GOD is the Truth. The Most Holy Trinity is God and none other is God. The Most Holy Trinity is Three Persons Who are One God. These Three Persons are The Father and the Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Father is the fountainhead of the Trinity, the Son proceeds from His engendering in the Father’s bosom, the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father in the unity of the engendering of the Son from the Father. This procession of the Son and the Holy Spirit from the Father is immortal from before all time and creation and unto eternity never-ending. This Triune God alone has Aseity, that He is immortal without beginning and without end, self sustained in His existence which preceded all time and creation and, His existence, continues forever; God’s existence is infinite. This God is above all that He has created and transcendent in all that He has created. There is nothing apart from nor outside of God that He has not created. He created all that has been created ex nihilo, that is from nothing by His infinite power. Nothing that is created has aseity. Time is only an aspect of that which has been created by God. Time is therefore part of God’s creation. God is not limited by His creation, this includes that God is not limited by time. God is Omnipotent and Omniscient and Ubiquitos and with eternal complete foresight: Almighty and All seeing and knowing and equally present everywhere and knowing all things before their creation and all events before they come to pass unto eternity. There is no way to God but through the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity Who is the Lord Jesus Christ, in Whom alone there is salvation by His Most Holy Cross and Resurrection. Creation had a beginning but will continue unto the eternal ages to come. At the return of Jesus Christ from God the Father’s right hand in the third heaven and the just judgement of Christ of His creatures, creation will be cleansed by fire (the damned, both angels and men consigned to hell forever) and renewed with paradise restored, with the presence around God of all His elect angels and saints, and continue in this way forever.
See this from below:
FROM ST. HIPPOLYTUS
THE REFUTATION OF ALL HERESIES — BOOK V
THE REFUTATION OF ALL HERESIES.
BOOK V.
CHAP. I.- RECAPITULATION; CHARACTERISTICS OF HERESY; ORIGIN OF THE NAME NAASSENI; THE SYSTEM OF THE NAASSENI
“…and to begin from those who have presumed to celebrate a serpent,(6) the originator of the error (in question), through certain expressions devised by the energy of his own (ingenuity). The priests, then, and champions of the system, have been first those who have been called Naasseni,(7) being so denominated from the Hebrew language, for the serpent is called naas ( 8 ) (in Hebrew). Subsequently, however, they have styled themselves Gnostics,….”
The meaning:
These Naasseni Jewish Priests of the Haburah, the Kahal, the Pharisees which Christ absolutely condemned, who were and are Serpent Worshipper Satanists from Babylon 2,500 years ago are the originators of the original system called Gnostic to tempt the Gentiles with. When the Jews were dispersed from the Holy Land (Palestine) by God’s command 2,000 years ago in direct response to their unrepentant Deicide and Perfidy, it was for a reason that they did not and still do not comprehend at all. That reason is to gather to themselves all of the evil that Satan has brought forth by his own nature of a murderer and liar from the beginning (John 8:43-45) and instigated in the form of all the pagan religions since the flood of Noah 6,000 years ago beginning with Nimrud and the tower of Babel and draw it forth into the Son of Perdition who will sit in the temple and call himself god and take to hell with Satan and the False Prophet all that follow them – they are cast out of the kingdom of God and damned forever.
2,000 years ago, at the time of Nero especially, the Haburah Kahal Naasseni Pharisees joined themselves at Rome to the older Mesopotamian-Cretan-Graeco-Roman-Egyptian paganism, which is the Houses of the Dragon that has plagued Eurasia for 5,000 years. (It is directly descended from Nimrud 1,000 years before that.) Together they are the beast that the two horns of the False Prophet and the Antichrist (who will be a Jew) will come from. Gnosticism is the Judeo-Gentile amalgam of that beast in the ancient world just as Freemasonry is the modern direct lineally unbroken descendant form of it now.
Let all Palestinians and all people who are faithful to Christ and God beware and have nothing to do with the Beast and the two horns – the False Prophet and the Antichrist. All who follow the False Prophet and the Antichrist will be damned with them and their master Satan for eternity in hell.
Jesus Christ said to count the cost,
Lk:14:
27 And whosoever doth not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
28 For which of you, having a mind to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost that is necessary, whether he have wherewithal to finish it:
33 So likewise every one of you that doth not renounce all that he possesseth cannot be my disciple.
34 Salt is good. But if the salt shall lose its savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
35 It is neither profitable for the land nor for the dunghill: but shall be cast out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is saying that if we do not put Him ahead of everything that we possess – even our lives, then He is not our Saviour. Only if we put Him ahead of everything, including our lives, and only then He is our Saviour.
In none of the below where I have cited condemnation of false priests or conversely cited the priesthood of the faithful should it be thought that I am condemning good presbyters from among the priesthood of the faithful (St. Irenaeus was one such and a bishop without pretense) who are called priests today. That is those who hold to and teach the truth of Christ.
God bless them.
This site is humbly offered to Jesus Christ and dedicated to all the faithful of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches and all traditional Trinitarian believing faithful Christians and especially all of Christ’s sheep that He, the Good Shepherd seeks to bring unto Him in His salvation; He Who is the Only Saviour. Who warned us not to have anything to do with the wolves in sheep’s clothing. To confirm the utter importance of not having anything to do with the wolves in sheep’s clothing the Lord especially had St. John the Apostle and Evangelist remain until the Lord had especially appeared to him and had him record that appearance and the visions Our Lord showed St. John at that time, in the last book of the bible, the Apocalypse. The message throughout it is absolutely clear, we are to have nothing to do with paganism or man made conventions that try to change what Our Lord taught us. Such as men forgiving the sins of other men. Only God forgives sin. Note that in the book of the Apocalypse that the keys (the Davidic key) that Christ promised Peter are still with Christ, that He, Jesus Christ alone locks and unlocks. This is extremely important. It means that every believing individual receives the keys that Christ gave to the Apostles, including Peter.
Only two times in history have the synchretist hypocrites reached the current level of complete misrepresentation of the truth, once 2000 years ago and now today.
Any Christian who knows the witness and preaching of St. John The Forerunner and Baptist of The Christ and any Christian who knows Christ’s denunciation of the hypocrites (see below from the Gospel of St. Matthew) knows that it is the hypocrites who are going to hell.
Most professing Christians do not understand the importance of St. John The Baptist and Forerunner of Christ. He was the last of the Old Testament prophets and the first of the New Testament prophets. He was the last of the Old Testament martyrs and the first of the New Testament martyrs. He is the only Old Testament and New Testament Apostle (one who saw Christ in the flesh and was commissioned by God to preach Christ!). In short, as St. Irenaeus reminds us constantly and rightly so (against Marcion and the rest of the apostate Gnostics), there is NO difference between Old Testament and New Testament faith. It is in the same God, period. It was Our Lord Jesus Christ Who taught us that there is no communion of light with dark; that either our eye is full of light or it is full of darkness, that a tree bears good fruit or bad fruit but not both.
There is a new version of Catholic, nowadays, one who believes that God is too maudlin to not save all men; there is a new version of Orthodox Church believer who believes that light and dark can indeed be combined, in fact, he believes God commands it; there is a new version of Protestant who doesn’t protest any heresy but only a lack of tolerance, especially if it gets in the way of his making money; there is a new version of what Our Lord meant by “born again”, now supposedly according to those calling themselves evangelical, you can’t lose your salvation no matter what you do (obviously they never had what their free will can’t forfeit so their comments, as utterly self serving as they are, mean absolutely nothing). It was the unswerving uncompromising Baptist that God the Holy Trinity, yes all three Persons, chose to baptize Jesus Christ in the Jordan. Christ commanded (not suggested) our baptism to show forth our unswerving uncompromising faith we are commanded to have. St. John The Forerunner is our model of following Christ, we decrease and He increases; NOT blessed are the puffed up. The whining self congratulating pseudochristians mentioned above, the false Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Evangelical of unbelief, who have the diabolic audacity to accuse those who take Our Lord’s commandments and Our Lord’s denunciation of sin as well as St. John’s, and the Apostles commandments, to separate from the unbeliever and the disorderly seriously, of hypocrisy and an unrighteous judgmentalism are the Pharisee from hell that both Our Lord and St. John condemned as a brood of vipers (nasty little backbiting serpents) who cannot escape being sent to hell for eternity. As Jesus said, they compass heaven and earth to make one convert and only make him twice as much a son of hell as themselves! This is Our Lord speaking! take ye heed lest you make a dog in the manger the tyrant of the universe, take ye heed, Jesus said He came not to bring peace but a sword to divide, take ye heed lest you betray the Lord as did Judas Iscariot — even if the price has changed from thirty pieces of silver, take ye heed if you think like the Gnostics of old that morals are for sissies, Christ gave us morals and He is NO sissy. Nowadays things have gone so far downhill that the murder of babies is accepted by people as a right. Something that hasn’t plagued society since Moloch was a demon goddess worshipped in the middle east.
For instance.
Alan Guttmacher Institute Mission: “The Institute’s mission is to protect the reproductive choices of all women and men in the United States and throughout the world. It is to support their ability to obtain the information and services needed to achieve their full human rights, safeguard their health and exercise their individual responsibilities in regard to sexual behavior and relationships, reproduction and family formation.”
From Mary Meehan’s “The Road to Abortion” Copyright © 1998, 1999 & 2002 by Mary Meehan. In 1966 Dr. Alan Guttmacher, apparently trying to be witty, wrote from Africa to a U.S. colleague: “My trip has been great. I believe I converted the Jews in Israel and now I am working on the pigmented savages.” This private comment from Guttmacher (who was Jewish, but not observant) came soon after his Planned Parenthood group gave an award to the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.(32)
32. William H. Draper, Jr., to P. A. Gorman, [8 or 11] Sept. 1967, Guttmacher Papers; Alan F. Guttmacher to Frank Notestein, 13 June 1966, PPFA (II), box 125; and Congressional Record (10 May 1966), vol. 112, part 8, 10164-10165. In his statement accepting the Margaret Sanger Award, Dr. King praised Sanger and family planning and spoke of “the modern plague of overpopulation.” Unfortunately, he seemed unaware of the eugenics connections of Sanger and of population control in general. Ibid.
NO WONDER SWASTIKAS ARE SO POPULAR IN JERUSALEM (CITY OF PEACE?)
We could ask: ‘Do you think the demon goddess Lilith will have any appreciable following in Israel amongst Israeli women?’ Answer: ‘Most assuredly. Obviously the demon goddess Moloch has returned to the center of Israeli worship and that for export to Africa and the U.S.’
From the Gospel of St. Matthew chapter 23:
24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within you are full of rapine and uncleanness.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, first make clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside may become clean.
27 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful, but within are full of dead men’s bones, and of all filthiness.
28 So you also outwardly indeed appear to men just; but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites that build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the just,
30 And say: If we had been in the days of our Fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets
31 Wherefore you are witnesses against yourselves, that you are the sons of them that killed the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33 You serpents, generation of vipers how will you flee from the judgment of hell?
34 Therefore behold I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them you will put to death and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
35 That upon you may come all the just blood that hath been shed upon the earth
from the blood of Abel the just, even unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias, whom you killed between the temple and the altar.
36 Amen I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation.
37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered together thy children, as the hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldest not?
38 Behold; your house shall be left to you, desolate.
39 For I say to you, you shall not see me henceforth till you say: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
See the lives of the Martyrs in either The Great Horologion or the Lives of the Saints of Fr. Alban Butler for examples of martyrs who kicked the idols over when they refused to worship them and put up with no depravity; this is real witness to Christ!
The Great Horologion Or Book of the Hours
Translated from the Greek by the Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Boston, Massachussetts
1997
Copyright © 1997 by the
Holy Transfiguration Monastery Brookline, Massachusetts 02146
All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America ISBN 0-9434°5-08-4 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 97-70106
Lives of the Saints
For Every Day of the Year
With Reflections
Compiled from the “Lives of the Saints” by
Fr. Alban Butler
WITH NEW SAINTS AND SAINTS WHOSE FEASTS ARE SPECIAL TO THE UNITED STATES
Nihil Obstat:
John M. Feams, SID. Censor Librorum
Imprimatur:
114 Francis Cardinal Spellman Archbishop of New York New York
March 15, 1955
Copyright © 1878, 1887, 1894, 1954, 1955 by Benziger Brothers, Inc., New York.
Originally published as Lives of the Saints-With Reflections for Every Day in the Year.
Frontispiece from an illustrated edition of Butler’s Lives of the Saints published in the 1880′s.
Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 95-60703
ISBN: 0-89555-530-1
Printed and bound in the United States of America.
TAN BOOKS AND PUBLISHERS, INC. P. O. Box 424 Rockford, Illinois 61105 1995
Command of Jesus
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church, and delivered himself up for it: That he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life: That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle. or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish. – Eph. v. 25-27.
Let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with clean water. – Heb. x. 22.
Jesus answered, and said to him: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith to him: How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born again? Jesus answered: Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit. Wonder not, that I said to thee, you must be born again. – John iii. 3-7.
Commission of the Apostles
16. But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them to go, 17.
And when they saw him they worshipped him;
but some doubted. 18. And Jesus drew near and spoke to them saying, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19. Go, therefore, and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20. teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world.” Until the endless ages of ages to come.
Gospel of St. Matthew chapter 28
Commission of the Apostles
14. At length he appeared to the Eleven as they were at table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and hardness of heart, in that they had not believed those who had seen him after he had risen. 15. And he said to them, “Go into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned. 17. And these signs shall attend those who believe: in my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak in new tongues; 18. they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands upon the sick and they shall get well.”
Gospel of St. Mark chapter 16
It is clear from the following that Jesus Christ did away with the Mosaic law and priesthood. It is also clear from the following that they had been temporary and only from the time of Moses because of the hardness of the Israelites hearts. It is also crystal clear in the following that the patriarchs before Moses and the prophets from Moses on were not likened to that, but indeed did worship God from the heart as the Church is commanded to do. At first the Church did not recognize any Episcopal authority the way it has been theorized from the fourth century on. See the Didache for anyone that has any doubts about that. In the Didache (which is Scripture written by the Apostles at the Council of Jerusalem – the only COMPLETE council the Church has ever had) every individual house church had complete authority on their own to hold the communion of the Lord’s Eucharist and to select their own bishops and deacons.
Heb:11:
1 ¶ Now, faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not.
2 For by this the ancients obtained a testimony.
3 By faith we understand that the world was framed by the word of God: that from invisible things visible things might be made.
4 ¶ By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice exceeding that of Cain, by which he obtained a testimony that he was just, God giving testimony to his gifts. And by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 By faith Henoch was translated that he should not see death: and he was not found because God had translated him. For before his translation he had testimony that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is: and is a rewarder to them that seek him.
7 By faith Noe, having received an answer concerning those things which as yet were not seen, moved with fear, framed the ark for the saving of his house: by the which he condemned the world and was instituted heir of the justice which is by faith.
8 By faith he that is called Abraham obeyed to go out into a place which he was to receive for an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he abode in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in cottages, with Isaac and Jacob, the co-heirs of the same promise.
10 For he looked for a city that hath foundations: whose builder and maker is God.
11 By faith also Sara herself, being barren, received strength to conceive seed, even past the time of age: because she believed that he was faithful who had promised,
12 For which cause there sprung even from one (and him as good as dead) as the stars of heaven in multitude and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
13 All these died according to faith, not having received the promises but beholding them afar off and saluting them and confessing that they are pilgrims and strangers on the earth.
14 For they that say these things do signify that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out, they had doubtless, time to return.
16 But now they desire a better, that is to say, a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 (To whom it was said: In Isaac shalt thy seed be called )
19 Accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Whereupon also he received him for a parable.
20 By faith also of things to come Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.
21 By faith Jacob, dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and adored the top of his rod.
22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the going out of the children of Israel and gave commandment concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents: because they saw he was a comely babe, and they feared not the king’s edict.
24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, denied himself to be the son of Pharao’s daughter:
25 Rather choosing to be afflicted with the people of God than to have the pleasure of sin for a time:
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure of the Egyptians. For he looked unto the reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the fierceness of the king: for he endured, as seeing him that is invisible.
28 By faith he celebrated the pasch and the shedding of the blood: that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land: which the Egyptians attempting, were swallowed up.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, by the going round them seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with the unbelievers, receiving the spies with peace.
32 ¶ And what shall I yet say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, Barac, Samson, Jephthe, David, Samuel, and the prophets:
33 Who by faith conquered kingdoms, wrought justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered strength from weakness, became valiant in battle, put to flight the armies of foreigners.
35 Women received their dead raised to life again. But others were racked, not accepting deliverance, that they might find a better resurrection.
36 And others had trial of mockeries and stripes: moreover also of bands and prisons.
37 They were stoned, they were cut asunder, they were tempted, they were put to death by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being in want, distressed, afflicted:
38 Of whom the world was not worthy: wandering in deserts, in mountains and in dens and in caves of the earth.
39 And all these, being approved by the testimony of faith, received not the promise:
40 God providing some better thing for us, that they should not be perfected without us.
(DRV)
The following is from the Didache (49 A.D.):
14. On the Lord’s own day gather together and break bread and give thanks, having first confessed your sins so that your sacrifice may be pure. (2) But let no one who has a quarrel with a companion join you until they have been reconciled, so that your sacrifice may not be defiled. (3) For this is the sacrifice concerning which the Lord said, “In every place and time offer me a pure sacrifice, for I am a great king, says the Lord, and my name is marvelous among the nations.”
15. Therefore: appoint for yourselves bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men who are humble and not avaricious and true and approved, for they too carry out for you the ministry of the prophets and teachers. (2) You must not, therefore, despise them, for they are your honored men, along with the prophets and teachers.
The following is from St. Irenaeus (180 A.D.)
St. Irenaeus Book Four Against Heresy
Chapter XV.-At First God Deemed It Sufficient to Inscribe the Natural Law, or the Decalogue, Upon the Hearts of Men; But Afterwards He Found It Necessary to Bridle, with the Yoke of the Mosaic Law, the Desires of the Jews, Who Were Abusing Their Liberty; And Even to Add Some Special Commands, Because of the Hardness of Their Hearts.
1. They (the Jews) had therefore a law, a course of discipline, and a prophecy of future things. For God at the first, indeed, warning them by means of natural precepts, which from the beginning He had implanted in mankind, that is, by means of the Decalogue (which, if any one does not observe, he has no salvation), did then demand nothing more of them. As Moses says in Deuteronomy, “These are all the words which the Lord spake to the whole assembly of the sons of Israel on the mount, and He added no more; and He wrote them on two tables of stone, and gave them to me.”172 For this reason [He did so], that they who are willing to follow Him might keep these commandments. But when they turned themselves to make a calf, and had gone back in their minds to Egypt, desiring to be slaves instead of free-men, they were placed for the future in a state of servitude suited to their wish,-[a slavery] which did not indeed cut them off from God, but subjected them to the yoke of bondage; as Ezekiel the prophet, when stating the reasons for the giving of such a law, declares: “And their eyes were after the desire of their heart; and I gave them statutes that were not good, and judgments in which they shall not live.”173 Luke also has recorded that Stephen, who was the first elected into the diaconate by the apostles,174 and who was the first slain for the testimony of Christ, spoke regarding Moses as follows: “This man did indeed receive the commandments of the living God to give to us, whom your fathers would not obey, but thrust [Him from them], and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us; for we do not know what has happened to [this] Moses, who led us from the land of Egypt. And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifices to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their own hands. But God turned, and gave them up to worship the hosts of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets:175 O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to Me sacrifices and oblations for forty years in the wilderness? And ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of the god Remphan,176 figures which ye made to worship them; “177 pointing out plainly, that the law being such, was not given to them by another God, but that, adapted to their condition of servitude, [it originated] from the very same [God as we worship]. Wherefore also He says to Moses in Exodus: “I will send forth My angel before thee; for I will not go up with thee, because thou art a stiff-necked people.”178
2. And not only so, but the Lord also showed that certain precepts were enacted for them by Moses, on account of their hardness [of heart], and because of their unwillingness to be obedient, when, on their saying to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a writing of divorcement, and to send away a wife? “He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he permitted these things to you; but from the beginning it was not so; “179 thus exculpating Moses as a faithful servant, but acknowledging one God, who from the beginning made male and female, and reproving them as hard-hearted and disobedient. And therefore it was that they received from Moses this law of divorcement, adapted to their hard nature. But why say I these things concerning the Old Testament? For in the New also are the apostles found doing this very thing, on the ground which has been mentioned, Paul plainly declaring, But these things I say, not the Lord.”180 And again: “But this I speak by permission, not by commandment.”181 And again: “Now, as concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.”182 But further, in another place he says: “That Satan tempt you not for your incontinence.”183 If, therefore, even in the New Testament, the apostles are found granting certain precepts in consideration of human infirmity, because of the incontinence of some, lest such persons, having grown obdurate, and despairing altogether of their salvation, should become apostates from God,-it ought not to be wondered at, if also in the Old Testament the same God permitted similar indulgences for the benefit of His people, drawing them on by means of the ordinances already mentioned, so that they might obtain the gift of salvation through them, while they obeyed the Decalogue, and being restrained by Him, should not revert to idolatry, nor apostatize from God, but learn to love Him with the whole heart. And if certain persons, because of the disobedient and ruined Israelites, do assert that the giver (doctor) of the law was limited in power, they will find in our dispensation, that “many are called, but few chosen; “184 and that there are those who inwardly are wolves, yet wear sheep’s clothing in the eyes of the world (foris); and that God has always preserved freedom, and the power of self-government in man,185 while at the same time He issued His own exhortations, in order that those who do not obey Him should be righteously judged (condemned) because they have not obeyed Him; and that those who have obeyed and believed on Him should be honoured with immortality.
Chapter XVI.-Perfect Righteousness Was Conferred Neither by Circumcision Nor by Any Other Legal Ceremonies. The Decalogue, However, Was Not Cancelled by Christ, But is Always in Force: Men Were Never Released from Its Commandments.
1. Moreover, we learn from the Scripture itself, that God gave circumcision, not as the completer of righteousness, but as a sign, that the race of Abraham might continue recognisable. For it declares: “God said unto Abraham, Every male among you shall be circumcised; and ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, as a token of the covenant between Me and you.”186 This same does Ezekiel the prophet say with regard to the Sabbaths: “Also I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord, that sanctify them.”187 And in Exodus, God says to Moses: “And ye shall observe My Sabbaths; for it shall be a sign between Me and you for your generations.”188 These things, then, were given for a sign; but the signs were not unsymbolical, that is, neither unmeaning nor to no purpose, inasmuch as they were given by a wise Artist; but the circumcision after the flesh typified that after the Spirit. For “we,” says the apostle, “have been circumcised with the circumcision made without hands.”189 And the prophet declares, “Circumcise the hardness of your heart.”190 But the Sabbaths taught that we should continue day by day in God’s service.191 “For we have been counted,” says the Apostle Paul, “all the day long as sheep for the slaughter; “192 that is, consecrated [to God], and ministering continually to our faith, and persevering in it, and abstaining from all avarice, and not acquiring or possessing treasures upon earth.193 Moreover, the Sabbath of God (requietio Dei), that is, the kingdom, was, as it were, indicated by created things; in which [kingdom], the man who shall have persevered in serving God (Deo assistere) shall, in a state of rest, partake of God’s table.
2. And that man was not justified by these things, but that they were given as a sign to the people, this fact shows,-that Abraham himself, without circumcision and without observance of Sabbaths, “believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.”194 Then, again, Lot, without circumcision, was brought out from Sodom, receiving salvation from God. So also did Noah, pleasing God, although he was uncircumcised, receive the dimensions [of the ark], of the world of the second race [of men]. Enoch, too, pleasing God, without circumcision, discharged the office of God’s legate to the angels although he was a man, and was translated, and is preserved until now as a witness of the just judgment of God, because the angels when they had transgressed fell to the earth for judgment, but the man who pleased [God] was translated for salvation.195 Moreover, all the rest of the multitude of those righteous men who lived before Abraham, and of those patriarchs who preceded Moses, were justified independently of the things above mentioned, and without the law of Moses. As also Moses himself says to the people in Deuteronomy: “The Lord thy God formed a covenant in Horeb. The Lord formed not this covenant with your fathers, but for you.”196
3. Why, then, did the Lord not form the covenant for the fathers? Because “the law was not established for righteous men.”197 But the righteous fathers had the meaning of the Decalogue written in their hearts and souls,198 that is, they loved the God who made them, and did no injury to their neighbour. There was therefore no occasion that they should be cautioned by prohibitory mandates (correptoriis literis),199 because they had the righteousness of the law in themselves. But when this righteousness and love to God had passed into oblivion, and became extinct in Egypt, God did necessarily, because of His great goodwill to men, reveal Himself by a voice, and led the people with power out of Egypt, in order that man might again become the disciple and follower of God; and He afflicted those who were disobedient, that they should not contemn their Creator; and He fed them with manna, that they might receive food for their souls (uti rationalem acciperent escam); as also Moses says in Deuteronomy: “And fed thee with manna, which thy fathers did not know, that thou mightest know that man cloth not live by bread alone; but by every word of God proceeding out of His mouth doth man live.”200 And it enjoined love to God, and taught just dealing towards our neighbour, that we should neither be unjust nor unworthy of God, who prepares man for His friendship through the medium of the Decalogue, and likewise for agreement with his neigbbour,-matters which did certainly profit man himself; God, however, standing in no need of anything from man.
4. And therefore does the Scripture say, “These words the Lord spake to all the assembly of the children of Israel in the mount, and He added no more; “201 for, as I have already observed, He stood in need of nothing from them. And again Moses says: “And now Israel, what cloth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul? “202 Now these things did indeed make man glorious, by supplying what was wanting to him, namely, the friendship of God; but they profited God nothing, for God did not at all stand in need of man’s love. For the glory of God was wanting to man, which he could obtain in no other way than by serving God. And therefore Moses says to them again: “Choose life, that thou mayest live, and thy seed, to love the Lord thy God, to hear His voice, to cleave unto Him; for this is thy life, and the length of thy days.”203 Preparing man for this life, the Lord Himself did speak in His own person to all alike the words of the Decalogue; and therefore, in like manner, do they remain permanently with us,204 receiving by means of His advent in the flesh, extension and increase, but not abrogation.
5. The laws of bondage, however, were one by one promulgated to the people by Moses, suited for their instruction or for their punishment, as Moses himself declared: “And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments.”205 These things, therefore, which were given for bondage, and for a sign to them, He cancelled by the new covenant of liberty. But He has increased and widened those laws which are natural, and noble, and common to all, granting to men largely and without grudging, by means of adoption, to know God the Father, and to love Him with the whole heart, and to follow His word unswervingly, while they abstain not only from evil deeds, but even from the desire after them. But He has also increased the feeling of reverence; for sons should have more veneration than slaves, and greater love for their father. And therefore the Lord says, “As to every idle word that men have spoken, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment.”206 And, “he who has looked upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart; “207 and, “he that is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment.”208 [All this is declared, ] that we may know that we shall give account to God not of deeds only, as slaves, but even of words and thoughts, as those who have truly received the power of liberty, in which [condition] a man is more severely tested, whether he will reverence, and fear, and love the Lord. And for this reason Peter says “that we have not liberty as a cloak of maliciousness,”209 but as the means of testing and evidencing faith.
Chapter XVII.-Proof that God Did Not Appoint the Levitical Dispensation for His Own Sake, or as Requiring Such Service; For He Does, in Fact, Need Nothing from Men.
1. Moreover, the prophets indicate in the fullest manner that God stood in no need of their slavish obedience, but that it was upon their own account that He enjoined certain observances in the law. And again, that God needed not their oblation, but [merely demanded it], on account of man himself who offers it, the Lord taught distinctly, as I have pointed out. For when He perceived them neglecting righteousness, and abstaining from the love of God, and imagining that God was to be propitiated by sacrifices and the other typical observances, Samuel did even thus speak to them: “God does not desire whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices, but He will have His voice to be hearkened to. Behold, a ready obedience is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”210 David also says: “Sacrifice and oblation Thou didst not desire, but mine ears hast Thou perfected;211 burnt-offerings also for sin Thou hast not required.”212 He thus teaches them that God desires obedience, which renders them secure, rather than sacrifices and holocausts, which avail them nothing towards righteousness; and [by this declaration] he prophesies the new covenant at the same time. Still clearer, too, does he speak of these things in the fiftieth Psalm: “For if Thou hadst desired sacrifice, then would I have given it: Thou wilt not delight in burnt-offerings. The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart the Lord will not despise.”213 Because, therefore, God stands in need of nothing, He declares in the preceding Psalm: “I will take no calves out of thine house, nor he-goats out of thy fold. For Mine are all the beasts of the earth, the herds and the oxen on the mountains: I know all the fowls of heaven, and the various tribes214 of the field are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is Mine, and the fulness thereof. Shall I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? “215 Then, lest it might be supposed that He refused these things in His anger, He continues, giving him (man) counsel: “Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows to the Most High; and call upon Me in the day of thy trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me; “216 rejecting, indeed, those things by which sinners imagined they could propitiate God, and showing that He does Himself stand in need of nothing; but He exhorts and advises them to those. things by which man is justified and draws nigh to God. This same declaration does Esaias make: “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? saith the Lord. I am full.”217 And when He had repudiated holocausts, and sacrifices, and oblations, as likewise the new moons, and the sabbaths, and the festivals, and all the rest of the services accompanying these, He continues, exhorting them to what pertained to salvation: “Wash you, make you clean, take away wickedness from your hearts from before mine eyes: cease from your evil ways, learn to do well, seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow; and come, let us reason together, saith the Lord.”
2. For it was not because He was angry, like a man, as many venture to say, that He rejected their sacrifices; but out of compassion to their blindness, and with the view of suggesting to them the true sacrifice, by offering which they shall appease God, that they may receive life from Him. As He elsewhere declares: “The sacrifice to God is an afflicted heart: a sweet savour to God is a heart glorifying Him who formed it.”218 For if, when angry, He had repudiated these sacrifices of theirs, as if they were persons unworthy to obtain His compassion, He would not certainly have urged these same things upon them as those by which they might be saved. But inasmuch as God is merciful, He did not cut them off from good counsel. For after He had said by Jeremiah, “To what purpose bring ye Me incense from Saba, and cinnamon from a far country? Your whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices are not acceptable to Me; “219 He proceeds: “Hear the word of the Lord, all Judah. These things saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Make straight your ways and your doings, and I will establish you in this place. Put not your trust in lying words, for they will not at all profit you, saying, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, it is [here].”220
3. And again, when He points out that it was not for this that He led them out of Egypt, that they might offer sacrifice to Him, but that, forgetting the idolatry of the Egyptians, they should be able to hear the voice of the Lord, which was to them salvation and glory, He declares by this same Jeremiah: “Thus saith the Lord; Collect together your burnt-offerings with your sacrifices and eat flesh. For I spake not unto your fathers nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices: but this word I commanded them, saying, Hear My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people; and walk in all My ways whatsoever I have commanded you, that it may be well with you. But they obeyed not, nor hearkened; but walked in the imaginations of their own evil heart, and went backwards, and not forwards.”221 And again, when He declares by the same man, “But let him that glorieth, glory in this, to understand and know that I am the Lord, who doth exercise loving-kindness, and righteousness, and judgment in the earth; “222 He adds, “For in these things I delight, says the Lord,” but not in sacrifices, nor in holocausts, nor in oblations. For the people did not receive these precepts as of primary importance (principaliter), but as secondary, and for the reason already alleged, as Isaiah again says: “Thou hast not [brought to] Me the sheep of thy holocaust, nor in thy sacrifices hast thou glorified Me: thou hast not served Me in sacrifices, nor in [the matter of] frankincense hast thou done anything laboriously; neither hast thou bought for Me incense with money, nor have I desired the fat of thy sacrifices; but thou hast stood before Me in thy sins and in thine iniquities.”223 He says, therefore, “Upon this man will I look, even upon him that is humble, and meek, and who trembles at My words.”224 “For the fat and the fat flesh shall not take away from thee thine unrighteousness.”225 “This is the fast which I have chosen, saith the Lord. Loose every band of wickedness, dissolve the connections of violent agreements, give rest to those that are shaken, and cancel every unjust document. Deal thy bread to the hungry willingly, and lead into thy house the roofless stranger. If thou hast seen the naked, cover him, and thou shalt not despise those of thine own flesh and blood (domesticos seminis tui). Then shall thy morning light break forth, and thy health shall spring forth more speedily; and righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall surround thee: and whilst thou an yet speaking, I will say, Behold, here I am.”226 And Zechariah also, among the twelve prophets, pointing out to the people the will of God, says: “These things does the Lord Omnipotent declare: Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassion each one to his brother. And oppress not the widow, and the orphan, and the proselyte, and the poor; and let none imagine evil against your brother in his heart.”227 And again, he says: “These are the words which ye shall utter. Speak ye the truth every man to his neighbour, and execute peaceful judgment in your gates, and let none of you imagine evil in his heart against his brother, and ye shall not love false swearing: for all these things I hate, saith the Lord Almighty.”228 Moreover, David also says in like manner: “What man is there who desireth life, and would fain see good days? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile. Shun evil, and do good: seek peace, and pursue it.”229
4. From all these it is evident that God did not seek sacrifices and holocausts from them, but faith, and obedience, and righteousness, because of their salvation. As God, when teaching them His will in Hosea the prophet, said, “I desire mercy rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings.”230 Besides, our Lord also exhorted them to the same effect, when He said, “But if ye had known what [this] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.”231 Thus does He bear witness to the prophets, that they preached the truth; but accuses these men (His hearers) of being foolish through their own fault.
5. Again, giving directions to His disciples to offer to God the first-fruits232 of His own, created things-not as if He stood in need of them, but that they might be themselves neither unfruitful nor ungrateful-He took that created thing, bread, and gave thanks, and said, “This is My body.”233 And the cup likewise, which is part of that creation to which we belong, He confessed to be His blood, and taught the new oblation of the new covenant; which the Church receiving from the apostles, offers to God throughout all the world, to Him who gives us as the means of subsistence the first-fruits of His own gifts in the New Testament, concerning which Malachi, among the twelve prophets, thus spoke beforehand: “I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord Omnipotent, and I will not accept sacrifice at your hands. For from the rising of the sun, unto the going down [of the same], My name is glorified among the Gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure sacrifice; for great is My name among the Gentiles, saith the Lord Omnipotent; “234 -indicating in the plainest manner, by these words, that the former people [the Jews] shall indeed cease to make offerings to God, but that in every place sacrifice shall be offered to Him, and that a pure one; and His name is glorified among the Gentiles.235
6. But what other name is there which is glorified among the Gentiles than that of our Lord, by whom the Father is glorified, and man also? And because it is [the name] of His own Son, who was made man by Him, He calls it His own. Just as a king, if he himself paints a likeness of his son, is right in calling this likeness his own, for both these reasons, because it is [the likeness] of his son, and because it is his own production; so also does the Father confess the name of Jesus Christ, which is throughout all the world glorified in the Church, to be His own, both because it is that of His Son, and because He who thus describes it gave Him for the salvation of men. Since, therefore, the name of the Son belongs to the Father, and since in the omnipotent God the Church makes offerings through Jesus Christ, He says well on both these grounds, “And in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure sacrifice.” Now John, in the Apocalypse, declares that the “incense” is “the prayers of the saints.”236
Chapter XVIII.-Concerning Sacrifices and Oblations, and Those Who Truly Offer Them.
1. The oblation of the Church, therefore, which the Lord gave instructions to be offered throughout all the world, is accounted with God a pure sacrifice, and is acceptable to Him; not that He stands in need of a sacrifice from us, but that he who offers is himself glorified in what he does offer, if his gift be accepted. For by the gift both honour and affection are shown forth towards the King; and the Lord, wishing us to offer it in all simplicity and innocence, did express Himself thus: “Therefore, when thou offerest thy gift upon the altar, and shalt remember that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then return and offer thy gift.”237 We are bound, therefore, to offer to God the first-fruits of His creation, as Moses also says, “Thou shalt not appear in the presence of the Lord thy God empty; “238 so that man, being accounted as grateful, by those things in which he has shown his gratitude, may receive that honour which flows from Him.239
2. And the class of oblations in general has not been set aside; for there were both oblations there [among the Jews], and there are oblations here [among the Christians]. Sacrifices there were among the people; sacrifices there are, too, in the Church: but the species alone has been changed, inasmuch as the offering is now made, not by slaves, but by freemen. For the Lord is [ever] one and the same; but the character of a servile oblation is peculiar [to itself], as is also that of freemen, in order that, by the very oblations, the indication of liberty may be set forth. For with Him there is nothing purposeless, nor without signification, nor without design. And for this reason they (the Jews) had indeed the tithes of their goods consecrated to Him, but those who have received liberty set aside all their possessions for the Lord’s purposes, bestowing joyfully and freely not the less valuable portions of their property, since they have the hope of better things [hereafter]; as that poor widow acted who cast all her living into the treasury of God.240
3. For at the beginning God had respect to the gifts of Abel, because he offered with single-mindedness and righteousness; but He had no respect unto the offering of Cain, because his heart was divided with envy and malice, which he cherished against his brother, as God says when reproving his hidden [thoughts], “Though thou offerest rightly, yet, if thou dost not divide rightly, hast thou not sinned? Be at rest; “241 since God is not appeased by sacrifice. For if any one shall endeavour to offer a sacrifice merely to outward appearance, unexceptionably, in due order, and according to appointment, while in his soul he does not assign to his neighbour that fellowship with him which is right and proper, nor is under the fear of God;-he who thus cherishes secret sin does not deceive God by that sacrifice which is offered correctly as to outward appearance; nor will such an oblation profit him anything, but [only] the giving up of that evil which has been conceived within him, so that sin may not the more, by means of the hypocritical action, render him the destroyer of himself.242 Wherefore did the Lord also declare: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like whited sepulchres. For the sepulchre appears beautiful outside, but within it is full of dead men’s bones, and all uncleanness; even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of wickedness and hypocrisy.”243 For while they were thought to offer correctly so far as outward appearance went, they had in themselves jealousy like to Cain; therefore they slew the Just One, slighting the counsel of the Word, as did also Cain. For [God] said to him, “Be at rest; “but he did not assent. Now what else is it to “be at rest” than to forego purposed violence? And saying similar things to these men, He declares: “Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse that which is within the cup, that the outside may be clean also.”244 And they did not listen to Him. For Jeremiah says, “Behold, neither thine eyes nor thy heart are good; but [they are turned] to thy covetousness, and to shed innocent blood, and for injustice, and for man-slaying, that thou mayest do it.”245 And again Isaiah saith, “Ye have taken counsel, but not of Me; and made covenants, [but] not by My Spirit.”246 In order, therefore, that their inner wish and thought, being brought to light, may show that God is without blame, and worketh no evil-that God who reveals what is hidden [in the heart], but who worketh not evil-when Cain was by no means at rest, He saith to him: “To thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”247 Thus did He in like manner speak to Pilate: “Thou shouldest have no power at all against Me, unless it were given thee from above; “248 God always giving up the righteous one [in this life to suffering], that he, having been tested by what he suffered and endured, may [at last] be accepted; but that the evildoer, being judged by the actions he has performed, may be rejected. Sacrifices, therefore, do not sanctify a man, for God stands in no need of sacrifice; but it is the conscience of the offerer that sanctifies the sacrifice when it is pure, and thus moves God to accept [the offering] as from a friend. “But the sinner,” says He, “who kills a calf [in sacrifice] to Me, is as if he slew a dog.”249
4. Inasmuch, then, as the Church offers with single-mindedness, her gift is justly reckoned a pure sacrifice with God. As Paul also says to the Philippians, “I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things that were sent from you, the odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, pleasing to God.”250 For it behoves us to make an oblation to God, and in all things to be found grateful to God our Maker, in a pure mind, and in faith without hypocrisy, in well-grounded hope, in fervent love, offering the first-fruits of His own created things. And the Church alone offers this pure oblation to the Creator, offering to Him, with giving of thanks, [the things taken] from His creation. But the Jews do not offer thus: for their hands are full of blood; for they have not received the Word, through whom it is offered to God.251 Nor, again, do any of the conventicles (synagogae) of the heretics [offer this]. For some, by maintaining that the Father is different from the Creator, do, when they offer to Him what belongs to this creation of ours, set Him forth as being covetous of another’s property, and desirous of what is not His own. Those, again, who maintain that the things around us originated from apostasy, ignorance, and passion, do, while offering unto Him the fruits of ignorance, passion, and apostasy, sin against their Father, rather subjecting Him to insult than giving Him thanks. But how can they be consistent with themselves, [when they say] that the bread over which thanks have been given is the body of their Lord,252 and the cup His blood, if they do not call Himself the Son of the Creator of the world, that is, His Word, through whom the wood fructifies, and the fountains gush forth, and the earth gives “first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear.”253
5. Then, again, how can they say that the flesh, which is nourished with the body of the Lord and with His blood, goes to corruption, and does not partake of life? Let them, therefore, either alter their opinion, or cease from offering the things just mentioned.254 But our opinion is in accordance with the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn establishes our opinion. For we offer to Him His own, announcing consistently the fellowship and union of the flesh and Spirit.255 For as the bread, which is produced from the earth, when it receives the invocation of God, is no longer common bread,256 but the Eucharist, consisting of two realities, earthly and heavenly; so also our bodies, when they receive the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the resurrection to eternity.
6. Now we make offering to Him, not as though He stood in need of it, but rendering thanks for His gift,257 and thus sanctifying what has been created. For even as God does not need our possessions, so do we need to offer something to God; as Solomon says: “He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord.”258 For God, who stands in need of nothing, takes our good works to Himself for this purpose, that He may grant us a recompense of His own good things, as our Lord says: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you. For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me to eat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: naked, and ye clothed Me; sick, and ye visited Me; in prison, and ye came to Me.”259 As, therefore, He does not stand in need of these [services], yet does desire that we should render them for our own benefit, lest we be unfruitful; so did the Word give to the people that very precept as to the making of oblations, although He stood in no need of them, that they might learn to serve God: thus is it, therefore, also His will that we, too, should offer a gift at the altar, frequently and without intermission. The altar, then, is in heaven260 (for towards that place are our prayers and oblations directed); the temple likewise [is there], as John says in the Apocalypse, “And the temple of God was opened: “261 the tabernacle also: “For, behold,” He says, “the tabernacle of God, in which He will dwell with men.”
Ahiyah Asher Ahiyah I Am Who I Am Yahweh El Olam eth Abba Our Father and Son Jesus Christ our Only Lord and Saviour and Ruach Yahweh Holy Spirit our Paraclete, Pantocrator Omniscient Ubiquituos, Yahweh Elohim eth Creator and ruler of all the Lord thy God Incarnate, subsuming flesh of all men, Jesus Christ our Only Lord and Saviour, 70 generations from Adam and the beginning of all creation through Whom, the Word of God, all that has been created was created and without Whom was nothing that has been created, Who hast commanded all men:
1. “Thou shalt not have strange gods before Me;
2. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain;
3. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath Day;
4. Honor thy Father and thy Mother;
5. Thou shalt not kill;
6. Thou shalt not commit adultery;
7. Thou shalt not steal;
8. Thou shalt not bear false witness;
9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife;
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods;
3. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth.
5. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
6. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.
7. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
8. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God
9. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
10. Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11. Blessed are you when men reproach you, and persecute you, and, speaking falsely, say all manner of evil against you, for my sake.
12. Rejoice and exult, because your reward is great in heaven; for so did they persecute the prophets who were before you.
“Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
22. Blessed shall you be when men hate you; and when they shut you out and reproach you, and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
23. Rejoice on that day and exult, for behold your reward is great in heaven. For in the selfsame manner their fathers used to treat the prophets.
24. But woe to you rich! for you are now having your comfort.
25. Woe to you who are filled for you shall hunger.
Woe to you, who laugh now! For you shall mourn and weep.
26. Woe to you when all men speak well of you! In the selfsame manner their fathers used to treat the false prophets!”
The Disciples Compared to Salt and Light
13. “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its strength, what shall be salted with it? It is no longer of any use but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men.
14. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
15. Neither do men light a lamp and put it under the measure, but upon the lamp-stand, so as to give light to all in the house.
16. Even so let your light shine before men, in order that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
The Old Law and the New
17. “Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
18. For amen I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall be lost from the Law till all things have been accomplished.
19. Therefore whoever does away with one of these least commandments, and so teaches men, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever carries them out and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20. For I say to you that unless your justice exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul with thy whole depth of being and with thy whole strength. 38. This is the greatest and the first commandment.
39. And the second is like it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
40. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.
I say it now.
34. A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: that as I have loved you, you also love one another. 35. By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
Forgive us our sins as we also do forgive those who trespass against us”
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach us Thy statutes and therefore remember us when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, grant us understanding of Thy statutes and therefore remember us when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, enlighten us by Thy statutes and by our obedience of them therefore remember us when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom.
Warning from Jesus Christ and the apostle Paul
Mk:13:5:
5 ¶ And Jesus answering, began to say to them: Take heed lest any man deceive you. (DRV)
2Thes:2:3:
3 ¶ Let no man deceive you by any means: for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition (DRV)
The diabolically absurd idea of ecumenism began in the late 6th (500’s) A.D. century in the Eastern Church. Later, the Pope got jealous and decided he wanted it for himself. In all cases it is the example of men bowing before the temptation of Satan. The devil even tried to tempt Jesus Christ with this but Jesus totally rejected this temptation of the devil – see Gospel of St. Luke Chapter 4. It was in the East as well that the pagan worship of images was promoted throughout the centuries, while in the West the use of images to teach but not to worship them was the tradition. It was also in the East that the ecumenical idea of a universal bishop was thought up.
See the letters (epistles) of Pope St. Gregory the Great (died 604 A.D.)concerning the “proud and pestiferous title of ecumenical” and “images” and the Patriarch of Constantinople calling himself the universal (ecumenical) Bishop.
EPISTLE LXVIII.
TO EUSEBIUS OF THESSALONICA.
Be it known then to your Fraternity that John, formerly bishop of the city of Constantinople, against God, against the peace of the Church, to the contempt and injury of all priests, exceeded the bounds of modesty and of his own measure, and unlawfully usurped in synod the proud and pestiferous title of ecumenical, that is to say, universal. When our predecessor Pelagius of blessed memory became aware of this, he annulled by a fully valid censure all the proceedings of that same synod,
EPISTLE CV.
TO SERENUS BISHOP OF MASSILIA, (Marceilles).
Furthermore we notify to you that it has come to our ears that your Fraternity, seeing certain adorers of images, broke and threw down these same images in Churches. And we commend you indeed for your zeal against anything made with hands being an object of adoration; but we signify to you that you ought not to have broken these images. For pictorial representation is made use of in Churches for this reason; that such as are ignorant of letters may at least read by looking at the walls what they cannot read in books. Your Fraternity therefore should have both preserved the images and prohibited the people from adoration of them, to the end that both those who are ignorant of letters might have wherewith to gather a knowledge of the history, and that the people might by no means sin by adoration of a pictorial representation.
EPISTLE XL.
TO CYRIACUS, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE.
Gregory to Cyriacus, &c.
Observing diligently, most dear brother, how great is the virtue of peace from the Lord’s voice, which says, My peace I give unto you (John. xiv. 27), it becomes us so to abide in the love thereof as in no wise to give place to discord. But, since we cannot otherwise live in its root except by retaining in mind and in deed the humility which the very author of peace has taught, we entreat you with befitting charity, that, treading down with the foot of your heart the profane elation which is always hostile to souls, you make haste to remove from the midst of the Church the offence of a perverse and proud title (ecumenical [universal] Bishop – see above EPISTLE LXVIII), lest you should possibly be found divided from the society of our peace. But let there be in us one spirit, one mind, one charity, one bond in Christ, who has willed us to be his members. For let your Holiness consider how hard it is, how indecent, how cruel, how alien from the aim of a priest, not to have that peace which you preach to others, and so abstain from offending your brethren out of pride. But study this rather, how you may prostrate with the sword of humility the author of vain and profitless elation, to the end that in such a victory the grace of the Holy Spirit may claim you as a habitation for Himself, so that what is written may be plainly fulfilled in you; the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are (2 Cor. 6:16)
We commend to you in all things the bearer of these presents, our most beloved common son, the deacon Boniface, that in whatsoever may be needful he may find, as is becoming, the succour of your Holiness.
The Signs of the Last Day
Mark 13:21. “And then, if anyone say to you,
‘Behold, here is the Christ; behold, there he is,’ do not believe it. 22. For false christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 23. Be on your guard therefore; behold, I have told you all things beforehand.
24. “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give her light, 25. and the stars of heaven will be falling, and the powers that are in heaven will be shaken. 26. And then they will see the Son of Man coming upon clouds with great power and majesty. 27. And then he will send forth his angels, and will gather his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost parts of the earth to the uttermost parts of heaven.
2 Thessalonians 1:6. Indeed it is just on the part of God to repay with affliction, those who
afflict you, 7. and to give you who are afflicted rest with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus who will come from heaven with the angels of his power, 8. in flaming fire to inflict punishment on those who do not know God, and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9. These will be punished with eternal ruin, away from the face of the Lord and the glory of his power,
Romans
I: DOCTRINAL
THE GOSPEL: THE POWER OF GOD FOR THE SALVATION OF
ALL WHO BELIEVE
I. Humanity Without Christ
The Pagans Adore Idols
Romans 1: 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those men who in wickedness hold back the truth of God, 19. seeing that what may be known about God is manifest to them. For God has manifested it to them. 20. For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen – his everlasting power also and divinity-being understood through the things that are made. And so they are without excuse, 21. seeing that, although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give thanks, but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless minds have been darkened. 22. For while professing to be wise, they have become fools, 23. and they have changed the glory of the incorruptible for an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four footed beasts and creeping things.
Punishment of Idolaters
24. Therefore God has given them up in the lustful desires of their heart to uncleanness, so that they dishonor their own bodies among themselves- 25. they who exchange the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever, amen.
26. For this cause God has given them up to shameful lusts; for their women have exchanged the natural use for that which is against nature 27. and in like manner the men also having abandoned the natural use of the woman, have burned in their lusts one towards another, men with men doing shameless things and receiving in themselves the fitting recompense of their perversity. 28. And as they have resolved against possessing the knowledge of God, God has given them up to a reprobate sense, so that they do what is not fitting, 29. being filled with all iniquity, malice, immorality, avarice, wickedness; being full of envy, murder, contention, deceit, malignity being whisperers, 30. detractors, hateful to God, irreverent, proud, haughty, plotters of evil disobedient to parents, 31. foolish, dissolute, without affection, without fidelity, without mercy. 32. Although they have known the ordinance of God, they have not understood that those who practise such things are deserving of death. And not only do they do these things, but they applaud others doing them.
St. Mark 13
2 Thess. 1
Romans 1
EACH OF THE FOLLOWING HAD A DIVINE GOD KING TO RULE THEM. SIX OF THE FOLLOWING HAD SEVEN MOUNTAINS WHICH WERE SELECTED AS THE MAIN CENTERS OF THE DEVIL’S PAGAN RELIGION OF THAT AREA; ONE, JERUSALEM, HAD SEVEN MOUNTAINS DEDICATED TO THE WORSHIP OF THE TRUE GOD, BUT THEY CRUCIFIED HIM WHEN HE CAME IN THE FLESH (JESUS CHRIST). ONLY ONE, JERUSALEM, SAW THE FIRST ADVENT OF THE ONLY TRUE DIVINE GOD KING, THE BLESSED AND ONLY SOVEREIGN KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS JESUS CHRIST (THEY CRUCIFIED HIM BECAUSE HE ALLOWED IT FOR OUR SALVATION). ALL WILL SEE HIS SECOND ADVENT FROM HEAVEN WITH HIS MIGHTY ANGELS IN FLAMING FIRE TAKING VENGEANCE ON THOSE WHO KNOW NOT GOD (PAGANS) AND WHO DO NOT OBEY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (FALSE CHRISTIANS).
SEVEN 7 MOUNTAIN KINGDOMS
KINGDOM - MOUNTAINS
1} BABEL (MESOPOTAMIA)
1] TELL EL OBEID (TOWER OF BABEL), 2] TELL UQUAIR, 3] TELL AGRAB, 4] TELL ASMAR, 5] TELL MATARRAH, 6] QAL’AH SHERGAT (ASHUR), 7] CALAH (NIMRUD) NEAR NINEVEH
2} EGYPT PYRAMIDS –
1] ZAWAIYET EL ARYAN, 2] SEKHEMKHET (AT SAKKARA – KING IMHOTEP – EARLIEST), 3] MEDUM (NEAR GHIZA), 4] BENT PYRAMID AT DAHSUR, 5] STRAIGHT PYRAMID AT DAHSUR, 6] GREAT PYRAMID AT GHIZA (KHUFU’S), 7] SECOND PYRAMID AT GHIZA – KHAFRE’S, CHEPHREN)
3} CRETE (RE: GREECE)
1] PETSOFAS, 2] KOUFINAS, 3] IOUKTAS, 4] PHILIORIMOS, 5] VRYSINAS, 6] IDA, 7] DICTE
4} PERSIA (RE: INDIA) THE ELBURZ (ALBURZ) MOUNTAINS; RESHTEH-YE ALBORZ, ELEVATIONS (IN FEET) –
1] 12201, 2] 12657, 3] 15817 TAKHT-E SOLEYMAN, 4] 13339, 5] 18934 MT. DEMAVAND (QOLLEH-YE DAMAVAND), 6] 12828, 7] 8332
5} JERUSALEM
1] THE CITADEL, 2] ACRA, 3] TEMPLE MOUNT 4] MOUNT OF OLIVES, 5] MT. SCOPUS, 6] MT. ZION 7] GOLGOTHA (HEROD WAS STRUCK DOWN FOR CLAIMING THE HONOR OF BEING A GOD KING SEE THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES)
6} ROME
1] JANICULUM (THE VATICAN IS ON THE LOWER SLOPE), 2] AVENTINE, 3] PALATINE (WITH THE CAPITOLINE HILL AND THE TIBURTINE ORACLE; THE TIBURTINE, THE CUMAEAN AND THE DELPHIC ORACLE WERE THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT SIBYLS IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE), 4] CAELIAN, 5] ESQUILINE, 6] VIMINAL, 7] QUIRINAL
7} CHINA
1] TAI SHAN (THE OLDEST PLACE OF WORSHIP IN CHINA CLOSELY CONNECTED TO THE EMPEROR AS THE “SON OF HEAVEN”), 2] TIEN T’AI SHAN (THE MOST IMPORTANT IN BUDDHIST HISTORY IN CHINA), 3] P’U–T’O SHAN, 4] CHIU-HU SHAN, 5] WU-T’AI SHAN, 6] O-MEI SHAN, 7] SANWEI SHAN NEAR TUN-HUANG (DUNHUANG)
SHAN MEANS MOUNTAIN IN CHINESE.
THESE ABOVE WERE/ARE ALL PLACES OF IDOLATROUS WORSHIP OF FALSE GODS/GODDESSES AND ALL OF THE FALSE WORSHIP INVOLVED BLACK MAGIC AND SORCERY WHICH IS THE HALLMARK OF ALL PAGAN WORSHIP AND DIRECTLY VIOLATES DEUTERONOMY 18:10,11 AND IS DAMNED. FOR INSTANCE, ROME HAD ZEUS AND THE VIRGIN GODDESS OF BLACK MAGIC, FORTUNA OR TYCHE INCLUDING BY SYNCHRETISM HECATE, ISIS, MENE ETC., WORSHIPPED BY SORCERY, MAGICAL ENGRAVING, ENCHANTING TYING MAGIC SPELLS/KNOTS/CHARMS JOINED TO IDOLS OFFERING UNLAWFUL HUMAN AND ANIMAL SACRIFICES TO IDOLS AND THE FALSE GODS BEHIND THEM, ESPECIALLY FALSE PROPHECY: THE SIX ELEMENT DRAGON OUT OF THE MOUTH OF IT AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT, ‘O DIABOLOS HERMAPHRODITE BEAST OUT OF THE MOUTH OF IT AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT, THE FALSE PROPHET OF THE SATA-NAS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF IT AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT
Sata apostate in Hebrew
Nas serpent in Hebrew
Sata+Nas = Satan, the Devil, Known in Rome, for instance, as the Dragon
DT. 18:10,11 STRONGS BDB
VERSE 10
ESH 784 77b, 1083b
QECEM 7081 890c
ANAN 6049 778a, 1107c
NACHASH 5172 638c
KASHAPH 3784 506c
(CHARTOM FROM EXODUS 7:22) 2748 355a
VERSE 11
CHABAR CHEBER 2266; 2267 251c, 287d, 1092a; 288c
SHA’AL 7592 981b, 1114a; (SHA’AL, DARASH) OWB 178 15a
(SHA’AL, DARASH) YIDDE’ONIY 3049 396b
DARASH; MUWTH 1875; 4191 201d, 205a; 559b, 607a,
1099d
BDB = BROWN DRIVER BRIGGS HEBREW ENGLISH LEXICON PAGE NUMBER REFERENCES
SEVEN MOUNTAINS OF PARADISE
1] BUYUK AGRI DAGI (ARARAT WHERE THE ARK IS TODAY) 16946 FEET EL.
2] HAMA DAGI 10640 FEET ELEV.
3] TENDUREK DAGI 11621 FEET ELEV.
4] ALA DAG 10994 FEET ELEV.
5] MENGENE DAGI 11811 FEET ELEV.
6] MOR DAG 12500 FEET ELEV.
7] CILO DAG 13675 FEET ELEV.
PARADISE WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM MAN BY GOD WHEN ADAM FELL AND WILL BE RETURNED TO EARTH AFTER CHRIST RETURNS AND JUDGES ALL MEN. SINCE THE TIME OF PARADISE BEING TAKEN AWAY BY GOD AND THE CAVE OF THE PATRIARCHS HIDDEN BY THE FLOOD THAT GOD SENT DURING THE LIFETIME OF NOAH, THE DEVIL, WITH THE HELP OF MEN WILLING TO BOW TO THE DEVIL, HAS MADE SIX EMPIRES IN IMITATION OF PARADISE AND SUBVERTED A SEVENTH, ISRAEL WITH JERUSALEM. THESE ARE LISTED ABOVE WITH THEIR SEVEN MOUNTAINS EACH.
Prayer
Baruch Adonai Yaoth Kyrie elieson (40 times).
All Holy and Only True and Living Lord God of Adam Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob and Israel and Elijah and Your holy angels Michael and Gabriel with and by the prayer of all Your elect angels and saints for and with us unceasingly Vindicate us 0 God and distinguish our cause from an unholy nation and the unjust and deceitful man dying let them die let the evil recoil upon our enemies 0 Lord all spirits visible and invisible of the seven unholy empires babel egypt crete persia jerusalem rome china
and the eight which is of the seven all spirits of esh strange fire moloch sacrifice qecem shaday paraphronia diabolic divination and madness thereof the dragon leviathan anan augury nachash black magic theurgy kashaph sorcery including omina chartom magic including magical engraving chabar cheber joining magical spells knots charms to idols the gods of the gentiles eidolon of demons shaal owb cursing to death by familiar spirits darash owb consulting the same familiar spirits darash yiddeoniy consulting the spirits of the nephilim demons the gods of the gentiles darash arches exousias kosmocratoras pneumatika of evil consulting fallen rulers authorities world rulers spiritual wickednesses darash muwth consulting evil angels ebaskana the evil eye pharmekeia witchcraft pharmakon magic pharmakoi magicians mageias exestakenai magical insanity pharmakois sorcerers gunaikarion demonic lunatic insanity philosophy and vain deceit according to the traditions of men according to the elements of the world all liars claiming aseity and or infallibility which belongs to You ‘Agious ‘Agious ‘Agious Kurios ‘O Theos ‘O Pantocrator Baruch Adonai Yahweh Eloheinu Yahweh echad eth Yahweh El Olam Olam Abba Our Father Son Yeshua ha Mashiach Emmanuel Jesus Christ Our Only Lord and Saviour Holy Spirit Ruach Yahweh Chokmah Abiyr our Paraclete Yahweh Elohim Melek eth El Shaddai Yaoth Qadosh eth alone original sin propagated by procreation men created evil all who desire us ill afar or near alone or in a crowd
O LORD CHRIST JESUS BY YOUR MOST HOLY CROSS HOLY BLOOD HOLY SPIRIT OF YOU THE SON OF THE FATHER INFINITELY PURE AND UNDEFILED THE ONLY FIRST BORN FROM THE DEAD THE ONLY ONE RESURRECTED ASCENDED ASSUMED IN THE FLESH SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD OUR FATHER IN THE THIRD HEAVEN IN THE UNITY AND POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR PARACLETE HOLY HOLY HOLY LORD GOD PANTOCRATOR WITH AND BY THE PRAYER AND COMPANY OF ALL YOUR ELECT ANGELS AND SAINTS FOR AND WITH US UNCEASINGLY ALL SPIRITS VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE BIND AND CAST FROM US UNCEASINGLY OF ALL:
ESH [STRANGE FIRE] (MARCIONISM) APOSTASY IN THE GARDEN, APOSTASY AT BABEL
QECEM [DIVINATION] (VALENTINIAN GNOSTICISM) MESOPOTAMIAN CHALDAEANS, APOSTASY OF EGYPT – SYNTHETIC ORTHODOX GNOSTIC CHURCH WHICH IS APOSTATE CHRISTIANITY – NEW AGE RELIGION
ANAN [AUGURY] (SIBYLLINE ORACLES) APOSTASY OF CRETE AND GREECE INCLUDING EVOLUTION – NEW AGE RELIGION
NACHASH [BLACK MAGIC - THEURGY] (MARCOSIAN GNOSTICISM) APOSTASY OF PERSIA, INCLUDING THE MAGI AND ZOROASTRIANISM–
MODERN DAY PARSEES, AND THE FAR EAST, INCLUDING HINDUISM, AND INCLUDING ESPECIALLY THE DAINICHI NYORAI fn1 WHICH IS THE ESOTERIC CORE OF THE BUDDHIST PRIESTHOOD FROM THE TIME OF NAGARJUNA AT NALANDA, INDIA, EARLY SECOND CENTURY A. D. TO THE PRESENT
KASHAPH [SORCERY INCLUDING OMINA OF WHICH MODERN ASTROLOGY IS ONLY A SMALL PART] (MANICHAEANISM) CHARTOM [MAGICAL ENGRAVING OF WHICH THE ANCIENT FORM WAS A VERY FORMAL IDOLATRY, I. E. THE GODLESS APOSTASY OF JERUSALEM - APOSTATE JUDAISM WHICH IS INFIDEL HEATHEN PAGANISM.
CHABAR CHEBER [BLACK MAGIC PRIEST ENCHANTERS OF BABYLON WHO TIE - MAGIC SPELLS, KNOTS, CHARMS - JOINED TO IDOLS] (SIMON MAGUS GNOSTICISM) APOSTATE ROME – VATICAN II ROMANISM WHICH IS APOSTATE CHRISTIANITY
SHA’AL [CURSING TO DEATH BY CONSULTING FAMILIARS, CHTHONIC SPIRITS - DEMONS, I. E. THE WITCH OF ENDOR, FOR INSTANCE] (MENANDER’S GNOSTICISM) APOSTASY OF CHINA – THE GHOSTS OF TAOISM
‘OWB [NECROMANCERS, DEMONIC GLOSSALLIA, SLAIN IN THE SPIRIT, CHANNELLING] (MONTANISM) EVANGELICAL GNOSTIC APOSTASY WHICH IS APOSTATE CHRISTIANITY – THE NEW AGE RELIGION
YIDDE’ONIY [PYTHONING DEMONIC AND DIABOLIC SPIRITS, PSYCHOPOMPS] (SATURNINUS BASILIDES CARPOCRATES GNOSTICISM) WORLD APOSTASY – THE COMING ANTICHRIST WHO IS THE SON OF PERDITION
DARASH MUWTH [CONJURING SATAN, ESPECIALLY AS COSMOCRATORAS] (NAASENI OPHITE GNOSTICISM) – THE GREAT APOSTASY AND THE ANTICHRIST WHO IS THE SON OF PERDITION
FOR YOU LORD ARE NOT IN ANY OF THE SATANAS fn2 BOASTING NEITHER ARE WE. AMEN.
NOTES
1. ESH, QECEM, ANAN, NACHASH, KASHAPH, CHARTOM, CHABAR CHEBER, SHA’AL, ‘OWB, YIDDE’ONIY, DARASH MUWTH – ARE HEBREW FROM DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 18, AND EXODUS CHAPTER 7; AND ALSO USED ELSEWHERE IN THE BIBLE. TERMS IN BRACKETS [ ] ARE DEFINITIONS THEREOF. THERE IS OVERLAP IN THE GIVEN EXAMPLES. NAASENI IS THE HEBREW SECT EXPLAINED BY ST. HIPPOLYTUS.
2. ABOVE TERMS IN PARENTHESIS ( ) ARE VARIOUS EQUIVALENT GNOSTIC HERESIES CONDEMNED BY THE CHURCH FATHERS. THERE IS OVERLAP.
3. NOTE THE ABOVE ARE SUMMED UP HERE: l) MAGIC – ZOROASTIANISM – PARSEES; 2) HINDUISM; 3) BUDDHISM; 4) TAOISM; 5) JUDAISM; 6) COMMUNISM; 7) SYNTHETIC ORTHODOX GNOSTIC CHURCH VATICAN II ROMANISM EVOLUTION EVANGELICAL GNOSTIC APOSTASY NEW AGE RELIGION: EQUALS THE GREAT APOSTASY WHICH WILL BE SUMMED UP IN THE ANTICHRIST WHO IS THE SON OF PERDITION
FOOTNOTES .
1. {IN JAPANESE FROM EARLIER CHINESE, SANSKRIT AND PALl}
2. [SATA=APOSTATE, NAS = SERPENT; DEFINED BY ST. IRENAEUS]
11. “And whatever town or village, you enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and stay there until you leave. 12. As you enter the house, salute it. 13. If then that house be worthy, your peace will come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14. And whoever does not receive you, or listen to your words go forth outside that house or town, and shake off the dust from your feet. 15. Amen I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that town.”
Gospel of St. Matthew chapter 10
Jesus and His Brethren
46. While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brethren were standing outside, seeking to speak to him. 47. And someone said to him, “Behold, thy mother and thy brethren are standing outside, seeking thee.” 48. But he answered and said to him who told him, “Who is my mother and who are my brethren?” 49. And stretching forth his hand towards his disciples, he said, “Behold my mother and my brethren! 50. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
Gospel of St. Matthew chapter 12
Warning from the early Church and a paraphrase of the teaching of Jesus Christ
APOSTATES — ACCORDING TO St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Gaul (France) – 180 A.D.
Those nations however, who did not of themselves raise up their eyes unto heaven, nor returned thanks to their Maker, nor wished to behold the light of truth, but who were like blind mice concealed in the depths of ignorance, the word justly reckons “as waste water from a sink, and as the turning-weight of a balance—in fact, as nothing;”
That before the Lord’s appearance Satan never dared to blaspheme God, inasmuch as he did not yet know his own sentence, because it was contained in parables and allegories; but that after the Lord’s appearance, when he had clearly ascertained from the words of Christ and His apostles that eternal fire has been prepared for him as he apostatized from God of his own free-will, and likewise for all who unrepentant continue in the apostasy, he now blasphemes, by means of such men, the Lord who brings judgment [upon him] as being already condemned, and imputes the guilt of his apostasy to his Maker, not to his own voluntary disposition. Just as it is with those who break the laws, when punishment overtakes them: they throw the blame upon those who frame the laws, but not upon themselves. In like manner do those men, filled with a satanic spirit, bring innumerable accusations against our Creator, who has both given to us the spirit of life, and established a law adapted for all; and they will not admit that the judgment of God is just. Wherefore also they set about imagining some other Father who neither cares about nor exercises a providence; and there is therefore in this beast (the Antichrist), when he comes, a recapitulation made of all sorts of iniquity and of every deceit, in order that all apostate power, flowing into and being shut up in him, may be sent into the furnace of fire. Fittingly, therefore, shall his name possess the number six hundred and sixty-six, since he sums up in his own person all the commixture of wickedness which took place previous to the deluge, due to the apostasy of the angels. For Noah was six hundred years old when the deluge came upon the earth, sweeping away the rebellious world, for the sake of that most infamous generation which lived in the times of Noah. And [Antichrist] also sums up every error of devised idols since the flood, together with the slaying of the prophets and the cutting off of the just. For that image which was set up by Nebuchadnezzar had indeed a height of sixty cubits, while the breadth was six cubits; on account of which Ananias, Azarias, and Misaël, when they did not worship it, were cast into a furnace of fire, pointing out prophetically, by what happened to them, the wrath against the righteous which shall arise towards the [time of the] end. For that image, taken as a whole, was a prefiguring of this man’s coming, decreeing that he should undoubtedly himself alone be worshipped by all men. Thus, then, the six hundred years of Noah, in whose time the deluge occurred because of the apostasy, and the number of the cubits of the image for which these just men were sent into the fiery furnace, do indicate the number of the name of that man in whom is concentrated the whole apostasy of six thousand years, and unrighteousness, and wickedness, and false prophecy, and deception; for which things’ sake a cataclysm of fire shall also come [upon the earth].
YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR FRIEND SHOWING ALL KINDS OF IDOLATRY OF MAMMON AND EVERY OTHER KIND OF UNGODLY BLASPHEMOUS PARTIALITY ENGAGING IN WITH AND APPLAUDING ALL THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN EVERY SORT OF THE SAME AND ESPECIALLY THE WORSHIP OF SATAN AND THE ANTICHRIST THE SON OF THE DEVIL AND WORSHIPPING AND SERVING THE VAIN GODS OF THE SAME AND ALL IDOLATRY AND WITCHCRAFT EVERY MURDER, MURDERER AND LIE, LIAR ESPECIALLY BY THE DIRECTION OF THE FALSE PROPHET PROCLAIMING A FALSE PEACE AND SECURITY AND IN THIS HATE YOUR ENEMY WHICH IS CHRIST’ BUT I CHRIST JESUS I AM NOT IN ANY OF THAT AND WHO WILL DESTROY ALL OF THESE INTO EVERLASTING PERDITION FROM MY LEFT HAND AND EVEN NOW, I AM THE CHRIST JESUS SON OF GOD AND MAN WHO SAY TO YOU “LOVE YOUR ENEMIES ME AND MY CHILDREN WHICH GOD HAS GIVEN ME THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN ME SHOWN BY THEIR PRACTICING MY COMMANDMENTS BEGINNING WITH YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME I AM WHO HAVE MADE THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH IN 6 DAYS 7O GENERATIONS BEFORE MY INCARNATION …DO THE SAME THAT ONLY THEN YOU MAY BE SONS OF YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN: FOR HE MAKES HIS SUN RISE ON THE EVIL WHICH ARE YOU AND ON THE GOOD WHICH ARE MINE, AND SENDS RAIN ON THE JUST WHICH ARE MINE AND ON YOU THE UNJUST; THERERFORE REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND YOU SHALL BE PERFECT AS YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT”. WHEREFORE “COME OUT FROM AMONG THE INFIDEL AND BE SEPARATED, SAYS THE LORD DO NOT TOUCH THE UNCLEAN THING AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU. AND I WILL BE A FATHER TO YOU AND YOU SHALL BE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY.” DO THOU O LORD JESUS CHRIST IMMORTAL SON OF THE ONLY TRUE GOD BARUCH ADONAI YAOTH ABBA OUR FATHER IN THE UNITY AND POWER OF YOUR HOLY SPIRIT WHO MAY NOT BE BLASPHEMED UPON PENALTY OF EVERLASTING DAMNATION HAVE MERCY UPON YOUR FAITHFUL UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN.
Was St. Ambrose right in terming the Jews the perfidious race?
Absolutely not as what we mean by “race”. This wasn’t St. Ambrose’s meaning though. His meaning is concerning those Jews who as a nation were gathered around the teachings of the Rabbis and thereby opposing Our Lord Jesus Christ and the True God and turning aside on purpose to Satan and denying the humanity of all men other than themselves. In this they were Satan worshippers and racist and totally apostate from The God they pretended to confess. They, in fact, blasphemed the Holy Spirit and have no salvation.
Any one of so-called Jewish background today who is ignorant of all this could still come to Jesus Christ and confess Him and be baptized and be saved, but would have to absolutely abjure Talmudic Judaism.
From CCEL and the Church Fathers in the public domain with comment (on Buddhism) added to the mention of Abbe Cruice’s scholarly dissertation on India and comment added to philological note on nachash – Hebrew for serpent and for black magic. Also added is this expansion of a quote: That is they (the Judeo-Gnostics) honor: Satan as God the Father which is absolute blasphemy, and Jesus Christ as only man and only one example of the Logos and born of Mary and Joseph and not by the virgin birth, which is also absolute apostasy. This is the same as the Jewish position today concerning Jesus Christ.
Also by Protestants spued out under the rubric of: Yahwist serpent origins of Hebrew worship. It is true that Yahweh is the true God, but certainly not any part of serpent worship; that is totally apostate.
Notes and comments excerpted -
This term has created the title “Ophites,” which may be regarded as the generic denomination for all the advocates of this phase of Gnosticism.
The heresy of the Naasseni is adverted to by the other leading writers on heresy in the early age of the Church. See St. Irenaeus, i, 34: Origen, Contr. Cels., vi 28 (p. 291 et seq. ed. Spenc.); Tertullian, Proeser., c. 47 Theodoret, Haeretic. Fabul, i. 14; Epiphanius, Advers. Haereses., xxv. and xxxvii.: St. Augustine, De Haeres., xvii.; Jerome, Comment. Epist. ad Galat., lib. ii.
The Abbe Cruice reminds his readers that the Naasseni carried their doctrines into India, and refers to the Asiatic Researches (vol. x. p. 39). It was from this that Nagarjuna and Ashvaghosha got their ideas which are the real historical beginning of Buddhism and not the mythic beginning around 500 B.C. concurrent with Mahavira and Goshala.
The Abbe Cruice mentions the following works as of authority among the Gnostic Naasseni, and from whence they derived their system: The Gospel of Perfection, Gospel of Eve, The Questions of Mary, Concerning the Offspring of Mary, The Gospel of Philip, The Gospel according to (1) Thomas, (2) the Egyptians.
The Hebrew word is nachash. Hebrew for serpent and black magic and from whence comes the Indian word naga (serpent) and which is the same as nag in Nag Hammadi where the Gnostic writings were found a few decades ago.
paraton autoon logon. Bernaysius suggests for these words, patera too autoo logoo. Schneidewin regards the emendation as an error, and Bunsen partly so. The latter would read, patera ton autoon Logon, i.e., “The Naasseni honour the Father of all existent things, the Logos, as man and the Son of Man.” That is they honor: Satan as God the Father which is absolute blasphemy, and Jesus Christ as only man and only one example of the Logos and born of Mary and Joseph and not by the virgin birth, which is also absolute apostasy. This is the same as the Jewish position today concerning Jesus Christ.
See Irenaeus, Haer., i. 1.
Geryon (see note, chap. iii.) is afterwards mentioned as a synonyme with Jordan, i.e., “flowing from earth” ( gh ruwn).
gnosis,-a term often alluded to by St. John, and which gives its name “Gnosticism” to the various forms of the Ophitic heresy. DIABOLICALLY TWISTED BY ANCIENT AND MODERN GNOSTICS TO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION. ANATHEMA SIT.
IN SHORT IT WAS THE GNOSTICS THAT CREATED BUDDHISM BY THEIR EXPORT OF THE BLACK MAGIC OF THE APOSTATE JEWS TO INDIA. IT IS TRUE THAT THE ALREADY PAGAN BASE OF HINDUISM WAS THE PAN HELLENIC – INDIAN PAGANISM THAT IT WAS GRAFTED ONTO.
FROM ST. HIPPOLYTUS
THE REFUTATION OF ALL HERESIES — BOOK V
THE REFUTATION OF ALL HERESIES.
BOOK V.
CONTENTS.
The following are the contents of the fifth book of the Refutation of all Heresies:(1 )
What the assertions are of the Naasseni, who style themselves Gnostics, and that they advance those opinions which the Philosophers of the Greeks previously propounded, as well as those who have handed down mystical (rites), from (both of) whom the Naasseni taking occasion, have constructed their heresies.
And what are the tenets of the Peristae, and that their system is not framed by them out of the holy Scriptures, but from astrological art.
What is the doctrine of the Sethians,(2) and that, purloining(3) their theories from the wise men among the Greeks, they have patched together their own system out of shreds of opinion taken from Musaeus, and Linus, and Orpheus.
What are the tenets of Justinus, and that his system is framed By him, not out of the holy Scriptures, but from the detail of marvels furnished by Herodotus the historian.
CHAP. I.- RECAPITULATION; CHARACTERISTICS OF HERESY; ORIGIN OF THE NAME NAASSENI; THE SYSTEM OF THE NAASSENI.
I think that in the four preceding books I have very elaborately explained the opinions propounded by all the speculators among both Greeks and Barbarians, respecting the Divine Nature and the creation of the world; and not even have I omitted(4) the consideration of their systems of magic. So that I have for my readers undergone no ordinary amount of toil, in my anxiety to urge many forward into a desire of learning, and into stedfastness of knowledge in regard of the truth. It remains, therefore, to hasten on to the refutation of the heresies; but it is for the purpose of furnishing this (refutation) that we have put forward the statements already made by us. For from philosophers the heresiarchs deriving(5) starting-points, (and) like cobblers patching together, according to their own particular interpretation, the blunders of the ancients, have advanced them as novelties to those that are capable of being deceived, as we shall prove in the following books. In the remainder (of our work), the opportunity invites us to approach the treatment of our proposed subjects, and to begin from those who have presumed to celebrate a serpent,(6) the originator of the error (in question), through certain expressions devised by the energy of his own (ingenuity). The priests, then, and champions of the system, have been first those who have been called Naasseni,(7) being so denominated from the Hebrew language, for the serpent is called naas ( 8 ) (in Hebrew). Subsequently, however, they have styled themselves Gnostics, alleging that they alone have sounded the depths of knowledge. Now, from the system of these (speculators), many, detaching parts, have constructed a heresy which, though with several subdivisions, is essentially one, and they explain precisely the same (tenets); though conveyed under the guise of different opinions, as the following discussion, according as it progresses, will prove.
These (Naasseni), then, according to the system(1) advanced by them, magnify, (as the originating cause) of all things else, a man and a son of man. And this man is a hermaphrodite, and is denominated among them Adam; and hymns many and various are made to him. The hymns? however–to be brief–are couched among them in some such form as this: “From thee (comes) father, and through thee (comes) mother, two names immortal, progenitors of Aeons, O denizen of heaven, thou illustrious man.” But they divide him as Geryon(3) into three parts. For, say they, of this man one part is rational, another psychical, another earthly. And they suppose that the knowledge of him is the originating principle of the capacity for a knowledge of God, expressing themselves thus: “The originating principle of perfection is the knowledge(4) of man, while the knowledge of God is absolute perfection.” All these qualities, however–rational, and psychical, and earthly–have, (the Naassene) says, retired and descended into one man simultaneously–Jesus,(5) who was born of Mary. And these three men (the Naassene) says, are in the habit of speaking (through Jesus) at the same time together, each from their own proper substances to those peculiarly their own. For, according to these, there are three kinds of all existent things–angelic, psychical, earthly; and there are three churches–angelic, psychical, earthly; and the names of these are elect, called, captive.
CHAP. II.–NAASSENI ASCRIBE THEIR SYSTEM, THROUGH MARIAMNE, TO JAMES THE LORD’S BROTHER; REALLY TRACEABLE TO THE ANCIENT MYSTERIES; THEIR PSYCHOLOGY AS GIVEN IN THE “GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THOMAS;” ASSYRIAN THEORY OF THE SOUL; THE SYSTEMS OF THE NAASSENI AND THE ASSYRIANS COMPARED; SUPPORT DRAWN BY THE NAASSENI FROM THE PHRYGIAN AND EGYPTIAN MYSTERIES; THE MYSTERIES OF ISIS; THESE MYSTERIES ALLEGORIZED BY THE NAASSENI.
These are the heads of very numerous discourses which (the Naassene) asserts James the brother of the Lord handed down to Mariamne.(6)
In order, then, that these impious (heretics) may no longer belie Mariamne or James, or the Saviour Himself, let us come to the mystic rites (whence these have derived their figment),–to a consideration, if it seems right, of both the Barbarian and Grecian (mysteries),–and let us see how these (heretics), collecting together the secret and ineffable mysteries of all the Gentiles, are uttering falsehoods against Christ, and are making dupes of those who are not acquainted with these orgies of the Gentiles. For since the foundation of the doctrine with them is the man Adam, and they say that concerning him it has been written, “Who shall declare his generation?”(7) learn how, partly deriving from the Gentiles the undiscoverable and diversified(8) generation of the man, they fictitiously apply it to Christ.
“Now earth,”(9) say the Greeks, “gave forth a man, (earth) first bearing a goodly gift, wishing to become mother not of plants devoid of sense, nor beasts without reason, but of a gentle and highly favoured creature.” “It, however, is difficult,” (the Naassene) says, “to ascertain whether Alalcomeneus,(10) first of men, rose upon the Boeotians over Lake Cephisus; or whether it were the Idaean Curetes, a divine race; or the Phrygian Corybantes, whom first the sun beheld springing up after the manner of the growth of trees; or whether Arcadia brought forth Pelasgus, of greater antiquity than the moon; or Eleusis (produced) Diaulus, an inhabitant of Raria; or Lemnus begot Cabirus, fair child of secret orgies; or Pallerie (brought forth) the Phlegraean Alcyoneus, oldest of the giants. But the Libyans affirm that Iarbas, first born, on emerging from arid plains, commenced eating the sweet acorn of Jupiter. But the Nile of the Egyptians,” he says, “up to this day fertilizing mud, (and therefore) generating animals, renders up living bodies, which acquire flesh from moist vapour.” The Assyrians, however, say that fish-eating Oannes(11) was (the first man, and) produced among themselves. The Chaldeans, however, say that this Adam is the man whom alone earth brought forth. And that he lay inanimate, unmoved, (and) still as a statue; being an image of him who is above, who is celebrated as the man Adam,(1) having been begotten by many powers, concerning whom individually is an enlarged discussion.
In order, therefore, that finally the Great Man from above may be overpowered, “from whom,” as they say, “the whole family named on earth and in the heavens has been formed, to him was given also a soul, that through the soul he might suffer; and that the enslaved image may be punished of the Great and most Glorious and Perfect Man, for even so they call him. Again, then, they ask what is the soul, and whence, and what kind in its nature, that, coming to the man and moving him,(2) it should enslave and punish the image of the Perfect Man. They do not, however, (on this point) institute an inquiry from the Scriptures, but ask this (question) also from the mystic (rites). And they affirm that the soul is very difficult to discover, and hard to understand; for it does not remain in the same figure or the same form invariably, or in one passive condition, that either one could express it by a sign, or comprehend it substantially.
But they have these varied changes (of the soul) set down in the gospel inscribed “according to the Egyptians.”(3) They are, then, in doubt, as all the rest of men among the Gentiles, whether (the soul) is at all from something pre-existent, or whether from the self-produced (one),(4) or from a widespread Chaos. And first they fly for refuge to the mysteries of the Assyrians, perceiving the threefold division of the man; for the Assyrians first advanced the opinion that the soul has three parts, and yet (is essentially) one. For of soul, say they, is every nature desirous, and each in a different manner. For soul is cause of all things made; all things that are nourished, (the Naassene) says, and that grow, require soul. For it is not possible, he says, to obtain any nourishment or growth where soul is not present. For even stones, he affirms, are animated, for they possess what is capable of increase; but increase would not at any time take place without nourishment, for it is by accession that things which are being increased grow, but accession is the nourishment of things that are nurtured. Every nature, then, as of thins celestial and (the Naasene) says, of things celestial, and earthly, and infernal, desires a soul. And an entity of this description the Assyrians call Adonis or Endymion;(5) and when it is styled Adonis, Venus, he says, loves and desires the soul when styled by such a name. But Venus is production, according to them. But whenever Proserpine or Cora becomes enamoured with Adonis, there results, he says, a certain mortal soul separated from Venus (that is, from generation). But should the Moon pass into concupiscence for Endymion, and into love of her form, the nature,(6) he says, of the higher beings requires a soul likewise. But if, he says, the mother of the gods emasculate Attis,(7) and herself has this (person) as an object of affection, the blessed nature, he says, of the supernal and everlasting (beings) alone recalls the male power of the soul to itself.
For (the Naassene) says, there is the hermaphrodite man. According to this account of theirs, the intercourse of woman with man is demonstrated, in conformity with such teaching, to be an exceedingly wicked and filthy (practice).( 8 ) For, says (the Naassene), Attis has been emasculated, that is, he has passed over from the earthly parts of the nether world to the everlasting substance above, where, he says, there is neither female or male,(9) but a new creature, (10) a new man, which is hermaphrodite. As to where, however, they use the expression “above,” I shall show when I come to the proper place (for treating this subject). But they assert that, by their account, they testify that Rhea is not absolutely isolated, but–for so I may say–the universal creature; and this they declare to be what is affirmed by the Word. “For the invisible things of Him are seen from the creation of the world, being understood by the things that are made by Him, even His eternal power and Godhead, for the purpose of leaving them without excuse. Wherefore, knowing God, they glorified Him not as God, nor gave Him thanks; but their foolish heart was rendered vain. For, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into images of the likeness of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore also God gave them up unto vile affections; for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature.” What, however, the natural use is, according to them, we shall afterwards declare. “And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly”–now the expression that which is unseemly signifies, according to these (Naasseni), the first and blessed substance, figureless, the cause of all figures to those things that are moulded into shapes,–”and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.”(1) For in these words which Paul has spoken they say the entire secret of theirs, and a hidden mystery of blessed pleasure, are comprised. For the promise of washing is not any other, according to them, than the introduction of him that is washed in, according to them, life-giving water, and anointed with ineffable(2) ointment (than his introduction) into unfading bliss
But they assert that not only is there in favour of their doctrine, testimony to be drawn from the mysteries of the Assyrians, but also from those of the Phrygians concerning the happy nature–concealed, and yet at the same time disclosed–of things that have been, and are coming into existence, and moreover will be,-(a happy nature) which, (the Naassene) says, is the kingdom of heaven to be sought for within a man.(3) And concerning this (nature) they hand down an explicit passage, occurring(4) in the Gospel inscribed according to Thomas,(5) expressing themselves thus: “He who seeks me, will find, me in children from seven years old; for there concealed, I shall in the fourteenth age be made manifest.” This, however, is not (the teaching) of Christ, but of Hippocrates, who uses these words: “A child of seven years is half of a father.” And so it is that these (heretics), placing the originative nature of the universe in causative seed, (and) having ascertained the (aphorism) of Hippocrates,(6) that a child of seven years old is half of a father, say that in fourteen years, according to Thomas, he is manifested. This, with them, is the ineffable and mystical Logos. They assert, then, that the Egyptians, who after the Phrygians,(7) it is established, are of greater antiquity than all mankind, and who confessedly were the first to proclaim to all the rest of men the rites and orgies of, at the same time, all the gods, as well as the species and energies (of things), have the sacred and august, and for those who are not initiated, unspeakable mysteries of Isis. These, however, are not anything else than what by her of the seven dresses and sable robe was sought and snatched away, namely, the pudendum of Osiris. And they say that Osiris is water.(8) But the seven-robed nature, encircled and arrayed with seven mantles of ethereal texture–for so they call the planetary stars, allegorizing and denominating them ethereal(9) robes,–is as it were the changeable generation, and is exhibited as the creature transformed by the ineffable and unportrayable,(10) and inconceivable and figureless one. And this, (the Naassene) says, is what is declared in Scripture, “The just will fall seven times, and rise again.”(11) For these falls, he says, are the changes of the stars, moved by Him who puts all things in motion.
They affirm, then, concerning the substance(12) of the seed which is a cause of all existent things, that it is none of these, but that it produces and forms all things that are made, expressing themselves thus: “I become what I wish, and I am what I am: on account of this I say, that what puts all things in motion is itself unmoved. For what exists remains forming all things, and nought of existing things is made.”(13) He says that this (one) alone is good, and that what is spoken by the Saviour(14) is declared concerning this (one): “Why do you say that am good? One is good, my Father which is in the heavens, who causeth His sun to rise upon the just and unjust, and sendeth rain upon saints and sinners.”(15) But who the saintly ones are on whom He sends the rain, and the sinners on whom the same sends the rain, this likewise we shall afterwards declare with the rest. And this is the great and secret and unknown mystery of the universe, concealed and revealed among the Egyptians. For Osiris,(16) (the Naassene) says, is in temples in front of Isis;(17) and his pudendum stands exposed, looking downwards, and crowned with all its own fruits of things that are made. And (he affirms) that such stands not only in the most hallowed temples chief of idols, but that also, for the information of all, it is as it were a light not set under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, proclaiming its message upon the housetops,( 18 ) in all by-ways, and all streets, and near the actual dwellings, placed in front as a certain appointed limit and termination of the dwelling, and that this is denominated the good (entity) by all. For they style this good-producing, not knowing what they say. And the Greeks, deriving this mystical (expression) from the Egyptians, preserve it until this day. For we behold, says (the Naassene), statues of Mercury, of such a figure honoured among them.
Worshipping, however, Cyllenius with especial distinction, they style him Logios. For Mercury is Logos, who being interpreter and fabricator of the things that have been made simultaneously, and that are being produced, and that will exist, stands honoured among them, fashioned into some such figure as is the pullendum of a man, having an impulsive power from the parts below towards those above. And that this (deity)–that is, a Mercury of this description–is, (the Naassene) says, a conjurer of the dead, and a guide of departed spirits, and an originator of souls; nor does this escape the notice of the poets, who express themselves thus:–
“Cyllenian Hermes also called
The souls of mortal suitors.”(1)
Not Penelope’s suitors, says he, O wretches! but (souls) awakened and brought to recollection of themselves,
“From honour so great, and from bliss so long.”(2)
That is, from the blessed man from above, or the primal man or Adam, as it seems to them, souls have been conveyed down here into a creation of clay, that they may serve the Demiurge of this creation, Ialdabaoth,(3) a fiery God, a fourth number; for so they call the Demiurge and father of the formal world:–
“And in hand he held a lovely
Wand of gold that human eyes enchants,
Of whom he will, and those again who slumber rouses.”(4)
This, he says, is he who alone has power of life and death. Concerning this, he says, it has been written, “Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron.”(5) The poet, however, he says, being desirous of adorning the incomprehensible (potency) of the blessed nature of the Logos, invested him with not an iron, but golden wand. And he enchants the eyes of the dead, as he says, and raises up again those that are slumbering, after having been roused from sleep, and after having been suitors. And concerning these, he says, the Scripture speaks: “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise, and Christ will give thee light.”(6)
This is the Christ who, he says, in all that have been generated, is the portrayed Son of Man from the unportrayable Logos. This, he says, is the great and unspeakable mystery of the Eleusinian rites, Hye, Cye.(7) And he affirms that all things have been subjected unto him, and this is that which has been spoken, “Their sound is gone forth unto all the earth,”(8) just as it agrees with the expressions, “Mercury(9) waving his wand, guides the souls, but they twittering follow.” I mean the disembodied spirits follow continuously in such a way as the poet by his imagery delineates, using these words:–
“And as when in the magic cave’s recess
Bats humming fly, and when one drops
From ridge of rock, and each to other closely clings.”(10)
The expression “rock,” he says, he uses of Adam. This, he affirms, is Adam: “The chief corner-stone become the head of the corner.(11) For that in the head the substance is the formative brain from which the entire family is fashioned.(12) “Whom,” he says, “I place as a rock at the foundations of Zion.” Allegorizing, he says, he speaks of the creation of the man. The rock is interposed (within) the teeth, as Homer(13) says, “enclosure of teeth,” that is, a wall anti fortress, in which exists the inner man, who thither has fallen from Adam, the primal man above. And he has been “severed without hands to effect the division,”(14) and has been borne down into the image of oblivion, being earthly and clayish. And he asserts that the twittering spirits follow him, that is, the Logos:–
“Thus these, twittering, came together: and then the souls.
That is, he guides them;
Gentle Hermes led through wide-extended paths.”(15)
That is, he says, into the eternal places separated from all wickedness. For whither, he says, did they come:–
“O’er ocean’s streams they came, and Leuca’s cliff,
And by the portals of the sun and land of dreams.”
This, he says, is ocean {see Nammu}, “generation of gods and generation of men”(16) ever whirled round by the eddies of water, at one time upwards, at another time downwards. But he says there ensues a generation of men when the ocean flows downwards; but when upwards to the wall and fortress and the cliff of Luecas, a generation of gods takes place. This, he asserts, is that which has been written: “I said, Ye are gods, and all children of the highest;”(1) “If ye hasten to fly out of Egypt, and repair beyond the Red Sea into the wilderness,” that is, from earthly intercourse to the Jerusalem above, which is the mother of the living;(2) “If, moreover, again you return into Egypt,” that is, into earthly intercourse,(3) “ye shall die as men.” For mortal, he says, is every generation below, but immortal that which is begotten above, for it is born of water only, and of spirit, being spiritual, not carnal. But what (is born) below is carnal, that is, he says, what is written. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.”(4) This, according to them, is the spiritual generation. This, he says, is the great Jordan(5) which, flowing on (here) below, and preventing the children of Israel from departing out of Egypt–I mean from terrestrial intercourse, for Egypt is with them the body,–Jesus drove back, and made it flow upwards.
CHAP. III.–FURTHER EXPOSITION OF THE HERESY OF THE NAASSENI; PROFESS TO FOLLOW HOMER; ACKNOWLEDGE A TRIAD OF PRINCIPLES; THEIR TECHNICAL NAMES OF THE TRIAD; SUPPORT THESE ON THE AUTHORITY OF GREEK POETS; ALLEGORIZE OUR SAVIOUR’S MIRACLES; THE MYSTERY OF THE SAMOTHRACIANS; WHY THE LORD CHOSE TWELVE DISCIPLES; THE NAME CORYBAS, USED BY THRACIANS AND PHRYGIANS, EXPLAINED; NAASSENI PROFESS TO FIND THEIR SYSTEM IN SCRIPTURE; THEIR INTERPRETATION OF JACOB’S VISION; THEIR IDEA OF THE “PERFECT MAN;” THE “PERFECT MAN” CALLED “PAPA” BY THE PHRYGIANS; THE NAASSENI AND PHRYGIANS ON THE RESURRECTION; THE ECSTASIS OF ST. PAUL; THE MYSTERIES OF RELIGION AS ALLUDED TO BY CHRIST; INTERPRETATION OF THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER; ALLEGORY OF THE PROMISED LAND; COMPARISON OF THE SYSTEM OF THE PHRYGIANS WITH THE STATEMENTS OF SCRIPTURE; EXPOSITION OF THE MEANING OF THE HIGHER AND LOWER ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES; THE INCARNATION DISCOVERABLE HERE ACCORDING TO THE NAASSENI.
Adopting these and such like (opinions), these most marvellous Gnostics, inventors of a novel(6) grammatical art, magnify Homer as their prophet–as one, (according to them,) who, after the mode adopted in the mysteries, announces these truths; and they mock those who are not indoctrinated into the holy Scriptures, by betraying them into such notions. They make, however, the following assertion: he who says that all things derive consistence from one, is in error; but he who says that they are of three, is in possession of the truth, and will furnish a solution of the (phonomena of the) universe. For there is, says (the Naassene), one blessed nature of the Blessed Man, of him who is above, (namely) Adam; and there is one mortal nature, that which is below; and there is one kingless generation, which is begotten above, where, he says, is Mariam(7) the sought-for one, and Iothor the mighty sage, and Sephors the gazing one, and Moses whose generation is not in Egypt, for children were born unto him in Madian; and not even this, he says, has escaped the notice of the poets.
“Threefold was our partition; each obtained
His meed of honour due.”( 8 )
For, says he, it is necessary that the magnitudes be declared, and that they thus be declared by all everywhere, “in order that hearing they may not hear, and seeing they may not see.”(9) For if, he says, the magnitudes were not declared, the world could not have obtained consistence. These are the three tumid expressions (of these heretics), CAULACAU,(10) SAULASU, ZEESAR. CAULACAU, i.e., Adam, who is farthest above; SAULASAU, that is, the mortal one below; ZEESAR, that is, Jordan that flows upwards. This, he says, is the hermaphrodite man (present) in all. But those who are ignorant of him, call him Geryon with the threefold body–Geryon, i.e., as if (in the sense of) flowing from earth–but (whom) the Greeks by common consent (style) “celestial horn of the moon,” because he mixed and blended all things in all. “For all things,” he says, “were made by him, and not even one thing was made without him, and what was made in him is life.”(11) This, says he, is the life, the ineffable generation of perfect men, which was not known by preceding generations. But the passage, “nothing was made without him,” refers to the formal world, for it was created without his instrumentality by the third and fourth (of the quaternion named above). For says he, this is the cup “CONDY, out of which the king, while he quaffs, draws his omens.”(12) This, he says, has been discovered hid in the beauteous seeds of Benjamin. And the Greeks likewise, he says, speak of this in the following terms:–
“Water to the raging mouth bring; thou slave, bring wine;
Intoxicate and plunge me into stupor.
My tankard tells me
The sort I must become.”(1)
This, says he, was alone sufficient for its being understood by men; (I mean) the cup of Anacreon declaring, (albeit) mutely, an ineffable mystery. For dumb, says he, is Anacreon’s cup; and (yet) Anacreon affirms that it speaks to himself, in language mute, as to what sort he must become–that is spiritual, not carnal–if he shall listen in silence to the concealed mystery. And this is the water in those fair nuptials which Jesus changing made into wine. This, he says, is the mighty and true beginning of miracles(2) which Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee, and (thus) manifested the kingdom of heaven. This, says he, is the kingdom of heaven that reposes within us as a treasure, as leaven hid in the three measures of meal.(3)
This is, he says, the great and ineffable mystery of the Samothracians, which it is allowable, he says, for us only who are initiated to know. For the Samothracians expressly hand down, in the mysteries that are celebrated among them, that (same) Adam as the primal man. And habitually there stand in the temple of the Samothracians two images of naked men, having both hands stretched aloft towards heaven, and their pudenda erecta, as with the statue of Mercury on Mount Cyllene. And the aforesaid images are figures of the primal man, and of that spiritual one that is born again, in every respect of the same substance with that man. This, he says, is what is spoken by the Saviour: “If ye do not drink my blood, and eat my flesh, ye will not enter into the kingdom of heaven; but even though,” He says, “ye drink of the cup which I drink of, whither I go, ye cannot enter there.”(4) For He says He was aware of what sort of nature each of His disciples was, and that there was a necessity that each of them should attain unto His own peculiar nature. For He says He chose twelve disciples from the twelve tribes, and spoke by them to each tribe. On this account, He says, the preachings of the twelve disciples neither did all hear, nor, if they heard, could they receive. For the things that are not according to nature, are with them contrary to nature.
This, he says, the Thracians who dwell around Haemus, and the Phrygians similarly with the Thracians, denominate Corybas, because, (though) deriving the beginning of his descent from the head above and from the unportrayed brain, and (though) permeating all the principles of the existing state of things, (yet) we do not perceive how and in what manner he comes down. This, says he, is what is spoken: “We have heard his voice, no doubt, but we have not seen his shape.”(5) For the voice of him that is set apart(6) and portrayed is heard; but (his) shape, which descends from above from the unportrayed one,–what sort it is, nobody knows. It resides, however, in an earthly mould, yet no one recognises it. This, he says, is “the god that inhabiteth the flood,” according to the Psalter, “and who speaketh and crieth from many waters.”(7) The “many waters,” he says, are the diversified generation of mortal men, from which (generation) he cries and vociferates to the unportrayed man, saying, “Preserve my only-begotten from the lions.”( 8 ) In reply to him, it has, says he, been declared, “Israel, thou art my child: fear not; even though thou passest through rivers, they shall not drown thee; even though thou passest through fire, it shall not scorch thee.”(9) By rivers he means, says he, the moist substance of generation, and by fire the impulsive principle and desire for generation. “Thou art mine; fear not.” And again, he says, “If a mother forget her children, so as not to have pity on them and give them food, I also will forget you.”(10) Adam, he says, speaks to his own men: “But even though a woman forget these things, yet I will not forget you. I have painted you on my hands.” In regard, however, of his ascension, that is his regeneration, that he may become spiritual, not carnal, the Scripture, he says, speaks (thus): “Open the gates, ye who are your rulers; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in,” that is a wonder of wonders.(11) “For who,” he says, “is this King of glory? A worm, and not a man; a reproach of man, and an outcast of the people; himself is the King of glory, and powerful in war.”(12)
And by war he means the war that is in the body, because its frame has been made out of hostile elements; as it has been written, he says, “Remember the conflict that exists in the body.”(13) Jacob, he says, saw this entrance and this gate in his journey into Mesopotamia, that is, when from a child he was now becoming a youth and a man; that is, (the entrance and gate) were made known unto him as he journeyed into Mesopotamia. But Mesopotamia, he says, is the current of the great ocean flowing from the midst of the Perfect Man; and he was astonished at the celestial gate, exclaiming, “How terrible is this place! it is nought else than the house of God, and this (is) the gate of heaven.”(1) On account of this, he says, Jesus uses the words, “I am the true gate.”(2) Now he who makes these statements is, he says, the Perfect Man that is imaged from the unportrayable one from above. The Perfect Man therefore cannot, he says, be saved, unless, entering in through this gate, he be born again. But this very one the Phrygians, he says, call also PAPA, because he tranquillized all things which, prior to his manifestation, were confusedly and dissonantly moved. For the name, he says, of PAPA belongs simultaneously to all creatures(3)-celestial, and terrestrial, and infernal–who exclaim, Cause to cease, cause to cease the discard of the world, and make “peace for those that are afar off,” that is, for material and earthly beings; and “peace for those that are near,”(4) that is, for perfect men that are spiritual and endued with reason. But the Phrygians denominate this same also “corpse”–buried in the body, as it were, in a mausoleum and tomb. This, he says, is what has been declared, “Ye are whited sepulchres, full,” he says, “of dead men’s bones within,”(5) because there is not in you the living man. And again he exclaims, “The dead shall start forth from the graves,”(6) that is, from the earthly bodies, being born again spiritual, not carnal. For this, he says, is the Resurrection that takes place through the gate of heaven, through which, he says, all those that do not enter remain dead. These same Phrygians, however, he says, affirm again that this very (man), as a consequence of the change, (becomes) a god. For, he says, he becomes a god when, having risen from the dead, he will enter into heaven through a gate of this kind. Paul the apostle, he says, knew of this gate, partially opening it in a mystery, and stating “that he was caught up by an angel, and ascended as far as the second and third heaven into paradise itself; and that he beheld sights and heard unspeakable words which it would not be possible for man to declare.”(7)
These are, he says, what are by all called the secret mysteries, “which (also we speak), not in words taught of human wisdom, but in those taught of the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him.”(8) And these are, he says, the ineffable mysteries of the Spirit, which we alone are acquainted with. Concerning these, he says, the Saviour has declared, “No one can come unto me, except my heavenly Father draw some one unto me.”(9) For it is very difficult, he says, to accept and receive this great and ineffable mystery. And again, it is said, the Saviour has declared, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”(10) And it is necessary that they who perform this (will), not hear it merely, should enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again, he says, the Saviour has declared, “The publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of heaven before you.”(11) For “the publicans,” he says, are those who receive the revenues(12) of all things;(13) but we, he says, are the publicans, “unto whom the ends of the ages have come.”(14) For “the ends,” he says, are the seeds scattered from the unportrayable one upon the world, through which the whole cosmical system is completed; for through these also it began to exist. And this, he says, is what has been declared: “The sower went forth to sow. And some fell by the wayside, and was trodden down; and some on the rocky places, and sprang up,” he says, “and on account of its having no depth (of soil), it withered and died; and some,” he says, “fell on fair and good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty fold. Who hath ears,” he says, “to hear, let him hear.”(15) The meaning of this, he says, is as follows, that none becomes a hearer of these mysteries, unless only the perfect Gnostics. This, he says, is the fair and good land which Moses speaks of: “I will bring you into a fair and good land, into a land flowing with milk and honey.”(16) This, he says, is the honey and the milk, by tasting which those that are perfect become kingless, and share in the Pleroma. This, he says, is the Pleroma, through which all existent things that are produced(17) have from the ingenerable one been both produced and completed.
And this same (one) is styled also by( 18 ) the Phrygians “unfruitful.” For he is unfruitful when he is carnal, and causes the desire of the flesh. This, he says, is what is spoken: “Every tree not producing good fruit, is cut down and cast into the fire.”(1) For these fruits, he says, are only rational living men, who enter m through the third gate. They say, forsooth, “Ye devour the dead, and make the living; (but) if ye eat the living, what will ye do?” They assert, however, that the living “are rational faculties and minds, and men–pearls of that unportrayable one cast before the creature below.”(2) This, he says, is what (Jesus) asserts: “Throw not that which is holy unto the dogs, nor pearls unto the swine.”(3) Now they allege that the work of swine and dogs is the intercourse of the woman with a man. And the Phrygians, he says, call this very one “goat-herd” (Aipolis), not because, he says, he is accustomed to feed the goats female and male, as the natural (men) use the name, but because, he says, he is “Aipolis”–that is, always ranging over,–who both revolves and carries around the entire cosmical system by his revolutionary motion. For the word “Polein” signifies to turn and change things; whence, he says, they all call the twos centre of the heaven poles (Poloi). And the poet says:–
“What sea-born sinless sage comes hither,
Undying Egyptian Proteus? “(4) He is not undone,(5) he says,(6) but revolves as it were, and goes round himself. Moreover, also, cities in which we dwell, because we turn and go round in them, are denominated “Poleis.” In this manner, he says, the Phygians call this one “Aipolis,” inasmuch as he everywhere ceaselessly turns all things, and changes them into their own peculiar (functions). And the Phrygians style him, he says, “very fruitful” likewise, “because,” says he, “more numerous are the children of the desolate one, than those of her which hath an husband;”(7) that is, things by being born again become immortal and abide for ever in great numbers, even though the things that are produced may be few; whereas things carnal, he says, are all corruptible, even though very many things (of this type) are produced. For this reason, he says, “Rachel wept(8) for her children, and would not,” says (the prophet), “be comforted; sorrowing for them, for she knew,” says he, “that they are not.”(9) But Jeremiah likewise utters lamentation for Jerusalem below, not the city in Phoenicia, but the corruptible generation below. For Jeremiah likewise, he says, was aware of the Perfect Man, of him that is born again–of water and the Spirit not carnal. At least Jeremiah himself remarked: “He is a man, and who shall know him?”(10) In this manner, (the Naassene) says, the knowledge of the Perfect Man is exceedingly profound, and difficult of comprehension. For, he says, the beginning of perfection is a knowledge of man, whereas knowledge of God is absolute perfection.
The Phrygians, however, assert, he says, that he is likewise “a green ear of corn reaped.” And after the Phrygians, the Athenians, while initiating people into the Eleusinian rites, likewise display to those who are being admitted to the highest grade at these mysteries, the mighty, and marvellous, and most perfect secret suitable for one initiated into the highest mystic truths: (I allude to) an ear of corn in silence reaped. But this ear of corn is also (considered) among the Athenians to constitute the perfect enormous illumination (that has descended) from the unportrayable one, just as the Hierophant himself (declares); not, indeed, emasculated like Attis,(11) but made a eunuch by means of hemlock, and despising(12) all carnal generation. (Now) by night in Eleusis, beneath a huge fire, (the Celebrant,) enacting the great and secret mysteries, vociferates and cries aloud, saying, “August Brimo has brought forth a consecrated son, Brimus;” that is, a potent (mother has been delivered of) a potent child. But revered, he says, is the generation that is spiritual, heavenly, from above, and potent is he that is so born. For the mystery is called “Eleusin” and “Anactorium.” “Eleusin,” because, he says, we who are spiritual come flowing down from Adam above; for the word “eleusesthai” is, he says, of the same import with the expression “to come.” But “Anactorium” is of the same import with the expression “to ascend upwards.” This, he says, is what they affirm who have been initiated in the mysteries of the Eleusinians. It is, however, a regulation of law, that those who have been admitted into the lesser should again be initiated into the Great Mysteries. For greater destinies obtain greater portions. But the inferior mysteries, he says, are those of Proserpine below; in regard of which mysteries, and the path which leads thither, which is wide and spacious, and conducts those that are perishing to Proserpine, the poet likewise says:–
“But under her a fearful path extends,
Hollow miry, yet best guide to
Highly-honoured Aphrodite’s lovely grove.”(13)
These, he says, are the inferior mysteries, those appertaining to carnal generation. Now, those men who are initiated into these inferior (mysteries) ought to pause, and (then) be admitted into the great (and) heavenly (ones). For they, he says, who obtain their shares (in this mystery), receive greater portions. For this, he says, is the gate of heaven; and this a house of God, where the Good Deity dwells alone. And into this (gate), he says, no unclean person shall enter, nor one that is natural or carnal; but it is reserved for the spiritual only. And those who come hither ought to cast off(1) their garments, and become all of them bridegrooms, emasculated through the virginal spirit. For this is the virgin(2) who carries in her womb and conceives and brings forth a son, not animal, not corporeal, but blessed for evermore. Concerning these, it is said, the Saviour has expressly declared that “straight and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there are that enter upon it; whereas broad and spacious is the way that leadeth unto destruction, and many there are that pass through it.”(3)
CHAP. IV.–FURTHER USE MADE OF THE SYSTEM OF THE PHRYGIANS; MODE OF CELEBRATING THE MYSTERIES; THE MYSTERY OF THE “GREAT MOTHER;” THESE MYSTERIES HAVE A JOINT OBJECT OF WORSHIP WITH THE NAASSENI; THE NAASSENI ALLEGORIZE THE SCRIPTURAL ACCOUNT OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN; THE ALLEGORY APPLIED TO THE LIFE OF JESUS.
The Phrygians, however, further assert that the father of the universe is “Amygdalus,” not a tree, he says, but that he is “Amygdalus” who previously existed; and he having in himself the perfect fruit, as it were, throbbing and moving in the depth, rent his breasts, and produced his now invisible, and nameless, and ineffable child. respecting whom we shall speak. For the word “Amyxai” signifies, as it were, to burst and sever through, as he says (happens) in the case of inflamed bodies, and which have in themselves any tumour; and when doctors have cut this, they call it “Amychai.” In this way, he says, the Phrygians call him “Amygdalus,” from which proceeded and was born the Invisible (One), “by whom all things were made, and nothing was made without Him.”(4) And the Phrygians say that what has been thence produced is “Syrictas” (piper), because the Spirit that is born is harmonious. “For God,” he says, “is Spirit; wherefore,” he affirms, “neither in this mountain do the true worshippers worship, nor in Jerusalem, but in spirit. For the adoration of the perfect ones,” he says, “is spiritual, not carnal.”(5) The Spirit, however, he says, is there where likewise the Father is named, and the Son is there born from this Father. This, he says, is the many-named, thousand-eyed Incomprehensible One, of whom every nature–each, however, differently–is desirous. This, he says, is the word of God, which, he says, is a word of revelation of the Great Power. Wherefore it will be sealed, and hid, and concealed, lying in the habitation where lies the basis of the root of the universe, viz. Aeons, Powers, Intelligences, Gods, Angels, delegated Spirits, Entities, Nonentities, Generables, Ingenerables, Incomprehensibles, Comprehensibles, Years, Months, Days, Hours, (and) Invisible Point from which(6) what is least begins to increase gradually. That which is, he says, nothing, and which consists of nothing, inasmuch as it is indivisible–(I mean) a point–will become through its own reflective power a certain incomprehensible magnitude. This, he says, is the kingdom of heaven, the grain of mustard seed,(7) the point which is indivisible in the body; and, he says, no one knows this (point) save the spiritual only. This, he says, is what has been spoken: “There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.”( 8 )
They rashly assume in this manner, that whatsoever things have been said and done by all men, (may be made to harmonize) with their own particular mental view, alleging that all things become spiritual. Whence likewise they assert, that those exhibiting themselves in theatres,–not even these say or do anything without premeditation. Therefore, he says, when, on the people assembling in the theatres, any one enters clad in a remarkable robe, carrying a harp and playing a tune (upon it, accompanying it) with a song of the great mysteries, he speaks as follows, not knowing what he says: “Whether (thou art) the race of Saturn or happy Jupiter,(9) or mighty Rhea, Hail, Attis, gloomy mutilation of Rhea. Assyrians style thee thrice-longed-for Adonis, and the whole of Egypt (calls thee) Osiris, celestial horn of the moon; Greeks denominate (thee) Wisdom; Samothracians, venerable Adam; Haemonians, Corybas; and them Phrygians (name thee) at one time Papa, at another time Corpse, or God, or Fruitless, or Aipolos, or green Ear of Corn that has been reaped, or whom the very fertile Amygdalus produced–a man, a musician.” This, he says, is multiform Attis, whom while they celebrate in a hymn, they utter these words: “I will hymn Attis, son of Rhea, not with the buzzing sounds of trumpets, or of Idaean pipers, which accord with (the voices of) the Curetes; but I will mingle (my song) with Apollo’s music of harps, ‘evoe, evan,’ inasmuch as thou art Pan, as thou art Bacchus, as thou art shepherd of brilliant stars.”
On account of these and such like reasons, these constantly attend the mysteries called those of the “Great Mother,” supposing especially that they behold by means of the ceremonies performed there the entire mystery. For these have nothing more than the ceremonies that are performed there, except that they are not emasculated: they merely complete the work of the emasculated. For with the utmost severity and vigilance they enjoin (on their votaries) to abstain, as if they were emasculated, from intercourse with a woman. The rest, however, of the proceeding (observed in these mysteries), as we have declared at some length, (they follow) just as (if they were) emasculated persons. And they do not worship any other object but Naas, (from thence) being styled Naasseni. But Naas is the serpent from whom, i.e., from the word Naas, (the Naassene) says, are all that under heaven are denominated temples (Naous). And (he states) that to him alone–that is, Naas–is dedicated every shrine and every initiatory rite, and every mystery; and, in general, that a religious ceremony could not be discovered under heaven, in which a temple (Naos) has no existence; and in the temple itself is Naas, from whom it has received its denomination of temple (Naos). And these affirm that the serpent is a moist substance, just as Thales also, the Milesian, (spoke of water as an originating principle,) and that nothing of existing things, immortal or mortal, animate or inanimate, could consist at all without him. And that all things are subject unto him, and that he is good, and that he has all things in himself, as in the horn of the one-horned bull;(1) so as that he imparts beauty and bloom to all things that exist according to their own nature and peculiarity, as if passing through all, just as (“the river) proceeding forth from Edem, and dividing itself into four heads.”(2)
They assert, however, that Edem is the brain, as it were, bound and tightly fastened in encircling robes, as if (in) heaven. But they suppose that man, as far as the head only, is Paradise, therefore that “this river, which proceeds out of i Edem,” that is, from the brain, “is divided into four heads,(3) and that the name of the first river is called Phison; this is that which encompasseth all the land of Havilath: there is gold, and the gold of that land is excellent, and there is bdellium and the onyx stone.” This, he says, is the eye, which, by its honour (among the rest of the bodily organs), and its colours, furnishes testimony to what is spoken. “But the name of the second river is Gihon: this is that which compasseth the land of Ethiopia.” This, he says, is hearing, since Gihon is (a tortuous stream), resembling a sort of labyrinth. “And the name of the third is Tigris. This is that which floweth over against (the country of) the Assyrians.” This, he says,(4) is smelling, employing the exceedingly rapid current of the stream (as an analogy of this sense). But it flows over against (the country of) the Assyrians, because in every act of respiration following upon expiration, the breath drawn in from the external atmosphere enters with swifter motion and greater force. For this, he says, is the nature of respiration. “But the fourth river is Euphrates.” This, they assert, is the mouth, through which are the passage outwards of prayer, and the passage inwards of nourishment. (The mouth) makes glad, and nurtures and fashions the Spiritual Perfect Man. This, he says, is “the water that is above the firmament,”(5) concerning which, he says, the Saviour has declared, “If thou knewest who it is that asks, thou wouldst have asked from Him, and He would have given you to drink living, bubbling water.”(6) Into this water, he says, every nature enters, choosing its own substances; and its peculiar quality comes to each nature from this water, he says, more than iron does to the magnet, and the gold to the backbone(7) of the sea falcon, and the chaff to the amber.
But if any one, he says, is blind from birth, and has never beheld the true light, “which lighteneth every man that cometh into the world,”(8) by us let him recover his sight, and behold, as it were, through some paradise planted with every description of tree, and supplied with abundance of fruits, water coursing its way through all the trees and fruits; and he will see that from one and the same water the olive chooses for itself and draws the oil, and the vine the wine; and (so is it with) the rest of plants, according to each genus. That Man, however, he says, is of no reputation in the world, but of illustrious fame in heaven, being betrayed by those who are ignorant (of his perfections) to those who know him not, being accounted as a drop from a cask.(9) We, however, he says, are spiritual, who, from the life-giving water of Euphrates, which flows through the midst of Babylon, choose our own peculiar quality as we pass through the true gate, which is the blessed Jesus. And of all men, we Christians alone are those who in the third gate celebrate the mystery, and are anointed there with the unspeakable chrism from a horn, as David (was anointed), not from an earthen vessel,(1) he says, as (was) Saul, who held converse with the evil demon(2) of carnal concupiscence.
CHAP. V.–EXPLANATION OF THE SYSTEM OF THE NAASSENI TAKEN FROM ONE OF THEIR HYMNS.
The foregoing remarks, then, though few out of many, we have thought proper to bring forward. For innumerable are the silly and crazy attempts of folly. But since, to the best of our ability, we have explained the unknown Gnosis, it seemed expedient likewise to adduce the following point. This psalm of theirs has been composed, by which they seem to celebrate all the mysteries of the error (advanced by) them in a hymn, couched in the following terms:–
The world’s producing law was Primal Mind,(3)
And next was First-born’s outpoured Chaos;
And third, the soul received its law of toil:
Encircl’d, therefore, with an acqueous(4) form,
With care o’erpowered it succumbs to death.
Now holding sway, it eyes the light,
And now it weeps on misery flung;
Now it mourns, now it thrills with joy;
Now it wails, now it hears its doom;
Now it hears its doom, now it dies,
And now it leaves us, never to return.
It, hapless straying, treads the maze of ills.
But Jesus said, Father, behold,
A strife of ills across the earth
Wanders from thy breath (of wrath);
But bitter Chaos (man) seeks to shun,
And knows not how to pass it through.
On this account, O Father, send me;
Bearing seals, I shall descend;
Through ages whole I’ll sweep,
All mysteries I’ll unravel,
And forms of Gods I’ll show;
And secrets of the saintly path,
Styled “Gnosis,” I’ll impart.
CHAP. VI.–THE OPHITES THE GRAND SOURCE OF HERESY.
These doctrines, then, the Naasseni attempt to establish, calling themselves Gnostics. But since the error is many-headed and diversified, resembling, in truth, the hydra that we read of in history; when, at one blow, we have struck off the heads of this (delusion) by means of refutation, employing the wand of truth, we shall entirely exterminate the monster. For neither do the remaining heresies present much difference of aspect from this, having a mutual connection through (the same) spirit of error. But since, altering the words and the names of the serpent, they wish that there should be many heads of the serpent, neither thus shall we fail thoroughly to refute them as they desire.
THE REFUTATION OF ALL HERESIES — BOOK X
THE REFUTATION OF ALL HERESIES.
BOOK X.
CONTENTS
THE following are the contents of the tenth book of the Refutation of all Heresies:–
An Epitome of all Philosophers.
An Epitome of all Heresies.
And, in conclusion to all, what the Doctrine of the Truth is.
CHAP. I.–RECAPITULATION.
After we have, not with violence, burst through the labyrinth(1) of heresies, but have unravelled (their intricacies) through a refutation merely, or, in other words, by the force of truth, we approach the demonstration of the truth itself. For then the artificial sophisms of error will be exposed in all their inconsistency, when we shall succeed in establishing whence it is that the definition of the truth has been derived. The truth has not taken its principles from the wisdom of the Greeks, nor borrowed its doctrines, as secret mysteries, from the tenets of the Egyptians, which, albeit silly, are regarded amongst them with religious veneration as worthy of reliance. Nor has it been formed out of the fallacies which enunciate the incoherent (conclusions arrived at through the) curiosity of the Chaldeans. Nor does the truth owe its existence to astonishment, through the operations of demons, for the irrational frenzy of the Babylonians. But its definition is constituted after the manner in which every true definition is, viz., as simple and unadorned. A definition such as this, provided it is made manifest, will of itself refute error. And although we have very frequently propounded demonstrations, and with sufficient fulness elucidated for those willing (to learn) the rule of the truth; yet even now, after having discussed all the opinions put forward by the Greeks and heretics, we have decided it not to be, at all events, unreasonable to introduce, as a sort of finishing stroke to the (nine) books preceding, this demonstration throughout the tenth book.
CHAP. II.–SUMMARY OF THE OPINIONS OF PHILOSOPHERS.
Having, therefore, embraced (a consideration of) the tenets of all the wise men among the Greeks in four books, and the doctrines propounded by the heresiarchs in five, we shall now exhibit the doctrine concerning the truth in one, having first presented in a summary the suppositions entertained severally by all. For the dogmatists of the Greeks, dividing philosophy into three parts, in this manner devised from time to time their speculative systems;(2) some denominating their system Natural, and others Moral, but others Dialectical Philosophy. And the ancient thinkers who called their science Natural Philosophy, were those mentioned in book i. And the account which they furnished was after this mode: Some of them derived all things from one, whereas others from more things than one. And of those who derived all things from one, some derived them from what was devoid of quality, whereas others from what was endued with quality. And among those who derived all things from quality, some derived them from fire. and some from air, and some from water, and some from earth. And among those who derived the universe from more things than one, some derived it from numerable, but others from infinite quantities. And among those who derived all things from numerable quantities, some derived them from two, and others from four, and others from five, and others from six. And among those who derived the universe from infinite quantities, some derived entities from things similar to those generated, whereas others from things dissimilar. And among these some derived entities from things incapable of, whereas others from things capable of, passion. From a body devoid of quality and endued with unity, the Stoics, then, accounted for the generation of the universe. For, according to them, matter devoid of quality, and in all its parts susceptible of change, constitutes an originating principle of the universe. For, when an alteration of this ensues, there is generated fire, air, water, earth. The followers, however, of Hippasus, and Anaximander, and Thales the Milesian, are disposed to think that all things have been generated from one (an entity), endued with quality. Hippasus of Metapontum and Heraclitus the Ephesian declared the origin of things to be from fire, whereas Anaximander from air, but Thales from water, and Xenophanes from earth. “For from earth,” says he, “are all things, and all things terminate in the earth.”(1)
CHAP. III.–SUMMARY OF THE OPINIONS OF PHILOSOPHERS CONTINUED.
But among those who derive all entities from more things than one, and from numerable quantities, the poet Homer asserts that the universe consists of two substances, namely earth and water; at one time expressing himself thus:–
“The source of gods was Sea and Mother Earth.”(2)
And on another occasion thus:–
“But indeed ye all might become water and earth.”(3)
And Xenophanes of Colophon seems to coincide with him, for he says:–
“We all are sprung from water and from earth.”(4)
Euripides, however, (derives the universe) from earth and air, as one may ascertain from the following assertion of his:–
“Mother of all, air and earth, I sing.”(5)
But Empedocles derives the universe from four principles, expressing himself thus:–
“Four roots of all things hear thou first:
Brilliant Jove, and life-giving Juno and Aidoneus,
And Nestis, that with tears bedews the Mortal Font.”(6)
Ocellus, however, the Lucanian, and Aristotle, derive the universe from five principles; for, along with the four elements, they have assumed the existence of a fifth, and (that this is) a body with a circular motion; and they say that from this, things celestial have their being. But the disciples of Empedocles supposed the generation of the universe to have proceeded from six principles. For in the passage where he says, “Four roots of all things hear thou first,” he produces generation out of four principles. When, however, he subjoins,–
“Ruinous Strife apart from these, equal in every point,And with them Friendship equal in length and breadth,”(7)–
he also delivers six principles of the universe, four of them material–earth, water, fire, and air; but two of them formative–Friendship and Discord. The followers, however, of Anaxagoras of Clazomenae, and of Democritus, and of Epicurus, and multitudes of others, have given it as their opinion that the generation of the universe proceeds from infinite numbers of atoms; and we have previously made partial mention of these philosophers. But Anaxagoras derives the universe from things similar to those that are being produced; whereas the followers of Democritus and Epicurus derived the universe from things both dissimilar (to the entities produced), and devoid of passion, that is, from atoms. But the followers of Heraclides of Pontus, and of Asclepiades, derived the universe from things dissimilar (to the entities produced), and capable of passion, as if from incongruous corpuscles. But the disciples of Plato affirm that these entities are from three principles–God, and Matter, and Exemplar. He divides matter, however, into four principles–fire, water, earth, and air. And (he says) that God is the Creator of this (matter), and that Mind is its exemplar.( 8 )
CHAP. IV.–SUMMARY OF THE OPINIONS OF PHILOSOPHERS CONTINUED.
Persuaded, then, that the principle of physiology is confessedly discovered to be encumbered with difficulties for all these philosophers, we ourselves also shall fearlessly declare concerning the examples of the truth, as to how they are, and as we have felt confident that they are. But we shall previously furnish an explanation, in the way of epitome, of the tenets of the heresiarchs, in order that, by our having set before our readers the tenets of all made well known by this (plan of treatment), we may exhibit the truth in a plain and familiar (form).
CHAP. V.–THE NAASSENI.
But since it so appears expedient, let us begin first from the public worshippers of the serpent. The Naasseni call the first principle of the universe a Man, and that the same also is a Son of Man; and they divide this man into three portions. For they say one part of him is rational, and another psychical, but a third earthly. And they style him Adamas, and suppose that the knowledge appertaining to him is the originating cause of the capacity of knowing God. And the Naassene asserts that all these rational, and psychical, and earthly qualities have retired into Jesus, and that through Him these three substances simultaneously have spoken unto the three genera of the universe. These allege that there are three kinds of existence–angelic, psychical, and earthly; and that there are three churches–angelic, psychical, and earthly; and that the names for these are–chosen, called, and captive. These are the heads of doctrine advanced by them, as far as one may briefly comprehend them. They affirm that James, the brother of the Lord, delivered these tenets to Mariamne, by such a statement belying both.
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