Chapter 15

§ 1.

And the same we say again of those also who do not acknowledge Paul the Apostle:—that they ought either to renounce the remaining words of the Gospel,¹ those which by Luke alone have come to our knowledge, and not to use them: or, if they receive them all, they must perforce receive also his testimony of Paul: wherein he says, first that the Lord spake to him from Heaven: Saul,² Saul, why persecutest thou Me? I am Jesus Christ, Whom thou persecutest: then that He spake to Ananias of him,³ Go, for this is a vessel of election unto Me, to bear My Name among nations and kings, and the Sons of Israel. For I will tell him henceforth, how great things he must suffer for My Name’s sake. Such therefore as receive not him who was chosen of God in order to bear His Name with confidence, as being sent to the aforesaid Gentiles—they despise the Lord’s election, and separate themselves from the assembly of the Apostles. For neither can they maintain Paul not to be an Apostle, since for this he was chosen, nor can they make out Luke to be a Liar, who declares unto us the truth with all diligence. For perhaps for this very purpose the Lord brought it to pass, that many circumstances of the Gospel, which all must of necessity make use of, are set forth by Luke:—that all, following his subsequent testimony which he offers concerning the Acts and doctrine of the Apostles, and keeping the Rule of the Truth, inadulterate, may be saved. Wherefore his testimony is true, and the doctrine of the Apostles evident and firm and withdraws nothing: nor is it one in those who teach openly and another in those who teach secretly.

§ 2.

For this is the contrivance of pretenders and evil seducers, and hypocrites;⁴ after the practice of the Valentinians. For these introduce modes of speech for the multitude, with a view to those who are of the Church, whom they themselves call ordinary Churchmen: whereby they captivate the more simple, and by affecting our way of discussion, allure them to more frequent hearing. They also complain of us, that although their sentiments agree with ours, we causelessly abstain from communicating with them, and style them heretics, while their language and their doctrine is the same. And when by their disputations they have cast any down from the faith, and have made unresisting disciples of them, they speak out to them apart the unspeakable mystery of their Pleroma. And they all are deceived, who think themselves able to distinguish⁵ from the Truth, that which in words resembles it. For Error is persuasive, and like the Truth, and seeks out false colours: but Truth is without false colouring, and therefore is entrusted to children.

And should any one of their hearers ask for explanations, or dispute with them, of him they speak positively as not capable of⁶ the Truth, nor having his seed from their Mother from the higher regions, and so say nothing at all to him, declaring him to be of the middle regions, i.e., one of those who are merely animal⁷. But if any one surrender and give himself up to them, like a lamb, imitating them and so obtaining their redemption: such an one is puffed up, and thinks of himself as neither in heaven nor in earth, but as having entered into the Pleroma, and already embraced his Angel; he paces on with the air of a Foreman, and a haughty look, having the pride of a game-cook.

But there are some among them, who say, that it must be by good conversation that we obtain that Man who cometh from above: and accordingly they enact gravity by a sort of haughty look. And very many of them having actually become despisers, as though they were already perfect—though living without reverence, and in habitual scorn, yet call themselves spiritual, and say that now they know that place of refreshment which is within their Pleroma.

§ 3.

But let us return to the same discussion. It having then been clearly set forth, that no other was called God or denominated Lord, by those who were preachers of Truth and Apostles of liberty, except the only true God the Father and His Word, Who in all things hath the pre-eminence: the proof will have been clear, that the Maker of Heaven and Earth, Who spake with Moses and gave him the Economy of the Law, Who called the Fathers together, Him they acknowledge to be the Lord God, and know of no other. The view therefore both of the Apostles and of their scholars concerning God is made evident from their own words.