Chapter XV.—Marcion and Cerdo.

But Marcion, of Pontus, and Cerdon,1032    The account here given of Cerdon and Marcion does not accurately correspond with that already furnished by Hippolytus of these heretics. his preceptor, themselves also lay down that there are three principles of the universe—good, just, and matter. Some disciples, however, of these add a fourth, saying, good, just, evil, and matter. But they all affirm that the good (Being) has made nothing at all, though some denominate the just one likewise evil, whereas others that his only title is that of just. And they allege that (the just Being) made all things out of subjacent matter, for that he made them not well, but irrationally. For it is requisite that the things made should be similar to the maker; wherefore also they thus employ the evangelical parables, saying, “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit,”1033    Matt. vii. 18. and the rest of the passage. Now Marcion alleges that the conceptions badly devised by the (just one) himself constituted the allusion in this passage. And (he says) that Christ is the Son of the good Being, and was sent for the salvation of souls by him whom he styles the inner than. And he asserts that he appeared as a man though not being a man, and as incarnate though not being incarnate.  And he maintains that his manifestation was only phantastic, and that he underwent neither generation nor passion except in appearance. And he will not allow that flesh rises again; but in affirming marriage to be destruction, he leads his disciples towards a very cynical life. And by these means he imagines that he annoys the Creator, if he should abstain from the things that are made or appointed by Him.

[19] [Μ]αρκίων δὲ ὁ Ποντικὸς καὶ Κέρδων ὁ τούτου διδάσκαλος καὶ αὐτοὶ ὁρίζουσιν εἶναι τρεῖς τὰς τοῦ παντὸς ἀρχάς: ἀγαθόν, δίκαιον, ὕλην. τινὲς δὲ τούτων μαθηταὶ [καὶ τετάρτην] προστιθέασι, λέγοντες ἀγαθόν, δίκαιον, πονηρόν, ὕλην. οἱ δὲ πάντες τὸν μὲν ἀγαθὸν οὐδὲν ὅλως πεποιηκέναι, τὸν δὲ δίκαιον_[ὃν] οἱ μὲν [καὶ] [τὸν] πονηρόν, οἱ δὲ μόνον δίκαιον ὀνομάζουσι_πεποιηκέναι [δὲ] τὰ πάντα φάσκουσιν ἐκ τῆς ὑποκειμένης ὕλης. πεποιηκέναι δὲ οὐ καλῶς, ἀλλ' ἀλόγως: ἀνάγκη γὰρ τὰ γενόμενα ὅμοια εἶναι τῷ πεποιηκότι. διὸ καὶ ταῖς παραβολαῖς ταῖς εὐαγγελικαῖς χρῶνται, οὕτως λέγοντες: «οὐ δύναται δένδρον καλὸν καρποὺς πονηροὺς ποιεῖν» καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, εἰς τοῦτο φάσκων εἰρῆσθαι [ταῦτα], τὰ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ κακῶς νοθευόμενα. Τὸν δὲ Χριστὸν υἱὸν εἶναι τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ [θέλει] καὶ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ πεπέμφθαι ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τῶν ψυχῶν. ὃν «[τὸν] ἔσω ἄνθρωπον» καλεῖ, ὡς ἄνθρωπον [αὐτὸν] φανέντα λέγων, οὐκ ὄντα ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ὡς ἔνσαρκον, οὐκ [ὄντα] ἔνσαρκον, δοκήσει [τε] πεφηνότα, οὔτε γένεσιν ὑπομείναντα οὔτε πάθος ἀλλ' ἢ τῷ δοκεῖν. σάρκα δὲ οὐ θέλει ἀνίστασθαι. γάμον δὲ φθορὰν εἶναι λέγει, κυνικωτέρῳ βίῳ προσάγων τοὺς μαθητάς, ἐν τούτῳ νομίζων λυπεῖν τὸν δημιουργόν, εἰ τῶν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ γεγονότων ἢ ὡρισμένων ἀπέχοιτο.