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378. 有真信, 假信, 還有偽善之信
從起初開始, 基督徒教會就被紛爭和異端攻擊與分裂。隨著時間推移, 教會被屠殺以致四分五裂, 就像我們在聖言中讀的那個從耶路撒冷下到耶利哥之人, 落到強盜手中, 被剝去衣裳, 打得半死, 棄之不顧(路加福音10:30)。
最終的結局就如同我們在『但以理書』中讀到關於教會的狀態:"那行毀壞可憎的,如飛而來, 並且有忿怒傾在那行毀壞的身上, 直到所定的結局"(但以理書9:27)。並且主聲明:"然後末期才來到, 你們看見先知但以理所說的'那行毀壞可憎的'站在聖地"(馬太福音24:14-15)。
發生在教會身上的遭遇, 就如同一艘裝載貴重貨物的船隻, 一離開出發地, 就被暴風猛烈襲擊, 接著很快遇難沉入海底。最後滿船貨物要麼被海水浸壞, 要麼被魚吞噬。
[2]教會歷史清楚告訴我們, 基督徒教會從嬰孩階段起就被攻擊和分裂。例如, 甚至在使徒時期就被一個名為西門的撒瑪利亞人在城裡行邪術(參看使徒行傳8:9及之後)。還有來自許米乃和腓理徒的攻擊, 保羅寫給提摩太的信中提到(2_Timothy 2:17-18)。還有尼哥拉, 他的跟從者被稱為尼哥拉党(啟示錄2:6;使徒行傳6:5)。更不用說克林薩斯(諾斯底主義)。
使徒時代之後, 更多的異端邪說興起, 例如馬西昂派(Marcionites),奴愛達派(Noetians),瓦倫丁派(Valentinians), 禁戒派(Encratites), 孟他奴主義(Cataphrygians), 非道派(Quartodecimas),清潔派(Alogians),馬吉安主義(Catharans),俄利根主義(Origenists),撒伯流主義(Sabellians),撒摩撒他派(Samosatenes),摩尼教(Manichaeans),麥勒先派(Meletians), 直至亞流主義(Arians)。
在那之後, 異端運動的大軍開始入侵教會, 包括多納徒派(Donatists),阜提奴派(Photinians),半亞流派(Semiarians),優諾米派(Eunomians),馬其頓派(Macedonians),聶斯托利派(Nestorians),預定派(Predestinarians),教皇制(Papists),慈運理派(Zwinglians),重洗派(Anabaptists),施文克費耳德派(Schwenckfeldians),增效派(Synergists),索齊尼徒教派(Socinians),反三一派(Antitrinitarians),貴格會派(Quakers),摩拉維亞派(Herrenhuters)以許多其它教派。
最後, 路德(Luther),梅蘭希頓(Melanchthon)與加爾文(Calvin)勝了其它教派, 他們的教義佔領了今時的主流。
[3]導致爭端與分裂的三個根本原因是:第一, 對聖三一的誤解; 第二, 缺乏對主的正當概念; 第三, 十字架受難被認為是救贖的實際過程。
這些是教會之信的根本, 教會建立在此基礎之上, 教會被稱為教會也在於此。於是, 對這些方面的無知, 不可避免地導致教會的發展路線被硬拉到其它方向, 直至背向而馳。即使到這樣的程度, 教會仍認為自己真信上帝, 並相信一切上帝的真理。
教會中的這些人的情形就像眼睛蒙上布, 仍認為自己走在一條直線上, 事實上在一步步偏離, 最後朝著相反的方向走去, 最終掉進一個大坑裡。
能讓教會中這些偏行游離的信眾重回正道的唯一方法, 就是讓他們知道何為真信, 何為假信, 何為虛偽之信。因此, 接下來的論點需要逐一證明:
(1)真信只有一個, 就是信主上帝我們的拯救者耶穌基督, 這信存在於這些人之中:相信主耶穌基督是上帝的兒子, 祂是天地的上帝, 祂與父為一。
(2)假信指任何背離唯一真信的其它任何信。假信存在於這些人之中:從別處爬進來, 認為主只不過是個人,而非上帝。
(3)偽善之信根本就不是信。
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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.