himself wise, and that he is
wrong to be proud; for that is right. Now God alone gives wisdom, and
that is why _Qui gloriatur, in Domino glorietur_.[174]

461

The three lusts have made three sects; and the philosophers have done no
other thing than follow one of the three lusts.

462

_Search for the true good._--Ordinary men place the good in fortune and
external goods, or at least in amusement. Philosophers have shown the
vanity of all this, and have placed it where they could.

463

[_Against the philosophers who believe in God without Jesus Christ_]

_Philosophers._--They believe that God alone is worthy to be loved and
admired; and they have desired to be loved and admired of men, and do
not know their own corruption. If they feel full of feelings of love and
admiration, and find therein their chief delight, very well, let them
think themselves good. But if they find themselves averse to Him, if
they have no inclination but the desire to establish themselves in the
esteem of men, and if their whole perfection consists only in making
men--but without constraint--find their happiness in loving them, I
declare that this perfection is horrible. What! they have known God, and
have not desired solely that men should love Him, but that men should
stop short at them! They have wanted to be the object of the voluntary
delight of men.

464

_Philosophers._--We are full of things which take us out of ourselves.

Our instinct makes us feel that we must seek our happiness outside
ourselves. Our passions impel us outside, even when no objects present
themselves to excite them. External objects tempt us of themselves, and
call to us, even when we are not thinking of them. And thus philosophers
have said in vain, "Retire within yourselves, you will find your good
there." We do not believe them, and those who believe them are the most
empty and the most foolish.

465

The Stoics say, "Retire within yourselves; it is there you will find
your rest." And that is not true.

Others say, "Go out of yourselves; seek happiness in amusement." And
this is not true. Illness comes.

Happiness is neither without us nor within us. It is in God, both
without us and within us.

466

Had Epictetus seen the way perfectly, he would have said to men, "You
follow a wrong road"; he shows that there is another, but he does not
lead to it. It is the way of willing what God wills. Jesus Christ alone
leads to it: _Via, ve