Edition Masquer
Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

5.

De his enim libris dici potest aliquid eos habere non consonum fortasse occultiori et ad dinoscendum difficiliori veritati, quod aut sic remanserit aut in posterioribus correctum sit, qui non praecipiendi auctoritate, sed proficiendi exercitatione scribuntur a nobis. p. 320,12 Inter hos enim sumus, quibus idem dicit apostolus: Et si quid aliter sapitis, id quoque vobis deus revelabit. Quod genus litterarum non cum credendi necessitate, sed cum iudicandi libertate legendum est. Cui tamen ne intercluderetur locus et adimeretur posteris ad quaestiones difficiles tractandas atque versandas linguae ac stili saluberrimus labor, distincta est a posteriorum libris excellentia canonicae auctoritatis veteris et novi testamenti, quae apostolorum confirmata temporibus per successiones episcoporum et propagationes ecclesiarum tamquam in sede quadam sublimiter constituta est, cui serviat omnis fidelis et pius intellectus. Ibi si quid velut absurdum moverit, non licet dicere: auctor huius libri non tenuit veritatem, sed aut codex mendosus est aut interpres erravit aut tu non intellegis. p. 320.26 In opusculis autem posteriorum, quae libris innumerabilibus continentur, sed nullo modo illi sacratissimae canonicarum scripturarum excellentiae coaequantur, etiam in quibuscumque eorum invenitur eadem veritas, longe tamen est impar auctoritas. Itaque in eis, si qua forte propterea dissonare putantur a bero, quia non, ut dicta sunt, intelleguntur, tamen liberum ibi habet lector auditorve iudicium, quo vel approbet, quod placuerit, vel improbet, quod offenderit. Et ideo cuncta eiusmodi, nisi vel certa ratione vel ex illa canonica auctoritate defendantur, ut demonstretur sive omnino ita esse, sive fieri potuisse, quod vel disputatum ibi est vel narratum, si cui displicuerit aut credere noluerit, non reprehenditur. In illa vero canonica eminentia sacrarum litterarum, etiamsi unus propheta seu apostolus aut evangelista aliquid in suis litteris posuisse ipsa canonis confirmatione declaratur, non licet dubitare, quod verum sit. Alioquin nulla erit pagina, qua humanae imperitiae regatur infirmitas, si librorum saluberrima auctoritas aut contempta penitus aboletur aut interminata confunditur. p. 321,15

Traduction Masquer
Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

5.

As regards our writings, which are not a rule of faith or practice, but only a help to edification, we may suppose that they contain some things falling short of the truth in obscure and recondite matters, and that these mistakes may or may not be corrected in subsequent treatises. For we are of those of whom the apostle says: "And if ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you." ¹ Such writings are read with the right of judgment, and without any obligation to believe. In order to leave room for such profitable discussions of difficult questions, there is a distinct boundary line separating all productions subsequent to apostolic times from the authoritative canonical books of the Old and New Testaments. The authority of these books has come down to us from the apostles through the successions of bishops and the extension of the Church, and, from a position of lofty supremacy, claims the submission of every faithful and pious mind. If we are perplexed by an apparent contradiction in Scripture, it is not allowable to say, The author of this book is mistaken; but either the manuscript is faulty, or the translation is wrong, or you have not understood. In the innumerable books that have been written latterly we may sometimes find the same truth as in Scripture, but there is not the same authority. Scripture has a sacredness peculiar to itself. In other books the reader may form his own opinion, and perhaps, from not understanding the writer, may differ from him, and may pronounce in favor of what pleases him, or against what he dislikes. In such cases, a man is at liberty to withhold his belief, unless there is some clear demonstration or some canonical authority to show that the doctrine or statement either must or may be true. But in consequence of the distinctive peculiarity of the sacred writings, we are bound to receive as true whatever the canon shows to have been said by even one prophet, or apostle, or evangelist. Otherwise, not a single page will be left for the guidance of human fallibility, if contempt for the wholesome authority of the canonical books either puts an end to that authority altogether, or involves it in hopeless confusion. ²