24.06.2013 Views

The works of Nathaniel Lardner - The Christian Researcher - Home

The works of Nathaniel Lardner - The Christian Researcher - Home

The works of Nathaniel Lardner - The Christian Researcher - Home

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

578 Credibility <strong>of</strong> the Gospel History.<br />

greater than the Son, tlie Son incomparably greater and<br />

better than the Spirit. And'' the Father begot the Son by<br />

his will : the Son by his own power alone made the Spirit.<br />

Maximin, in Augustine, says, the' Son is not only God,<br />

but a great God : which he argues from Tit. ii. 13. Again,<br />

We worship the Father and the Son: but show a text<br />

where we are commanded to worship the Spirit.<br />

VI. <strong>The</strong>re were in the fourth century several divisions in<br />

this sect. Epiphanius," and Augustine*' after him, have<br />

four distinct articles in speaking <strong>of</strong> them: Arians or Ariomanites,<br />

Semiarians, Macedonians or Pneumatomachi,<br />

Aetians, called also Eunomians and Anomeans.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y were very remarkable for the numerous councils<br />

held by them, and for their numerous creeds, especially in<br />

the time <strong>of</strong> Constantius. Socrates conrputes their creedsi' or<br />

confessions to have been nine in number; and calls them a<br />

labyrinth. Some moderns, not attending to the design <strong>of</strong><br />

Socrates, have multiplied them greatly. He speaks <strong>of</strong> public<br />

creeds, agreed in councils <strong>of</strong> bishops: they add to them<br />

several confessions made by particular persons upon divers<br />

occasions. Insomuch, that Fleury'^ makes out a catalogue<br />

<strong>of</strong> sixteen ; and Tillemont, not content to stop there, computes'^<br />

eighteen. Athanasius using a round number, says<br />

they had had at^ least ten synods. Learned moderns do<br />

sometimes reckon eleven* public creeds, the last <strong>of</strong> Avhich<br />

was drawn up in the year" 361.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Arians seem to have pleased themselves with^ the<br />

great number <strong>of</strong> their synods. But others were <strong>of</strong> a different<br />

opinion : and the confessions <strong>of</strong> faith published by them were<br />

not unanimous. Athanasius'' <strong>of</strong>ten banters them for their<br />

^ Pater immobiliter et impassibiliter volens Filium genuit : Filius sine labore<br />

et fatigatione sola viitute sua Spiritum fecit. lb. n. 26.<br />

' Est autem Filius secundum apostolum non pusillus, sed magnus Deus.<br />

Sicut ait beatus apostolus ; exspectando beatam spem, et adventum glorise<br />

magni Dei et Salvatoris nostri Jesu Chiisti. Collat. cum Maxim, n. 13. ap.<br />

Aug. T. 8. " lb. n. 14. Vid. n. xi.<br />

" H. G9, 73, 74, 76. " De Hser. c. 49, 51, 52, 54.<br />

'' 'HuHQ cs Tov Xa(3vpiv6ov Twv iKOeaewv oipt ttots ^lavvaavreg, rtjv airapiQixr]aiv<br />

avrujv avvayayi<strong>of</strong>itv. Socr. 1. i. c. 41. p. 154. D.<br />

" Fleury, B. 14. ch. 33. Vol. 2. p. 294.<br />

' Les Ariens, Art. 102. * H^>j yan romroi StKu km irXtov<br />

TTB (TwoBsg TTtTToiTiKacTi. Ad Affos. n. 2. p. 892. B.<br />

' Vid. Petav. ad Epiph. H. 73. n. xxvii. p. 327.<br />

" Vid. Benedictin. Monit. ad Athan.de Synod, p. 715.<br />

" — 7rapaica\»n(v nt] a%>i\ie!Oai, KctOa TrpotnTo/^uv, twv ivfi<strong>of</strong>iaW<strong>of</strong>Xtviov o;i^Xov<br />

(TMi/o^ojv Tro(jja(rH TTi'jtoir— /c. \. Ad At'ros. n. 10. p. 899. C.<br />

^ IfaiTrt ynv Kivnai Kai rapciTTHffi, Kai H^e htio toiq lavnov cip^nvraC kut<br />

eviavTOv yap, (oq oJ rag SiaOtjKag ypacjtovTig,

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!