XI

PREFACE.

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...his first disciples. This is where his deception or his fanaticism lies. For, despite what the Ancients say, there is clear evidence that he never claimed to pass himself off as the Paraclete original: Paraclet; from the Greek Parakletos, meaning "Advocate" or "Helper," a term used in the Gospel of John to refer to the Holy Spirit. or the Holy Spirit.

By virtue of this Divine Mission, Mani original: Manichée dared to reject the Old Testament and reform the New. This is what I call his second principle. I have not concealed his objections against the Old Testament; I have simply taken the precaution of resolving them in few words. The duty of a historian required me to report the heretic's reasoning. But the duty of a Christian required no less that I prevent any scandal that might result from it.

Regarding the New Testament, the heresiarch The founder or leader of a heretical sect. undertook to correct it under the flimsy pretext that the Gospels were not written by the Apostles, nor by the Apostolic men whose names they bear; or that, if they were, they had been falsified by Christians who were still half-Jewish. I cite his reasons as they are found in the writings of the famous Manichaean Faustus Faustus of Mileve, a 4th-century Manichaean bishop whom Saint Augustine famously wrote against.. But they are so weak that I did not think it necessary to dwell long on refuting them.

The impartiality so essential to a historian has obliged me to clear the Manichaeans of the accusation brought against them by the Catholics In this historical context, "Catholics" refers to the mainstream, orthodox Christian Church of the time., of having corrupted the books of the New Testament through sacrilegious additions or deletions. I have examined this claim and found it to be without foundation. But I could not help noticing on this occasion that there were some Catholics bold enough...