vii. 22, 23), and
again, "I keep under my body, and bring it unto subjection, lest that
by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a
castaway" (1 Cor. ix. 27), and "They that are Christ's have crucified
the flesh, with the affections and lusts" (Gal. v. 24).
These works, however, must not be done with any notion that by them a
man can be justified before God--for faith, which alone is righteousness
before God, will not bear with this false notion--but solely with this
purpose: that the body may be brought into subjection, and be purified
from its evil lusts, so that our eyes may be turned only to purging away
those lusts. For when the soul has been cleansed by faith and made to
love God, it would have all things to be cleansed in like manner, and
especially its own body, so that all things might unite with it in the
love and praise of God. Thus it comes that, from the requirements of his
own body, a man cannot take his ease, but is compelled on its account
to do many good works, that he may bring it into subjection. Yet these
works are not the means of his justification before God; he does them
out of disinterested love to the service of God; looking to no other
end than to do what is well-pleasing to Him whom he desires to obey most
dutifully in all things.
On this principle every man may easily instruct himself in what measure,
and with what distinctions, he ought to chasten his own body.
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