St. Augustine, Of the citie of God vvith the learned comments of Io. Lod. Viues. Englished by I.H.

Of the perturbations of minde which the iust doe mode∣rate, and rule aright. CHAP. 9.

BVt concerning these questions of perturbations, the Philosophers are already

answered in the 9. booke, in which we shew that theircontention is rather verb•…•… then reall. But according to our religion and scriptures, the cittizens of GOD, as long as they are pilgrimes, and in the way of GOD, doe feare, desire, reioyce and sorrow. But their loue beeing right, streighteth all those affects. They feete eternall paine, and desire eternall ioy: They sorrow for the present, because as * 1.1 yet they sigh in themselues, wayting for their adoption, euen the redemption of their bod•…•…s: they reioyce in hope, because that shal be fulfilled which is written: Death is swallowed vppe into victory. They feare to offend, and desire to perseuer: * 1.2 they sorrow for sinne, and reioyce in doing good, they feare to sinne, because; for that iniquity shalbe increased the loue of many shalbee cold, they desire to perse∣uer, * 1.3 because: He that endureth to the end shalbe saued: they sorrow for sin, because If we say that we haue no sin, we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs: they re∣ioyce in good workes, for GOD loueth a cheerefull giuer. And as they are strong or weake, so doe they desire, or feare to bee tempted: reioycing, or sorrowing in temptations: they feare to bee tempted, for If any man fall into a falt by any occasion, yee which are spirituall, restore such an one with the spirit of meek•…•…nesse, con∣sidering * 1.4 thy selfe also, least thou bee tempted: they desire to bee tempted, for, Prooue mee O LORD and trie mee, examine my reines and mine heart said Dauid: They sorrow in temptations, for they heare how Peter wept: they reioyce in them, for Brethren, count it exceeding ioye when yee fall into diuers temptations, saith Iames.

And they doe not feele affects for themselues onely, but for others also, whom they desire should bee freed, and feare least they perish, sorrowing at their fall and reioycing at their deliuerance: for if wee that are come from (a) Paganis∣me to Christianity may giue an especiall instance in that worthy and daunt∣lesse man that boasted of his infirmities, that teacher of fayth and truth to the nations, that toyler aboue all his fellow Apostles, that edifier of Gods people by sermons, beeing present, and by more Epistles then they all, beeing ab∣sent, that blessed Man Paul (I meane) CHRISTS Champion, (b) taught by him, (c) anointed from him, (d) crucified with him (e) glorified in him, (f) in the Theater of this World where hee was made a spectacle, to GOD, Angells and Men, fighting a (g) lawfull, and (h) great fight, and following hard towardes the (i) marke for the (k) prize of the high calling: How gladlie doe wee with the eyes * 1.5 of fayth behold him, weepe with them that weepe, and reioyce with them that re∣ioyce, (l) fightings without, and terrours within, desyring to bee dissolued and to be vvith CHRIST, desyring to see the Romaines, and to receiue fruite from them as well as the others, beeing iealous ouer the Corinthians, and fearing least their mindes should be corrupted; from the chastity vvith is in CHRIST, ha∣uing great sadnesse, and continuall sorrow of heart for Israell that beeing ig∣norant in GODS iustice, would erect one of their owne, and not bee subiect vnto gods: and denouncing his lamentation for diuers that had not repen•…•…d them of their fornication and vncleanesse. If these affects, arising from the loue of good, bee vicious, then let true vices bee called vertues: But seeing * 1.6 their vse is leuelled by the rule of reason, who dare call them fraile or im∣perfect passions of the minde? Our LORD himselfe, lyuing in the forme of a seruant (yet without sinne) vsed them when hee thought it requisite: for wee may not thinke that hauing mans essentiall bodie, and soule, hee had but seeming affectes.

And therefore his sorrow for Ierusalems hardnesse of heart, his ioy for the be∣leeuers, his teares for Lazarous, his desire to eate the Passeouer with his disci∣ples, * 1.7 and his deadly heauinesse of soule vpon the approach of his passion, these are no fained narrations.

But these affects of man hee felt when it pleased him, as hee was made man when it pleased him. Wherefore wee confesse that those affects, in their best kinde are but pertinent to this present life, not vnto that which wee hope for heereafter: and that wee are often ouer-pressed by them: a laudable desire or charity may mooue vs: (m) yet shall wee weepe whether wee will or no. For wee haue them by our humaine infirmity, but so had not CHRIST (n) for hee had his very infirmity it selfe, from his owne power. But as long as wee liue in this infirmity, wee shall liue worse if wee want those affects. For the Apos∣tle dispraiseth and detests (o) such as want naturall affect. And so doth the Psalme, saying, I looked for some to pitty mee, and there was none. For to want the * 1.8 sence of sorrow in this mortall life (as a (p) great scholler held) neuer be-falls, a man without great stupidity of bodie, and barbarisme of minde. (q) There∣fore the greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or impassibility beeing meant of the minde, and not the bodie, if it bee vnderstood as a want of those perturbations onely which disturbe the minde, and resist reason, it is to bee defended, and desired. For the Godly wise and holy men (not ordinary ranglers) say all directly, if wee say that wee haue no sinne, wee deceiue our selues, and there is no truth in vs. But if a man had this same 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (meant as before) hee had no sinne indeed in him. But it is well if wee can liue heere without (r) crime: but hee that thinkes hee liues without sinne doth not avoide sinne but rather excludes all pardon. But now if 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, bee an vtter abandoning of all mentall affects whatsoeuer, who will not say such a stupidity is not worse then sinne? Wee may fitly say indeede that true happinesse shalbe vtterly voide of feare and sorrow: but who can say it shalbe voide of loue, and ioy, but hee that professeth to oppose the truth? but if this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, bee a freedome from feare, and sorrow, wee must not ayme at it in this life, if wee meane to liue after the lawe of GOD. But in the other promised life of eternity (s) all feare shalbee excluded from vs. For that feare whereof the Apostle Iohn saith. There is no feare in loue, but perfect loue casteth * 1.9 〈◊〉〈◊〉 feare, and hee that feareth is not perfect in loue, is not that kinde of feare whereof the Apostle Paul feared the fall of the Corinthians, for loue hath this feare in it, and nothing hath it but loue: but the other feare is not in loue, whereof the same Apostle Paul saith, for yee haue not receiued the spirit of * 1.10 bondage to feare againe. But that chaste feare, remayning world without ende, if it bee in the world to come (and howe else can it remaine worlde without ende?) shal bee no feare terrifying vs from euill, but a feare keeping vs in an inseperable good. For where the good attained is vnchangeably loued, there is the feare to loose it inseperably cheined. For by this chaste feare is meant the will that wee must necssarily haue, to avoide sinne: not with an vngrounded carefulnesse least wee should sinne, but beeing founded in the peace of loue, to beware of sinne. But if that firme and eternall security be acquit of all feare, and conceiue onely the fulnesse of ioy, then the feare of Lorde is pure, and indureth for euer, is meant as that other place is: The pacience of the afflicted shall not perish for euer. * 1.11

Their patience shall not be eternall, such needeth onely where miseries are to

be eternally endured. But that which their pacience shall attaine, shall be eter∣nal. So it may be that this pure feare is said to remaine for euer, because the scope whereas it aymes is euerlasting: which beeing so, and a good course onely lead∣ing to beatitude, then hath a badde life badde affects, and a good life good ones. And the eternall beatitude shall haue both ioye and loue, not onely right, but firme, and vnmoouing: but shalbee vtterly quit of feare, and sorrow. Hence is it apparant what courses GODS Citties ought to runne, in this earthly pil∣grimage, making the spirit, not the flesh, GOD, and not humanity the lanterae to their pathes: and here also wee see their estate in their immortall future in∣stalement. But the Cittie of the impious that saile after the compasse of car∣nalitie, and in their most diuine matters, reiect the truth of GOD, and relie vpon the (t) instructions of men, is shaken with these affects, as with earth∣quakes, and infected with them as with pestilent contagions. And if any of the cittizens seeme to curbe themselues from these courses, (u) they growe so impiously proude and vaine-glorious, that the lesse their trouble is by these passions the bigger their tumour. And if any of them bee so rarely vaine, and barbarous, as to embrace a direct stupidity, beecomming insensible of all affect, they doe rather abiure true man-hood then attaine true peace. Roughnesse doth not prooue a thing right, nor (x) can dulnesse produce solid soundnesse.

L. VIVES.

FRom (a) Paganisme] So did not Paul, for hee was an Israelitie of the tribe of Beniamin, and therefore some bookes doe fasly read, He that came from paganisme &c. (b) Taught] There were maisters of fence that taught these champions. Aug. alludeth to them. (c) Anoyn∣•…•…d from] Some reade, bound vnto in, as Paul himselfe saith: and this is more proper: though his allusion run through the anoynting, exercise and fashions of the champions. (d) Crucified] For they had certaine bounds that they might not passe in any exercise. e) Glorified] Victori∣ous. (f) In the Theater] Before a full and honorable viewe. (g) Lawfull] The champions had their lawes, each might not play that would. (h) Great fight] They had their lesser fights and their greater, as had the runners, and the wrastlers. (i) The marke] That beeing perfect and ha∣uing past daily more and more contentions, hee might at length become Maister of the fiue exercises, and haue his full degree. Pauls wordes are in the Epistle to the Philippians. 3. 13. 14.

(l) Fightings] Hee reckneth Pauls affects beeing all good. (m) Yet shall wee weepe] Either suddainely, or forcibly, for ioye, or sorrow. (n) For he] He was God and Man, and therefore had his affects in his power to extend or represse at pleasure: ours are violent, and whirle vs with them through all obstacles, by reason of our owne impotent infirmity: and therefore wee say our minde is impotent in yeelding herevnto. (o) Such as want] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, such as are sence∣•…•…se of misery, or happinesse in themselues or friends: and those stupidities much like the Greekes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of whom reade Pliny lib. 7. Socrates they say was neuer seene to change his •…•…ance: this continuall fixation of minde some-times turneth into a rigid sowrenesse of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, abolishing all affects from the soule, and such men the Greekes call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. (p) A great sch•…•…] Crantors opinion the Academike in Tully, Tusc. quest. 3. (q) Therefore the] S•…•…. Epist. lib. 1. Explaine 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, with one worde, and call it impacience wee cannot, witho•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉. For so wee may come to haue our meaning to bee thought iust contrary to what * 1.12 it is. Wee meane one that is sencelesse of all euill, and wee may bee thought to meane one that i•…•… too sensible of the least, thinke then whether wee may better say invulnerable, or im∣patient. This is that difference betweene vs and the Epicureans. Our wise-man feeles 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but subdues them •…•…l; theirs are acquit from feeling them. Thus Seneca.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…rime. The difference betweene crime, and sinne he declareth. Tract. 41. sup. Ioan, thus a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (saith hee) is an act worthy of accusation and comdemnation. And therefore the Apostle * 1.13 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…der for the election of Priests, Deacons, or other Church-men, saith not, if any of you 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sinne, for so he should exclude all Man-kind from beeing elected; but if any bee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ime: as man slaughter, whoredome, some kind of enuy, adultery, theft, fraud, sacriledge, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Thus to explane this place. (s) All feare.] Or, this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is to be expected, (t) In∣•…•….] Some arts the deuills taught men, as Magike, Astrology, and all diuination excep∣•…•… •…•…phecy. Plato saith that a diuell called Theut inuented Arithmetik, Geometry, Astro∣•…•… •…•…d * 1.14 Dicyng, and taught them to Thamus, King of Egypt. I doubt not but that Logike 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…uills inuention also, it teacheth the truths opposition, and obstinacy in falsenesse, so •…•…ly, delighting to put verity to the worse, by deceipte. (u) They grow so.] Pride was •…•…on vice almost of all the Philosophers. (x) Stupidity, or dulnesse.] The Phisitians when 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cure an hurt member, do apply their stupes, to avoyd the sence of paine onely but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…sease of the part which they are often fayn•…•… •…•…ut of.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rom. 8, 23
• * 1.2

  1. Cor. 15, 54
• * 1.3

  Mat. •…•…4, 12 Mat. 10 22 1 Io. 1, 8 2 Cor. 9, 7.
• * 1.4

  Gal 6 1 Psal. 2•…•…, 2
• * 1.5

  Philip. 3, 14 Rom. 12, 15 2 Cor. 11, 3
• * 1.6

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cor. 11. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.7

  Mat. 3 Iohn 11 Luk •…•…2 Mat 26
• * 1.8

  Rom. 1, 30 Psal. 69, 20
• * 1.9

  1. Ioh. 4, 18
• * 1.10

  Psal 9, 9
• * 1.11

  Psal. 9. 1•…•…
• * 1.12

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.13

  Crime.
• * 1.14

  Theut.