they lose the spiritual substance. Wherefore, those of them who are the most perfect, do without fear all things which are forbidden (q), of which the Scriptures affirm, that they who do such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God." After enumerating a great variety of dreadful crimes, of which these men were guilty, he adds-" And doing many other abominable and ungodly things, they inveigh against us, who, from the fear of God, are cautious not to sin even in thought or word, fools but they extol themselves, selves perfect, and the elect seed.

as idiots and calling themFor they say

that therefore

that we receive grace for use, and it will be taken away from us; but that they themselves have grace as their own possession, derived from above by an union which cannot be described or expressed, and that therefore an addition will be made to them."-p. 28.

"Subdividing souls themselves, they say that some are by nature good, and some by nature bad."-p. 35.

He

(9) Sine omni reverentiâ et pudore, stupris se, incestui, adulteriis, & fædissimis quibusque libidinibus (Valentiniani) dediderunt; quia licentiam vitæ, et turpes voluptates, quibus abundant, non excutere crediderunt gratiam Dei et salutem. Quapropter et libere eos omnia agere consuevisse, nullum in nullo timorem habentes, Cent. Magd. p. 88. Cent, 2.

He says, that one of the doctrines of Simon Magus was, "that those who trust in him and his Helena (r), should have no further care, and that they are free to do what they like; for that men are saved according to his grace, but not according to just works."-p. 99.

"He (Saturninus) first asserted, that there are two sorts of men formed by the angels (s), the one good, the other bad. And, because demons assist the worst men, that the Saviour came to destroy bad men and demons, but to save good men."-p. 101.

They (the Valentinian3) say, that some men are good by nature, and some bad.”—p. 124.

(r) Hic (Simon) a multis quasi Deus glorificatus est, et docuit semet ipsum esse, qui inter Judæos quidem quasi Filius apparuerit, in Samaria autem quasi Pater descenderit, in reliquis vero gentibus quasi Spiritus Sanctus adventaverit. Esse autem se sublimissimam virtutem, hoc est, eum qui sit super omnia, Pater, et sustinere vocari se quodcunque eum vocant homines .... Hic Helenam quandam ipse a Tyro civitate Phoenices quæstuariam cum redemisset secum circumducebat, dicens hanc esse primam mentis ejus conceptionem, matrem omnium, per quam initio mente concepit angelos facere et archangelos. p. 99.

(5) Tertullian also says, that Saturninus maintained that man was created by Angels. p. 280. De Anima, cap. 23.-Epiphanius says the same thing. Vol. t. p. 62. Hæres, 23.

CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA.

"THE followers of Basilides consider faith as natural; wherefore they also attribute it to election, as discovering doctrines by intellectual comprehension, without instruction. But the Valentinians, allowing us simple people a share of faith, maintain that knowledge is in themselves, who are saved by nature, according to the abundance of the excellent seed; asserting, that knowledge is far more distinguished from faith, than what is spiritual is from what is natural. The followers of Basilides moreover say, that faith and election are peculiar in every respect [καθ' έκαςον διάςημα]; and again, that the worldly faith of every nature follows as a consequence of supermundane election; and that the gift of faith corresponds with the hope of every one. Faith, therefore, is not the effect of a right choice, if it be the privilege of nature; nor will the unbeliever obtain a just recompence, not being himself the cause of his unbelief; nor is the believer the cause of his belief; but all the peculiarity and difference of belief and unbelief, would be the object neither of praise nor of dispraise, in the opinion of those who judge rightly, since it has an antecedent physical necessity, derived from Him who is Almighty. But if we be drawn as it were with ropes,

ropes, like inanimate things, by physical energies, there is no need of what is voluntary and involuntary, and of antecedent desire. And I do not understand what that creature is, whose faculty of desiring being put in motion by an external cause, is consigned to necessity. But where would be the conversion of him who was formerly an unbeliever, through which (conversion) is the remission of sins? So that baptism is no longer consistent with reason; nor the blessed Seal, nor the Son, nor the Father; but their God, as it appears to me, is proved to be a distribution of natures, which has not a voluntary faith as the foundation of salvation. But let us, who have learnt from the Scriptures, that an absolute power of choosing and avoiding is given to men by the Lord, rest on faith with immoveable judgement, displaying a zealous spirit, because we have chosen life, and believed in God, through its voice: and he who has believed in the Word, knows that the thing is true; for the Word is truth."-p. 433.

"I have quoted these words in reproof of the followers of Basilides, who lead incorrect lives, as persons who are authorized to sin, because of their perfection; or who will certainly be saved by nature, even though they sin now, because of an election founded in nature."-p. 510.

"He (Valentinus) too, like Basilides, supposes a race (yivos) which is saved by nature."—p. 603. "If any one knows God by nature, which is the opinion of Basilides . . . He (Basilides) says, that faith is not the rational consent of a mind endowed with free-will. The precepts both of the Old and New Testament are superfluous, if any one be saved by nature, as Valentinus maintains; and if any one be faithful and elect by nature, as Basilides thinks."—p. 645.

"Of heresies, some are called from the names of their founders, as from Valentinus, and Marcion, and Basilides." p. 899.-It is evident from this passage, that the peculiar opinions of Valentinus, Marcion, and Basilides, were considered as heretical by the church at the time they were first propagated, as Clement of Alexandria lived soon.

after them.

"The doctrine of Valentinus is, There are many material men, but not many animal men; and very few spiritual. That, therefore, which is spiritual, is saved by nature. That which is animal, being endowed with free-will, has a fitness for faith and incorruption, and also for unbelief and corruption, according to its own choice; but that which is material, perishes by nature (t)."p. 983.

(t) This passage is taken from the Excerpta ex Theodoti Scriptis,