o in course of
time became the cause of evil.

Concerning the doctrines which prevailed in the earlier ages of
Christianity relative to the ancient dual principle in creation, and
regarding the offices which were performed by the two elements, male and
female, in the deity, we have the following from Justinus, who is said
to have been contemporary with Peter and Paul:

"When Elohim had prepared and created the world as a result from joint
pleasure, He wished to ascend up to the elevated parts of heaven, and to
see that not anything of what pertained to the creation laboured under
deficiency. And He took His Own angels with Him, for His nature was to
mount aloft, leaving Edem below; for inasmuch as she was earth, she was
not disposed to follow upward her spouse. Elohim, then, coming to the
highest part of heaven above and beholding a light superior to that
which He himself had created, exclaimed: 'Open me the gates, that
entering in I may acknowledge the Lord.'"

As he enters the Good One addresses him in the following manner: "Sit
thou on my right hand." Then the soaring male principle says to the
Good One "permit me Lord to overturn the world which I have made, for my
spirit is bound to men." To which the Good One replies: "No evil canst
thou do while thou art with me, for both thou and Edem made the world
as a result of conjugal joy. Permit Edem then, to hold possession of the
world as long as she wishes; but you remain with me." While the father
is drawn away from earth to Heaven, Edem, in the meantime is bringing
woes innumerable upon man. Naas, who has received his evil nature from
her, and who is a child of the Devil, has debauched Eve, "Henceforward
vice and virtue are prevalent among men." The Father seeing these things
dispatches Baruch his third angel to Moses, and through him spake to the
children of Israel, that they might be converted unto the Good One. But
the third angel, Naas, by the soul of which came from Edem upon Moses,
as also upon all men, observed the precepts of Baruch, and caused his
own peculiar injunctions to be hearkened unto.

Again, after these occurrences Baruch, the angel of the Good One, was
sent to the prophets to warn them against the wiles of Edem, but in the
same manner Nass, the Devil, enticed them away, they being allured
by him to their own destruction. Again Elohim selected Hercules, an
uncircumcised prophet, and sent him to quell the disturbance caused by
Naas or Edem and to