|
He who resolves to love God, and to love his neighbor as himself,
not according to man but according to God, is on account of this love
said to be of a good will; and this is in Scripture more commonly
called charity, but it is also, even in the same books, called love.
For the apostle says that the man to be elected as a ruler of the
people must be a lover of good. And when the Lord Himself had asked
Peter, "Hast thou a regard for me (diligis) more than these?"
Peter replied, "Lord, Thou knowest that I love (amo) Thee."
And again a second time the Lord asked not whether Peter loved
(amaret) Him, but whether he had a regard (diligeret)for Him,
and, he again answered, "Lord, Thou knowest that I love (amo)
Thee." But on the third interrogation the Lord Himself no longer
says, "Hast thou a regard (diligis) for me," but "Lovest thou
(amas) me?" And then the evangelist adds, "Peter was grieved
because He said unto him the third time, Lovest thou (amas) me?"
though the Lord had not said three times but only once, "Lovest thou
(amas) me?" and twice "Diligis me?" from which we gather that,
even when the Lord said "diligis," He used an equivalent for
"amas." Peter, too, throughout used one word for the one thing,
and the third time also replied, "Lord, Thou knowest all things,
Thou knowest that I love (amo) Thee."
I have judged it right to mention this, because some are of opinion
that charity or regard (dilectio) is one thing, love (amor)
another. They say that dilectio is used of a good affection, amor of
an evil love. But it is very certain that even secular literature
knows no such distinction. However, it is for the philosophers to
determine whether and how they differ, though their own writings
sufficiently testify that they make great account of love (amor)
placed on good objects, and even on God Himself. But we wished to
show that the Scriptures of our religion, whose authority we prefer to
all writings whatsoever, make no distinction between am. or,
dilectio, and caritas; arid we have already shown that amor is used in
a good connection. And if any one fancy that amor is no doubt used
both of good and bad loves, but that dilectio is reserved for the good
only, let him remember what the psalm says, "He that loveth
(diligit) iniquity hateth his own soul;" and the words of the
Apostle John, "If any man love (diligere) the world, the love
(dilectio) of the Father is not in him." Here you have in one
passage dilectio used both in a good and a bad sense. And if any one
demands an instance of amor being used in a bad sense (for we have
already shown its use in a good sense), let him read the words,
"For men shall be lovers (amantes) of their own selves, lovers
(amatores) of money."
The right will is, therefore, well-directed love, and the wrong
will is ill-directed love. Love, then, yearning to have what is
loved, is desire; and having and enjoying it, is joy; fleeing what
is opposed to it, it is fear; and feeling what is opposed to it, when
it has befallen it, it is sadness. Now these motions are evil if the
love is evil; good if the love is good. What we assert let us prove
from Scripture. The apostle "desires to depart, and to be with
Christ." And, "My soul desired to long for Thy judgments;" or
if it is more appropriate to say, "My soul longed to desire Thy
judgments." And, "The desire of wisdom bringeth to a kingdom."
Yet there has always obtained the usage of understanding desire and
concupiscence in a bad sense if the object be not defined. But joy is
used in a good sense: "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye
righteous." And, "Thou hast put gladness in my heart." And,
"Thou wilt fill me with joy with Thy countenance." Fear is used in
a good sense by the apostle when he says, "Work out your salvation
with fear and trembling." And, "Be not high-minded, but fear."
And, "I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent be-Culled Eve
through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the
simplicity that is in Christ." But with respect to sadness, which
Cicero prefer to calls sickness (oegritudo), and Virgil pain
(dolor) (as he says, "Dolent gaudentque" ), but which I prefer
to call sorrow, because sickness and pain are more commonly used to
express bodily suffering, with respect to this emotion, I say, the
question whether it can be used in a good sense is more difficult.
|
|