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2
Credibility of the Gospel History.
summarily representing, it is likely, the fiindamenlal, principal
articles of the Manichaean doctrine. Beausobrei puts
the question, whether this be not The Epistle of the Foun-
(hition. As I see no reason for such a supposition, 1 shall
speak of that afterwards among' Mani's epistles.
3. The third book was entitled The Gospel ; which, as
Cyril says, did"^ not contain the history of the life of Christ,
but resembled the gospels in name only. We might be apt
to conclude from those words of Cyril that he had seen the
book ; but perhaps he speaks only by way of conjecture ;
as^ Photius seems to have done Avhen he says that' therein
were related things derogatory to the honour of Christ our
Saviour. I suppose this to be the same Jbook which is sometimes
called" The Living Gospel. Beausobre says^' it was
a collection of Mani's meditations and pretended revelations.
But 1 cannot see how he should know this, when he adds
that it was written in Persic, and probably was never translated
into Greek : and in another place he says that"* he has
not observed any fragments of it in the authors that have
confuted Mani. I suppose that conjectural conclusion is
built upon the story of Mani's journey to heaven, spoken of
by eastern authors, for which I see no good foundation.
For my own part I cannot say what was in the book ; I
know nothing of it beside the title.
4. The fourth is called The Treasure, and'' Treasure of
Life, andy The Treasures in the plural number, as if there
were more than one : a greater, perhaps, and a less. Epiphaniiis
speaks of a book called The little Treasury, as distinct
from that called The Treasure:' perhaps it was an
abridgment of the former ; but we cannot be certain. The
Treasure was one of the books which were confuted by''
Heraclean. Beausobre thinks that*" the pompous title of
The Treasure, or Treasure of Life, might be an allusion to
some words of Christ, where he compares his doctrine to
'^ lb. p. 48. in.
' ivayytKwv, a Xpi'rs vpaJiuQ Trfptfj^serai', aXX' aTrXwg /lovov tt}v
Trporrrtyopiav. Cyr. Cat. 6. n. 22. ^ Vit. Toutee not. ^. in Cyr. p. 101.
' Phot, contr. Manich.l. i. c. 12. p. 40.
" To Tu)v Mavixai-ov ^(nv tvayytXiov. Ap. Phot. Cod. 85. p. 204. f. Conf.
Timoth. Const, ap. Meurs. Varia Divina. p. 11 7. et Form. Recip. Manich. ap.
Toll, P. 142. et Cotd. Clem. Recogn. 1. 4. c. 27.
" T. i. p. 48. lb. p. 426. not. 2.
* Srt]rTavpo(: Kiorig. ap. Phot. contr. Manich. 1. i. p. 40. BtjaavfioQ ri)g ?wj;c.
ap. Meurs. Van Div. p. 117. et Toll. p. 142. et Cotel. ubi supr.
^ Kai Tsg BrirjavpHQ KUTtXiyti. Phot. Cod. 85. p. 204.
' 'Erepa St Brfffavpog' koi aWag Et] /3e/3X8c KUTTvaag fpavTu^trm, rov ^iKpov
^T) Brfrravpov HTw KaXufiivov. Epiph. H. 66. n. 13. p. 629. D.
» Phot. Cod. 85. " Beaus. T. i. p. 49.