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

That in Adams offence his euill will was before his euill worke. CHAP. 13.

BVt euil began within them secretly at first, to draw them into open disobedi∣•…•…ce afterwardes. For there had beene no euill worke, but there was an euill will before i•…•…: and what could begin this euill will but pride, that is the beginning * 1.1 of all •…•…rme? And whats pride but a peruerse desire of height, in forsaking him to whome the soule ought soly to adhere, as the beginning therof, to make the selfe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the owne beginning. This is when it likes it selfe too well, or when it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it selfe so, as it will abandon that vnchangeable good which ought to bee more delightfull to it then it selfe. This defect now is voluntary: For if the will remained firme in the loue of that superior firmest good which gaue it light to see it, and zeale to loue it; it would not haue turned from that, to take delight in

〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…fe, and therevpon haue bee come so (a) blinde of sight, and so (b) could of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that either (c) shee should haue beleeued the serpents words as true, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (d) hee should haue dared to prefer his wiues will before Gods command, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to thinke that he offended but (e) venially, if hee bare the fellow of his life •…•…pany, in her offence. The euill therefore, that is, this transgression, was no•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but by such as were euil before, such eate the fordidden fruit: there could b•…•… •…•…ill * 1.2 fruit, but from an euill tree, the tree was made euil against nature, for it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 become euil but by the vnnatural viciousnesse of the wil: & no nature can be •…•…praued by vice, but such as is created of nothing. And therefore in that it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it hath it from God: but it falleth from God in that it was made of nothing. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…n was not made nothing vpon his fall, but he was lessened in excellence by •…•…ing to himselfe, being most excelling, in his adherence to God: whome hee •…•…g, to adhere to, and delight in himselfe, hee grew (not to bee nothing, but) 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nothing. Therefore the scripture called proud men, otherwise, (f) •…•…es of them-selues. It is good to haue the heart aloft, but not vnto ones 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…hat is pride: but vnto God, that is obedience, inherent onely in the * 1.3 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

•…•…ility therfore there is this to be admired, that it eleuates the heart: and in •…•…is, that it deiecteth it. This seemes strangly contrary, that eleuation shold 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and deiection aloft. But Godly humility subiects one to his superior: and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…boue all; therefore humility exalteth one, in making him Gods subiect. •…•…de the vice, refusing this subiection, falles from him that is aboue all, and •…•…es more base by farre (then those that stand) fulfilling this place of the * 1.4 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hast cast them downe in their exaltation. He saith not when they were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they were deiected afterwards: but, in their very exaltation were they 〈◊〉〈◊〉, their eleuation was their ruine. And therefore in that humility is so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in, and commended to the Citty of God that is yet pilgrime vpon earth, •…•…hly extolled by (g) Christ, the King thereof; and pride, the iust con∣•…•…en by holy writ, to be so predominant in his aduersaies the deuill and 〈◊〉〈◊〉: in this very thing the great difference of the two citties the Godly, and •…•…ly, with both their Angells accordingly, lieth most apparant: Gods •…•…ing in the one, and selfe-loue in the other. So that the deuill had not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…nkinde to such a palpable transgression of Gods expresse charge, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 will and) selfe-loue had gotten place in them before, for hee deligh∣•…•… * 1.5 which was sayd (h) you shallbe as Gods: which they might sooner haue 〈◊〉〈◊〉 obedience and coherence with their creator then by proud opinion 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ere their owne beginners, for the created Gods, are not Gods of them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by participation of the God that made them, but man desiring more 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and chose to bee sufficient in him selfe, fell from that all-suffici∣•…•…

•…•…en is the mischiefe, man liking him-selfe as if hee were his owne •…•…d away from the true light, which if hee had pleased him-selfe with •…•…ght haue beene like: this mischiefe (say I) was first in his soule, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 drawne on to the following mischieuous act, for the scripture is * 1.6 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Pride goeth before distruction, and an high minde before the fall: the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…s in secret, fore runneth the fall which was in publike, the first being 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fall at all, for who taketh exaltation to bee ruine, though the defect 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…e place of height.

But who seeth not that ruine lyeth in the expresse breach of Gods precepts? For therefore did GOD forbid it, that beeing done, (i) all excuse and auoy∣dance of iustice might bee excluded. And therefore I dare say it is good that the proud should fall into some broad and disgracefull sinne thereby to take a dislike of them-selues, who fell by to much liking them-selues: for Peters sor∣rowfull dislike of him-selfe, when he wept, was more healthfull to his soule then his vnsound pleasure that he tooke in him-selfe when hee presumed. There∣fore saith the Psalme: fill their faces with shame, that they may seeke thy name O Lord: that is that they may delight in thee and seeke thy name, who before, de∣lighted * 1.7 in them-selues, and sought their owne.

L. VIVES.

SO (a) blinde] Losing their light. (b) Cold] Losing their heate. (c) She should] Here shee lackt her light, was blinde and saw not. (d) He should] Here he wanted his heate, and was cold, in neglecting Gods command for his wiues pleasure. But indeed, they both want both: the woman had no zeale, preferring an apple before God: the man had no light, in casting him∣selfe and vs headlong he knew not whether. (e) Uenially] I doe not meane to dispute heere whether Adams sinne were veniall or no: As Bonauenture and Scotus doe. I know his sinne was cappitall, and I am thereby wretched. (f) Pleasures of] Pet. 2. 2. 10. (The Greekes call them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but it is not so in Peter: I onely name it from the latine.) Wis. 6. This vice therefore is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or selfe-loue; Socrates calls it the roote of all enormity: It is the head of all pride, and the base of all ignorance. (g) Christ] Who was made obedient to his fa∣ther euen vnto death, to which he was led like a sheepe to the slaughter, and like a lamb when it is clipped, he was silent, neither threatning those that smote him, nor reproching those that reproched him: All hayle thou example of obedience, gentlenesse, mansuetude and modesty, im∣posed by thy father vnto our barbarous, brutish, ingratefull, impious mankinde. (h) You shall bee] Fulfill thy minde (proud woman) aduance thy selfe to the height: What is the vttermost scope of all ambitious desire? To bee a God: why eate, and thou shalt be one. O thou fon∣de•…•… * 1.8 of thy sexe, hopest thou to be deified by an apple? (i) All excuse] No pretence, no shew, no imaginary reason of iustice would serue the turne. For the eye of Gods iustice cannot bee blinded, but the more coullor that one layes vppon guilt before him, the fouler hee makes his owne soule and the more inexcusable.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pride. •…•…e. 10.
• * 1.2

  •…•…ll •…•…kes done by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…l per∣sons.
• * 1.3

  Humility.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 73.
• * 1.5

  Gen. 3. 5.
• * 1.6

  Pro. 16. 18.
• * 1.7

  Ps. 83.
• * 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 accuse 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉