The works of Nathaniel Lardner - The Christian Researcher - Home

The Manicliees. Sect. VIII. 44'S
the genuuie principles of the christian religion. And by
the events of past ages we are encouraged to trust in Providence,
and do our best to serve the cause and interests of
truth and liberty.
6. It is not unlikely that differences of opinion, and the
disputes they occasion, are some way of use for advancing*
the interest of truth. The great Augustine was plainly of
this opinion. He says that'' objections against scripture,
and false interpretations, excite our zeal and industry, and
induce to study, until we have learned the right sense.
AugHistine has upon several occasions spoken"' of the advantage
which the catholic interest receives from heresies.
7. The Manichees have not weakened but confirmed the
evidence of the christian relig-ion. They agree with other
christians in acknowledg'ing- the dignity of Christ's person,
his high authority, and the authority of his apostles, and
other things which were formerly insisted on by us, and
need not to be repeated here. And they received all, or
well nigh all, the same books of the New Testament which
were received by other christians. They said, indeed, that
those scriptures had been interpolated in some time past
but they never corrupted or interpolated them, nor attempted
it. Nor could they or any others corrupt them, if they
would, as^ Augustine observes. And the controversy with
them has occasioned the writing of many books, containing"
1 Sed ideo divina providentia multos diversi erroris haereticos esse permittit,
ut, cum insiiltant nobis, et interrogant nos ea quae nescimus, vel sic excutiamus
pigritiam, et divinas scripturas nosse cupiamus. Propterea et apostolus dicit
Oportet hoereses esse, ut probati mamfesti fiant inter vos. Illi eniin Deo
probati sunt, qui bene possunt docere. Sed manifesti hominibus esse non
possunt, nisi eum docent : docere autem nolunt, nisi eos qui doceri qujerunt.
Sed multi ad quaerendum pigri sunt, nisi per inolestias et insultationes haereticorum
quasi de sorano excitentur, et de ilia imperitia sua periclitari se sentiant.
Qui omines, si bonae sint fidei, non cedunt haereticis, sed, quid eis respondeant,
diligentius inquirunt. Nee eos deserit Deus, ut petentes accipiant, et
quaerentes inveniant, et pulsantibus aperiatur. Aug. de Genesi contr. Manich.
1. i. c. i. n. 2. Didicimus enim, singulas quasque haereses intulisse ecclesiae
proprias qusestiones, contra quas diligentius defenderetur scriptura divina, quam
si nulla necessitas cogeret. Id. de Dono Persever. c. 20. n. 23. Tom. 10.
" Utitur enim [ecclesia catholica] gentibus ad materiam operationis suae,
haereticis ad probationem doctrinae suae. De Vera Relig. cap. 6. n. 10. Torn,
i. Sed quoniam verissime dictum est, oportet multas haer^es esse,—utamur
etiam isto divinae providentiae beneficio. Ex his enim hominibus haerehci
fiunt, qui, etiamsi essent in ecclesia, nihilominus errarent. Cum aufem foris
sunt, pliirimum prosunt, non verum docendo, quod nesciunt, sed ad verum
quaerendum carnales, et ad verum aperiendum spiritales cathohcos excitando.
Quapropter multi, ut diem Dei videant et gaudeant, per haereticos
de somno excitantur. lb. cap. 8. n. 18.
' Qua igitur causa a vobis corrumpi non possent, hac de causa a nemine
potuerunt. Contr. Faust. 1. 32. c. IG.
: