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Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

8.

Augustin replied: We give to the whole Old Testament Scriptures their due praise as true and divine; you impugn the Scriptures of the New Testament as having been tampered with and corrupted. Those things in the Old Testament which we do not observe we hold to have been suitable appointments for the time and the people of that dispensation, besides being symbolical to us of truths in which they have still a spiritual use, though the outward observance is abolished; and this opinion is proved to be the doctrine of the apostolic writings. You, on the other hand, find fault with everything in the New Testament which you do not receive, and assert that these passages were not spoken or written by Christ or His apostles. In these respects there is a manifest difference between us. When, therefore, you are asked why you do not receive all the contents of the New Testament, but, while you approve of some things, reject a great many in the very same books as false and spurious interpolations, you must not pretend to imitate us in the distinction which we make, reverently and in faith, but must give account of your own presumption.

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Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

8.

Augustinus respondit : Nos veteris testamenti scripturas omnes, ut dignum est, veras divinasque laudamus, vos scripturas novi testamenti tamquam falsatas corruptasque pulsatis. Nos ea, quae nunc de libris testamenti veteris non observamus, congruenter tamen illo tempore atque illi populo fuisse praecepta nobisque in eis ipsis, quae non observamus, significata, quae intellegamus et spiritaliter teneamus, non solum dicimus, sed in apostolicis quoque litteris ostendimus et docemus ; p. 767,9 vos autem omnia, quae in libris novi testamenti non accipitis, omnino reprehenditis nec a Christo nec ab apostolis eius dicta vel conscripta asseveratis. Videtis ergo, quantum inter nos et vos, quod ad hanc rem attinet, distet. Cum itaque a vobis quaeritur, quare non omnia in libris novi testamenti accipitis, sed et in eis libris, in quibus approbatis aliqua, multa respuitis, reprehenditis, accusatis, a corruptoribus inserta esse contenditis, nolite in exemplum assumere distinctionem fidei vel observationis nostrae, sed rationem reddite praesumptionis vestrae. p. 767,19