in Ecclesiastical History, Christian heretics in the third century, followers of Noetus, a philosopher of Ephesus, who pretended that he was another Moses sent by God, and that his brother was a new Aaron. His heresy consisted in affirming that there is but one person in the Godhead; that the Word and the Holy Spirit were but external denominations given to God in consequence of different operations; and that, as Creator, he is called Father, as Incarnate, Son, and as descending in the apostles, Holy Ghost.