And the glutton is not pleased to hear the other things which have been written by Paul upon fortitude and asceticism, either when he recounteth his numerous fastings, or when he crieth out to his disciples, saying, "Ye are dead unto the world," or when he writeth, "It is good for [a man] not to eat flesh, and not to drink wine," or his exhortation, "Through many tribulations it is meet for a man to enter into the kingdom of God," or his saying, "God shall bring both the belly and the food to nought;" and the reading of these and such like passages the glutton considereth unnecessary, and he is not pleased even to hear them.
Now therefore in this manner standeth the life of him that loveth lusts, and as the remembrance of God is high unto the perfect, even so also is nigh unto him at all times the care for his belly. He singeth songs thereto, and meditateth upon it in his prayer and praise, his memory is burdened [therewith] at all seasons, and upon it he thinketh continually, because outside it he hath no other life; the memory thereof maketh his prayers light, and his constant thinking thereupon bringeth to nought in him all right and proper things. The glutton hath no seasons set apart for eating, but he eateth by day and by night, and when he eateth not he still eateth. |378 For thou must not consider that the times when he eateth are once or twice, but mark carefully that it is his care [to eat] at all seasons throughout the night and day, [p. 395] and when his body eateth not his thought eateth. And he hath not even, like the beasts, times set apart for eating, for although the beast eateth at all seasons, and hath no limit to its eating throughout the night and day, yet it doth not meditate upon its meat at all seasons; but the glutton eateth at all seasons because he thinketh about his belly always, and therefore, even when he sleepeth it appeareth to him in his dreams that he is eating. Shamefacedness is removed from before the eyes of the glutton, because he hath endowed his face with impudence so that he may not be ashamed. He heareth the mockery of himself and is silent, and he heareth disgraceful words spoken of him, but he taketh them not to heart; for the love of his belly overcometh him, and in spite of all the blows which beat upon him he is empty of spiritual virtues, that is to say, he knoweth not even that they exist. He chooseth things which inflame him mightily, he seeketh purified wines, and he asketh for tasty meats. He hath no work in the world save this, and however much we were to describe him he would not cease from his lax habits; but in the things which we have spoken we have given a little example of his lax ways, wherefrom those who see him may recognize him.
Do thou then, O brave disciple, flee from such an example as this, and become not lax in thy strenuous rule of life through the sight of him. Thou thyself must know unto what thou hast become a disciple, and thy discipleship itself must be unto thee the cause of thy |379 course; be not like unto that contemptible man, but emulate with success the brave. Let not the man who is a counterpart of the beasts be an example unto thee, and thou shalt not consider it good for a man to eat, and to drink, and to satisfy his lusts, but shalt consider it an evil which is worse than all other evils. Hear also the words [p. 396] of the prophecy, and the "Woe" which was proclaimed for gluttons, "Woe unto those who rise up early in the morning and pursue strong drink, and who tarry long [over it] in the evening while wine inflameth them. With harps, and stringed instruments, and drums, and tabrets, they drink wine, and the works of God they understand not." And behold, the Spirit also hath taught thee that the man who ministereth unto his lusts is unable to understand the works of God. For as in our sleep we are not able to speak and to act as living beings who are awake, even so the man who is sunk in the sleep of lusts cannot understand the living works of God, neither doth he know how to contemplate His government, nor to wonder at the various forms of His dispensation; and he knoweth not admiration of the majesty of God, nor is he awake unto the knowledge of Him, nor is he ready to respond unto His wisdom. For whosoever is sunk in the slumber of lust perceiveth not these things, because the remembrance of these things belongeth unto those who are awake and living. And blessedness is ascribed unto the man who understandeth these things. For if unto those who eat, and drink, and who do not understand the works of God "Woe" be given, contrariwise "Blessing" is ascribed unto those |380 who are abstinent and self-denying, and who at all times meditate upon the works of God.
Do thou then, O disciple, so run that thou mayest be worthy of blessing, and flee from the woe which is promised unto gluttons. And let those who are strenuous be unto thee an example for good, and not those who are fallen low, and those who fast instead of those who devour food, and those who lead ascetic lives instead of gluttons, and those who deny themselves instead of those who gorge, and those who serve God instead of those who serve their belly, and those who have fortitude instead of those who are slack, and the good instead of the bad; for [p. 397] good men are not wanting in the world to be an example unto thee of that which is good, and let us be like unto them and not unto the wicked. Thou shalt not examine closely those who stand beneath thee, but lift up thine eyes, and look at those who are greater than thou, and go up unto them; for as it is with matters of this world, every man choosing things which are great, even so is it with these divine things, and let us choose for ourselves that which is great and sublime. Now there is no man in the world who loveth poverty more than riches, but every man seeketh to be excused therefrom, and he followeth after riches, and he fleeth from pains, and he runneth after the health of the body. So likewise let us pursue the things of the spirit, and let us love the riches of fortitude, and not the poverty of gluttony, and let us love the healing of our soul and of our thoughts more than the sicknesses of the lusts; for the soul which ministereth unto lusts is always a diseased thing, and it hath no power over its spiritual strength and healing. For as whosoever is sick in his body hath not power over his |381 health to eat whatever he pleaseth, and he hath not power to do that which he wisheth, even so also the man whose soul is sick through gluttony neither hath power over the strength and healing of his soul, nor can he occupy himself in his actions with anything that he wisheth or seeketh to do. As the members of a sick man do not respond to him when he wisheth to move them for some purpose, so also the thoughts of a glutton do not respond to him when he wisheth to work with them something that is good; for all [p. 398] beautiful things are difficult unto the man who is subject unto his belly, because he is the slave of all lusts. If the passion of eating be moved in him he is not easily able to overcome it, because he himself is one in subjection, and if the lust of fornication stir in his members, or wrath, or anger, or envy, or wickedness, or any abominable passion, it is not easy for him to overcome it, because he is a slave and is in subjection unto them all, and they are to be subdued with difficulty, especially when they are many. And if, when one passion hath obtained power over our life, and it hath made us subject unto the labour of its bondage for a long time, it is difficult for us to overcome it, how much more shall we be overcome by many masters? For, as I have said, with gluttony all the other passions enter in, because it is the means of entrance for all lusts.
"Now our Redeemer said in His Gospel, "Ye cannot serve God and mammon, " and if in our subjection unto one lord----that is to say, unto mammon only----we are not able to serve also God therewith, how, when |382 the masters who have brought us into subjection are many, and each one of them leadeth us forcibly after his own will, can we serve God, Who will not accept from man the service of any other thing together with His own service? What then? And if each one of all these sins, which collectwely are contrary to the righteousness of God, is a drawback to its fellow in the service of Him, [p. 399] how can the service of them collectively avoid being a hindrance to the keeping of the commandments of God? For they are different from one another in their actions, and the Will of God is contrary unto them all, and especially unto this lust of greediness, through which all other lusts are brought in and enter in.
Now therefore, when a man hath been led into subjection to minister unto the service of his belly, he must give himself over to much toil that he may gather together [material] from all sides and bring it to [supply] its needs, for it not only seeketh to eat, but it also seeketh in what way it may eat; for if it rested only upon the satisfying of its need, the need of the belly could be satisfied with very little, and with common and ordinary things of low price. How many times have many men satisfied their wants with roots and herbs because they sought things for their need, and not for the satisfying of their lusts? And although God, like a rich Creator, gave in abundance everything for our need, yet it is right for us to consider His will, and to be guided accordingly, and therefore He multiplied in the world many kinds of dainty meats that they might be a furnace wherewith to test lust, and that the mind of the children of men might be tried as to what they lust for, and after what do they haste. For |383 where there is nothing to be lusted after the trial of lust existeth not; but it is right for the disciple to know himself, and he must not be subjected unto the lust of his body, [p. 400] and he must not open the door to bring in upon himself beasts which destroy.
For as when a strong door is closed fast, and evil beasts and noxious reptiles are kept outside of it, if by chance it be opened for any cause whatsoever, they are all found to come inside to injure the inhabitants of the place, even so also when the door of the lust of the belly is shut, all the murderous passions of lusts which destroy the soul are shut out, and they cannot enter in to bite and destroy the spiritual nature of the soul; but if through our slackness this door be opened before them, and our will doeth for the belly that which it desireth, immediately all wickednesses are gathered together and go in against our soul, and destroy therein all thoughts of excellence. For immediately thou openest this door, at once there entereth in the destroying beast of fornication, which devoureth and destroyeth body and soul together; and after it the lust of the belly, for which two things are necessary, the love of the belly and fornication, which is also born of lusts. And from the love of money is born trouble, either because we do not possess it, or because by chance we have lost that which we had collected, either in whole or in part; and from this is born in us also the passion of wrath, and we are provoked to anger and filled with wrath against those who do not give [unto us] that which, according to our opinion, they have wrested from us, or against those who do not obey and satisfy us with the service of our lives. And sometimes against slaves, and sometimes against |384 hirelings, and sometimes against those whom we hold [p. 401] in contempt and think lightly of, are we filled with anger and wrath through various causes which come upon us. And again we are filled with envy against those who are greater and richer than we are, and also with the love of plunder and defrauding, and how many times are we led even unto murder through this cause? And through riches arrogance also layeth hold upon us, and through the spectre of riches we lust for vain glory from the children of men, and therefrom we learn to receive calumnies from those who are inferior to ourselves, and we also calumniate those who are greater than ourselves. And from this we go forth unto falsehoods and oaths continually, and to blasphemy against God, and when the remembrance of the Judgment hath perished entirely from the soul, it henceforth doeth without fear all manner of wickedness. Now of these things and of those like unto them the primary cause is gluttony. For who is there that doth not know that the lust of fornication burneth in the body which eateth, and drinketh, and fareth luxuriously? And although it may not be ministered unto openly, and may not be apparent in deed unto the children of men, yet it inflameth the thoughts continually, and a man maketh plans and seeketh an exit for the fire which is in him; he lusteth after everything that is beautiful and he is tripped up by every form which is beautiful in appearance. For so long as the fire of lust is in his members his thoughts fly unto every face, and he committeth fornication secretly with every appearance. And although he fornicateth not outwardly, he fornicateth constantly inwardly, and although he is not an adulterer |385 in his body, he committeth adultery within himself at all seasons and at every hour.
[p. 402] Now therefore meat and drink are the fuel of the fire of lust, and whosoever wisheth to quench in his members this fire which is hidden in them, must withhold this fuel from himself, and behold, it will be extinguished; for fasting, and abstinence, and self-denial are the water which quencheth the fire of lust. For what oil is to the fire wine is to lust, and as manure stimulateth the earth to bring forth fruit, even so doth the stinkingness of meats excite the members with abominable lusts. A superabundance of food is a covering of the understanding, and food, of and by itself, maketh dark the mind unto the thoughts of fornication, and concerning how much the troubling of lust disturbeth a pure mind there is no doubt whatever, but those know it especially who have experienced it. But before this lust, is the lust of the belly which submergeth the understanding, and it is the covering of the mind which seeth, and it is the thick darkness of the thoughts which possess the light of truth, for the stink of meats is the night of the enlightened mind. And as blacknesses and smoke darken pure and clean air, even so doth the stink of meat disturb the purity of the mind.
Now therefore it is right for the disciple of Christ not only to excuse himself from dainty and costly meats, but also to eat sparingly of the commonest foods, for it is not because the meat is costly that it disturbeth the understanding and darkeneth the mind, but because of the abundance [that thou eatest], [p. 403] and this defect is found in respect of the commonest foods as well as of those that are costly. And well do the Holy Books |386 admonish the children of men against the overfeeding of the belly in every place, for according to the teaching of Paul, "Those who occupied themselves with meats were not benefited by them, " and not only were they deprived of any benefits, but they gathered together for their own persons loss and injury, but [he saith], "Gluttons and drunkards shall not inherit the kingdom of God;" and read the passage, O disciple, and see unto what vices the Apostle compareth this wickedness----with soothsayers and destroyers, and other things like thereunto. And although the lust of the belly is not these, yet it leadeth unto them, for when the heart hath become gross through meats, straightway it driveth out from itself the remembrance of God, and when the memory of God hath departed from a man, what wickedness will he not do? and what iniquity will he be not moved to do? Even as also the prophet Moses hath taught us that through this cause the people forgot their God, and that through the lust of the belly they went forth unto idolatry, and from eating meat they were led into blasphemies, and from dainty foods they arrived at all wickedness, [saying,] "He made him [ i. e. Israel] to dwell upon the strength of the earth, and He made him to eat of the produce of the field. He made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the rock of flint: butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with the fat of [p. 404] stalled beasts, rams, the offspring of ibexes, and kids, with the fat and fatty parts of wheat, and He made him to drink wine of the blood of grapes. And Israel waxed fat and kicked, he grew fat, and |387 became thick, and acquired riches. " And what happened unto him because of these things? and to what pass did he come by reason of these desirable things? and what country did he possess through these dainties with which he delighted himself? and into what sick-nessess did the overfeeding of the belly, and the superfluity of meats cast him? Now Moses himself hath explained and made known unto us what the people obtained from these possessions: "He forgot the God Who made him, and he blasphemed the Might which redeemed him. He moved Him to jealousy with strange things, and provoked Him to wrath with idols. They sacrificed unto devils which were not gods, and unto gods which they had not known." These are the things which the people obtained from dainty foods, and this is the inheritance of the worship of devils which they inherited from the overabundance of the body. And from the table which was rich in meats they were drawn unto the unclean tables of idols, and from dainty foods they went forth to cast stinking things before graven images, and through the lust which taketh away the strength from nature they came to unclean thoughts which are alien unto nature.
Behold then, O disciple, and see how that people went from one thing to another, and uproot from thee patiently the root which putteth forth as a sprout the worship of idols, a root which having begun [to spring] from the belly cometh to an end in the worship of devils. The prophet doth not say unto thee simply that the people worshipped idols, but he first of all maketh thee to know the reason why they worshipped |388 [them]; and he doth not relate unto thee concerning the severe and difficult sickness until he hath informed thee of the cause of the sickness, and whence it came. "He ate, [p. 405] and drank, and fared luxuriously," hence he forgot God who made him; and because error entered in, it gave birth to abuse and blasphemies, hence "he blasphemed the mighty One who redeemed him." And this was not sufficient for him, but he also made unto himself gods in opposition to God, and instead of One, he forged for himself many. "He provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods, and he moved Him to wrath 'with idols." And together with the testimony of the Word we may also see from the fact itself how they came to offer praises before the calf in the wilderness, "The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play;" until food had entered in blasphemies did not go forth, and until wine had been poured into them they were not clothed with the fornication which is against God.
These then are the injurious things which meat hath wrought, and who will not flee from the overabundance thereof? Whosoever hath determined to become corrupt will become a devourer, for the glutton taketh within himself thoughts of corruptness, and then he draweth nigh unto dainty meats. A man is led to become a servant unto his belly through the lust of the body, and it is manifest that the man who loveth lust is an enemy of the praise of Christ, for the lust of the body is opposed unto the lust of the spirit, and so long as the one liveth it is impossible for the other to live. From the time when the lust of |389 the body liveth in him, the lust of the spirit is dead in him, and as the body is deprived of all [p. 406] the things for which it lusteth when it becometh an alien unto its own life, even so the soul becometh an alien unto all good when the lust of the spirit is removed from it: for the lust of the spirit is the beginning of the ascent unto all excellent things, but the lust of the body is the entrance of all wickedness. For even if the lust of the belly did not impede us in any fair thing, it would be right and seemly for us to excuse ourselves therefrom, both for its own sake and because it might not make us like unto the beasts; but since it is the entrance of all vices, and the field which is wont to put forth as fruit brambles and briars, how much more should we do this? And if those who perform noble acts and deeds of the world, and those who wish to become famous in bodily skill sustain their lives with little food, how much more especially have spiritual athletes need thereof, in order that they may possess fortitude, and run the course of their labours. Now if the body itself the natural life of which which is sustained by food, layeth hold upon the habit of abstinence and self-denial when it wisheth to be famous in some feat of bodily skill, how much more especially hath that soul, which is wont to diminish from the weight of the body, and which maketh it active and obedient unto the soul which dwelleth therein, need of abstinence and self-denial? So long as the body is heavy with the abundance of flesh, is it difficult for the soul to turn itself about, but when it becometh lighter and diminisheth through abstinence, the soul easily performeth therein [p. 407] all its desires, and it refineth it by its lightness; for so |390 long as the body is heavy and gross it is contrary unto the soul, because the soul is a refined and rational thing. And in proportion as it loveth the celestial country which is suitable unto its spiritual nature, so also doth the body love the grossness of earth and the heaviness of the dust, and while the soul leapeth to mount upwards, the body through its weight inclineth to go downwards, and also to crawl about upon the ground of lusts like a reptile.
The body which eateth overmuch maketh the soul an irrational thing, and it spoileth and carrieth away therefrom all the motions of wisdom, for the heart is the vessel of the discretion and intelligence of the soul, and when it hath become gross through the overabundance of meats, all the thoughts of the soul which are moved thereby become gross therewith. And because the fire which is mingled therein naturally becometh dead and cold, the heat of the knowledge of the soul also diminisheth, and the active movement of its thoughts ceaseth, because although the gift of rationality beginneth from the soul, yet its operation is made visible by the intervention of the members of the body, and all parts of its nature have need of all parts of the members of the body. And behold we see that when the soul wisheth to observe the world it looketh thereat through the eyes of the body, and when it wisheth to hear the voice of the body it receiveth it through the medium of the ears, or again if it seeketh to send without a word of its nature, it maketh it pass over to us by the tongue, the bridge of words; [p. 408] and [to speak] briefly, whenever it wisheth to perceive anything of this world, by means of the senses of the body it goeth out or cometh in. But when it wisheth |391 to see the country of spiritual beings, or to hear the living words of their spirituality, or when it seeketh to look with the vision which is above nature, it hath no need whatever of the senses, nay it even sendeth them away, and alone, and with its own members, it moveth with the living motions which are above nature. Therefore as we have learnt that the soul hath need of the external senses, so also [is it] concerning the members which are within, by which it is moved in all its parts, whether to wisdom, or to intelligence, or to enlightenment, or to thoughts, or to discretion, or to understanding and knowledge, or to the fear of God; of all these, then, by means of the members, doth the soul make use, and in proportion as these are active, and the weight of meats is not laid upon them, and they are not troubled by the excessive smell of food, the soul worketh actively through them. And as a light which is mingled with another light, for by the admixture therewith the light shineth the more brightly, so also is the luminous soul mingled in the luminous members when they are active and free from the filth of meat; but if they are dense and heavy, they become like a dense body, and like a gross covering in front of its light, and instead of receiving help from them, they injure and impede the activity of its working. And those who scrutinize subtilly the knowledge of nature [p. 409] recognize these things and also others which are like unto them.
Now therefore if thou, even thou, O disciple, desirest to be a participator in this natural knowledge, and to ascend from it unto the knowledge of the spirit, keep thyself from the weight of meats, and let the natural grossness of thy body be sufficient for thee, and do not make it more gross and heavy |392 with overmuch meat, even though for the sake of thy health thou wouldst eat a quantity----now the man who thinketh thus erreth greatly ---- for an overabundance of food doth not give health but produceth pains and sicknesses in the body, and it only maketh healthy the body of lust. And as all the members become sick, and soft, and useless, even so be-cometh strong and sound the lust for phantasms in the body and soul, and together with the lust folly also groweth strong, for the lust of the belly increaseth this abominable passion of folly more than all other lusts, for folly is the thick darkness of the soul, even also as knowledge is the light of nature. And as a lamp is extinguished in winds or storms, or becometh dim and sheddeth its light dimly in a house wherein the air is damp and heavy, so also doth the light of the knowledge of the soul become dark in the heart which is black through the weight and moisture of meats. And behold also the rays of the sun, the light of which is established in its own nature, and not by absorption from other substances like a lamp, become dark in an atmosphere which is troubled and disturbed, [p. 410] and although in the constitution of its sphere it is light with the riches of its fulness, yet to the body of [this] world it is black and dark. And thus also must thou think concerning the soul, in which is gathered together the light of knowledge in the manner in which the natural light [is gathered together] in the sphere of the sun. and when the heart becomes dull ( or, cloudy) like the atmosphere, then all the members which are therein are disturbed by the smoke of meat, and the rays of the knowledge of the soul are prevented from shedding their light fully unto all the parts of the body, and all |393 the motions of a man, whether of the external senses, or whether of the internal members, move stupidly and confusedly.
Now the knowledge of the soul is the hidden rudder of the whole body, which keepeth the eye in chasteness, [that is to say,] in orderliness, and the ear in vigilance, and the hand in watchfulness, and the tongue in correct balance, and the feet in a prudent gait; and as the charioteer [holdeth] the bridles of his steeds, even so doth the soul hold the reins of knowledge, and it guideth all the senses, and as the charioteer directeth his steeds so also doth the soul order the senses, and rule the inner members, and this good thing which is the light of the body, and the order of all the members, perisheth through gluttony in the man who is not vigilant and heedful. Let the disciple of Christ then flee from this foolish passion, and let him not be a slave unto his belly. For if we are not able to serve at one time both God and mammon, [p. 411] according to the word of Christ, it is evident that we cannot [serve] both the belly and God, for it also was called "god" after the manner of mammon, and as Jesus called mammon "master", even so also did His Apostle call the belly god [in the words,] "Whose god is their belly, and whose glory their shame." And the word of God mocketh those who lay fast hold upon their art, who have hired themselves unto Christ for their belly's sake and not because of love for Him, even as there are also today many who are clothed with the precious garb of discipleship, and who feign to be teachers and good servants of God, not for love's sake, nor through |394 discretion and fear, but only that they may minister unto their belly, which they have made a god unto themselves, and unto which they minister.
Now the Apostle of God teacheth us plainly that the heaviness of the belly boweth down the gaze of the soul from heaven to earth, saying, "Their whole mind is [set] upon earth." And he set forth first the words, "Whose god is their belly, and whose glory their shame," and afterwards he said, "Their whole mind is [set] upon earth," in order that he might make known that the reason why they were fettered unto earth, and why their mind was contaminated with the dust, was because they possessed the lust of the belly; and as the lust thereof chained them to the earth, even so also will it bind whosoever ministereth thereunto. For in what particular is the man who is befouled with the lusts of the belly different from the worms which crawl about in filth, or from the swine which wallow [p. 412] in the mire? For in this case also the service of this loathsome lust must needs be called loathsomeness, and filth, and mire, and shame, and if Paul called it so, how can we help calling it so likewise?
Now therefore we can see that the lust of the belly is the beginning of all wickedness, and that it leadeth us unto the ruin which [befell] Adam. For through it he transgressed the commandment of God, and through it he despised and cast away the law which [He had set] for him, and the Calumniator took it that it might be a helpmeet unto him, because he saw that it was the most powerful of all lusts, and that thereby he would be able to enter into him with all other wickedness. And the Enemy |395 did not contend against the heads of our race with fornication, or with avarice, or with vain-glory, or with the adornment of apparel, or with envy and pride, or with any of the other passions, but only with the lust of the belly, because he saw that it was capable of becoming a leader of all the lusts; for the Tempter was crafty, and he saw which passion was the strongest and foremost in us, and he drew nigh thereunto, and stimulated it, and after that he sowed the seeds of laxity, and after that the seeds of lust, and then fornication also entered in, for immediately "they had eaten, the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked." And it is evident that it was because the lust for connexion moved in the members of union, that they also perceived [that they were naked], and were ashamed at the sight of each other, for until food had gone into them [p. 413] lust was not stirred up, and until lust had been stirred up shame and fear did not rule [over them].
Behold, then, the beginning of shame is the lust of the belly, and well hath the blessed Apostle also called it thus, saying, "The woman saw that the tree was fair, and that it was a thing for which the eyes lusted, and that it was desirable to look upon; and she took of its fruit, and she ate and gave also to her husband with her, and he did eat." Thus thou mayest see that the lust of the belly was the beginning of their common sin, and of the first transgression of the commandment, and that thereby all sins and all punishments were brought in and came upon us; for as envy was the beginning of wickedness with Satan, so also was the belly the beginning of the |396 transgression of the commandment with the house of Adam. And through it sins came in, and through it all penalties followed; it was the beginning of pains and sicknesses, through it the pains of childbirth entered in, through it was the earth cursed, and it brought forth briars and brambles, it hath made us aliens from the pleasures of Paradise, it hath cast us out as it were into exile in a cursed land, through it we have become slaves unto devils, through its dominion over us we serve in the bondage of Satan, through it evil spirits sport with us and laugh at us, it hath brought in death which dissolveth and scattereth our frames, through it this fair and beautiful image hath been made hideous and loathsome, it hath fed us with the bread of pain, and it hath collected for us food by the sweat of our face. Now the lust of the belly is a senseless and blind thing. It sought to eat, and yet was deprived of food; it lusted after pleasures, and destroyed the gratification and delight [p. 414] of Paradise, for though lusting to eat, it knew not how to eat; it possessed not patience, for the nature of this lust is to be hasty and impatient, and it made haste and plucked one fruit, and was henceforth deprived of the table which was full of all the luxuries of Paradise.
Now therefore let that lust which came unto Adam be a type of that which cometh to us, for as they, by of the eating of one fruit, were deprived of the food of the whole garden, even so also will one loaded table deprive us of the table of the kingdom of heaven. For as long as the belly is full, and is weighted with an abundance of meats, the soul is useless for the remembrance of the blessings which are about to come, and so long as the eye is fixed intently |397 upon these meats, and it lusteth for them, the eye of the mind turneth away from the sight of spiritual delights. What then? If Adam, because he lusted for one fruit, lost the whole of Paradise, how can the man who is laden with the lust of many meats help being deprived of the table of the kingdom? For, because of his having eaten, Adam lost Paradise, and inherited death with all its curses. Esau, because of his meat, cast away the birthright together with the blessings, and he became a slave unto sin, and one who was subject under the hand of his brother. The people [of Israel], because of their meat, forgot God, and instead of God, worshipped the similitude of a dumb animal; and again, because of their meat, the wrath of God [p. 415] went up against them; and again, because of their meat, they were led into the fornication with the Midianites, through which the pestilence had dominion over them suddenly, for it is written, "While the flesh was yet between their teeth the anger of God went up against them." And again, through meat and luxuries the Sodomites also were polluted with an unclean matter, and pleasures and the love of the belly brought them unto that limitless wickedness, even as the prophet of God maketh known concerning them, "This was the iniquity of thy luxurious sister Sodom, who was satisfied with bread, and dwelt at ease;" for by reason of being filled with bread, and delicacies they polluted themselves with unnatural lust. Let these things and others which are like unto them be in thy remembrance, O thou that wishest to |398 travel in the path of heaven, and cut off and cast away from thee the fettering weight of the belly, which sinketh the soul into the depths of wickedness like a millstone in the sea. And do not imagine that [the lust for] dainty meats only is accounted gluttony, for behold, the gluttony of Esau was made manifest through a mess of pottage, and [it consisteth not] in flesh overmuch, nor in wine overmuch, nor in any other preparation of meats; for it was only because [Esau] desired greedily a mess of pottage, that the word of God rejected him, and cast him away. In the meat which thou hast nigh unto thee shew thy forbearance, and contend with that which is near thee, and let there be war with thee against the contemptible and despicable things which are set before thee, lest thou make use of them for the filling of thy belly [only]; for no man [p. 416] leaveth the obstacles which are near and fighteth with those which are afar off, and no man leaveth the sickness which is at hand and which causeth him pain, and bringeth healing unto that which hath not yet appeared. And since the dainty meats, of which the rich and noble men of the world make use, are not nigh unto thee, forbear from the inferior kinds which are set before thee, and if thou canst conquer [the lust] for meats which are common thou mayest believe that thou wilt also be the conqueror over the lust for those which are more dainty, and that thou wilt gain the victory over those which are of great price.
The full belly produceth not pure prayer, and the stomach which is inflated with too much food giveth not forth wakeful melody. Now if its own loss only were found in overfilling the belly, even though it would be blameworthy, it would not perchance be |399 over-wicked to palliate it, but because of the other wickednesses which spring therefrom, it is right for the disciple that he should take heed thereunto. The sleep of the over-eater is much, his dreams are disturbed, his visions are confused, the flow of his lust is copious, and his sleep is deep but not healthy. If he standeth up to sing a psalm, thou mayest consider that he standeth not up, for as he sinketh down upon his bed, even so doth he sink down in his standing up; he throweth himself against the walls, he layeth hold of the things which hang clown, he supporteth himself upon sticks that they may bear with him his heavy body, that is to say, that they may carry with him the weight of the meats which he beareth. And if it happen that he beginneth and endeth his service, he perceiveth not where he is, for although many voices cry in his ears he overcometh them by the depth of his sleep; [p. 417] his ear is closed by the weight of meats, his eye turneth away through sleepiness, and his whole body is weaned and exhausted, because he doth not eat in moderation. The living stand by his side, and look upon him as dead, and those who are awake see him, and they laugh and mock after his own manner. He knoweth not which psalm is being sung, he is wrathful against the man who waketh him up, and he is filled with anger and threatenings against whomsoever rouseth him from his deep slumber. It happeneth too that he falleth down while he standeth, and through the noise of his fall he disturbeth the service, and in the hour of quietness he maketh tumult, and at the season when God is hymned by the living and by the Watchers, he standeth before Him like a soulless corpse. And if one should say, "Is he not ashamed, and is he not brought to the blush?" [I say,] how |400 can the man, who doth not even know where he is, be ashamed? He despiseth God in his standing up, he casteth [looks of] hatred upon those who behold him, he heapeth reproaches also upon those who wake him up, he maketh himself a cause of falling and stumbling unto those who stand by his side, who leave off singing to speak about him, and who are irritated at the sight of the depth of sleep into which he hath fallen; for if the glutton sleepeth, he is drowned in sleep, and if he be awakened he sleepeth, and if he singeth he is dumb, and if he standeth up, he falleth prone.
Observe then these defects, O thou that lovest spiritual excellence, and excuse thyself from this wickedness, that thou mayest not forget God and thine own self thereby, and thy discernment be darkened against all that is seemly; and with these remember also that which was spoken by the prophet Moses to the Jews, saying, "Take heed when [p. 418] thou eatest, and art satisfied, lest thou forget the Lord thy God who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt." And behold the Spirit of God hath taught thee openly that error is born of fulness of food, and that, when a man hath forgotten God, he marcheth fearlessly into all wickedness, and associateth himself with all evils. For as the sight of a stern master is to riotous slaves, even so is the remembrance of God [unto the soul]; for it maketh the tumultuousness of the thoughts shamefaced, and immediately the thought of Him falleth into the mind all the perturbed thoughts hasten to put themselves in the order of fear, and the soul becometh suddenly a peaceful house, an ordered |401 temple, a pure dwelling, and a holy mansion of the Trinity. Whosoever then wisheth to travel along the path of heaven should unfasten the shackles of lusts from his feet, and should remove every weight from the wings of his mind, in order that his person may travel easily towards greatness, and may hear the promise of the holy man Paul, who taught and admonished us, saying, "Take ye heed lest there be among you any man who is wanton or slack like Esau, who for one [mess of] meat sold his birthright; for also when he afterwards desired to inherit the blessings, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it with tears."
Let then these remembrances be unto thee, [O disciple,] and let such testimonies as these be written in thy heart. Let us be active, that we may become spiritual beings; let us shut the door of the lust of the belly, that all wickedness may be shut outside; let us put to death in us the lust of the body, that the lust of the spirit may live in our soul; let us diminish by patience [p. 419] also the wants of our life, that we may be worthy by Grace of the life of glory; let us deny the foolish mistress, that we may confess fully the Holy and Eternal One; let us free our members from weight, that we may make our members light by pure prayer; let us cast out the smoke of lust, that the eye of our soul may be clear for the sight of knowledge; let us not lust after the loaded table and abundance of meats, that the table of the kingdom may receive us like famished folk; let us despise and reject the health of the body, that we may be able to obtain the health |402 of the hidden man; let not the fear of sickness through [lack of] food fight against us lest wounds increase in our soul thereby; let us give thanks unto the Provider for little food, that it may be seen that we are His sons and not slaves in the hire of the belly; let us overcome patiently the first lust, that we may thereby gain strength to vanquish all [other] lusts; let us say unto each other that which hath been said unto us by the Apostle, "The belly for meats, and meats for the belly, but God will bring them both to nought." The body then is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body, to Whom be glory from us all for ever. Amen.
Here endeth the First Discourse on the lust of the belly by the holy man Philoxenus, Bishop of Mabbôgh.
[Footnotes renumbered and moved to the end. Page numbers in brackets refer to the Syriac text in vol. 1 of the printed edition.]
1. The passage within [ ] is found in E und F only.
2. Galatians v. 17 .