Ambrose : Selected Works and Letters

By Schaff, Philip

Book Id: WPLBN0000695090
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Title:	Ambrose : Selected Works and Letters
Author:	Schaff, Philip
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Philosophy, Theology, Literature
Collections:	Religious Literature Collection, Sacred and Theological Works Collection
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Citation APA MLA Chicago Schaff, B. P. (n.d.). Ambrose : Selected Works and Letters. Retrieved from http://gutenberg.cc/

Description
Religious Publication

Excerpt
Preface: Although, according to the plan of this ?Library,? Commentaries on Holy Scripture are omitted, and the field of selection is thus somewhat lessened, it has been no easy matter to decide which of St. Ambrose?s many treatises should be chosen and which omitted. Obviously the great work on the Faith, De Fide, must be included, and this implied the addition of that on the Holy Spirit. Then the treatise on the Duties of the Clergy, as throwing much light on the ideas of the Fourth Century as to what was expected of ecclesiastics, seemed to claim a place. And after these the difficulty becomes very great. It is unfortunate that the limitations of space do not admit of the inclusion of all the dogmatic and ascetic treatises. Similarly, one would have been glad to insert the addresses on the deaths of the two Emperors Valentinian and Theodosius. More, also, of his letters might well have been added, though, as they have appeared in full in the Oxford ?Library of the Fathers,? this is a matter for less regret.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents About This Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. ii Title Pages.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 1 Translator's Preface.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 3 Prolegomena.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 4 Section I. Literature.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 4 p. 5 Section II. Notes on Secular and Church History During the Latter Part of the Fourth Century.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Section III. Historical Summary and Chronological Tables.. . . . . . . . . . p. 6 Section IV. On the Doctrine of St. Ambrose.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 9 Section V. Life of St. Ambrose.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 11 Section VI. Writings of St. Ambrose.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 14 Dogmatic Treatises, Ethical Works, and Sermons.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 22 On the Duties of the Clergy.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 22 Introduction.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 22 Book I.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 23 p. 23 Chapter I. A Bishop's special office is to teach; St. Ambrose himself, however, has to learn in order that he may teach; or rather has to teach what he has not learnt; at any rate learning and teaching with himself must go on together.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 24 Chapter II. Manifold dangers are incurred by speaking; the remedy for which Scripture shows to consist in silence.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 25 Chapter III. Silence should not remain unbroken, nor should it arise from idleness. How heart and mouth must be guarded against inordinate affections.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 26 Chapter IV. The same care must be taken that our speech proceed not from evil passions, but from good motives; for here it is that the devil is especially on the watch to catch us.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 27 Chapter V. We must guard also against a visible enemy when he incites us by silence; by the help of which alone we can escape from those greater than ourselves, and maintain that humility which we must display towards all.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 28 Chapter VI. In this matter we must imitate David's silence and humility, so as not even to seem deserving of harm.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 28