Letters192 Letter CXCII. To Magister gui do du chatel,- who had been a disciple of Peter, on which Peter presumed too much, and who was afterwards pope Celestine. (A.D. 1140)
Letter CXCII. To Magister gui do du chatel,- who had been a disciple of Peter, on which Peter presumed too much, and who was afterwards pope Celestine. (A.D. 1140)
He warns him not to cherish the errors of Abaelard in his love for the man himself.
To his venerable Lord and dear Father, GuiDO, by the grace of God Cardinal-priest of the holy Roman Church, BERNARD, called Abbot of Clairvaux, desires that he decline neither to the right hand nor to the left.
I should do you an injury if I were to suppose that when you love anyone you are in love also with his errors. Whoever so loves another knows not yet how to love as he ought. For such love is earthly, sensual, devilish, injuring alike the lover and the loved. Others may think of others as they please; I cannot yet think of you anything that is contrary to reason, or to the strict rule of equity. Some decide first and try afterwards; I will not decide whether a drink is sweet or bitter before I have tasted it. Master Peter puts forth in his books many blasphemous novelties, both of terms and senses; he disputes about the faith against the faith, and attacks the law with the words of the law. He sees nothing through a glass darkly, but beholds all things face to face, and busies himself in great and wonderful matters above him. Better would it be if (according to the title of his book) he did know himself, and did not go beyond his measure, but thought soberly. I do not accuse him before the Father; there is one who accuses him, even his book, in which he has such ill-founded pleasure. When he discourses of the Trinity he savours of Arius; when of grace, of Pelagius; when of the Person of Christ, of Nestorius. I do not question your goodness, in asking you earnestly to prefer no one to Christ in Christ's own cause. But know this, that it is expedient for you, to whom power has been given by the Lord, it is expedient for the Church of Christ, it is expedient also for the man himself, that he be silenced, for his mouth is full of cursing, and bitterness, and guile.
Venerabili domino, et charissimo Patri, magistro GUIGONI, sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Dei gratia presbytero cardinali, BERNARDUS Clarae-Vallis vocatus abbas, non declinare ad dexteram, nec ad sinistram.
Injuriam facio vobis, si aliquem a vobis ita diligi credam, ut cum eo pariter ejus errores diligatis Quisquis enim sic aliquem diligit, nondum novit quemadmodum oportet eum diligere. Talis namque dilectio terrena est, animalis, diabolica, nocens aeque diligenti atque dilecto. Existiment alii de aliis prout volunt: ego adhuc de vobis aestimare non possum, nisi quod vicinum est rationi, quod ad lineam pertinet aequitatis. Quidam prius judicant, et postea probant: ego de potione, utrum dulcis sit an amara, ante gustum non judicabo. Magister Petrus in libris suis profanas vocum novitates inducit et sensuum: disputans de fide contra fidem, verbis legis legem impugnat. Nihil videt per speculum et in aenigmate; sed facie ad faciem omnia intuetur, ambulans in magnis et in miribilibus super se. Melius illi erat, si juxta titulum libri sui, se ipsum cognosceret, nec egrederetur mensuram suam, sed saperet ad sobrietatem. Ego non eum accuso apud Patrem: est qui eum accuset liber suus, in quo sibi male complacuit. Cum de Trinitate loquitur, sapit Arium: cum de gratia, sapit Pelagium: cum de persona Christi, sapit Nestorium. Minus de vestra aequitate praesumo, si diu vos rogavero, ut in causa Christi nullum Christo praeponatis. Illud autem scitote, quia expedit vobis, quibus potestas data est a Domino; expedit Ecclesiae Christi, expedit illi etiam homini, ut ei silentium imponatur, cujus maledictione os plenum est, et amaritudine, et dolo.