Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series • VOLUME 11
Sulpitius Severus, Vincent of Lerins & John Cassian
SECTION 281
Chapter XX.
Chapter XX. Of the nature of gluttony, which may be illustrated by the simile of the eagle. An admirable illustration of this passion, with which a monk, however spiritual and excellent, is sure to be hampered, is found in the simile of the eagle. For this bird when in its flight on high it has soared above the highest clouds,…
939 wordsSECTION 282Chapter XXIV.
Chapter XXIV. How the lands from which the Canaanites were expelled, had been assigned to the seed of Shem. For, as an ancient tradition tells us, [1359] these same lands of the Canaanites into which the children of Israel were brought, had been formerly allotted to the children of Shem at the division of the world, and afterw…
945 wordsSECTION 283Chapter XXVII.
Chapter XXVII. That our battles are not fought with our faults in the same order as that in which they stand in the list. But you must know that our battles are not all fought in the same order, because, as we mentioned that the attacks are not always made on us in the same way, each one of us ought also to begin the battle wi…
950 wordsSECTION 284Chapter II.
Chapter II. Abbot Theodore's answer to the question proposed to him. This question often exercises the minds of those who have not much faith or knowledge, and imagine that the prizes and rewards of the saints (which are not given in this world, but laid up for the future) are bestowed in the short space of this mortal life. B…
1,287 wordsSECTION 285Chapter IV.
Chapter IV. How evil cannot be forced on any one by another against his will. Preserving then these distinctions clear and fixed, and knowing that there is nothing good except virtue alone, and nothing bad except sin alone and separation from God, let us now carefully consider whether God ever allows evil to be forced on his s…
926 wordsSECTION 286Chapter VII.
Chapter VII. A question whether the man who causes the death of a good man is guilty, if the good man is the gainer by his death. Germanus: Well then, if a good man does not only suffer no evil by being killed, but actually gains a reward from his suffering, how can we accuse the man who has done him no harm but good by killin…
928 wordsSECTION 287Chapter X.
Chapter X. Of the excellence of the perfect man who is figuratively spoken of as ambidextrous. Those are they then who are figuratively spoken of in holy Scripture as amphoterodexion , i.e., ambidextrous, as Ehud is described in the book of Judges "who used either hand as the right [1393] hand." And this power we also can spir…
1,519 wordsSECTION 288Chapter XI.
Chapter XI. Of the two kinds of trials, which come upon us in a three-fold way. Well then, though we say that trial is twofold, i.e., in prosperity and in adversity, yet you must know that all men are tried in three different ways. Often for their probation, sometimes for their improvement, and in some cases because their sins…
1,954 wordsSECTION 289Chapter XII.
Chapter XII. How the upright man ought to be like a stamp not of wax but of hard steel. And so the mind of the upright man ought not to be like wax or any other soft material which always yields to the shape of what presses on it, and is stamped with its form and impress and keeps it until it takes another shape by having anot…
863 wordsSECTION 290Chapter XVI.
Chapter XVI. How even celestial powers above are capable of change. But that even the powers above are, as we said, subject to change is shown by those who fell from their ranks through the fault of a corrupt will. Wherefore we ought not to think that the nature of those is unchangeable, who remain in the blessed condition in …
776 wordsSECTION 291Chapter I.
Chapter I. On the chastity of Abbot Serenus. [1436] As we desire to introduce to earnest minds the Abbot Serenus, a man of the greatest holiness and continence, and one who answers like a mirror to his name, whom we admired above all others with peculiar veneration, we think that we only carry out our desire by the attempt to …
1,146 wordsSECTION 292Chapter IV.
Chapter IV. The discourse of the old man on the state of the soul and its excellence. Serenus: It is dangerous to jump to a conclusion and lay down the law hastily on the nature of anything before you have properly discussed the subject and considered its true character. Nor should you, looking only at your own weakness, hazar…
726 wordsSECTION 293Chapter V.
Chapter V. On the perfection of the soul, as drawn from the comparison of the Centurion in the gospel. Of this perfect mind then there is an excellent figure drawn in the case of the centurion in the gospel; whose virtue and consistency, owing to which he was not led away by the rush of thoughts, but in accordance with his own…
1,120 wordsSECTION 294Chapter VI.
Chapter VI. Of perseverance as regards care of the thoughts. But we shall find out by our own experience that we can and ought to cling to the Lord if we have our wills mortified and the desires of this world cut off, and we shall be taught by the authority of those who in converse with the Lord say in all confidence: "My soul…
908 wordsSECTION 295Chapter IX.
Chapter IX. A question on the union of the soul with devils. Germanus: What, I pray you, is that indiscriminate and common union of the soul with those evil spirits, by which it is possible for them to be (I will not say joined with but) united to it in such a way that they can imperceptibly talk with it, and find their way in…
1,093 wordsSECTION 296Chapter XIV.
Chapter XIV. An objection, as to how we ought to believe that devils see into the thoughts of men. Germanus: In this way, which you describe, those spirits cannot possibly see into our thoughts. But we think it utterly absurd to hold such an opinion, when Scripture says: "If the spirit of him that hath power ascend upon thee;"…
809 wordsSECTION 297Chapter XVIII.
Chapter XVIII. A question whether among the devils there is any order observed in the attack, or system in its changes. Germanus: Must we then believe that wickedness is arranged and so to speak systematized among them in such a way that there is some order in the changes observed by them, and a regular plan of attack carried …
1,718 wordsSECTION 298Chapter XXII.
Chapter XXII. On the fact that the power to hurt does not depend upon the will of the devils. But that they have not the power of hurting any man is shown in a very clear way by the instance of the blessed Job, where the enemy did not venture to try him beyond what was allowed to him by the Divine permission; and it is evidenc…
702 wordsSECTION 299Chapter XXIV.
Chapter XXIV. Of the way in which the devils prepare for themselves an entrance into the bodies of those whom they are going to possess. It is clear then that unclean spirits cannot make their way into those whose bodies they are going to seize upon, in any other way than by first taking possession of their minds and thoughts.…
1,287 wordsSECTION 300Chapter XXVII.
Chapter XXVII. On the temptation of Abbot Moses. But the second person whom we mentioned as living in this desert, although he was also a remarkable and striking man, yet, in order to punish a single word, to which in a dispute with Abbot Macarius, [1495] he had given utterance somewhat too sharply, as he was anticipated in so…
854 wordsSECTION 301Chapter XXXI.
Chapter XXXI. On the fact that those men are more to be pitied to whom it is not given to be subjected to those temporal temptations. But we ought to consider those men truly wretched and miserable in whose case, although they defile themselves with all kinds of sins and wickedness, yet not only is there no visible sign of the…
1,390 wordsSECTION 302Chapter XXXIII.
Chapter XXXIII. A question as to the origin of such differences in powers of evil in the sky. Germanus: We certainly do not doubt that those orders which the Apostle enumerates refer to them: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, agai…
777 wordsSECTION 303Chapter III.
Chapter III. The answer on the many kinds of food provided in holy Scripture. Serenus: The authority of holy Scripture says on those points on which it would inform us some things so plainly and clearly even to those who are utterly void of understanding, that not only are they not veiled in the obscurity of any hidden meaning…
835 wordsSECTION 304Chapter IV.
Chapter IV. Of the double sense in which Holy Scripture may be taken. Wherefore on those passages which are brought forward with a clear explanation we also can constantly lay down the meaning and boldly state our own opinions. But those which the Holy Spirit, reserving for our meditation and exercise, has inserted in holy Scr…
1,006 wordsSECTION 305Chapter VIII.
Chapter VIII. Of the fall of the devil and the angels. And so we are clearly shown that out of that number of them some of the leaders fell, by the lamentations of Ezekiel and Isaiah, in which we know that the prince of Tyre or that Lucifer who rose in the morning is lamented with a doleful plaint: and of him the Lord speaks a…
1,136 wordsSECTION 306Chapter XI.
Chapter XI. The punishment of the deceiver and the deceived. But we ought in this matter, in order that we may shun evil counsels, to learn a special lesson from the fact that though the author of the deception was visited with a fitting punishment and condemnation, yet still the one who was led astray did not go scot free fro…
1,082 wordsSECTION 307Chapter XIV.
Chapter XIV. How it is that spiritual wickednesses obtained the names of powers or principalities. We can then see clear reasons, in addition to those ideas which we expounded above, why they are called principalities or powers; viz., because they rule and preside over different nations, and at least hold sway over inferior sp…
1,026 wordsSECTION 308Chapter XVII.
Chapter XVII. Of the fact that two angels always cling to every man. For Holy Scripture bears witness that two angels, a good and a bad one, cling to each one of us. And of the good ones the Saviour says: "Do not despise one of these little ones; for I say unto you that their angels in heaven do always behold the face of thy F…
910 wordsSECTION 309Chapter XX.
Chapter XX. A question about the fallen angels who are said in Genesis to have had intercourse with the daughters of men. Germanus: Since a passage of Genesis was a little while ago by the providence of God brought forward in our midst, and happily reminded us that we can now conveniently ask about a point which we have always…
1,716 wordsSECTION 310Chapter XXII.
Chapter XXII. An objection, as to how an unlawful intermingling with the daughters of Cain could be charged against the line of Seth before the prohibition of the law. Germanus: If that command had been given to them, then the sin of breaking it might fairly have been brought against them for their audacity in so marrying. But…
817 wordsSECTION 311Chapter XXIV.
Chapter XXIV. Of the fact that they were justly punished, who sinned before the flood. And so then we see that from the beginning God created everything perfect, nor would there have been need for anything to have been added to His original arrangement--as if it were shortsighted and imperfect--if everything had continued in t…
1,512 wordsSECTION 312Chapter I.
Chapter I. Introduction to the Conference. What was promised in the second book of the Institutes [1582] on continual and unceasing perseverance in prayer, shall be by the Lord's help fulfilled by the Conferences of this Elder, whom we will now bring forward; viz., Abbot Isaac: [1583] and when these have been propounded I thin…
1,117 wordsSECTION 313Chapter IV.
Chapter IV. Of the lightness of the soul which may be compared to a wing or feather. For the nature of the soul is not inaptly compared to a very fine feather or very light wing, which, if it has not been damaged or affected by being spoilt by any moisture falling on it from without, is borne aloft almost naturally to the heig…
846 wordsSECTION 314Chapter VI.
Chapter VI. Of the vision which a certain Elder saw concerning the restless work of a brother. And that this is not done without the prompting of devils we are taught by the surest proofs, for when one very highly esteemed Elder was passing by the cell of a certain brother who was suffering from this mental disease of which we…
1,015 wordsSECTION 315Chapter VIII.
Chapter VIII. Of the different characters of prayer. Isaac: I imagine that all kinds of prayers cannot be grasped without great purity of heart and soul and the illumination of the Holy Spirit. For there are as many of them as there can be conditions and characters produced in one soul or rather in all souls. And so although w…
713 wordsSECTION 316Chapter XI.
Chapter XI. Of Supplications. "I exhort therefore first of all that supplications be made." Supplication is an imploring or petition concerning sins, in which one who is sorry for his present or past deeds asks for pardon. Chapter XII. Of Prayer. Prayers are those by which we offer or vow something to God, what the Greeks c…
1,093 wordsSECTION 317Chapter XVI.
Chapter XVI. Of the kinds of prayer to which we ought to direct ourselves. Yet we ought by advancing in life and attaining to virtue to aim rather at those kinds of prayer which are poured forth either from the contemplation of the good things to come or from fervour of love, or which at least, to speak more humbly and in acco…
1,307 wordsSECTION 318Chapter XIX.
Chapter XIX. Of the clause "Thy kingdom come." The second petition of the pure heart desires that the kingdom of its Father may come at once; viz., either that whereby Christ reigns day by day in the saints (which comes to pass when the devil's rule is cast out of our hearts by the destruction of foul sins, and God begins to h…
843 wordsSECTION 319Chapter XXII.
Chapter XXII. Of the clause: "Forgive us our debts, etc." "And forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors." O unspeakable mercy of God, which has not only given us a form of prayer and taught us a system of life acceptable to Him, and by the requirements of the form given, in which He charged us always to pray, has to…
722 wordsSECTION 320Chapter XXIV.
Chapter XXIV. How we ought not to ask for other things, except only those which are contained in the limits of the Lord's Prayer. You see then what is the method and form of prayer proposed to us by the Judge Himself, who is to be prayed to by it, a form in which there is contained no petition for riches, no thought of honours…
789 wordsSource & rights
Historical text source: Christian Classics Ethereal Library. The downloaded text itself records Public Domain.