The Confessions of Saint Augustine (Outler)/Book I/Chapter I


 * He declares the greatness of God: and by Him aroused desires to seek and call upon Him.

"Great art Thou, O Lord, and greatly to be praised" (Ps. cxlv. 3); "great is thy power, and Thy wisdom is infinte" (Ps. cxlvii. 5). And Thee would man praise, though but a fragment of Thy creation; man, that bears about him his mortality, that bears about him the witness of his sin, even the witness that Thou "resistest the proud" (1 S. Pet. v. 5); yet would man praise Thee though but a fragment of Thy creation. Thou dost arouse us to delight in praising Thee; for Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it find rest in Thee. Grant me, Lord, to know and understand whether to call on Thee be the first thing, or to praise Thee? and again, whether to know Thee or to call on Thee? for who can call on Thee that knoweth not Thee? for he that knoweth not Thee may call on Thee as other than Thou art. Or, is it rather, that we call on Thee that we may know Thee? but "How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed, or how shall they believe without a preacher?" (Rom. x. 14); and "they shall praise the Lord that seek Him" (Ps. xxii. 26); for "they that seek shall find Him" (S. Matt. vii. 7); and they that find shall praise Him. Calling upon Thee, Lord, will I seek Thee; and believing in Thee will I call upon Thee; for to us hast Thou been preached. My faith, Lord, calls on Thee, which Thou hast given me, wherewith Thou hast inspired me, through the Incarnation of Thy Son, through the ministry of the Preacher [i.e. S. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan.— Ed. ].