Chapter 2 (105): Whether The Love Of Angels Is Contained In That Precept.—
Distinction XXVIII | 119 3. Here Augustine seems to teach that we are not bound by precept to love ourselves or our body. If this is the case, then not all manner of loveable things is contained in those two precepts, since we must also love ourselves and our body, for which [another] precept is necessary, since it is written: He who loves iniquity hates his own soul.®
4. But it was not necessary to give a special precept concerning this, nor was there need to command by a special commandment that one love himself or his own body, since that is contained in the precept: You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' Hence Augustine in the same place: "If you take yourself as a whole, that is, soul and body, and your neighbour as a whole, that is, soul and body (since a man is constituted of soul and body), then no manner of things that are to be loved is omitted in these two commandments. For although the love of God comes first, and the manner of our love for him is prescribed, and love of neighbour comes next, nothing seems to be said concerning your love of self. But when it is said: You shall love your neighbour as yourself,' then your love for yourself has not been omitted." See, here he plainly states that in that precept is contained not only love of neighbour, but also of myself, and of my whole neighbour and my whole self.
5. From which it is apparent that the above statement, 'No precepts need to be given concerning the second and fourth of these, namely concerning the love of ourselves and our body,''" is to be understood as regarding special and distinct precepts, because all is contained in that one commandment, and "because that which we are and that which is below us, and yet pertains to us, we love by the law of nature, which is present even in beasts."'' And so "we received distinct precepts concerning that which is above us and that which is near us,'''" in the second of which is contained the love of that which we are and of that which is below us.
Chapter 2 (105)
WHETHER THE LOVE OF ANGELS
IS CONTAINED IN THAT PRECEPT.—
AUGUSTINE, IN THE BOOK OW CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE: "The question arises here concerning angels, whether the love of angels also pertains to that commandment of love of neighbour."!
®Ps. 10, 6.
Tt. 19, 19; 22, 39.
'Ibid.
*Augustine, De doctrina christiana, bk 1 c26 n27.
Above, n2.
'! Augustine, De doctrina christiana, bk 1 c26 n27.
Ibid.
'Augustine, De doctrina christiana, bk | c30 n31.