Traduction Masquer
Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

33.

Again, when Faustus accuses a righteous and faithful man of a shameless profanation of his marriage from avarice and greed, by selling his wife Sara at different times to the two kings Abimelech and Pharaoh, telling them that she was his sister, because she was very fair, he does not distinguish justly between right and wrong, but unjustly condemns the whole transaction. Those who think that Abraham sold his wife cannot discern in the light of the eternal law the difference between sin and righteousness; and so they call perseverance obstinacy, and confidence presumption, as in these and similar cases men of wrong judgment are wont to blame what they suppose to be wrong actions. Abraham did not become partner in crime with his wife by selling her to others: but as she gave her handmaid to her husband, not to gratify his passion, but for the sake of offspring, in the authority she had consistently with the order of nature, requiring the performance of a duty, not complying with a sinful desire; so in this case, the husband, in perfect assurance of the chaste attachment of his wife to himself, and knowing her mind to be the abode of modest and virtuous affection, called her his sister, without saying that she was his wife, lest he himself should be killed, and his wife fall into the hands of strangers and evil-doers: for he was assured by his God that He would not allow her to suffer violence or disgrace. Nor was he disappointed in his faith and hope; for Pharaoh, terrified by strange occurrences, and after enduring many evils on account of her, when he was informed by God that Sara was Abraham's wife, restored her with honor uninjured. Abimelech also did the same, after learning the truth in a dream.

Edition Masquer
Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

33.

Quod autem iustum et fidelem virum matrimonii sui infamissimum nundinatorem appellans avaritiae ac ventris causa duobus regibus Abimelech et Pharaoni diversis temporibus Saram coniugem suam sororem mentitum, quia erat pulcherrima, in concubitum asserit venditasse, non ore veredico a turpitudine separat honestatem, sed ore maledico totum vertit in crimen. p. 627,11 Hoc enim Abrahae factum lenocinio simile videtur, sed non valentibus ex illius aeternae legis lumine a peccatis recte facta discernere; quibus et constantia pertinacia videri potest et virtus fiduciae vitium putatur audaciae et quaecumque similiter obiciuntur quasi non recte agentibus a non recte cernentibus. Neque enim Abraham flagitio consensit uxoris eiusque vendidit adulterium, sed sicut illa famulam suam non libidini mariti permisit, sed officio generandi ultro intulit nequaquam turbato ordine naturali, ubi eius potestas erat, iubens potius oboedienti quam cedens concupiscenti, sic et ipse coniugem castam et casto corde sibi cohaerentem, de cuius animo, ubi pudicitiae virtus habitabat, nullo modo dubitabat, tacuit uxorem, dixit sororem, ne se occiso ab alienigenis atque impiis captiva possideretur, certus de deo suo, quod nihil eam turpe ac flagitiosum perpeti sineret. p. 627,25 Nec eum fides ac spes fefellit; namque Pharao territus monstris multisque propter eam malis afflictus, ubi eius uxorem divinitus didicit, illaesam cum honore restituit; Abimelech autem somno commonitus et edoctus similiter fecit.