Letter XXIX.

(a.d. 395.)

A Letter from the Presbyter of the District of Hippo to Alypius the Bishop of Thagaste, Concerning the Anniversary of the Birth of Leontius,89    Leontius was Bishop of Hippo in the latter part of the second century. He built a church which was called after him, and in which some of the sermons of Augustin were delivered.Formerly Bishop of Hippo.

1. In the absence of brother Macharius, I have not been able to write anything definite concerning a matter about which I could not feel otherwise than anxious: it is said, however, that he will soon return, and whatever can be with God’s help done in the matter shall be done. Although also our brethren, citizens of your town, who were with us, might sufficiently assure you of our solicitude on their behalf when they returned, nevertheless the thing which the Lord has granted to me is one worthy to be the subject of that epistolary intercourse which ministers so much to the comfort of us both; it is, moreover, a thing in the obtaining of which I believe that I have been greatly assisted by your own solicitude regarding it, seeing that it could not but constrain you to intercession on our behalf.

2. Therefore let me not fail to relate to your Charity what has taken place; so that, as you joined us in pouring out prayers for this mercy before it was obtained, you may now join us in rendering thanks for it after it has been received. When I was informed after your departure that some were becoming openly violent, and declaring that they could not submit to the prohibition (intimated while you were here) of that feast which they call Lætitia, vainly attempting to disguise their revels under a fair name, it happened most opportunely for me, by the hidden fore-ordination of the Almighty God, that on the fourth holy day that

Chapter of the Gospel fell to be expounded in ordinary course, in which the words occur: “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine.”90    Matt. vii. 6. I discoursed therefore concerning dogs and swine in such a way as to compel those who clamour with obstinate barking against the divine precepts, and who are given up to the abominations of carnal pleasures, to blush for shame; and followed it up by saying, that they might plainly see how criminal it was to do, under the name of religion, within the walls of the church, that which, if it were practised by them in their own houses, would make it necessary for them to be debarred from that which is holy, and from the privileges which are the pearls of the Church.

3. Although these words were well received, nevertheless, as few had attended the meeting, all had not been done which so great an emergency required. When, however, this discourse was, according to the ability and zeal of each, made known abroad by those who had heard it, it found many opponents. But when the morning of Quadragesima came round, and a great multitude had assembled at the hour of exposition of Scripture, that passage in the Gospel was read in which our Lord said, concerning those sellers who were driven out of the temple, and the tables of the money-changers which He had overthrown, that the house of His Father had been made a den of thieves instead of a house of prayer.91    Matt. xxi. 12. After awakening their attention by bringing forward the subject of immoderate indulgence in wine, I myself also read this chapter, and added to it an argument to prove with how much greater anger and vehemence our Lord would cast forth drunken revels, which are everywhere disgraceful, from that temple from which He thus drove out merchandise lawful elsewhere, especially when the things sold were those required for the sacrifices appointed in that dispensation; and I asked them whether they regarded a place occupied by men selling what was necessary, or one used by men drinking to excess, as bearing the greater resemblance to a den of thieves.

4. Moreover, as passages of Scripture which I had prepared were held ready to be put into my hands, I went on to say that the Jewish nation, with all its lack of spirituality in religion, never held feasts, even temperate feasts, much less feasts disgraced by intemperance, in their temple, in which at that time the body and blood of the Lord were not yet offered, and that in history they are not found to have been excited by wine on any public occasion bearing the name of worship, except when they held a feast before the idol which they had made.92    Ex. xxxii. 6. While I said these things I took the manuscript from the attendant, and read that whole passage. Reminding them of the words of the apostle, who says, in order to distinguish Christians from the obdurate Jews, that they are his epistle written, not on tables of stone, but on the fleshly tables of the heart,93    2 Cor. iii. 3. I asked further, with the deepest sorrow, how it was that, although Moses the servant of God broke both the tables of stone because of these rulers of Israel, I could not break the hearts of those who, though men of the New Testament dispensation, were desiring in their celebration of saints’ days to repeat often the public perpetration of excesses of which the people of the Old Testament economy were guilty only once, and that in an act of idolatry.

5. Having then given back the manuscript of Exodus, I proceeded to enlarge, so far as my time permitted, on the crime of drunkenness, and took up the writings of the Apostle Paul, and showed among what sins it is classed by him, reading the text, “If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one (ye ought) not even to eat;”94    1 Cor. v. 11. pathetically reminding them how great is our danger in eating with those who are guilty of intemperance even in their own houses. I read also what is added, a little further on, in the same epistle: “Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”95    1 Cor. vi. 9–11. After reading these, I charged them to consider how believers could hear these words, “but ye are washed,” if they still tolerated in their own hearts—that is, in God’s inner temple—the abominations of such lusts as these against which the kingdom of heaven is shut. Then I went on to that passage: “When ye come together into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper: for in eating, every one taketh before other his own supper; and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What! have ye not houses to eat and to drink in, or despise ye the church of God?”96    1 Cor. xi. 20–22. After reading which, I more especially begged them to remark that not even innocent and temperate feasts were permitted in the church: for the apostle said not, “Have ye not houses of your own in which to be drunken?”—as if it was drunkenness alone which was unlawful in the church; but, “Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in?”—things lawful in themselves, but not lawful in the church, inasmuch as men have their own houses in which they may be recruited by necessary food: whereas now, by the corruption of the times and the relaxation of morals, we have been brought so low, that, no longer insisting upon sobriety in the houses of men, all that we venture to demand is, that the realm of tolerated excess be restricted to their own homes.

6. I reminded them also of a passage in the Gospel which I had expounded the day before, in which it is said of the false prophets: “Ye shall know them by their fruits.”97    Matt. vii. 16. I also bade them remember that in that place our works are signified by the word fruits. Then I asked among what kind of fruits drunkenness was named, and read that passage in the Epistle to the Galatians: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murder, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I have told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”98    Gal. v. 19–21. After these words, I asked how, when God has commanded that Christians be known by their fruits, we could be known as Christians by this fruit of drunkenness? I added also, that we must read what follows there: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.”99    Gal. v. 22, 23. And I pled with them to consider how shameful and lamentable it would be, if, not content with living at home in the practice of these works of the flesh, they even wished by them, forsooth, to honour the church, and to fill the whole area of so large a place of worship, if they were permitted, with crowds of revellers and drunkards: and yet would not present to God those fruits of the Spirit which, by the authority of Scripture, and by my groans, they were called to yield, and by the offering of which they would most suitably celebrate the saints’ days.

7. This being finished, I returned the manuscript; and being asked to speak,100    Imperatâ oratione. I set before their eyes with all my might, as the danger itself constrained me, and as the Lord was pleased to give strength, the danger shared by them who were committed to my care, and by me, who must give account to the Chief Shepherd, and implored them by His humiliation, by the unparalleled insults, the buffetings and spitting on the face which He endured, by His pierced hands and crown of thorns, and by His cross and blood, to have pity on me at least, if they were displeased with themselves, and to consider the inexpressible love cherished towards me by the aged and venerable Valerius, who had not scrupled to assign to me for their sakes the perilous burden of expounding to them the word of truth, and had often told them that in my coming here his prayers were answered; not rejoicing, surely, that I had come to share or to behold the death of our hearers, but rejoicing that I had come to share his labours for the eternal life. In conclusion, I told them that I was resolved to trust in Him who cannot lie, and who has given us a promise by the mouth of the prophet, saying of our Lord Jesus Christ, “If His children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes: nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from Him.”101    Ps. lxxxix. 30–33. I declared, therefore, that I put my trust in Him, that if they despised the weighty words which had now been read and spoken to them, He would visit them with the rod and with stripes, and not leave them to be condemned with the world. In this appeal I put forth all the power in thought and utterance which, in an emergency so great and hazardous, our Saviour and Ruler was pleased to supply. I did not move them to weep by first weeping myself; but while these things were being spoken, I own that, moved by the tears which they began to shed, I myself could not refrain from following their example. And when we had thus wept together, I concluded my sermon with full persuasion that they would be restrained by it from the abuses denounced.

8. Next morning, however, when the day dawned, which so many were accustomed to devote to excess in eating and drinking, I received notice that some, even of those who were present when I preached, had not yet desisted from complaint, and that so great was the power of detestable custom with them, that, using no other argument, they asked, “Wherefore is this now prohibited? Were they not Christians who in former times did not interfere with this practice?” On hearing this, I knew not what more powerful means for influencing them I could devise; but resolved, in the event of their judging it proper to persevere, that after reading in Ezekiel’s prophecy that the watchman has delivered his own soul if he has given warning, even though the persons warned refuse to give heed to him, I would shake my garments and depart. But then the Lord showed me that He leaves us not alone, and taught me how He encourages us to trust Him; for before the time at which I had to ascend the pulpit,102    Exhedra. the very persons of whose complaint against interference with long-established custom I had heard came to me. Receiving them kindly, I by a few words brought them round to a right opinion; and when it came to the time for my discourse, having laid aside the lecture which I had prepared as now unnecessary, I said a few things concerning the question mentioned above, “Wherefore now prohibit this custom?” saying that to those who might propose it the briefest and best answer would be this: “Let us now at last put down what ought to have been earlier prohibited.”

9. Lest, however, any slight should seem to be put by us on those who, before our time, either tolerated or did not dare to put down such manifest excesses of an undisciplined multitude, I explained to them the circumstances out of which this custom seems to have necessarily risen in the Church,—namely, that when, in the peace which came after such numerous and violent persecutions, crowds of heathen who wished to assume the Christian religion were kept back, because, having been accustomed to celebrate the feasts connected with their worship of idols in revelling and drunkenness, they could not easily refrain from pleasures so hurtful and so habitual, it had seemed good to our ancestors, making for the time a concession to this infirmity, to permit them to celebrate, instead of the festivals which they renounced, other feasts in honour of the holy martyrs, which were observed, not as before with a profane design, but with similar self-indulgence. I added that now upon them, as persons bound together in the name of Christ, and submissive to the yoke of His august authority, the wholesome restraints of sobriety were laid—restraints with which the honour and fear due to Him who appointed them should move them to comply—and that therefore the time had now come in which all who did not dare to cast off the Christian profession should begin to walk according to Christ’s will; and being now confirmed Christians, should reject those concessions to infirmity which were made only for a time in order to their becoming such.

10. I then exhorted them to imitate the example of the churches beyond the sea, in some of which these practices had never been tolerated, while in others they had been already put down by the people complying with the counsel of good ecclesiastical rulers; and as the examples of daily excess in the use of wine in the church of the blessed Apostle Peter were brought forward in defence of the practice, I said in the first place, that I had heard that these excesses had been often forbidden, but because the place was at a distance from the bishop’s control, and because in such a city the multitude of carnally-minded persons was great, the foreigners especially, of whom there is a constant influx, clinging to that practice with an obstinacy proportioned to their ignorance, the suppression of so great an evil had not yet been possible. If, however, I continued, we would honour the Apostle Peter, we ought to hear his words, and look much more to the epistles by which his mind is made known to us, than to the place of worship, by which it is not made known; and immediately taking the manuscript, I read his own words: “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm yourselves likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.”103    1 Pet. iv. 1–3. After this, when I saw that all were with one consent turning to a right mind, and renouncing the custom against which I had protested, I exhorted them to assemble at noon for the reading of God’s word and singing of psalms; stating that we had resolved thus to celebrate the festival in a way much more accordant with purity and piety; and that, by the number of worshippers who should assemble for this purpose, it would plainly appear who were guided by reason, and who were the slaves of appetite. With these words the discourse concluded.

11. In the afternoon a greater number assembled than in the forenoon, and there was reading and praise alternately up to the hour at which I went out in company with the bishop; and after our coming two psalms were read. Then the old man [Valerius] constrained me by his express command to say something to the people; from which I would rather have been excused, as I was longing for the close of the anxieties of the day. I delivered a short discourse in order to express our gratitude to God. And as we heard the noise of the feasting, which was going on as usual in the church of the heretics, who still prolonged their revelry while we were so differently engaged, I remarked that the beauty of day is enhanced by contrast with the night, and that when anything black is near, the purity of white is the more pleasing; and that, in like manner, our meeting for a spiritual feast might perhaps have been somewhat less sweet to us, but for the contrast of the carnal excesses in which the others indulged; and I exhorted them to desire eagerly such feasts as we then enjoyed, if they had tasted the goodness of the Lord. At the same time, I said that those may well be afraid who seek anything which shall one day be destroyed as the chief object of their desire, seeing that every one shares the portion of that which he worships; a warning expressly given by the apostle to such, when he says of them their “god is their belly,”104    Phil. iii. 19. inasmuch as he has elsewhere said, “Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats; but God shall destroy both it and them.”105    1 Cor. vi. 13. I added that it is our duty to seek that which is imperishable, which, far removed from carnal affections, is obtained through sanctification of the spirit; and when those things which the Lord was pleased to suggest to me had been spoken on this subject as the occasion required, the daily evening exercises of worship were performed; and when with the bishop I retired from the church, the brethren said a hymn there, a considerable multitude remaining in the church, and engaging in praise106    Psallente. even till daylight failed.

12. I have thus related as concisely as I could that which I am sure you longed to hear. Pray that God may be pleased to protect our efforts from giving offence or provoking odium in any way. In the tranquil prosperity which you enjoy we do with lively warmth of affection participate in no small measure, when tidings so frequently reach us of the gifts possessed by the highly spiritual church of Thagaste. The ship bringing our brethren has not yet arrived. At Hasna, where our brother Argentius is presbyter, the Circumcelliones, entering our church, demolished the altar. The case is now in process of trial; and we earnestly ask your prayers that it may be decided in a peaceful way and as becomes the Catholic Church, so as to silence the tongues of turbulent heretics. I have sent a letter to the Asiarch.107    A magistrate who was also charged with the affairs pertaining to the protection of religion. The title belonged primarily to those who in the province of Asia had charge of the games.—Codex Theodosianus, xv. 9.

Brethren most blessed, may ye persevere in the Lord, and remember us. Amen.

EPISTOLA XXIX. Augustinus presbyter, Alypio Thagastensi episcopo, narrans quibus adhortationibus obtinuerit demum ut Hipponenses catholici abhorrerent a luxuriosis conviviis, quae in sanctorum natalitiis apud Africanas Ecclesias celebrare mos erat.

Epistola Presbyteri Hipponensium-regiorum ad ALYPIUM episcopum Thagastensium, de die Natalis Leontii quondam episcopi Hipponensis.

1. De negotio interim quod non curare non possum, nihil certum scribere potui, absente fratre Machario, qui cito dicitur rediturus; et quod Deo adjuvante peragi potuerit, peragetur. De nostra autem pro eis sollicitudine, quanquam fratres nostri cives qui aderant securos suos facere possent; tamen digna res epistolari 0115 colloquio, quo nos invicem consolamur, a Domino praestita est; in quo promerendo multum nos adjutos esse credimus ipsa vestra sollicitudine, quae profecto sine deprecatione pro nobis esse non potuit.

2. Itaque ne praetermittamus vestrae Charitati narrare quid gestum sit, ut nobiscum Deo gratias agatis de accepto beneficio, qui nobiscum preces de accipiendo fudistis: cum post profectionem tuam nobis nuntiatum esset tumultuari homines, et dicere se ferre non posse ut illa solemnitas prohiberetur , quam Laetitiam nominantes, vinolentiae nomen frustra conantur abscondere, sicut etiam te praesente jamjam nuntiabatur; opportune nobis accidit occulta ordinatione omnipotentis Dei, ut quarta feria illud in Evangelio capitulum consequenter tractaretur: Nolite dare sanctum canibus, neque projeceritis margaritas vestras ante porcos (Matth. VII, 6). Tractatum est ergo de canibus et de porcis, ita ut et pervicaci latratu adversus Dei praecepta rixantes, et voluptatum carnalium sordibus dediti erubescere cogerentur; conclusumque ita, ut viderent quam esset nefarium intra ecclesiae parietes id agere nomine religionis, quod in suis domibus si agere perseverarent, a sancto et margaritis ecclesiasticis eos arceri oporteret.

3. Sed haec quamvis grate accepta fuerint, tamen quia pauci convenerant, non erat satisfactum tanto negotio. Iste autem sermo cum ab eis qui aderant, pro cujusque facultate ac studio, foris ventilaretur, multos habuit contradictores. Postea vero quam dies Quadragesimae illuxisset, et frequens multitudo ad horam tractationis occurrit, lectum est istud in Evangelio, ubi Dominus de templo expulsis venditoribus animalium, et eversis mensis nummulariorum, dixit domum Patris sui pro domo orationum speluncam latronum esse factam (Id. XXI, 12): quod capitulum, cum eos intentos proposita vinolentiae quaestione feci, et ipse quoque recitavi, adjunxique disputationem, qua ostenderem quanto commotius et vehementius Dominus noster ebriosa convivia, quae ubique sunt turpia, de templo expelleret, unde sic expulit concessa commercia, cum ea venderentur, quae sacrificiis illo tempore licitis essent necessaria; quaerens ab eis, quibus similiorem putarent speluncam latronum, necessaria vendentibus, an immoderate bibentibus.

4. Et quoniam mihi praeparatae lectiones suggerendae tenebantur, adjunxi deinde ipsum adhuc carnalem populum Judaeorum, in illo templo, ubi nondum corpus et sanguis Domini offerebatur, non solum vinolenta, sed nec sobria quidem unquam celebrasse convivia; nec eos publice religionis nomine inebriatos inveniri in historia, nisi cum festa fabricato idolo 0116 exsolverent (Exod. XXXII, 6.) Quae cum dicerem, codicem etiam accepi, et recitavi totum illum locum. Addidi etiam cum dolore quo potui, quoniam Apostolus ait, ad discernendum populum christianum a duritie Judaeorum, Epistolam suam non in tabulis lapideis scriptam, sed in tabulis cordis carnalibus (II Cor. III, 3), cum Moyses famulus Dei, propter illos principes, binas lapideas tabulas confregisset (Exod. XXXII, 19), quomodo non possemus istorum corda confringere, qui homines Novi Testamenti, sanctorum diebus celebrandis ea vellent solemniter exhibere, quae populus Veteris Testamenti et semel et idolo celebravit.

5. Tunc reddito Exodi codice, crimen ebrietatis, quantum tempus sinebat, exaggerans, sumpsi apostolum Paulum, et inter quae peccata posita esset ostendi, legens illum locum, Si quis frater nominetur aut fornicator, aut idolis serviens, aut avarus, aut maledicus, aut ebriosus, aut rapax; cum ejusmodi nec cibum sumere (I Cor. V, 11); ingemiscendo admonens cum quanto periculo convivaremur cum eis qui vel in domibus inebriarentur . Legi etiam illud quod non longo intervallo sequitur: Nolite errare; neque fornicatores, neque idolis servientes, neque adulteri, neque molles, neque masculorum concubitores, neque fures, neque avari, neque ebriosi, neque maledici, neque raptores regnum Dei possidebunt. Et haec quidem fuistis; sed abluti estis, sed justificati estis in nomine Domini Jesu Christi, et spiritu Dei nostri (Ibid., VI, 9-11). Quibus lectis, dixi ut considerarent quomodo possent fideles audire, sed abluti estis, qui adhuc talis concupiscentiae sordes, contra quas clauditur regnum coelorum, in corde suo, id est in interiore Dei templo esse patiuntur. Inde ventum est ad illud capitulum: Convenientibus ergo vobis in unum, non est dominicam coenam celebrare: unusquisque enim propriam coenam praesumit in manducando; et alius quidem esurit, alius ebrius est. Numquid domos non habetis ad manducandum et bibendum? an Ecclesiam Dei contemnitis (Ibid., XI, 20-22)? quo recitato diligentius commendavi, ne honesta quidem et sobria convivia debere in ecclesia celebrari; quandoquidem Apostolus non dixerit, Numquid domos non habetis ad inebriandos vos? ut quasi tantummodo inebriari in ecclesia non liceret: sed, ad manducandum et bibendum, quod potest honeste fieri, sed praeter ecclesiam, ab eis qui domos habent, ubi alimentis necessariis refici possint; et tamen nos ad has angustias corruptorum temporum et diffluentium morum esse perductos, ut iis nondum modesta convivia, sed saltem domesticum regnum ebrietatis optemus.

6. Commemoravi etiam Evangelii capitulum quod pridie tractaveram, ubi de pseudoprophetis dictum est: Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos (Matth. VII, 16). Deinde in memoriam revocavi fructus eo loco non appellatos, nisi opera; tum quaesivi inter quos fructus nominata esset ebrietas, et recitavi illud ad 0117 Galatas: Manifesta autem sunt opera carnis, quae sunt fornicationes, immunditiae, luxuriae, idolorum servitus, veneficia, inimicitiae, contentiones, aemulationes, animositates, dissensiones, haereses, invidiae, ebrietates, comessationes, et his similia; quae praedico vobis, sicut praedixi, quoniam qui talia agunt regnum Dei non possidebunt (Gal. V, 19). Post quae verba interrogavi quomodo de fructu ebrietatis agnosceremur christiani, quos de fructibus agnosci Dominus jussit. Adjunxi etiam legendum quod sequitur, Fructus autem spiritus est charitas, gaudium, pax, longanimitas, benignitas, bonitas, fides, mansuetudo, continentia (Ibid., 22): egique ut considerarent quam esset pudendum atque plangendum, quod de illis fructibus carnis non solum privatim vivere, sed etiam honorem Ecclesiae deferre cuperent, et si potestas daretur, totum tam magnae basilicae spatium turbis epulantium ebriorum que complerent; de spiritualibus autem fructibus, ad quos et divinarum Scripturarum auctoritate et nostris gemitibus invitarentur, nolunt afferre Deo munera, et his potissimum celebrare festa sanctorum.

7. Quibus peractis, codicem reddidi, et imperata oratione, quantum valui, et quantum me ipsum periculum urgebat, et vires administrare Dominus dignabatur, constitui eis ante oculos commune periculum, et ipsorum qui nobis commissi essent, et nostrum qui de illis rationem reddituri essemus pastorum principi, per cujus humilitatem, insignes contumelias, alapas, et sputa in faciem, et palmas, et spineam coronam, et crucem ac sanguinem obsecravi, ut si se ipsi aliquid offendissent, vel nostri misererentur, et cogitarent venerabilis senis Valerii circa me ineffabilem charitatem, qui mihi tractandi verba veritatis tam periculosum onus non dubitarit propter eos imponere, eisque saepe dixerit quod orationes ejus exauditae essent de nostro adventu; quos non utique ad communem mortem vel spectaculum mortis illorum, sed ad communem conatum in aeternam vitam ad se venisse laetatus est. Postremo etiam dixi certum esse me, et fidere in eum qui mentiri nescit, qui per os prophetae sui pollicitus est de Domino nostro Jesu Christo dicens, Si reliquerint filii ejus legem meam, et in praeceptis meis non ambulaverint, si justificationes meas profanaverint, visitabo in virga facinora eorum, et in flagellis delicta eorum; misericordiam autem meam non auferam (Psalm. LXXXVIII, 31-34): in eum ergo me fidere, quod si haec tanta quae sibi essent lecta et dicta contemnerent, visitaturus esset in virga et in flagello, nec eos permissurus cum hoc mundo damnari. In qua conquestione sic actum, ut pro negotii atque periculi magnitudine tutor et gubernator noster animos facultatemque praebebat. Non ego illorum lacrymas meis lacrymis movi; sed cum talia dicerentur, fateor, eorum fletu praeventus meum abstinere non potui. Et cum jam pariter flevissemus, plenissima spe correctionis illorum, finis sermonis mei factus est.

8. Postridie vero, cum illuxisset dies cui solebant 0118 fauces ventresque se parare, nuntiatur mihi nonnullos, eorum etiam qui sermoni aderant, nondum a murmuratione cessasse, tantumque in eis valere vim pessimae consuetudinis, ut ejus tantum voce uterentur et dicerent: Quare modo? Non enim, antea qui haec non prohibuerunt, christiani non erant. Quo audito, quas majores commovendi eos machinas praepararem, omnino nesciebam: disponebam tamen, si perseverandum putarent, lecto illo loco de propheta Ezechiele, Explorator absolvitur, si periculum denuntiaverit, etiamsi illi quibus denuntiatur, cavere noluerint (Ezech. XXXIII, 9), vestimenta mea excutere atque discedere. Tum vero Dominus ostendit quod nos non deserat, et quibus modis in se ut praesumamus hortetur: namque ante horam qua exhedram ascenderemus, ingressi sunt ad me iidem ipsi quos audieram de oppugnatione vetustae consuetudinis fuisse conquestos; quos blande acceptos, paucis verbis in sententiam sanam transtuli; atque ubi ventum est ad tempus disputationis, omissa lectione quam praeparaveram, quia necessaria jam non videbatur, de hac ipsa quaestione pauca disserui, nihil nos nec brevius nec verius posse afferre adversus eos qui dicunt, Quare modo? nisi et nos dicamus, Vel modo.

9. Verumtamem ne illi, qui ante nos tam manifesta imperitae multitudinis crimina vel permiserunt vel prohibere non ausi sunt, aliqua a nobis affici contumelia viderentur, exposui eis qua necessitate ista in Ecclesia viderentur exorta : scilicet post persecutiones tam multas, tamque vehementes, cum facta pace, turbae Gentilium in christianum nomen venire cupientes hoc impedirentur, quod dies festos cum idolis suis solerent in abundantia epularum et ebrietate consumere, nec facile ab his perniciosissimis et tam vetustissimis voluptatibus se possent abstinere, visum fuisse majoribus nostris, ut huic infirmitatis parti interim parceretur, diesque festos, post eos quos relinquebant, alios in honorem sanctorum martyrum vel non simili sacrilegio, quamvis simili luxu celebrarentur: jam Christi nomine colligatis, et tantae auctoritatis jugo subditis salutaria sobrietatis praecepta traderentur, quibus jam propter praecipientis honorem ac timorem resistere non valerent; quocirca jam tempus 0119 esse, ut qui non se audent negare christianos, secundum Christi voluntatem vivere incipiant, ut ea quae ut essent christiani concessa sunt, cum christiani sunt, respuantur.

10. Deinde hortatus sum ut transmarinarum Ecclesiarum, in quibus partim ista recepta nunquam sunt, partim jam per bonos rectores populo obtemperante correcta , imitatores esse vellemus. Et quoniam de basilica beati apostoli Petri, quotidianae vinolentiae proferebantur exempla ; dixi primo audisse nos saepe esse prohibitum, sed quod remotus sit locus ab episcopi conversatione, et in tanta civitate magna sit carnalium multitudo, peregrinis praesertim, qui novi subinde veniunt tanto violentius, quanto inscitius illam consuetudinem retinentibus, tam immanem pestem nondum compesci sedarique potuisse. Verumtamen nos si Petrum apostolum honoraremus, debere praecepta ejus audire, et multo devotius Epistolam in qua voluntas ejus apparet, quam basilicam in qua non apparet, intueri; statimque accepto codice recitavi ubi ait: Christo enim passo pro nobis per carnem, et vos eadem cogitatione armamini; quia qui passus est carne, desiit a carne, ut jam non hominum desideriis, sed voluntate Dei reliquum tempus in carne vivat. Sufficit enim vobis praeteritum tempus voluntate hominum perfecisse, ambulantes in libidinibus, desideriis, ebrietate, comessationibus et nefandis idolorum servitutibus (I Petr. IV, 1-3). Quibus gestis, cum omnes uno animo in bonam voluntatem ire contempta mala consuetudine cernerem, hortatus sum ut meridiano tempore divinis lectionibus et psalmis interessent; ita illum diem multo mundius atque sincerius placere celebrandum; et certe de multitudine convenientium facile posse apparere, qui mentem, et qui ventrem sequeretur. Ita lectis omnibus sermo terminatus est.

11. Pomeridiano autem die, major quam ante meridiem affuit multitudo, et usque ad horam qua cum episcopo egrederemur, legebatur alternatim et psallebatur; nobisque egressis duo psalmi lecti sunt. Deinde me invitum, qui jam cupiebam peractum esse tam periculosum diem, jussum compulit senex ut aliquid eis loquerer . Habui brevem sermonem, quo gratias agerem Deo. Et quoniam in haereticorum basilica audiebamus ab eis solita convivia celebrata, cum adhuc, etiam eo ipso tempore quo a nobis ista 0120 gerebantur, illi in poculis perdurarent, dixi diei pulchritudinem noctis comparatione decorari, et colorem candidum nigri vicinitate gratiorem; ita nostrum spiritualis celebrationis conventum minus fortasse futurum fuisse jucundum, nisi ex alia parte carnalis ingurgitatio conferretur, hortatusque sum ut tales epulas instanter appeterent, si gustassent quam suavis est Dominus; illis autem esse metuendum, qui tanquam primum sectantur quod aliquando destruetur, cum quisque comes efficiatur ejus rei quam colit, insultaritque Apostolus talibus dicens, quorum Deus venter (Philipp. III, 19), cum idem alio loco dixerit: Esca ventri et venter escis; Deus autem et hunc et illas evacuabit (I Cor. VI, 13). Nos proinde oportere id sequi quod non evacuatur, quod remotissimum a carnis affectu spiritus sanctificatione retinetur; atque in hanc sententiam, pro tempore, cum ea quae Dominus suggerere dignatus est dicta essent, acta sunt vespertina quae quotidie solent, nobisque cum episcopo recedentibus, fratres eodem loco hymnum dixerunt, non parva multitudine utriusque ad obscuratum diem manente atque psallente.

12. Digessi vobis quantum breviter potui, quod vos audire desiderasse quis dubitaverit. Orate ut a conatibus nostris omnia scandala et omnia taedia Deus dignetur avertere. Magna sane ex parte vobiscum requiescimus cum alacritate fervoris, quia spiritualis Ecclesiae Thagastensium tam crebra nobis dona nuntiantur. Navis cum fratribus nondum venit. Apud Hasnam , ubi est presbyter frater Argentius, Circumcelliones invadentes basilicam nostram altare comminuerunt. Causa nunc agitur; quae ut pacate agatur et ut Ecclesiam catholicam decet, ad opprimendas linguas haereseos impacatae, multum vos petimus ut oretis. Epistolam Asiarchae misimus. Beatissimi, perseveretis in Domino, memores nostri. Amen.