time the above-named invocations,
that the persons referred to may become incapable of being seized or seen
by the principalities and powers, and that their inner man may ascend on
high in an invisible manner, as if their body were left among created things
in this world, while their soul is sent forward to the Demiurge. And they
instruct them, on their reaching the principalities and powers, to make
use of these words: "I am a son from the Father--the Father who had
a pre-existence, and a son in Him who is pre-existent. I have come to behold
all things, both those which belong to myself and others, although, strictly
speaking, they do not belong to others, but to Achamoth, who is female in
nature, and made these things for herself. For I derive being from Him who
is pre-existent, and I come again to my own place whence I went forth."
And they affirm that, by saying these things, he escapes from the powers.
He then advances to the companions of the Demiurge, and thus addresses them:--"I
am a vessel more precious than the female who formed you. If your mother
is ignorant of her own descent, I know myself, and am aware whence I am,
and I call upon the incorruptible Sophia, who is in the Father, and is the
mother of your mother, who has no father, nor any male consort; but a female
springing from a female formed you, while ignorant of her own mother, and
imagining that she alone existed; but I call upon her mother." And
they declare, that when the companions of the Demiurge hear these words,
they are greatly agitated, and upbraid their origin and the race of their
mother. But he goes into his own place, having thrown [off] his chain, that
is, his animal nature. These, then, are the particulars which have reached
us respecting "redemption."(1) But since they differ so widely
among themselves both as respects doctrine and tradition, and since those
of them who are recognised as being most modern make it their effort daily
to invent some new opinion, and to bring out what no one ever before thought
of, it is a difficult matter to describe all their opinions.
CHAP. XXII.--DEVIATIONS OF HERETICS FROM THE
TRUTH.
1. The rule(2) of truth which we hold, is, that there is one God Almighty,
who made all things by His Word, and fashioned and formed, out of that which
had no existence, all things which exist. Thus saith the Scripture, to that
effect "By the Word of the Lord were the heavens established, and all
the might of them, by the spirit of His mouth."(3) And again, "All
things were made by Him, and without Him was nothing made."(4) There
is no exception or deduction stated; but the Father made all things by Him,
whether visible or invisible, objects of sense or of intelligence, temporal,
on account of a certain character given them, or eternal; and these eternal(5)
things He did not make by angels, or by any powers separated from His Ennoea.
For God needs none of all these things, but is He who, by His Word and Spirit,
makes, and disposes, and governs all things, and commands all things into
existence,--He who formed the world (for the world is of all),--He who fashioned
man,--He [who](6) is the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob, above whom there is no other God, nor initial principle, nor power,
nor pleroma,--He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we shall prove.
Holding, therefore, this rule, we shall easily show, notwithstanding the
great variety and multitude of their opinions, that these men have deviated
from the truth; for almost all the different sects of heretics admit that
there is one God; but then, by their pernicious doctrines, they change [this
truth into error], even as the Gentiles do through idolatry,--thus proving
themselves ungrateful to Him that created them. Moreover, they despise the
workmanship of God, speaking against their own salvation, becoming their
own bitterest accusers, and being false witnesses [against themselves].
Yet, reluctant as they may be, these men shall one day rise again in the
flesh, to confess the power of Him who raises them from the dead; but they
shall not be numbered among the righteous on account of their unbelief.
2. Since, therefore, it is a complex and multiform task to detect and convict
all the heretics, and since our design is to reply to them all according
to their special characters, we have judged it necessary, first of all,
to give an account of their source and root, in order that, by getting a
knowledge of their most exalted Bythus, thou mayest understand the nature
of the tree which has produced such fruits.
CHAP. XXIII.--DOCTRINES AND PRACTICES OF SIMON
MAGUS AND MENANDER.
1. Simon the Samaritan was that magician of whom Luke, the disciple and
follower of the apostles, says, "But there was a certain man, Simon
by name, who beforetime used magical arts in that city, and led astray the
people of Samaria, declaring that he himself was some great one, to whom
they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This is the
power of God, which is called great. And to him they had regard, because
that of long time he had driven them mad by his sorceries."(7) This
Simon, then--who feigned faith, supposing that the apostles themselves performed
their cures by the art of magic, and not by the power of God; and with respect
to their filling with the Holy Ghost, through the imposition of hands, those
that believed in God through Him who was preached by them, namely, Christ
Jesus--suspecting that even this was done through a kind of greater knowledge
of magic, and offering money to the apostles, thought he, too, might receive
this power of bestowing the Holy Spirit on whomsoever he would,--was addressed
in these words by Peter: "Thy money perish with thee, because thou
hast thought that the gift of God can be purchased with money: thou hast
neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not fight in the sight
of God; for I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the
bond of iniquity."(8) He, then, not putting faith in God a whit the
more, set himself eagerly to contend against the apostles, in order that
he himself might seem to be a wonderful being, and applied himself with
still greater zeal to the study of the whole magic art, that he might the
better bewilder and overpower multitudes of men. Such was his procedure
in the reign of Claudius Caesar, by whom also he is said to have been honoured
with a statue, on account of his magical power.(1) This man, then, was glorified
by many as if he were a god; and he taught that it was himself who appeared
among the Jews as the Son, but descended in Samaria as the Father while
he came to other nations in the character of the Holy Spirit. He represented
himself, in a word, as being the loftiest of all powers, that is, the Being
who is the Father over all, and he allowed himself to be called by whatsoever
title men were pleased to address him.
2. Now this Simon of Samaria, from whom all sorts of heresies derive their
origin, formed his sect out of the following materials:--Having redeemed
from slavery at Tyre, a city of Phoenicia, a certain woman named Helena,
he was in the habit of carrying her about with him, declaring that this
woman was the first conception of his mind, the mother of all, by whom,
in the beginning, he conceived in his mind [the thought] of forming angels
and archangels. For this Ennoea leaping forth from him, and comprehending
the will of her father, descended to the lower regions [of space], and generated
angels and powers, by whom also he declared this word was formed. But after
she had produced them, she was detained by them through motives of jealousy,
because they were unwilling to be looked upon as the progeny of any other
being. As to himself, they had no knowledge of him whatever; but his Ennoea
was detained by those powers and angels who had been produced by her. She
suffered all kinds of contumely from them, so that she could not return
upwards to her father, but was even shut up in a human body, and for ages
passed in succession from one female body to another, as from vessel to
vessel. She was, for example, in that Helen on whose account the Trojan
war was undertaken; for whose sake also Stesichorus(2) was struck blind,
because he had cursed her in his verses, but afterwards, repenting and writing
what are called palinodes, in which he sang her praise, he was restored
to sight. Thus she, passing from body to body, and suffering insults in
every one of them, at last became a common prostitute; and she it was that
was meant by the lost sheep.(3)
3. For this purpose, then, he had come that he might win her first, and
free her from slavery, while he conferred salvation upon men, by making
himself known to them. For since the angels ruled the world ill because
each one of them coveted the principal power for himself, he had come to
amend matters, and had descended, transfigured and assimilated to powers
and principalities and angels, so that he might appear among men to be a
man, while yet he was not a man; and that thus he was thought to have suffered
in Judaea, when he had not suffered. Moreover, the prophets uttered their
predictions under the inspiration of those angels who formed the world;
for which reason those who place their trust in him and Helena no longer
regarded them, but, as being free, live as they please; for men are saved
through his grace, and not on account of their own righteous actions. For
such deeds are not righteous in the nature of things, but by mere accident,
just as those angels who made the world, have thought fit to constitute
them, seeking, by means of such precepts, to bring men into bondage. On
this account, he pledged himself that the world should be dissolved, and
that those who are his should be freed from the rule of them who made the
world.
4. Thus, then, the mystic priests belonging to this sect both lead profligate
lives and practise magical arts, each one to the extent of his ability.
They use exorcisms and incantations. Love-potions, too, and charms, as well
as those beings who are called "Paredri" (familiars) and "Oniropompi"
(dream- senders), and whatever other curious arts can be had recourse to,
are eagerly pressed into their service. They also have an image of Simon
fashioned after the likeness of Jupiter, and another of Helena in the shape
of Minerva; and these they worship. In fine, they have a name derived from
Simon, the author of these most impious doctrines, being called Simonians;
and from them "knowledge, falsely so called,"(4) received its
beginning, as one may learn even from their own assertions.
5. The successor of this man was Menander, also a Samaritan by birth, and
he, too, was a perfect adept in the practice of magic. He affirms that the
primary Power continues unknown to all, but that he himself is the person
who has been sent forth from the presence of the invisible beings as a saviour,
for the deliverance of men. The world was made by angels, whom, like Simon,
he maintains to have been produced by Ennoea. He gives, too, as he affirms,
by means of that magic which he teaches, knowledge to this effect, that
one may overcome those very angels that made the world; for his disciples
obtain the resurrection by being baptized into him, and can die no more,
but remain in the possession of immortal youth.
CHAP. XXIV. -- DOCTRINES OF SATURNINUS AND
BASILIDES.
1. Arising among these men, Saturninus (who was of that Antioch which is
near Daphne) and Basilides laid hold of some favourable opportunities, and
promulgated different systems of doctrine--the one in Syria, the other at
Alexandria. Saturninus, like Menander, set forth one father unknown to all,
who made angels, archangels, powers, and potentates. The world, again, and
all things therein, were made by a certain company of seven angels. Man,
too, was the workmanship of angels, a shining image bursting forth below
from the presence of the supreme power; and when they could not, he says,
keep hold of this, because it immediately darted upwards again, they exhorted
each other, saying, "Let us make man after our image and likeness."(1)
He was accordingly formed, yet was unable to stand erect, through the inability
of the angels to convey to him that power, but wriggled [on the ground]
like a worm. Then the power above taking pity upon him, since he was made
after his likeness, sent forth a spark of life, which gave man an erect
posture, compacted his joints, and made him live. He declares, therefore,
that this spark of life, after the death of a man, returns to those things
which are of the same nature with itself, and the rest of the body is decomposed
into its original elements.
2. He has also laid it down as a truth, that the SAviour was without birth,
without body, and without figure, but was, by supposition, a visible man;
and he maintained that the God of the Jews was one of the angels; and, on
this account, because all the powers wished to annihilate his father, Christ
came to destroy the God of the Jews, but to save such as believe in him;
that is, those who possess the spark of his life. This heretic was the first
to affirm that two kinds of men were formed by the angels,--the one wicked,
and the other good. And since the demons assist the most wicked, the Saviour
came for the destruction of evil men and of the demons, but for the salvation
of the good. They declare also, that marriage and generation are from Satan.(2)
Many of those, too, who belong to his school, abstain from animal food,
and draw away multitudes by a reigned temperance of this kind. They hold,
moreover, that some of the prophecies were uttered by those angels who made
the world, and some by Satan; whom Saturninus represents as being himself
an angel, the enemy of the creators of the world, but especially of the
God of the Jews.
3. Basilides again, that he may appear to have discovered something more
sublime and plausible, gives an immense development to his doctrines. He
sets forth that Nous was first born of the unborn father, that from him,
again, was born Logos, from Logos Phronesis, from Phronesis Sophia and Dynamis,
and from Dynamis and Sophia the powers, and principalities, and angels,
whom he also calls the first; and that by them the first heaven was made.
Then other powers, being formed by emanation from these, crated another
heaven similar to the first; and in like manner, when others, again, had
been formed by emanation from them, corresponding exactly to those above
them, these, too, framed another third heaven; and then from this third,
in downward order, there was a fourth succession of descendants; and so
on, after the same fashion, they declare that more and more principalities
and angels were formed, and three hundred and sixty-five heavens.(3) Wherefore
the year contains the same number of days in conformity with the number
of the heavens.
4. Those angels who occupy the lowest heaven, that, namely, which is visible
to us, formed all the things which are in the world, and made allotments
among themselves of the earth and of those nations which are upon it. The
chief of them is he who is thought to be the God of the Jews; and inasmuch
as he desired to render the other nations subject to his own people, that
is, the Jews, all the other princes resisted and opposed him. Wherefore
all other nations were at enmity with his nation. But the father without
birth and without name, perceiving that they would be destroyed, sent his
own first-begotten Nous (he it is who is called Christ) to bestow deliverance
on them that believe in him, from the power of those who made the world.
He appeared, then, on earth as a man, to the nations of these powers, and
wrought miracles. Wherefore he did not himself suffer death, but Simon,
a certain man of Cyrene, being compelled, bore the cross in his stead; so
that this latter being transfigured by him, that he might be thought to
be Jesus, was crucified, through ignorance and error, while Jesus himself
received the form of Simon, and, standing by, laughed at them. For since
he was an incorporeal power, and the Nous (mind) of the unborn father, he
transfigured himself as he pleased, and thus ascended to him who had sent
him, deriding them, inasmuch as he could not be laid hold of, and was invisible
to all. Those, then, who know these things have been freed from the principalities
who formed the world; so that it is not incumbent on us to confess him who
was crucified, but him who came in the form of a man, and was thought to
be crucified, and was called Jesus, and was sent by the father, that by
this dispensation he might destroy the works of the makers of the world.
If any one, therefore, he declares, confesses the crucified, that man is
still a slave, and under the power of those who formed our bodies; but he
who denies him has been freed from these beings, and is acquainted with
the dispensation of the unborn father.
5. Salvation belongs to the soul alone, for the body is by nature subject
to corruption. He declares, too, that the prophecies were derived from those
powers who were the makers of the world, but the law was specially given
by their chief, who led the people out of the land of Egypt. He attaches
no importance to [the question regarding] meats offered in sacrifice to
idols, thinks them of no consequence, and makes use of them without any
hesitation; he holds also the use of other things, and the practice of every
kind of lust, a matter of perfect indifference. These men, moreover, practise
magic; and use images, incantations, invocations, and every other kind of
curious art. Coining also certain names as if they were those of the angels,
they proclaim some of these as belonging to the first, and others to the
second heaven; and then they strive to set forth the names, principles,
angels, and powers of the three hundred and sixty-five imagined heavens.
They also affirm that the barbarous name in which the Saviour ascended and
descended, is Caulacau.(1)
6. He, then, who has learned [these things], and known all the angels and
their causes, is rendered invisible and incomprehensible to the angels and
all the powers, even as Caulacau also was. And as the son was unknown to
all, so must they also be known by no one; but while they know all, and
pass through all, they themselves remain invisible and unknown to all; for,
"Do thou," they say, "know all, but let nobody know thee."
For this reason, persons of such a persuasion are also ready to recant [their
opinions], yea, rather, it is impossible that they should suffer on account
of a mere name, since they are like to all. The multitude, however, cannot
understand these matters, but only one out of a thousand, or two out of
ten thousand. They declare that they are no longer Jews, and that they are
not yet Christians; and that it is not at all fitting to speak openly of
their mysteries, but right to keep them secret by preserving silence.
7. They make out the local position of the three hundred and sixty-five
heavens in the same way as do mathematicians. For, accepting the theorems
of these latter, they have transferred them to their own type of doctrine.
They hold that their chief is Abraxas;(2) and, on this account, that word
contains in itself the numbers amounting to three hundred and sixty-five.
CHAP. XXV.--DOCTRINES OF CARPOCRATES.
1. Carpocrates, again, and his followers maintain that the world and the
things which are therein were created by angels greatly inferior to the
unbegotten Father. They also hold that Jesus was the son of Joseph, and
was just like other men, with the exception that he differed from them in
this respect, that inasmuch as his soul was stedfast and pure, he perfectly
remembered those things which he had witnessed(3) within the sphere of the
unbegotten God. On this account, a power descended upon him from the Father,
that by means of it he might escape from the creators of the world; and
they say that it, after passing through them all, and remaining in all points
free, ascended again to him, and to the powers,(4) which in the same way
embraced like things to itself. They further declare, that the soul of Jesus,
although educated in the practices of the Jews, regarded these with contempt,
and that for this reason he was endowed with faculties, by means of which
he destroyed those passions which dwelt in men as a punishment [for their
sins].
2. The soul, therefore, which is like that of Christ can despise those rulers
who were the creators of the world, and, in like manner, receives power
for accomplishing the same results. This idea has raised them to such a
pitch of pride, that some of them declare themselves similar to Jesus; while
others, still more mighty, maintain that they are superior to his disciples,
such as Peter and Paul, and the rest of the apostles, whom they consider
to be in no respect inferior to Jesus. For their souls, descending from
the same sphere as his, and therefore despising in like manner the creators
of the world, are deemed worthy of the same power, and again depart to the
same place. But if any one shall have despised the things in this world
more than he did, he thus proves himself superior to him.
3. They practise also magical arts and incantations; philters, also, and
love-potions; and have recourse to familiar spirits, dream-sending demons,
and other abominations, declaring that they possess power to rule over,
even now, the princes and formers of this world; and not only them, but
also all things that are in it. These men, even as the Gentiles, have been
sent forth by Satan(5) to bring dishonour upon the Church, so that, in one
way or another, men hearing the things which they speak, and imagining that
we all are such as they, may turn away their ears from the preaching of
the truth; or, again, seeing the things they practise, may speak evil of
us all, who have in fact no fellowship with them, either in doctrine or
in morals, or in our daily conduct. But they lead a licentious life,(1)
and, to conceal their impious doctrines, they abuse the name [of Christ],
as a means of hiding their wickedness; so that "their condemnation
is just,"(2) when they receive from God a recompense suited to their
works.
4. So unbridled is their madness, that they declare they have in their power
all things which are irreligious and impious, and are at liberty to practise
them; for they maintain that things are evil or good, simply in virtue of
human opinion.(3) They deem it necessary, therefore, that by means of transmigration
from body to body, souls should have experience of every kind of life as
well as every kind of action (unless, indeed, by a single incarnation, one
may be able to prevent any need for others, by once for all, and with equal
completeness, doing all those things which we dare not either speak or hear
of, nay, which we must not even conceive in our thoughts, nor think credible,
if any such thing is mooted among those persons who are our fellow-citizens),
in order that, as their writings express it, their souls, having made trial
of every kind of life, may, at their departure, not be wanting in any particular.
It is necessary(4) to insist upon this, lest, on account of some one thing
being still wanting to their deliverance, they should be compelled once
more to become incarnate. They affirm that for this reason Jesus spoke the
following parable:--"Whilst thou art with thine adversary in the way,
give all diligence, that thou mayest be delivered from him, lest he give
thee up to the judge, and the judge surrender thee to the officer, and he
cast thee into prison. Verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt not go out thence
until thou pay the very last farthing."(5) They also declare the "adversary"
is one of those angels who are in the world, whom they call the Devil, maintaining
that he was formed for this purpose, that he might lead those souls which
have perished from the world to the Supreme Ruler. They describe him also
as being chief among the makers of the world, and maintain that he delivers
such souls [as have been mentioned] to another angel, who ministers to him,
that he may shut them up in other bodies; for they declare that the body
is "the prison." Again, they interpret these expressions, "Thou
shalt not go out thence until thou pay the very last farthing," as
meaning that no one can escape from the power of those angels who made the
world, but that he must pass from body to body, until he has experience
of every kind of action which can be practised in this world, and when nothing
is longer wanting to him, then his liberated soul should soar upwards to
that God who is above the angels, the makers of the world. In this way also
all souls are saved, whether their own which, guarding against all delay,
participate in all sorts of actions during one incarnation, or those, again,
who, by passing from body to body, are set free, on fulfilling and accomplishing
what is requisite in every form of life into which they are sent, so that
at length they shall no longer be [shut in the body.
5. And thus, if ungodly, unlawful, and forbidden actions are committed among
them, I can no longer find ground for believing them to be such.(6) And
in their writings we read as follows, the interpretation which they give
[of their views], declaring that Jesus spoke in a mystery to His disciples
and apostles privately, and that they requested and obtained permission
to hand down the things thus taught them, to others who should be worthy
and believing. We are saved, indeed, by means of faith and love; but all
other things, while in their nature indifferent, are reckoned by the opinion
of men-- some good and some evil, there being nothing really evil by nature.
6. Others of them employ outward marks, branding their disciples inside
the lobe of the right ear. From among these also arose Marcellina, who came
to Rome under [the episcopate of] Anicetus, and, holding these doctrines,
she led multitudes astray. They style themselves Gnostics. They also possess
images, some of them painted, and others formed from different kinds of
material; while they maintain that a likeness of Christ was made by Pilate
at that time when Jesus lived among them.(7) They crown these images, and
set them up along with the images of the philosophers of the world that
is to say, with the images of Pythagoras, and Plato, and Aristotle, and
the rest. They have also other modes of honouring these images, after the
same manner of the Gentiles.
CHAP. XXVI.--DOCTRINES OF CERINTHUS, THE EBIONITES, AND NICOLAITANES.
1. Cerinthus, again, a man who was educated(8) in the wisdom of the Egyptians,
taught that the world was not made by the primary God, but by a certain
Power far separated from him, and at a distance from that Principality who
is supreme over the universe, and ignorant of him who is above all. He represented
Jesus as having not been born of a virgin, but as being the son of Joseph
and Mary according to the ordinary course of human generation, while he
nevertheless was more righteous, prudent, and wise than other men. Moreover,
after his baptism, Christ descended upon him in the form of a dove from
the Supreme Ruler, and that then he proclaimed the unknown Father, and performed
miracles. But at last Christ departed from Jesus, and that then Jesus suffered
and rose again, while Christ remained impassible, inasmuch as he was a spiritual
being.
2. Those who are called Ebionites agree that the world was made by God;
but their opinions with respect to the Lord are similar to those of Cerinthus
and Carpocrates. They use the Gospel according to Matthew only, and repudiate
the Apostle Paul, maintaining that he was an apostate from the law. As to
the prophetical writings, they endeavour to expound them in a somewhat singular
manner: they practise circumcision, persevere in the observance of those
customs which are enjoined by the law, and are so Judaic in their style
of life, that they even adore Jerusalem as if it were the house of God.
3. The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the
seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles.(1) They lead lives
of unrestrained indulgence. The character of these men is very plainly pointed
out in the Apocalypse of John, [when they are represented] as teaching that
it is a matter of indifference to practise adultery, and to eat things sacrificed
to idols. Wherefore the Word has also spoken of them thus: "But this
thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also
hate."(2)
CHAP. XXVII.--DOCTRINES OF CERDO AND MARCION.
1. Cerdo was one who took his system from the followers of Simon, and came
to live at Rome in the time of Hyginus, who held the ninth place in the
episcopal succession from the apostles downwards. He taught that the God
proclaimed by the law and the prophets was not the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ. For the former was known, but the latter unknown; while the one
also was righteous, but the other benevolent.
2. Marcion of Pontus succeeded him, and developed his doctrine. In so doing,
he advanced the most daring blasphemy against Him who is proclaimed as God
by the law and the prophets, declaring Him to be the author of evils, to
take delight in war, to be infirm of purpose, and even to be contrary to
Himself. But Jesus being derived from that father who is above the God that
made the world, and coming into Judaea in the times of Pontius Pilate the
governor, who was the procurator of Tiberius Caesar, was manifested in the
form of a man to those who were in Judaea, abolishing the prophets and the
law, and all the works of that God who made the world, whom also he calls
Cosmocrator. Besides this, he mutilates the Gospel which is according to
Luke, removing all that is written respecting the generation of the Lord,
and setting aside a great deal of the teaching of the Lord, in which the
Lord is recorded as most dearly confessing that the Maker of this universe
is His Father. He likewise persuaded his disciples that he himself was more
worthy of credit than are those apostles who have handed down the Gospel
to us, furnishing them not with the Gospel, but merely a fragment of it.
In like manner, too, he dismembered the Epistles of Paul, removing all that
is said by the apostle respecting that God who made the world, to the effect
that He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and also those passages
from the prophetical writings which the apostle quotes, in order to teach
us that they announced beforehand the coming of the Lord.
3. Salvation will be the attainment only of those souls which had learned
his doctrine; while the body, as having been taken from the earth, is incapable
of sharing in salvation. In addition to his blasphemy against God Himself,
he advanced this also, truly speaking as with the mouth of the devil, and
saying all things in direct opposition to the truth,--that Cain, and those
like him, and the Sodomites, and the Egyptians, and others like them, and,
in fine, all the nations who walked in all sorts of abomination, were saved
by the Lord, on His descending into Hades, and on their running unto Him,
and that they welcomed Him into their kingdom. But the serpent(3) which
was in Marcion declared that Abel, and Enoch, and Noah, and those other
righteous men who sprang(4) from the patriarch Abraham, with all the prophets,
and those who were pleasing to God, did not partake in salvation. For since
these men, he says, knew that their God was constantly tempting them, so
now they suspected that He was tempting them, and did not run to Jesus,
or believe His announcement: and for this reason he declared that their
souls remained in Hades.
4. But since this man is the only one who has dared openly to mutilate the
Scriptures, and unblushingly above all others to inveigh against God, I
purpose specially to refute him, convicting him out of his own writings;
and, with the help of God, I shall overthrow him out of those(1) discourses
of the Lord and the apostles, which are of authority with him, and of which
he makes use. At present, however, I have simply been led to mention him,
that thou mightest know that all those who in any way corrupt the truth,
and injuriously affect the preaching of the Church, are the disciples and
successors of Simon Magus of Samaria. Although they do not confess the name
of their master, in order all the more to seduce others, yet they do teach
his doctrines. They set forth, indeed, the name of Christ Jesus as a sort
of lure, but in various ways they introduce the impieties of Simon; and
thus they destroy multitudes, wickedly disseminating their own doctrines
by the use of a good name, and, through means of its sweetness and beauty,
extending to their hearers the bitter and malignant poison of the serpent,
the great author of apostasy?
CHAP. XXVIII.--DOCTRINES OF TATIAN, THE ENCRATITES, AND OTHERS.
1. Many offshoots of numerous heresies have already been formed from those
heretics we have described. This arises from the fact that numbers of them--indeed,
we may say all--desire themselves to be teachers, and to break off from
the particular heresy in which they have been involved. Forming one set
of doctrines out of a totally different system of opinions, and then again
others from others, they insist upon teaching something new, declaring themselves
the inventors of any sort of opinion which they may have been able to call
into existence. To give an example: Springing from Saturninus and Marcion,
those who are called Encratites (self-controlled) preached against marriage,
thus setting aside the original creation of God, and indirectly blaming
Him who made the male and female for the propagation of the human race.
Some of those reckoned among them have also introduced abstinence from animal
food, thus proving themselves ungrateful to God, who formed all things.
They deny, too, the salvation of him who was first created. It is but lately,
however, that this opinion has been invented among them. A certain man named
Tatian first introduced the blasphemy. He was a hearer of Justin's, and
as long as he continued with him he expressed no such views; but after his
martyrdom he separated from the Church, and, excited and puffed up by the
thought of being a teacher, as if he were superior to others, he composed
his own peculiar type of doctrine. He invented a system of certain invisible
AEons, like the followers of Valentinus; while, like Marcion and Saturninus,
he declared that marriage was nothing else than corruption and fornication.(3)
But his denial of Adam's salvation was an opinion due entirely to himself.
2. Others, again, following upon Basilides and Carpocrates, have introduced
promiscuous intercourse and a plurality of wives, and are indifferent about
eating meats sacrificed to idols, maintaining that God does not greatly
regard such matters. But why continue? For it is an impracticable attempt
to mention all those who, in one way or another, have fallen away from the
truth.
CHAP. XXIX.--DOCTRINES OF VARIOUS OTHER GNOSTIC SECTS, AND ESPECIALLY OF
THE BARBELIOTES OR BORBORIANS.
1. Besides those, however, among these heretics who are Simonians, and of
whom we have already spoken, a multitude of Gnostics have sprung up, and
have been manifested like mushrooms growing out of the ground. I now proceed
to describe the principal opinions held by them. Some of them, then, set
forth a certain AEon who never grows old, and exists in a virgin spirit:
him they style Barbelos.(4) They declare that somewhere or other there exists
a certain father who cannot be named, and that he was desirous to reveal
himself to this Barbelos. Then this Ennoea went forward, stood before his
face, and demanded from him Prognosis (prescience). But when Prognosis had,
[as was requested,] come forth, these two asked for Aphtharsia (incorruption),
which also came forth, and after that Zoe Aionios (eternal life). Barbelos,
glorying in these, and contemplating their greatness, and in conception
s [thus formed], rejoicing in this greatness, generated light similar to
it. They declare that this was the beginning both of light and of the generation
of all things; and that the Father, beholding this light, anointed it with
his own benignity, that it might be rendered perfect. Moreover, they maintain
that this was Christ, who again, according to them, requested that Nous
should be given him as an assistant; and Nous came forth accordingly. Besides
these, the Father sent forth Logos. The conjunctions of Ennoea and Logos,
and of Aphtharsia and Christ, will thus be formed; while Zoe Aionios was
united to Thelema, and Nous to Prognosis. These, then, magnified the great
light and Barbelos.
2. They also affirm that Autogenes was afterwards sent forth from Ennoea
and Logos, to be a representation of the great light, and that he was greatly
honoured, all things being rendered subject unto him. Along with him was
sent forth Aletheia, and a conjunction was formed between Autogenes and
Aletheia. But they declare that from the Light, which is Christ, and from
Aphtharsia, four luminaries were sent forth to surround Autogenes; and again
from Thelema and Zoe Aionios four other emissions took place, to wait upon
these four luminaries; and these they name Charis (grace), Thelesis (will),
Synesis (understanding), and Phronesis (prudence) Of these, Chaffs is connected
with the great and first luminary: him they represent as Sorer (Saviour),
and style Armogenes.(1) Thelesis, again, is united to the second luminary,
whom they also name Raguel; Synesis to the third, whom they call David;
and Phronesis to the fourth, whom they name Eleleth.
3. All these, then, being thus settled, Auto-genes moreover produces a perfect
and true man, whom they also call Adamas, inasmuch as neither has he himself
ever been conquered, nor have those from whom he sprang; he also was, along
with the first light, severed from Armogenes. Moreover, perfect knowledge
was sent forth by Autogenes along with man, and was united to him; hence
he attained to the knowledge of him that is above all. Invincible power
was also conferred on him by the virgin spirit; and all things then rested
in him, to sing praises to the great AEon. Hence also they declare were
manifested the mother, the father, the son; while from Anthropos and Gnosis
that Tree was produced which they also style Gnosis itself.
4. Next they maintain, that from the first angel, who stands by the side
of Monogenes, the Holy Spirit has been sent forth, whom they also term Sophia
and Prunicus.(2) He then, perceiving that all the others had consorts, while
he himself was destitute of one, searched after a being to whom he might
be united; and not finding one, he exerted and extended himself to the uttermost
and looked down into the lower regions, in the expectation of there finding
a consort; and still not meeting with one, he leaped forth [from his place]
in a state of great impatience, [which had come upon him] because he had
made his attempt without the good-will of his father. Afterwards, under
the influence of simplicity and kindness, he produced a work in which were
to be found ignorance and audacity. This work of his they declare to be
Protarchontes, the former of this [lower] creation. But they relate that
a mighty power carried him away from his mother, and that he settled far
away from her in the lower regions, and formed the firmament of heaven,
in which also they affirm that he dwells. And in his ignorance he formed
those powers which are inferior to himself--angels, and firmaments, and
all things earthly. They affirm that he, being united to Authadia (audacity),
produced Kakia (wickedness), Zelos (emulation), Phthonos (envy), Erinnys
(fury), and Epithymia (lust). When these were generated, the mother Sophia
deeply grieved, fled away, departed into the upper regions, and became the
last of the Ogdoad, reckoning it downwards. On her thus departing, he imagined
he was the only being in existence; and on this account declared, "I
am a jealous God, and besides me there is no one."(3) Such are the
falsehoods which these people invent.
CHAP. XXX.--DOCTRINES OF THE OPHITES AND
SETHIANS.
1. Others, again, portentously declare that there exists, in the power of
Bythus, a certain primary light, blessed, incorruptible, and infinite: this
is the Father of all, and is styled the first man. They also maintain that
his Ennoea, going forth from him, produced a son, and that this is the son
of man--the second man. Below these, again, is the Holy Spirit, and under
this superior spirit the elements were separated from each other, viz.,
water, darkness, the abyss, chaos, above which they declare the Spirit was
borne, calling him the first woman. Afterwards, they maintain, the first
man, with his son, delighting over the beauty of the Spirit--that is, of
the woman--and shedding light upon her, begat by her an incorruptible light,
the third male, whom they call Christ,--the son of the first and second
man, and of the Holy Spirit, the first woman.
2. The father and son thus both had intercourse with the woman (whom they
also call the mother of the living). When, however,(4) she could not bear
nor receive into herself the greatness of the lights, they declare that
she was filled to repletion, and became ebullient on the left side; and
that thus their only son Christ, as belonging to the right side, and ever
tending to what was higher, was immediately caught up with his mother to
form an incorruptible AEon. This constitutes the true and holy Church, which
has become the appellation, the meeting together, and the union of the father
of all, of the first man, of the son, of the second man, of Christ their
son, and of the woman who has been mentioned.
3. They teach, however, that the power which proceeded from the woman by
ebullition, being besprinkled with light, fell downward from the place occupied
by its progenitors, yet possessing by its own will that besprinkling of
light; and it they call Sinistra, Prunicus, and Sophia, as well as masculo-feminine.
This being, in its simplicity, descended into the waters while they were
yet in a state of immobility, and imparted motion to them also, wantonly
acting upon them even to their lowest depths, and assumed from them a body.
For they affirm that all things rushed towards and clung to that sprinkling
of light, and begin it all round. Unless it had possessed that, it would
perhaps have been totally absorbed in, and overwhelmed by, material substance.
Being therefore bound down by a body which was composed of matter, and greatly
burdened by it, this power regretted the course it had followed, and made
an attempt to escape from the waters and ascend to its mother: it could
not effect this, however, on account of the weight of the body lying over
and around it. But feeling very ill at ease, it endeavoured at least to
conceal that light which came from above, fearing lest it too might be injured
by the inferior elements, as had happened to itself. And when it had received
power from that besprinkling of light which it possessed, it sprang back
again, and was borne aloft; and being on high, it extended itself, covered
[a portion of space], and formed this visible heaven out of its body; yet
remained under the heaven which it made, as still possessing the form of
a watery body. But when it had conceived a desire for the light above, and
had received power by all things, it laid down this body, and was freed
from it. This body which they speak of that power as having thrown off,
they call a female from a female.
4. They declare, moreover, that her son had also himself a certain breath
of incorruption left him by his mother, and that through means of it he
works; and becoming powerful, he himself, as they affirm, also sent forth
from the waters a son without a mother; for they do not allow him either
to have known a mother. His son, again, after the example of his father,
sent forth another son. This third one, too, generated a fourth; the fourth
also generated a son: they maintain that again a son was generated by the
fifth; and the sixth, too, generated a seventh. Thus was the Hebdomad, according
to them, completed, the mother possessing the eighth place; and as in the
case of their generations, so also in regard to dignities and powers, they
precede each other in turn.
5. They have also given names to [the several persons] in their system of
falsehood, such as the following: he who was the first descendant of the
mother is called Ialdabaoth;(1) he, again, descended from him, is named
Iao; he, from this one, is called Sabaoth; the fourth is named Adoneus;
the fifth, Eloeus; the sixth, Oreus; and the seventh and last of all, Astanphaeus.
Moreover, they represent these heavens, potentates, powers, angels, and
creators, as sitting in their proper order in heaven, according to their
generation, and as invisibly ruling over things celestial and terrestrial.
The first of them, namely Ialdabaoth, holds his mother in contempt, inasmuch
as he produced sons and grandsons without the permission of any one, yea,
even angels, archangels, powers, potentates, and dominions. After these
things had been done, his sons turned to strive and quarrel with him about
the supreme power,--conduct which deeply grieved Ialdabaoth, and drove him
to despair. In these circumstances, he cast his eyes upon the subjacent
dregs of matter, and fixed his desire upon it, to which they declare his
son owes his origin. This son is Nous himself, twisted into the form of
a serpent;(2) and hence were derived the spirit, the soul, and all mundane
things: from this too were generated all oblivion, wickedness, emulation,
envy, and death. They declare that the father imparted(3) still greater
crookedness to this serpent-like and contorted Nous of theirs, when he was
with their father in heaven and Paradise.
6. On this account, Ialdabaoth, becoming uplifted in spirit, boasted himself
over all those things that were below him, and exclaimed, "I am father,
and God, and above me there is no one." But his mother, hearing him
speak thus, cried out against him, "Do not lie, Ialdabaoth: for the
father of all, the first Anthropos (man), is above thee; and so is Anthropos
the son of Anthropos." Then, as all were disturbed by this new voice,
and by the unexpected proclamation, and as they were inquiring whence the
noise proceeded, in order to lead them away and attract them to himself,
they affirm that Ialdabaoth exclaimed, "Come, let us make man after
our image."(4) The six powers, on hearing this, and their mother furnishing
them with the idea of a man (in order that by means of him she might empty
them of their original power), jointly formed a man of immense size, both
in regard to breadth and length. But as he could merely writhe along the
ground, they carried him to their father; Sophia so labouring in this matter,
that she might empty him (Ialdabaoth) of the light with which he had been
sprinkled, so that he might no longer, though still powerful, be able to
lift up himself against the powers above. They declare, then, that by breathing
into man the spirit of life, he was secretly emptied of his power; that
hence man became a possessor of nous (intelligence) and enthymesis (thought);
and they affirm that these are the faculties which partake in salvation.
He [they further assert] at once gave thanks to the first Anthropos (man),
forsaking those who had created him.
7. But Ialdabaoth, feeling envious at this, was pleased to form the design
of again emptying man by means of woman, and produced a woman from his own
enthymesis, whom that Prunicus [above mentioned] laying hold of, imperceptibly
emptied her of power. But the others coming and admiring her beauty, named
her Eve, and falling in love with her, begat sons by her, whom they also
declare to be the angels. But their mother (Sophia) cunningly devised a
scheme to seduce Eve and Adam, by means of the serpent, to transgress the
command of Ialdabaoth. Eve listened to this as if it had proceeded from
a son of God, and yielded an easy belief. She also persuaded Adam to eat
of the tree regarding which God had said that they should not eat of it.
They then declare that, on their thus eating, they attained to the knowledge
of that power which is above all, and departed from those who had created
them.(1) When Prunicus perceived that the powers were thus baffled by their
own creature, she greatly rejoiced, and again cried out, that since the
father was incorruptible, he (Ialdabaoth) who formerly called himself the
father was a liar; and that, while Anthropos and the first woman (the Spirit)
existed previously, this one (Eve) sinned by committing adultery.
8. Ialdabaoth, however, through that oblivion in which he was involved,
and not paying any regard to these things, cast Adam and Eve out of Paradise,
because they had transgressed his commandment. For he had a desire to beget
sons by Eve, but did not accomplish his wish, because his mother opposed
him in every point, and secretly emptied Adam and Eve of the light with
which they had been sprinkled, in order that that spirit which proceeded
from the supreme power might participate neither in the curse nor opprobrium
[caused by transgression]. They also teach that, thus being emptied of the
divine substance, they were cursed by him, and cast down from heaven to
this world.(2) But the serpent also, who was acting against the father,
was cast down by him into this lower world; he reduced, however, under his
power the angels here, and begat six sons, he himself forming the seventh
person, after the example of that Hebdomad which surrounds the father. They
further declare that these are the seven mundane demons, who always oppose
and resist the human race, because it was on their account that their father
was cast down to this lower world.
9. Adam and Eve previously had light, and clear, and as it were spiritual
bodies, such as they were at their creation; but when they came to this
world, these changed into bodies more opaque, and gross, and sluggish. Their
soul also was feeble and languid, inasmuch as they had received from their
creator a merely mundane inspiration. This continued until Prunicus, moved
with compassion towards them, restored to them the sweet savour of the besprinkling
of light, by means of which they came to a remembrance of themselves, and
knew that they were naked, as well as that the body was a material substance,
and thus recognised that they bore death about with them. They thereupon
became patient, knowing that only for a time they would be enveloped in
the body. They also found out food, through the guidance of Sophia; and
when they were satisfied, they had carnal knowledge of each other, and begat
Cain, whom the serpent, that had been cast down along with his sons, immediately
laid hold of and destroyed by filling him with mundane oblivion, and urging
into folly and audacity, so that, by slaying his brother Abel, he was the
first to bring to light envy and death. After these, they affirm that, by
the forethought of Prunicus, Seth was begotten, and then Norea,(3) from
whom they represent all the rest of mankind as being descended. They were
urged on to all kinds of wickedness by the inferior Hebdomad, and to apostasy,
idolatry, and a general contempt for everything by the superior holy Hebdomad,(4)
since the mother was always secretly opposed to them, and carefully preserved
what was peculiarly her own, that is, the besprinkling of light. They maintain,
moreover, that the holy Hebdomad is the seven stars which they call planets;
and they affirm that the serpent cast down has two names, Michael and Samael.
10. Ialdabaoth, again, being incensed with men, because they did not worship
or honour him as father and God, sent forth a deluge upon them, that he
might at once destroy them all. But Sophia opposed him in this point also,
and Noah and his family were saved in the ark by means of the besprinkling
of that light which proceeded from her, and through it the world was again
filled with mankind. Ialdabaoth himself chose a certain man named Abraham
from among these, and made a covenant with him, to the effect that, if his
seed continued to serve him, he would give to them the earth for an inheritance.
Afterwards, by means of Moses, he brought forth Abraham's descendants from
Egypt, and gave them the law, and made them the Jews. Among that people
he chose seven days,(1) which they also call the holy Hebdomad. Each of
these receives his own herald for the purpose of glorifying and proclaiming
God; so that, when the rest hear these praises, they too may serve those
who are announced as gods try the prophets.
11. Moreover, they distribute the prophets in the following manner: Moses,
and Joshua the son of Nun, and Amos, and Habakkuk, belonged to Ialdabaoth;
Samuel, and Nathan, and Jonah, and Micah, to Iao; Elijah, Joel, and Zechariah
to Sabaoth; Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Daniel, to Adohai; Tobias and
Haggai to Eloi; Michaiah and Nahum to Oreus; Esdras and Zephaniah to Astanphaeus.
Each one of these, then, glorifies his own father and God, and they maintain
that Sophia, herself has also spoken many things through them regarding
the first Anthropos (man),(2) and concerning that Christ who is above, thus
admonishing and reminding men of the incorruptible light, the first Anthropos,
and of the descent of Christ. The [other] powers being terrified by these
things, and marveiling at the novelty of those things which were announced
by the prophets, Prunicus brought it about by means of Ialdabaoth (who knew
not what he did), that emissions of two men took place, the one from the
barren Elizabeth, and the other from the Virgin Mary.
12. And since she herself had no rest either in heaven or on earth, she
invoked her mother to assist her in her distress. Upon this, her mother,
the first woman, was moved with compassion towards her daughter, on her
repentance, and begged from the first man that Christ should be sent to
her assistance, who, being sent forth, descended to his sister, and to the
besprinkling of light. When he recognised her (that is, the Sophia below),
her brother descended to her, and announced his advent through means of
John, and prepared the baptism of repentance, and adopted Jesus beforehand,
in order that on Christ descending he might find a pure vessel, and that
by the son of that Ialdabaoth the woman might be announced by Christ. They
further declare that he descended through the seven heavens, having assumed
the likeness of their sons, and gradually emptied them of their power. For
they maintain that the whole besprinkling of light rushed to him, and that
Christ, descending to this world, first clothed his sister Sophia [with
it], and that then both exulted in the mutual refreshment they felt in each
other's society: this scene they describe as relating to bridegroom and
bride. But Jesus, inasmuch as he was begotten of the Virgin through the
agency of God, was wiser, purer, and more righteous than all other men:
Christ united to Sophia descended into him, and thus Jesus Christ was produced.
13. They affirm that many of his disciples were not aware of the descent
of Christ into him; but that, when Christ did descend on Jesus, he then
began to work miracles, and heal, and announce the unknown Father, and openly
to confess himself the son of the first man. The powers and the father of
Jesus were angry at these proceedings, and laboured to destroy him; and
when he was being led away for this purpose, they say that Christ himself,
along with Sophia, departed from him into the state of an incorruptible
AEon, while Jesus was crucified. Christ, however, was not forgetful of his
Jesus, but sent down a certain energy into him from above, which raised
him up again in the body, which they call both animal and spiritual; for
he sent the mundane parts back again into the world. When his disciples
saw that he had risen, they did not recognise him--no, not even Jesus himself,
by whom he rose again from the dead. And they assert that this very great
error prevailed among his disciples, that they imagined he had risen in
a mundane body, not knowing that "flesh(3) and blood do not attain
to the kingdom of God."
14. They strove to establish the descent and ascent of Christ, by the fact
that neither before his baptism, nor after his resurrection from the dead,
do his disciples state that he did any mighty works, not being aware that
Jesus was united to Christ, and the incorruptible AEon to the Hebdomad;
and they declare his mundane body to be of the same nature as that of animals.
But after his resurrection he tarried [on earth] eighteen months; and knowledge
descending into him from above, he taught what was clear. He instructed
a few of his disciples, whom he knew to be capable of understanding so great
mysteries, in these things, and was then received up into heaven, Christ
sitting down at the right hand of his father Ialdabaoth, that he may receive
to himself the souls of those who have known them,(4) after they have laid
aside their mundane flesh, thus enriching himself without the knowledge
or perception of his father; so that, in proportion as Jesus enriches himself
with holy souls, to such an extent does his father suffer loss and is diminished,
being emptied of his own power by these souls. For he will not now possess
holy souls to send them down again into the world, except those only which
are of his substance, that is, those into which he has breathed. But the
consummation [of all things] will take place, when the whole besprinkling
of the spirit of light is gathered together, and is carried off to form
an incorruptible AEon.
15. Such are the opinions which prevail among these persons, by whom, like
the Lernaean hydra, a many-headed beast has been generated from the school
of Valentinus. For some of them assert that Sophia herself became the serpent;
on which account she was hostile to the creator of Adam, and implanted knowledge
in men, for which reason the serpent was called wiser than all others. Moreover,
by the position of our intestines, through which the food is conveyed, and
by the fact that they possess such a figure, our internal configuration(1)
in the form of a serpent reveals our hidden generatrix.
CHAP. XXXI.--DOCTRINES OF THE CAINITES.
1. Others again declare that Cain derived his being from the Power above,
and acknowledge that Esau, Korah, the Sodomites, and all such persons, are
related to themselves. On this account, they add, they have been assailed
by the Creator, yet no one of them has suffered injury. For Sophia was in
the habit of carrying off that which belonged to her from them to herself.
They declare that Judas the traitor was thoroughly acquainted with these
things, and that he alone, knowing the truth as no others did, accomplished
the mystery of the betrayal; by him all things, both earthly and heavenly,
were thus thrown into confusion. They produce a fictitious history of this
kind, which they style the Gospel of Judas.
2. I have also made a collection of their writings in which they advocate
the abolition of the doings of Hystera.(2) Moreover, they call this Hystera
the creator of heaven and earth. They also hold, like Carpocrates, that
men cannot be saved until they have gone through all kinds of experience.
An angel, they maintain, attends them in every one of their sinful and abominable
actions, and urges them to venture on audacity and incur pollution. Whatever
may be the nature(3) of the action, they declare that they do it in the
name of the angel, saying, "O thou angel, I use thy work; O thou power,
I accomplish thy operation !" And they maintain that this is "perfect
knowledge," without shrinking to rush into such actions as it is not
lawful even to name.
3. It was necessary clearly to prove, that, as their very opinions and regulations
exhibit them, those who are of the school of Valentinus derive their origin
from such mothers, fathers, and ancestors, and also to bring forward their
doctrines, with the hope that perchance some of them, exercising repentance
and returning to the only Creator, and God the Former of the universe, may
obtain salvation, and that others may not henceforth be drown away by their
wicked, although plausible, persuasions, imagining that they will obtain
from them the knowledge of some greater and more sublime mysteries. But
let them rather, learning to good effect from us the wicked tenets of these
men, look with contempt upon their doctrines, while at the same time they
pity those who, still cleaving to these miserable and baseless fables, have
reached such a pitch of arrogance as to reckon themselves superior to all
others on account of such knowledge, or, as it should rather be called,
ignorance. They have now been fully exposed; and simply to exhibit their
sentiments, is to obtain a victory over them.
4. Wherefore I have laboured to bring forward, and make clearly manifest,
the utterly ill-conditioned carcase of this miserable little fox.(4) For
there will not now be need of many words to overturn their system of doctrine,
when it has been made manifest to all. It is as when, on a beast hiding
itself in a wood, and by rushing forth from it is in the habit of destroying
multitudes, one who beats round the wood and thoroughly explores it, so
as to compel the animal to break cover, does not strive to capture it, seeing
that it is truly a ferocious beast; but those present can then watch and
avoid its assaults, and can cast darts at it from all sides, and wound it,
and finally slay that destructive brute. So, in our case, since we have
brought their hidden mysteries, which they keep in silence among themselves,
to the light, it will not now be necessary to use many words in destroying
their system of opinions. For it is now in thy power, and in the power of
all thy associates, to familiarize yourselves with what has been said, to
overthrow their wicked and undigested doctrines, and to set forth doctrines
agreeable to the truth. Since then the case is so, I shall, according to
promise, and as my ability serves, labour to overthrow them, by refuting
them all in the following book. Even to give an account of them is a tedious
affair, as thou seest.(5) But I shall furnish means for overthrowing them,
by meeting all their opinions in the order in which they have been described,
that I may not only expose the wild beast to view, but may inflict wounds
upon it from every side.
Source : http://www.yale.edu/adhoc/etexts/irenaeus1.htm