Philoxenus, Ascetic Discourses (1894) pp.403-471. Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence
[P. 420] THE ELEVENTH DISCOURSE: ON ABSTINENCE AND THE SUBJECTION OF THE BODY, WHICH SHEWETH THAT A MAN IS, THROUGH TRIBULATIONS, ABLE TO ENTER INTO THE SPIRITUAL COUNTRY OF THE ENJOYMENTS OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST.
"Enter ye in at the strait gate," proclaimeth the word of the Redeemer unto all true disciples of His word, for without this gate a man cannot enter into the kingdom of God. For a man is not wholly worthy of the experience of the rule and life of Christ until he hath put to an end in him all feeling for the meats of the world, and he is not able to cut off and to cast away from him this affection, except through the power of patience he cut off [from himself] pleasure in all things which are lusted after. For when a man hath cut off and cast away wickedness from his soul, all good and fair things spring up within him in its place, that is to say, in the place from which evil hath been cut off good straightway springeth up therein, and blossometh. And as all the power of the soul [p. 421] turneth to water and to make to grow that plant, even so is the power of all the thoughts wholly directed to make to grow the tree of goodness, which is planted |404 in the soul after wickedness hath been uprooted therefrom; for if vices be not rooted up virtues cannot blossom, and except evil habits be cut off and cast away from us, the tradition of a good life layeth not hold upon us, and unless we have forsaken slackness we cannot lay hold upon fortitude, and except gluttony hath died, abstinence cannot live in us. For death and life are ministered unto in us in two things: the death of the old man, which is abominable lusts, and the life of the new man, which is a correct rule of life. Now the death which is man's penalty did the commandment bring, but the death which ariseth from the.lusts He calleth the will of each one of us, because also from the beginning the death which is of sin entered in by [man's] will, and afterwards came the death which arose from the penalty by the will of God. And so also is it in this case: for before the dissolution of the nature of the body which dissolveth the penalty, the will of each one of us is able to scatter the composition of the old man of lusts, and when this death hath been dissolved not even then is that nature firm.
Now the death which is of sin brought in the death which is of nature, and with the dissolution of the one, the other was brought to nought, and those who did not die aforetime died in very truth, but those, who of their own freewill put to death in them the man of lusts in this death, dissolved the death of the natural man; [p. 422] therefore it is well that we should die before our death, that we may also live before our life. For where the death of the will goeth first, the death which is of nature is dissolved, and where the death which is of nature is dissolved aforetime by the dominion of freewill before we come into life, the man who dieth |405 is alive; and because these cessations and renewings happen unto us aforetime in all ways, it is seemly for us first of all to uproot wickedness, and then to lay in ourselves the foundation of the edifice of virtues, in order that the rock may receive our foundation, as it is written, and that on a sure stone may be our building, even as it is said. And in this respect we should be like unto the physicians of [our] nature who, until they have removed and cleansed the matter from the sore, do not lay [upon it] the plaster which buildeth up and maketh to grow the living flesh; and so must it be with us also when we have uprooted the matter of the lust of the belly, and have made accusations against its filthy and loathsome forms.
And now let us shew in our discourse the benefit of abstinence, and let us exhort disciples with profitable doctrine to lay hold in their souls upon this endurance which, although it is imagined to be laden with labours, is nevertheless the birth-pang which giveth us birth into the experience of the blessings of Christ. And as the child is born into the world through the pains of her that giveth him birth, even so also through the pains of sufferings and the patient endurance of labours is a man born into the world of the knowledge of Christ. And if a man were to call abstinence the cleansing of the lusts of the body he would not err, for as [p. 423] the body is purified by washing from the things which pollute it, and which conceal its natural appearance and colour, even so also through abstinence are the blemishes of the old man healed, and made clean, and the beauty of the new man, |406 cleansed and pure, is revealed, and when he hath been revealed and re-standeth in the appearance of his nature, then is it easy for him to see and be seen in the beauty of his soul from whence he receiveth the clothing of knowledge.
Now the beginning of abstinence is bitter and severe, but the end thereof is pleasant and sweet. Its burden is heavy unto those who do not feel how light it is, and its load is difficult unto those who do not look into the spiritual riches which are therein, for it is the strait gate which leadeth into the broad country of spiritual beings; and as poverty of possessions is the end of the way of the world, even so is abstinence the beginning of the path of the rule and life of the Gospel. And it is good for us also that, after the discourse upon poverty, we should enter upon the doctrine which concerneth abstinence, because in proportion as a man possesseth that which is outside of him will he work therein, and therefrom will he gather in the produce. And though of his own will he distributeth goodness and lovingkindness, yet he taketh from outside of him the seed, and casteth it in the fields of the afflicted, or as one might say, he taketh from the world, and giveth thereunto, even though the fruits of this righteousness be gathered together unto the person of the man himself; but labours are outside the person. For what labour and tribulation will arise in the body of him, the righteousness of whose alms are stablished by riches which are outside him, [p. 424] besides this only, that he constraineth the thought of the lust of the belly, and bringeth it into subjection beneath the will of lovingkindness? But when a man hath emptied himself of everything, and he standeth free in the world in his |407 own person, he becometh a. field of which he himself is the cultivator, and he tilleth it, and soweth seed therein, and from it tribulations begin, and in it they come to an end, and henceforth he doth not sow strange lands with the seed of alms, but the rational field of himself, and in it he beginneth the service of the labours of righteousness.
Now the first rule of this field is the cultivation of fasting and abstinence, for without these all the virtues of the person can be but feebly cultivated, and it is as if the power [to perform] them were weak and wanting in us; for our prayer cannot be pure, nor our singing wakeful, nor our thoughts sanctified, nor our knowledge increased, nor our understanding made bright, nor our mind active, nor will our hidden man be renewed in wondering admiration at the greatness of the glory of God, without the cultivation of fasting and the ministration of abstinence. For from these things we go on to others, and we are lifted up from this step unto others which are higher, and by reason of resisting meats we arrive at the similitude of angels; for inasmuch as the angels exist wholly and entirely without meat, we must of our own freewill make ourselves alien unto the meat which is lusted after, and diminish a few of the wants of the body. And by this [p. 425 ] also we shew that we have in us the longing to be like unto spiritual beings. For this reason our Lord Who came for our redemption was able in His own power immediately He was revealed to make us in the likeness of angels----which He is about to make us finally according to the riches of His grace----yet He did not do this, but He taught us how a man might become like unto the angels, and He left it to our freewill to |408 hasten after their similitude. Let us then, of our own freewill cast off from us the old carnal mindedness, and put on the renewing of the likeness of the angels, and let us exchange meat for meat, and lust for lust, and table for table, and food for food, and one kind of nourishment for another. For we have a [carnal] belly and a [spiritual] belly which receive different kinds of meats, and when a man hath shut the door in the face of one, he then openeth the other that it may receive the meats of the spirit, and enjoy and live daintily upon the various kinds of spiritual food which are above nature; and because our nature was too feeble of itself to cut off and to cast out these things from it, the gift of the Spirit came to our support, in order that that which nature was not able to do of itself it might complete by Grace.
Therefore, O disciple, contend against the lusts of the body with all thy soul, and cultivate virtues in the field of thyself which remaineth to thee from the world, for thou thyself alone of every thing which is in the world art reserved [p. 426] for life, and for thee the wedding chamber is opened, and the kingdom prepared, and the place for reclining spread, and the mansions are in order, and the table of dainties is made ready in that living feast in which God hath made Himself the minister, even as He Himself hath proclaimed unto thee in His sure word, "Verily I say unto you that He shall make His chosen ones sit down, and He shall gird up His loins and shall go in and minister unto them." Be thou then [O disciple,] at all times mindful of this table, that from the remembrance thereof thou mayest receive strength, and mayest be able to despise the |409 natural table; for there is no man who would exchange the dainty table of the kingdom for the coarse and common table of the bread of wheat, and more than this the table of meats of the body is smaller and inferior in comparison to that spiritual table.
Be thou wakeful, then, and watch thyself when this lust beginneth to fight against thee, and gather together all the host of thy thoughts, having as the general thereof a wakeful understanding, which is like the chief of a band of thieves, who are the passion of the lust of the belly. For this lust knoweth that it is too feeble to fight against the mind which can endure, and it taketh with it hunger that it may be a help thereunto, and that it may shew thee that thy blame will not be very great if thou art constrained by thy hunger [and thou eatest]. And it offereth unto thee such entreaties as these: "Need of food was implanted in thee by the 'Creator," and "Hunger naturally ruleth over thy body," and "The support of thy human life consisteth of food, and without it thou canst not abide in the [p. 427] world, and if thou wishest to live without these things thou resistest the will of the Creator, Who desired that thy bodily life should be supported in the world in this manner; and the meat which is [eaten] by measure, and the drink which is taken in moderation are blameless." And when this lust hath led thee away by these blandishments, and hath brought thee from the consideration of, Thou shalt not eat, unto that of, Thou shalt eat, it draweth thee on further from, Thou shalt eat, unto how thou shalt eat, and what thou shalt eat; for it doth not counsel thee from the beginning that thy eating shall be from lust, but it persuadeth thee that thou shalt eat for need's sake, and afterwards |410 it leadeth thee on from need unto lust. By the power of patient endurance a man standeth when he contendeth to overcome the hunger of nature, and if at the season of his power weakness gaineth dominion over him, he is easily conquered [and is made] to come to utter defeat when once a small portion of that feebleness hath gained the mastery over him.
Observe then, O thou [disciple], very carefully and with discerning knowledge, that not all hunger is the hunger of nature, and that not all meat is the meat which satisfieth want, and observe the different kinds of hunger, and distinguish and select with knowledge thine own hunger from among them. One kind of hunger belongeth to youth, and another ariseth from weakness, and another from excessive emptiness, and another from habit, and another from idleness of the thoughts which have nothing wherewith to occupy themselves, and another from the feebleness of the thoughts, and another from the daily cutting off which happeneth unto the body, and another from the coldness of the body which seeketh to be made warm [p. 428] by meat, and another which excessive labour produceth; these and such like things are the causes of hunger, besides there being some men also whose hunger is not a healthy hunger. Therefore many men are able to bear hunger from the beginning of the day, and some are an hungered at the second hour, and others at the fourth, and others at the sixth, and others at the ninth, and others in the evening, and others can endure the hunger of the close of the day until the vigil of the night, and others continue to fast until the third hour; and when they have arrived at the number of a double vigil their natural hunger hath entirely ceased in them, because the natural heat which |411 is stirred up in the body taketh the place of meat to them. And when from these things thou dost understand the varieties of hunger which are born in thee, thou must distinguish and select from them all the hunger which cometh of thy need, but thou must from time to time restrain even this, in order that the endurance of thy affliction may be the more made manifest, by which thy love unto God is made known. Take heed then that the hunger of lust lead thee not astray and thou imagine it to be the hunger of nature. Now the real hunger of nature is not the want of food in the stomach, but the want of the power of the food in all the members, for when the members have put off the power of food, and have put on in its stead weakness, and although thou callest unto them they respond not with whatever service thou wishest, this is natural hunger; and thou must [p. 429] therefore take carefully such food as will restore the power to the members, being watchful of thy thought that it be not mingled with the body in the meat, and thou must make the lust which is in thee to sleep, lest it be roused up and the lust for food be excited by thee instead of by want; and if this happeneth thy meal is one to be blamed, even though thou takest food because of hunger, and eatest sparingly.
Let thy thoughts then observe at all seasons all thy affairs, whether it be those which are in the world, or those which are in thy body, or all the others which are wrought in the soul. For a man is not an animal that he should feed whenever he is hungry, but he is bound, like a rational being, whenever the body sheweth , its natural hunger, to make the soul shew the forbearance which becometh it, and it shall make use |412 of that which is its own, even as doth the body also of the things which belong to its nature, and the hunger of the body shall be a reminder of its own hunger, and it shall take its need as the testimony of the need of its spiritual life. For the soul is not bound to bring itself mightily into subjection unto the feminine passions of the body, but it must rouse itself up in war against them, and must subdue, and fetter, and be master of, and overcome them; and it must produce in itself arrangements and preparations against these lusts which rise up from below, and which abase its greatness, and défile its fair beauty. When the body at any time whatsoever maketh war against thee with its needs, or with the hunger of its lusts, thou must conquer in the war at that season by patient endurance, and by producing in thee as an antidote against that hunger another hunger, and thou must turn thy mind [p. 430] from the thought of the hunger of the body unto meditation upon, and converse with God, for in this way wilt thou be able to overcome the importunity of the passion of its hunger. For if natural hunger were to obtain dominion over each one of us very little, or ever so little, we should all be hungry together, but because hunger is also produced from the feeling of desire we become hungry at different seasons. For who doth not know that that hunger which cometh at the beginning of the day, or at the third hour, or even at the sixth hour, is not natural hunger? because, as I have said, natural hunger is the want of the strength of meat in the members of the body, and that the passion can be vanquished by the power of patient endurance sheweth particularly that it is not natural hunger; and, moreover, even if it were natural, in this case |413 also would it be right that it should be mastered, because our rule and life are superior to nature, and our strife is against nature. For behold the human life which is in us is not the feelings of nature, but they are nature, and although it be thus, because of the truth we fight also against human life, for the limits are marked out and laid down; for unto the limit of death for the sake of righteousness we must fight against these lusts, but the war which is for faith's sake is against natural life. And we are not commanded by our Redeemer to slay ourselves of our own freewill by patient endurance for the sake of the labours of righteousness, but for the truth's sake we are commanded to die; so then it is right that we should contend by rule and conduct on the side of [p. 431] faith against all the needs of nature, but for the truth we must contend against the natural life.
Repress then, [O disciple,] thy passion of hunger when this lust is stirred up in thee, and set in battle array against it all the powers of thy thoughts, that if it be not vanquished by one, it may be overcome by many. For how can that lust, which is wont to be overcome by one living motion for God's sake, avoid being vanquished by the might of many thoughts, if this motion be in us in a healthy manner as if it arose from a living and healthy nature? For as is the power of the hand, so also is [the force] of the stone which is cast therefrom, and according to the might of the. arm is the power of the arrow which is shot forth by it, and as are the strength and healthy condition of the soul, so also is the healthy motion which is sent forth by it to the war against lust, and lust (even though it happen that it hath held us fast |414 habitually for a long time past), that is to say need, is not able to abide before it.
And observe that a distinction also existeth between one kind of need and another, for there is the need which ariseth from lust, and that which ariseth from a healthy state, and that which ariseth from strength, and that which ariseth from life; let us then forsake the former kinds of need, and make use of the last, so that when we are constrained to satisfy a want, it may not be that which ariseth from lust, or health, or from strength, but only that which ariseth [p. 432] from life itself, even as we learn also from the testimony of the righteous men of old, who did not satisfy the want of any one of these three, and of whom some persisted and endured patiently a fast for forty days, and some for three weeks. And it is not known that they satisfied [their] needs for the sake of [their] life only, and the limit of our Redeemer's fast sheweth this to us, and His answer to the Calumniator also teacheth us this openly, for it is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word which goeth forth from the mouth of God." Now He said "shall live," and not, "shall be sound," nor, "shall be strong," nor, "shall be filled its lust's need;" and although this word is of little importance in its utterance, yet a great distinction is apparent therein. For He taught us clearly by that word that not by bread alone should man live, but that he should eat only to live, and not for the sake of lust, or strength, or healthy condition; for according to these things is life stablished also in sickness, and in weakness a man liveth unto them in |415 the world. And as whosoever hath a severe disease m his body, that is to say, in those members which are the receptacles of meat, the food which he receiveth nourisheth his disease and not his strength, even so also whosoever feedeth the lust which is in him, his meat nourisheth his lust and not his human life; and it is manifest that whosoever nourisheth his lust [p. 433] giveth birth to [other] lusts, for as is the nature of the ground, so is also the taste of the [fruit of] trees which grow up therefrom.
Thou shalt not then, [O disciple,] devour like a slave, but eat like a free man, and let not thy food be unto others but unto thyself, for instead of ministering unto the bondage of lust thou must be a minister unto thyself. And who is there that understanding all this will diminish [the food of] his own mouth and put [it] into the mouth of others, even though it be that of a helpful friend? how much less then [into that] of an enemy, that is, the contrary of thy true life? For there is no power in lust to lead thy life into subjection, but it taketh might from thine own might to subjugate thee; thou shalt not, then, take thy power and give it unto lust that it may fight against thee therewith, and thou shalt not clothe thine enemy in armour that thou mayest contend against him therein. Thou shalt not be in doubt concerning thyself, that is to say, thou shalt not be wholly on the side of thine enemy and turn and wage war against thyself, for this lust, if thou wilt, is a feeble thing, and how can it help being a feeble thing if without thee it cannot even exist? If now thou dost create it, thou must also give it strength; and if it beginneth to exist from thee, from thee must it obtain strength to gain power over thee; for as God |416 is over created things so art thou god over thy lusts, and as by the will of the Creator created things exist, and if He willeth not they exist not, so also according to thy will are thy lusts, and at thy will they become nothing. "God calleth [p. 434] the things which are not as if they were," even so also doth thy will create the lusts which are not, that they may come into existence; now God looketh upon all things, and they become nothing, so also doth thy will [look] upon all the passions, and straightway they are destroyed and become nothing. If thou wishest, they are thy passions; and if thou wishest, they do not exist. From thee springeth up the cause of thy lust, and from thee is born the destruction thereof; if thou makest it to live, thou canst make it to die, and if thou makest lust to live in thee, thou makest thy life which is in God to die. A man cannot by any means live with God and with lust at the same time, even as he cannot live with the Calumniator and with Christ also; for the lust of the body is a goad unto the man of the spirit, in the same manner that the Calumniator is the contrary of thy whole self. All the fair passions spring up from the soul in thee by the help of Grace, but the origin of abominable lusts is from the body, and the Enemy doth urge them on; therefore vanquish that which it is meet should be overcome, that He to Whom the victory belongeth may overcome by thee, and fight and conquer the first lust, that thereby and henceforth the conquest of them all may be easy. For if one lust can overcome thee, how very much more easily can many overcome thee! And moreover, when all lusts are gathered together [against thee], |417 yet are they powerless, and how very much more easily are they made impotent when thou dost vanquish them one by one by the persistence of patient endurance!
And, moreover, it is right for thee to make a distinction between them, in order that victory over them may be easy for thee. [p. 435] For when the lusts desire to make an attack upon thy patient endurance in a body, thou shalt not give unto them that which they seek, but thou shalt engage in war with them all, only thou must cut off and separate them one from another, and fight against each one of them singly, and gain the victory; and thou shalt not allow them to perfect their will in thee, not only by not allowing them to overcome thee, but also by preventing their coming [upon thee] in a body. Now by their coming in a body in this manner, their weakness is displayed, and if, when gathered together, their infirmity is revealed unto thee, how very much more will their utter powerlessness be apparent when each one of them cometh against thee singly? Watch then diligently that portion of the desire for truth which is in thee, and which longeth for life, and panteth for that which is good, and which lusteth with a healthy, and not with a destructive lust. For the lust of destruction is laid beneath destruction, and it speedily destroyeth whomsoever wisheth to possess the power of patient endurance; but the lust which destroyeth not, even when its enemies think that they have overcome it, is not loosed from the sure fixity of its nature, and although it be thought that it is conquered, it is by no means overcome, but it removeth itself from the thought which is unworthy of it, even when it is held thereby, and it fighteth against abominable lust.
Now therefore it is good that we should overcome all |418 lusts, but especially [p. 436] the first lust by which, if we overcome it, we receive the strength of victory against other lusts; for when this evil lust shall be vanquished in us, together therewith shall be conquered the others which follow in its train. And as we see that our work hath multiplied, in that we have in vanquishing one overcome many, so let us devote ourselves more diligently to the work, because if we are dilatory, not only shall we incur defeat in this, but in all other contests which will enter in thereafter. And as, if we conquer in the first victory, it is the victory in all other contests, so also if we be defeated, it is the defeat in all other battles; therefore it is right that we should be victors at all times, because it is the victory of our nature, and because it is outside our nature to be overcome, both because of our own will and because of the blandishments of our enemies. Let us then voluntarily fulfil the will of God our Creator, Who hath set us in the strife that we may be victors, and let not that king Who chose us be ashamed of us, and be reproached because He hath chosen and mingled sluggish soldiers in His camp; for our defeat would show the ignorance of Him Who chose us, and therefore let us be victors, that the Wise Being may not be thought to be foolish through us.
Observe then by the experience of thy contest with what thoughts this lust of the belly, when it troubleth thee, may be overcome, and by this habit, whenever it setteth itself in battle array against thee, do thou array in order of battle these thoughts against it, and after the victory thou wilt receive the sweets of conquest. For so long as thou art disturbed by the prickings [p. 437] of lust, thou wilt never taste the pleasure of victory: |419 but after a little, when thou art clothed with the armour of patient endurance, thou shalt go forth from the strife of the battle with victory, and the pleasure of victory shall meet thee. And it is impossible that pleasure should light upon thee in the world, for pleasure is born of labour, and it is impossible for the harvest to be produced in thy grasp whilst thou holdest the seed in thy hand, for crops are gathered from the seed after it hath been sown. And, moreover, whilst thou art still standing in the thick of the battle, and it is not apparent to which side victory will incline, it is impossible for thy triumph to be proclaimed in the cities; but after the war is ended, and victory hath appeared, then shall the triumph of the warrior be proclaimed in the cities. According to these examples, then, take thou this spiritual war in which thou art engaged. And if thou art disturbed when thou fightest, know that this befitteth thee, and if thy fighting be laboured and thou sweatest, this also cleaveth unto thy work; for if there be a battle, there must be labour therein, and if there be a contest, in weariness and sweat must run those who enter in to it.
Do thou, then, not consider the things which are near, but look beforehand at the pleasures which [come] after the tribulations, and let not thy mind be fettered unto thy body, but let it hasten to see the things which are about to come, that thou mayest strengthen with the remembrance of victory the members which stand in battle. Thou art a spiritual being and must wage war against the lust of the body, and the spiritual being who is overcome by the body is a laughingstock; and it is a disgrace [p. 438] unto him that is invited to heaven, that the belly should contend with him and |420 overcome him. For if thou art ordained by Grace to fight and conquer spiritual principalities and powers, that is to say, the hosts and the companies which are opposed to thee, how very much more is it meet for thee to vanquish the belly? And behold thy garb hath been dedicated unto this, and the appearance of thy rule of life proclaimeth for thee victory over the hosts which are opposed [to thee]. And who would not laugh , at the man who hath prepared himself for these things if he should see his belly overcoming him? especially when it is not the necessary of life which urgeth thee to this, but the lust which is born of the feebleness of thy will, and that that which is born of thee, not being a man of might but as yet a child and youth, which it would have been easy for thee to have set under thy heel, hath stood up in battle against thee, and hath laid thee low.
And see then also how the Spirit counselleth thee, saying, "Dash the children of Babylon upon the stones while they are young. " And well hath the word of prophecy called these passions "children", that it might show thee their powerlessness, and might encourage thee to victory; and it did not say "thy children," that it might not cause thee disgrace, as if such children appeared from thee, but it named them "children of Babylon," that is to say, children who were born of slavery and not of freedom, because the mother which giveth birth to lusts is the slavery which the word of prophecy hath symbolized by Babylon which hath been wasted, and which carrieth off rapaciously like spoil the [p. 439] power of the spiritual man, and plundereth his riches.
Now therefore when lust hath joined itself unto hunger |421 to wage war against thee, do thou unite thy thought unto Grace, and stand up in prayer, and as if thou didst despise lust, do not even turn thy thoughts thereunto ----now I mean that lust which is great----for even when thou fightest and dost overcome, thy victory will still be subject unto defects, for thou hast had need of fighting, and then thou didst conquer the belly----for it is right that thou shouldst despise it, and that it should be of no account in thy sight, and that thy thought should not cleave thereunto----but thou must despise it as a mighty man despiseth a feeble one, and as a man of strength and power despiseth one that is contemptible and wretched. And it is also the custom of brave warriors when they see feeble men coming against them to fight to despise them, and to have them in contempt, and to laugh at their advance, even as it is written concerning that blasphemous giant whose boast lay in the strength of his body, who, "when he saw David despised him." And if all the contempt which he had in him for David arose from his confidence in his flesh, why shouldst not thou, by the power of the spirit which is in thee, despise and hold in contempt the lust of the belly? For whom doth it usually conquer except infants and young children? For immediately the lust of the belly afflicteth them with its need they begin to cry and to importune their parents, and to ask them for what they want, and they do this because they have not yet attained unto the age in which the power of patient endurance is born of [p. 440] the soul. But thou hast attained, like a giant, unto this age, and the power of thy soul hath been revealed unto thee, if thou desirest to make use |422 thereof; and why shouldst thou be vanquished by the belly like a child, and become a thing to mock at, that the passion of childhood may make a laughingstock of thee? For in the age in which being overcome by the belly is akin unto the nature of the stature of a child, in that same age [I say], victory over it is to thee also akin, and as his childhood is subject unto defeat, even so doth victory cleave unto thine own full-grown stature.
Understand then from this also the feebleness of the lust of the belly, for its fighting belongeth unto the condition of children, for we see that all the other lusts renew themselves against our life in the various states of [our] growth which follow after [childhood], but this lust of the belly is stirred up in childhood; and thou must know that it is because it is feeble that it fighteth against the child, but when it wageth war against thee it cometh only [to make] a trial, and not [to obtain] the victory. Overcome then with thy persistence that, the defeat of which, even when thou hast conquered it, is not a great thing, because it is a war of childhood, but the benefit which is produced therefrom is not a feeble thing----for being small and contemptible, when thou hast overcome it, its defeat is not a thing to wonder at; but it openeth unto us the door of triumphs over all the passions, and when the other lusts which follow in its train see this, they become so enfeebled that they cannot come to fight, [p. 441] or if they draw nigh to fight, they do so with fear and terror, and because of this they fight with half their strength and not with [their] full force, for fear is wont to diminish and to dissipate their power.
Fight then, O disciple, and overcome like a man, |423 that thou mayest be crowned gloriously like a warrior. Thou shalt not be conquered, for thou wast not set apart for this; thou shalt not fall because thou wert not chosen for this; thou shalt not surrender, because the mighty Hand is with thee; for the Hand of Christ will be with thee in the wars which thou shalt wage against all these things, if only thou wilt perceive the right Hand which graspeth thy right hand, and the mighty Arm which holdeth thy feeble hand.
And now, since it is fitting that I should teach thee the first kinds of this victory listen, and I will tell thee. Do not, then, attribute unto thyself victory when thou conquerest the lust for rare and costly meats only, but when thou conquerest [thy lust] for poor and common food, thou mayest consider this a genuine victory; for the disciple is bound to excuse himself not only from the eating of flesh and the drinking of wine, but also from everything for which he lusteth; do not then fight against meat, but against lust. If it be that thou makest war against the kind of meat, when thou hast vanquished in the war against one kind, another will fight against thee, but if thou overcomest lust in only one thing out of many, with this thou wilt also overcome another, for there are certain meats of which if a solitary or a [p. 442] coenobite make use, the reproach on their account is evident; now in this war shame of the multitude will help thee, and many times wilt thou be prevented from eating by reason of the shame before those who behold thee; and since it happeneth that thou hast help in this war from outside, the conquest therein is small. But do thou, like one wise unto advantages, and cunning unto benefits, fight against those things which are permitted to be eaten, and against the lust thereof |424 do thou wage war; and briefly, I will give thee an indication [of what they are]. Everything which is laid upon the table for thy food, and which thine eye looketh upon and lusteth after, thou shalt not think of, but say quietly unto thy belly, "Because thou hast lusted therefor thou shalt not taste it;" and when it hath received from thee this law, it will occupy itself with its need, and the eye of its lust will not be extended and diffused over the meats. And I also say that which, because it will be thought new, not every man will forthwith accept, but the few and the small in number will understand it, and these will suffice: it is better for thee to eat flesh without lust, than lentiles with it, for by the eating of the flesh passion will not be produced, but in respect of that which is inferior ( i. e., the lentiles) lust goeth before the eating thereof, and an accusation is brought against the food because of a man's lust therefor, and not because of its nature. Hast thou forgotten that which Paul crieth, saying, "Everything which hath been created by God is holy, and nothing is to be rejected if it be received with thanksgiving?" But [p. 443] take good heed unto me, in this case also, that thou receive not this word as free permission to eat flesh, and that thou make not use thereof, for the sake of ministering unto thy lusts, for unto the free it is written. If thou hast been tempted in thy soul which standeth upon the height of the freedom of Christ, and hast subdued by the power of thy patient endurance the bondage which is in thee, thou mayest make use of these words, if when thou eatest thou dost not eat with thy senses, and when thou drinkest thou dost not |425 drink longingly that which thou drinkest. If thou canst eat like a dead man, eat, but if thou eatest like a living man, take heed that thou dost not taste thy food with pleasure; for the perception of the taste of that which thou eatest testifieth against thee that thou art still alive unto lust, and that thou eatest in order that thou mayest eat, and not that thou mayest live. And Saint Paul, standing upon the height of this freedom, said, "Let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth," neither let him that eateth because of his freedom despise him that eateth not because of the bondage of the law, because he whom the law leadeth is yet a servant, and hath not yet arrived at the perfect freedom of Christ. See then therefore, and think not that thou standest in the freedom of Christ whilst thou still servest in bondage, and dost eat everything without being permitted so to do. For the blessed Apostle also warns thee against lusting with thoughts of freedom, whilst thou art still a slave, saying, "Ye have been called unto freedom, my brethren;" but let not your freedom be for the eating of flesh, and if thou art still a slave, let not only [p. 444] the laws which are external direct thee, but also the laws of thy discretion. For the external laws are kept for many reasons, for appearance, for fear, for praise, for the love of honour, for imagination, for the growth of other passions, that a man may humble his enemies, and that he may shew unto others who are slack the comparison of his wickedness, and similarly there are many other reasons [for the keeping] of the external law; but let the law of thy discretion be unto thee, so that if thou lustest after anything thou must restrain thyself from making use thereof. And moreover, in respect of |426 that for which thou lustest, thou must know that as yet thou art a slave, and when thou hast in this manner perceived thy slavery, thou must know that the law requireth thee to conquer henceforth, and to encircle with the law all the motions of thy thoughts, and every thought which moveth in thee with the lust for something restrain by the fear of the law, examining very carefully both the motions of nature and the motions of lust, and if the motion be of nature, suppress it, but if it be of lust, root it up. Now thou hast power to uproot the motions of lust, but the motions of nature thou canst only suppress and quiet, because lust itself receiveth its motion from nature, for it inclineth and looketh unto nature to be moved; and when it seeth that it is moved, it taketh the motion and maketh it its own, and it bringeth it out, and giveth it unto thy will to perform in very deed. Thou must then, like one who seeth thy passions, understand when any feeling of lust is mingled in the [p. 445] motion, I mean the motion which receiveth [something] from nature, because it receiveth what it needeth, and returneth; now I distinguish between that motion and the motion of lust, that I may not eat and be overcome.
Overcome therefore the lust for garden herbs, that thou mayest thereby overcome the lust of fornication, and let not common food stir thee up, in order that what hath a fair guise may not excite thee. Despise thou poor and contemptible things, lest they gather together against thee the lusts of those which are mighty, for lust doth not wage war against thee but against that which is akin unto thy rule of life. Because thou art remote from the meats of the world, and from preparations of cooked foods, and from the eating of flesh, and the drinking |427 of strained wines, lust is slow in bringing these things nigh unto thee, for it knoweth that they are remote from thee, and that they have no connexion with thy promises that thou shouldst make use of them, and that they are cut off from thee by custom, and by law, and by thy dwelling, and by thy rule ot life. And where lust seeth that there is something which will fight on its account it ceaseth from making war against such things, and pricketh thee with others, that is with ordinary meats, with the lust of dried vegetables, with the lust of garden herbs, and with the lust for cold water instead of strained wine, which things will be thought by thee not [worthy] of great blame, for their commonness is an excuse for them, and it adviseth thee, saying, "Eat, and thou shalt not be blamed, and drink and thou shalt not be reproached, for these are necessaries, and it is not meet that thou shouldst restrain thyself therefrom, especially [p. 446] at eventide, or thou mayest draw nigh to taste them once in two days. Eat everything which is set before thee, and eat until thou art satisfied, in order that thy body may be strengthened, and [be able] to bear labours;" for slackness in the guise of righteousness giveth thee counsel, because it seeth how many times thou hatest the advice of slackness which is evident. But do not thou be flattered by the person of these things, and despise not the commonness of things, and do not imagine that food is naturally reprehensible, for it is only so when a man shall eat it with lust; whether a man eat flesh or herbs with lust the eating of both is the same thing, and they are reprehensible because lust hath eaten them. It was not the fruit which Eve ate that brought forth death, but it was the lust thereof which brought forth |428 death; for if she had kept the law, and had not eaten with lust at that time, how many times could she have eaten of it afterwards, and not been blamed, provided that she took it unto herself in the ordinary way like [that of] other trees? And she drew nigh unto it, for it is written that she lusted, and then ate, and for this reason she was condemned. And what then was the nature of this fruit which was able to produce death, together with all [other] wickedness? Now, behold, according to what many say, and according also to the slight indication which the Book itself giveth unto us, the fruit which Eve ate was of the fig-tree, and it is manifest that the nature of the fig-tree is not to produce death; therefore it was lust which gave birth unto death, which it hath in all generations produced for man. For the root of death is [p. 447] lust, and the root of lust is carnal union, and for this reason all those who are born of carnal union are moved by lust, and are subject unto death, except One who was not born of carnal union; for this reason He was free from the motion of lust, and therefore He appeared superior to natural death, which, although He took it upon Himself, was voluntary and not natural. So then the nature of food is not reprehensible, although it is blameworthy when lust eateth it. And the reason for setting apart and prohibiting to the Jews the meats which are severally mentioned in the law was to teach them to overcome their lust for certain things, for if the law had prohibited every kind of meat the command would have been heavy upon them, and they would not have received it, and because the commandment |429 did not prevent them from [eating] even one [of them], they were moved within themselves, like animals without discretion, unto all lusts; and as they had not wherewith to learn that it was good for a rational being to overcome his lust, He allowed them to eat by reason of [their] weakness, and He prohibited them from eating many of them that the distinction of their rational nature might appear, and that they might learn to contend against lusts; and because they would not undertake with good will the war against lusts, He made meats unclean to them, that because they were unclean they might be restrained from making use of them. Now with thee He hath not done thus, but [p. 448] He hath purified and sanctified everything, as it is written, "Everything is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer," that henceforth the patient endurance of thy discretion might appear, and that thou mightest not eat, not because they were impure, but because it hath been said that it is good that thou shouldst not eat flesh nor drink wine, nor anything by which our brother may stumble, and also that thou mightest overcome lust by thine own will, and not by the restriction of the uncleanness of meats.
Now against the things which are unclean naturally lust doth not rise up, and therefore everything is holy before thee; therefore when on all sides the materials which provoke thy lust shall appear, thou shalt suppress and overcome them by the love of God, and moreover, because of this, it is seemly for thee to appear temperate. Unto thee, then, let the meats which are set apart, that is to say, everything for which thou lustest, |430 be unclean unto thee, for that which thou bringest nigh unto thyself for its need's sake without lust thou art allowed to eat without reprehension, the law which restraineth thee permitting [thee so to do]; the law is not written outside thee, as in the case of some, but it is that which is written upon thy heart, and thy conscience testifieth concerning it, and only by thyself is it read, and others who are outside thee see it not, and thy freedom, as by the law, is not prohibited from eating, that it may not transgress the law if it eateth.