of this work, we have done enough to distin- the world. He was in the world, and the
BOOK XIII,
THE INQUIRY IS PROSECUTED RESPECTING KNOWLEDGE, IN WHICH, AS DISTINGUISHED FROM WIS-
DOM, AUGUSTIN HAD BEGUN IN THE FORMER BOOK TO LOOK FOR A KIND OF TRINITY, AND
OCCASION IS TAKEN OF COMMENDING CHRISTIAN FAITH, AND OF EXPLAINING HOW THE FAITH
OF BELIEVERS IS ONE AND COMMON. NEXT, THAT ALL DESIRE BLESSEDNESS, YET THAT ALL
HAVE NOT THE FAITH WHEREBY WE ARRIVE AT BLESSEDNESS ; AND THAT THIS FAITH IS DE-
FINED IN CHRIST, WHO IN THE FLESH ROSE FROM THE DEAD ; AND THAT NO ONE IS SET FREE
FROM THE DOMINION OF THE DEVIL THROUGH FORGIVENESS OF SINS, SAVE THROUGH HIM,
IT IS SHOWN ALSO AT LENGTH THAT IT WAS NEEDFUL THAT THE DEVIL SHOULD BE CON-
QUERED BY CHRIST, NOT BY POWER, BUT BY RIGHTEOUSNESS. FINALLY, THAT WHEN THE
WORDS OF THIS FAITH ARE COMMITTED TO MEMORY, THERE IS IN THE MIND A KIND OF
TRINITY, SINCE THERE ARE, FIRST, IN THE MEMORY THE SOUNDS OF THE WORDS, AND THIS
EVEN WHEN THE MAN IS NOT THINKING OF THEM ; AND NEXT, THE MIND'S EYE OF HIS
RECOLLECTION JS FORMED THEREUPON WHEN HE THINKS OF THEM ; AND, LASTLY, THE WILL,
WHEN HE SO THINKS AND REMEMBERS, COMBINES BOTH.
with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew
CHAP, I.—THE ATTEMPT IS MADE TO DISTINGUISH OUT OF THE SCRIPTURES THE OFFICES
OF WISDOM AND OF KNOWLEDGE. THAT IN THE BEGINNING OF JOHN SOME THINGS THAT ARE SAID BELONG TO WISDOM, SOME TO KNOWLEDGE. SOME THINGS THERE ARE ONLY KNOWN BY THE HELP OF FAITH, HOW WE
SEE THE FAITH THAT IS IN US. IN THE SAME NARRATIVE OF JOHN, SOME THINGS ARE KNOWN BY THE SENSE OF THE BODY, OTHERS ONLY BY THE REASON OF THE MIND.
1. In the book before this, vzz. the twelfth of this work, we have done enough to distinguish the office of the rational mind in temporal things, wherein not only our knowing but our action is concerned, from the more excellent office of the same mind, which is employed in contemplating eternal things, and is limited to knowing alone. But I think it more convenient that I should insert somewhat out of the Holy Scriptures, by which the two may more easily be distinguished.
Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.''* This entire passage, which I have
2. John the Evangelist has thus begun his Gospel: ''In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning
I John i. 1-14.