Confessions - Book V - Chapter Viii
St. Augustine reflects on God's providential guidance in his move from Carthage to Rome, illustrating how divine wisdom uses human circumstances to preserve the soul.
In this reflective sermon, St. Augustine recounts his move from Carthage to Rome, emphasizing how God's providence orchestrates human events for spiritual benefit. He contrasts the disorderly conduct of students in Carthage with the disciplined environment in Rome, illustrating how divine wisdom uses even human folly to guide and preserve the soul. Augustine invites listeners to recognize God's hand in life's transitions and the importance of discipline in spiritual growth.
Text
14. Thou didst so deal with me, therefore, that I was persuaded to go to Rome and teach there what I had been teaching at Carthage. And how I was persuaded to do this I will not omit to confess to thee, for in this also the profoundest workings of thy wisdom and thy constant mercy toward us must be pondered and acknowledged. I did not wish to go to Rome because of the richer fees and the higher dignity which my friends promised me there--though these considerations did affect my decision. My principal and almost sole motive was that I had been informed that the students there studied more quietly and were better kept under the control of stern discipline, so that they did not capriciously and impudently rush into the classroom of a teacher not their own--indeed, they were not admitted at all without the permission of the teacher. At Carthage, on the contrary, there was a shameful and intemperate license among the students. They burst in rudely and, with furious gestures, would disrupt the discipline which the teacher had established for the good of his pupils. Many outrages they perpetrated with astounding effrontery, things that would be punishable by law if they were not sustained by custom. Thus custom makes plain that such behavior is all the more worthless because it allows men to do what thy eternal law never will allow. They think that they act thus with impunity, though the very blindness with which they act is their punishment, and they suffer far greater harm than they inflict.
The manners that I would not adopt as a student I was compelled as a teacher to endure in others. And so I was glad to go where all who knew the situation assured me that such conduct was not allowed. But thou, \"O my refuge and my portion in the land of the living,\"[136] didst goad me thus at Carthage so that I might thereby be pulled away from it and change my worldly habitation for the preservation of my soul. At the same time, thou didst offer me at Rome an enticement, through the agency of men enchanted with this death-in-life--by their insane conduct in the one place and their empty promises in the other. To correct my wandering footsteps, thou didst secretly employ their perversity and my own. For those who disturbed my tranquillity were blinded by shameful madness and also those who allured me elsewhere had nothing better than the earth\\
Sermon Outline
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I
- Augustine's reluctance to move to Rome
- Comparison of student behavior in Carthage and Rome
- The role of discipline in learning
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II
- God's providential guidance in Augustine's move
- The interplay of human folly and divine wisdom
- The preservation of the soul through change
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III
- The consequences of unruly behavior
- Custom versus eternal law
- The blindness and punishment of sin
Key Quotes
“Thou didst so deal with me, therefore, that I was persuaded to go to Rome and teach there what I had been teaching at Carthage.” — St. Augustine
“Thus custom makes plain that such behavior is all the more worthless because it allows men to do what thy eternal law never will allow.” — St. Augustine
“Thou, 'O my refuge and my portion in the land of the living,' didst goad me thus at Carthage so that I might thereby be pulled away from it and change my worldly habitation for the preservation of my soul.” — St. Augustine
Application Points
- Trust in God's providence even when circumstances seem challenging or confusing.
- Value discipline and order as essential for personal and spiritual development.
- Recognize that God can use human imperfections and situations to guide and protect your soul.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Augustine decide to move to Rome?
Augustine was persuaded to move to Rome primarily because of the better discipline and order among the students there, which he hoped would aid his teaching.
What does Augustine say about the students in Carthage?
He describes them as unruly and disruptive, lacking respect for the teacher's authority and indulging in shameful and intemperate behavior.
How does Augustine view God's role in his relocation?
He sees God's wisdom and mercy at work, using both the disorder in Carthage and the allure of Rome to guide him for the preservation of his soul.
What lesson does Augustine draw about human behavior and divine law?
He notes that while custom may allow certain behaviors, they are contrary to eternal law and bring greater harm to those who act in blindness.