a treatise on good works-第19章

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or　quantity　of　the　food；　or　according　to　the　days；　but　according

to　the　withdrawal　or　approach　of　the　lust　and　wantonness　of　the

flesh；　for　the　sake　of　which　alone　the　fasting；　watching　and

labor　is　ordained；　that　is；　to　kill　and　to　subdue　them。　If　it

were　not　for　this　lust；　eating　were　as　meritorious　as　fasting；

sleeping　as　watching；　idleness　as　labor；　and　each　were　as　good

as　the　other　without　all　distinction。　



XX。　Now；　if　some　one　should　find　that　more　wantonness　arose　in

his　flesh　from　eating　fish　than　from　eating　eggs　and　meat；　let

him　eat　meat　and　not　fish。　Again；　if　he　find　that　his　head

becomes　confused　and　crazed　or　his　body　and　stomach　injured

through　fasting；　or　that　it　is　not　needful　to　kill　the　wantonness

of　his　flesh；　he　shall　let　fasting　alone　entirely；　and　eat；

sleep；　be　idle　as　is　necessary　for　his　health；　regardless　whether

it　be　against　the　command　of　the　Church；　or　the　rules　of　monastic

orders：　for　no　commandment　of　the　Church；　no　law　of　an　order　can

make　fasting；　watching　and　labor　of　more　value　than　it　has　in

serving　to　repress　or　to　kill　the　flesh　and　its　lusts。　Where　men

go　beyond　this；　and　the　fasting；　eating；　sleeping；　watching　are

practised　beyond　the　strength　of　the　body；　and　more　than　is

necessary　to　the　killing　of　the　lust；　so　that　through　it　the

natural　strength　is　ruined　and　the　head　is　racked；　then　let　no

one　imagine　that　he　has　done　good　works；　or　excuse　himself　by

citing　the　commandment　of　the　Church　or　the　law　of　his　order。　He

will　be　regarded　as　a　man　who　takes　no　care　of　himself；　and；　as

far　as　in　him　lies；　has　become　his　own　murderer。　



For　the　body　is　not　given　us　that　we　should　kill　its　natural　life

or　work；　but　only　that　we　kill　its　wantonness；　unless　its

wantonness　were　so　strong　and　great　that　we　could　not

sufficiently　resist　it　without　ruin　and　harm　to　the　natural　life。

For；　as　has　been　said；　in　the　practice　of　fasting；　watching　and

labor；　we　are　not　to　look　upon　the　works　in　themselves；　not　on

the　days；　not　on　the　number；　not　on　the　food；　but　only　on　the

wanton　and　lustful　Adam；　that　through　them　he　may　be　cured　of　his

evil　appetite。　



XXI。　From　this　we　can　judge　how　wisely　or　foolishly　some　women

act　when　they　are　with　child；　and　how　the　sick　are　to　be　treated。

For　the　foolish　women　cling　so　firmly　to　their　fasting　that　they

run　the　risk　of　great　danger　to　the　fruit　of　their　womb　and　to

themselves；　rather　than　not　to　fast　when　the　others　fast。　They

make　a　matter　of　conscience　where　there　is　none；　and　where　there

is　matter　of　conscience　they　make　none。　This　is　all　the　fault　of

the　preachers；　because　they　continually　prate　of　fasting；　and

never　point　out　its　true　use；　limit；　fruit；　cause　and　purpose。

So　also　the　sick　should　be　allowed　to　eat　and　to　drink　every　day

whatever　they　wish。　In　brief；　where　the　wantonness　of　the　flesh

ceases；　there　every　reason　for　fasting；　watching；　laboring；

eating　this　or　that；　has　already　ceased；　and　there　no　longer　is

any　binding　commandment　at　all。　



But　then　care　must　be　taken；　lest　out　of　this　freedom　there　grow

a　lazy　indifference　about　killing　the　wantonness　of　the　flesh；

for　the　roguish　Adam　is　exceedingly　tricky　in　looking　for

permission　for　himself；　and　in　pleading　the　ruin　of　the　body　or

of　the　mind；　so　some　men　jump　right　in　and　say　it　is　neither

necessary　nor　commanded　to　fast　or　to　mortify　the　flesh；　and　are

ready　to　eat　this　and　that　without　fear；　just　as　if　they　had　for

a　long　time　had　much　experience　of　fasting；　although　they　have

never　tried　it。　



No　less　are　we　to　guard　against　offending　those　who；　not

sufficiently　informed；　regard　it　a　great　sin　if　we　do　not　fast

or　eat　as　they　do。　These　we　must　kindly　instruct；　and　not

haughtily　despise；　nor　eat　this　or　that　in　despite　of　them；　but

we　must　tell　them　the　reason　why　it　is　right　to　do　so；　and　thus

gradually　lead　them　to　a　correct　understanding。　But　if　they　are

stubborn　and　will　not　listen；　we　must　let　them　alone；　and　do　as

we　know　it　is　right　to　do。　



XXII。　The　second　form　of　discipline　which　we　receive　at　the　hands

of　others；　is　when　men　or　devils　cause　us　suffering；　as　when　our

property　is　taken；　our　body　sick；　and　our　honor　taken　away；　and

everything　that　may　move　us　to　anger；　impatience　and　unrest。　For

God's　work　rules　in　us　according　to　His　wisdom；　not　according　to

our　wisdom；　according　to　His　purity　and　chastity；　not　according

to　the　wantonness　of　our　flesh；　for　God's　work　is　wisdom　and

purity；　our　work　is　foolishness　and　impurity；　and　these　shall

rest：　so　in　like　manner　it　should　rule　in　us　according　to　His

peace；　not　our　anger；　impatience　and　lack　of　peace。　For　peace　too

is　God's　work；　impatience　is　the　work　of　our　flesh；　this　shall

rest　and　be　dead；　that　we　thus　in　every　way　keep　a　spiritual

holiday；　let　our　works　stand　idle；　and　let　God　work　in　us。　



Therefore　in　order　to　kill　our　works　and　the　Adam　in　us；　God

heaps　many　temptations　upon　us；　which　move　us　to　anger；　many

sufferings；　which　rouse　us　to　impatience；　and　last　of　all　death

and　the　world's　abuse；　whereby　He　seeks　nothing　else　than　that

He　may　drive　out　anger；　impatience　and　lack　of　peace；　and　attain

to　His　work；　that　is；　to　peace；　in　us。　Thus　says　Isaiah　xxviii；

〃He　does　the　work　of　another　that　He　may　come　to　His　own　work。〃

What　does　this　mean？　He　sends　us　suffering　and　trouble　that　He

may　teach　us　to　have　patience　and　peace；　He　bids　us　die　that　He

may　make　us　live；　until　a　man；　thoroughly　trained；　becomes　so

peaceful　and　quiet　that　he　is　not　disturbed；　whether　it　go　well

or　ill　with　him；　whether　he　die　or　live；　be　honored　or

dishonored。　There　God　Himself　dwells　alone；　and　there　are　no

works　of　men。　This　is　rightly　keeping　and　hallowing　the　day　of

rest；　then　a　man　does　not　guide　himself；　then　he　desires　nothing

for　himself；　then　nothing　troubles　him；　but　God　Himself　leads

him；　there　is　naught　but　godly　pleasure；　joy　and　peace　with　all

other　works　and　virtues。　



XXIII。　These　works　He　considers　so　great　that　He　commands　us　not

only　to　keep　the　day　of　rest；　but　also　to　hallow　it　or　regard　it

as　holy；　whereby　He　declares　that　there　are　no　more　precious

things　than　suffering；　dying；　and　all　manner　of　misfortune。　For

they　are　holy　and　sanctify　a　man　from　his　works　to　God's　works；

just　as　a　church　is　consecrated　from　natural　works　to　the　worship

of　God。　Therefore　a　man　shall　also　recognise　them　as　holy　things；

be　glad　and　thank　God　when　they　come　upon　him。　For　when　they　come

they　make　him　holy；　so　that　he　fulfils　this　Commandment　and　is

saved；　redeemed　from　all　his　sinful　works。　Thus　says　David：

〃Precious　in　the　sight　of　the　Lord　is　the　death　of　His　saints。〃



In　order　to　strengthen　us　thereto　He　has　not　only　commanded　us

to　keep　such　a　rest　（for　nature　is　very　unwilling　to　die　and　to

suffer；　and　it　is　a　bitter　day　of　rest　for　it　to　cease　from　its

works　and　be　dead）；　but　He　has　also　comforted　us　in　the

Scriptures　with　many　words　and　told　us；　Psalm　xci；　〃I　will　be

with　him　in　all　his　trouble；　and　will　deliver　him。〃　Likewise

Psalm　xxxiv：　〃The　Lord　is　nigh　unto　all　them　that　suffer；　and

will　help　them。〃　



As　if　this　were　not　enough；　He　has　given　us　a　powerful；　strong

example　of　it；　His　only；　dear　Son；　Jesus　Christ；　our　Lord；　who

on　the　Sabbath　lay　in　the　tomb　the　entire　day　of　rest；　free　from

all　His　works；　and　was　the　first　to　fulfil　this　Commandment；

although　He　needed　it　not　for　Himself；　but　only　for　our　comfort；

that　we　also　in　all　suffering　and　death　should　be　quiet　and　have

peace。　Since；　as　Christ　was　raised　up　after　His　rest　and

henceforth　lives　only　in　God　and　God　in　Him；　so　also　shall　we　by

the　death　of　our　Adam；　which　is　perfectly　accomplished　only

through　natural　death　and　burial；　be　lifted　up　into　God；　that　God

may　live　and　work　in　us　forever。　Lo！　these　are　the　three　parts

of　man：　reason；　desire；　aversion；　in　which　all　his　works　are

done。　These；　therefore；　must　be　slain　by　these　three　exercises；

God's　governance