that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats. (1 Tim. iv. 1-3.) After which he observes, For bodily exercise, i. e. the mortification of the body, profiteth little. (8.) He says also to the Colossians, Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility: (ii. 18.) and the same term occurs shortly after, where he blames them for being subject to ordinances, Touch not, taste not, handle not: which things, he says, have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh (20-23). From both these passages it appears, that there would be persons who taught their followers not to marry, and to abstain from meats: and the Fathers are unanimous in saying, that this was the case with many of the Gnostics. It seems probable, that the mixture of Judaism, which entered into the Gnostic doctrines, may partly have contri

* Διδασκαλίαις δαιμονίων, either devilish doctrines, such as evil spirits would teach; or doctrines concerning dæmons, as Barrioμv didaxūs. (Heb. vi. 2.) Mede prefers the latter.

2 Ἐν ὑποκρίσει ψευδολόγων. Knatchbull well translates this, (after Beza, Castalio, &c.) through the hypocrisy of lying teachers. Our English version seems to connect speaking lies with devils, or with those who give heed to devils: but the original does not.

a Jortin thinks that Jesus may have worked his first miracle at Cana, to confute those who condemned wine, and the use of animal food, and marriage. Remarks on Eccles. History, vol. II. p. 18.

b Clement of Alexandria connects St. Paul's words in 1 Tim. iv. 3. with the declaration of St.John concerning Antichrist, (Strom. III. 6. p. 531.) Epiphanius refers 1 Tim. iv. I-3. to the Gnostics, (Hær. XXVI. 16. p. 98.)

buted to the growth of these opinions. We know that the Corinthians consulted St. Paul concerning marriage and abstaining from meats. He explains in his reply the whole doctrine of Christian liberty: but from his saying, If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend, (1 Cor. viii. 13.) it is plain that such abstinence was a very different thing from that alluded to in the two other Epistles. St. Paul allowed the Corinthians to abstain, if they did it to edification: but when writing to Timothy and to the Colossians, he speaks of men making a show of humility and neglecting of the body; of men giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy. It will be observed, that St. Paul says, that such persons shall arise in the latter days, i. e. at some time subsequent to that at which he was writing; and from his giving Timothy this warning, I should infer, that though the evil might have been already in the world, it had not yet begun to produce much effect. Six years elapsed between the date of the first Epistle to Timothy and that to the Colossians; and it would appear from the latter, that the practice of mortifying the body through a show of humility had already manifested itself in Asia. If we now look to the testimony of the Fathers, we shall find that this custom was of late growth among the Gnostic sects. Thus Simon Magus is charged with taking the opposite extreme, and leading a licentious life: his disciple and successor Menander is said to have followed

See the references at page phus concerning the Essenes, 74, note b, to Philo and Jose- who practised great abstinence.

his example and it is not till we come to Saturninus, at the beginning of the second century, that we find St. Paul's predictions fulfilled of persons forbidding to marry. Saturninus is stated to have done this, as well as to have abstained from animal food: and it is worthy of remark, that Menander, the successor of Simon Magus, had himself two disciples, Saturninus and Basilides: the former inculcated the greatest austerities; Basilides is charged with the grossest debaucheries: and it was this perhaps, rather than any difference in their doctrines, which placed them at the head of two eminent branches of the Gnostics. The Ebionites also, whose heresy began before the end of the first century, are said to have abstained from animal food".

There is reason however to fear, that the prohibition of marriage and abstinence from certain kinds of meats were sometimes used as a cloak for criminal indulgence. We may hope, that the stories which were circulated concerning the Gnostics were in many cases exaggerated: but it seems impossible to deny that great excesses were committed by persons, who used the name of Christ in their systems of philosophy. The accounts of these unhappy persons, which are given by the Fathers, are almost too gross and shocking even to be thought of: but the fact of the enormities which were practised is abundantly proved by the apostles themselves. What catalogue can be more loaded with crime, than the following from St. Paul? In the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false

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accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away: for of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Tim. iii. 1-7d.) The last sentence is an exact description of the Gnostics, who professed, according to Justin Martyr, that "although they were sinners, yet if they had knowledge of "God, he would not impute to them their sins :" and the same allusion seems to have been intended by St. John, when he said, Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. (1 John ii. 3-5.) I shall only quote one more passage, which contains the words of the text, and is equally expressive with the last: There are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, says St. Paul, specially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. Unto the pure

d This passage is referred to the Gnostics by Epiphanius. Hær. XXVI. 16. p. 98: and Cyprian says that it had already been accomplished in the heresies which had appeared. He therefore con

ceived the last days to be arrived. De Unitate Ecclesiæ, p. 199, 200.

é Dial. cum Tryph. 141. p. 231.

f Εγνωκα and τετελείωται were Gnostic terms.

all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. (Titus i. 10-16.) It is plain that these passages do not refer to the common vices of those, who know and acknowledge their duty, but forget to practise it. They were directed against those, who sinned upon principle; who professed that they knew God, while in works they denied him. The Gnostics appear not only to have abused their own powers of reasoning; but to have perverted the truth, as it came from the mouths of the apostles. To the pure, says St. Paul, all things are pure: and in another place, all things are lawful for me. (1 Cor. vi. 12.) Such expressions as these were not lost upon the sensual reasoning of the Gnostics. They used every argument to persuade the Christians to live according to their lusts: they perverted the doctrine of St. Paul concerning justification by faith; they wrested that and all other scriptures to their own destruction: and it was to meet these insidious arts, that St. Peter warns his brethren not to use their liberty as a cloak of maliciousness; (1 Pet. ii. 16.) that St. James says, Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving, i. e. putting a fallacy upon yourselves; (i. 22.) and that St. John uses those emphatic words, Little children, let no man deceive you: he

s See Gal. v. 13. Clem. Alex. alludes to the Gnostics perverting this principle of

Christian liberty. Strom. III. 5. p. 531.