S. AURELII AUGUSTINI HIPPONENSIS EPISCOPI EPISTOLAE SECUNDUM ORDINEM TEMPORUM NUNC PRIMUM DISPOSITAE, ET QUATUOR IN CLASSES DIGESTAE

 EPISTOLA II . Zenobio desiderium exponit suum, ut disputationem inter se coeptam, inter se finiant.

 EPISTOLA III . Nebridio respondet Augustinus immerito se ab ipso vocari beatum, qui tam multa ignoret. Qua in re sita sit vera beatitudo.

 EPISTOLA IV . Augustinus Nebridio, significans ei quantum profecerit in secessu, contemplatione rerum aeternarum.

 EPISTOLA V . Augustinum Nebridius deplorat, quod nimium interpelletur civium negotiis ab otio contemplationis.

 EPISTOLA VI . Scribit Nebridius videri sibi memoriam sine phantasia esse non posse tum etiam phantasiae vim non a sensu, sed a se potius imagines rer

 EPISTOLA VII . Augustinus quaestionem utramque a Nebridio motam discutit. Memoriam sine phantasia esse posse. Animam sensibus non usam carere phantasi

 EPISTOLA VIII . Quanam coelestium potestatum in animam actione fiat, ut imagines ac somnia dormienti subrepant.

 EPISTOLA IX . Quaestioni de somniis per superiores potestates immissis respondet.

 EPISTOLA X . De convictu cum Nebridio et secessione a mundanarum rerum tumultu.

 EPISTOLA XI . Cur hominis susceptio Filio soli tribuitur, cum divinae personae sint inseparabiles.

 EPISTOLA XII . Quaestionem in superiore epistola perstrictam iterum tractandam suscipit.

 EPISTOLA XIII . Quaestionem de animae quodam corpore, ad se nihil pertinentem, rogat dimittant.

 EPISTOLA XIV . Quare sol non idem praestat quod caetera sidera. Veritas summa an hominis cujusque rationem contineat.

 EPISTOLA XV. Significat scriptum a se opusculum de religione, transmittendum Romaniano, quem hortatur ut otium datum bene collocet.

 EPISTOLA XVI. Maximus grammaticus Madaurensis Augustino, excusans a Paganis unum Deum variis nominibus coli, indignans mortuos homines Gentium diis pr

 EPISTOLA XVII . Augustinus Maximo grammatico respondet ad superiora, sed sic ut ostendat indigna quibus respondeatur, digna quae rideantur.

 EPISTOLA XVIII . Naturarum genus triplex perstringitur.

 EPISTOLA XIX . Gaio, quem forte disputatione traxerat ad Ecclesiam, mittit suos libros legendos, adhortans ut perseveret in bono proposito.

 EPISTOLA XX . Antonino pro existimatione bona ac dilectione sibi impensa gratias refert Augustinus, optatque ut familia ipsius tota catholicam religio

 EPISTOLA XXI . Augustinus in presbyterum Hipponensem ordinatus, praesertim ad dispensandum verbum Dei, secumque reputans quam difficile sit sacerdotem

 EPISTOLA XXII . Augustinus presbyter, Aurelio Carthaginensi episcopo, deflens comessationes et ebrietates per Africam in coemeteriis et memoriis marty

 EPISTOLA XXIII . Augustinus Maximino episcopo donatistae, qui diaconum catholicum rebaptizasse dicebatur, ut aut fateatur factum, aut profiteatur se o

 EPISTOLA XXIV . Paulinus Alypio episcopo de libris Augustini quos recepit, excusans quod serius miserit ad illum Eusebii Chronica. Cupit edoceri de ge

 EPISTOLA XXV . Paulinus Augustino, exquisitis eum laudibus exornans pro quinque ejus adversus Manichaeos libris, quos ab Alypio acceperat. Panem ipsi

 EPISTOLA XXVI . Augustinus Licentium juvenem nobilem et doctum, quondam ipsius discipulum, hortatur ad mundi contemptum, abutens ad hoc ipsius Licenti

 EPISTOLA XXVII. Augustinus Paulino, amplectens illius benevolentiam, et mutuum declarans amorem: nonnulla de Romaniano et Alypio, nec non de Licentio,

 EPISTOLA XXVIII . Augustinus Hieronymo, de nova post LXX Veteris Testamenti versione deque Petro reprehenso a Paulo ad Galat. II, expostulans de susc

 EPISTOLA XXIX. Augustinus presbyter, Alypio Thagastensi episcopo, narrans quibus adhortationibus obtinuerit demum ut Hipponenses catholici abhorrerent

 EPISTOLA XXX . Paulinus Augustino, non recepto ab eo responso, denuo per alios scribit.

 SECUNDA CLASSIS. Epistolae quas Augustinus jam episcopus, ante collationem Carthaginensem cum Donatistis habitam, et ante detectam in Africa Pelagii h

 EPISTOLA XXXII . Paulinus Romaniano, gratulans Ecclesiae Hipponensi quod Augustinum meruit episcopi collegam. Licentium, pro quo scripserat Augustinus

 EPISTOLA XXXIII. Augustinus Proculeiano partis donatianae apud Hipponem episcopo, invitans illum ut mutua collatione schisma componatur.

 EPISTOLA XXXIV . De juvene, qui matrem caedere solitus, demum et mortem minatus transiit ad Donatistas, ab iisque iterato baptizatus est. Quod an Proc

 EPISTOLA XXXV . Rursus interpellat Eusebium, ut clericorum donatistarum licentiam curet coercendam per Proculeianum episcopum: alioquin ut de se nullu

 EPISTOLA XXXVI . Augustinus Casulano presbytero, refellens Urbici, id est cujusdam e Romana urbe, dissertationem pro sabbati jejunio, scriptam perquam

 EPISTOLA XXXVII . Gratulatur sibi Augustinus litterarias suas lucubrationes legi et approbari a Simpliciano ejusque censurae subjicit tum caeteros su

 EPISTOLA XXXVIII . Augustinus Profuturo, de toleranda adversa valetudine de morte Megalii, et de cohibenda ira.

 EPISTOLA XXXIX . Hieronymus Augustino, commendans illi Praesidium, et salvere jubens Alypium.

 EPISTOLA XL . Augustinus Hieronymo de titulo vulgati ab ipso libri de Scriptoribus ecclesiasticis: tum de Petro reprehenso non mendaciter a Paulo, de

 EPISTOLA XLI . Alypius et Augustinus Aurelio gratulantes de sermonibus quos presbyteri praesente ipso ad populum habere coeperant, ipsumque rogantes u

 EPISTOLA XLII . Augustinus Paulino, flagitans ut litterarum debitum amplius anno integro non redditum exsolvat, mittatque sibi opus adversus Paganos,

 EPISTOLA XLIII . Quanta impudentia Donatistae persistant in suo schismate, tot judiciis convicti.

 EPISTOLA XLIV . Augustinus refert quae coepta sint agi de concordia cum Fortunio Donatistarum episcopo, cupiens ut sine tumultu, quod placide coeptum

 EPISTOLA XLV . Augustinus Paulino, rogans ut demum rescribat post biennii silentium, mittatque sibi opus contra Paganos, quod ab ipso elaborari dudum

 EPISTOLA XLVI . Publicola Augustino proponit multas quaestiones.

 EPISTOLA XLVII . Augustinus Publicolae dissolvit aliquot ex propositis quaestionibus.

 EPISTOLA XLVIII . Augustinus Eudoxio abbati monachorum insulae Caprariae, exhortans ut otio ad pietatem, non ad ignaviam utantur, et sicubi Ecclesia r

 EPISTOLA XLIX . Augustinus Honorato Donatianae partis, ut per litteras placide reddat rationem quomodo nomen Ecclesiae, quae utique in toto orbe futur

 EPISTOLA L . Augustinus Suffectanis expostulans de LX Christianorum nece, pollicensque suum illis reddendum Herculem.

 EPISTOLA LI . Augustinus Crispinum Calamensem Donatianae partis episcopum urget propositis breviter aliquod argumentis, ad ea si potest respondeat per

 EPISTOLA LII . Augustinus Severino consanguineo suo donatistae, ut deserat schisma scelestum et impudens.

 EPISTOLA LIII . Confutatur epistola presbyteri cujusdam donatistae qui Generosum catholicum Constantinensem seducere moliebatur, simulans ab angelo se

 AD INQUISITIONES JANUARII LIBER PRIMUS, SEU EPISTOLA LIV . Augustinus Januario respondet, docens quid agendum sit in iis in quibus regionum aut Eccles

 AD INQUISITIONES JANUARII LIBER SECUNDUS, SEU EPISTOLA LV . De ritibus Ecclesiae, vel iis quos negligi nefas est, vel us qui tollendi sunt, si citra m

 EPISTOLA LVI . Augustinus ad Celerem, jubens eum Litterarum sacrarum studio incumbere, ut discat hanc vitam collatione aeternae esse fumum et Donatis

 EPISTOLA LVII . Augustinus, libro quodam suo in eam rem conscripto, Celerem instruxerat, mera levitate Donatistas se ab Ecclesia catholica segregasse:

 EPISTOLA LVIII . Augustinus Pammachio viro senatori gratulatur, quod suos apud Numidiam colonos donatistas adhortationibus suis adduxerit ad Ecclesiam

 EPISTOLA LIX . Augustinus Victorino concilium convocanti, excusatoria, quare ad concilium non venturus sit: rogans ut prius cum Xantippo super jure pr

 EPISTOLA LX . Augustinus Aurelio significat Donatum et ipsius fratrem se venitente recessisse de monasterio: porro et monachis facilem lapsum, et ordi

 EPISTOLA LXI . Augustinus Theodoro ut prolata hac epistola fidem faciat clericos ex parte Donati venientes ad Ecclesiam catholicam, in suo ipsorum ord

 EPISTOLA LXII . Alypius, Augustinus et Samsucius Severo, excusantes quae in Timothei negotio gesta sunt.

 EPISTOLA LXIII . Rursum de Timotheo qui postquam jurasset se a Severo non recessurum, ordinatus fuerat subdiaconus apud Subsanam in dioecesi Hipponens

 EPISTOLA LXIV . Augustinus Quintiano, ipsum ad patientiam adhortans et Aurelio episcopo reconciliatum cupiens, agensque de Privatione quem ille suae E

 EPISTOLA LXV . Augustinus Xantippo Numidiae primati, rationem reddens cur Abundantio presbytero infami Ecclesiam committere noluerit.

 EPISTOLA LXVI . Expostulat cum Crispino Calamensi, qui Mappalienses metu subactos rebaptizarat.

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

 EPISTOLA LXVIII . Hieronymus Augustino, jam accepta epistola quae continet quaestionem de mendacio officioso, sed dubitans etiamnum an sit Augustini,

 EPISTOLA LXIX . Alypius et Augustinus Castorio, ipsum hortantes ut in episcopatu Vaginensis Ecclesiae Maximiano fratri suo gloriose cedenti succedat.

 EPISTOLA LXX . Donatistarum Catholicos traditionis insimulantium temeritas prodit sese in causa Feliciani ab ipsis primum solemniter damnati, ac poste

 EPISTOLA LXXI . Augustinus Hieronymo, dehortans a libris Testamenti veteris ex hebraeo vertendis, et exhortans ut Septuaginta versionem mire depravata

 EPISTOLA LXXII . Hieronymus Augustino expostulans de illius epistola per Italiam sparsa, qua taxabatur locus non recte expositus in Epistola ad Galata

 EPISTOLA LXXIII . Hieronymum litteris suis nonnihil offensum demulcere studet Augustinus. Apologiam illius contra Ruffinum accepisse se testatur, depl

 EPISTOLA LXXIV . Augustinus Praesidium rogat ut superiorem epistolam curet Hieronymo reddendam, utque sibi eumdem suis etiam litteris placet.

 EPISTOLA LXXV . Respondet tandem Hieronymus ad Augustini quaestiones propositas in Epist. 28, 40 et 71, scilicet de titulo libri ecclesiasticos script

 EPISTOLA LXXVI . Sub persona Ecclesiae catholicae cohortatur omnes Donatistas, ut resipiscentes redeant ad catholicam communionem.

 EPISTOLA LXXVII . Augustinus Felici et Hilarino, ut ne perturbentur obortis in Ecclesia scandalis. Porro de Bonifacio, qui in nullo apud se crimine de

 EPISTOLA LXXVIII . Quidam e monasterio Augustini Spes nomine, accusatus a Bonifacio presbytero, crimen in Bonifacium ipsum transtulit. Cum res evident

 EPISTOLA LXXIX . Augustini episcopi ad presbyterum quemdam Manichaeum, denuntians ut solvat quaestionem in qua praecessor ejus Fortunatus defecerat, v

 EPISTOLA LXXX . Cupit explicari liquidius a Paulino, quonam modo voluntatem Dei, quae nostrae praeferenda est, nosse possimus.

 EPISTOLA LXXXI . Hieronymus Augustino, excusans quod ipsius litteris responderit liberius Epistola 75, rogansque ut, omissis contentiosis quaestionibu

 EPISTOLA LXXXII . Receptis ab Hieronymo superioribus Epistolis 72, 75 et 81, rescribit accuratius Augustinus de interpretatione loci Epistolae ad Gala

 EPISTOLA LXXXIII Augustinus Alypio significans aliam se de bonis, quae fuerunt Honorati ex Thagastensi monacho presbyteri Thiavensis, iniisse sententi

 EPISTOLA LXXXIV . Novato episcopo Augustinus, excusans quod ad ipsum non mittat germanum ipsius Lucillum diaconum, quo latinae linguae perito carere n

 EPISTOLA LXXXV . Augustinus Paulum quemdam episcopum objurgat, qui Ecclesiam levitate sua graviter offendebat, ut ad frugem et episcopo dignam vitam r

 EPISTOLA LXXXVI . Augustinus Caeciliano praesidi, ut suo edicto Donatistas in regione Hipponensi et in vicinis locis coerceat.

 EPISTOLA LXXXVII . Augustinus Emerito donatistae, adhortans ut attendat et respondeat, qua justa causa schisma moverint.

 EPISTOLA LXXXVIII . Clerici Hipponenses catholici ad Januarium episcopum donatistam, expostulantes de Circumcellionum saevitia in Catholicos. Stilus e

 EPISTOLA LXXXIX . Augustinus Festo, docens recte legibus reprimi Donatistas et indicans in regione Hipponensi nondum eos Festi litteris correctos, se

 EPISTOLA XC . Augustino Nectarius paganus, agens ut suis civibus coloniae Calamensis condonentur quae expetendae erant ab ipsis poenae, non modo viola

 EPISTOLA XCI . Invehitur Augustinus in Paganorum sacra, et injurias Christianis recens illatas a Calamensibus enumerat ostendens ipsorum saluti benig

 EPISTOLA XCII . Augustinus Italicae viduae, consolans illam super obitu mariti, ac refellens eorum opinionem qui dicebant Deum videri oculis corporeis

 EPISTOLA XCIII . Augustinus Vincentii e schismate Rogatiano episcopi Cartennensis epistolam refellens, dicit visum sibi fuisse aliquando, non vi cum h

 EPISTOLA XCIV . Paulinus Augustino gratias agens pro libro vel epistola ab ipso recepta, prosequitur laudes Melaniae senioris, et unici ejus filii Pub

 EPISTOLA XCV . Augustinus superiori epistolae respondens agit de praesentis vitae statu, necnon de qualitate corporis beatorum, deque membrorum offici

 EPISTOLA XCVI . Augustinus Olympio, quem audierat provectum recens ad novam dignitatem (scilicet Magistri officiorum, quod ipsi munus post Stilichonis

 EPISTOLA XCVII . Augustinus Olympio, ut tueatur leges de confringendis idolis et haereticis corrigendis, quae vivo Stilichone missae sunt in Africam

 EPISTOLA XCVIII . Augustinus Bonifacio episcopo, respondens qui fiat ut infantibus in Baptismo prosit parentum fides, cum post Baptismum non noceat il

 EPISTOLA XCIX . Ex Romanorum calamitate susceptum animo dolore commiserationemque significat.

 EPISTOLA C . Augustinus Donato proconsuli Africae, ut Donatistas coerceat, non occidat.

 EPISTOLA CI . Augustinus Memorio episcopo libros ipsius de Musica flagitanti, sextum librum mittit, et caeteros si repererit, mittendos pollicetur ea

 SEX QUAESTIONES CONTRA PAGANOS EXPOSITAE, LIBER UNUS, SEU EPISTOLA CII .

 EPISTOLA CIII . Nectario petenti veniam tribui civibus suis rescripserat Augustinus in Epist. 97, non decere christianam benevolentiam, ut insigne ill

 EPISTOLA CIV . Ad superioris epistolae capita singula respondet Augustinus id praeter alia refellens, quod ex Stoicorum placito Nectarius induxerat,

 EPISTOLA CV . Donatistas ad unitatem exhortans, ostendit leges juste necessarioque in eos latas fuisse ab imperatoribus catholicis. Baptismi sanctitat

 EPISTOLA CVI . Augustinus Macrobio donatianae partis apud Hipponem, uti ex epistola 108 intelligitur, episcopo, agens ne subdiaconum quemdam rebaptize

 EPISTOLA CVII . Maximus et Theodorus Augustino renuntiantes quid ipsis coram responderit Macrobius ad ipsius litteras.

 EPISTOLA CVIII . Agit de non iterando Baptismo, coarguens Donatistarum hac in re contumaciam quippe qui Maximianensium baptisma ratum habuerunt. Evin

 EPISTOLA CIX. Severus, Milevitanus antistes, maximam delectationem fructumque ex Augustini lectione capere se profitetur, summis laudibus ipsum effere

 EPISTOLA CX . Augustinus Severo episcopo, blandissime expostulans et quaerens se ab ipso tantopere laudatum in superiore epistola.

 EPISTOLA CXI . Augustinus Victoriano presbytero, consolans eum ad toleranter accipienda mala quae barbari, in Italiam et Hispaniam incursionem facient

 EPISTOLA CXII . Donatum exproconsulem hortatur ut abjecto omni fastu sectetur Christum, atque ad Ecclesiae catholicae communionem suos alliciat.

 EPISTOLA CXIII . Cresconium rogat Augustinus ut suae pro Faventio petitionis adjutor sit.

 EPISTOLA CXIV . Ad Florentinum super eadem causa Faventii.

 EPISTOLA CXV . Ad Fortunatum Cirtensem episcopum, de eadem re.

 EPISTOLA CXVI . Generoso Numidiae Consulari Augustinus commendans causam Faventii.

 EPISTOLA CXVII . Dioscorus ad Augustinum mittit multas quaestiones ex libris Ciceronis, rogans ut mature ad eas respondeat.

 EPISTOLA CXVIII . Augustinus Dioscoro respondet ejusmodi quaestiones nec decore tractari ab episcopo, nec utiliter disci a christiano. Disputat de stu

 EPISTOLA CXIX . Consentius Augustino proponit quaestiones de Trinitate.

 EPISTOLA CXX . Consentio ad quaestiones de Trinitate sibi propositas.

 EPISTOLA CXXI . Paulinus Nolensis episcopus Augustino proponit quaestiones aliquot, primum de Psalmis, tum de Apostolo, et ad extremum de Evangelio.

 EPISTOLA CXXII . Augustinus clero et populo Hipponensi excusat absentiam suam, adhortans ut in sublevandis pauperibus solito sint alacriores, ob affli

 EPISTOLA CXXIII . Hieronymus Augustino quaedam per aenigma renuntians.

 EPISTOLA CXXIV . Augustinus ad Albinam, Pinianum et Melaniam ipsius desiderio venientes in Africam et Thagastae commorantes excusat se, quod illuc ad

 EPISTOLA CXXV . Cum Hipponem ad invisendum Augustinum venisset Pinianus, ibique rei sacrae interesset, subito populi tumultu ad presbyterium postulatu

 EPISTOLA CXXVI . Ejusdem argumenti cum superiore: Albinae scilicet Augustinus exponit quomodo res apud Hipponem circa Pinianum gesta fuerit, expostula

 EPISTOLA CXXVII . Augustinus Armentarium et hujus uxorem Paulinam hortatur ut mundum contemnant, et continentiae votum quo se pariter obligarunt exsol

 EPISTOLA CXXVIII . Marcellini edicto collationis apud Carthaginem habendae conditiones praescribenti consentire se profitentur episcopi catholici id

 EPISTOLA CXXIX . Catholici episcopi Notoriae Donatistarum respondent, significantes Marcellino se illis concedere quod petierant, ut universi qui vene

 EPISTOLA CXXX . Augustinus Probae viduae diviti praescribit quomodo sit orandus Deus.

 EPISTOLA CXXXI . Augustinus Probam resalutat, et gratias agit quod de salute ipsius fuerit sollicita.

 EPISTOLA CXXXII . Augustinus Volusiano, exhortans illum ut sacrarum scripturarum lectioni vacet, sibique rescribat si quid in eis difficultatis legent

 EPISTOLA CXXXIII . Augustinus Marcellino tribuno, ut Donatistas in quaestione confessos atrocia facinora, puniat citra supplicium capitis, uti congrui

 EPISTOLA CXXXIV . Augustinus Apringium proconsulem rogat ac monet ut Circumcelliones atrocia confessos mitius puniat, memor ecclesiasticae mansuetudin

 EPISTOLA CXXXV . Volusianus Augustino, proponens illi quaestiones: quomodo Deus immensus claudi potuerit utero virginis, et infantis corpusculo an mu

 EPISTOLA CXXXVI . Marcellinus Augustino, rogans ut Volusiano faciat satis, et narrans quosdam calumniari quod Deus veterem Legem prae taedio seu consi

 EPISTOLA CXXXVII . Respondet Augustinus ad singulas quaestiones superius propositas a Volusiano.

 EPISTOLA CXXXVIII . Augustinus ad Marcellinum, respondens epistolae 136, qua nimirum ille petierat ut satisfaceret Volusiano, et significarat quosdam

 EPISTOLA CXXXIX . Ut Gesta quae adversus Donatistas confecta sunt publicentur, utque rei castigentur mitius et citra mortis poenam.

 DE GRATIA NOVI TESTAMENTI LIBER, SEU EPISTOLA CXL.

 EPISTOLA CXLI . Ad populum factionis donatianae, quomodo illorum episcopi in Carthaginensi collatione convicti sint. Itaque nunc demum redeant ad Eccl

 EPISTOLA CXLII . Augustinus Saturnino et Eufrati presbyteris, aliisque clericis, gratulans de ipsorum reditu ad Ecclesiam, eosque in ejus communione c

 EPISTOLA CXLIII . Paucis respondet ad quaestionem ex divinis Libris propositam a Marcellino. Tum explicat locum taxatum ex libris suis de Libero Arbit

 EPISTOLA CXLIV . Augustinus Cirtensibus a factione Donatistarum conversis ad Ecclesiae catholicae societatem gratulatur admonens ut hoc divino tribua

 EPISTOLA CXLV . Anastasio rescribens Augustinus, docet non per legem sed per gratiam, neque timore sed charitate impleri justitiam.

 EPISTOLA CXLVI . Pelagium resalutat, et pro litteris ipsius officiosis gratiam habet.

 DE VIDENDO DEO LIBER, SEU EPISTOLA CXLVII . Docet Deum corporeis oculis videri non posse.

 EPISTOLA CXLVIII . Augustinus Fortunatiano episcopo Siccensi, ut episcopum quemdam ipsi reconciliet, quem litteris asperioribus offenderat, praesertim

 EPISTOLA CXLIX . Respondet ad quaestiones ex Psalmis, ex Apostolo, et ex Evangelio propositas a Paulino superius, in epistola centesima vicesima prima

 EPISTOLA CL . Augustinus Probae et Julianae nobilibus viduis gratulatur de filia earum Demetriade, quae virginitatis velum acceperat agens gratias pr

 EPISTOLA CLI . Caeciliano significat sui erga illum animi studium, vereremque amicitiam nihil imminutam esse: haudquaquam enim suspicari conscium ipsu

 EPISTOLA CLII . Macedonius Augustino, quaerens num ex religione sit quod episcopi apud judices intercedant pro reis.

 EPISTOLA CLIII . Quaesito respondet Augustinus multa obiter disserens de restituendis rebus quae proximo ablatae vel male partae sunt.

 EPISTOLA CLIV . Macedonius Augustino, significans se praestitisse quod ab ipso verecunde adeo petierat tum etiam ipsius libros magna cum voluptate et

 EPISTOLA CLV . Augustinus Macedonio, docens vitam beatam et virtutem veram non esse nisi a Deo.

 EPISTOLA CLVI . Hilarius Augustino, proponens illi quaestiones aliquot de quibus cupit edoceri.

 EPISTOLA CLVII . Augustinus Hilario, respondens ad illius quaestiones.

 EPISTOLA CLVIII . Evodius Uzalensis episcopus laudabiles mores ac felicem adolescentis cujusdam obitum prosecutus, ejusque et aliorum defunctorum narr

 EPISTOLA CLIX . Augustinus Evodio, respondens ad quaestiones de anima soluta corpore, et de visis prodigiosis.

 EPISTOLA CLX . Evodius Augustino, movens quaestionem de ratione et Deo.

 EPISTOLA CLXI . Evodius Augustino, de eo quod scriptum est in epistola 137, ad Volusianum, «Si ratio quaeritur, non erit mirabile, » etc., quo dicto a

 EPISTOLA CLXII . Augustinus Evodio respondet solutionem quaestionis in epistola 160 propositae petendum esse ex aliis opusculis a se editis. Confirmat

 EPISTOLA CLXIII . Evodius Augustino proponit aliquot quaestiones.

 EPISTOLA CLXIV . Augustinus Evodio, respondens ad duas quaestiones, quarum altera est de loco obscuro primae Petri, tertio capite, altera de anima Chr

 EPISTOLA CLXV . Hieronymus Marcellino et Anapsychiae, exponens diversas sententias de origine animae, hortans ut reliqua petant ab Augustino, et indic

 DE ORIGINE ANIMAE HOMINIS LIBER, SEU EPISTOLA CLXVI .

 DE SENTENTIA JACOBI LIBER, SEU EPISTOLA CLXVII .

 EPISTOLA CLXVIII . Timasius et Jacobus Augustino, gratias agentes pro scripto ipsis libro de Natura et Gratia, adversus libellum Pelagii, naturam non

 EPISTOLA CLXIX . Augustinus Evodio, respondens ad duas quaestiones, de Trinitate, et de columba in qua Spiritus sanctus demonstratus est docens diffi

 EPISTOLA CLXX . Alypius et Augustinus Maximo medico recens ab ariana haeresi ad fidem catholicam converso, hortantes ut studeat et alios eodem adducer

 EPISTOLA CLXXI Excusat formam superioris epistolae ad Maximum datae.

 EPISTOLA CLXXII . Hieronymus Augustino, laudans quidem illius duos libellos de Origine animae, ac de Sententia Jacobi sed excusans cur non responderi

 EPISTOLA CLXXIII . Augustinus Donato, villae Mutugennae in dioecesi Hipponensi presbytero donatistae, qui jussus comprehendi et adduci ad ecclesiam, c

 EPISTOLA CLXXIV . Augustinus Aurelio Carthaginensi episcopo, transmittens libros de Trinitate, absolutos demum secundum 0758 ipsius Aurelii aliorumque

 EPISTOLA CLXXV . Patres concilii Carthaginensis, Innocentio pontifici Romano, de actis adversus Pelagium et Celestium.

 EPISTOLA CLXXVI . Milevitani concilii Patres Innocentio, de cohibendis Pelagianis haereticis.

 EPISTOLA CLXXVII Aurelius aliique tres una cum Augustino episcopi, ad Innocentium de Pelagio, retegentes ipsius haeresim, eamque ab apostolica Sede pr

 EPISTOLA CLXXVIII . Augustinus Hilario, de Pelagiana haeresi duobus in Africa conciliis damnata.

 EPISTOLA CLXXIX . Augustinus Joanni episcopo Jerosolymitano, retegens Pelagii haeresim contentam in ejus libro, quem ipsi transmittit una cum libro de

 EPISTOLA CLXXX . Augustinus Oceano, rescribens paucis de animae origine, et de officioso mendacio, petensque ut mittat Hieronymi librum de Resurrectio

 EPISTOLA CLXXXI . Innocentius, Carthaginensis concilii Patribus, confirmans ipsorum doctrinam ac sententiam adversus Pelagianos.

 EPISTOLA CLXXXII . Innocentius Romanus pontifex, Patribus concilii Milevitani, comprobans illorum acta adversus Pelagianos.

 EPISTOLA CLXXXIII . Innocentii ad quinque Episcopos rescriptum, improbantis doctrinam Pelagii, eumque, nisi haeresim ejuret, damnandum esse pronuntian

 EPISTOLA CLXXXIV .

 EPISTOLA CLXXXIV BIS . Laudans Petri et Abrahae studium, Pelagianos obiter notat, probatque parvulos absque baptismo decedentes, utpote concupiscentia

 EPISTOLA CLXXXVI . Alypius et Augustinus Paulino episcopo, ipsum plenius instituentes adversus Pelagii haeresim.

 DE PRAESENTIA DEI LIBER, SEU EPISTOLA CLXXXVII .

 EPISTOLA CLXXXVIII . Augustinus et Alypius Julianae viduae matri Demetriadis virginis, ne ipsa familiave ipsius imbibat virus propinatum in libro ad D

 EPISTOLA CLXXXIX . Bonifacio in militia merenti praescribit vitae rationem ostendens obiter licere christiano pro publica pace arma tractare.

 EPISTOLA CXC . Optato demonstrat quid de animae origine certum sit, quid merito vocetur in dubium, satagendumque esse hac in quaestione ut salva sit i

 EPISTOLA CXCI . Sixto presbytero (postea pontifici Romano) qui contra Pelagianos, quibus favisse rumor fuerat, defensionem gratiae Dei suscepisset, gr

 EPISTOLA CXCII . Augustinus Coelestino diacono (postea pontifici Romano), de mutua benevolentia.

 EPISTOLA CXCIII . Augustinus Mercatori, excusans cur ad ipsius priores litteras nondum responderit, ostendensque Pelagianos in quaestione de baptismo

 EPISTOLA CXCIV . Augustinus Sixto Romano presbytero (et postea Pontifici), instruens illum adversus Pelagianorum argumenta.

 EPISTOLA CXCV . Hieronymus Augustino, gratulans illi quod haereticorum omnium meruerit odium quod quidem gaudet sibi cum illo esse commune.

 EPISTOLA CXCVI . Augustinus Asellico episcopo, docens quae sit utilitas Mosaicae legis, quam Judaeorum more observare non licet Christianis: hos enim

 EPISTOLA CXCVII . Augustinus Hesychio Salonitano episcopo, de die supremo mundi non inquirendo, deque Hebdomadibus Danielis.

 EPISTOLA CXCVIII . Hesychius Augustino, significans consideratis divinis testimoniis de saeculi fine videri sibi diem quidem et horam frustra inquiri

 EPISTOLA CXCIX . DE FINE SAECULI . Augustinus Hesychio, commonstrans quomodo sint intelligentia Scripturae loca quae varie loquuntur de fine saeculi

 EPISTOLA CC . Augustinus Valerio comiti, transmittens nuncupatum ipsi librum primum de Nuptiis et Concupiscentia.

 EPISTOLA CCI . Imperatores nova in Pelagianos eorumque fautores sanctione edita, mandant Aurelio, necnon Augustino per ejusdem tenoris litteras seorsu

 EPISTOLA CCII . Hieronymus Alypio et Augustino gratulatur, quorum opera Celestiana haeresis exstincta sit et excusat cur nondum refellerit libros Ann

 EPISTOLA CCII BIS . Optato significat suae de animae origine consultationi abs Hieronymo non fuisse responsum, neque se hactenus quidquam de hac quaes

 EPISTOLA CCIII . Augustinus Largo, ut bona saeculi hujus vana expertus contemnat, utque ex perpessione malorum melior evadat.

 EPISTOLA CCIV . Augustinus Dulcitio tribuno et notario, imperialiumque jussionum adversus Donatistas datarum exsecutori, ex lib. 2 Retract., c. 59, si

 EPISTOLA CCV . Augustinus Consentio, respondens ad illius percontationes de corpore Christi quale nunc sit, necnon de nostris corporibus qualia futura

 EPISTOLA CCVI . Valerio comiti Felicem episcopum commendat.

 EPISTOLA CCVII . Augustinus Claudio episcopo, transmittens ipsi libros contra Julianum elaboratos.

 EPISTOLA CCVIII . Augustinus Feliciae virgini, quae malam quorumdam Ecclesiae pastorum vitam iniquiori animo ferebat (an Antonii Fussalensis de quo in

 EPISTOLA CCIX . Augustinus Coelestino Romano Pontifici, de ipsius electione pacifice facta (quae ad finem anni 422 referri potest) gratulatur: tum exp

 EPISTOLA CCX . Augustinus Felicitati et Rustico, de malis tolerandis et de fraterna correptione forte occasione tumultus in sanctimonialium conventu

 EPISTOLA CCXI . Augustinus monachas quae dum student mutare praepositam, indecenter fuerant tumultuatae, revocat ad concordiam, et praescribit illis v

 EPISTOLA CCXII . Augustinus Quintiliano, commendat matrem viduam cum filia virgine, quae deferebant reliquias Stephani martyris.

 ACTA ECCLESIASTICA SEU EPISTOLA CCXIII . Ecclesiastica Gesta a B. Augustino confecta in designando ERACLIO qui ipsi in episcopatu succederet, atque in

 EPISTOLA CCXIV . Augustinus Valentino Abbati et Monachis Adrumetinis, oborta inter eos dissensione de libero arbitrio et justitia Dei, ex prava interp

 EPISTOLA CCXV . Augustinus Valentine ejusque monachis, de eodem argumento, simul transmittens ipsis librum de Gratia et Libero Arbitrio.

 EPISTOLA CCXVI. . Valentinus Augustino, renuntians quae exstiterit causa dissidii, quive auctores tumultus in suo coenobio tum declarans fidem suam d

 EPISTOLA CCXVII . Augustinus Vitali Carthaginensi, delato quod doceret initium fidei non esse donum Dei, reclamat fortiter, ipsumque ex precibus Eccle

 EPISTOLA CCXVIII . Palatinum adhortatur ut in christiana sapientia proficiat ac perseveret, id summopere cavens ne spem bene vivendi collocet in propr

 EPISTOLA CCXIX . Augustinus aliique Africani patres, Gallicanis episcopis Proculo et Cylinnio qui Leporium monachum in fide incarnationis Verbi errant

 EPISTOLA CCXX . Augustinus Bonifacio comiti, qui concepto prius voto monachismi, post, ex ipsius consilio, suscepit comitis potestatem at praeter ips

 EPISTOLA CCXXI . Quodvultdeus Augustino, flagitans ut haereseon omnium quae adversus christianam fidem pullularunt, catalogum scribat, earumque errore

 EPISTOLA CCXXII . Augustinus Quodvultdeo, excusans propositi operis difficultatem, remque ab aliis tentatam esse admonens.

 EPISTOLA CCXXIII . Augustino Quodvultdeus, rursum efflagitans ut scribat opusculum de haeresibus.

 EPISTOLA CCXXIV . Augustinus Quodvultdeo, spondens se de haeresibus scripturum, dum per alias occupationes licebit. Nunc enim ab Alypio se urgeri dici

 EPISTOLA CCXXV . Prosper Augustino, de reliquiis pelagianae haereseos in Gallia sub catholico nomine clam succrescentibus certiorem ipsum faciens, ac

 EPISTOLA CCXXVI . Hilarius Augustino, de eodem argumento.

 EPISTOLA CCXXVII . Augustinus Alypio seni, de Gabiniano recens baptizato, et de Dioscoro miraculis converso ad Christianismum.

 EPISTOLA CCXXVIII . Augustinus Honorato, docens quandonam episcopo sive clericis fugere liceat, imminente obsidionis aut excidii periculo.

 EPISTOLA CCXXIX . Augustinus Dario comiti, qui pacis conferendae causa missus sit, gratulatur, et provocat ad rescribendum.

 EPISTOLA CCXXX . Darius Augustino, pro litteris ab eo acceptis gratiam referens, et petens mitti sibi libros Confessionum, seque ipsius apud Deum prec

 EPISTOLA CCXXXI . Augustinus Dario, declarans se ipsius litteris summopere delectatum, et quare ubi multa obiter de humanae laudis amore dicit: mitti

 EPISTOLA CCXXXII . Madaurenses idololatras ad veram religionem hortatur, terrorem incutiens denuntiatione judicii extremi, quod venturum esse persuade

 EPISTOLA CCXXXIII . Augustinus Longiniano pagano philosopho, provocans illum ad scribendum quonam modo Deum colendum credat, quidve de Christo sentiat

 EPISTOLA CCXXXIV . Longinianus Augustino, ad id respondens juxta Trimegistum et Platonicos, per minores deos perveniri ad summum Deum, sed non sine sa

 EPISTOLA CCXXXV . Augustinus Longiniano, explanari quaerens cur putari opus sacrificiis purificatoriis ei qui jam divinis virtutibus sit circumvallatu

 EPISTOLA CCXXXVI . Augustinus Deuterio episcopo, significat se Victorinum hypodiaconum qui clam docuerat haeresim Manichaeorum, deprehensum e clericor

 EPISTOLA CCXXXVII . Augustinus Ceretio, de Priscillianistarum fraude in Scripturis, cum sacris, tum apocryphis exponendis deque hymno quem a Christo

 EPISTOLA CCXXXVIII . Augustinus Pascentio, domus regiae comiti ariano, qui ipsum ad colloquium apud Carthaginem provocarat (ex Possidio, c. 17), et in

 EPISTOLA CCXXXIX . Augustinus Pascentio, de eadem re urgens ut explanet fidem suam.

 EPISTOLA CCXL . Pascentius Augustinum contumeliose compellat, urgens ut proferat qui se tribus personis sit unus Deus, ad conflictum sub arbitris prov

 EPISTOLA CCXLI . Augustinus Deum unum profitetur, triformem negat, conflictum non detrectat, si excipiantur quae dicuntur.

 EPISTOLA CCXLII . Augustinus Elpidio ariano, probans Filium Dei esse Deo aequalem, genitumque ex ipso, non factum spondens etiam se ariani cujusdam l

 EPISTOLA CCXLIII . Augustinus Laeto, qui perfectum mundi contemptum aggressus, videbatur sollicitari per satanam ad repetenda quae reliquerat. Hunc an

 EPISTOLA CCXLIV . Augustinus Chrisimo, consolans ne deficiat in adversis.

 EPISTOLA CCXLV . Augustinus Possidio, de cultu, fucis et inauribus, et de non ordinando quodam in parte Donati baptizato.

 EPISTOLA CCXLVI . Augustinus Lampadio, ostendens fatum in peccatis perperam excusari, quippe cujus vel ipsi mathematici nullam rationem habeant in sub

 EPISTOLA CCXLVII . Augustinus Romulum potentem hominem, quem in Christo genuerat, obsecrat ne nimium acerbus et injustus exactor sit tributorum admini

 EPISTOLA CCXLVIII . Augustinus Sebastiano, de pia tristitia quam boni ferunt ex impietate malorum. Huic epistolae subscripsit Alypius.

 EPISTOLA CCXLIX . Augustinus Restituto, quatenus mali tolerandi in Ecclesia.

 EPISTOLA CCL . Augustinus senex Auxilio episcopo juveni, ut aut anathematis sententiam rescindat, aut doceat quibus adductus causis putet ob unius pec

 EPISTOLA CCLI . Augustinus Pancario, de Secundino presbytero criminum quorumdam insimulato: contra quem accusationes haereticorum admittere non vult,

 EPISTOLA CCLII . Augustinus Felici, de pupilla quadam Ecclesiae tutelae commissa.

 EPISTOLA CCLIII . Augustinus ad Benenatum, de eadem puella (ut videtur) in matrimonium non tradenda nisi viro catholico.

 EPISTOLA CCLIV . Augustinus ad eumdem Benenatum, pronubum agentem Rustici filio.

 EPISTOLA CCLV . Augustinus ad Rusticum, de puella in connubium ejus filio petita.

 EPISTOLA CCLVI . Officiose Augustinus ad Christinum scribit.

 EPISTOLA CCLVII . Augustinus Orontio, resalutans illum.

 EPISTOLA CCLVIII . Augustinus Martiano veteri amico, gratulatur quod catechumenus sit factus, hortans illum ut fidelium Sacramenta percipiat.

 EPISTOLA CCLIX . Augustinus Cornelio scortis dedito, admonens illum ut Cyprianae uxoris defunctae pudicitiam imitetur, si velit illius impetrare laude

 EPISTOLA CCLX . Audax Augustino, flagitans mitti sibi prolixiorem epistolam.

 EPISTOLA CCLXI . Augustinus Audaci excusat occupationes suas, admonens ut vel intendat evolvendis ipsius libris, vel praesens audiat ipsum loquentem.

 EPISTOLA CCLXII . Augustinus Ecdiciae, quae nesciente viro suo, bona sua in eleemosynam distribuerat, et vidualem habitum induerat, correctionem adhib

 EPISTOLA CCLXIII . Augustinus Sapidae virgini, renuntiat se accepisse tunicam ipsius manibus contextam fratri, quem ipsa mortuum lugebat jamque eam,

 EPISTOLA CCLXIV Consolatur Maximam piam feminam, quae aegre admodum et perturbato aliquantum animo videbat noxiis erroribus periclitari provinciam sua

 EPISTOLA CCLXV . Augustinus Seleucianae, de baptismo et poenitentia Petri, contra quemdam novatianum.

 EPISTOLA CCLXVI . Augustinus Florentinae puellae studiosae, offerens suam docendi operam, si proferat quid velit exponi.

 EPISTOLA CCLXVII . Augustinus Fabiolae peregrinationem suam in hac vita moleste ferenti, de praesentia animorum nexu amicitiae vinctorum.

 EPISTOLA CCLXVIII . Fascius quidam aere alieno obrutus ad ecclesiam confugerat cujus creditoribus, mutua accepta pecunia, Augustinus satisfecit: eam

 EPISTOLA CCLXIX . Augustinus Nobilio episcopo, significans ad dedicationem novae fabricae se venire non posse.

 EPISTOLA CCLXX . Augustino Anonymus (non enim Hieronymus, uti ex stilo liquet, tametsi in ipsius Epistolis haec edita sit numero 40), significans se m

Letter XXIII.

(a.d. 392.)

To Maximin, My Well-Beloved Lord and Brother, Worthy of Honour, Augustin, Presbyter of the Catholic Church, Sends Greeting in the Lord.

1. Before entering on the subject on which I have resolved to write to your Grace, I shall briefly state my reasons for the terms used in the title of this letter, lest these should surprise either yourself or any other person. I have written “to my lord,” because it is written: “Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”57    Gal. v. 13. Seeing, therefore, that in this duty of writing to you I am actually by love serving you, I do only what is reasonable in calling you “my lord,” for the sake of that one true Lord who gave us this command. Again, as to my having written “well-beloved,” God knoweth that I not only love you, but love you as I love myself; for I am well aware that I desire for you the very blessings which I am fain to make my own. As to my adding the words “worthy of honour,” I did not mean, by adding this, to say that I honour your episcopal office, for to me you are not a bishop; and this I trust you will take as spoken with no intention to give offence, but from the conviction that in our mouth Yea should be Yea, and Nay, Nay: for neither you nor any one who knows us can fail to know that you are not my bishop, and, I am not your presbyter. “Worthy of honour” I therefore willingly call you on this ground, that I know you to be a man; and I know that man was made in the image and likeness of God, and is placed in honour by the very order and law of nature, if by understanding the things which he ought to understand he retain his honour. For it is written, “Man being placed in honour did not understand: he is compared to the brutes devoid of reason, and is made like unto them.”58    Ps. xlix. 12, version of the LXX. Why then may I not address you as worthy of honour, inasmuch as you are a man, especially since I dare not despair of your repentance and salvation so long as you are in this life? Moreover, as to my calling you “brother,” you are well acquainted with the precept divinely given to us, according to which we are to say, “Ye are our brethren,” even to those who deny that they are our brethren; and this has much to do with the reason which has made me resolve to write to you, my brother. Now that the reason for my making such an introduction to my letter has been given, I bespeak your calm attention to what follows.

2. When I was in your district, and was with all my power expressing my abhorrence of the sad and deplorable custom followed by men who, though they boast of the name of Christians, do not hesitate to rebaptize Christians, there were not wanting some who said in praise of you, that you do not conform to this custom. I confess that at first I did not believe them; but afterwards, considering that it was possible for the fear of God to take possession of a human soul exercised in meditation upon the life to come, in such a way as to restrain a man from most manifest wickedness, I believed their statement, rejoicing that by holding such a resolution you showed yourself averse to complete alienation from the Catholic Church. I was even on the outlook for an opportunity of conversing with you, in order that, if it were possible, the small difference which still remained between us might be taken away, when, behold, a few days ago it was reported to me that you had rebaptized a deacon of ours belonging to Mutugenna! I was deeply grieved both for his melancholy fall and for your sin, my brother, which surprised and disappointed me. For I know what the Catholic Church is. The nations are Christ’s inheritance, and the ends of the earth are His possession. You also know what the Catholic Church is; or if you do not know it, apply your attention to discern it, for it may be very easily known by those who are willing to be taught. Therefore, to rebaptize even a heretic who has received in baptism the seal of holiness which the practice59    Disciplina. of the Christian Church has transmitted to us, is unquestionably a sin; but to rebaptize a Catholic is one of the worst of crimes. As I did not, however, believe the report, because I still retained my favourable impression of you, I went in person to Mutugenna. The miserable man himself I did not succeed in finding, but I learned from his parents that he had been made one of your deacons. Nevertheless I still think so favourably of you, that I will not believe that he has been rebaptized.

3. Wherefore, my beloved brother, I beseech you, by the divine and human natures of our Lord Jesus Christ, have the kindness to reply to this letter, telling me what has been done, and so to write as knowing that I intend to read your letter aloud to our brethren in the church. This I have written, lest, by afterwards doing that which you did not expect me to do, I should give offence to your Charity, and give you occasion for making a just complaint against me to our common friends. What can reasonably prevent you from answering this letter I do not see. For if you do rebaptize, you have nothing to apprehend from your colleagues when you write that you are doing that which they would command you to do even if you were unwilling; and if you, moreover, defend this by the best arguments known to you, as a thing which ought to be done, your colleagues, so far from being displeased on this account, will praise you. But if you do not rebaptize, hold fast your Christian liberty, my brother Maximin; hold it fast, I implore you: fixing your eye on Christ, fear not the censure, tremble not before the power of any man. Fleeting is the honour of this world, and fleeting are all the objects to which earthly ambition aspires. Neither thrones ascended by flights of steps,60    Absidæ gradatæ. nor canopied pulpits,61    Cathedræ velatæ. nor processions and chantings of crowds of consecrated virgins, shall be admitted as available for the defence of those who have now these honours, when at the judgment-seat of Christ conscience shall begin to lift its accusing voice, and He who is the Judge of the consciences of men shall pronounce the final sentence. What is here esteemed an honour shall then be a burden: what uplifts men here, shall weigh heavily on them in that day. Those things which meanwhile are done for the Church’s welfare as tokens of respect to us, shall then be vindicated, it may be, by a conscience void of offence; but they will avail nothing as a screen for a guilty conscience.

4. If, then, it be indeed the case that, under the promptings of a devout and pious mind, you abstain from dispensing a second baptism, and rather accept the baptism of the Catholic Church as the act of the one true Mother, who to all nations both offers a welcome to her bosom, that they may be regenerated, and gives a mother’s nourishment to them when they are regenerated, and as the token of admission into Christ’s one possession, which reaches to the ends of the earth; if, I say, you indeed do this, why do you not break forth into a joyful and independent confession of your sentiments? Why do you hide under a bushel the lamp which might so profitably shine? Why do you not rend and cast from you the old sordid livery of your craven-hearted bondage, and go forth clad in the panoply of Christian boldness, saying, “I know but one baptism consecrated and sealed with the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost: this sacrament, wherever I find it, I am bound to acknowledge and approve; I do not destroy what I discern to be my Lord’s; I do not treat with dishonour the banner of my King”? Even the men who parted the raiment of Christ among them did not rudely rend in pieces the seamless robe;62    John xix. 24. and they were men who had not then any faith in Christ’s resurrection; nay, they were witnessing His death. If, then, persecutors forbore from rending the vesture of Christ when He was hanging upon the cross, why should Christians destroy the sacrament of His institution now when He is sitting in heaven upon His throne? Had I been a Jew in the time of that ancient people, when there was nothing better that I could be, I would undoubtedly have received circumcision. That “seal of the righteousness which is by faith” was of so great importance in that dispensation before it was abrogated63    Evacuaretur. by the Lord’s coming, that the angel would have strangled the infant-child of Moses, had not the child’s mother, seizing a stone, circumcised the child, and by this sacrament averted impending death.64    Ex. iv. 24, 25. Augustin believes that the angel sought to slay, not Moses, but the child, for which he gives reasons in his Quæstiones in Exodum. See Rosenmüller, Scholia. This sacrament also arrested the waters of the Jordan, and made them flow back towards their source. This sacrament the Lord Himself received in infancy, although He abrogated it when He was crucified. For these signs of spiritual blessings were not condemned, but gave place to others which were more suitable to the later dispensation. For as circumcision was abolished by the first coming of the Lord, so baptism shall be abolished by His second coming. For as now, since the liberty of faith has come, and the yoke of bondage has been removed, no Christian receives circumcision in the flesh; so then, when the just are reigning with the Lord, and the wicked have been condemned, no one shall be baptized, but the reality which both ordinances prefigure—namely, circumcision of the heart and cleansing of the conscience—shall be eternally abiding. If, therefore, I had been a Jew in the time of the former dispensation, and there had come to me a Samaritan who was willing to become a Jew, abandoning the error which the Lord Himself condemned when He said, “Ye worship ye know not what; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews;”65    John iv. 22.—if, I say, a Samaritan whom Samaritans had circumcised had expressed his willingness to become a Jew, there would have been no scope for the boldness which would have insisted on the repetition of the rite; and instead of this, we would have been compelled to approve of that which God had commanded, although it had been done by heretics. But if, in the flesh of a circumcised man, I could not find place for the repetition of the circumcision, because there is but one member which is circumcised, much less is place found in the one heart of man for the repetition of the baptism of Christ. Ye, therefore, who wish to baptize twice, must seek as subjects of such double baptism men who have double hearts.

5. Publish frankly, therefore, that you are doing what is right, if it be the case that you do not rebaptize; and write me to that effect, not only without fear, but with joy. Let no Councils of your party deter you, my brother, from this step: for if this displease them, they are not worthy to have you among them; but if it please them, we trust that there shall soon be peace between you and us, through the mercy of our Lord, who never forsakes those who fear to displease Him, and who labour to do what is acceptable in His sight; and let not our honours—a dangerous burden, of which an account must yet be given—be a hindrance, making it unhappily impossible for our people who believe in Christ, and who share with one another in daily bread at home, to sit down at the same table of Christ. Do we not grievously lament that husband and wife do in most cases, when marriage makes them one flesh, vow mutual fidelity in the name of Christ, and yet rend asunder Christ’s own body by belonging to separate communions? If, by your moderate measures and wisdom, and by your exercise of that love which we all owe to Him who shed His blood for us, this schism, which is such a grievous scandal, causing Satan to triumph and many souls to perish, be taken out of the way in these parts, who can adequately express how illustrious is the reward which the Lord prepares for you, in that from you should proceed an example which, if imitated, as it may so easily be, would bring health to all His other members, which throughout the whole of Africa are lying now miserably exhausted? How much I fear lest, since you cannot see my heart, I appear to you to speak rather in irony than in the sincerity of love! But what more can I do than present my words before your eye, and my heart before God?

6. Let us put away from between us those vain objections which are wont to be thrown at each other by the ignorant on either side. Do not on your part cast up to me the persecutions of Macarius. I, on mine, will not reproach you with the excesses of the Circumcelliones. If you are not to blame for the latter, neither am I for the former; they pertain not to us. The Lord’s floor is not yet purged—it cannot be without chaff; be it ours to pray, and to do what in us lies that we may be good grain. I could not pass over in silence the rebaptizing of our deacon; for I know how much harm my silence might do to myself. For I do not propose to spend my time in the empty enjoyment of ecclesiastical dignity; but I propose to act as mindful of this, that to the one Chief Shepherd I must give account of the sheep committed unto me. If you would rather that I should not thus write to you, you must, my brother, excuse me on the ground of my fears; for I do fear greatly, lest, if I were silent and concealed my sentiments, others might be rebaptized by you. I have resolved, therefore, with such strength and opportunity as the Lord may grant, so to manage this discussion, that by our peaceful conferences, all who belong to our communion may know how far apart from heresy and schism is the position of the Catholic Church, and with what care they should guard against the destruction which awaits the tares and the branches cut off from the Lord’s vine. If you willingly accede to such conference with me, by consenting to the public reading of the letters of both, I shall unspeakably rejoice. If this proposal is displeasing to you, what can I do, my brother, but read our letters, even without your consent, to the Catholic congregation, with a view to its instruction? But if you do not condescend to write me a reply, I am resolved at least to read my own letter, that, when your misgivings as to your procedure are known, others may be ashamed to be rebaptized.

7. I shall not, however, do this in the presence of the soldiery, lest any of you should think that I wish to act in a violent way, rather than as the interests of peace demand; but only after their departure, that all who hear me may understand, that I do not propose to compel men to embrace the communion of any party, but desire the truth to be made known to persons who, in their search for it, are free from disquieting apprehensions. On our side there shall be no appeal to men’s fear of the civil power; on your side, let there be no intimidation by a mob of Circumcelliones. Let us attend to the real matter in debate, and let our arguments appeal to reason and to the authoritative teaching of the Divine Scriptures, dispassionately and calmly, so far as we are able; let us ask, seek, and knock, that we may receive and find, and that to us the door may be opened, and thereby may be achieved, by God’s blessing on our united efforts and prayers, the first towards the entire removal from our district of that impiety which is such a disgrace to Africa. If you do not believe that I am willing to postpone the discussion until after the soldiery have left, you may delay your answer until they have gone; and if, while they are still here, I should wish to read my own letter to the people, the production of the letter will of itself convict me of breaking my word. May the Lord in His mercy prevent me from acting in a way so contrary to morality, and to the good resolutions with which, by laying His yoke on me, He has been pleased to inspire me!

8. My bishop would perhaps have preferred to send a letter himself to your Grace, if he had been here; or my letter would have been written, if not by his order, at least with his sanction. But in his absence, seeing that the rebaptizing of this deacon is said to have occurred recently, I have not by delay allowed the feelings caused by the action to cool down, being moved by the promptings of the keenest anguish on account of what I regard as really the death of a brother. This my grief the compensating joy of reconciliation between us and you may perhaps be appointed to heal, through the help of the mercy and providence of our Lord. May the Lord our God grant thee a calm and conciliatory spirit, my dearly beloved lord and brother!

EPISTOLA XXIII . Augustinus Maximino episcopo donatistae, qui diaconum catholicum rebaptizasse dicebatur, ut aut fateatur factum, aut profiteatur se orthodoxum, invitans illum vel ad colloquium, vel ad rescribendum, ut concordia Ecclesiae sarciatur.

Domino dilectissimo et honorabili fratri MAXIMINO , AUGUSTINUS presbyter Ecclesiae catholicae, in Domino salutem.

1. Priusquam ad rem veniam de qua tuae Benevolentiae scribere volui, tituli hujus epistolae, ne vel te, vel alium quempiam moveat, rationem breviter reddam. Domino, scripsi, quia scriptum est: Vos in libertatem vocati estis, fratres, tantum ne libertatem in occasionem carnis detis, sed per charitatem servite invicem (Gal. V, 13). Cum ergo vel hoc ipso officio litterarum per charitatem tibi serviam, non absurde te dominum voco propter unum et verum Dominum nostrum qui nobis ista praecepit. Dilectissimo autem quod scripsi, novit Deus quod non solum te diligam, sed ita diligam ut meipsum; quandoquidem bene mihi sum conscius bona me tibi optare quae mihi. Honorabili vero quod addidi, non ad hoc addidi, ut honorarem episcopatum tuum; mihi enim episcopus non es, neque hoc cum contumelia dictum acceperis; sed ex animo quo in ore 0095 nostro debet esse, Est, est, Non, non. Neque enim ignoras, aut quisquam hominum qui nos novit ignorat, neque te esse episcopum meum, neque me presbyterum tuum. Honorabilem igitur ex ea regula te libenter appello, qua novi te esse hominem, et novi hominem ad imaginem Dei et similitudinem factum, et in honore positum ipso ordine et jure naturae, si tamen intelligendo quae intelligenda sunt, servet honorem suum. Nam ita scriptum est: Homo in honore positus non intellexit; comparatus est jumentis insensatis, et similis factus est illis (Psal. XLVIII, 21). Cur ergo te honorabilem in quantum homo es non appellem, cum praesertim de tua salute atque correctione, quandiu in hac vita es, desperare non audeam? Fratrem vero ut vocem, non te latet praeceptum nobis esse divinitus, ut etiam eis qui negant se fratres nostros esse, dicamus, Fratres nostri estis; et hoc vehementer valet ad causam, propter quam scribere volui Fraternitati tuae. Jam enim reddita ratione cur epistolae talem januam fecerim, audi placidissime quae sequuntur.

2. Ego cum in ista regione consuetudinem hominum lugendam atque plangendam, qui cum christiano nomine glorientur, Christianos rebaptizare non dubitant, quibus verbis poteram detestarer non defuerunt laudatores tui, qui mihi dicerent te ista non facere. Fateor, primo non credidi. Deinde considerans posse fieri ut animam humanam de futura vita cogitantem Dei timor invaderet, ut se ab scelere apertissimo temperaret, gratulatus credidi, quod tali proposito ab Ecclesia catholica nolueris esse nimis alienus. Quaerebam sane occasionem loquendi tecum, ut si fieri posset, ea quae parva remanserat inter nos dissensio tolleretur; cum ecce ante paucos dies diaconum nostrum Mutugennensem te rebaptizasse nuntiatum est. Dolui vehementer, et illius miserabilem lapsum, et tuum, frater, inopinatum scelus. Novi enim quae sit Ecclesia catholica. Gentes sunt haereditas Christi, et possessio Christi termini terrae. Nostis et vos, aut si non nostis, advertite; facillime a volentibus sciri potest. Rebaptizare igitur haereticum hominem, qui haec sanctitatis signa perceperit quae christiana tradidit disciplina, omnino peccatum est: rebaptizare autem catholicum, immanissimum scelus est. Tamen non adeo credens, quia de te mihi bene persuasum tenebam, Mutugennam ipse perrexi; et eum quidem miserum videre non potui, a parentibus vero ejus audivi quod vester jam etiam diaconus factus sit. Et tamen tam bene adhuc de tuo corde sentio, ut eum rebaptizatum esse non credam.

3. Quare te, frater dilectissime, per divinitatem et humanitatem Domini nostri Jesu Christi obsecro, ut rescribere mihi digneris quid gestum sit, et sic rescribere, ut noveris me in Ecclesia fratribus nostris epistolam tuam velle recitare. Quod ideo scripsi, ne cum id postea facerem quod me non sperares esse facturum, offenderem Charitatem tuam, et justam de me apud communes amicos querelam deponeres. Quid ergo te impediat ad rescribendum, non video. Si enim rebaptizas, nihil est quod homines de tuo 0096 collegio formides, cum id te rescripseris facere quod te illi facere etiamsi nolles juberent. Cum autem id quantis potueris documentis faciendum esse defenderis, non solum non succensebunt, sed etiam praedicabunt. Si autem non rebaptizas, arripe libertatem christianam, frater Maximine, arripe, quaeso te; non cujusquam hominis, in contemplatione Christi, aut reprehensionem verearis, aut exhorreas potestatem. Transit honor hujus saeculi, transit ambitio. In futuro Christi judicio, nec absidae gradatae, nec cathedrae velatae, nec sanctimonialium occursantium atque cantantium greges adhibebuntur ad defensionem, ubi coeperint accusare conscientiae, et conscientiarum arbiter judicare. Quae hic honorant, ibi onerant; quae hic relevant, ibi gravant. Ista quae pro tempore propter Ecclesiae utilitatem honori nostro exhibentur, defendentur forte bona conscientia; defendere autem non poterunt malam.

4. Quod ergo tam pio et tam religioso animo facis, si tamen facis, ut Ecclesiae catholicae baptismum non iteres, sed approbes potius tanquam unius verissimae matris, quae omnibus gentibus, et regenerandis praebet sinum, et regeneratis ubera infundit, tanquam unius possessionis Christi, sese usque ad terrae terminos porrigentis; si hoc vere facis, cur non erumpis in exsultantem et liberam vocem? cur lucernae tuae tam utilem splendorem premis sub modio? Cur non discissis atque abjectis veteribus pellibus timidae servitutis, christiana potius indutus fiducia exis et dicis: Ego unum baptismum novi, Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti nomine consecratum atque signatum? hanc formam ubi invenio necesse est ut approbem; non destruo quod dominicum agnosco, non exsufflo vexillum regis mei. Vestem Christi et qui diviserunt, non violaverunt (Joan. XIX, 24); et illi adhuc Christum non resurrecturum crediderant, sed morientem videbant. Si a persecutoribus vestis non conscissa est pendentis in cruce, cur a Christianis destruitur sacramentum sedentis in coelo? Si veteris populi temporibus Judaeus essem, quando aliud esse melius non possem, accepissem utique circumcisionem. Quod signaculum justitiae fidei tantum illo tempore valuit, antequam Domini evacuaretur adventu, ut infantem filium Moysi Angelus praefocasset, nisi mater arrepto calculo circumcidisset puerum, et hoc sacramento imminentem perniciem depulisset (Exod. IV, 24, 25). Hoc sacramentum etiam Jordanem fluvium refrenavit, et reduxit in fontem. Hoc sacramentum ipse Dominus, quamvis evacuaverit crucifixus, tamen natus accepit. Non enim signacula illa damnata sunt, sed succedentibus opportunioribus decesserunt. Nam sicut circumcisionem abstulit Domini primus adventus, sic Baptismum auferet secundus adventus. Sicut enim nunc posteaquam venit libertas fidei, et remotum est servitutis jugum, nullus christianus circumciditur carne; sic tunc regnantibus justis cum Domino, damnatisque impiis, nemo baptizabitur, sed illud quod ista praefigurant, id est circumcisio cordis, et munditia conscientiae manebit in aeternum. Si ergo 0097 illo tempore Judaeus essem, et veniret ad me Samaritanus, velletque, illo errore derelicto quem etiam Dominus improbavit dicens, Vos adoratis quod nescitis; nos adoramus quod scimus, quoniam salus ex Judaeis est (Joan. IV, 22): vellet ergo Samaritanus, quem Samaritani circumciderant, fieri Judaeus, vacaret certe iterationis audacia, et id quod apud haeresim factum erat, quod praeceperat Deus, non repetere sed approbare cogeremur. Quod si in carne circumcisi hominis non invenirem locum ubi circumcisionem repeterem, quia unum est illud membrum; multo minus invenitur locus in uno corde, ubi baptismus Christi repetatur. Ideo qui duplicare Baptismum vultis, necesse est omnino ut corda duplicia requiratis.

5. Clama ergo recte te facere, si non rebaptizas; et non solum sine trepidatione, sed etiam cum gaudio mihi inde rescribe. Nulla te tuorum concilia, frater, exterreant. Si enim hoc eis displicuerit, non sunt digni qui te habeant; si autem placuerit, credimus de misericordia Domini, qui timentes sibi displicere, et conantes placere nunquam deserit, quod inter vos et nos cito pax erit: ne propter honores nostros, de qua sarcina periculosa ratio reddetur, miserae plebes credentes in Christum habeant in domibus suis communes cibos, et mensam Christi communem habere non possint. Nonne ingemiscimus quod vir et uxor, ut fideliter conjungant corpora sua, jurant sibi plerumque per Christum, et ipsius corpus Christi diversa communione dilaniant? Hoc tantum scandalum, tantus diaboli triumphus, tanta pernicies animarum, si per tuam modestiam, et prudentiam, et dilectionem quam debemus ei qui pro nobis suum sanguinem fudit, ablata de medio in his regionibus fuerit; quis explicet verbis quam tibi palmam praeparet Dominus, ut ad caetera membra sananda, quae per totam Africam tabefacta miserabiliter jacent, a te proficiscatur tam imitabile medicinae documentum? Quam vereor, quoniam cor meum videre non potes, ne tibi cum insultatione potius quam cum dilectione loqui videar! Sed certe amplius quid faciam non invenio, nisi ut inspiciendum sermonem meum tibi offeram, animum Deo.

6. Tollamus de medio inania objecta, quae a partibus imperitis jactari contra invicem solent; nec tu objicias tempora Macariana, nec ego saevitiam Circumcellionum: si hoc ad te non pertinet, nec illud ad me. Area dominica nondum ventilata est; sine paleis esse non potest. Nos oremus, atque agamus quantum possumus, ut frumentum simus. Ego de rebaptizato diacono nostro silere non possum: scio enim quam mihi silentium perniciosum sit. Non enim cogito in ecclesiasticis honoribus tempora ventosa transigere, sed cogito me principi pastorum omnium rationem de commissis ovibus redditurum. Si forte nolles ut haec tibi scriberem, oportet te, frater, ignoscere timori meo. Multum enim timeo ne me tacente et dissimulante, alii quoque rebaptizentur a vobis. Decrevi ergo, quantum vires et facultatem Dominus 0098 praebere dignatur, causam istam sic agere, ut pacincis collationibus nostris omnes qui nobis communicant, noverint ab haeresibus aut schismatibus quantum catholica distet Ecclesia, et quantum sit cavenda pernicies vel zizaniorum vel praecisorum de vite Domini sarmentorum. Quam collationem mecum si libenti animo susceperis, ut concordibus nobis amborum litterae populis recitentur, ineffabili exsultabo laetitia. Si autem id aequo animo non accipis, quid faciam, frater, nisi ut te quoque invito epistolas nostras populo catholico legam, quo esse possit instructior? Quod si rescribere dignatus non fueris, vel meas legere decrevi, ut saltem diffidentia vestra cognita rebaptizari erubescant.

7. Neque id agam cum miles praesens est, ne quis vestrum arbitretur tumultuosius me agere voluisse, quam ratio pacis desiderat; sed post abscessum militis, ut omnes qui nos audiunt intelligant non hoc esse propositi mei ut inviti homines ad cujusquam communionem cogantur, sed ut quietissime quaerentibus veritas innotescat. Cessabit a nostris partibus terror temporalium potestatum: cesset etiam a vestris partibus terror congregatorum Circumcellionum. Re agamus, ratione agamus, divinarum Scripturarum auctoritatibus agamus, quieti atque tranquilli quantum possumus petamus, quaeramus, pulsemus, ut accipiamus et inveniamus, et aperiatur nobis, ne forte fieri possit, ut adjuvante Domino concordes conatus et orationes nostras, tanta deformitas atque impietas Africanarum regionum de nostris terris incipiat aboleri. Si non credis post discessum militum me velle agere, post discessum militum tu rescribe. Si enim ego praesente milite litteras meas legere populo voluero, prolata epistola mea demonstrabit me fidei violatorem. Quod misericordia Domini avertat a moribus atque instituto meo, quod mihi per jugum suum inspirare dignatus est.

8. Episcopus meus Benevolentiae tuae fortasse potius litteras misisset, si esset praesens, aut ego illo vel jubente vel permittente scripsissem. Sed illo absente cum diaconi rebaptizatio recens esse dicitur, frigescere actionem ipsam dilatione non passus sum, de fraterna et vera morte acerbissimi doloris aculeis excitatus. Quem dolorem meum adjuvante misericordia et providentia Domini, pacis fortasse compensatio lenitura est. Deus et Dominus noster tibi mentem pacatam inspirare dignetur, domine dilectissime frater.