§ 1.
If again they say that the one sort are the shadow of the other, as some of them do venture to say, so that in this sense they are images,1 they must needs confess that the things too above are bodies. For it is those bodies which are above, which cast a shadow, not at all those things which are spiritual, since they cannot overshade any. Yea, and though we grant them this (which indeed is impossible) that the spiritual and bright things do cast a shadow, whereinto, they say, their Mother descended; nevertheless they being eternal, the shadow also which they cast remains to eternity; and so the things which are here do not pass away, but abide together with those which cast the shadow over them. If on the other hand these pass, those also must needs pass away, whereof these are the shadow: but if they endure, their shadow likewise endures.
§ 2.
But if they say it is a shadow, not in that the light is intercepted,2 but in that these are widely separated from those; they will be blaming the littleness and infirmity of their paternal Light, as though it could not reach to things here, but failed in supplying the void, and dissolving the shadow, and that when there was no man to stand in the way. For by their account, their paternal Light will be changed into darkness, and blinded, and will fail in those parts which belong to the void, not being able to fill all things. No longer then let them call their Deep Pleroma of all things; since that which is void and shadow, He hath not filled, nor enlightened: Or again, let them give up their shadow and void, if indeed their paternal Light fills all things.
§ 3.
Neither therefore external to the First Father, i.e., God over all, or to the Pleroma,3 can there be anything, into which,4 they say, the thought of the Æon which was somehow affected came down; lest the said Pleroma, or First God, be limited and circumscribed by that which is without; nor will it hold that there should be a Void or a Shadow, the Father before existing, lest His light fail and be limited by the Void. And it is irrational and impious to devise a place where He ceases and hath an end, Who by their account is First Father, and First Principle, and Father of all, yea of this Pleroma. Nor again is it lawful to say that within the bosom of the Father some other framed this great Creation, whether with or without His consent: and that for causes which have been stated.5 It being alike impious and foolish to say, that so great a creation was framed by Angels, or by some Emanation which knew not the true God, within the regions which belong to Him. And it is impossible that within their Pleroma, which is all Spiritual, things earthly and material were made: impossible, again, that beings of manifold creation, and contrary to each other, should be made after the image of those others, few as they are said to be, and of like formation, and all one. Moreover that part of their statement which relates to the Shadow of the Vacuum or Void, hath also been made out altogether false. And so, empty hath their device been proved, and incongruous their teaching; yea, and they too are empty who pay regard to them, going down verily into the depth of perdition.