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Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

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Faustus dixit:_ Si accipis evangelium, credere omnia debes, quae eodem scripta sunt._Quid enim tu, quia vetus accipis testamentum, idcircone credis omnia passim, quae in eodem scripta sunt? Nempe solas indidem excerpentes prophetias, quae regem Iudaeis venturum significabant, quia ipsum putatis esse Iesum, et pauca quaedam disciplinae civilis praecepta communia, ut est: Non occides, non moechaberis, cetera praetermittitis et arbitramini esse non minus atque eadem, quae Paulus putavit stercora. Quid ergo peregrinum hoc aut quid mirum est, si et ego de testamento novo purissima quaeque legens et meae saluti convenientia ea praetermitto, quae a vestris maioribus inducta fallaciter et maiestatem ipsius et gratiam decolorant ?

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Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

1.

Faustus said: You say, that if we believe the Gospel, we must believe everything that is written in it. Why, then, since you believe the Old Testament, do you not believe all that is found in any part of it? Instead of that, you cull out only the prophecies telling of a future King of the Jews, for you suppose this to be Jesus, along with a few precepts of common morality, such as, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery; and all the rest you pass over, thinking of the other things as Paul thought of the things which he held to be dung. ¹ Why, then, should it seem strange or singular in me that I select from the New Testament whatever is purest, and helpful for my salvation, while I set aside the interpolations of your predecessors, which impair its dignity and grace?