17. Now therefore let us
return to that, wherefore we have said what we have. We have need
of Continence, and we know it to be a divine gift, that our heart
fall not away unto evil words, to make excuses in sins. But what
sin is there but that we have need of Continence, to restrain it
from being committed, since it is this very Continence which, in
case it have been committed, restrains it from being defended by
wicked pride? Universally therefore we have need of Continence, in
order to turn away from evil. But to do good seems to pertain to
another virtue, that is, to righteousness.1860
This the
sacred Psalm
admonishes
us, where we read, “Turn away from
evil, and do good.” But with
what end we do this, it adds bye and bye, saying, “
Seek
peace, and ensue it.”
1861
For we shall then have
perfect
peace, when, our
nature cleaving inseparably to its Creator, we
shall have nothing of ourselves opposed to ourselves. This our
Saviour also Himself would have us to understand, so
far as seems
to me when He said, “Let your loins be girt, and your
lamps
burning.”
1862
What is
it, to gird the loins? To restrain
lusts, which is the
work of
continence. But to have
lamps burning is to shine and glow with
good works, which is the
work of
righteousness. Nor was He here
silent with what end we do these things, adding and saying, “And
you like unto men waiting for their
Lord, when He cometh from the
marriage.”
1863
But, when
He shall have come, He will
reward us, who have kept ourselves from
those things which
lust, and have done those things which
charity
hath bidden us: that we may
reign in His
perfect and
eternal peace,
without any strife of evil, and with the highest delight of
good.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
