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| Marcion's Gnostic Pretensions Vain, for the True God is Neither Unknown Nor Uncertain. The Creator, Whom He Owns to Be God, Alone Supplies an Induction, by Which to Judge of the True God.
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Chapter
IX.—Marcion’s Gnostic Pretensions Vain, for the True God is
Neither Unknown Nor Uncertain. The Creator, Whom He Owns to Be
God, Alone Supplies an Induction, by Which to Judge of the True
God.
Now I know full well by what perceptive faculty
they boast of their new god; even their knowledge.2420
| 2420 Agnitione. The
distinctive term of the Gnostic pretension was the Greek
equivalent Γνῶσις. | It is, however, this very discovery of a
novel thing—so striking to common minds—as well as the
natural gratification which is inherent in novelty, that I wanted to
refute, and thence further to challenge a proof of this unknown
god. For him whom by their knowledge2421
they present to us as new, they prove to have been unknown previous to
that knowledge. Let us keep within the strict limits and measure of our
argument. Convince me there could have been an unknown god. I
find, no doubt,2422
that altars have
been lavished on unknown gods; that, however, is the idolatry of
Athens. And on uncertain gods; but that, too, is only Roman
superstition. Furthermore, uncertain gods are not well known,
because no certainty about them exists; and because of this uncertainty
they are therefore unknown. Now, which of these two titles shall we
carve for Marcion’s god? Both, I suppose, as for a being who is
still uncertain, and was formerly unknown. For inasmuch
as the Creator, being a known God, caused him to be unknown; so, as
being a certain God, he made him to be uncertain. But I will not go so
far out of my way, as to say:2423
| 2423 Non evagabor, ut
dicam. | If God was unknown
and concealed, He was overshadowed in such a region of darkness, as
must have been itself new and unknown, and be even now likewise
uncertain—some immense region indeed, one undoubtedly greater
than the God whom it concealed. But I will briefly state my subject,
and afterwards most fully pursue it, promising that God neither could
have been, nor ought to have been, unknown. Could not have been,
because of His greatness; ought not to have been, because of His
goodness, especially as He is (supposed, by Marcion) more excellent in
both these attributes than our Creator. Since, however, I observe that
in some points the proof of every new and heretofore unknown god ought,
for its test,2424
to be compared to
the form of the Creator, it will be my duty2425
first of all to show that this very course is adopted by me in a
settled plan,2426
such as I might
with greater confidence2427
use in support of
my argument. Before every other consideration, (let me ask) how it
happens that you,2428
who
acknowledge2429
the Creator to be
God, and from your knowledge confess Him to be prior in existence, do
not know that the other god should be examined by you in exactly
the same course of investigation which has taught you how to find out a
god in the first case? Every prior thing has furnished the rule for the
latter. In the present question two gods are propounded, the unknown
and the known. Concerning the known there is no2430
question. It is plain that He exists, else
He would not be known. The dispute is concerning the unknown god.
Possibly he has no existence; because, if he had, he would have been
known. Now that which, so long as it is unknown, is an object to be
questioned, is an uncertainty so long as it remains thus questionable;
and all the while it is in this state of uncertainty, it possibly has
no existence at all. You have a god who is so far certain, as he is
known; and uncertain, as unknown. This being the case, does it appear
to you to be justly defensible, that uncertainties should be submitted
for proof to the rule, and form, and standard of certainties?
Now, if to the subject before us, which is in itself full of
uncertainty thus far, there be applied also arguments2431
derived from uncertainties, we shall be
involved in such a series of questions arising out of our treatment of
these same uncertain arguments, as shall by reason of their uncertainty
be dangerous to the faith, and we shall drift into those insoluble
questions which the apostle has no affection for. If, again,2432
in things wherein there is found a diversity
of condition, they shall prejudge, as no doubt they will,2433
uncertain, doubtful, and intricate points,
by the certain, undoubted, and clear sides2434
of
their rule, it will probably happen that2435
(those points) will not be submitted to the standard of certainties for
determination, as being freed by the diversity of their essential
condition2436
from the
application of such a standard in all other respects. As, therefore, it
is two gods which are the subject of our proposition, their essential
condition must be the same in both. For, as concerns their divinity,
they are both unbegotten, unmade, eternal. This will be their essential
condition. All other points Marcion himself seems to have made light
of,2437
for he has placed them in a
different2438
category. They are
subsequent in the order of treatment; indeed, they will not have to be
brought into the discussion,2439
since on the
essential condition there is no dispute. Now there is this absence of
our dispute, because they are both of them gods. Those things,
therefore, whose community of condition is evident, will, when brought
to a test on the ground of that common condition,2440
have to be submitted, although they are
uncertain, to the standard2441
of those
certainties with which they are classed in the community of their
essential condition, so as on this account to share also in their
manner of proof. I shall therefore contend2442
with the greatest confidence that he is not God who is to-day
uncertain, because he has been hitherto unknown; for of whomsoever it
is evident that he is God, from this very fact it is (equally) evident,
that he never has been unknown, and therefore never
uncertain.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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