Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series • VOLUME 11
Sulpitius Severus, Vincent of Lerins & John Cassian
SECTION 41
Chapter IV.
Chapter IV. "You knew the too barbarous and, beyond measure, bloody ferocity of Avitianus, a former courtier. He enters the city of the Turones with a furious spirit, while rows of people, laden with chains, followed him with melancholy looks, orders various kinds of punishments to be got ready for slaying them; and to the grav…
890 wordsSECTION 42Chapter VI.
Chapter VI. "I am enraged in heart, believe me, and, through vexation, I seem to lose my senses: do Christian men not believe in the miraculous powers of Martin, which the demons acknowledged? "The monastery of the blessed man was at two miles' distance from the city; but if, as often as he was to come to the church, he only h…
1,091 wordsSECTION 43Chapter IX.
Chapter IX. "I will make use of another not dissimilar marvel in a like kind of work, having the concurrence of Refrigerius in doing so. Martin was prepared to throw down a pillar of immense size, on the top of which an idol stood, but there was no means by which effect could be given to his design. Well, according to his usual…
1,368 wordsSECTION 44Chapter XII.
Chapter XII. "In the meantime, those bishops with whom Martin would not hold communion went in terror to the king, complaining that they had been condemned beforehand; that it was all over with them as respected the status of every one of them, if the authority of Martin was now to uphold the pertinacity of Theognitus, who alon…
762 wordsSECTION 45Chapter XIV.
Chapter XIV. "But clearly, as we experienced, he repaired, with manifold interest, his grace, which had been diminished for a time. I saw afterwards a possessed person brought to him at the gate [138] of the monastery; and that, before the man touched the threshold, he was cured. "I lately heard one testifying that, when he wa…
1,183 wordsSECTION 46Chapter XVI.
Chapter XVI. Upon this, Postumianus exclaims, "Let that well-known man in our immediate neighborhood, listen to that example, who, when he is wise, takes no notice either of things present or future, but if he has been offended, falls into utter fury, having no control over himself. He then rages against the clerics, and makes …
707 wordsSECTION 47Chapter XVIII.
Chapter XVIII. "But when you have again set sail from that place with the view of making for Jerusalem, I enjoin upon you a duty connected with our grief, that, if you ever come to the shore of renowned Ptolemais, you enquire most carefully where Pomponius, that friend of ours, is buried, and that you do not refuse to visit his…
1,067 wordsSECTION 48Chapter III.
Chapter III. O how happy shall be that departure of ours, when Christ shall receive us into his own abode after we have been purged [143] from the stains of sin through the experience [144] of a better life! Martyrs and prophets will meet with us, apostles will join themselves to us, angels will be glad, archangels will rejoice…
886 wordsSECTION 49Chapter V.
Chapter V. After him, there will stand up David worthy of his descendant the Lord, and declare: "I, Lord, proclaimed thee by every means; I set forth that only thy name was to be worshiped; I said, Blessed is the man [153] who fears the Lord'; I said too, The saints shall [154] be joyful in glory'; and I said, The desire of the…
782 wordsSECTION 50Chapter VII.
Chapter VII. Then will the Evangelist repeat this to the wretched beings, "Go ye [160] into outer darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." O ye miserable men, whom these words do not now impress! They shall then see their own punishment, and the glory of others. Let them use this present world, provided they do …
947 wordsSECTION 51Chapter III.
Chapter III. But that the merit of virginity may shine forth more clearly, and that there may be a better understanding as to how worthy it is of God, let this be considered, that the Lord God, our Saviour, when, for the salvation of the human race, he condescended to assume mankind, chose no other than a virgin's womb, that he…
999 wordsSECTION 52Chapter V.
Chapter V. Now, there are three kinds of virtue, by means of which the possession of the kingdom of heaven is secured. The first is chastity, the second, contempt of the world, and the third, righteousness, which, as when joined together, they very greatly benefit their possessors, so, when separated, they can hardly be of any …
980 wordsSECTION 53Chapter VII.
Chapter VII. But (as we had begun to remark) it is not sufficient for a Christian to keep himself from wickedness, unless he also has fulfilled the duties implied in good works, as is very distinctly proved by that statement in which the Lord threatened that those will be doomed to eternal fire, who, although they have done no …
1,627 wordsSECTION 54Chapter IX.
Chapter IX. There follows the clause "how she may please God,"--God, I say, not men,--"that she may be holy both in body and spirit." He does not say that she may be holy only in a member or in the body, but that she may be holy in body and spirit. For a member is only one part of the body, but the body is a union of all the me…
1,061 wordsSECTION 55Chapter XI.
Chapter XI. I believe that I have now set forth, briefly indeed, but, at the same time, fully, what is implied in a woman's purity of body: it remains that we should learn what it is to be pure also in spirit; i.e. that what it is unlawful for one to do in act, it is also unlawful for one even to imagine in thought. For she is …
745 wordsSECTION 56Chapter XII.
Chapter XII. O Virgin, maintain thy purpose which is destined for a great reward. Eminent with the Lord is the virtue of virginity and purity, if it be not disfigured by other kinds of lapses into sins and wickedness. Realize your state, realize your position, realize your purpose. You are called the bride of Christ; see that y…
843 wordsSECTION 57Chapter XIV.
Chapter XIV. God seeks for adornment of this kind, and desires a soul arrayed in such a manner. Remember that you are called the daughter of God, according to what he says, "Hearken, [215] O daughter, and consider." But you yourself also, as often as you call God your Father, bear witness that you are the daughter of God. Where…
1,149 wordsSECTION 58Chapter XVII.
Chapter XVII. Avoid words of contention and causes of animosity: flee also from all occasions of discord and strife. For if, according to the doctrine of the Apostle "the servant [222] of the Lord must not strive," how much more does this become the handmaid of the Lord, whose mind ought to be more gentle, as her sex is more ba…
811 wordsSECTION 59Chapter XIX.
Chapter XIX. When you repeat [226] a psalm, consider whose words you are repeating and delight yourself more with true contrition of soul, than with the pleasantness of a trilling voice. For God sets a higher value on the tears of one thus praising [227] him, than on the beauty of his voice; as the prophet says, "Serve [228] th…
853 wordsSECTION 60Letter IV.
Letter IV. To the Same, on His Wisdom and Gentleness. The faithful exponent of our holy religion so arranges all things that no place be found in future for transgressors: for what else do you, for instance, promise us by so great sanctity of character, than that, all errors being laid aside, we should lead a blessed life? In …
991 wordsSECTION 61Letter VI.
Letter VI. To Salvius: a Complaint that the Country People Were Harassed, and Their Possessions Plundered. Forensic excitement ought to be at full heat during the time of business in the law-courts; for it is fitting that the arms of industry, as it struggles daily, should display energetic movements. But when loud-toned eloqu…
841 wordsSECTION 62Letter VII.
Letter VII. To an Unknown Person, Begging the Favor of a Letter. The faith and piety of souls, no doubt, remain, but this should be made known by the evidence of a letter, in order that an increase of affection may be gained by such mutual courtesy. For just as a fertile field cannot bring forth abundant fruits, if its cultiva…
962 wordsSECTION 63Chapter III.
Chapter III. God being offended by these things, and especially by the wickedness of mankind, which had gone beyond measure, had determined to destroy the whole human race. But he exempted Noah, a righteous man and of blameless life, from the destined doom. He being warned by God that a flood was coming upon the earth, built an…
989 wordsSECTION 64Chapter VI.
Chapter VI. At the same time God spoke to Abraham, and promised that his seed was to be multiplied as the sand of the sea; and that his predicted seed would live in a land not his own, while his posterity would endure slavery in a hostile country for four hundred years, but would afterwards be restored to liberty. Then his name…
872 wordsSECTION 65Chapter VIII.
Chapter VIII. Now, Rebecca, having long been barren, at length, through the unceasing prayers of her husband to the Lord, brought forth twins about twenty years after the time of her marriage. These are said to have often leaped [259] in the womb of their mother; and it was announced by the answer of the Lord on this subject, t…
934 wordsSECTION 66Chapter X.
Chapter X. Israel, therefore, avoiding the house of his brother, sent forward his company to Salem, a town of the Shechemites, and there he pitched his tent on a spot which he had purchased. Emor, a Chorræan prince, was the ruler of that town. His son Sychem defiled Dinah, the daughter of Jacob by Leah. Symeon and Levi, the bro…
968 wordsSECTION 67Chapter XII.
Chapter XII. In the mean time, affairs having been well settled in Egypt to meet the famine, a grievous want of corn began to distress the world. Jacob, constrained by this necessity, sent his sons into Egypt, keeping only Benjamin with himself at home. Joseph, then, being at the head of affairs, and having complete power over …
870 wordsSECTION 68Chapter XIV.
Chapter XIV. But the Hebrews, oppressed by the multiplied evils of slavery, directed their complaints to heaven, and cherished the hope of assistance from God. Then, as Moses was feeding his sheep, suddenly a bush appeared to him burning, but, what was surprising, the flames did it no harm. Astonished at such an extraordinary s…
907 wordsSECTION 69Chapter XVI.
Chapter XVI. Then Moses, exulting in the safety of his own people, and in the destruction of the enemy, by such a miracle, [279] sang a song of praise to God, and the whole multitude, both of males and females, took part in it. But, after they had entered the desert, and advanced a journey of three days, want of water distresse…
912 wordsSECTION 70Chapter XVIII.
Chapter XVIII. These things being said by God, while the trumpets uttered their voices, the lamps blazed, and smoke covered the mountain, the people trembled from terror; and begged of Moses that God should speak to him alone, and that he would report to the people what he thus heard. Now, the commandments of God to Moses were …
753 wordsSECTION 71Chapter XIX.
Chapter XIX. Moses reported these words of God to the people, and placed an altar of twelve stones at the foot of the mountain. Then he again ascended the mountain on which the Lord had taken his place, bringing with him Aaron, Nabad, and seventy of the elders. But these were not able to look upon the Lord; nevertheless, they s…
1,047 wordsSECTION 72Chapter XXI.
Chapter XXI. There followed the revolt of those, who, with Dathan and Abiron as leaders, endeavored to set themselves up against Moses and Aaron; but the earth, opening, swallowed them alive. And not long after, a revolt of the whole people arose against Moses and Aaron, so that they rushed into the tabernacle, which it was not…
893 wordsSECTION 73Chapter XXIII.
Chapter XXIII. When this became known to the kings of the neighboring nations, they made a warlike alliance to put down the Hebrews by arms. But the Gibeonites, a powerful nation with a wealthy city, spontaneously yielded to the Hebrews, promising to do what they were ordered, and were received under protection, while they were…
1,203 wordsSECTION 74Chapter XXV.
Chapter XXV. Accordingly, when the Midianites, as we have related above, ruled over them, they turned to the Lord, imploring his wonted tender mercy, and obtained it. There was then among the Hebrews one Gideon by name, a righteous man who was dear and acceptable to God. The angel stood by him as he was returning home from the …
1,037 wordsSECTION 75Chapter XXVII.
Chapter XXVII. The Israelites yet again turned to idols; and, being deprived of the divine protection, were subdued by the Philistines, and paid the penalty of their unfaithfulness by forty years of captivity. At that time, Samson is related to have been born. His mother, after being long barren, had a vision of an angel, and w…
845 wordsSECTION 76Chapter XXIX.
Chapter XXIX. About these times, civil war, as we have said, had broken out; and the following was the cause of the tumult. A certain Levite was on a journey along with his concubine, and, constrained by the approach of night, he took up his abode in the town of Gabaa, which was inhabited by men of Benjamin. A certain old man h…
830 wordsSECTION 77Chapter XXXI.
Chapter XXXI. The Philistines, victorious in this prosperous battle, brought the ark of God, which had fallen into their hands, into the temple of Dagon in the town of Azotus. But the image, dedicated to a demon, fell down when the ark was brought in there; and, on their setting the idol up again in its place, in the following …
707 wordsSECTION 78Chapter XXXIII.
Chapter XXXIII. Accordingly, Saul, having been first anointed by Samuel with the sacerdotal oil, was appointed king. He was of the tribe of Benjamin, and his father's name was Kish. He was modest in mind, and of a singularly handsome figure, so that the dignity of his person worthily corresponded to the royal dignity. But in th…
1,163 wordsSECTION 79Chapter XXXV.
Chapter XXXV. The hatred of the king towards him increased daily, under the influence of jealousy, for the wicked always persecute the good. He, therefore, commanded his servants and Jonathan his son, to prepare snares against his life. But Jonathan had even from the first had a great regard and affection for David; and therefo…
1,039 wordsSECTION 80Chapter XXXVII.
Chapter XXXVII. Saul having thus been cut off, David, when the news of his death was brought to him in the land of the Philistines, is related to have wept, and to have given a marvelous proof of his affection. He then betook himself to Hebron, a town of Judæa; and, being there again anointed with the royal oil, received the ti…
959 wordsSource & rights
Historical text source: Christian Classics Ethereal Library. The downloaded text itself records Public Domain.