Chapter 16

§ 1.

The birth then of their Æons, and the wandering and discovery of the sheep, are united, and a mystical exposition endeavoured to be put on them, by those who reduce all things to numbers, stating that all sums are made up of the Monad and Duad: and, by numbering from the Monad unto four, so they generate the Decad: for 1 + 2 + 3 + 4, bring forth the number of the ten Æons. And again the Duad proceeding from itself unto the number of the Mark [6] as 2 + 4 + 6, exhibits the sum of twelve. And again if we number in like manner from the Duad to ten, it comes out 30¹, wherein are 8 and 10 and 12. The number of twelve then, because of its containing the Mark as an accompaniment to it, on account of the mark they term the Passion²: and therefore that the defect took place in the twelfth number, when the sheep which bounded away was lost: the falling away, as they say, having taken place from the number twelve. And in like manner they conjecture that from the sum of twelve one power revolted and perished: and that this is the woman who lost her piece of silver,³ and lighted a candle and found it. Thus then the numbers remaining, in the parable of the Drachma nine, in that of the sheep eleven, conjoining with one another, produce the number ninety-nine, since 9 × 11 = 99. Wherefore also the word Amen, they say, hath this number⁴.

§ 2.

Neither will I grudge relating to thee another explanation of theirs, to give thee in all ways a notion of the fruit to be had from them. As thus: the letter η (i.e. including the mark [ϛʹ]) they say is the Ogdoad, lying in the eighth place from the first. Then again without the mark [ϛʹ] calculating the number of the letters themselves, and adding them on as far as the η, they make out thirty. For one beginning at α and ending at η, will find by the number of the letters (subtracting however the mark ϛʹ and adding on continually the increment of the letters) = the number thirty. For as far as ε⁵m it makes up fifteen, then the number seven added to these completes twenty-two: η = 8 adjoining itself produces in full his most marvellous thirty. And hence they demonstrate the Ogdoad to be the mother of the thirty Æons. Since then the number thirty is combined of thirty Powers, itself being taken three times, produces ninety: for 3 × 30 = 90. And this triad again multiplied by itself produces nine: and thus the Ogdoad in their account was mother of the number ninety-nine. And because the twelfth Æon fell away and left the eleven on high, the form of the letters, they say, is framed corresponding to the fashion of their argument (for λ is set eleventh of the letters, which is the number of thirty): and is set for an image of the Œconomy on high: Since beginning from α, and omitting ϛʹ, the numerical value of the said letters as far as λ being summed up, by the gradual increase of the letters, makes with λ the number ninety-nine⁶n. And that λ being the eleventh in order, came down to seek one like itself, to fill up the number of twelve, and finding it was satisfied:—that this is evident from the very form of the letter. For that Λ having as it were come to seek its own likeness, and having found it, and caught it, supplied the place of the twelfth, the letter M being made up of two Λ’s. Wherefore also they by their knowledge escape from the place of the ninety-nine, i.e., deficiency, which answers to the left hand⁷o: and follow after the one, which being added to the ninety-nine, transfers them to the right hand.

§ 3.

I know well indeed that thou, beloved, going over all this, wilt greatly ridicule this madness of theirs, so wise in its own conceit. But worthy of bewailing are they, who in so cold and forced a way expose to scorn so high worship, and the greatness of that Power Which is truly unspeakable, and such vast Œconomies of God, by their Alpha and Beta, and certain numbers. And as many as withdraw from the Church, and have faith in these old wives’ fables, verily they are self-condemned.⁸ Whom Paul commands us after a first and second admonition to reject. But John, the Disciple of the Lord, hath enhanced their condemnation, not willing that so much as “Hail” should be said by us to them.⁹ For he, saith he, that biddeth them Hail, is partaker of their evil deeds.¹⁰ And with reason: for there is no Peace, saith the Lord, to the impious¹¹. And impious above all impiety are these, who affirm the Maker of Heaven and Earth, the Only Almighty God, above Whom is no other God, to have been produced from a Defect, and that the produce of another Defect¹²: so that by their account He is an Emanation from a third Defect. A notion which we ought altogether to exorcise and anathematize, and to escape from them as we may, to some great distance: and the more obstinate they are, and the more they delight in their inventions, so much the more ought we to know that they are actuated by their own ogdoad of evil spirits. As those who are seized with brain fever, the more they laugh and appear strong, and do all as healthful persons and some things even beyond what sound health could do, so much the worse are they: in like manner these too, the more they seem to have exceeding high thoughts, and unnerve themselves, straining their bow too vehemently, so much the less are they in their sober senses.¹³ For the unclean spirit of ignorance having gone out, afterwards upon finding them at leisure¹⁴ not for God but for worldly disputations, hath taken to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and puffed up their mind,¹⁵ as though they could understand the things which are higher than God, and thus making each one apt to be entirely cast out, hath packed up in them the whole ogdoad of the folly of wicked spirits.