The City of God, Volume IIAugustine, of Hippo, Saint
ReligionChristian
The City of God, Volume II
Augustine, of Hippo, Saint
Apologetics -- Early works to 1800; Kingdom of God -- Early works to 1800
The same author had also used the expression, "the evil contentments
of the mind."[47] So that good and bad men alike will, are cautious,
and contented; or, to say the same thing in other words, good and bad
men alike desire, fear, rejoice, but the former in a good, the latter
in a bad fashion, according as the will is right or wrong. Sorrow
itself, too, which the Stoics would not allow to be represented in
the mind of the wise man, is used in a good sense, and especially in
our writings. For the apostle praises the Corinthians because they
had a godly sorrow. But possibly some one may say that the apostle
congratulated them because they were penitently sorry, and that such
sorrow can exist only in those who have sinned. For these are his
words: "For I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry,
though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made
sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance; for ye were made sorry
after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented
of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For, behold, this
selfsame thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness
it wrought in you!"[48] Consequently the Stoics may defend themselves
by replying,[49] that sorrow is indeed useful for repentance of sin,
but that this can have no place in the mind of the wise man, inasmuch
as no sin attaches to him of which he could sorrowfully repent,
nor any other evil the endurance or experience of which could make
him sorrowful. For they say that Alcibiades (if my memory does not
deceive me), who believed himself happy, shed tears when Socrates
argued with him, and demonstrated that he was miserable because he
was foolish. In his case, therefore, folly was the cause of this
useful and desirable sorrow, wherewith a man mourns that he is what
he ought not to be. But the Stoics maintain not that the fool, but
that the wise man, cannot be sorrowful.
9. _Of the perturbations of the soul which appear as right
affections in the life of the righteous._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account