Commandment Eighth.
We Ought to Shun that Which is Evil, and Do that Which is Good.
“I told you,” said he, “that the creatures of God are double,201 for restraint also is double;
for in some cases restraint has to be exercised, in others there is no need of restraint.” “Make
known to me, sir,” say I, “in what cases restraint has to be exercised, and in what cases it
has not.” “Restrain yourself in regard to evil, and do it not; but exercise no restraint in regard
to good, but do it. For if you exercise restraint in the doing of good, you will commit a great
sin;202 but if you exercise restraint, so as not to do that which is evil, you are practising great
righteousness. Restrain yourself, therefore, from all iniquity, and do that which is good.”
“What, sir,” say I, “are the evil deeds from which we must restrain ourselves?” “Hear,” says
he: “from adultery and fornication, from unlawful revelling,203 from wicked luxury, from
indulgence in many kinds of food and the extravagance of riches, and from boastfulness,
and haughtiness, and insolence, and lies, and backbiting, and hypocrisy, from the remem-
brance of wrong, and from all slander. These are the deeds that are most wicked in the life
of men. From all these deeds, therefore, the servant of God must restrain himself. For he
who does not restrain himself from these, cannot live to God. Listen, then, to the deeds that
accompany these.” “Are there, sir,” said I, “any other evil deeds?” “There are,” says he; “and
many of them, too, from which the servant of God must restrain himself—theft, lying, rob-
bery, false witness, overreaching, wicked lust, deceit, vainglory, boastfulness, and all other
vices like to these.” “Do you not think that these are really wicked?” “Exceedingly wicked
in the servants of God. From all of these the servant of God must restrain himself. Restrain
yourself, then, from all these, that you may live to God, and you will be enrolled amongst
those who restrain themselves in regard to these matters. These, then, are the things from
which you must restrain yourself.”
“But listen,” says he, “to the things in regard to which you have not to exercise self-re-
straint, but which you ought to do. Restrain not yourself in regard to that which is good,
but do it.” “And tell me, sir,” say I, “the nature of the good deeds, that I may walk in them
and wait on them, so that doing them I can be saved.” “Listen,” says he, “to the good deeds
which you ought to do, and in regard to which there is no self-restraint requisite. First of
all204 there is faith, then fear of the Lord, love, concord, words of righteousness, truth, pa-
tience. Than these, nothing is better in the life of men. If any one attend to these, and restrain
himself not from them, blessed is he in his life. Then there are the following attendant on
201 [Command. vi. cap. i. p. 24, supra. The idea taken from Ecclus. xxxiii. 15, and Eccles. vii. 14.]
202 For … sin, omitted in Lips.
203 [Gal. v. 10, 21; 1 Pet. iv. 3.]
204 [First of all, faith, holy fear, love etc. Then, works of mercy. Could evangelical morality be more beautifully
illustrated?]
Commandment Eighth. We Ought to Shun that Which is Evil, and Do that Which is Good.
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Commandment Eighth. We Ought to Shun that Which is Evil, and Do that Which…