27. As it is, however, they, against the Apostle of Christ, recite a Gospel of Christ. For so marvellous are the works of the sluggards, hindered that they want to have that very thing by Gospel, which the Apostle enjoined and did on purpose that the Gospel itself should not be hindered. And yet, if from the very words of the Gospel we should compel them to live agreeably with their way of understanding it, they will be the first to endeavor to persuade us how they are not to be understood so as they do understand them. For certainly, they say that they therefore ought not to work, for that the birds of the air neither sow nor reap, of which the Lord hath given us a similitude that we should take no thought about such necessaries. Then why do they not attend to that which follows? For it is not only said, that “they sow not, neither reap;”90    Matt. vi. 26 but there is added, “nor gather in apothecas.” Now “apothecæ” may be called either “barns,” or word for word, “repositories.” Then why do these persons want to have idle hands and full repositories? Why do they lay by and keep what they receive of the labors of others, that thereof may be every day somewhat forthcoming? Why, in short, do they grind and cook? For the birds do not this. Or, if they find some whom they may persuade to this work also, namely, to bring unto them day by day viands ready made; at least their water they either fetch them from springs, or from cisterns and wells draw and set it by: this the fowls do not. But if so please them, let it be the study of good believers and most devoted subjects of the Eternal King, to carry their service to His most valiant soldiers even to that length, that they shall not be forced even to fill a vessel of water for themselves, if now-a-days people have surpassed even them which at that time were at Jerusalem, in a new grade of righteousness, stepping out beyond them. To them, namely, by reason of famine being imminent, and foretold by the Prophets which were at that time,91    Acts xi. 28–30 good believers sent out of Greece supplies of corn; of which I suppose they made them bread, or at least procured to be made; which thing the birds do not. But if now-a-days these persons, as I began to say, have surpassed these in some grade of righteousness, and do altogether in things pertaining to the maintenance of this life, as do the birds; let them show us men doing such service unto birds as they wish to be done unto them, except indeed birds caught and caged because they are not trusted, lest if they fly they come not back: and yet these would rather enjoy liberty and receive from the fields what is enough, than take their food by men laid before them and made ready.

CAPUT XXIII.

27. Evangelium non recte intellectum a pigris. Jocose deridentur ignavi. Monachi sese includentes, ut a nullo videantur per multos dies. Evangelicum praeceptum non cogitandi de crastino concordare cum Apostolo. Nunc vero contra Apostolum Christi recitant Evangelium Christi. Ita enim mirabilia sunt opera pigrorum, ut impediri velint Evangelio, quod Apostolus ideo praecepit et fecit, ne impediretur ipsum Evangelium. Et tamen si eos ex ipsis Evangelii verbis secundum eorum intellectum vivere cogamus, priores nobis suadere conabuntur, quam non ita sint intelligenda ut intelligunt. Certe enim propterea se dicunt operari non debere, quia nec volucres coeli seminant, neque metunt, de quibus nobis Dominus similitudinem dedit, ne de talibus necessariis cogitemus. Cur ergo non attendunt quod sequitur? Neque enim tantummodo hoc dictum est, quia non seminant, neque metunt; sed adjectum est, neque congregant in apothecas (Matth. VI, 26). Apothecae autem, vel horrea, vel verbum ex verbo , repositoria dici possunt. Cur ergo isti manus otiosas et plena repositoria volunt habere? Cur ea quae sumunt ex laboribus aliorum, recondunt et servant unde quotidie proferatur? Cur denique molunt et coquunt? Hoc enim aves non faciunt. Aut si reperiunt quibus hoc opus quoque persuadeant, ut eis per singulos dies escas afferant praeparatas; saltem sibi aquam vel de fontibus afferunt, vel de cisternis aut puteis hauriunt et reponunt: hoc volatilia non faciunt. Sed si hoc placet, studeant etiam boni fideles et Regis aeterni devotissimi provinciales, fortissimis ejus militibus usque ad ista servire, ut sibi nec aquam implere cogantur, si jam etiam illos qui tunc erant Jerosolymae novo gradu justitiae supergressi sunt. Nam illis fame imminente, et per Prophetas qui tunc erant ante praedicta, boni fideles ex Graecia frumenta miserunt (Act. XI, 28-30); ex quibus credo quod illi panem sibi fecerunt, aut certe faciendum curaverunt: quod aves non faciunt. Sed si jam isti, ut dicere coeperam, etiam illos aliquo gradu 0570 justitiae transierunt, et omnino in iis quae ad transigendam vitam istam pertinent, sicut volucres agunt; ostendant nobis homines servire volucribus, sicut sibi serviri volunt, nisi captis et inclusis, quibus fides non habetur, ne volantes non redeant: et tamen illae malunt frui libertate, et ex agris quantum satis est capere, quam ab hominibus apposita et apparata sumere.