The Enchiridion 3

St Augustine of Hippo (AD 354–430) · De fide spe et charitate · PL 40, 230–290

3 God is to Be Worshipped Through Faith, Hope, and Love PL 40, 232

Now if I should answer, that God is to be worshipped with faith, hope, and love, you will at once say that this answer is too brief, and will ask me briefly to unfold the objects of each of these three graces, viz., what we are to believe, what we are to hope for, and what we are to love. And when I have done this, you will have an answer to all the questions you asked in your letter. If you have kept a copy of your letter, you can easily turn it up and read it over again: if you have not, you will have no difficulty in recalling it when I refresh your memory.

Deum coli fide, spe et charitate. Hic si respondero, fide, spe, charitate colendum Deum; profecto dicturus es, brevius hoc dictum esse quam velles: ac deinde petiturus ea tibi breviter explicari, quae ad singula tria ista pertineant; quid credendum scilicet, quid sperandum, quid amandum sit. Quod cum fecero, ibi erunt omnia illa quae in epistola tua quaerendo posuisti: cujus exemplum si est penes te, facile est ut ea revolvas et relegas; si autem non est, commemorante me recolas.

Philip Schaff (ed.), Buffalo/New York: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886-1889. Public domain: English translation first published 1885-1900 (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series). Latin: Migne, Patrologia Latina (1844-1855), public domain; transcription from Corpus Corporum (University of Zurich).

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