a treatise on good works-第15部分

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watching；　labor；　of　which　some　say　and　write　so　much；　although

they　know　neither　the　source　nor　the　purpose　of　these　good　works。

Therefore　we　will　now　also　speak　of　them。　



XVIII。　This　rest；　namely；　that　our　work　cease　and　God　alone　work

in　us；　is　accomplished　in　two　ways。　First；　through　our　own

effort；　secondly；　through　the　effort　or　urging　of　others。　



Our　own　effort　is　to　be　so　made　and　ordered　that；　in　the　first

place；　when　we　see　our　flesh；　senses；　will　and　thoughts　tempting

us；　we　resist　them　and　do　not　heed　them；　as　the　Wise　Man　says：

〃Follow　not　thine　own　desires。〃　And　Moses；　Deuteronomy　xii：　〃Thou

shalt　not　do　what　is　right　in　thine　own　eyes。〃



Here　a　man　must　make　daily　use　of　those　prayers　which　David

prays：　〃Lord；　lead　me　in　Thy　path；　and　let　me　not　walk　in　my　own

ways；〃　and　many　like　prayers；　which　are　all　summed　up　in　the

prayer；　〃Thy　kingdom　come。〃　For　the　desires　are　so　many；　so

various；　and　besides　at　times　so　nimble；　so　subtile　and　specious；

through　the　suggestions　of　the　evil　one；　that　it　is　not　possible

for　a　man　to　control　himself　in　his　own　ways。　He　must　let　hands

and　feet　go；　commend　himself　to　God's　governance；　and　entrust

nothing　to　his　reason；　as　Jeremiah　says；　〃O　Lord；　I　know　that　the

way　of　man　is　not　in　his　own　power。〃　We　see　proof　of　this；　when

the　children　of　Israel　went　out　of　Egypt　through　the　Wilderness；

where　there　was　no　way；　no　food；　no　drink；　no　help。　Therefore　God

went　before　them；　by　day　in　a　bright：　cloud；　by　night　in　a　fiery

pillar；　fed　them　with　manna　from　heaven；　and　kept　their　garments

and　shoes　that　they　waxed　not　old；　as　we　read　in　the　Books　of

Moses。　For　this　reason　we　pray：　〃Thy　kingdom　come；　that　Thou　rule

us；　and　not：　we　ourselves；〃　for　there　is　nothing　more　perilous

in　us　than　our　reason　and　will。　And　this　is　the　first　and　highest

work　of　God　in　us　and　the　best　training；　that　we　cease　from　our

works；　that　we　let　our　reason　and　will　be　idle；　that　we　rest　and

commend　ourselves　to　God　in　all　things；　especially　when　they　seem

to　be　spiritual　and　good。　



XIX。　After　this　comes　the　discipline　of　the　flesh；　to　kill　its

gross；　evil　lust；　to　give　it　rest　and　relief。　This　we　must　kill

and　quiet　with　fasting；　watching　and　labor；　and　from　this　we

learn　how　much　and　why　we　shall　fast；　watch　and　labor。　



There　are；　alas！　many　blind　men；　who　practise　their　castigation；

whether　it　be　fasting；　watching　or　labor；　only　because　they　think

these　are　good　works；　intending　by　them　to　gain　much　merit。　Far

blinder　still　are　they　who　measure　their　fasting　not　only　by　the

quantity　or　duration；　as　these　do；　but　also　by　the　nature　of　the

food；　thinking　that　it　is　of　far　greater　worth　if　they　do　not　eat

meat；　eggs　or　butter。　Beyond　these　are　those　who　fast　according

to　the　saints；　and　according　to　the　days；　one　fasting　on

Wednesday；　another　on　Saturday；　another　on　St。　Barbara's　day；

another　on　St。　Sebastian's　day；　and　so　on。　These　all　seek　in

their　fasting　nothing　beyond　the　work　itself：　when　they　have

performed　that；　they　think　they　have　done　a　good　work。　I　will

here　say　nothing　of　the　fact　that　some　fast　in　such　a　way　that

they　none　the　less　drink　themselves　full；　some　fast　by　eating

fish　and　other　foods　so　lavishly　that　they　would　come　much　nearer

to　fasting　if　they　ate　meat；　eggs　and　butter；　and　by　so　doing

would　obtain　far　better　results　from　their　fasting。　For　such

fasting　is　not　fasting；　but　a　mockery　of　fasting　and　of　God。　



Therefore　I　allow　everyone　to　choose　his　day；　food　and　quantity

for　fasting；　as　he　will；　on　condition　that　he　do　not　stop　with

that；　but　have　regard　to　his　flesh；　let　him　put　upon　it　fasting；

watching　and　labor　according　to　its　lust　and　wantonness；　and　no

more；　although　pope；　Church；　bishop；　father…confessor　or　any　one

else　whosoever　have　commanded　it。　For　no　one　should　measure　and

regulate　fasting；　watching　and　labor　according　to　the　character

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

onl