Part III (3 of 7)

It is, however, to be known that sometimes when they remain uncorrected amid the hardness of scourges, they are to be soothed by sweet admonition.  For those who are not corrected by torments are sometimes restrained from unrighteous deeds by gentle blandishments.  For commonly the sick too, whom a strong potion of medicine has not availed to cure, have been restored to their former health by tepid water; and some sores which cannot be cured by incision are healed by fomentations of oil; and hard adamant admits not at all of incision by steel, but is softened by the mild blood of goats.

Chapter XIV. How the silent and the talkative are to be admonished

(Admonition 15.)  Differently to be admonished are the over-silent, and those who spend time in much speaking.  For it ought to be insinuated to the over-silent that while they shun some vices unadvisedly, they are, without its being perceived, implicated in worse.  For often from bridling the tongue overmuch they suffer from more grievous loquacity in the heart; so that thoughts seethe the more in the mind from being straitened by the violent guard of indiscreet silence.  And for the most part they overflow all the more widely as they count themselves the more secure because of not being seen by fault-finders without.  Whence sometimes a man’s mind is exalted into pride, and he despises as weak those whom he hears speaking.  And, when he shuts the mouth of his body, he is not aware to what extent through his pride he lays himself open to vices.  For his tongue he represses, his mind he exalts; and, little considering his own wickedness, accuses all in his own mind by so much the more freely as he does it also the more secretly.  The over-silent are therefore to be admonished that they study anxiously to know, not only what manner of men they ought to exhibit themselves outwardly, but also what manner of men they ought to shew themselves inwardly; that they fear more a hidden judgment in respect of their thoughts than the reproof of their neighbours in respect of their speeches.  For it is written, My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my prudence, that thou mayest guard thy thoughts (Prov. v. 1).  For, indeed, nothing is more fugitive than the heart, which deserts us as often as it slips away through bad thoughts.  For hence the Psalmist says, My heart hath failed me (Ps. xxxix. 13).  Hence, when he returns to himself, he says, Thy servant hath found his heart to pray to Thee (2 Sam. vii. 27).  When, therefore, thought is kept under guard, the heart which was wont to fly away is found.  Moreover, the over-silent for the most part, when they suffer some injustices, come to have a keener sense of pain from not speaking of what they endure.  For, were the tongue to tell calmly the annoyances that have been caused, the pain would flow away from the consciousness.  For closed sores torment the more; since, when the corruption that is hot within is cast out, the pain is opened out for healing.  They, therefore, who are silent more than is expedient, ought to know this, lest, amid the annoyances which they endure while they hold their tongue, they aggravate the violence of their pain.  For they are to be admonished that, if they love their neighbours as themselves, they should by no means keep from them the grounds on which they justly blame them.  For from the medicine of the voice there is a concurrent effect for the health of both parties, while on the side of him who inflicts the injury his bad conduct is checked, and on the side of him who sustains it the violent heat of pain is allayed by opening out the sore.  For those who take notice of what is evil in their neighbours, and yet refrain their tongue in silence, withdraw, as it were, the aid of medicine from observed sores, and become the causers of death, in that they would not cure the venom which they could have cured.  The tongue, therefore, should be discreetly curbed, not tied up fast.  For it is written, A wise man will hold his tongue until the time (Eccles. xx. 7); in order, assuredly, that, when he considers it opportune, he may relinquish the censorship of silence, and apply himself to the service of utility by speaking such things as are fit.  And again it is written, A time to keep silence, and a time to speak (Eccles. iii. 7).  For, indeed, the times for changes should be discreetly weighed, lest either, when the tongue ought to be restrained, it run loose to no profit in words, or, when it might speak with profit, it slothfully restrain itself.  Considering which thing well, the Psalmist says, Set a watch, O Lord, on my mouth, and a door round about my lips (Ps. cxl. 3).  For he seeks not that a wall should be set on his lips, but a door:  that is, what is opened and shut.  Whence we, too, ought to learn warily, to the end that the voice discreetly and at the fitting time may open the mouth, and at the fitting time silence close it.

But, on the other hand, those who spend time in much speaking are to be admonished that they vigilantly note from what a state of rectitude they fall away when they flow abroad in a multitude of words.  For the human mind, after the manner of water, when closed in, is collected unto higher levels, in that it seeks again the height from which it descended; and, when let loose, it falls away in that it disperses itself unprofitably through the lowest places.  For by as many superfluous words as it is dissipated from the censorship of its silence, by so many streams, as it were, is it drawn away out of itself.  Whence also it is unable to return inwardly to knowledge of itself, because, being scattered by much speaking, it excludes itself from the secret place of inmost consideration.  But it uncovers its whole self to the wounds of the enemy who lies in want, because it surrounds itself with no defence of watchfulness.  Hence it is written, As a city that lieth open and without environment of walls, so is a man that cannot keep in his spirit in speaking (Prov. xxv. 28).  For, because it has not the wall of silence, the city of the mind lies open to the darts of the foe; and, when by words it casts itself out of itself, it shews itself exposed to the adversary.  And he overcomes it with so much the less labour as with the more labour the mind itself, which is conquered, fights against itself by much speaking.

Moreover, since the indolent mind for the most part lapses by degrees into downfall, while we neglect to guard against idle words we go on to hurtful ones; so that at first it pleases us to talk of other men’s affairs; afterwards the tongue gnaws with detraction the lives of those of whom we talk; but at last breaks out even into open slanders.  Hence are sown pricking thorns, quarrels arise, the torches of enmities are kindled, the peace of hearts is extinguished.  Whence it is well said through Solomon, He that letteth out water is a well-spring of strifes (Prov. xvii. 14).  For to let out water is to let loose the tongue to a flux of speech.  Wherefore, on the other hand, in a good sense it is said again, The words of a man’s mouth are as deep water (Ibid. xviii. 4).  He therefore who letteth out water is the wellspring of strifes, because he who curbs not his tongue dissipates concord.  Hence on the other hand it is written, He that imposes silence on a fool allays enmities (Ibid. xxvi. 10).  Moreover, that any one who gives himself to much speaking cannot keep the straight way of righteousness is testified by the Prophet, who says, A man full of words shall not be guided aright upon the earth (Ps. cxxxix. 12).  Hence also Solomon says again, In the multitude of words there shall not want sin (Prov. x. 19).  Hence Isaiah says, The culture of righteousness is silence (Isai. xxxii. 17), indicating, to wit, that the righteousness of the mind is desolated when there is no stint of immoderate speaking.  Hence James says, If any man thinketh himself to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain (James i. 26).  Hence again he says, Let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak (Ibid. 19).  Hence again, defining the power of the tongue, he adds, An unruly evil, full of deadly poison (Ibid. iii. 8).  Hence the Truth in person admonishes us, saying, Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment (Matth. xii. 36).  For indeed every word is idle that lacks either a reason of just necessity or an intention of pious usefulness.  If then an account is required of idle discourse, let us weigh well what punishment awaits much speaking, in which there is also the sin of hurtful words.

Chapter XV. How the slothful and the hasty are to be admonished

(Admonition 16.)  Differently to be admonished are the slothful and the hasty.  For the former are to be persuaded not to lose, by putting it off, the good they have to do; but the latter are to be admonished lest, while they forestall the time of good deeds by inconsiderate haste, they change their meritorious character.  To the slothful therefore it is to be intimated, that often, when we will not do at the right time what we can, before long, when we will, we cannot.  For the very indolence of the mind, when it is not kindled with befitting fervour, gets cut off by a torpor that stealthily grows upon it from all desire of good things.  Whence it is plainly said through Solomon, Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep (Prov. xix. 15).  For the slothful one is as it were awake in that he feels aright, though he grows torpid by doing nothing:  but slothfulness is said to cast into a deep sleep, because by degrees even the wakefulness of right feeling is lost, when zeal for well-doing is discontinued.  And in the same place it is rightly added, And a dissolute soul shall suffer hunger (Ibid.).  For, because it braces not itself towards higher things, it lets itself run loose uncared for in lower desires; and, while not braced with the vigour of lofty aims, suffers the pangs of the hunger of low concupiscence, and, in that it neglects to bind itself up by discipline, it scatters itself the more abroad hungry in its craving after pleasures.  Hence it is written again by the same Solomon, The idle man is wholly in desires (Prov. xxi. 26).  Hence in the preaching of the Truth Himself (Matth. xii. 44, 45) the house is said indeed to be clean when one spirit has gone out; but, when empty, it is taken possession of by his returning with many more.  For the most part the slothful, while he neglects to do things that are necessary, sets before him some that are difficult, but is inconsiderately afraid of others; and so, as though finding something that he may reasonably fear, he satisfies himself that he has good reason for remaining torpid.  To him it is rightly said through Solomon, The sluggard would not plough by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in summer, and it shall not be given unto him (Prov. xx. 4).  For indeed the sluggard ploughs not by reason of the cold, when he finds an excuse for not doing the good things which he ought to do.  The sluggard ploughs not by reason of the cold, when he is afraid of small evils that are against him, and leaves undone things of the greatest importance.  Further it is well said, He shall beg in summer, and it shall not be given unto him.  For whoso toils not now in good works will beg in summer and receive nothing, because, when the burning sun of judgment shall appear, he will then sue in vain for entrance into the kingdom.  To him it is well said again through the same Solomon, He that observeth the wind doth not sow:  and he that regardeth the clouds never reapeth (Eccles. xi. 4).  For what is expressed by the wind but the temptation of malignant spirits?  And what are denoted by the clouds which are moved of the wind but the oppositions of bad men?  The clouds, that is to say, are driven by the winds, because bad men are excited by the blasts of unclean spirits.  He, then, that observeth the wind soweth not, and he that regardeth the clouds reapeth not, because whosoever fears the temptation of malignant spirits, whosoever the persecution of bad men, and does not sow the seed of good work now, neither doth he then reap handfuls of holy recompense.

But on the other hand the hasty, while they forestall the time of good deeds, pervert their merit, and often fall into what is evil, while failing altogether to discern what is good.  Such persons look not at all to see what things they are doing when they do them, but for the most part, when they are done, become aware that they ought not to have done them.  To such, under the guise of a learner, it is well said in Solomon, My son, do nothing without counsel, and after it is done thou shalt not repent (Ecclus. xxxii. 24).  And again, Let thine eyelids go before thy steps (Prov. iv. 25).  For indeed our eyelids go before our steps, when right counsels prevent our doings.  For he who neglects to look forward by consideration to what he is about to do advances his steps with his eyes closed; proceeds on and accomplishes his journey, but goes not in advance of himself by looking forward; and therefore the sooner falls, because he gives no heed through the eyelid of counsel to where he should set the foot of action.

Chapter XVI. How the meek and the passionate are to be admonished

(Admonition 17.)  Differently to be admonished are the meek and the passionate.  For sometimes the meek, when they are in authority, suffer from the torpor of sloth, which is a kindred disposition, and as it were placed hard by.  And for the most part from the laxity of too great gentleness they soften the force of strictness beyond need.  But on the other hand the passionate, in that they are swept on into frenzy of mind by the impulse of anger, break up the calm of quietness, and so throw into confusion the life of those that are put under them.  For, when rage drives them headlong, they know not what they do in their anger, they know not what in their anger they suffer from themselves.  But sometimes, what is more serious, they think the goad of their anger to be the zeal of righteousness.  And, when vice is believed to be virtue, guilt is piled up without fear.  Often, then, the meek grow torpid in the laziness of inactivity; often the passionate are deceived by the zeal of uprightness.  Thus to the virtue of the former a vice is unawares adjoined, but to the latter their vice appears as though it were fervent virtue.  Those, therefore, are to be admonished to fly what is close beside themselves, these to take heed to what is in themselves; those to discern what they have not, these what they have.  Let the meek embrace solicitude; let the passionate ban perturbation.  The meek are to be admonished that they study to have also the zeal of righteousness:  the passionate are to be admonished that to the zeal which they think they have they add meekness.  For on this account the Holy Spirit has been manifested to us in a dove and in fire; because, to wit, all whom He fills He causes to shew themselves as meek with the simplicity of the dove, and burning with the fire of zeal.

He then is in no wise full of the Holy Spirit, who either in the calm of meekness forsakes the fervour of zeal, or again in the ardour of zeal loses the virtue of meekness.  Which thing we shall perhaps better shew, if we bring forward the authority of Paul, who to two who were his disciples, and endowed with a like charity, supplies nevertheless different aids for preaching.  For in admonishing Timothy he says, Reprove, entreat, rebuke, with all long-suffering and doctrine (2 Tim. iv. 2).  Titus also he admonishes, saying, These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority (Tit. ii. 15).  What is the reason that he dispenses his teaching with so great art as, in exhibiting it, to recommend authority to the one, and long-suffering to the other, except that he saw Titus to be of a meeker spirit, and Timothy of one a little more fervid?  The former he inflames with the earnestness of zeal; the latter he moderates by the gentleness of long-suffering.  To the one he adds what is wanting, from the other he subtracts what is overabundant.  The one he endeavours to push on with a spur, the other to keep back with a bridle.  For the great husbandman who has the Church in charge waters some shoots that they may grow, but prunes others when he sees that they grow too much; lest either by not growing they should bear no fruit, or by growing over much they should lose the fruits they may put forth.  But far different is the anger that creeps in under the guise of zeal from that which confounds the perturbed heart without pretext of righteousness.  For the former is extended inordinately in that wherein it ought to be, but the latter is ever kindled in that wherein it ought not to be.  It should indeed be known that in this the passionate differ from the impatient, that the latter bear not with things brought upon them by others, but the former themselves bring on things to be borne with.  For the passionate often follow after those who shun them, stir up occasion of strife, rejoice in the toil of contention; and yet such we better correct, if in the midst of the commotion of their anger we do shun them.  For, while they are perturbed, they do not know what we say to them; but, when brought back to themselves, they receive words of exhortation the more freely in proportion as they blush at having been the more calmly borne with.  But to a mind that is drunk with fury every right thing that is said appears wrong.  Whence to Nabal when he was drunk Abigail laudably kept silence about his fault, but, when he had digested his wine, as laudably told him of it (1 Sam. xxv. 37).  For he could for this reason perceive the evil he had done, that he did not hear of it when drunk.

But when the passionate so attack others that they cannot be altogether shunned, they should be smitten, not with open rebuke, but sparingly with a certain respectful cautiousness.  And this we shall shew better if we bring forward what was done by Abner.  For, when Asahel attacked him with the violence of inconsiderate haste, it is written, Abner spake unto Asahel, saying. Turn thee aside from following me, lest I be driven to smite thee to the ground.  Howbeit he scorned to listen, and refused to turn aside.  Whereupon Abner smote him with the hinder end of the spear in the groin, and thrust him through, and he died (2 Sam. ii. 22, 23).  For of whom did Asahel present a type but of those whom fury violently seizes and carries headlong?  And such, in this same attack of fury, are to be shunned cautiously in proportion as they are madly hurried on.  Whence also Abner, who in our speech is called the lantern of the father, fled; because when the tongue of teachers, which indicates the supernal light of God, sees the mind of any one borne along over the steeps of rage, and refrains from casting back darts of words against the angry person, it is as though it were unwilling to smite one that is pursuing.  But, when the passionate will not pacify themselves by any consideration, and, like Asahel, cease not to pursue and to be mad, it is necessary that those who endeavour to repress these furious ones should by no means lift themselves up in fury, but exhibit all possible calmness; and yet adroitly bring something to bear whereby they may by a side thrust prick the heart of the furious one.  Whence also Abner, when he made a stand against his pursuer, pierced him, not with a direct stroke, but with the hinder end of his spear.  For to strike with the point is to oppose with an onset of open rebuke:  but to smite the pursuer with the hinder end of the spear is calmly to touch the furious one with certain hits, and, as it were, by sparing him overcome him.  Asahel moreover straightway fell, because agitated minds, when they feel themselves to be spared, and yet are touched inwardly by the answers given in calmness, fall at once from the elevation to which they had raised themselves.  Those, then, who rebound from the onset of their heat under the stroke of gentleness die, as it were, without steel.

Chapter XVII. How the humble and the haughty are to be admonished

(Admonition 18.)  Differently to be admonished are the humble and the haughty.  To the former it is to be insinuated how true is that excellence which they hold in hoping for it; to the latter it is to be intimated how that temporal glory is as nothing which even when embracing it they hold not.  Let the humble hear how eternal are the things that they long for, how transitory the things which they despise; let the haughty hear how transitory are the things they court, how eternal the things they lose.  Let the humble hear from the authoritative voice of the Truth, Every one that humbleth himself shall be exalted (Luke xviii. 14).  Let the haughty hear, Every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled (Ibid.).  Let the humble hear, Humility goeth before glory; let the haughty hear, The spirit is exalted before a fall (Prov. xv. 33; xvi. 18).  Let the humble hear, Unto whom shall I have respect, but to him that is humble and quiet, and that trembleth at my words (Isai. lxvi. 2)?  Let the haughty hear, Why is earth and ashes proud (Ecclus. x. 9)?  Let the humble hear, God hath respect unto the things that are humble.  Let the haughty hear, And lofty things He knoweth afar off (Psal. cxxxvii. 6).  Let the humble hear, That the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister (Matth. xx. 28); let the haughty hear, that The beginning of all sin is pride (Ecclus. x. 13).  Let the humble hear, that Our Redeemer humbled himself, being made obedient even unto death (Philip. ii. 8); let the haughty hear what is written concerning their head, He is king over all the sons of pride (Job xli. 25).  The pride, therefore, of the devil became the occasion of our perdition, and the humility of God has been found the argument for our redemption.  For our enemy, having been created among all things, desired to appear exalted above all things; but our Redeemer, remaining great above all things, deigned to become little among all things.

Let the humble, then, be told that, when they abase themselves, they ascend to the likeness of God; let the haughty be told that, when they exalt themselves, they fall into imitation of the apostate angel.  What, then, is more debased than haughtiness, which, while it stretches itself above itself, is lengthened out beyond the stature of true loftiness?  And what is more sublime than humility, which, while it depresses itself to the lowest, conjoins itself to its Maker who remains above the highest?  There is, however, another thing in these cases that ought to be carefully considered; that some are often deceived by a false show of humility, while some are beguiled by ignorance of their own haughtiness.  For commonly some who think themselves humble have an admixture of fear, such as is not due to men; while an assertion of free speech commonly goes with the haughty.  And when any vices require to be rebuked, the former hold their peace out of fear, and yet esteem themselves as being silent out of humility; the latter speak in the impatience of haughtiness, and yet believe themselves to be speaking in the freedom of uprightness.  Those the fault of timidity under a show of humility keeps back from rebuking what is wrong; these the unbridled impetuosity of pride, under the image of freedom, impels to rebuke things they ought not, or to rebuke them more than they ought.  Whence both the haughty are to be admonished not to be free more than is becoming, and the humble are to be admonished not to be more submissive than is right; lest either the former turn the defence of righteousness into a display of pride, or the latter, while they study more than needs to submit themselves to men, be driven even to pay respect to their vices.

It is, however, to be considered that for the most part we more profitably reprove the haughty, if with our reproofs of them we mingle some balms of praise.  For some other good things that are in them should be introduced into our reproofs, or at all events some that might have been, though they are not; and then at last the bad things that displease us should be cut away, when previous allowance of the good things that please us has made their minds favourably disposed to listen.  For unbroken horses, too, we first touch with a gentle hand, that we may afterwards subdue them to us even with whips.  And the sweetness of honey is added to the bitter cup of medicine, lest the bitterness which is to be of profit for health be felt harsh in the act of tasting; but, while the taste is deceived by sweetness, the deadly humour is expelled by bitterness.  In the case, then, of the haughty the first beginnings of our rebuke should be tempered with an admixture of praise, that, while they admit the commendations which they love, they may accept also the reproofs which they hate.

Moreover, we shall in most cases better persuade the haughty to their profit, if we speak of their improvement as likely to profit us rather than them; if we request their amendment to be bestowed upon us more than on themselves.  For haughtiness is easily bent to good, if its bending be believed to be of profit to others also.  Whence Moses, who journeyed through the desert under the direction of God and the leading of the cloudy pillar, when he would draw Hobab his kinsman from converse with the Gentile world, and subdue him to the dominion of Almighty God, said, We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it to you; Come with us, and we will do thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.  And when the other had replied to him, I will not go with thee, but will return to my own land in which I was born; he straightway added, Leave us not, I pray thee; for thou knowest in what places we should encamp in the wilderness, and thou shalt be our guide (Num. x. 29, seq.).  And yet Moses was not straitened in his own mind by ignorance of the way, seeing that acquaintance with Deity had opened out within him the knowledge of prophecy; and the pillar went before him outwardly, while inwardly familiar speech in his sedulous converse with God instructed him concerning all things.  But, in truth, as a man of foresight, talking to a haughty hearer, he sought succour that he might give it; he requested a guide on the way, that he might be able to be his guide unto life.  Thus he so acted that the proud hearer should become all the more attentive to the voice that persuaded him to better things from being supposed to be necessary, and, in that he believed himself to be his exhorter’s guide, he should bow himself to the words of exhortation.

Chapter XVIII. How the obstinate and the fickle are to be admonished

(Admonition 19.)  Differently to be admonished are the obstinate and the fickle.  The former are to be told that they think more of themselves than they are, and therefore do not acquiesce in the counsels of others:  but the latter are to be given to understand that they undervalue and disregard themselves too much, and so are turned aside from their own judgment in successive moments of time.  Those are to be told that, unless they esteemed themselves better than the rest of men, they would by no means set less value on the counsels of all than on their own deliberation:  these are to be told that, if they at all gave heed to what they are, the breeze of mutability would by no means turn them about through so many sides of variableness.  To the former it is said through Paul, Be not wise in your own conceits (Rom. xii. 16):  but the latter on the other hand should hear this; Let us not be carried about with every wind of doctrine (Ephes. iv. 14).  Concerning the former it is said through Solomon, They shall eat of the fruits of their own way, and be filled with their own devices (Prov. i. 31); but concerning the latter it is written by him again, The heart of the foolish will be unlike (Ibid. xv. 7).  For the heart of the wise is always like itself, because, while it rests in good persuasions, it directs itself constantly in good performance.  But the heart of the foolish is unlike, because, while it shews itself various through mutability, it never remains what it was.  And since some vices, as out of themselves they generate others, so themselves spring from others, it ought by all means to be understood that we then better wipe these away by our reproofs, when we dry them up from the very fountain of their bitterness.  For obstinacy is engendered of pride, and fickleness of levity.

The obstinate are therefore to be admonished, that they acknowledge the haughtiness of their thoughts, and study to vanquish themselves; lest, while they scorn to be overcome by the right advice of others outside themselves, they be held captive within themselves to pride.  They are to be admonished to observe wisely how the Son of Man, Whose will is always one with the Father’s, that He may afford us an example of subduing our own will, says, I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me (Joh. v. 30).  And, still more to commend the grace of this virtue, He declared beforehand that He would retain the same in the last judgment, saying, I can of myself do nothing, but as I hear I judge (Ibid.).  With what conscience, then, can a man disdain to acquiesce in the will of another, seeing that the Son of God and of Man, when He comes to shew forth the glory of his power, testifies that of his own self he does not judge?

But, on the other hand, the fickle are to be admonished to strengthen their mind with gravity.  For they then dry up the germs of mutability in themselves when they first cut off from their heart the root of levity; since also a strong fabric is built up when a solid place is first provided whereon to lay the foundation.  Unless, then, levity of mind be previously guarded against, inconstancy of the thoughts is by no means conquered.  From this Paul declared himself to be free, when he said, Did I use levity? or the things that I purpose do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea and nay (2 Cor. i. 17)?  As if to say plainly, For this reason I am moved by no breeze of mutability, that I yield not to the vice of levity.

Chapter XIX. How those who use food intemperately and those who use it sparingly are to be admonished

(Admonition 20.)  Differently to be admonished are the gluttonous and the abstinent.  For superfluity of speech, levity of conduct, and lechery accompany the former; but the latter often the sin of impatience, and often that of pride.  For were it not the case that immoderate loquacity carries away the gluttonous, that rich man who is said to have fared sumptuously every day would not burn more sorely than elsewhere in his tongue, saying, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame (Luke xvi. 24).  By these words it is surely shewn that in his daily feasting he had frequently sinned by his tongue, seeing that, while burning all over, he demanded to be cooled especially in his tongue.  Again, that levity of conduct follows closely upon gluttony sacred authority testifies, when it says, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play (Exod. xxxii. 6).  For the most part also edacity leads us even to lechery, because, when the belly is distended by repletion, the stings of lust are excited.  Whence also to the cunning foe, who opened the sense of the first man by lust for the apple, but bound it in a noose of sin, it is said by the divine voice, On breast and belly shalt thou creep (Gen. iii. 14); as if it were plainly said to him, In thought and in maw thou shalt have dominion over human hearts.  That lechery follows upon gluttony the prophet testifies, denouncing hidden things while he speaks of open ones, when he says, The chief of the cooks broke down the walls of Jerusalem (Jer. xxxix. 9; 2 Kings xxv. 10).  For the chief of the cooks is the belly, to which the cooks pay observance with great care, that it may itself be delectably filled with viands.  But the walls of Jerusalem are the virtues of the soul, elevated to a longing for supernal peace.  The chief of the cooks, therefore, throws down the walls of Jerusalem, because, when the belly is distended with gluttony, the virtues of the soul are destroyed through lechery.