Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series • VOLUME 11
Sulpitius Severus, Vincent of Lerins & John Cassian
SECTION 121
Chapter XII.
Chapter XII. A fuller account of the Errors of Photinus, Apollinaris and Nestorius. [32.] Here, possibly, I may be asked for some account of the above mentioned heresies; those, namely, of Nestorius, Apollinaris, and Photinus. This, indeed, does not belong to the matter in hand: for our object is not to enlarge upon the errors…
771 wordsSECTION 122Chapter XIII.
Chapter XIII. The Catholic Doctrine of the Trinity and the Incarnation explained. [36.] In these ways then do these rabid dogs, Nestorius, Apollinaris, and Photinus, bark against the Catholic faith: Photinus, by denying the Trinity; Apollinaris, by teaching that the nature of the Word is mutable, and refusing to acknowledge th…
1,127 wordsSECTION 123Chapter XIV.
Chapter XIV. Jesus Christ Man in Truth, not in Semblance. [38.] But when we use the word "Person," and say that God became man by means of a Person, there is reason to fear that our meaning may be taken to be, that God the Word assumed our nature merely in imitation, and performed the actions of man, being man not in reality, …
745 wordsSECTION 124Chapter XV.
Chapter XV. The Union of the Divine with the Human Nature took place in the very Conception of the Virgin. The appellation "The Mother of God." [40.] This unity of Person, then, in Christ was not effected after His birth of the Virgin, but was compacted and perfected in her very womb. For we must take most especial heed that w…
894 wordsSECTION 125Chapter XVI.
Chapter XVI. Recapitulation of what was said of the Catholic Faith and of divers Heresies, Chapters xi-xv. [41.] But now that we may refresh our remembrance of what has been briefly said concerning either the afore-mentioned heresies or the Catholic Faith, let us go over it again more briefly and concisely, that being repeated…
2,155 wordsSECTION 126Chapter XVIII.
Chapter XVIII. Tertullian a great Trial to the Church. [46.] The case is the same with Tertullian. [490] For as Origen holds by far the first place among the Greeks, so does Tertullian among the Latins. For who more learned than he, who more versed in knowledge whether divine or human? With marvellous capacity of mind he compr…
774 wordsSECTION 127Chapter XIX.
Chapter XIX. What we ought to learn from these Examples. [47.] It behoves us, then, to give heed to these instances from Church History, so many and so great, and others of the same description, and to understand distinctly, in accordance with the rule laid down in Deuteronomy, that if at any time a Doctor in the Church have e…
1,285 wordsSECTION 128Chapter XXII.
Chapter XXII. A more particular Exposition of 1 Tim. vi. 20. [53.] But it is worth while to expound the whole of that passage of the apostle more fully, "O Timothy, keep the deposit, avoiding profane novelties of words." "O!" The exclamation implies fore-knowledge as well as charity. For he mourned in anticipation over the er…
1,533 wordsSECTION 129Chapter XXIV.
Chapter XXIV. Continuation of the Exposition of 1 Tim. vi. 20. [60.] But let us return to the apostle. "O Timothy," he says, "Guard the deposit, shunning profane novelties of words." "Shun them as you would a viper, as you would a scorpion, as you would a basilisk, lest they smite you not only with their touch, but even with t…
1,263 wordsSECTION 130Chapter XXV.
Chapter XXV. Heretics appeal to Scripture that they may more easily succeed in deceiving. [64.] Here, possibly, some one may ask, Do heretics also appeal to Scripture? They do indeed, and with a vengeance; for you may see them scamper through every single book of Holy Scripture,--through the books of Moses, the books of Kings,…
817 wordsSECTION 131Chapter XXVI.
Chapter XXVI. Heretics, in quoting Scripture, follow the example of the Devil. [68.] But some one will say, What proof have we that the Devil is wont to appeal to Holy Scripture? Let him read the Gospels wherein it is written, "Then the Devil took Him (the Lord the Saviour) and set Him upon a pinnacle of the Temple, and said u…
836 wordsSECTION 132Chapter XXVIII.
Chapter XXVIII. In what Way, on collating the consentient opinions of the Ancient Masters, the Novelties of Heretics may be detected and condemned. [71.] And here I perceive that, as a necessary sequel to the foregoing, I ought to show by examples in what way, by collating the consentient opinions of the ancient masters, the p…
1,253 wordsSECTION 133Chapter XXIX.
Chapter XXIX. Recapitulation. [76.] This being the case, it is now time that we should recapitulate, at the close of this second Commonitory, what was said in that and in the preceding. We said above, that it has always been the custom of Catholics, and still is, to prove the true faith in these two ways; first by the authori…
1,344 wordsSECTION 134Chapter XXXI.
Chapter XXXI. The Constancy of the Ephesine Fathers in driving away Novelty and maintaining Antiquity. [81.] After the preceding we added also the sentence of blessed Cyril, which is contained in these same Ecclesiastical Proceedings. For when the Epistle of Capreolus, [521] bishop of Carthage, had been read, wherein he earnes…
1,074 wordsSECTION 135Chapter XXXIII.
Chapter XXXIII. The Children of the Catholic Church ought to adhere to the Faith of their Fathers and die for it. [86.] Whoever then gainsays these Apostolic and Catholic determinations, first of all necessarily insults the memory of holy Celestine, who decreed that novelty should cease to assail antiquity; and in the next pla…
1,803 wordsSECTION 136Prolegomena.
Prolegomena. Chapter I. The Life of Cassian. "Cassianus natione Scytha" is the description given by Gennadius [530] of the writer whose works are now for the first time translated into English. In spite, however, of the precision of this statement, considerable doubt hangs over Cassian's nationality, and it is hard to believe…
2,392 wordsSECTION 137It is difficult to determine whether a stay in the desert of Scete was comprised in the seven years which the two friends now spent in Egypt
It is difficult to determine whether a stay in the desert of Scete was comprised in the seven years which the two friends now spent in Egypt, or whether they visited it for the first time during their second tour, after their return from Bethlehem. On the one hand, the language used in Conference XVIII. cc. i. and xvi. would alm…
2,252 wordsSECTION 138It must have been about the same time--a little earlier or a little later--that Cassian settled at Marseilles; and there, "in the midst of t
It must have been about the same time--a little earlier or a little later--that Cassian settled at Marseilles; and there, "in the midst of those great forests which had supplied the Phoenician navy, which in the time of Cæsar reached as far as the sea-coast, and the mysterious obscurity of which had so terrified the Roman soldie…
2,316 wordsSECTION 139Augustine replied to his correspondents by writing what proved to be almost his latest works,--the treatises "De Prædestinatione Sanctorum"
Augustine replied to his correspondents by writing what proved to be almost his latest works,--the treatises "De Prædestinatione Sanctorum" and "De dono Perseverantiæ." In these volumes Augustine, while freely acknowledging the great difference between his opponents and the Pelagians, yet maintained as strongly as ever his own p…
2,208 wordsSECTION 140[616] The propositions extracted by Prosper are the following:-- (1) That the initiative not only of our actions but also of our good though
[616] The propositions extracted by Prosper are the following:-- (1) That the initiative not only of our actions but also of our good thoughts comes from God, who inspires us with a good will to begin with, and supplies us with the opportunity of carrying out what we rightly desire; for "every good gift and every perfect gift co…
1,277 wordsSECTION 141Chapter II.
Chapter II. The History of Cassian's Writings, MSS., and Editions. The literary history of Cassian's works is not without an interest of its own. We have already seen the estimation in which they were held in spite of their Semi-Pelagian doctrines. These were naturally accounted a blemish, and it is not surprising that those w…
2,225 wordsSECTION 142Vol. II.--Ioannis Cassiani Conlationes XXIIII. (Vindobonæ, 1886). Petschenig's work is admirably done, and the text of this edition is vastl
Vol. II.--Ioannis Cassiani Conlationes XXIIII. (Vindobonæ, 1886). Petschenig's work is admirably done, and the text of this edition is vastly superior to that of all its predecessors. In the present translation it has been used throughout the Conferences. The volume containing the Institutes and the work on the Incarnation unfor…
703 wordsSECTION 143Preface.
Preface. The history of the Old Testament tells us that the most wise Solomon received from heaven "wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart even as the sand that is on the seashore that cannot be counted;" [629] so that by the Lord's testimony we may say that no one either has arisen in time past equal t…
1,543 wordsSECTION 144Book I.
Book I. Of the Dress of the Monks. Chapter I. [637] Of the Monk's Girdle. As we are going to speak of the customs and rules of the monasteries, how by God's grace can we better begin than with the actual dress of the monks, for we shall then be able to expound in due course their interior life when we have set their outward …
1,377 wordsSECTION 145Chapter III.
Chapter III. Of the Hoods of the Egyptians. There are some things besides in the dress of the Egyptians which concern not the care of the body so much as the regulation of the character, that the observance of simplicity and innocence may be preserved by the very character of the clothing. For they constantly use both by day a…
712 wordsSECTION 146Chapter VI.
Chapter VI. Of their Capes. [656] Next they cover their necks and shoulders with a narrow cape, aiming at modesty of dress as well as cheapness and economy; and this is called in our language as well as theirs mafors; and so they avoid both the expense and the display of cloaks and great coats. [656] The mafors (maphorion or …
837 wordsSECTION 147Chapter X. [665]
Chapter X. [665] Of the modification in the observances which may be permitted in accordance with the character of the climate or the custom of the district. So much may be said, that we may not appear to have left out any article of the dress of the Egyptians. But we need only keep to those which the situation of the place an…
712 wordsSECTION 148Book II.
Book II. Of the Canonical System of the Nocturnal Prayers and Psalms. Chapter I. Of the Canonical System of the Nocturnal Prayers and Psalms. Girt, therefore, with this twofold girdle of which we have spoken, [672] the soldier of Christ should next learn the system of the canonical prayers and Psalms which was long ago arran…
1,123 wordsSECTION 149Chapter IV.
Chapter IV. How throughout the whole of Egypt and the Thebaid the number of Psalms is fixed at twelve. So, as we said, throughout the whole of Egypt and the Thebaid the number of Psalms is fixed at twelve both at Vespers and in the office of Nocturns, [681] in such a way that at the close two lessons follow, one from the Old a…
1,103 wordsSECTION 150Chapter VI.
Chapter VI. Of the Custom of having Twelve Prayers. Whereupon the venerable assembly of the Fathers understood that by Divine Providence a general rule had been fixed for the congregations of the brethren through the angel's direction, and so decreed that this number should be preserved both in their evening and in their noctu…
752 wordsSECTION 151Chapter VIII.
Chapter VIII. Of the Prayer which follows the Psalm. That practice too which we have observed in this country--viz., that while one sings to the end of the Psalm, all standing up sing together with a loud voice, "Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost"--we have never heard anywhere throughout the East, but…
701 wordsSECTION 152Chapter X.
Chapter X. Of the silence and conciseness with which the Collects are offered up by the Egyptians. When, then, they meet together to celebrate the aforementioned rites, which they term synaxes, [697] they are all so perfectly silent that, though so large a number of the brethren is assembled together, you would not think a sin…
1,231 wordsSECTION 153Chapter XII.
Chapter XII. Of the reason why while one sings the Psalms the rest sit down during the service; and of the zeal with which they afterwards prolong their vigils in their cells till daybreak. This canonical system of twelve Psalms, of which we have spoken, they render easier by such bodily rest that when, after their custom, the…
789 wordsSECTION 154Chapter XIV.
Chapter XIV. Of the way in which they devote themselves in their cells equally to manual labour and to prayer. And therefore they supplement their prayer by the addition of labour, lest slumber might steal upon them as idlers. For as they scarcely enjoy any time of leisure, so there is no limit put to their spiritual meditatio…
827 wordsSECTION 155Chapter XVII.
Chapter XVII. How he who rouses them for prayer ought to call them at the usual time. But he who has been entrusted with the office of summoning the religious assembly and with the care of the service should not presume to rouse the brethren for their daily vigils irregularly, as he pleases, or as he may wake up in the night, …
1,015 wordsSECTION 156Chapter III.
Chapter III. How throughout all the East the services of Tierce, Sext, and None are ended with only three Psalms and prayers each; and the reason why these spiritual offices are assigned more particularly to those hours. And so in the monasteries of Palestine and Mesopotamia and all the East the services of the above-mentioned…
2,095 wordsSECTION 157Chapter IV.
Chapter IV. How the Mattin office was not appointed by an ancient tradition but was started in our own day for a definite reason. But you must know that this Mattins, which is now very generally observed in Western countries, was appointed as a canonical office in our own day, and also in our own monastery, where our Lord Jesu…
822 wordsSECTION 158Chapter V.
Chapter V. How they ought not to go back to bed again after the Mattin prayers. But some in this province, not knowing the reason why this office was appointed and introduced, go back again to bed after their Mattin prayers are finished, and in spite of it fall into that very habit to check which our Elders instituted this ser…
761 wordsSECTION 159Chapter VII.
Chapter VII. How one who does not come to the daily prayer before the end of the first Psalm is not allowed to enter the Oratory; but at Nocturnes a late arrival up to the end of the second Psalm can be overlooked. But one who at Tierce, Sext, or None has not come to prayer before the Psalm is begun and finished does not ventu…
1,190 wordsSECTION 160Chapter IX.
Chapter IX. The reason why a Vigil is appointed as the Sabbath day dawns, and why a dispensation from fasting is enjoyed on the Sabbath all through the East. And throughout the whole of the East it has been settled, ever since the time of the preaching of the Apostles, when the Christian faith and religion was founded, that th…
830 wordsSource & rights
Historical text source: Christian Classics Ethereal Library. The downloaded text itself records Public Domain.