S. AURELII AUGUSTINI HIPPONENSIS EPISCOPI DE OPERE MONACHORUM LIBER UNUS .

 CAPUT PRIMUM.

 2. Primum ergo videndum quid dicant illius professionis homines qui operari nolunt: deinde, si eos non recte sentire invenerimus, ad eorum correctione

 CAPUT II.

 CAPUT III.

 CAPUT IV.

 CAPUT V.

 CAPUT VI.

 CAPUT VII.

 CAPUT VIII.

 10. Apertius et clarius id esse ex consequentibus. Et redit rursus, modisque omnibus etiam atque etiam commendat quid sibi liceat, et tamen non faciat

 CAPUT X.

 CAPUT XI.

 CAPUT XII.

 CAPUT XIII.

 CAPUT XIV.

 16. Paulus praecipiens operari servos Dei, non vult tamen eorum necessitates minus curari a fidelibus. Labor servis Dei eligendus qui animo libero exe

 CAPUT XVI.

 18. Et paulo post dicit: Nam de ministerio quod fit in sanctos, ex abundanti est mihi scribere vobis. Scio enim promptum esse animum vestrum, de quo g

 19. Sicut ergo non cessavit Apostolus, imo Spiritus Dei possidens et implens et agens cor ejus, exhortari fideles qui haberent hujusmodi substantiam,

 CAPUT XVII.

 CAPUT XVIII.

 CAPUT XIX.

 CAPUT XX.

 24. Hanc quaestionem breviter solverem, si dicerem, quia et juste dicerem, credendum esse Apostolo. Ipse enim sciebat cur in Ecclesiis Gentium non opo

 25. Si saltem habebant aliquid in hoc saeculo, quo facile sine opificio sustentarent istam vitam, quod 0568 conversi ad Deum indigentibus dispertiti s

 26. Contingit enim eis quod in viduis junioribus indisciplinatis cavendum idem apostolus dicit: Simul autem et otiosae esse discunt non solum autem o

 CAPUT XXIII.

 28. Proinde rursus istos alio sublimiore gradu justitiae superabunt, qui se ita instituerint, ut quotidie in agros tanquam in pastum pergant, et quo t

 29. Verum et hoc concedamus, toto vertente anno posse in agris reperiri vel ex arbore vel ex herbis, vel ex quibusque radicibus quod in escam sumi pos

 30. Quapropter, ut breviter complectar, isti qui ex Evangelii perverso intellectu tam manifesta apostolica praecepta pervertere moliuntur, aut non cog

 CAPUT XXIV.

 CAPUT XXV.

 33. Quamobrem etiam illi qui relicta vel distributa, sive ampla, sive qualicumque opulenta facultate, inter pauperes Christi pia et salubri humilitate

 CAPUT XXVI.

 35. Et quod sequitur de volatilibus coeli et de liliis agri, ad hoc dicit, ne quisquam Deum putet servorum suorum necessaria non curare cum ejus sapi

 CAPUT XXVIII.

 CAPUT XXIX.

 CAPUT XXX.

 39. Minus enim peccatur, si non laudetur peccator in desideriis animae suae, et qui iniqua gerit benedicatur (Psal. IX, 24).

 CAPUT XXXII.

 CAPUT XXXIII.

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 great spiritual reward, for this purpose that they should need food and clothing of no man, but with their own hands should procure these for themselves: then, to show that those evangelical precepts from which some cherish not only their sloth but even arrogance, are not contrary to the Apostolical precept and example. Let us see then whence the Apostle came to this, that he should say, “If any will not work, neither let him eat,” and what he thereupon joineth on, that from the very context6    “Circumstantia.” of this lesson may appear his declared sentence. “We command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh unquietly, and not according to the tradition which they have received7    “Acceperunt.” of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us; for we were not unquiet among you, neither ate we bread of any man for nought, but in labor and travail night and day working that we might not burden any of you: not for that we have not power, but that we might give ourselves as a pattern to you in which ye should imitate us. For also when we were with you, we gave you this charge, that if any will not work, let him not eat. For we have heard that certain among you walk unquietly, working not at all, but being busy-bodies. Now them that are such we charge and beseech in our Lord Jesus Christ, that with silence they work, and eat their own bread.”8    2 Thess. iii. 6–12 What can be said to these things, since, that none might thereafter have license to interpret this according to his wish, not according to charity, he by his own example hath taught what by precept he hath enjoined? To him, namely, as to an Apostle, a preacher of the Gospel, a soldier of Christ, a planter of the vineyard, a shepherd of the flock had the Lord appointed that he should live by the Gospel; and yet himself exacted not the pay which was his due, that he might make himself a pattern to them which desired what was not their due; as he saith to the Corinthians, “Who goeth a warfare at any time at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and of its fruit eateth not? Who feedeth a flock, and of the milk of the flock partaketh not?”9    1 Cor. ix. 1–7 Therefore, what was due to him, he would not receive, that by his example they might be checked, who, although not so ordained in the Church, did deem the like to be due to themselves. For what is it that he saith, “Neither ate we bread of any man for naught, but in labor and travail night and day working that we might not burden any of you; not for that we have not power, but that we might give ourselves as a pattern to you wherein ye should follow us?” Let them, therefore, hear to whom he hath given this precept, that is, they which have not this power which he had, to wit, that while only spiritually working they should eat bread by corporal labor not earned:10    Gratuitum and as he says, “We charge and beseech in Christ that with silence they work and eat their own bread,” let them not dispute against the most manifest words of the Apostle, because this also pertaineth to that “silence” with which they ought to work and eat their own bread.

CAPUT III.

4. Pauli praeceptum de corporali opere esse probatur ex circumstantia lectionis. Exemplo suo Paulus docuit quid praeceperit. Prius ergo demonstrare debemus beatum apostolum Paulum opera corporalia servos Dei operari voluisse, quae finem haberent magnam spiritualem mercedem, ad hoc ut ipso victu et tegumento a nullo indigerent, sed manibus suis haec sibi procurarent: deinde ostendere evangelica illa praecepta, de quibus nonnulli non solum pigritiam, sed etiam arrogantiam suam fovent, apostolico praecepto et exemplo non esse contraria. Videamus itaque unde ad hoc venerit Apostolus, ut diceret, Si quis non vult operari, non manducet; et quid deinde contexat, ut ex ipsa circumstantia lectionis appareat declarata sententia. Denuntiamus, inquit, vobis, fratres, in nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi, ut subtrahatis vos ab omni fratre inquiete ambulante, et non secundum traditionem quam acceperunt a nobis. Ipsi enim scitis quomodo oporteat imitari nos; quia non fuimus inquieti inter vos, neque panem ab aliquo gratis manducavimus, sed in labore et fatigatione die ac nocte operantes, ne quem vestrum gravaremus: non quia non habuerimus potestatem, sed ut nosmetipsos formam daremus vobis, qua nos imitaremini. Nam et cum apud vos essemus, hoc vobis praecepiebamus, quoniam si quis non vult operari, non manducet. Audivimus enim quosdam inter vos ambulare inquiete, nihil operantes, sed curiose agentes. His autem qui ejusmodi sunt, praecipimus et obsecramus in Domino Jesu Christo, ut cum silentio operantes panem suum manducent (II Thess. III, 6-12). Quid ad haec dici potest, quandoquidem ne cuiquam postea liceret hoc pro voluntate, non pro charitate interpretari, exemplo suo docuit quid praeceperit? Illi enim tanquam Apostolo praedicatori Evangelii, militi Christi, plantatori vineae, pastori gregis constituerat Dominus ut de Evangelio viveret; et tamen ipse stipendium sibi debitum non exegit, ut se formam daret eis qui exigere indebita cupiebant: sicut ad Corinthios dicit, Quis militat suis stipendiis unquam? Quis plantat vineam, et de fructu ejus non edit? Quis pascit gregem, et de lacte gregis non percipit? Ergo quod sibi debebatur, noluit accipere, ut exemplo ejus coercerentur, qui sibi non ita ordinatis in Ecclesia talia deberi arbitrabantur. Quid est enim quod ait: Neque panem gratis ab aliquo manducavimus, sed in labore et fatigatione die ac nocte operantes, ne quem vestrum gravaremus: non quia non habuerimus potestatem, sed ut nos formam daremus vobis, qua nos imitaremini? Audiant ergo quibus hoc praecepit, id est, qui non habent hanc potestatem quam ille habebat, ut tantummodo spiritualiter operantes manducent panem a corporali labore gratuitum: et quemadmodum dicit, Praecipimus et obsecramus in Christo, ut cum silentio operantes panem suum manducent, non disputent contra manifestissima verba Apostoli; quia et hoc pertinet ad silentium, cum quo debent operantes 0552 manducare panem suum.