14. Here peradventure some man may say, “If it was bodily work that the Apostle wrought, whereby to sustain this life, what was that same work, and when did he find time for it, both to work and to preach the Gospel?” To whom I answer: Suppose I do not know; nevertheless that he did bodily work, and thereby lived in the flesh, and did not use the power which the Lord had given to the Apostles, that preaching the Gospel he should live by the Gospel, those things above-said do without all doubt bear witness. For it is not either in one place or briefly said, that it should be possible for any most astute arguer with all his tergiversation to traduce and pervert it to another meaning. Since then so great an authority, with so mighty and so frequent blows mauling the gainsayers, doth break in pieces their contrariness, why ask they of me either what sort of work he did, or when he did it? One thing I know, that he neither did steal, nor was a housebreaker or highwayman, nor chariot-driver or hunter or player, nor given to filthy lucre: but innocently and honestly wrought things which are fitted for the uses of men; such as are the works of carpenters, builders, shoemakers, peasants, and such like. For honesty itself reprehends not what their pride doth reprehend, who love to be called, but love not to be, honest. The Apostle then would not disdain either to take in hand any work of peasants, or to be employed in the labor of craftsmen. For he who saith, “Be ye without offense to Jews and to Greeks and to the Church of God,”40    1 Cor. x. 32 before what men he could possibly stand abashed, I know not. If they shall say, the Jews; the Patriarchs fed cattle: if the Greeks, whom we call also Pagans; they have had philosophers, held in high honor, who were shoemakers: if the Church of God; that just man, elect to the testimony of a conjugal and ever-during virginity, to whom was betrothed the Virgin Mary who bore Christ, was a carpenter.41    Matt. xiii. 55 Whatever therefore of these with innocence and without fraud men do work, is good. For the Apostle himself takes precaution of this, that no man through necessity of sustaining life should turn aside to evil works. “Let him that stole,” saith he, “steal no more; but rather let him labor good with his hands, that he may have to impart to him that needeth.”42    Eph. iv. 28 This then is enough to know, that also in the very work of the body the Apostle did work that which is good.

CAPUT XIII.

14. Quod erat opus corporale Apostoli. Opera honesta ad victum comparandum. Hic fortasse aliquis dicat: Si corporale opus operabatur Apostolus, unde vitam istam sustentaret; quod erat ipsum opus, et quando ei vacabat et operari et Evangelium 0560 praedicare? Cui respondeo: Puta me nescire; corporaliter tamen operatum esse, et inde in carne vixisse, non autem usum potestate quam Dominus Apostolis dederat, ut Evangelium annuntians de Evangelio viveret, ea quae supra dicta sunt sine ulla dubitatione testantur. Neque enim aut uno loco aut breviter dictum est, ut possit cujusvis astutissimi tergiversatione in aliam traduci pervertique sententiam. Cum igitur tantae auctoritatis tam magnis et crebris molibus contradicentium conteratur adversitas; quid a me quaerunt, vel quale opus faciebat vel quando faciebat? Unum scio, quia nec furta faciebat, nec effractor aut latro erat, nec auriga, aut venator, aut histrio, nec turpilucrus: sed innocenter et honeste quae apta sunt humanis usibus operabatur; sicut sese habent opera fabrorum, structorum, sutorum, rusticorum, et his similia. Neque enim honestas ipsa reprehendit, quod reprehendit superbia eorum qui honesti vocari amant, sed esse non amant. Non igitur dedignaretur Apostolus sive rusticanum opus aliquod aggredi, sive in opificum labore versari. Qui enim ait, Sine offensione estote Judaeis, et Graecis, et Ecclesiae Dei (I Cor. X, 32), quos in hac causa revereri posset ignoro. Si Judaeos dixerint; Patriarchae pecora paverunt: si Graecos, quos etiam Paganos dicimus; etiam philosophos multum sibi honorabiles sutores habuerunt: si Ecclesiam Dei; homo ille justus et ad testimonium conjugalis semper mansurae virginitatis electus, cui desponsata erat virgo Maria, quae peperit Christum, faber fuit (Matth. XIII, 55). Quidquid ergo horum cum innocentia et sine fraude homines operantur, bonum est. Nam praecavet hoc et ipse Apostolus, ne quisquam ex necessitate sustentandae vitae in mala opera dilabatur. Qui furabatur, inquit, jam non furetur: magis autem laboret manibus suis bonum, ut habeat unde tribuere cui opus est (Ephes. IV, 28). Hoc ergo scire sufficit, quia et in ipso opere corporali id quod bonum est operabatur Apostolus.