S. AURELII AUGUSTINI HIPPONENSIS EPISCOPI DE CONTINENTIA LIBER UNUS .

 CAPUT PRIMUM.

 2. Et ne in sola inferiorum partium carnis libidine continentia necessaria videretur a Domino speranda, etiam in Psalmo canitur, Pone, Domine, custodi

 CAPUT II.

 4. Propter quod etiam ipse ore proprio Dominus ait: Mundate quae intus sunt, et quae foris sunt munda erunt (Matth. XXIII, 26). Itemque alio loco cum

 5. Ac per hoc illa quae genitalibus membris pudicitia refrenatis, solet maxime ac proprie continentia nominari, nulla transgressione violatur, si supe

 CAPUT III.

 7. Hanc pugnam non experiuntur in semetipsis nisi bellatores virtutum debellatoresque vitiorum: nec expugnat concupiscentiae malum, nisi continentiae

 8. Tales milites apostolica tuba isto sonitu accendit in praelium: Non ergo regnet, inquit, peccatum in vestro mortali corpore ad obediendum desiderii

 9. Itemque cum hortatur ut non secundum carnem vivamus, ne moriamur, sed spiritu facta carnis mortificemus, ut vivamus tuba utique quae canit, bellum

 CAPUT IV.

 11. Sed quispiam dicturus est mihi aliud esse secundum hominem, aliud secundum carnem vivere: quia homo videlicet rationalis creatura est, et in eo ra

 CAPUT V.

 13. In hoc tam magno praelio, in quo vivit homo sub gratia, et cum bene pugnat adjutus, exsultat in Domino cum tremore, non desunt tamen etiam strenui

 14. Et alii quidem qui sua consueverunt excusare peccata, fato se ad peccandum queruntur impelli, tanquam hoc decreverint sidera, et coelum prius tali

 CAPUT VI.

 16. Non autem potestas Deo defuit, talem facere hominem qui peccare non posset: sed maluit eum talem facere, cui adjaceret peccare, si vellet non pec

 CAPUT VII.

 18. Omnes ergo qui credimus in Deum vivum et verum, cujus summe bona immutabilisque natura nec mali aliquid facit, nec mali aliquid patitur, a quo est

 CAPUT VIII.

 20. Sunt ergo in nobis desideria mala, quibus non consentiendo non vivimus male: sunt in nobis concupiscentiae peccatorum, quibus non obediendo non pe

 21. Quod ergo caro concupiscit adversus spiritum, quod non habitat in carne nostra bonum, quod lex in membris nostris repugnat legi mentis, non est du

 CAPUT IX.

 23. Tres quasdam copulas nobis insinuavit Apostolus, Christum et Ecclesiam, virum et uxorem, spiritum et carnem. Horum priora posterioribus consulunt,

 CAPUT X.

 CAPUT XI.

 CAPUT XII.

 27. Sunt etiam qui aperte malignis serviendo daemonibus, a corporis voluptatibus continent, ut per eos expleant nefarias voluptates, quarum impetum ar

 CAPUT XIII.

 29. Spiritus itaque hominis adhaerens Spiritui Dei, concupiscit adversus carnem, id est, adversus se ipsum sed pro se ipso, ut motus illi sive in car

 CAPUT XIV.

 31. Nunc autem deponite, inquit, et vos universa Deponite vos universa et vos? Deponite, 0372 Qui perseveraverit usque in finem, hic salvus erit

 32. Sive autem ne vincamur acriter confligentes, sive aliquoties vel etiam insperata vel inopinata facilitate vincentes, ei qui nobis dat continentiam

19. For the flesh lusts after nothing save through the soul, but the flesh is said to lust against the spirit, when the soul with fleshly lust wrestles against the spirit. This whole are we: and the flesh itself, which on the departure of the soul dies, the lowest part of us is not put away as what we are to flee from, but is laid aside as what we are to receive again, and, after having received it, never again to leave. But “there is sown an animal body, there shall rise again a spiritual body.”64    1 Cor. xv. 44 Then from that time the flesh will not lust after any thing against the spirit, when as itself also shall be called spiritual, forasmuch as not only without any opposition, but also without any need of bodily aliment, it shall be for ever made subject unto the spirit, to be quickened by Christ. Therefore these two things, which are now opposed the one to the other within us, since we exist in both, let us pray and endeavor that they may agree. For we ought not to think the one of them an enemy, but the fault, whereby the flesh lusteth against the spirit: and this, when healed, will itself cease to exist, and either substance will be safe, and no strife between either. Let us hear the Apostle; “I know,” saith he, “that there dwelleth not in me, that is, in my flesh, any good.”65    Rom. vii. 18 This certainly he saith; that the fault of the flesh, in a good thing, is not good; and, when this shall have ceased to exist, it will be flesh, but it will not be now corrupted or faulty66    Vitiata vel vitiosa flesh. And yet that this pertains to our nature the same teacher shows, by saying, first, “I know that there dwelleth not in me,” in order to expound which, he added, “that is, in my flesh, any good.” Therefore he saith that his flesh is himself. It is not then itself that is our enemy: and when its faults are resisted, itself is loved, because itself is cared for; “For no one ever hated his own flesh,”67    Eph. v. 29 as the Apostle himself saith. And in another place he saith, “So then I myself with the mind serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the Law of sin.” Let them hear that have ears. “So then I myself;” I with the mind, I with the flesh, but “with the mind I serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”68    Rom. vii. 25 How “with the flesh the law of sin?” was it at all by consenting unto fleshly lust? Far be it! but by having there motions of desires which he would not have, and yet had. But, by not consenting to them, with the mind he served the Law of God, and kept his members from becoming weapons of sins.

CAPUT VIII.

19. Caro adversus spiritum concupiscit, non quia inimica natura, sed quia vitiata. Carnis concupiscentias ex vitio esse, easque hic minui quidem posse, non penitus auferri nisi in altera vita. Concupiscentia carnis hic poena peccati, carne sanata in beatis non erit. Caro enim nihil nisi per animam concupiscit; sed concupiscere caro adversus spiritum dicitur, quando anima carnali concupiscentia spiritui reluctatur. Totum hoc nos sumus: et caro ipsa quae discedente anima moritur, nostra pars infima, non fugienda dimittitur, sed recipienda deponitur, nec recepta ulterius relinquetur. Seminatur autem corpus animale, resurget corpus spirituale (I Cor. XV, 44). Tunc jam caro nihil concupiscet adversus spiritum, quando et ipsa spiritualis vocabitur, quoniam spiritui non solum sine ulla repugnantia, verum etiam sine ulla corporalis alimenti indigentia in aeternum vivificanda subdetur. Haec igitur duo, quae nunc invicem adversantur in nobis, quoniam in utroque nos sumus, ut concordent oremus et agamus. Non enim alterum eorum putare debemus inimicum, sed vitium quo caro concupiscit adversus spiritum: quod sanatum, nec ipsum erit, et substantia utraque salva erit, et inter utramque nulla pugna erit. Audiamus Apostolum: Scio, inquit, quia non habitat in me, hoc est in carne mea, bonum. Hoc utique ait, quia vitium carnis in re bona non est bonum: quod cum esse destiterit, caro erit, sed jam vitiata vel vitiosa non erit. Quam tamen ad nostram pertinere naturam, idem doctor ostendit, prius dicendo, Scio quia non habitat in me: quod ut exponeret, addidit, hoc est in carne mea, bonum. Se itaque dicit esse carnem suam. Non ergo ipsa est inimica nostra: et quando ejus vitiis resistitur, ipsa amatur, 0362 quia ipsa curatur. Nemo enim unquam carnem suam odio habuit (Ephes. V, 29); sicut ipse Apostolus dicit. Et alio loco ait: Igitur ipse ego mente servio legi Dei, carne autem legi peccati. Audiant qui aures habent: Igitur ipse ego; ego mente, ego carne; sed mente servio legi Dei, carne autem legi peccati. Quomodo carne legi peccati? numquid concupiscentiae consentiendo carnali? Absit: sed motus desideriorum illic habendo, quos habere nolebat, et tamen habebat. Sed eis non consentiendo mente serviebat legi Dei, et tenebat membra, ne fierent arma peccati.