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Reply to Faustus the Manichaean

9.

Those evangelical precepts of peculiar sublimity which you make people who know no better believe that you obey, are really obeyed by multitudes in our communion. Are there not among us many of both sexes who have entirely refrained from sexual intercourse, and many formerly married who practise continence? Are there not many others who give largely of their property, or give it up altogether, and many who keep the body in subjection by fasts, either frequent or daily, or protracted beyond belief? Then there are fraternities whose members have no property of their own, but all things common, including only things necessary for food and clothing, living with one soul and one heart towards God, inflamed with a common feeling of charity. In all such professions many turn out to be deceivers and reprobates, while many who are so are never discovered; many, too, who at first walk well, fall away rapidly from willfulness. Many are found in times of trial to have adopted this kind of life with another intention than they professed; and again, many in humility and steadfastness persevere in their course to the end, and are saved. There are apparent diversities in these societies; but one charity unites all who, from some necessity, in obedience to the apostle's injunction, have their wives as if they had them not, and buy as if they bought not, and use this world as if they used it not. With these are joined, in the abundant riches of God's mercy, the inferior class of those to whom it is said, "Defraud not one another, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment." ¹ To such the same apostle also says, "Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, that ye go to law one with another;" while, in consideration of their infirmity, he adds, "If ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the Church." ² For in the kingdom of heaven there are not only those who, that they may be perfect, sell or leave all they have and follow the Lord; but others in the partnership of charity are joined like a mercenary force to the Christian army, to whom it will be said at last, "I was hungry, and ye gave me meat," and so on. Otherwise, there would be no salvation for those to whom the apostle gives so many anxious and particular directions about their families, telling the wives to be obedient to their husbands, and husbands to love their wives; children to obey their parents, and parents to bring up their children in the instruction and admonition of the Lord; servants to obey with fear their masters according to the flesh, and masters to render to their servants what is just and equal. The apostle is far from condemning such people as regardless of gospel precepts, or unworthy of eternal life. For where the Lord exhorts the strong to attain perfection, saying, "If any man take not up his cross and follow me, he cannot be my disciple," He immediately adds, for the consolation of the weak, "Whoso receiveth a just man in the name of a just man shall receive a just man's reward; and whoso receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward." So that not only he who gives Timothy a little wine for his stomach's sake, and his frequent infirmities, but he who gives to a strong man a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, shall not lose his reward. ³

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Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres

9.

Quam multi autem in nostra communione veraciter faciunt ista sublimiora praecepta evangelica, de quorum specie fallitis imperitos! Quam multi homines utriusque sexus ab omni concubitu puri atque integri, quam multi experti et postea continentes, quam multi rerum suarum distributores et relictores, quam multi ieiuniis vel crebris vel cotidianis vel etiam incredibiliter continuatis corpus servituti subicientes! Quam multae fraternae congregationes nihil habentes proprium, sed omnia communia, et haec nonnisi ad victum et tegumentum necessaria unam animam et cor unum in deum caritatis igne conflantes! Atque in his omnibus professionibus quam multi fallaces et perditi deprehenduntur, quam multi etiam latent, quam multi primo recte ambulantes perversa voluntate cito deficiunt! p. 281,14 Quam multi in temptationibus inveniuntur, quod alio animo talem vitam adumbrata specie susceperunt, et quam multi humiliter et fideliter sanctum custodientes propositum usque ad finem perseverant et salvi fiunt! In quorum societate quasi dispares apparent, sed tamen eadem caritate copulantur, qui propter aliquam necessitudinem secundum apostoli exhortationem habent uxores tamquam non habentes et emunt tamquam non tenentes et utuntur hoc mundo tamquam non utentes. His subiunguntur secundum abundantes divitias misericordiae dei etiam illi, quibus dicitur: Nolite fraudare invicem nisi ex consensu ad tempus, ut vacetis orationi, et iterum ad id ipsum estote, ne vos temptet satanas propter intemperantiam vestram; hoc autem dico secundum veniam, non secundum imperium. p. 281,27 Qualibus etiam idem apostolus dicit: Iam quidem omnino delictum est, quia iudicia habetis vobiscum. Et eorum portans infirmitatem paulo post dicit: Saecularia igitur iudicia si habueritis, eos qui contemptibiles sunt in ecclesia hos conlocate. Neque enim illi soli, qui ut sint perfecti, vendunt vel dimittunt omnia sua et sequuntur dominum, pertinent ad regnum caelorum, sed huic militiae christianae propter quoddam quasi commercium caritatis subiungitur etiam quaedam stipendiaria multitudo, cui dicetur in fine: Esurivi et dedistis mihi manducare et cetera. Alioquin damnandi erunt illi, quorum domus tam diligenti et sollicita cura componit apostolus monens mulieres subditas esse viris suis, viros diligere uxores suas, filios obtemperare parentibus, parentes filios nutrire in disciplina et correptione domini, servos oboedire cum metu dominis carnalibus, dominos quod iustum est et aequum servis praestare. p. 282,14 Sed absit, ut istos a mandatis evangelicis alienos et a vita aeterna separandos iudicet, quia ubi ait dominus : Si quis non tulerit crucem suam et secutus me fuerit, non potest esse discipulus meus, exhortans firmiores ad perfectionem, ibi statim et istos consolatus est dicens: qui receperit iustum in nomine iusti, mercedem iusti accipiet; et qui receperit prophetam in nomine prophetae, mercedem prophetae accipiet. Unde non tantum qui modicum vini Timotheo dederit propter stomachum et frequentes infirmitates eius, sed etiam qui saniori atque fortiori calicem aquae frigidae porrexerit tantum in nomine discipuli, sicut ibi sequitur, non perdet mercedem suam. p. 282,27