"The character of the human will is of moment; because, if it is wrong, these motions of the soul will be wrong, but if it is right, they will be not merely blameless, but even praiseworthy. For the will is in them all; yea, none of them is anything else than will. For what are desire and joy but a volition of consent to the things we wish? And what are fear and sadness but a volition of aversion from the things which we do not wish? But when consent takes the form of seeking to posses the things we wish, this is called desire; and when consent takes the form of enjoying the things we wish, this is called joy. In like manner, when we turn with aversion from that which we do not wish to happen, this volition is termed fear; and when we turn away from that which has happened against our will, this act of will is called sorrow. And generally in respect of all we seek and shun, as a man's will is attracted or repelled, so it is changed and turned with these different affections. Wherefore the man who lives according to God, and not according to man, ought to be a lover of good, and therefore a hater of evil."
"The right will is, therefore, well-directed love, and the wrong will is ill-directed love. Love, then, yearning to have what is loved, is desire; and having and enjoying it, is joy; fleeing what is opposed to it, is fear; and feeling what is opposed to it, when, it has befallen it, is sadness. Now these emotions are evil if the love is evil; good if the love is good."
"According to the sacred Scriptures and sound doctrine, the citizens of the holy city of God, who live according to God in the pilgrimage of this life both fear and desire, and grieve and rejoice. And because their love is rightly placed, all these affections of theirs are right. They fear eternal punishment, they desire eternal life; they grieve because they themselves groan within themselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of their body (Romans 8:23); they rejoice in hope, because there "shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54).”
“In like manner they fear to sin, they desire to persevere; they grieve in sin, they rejoice in good works. They fear to sin, because they hear that "because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." (Matthew 24:12). They desire to persevere, because they hear that it is written "He that endureth to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 10:22). They grieve for sin, hearing that "If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). They rejoice in good works, because they hear that "The Lord loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 10:7).”
“In like manner, according as they are weak or strong, they fear or desire to be tempted, grieve or rejoice in temptation. They fear to be tempted, because they hear the injunction, "If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). They desire to be tempted because they hear one of the heroes of the city of God saying, "Examine me, O Lord, and tempt me: try my reins and my heart" (Psalms 26:2). They grieve in temptations, because they see Peter weeping (Matthew 26:75); they rejoice in temptations, because they hear James saying, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations." (James 1:2)."
"And not only on their own account do they experience these emotions, but also on account of those whose deliverance they desire and whose perdition they fear, and whose loss or salvation affects them with grief or joy."
"But we must further make the admission, that even when these affections are well regulated, and according to God's will, they are peculiar to this life, not to that future life we look for, and that often we yield to them against our will. And thus sometimes we weep in spite of ourselves, being carried beyond ourselves, not indeed by culpable desire, but by praiseworthy charity. In us, therefore, these affections arise from human infirmity. So long as we wear the infirmity of this life, we are rather worse men than better if we have none of these emotions at all. For the Psalmist found fault with those of whom he said, "I looked for some to lament with me, and there was none" (Psalms 69:20). For to be quite free from pain while we are in this place of misery is only purchased at the price of blunted sensibilities both of mind and body. Called "impassibility" by the Greeks, if it be taken to mean a freedom from those emotions which are contrary to reason and disturb the mind, then it is obviously a good and most desirable quality, but it is not one which is attainable in this life. For the words of the apostle are the confession, not of the common herd, but of the eminently pious, just and holy men: "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1John 1:8). When there shall be no sin in a man, then there shall be this "impassibility." At present it is enough if we live without crimes; and he who thinks he lives without sin puts aside not sin, but pardon. But if by apathy a condition be meant in which no fear terrifies nor any pain annoys, we must in this life renounce such a state if we would live according to God's will, but may hope to enjoy it in that blessedness which is promised as our eternal condition."
"Whence it already appears in some sort what manner of persons the citizens of the city of God must be in this their pilgrimage, who live after the spirit, not after the flesh - that is to say, according to God, not according to man - and what manner of persons they shall also be in that immortality whither they are journeying."
*The City of God by Saint Augustine Translated by Marcus Dods, D.D. with an introduction by Thomas Merton, pages Book one pages449, 452,453,454
1993 Modern Library Edition
Introduction copyright 1950,1978 by Random House, Inc.
ISBN 0-679-60087-6
