narrator

Relationships

• lovesGod

  description

  The narrator expresses an assured and conscious love for God, which is a central theme of his confession.

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  Not with doubting, but with assured consciousness, do I love Thee, Lord.

• knows_self_byGod

  description

  The narrator understands aspects of himself through the illuminating presence or 'shining' of God.

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  what I do know of myself, I know by Thy shining upon me;

• is_composed_ofSoul

  description

  The narrator identifies himself as a 'man' comprising both a soul and a body, with the soul being the internal component.

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  in me there present themselves to me soul, and body, one without, the other within.

• is_composed_ofBody

  description

  The narrator identifies himself as a 'man' comprising both a soul and a body, with the body being the external component.

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  in me there present themselves to me soul, and body, one without, the other within.

• extracted_fromSource

  extracted_at

  2026-03-02T21:55:06.976Z

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• loved_to_grievegrief

  description

  The narrator confesses to loving grief, especially when observing the feigned misery of others, which brought him to tears.

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  But I, miserable, then loved to grieve, and sought out what to grieve at, when in another's and that feigned and personated misery, that acting best pleased me, and attracted me the most vehemently, which drew tears from me.

• strayed_fromLord God

  description

  The narrator describes himself as an 'unhappy sheep, straying from Thy flock,' indicating a departure from God's guidance.

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  What marvel that an unhappy sheep, straying from Thy flock, and impatient of Thy keeping

• became_infected_withFoul Disease

  description

  The narrator attributes his spiritual decline to a 'foul disease' contracted as a consequence of his separation from God.

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  I became infected with a foul disease? And hence the love of griefs; not such as should sink deep into me; for I loved not to suffer, what I loved to look on; but such as upon hearing their fictions should lightly scratch the surface; upon which, as on envenomed nails, followed inflamed swelling, impostumes, and a putrefied sore.

• pursuedSacrilegious Curiosity

  description

  The narrator admits to consuming himself with a sacrilegious curiosity that led him away from God.

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  Upon how grievous iniquities consumed I myself, pursuing a sacrilegious curiosity, that having forsaken Thee, it might bring me to the treacherous abyss

• was_chief_inRhetoric School

  description

  The narrator achieved a position of prominence in the rhetoric school, taking pride in his skill.

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  And now I was chief in the rhetoric school, whereat I joyed proudly

• fell_uponHortensius

  description

  In the course of his studies, the narrator encountered Cicero's book 'Hortensius,' which began a significant shift in his perspective.

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• received_allowances_fromNarrator's Mother

  description

  The narrator's mother provided him with financial support during his studies, particularly in his nineteenth year.

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  purchasing with my mother's allowances

• resolved_to_studyHoly Scriptures

  description

  Following his turn towards God, the narrator decided to dedicate his mind to understanding the Holy Scriptures.

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  I resolved then to bend my mind to the holy Scriptures, that I might see what they were.

• fell_amongMen Proudly Doting

  description

  The narrator associated with a group of proud and carnal individuals whose words were deceptive.

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  Therefore I fell among men proudly doting, exceeding carnal and prating

• extracted_fromSource

  extracted_at

  2026-03-02T21:55:12.505Z

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