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Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

6.

I am, however, addressing not merely men who fail to do what they are commanded, but the members of a deluded sect. For the precepts of Manichaeus are such that, if you do not keep them, you are deceivers; if you do keep them, you are deceived. Christ never taught you that you should not pluck a vegetable for fear of committing homicide; for when His disciples were hungry when passing through a field of corn, He did not forbid them to pluck the ears on the Sabbath-day; which was a rebuke to the Jews of the time since the action was on Sabbath; and a rebuke in the action itself to the future Manichaeans. The precept of Manichaeus, however, only requires you to do nothing while others commit homicide for you; though the real homicide is that of ruining miserable souls by such doctrines of devils.

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Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

6.

Sed ne in homines potius non implentes ea, quae sibi praecipiuntur, quam in ipsam sectam vanissimi erroris me ista dicere quisquam reprehendat, hoc dico: Talia sunt ipsa praecepta Manichaei, ut si ea non faciatis, deceptores, si autem faciatis, decepti sitis. Neque enim Christus vobis praecepit, ut herbam non evellatis, ne homicidium perpetretis, qui discipulos suos per segetem transeuntes et esurientes vellere spicas sabbato non prohibuit, unde convinceret et praesentes Iudaeos et futuros Manichaeos: illos, quia sabbato fiebat, illos, quia fiebat. Sed plane Manichaeus praecepit, ut otiosis manibus vestris de homicidiis vivatis alienis. Et illa quidem falsa sunt homicidia, sed vestra sunt vera, cum tali daemoniorum doctrina miseras animas trucidatis.