Sermons to the People 37.5–37.29

Augustine of Hippo · Sermons to the People · ca. 391-430 · Hippo Regius · 22 passages

Latin text: PL 38 (Latin text: Migne, PL 38, digitized by Open Greek and Latin (patrologia_latina-dev, University of Leipzig), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: NPNF 1/6: Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament (R. G. MacMullen, ed., 1888).

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Chapter 37

37.5PL 38:188–189

Operatur enim viro suo bona, et non mala in omni tempore. Hinc est quod exspoliat mulier ista gentes, operando viro suo bona, et non mala. In omni tempore operatur bonum, et non malum: nec sibi, sed viro; ut qui vivit, jam non sibi vivat, sed ei qui mortuus est pro omnibus, et resurrexit. Viro ergo operatur bonum, coram Deo operatur bonum: illi servit, illi devota est; illum diligit, illi placere semper studet. Non se ornat, nec propter oculos suos, nec propter oculos alienos. Non est de sibi placentibus, non est de sua quærentibus: Operatur enim viro suo. Qui autem sibi operantur, omnes sua quærunt, non quæ Jesu Christi. Inveniens lanam et linum, fecit utile manibus suis. Lanificam et linificam matronam istam sanctus sermo describit. Quæritur autem a nobis quid sit lana, quid sit linum. Lanam carnale aliquid puto, linum spirituale. Hoc conjicere audeo ex ordine vestimentorum nostrorum: interiora sunt enim linea vestimenta; lanea, exteriora. Quidquid carne operamur, in promptu est: quidquid spiritu, in secreto. Operari autem carne, et non operari spiritu, quamvis bonum videatur, utile non est. Operari autem spiritu, et non operari carne, pigrorum est. Invenis hominem porrigentem manu eleemosynam pauperi, nec tamen de Deo ibi cogitantem, sed hominibus placere cupientem: lanea vestis videri potest, interiorem lineam non habet. Invenis alium dicentem tibi, Sufficit mihi in conscientia Deum colere, Deum adorare; quid mihi opus est aut in ecclesiam ire, aut visibiliter misceri Christianis? lineam vult habere sine tunica lanea. Non novit, neque commendat talia opera mulier ista. Dicenda sunt quidem et docenda spiritualia sine carnalibus: sed illi qui accipiunt, debent et tenere spiritualia, et non carnaliter operari carnalia. Invenit hæc mulier lanam et linum, et fecit utile manibus suis. Lana ista et linum hoc, in Scripturis sanctis est. Multi inveniunt, sed nolunt facere aliquid utile manibus suis. Invenit, et fecit. Cum auditis, invenitis: cum bene vivitis, facitis. Inveniens lanam et linum, fecit utile manibus suis. Videte illam, cui dicitur: In dexteram et in sinistram extende; semen enim tuum hæreditabit gentes: non est quod parcas, porrige longius funiculos tuos. Videte illam: Facta est quasi navis, qua negotiator a longe congerit sibi divitias. Divitiæ mulieris hujus, laudes viri ejus. Videte quam a longe congerit sibi divitias: A solis ortu usque ad occasum, laudabile nomen Domini ( I'sal. cIn, 3).

“For she works good for her husband, and not evil, at all times.” That is why this woman despoils the nations, by working good for her husband and not evil. At all times she works good and not evil; not for herself but for her husband, so that whoever lives no longer lives for himself, but for him who died for all and rose again. For her husband, then, she works good; before God she works good: she serves him, she is devoted to him; she loves him, she is always eager to please him. She does not adorn herself, either for her own eyes or for the eyes of others. She is not one of those who please themselves, not one of those who seek their own: “For she works for her husband.” But those who work for themselves all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ. “Finding wool and flax, she made something useful with her hands.” The holy word describes this matron as a worker in wool and in flax. We are asked what the wool is and what the flax is. I think the wool is something carnal, the flax something spiritual. I venture to infer this from the order of our clothing: for linen garments are worn underneath, woolen ones outside. Whatever we do with the flesh is in plain view; whatever we do with the spirit, in secret. To work with the flesh and not with the spirit, though it may seem good, is not useful. But to work with the spirit and not with the flesh is the way of the lazy. You find a man holding out alms with his hand to a poor man, yet not thinking of God in it, but wanting to please men: a woolen garment can be seen; he does not have the linen underneath. You find another who says to you, “It is enough for me to worship God in my conscience, to adore God; what need have I either to go to church or to mix visibly with Christians?” He wants to have the linen without the woolen tunic. This woman does not know or commend such works. Spiritual things must indeed be spoken of and taught as distinct from carnal ones; but those who receive them must both hold the spiritual things and do the carnal things in a way that is not carnal. “This woman found wool and flax, and made something useful with her hands.” This wool and this flax are in the holy Scriptures. Many find them, but do not want to make anything useful with their hands. She found, and she made. When you hear, you find; when you live well, you make. “Finding wool and flax, she made something useful with her hands.” See her, to whom it is said, “Spread out to the right and to the left, for your seed will inherit the nations; do not hold back; lengthen your cords.” See her: “She has become like a ship, by which a merchant gathers riches for himself from afar.” The riches of this woman are the praises of her husband. See how she gathers riches for herself from afar: “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised.”

Prov 31:12–14 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 54:2–3 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 113:3 (112:3 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Church works for Christ, not for herself; her wool and flax, the outward and the inward, must go together, so that neither showy almsgiving without God nor private worship without the Church will do.

The words “CAPUT V. — 6.” are Migne’s chapter and paragraph numbers and are removed; Migne’s paragraph 6 is part of this section.
Prov 31:12–14; 2 Cor 5:15; Phil 2:21; Isa 54:2–3; Ps 113:3 (112:3).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Migne's chapter and paragraph numbers removed; OCR slip in the digital text): malum: nee sibi, → malum: nec sibi,; opcratur → operatur; omat → ornat; placeutibus → placentibus; CAPUT. V. — 6. Inveniens → Inveniens; Lanificam ct linificam → Lanificam et linificam; allquid → aliquid; urdine → ordine; euim → enim; vetimenta → vestimenta; cxteriora → exteriora; amem → autem; vidcatur → videatur; non cst. → non est.; pigrorum cst. → pigrorum est.; bominem → hominem; luteriorem → interiorem; Iuvenis aliuin dicentent → Invenis alium dicentem; Suflicit milii → Sufficit mihi; colerc, Peum → colere, Deum; it c → ire; taha → talia; sinc → sine; carnalibus': → carnalibus:; spiritualia, ct non → spiritualia, et non; opcrari → operari; sanctis cst. → sanctis est.; faccre → facere; extande → extende; Hæreditabit → hæreditabit; porrigelongius → porrige longius; Domim → Domini.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.5 (PL 38:188–189; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

37.7PL 38:189

Exsurgit de noctibus, et dedit escas domui, et opera ancillis. Exsurgit de noctibus: quid valent noctes? Non eam premunt, non eam in tenebris jacere cogunt. Et de noctibus exsurgit: noctes, tribulationes sunt. Sed cui hæc, et de noctibus consurgit, et in tribulationibus proficit. Et dedit escas domui: in noctibus præbuit se imitandam; faciens docuit, quod faciendum dixit; et tunc dedit eis escas. Quis comedat de nocte? Prorsus et tunc dedit escas. Quibus enim dedit, semper esuriunt. Beati enim qui esuriunt et sitiunt justitiam, quia ipsi saturabuntur (Matth. v, G). A nocte spiritus meus vigilat ad te, Deus. Media nocte surgebam ad confitendum tibi. Haec alimenta nocturna abundant in domo mulieris hujus. Nemo ibi famem patitur, nec palpat ut inveniat quod manducetur: ardet ibi lucerna prophetiæ. Sed numquid manducandum est et vacandum? Illa enim quæ dedit escas domui, dedit et opera ancillis. Ancillæ istæ ipsius sunt, an viri ejus? An quia viri ipsius sunt, et ipsius sunt? An multæ ancillæ ipsa est? Ipsa enim quanquam materfamilias, tamen ancillam se non dedignetur. Attendat pretium suum, diligat Dominum suum. Agnoscat, inquam, se ancillam, nec timeat conditionem. Nec enim dedignatur ille conjugem facere, quam tanti emit. Et unaquæque conjux bona maritum suum dominum vocat. Prorsus non solum vocat, sed hoc sapit, hoc sonat, hoc gestat corde, hoc profitetur ore, tabulas matrimoniales instrumenta emptionis suæ deputat. Est ergo ancilla, dans opera ancillis. Est ancilla: ejus enim filius est qui dicit, Ego servus tuus, et filius ancillæ tuæ.

“She rises in the nights, and gives food to her household and tasks to her maidservants.” “She rises in the nights”: what power have nights? They do not overwhelm her, they do not force her to lie in darkness. She rises even out of the nights: the nights are tribulations. But she to whom this applies both rises out of the nights and makes progress in tribulations. “And gives food to her household”: in the nights she offered herself to be imitated; by doing she taught what she said should be done; and then she gave them food. Who eats at night? Yet then indeed she gave food. For those to whom she gave it are always hungry: “For blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” “From the night my spirit keeps watch for you, O God.” “At midnight I rose to confess to you.” These nocturnal foods abound in the house of this woman. No one there suffers hunger or gropes to find something to eat: the lamp of prophecy burns there. But is one to eat and be idle? For she who gave food to her household also gave tasks to her maidservants. Are these maidservants hers or her husband’s? Or, because they are her husband’s, are they also hers? Or is she herself the many maidservants? For although she is mother of the household, she does not disdain to be a maidservant. Let her consider her price; let her love her Lord. Let her acknowledge herself, I say, a maidservant, and not fear her condition. For he does not disdain to make his wife the one whom he bought at so great a price. And every good wife calls her husband her lord. Indeed, she not only calls him so, but thinks so, says so, carries it in her heart, professes it with her mouth; she regards the marriage contract as the deed of her purchase. She is a maidservant, then, giving tasks to maidservants. She is a maidservant; for her son is the one who says, “I am your servant, and the son of your maidservant.”

Prov 31:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 26:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:62 (118:62 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Pet 1:19 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Pet 3:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 116:16 (115:16 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Church rises out of the night of tribulation, feeding her household by example and Scripture and giving them work; though mistress of the house, she is the handmaid of the Lord who bought her.

Migne’s paragraph 6 is not lost: it stands in the previous section.
The remark that a good wife calls her husband “lord” and regards the marriage contract as a deed of purchase reflects the Roman marriage tablets (tabulae matrimoniales) and 1 Pet 3:6; it is translated as written.
Prov 31:15; Matt 5:6; Isa 26:9; Ps 119:62 (118:62); 2 Pet 1:19; Ps 116:16 (115:16).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): Non cam premunt, → Non eam premunt,; non cam in → non eam in; hæc, ct de → hæc, et de; facicns → faciens; dedit cis escas. → dedit eis escas.; cnim dedi., → enim dedit,; qnia → quia; Iila → Illa; quai → quæ; cl ipsius → et ipsius; ipsa cst? → ipsa est?; materfamilias,tamen → materfamilias, tamen; conditionem. Ncc enim → conditionem. Nec enim; cOlit → emit; cordc → corde; sum deputat → suæ deputat; rjus → ejus; tute → tuæ.

Topics: Marriage

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.7 (PL 38:189; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.8PL 38:189

Quæsiturus eras quid agat illis operibus etiam nocturnis; audi quid agat: Prospiciens agrum mercata est. Prospiciens, non in præsenti, sed in futuro, mercata est agrum istum: prospiciens fide, spe. Inde et de noctibus surgit. Si enim quod non videmus speramus, per patientiam exspectamus. In omnibus tribulationem patiens: prospicit enim agrum quem mercatur. Inde enim mulier fortis dicitur. Quid sunt noctes illæ præ agro illo? Quod enim ad præsens temporale est et leve tribulationis nostræ (cum de noctibus surgimus), in incredibilem modum æternum gloriæ pondus, operatur in nobis (cor habentibus ad agrum illum), non respicientibus quæ videntur, sed quæ non videntur. Quæ enim videntur, temporalia sunt; quæ autem non videntur, æterna. Qualis est ager ille? Quæ pulchritudo ejus est? Inardescamus ad eum possidendum. Putamus non ipse est, de quo dixit Deus, Et species agri mecum est?

You were going to ask what she gains by those works, even by night; hear what she gains: “Looking ahead, she bought a field.” Looking ahead, not to the present but to the future, she bought that field: looking ahead by faith, by hope. That is why she also rises in the nights. “For if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Suffering tribulation in everything, she looks ahead to the field which she is buying. That is why she is called a strong woman. What are those nights compared with that field? “For our present momentary and light tribulation” (when we rise in the nights) “works for us beyond all measure an eternal weight of glory” (for us who have our hearts set on that field), “since we look not at the things that are seen but at the things that are not seen. For the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.” What sort of field is that? What is its beauty? Let us burn to possess it. Do we not think it is the one of which God said, “And the beauty of the field is with me”?

Prov 31:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 8:25 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 4:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 4:17–18 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 50:11 (49:11 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Looking ahead in faith and hope, the Church endures the night of tribulation to buy the eternal field, whose glory outweighs every trouble.

Prov 31:16; Rom 8:25; 2 Cor 4:8, 17–18; Ps 50:11 (49:11).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip and stray mark; OCR slip in the digital text; footnote mark removed): eniM agrum * → enim agrum; illo 1? → illo?; temporale eat et → temporale est et; habentibus I ad → habentibus ad; respcientibus → respicientibus; cum possidendum → eum possidendum; 'peries → species.

Topics: Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.8 (PL 38:189; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.9PL 38:189

Prospiciens agrum mercata est. Ubi mercata est, habet ibi agrum. Ubi agrum? Ubi mercata est? Ubi posuit et thesaurum suum, ut fieret ei, Ubi est thesaurus tuus, ibi est et cor tuum. Prospiciens agrum mercata est. Unde mercata est? Ne forte tu desperes, et suspires, et nihil agas, ager iste segnem amatorem non amat. Ibi certe cum ad eum veneris, forsitan requiesces, nec opus erit ut labores. Non enim est talis ager ille, qualis iste, ubi Adam in sudore vultus sui comedit panem suum. Modo tamen ut ad illius agri speciem pervenias, compara tibi undc compares agrum ibi. Quid? Collige pretium. Hoc enim agit hæc mulier. Videte si facile est. Cum dictum est, Prospiciens agrum mercata est: tanquam diceres, Unde mercata est? De fructibus, ait, manuum suarum plantavit possessionem. Ipsa erant opera quæ dabat ancillis, ut de fructibus manuum suarum plantaret possessionem in æternum. Illam enim possessionem dixit, quæ futura est. Hoc insinuat verbo quod ait, Prospiciens.

“Looking ahead, she bought a field.” Where she bought, there she has the field. Where is the field? Where did she buy? Where she also put her treasure, so that for her it might be true that “where your treasure is, there is your heart also.” “Looking ahead, she bought a field.” With what did she buy it? You must not despair and sigh and do nothing: this field does not love a lazy lover. There, certainly, when you come to it, perhaps you will rest, and there will be no need for you to toil. For that field is not like this one, where Adam ate his bread in the sweat of his face. But now, so that you may come to the beauty of that field, get for yourself the means to buy the field there. What means? Gather the price. For this is what this woman does. See whether it is easy. When it had been said, “Looking ahead, she bought a field,” as if you were saying, “With what did she buy it?”, it says, “From the fruits of her hands she planted a possession.” These were the very tasks that she gave her maidservants, so that from the fruits of her hands she might plant a possession for eternity. For he called that possession the one that is to come; he hints at this by the word “looking ahead.”

Prov 31:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 3:19 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The field is where the Church has put her treasure, in heaven; she buys it with the fruit of her hands, that is, good works.

The first two sentences, removed by the importer as headings, are the verse and Augustine’s comment on it, which the next questions take up, and are restored.
Prov 31:16; Matt 6:21; Gen 3:19.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; footnote mark removed; restored text removed as a heading): Ubi agrum? Ubi mercata est? → Prospiciens agrum mercata est. Ubi mercata est, habet ibi agrum. Ubi agrum? Ubi mercata est?; posuit ct thesaurum → posuit et thesaurum; thesaurua → thesaurus; Undc → Unde; tn desperes → tu desperes; cum ad cum veneris → cum ad eum veneris; nee opns → nec opus; ibi3. → ibi.; tacilnm → facile; dictum cst, → dictum est,; crant → erant; qua; → quæ.

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.9 (PL 38:189; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.10PL 38:189

Succincta fortiter lumbos suos, firmavit brachia sua. Vere fortis. Vide si non est ancilla. Quam devote servit, quam apparate! ne fluitantes sinus carnalium concupiscentiarum impediant operantem; succingit lumbos, ut nihil superfluum calcet, dum in opere festinat. Ibi enim castitas mulieris hujus, zona præcepti constricta, et ad omne opus bonum semper parata. Succincta fortiter lumbos suos, firmavit brachia sua, non defectura. Unde hoc? Gustavit quia bonum est operari. Ubi est palatum, quod gustatur hoc? Fugiunt homines laborem, quasi amarum: timendo gustare, nesciunt quid amare. Bonum opus facit conscientia bona. Et quid dulcius, fratres, bona conscientia? Quæ si non est, pungit; amara sunt omnia. Gusta ergo, gusta, et videbis quomodo sapiat, quam te delectabit, quam postea non desines, nisi totum consumas. Gustavit quia bonum est operari.

“Girding her loins with strength, she strengthened her arms.” Truly strong. See whether she is not a maidservant. How devotedly she serves, how ready she is! So that the flowing folds of carnal desires may not hinder her as she works, she girds her loins, so as to tread on nothing superfluous as she hurries about her work. For there is the chastity of this woman, bound with the belt of the commandment and always ready for every good work. “Girding her loins with strength, she strengthened her arms,” so that they would not fail. Where does this come from? “She tasted that it is good to work.” Where is the palate with which this is tasted? People flee toil as something bitter: afraid to taste it, they do not know what to love. A good work makes a good conscience. And what is sweeter, brothers, than a good conscience? If it is absent, it stings; everything is bitter. Taste, then, taste, and you will see how it tastes, how it will delight you, how afterward you will not stop until you have eaten it all. “She tasted that it is good to work.”

Prov 31:17–18 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 34:8 (33:9 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Church girds herself with chastity for work, and once she has tasted how good it is to work, toil becomes sweet through a good conscience.

Prov 31:17–18 (Old Latin, following the Greek “she tasted that it is good to work”); Ps 34:8.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; footnote mark removed): Qua... devote → Quam devote; cnim → enim; pa • rata → parata; Ubi cst palatum, → Ubi est palatum,; gUstatur → gustatur; amarc → amare; bona 4. → bona.; non cst, → non est,; omnia 5. → omnia.; totuM → totum.

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.10 (PL 38:189; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.11PL 38:189–190

Non exstinguetur lucerna ejus tota nocte. Nemo accendit lucernam, et ponit sub modio. Tu illuminabis lucernam meam, Domine. Lucerna ejus, spes ejus. Ad illam operatur omnis homo, quidquid boni ad spem facit. Et in nocte ardet lucerna ista. Quod enim non videmus, speramus: ideo nox est. Si autem et non videmus, et non speramus: et nox est, et lucerna non ardet. Quid infelicius talibus tenebris? Ut autem non deficiamus in tenebris, ut per patientiam exspectemus, quod non visum speramus, tota nocte ardeat lucerna nostra. Qui enim nobis quotidie infundit verbum, tanquam oleum infundit, ne lucerna exstinguatur.

“Her lamp will not be put out all night.” “No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel.” “You will light my lamp, O Lord.” Her lamp is her hope. Everyone works for it who does anything good for the sake of hope. And this lamp burns in the night. For what we do not see we hope for: therefore it is night. But if we both do not see and do not hope, it is both night and the lamp is not burning. What is more unhappy than such darkness? But so that we may not fail in the darkness, so that we may wait with patience for what we hope for unseen, let our lamp burn all night. For he who pours the word into us daily is, as it were, pouring in oil, so that the lamp may not go out.

Prov 31:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 18:28 (17:29 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 8:24–25 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Church’s lamp is hope, which burns through the night of this life, fed with the oil of the daily word.

The first sentence, removed by the importer as a heading, is the verse being expounded and is restored.
Prov 31:18; Matt 5:15; Ps 18:28 (17:29); Rom 8:24–25.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; restored text removed as a heading; OCR slip): Nemo accendit tucernam → Non exstinguetur lucerna ejus tota nocte. Nemo accendit lucernam; illuminabis tucernam → illuminabis lucernam; opcratur → operatur; quiaquid → quidquid; autem ct non → autem et non; videmus, ct non → videmus, et non; speramus: ct nox → speramus: et nox; tit per → ut per; nostra. Qni enim → nostra. Qui enim; quotidic Influitur → quotidie infundit.

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.11 (PL 38:189–190; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.12PL 38:190

Manus suas extendit ad utilia. Quantum extendit has manus? A mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos orbis (Psal. LIat, 8), quo pervenit. Unde non frustra dictum est, In dexteram et sinistram extende. Extendit manus suas, sed ad utilia.

“She stretched out her hands to useful things.” How far does she stretch out these hands? “From sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth,” where she has reached. Hence it was not said in vain, “Spread out to the right and to the left.” She stretched out her hands, but to useful things.

Prov 31:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 72:8 (71:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 54:3 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Church stretches out her hands to useful works across the whole world.

The first sentence, removed by the importer as a heading, is the verse being expounded and is restored (“Manus suas”, for the digital text’s “Manus sua,”).
Prov 31:19 (Greek form); Ps 72:8 (71:8); Isa 54:3.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip and footnote mark; restored text removed as a heading; OCR slip): Quantum extendit has manas? → Manus suas extendit ad utilia. Quantum extendit has manus?; perventi 1. → pervenit..

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.12 (PL 38:190; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.13PL 38:190

Brachia quoque sua firmavit in fusum. Non ab infundendo: sed in illud instrumentum lanificii, quod vocant fusum. De fuso isto, quod Dominus donat, dicam: neque enim ista lanificia sunt a viris aliena. Audite quid sit, Brachia sua firmavit in fusum. Potuit dicere, In colum. Fusum dixit, forte non frustra. Quamvis possit videri, nec absurde intelligi de fuso lanificium significatum, de lanificio bonum opus, tanquam castæ mulieris et matronæ impigræ et diligentis: tamen ego, charissimi, in isto fuso, quod intelligo, non tacebo. Omnis qui vivit in bonis operibus in sancta Ecclesia, non neglector, sed effector præceptorum Dei, quid faciat cras, nescit; quid fecerit hodie, scit. De futuro opere timet, de præterito gaudet: et ut perseveret in bonis operibus, vigilat; ne forte negligens futurorum, perdat præteritum. In orando tamen Domino, in omni deprecatione sua, non habet firmam conscientiam de opere futuro, sed de præterito; ex eo quod fecit, non ex eo quod facturus est. Jam ergo si hoc verum esse mecum videtis, attendite in lanificio duo instrumenta ista, colum et fusum. In colo lana involuta est, quæ filo ducenda et nenda transeat in fusum. Quod in colo est involutum, est futurum: quod in fuso collectum est, jam præteritum est. Opus ergo tuum in fuso est, non in colo. In colo enim est, quod facturus es; in fuso, quod fecisti. Vide ergo si aliquid habes in fuso, ubi firmentur brachia tua. Ibi erit fortis conscientia tua, ibi securus Deo dices: Da, quia dedi; dimitte, quia dimisi; fac, quia feci. Non enim petis præmium, nisi opere gesto, non opere gerendo. Quidquid ergo operaris, totus animus ad fusum sit. Quia et quod pendet in colo, ad fusum trajiciendum est: non autem illud quod collectum est in fuso, ad colum revocandum est. Ergo vide quid agas, ut habeas in fuso, ut brachia tua firmes in fusum, ut totum coletur ad fusum, ut habeat aliquid fusum quod te consoletur, quod te confirmet, quod tibi det fiduciam deprecandi et sperandi pro- In i.

“Her arms too she strengthened on the spindle.” Not “fusum” from “pouring” (fundere), but on that instrument of wool-working which they call the spindle. Of this spindle I shall speak as the Lord grants; for these matters of wool-working are not foreign to men. Hear what “She strengthened her arms on the spindle” means. It could have said, “on the distaff.” It said “spindle,” perhaps not without reason. Although it may seem, and be not absurdly understood, that by the spindle wool-working is signified, and by wool-working good work, as of a chaste woman and an industrious and diligent matron, yet I, dearly beloved, will not keep silent about what I understand by this spindle. Everyone who lives in good works in the holy Church, not neglecting but carrying out the commandments of God, does not know what he will do tomorrow; he knows what he has done today. He fears for the work to come, he rejoices in the work done; and so that he may persevere in good works, he keeps watch, lest by chance, neglecting what is to come, he lose what is past. Yet in praying to the Lord, in all his supplication, he has a firm conscience not about future work but about past work; from what he has done, not from what he is going to do. Now, then, if you see with me that this is true, consider in wool-working these two instruments, the distaff and the spindle. On the distaff the wool is wound; to be drawn out and spun into thread, it passes onto the spindle. What is wound on the distaff is the future; what is gathered on the spindle is already the past. Your work, then, is on the spindle, not on the distaff. For on the distaff is what you are going to do; on the spindle, what you have done. See, then, whether you have something on the spindle, where your arms may be strengthened. There your conscience will be strong; there you will say to God without fear, “Give, because I have given; forgive, because I have forgiven; do, because I have done.” For you ask a reward only for work done, not for work still to be done. Whatever you do, then, let your whole mind be on the spindle. For what hangs on the distaff must be passed to the spindle; but what has been gathered on the spindle is not to be called back to the distaff. So see what you are doing, so that you have something on the spindle, so that you strengthen your arms on the spindle, so that everything is drawn onto the spindle, so that the spindle has something to console you, to strengthen you, to give you confidence in praying and hoping for your reward.

Prov 31:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:12 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The distaff holds the work still to be done, the spindle the work already done; in prayer we can appeal only to good works already accomplished, so all our effort should pass onto the spindle.

The first sentence, removed by the importer as a heading, is the verse being expounded and is restored. The last words of the section are damaged in the digital text (“pro- In i.”); “for your reward” is a guess.
Prov 31:19; Matt 6:12.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; restored text removed as a heading; OCR slip in the digital text): Non ab infundendo: scd in → Brachia quoque sua firmavit in fusum. Non ab infundendo: sed in; cnim → enim; lanifici a → lanificia; nee absurde → nec absurde; significatum I de → significatum, de; honum → bonum; casLc → castæ; impigræ ct diligentis: → impigræ et diligentis:; tamcn → tamen; qnod → quod; præceptorum Dci, → præceptorum Dei,; torte → forte; babet → habet; dc opere → de opere; futuro, scd de → futuro, sed de; eX co → ex eo; ex co quod facturus → ex eo quod facturus; ucenda et nenda transcalin → ducenda et nenda transeat in; involutum, cst futurum: → involutum, est futurum:; hahcs → habes; tirmentur → firmentur; crit f rtis → erit fortis; conscientia lua, → conscientia tua,; pctis → petis; crgo ope-, raris → ergo operaris; trajiciendum cst: → trajiciendum est:; habcas → habeas; fucum → fusum.

Topics: Prayer, Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.13 (PL 38:190; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.14PL 38:190

Et quid agam? forte dicis: quid me jubes habere in fuso? Audi quid sequitur: Manus autem suas aperuit pauperi. Eia, non nos pudeat lanificium sanctum docere vos. Videte, si quis habet plenum sacculum, plenum horreum, plenam apothecam: omnia ista in colo sunt, transeant in fusum. Videte quomodo net, imo videte quomodo neat. Dum omnes instruantur, grammatici non timeantur. Manus autem suas aperuit pauperi, fructum autem porrexit inopi. Manus pauperi, fructum inopi. Est quidam pauper, manus tuas quærit: est quidam inops, fructum tuum quærit. Qui quærere non vult a te nisi quod necessitati suæ prosit, pauper est, manus tuas quærens. Est autem alius inops, qui dicit: Quasi nihil habentes, et omnia possidentes. Non quasi necessitati suae vult satisfieri de dato tuo; sed tanquam in arbore dominica, quam plantavit et rigavit, fructum quærit. Ipsum audi de quibusdam dicentem, cum de talibus loqueretur: Non quia quæro datum, sed requiro fructum (Philιυp. IV, 17).

“And what am I to do?” you say perhaps. “What do you bid me have on the spindle?” Hear what follows: “But she opened her hands to the poor.” Come, let us not be ashamed to teach you holy wool-work. See, if anyone has a full purse, a full barn, a full storehouse: all these are on the distaff; let them pass onto the spindle. See how she spins, or rather, see how she spins correctly. So long as all are taught, let the grammarians not be feared. “But she opened her hands to the poor, and held out fruit to the needy.” Hands to the poor, fruit to the needy. There is a certain poor man who seeks your hands; there is a certain needy man who seeks your fruit. The one who wants to seek from you only what serves his need is poor, seeking your hands. But there is another, needy, who says, “As having nothing, and possessing all things.” He does not want his need satisfied by your gift; but he seeks fruit, as on the Lord’s tree, which he planted and watered. Hear him saying of certain people, when he was speaking of such things: “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit.”

Prov 31:20 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 6:10 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 3:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Phil 4:17 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: What we have stored up must be passed to the “spindle” by giving to the poor; some poor need our hands, while Christ’s ministers seek the fruit of our faith.

Augustine plays on two forms of the verb “to spin” (net and neat), one of which grammarians would fault; the joke cannot be reproduced in English.
Prov 31:20; 2 Cor 6:10; 1 Cor 3:6; Phil 4:17.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; footnote mark removed; stray mark in the digital text): quM me jubcs → quid me jubes; Audi'quid → Audi quid; apervit → aperuit; pudcat lanificlum sanctum doccic → pudeat lanificium sanctum docere; apothecain → apothecam; nct1, → net,; neiat → neat; suas. aperuit → suas aperuit; norrexit → porrexit; Mannis → Manus; quarit → quærit; fruCtum tUum → fructum tuum; QUI quærere → Qui quærere; a te * → a te; neccessitati → necessitati; Eat autem → Est autem; tuo; scd tanquam → tuo; sed tanquam; aed rcquiro → sed requiro.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.14 (PL 38:190; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.15PL 38:190

Non est sollicitus de his quæ in domo sunt vir ejus, cum alicubi demoratur. Non est sollicitus quæ in domo sunt, vir ejus: quia novit Dominus qui sunt ejus. Quomodo sit sollicitus: quando quos prædestinavit, ipsos et vocavit; et quos vocavit, ipsos et justificavit; et quos justificavit, ipsos et glorificavit? Si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos? Non est sollicitus vir ejus: novit suos, noverunt eum sui. Cum alicubi demoratur. Ubi demoratur, nisi unde venturus est? Demoratur ibi, quasi tardat ibi. Multi enim jam desiderant adventum ejus; et desiderium eorum differtur, donec impleatur numerus membrorum matronæ hujus. Multi autem ad suam impietatem tarditate illius abutuntur; et dicit malus servus, Tardat dominus meus. Et incipit cædere conservos; et inebriari cum ebriis. Veniet dominus ejus in die qua nescit, et hora qua ignorat, et dividet eum. Ministrorum enim et præpositorum, corpus est, quod dat in tempore conservis cibaria. Dividet, inquit, eum. Habet bonos et malos, et separat malos a bonis. Et partem ejus cum hypocritis ponet. Non totum ministrum: quia sunt ibi et desiderantes adventum Domini. Sunt ibi et ex illo numero, de quo dicitur, Beatus ille servus, quem, cum venerit dominus, invenerit ita facientem. Ergo veniet, et dividet eum.

“Her husband is not anxious about what is in the house, when he stays somewhere.” Her husband is not anxious about what is in the house, because “the Lord knows who are his.” How should he be anxious, when “those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified”? “If God is for us, who is against us?” Her husband is not anxious: he knows his own, and his own know him. “When he stays somewhere.” Where does he stay, if not where he is to come from? He stays there, as though delaying there. For many already long for his coming; and their longing is put off until the number of the members of this matron is filled up. But many abuse his delay for their own ungodliness, and the wicked servant says, “My master is delaying.” And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to get drunk with the drunken. “The master will come on a day he does not know and at an hour he does not expect, and will cut him in two.” For the servant who gives his fellow servants their food in due time is the body of ministers and overseers. “He will cut him in two,” it says. It has good and bad, and he separates the bad from the good. “And will put his portion with the hypocrites.” Not the whole ministry, because there are also some in it who long for the Lord’s coming. There are also some of that number of whom it is said, “Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, finds so doing.” So he will come and cut him in two.

Prov 31:21 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 2:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 8:30–31 (quotation, high confidence) · John 10:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 12:45–46 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 12:43 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ, though now absent, need not be anxious for his household, since he knows those he has predestined; when he comes, he will separate the faithful ministers from the wicked who abuse his delay.

Augustine reads the servant in the parable as the whole body of the Church’s ministers, some good and some bad.
Prov 31:21 (Greek form); 2 Tim 2:19; Rom 8:30–31; John 10:14; Luke 12:45–46, 43.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; footnote mark removed): rir ejus → vir ejus; Dominus qni sunt → Dominus qui sunt; quo. vocarit → quos vocavit; noverunteum → noverunt eum; dcmoratur → demoratur; demoratur. nisi node → demoratur, nisi unde; Dcmoratur → Demoratur; tardat ibi Multi → tardat ibi. Multi; ejus; ct desiderium → ejus; et desiderium; denec → donec; numcrus → numerus; Multl → Multi; conservos; ct inebr iari cum mdis → conservos; et inebriari cum ebriis; nescit, ct hora → nescit, et hora; ignorat, ct dividct cum → ignorat, et dividet eum; enim ct præpusitorum, → enim et præpositorum,; quel dat → quod dat; cibaria 1. → cibaria.; Diridct → Dividet; scparat → separat; a honis → a bonis; vencrit → venerit; venict → veniet.

Topics: Church office, Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.15 (PL 38:190; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.16PL 38:190–191

Nunc interim demoratur alicubi: sed non est solicitus quid agatur in domo. Omnes enim apud eam vestiti sunt. Numquid de nuditate servorum suorum sollicitus erit, cum alicubi demoratur, habens conjugem talem? Vestiti sunt, et optime. Quam optime vultis nosse? Quotquot in Christo baptizati estis, Christum induistis. Omnes omnino apud eam vestiti sunt. Et boni servi et mali servi vestiti sunt: sed boni servi vestiti sunt, qui Christum induerunt, non tantum in forma Sacramenti, sed etiam in opere exempli, sequentes vestigia Domini sui; alii vero usque ad Sacramentum, reddituri de sua veste rationem. Non cessat tamen illa mulier, non cessat illa mulier omnes vestire: ut nemo queratur, nemo dicat, Ideo non sum bene operatus, quia non sum vestitus. Videte ergo, quemadmodum induti esse debeatis. Pro vestitus nostris etiam opus faciamus. Omnes enim apud eam vestiti sunt.

Now meanwhile he stays somewhere; but he is not anxious about what is done in the house. For all in her household are clothed. Will he be anxious about the nakedness of his servants while he stays somewhere, when he has such a wife? They are clothed, and very well. How well, do you want to know? “As many of you as were baptized in Christ have put on Christ.” All without exception in her household are clothed. Both good servants and bad servants are clothed: but the good servants are clothed who have put on Christ not only in the form of the sacrament but also in the work of example, following the footsteps of their Lord; the others only as far as the sacrament, and they will have to give account of their garment. Yet that woman does not cease, that woman does not cease to clothe all, so that no one may complain, no one may say, “I did not work well because I was not clothed.” See, then, how you ought to be clothed. For our clothing let us also do the work. “For all in her household are clothed.”

Prov 31:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 3:27 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Pet 2:21 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: All in the Church are clothed with Christ in baptism, but only the good have put him on in their lives as well; the rest will give account for the garment they received.

Prov 31:21; Gal 3:27; 1 Pet 2:21.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): demor.itur → demoratur; euim → enim; crit → erit; sunt, ct optime. → sunt, et optime.; Qnam → Quam; eliam → etiam; debcatis → debeatis; opis → opus; restiti → vestiti.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.16 (PL 38:190–191; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.17PL 38:191

Quid viro suo? Quæ servos vestit, viro suo nihil operatur? Duplicia pallia fecit viro suo. Jam acclamatis: credo quod agnoscitis quæ sunt duplicia pallia, quæ facit Ecclesia viro suo. Pallia quæ illi facit, laudes sunt: laudes fidei, laudes confessionis, laudes prædicationis. Quare duplicia? Christum laudas, Deum laudas et hominem. Dupliciter lauda, et simpliciter lauda: dupliciter, quia homo est et Deus; simpliciter, ut non sis fictus. Nescio quæ mulier apud Photinum quemdam, lapidem quasi pretiosum de ornamento hujus mulieris excussum, jam vilem et abjectum, unde hæretici Photiniani appellantur, hoc elegit quasi simplex pallium facere viro suo. Non accepit ille utique a sua conjuge, vere sua, sicut scriptum est, Unius duplicia sunt pallia. Ille enim Christum solum hominem dixit. Rursus exstitit nescio quæ alia detestanda mulier, quasi et ipsa texens viro pallium, texens autem pannosas fabellas. Ait enim: Christus Deus est tantum, omnino hominis nihil habens. Hoc Manichæi dicunt. Photiniani, Homo tantum; Manichæi, Deus tantum. Illi nihil divinum in Domino confitentur; isti quasi totum divinum, et tamen tam falsum, ut nec saltem humanum. Si enim homo non erat, ergo mortuus non est, ergo crucifixus non est, ergo nec resurrexit. Qui ille resurgere potuit, qui mortuus non est? Ergo et dubitanti discipulo falsas cicatrices ostendit. Procul dubio enim falsæ cicatrices illae fuerunt, si vera vulnera non præcesserunt. Si autem vera vulnera præcesserunt, vera caro: si vera caro, vera mors, vera crux, verus homo, et totus veritas: laus abundans de colo hujus mulieris. Qui autem ista laudabiliter duplicia pallia timuerunt, mendacio duplices remanserunt. Duplicia pallia fecit viro suo. Prorsus duplicia pallia fecit. Confitere Deum, confitere hominem; lauda Deum in homine, lauda hominem in Deo. Texuit pretiosissimum illud pallium laudis, In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum, et Deus erat Verbum: hoc erat in principio apud Deum. Texuit et aliud pallium, propter conversationem inter homines quotidianam: Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis (Joan. I, i, 2, I i). Duplicia pallia fecit viro suo.

What for her husband? Does she who clothes the servants make nothing for her husband? “She made double cloaks for her husband.” You are already acclaiming: I think you recognize what the double cloaks are that the Church makes for her husband. The cloaks she makes for him are praises: praises of faith, praises of confession, praises of preaching. Why double? You praise Christ; you praise God and man. Praise doubly, and praise simply: doubly, because he is man and God; simply, so that you are not false. Some woman or other in the household of a certain Photinus (a stone, as if precious, knocked out of the adornment of this woman, now cheap and cast aside, after whom the heretics are called Photinians) chose to make for her husband as it were a single cloak. He certainly did not receive it from his own wife, truly his, as it is written, “Of one the cloaks are double.” For he said that Christ was only a man. Again another detestable woman arose, as if she too were weaving a cloak for her husband, but weaving ragged little tales. For she said, “Christ is God only; he has nothing at all of man.” This is what the Manichees say. The Photinians: “Man only”; the Manichees: “God only.” The former confess nothing divine in the Lord; the latter, as it were, everything divine, and yet so false that it is not even human. For if he was not a man, then he did not die, then he was not crucified, then he did not rise either. How could he rise who did not die? Then he showed false scars to the doubting disciple. For without doubt those scars were false if true wounds had not gone before. But if true wounds went before, then true flesh; if true flesh, then true death, true cross, true man, and wholly truth: abundant praise from the distaff of this woman. But those who were afraid of these double cloaks of praise have remained double, that is, two-faced, in falsehood. “She made double cloaks for her husband.” She certainly made double cloaks. Confess God, confess man; praise God in the man, praise the man in God. She wove that most precious cloak of praise: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God: he was in the beginning with God.” She wove also the other cloak, because of his daily life among men: “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.” “She made double cloaks for her husband.”

Prov 31:22 (quotation, high confidence) · John 20:27 (allusion, high confidence) · John 1:1–2 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:14 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Church’s double cloak for Christ is praise of him as both God and man; the Photinians, who call him only man, and the Manichees, who call him only God, weave false single cloaks.

Photinus of Sirmium (fourth century) taught that Christ was a mere man; the Manichees denied that he had a real body. Both views are described as Augustine described them.
“Of one the cloaks are double” is unidentified as worded; it may echo the Greek of Prov 31:21–22.
Prov 31:22 (Greek 31:21); John 20:27; John 1:1–2, 14.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): vcs:it → vestit; facit, laudcs sunt: laudcs fidci, laudcs confessionis, → facit, laudes sunt: laudes fidei, laudes confessionis,; landas → laudas; simpliciter landa: → simpliciter lauda:; lapidcm → lapidem; excusSum → excussum; vilcm → vilem; appeltantur → appellantur; conjugc → conjuge; pallia I. → pallia.; nihil habeas → nihil habens; erucifixus → crucifixus; noM cst'? → non est?; Ergo ct dubitanti → Ergo et dubitanti; præeesserunL → præcesserunt; vcra → vera; lotus → totus; mulieris '. → mulieris.; feeit → fecit; Conlitere → Confitere; hotuine → homine; nro suo → viro suo.

Topics: Christology, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.17 (PL 38:191; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.18PL 38:191

De bysso et purpura vestimenta sibi fecit. Non enim decebat matronam tanti viri, vel nudam incedere, vel pannosam. Fecit de bysso et purpura vestimenta sibi. De bysso, candida confessione; de purpura, gloriosa passione. Hujus byssum, cum oramus, agnoscimus; hujus purpuram in martyribus mane laudamus.

“She made garments for herself of fine linen and purple.” For it was not fitting that the matron of so great a husband should go about either naked or in rags. “She made garments for herself of fine linen and purple.” Of fine linen, a shining confession; of purple, a glorious passion. Her fine linen we recognize when we pray; her purple we praised this morning in the martyrs.

Prov 31:22 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Church’s fine linen is her shining confession of faith, her purple the martyrs’ blood.

The first sentence, removed by the importer as a heading, is the verse being expounded and is restored.
Prov 31:22.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip and footnote mark; restored text removed as a heading): Non enim decebat matronam → De bysso et purpura vestimenta sibi fecit. Non enim decebat matronam; manc laudamus 1. → mane laudamus..

Topics: Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.18 (PL 38:191; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.19PL 38:191

Conspicuus autem fit in portis vir ejus. Ille qui alicubi demoratur, ille qui pro tali conjuge de domo sua sollicitus non est, ille quem demorantem alicubi nunc nemo videt, conspicuus fit in portis. Attende quando; vide quod sequitur: Cum sederit in concilio cum senioribus terræ. Nihil evidentius; lege aliam prophetiam: Veniet ad judicium cum senioribus populi sui. In illo concilio, hoc est, in illo judicio, judicantibus secum sanctis, quibus dictum est, Sedebitis super duodecim sedes, judicantes duodecim tribus Israel, conspicuus erit. Veniet enim Filius hominis, sicut dixit, in majestate sua, et omnes Angeli ejus cum eo. Ibi omnes Angeli et Archangeli caelorum, et Angeli annuntiatores verbi Dei. Etenim et propheta dictus est angelus: angelus enim nuntius est. Et, Ecce ego mitto angelum meum ante faciem tuam, de Joanne dictum est; et, Sicut angelum Dei excepistis me, Apostolus loquitur. Ille ergo, hic alicubi nunc demorans, de quo multi dicunt, Quando venturus est? aut, Quis venturus est? conspicuus erit in portis, hoc est, in aperto, in manifesto. In portis conspicuus erit: sed alios admittet, contra alios claudet. Erit conspicuus in portis vir ejus, cum sederit in concilio cum senioribus terræ. Quod donec fiat, hæc interim faciat quod faciebat: operetur, non cesset; exspectet illum futurum conspicuum in portis, non contremiscat sanctum concilium judicii Dei; cum bona conscientia veniat, gloriosa veniat; quia ipsius membra sunt, et ipsius filii sunt, qui sunt cum ejus viro judicaturi.

“Her husband becomes conspicuous in the gates.” He who stays somewhere, he who because of such a wife is not anxious about his house, he whom no one now sees as he stays somewhere, becomes conspicuous in the gates. Notice when; see what follows: “When he sits in council with the elders of the land.” Nothing is clearer; read another prophecy: “He will come to judgment with the elders of his people.” In that council, that is, in that judgment, with the saints judging with him, to whom it was said, “You will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel,” he will be conspicuous. For the Son of Man will come, as he said, in his majesty, and all his angels with him. There will be all the angels and archangels of heaven, and the angels who announce the word of God. For a prophet too was called an angel; for an angel is a messenger. And, “Behold, I send my angel before your face,” was said of John; and, “You received me as an angel of God,” the apostle says. He, then, who now stays somewhere, of whom many say, “When will he come?” or “Who is going to come?”, will be conspicuous in the gates, that is, in the open, manifestly. He will be conspicuous in the gates; but he will let some in, and shut the gates against others. “Her husband will be conspicuous in the gates, when he sits in council with the elders of the land.” Until this happens, let her meanwhile do what she was doing: let her work, let her not cease; let her wait for him who will be conspicuous in the gates; let her not tremble at the holy council of God’s judgment; let her come with a good conscience, let her come glorious; because those who are to judge with her husband are his members and his children.

Prov 31:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 3:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 19:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:31 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 11:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 4:14 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The absent husband will appear openly “in the gates” at the judgment, sitting with the saints as judges; meanwhile the Church should keep working and await him without fear.

Prov 31:23; Isa 3:14 (Old Latin); Matt 19:28; 25:31; Matt 11:10 (Mal 3:1); Gal 4:14.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; footnote mark removed): rjus → ejus; dorr.o sua sollicilns → domo sua sollicitus; videt2, → videt,; porus → portis; Vcniet → Veniet; judido → judicio; Ycniet → Veniet; Filiis → Filius; dictus cst angelus: → dictus est angelus:; dictum cst; → dictum est;; Hie alicubi nunc dcmorans, dc quo muni → hic alicubi nunc demorans, de quo multi; venturus cst? → venturus est?; crit → erit; opcretur → operetur; sanetnm → sanctum; vcniat → veniat; memhra → membra; cam ejus viro → cum ejus viro.

Topics: Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.19 (PL 38:191; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.20PL 38:191–192

Sindones fecit, et vendidit. Bene quia sindones fecit: quare vendidit, nisi quia non quærit datum, sed requirit fructum? Venditionem enim istam primo intelligite, fratres, gratuitam. Et aliquis emit gratis? Si gratis tollit, non emit: si emit, pretium dat, non gratis tollit. Et ubi est, Qui sititis, venite ad aquam, emite vobis sine argento? Quando emis, non argentum das; et tamen emis. Si emis, aliquid das; non tamen argentum das: te ipsum das. Sindones enim referte ad illa linea, quæ spiritualia sunt, quæ facit et prædicat ista mulier per omnes terras. Et forte vendere dicenda est: quia dixit Apostolus, Si nos vobis spiritualia seminavimus, magnum est, si carnalia vestra metamus? Etenim ratio illa est dati et accepti: nam in omni venditione ratio dati et accepti versatur. Contristatur autem Apostolus adversus quædam fora, ubi non vendidit sindones: Nulla, inquit, mihi Ecclesia communicavit in ratione dati et accepti. Sed ille qui sic vendidit, non quaerit datum, sed requirit fructum: ne quasi venditorem Evangelii putetis. Est quidem ille mercator Domini sui, sed magis pretium quærit. Nam quidquid prorsus vendit, dat spiritualia: et quid quærit? forte carnalia? Debentur eidem et ista: sed non ipsa quærebat Apostolus, dicens, Non enim quæro vestra, sed vos ipsos (II Cor. SII, 14) Date ergo pretium, date vos ipsos. Neque enim et Joseph in Ægypto frumenta non vendebat: vi tamen ipsos ementes, servos regios faciebat (Gen. XLII). Volentes vivere in illa fame, accipiebant frumenta, et fiebant servi. Timemus nos fieri servi? Væ nobis, si non erimus illius servi. Quid nobis prodest recusare talem Dominum? Et sub diabolo erimus, et famem patiemur, et potestatem veri Domini non effugiemus. Te ipsum da, et eme tibi sindonem, id est, spirituale amictorium. Sic etiam cujusdam panis pretium tu ipse es. Quid enim? Quia das te voluptati, nonne pro concupiscentia carnis, tanquam ut emas meretricem, te ipsum das pretium? Quantum est ut Deo te des, panem vivum tibi emas, qui de caelo descendit, eodem ipso pretio quod tu ipse es? Pretium enim meretricis tantum est, quantum panis unius. Sindones fecit, et vendidit.

“She made fine linen cloths and sold them.” It is good that she made fine linen cloths; but why did she sell them, unless because she does not seek the gift but seeks the fruit? Understand this selling first, brothers, as free. And does anyone buy for nothing? If he takes it for nothing, he does not buy; if he buys, he pays a price, he does not take it for nothing. And where is “You who thirst, come to the water; buy for yourselves without silver”? When you buy, you do not give silver; and yet you buy. If you buy, you give something; yet you do not give silver: you give yourself. For refer the fine linen cloths to those linen things which are spiritual, which this woman makes and preaches throughout all lands. And perhaps she is to be said to sell, because the apostle said, “If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things?” For that is an account of giving and receiving; and in every sale an account of giving and receiving is involved. But the apostle is saddened about certain marketplaces where he did not sell his linen: “No church,” he says, “shared with me in the account of giving and receiving.” But he who sold in this way does not seek the gift but seeks the fruit: do not think him a seller of the Gospel. He is indeed his Lord’s merchant, but he seeks a better price. For whatever he sells, he gives spiritual things: and what does he seek? Carnal things, perhaps? These too are owed to him; but the apostle was not seeking them when he said, “For I do not seek what is yours, but you.” Give the price, then; give yourselves. For Joseph too in Egypt did sell grain; and yet he made those who bought it the king’s servants. Wanting to live through that famine, they received grain and became servants. Are we afraid to become servants? Woe to us if we are not his servants. What good does it do us to refuse such a Lord? We will be under the devil, and suffer hunger, and not escape the power of the true Lord. Give yourself, and buy yourself fine linen, that is, a spiritual cloak. In the same way you yourself are the price of a certain bread. For what? When you give yourself to pleasure, do you not, for the lust of the flesh, give yourself as the price, as when you buy a harlot? How much better to give yourself to God and buy the living bread that came down from heaven, with the very same price that you yourself are! For the price of a harlot is as much as one loaf of bread. “She made fine linen cloths and sold them.”

Prov 31:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 4:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 55:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 9:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 4:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 12:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 47:13–25 (allusion, high confidence) · John 6:51 (allusion, high confidence) · Prov 6:26 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Church “sells” her spiritual goods, as Paul did, seeking not money but the hearers themselves; we buy the living bread by giving ourselves to God, as we might sell ourselves to lust.

The first sentence, removed by the importer as a heading, is the verse being expounded and is restored.
“The price of a harlot is as much as one loaf of bread”: Prov 6:26 in the Greek form.
Prov 31:24; Phil 4:17; Isa 55:1; 1 Cor 9:11; Phil 4:15; 2 Cor 12:14; Gen 47:13–25; John 6:51.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; footnote mark removed; restored text removed as a heading): Bene quia sindones fecit → Sindones fecit, et vendidit. Bene quia sindones fecit; datum. sed → datum, sed; iutelligitc → intelligite; cmit → emit; graiis → gratis; cinis → emis; argentum djs; → argentum das;; cmis → emis; cnim → enim; illc → ille; re-. quirit fructam: nc → requirit fructum: ne; mereator → mercator; vendit1, → vendit,; iridem → eidem; Josephi → Joseph; rcgios facicbat → regios faciebat; sCI'vi → servi; crimus → erimus; rccusarc → recusare; erimus, ct famem → erimus, et famem; libi → tibi; id cst → id est; amictorium5. → amictorium.; cs. Quid → es. Quid; codcm ipso → eodem ipso; ipsc → ipse; Pretium?nim → Pretium enim; tantum cst, → tantum est,.

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.20 (PL 38:191–192; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.21PL 38:192

Cinctoria autem Chananæis. Cingant se, operentur, veniant, sint servi de domo ista: ut omnes vestiti, omnes pasti sint. Cinctoria enim fecit, utique ad opus: nam et ipsa opus faciens, accinxit fortiter lumbos suos. Qui sunt Chananæi? Vicinæ gentes populo Israel alienigenæ. Aliquando qui eratis longe, facti estis prope in sanguine Christi. Qui eratis aliquando peregrini Testamentorum, et promissionis spem non habentes, et sine Deo in hoc mundo, nunc autem cives sanctorum et domestici Dei, acceptis cinctoriis operamini in domo dominica, jam facti domestici Dei et Chananæis, unde erat et illa mulier modo in Evangelio recitata. Chananæa erat, ad mensam filiorum accedere non audebat, sed tanquam canis micas requirebat. Vide quemadmodum se præcinxerit ad opus. Præcinctorium ejus, fides: hoc laudat ille. 0 mulier, magna est fides tua!

“And girdles to the Canaanites.” Let them gird themselves, let them work, let them come, let them be servants of this household, so that all may be clothed, all fed. For she made girdles, surely for work; for she herself, doing her work, girded her loins with strength. Who are the Canaanites? Foreign nations neighboring the people of Israel. “You who were once far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ.” You who were once strangers to the covenants, without hope of the promise, and without God in this world, but are now fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God: having received your girdles, work in the Lord’s house, now made members of God’s household, even you Canaanites, from whom also came that woman whose story was read in the Gospel just now. She was a Canaanite; she did not dare approach the children’s table, but sought the crumbs like a dog. See how she girded herself for work. Her girdle was faith; this is what he praises: “O woman, great is your faith!”

Prov 31:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 15:21–28 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The girdles given to the Canaanites signify the Gentiles brought into God’s household to work, like the Canaanite woman of the Gospel, whose girdle was her great faith.

Prov 31:24; Eph 2:13, 12, 19; Matt 15:21–28.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text): aulem → autem; ngant → Cingant; cnim → enim; sinc → sine; opcramini → operamini; domestici Dci et → domestici Dei et; Chanana'is → Chananæis; unde crat et → unde erat et; mulicr → mulier; Cbananæa crat, → Chananæa erat,; audcbat → audebat; boc laudat illc → hoc laudat ille; magna eat fides → magna est fides; tun! → tua!.

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.21 (PL 38:192; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.22PL 38:192

Cætera videamus. Fortitudine et decore induta est. Decore, tanquam bysso; fortitudine, tanquam purpura. Quia enim fortis, ideo in passione sanguinea. Et lætata est in diebus novissimis. Lætata est: hic ergo diu tribulata. Nam unde haberet purpurea vestimenta sine tribulatione?

Let us look at the rest. “She is clothed with strength and beauty.” With beauty, as with fine linen; with strength, as with purple. For because she is strong, she is blood-red in her suffering. “And she rejoiced in the last days.” She rejoiced: so here she was long troubled. For how would she have purple garments without tribulation?

Prov 31:25 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Church’s beauty and strength are her linen and her purple; her joy at the end follows long tribulation.

The first sentence, removed by the importer as a heading, is Augustine’s own and is restored.
Prov 31:25.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; restored text removed as a heading): Fortitudine et decore → Cætera videamus. Fortitudine et decore; passionc → passione; tat in → est in; Lætata eat: → Lætata est:; tribulata I. → tribulata.; purpurca → purpurea; sinc → sine.

Topics: Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.22 (PL 38:192; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.25PL 38:192

Os suum aperuit attente. Disposuit ordinem linguæ suæ. — Præstet nobis in illa constitutis, ipsam laudantibus, illi cohærentibus, cum illa et in illa virum ejus exspectantibus, ut et nos aperiamus attente os nostrum; non temere, sed caute, attente, sollicite. Cum timore et tremore multo fui apud vos, Apostolus dixit: tanquam dicens, Os meum aperui attente. Os nostrum patet ad vos, o Corinthii. Os suum aperuit attente. Et ordinem posuit linguæ suæ: laudans creaturam tanquam creaturam, Creatorem tanquam Creatorem, Angelos tanquam Angelos, coelestia tanquam cœlestia, terrestria tanquam terrestria, homines tanquam homines, pecora tanquam pecora. Nihil perturbatum, nihil inordinatum. Non accipiens in vanum nomen Domini Dei sui, non substantiam creaturæ sentiens de Creatore: ita ordinate totum loquens, ut non præponat inferiora potioribus, nec subdat potiora inferioribus. Nihil pulchrius hoc ordine. Unde et ipsa dicit: Ordinate in me charitatem. Nolite præpostere agere, nolite perturbare et confundere quæ Deus ordinavit. Ordinate in me charitatem. Amate me tanquam me, amate Deum tanquam Deum: ne Deum offendatis propter me, nec me offendatis propter alium quemlibet, nec alium quemlibet propter me. Ordinate in me charitatem. Beata filia ejus in hoc ordine constituta, cujus inter cæteras celebramus hodie passionem, paulo ante audivimus confessionem, ordinans linguam suam: Honorem, inquit, Cæsari quasi Cæsari, timorem autem Deo. Os suum aperuit attente, et ordinem posuit linguæ suæ.

“She opened her mouth attentively. She set her tongue in order.” May he grant us, who are set in her, who praise her, who cling to her, who await her husband with her and in her, that we too may open our mouth attentively: not rashly, but cautiously, attentively, carefully. “I was with you in fear and in much trembling,” the apostle said, as if saying, “I opened my mouth attentively.” “Our mouth is open to you, O Corinthians.” “She opened her mouth attentively, and set her tongue in order”: praising the creature as creature, the Creator as Creator, angels as angels, heavenly things as heavenly, earthly things as earthly, men as men, cattle as cattle. Nothing confused, nothing out of order. Not taking the name of the Lord her God in vain, not supposing the substance of the creature to be of the Creator; speaking of everything in such order that she does not put lower things before better ones, nor subject better things to lower. Nothing is more beautiful than this order. Hence she herself says, “Set love in order in me.” Do not act preposterously; do not disturb and confuse what God has set in order. “Set love in order in me.” Love me as me, love God as God: do not offend God for my sake, nor offend me for the sake of anyone else, nor anyone else for my sake. “Set love in order in me.” Blessed is her daughter, set in this order, whose passion among others we celebrate today, whose confession we heard a little while ago, as she set her tongue in order: “Honor,” she said, “to Caesar as to Caesar, but fear to God.” “She opened her mouth attentively, and set her tongue in order.”

Prov 31:26 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 2:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 6:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Song 2:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 22:21 (echo, medium confidence) · Rom 13:7 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Church speaks carefully and keeps love in order, praising each thing according to its rank, as the martyr Donata did when she gave honor to Caesar and fear to God.

The first two sentences, removed by the importer as headings, are the verse being expounded and are restored. Migne’s paragraphs 23–24 are missing from the digital text; some text may be lost before this section.
The martyr quoted is Donata, one of the Scillitan martyrs (180); her answer is in the Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs, which have no entry in the site’s list of extrabiblical texts.
Prov 31:26 (Greek form); 1 Cor 2:3; 2 Cor 6:11; Exod 20:7; Song 2:4; Matt 22:21; Rom 13:7.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; footnote mark removed; restored text removed as a heading): — Praestet nobis → Os suum aperuit attente. Disposuit ordinem linguæ suæ. — Præstet nobis; apcriamus → aperiamus; tcmere → temere; Ossuum → Os suum; ordincm possunt → ordinem posuit; tanqnam → tanquam; pccora → pecora; no:uen → nomen; Creatore1: → Creatore:; p ræpostere → præpostere; qu:r. → quæ; Dcum → Deum; me, nee me → me, nec me; quemlibet, nee alium → quemlibet, nec alium; me1. → me.; cjus → ejus; o dinans, → ordinans; linguæ sua. → linguæ suæ..

Extrabiblical texts: Acts Scil. (Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs; quotation)

Topics: Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.25 (PL 38:192; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.26PL 38:192

Severæ conversationes domorum ejus. Severæ, fortes, districtæ: non est ubi diffluatur, non amat dissolutionem. Cibos autem pigros non comedit. Merito tantum acquisivit.

“Strict are the ways of life of her households.” Strict, strong, disciplined: there is no place where she runs loose; she does not love dissoluteness. “And she does not eat idle bread.” Rightly has she gained so much.

Prov 31:27 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Church’s households live strictly and do not eat the bread of idleness.

The first sentence, removed by the importer as a heading, is the verse being expounded and is restored (“domorum” for the digital text’s “damorum”).
Prov 31:27.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; restored text removed as a heading; stray mark in the digital text): Severæ, fortes, districtæ → Severæ conversationes domorum ejus. Severæ, fortes, districtæ; diflluatur → diffluatur; acquisivit*. → acquisivit..

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.26 (PL 38:192; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.27PL 38:192–193

Hic ergo ista laboriosa, vigilans, sollicita, severe castigans domum suam, surgens de noctibus, intuens lucernam ne exstinguatur, in tribulatione fortis, nondum receptis promissis pavens, brachia sua in fusum confirmans, non pigrum panem manducans: sed post labores istos quasi paupertatis et necessitatis sæcularis, quid erit, quia in diebus novissimis lætata est? Quid erit, audire vultis? Audite propter quam spem ardeat lucerna nostra tota nocte, nunc audite. Surrexerunt filii ejus, et ditati sunt. Modo in paupertate vivimus, in paupertate vigilamus; et cum morimur, in paupertate dormimus: sed surgemus et ditabimur. Tunc ditabuntur filii ejus. Surrexerunt filii ejus, et ditati sunt. Compara nunc quaslibet divitias terræ hujus, obnoxias furibus et tineis. Quid te jactas? Quia infirmus es, ideo sunt tibi multa necessaria. Opus est multum vestiaris, quia frigus pati non potes: jumentis utaris, quia pedibus ambulare non potes. Ista fulcimenta sunt infirmitatis, non ornamenta potestatis. Quæ illæ divitiæ sunt Angelorum? Unam vestem habent lucis: nunquam teritur, nunquam sordidatur. Illæ sunt veræ divitiæ, ubi nulla erit inopia, nulla erit indigentia. Quid modo quæris hoc, antequam surgas? Si filius es mulieris hujus, attende quando tibi divitiæ promittantur. Surrexerunt filii ejus, et ditati sunt. Para te resurrectionis divitias accipere. Noli has amare, ut merearis ad illas venire. Surrexerunt filii ejus, et ditati sunt.

Here, then, she is laborious, watchful, anxious, strictly disciplining her household, rising in the nights, watching the lamp so that it does not go out, strong in tribulation, fearful while the promises are not yet received, strengthening her arms on the spindle, not eating idle bread. But after these labors of what looks like poverty and worldly need, what will there be, since “she rejoiced in the last days”? Do you want to hear what there will be? Hear for what hope our lamp burns all night; hear it now. “Her sons rose up and were made rich.” Now we live in poverty, we keep watch in poverty; and when we die, we sleep in poverty; but we shall rise and be made rich. Then her sons will be made rich. “Her sons rose up and were made rich.” Compare now any riches of this earth, exposed to thieves and moths. Why do you boast? It is because you are weak that you need many things. You need to be well clothed, because you cannot bear cold; you use beasts of burden, because you cannot walk on foot. These are props of weakness, not ornaments of power. What are those riches of the angels? They have one garment of light: it never wears out, never gets dirty. Those are true riches, where there will be no want, no need. Why do you seek this now, before you rise? If you are a son of this woman, notice when riches are promised you. “Her sons rose up and were made rich.” Prepare yourself to receive the riches of the resurrection. Do not love these riches, so that you may deserve to come to those. “Her sons rose up and were made rich.”

Prov 31:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 31:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:19 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: After the Church’s labors in this life of poverty, her children will rise and be made truly rich in the resurrection, beside which earthly riches are only props for weakness.

Prov 31:28 (Greek form); Matt 6:19.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; footnote mark removed): intucns lucernam nc exstingnatur → intuens lucernam ne exstinguatur; fur. lis → fortis; er-it → erit; dicbus → diebus; lælata → lætata; Quid crit, → Quid erit,; surgemus ct ditabimur. → surgemus et ditabimur.; ejus, ct ditati → ejus, et ditati; lineis → tineis; jactas4? → jactas?; inlirmus cs → infirmus es; infirrmitatis → infirmitatis; divitine → divitiæ; nunqnam → nunquam; vcr:c → veræ; impia → inopia; nulla crit indigentia. → nulla erit indigentia.; libi → tibi; accipcre → accipere; mercaris → merearis; dilati → ditati.

Topics: Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.27 (PL 38:192–193; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.28PL 38:193

Et vir ejus laudavit eam. Nos eam laudabimus, sed non de nostro. Ipse vir ejus laudavit eam. Quando surrexerunt filii ejus, et ditati sunt; attendit eam, et inspexit eam, et laudavit eam. Quis nolit audire quomodo laudaverit? Si tam jucunde audistis, cum laudaretur a nobis; quomodo audiremus, si possemus audire sicut eam laudavit vir ejus? Laudavit eam in resurrectione: cum resurrexerimus, audiemus. An et modo non tacuit laudem ipsius? Hæc est ipsa laus, ipsa sequetur. Audiamus, audiamus quemadmodum eam laudaverit vir ejus, videns eam jam cum tanta beatitudine filiorum, divitum in resurrectione mortuorum.

“And her husband praised her.” We shall praise her, but not from our own resources. Her husband himself praised her. When her sons rose and were made rich, he looked on her, and gazed at her, and praised her. Who would not want to hear how he praised her? If you listened so gladly when she was praised by us, how would we listen if we could hear how her husband praised her? He praised her in the resurrection: when we have risen, we shall hear it. Or has he not kept silent about his praise of her even now? This is the praise itself; it follows. Let us listen, let us listen to how her husband praised her, seeing her now with such blessedness of her sons, rich in the resurrection of the dead.

Prov 31:28 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christ himself praises the Church when her children rise, and the following verses give his praise.

Prov 31:28.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; stray mark in the digital text): Et rir ejus → Et vir ejus; Nos fam laudabimus, → Nos eam laudabimus,; elna → ejus; attendit eum → attendit eam; łaudaverit → laudaverit; Audiamus t, → Audiamus,.

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.28 (PL 38:193; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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37.29PL 38:193

Multæ, inquit, filiæ fecerunt potentiam. Laudes sunt, quibus eam laudat vir ejus. Multæ filiæ fecerunt potentiam. Quæ filiæ, quibus hæc comparatur? Et non comparatur. Multæ filiæ fecerunt potentiam: tu autem superasti. Attendite, rogo vos: jam in fine lectionis sumus. Metuo enim ne ibi vos habeam fatigatos, ubi maxime exigo intentos. Audiamus laudes illius. Multæ filiæ fecerunt potentiam: tu autem superasti, et superposuisti omnes. Tu, inquit, omnes superasti, tu super omnes posuisti. Quæ sunt ergo aliæ filiæ quæ fecerunt potentiam, quas ista superavit, et super quas ista superposuit? Aut quam potentiam fecerunt, aut unde ista superavit? Sunt enim malæ filiæ, quæ sunt hæreses. Quare filiæ? Quia et illæ ex ista natæ sunt. Sed filiæ malæ, filiæ non similitudine morum, sed similitudine Sacramentorum. Habent et ipsæ Sacramenta nostra, habent Scripturas nostras, habent Amen et Alleluia nostrum, habent pleræque Symbolum nostrum, habent multæ Baptismum nostrum: ideo filiæ. Sed huic mulieri, vultis nosse, quid alibi dictum sit, in Canticis canticorum? Sicut lilium in medio spinarum, ita proxima mea in medio filiarum. Mirum dictum, easdem et spinas dixit et filias. Et illæ spinae faciunt potentiam? Faciunt plane. Non videtis quemadmodum et ipsæ hæreses orent, jejunent, dent eleemosynas, laudent Christum? Possum dicere, esse ibi pseudoprophetas, de quibus dictum est, Faciunt signa et prodigia multa, ut fallant, si fieri potest, etiam electos. Ecce prædixi vobis. Faciunt potentiam et spinae: de qua potentia dicitur, Nonne in nomine tuo manducavimus et bibimus, et in nomine tuo virtutes multas fecimus (Matth. vn, 22, et Luc. XIII, 26)? Manducavimus et bibimus, non de quocumque cibo diceret: nostis de quo dicere potuit, vel cibo vel potu. Et virtutes multas fecimus. Faciunt potentiam multæ filiæ, non negamus: et spinae florem habent, sed fructum non habent. Hæc autem cui dixit, Tu autem superasti et superposuisti omnes, unde superavit, nisi quia non solum florem, sed et fructum habet?

“Many daughters,” he says, “have done mightily.” These are the praises with which her husband praises her. “Many daughters have done mightily.” What daughters, with whom she is compared? And yet she is not compared. “Many daughters have done mightily; but you have surpassed them.” Pay attention, I beg you: we are now at the end of the reading. For I am afraid of having you tired at the very point where I most need you attentive. Let us hear her praises. “Many daughters have done mightily; but you have surpassed them, and been set above all.” You, he says, have surpassed all; you have been set above all. Who, then, are the other daughters who have done mightily, whom she has surpassed and above whom she has been set? Or what might have they shown, or how has she surpassed them? For there are bad daughters, namely the heresies. Why daughters? Because they too were born from her. But bad daughters: daughters not by likeness of conduct but by likeness of sacraments. They too have our sacraments, they have our Scriptures, they have our Amen and Alleluia, most of them have our Creed, many have our baptism: therefore they are daughters. But do you want to know what was said of this woman elsewhere, in the Song of Songs? “As a lily among thorns, so is my beloved among the daughters.” Wonderful to say, he called the same ones both thorns and daughters. And do those thorns show might? Certainly they do. Do you not see how the heresies themselves pray, fast, give alms, praise Christ? I can say that there are false prophets among them, of whom it was said, “They will do many signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if it were possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you beforehand.” The thorns too show might, the might of which it is said, “Did we not eat and drink in your name, and in your name do many mighty works?” “We ate and drank”: he would not say this of just any food; you know of what food and drink he could say it. “And we did many mighty works.” Many daughters show might, we do not deny it: thorns too have a flower, but they do not have fruit. But this one to whom he said, “But you have surpassed and been set above all”: how has she surpassed, unless because she has not only flower but also fruit?

Prov 31:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Song 2:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 24:24–25 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 7:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 13:26 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The “many daughters” are the heresies, born of the Church and sharing her sacraments, Scriptures, and even baptism, and able to do mighty works; but they are thorns with flowers and no fruit, while the Church bears fruit.

The first sentence, removed by the importer as a heading, is the verse being expounded and is restored.
“He would not say this of just any food”: an allusion to the Eucharist, which the heretics also celebrate. Augustine’s view of heretical sacraments is translated as written.
Prov 31:29 (Greek form); Song 2:2; Matt 24:24–25; Matt 7:22; Luke 13:26.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip in the digital text; footnote mark removed; restored text removed as a heading; OCR slip): Laudes sunt, quibus cam laudat → Multæ, inquit, filiæ fecerunt potentiam. Laudes sunt, quibus eam laudat; Multæ filia fecerunt → Multæ filiæ fecerunt; filix → filiæ; intentos Audiamus → intentos. Audiamus; pUlice → filiæ; Qu:c → Quæ; filiæ qnx fecerunt → filiæ quæ fecerunt; Quare filia:? → Quare filiæ?; iUre → illæ; natæ sunt1. → natæ sunt.; liliie → filiæ; Habent ct ipsæ → Habent et ipsæ; nostrunm → nostrum; tiliæ → filiæ; muiicri → mulieri; canticorum?Sicut → canticorum? Sicut; lilias → filias; planc → plane; cleemnsynas → eleemosynas; dietum → dictum; potentiam ct spinae: → potentiam et spinae:; de qno dicere → de quo dicere; cibo vcl potu. → cibo vel potu.; po:cntiam → potentiam; multæ filia, → multæ filiæ,; babent → habent; haLent → habent; auperposuisti → superposuisti; habct → habet.

Topics: Heresy, Baptism, Eucharist

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 37.29 (PL 38:193; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/37-5/#p-37-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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