Not to touch a woman he shows is highest when he says, "I would that all men were even as I myself." But next to this highest is conjugal chastity, that man may not be the prey of fornication. Did he say that these people were not yet believers because they were married? Indeed, by this conjugal chastity he says that those who are united are sanctified by one another, if one of them is an unbeliever, and that their children also are sanctified. "The unbelieving husband," he says, "is sanctified by the believing wife, and the unbelieving woman by the believing husband: otherwise your children would be unclean; but now are they holy."3 Why do you persist in opposition to such plain truth? Why do you try to darken the light of Scripture by vain shadows? not the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." By the washed and sanctified, no one, assuredly, will venture to think any are meant but believers, and those who have renounced this world. But, after showing to whom he writes, let us see whether he allows these things to them. He goes on: "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meat for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. But God raised up the Lord, and will raise us up also by His own power. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an 80. Do not say that catechumens are alharlot? God forbid. Know ye not that he lowed to have wives, but not believers; that which is joined to an harlot is made one catechumens may have money, but body? for the twain, saith He, shall be one believers. For there are many who use as flesh. But he that is joined to the Lord is not using. And in that sacred washing the one spirit. Flee fornication. Whatever sin renewal of the new man is begun so as grada man doeth is without the body: but he that ually to reach perfection, in some more committeth fornication sinneth against his quickly. in others more slowly. The proown body. Know ye not that your members gress, however, to a new life is made in the are the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in case of many, if we view the matter without you, which ye have of God, and ye are not hostility, but attentively. As the apostle your own? For ye are bought with a great says of himself, "Though the outward man price: glorify God, and carry Him in your perish, the inward man is renewed day by body." I "But of the things concerning day." The apostle says that the inward which ye wrote to me: it is good for a man man is renewed day by day that it may reach not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid perfection; and you wish it to begin with fornication, let every man have his own wife, perfection! And it were well if you did wish and let every woman have her own husband. it. In reality, you aim not at raising the Let the husband render unto the wife due weak, but at misleading the unwary. You benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto ought not to have spoken so arrogantly, even the husband. The wife hath not power of if it were known that you are perfect in your her own body, but the husband: and likewise childish precepts. But when your conscience also the husband hath not power of his own knows that those whom you bring into your body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the sect, when they come to a more intimate acother, except it be with consent for a time, quaintance with you, will find many things in that ye may have leisure for prayer; and you which nobody hearing you accuse others come together again, that Satan tempt you would suspect, is it not great impertinence to not for your incontinency. But I speak this demand perfection in the weaker Catholics, by permission, and not of commandment. to turn away the inexperienced from the For I would that all men were even as I my- Catholic Church, while you show nothing of self: but every man hath his proper gift of the kind in yourself to those thus turned God, one after this manner, and another after that." 2 away? But not to seem to inveigh against you without reason, I will now close this volume, and will proceed at last to set forth the precepts of your life and your notable customs. ST. AUGUSTIN: ON THE MORALS OF THE MANICHEANS. [DE MORIBUS MANICHÆORUM]. A.D. 388. TRANSLATED BY REV. RICHARD STOTHERT, M. A., BOMBAY. CONTENTS OF THE MORALS OF THE MANICHÆANS. CHAP. I.—The supreme good is that which is possessed of supreme existence. CHAP. II.-What evil is. That evil is that which is against nature. In allowing this, the Manichæans CHAP. IV. The difference between what is good in itself and what is good by participation. CHAP. V.—If evil is defined to be corruption, this completely refutes the Manichæan heresy. CHAP. VI.-What corruption affects, and what it is. . . CHAP. VII.-The goodness of God prevents corruption from bringing anvthing to non-existence. difference between creating and forming. CHAP. VIII.-Evil is not a substance, but a disagreement hostile to substance. CHAP. IX.—The Manichæan fictions about things good and evil are not consistent with themselves. CHAP. X.-Three moral symbols devised by the Manichæans for no good. CHAP. XI.-The value of the symbol of the mouth among the Manichæans, who are found guilty of CHAP. XVI.-Disclosure of the monstrous tenets of the Manichæans. CHAP. XVII.-Description of the symbol of the hands among the Manichæans. 89 |