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Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

60.

Ceterum Loth frater, id est consanguineus Abrahae, nequaquam istis comparandus est, de quibus deus dicit: Ego sum deus Abraham et deus Isaac et deus Iacob, nec in eorum numero deputandus, quibus illa scriptura usque in finem perhibet iustitiae testimonium, p. 655,15 quamvis inter Sodomitas pie casteque versatus, hospitalitatis etiam meritis commendatus ab illius terrae incendio liberatus sit et eius posteris terra possessionis propter Abraham, qui patruus eius fuerat, dono dei data sit. Haec nobis merita in illis libris laudanda proponuntur, non ebrietas, non incestus; sed cum hominis eiusdem et recte factum et peccatum scriptum invenimus, aliud insinuatur imitandum, aliud praecavendum. Porro si peccatum Loth, cui perhibitum est, antequam peccaret, iustitiae testimonium, non modo non decolorat divinitatem dei vel scripturae illius veritatem, verum etiam laudandam diligendamque commendat, quod tamquam speculi fidelis nitor admotarum sibi personarum non solum, quae pulchra atque integra, verum etiam quae deformia vitiosaque sint, indicat, p. 655,28 quanto magis factum Iudae, quod cum sua nuru concubuit, nihil omnino affert, unde auctoritas sancta culpetur, quae in illis libris fundata persistens non tantum paucissimorum Manichaeorum calumniosas argutias, verum etiam gentilium tot tantorumque populorum horrendas inimicitias divino iure contemnit, quos paene iam totos a nefaria superstitione simulacrorum ad unius dei veri cultum christiano imperio subiugavit edomito orbe terrarum non violentia bellici certaminis, sed invictae potentia veritatis. Ubi enim litterarum illarum laudatus est Iudas? Quid de illo boni scriptura illa testata est, nisi quod in prophetia Christi, qui ex eius tribu praenuntiabatur in carne venturus, benedictione patris sui prae ceteris commendatus eminuit? p. 656,17

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Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

60.

It should be added that Lot, the brother, that is the blood relation, of Abraham, is not to be ranked as equal to those of whom God says, "I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob;" nor does he belong to those testified to in Scripture as having continued righteous to the end, although in Sodom he lived a pious and virtuous life, and showed a praiseworthy hospitality, so that he was rescued from the fire, and a land was given by God to his seed to dwell in, for the sake of his uncle Abraham. On these accounts he is commended in Scripture--not for intemperance or incest. But when we find bad and good actions recorded of the same person, we must take warning from the one, and example from the other. As, then, the sin of Lot, of whom we are told that he was righteous previous to this sin, instead of bringing a stain on the character of God, or the truth of Scripture, rather calls on us to approve and admire the record in its resemblance to a faithful mirror, which reflects not only the beauties and perfections, but also the faults and deformities, of those who approach it; still more, in the case of Judah, who lay with his daughter-in-law, we may see how groundless are the reproaches cast on the narrative. The sacred record has an authority which raises it far above not merely the cavils of a handful of Manichaeans, but the determined enmity of the whole Gentile world; for, in confirmation of its claims, we see that already it has brought nearly all people from their idolatrous superstitions to the worship of one God, according to the rule of Christianity. It has conquered the world, not by violence and warfare, but by the resistless force of truth. Where, then, is Judah praised in Scripture? Where is anything good said of him, except that in the blessing pronounced by his father he is distinguished above the rest, because of the prophecy that Christ would come in the flesh from his tribe? ¹