Of the Work of Monks.

 1. Thy bidding, holy brother Aurelius, it was meet that I should comply withal, with so much the more devotion, by how much the more it became clear u

 2. First then, it is to be seen, what is said by persons of that profession, who will not work: then, if we shall find that they think not aright, wha

 3. Nor do they attend to this, that if another should say, that the Lord indeed, speaking in parables and in similitudes concerning spiritual food and

 4. First then we ought to demonstrate that the blessed Apostle Paul willed the servants of God to work corporal works which should have as their end a

 5. I would, however, proceed to a more searching and diligent consideration and handling of these words, had I not other places of his Epistles much m

 6. Which thing whoso thinks cannot have been done by the Apostles, that with them women of holy conversation should go about wheresoever they preached

 7. But lest any should fancy that this was granted only to the twelve, see also what Luke relateth: “After these things,” saith he, “the Lord chose al

 8. But let us return to the order of our discourse, and the whole of the passage itself of the Epistle let us diligently consider. “Have we not,” sait

 9. But he speaks more openly in the rest which he subjoins, and altogether removes all causes of doubting. “If we unto you,” saith he, “have sown spir

 10. And he comes back again, and in all ways, over and over again, enforceth what he hath the right to do, yet doeth not. “Do ye not know,” saith he,

 11. And he goes on, and adjoins, lest perchance any should imagine that he only therefore received not, because they had not given: “But I have not wr

 12. But now, that as bearing with the infirmity of men he did this, let us hear what follows: “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myse

 13. Of this weakness of his, he saith in another place, “We made ourselves small among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children.” For in that pass

 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 wh

 15. But when he might use to work, that is, in what spaces of time, that he might not be hindered from preaching the Gospel, who can make out? Though,

 16. For he himself also, with an eye to the like necessities of saints, who, although they obey his precepts, “that with silence they work and eat the

 17. On account then of these either occupations of the servants of God, or bodily infirmities, which cannot be altogether wanting, not only doth the A

 18. And a little after he saith, “For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. For I know the forwardness

 19. As therefore the Apostle, nay rather the Spirit of God possessing and filling and actuating his heart, ceased not to exhort the faithful who had s

 20. For what these men are about, who will not do bodily work, to what thing they give up their time, I should like to know. “To prayers,” say they, “

 21. Moreover, if discourse must be bestowed upon any, and this so take up the speaker that he have not time to work with his hands, are all in the mon

 22. There also is said at what work the Apostle wrought. “After these things,” it says, “he departed from Athens and came to Corinth and having found

 23. Hence arises another question for peradventure one may say, “What then? did the other Apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas, sin, in

 24. This question I should briefly solve, if I should say, because I should also justly say, that we must believe the Apostle. For he himself knew why

 25. If at the least they once had in this world wherewithal they might easily without handiwork sustain this life, which property, when they were conv

 26. That, namely, befalleth them which in undisciplined younger widows, the same Apostle saith must be avoided: “And withal they learn to be idle and

 27. As it is, however, they, against the Apostle of Christ, recite a Gospel of Christ. For so marvellous are the works of the sluggards, hindered that

 28. Here then shall these persons in their turn be in another more sublime degree of righteousness outdone, by them who shall so order themselves, tha

 29. But let us grant this also, that the whole year round there may in the fields be found either of tree or of herbs or of any manner of roots, that

 30. Wherefore, that I may briefly embrace the whole matter, let these persons, who from perverse understanding of the Gospel labor to pervert apostoli

 31. For if they be urged from the Gospel that they should put nothing by for the morrow, they most rightly answer, “Why then had the Lord Himself a ba

 32. Some man will say: “What then does it profit a servant of God, that, having left the former doings which he had in the world he is converted unto

 33. Wherefore even they which having relinquished or distributed their former, whether ample or in any sort opulent, means, have chosen with pious and

 34. But then the Lord saith, “Be not solicitous for your life what ye shall eat, nor for the body, what ye shall put on.” Rightly: because He had said

 35. And that which follows concerning birds of the air and lilies of the field, He saith to this end, that no man may think that God careth not for th

 36. Since these things are so, suffer me awhile, holy brother, (for the Lord giveth me through thee great boldness,) to address these same our sons an

 37. We are not binding heavy burdens and laying them upon your shoulders, while we with a finger will not touch them. Seek out, and acknowledge the la

 38. These things, my brother Aurelius, most dear unto me, and in the bowels of Christ to be venerated, so far as He hath bestowed on me the ability Wh

 39. For there is less sin, if people do not praise the sinner in the desires of his soul, and speak good of him who practiseth iniquities. Now what is

 40. And then that further device of theirs, (if words can express it), how painfully ridiculous is it, which they have invented for defense of their l

 41. Wherefore, they which will not do right things, let them give over at least to teach wrong things. Howbeit they be others whom in this speech we r

40. And then that further device of theirs, (if words can express it), how painfully ridiculous is it, which they have invented for defense of their long locks! “A man,” say they, “the Apostle hath forbidden to have long hair: but then they who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of God are no longer men.” O dotage unparalleled! Well may the person who says this arm himself against Holy Scripture’s most manifest proclamations, with counsel of outrageous impiety, and persevere in a tortuous path, and essay to bring in a pestiferous doctrine that not “Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, and in the way of sinners hath not stood, and in the chair of noisome wickedness141    Pestilentiæ hath not sat.”142    Ps. i. 1 For if he would meditate in God’s law day and night, there he should find the Apostle Paul himself, who assuredly professing highest chastity saith, “I would that all men were even as I:” and yet shows himself a man, not only in so being, but also in so speaking. For he saith, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; when I became a man, I put away childish things.”143    1 Cor. xiii. 11. [See R.V.] But why should I mention the Apostle, when concerning our Lord and Saviour Himself they know not what they think who say these things. For of Whom but Him is it said, “Until we come all to unity of faith and to knowledge of the Son of God, to the Perfect Man, to the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ; that we be no longer babes, tossed and carried about with every wind of doctrine, in sleight of men, in cunning craftiness for machination of error.”144    Eph. iv. 13, 14 With which sleight these persons deceive ignorant people, with which cunning craftiness and machinations of the enemy both they themselves are whirled round, and in their whirling essay to make the minds of the weak which cohere unto them so (in a manner) to spin round with them, that they also may not know where they are. For they have heard or read that which is written, “Whosoever of you have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ: where is no Jew nor Greek; no bond nor free; no male nor female.”145    Gal. iii. 27, 28. [See R.V.] And they do not understand that it is in reference to concupiscence of carnal sex146    2 Cor. iv. 16 that this is said, because in the inner man, wherein we are renewed in newness of our mind, no sex of this kind exists. Then let them not deny themselves to be men, just because in respect of their masculine sex they work not. For wedded Christians also who do this work, are of course not Christians on the score of that which they have in common with the rest who are not Christians and with the very cattle. For that is one thing that is either to infirmity conceded or to mortal propagation paid as a debt, but another that which for the laying hold of incorrupt and eternal life is by faithful profession signified. That then which concerning not veiling of the head is enjoined to men, in the body indeed it is set forth in a figure, but that it is enacted in the mind, wherein is the image and glory of God, the words themselves do indicate: “A man indeed,” it saith, “ought not to veil his head, forsomuch as he is the image and glory of God.” For where this image is, he doth himself declare, where he saith, “Lie not one to another; but stripping off the old man with his deeds, put ye on the new, which is renewed to the acknowledging of God, according to the image of Him who created him.”147    Col. iii. 9, 10 Who can doubt that this renewing takes place in the mind? But and if any doubt, let him hear a more open sentence. For, giving the same admonition, he thus saith in another place: “As is the truth in Jesus, that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, him which is corrupt according to the lust of deception; but be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, him which after God is created.”148    Eph. iv. 21–24. [See R.V.] What then? Have women not this renewal of mind in which is the image of God? Who would say this? But in the sex of their body they do not signify this; therefore they are bidden to be veiled. The part, namely, which they signify in the very fact of their being women, is that which may be called the concupiscential part, over which the mind149    Mens bears rule, itself also subjected to its God, when life is most rightly and orderly conducted. What, therefore, in a single individual human being is the mind and the concupiscence, (that ruling, this ruled; that lord, this subject,) the same in two human beings, man and woman, is in regard of the sex of the body exhibited in a figure. Of which sacred import150    Sacramentum the Apostle speaks when he says, that the man ought not to be veiled, the women ought. For the mind doth the more gloriously advance to higher things, the more diligently the concupiscence is curbed from lower things; until the whole man together with even this now mortal and frail body in the last resurrection be clothed with incorruption and immortality, and death be swallowed up in victory.151    1 Cor. xv. 54

CAPUT XXXII.

40. Perversa interpretatio Scripturae per crinitos monachos. Paulus apostolus summam castitatem professus. Praeceptum viris de non velando capite. Mens per virum, concupiscentia per mulierem figurata. Jam illud, si dici potest, quam luctuose ridiculum est, quod rursus invenerunt ad defensionem crinium suorum. Virum, inquiunt, prohibuit Apostolus habere comam: qui autem se ipsos castraverunt propter regnum coelorum (Matth. XIX, 12), jam non sunt viri. O dementiam singularem! Merito qui hoc dicit, adversus sanctae Scripturae manifesta praeconia consilio nefandae impietatis armatur, et perseverat in itinere tortuoso, et pestiferam doctrinam conatur inducere, quia non est beatus vir qui non abiit in consilio impiorum, et in via peccatorum non stetit, et in cathedra pestilentiae non sedit (Psal. I, 1). Nam si in lege Dei meditaretur die ac nocte, illic inveniret ipsum apostolum Paulum, qui certe summam castitatem professus dicit, Vellem autem omnes homines esse sicut me ipsum (I Cor. VII, 7): et tamen se virum ostendit non solum ita vivendo, sed etiam ita loquendo. Ait enim: Cum essem parvulus, quasi parvulus loquebar, quasi parvulus sapiebam, quasi parvulus cogitabam; cum autem vir effectus sum, evacuavi ea quae parvuli erant (Id. XIII, 11). Sed quid Apostolum commemorem, cum de ipso Domino et Salvatore nostro nesciant quid sentiant, qui haec dicunt. Nam de quo alio dicitur, Donec occurramus omnes in unitatem fidei et agnitionem Filii Dei, in virum perfectum, in mensuram aetatis plenitudinis Christi; ut ultra non simus parvuli jactati et circumlati omni vento doctrinae, in illusione hominum, in astutia ad machinationem erroris (Ephes. IV, 13 et 14)? Qua illusione isti decipiunt imperitos, qua astutia et machinamentis inimici et ipsi circumferuntur, et in sua circumlatione cohaerentes sibi animos infirmorum quodam modo rotare conantur, ut pariter nesciant ubi sint. Audierunt enim vel legerunt quod scriptum est, Quicumque enim baptizati estis in Christo, Christum induistis: ubi non est Judaeus, neque Graecus; non servus, neque liber; non masculus, neque femina (Galat. III, 27 et 28); et non intelligunt secundum carnalis sexus concupiscentiam hoc esse dictum, quia in interiore homine, ubi renovamur in novitate mentis nostrae (II Cor. IV, 16), nullus sexus hujusmodi est. Non ergo propterea se negent viros, quia masculino sexu nihil operantur. 0580 Nam et conjugati christiani qui hoc operantur, non secundum hoc utique christiani sunt, quod habent commune cum caeteris non christianis, et cum ipsis pecoribus. Aliud est enim quod vel infirmitati conceditur, vel mortali propagationi persolvitur; aliud autem quod ad capessendam incorruptam et aeternam vitam fideli professione significatur . Illud ergo quod de non velando capite viris praecipitur, in corpore quidem figuratur, sed in mente agi, ubi est imago et gloria Dei, verba ipsa indicant: Vir quidem, inquit, non debet velare caput, cum sit imago et gloria Dei. Ubi autem sit haec imago ipse declarat, cum dicit: Nolite mentiri invicem; exspoliantes autem vos veterem hominem cum actibus ejus, induite novum qui renovatur in agnitionem Dei secundum imaginem ejus qui creavit eum (Coloss. III, 9 et 10). Quis dubitet hanc renovationem in mente fieri? Sed et qui dubitat, audiat apertiorem sententiam. Eadem quippe admonens ita dicit alio loco: Sicut est veritas in Jesu, deponere vos secundum priorem conversationem veterem hominem, eum qui corrumpitur secundum concupiscentias deceptionis; renovamini autem spiritu mentis vestrae, et induite novum hominem, eum qui secundum Deum creatus est (Ephes. IV, 21-24). Quid ergo? mulieres non habent hanc innovationem mentis, ubi est imago Dei? Quis hoc dixerit? Sed corporis sui sexu non eam significant: propterea velari jubentur. Illam quippe significant partem, eo ipso quo mulieres sunt, quae concupiscentialis dici potest, cui mens dominatur, etiam ipsa subdita Deo suo, quando rectissime et ordinatissime vivitur. Quod ergo est in uno homine mens et concupiscentia (illa enim regit, haec regitur; illa dominatur, haec subditur), hoc in duobus hominibus, viro et muliere, secundum sexum corporis figuratur. De quo sacramento loquens Apostolus dicit, virum non debere velari, sed debere mulierem. Tanto enim gloriosius mens ad superiora promovetur, quanto diligentius ab inferioribus concupiscentia cohibetur; donec totus homo cum ipso etiam mortali nunc et fragili corpore in resurrectione novissima incorruptione atque immortalitate induatur, et absorbeatur mors in victoriam (I Cor. XV, 54).