ON THE JEWISH MEATS. 393 CHAPTER VI. AuGCMENT. — But,on theground thatlibertyinmeatsisgranted tous,thereisno permissionof luxury,thereis no taking away of continenceand fasting: for thesethingsgreatly become thefaithful,— towit,thattheyshouldpray to God, and giveHim thanks,notonlyby day,but by night. But from the fact that liberty[in respect]of meats is granted to us,itdoes not of necessityfollowthat luxury is allowed us ; nor because the gospel has dealtwith us very liberally,has ittaken away continency. By this,I say,the bellyisnot providedfor,but the form of meats was shown: it was made manifestwhat was right,notthatwe might go intothe gulf of desire,but to give a reasonforthe law. But nothing has sorestrainedintemperanceasthegospel; nor has any one given such strictlaws againstgluttonyas Christ,who issaid to have pronounced even the poor blessed,and the hun gering and thirstinghappy, the rich miserable; to whom, obeying the government of theirbellyand theirpalate,the materialof theirlustscould never be wanting,so that their servitudecould not cease; who think it an argument of theirhappinessto desireas much as they can,except that they are thus able to attainlessthan they desire. For, moreover, preferringLazarus in hisvery hunger and in his soresthemselves,and with the richman's dogs,He restrained the destroyersof salvation,the bellyand the palate,by examples. The apostlealso,when he said," Having food and raiment,we are therewithcontent,"1 laiddown the law of frugalityand continency; and thinkingthatitwould be of littleadvantage that he had written,he alsogave him selfas an example of what he had written,adding not with out reason,that " avariceis the root of allevils;"2 for it followsin the footstepsof luxury. Whatever the latterhas wasted by vice,the former restoresby crime; the circleof crimes being re-trodden,that luxury may again take away 1 1 Tim.vi.8. 8 1 Tim.vi.10.