field, because he suffers these things until he returns to the earth from which he was taken, that is, until he comes to the end of this life. For one who cultivates this field interiorly and gains his bread, albeit with toil, can suffer this toil up to the end of this life, but after this life he need not suffer. One who did not cultivate his field and allowed it to be overcome with thorns has in this life the curse of his earth in all his works, and after this life he will have either the fire of purgation or eternal punishment. 136. Thus no one escapes this sentence, but we should act so that we feel its punishment only in this life.
Why after Their Sin Adam Called Eve Herself "Life,"
and the Meaning of the Garments of Skin
31. Who is not troubled by the fact that after sin and the sentence of God as judge, Adam calls his woman "Life"? For she is [called] the mother of the living, after she merited death and became destined to bear mortal offspring. Perhaps Scripture has in mind those offspring that we mentioned above. 137. These offspring she will bear in pain, and afterward she will turn to her husband, and he will rule over her. For in that way she is life and the mother of the living. For the life which is in sins is often called death in the Scriptures. Thus the Apostle says that a widow who lives in pleasures is dead, 138. and we read that sin itself is signified by the expression, dead body, "He who is cleansed from a dead body and touches it again, what profit has he from his bath? So too, he who fasts over his sins and goes and again does these same things?" 139.
____________________-126-
Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information:
Book title: On Genesis:Two Books on Genesis against the Manichees; And, on the Literal Interpretation of Genesis, an Unfinished Book.
Contributors: Saint Augustine - Author, Roland J. S. J. Teske - Unknown.
Publisher: Catholic University of America Press.
Place of publication: Washington, DC.
Publication year: 1990.
Page number: 126.
This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.
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