The works of Nathaniel Lardner - The Christian Researcher - Home

342 Credibility of the Gospel History.
' apostles, and, for certain, ours likewise.' Again, says
Faustiis, ' This'' Me believe not without ground, but upon
' the authority of Christ and his apostles, who first taught
' this doctrine.' They did not deny that the Holy Ghost
M'as given to the apostles: all that they could be led to say
is, that some farther discoveries were made by Mani. But
1 dispute their saying so much as that. Thirdly, they might
have other reasons for rejecting the Acts, different from that
assigned by Augustine. According to their notions, they
could not approve of the death of Ananias and Sapphira,
nor the blindness of Elymas. They could not like any text
where Jesus is called a man, as Acts ii. 22. And they disliked
all references therein to the books of the Old Testament.
Finally, they never told Augustine that they rejected
the Acts for the reason mentioned by him. It does not appear
that he had any hint of it from them ; but it is a conjec-
tural reason of his own invention, after he had left them, as
is evident^ from M'hat precedes the passage above"" quoted :
and therefore he entreats Honoratus candidly to weigh and
examine the reason proposed by hini, and judge whether it
is not right. For he says he had often wondered at their
conduct in rejecting that book, without being able to find
out what ground they went upon in so doing.
V. I have now considered the most material reasons and
arguments for thinking that Mani was an impostor, and
pretended to apostolical inspiration. I beg leave to add
some farther observations.
1. It is not a pleasing thing, unless there be very cogent
reasons, to fix the charge of imposture on a christian, and a
man of great knowledge and understanding, as Mani was.
All must be sensible that he is treated roughly enough in
the Acts of Archelaus. Yet even there he is sometimes
represented speaking honestly, and like a good christian,
and with a due regard to the authority of Jesus Christ.
Moreover, we suppose that he suffered a violent death, which
was commemorated by his followers in a solemn manner:
and there is reason to believe that the occasion of it was
innocent, if not honourable. If he attempted to cure the
king's son and did not succeed, no reasonable person can
p Neque id temcre aut praesumtive, sed a Christo discentes et ejus apostolis,
qui primi eadeni in niundo docuisse probantur. Id. 1. 24. c. i. fin.
1 Hoc enim de iilo libro fecerunt, qui Actus Apostolorum inscribitur. Quod
eorum consilium cum mecum ipse perfracto, nequeo satis mirari. Sed
nimirum illud est quod mihi videtur, quod peto placidissimo et serenissimo
judicio mecum consideres. Nosti enim quod auctoris sui, &c. De Util. Cred.
c. 2. n. 7. ' See note ^