Irenaeus Against Heresies, v4
BOOK IV.
- PREFACE.
- CHAP. I.—THE LORD ACKNOWLEDGED BUT ONE GOD AND
FATHER.
- CHAP.II.—PROOFS FROM THE PLAIN TESTIMONY OF
MOSES, AND OF THE OTHER PROPHETS, WHOSE WORDS ARE THE WORDS OF CHRIST,
THAT THERE IS BUT ONE GOD, THE FOUNDER OF THE WORLD, WHOM OUR LORD
PREACHED, AND WHOM HE CALLED HIS FATHER.
- CHAP. III.—ANSWER TO THE CAVILS OF THE GNOS
TICS. WE ARE NOT TO SUPPOSE THAT THE TRUE GOD CAN BE CHANGED, OR COME
TO AN END BECAUSE THE HEAVENS, WHICH ARE HIS THRONE AND THE EARTH, HIS
FOOTSTOOL, SHALL PASS AWAY.
- CHAP. IV.—ANSWER TO ANOTHER OBJECTION, SHOWING
THAT THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM, WHICH WAS THE CITY OF THE GREAT
KING, DIMINISHED NOTHING FROM THE SUPREME MAJESTY' AND POWER OF GOD,
FOR THAT THIS DESTRUCTION WAS PUT IN EXECUTION BY THE MOST WISE COUNSEL
OF THE SAME GOD.
- CHAP. V.—THE AUTHOR RETURNS TO HIS FORMER
ARGUMENT, AND SHOWS THAT THERE WAS BUT ONE GOD ANNOUNCED BY THE LAW AND
PROPHETS, WHOM CHRIST CONFESSES AS HIS FATHER, AND WHO, THROUGH HIS
WORD, ONE LIVING GOD WITH HIM, MADE HIMSELF KNOWN TO MEN IN BOTH
COVENANTS.
- CHAP. VI.—EXPLANATION OF THE WORDS OF CHRIST,
"NO MAN KNOWETH THE FATHER, BUT THE SON," ETC.; WHICH WORDS THE
HERETICS MISINTERPRET. pROOF THAT, BY THE FATHER REVEALING THE SON, AND
BY THE SON BEING REVEALED, THE FATHER WAS NEVER UNKNOWN.
- CHAP. VII.—RECAPITULATION OF THE FOREGOING
ARGUMENT, SHOWING THAT ABRAHAM, THROUGH THE REVELATION OF THE WORD,
KNEW THE FATHER, AND THE COMING OF THE SON OF GOD. FOR THIS CAUSE, HE
REJOICED TO SEE THE DAY OF CHRIST, WHEN THE PROMISES MADE TO HIM SHOULD
BE FULFILLED. THE FRUIT OF THIS REJOICING HAS FLOWED TO POSTERITY,
VIZ., TO THOSE WHO ARE PARTAKERS IN THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM, BUT NOT TO
THE JEWS WHO REJECT THE WORD OF GOD.
- CHAP. VIII.—VAIN AttEMPTS OF MARCION AND HIS
FOLLOWERS, WHO EXCLUDE ABRAHAM FROM THE SALVATION BESTOWED BY CHRIST,
WHO LIBERATED NOT ONLY ABRAHAM, BUT THE SEED OF ABRAHAM, BY FULFILLING
AND NOT DESTROYING THE LAW WHEN HE HEALED ON THE SABBATH-DAY.
- CHAP. IX.—THERE IS BUT ONE AUTHOR, AND ONE END
TO BOTH COVENANTS.
- CHAP. X. — THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES, AND
THOSE WRITTEN BY MOSES IN PARTICULAR, DO EVERYWHERE MAKE MENTION OF THE
SON OF GOD, AND FORETELL HIS ADVENT AND PASSION. FROM THIS FACT IT
FOLLOWS THAT THEY WERE INSPIRED BY ONE AND THE SAME GOD.
- CHAP. XI. —THE OLD PROPHETS AND RIGHTEOUS MEN
KNEW BEFOREHAND OF THE ADVENT OF CHRIST, AND EARNESTLY DESIRED TO SEE
AND HEAR HIM, HE REVEALING HIMSELF IN THE SCRIPTURES BY THE HOLY GHOST,
AND WITHOUT ANY CHANGE IN HIMSELF, ENRICHING MEN DAY BY DAY WITH
BENEFITS, BUT CONFERRING THEM IN GREATER ABUNDANCE ON LATER THAN ON
FORMER GENERATIONS.
- CHAP.XII.—IT CLEARLY APPEARS THAT THERE WAS BUT
ONE AUTHOR OF BOTH THE OLD AND THE NEW LAW, FROM THE FACT THAT CHRIST
CONDEMNED TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS REPUGNANT TO THE FORMER, WHILE HE
CONFIRMED ITS MOST IMPORTANT PRECEPTS, AND TAUGHT THAT HE WAS HIMSELF
THE END OF THE MOSAIC LAW.
- CHAP. XIII.—CHRIST DID NOT ABROGATE THE NATURAL
PRECEPTS OF THE LAW, BUT RATHER FULFILLED AND EXTENDED THEM. HE REMOVED
THE YOKE AND BONDAGE OF THE OLD LAW, SO THAT MANKIND, BEING NOW SET
FREE, MIGHT SERVE GOD WITH THAT TRUSTFUL PIETY WHICH BECOMETH SONS.
- CHAP. XIV.—IF GOD DEMANDS OBEDIENCE FROM MAN,
IF HE FORMED MAN, CALLED HIM AND PLACED HIM UNDER LAWS, IT WAS MERELY
FOR MAN'S WELFARE; NOT THAT GOD STOOD IN NEED OF MAN, BUT THAT HE
GRACIOUSLY CONFERRED UPON MAN HIS FAVOURS IN EVERY POSSIBLE MANNER.
- CHAP.XV.—AT FIRST GOD DEEMED IT SUFFICIENT TO
INSCRIBE THE NATURAL LAW, OR THE DECALOGUE, UPON THE HEARTS OF MEN; BUT
AFTERWARDS HE FOUND IT NECESSARY TO BRIDLE, WITH THE YOKE OF THE MOSAIC
LAW, THE DESIRES OF THE JEWS, WHO WERE ABUSING THEIR LIBERTY; AND EVEN
TO ADD SOME SPECIAL COMMANDS, BECAUSE OF THE HARDNESS OF THEIR HEARTS.
- CHAP. XVI.—PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS WAS CONFERRED
NEITHER BY CIRCUMCISION NOR BY ANY OTHER LEGAL CEREMONIES. THE
DECALOGUE, HOWEVER, WAS NOT CANCELLED BY CHRIST, BUT IS ALWAYS IN
FORCE: MEN WERE NEVER RELEASED FROM ITS COMMANDMENTS.
- CHAP. XVII.—PROOF THAT GOD DID NOT APPOINT THE
LEVITICAL DISPENSATION FOR HIS OWN SAKE, OR AS REQUIRING SUCH SERVICE;
FOR HE DOES, IN FACT, NEED NOTHING FROM MEN.
- CHAP. XVIII.—CONCERNING SACRIFICES AND
OBLATIONS, AND THOSE WHO TRULY OFFER THEM.
- CHAP.XIX.—EARTHLY THINGS MAY BE THE TYPE OF
HEAVENLY, BUT THE LATTER CANNOT BE THE TYPES OF OTHERS STILL SUPERIOR
AND UNKNOWN; NOR CAN WE, WITHOUT ABSOLUTE MADNESS, MAINTAIN THAT GOD IS
KNOWN TO US ONLY AS THE TYPE OF A STILL UNKNOWN AND SUPERIOR BEING.
- CHAP. XX.—THAT ONE GOD FORMED ALL THINGS IN THE
WORLD, BY MEANS OF THE WORD AND THE HOLY SPIRIT: AND THAT ALTHOUGH HE
IS TO US IN THIS LIFE INVISIBLE AND INCOMPREHENSIBLE, NEVERTHELESS HE
IS NOT UNKNOWN; INASMUCH AS HIS WORKS DO DECLARE HIM, AND HIS WORD HAS
SHOWN THAT IN MANY MODES HE MAY BE SEEN AND KNOWN.
- CHAP. XXI.—ABRAHAM'S FAITH WAS IDENTICAL WITH
OURS; THIS FAITH WAS PREFIGURED BY THE WORDS AND ACTIONS OF THE OLD
PATRIARCHS.
- CHAP. XXII.—CHRIST DID NOT COME FOR THE SAKE OF
THE MEN OF ONE AGE ONLY, BUT FOR ALL WHO, LIVING RIGHTEOUSLY AND
PIOUSLY, HAD BELIEVED UPON HIM; AND FOR THOSE, TOO, WHO SHALL BELIEVE.
- CHAP. XXIII.—THE PATRIARCHS AND PROPHETS BY
POINTING OUT THE ADVENT OF CHRIST, FORTIFIED THEREBY, AS IT WERE, THE
WAY OF POSTERITY TO THE FAITH OF CHRIST; AND SO THE LABOURS OF THE
APOSTLES WERE LESSENED INASMUCH AS THEY GATHERED IN THE FRUITS OF THE
LABOURS OF OTHERS.
- CHAP. XXV.—BOTH COVENANTS WERE PREFIGURED IN
ABRAHAM, AND IN THE LABOUR OF TAMAR; THERE WAS, HOWEVER, BUT ONE AND
THE SAME GOD TO EACH COVENANT..
- CHAP. XXVI.—THE TREASURE HID IN THE SCRIPTURES
IS CHRIST; THE TRUE EXPOSITION OF THE SCRIPTURES IS TO BE FOUND IN THE
CHURCH ALONE.
- CHAP. XXVII—THE SINS OF THE MEN OF OLD TIME,
WHICH INCURRED THE DISPLEASURE OF GOD, WERE, BY HIS PROVIDENCE,
COMMITTED TO WRITING, THAT WE MIGHT DERIVE INSTRUCTION THEREBY, AND NOT
BE FILLED WITH PRIDE. WE MUST NOT, THEREFORE, INFER THAT THERE WAS
ANOTHER GOD THAN HE WHOM CHRIST PREACHED; WE SHOULD RATHER FEAR, LEST
THE ONE AND THE SAME GOD WHO INFLICTED PUNISHMENT ON THE ANCIENTS,
SHOULD BRING DOWN HEAVIER UPON US.
- CHAP. XXVIII.—THOSE PERSONS PROVE THEMSELVES
SENSELESS WHO EXAGGERATE THE MERCY OF CHRIST, BUT ARE SILENT AS TO THE
JUDGMENT, AND LOOK ONLY AT THE MORE ABUNDANT GRACE OF THE NEW
TESTAMENT; BUT, FORGETFUL OF THE GREATER DEGREE OF PERFECTION WHICH IT
DEMANDS FROM US, THEY ENDEAVOUR TO SHOW THAT THERE IS ANOTHER GOD
BEYOND HIM WHO CREATED THE WORLD.
- CHAP. XXIX.—REFUTATION OF THE ARGUMENTS OF THE
MARCIONITES, WHO ATTEMPTED TO SHOW THAT GOD WAS THE AUTHOR OF SIN,
BECAUSE HE BLINDED PHARAOH AND HIS SERVANTS.
- CHAP. XXX.—REFUTATION OF ANOTHER ARGUMENT
ADDUCED BY THE MARCIONITES, THAT GOD DIRECTED THE HEBREWS TO SPOIL THE
EGYPTIANS.
- CHAP. XXXI—WE SHOULD NOT HASTILY IMPUTE AS
CRIMES TO THE MEN OF OLD TIME THOSE ACTIONS WHICH THE SCRIPTURE HAS NOT
CONDEMNED, BUT SHOULD RATHER SEEK IN THEM TYPES OF THINGS TO COME: AN
EXAMPLE OF THIS IN THE INCEST COMMITTED BY LOT.
- CHAP. XXXII.—THAT ONE GOD WAS THE AUTHOR OF
BOTH TESTAMENTS, IS CONFIRMED BY THE AUTHORITY OF A PRESBYTER WHO HAD
BEEN TAUGHT BY THE APOSTLES.
- CHAP. XXXIII.—WHOSOEVER CONFESSES THAT ONE GOD
IS THE AUTHOR OF BOTH TESTAMENTS, AND DILIGENTLY READS THE SCRIPTURES
IN COMPANY WITH THE PRESBYTERS OF THE CHURCH, IS A TRUE SPIRITUAL
DISCIPLE; AND HE WILL RIGHTLY UNDERSTAND AND INTERPRET ALL THAT THE
PROPHETS HAVE DECLARED RESPECTING CHRIST AND THE LIBERTY OF THE NEW
TESTAMENT.
- CHAP. XXXIV.—PROOF AGAINST THE MARCIONITES,
THAT THE PROPHETS REFERRED IN ALL THEIR PREDICTIONS TO OUR CHRIST.
- CHAP. XXXV.—A REFUTATION OF THOSE WHO ALLEGE
THAT THE PROPHETS UTTERED SOME PREDICTIONS UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF THE
HIGHEST, OTHERS FROM THE DEMIURGE. DISAGREEMENTS OF THE VALENTINIANS
AMONG THEMSELVES WITH REGARD TO THESE SAME PREDICTIONS.
- CHAP. XXXVI.—THE PROPHETS WERE SENT FROM ONE
AND THE SAME FATHER FROM WHOM THE SON WAS SENT.
- CHAP. XXXVII.—MEN ARE POSSESSED OF FREE WILL,
AND ENDOWED WITH THE FACULTY OF MAKING A CHOICE. IT IS NOT TRUE,
THEREFORE, THAT SOME ARE BY NATURE GOOD, AND OTHERS BAD.
- CHAP. XXXVIII.—WHY MAN WAS NOT MADE PERFECT
FROM THE BEGINNING.
- CHAP. XXXIX.—MAN IS ENDOWED WITH THE FACULTY OF
DISTINGUISHING GOOD AND EVIL; SO THAT, WITHOUT COMPULSION, HE HAS THE
POWER, BY HIS OWN WILL AND CHOICE, TO PERFORM GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, BY
DOING WHICH HE AVOIDS THE EVILS PREPARED FOR THE REBELLIOUS.
- CHAP. XL.—ONE AND THE SAME GOD THE FATHER
INFLICTS PUNISHMENT ON THE REPROBATE, AND BESTOWS REWARDS ON THE ELECT.
- CHAP. XLI.—THOSE PERSONS WHO DO NOr BELIEVE IN
GOD, BUT WHO ARE DISOBEDIENT, ARE ANGELS AND SONS OF THE DEVIL, NOT
INDEED BY NATURE, BUT BY IMITATION. CLOSE OF THIS BOOK, AND SCOPE OF
THE SUCCEEDING ONE.
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