A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

92 A Source Book for Ancient Church Historyconfusion of philosophy itself. For philosophy is the materialof the world's wisdom, the rash interpreter of the nature anddispensation of God. Indeed, heresies themselves are instigatedby philosophy. From this source came the eons, and I knownot what infinite forms, and the trinity of man in the system ofValentinus; he was of Plato's school. From this source cameMarcion's better god with all his tranquillity; he came of theStoics. Then again the opinion that the soul dies is held by theEpicureans. The denial of the resurrection of the body is takenfrom the united schools of all philosophers. When matter ismade equal to God, you have the teaching of Zeno; and whenanything is alleged touching a fiery god, then Heraclitus comesin. The same subject-matter is discussed over and over againby the heretics and the philosophers; the same arguments areinvolved. Whence and wherefore is evil? Whence and how hascome man? Besides these there is the question which Valentinushas very recently proposed, Whence comes God?(b) Irenæus, Adv. Hær., I, 23. (MSG, 7:670.)[079]Simon Magus. For additional source material, see JustinMartyr, Apol. I, 26, 56, Dial. c. Tryph., 120; Hippolytus, Ref.VI, 72 f. The appearance of Simon in the pseudo-Clementineliterature (translated in ANF, VIII), presents an interestinghistorical problem. The present condition of investigation isgiven in the article “Clementine Literature” by J. V. Bartlett,in Encyc. Brit., eleventh ed.Simon the Samaritan, that magician of whom Luke, the discipleand follower of the Apostles, says: “But there was a certain man,Simon by name,” etc. [Acts 8:9-11, 20, 21, 23.] Since he did notput his faith in God a whit more, he set himself eagerly to contendagainst the Apostles, in order that he himself might seem to bea wonderful being, and studied with still greater zeal the whole