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The Mankhces. Sect. IV. 351
heretics also are said to have disowned God as creator, [
shall put down a passag'e or two more from" Augustine,
and' the author De Fide, where they allow that the Manichees
spoke of God as the maker of the world. And Titus
of Bostra, giving- an account of their notion upon this head,
says that" the universe, according to them, consisted indeed
of a mixture of good and bad, but was formed by the good
principle, that is, God. For the evil principle knew nothing
beforehand of the formation of the world. Besides, I remember
that I alleged a passage to this purpose" before, when
1 showed their agreement with other christians. And Beausobrey
might be consulted upon this head.
The Manichees believed a consubstantial Trinity, or three
persons of the same substance. F' have already taken some
notice of this. 1 observe here a few niore particulars as
proofs of this, though I do not design to examine their
opinion nicely.
Augustine says the* Manichees never dared to deny that
the Father and the Son are consubstantial.
Secundinus begins his letter to Augustine in this manner :
' I'* give thanks to the ineffable and most sacred IMajesty,
' and to Jesus Christ, his first-begotten, king of all lights.
' I also humbly give thanks to the Holy Spirit.'
Faustus has a remarkable passage where he says: ' We'=
" Proinde munduni a natura boni, hoc est a natura Dei factum confiteritur
quidem, sed de commixtione boni et mali, quae facta est, quando inter se
utraque natura pugnavit. Aug. de Haer. cap. 46.
Iste autem, cujus nomen in eodem hbro non comperi, detestatur Deum
mundi fabricatorem ; cum Manichsei, quamquam libruni Gene?eos non accipiant,
atque blasphement, Deum tamen bonum fabricasse mundum, etsi ex
aliena natura atque materia, confiteantur. Contr. adv. Leg. et Proph. 1. i.
c. i. * Manichaeus enim duas dicit esse naturas, unam bonam,
et alteram malam ; bonam, quae fecit mundum, malam, de qua factus est
mundus. De Fid. c. 49. in.
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