Npnf2–11 Contents
NPNF2–11 CONTENTS
NPNF2–11. Sulpitius Severus, Vincent of Lerins, John Cassian
THE WORKS OF SULPITIUS SEVERUS
The Letters of Sulpitius Severus
Dialogues of Sulpitius Severus
The Doubtful Letters Of Sulpitius Severus
The Sacred History Of Sulpitius Severus
The Conferences of John Cassian
The Seven Books Of John Cassian On The Incarnation Of The Lord, Against Nestorius
NPNF2–11. Sulpitius Severus, Vincent of Lerins, John Cassian
THE WORKS OF SULPITIUS SEVERUS
Chapter I
Reasons for writing the Life of St. Martin
Chapter II
Military Service of St. Martin
Chapter III
Christ appears to St. Martin
Chapter IV
Martin retires from Military Service
Chapter V
Martin converts a Robber to the Faith
Chapter VI
The Devil throws himself in the Way of Martin
Chapter VII
Martin restores a Catechumen to Life
Chapter VIII
Martin restores one that had been strangled
Chapter IX
High Esteem in which Martin was held
Chapter X
Martin as Bishop of Tours
Chapter XI
Martin demolishes an Altar consecrated to a Robber
Chapter XII
Martin causes the Bearers of a Dead Body to stop
Chapter XIII
Martin escapes from a Falling Pine-tree
Chapter XIV
Martin destroys Heathen Temples and Altars
Chapter XV
Martin offers his Neck to an Assassin
Chapter XVI
Cures effected by St. Martin
Chapter XVII
Martin casts out Several Devils
Chapter XVIII
Martin performs Various Miracles
Chapter XIX
A Letter of Martin effects a Cure, with Other Miracles
Chapter XX
How Martin acted towards the Emperor Maximus
Chapter XXI
Martin has to do both with Angels and Devils
Chapter XXII
Martin preaches Repentance even to the Devil
Chapter XXIII
A Case of Diabolic Deception
Chapter XXIV
Martin is tempted by the Wiles of the Devil
Chapter XXV
Intercourse of Sulpitius with Martin
Chapter XXVI
Words cannot describe the Excellences of Martin
Chapter XXVII
Wonderful Piety of Martin
The Letters of Sulpitius Severus
Letter II. To the Deacon Aurelius
Letter III. To Bassula, His Mother-In-Law
Dialogues of Sulpitius Severus
Dialogue I
Concerning the Virtues of the Monks of the East
Dialogue II
Concerning the Virtues of St. Martin
Dialogue III
The Virtues of Martin Continued
The Doubtful Letters Of Sulpitius Severus
Letter I
A Letter of the Holy Presbyter Severus to His Sister Claudia Concerning the Last Judgment
Letter II
A Letter of Sulpitius Severus to His Sister Claudia Concerning Virginity
Letter III
A Letter of Severus to Holy Paul the Bishop
Letter IV
To the Same, on His Wisdom and Gentleness
Letter V
To an Unknown Person, Entreating Him to Deal Gently with His Brother
Letter VII
To an Unknown Person, Begging the Favor of a Letter
The Sacred History Of Sulpitius Severus
Chapter I
The Object of the Following Treatise
Chapter III
What is to be done if one or more dissent from the rest
Chapter VI
The example of Pope Stephen in resisting the Iteration of Baptism
Chapter VIII
Exposition of St. Paul’s Words, Gal. i. 8
Chapter IX
His warning to the Galatians a warning to all
Chapter X
Why Eminent Men are permitted by God to become Authors of Novelties in the Church
Chapter XII
A fuller account of the Errors of Photinus, Apollinaris and Nestorius
Chapter XIII
The Catholic Doctrine of the Trinity and the Incarnation explained
Chapter XIV
Jesus Christ Man in Truth, not in Semblance
Chapter XVII
The Error of Origen a great Trial to the Church
Chapter XVIII
Tertullian a great Trial to the Church
Chapter XIX
What we ought to learn from these Examples
Chapter XX
The Notes of a true Catholic
Chapter XXI
Exposition of St. Paul’s Words.—1 Tim. vi. 20
Chapter XXII
A more particular Exposition of 1 Tim. vi. 20
Chapter XXIII
On Development in Religious Knowledge
Chapter XXIV
Continuation of the Exposition of 1 Tim. vi. 20
Chapter XXV
Heretics appeal to Scripture that they may more easily succeed in deceiving
Chapter XXVI
Heretics, in quoting Scripture, follow the example of the Devil
Chapter XXVII
What Rule is to be observed in the Interpretation of Scripture
Chapter XXX
The Council of Ephesus
Chapter XXXI
The Constancy of the Ephesine Fathers in driving away Novelty and maintaining Antiquity
Chapter XXXII
The zeal of Celestine and Sixtus, bishops of Rome, in opposing Novelty
Book I
Of the Dress of the Monks
Chapter I
Of the Monk’s Girdle
Chapter III
Of the Hoods of the Egyptians
Chapter IV
Of the Tunics of the Egyptians
Chapter VII
Of the Sheepskin and the Goatskin
Chapter VIII
Of the Staff of the Egyptians
Chapter XI
Of the Spiritual Girdle and its Mystical Meaning
Book II
Of the Canonical System of the Nocturnal Prayers and Psalms
Chapter I
Of the Canonical System of the Nocturnal Prayers and Psalms
Chapter II
Of the difference of the number of Psalms appointed to be sung in all the provinces
Chapter IV
How throughout the whole of Egypt and the Thebaid the number of Psalms is fixed at twelve
Chapter VI
Of the Custom of having Twelve Prayers
Chapter VII
Of their Method of Praying
Chapter VIII
Of the Prayer which follows the Psalm
Chapter X
Of the silence and conciseness with which the Collects are offered up by the Egyptians
Chapter XI
Of the system according to which the Psalms are said among the Egyptians
Chapter XIII
The reason why they are not allowed to go to sleep after the night service
Chapter XVI
How no one is allowed to pray with one who has been suspended from prayer
Chapter XVII
How he who rouses them for prayer ought to call them at the usual time
Chapter XVIII
How they do not kneel from the evening of Saturday till the evening of Sunday
Book III
Of the Canonical System of the Daily Prayers and Psalms
Chapter V
How they ought not to go back to bed again after the Mattin prayers
Chapter X
How it was brought about that they fast on the Sabbath in the city
Book IV
Of the Institutes of the Renunciants
Chapter II
Of the way in which among them men remain in the monasteries even to extreme old age
Chapter III
Of the ordeal by which one who is to be received in the monastery is tested
Chapter XI
The kind of food which is considered the greater delicacy by them
Chapter XV
Of the excessive desire of possession among us
Chapter XVI
On the rules for various rebukes
Chapter XIX
How throughout Palestine and Mesopotamia a daily service is undertaken by the brethren
Chapter XX
Of the three lentil beans which the Steward found
Chapter XXI
Of the spontaneous service of some of the brethren
Chapter XXII
The system of the Egyptians, which is appointed for the daily service of the brethren
Chapter XXIII
The obedience of Abbot John by which he was exalted even to the grace of prophecy
Chapter XXV
Of the unique vase of oil thrown away by Abbot John at his senior’s command
Chapter XXXV
How the fear of the Lord is our cross
Chapter XLI
The appearance of what infirmities one who lives in a Coenobium ought to exhibit
Chapter XLIII
Recapitulation of the explanation how a monk can mount up towards perfection
Book V
Of the Spirit of Gluttony
Chapter V
That one and the same rule of fasting cannot be observed by everybody
Chapter VI
That the mind is not intoxicated by wine alone
Chapter VII
How bodily weakness need not interfere with purity of heart
Chapter VIII
How food should be taken with regard to the aim at perfect continence
Chapter IX
Of the measure of the chastisement to be undertaken, and the remedy of fasting
Chapter XI
That bodily lusts are not extinguished except by the entire rooting out of vice
Chapter XII
That in our spiritual contest we ought to draw an example from the carnal contests
Chapter XIV
How gluttonous desires can be overcome
Chapter XV
How a monk must always be eager to preserve his purity of heart
Chapter XIX
That the athlete of Christ, so long as he is in the body, is never without a battle
Chapter XXI
Of the inward peace of a monk, and of spiritual abstinence
Chapter XXIII
What should be the character of the monk’s food
Chapter XXIV
How in Egypt we saw that the daily fast was broken without scruple on our arrival
Chapter XXVI
Of another old man, who never partook of food alone in his cell
Chapter XXVII
What the two Abbots Paesius and John said of the fruits of their zeal
Chapter XXVIII
The lesson and example which Abbot John when dying left to his disciples
Chapter XXX
A saying of the same old man about not judging any one
Chapter XXXII
Of the letters which were burnt without being read
Chapter XXXIII
Of the solution of a question which Abbot Theodore obtained by prayer
Chapter XXXV
A rebuke of the same old man, when he had come to my cell in the middle of the night
Chapter XXXVI
A description of the desert in Diolcos, where the anchorites live
Chapter XXXVII
Of the cells which Abbot Archebius gave up to us with their furniture
Chapter XXXVIII
The same Archebius paid a debt of his mother’s by the labour of his own hands
Book VI
On the Spirit of Fornication
Book VII
Of the Spirit of Covetousness
Chapter II
How dangerous is the disease of covetousness
Chapter III
What is the usefulness of those vices which are natural to us
Chapter IV
That we can say that there exist in us some natural faults, without wronging the Creator
Chapter V
Of the faults which are contracted through our own fault, without natural impulses
Chapter VI
How difficult the evil of covetousness is to drive away when once it has been admitted
Chapter VIII
How covetousness is a hindrance to all virtues
Chapter IX
How a monk who has money cannot stay in the monastery
Chapter XI
That under pretence of keeping the purse women have to besought to dwell with them
Chapter XII
An instance of a lukewarm monk caught in the snares of covetousness
Chapter XIII
What the elders relate to the juniors in the matter of stripping off sins
Chapter XIV
Instances to show that the disease of covetousness is threefold
Chapter XVII
Of the renunciation of the apostles and the primitive church
Chapter XIX
A saying of S. Basil, the Bishop, directed against Syncletius
Chapter XX
How contemptible it is to be overcome by covetousness
Chapter XXI
How covetousness can be conquered
Chapter XXII
That one who actually has no money may still be deemed covetous
Chapter XXIII
An example drawn from the case of Judas
Chapter XXIV
That covetousness cannot be overcome except by stripping one’s self of everything
Chapter XXVI
That covetousness brings upon the soul a spiritual leprosy
Chapter XXIX
How a monk can retain his poverty
Chapter XXX
The remedies against the disease of covetousness
Book VIII
Of the Spirit of Anger
Chapter III
Of those things which are spoken of God anthropomorphically
Chapter V
How calm a monk ought to be
Chapter VI
Of the righteous and unrighteous passion of wrath
Chapter VII
Of the only case in which anger is useful to us
Chapter VIII
Instances from the life of the blessed David in which anger was rightly felt
Chapter IX
Of the anger which should be directed against ourselves
Chapter X
Of the sun, of which it is said that it should not go down upon your wrath
Chapter XI
Of those to whose wrath even the going down of the sun sets no limit
Chapter XII
How this is the end of temper and anger when a man carries it into act as far as he can
Chapter XIII
That we should not retain our anger even for an instant
Chapter XIV
Of reconciliation with our brother
Chapter XV
How the Old Law would root out anger not only from the actions but from the thoughts
Chapter XVI
How useless is the retirement of those who do not give up their bad manners
Chapter XX
Of the way in which auger should be banished according to the gospel
Chapter XXII
The remedies by which we can root out anger from our hearts
Book IX
Of the Spirit of Dejection
Chapter II
Of the care with which the malady of dejection must be healed
Chapter III
To what the soul may be compared which is a prey to the attacks of dejection
Chapter IV
Whence and in what way dejection arises
Chapter V
That disturbances are caused in us not by the faults of other people, but by our own
Chapter VIII
That if we have improved our character it is possible for us to get on with everybody
Chapter IX
Of another sort of dejection which produces despair of salvation
Chapter X
Of the only thing in which dejection is useful to us
Chapter XIII
The means by which we can root out dejection from our hearts
Book X
Of the Spirit of Accidie
Chapter I
How our sixth combat is against the spirit of accidie, and what its character is
Chapter III
Of the different ways in which accidie overcomes a monk
Chapter IV
How accidie hinders the mind from all contemplation of the virtues
Chapter V
How the attack of accidie is twofold
Chapter VI
How injurious are the effects of accidie
Chapter VII
Testimonies from the Apostle concerning the spirit of accidie
Chapter VIII
That he is sure to be restless who will not be content with the work of his own hands
Chapter IX
That not the Apostle only, but those two who were with him laboured with their own hands
Chapter XI
That he preached and taught men to work not only by his example, but also by his words
Chapter XII
Of his saying: “If any will not work, neither shall he eat.”
Chapter XIII
Of his saying: “We have heard that some among you walk disorderly.”
Chapter XIV
How manual labour prevents many faults
Chapter XV
How kindness should be shown even to the idle and careless
Chapter XVI
How we ought to admonish those who go wrong, not out of hatred, but out of love
Chapter XIX
How we should understand these words: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Chapter XX
Of a lazy brother who tried to persuade others to leave the monastery
Chapter XXI
Different passages from the writings of Solomon against accidie
Chapter XXIII
That idleness is the reason why there are not monasteries for monks in the West
Chapter XXIV
Abbot Paul who every year burnt with fire all the works of his hands
Chapter XXV
The words of Abbot Moses which he said to me about the cure of accidie
Book XI
Of the Spirit of Vainglory
Chapter I
How our seventh combat is against the spirit of vainglory, and what its nature
Chapter II
How vainglory attacks a monk not only on his carnal, but also on his spiritual side
Chapter III
How many forms and shapes vainglory takes
Chapter IV
How vainglory attacks a monk on the right had and on the left
Chapter V
A comparison which shows the nature of vainglory
Chapter VI
That vainglory is not altogether got rid of by the advantages of solitude
Chapter VII
How vainglory, when it has been overcome, rises again keener than ever for the fight
Chapter VIII
How vainglory is not allayed either in the desert or through advancing years
Chapter IX
That vainglory is the more dangerous through being mixed up with virtues
Chapter X
An instance showing how King Hezekiah was overthrown by the dart of vainglory
Chapter XI
The instance of King Uzziah who was overcome by the taint of the same malady
Chapter XII
Several testimonies against vainglory
Chapter XIII
Of the ways in which vainglory attacks a monk
Chapter XIV
How it suggests that a man may seek to take holy orders
Chapter XV
How vainglory intoxicates the mind
Chapter XVI
Of him whom the superior came upon and found in his cell, deluded by idle vainglory
Chapter XVII
How faults cannot be cured unless their roots and causes have been discovered
Chapter XVIII
How a monk ought to avoid women and bishops
Chapter XIX
Remedies by which we can overcome vainglory
Book XII
Of the Spirit of Pride
Chapter I
How our eighth combat is against the spirit of pride, and of its character
Chapter II
How there are two kinds of pride
Chapter III
How pride is equally destructive of all virtues
Chapter IV
How by reason of pride Lucifer was turned from an archangel into a devil
Chapter V
That incentives to all sins spring from pride
Chapter VII
That the evil of pride is so great that it rightly has even God Himself as its adversary
Chapter IX
How we too may overcome pride
Chapter X
How no one can obtain perfect virtue and the promised bliss by his own strength alone
Chapter XII
That no toil is worthy to be compared with the promised bliss
Chapter XIII
The teaching of the elders on the method of acquiring purity
Chapter XIV
That the help of God is given to those who labour
Chapter XV
From whom we can learn the way of perfection
Chapter XIX
How this faith concerning the grace of God was delivered to us by the ancient Fathers
Chapter XX
Of one who for his blasphemy was given over to a most unclean spirit
Chapter XXI
The instance of Joash, King of Judah, showing what was the consequence of his pride
Chapter XXII
That every proud soul is subject to spiritual wickedness to be deceived by it
Chapter XXIII
How perfection can only be attained through the virtue of humility
Chapter XXIV
Who are attacked by spiritual and who by carnal pride
Chapter XXV
A description of carnal pride, and of the evils which it produces in the soul of a monk
Chapter XXVI
That a man whose foundation is bad, sinks daily from bad to worse
Chapter XXVII
A description of the faults which spring from the evil of pride
Chapter XXVIII
On the pride of a certain brother
Chapter XXIX
The signs by which you can recognize the presence of carnal pride in a soul
Chapter XXX
How when a man has grown cold through pride he wants to be put to rule other people
Chapter XXXI
How we can overcome pride and attain perfection
Chapter XXXIII
Remedies against the evil of pride
The Conferences of John Cassian
Part I
Containing Conferences I-X
I. First Conference of Abbot Moses
Chapter I
Of our stay in Scete, and that which we proposed to Abbot Moses
Chapter II
Of the question of Abbot Moses, who asked what was the goal and what the end of the monk
Chapter IV
Of Abbot Moses’ question on the aforesaid statement
Chapter V
A comparison with a man who is trying to hit a mark
Chapter VI
Of those who in renouncing the world, aim at perfection without love
Chapter VII
How peace of mind should be sought
Chapter IX
A question how it is that the practice of virtue cannot remain with a man
Chapter X
The answer that not the reward, but the doing of them will come to an end
Chapter XI
On the abiding character of love
Chapter XII
A question on perseverance in spiritual contemplation
Chapter XIV
Of the continuance of the soul
Chapter XV
How we must meditate on God
Chapter XVI
A question on the changing character of the thoughts
Chapter XVIII
Comparison of a soul and a millstone
Chapter XIX
Of the three origins of our thoughts
Chapter XX
About discerning the thoughts, with an illustration from a good money-changer
Chapter XXI
Of the illusion of Abbot John
Chapter XXII
Of the fourfold method of discrimination
Chapter XXIII
Of the discourse of the teacher in regard to the merits of his hearers
II. Second Conference of Abbot Moses
Chapter I
Abbot Moses’ introduction on the grace of discretion
Chapter III
Of the error of Saul and of Ahab, by which they were deceived through lack of discretion
Chapter IV
What is said of the value of discretion in Holy Scripture
Chapter V
Of the death of the old man Heron
Chapter VI
Of the destruction of two brethren for lack of discretion
Chapter VII
Of an illusion into which another fell for lack of discretion
Chapter VIII
Of the fall and deception of a monk of Mesopotamia