AGRIPPA.
AT the same time, and under the Reign of the same Emperor, lived Agrippa Sirnamed Castor, a Learned Man, who wrote a very convincing Book against the Heresie of Basilides, in which he confuted the Errors of this Heretick, after he had discovered them, and detected * 1.1 all his Devices and Frauds. He observes, (says Eusebius) that Basilides, had written twen∣ty four Books on the Gospels, and that he forged several Prophets that never were in the World, to whom he attributed extraordinary Names, such as Barsabas and Barcoph, on purpose to amuse the Minds of his Auditors. He affirmed also, that this Heretick taught his Followers, that it was a thing indifferent to eat Sacrifices that were offered unto Idols; that it was lawfull to Renounce the Faith in the time of Persecution; and that, in imitation of Pythagoras, he imposed Silence on his Disciples for the space of five years. We have no further knowledge of this Author, since his Book is lost, and I know not whether we have any considerable Fragment of it left.