preface.—of what great value the knowledge of the truth is and always has been.

Men of great and distinguished talent, when they had entirely devoted themselves to learning, holding in contempt all actions both private and public, applied to the pursuit of investigating the truth whatever labour could be bestowed upon it; thinking it much more excellent to investigate and know the method of human and divine things, than to be entirely occupied with the heaping up of riches or the accumulation of honours. For no one can be made better or more just by these things, since they are frail and earthly, and pertain to the adorning of the body only. Those men were indeed most deserving of the knowledge of the truth, which they so greatly desired to know, that they even preferred it to all things. For it is plain that some gave up their property, and altogether abandoned the pursuit of pleasures, that, being disengaged and without impediment, they might follow the simple truth, and it alone. And so greatly did the name and authority of the truth prevail with them, that they proclaimed that the reward of the greatest good was contained in it. But they did not obtain the object of their wish, and at the same time lost their labour and industry; because the truth, that is the secret of the Most High God, who created all things, cannot be attained by our own ability and perceptions. Otherwise there would be no difference between God and man, if human thought could reach to the counsels and arrangements of that eternal majesty. And because it was impossible that the divine method of procedure should become known to man by his own efforts, God did not suffer man any longer to err in search of the light of wisdom, and to wander through inextricable darkness without any result of his labour, but at length opened his eyes, and made the investigation of the truth His own gift, so that He might show the nothingness of human wisdom, and point out to man wandering in error the way of obtaining immortality.  

But since few make use of this heavenly benefit and gift, because the truth lies hidden veiled in obscurity; and it is either an object of contempt to the learned because it has not suitable defenders, or is hated by the unlearned on account of its natural severity, which the nature of men inclined to vices cannot endure: for because there is a bitterness mingled with virtues, while vices are seasoned with pleasure, offended by the former and soothed by the latter, they are borne headlong, and deceived by the appearance of good things, they embrace evils for goods,—I have believed that these errors should be encountered, that both the learned may be directed to true wisdom, and the unlearned to true religion. And this profession is to be thought much better, more useful and glorious, than that of oratory, in which being long engaged, we trained young men not to virtue, but altogether to cunning wickedness.1    [This, St. Augustine powerfully illustrates. See Confessions, lib. iii. cap 3. Note also Ib., lib. ix. cap 5.]   Certainly we shall now much more rightly discuss respecting the heavenly precepts, by which we may be able to instruct the minds of men to the worship of the true majesty. Nor does he deserve so well respecting the affairs of men, who imparts the knowledge of speaking well, as he who teaches men to live in piety and innocence; on which account the philosophers were in greater glory among the Greeks than the orators. For they, the philosophers, were considered teachers of right living, which is far more excellent, since to speak well belongs only to a few, but to live well belongs to all. Yet that practice in fictitious suits has been of great advantage to us, so that we are now able to plead the cause of truth with greater copiousness and ability of speaking; for although the truth may be defended without eloquence, as it often has been defended by many, yet it needs to be explained, and in a measure discussed, with distinctness and elegance of speech, in order that it may flow with greater power into the minds of men, being both provided with its own force, and adorned with the brilliancy of speech.  

Praefatio. QUANTI SIT ET FUERIT SEMPER COGNITIO VERITATIS.

0111A Magno et excellenti ingenio viri, cum se doctrinae penitus dedissent, 0111A quidquid laboris poterat impendi, contemptis omnibus et privatis et publicis actionibus, ad inquirendae veritatis studium contulerunt; existimantes multo esse praeclarius humanarum divinarumque rerum investigare ac scire rationem, quam aut struendis opibus, aut cumulandis honoribus inhaerere. Quibus rebus, quoniam fragiles terrenaeque sunt 0112A et ad solius corporis pertinent cultum, nemo melior, nemo justior effici potest. Erant illi quidem veritatis cognitione dignissimi, quam scire tantopere cupiverunt; atque ita, ut eam rebus omnibus arteponerent. Nam et abjecisse quosdam res familiares suas, et renuntiasse universis voluptatibus constat, ut solam nudamque veritatem nudi expeditique sequerentur: tantumque apud eos veritatis nomen et auctoritas 0113A valuit, ut in ipsa esse summi boni praemium praedicarent. 0113A Sed neque adepti sunt id quod volebant: et operam simul atque industriam perdiderunt; quia veritas, id est arcanum summi Dei, qui fecit omnia, ingenio ac propriis non potest sensibus comprehendi: alioqui nihil inter Deum hominemque distaret, si consilia et dispositiones illius majestatis aeternae cogitatio assequeretur humana. Quod quia fieri non potuit, ut homini per seipsum ratio divina innotesceret, non est passus hominem Deus lumen sapientiae requirentem diutius errare, ac sine ullo laboris effectu vagari per tenebras inextricabiles; aperuit oculos ejus aliquando, et notionem veritatis munus suum fecit: ut et humanam sapientiam nullam esse monstraret, et erranti ac vago viam consequendae 0113B immortalitatis ostenderet.

Verum quoniam pauci utuntur hoc coelesti beneficio ac munere; quod obvoluta in obscuro veritas latet; eaque vel contemptui doctis est, quia idoneis assertoribus eget, vel odio indoctis, ob insitam sibi austeritatem, quam natura hominum proclivis in vitia pati non potest (nam quia virtutibus amaritudo permixta est, vitia vero voluptate condita sunt; illa 0114A offensi, hac deliniti feruntur in praeceps, et bonorum specie falsi, mala pro bonis amplectuntur) succurrendum esse his erroribus credidi: ut et docti ad veram sapientiam dirigantur et indocti ad veram religionem. Quae professio multo melior, utilior, gloriosior putanda est, quam illa oratoria, in qua diu versati, non ad virtutem, sed plane ad argutam malitiam juvenes erudiebamus. Multo quippe nunc rectius de praeceptis coelestibus disseremus, quibus ad cultum verae majestatis mentes hominum instruere possimus: nec tam de rebus humanis bene meretur, qui scientiam bene dicendi affert, quam qui pie atque innocenter docet vivere: idcirco apud Graecos majore in gloria philosophi, quam oratores fuerunt. Illi enim recte vivendi doctores sunt existimati: quod 0114B est longe praestabilius: quoniam bene dicere, ad paucos pertinet, bene autem vivere ad omnes. Multum tamen nobis exercitatio illa fictarum litium contulit, ut nunc majore copia et facultate dicendi causam veritatis peroremus: quae licet possit sine eloquentia defendi, ut est a multis saepe defensa; tamen claritate ac nitore sermonis illustranda, et quodammodo disserenda est, ut potentius in animos 0115A influat et vi sua instructa, 0115A et luce orationis ornata.