II. Responsum abslinentiae.

II. Responsum abslinentiae.

And again, from the aforementioned turbulent cloud, which had spread from the South to the West, I heard a voice responding with these words: "No one strikes the harp in such a way that its strings are not harmed." But if his strings are damaged, what is the sound of it? No one. You fill your belly, glutton, in such a way that all your veins are unhealthy and turn into rage. And where is the sweet sound of wisdom that God gave to humanity? For you are mute and blind, and you don't know what you're saying. But just as a sudden downpour can wash away the earth, so excess leads a person into blasphemies and mockery. But I saw a beautiful form in the dust, which God created for man. Therefore, I am like a fitting rain, so that the flesh does not thrive in vices. I draw moderation from people, so that their flesh doesn't fail, and so it doesn't grow too strong, gorged on vital foods more than is necessary. For I am a harp, resonating with the sounds of all praises, and piercing the hardness of the heart with good will. When a person feeds their body moderately, they resonate like a harp in their prayers to heaven; and when their body is kept pure with moderate food, they sing in harmony with instruments. What you seek, glutton, you don't know, nor do you understand, nor can you know or comprehend. For sometimes you undermine yourself with excessive fasting, so that you can scarcely live; and at other times you fill your belly with gluttony, so that you become bloated and vomit. But I set limits on my eating, so that the juice of man does not dry up in it, and so that the juice does not exceed its measure in it; and then there I praise with the harp, and I sing with the instruments. All faithful ones, keep yourselves away from gluttony, because the belly of the ancient Serpent Evani swallowed, and because through Eve many filth is vomited. III. ^ Words of bitterness, 6. But the second image was like a leopard, and he said, "I count all boldness and victory as nothing, and I don't want anyone to resist me." I won't respond to anything that troubles or harms me in Scripture or in faith; instead, I'll bite down on it.