Philosophumena; or, The refutation of all heresies, Volume II — David Hume — John Shaqi
Philosophumena; or, The refutation of all heresies, Volume II
David Hume · en
36. These things then let these men enquire after in their own way,
and if they should happen to do so in any other, so let it be. But
(Valentinus) also says that as the false steps among the Aeons had been
put straight[151] and also those in the Ogdoad or Sophia Without, so
also were those in the Hebdomad. For the Demiurge was taught by Sophia
that he is not the only God as he thought, and that beside him there
is none other; but he knew better after being taught by Sophia. For
he was schooled by her and was initiated and taught the great mystery
of the Father and the Aeons and told it to none. This, he says, is
what he spake to Moses: “I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac
and the God of Jacob, and my name I have not announced to them,”[152]
that is to say: “I have not told the mystery nor have I explained who
is God, but I have kept to myself the mystery which I have heard from
Sophia.” It was necessary, then, that the things on high having been
put straight, in the same sequence,[153] correction [Sidenote: p.
298.] should come to those here. For this cause was Jesus the Saviour
born through Mary, that He might put straight things here, as the
Christ, who on high was projected by Nous and Aletheia, put straight
the passions of Sophia Without, that is, of the Ectroma. And again the
Saviour who was born through Mary came to set straight the passions of
the soul. There are, then, according to them three Christs, the one
projected by Nous and Aletheia along with the Holy Spirit; and the
Joint Fruit of the Pleroma the equal yoke-fellow[154] of Sophia Without
who is called and is herself a Holy Spirit (but) inferior to the first;
and third, He who was born through Mary for the restoration[155] of
this creation of ours.
37. I consider I have now by means of many (explanations) sufficiently
sketched the heresy of Valentinus, it being a Pythagorean one; and it
seems to me that the refutation of these doctrines by exposition should
stop. Plato, moreover, when setting forth mysteries concerning the
universe writes to Dionysius in some such way as this:[156]