53. TO HERNOST, BISHOP OF: Rochester.
The Letters of St. Anselm he should realize it was begun; and you, who have tried by dutiful care to uphold the church of God through its members, will be repaid by the divine judge.3 Farewell. c. 1075.
NOTES 1. Archbishop Lanfranc called Prior Hernost of Caen to be bishop of Rochester in 1075; see Epp 1, 53.
2. Ps 16:2.
3. Anselm himself acted according to this advice when he was made prior in 1063 (see VA 21, 22), elected abbot of Bee in early September
1078 (VA 44, 45), and promoted to the archbishopric of Canterbury on 6 March 1093 (see HN 31-35, and Epp 148-164). See also Epp 61,
345 for Anselm's similar advice. For a dissenting view on Anselm's willingness to become archbishop, see S. Vaughn 'Saint Anselm:
Reluctant Archbishop?', Albion 3 (1976) 240-250.
53. TO HERNOST, BISHOP OF
ROCHESTER.
Grieving at Hemost's illness Anselm comforts the dying bishop of Rochester by meditating on the joyful and victorious progress of his soul out of the afflic tions of this world; he encourages him to comply fully with the will of God.
TO BISHOP HERNOST OF ROCHESTER,1 ONCE HIS COMPANION AND
BROTHER LOVED IN AN EQUAL FRIENDSHIP, NOW HIS LORD AND
FATHER REVERED IN AFFECTION: BROTHER ANSELM, WISHING HIM
COMPLETE FREEDOM FROM HARM IN THIS LIFE AND PERFECT
HAPPINESS IN THE LIFE TO COME.
WHEN I HEAR THAT YOUR BODY IS WORN out almost to the point of death by frequent and serious afflictions, my love for you makes me sad with human gloom. But when
I consider that through this your soul is being nourished for eternity, your progress consoles me with spiritual joy.
It is certainly known to your holiness that in tribulations of the flesh and by cauterization, the rust of sins is burned away and through patience the life of a just man is perfected.
The Letters of St. Anselm
For it is written that God chastises every son whom he receives,2 and that affliction produces endurance, endurance brings forth approval, approval hope, and hope does not shame us;3 and that endurance produces a perfect work.4
From this it is known beyond doubt that we should re joice in tribulation with as much affection as the effort we show in striving towards the heritage of sons through hope and the perfection of a good work. For because it always pleases God if we never fall away from his commands, we particularly please him greatly if, even in our adversity, we joyfully consent to his will. And although he is utterly just, nevertheless, as he is utterly merciful, he will in no way compel us, whom he sees facing up to punishment in this world with joyfulness of spirit, to pay for our sins through repeated punishment in the life to come. We shall be able to look forward to the strict judge being more lenient to the degree that we have now patiently endured his being more severe. Therefore by these and other meditations of this kind, my reverend father, as your paternal holiness knows already, by considering that the progress of the soul grows out of the failure of the flesh, the salvation of the soul out of the illness of the flesh and forgiveness out of punishment, you may draw consolation from this very affliction and joy from this grief.
My sweetest father and reverend lord, may almighty and most merciful God so cause you to agree in all things with his will in this life that he may agree to your happiness in all things in the life to come. I pray that your paternal holi ness may not forget your faithful servant although absent in body but present in spirit. May your body and soul al ways be strong in the Lord. c. 1075/76.
NOTES 1. Hernost was Bishop of Rochester from 29 August 1075-15 July 1076; see Epp 1, 52.