登陆注册
5214200000250

第250章

In short, to say all in a word, what but disobedience was the punishment of disobedience in that sin? For what else is man's misery but his own disobedience to himself, so that in consequence of his not being willing to do what he could do, he now wills to do what he cannot? For though he could not do all things in Paradise before he sinned, yet he wished to do only what he could do, and therefore he could do all things he wished.But now, as we recognize in his offspring, and as divine Scripture testifies, "Man is like to vanity."(2) For who can count how many things he wishes which be cannot do, so long as he is disobedient to himself, that is, so long as his mind and his flesh do not obey his will? For in spite of himself his mind is both frequently disturbed, and his flesh suffers, and grows old, and dies;and in spite of ourselves we suffer whatever else we suffer, and which we would not suffer if our nature absolutely and in all its parts obeyed our will.But is it not the infirmities of the flesh which hamper it in its service? Yet what does it matter how its service is hampered, so long as the fact remains, that by the just retribution of the sovereign God whom we refused to be subject to and serve, our flesh, which was subjected to us, now torments us by insubordination, although our disobedience brought trouble on ourselves, not upon God? For He is not in need of our service as we of our body's; and therefore what we did was no punishment to Him, but what we receive is so to us.And the pains which are called bodily are pains of the soul in and from the body.For what pain or desire can the flesh feel by itself and without the soul? But when the flesh is said to desire or to suffer, it is meant, as we have explained, that the man does so, or some part of the soul which is affected by the sensation of the flesh, whether a harsh sensation causing pain, or gentle, causing pleasure.But pain in the flesh is only a discomfort of the soul arising from the flesh, and a kind of shrinking from its suffering, as the pain of the soul which is called sadness is a shrinking from those things which have happened to us in spite of ourselves.But sadness is frequently preceded by fear, which is itself in the soul, not in the flesh; while bodily pain is not preceded by any kind of fear of the flesh, which can be felt in the flesh before the pain.But pleasure is preceded by a certain appetite which is felt in the flesh like a craving, as hunger and thirst and that generative appetite which is most commonly identified with the name" lust," though this is the generic word for all desires.For anger itself was defined by the ancients as nothing else than the lust of revenge;(3) although sometimes a man is angry even at inanimate objects which cannot feel his vengeance, as when one breaks a pen, or crushes a quill that writes badly.Yet even this, though less reasonable, is in its way a lust of revenge, and is, so to speak, a mysterious kind of shadow of [the great law of] retribution, that they who do evil should suffer evil.There is therefore a lust for revenge, which is called anger; there is a lust of money, which goes by the name of avarice; there is a lust of conquering, no matter by what means, which is called opinionativeness; there is a lust of applause, which is named boasting.There are many and various lusts, of which some have names of their own, while others have not.For who could readily give a name to the lust of ruling, which yet has a powerful influence in the soul of tyrants, as civil wars bear witness?

CHAP.16.--OF THE EVIL OF LUST,--A WORD WHICH, THOUGH APPLICABLE TOMANY VICES, IS

SPECIALLY APPROPRIATED TO SEXUAL UNCLEANNESSAlthough, therefore, lust may have many objects, yet when no object is specified, the word lust usually suggests to the mind the lustful excitement of the organs of generation.And this lust not only takes possession of the whole body and outward members, but also makes itself felt within, and moves the whole man with a passion in which mental emotion is mingled with bodily appetite, so that the pleasure which results is the greatest of all bodily pleasures.So possessing indeed is this pleasure, that at the moment of time in which it is consummated, all mental activity is suspended.What friend of wisdom and holy joys, who, being married, but knowing, as the apostle says, "how to possess his vessel in santification and honor, not in the disease of desire, as the Gentiles who know not God,"(4) would not prefer, if this were possible, to beget children without this lust, so that in this function of begetting offspring the members created for this purpose should not be stimulated by the heat of lust, but should be actuated by his volition, in the same way as his other members serve him for their respective ends? But even those who delight in this pleasure are not moved to it at their own will, whether they confine themselves to lawful or transgress to unlawful pleasures; but sometimes this lust importunes them in spite of themselves, and sometimes fails them when they desire to feel it, so that though lust rages in the mind, it stirs not in the body.Thus, strangely enough, this emotion not only fails to obey the legitimate desire to beget offspring, but also refuses to serve lascivious lust; and though it often opposes its whole combined energy to the soul that resists it, sometimes also it is divided against itself, and while it moves the soul, leaves the body unmoved.

CHAP.17.--OF THE NAKEDNESS OF OUR FIRST PARENTS, WHICH THEY SAW AFTERTHEIR BASE

AND SHAMEFUL SIN.

Justly is shame very specially connected with this lust; justly, too, these members themselves, being moved and restrained not at our will, but by a certain independent autocracy, so to speak, are called "shameful." Their condition was different before sin.

同类推荐
  • 宣汉篇

    宣汉篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大乘起信论义疏

    大乘起信论义疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 苇碧轩诗集

    苇碧轩诗集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说四谛经

    佛说四谛经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 内训

    内训

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 王妃休想跳槽

    王妃休想跳槽

    皇命难违,嫁给浪荡王爷,却不想大喜之日,家破人亡,苟活下来只为追查真相,谁料王妃身份一文不值,活着,不过是一副驱壳。她挣扎在他的无情与无视之中,谁知最终还是对他失了心,本以为是两情相悦,却不想在得知真相寻他相助时,得到的却是一封休书毁义,一个滚字灭情。她最终离他而去,委身到仇人身边,却不料在与仇人的儿子成亲之时,他突然出现,抓着她的胳膊霸道的向她宣布:你是我的王妃,休想跳槽!
  • 腹黑老公太危险

    腹黑老公太危险

    爱过方知情深,伤过方知情痛!————题记他是玖城第一豪门慕容家二少爷,路晗恨之入骨的男人,可一组轰动全城的暧.昧照,绑住了他们的婚姻。新婚夜,他将她圈住,缓缓凑近,欲施兽行——“慢着。”她拦住他,“我无、意、间听到你和准大嫂的对话……”“听到什么?”“咳咳,你和准大嫂貌似打算开展一场轰轰烈烈的“地下叔嫂乱.伦情”……”他眸子眯起。“放心,我不捉奸,只要你和我相敬如冰!你们的地下情我绝对视而不见,听而不闻!”“你可真……大度!”他松开她,“可是晗晗,你不知道没有男人滋润的女人会老的很快么?”“……滚!”————她是“克父克母克爷爷连未婚夫也不放过”的路家三小姐,为了妹妹,他染上了她。“晗晗,我不喜欢你叫着其他男人的名字……”“要求我时,先管好你自己总往大嫂身上瞄的眼睛!”————当一场被策划了十六年的惊天骗局浮出水面后,一个永远不可能出现的人竟出现了时……一切又都变了。“带着这个野种滚出慕容家!”大雨中,她带着孩子无处可去……
  • 强身壮骨科学养生滋补食谱

    强身壮骨科学养生滋补食谱

    当今世界,随着人们生活节奏的加快,高强度、高效率的生活现状,使众多忙于工作、精神压力大的人们越来越吃不消,因而前所未有地重视起自身保健了。化学药物的毒副作用,使人们“重返大自然”的心理越来越强,在这一背景下药膳食疗这一独特的中华文化宝库的奇葩,越来越显示出她深厚的底蕴和夺目的光彩,为此我们精心编写了这本《强身壮骨科学养生滋补食谱》,希望读者能在获得美味可口的佳肴同时,也滋补了身体,祛除了疾病,拥有健康、快乐的人生。
  • 重生之庶女为妻

    重生之庶女为妻

    生前,赵晴岚是万安侯府的庶出小姐,嫁与毓亲王府的世子为妻。人人说是作为一个庶出的女儿,赵晴岚算是烧了高香才能有这样的造化。却没人知道,这一段婚姻生活如人饮水冷暖自知,其中的苦不堪言从来不能对外人讲。只是一场不是意外的意外的事故改变了整个故事的发展轨迹,赵晴岚死后意外重生,到了与毓亲王府初定亲的那一年。既然上天怜惜自己的遭遇,让自己从新来过,自己怎么能辜负上天这一番美意,既然有人不能让自己好好的生活,那么自己就从现在开始改变自己的生活。故事由此重新开始:为了自己的将来,不管是嫡姐嫡妹还是庶姐庶妹,只要是对自己的生活有企图,自己就坚决的要抵制。不管是嫡母还是姨娘,只要是想压迫自己,就不能让她得逞,一律勇敢反击。刁仆恶奴要欺负自己,那就让他们知道,脱胎换骨的自己,再不是以前那个可以任由别人欺负的懦弱小姐了。且看一个自强不息的重生之女如何从新开始演绎这一段全新的生活…
  • 药爱(下)

    药爱(下)

    这本小说的独特之处在于它给了我们一个新的视角,新的思考青春,回忆青春的方式。青春在这里不再是一个单纯的概念,语言的中介,而是一种情愫,充满哀伤。这才是真正属于我们自己的小说,年少的爱,纯真却注定失去的伤痛;爱她却来不及带她看一场烟火,一切朦胧而温暖。
  • 代嫁丑娘

    代嫁丑娘

    因为她丑,所以不受家人的宠爱,本是嫡出的她常受庶出妹妹的欺负。因为她丑,所以指腹为婚俊美无比的心上人要让给集万千宠爱于一身的妹妹。因为她丑,所以要替嫁给那个杀人如麻的大魔头。因为她丑,所以可以不被别人尊重。因为她丑,所以要被剥夺做母亲的权利。因为她乖,所以在受到妹妹欺负的时候从不告状。因为她乖,所以心仪已久指腹为婚的人另娶她人,她也毫无怨言。因为她乖,所以嫁给杀人如麻的大魔头也默默忍受。因为她乖,所以尊严被践踏也毫不在乎。因为她乖,所以只因他不希望孩子生下来和她一样的丑而被迫流产。她的丑颜善良惊叹了何人又收复了几人?她的柔顺乖巧顺应了几人又感动了何人?片段1:“就凭你这副丑模样,还妄想嫁给天下第一公子沈玉廷,你简直是癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉,赶快回房不要出来吓人了!”“我不是妄想,这是我娘生前指腹为婚的!”“指腹为婚?你娘已经死了,谁还和你指腹为婚!就你这丑八怪的样子,不怕洞房的时候,把玉廷公子吓坏了吗?还是我做些好事代你嫁了吧!”“妹妹不是要嫁给‘雷残宫’的曲冰邪吗?”“谁要嫁给那个大魔头?”“那曲冰邪不是已经下了聘礼了吗?”“那就要有劳姐姐代为嫁给他了。”“为什么?”“因为我要嫁给沈玉廷,而姐姐自然就要嫁给曲冰邪了!”片段2:曲冰邪看着掀开盖头下一张惊慌的丑颜,立刻恼羞成怒,他上前抓住上官静莫的手,声音冰冷至极:“你是谁?”“我…我是上官静莫…”曲冰邪咬牙一笑,残忍的说道:“上官寻那个老东西敢用你来欺骗我?片段3:“喝下去!”曲冰邪把一碗黑乎乎的药汁递到了上官静莫的面前。上官静莫犹豫的接过药碗,满脸哀求的对曲冰邪说道:“我想留下这个孩子,求求你让我留下他(她)好吗?”“我不想让我的孩子生下来和你一样的丑!”无情的话语就这么直直的射了过来。上官静莫将药碗放于唇边,眼泪一滴,两滴,…滴滴掉落到碗中,她闭上眼睛无助的强压下涌上的呕吐感将满碗的药汁喝了下去。曲冰邪看着碗底见空才转身无情的走了出去。
  • 地狱中爬出的神

    地狱中爬出的神

    魔头?屠夫?恶鬼?海天更愿意称呼自己为神。从地狱中爬出,地狱至尊重回自杀的那一天。
  • 绎逐

    绎逐

    自认为平凡的修理工但他的身上却蕴含着父辈留下来的神秘能量等待他去挖掘,自己却浑然不知,妻子竟然是大汉的万年公主?什么?竟让他去大汉帮助少帝去除心魔?一切的扑朔迷离是巧合还是阴谋.....
  • 悠悠小日子

    悠悠小日子

    雷雨天坚持工作结果被劈回了三百年前,身为游戏程序员的女主带来了整个游戏系统。有位雄厚历史资本并雄心壮志的清穿女做额娘,女主表示生活鸭梨很大。不过虽然身份改变了,但是工科女对生活的态度还是严谨的,比说额娘所说的擦亮眼睛找老公这事,恋爱养成加经营模拟的搭配总比即时战略或者第一人称射击来得容易嘛!
  • 卖萌36计:拐个影后妈咪

    卖萌36计:拐个影后妈咪

    稀里糊涂被人卖掉,却被告知是孩他娘。懵里懵懂遇到一个帅哥,对方竟然是一夜一亿的总裁!本来就已经很缺钱的柯艾,可以说是霉穿了地心。她一个资产负到只能向天再借五百年的人,却住着别墅,看着帅哥,时不时溜溜孩子……最后发现她竟然真的是总裁的妻,孩子的娘……她只能说,缘,妙不可言!