Images de page
PDF
ePub

this, it remains either that there is condem- that some corrupter has interpolated this into nation of some souls, or that there are no the divine Scriptures. To whom then are sins. But if there are no sins, neither is sins attributed? If to those evil souls of the there any evil. Which if the Manichæans alien class, these also can become good, can should say, they would slay their heresy with possess the kingdom of God with Christ. a single blow. Therefore they and I agree Which denying, they [the Manichæans] have that some souls are condemned by divine law no other class except those souls which they and judgment. But if these souls are good, maintain are of the substance of God. It what is that justice? If evil, are they so by remains that they acknowledge that not only nature, or by will? But by nature souls can these latter also, but these alone sin. But in no way be evil. Whence do we teach I make no contention about their being alone this. From the above definitions of will and in sinning; yet they sin. But are they comsin. For to speak of souls, and that they pelled to sin by being commingled with evil? are evil, and that they do not sin, is full of If so compelled that there was no power of madness; but to say that they sin without resisting, they do not sin. If it is in their will, is great craziness, and to hold any one power to resist, and they voluntarily consent, guilty of sin for not doing what he could not we are compelled to find out through their do, belongs to the height of iniquity and in- [the Manichæan] teaching, why so great sanity. Wherefore whatever these souls good things in supreme evil, why this evil in do, if they do it by nature not by will, supreme good, unless it be that neither is that is, if they are wanting in a movement that which they bring into suspicion evil, nor of mind free both for doing and not doing, is that which they pervert by superstition suif finally no power of abstaining from their preme good? work is conceded to them; we cannot hold that the sin is theirs. But all confess both that evil souls are justly, and souls that have not sinned are unjustly condemned; therefore they confess that those souls are evil that sin. But these, as reason teaches, do not sin. Therefore the extraneous class of evil souls of the Manichæans, whatever it may be, is a non-entity.

CHAP. 13.-FROM DELIBERATION ON THE EVIL

AND ON THE GOOD PART IT RESULTS THAT
TWO CLASSES OF SOULS ARE NOT TO BE
HELD TO. A CLASS OF SOULS ENTICING TO
SHAMEFUL DEEDS HAVING BEEN CONCEDED,
IT DOES NOT FOLLOW THAT THESE ARE EVIL
BY NATURE, THAT THE OTHERS ARE SUPREME
GOOD.

18. Let us now look at that good class of 19. But if I had taught, or at any rate had souls, which again they exalt to such a de- myself learned, that they rave and err regardgree as to say that it is the very substance of ing those two classes of souls, why should I God. But how much better it is that each have thenceforth thought them worthy of being one should recognize his own rank and merit, heard or consulted about anything? That nor be so puffed up with sacrilegious pride as I might learn hence, that these two kinds of to believe that as often as he experiences a souls are pointed out, which in the course change in himself it is the substance of that of deliberation assent puts now on the evil supreme good, which devout reason holds and side, now on the good? Why is not this teaches to be unchangeable! For behold! rather the sign of one soul which by free will since it is manifest that souls do not sin in can be borne here and there, swayed hither not being such as they cannot be; it follows and thither? For it was my own experience that these supposititious souls, whatever they to feel that I am one, considering evil and may be, do not sin at all, and moreover that good and choosing one or the other, but for they are absolutely non-existent; it remains the most part the one pleases, the other that since there are sins, they find none to is fitting, placed in the midst of which we whom to attribute them except the good class fluctuate. Nor is it to be wondered at, for of souls and the substance of God. But es- we are now so constituted that through the pecially are they pressed by Christian authority; for never have they denied that forgiveness of sins is granted when any one has been converted to God; never have they said (as they have said of many other passages)

flesh we can be affected by sensual pleasure, and through the spirit by honorable considerations. Am I not therefore compelled to acknowledge two souls? Nay, we can better and with far less difficulty recognize two classes of good things, of which neither is 1 In his Retractations, Augustin explains that by nature is to be understood the state in which we were created without vice. alien from God as its author, one soul acted to the primitive Adamic condition. It is evident, however, that this upon from diverse directions, the lower and was not his meaning when he combated the Manichæans. The the higher, or to speak more correctly, the question of infant sinfulness arises here also, and is discussed in the external and the internal. These are the two usual Anti-Pelagian way.-A. HN.

He transfers the entire argument from the actual condition of man

classes which a little while ago we considered such things. But if the sun should wish to under the names sensible and intelligible, which imitate it (for we may feign that it has desires we now prefer to call more familiarly carnal of this sort '), who would not be greatly and and spiritual. But it has been made difficult rightly displeased. From which illustrations for us to abstain from carnal things, since I wish it to be understood, that even if there our truest bread is spiritual. For with great are souls (which meanwhile is left an open labor we now eat this bread. For neither question 2) devoted to bodily offices not by sin without punishment for the sin of transgression have we been changed from immor. tal into mortal. So it happens, that when we strive after better things, habit formed by connection with the flesh and our sins in some way begin to militate against us and to put obstacles in our way, some foolish persons with most obtuse superstition suspect that there is another kind of souls which is not of God.

but by nature, and even if they are related to us, however inferior they may be, by some inner affinity, they should not be esteemed evil simply because we are evil ourselves in following them and in loving corporeal things. For we sin by loving corporeal things, because by justice we are required and by nature we are able to love spiritual things, and when we do this we are, in our kind, the best and the happiest.3

which have been said regarding the will and sin, those things, I say, that supreme justice permits no man using his reason to be ignorant of, those things which if they were taken from us, there is nothing whence the discipline of virtue may begin, nothing whence it may rise from the death of vices, those things I say considered again and again with sufficient clearness and lucidity convince us that the heresy of the Manichæans is false.

20. However even if it be conceded to them that we are enticed to shameful deeds by an- 21. Wherefore what proof does deliberaother inferior kind of souls, they do not thence tion, violently urged in both directions, now make it evident that those enticing are evil by prone to sin, now borne on toward right connature, or those enticed, supremely good. duct, furnish, that we are compelled to accept For it may be, the former of their own will, two kinds of souls, the nature of one of which is by striving after what was not lawful, that is, from God, of the other not; when we are free by sinning, from being good have become to conjecture so many other causes of alterevil; and again they may be made good, but nating states of mind? But that these things in such manner that for a long time they re- are obscure and are to no purpose pried into main in sin, and by a certain occult suasion by blear-eyed minds, whoever is a good judge traduce to themselves other souls. Then, of things sees. Wherefore those things rather they may not be absolutely evil, but in their own kind, however inferior, they may exercise their own functions without any sin. But those superior souls to whom justice, the directress of things, has assigned a far more excellent activity, if they should wish to follow and to imitate those inferior ones, become evil, not because they imitate evil souls, but because they imitate in an evil way. By the evil souls is done what is proper to them, by the good what is alien to them is striven after. Hence the former remain in their own grade, CHAP. 14.-AGAIN IT IS SHOWN FROM THE the latter are plunged into a lower. It is as when men copy after beasts. For the fourfooted horse walks beautifully, but if a man on all fours should imitate him, who would think him worthy even of chaff for food? Rightly therefore we generally disapprove of one who imitates, while we approve of him I whom he imitates. But we disapprove not because he has not succeeded, but for wishing to succeed at all. For in the horse we approve of that to which by as much as we prefer man, by so much are we offended that he copies after inferior creatures. So among men, however well the crier may do in sending forth his voice, would not the senator be insane, if he should do it even more clearly and better than the crier? Take an illustration from the heavenly bodies: The moon when shining is praised, and by its course and its changes is quite pleasing to those that pay attention to

UTILITY OF REPENTING THAT SOULS ARE
NOT BY NATURE EVIL. SO SURE A DEMON-
STRATION IS NOT CONTRADICTED EXCEPT
FROM THE HABIT OF ERRING.

22. Like the foregoing considerations is what shall now say about repenting. For as among all sane people it is agreed, and this the Manichæans themselves not only confess but also teach, that to repent of sin is useful. Why shall I now, in this matter, collect the testimonies of the divine Scriptures, which

Augustin's carefulness to explain that he is only indulging in ans the sun and the moon were objects of worship.-A. H. N.

personification is doubtless due to the fact that with the Manichæ

2 In his Retractations, Augustin explains that he did not really regard this as an open question, but speaks of it as such only so far as this particular discussion is concerned. He simply declines to enter upon a consideration of it in this connection.-A. H. N. 3 Here also the use of the word "nature" gave Augustin trouble in his later years. He claims in the Retractations that he uses

the word in the sense of "nature that has been healed' and that exclude divine grace.—A. H. N.

"cannot be vitiated," and seeks to show that he did not mean to

its own proper help to the solution of the different parts of the question. O habit of sin! O accompanying penalty of sin! Then you turned me away from the consideration of things so manifest, but you injured me when I did not discern. But now, among my most familiar acquaintances who do not discern, you wound and torment me discerning.

are scattered throughout their pages? It is necessary arguments which, bound to it with also the voice of nature; notice of this thing adamantine chains, as the saying is, follow has escaped no fool. We should be undone, that proposition, and shall have conducted to if this were not deeply imbedded in our its conclusion the whole process by which that nature. Some one may say that he does not sect is overthrown, he will deny perhaps that sin; but no barbarity will dare to say, that if he knows the utility of repenting, which no one sins he should not repent of it. This learned man, no unlearned, is ignorant of, and being the case, I ask to which of the two will rather contend, when we hesitate and kinds of souls does repenting pertain? I deliberate, that two souls in us furnish each know indeed that it can pertain neither to him who does ill nor to him who cannot do well. Wherefore, that I may use the words of the Manichæans, if a soul of darkness repent of sin, it is not of the substance of supreme evil, if a soul of light, it is not of the substance of supreme good; that disposition of repenting which is profitable testifies alike that the penitent has done ill, and that he could have done well. How, therefore, is there from me nothing of evil, if I have acted unadvisedly, or how can I rightly repent if I have not so done? Hear the other part. How is there from me nothing of good, if in me there is good will, or how do I rightly repent if there is not? Wherefore, either let them deny that there is great utility in repenting, so that they may be driven not only from the Christian name, but from every even imaginary argument for their views, or let them cease to say and to teach that there are two kinds of souls, one of which has nothing of evil, the other nothing of good; for that whole sect is propped up by this two-headed or rather headlong variety of souls.

I

23. And to me indeed it is sufficient thus to know that the Manichæans err, that I know that sin must be repented of; and yet if now by right of friendship I should accost some one of my friends who still thinks that they are worthy of being listened to, and should say to him: Do you not know that it is useful, when any one has sinned, to repent? Without hesitation he will swear that he knows. If then I shall have convinced you that Manichæism is false, will you not desire anything more? Let him reply what more he can desire in this matter. Very well, so far. But when I shall have begun to show the sure and

[blocks in formation]

CHAP. 15.-HE PRAYS FOR HIS FRIENDS WHOM
HE HAS HAD AS ASSOCIATES IN ERROR.

24. Give heed to these things, I beseech you, dearly beloved. Your dispositions I have well known. If you now concede to me the mind and the reason of any sort of man, these things are far more certain than the things that we seemed to learn or rather were compelled to believe. Great God, God omnipotent, God of supreme goodness, whose right it is to be believed and known to be inviolable and unchangeable. Trinal Unity, whom the Catholic Church worships, as one who have experienced in myself Thy mercy, I supplicate Thee, that Thou wilt not permit those with whom from boyhood I have lived most harmoniously in every relation to dissent from me in Thy worship. I see how it was especially to be expected in this place that I should either even then have defended the Catholic Scriptures attacked by the Manichæans, if as I say, I had been cautious; or I should now show that they can be defended. But in other volumes God will aid my purpose, for the moderate length of this, as I suppose, already asks to be spared.3

3 This purpose Augustin accomplished in several works. See especially Contra Adimantum, and Contra Faustum Manichaum. On Augustin's defense of the Old Testament Scriptures, see MOZLEY'S Ruling Ideas in Early Ages, last chapter.- A. H. N.

ST. AUGUSTIN:

ACTS OR DISPUTATION

AGAINST

FORTUNATUS THE MANICHÆAN. .

[ACTA SEU DISPUTATIO CONTRA FORTUNATUM MANICHÆUM].

A.D. 392.

TRANSLATED BY

ALBERT H. NEWMAN, D.D., L.L.D.,

PROFESSOR OF CHURCH HISTORY AND COMPARATIVE RELIGION, IN TORONTO

BAPTIST (THEOLOGICAL) COLLEGE, TORONTO, CANADA.

« PrécédentContinuer »