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Article THE COLLECTOR. Page 1 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Collector.
THE COLLECTOR .
No . viir . LETTERS OF ST . BERNARD . . A FTER the death of Humbert of Gramont , in the year 1135 , Ar-•^•* - dutius , a Lord ' s son of Foucigny , was elected Bishop of Geneva . Bernard , who was then Abbot of Clervaux , ' and who was afterwards
canonized , lived in his time , and wrote the two following letters to him on his ordination , FIRST" LETTER . TO ARDUTIUS , ELECT BISHOP OF GENEVA . ' Being persuaded your election comes from God , seeing you have been chosen by such an unanimous consent of both clergy and laity ,
\ ve therefore congratulate you for the grace bestowed on you . I ^ will not flatter you , saying , God hath recompensed your merits ; for you ought rather to think , that it is not in consideration of your righteousness , but his mercy . If you look upon it otherwise , ( which God forbid ) your rise will be your fall . If you acknowledge his grace , take heed lest you have received it in vain . Be holin your life and
ofy fice ; and if holiness of life did not precede your election , at least let it follow it . Then we shall acknowledge God hath prevented yon by his grace ; and we hope you will increase and grow in it . We rejoice that you have been established as a faithful and prudent servant over your Lord ' s household , that you may be one day possessed ( as a son ) of all your Father ' s inheritance . Otherwiseif you mind
, more the making yourself great than good , you may rather expect to be punished than rewarded . But we wish and desire of God this may never happen ; being ready to assist you , according to our small power , in every thing which is meet and reasonable . '
SECOND LETTER . TO < M \ D-TI-3 . ' Charity hath inspired me with the boldness to tell you the seat , dear brother , which you have lately obtained , requires a man of great merit , which we are sorry to find wanting in you ; or , at least , not to have preceded your election , as was fitting . In truthyour
, past conversation hath not been like that of one who was to take upon him the episcopal charge . But how I Cannot God from these stones raise up children to Abraham ? Is not God able to make those virtuous aftions , which should have preceded , to follow afterwards ? which we shall hear with joy if it so happens . This sudden change from the hand of God will he more acceptable and surprizing than if ithadbeei .
preceded by the merits of past life . We shall acknowledge it is the work of the Lord , and a work worthy our admiration . So St . Paul , from being a persecutor , became the doftor of the Gentiles ; and St . Matthew , taken , from being a publican , to being an apostle ; and St .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Collector.
THE COLLECTOR .
No . viir . LETTERS OF ST . BERNARD . . A FTER the death of Humbert of Gramont , in the year 1135 , Ar-•^•* - dutius , a Lord ' s son of Foucigny , was elected Bishop of Geneva . Bernard , who was then Abbot of Clervaux , ' and who was afterwards
canonized , lived in his time , and wrote the two following letters to him on his ordination , FIRST" LETTER . TO ARDUTIUS , ELECT BISHOP OF GENEVA . ' Being persuaded your election comes from God , seeing you have been chosen by such an unanimous consent of both clergy and laity ,
\ ve therefore congratulate you for the grace bestowed on you . I ^ will not flatter you , saying , God hath recompensed your merits ; for you ought rather to think , that it is not in consideration of your righteousness , but his mercy . If you look upon it otherwise , ( which God forbid ) your rise will be your fall . If you acknowledge his grace , take heed lest you have received it in vain . Be holin your life and
ofy fice ; and if holiness of life did not precede your election , at least let it follow it . Then we shall acknowledge God hath prevented yon by his grace ; and we hope you will increase and grow in it . We rejoice that you have been established as a faithful and prudent servant over your Lord ' s household , that you may be one day possessed ( as a son ) of all your Father ' s inheritance . Otherwiseif you mind
, more the making yourself great than good , you may rather expect to be punished than rewarded . But we wish and desire of God this may never happen ; being ready to assist you , according to our small power , in every thing which is meet and reasonable . '
SECOND LETTER . TO < M \ D-TI-3 . ' Charity hath inspired me with the boldness to tell you the seat , dear brother , which you have lately obtained , requires a man of great merit , which we are sorry to find wanting in you ; or , at least , not to have preceded your election , as was fitting . In truthyour
, past conversation hath not been like that of one who was to take upon him the episcopal charge . But how I Cannot God from these stones raise up children to Abraham ? Is not God able to make those virtuous aftions , which should have preceded , to follow afterwards ? which we shall hear with joy if it so happens . This sudden change from the hand of God will he more acceptable and surprizing than if ithadbeei .
preceded by the merits of past life . We shall acknowledge it is the work of the Lord , and a work worthy our admiration . So St . Paul , from being a persecutor , became the doftor of the Gentiles ; and St . Matthew , taken , from being a publican , to being an apostle ; and St .