to be ordered by the good? For if desiring it, it is ordered by God, there is in it some desire for the good, and that which desires the good would not be unmixedly evil. But if, when God gives it good things, it is its nature thus also to receive better things, how is that which is by nature suited to receive good things evil by nature? For you say that matter desires to snatch something of the good, but that God destroys it. But if this were granted, how is it not more good-like to us, as desiring the good? But he who destroys it and does not order it, how would he not be destructive of existing things and not good? And the opposite of what is taught by us will be found. 15. Further, if the good and the evil are opposite substances, and life, just like some form, gives form to the underlying substances, they will have communion with each other in respect to life and being and will not be opposites in all respects, as you, being deceived, say; for no opposition is opposed from things wholly opposite, since there are also some common things for the opposites, as for instance white, being opposite to black, has the opposition only in respect to the differences, there being common to them the colors of quality. And none of such things has the opposition concerning them as prior, but it is its nature to be observed in things as later and after the common things; and in the common things, insofar as they happen to be common, the opposition does not exist. But it is necessary for color and quality to be common, in order that white and black might thus exist. Likewise also after quality, disposition, are virtue and vice. 16. If, therefore, there are two unbegotten principles and they are opposite, they either have the opposition in all respects or there are some things common to them. But nothing admits of opposition in all respects, therefore they too have in common to exist and to be substances and if anything else is found to be common to them. But what makes them opposite is that the one is good, and the other abominable, and the one light, the other darkness. But their being substances is preconceived before their being good or evil. The opposition, therefore, is not according to what is common, which is a principle, but according to the particular property. And they posit them to be unbegotten; but nothing is before the unbegotten; but before the evil and the good is that very thing which I said is common to them, the unbegotten; therefore, they are not unbegotten principles, but one unbegotten principle, the very being unbegotten. But if they should say that the unbegotten is not common to them, we say that if it belongs to the one, then it does not belong to the other. Therefore, either the good or the evil will be unbegotten; both is impossible, both the good and the evil. 17. These are the doctrines of Manes; with these, as if unbreakable, he has armed himself against the truth; thus have his utterly abominable doctrines been overturned by the truth. For the disorder of matter in relation to itself and all that he mythologized about the sweats of matter, saying that from thence the rains break forth upon those on the earth, and all that he has added to these insults, I do not think it good even to say. Flee, therefore, beloved, those who have received the rottenness of Manes, who often, by the pallor of their body, hunt for the appearance of being continent, by their guise and their look and the name of Christ deceive the more simple, and hiding the wolf within under a sheep's fleece, they rush in and attempt to tear apart the flock of Christ. Flee, therefore, and do not bid farewell to such men; Bad company corrupts good morals. But if anyone among you was formerly defiled by these doctrines, but has now been enlightened by the light of truth, let him keep the doctrines of the prophets and apostles. For the one purpose of these men was spoken from the Holy Spirit: let him proclaim one creator of the universe, who made all things out of nothing; for to him is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

κοσμεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐφιεμένη κοσμεῖται ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ, ἔστι τις ἐν αὐτῇ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἔφεσις καὶ οὐκ ἂν εἴη ἀμιγῶς κακὴ ἡ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἐφιεμένη. Εἰ δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ διδόντος αὐτῇ τὰ ἀγαθά, πέφυκε καὶ οὕτω δέχεσθαι τὰ ἀμείνονα, πῶς φύσει κακὴ ἡ πεφυκυῖα δέχε- σθαι τὰ ἀγαθά; Λέγετε γὰρ ὑμεῖς ἐφίεσθαι μὲν τὴν ὕλην παρασπά- σασθαι τι τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ, τὸν δὲ θεὸν ἀναιρεῖν αὐτήν. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο δοθείη, πῶς οὐ μᾶλλον ἡμῖν ἐστιν ἀγαθοειδὴς ὡς ἐφιεμένη τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ; Ὁ δὲ ἀναιρῶν αὐτὴν καὶ μὴ διακοσμῶν, πῶς οὐκ ἂν φθαρτικὸς εἴη τῶν ὄντων καὶ οὐκ ἀγαθός; Καὶ εὑρεθήσεται τὸ ἐναντίον τῶν παρ' ἡμῖν δογματιζομένων. 15. Ἔτι, εἰ τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ κακὸν οὐσίαι ἀντικείμεναι, ἡ δὲ ζωὴ καθάπερ τι εἶδος τὰς ὑποκειμένας | οὐσίας εἶδος ποιεῖ, ἔσονται κατὰ τὴν ζωὴν καὶ τὸ εἶναι κοινωνοῦσαι ἀλλήλαις καὶ οὐ διὰ πάντων ἐναντίαι, ὡς ὑμεῖς ἠπατημένοι φατέ· οὐδεμία γὰρ ἀντίθεσις ἐξ ὅλων ἐναντίων ἀντίκειται, τῷ καὶ κοινὰ ὑπάρχειν τινὰ τοῖς ἐναντίοις, οἷον τὸ λευκόν, ἐναντίον ὑπάρχον τῷ μέλανι, κατὰ μόνας τὰς διαφορὰς ἔχει τὴν ἐναντίωσιν, ὄντων αὐτοῖς κοινῶν τῶν τῆς ποιότητος χρωμάτων. Οὐδὲν δὲ τῶν τοιούτων τὴν περὶ αὐτὰ ἐναντιότητα προτέραν ἔχει, ὑστέραν δὲ καὶ μετὰ τὰ κοινὰ ἐπιθεωρεῖσθαι τοῖς πράγμασι πέφυκεν· ἐν δὲ τοῖς κοινοῖς, καθὰ κοινὰ τυγχάνει, οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἐναντιότης. ∆εῖ δὲ κοινὸν χρῶμα καὶ ποιότητα εἶναι, ἵνα οὕτω τὸ λευκὸν καὶ μέλαν εἴη. Ὡσαύτως καὶ μετὰ τὸ ποιόν, τὴν διάθεσιν, ἡ ἀρετὴ καὶ ἡ κακία. 16. Εἰ τοίνυν ἀγένητοι δύο ἀρχαὶ καὶ αὐταὶ ἐναντίαι, ἢ ἐξ ὅλων εἰσὶ τὴν ἐναντιότητα ἔχουσαι ἢ ὑπάρχει τινὰ αὐταῖς κοινά. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἐξ ὅλων δέχεται ἐναν- τιότητα, ἔχουσιν ἄρα καὶ αὐταὶ κοινὰ τὸ εἶναι καὶ τὸ οὐσίαι εἶναι καὶ εἴ τι ἕτερον εὑρίσκεται περὶ αὐτὰς κοινόν. Ἐναντίας δὲ ποιεῖ αὐτὰς τὸ τὴν μὲν ἀγαθόν, τὴν δὲ βδελυκτὸν εἶναι καὶ τὴν μὲν φῶς, τὴν δὲ σκότος. Προεπινοεῖται δὲ τὸ εἶναι αὐτὰς οὐσίας τοῦ ἀγαθὸν εἶναι ἢ κακόν. Ἐναντιότης ἄρα οὐ κατὰ τὸ κοινόν, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀρχή, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν ἰδιότητα. Τίθενται δὲ αὐτὰς ἀγενήτους εἶναι· οὐδὲν δὲ πρὸ ἀγενήτου· πρὸ τοῦ κακοῦ δὲ καὶ τοὺ ἀγαθοῦ ἐστιν αὐτὸ ὃ εἶπον κοινὸν αὐταῖς ὑπάρχειν τὸ ἀγένητον· οὐκ ἄρα ἀγένητοι ἀρχαί, ἀλλὰ μία ἀγένητος ἀρχή, αὐτὸ τὸ εἶναι ἀγένητον. Εἰ δὲ λέγοιεν μὴ κοινὸν αὐτῶν εἶναι τὸ ἀγένητον, φαμὲν οὐκοῦν εἰ θατέρῳ ὑπάρχει, τῷ λοιπῷ οὐχ ὑπάρχει. Ἔσται τοίνυν ἀγένητον ἢ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἢ τὸ κακόν· ἀμφότερα ἀδύνατον, τό τε ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ κακόν. 17. Ταῦτα τοῦ Μάνεντος δόγματα· τούτοις ὡς ἀρραγέσι κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐξώπλισται· οὕτω τὰ τούτου παμμίαρα δόγματα ὑπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀνατέτραπται. Τὴν γὰρ τῆς ὕλης ἀταξίαν πρὸς ἑαυτὴν καὶ ὅσα περὶ τοὺς ἱδρῶτας τῆς ὕλης ἐμυθολόγησεν, ἐκεῖθεν τοὺς ὑετοὺς τοῖς ἐπὶ γῆς καταρρήγνυσθαι φάσκων, καὶ ὅσα τούτοι προσελοιδόρησεν οὐδὲ λέγειν οἶμαι καλόν. Φεύγετε τοίνυν, ἀγαπητοί, τοὺς εἰσδεδεγμένους τοῦ Μάνεντος τὴν σηπε- δόνα, οἳ πολλάκις ὠχρότητι σώματος τὸ δοκεῖν ἐγκρατεῖς εἶναι θηρώμενοι, τῷ σχήματι καὶ τῷ βλέμματι καὶ τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ προσηγορίᾳ τοὺς ἁπλουστέρους ἐξαπατῶσι καὶ κῳδίῳ προβά- του τὸν ἔνδοθεν λύκον ὑποκρυπτόμενοι ἐπεισπηδῶσι καὶ τὴν Χριστοῦ ποίμνην διασπαράττειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν. Φεύγετε τοίνυν καὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις χαίρειν μὴ λέγετε· Φθείρουσιν ἤθη χρηστὰ ὁμιλίαι κακαί. Εἰ δέ τις ἐν ὑμῖν πρότερον τούτοις ἐρρυπωμένος τοῖς δόγμασιν, νῦν τῷ τῆς ἀληθείας κατηυγάσθη φωτί, φυλαττέτω τῶν προφητῶν καὶ ἀποστόλων τὰ δόγματα. Εἷς γὰρ τούτων ὁ σκοπὸς ἐξ ἁγίου πνεύματος εἰρημένος· ἕνα τὸν τοῦ παντὸς δημιουργὸν ἀνακηρυττέτω, ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων τὰ πάντα πεποιηκότα· ὅτι αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.