Edition Hide
Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

4.

Et sane fieri potuit, ut quemadmodum de deo impudenter idem tanta finxerunt - p. 593,19 nunc eum in tenebris ex aeterno versatum dicentes et postea miratum cum vidisset lucem, nunc ignarum futuri, ut praeceptum illud, quod non esset servaturus Adam, ei mandaret, nunc et improvidum, ut eum latentem in angulo paradisi post nuditatem cognitam videre non posset, nunc et invidum ac timentem, ne, si gustaret homo suus de ligno vitae, in aeternum viveret, nunc alias et appetentem sanguinis atque adipis ex omni genere sacrificiorum zelantemque, si et aliis eadem offerrentur ut sibi, et nunc irascentem in alienos, nunc et in suos, nunc perimentem milia hominum ob levia quidem aut nulla commissa, nunc etiam comminantem venturum se fore cum gladio et parciturum nemini, non iusto, non peccatori – p. 594,4 fieri inquam, potuit, ut et de dei hominibus mentirentur, qui de deo ipso tanta protervitate mentiti sunt. Sed vos consentite nobiscum, ut portent scriptores crimen, si vultis eodem liberari prophetas.

Translation Hide
Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

4.

These books, moreover, contain shocking calumnies against God himself. We are told that he existed from eternity in darkness, and admired the light when he saw it; that he was so ignorant of the future, that he gave Adam a command, not foreseeing that it would be broken; that his perception was so limited that he could not see Adam when, from the knowledge of his nakedness, he hid himself in a corner of Paradise; that envy made him afraid lest his creature man should taste of the tree of life, and live for ever; that afterwards he was greedy for blood, and fat from all kinds of sacrifices, and jealous if they were offered to any one but himself; that he was enraged sometimes against his enemies, sometimes against his friends; that he destroyed thousands of men for a slight offense, or for nothing; that he threatened to come with a sword and spare nobody, righteous or wicked. The authors of such bold libels against God might very well slander the men of God. You must join with us in laying the blame on the writers if you wish to vindicate the prophets.