Of the ends of good and euill among the Christians. The first Chapter.
1 AVGVSTINE in his 19. booke De Ciuitate Dei, the fourth Chapter, very wel declareth, how Christian hope is caried vnto those good things, 2 which cannot be séen. For if thou askest (saith hée) a faithfull man, what he maketh to be the end of good and euill things, he will answere; Life and death euerlasting: 3 which things can not be séene, nor comprehended by mans reason. And therefore the wise men among the Ethnikes being puffed vp with pride, would not settle their hope vpon those things. For which cause, some held, that the ends of good things, are the goods of the mind; some the goods of the bodie, and some, either vertue, pleasure, or both ioined togither. But GOD laughed them to scorne, and sawe how vaine their cogitations were. For they would rather account those things for the chéefe good, which be tempered with manie miseries and calamities, than to receiue those sincere, perfect, and most firme things, which are offered by the word of God. For who can woorthilie expresse, vnto what miserable and horrible mischances this bodie of ours is cast out? It is sicke, it is wounded, it is dissolued, made crooked, torne, and maimed. Oftentimes men become blind, oftentimes deafe. And as touching the mind, they are oftentimes mad, oftentimes frantike, and they that most labour about the truth, can not attaine to the knowledge of the same, without intermingling of infinite errours. How could the Ethnikes boast of vertues, 4 as the chéefe good things, séeing we haue them as witnesses of our calamities? To what purpose serueth temperance, which is therefore giuen, to bridle drunkennes, gluttonie, lusts, and the foule and shamefull motions of the mind? For these things declare, that it hath no place, but in minds, which be yet subiect to corruption. The which corruption, the more inward it is, the more miserable it maketh vs: and, as a domesticall enimie, violentlie assaileth the secret parts of our harts. These affections (saith Augustine ) are vices: 5 bicause (as Paule saith) they hinder vs, that we cannot doo those things which we would. Besides, 6 what is the part of wisedome, but to foresée, that by errour we be not deceiued in the choise of good things, and auoiding of euill? Certainlie, if we were not bewrapped in errours and darknes, we should not néed of this remedie. But séeing it is vsed, it argueth, that men are not yet happie; but are folded in great and gréeuous errours, vnlesse wisedome doo helpe on euerie side. Also iustice, 7 whereby euerie man commeth by his owne, is necessarie for none other cause, but to suppresse robberies, extortions, and violent dealings. And yet, neither can that so preuaile among men, but that iust and honest men oftentimes suffer manie things, both shamefullie and vniustlie. 8 Now what shall we speake of fortitude? The same doubtlesse armeth men patientlie to abide all sorrowes, dangers, torments; yea and death it selfe, if necessitie shall require. Among those so great euils, these wise fellowes durst appoint the chéefe goodnes. Which euils neuertheles, they said might sometime be so increased, as a man may kill himselfe. Oh happie life (crieth Augustine ) that séeketh the helpe of death to finish it! For if it be happie, why doo they cut it off, and shun it? But if it be miserable, why doo they place in it the chéefe goodnes? Thus are they derided of God, bicause they despised that hope, which is neither séene, nor attained vnto by mans reason. And bicause they mocked it, when they heard it preached in the woord, therfore hath God, by his heauenlie doctrine, condemned them, as fooles & ridiculous persons.