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.¹

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 book²) he did know him self, 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.

Footnotes

1. He was created A.D. 1130 Cardinal of S. Laurence, in Damasus, when a Canon of S. Victor, at Paris. See Letter 144. Being sent as legate into Gaul, he excommunicated Ralph, Count of Vermandois. See Letters 216 and 218. ↩

2. Viz., " Scito tc ipsum." ↩