Augustine suggests in Free Choice of the Will that pursuing good and avoiding evil are the same. As I recall, his example is a slave who kills his master to avoid being beaten. He isn’t avoiding pain so much as pursuing a good of living without the fear of abuse. That would suggest further another flaw in the study. Namely that its design merely captures two kinds of goods, and cannot carefully distinguish between them.
For this and about 10 other reasons i need to thoroghly revise what i wrote here. A person plagued by fear may really be desiring the good of life without dissapointment or pain, but the center of gravity is evil. Thats what i was trying to get at. I do think sanctification is the process of letting the good alone move us. E.g. Perfect love drives out fear. 1 John 4:18.
A servant with this cause, makes drudgery divine. Who sweeps a room as for thy laws, makes that and the action fine. The Elixir - The Philosophers stone.
God (good) is stronger than Evil as in the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Evil was once and for all beaten for each and everyone provided we BELIEVE in him (Jesus/God)and the action makes it fine as George Herbert said in his poem. Thank you for your stimulating conversations and insights. Stephen
Amen! Yes I fear my thoughts here are to a fault circumscribed to one rather secondary aspect of this question. But the exercise here is more philosophical or at the level of natural theology. The upshot of running through this course so to speak is that it sheds or often sheds insight on the revealed supernatural good. Herbert's poems are wonderful! Which are you referencing here?
P.S. Have you come across Thomas Traherne? Another 17th century English mystic of the Welsh border lands like Herbert. I live almost mid way between where they both lived. Paradise!! Even still.
Augustine suggests in Free Choice of the Will that pursuing good and avoiding evil are the same. As I recall, his example is a slave who kills his master to avoid being beaten. He isn’t avoiding pain so much as pursuing a good of living without the fear of abuse. That would suggest further another flaw in the study. Namely that its design merely captures two kinds of goods, and cannot carefully distinguish between them.
For this and about 10 other reasons i need to thoroghly revise what i wrote here. A person plagued by fear may really be desiring the good of life without dissapointment or pain, but the center of gravity is evil. Thats what i was trying to get at. I do think sanctification is the process of letting the good alone move us. E.g. Perfect love drives out fear. 1 John 4:18.
Thanks fot this comment! Perhaps thats the best way of making sense of this last sentence regarding pleasure and sadness.
A servant with this cause, makes drudgery divine. Who sweeps a room as for thy laws, makes that and the action fine. The Elixir - The Philosophers stone.
God (good) is stronger than Evil as in the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Evil was once and for all beaten for each and everyone provided we BELIEVE in him (Jesus/God)and the action makes it fine as George Herbert said in his poem. Thank you for your stimulating conversations and insights. Stephen
Amen! Yes I fear my thoughts here are to a fault circumscribed to one rather secondary aspect of this question. But the exercise here is more philosophical or at the level of natural theology. The upshot of running through this course so to speak is that it sheds or often sheds insight on the revealed supernatural good. Herbert's poems are wonderful! Which are you referencing here?
Teach me my God and King, in all things thee to see. That what I do in anything I do it as for thee.
Thanks so much for sharing. I need to commit this to memory!
P.S. Have you come across Thomas Traherne? Another 17th century English mystic of the Welsh border lands like Herbert. I live almost mid way between where they both lived. Paradise!! Even still.
I will do over the weekend. Stephen. Blessings and take care.
If you have an email address I will send you the complete poem. Stephen