An Account of the Life and Writings of S. Irenæus, Bishop of Lyons and Martyr: Intended to Illustrate the Doctrine, Discipline, Practices, and History of the Church, and the Tenets and Practices of the Gnostic Heretics During the Second CenturyBeaven, James
History
An Account of the Life and Writings of S. Irenæus, Bishop of Lyons and Martyr: Intended to Illustrate the Doctrine, Discipline, Practices, and History of the Church, and the Tenets and Practices of the Gnostic Heretics During the Second Century
Beaven, James
Gnosticism; Irenaeus, Saint, Bishop of Lyon; Theology, Doctrinal -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600
Another peculiarity was that, whilst professing to receive portions of the
New Testament, such as the Gospel of St. Luke and the Epistles of St.
Paul, he rejected every portion of them which he imagined to militate
against his hypothesis(602).
Marcion, who, having been originally a Christian, and the son of a Bishop,
had been excommunicated for seduction(603), appears to have harmonized
with Saturninus in professing extraordinary strictness of habits(604).
Hence some of the followers of both formed themselves into a separate
sect, called by a name (Ἐγκρατεῖς) of which perhaps PURITANS is the best
English Translation. TATIAN, who had been a sincere Christian, was
formerly a disciple of Justin, and had written a treatise to set forth the
folly of the heathen religion(605), became a leading man amongst them: for
they adopted an opinion of his that Adam was not saved. Their most
distinguishing characteristics however were, their abstinence from
marriage, and from animal food(606).
Marcion taught that Cain and the Sodomites, &c. were saved by believing in
Jesus(607). Others went further, and declared that they were agents of the
Supreme Power, to oppose the God of this world. They likewise took Judas
under their patronage, and declare that he betrayed Jesus, not from
treachery or a love of gain, but because, being better instructed than the
rest, he was aware that the death of Jesus would be the means of
dissolving and breaking up the whole work of the Creator, whom they
regarded as in rebellion against the Great Original(608).
Section V. The Barbeliots, Ophites, And Sethites.
Those of whom I have hitherto spoken have been acknowledged disciples,
more or less directly, of Simon Magus. But there were others, who owned no
connexion with him, and yet taught a system more or less like his. The
BARBELIOTS, for instance, imagined one Supreme Being, and with him another
Being of the female sex, but remaining always a virgin, and never growing
old, whom they call Barbelo, Ennœa (Thought), &c.
They say that he _willed_ to manifest himself to her, and that she, coming
into his presence, called for Foreknowledge, and she came forth. At their
request again Incorruption was produced, and then Life Eternal. After this
Barbelo herself produced a light like to herself, which the Father saw and
anointed with his goodness, and thus made it the Christ. At his request
Understanding was sent him as a helpmate, and afterwards the Father added
the Word: upon which there were made Pairs, by the union of Thought and
the Word, Incorruption and the Christ, Life Eternal and the Will of the
Father, Understanding and Foreknowledge; all of whom magnified the Great
Light and Barbelo(609).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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