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II. The Valentinians appeared about the same time. Their heresy
consisted in certain notions concerning angelic natures, which can
hardly be rendered intelligible to a modern reader. They seem, however,
to have acquired as much importance as any of the separatists of that
early age. Of this sect, Irenaeus, who wrote A.D. 172, expressly records
that they endeavoured to fetch arguments for their opinions from the
evangelic and apostolic writings. Heracleon, one of the most celebrated
of the sect, and who lived probably so early as the year 125, wrote
commentaries upon Luke and John. Some observations also of his upon
Matthew are preserved by Origen. Nor is there any reason to doubt that
he received the whole New Testament. (Lardner, vol. ix. ed. 1788, pp.
350-351; vol. i. p. 383; vol. ix. ed. 1788, p. 352-353.)
III. The Carpocratians were also an early heresy, little, if at all,
later than the two preceding. Some of their opinions resembled what we
at this day mean by Socinianism. With respect to the Scriptures, they
are specifically charged, by Irenaeus and by Epiphanius, with
endeavouring to pervert a passage in Matthew, which amounts to a
positive proof that they received that Gospel.
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