Sermons to the People 179.1–179.10

Latin text: PL 38 (Latin text: Migne, PL 38, digitized by Open Greek and Latin (patrologia_latina-dev, University of Leipzig), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: NPNF 1/6: Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament (R. G. MacMullen, ed., 1888).

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Chapter 179

179.1PL 38:559

Verbi Dei assiduos auditores, beatus Jacobus apostolus convenit, dicens: Estote autem factores verbi, et non auditores tantum, fallentes vosmetipsos. Neque enim eum cujus verbum est, aut per quem dicitur verbum; sed vosmetipsos fallitis. Ex hac ergo sententia manante de fonte veritatis, per os apostolicum veracissimum, audemus et nos exhortari vos: et cum exhortamur vos, respicere nos. Verbi Dei enim inanis est forinsecus prædicator, qui non est intus auditor. Nec ita aversi ab humanitate et fideli consideratione sumus, ut pericula nostra non intelligamus, qui verbum Dei populis prædicamus. Consolatur autem nos, quia ubi periclitamur in ministeriis nostris, adjuvamur orationibus vestris. Nam ut noveritis, fratres, quam tutiore loco stetis quam nos, ipsius apostoli aliam sententiam profero dicentis, Sit autem unusquisque vestrum velox ad audiendum, tardus autem ad loquendum. Prius itaque de hoc officio nostro loquar, propter hanc sententiam, qua admonemur esse velociores ad audiendum, tardiores ad loquendum: ut cum officium nostrum qui sæpe loquimur, excusavero, tunc veniam ad id quod primo proposui.

The blessed apostle James addresses the assiduous hearers of God's word, saying: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” For you do not deceive the one whose word it is, or the one through whom the word is spoken; but you deceive yourselves. From this sentence, then, flowing from the fountain of truth through the most truthful apostolic mouth, we too dare to exhort you; and while we exhort you, to look at ourselves. For he is an empty preacher of God's word outwardly who is not a hearer inwardly. Nor are we so turned away from humanity and from faithful consideration as not to understand our own dangers, we who preach God's word to the peoples. But it consoles us that where we are endangered in our ministry, we are helped by your prayers. For that you may know, brothers, how much safer a place you stand in than we, I bring forward another sentence of the same apostle, saying: “But let each of you be swift to hear, slow to speak.” So first I will speak of this office of ours, because of this sentence by which we are admonished to be swifter to hear, slower to speak; so that, when I have excused our office, we who speak often, I may then come to what I proposed first.

Jas 1:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Jas 1:19 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Taking James 1:22, Augustine notes that preachers too must be hearers, and that hearers stand in a safer place than preachers, who are told to be slow to speak.

  • Quotations: Jas 1:22, 19.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slips): Ncque enim cum cujus verbum est, aut per quem dicitur verbum; sed vosmelipsos fallitis. Ex hac ergo scntentia → Neque enim eum cujus verbum est, aut per quem dicitur verbum; sed vosmetipsos fallitis. Ex hac ergo sententia; audemus et nos exliortui vos → audemus et nos exhortari vos; Verbi Dci cnim inanis est forinsecus prædicator → Verbi Dei enim inanis est forinsecus prædicator; ut pericula nostra nou intelligamus → ut pericula nostra non intelligamus; Prius ilaquc de hoc officio nostro loquar → Prius itaque de hoc officio nostro loquar.

Topics: Church office, Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 179.1 (PL 38:559; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/179-1/#p-179-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

179.2PL 38:559–560

Oportet nos exhortari vos, ut non sitis auditores tantum verbi, sed etiam factores. Quod ergo sæpe vobis loquimur, quis non, parum advertens necessitatem nostram, judicat nos, cum legit, Sit autem omnis homo velox ad audiendum, tardus autem ad loquendum? Ecce studium vestrum nos non permittit istam servare sententiam. Debetis ergo orare, sublevare, quem cogitis periclitari. Verumtamen, fratres mei, dicam vobis, quod volo credatis; quia hoc in corde meo non videtis. Ego qui vobis assidue loquor, jubente domno et fratre meo episcopo vestro, et exigentibus vobis, tunc solidum gaudeo, dum audio. Gaudium, inquam, meum tunc solidum est, quando audio, non quando prædico. Tunc enim securus delector. Voluptas illa non habet inflationem. Non ibi formidatur præcipitium elationis, ubi est petra solidæ veritatis. Et ut sciatis ita esse, audite ubi dictum est, Auditui meo dabis exsultationem et lœtitiam. Ibi gaudeo, ubi audio. Deinde secutus adjunxit, Exsultabunt ossa humiliata. Ubi audimus ergo, humiles sumus: ubi autem prædicamus, et si non elatione periclitamur, certe vel frenamur. Et si non extollor, periclitor ne extollar. Ubi autem audio, sine fraudatore fruor, sine teste delector. Noverat hoc gaudium etiam amicus ille sponsi, qui dicebat: Qui habet sponsam, sponsus est: amicus autem sponsi stat, et audit eum. Et ideo stat, quia audit eum. Quia et primus homo audiendo Deum stetit, audiendo serpentem cecidit. Ergo amicus sponsi stat, et audit eum: et gaudio, inquit, gaudet propter vocem sponsi. Non propter vocem suam, sed propter vocem sponsi. Vocem tamen sponsi quam intus audiebat, foras populis non claudebat.

We must exhort you not to be hearers of the word only, but also doers. As for the fact that we speak to you often, who, not noticing our necessity, would not judge us when he reads, “But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak”? See, your eagerness does not allow us to keep this sentence. So you ought to pray for and support the one you compel to be in danger. Yet, my brothers, I will tell you something I want you to believe, since you do not see it in my heart. I who speak to you constantly, at the command of my lord and brother your bishop and at your demand, rejoice solidly when I hear. My joy, I say, is solid then, when I hear, not when I preach. For then I delight securely. That pleasure has no swelling. There the headlong fall of pride is not feared, where there is the rock of solid truth. And that you may know it is so, hear where it is said: “To my hearing you will give exultation and gladness.” There I rejoice, where I hear. Then it adds: “The bones that have been humbled will exult.” So when we hear, we are humble; but when we preach, even if we are not endangered by pride, at least we are reined in. And even if I am not lifted up, I am in danger of being lifted up. But when I hear, I enjoy without a deceiver, I delight without a witness. That friend of the Bridegroom knew this joy too, who said: “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom stands and hears him.” And he stands because he hears him. For the first man too stood by hearing God, and fell by hearing the serpent. So the friend of the Bridegroom stands and hears him, “and rejoices with joy,” he says, “because of the bridegroom's voice.” Not because of his own voice, but because of the Bridegroom's voice. Yet the Bridegroom's voice which he heard within, he did not shut out from the peoples outside.

Jas 1:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Jas 1:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 51:8 (50:10 Vulg.) (quotation, high confidence) · John 3:29 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Augustine, preaching at his bishop's command, confesses that he rejoices more securely in hearing than in preaching, since hearing humbles and preaching risks pride, like John the Baptist who stood and heard the Bridegroom.

  • The sermon was preached outside Hippo, at the request of the local bishop (“my lord and brother your bishop”). Quotations: Jas 1:22, 19; Ps 51:8 (50:10 Vulg.); John 3:29.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slips; stray mark): sed etiam faclorcs. Quod ergo sæpe vobis loquimur → sed etiam factores. Quod ergo sæpe vobis loquimur; tardus autem ad /oquendum? → tardus autem ad loquendum?; Non ibi formidatur prarcipitium elationis → Non ibi formidatur præcipitium elationis; et si non clalione periclitamur → et si non elatione periclitamur; sine fraudalore fruor, sine teste delector. Noveratlioc gaudium → sine fraudatore fruor, sine teste delector. Noverat hoc gaudium; amicus autem sponsi alat, et audit eum → amicus autem sponsi stat, et audit eum; et gaudio, inquit, guudet propter vocem sponsi. Nun propter vocem suam → et gaudio, inquit, gaudet propter vocem sponsi. Non propter vocem suam; quam intus audie* bat, foras populis non claudebat → quam intus audiebat, foras populis non claudebat.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 179.2 (PL 38:559–560; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/179-1/#p-179-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sermones-179-2) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

179.3PL 38:560

Hanc partem sibi elegerat etiam illa Maria, quæ ministrante et circa multum ministerium occupata sorore sua, sedebat ad pedes Domini, et otiosa verbum ejus audiebat. Joannes stabat, illa sedebat: sed illa corde stabat, et ille humilitate sedebat. Statio enim significat permansionem; sessio, humilitatem. Et ut sciatis quia statio permansionem significat, hanc permansionem dicitur diabolus non habuisse; de quo dictum est: Ille homicida erat ab initio, et in veritate non stetit. Item quia sessio significat humilitatem, ille psalmus ostendit, ubi admonet de poenitentia, et dicit: Surgite postquam sedistis, qui manducatis panem doloris. Quid est, Surgite postquam sedistis? Qui se humiliat, exaltabitur. Quid autem boni habeat auditio, ipse Dominus testis est, loquens de Maria quæ sedebat ad pedes ejus, et verbum ejus audiebat. Cum enim soror ejus occupatissima circa ministerium, a germana sua desertam se esse quereretur, ab interpellato Domino audivit: Martha, Martha, circa multa es occupata; porro unum est necessarium. Maria meliorem partem elegit, quœ non auferetur ab ea. Numquid malum erat quod Martha agebat? Quis nostrum satis explicet verbis, quantum sit bonum hospitalitatem ministrare sanctis? Si quibuslibet sanctis, quanto magis capiti et præcipuis membris, Christo et Apostolis? Nonne unusquisque vestrum habens hoc hospitalitatis bonum, quando audit quid Martha faciebat, dicit apud se ipsum: O beata, o felix, quæ suscipere Dominum meruit; cujus hospites Apostoli facti sunt ambulantes in carne! Nec tu deficias, quia non potes quod Martha, suscipere Christum in domum tuam cum Apostolis suis: facit te ipse securum: Quando uni ex minimis meis fecistis, mihi fecistis. Opus ergo magnum est, valde magnum, quod præcipit Apostolus dicens: Necessitatibus sanctorum communicantes, hospitalitatem sectantes ( Rom. in, 13). Quam laudans in Epistola ad Hebreos dicit: Per hanc quidam nescientes, hospitio receperunt Angelos. Magnum ergo ministerium, magnum donum. Et tamen Maria meliorem partem elegit; quia sorore sollicita, laborante, multa curante, illa vacabat, sedebat, audiebat.

This part that Mary too had chosen for herself, who, while her sister was serving and busy about much serving, sat at the Lord's feet and, at leisure, heard his word. John was standing, she was sitting; but she stood in heart, and he sat in humility. For standing signifies permanence; sitting, humility. And that you may know that standing signifies permanence: the devil is said not to have had this permanence, of whom it was said, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not stand in the truth.” Likewise, that sitting signifies humility, the psalm shows where it admonishes about repentance and says: “Rise after you have sat, you who eat the bread of sorrow.” What is “Rise after you have sat”? “He who humbles himself will be exalted.” But what good hearing has, the Lord himself is witness, speaking of Mary, who sat at his feet and heard his word. For when her sister, very busy about the serving, complained that she had been abandoned by her sister, she heard from the Lord to whom she appealed: “Martha, Martha, you are busy about many things; but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken from her.” Was what Martha was doing evil? Which of us could explain sufficiently in words how great a good it is to serve hospitality to the saints? If to any saints whatever, how much more to the head and the chief members, Christ and the apostles? Does not each of you who has this good of hospitality, when he hears what Martha was doing, say to himself: “O blessed, O happy woman, who was found worthy to receive the Lord, whose guests the apostles became while walking in the flesh!” And do not you lose heart because you cannot do what Martha did, receive Christ into your house with his apostles: he himself makes you secure: “When you did it to one of the least of mine, you did it to me.” So it is a great work, very great, which the Apostle commands, saying: “Sharing in the needs of the saints, pursuing hospitality.” Praising it in the Epistle to the Hebrews, he says: “Through this some, without knowing it, received angels as guests.” So it is a great service, a great gift. And yet Mary chose the better part; for while her sister was anxious, laboring, caring for many things, she was at leisure, she sat, she heard.

Luke 10:38–42 (quotation, high confidence) · John 3:29 (allusion, high confidence) · John 8:44 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 127:2 (126:2 Vulg.) (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 14:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:40 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 12:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 13:2 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Mary, sitting at Jesus' feet, chose the better part of hearing, as John stood and heard the Bridegroom; Martha's hospitality to Christ and the apostles was a great good, still possible through serving the least.

  • Quotations: Luke 10:38–42; John 8:44; Ps 127:2 (126:2 Vulg., Old Latin “surgite postquam sederitis”); Luke 14:11; Matt 25:40; Rom 12:13; Heb 13:2. The digital text has lost a few letters in the sentence on John and Mary; restored by the sense of what follows.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slips; OCR slips; letters lost restored by sense): Hanc partem sibi elegcrat etiam illa Maria, quæ ministrante et circa murium ministerium occupata sorore sua, scdebat ad pcdes Domini, et otiosa verbum ejusaudiebat. Joannesstabat, rat:sed illa corde stabat, et ille " humilitate sedebat. → Hanc partem sibi elegerat etiam illa Maria, quæ ministrante et circa multum ministerium occupata sorore sua, sedebat ad pedes Domini, et otiosa verbum ejus audiebat. Joannes stabat, illa sedebat: sed illa corde stabat, et ille humilitate sedebat.; et in veritate non stelit. Item quia sessio significat humilitatem, ille psalinus ostendit → et in veritate non stetit. Item quia sessio significat humilitatem, ille psalmus ostendit; a germana sua desertam so esse quereretur → a germana sua desertam se esse quereretur; Martha, Martha, circa multæ. occupata; porro unum est necessarium Maria meliorem partem elegit, quœ non cufertur ab ea. → Martha, Martha, circa multa es occupata; porro unum est necessarium. Maria meliorem partem elegit, quœ non auferetur ab ea.; Christo et Apostolisf Nonne unusquisque vestrum haber. boc hospitalitatis bouum → Christo et Apostolis? Nonne unusquisque vestrum habens hoc hospitalitatis bonum; cujus hospites Apostoli facti sunt ambulanles in carne! → cujus hospites Apostoli facti sunt ambulantes in carne!; Ei tamen Maria meliorem partem elegit → Et tamen Maria meliorem partem elegit.

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 179.3 (PL 38:560; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/179-1/#p-179-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sermones-179-3) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

179.4PL 38:560

Ostendit tamen Dominus, unde fuerit illa pars melior. Continuo quippe cum dixisset, Maria meliorem partem elegit; quasi quæreremus, ut scire vellemus unde meliorem, subjunxit et ait, Quæ non auferetur ab ea. Quid intelligimus, fratres mei? Si ideo meliorem partem elegit, quia non auferetur ab ea; sine dubio Martha eam partem elegerat, quæ auferretur ab ea. Plane auferetur ab omni homine, qui ministrat sanctis ea quæ sunt corpori necessaria, auferetur ab eo quod facit. Non enim semper ministraturus est sanctis. Cui enim ministrat, nisi infirmitati? cui ministrat, nisi mortalitati? cui ministrat, nisi esurienti ac sitienti? Hæc omnia non erunt, cum corruptibile hoc induerit incorruptionem, et mortale hoc induerit immortalitatem. Cum enim transierit ipsa necessitas, nullum erit ministerium necessitatis. Auferetur labor, sed reddetur merces. Cui tunc ministrabitur cibus, ubi esurit nemo? cui potus, ubi sitit nemo? cui hospitium, ubi peregrinus est nemo? Dominus ergo cum discipulis suis, ut posset mercedem hujus operis reddere, dignatus est indigere. Esuriebat et ipse, et sitiebat: non quia cogebatur, sed quia dignabatur. Bonum enim erat, ut per quem facta sunt omnia, esuriret: sic enim felix esset qui pasceret. Et quando Dominum quisque pascebat, quid dabat? quis dabat? unde dabat? cui dabat? Quid dabat? Cibum pani dabat. Quis dabat? Ille utique dabat, qui plus accipere volebat. Unde dabat? numquid de suo, quid enim habebat, quod non acceperat? Cui dabat? Nonne illi qui creaverat et quod accipiebat, et a quo accipiebat? Magnum hoc ministerium, magnum hoc opus, magnum donum. Et tamen Maria meliorem partem elegit, quœ non auferetur ab ea. Pars ergo Marthæ transit: sed, ut dixi., merces pro illa data non transit.

Yet the Lord showed why that part was better. For at once, when he had said, “Mary has chosen the better part,” as if we were asking, wanting to know why better, he added and said, “which will not be taken from her.” What do we understand, my brothers? If she chose the better part because it will not be taken from her, without doubt Martha had chosen the part that would be taken from her. Certainly it will be taken from every man who serves the saints with the things necessary for the body: it will be taken from him, what he does. For he will not always be serving the saints. For whom does he serve but weakness? Whom does he serve but mortality? Whom does he serve but the hungry and thirsty? All these will not be, when this corruptible has put on incorruption and this mortal has put on immortality. For when necessity itself has passed, there will be no service of necessity. The labor will be taken away, but the reward will be rendered. To whom will food be served then, where no one hungers? To whom drink, where no one thirsts? To whom hospitality, where no one is a stranger? So the Lord with his disciples, in order to be able to render the reward of this work, deigned to be in need. He himself hungered and thirsted: not because he was compelled, but because he deigned. For it was good that he through whom all things were made should hunger: for so the one who fed him would be happy. And when anyone fed the Lord, what did he give? Who gave? From what did he give? To whom did he give? What did he give? He gave food to the Bread. Who gave? He certainly gave who wanted to receive more. From what did he give? From his own? For what did he have that he had not received? To whom did he give? Was it not to him who had created both what he received and the one from whom he received it? Great is this service, great this work, great the gift. And yet Mary chose the better part, which will not be taken from her. So Martha's part passes; but, as I said, the reward given for it does not pass.

Luke 10:42 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:53–54 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 4:7 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Martha's service of bodily needs will cease when mortality ends, though its reward remains; Christ deigned to hunger so that those who fed him might be rewarded, while Mary's part will never be taken away.

  • Quotations: Luke 10:42; 1 Cor 15:53–54; 1 Cor 4:7 (allusion).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal heading left in the text; OCR slip; OCR slips; punctuation slip): Marth. opus aufertur, non merces. Ostendit tamen Dominus → Ostendit tamen Dominus; subjunxit et ait, Qum non auferetur ab ea → subjunxit et ait, Quæ non auferetur ab ea; sine dubio Martha eam partem clegerat → sine dubio Martha eam partem elegerat; Non enim semper ministraturus est sauctis. → Non enim semper ministraturus est sanctis.; et mortale boc induerit immortalitatem. Cum euim transierit ipsa necessitas, nullum erit ministerium neces itatis. → et mortale hoc induerit immortalitatem. Cum enim transierit ipsa necessitas, nullum erit ministerium necessitatis.; cui hospitium? ubi peregriaus est nemo? Domiuus ergo cuin discipulis suis → cui hospitium, ubi peregrinus est nemo? Dominus ergo cum discipulis suis; Esuriebat et ipse. et sitiebat → Esuriebat et ipse, et sitiebat; ut per quem facta suM omnia, esuriret → ut per quem facta sunt omnia, esuriret; Et quando Dominum quisqne pascebat → Et quando Dominum quisque pascebat; Quid. dabat? Cibum pani dabal. Quis dabat? Ille utique daliat, qui plus aceipere,olebat. Unde dabat? numquid de suo, quid eqim habebat, quod noa acceperat? → Quid dabat? Cibum pani dabat. Quis dabat? Ille utique dabat, qui plus accipere volebat. Unde dabat? numquid de suo, quid enim habebat, quod non acceperat?; merces pro illa dala lien transit. → merces pro illa data non transit..

Topics: Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 179.4 (PL 38:560; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/179-1/#p-179-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sermones-179-4) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

179.5PL 38:560–561

Pars vero Mariæ non transit. Videte quomodo non transeat. Unde delectabatur Maria quando audiebat? Quid manducabat? quid bibebat? Scitis quid manducabat, quid bibebat? Ipsum Dominum interrogemus, qui talem suis præparat mensam, ipsum interrogemus. Beati, inquit, qui esuriunt et sitiunt justitiam, quoniam ipsi saturabuntur. De isto fonte, de isto horreo justitiæ sancta Maria sedens ad pedes Domini, quasdam esuriens micas accipiebat. Tantum enim Dominus tunc dabat, quantum illa capiebat. Totum autem tantum quantum in illa sua futura mensa daturus est, nec ipsi discipuli, nec ipsi Apostoli capere tunc poterant, quando illis dicebat: Adhuc habeo vobis multa dicere; sed non potestis illa audire modo. Unde ergo Maria, ut dixi, delectabatur? Quid manducabat, quid bibebat avidissimis cordis faucibus? Justitiam, veritatem. Veritate delectabatur, veritatem audiebat: veritati inhiabat, veritati suspirabat. Veritatem esuriens manducabat, sitiens bibebat: et ipsa reficiebatur, et unde pascebatur non minuebatur. Unde Maria delectabatur? quid manducabat? Immoror, quia delector. Audeo dicere, ipsum manducabat quem audiebat. Si enim veritatem manducabat, nonne ipse dixit, Ego sum veritas? Et quid amplius dicam? Manducabatur, quia panis erat: Ego sum, inquit, panis qui de cœlo descendi. Iste panis est qui reficit, nec deficit.

But Mary's part does not pass. See how it does not pass. In what did Mary take delight when she heard? What was she eating? What was she drinking? Do you know what she was eating, what she was drinking? Let us ask the Lord himself, who prepares such a table for his own; let us ask him. “Blessed,” he says, “are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” From this fountain, from this granary of righteousness, holy Mary, sitting at the Lord's feet and hungering, was receiving certain crumbs. For the Lord was then giving as much as she could take. But the whole, as much as he will give at that future table of his, not even the disciples themselves, not even the apostles themselves could then take, when he said to them: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot hear them now.” In what then, as I said, did Mary take delight? What was she eating, what was she drinking with the most eager throat of her heart? Righteousness, truth. She delighted in truth, she heard truth, she gaped for truth, she sighed for truth. Hungering, she ate truth; thirsting, she drank it: and she herself was refreshed, and that by which she was fed was not diminished. In what did Mary delight? What was she eating? I linger, because I delight in it. I dare to say: she was eating the very one whom she was hearing. For if she was eating truth, did he not say, “I am the truth”? And what more shall I say? He was being eaten, because he was bread: “I am,” he says, “the bread that came down from heaven.” This is the bread that refreshes and does not run out.

Matt 5:6 (quotation, high confidence) · John 16:12 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:6 (quotation, high confidence) · John 6:41 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Mary's part does not pass, for she was fed on truth, receiving crumbs of the full feast to come; indeed she was eating Christ himself, the truth and the bread from heaven.

  • Quotations: Matt 5:6; John 16:12; John 14:6; John 6:41.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal heading left in the text; OCR slips; OCR slip; OCR slips): Pars Mariœ quomodo non transit Pars veTO Maria! non transit. Videte quomodo non transeat. Uude delectabatur → Pars vero Mariæ non transit. Videte quomodo non transeat. Unde delectabatur; quid bibebat t Ipsum Dominam interrogemus, qni talem. suis præparat meusam → quid bibebat? Ipsum Dominum interrogemus, qui talem suis præparat mensam; Beati, inquit, qai esuriunt ei sitiunt justitiam, a quoniam ipsi satarabuntur. De isto fonte, de isto horreo justitiæ sancia Maria → Beati, inquit, qui esuriunt et sitiunt justitiam, quoniam ipsi saturabuntur. De isto fonte, de isto horreo justitiæ sancta Maria; ncc ipsi discipuli, nec ipsi Apostoli ca • pere tunc poterant, quando illis diccbat → nec ipsi discipuli, nec ipsi Apostoli capere tunc poterant, quando illis dicebat; avidissimis cordis faucibus? iustitiam, veritatem Veritate delectabatur → avidissimis cordis faucibus? Justitiam, veritatem. Veritate delectabatur; silicns bibebat: et ipsa rEficiebatur → sitiens bibebat: et ipsa reficiebatur; Et quid amplius dicain? → Et quid amplius dicam?.

Topics: Christology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 179.5 (PL 38:560–561; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/179-1/#p-179-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sermones-179-5) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

179.6PL 38:561

Intendat itaque Charitas vestra. Ecce dicimus ministrare sanctis, cibum parare, potum ministrare, mensam ponere, pedes lavare, lectum sternere, tecto suscipere; nonne omne hoc transiturum est? Quis autem audet dicere, modo nos pasci veritate, non pasci autem cum venerimus ad immortalitatem? Nonne si pascimur modo micis, tunc plenam habebimus mensam? De ipso enim cibo spirituali Dominus dicebat, quando laudavit fidem Centurionis, et dixit: Amen dico vobis, non inveni tantam fidem in Isræl. Et ideo dico vobis, quia multi ab oriente et occidente venient, et recumbent cum Abraham et Isaac et Jacob in regno cœlorum. Absit a cogitationibus nostris, ut illos cibos in mensa illius regni cogitemus, de qualibus dicit Apostolus: Esca ventri, et venter escis; Deus autem et hunc et has evacuabit. Quare evacuabit? Quia fames non erit ibi. Quod manducabitur, non finitur. Nam et hoc præmium sanctis suis promittens in illo regno, ait: Amen dico vobis, quia faciet eos recumbere; et transiet, et ministrabit eis. Quid est, faciet eos recumbere, nisi, faciet requiescere, faciet vacare? Quid est, transibit, vel, transiet, et ministrabit eis? Post hunc transitum ministrabit eis. Hic enim transitum fecit Christus: veniemus ad eum quo transivit, ibi jam non transit. Nam et Pascha in hebræa lingua Transitus interpretatur. Hoc Dominus ostendit, imo evangelista, ubi de Domino dixit: Cum autem venisset hora ut transiret de hoc mundo ad Patrem. Si ergo hic nos pascit, et sic pascit; ibi quomodo pascet? Quod ergo elegit Maria, crescebat, non transibat. Delectatio enim cordis humani de lumine veritatis, de affluentia sapientiæ, delectatio cordis humani, cordis fidelis, cordis sancti, non invenitur voluptas, cui possit aliqua ex parte comparari, ut vel minor dicatur. Quod enim dicis, Minus est, quasi crescendo par erit. Nolo dicere, Minor: non comparo; alterius generis est, longe aliud est. Quid est enim modo quod omnes attenditis, omnes auditis, omnes excitamini, et quando verum aliquid dicitur, delectamini? Quid vidistis? Quid tenuistis? Quis color apparuit oculis vestris? Quæ forma, quæ figura, quæ statura, quæ lineamenta membrorum, quæ corporis pulchritudo? Nihil horum. Et tamen amatis. Quando enim sic laudaretis, si non amaretis? Quando amaretis, si nihil videretis? Me itaque non ostendente formam corporis, lineamenta, colorem, pulchros motus, me non ostendente, vos tamen videtis, amatis, laudatis. Si hæc delectatio veritatis dulcis est nunc, multo dulcior erit tunc. Maria meliorem partem elegit, quœ non auferetur ab ea.

So let your Charity attend. See, we speak of serving the saints: preparing food, serving drink, setting the table, washing feet, making the bed, receiving under one's roof: will not all this pass away? But who dares to say that we are fed on truth now, but not fed on it when we have come to immortality? If we are fed on crumbs now, shall we not then have a full table? For of this spiritual food the Lord spoke when he praised the centurion's faith and said: “Amen I say to you, I have not found such faith in Israel. And therefore I say to you that many will come from east and west and recline with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” Far be it from our thoughts that we should think of those foods at the table of that kingdom of which the Apostle says: “Food for the belly, and the belly for food; but God will destroy both the one and the other.” Why will he destroy them? Because there will be no hunger there. What will be eaten there is not used up. For promising this reward too to his saints in that kingdom, he says: “Amen I say to you, he will make them recline, and will pass by and serve them.” What is “he will make them recline,” but he will make them rest, he will make them be at leisure? What is “he will pass, or will pass by, and serve them”? After this passing he will serve them. For here Christ made the passage: we shall come to where he passed; there he no longer passes. For Pascha in the Hebrew language means “passage.” The Lord showed this—or rather the evangelist, where he said of the Lord: “But when the hour came for him to pass from this world to the Father.” If then he feeds us here, and feeds us so, how will he feed us there? So what Mary chose was growing, not passing away. For the delight of the human heart in the light of truth, in the abundance of wisdom—the delight of the human heart, of a faithful heart, of a holy heart—no pleasure can be found that could in any part be compared with it, so as even to be called lesser. For when you say, “It is less,” it is as if by growing it would become equal. I do not want to say “lesser”: I do not compare; it is of another kind, far different. For what is it now that all of you are attending, all hearing, all roused, and when something true is said, you are delighted? What have you seen? What have you held? What color has appeared to your eyes? What shape, what figure, what stature, what features of limbs, what beauty of body? None of these. And yet you love. For when would you praise so, if you did not love? When would you love, if you saw nothing? So, while I show no form of body, no features, no color, no graceful movements—while I show none of these—you nevertheless see, love, praise. If this delight in truth is sweet now, it will be much sweeter then. “Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken from her.”

Matt 8:10–11 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 6:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 12:37 (quotation, high confidence) · John 13:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 10:42 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Bodily service will pass, but the food of truth grows into the full banquet of the kingdom, where Christ will serve his saints; the hearers' present delight in truth, though they see no bodily form, foreshadows that sweeter joy.

  • Quotations: Matt 8:10–11; 1 Cor 6:13; Luke 12:37; John 13:1. The etymology of Pascha as “passage” is Augustine's.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal heading left in the text; OCR slip; OCR slips): Delectatio de lumine veritatis. Intendat itaque Charitas vestra. → Intendat itaque Charitas vestra.; nonne omne boc transiturum est? → nonne omne hoc transiturum est?; in regno cwlorum → in regno cœlorum; Deus autem ct hunc et has cuacuabit. Quare evacuabit? Quia fames non crit ibi. → Deus autem et hunc et has evacuabit. Quare evacuabit? Quia fames non erit ibi.; Quid est, faciet eoa recumbere, nisi, faciet requiescere, faciet vacarc? → Quid est, faciet eos recumbere, nisi, faciet requiescere, faciet vacare?; venicmus ad eum quo transivit → veniemus ad eum quo transivit; Hoc Dominus ostendit. imo evangelista, ubi de Domino dixit: Cumamem venistel hora ut transiret → Hoc Dominus ostendit, imo evangelista, ubi de Domino dixit: Cum autem venisset hora ut transiret; alterius generis est, longe a!iud cst. Quid est cnim modo → alterius generis est, longe aliud est. Quid est enim modo; Quoe forma, quæ figura → Quæ forma, quæ figura; Et tamen amalis. → Et tamen amatis.; si nihil vidcretis? → si nihil videretis?.

Topics: Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 179.6 (PL 38:561; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/179-1/#p-179-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sermones-179-6) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

179.7PL 38:561

Ostendi, sicut potui, quantum me Dominus adjuvare dignatus est, dulcissimæ Charitati vestræ, quam tutiore loco stetis audiendo, quam nos prædicando. Hoc enim modo vos facitis, quod tunc omnes facturi sumus. Non enim erit tunc aliquis magister verbi, sed magister Verbum. Illud ergo sequitur, quod ad vos pertinet facere, ad nos monere. Vos enim estis auditores verbi, nos prædicatores. Intus autem ubi nemo videt, omnes auditores sumus: intus in corde, in mente, ubi vos docet ille, qui vos admonet laudare. Ego enim forinsecus loquor, ille intus excitat. Omnes ergo intus auditores sumus; et omnes et foris et intus in conspectu Dei factores esse debemus. Unde intus factores? Quia qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendum eam, jam mœchatus est eam in corde suo. Et potest esse mœchus, nullo hominum vidente, sed Deo puniente. Quis est ergo intus factor? Qui non ad concupiscendum videt. Quis est foris factor? Frange panem tuum esurienti. Hoc enim cum fit, videt et proximus: sed quo animo fit, non videt nisi Deus. Estote ergo, fratres mei, factores verbi, et non auditores tantum, fallentes vosmetipsos: non Deum, non eum qui prædicat. Ego enim, vel quisquis vobis prædicat verbum, cor vestrum non videt: quid agatis intus in cogitationibus vestris, judicare non potest. Quod homo non potest, intuetur Deus, cui cor humanum non potest occultari. Ipse videt quo studio audias, quid cogites, quid teneas, quantum proficias de supplementis suis, quam instanter ores, quemadmodum depreceris Deum ex eo quod non habes, quomodo gratias agas ex eo quod habes: ille novit qui exacturus est. Nos pecuniam dominicam erogare possumus: veniet exactor qui dixit, Serve nequam, dares pecuniam meam nummutariis, et ego veniens cum usuris exigerem.

I have shown, as well as I could, as far as the Lord deigned to help me, to your most sweet Charity, how much safer a place you stand in by hearing than we by preaching. For in this way you are now doing what all of us will do then. For then there will not be any teacher of the word, but the Word as teacher. So there follows what pertains to you to do, to us to admonish. For you are hearers of the word, we preachers. But within, where no one sees, we are all hearers: within, in the heart, in the mind, where he teaches you who admonishes you to praise. For I speak outwardly; he rouses within. So we are all hearers within; and all of us, both outwardly and inwardly, in God's sight, ought to be doers. How doers within? Because “whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” And one can be an adulterer with no man seeing, but God punishing. Who then is a doer within? One who does not look in order to desire. Who is a doer without? “Break your bread to the hungry.” For when this is done, the neighbor also sees; but with what intention it is done, only God sees. So, my brothers, be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves—not God, not the one who preaches. For I, or whoever preaches the word to you, do not see your heart: I cannot judge what you do within in your thoughts. What man cannot, God sees, from whom the human heart cannot be hidden. He sees with what zeal you hear, what you think, what you hold, how much you profit from his supplies, how earnestly you pray, how you entreat God for what you do not have, how you give thanks for what you have: he knows, who will exact it. We can pay out the Lord's money; the exactor will come who said, “Wicked servant, you should have given my money to the bankers, and at my coming I would have exacted it with interest.”

Matt 5:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 58:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Jas 1:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:26–27 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Hearers already do now what all will do in heaven, where the Word himself teaches; all must be doers of the word both inwardly, as against lustful looks, and outwardly, as in feeding the hungry, before God who sees the heart.

  • Quotations: Matt 5:28; Isa 58:7; Jas 1:22; Matt 25:26–27 (Luke 19:23).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal heading left in the text; OCR slip; OCR slips; OCR slips; stray marks; OCR slips; words run together): Factores. verbi et intus et foris * esse debemus. Ostendi, sicut potui → Ostendi, sicut potui; quam tutiore loco stetis audiendo, quam njs prædicando → quam tutiore loco stetis audiendo, quam nos prædicando; sed magistrum Verbum → sed magister Verbum; ontnes auditores sumus: intus in corde, in mente, ubi vos docct ille → omnes auditores sumus: intus in corde, in mente, ubi vos docet ille; Ego enim forinsecus loquor, ille; intus excitat. Omnes ergo intus auditores sumus; et \ omnes et fotis etintus in conspectu Dei factores esse.debemus. → Ego enim forinsecus loquor, ille intus excitat. Omnes ergo intus auditores sumus; et omnes et foris et intus in conspectu Dei factores esse debemus.; Quia gui videritmulierem ad. concupiscendum eam, jam mœchatus est eam incorde suo. → Quia qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendum eam, jam mœchatus est eam in corde suo.; Estote ergo, fratres mei, fætores verbi, et noti auditores tantum → Estote ergo, fratres mei, factores verbi, et non auditores tantum; Quia I homo non potest, intuetur Deus → Quod homo non potest, intuetur Deus.

Topics: Ethics, Church office

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 179.7 (PL 38:561; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/179-1/#p-179-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sermones-179-7) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

179.8PL 38:561–562

Nolite ergo, fratres mei, fallere vosmetipsos, quia venistis studiose ad audiendum verbum, si non facitis quod auditis deficiendo. Cogitate si pulchrum est audire, quanto magis facere. Si non audis, auditum negligis, nihil ædificas. Si audis et non facis, ruinam ædificas. Domini Christi est de hac re proposita congruentissima similitudo: Qui audit, inquit, verba mea hœc, et facit ea, similabo eum viro prudenti qui ædificat domum suam super petram. Descendit pluvia, venerunt flumina, flaverunt venti, et impegerunt in domum illam, et non cecidit. Quare non cecidit? Fundata enim erat super petram. Ergo audire et facere, ædificare est super petram. Ipsum enim audire ædificare est. Qui autem, inquit, audit verba mea hœc, et non facit ea, similabo eum viro stulto qui ædificat. Et ipse ædificat. Quid ædificat? Ecce ædificat domum suam: sed quia non facit quod audit, et audiendo œdificat super arenam. Ergo super arenam, qui audit et non facit, ædificat: super petram, qui audit et facit: nec super arenam, nec super petram ædificat, qui omnino non audit. Vide autem quid sequatur: Descendit pluvia, venerunt flumina, flaverunt venti, et impegerunt in domum illam, et cecidit; et facta est ruina ejus magna. Spectaculum miserabile!

So, my brothers, do not deceive yourselves because you have come eagerly to hear the word, if you do not do what you hear, falling short. Think: if it is beautiful to hear, how much more to do. If you do not hear, if you neglect hearing, you build nothing. If you hear and do not do, you build a ruin. The Lord Christ set forth a most fitting likeness on this matter: “Whoever hears,” he says, “these words of mine and does them, I will liken to a prudent man who builds his house on rock. The rain came down, the floods came, the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it did not fall.” Why did it not fall? “For it was founded on rock.” So to hear and do is to build on rock. For to hear itself is to build. “But whoever,” he says, “hears these words of mine and does not do them, I will liken to a foolish man who builds.” He too builds. What does he build? See, he builds his house; but because he does not do what he hears, by hearing he builds on sand. So he who hears and does not do builds on sand; he who hears and does builds on rock; he who does not hear at all builds neither on sand nor on rock. But see what follows: “The rain came down, the floods came, the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell; and great was its ruin.” A pitiable sight!

Matt 7:24–27 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: As Christ's parable teaches, to hear and do is to build on rock, to hear and not do is to build on sand, and the house on sand falls in ruin.

  • Quotation: Matt 7:24–27.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slips; stray mark): Cogitate si pulchrum est audire, quanto inagis facere. → Cogitate si pulchrum est audire, quanto magis facere.; Si audis et noM facis, ruinam ædificas. Domini Christi est de bac re proposiLa congruentissima similitudo: Qui audit, inquit, verba mea hœc, et facit ea, simitabo cum viro prudenti → Si audis et non facis, ruinam ædificas. Domini Christi est de hac re proposita congruentissima similitudo: Qui audit, inquit, verba mea hœc, et facit ea, similabo eum viro prudenti; Quare non ceculil? Fundata enim erat super petram. Ergo audire ei facere → Quare non cecidit? Fundata enim erat super petram. Ergo audire et facere; super pe.tram, qui audit et facit → super petram, qui audit et facit; venerunt fluminat flaverunt tenti, et impegerunt in domum illam, et cecidit; et facta eat ruina ejus magna. → venerunt flumina, flaverunt venti, et impegerunt in domum illam, et cecidit; et facta est ruina ejus magna..

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 179.8 (PL 38:561–562; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/179-1/#p-179-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sermones-179-8) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

179.9PL 38:562

Ait ergo aliquis: Quod non sum facturus, quid mihi opus est audire? Audiendo enim, inquit, et non faciendo, ruinam ædificabo. Nonne tutius est nihil audire? Ipsam quippe partem Dominus in sua similitudine proposita attingere noluit, sed intelligendam dedit. In hoc enim sæculo, pluvia, venti, flumina non quiescunt. Non ædificas super petram, ut veniant, et non te dejiciant? Non ædificas super arenam, ne cum venerint, domum dejiciant? Ergo sine ullo tecto, quia nihil audis, sic remanebis. Venit pluvia, veniunt flumina: numquid ideo tutus, quia raperis nudus? Considera ergo, qualem tibi elegeris partem. Non eris, ut putas, non audiendo securus: necesse est te nudum sine ullo tecto obrui, tolli, submergi. Si ergo malum est super arenam ædificare, malum est nihil ædificare; restat ut non sit bonum nisi in petra ædificare. Malum est ergo non audire: malum est audire et non facere: restat audire et facere. Estote ergo factores verbi, et non auditores tantum, fallentes vosmetipsos.

So someone says: “What I am not going to do, why do I need to hear? For by hearing,” he says, “and not doing, I shall build a ruin. Is it not safer to hear nothing?” The Lord in the likeness he set forth did not want to touch this part, but gave it to be understood. For in this world, rain, winds, and floods do not rest. Do you not build on rock, so that when they come they do not throw you down? Do you not build on sand, lest when they come they throw down the house? So you will remain without any roof, because you hear nothing. The rain comes, the floods come: are you therefore safe, because you are swept away naked? So consider what kind of part you have chosen for yourself. You will not be secure, as you think, by not hearing: you must be overwhelmed, carried off, drowned, naked and without any roof. If then it is evil to build on sand, it is evil to build nothing; it remains that nothing is good but to build on rock. So it is evil not to hear; it is evil to hear and not do; it remains to hear and do. “So be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Matt 7:24–27 (allusion, high confidence) · Jas 1:22 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Not hearing is no refuge, for the storms of this world come regardless and the one who builds nothing is swept away naked; the only good is to hear and do.

  • Quotation: Jas 1:22; allusion to Matt 7:24–27.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slips; words run together): Aitergo aliquis → Ait ergo aliquis; et iron faciendo, ruinam ædificabo → et non faciendo, ruinam ædificabo; sed inlelligendam dedit. In hoc enim sæculo, pluvia, venti, lumina non quiescunt. → sed intelligendam dedit. In hoc enim sæculo, pluvia, venti, flumina non quiescunt.; Ergo sine ullo tecto, quia nibil audis → Ergo sine ullo tecto, quia nihil audis; Non eris, ut potas, non audiendo securus: necesse eat te nudum sine ullo lecto obrui → Non eris, ut putas, non audiendo securus: necesse est te nudum sine ullo tecto obrui.

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 179.9 (PL 38:562; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/179-1/#p-179-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-augustine-sermones-179-9) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).

179.10PL 38:562

Post hanc exhortationem timeo ne non verbo erigam, sed desperatione confringam. Fortassis enim aliquis, vel unus, vel duo, vel certe plures, in ista vestra frequenti præsentia judicat me, et dicit: Vellem scire, si iste qui mihi loquitur, omnia facit quæ vel ipse audit, vel cæteris dicit. Huic repondeo: Mihi autem minimum est ut a vobis dijudicer, aut ab humano die. Quoniam et ego ipse ex aliqua parte, quid nunc sim, possum scire; quid cras futurus sim, nescio. Sed tibi de me, o quisquis ita moveris, Dominus securitatem dedit. Si enim facio quæ dico vel quæ audio, imitatores mei estote; sicut et ego Christi ( I Cor. iv, 3, t6). Si autem dico, et non facio; Dominum audite: Quœ dicunt, facite; quœ autem faciunt, facere nolite. Ergo si bene de me sentis, laudas me: si male sentis, accusas me, sed non excusas te. Quomodo enim te excusabis, si in malum prædicatorem veritatis verbum Dei tibi dicentem, et sua mala opera facientem contorqueas accusationem; cum Dominus tuus, redemptor tuus, effusor pretii, aggregans te militiæ suæ, et faciens de servo suo fratrem suum, non te desinat commonere, et dicat, Quœ dicunt, facite; quæ autem faciunt, facere nolite? Dicunt enim, inquit, et non faciunt. Bona dicunt, mala faciunt: tu audi bona, et noli facere mala. Hic respondebis: Quomodo audio bona ab homine malo? Numquid colligunt de spinis uvas ( Id. VII, 16)?

After this exhortation I fear that I may not raise you up by the word but break you by despair. For perhaps someone, or one or two, or certainly more, in this numerous presence of yours judges me and says: “I would like to know whether this man who speaks to me does everything that he either hears himself or tells others.” I answer him: “But to me it is a very small thing to be judged by you, or by man's day.” For I myself also can know in some part what I am now; what I shall be tomorrow, I do not know. But to you, whoever you are who are so moved, the Lord has given security about me. For if I do what I say or what I hear, “be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” But if I say and do not do, hear the Lord: “What they say, do; but what they do, do not do.” So if you think well of me, you praise me; if you think badly, you accuse me, but you do not excuse yourself. For how will you excuse yourself if you twist an accusation against a bad preacher of truth, who speaks God's word to you and does his own evil works—when your Lord, your Redeemer, who poured out the price, who enrolls you in his army and makes his servant his brother, does not cease to admonish you, and says: “What they say, do; but what they do, do not do”? “For they say,” he says, “and do not do.” They say good things; they do bad things: you hear the good things, and do not do the bad. Here you will answer: “How do I hear good things from a bad man? Do they gather grapes from thorns?”

1 Cor 4:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 23:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 7:16 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: To hearers who question whether the preacher practices what he preaches, Augustine answers that if he does they should imitate him, and if not they should follow Christ's rule: do what they say, not what they do.

  • Quotations: 1 Cor 4:3; 1 Cor 11:1 (with 4:16); Matt 23:3; Matt 7:16. The sermon ends abruptly here with the objection; the rest is probably lost in the digital text or the edition.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slips): Mihi autem minimum est ut a vobis dijudicer, aui ab humano die. → Mihi autem minimum est ut a vobis dijudicer, aut ab humano die.; o quisquis ita move. iis, Dominus securitatem dedit → o quisquis ita moveris, Dominus securitatem dedit; Quomodo Enim te excusabis, si in malum prædicatorem vcritatis verbum Dci tibi dicentem, ct sua mala opera facientem contorqueas accusationem; cnm Dominus tuus → Quomodo enim te excusabis, si in malum prædicatorem veritatis verbum Dei tibi dicentem, et sua mala opera facientem contorqueas accusationem; cum Dominus tuus; non te dcsinat commonere → non te desinat commonere; nic respondebis: Quomodo audio bona ab nomine malo? Numcfuid colligunt → Hic respondebis: Quomodo audio bona ab homine malo? Numquid colligunt.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Augustine, Serm. 179.10 (PL 38:562; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/augustine-sermones/179-1/#p-179-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Latin of Migne's Patrologia Latina 38 (Maurist text; digital text, Open Greek and Latin; corrections logged). Sermons outside 51–147 have no public-domain English and were re-read against the Latin; sermons 51–147 were compared section by section with NPNF¹ 6 (MacMullen, 1888).