Thee? was I to have recourse to Angels? by what prayers? by what sacraments? Many endeavouring to return unto Thee, and of themselves unable, have, as I hear, tried this, and fallen into the desire of curious visions, and been accounted worthy to be deluded. For they, being high minded, sought Thee by the pride of learning, swelling out rather, than smiting upon, their breasts, and so by the agreement of their heart, drew unto themselves the princes of the air, the fellowconspirators of their pride, by whom, through magical influences, they were deceived, seeking a mediator, by whom they might be purged, and there was none. For the devil it was, transforming himself into an Angel of light. And it much enticed proud flesh, that he had no body of flesh. For they were mortal, and sinners; but Thou, Lord, to whom they proudly sought to be reconciled, art immortal, and without sin. But a mediator between God and man, must have something like to God, something like to men; lest being in both like to man, he should be far from God: or if in both like God, too unlike man: and so not be a mediator. That deceitful mediator then, by whom in Thy secret judgments pride deserved to be deluded, hath one thing in common with man, that is sin; another, he would seem to have in common with God; and not being clothed with the mortality of flesh,' would vaunt himself to be immortal. But since the wages of sin is death, this hath he in common with men, that with them he should be condemned to death.

[XLIII.] 68. But the true Mediator, Whom in Thy secret mercy Thou hast shewed to the humble, and sentest, that by His example also they might learn that same humility, that Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus, appeared betwixt mortal sinners and the immortal Just One; mortal with men, just with God: that because the wages of righteousness is life

"That true and benevolent Mediator, shewed Himself to mortals in that mortal nature, which those malevolent and deceiving mediators, bore themselves the more proudly, for not having; and promised to miserable man a delusive aid, as if immortals to mortals." Aug. de Civ. Dei, x. 24.

and peace, He might by a righteousness conjoined with God, make void that death of sinners, now made righteous, which He willed to have in common with them. Hence He was shewed forth to holy men of old; that so they, through faith in His Passion to come, as we through faith of it passed, might be saved. For as Man, He was a Mediator; but as the Word, not in the middle between God and man, because equal to God, and God with God, and together one God.

69. How hast Thou loved us,' good Father, who sparedst not Thine only Son, but deliveredst Him up for us ungodly! How hast Thou loved us, for whom, He that thought it no robbery to be equal with Thee, was made subject even to the death of the cross, He alone free among the dead, having power to lay down His life, and power to take it again: for us to Thee both Victor and Victim, and therefore Victor, because the Victim; for us to Thee Priest and Sacrifice, and therefore Priest because the Sacrifice; making us to Thee, of servants, sons, by being born of Thee, and serving us. Well then is my hope strong in Him, that Thou wilt heal all my infirmities, by Him Who sitteth at Thy right hand and maketh intercession for us; else should I despair. For many and great are my infirmities, many they are, and great; but Thy medicine is mightier. We might imagine that Thy Word was far from any union with man, and despair of ourselves, unless He had been made flesh and dwelt among us.

70. Affrighted with my sins and the burthen of my "He who made man of the dust, and breathed life into him, and for that His creature gave His Only-Begotten to death, how much He loves us, who can speak, who can even worthily think?" Aug. Serm. 57. c. 13. "Moreover, man was to be persuaded how much God loved us, and as what, He loved us; how much, lest we should despair, as what, lest we should be proud." Id. de Trin, l. iv. c. I.

"In these words especially, the person of the Lord appears. For who besides was 'free among the dead,' but He Who, 'in the likeness of sinful flesh,' among sinners was alone without sin?' He then was 'free among the dead,' Who had power to lay down His life, and to take it again, from Whom no one took it, but He laid it down of Himself, Who also could raise up His flesh, as the 'Temple, destroyed' by them; when He willed, Who, &c." Aug. in Ps. 87. sec. 5. See above, p. 202. note 1. on 1. ix. sec. 36.

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misery, I had cast in my heart, and had purposed to flee to the wilderness: but Thou forbaddest me, and strengthenedst me, saying, Therefore Christ died for all, that they which live may now no longer live unto themselves, but unto Him that died for them. See, Lord, I cast my care upon Thee, that I may live, and consider wondrous things out of Thy law. Thou knowest my unskilfulness, and my infirmities; teach me, and heal me. He Thine only Son, in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, hath redeemed me with His blood. Let not the proud speak evil of me; because I meditate on my ransom, and eat and drink, and communicate it; and poor, desired to be satisfied from Him, amongst those that eat and are satisfied, and they shall praise the Lord who seek Him.

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Here, where Aug. breaks off the account of his life, it may be well to subjoin his own view of that wretched portion of it, which preceded his conversion and baptism. This he gives incidentally in answer to the Donatists, who, affecting great purity of discipline, would fain have undervalued his defences of the Faith on account of his sins, when he as yet belonged not to the Faith, being a heretic and unbaptized. (Serm. 3. in Ps. 36. sec. 19.) "Let them speak then against us what they will; we will love them, though against their will. For we know, brethren, we know their speeches; for which let us not be angry with them; bear it patiently with us. For they see that they have nothing to allege in the matter itself; so they turn their speeches against us, and begin to speak evil of us, many things which they know, many which they know not. For we were once, as the Apostle saith, foolish and unbelieving, and to every good work reprobate.' We were foolish and phrensied in a perverse error, we deny it not; and in proportion as we deny not what has past in us, do we the more praise God, Who hath forgiven us. Why then dost thou, after the manner of heretics, leave the matter, and betake thyself to the person? For what am I? What am I? Am I the Catholic Church? Am I the heritage of Christ diffused throughout all nations? Enough for me, that I am in it. Thou revilest my past ills; what great thing dost thou herein? I am severer against my ills, than thou; what thou revilest, I have condemned. Would thou wouldest imitate me, and thy error also might become past! Those are past ills, which they know of especially in this city. [Carthage. See b. iii.] For here we lived ill, which I confess; and in proportion as I rejoice in the grace of God, so do I for my past sinswhat shall I say?-grieve? I should grieve, were it still I. But what shall I say? joy? Neither can I say this; for would I had never

been! Yet whatsoever I have been, in the Name of Christ, it is past. But what they now censure, they know not. For there are things for which they may yet blame me, but it is too much for them to know these. For I do toil much in my thoughts, struggling against my evil suggestions, and having lasting and almost continual conflict with the temptations of the enemy, who would subvert me. I groan to God in my infirmity; and He knoweth what my heart laboureth with, Who knoweth what it bringeth forth. But to me it is a very small thing that I be judged by you, or of man's judgment,' saith the Apostle, 'yea, I judge not my own self. For I know myself better than they, and God better than myself. Let them not then reproach you on our account, let them not, Christ forbid! For they say, 'And who are they? and whence are they? we knew them evil here; where were they baptized?' If they knew us well, they know that once we sailed hence; they know that we tarried in a foreign land; they know that we went and returned, different men. We were not baptized here; but the Church, where we were baptized, is known to the whole world. And there are many of our brethren, who both know that we were baptized, and were baptized with us. It is easy then to know this, if any of the brethren are concerned on this account."

BOOK XI

Aug. breaks off the history of the mode whereby God led him to holy Orders, in order to "confess" God's mercies in opening to him the Scripture. Moses is not to be understood, but in Christ, not even the first words In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Answer to cavillers who asked, what did God before He created the heaven and the earth, and whence willed He at length to make them, whereas He did not make them before. Inquiry into the nature of Time.

[I.] I. Lord, since eternity is Thine, art Thou ignorant of what I say to Thee? or dost Thou see in time, what passeth in time? Why then do I lay in order before Thee so many relations? Not, of a truth, that Thou mightest learn them through me, but to stir up mine own and my readers' devotions towards Thee, that we may all say, Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. I have said already, and again will say, for love of Thy love do I this. For we pray also, and yet Truth hath said, Your Father knoweth what you have need of, before you ask. It is then our affections which we lay open unto Thee, confessing our own miseries, and Thy mercies upon us, that Thou mayest free us wholly, since Thou hast begun, that we may cease to be wretched in ourselves, and be blessed in Thee; seeing Thou hast called us, to become poor in spirit, and meek, and mourners, and hungering and athirst after righteousness, and merciful, and pure in heart, and peace-makers. See, I have told Thee many things, as I could and as I would, because Thou first wouldest that I should confess unto Thee, my Lord God. For Thou art good, for Thy mercy endureth for ever.

[II.] 2. But how shall I suffice with the tongue of my pen to utter all Thy exhortations, and all Thy terrors, and comforts, and guidances, whereby Thou broughtest

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