Migne Reading Room
PL 38 · cols. 221–234
Augustine, Sermones 35-45 (Classis I, de Scripturis: de Proverbiis, Ecclesiastico, Isaia)
Sermon XXXVII
Pharisaeus ad orationem ascendit, et nihil rogavit. Ascenderunt, inquit, ad templum orare. Iste rogat, ille non rogat. Sed ille unde orat? Sunt qui se divites putant, nihil habentes. Domine, inquit, gratias tibi ago, quia non sum sicut caeteri homines, injusti, raptores, adulteri, sicut etiam hic Publicanus. Jejuno bis in sabbato, decimas do omnium quae possideo. Jactavit se: sed inflatio est ista, non plenitudo. Divitem se putavit nihil habens: pauperem se ille cognovit jam aliquid habens. Ut nihil aliud dicam, habebat ipsam confessionis pietatem. Et descenderunt ambo. Sed justificatus, inquit, Publicanus ille magis quam Pharisaeus: quia omnis qui se exaltat, humiliabitur; et qui se humiliat, exaltabitur (Luc. XVIII, 10-14).
The Pharisee went up to prayer, and asked for nothing. They went up, it says, to the temple to pray. This one asks, that one does not ask. But from what does that one pray? There are those who think themselves rich, having nothing. Lord, he says, I give Thee thanks, because I am not as the rest of men, unjust, robbers, adulterers, as also this Publican. I fast twice in the sabbath, I give tithes of all that I possess. He boasted of himself: but that is swelling, not fullness. He thought himself rich, having nothing: the other recognized himself as poor, already having something. To say nothing else, he had the very piety of confession. And both went down. But justified, it says, was that Publican rather than the Pharisee: because everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled; and he who humbles himself shall be exalted (Luke 18:10–14).
SERMO XXXVII. De lectione Proverbiorum Salomonis, ab eo loco ubi dictum est, Mulierem fortem quis inveniet? etc., usque, Et laudetur in portis vir ejus. Cap. XXXI, ℣. 10-31.
Sermon 37. On the reading from the Proverbs of Solomon, from the place where it is said, A strong woman who shall find? etc., as far as, And let her husband be praised in the gates. Chap. 31, vv. 10-31.
Quae de muliere forti dicuntur in illo Proverbiorum capite, ad Ecclesiam referuntur.
The things said of the strong woman in that chapter of Proverbs are referred to the Church.
CAPUT PRIMUM. — 1. Praestabit nobis, qui diem istum commendavit in sanctis suis, ut infirmitas vocis nostrae sufficiat intentioni vestrae. Hoc ideo commendavi, ut me silentio vestro adjuvare dignemini: animus enim promptus est ad vos, sed caro infirma. Et ipse animus, quaecumque forte gaudia de Scriptura Dei concepit, parturit et parere quaerit in auribus et mentibus vestris: praestate in vobis nidum sermoni. Commendatur enim et in Scriptura turtur, quaerere nidum sibi, ubi ponat pullos suos (Psal. LXXXIII, 4). Et hoc quod gestamus in manibus, Scriptura scilicet quam videtis, commendat nobis inquirendam et laudandam mulierem quamdam, de qua paulo ante, cum legeretur, audistis, magnam, habentem magnum virum, eum virum qui invenit perditam, ornavit inventam. De hac secundum lectionis tenorem, quam me portare conspicitis, pauca pro tempore, quae Dominus suggesserit, dicam. Dies enim est martyrum: et ideo magis laudanda est mater martyrum. Jam quae sit ista mulier, me proloquente accepistis: videte etiam ut me legente agnoscatis. Omnis nunc auditor, quantum ex affectu vestro satis apparet, dicit in corde suo, Ecclesia debet esse. Confirma istam cogitationem. Nam quae potuit esse altera martyrum mater? Ista est: quod intellexistis, hoc est; de qua muliere volumus aliquid
Chapter I. — 1. He will grant us, He Who has commended this day in His saints, that the weakness of our voice may suffice for your attention. I have commended this for this reason, that you may deign to help me by your silence: for the spirit is ready towards you, but the flesh is weak. And the spirit itself, whatever joys it has perhaps conceived from the Scripture of God, is in labour and seeks to bring them forth in your ears and minds: provide in yourselves a nest for the sermon. For the turtle-dove too is commended in Scripture, for seeking a nest for itself where it may lay its young (Ps. 83:4). And this which we carry in our hands, namely the Scripture which you see, commends to us a certain woman to be sought out and praised, of whom you heard a little before, when it was being read, a great woman, having a great husband, that husband who found her lost and adorned her once found. Concerning her, following the course of the reading, which you see me carrying, I shall say a few things, as time allows, which the Lord may suggest. For it is the day of the martyrs: and therefore all the more to be praised is the mother of the martyrs. Who this woman is, you have already gathered as I spoke beforehand: see too that you recognize her as I read. Every hearer now, as far as is quite evident from your feeling, says in his heart, It must be the Church. Confirm that thought. For what other could be the mother of martyrs? It is she: what you have understood, that is it; concerning which woman we wish somewhat
Editors' notes and page, col. 221
Footnotes
(*) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 221 Recognitus est in duobus s. in cl. cb. gr. et in Ulim. Par. Lov.
Revised against two s. manuscripts, against cl., cb., gr., and against Ulim., the Paris edition, the Louvain edition.
(printed under page 117)
(a) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 221
Alias, de Diversis 45.
Formerly, de Diversis 45.
(printed under page 117)
(b) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 221
Augustino tribuunt hunc sermonem non tantum libri Mss. omnes, quos videre nobis contigit; sed etiam Possidius in Indiculi capite 8, Beda ad Gal. 3, Florus ibidem et ad Rom. 8. Quibus adde, Donati schisma hic capp. 2 et 3 aperte reprehendi, et Augustini ubique inesse ingenium atque doctrinam. Errore itaque manifesto est inter Ambrosii opera excusus; ubi falso insuper titulo, « In die SS. Machabaeorum habitus, » praenotatur. Certe enim non una tantum, sed plures feminae illis quae praelecta fuerant ante sermonem, passionis Actis commemorabantur, ut legitur hic cap. 1; et harum una id cap. 16 refertur dixisse in confessione, « Honorem Caesari quasi Caesari, timorem autem Deo. »
Not only do all the manuscript books that we have happened to see ascribe this sermon to Augustine, but so also do Possidius in chapter 8 of the Indiculus, Bede on Gal. 3, and Florus on the same place and on Rom. 8. Add to these that the schism of Donatus is openly censured here in chapters 2 and 3, and that Augustine's cast of mind and teaching are present throughout. It was therefore by a manifest error that it was printed among the works of Ambrose, where moreover it is headed with the false title, "Delivered on the day of the holy Maccabees." For certainly not one woman only but several were commemorated in those Acts of a passion which had been read out before the sermon, as is read here in chapter 1; and one of them is reported in chapter 16 to have said this in her confession: "Honour to Caesar as to Caesar, but fear to God."
(printed under page 117)
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dicere, Ecclesia est. Non enim deceret nos loqui de quacumque alia muliere. Quanquam et in recitatione passionis martyrum audivimus feminas, de quibus decenter loquamur: sed nec eas praetermittimus, quando earum matrem laudamus.
to say, is the Church. For it would not befit us to speak of any other woman whatever. Although in the reading of the passion of the martyrs we have also heard of women, of whom we may fittingly speak: yet we do not pass them over either, when we praise their mother.
CAPUT II.—2. Ecclesia latere non potest. Attendite cujus membra estis: inspicite cujus filii estis. Mulierem fortem quis inveniet? Congruit diei martyrum fortitudo mulieris. Nisi enim fortis esset illa mulier, membra ejus in passione defecissent. Mulierem fortem quis inveniet? Difficile est invenire eam, imo difficile est nescire eam. Nonne ipsa est civitas in monte, quae abscondi non potest (Matth. V, 14)? Quare ergo dictum est, Quis inveniet? cum dici debuerit, Quis non inveniet? Sed tu civitatem in monte positam vides: ut autem in monte poneretur, inventa est quae perierat. Quando illustrata est, quis eam non videt? quando latebat, quis eam inveniret? Ipsa enim civitas est, et una illa ovis, quam perditam quaesivit pastor, et inventam gaudens in humeris reportavit (Luc. XV, 4-6). Iste pastor, mons est: ovis autem in humeris ejus, civitas in monte. Facile est ut videas eam collocatam in monte: quando eam invenires, cum lateret in vepribus, in spinis utique delictorum suorum? Ibi enim quaesisse magnum est: ibi invenisse mirabile est. Haec ejus difficilis inventio commendatur, cum dicitur, Mulierem fortem quis inveniet? Quis enim, quia unus; non quia nec unus. Quomodo dictum est de ipso viro ejus, leone de tribu Juda, de quo propheta ante praedixit, Ascendisti recumbens: utique in cruce. Ascendisti, crux est; recumbens, mors est. Quid est enim, Ascendisti, nisi quod scriptum est, Et crucifixerunt eum? Unde et ipse ait, Sicut exaltavit Moyses serpentem in eremo, ita exaltari oportet Filium hominis; ut omnis qui credit in eum non pereat, sed habeat vitam aeternam (Joan. III, 14, 15) Quid est, recumbens? Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum (Id. XIX, 18, 30). Cum ergo et ibi diceretur, Ascendisti recumbens; secutus est, Dormisti sicut leo. Dormisti sicut leo: non fugisti sicut vulpes. Quid est, Dormisti sicut leo? De potestate, non de necessitate. Cum autem dictum esset, Dormisti sicut leo; secutus ait, Quis suscitabit eum (Gen. XLIX, 9)? Quis suscitabit? neque enim nemo: sed quis hominum? Quia nonnisi Deus, qui eum exaltavit a mortuis, et donavit ei nomen quod est super omne nomen (Philipp. II, 9). Suscitavit et ipse se: unde ait, Solvite templum hoc, et in triduo suscitabo illud (Joan. II, 19). Et modo quando auditis, Mulierem fortem quis inveniet? nolite putare de Ecclesia dici quae latet, sed de illa quae ab uno inventa est, ut neminem lateret. Ergo describatur, laudetur, commendetur, amanda ab omnibus
Chapter II.—2. The Church cannot lie hidden. Consider whose members you are: look at whose sons you are. Who shall find a strong woman? The strength of a woman befits the day of the martyrs. For unless that woman were strong, her members would have failed in the passion. Who shall find a strong woman? It is difficult to find her; nay, it is difficult not to know her. Is she not herself the city on a mountain, which cannot be hidden (Matt. 5:14)? Why then was it said, Who shall find? when it ought to have been said, Who shall not find? But you see the city set on a mountain: yet in order that it might be set on the mountain, that which had perished was found. Now that she has been made illustrious, who does not see her? When she lay hidden, who would have found her? For she herself is the city, and that one sheep which, when it was lost, the shepherd sought, and, having found it, rejoicing carried back on His shoulders (Luke 15:4–6). That shepherd is the mountain: and the sheep on His shoulders is the city on the mountain. It is easy for you to see her placed on the mountain: but when would you have found her, when she lay hidden among the brambles, that is, among the thorns of her sins? For there to have sought is a great thing: there to have found is a marvellous thing. This difficult finding of her is commended when it is said, Who shall find a strong woman? Who, that is, because there is One; not because there is not even one. Just as it was said of her Husband Himself, the lion of the tribe of Juda, of whom the prophet foretold beforehand, Thou hast gone up lying down: that is, on the cross. Thou hast gone up, is the cross; lying down, is death. For what is Thou hast gone up, except what is written, And they crucified Him? Whence He Himself also says, As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up; that everyone who believes in Him may not perish, but may have eternal life (John 3:14–15). What is lying down? And having bowed His head He gave up His spirit (John 19:18, 30). When, therefore, it was said there also, Thou hast gone up lying down; there followed, Thou hast slept like a lion. Thou hast slept like a lion: Thou didst not flee like a fox. What is, Thou hast slept like a lion? Out of power, not out of necessity. And when it had been said, Thou hast slept like a lion; he went on to say, Who shall raise Him up (Gen. 49:9)? Who shall raise up? For it is not that no one shall: but which of men? For none but God, Who exalted Him from the dead, and gave Him a name which is above every name (Phil. 2:9). He also raised Himself: whence He says, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up (John 2:19). And now, when you hear, Who shall find a strong woman? do not think that it is said of a Church which lies hidden, but of her who was found by One, so that she might lie hidden from no one. Therefore let her be described, let her be praised, let her be commended, she who is to be loved by all
Editors' notes and page, col. 222
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: dici quae latet› · call in col 222
Hoc loco apud Ambrosium additur: Illam enim solus invenit Deus, sicut dixit Apostolus, Cognovit Dominus qui sunt ejus. Et paulo post ad verba, unius uxor est, haec subjiciuntur: Ut scribit Apostolus ad Ephesios dicens, Sacramentum hoc magnum est, etc. Est quoque mater, sicut dictum est, Illa autem quae sursum est Jerusalem, libera est, quae est mater nostra, et multorum filiorum, quia multi filii desertae. Isthaec aliaque ibidem facta sermoni additamenta non reperiuntur in nostris Mss.
At this place in the Ambrose printing there is added: "For God alone found her, as the Apostle said, The Lord knows those who are His." And a little later, at the words unius uxor est, the following is subjoined: "As the Apostle writes to the Ephesians, saying, This is a great mystery, etc. She is also a mother, as it is said, But that Jerusalem which is above is free, which is our mother, and of many children, because many are the children of the desolate one." These and other additions made to the sermon in that place are not found in our manuscripts.
(printed under page 117)
Page
- running head: SERMO XXXVII. (column number 222 at right)
- marginal letters: (none)
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- other: the word omnibus was split at the column break and stands whole here (joined on receipt); check that the English reads whole across the break into col 223
- other: break into col 223 checked by Q1a: this column's English now ends whole ("loved by all", the trailing hyphen removed). Col 223's English still opens with a bracketed "[to all] ", which repeats the word and should be dropped there so that the sentence reads whole; col 223's file was not written by this read.
- other: kept as printed: no stop after the reference (Joan. III, 14, 15), before Quid est, recumbens (listed by Q1a; the English supplies the stop).
- other: UNSURE (Q1a): in note 1, in the words quoted from the Apostle, the word after Dominus is set qui; on the lean foot image it may be the ligature (quae). Not changed; to be read at higher zoom.
nobis ut mater: nam unius uxor est. Mulierem fortem quis inveniet? Mulierem istam tam fortem quis non videt? Sed jam inventam, jam eminentem, jam conspicuam, jam gloriosam, jam ornatam, jam lucidam; jam, ut cito explicem, toto terrarum orbe diffusam.
[to all] of us as a mother: for she is the wife of One. Who shall find a valiant woman? Who does not see this woman, so valiant? But [we see her] already found, already eminent, already conspicuous, already glorious, already adorned, already shining; already, to put it briefly, spread throughout the whole world.
CAPUT III. — 3. Pretiosior autem est lapidibus pretiosis, quae ejusmodi est. Quid magnum, quia pretiosior est mulier haec lapidibus pretiosis? Si modo humanas avaritias cogitetis, si ad proprietatem accipiantur lapides pretiosi, quid magnum est, quod quibuslibet lapidibus pretiosior invenitur Ecclesia? Nulla talis comparatio est: sed sunt lapides pretiosi in illa. Tam pretiosi sunt lapides isti, ut vivi dicantur (I Petr. II, 4, 5). Sunt ergo lapides pretiosi ornantes eam: sed est ipsa pretiosior. Volo aliquid commendare Charitati vestrae, quantum capio, quantum capitis, quantum timeo, quantum timere debetis de his lapidibus pretiosis. Sunt in Ecclesia lapides pretiosi, et semper fuerunt, docti, abundantes scientia et eloquio et omni instructione Legis. Pretiosi plane lapides isti sunt: sed ex eorum numero quidam aberraverunt ab ornamento mulieris hujus. Quantum enim pertinet ad doctrinam et eloquium unde fulget, lapis pretiosus erat Cyprianus: sed mansit in hujus ornamento. Lapis pretiosus erat Donatus: sed resiluit a compage ornamenti. Ille qui mansit, in ea se amari voluit: ille qui inde excussus est, praeter illam nomen sibi quaesivit. Illo permanens cum illa, ad illam collegit: ille resiliens, non colligere, sed spargere concupivit. Mali filii, quid sequimini lapidem pretiosum, de ornamento hujus mulieris excussum? Respondetis mihi, Quid enim? Tu sic intelligens quomodo ille? aut sic loqueris quomodo ille? aut tam doctus es quam ille? Sit licet intelligens: Intellectus bonus, omnibus facientibus eum (Psal. CX, 10). Sit licet doctus, licet liberalibus disciplinis et mysteriis Legis instructus, lapis est pretiosus: redi ab illo ad istam, Pretiosior est lapidibus pretiosis. Lapis pretiosus si non sit in ornamento mulieris hujus, jacet in tenebris. Lapis pretiosus quolibet jacet, jacet in tenebris: opus illi erat ut in ornamento hujus feminae permaneret, et esset in compagine ornamenti ejus. Ego autem fidenter dixerim, pretiosi lapides ideo dicti sunt, quia caro valent: jam ille vilis est, pretium perdidit, qui non habet charitatem. Doctrinam suam jactet licet, linguam suam jactet licet: audiat aestimatorem verorum lapidum matronae hujus; audiat, inquam, quemdam artificem ornamenti inspectorem. Quid jactat linguam suam, jam non pretiosus, sed vilis lapis? Si linguis hominum loquar, inquit, et Angelorum, charitatem autem non habeam, factus sum aeramentum
Chapter III. — 3. And she who is of this kind is more precious than precious stones. What great thing is it that this woman is more precious than precious stones? If you think only of human avarice, if precious stones are taken in their proper sense, what great thing is it that the Church is found more precious than any stones whatever? There is no such comparison: but there are precious stones in her. So precious are these stones that they are called living (1 Pet. 2:4–5). So there are precious stones adorning her: but she herself is more precious. I wish to commend something to your Charity, as far as I grasp it, as far as you grasp it, as far as I fear, as far as you ought to fear, concerning these precious stones. There are precious stones in the Church, and there always have been: learned men, abounding in knowledge and eloquence and in every instruction of the Law. These are plainly precious stones: but of their number some have strayed away from the adornment of this woman. For as far as concerns the learning and eloquence with which he shines, Cyprian was a precious stone: but he remained in her adornment. Donatus was a precious stone: but he sprang out of the setting of the adornment. The one who remained wished to be loved in her: the one who was shaken out from there sought a name for himself apart from her. The one, abiding with her, gathered towards her: the other, springing away, desired not to gather but to scatter. Wicked sons, why do you follow a precious stone shaken out of the adornment of this woman? You answer me: What then? Have you such understanding as he? Or do you speak as he did? Or are you as learned as he? Granted he has understanding: A good understanding to all who do it (Ps. 110:10). Granted he is learned, granted he is instructed in the liberal disciplines and in the mysteries of the Law, he is a precious stone: come back from him to her, She is more precious than precious stones. A precious stone, if it is not in the adornment of this woman, lies in darkness. A precious stone, wherever it lies, lies in darkness: it needed to remain in the adornment of this woman and to be in the setting of her adornment. But I would say with confidence that precious stones are so called because they are worth a high price: now that man is cheap, he has lost his price, who does not have charity. Let him boast of his learning, let him boast of his tongue: let him hear the appraiser of the true stones of this matron; let him hear, I say, a certain craftsman who inspects the adornment. Why does he boast of his tongue, being no longer a precious but a cheap stone? If I speak with the tongues of men, he says, and of Angels, but have not charity, I have become brass
Editors' notes and page, col. 223
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 223
Colbertinus Ms., quantum teneo, quantum tenere debetis.
The Colbert manuscript: quantum teneo, quantum tenere debetis ("as far as I hold, as far as you ought to hold").
(printed under page 118)
(2) ‹anchor: eloquium unde fulget› · call in col 223
In Ms. Sorbonico, unde fulgent. Apud Ambrosium, unde haec mulier fulget.
In the Sorbonne manuscript, unde fulgent. In the Ambrose printing, unde haec mulier fulget ("by which this woman shines").
(printed under page 118)
(3) ‹anchor: se amari voluit› · call in col 223
Corbeiensis Ms.: Ille qui in ea remansit, se ornare voluit.
The Corbie manuscript: Ille qui in ea remansit, se ornare voluit ("He who remained in her wished to adorn himself").
(printed under page 118)
(4) ‹anchor: quia caro valent› · call in col 223
Sic potiores Mss. Editi vero, quia charitate valent.
So the better manuscripts. The printed editions, however: quia charitate valent ("because they are strong in charity").
(printed under page 118)
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sonans, aut cymbalum tinniens (I Cor. XIII, 1). Cymbalum est lapis ille: jam non fulget, sed tinnit. Ergo discite lapides aestimare, negotiatores regni coelorum: nullus vobis lapis placeat, praeter hujus mulieris ornamentum. Haec quae pretiosior est lapidibus pretiosis, ornamenti sui ipsa pretium est.
sounding, or a tinkling cymbal (1 Cor. 13:1). That stone is a cymbal: it no longer shines, but tinkles. Learn therefore to value stones, you merchants of the kingdom of heaven: let no stone please you except the ornament of this woman. She who is more precious than precious stones is herself the price of her own ornament.
CAPUT IV. — 4. Confidit super eam cor viri ejus, Plane confidit, et ut confidamus docuit. Commendavit enim Ecclesiam usque ad terminos terrae, per omnes gentes, a mari usque ad mare. Haec si non usque ad finem perseveraverit, non super eam cor viri ejus confidit. Confidit super eam cor viri ejus: praescius confidit, falli non potest qui confidit. Non dictum est, Confidit super eam cor filiorum: poterant enim filii ejus parvuli falli; illius cor nullum mendacium decipit. Verum est ergo, quod confidit. Quae talis est, spoliis non indigebit. Non quia non quaerit spolia, ideo non indigebit: sed quia multis abundabit. Quae talis est, spoliis non indigebit. Undique spoliat mundum, ubique diffusa; rapit undique tropaea diabolo. Hoc enim ei promisit vir ejus, cui dicit in alio psalmo: Exsulto ego in verbis tuis, sicut qui invenit spolia multa (Psal. CXVIII, 162). Quemadmodum spoliis indiget, quae undique rapit, undique trahit, undique acquirit?
Chapter IV. — 4. The heart of her husband trusts in her. He trusts indeed, and He has taught us to trust. For He commended the Church to the ends of the earth, through all nations, from sea to sea. If she does not persevere to the end, the heart of her husband does not trust in her. The heart of her husband trusts in her: He trusts as one who knows beforehand; He who trusts cannot be deceived. It was not said, The heart of the sons trusts in her: for her little sons could be deceived; no lie deceives His heart. It is true, therefore, that He trusts. She who is such will not lack spoils. Not that she will not lack them because she does not seek spoils, but because she will abound in many. She who is such will not lack spoils. She despoils the world on every side, spread abroad everywhere; on every side she seizes trophies from the devil. For this her husband promised her, to Whom she says in another psalm: I exult in Thy words, as one who finds many spoils (Ps. 118:162). How does she lack spoils, who seizes on every side, draws in on every side, acquires on every side?
5. 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 (II Cor. V, 15). 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 quaerentibus: Operatur enim viro suo. Qui autem sibi operantur, omnes sua quaerunt, non quae Jesu Christi (Philipp. II, 21).
5. For she works good for her husband, and not evil, at all times. Hence it is that 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 may no longer live for himself, but for Him Who died for all, and rose again (2 Cor. 5:15). For her husband, then, she works good; before God she works good: Him she serves, to Him she is devoted; Him she loves, Him she always strives to please. She does not adorn herself, neither for her own eyes, nor for the eyes of others. She is not of those who please themselves, she is not 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 that are Jesus Christ's (Phil. 2:21).
CAPUT V. — 6. Inveniens lanam et linum, fecit utile manibus suis. Lanificam et linificam matronam istam sanctus sermo describit. Quaeritur 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, ⟨D⟩eum adorare; quid mihi opus est aut in ecclesiam ire, aut visibiliter misceri Christianis? lineam vult habere sine tunica lanea. Non novit, neque commendat talia
Chapter V. — 6. Finding wool and flax, she made something useful with her hands. The holy word describes this matron as a worker of wool and a worker of flax. But we are asked what the wool is, what the flax is. I think the wool is something carnal, the flax something spiritual. I venture to conjecture this from the order of our garments: for the linen garments are the inner ones; the woollen, the outer. Whatever we do with the flesh is in plain view: whatever with the spirit, in secret. But to work with the flesh, and not to work with the spirit, although it may seem good, is not useful. But to work with the spirit, and not to work with the flesh, is the way of the lazy. You find a man stretching out alms with his hand to a poor man, and yet not thinking of God in it, but desiring to please men: the woollen garment can be seen, he does not have the inner linen one. You find another saying to you, It is enough for me to worship God in my conscience, to adore God; what need have I either to go into church, or to mingle visibly with Christians? He wants to have the linen without the woollen tunic. He does not know, nor does he commend, such things
Editors' notes and page, col. 224
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 224 (numeral as it appears at the foot of the right column)
Editi: Hoc enim et promisit viro ejus. Emendantur hic ad Mss.
The printed editions: Hoc enim et promisit viro ejus ("For this she also promised to her husband"). They are corrected here according to the manuscripts.
(printed under page 118)
Page
- running head: [AU]GUSTINI EPISCOPI 224 (left edge cut off; the numeral is blurred and reads like 221)
- marginal letters: (none) (no marginal letters visible in the images)
- old-edition numerals: (none)
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 haec 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 haereditabit gentes: non est quod parcas, porrige longius funiculos tuos (Isai. LIV, 3, 2). Videte illam: Facta est quasi navis, qua negotiator a longe congerit sibi divitias. Divitiae mulieris hujus, laudes viri ejus. Videte quam a longe congerit sibi divitias: A solis ortu usque ad occasum, laudabile nomen Domini (Psal. CXII, 3).
works this woman. Spiritual things are indeed to be spoken of and taught without carnal ones; but those who receive them ought both to hold fast to the spiritual things and not to carry out carnal things carnally. 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, but are unwilling 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: Stretch out to the right and to the left; for your seed shall inherit the nations: there is no reason for you to hold back, lengthen your cords further (Isa. 54:3, 2). 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 from afar she gathers riches for herself: From the rising of the sun to its setting, praiseworthy is the name of the Lord (Ps. 112:3).
CAPUT VI. — 7. 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 haec, et de noctibus consurgit, et in tribulationibus proficit. Et dedit escas domui: in noctibus praebuit 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, 6). A nocte spiritus meus vigilat ad te, Deus (Isai. XXVI, 9). Media nocte surgebam ad confitendum tibi (Psal. CXVIII, 62). Haec alimenta nocturna abundant in domo mulieris hujus. Nemo ibi famem patitur, nec palpat ut inveniat quod manducetur: ardet ibi lucerna prophetiae. Sed numquid manducandum est et vacandum? Illa enim quae dedit escas domui, dedit et opera ancillis. Ancillae istae ipsius sunt, an viri ejus? An quia viri ipsius sunt, et ipsius sunt? An multae ancillae 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 unaquaeque 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 suae deputat. Est ergo ancilla, dans opera ancillis. Est ancilla: ejus enim filius est qui dicit, Ego servus tuus, et filius ancillae tuae (Psal. CXV, 16).
Chapter VI. — 7. She rises up by night, and gave food to her household, and tasks to her maidservants. She rises up by night: what power have the nights? They do not crush her, they do not force her to lie in darkness. And she rises up by night: the nights are tribulations. But she to whom these things come both rises up by night and makes progress in tribulations. And she gave food to her household: in the nights she offered herself to be imitated; by doing she taught what she said was to be done; and then she gave them food. Who would eat by night? Indeed, even then she gave food. For those to whom she gave it are always hungry. For blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be filled (Matt. 5:6). From the night my spirit keeps watch towards Thee, O God (Isa. 26:9). At midnight I rose to confess to Thee (Ps. 118:62). These nightly foods abound in the house of this woman. No one there suffers hunger, nor gropes about to find something to eat: there burns the lamp of prophecy. But is one to eat and be idle? For she who gave food to her household gave also tasks to her maidservants. Are these maidservants hers, or her husband's? Or, because they are her husband's, are they hers as well? Or is she herself the many maidservants? For she herself, although mother of the household, should yet not disdain to be a maidservant. Let her attend to her price, let her love her Lord. Let her acknowledge, I say, that she is a maidservant, and not fear that condition. For He does not disdain to make her a wife whom He bought at so great a price. And every good wife calls her husband lord. Indeed, she not only calls him so, but she thinks this, sounds this, carries this in her heart, professes this with her mouth, and regards the marriage tablets as the deeds of her purchase. She is therefore a maidservant, giving tasks to maidservants. She is a maidservant: for her son is he who says, I am Thy servant, and the son of Thy handmaid (Ps. 115:16).
CAPUT VII. — 8. Quaesiturus eras quid agat illis operibus etiam nocturnis; audi quid agat: Prospiciens agrum mercata est. Prospiciens, non in praesenti, sed in futuro, mercata est agrum istum: prospiciens fide, spe. Inde et de noctibus surgit. Si enim quod non videmus speramus, per patientiam exspectamus (Rom. VIII, 25). In omnibus tribulationem patiens: prospicit enim agrum quem mercatur. Inde enim
Chapter VII. — 8. You were about to ask what she does with those works, even the nocturnal ones; hear what she does: Looking ahead, she bought a field. Looking ahead, not in the present but in the future, she bought this field: looking ahead by faith, by hope. Hence she also rises by night. For if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it through patience (Rom. 8:25). Suffering tribulation in all things: for she looks ahead to the field which she is buying. For from there
Editors' notes and page, col. 225
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 225
Ita Mss. At editi omittunt particulam, sine.
So the manuscripts. But the printed editions omit the particle sine.
(printed under page 119)
(2) ‹anchor: prospicit enim agrum› · call in col 225
Ms. Corbeiensis: In omnibus tribulationibus prospicit agrum. Colbertinus: In omnibus tribulationem patiens, sed non deficiens, prospicit agrum.
The Corbie manuscript: In omnibus tribulationibus prospicit agrum ("In all tribulations she looks ahead to the field"). The Colbert manuscript: In omnibus tribulationem patiens, sed non deficiens, prospicit agrum ("Suffering tribulation in all things, yet not failing, she looks ahead to the field").
(printed under page 119)
Page
- running head: 225 SERMO XXXVII (cut off at right edge)
- marginal letters: (none)
- old-edition numerals: (none)
mulier fortis dicitur. Quid sunt noctes illae prae agro illo? Quod enim ad praesens temporale est et leve tribulationis nostrae (cum de noctibus surgimus), in incredibilem modum aeternum gloriae p⟨o⟩ndus operatur in nobis (cor habentibus ad agrum illum), non respicientibus quae videntur, sed quae non videntur. Quae enim videntur, temporalia sunt; quae autem non videntur, aeterna (II Cor. IV, 8, 17, 18). Qualis est ager ille? Quae pulchritudo ejus est? Inardescamus ad eum possidendum. Putamus non ipse est, de quo dixit Deus, Et species agri mecum est (Psal. XLIX, 11)?
is called a valiant woman. What are those nights compared with that field? For what at present is temporal and light in our tribulation (when we rise by night) works in us, beyond all measure, an eternal weight of glory (for those who have their heart set on that field), while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:8, 17–18). What is that field like? What is its beauty? Let us be set on fire to possess it. Do we not think it is the very one of which God said, And the beauty of the field is with Me (Ps. 49:11)?
9. 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 (Mat⟨t⟩h. VI, 21). 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 (Gen. III, 19). Modo tamen ut ad illius agri speciem pervenias, compara tibi unde compares agrum ibi. Quid? Collige pretium. Hoc enim agit haec mulier. Videte si tacitum est. Cum dictum est, Prospiciens agrum mercata est: tanquam diceres, Unde mercata est?
9. Looking upon a field, she bought it. Where she bought it, there she has the field. Where is the field? Where did she buy it? Where she also placed her treasure, so that in her might be fulfilled, Where your treasure is, there is your heart also (Matt. 6:21). Looking upon a field, she bought it. With what did she buy it? Lest perhaps you despair, and sigh, and do nothing: this field does not love a sluggish lover. There, certainly, when you have come to it, you will perhaps rest, nor will there be need for you to labour. For that field is not such as this one, where Adam ate his bread in the sweat of his face (Gen. 3:19). Now, however, so that you may come to the beauty of that field, procure for yourself the means with which to purchase the field there. What? Gather the price. For this is what this woman does. See whether it has been passed over in silence. When it was said, Looking upon a field, she bought it, it is as though you were saying, With what did she buy it?
CAPUT VIII. — De fructibus, ait, manuum suarum plantavit possessionem. Ipsa erant opera quae dabat ancillis, ut de fructibus manuum suarum plantaret possessionem in aeternum. Illam enim possessionem dixit, quae futura est. Hoc insinuat verbo quod ait, Prospiciens.
Chapter VIII. — From the fruits, it says, of her hands she planted a possession. These were the works which she gave to her maidservants, so that from the fruits of her hands she might plant a possession for eternity. For it called that the possession which is to come. This it intimates by the word it uses, Looking upon.
10. 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 praecepti 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? Quae 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.
10. Having girded her loins strongly, she strengthened her arms. Truly valiant. See whether she is not a handmaid. How devotedly she serves, how readily! Lest the loose folds of carnal desires hinder her as she works, she girds her loins, so that she may tread on nothing superfluous while she hastens at her work. For there is the chastity of this woman, bound tight by the girdle of the commandment, and always ready for every good work. Having girded her loins strongly, she strengthened her arms, which will not fail. Whence this? She has tasted that it is good to work. Where is the palate by which this is tasted? Men flee labour as if it were bitter: by fearing to taste, they do not know what it is to love. A good conscience does good work. And what is sweeter, brethren, than a good conscience? If it is not there, it stings; all things are bitter. Taste, then, taste, and you will see how it savours, how it will delight you, how afterwards you will not leave off until you consume the whole. She has tasted that it is good to work.
11. Non exstinguetur lucerna ejus tota nocte. Nemo
11. Her lamp shall not be put out all night. No one
Editors' notes and page, col. 226
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 226
Apud Ambrosium et in Sorbonicis Mss., pro agro illo. In Corbeiensi, vel quis ager ille?
In the Ambrose printing and in the Sorbonne manuscripts: pro agro illo ("for that field"). In the Corbie manuscript: vel quis ager ille? ("or what field is that?").
(printed under page 119)
(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 226
In Sorbonicis Mss. deest, habentibus; ejusque loco in Germanensi est, levantibus. At in Corbeiensi pro, cor habentibus, etc., legitur sic: Colit agrum illum non respiciens quae videntur, etc.
In the Sorbonne manuscripts habentibus is wanting; and in its place the Saint-Germain manuscript has levantibus. But in the Corbie manuscript, in place of cor habentibus, etc., the reading is: Colit agrum illum non respiciens quae videntur, etc. ("She tills that field, not looking at the things that are seen," etc.).
(printed under page 119)
(3) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 226
Mss. Sorbonici et Germanensis, unde compares agelli.
The Sorbonne manuscripts and the Saint-Germain manuscript: unde compares agelli. [The last word is broken across the line and faint in the scan; the reading is uncertain.]
(printed under page 119)
(4) ‹anchor: conscientia bona› · call in col 226
Ms. Colbertinus, facit conscientiam bonam.
The Colbert manuscript: facit conscientiam bonam ("makes a good conscience").
(printed under page 119)
(5) ‹anchor: amara sunt omnia› · call in col 226
Ms. Corbeiensis: Et quid amarius mala? Mala enim pungit, et cui inest, amara sunt omnia.
The Corbie manuscript: Et quid amarius mala? Mala enim pungit, et cui inest, amara sunt omnia ("And what is more bitter than a bad one? For a bad one stings, and to him in whom it is, all things are bitter").
(printed under page 119)
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- marginal letters: (none)
- old-edition numerals: (none)
accendit lucernam, et ponit sub modio (Matth. V, 15). Tu illuminabis lucernam meam, Domine (Psal. XVII, 29). 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, et per patientiam exspectemus, quod non visum speramus, tota nocte ardeat lucerna nostra. Qui enim nobis quotidie loquitur verbum, tanquam oleum infundit, ne lucerna exstinguatur.
lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel (Matt. 5:15). Thou wilt light my lamp, O Lord (Ps. 17:29). Her lamp is her hope. Towards it every person works, whatever good he does for the sake of hope. And this lamp burns in the night. For what we do not see, we hope for: that is why it is night. But if we both do not see and do not hope, then it is night and the lamp does not burn. What is more unhappy than such darkness? But so that we may not fail in the darkness, and may wait with patience for what, unseen, we hope for, let our lamp burn the whole night. For he who speaks the word to us daily pours in oil, as it were, so that the lamp may not be put out.
12. Manus suas extendit ad utilia. Quantum extendit has manus? A mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad terminos orbis (Psal. LXXI, 8), quo pervenit. Unde non frustra dictum est, In dexteram et sinistram extende (Isai. LIV, 3). Extendit manus suas, sed ad utilia.
12. She has stretched out her hands to useful things. How far has she stretched out these hands? From sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the world (Ps. 71:8), whither she has reached. Hence it was not said in vain, Stretch out to the right and to the left (Isa. 54:3). She has stretched out her hands, but to useful things.
CAPUT IX. — 13. 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 castae mulieris et matronae impigrae 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 praeceptorum Dei, quid faciat cras, nescit; quid fecerit hodie, scit. De futuro opere timet, de praeterito gaudet: et ut perseveret in bonis operibus, vigilat; ne forte negligens futurorum, perdat praeteritum. In orando tamen Domino, in omni deprecatione sua, non habet firmam conscientiam de opere futuro, sed de praeterito; 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, quae filo ⟨d⟩ucenda et nenda transeat in fusum. Quod in colo est involutum, est futurum: quod in fuso collectum est, jam praeteritum 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 praemium, 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 promissa.
Chapter IX. — 13. She has also strengthened her arms for the spindle. Not "fusum" from "infundere" [to pour in], but for that instrument of wool-working which they call the spindle. Concerning this spindle, which the Lord gives, I will speak: for these wool-workings are not foreign to men either. Hear what it means, She has strengthened her arms for the spindle. He could have said, For the distaff. He said spindle, perhaps not in vain. Although it may seem, and be understood not absurdly, that by the spindle wool-working is signified, and by wool-working a 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 in this spindle. Everyone who lives in good works in the holy Church, not a neglecter but a doer of the precepts of God, does not know what he will do tomorrow; he knows what he has done today. He fears concerning the future work, he rejoices concerning the past: and he keeps watch that he may persevere in good works, lest perhaps, neglecting the things to come, he lose what is past. Yet in praying to the Lord, in all his supplication, he does not have a firm conscience about future work, but about past; from what he has done, not from what he is going to do. Now therefore, 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, which, to be drawn out and spun into thread, 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 therefore 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 anxiety: Give, because I have given; forgive, because I have forgiven; do, because I have done. For you do not ask for a reward except for work done, not for work to be done. Whatever you work at, then, let your whole mind be on the spindle. For what hangs on the distaff must also be passed across to the spindle: but what has been gathered on the spindle must not be called back to the distaff. See then what you do, so that you may have something on the spindle, so that you may strengthen your arms for the spindle, so that the whole may be passed through to the spindle, so that the spindle may have something to console you, to strengthen you, to give you confidence in praying and in hoping for the promises.
Editors' notes and page, col. 227
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: quo pervenit› · call in col 227
Apud Ambrosium: Ecce quo perveniunt. In Ms. Colbertino sic legitur, et a flumine unde coepit, usque ad terrae terminos quo pervenit.
In the Ambrose printing: Ecce quo perveniunt ("See how far they reach"). In the Colbert manuscript the reading is: et a flumine unde coepit, usque ad terrae terminos quo pervenit ("and from the river where it began, to the ends of the earth where it has reached").
(printed under page 120)
Page
- running head: 227 S. AUGUSTINI EPIS[...] (cut off at the image edge)
- marginal letters: (none)
- old-edition numerals: (none)
- other: in section 13, at the head of a line, the first letter of ducenda is lost on the scan (a dot remains) and the u prints like an n; the d is supplied in ⟨ ⟩. The file had a daggered misreading here, corrected by Q1a from the page; the English already rendered the right word.
- other: the call of note 1 stands after quo pervenit in section 12 (anchor supplied by Q1a). The two notes under the right-hand column of page 120 are called in col 228 and are not set here.
CAPUT X.— 14. 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 neiat. Dum omnes instruantur, grammatici non timeantur. Manus autem suas aperuit pauperi, fructum autem ⟨p⟩orrexit inopi. Manus pauperi, fructum inopi. Est quidam pauper, manus tuas quaerit: est qnidam inops, fructum tuum quaerit. Qui quaerere non vult a te, nisi quod neccessitati suae prosit, pauper est, manus tuas quaerens. Est autem alius inops, qui dicit: Quasi nihil habentes, et omnia possidentes (II Cor. VI, 10). Non quasi necessitati suae vult satisfieri de dato tuo; sed tanquam in arbore dominica, quam plantavit et rigavit, fructum quaerit. Ipsum audi de quibusdam dicentem, cum de talibus loqueretur: Non quia quaero datum, sed requiro fructum (Philipp. IV, 17).
Chapter X.— 14. "And what am I to do?" perhaps you say: "what do you bid me have on the spindle?" Hear what follows: But she opened her hands to the poor man. Come, let us not be ashamed to teach you a holy wool-working. See, if anyone has a full purse, a full granary, a full storehouse: all these things are on the distaff; let them pass onto the spindle. See how she spins [net], or rather see how she spins [neiat]. So long as all are instructed, let the grammarians not be feared. But she opened her hands to the poor man, and held out fruit to the needy. Hands to the poor man, fruit to the needy. There is a certain poor man: he seeks your hands; there is a certain needy man: he seeks your fruit. He who wishes to seek nothing from you except what may profit his necessity is a poor man, seeking your hands. But there is another needy man, who says: As having nothing, and possessing all things (2 Cor. 6:10). It is not as though he wishes his necessity to be satisfied from your gift; but he seeks fruit as from the Lord's tree, which he planted and watered. Hear him speaking about certain people, when he was speaking of such: Not because I seek the gift, but I require the fruit (Phil. 4:17).
15. Non est sollicitus de his quae in domo sunt vir ejus, cum alicubi demoratur. Non est sollicitus quae in domo sunt, vir ejus: quia novit Dominus qui sunt ejus (II Tim⟨.⟩ II, 19). Quomodo sit sollicitus: quando quos praedestinavit, ipsos et vocavit; et quos vocavit, ipsos et justificavit; et quos justificavit, ipsos et glorificavit? Si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos (Rom. VIII, 30, 31)? 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 matronae hujus. Multi autem ad suam impietatem tarditate illius abutuntur; et dicit malus servus, Tardat dominus meus. Et incipit caedere conservos; et inebriari cum malis. Veniet dominus ejus in die qua nescit, et hora qua ignorat, et dividet eum. Ministrorum enim et praepositorum 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 (Luc. XII, 45, 46, 43). Ergo veniet, et dividet eum.
15. Her husband is not anxious about the things that are in the house, when he tarries somewhere. Her husband is not anxious about what things are in the house: because the Lord knows who are His (2 Tim. 2:19). How should He be anxious, when those whom He predestined, them He also called; and those whom He called, them He also justified; and those whom He justified, them He also glorified? If God is for us, who is against us (Rom. 8:30–31)? Her husband is not anxious: He knows His own, His own know Him. When He tarries somewhere. Where does He tarry, if not there whence He is to come? He tarries there, as it were He delays there. For many already long for His coming; and their longing is deferred until the number of the members of this matron is filled up. But many abuse His delay for their own impiety; and the wicked servant says, My lord delays. And he begins to beat his fellow servants, and to get drunk with the wicked. The lord of that servant will come on a day that he does not know, and at an hour of which he is ignorant, and will divide him. For it is the body of the ministers and of those set over others which gives the fellow servants their rations in due season. He will divide, it says, him. It has good and wicked, and He separates the wicked from the good. And He will put his portion with the hypocrites. Not the whole minister: because there are there also those who long for the coming of the Lord. There are there also some of that number of whom it is said, Blessed is that servant whom his lord, when he comes, finds so doing (Luke 12:45, 46, 43). Therefore He will come, and will divide him.
CAPUT XI.— 16. Nunc interim demoratur alicubi: sed non est sollicitus quid agatur in domo. Omnes enim apud eum 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 (Galat. III, 27). 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,
Chapter XI.— 16. Now meanwhile He tarries somewhere: but He is not anxious about what is done in the house. For all with her are clothed. Will He be anxious about the nakedness of His servants, when He tarries somewhere, having such a wife? They are clothed, and excellently. Do you wish to know how excellently? As many of you as were baptized in Christ have put on Christ (Gal. 3:27). All with her without exception are clothed. Both good servants and wicked servants are clothed: but the good servants are clothed who have put on Christ, not only in the form of the Sacra-
Editors' notes and page, col. 228
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 228
Mss. aliquot, neat.
Several manuscripts: neat.
(printed under page 120)
(2) ‹anchor: conservis cibaria› · call in col 228
Codex cb., et dividet eum, ne socius sit ministrorum et praepositorum copiarum ejus, qui dant in tempore conservis cibaria. Et paulo infra: Non totum ministrorum, quia.
Codex cb.: et dividet eum, ne socius sit ministrorum et praepositorum copiarum ejus, qui dant in tempore conservis cibaria ("and he will divide him, lest he be a companion of the ministers and overseers of his stores, who give their fellow servants their rations in due season"). And a little below: Non totum ministrorum, quia.
(printed under page 120)
Page
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- other: the word Sacramenti, was split at the column break and stands whole here (joined on receipt); check that the English reads whole across the break into col 229
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 vestibus nostris etiam opus faciamus. Omnes enim apud eam vestiti sunt.
-menti, but also in the work of example, following the footsteps of their Lord; others, however, as far as the Sacrament, being about to render an 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 have not worked well for this reason, because I am not clothed. See, therefore, how you ought to be clothed. For our garments let us also do work. For all in her house are clothed.
CAPUT XII. — 17. Quid viro suo? Quae servos vestit, viro suo nihil operatur? Duplicia pallia fecit viro suo. Jam acclamatis: credo quod agnoscitis quae sunt duplicia pallia, quae facit Ecclesia viro suo. Pallia quae illi facit, laudes sunt: laudes fidei, laudes confessionis, laudes praedicationis. 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 quae mulier apud Photinum quemdam, lapidem quasi pretiosum de ornamento hujus mulieris excussum, jam vilem et abjectum, unde haeretici 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 quae alia detestanda mulier, quasi et ipsa texens viro pallium, texens autem pannosas fabellas. Ait enim: Christus Deus est tantum, omnino hominis nihil habens. Hoc Manichaei dicunt. Photiniani, Homo tantum; Manichaei, 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 falsae cicatrices illae fuerunt, si vera vulnera non praecesserunt. Si autem vera vulnera praecesserunt, 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, 1, 2, 14). Duplicia pallia fecit viro suo.
Chapter XII. — 17. What does she do for her husband? She who clothes the servants, does she work nothing for her husband? She made double cloaks for her husband. Already you are acclaiming: I believe that you recognize what the double cloaks are which the Church makes for her husband. The cloaks which 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 may not be feigned. Some woman or other, in the house of a certain Photinus, a stone, as if precious, knocked off from the ornament of this woman, now cheap and cast away, whence the heretics are called Photinians, chose this: to make, as it were, a single cloak for her husband. He certainly did not receive it from His wife, truly His own, as it is written, The cloaks of One are double. For that man called Christ man only. Again there arose some other detestable woman, as though she too were weaving a cloak for her husband, but weaving ragged little tales. For she says: Christ is God only, having nothing at all of man. This the Manichaeans say. The Photinians, Man only; the Manichaeans, God only. The former confess nothing divine in the Lord; the latter, as it were, the whole divine, and yet so false that it is not even human. For if He was not man, then He did not die, then He was not crucified, then neither did He rise again. How could He rise again Who did not die? Then He also showed false scars to the doubting disciple. For without doubt those scars were false, if true wounds did not precede them. But if true wounds preceded them, there was true flesh; if true flesh, true death, true cross, true man, and He is wholly truth: abundant praise from the distaff of this woman. But those who feared these praiseworthily double cloaks have remained double through falsehood. She made double cloaks for her husband. Indeed she made double cloaks. Confess God, confess man; praise God in man, praise man in God. She wove that most precious cloak of praise, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word: this was in the beginning with God. She wove also another cloak, on account of His daily converse among men: The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 2, 14). She made double cloaks for her husband.
CAPUT XIII. — 18. De bysso et purpura vestimenta
Chapter XIII. — 18. Of fine linen and purple, garments
Editors' notes and page, col. 229
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: duplicia sunt pallia› · call in col 229
Ms. Germanensis, sicut scriptum legimus, duplicia sumit pallia. Sic etiam Colbertinus et Corbeiensis, nisi quod hic omittit verbum, sumit; ille ejus loco habet, sunt.
The Saint-Germain manuscript: sicut scriptum legimus, duplicia sumit pallia ("as we read it written, she takes double cloaks"). So also the Colbert and Corbie manuscripts, except that the latter omits the word sumit, and the former has sunt in its place.
(printed under page 121)
(2) ‹anchor: mortuus non est› · call in col 229
Ms. Germanensis, quia ille resurgere potuit, qui mortuus est.
The Saint-Germain manuscript: quia ille resurgere potuit, qui mortuus est ("because he was able to rise again who died").
(printed under page 121)
(3) ‹anchor: colo hujus mulieris› · call in col 229
Apud Ambrosium, et totum veritas, quidquid de tela hujus mulieris procedit.
In the Ambrose printing: et totum veritas, quidquid de tela hujus mulieris procedit ("and it is all truth, whatever comes forth from this woman's web").
(printed under page 121)
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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.
made for herself. For it was not fitting that the wife of so great a man should go about either naked or in rags. She made for herself garments of fine linen and purple. Of fine linen, the shining white confession; of purple, the glorious passion. Her fine linen we recognize when we pray; her purple we praise in the martyrs in the morning.
19. Conspicuus autem fit in portis vir ejus. Ille qui alicubi demoratur, ille qui pro tali conjuge de do⟨m⟩o sua sollicitus non est, ille quem demorantem alicubi nunc nemo videt, conspicuus fit in por⟨ti⟩s. Attende quando; vide quod sequitur: Cum sederit ⟨in⟩ ⟨c⟩oncilio cum senioribus terrae. Nihil evidentius; lege aliam prophetiam: Veniet ad judicium cum senioribus populi sui (Isai. III, 14). In illo concilio, hoc est, in illo judicio, judicantibus secum sanctis, quibus dictum e⟨s⟩t, Sedebitis super duodecim sedes, judicantes duodecim tribus Israel (Matth. XIX, 28), conspicuus erit. Veniet enim Filius hominis, sicut dixit, in majestate sua, et omnes Angeli ejus cum eo (Id. XXV, 31). Ibi omnes Angeli et Archangeli coelorum, 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 (Id. XI, 10); et, Sicut angelum Dei excepistis me, Apostolus loquitur (Galat. IV, 14). Ille ergo, ille 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 terrae. Quod donec fiat, haec 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.
19. But her husband becomes conspicuous in the gates. He who is staying away somewhere, He who is not anxious about His house on account of such a wife, He whom, staying away somewhere, no one now sees, becomes conspicuous in the gates. Attend to when; see what follows: When He shall sit in council with the elders of the land. Nothing is clearer; read another prophecy: He will come to judgement with the elders of His people (Isa. 3:14). In that council, that is, in that judgement, with the saints judging along with Him, to whom it was said, You shall sit upon twelve seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28), He will be conspicuous. For the Son of man will come, as He said, in His majesty, and all His angels with Him (Matt. 25:31). There [will be] all the Angels and Archangels of the heavens, and the angels who announce the word of God. For indeed a prophet too has been called an angel: for an angel is a messenger. And, Behold, I send My angel before Thy face, was said of John (Matt. 11:10); and, You received me as an angel of God, the Apostle says (Gal. 4:14). He, then, He who is now staying away somewhere, of whom many say, When is He going to come? or, Who is going to come? will be conspicuous in the gates, that is, in the open, in plain view. In the gates He will be conspicuous: but some He will admit, against others He will shut. Her husband will be conspicuous in the gates, when He shall sit in council with the elders of the land. Until this comes about, let her meanwhile do what she was doing: let her work, let her not cease; let her await Him who is to be conspicuous in the gates, let her not tremble at the holy council of the judgement of God; let her come with a good conscience, let her come in glory; for they are His members, and they are His sons, who are to judge with her husband.
CAPUT XIV. — 20. Sindones fecit, et vendidit. Bene quia sindones fecit: quare vendidit, nisi quia non quaerit datum, s⟨e⟩d 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 (Isai. LV, 1)? 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, quae spiritualia sunt, quae facit et praedicat ista mulier per omnes terras. Et forte vendere dicenda est: quia dixit Apostolus, Si nos vobis spiritualia seminavimus, magnum est, si carnalia vestra metamus (I Cor. IX, 11)? Etenim ratio illa est dati et accepti: nam in omni venditione ratio dati et accepti versatur. Contristatur autem Apostolus adversus quaedam fora, ubi non vendidit sindones: Nulla, inquit, mihi Ecclesia communicavit in ratione dati et accepti (Philipp. IV, 15). Sed ille qui sic vendidit, non quaerit datum, sed requirit
Chapter XIV. — 20. She made fine linen cloths, and sold them. Well [is it said] that she made fine linen cloths: why did she sell them, if not because she does not seek the gift, but requires the fruit? Understand this selling, brethren, as first of all gratuitous. And does anyone buy for nothing? If he takes for nothing, he does not buy: if he buys, he gives a price, he does not take for nothing. And where is, You who thirst, come to the water, buy for yourselves without silver (Isa. 55:1)? 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. Refer the linen cloths, then, to those linen garments which are spiritual, which this woman makes and preaches throughout all lands. And perhaps she is to be said to sell: since the Apostle said, If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things (1 Cor. 9:11)? For indeed that is a reckoning of giving and receiving: for in every sale a reckoning of giving and receiving is involved. But the Apostle is grieved against certain marketplaces, where he did not sell linen cloths: No church, he says, shared with me in the reckoning of giving and receiving (Phil. 4:15). But he who has sold in this way does not seek the gift, but reseeks
Editors' notes and page, col. 230
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 230
Ms. Colbertinus, laudabimus. Forte pro, laudavimus.
The Colbert manuscript: laudabimus. Perhaps for laudavimus.
(printed under page 121)
(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 230
In editis, nemo non videt. Abest, non, a Mss.
In the printed editions: nemo non videt. The word non is absent from the manuscripts.
(printed under page 121)
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fructum : ne quasi venditorem Evangelii putetis. Est quidem ille mercator Domini sui, sed magis pretium quaerit. Nam quidquid prorsus vendit, dat spiritualia : et quid quaerit? forte carnalia? Debentur quidem et ista : sed non ipsa quaerebat Apostolus, dicens, Non enim quaero vestra, sed vos ipsos (II Cor. XII, 14) Date ergo pretium, date vos ipsos. Neque enim et Joseph in Aegypto frumenta non vendebat : et tamen ipsos ementes, servos regios faciebat (Gen. XLII). Volentes vivere in illa fame, accipiebant frumenta, et fiebant servi. Timemus nos fieri servi? Vae 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 coelo descendit, eodem ipso pretio quod tu ipse es? Pretium enim meretricis tantum est, quantum panis unius (Prov. VI, 26). Sindones fecit, et vendidit.
fruit: lest you should think him a seller of the Gospel. He is indeed a merchant of his Lord, but rather he seeks a price. For whatever he sells at all, he gives spiritual things: and what does he seek? Carnal things, perhaps? These too are indeed owed: but the Apostle was not seeking them, saying, For I do not seek what is yours, but you yourselves (2 Cor. 12:14) Give therefore the price, give yourselves. For it is not that Joseph did not sell grain in Egypt: and yet those very people who bought he made royal slaves (Gen. 42). Wishing to live in that famine, they received grain, and became slaves. Are we afraid to become slaves? Woe to us, if we shall not be His slaves. What does it profit us to refuse such a Lord? We shall both be under the devil, and suffer famine, and not escape the power of the true Lord. Give yourself, and buy yourself fine linen, that is, a spiritual garment. So too you yourself are the price of a certain bread. For what? Because you give yourself to pleasure, do you not, for the lust of the flesh, as if to buy a harlot, give yourself as the price? How great a thing is it that you give yourself to God, that you buy for yourself the living bread, which came down from heaven, with that very same price which you yourself are? For the price of a harlot is as much as that of one loaf (Prov. 6:26). She made fine linen, and sold it.
CAPUT XV. — 21. Cinctoria autem Chananaeis. C⟨i⟩ngant se, operentur, veniant, sint servi de domo ⟨i⟩sta : ut omnes vestiti, omnes pasti sint. Cinctoria enim fecit, utique ad opus : nam et ipsa opus faciens, accinxit fortiter lumbos suos. Qui sunt Chananaei? Vicinae gentes populo Israel alienigenae. Aliquando qui eratis longe, facti estis prope in sangnine Christi. Qui eratis aliquando peregrini Testamentorum, et promissionis spem non habentes, et sine Deo in hoc mundo, nunc autem cives sanctorum et domestici Dei (Ephes. II, 13, 12, 19), acceptis cinctoriis operamini in domo dominica, jam facti domestici Dei ex Chananaeis, unde erat et illa mulier modo in Evangelio recitata. Chananaea erat, ad mensam filiorum accedere non audebat, sed tanquam canis micas requirebat. Vide quemadmodum se praecinxerit ad opus. Praecinctorium ejus, fides : hoc laudat ille. O mulier, magna est fides tua (Matth. XV, 21-28)!
Chapter XV. — 21. And girdles to the Canaanites. Let them gird themselves, let them work, let them come, let them be servants of this house: so that all may be clothed, all fed. For she made girdles, surely for work: for she herself too, doing work, girded her loins strongly. Who are the Canaanites? Neighbouring nations, foreign to the people of Israel. You who once were far off have been made near in the blood of Christ. You who were once strangers to the Testaments, and having no hope of the promise, and without God in this world, but now citizens with the saints and members of God's household (Eph. 2:13, 12, 19), having received the girdles, work in the Lord's house, now made members of God's household out of Canaanites, from whom was also that woman about whom the Gospel was just read. She was a Canaanite, she did not dare to approach the children's table, but like a dog she sought the crumbs. See how she girded herself for work. Her girdle, faith: this is what He praises. O woman, great is your faith (Matt. 15:21–28)!
22. Caetera videamus. Fortitudine et decore induta est. Decore, tanquam bysso; fortitudine, tanquam purpura. Quia enim fortis, ideo in passione sanguinea. Et laetata est in diebus novissimis. Laetata est : hic ergo diu tribulata. Nam unde haberet purpurea vestimenta sine tribulatione?
22. Let us see 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, therefore she is blood-red in suffering. And she rejoiced in the last days. She rejoiced: here, therefore, long afflicted. For whence would she have purple garments without affliction?
23. — Os suum aperuit attente. Praestet nobis in illa constitutis, ipsam laudantibus, illi cohaerentibus, 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 (I Cor. II, 3) : tanquam dicens, Os meum aperui attente. Os nostrum patet ad vos, o Corinthii (II Cor. VI, 11). Os suum aperuit attente.
23. — She opened her mouth attentively. May He grant to us, who are established in her, who praise her, who cling to her, who with her and in her await her husband, that we too may open our mouth attentively; not rashly, but cautiously, attentively, solicitously. With fear and much trembling I was among you, said the Apostle (1 Cor. 2:3): as if saying, I opened my mouth attentively. Our mouth is open to you, O Corinthians (2 Cor. 6:11). She opened her mouth attentively.
Editors' notes and page, col. 231
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 231
Ms. Germanensis: Numquid prorsus vendidit? Alii tres: Nam quid prorsus vendidit.
The Saint-Germain manuscript: Numquid prorsus vendidit? ("Did she really sell at all?"). Three others: Nam quid prorsus vendidit ("For what indeed did she sell").
(printed under page 122)
(2) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 231
Sic Mss. aliquot. At editi, spiritualem amorem.
So several manuscripts. But the printed editions: spiritualem amorem ("spiritual love").
(printed under page 122)
(3) ‹anchor: diu tribulata› · call in col 231
Ms. Corbeiensis: Tunc laetata est: quia hic diu tribulata.
The Corbie manuscript: Tunc laetata est: quia hic diu tribulata ("Then she rejoiced, because here she was long afflicted").
(printed under page 122)
Page
- running head: 231 S. AUGUSTINI EPISC[OPI] (cut off at image edge)
- marginal letters: (none)
- old-edition numerals: (none)
- other: the word attente. was split at the column break and stands whole here (joined on receipt); check that the English reads whole across the break into col 232
- other: misprint kept as printed in the source (§21): sangnine (for sanguine); listed by QA read Q2
Et ordinem posuit linguae suae : laudans creaturam tanquam creaturam, Creatorem tanquam Creatorem, Angelos tanquam Angelos, coelestia tanquam coelestia, terrestria tanquam terrestria, homines tanquam homines, pecora tanquam pecora. Nihil perturbatum, nihil inordinatum. Non accipiens in vanum nomen Domini Dei sui, non substantiam creaturae sentiens de Creatore : ita ordinate totum loquens, ut non praeponat inferiora potioribus, nec subdat potiora inferioribus.
And she set order to her tongue: praising the creature as a creature, the Creator as the Creator, the Angels as Angels, heavenly things as heavenly things, earthly things as earthly things, men as men, beasts as beasts. Nothing confused, nothing out of order. Not taking the name of the Lord her God in vain, not thinking of the Creator as having the substance of a creature: speaking the whole so orderly that she does not set lower things before better ones, nor subject better things to lower ones.
CAPUT XVI. — Disposuit ordinem linguae suae. Nihil pulchrius hoc ordine. Unde et ipsa dicit : Ordinate in me charitatem (Cant. II, 4). Nolite praepostere agere, nolite perturbare et confundere quae 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 caeteras celebramus hodie passionem, paulo ante audivimus confessionem, ordinans, linguam suam : Honorem, inquit, Caesari quasi Caesari, timorem autem Deo. Os suum aperuit attente, et ordinem posuit linguae suae.
Chapter XVI. — She arranged the order of her tongue. Nothing is more beautiful than this order. Hence she herself also says: Set charity in order in me (Song 2:4). Do not act preposterously, do not disturb and confound what God has set in order. Set charity in order in me. Love me as me, love God as God: do not offend God on account of me, nor offend me on account of anyone else whatever, nor anyone else whatever on account of me. Set charity in order in me. Her blessed daughter was established in this order, whose passion, among others, we celebrate today, whose confession we heard a little while ago, as she ordered her tongue: Honour, she said, to Caesar as to Caesar, but fear to God. She opened her mouth attentively, and set order to her tongue.
24. Severae conversationes domorum ejus. — Severae, fortes, districtae : non est ubi diffluatur, non amat dissolutionem. Cibos autem pigros non comedit. Merito tantum acquisivit.
24. Strict are the ways of life of her households. — Strict, strong, rigorous: there is no room for slackness, she does not love dissoluteness. But slothful food she has not eaten. Deservedly she has acquired so much.
25. 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 saecularis, quid erit, quia in diebus novissimis laetata 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 terrae 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. Quae illae divitiae sunt Angelorum? Unam vestem habent lucis : nunquam teritur, nunquam sordidatur. Illae sunt verae divitiae, ubi nulla
25. Here, then, she is laborious, watchful, solicitous, strictly correcting her house, rising in the nights, watching the lamp lest it be put out, strong in tribulation, fearful while the promises are not yet received, strengthening her arms to the spindle, not eating slothful bread: but after these labours, as it were of poverty and of worldly necessity, what will there be, since in the last days she has rejoiced? What will there be, do you wish to hear? Hear for the sake of what hope our lamp burns all night, now hear. Her sons rose up, and were made rich. Now we live in poverty, in poverty we keep watch; and when we die, in poverty we sleep: 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 you like of this earth, exposed to thieves and moths. Why do you boast yourself? Because you are weak, therefore many things are necessary to you. You need to be clothed much, because you cannot endure the cold: you must 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 is never worn out, it is never soiled. Those are true riches, where no
Editors' notes and page, col. 232
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: sentiens de Creatore› · call in col 232
Apud Ambrosium, non sentiens creaturam de Creatoris existere substantia. Id quidem opportune contra Manichaeos: sed secundum illud Decalogi praeceptum, Non accipies nomen Domini Dei tui in vanum, ubi commemorat Augustinus, solet de Filio Dei interpretari et Arianorum haeresim exinde refellere, uti facit nostra illa, quae in omnibus Mss. habetur, lectione. Vide supra, serm. 9, nn. 3 et 4.
In the Ambrose printing: non sentiens creaturam de Creatoris existere substantia ("not holding that the creature exists from the substance of the Creator"). That is indeed apt against the Manichees; but where Augustine recalls that second commandment of the Decalogue, You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, he is accustomed to interpret it of the Son of God and to refute from it the heresy of the Arians, as he does in that reading of ours, which is found in all the manuscripts. See above, sermon 9, nos. 3 and 4.
(printed under page 122)
(2) ‹anchor: quemlibet propter me› · call in col 232
In editis omissa erant isthaec verba, quae ex Colbertino codice restituuntur, nec alium quemlibet propter me. Horum loco in Mss. aliquot habetur tantum, praeter me.
In the printed editions these words had been omitted, which are restored from the Colbert codex: nec alium quemlibet propter me ("nor anyone else whatever on my account"). In their place several manuscripts have only praeter me ("besides me").
(printed under page 122)
(3) ‹anchor: tantum acquisivit› · call in col 232
Mss. Sorbonici, exquisivit.
The Sorbonne manuscripts: exquisivit.
(printed under page 122)
(4) ‹anchor: Quid te jactas› · call in col 232
Sic Mss. Editi vero, quid te lactas?
So the manuscripts. The printed editions, however: quid te lactas? ("why do you beguile yourself?").
(printed under page 122)
Page
- running head: [cut off at left]GUSTINI EPISCOPI (probably S. AURELII AUGUSTINI EPISCOPI)
- marginal letters: (none)
- old-edition numerals: (none)
- other: misprint kept as printed: a comma after ordinans (ordinans, linguam suam), in the paragraph of CAPUT XVI. The file had dropped it; set back by Q1a from the column images (UNSURE: a punctuation mark read on the lean image; confirm at higher zoom).
- other: the calls of notes 1 and 2 stand after sentiens de Creatore and after the second quemlibet propter me (anchors supplied by Q1a).
- other: English across the break from col 231: the word attente stands whole at the end of col 231, so the tail of its English that opened this column was removed by Q1a. Col 231's English still ends in the broken "at-" and should end "attentively."; col 231's file was not written by this read.
- other: format, not changed: this column (like col 231) sets a space before the colon in the source, where the other columns read by Q1a set none; left for a mechanical sweep.
erit inopia, nulla erit indigentia. Quid modo quaeris hoc, antequam surgas? Si filius es mulieris hujus, attende quando tibi divitiae 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.
there will be no want, there will be no need. Why do you seek this now, before you rise? If you are a son of this woman, take note of when riches are promised to you. Her sons rose up, and were made rich. Prepare yourself to receive the riches of the resurrection. Do not love these, so that you may deserve to come to those. Her sons rose up, and were made rich.
CAPUT XVII. — 26. 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? Haec est ipsa laus, ipsa sequetur. Audiamus, audiamus quemadmodum eam laudaverit vir ejus, videns eam jam cum tanta beatitudine filiorum, divitum in resurrectione mortuorum.
Chapter XVII. 26. And her husband praised her. We shall praise her, but not from what is our own. Her husband himself praised her. When her sons rose up and were made rich, he looked upon her, and gazed at her, and praised her. Who would not wish to hear how he praised her? If you listened with such delight when she was being 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 again, we shall hear it. Or has he not, even now, kept silent about her praise? This is the very praise; it itself will follow. Let us hear, let us hear how her husband praised her, seeing her now with such blessedness of her sons, rich in the resurrection of the dead.
27. Multae, inquit, filiae fecerunt potentiam. Laudes sunt, quibus eam laudat vir ejus. Multae filiae fecerunt potentiam. Quae filiae, quibus haec comparatur? Et non comparatur. Multae filiae 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. Multae filiae fecerunt potentiam: tu autem superasti, et superposuisti omnes. Tu, inquit, omnes superasti, tu super omnes posuisti. Quae sunt ergo aliae filiae quae fecerunt potentiam, quas ista superavit, et super quas ista superposuit? Aut quam potentiam fecerunt, aut unde ista superavit? Sunt enim malae filiae, quae sunt haereses. Quare filiae? Quia et illae ex ista natae sunt. Sed filiae malae, filiae non similitudine morum, sed similitudine Sacramentorum. Habent et ipsae Sacramenta nostra, habent Scripturas nostras, habent Amen et Alleluia nostrum, habent pleraeque Symbolum nostrum, habent multae Baptismum nostrum: ideo filiae. Sed huic mulieri, vultis nosse, quid alibi dictum sit, in Canticis canticorum? Sicut lilium in medio spinarum, ita proxima mea in medio filiarum (Cant. II, 2). Mirum dictum, easdem et spinas dixit et lilias. Et illae spinae faciunt potentiam? Faciunt plane. Non videtis quemadmodum et ipsae haereses 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 praedixi vobis (Matth. XXIV, 24, 25). Faciunt potentiam et spinae: de qua potentia dicitur, Nonne in nomine tuo manducavimus et bibimus, et in nomine tuo virtutes multas fecimus (Matth. VII, 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 multae filiae, non negamus: et spinae florem habent, sed fructum non habent.
27. Many daughters, it says, have wrought power. These are the praises with which her husband praises her. Many daughters have wrought power. Which daughters are these, to whom she is compared? And she is not compared. Many daughters have wrought power, but you have surpassed them. Pay attention, I beg you: we are now at the end of the reading. For I fear that I may have you tired at the very point where I most require you attentive. Let us hear her praises. Many daughters have wrought power, but you have surpassed them, and have set yourself above all. You, it says, have surpassed all; you have placed yourself above all. Which, then, are the other daughters that have wrought power, whom she has surpassed, and above whom she has set herself? Or what power have they wrought, or in what has she surpassed them? For there are bad daughters, which are the heresies. Why daughters? Because they too were born from her. But bad daughters, daughters not by likeness of conduct, but by likeness of the 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 is said of this woman elsewhere, in the Song of Songs? As a lily in the midst of thorns, so is my nearest one in the midst of the daughters (Song 2:2). A wonderful saying: he called the same ones both thorns and daughters. And do those thorns work power? Plainly they do. Do you not see how the heresies themselves pray, fast, give alms, praise Christ? I can say that there are false prophets there, of whom it has been said, They work many signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if it be possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you beforehand (Matt. 24:24–25). The thorns too work power: of which power it is said, Did we not eat and drink in Thy name, and in Thy name do many mighty works (Matt. 7:22, and Luke 13:26)? We ate and drank: he would not be speaking of just any food; you know of what food or drink he could have been speaking. And we did many mighty works. Many daughters work power, we do not deny it: thorns too have a flower, but fruit they do not hahave.
Editors' notes and page, col. 233
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: not visible› · call in col 233
Liber cl. Audiamus ita vivamus in illa, et cum illa audiamus quemadmodum, etc.
The book cl.: Audiamus ita vivamus in illa, et cum illa audiamus quemadmodum, etc. ("Let us hear; let us so live in her, and with her let us hear how," etc.).
(printed under page 123)
(2) ‹anchor: ista natae sunt› · call in col 233
Editi, Quia et illae et istae natae sunt. Melius Mss., ex ista.
The printed editions: Quia et illae et istae natae sunt. Better the manuscripts: ex ista ("from her").
(printed under page 123)
Page
- running head: 233 SERMO XXXVI[...] (cut off at the right edge of the image; presumably SERMO XXXVII)
- marginal letters: (none)
- old-edition numerals: (none)
Haec autem cui dixit, Tu autem superasti et superposuisti omnes, unde superavit, nisi quia non solum florem, sed et fructum habet?
But she to whom he said, But you have surpassed and set yourself above all: whence did she surpass, unless because she has not only the flower but also the fruit?
CAPUT XVIII. — 28. Quem fructum habet? Unde superavit? Dicatur mihi. Supereminentem, inquit, viam vobis demonstro. Quam supereminentem viam? Quia inde ista superavit, inde ista superposuit omnes. Si linguis hominum loquar et Angelorum, charitatem autem non habeam, factus sum aeramentum sonans, aut cymbalum tinniens. Loquitur linguis, ad potentiam illam flores pertinent. Si sciam omnia sacramenta et omnem scientiam, et habeam omnem prophetiam et omnem fidem, ita ut montes transferam, (quanta potentia!) charitatem autem non habeam, nihil sum. Audi adhuc alias potentias, ad florem pertinentes, non ad fructum. Si distribuero omnia mea pauperibus, et tradidero corpus meum ut ardeam, charitatem autem non habuero, nihil mihi prodest (I Cor. XII, 31, et XIII, 3). Hanc habet ista supereminentem viam, unde illi dixit, Multae filiae fecerunt potentias. Multae locutae sunt linguis, scierunt omnia sacramenta, fecerunt virtutes multas, daemonia excluserunt, res suas pauperibus distribuerunt, corpora sua ignibus tradiderunt. Infra te sunt, quia charitatem non habuerunt. Tu autem superasti et superposuisti omnes: non solum flore, sed et fructu gravida, fructu abundans. Vide ipsum botrum, unde incipiat. Cum enumeraret opera carnis, Fornicationes, inquit, immunditiae, luxuriae, idolorum servitus, veneficia, inimicitiae, contentiones, aemulationes, animositates, dissensiones, haereses, invidiae, comessationes, ebrietates, et his similia; quae praedico vobis, sicut praedixi, quoniam qui talia agunt, regnum Dei non possidebunt: onumeratis omnibus spinis in ignem mittendis, Fructus autem spiritus est, inquit, charitas; et ab hoc capite, ab hac tanquam radice caetera contexuntur, Gaudium, pax, longanimitas, benignitas, bonitas, fides, mansuetudo, continentia (Galat. V, 19⟨-⟩23). Unde iste botrus pulcher? Quia pendet a charitate. Multae filiae fecerunt potentiam: tu autem superasti et superposuisti omnes.
Chapter XVIII. — 28. What fruit does she have? Whence did she surpass? Let it be told to me. A more excellent way, he says, I show you. What more excellent way? Because from that she surpassed, from that she set herself above all. If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have charity, I have become sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. One speaks with tongues: flowers belong to that power. If I know all mysteries and all knowledge, and have all prophecy and all faith, so that I move mountains (how great a power!), but do not have charity, I am nothing. Hear yet other powers, belonging to the flower, not to the fruit. If I distribute all my goods to the poor, and hand over my body to be burned, but do not have charity, it profits me nothing (1 Cor. 12:31; 13:3). This more excellent way she has, which is why he said to her, Many daughters have done mighty things. Many have spoken with tongues, have known all mysteries, have worked many miracles, have cast out demons, have distributed their goods to the poor, have handed over their bodies to the flames. They are beneath you, because they did not have charity. But you have surpassed and set yourself above all: heavy not only with flower but with fruit, abounding in fruit. See the cluster itself, where it begins. When he was listing the works of the flesh, Fornications, he says, impurities, debaucheries, the service of idols, sorceries, enmities, contentions, rivalries, animosities, dissensions, heresies, envyings, carousings, drunkennesses, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, as I have forewarned, that those who do such things will not possess the kingdom of God: having listed all the thorns that are to be cast into the fire, But the fruit of the spirit is, he says, charity; and from this head, from this as from a root, the rest are woven together: Joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, continence (Gal. 5:19–23). Whence is this cluster beautiful? Because it hangs from charity. Many daughters have done a mighty thing: but you have surpassed and set yourself above all.
CAPUT XIX. — 29. In illis quid remansit? Falsae gratiae, et vana species mulieris. Quia si charitatem non habeo, factus sum aeramentum sonans, et cymbalum tinniens: nihil sum, nihil mihi prodest. Falsae sunt ergo gratiae, et vana species mulieris. Mulier enim sapiens benedicitur. Ista quae quaesivit quid intelligeret, quae intellectum custodivit, ista sapiens, ista benedicitur: non illae falsae species, non illa vana gratia. Sapiens mulier benedicitur. Timorem autem Domini ipsa collaudat. Ipsa quae benedicitur, collaudat aliquid unde benedicatur, quia sapiens est. Quid collaudat? Timorem Domini, quo perducta est ad sapientiam. Initium enim sapientiae, timor Domini (Psal. CX, 10): Ti⟨m⟩orem autem Domini ipsa collaudat. Laboriosa tot noctibus, inter tot scandala patiens, provida ad espectandum,
Chapter XIX. — 29. In those others what remained? False graces, and the vain beauty of a woman. For if I do not have charity, I have become sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal: I am nothing, it profits me nothing. False, therefore, are the graces, and vain the beauty of a woman. For the wise woman is blessed. She who sought what she might understand, who guarded understanding, she is wise, she is blessed: not those false beauties, not that vain grace. The wise woman is blessed. But the fear of the Lord she herself praises. She who is blessed praises something from which she may be blessed, because she is wise. What does she praise? The fear of the Lord, by which she has been led to wisdom. For the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord (Ps. 110:10): But the fear of the Lord she herself praises. Toiling through so many nights, patient amid so many offences, provident for
Editors' notes and page, col. 234
Footnotes
(1) ‹anchor: infra te sunt› · call in col 234
Editi, inflatae sunt. At Colbertinus Ms. Infra te sunt. Magis ad sensum hujus versiculi, Tu autem superasti, etc.
The printed editions: inflatae sunt ("they are puffed up"). But the Colbert manuscript: Infra te sunt ("they are beneath you"), which is closer to the sense of this verse, Tu autem superasti, etc.
(printed under page 123)
(2) ‹anchor: ipsum botrum› · call in col 234
Ita in Mss. At in editis, Vide ipsum florem.
So in the manuscripts. But in the printed editions: Vide ipsum florem ("See the flower itself").
(printed under page 123)
(3) ‹anchor: ab hoc capite› · call in col 234
Editi Et ab hoc apice. At Mss., capite.
The printed editions: Et ab hoc apice ("And from this summit"). But the manuscripts: capite ("head").
(printed under page 123)
(4) ‹anchor: tot noctibus› · call in col 234
Sic Ms. Colbertinus. At editi, tot laudibus.
So the Colbert manuscript. But the printed editions: tot laudibus ("with so many praises").
(printed under page 123)
Page
- running head: SERMO XXXVII. 234
- marginal letters: (none)
- old-edition numerals: (none)
- other: the word espectandum, was split at the column break and stands whole here (joined on receipt); check that the English reads whole across the break into col 235