Irenaeus of Lyons · a new plain-English translation from the original language
THINGS WHICH ARE NOT COMMON TO ALL OF THEM. — Those around Ptolemy, however, being more learned, say that he had two consorts, whom they also call dispositions: Thought and Will. For first, they say, he conceived in mind what he would put forth, and then he willed it. Wherefore, when these two affections and powers — that is, Thought and Will — had, as it were, been mingled together, the emission of the Only-begotten and of Truth took place according to conjunction. These they suppose to be the types and visible images of the two invisible affections of the Father: of Will, Mind; of Thought, Truth. And for this reason the image of the derivative Will is masculine, while that of the innate Thought is feminine, since Will became, as it were, a power of Thought. For Thought was always thinking of the emission, but was not able by herself to put forth what she was thinking; but when the power of Will came upon her, then she put forth what she had been thinking.
Does it not seem to you, most beloved, that these people have conceived a notion of the Homeric Zeus greater than that of the God of all things -- Zeus, who because of his anxious care, not sleeping but full of concern, wondered when he might honor Achilles and destroy many of the Greeks? For that God, as soon as he thought, accomplished what he thought; and as soon as he willed, he also thinks what he has willed: he thinks when he wills, and he wills when he thinks, since he is wholly thought, and wholly sense, and wholly eye, and wholly hearing, and wholly the fountain of all good things. Concerning the teaching of the Colarbasians and of Mark: Those of them who are considered more learned say that the primal Ogdoad did not come into being by gradual stages, with one Aeon emitted from another, but that all the Aeons were emitted at once and together from the Forefather and his Thought (Ennoea) -- for, they affirm, they themselves served as midwives when the Aeons were being brought forth. And they no longer say that Man and the Church were generated from Word (Logos) and Life (Zoe), but rather that Word and Life were generated from Man and the Church, speaking in this way: When the Forefather thought to emit something, this was called Father; but when what he emitted proved true, this was called Truth. And when he willed to manifest himself, this was called Man. And those whom he had foreknown, after he emitted them, this was called the Church. Man spoke the Word (Logos); this is the firstborn son. Life follows upon the Word, and thus the first Ogdoad was completed. Some, however, say that the Decad comes from the ten Aeons alone, who were emitted from Word and Life, and that for this reason he is called Word and Life, since he keeps the names of his parents. Others say it comes from the twelve Aeons, those made from Man and the Church, and that for this reason he confesses himself Son of Man, as one born after Man. Others again say he was made from Christ and the Holy Spirit, those who were emitted for the establishing of the Pleroma, and that for this reason he is called Christ, keeping the title of his Father, from whom he was emitted. And there are still others who say that the Forefather of all is himself called the First Beginning, the Pre-Beginning, and the Pre-unthinkable Man, and that this is the great and hidden mystery: that the power which is above all things, and which contains all things, is called Man; and for this reason the Savior calls himself the Son of Man.