Ante-Nicene Fathers • VOLUME 5
Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius & Novatian
SECTION 41
The entire system of their doctrine, however, is (derived) from [537] the ancient theologians Musæus, and Linus, and Orpheus, [538] who eluc
The entire system of their doctrine, however, is (derived) from [537] the ancient theologians Musæus, and Linus, and Orpheus, [538] who elucidates especially the ceremonies of initiation, as well as the mysteries themselves. For their doctrine concerning the womb is also the tenet of Orpheus; and the (idea of the) navel, [539] w…
914 wordsSECTION 42Chapter XVI.--The Sethian Theory Concerning "Mixture" And "Composition;" Application of It to Christ; Illustration from the Well of Ampa.
Chapter XVI.--The Sethian Theory Concerning "Mixture" And "Composition;" Application of It to Christ; Illustration from the Well of Ampa. These, and other assertions similar to these, are made (by the Sethians) in their interminable commentaries. They, however, persuade their disciples to become conversant with the theory respe…
861 wordsSECTION 43Chapter XVII.--The Sethian Doctrines to Be Learned from the "Paraphrase of Seth."
Chapter XVII.--The Sethian Doctrines to Be Learned from the "Paraphrase of Seth." The opinion of the Sethians appears to us to have been sufficiently elucidated. If, however, any one is desirous of learning the entire doctrine according to them, let him read a book inscribed Paraphrase of Seth; for all their secret tenets he wi…
901 wordsSECTION 44Chapter XX.--The Cosmogony of Justinus an Allegorical Explanation of Herodotus' Legend of Hercules.
Chapter XX.--The Cosmogony of Justinus an Allegorical Explanation of Herodotus' Legend of Hercules. Herodotus, [563] then, asserts that Hercules, when driving the oxen of Geryon from Erytheia, [564] came into Scythia, and that, being wearied with travelling, he retired into some desert spot and slept for a short time. But while…
2,308 wordsSECTION 45Finally, however, in the days of Herod the king, Baruch is despatched, being sent down once more by Elohim; and coming to Nazareth, he found
Finally, however, in the days of Herod the king, Baruch is despatched, being sent down once more by Elohim; and coming to Nazareth, he found Jesus, son of Joseph and Mary, a child of twelve years, feeding sheep. And he announces to him all things from the beginning, whatsoever had been done by Edem and Elohim, and whatsoever wou…
761 wordsSECTION 46Chapter XXII.--Oath Used by the Justinian Heretics; The Book of Baruch; The Repertory of Their System.
Chapter XXII.--Oath Used by the Justinian Heretics; The Book of Baruch; The Repertory of Their System. Hence [594] also, in the first book inscribed "Baruch," has been written the oath which they compel those to swear who are about to hear these mysteries, and be initiated with the Good One. [595] And this oath, (Justinus) says…
787 wordsSECTION 47Book VI.
Book VI. ------------------------ Contents. The following are the contents of the sixth book of the Refutation of all Heresies:-- What the opinions are that are attempted (to be established) by Simon, and that his doctrine derives its force from the (lucubrations) of magicians and poets. What are the opinions propounded by …
1,007 wordsSECTION 48Chapter IV.--Simon's Forced Interpretation of Scripture; Plagiarizes from Heraclitus and Aristotle; Simon's System of Sensible and Intelligible Existences.
Chapter IV.--Simon's Forced Interpretation of Scripture; Plagiarizes from Heraclitus and Aristotle; Simon's System of Sensible and Intelligible Existences. In this way we must think concerning Simon the magician, so that we may compare him unto the Libyan, far sooner than unto Him who, though made man, [614] was in reality God.…
828 wordsSECTION 49Chapter V.--Simon Appeals to Scripture in Support of His System.
Chapter V.--Simon Appeals to Scripture in Support of His System. And this, he says, is what has been written in Scripture: "For the vineyard of the Lord of Sabaoth is the house of Israel, and the man of Judah is His beloved plant." If, however, the man of Judah (is) the beloved plant, it has been proved, he says, that there is …
856 wordsSECTION 50Chapter IX.--Simon's Interpretation of the Mosaic Hexaëmeron; His Allegorical Representation of Paradise.
Chapter IX.--Simon's Interpretation of the Mosaic Hexaëmeron; His Allegorical Representation of Paradise. When, therefore, Moses has spoken of "the six days in which God made heaven and earth, and rested on the seventh from all His works," [624] Simon, in a manner already specified, giving (these and other passages of Scripture…
880 wordsSECTION 51Chapter X.--Simon's Explanation of the First Two Books of Moses.
Chapter X.--Simon's Explanation of the First Two Books of Moses. The river, therefore, he says, which proceeds out of Edem is divided into four principles, four channels--that is, into four senses, belonging to the creature that is being born, viz., seeing, smelling, taste, and touch; for the child formed in Paradise has these …
1,368 wordsSECTION 52Chapter XIII.--His Doctrine of Emanation Further Expanded.
Chapter XIII.--His Doctrine of Emanation Further Expanded. Therefore, according to this reasoning, Simon became confessedly a god to his silly followers, as that Libyan, namely, Apsethus--begotten, no doubt, and subject to passion, when he may exist potentially, but devoid of propensions. (And this too, though born from one hav…
1,438 wordsSECTION 53Chapter XV.--Simon's Disciples Adopt the Mysteries; Simon Meets St. Peter at Rome; Account of Simon's Closing Years.
Chapter XV.--Simon's Disciples Adopt the Mysteries; Simon Meets St. Peter at Rome; Account of Simon's Closing Years. The disciples, then, of this (Magus), celebrate magical rites, and resort to incantations. And (they profess to) transmit both love-spells and charms, and the demons said to be senders of dreams, for the purpose …
703 wordsSECTION 54Chapter XVI.--Heresy of Valentinus; Derived from Plato and Pythagoras.
Chapter XVI.--Heresy of Valentinus; Derived from Plato and Pythagoras. The heresy of Valentinus [649] is certainly, then, connected with the Pythagorean and Platonic theory. For Plato, in the Timæus, altogether derives his impressions from Pythagoras, and therefore Timæus himself is his Pythagorean stranger. Wherefore, it appea…
1,117 wordsSECTION 55Chapter XIX.--Pythagoras' Duality of Substances; His "Categories."
Chapter XIX.--Pythagoras' Duality of Substances; His "Categories." There are, then, according to Pythagoras, two worlds: one intelligible, which has the monad for an originating principle; and the other sensible. But of this (latter) is the quaternion having the iota, the one tittle, [656] a perfect number. And there likewise i…
903 wordsSECTION 56Chapter XXI.--Other Opinions of Pythagoras.
Chapter XXI.--Other Opinions of Pythagoras. Pythagoras, then, became a student of these doctrines likewise, in which he speaks both by enigmas and some such expressions as these: "When you depart from your own (tabernacle), return not; [659] if, however, (you act) not (thus), the Furies, auxiliaries to justice, will overtake yo…
1,233 wordsSECTION 57Chapter XXIII.--Pythagoras' Astronomic System.
Chapter XXIII.--Pythagoras' Astronomic System. These, then, and such like assertions, the Pythagoreans put forward; and the heretics, imitating these, are supposed by some to utter important truths. The Pythagorean system, however, lays down that the Creator of all alleged existences is the Great Geometrician and Calculator--a …
1,221 wordsSECTION 58Chapter XXV.--The Tenet of the Duad Made the Foundation of Valentinus' System of the Emanation of Æons.
Chapter XXV.--The Tenet of the Duad Made the Foundation of Valentinus' System of the Emanation of Æons. Logos himself also, and Zoe, then saw that Nous and Aletheia had celebrated the Father of the universe by a perfect number; and Logos himself likewise with Zoe wished to magnify their own father and mother, Nous and Aletheia.…
864 wordsSECTION 59Chapter XXVI.--Valentinus' Explanation of the Existence of Christ and the Spirit.
Chapter XXVI.--Valentinus' Explanation of the Existence of Christ and the Spirit. Ignorance, therefore, having arisen within the Pleroma in consequence of Sophia, and shapelessness in consequence of the offspring of Sophia, confusion arose in the Pleroma. (For all) the Æons that were begotten (became overwhelmed with apprehensi…
1,524 wordsSECTION 60Chapter XXVIII.--The Valentinian Origin of the Creation.
Chapter XXVIII.--The Valentinian Origin of the Creation. As, therefore, the primary and greatest power [698] of the animal essence came into existence, an image (of the only begotten Son); so also the devil, who is the ruler of this world, constitutes the power of the material essence, as Beelzebub is of the essence of demons w…
1,512 wordsSECTION 61Chapter XXXI.--Further Doctrines of Valentinus Respecting the Æons; Reasons for the Incarnation.
Chapter XXXI.--Further Doctrines of Valentinus Respecting the Æons; Reasons for the Incarnation. Let, then, those (heretics) pursue these inquiries among themselves, (and let others do so likewise,) if it should prove agreeable to anybody else to investigate (such points. Valentinus) subjoins, however, the following statement: …
1,355 wordsSECTION 62Chapter XXXIII.--Secundus' System of Æons; Epiphanes; Ptolemæus.
Chapter XXXIII.--Secundus' System of Æons; Epiphanes; Ptolemæus. A certain (heretic) Secundus, [726] born about the same time with Ptolemæus, expresses himself thus: (he says) that there is a right tetrad and a left tetrad,--namely, light and darkness. And he affirms that the power which withdrew and laboured under deficiency, …
922 wordsSECTION 63Chapter XXXV.--Further Acts of Jugglery on the Part of Marcus.
Chapter XXXV.--Further Acts of Jugglery on the Part of Marcus. And this (Marcus), infusing (the aforesaid) mixture into a smaller cup, was in the habit of delivering it to a woman to offer up the Eucharistic prayer, while he himself stood by, and held (in his hand) another empty (chalice) larger than that. And after his female …
915 wordsSECTION 64Chapter XXXVII.--Marcus' System Explained by Irenæus; Marcus' Vision; The Vision of Valentinus Revealing to Him His System.
Chapter XXXVII.--Marcus' System Explained by Irenæus; Marcus' Vision; The Vision of Valentinus Revealing to Him His System. For also the blessed presbyter Irenæus, having approached the subject of a refutation in a more unconstrained spirit, has explained such washings and redemptions, stating more in the way of a rough digest …
893 wordsSECTION 65Chapter XXXVIII.--Marcus' System of Letters.
Chapter XXXVIII.--Marcus' System of Letters. But the generic and expressed names of the elements he called Æons, and Logoi, and Roots, and Seeds, and Pleromas, and Fruits. (And he maintains) that every one of these, and what was peculiar to each, is perceived as being contained in the name of "Ecclesia." And the final letter of…
923 wordsSECTION 66Chapter XLI.--Marcus' Mystic Interpretation of the Alphabet.
Chapter XLI.--Marcus' Mystic Interpretation of the Alphabet. Know, (therefore,) that these letters which with you are (reckoned at) twenty-four, are emanations from the three powers, and are representative [746] of those (powers) which embrace even the entire number of the elements. For suppose that there are some letters that …
896 wordsSECTION 67Chapter XLIII--Letters, Symbols of the Heavens.
Chapter XLIII--Letters, Symbols of the Heavens. He has, however, employed the instrumentality of the aggregate of the seven numbers, in order that the result of the self-devised (counsel) [755] might be manifested. Understand, he says, for the present, that remarkable number to be Him who was formed by the illustrious one, and …
1,012 wordsSECTION 68Chapter XLV.--Why Jesus is Called Alpha.
Chapter XLV.--Why Jesus is Called Alpha. Now Jesus possesses this ineffable generation. For from the mother of the universe, I mean the first tetrad, proceeded forth, in the manner of a daughter, the second tetrad. And it became an ogdoad, from which proceeded forth the decade; and thus was produced ten, and next eighteen. The …
1,731 wordsSECTION 69Chapter XLVIII.--Their Cosmogony Framed According to These Mystic Doctrines of Letters.
Chapter XLVIII.--Their Cosmogony Framed According to These Mystic Doctrines of Letters. And by the Mother, they allege, were created first the four elements, which, they say, are fire, water, earth, air; and these have been projected as an image of the tetrad above; and reckoning the energies of these--for instance, as hot, col…
944 wordsSECTION 70Book VII.
Book VII. ------------------------ Contents. The following are the contents of the seventh book of the Refutation of all Heresies:-- What the opinion of Basilides is, and that, being struck with the doctrines of Aristotle, he out of these framed his heresy. [794] And what are the statements of Saturnilus, [795] who flourish…
758 wordsSECTION 71Chapter II.--The System of Basilides Derived from Aristotle.
Chapter II.--The System of Basilides Derived from Aristotle. Since, therefore, in the six books preceding this, we have explained previous (heretical opinions), it now seems proper not to be silent respecting the (doctrines) of Basilides, [804] which are the tenets of Aristotle the Stagyrite, not (those) of Christ. But even tho…
1,157 wordsSECTION 72Chapter VII.--Aristotle's Cosmogony; His "Psychology;" His "Entelecheia;" His Theology; His Ethics; Basilides Follows Aristotle.
Chapter VII.--Aristotle's Cosmogony; His "Psychology;" His "Entelecheia;" His Theology; His Ethics; Basilides Follows Aristotle. But concerning Substance, the statements now made will suffice. But not only is Substance denominated genus, species, (and) individual, but also matter, and form, and privation. There is, however, (as…
820 wordsSECTION 73Chapter VIII.--Basilides and Isidorus Allege Apostolic Sanction for Their Systems; They Really Follow Aristotle.
Chapter VIII.--Basilides and Isidorus Allege Apostolic Sanction for Their Systems; They Really Follow Aristotle. Basilides, therefore, and Isidorus, the true son and disciple of Basilides, say that Matthias [815] communicated to them secret discourses, which, I being specially instructed, he heard from the Saviour. Let us, then…
754 wordsSECTION 74Chapter X.--Origin of the World; Basilides' Account of the "Sonship."
Chapter X.--Origin of the World; Basilides' Account of the "Sonship." All things, therefore whatsoever it is possible to declare, and whatever, being not as yet discovered, one must omit, were likely to receive adaptation to the world which was about to be generated from the Seed. And this (Seed), at the requisite seasons, incr…
1,307 wordsSECTION 75Chapter XI.--The "Great Archon" Of Basilides.
Chapter XI.--The "Great Archon" Of Basilides. When, therefore, a first and second ascension of the Sonship took place, and the Holy Spirit itself also remained after the mode mentioned, the firmament was placed between the super-mundane (spaces) and the world. For existing things were distributed by Basilides into two continuou…
923 wordsSECTION 76Chapter XIII.--Further Explanation of the "Sonship."
Chapter XIII.--Further Explanation of the "Sonship." When, therefore, according to these (heretics), the entire world and super-mundane entities were finished, and (when) nothing exists labouring under deficiency, there still remains in the (conglomeration of) all germs the third Sonship, which had been left behind in the Seed …
1,492 wordsSECTION 77Chapter XV.--God's Dealings with the Creature; Basilides' Notion of (1) the Inner Man, (2) the Gospel; His Interpretation of the Life and Sufferings of Our Lord.
Chapter XV.--God's Dealings with the Creature; Basilides' Notion of (1) the Inner Man, (2) the Gospel; His Interpretation of the Life and Sufferings of Our Lord. When, therefore, he says, the entire Sonship shall have come, and shall be above the conterminous spirit, then the creature will become the object of mercy. For (the c…
1,193 wordsSECTION 78Chapter XVI.--The System of Saturnilus.
Chapter XVI.--The System of Saturnilus. But one Saturnilus, [854] who flourished about the same period with Basilides, [855] but spent his time in Antioch, (a city) of Syria, propounded opinions akin to whatever (tenets) Menander (advanced). He asserts that there is one Father, unknown to all--He who had made angels, archangels…
2,258 wordsSECTION 79Chapter XVIII.--Source of Marcionism; Empedocles Reasserted as the Suggester of the Heresy.
"For if, 'neath hearts of oak, these truths you fix, And view them kindly in meditations pure, Each one of these, in lapse of time, will haunt you, And many others, sprung of these, descend. For into every habit these will grow, as Nature prompts; But if for other things you sigh, which, countless, linger Undisguised 'mid …
737 wordsSECTION 80Chapter XIX.--The Heresy of Prepon; Follows Empedocles; Marcion Rejects the Generation of the Saviour.
Chapter XIX.--The Heresy of Prepon; Follows Empedocles; Marcion Rejects the Generation of the Saviour. The principal heresy of Marcion, and (the one of his) which is most free from admixture (with other heresies), is that which has its system formed out of the theory concerning the good and bad (God). Now this, it has been mani…
1,466 wordsSource & rights
Historical text source: Christian Classics Ethereal Library. The downloaded text itself records Public Domain.