To Florus 3.180
What does Mani say? ‘The devil creates bodies through desire. Through it he snares bodies, not souls. Remove the root of evil stock,’ he says, ‘and you will become spiritual. About this the apostle cries to the Romans: “I do not do the good I want, but I perform the evil I abhor”’ (Romans 7:19). He also calls us foolish for saying that this bodily formation belongs to God, although we acknowledge that it was generated through desire.
You see, then, how fully you and Mani agree in attacking us. You fight with his words, rely on his arguments, and call us liars for saying you not only were his disciple, as you yourself write, but still are. Yet even here he is more sensible. Believing this fleshly desire was introduced by the devil, he concluded that whatever appeared produced from diabolical desire must be acknowledged not to belong to God’s work.
Latin
Quid Manichaeus dicit? Per concupiscentiam corporum auctor diabolus est; per hanc diabolus corpora, non animas aucupatur; tolle - inquit - malignae stirpis radicem et spiritalis fies; de hac Apostolus clamat ad Romanos: " Non bonum quod volo, sed malum operor quod exhorreo " [n225] . Nos etiam stultos vocat, qui dicamus figmentum hoc corporis ad Deum pertinere, quod per con cupiscentiam generatum esse fateamur. Vides ergo, quanta tibi sit et Manichaeo in nostri impugnatione concordia; eius dimicas verbis, eius niteris argumentis et nos mentiri dicis, qui te discipulum illius non solum fuisse, ut ipse scribis, sed etiam esse dicamus. Et in hoc tamen ille prudentior, qui, cum hanc concupiscentiam carnis a diabolo credidisset immissam, collegit confitendum esse ad Dei operam non pertinere, quidquid de diabolica concupiscentia appareret prolatum.