Letter LXVII.

(a.d. 402.)

To My Lord Most Beloved and Longed For, My Honoured Brother in Christ, and Fellow-Presbyter, Jerome, Augustin Sends Greeting in the Lord.

Chap. I.

1. I have heard that my letter has come to your hand. I have not yet received a reply, but I do not on this account question your affection; doubtless something has hitherto prevented you. Wherefore I know and avow that my prayer should be, that God would put it in your power to forward your reply, for He has already given you power to prepare it, seeing that you can do so with the utmost ease if you feel disposed.

Chap. II.

2. I have hesitated whether to give credence or not to a certain report which has reached me; but I felt that I ought not to hesitate as to writing a few lines to you regarding the matter. To be brief, I have heard that some brethren have told your Charity that I have written a book against you and have sent it to Rome. Be assured that this is false: I call God to witness that I have not done this. But if perchance there be some things in some of my writings in which I am found to have been of a different opinion from you, I think you ought to know, or if it cannot be certainly known, at least to believe, that such things have been written not with a view of contradicting you, but only of stating my own views. In saying this, however, let me assure you that not only am I most ready to hear in a brotherly spirit the objections which you may entertain to anything in my writings which has displeased you, but I entreat, nay implore you, to acquaint me with them; and thus I shall be made glad either by the correction of my mistake, or at least by the expression of your goodwill.

3. Oh that it were in my power, by our living near each other, if not under the same roof, to enjoy frequent and sweet conference with you in the Lord! Since, however, this is not granted, I beg you to take pains that this one way in which we can be together in the Lord be kept up; nay more, improved and perfected. Do not refuse to write me in return, however seldom.

Greet with my respects our holy brother Paulinianus, and all the brethren who with you, and because of you, rejoice in the Lord. May you, remembering us, be heard by the Lord in regard to all your holy desires, my lord most beloved and longed for, my honoured brother in Christ.

EPISTOLA LXVII . Augustinus Hieronymo: negans se scripsisse librum in eum; in hoc falsus, quod aliquis prolixam epistolam librum appellasset.

Domino charissimo et desideratissimo, et honorando in Christo fratri et compresbytero HIERONYMO, AUGUSTINUS, in Domino salutem.

CAPUT PRIMUM.

1. Audivi pervenisse in manus 0237 tuas litteras meas; sed, quod adhuc rescripta non merui, nequaquam imputaverim dilectioni tuae: aliquid procul dubio impedimenti fuit. Unde agnosco a me Dominum potius deprecandum, ut tuae voluntati det facultatem mittendi quod rescripseris: nam rescribendi jam dedit quia, cum volueris, facillime poteris.

CAP. II.

2. Etiam hoc, ad me sane perlatum, utrum quidem crederem dubitavi; sed hinc quoque tibi aliquid utrum scriberem, dubitare non debui: hoc autem brevi suggestum esse Charitati tuae a nescio quibus fratribus, mihi dictum est, quod librum adversus te scripserim, Romamque miserim. Hoc falsum esse noveris; Deum nostrum testor, hoc me non fecisse. Sed si forte aliqua in aliquibus scriptis meis reperiuntur, in quibus aliter aliquid quam tu sensisse reperiar, non contra te dictum, sed quod mihi videbatur a me scriptum esse, puto te debere cognoscere; aut si cognosci non potest, credere. Ita sane hoc dixerim, ut ego non tantum paratissimus sim, si quid te in meis scriptis moverit, fraterne accipere quid contra sentias, aut de correctione mea, aut de ipsa tua benevolentia gavisurus; verum etiam hoc a te postulem, et flagitem.

3. O si licuisset, etsi non cohabitante, saltem vicino te in Domino perfrui ad crebrum et dulce colloquium! Sed quia id non est datum, peto ut hoc ipsum, quod in Domino quam possumus simul sumus, conservari studeas, et augeri ac perfici, et rescripta quamvis rara non spernere. Saluta obsequio meo sanctum fratrem Paulinianum, et omnes fratres qui tecum ac de te in Domino gaudent . Memor nostri exaudiaris a Domino in omni sancto desiderio tuo, domine charissime et desideratissime, et honorande in Christo frater.