Philosophumena; or, The refutation of all heresies, Volume II
David Hume · en
There remains in the Seed-Mass two other world-creating powers. The
first of these is the maker of the Seven Heavens or Hebdomad, which
can here hardly be the planets, because they are expressly said to
be sublunary. He, too, produces from the Seed-Mass a Son greater and
wiser than himself, who again, it may be supposed, assists his father
in the organization of this Hebdomad. What form this organization took
we are not told, although there is some talk of 365 beings who are all
“Dominions and Powers and Authorities” with a ruler called Habrasax.
Below this Hebdomad, however, comes this world of ours called the
“Formlessness,” which has, it is said, “no leader nor guardian nor
demiurge” (_i.e._ architect), everything happening in it as decreed
by the Supreme Being from the first. Yet this Formlessness contains
within it the Third Sonhood (or third part of the Sonhood) whose
mission is apparently to guide the souls of men to the place for which
they are predestined, which it does by imparting to them some of its
own nature. Then, when the time came for the Coming of the Saviour,
a light shining from the highest heavens was transmitted through the
intermediate places to the Son of the Hebdomad and fell upon “Jesus
the son of Mary,” and He after the Passion ascended like the two first
parts of the Sonhood to the Divine Presence. In due time the third part
of the Sonhood will, it is said, follow Him. When this happens, the
soul predestined to the Seven Heavens will pass thither, those more
enlightened will be admitted to the Eighth Heaven, and those entitled
to the most glorious destiny of all will probably ascend with the third
part of the Sonhood to the Highest. On the two inferior classes, there
will then fall the “Great Ignorance,” a merciful oblivion which will
prevent them from remembering or otherwise being troubled in their
beatitude by the knowledge of the still better things above them.