Letters404 Letter CDIV

mercies’ of God: an appeal which would have been rightly made had the child died, and if the debate had been respecting its salvation: but which does not seem to be to the point when the question is respecting the conditions of the Sacramental covenant, of which the prescribed formula is one.

The expedient of conditional rebaptism does not appear to have been thought of by either S. Bernard or his correspondent. (E.)

To Albert, a Recluse.

He advises him to take food only once in the day; and not to permit women to enter his cell.

Brother Bernard of Clairvaux, to Brother Albert, a recluse, health and prayer that he ma be enabled to fight the good fight.

You ask me to sanction I know not what kind of fast, of which you had spoken to me within your cell; and also that you may have conversations with women, which if you remember, I expressly forbade; and you say that because of your extreme poverty, you cannot avoid these. I do not wish to arrogate to myself any authority over you. I gave you a counsel, not a precept: to eat only once in the day; not to admit at all the visits and conversation of women; to maintain yourself by the work of your own hands; and many other things which it would take too long to remind you of. If you foresaw that you would not be able to supply needs so costly as yours, you should not have attempted what you cannot carry out. The advice I gave I thought safe for you; you are not obliged to follow it: but I have nothing to change in it. Farewell.