The Trinity

Book XV

BOOK FIFTEEN Chapter 1 liD''',"NG TO T.MN THE READER in the things that were made, in order that he might know Him by whom they were made, we have now at last arrived at His image which is man, in that whereby He is superior to other animals, namely, in reason and understanding, and whatever else can be said of the rational or intellectual soul that pertains to that thing which is called the mind or animus. Some Latin authors, according to their own peculiar manner of speech, called animus that which excels in man and is not in the beast, thus distinguishing it from anima which is also found in the beast. If we, then, seek anything above this nature, and seek truly, then it is God, namely, a nature that is not created but creates. We must now show whether this is the Trinity, not only to believers by the authority of the divine Scriptures, but also to those who seek to understand by some kind of reason, if we are able. The subject-matter itself, once we begin to discuss what we are seeking, will indicate better why I said 'if we are able.' Chapter 2 (2) For God Himself whom we are seeking will, as I hope, grant us His help, so that our labor may not be fruitless, and that we may understand why it was said in the holy Psalm: 451 452 SAINT AUGUSTINE 'Let the heart of those rejoice who seek the Lord; seek the Lord, and be strengthened; seek his face evermore:1 For it seems that what is always sought is never found; and how will the heart of those who seek then rejoice, and not rather be saddened, if they cannot find what they are seeking? For it does not say: 'Let the heart of those rejoice who find,' but 'of those who seek the Lord: And yet the Prophet Isaia testifies that the Lord God can be found while He is being sought, where he says: 'Seek the Lord, and as soon as you find, call upon him; and when he shall come near you, let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unjust man his thoughts:2 If, therefore, He who is sought can be found, why was it said: 'Seek his face evermore'? Or is He perhaps still to be sought even when He is found? For so ought we to seek incomprehensible things, lest we should think that we have found nothing, who could find how incomprehensible is the thing which we are seeking. Why, then, does he so seek if he comprehends that what he seeks is incomprehensible, unless because he knows that he must not cease as long as he is making progress in the search itself of incomprehensible things, and is becoming better and better by seeking so great a good, which is sought in order to be found, and is found in order to be sought? For it is sought in order that it may be found sweeter, and is found in order that it may be sought more eagerly. For what is said in the Book of Ecclesiasticus can be understood in this sense where Wisdom says: 'They that eat me, shall yet hunger, and they that drink me, shall yet thirst:3 For they eat and drink because they find; and because they eat and drink, they yet seek. Faith seeks; understanding finds; wherefore the Prophet says: 'Unless you believe, you shall not understand.'4 And again the understanding still seeks Him whom it has found, for as it is sung in the holy Psalm: 'God has looked down upon the children of men, to see if there be 1 Cf. Ps. 104.3-4. 2 Cf. Isa. 55.6-7. 3 Ecclus. 24.29. 4 Cf. Isa. 7.9. BOOK FIFTEEN 453 one who understands and seeks God.'5 For this reason, then, man ought to be understanding in order that he may seek God. (3) We have, therefore, dwelt sufficiently on these things which God has made, in order that He who made them might be known through them. 'For the invisible things of him, from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood through those things that are made.'6 Wherefore they are blamed in the Book of Wisdom 'who by these good things that are seen, could not know him...