The works of Nathaniel Lardner - The Christian Researcher - Home

The Manichces. Sect. I. 279
Whilst Augustine was among- the Manichees he promoted
their interest considerably, and' brought over divers to the
same opinion ;
men of good condition, and briglst parts, and
some of them addicted to a studious course of life: as »Alypius,
^'Romanianus, and 'Honoratus.
3. Adimantus, said to have been a disciple of Mani, wrote''
a book against the law and the prophets, endeavouring to
show that the gospels and epistles were contrary to them ;
or, in other words, the disagreement between the Old and
New Testament, and that consequently the former could not
be of God. This book Augustine confuted In a distinct
piece, still extant : and he' elsewhere occasionally confutes
this writer's objections against the Old Testament.
In another place he says that'" Adimantus was that disciple
of Manichee who was also called Addas. Beausobre"
thinks this a mistake of Augustine, because the Greek
writers distinguish between Addas and Adimantus: but
perhaps Augustine had good reason for what he said.
Toutee, the Benedictine editor of St. Cyril, assents" to Augustine
; as doesi' Tillemont, without hesitation. Cave
supposed*! Addas and Adimantus to have been two different
persons: T put his words at the bottom of the page. I shall
hereafter take some farther notice of the names of those who
are said to have been disciples of Mani.
f seducebainur et seducebamus—et sectabar ista, atque faciebam cum
amicis meis, per me ac mecum deccptis. Confess. 1. 4. cap. i. Vid. ib. cap. 4.
n. 7. s Et audire me rursus incipiens, ilia mcciim superstitione
involutus est, amans in Manichaeis ostentationem continentiae, quam
verani et germanam putabat. Conf. 1. 6. c. 7. n. 12. vid. ib. 1. 1 1.
^ Ipsa me penitus ab ilia superstitione, in quam te mecum prsecipitem
dederam, liberavit. Contr. Academicos, ad Roman. 1. 1. c. i. n. 3.
' Tu nondum christianus, qui hortatu meo, cum eos vehementer exsecra-
reris, vix adductus es, ut audiendi tibi atque explorandi videreritur.—De Util.
Cred. cap. i. n. 2.
^ Eodem tempore venerunt in manus meas quaedam disputationes Adimanli,
qui fuerat Manichaei discipulus, quas conscripsit adversus legem et prophetas,
velut contraria eis evangelica et apostolica scripta demonstrare conatus. Huic
^o respondi. Aug, Retract. 1. i. c. 22.
' Vid. Aug. in Psalm. Serm. 12. cap. i.
•" Jam illud aliud quod in eodem codice scribi coeperat, Adimanli opus est,
illius discipuli Manichaei, qui prtenomine Addas dictus est ; ubi de ntroque
Testamento velut inter se contraria testimonia proferuntur versipelli dolositate.
Aug. Contr. Adv. Leg. et Proph. 1. 2. cap. ult. n. 4 1.
" Beaus. ib.T. i. p. 432. not. (G.) " Vid. Cyril. Cat. vi. c. 13.
cioL (t) P Mem. T. iv. Les Manich. Art. 14. in.
i Diversus ab Adda nostro erat Adimantus ille, cujus toties apud Augustinum
occurrit mentio, quemque ipse peculiari opere refutavit. In catalogo enini
discipulorum Manelis, tum apud IVtrum Sicukim, turn apud formulae Cotelerianas
et Tollianae auctorem distincle recensentur, etsi in alia sententia me olim
fu;sse fateor, et mecum ipse Augustiaus. Cav. H. L. T. i. p. 145.