Faith and doubt
The Confessions of Saint Augustine Author(s): Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo (345-430) Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Description: In his Confessions, Saint Augustine reflects upon his life in the light of scripture and the presence of God. He begins with his infancy, pondering the many sins of his life before his conversion, and he confesses not only his sins but even more the greatness of God.
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“The Confessions of Saint Augustine Author(s): Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo (345-430) Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Description: In his Confessions, Saint Augustine reflects upon his life in the light of scripture and the presence of God.”
“He begins with his infancy, pondering the many sins of his life before his conversion, and he confesses not only his sins but even more the greatness of God.”
“This work presents a wonderful contrast between the Holy God who created all things and whom heaven and earth cannot contain, and a commonly sinful man who has joyfully received God's loving salvation and mercy.”
Love and compassion
This work presents a wonderful contrast between the Holy God who created all things and whom heaven and earth cannot contain, and a commonly sinful man who has joyfully received God's loving salvation and mercy. Book III • Chapter I Deluded by an insane love, he, though foul and dishonourable, desires to be thought el- egant and urbane. • Chapter II In public spectacles he is moved by an empty compassion.
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“This work presents a wonderful contrast between the Holy God who created all things and whom heaven and earth cannot contain, and a commonly sinful man who has joyfully received God's loving salvation and mercy.”
“Book III • Chapter I Deluded by an insane love, he, though foul and dishonourable, desires to be thought el- egant and urbane. • Chapter II In public spectacles he is moved by an empty compassion.”
“Or what am I to Thee that Thou demandest my love, and, if I give it not, art wroth with me, and threatenest me with grievous woes?”
Family
13; by which, being changed in his whole soul, he discloses the divine favour to his friend and his mother. My faith, Lord, shall call on Thee, which Thou hast given me, wherewith Thou hast inspired me, through the Incarnation of Thy Son, through the ministry of the Preacher.
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“13; by which, being changed in his whole soul, he discloses the divine favour to his friend and his mother.”
“My faith, Lord, shall call on Thee, which Thou hast given me, wherewith Thou hast inspired me, through the Incarnation of Thy Son, through the ministry of the Preacher.”
“For neither my mother nor my nurses stored their own breasts for me; but Thou didst bestow the food of my infancy through them, according to Thine ordinance, whereby Thou distributest Thy riches through the hidden springs of all things.”
Meaning
The Confessions of Saint Augustine Author(s): Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo (345-430) Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Description: In his Confessions, Saint Augustine reflects upon his life in the light of scripture and the presence of God. He begins with his infancy, pondering the many sins of his life before his conversion, and he confesses not only his sins but even more the greatness of God.
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“The Confessions of Saint Augustine Author(s): Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo (345-430) Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Description: In his Confessions, Saint Augustine reflects upon his life in the light of scripture and the presence of God.”
“He begins with his infancy, pondering the many sins of his life before his conversion, and he confesses not only his sins but even more the greatness of God.”
“Thou lovest, without passion; art jealous, without anxiety; repentest, yet grievest not; art angry, yet serene; changest Thy works, Thy purpose unchanged; receivest again what Thou findest, yet didst never lose; never in need, yet rejoicing in gains; never covetous, yet exacting usury.”
Justice
For Thou art God, Almighty and Good, even hadst Thou done nought but only this, which none could do but Thou: whose Unity is the mould of all things; who out of Thy own fairness makest all things fair; and orderest all things by Thy law. But Thou, by whom the very hairs of our head are numbered, didst use for my good the error of all who urged me to learn; and my own, who would not learn, Thou didst use for my punishment—a fit penalty for one, so small a boy and so great a sinner.
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“For Thou art God, Almighty and Good, even hadst Thou done nought but only this, which none could do but Thou: whose Unity is the mould of all things; who out of Thy own fairness makest all things fair; and orderest all things by Thy law.”
“But Thou, by whom the very hairs of our head are numbered, didst use for my good the error of all who urged me to learn; and my own, who would not learn, Thou didst use for my punishment—a fit penalty for one, so small a boy and so great a sinner.”
“For Thou hast commanded, and so it is, that every inordinate affection should be its own punishment.”
Suffering
For this was judged right by our forefathers; and many, passing the same course before us, framed for us weary paths, through which we were fain to pass; multiplying toil and grief upon the sons of Adam. Time was also (as an infant) I knew no Latin; but this I learned without fear or suffering, by mere observation, amid the caresses of my nursery and jests of friends, smiling and sportively encouraging me.
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“For this was judged right by our forefathers; and many, passing the same course before us, framed for us weary paths, through which we were fain to pass; multiplying toil and grief upon the sons of Adam.”
“Time was also (as an infant) I knew no Latin; but this I learned without fear or suffering, by mere observation, amid the caresses of my nursery and jests of friends, smiling and sportively encouraging me.”
“And his speaking was most applauded, in whom the passions of rage and grief were most preeminent, and clothed in the most fitting language, maintaining the dignity of the character.”
Freedom
For I disobeyed, not from a better choice, but from love of play, loving the pride of victory in my contests, and to have my ears tickled with lying fables, that they might itch the more; the same curiosity flashing from my eyes more and more, for the shows and games of my elders. “One and one, two”; “two and two, four”; this was to me a hateful singsong: “the wooden horse lined with armed men,” and “the burning of Troy,” and “Creusa's shade and sad similitude,” were the choice spectacle of my vanity.
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“For I disobeyed, not from a better choice, but from love of play, loving the pride of victory in my contests, and to have my ears tickled with lying fables, that they might itch the more; the same curiosity flashing from my eyes more and more, for the shows and games of my elders.”
““One and one, two”; “two and two, four”; this was to me a hateful singsong: “the wooden horse lined with armed men,” and “the burning of Troy,” and “Creusa's shade and sad similitude,” were the choice spectacle of my vanity.”
“Only this enforcement restrains the rovings of that freedom, through Thy laws, O my God, Thy laws, from the master's cane to the martyr's trials, being able to temper for us a wholesome bitter, recalling us to Thyself from that deadly pleasure which lures us from Thee.”
Responsibility
And so, as if I must needs be again polluted should I live, my cleansing was deferred, because the defilements of sin would, after that washing, bring greater and more perilous guilt. Assuredly no science of letters can be so innate as the record of conscience, “that he is doing to another what from another he would be loth to suffer.” How deep are Thy ways, O God, Thou only great, that sittest silent on high and by an unwearied law dispensing penal blindness to lawless desires.
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“And so, as if I must needs be again polluted should I live, my cleansing was deferred, because the defilements of sin would, after that washing, bring greater and more perilous guilt.”
“Assuredly no science of letters can be so innate as the record of conscience, “that he is doing to another what from another he would be loth to suffer.” How deep are Thy ways, O God, Thou only great, that sittest silent on high and by an unwearied law dispensing penal blindness to lawless desires.”
“Would any commit murder upon no cause, delighted simply in murdering? who would believe it? for as for that furious and savage man, of whom it is said that he was gratuitously evil and cruel, yet is the cause assigned; “lest” (saith he) “through idleness hand or heart should grow inactive.” And to what end? that, through that practice of guilt, he might, having taken the city, attain to honours, empire, riches, and be freed from fear of the laws, and his embarrassments from domestic needs, and consciousness of villainies.”
Faith
My faith, Lord, shall call on Thee, which Thou hast given me, wherewith Thou hast inspired me, through the Incarnation of Thy Son, through the ministry of the Preacher. Thou sawest, Lord, how while yet a boy, being seized on a time with sudden oppression of the stomach, and like near to death—Thou sawest, my God (for Thou wert my keeper), with what eagerness and what faith I sought, from the pious care of my mother and Thy Church, the mother of us all, the baptism of Thy Christ, my God and Lord.
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“My faith, Lord, shall call on Thee, which Thou hast given me, wherewith Thou hast inspired me, through the Incarnation of Thy Son, through the ministry of the Preacher.”
“Thou sawest, Lord, how while yet a boy, being seized on a time with sudden oppression of the stomach, and like near to death—Thou sawest, my God (for Thou wert my keeper), with what eagerness and what faith I sought, from the pious care of my mother and Thy Church, the mother of us all, the baptism of Thy Christ, my God and Lord.”
“Whereupon the mother of my flesh, being much troubled (since, with a heart pure in Thy faith, she even more lovingly travailed in birth of my salvation), would in eager haste have provided for my consecration and cleansing by the health-giving sacraments, confessing Thee, Lord Jesus, for the remission of sins, unless I had suddenly recovered.”
Grace
Wordly honour hath also its grace, and the power of overcoming, and of mastery; whence springs also the thirst of revenge. To Thy grace I ascribe it, and to Thy mercy, that Thou hast melted away my sins as it were ice.
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“Wordly honour hath also its grace, and the power of overcoming, and of mastery; whence springs also the thirst of revenge.”
“To Thy grace I ascribe it, and to Thy mercy, that Thou hast melted away my sins as it were ice.”
“To Thy grace I ascribe also whatsoever I have not done of evil; for what might I not have done, who even loved a sin for its own sake?”
Memory
For this have I none to tell me, neither father nor mother, nor experience of others, nor mine own memory. It was not that my elders taught me words (as, soon after, other learning) in any set method; but I, longing by cries and broken accents and various motions of my limbs to express my thoughts, that so I might have my will, and yet unable to express all I willed, or to whom I willed, did myself, by the understanding which Thou, my God, gavest me, practise the sounds in my memory.
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“For this have I none to tell me, neither father nor mother, nor experience of others, nor mine own memory.”
“It was not that my elders taught me words (as, soon after, other learning) in any set method; but I, longing by cries and broken accents and various motions of my limbs to express my thoughts, that so I might have my will, and yet unable to express all I willed, or to whom I willed, did myself, by the understanding which Thou, my God, gavest me, practise the sounds in my memory.”
“For we wanted not, O Lord, memory or capacity, whereof Thy will gave enough for our age; but our sole delight was play; and for this we were punished by those who yet themselves were doing the like.”
