The Institutes, Book IV

Book IV

• The Institutes IV.1 — Of the training of those who renounce this world, and of the way in which those are taught among the monks of Tabenna and the Egyptians who are received into the monasteries. From the canonical system of Psalms and…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.2 — Of the way in which among them men remain in the monasteries even to extreme old age. And I think that before anything else we ought to touch on their untiring perseverance and humility and subjection,—how it lasts…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.3 — Of the ordeal by which one who is to be received in the monastery is tested. One, then, who seeks to be admitted to the discipline of the monastery is never received before he gives, by lying outside the doors for…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.4 — The reason why those who are received in the monastery are not allowed to bring anything in with them. The reason why those who are received in the monastery are not allowed to bring anything in with them. And for…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.5 — The reason why those who give up the world, when they are received in the monasteries, must lay aside their own clothes and be clothed in others by the Abbot. Wherefore each one on his admission is stripped of all…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.6 — The reason why the clothes of the renunciants with which they joined the monastery are preserved by the steward. The reason why the clothes of the renunciants with which they joined the monastery are preserved by the…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.7 — The reason why those who are admitted to a monastery are not permitted to mix at once with the congregation of the brethren, but are first committed to the guest house. When, then, any one has been received and…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.8 — Of the practices in which the juniors are first exercised that they may become proficient in overcoming all their desires. Of the practices in which the juniors are first exercised that they may become proficient in…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.9 — The reason why the juniors are enjoined not to keep back any of their thoughts from the senior. The reason why the juniors are enjoined not to keep back any of their thoughts from the senior. By these practices,…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.10 — How thorough is the obedience of the juniors even in those things which are matters of common necessity. How thorough is the obedience of the juniors even in those things which are matters of common necessity. Next,…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.11 — The kind of food which is considered the greater delicacy by them. I pass over, too, that difficult and sublime sort of self-control, through which it is considered the greatest luxury if the plant called cherlock,…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.12 — How they leave off every kind of work at the sound of some one knocking at the door, in their eagerness to answer at once. How they leave off every kind of work at the sound of some one knocking at the door, in their…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.13 — How wrong it is considered for any one to say that anything, however trifling, is his own. Among their other practices I fancy that it is unnecessary even to mention this virtue, viz., that no one is allowed to…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.14 — How, even if a large sum of money is amassed by the labour of each, still no one may venture to exceed the moderate limit of what is appointed as adequate. And although each one of them may bring in daily by his work…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.15 — Of the excessive desire of possession among us. To this what shall we wretched creatures say, who though living in Cœnobia and established under the government and care of an Abbot yet carry about our own keys, and…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.16 — On the rules for various rebukes. If then any one by accident breaks an earthenware jar (which they call “baucalis”), he can only expiate his carelessness by public penance; and when all the brethren are assembled…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.17 — Of those who introduced the plan that the holy Lessons should be read in the Cœnobia while the brethren are eating, and of the strict silence which is kept among the Egyptians. But we have been informed that the plan…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.18 — How it is against the rule for any one to take anything to eat or drink except at the common table. How it is against the rule for any one to take anything to eat or drink except at the common table. In between their…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.19 — How throughout Palestine and Mesopotamia a daily service is undertaken by the brethren. In order that we may not appear to omit any of the Institutes of the Cœnobia I think that it should be briefly mentioned that in…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.20 — Of the three lentil beans which the Steward found. During the week of a certain brother the steward passing by saw lying on the ground three lentil beans which had slipped out of the hand of the monk on duty for the…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.21 — Of the spontaneous service of some of the brethren. We have been told of brethren in whose week there was such a scarcity of wood that they had not enough to prepare the usual food for the brethren; and when it had…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.22 — The system of the Egyptians, which is appointed for the daily service of the brethren. These things have been told in accordance with the system, as we remarked before, of the whole East, which also we say should be…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.23 — The obedience of Abbot John by which he was exalted even to the grace of prophecy. And since this book is about the training of one who renounces this world, whereby, making a beginning of true humility and perfect…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.24 — Of the dry stick which, at the bidding of his senior, Abbot John kept on watering as if it would grow. Of the dry stick which, at the bidding of his senior, Abbot John kept on watering as if it would grow. And so…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.25 — Of the unique vase of oil thrown away by Abbot John at his senior's command. Thus the youth, trained up by exercises of this sort, daily increased in this virtue of obedience, and shone forth more and more with the…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.26 — How Abbot John obeyed his senior by trying to roll a huge stone, which a large number of men were unable to move. How Abbot John obeyed his senior by trying to roll a huge stone, which a large number of men were…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.27 — Of the humility and obedience of Abbot Patermucius, which he did not hesitate to make perfect by throwing his little boy into the river at the command of his senior. So far let it suffice for me to have told a few…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.28 — How it was revealed to the Abbot concerning Patermucius that he had done the deed of Abraham; and how when the same Abbot died, Patermucius succeeded to the charge of the monastery. And this man’s faith and devotion…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.29 — Of the obedience of a brother who at the Abbot's bidding carried about in public ten baskets and sold them by retail. Of the obedience of a brother who at the Abbot’s bidding carried about in public ten baskets and…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.30 — Of the humility of Abbot Pinufius, who left a very famous Cœnobium over which he presided as Presbyter, and out of the love of subjection sought a distant monastery where he could be received as a novice. The limits…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.31 — How when Abbot Pinufius was brought back to his monastery he stayed there for a little while and then fled again into the regions of Syrian Palestine. And when he had stopped there for a little while, again he was…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.32 — The charge which the same Abbot Pinufius gave to a brother whom he admitted into his monastery in our presence. The charge which the same Abbot Pinufius gave to a brother whom he admitted into his monastery in our…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.33 — How it is that, just as a great reward is due to the monk who labours according to the regulations of the fathers, so likewise punishment must he inflicted on an idle one; and therefore no one should be admitted into…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.34 — Of the way in which our renunciation is nothing but mortification and the image of the Crucified. Of the way in which our renunciation is nothing but mortification and the image of the Crucified. Renunciation is…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.35 — How the fear of the Lord is our cross. The fear of the Lord is our cross. As then one who is crucified no longer has the power of moving or turning his limbs in any direction as he pleases, so we also ought to affix…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.36 — How our renunciation of the world is of no use if we are again entangled in those things which we have renounced. How our renunciation of the world is of no use if we are again entangled in those things which we have…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.37 — How the devil always lies in wait for our end, and how we ought continually to watch his head. How the devil always lies in wait for our end, and how we ought continually to watch his head. For the subtle serpent is…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.38 — Of the renunciant's preparation against temptation, and of the few who are worthy of imitation. Of the renunciant’s preparation against temptation, and of the few who are worthy of imitation. Wherefore, as Scripture…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.39 — Of the way in which we shall mount towards perfection, whereby we may afterwards ascend from the fear of God up to love. Of the way in which we shall mount towards perfection, whereby we may afterwards ascend from…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.40 — That the monk should seek for examples of perfection not from many instances but from one or a very few. That the monk should seek for examples of perfection not from many instances but from one or a very few. And…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.41 — The appearance of what infirmities one who lives in a Cœnobium ought to exhibit. And that you may be able to attain all this, and continually remain subject to this spiritual rule, you must observe these three things…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.42 — How a monk should not look for the blessing of patience in his own case as a result of the virtue of others, but rather as a consequence of his own longsuffering. You should therefore not look for patience in your…vatican.va
• The Institutes IV.43 — Recapitulation of the explanation how a monk can mount up towards perfection. And in order that all these things which have been set forth in a somewhat lengthy discourse may be more easily stamped on your heart and…vatican.va