him. Who art thou that thou shouldest judge another man’s servant? To his own master
he stands or fails; but he shall stand: for God is able to make him to stand." And a little
after: "He that eateth, to the Lord he eateth, and giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not,
to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks." And also in what follows: "So every one
of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not, then, any more judge one another:
but judge this rather, that ye place no stumbling-block, or cause of offence, in the way of a
brother. I know, and am confident in the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing common in itself:
but to him that thinketh anything to be common, to him it is common." Could he have
shown better that it is not in the things we eat, but in the mind, that there is a power able
to pollute it, and therefore that even those who are fit to think lightly of these things, and
know perfectly that they are not polluted if they take any food in mental superiority, without
being gluttons, should still have regard to charity? See what he adds: "For if thy brother be
grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably."147
72. Read the rest: it is too long to quote all. You will find that those able to think lightly
of such things,—that is, those of greater strength and stability,—are told that they must
nevertheless abstain, lest those should be offended who from their weakness are still in need
of such abstinence. The people I was describing know and observe these things; for they
are Christians, not heretics. They understand Scripture according to the apostolic teaching,
not according to the presumptuous and fictitious name of apostle.148 Him that eats not no
one despises; him that eats no one judges; he who is weak eats herbs. Many who are strong,
however, do this for the sake of the weak; with many the reason for so doing is not this, but
that they may have a cheaper diet, and may lead a life of the greatest tranquillity, with the
least expensive provision for the support of the body. "For all things are lawful for me," he
says; "but I will not be brought under the power of any." 149 Thus many do not eat flesh,
and yet do not superstitiously regard it as unclean. And so the same people who abstain
when in health take it when unwell without any fear, if it is required as a cure. Many drink
no wine; but they do not think that wine defiles them; for they cause it to be given with the
greatest propriety and moderation to people of languid temperament, and, in short, to all
who cannot have bodily health without it. When some foolishly refuse it, they counsel them
as brothers not to let a silly superstition make them weaker instead of making them holier.
They read to them the apostle’s precept to his disciple to "take a little wine for his many in-
firmities."150 Then they diligently exercise piety; bodily exercise, they know, profiteth for
a short time, as the same apostle says.151
147 Rom. xiv. 2-21.
148 See title of the Epistle of Manichæus, Contra Faust. xiii. 4.
149 1 Cor. vi. 12.
150 1 Tim. v. 23.
151 1 Tim. iv. 8.
105
Another Kind of Men Living Together in Cities. Fasts of Three Days.