Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series I/Volume IV/Manichaean Controversy/On Two Souls/Chapter 9

Chapter 9.—Augustin Deceived by Familiarity with the Manich&#230;ans, and by the Succession of Victories Over Ignorant Christians Reported by Them.&#160; The Manich&#230;ans are Likewise Easily Refuted from the Knowledge of Sin and the Will.

But two things especially, which easily lay hold upon that unwary age, urged me through wonderful circuits.&#160; One of these was familiarity, suddenly, by a certain false semblance of goodness, wrapped many times around my neck as a certain sinuous chain.&#160; The other was, that I was almost always noxiously victorious in arguing with ignorant Christians who yet eagerly attempted, each as he could, to defend their faith. &#160; By which frequent success the ardor of youth was kindled, and by its own impulse rashly verged upon the great evil of stubbornness.&#160; For this kind of wrangling, after I had become an auditor among them, whatever I was able to do either by my own genius, such as it was, or by reading the works of others, I most gladly devoted to them alone.&#160; Accordingly from their speeches ardor in disputations was daily increased, from success in disputations love for them [the Manich&#230;ans].&#160; Whence it resulted that whatever they said, as if affected by certain strange disorders, I approved of as true, not because I knew it to be true, but because I wished it to be.&#160; So it came about that, however slowly and cautiously, yet for a long time I followed men that preferred a sleek straw to a living soul.

12.&#160; So be it, I was not able at that time to distinguish and discern sensible from intelligible things, carnal forsooth from spiritual.&#160; It did not belong to age, nor to discipline, nor even to any habit, nor, finally, to any deserts; for it is a matter of no small joy and felicitation:&#160; had I not thus been able at length even to grasp that which in the judgment of all men nature itself by the laws of the most High God has established?