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Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

10.

When you ask why a Christian does not observe the distinction in food as enjoined in the law, if Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it, I reply, that a Christian does not observe this distinction precisely because what was thus prefigured is now fulfilled in Christ, who admits into His body, which in His saints He has predestined to eternal life, nothing which in human conduct corresponds to the characteristics of the forbidden animals. When you ask, again, why a Christian does not offer sacrifices to God of the flesh and blood of slain animals, if Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it, I reply, that it would be improper for a Christian to offer such sacrifices, now that what was thus prefigured has been fulfilled in Christ's offering of His own body and blood. When you ask why a Christian does not keep the feast of unleavened bread as the Jews did, if Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it, I reply, that a Christian does not keep this feast precisely because what was thus prefigured is fulfilled in Christ, who leads us to a new life by purging out the leaven of the old life. ¹ When you ask why a Christian does not keep the feast of the paschal lamb, if Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it, my reply is, that he does not keep it precisely because what was thus prefigured has been fulfilled in the sufferings of Christ, the Lamb without spot. When you ask why a Christian does not keep the feasts of the new moon appointed in the law, if Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it, I reply, that he does not keep them precisely because what was thus prefigured is fulfilled in Christ. For the feast of the new moon prefigured the new creature, of which the apostle says: "If therefore there is any new creature in Christ Jesus, the old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new." ² When you ask why a Christian does not observe the baptisms for various kinds of uncleanness according to the law, if Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it, I reply, that he does not observe them precisely because they were figures of things to come, which Christ has fulfilled. For He came to bury us with Himself by baptism into death, that as Christ rose again from the dead, so we also should walk in newness of life. ³ When you ask why Christians do not keep the feast of tabernacles, if the law is not destroyed, but fulfilled by Christ, I reply that believers are God's tabernacle, in whom, as they are united and built together in love, God condescends to dwell, so that Christians do not keep this feast precisely because what was thus prefigured is now fulfilled by Christ in His Church.

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Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

10.

Cum quaeris, quare christianus non observet differentiam ciborum, quae in lege praecipitur, si Christus non venit legem solvere, sed adimplere, respondeo: Immo propterea id non observat christianus, quia quod illis figuris prophetabatur, iam Christus implevit non admittens ad corpus suum, quod corpus in sanctis suis ad vitam aeternam praedestinavit, quicquid per illa animalia in moribus hominum significatum est. p. 508,6 Cum quaeris, quare christianus non animalibus immolatis carnis et sanguinis sacrificia offerat deo, si Christus non venit legem solvere, sed adimplere, respondeo: Immo propterea magis haec christianus iam offerre non debet, quia ea, quae talibus rerum figuris illi prophetabant, immolatione carnis et sanguinis sui Christus implevit. Cum quaeris, cur azyma sicut Iudaei non observet christianus, si Christus non venit legem solvere, sed adimplere, respondeo: Immo propterea magis hoc non observat christianus, quia, quod illa figura prophetabatur, expurgato veteris vitae fermento novam vitam demonstrans Christus implevit. Cum quaeris, cur de carne agni christianus pascha non celebret, si Christus non venit legem solvere, sed adimplere, respondeo: Immo propterea christianus iam sic pascha non celebrat, quia id, quod illa figura praenuntiabatur, agnus immaculatus sua passione Christus implevit. p. 508,20 Cum quaeris, quam ob causam neomenias in lege mandatas non celebret christianus, si Christus non venit legem solvere, sed adimplere, respondeo: Immo propterea iam christianus ista non celebrat, quia propter quod praenuntiandum celebrabantur, iam Christus implevit. Celebratio enim novae lunae praenuntiabat novam creaturam, de qua dicit apostolus: Si qua igitur in Christo nova creatura, vetera transierunt; ecce facta sunt nova. Cum quaeris, cur illa singularum quarumque munditiarum baptismata, quae in lege praecipiuntur, non observet christianus, si Christus non venit legem solvere, sed adimplere, respondeo inde potius haec non observare christianum, quia figurae futurorum erant, quas Christus implevit. p. 509,5 Venit enim consepelire nos sibi per baptismum in mortem, ut, quemadmodum Christus resurrexit a mortuis, sic et nos in novitate vitae ambulemus. Cum quaeris, quid causae est, ut scenopegia non sit sollemnitas christianorum, si lex a Christo adimpleta est, non soluta, respondeo tabernaculum dei fideles eius esse, in quibus caritate sociatis et quodam modo compactis habitare dignatur, et ideo magis illud non observari a christianis, quia iam Christus in ecclesia sua, quod illa figura prophetice promittebat, implevit.