The works of Nathaniel Lardner - The Christian Researcher - Home

440 Credibility of the Gospel History.
* break the gospel-nets. Some in one place, some in another ;
* the Donatists in Africa, the Arians in Eg-ypt,—the Mani-
' chees in Persia.' According- to Abulpliaragius, Mani''
was at first a cliristian priest, and he preached and explained
the scriptures, and disputed against the Jews, the Magi, and
the heathens. Beausobre*^ has an article on purpose concerning
the planting the gospel in Persia.
2. We cannot avoid recollecting, in the next place, the just
observation of Socrates, taken notice of by us at our entrance
into this field :
' It is no unusual thing for cockle to grow up
' amongst good grain.' It is no other than what our Lord foresaw
and likcAvise forewarned the disciples of, that they might
not be too much surprised at the event. " The kingdom of
heaven," he said, " is likened unto a mail which sowed good
seed in his field : but while men slept his enemy came, and
sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way."—Matt,
xiii. 24—30. Again " : The kingdom of heaven is like unto
a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every
kind:" ver. 47. "Then said he unto the disciples. It is
impossible but offences will come ; but woe unto him by
whom they come:" Luke xvii. 1. And St. Paul says to the
Corinthians : " There must be also heresies among you, that
they which are approved may be made manifest among
you :" 1 Cor. xi. 19. Indeed before the apostles left this
world they saw divers corruptions getting into the churches,
or actually brought into them.
3. There were early two very diflferent opinions concerning
Christ. ' Some,' as*^ Augustine observes, ' believed
' Christ to be God, and denied him to be man. Others
' believed he was a man, and denied him to be God.' Of
this opinion? was Augustine for a while, at his first getting
et exeunt.—Et retia quidem ilia per totum expandunf iir. Qui rumpunt autem,
per loca rumpunt. Donatistse ruperunt in Africa, Ariani ruperunt in iEgypto,
Photiniani ruperunt in Pannonia, Cataphryges ruperunt in Phrygia, Manichsei
ruperunt in Persidc. Aug. Senn. 252. n. 4. T. v. al. in Dieb. Pasch. Serm. 23.
^ Hie primo christianipmum prae se tulit, et sacerdos factus est Ehwazi,
docuitque et interpretatus est libros [sacros], et cum Judaeis, Magis, et ethnicis
disputavit. Gregor. Abulph. Dynast, p. 82. * T. i. p. 180— 19G.
' Sic enim quidam Deum credendo Christum, et hominera negando erraverunt.
El rursus quidam hominem putando, et Deum negando, aut contem-
.serunt, aut in homine spem suam ponentes, in ilUid maledictum inciderunt.
Contr. Faust. 1. 13. c. 8. Ait enim, Christus Deus est tantum, omnino
hominis nihil hal)cns. Hoc Manicha?i dicunt. Photiniani, homo tantum ;
Manichaei, Deus tantum. llli nihil divinum in Domino confitentur ; isti quasi
totum divinum. Serm. 37. c. 12.
« Mgo vcnj uliud putabam, tantumque sentiebam de Domino Christo meo,
quantum de excellentis sapientiae viro, cui nullus posset aequari : praesertim
quia mirabiliter natus ex virgine, ad exemplum contemnendornm temporalium