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So then we should keep the observance of the days mentioned in such a
way that the relaxation allowed may be useful rather than harmful to the
good of body and soul, because the joy of any festival cannot blunt the
pricks of the flesh, nor can that fierce enemy of ours be pacified by
regard for days. In order then that the observance of the customs appointed
for festival seasons may be kept and that the most salutary rule of
abstinence be not at all exceeded it is enough for us to allow the
permitted relaxation to go so far, as for us out of regard for the festival
season to take the food, which ought to be taken at the ninth hour, a
little earlier; viz., at the sixth hour, but with this condition, that the
regular allowance and character of the food be not altered, for fear lest
the purity of body and uprightness of soul which has been gained by the
abstinence of Lent be lost by the relaxation of Easter-tide, and it profit
us nothing to have acquired by our fast what a careless satiety causes us
presently to lose, especially as the well-known cunning of our enemy
assaults the stronghold of our purity then chiefly when he sees that our
guard over it is somewhat relaxed at the celebration of some festival.
Wherefore we must most vigilantly look out that the vigour of our soul be
never enervated by seductive flatteries, and we lose not the purity of our
chastity, gained, as was said, by the continuous efforts of Lent, by the
repose and carelessness of Eastertide. And therefore no addition at all
should be made to the quality or the quantity of the food, but even on the
highest festivals we should similarly abstain from those foods, by
abstinence from which we preserve our uprightness on common days, that the
joy of the festival may not excite in us a most deadly conflict of carnal
desires, and so be turned to grief, and put an end to that most excellent
festival of the heart, which exults in the joy of purity; and after a brief
show of carnal joy we begin to mourn our lost purity of heart with a
lasting sorrow of repentance. Moreover we should strive that this warning
of the prophetic exhortation may not be uttered against us to no purpose:
"Celebrate, O Judah, thy festivals, and pay thy vows." For if the
occurrence of festival days does not interfere with the continuity of our
abstinence, we shall continually enjoy spiritual festivals and so, when we
cease from servile work, "there shall be month after month and Sabbath
after Sabbath."
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