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.

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 the Gospel, that of their substance they might minister to their necessities, let him hear the Gospel, and learn how in this they did after the example of the Lord Himself. Our Lord, namely, according to the wont of His pity, sympathizing with the weak, albeit Angels might minister unto Him, had both a bag in which should be put the money which was bestowed doubtless by good and believing persons, as necessary for their living, (which bag He gave in charge to Judas, that even thieves, if we could not keep clear of such, we might learn to tolerate in the Church. He, namely, as is written of him, “stole14    “Auferebat.” what was put therein:”) and He willed that women should follow Him for the preparing and ministering what was necessary, showing what was due to evangelists and ministers of God as soldiers, from the people of God as the provincials; so that if any should not choose to use that which is due unto him, as Paul the Apostle did not choose, he might bestow the more upon the Church, by not exacting the pay which was due to him, but by earning his daily living of his own labors. For it had been said to the inn-keeper to whom that wounded man was brought, “Whatever thou layest out more, at my coming again I will repay thee.”15    Luke x. 35 The Apostle Paul, then, did “lay out more,”16    1 Cor. ix. 7–15; and 2 Cor. xi. 7 in that he, as himself witnesseth, did at his own charges go a warfare. In the Gospel, namely, it is written, “Thereafter also Himself was making a journey through cities and villages preaching and evangelizing of the kingdom of God; and the twelve with Him, and certain women which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who is called Magdalene, out of whom seven devils had gone forth, and Joanna wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who ministered unto Him of their substance.”17    Luke viii. 1–3. [See R.V.] This example of the Lord the Apostles did imitate, to receive the meat which was due unto them; of which the same Lord most openly speaketh: “As ye go,” saith He, “preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out devils. Freely have ye received, freely give. Possess not gold nor silver nor money in your purses, neither scrip on your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, neither staff: for the workman is worthy of his meat.”18    Matt. x. 7–10 Lo, where the Lord appointeth the very thing which the Apostle doth mention. For to this end He told them not to carry all those things, namely, that where need should be, they might receive them of them unto whom they preached the kingdom of God.

CAPUT V.

6. Apostolis permissum mulieres sibi ministrantes secum habere exemplo Christi. Quod quisquis putat non potuisse ab Apostolis fieri, ut cum eis sanctae conversationis mulieres circuirent, quacumque Evangelium praedicabant, ut eis de sua substantia ministrarent necessaria, Evangelium audiat, et cognoscat quemadmodum hoc ipsius Domini exemplo faciebant. Dominus enim noster more misericordiae suae infirmioribus compatiens, cum ei possent Angeli ministrare, et loculos habebat, quo mitteretur pecunia, quae conferebatur utique a bonis fidelibus eorum victui necessaria: quos loculos Judae commendavit, ut etiam fures si evitare non possemus, tolerare in Ecclesia disceremus. Ille enim ea quae mittebantur, sicut 0553 de illo scriptum est, auferebat (Joan. XII, 6). Et mulieres voluit ut se ad praeparanda et ministranda necessaria sequerentur, ostendens quid evangelistis et ministris Dei tanquam militibus, a plebibus Dei tanquam provincialibus deberetur; ut si quis eo quod sibi deberetur, uti nollet, sicut Paulus apostolus noluit, amplius impenderet Ecclesiae, non exigendo stipendium debitum, sed quotidianum victum de suis laboribus transigendo. Audierat enim stabularius, ad quem vulneratus ille perductus est: Si quid amplius erogaveris, in redeundo reddam tibi (Luc. X, 35). Amplius ergo erogabat apostolus Paulus, qui suis, ut ipse testatur, stipendiis militabat (I Cor. IX, 7-15, et II Cor. XI, 7). In Evangelio enim scriptum est: Deinceps et ipse iter faciebat per civitates et castella praedicans et evangelizans regnum Dei; et duodecim cum illo, et mulieres aliquae quae erant curatae a spiritibus malignis et infirmitatibus: Maria quae vocatur Magdalene, de qua daemonia septem exierant , et Joanna uxor Chuzae procuratoris Herodis, et Susanna, et aliae multae, quae ministrabant eis de facultatibus suis (Luc. VIII, 1-3). Hoc exemplum Domini imitabantur Apostoli, ad accipiendum sibi debitum cibum; de quo idem Dominus apertissime loquitur: Euntes, inquit, praedicate dicentes, quia appropinquavit regnum coelorum. Infirmos curate, mortuos suscitate, leprosos mundate, daemonia ejicite. Gratis accepistis, gratis date. Nolite possidere aurum, neque argentum, neque pecuniam in zonis vestris, neque peram in via, neque duas tunicas, neque calceamenta, neque virgam: dignus est enim operarius cibo suo (Matth. X, 7-10). Ecce ubi constituit Dominus quod idem apostolus commemorat. Ad hoc enim dixit illa omnia ne portarent, ut ubi opus esset, ab eis acciperent quibus annuntiabant regnum Dei.