1. Some others are secretly introducing another doctrine, who have become disciples of one Noetus, who was a native of Smyrna,2    That Noetus was a native of Smyrna is mentioned also by Theodoret, book iii. Hæret Fab., c. iii., and Damascenus, sec. lvii. (who is accustomed to follow Epiphanius); and yet in Epiphanius, Hæres., 57, we read that Noetus was an Asian of the city of Ephesus (᾽Ασιανον τῆς ᾽Εφέσου πόλεως). (Fabricius.) (and) lived not very long ago.3    Epiphanius says that Noetus made his heresy public about 130 years before his time (οὐ πρὸ ἐτῶν πλειόνων ἀλλ᾽ ὡς πρὸ χρόνου τῶν τουτων ἑκατὸν τριάκοντα, πλείω ἢ ἐλάσσω); and as Epiphanius wrote in the year 375, that would make the date of Noetus about 245. He says also that Noetus died soon after (ἔναγχος), along with his brother. (Fabricius.) This person was greatly puffed up and inflated with pride, being inspired by the conceit of a strange spirit. He alleged that Christ was the Father Himself, and that the Father Himself was born, and suffered, and died. Ye see what pride of heart and what a strange inflated spirit had insinuated themselves into him. From his other actions, then, the proof is already given us that he spoke not with a pure spirit; for he who blasphemes against the Holy Ghost is cast out from the holy inheritance. He alleged that he was himself Moses, and that Aaron was his brother.4    So also Epiphanius and Damascenus. But Philastrius, Heresy, 53, puts Elijah for Aaron: hic etiam dicebat se Moysem esse, et fratrem suum Eliam prophetam. When the blessed presbyters heard this, they summoned him before the Church, and examined him. But he denied at first that he held such opinions. Afterwards, however, taking shelter among some, and having gathered round him some others5    Epiphanius remarks that they were but ten in number. who had embraced the same error, he wished thereafter to uphold his dogma openly as correct. And the blessed presbyters called him again before them, and examined him. But he stood out against them, saying, “What evil, then, am I doing in glorifying Christ?”  And the presbyters replied to him, “We too know in truth one God;6    The following words are the words of the Symbolum, as it is extant in Irenæus, i. 10, etc., and iii. 4; and in Tertullian, Contra Praxeam, ch. ii., and De Præscript., ch. xiii., and De virginibus velandis, ch. i. [See vol. iii., this series.] we know Christ; we know that the Son suffered even as He suffered, and died even as He died, and rose again on the third day, and is at the right hand of the Father, and cometh to judge the living and the dead. And these things which we have learned we allege.” Then, after examining him, they expelled him from the Church. And he was carried to such a pitch of pride, that he established a school.

[1] Ἕτεροί τινες ἑτέραν διδασκαλίαν παρεισάγουσιν γενόμενοί τινος Νοητοῦ μαθηταί: ὃς τὸ μὲν γένος ἦν Σμυρναῖος, οὐ πολλοῦ χρόνου γενόμενος. οὗτος φυσιωθεὶς εἰς ἔπαρμα ἀνήχθη. οἰήσει πνεύματος ἀλλοτρίου ἐπαρθεὶς ἔφη τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν Πατέρα γεγεννῆσθαι καὶ πεπονθέναι καὶ ἀποτεθνηκέναι. ὁρᾶτε ὅσον ἔπαρμα καρδίας καὶ φυσίωμα πνεύματος ἀλλοτρίου ὑπεισῆλθεν εἰς αὐτόν. ἤδη μὲν οὖν ἐκ τῶν ἑτέρων πράξεων εἰς τοῦτο φέρεται ὁ ἔλεγχος αὐτῶν ὅτι μὴ καθαρῷ πνεύματι ἐφθέγγετο. ὁ γὰρ εἰς πνεῦμα ἅγιον βλασφημῶν ἔκβλητος γεγένηται κλήρου ἁγίου. οὗτος ἔλεγεν ἑαυτὸν εἶναι Μωυσῆν καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ Ἀαρών. ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες οἱ μακάριοι πρεσβύτεροι προσκαλεσάμενοι ἐνώπιον τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐξήταζον. ὁ δὲ ἠρνεῖτο λέγων τὰς ἀρχὰς μὴ φρονεῖν. ὕστερον δὲ ἐμφωλεύσας ἔν τισιν καὶ συσκευάσας ἑαυτῷ συνπλανωμένους, καθαρῶς ὕστερον ἱστᾶν τὸ δόγμα ἐβούλετο. ὃν πάλιν προσκαλεσάμενοι οἱ μακάριοι πρεσβύτεροι ἤλεγξαν. ὁ δὲ ἀνθίστατο λέγων, Τί οὖν κακὸν ποιῶ δοξάζων τὸν Χριστόν; .... πρὸς ὃν ἀνταποκρίνονται οἱ πρεσβύτεροι, Καὶ ἡμεῖς ἕνα Θεὸν οἴδαμεν ἀληθῶς: οἴδαμεν Χριστόν: οἴδαμεν τὸν Υἱὸν παθόντα καθὼς ἔπαθεν, ἀποθανόντα καθὼς ἀπέθανεν, καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ὄντα ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ ἐρχόμενον κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς. καὶ ταῦτα λέγομεν ἃ ἐμάθομεν. τότε τοῦτον ἐλέγξαντες ἐξέωσαν τῆς ἐκκλησίας. ὃς εἰς τοσοῦτο φυσίωμα ἠνέχθη ὡς διδασκαλεῖον συστῆσαι.