第九节 真实的信仰、伪谬的信仰与伪善的信仰
378# 有真实的信仰、伪谬的信仰与伪善的信仰。
基督教会自其襁褓之初，即开始为分裂与异端所侵扰、所撕裂；及至岁月推移，遂被割裂摧残，几无异于那从耶路撒冷下耶利哥去的人，落在强盗手中；强盗剥去他的衣裳，把他打个半死，就丢下他走了。（路10:30）由此所成者，正如但以理书论此教会所记：“那行毁坏可憎的如飞而来，并且有忿怒倾在那行毁坏的身上，直到所定的结局。”（但9:27）又如主照此所说：“这天国的福音要传遍天下，对万民作见证，然后末期才来到。你们看见先知但以理所说的那行毁坏可憎的，站在圣地。”（太24:14-15）其命运可比作一艘满载极贵重货物的船，甫一出港，便立即为暴风所摇撼；不久即在海中遭难沉没，于是其货物一部分被水浸坏，一部分被鱼吞散。
【2】基督教会自其幼年即如此受扰乱、遭分裂，这由教会史可知。甚至在使徒时代，便有西门，此人本是撒玛利亚人，行邪术，事见使徒行传。（徒8:9以下）又有许米乃和腓理徒，为保罗在致提摩太书信中所提及；又有尼哥拉，尼哥拉一党即由他得名，启示录中亦提到他们。（启2:6；徒6:5）此外又有克林妥。使徒时代以后，又有更多人兴起，如马吉安派、挪伊托派、瓦伦廷派、禁欲派、卡塔弗吕革派、十四日派、阿洛吉派、迦他利派、俄利根派即亚当曼提派、撒伯流派、撒摩撒他派、摩尼派、米利都派，最后又有亚流派。此后，又有成队的异端首领侵入教会，如多纳徒派、佛提努派、阿卡修派即半亚流派、攸诺米派、马其顿派、聂斯脱利派、预定论派、教皇派、慈运理派、重洗派、施文克斐尔德派、协同派、索齐尼派、反三一派、贵格会、赫恩胡特派，此外还有许多别派；最后，在这些人之上占据优势的，则是路德、梅兰希通和加尔文，他们的教义至今掌权。
【3】教会中所以有如此众多的分裂与纷扰，其主要原因有三：第一，神性三一未被理解；第二，对于主没有任何正确的认识；第三，将十字架受难认作救赎本身。当这三者被人所不知时，而它们却正是信仰的本质要素，教会由此成为教会，并以教会为名；如此，则教会中一切事物势必被牵引至偏斜与歧异，最后竟至相反之处；并且人在此相反之中，仍以为自己在对上帝的真实信仰中，也在对上帝一切真理的信仰中。此等人就如用布帕蒙住眼睛，凭自己的幻想以为正行在直路上；然而一步又一步地偏离，终于转向相反之处，在那里有坑穴，他们便坠入其中。
然而，教会之人若要从其迷途被带回真理之路，除此之外别无他法：他必须知道何为真实的信仰，何为伪谬的信仰，何为伪善的信仰。因此，下文将予以论证：
一、真实的信仰是唯一的，并且是在主上帝拯救者耶稣基督里面的信仰；此信仰存在于那些相信祂为上帝的儿子、天地的上帝，并与父为一的人里面。
二、伪谬的信仰乃一切背离真实信仰的信仰；真实的信仰是唯一的；伪谬的信仰存在于那些从别处上升，并且不把主看作上帝，而只把祂看作人的人里面。
三、伪善的信仰并非信仰。
378# 基督教会从摇篮开始就受到教会分裂和异端邪说的侵扰和分裂；随着时间推移，它被撕裂和肢解，几乎就像经上所说的那个从耶路撒冷下耶利哥的人，他被强盗围攻，强盗剥去他的衣服，打得他半死不活（路加福音10:30）。因此，但以理书关于基督教会所记载的内容，已经成为现实：
最后，荒凉必在那可憎的鸟身上；直到完结和决定的事，倾倒在那行毁坏的身上。（但以理书9:27）
也正如主所说的这些话：
然后末期才来到，就是你们看见先知但以理所说的那荒凉的可憎的时候。（马太福音24:14，15）
基督教会的命运可以比作一艘满载贵重商品的船只，一离开港口就被风暴掀翻，很快就成了一艘沉船，沉入海底，然后满船的珍贵货物部分被海水毁坏，部分被鱼撕成碎片。
基督教会从婴幼儿时期就受到如此的的骚扰和撕裂，这一点从教会历史明显看出来；例如，即使在使徒时代，它也被天生的撒玛利亚人、行邪术的西门干扰（参看使徒行传8:9等）；干扰它的，还有保罗在写给提摩太的书信中提到的许米乃和腓理徒（提摩太后书2:17-18）；启示录中提到的起名为尼哥拉党的尼哥拉（启示录2:6; 使徒行传6:5），以及塞林图（译注：一个与使徒约翰同时代的犹太人）。使徒时代之后，又有其它许多教派兴起，如马西昂派、诺提安派、瓦伦廷派、禁戒派、蒙塔努斯派、十四日派、反逻各斯派或非道派、清洁派（译注:又称卡特里派、纯洁派、迦他利派）、奥利金派或亚当派、撒伯流派或撒伯里乌派、撒摩撒他派、摩尼教、麦勒先派，最后是阿里乌派。继这些教派之后，极端异端的整个军团入侵教会，如多纳图派、阜提奴派、半阿里乌派、欧诺米派、马其顿派、聂斯托利派、预定论者、教皇派、茨温利派、再洗礼派、施文克斐尔德派、协同论者、苏西尼派、反三位一体派、贵格会、摩拉维亚弟兄会，以及更多教派。最后，路德、墨兰顿和加尔文胜过了所有这些教派，如今他们的教义占主导地位。
教会中如此多的分裂和分离的原因主要有三个：第一，神性三位一体没有被理解；第二，对主缺乏正确的认识；第三，十字架受难被视为救赎本身。这三件事是信仰的基本要素，教会基于它们而存在，并凭它们而被称为教会；只要这三件事没有被理解，或被误解，那么教会的一切必偏离正轨，最终走上相反的道路并倒退。当教会处于这种状态时，它可能仍以为它拥有对神的真正信仰，一个完全由神的一切真理构成的信仰。在这种状态下，教会成员就像蒙上双眼的人，他们想象自己正走在一条直线上，其实却一步步偏离直线，最终朝相反的方向走去，那里有一个坑，他们掉进了坑里。但由于教会之人无法从错误或迷失中被带回到真理的道路上，除非他明白，什么是真实的信仰，什么是虚假的信仰，什么是虚伪的信仰，或它们的各自性质，所以要证明以下几点：
（1）真实的信仰是唯一的信仰，就是对主神救主耶稣基督的信仰；那些相信祂是神的儿子，天地之神，与父为一的人就持有这种信仰。
（2）虚假的信仰是指偏离真实的信仰，即唯一信仰的一切信仰，这是那些“从别处爬上来”，不把主看作神，只看作一个人的人持有的信仰。
（3）虚伪的信仰不是信仰。
378. 9. There Is Faith That Is True, Faith That Is Illegitimate, and Faith That Is Hypocritical
From its cradle, the Christian church was attacked and torn apart by schisms and heresies. As time went on, it was lacerated and butchered by them, much like the person we read about who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and was surrounded by robbers; after they stripped him and beat him up, the robbers left him half-dead (Luke 10:30).
The end result was what we read in Daniel about that church: "In the end desolation [will fly in] on a bird of abominations; even to the close and the cutting down, it will drip steadily upon the devastation" (Daniel 9:27); and the Lord's statement: The end will come when you see the abomination of desolation that Daniel the prophet foretold (Matthew 24:14-15).
What happened to the church could be compared to a ship loaded down with merchandise of the highest quality. It was battered by storm winds immediately upon leaving port and a little later was wrecked at sea and sank. Some of its cargo was spoiled by water and some was carried off by fish.
[2] Church history makes it clear that from its infancy the Christian church was assaulted and torn apart. For example, even in the time of the apostles it was assaulted by Simon, who was a Samaritan by birth and a sorcerer by trade (see Acts of the Apostles 8:9 and following). It was also assaulted by Hymenaeus and Philetus, whom Paul mentions in his Epistle to Timothy []; and by Nicolas, whose followers were the so-called Nicolaitans mentioned in Revelation 2:6 and Acts of the Apostles 6:5; not to mention Corinth.
Just after the time of the apostles, many others went into revolt. For example, the Marcionites, the Noetians, the Valentinians, the Encratites, the Cataphrygians, the Quartodecimans, the Alogians, the Catharans, the Origenists or Adamantines, the Sabellians, the Samosatenians, the Manicheans, the Meletians, and finally the Arians.
After that, armies of heretical movements invaded the church - the Donatists, the Photinians, the Acatians or Semi-Arians, the Eunomians, the Macedonians, the Nestorians, the Predestinarians, the Papists, the Zwinglians, the Anabaptists, the Schwenkfeldians, the Synergists, the Socinians, the Antitrinitarians, the Quakers, the Herrnhuters, and many others.
At length Luther, Melanchthon, and Calvin prevailed over them all. Their teachings are dominant today.
[3] There are three main reasons why there were so many disputes and rebellions in the church: (1) the divine Trinity was misunderstood; (2) there was no just concept of the Lord; (3) the suffering on the cross was taken to be redemption itself.
The truth about these three things is essential to the faith the church is based on, the faith from which it is called a church. If people did not know the truth about these three things, it was inevitable that everything about the church would be dragged first off course and finally in the opposite direction. It was also inevitable that when the church arrived at that stage it would still believe that it had a true faith in God and a belief in all God's truths.
This situation among these people in the church is like people who put a blindfold over their eyes and believe they are walking in a straight line, although step after step they are actually veering off course and eventually heading in the opposite direction, where there is a pit into which they fall.
The only way the wandering people of the church can be redirected onto the road of truth is by their knowing what true faith is, what illegitimate faith is, and what hypocritical faith is. Therefore this will be demonstrated.
a. There is only one true faith; it is faith in the Lord God our Savior Jesus Christ. It exists in people who believe that he is the Son of God, that he is the God of heaven and earth, and that he is one with the Father.
b. Illegitimate faith is all faith that departs from the one and only true faith. Illegitimate faith exists in people who climb up some other way and view the Lord not as God but only as a human being.
c. Hypocritical faith is no faith at all.
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378. IX. There is true faith, spurious faith and hypocritical faith.
From its cradle the Christian church began to be attacked and split by schisms and heresies, and in course of time to be torn apart and butchered, very much as we read of the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and was surrounded by robbers, who, after stripping and beating him, left him half-dead (Luke 10:30). The result was like the description of that church in Daniel:
Finally upon the bird of abominations desolation, to the point of ending and cutting off, shall be poured drop by drop upon devastation, Daniel 9:27.
and in the Lord's words:
Then the end shall come, when you will see the abomination of desolation predicted by the prophet Daniel, Matthew 24:14-15.
Its fate may be compared with a ship laden with a very valuable cargo, which immediately on leaving harbour is struck by storms and soon afterwards is wrecked and sunk at sea, so that its cargo is partly ruined by water and partly consumed by fish.
[2] The Christian church from its infancy was so tossed and shattered, as is evident from ecclesiastical history, for instance even in the time of the Apostles by Simon, who was of the Samaritan nation, and a practicer of sorcery, as related in The Acts of the Apostles (Acts of the Apostles 8:9ff). Also by Hymenaeus and Philetus, who are mentioned by Paul in his Epistle to Timothy [2 Timothy 2:17]; as also by Nicolas, who gave his name to the Nicolaitans (mentioned in Revelation 2:6 and Acts of the Apostles 6:5), as well as by Cerinthus. After the time of the Apostles many more heretical sects arose, such as the Marcionites, Noetians, Valentinians, Encratites, Cataphrygians, Quartodecimans, Alogians, Cathars, Origenists or Adamantines, Sabellians, Samosatenes, Manichaeans, Meletians and finally Arians. After their times whole regiments of heretical leaders assailed the church, such as the Donatists, Photinians, Acatians or Semiarians, Eunomians, Macedonians, Nestorians, Predestinarians, Papists, Zwinglians, Anabaptists, Schwenckfeldians, Synergists, Socinians, Antitrinitarians, Quakers, Herrenhuters, and many more besides. 1 Finally these succumbed to Luther, Melanchthon and Calvin, whose dogmas hold the field today.
There are three principal causes of the divisions and separatist movements in the church; first, the failure to understand the Divine Trinity; second, the lack of any proper knowledge of the Lord; third, the assumption that the passion on the cross was the actual process of redemption. Ignorance on these three matters, which are nonetheless the very essentials of faith, and the faith on which the church is based and the reason it is called a church, inevitably results in everything connected with the church being given a sinister twist and steered away until its course is reversed, while still believing that in these circumstances it has the true faith in God and believes all God's truths. The case of these people is similar to those who blindfold their eyes and, while fancying they are walking in a straight line, yet step by step deviate from it, until they are facing the opposite direction, where there are pits into which they fall. But a person who belongs to the church can only be led away from his wanderings and into the way of truth by knowing what true faith is, what spurious faith is, and what hypocritical faith is. The following propositions will therefore be proved:
(i) There is only one true faith, and this is in the Lord God the Saviour Jesus Christ, and is possessed by those who believe Him to be the Son of God, the God of heaven and earth, and one with the Father.
(ii) Spurious faith is any faith which departs from the true and only faith, and is possessed by those who climb up another way and look upon the Lord not as God, but merely as a human being.
(iii) Hypocritical faith is no faith at all.
Footnotes:
1. This list of heretics seems to have been taken from the Concordia Pia, referred to by the author as the 'Formula of Concord', published in Leipzig in 1756; cf. 356, 2.
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378. IX. THERE IS A TRUE FAITH, A SPURIOUS FAITH AND A HYPOCRITICAL FAITH.
From its cradle the Christian church began to be infested and divided by schisms and heresies, and in the course of time to be torn and mutilated almost like what is said,
Of the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and was surrounded by thieves, who stripped him and beat him and then left him half dead (Luke 10:30).
From this it has come to pass as it is written of that church in Daniel:
At last upon the bird of abominations shall be desolation; and even to the consummation and decision shall it drop upon the devastation (9:27).
Also according to these words of the Lord:
Then shall the end come, when ye shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet (Matthew 24:14, 15).
The lot of that church may be compared to that of a vessel laden with precious merchandise, which immediately on leaving port is driven about by storms, and a little after is wrecked and sunk in the sea, with its precious cargo partly destroyed by the waters, and partly torn by fishes.
[2] That the Christian church from its infancy has been so vexed and torn is evident from ecclesiastical history, as for example, even in the time of the apostles, by Simon, who was by birth a Samaritan and by profession a magician (seeActs of the Apostles 8:9-20); also by Hymeneus and Philetus (mentioned by Paul in his Second Epistle to Timothy); again by Nicholas, from whom the so-called Nicolaitans took their name (mentioned in Revelation 2:6 andActs of the Apostles 6:5); and also by Cerinthus. After the time of the apostles several other sects arose, as the Marcionites, the Noetians, the Valentinians, the Encratites, the Cataphrygians, the Quarto-Decimans, the Alogians, the Catharians, the Origenists or Adamites, the Sabellians, the Samosatenes, the Manichseans, the Meletians, and finally the Arians. After them, whole battalions of heresiarchs invaded the church, as the Donatists, the Photinians, the Acaians or Semiarians, the Eunomians, the Macedonians, the Nestorians, the Predestinarians, the Papists, the Zwinglians, the Anabaptists, the Schwenckfeldians, the Synergists, the Soeinians, the Anti-Trinitarians, the Quakers, the Moravians, and many more. Finally Luther, Melancthon, and Calvin prevailed over all these, and their dogmas have predominated to this day.
[3] The causes of so many divisions and separations in the church are chiefly three: First, The Divine trinity has not been understood; Second, There has been no right knowledge of the Lord; Third, The passion of the cross has been taken for redemption itself. So long as these three things, which are the very essentials of faith, and from which the church exists and is called the church, are not understood, it must needs be that all things pertaining to the church will be turned aside out of their true course, and finally into the opposite course, and the church will still believe that it holds to a true faith in God and faith in all the truths relating to God; and in this state they are like persons who cover their eyes with their skirts, and fancy themselves to be walking in a straight line, and yet are departing from it step by step, and at length go in the opposite direction where there is a cavern into which they fall. But the man of the church can be brought back from his wandering into the way of truth, only by learning what true faith is, what spurious faith is, and what hypocritical faith is. Therefore it shall be shown:
(1) That true faith is the one only faith, which is a faith in the Lord God the Savior Jesus Christ, and this is held by those who believe Him to be the Son of God, the God of heaven and earth, and one with the Father.
(2) Spurious faith is all faith that departs from the true faith, which is the one only faith, and this is the faith that is held by those who climb up some other way, and regard the Lord not as God, but as a mere man.
(3) Hypocritical faith is no faith.
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378. IX. THERE IS A TRUE FAITH, A SPURIOUS FAITH, AND A HYPOCRITICAL FAITH.
The Christian Church from its earliest infancy began to be infested and rent asunder by schisms and heresies; and in process of time it was torn and mangled in much the same way as is recorded of the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
He fell among thieves, who stripped and wounded him, and left him half dead, Luke 10:30.
Hence what is written of that Church in Daniel has come to pass:
"At length upon the bird of abominations shall be desolation, and even until the consummation and the decision, it shall drop upon the devastation" (A.V., and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate). Daniel 9:27;
and according to the Lord's words:
"Then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet" Matthew 24:14-15.
The fate of the Church may be compared to that of a ship laden with precious merchandise, which has no sooner left harbor than it is tossed about by storms, and presently becoming a wreck, sinks to the bottom of the sea. Then its rich cargo is partly ruined by the water and partly torn to pieces by fishes.
[2] That the Christian Church from its infancy has been thus harassed and torn is evident from ecclesiastical history; for, even in the Apostles' time, it was disturbed by Simon, 1 who was by birth a Samaritan, and by profession a sorcerer, about whom we read in Acts 8:9 and following verses; and also by Hymenaeus 2 and Philetus, 3 mentioned by Paul in his Epistle to Timothy [17]; and again by Nicholas, 4 who gave his name to the Nicolaitans, mentioned in Revelation 2:8, and Acts 6:5; and also by Cerinthus. 5
After the time of the Apostles many others rose up, as the Marcionites, 6 Noetians, 7 Valentinians, 8 Encratites, 9 Cataphrygians. 10 Quarto-Decimans, 11 Alogians, 12 Catharians, 13 Origenists, 14 or Adamites, 15 Sabellians, 16 Samosatians, 17 Manichaeans, 18 Meletians, 19 and lastly Arians. 20
After these, whole troops of arch-heretics invaded the Church, as the Donatists, 21 Photinians, Acatians, 22 or Semiarians, 23 Eunomians, 24 Macedonians, 25 Nestorians, 26 Predestinarians, Papists, Zwinglians, 27 Anabaptists, 28 Schwenkfeldians, 29 Synergists, 30 Socinians, 31 Anti-Trinitarians, Quakers, 32 Herrenhuterites, 33 (Moravians 34 ), besides many others. Over all these Luther, 35 Melanchthon, 36 and Calvin, 37 finally prevailed, and their dogmas are prevalent to-day.
[3] The causes of so many schisms and dissensions in the Church are chiefly three. First, the Divine Trinity has not been understood. Second, there has been no just knowledge of the Lord. Third, the passion of the cross has been regarded as Redemption itself. These three matters are the essentials of that faith from which the Church exists and takes its name; and as long as they are misunderstood, all things of the Church must be diverted from their right course, and at last turned backwards. While the Church is in this state it may still believe that it possesses a true faith in God and a faith wholly composed of His Truth. Its members are like men who blindfold themselves and imagine they walk in a straight line, whereas they are deviating from it step by step; and finally, proceeding on a course opposite to that on which they set out, they come upon a pit into which they fall. As the man of the Church cannot be led from his errors to the truth unless he understands the nature of true faith, spurious faith and hypocritical faith, the following propositions shall be proved:
(1) The only true faith is faith in the Lord God, the Savior Jesus Christ; and this faith is held by those who believe Him to be the Son of God, the God of heaven and earth, and one with the Father.
(2) Spurious faith is every faith that departs from the one true faith, and is held by those who "climb up some other way," and regard the Lord not as God, but as a mere man.
(3) Hypocritical faith is not faith.
Footnotes:
1. Simon Magus has been commonly Synergists (Greek, co-workers), regarded as the father of heresy and the founder of Gnosticism. He pretended to be the greatest of the Aeons, that succession of intelligent beings who proceeded from the great First Cause. Professing belief in Christ he was baptized by Philip when that apostle was gaining many converts in Samaria. However, when Peter and John arrived to further the cause of Christianity, he betrayed his real character by offering them money to purchase from them the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. Hymenaeus, Spiritual Diary1 Timothy 1:20 and 2 Timothy 2:17.
3. Philetus, see Timothy 2:17.
4. Nicolas (Greek, nikan laon, destroyer of the people), founder of the Nicolaitans, a licentious sect named after him. Revelation 2.
5. Cerinthus, a Jew who studied philosophy at Alexandria and later at Ephesus. Here he is said to have met the Apostle John, whose teaching is supposed to counteract the falsity of Cerinthian Gnosticism. 378(2).
6. Marcionites, followers of Marcion, c. A.D. 120-170, a heretic of the second century. He drew up a Canon of Sacred Scripture, Pauline in character, which should exclude all Jewish influence. His Canon included only ten Epistles of Paul and a Gospel, supposed to have been Luke's but altered to suit his own views, called by his followers the Gospel of Christ.
7. Noetians, followers of Noetius, a native of Asia Minor in the third century, a heretic whose opinions resembled those of Sabellius.
8. Valentinians, followers of Valentinus, a heretic of the second century. He was the founder of the most complicated system of Gnosticism, accepting the Gospel of John as his chief authority and employing scriptural language more freely than other Gnostics. His system became a cloak for much licentiousness.
9. Encratites (Greek, egkartes, strong, self-controlled), a name given to various sects noted for their rigid abstinence. It was chiefly applied to the Gnostic sect of which Tatian and Severus were the leaders.
10. Cataphrygos, a sect which arose in Asia Minor in the second century. They claimed to possess spiritual qualities, inspiration, and power of prophecy, describing Christians who denied their pretensions as carnal and unregenerate.
11. Quarto-Decimans, those who followed the custom of the Asiatic Church in keeping the paschal feast on the fourteenth day of the first Jewish month, whatever day of the week it might happen to be. The Western Church commemorated the resurrection on the Sunday that followed the Jewish Passover, regarding the preceding Friday as the paschal day.
12. Alogians (Greek, a priv. and logos word), an obscure sect of the second century, who are said to have denied that Jesus Christ was the Logos or eternal Word, and to have rejected the Gospel of John and the Revelation as spurious.
13. Catharians (Greek, the Pure), the name assumed by the followers of Novatian, who favored exclusion for ever from the Church of all who had defiled themselves after baptism. This measure was originally directed against those Christians who, during the persecution of Decius, A.D. 249, were induced to sacrifice to idols or to procure from the magistrates, by a money payment, a certificate of having obeyed the emperor's command. 378(2).
14. Origenists, followers of Origen, A.D. 185-254, who maintained a spiritual interpretation of Scripture. They are numbered among the disturbers of the Church because they held such tenets as the following, which have been ascribed to Origen: That the soul of Christ was united to the Word before the Incarnation; that there is a pre-existent state of human souls; that souls were condemned to animate mortal bodies in order to expiate faults they had committed in a pre-existent state; that after long periods of time the damned shall be released from their torments and restored to a new state of probation.
15. Adamantines, Grk. untameable, adamant, identified by some with the Adamites, heretics of the second century. Classified with Origenists.
16. Sabellians, followers of Sabellius, who taught at Rome early in the third century doctrines denying the distinct personality of the Son and Holy Ghost, maintaining that the names of the Three Persons denote so many energies proceeding from the One God, or so many characters assumed by Him.
17. Samosatians, followers of Paul of Samosata, bishop of Antioch, A. D. 260, but deposed for denying that the Son of God came down from heaven, and teaching that Jesus Christ was a mere man.
18. Manichaeans, a heretical Christian sect founded in Persia, c. A.D. 270 by Mani, who professed to be the Paraclete, the greater apostle who should complete the work of the earlier apostles, and effectually separate truth from falsity.
19. Meletians, followers (1) of Meletius, appointed bishop of Antioch, A.D. 360, by Arian influence; (2) of Meletius, bishop of Lycopolis, Egypt, who latterly joined the Arian party.
20. Arius, theologian of Alexandria, A.D 256-336; founder of Arianism, affirming that Christ was an originated Being. Excommunicated by bishops of Egypt for denying that Christ was made of the same substance (homo-ousion) of any previously existing substance. To settle the consequent dispute Constantine called the Council of Nicaea, A.D. 325. Athanasius successfully led the opposition to Arius; and Arius, with Eusebius, who also refused to accept the Athanasian position, was banished.
21. Donatists, an important body of schismatics who separated from the Church in the fourth century, taking their title from two African bishops named Donatus. They stood out against the authority of the Church not on any point of doctrine, but on the manner of the appointment of bishops.
22. Acetians, (1) probably for Aetiani, followers of Aetius, who founded the anomoean form of Arianism, denying any resemblance between the essence of the Father and the Son, or (2) for Acaciani, from Acacius, bishop of Caesarea, c. fourth century, who was at one time an associate of Aetius, but afterwards deserted him and subscribed to the Nicean doctrine.
23. Semiarians (Semi-Arians), adherents of a modified form of Arianism.
24. Eunomians, followers of Eunomius, pupil and amanuensis of Aetius, founder of the anomoean form of Arianism.
25. Macedonians, followers of Macedonius, who was bishop of Constantinople and a celebrated Semi-Arian teacher, but was exiled through the influence of the Eunomians.
26. Nestorians, followers of Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople. He was condemned by the Council of Ephesus, A.D. 431, as heretical on the subject of our Savior's incarnation. He maintained that Mary was to be called the mother of Christ, and not the name with the Alexandrians.
27. Zwinglians. Zwingli, the famous Swiss Reformer, began his ministry in A.D. 1506, making the Scriptures his supreme authority, and opposing with ever increasing vehemence the corruptions and the pretensions of the Catholic Church. He and Calvin, however, held different views on important points of Christian doctrine. For instance, Zwingli maintained that the bread and wine of the Euchrtrist were only symbols of the Lord's body and blood, and that the ordinance was only commemorative in nature; while Calvin maintained a real spiritual presence. He died on the battlefield of Cappel, A.D. 1531, fighting for the Reformation against his countrymen who took up arms for the cause of Rome. He has left a lasting memorial in the Zurich Bible, A.D. 1529, the production of which was largely due to his efforts.
28. Anabaptists (Re-baptizers), the name sometimes given to all Christians who consider baptism by any other mode than that of immersion null and void.
29. Schwenkfeldians, followers or Schwenkfeld, A.D. 1490-1561, a German theologian who founded a religious sect in the sixteenth century. He opposed Luther's doctrine on the Eucharist, and dispensed altogether with Baptism. A number of the sect settled in Saxony from which some emigrated to Pennsylvania in A. D. 1733.
30. Synergists (Greek co-workers), those who followed Melanchthon in asserting the necessity of the co-operation of man's will with the Word and grace of God in the works of conversion and sanctification.
31. Socinians, members of a religious sect taking their name from Faustus Socinus, A.D. 1539-1604, and his uncle Laelius Socinus. They are antitrinitarians, denying the personality of the Holy Ghost and the Divinity of Christ. Early Socians believed in the miraculous conception and that Christ was entitled to Divine worship; but modern Socinians, chiefly Unitarians, deny both.
32. Quakers, or Friends, first called Seekers after truth, a Christian sect the members of which are noted for their integrity of character. Their origin may be traced to the religious agitation which prevailed in this country in the seventeenth century. They do not sustain a stated ministry. As their religious life is based on purely spiritual principles it is devoid of external rites and ceremonial. Their worship is the spontaneous act of those who are moved by the Divine spirit rather than any performance originating in the will of man. They reject the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. They refuse to take oaths; and repudiating war as repugnant to the Gospel, they refuse to take part in military service.
33. Herrenhuterites, see Moravians.
34. Moravians, a group of whom, called Herrenhuteri, found refuge in Lusatia, Prussia, where they settled in the village of Hermhut.
35. Luther, Martin, A.D. 1483-1646, the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Germany, was born at Eisleben, Saxony. He was a student at Erfurt in law and divinity, and was ordained priest in A.D. 1507. He left Erfurt for a chair in the university of Wittenberg, where his preaching attracted great attention. Here he made his first public protest against the Romish Church by condemning the sale of indulgences. The Lutheran Church dates its origin from the year A.D. 1520 when Luther was expelled from the Romish Church. It assumed a more definite shape on the publication in A.D. 1530 of the Augsburg Confession. This was drawn up by Melanchthon and Luther as the principal standard of the Church. The final establishment of the Lutheran Church was made possible by the friendly offices of Maurice, Elector of Saxony.
36. Melanchthon, the foremost scholar among the early Protestants, A.D. 1497-1560. He met Luther at Wittenberg where he was professor of Greek. He exercised a powerful influence over Luther, and was mainly responsible for drawing up the Augsburg Confession. On Luther's death he became the leader of the Lutherans.
37. Calvin, John, A.D. 1509-1564, was called by Melanchthon "The theologian of the sixteenth century." He studied law as well as theology, became a Protestant and induced the authorities of Geneva to renounce Popery. The friend of John Knox, he exercised a powerful influence on Scottish Protestantism. His views may be summarized thus: particular election; particular redemption; moral inability in a fallen state; free grace; and ultimate salvation for the elect, notwithstanding many failings and aberrations on the part of the believer. In its leading features his theology is that of Augustine.
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378. IX. Quod sit Fides vera, Fides spuria, et Fides hypocritica.
Ecclesia Christiana ab incunabulis suis incepit a schismatibus et haeresibus infestari ac discindi, et successu temporis lacerari et dilaniari, vix aliter quam sicut legitur de homine, qui descendit a Hierosolyma 1 Jerichuntem, a latronibus circumdatus 2 est, qui postquam exuerunt illum, et plagas inflixerunt, reliquerunt illum semimortuum, Luca 10:30 unde factum est sicut legitur de Ecclesia illa apud Danielem, Tandem super avem abominationum desolatio, et usque ad consummationem et decisum, stillabit super devastationem, Cap. 9:27 et secundum haec a Domino, Tunc veniet finis, cum videritis abominationem desolationis praedictam a Daniele Propheta, Matthaeus 24:14-15. Sors ejus comparari potest cum Navi mercibus 3 maximi pretii onusta, quae a portu dum exivit, illico agitata est procellis, et post paulo in mari facta naufraga subsidit, et tunc merces ejus partim corruptae ab aquis, et partim distractae a piscibus.
[2] Quod Ecclesia Christiana ab Infantia sua ita vexata et discissa fuerit, constat ex Historia Ecclesiastica, ut quod ipso tempore Apostolorum a SIMONE, qui fuit 4 gente Samaritanus, et arte Magus, de quo in Acta Apostolorum 8:9, seq; et quoque ab HYMENAEO ET PHILETO, qui memorantur a Paulo in Epist. ad Timotheum; ut et a NICOLAO, a quo Nicolaitae ita dicti, qui nominantur Apocalypsis 2:6, et Acta 6:5, 5 praeter a CORINTHO. Post Apostolorum tempora insurrexerunt plures alii, ut MARCIONITAE, 6 NOETIANI, 7 VALENTINIANI, ENCRATITAE, CATAPHRYGES, QUARTODECIMANI, 8 ALOGIANI, CATHARI, ORIGENISTAE seu ADAMANTINI, SABELLIANI, SAMOSATENI, 9 MANICHAEI, MELETIANI, et demum ARIANI. 10 Post horum tempora etiam phalanges Haeresiarcharum Ecclesiam invaserunt, ut 11 DONATISTAE, PHOTINIANI, ACATIANI seu SEMIARIANI, EUNOMIANI, MACEDONIANI, NESTORIANI, PRAEDESTINATIANI, PAPAEI, ZWINGLIANI, ANABAPTISTAE, SWENCKFELDIANI, SYNERGISTAE, SOCINIANI, ANTITRINITARII, 12 QUAQUERI, HEERRENHUTERI, praeter alias plures; et tandem his praevaluerunt, LUTHERUS, MELANCHTON, ET CALVINUS, quorum dogmata hodie regnant.
[3] Causae tot discidiorum et seditionum in Ecclesia sunt principaliter tres; PRIMA, quod Divina Trinitas non intellecta sit: SECUNDA, quod non aliqua justa cognitio Domini fuerit: TERTIA, quod Passio crucis pro ipsa Redemptione assumta sit; dum haec 13 Tria ignorantur, quae tamen sunt ipsa Essentialia Fidei, ex qua Ecclesia est et nominatur Ecclesia, 14 non potest aliter, quam quod omnia ejus in sinistrum et diversum traherentur, et tandem in oppositum, et cum ibi est, usque 15 credere quod sit in vera Fide in Deum, et in Fide omnium Veritatum Dei: cum his simile est sicut cum illis, qui velant oculos peniculamento, et sic in phantasia sua gradiuntur recta via, et tamen gressus post gressus obliquant, et flectunt tandem in oppositum, 16 ubi caverna, in quam cadunt. Sed homo Ecclesiae non aliter potest ab erratico suo reduci in viam veri, quam per quod sciat, quid Fides vera, quid Fides spuria, et quid Fides hypocritica, quare demonstrabitur:
I. Quod Fides vera sit unica, et quod sit in Dominum Deum Salvatorem Jesum Christum, et quod sit apud illos qui credunt Ipsum esse Filium Dei, Deum Coeli et Terrae, ac unum cum Patre.
II. Quod Fides spuria sit omnis Fides, quae recedit a vera, quae est unica, et quod sit apud illos, qui aliunde ascendunt, et Dominum non ut Deum, sed solummodo ut Hominem spectant.
III. Quod Fides hypocritica sit nulla fides.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Hierosolyna.
2. Prima editio: circundatus.
3. Prima editio: mereibus.
4. Prima editio: suit.
5. Prima editio: Actor.
6. Prima editio: MARCIONITAE.
7. Prima editio: Noetiani.
8. Prima editio: QUARTO DECIMANI.
9. Prima editio: SAMOSATENI.
10. Prima editio: ARIANI.
11. Prima editio: ur.
12. Prima editio: ANTETRINITARII.
13. Prima editio: hac.
14. Prima editio: Eeclesia.
15. Prima editio: usqus.
16. Prima editio: oppsitum.