2-3-2013-PATRISTIC QUOTATIONS FROM AD DAYS-PART 7
***************************LIFE***********************************
"A GENERAL CANNOT GIVE WHAT HE DOES NOT POSSESS; HE CANNOT PROLONG LIFE, ALTHOUGH HE CAN REWARD SERVICE. BUT THE SOLDIER OF GOD, IS NEITHER ABANDONED IN TROUBLE, NOR DESTROYED BY DEATH."
*MINUCIUS FELIX*
************************LIGHT***********************************
"IF HE, JESUS, ENLIGHTENS EVERY MAN WHO COMES INTO THE WORLD, HOW IS IT, THAT THERE ARE SOME WHO REMAIN UNENLIGHTENED?.....IF THERE ARE SOME WHO CHOSE TO CLOSE THE EYES OF THEIR MIND AND DO NOT WANT TO RECEIVE THE RAYS OF THAT LIGHT, THEIR DARKNESS COMES NOT FROM THE NATURE OF THE LIGHT, BUT FROM THEIR OWN WICKEDNESS, IN VOLUNTARILY DEPRIVING THEMSELVES OF THAT GIFT."
*JOHN CHRYSOSTOM*
**************************LOVE**********************************
"LOVE........IS SO MUCH THE GIFT OF GOD, THAT IT IS CALLED GOD."
*AUGUSTINE*
"GOD GAVE YOU FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE: THIS YOU CAN OFFER, THIS YOU CAN SACRIFICE. BUT PLAINLY, EVERYTHING ELSE CAN BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU, AGAINST YOUR WILL, BY AN ENEMY; BUT THIS CANNOT BE TAKEN FROM YOU, UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING."
*AUGUSTINE*
"EMBRACE THE LOVE OF GOD AND BY LOVE, EMBRACE GOD."
*AUGUSTINE*
"WHEN THE THING HOPED FOR COMES, ALL THE OTHER FACULTIES ARE IDLED AND LOVE ALONE REMAINS ACTIVE, FINDING NOTHING TO SUCCEED ITSELF."
*GREGORY OF NYSSA*
"GOD HATES NOTHING IN MAN, EXCEPT SIN."
*AUGUSTINE*
"LOVE THOSE WHO HATE YOU AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE AN ENEMY."
*DIDACHE*
"IF YOU LOVE THE GOOD DISCIPLES ONLY, YOU HAVE NO GRACE; RATHER, SUBDUE THOSE THAT ARE EVIL, BY GENTLENESS."
*IGNATIUS*
"IN NO WAY CAN A VICIOUS ENEMY HURT YOU, AS MUCH AS YOU HURT YOURSELF, BY NOT LOVING THAT ENEMY."
*AUGUSTINE*
"LOVING ONES ENEMIES DOES NOT MEAN LOVING WICKEDNESS, OR IMPIETY, OR ADULTERY, OR THEFT, BUT THE THIEF, THE IMPIOUS, THE ADULTERER, NOT AS FAR AS HE SINS, AND IN RESPECT OF THE ACTIONS, BY WHICH HE STAINS THE NAME OF THE MAN, BUT AS HE IS A MAN AND THE WORK OF GOD."
*CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA*
************************LUST***********************************
"LUST........IS A MOVEMENT OF THE MIND, DIRECTED TO THE ENJOYMENT OF SELF, AND NEIGHBOR, AND WHOSOEVER'S BODY, NOT FOR THE SAKE OF GOD."
*CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA*
"IT IS UNLAWFUL EVEN TO DESIRE THAT WHICH, IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DO."
*SULPITIUS SEVERUS*
"IT IS FOR US CHRISTIANS, TO RESTRAIN THE DESIRE FOR SENSUAL INDULGENCE, BY AN INTENSER LOVE FOR CHRIST"
*JEROME*
"LET EVERY HOLY WOMAN GUARD HERSELF FROM DESIRING SINFULLY TO PLEASE MAN, BY CHERISHING A FEAR OF DISPLEASING GOD."
*AUGUSTINE*
"WHEN THE BODY IS HEATED WITH DRINK, IT SOON BOILS OVER WITH LUST."
*JEROME*
*********************************MAN****************************
"MAN CONSISTS OF THESE THREE ELEMENTS: SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY.....WHICH SOMETIMES ARE RECKONED AS TWO, FOR OFTEN THE SOUL IS INCLUDED IN THE DESTINATION OF SPIRIT--OUR CHIEF ELEMENT IS SPIRIT."
*AUGUSTINE*
"THE SUN WAS FORMED BY A MERE COMMAND, BUT MAN BY GOD'S HANDS."
*CYRIL OF JERUSALEM*
"IN THE BEGINNING, GOD FORMED ADAM, NOT AS IF NEEDING HIM, BUT, THAT GOD MIGHT HAVE SOMEONE ON WHOM, TO BESTOW HIS BENEFITS."
*IRENAEUS*
"IT WAS THE GROUND THAT GOD CURSED, NOT ADAM. AND HE CURSED THE SERPENT; AND THE FIRE WAS PREPARED ORIGINALLY, FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS, NOT FOR MAN."
*IRENAEUS*
******************************MARRIAGE********************
"WE CHRISTIANS HAVE ALL THINGS IN COMMON, EXCEPT OUR WIVES."
*TERTULLIAN*
"PAULS WORDS ARE THESE: I WILL THEREFORE, THAT THE YOUNGER WOMEN MARRY, BEAR CHILDREN, GUIDE THE HOUSE, GIVE NONE OCCASION TO THE ADVERSARY TO SPEAK REPROACHFULLY. BUT HE IMMEDIATELY ADDS AS A REASON FOR THIS CONCESSION: FOR SOME ARE ALREADY TURNED ASIDE AFTER SATAN. THUS WE SEE THAT HE IS OFFERING NOT A CROWN TO THOSE WHO STAND, BUT A HELPING HAND TO THOSE WHO ARE DOWN. WHAT MUST A SECOND MARRIAGE BE IF IT IS TO BE LOOKED UPON, MERELY AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO A BROTHEL! FOR SOME, HE WRITES, ARE ALREADY TURNED ASIDE AFTER SATAN. THE UPSHOT OF THE WHOLE MATTER IS THAT, IF A YOUNGER WIDOW CANNOT, OR WILL NOT CONTAIN HERSELF, SHE HAD BETTER TAKE A HUSBAND TO HER BED, THAN THE DEVIL."
*JEROME*
"WE LEARN FROM THE APOSTLE, WHO PERMITS MARRYING INDEED, BUT PREFERS ABSTINENCE..."
*TERTULLIAN*
"WIVES BE YOU SUBJECT TO YOUR HUSBANDS IN THE FEAR OF GOD; AND YOU VIRGINS, TO CHRIST IN PURITY, NOT COUNTING MARRIAGE AN ABOMINATION, BUT DESIRING THAT WHICH IS BETTER, NOT FOR THE REPROACH OF WEDLOCK, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF MEDITATING ON THE LAW."
*IGNATIUS*
***********************MARTYRDOM***********************
"ACCUSTOM YOURS LIMBS RATHER TO FETTERS, THAN TO BRACELETS OF GOLD; ON THE NECK OF YOURS NOW ENCIRCLED WITH CHAINS OF PEARLS AND EMERALDS, LEAVE A SPOT WHERE THE SWORD OF THE LICTOR CAN FALL. THE ROBES WHICH THE ANGELS ARE BRINGING YOU, REMEMBER ARE THE ROBES OF MARTYRDOM.."
*TERTULLIAN*
"THE REFUSAL OF MARTYRDOM, IS DENIAL."
*TERTULLIAN*
"I AM ASSURED THAT WHILE I LIVE, I SHALL BE THE VICTOR IN MY CONQUEST WITH YOU AND IF YOU CAUSE ME TO BE PUT TO DEATH, I SHALL STILL BE MORE A CONQUEROR."
*FELICITAS*