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The Manichccs. Sect. IV. 383
* unwillingly, and are compelled by the substance which is
' adverse and contrary to us, we endeavour to gain tlie
' knowledge of things. By this knowledge the soul, rc-
' covering its tirst ideas, conies to understand its original,
' and its present misery. Then correcting its past faults,
' and practising good works, it obtains reconciliation with
* God, under the conduct of our Saviour, who teaches both
* what good things we should do, and what evil things we
' should avoid." And, as Fortunatus afterwards adds
' " It" is clear therefore, that repentance is given the soul
* since the coming of the Saviour, and since this knowledge
' of things; by which, being* washed, as in a divine fountain,
' and purified from the vices and defilements of the world,
' which it had contracted in the body, it may be restored to
* the kingdom of God whence it came." '
XXII 1. And now, since the Manichees denied that Christ
really suflTered, we are led to observe still more distinctly
whether they thought his death to have the nature of a sacrifice,
or what ends and uses his seeming death answered.
Beausobre, who has written their history with great care,
and nicely examined their opinions, speaks to this point
more than once ; and his words are very remarkable.
' The Manichees,' says*' he, ' *
had no temples, for they
had no idols.—Nor had they any altars, because they had
' no sacrifice, no, not that which the ancient church called
' the sacrifice of commemoration. For they did not believe
' that Jesus Christ really suffered, nor consequently that his
' death was a true sncrifice. The eucharist with them was
' only a ceremony of thanksgiving in memory of the mystic
' crucifixion of our Saviour. That crucifixion, according
' to them, had only moral views.'
Again :
' TheP Manichees, as they ascribed little to faith,
' ascribed a great deal to good works, which they considered
' as an essential and absolutely necessary condition of sal va-
' tion. They had not the same notion of the death of Christ
' that we have. According to us, it is an offering- made to
' God for the expiation of the sins of men : according to
memoriae pristinse reddita, recognoscit ex quo originem trahat, in quo malo
versetur, quibus bonis iterum emendans quod nolens peccavit, possit per
emendafionem delictorum suorum, bonorum operum gratia, meritum sibi
reconciliationis apud Deum coUocare, auctore Salvatore nostra, qui nos docet
et bona exercere, et mala fugere. Fortunat. Disp. 2. n. 20.
" Unde patet recte esse poenitentiam datam post adventum salvatoris, et
post banc scientiam rerum, qua possit anima, acsi divino fonte lota, de sordibus
et vitiis tarn mundi totius, quam corponim in quibus eadem anima ver-
satur, regno Dei. unde progressa est, repi-aesentari. ib. n. 21.
» T. 2. p. 703, 704. p Ibid. p. 794. m.
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