Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers First Series, St. Augustine: The Writings Against the Manichaeans, and Against the DonatistsPhilip Schaff "The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD marked the beginning of a new era in Christianity. For the first time, doctrines were organized into a single creed. The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers did most of their writing during and after this important event in Church history. Unlike the previous era of Christian writing, the Nicene and Post-Nicene era is dominated by a few very important and prolific writers. In Volume IV of the 14-volume collected writings of the Nicenes and Post-Nicenes (first published between 1886 and 1889), readers will find Augustines writings defending the Catholic church against the Manichaeans and the Donatists. Manichaeanism was a religion developed in Persia by the prophet Mani. According to this religion, creation has two parts: darkness and light. Light is God and has ten attributes. Opposing this, and coeternal with it, is darkness and its five attributes. Saint Augustine was originally a Manichaean, so his defense of Christianity against this religion comes from a deep understanding of its nature. Donatists were a group of believers who refused to forgive those who had renounced their faith during a time of persecution, which caused a schism in Christianity. In opposing these men, Augustine attempted to mend the rift. Those with an interest in ancient religions will find Augustines writings on Manichaeanism one of the most important historical records of that religions practices." |
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Page 6
... proved ) , they are in form a fiction from the first quarter of the fourth century ( about 320 ) , by a Syrian ... prove that the Gospel vari- ations of Archelaus are taken from Tatian's Diatessaron . ST . AUGUSTIN ( d . 430 , the ...
... proved ) , they are in form a fiction from the first quarter of the fourth century ( about 320 ) , by a Syrian ... prove that the Gospel vari- ations of Archelaus are taken from Tatian's Diatessaron . ST . AUGUSTIN ( d . 430 , the ...
Page 15
... prove himself , and that if he sees that he is able to subdue lust and avarice , to leave off the eating of all kinds of flesh , the drinking of wine , and connubial in- tercourse , and to withhold himself from what is injurious in ...
... prove himself , and that if he sees that he is able to subdue lust and avarice , to leave off the eating of all kinds of flesh , the drinking of wine , and connubial in- tercourse , and to withhold himself from what is injurious in ...
Page 18
... prove that the " Elect " were initiated by baptism is inconclusive . Augustin acknowledges that God and the Manichæans themselves alone know what takes place in the secret meetings of the Elect . " Whatever ceremonies they performed ...
... prove that the " Elect " were initiated by baptism is inconclusive . Augustin acknowledges that God and the Manichæans themselves alone know what takes place in the secret meetings of the Elect . " Whatever ceremonies they performed ...
Page 34
... prove that Hierax was not a Manichæan , though some of his opinions approximated to this heresy . The whole subject of the Manichæam literature is treated by Lardner ( Works , iii . p . 374 ) , with the learning of Beausobre and more ...
... prove that Hierax was not a Manichæan , though some of his opinions approximated to this heresy . The whole subject of the Manichæam literature is treated by Lardner ( Works , iii . p . 374 ) , with the learning of Beausobre and more ...
Page 45
... prove it ; and as for should either exceed or come short in fervor . the second , those prevaricators who fly off at " With all thy heart , " He says . Nor is that a tangent will be brought to agree with me , enough . With all thy soul ...
... prove it ; and as for should either exceed or come short in fervor . the second , those prevaricators who fly off at " With all thy heart , " He says . Nor is that a tangent will be brought to agree with me , enough . With all thy soul ...
Contents
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125 | |
The beauty of the straight line might be taken from the region of darkness without taking anything from its substance So evil neither takes from nor ... | 142 |
Evil alone is corruption Corruption is not nature but contrary to nature Corrup tion implies previous good | 147 |
God alone perfectly good | 148 |
In what sense evils are from God | 149 |
Corruption is by Gods permission and comes from us | 150 |
Tim ii 24 25 | 157 |
Written after the year 404 It is put in the Retractations immediately after the De Actis | 387 |
BOOK I | 401 |
CONCERNING THE NATURE OF GOOD AGAINST THE MANICHÆANS | 457 |
The refutation of this absurdity | 143 |
The same subject continued | 144 |
Every nature as nature is good | 145 |
Nature cannot be without some good The Manichæans dwell upon the evils | 146 |
THE ANTIDONATIST WRITINGS | 515 |
THE CORRECTION OF THE DONATISTS | 629 |
INDEX TO THE ANTIDONATIST WRITINGS 667675 | 667 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abraham according animals apostle says AUGUSTIN answered authority baptism of Christ baptized believe better bishop blessed body born called carnal Carth Catholic Church CHAP charity Christian Circumcelliones circumcision command communion Conc condemned confess corruption curse Cypr Cyprian death defiled devil divine doctrine Donatists Donatus earth ecclesiastical province epistle error eternal evil faith false Father Faustus flesh follow fulfilled Gentiles give gospel heart heaven heresy heretics Holy Spirit Jews John judgment kingdom light Lord Manichæans Manichæus Matt Maximianus ment mind Moses nature ness Numidia Old Testament Optatus Paraclete passage Paul peace PETILIANUS praise preached precepts prophecy prophets prove punishment quoted race of darkness received reply righteous sacrament salvation schism Scripture shalt sins soul speak suffer teach thee things thou tion tism traditors true truth unclean unity unrighteous unto wicked words worship written yourselves
Popular passages
Page 499 - And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell : for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
Page 482 - And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them ; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Page 331 - For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving : for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Page 203 - Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Page 167 - He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
Page 442 - And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat : for hitherto ye were not able to bear it. Neither yet now are ye able.
Page 177 - Well ; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear : for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee.
Page 203 - Thus saith the Lord ; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh ; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.