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Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres
53.
Ad hoc valet, quod scriptum est: Concupisti sapientiam, serva mandata, et dominus praebet illam tibi, mandata utique ad iustitiam pertinentia, iustitiam autem, quae ex fide est, quae inter temptationum incerta versatur, ut pie credendo, quod nondum intellegit, etiam intellegentiae meritum consequatur. p. 647,18 Quantum enim valet, quod modo commemoravi esse scriptum: Concupisti sapientiam, serva mandata, et dominus praebet illam tibi, tantum et illud valere arbitror: Nisi credideritis, non intellegetis, ut iustitia ad fidem, ad sapientiam vero intellegentia pertinere monstretur. Proinde in his qui flagrant ingenti amore perspicuae veritatis, non est improbandum studium, sed ad ordinem revocandum, ut a fide incipiat et bonis moribus nitatur pervenire, quo tendit. p. 648,4 In eo quippe, quod versatur, virtus est laboriosa; in eo vero, quod appetit, luminosa sapientia. Quid opus est inquit credere, quod non mihi ostenditur manifestum? Aliquod verbum prome, quo videam rerum omnium principium! Id enim est, in quod maxime ac primitus inardescit, si veri studiosus est animus rationalis. Cui respondeatur: Pulchrum est quidem, quod desideras, et amari dignissimum, sed prius nubit Lia et postea Rachel. Ardor ergo iste ad id valeat, ut ordo non recusetur, sed potius toleretur, sine quo non potest ad id perveniri, quod tanto ardore diligitur. Cum autem perventum fuerit, simul habebitur in hoc saeculo non solum speciosa intellegentia, sed etiam laboriosa iustitia. Quamlibet enim acute sinceriterque cernatur a mortalibus incommutabile bonum, adhuc corpus, quod corrumpitur, aggravat animam et deprimit terrena inhabitatio sensum multa cogitantem. p. 648,19 Ad unum ergo tendendum, sed propter hoc multa ferenda sunt.
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Reply to Faustus the Manichaean
53.
To this purpose it is written: "Thou hast desired wisdom; keep the commandments, and the Lord shall give it thee." 1 The commandments are those concerning righteousness, and the righteousness is that which is by faith, surrounded with the uncertainty of temptations; so that understanding is the reward of a pious belief of what is not yet understood. The meaning I have given to these words, "Thou hast desired wisdom; keep the commandments, and the Lord shall give it thee," I find also in the passage, "Unless ye believe, ye shall not understand;" 2 showing that as righteousness is by faith, understanding comes by wisdom. Accordingly, in the case of those who eagerly demand evident truth, we must not condemn the desire, but regulate it, so that beginning with faith it may proceed to the desired end through good works. The life of virtue is one of toil; the end desired is unclouded wisdom. Why should I believe, says one, what is not clearly proved? Let me hear some word which will disclose the first principle of all things. This is the one great craving of the rational soul in the pursuit of truth. And the answer is, What you desire is excellent, and well worthy of your love; but Leah is to be married first, and then Rachel. The proper effect of your eagerness is to lead you to submit to the right method, instead of rebelling against it; for without this method you cannot attain what you so eagerly long for. And when it is attained, the possession of the lovely form of knowledge will be in this world accompanied with the toils of righteousness. For however clear and true our perception in this life may be of the unchangeable good, the mortal body is still a weight on the mind and the earthly tabernacle is a clog on the intellect in its manifold activity. The end then, is one, but many things must be gone through for the sake of it.