Letters420 Letter CDXX. To Mar. and his wife

He exhorts them to almsgiving and good works.

Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, to his beloved Mar. and 1 With respect to the thirty-six letters next following, Dom Edmund Martene gives the following note in his work Veteletter cdxx.

his wife, health, and that they may so love each other, as that Christ may be loved still better by each of them.

Whatever you possess upon the earth, it is certain that one day it must be lost to you, unless you have taken the precaution to send it before you into the heavens, by gifts put into the hands of the poor.

Therefore, dearly beloved, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal (S. Matt. vi. 20), where, in fine, no enemy however great, can do any harm either to us or to you. If you are anxious to hear of fit bearers [of these treasures you have at your doors not one only but many, who will faithfully convey whatever you choose to entrust to their charge. For at this present time God has multiplied their troubles and calamities, that you may have opportunity thereby of storing up treasures in the place of so great happiness and safety. Do you, on your part, make known and recommend the same course to T. my good rum Scriptorum Monumentorum Historic orum, dogmaticorum, moralmm Amplissima Collection Vol. 1. p. 725: “The following letters, hitherto unedited, of S. Bernard Abbot of Clairvaux, I have copied almost all froma MS. of good rank in the famous Abbey of S. Vedast at Arras; and although written at various times, I refer them to the same hand, following therein the counsel of [qualified friends.” Of these the first thirty-four, viz., from 420 to 453, were extracted from the Vedastine MS.; the thirty-fifth, which is now No. 454, from a MS. at Anchin; the thirty-sixth, now 455, from one at Verdun. All these we refer to the same hand, as does Martene; but he, though most learned, was in error in asserting with respect to five of these, that they had not been edited before. For those which stand now as 427, 429, 443, 451, 452, had appeared before, almost word for word, as 391, 316, 417, 86, 413., Note by Editor of the fourth Edition (of Mabillon).

Letter CDXXI.

brother and your nephew: and to W. who has married your granddaughter, and to any others whom you know who will not despise this counsel so advantageous to them; those especially who are in the house of God. I wish the blessing of a visit from you soon.