Conferences I–X, Conference V

Conference V

• Conferences I–X V.1 — Our arrival at Abbot Serapion's cell, and inquiry on the different kinds of faults and the way to overcome them. Our arrival at Abbot Serapion’s cell, and inquiry on the different kinds of faults and the way to…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.2 — Abbot Serapion's enumeration of eight principal faults. There are eight principal faults which attack mankind; viz., first gastrimargia, which means gluttony, secondly fornication, thirdly philargyria, i.e., avarice…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.3 — Of the two classes of faults and their fourfold manner of acting on us. Of these faults then there are two classes. For they are either natural to us as gluttony, or arise outside of nature as covetousness. But their…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.4 — A review of the passions of gluttony and fornication and their remedies. And to make this clearer not only by a short discussion to the best of my ability, but by Scripture proof as well, gluttony and fornication,…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.5 — How our Lord alone was tempted without sin. And so our Lord Jesus Christ, though declared by the Apostle’s word to have been tempted in all points like as we are, is yet said to have been “without sin,” i.e., without…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.6 — Of the manner of the temptation in which our Lord was attacked by the devil. For it was right that He who was in possession of the perfect image and likeness of God should be Himself tempted through those passions,…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.7 — How vainglory and pride can be consummated without any assistance from the body. And to go on in the order which we proposed, with our account of the way in which the other passions act (our analysis of which was…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.8 — Of covetousness, which is something outside our nature, and of the difference between it and those faults which are natural to us. Of covetousness, which is something outside our nature, and of the difference between…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.9 — How dejection and accidie generally arise without any external provocation, as in the case of other faults. How dejection and accidie generally arise without any external provocation, as in the case of other faults.…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.10 — How six of these faults are related, and the two which differ from them are akin to one another. How six of these faults are related, and the two which differ from them are akin to one another. Of these eight faults…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.11 — Of the origin and character of each of these faults. And now, to speak about each kind of fault separately: of gluttony there are three sorts: (1) that which drives a monk to eat before the proper and stated times;…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.12 — How vainglory may be useful to us. But in one matter vainglory is found to be a useful thing for beginners. I mean by those who are still troubled by carnal sins, as for instance, if, when they are troubled by the…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.13 — Of the different ways in which all these faults assault us. Although then these eight faults trouble all sorts of men, yet they do not attack them all in the same way. For in one man the spirit of fornication holds…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.14 — Of the struggle into which we must enter against our faults, when they attack us. Wherefore we must enter the lists against these faults in such a way that every one should discover his besetting sin, and direct his…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.15 — How we can do nothing against our faults without the help of God, and how we should not be puffed up by victories over them. How we can do nothing against our faults without the help of God, and how we should not be…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.16 — Of the meaning of the seven nations of whose lands Israel took possession, and the reason why they are sometimes spoken of as “seven,” and sometimes as “many.” These are the seven nations whose lands the Lord…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.17 — A question with regard to the comparison of seven nations with eight faults. Germanus: How then is it that there are eight faults which assault us, when Moses reckons the nations opposed to the people of Israel as…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.18 — Serapion: Everybody is perfectly agreed that there are eight principal faults which affect a monk. And all of them are not included in the figure of the nations for this reason, because in Deuteronomy Moses, or…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.19 — The reason why one nation is to be forsaken, while seven are commanded to be destroyed. But the reason why that nation in which the children of Israel were born, was bidden not to be utterly destroyed but only to…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.20 — Of the nature of gluttony, which may be illustrated by the simile of the eagle. An admirable illustration of this passion, with which a monk, however spiritual and excellent, is sure to be hampered, is found in the…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.21 — Of the lasting character of gluttony as described to some philosophers. For the nature of this fault was admirably expressed under cover of the following puzzle by one of the Elders in a discussion with some…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.22 — How it was that God foretold to Abraham that Israel would have to drive out ten nations. When the Lord was speaking with Abraham about the future (a point which you did not ask about) we find that He did not…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.23 — How it is useful for us to take possession of their lands. But the fact that we are bidden for our good to take possession of the countries of those most wicked nations, may be understood in this way. Each fault has…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.24 — How the lands from which the Canaanites were expelled, had been assigned to the seed of Shem. How the lands from which the Canaanites were expelled, had been assigned to the seed of Shem. For, as an ancient tradition…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.25 — Different passages of Scripture on the meaning of the eight faults. And in reference to these eight faults we also have the following in the gospel: “But when the unclean spirit is gone out from a man, he walketh…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.26 — How when we have got the better of the passion of gluttony we must take pains to gain all the other virtues. How when we have got the better of the passion of gluttony we must take pains to gain all the other…vatican.va
• Conferences I–X V.27 — That our battles are not fought with our faults in the same order as that in which they stand in the list. That our battles are not fought with our faults in the same order as that in which they stand in the list.…vatican.va