righteoufnefs, even the righteoufnefs of God. For it is of God, fince not of works (which would require fpotlefs perfection) but by grace we are juftified, where all fin is blotted out." Here is a plain teftimony to the Chriftian doctrine of juftification, and under this fhelter, this holy man found, no doubt, a reft for his own foul, Those who think every thing too much which is bestowed on a minifter of Chrift, may read a juft defence of the maintenance of paftors, and a proper rebuke of their own uncharitablenefs in his comment on Philip. chapter the eleventh. On the fourth chapter of Theffalonians, in opening the Apostle's direction against fornication, he forcibly rebukes the prudential avarice of many parents, who protract the marriage of their fons, till they are far advanced in life. In the mean time they are led into various temp tations; and, if they do marry afterwards, they are too much corrupted by vicious habits, to behave with that decorum in the marriage-ftate, which they might have done in more early life. He recommends, therefore, early marriages; and the advice deferves the more attention, as coming from a man, who often expreffes his admiration of the monaftic life, which, however, he does without throwing any reproach on matrimony. In occafionally, fpeaking of that paffage of St. Paul to the Romans, "it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth," he introduces the doctrine of free-will, in the fame manner, as most of the fathers did, who spake of it at all, from the days of Juftin, and obferves that the whole is faid to be of God, because the greatest part is. So hard preffed is he with the plain words of the Apostle, fully oppofing the fyftem he had imbibed. But In his expofition on Hebrews, 7th, chapter. Platonic Platonic philofophy had done this mischief to the church, to the great hurt of Chriftian faith and humility*. The chief use of his treatife on the priesthood, is to excite in young minds a ferious awe with refpect to the danger of mifcarrying in an office fo important and fo facred, and to check the levity and prefumption with which fo many undertake it! He lays down, however, fome good views of the difficulty of fteering clear of extremes, in fuiting inftructions to particular cafes, in checking impertinent curiofity, and in directing the people to ufeful objects. The practical views of this writer, fo far as they relate to the regulation of the conduct, are the most striking. Having lived in two great imperial cities, where plays and fhows were very frequent, he earnestly inveighed against thofe diforders. He calls the stage, an academy of incontinence. "What harm, fay you, is there in going to a play? Is that fufficient to keep one from the Communion? I ask you, can there be a more fhanielefs fin, than to come to the holy table, defiled with adultery? hear the words of him who is to be our judge. Jefus Chrift faith, whofoever looketh on a woman to luft after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. What can be faid of thofe, who paffionately fpend whole days in thofe places, in looking on women of ill fame? with what face will they pretend to fay, they did not behold them to luft after them.-They fee women adorned on purpose to inspire luft.-If, in the * It may be worth while juft to mention, that he pathetically rebukes the floth and negligence of parents and mafters, who would throw all the work of inftruction on minifters, and do nothing themselves for the spiritual benefit of their houshold. A plain thought; but how true at this day! the church itself, where Pfalms are fung, the Scripture is read, and the fear of the Almighty appears, luft will creep in like a thief, how fhall they overcome the motions of concupifcence, who frequent the ftage *." * Balls and publick meetings of entertainment are as much the objects of his indignation as plays. Games of chance alfo he reprefents as the occafions of blafphemies, loffes, anger, quarrels, and all manner of crimes. Du Pin. Chryfoftom. The truth is, men who really fear God, in all ages have been united against thefe things; and for this reafon, which is felt by them, though not by others, namely, they have too ferious a conflict with in-dwelling fin, to give themselves up to external incitements of evil. CHAP. CHA P. II. AUGUSTINE'S CONFESSIONS ABRIDGED. FROM ROM the latter end of the third century to the former part of the fifth, we have seen a gradual declension of godlinefs; and when we view, in the Weft, the increase of monaftic darkness and fuperftition; in the Eaft, the fame evils to a ftill greater degree, attended with fuch an augmentation of iniquity, that even where all the formalities of godlinefs are preferved, the power of it is hated and perfecuted in the fame manner as by Pagans; in fine, when the veftiges of Chriftian truth are fcarce difcernable, we fhall not be far amifs in pronouncing, that, in fuch a ftate of Religion, the wholesome effects of the first effufion of the spirit of God are brought to a close. It is evident, that real Chriftianity, notwithftanding its nominal increase under Christian emperors, muft foon have been extinct, if God had not interpofed with a fecond great effufion of his fpirit. He did fo in the courfe of the fifth century, and the church arofe again from its ruins in one part at least of the Empire *. It behoves us to attend to this gracious display of divine goodness; and for this purpose, we must look back into the laft century, to trace the fecret fprings of this difpenfation. They particularly involve the private life of Auguftine, bishop of Hippo. He was the great inftrument of reviving the knowledge of evangelical truth. By a very remarkable work of divine grace on his own foul, he was qualified to contend with the growing corruptions. It is an happy circumftance, that we have, in his confeffions, * The Western, as will appear in the courfe of the narrative. feffions, a large and diftinct account of his own converfion.-And who could relate it like himself? I proceed to give an account of these Confeffions:the propriety and importance of fo long a detail will afterwards appear*, AUGUSTINE'S CONFESSIONS ABRIDGED. TH BOOK I. HOU art great, O Lord, and most worthy to be praised; great is thy power, and of thy wif dom there is no end. A man, a portion of thy creation, wishes to praise thee, a man too, carrying about him his mortality, carrying about him the evidences of his fin, and a teftimony, that thou refisteth the proud; yet, even fuch a man wishes to praise thee. Thou exciteft him, that he fhould delight to praise thee. For thou haft made us for thyself, and our heart is restless, till it reft in thee. Who fhall give me to reft in thee? who fhall give me, that thou mayeft come into my heart, and inebriate it, that I may forget my own evils, and embrace thee, my only good? What art thou to me? Pity me, that I may fpeak. What am I to thee, that thou shouldest command me to love thee, The life of this great man was written by Poffidius, fometimes called Poffidonius, a pious prefbyter of his diocese, afterwards bishop of Calama. Though poorly written, it yet deferves to be mentioned, as it confirms the authenticity of the hiftorical parts of the Confeffions. Auguftine was born in the city of Tagafta in Numidia, of creditable parents. His father, Patricius, continued a Pagan till near his death; his mother Monica, was renowned for Chriftian piety. At the time of his full converfion to the Gospel he was upwards of thirty years of age. POSSID. LIFE OF AUGUST. |