The works of Nathaniel Lardner - The Christian Researcher - Home

332 Credibility of the Gospel History.
wonder that they excepted against the things jus-t nieiitioneci,
and to his circumcision.
In the Acts of Archelaus, Mani is represented*^ exceptingagainst
the account of Christ's baptism, because that ordinance
signitied remission of sins, whereas Jesus was free
from sin. But there is no just ground for that exception
in the history of our Lord's baptism, as recorded by the
evangelists.
As for their denying Christ's temptation, undoubtedly
that is a consequence
God and not man.
of their supposition that Ciirist was
As for the mystic, figurative crucifixion, it is likely that
the passages above transcribed may be of use to enable the
reader to form some notion of their meaning. 1 likewise
refers to Beausobre.
Faustus does elsewhere speak of'^ a passible Jesus. And'
Secundinus has somewhat to the like purpose: but the
meaning" is not obvious. I apprehend that if we had Aga-
pius, or more of Mani's works, we might understand this,
and some other things, better than we do.
Before 1 quit this article, I choose to put down some
observations of Beausobre, which may afford useful illustra-
tions.
' The grace of the Saviour,' says'* he briefly, ' consists in
' enabling the soul to understand its nature, its origin, its
' duties, its hopes, and in giving it necessary assistances for
' breaking the chains of carnal passions.' In other places
more largely :
' The' grace of Jesus Christ has several
' branches : but the principal is the giving the soul the
' knowledge of its nature and origin, which it had in a
' manner lost since its union with matter. Another branch
* is discovering to the soul the snares of the devil, the means
' of escaping- them, and of returning to its heavenly country.
' This is what Fortunatus says to Augustine: " As"' we sin
' Manes dixit : Ergo baptisma propter remi&sionem peccatorum datur ?
Archelans dixit : Etiam. Manes dixit : Ergo peccavit Christus, quia bap-
tizatus est > Archelaiis dixit : Absit. ap. Arch. c. 50. p. 94.
8 See him, T. 2. p. 546.
'' Necnon et Spiritus Sancti—aeris hunc omnem ambitum sedem fatemur ac
diversorium ; cujus ex viribus ac spirituali profusione, terram quoque concipientem,
gignere patibilem Jesum, qui est vita ac salus horainum, onini
suspensus ex ligno. Faust. 1. 20. c. 2.
' noli esse crroris lancea, qua latus percutitur Salvatoris. Vides enim
ilium et in omni mundo et in omni anima crucifixum, quae anima nunquam
habuit succensendi naturam. Secundin. ad Aug. n. 3.
" Beaus. T. i. p. 569. in. ' T. 2. p. 548, 549. See also p. 546, 547.
"^ Nam quia inviti peccamus, et cogimur a contrana et inimica nobis sub-
stantia, idcirco sequimur scientiam rerum. Qua scientia admonita anima, et