62. M. T. Clark, Augustine, Philosopher of Freedom (New York: Desclee, 1959). (continued)
INTRODUCTION
gift of His Spirit, thus making possible progress toward eternal ace. ; The stages of freedom are correlated with the three stages in the life of man. In the first stage, before the Law, there is abundant use of free choice, choosing to do wrong with delight because of ignorance of what is sinful. This is the stage described in the first few books of the Confessions—it was a life of sensuality and license, and there was no remorse at the time because in his unbaptized state Augustine had not meditated on the Law.
In the second stage of freedom, under the Law, one uses free choice to gratify oneself but with reluctance and regret. Through reading Scripture and listening to Monica and Ambrose and other exemplary Christians, Augustine began to measure his deeds against the Law of God. Making heroic efforts to do what was right without wholly wanting to do so, he found all his efforts futile.
In the third stage of freedom, under Grace, one gladly does what is right, both wanting to do it and doing it with God's help. In this stage freedom is experienced as wholeheartedness, a delight in doing good. This is the period of constant growth in spiritual liberty: Free choice is used rightly and with delight. It is especially in Book X of the Confessions that Augustine describes this third stage of freedom. Through grace God has established Augustine's will in Himself. And so Augustine experienced a certain stability, the stability of faith; however, not that of eternity. Temptations are not absent from the children of God, even those endowed with His glorious liberty of loving within the Trinitarian life and sharing that goodness with others. Augustine spoke there of his own temptations from the "'lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the ambitions of the world." He opened to the Lord the present state of his soul "in this kind of evil, rejoicing with trembling in your gifts and grieving for my imperfection and hoping that you will perfect your mercies in me till I reach that fullness of peace which both my inward and my outer self will have with you whefi death shall be swallowed up in victory.''®3
This evolution in freedom through the various stages on earth to the complete freedom of the risen life is a constant motif in the spirituality of St. Augustine. It requires an education in that love
63. Conf., X.30.