Saint Augustines confessions translated: and with some marginall notes illustrated. Wherein, diuers antiquities are explayned; and the marginall notes of a former Popish translation, answered. By William Watts, rector of St. Albanes, Woodstreete

CHAP. 31. The temptation of eating and drinking.

1. THere is another euill of the day, which I wish * 1.1 were sufficient vnto it, that we are fayne by eating and drink∣ing to repaire the daily de∣cayes of our body, vntill such time as thou destroyest both * 1.2 belly and meat, whenas thou shalt kill this emptinesse of mine, with a wonderfull ful∣nesse, and shalt cloath this in∣corruptible, * 1.3 with an eternall incorruption. Butin this life, e∣uen necessity is sweete vnto me, against which swetnes do

I fight, lest I should bee be∣guiled by it; yea, a daily warre doe I make, bringing my body into subiection by my fastings; the pinchings whereof are by the pleasure I take in it, expelled. Hunger & Thirst verily are painefull: they burne vp and kill like a feaver, vnlesse the physicke of nourishments relieue vs. Which, for that it is readily to bee had, out of the comfort wee receiue by thy gifts, with which both land and water, and ayre serue our necessities, are our calamities termed our delicacies. Thus much hast thou taught mee, that I am to take my meat, as sparing∣ly as I would doe my Phy∣sicke.

2. But in the while I am passing from the pinching of emptynesse, vnto the content of a competent replenishing; does that snare of lickorish∣nesse,

euen in the very passage, lie in ambush for mee: For that passage betweene, is a kinde of pleasure, nor is there any other way to passe by, but that which necessity constraines vs to goe by. And whereas health is the cause of our eating and drink∣ing, there will a dange∣rous lickorishnesse goes a-long, with health like a handmayd, yea endeauours oftentimes so to goe before it, as that I eate that for my tooths sake, which I eyther say I doe, or desire to doe, for my healths sake. Nor is there the same mode∣ration in both; for that which is enough in respect of health, is nothing neere enough in respect of lickorishnesse: yea very vncertaine it is often∣times, whether the necessary care of my body still requires sustenance, or whether a vo∣luptuous deceiueablenesse, of

Epicurisme supplies lust with maintenance. And for that this case is vncertaine, does my vnhappy soule reioyce, & prouides it thereby of a pro∣tection of excuse: reioycing for that it cannot now ap∣peare what may bee suffici∣ent for health; that so vnder the cloake of health, it may disguise the matter of Epi∣curisme.

3. These enticements doe I endeauour to resist dayly: yea I call thy right hand to help me, and to thee doe I re∣ferre my perplexities; for that I am resolued of no coun∣sell as yet, whereby to effect it. I heare the voyce of my God commanding, Let not your hearts bee ouercharged with * 1.4 surfeting and drunkennesse. As for drunkennesse, I am farre enough from it, and thou wilt haue mercy vpon mee, that it may neuer come neere

mee. But full-feeding hath many a time stolne vpon thy seruant: but thou wilt haue mercy vpon mee, that it may hereafter bee put farre from mee: for no man can bee temperate, vnlesse thou giue it. Many things thou vouch∣safest vnto vs, which wee pray for; and what good thing soeuer wee haue recei∣ued before wee pray, from thee haue we receiued it; yea to this end haue wee already receiued it, that wee might acknowledge so much after∣wards. Drunkard was I ne∣uer: but I haue knowne ma∣ny a drunkard made a sober man by thee. Thy doing therefore it is, that such should bee kept from being drunkards hereafter, who haue not beene that way faulty heeretofore; as from thee it also comes, that those should not continue

faulty for euer, who haue beene giuen to that vice heretofore: yea from thee it likewise proceedes, that both these parties should take notice, from whom all this proceeded.

4. I heard also another * 1.5 voyce of thine, Goe not after thine owne lusts, and from thine owne pleasures turne away thy face. Yea by thy fauour haue I heard this saying likewise, which I haue much deligh∣ted in, Neyther if wee eate, * 1.6 are wee the better; neyther if wee eate not, are we the worse: which is to say, that neythes shall this thing makes me rich, nor that miserable. Also an∣other voyce of thine haue I heard. For I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am, there∣with * 1.7 to be content: and I know how to abound, and how to suf∣fer neede. I can doe all things

through Christ that strengthe∣neth me. See here b 1.8 a souldiour indeed of thy celestiall armies; on: not of the same moulds that wee are made of: but re∣member Lord that wee are dust, and that of dust thou hast * 1.9 made man, who was lost and * 1.10 is found. Nor yet could Hee doe this of his owne power, because hee was of the same dust, him I meane whom I did so heartily loue for this, say∣ing by thy inspiration, I can doe all things (sayth hee) through him that strengthe∣neth me. Strengthen me, that I may be able; giue what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt. Euen S. Paul confesses to haue receiued, and when hee glorieth, in the Lord hee glorieth. Another c 1.11 also haue I heard begging of thee, Turne from mee (sayth he) the greedynesse of the belly. By which it appeareth, O my

holy God, that the power is of thy giuing, when any thing is done which thou comman∣dest to bee done. Thou hast taught mee good Father, that Ʋnto the pure, all things are pure; but that it is euill vnto * 1.12 the man that eateth with of∣fence. And, that euery Crea∣ture * 1.13 of thine is good, and no∣thing to bee refused, which is receiued with thankesgiuing. And that meate commendeth vs not to God: And, that no * 1.14 * 1.15 man ought to iudge vs in meat or drinke. And, that hee which * 1.16 eateth, Let him not despise him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not, iudge him that eateth. These things haue I learned, thankes and prayse bee to thee therefore, my God and Master; euen to thee that knockest at the doore of mine eares, the enlightener of my heart: doe thou deliuer mee out of all

temptation.

6. It is not any vnclean∣nesse in the meate which I feare, but the vncleannesse of mine owne gurmandi∣zing. I know, that liberty was granted vnto Noah, to eate of all kinde of flesh that was good for foode. That * 1.17 Eliah was fedde with flesh: * 1.18 that Iohn Baptist, endued with an admirable absti∣nence, * 1.19 was not polluted by those liuing creatures the Locusts, which were gran∣ted him to feede vpon. And on the other side, I know that Esau was deceiued by longing after the potage of * 1.20 Lintels: and that Dauid was blamed by himselfe for desi∣ring * 1.21 a draught of water: and that our King was tempted, not concerning flesh, but bread; * 1.22 and the people in the wil∣dernesse therefore deserued

to bee reprooued, not so much for desiring flesh, but for murmuring against the Lord, out of a lust to lickorish meats. My selfe therefore amidst * 1.23 these temptations doe striue dayly against mine owne ap∣petite of eating and drinking. For tis not of such a nature, as that I am able to resolue to cut my selfe short of it once for all, and neuer to touch it afterward, as I was able to doe concerning carnall copu∣lation. The brydle of the throat therefore is to be held betweene a temperate slack∣nesse and a stiffenesse: and who is he, O Lord, that is not some whit transported beyond the lists of necessity? what euer hee is, a great man hee is; and let him magnifie thy name for it. But for mine owne part, I am not the man, for that I am a sinner. Yet doe I magnifie thy name too; yea, and Her

makes intercession to thee for my sinnes, who hath ouer∣come the world; who ac∣counts mee among the weake members of his body; be∣cause thine eyes haue seene my * 1.24 substance being yet vnperfect, and in thy booke were all my members written.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Math. 6. 34
• * 1.2

  1 Cor. 6. 13
• * 1.3

  1 Cor. 15. 54.
• * 1.4

  Luke 21. 34.
• * 1.5

  Ezek. 18.
• * 1.6

  1 Cor 8. 8
• * 1.7

  Phil. 4. 11, 12.
• b 1.8

  Hee meanes St. Paul: who spake this.
• * 1.9

  Gen. 3.
• * 1.10

  Luk. 15. 32
• c 1.11

  The place is found in Ecclesiasti∣cus 23. 5. 6. which be∣ing Apo∣cryph all he quotes not the Author so reue∣rently as he did St. Paul euen now: See our note vpon cap. 29.
• * 1.12

  Titus 1. 15
• * 1.13

  Ro. 14. 20
• * 1.14

  1 Tim. 4. 4.
• * 1.15

  1 Cor. 8. 8.
• * 1.16

  Rom. 14. 13
• * 1.17

  Gen. 9. 3.
• * 1.18

  1 King 17. 9
• * 1.19

  Math. 3. 4.
• * 1.20

  Gen. 25. 34
• * 1.21

  2 Sam. 23. 15, &c.
• * 1.22

  Math. 4. 3.
• * 1.23

  Num. 11. 14
• * 1.24

  Psa. 139. 16