De finali principis inteniione et felici totiics vitce consummatione

De finali principis inteniione et felici totiics vitce consummatione

The ultimate intention of a leader should be to always strive toward Christ with all their efforts, and whenever they sin, to hasten toward repentance, firmly resolving that if they have perhaps sinned criminally, they should promptly correct themselves and return, so that in the meantime they may become members of Christ and be united with their head. Don't let it be that if you obstinately sin, you first fall into evil. Then, it will be. By indulging in sinful behavior, one provokes the wrath of the Supreme Judge in multiple ways, leading to a fall into destruction. Therefore, with fear of the Lord, I... . of God. To sin is to be under God; for, as Jerome said, "Nothing is more displeasing." Oh, how much more upright is the neck raised to God after sin! . This is a placeholder for the translation of the first sentence. This is a placeholder for the translation of the second sentence. Ixvi. , xxxii. , xxxiii. - , ,; Ecclus. Twenty-three. Isaiah. 26. ; Ecclesiasticus. Therefore, we have here that the fear of God both initiates faith and inspires love. Just as a thread is introduced through a needle, so through fear one arrives at both love and faith. Moreover, since those who fear are ineffective and tremble — about the love that fear sometimes generates, we will now say. For it is written, "Nothing is lacking to those who fear God," as in the Psalms, and elsewhere, "He who fears God will do good," Ecclesiastes. For it is written, "Nothing is lacking to those who fear God," as in the Psalter, and elsewhere, "He who fears God will do good," Ecclesiastes. Forty-two. , whoever does good works. And without a lack of love for God, without which nothing is good, nothing is meritorious, nothing but something entirely defective should be believed to be lacking. So, whoever truly and effectively fears God loves Him; for the first step is to fear God, and the next is to love and fear Him together, since we fear to offend Him — but ultimately, "perfect love casts out fear."^✦ i joh. Therefore, it is. Therefore, we must establish the foundation of our intention, which is to be set in the fear of God, while the completion of our work is in love; for fear is like a basis, and love is like a column that supports it. Matthew. Twenty-two. Psalms. XXX,, xxxii. ; Rom. Eight. . For those who fear God lack nothing, nor do those who love Him in truth, as it says in the Roman Psalter, and in Psalm 33.^✦ But look how fear and love are joined together here, just as in that prayer, "Holy is your name, Lord," let us have both fear and love perpetually, because you never abandon those whom you establish in the solidity of your love. Eccius. In the book of Ecclesiasticus, chapter... Love is the honor of wisdom. For nothing is more precious than the love of God, and nothing is stronger. This indeed leads to the shedding of blood and to the tears of the prodigal, the drunkard, the lethargic, the insane, and the holy lovers. Therefore, the primary intention of the prince should be to serve God devoutly. It is pleasing to God in your works. Twelve. Ecclesiasticus. Secondly, to earn for oneself, as the Letter to Titus states. Grace has appeared to all people, teaching us to renounce ungodliness and worldly desires, so that we may live soberly, justly, and devoutly. Grace has appeared to all people, teaching us to renounce ungodliness and worldly desires, so that we may live soberly, justly, and devoutly. Everything necessary for our salvation is understood in terms of how we live: soberly regarding ourselves, justly regarding our neighbor, and piously regarding God. Third, it is beneficial to your neighbor, as stated in Ecclesiasticus. Jxviii. , in fine Ecclus. XXIV. ; Philipp. This is the second. This is from Corinth. Phars. He does not believe in himself, but in the one who was born for all the world. The Father is in the city, and the husband is in the city; he is good in the common good; and the actions of Cato have secretly taken a part for himself. IV. It is necessary. Also, Claudianus: on. . , you should bear the citizen's father; consult everyone, "Not for you; let not your own desires move you, but rather the public vows." Therefore, the Decalogue particularly pertains to the love of your neighbor. . . . Read the histories and the annals, and let them sometimes move you, as they have moved me greatly. , , ^,. . . . , have outDe jubiiei proiiteor, quia paucos mvenies imperatores lived their termino, quod,. . . . What good is it to you if you gain the whole world but lose your soul?^✦ It's the jubilee year. Neither should you expect this from the poor or from princes or bishops, who are especially bound to observe the prescribed number of the jubilee year. They would have led to a long life; however, you will find many who have fallen short. You'll find written about those who lived longer in this way: "He lived for nine years." , or even. , with this letter. Whether something is established by itself or added on, it is still valid. Or it could be just x. At the same time, whether added or in very few cases, it is. It is doubled, thus it is. or IX. Or perhaps it is something else. Or perhaps this. And he died. This is indeed the end and conclusion of the story. But if x. If you find yourself in a situation where you encounter something tripled, know that it is extremely rare, and that today, only a very few can reach that number. And if you promise to reach that point, while you seduce yourself with flattering deception, you lie to yourself, leading yourself to your own ruin. Yet, even if you reach that point, you’ll find yourself already surrounded by labor and pain; for if you’re powerless for eighty years, the burden of labor and pain only increases. Whoever you are, be careful. Therefore, beyond the fiftieth year, he promises himself life, often deceiving himself poorly; nor does he even reach those further things, which pertain both to the body and to the spirit. Prolonged desire is not always beneficial. About old age. . About old age. . About invention. . The strength of the soul weakens, and one ought to strive to reach the years of maturity; for, as the poet says, "Time carries all things away, even the joys of life." In this, indeed, the gift of the mind, namely memory, is first affected by old age, as Seneca says. Isn't it more desirable for a man to die when his life is still cherished by everyone, rather than when he is sinking into boredom and is more a disgrace to himself and others than an honor? Cicero mentions in his book On Old Age the saying of Solon, "that he does not wish to be free from the pain of his friends and their lamentations at his death." For he wanted to be among his loved ones even at the time of his death, and not to have them rejoice at his passing, but to grieve instead. Moreover, for those whom a long and foolish old age extinguishes, any great deeds or remarkable efforts they may have accomplished in the past are overshadowed by a disgraceful end. Therefore, it’s not about making a long journey through life, but rather about completing the course successfully at any moment and reaching the prize; because whatever time is given for living well, one should be content with that. So, for an actor, the play must be performed in such a way that it pleases; it should be judged based on whatever part of the performance it may be, and it should be deemed satisfactory. Similarly, for an orator, the speech must be delivered at length to persuade; whatever part of the speech satisfies the judges is sufficient, and it is necessary to reach a conclusion without going beyond it. For, as the rhetorician Apollonius says, "a tear does not dry up quickly." In a duel or in the gymnasium, it hardly matters how long the struggle lasts, whether it be a fight or a contest, as long as someone wins victory in either; yet it is more glorious to achieve victory through a prolonged effort. "Longos." Victory is accelerated more by perseverance than by delay in reaching the goal. ,. . . . Victory is found in coming. Therefore, if life is a struggle, and if the struggle is laborious, isn't it better to finish our work quickly and happily? , . . , What good is it to you to seek after the things of this world? Is it really beneficial to strive for life and peace for your country? What good is it to you if you gain the whole world but lose your soul? Or what can you give in exchange for your soul? To be in the struggle of life is to be in constant conflict with the enemy. So, I ask you, which is more victorious: to overcome the enemy after a serious struggle and long battles, or to triumph over him immediately in the first encounters? The enemy is easily overcome when he is struck down immediately and without delay; however, it seems much harder to defeat him after he has resisted for a long time, and only with great difficulty is he finally vanquished. So, victory is celebrated if it's swift and festive if it's quick. Therefore, a long life is not desirable, just as a long struggle is not; for the end is not praiseworthy in itself, nor is it good at any time if it is prolonged by delay. The wicked. . . . The wicked. Therefore, the wicked should not expect to receive what they owe themselves, since the longer they live, the more they decline into the punishment of hell. Those who are delinquent will incur even greater punishments until complete repentance securely departs from them. However, for the good and the perfect, the course of life is brief in desire, so that they may be transferred more swiftly to the eternal joys of the heavenly homeland. Therefore, the Apostle says, "I long to be dissolved..." Philipp. "And to be with Christ"; and elsewhere, 'Wretched man that I am,' Romans.^✦ " Who will free me from this body of death?" "The body, because it decays, burdens the soul, and this earthly dwelling weighs down the mind with many thoughts." The saints desire death and life in patience. Therefore, as the Psalmist says, "As the deer longs for streams of water," so my soul longs for you, O God. "As a deer longs for flowing streams," etc. In Ecclesiastes, it is written, "A living dog is better than a dead lion." A dead man is better off than a traveler who is still alive, for he is in a better state and condition in this regard, since he can still earn merit and increase his crown, while the other cannot at all. This one is in a place of earning, but that one is received according to merits. For this reason, it seems that for the perfect, the long duration of temporal life is to be desired in order to increase the crown of merits; however, although it may seem that happiness is greater here, there, let neither malice change it nor fiction perhaps deceive, for greater security is there. Therefore, every leader, as one who is called and set apart, should prepare themselves with faith and love, so that they may be ready when the Master comes, knocking at the door and seeking what has been entrusted to them. . . . . . So, with a filial fear that is not servile, but first a genuine love mixed with fear, let him prepare himself and be ready, so that when the Lord comes knocking at the house and asking for what has been entrusted, he may confidently open the door to him and return the entrusted talent along with the due interest. Let him prepare himself and be ready, so that when the Lord comes knocking at the house and asking for what has been entrusted, he may confidently open the door to him and return the entrusted talent along with the due interest. Regarding the space of this temporal life, whether by constraining it or extending it further, we must be ready and willing, even as we await divine grace. In total devotion to God, as Peter says in his first letter, "He cares for us," we should cast all our worries upon Him, trusting that He knows what is most expedient for us.^✦ Just as a long preparation brings swift victory, so whoever prepares themselves according to these prescribed ways and is ready at every hour, considering each day as the last, will always have death before their eyes, and will regard every day as the ultimate one. This person will face the bloody enemy, who prowls around like a lion seeking to devour.^✦ In the Book of Revelation, it says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end," and I say, the end is the ultimate end, the end without end, which will finally pass into the consummation of life.^✦ So let us together with Jesus, the son of Sirach, say, 'Let us speak.' You should work on your task before the time comes, and God will give you your reward in His own time. And just as he wrote his own book, namely Ecclesiasticus, so too will we conclude our first distinction of this book. , • I • • • Ti. Thus, as the first part of our book concludes, so too shall we finish this distinction of the principles of instruction. There are indeed two distinct teachings about the principles of life. . What good is it to you if you gain the whole world but lose your soul? For this reason, it seemed wiser to remain hidden for a time, as the storm of the present and pressing troubles rages, so that they might lie low and not be exposed to anyone's hands, eyes, or ears, completely concealing themselves as if they did not exist, until the clouds and mists of heaven are cleared away, and the face of the earth shines more splendidly and brightly, allowing them to wait more securely and serenely for the time to emerge into the open. Thanks be to God.