Some of Martin’s Sayings

“It will also be worthwhile to tell some of his everyday sayings, since they were all seasoned with spiritual teaching. He happened to see a sheep that had just been sheared, and he said: ‘Look, she has fulfilled the command of the Gospel. She had two coats, and she has given one of them to someone who had none. That is what you ought to do too.’ Again, when he noticed a swineherd who was cold and almost naked in a garment of skin, he exclaimed: ‘Look at Adam, thrown out of Paradise, feeding his pigs in a garment of skin! But let us lay aside that old Adam, who still remains in that man, and put on the new Adam instead.’ [a]

In one part of a meadow the oxen had eaten up the grass, and pigs had rooted up some other parts with their snouts, while the rest, which was still untouched, was in full bloom, as if painted with flowers of many colors. He said: ‘The part that has been grazed down by cattle has not altogether lost the beauty of grass, but it keeps none of the splendor of flowers. It gives us a picture of marriage. The part that the pigs, those unclean animals, have rooted up presents a loathsome picture of sexual immorality. But the rest, which has suffered no harm, shows the glory of virginity. It flourishes with rich grass, the fruits of the field abound in it, and, decked with flowers to the height of beauty, it shines as if adorned with glittering gems. Blessed is such beauty, and worthy of God, for nothing can be compared with virginity. So those who put marriage on the same level as sexual immorality are badly mistaken, and those who think marriage should be ranked equal with virginity are utterly wretched and foolish. Wise people must hold on to this distinction: marriage belongs among the things that can be excused, virginity points to glory, and sexual immorality must bring punishment unless its guilt is purged away by atonement.’