St. Augustine in several places of his Commentary on the Psalms, as on Ps. vi. 1. and xxxviii. 1. speaks of punishment at the Judgment, or after this life, for those who are saved as by fire,' without expressing a doubt. However, in his answers to the questions of Dulcitius, written so late as about A. D. 420, he speaks of it most distinctly as a doubtful point. After stating nearly what he does in this Treatise about the pain arising from worldly affections, he adds, §. 13. 'Some such thing also it is not incredible may take place after this life, and whether it be so may be enquired, and may either be found out or remain hidden; that some believers through some sort of cleansing fire, in the degree they have more or less loved perishing goods, may attain salvation with more or less delay: not however such of whom it is said, that they shall not inherit the kingdom of God, unless on fitting penitence the same crimes be remitted.' De Civ. Dei, xx. 25. xxi. 13. written somewhat later, he expresses less doubt, but scarcely appears to have made up his mind. His principal object there is to contradict the notion that there would be no eternal punishments. In the same treatise, xxi. 26. he again writes thus doubtfully. "After the death of the body, until the arrival of that last day of condemnation and reward after the resurrection (of the body), should it be said that in this interval the spirits of the dead suffer a fire, such as they do not feel who had not habits and likings in the life of this body, which require their wood, hay, and stubble to be burned up, but they feel who have carried with them the like worldly tabernacles, whether there only, or here and there, or not there because here, though they experience the fire of transitory tribulation rescuing venial offences from damnation by consuming them, I do not oppose, for perchance it is true." S. AUGUSTINE ENCHIRIDION TO LAURENTIUS ON FAITH, HOPE, AND CHARITY. St. Augustine enumerates the Enchiridion addressed to Laurentius amongst Laurentius is called the brother of Dulcitius in the book on Dulcitius' eight RIDION 1. BEYOND all expression am I pleased with your learning, ENCHImy very dear son Laurentius, and long for you to be wise; DE FIDE not of the number of them concerning whom it is said, SPE ET Where is the wise? where the scribe? where the discoverer TATE. of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of 1 Cor. 1, CARI Wisd. 6, 24. 1, 1. 28. 86 Man's wisdom comprised in Faith, Hope, Charity. is, evσéßeia, ENCHI- this world? but of them concerning whom it is written, The RIDION multitude of the wise is the soundness of the world; and such as the Apostle wishes them to become, to whom he Rom. writes, But I wish you to be wise indeed in what is good, but 16, 19. simple in what is evil. But as no one can of himself be, so no one can of himself be wise, but of Him, enlightening, Ecclus. concerning Whom it is written, All wisdom is from God". ii. But man's wisdom is piety. You have this in the book of holy Job: for there we read, that Wisdom Herself said to Job 28, man, Behold, piety is wisdom. But if you enquire, what piety she there spake of, you will find more clearly in the Greek, foréßav, which is the worship of God. For in the Greek there is another word also for piety, that by which word is signified good worship, although this too is especially referred to the worship of God. But there is nothing more suitable than that word, by which evidently the worship of God was expressed, when it was said, what was wisdom for man. Seek you any thing to be said more briefly, you who ask of me to speak briefly of great things? Or haply you desire to have this very point briefly opened, and brought together into a short discourse, in what manner iii. God is to be worshipped. Here if I shall answer that God is to be worshipped by Faith, Hope, and Love; you will certainly say, that this is a shorter statement than you wished; and then you will ask, that what things belong to each of these three, may be briefly explained to you; that .is, what is to be believed, what to be hoped for, what to be loved. Which when I shall have done, therein will be all these things which in your letter you set down by way of enquiry, a copy of which if you have with you, you may easily turn over and read them again; if however you have iv. not, you may remember them as I repeat them. For your wish, as you write, is, "that I should write you a book, which Enchi-you may have as a manual', (as it is called,) and never suffer ridion. to leave your hands; containing the things demanded, that is, What is chiefly to be followed; what, by reason of diverse heresies, mainly to be avoided; how far reason contends for religion, or what in reason is unsuitable, when faith is a several Mss. omit But as no one,' &c. b 6 quærendo,' al.' quærenda,' as questions to be asked.' Grounds of belief. Christ the Foundation. d 1 CARI tionis. 87 alone; what is held first, what last; what is the sum of the DEFIDE whole prescribed form'; what the certain and proper found- SPRIT ation of the Catholic Faith." All these things which you TATE. inquire after you will without any doubt know, by knowing definicarefully what ought to be BELIEVED, what to be HOPED, what to be LOVED. For these things especially, nay rather alone, are in religion to be followed. These things whosoever contradicts, is either altogether an alien from the name of Christ, or an heretic. These things are to be defended by reasoning, either having their foundation in the senses of the body, or discovered by the power of understanding in the mind. But what things we have neither experienced by corporeal sense, nor either have been, or are, able to attain to by mental powers, these without any doubt are to be believed on their testimony, by whom was composed that Scripture which hath by this time deservedly come to be 2 meruit. called divine; who, by divine help, whether through the body, or through the mind, were able either to see, or even to foresee these things. But when the mind hath been imbued with the beginning of faith, which worketh by love, it goes on by living well to arrive at sight also, wherein is 3 unspeakable beauty known to holy and perfect hearts, the full vision of which is the highest happiness. This is assuredly what you are inquiring after, "what is held first, what last:" to be begun in faith, to be made perfect in sight. This also is "the sum of the whole prescribed form." But the "certain and proper foundation of the Catholic Faith" is Christ. For other foundation, says the Apostle,no one can lay, 1 Cor. 3, beside that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus. Nor must that therefore be denied to be the proper foundation of the Catholic Faith, because it may be thought that this is in common to us with certain heretics. For if those things which pertain to Christ be carefully thought on, as far as the name, Christ is found among certain heretics, who wish to be called Christians; but in reality He is not among them. Which to shew is too long; inasmuch as all heresies have eQuid in ratione, cum fides sit sola, non conveniat.' al.'quid in rationem, cum fides sit sola, non veniat.'why it is not taken account of when faith stands alone.' Arnaldus ap. Ben. conj. 3 V. spe ciem. 11. lal.shall 88 Hope and Love closely linked with Faith. ENCHI- to be noticed, which either have been, or are, or have been 1 RIDION able to be under the Christian name, and the truth of this be able. to be pointed out in each: which discussion is one for so vi. many volumes that it may seem even endless. You however demand of us" a manual," that is, "what may be grasped by the hand, not what may load the bookshelves." To return therefore to those three things, by which we said that God is to be worshipped, faith, hope, love; it is easily said, what is to be believed, what to be hoped for, what to be loved; but in what manner it may be defended against the false charges of those who think differently, is matter of more laborious and copious teaching; in order to possess which there needeth, not that the hand be filled with a short manual, but that the breast be inflamed with great zeal. 32. vii. 2. For see, you have the Creed and the Lord's Prayer: what shorter to hear or read? what more easy to commit to memory? For in that by reason of sin, the human race was weighed down by heavy misery, and needed the Divine mercy; the Prophet foretelling the time of the grace of Joel 2, God, says, And it shall be, every one that shall call on the Name of the Lord, shall be saved: for this reason is the Prayer. But the Apostle, after that, for the recommending of Grace itself', he had recounted this testimony of the Prophet, immediate adds, But how shall they call on Him, in Whom they have not believed? for this reason is the Creed. In these two things view those three; faith believes, hope and love pray. But without faith they cannot be; and by this means faith also prays. Hence in fact it was said, How shall they call on Him, in Whom they have not viii. believed? But what can be hoped for, which is not believed? Rom. 10, 14. Further, something also which is not hoped for, may be believed. For who of the faithful does not believe the punishments of the ungodly? yet he hopes not for them; and whosoever believes them to hang over him, and shudders at them with a shrinking feeling of mind, is more rightly said to fear than to hope for them. Which two things a 22 Mss. certain one' distinguishing between, says, ' May it be allowed 3 Lucan, one fearing to hope". Another poet however, although a Phars. better, hath said, not properly, 'This so great grief if I have 'Lucan.' ii. 15. eal. The Lord's Prayer.' 6 fi. e. as superior to the Law. |