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Of the Manichaeans

Alexander of Lycopolis

Chapter 11

About this work

Author: Alexander of Lycopolis

Chapter XI.—The Transmitted Virtue of the Manichæans; The Virtues of Matter Mixed with Equal or Less Amount of Evil.

To other things, therefore, our discourse has come

‹ Chapter 10 Chapter 12 ›

round

about

again

.

For

,

because

they

say

that

God

sent

virtue

into

matter

,

it

is

worth

our

while

to

consider

whether

this

virtue

,

so

far

as

it

pertains

to

good

,

in

respect

of

God

is

less

,

or

whether

it

is

on

equal

terms

with

Him

.

For

if

it

is

less

,

what

is

the

cause

?

For

the

things

which

are

with

God

admit

of

no

fellowship

with

matter

.

But

good

alone

is

the

characteristic

of

God

,

and

evil

alone

of

matter

.

But

if

it

is

on

equal

terms

with

Him

,

what

is

the

reason

that

He

,

as

a

king

,

issues

His

commands

,

and

it

involuntarily

undertakes

this

labour

?

Moreover

,

with

regard

to

matter

,

it

shall

be

inquired

whether

,

with

respect

to

evil

,

the

virtues

are

alike

or

less

.

For

if

they

are

less

,

they

are

altogether

of

less

evil

.

By

fellowship

therefore

with

the

good

it

is

that

they

become

so

.

For

there

being

two

evils

,

the

less

has

plainly

by

its

fellowship

with

the

good

attained

to

be

what

it

is

.

But

they

leave

nothing

good

around

matter

.

Again

,

therefore

,

another

question

arises

.

For

if

some

other

virtue

,

in

respect

of

evil

,

excels

the

matter

which

is

prevailing

,

it

becomes

itself

the

presiding

principle

.

For

that

which

is

more

evil

will

hold

the

sway

in

its

own

dominion

.