A citation from the library
Patristic A.D. 430 · Historical Christian Faith commentaries database, on Gen 1:28 (City of God 14.21)

Augustine of Hippo, on Gen 1:28

Augustine of Hippo · A.D. 354–430
Gen 1:28 · Douay-Rheims
“And God blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and all living creatures that move upon the earth.”
On this verse:
“Far be it then from us to believe that the couple that were placed in paradise would have fulfilled through this lust, which shamed them into covering those organs, the words pronounced by God in his blessing: "Increase and multiply and fill the earth." For it was only after man sinned that his lust arose; it was after man sinned that his natural being, retaining the sense of shame but losing that dominance to which the body was subject in every part, felt and noticed, then blushed at and concealed that lust. The nuptial blessing, however, whereby the pair, joined in marriage, were to increase and multiply and fill the earth, remained in force even when they sinned. Yet it was given before they sinned, for its purpose was to make it clear that the procreation of children is a part of the glory of marriage and not of the punishment of sin.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.

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