Inward and Outward Cleansing.
2101.
Moreover, it is good, and tends to purity, also to wash the body with water.
2102.
I call it good, not as if it were that prime good of the purifying of the mind,
yet because this of the washing of the body is the sequel of that good.
2103.
For so also our Master rebuked some of the Pharisees and scribes, who seemed to be better than others, and separated from the people, calling them hypocrites, because they purified only those things which were seen of men, yet left defiled and sordid their hearts, which God alone sees.
2104.
To some therefore of them— not to all— He said,
'Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
2105.
Because ye cleanse the outside of the cup and platter, yet the inside is full of pollution.
2106.
O blind Pharisees, first make clean what is within, and what is without shall be clean also.'
Matthew 23:25-26
2107.
For truly, if the mind be purified by the light of knowledge, when once it is clean and clear, then it necessarily takes care of that which is without a man, that is, his flesh, that it also may be purified.
2108.
Yet when that which is without, the cleansing of the flesh, is neglected, it is certain that there is no care taken of the purity of the mind and the cleanness of the heart.
2109.
Thus therefore it comes to pass, that he who is clean inwardly is without doubt cleansed outwardly also, but not always that he who is clean outwardly is also cleansed inwardly
— to wit, when he does these things that he may please men.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE
Divisions 2111-2135
Book 6
RECOGNITIONS 6
Importance of Chastity.
2111.
Yet this kind of chastity is also to be observed, that sexual intercourse must not take place heedlessly and for the sake of mere pleasure, yet for the sake of begetting children.
2112.
And since this observance is found even among some of the lower animals, it were a shame if it be not observed by men, reasonable, and worshipping God.
2113.
Yet there is this further reason why chastity should be observed by those who hold the true worship of God, in those forms of it of which we have spoken, and others of like sort, that it is observed strictly even among those who are still held by the devil in error, for even among them there is in some degree the observance of chastity.
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2114.
What then?
Will you not observe, now that you are reformed, what you observed when you were in error?
Superiority of Christian Morality.
2115.
Yet perhaps some one of you will say,
Must we then observe all things which we did while we worshipped idols?
2116.
Not all. Yet whatever things were done well, these you ought to observe even now;
because, if anything is rightly done by those who are in error,
it is certain that that is derived from the truth;
whereas, if anything is not rightly done in the true religion,
that is, without doubt, borrowed from error.
2117.
For good is good, though it be done by those who are in error;
and evil is evil, though it be done by those who follow the truth.
2118
Or shall we be so foolish, that if we see a worshipper of idols to be sober, we shall refuse to be sober,
lest we should seem to do the same things which he does who worships idols?
2119
It is not so.
Yet let this be our study, that if those who err do not commit murder, we should not even be angry;
if they do not commit adultery, we should not even covet another's wife;
2120.
if they love their neighbours, we should love even our enemies;
if they lend to those who have the means of paying,
we should give to those from whom we do not hope to receive anything.
2121.
And in all things, we who hope for the inheritance of the eternal world ought to excel those who know only the present world;
knowing that if their works, when compared with our works, be found like and equal in the day of judgment, there will be confusion to us, because we are found equal in our works to those who are condemned on account of ignorance, and had no hope of the world to come.
Knowledge Enhances Responsibility.
2122.
And truly confusion is our worthy portion,
if we have done no more than those who are inferior to us in knowledge.
2123.
Yet if it be confusion to us, to be found equal to them in works,
what shall become of us if the examination that is to take place find us inferior and worse than them?
2124.
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Hear, therefore, how our true Prophet has taught us concerning these things;
for, with respect to those who neglect to hear the words of wisdom, He speaks thus: '
2125.
The queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it,
because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here, and they hear Him not.'
2126.
Yet with respect to those who refused to repent of their evil deeds, He spoke thus:
2127.
'The men of Nineve shall rise in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it;
for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.'
2128.
You see, therefore, how He condemned those who were instructed out of the law,
by adducing the example of those who came from Gentile ignorance,
and showing that the former were not even equal to those who seemed to live in error.
2129.
From all these things, then, the statement that He propounded is proved,
that chastity, which is observed to a certain extent even by those who live in error, should be held much more purely and strictly, in all its forms, as we showed above, by us who follow the truth;
and the rather because with us eternal rewards are assigned to its observance.
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