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| Preface.
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Preface.
When by the help of the
grace of Christ I had published ten Conferences of the Fathers, which
were composed at the urgent request of the most blessed Helladius and
Leontius, I dedicated seven others to Honoratus, a Bishop blessed in
name as well as merits, and also to that holy servant of Christ,
Eucherius. The same number also I have thought good to dedicate now to
you, O holy brothers, Jovinianus, Minervius, Leontius, and
Theodore.2070
| 2070 See the introduction
p. 189. | Since the last
named of you founded that holy and splendid monastic rule in the
province of Gaul, with the strictness of ancient virtue, while the rest
of you by your instructions have stirred up monks not only before all
to seek the common life of the Cœnobia, but even to thirst
eagerly for the sublime life of the anchorite. For those
Conferences of the best of the fathers are arranged with such care, and
so carefully considered in all respects, that they are suited to both
modes of life whereby you have made not only the countries of the West,
but even the isles to flourish with great crowds of brethren; i.e., I
mean that not only those who still remain in congregations with
praiseworthy subjection to rule, but those also who retire to no great
distance from your monasteries, and try to carry out the rule of
anchorites, may be more fully instructed, according as the nature of
the place and the character of their condition may require. And to this
your previous efforts and labours have especially contributed this,
that, as they are already prepared and practiced in these exercises,
they can more readily receive the precepts and institutes of the
Elders, and receiving into their cells the authors of the Conferences
together with the actual volumes of the Conferences and talking with
them after a fashion by daily questions and answers, they may not be
left to their own resources to find that way which is difficult and
almost unknown in this country, but full of danger even there where
well-worn paths and numberless instances of those who have gone before
are not wanting, but may rather learn to follow the rule of the
anchorite’s life taught by their examples, whom ancient tradition
and industry and long experience have thoroughly
instructed.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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