Se&t. VI.

Cyril, above quoted, fays, the Gospel of Thomas was writ by a difciple of Mani, fo called. But (p) Beaufobre well argues, that this Gospel was not forged by the Manicheans: forafmuch as it was in being before the rife of Manicheism, and is mentioned among fpurious writings, not only by (q) Eufebe, but also by (r) Origen in the preface to his Commentarie upon St. Luke's Gospel. He adds, that the Gofpel of Thomas is placed among apocryphal books in the Synopfis, which is in (s) the works of Athanafius, without imputing it to the Manicheans. Gelafius likewife contents himself with saying of this Gospel, that (t) it was used by the Manicheans, without adding, that it was forged by them.

The same may be shewn to be probable, with regard to other books, made use of by the Manicheans.

Eufebe among spurious books, writ by heretics, reckons (u) Acts of Andrew, John,

and

(p) ib. p. 345.

(q) Hift. Ec. l. 3. c. 25. p. 97. D.

(r) The paffage of Origen, with remarks upon it, may be Jeen in the third Vol. of this work, p. 315. &c.

(s) Athan. T. 2. p. 202.

(t) Evangelium nomine Thomae, quo utuntur Manichaei, apocryphus. Gelaf. ap. Labb. Conc. T. 4. p. 1264.

(u) H. E. l. 3. c. 25. p. 97. D.

and other Apostles. Epiphanius fays, that Sect. VI. (x) the Acts of Andrew, John and Thomas, were used by the Encratites: the (y) Acts of Andrew and Thomas by the Apoftolics: the (z) Acts of Andrew and other Apoftles by the Origenists: all three fects, which are fuppofed to be older than the (a) Manicheans.

Auguftin particularly obferves of (b) a hymn, used by the Prifcillianifts, that it was among the apocryphal fcriptures. And then adds: "Not that these apocryphal scriptures "are peculiarly theirs. For there are seve"ral fects of very different opinions from "each other, who delight in those books, "as fetching thence fome fupport for fome "of their notions."

4.) I add but one obfervation more, which is, that these apocryphal books confirm the Dd 2 hiftorie

(x) Epiph. H. 47. n. 2.

(y) H. 61. n. 1.

(z) H. 63. n. 2.

(a) See the fourth vol. of this work. ch. xli. p. 467. &c. (b) Hymnus fane, quem dicunt effe Domini noftri Jefu Chrifti, in fcripturas folet apocryphis inveniri. Quae non proprie Priscillianiftarum funt, fed alii quoque haeretici eis nonnullarum fectarum impietate vanitatis utuntur, inter fe quidem diverfa fentientes, unde fuas quifque varias haerefes funt fecuti. Sed fcripturas iftas habent in fua diverfitate communes, eafque illi praecipue frequentare affolent, qui legem veterem et prophetas canonicos non accipiunt. Ep. 237. al. 253. n. 2.

Sect. VI. hiftorie of the genuine and authentic Scriptures of the New Teftament. They do not directly contradict them. They indirectly confirm and establish them. For they are compofed and writ in the names of fuch, as our authentic Scriptures fay were Apostles, or companions of Apoftles. They all fuppose the dignity of our Lord's person, and the power of working miracles, together with high degree of authority, to have been conveyed by him to his Apostles.

SECT.

405

SECT. VII.

Various Readings, and Select Paffages, in
Fauftus the Manichean.

I

SHALL here take fome notice of vari-, Sect. VII.

ous readings in the New Testament, or the text of Scripture made use of by the Manicheans, and likewife fome felect paffages, or observations in Fauftus the Manichean.

1. The Catholics, as (a) Fauftus obferves, afferted the integrity of the books of the New Testament, and could not endure the fuppofition, that they had been corrupted and interpolated.

2. Fauftus fays, that (b) the gospel of Jefus Chrift is nothing but the preaching, or

(a) Sed quia vobis ita placet, qui nunquam fine ftomacho auditis aliquid effe in Apoftolo cauponatum, ne hoc quidem nobis fciatis effe contrarium. Fauft. 1. xi. c. I.

(b) --et interrogas, utrum accipiam Evangelium? nifi adhuc nefcis, quid fit quod Evangelium nuncupatur. Eft enim nihil aliud, quam praedicatio et mandatum Chrifti. Fauft. l. 5. c. 1. Vides in me Chrifti beatitudines illas, quae

Evangelium

Sect. VII. the doctrine and commandments of Chrift. Beaufobre affents (c) to this explication, as right. And prefers it to Auguftin's, though that great writer did not forget to allege (d)

2 Tim. ii. 8.

3. We evidently perceive from the work of Fauftus, that (e) both the Catholic and the Manichean copies of the New Testament had the two genealogies in St. Matthew and St. Luke.

coepit et nominari.

4. It

Evangelium faciunt, et interrogas, utrum accipiam ? ibid.
Quia Evangelium quidem a praedicatione Chrifti et effe
Id. 1. 2. c. 1. Scias me, ut dixi,
accipere Evangelium, id eft, praedicationem Chrifti. ib.
(c) Cependant je dois rendre justice à Faufte. Il n'explique
pas mal, et fi je l'ofe dire, il explique mieux que S. Auguftin,
ce que veut dire le mot d' Evangile. Il entend par là, non
l'histoire de la naiffance, et des actions de J. Chrifl, mais le
doctrine, que Jefus Chrift a prechée. Et quoique S. Au-
guftin eût raifon dans le fond, il n'en avoit pas neanfmoins de
foutenir, comme il fafoit, que l'hiftoire de la naissance de J.
Christ eft comprise dans l'idée de ces mots, Evangile de J.
Chrift, qui ne fignifioit autre chofe, que la doctrine prechée
par Jefus Chrift. Beauf. Hift. de Manich. T. i. p. 298.
299.

(d) hanc fcilicet caufam fubjiciens, quia generatio
Chrifti non pertinet ad Evangelium. Quid ergo refpondebis
Apoftolo dicenti, Memor efto Chriftum Jefum refurrexiffe a
mortuis, ex femine David fecundum Evangelium meum?
Aug. contr. Fauft. 1. 2. c. 2.

(e) Quid enim fcripfit? Liber generationis Jefu Chrifti filii David. &c. Fauft. 1. 2. c. 1. Sed offenfus duorum maxime Evangeliftarum diffenfione, qui genealogiam ejus fcribunt, Lucae et Matthaei, haefi. &c. . 3. c. 1. Vid. et l. 7. c. t. et l. 23. c. 1. 2.