Augustine, Sermones 146-153 (Classis I, de Scripturis)

1-2). He therefore commanded that prayer be made for kings: and at that time kings were persecuting the churches. But the churches which they then persecuted while these were praying for them, they now defend, those prayers for them having been heard.

Chapter XVII. — 18. Under the name of neighbour the enemy too is commanded to be loved. Do you wish, then, to keep that precept of the ancients as well? Love your neighbour, that is, every human being. For since we are all born from two first parents, we are all certainly neighbours. For surely the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who commands that enemies be loved, testified that the whole Law and the Prophets hang on those two precepts: You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole mind; and, You shall love your neighbour as yourself (Matt. 22:37–40). There He commanded nothing concerning the love of an enemy. Do these two precepts not, then, contain the whole? Far from it! For when He says, You shall love your neighbour, all human beings are included there, even if they should be enemies: because also, according to spiritual kinship, you do not know what that person, who for a time seems to you an enemy, is to you in the foreknowledge of God. For since the patience of God leads him to repentance, perhaps he will recognize and follow the One Who leads him. For if God Himself, Who knows who are going to persevere in sins, who are going to abandon righteousness and fall irrevocably into iniquity, nevertheless makes His sun rise over the good and the bad, and rains over the just and the unjust, inviting them indeed to repentance through patience, so that those who have neglected His goodness may experience His severity at the end; with how much solicitude ought a man to be placable, lest perhaps, not knowing what the other is going to be, when he has fixed his attention on his present enmities, he should hate one with whom he will reign in eternal happiness? Fulfil, then, the first precept, Love your neighbour, that is, every human being; and you shall hate your enemy, that is, the devil. Fulfil also the second. Love your enemies, but as human beings: pray for those who persecute you, but for them as human beings: do good to those who hate you, but to them as human beings.

Chapter XVIII. — 19. The Apostle's passage about heaping coals upon the head of an enemy is explained. If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink: for in doing this you will heap coals of fire upon his head (Rom. 12:20). Here too there is a question. For how does anyone love one whom he wants to burn with coals? But if it is understood, there is no dispute. For it is said of those devastating coals which are given to a man against a deceitful tongue (Ps. 119:3–4). For when someone has done good to an enemy, and, not overcome by his evil, has overcome evil with good, that man will very often repent of his enmities and be angry with himself for having harmed so good a man. This burning, indeed, is repentance, which like coals of fire consumes his enmities and malice.

Sermon 150. On the words of the Acts of the Apostles, But certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were disputing with him, etc., chapter 17, verses 18-34 (Acts 17:18–34).

Preached at Carthage.

Chapter I. — 1. Paul preaching among the Athenians. Your Charity noticed along with us, when the book of the Acts of the Apostles was being read, that Paul spoke to the Athenians, and that by those who mocked the preaching of the truth he was called a sower of words. It was indeed said by mockers, but it is not to be rejected by believers. For he truly was a sower of words, but a reaper of morals. And we too, although we are such little ones and in no way to be compared with his excellence, sow the words of God in the field of God, which is your heart, and we expect a rich harvest from your morals. Nevertheless, as to that about which we are prompted to speak to your Charity, which is contained in the reading itself, we urge you to pay closer attention, in case, with the help of the Lord our God, we say something which could not easily be understood by all unless it were said, and which, once it has been understood, ought not to be despised by anyone.

2. The faith of Christians. He was speaking at Athens. The Athenians were strong in great renown among other peoples in all literature and learning. It was the very homeland of great philosophers. From there a varied and manifold learning had spread itself through the rest of the lands of Greece and other lands of the world. There the Apostle was speaking, there he was proclaiming Christ crucified: to the Jews indeed a stumbling-block, and to the Gentiles foolishness; but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks, Christ the Power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:23–24). How dangerous it was to proclaim this among the proud and the learned, it is for you to consider. At length, when the sermon was finished and they had heard from him of the resurrection of the dead, which is the chief faith of Christians, some mocked; but others said, We will hear you about this again. Nor were there lacking those who believed, and among them is named a certain Dionysius the Areopagite, that is, a leading man of the Athenians (for the senate of the Athenians was called the Areopagus); and a certain noble woman, and others. So, while the Apostle was speaking, that crowd became threefold, arranged by certain degrees in a wonderful distinction: of those mocking, of those doubting, of those believing. For some, as we have heard is written, mocked; some said, We will hear you about this again; these were the doubters: others believed. Between the mockers and the believers, in the middle, are the doubters. He who mocks, falls: he who believes, stands: he who doubts, wavers. We will hear you about this again, they say: it was uncertain whether they would fall with the mockers or stand with the believers.

Chapter II. — Did that sower of words, then, labour in vain? Indeed, if he had dreaded the mockers, he would not have reached the believers: just as that sower of the Gospel, whom the Lord mentions (for this certainly was Paul), if he had been afraid to cast the seeds, lest some should fall on the road, some among thorns, some on stony places, the seed could never have reached the best ground either. Let us too sow, let us scatter: prepare your hearts, yield fruit.

3. Epicureans and Stoics conferring with the Apostle. This too, if your Charity remembers, we heard when it was being read: that certain of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conferring with the Apostle. Who the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers are or were, that is, what they held, what they thought to be true, what they pursued in philosophizing, many of you no doubt do not know; but since we are speaking at Carthage, many do know. Let them, then, help us now as we are about to speak to you. For what I think must be said is very much to the point. Let both those who do not know and those who know hear us: let those who do not know be instructed, let those who know be reminded; let the former come to know, the latter recognize.

Chapter III. — 4. The happy life is sought by all. First hear, in general terms, the common pursuit of all the philosophers, within which common pursuit they had five divisions and differences of their own opinions. In common, all the philosophers, by studying, by inquiring, by disputing, by living, sought to lay hold of the happy life. This was the one cause of philosophizing; but I think that the philosophers have this too in common with us. For if I were to ask you why you have believed in Christ, why you have become Christians, every man answers me truthfully: For the sake of the happy life. The seeking of the happy life, then, is common to philosophers and Christians. But where a thing so agreed upon may be found, there lies the question, and then the distinction. For to seek the happy life, to will the happy life, to long for the happy life, to desire it, to pursue it, I judge to belong to all men. Hence I see that I said too little in calling this seeking of the happy life common to philosophers and Christians: for I ought to have said, of all men, of absolutely all, good and bad. For he who is good is good for this reason, that he may be happy; and he who is bad would not be bad unless he hoped that he could be happy by that means. Concerning the good the question is easy, that they seek the happy life and are good on that account. Concerning the bad some perhaps doubt whether they too seek the happy life. But if I could question the bad separately, set apart from the good, and say, Do you wish to be happy? no one would say, I do not. For example, take some thief: I ask him, Why do you commit theft? That I may have, he says, what I did not have. Why do you want to have what you did not have? Because it is wretched not to have. If, then, it is wretched not to have, he thinks it happy to have. But in this he is shameless and errs, because he wants to become happy from evil. For it is good for all to be happy. Why, then, is that man perverse? Because he seeks good and does evil. What, then, does he seek? Why does the greed of the bad aspire to the reward of the good? The happy life is the reward of the good: goodness is the work, happiness is the reward. God commands the work, He sets forth the reward: He says, Do this, and you will receive this. But that bad man answers us: Unless I do evil, I shall not be happy. As if someone were to say: I do not attain to good unless I am bad. Do you not see that good and evil are contraries? You seek good, and do you do evil? You run in the contrary direction; when do you arrive?

Chapter IV. — 5. The opinion of the Epicureans and Stoics on the happy life. Let us leave these men, then; perhaps it is opportune

that we return to them, once we have completed what we have undertaken concerning the philosophers. For I do not think it was without cause, that something great was done through people who did not know it, by the dispensation of divine providence itself, so that, although there were very many sects of philosophers in the city of Athens, none conferred with the Apostle Paul except the Stoics and Epicureans (Acts 17:18). For when you have heard what they hold in their sects, you will see how far from in vain it was brought about that of all the philosophers they alone conferred with Paul. For he could not choose for himself which disputants he would answer; but the divine wisdom which governs all things set these before him, in whom almost the whole cause of the disagreement of the philosophers consisted. Briefly, then, I say: let the unlearned believe us, let the learned judge of us. I think that I dare not lie to the unlearned, with the learned as judges; above all because I am saying something on which the learned and the unlearned alike can judge truly. This, then, I say first: that man consists of soul and body. Here I do not ask that you believe, but I ask that you too judge. For I do not fear that anyone who knows himself will judge ill of me in this statement. Man, then, as no one doubts, consists of soul and body. This substance, this thing, this person which is called man, seeks a happy life: and this you know; nor do I press you to believe it, but I remind you to recognize it. Man, I say, that is, this thing of no small account, surpassing all cattle, all flying things, and all swimming things, and whatever bears flesh and is not man: man, then, consisting of soul and body; but not of any soul whatever, for a beast too consists of soul and body: man, then, consisting of a rational soul and mortal flesh, seeks a happy life. When man has come to know what thing makes a happy life, unless he holds it, follows it, claims it for himself, takes it up if he has the power, asks for it if there is difficulty, he cannot be happy. The whole question, therefore, is what makes a happy life. Set now before your eyes the Epicureans, the Stoics, and the Apostle: which I could also have put thus: the Epicureans, the Stoics, the Christians. Let us first ask the Epicureans what thing makes a life happy. They answer: Pleasure of the body. Here now I ask you to believe, since I have judges. For whether the Epicureans say this, whether they hold this, you do not know, because you have not read those writings; but there are some here who have read them. Let us return to questioning them. What do you say, Epicureans, what thing makes a happy life? They answer: Pleasure of the body. What do you say, Stoics, what thing makes a life happy? They answer: Virtue of the soul. Let your Charity attend with me: we are Christians, we are debating among philosophers. See why those two sects alone were brought forward to confer with the Apostle. There is nothing in man which pertains to his substance and nature except body and soul. Of these two, in the one, that is in the body, the Epicureans placed the happy life; in the other, that is the soul, the Stoics placed the happy life. As far as man is concerned, if the happy life is to come to him from himself, nothing remains except body and soul. Either the body is the cause of the happy life, or the soul is the cause of the happy life: if you seek more, you depart from man. Those, then, who placed the happy life of man in man could not place it anywhere else at all, except

either in the body or in the soul. Of those who placed it in the body, the Epicureans held the leadership; of those who placed it in the soul, the Stoics held the leadership.

Chapter V. — 6. The opinion of the Epicureans rejected by the Apostle. What the Epicureans think about the soul. Certain Christians Epicurean in their morals. See, here they are, they confer with the Apostle, [to learn] whether the Apostle has something more, or whether he must necessarily agree with one of these two sects, so that he too would place the cause of the blessed life either in the body or in the soul. Paul would never place it in the body: for this is no great thing, since those who think better about the body place the cause of blessedness in the body least of all. For the Epicureans think this same thing both about the body and about the soul, that each is mortal. And what is graver and more detestable, they say that after death the soul is dissolved sooner than the body. "While," they say, "the corpse still remains after the breath has been breathed out, and the outlines of the limbs endure intact for some while, the soul, as soon as it has gone out, is dissolved like smoke beaten apart by the wind." Let us not wonder, then, that they placed the highest good, that is, the cause of blessedness, in the body, which they felt they possessed in better condition than the soul. Would the Apostle do this? Far be it that he should place the highest good in the body. For the highest good is the cause of blessedness: nay rather, the Apostle grieved that some from among the number of Christians had chosen the opinion of the Epicureans, not of men, but of swine. For of this number were those who corrupt good morals by evil conversations, and say: Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die (1 Cor. 15:32). The Epicureans conferred with Paul the apostle: there are also Christian epicureans. For what else are they who say daily, Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die? To this pertains, There will be nothing after death, for our life is the passing of a shadow. For they said, reasoning with themselves not rightly, among other things: Let us crown ourselves with roses before they wither: let there be no meadow which our luxury does not pass through; everywhere let us leave tokens of joy, for this is our portion, and this is our lot.

Chapter VI. — 7. Fasting with prayer and almsgiving. If we rebuke this more harshly, if we resist these desires more vehemently, they will say also what follows: Let us oppress the poor just man (Wis. 2:8–10). And yet, placed even in this position, we are not afraid to say, Do not be epicureans. Consider indeed that which was said by those who do not speak rightly, For tomorrow we shall die: but we shall not die in every respect; for there remains after death what follows death. The companion of one who dies will be either life or punishment. Let no one say: Who has come back here from there? That rich man clad in purple wanted to return, too late, and could not be permitted. Thirsting, he begged for a drop, he who had disdained the hungry poor man (Luke 16:19–24). Let no one therefore say, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die. If you want to say, For tomorrow we shall die: I do not forbid it; but say something else first. For the Epicureans, as men who will not live after death, as having nothing else except what delights the flesh, say, Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die. But Christians, who are to live after death, and rather to live happily

after death, let them not say, Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die: but hold to what is said, For tomorrow we shall die; and say, Let us fast and pray; for tomorrow we shall die. I add plainly another thing, I add a third, nor do I pass over what is especially to be observed: that from your fasting the hunger of the poor may be satisfied, or, if you cannot fast, that you feed him the more, so that through his being filled pardon may be granted to you. Let Christians therefore say, Let us fast and pray and give; for tomorrow we shall die. Or if they want to say two things, I choose that they should say, Let us give and pray, rather than, Let us fast and not give. Far be it, then, that the Apostle should place the highest good of man in the body, that is, the cause of blessedness.

Chapter VII. — 8. The opinion of the Stoics not approved by the Apostle. But with the Stoics the struggle is perhaps not unbecoming. For see, when one asks them where they place what produces the blessed life, that is, what makes the blessed life in a man, they answer that it is not the pleasure of the body, but the virtue of the mind. What does the Apostle say? Does he nod assent? If he assents, let us assent. But he does not assent: for Scripture calls back those who trust in their own virtue (Ps. 48:7). The Epicurean, then, placing the highest good of man in the body, has placed his hope in himself. But the Stoic, placing the highest good of man in the mind, has indeed placed it in the better part of man; yet he too has placed his hope in himself. Now both the Epicurean and the Stoic are men. Cursed therefore is everyone who places his hope in man (Jer. 17:5). What then? Now that the three have been set before our eyes, the Epicurean, the Stoic, the Christian, let us question each one. Tell us, Epicurean, what thing makes a man blessed. He answers: The pleasure of the body. Tell us, Stoic. The virtue of the mind. Tell us, Christian. The gift of God.

Chapter VIII. — 9. The opinions of the Epicureans and Stoics on happiness are to be rejected. And so, brethren, the Epicureans and Stoics have, as it were before our eyes, conferred with the Apostle, and by their conference have taught us what we ought to reject and what to choose. The virtue of the mind is a praiseworthy thing: prudence discerning evil and good, justice giving to each his own, temperance restraining lusts, fortitude bearing troubles with an even mind. A great thing, a praiseworthy thing: praise it, Stoic, as much as you can; but tell me, Whence do you have it? It is not the virtue of your mind that makes you blessed, but He Who gave you virtue, Who inspired you to will, and granted you to be able (Phil. 2:13). I know that perhaps you are going to mock me, and you will be among those of whom it is written that they mocked Paul. If you are the wayside, I sow, for I am a sower of words according to my small measure. What was your abuse is my duty. I sow: what I sow falls on you as on hard ground. I am not idle; and I find good ground. What shall I do for you? You are rebuked, and rebuked by the divine oracle. You are among those who trust in their own virtue: you are among those who place their hope in man. Virtue delights you; a good thing delights you: I know, you thirst; but you cannot make virtue flow for yourself. You are dry; if I show you the fountain of life, perhaps you will deride it. For you say within yourself: Am I to drink from that rock? The rod came, and water flowed. For the Jews

seek signs; but you, Stoic, are not a Jew: I know, you are a Greek; and the Greeks seek wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified. The Jew is scandalized, the Greek sneers. For to the Jews a scandal, and to the Gentiles foolishness: but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks, that is, to Paul himself, made out of Saul, and to Dionysius the Areopagite, and to such as these and such as those, Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:22–24). Now you do not mock the rock: recognize the rod as the cross, Christ as the spring; and if you thirst, drink power. Be filled full from the spring, and perhaps you will belch forth thanksgivings: what you have from Him you will no longer give to yourself, but in your belching you will cry out, I will love Thee, O Lord, my power (Ps. 17:2). You will no longer say: The power of my mind makes me happy. You will not be among those who, knowing God, did not glorify Him as God, or give thanks; but became vain in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened: for saying that they were wise they became fools (Rom. 1:21–22). For what is saying that they were wise, except having it from themselves, being sufficient for themselves? They became fools: deservedly fools. True foolishness is false wisdom. But you will be among those of whom it is said: O Lord, they shall walk in the light of Thy countenance, and in Thy name they shall rejoice all the day, and in Thy justice they shall be exalted; for Thou art the glory of their power (Ps. 88:16–18). You were seeking power; say, O Lord, my power (Ps. 93:12). You were seeking the happy life; say, Happy is the man whom Thou shalt instruct, O Lord. For happy is the people whose [happiness] is not the pleasure of the flesh, not its own power; but, happy is the people whose God is the Lord (Ps. 143:15). This is the homeland of happiness, which all want; but not all seek it rightly. But let us not contrive for ourselves a way to such a homeland as if out of our own heart, and labour at wandering paths: from there the way too has come.

10. Christ is happiness and the way to happiness. For what does the happy man want, what does he want, except not to be deceived, not to die, not to suffer pain? And what does he seek? To hunger more, and to eat more? What if it is better not to hunger? No one is happy except one who lives for ever without any fear, without any deception. For the soul hates to be deceived. How much the soul by nature hates being deceived can be understood from this, that those who laugh with a deranged mind are wept over by the sane: and yet a man certainly chooses to laugh rather than to weep. If these two things are put forward, Do you want to laugh or to weep? who is there who would answer anything but, To laugh? Again, if these two things are put forward, Do you want to be deceived, or to hold the truth? every man answers, To hold the truth. He chooses both to laugh and to hold the truth: of those two, laughter and weeping, To laugh; of these two, deception and truth, To hold the truth. But most invincible truth so prevails that a man would choose to weep with a sound mind rather than laugh with a deranged mind. There, then, in that homeland, there will be truth, deception and error nowhere. But there will also be truth, and there will be no weeping. For there will be both true laughter and rejoicing in the truth, because life will be there. For if there will be pain, there will not be life: for everlasting and immortal torment is not to be called life. Therefore the Lord, not calling it life which the wicked are going to have,