17. Now therefore let us return to that, wherefore we have said what we have. We have need of Continence, and we know it to be a divine gift, that our heart fall not away unto evil words, to make excuses in sins. But what sin is there but that we have need of Continence, to restrain it from being committed, since it is this very Continence which, in case it have been committed, restrains it from being defended by wicked pride? Universally therefore we have need of Continence, in order to turn away from evil. But to do good seems to pertain to another virtue, that is, to righteousness.54    Justitiam This the sacred Psalm admonishes us, where we read, “Turn away from evil, and do good.” But with what end we do this, it adds bye and bye, saying, “Seek peace, and ensue it.”55    Ps. xxxiv. 14 For we shall then have perfect peace, when, our nature cleaving inseparably to its Creator, we shall have nothing of ourselves opposed to ourselves. This our Saviour also Himself would have us to understand, so far as seems to me when He said, “Let your loins be girt, and your lamps burning.”56    Luke xii. 35 What is it, to gird the loins? To restrain lusts, which is the work of continence. But to have lamps burning is to shine and glow with good works, which is the work of righteousness. Nor was He here silent with what end we do these things, adding and saying, “And you like unto men waiting for their Lord, when He cometh from the marriage.”57    Luke xii. 36 But, when He shall have come, He will reward us, who have kept ourselves from those things which lust, and have done those things which charity hath bidden us: that we may reign in His perfect and eternal peace, without any strife of evil, and with the highest delight of good.

CAPUT VII.

17. Continentiae et justitiae officia pariter tendunt ad pacem. Contra Manichaeorum insaniam de duabus naturis inter se confligentibus. Bellum inesse in homine ex languore per culpam contracto, pacem sanato languore futuram esse. Nunc ergo ad illud, propter quod diximus ista, redeamus. Continentia nobis opus est, et eam divinum esse munus cognoscimus, ne declinetur cor nostrum in verba maligna ad excusandas excusationes in peccatis. Cui autem peccato cohibendo non habemus necessariam continentiam, ne committatur, quando et hoc ipsa cohibet, ne commissum si fuerit nefaria superbia defendatur? Universaliter ergo continentia nobis opus est, ut declinemus a malo. Ut autem faciamus bonum, ad aliam videtur virtutem, hoc est, ad justitiam pertinere. Hoc nos admonet sacer Psalmus, ubi legimus: Declina a malo, et fac bonum. Quo autem fine 0360 ista faciamus, mox addidit, dicens: Quaere pacem, et sequere eam (Psal. XXXIII, 15). Pax enim perfecta tunc erit nobis, quando natura nostra Creatori suo inseparabiliter cohaerente, nihil nobis repugnabit ex nobis. Hoc et ipse Salvator voluit, quantum mihi videtur, intelligi, ubi ait: Sint lumbi vestri accincti, et lucernae ardentes . Quid est lumbos accingere? Libidines coercere, quod est continentiae. Lucernas vero ardentes habere, est bonis operibus lucere atque fervere, quod est justitiae. Neque hic tacuit quo fine ista faciamus, addendo atque dicendo: Et vos similes hominibus exspectantibus dominum suum, quando veniat a nuptiis (Luc. XII, 35, 36). Cum enim venerit, nos remunerabit, qui continuimus nos ab his quae cupiditas, et ea quae imperavit charitas fecimus: ut in ejus perfecta et sempiterna pace, sine ulla mali contentione et cum summa boni delectatione, regnemus.