Nicaea Library › Library

Sulpicius Severus, Vincent of Lérins, John Cassian

Sulpicius Severus's Life of St Martin of Tours, Vincent of Lérins's Commonitory on how to tell true doctrine from novelty, and John Cassian's Institutes and Conferences on the monastic life.

Edition: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 11 · www.ccel.org

Free to read, with no account needed. Public domain or openly licensed, with every source named.

From the opening: Chapters III–V

Chapter III

Christ appears to St. Martin.

Accordingly, at a certain period, when he had nothing except his arms and his simple military dress, in the middle of winter, a winter which had shown itself more severe than ordinary, so that the extreme cold was proving fatal to many, he happened to meet at the gate of the city of Amiens a poor man destitute of clothing. He was entreating those that passed by to have compassion upon him, but all passed the wretched man without notice, when Martin, that man full of God, recognized that a being to whom others showed no pity, was, in that respect, left to him. Yet, what should he do? He had nothing except the cloak in which he was clad, for he had already parted with the rest of his garments for similar purposes. Taking, therefore, his sword with which he was girt, he divided his cloak into two equal parts, and gave one part to the poor man, while he again clothed himself with the remainder. Upon this, some of the by-standers laughed, because he was now an unsightly object, and stood out as but partly dressed. Many, however, who were of sounder understanding, groaned deeply because they themselves had done nothing similar. They especially felt this, because, being possessed of more than Martin, they could have clothed the poor man without reducing themselves to nakedness. In the following night, when Martin had resigned himself to sleep, he had a vision of Christ arrayed in that part of his cloak with which he had clothed the poor man. He contemplated the Lord with the greatest attention, and was told to own as his the robe which he had given. Ere long, he heard Jesus saying with a clear voice to the multitude of angels standing round--"Martin, who is still but a catechumen, clothed me with this robe." The Lord, truly mindful of his own words (who had said when on earth--"Inasmuch as ye have done these things to one of the least of these, ye have done them unto me), declared that he himself had been clothed in that poor man; and to confirm the testimony he bore to so good a deed, he condescended to show him himself in that very dress which the poor man had received. After this vision the sainted man was not puffed up with human glory, but, acknowledging the goodness of God in what had been done, and being now of the age of twenty years, he hastened to receive baptism. He did not, however, all at once, retire from military…

Keep reading in the library →

Contents (320 sections)

  1. About this edition
  2. Title page
  3. Grand Rapids, Michigan
  4. Preface to Desiderius
  5. Chapters III–V
  6. Chapters VI–IX
  7. Chapters X–XIII
  8. Chapters XIV–XVII
  9. Chapters XVIII–XXI
  10. Chapters XXII–XXIV
  11. Chapters XXV–XXVII
  12. Letter I. To Eusebius
  13. Letter II. To the Deacon Aurelius
  14. Letter III. To Bassula, His Mother-In-Law
  15. Chapters I–III
  16. Chapters IV–VII
  17. Chapters VIII–X
  18. Chapters XI–XIII
  19. Chapters XIV–XVI
  20. Chapters XVII–XX
  21. Chapters XXI–XXIII
  22. Chapters XXIV–XXVI
  23. Chapters XXVII–II
  24. Chapters III–IV
  25. Chapters V–VII
  26. Chapters VIII–X
  27. Chapters XI–XIII
  28. Chapters XIV–II
  29. Chapters III–V
  30. Chapters VI–IX
  31. Chapters X–XII
  32. Chapters XIII–XV
  33. Chapters XVI–XVIII
  34. Letter I
  35. Chapters V–VII
  36. Letter II
  37. Chapters V–VII
  38. Chapters VIII–X
  39. Chapters XI–XIII
  40. Chapters XIV–XVII
  41. Chapters XVIII–XIX
  42. Letter III
  43. Letter IV
  44. Letter V
  45. Letter VI
  46. Letter VII
  47. Chapters I–IV
  48. Chapters V–VIII
  49. Chapters IX–XI
  50. Chapters XII–XV
  51. Chapters XVI–XVIII
  52. Chapters XIX–XXI
  53. Chapters XXII–XXIV
  54. Chapters XXV–XXVII
  55. Chapters XXVIII–XXXI
  56. Chapters XXXII–XXXIV
  57. Chapters XXXV–XXXVII
  58. Chapters XXXVIII–XLI
  59. Chapters XLII–XLIV
  60. Chapters XLV–XLVIII
  61. Chapters XLIX–LII
  62. Chapters LIII–LIV
  63. Chapters I–III
  64. Chapters IV–VII
  65. Chapters VIII–X
  66. Chapters XI–XIII
  67. Chapters XIV–XV
  68. Chapters XVI–XIX
  69. Chapters XX–XXIII
  70. Chapters XXIV–XXVIII
  71. Chapters XXIX–XXXI
  72. Chapters XXXII–XXXV
  73. Chapters XXXVI–XXXIX
  74. Chapters XL–XLIII
  75. Chapters XLIV–XLVI
  76. Chapters XLVII–L
  77. Chapter LI
  78. Introduction
  79. Chapters I–III
  80. Chapters IV–VI
  81. Chapters VII–IX
  82. Chapters X–XI
  83. Chapters XII–XIII
  84. Chapters XIV–XVI
  85. Chapters XVII–XVIII
  86. Chapters XIX–XXI
  87. Chapters XXII–XXIII
  88. Chapters XXIV–XXV
  89. Chapters XXVI–XXVIII
  90. Chapters XXIX–XXXI
  91. Chapters XXXII–XXXIII
  92. Appendix I
  93. Appendix II
  94. Appendix III
  95. Appendix III (continued)
  96. Chapter II
  97. Preface
  98. Book I
  99. Chapters IV–XI
  100. Book II
  101. Chapters VI–X
  102. Chapters XI–XIV
  103. Chapters XV–XVIII
  104. Book III
  105. Chapters IV–VIII
  106. Chapters IX–XII
  107. Book IV
  108. Chapters VIII–XIV
  109. Chapters XV–XIX
  110. Chapters XX–XXIV
  111. Chapters XXV–XXIX
  112. Chapters XXX–XXXIII
  113. Chapters XXXIV–XXXIX
  114. Chapters XL–XLIII
  115. Book V
  116. Chapters VI–XI
  117. Chapters XII–XVI
  118. Chapters XVII–XX
  119. Chapters XXI–XXIV
  120. Chapters XXV–XXXII
  121. Chapters XXXIII–XXXVIII
  122. Chapters XXXIX–XLI
  123. Book VI
  124. Book VII
  125. Chapters VIII–XIV
  126. Chapters XV–XVII
  127. Chapters XVIII–XXV
  128. Chapters XXVI–XXXI
  129. Book VIII
  130. Chapters V–X
  131. Chapters XI–XVIII
  132. Chapters XIX–XXII
  133. Book IX
  134. Chapters XI–XIII
  135. Book X
  136. Chapters VIII–XIII
  137. Chapters XIV–XIX
  138. Chapters XX–XXIV
  139. Chapter XXV
  140. Book XI
  141. Chapters IX–XVI
  142. Chapters XVII–XIX
  143. Book XII
  144. Chapters VII–XIII
  145. Chapters XIV–XVII
  146. Chapters XVIII–XXIV
  147. Chapters XXV–XXVIII
  148. Chapters XXIX–XXXIII
  149. Part I
  150. Preface
  151. Chapters III–VI
  152. Chapters VII–X
  153. Chapters XI–XIV
  154. Chapters XV–XIX
  155. Chapters XX–XXI
  156. Chapters XXII–I
  157. Chapters II–IV
  158. Chapters V–IX
  159. Chapters X–XI
  160. Chapters XII–XIII
  161. Chapters XIV–XXII
  162. Chapters XXIII–I
  163. Chapters II–V
  164. Chapters VI–VII
  165. Chapters VIII–X
  166. Chapters XI–XV
  167. Chapters XVI–XIX
  168. Chapters XX–II
  169. Chapters III–VII
  170. Chapters VIII–XII
  171. Chapters XIII–XIX
  172. Chapters XX–III
  173. Chapters IV–VI
  174. Chapters VII–X
  175. Chapters XI–XII
  176. Chapters XIII–XV
  177. Chapters XVI–XIX
  178. Chapters XX–XXV
  179. Chapters XXVI–II
  180. Chapters III–VI
  181. Chapters VII–X
  182. Chapter XI
  183. Chapters XII–XVII
  184. Chapters I–IV
  185. Chapters V–VI
  186. Chapters VII–XIII
  187. Chapters XIV–XX
  188. Chapters XXI–XXIII
  189. Chapters XXIV–XXVII
  190. Chapters XXVIII–XXXII
  191. Chapters XXXIII–III
  192. Chapters IV–VIII
  193. Chapters IX–XIII
  194. Chapters XIV–XVIII
  195. Chapters XIX–XXI
  196. Chapters XXII–XXIV
  197. Chapters XXV–I
  198. Introduction to the Conference
  199. Chapters V–VII
  200. Chapters VIII–XV
  201. Chapters XVI–XIX
  202. Chapters XX–XXIV
  203. Chapters XXV–XXIX
  204. Chapters XXX–XXXIV
  205. Chapters XXXV–I
  206. Introduction
  207. Chapters VI–VIII
  208. Chapters IX–X
  209. Chapters XI–XIII
  210. Chapter XIV
  211. Part II
  212. Preface
  213. The Second Part of the Conferences
  214. Chapters VII–IX
  215. Chapters X–XII
  216. Chapters XIII–I
  217. Introduction
  218. Chapters VI–VIII
  219. Chapters IX–XI
  220. Chapter XII
  221. Chapters XIII–XIV
  222. Chapters XV–XVII
  223. Chapters XVIII–III
  224. Chapters IV–VIII
  225. Chapters IX–X
  226. Chapters XI–XIII
  227. Chapters XIV–XVI
  228. Chapters XVII–I
  229. Chapters II–V
  230. Chapters VI–X
  231. Chapters I–V
  232. Chapters VI–IX
  233. Chapters X–XIV
  234. Chapters XV–XVIII
  235. Chapters XIX–XXIV
  236. Chapters XXV–I
  237. Chapters II–VIII
  238. Chapters IX–XIV
  239. Chapters XV–XVIII
  240. Chapters XIX–XX
  241. Chapters XXI–XXV
  242. Chapters XXVI–XXX
  243. Part III
  244. Preface
  245. The Third Part of the Conferences
  246. Chapters VI–VII
  247. Chapters VIII–XIII
  248. Chapters XIV–XV
  249. Chapter XVI
  250. Chapters I–IV
  251. Chapters V–VIII
  252. Chapters IX–XIII
  253. Chapters XIV–XVI
  254. Chapters I–IV
  255. Chapters V–VIII
  256. Chapters IX–XII
  257. Chapters I–V
  258. Chapters VI–IX
  259. Chapters X–XIV
  260. Chapters XV–XX
  261. Chapters XXI–XXIII
  262. Chapters XXIV–XXVIII
  263. Chapters XXIX–XXXIII
  264. Chapters XXXIV–I
  265. Chapters II–IV
  266. Chapters V–VI
  267. Chapters VII–X
  268. Chapters XI–XIII
  269. Chapters XIV–XVI
  270. Chapters XVII–XIX
  271. Chapters XX–II
  272. Chapters III–VII
  273. Chapters VIII–XI
  274. Chapters XII–XIV
  275. Chapters XV–XVII
  276. Chapters XVIII–XXII
  277. Chapters XXIII–XXIV
  278. Chapters XXV–XXVI
  279. Preface
  280. Book I
  281. Chapters IV–V
  282. Chapter VI
  283. Chapters I–II
  284. Chapter III
  285. Chapters IV–V
  286. Chapters VI–VII
  287. Chapters I–III
  288. Chapters IV–VI
  289. Chapters VII–IX
  290. Chapters X–XII
  291. Chapters XIII–XV
  292. Chapter XVI
  293. Chapters I–III
  294. Chapters IV–VI
  295. Chapters VII–IX
  296. Chapters X–XIII
  297. Chapters I–IV
  298. Chapters V–VI
  299. Chapters VII–VIII
  300. Chapters IX–X
  301. Chapters XI–XIII
  302. Chapters XIV–XV
  303. Chapters I–III
  304. Chapters IV–VI
  305. Chapters VII–IX
  306. Chapters X–XII
  307. Chapters XIII–XVI
  308. Chapters XVII–XX
  309. Chapters XXI–XXIII
  310. Chapters I–II
  311. Chapters III–IV
  312. Chapters V–VI
  313. Chapters VII–X
  314. Chapters XI–XIV
  315. Chapters XV–XVII
  316. Chapters XVIII–XX
  317. Chapters XXI–XXIII
  318. Chapters XXIV–XXVII
  319. Chapters XXVIII–XXXI
  320. Chapter XXVIII (continued)

How to cite it

Chicago
Sulpicius Severus, Vincent of Lérins, John Cassian. Sulpicius Severus, Vincent of Lérins, John Cassian. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 11, 1894. https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf211
MLA
Sulpicius Severus, Vincent of Lérins, John Cassian. Sulpicius Severus, Vincent of Lérins, John Cassian. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 11, 1894. https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf211
APA
Sulpicius Severus, Vincent of Lérins, John Cassian (1894). Sulpicius Severus, Vincent of Lérins, John Cassian. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 11. https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf211

More from Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers