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428 Credibility of the Gospel History.
produce others, more sincere and uncorrnpt, they always
declined it.
It is also very remarkable, >vliich Augustine says, that
when he was with them, ands in their private discourses
they insinuated that the scriptures of the New Testament
had been corrupted by some men, who were desirous to mix
Judaism with Christianity, they produced not any copies
different from those commonly received.
Beausobre has vindicated the Manichees from'' the cliarae
or suspicion of being the authors of several passages found
in some copies of the New Testament. I refer to him : but
I do not think it needful forme now to enter into particulars
of that kind ; I have said what is sufficient to render men
easy upon this head.
IX. Augustine, in his Summary, said ' that the Mani-
' chees made use of apocryphal books, which they prefer to
' the canonical scriptures.' That they used such books is
unquestionable : but what regard they had for them is not
easily perceived by us now.
1. As we are now entering upon this inquiry, and are to
observe the proofs of the Manichees using apocryphal
Avritings, and what they were, it may not be improper to
take notice here of Augustine's definition of such books.
' Apocrypha! books,' he' says, ' are not such as are of
' authority, [or received by the church,] and are kept secret
' but they are books whose original is obscure, and which
' are destitute of proper testimonials ; their authors being
' unknown, and their character either heretical, or suspected.'
That passage is taken out of Augustine's answer to Faustus.
A like description of such l)ooks may be seen'' in his Avork,
entitled. Of the City of God.
2. Let us now observe some farther proofs of the Mani-
s Quam [responsionem] quidem non facile palam promebant, sed nobis
secretins, cum dicerent scripturas Novi Testamenti falsatas fuisse a nescio quibus,
qui Judseorum legem inserere christianae fidei voluerunt, atqiie ipsi incorrupta
cxcmplaria nulla proferrenl. Confess. 1. 5. c. xi. n. 21.
" Hist, de Manich. T. i. p. 342—344.
' Aiiud est ipsos libros non accipere, et nullo vinculo detineri, quod Pagani
de omnibus libris nostris, quod Judsei de Novo Testamento faciunt, quod
denique nos ipsi de vestris et aliorum htsreticorum, si qiios suos et proprios
habenf, vel de iis qui appellantur apocryphi: non quod habendi sint in aliqua
auctontate secreta, sed quia nulla testificationis luce declarati, de nescio quo
secreto, nescio quorum praesumtione prolati sunt. Contr. Faust. 1. xi. c. 2.
^ Omittamus igitur eamm scripturarum fabulas, quae apocryphae niincupantur,
eo quod earum occulta origo non claruit patribus, a quibus usque ad
nos auctoritas veracium Scripturarum certissima et notissiuia successione per-
venit. In his autem apocryphis etsi invenitur aliqua verita«, tamen, propter
niulta falsa, nulla est canonica auctoritas. De Civ. Dei. 1. 15. c. 23. n. 4.
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