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.
This
page and the others linked to it — All copyrighted sources are quoted
and used for comment and education in accord with the nonprofit
provisions of:
Title 17 U.S.C., Section 107.
These sites are in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C., Section 107 and are protected under:
The First Amendment
Congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech,
….
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.
