In view of the length of my previous sermon, I deferred a question of great importance, namely the correct meaning of what John … says in his epistle: "Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God" (1 John 4:2). We see many heresies confessing that Christ came in the flesh, yet we cannot say they are all of God.

The Manichee, of course, denies that Christ came in the flesh. There is no need to linger over this and persuade you at length that such a fallacy is not from God. The Arian, however, professes that Christ came in the flesh, as does the Eunomian, the Sabellian and the Photinian. Why do we seek witnesses to prove them wrong? Who can count the number of these pestilences? For the moment, however, let us deal with the more notorious of these. There are many who do not know the heresies I have mentioned, and they are better off for their ignorance. As we well know, the Donatist says that Christ came in the flesh, and yet far be it that this fallacy ...

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