No. 1.

JOHN i. 14.

"The word was made flesh."

(GNOSTICS.)

In direct opposition to these words, the greater part of the Gnostics taught, that Jesus was not in

carnate.

They argued, that as Jesus Christ came only to enlighten and instruct men, the appearance of humanity was alone sufficient to accomplish this object.

No. 2.

See Aug. Hær. c. 6.-Epiph. Hær. Tert. Apol. c. 16.

(ORIGEN.)

Origen supposed, that the soul of Christ was united to the word before the incarnation.

Bardesanes maintained, that the union of the soul to a body of flesh was the consequence of the Fall. (See Note on 2 Cor. iv. 4.) hence he concluded, that Jesus Christ had not assumed a human body.

No. 4.

Origen Dial. contr. Marcion.

(EUTYCHIANS.)

About the middle of the fifth century arose the sect of the Eutychians, so called from Eutyches, Abbot of a Monastery near Constantinople.

Eutyches, in direct opposition to the opinions of Nestorius, admitted but one nature in Jesus.

Eutyches would not allow that Jesus was consubstantial with the Father, according to the divine; or with us, according to the human nature.

He asserted, that the human was absorbed by the divine nature, as a drop of water by the sea; or as combustible matter thrown into the furnace is absorbed by the fire.

The followers of Eutyches were afterwards distinguished by the name (besides many others) of Jacobites, who to this day constitute the bulk of those Christians who reside within the jurisdiction of the Bishops of Antioch and Alexandria.

Leo. Ep. 19. Theodor. Ep. 81. p. 955. Apud Theodor. Dial in confusus, Conc. Const. act. 3. See also C. A. Salig. De Eutychianismo ante Eutychen.

About the year 460, Barsumas, an Abbot, (whom the reader must be careful not to confound with Barsumas of Nisibis, the famous promoter of the Nestorian doctrines,) spread the Eutychian tenets in Syria; and Samuel, his disciple, propagated them in Armenia.

In Syria, they were somewhat modified by Xenaias of Hierapolis, and Peter the fuller of Antioch: they pretending that there was one double and compounded nature in Christ. ·

The Eutychians split into a multitude of divisions, called Anthropomorphites, Barsanuphites, Esaianists, &c.

They were called also Acephali or Headless, because they had no distinguished chief; but Baradeus, in the sixth century, reunited them all into one.

The surname of Baradeus, or Zanzalus, was given to an obscure Monk, afterwards created Bishop of

Edessa, whose name was Jacob; hence his followers are also called Jacobites.

See Asseman Biblioth. Orient. Eusebii Renaud Hist. Patriarch. Alexandr.

The Monophysites, who maintain that in Christ the divine and human nature were reduced into one, are generally considered a sect of the Eutychians, but Dr. Mosheim observes, that by way of not appearing to have the least inclination towards the doctrine of Eutyches, which they profess to reject with the most ardent zeal, they propose their own system with the utmost caution and circumspection, and hold the following obscure principles: that the two natures are united in Christ without either confusion or mixture, so that though the nature of our Saviour be really one, yet it is at the same time twofold and compound.

Assemanni Biblioth. Orient. Clement. Vatican, tom. ii. See also Theologia Ethiopica of Gregory the Abyssinian, published by Fabricius, in his Lux Evangelii toti orbi exoriens.

The Monophysites of Abyssinia and other places. of Africa stood firm against every attempt of the Romish missionaries. In the beginning of the seventeenth century, Pays the jesuit laboured so effectually with Dengil, emperor of Abyssinia, who is head both of church and state, that he became inclined towards Popery; and, it is said, wrote to his holiness for missionaries to convert his subjects: provoked herewith, they rebelled, and dethroned him in 1604.

The Eastern churches, not subject to the patri

arch of Constantinople, and which differ from the Greek church in doctrine and worship, may be comprehended under two distinct classes. Monophysites, and Nestorians or Chaldeans.

The Monophysites are subdivided into two sects or parties, the one Asiatic, including the Jacobites and Armenians, and the other African, comprehending the Copts and Abyssinians.

And in the class of Nestorians are to be included the St. Thomé Christians, or Christians of St. Thomas, on the coast of Malabar.

No. 7.

See Mosheim, Brown, Adam.

(UNITARIANISM.)

"And this Wisdom became flesh, and dwelt among us, full of favour and truth; and we saw his brightness*, a brightness from the Father, like the brightness of an only Son."-Wakefield's Translation.

"Brightness, doğav; see Silva Critica ii. on Luke xxiii. 2. What our Evangelist alludes to, is the transfiguration on the mount; which extraordinary spectacle appears also to have made as great an impression upon Peter's mind; See 2 Ep. i. 17. and hence also appears the propriety of connecting παρα πατρος with δόξαν.”

Wakefield.

"And Wisdom became man and dwelt among us, and we beheld its glory, the glory as of the well-beloved of the Father, full of grace and truth."-Lindsey.

"This sense of the passage is approved by Dr. Lardner, Dr. Priestley, Mr. Wakefield, and others. It is supposed to be countenanced by Solomon's description, Prov. viii. by the custom of the Chaldee paraphrasts in using the Word of God for God

himself. See Isa. xlv. 12. xlviii. 13.; Gen. i. 27. iii. 8. Lindsey's Seq. p. 380, and by the use of the word doyos by Philo and other philosophers in or near the Apostolic age, to personify the wisdom and the power of God. - Λογος εστιν εικων θεου, δι' ου συμπας Koos duivento. Phil. Jud. p. 823, ed. Lut." See Lindsey's Version as it appears in his list of false readings and mistranslations, p. 40.

"And the Word was flesh, and full of kindness and truth, he dwelt among us; and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only Son*, who came from the Father."-Unitarian Version."

"Or nevertheless the Word was flesh, or a man; see John xvii. 2.; Mark xiii. 20.; Luke iii. 6.; Gal. ii. 16. Though this first preacher of the Gospel was honoured with such signal tokens of divine confidence and favour, though he was invested with so high an office, he was nevertheless a mortal man. Cappe. In this sense the word flesh is used in the preceding verse. Flesh,' says Mr. Lindsey, Sequel to the Apology, page 136, is frequently put for man. Psalm lxv. 2.; Rom. iii. 20.' But it frequently and peculiarly stands for man as mortal; subject to infirmities and sufferings: and as such is particularly appropriated to Christ here, and in other places. 1 Tim. iii. 16.; Rom. i. 3. ix. 5.; 1 Pet. iii. 18. iv. 1. o λoyos σape syεvero,' the Word was flesh, not became flesh, which is Newcome's translation, or, was made flesh, which is the common version. The most usual meaning of is to be. In this sense EYEVETO is used in this chapter, ver. 6. also in Luke xxiv. 19. The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, oc EyeVETO who was,' not who became, a prophet.' See Cappe, p. 86, and Socinus in Loc.".

66

γινομαι

εγένετο

* As of the only Son. This expression does not