Confessions - Book Xiii - Chapter IV
St. Augustine teaches that God's goodness is perfect and self-sufficient, and creation reflects His order and perfection, calling humanity to seek true life and light in Him.
In this devotional sermon from Book XIII, Chapter IV of Confessions, St. Augustine reflects on the perfection of God's goodness and the purpose of creation. He emphasizes that God created out of abundance, not need, and that true life and happiness come from being turned toward God. Augustine calls believers to seek spiritual enlightenment and rest in God's immutable will and Spirit.
Text
5. What, therefore, would there have been lacking in thy good, which thou thyself art, even if these things had never been made or had remained unformed? Thou didst not create them out of any lack but out of the plenitude of thy goodness, ordering them and turning them toward form,[510] but not because thy joy had to be perfected by them. For thou art perfect, and their imperfection is displeasing. Therefore were they perfected by thee and became pleasing to thee--but not as if thou wert before that imperfect and had to be perfected in their perfection. For thy good Spirit which moved over the face of the waters[511] was not borne up by them as if he rested on them. For those in whom thy good Spirit is said to rest he actually causes to rest in himself. But thy incorruptible and immutable will--in itself all-sufficient for itself--moved over that life which thou hadst made: in which living is not at all the same thing as living happily, since that life still lives even as it flows in its own darkness. But it remains to be turned to him by whom it was made and to live more and more like \"the fountain of life,\" and in his light \"to see light,\"[512] and to be perfected, and enlightened, and made blessed.
Sermon Outline
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I
- God's goodness is perfect and complete in Himself
- Creation was made from God's plenitude, not need
- Imperfection displeases God and is corrected by Him
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II
- The Spirit of God moves over creation, not dependent on it
- Those with God's Spirit find true rest in Him
- Life as existence differs from life as blessedness
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III
- Human life must be turned toward God to find true light
- Spiritual enlightenment leads to perfection and blessing
- God is the fountain of life and source of true vision
Key Quotes
“Thou didst not create them out of any lack but out of the plenitude of thy goodness, ordering them and turning them toward form.” — St. Augustine
“For those in whom thy good Spirit is said to rest he actually causes to rest in himself.” — St. Augustine
“Living is not at all the same thing as living happily, since that life still lives even as it flows in its own darkness.” — St. Augustine
Application Points
- Recognize that God's goodness is complete and does not depend on anything outside Himself.
- Seek to have God's Spirit rest within you to find true peace and rest.
- Turn your life toward God to experience true enlightenment and blessedness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did God create if He was already perfect?
God created not out of any lack but from the fullness of His goodness to order and perfect creation.
What does it mean that God's Spirit 'rests' on someone?
It means that God's Spirit causes those individuals to find true rest and peace in Himself.
How is living different from living happily according to Augustine?
Living refers to mere existence, while living happily means being turned toward God and sharing in His blessedness.
What is the 'fountain of life' in this sermon?
The 'fountain of life' refers to God, the source of true life, light, and blessing.