2-23-2013- PATRISTIC QUOTATIONS PART 12


************************TEMPTATION**********************


"WHEN EVIL DESIRE FINDS YOU ARMED WITH THE FEAR OF GOD AND DETERMINED TO RESIST, IT, (TEMPTATION), WILL FLEE FAR AWAY FROM YOU.

*HERMAS*


"A TRUE EUNUCH IS NOT ONE WHO IS UNABLE, BUT ONE WHO IS UNWILLING, TO INDULGE IN PLEASURE."

*CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA*


"WHAT DIFFERENCE IS THERE BETWEEN BEING TEMPTED AND FALLING, OR ENTERING INTO TEMPTATION? WELL, IF ONE IS OVERCOME OF EVIL......THAT MAN HAS ENTERED INTO TEMPTATION AND IS IN IT AND IS BROUGHT UNDER IT, LIKE ONE THAT IS LED CAPTIVE. BUT, IF ONE WITHSTANDS AND ENDURES, THAT MAN IS INDEED TEMPTED; BUT HE HAS NOT ENTERED INTO TEMPTATION, OR FALLEN INTO IT."

*DIONYSIUS THE GREAT*


"WHICH HAS MORE TRULY APOSTATIZED--HE WHO HAS LOST CHRIST AMID AGONIES, OR, AMID DELIGHTS."

*TERTULLIAN*


"THE LUST OF THE BODY, IS IN ALL BODIES; FOR EVEN WHILE THEY SLEEP, IT WAKES IN THEM. HIM, WHO IN HIS WAKING HOURS KEEPS HIMSELF PURE, BY MEANS OF A DREAM, I, SATAN, DISTURB. THE DREGS OF THE BODY ARE STIRRED UP IN HIM, BY SHAKING MOVEMENT IN SECRET INWARDLY. THE SLEEPING AND THE WAKING BESIDES, I TROUBLE ALIKE. THIS IS HE, CHRIST, WHO ALONE KEEPS HIMSELF PURE, WHOM NOT EVEN IN A DREAM, CAN I DISTURB, WHO EVEN IN HIS SLEEP, IS PURE AND HOLY."

*EPHARIM THE SYRIAN*


"HOW COULD CHRIST BE TEMPTED? THROUGH SUGGESTION; BUT THE PLEASURE OF SIN, DID NOT GET ITS TEETH INTO HIS MIND; AND THEREFORE, EVERY DIABOLIC TEMPTATION WAS FROM WITHOUT, NOT FROM WITHIN."

*GREGORY THE GREAT*



*********************THANKFULNESS********************


"THEREFORE, WE OUGHT TO GIVE MOST FERVENT THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR MAKING KNOWN TO US THE PAST, FOR GIVING US LIGHT ABOUT THE PRESENT, AND FOR NOT LEAVING US WITHOUT DISCERNMENT OF THE FUTURE."

*BARNABAS*


*************************TIME************************************


"WHAT THEN IS TIME? IF NO ONE ASKED ME, I KNOW; BUT IF I WANT TO EXPLAIN TIME TO A QUESTIONER, I DO NOT KNOW."

*AUGUSTINE*


"I SAY WITH CONFIDENCE THAT I KNOW THAT, IF NOTHING PASSED AWAY, THERE WOULD BE NO PAST TIME, IF NOTHING WERE COMING, THERE WOULD BE NO FUTURE TIME; AND IS NOTHING WERE EXISTING, THERE WOULD BE NO PRESENT TIME."

*AUGUSTINE*


*************************TONGUE*****************************



"THE HIDDEN IS MORE PAINFUL THAN THE OPEN WOUND, FOR WHEN THE MATTER WHICH COLLECTS IN IT IS ALLOWED TO ESCAPE, THE WOUND IS OPENED AND THE PAIN RELIEVED."

*GREGORY THE GREAT*


*******************************TRINITY*************************


"FOR TO US, THERE IS BUT ONE GOD, THE FATHER, OF WHOM ARE ALL THINGS; AND ONE LORD JESUS, CHRIST, BY WHOM ARE ALL THINGS; AND ONE HOLY SPIRIT, IN WHOM ARE ALL THINGS."

*GREGORY OF NAZIANZUS*


"IN THE FATHER, THERE IS UNITY, IN THE SON, EQUALITY, AND IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HARMONY OF UNITY AND EQUALITY; AND THESE THREE ARE ALL ONE, BECAUSE OF THE FATHER, ALL EQUAL BECAUSE OF THE SON, AND ALL CONNECTED BECAUSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT."

*AUGUSTINE*


"WHEN THE LORD GAVE US THE FORMULA OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, HE DID NOT CONNECT THE GIFT WITH NUMBER........LET THE UNAPPROACHABLE, BE ALTOGETHER ABOVE AND BEYOND NUMBER, IN THE SAME WAY, THAT THE ANCIENT REVERENCE OF THE HEBREWS WHO WROTE THE UNUTTERABLE NAME OF GOD IN CHARACTERS RESERVED,(YHWH), ATTEMPTING THEREBY TO PROCLAIM ITS INFINITE EXCELLENCE. COUNT IF YOU MUST; BUT YOU MUST NOT BY YOUR COUNTING, DO DAMAGE TO THE FAITH."

*BASIL THE GREAT*


"WE ACCEPT THAT THERE IS A DISTINCTION AND NOT A CONFUSION OF FATHER, AND OF SON, AND OF HOLY SPIRIT; A DISTINCTION, BUT NOT A SEPARATION, A DISTINCTION, BUT A PLURALITY."

*AMBROSE OF MILAN*


"IF WE WERE TO SPEAK OF MANY gods, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO RECOGNIZE A DIFFERENCE AMONG THE MANY. BUT, IF THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE AMONG THEM, THERE IS BUT ONE, AND NOT MANY."

*JOHN DAMASCENE*


"TO THOSE WHO ACCUSE US OF A DOCTRINE OF THREE GODS, LET IT BE STATED, THAT WE CONFESS ONE GOD, NOT IN NUMBER, BUT IN NATURE."

*EVAGRIUS OF PONTUS*


"HE, GOD, IS NOT OTHER BY DIVISION, BUT BY DISTINCTION."

*TERTULLIAN*


"BY CONFESSING THE FATHER, IT CONFESSES THE SON. BELIEVING IN THE FATHER, IT BELIEVES ALSO IN THE SON, BECAUSE, THE NAME FATHER, HAS IN ITSELF, THE NAME SON. FOR THERE IS NO FATHER, EXCEPT THROUGH A SON........THERE IS NO SON, EXCEPT THROUGH A FATHER."

*HILARY OF POITIERS*


"THE FATHER AND I ARE ONE. HE TEACHES US THAT "ONE" REFERS TO THEIR NATURE AND "WE" ARE TO THEIR PERSONS."

*FULGENCE OF RUSPE*


"THE LORD JESUS HIMSELF, HAS NOT ONLY, AS GOD, GIVEN THE HOLY SPIRIT BUT ALSO, AS MAN, HE HAS RECEIVED HIM, THE HOLY SPIRIT."

*AUGUSTINE*


"NEVER IN THE SCRIPTURES IS THE HOLY SPIRIT CALLED A SON, THAT HE MIGHT BE RECKONED AS A BROTHER. NOR IS HE CALLED SON OF THE SON, THAT THE FATHER MIGHT BE TERMED A GRANDFATHER."

*ATHANASIUS*


"THE PATH TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD LIES FROM ONE HOLY SPIRIT, THROUGH ONE SON, TO ONE FATHER."

*BASIL THE GREAT*


"THEY MUST BE SHUNNED AS EVIDENTLY HOSTILE TO PIETY, WHO OVERTURN THE ORDER GIVEN TO US BY THE LORD AND PLACE THE SON, BEFORE THE FATHER, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT BEFORE THE SON."

*BASIL THE GREAT*


************************TRUTH*********************************


"GREEKS CONTRADICT, SAMARITANS DISBELIEVE, HERETICS MUTILATE. CONTRADICTION IS MANIFOLD, BUT TRUTH, IS UNIFORM."

*CYRIL OF JERUSALEM*



***************************UNITY********************************


"YOUR ACCORD AND HARMONIOUS LOVE, IS A HYMN TO JESUS CHRIST."

*IGNATIUS*


"HOLY SCRIPTURES DECLARES IN THE BOOK OF KINGS; WHEN TEN TRIBES WERE DIVIDED FROM THE TRIBE OF JUDAH AND BENJAMIN, AND FORSAKING THEIR KING, APPOINTED FOR THEMSELVES ANOTHER ONE WITHOUT.......SO GREAT WAS THE INDIGNATION OF THE LORD AGAINST THOSE WHO HAD MADE THE SCHISM, THAT EVEN WHEN THE MAN OF GOD WAS SENT TO JEROBOAM, TO CHARGE UPON HIM HIS SINS AND PREDICT THE FUTURE VENGEANCE, HE WAS FORBIDDEN TO EAT BREAD OR TO DRINK WATER WITH THEM."

*CYPRIAN*


"THE BLESSED APOSTLE JOHN, DISTINGUISHED NO HERESY OR SCHISM, NEITHER DID HE SET DOWN ANY AS SPECIALLY SEPARATED; BUT HE CALLED ALL WHO HAD GONE OUT FROM THE CHURCH AND WHO ACTED IN OPPOSITION TO THE CHURCH, ANTICHRIST."

*CYPRIAN*


"AVOID THE WOLVES, WHO SEPARATE THE SHEEP FROM THE SHEPHERD."

*CYPRIAN*



***************************VICE**********************************


"NO ONE ADMINISTERS DRUGS, TILL HE HAS RUBBED THE RIM OF THE CUP WITH HONEY; SO THE BETTER TO DECEIVE US, VICE PUTS ON THE APPEARANCE AND THE SEMBLANCE OF VIRTUE."

*JEROME*


***********************VIRGIN BIRTH***********************


"IF EVE WAS THEN BORN OUT OF A MANS SIDE, WITHOUT A MOTHER, AND IS A CHILD NOT TO BE BORN WITHOUT A FATHER, OF A VIRGINS WOMB?

*CYRIL OF JERUSALEM*


"BUT THOSE OF THE CIRCUMCISION MEET YOU WITH THIS QUESTION? WHETHER IS HARDER, FOR AN AGED WOMAN, BARREN AND PAST AGE, TO BEAR, OR FOR A VIRGIN IN THE PRIME OF HER YOUTH TO CONCEIVE? SARAH WAS BARREN AND THOUGH IT HAD CEASED WITH HER, AFTER THE MANNER OF WOMEN, YET, CONTRARY TO NATURE, SHE BORE A CHILD. IF, THEN IT IS AGAINST NATURE FOR A BARREN WOMAN TO CONCEIVE AND ALSO FOR A VIRGIN TO CONCEIVE, THEREFORE, REJECT BOTH OR ACCEPT BOTH."

*CYRIL OF JERUSALEM*


**************************VIRGINITY**************************


"I EXTOL VIRGINITY TO THE SKIES, NOT BECAUSE I MYSELF POSSESS IT, BUT BECAUSE, NOT POSSESSING IT, I ADMIRE IT ALL THE MORE."

*JEROME*


"IF I HAVE CALLED VIRGINITY GOLD, I HAVE SPOKEN OF MARRIAGE AS SILVER."

*JEROME*


"I WILL SAY BOLDLY, THOUGH GOD CAN DO ALL THINGS, HE CANNOT RAISE UP A VIRGIN WHEN ONCE SHE HAS FALLEN."

*JEROME*


"O VIRGIN, DO NOT FLATTER YOURSELF ON THE GROUND OF YOUR PURITY ALONE, AND DO NOT TRUST IN THE PERFECTION OF ONE MEMBER; BUT ACCORDING TO THE APOSTLE, MAINTAIN THE SANCTITY OF YOUR BODY THROUGHOUT."

*SULPITIUS SEVERUS*


***********************VIRTUE**********************************


"VIRTUE IS NOTHING BUT WELL DIRECTED LOVE."

*AUGUSTINE*


"NOTHING IS MORE HARMLESS, THAN THE MAN WHO IS PERFECT IN VIRTUE."

*AUGUSTINE*


"THERE ARE THREE THINGS WHICH ENABLE MEN TO CONTROL THEIR FAULTS; EITHER THE FEAR OF HELL, OR OF LAWS EVEN NOW IMPOSED, OR THE HOPE AND DESIRE OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; OR A LIKING FOR GOODNESS ITSELF AND THE LOVE OF VIRTUE."

*JOHN CASSIAN*


********************************WAR*****************************


"LET US MAKE WAR WITH OUR ENEMIES, WITH PRAYERS AND SUPPLICATIONS."

*JOHN CHRYSOSTOM*


"MURDER IS A CRIME IF ONE PERSON COMMITS IT; BUT, IT IS ACCLAIMED AS VIRTUOUS AND BRAVE, IF MANY COMMIT IT."

*CYPRIAN*


*************************WILL OF GOD*********************


"NOTHING THEREFORE, HAPPENS UNLESS THE OMNIPOTENT WILLS IT TO HAPPEN; HE EITHER PERMITS IT TO HAPPEN, OR HE BRINGS IT ABOUT HIMSELF."

*AUGUSTINE*


"GOD WILLS THAT ALL MEN TO BE SAVED, BUT THAT IS IF THEY WILL COME TO HIM. FOR HE DOES NOT WILL THAT THEY BE SAVED WHO DO NOT WANT TO BE SAVED. HE WILLS THAT THEY BE SAVED IF, THEY THEMSELVES ALSO WILL IT."

*AMBROSE OF MILAN*


*********************WISDOM*********************************


"WISDOM IS INTELLIGENCE, BUT NOT ALL INTELLIGENCE IS WISDOM."

*CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA*


"WORLDLY WISDOM DIFFERS FROM DIVINE, JUST TO THE MEASURE THAT, TRUTH DIFFERS FROM PLAUSIBILITY."

*ATHENGORAS*


"ALMOST ALL BODILY EXCELLENCIES ALTER WITH AGE, AND WHILE WISDOM ALONE INCREASES, ALL THINGS ELSE DECAY."

*JEROME*


**************************WITNESS***************************


"HE CAN NEVER BE AT A LOSS FOR WORDS, WHO HAS BELIEVED ON THE WORD."

*JEROME*


********************************WOMEN***********************


"LET THEM BE WELL CLOTHED---------WITHOUT BY RAIMENT, WITHIN BY MODESTY."

*CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA*


"SPEAK TO MY SISTERS, THAT THEY LOVE IN THE LORD AND THAT THEIR HUSBANDS BE SUFFICIENT FOR THEM IN THE FLESH AND SPIRIT."

*IGNATIUS*


"IT IS YOUR DUTY TO PLEASE YOUR HUSBANDS AND YOUR HUSBANDS ALONE. THE LESS YOU TROUBLE TO PLEASE OTHER MEN, THE MORE YOU WILL PLEASE THEM."

*TERTULLIAN*


"FOR THE VERY SHADOW OF A HUSBAND, IS A WIFE'S SAFEGUARD."

*JEROME*


"ALWAYS BEAR IN MIND, THAT IT WAS THE WOMAN WHO EXPELLED THE TILLER OF PARADISE, FROM HIS HERITAGE."

*JEROME*


****************************WORKS****************************


"DO NOT PRESUME TO TEACH ANYONE IN WORDS WHAT YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY PERFORMED IN DEED. FOR OUR LORD.........BEGAN TO DO AND TO TEACH."

*JOHN CASSIAN*


"WORKS ARE THE CONSEQUENCES, RATHER THAN THE PRECEDENTS OF GRACE. THUS, NO MAN IS TO SUPPOSE THAT HE HAS RECEIVED GRACE BECAUSE HE HAS DONE GOOD WORKS BUT, RATHER, THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THOSE GOOD WORKS IF, HE HAD NOT, THROUGH FAITH, RECEIVED GRACE."

*AUGUSTINE*


"NOBODY MUST BOAST OF THE GOOD WORKS HE DID BEFORE HE HAD FAITH; NOBODY MUST BE SLUGGISH IN DOING GOOD WORKS, NOW THAT FAITH IS HIS."

*AUGUSTINE*


"WHEN GOD CROWNS OUR MERITS, HE IS CROWNING NOTHING ELSE BUT, HIS OWN GIFTS TO US."

*AUGUSTINE*


***************************WORSHIP**************************


"I WILL HONOR THE KING...BUT GOD,  I WORSHIP."

 *THEOPHILUS OF ANTIOCH*


"WE NEITHER WORSHIP CROSSES, NOR WISH FOR THEM."

*MINUCIUS FELIX*


"BY WHAT IMAGE AM I TO REPRESENT GOD, SINCE, RIGHTLY CONSIDERED, MAN HIMSELF IS THE IMAGE OF GOD? WHAT TEMPLE AM I TO ERECT TO HIM, SINCE THE WHOLE OF THIS WORLD WHICH HAS BEEN FASHIONED BY HIM, IS UNABLE TO CONTAIN HIM?"

*MINUCIUS*


********************************YOUTH*************************


"WINE IS THE FIRST WEAPON USED BY DEMONS AGAINST THE YOUNG."

*JEROME*