Popery condemned by scripture and the fathers - End Time Deception

SCKIPTURE AND lilE FATHTRS. 251
upon their own principles ; and he begins with
the iuL-cription of tlie epistle of Manes ;
" Manes,
" an apostle of Je&us Christ, by the providence
" of God the Father." Of the apostleship of
Manes, he puts them upon their proof; and
hopes they will not be angry with him, since
they then:se!vG3 hud taught him not to believe
any thing without rv^aoon. Should they refer
him to the gospel, he tells them he disbelieves
it ; and here he shews that proof fails them,
because, according to their own principles,
they had rejected authentic records as evidence,
but at (he same time, placed reason for the basis
of their belief.
St. Augustine, it is evident, is showing his
readers how the truth of any historical fact is
to be ascertained. It is by reference to some
record, whose authenticity is universally acknowledged
; and upon this principle he says, " I
''
w^ould not believe the Gospel, unless the
" authority of the universal Church induced
'•
me.'' The R., in quoting these words, has
omitted the word " universal," that his readers
might view the authority of the Church as the
cause of Augustine's belief. This Fstlier, however,
when permitted to speak for himself, rests
his faith upon the " universality" of the testimony.
Having accordingly mentioned the authority
of the '"• universe;!'' Church as the cause
of his assenting to the authenticity of the gospels,