Category: Biographies

An Account of the Life and Writings of S. Irenæus, Bishop of Lyons and Martyr Intended to Illustrate the Doctrine, Discipline, Practices, and History of the Church, and the Tenets and Practices of the Gnostic Heretics During the Second Century

Beaven, James, 1801-1875· 22 chapters· 78,614 words

Section I. Simon Magus, Nicolas, and the Ebionites. Section II. Menander, Saturninus, And Basilides. Section III. Carpocrates And Cerinthus. Section IV. Cerdon, Marcion, Tatian, And The Cainites. Section V. The Barbeliots, Ophites, And Sethites. Section VI. Valentinus. Section...

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22. CHAPTER XXI. ACCOUNT OF THE GNOSTIC TEACHERS AND THEIR TENETS.

Several writers have speculated upon the sources of the Gnostic errors; but, I believe that the assertion of Irenæus remains uncontradicted, that SIMON MAGUS was the first to gi...

2. CHAPTER I. LIFE OF S. IRENÆUS, AND GENERAL ACCOUNT OF HIS WRITINGS.

If Polycarp is an object of great interest, as the disciple of St. John, and the hearer both of him and of other contemporaries of our Lord; if Justin is so, as having been the...

1. Chapter XXI. Account of the Gnostic Teachers and Their Tenets.

Section I. Simon Magus, Nicolas, and the Ebionites. Section II. Menander, Saturninus, And Basilides. Section III. Carpocrates And Cerinthus. Section IV. Cerdon, Marcion, Tatian,...

10. CHAPTER IX. ON THE NATURE AND USE OF PRIMITIVE TRADITION.

It was controversy which elicited from Irenæus a declaration of his views as to the nature and use of tradition. The Gnostics taught a different doctrine from the Catholics on t...

14. CHAPTER XIII. THE EUCHARIST.

Irenæus has expressed himself so much more fully on the subject of the holy Eucharist than any other writer near his time, that it is not wonderful that his opinions should be a...

3. CHAPTER II. TESTIMONY OF IRENÆUS TO CERTAIN FACTS OF CHURCH HISTORY.

There are two circumstances which must prevent us from expecting that the writings of Irenæus should add largely to our stores of historical knowledge; one, that his remains are...

9. CHAPTER VIII. ON THE CANON, GENUINENESS, VERSIONS, USE, AND VALUE OF HOLY

Unnatural as it may appear, it is notwithstanding true that we find much less clear ideas in regard to the _canon_ of Holy Scripture in the earlier ages than in the later. The w...

4. CHAPTER III. ON THE NATURE, OFFICE, POWERS, AND PRIVILEGES OF THE CHURCH.

The proper aspect to view the Church in is a matter of so much practical importance at all times, that it can never be uninteresting to know the light in which it was regarded i...

18. CHAPTER XVII. ON THE TYPICAL INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE.

The writers of the primitive Church, taking the lead from the inspired writers, and probably preserving in many cases the traditional interpretations of the Apostles, were in th...

20. CHAPTER XIX. ON UNFULFILLED PROPHECY.

It was the opinion of the Gnostics that the Tempter was either the same as the God of the Old Testament, acting in opposition to the Supreme Being, or a creature and agent of th...

5. CHAPTER IV. ON THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY TRINITY.

The controversy which Irenæus carried on with the Gnostics being directly and explicitly on the subject of the Divine Nature, led him to treat distinctly of the divinity and hum...

16. CHAPTER XV. ON CEREMONIES, USAGES, AND FORMS OF WORDS.

The object of the Great Treatise of Irenæus, which is almost the whole that remains to us of his writings, being to refute _doctrinal_ error, things of a ceremonial and ritual n...

17. CHAPTER XVI. ON THE SABBATH.

One of the greatest difficulties to modern readers in the history of the primitive Church is the state of feeling and opinion on the subject of the Sabbath. We have been in the...

8. CHAPTER VII. THE DIVINE DISPENSATIONS.

After the introduction of evil into creation, and the agency by which it is propagated in the world, we have next to notice the Divine plans for its counteraction and removal; a...

12. CHAPTER XI. FREEWILL, PREDESTINATION, AND ELECTION.

No controversy had arisen amongst Christians in the time of Irenæus on the subject of predestination, but heathen Stoics believed in an irresistible fate, and the Gnostics taugh...

13. CHAPTER XII. ON BAPTISM.

The doctrine of the Church in regard to baptism has afforded less dispute than almost any other down to the very times in which we live. It was fully recognized by Irenæus, and...

11. CHAPTER X. ON THE CREED.

The Baptismal Creed having been mentioned in the two previous chapters, in the one as a guide in the interpretation of Scripture, in the other as embodying (to a certain extent)...

21. CHAPTER XX. THE VIRGIN MARY.

There are two passages of Irenæus, in which the name of the Blessed Virgin is introduced, which would not have called for any particular remark, were it not for the manner in wh...

19. CHAPTER XVIII. ON THE INTERMEDIATE STATE.

Persons sometimes ask, What is the advantage of studying the Fathers? why cannot we be contented with the light of Scripture? Those who study them reply, that one use at least i...

15. CHAPTER XIV. ON JUSTIFICATION.

Those scholastical discussions on the nature of justification with which we have become familiar had not arisen when Irenæus wrote, and consequently we cannot expect him to spea...

6. CHAPTER V. THE ORIGIN OF EVIL.

This being the subject out of which the Gnostic theories appear to have arisen (there being so many attempts to account for it, without in any wise bringing it into connexion wi...

7. CHAPTER VI. THE EVIL SPIRITS.

Although Irenæus does not think proper to discuss the subject of the origin of evil, properly so called, he speaks agreeably to the Scriptures as to its introduction into this l...