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Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

17.

Faustus has not told us how he would prove the divinity of Christ to the heathen, whom he makes to say: I believe neither the prophets in support of Christ, nor Christ in support of the prophets. It would be absurd to suppose that such a man would believe what Christ says of Himself, when he disbelieves what He says of others. For if he thinks Him unworthy of credit in one case, he must think Him so in all, or at least more so when speaking of Himself than when speaking of others. Perhaps, failing this, Faustus would read to him the Sibyls and Orpheus, and any heathen prophecies about Christ that he could find. But how could he do this, when he confesses that he knows none? His words are: "If, as is said, any prophecies of Christ are to be found in the Sibyl, or in Hermes, called Trismegistus, or Orpheus, or any heathen poet." How could he read writings of which he knows nothing, and which he supposes to exist only from report, to one who will not believe either the prophets or Christ? What, then, would he do? Would he bring forward Manichaeus as a witness to Christ? The opposite of this is what the Manichaeans do. They take advantage of the widespread fragrance of the name of Christ to gain acceptance for Manichaeus, that the edge of their poisoned cup may be sweetened with this honey. Taking hold of the promises of Christ to His disciples that He would send the Paraclete, that is, the Comforter or Advocate, they say that this Paraclete is Manichaeus, or in Manichaeus, and so steal an entrance into the minds of men who do not know when He who was promised by Christ really came. Those who have read the canonical book called the Acts of the Apostles find a reference to Christ's promise, and an account of its fulfillment. Faustus, then, has no proof to give to the inquirer. It is not likely that any one will be so infatuated as to take the authority of Manichaeus when he rejects that of Christ. Would he not reply in derision, if not in anger, Why do you ask me to believe Persian books, when you forbid me to believe Hebrew books? The Manichaean has no hold on the inquirer, unless he is already in some way convinced of the truth of Christianity. When he finds him willing to believe Christ, then he deludes him with the representation of Christ given by Manichaeus. So the partridge gathers what it has not brought forth. When will you whom he gathers leave him? When will you see him to be a fool, who tells you that Hebrew testimony is worthless in the case of unbelievers, and superfluous to believers?

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Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

17.

Faustus autem quomodo persuaderet divinitatem Christi homini gentili, quem constituit dicentem: Nec prophetis credo de Christo, nec Christo de prophetis? An Christo crederet de se ipso dicenti, cui non crederet de aliis testificanti? Vere ridiculum est hoc putare. Quem semel enim dignum fide non duceret, aut omnino nihil ei crederet aut potius pro aliis quam pro se ipso testificanti crederet. Hic forte Faustus irrisus Sibyllas homini legeret et Orpheum et ceteros eiusmodi, si quos alios gentilium reperiret de Christo aliquid praenuntiasse. p. 398,12 Sed non faceret; eos quippe sibi incognitos fassus est dicens: Sane si sunt aliqua, ut fama est, Sibyllae de Christo praesagia aut Hermetis, quem dicunt Trismegistum, aut Orphei aliorumque in gentilitate vatum. Horum ergo iste litteras nesciens, quandoquidem per famam putat esse aliquos tales, non eas utique legeret illi dicenti: nec prophetis credo nec Christo. Quid igitur faceret? An proferret Manichaeum et ex illo commendaret Christum? Numquam hoc fecerunt, sed potius de Christo, cuius iam nomen ubique dulciter clarum est, Manichaeum semper commendare conati sunt, ut hoc melle scilicet venenati sui poculi labra perungerent. Cum enim Christus promiserit suis missurum se paracletum, id est consolatorem vel advocatum, spiritum veritatis, per hanc promissionis occasionem hunc paracletum dicentes esse Manichaeum vel in Manichaeo subrepunt in hominum mentes ignorantes, ille a Christo promissus quando sit missus. p. 399,2 Qui autem legerunt canonicum librum, qui actus apostolorum inscribitur, vident illam Christi professionem (promissionem ?) illic rursus commemoratam et illic manifestissime impletam. Sed modo quaerimus, unde illi gentili fidem faceret de Christo. Puto enim neminem esse tam caecum, qui velit dicere: Manichaeo credo, cum dicat, Christo non credo. Deinde si non ridens, saltem stomachans diceret: Itane Persicis libris me iubes credere, qui Hebraeis me dixi[sti] non credere?, quomodo ergo capturus es, haeretice, istum hominem, nisi iam nomini Christi aliquo modo subditum inveneris, ut quia ille iam Christo credendum esse non dubitat, tamquam melius praedicanti Christum Manichaeo deceptus adquiescat? p. 399,14 Ecce est ille perdix congregans, quae non peperit. Itane eum nondum derelinquitis vos, quos congregat, et nondum vobis apparet insipiens, qui dicit Hebraeorum testimonia nobis, etiamsi vera sint, ante fidem inutilia esse, post fidem supervacua.