To Florus 3.162
The matter is clear and was sufficiently established in my first work. Yet because you wanted to be so deceitful as to attempt a distinction between yourself and Mani, I must now press the case. It must be clear that we have answered not only your past statements but also anything you may try to introduce afterward. We say, therefore, that God’s work in a newborn is so good that the natural characteristics of its substance need no corrector. Anyone who judges that what he acknowledges God made ought to have been made differently undoubtedly criticizes the one he acknowledges as the maker of a creature supposedly needing correction into another form.
Latin
Res clara est et iam in primo opere sufficienter impleta; verum quoniam tu adeo pellax esse voluisti, ut aliquam inter te et Manichaeum distinctionem facere nitereris, ideo necesse mihi nunc est urgere causam, ut non solum praeteritis dictis tuis, sed etiam, si qua deinceps inferre tentaveris, clareat obviatum. Dicimus itaque tam bonum esse opus Dei in nascente, ut ea quae substantiae eius sunt naturalia opus emendatore non habeant, quoniam, quicumque censuerit, id quod a Deo factum confitetur, aliter fieri debuisse, illum sine dubio reprehendit, quem corrigendae in alteram formam creaturae confitetur artificem.
About this text
Julian’s six preserved books to Florus, quoted section by section in Augustine’s unfinished reply. Augustine’s refutations are omitted. Latin of Julian’s words is on each section.
Julian’s own books do not survive as a separate manuscript. English follows his words as Augustine quotes them in the Unfinished Work Against Julian. Augustine’s replies are omitted. We do not restore a Julian text independent of Augustine.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Augustine, Unfinished Work Against Julian (Latin · Julian’s words as quoted, Books 1–6)
- Checked print Augustinus.it Latin of the Unfinished Work (Latin · Same work)
- Checked print Migne PL 45 (Latin · Hard cases)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.