PL 38 · cols. 581–584

Augustine, Sermo 95 (Classis I, de Scripturis)

Sermon XCV

SERMO XCV. De verbis Evangelii Marci, ubi miraculum septem panum refertur. cap. VIII, ℣. 1-9.

SERMON XCV. On the words of the Gospel of Mark, where the miracle of the seven loaves is related, chapter VIII, verses 1–9.

1. Epulae in Scripturis sanctis. Scripturas sanctas exponentes vobis, quasi panes frangimus vobis. Vos esurientes accipite, et saginam laudis corde eructuate: et qui estis divites in epulis, nolite macri esse in operibus et factis bonis. Quod ego erogo vobis, non est meum. Quod manducatis, manduco: unde vivitis, vivo. Commune habemus in coelo cellarium: inde enim venit verbum Dei.

1. A feast in the holy Scriptures. In expounding the holy Scriptures to you, we are as it were breaking loaves for you. Receive them hungrily, and belch forth from the heart the fatness of praise; and you who are rich in feasting, do not be lean in works and good deeds. What I pay out to you is not my own. What you eat, I eat; what you live on, I live on. We have a storeroom in common in heaven: for from there comes the word of God.

2. Miraculum septem panum allegorice. Septem panes significant septiformem operationem Spiritus sancti: quatuor millia hominum, Ecclesiam sub quatuor Evangeliis constitutam: septem sportae fragmentorum, perfectionem Ecclesiae. Hoc enim numero saepissime perfectio figuratur. Unde est enim quod dictum est, Septies in die laudabo te (Psal. CXVIII, 164)? Numquid errat homo, qui toties laudaverit Dominum? Quid est ergo, Septies laudabo; nisi, Nunquam a laude cessabo? Totum enim tempus significat qui dicit, septies. Unde septem dierum volumine saecula provolvuntur. Quid est ergo, Septies in die laudabo te, nisi quod alio loco dicitur, Semper laus ejus in ore meo (Psal. XXXIII, 2)? Propter ipsam perfectionem ad septem Ecclesias scribit Joannes. Apocalypsis liber est sancti Joannis evangelistae: scribit ad septem Ecclesias (Apoc. I, 4). Veraces estote, sportas agnoscite. Non enim fragmenta illa perierunt: sed quia et vos ad Ecclesiam pertinetis, vobis utique profecerunt. Quod vobis ista expono, Christo ministro: vos cum tranquille auditis, discumbitis. Ego corpore sedeo, corde consisto, et sollicitus ministro vobis; ne forte aliquem vestrum offendat vasculum, non cibus. Epulas Dei nostis, saepe audistis, mentes quaerunt, non ventres.

2. The miracle of the seven loaves, allegorically. The seven loaves signify the sevenfold working of the Holy Spirit; the four thousand men, the Church established under the four Gospels; the seven baskets of fragments, the perfection of the Church. For by this number perfection is very often figured. For whence comes what was said, Seven times a day I will praise Thee (Ps. 118:164)? Does a man go wrong who has praised the Lord so many times? What then is Seven times I will praise, except, I will never cease from praise? For he who says seven times signifies the whole of time. Hence the ages roll on in the rolling round of seven days. What then is Seven times a day I will praise Thee, except what is said in another place, His praise is always in my mouth (Ps. 33:2)? Because of this very perfection John writes to seven Churches. The Apocalypse is the book of holy John the evangelist: he writes to seven Churches (Rev. 1:4). Be truthful, recognize the baskets. For those fragments did not perish: but since you too belong to the Church, they have certainly profited you. In that I expound these things to you, I serve as Christ's minister: you, when you listen calmly, are reclining at table. I sit in body, I stand in heart, and anxiously I serve you, lest perhaps the vessel, not the food, give offence to any of you. You know the feasts of God, you have often heard: it is minds that seek them, not bellies.

3. Mysteria in iis qui saturati sunt de septem panibus. Certe saginata sunt quatuor millia hominum de

3. Mysteries in those who were filled from the seven loaves. Certainly four thousand men were fattened from

Editors' notes and page, col. 581

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: saecula provolvuntur› · call in col 581

Sic legendum putamus. Vide sermonem 114, n. 1. [Unde septem dierum volumina saeculo provolvuntur.]

So we think it should be read. See sermon 114, no. 1. [Whence the seven days' rolls are rolled out for the age.]

(printed under page 297)

(a) ‹anchor: SERMO XCV (title)› · call in col 581

Nunc primum prodit ex veteri codice Colbertinae bibliothecae notato 821, in quo inscribitur, « Tractatus sancti « Augustini secundum Marcum de septem panibus. » Hujus sermonis fragmentum insigne dederat Florus ad 1 Cor. XIII.

Now published for the first time from an old manuscript of the Colbert library marked 821, in which it is headed: "Tractate of Saint Augustine according to Mark, on the seven loaves." Florus had given a notable fragment of this sermon on 1 Cor. 13.

(printed under page 297)

(b) ‹anchor: qui toties laudaverit› · call in col 581

Forte, non laudaverit.

Perhaps has not praised.

(printed under page 297)

Ita Colbertinum exemplar, sed a secunda manu : nam antea ferebat, voraces estote. Locus profecto haud integer et illibatus.

So the Colbert copy, but by a second hand; for before it read be voracious. The passage is certainly not whole and unimpaired.

(printed under page 297)

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running head: 581 SERMO XCV.
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PL 38:582

septem panibus: quid mirabilius? Et tamen parum erat, nisi etiam sportae septem de fragmentis residuis implerentur. O magna mysteria! operabantur, et opera loquebantur. Facta illa si intelligas, verba sunt. Et vos ad quatuor millia pertinetis, quia sub Evangelio quaternario vivitis. Ad numerum non pertinuerunt pueri et mulieres. Sic enim dictum est: Erant autem qui manducaverunt quatuor millia hominum, exceptis pueris et mulieribus (Matth. XV, 38). Quasi sine numero essent insensati et effeminati. Tamen manducent et ipsi. Manducent: forte pueri crescunt, et non erunt pueri; forte effeminati corriguntur, et castificantur. Manducent: erogamus, impendimus. Qui sint autem isti, Deus inspicit convivium suum, et si se non correxerint, qui novit invitare, novit et separare.

the seven loaves: what more wonderful? And yet it was too little, unless seven baskets were also filled with the fragments left over. O great mysteries! They were being done, and the deeds were speaking. Those deeds, if you understand them, are words. You too belong to the four thousand, because you live under the fourfold Gospel. Children and women did not belong to the number. For thus it is said: Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides children and women (Matt. 15:38). As though the foolish and the effeminate were without number. Yet let them too eat. Let them eat: perhaps the children grow, and will not be children; perhaps the effeminate are corrected and made chaste. Let them eat: we pay out, we spend. But who these are, God inspects His feast, and if they have not corrected themselves, He who knows how to invite knows also how to separate.

4. Qualis qui ad convivium invitavit. Nostis, charissimi: recolite evangelicam parabolam; quia intravit Dominus inspicere recumbentes in quodam convivio suo. Paterfamilias qui invitaverat, sicut scriptum est, invenit ibi hominem non vestitum vestem nuptialem (Id. XXII, 11). Ad nuptias enim invitaverat sponsus ille speciosus forma prae filiis hominum. Sponsus ille foedus factus propter sponsam foedam, ut eam faceret pulchram. Unde foedus factus est pulcher? Si non probo, blasphemo. Dat mihi pulchritudinis ejus testimonium propheta, dicens: Speciosus forma prae filiis hominum (Psal. XLIV, 3). Dat mihi deformitatis ejus testimonium alius propheta, dicens: Vidimus eum, et non habebat speciem neque decorem; sed vultus ejus abjectus, deformis positio ejus (Isai. LIII, 2). O propheta qui dixisti, Speciosus forma prae filiis hominum, contradicitur tibi: alius propheta procedit contra te, et dicit, Mentiris: Vidimus eum. Quid est quod dicit, Speciosus forma prae filiis hominum? Vidimus eum non habentem speciem neque decorem. Ergo isti prophetae duo in angulo pacis discordant? De Christo ambo dixerunt, de lapide angulari ambo dixerunt. In angulo concordant parietes. Si non concordaverunt, non est aedificium, sed ruina. Concordant Prophetae, non eos dimittamus in rixa. Imo nos eorum pacem cognoscamus: nam illi litigare non norunt. O Propheta qui dixisti, Speciosus forma prae filiis hominum, ubi vidisti? Responde, responde, ubi vidisti? Cum in forma Dei esset non rapinam arbitratus est esse aequalis Deo. Ibi vidi. An tu dubitas eum qui aequalis est Deo, speciosum esse prae filiis hominum? Respondisti: respondeat ille qui dixit, Vidimus eum, et non habebat speciem neque decorem. Dixisti: dic ubi vidisti. A verbis ipsius sumit exordium: ubi ille finivit, ibi iste incipit. Ubi ille finivit? Qui cum in forma Dei esset, non rapinam arbitratus est esse aequalis Deo. Ecce ubi vidit speciosum forma prae filiis hominum: dic tu, ubi vidisti quia non habebat speciem neque decorem. Sed semetipsum exinanivit, formam servi accipiens; in similitudinem hominum factus, et habitu inventus ut homo. De deformitate ipsius adhuc dicit: Humiliavit se ipsum, factus obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis (Philipp. II, 6-8). Ecce ubi vidi. Concordant

4. What manner of man he was who invited to the feast. You know, dearly beloved: recall the Gospel parable, that the Lord came in to look over those reclining at a certain feast of His. The householder who had invited them, as it is written, found there a man not clothed in a wedding garment (Matt. 22:11). For it was to a wedding that that bridegroom had invited them who is beautiful in form beyond the sons of men. That bridegroom was made ugly for the sake of an ugly bride, that He might make her beautiful. How was the beautiful one made ugly? If I do not prove it, I blaspheme. A prophet gives me testimony to His beauty, saying: Beautiful in form beyond the sons of men (Ps. 44:3). Another prophet gives me testimony to His ugliness, saying: We saw Him, and He had no form nor comeliness; but His face was cast down, His bearing unsightly (Isa. 53:2). O prophet who said, Beautiful in form beyond the sons of men, you are contradicted: another prophet comes forward against you and says, You lie: We saw Him. What is it that he says, Beautiful in form beyond the sons of men? We saw Him having no form nor comeliness. Are these two prophets, then, at discord in the corner-stone of peace? Both spoke of Christ, both spoke of the corner-stone. In the corner the walls agree. If they had not agreed, it is not a building but a ruin. The Prophets agree; let us not leave them in a quarrel. Rather, let us recognize their peace: for they do not know how to wrangle. O Prophet who said, Beautiful in form beyond the sons of men, where did you see it? Answer, answer, where did you see it? Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. There I saw it. Or do you doubt that He who is equal with God is beautiful beyond the sons of men? You have answered: let him answer who said, We saw Him, and He had no form nor comeliness. You have spoken: say where you saw it. He takes his beginning from the other's words: where the one ended, there this one begins. Where did the one end? Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. See where he saw Him beautiful in form beyond the sons of men: you, say where you saw that He had no form nor comeliness. But He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant; made in the likeness of men, and found in fashion as a man. Of His unsightliness he says further: He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Phil. 2:6–8). See where I saw it. Both, then, agree

Editors' notes and page, col. 582

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running head: SERMO XCV. 582
marginal letters: (none) — no marginal letters visible in the images
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: "Concor-" at the column foot completed as "Concordant" from the first line of col 583 ("dant"). In "(Matth. XV, 38)" and "(Psal. XLIV, 3)" the worn 3 reads like 5 in the scan; set 38 and 3 (the true verses). The English of the last word runs on with "Both, then" from col 583 for sense; the source word stands here per the unit rule.

PL 38:583

ergo ambo pacifici, et pacati sunt ambo. Quid est speciosius Deo? Quid deformius Crucifixo?

peacemakers, and both are at peace. What is more beautiful than God? What more unsightly than the Crucified?

5. Discumbens sine veste nuptiali reprobatus. Iste ergo sponsus speciosus forma prae filiis hominum, deformis factus ut pulchram faceret sponsam, cui dicitur, O decora inter mulieres (Cant. I, 7)! de qua dicitur, Quae est ista quae ascendit dealbata (Id. III, 6). illuminata, non colore mendacii fuscata? invenit ergo iste qui vocavit ad nuptias, hominem non habentem vestem nuptialem, et ait illi, Amice, quid huc intratsi non habens vestem nuptialem? At ille obmutuit. Non enim invenit quod responderet. Et ait paterfamilias qui intraverat: Ligate illi manus et pedes, et projicite illum in tenebras exteriores: ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium. De tam parva culpa tam magna poena? Magna enim. Parva dicitur culpa non habere vestem nuptialem: parva, sed non intelligentibus. Quando ille sic succenseret, quando ille sic judicaret, ut propter vestem nuptialem quam non habebat, mitteret eum ligatis manibus et pedibus in tenebras exteriores, ubi esset fletus et stridor dentium, nisi culpa esset valde gravis vestem non habere nuptialem? Dico: quia per me invitati estis, et si vos ille invitavit, per nos invitavit. In convivio estis omnes, habetote vestem nuptialem. Expono quae est, ut omnes habeatis, et si aliquis me non audit qui non habet, antequam veniat paterfamilias et convivas suos inspiciat, mutetur in melius, accipiat vestem nuptialem, securus discumbat.

5. One reclining without a wedding garment is rejected. This bridegroom, then, beautiful in form beyond the sons of men, made unsightly that He might make His bride beautiful, to whom it is said, O fairest among women (Song 1:7)! of whom it is said, Who is she that comes up made white (Song 3:6), made bright, not darkened with the colour of falsehood? — this one, then, who called to the wedding, found a man not having a wedding garment, and said to him, Friend, why did you come in here not having a wedding garment? But he was struck dumb. For he found nothing to answer. And the householder who had come in said: Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the outer darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. So great a punishment for so small a fault? Great indeed. Not to have a wedding garment is called a small fault: small, but to those who do not understand. When would He be so angry, when would He so judge, as to send him, for a wedding garment he did not have, with hands and feet bound into the outer darkness, where there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth, unless it were a very grave fault not to have a wedding garment? I say this because you have been invited through me, and if He invited you, He invited you through us. You are all at the feast: have the wedding garment. I explain what it is, so that you may all have it; and if anyone who does not have it is not listening to me, before the householder comes and inspects his guests, let him be changed for the better, let him receive the wedding garment, let him recline at table without fear.

6. Unus projectus multos figurat. Non enim vere, charissimi, ille qui inde projectus est unum hominem significat: absit. Multi sunt. Et ipse Dominus qui hanc parabolam proposuit, Sponsus ipse convivii convocator et convivarum vivificator, ipse nobis exposuit, quia homo ille non unum hominem significat, sed multos, ibi, in ipso loco, in eadem parabola. Non eo longe, ibi expono, ibi frango et manducandum appono. Ait enim, cum inde missus esset ille non habens vestem nuptialem in tenebras exteriores: ait ergo, et secutus adjunxit, Multi enim sunt vocati, pauci vero electi (Matth. XXII, 11-14). Unum hinc projecisti, et dicis, Multi enim sunt vocati, pauci electi. Sine dubio electi non sunt projecti: et ipsi erant pauci qui discumbentes remanserant; et multi erant in illo uno, quia ille unus unum corpus malorum est, qui non habet vestem nuptialem.

6. The one cast out figures many. For truly, dearly beloved, that man who was cast out from there does not signify one man: far from it. They are many. And the Lord Himself who set forth this parable, the Bridegroom Himself, the summoner of the feast and the giver of life to the guests, Himself explained to us that that man signifies not one man but many, there, in the very place, in the same parable. I do not go far off: there I explain, there I break and set it out to be eaten. For He says, when that man not having a wedding garment had been sent from there into the outer darkness: He says then, and went on to add, For many are called, but few are chosen (Matt. 22:11–14). Thou hast cast out one from here, and Thou sayest, For many are called, few chosen. Without doubt the chosen were not cast out: and they were few, those who had remained reclining; and many were in that one, because that one is the one body of the wicked, which does not have the wedding garment.

7. Vestis nuptialis, charitas. Quid est vestis nuptialis? Quaeramus illam in Litteris sanctis. Quid est vestis nuptialis? Sine dubio aliquid est quod mali et boni commune non habent: hoc inveniamus, et invenimus vestem nuptialem. In donis Dei quid est quod commune non habent boni et mali? Quod homines sumus et pecora non sumus, Dei donum est: sed commune hoc cum bonis et malis. Quod nobis lux de

7. The wedding garment is charity. What is the wedding garment? Let us seek it in the holy Writings. What is the wedding garment? Without doubt it is something that the wicked and the good do not have in common: let us find this, and we find the wedding garment. Among the gifts of God, what is it that the good and the wicked do not have in common? That we are men and are not beasts is a gift of God: but this is common to good and wicked. That light from

Editors' notes and page, col. 583

Footnotes

(1) ‹anchor: in Litteris sanctis› · call in col 583

Sic in Flori Collectione. At in Colbertino codice, in vestibus sanctis.

So in Florus's Collection. But in the Colbert manuscript, in holy garments.

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(a) ‹anchor: aliquis me non› · call in col 583

Forte, nunc.

Perhaps now.

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(b) ‹anchor: absit. Multi sunt› · call in col 583

Vide supra sermonem 90, n. 4.

See sermon 90 above, no. 4.

(printed under page 298)

Vide supra sermonem 90, n. 5, sqq.

See sermon 90 above, no. 5 and following.

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running head: 583 S. AUGUSTINI EPISCOPI (end of head cut off in the image; numeral prints like "533")
marginal letters: (none) — no marginal letters visible in the images
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: misprints kept as printed: "intratsi" (for intrasti; in misprints.tsv); a full stop after "(Id. III, 6)" before lower-case "illuminata" (for a comma; translated as a comma). The foot note "*" printed under this page (Inventus est in Ms. unico ...) is called in Sermon 96 (col 584) and belongs to the Sermon 96 unit: pointer only, not set here.

PL 38:584

coelo oritur, de nube pluviae descendunt, fontes manant, agri fructificant, dona sunt, sed bonis malisque communia. Intremus ad nuptias; foris alios relinquamus, qui non venerunt vocati. Ipsos convivas, id est, Christianos consideremus. Baptismus donum Dei est, habent illum boni et mali. Altaris Sacramenta simul accipiunt boni et mali. Prophetavit Saül iniquus, et viro sancto atque justissimo infestus; dum eum persequeretur prophetavit (I Reg. XIX). Numquid dicatur credere soli boni? Et daemones credunt, et contremi⟨s⟩cunt (Jacobi II, 19). Quid facio? Excussi omnia, et ad vestem illam nondum perveni. Involucrum meum explicavi, omnia vel pene omnia consideravi, ad vestem illam nondum perveni. Quodam loco Paulus apostolus attulit mihi magnum involucrum magnarum rerum; exposuit ante me, et dixi ei, Ostende mihi si forte hic illam vestem nuptialem reperisti. Coepit excutere singula, et dicere: Si linguis hominum loquar et Angelorum, si habeam omnem scientiam, et prophetiam, et omnem fidem, ita ut montes transferam; si distribuero omnia mea pauperibus, et tradam corpus meum ut ardeam. Magnae vestes: nondum tamen est illa nuptialis. Jam profer nobis nuptialem vestem. Quid nos, Apostole, suspendis? Prophetia forte Dei donum est, quod non habent boni et mali. Si charitatem, inquit, non habeam, nihil sum, nihil mihi prodest (I Cor. XIII, 1-3). Ecce vestis nuptialis: induite vos, o convivae, ut securi discumbatis. Nolite dicere: Ad istam vestem habendam pauperes sumus. Vestite, et vestimini. Hiems est: vestite nudos: nudus est Christus; et quicumque non habetis vestem nuptialem, dabit illam. Ad illum currite, ipsum rogate: novit sanctificare fideles suos, novit vestire nudos suos. Ut possitis vestem habentes nuptialem non timere tenebras exteriores, vincula membrorum et manuum et pedum; non deficiant opera. Si deficiunt, ligatis manibus quid facturus est? ligatis pedibus quo fugiturus est? Illam teneatis vestem nuptialem, induimini ipsam, et securi discumbite, quando venit inspicere. Dies judicii aderit: magnum spatium modo largitur, qui nudus erat aliquando vestiatur.

rises for us from heaven, rains come down from the cloud, springs flow, fields bear fruit: these are gifts, but common to good and wicked. Let us go in to the wedding; let us leave outside the others, who did not come when called. Let us consider the guests themselves, that is, the Christians. Baptism is a gift of God: good and wicked have it. The Sacraments of the altar good and wicked receive alike. Saul prophesied, wicked as he was and hostile to a holy and most just man; while he was persecuting him he prophesied (1 Sam. 19). Is it to be said that only the good believe? The demons also believe, and tremble (Jas. 2:19). What am I to do? I have shaken out everything, and I have not yet come to that garment. I have unfolded my bundle, I have considered everything, or nearly everything, and I have not yet come to that garment. In a certain place Paul the apostle brought me a great bundle of great things; he laid it out before me, and I said to him, Show me whether perhaps you have found that wedding garment here. He began to shake out each thing, and to say: If I speak with the tongues of men and of Angels, if I have all knowledge, and prophecy, and all faith, so that I remove mountains; if I distribute all my goods to the poor, and deliver my body to be burned. Great garments: yet that is not yet the wedding one. Now bring out the wedding garment for us. Why do you keep us in suspense, Apostle? Prophecy perhaps is the gift of God which good and wicked do not have. If, he says, I have not charity, I am nothing, it profits me nothing (1 Cor. 13:1–3). Behold the wedding garment: put it on, O guests, that you may recline at table without fear. Do not say: We are too poor to have that garment. Clothe others, and you are clothed. It is winter: clothe the naked: Christ is naked; and whoever of you does not have the wedding garment, He will give it. Run to Him, ask Him: He knows how to sanctify His faithful, He knows how to clothe His naked. That you, having the wedding garment, may not fear the outer darkness, the bonds of the limbs, of hands and feet: let works not be lacking. If they are lacking, with hands bound what will he do? with feet bound where will he flee? Hold fast that wedding garment, put it on, and recline without fear when He comes to inspect. The day of judgement will come: He grants a long respite now, that he who was naked may at some time be clothed.

Editors' notes and page, col. 584

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running head: S. AUGUSTINI EPISCOPI 584 (head cut off at the left in the image; numeral prints like "784")
marginal letters: (none) — no marginal letters visible in the images
old-edition numerals: (none)
other: "contremi cunt" printed with a gap in the type where s stands; set contremi⟨s⟩cunt. "Saül" with diaeresis as printed. The title SERMO XCVI and all that follows it in this column (with its foot notes * and (a), "Alias de Diversis 47") belong to the Sermon 96 unit and are not set: pointer only. No foot note on this page is called in Sermon 95.