Confessions (1900) - Page 11

BOOK FIRST

COMMENCING WITH THE INVOCATION OF GOD, AUGUSTINE RELATES IN DETAIL THE BEGINNING OF HIS LIFE, HIS INFANCY AND BOYHOOD UP TO HIS FIFTEENTH YEAR; AT WHICH AGE HE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HE WAS MORE INCLINED TO ALL YOUTHFUL PLEASURES AND VICES THAN TO THE STUDY OF LETTERS.

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CHAPTER I.—He proclaims the greatness of God, whom he desires to seek and invoke, being awakened by Him, . . . . . . .	1
CHAPTER II.—That the God whom we invoke is in us, and we in Him, . . .	2
CHAPTER III.—Everywhere God wholly fills all things, but neither heaven nor earth contains Him, . . . . . . .	3
CHAPTER IV.—The majesty of God is supreme, and His virtues are inexplicable, . . . . . . . . . . .	3
CHAPTER V.—He seeks rest in God, and pardon of his sins, . . .	4
CHAPTER VI.—He describes his infancy, and praises the protection and eternal providence of God, . . . . . . . .	5
CHAPTER VII.—He shows by examples that even infancy is prone to sin, .	7
CHAPTER VIII.—That when a boy he learned to speak, not by any set method, but from the acts and words of his parents, . . . .	9
CHAPTER IX.—Concerning the hatred of learning, the love of play, and the fear of being whipped noticeable in boys; and of the folly of our elders and masters, . . . . . . . . .	10
CHAPTER X.—Through a love of ball-playing and shows, he neglects his studies and the instructions of his parents, . . . . .	11
CHAPTER XI.—Seized by disease, his mother being troubled, he earnestly demands baptism, which on recovery is postponed—his father not as yet believing in Christ, . . . . . . . . .	12
CHAPTER XII.—Being compelled, he gave his attention to learning, but fully acknowledges that this was the work of God, . . . .	13
CHAPTER XIII.—He delighted in Latin studies, and the empty fables of the poets, but hated the elements of literature and the Greek language, . . . . . . . . . . .	14
CHAPTER XIV.—Why he despised Greek literature, and easily learned Latin, . . . . . . . . . . .	16