even of wings and feathers a shield too, Or will you say that these three are not of one and sword, and helmet, and all the other in- and the same nature, but that the Father is of numerable things. And the more progress one, the kingdoms of another, and the region they make in this understanding, the more of another, so that each has a peculiar nature are they confirmed as Catholics. The Mani- and substance, and that they are arranged chæans, on the other hand, when they abandon according to their degree of excellence? their material fancies, cease to be Manichæans. If this is true, Manichæus should have taught For this is the chief and special point in their that there are four natures, not two; or if the praises of Manichæus, that the divine mys- Father and the kingdoms have one nature, teries which were taught figuratively in books and the region only one of its own, he should from ancient times were kept for Manichæus, have made three. Or if he made only two, who was to come last, to solve and demon- because the region of darkness does not bestrate; and so after him no other teacher will long to God, in what sense does the region of come from God, for he has said nothing in light belong to God? For if it has a nature figures or parables, but has explained ancient of its own, and if God neither generated nor sayings of that kind, and has himself taught in made it, it does not belong to Him, and the plain, simple terms. Therefore, when the Man- seat of His kingdom is in what belongs to ichæans hear these words of their founder, another. Or if it belongs to Him because of on one side and border of the shining and its vicinity, the region of darkness must do sacred region was the region of darkness, they so too; for it not only borders on the region have no interpretations to fall back on. of light, but penetrates it so as to sever it in Wherever they turn, the wretched bondage two. Again, if God generated it, it cannot of their own fancies brings them upon clefts have a separate nature. For what is gen

or sudden stoppages and joinings or sunder-erated by God must be what God is, as the ings of the most unseemly kind, which it Catholic Church believes of the only begotten would be shocking to believe as true of any Son. So you are brought back of necessity immaterial nature, even though mutable, like to that shocking and detestable profanity, the mind, not to speak of the immutable that the wedge of darkness sunders not a nature of God. And yet if I were unable to region distinct and separate from God, but rise to higher things, and to bring my the very nature of God. Or if God did not thoughts from the entanglement of false im- generate, but make it, of what did He make aginations which are impressed on the mem- it? Or if of Himself, what is this but to genory by the bodily senses, into the freedom erate? If of some other nature, was this and purity of spiritual existence, how much nature good or evil? If good, there must better would it be to think of God as in the have been some good nature not belonging form of a man, than to fasten that wedge of to God; which you will scarcely have the darkness to His lower edge, and, for want of boldness to assert. If evil, the race of darka covering for the boundless vacuity above to ness cannot have been the only evil nature. leave it void and unoccupied throughout in- Or did God take a part of that region and finite space! What notion could be worse turn it into a region of light, in order to found than this? What darker error can be taught or His kingdom upon it? If He had, He would imagined? have taken the whole, and there would have been no evil nature left. If God, then, did not make the region of light of a substance distinct from His own, He must have made it of nothing.'

CHAP. 24.-OF THE NUMBER OF NATURES IN
THE MANICHEAN FICTION.

CHAP. 25.

OMNIPOTENCE CREATES GOOD THINGS DIFFERING IN DEGREE. IN EVERY DESCRIPTION WHATSOEVER OF THE JUNCTION OF THE TWO REGIONS THERE IS EITHER IMPROPRIETY OR ABSURDITY.

26. Again, I wish to know, when I read of God the Father and His kingdoms founded on the shining and happy region, whether the Father and His kingdoms, and the region, are all of the same nature and substance. If they are, then it is not another nature or sort of body of God which the wedge of the race of darkness cleaves and penetrates, which itself is an unspeakably revolting thing, but it is actually the very nature of God which undergoes this. Think of this, I beseech you: as you are men, think of it, and flee from it; and if by tearing open your breasts you can cast out by the roots such profane fancies from your faith, I pray you to do it. with the kingdom and the region of light. See Introduction.

27. If, then, you are now convinced that God is able to create some good thing out of nothing, come into the Catholic Church, and learn that all the natures which God has created and founded in their order of excel

[There is sufficient reason to think that Mani identified God A. H. N.]

ficulty with them,-but to this Fundamental Epistle which we are now considering, with which all of you who are called enlightened are usually quite familiar. Here the words are: "On one side the border of the shining and sacred region was the region of darkness, deep and boundless in extent."

CHAP. 26.—THE MANICHEANS ARE REDUCED

TO THE CHOICE OF A TORTUOUS, OR CURVED,
CR STRAIGHT LINE OF JUNCTION, THE THIRD
KIND OF LINE WOULD GIVE SYMMETRY AND
BEAUTY SUITABLE TO BOTH REGIONS.

lence from the highest to the lowest are good, of only a few, there might not be so much difand some better than others; and that they were made of nothing, though God, their Maker, made use of His own wisdom as an instrument, so to speak, to give being to what was not, and that as far as it had being it might be good, and that the limitation of its being might show that it was not begotten by God, but made out of nothing. If you examine the matter, you will find nothing to keep you from agreeing to this. For you cannot make your region of light to be what God is, without making the dark section an infringement on the very nature of God. Nor can you say that it was generated by God, with- What more is to be got? we have now out being reduced to the same enormity, from heard what is on the border. Make what the necessity of concluding that as begotten shape you please, draw any kind of lines you of God, it must be what God is. Nor can like, it is certain that the junction of this you say that it was distinct from Him, lest boundless mass of the region of darkness to you should be forced to admit that God placed the region of light must have been either by a His kingdom in what did not belong to Him, straight line, or a curved, or a tortuous one. and that there are three natures. Nor can you If the line of junction is tortuous the side of say that God made it of a substance distinct the region of light must also be tortuous; from His own, without making something otherwise its straight side joined to a tortuous good besides God, or something evil besides one would leave gaps of infinite depth, instead the race of darkness. It remains, therefore of having vacuity only above the land of darkthat you must confess that God made the region of light out of nothing: and you are unwilling to believe this; because if God could make out of nothing some great good which yet was inferior to Himself, He could also, since He is good, and grudges no good, make another good inferior to the former, and again a third inferior to the second, and so on, in order down to the lowest good of created natures, so that the whole aggregate, instead of extending indefinitely without number or measure, should have a fixed and definite consistency. Again, if you will not allow this either, that God made the region of light out of nothing, you will have no escape from the shocking profanities to which your opinions lead.

ness, as we were told before. And if there were such gaps, how much better it would have been for the region of light to have been still more distant, and to have had a greater vacuity between, so that the region of darkness might not touch it at all! Then there might have been such a gap of bottomless depth, that, on the rise of any mischief in that race, although the chiefs of darkness might have the foolhardy wish to cross over, they would fall headlong into the gap (for bodies cannot fly without air to support them); and as there is infinite space downwards, they could do no more harm, though they might live for ever, for they would be for ever falling. Again, if the line of junction was a curved one, the re28. Perhaps, since the carnal imagination gion of light must also have had the disfigurecan fancy any shapes it likes, you might be ment of a curve to answer it. Or if the land able to devise some other form for the junc- of darkness were curved inwards like a theation of the two regions, instead of presenting tre, there would be as much disfigurement in to the mind such a disagreeable and painful the corresponding line in the region of light. description as this, that the region of God, Or if the region of darkness had a curved line, whether it be of the same nature as God or not, and the region of light a straight one, they where at least God's kingdoms are founded, cannot have touched at all points. And cerlies through immensity in such a huge mass tainly, as I said before, it would have been that its members stretch loosely to an infinite better if they had not touched, and if there extent, and that on their lower part that wedge was such a gap between that the regions might of the region of darkness, itself of boundless be kept distinctly separate, and that rash evilsize encroaches upon them. But whatever other doers might fall headlong so as to be harmform you contrive for the junction of these less. If, then, the line of junction was a straight two regions, you cannot erase what Manichæus one, there remain, of course, no more gaps has written. I refer not to other treatises or grooves, but, on the contrary, so perfect a where a more particular description is given,for perhaps, because they are in the hands

junction as to make the greatest possible peace and harmony between the two regions. What

speak of them as having no connection with God, the author of all good things, is to lose sight of the excellence of the order in the things, and of the great evil of the error which leads to such a conclusion.

CHAP. 30.-THE NUMBER OF GOOD THINGS IN

THOSE NATURES WHICH MANICHEUS PLACES
IN THE REGION OF DARKNESS.

Beyond this were muddy turbid waters, with their inhabitants; and inside of them winds terrible and violent, with their prince and their progenitors. Then, again, a fiery region of destruction, with its chiefs and peoples. And, similarly, inside of this a race full of smoke and gloom, where abode the dreadful prince and chief of all, having around him innumerable princes, himself the mind and source of them all. Such are the five natures of the 33. "But," is the reply, "the orders of pestiferous region." We find here five na- beings inhabiting those five natures were tures mentioned as part of one nature, which fierce and destructive." As if I were praishe calls the pestiferous region. The natures ing their fierceness and destructiveness. I, are darkness, waters, winds, fire, smoke; you see, join with you in condemning the which he so arranges as to make darkness evils you attribute to them; join you with first, beginning at the outside. Inside of me in praising the good things which you darkness he puts the waters; inside of the ascribe to them: so it will appear that waters, the winds; inside of the winds, the there is a mixture of good and evil in what fire; inside of the fire, the smoke. And each you call the last extremity of evil. If I of these natures had its peculiar kind of inhabitants, which were likewise five in number. For to the question, Whether there was only one kind in all, or different kinds corresponding to the different natures; the reply is, that they were different: as in other books we find it stated that the darkness had serpents; the waters swimming creatures, such as fish; the winds flying creatures, such as birds; the fire quadrupeds, such as horses, lions, and the like; the smoke bipeds, such as men.

CHAP. 29.—THE REFUTATION OF THIS ABSURD

ITY.

join you in condemning what is mischievous in this region, you must join with me in praising what is beneficial. For these beings could not have been produced, or nourished, or have continued to inhabit that region, without some salutary influence. I join with you in condemning the darkness; join with me in praising the productiveness. For while you call the darkness immeasurable, you speak of "suitable productions." Darkness, indeed, is not a real substance, and means no more than the absence of light, as nakedness means the want of clothing, and emptiness the want of material contents: so that darkness could 32. Whose arrangement, then, is this? produce nothing, although a region in darkWho made the distinctions and the classifi- ness-that is, in the absence of light-might cation? Who gave the number, the qualities, produce something. But passing over this the forms, the life? For all these things are for the present, it is certain that where proin themselves good, nor could each of the ductions arise there must be a beneficent natures have them except from the bestowal adaptation of substances, as well as a symof God, the author of all good things. For metrical arrangement and construction in this is not like the descriptions or suppositions unity of the members of the beings produced, of poets about an imaginary chaos, as being a wise adjustment making them agree with a shapeless mass, without form, without qual-one another. And who will deny that all ity, without measurement, without weight and these things are more to be praised than number, without order and variety; a confused something, absolutely destitute of qualities, so that some Greek writers call it azotov. So far from being like this is the Manichæan description of the region of darkness, as they call it, that, in a directly contrary style, they add side to side, and join border to border; they number five natures; they separate, arrange, and as sign to each its own qualities. Nor do they leave the natures barren or waste, but people them with their proper inhabitants; and to these, again, they give suitable forms, and adapted to their place of habitation, besides giving the chief of all endowments, life. To recount such good things as these, and to

darkness is to be condemned? If I join with you in condemning the muddiness of the waters, you must join with me in praising the waters as far as they possessed the form and quality of water, and also the agreement of the members of the inhabitants swimming in the waters, their life sustaining and directing their body, and every particular adaptation of substances for the benefit of health. For though you find fault with the waters as turbid and muddy, still, in allowing them the quality of producing and maintaining their living inhabitants, you imply that there was some kind of bodily form, and similarity of parts, giving unity and congruity of character; otherwise there could be no body at all: and,

as a rational being, you must see that all these you must allow to be commendable? For he things are to be praised. And however great had a soul and a body; the soul life-giving, you make the ferocity of these inhabitants, and the body endowed with life. Since the and their massacrings and devastations in soul governed and the body obeyed, the soul their assaults, you still leave them the regular took the lead and the body followed; the soul limits of form, by which the members of each gave consistency, the body was not dissolved; body are made to agree together, and their the soul gave harmonious motion, and the beneficial adaptations, and the regulating body was constructed of a well-proportioned power of the living principle binding together framework of members. In this single prince the parts of the body in a friendly and har- are you not induced to express approval of monious union. And if all these are regarded the orderly peace or the peaceful order? with common sense it will be seen that they And what applies to one applies to all the are more to be commended than the faults are rest. You say he was fierce and cruel to to be condemned. I join with you in con- others. This is not what I commend, but demning the frightfulness of the winds; join the other important things which you will not with me in praising their nature, as giving take notice of. Those things, when perceived breath and nourishment, and their material and considered, after advice by any one who form in its continuousness and diffusion by has without consideration put faith in Manithe connection of its parts: for by these chæus,-lead him to a clear conviction that, things these winds had the power of produc-in speaking of those natures, he speaks of ing and nourishing, and sustaining in vigor things good in a sense, not perfect and unthese inhabitants you speak of; and also in created, like God the one Trinity, nor of the these inhabitants-besides the other things higher rank of created things, like the holy which have already been commended in all angels and the ever-blessed powers; but of animated creatures-this particular power of the lowest class, and ranked according to the going quickly and easily whence and whither small measure of their endowments. These they please, and the harmonious stroke of things are thought to be blameworthy by the their wings in flight, and their regular motion. uninstructed when they compare them with I join with you in condemning the destructive- higher things; and in view of their want of ness of fire; join with me in commending the some good, the good they have gets the name productiveness of this fire, and the growth of of evil, because it is defective. My reason these productions, and the adaptation of the also for thus discussing the natures enufire to the beings produced, so that they had merated by Manichæus is that the things coherence, and came to perfection in measure named are things familiar to us in this world. and shape, and could live and have their We are familiar with darkness, waters, winds, abode there: for you see that all these things fire, smoke; we are familiar, too, with anideserve admiration and praise, not only in mals, creeping, swimming, flying; with quadthe fire which is thus habitable, but in the in- rupeds and biped. With the exception of habitants too. I join with you in condemn- darkness (which, as I have said already, is ing the denseness of smoke, and the savage nothing but the absence of light, and the percharacter of the prince who, as you say, abode ception of it is only the absence of sight, as in it; join with me in praising the similarity the perception of silence is the absence of of all the parts in this very smoke, by which it hearing; not that darkness is anything, but preserves the harmony and proportion of its that light is not, as neither that silence is parts among themselves, according to its own anything, but that sound is not), all the other nature, and has an unity which makes it what things are natural qualities and are familiar it is: for no one can calmly reflect on these to all; and the form of those natures, which things without wonder and praise. Besides, is commendable and good as far as it exists, even to the smoke you give the power and no wise man attributes to any other author energy of production, for you say that princes than God, the author of all good things.' inhabited it; so that in that region the smoke is productive, which never happens here, and, moreover, affords a wholesome dwelling place to its inhabitants.

CHAP. 31. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

34. And even in the prince of smoke himself, instead of mentioning only his ferocity as a bad quality, ought you not to have taken notice of the other things in his nature which

CHAP. 32.-MANICHEUS GOT THE ARRANGE

MENT OF HIS FANCIFUL NOTIONS FROM VISI-
BLE OBJECTS,

35. For in giving to these natures which he has learned from visible things, an arrange

[This portion of the argument is conducted with great adroitness. Augustin takes the inhabitants of the region of darkness, as Mani describes them, and proves that they possess so much of good that they can have no other author than God.-A. H. N.]