How we cite our quotes: (Book.Section.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Let the proud deride me, O God, and all whom you have not yet laid low and humiliated for the salvation of their souls; but let me still confess my sins to you for your honour and glory. (IV.1.1)
Dang, so in order to have your soul saved, you have to be "laid low and humiliated"? That does not sound fun at all. So why is Augustine talking about it like it's a good thing? Because God likes people who aren't all egotistical and blown up with pride. In fact, he likes the opposite: he likes people who admit they're wrong when they're wrong. Don't stop, confessin' …
Quote #5
Come down from those heights, for then you may climb and, this time, climb to God. To climb against him was your fall. (IV.12.2)
Well said, Augustine. When we climb for ourselves, we're being self-centered. We forget about God (or in this case, Christ), who, Augustine tells us, is really the one who gave us life in the first place. It's almost like we're aspiring to be as good as God (think Tower of Babel). But instead of aspiring for ourselves, Augustine re-works the metaphor so that we are still aspiring, but for a wholly selfless purpose.
Quote #6
In my pride I was running adrift, at the mercy of every wind. You were guiding me as a helmsman steers a ship, but the course you steered was beyond my understanding. I know now, and confess it as the truth, that I admired Hierius more because others praised him than for the accomplishments for which they praised him. (IV.14.4)
Lust, here, is chaotic, like a hurricane buffeting a ship. All these personal desires, physical or ego-stroking or otherwise, convolute our approach to the world. In hindsight, Augustine has clarity about his situation, and it turns out that his intentions were actually really selfish… and kind of sad, to be honest.