Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series I/Volume II/City of God/Book XIV/Chapter 6

Chapter 6.—Of the Character of the Human Will Which Makes the Affections of the Soul Right or Wrong.

But the character of the human will is of moment; because, if it is wrong, these motions of the soul will be wrong, but if it is right, they will be not merely blameless, but even praiseworthy.&#160; For the will is in them all; yea, none of them is anything else than will.&#160; For what are desire and joy but a volition of consent to the things we wish?&#160; And what are fear and sadness but a volition of aversion from the things which we do not wish?&#160; But when consent takes the form of seeking to possess the things we wish, this is called desire; and when consent takes the form of enjoying the things we wish, this is called joy.&#160; In like manner, when we turn with aversion from that which we do not wish to happen, this volition is termed fear; and when we turn away from that which has happened against our will, this act of will is called sorrow.&#160; And generally in respect of all that we seek or shun, as a man&#8217;s will is attracted or repelled, so it is changed and turned into these different affections.&#160; Wherefore the man who lives according to God, and not according to man, ought to be a lover of good, and therefore a hater of evil.&#160; And since no one is evil by nature, but whoever is evil is evil by vice, he who lives according to God ought to cherish towards evil men a perfect hatred, so that he shall neither hate the man because of his vice, nor love the vice because of the man, but hate the vice and love the man.&#160; For the vice being cursed, all that ought to be loved, and nothing that ought to be hated, will remain.