Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 2.11: Sulpitius Severus, Vincent of Lérins, John Cassian (Catholic Edition)
Overview
Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Volume XI: Sulpitius Severus, Vincent of Lérins, John Cassian. The Early Church Fathers is one of the most important collections of historical, philosophical and theological writings available in English to the student of the Christian Church. These documents provide the most comprehensive witness to the development of Christianity and Christian thought during the period immediately following the Apostolic Era. The Catholic edition of Early Church Fathers does not include the introductions, prolegomenae, and various interpretive comments made by the protestant editors of the Edinburgh edition. However, it retains all of the footnotes found in the printed editions. Contents of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series XI Sulpicius Severus On the Life of St. Martin Letters Dialogues The Doubtful Letters The Sacred History Vincent of Lérins The Commonitory John Cassian The Institutes of the Coenobia Conferences On the Incarnation of the Lord, against Nestorius
Top Highlights
“Hear then in few words how you can mount up to the heights of perfection without any effort or difficulty. ‘The beginning’ of our salvation and ‘of wisdom’ is, according to Scripture, ‘the fear of the Lord.’3 From the fear of the Lord arises salutary compunction. From compunction of heart springs renunciation, i.e. nakedness and contempt of all possessions. From nakedness is begotten humility; from humility the mortification of desires. Through mortification of desires all faults are extirpated and decay. By driving out faults virtues shoot up and increase. By the budding of virtues purity of heart is gained. By purity of heart the perfection of apostolic love is acquired.” (Page 233)
“He then will never be able to check the motions of a burning lust, who cannot restrain the desires of the appetite.” (Page 237)
“For the gain from fasting will not balance the loss from anger, nor is the profit from reading so great as the harm which results from despising a brother. Those things which are of secondary importance, such as fastings, vigils, withdrawal from the world, meditation on Scripture, we ought to practise with a view to our main object, i.e., purity of heart, which is charity, and we ought not on their account to drive away this main virtue, for as long as it is still found in us intact and unharmed, we shall not be hurt if any of the things which are of secondary importance are necessarily omitted; since it will not be of the slightest use to have done everything, if this main reason of which we have spoken be removed, for the sake of which everything is to be done.” (Pages 297–298)
- Title: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 2.11: Sulpitius Severus, Vincent of Lérins, John Cassian (Catholic Edition)
- Authors: Philip Schaff, Henry Wace, Sulpicius Severus, Vincent of Lérins, John Cassian
- Series: Early Church Fathers (Catholic Edition)
- Volume: 11
- Publisher: Christian Literature Company
- Print Publication Date: 1894
- Logos Release Date: 2001
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Christian literature, early; Fathers of the church
- Resource ID: LLS:6.60.125
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T19:03:51Z