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The Confessions of St. Augustin In Thirteen Books
Chapter IX.--That the Judgment of God and Men as to Human Acts of Violence, is Different.
17. But amidst these offences of infamy and violence, and so many iniquities, are the sins of men who are, on the whole, making progress; which, by those who judge rightly, and after the rule of perfection, are censured, yet commended withal, upon the hope of bearing fruit, like as in the green blade of the growing corn. And there are some which resemble offences of infamy or violence, and yet are not sins, because they neither offend Thee, our Lord God, nor social custom: when, for example, things suitable for the times are provided for the use of life, and we are uncertain whether it be out of a lust of having; or when acts are punished by constituted authority for the sake of correction, and we are uncertain whether it be out of a lust of hurting. Many a deed, then, which in the sight of men is disapproved, is approved by Thy testimony; and many a one who is praised by men is, Thou being witness, condemned; because frequently the view of the deed, and the mind of the doer, and the hidden exigency of the period, severally vary. But when Thou unexpectedly commandest an unusual and unthought-of thing--yea, even if Thou hast formerly forbidden it, and still for the time keepest secret the reason of Thy command, and it even be contrary to the ordinance of some society of men, who doubts but it is to be done, inasmuch as that society is righteous which serves Thee? 1 But blessed are they who know Thy commands! For all things were done by them who served Thee either to exhibit something necessary at the time, or to foreshow things to come. 2
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The Manichaeans, like the deistical writers of the last century, attacked the spoiling of the Egyptians, the slaughter of the Canaanites, and such episodes. Referring to the former, Augustin says (Con. Faust. xxii. 71), "Then, as for Faustus' objection to the spoiling of the Egyptians, he knows not what he says. In this Moses not only did not sin, but it would have been sin not to do it. It was by the command of God, who, from His knowledge both of the actions and of the hearts of men, can decide upon what every one should be made to suffer, and through whose agency. The people at that time were still carnal, and engrossed with earthly affection; while the Egyptians were in open rebellion against God, for they used the gold, God's creature, in the service of idols, to the dishonour of the Creator, and they had grievously oppressed strangers by making them work without pay. Thus the Egyptians deserved the punishment, and the Israelites were suitably employed in inflicting it." For an exhaustive vindication of the conduct of the children of Israel as the agents of God in punishing the Canaanites, see Graves on the Pentateuch, Part iii. lecture I. See also De Civ. Dei, i. 26; and Quaest. in Jos. 8, 16, etc. ↩
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See note on sec. 14, above. ↩
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Les confessions de Saint Augustin
CHAPITRE IX. DIEU JUGE AUTREMENT QUE LES HOMMES.
17. Mais en outre de cette multitude de souillures et d’iniquités, il est des péchés commis dans les voies de retour, qui, justement blâmés suivant la lettre de la loi de perfection, trouvent faveur comme espérance du fruit à venir, comme l’herbe présage de la moisson. Et il est’ des actes qui, coupables en apparence, sont néanmoins innocents parce qu’ils ne portent atteinte ni à vous, Seigneur mon Dieu, ni à la société civile; ainsi certaines satisfactions dominées à l’entretien de la vie, selon les habitudes d’une époque, sans qu’on ait sujet d’accuser une convoitise déréglée; ainsi l’exercice rigoureux d’une autorité légitime, imputable au désir de réprimer plutôt qu’au besoin de nuire. Combien d’actions répréhensibles aux yeux des hommes, autorisées par votre témoignage; combien louées par eux, que votre justice condamne? si différentes sont souvent (384) l’apparence de l’action, l’intention du coeur, et la donnée secrète des circonstances!
Mais quand soudain vous commandez une chose extraordinaire, jusqu’alors défendue pas vous, tinssiez-vous cachées pour un temps les raisons de votre commandement, fût-il contraire aux conventions sociales de quelques hommes; qui doute qu’il ne faille obéir, puisqu’il n’est de société légitime que celle qui vous obéit? Mais heureux ceux qui savent que c’est de vous que le commandement est venu. Toutes les actions de vos serviteurs sont l’expression des nécessités du présent ou la figure de l’avenir.