The Lives of the Primitive Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints Volume 3; Compiled from Original Monuments and Other Authentic Records

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1798 Excerpt: ... in Italy. This immediately drew thither great numbers of students, and with them disorder and licentiousness, like that described by St Austin in the great schools of Carthage. (2) Thomas soon perceived the dangers, and regretted the sanctuary of Monnt Cassino: but by his extraordinary watchfulness he lived here like the young Daniel in the midst of Babylon, or Toby in the infidel Ninive. He guarded his eyes with an extreme caution: shunned entirely all conversation with any woman whatever, and with any young men whose steady virtue did not render him perfectly secure as to their behaviour. Whilst others went to profane diversions, he retired into some church, or into his closet, making prayer and study his only pleasure. He learned rhetoric under Peter Martin, and philosophy under Peter of Hibernia, one of the most learned men of his age, and with such wonderful progress, that he repeated the lessons more clearly than the master had explained them: yet his greater care was to advance daily in the science of the saints, by holy prayer and all good works. His humility concealed them; but his charity and fervour sometimes betiayed his modesty, and discovered them, especially in his great alms, for which he deprived himself of almost all things, and in which he was careful to hide from his left-hand what his right did. The Order of St Dcminick, who had been dead twenty-two years, then abounded with men full of the spirit of God. The freqqent conversations Thomas had w ith one of that body, a very interior holy man, filled his heart with heavenly devotion and comfort, and inflamed him daily with a more ardent love of God, which so burned in his breast that at his prayers his countenance seemed one day, as it were, to dart rays of light, and he conceived a vehem...