Page:King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care (2).djvu/453

444 where we intend to build, although we cannot use them for the work too soon, because of their greenness before they are dry. But the drier they are while on the ground, the more confidently we can erect them. Those, on the other hand, who will never accomplish the good that they begin, are to be admonished to understand with careful consideration that when they relinquish of their own will and accord the good they had determined to do, they thereby cancel that which they formerly began; because, if that waxes not which they determine to do, that wanes which they formerly did. Every man's mind in this world has the nature of a ship. His ship sometimes tries to ascend against the current, but it cannot unless impelled by the rowers, but must float with the current; it cannot remain still, unless held by an anchor or impelled forward by oars; otherwise it goes with the current. So does the relinquishing of good works. It opposes the good that we formerly did, unless we continue to toil and do good works up to the end. Therefore it was said through the wise Solomon; he said: "He who voluntarily from sloth relinquishes his good works, is most like him who destroys them." Therefore also it was said through John the evangelist to the bishop of the church called Sardis; he said: "Be watchful, and amend the works in thee which are mortal: I have not found thy works perfect in the sight of my God." He said that he had not found his works, that he had formerly done, perfect in the sight of Grod, because he had not done those which he should have done. So also, if we do not repair that which is mortal in us through sins, that dies which formerly lived in us through good works. They are also to be admonished to consider carefully that it is worse than ever to begin to travel on the road of truth, if one intends afterwards to turn back and traverse the same ground. Because, if we do not desire the former evils we did, nothing hinders us from accomplishing the good works which we now do. They should hear the sentence which is written in the epistle of St. Peter; it is written that it were better for them not to have known the road of truth, than to have turned back after knowing it. They should also hear the sentence written about them in the books called the Apocalypse; it is written that the angel said of the bishop to St. John: "Oh, would that he were either hot or cold. But since