of the tongue, as being for the purpose of part of God without being God. A part of expressing something, from actions which are gold is gold; of silver silver; of stone stone; not for this purpose, so that the symbol of and, to come to greater things, part of earth the hands should mean abstinence from all is earth, part of water is water, and of air evil actions which are not for the purpose of air; and if you take part from fire, you will expressing something? But then, what if not deny it to be fire; and part of light can some one sins by expressing something with be nothing but light. Why then should part his hands, as is done in writing or in some of God not be God? Has God a jointed significant gesture? This cannot be assigned body, like man and the lower animals? For to the tongue and the mouth, for it is done part of man is not man. by the hands. When you have three symbols of the mouth, the hands, and the breast, it is quite inadmissible to charge against the mouth sins found in the hands. And if you assign action in general to the hands, there is no reason for including under this the action of the feet and not that of the tongue. Do you see how the desire of novelty, with its attendant error, lands you in great difficulties? For you find it impossible to include purification of all sins in these three symbols, which you set forth as a kind of new classification. CHAP. 11.—THE VALUE OF THE SYMBOL OF THE MOUTH AMONG THE MANICHEANS, WHO ARE FOUND GUILTY OF BLASPHEMING GOD. 22. I will deal with each of these opinions. separately. If you view God as resembling light, you must admit that part of God is God. Hence, when you make the soul part of God, though you allow it to be corrupted as being foolish, and changed as having once been wise, and in want as needing health, and feeble as needing medicine, and miserable as desiring happiness, all these things you profanely attribute to God. you deny these things of the mind, it follows that the Spirit is not required to lead the soul into truth, since it is not in folly; nor is the Soul renewed by true religion, since it does not need renewal; nor is it perfected by your symbols, since it is already perfect; nor does God give it assistance, since it does not need it; nor is Christ its physician, since it is in health; nor does it require the promise of And called the deliverer, according to His own 20. Classify as you please, omit what you please, we must discuss the doctrines you insist upon most. You say that the symbol of the mouth implies refraining from all blas-happiness in another life. Way then is Jesus. phemy. But blasphemy is speaking evil of good things. So usually the word blasphemy is applied only to speaking evil of God; for as regards man there is uncertainty, but God is without controversy good. lf, then, you are proved guilty of saying worse things of God than any one else says, what becomes of your famous symbol of the mouth? The evidence is not obscure, but clear and obvious to every understanding, and irresistible, the more so that no one can remain in ignorance of it, that God is incorruptible, immutable, liable to no injury, to no want, to no weakness, to no misery. All this the common sense of rational beings perceives, and even you assent when you hear it. 21. But when you begin to relate your fables, that God is corruptible, and mutable, and subject to injury, and exposed to want and weakness, and not secure from misery, this is what you are blind enough to teach, and what some are blind enough to believe. And this is not all; for, according to you, God is not only corruptible, but corrupted; not only changeable, but changed; not only subject to injury, but injured; not only liable to want, but in want; not only possibly, but actually weak; not only exposed to misery, but miserable. You say that the soul is God, or a part of God. I do not see how it can be 23. Again, if part of God is not God, still He is not incorrupt when His part is corrupted, nor unchanged when there is change in any part, nor uninjured when He is not perfect in every part, nor free from want when He is busily endeavoring to recover part of Himself, nor quite whole when He has a weak part, nor perfectly happy when any part is suffering misery, nor entirely free when any part is under bondage. These are conclusions to which you are driven, because you say that the soul, which you see to be in such a calamitous condition, is part of God. If you can succeed in making your sect abandon these and many similar opinions, then you may speak of your mouth being free from blas phemies. Better still, leave the sect; for if 26. Since those times, however, another you cease to believe and to repeat what answer has appeared which I heard recently Manichæus has written, you will be no longer Manichæans. 24. That God is the supreme good, and that than which nothing can be or can be conceived better, we must either understand or believe, if we wish to keep clear of blasphemy. There is a relation of numbers which cannot possibly be impaired or altered, nor can any nature by any amount of violence prevent the number which comes after one from being the double of one. This can in no way be changed; and yet you represent God as changeable! This relation preserves its integrity inviolable; and you will not allow God an equality even in this! Let some race of darkness take in the abstract the number three, consisting of indivisible units, and divide it into two equal parts. Your mind perceives that no hostility could effect this. And can that which is unable to injure a numerical relation injure God? If it could not, what possible necessity could there be for a part of him to be mixed with evil, and driven into such miseries? CHAP. 12.-MANICHEAN SUBTERFUGE. at Carthage. For one, whom I wish much to see brought out of this error, when reduced to this same dilemma, ventured to say that the kingdom had its own limits, which might be invaded by a hostile race, though God Himself could not be injured. But this is a reply which your founder would never consent to give; for he would be likely to see that such an opinion would lead to a still speedier demolition of his heresy. And in fact any one of average intellect, who hears that in this nature part is subject to injury and part not, will at once perceive that this makes not two but three natures,-one violable, a second inviolable, and a third violating. CHAP. 13.-ACTIONS TO BE JUDGED OF FROM THEIR MOTIVE, NOT FROM EXTERNALS. MANICHEAN ABSTINENCE TO BE TRIED BY THIS PRINCIPLE. 27. Having every day in your mouth these blasphemies which come from your heart, you ought not to continue holding up the symbol of the mouth as something wonderful, to ensnare the ignorant. But perhaps you think the symbol of the mouth excellent and admirable because you do not eat flesh or drink wine. But what is your end in this? For according as the end we have in view in our actions, on account of which we do whatever we do, is not only not culpable but also praiseworthy, so only can our actions merit any praise. If the end we have regard to in any performance is unlawful and blameworthy, the performance itself will be unhesitatingly condemned as improper. 25. For this gives rise to the question, which used to throw us into great perplexity even when we were your zealous disciples, nor could we find any answer,-what the race of darkness would have done to God, supposing He had refused to fight with it at the cost of such calamity to part of Himself. For if God would not have suffered any loss by remaining quiet, we thought it hard that we had been sent to endure so much. Again, if He would have suffered, His nature cannot have 28. We are told of Catiline that he could been incorruptible, as it behoves the nature bear cold, thirst, and hunger. This the of God to be. Sometimes the answer was, vile miscreant had in common with our that it was not for the sake of escaping evil apostles. What then distinguishes the parrior avoiding injury, but that God in His cide from our apostles but the precisely natural goodness wished to bestow the bless- opposite end which he followed? He bore ing of order on a disturbed and disordered these things in order to gratify his fierce This is not what we find in the and ungoverned passions; they, on the other Manichæan books: there it is constantly im- hand, in order to restrain these passions and plied and constantly asserted that God guarded subdue them to reason. You often say, when against an invasion of His enemies. But sup- you are told of the great number of Catholic posing this answer, which was given from want virgins, a she-mule is a virgin. This, indeed, of a better, to represent the opinion of the is said in ignorance of the Catholic system, Manichæans, is God, in their view, vindicated and is not applicable. Still, what you mean from the charge of cruelty or weakness? For is that this continence is worthless unless it this goodness of His to the hostile race proved leads, on right principles, to an end of high most pernicious to His own subjects. Be- excellence. Catholic Christians might also sides, if God's nature could not be corrupted compare your abstinence from wine and flesh nor changed, neither could any destructive to that of cattle and many small birds, as likeinfluence corrupt or change us; and the order wise of countless sorts of worms. But, not to be bestowed on the race of strangers might have been bestowed without robbing us of it. nature. 1 Sallust, in prolog. Catilin. § 3. dish of the commonest herbs with some smoky morsel of meat, and takes only so much of this as is needed for the refreshment of his body, and drinks three cups of wine for the sake of keeping in health, should, for exchanging the former diet for this, be doomed to certain punishment? to be impertinent like you, I will not make of sanctity; whereas another, who seasons his this comparison prematurely, but will first examine your end in what you do. For I suppose I may safely take it as agreed on, that in such customs the end is the thing to look to. Therefore, if your end is to be frugal and to restrain the appetite which finds gratification in eating and drinking, I assent and approve. But this is not the case. CHAP. 14.- -THREE GOOD REASONS FOR AB STAINING FROM CERTAIN KINDS OF FOOD. 29. Suppose, what is quite possible, that there is one so frugal and sparing in his diet, that, instead of gratifying his appetite or his 31. But, you reply, the apostle says, "It is palate, he refrains from eating twice in one good, brethren, neither to eat flesh, nor to day, and at supper takes a little cabbage drink wine. No one denies that this is moistened and seasoned with lard, just good, provided that it is for the end already enough to keep down hunger; and quenches mentioned, of which it is said, "Make not his thirst, from regard to his health, with two provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts or three draughts of pure wine; and this is thereof; or for the ends pointed out by his regular diet: whereas another of different the apostle, namely, either to check the appehabits never takes flesh or wine, but makes tite, which is apt to go to a more wild and an agreeable repast at two o'clock on rare uncontrollable excess in these things than in and foreign vegetables, varied with a number others, or lest a brother should be offended, of courses, and well sprinkled with pepper, or lest the weak should hold fellowship with and sups in the same style towards night; an idol. For at the time when the apostle and drinks honey-vinegar, mead, raisin-wine, wrote, the flesh of sacrifices was often sold. and the juices of various fruits, no bad imi- in the market. And because wine, too, was tation of wine, and even surpassing it in used in libations to the gods of the Gentiles, sweetness; and drinks not for thirst but for pleasure; and makes this provision for him- chase such things, preferred to abstain enmany weaker brethren, accustomed to purself daily, and feasts in this sumptuous style, tirely from flesh and wine rather than run the not because he requires it, but only gratify-risk of having fellowship, as they considered ing his taste;-which of these two do you re- it, with idols, even ignorantly. And, for gard as living most abstemiously in food and drink? You cannot surely be so blind as not to put the man of the little lard and wine above this glutton! 30. This is the true view; but your doctrine sounds very differently. For one of your elect distinguished by the three symbols may live like the second person in this description, and though he may be reproved by one or two of the more sedate, he cannot be condemned as abusing the symbols. But should he sup with the other person, and moisten his lips with a morsel of rancid bacon, or refresh them with a drink of spoilt wine, he is pronounced a transgressor of the symbol, and by the judgment of your founder is consigned to hell, while you, though wondering, must assent. Will you not discard these errors? Will you not listen to reason? Will you not offer some little resistance to the force of habit? Is not such doctrine most unrea their sakes, even those who were stronger, and had faith enough to see the insignificance of these things, knowing that nothing is unclean except from an evil conscience, and holding by the saying of the Lord, “Not that which entereth into your mouth defileth you, but that which cometh out of it," 3 still, lest these weaker brethren should stumble, were bound to abstain from these things. And this is not a mere theory, but is clearly taught in the epistles of the apostle himself. For you are in the habit of quoting only the words, "It is good, brethren, neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine," without adding what follows, "nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended or is made weak." These words show the intention of the apostle in giving the admonition. 32. This is evident from the preceding and succeeding context. The passage is a long sonable? Is it not insanity? Is it not the one to quote, but, for the sake of those who are indolent in reading and searching the greatest absurdity that one, who stuffs and sacred Scriptures, we must give the whole of loads his stomach every day to gratify his ap-it. "Him that is weak in the faith," says the petite with mushrooms, rice, truffles, cake, mead, pepper, and assafœtida, and who fares thus every day, cannot be convicted of transgressing the three symbols, that is, the rule 66 apostle, receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat 1 Rom. xiv. 21. 2.Rom. xiii. 14. 3 Matt. xv. 2. faith is sin. We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not Himself." 33. Is it not clear that what the apostle required was, that the stronger should not eat flesh nor drink wine, because they gave offense to the weak by not going along with them, and made them think that those who in faith judged all things to be pure, did homage to idols in not abstaining from that kind of food and drink? This is also set forth in the following passage of the Epistle to the Corinthi all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth; yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another; another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it to the Lord. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth ans: "As concerning, therefore, the eating God thanks. For none of us liveth to him- of those things that are offered in sacrifice self, and no man dieth to himself. For unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and the world, and that there is none other God whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether but one. For though there be that are called we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. gods, whether in heaven or in earth, but to us For to this end Christ both lived, and died, there is but one God, the Father, of whom and rose again, that He might be Lord both are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord of the dead and living. But why dost thou Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at by Him. Howbeit there is not in every man nought thy brother? for we shall all stand that knowledge: for some, with conscience of before the judgment-seat of God. For it is the idol unto this hour, eat it as a thing offered written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee to an idol; and their conscience being weak shall bow to me, and every tongue shall con- is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to fess to God.' So then every one of us shall God: for neither, if we eat, shall we abound; give account of himself to God. Let us not, neither, if we eat not, shall we suffer want. therefore, judge one another any more: but But take heed, lest by any means this liberty judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling- of yours become a stumbling-block to them block, or occasion to fall, in his brother's way. that are weak. For if any man see one who I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, has knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temthat there is nothing common of itself: but ple, shall not his conscience being weak be to him that esteemeth anything to be common, emboldened to eat those things which are to him it is common. But if thy brother be offered to idols; and through thy knowledge grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, died? But when ye sin so against the for whom Christ died. Let not then our good brethren, and wound their weak conscience, be evil spoken of. For the kingdom of God ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he forever, lest I make my brother to offend." 3 who in this serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things whereby one may edify another. For meat destroys not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offense. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he who condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that distinguishes is damned if he eats, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of Isa. xlv. 23, 24. 34. Again, in another place: "What say I then? that the idol is anything? or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything? But the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than He? All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man what is another's. Whatso ever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking what you say,--the world is made up of botn no question for conscience sake. But if any natures, of. good and evil, mixed together. man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice But this part of God is daily being set free unto idols, eat not for his sake that shows it, in all parts of the world, and restored to its and for conscience sake: conscience, I say, own domain. But in its passage upwards as not thine own, but another's: for why is my vapor from earth to heaven, it enters plants, liberty judged of another man's conscience? because their roots are fixed in the earth, and For if I be a partaker with thanksgiving, why so gives fertility and strength to all herbs and am I evil spoken of for that for which I give shrubs. From these animals get their food, thanks? Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, and, where there is sexual intercourse, fetter or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of in the flesh the member of God, and, turning God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, it from its proper course, they come in the nor to the Greeks, nor to the Church of God: way and entangle it in errors and troubles. even as I please all men in all things not seek- So then, if food consisting of vegetables and ing mine own profit, but the profit of many fruits comes to the saints, that is, to the that they may be saved. Be ye followers of Manichæans by means of their chastity, and me, even as I also am of Christ." prayers, and psalms, whatever in it is excellent and divine is purified, and so is entirely perfected, in order to restoration, free from all hindrance, to its own domain. Hence you forbid people to give bread or vegetables, or even water, which would cost nobody anything, to a beggar, if he is not a Manichæan, lest he should defile the member of God by his sins, and obstruct its return. 35. It is clear, then, I think, for what end we should abstain from flesh and wine. The end is threefold: to check indulgence, which is mostly practised in this sort of food, and in this kind of drink goes the length of intoxication; to protect weakness, on account of the things which are sacrificed and offered in libation; and, what is most praiseworthy of all, from love, not to offend the weakness of those more feeble than ourselves, who abstain from these things. You, again, consider a morsel of meat unclean; whereas the apostle says that all things are clean, but that it is evil to him that eateth with offence. And no doubt you are defiled by such food, simply because you think it unclean. For the apostle says, "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing common of itself: but to him that esteemeth anything common, to him it is common." And every one can see that by common he means unclean and defiled. But it is folly to discuss passages of Scripture with you; for you both mislead people by promising to prove your doctrines, and those books which possess authority to demand our homage you affirm to be corrupted by spurious interpolations. Prove then to me your doctrine that flesh defiles the eater, when it is taken without offending any one, without any weak notions, and without any excess. 37. Flesh, you say, is made up of pollution itself. For, according to you, some portion of that divine part escapes in the eating of vegetables and fruits; it escapes while they undergo the infliction of rubbing, grinding, or cooking, as also of biting or chewing. It escapes, too, in all motions of animals, in the carriage of burdens, in exercise, in toil, or in any sort of action. It escapes, too, in our rest, when digestion is going on in the body by means of internal heat. And as the divine nature escapes in all these ways, some very unclean dregs remain, from which, in sexual intercourse, flesh is formed. These dregs, however, fly off, in the motions above mentioned, along with what is good in the soul; for though it is mostly, it is not entirely good. So, when the soul has left the flesh, the dregs are utterly filthy, and the soul of those who eat flesh is defiled. CHAP. 16.-DISCLOSURE OF THE MONSTROUS TENETS OF THE MANICHÆANS. 38. O the obscurity of the nature of things! How hard to expose falsehood! Who that hears these things, if he is one who has not learned the causes of things, and who, not yet illuminated by any ray of truth, is deceived by material images, would not think them true, precisely because the things spoken of are invisible, and are presented to the mind under the form of visible things, and can be eloquently expressed? Men of this description exist in numbers and in droves, who are kept from being led away into these errors |