Augustine of Hippo, on Isa 1:16

“Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your devices from my eyes: cease to do perversely,”

“So present yourself to such a head as a body worthy of him, to such a bridegroom as a worthy bride.… This is the bride of Christ, without stain or wrinkle. Do you wish to have no stain? Do what is written.… Do you wish to have no wrinkle? Stretch yourself on the cross. You see, you do not only need to be washed but also to be stretched, in order to be without stain or wrinkle; because by the washing sins are removed, while by the stretching a desire is created for the future life, which is what Christ was crucified for.”

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