bee lesse if my seruice should bee wanting nor so to ply thee with my seruice as a man does his land that vnlesse I tilld thee thou must lye faellow but made I am both to serue and worship thee that I might receiue a well-being from thee from whom it proceedes that I haue such a being as is capeable of a well-being CHAP. 2. Of the creatures dependancy vpon their Creator 1. FOr by the fulnesse of thy goodnesse doth thy creature subsist that the good which could no wayes profite thee nor though of thee no wayes equall vnto thee yet being of thee might not bee wanting For what did Heauen and Earth which thou madest in the beginning deserue of thee Let those spirituall and corporeall natures which thou madest in thy Wisedome say how they deserued thee that things both now begunne and vnformed as yet euery one in its owne kinde spirituall or corporeall yea now falling away into an immoderate liberty and farre-distant vnlikenesse vnto thee should still haue their dependance vpon thee The Spirituall nature euen without its due forme as yet is farre more noble then any corporeall nature though fully formed and a corporeall thing though not yet formed better then if at all it had no being And in this manner should all things haue for euer depended vpon thy Word vnformed were they not by the same Word reduced vnto thy Vnity indued with a forme and improued by Thee the onely Soueraigne Good to become very good What can these formelesse natures deserue a being of thee seeing they could not haue so much as a beeing vnlesse they had it from thee 2. What did that corporeall matter deserue of thee that it should be made so much as inuisible shapelesse seeing it could not be so much as so hadst not thou made it so and therefore because it was not at all it could not deserue of thee to bee made Or what could the spirituall creature euen now begun to bee created deserue of thee that it might at least all darkesomely flit vp and downe like vnto the Deepe but very vnlike thee vnlesse it had beene by the same word call'd backe vnto that by whom it was created and by the same also enlightened that it might bee made light some by it although not in any equality yet in some conformity vnto that forme which is equall vnto thee For like as to a body simply to be is nor all one with being beautifull for then it could no wayes bee deformed so likewise to a created spirit to line is not all one with lining wisely for then should it euer continue wise vnchangeably But good it is for it to sticke close vnto thee lest what light it hath obteyned by turning to thee it may lose againe by turning from thee and relapse into a state of life resembling the darkesome deepe For euen wee our selues who according to our soules are a spirituall creature when wee were sometimes turned away from the our Light were very darkenesse in that estate of life yea and still wee labour amidst the reliques of our old darkenesse vntill in thy onely One wee bee made thy Righteousnesse which is like the great mountaines For wee haue somtimes vnder gone thy Iudgements which are like vnto the great Deepe CHAP. 3. All is of the grace of Gods 1. BY that which thou saydest in the first creation Let there be light and there was light I doe not vnfitly vnderstand the Spirituall creature because euen then was there a kinde of life which thou mightest illuminate But yet as then it had done nothing whereby to deserue of thee that there might bee such a light euen so when already it was come to bee could it not deserue of thee to bee enlightned For neyther could its formelesse estate bee pleasing vnto thee vnlesse it might bee made light light not by an absolute existing of light in it selfe but by beholding thee the Light all-illuminating and by cleauing vnto it that so the life that is liued at all and the life that is liued thus happily it might owe to nothing but thy grace being now conuerted by a better change vnto That which can neuer bee changed eyther into worse or better and that is vnto thee thy selfe onely because thou onely Art simply vnto thee it being not one thing to liue and another thing to liue well seeing thy selfe art thine own happinesse CHAP. 4. God needs not the Creatures but they him 1. VVHAT therefore could haue been wanting vnto thy good which thou thy selfe art although all these creatures should neuer haue been or haue remained vtterly without forme which thou madest not out of any want but out of the fulnesse of thy goodnesse holding them in and conuerting them to forme with no thought as if thy ioy were to receiue any accomplishment thereby For vnto thee who art absolutely perfect is their imperfection displeasing that so they be perfected by thee and thereby please thee not as if thou wert imperfect or wert to receiue perfection from their being perfected Thy good spirit indeede mooued vpon the waters yet was not borne vp by the waters as if he staied vp himselfe vpon them for vpon what waters thy good Spirit is sayd to stay those did hee cause to be stayed vp in himselfe But thy uncorruptible vnchangeable Will which is in it selfe all-sufficient for it selfe moued vpon that life which thy selfe hadst before created vnto which lining is not all one with happy liuing seeing it does but liue flitting vp and downe in its owne obscurity and which yet remaineth to be conuerted vnto him by whom it was made and to liue more and more neere by the fountain of life yea and in his light to see light and to be perfected at last and enlightened and made happy CHAP. 5. His Confession of the blessed Trinity 1. LOe now the Trinity appeares vnto mee in a glasse aarkly which is Thou my God because thou O Father in the beginning that is in thy Wisedome borne of thy selfe equall and coeternall vnto thee that is to say in thy Sonne hast created Heauen and Earth Much now haue we said of the Heauen of heauens and of the inuisible and vnshapen earth and of the dark some Deepe according namely vnto the wayning of spirituall deformity which euer it should haue wandered in vnlesse it had beene conuerted vnto him from whom that life which already it had was receiued by whose enlightning it might be made a beauteous life and become the heauen of that heauen which was afterwards set betweene water and water And vnder the name of God I now vnderstood the person of the Father who made all and vnder the name of beginning the person of the Sonne in whom hee made all and thus beleeuing as I did the Trinity to be my God I searcht further into thy holy Word and lo his Spirit moued vpon the waters See here the Trinity my God the Father and Sonne and holy
delight to jeere at and to put tricks upon others CHAP. 4. How Tullies Hortensuis provokt him to study Philosophie 1. AMongst these mad companions in that tender age of mine learnd I the Bookes of Eloquence wherein my ambition was to be eminent all out of a damnable and vaine-glorious end puse up with a delight of humane glory By the ordinary course of study I fell upon a certaine booke of one Cicerâ— whose tongue almost every man admires though not his heart This booke of his contaynes an exhortation to Philosophie and 't is called Hort ensius This very Book quite altered my affection turned my prayers to thy selfe O Lord and made me have cleane other purposes and desires All my vayne hopes I thenceforth slighted and with an incredible heat of spirit I thirsted after the immortality of wisdome and began now to rowse up my selfe that I might turne again to thee ward For I made not use of that booke to file my tongue with which I seemed to buy with that â—â—â—â—bition my another allowed me in that mine tenth yeere of my age my father being dead two yeeres before I made not use therefore of that book I say to sharpen my tongue withall nor had it perswaded me to affect the find language in it but the matter of in 2. How did I burne then my God how was I inflamed to fly from earthly delights towards thee and yet I knew not what thou meanedst to doe with me For with thee is wisdome That love of wisedome is in Greeke called Philosophie with which that booke inflam'd mee Some there bee that seduce others through Philosophie under a great a faire promising and an honest name colouring over and palliating their owne errors and almost all those who in the same and former ages had beene of that stamp are in that booke censured and set forth there also is that most wholesome advice of thy Spirit given by thy good and devout servant made plaine Beware left any man spoyle you through Philosophie and vaine deceipt after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily 3. For my part thou light of my heart knowest that the Apostolicall Scriptures were scarce knowne to me at that time but this was it that so delighted mee in that exhortation that it did not ingage mee to this or that sect but left me free to love and seeke and obtaine and hold and embrace wisdome it selfe what ever it were Perchance 't was that booke I was stirred up and inkindled and inflamed by This thing only in such a heat of zeale tooke me off that the name of Christ was not in it For this Name according to thy mercy O Lord this Name of my Saviour thy Sonne had my tender heart even together with my mothers milke devoutly drunken in and charily treasured up so that what booke soever was without that Name though never so learned politely and truely penned did not altogether take my approbation CHAP. 5. Hee sets lightly by the Holy Scriptures because of the simplicity of the stile 1. I Resolved thereupon to bend my studies towards the holy Scriptures that I might see what they were But behold I espie something in them not revealed to the proud not discovered unto children humble in stile sublime in operation and wholly veyled over in mysteries and I was not so fitted at that time as to pierce into the sense or stoope my high neck to track the stile of it For when I attentively read these Scriptures I thought not then so highly of them as I now speake but they seemed to me farre unworthy to be compared to the statelinesse of the Ciceronian eloquence For my swelling pride soar'd above the temper of their stile nor was my sharpe wit able to pierce into their sense And yet such are thy Scriptures as grew up together with thy little Ones But I much disdained to be held a little One and big-swoln with pride I tooke my selfe to be some great man CHAP. 6. How hee was insnared by the Manichees 1. ANd even therefore I fell upon a sect of men proudly doting too carnall and prating in whose mouths were the very snares of the divell and a very Birdlime compounded by the mixture of the syllables of thy Name and of our Lord Iesus Christ and of the Holy Ghost the Comforter All these names came not out of their mouth but so farre forth as the sound only and the noyse of the tongue for their heart was voyd of true meaning Yet they cryed out Truth and Truth and divers sounded the word to mee yet was the Truth it selfe no where to be found amongst them But they spake falsehood not of thee onely who truely art the Truth it selfe but also of the elements of this world thy creatures Concerning which it had beene my duty O my supreme good Father thou beauty of all things that are beautifull to have out-stripped all the Philosophers though they spake most truely O Truth Truth how inwardly did the very marrow of my soule pant after thee when as they often and divers wayes though but barely pronounced thy name to me with their voice onely and in many bookes and hugie volumes And these were the dishes wherein to hunger-starven me they instead of thee served in the Sun and Moone Beautifull works indeed of thine but thy creatures notwithstanding not thy selfe no nor thy first creatures neither For thy spirituall works are before these corporeall workes celestiall though they be and shining 2. But I hungered and thirsted not after those first workes of thine but after thee even thee the Truth with whom there is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning yet they still set before me in those dishes glorious phantasies than which much better it were to love this Sunne which is true to our sights at least than those phantasies which by our eyes serve to deceive our minde Yet because I thought Them to be Thee I fell to and fed not greedily though for thou wert not savoury in my mouth nor like thy selfe for thou wast not those empty fictions nor was I soundly nourisht by them but drawne dry rather That food we dreame of shewes very like the food which we eat awake yet are not those asleepe nourisht by it for they are asleep But neither were those phantasies any way like to thee as thou hast since spoken to me for that those were corporeall phantasies only false bodies than which these true bodies both celestiall and terrestriall which with our fleshly sight we behold are far more certaine These things the very beasts and birds discerne as well as wee and they are much more certayne than any we can fancy of our selves And againe we doe with more certaintie conceive the images of these than by them entertaine the least suspition of any vaster or infinite bodies which have
as he was instructed in the first mysteries of Religion he not long after gave in his name that he might bee regenerated by Baptisme the Citie of Rome wondring and the Church rejoycing The proud beheld it and were inraged guashing upon him with their teeth and even pining away with envie at it But the Lord God was the hope of his servant who tooke no regard to vanities and lying madnesse 5. To conclude when the houre was come wherin he was to make profession of his faith which at Rome it was the custome of those that were shortly to come unto thy Grace to doe in a set forme of words gotten by heart and standing aloft upon a more eminent place where they might well be seene of all the faithfull people there was an offer made as hee said by the Priests unto Victorinus that he might make his Profession more privately as the custome was to offer that courtesie to some others who were likely to be bashfull and fearefull at the matter but he chose rather to professe his salvation in the presence of the holy Assembly For whereas there was no salvation in that Rhetoricke which he had taught and yet had hee made publike profession of that how much lesse therefore ought he to dread that meeke slocke of thine in the pronouncing of thy Word who in the delivery of his owne wordes had not feared the fullest audience of mad men 6. So soone therfore as he was mounted up aloft to make his profession as the rest had done and were to doe every one that knew him whispered his Name one to another with the voice of congratulation And who was there that did not knowe him and there ranne a soft whisper through all the mouths of the rejoycing multitude Victorinus Victorinus Soone spake they of him with triumphing for that they saw him and as quickly were they whisted againe that they might now heare him Hee pronounced alowd the true Faith with an excellent boldnesse and every man would gladly have pluckt him to them into their very heart yea greedily did they snatch him in by loving of him and rejoycing for him These were the hands with which they snatcht him CHAP. 3. That God and his Angels doe rejoyce the more at the conversion of a greater sinner 1. GOod GOD what is that which is wrought in man that he should more rejoyce at the salvation of such a soule as was in a desperate condition and which hath beene delivered out of the greater danger than if there had still beene conceived good hope of him or whose danger had beene lesser Yea even thou also O most mercifull Father doest more rejoyce over one sinner repenting than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance And with much joyfulnesse doe we hearken so often as we heare it how the lost sheepe is brought home againe upon the Shepheards shoulder rejoycing and that the lost groat is put againe into thy Treasurie her friends and neighbours rejoycing with the woman that had found it Yea and the joy conceived at the solemne Service of thy house makes the teares come out of our eyes when as the Parable of the yonger sonne is read in it how he was dead but made alive againe he was lost but found againe For thou rejoycest both over us as also over thy Angels who continue holy in holy charity For thou art ever the same and ever knowest after the selfe-fame manner all those things which of themselves neither continue the same ever nor after the same manner What is that therefore which is wrought in the soule when as it is more delighted to have either found or restored those things which it loved than if it ever had possest them yea and other creatures beare witnesse hereunto and all things are full of testimonies still crying out That so it is 2. The Emperour triumpheth when hee is a Conquerour yet had hee never overcome had hee not fought and how much the more danger there was in the Battaile so much the more rejoycing is there in the Triumph The Storme tosses the Passengers threatens Shippe-wracke and every body waxes pale at his death approaching but the Skie cleeres vp and the Sea growes calme againe and they are as much rejoyced as they were over-skared A deare Friend of ours is sicke and his blood-letting shewes the malignity of the disease all that wish his good health are thereupon sicke in minde with him Hee proves well againe though not able to walke up and down so strongly as he was wont to doe yet is there so great an expression of joy made as never had beene when as before his sicknesse he was able to walke perfectly sound and lustily 3. Yea the very pleasures of our humane life doe we procure by preceding difficulties not those onely which fall upon us unlookt for and against our wils but even purposed by us and desired There is no pleasure at all in eating and drinking unlesse the pinching of hunger and thirst goe before it The Drunkards eate certaine salt meats with purpose to procure a thirstie hotnesse in the mouth which whilest the drinke quenches the pleasure is procured The order also it is that the Spouse already affianced uses not instantly to be given to her Sweetheart for feare lest when he is an husband he should lesse esteeme of her for being so soone obtained whom whilest he was a wooer hee sighed not after thinking her too long delayed This is observable in such joy as is dishonest and to be abhorred seene also in that joy which is consented unto and lawfull seene likewise in the most sincere honesty of friendship seene lastly in him who was dead and afterwards revived who was lost and is found The greatest joy is every where ushered in by the greatest painfulnesse 4. What means this O Lord my God that whereas thou art an everlasting joy unto thine owne selfe yet some things are ever rejoycing in thee concerning thee What meanes this that this inferious division of things thus alters up and down with going backwards and forwards with fallings out and making friends againe Is this the fashion of them and is this that proportion thou then assignedst to them when as even from the highest heavens down to the lowest of the Earth from the beginning of the world to the last end of it from the Angell to the Worme from the first thing that moveth even unto the last thou didst settle all kinds of good things and all thine owne just workes in their proper places and accomplishedst all-in their due seasons Alas for me how high art thou in the highest things and how profound in the lowest neither doest thou depart from us nor are wee hardly able to returne unto thee CHAP. 4. Why wee are more to rejoyce in the conversion of a great sinner 1. GOe on O LORD and make an end of it stirre us up and call us backe kindle us and plucke us
the principall of all the Sences is in holy writ called The lust of the eyes For to see belongeth vnto the eyes properly yet wee apply the word of Seeing to other sences also wheneuer wee imploy them towards knowing For wee doe not say Hearke how red it is or smell how white it is or taste how shining it is or feele how bright it is because all these are sayd to bee seene and yet wee say not onely See how it shineth which the eyes alone can perceiue but wee say also See how it soundeth See how it smelleth See how it tasteth See how hard it is The generall experience of the Sences thereof is it as was sayde before which is called The lust of the eyes for that the office of Seeing wherein the Eyes hold the prerogatiue doe the other Sences by way of similitude vsurpe vnto themselues when-so-euer they make search after any knowledge 2. But by this may the difference euidently bee discerned betwixt the pleasure and the Curiosity that bee acted by the Sences for that pleasure affecteth Obiects that bee beautifull cleare-sounding sweete-smelling sauoury-tasted soft-touching whereas Curiosity for tryals sake pryes into Obiects cleane contrary to the former not to engage it selfe in the trouble they bring but meerly out of an itch of gayning the knowledge and experience of them For what pleasure hath it to see that in a torne carcasse which would strike a horror into a man and yet if any such bee neere lying they all flocke to it euen of purpose to bee made sad and to grow pale at it being afrayd also lest they should see it in their sleepe as if some-body had forced them to goe and see it while they were awake or any report of the fine sight had perswaded them vnto it And thus is it in the other sences also all which it were too long to prosecute And out of this disease of curiosity are all those strange sights presented to vs in the Theater Hence men proceede to make discouery of those concealed powers of nature which is besides our end which does them no good to know and wherein men desire nothing but to know Hence proceeds that also if out of the same outward end of knowing the magicall Arts be made vse of to enquire by Vpon this curiosity also euen in religion it selfe is God tempted when namely certaine signes and wonders from heauen are demanded of him not desired for any sauing end but meerely for our experience 3. In this so vast a wildernes so full of snares and dangers see how many of them I haue cut off and thrust out of my heart according as thou O God of my saluation hast giuen me the grace to doe And yet for all this when is the time that I dare boldly say so many of this kind of things daily importuning this life of ours when may I boldly say that my selfe is by no such like thing prouoked to looke towards it or out of a vayne◠desire to couet it True it is that the Theaters doe not now adayes carry mee away nor doe I much now regard to know the courses of the starres nor hath my soule at any time enquired answeres at the Ghosts departed all sacrilegious compacts I vtterly detest But at thy hands O Lord my God to whom I owe all humble and single-hearted seruice by what fetches of suggestions hath that spirituall Enèmy deal with mee to desire some signe 4. But by our King I beseech thee and by that country of Ierusalem so pure and chasté that like as any consenting vnto such thoughts hath beene hitherto farre enough from mee so euer let it bee further and further But for the health of any when I entreate thee the end of my intention then is farre different from the former and thy selfe doing what thou pleasest in it giuest mee the grace and willingly euer wilt giue mee to obey it Notwithstanding in how many petty and contemptible trifles is this curiosity of ours dayly tempted and how often wee doe slip that way who is able to recount How often when people tell vaine stories doe wee at first beare with them as it were for feare of giuing offence to the weake and yet by degrees by and by wee willingly giue eare to them I become not the spectator now a dayes of a dogges coursing of a Hare in the publike game-place but if in the field I by chance ryde by such a sport may per aduenture put mee off from some seriouser thought and draw mee after it not to turne out of the roade with the body of my horse but yet with the inclination of my heart yea and didst not thou by making me see my infirmitie on the sudden giue mee a priuate Item or vpon the sight it selfe by some contemplation to rayse my selfe towards thee wholy to despise and passe it by vaynel should presently bee besotted with it 5. What shall I say whenas sitting in mine own house a Lizard catching flyes or a Spider entangling them in her nets oft-times makes mee too intentiue to them Because these are but small creatures is the curiosity in mee the lesse I proceed hereupon to laud Thee the wonderfull Creator disposer of all but that is not the occasion of my beginning to be intentiue to them One thing it is to get vp quickly and another thing not to fall at all And of such toyes is my life full and my onely hope is in thy wonderfull great mercy For when this heart of ours is made the Receipt of such things and ouer-charges it selfe with the throngs of this superabundant vanity then are our Prayers thereby often interrupted distracted and whilest in thy presence wee direct the voyce of our heart vp vnto thine eares that so important a businesse is broken off by I know not what idle thoughts rushing in vpon vs. CHAP. 36. The sinne of Pride 1. BVt did I account of this also amongst such things as are to bee contemned or shall aught bring vs backe to our hope but the whole Summe of thy mercy sith thou it is that hast begun to change vs And in what degree thou hast already amended mee thy selfe best knowest who didst first of all rcouer me from that burning desire of reuenging my selfe that so thou mightest the better bee fauourable vnto all my other iniquities and heale all my infirmities redeeme my life from corruption and crowne me with thy pitty and mercy and satisfie my desire with good things euen because thou hast curbed my pride with thy feare and tamed my necke to thy yoake Which now I beare and it is light vnto mee because so hast thou promised and so hast thou made it and verily so it was but I knew it not for that I feared to take it 2 But tell mee now O Lord thou who onely raignest without the ruffe of pride because thou onely art the true Lord who hast no Lord tell me hath
therefore to bee deluded For they being high-minded haue sought thee in the pride of their learning strutting out rather then knocking vp on their brests and so by the agreement of their heart haue they drawne vnto themselues the Princes of the Ayre their fellow conspirators in pride by whom through the force of Magick they were decerued euen while they sought for a Mediator by whom they might bee purged but there was none to be found For the diuel it was transfiguring now himselfe into an Angel of light 2. Many wayes therefore was hee able to entice proud flesh for that him selfe was not of any fleshly body For fleshly men were mortall and sinnefulli but thou Lord to whom they this proud way sought to be reconciled art immortall and without sinne A mediator now betweene God and man must haue something like vnto God and something like vnto men lest that being like vnto man in both natures he should be too farre vnlike God or if like vnto God in both natures hee should be too farre vnlike vnto men and so be a Mediator neyther way That deceitfull Mediator therfore by whom in thy secret iudgement mans pride deserued to be deluded hath one thing indeed common with himselfe to men and that 's Sinne and desires to seem to communicate in another thing with God that because hee is not cloathed with any mortality of flesh he might thereby vaunt himselfe to bee immortall But for that the wages of sin is death this hath he common to himselfe with men for which he might together with them â—â— condemned vnto death CHAP. 43. Christ onely in the all-sufficient Intercessor 1. BVt the true Mediator whom out of thy secret mercy thou hast shewed forth vnto the humble and whom thou sentest that by his example they might learne the true humility that Mediator therefore betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus appeared betwixt mortall sinners and the immortall Iust One being mortall as men and iust like God that because the reward of righteousnesse is life and peace hee might by his righteousnesse which was ioyned to God make voyd the death of as many of the wicked as were by him iustified which death his will was to haue common both to them and him Hee was shewed forth vnto Holy men of old to the intent that they might be saued through sayth in his passion to come like as wee are through sayth of it already passed For how farre-forth he was a man so far-forth was hee a Mediator but so farre-forth as he is the Word hee is not meerely midway to God because he is equall vnto God and God with God together with the Holy Ghost one God 2. How hast thou loued vs O good Father that hast not spared thine onely Sonne but hast deliuered him vnto death for vs wicked men how hast thou loued vs for whom Hee that thought it no robbery to bee equall with God was made subiect vnto death euen the death of the crosse hee that was onely free among the dead that had power to lay downe his life and power to take it againe for vs was hee vnto thee both the Conquerour and the Sacrifice yea and therefore the Conquerour because the Sacrifice for vs was hee vnto thee both Priest and Sacrifice and therefore the Priest because the Sacrifice of slaues making vs thy children by being borne of thee and by becomming a seruant vnto vs. Deseruedly therefore is my hope strongly setled vpon him that thou wilt by him cure all my infirmities euen by him that sits at thy right hand and maketh intercession for vs whereas otherwise I should despaire vtterly For many and great are those infirmities of mine yea many they are and great but thy medicine is more soueraigne 3. Imagine we might that thy Word was farre enough from being vnited with man and so despayre of our selues vnlesse It had beene made flesh and dwelt amongst vs. Affrighted thus with mine owne sinnes the burthen of mine owne misery I cast these thoughts in my heart bethinking my selfe of fleeing into the Wildernesse but thou for baddest me and strengthenedst mee saying Therefore Christ dyed for all that they which liue may now no longer liue vnto themselues but vnto him that dyed for them See Lord I hence forth cast all my care vpon thee that I may liue and consider the wonderfull things of thy law Thou knowest both my vnskilfulnesse and my infirmities Oh teach me and heale mee That onely Sonne of thine in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge hath redeemed mee with his blood Let not the proud speake euill of mee now for that I meditate vpon the price of my redemption and do eate drink and giue vnto the poore and being poore my selfe desire to be filled by him amongst those that eate and are satisfied and they shall praise the Lord who seeke him The end of the tenth Booke Saint Augustines Confessions The eleuenth Booke CHAP. 1. Why we confesse vnto God who knowes all CAnst thou that art the Lord of all eternity be ignorant of what I say vnto thee or doest thou see but for a time that which passeth in time To what end then doe I lay in order before thee so many â—arrations not to this end doe I it that thou mightest come to know them vpon my relation but there by to stirre vp mine owne and my Readers deuotions towards thee that wee may say all together Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised Now haue I sayd and againe say it I will For the loue of thy loue make I this Confession For we vse to pray also and yet Truth it selfe hath sayd Your Father knoweth what you haue neede of before you aske T is our affection therefore which wee hereby lay open vnto thee while wee confesse our owne miseries and thy mercies vpon vs that thou mightest thorowly set vs free seeing already thou hast begun to make vs leaue to bee wretched in our selues and to be happy in thee seeing thou hast called vs that wee may become poore in spirit and meeke and mournfull and bungry and thirsty after righteousnesse and mercifull and pure in heart and peace-makers See I haue told thee many things such as I could and such I was desirous to doe because thou desirest first that I should confesse vnto my Lord God For thou art good and that thy mercy endureth for euer CHAP. 2. He sueth to be deliuered from his sinnes and errors and to bee guided vnto the true knowledge 1. BVt when shall I bee able with the pen of my tongue to set forth all thy Exhortations and all thy terrors and comforts and directions by which thou hast brought mee vp to bee a Preacher of thy Werd and a Dispencer of thy Sacrament vnto thy people If I now bee able to declare these things to thee in order the very
there can in like manner any thing chance vnto thee that art vnchangeably Eternall that is the Eternall Creator of Soules Like as therefore thou in the beginning knewest the heauen and the earth without any variety of thy knowledge euen so didst thou in the beginning create heauen and earth without any distinction of thy action Let him that vnderstandeth it confesse vnto thee and let him that vnderstandeth it not confesse vnto thee also Oh how high art thou and yet the humble in heart are the house that thou dwellest in For thou vayself vvthose that are bowed down and neuer can they fall whose strength thou art Saint Augustines Confessions The twelfth Booke CHAP. 1. T is very difficult to finde out the truth MY heart O Lord toucht with the words of holy Scripture is busily imployed in this pouerty of my life And euen therefore in our discourse oftentimes appeares there a most plentifull pouerty of humane vnderstanding because that our enquiring spends vs more words then our finding out does and wee are longer about demanding then about obtayning and our hand that knocks hath more worke to doe then our other hand that receiues A promise haue wee layd holde of who shall defeate vs of it If God bee on our side who can bee against vs Aske and yee shall haue seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you For euery one that askes receiues and he that seekes finds and to him that knocketh shall it be opened These be thine owne promises and who needes feare to bee deceiued whenas the Truth promiseth CHAP. 2. That the heauen we see is but earth in respect of the heauen of heauens which wee see not 1. VNto thy Highnesse the lowlynesse of my tongue now confesseth because thou hast made heauen and earth this heauen I meane which I see and this earth that I treade vpon whence is this earth that I beare about me Thou madest it But where is that Heauen of Heauens made for the Lord which wee heare of in the words of the Psalmist The heauen euen the heauens are the Lords but the earth hath he giuen to the children of men Where is that Heauen which we see not that in comparison whereof all this heauen which wee see is but meere earth For this heauen is wholy corporeall For all this which is wholy corporeall is not euery where beautifull alike in these lower parts the bottome wherof is this earth of ours but in comparison of that Heauen of heauens euen the heauen to this our earth is but earth yea both these great bodies may not absurdly bee called earth in comparison of that I know not what manner of heauen which is the Lords and not giuen to the Sonnes of men CHAP. 3. Of the darknesse vpon the face of the Deepe 1. AND now was this Earth without shape and voyde and there was I know not what profoundnesse of the Deepe vpon which there was no light because as yet it had no shape Therefore didst thou command it to bee written that darknesse was vpon the face of the deepe which what other thing was it then the Absence of light For if there had been light where should â—â— haue beene bestowed but in being ouer all by shewing it selfe and enlightening others Where therefore as light was not yet what was it that darkenesse was present but that light was absent Darknesse therefore was ouer all hitherto because light was absent like as where there is no found there is silence And what is it to haue silence there but to haue no sound there Hast not thou O Lord taught these things vnto the soule which thus confesses vnto thee Hast not thou taught mee Lord that before thou createdst diuersifyedst this vnshapen matter there was nothing neyther colour nor figure nor body nor Spirit and yet was there not altogether an absolute nothing for there was a certaine vnshapednes without any forme in it CHAP. 4. Of the Chaos and what Moses called it 1. ANd how should that be called and by what sence could it bee insinuated to people of slow apprehensions but by some ordinary word And what among all the parts of the world can be found to come neerer to an absolute vnshapednesse then the Earth and the deepe For surely they bee lesse beautifull in respect of their low situation then those other higher parts are which are all transparent and shining Wherefore then may I not conceiue the vnshapelynesse of the first matter which thou createdst without form of which thou wert to make this goodly world to bee significantly intimated vnto men by the name of Earth without shape and voyd CHAP. 5. That this Chaos is hard to conceiue 1. VVHen herein the thoughts of man are seeking for somewhat which the Sence may fasten vpon and returnes answere to it selfe It is no intelligible forme as life is or as Iustice is because it is the matter of bodies Nor is it any thing sensible for that in this earth inuisible as yet and without forme there was nothing to bee perceiued Whilest mans thoughts thus discourse vnto himselfe let him endeauour eyther to know it by being ignorant of it or to bee ignorant by knowing it CHAP. 6. What himselfe sometimes thought of it 1. FOr mine owne part O Lord if I may confesse all vnto thee both by tongue and pen what-euer thy selfe hast taught me of that matter the name whereof hauing heard before but not vnderstanding because they told me of it who themselues vnderstood it not I conceiued of it as hauing innumerable formes and diuerse and therefore indeede did I not at all conceiue it in my minde I tossed vp and downe certaine vgly and hideous formes all out of order but yet formes they were notwithstanding and this I cald without forme Not that it wanted all for me but because it had such a mis-shapen one insomuch as if any vnexpected thought or absurdity presented it selfe vnto mee my sence would straight wayes turne from it and the fraylenesse of my humane discourse would bee distracted And as for that which my conceite ranne vpon it was me thought without forme not for that it was depriued of all forme but it comparison of more beautifull formes but true reason did perswade me that I must vtterly vncase it of all remnants of formes whatsoeuer if so bee I meant to conceiue a matter absolute without forme but I could not For sooner would I haue imagined that not to bee at all which should be depriued of all forme then once conceiue there was likely to bee any thing betwixt forme and nothing a matter neyther formed nor nothing without forme almost nothing 2. My minde gaue ouer thereupon to question any more about it with my spirit which was wholy taken vp already with the images of formed bodies which I changed and varied as mee listed and I bent my enquiry vpon the bodies themselues and more deeply lookt into
their mutability by which they both leaue to bee what they haue beene and begin to bee what they haue neuer beene And this shifting out of one forme into another I suspected to bee caused by I know not what thing without form not by nothing at all yet this I was desirous to know not to suspect onely But if my voyce pen should here confesse all vnto thee whatsoeuer knots thou didst vnknâ—t for me in this questioÌ„ what Reader would haue so much patience to bee made conceiue it Nor shall my heart for all this cease at any time to giue thee honour and a Song of praise for all those things which it is not able to expresse For the changeable condition of changeble things is of it selfe capeable of all those forms into which these changable things are changed And this changeablenesse what is it Is it a soule or is it a body or is it any figure of a soule or body Might it be sayd properly that nothing were something and yet were not I would say This were it and yet was it both of these that so it might bee capeable of these visible and compounded figures CHAP. 7. Heauen is greater then Earth 1. BVt whence are both these but from thee from whom are all things so far forth as they haue being But how much the further off from thee so much the vnliker thee I doe not meane farrenesse of places Thou therefore O Lord who art not another in another place nor otherwise in another place but the same and the very same and the very selfe-same Holy Holy Holy Lord God almighty didst in the Beginning which is in thine owne selfe in thy Wisedome which was borne of thine owne Substance create something and that out of nothing 2. For thou createdst heauen and earth not out of thine owne selfe for so should they haue beene equall to thine onely Begotten Sonne and thereby vnto thine owne selfe too wheras no way iust it had beene that any thing should bee equall vnto thee which was not of thee Nor was there any thing besides thy selfe of which thou mightest create these things O God who art One in Trinity and Three in Vnity Therefore out of nothing hast thou created Heauen and Earth a great thing and a small thing for thou art omnipotent and good to make all things good euen the great heauen and the little earth Thou wert and nothing else was there besides out of which thou createdst Heauen and Earth two certaine things one neere thee the other neere to nothing One for thy selfe to bee superior vnto the other which nothing should bee inferiour vnto CHAP. 8. The Chaos was created out of nothing and out of that all things 1. BVt that Heauen of heauens which was for thy selfe Lord and this earth which thou gauest to the Sonnes of men to be seene and felt was not at first such as wee now both see and feele for it was inuisible and vnshapen and there was a deepe vpon which there was no light or darkenesse was vpon the deepe that is more then in the deepe Because this deepe of waters visible now adayes hath in his deepes a light proper for its nature perceiueable howeuer vnto the Fishes and creeping things in the bottome of it But all this whole was almost nothing because hitherto it was altogether without forme but yet there was now a matter that was apt to bee formed For thou Lord createdst the World of a matter without forme which being next to nothing thou madest out of nothing out of which thou mightest make those great workes which wee sonnes of men so much wonder at 2. For very wonderfull is this corporeall heauen which firmament betweene water and water the second day after the creation of light thou commandedst it to be made it was made Which Firmament thou calledst heauen the heauen that is to this earth and sea which thou createdst the third day by giuing a visible figure vnto the vnshapen matter which thou createdst before all dayes For euen already hadst thou created an heauen before all dayes but that was the Heauen of heauens because In the beginning thou createdst heauen and earth As for the earth which thou createdst it was an vnshapely matter because it was inuisible and without forme and darkenesse was vpon the deepe Of which inuisible earth and without forme of which vnshapelynes of which almost nothing thou mightest create all these of which this changeable world consists which continueth not the same but mutability it selfe appeares in it the times being easie to bee obserued and numbred in it For times are made by the alterations of things whilest namely their figures are varied and turned the matter whereof is this inuisible earth aforesayd CHAP. 9. What that Heauen of heauens is 1. THe Spirit therefore the Teacher of thy seruant whenas it recounts thee to haue in the beginning created heauen and earth speakes nothing of any times nor a word of any dayes For verily that Heauen of heauens which thou createdst in the beginning is some Intellectuall creature which although no waies coeternall vnto thee O Trinity yet being partaker of thy eternity doth through the sweetnesse of that most happy contemplation of thy selfe strongly restrayne its owne mutability and without any fall since its first creation cleauing close vnto thee hath set it selfe beyond all rowling interchange of times Yea neyther is this very vnshapelynesse of the inuisible earth and without forme once numbred among the dayes For where no figure nor order is there does nothing eyther come or goe and where this is not there playnely are no dayes nor any interchange of temporall spaces CHAP. 10. His desire to vnderstand the Scriptures 1. O Let truth the light of mine heart and not mine owne darkenesse now speake vnto me I fell off into that and became all be-darkned but yet euen for this euen vpon this occasion came I to loue thee I heard thy voyce behinde mee calling to mee to returne but scarcely could I discerne it for the noyse of my sinnes But see here I returne now sweating and panting after thy fountaine Let no man forbid me of this will I drinke and so shall I liue For I am not mine own life if I haue liued ill my death is farre from my selfe but t is in thee that I reuiue againe Speake thou vnto me discourse thou with mee I haue beleeued thy Bible but the words of it be most full of mystery CHAP. 11. What he learnt of God 1. NOw hast thou with a 〈…〉 voyce O Lord spoken in my inner care because thou art eternall that onely possessest immortality by reason that thou canst not be changed by any figure or motion nor is thy Will altered by times seeing no Will can be cald immortall which is now one and then another all this is in thy sight already cleare to me let it be more more cleared to me
singly of themselues and one with another very good in Thy Word euen in Thy onely Word both Heauen and Earth the head and the body of the Church in thy Predestination before all times without succession of morning and euening In which notwithstanding Thou begannest in Thy good time to put in execution Thy predestinated decrees to the end Thou mightest reucale hidden things and rectifie disordered things for our sinnes hung ouer vs and wee had sunke into the darksome deepenesse and Thy good Spirit houered ouer vs to helpe vs in due season and Thou didst iustifie the vngodly and distinguishedst them from the wicked and Thou settledst the authority of Thy Bible betweene the gouernours of the Church who were to bee taught by Thee and the Inferior people who were to be subiect to them and thou hast gathered together the society of vnbeleeuers into one conspiracy that the studies or the faythfull might be more apparant and that their works of mercy mightâ— obey Thy commands they distributing to the poore their earthly riches to obtayne Heauenly 2. And after this didst Thou kindle certaine lights in the firmament euen Thy Holy ones hauing the word of life set aloft by Spirituall gifts shining with eminent authoritie after that againe for the instruction of the vnbeleeuing Gentiles didst Thou out of a corporeall matter produce the Sacraments and certain visible miracles and Formes of words according to the Firmament of thy Bible by which the faythfull should receiue a blessing Next after that hast Thou formed the liuing soules of the faythfull through their affections well ordered by thee vigor of Continencie and the minde after that subiected to thy selfe alone and needing to imitate no humane authority hast thou renewed after Thine own Image and similitude and hast subiected its rationall actions to the excellency of the vnderstanding as a woman to a man and to all offices of Ministery necessary for the perfecting of the faythfull in this life Thy great will is that for their temporall vses such good things bee giuen by the sayd faythfull as may be profitable to themselues in time to come All these wee see and they are very good because Thou seest them in vs who hast giuen vnto vs thy Spirit by which wee might see these things and might loue thee in them CHAP. 35. He prayes for peace 1. GRant O Lord God thy peace vnto vs for what euer we haue thou hast giuen vs. Giue vs the peace of quietnesse the peace of the Sabbath a Sabbath of peace without any euening For all this most goodly array of things so very good hauing finished their courses is so passe away for a morning and an euening was desâ—inâ—ed 〈…〉 them CHAP. 36. Why the seuenth day hath no euening 1. BVt the Seuenth day is without any euening nor hath it any Sun-set euer because thou hast sanctified it to an euerlasting continu 〈…〉 that that which Thy selfe didst after Thy workes which were very good rest namely the seuenth day although â—â—on those workes thou createdst without breaking Thy rest the same may the voyce of thy Bible speake before-hand vnto vs namely that wee also after our workes which are therefore very good because Thou hast giuen vs grace to doe them may rest in Thee in the Sabbath of life euerlasting CHAP. 37. When God shall rest in vs. 1. FOr in that Sabbath Thou shalt so rest in vs as thou now workest in vs and so shall that Rest bee thine by vs euen as these workes are Thine too by vs. But thou O Lord doest worke alwayes and rest alwayes too Nor doest thou see for a 〈◊〉 nor art thou moued for a time nor doest rest for a time and yet thou makest those viewes which are made in time yea the very times themselues and the rest which proceede from time CHAP. 38. God be holds created things one way and man another way VVEE therefore behold these things which Thou hast created euen because they Are but they Are euen because Thou seest them And wee looke vpon their outside because they haue a Being and wee discerne their Inside that they are good in their Being but Thou sawest them there already made where Thou sawest them there-after to be made And wee were not till after that time moued to doe well that our heart had conceiued the purpose of it by Thy Spirit but before that time wee were inclined to doe euill euen when we forsooke Thee but 〈◊〉 O soueraigne God one and good didst neuer cease doing good for vs. And some certaine works of ours there bee that be Good but it is by Thy Grace that they are so which yet are not of continuance sempiternall After them we trust to find repose in Thy grand SanctificatioÌ„ But Thou being the Good standest in neede of no good Thou art at rest alwayes because Thy Rest Thou art Thy selfe And what man is he that can teach another man to vnderstand this or what Angell another Angell or what Angell a man Let this mystery bee begd of Thee bee sought at Thy hands knockt for at Thy gate so so shall it bee receiued so shall it bee found and so shall it be opened Amen * ⎠* FINIS The order of the chiefe passages in these Confessions Which may serue for a Table SAint Augustines childhood page 24 His first sicknesse and deferring of his baptisme p. 33 His first studies p. 38 His Youth described p. 66 Goes to study at Carthage p. 71 Robs a Peare tree p. 78 Fals in loue p. 100 Haunts stage playes p. 101 Conuerses with young Lawyers p. 106 Begins to be conuerted by reading of Ciceroes Hortensius p. 109 Is ensnared by the Manichees p. 114 Describes their doctrine 121 He derides it p. 136 His mothers dreams p. 138 A Bishops answer to her p. 142 He teaches Rhetoricke p. 149 His answer to a wizard p. 151 Is reclaymed from Astrology p. 152 Laments his friends death p. 158 Baptisme the wonderfull effects p. 160 He writes a Book of Fayre and Fit p. 186 His incompareable wit p. 199 Faustus the Manichee described p 211. 220. 225. Austen falls from the Manichees p. 230 Sayles to Rome p 234 Recouers of a feauer p. 141 The Manichees opinions 253 Goes to Millaine p. 257 Begins to be conuerted by Saint Ambrose p. 261 Is neyther Manichee nor good Catholicke p. 265 His Mother conuerted from her country superstition p. 269. Saint Ambroses imployments p. 274 Alipius disswaded from Chariot races p. 295 Doates after sword-playes p. 301 Apprehended vpon suspition of the euery p. 305 His integrity p. 311 Disputes with Austen against-marriage p. 322 Nebridins comming p. 311 He confutes the Manich eâ— p 345 Austen layes out for a wife p. 327 His concubines 150. 332 His disputes about euill and its cause p. 348 God discouers some things to him p. 381 Begins to reflect vpon Christ p. 398 Studies the Platonists p. 374 404 Goes
to Simplicianus p. 412 Victorinus connerted p. 418 What hindred Austens conuersion p. 436 St. Anthonies story p. 44â— Austen out of loue with himselfe p. 452 His inward conflict in the garden p. 457 Difficulty of conuersion p. 472 He is conuerted by a voyce p. 478 He giues ouer his Schoole 488 Goes into the country p. 493 St. Ambr. directs his studies 511 St. Austens Baptisme p. 513 Monica an excellent wife 529 Her death p. 544 Her buriall p. 554 He prayes for her p 559 Confession the vse of it p. 571-575 Why we neede confesse to God p. 721 Discourses about memory p. 590 Dreames are deceitfull p. 656 Of the pleasures of the taste p. 661 Of bearing p. 673 Of seeing p. 678 Of curiosity of knowing p. 685 Of the sinne of pride p. 694 Of praise and dispraise p. 699 Of vaynglory p. 706 Of self-loue p. 707 Angels cannot be mediators p 713 Christ the onely Intercessor p. 716 He praeyes to vnderstand the Scriptures p. 730 Of Christ the Word p. 737 Disputes about time p. 754. Truth hard to finde out p. 810 Of the Chaos p. 814. 822 Of the Creation he begins his disputes about it p. 850 First how many wayes p. 888 Of the Scriptures p. 894 Trinity his Confession of it p. 911 Some impressions of it in man p. 923 Diuers literall and Allegoricall Interpretations of the first chapter of Genesis Booke thirteenth thorowout FINIS Some of the more materiall faults escaped in the Printing Page 28. right against the 13. line adde in the margeÌ„t Psal 22. 2. p. 55. l. 25 in stead of for read so and the whole next line read thus Wee wander from thee in a vo p. 108 in the margent after Wits adde see lib. 5. chap. 8. chap. 12. p. 111. l. 4 for meanedst r. meantest p. 114. l. 4 for grew r. should grow p. 147. the last word for Pers. r. Iuv p. 159. l. 8. for was not r. had beene and l. 9. for I had r. I now had l. 10 for wrapt r. warpt p. 117. l. 12. for our friends r. his friend p. 209. l. 24. for but runne r. but they runne p. 271. l. 2. for to a song r. at a song p. 305. l. 20. put out not p. 333 l. 6. for too r. two p. 458. l. 23. for wisely r. wistly p. 470. l. 16. for tare r teare p. 471. l. 4. for art r. act p. 495. l. 1. put out also p. 506. l. 26. for like r. licke p. 522. l. 14. put out againe p. 565. in the margent for chap. 10. r. chap. 110. Gen. 49. 25 Rom. 10. 10 Psal 147. 5. Iames 4. 6. Rom. 10. 14. Mat. 7. 7. * He meaâ—e either the Holy Ghost or S. Ambrose who converted him Psal 132. 8. Rom. 11. 36. Ier. 23. 24. * As vessels do to water which they preserve from spilling Psal 18. 31. * Supererogatur tibi which the Romish Catholike translates thus By our supererogation thou becommest our debtor And notes in the margine God maketh us able to doe workes of Supererogation Nosuch matter for thâ— words are Supererogatur tibi debes not ut de beaâ— as they read it Besides the Text hath a comm◠〈…〉 and cannot therfore be all put into one sentencâ— Lastly the Father here speakes of Gods Attributes which Supererogation is none I trâ—w See the Preface Psal 35. 3. Psal 19. 12 Psal 116. 10. Ier. 2. 29. Psal 130. 3. Gen. 18. 27. From hence to the end of this first Booke thee most divine meditations upon Gods providence * He alludes to that in 1. Tim. 2. 15. She shall be saved in child-bearing * Salus universa Psal 102. 27. Iob 25. 3. How early malicious envie comes to expresse it selfe Psal 102. 1. Psal 51. 5. * This was the practise of the Primitive times by which religious parents devoted their children unto Christ long before their Baptisme which in those dayes was deferred till they were able to answer for themselves Gal. 4. 19. a This confession was done by repeating of the Creed as we doe before Baptisme at this day b This was the reason why Baptisme was deferred which Saint Augustine here findes fault withall God would not suffer our Father to be baptized in his sicknesse for then bad the Church lost a most glorious Minister for by the Canons of the Church no man could bee a Bishop who had beene baptised in his bed because such an one seemed to be baptized rather out of necessity than saith which would be scandalous to a Bishop * The Ancients deferred Baptisme either til age when the heates of sinne were well ouer or till marriage till they had got a remedy against it and then did they wash away all their former sinnes together And till then they thought they might take liberty seeing those sins were to be washt away and so not to be imputed Saint Augustine misliketh this â—at 10. 30 Psal 78. 39 Iam. 4. 4. * Penulatorum Magistroâ—um cloakt Masters or gowned sirs For Penula or Toga the gowne or long cloake which were both one was the habit of Philosophers graver teachers The Father here quipps at their affected gravity as the Philosophers on the other side deryded the habit of the Christians which they called Pallium a loose habit buttoned under the chinne Vpon which Tertullian wrote his incomparable booke De Pallio which so tortures our Crittikes to understand Psal 27. 9. Luk. 15. Mat. 7. 11. * Vestigium secretissimae unitatis Hence did the Schoolemen borrow their vestigium * Interiore sensu The Philosophers make three interior senses 1. The conmon sense or Iudgement 2. The Fancy 3. The Memory To these he alludes for these serve to receive and preserve the Species or Formes of things offered unto them by the five outward senses of the body * Modularetur a He alludes to 1 Cor. 7. to the earths bringing forth thornes after Adams driving out of Paradise His whole meaning is that though usually married people have thornes or troubles in the flesh yet God could make a marriage so happy to him as he had done to Adam in Paradise where no thorn or discontent ever grew which sprung not up till Adam was exâ—elled Paradise He alludes to Heb. 12. 1. which witnesses are the Texts here quoted 1 Cor. 7. 28. 1 Cor. 7. 1. 1 Cor. 7. 33. * Augustine was yet a youth no Priest therefore this place makes for Continency in the Laity which was indeed frequent in those dayes and not of the Clergie onely Mat. 9. 12. Psal 130. 1. a Catechumenus such a one as in the Primitive Church was sâ—t to learne his Catechisme and the grounds of Religion in which be was to answer for himselfe when he after came to be baptized b NonduÌ„ fideli The Primitive Church cal'd none fideles but the baptized although they were never so learned or devout beleevers but upon their 〈…〉 Arâ—icâ—es of Faith in â—â—e time of Baptisme they
the AfricaÌ„ or Punike Puls The making of which is described in Cato de Re rustica cap. 85. The chiefe substance wherof was Wheat-meale or grotes tempred with water Cheese-curds Honey and Eggs onely this Puls was boyled and ours baked I beleeve that that parched Corne mentioned 1 Sam. 17. 17. was something like this Puls of Africa The Hebrew word there is Kali of Kalah to parch For they first parcht their Corne then they fryed it and lostly they boyl'd it to a paist and then tempred it as before which they carried dry with them to the Campe and so wet the Cakes in wine or milke c. See Stuckius Antiqu. Conviv l. 1. p. 58. b O stiariius the Doore-keeper See our Preface * Dignationem sumâ—ret * Parentalia These Pultes saith S. Augustine were used in Parehtalibus and Pliny lib. 18. c. 8. sayes they were in his time used also in Notalibus anniversary seasts for their birth dayes b I he former Translator well notes in his margent An inconvenient custome abrogated by S. Ambrose I wish that the Pope would doe so with their Images of the dead Saints upon the same reason for that they are too like the superstitious Images of the Genules But observe that S. Ambrose chang'd this custome and that at Milian so neere Rome too Where was then the Popes Authority The Archbishop of Millan dares alter nothing now a dayes without the Popes Licence * Had it bin so generall in those daies that all Bishops and Priests must upon paine of losing their Orders professe single life why should Saint Augustine thinke thus of Ambrose more than of other Bishops of his time * The Manichees * The Primitive fashion it was to impose the name when the partie was first admitted to be a Catechumenus or wheÌ„ he desired baptisme This had Saint Augustine done in 1 sicknesse being a Child as before hee told us This name was after given up a little before the Baptisme and againe repeated both a Baptisme and Confirmation And whereas be here speakes of the name of Christ 't is meant of the custome of calling them Christians so soone as they gave up their names the day after they were stiled Catechumeni the day after that were they exorcised So 't is plainely in the great Councell of Constantinople Canon 95. And so S. Augustine himselfe in divers places 2 Cor. 3. 6. a The other Translator notes upon it That the way of knowing in Religion is by first beleeving True but not Implicite Popish Faith which be meanes to beleeve â—â— the Church of Rome beleeves Saint Augustine meant not such a Faith b Et tantam illis authoritatem tribuisti This the other Translator maliciously miscenstrues with a purpose to weaken the Authority of the Holy Scriptures the Medicines of Faith here spoken of Turning the words And recommended them to mankind by so great Authority As if all the Authority were in Gods recommending and none else in the Scriptures Fye upon it Here I suspect S. Augustins Copie to be imperfect but t is not much materiall * Here the Authority by which the Scriptures be settled is originally attributed to God himselfe and not to the Church as the Topish Translator would haue it See our note upon lib. 7. cap. 7. a Here again the Popish Translator notes in his Margent The Authority of the Church whereas S. Augustine speakes of the authority of the Scriptures Wilfull Sophistry b Marke this ye Papists 1. What high termes hee gives the Scriptures whereas you call them A nose of Way a shipmans Hose c. 2. Here 's liberty for all to read them you looke them under an unknowne tongue from the Laytie 3. Here are they said it be plaine but you fray the people with their difficulty profoundnesse and danger * The former Translator twice turnes this phrase from S. Austens purpose * Some Copies reade it optando alluding to the beggars praying for his good masters But the last read it potando as I doe * These were Chariot-races c. Prov. 9. 8. * These gladiators or Fencers were maintained by great men who to please the people would often exhibite theÌ„ upon the Stage to fight at sharpe in good carnest for their lives be being accounted the bravest fellow that look his wounds or death with least shrinking * The Stage a Quidam Scholasticorum No word hath more altered the significatioÌ„ But in those daies and ancienter it signified a Lawyer or Advocate So in the Councell of Sardica Can. 10. vel ex foro Scholasticus a Lawyer from the Court or Barre The Greeke word is the same with the Latine Then came it to be given to Rhetoricians then to Poets as Prudentius was called Hispaniarum Scholasticus Physitians Musicians any professor of the liberall Sciences were so stiled He that first made the Canon for the CoÌ„munion was called Iohannes Scholasticus 'T is now settled upon the Schoolemen but most anciently the Lawyers had it b Cancellos This was the ancient sence or ornament for Courts of Iustice Hence the Iudge came to bee called Cancellarius and the Court The Chancery Chancels being thus parted from the Churches hence had their name also c Vico Argentario This could be no street of silver smiths or Silver-street as the former Translator turnes it for what need he breake into a street that way he might easily come in But the wary Ancients had their Courts of Iustice their Exchequer and Mint-house all together oftentimes and all in their Forum or publike Market-place There stood Saturnes Temple at Rome which was their Exchequer and Mint-house This Saturnes Temple was in the Market-place there were also their Courts of Iustice so was it at Millan belike and therfore had their Forum its Aedituos Officers or Watchmen as before he said a If the Primitive Clergy medled with matters of Iustice they had Saint Pauls Commission 1 Cor. 6. which Possidonius in the Life of S. Augustine quotes who shewes how many houres a day Augustine spent this way He quotes also 1 Tim. 5. 20. Those that sinne rebuke before all And this is a Divine fittest to doe there belongs more to a Iustice than the making of a Mittimus He quotes also Ezek. 3. 17. I have made thee a Watchman yea and as if this were a part of the Ministers duty he applyes that in 2 Tim. 4. 2. Be instant in season out of season reprove c. No Antiquaâ—y but knowes that the old Clergie had greater authority in temporall matters than our Iustices of Peace in England yet here 't is boggled at But 't is by those that would faine have their Church-lands Plainely The Lord Chancellor Keeper and Master of the Rolles the 6 Clerkes Heraulds Masters of the Chancery c. have heretofore for the most part beene Clergie men when it was never better with the Land T is true the old Canons forbid them to meddle in cases of blood and that may they easily avoid
much said shee to me But to thee O Fountaine of mercies powred shee forth more frequent prayers teares that thou wouldest hasten thy helpe and enlighten my darknesse that I might more studiously runne unto the Church and settle my beleefe vpon Ambrose his Preaching and desire the Fountaine of that Water which springeth up into Life ever lasting For that man shee loved as an Angell of GOD because shee presumed most assuredly that I had beene brought by him in the meane time to that doubtfull state of faith I was now in by which I was to passe from sicknesse unto health some sharper conflict comming betweene in another Fit as it were which the Physicians call The Crisis CHAP. 2. His Mother is turned from her Countrey Superstition 1. VVHen as my Mother therefore had one time brought unto the Oratories erected in memory of the Saints as she was wont to doe in Africke certaine Cheese-cakes and Bread and VVine and had beene forbidden to doe it by the Sexton so soone as ever she knew that the Bishop had forbidden this shee did so piously and obediently embrace the motion that I my selfe wondred at it that she should so easily be brought rather to blame her owne Countrey custome than to call the present countermand in question For Wine-bibbing besotted not her spirit nor did the love of Wine provoke her to the hatred of the Truth as it doth too many both men and women who being a little whittled once turne the stomacke to a song of sobriety as they would doe at a draught of water But she when she had brought her basket of these solemne lunkets which she meant to eat a little of first and to give the rest away never used to allow herselfe above one small pot of Wine well allayed with water for her owne sober palate whence she would sippe a mannerly draught And if there were any more Oratories of the departed Saints that seemed to be honoured in like maner shee still carried the selfe-same pot about with her which she used every where which should not onely below allayed with water but very lukewarme with carrying about and this would shee distribute to those that were about her by small sups for she came to those places to seeke devotion and not pleasure 2. So soone therefore as shee found this custome to be countermanded by that famous Preacher and the most pious Prelate Ambrose yea forbidden even to those that would use it but soberly that so no occasion of ryot might thereby bee given to such as loved drinking too well and for that these funerall Anniversary Feasts as it were in honour of our dead Fathers did too neerely resemble the superstition of the Gentiles she most willingly forbare it ever after and in stead of a Basket filled with the fruits of the earth she now had learned to present a breast replenished with sinne-purging petitions at the Oratories of the Martyrs and to give away what shee could spare among the poore that so the Cōmunion of the Lords Body might in that place bee rightly celebrated where after the example of his Passion these Martyrs had bin sacrificed and crowned 3. But for all this it seemes to me O Lord my God and thus thinks my heart of it in thy sight That my Mother would not so easily have give way to the breaking of her Countrey custome had it bin forbidden her by some other man whom she had not loved so well as she did Ambrose who in regard of my salvation she very entirely affected and he bergaing as well for her most religious conversation whereby s◠full of good workes so servent in the spirit she frequented the Church Yea so well he affected 〈◊〉 that hee would very often when he saw mee breake forth into her praises congratulating with me in that I had such a Mother little knowing in the meane time what a sonne she had of me who doubted of all these things and least of all imagined the way to life could possibly be found out CHAP. 3. The employments and studies of S. Ambrose 1. NOr did I hitherto grone in my prayers that thou wouldest helpe me but my unquiet minde was altogether intentive to seeke for Learning and to dispute upon it As for Ambrose himselfe I esteemed him a very happy man according to the world whom personages of such authority so much honoured onely his remaining a 〈◊〉 seemed a painefull course unto mee But what hopes hee carried about him against the temptations his excellent parts were subject unto what struglings he felt and what comfort hee found in his adversities and how savourie joyes that mouth hidden in his heart fed upon in thy Bread I neither knew how to ghesse at nor had I yet any feeling of As little on the other side knew hee of my privie heats nor of the pit of my danger For I had not the opportunity to make my demands to him what I would or how I would for that multitudes of people full of businesse whose infirmities hee gave up himselfe unto debarred me both from hearing and speaking with him With whom when he was not taken up which was but a little time together hee either refreshed his body with necessary sustenance or his minde with reading But when he was reading hee drew his eyes along over the leaves and his heart searcht into the sense but his voice and tongue were altogether silent 2. Oft-times when we were present for no man was debarred of comming to him nor was it his fashion to be told of any body that came to speake with him we still saw him reading to himselfe and never otherwise so that having long sate in silence for who durst be so bold as to interrupt him so intentive to his study wee were faine to depart We conjectured that the small time which he gate for the repairing of his minde hee retyred himselfe from the clamour of other mens businesses being unwilling to be taken off for any other imployment and he was warie perchance too left some hearer being strucke into suspence and eager upon it if the Author he read should deliver any thing obscurely hee should be put to it to expound it or to discusse some of the harder questions so that spending away his time about this worke hee could not turne over so many Volumes as he desired although peradventure the preserving of his voice which a little speaking would weaken might bee a just reason for his reading to himselfe But with what intent soever he did it that man certainely had a good meaning in it 3. But verily no opportunity could I obtaine of propounding my demands as I desired to that so holy an Oracle of thine his breast unlesse the thing might be heard very briefly But those commorions in me required to finde him at his best leasure that I might powre them out before him but never could they finde him so Yet heard
I him every Sunday preaching the Word of Truth rightly to the People by which that apprehension of mine was more and more confirmed in me that all those knots of crafty calumnies which those our deceivers had knit in prejudice of the Holy Bookes might well enough bee untyed 4. But so soone as I understood withall That Man created by thee after thine owne Image was not so understood by thy spirituall sonnes whom of our Catholike Mother thou hast begotten by thy Grace as if they once beleeved or imagined thee to be made up into an humane shape although I had not the least suspicion nor so much as a confused notion in what strange manner a spirituall substance should be yet blushing did I rejoyce that I had not so many yeeres barkt against the Catholike faith but against the fictions of carnall imaginations But herein had I beene rash and anpious that what I ought to have learned by enquirie I had spoken of as condemning For thou O the most high and the most neere the most secret and yet most present with us hast not such limbes of which some be bigger and some smalâ—â—â— but art wholly every where circumscribed in no certaine place nor art thou like these corporeall shapes yet hast thou made man after thine owne Image and behold from head to foot is he contained in some certaine biding CHAP. 4. Of the Letter and the Spirit 1. BEing thus ignorant therfore in what manner this Image of thine should subsist I something earnestly propounded the doubt how that was to be 〈◊〉 but did not triumphingâ—y oppose against it as if it peremptorily should according to the Letter bee beleeved The anxiety therefore of resolving what certaintie I was to hold did so much the more sharply even gnaw my very bowels by how much the more ashamed I was that having bin so long deceived by the promise of certaineties I had with a childish errour and stubbornnes prated up and downe of so many uncertainties and that as confidently as if they had beene certainties For that they were meere falshoods it cleerely appeared to me afterwards yea even already was I certaine that they were at least uncertaine and that I had all this while beleeved them for certaine when as namely out of a blinde and contentious humour I accused thy Catholike Church which though I had not yet found to 〈◊〉 trâ—â—â— yet found it not â—o teach what I heartily 〈◊〉 it for teaching In this manner was I first confounded and then converted and I much rejoyced O my God that thy onely Church the body of thine onely Sonne wherein the name of Christ had beene put upon me being yet an Infant did not relish these childish toyes nor maintained any such Tenet in her sound Doctrine as to crowd up the Creator of this All under the shape of humane members into any proportions of a place which though never so great and so large should yet be terminated and surrounded 2. And for this I rejoyced also for that the Old Scriptures of the Law the Prophets were laid before me now to be perused not with that eye to which they seemed most absurd before when as I misliked thy holy ones for thinking so so whereas indeed they thought not so and for that with joyfull heart I heard Ambrose in his Sermons to the people most diligently oftentimes recommend this Text for a Rule unto them The letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life and for that those things which taken according to the letter seemed to teach perverse doctrines he spiritually laid open unto us having taken off the veyle of the mystery teaching nothing in it that offended mee though such things he taught as I knew not as yet whether they were true or no. For I all this while kept my heart firme from assenting to any thing fearing to fall headlong but by this hanging in suspence I was the worse killed for my whole desire was to be made so well assured of those things which I saw not as I was certaine that seven and three make tenne 3. For I was not so mad yet as not to thinke that this last proposition might not by demonstration bee comprehended wherefore I desired to have other things as cleerely demonstrated as this whether namely those things should bee corporeall which were not present before my senses or spirituall whereof I knew not yet how to conceive but after a corporeall manner But by beleeving might I have beene cured that so the eye-sight of my soule being cleered might some way or other have beene directed toward thy truth which is the same eternally and in no point fayling But as it happens usually to him that having had experience of a bad Physician is fearefull afterwards to trust himselfe with a good so was it with the state of my soule which could no waies be healed but by beleeving and left it should beleeve falshoods it refused to be cured resisting in the meane time thy hands who hast prepared for us the Medicines of faith and hast applyed them to the diseases of the whole world and given unto them so great Authority CHAP. 5. Of the Authority and necessary vse of the holy Bible 1. FRom henceforth therfore I beganne first of all to esteeme better of the Catheâ—â—â— Doctrine and also to thinke that â—e did with more modesty and without any deceit command many things to be beleeved notwithstanding it were not there demonstrated 〈◊〉 what it should be or to what purpose it should serve nor yet what it should not bee than in the Manichees doctrine upon a rash promise of great knowledge expose my easinesse of beliefe first of all unto derision and suffer afterwards so many most fabulous and absurd things to be therefore imposed upon me to beleeve because they could not be demonstrated Next of all thou Lord by little and little with a gentle and most mercifull hand working and rectifying my heart even while I tooke into my consideration how innumerable things I otherwise beleeved which I had never scene nor was present at while they were in doing like as those many reports in the History of severall Nations those many relations of places and of Cities which I had never seene so many reports likewise of friends so many of Physicians so many of these and these men which unlesse wee should beleeve we should doe nothing at all in this life Last of all I considered with how unalterable an assurance I beleeved of what parents I was descended which I could not otherwise come to know had I not beleeved it upon heare-say perswadedst mee at last that not they who beleeved thy Bible which with so great authority thou hast setled almost among all Nations but those who beleeved it not were to bee blamed nor were those men to bee listned unto who would say perchance How knowest thou those Scriptures to have beene imparted unto mankinde by the spirit
Ghost the Creator of all thine owne creatures CHAP. 6. Of the Spirits mouing vpon the waters 1. BVt what was the cause O thou true-speaking light vnto thee lift I vp my heart let it not bee taught vanities dispell thou the darkenesse of it and tell mee by our mother charity I beseech thee tell mee the reason I beseech thee why after the mention of heauen and of the inuisible and shapelesse earth and darknesse vpon the Deepe thy Scriptures should euen then at length make the first mention of thy Spirit Was it because it was meete so to haue Him insinuated as that he should bee sayd to moue vpon and so much could not truely bee sayd vnlesse that were first mentioned vpon which thy Spirit may bee vnderstood to haue moued For verily neyther vpon the Father not vpon the Sonne was hee moued nor could he rightly be sayd to moue vpon if there were nothing yet for him to moue vpon First therefore was that to bee spoken of which He was sayd to moue vpon and then Hee whom it was requisite not to haue named otherwise then a Hee was sayd to moue vpon But wherefore yet was â—â— not fitting to haue Him insinuated otherwayes vnlesse Hee were sayd to moue vpon CHAP. 7. Of the effect or working of the Holy Ghost 1. FRom hence let him that is able follow with his vnderstanding thy Apostle where hee thus speakes Because thy loue is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs and where concerning spirituall gifts he teacheth and sheweth vnto vs a more excellent way of charity and where he bowes his knees vnto thee for vs that wee may come to learne that most excellent knowledge of the loue of Christ And therefore euen from the very beginning did the Spirit supereminently moue vpon the waters Whom shall I tell it vnto and in what termes shall I describe how the hugy weight of lustfull desires presses downe into the steepe pit and how charity rayses vs vp againe by thy Spirit which moued vpon the waters Vnto whom shall I speake it and in what language vtter it For they are no certaine places into which wee are plunged and out of which wee are againe lifted What can bee liker and yet what vnlikeer They bee Affections they be Loues they be the vncleannesse of our owne spirits that ouerflow our lower parts with the loue of cares and it is the holynesse of thy Spirit that rayseth vs vpwards againe by the loue of our safeties that wee may lift our harts vp vnto the Lord where thy Spirit is moued vpon the waters and that wee may come at length to that repose which is aboue all rests when namely our soules shall haue escaped ouer these waters where we can find no ground CHAP. 8. How Gods Spirit cherisheth feeble soules 1. THE Angels fell and mans soule fell and all thy Spirituall creatures in generall had shewne the way vnto the deepe which is in that most darkesome bottome hadst not thou sayd Let there be light and there was light and vnlesse euery spirituall creature of thy heauenly City had continued in obedience vnto thee and settled it selfe vpon thy Spirit which moues vnchangeably vpon euery thing that is changeable Otherwise had euen the heauen of heauens it selfe for euer continued a darkesome Deepe whereas now it is light in the Lord. And now by that miserable restlesnesse of the falling spirits and by their discouering of their owne darknesse the garment of thy light being pluckt off them doest thou sufficiently reueale how noble the reasonable creature is which thou hast created vnto which nothing will suffice to settle its happynesse and rest vpon that is any way inferior vnto thy selfe and therefore cannot herselfe giue satisfaction vnto herselfe For t is thou O Lord that shalt lighten our darknesse from thee must grow these our garments and then shall our darknesse be as the noone day 2. Giue thy selfe vnto me O my God yea restore thy selfe vnto me for I loue thee and if it be too little let mee now loue thee more affectionately I am not able to measure my loue that I may so come to know how much there wants of enough that my life may euen runne into thy embracements and not tnrne from them againe vntill I bee wholy hidden in the secret of thy presence This one thing am I sure of that woe is me if I be not in thee yea not so onely if I bee without my selfe but ill will it goe with mee though I be hidden within my selfe yea all other plenty besides my God is meere beggery vnto me CHAP. 9. Why the Spirit onely moued vpon the waters 1. BVT did not the Father also or the Sonne moue vpon the waters And if wee vnderstand mouing as it were in a place like a body then neyther did the Spirit moue But if the excellent highnesse of the diuinity aboue euery changeable creature bee vnderstood then did both Father Sonne and Holy Ghost moue vpon the waters Why therefore is this sayd of thy Spirit onely Why of him onely as if there had beene some place where indeede there is no place for it of which onely it is written that Hee is thy gift Let vs now take vp our rest in this thy gift there let vs enioy thee O our rest and our place 2. Loue preferres vs thither and thy good Spirit aduances our lowlynesse from the very gates of death In thy good pleasure lies our peace our body with his owne lumpishnesse swaies vs towards its owne place Weight makes not downeward onely but to his owne place also The fire mounts vpward a stone sinks downeward All things pressed by their owne weight goe towards their proper places Oyle powred in the bottome of the water yet will swimme on the toppe of it water powred vpon Oyle sinkes to the bottome of the Oyle They are weighed downe by their owne hea-luinesse they go to seeke their owne centers Things a little out of their places become vnquiet put them in their order agayne and they are quieted My weight is my loue that way am I carried whithersoeuer I bee carried Wee are inflamed by thy gift and are carried vpwards wee waxe hot within and we goe forwards Wee ascend thy waies that be in our heart and wee sing a song of degrees inwardly enflamed with thy fite with thy good fire and wee goe euen because we goe vpwards to the peace of Ierusalem for glad I was when as they sayd vnto me We will go vp into the house of God There let thy good pleasure settle vs that wee may desire no other thing but to dwell there for euer CHAP. 10. All is of Gods gift O Happy creature which knowes no other thing but that whenas it selfe was another thing euen by thy Gift which moueth vpon euery mutable thing it was so soone as created and no delay of time betweene taken vp in that