Letter CXXXVI.

(a.d. 412.)

To Augustin, My Lord Most Venerable, and Father Singularly Worthy of All Possible Service from Me, I, Marcellinus Send Greeting.

1. The noble Volusianus read to me the letter of your Holiness, and, at my urgent solicitation, he read to many more the sentences which had won my admiration, for, like everything else coming from your pen, they were worthy of admiration. Breathing as it did a humble spirit, and rich in the grace of divine eloquence, it succeeded easily in pleasing the reader. What especially pleased me was your strenuous effort to establish and hold up the steps of one who is somewhat hesitating, by counselling him to form a good resolution. For I have every day some discussion with the same man, so far as my abilities, or rather my lack of talent, may enable me. Moved by the earnest entreaties of his pious mother, I am at pains to visit him frequently, and he is so good as to return my visits from time to time. But on receiving this letter from your venerable Eminence, though he is kept back from firm faith in the true God by the influence of a class of persons who abound in this city, he was so moved, that, as he himself tells me, he was prevented only by the fear of undue prolixity in his letter from unfolding to you every possible difficulty in regard to the Christian faith. Some things, however, he has very earnestly asked you to explain, expressing himself in a polished and accurate style, and with the perspicuity and brilliancy of Roman eloquence, such as you will yourself deem worthy of approbation. The question which he has submitted to you is indeed worn threadbare in controversy, and the craftiness which, from the same quarter, assails with reproaches the Lord’s incarnation is well known. But as I am confident that whatever you write in reply will be of use to a very large number, I would approach you with the request, that even in this question you would condescend to give a thoroughly guarded answer to their false statement that in His works the Lord performed nothing beyond what other men have been able to do. They are accustomed to bring forward their Apollonius and Apuleius, and other men who professed magical arts, whose miracles they maintained to have been greater than the Lord’s.

2. The noble Volusianus aforesaid declared also in the presence of a number, that there were many other things which might not unreasonably be added to the question which he has sent, were it not that, as I have already stated, brevity had been specially studied by him in his letter. Although, however, he forbore from writing them, he did not pass them over in silence. For he is wont to say that, even if a reasonable account of the Lord’s incarnation were now given to him, it would still be very difficult to give a satisfactory reason why this God, who is affirmed to be the God also of the Old Testament, is pleased with new sacrifices after having rejected the ancient sacrifices. For he alleges that nothing could be corrected but that which is proved to have been previously not rightly done; or that what has once been done rightly ought not to be altered in the very least. That which has been rightly done, he said, cannot be changed without wrong, especially because the variation might bring upon the Deity the reproach of inconstancy. Another objection which he stated was, that the Christian doctrine and preaching were in no way consistent with the duties and rights of citizens; because, to quote an instance frequently alleged, among its precepts we find, “Recompense to no man evil for evil,”1076    Rom. xii. 17. and, “Whosoever shall smite thee on one cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any man take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also; and whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain;”1077    Matt. v. 39–41.—all which he affirms to be contrary to the duties and rights of citizens. For who would submit to have anything taken from him by an enemy, or forbear from retaliating the evils of war upon an invader who ravaged a Roman province? The other precepts, as your Eminence understands, are open to similar objections. Volusianus thinks that all these difficulties may be added to the question formerly stated, especially because it is manifest (though he is silent on this point) that very great calamities have befallen the commonwealth under the government of emperors observing, for the most part, the Christian religion.1078    See Gibbon, chap. xv. vol. II. p. 326.

3. Wherefore, as your Grace condescends along with me to acknowledge, it is important that all these difficulties be met by a full, thorough, and luminous reply (since the welcome answer of your Holiness will doubtless be put into many hands); especially because, while this discussion was going on, a distinguished lord and proprietor in the region of Hippo was present, who ironically said some flattering things concerning your Holiness, and affirmed that he had been by no means satisfied when he inquired into these matters himself.

I, therefore, not unmindful of your promise, but insisting on its fulfilment, beseech you to write, on the questions submitted, treatises which will be of incredible service to the Church, especially at the present time.

EPISTOLA CXXXVI . Marcellinus Augustino, rogans ut Volusiano faciat satis, et narrans quosdam calumniari quod Deus veterem Legem prae taedio seu consiliorum inconstantia abrogarit, quodque doctrina evangelica sit reipublicae inutilis; denique christianos principes multum malorum invexisse reipublicae.

Domino nimiumque venerabili, et omnibus mihi officiis unice percolendo patri AUGUSTINO, MARCELLINUS.

1. Vir illustris Volusianus Beatitudinis tuae mihi litteras legit, imo me quidem cogente pluribus legit, quae scilicet omnia quae a te dicuntur, cum vere miranda sint, usquequaque miratus sum. Sermonis enim divini gratia humiliter tumens, facile ut placeret emeruit. Hinc enim plurimum placuit, quod hominis gressus aliquanto titubantes boni propositi exhortatione statuere et firmare contendis. Est enim nobis cum eodem quotidiana pro viribus nostris, et pro ingenii paupertate disputatio. Sanctae siquidem matris ejus precatione compulsus, cura mihi est eum frequentius salutandi gratia convenire, licet vicem in hac parte reddere etiam ipse dignetur. Accepta autem Venerabilitatis tuae epistola, homo qui a veri Dei stabilitate, multorum quorum in hac urbe copia est persuasione revocatur, ita motus est, ut si, quantum ipse confirmat, litterarum prolixitatem minime formidasset omne Beatitudini tuae quod habere potest insinuasset ambiguum. Sed tamen satis, sicut etiam ipse probare dignaberis, culto accuratoque sermone, et Romanae eloquentiae nitore perspicuo, aliqua sibi exsolvi impendio postulavit. Quae quidem quaestio usquequaque detrita est, et eorum super hac parte satis nota calliditas, qui dispensationem dominicae incarnationis infamant. Sed tamen etiam ego in hac parte, quia plurimis quidquid rescripseris profuturum esse confido, precator accesserim, ut ad ea vigilantius respondere digneris, in quibus nihil amplius Dominum, quam alii homines facere potuerunt, gessisse mentiuntur. Apollonium siquidem suum nobis et Apuleium, aliosque magicae artis homines in medium proferunt, quorum majora contendunt extitisse miracula.

2. Ipse autem vir illustris superius memoratus, multa esse dixit praesentibus aliquantis, quae huic possent jungi non immerito quaestioni , si, ut ante dixi, non ab ejus 0515partibus epistolaris considerata brevitas fuisset. Quae tamen licet scribere noluerit, tacere non est passus. Dicebat enim quod etsi sibi hodie incarnationis dominicae ratio redderetur, reddi vix ad liquidum possit cur hic Deus, qui et Veteris Testamenti Deus esse firmatur, spretis veteribus sacrificiis delectatus est novis. Nihil enim corrigi posse asserebat nisi quod antefactum non recte probaretur; vel quod semel recte factum sit, immutari ullatenus non debuisse. Recte enim facta dicebat mutari nisi injuste non posse; maxime quia ista varietas inconstantiae Deum possit arguere. Tum deinde quod ejus praedicatio atque doctrina, reipublicae moribus nulla ex parte conveniat; utpote, sicut a multis dicitur, cujus hoc constet praeceptum, ut nulli malum pro malo reddere debeamus (Rom. XII, 17), et percutienti aliam praebere maxillam, et pallium dare persistenti tunicam tollere, et cum eo qui nos angariare voluerit, ire debere spatio itineris duplicato (Matth. V, 39, 41): quae omnia reipublicae moribus asserit esse contraria. Nam quis tolli sibi ab hoste aliquid patiatur, vel Romanae provinciae depraedatori non mala velit belli jure reponere? Et caetera quae dici ad reliqua posse, intelligit Venerabilitas tua. Haec ergo omnia ipsi posse adjungi aestimat quaestioni, in tantum ut per christianos principes, christianam religionem maxima ex parte servantes, tanta (etiamsi ipse de hac parte taceat) reipublicae mala evenisse manifestum sit.

3. Unde, sicut Beatitudo tua mecum dignatur agnoscere, ad haec omnia (quoniam multorum manibus sine dubio tradetur Sanctitatis tuae desiderata responsio) plenus debet et elucubratus solutionis splendor ostendi; maxime quia cum ista gererentur, eximius Hipponensis regionis possessor et dominus praesens aderat, qui et Sanctitatem tuam sub ironiae adulatione laudaret, et sibi, cum de his quaereret, minime satisfactum esse contenderet. Ego vero ad haec omnia promissionis non immemor sed exactor libros confici deprecor, Ecclesiae, hoc maxime tempore, incredibiliter profuturos.