10. The Semi-Arian. Then you really say that there is an actual equality of the Three Persons, and yet that there is but one God?
11. The Catholick Church. Yes! That is the Catholick Faith.
Of course this is but a rough specimen of the dialogue which was conducted by the Church with the various guessers at great Truths, who debated, disputed, and dogmatized, during the early centuries. I have left out all the other controversies, and some parts of this, in order to present a fairly clear view. But you will observe that the order followed in History has a good deal of the natural course of argument and meditation: and that it is not a very foreign idea that these heresies are the loud thinking {121} of a mighty host, as it outgrows its childhood, and comes to years of discretion.
I will yet more briefly indicate the course of Historical meditation on deep things, by treating similarly one of the other great controversies, viz. that concerning the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
II. About the Two Natures of our Lord.
1. The Jew. We bear witness that Jesus of Nazareth died at Jerusalem.
2. The Catholick Church. And we aver that He rose again from the dead, and was the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
3. The Gnostic. Probably He was one of the Aeons of whom our forefathers have told us—the leading emanation from the Most High.
4. The Catholick Church. He is no Aeon, Manifestation, nor Creature. He is God as truly as He is man.
5. The Manichaean. Then, of course, if He was God, He could have nothing really material about Him. Matter is evil.