to government, were probably addressed to them. They were, at first, only a small part of the Pharisees, but afterwards greatly increased, and almost swallowed up the other sects of the Jews. GNOSTICS.-Under this head may be included the Nicolaitanes, who, some authors think, were founded by Nicolaus; but it is now uncertain. They are mentioned Rev. ii. 6, 14, 15; where our Saviour blames such for their corrupt morals, and in continuing to eat meat offered to idols, and indulging in fornication. The Gnostics believed in the existence of two principles, the one of light, and the other of darkness; the origin of the visible world; the ministry of Æons3 and the like. The affairs of these sects are enveloped in a considerable degree of obscurity. The word Gnostic is derived from a Greek word signifying a knowledge superior to that of other men. They held that the Supreme Being was not the Creator of the universe. They imbibed the Egyptian philosophy, against which the apostles often warned the Christian converts; and the word The Greek word on probably signifies the age of man. The Being who formed their system, they called Demiurgus.— F. J. P. philosophy, as used by Paul, signifies the Egyptian philosophy; and the followers of it, the Gnostics, Nicolaitanes, &c. Those texts which seem to arraign philosophy must not be understood as levelled against science, but only against the Egyptian philosophy, with which Gentile converts were liable to be infected. The Nicolaitanes taught that idolatrous sacrifices and lewdness were lawful. By Nicolaitanes, in Scripture language, some think profligate persons in general are meant. They are only mentioned by name in the Revelation of John the Divine, as stated above; but some other parts of Scripture are probably directed against them. NAZARITES, or NAZARENES.-So called from the Hebrew word Nazir, i. e. separated. They compelled themselves by a vow to abstain from intoxicating liquors, and they never cut their hair till the time their vow ended, or was broken. An account of their origin is given in Numbers, chap. vi. In aftertimes they embraced Christianity, but mixed many of the ordinances of the law with it. Against them it is that the apostle inveighs, when he asserts the inefficiency of the law. This sect is supposed to have been founded in the time of Moses. They were composed mostly of Pharisees, were very superstitious, and never renounced the law. HERODIANS.-A sect subsisting in the time of our Saviour, mentioned by the evangelists-Matt. xxii. 16; Mark, iii. 6; viii. 15; and xii. 13. The learned are divided in opinion both as regards their tenets and origin. Calmet thinks they derived their name from Herod. Prideaux and Percy are of opinion they were a political sect, which began to be famous in the days of Herod, as favouring his claim to the sovereignty of Judea. Jones is of opinion that they were the adherents of Judas of Galilee, great lovers of liberty, and, in general, holding the same principles as the Pharisees. Το CERINTHIANS, followers of Cerinthus. refute this heresy, John wrote his gospel. Cerinthus taught That God was not known until the coming of Christ - That He dwelt in a remote heaven, called Pleroma, with the chief Æons, or spirits-That this God, first generated a Son, and again begat the Word, which was inferior to the Author of "The Biblical Cyclopædia."- F. J. P. CC first-born-That Christ was a still lower Æon, but far superior to some-That there were two high Æons beside Christ-light and life—That from the Æons proceeded inferior spirits, and one Demiurgus, who made the world, and was lower than the Æons-That Demiurgus protected the Israelites, and sent Moses to them That Jesus was a mere man, and that the Eon Christ, descended on him, in the form of a dove, when he was baptized, empowering him to work miracles, and revealing to him the unknown God—That light entered John the Baptist in the same mannerThat when Jesus came to suffer, Christ left him; lastly-That Christ should reign on earth a thouSome of their absurd tenets they derived from the Gnostics.5 sand years. 5 Cerinthus was the disciple of Simon Magus, and flourished A.D. 54. It is said that the apostle John, going to the baths when Cerinthus was there, retired with indignation, as nct enduring the company of an enemy to his Saviour.F. J. P. |