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Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

9.

Quapropter post omnes Fausti calumnias refutatas dumtaxat horum eius capitulorum, quibus hoc opere, quantum dominus adiuvare dignatus est, sufficienter, ut arbitror, prolixeque respondi, breviter vos admoneo, qui illo tam nefando et exsecrabili errore tenemini, ut si auctoritatem scripturarum omnibus praeferendam sequi vultis, eam sequamini, quae ab ipsius praesentiae Christi temporibus per dispensationes apostolorum et certas ab eorum sedibus successiones episcoporum usque ad haec tempora toto orbe terrarum custodita, commendata, clarificata pervenit. p. 796,23 Ibi enim videbitis etiam veteris testamenti et obscura revelari et praedicta compleri. Si autem quasi ratione movemini, primum cogitetis, quinam sitis, quam minus idonei ad comprehendendam naturam, non dicam dei, sed animae uestrae, comprehendendam sane, quemadmodum velle aut voluisse vos dicitis, certissima ratione, non vanissima credulitate. Quod cum minime potueritis – sine dubio enim quamdiu tales estis, nullo modo poteritis – illud saltem, quod omni humanae menti est naturaliter insitum, si modo id perversae opinionis pravitate non turbetur, dei naturam atque substantiam incommutabilem omnino, omnino incorruptibilem cogitate vel credite, et Manichaei continuo non eritis, ut aliquando et catholici esse possitis. Amen.

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Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

9.

Now that all Faustus' calumnies have been refuted, those at least on the subjects here treated of at large and explained fully as the Lord has enabled me, I close with a word of counsel to you who are implicated in those shocking and damnable errors, that, if you acknowledge the supreme authority of Scripture, you should recognise that authority which from the time of Christ Himself, through the ministry of His apostles, and through a regular succession of bishops in the seats of the apostles, has been preserved to our own day throughout the whole world, with a reputation known to all. There the Old Testament too has its difficulties solved, and its predictions fulfilled. If you ask for demonstration, consider first what you are, how unfit for comprehending the nature of your own soul, not to speak of God; I mean an intelligent comprehension, such as you profess to desire, or to have once desired, and not the notions of a credulous fancy. Admitting this incompetency, which must continue while you remain as you are, you may at least be referred to the natural conviction of every human mind, unless it is corrupted by error, of the perfect unchangeableness and incorruptibility of the nature and substance of God. Admit this, or believe it, and you will no longer be Manichaeans, so that in course of time you may become Catholics.