Saint Augustine (354-430)

Against Faustus

Translated by Richard Stothert

Book V

Chapter 10

If it is true that a man cannot receive the gospel without giving up everything, why do you delude your followers, by allowing them to keep in your service their wives, and children, and households, and houses, and fields? Indeed, you may well allow them to disregard the precepts of the gospel: for all you promise them is not a resurrection, but a change to another mortal existence, in which they shall live the silly, childish, impious life of those you call the Elect, the life you live yourself, and are so much praised for; or if they possess greater merit, they shall enter into melons or cucumbers, or some eatables which you will masticate, that they may be quickly purified by your digestion. Least of all should you who teach such doctrines profess any regard for the gospel. For if the faith of the gospel had any connection with such nonsense, the Lord should have said, not, “I was hungry, and ye gave me meat”; but, “Ye were hungry, and ye ate me,” or, “I was hungry, and I ate you.” For, by your absurdities, a man will not be received into the kingdom of God for the service of giving food to the saints, but, because he has eaten them and belched them out, or has himself been eaten and belched into heaven. Instead of saying, “Lord, when saw we Thee hungry, and fed Thee?” the righteous must say, “When saw we Thee hungry, and were eaten by Thee?” And He must answer, not, “When ye gave food to one of the least of these my brethren, you gave to me”; but, “When you were eaten by one of the least of these my brethren, you were eaten by me.”

Book V Chapter 9

Book V Chapter 11