The works of Nathaniel Lardner - The Christian Researcher - Home

538 Credibility of the Gospel History.
t-o Epli. iv. 26, M'lien he says: God " has enjoined us not to
let the sun go down upon our wrath.
(10.) He says, ' tliat*' a good man, following the instructions
of" the gospel, will not be bitter toward his child, or his ser-
vant ; knowing, that he also has a father and a master.' It
is likely, that here is a reference to the admonitions in Ejdi.
vi. 4—9 ; and Col. iii. 21, 22, 24 ; and iv. 1.
(11.) Perhaps he refers to Philip, ii. 6—9, Avhen he says,
' that'' Christ being sent to open the way of salvation to the
meanest, he hundjied himself, that he might help them. He
therefore underwent that kind of death, which is wont to be
inflicted on mean people, that all might be able to imitate
him. Hence also he was highly exalted.'
(12.) Perhaps, among other plain references to several
things in the Revelation, he may refer toi 2 Thess. ii. 4, 9.
(13.) Lactantius has some observations and arguments
which are also in the epistle to the Hebrews. Whether he
borrowed them thence, is not easy to say.
(14.) In one place he argues after this manner :
' From"^
which reasons it appears, that all the prophets declared con-
cerning- Christ, that the time would come, when being, as to
the body, born of the seed of David, he should erect an
eternal temple to God, which is called his church, and that
he should gather all nations to the worship of God. This is
the faithful house, the immortal temple. Of which great
" Praecepit Deus, non occidere so!em super iram nostram. I. vi. c. 18. sub
fin. Not! igitur in totum prohibet irasci :—sed prohibet in ira permanere.
Deinde rursus, cum irasci quidem,.sed tamen non peccare, praeccpit, non
utique evellit iram radicitus, sed temperavit. Cum ille homines ante solis
occasum reconciliari jubeat. De Ira Dei, c. 21. p. 819.
° Non sit asper in filium, neque in servum. Meminerit, quod et ipse palrem
habeat et dominum. Epit. c. 64.
1" Nam cum ad hoc missus esset, ut humillimis quibusque viam panderet, ad
salutem, se ipse humilem fecit, ut eos liberaret. Suscepit ergo id genus mortis,
quod solet humihbus irrogari, ut omnibus facultas daretur imitandi. His
etiam illud accidit, quod passione ac moite suscepta sublimum fieri oportebat.
Adeo ilium crux et re et significatione exaltavit, ut omnibus majestas ejus ac
virtus cum ipsa passione notuerit. Epit. c. 5 1.
1 Rex vero ille teterrimus erit quidem, et ipse, sed mendaciorum, prophela.
Et seipsum constituet ac vocabit Deum, et se coli jubebit, ut Dei filium.
1. vii. c. 17. p. 708.
Quibus ex rebus apparet, projjhetas omnes denuntiasse de Christo, fore
aliquando, I'.texgenere David corporaliter natus, constitueret sefernum femplum
Deo, quod appellatur ecclesia, et universas gentes ad religionem Dei veram
convocaret. H