a sect of ancient heretics, thus denominated from their leader Bardesanes, a Syrian of Edessa in Mesopotamia. Bardesanes, born in the middle of the second century, became eminent, after his conversion to Christianity, for his zeal against her- etics; against whom, we are informed by St Jerome and Eusebius, he wrote a multitude of books: yet had he the misfortune to fall, himself, into the errors of Valentinus, to which he added some others of his own. He taught, that the actions of men depend altogether on fate, and that God himself is subject to necessity. His followers went further, and denied the resurrection of the body, and the incarnation and death of our Sa-

vior; holding that these were only apparent or phan- tastical.