12. For “the world” is the appellation given not only to this fabric which God made heaven and earth, the sea, things visible and invisible: but the inhabitants of the world are called the world, just as we call a “house” both the walls and them that inhabit therein. And sometimes we praise a house, and find fault with the inhabitants. For we say, A good house; because it is marbled and beautifully138    Laqueata. ceiled: and in another sense we say, A good house: no man there suffers wrong, no acts of plunder, no acts of oppression, are done there. Now we praise not the building, but those who dwell within the building: yet we call it “house,” both this and that. For all lovers of the world, because by love they inhabit the world, just as those inhabit heaven, whose heart is on high while in the flesh they walk on earth: I say then, all lovers of the world are called the world. The same have only these three things, “lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, vain glory of life.” For they lust to eat, drink, cohabit: to use these pleasures. Not surely, that there is no allowed measure in these things, or that when it is said, Love not these things, it means that ye are not to eat, or not to drink, or not to beget children? This is not the thing said. Only, let there be measure, because of the Creator, that these things may not bind you by your loving of them: lest ye love that for enjoyment, which ye ought to have for use. But ye are not put to the proof except when two things are propounded to you, this or that: Will thou righteousness or gains? I have not wherewithal to live, have not wherewithal to eat, have not wherewithal to drink. But what if thou canst not have these but by iniquity? Is it not better to love that which thou losest not, than to lose thyself by iniquity? Thou seest the gain of gold, the loss of faith thou seest not. This then, saith he to us, is “the lust of the flesh,” i.e. the lusting after those things which pertain to the flesh, such as food, and carnal cohabitation, and all other such like.

12. Mundus enim appellatur non solum ista fabrica quam fecit Deus, coelum et terra, mare, visibilia et invisibilia: sed habitatores mundi mundus vocantur, quomodo domus vocatur et parietes et inhabitantes. Et aliquando laudamus domum, et vituperamus inhabitantes. Dicimus enim, Bona domus; quia marmorata est et pulchre laqueata: et aliter dicimus, Bona domus; nemo ibi patitur injuriam, nullae rapinae, nullae oppressiones ibi fiunt. Modo non parietes laudamus, sed inhabitatores parietum: domus tamen 1996 vocatur, sive illa, sive illa, Omnes enim dilectores mundi, quia dilectione inhabitant mundum; sicut coelum inhabitant quorum sursum est cor, et ambulant carne in terra: omnes ergo dilectores mundi mundus vocantur. Ipsi non habent nisi ista tria, desiderium carnis, desiderium oculorum, et ambitionem saeculi. Desiderant enim manducare, bibere, concumbere, uti voluptatibus istis. Numquid non est in his modus? Aut quando dicitur, Nolite ista diligere, huc dicitur, ut non manducetis, aut non bibatis, aut filios non procreetis? Non hoc dicitur. Sed sit modus propter Creatorem, ut non vos illigent ista dilectione; ne ad fruendum hoc ametis, quod ad utendum habere debetis. Non autem probamini, nisi quando vobis proponuntur duo, hoc aut illud: Justitiam vis, an lucra? Non habeo unde vivam, non habeo unde manducem, non habeo unde bibam. Sed quid, si non potes habere ista nisi per iniquitatem? Nonne melius amas quod non amittis, quam iniquitatem committis? Lucrum auri vides, damnum fidei non vides. Hoc ergo, ait nobis, desiderium carnis est, id est, desiderium earum rerum quae pertinent ad carnem, sicut cibus et concubitus, et caetera hujusmodi.