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
yet we believe quite otherwise. For the corruption of the body,
which weighs down the soul, is not the cause but the punishment of
the first sin; and it was not the corruptible flesh that made the
soul sinful, but the sinful soul that made the flesh corruptible.
And though from this corruption of the flesh there arise certain
incitements to vice, and indeed vicious desires, yet we must not
attribute to the flesh all the vices of a wicked life, in case we
thereby clear the devil of all these, for he has no flesh. For though
we cannot call the devil a fornicator or drunkard, or ascribe to
him any sensual indulgence (though he is the secret instigator and
prompter of those who sin in these ways), yet he is exceedingly
proud and envious. And this viciousness has so possessed him, that
on account of it he is reserved in chains of darkness to everlasting
punishment.[14] Now these vices, which have dominion over the devil,
the apostle attributes to the flesh, which certainly the devil has
not. For he says "hatred, variance, emulations, strife, envying" are
the works of the flesh; and of all these evils pride is the origin
and head, and it rules in the devil though he has no flesh. For
who shows more hatred to the saints? who is more at variance with
them? who more envious, bitter, and jealous? And since he exhibits
all these works, though he has no flesh, how are they works of the
flesh, unless because they are the works of man, who is, as I said,
spoken of under the name of flesh? For it is not by having flesh,
which the devil has not, but by living according to himself,--that
is, according to man,--that man became like the devil. For the devil
too, wished to live according to himself when he did not abide in the
truth; so that when he lied, this was not of God, but of himself, who
is not only a liar, but the father of lies, he being the first who
lied, and the originator of lying as of sin.
4. _What it is to live according to man, and what to live according
to God._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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