fidei = the Catholic faith. Ecclesice.
But it is most natural to supply Chap. XIV.]
ON THE CATECHISING OF THE UNINSTRUCTED.
297 his instance I have learned that this kind of thing is carefully to be guarded against. For who can endure our arrogance when we fail to make men who are our brethren,1 or even those who are not yet in that relation to us (for our solicitude then should be all the greater to get them to become our brethren), to be seated in our presence, seeing that even a woman sat as she listened to our Lord Himself, in whose service the angels stand alert?2 Of course if the address is to be but short, or if the place is not well adapted for sitting, they should listen standing. But that should be the case only when there are many hearers, and when they are not to be formally admitted 3 at the time. For when the audience consists only of one or two, or a few, who have come with the express purpose of being made Christians, there is a risk in speaking to them standing. Nevertheless, supposing that we have once begun in that manner, we ought at least, whenever we observe signs of weari- ness on the part of the hearer, to offer him the liberty of being seated; nay more, we should urge him by all means to sit down, and we ought to drop some remark calculated at once to refresh him and to banish from his mind any anxiety which may have chanced to break in upon him and draw off his atten- tion. For inasmuch as the reasons why he remains silent and declines to listen cannot be certainly known to us, now that he is seated we may speak to some extent against the incidence of thoughts about worldly affairs, delivering ourselves either in the cheerful spirit to which I have already ad- verted, or in a serious vein; so that, if these are the particular anxieties which have oc- cupied his mind, they may be made to give way as if indicted by name: while, on the other hand, supposing them not to be the special causes (of the loss of interest), and supposing him to be simply worn out with lis- tening, his attention will be relieved of the pressure of weariness when we address to him some unexpected and extraordinary strain of remark on these subjects, in the mode of which I have spoken, as if they were the particular anxieties,— for indeed we are simply ignorant (of the true causes). But let the remark thus made be short, especially considering that it is thrown in out of order, lest the very medicine even increase the malady of weariness which we desire to re- lieve; and, at the same time, we should go on rapidly with what remains, and promise and present the prospect of a conclusion nearer than was looked for.
CHAP. 14.— OF THE REMEDY AGAINST THE FIFTH AND SIXTH SOURCES OF WEARINESS.
20. If, again, your spirit has been broken by the necessity of giving up some other em- ployment, on which, as the more requisite, you were now bent; and if the sadness caused by that constraint makes you catechise in no pleasant mood, you ought to ponder the fact that, excepting that we know it to be our duty, in all our dealings with men, to act in a merciful manner, and in the exercise of the sincerest charity,— with this one exception, I say, it is quite uncertain to us what is the more profitable thing for us to do, and what the more opportune thing for us either to pass by for a time or altogether to omit. For in- asmuch as we know not how the merits of men, on whose behalf we are acting, stand with God, the question as to what is expedient for them at a certain time is something which, instead of being able to comprehend, we can rather only surmise, without the aid of any (clear) inferences, or (at best) with the slen- derest and the most uncertain. Therefore we ought certainly to dispose the matters with which we have to deal according to our intelligence; and then, if we prove able to carry them out in the manner upon which we have resolved, we should rejoice, not indeed that it was our will, but that it was God's will, that they should thus be accomplished. But if anything unavoidable happens, by which the disposition thus proposed by us is interfered with, we should bend ourselves to it readily, lest we be broken; so that the very disposition of affairs which God has preferred to ours may also be made our own. For it is more in accordance with propriety that we should follow His will than that He should follow ours. Besides, as regards this order in the doing of things, which we wish to keep in accordance with our own judgment, surely that course is to be approved of in which objects that are superior have the precedence. Why then are we aggrieved that the pre- cedence over men should be held by the Ford God in His vast superiority to us men, so that in the said love which we entertain for our own order, we should thus (exhibit the disposition to) despise order? For ' no one orders for the better" what he has to do, except the man who is rather ready to leave undone what he is prohibited from doing by the divine power, than desirous of doing that which he meditates in his own human cogita- tions. For "there are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless, the counsel of the Lord stands for ever."4 1 Instead of vivos fvatves, some MSS. read vevos fvatves - our genuine brethren. ' Luke x. 39. 3 Initiandi = initiated.
4 Prov. xix. 21.
298 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
[Chap. XV.
21. But if our mind is agitated by some cause of offense, so as not to be capable of delivering a discourse of a calm and enjoyable strain, our charity towards those for whom Christ died, desiring to redeem them by the price of His own blood from the death of the errors of this world, ought to be so great, that the very circumstance of intelligence being brought us in our sadness, regarding the ad- vent of some person who longs to become a Christian, ought to be enough to cheer us and dissipate that heaviness of spirit, just as the delights of gain are wont to soften the pain of losses. For we are not (fairly) oppressed by the offense of any individual, unless it be that of the man whom we either perceive or believe to be perishing himself, or to be the occasion of the undoing of some weak one. Accordingly, one who comes to us with the view of being formally admitted, in that we cherish the hope of his ability to go forward, should wipe away the sorrow caused by one who fails us. For even if the dread that our proselyte may become the child of hell x comes into our thoughts, as, there are many such before our eyes, from whom those offenses arise by which we are distressed, this ought to operate, not in the way of keeping us back, but rather in the way of stimulating us and spurring us on. And in the same measure we ought to admonish him whom we are instructing to be on his guard against imitating those who are Chris- tians only in name and not in very truth, and to take care not to suffer himself to be so moved by their numbers as either to be de- sirous of following them, or to be reluctant to follow Christ on their account, and either to be unwilling to be in the Church of God, where they are, or to wish to be there in such a character as they bear. And somehow or other, in admonitions of this sort, that ad- dress is the more glowing to which a present sense of grief supplies the fuel; so that instead of being duller, we utter with greater fire and vehemence under such feelings things which, in times of greater ease, we would give forth in a colder and less energetic manner. And this should make us rejoice that an oppor- tunity is afforded us under which the emotions of our mind pass not away without yielding some fruit.
22. If, however, grief has taken possession of us on account of something in which we ourselves have erred or sinned, we should bear in mind not only that a "broken spirit is a sacrifice to God,"2 but also the saying, " Like as water quencheth fire, so alms sin; " 3 1 Matt, xxiii. 15.
zPs. li. 17.
3 Ecclus. iii. 30.
and again, "I will have mercy," saith He, "rather than sacrifice."4 Therefore, as in the event of our being in peril from fire we would certainly run to the water in order to get the fire extinguished, and we would be grateful if any person were to offer it in the immediate vicinity; so, if some flame of sin has risen from our own stack,5 and if we are troubled on that account, when an oppor- tunity has been given for a most merciful work, we should rejoice in it, as if a fountain were offered us in order that by it the con- flagration which had burst forth might be ex- tinguished. Unless haply we are foolish enough to think that we ought to be readier in running with bread, wherewith we may fill the belly of a hungry man, than with the word of God, wherewith we may instruct the mind of the man who feeds on it.6 There is this also to consider, namely, that if it would only be of advantage to us to do this thing, and entail no disadvantage to leave it undone, we might despise a remedy offered in an un- happy fashion in the time of peril with a view to the safety, not now of a neighbor, but of ourselves. But when from the mouth of the Lord this so threatening sentence is heard, "Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou oughtest to give my money to the ex- changers,"7 what madness, I pray thee, is it thus, seeing that our sin pains us, to be minded to sin again, by refusing to give the Lord's money to one who desires it and asks it! When these and such like considera- tions and reflections have succeeded in dis- pelling the darkness of weary feelings, the bent of mind is rendered apt for the duty of catechising, so that that is received in a pleas- ant manner which breaks forth vigorously and cheerfully from the rich vein of charity. For these things indeed which are uttered here are spoken, not so much by me to you, as rather to us all by that very "love which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that is given to us." 8 CHAP. 15. OF THE METHOD IN WHICH OUR AD- DRESS SHOULD BE ADAPTED TO DIFFERENT CLASSES OF HEARERS.
23. But now, perhaps, you also demand of me as a debt that which, previous to the prom- ise which I made, I was under no obligation to give, namely, that I should not count it burdensome to unfold some sort of example of the discourse intended, and to set it be- fore you for your study, just as if I were my- 4 Hos. vi. 6. S Fteno = hay.
6 Reading istud edentis; for which some editions give studentis = of one who studies it.
Chap. XVI.]
ON THE CATECHISING OF THE UNINSTRUCTED.
299 self engaged in catechising some individual. Before I do that, however, I wish you to keep in mind the fact that the mental effort is of one kind in the case of a person who dictates, with a future reader in his view, and that it is of quite another kind in the case of a per- son who speaks with a present hearer to whom to direct his attention. And further, it is to be remembered that, in this latter instance in particular, the effort is of one kind when one is admonishing in private, and when there is no other person at hand to pronounce judg- ment on us; whereas it is of a different order when one is conveying any instruction in pub- lic, and when there stands around him an audience of persons holding dissimilar opin- ions; and again, that in this exercise of teach- ing, the effort will be of one sort when only a single individual is being instructed, while all the rest listen, like persons judging or attes- ting things well known to them, and that it will be different when all those who are present wait for what we have to deliver to them; and once more, that, in this same in- stance, the effort will be one thing when all are seated, as it were, in private conference with a view to engaging in some discussion, and that it will be quite another thing when the people sit silent and intent on giving their attention to some single speaker who is to address them from a higher position. It will likewise make a considerable difference, even when we are discoursing in that style, whether there are few present or many, whether they are learned or unlearned, or made up of both classes combined; whether they are city-bred or rustics, or both the one and the other to- gether; or whether, again, they are a people composed of all orders of men in due propor- tion. For it is impossible but that they will affect in different ways the person who has to speak to them and discourse with them, and that the address which is delivered will both bear certain features, as it were, expressive of the feelings of the mind from which it pro- ceeds, and also influence the hearers in differ- ent ways, in accordance with that same differ- ence (in the speaker's disposition), while at the same time the hearers themselves will influence one another in different ways by the simple force of their presence with each other. But as we are dealing at present with the matter of the instruction of the unlearned, I am a witness to you, as regards my own ex- perience, that I find myself variously moved, according as I see before me, for the pur- poses of catechetical instruction, a highly educated man, a dull fellow, a citizen, a for- eigner, a rich man, a poor man, a private individual, a man of honors, a person occupying some position of authority, an individual of this or the other nation, of this or the other age or sex, one proceeding from this or the other sect, from this or the other common error, — and ever in accordance with the dif- ference of my feelings does my discourse itself at once set out, go on, and reach its end. And inasmuch as, although the same charity is due to all, yet the same medicine is not to be administered to all, in like manner charity itself travails with some, is made weak together with others; is at pains to edify some, tremblingly apprehends being an of- fense to others; bends to some, lifts itself erect to others; is gentle to some, severe to others; to none an enemy, to all a mother. And when one, who has not gone through the kind of experience to which I refer in the same spirit of charity, sees us attaining, in virtue of some gift which has been conferred upon us, and which carries the power of pleasing, a certain repute of an eulogistic nature in the mouth of the multitude, he counts us happy on that account. But may God, into whose cognizance the "groaning of them that are bound enters,"1 look upon our humility, and our labor, and forgive us- all our sins.2 Wherefore, if anything in us has so far pleased you as to make you de- sirous of hearing from us some remarks on the subject of the form of discourse which you ought to follow,2 you should acquire a more thorough understanding of the matter by contemplating us, and listening to us when we are actually engaged with these topics, than by a perusal when we are only dictating them.
CHAP. 16. A SPECIMEN OF A CATECHETICAL AD- DRESS; AND FIRST, THE CASE OF A CATECHU- MEN WITH WORTHY VIEWS.
24. Nevertheless, however that may be, let us here suppose that some one has come to us who desires to be made a Christian, and who belongs indeed to the order of private persons,4 and yet not to the class of rustics, but to that of the city-bred, such as those whom you cannot fail to come across in num- bers in Carthage. Let us also suppose that, on being asked whether the inducement lead- ing him to desire to be a Christian is any ad- vantage looked for in the present life, or the rest which is hoped for after this life, he has answered that his inducement has been the rest that is yet to come. Then perchance such a person might be instructed by us in some such strain of address as the following: 1 Ps. lxxix. 11. 2 Cf. Ps. xxv. 18.
3 Ut aliquant observationem sermonis tui a nobis audire qiuereres.
4 Idiotarum.
;oo THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
[Chap. XVI.
■"Thanks be to God, my brother; cordially do I wish you joy, and I am glad on your ac- count that, amid all the storms of this world, which are at once so great and so dangerous, you have bethought yourself of some true and certain security. For even in this life men go in quest of rest and security at the cost of heavy labors, but they fail to find such in consequence of their wicked lusts. For their thought is to find rest in things which are unquiet, and which endure not. And these objects, inasmuch as they are withdrawn from them and pass away in the course of time, agitate them by fears and griefs, and suffer them not to enjoy tranquillity. For if it be that a man seeks to find his rest in wealth, he is rendered proud rather than at ease. Do we not see how many have lost their riches on a sudden, — how many, too, have been undone by reason of them, either as they have been coveting to possess them, or as they have been borne down and despoiled of them by others more covetous than them- selves? And even should they remain with the man all his life long, and never leave their lover, yet would he himself (have to) leave them at his death. For of what measure is the life of man, even if he lives to old age?
Or when men desire for themselves old age, what else do they really desire but long in- firmity? So, too, with the honors of this world, — what are they but empty pride and vanity, and peril of ruin? For holy Script- ure speaks in this wise: 'All flesh is grass, and the glory of man is as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, the flower thereof falleth away; but the word of the Lord endureth for ever.'1 Consequently, if any man longs for true rest and true felicity, he ought to lift his hope off things which are mortal and transi- tory, and fix it on the word of the Lord; so that, cleaving to that which endures for ever, he may himself together with it endure for ever.
25. " There are also other men who neither crave to be rich nor go about seeking the vain pomps of honors, but who nevertheless are minded to find their pleasure and rest in •dainty meats, and in fornications, and in those theatres and spectacles which are at their disposal in great cities for nothing. But it fares with these, too, in the same way; or they waste their small means in luxury, and subsequently, under pressure of want, break out into thefts and burglaries, and at times even into highway robberies, and so they are suddenly filled with fears both numerous and great; and men who a little before were binging in the house of revelry, are now dreaming of the sorrows of the prison. Moreover, in their eager devotion to the public spectacles, they come to resem- ble demons, as they incite men by their cries to wound each other, and instigate those who have done them no hurt to engage in furious contests with each other, while they seek to please an insane people. And if they per- ceive any such to be peaceably disposed, they straightway hate them and persecute them, and raise an outcry, asking that they should be beaten with clubs, as if they had been in collusion to cheat them; and this iniquity they force even the judge, who is the (ap- pointed) avenger of iniquities, to perpetrate. On the other hand, if they observe such men exerting themselves in horrid hostilities against each other, whether they be those who are called si/ihe,- or theatrical actors and players,3 or charioteers, or hunters, — those wretched men whom they engage in conflicts and struggles, not only men with men, but even men with beasts, — then the fiercer the fury with which they perceive these unhappy creatures rage against each other, the better they like them, and the greater the enjoy- ment they have in them; and they favor them when thus excited,4 and by so favoring them they excite them all the more, the spectators themselves striving more madly with each other, as they espouse the cause of different combatants, than is the case even with those very men whose madness they madly pro- voke, while at the same time they also long to be spectators of the same in their mad frenzy.5 How then can that mind keep the soundness of peace which feeds on strifes and contentions? For just as is the food which is received, such is the health which results. In fine, although mad pleasures are no pleas- ures, nevertheless let these things be taken as they are, and it still remains the case that, whatever their nature may be, and whatever the measure of enjoyment yielded by the boasts of riches, and. the inflation of honors, and the spendthrift pleasures of the taverns, and the contests of the theatres, and the im- purity of fornications, and the pruriency of the baths, they are all things of which one 2 Reading sive sintce qui appellantur, for which there occur such varieties of reading as these: sint athlete? qui appellantur = those who are called athletes; or sint cequi appellantur; or simply sint qui appellantur = whatever name they bear, whether actors, etc. The term sintte, borrowed from the Greek SiVrai = devourers, spoilers, may have been a word in com- mon use among the Africans, as the Benedictine editors suggest, for designating some sort of coarse characters.
3 Thytnelici, strictly = the musicians belonging to the thy- mele, or orchestra.
4 Reading incitatis favent, for which some mss. give incitati = excited themselves, they favor them; and others have in- citantes — exciting them, they favor them.
5 Compare a passage in the Confessions, vi. 13.
Chap. XVII.] ON THE CATECHISING OF THE UNINSTRUCTED.
30 1 little fever deprives us, while, even from those who still survive, it takes away the whole false happiness of their life. Then there remains only a void and wounded con- science, destined to apprehend that God as a Judge whom it refused to have as a Father, and destined also to find a severe Lord in Him whom it scorned to seek and love as a tender Father. But thou, inasmuch as thou seekest that true rest which is promised to Christians after this life, wilt taste the same sweet and pleasant rest even here among the bitterest troubles of this life, if thou continu- est to love the commandments of Him who hath promised the same. For quickly wilt thou feel that the fruits of righteousness are sweeter than those of unrighteousness, and that a man finds a more genuine and pleasur- able joy in the possessioaof a good conscience in the midst of troubles than in that of an evil conscience in the midst of delights. For thou hast not come to be united to the Church of God with the idea of seeking from it any temporal advantage.
CHAP. 17. THE SPECIMEN OF CATECHETICAL DISCOURSE CONTINUED, IN REFERENCE SPECI- ALLY TO THE REPROVAL OF FALSE AIMS ON THE CATECHUMEN'S PART.
26. " For there are some whose reason for desiring to become Christians is either that they may gain the favor of men from whom they look for temporal advantages, or that they are reluctant to offend those whom they fear. But these are reprobate; and although the church bears them for a time, as the thresh- ing-floor bears the chaff until the period of win- nowing, yet if they fail to amend and begin to be Christians in sincerity in view of the everlasting rest which is to come, they will be separated from it in the end. And let not such flatter themselves, because it is possible for them to be in the threshing-floor along with the grain of God. For they will not be together with that in the barn, but are destined for the fire, which is their due. There are also others of better hope indeed, but never- theless in no inferior danger. I mean those who now fear God, and mock not the Chris- tian name, neither enter the church of God with an assumed heart, but still look for their felicity in this life, expecting to have more felicity in earthly things than those enjoy who refuse to worship God. And the conse- quence of this false anticipation is, that when they see some wicked and impious men strongly established and excelling in this