Augustin: Letters 470

470 983 Anicia Faltonia Proba, the widow of Sextus Petronius Probus, belonged to a Roman family of great wealth and noble lineage. Three of her sons held the consulship, two of them together in 395 A.D., and the third in 406 A.D. When Rome was taken by Alaric m 410, Proba and her family were in the city, and narrowly escaped from violence during the six days in which the Goths pillaged the city, About this time one of the sons of Proba died, and very soon after this sad event she resolved to quit Rome, as the return of Alaric was daily apprehended. Having realized her ample fortune, she sailed to Africa, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Juliana (the widow of Anicus Hermogenianus Olybrius), and the daughter of Juliana Demetrias, the well known religieuse, whose taking of the veil in 413 produced so profound an impression throughout the ecclesiastical world. A considerable retinue of widows and younger women, seeking protection under her escort, accompanied the distinguished refugee to Carthage. After paying a large sum to secure the protection of Heraclianus Count of Africa, she was permitted to establish herself with her community of pious women in Carthage. Her piety led her to seek the friendship and counsel of Augustin. How readily it was given is seen here, and in Letters CXXXI., CL., and CLXXXVIII).

984 1 Tim 5,5.

985 (Mt 19,21–26.

986 (
Lc 19,9 Lc 19,

987 (1Tm 6,17–19.

988 (Is 57,18, 19, in LXX. version.

989 (Rm 12,15).

990 (1Co 4,5 1Co 4,

991 2 Cor 5,6, 7.

992 (2P 1,19 2P 1,

993 (Mt 5,8 Mt 5,

994 (1Jn 3,2 1Jn 3,

471 995 (Ps 116,8 Ps 116,

996 (Ps 116,9 Ps 116, the LXX., eujaresthvsw; in Aug., “placebo.”

997 (Col 3,3,4.

998 (Ps 63,1 Ps 63,

999 (Ps 90,14, 15, version of LXX.

1000 (1Tm 5,5,6.

1001 (Ps 62,10).

1002 1 Cor 15,54.

1003 (Rm 13,14 Rm 13,

1004 (Ep 5,39 Ep 5,

1005 1 Tim 5:23.

472 1006 1 Cor 2,11.

1007 (
1Co 4,5 1Co 4,

1008 (Ps 22,26 Ps 22,

1009 (Rm 8,26 Rm 8,

1010 Cicero Hortensius.

1011 Epimenides.

1012 Titus 1,13).

1013 (1Tm 6,6–10.

1014 (Pr 30,8, 9).

1015 (Ps 27,4 Ps 27,

1016 (Mt 6,7, 8.

473 1017 (Lc 18,1–8.

1018 (Lc 11,5–8.

1019 (Lc 11,9–13, and
Mt 7, 7–11.

1020 (Rm 8,24 Rm 8,

1021 (2Co 6,13,14).

1022 (1Co 2,9 1Co 2,

1023 (1Th 5,17 1Th 5,

1024 (Ph 4,6 Ph 4,

1025 Tobias xii.12.

1026 (Lc 6,12 Lc 6,

1027 (Lc 22,43 Lc 22, version, “more earnestly.”

474 1028 (Si 36,4, 18.

1029 (Ps 80,7, 19.

1030 (
Ps 119,133 Ps 119,

1031 (Pr xxx.8.

1032 (Ps 132,1 Ps 132, Ps 132,

1033 (Ps 7,3, 4.

1034 (Si 23,6 Si 23,

1035 (Ps 59,1).

1036 (Ps 144,15 Ps 144,

1037 1 Tim 1,5.

1038 (Ps 77,2 Ps 77, Ps 77,

475 1039 (Rm 8,26 Rm 8,

1040 (2Co 12,7–9.

1041 Nb 11.

1042 (1S 8,6, 7.

1043 (Jb 1,12, 2,6.

1044 (Lc 8,32

1045 (Mt 26,39 Mt 26,

1046 (Rm 5,19 Rm 5,

1047 (Ps xxvii.4).

1048 (Ps 36,8–10.

1049 Phil 4,7.

1050 (Rm 8,25–27.

476 1051 (Dt 12,3 Dt 12,

1052 (1S i.

1053 (Lc 2,36,

1054 (1Tm 5,5).

1055 Juliana, the mother of Demetrias.

1056 (Tb 12,8 Tb 12,

1057 (Ep 3,20 Ep 3,

1058 (Sg 9,15 Sg 9,

1059 (Lc 13,11–13.

1060 (Rm 8,28 Rm 8,

1061 (Ps 34,1 Ps 34,

477 1062 (Ps 119,71).

1063 Marcellinus was commissioned by the Emperor Honorius to convene a conference of Catholic and Donatist bishops, with a view to the final peaceful settlement of their differences. He accordingly summoned both parties to a conference, held in the summer of 411, in which he pronounced the Catholic party to have completely gained their cause in argument. He proceeded to carry out with considerable rigour the laws passed for the repression of the Donatist schism, and thus becoming obnoxious to that faction, fell at length a victim to their revenge when a turn of fortune favoured their plots against his life. The honour of a place among the martyrs of the early Church has been assigned to him. His character may be learned from Letters CXXXVI., CXXXVIII., CXXXIX., and CXLIII., and particularly from the beautiful tribute to his worth given in: Letter CLI., in which the circumstances of his death are recorded).

1064 Compare “ungulis sulcantibus latera.” Codex Justin,, 9,18.7).

1065 Magistris artium liberalium; doubtless the name of Master of Arts was originally connected with the office and work of teaching, instead of being a mere honorary title).

1066 (Mt 5,16).

1067 (Ph 4,5).

1068 Titus 3,2).

1069 (1S 24,7 1S 24,

1070 This letter, No. CXXXIV., is addressed to Apringius, and in somewhat similar terms, but at greater length, urges the same request).

1071 We read here “veritas,” instead of “virtus.”

1072 “Partitio,” defined thus by Quintilian 7,1: “Sit igitur divisio rerum plurium in singulas—partitio, singularum in partes discretas ordo et recta quaedam locatio.”

1073 Virgil, Bucol. Ecl. 8, line 13.

478 1074 Caesurarum modulata variatio.

1075 (
Rm 12,17 Rm 12,

1076 (Mt 5,39–41.

1077 See Gibbon, chap. 15,vol II p. 326).

1078 Letter CXXXV. sec. 2, p. 472.

1079 (Si 18,6).

1080 We follow the reading of nine Mss., mirata, instead of that of the text, ingrata.

1081 Cicero, Quaest. Tuscul. 1,

1082 See Pliny). Nat. Hist. Book vii. 2: “In India sub una ficu turmae conduntur equitum.” See also Book 12,c. 5.

1083 (Jn 20,26 Jn 20,

1084 This sentence having been misunderstood by Bishop Evodius, who quotes and comments upon it in: Letter CLXI.. Augustin, in replying in: Letter CLXII., writes a few sentences, which, as the letters then exchanged with Evodius have been omitted in this selection, we here insert:—“Our sense of wonder is excited when either the reason of a thing is hidden from us, or the thing itself is extraordinary, that is, either unique or rare. It was in reference to the former cause of wonder, namely, the reason of a thing being undiscovered, that, when answering those who declare it to be incredible that Christ was born of a virgin, and that she remained a virgin notwithstanding, I said in the letter which you refer to as read by you, ‘If the reason of this event is sought out, it will be no longer a miracle,0’ for I said this not because the event was without a reason, but because the reason of it is hidden from those to whom it has pleased God that it should be a miracle.… For all the works of God, both ordinary and extraordinary, proceed from causes and reasons which are right and faultless. When the causes and reasons of any of His operations are hidden from us, we are filled with wonder at the event; but when the causes and reasons of events are seen by us, we say that they take place in ordinary course and in harmony with our experience, and that they are not to be wondered at since they occur, because they are only what reason required to be done.… As to the latter cause of wonder, namely, that an event is unusual, we have an example of this when we read concerning the Lord that He marvelled at the faith of the centurion: for the reason of no event whatever could be concealed from Him, but His wonder has been recorded here for the commendation of one whose equal had not appeared among the Jews, and accordingly the Lord’s wondering is sufficiently explained by His words: ‘I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel0’ (Lc 7,9). As to examples of events similar to the miraculous birth of Christ, you are wholly mistaken in supposing that you have found such in the production of a worm within an apple, and other examples which you mention. For instances of a certain degree of resemblance, more or less remote, have been with considerable ingenuity alleged: but Christ alone was born of a virgin; whence you may understand why I said that this was an event without parallel, adding in the letter already referred to the words: ‘If an example of a precisely similar event is demanded, it will no longer be unique0’ ” (Letter CLXII. sec. 6, 7)).

479 1085 Homo quippe Deo accessit, non Deus a se recessit.

1086 (
1Co 1,24 1Co 1,

1087 (Sg 8,1 Sg 8,

1088 (1Tm 2,5).

1089 Pherecydes, a native not ot Assyria, but of Syros, one of the Cyclades, was a disciple of Pittacus of Mitylene, and teacher of Pythagoras. He flourished B.C. 544).

1090 “Assyrium vulgo nascetur amomum.”—Eclogue 4,

1091 Ibid).

1092 Letter CXXXV. sec. 2, p. 472).

1093 (1R 17,22 2R 4,35).

1094 (Ex 7,, 8,8.

1095 (Jn 1,1).

1096 (Gn xii.

480 1097 (Mt 1,22).

1098 (Mt xxii 37–39).

1099 Letter CXXXVI. sec. 2, p. 473.

1100 Augustin’s four stages of human life are: Pueritia, adolescentia, juventus, senectus.

1101 (Ps 16,2). oŸti tw`n ajgaqw`n hou ouj creian evcei", LXX; quoniam bonorum meorum non eges, Aug).

1102 Observe Augustin’s definition of the word sacramentum as used by him: “cum ad res divinas pertinent sacramenta appelantur.”

1103 (Ps 102,26,27.

1104 (Ps 16,3). ouj mhj sunagavgw taj" sunagwaj" aujtwn ie aimatwn, LXX.

1105 (Ps 50,9 Ps 50,

1106 (Jr 31,32 Jr 31,

1107 Letter CXXXVI. sec. 2, p. 473.

481 1108 (Rm 12,17 Rm 12,

1109 (Mt 5,39–41.

1110 “Accepta injuria ignoscere quam persequi malebant.”—Sallust, Catilina, c.9).

1111 “Oblivisci soles nihil nisi injurias.”—Cicero, pro Ligario, c. 12.

1112 (Mt 5,39).

1113 (Lc 6,29 Lc 6,

1114 (Jn 18,23 Jn 18,

1115 (Lc 23,34 Lc 23,

1116 (Ac 23,3–5).

1117 (Lc 3,14 Lc 3,

1118 Sallust, Bell. Tugurth.

482 1119 Juvenal, vi, 277–295 (Dryden’s translation)).

1120 Madaura).

1121 Gesta—records of judicial procedure.

1122 This is supposed to be the name of a Donatist church in Carthage).

1123 Apringius. See note, p. 471).

1124 Letters CXXXIII. and CXXXIV).

1125 Anaunia, a valley not far from Trent, destined to be so famous for the Council held there. In the month of May, 397 A.D., Martyrius, Sisinnius, and Alexander were killed there by the heathen).

1126 Angariant. See Mt 5,41.

1127 The Conference presided over by this Marcellinus at Carthage, in the preceding year).

1128 Letter CXLI).

1129 Letters CXXXVII. and CXXXVIII).

483 1130 Letter CXL).

1131 Principalis.

1132 Quos vulgo moriones vocant.

1133 Nescit vox missa reverti.

1134 (
Rm 8,3).

1135 The text here obscure, we have followed the Mss., which omit the words, “interim quod constat peccatum primi hominis.”

1136 (Ga 5,17 Ga 5,

1137 (2Co 5,4 2Co 5,

1138 (Sg 9,15 Sg 9,

1139 (1Co 15,53 1Co 15,

1140 (1Tm 6,16 1Tm 6,

484 1141 (Qo 12,7).

1142 (Gn 2,7 Gn 2,

1143 (Rm 1,24).

1144 2 Pet 2,19.

1145 (Jn 8,36 Jn 8,

1146 (Ga 3,24 Ga 3,

1147 (Jl 2,32 Jl 2,

1148 (Rm 10,14 Rm 10,

1149 (2Co 3,6 2Co 3,

1150 (Rm 5,5 Rm 5,

1151 (Rm 13,10 Rm 13,

485 1152 (1Tm 1,8 1Tm 1,

1153 (Rm 10,3 Rm 10,

1154 (Rm 7,13 Rm 7,

1155 (Ps 19,9 Ps 19,

1156 (1Jn 4,18 1Jn 4,

1157 (Rm 6,19).

1158 (Mt 5,16 Mt 5,

1159 (Rm 8,35–39.

1160 (1Co 1,30,31; Jr 9,24 Jr 9,

1161 (Rm 5,5 Rm 5,

1162 (Ps 36,8, 9.

1163 (Rm 5,3–5.

486 1164 (Rm 12,16 Rm 12,

1165 The heresy of Pelagius is obviously alluded to here as having begun thus early (A.D. 413) to command attention.

1166 (Mt 24,41 Mt 24,

1167 (Mt 6,13 Mt 6,

1168 (Mt 9,12, 13).

1169 Pelagius made use of this letter at the Council of Diospolis, in A.D. 415, which compelled Augustin to vindicate himself in reference to it in his narrative of the proceedings of Pelagius. See Anti-Pelagian Writings, vol. 1,p. 413).

1170 Fortunatianus, Bishop of Sicqua, was one of the seven bishop selected to represent the Catholics in the Conference of Carthage with the Donatists in 411. He was probably a neighbour of the bishop who had regarded himself as aggrieved by the arguments with which Augustin confuted some extravagant speculations of his).

1171 (1Co 13,12).

1172 (Col 3,13 Col 3,

1173 (Ep 5,1, 2.

1174 (Ph 3,15, 16.

487 1175 (1Jn 4,16 1Jn 4,

1176 Ambrosius, Lib. 1,in Luc. c. 1,

1177 (Jn 14,16, 17.

1178 (1Jn 4,12 1Jn 4,

1179 Ambrosius, Lib. 2,in Luc. c. 3,5,22.

1180 (Lc 20,36 Lc 20,

1181 (Mt 18,10 Mt 18,

1182 (1Co 13,12 1Co 13,

1183 (2Co 3,18 2Co 3,

1184 Hieron, lib. 1,in Isai, i.

1185 (2Co 3,18 2Co 3,

488 1186 Hieron. lib. 3,in Isa, i).

1187 See the 49th of the discourses published under the name of Gregory of Nazianzum. M. Dupin has shown that the discourse in question must have been the work of some Latin author.

1188 Ambrose on Luke, c. 1,11).

1189 (
Jn 1,18 Jn 1,

1190 (1Tm 6,16 1Tm 6,

1191 (1Tm 1,17 1Tm 1,

1192 (Mt 5,8 Mt 5,

1193 (1Jn 3,2 1Jn 3,

1194 (Ga 5,6).

1195 Ambrose on Luke, 1,11.

1196 (2Co 5,4–8.

489 1197 (Ps 94,8, 9.

1198 Jerome, in loc.

1199 (
1Jn 4,8 1Jn 4,

1200 (He 12,14 He 12,

1201 See note to: Letter CXXX. p. 459).

1202 Velationis apophoretum.

1203 Caecilianus was raised in 409 to the office of praefectus praetorio under Honorius, and is probably the person to whom Augustin addressed: Letter LXXXVI. p. 365, 3,405 a.d.).

1204 From the beginning to the end of this letter, Augustin studiously avoids naming the persons concerned in the perfidious act of judicial murder, in connection with which the suspicion of many had been fastened upon Caecilianus. The person by whose orders the sentence of death was carried into effect was Count Marinus, the general by whom the attempt of Heraclianus (413 A.D.) to seize the imperial power was defeated, and who afterwards received a commission to pass into Africa and punish those who had been implicated in the revolt of Heraclianus. A commission of this kind opened a wide door for the gratification of private revenge by enemies who did not scruple to bring false accusations against the innocent; and among the victims of such injustice were two brothers who had, by their zeal for the Catholic Church, made themselves obnoxious to the Donatists. The elder of these was Apringius, a magistrate to whom Augustin wrote a letter (the 134th) recommending clemency in punishing the Donatists. The younger was Marcellinus, concerning whom sec also note to: Letter CXXXIII. p. 470).

1205 In the original of this sentence there is a characteristic antithesis of phrases: “Non sane mors eorum donae vitae occasus fuit sed melioris occasio.”

1206 See note to letter CXXXIII. p. 470.

1207 Deum sibi placare.

490 1208 Me nullum esse expertum concubitum praeter uxorem.

1209 Evodius, Bishop of Uzala, was one of Augustin’s early friends. He was a native of the same town (Tagaste), and joined Augustin and Alypius in seeking religious retirement after their baptism, in 387 A.D. He was also with them at Ostia when Monica died. (Confessions, Book 9,ch. 8 and 12)).

1210 Nam scholastico proconsulis excipiebat.

1211 Strenuus in notis..

1212 Dissolvi et esse cum Christo. Ph 1,23.

1213 Psallebat.

1214 (Ps 84,2, LXX).

1215 (Ps 23,5, 6, LXX).

1216 (
2Co 4,16).

1217 Redemptionals sacramenta obtulimus.

1218 (Rm 8,37).

491 1219 (Mt 26,53 Mt 26,

1220 (1S 28,14 1S 28,

1221 (Mt 17,3 Mt 17,

1222 (Gn 18,6 Gn 18,

1223 Tob 12,16).

1224 (Mt 1,20 Mt 1,

1225 Exhibitus quodammodo pergit.

1226 (Mt 10,29).

1227 Qui servit ancillis Dei.

1228 Increduli.

1229 (1P 3,18–21).

1230 (Ps 16,10 Ps 16,

1231 (Ac 2,24, 27, in which the words rendered by Augustin “inferni dolores” are; taj" wvdina" tou` qanatou).

492 1232 (Ps lxxxviii. 5).

1233 We give the original of this important sentence:—“De illo quidem primo homine patre generis humani, quod eum inde solverit Ecclesia fere tota consentit: quod eam non inaniter credidisse credendum est, undecumque hoc traditum sit, etiamsi canonicarum Scripturarum hinc expressa non proferatur auctoritas.”

1234 (Sg 10,1, 2).

1235 (
Lc 16,26 Lc 16,

1236 (Ps 16,10 Ps 16,

1237 (Ap 1,5 Ap 1,

1238 (Ac 2,28).

1239 (He 11,40 He 11,

1240 (1P 4,1, 6).

1241 Infernorum. Ph 2,9.

1242 (Ps cxlii. 7).

1243 (Ps 107,14 Ps 107,

493 1244 (Is 9,2 Is 9,

1245 (Lc 17,26, 27.

1246 (Ps 118,22 Is 8,14, xxviii. Is 16 Da 2,34, Da 45 Mt 21,44 Lc 20,17 Ac 4,11 Rm ix. Rm 33, etc.

1247 (Jn 10,1, 2.

1248 Baruch 3,37.

1249 (Rm 5,12 Rm 5,

1250 (Jn 14,30).

1251 (Rm 8,3 Rm 8,

1252 (Mt 8,22 Mt 8,

1253 (Ep 5,4 Ep 5,

1254 (Jn 5,25 Jn 5,

1255 (1P 4,6 1P 4,

1256 (1P 4,17 1P 4,

1257 See paragraphs 19 and 20).

1258 In assigning this place to Jerome’s letter to Marcellinus and Anapsychia. the Benedictine editors have departed from the chronological sequence in order to place it in immediate juxtaposition to: Letter CLXVI., written by Augustin to Jerome some years later on the subject mentioned in sec. 1).

1259 See note on Marcellinus in: Letter CXXXIII. p. 470).

1260 Ecclesiastica).

1261 (Jn 5,17 Jn 5,

1262 Et simili cum brutus animantibus conditione subsistat.

1263 “Lateque vagantes Barcae1.”—Virg. Aeneid, 4,43

1264 (Gn 16,12 Gn 16,

1265 Cicero pro Milone: “Leges inter arma silent.”

1266 (Ez ch. 38,39,

1267 Ibid. ch. xl, xliii).

495 1268 The following passage from the Retractations of Augustin (Book 2,ch. xlv). is quoted by the Benedictine Fathers as a preface to this letter and the one immediately succeeding:—“I wrote also two books to Presbyter Jerome, the recluse of Bethlehem [acdentem in Bethlehem]; the one on the origin of the human soul, the other on the sentence of the Apostle James, ‘Whosoever shall keep the whole law and offend in one point, he is guilty of all0’ (Jc 2,10), asking his opinion on both subjects. In the former letter I did not give any answer of my own to the question which I proposed; in the latter I did not keep back what seemed to me the best way to solve the question, but asked whether the same solution commended itself to his judgment. He wrote in return, expressing approbation of my submitting the questions to him, but saying that he had not leisure to send me a reply. So long as he lived, therefore, I refused to give these books to the world, lest he should perhaps at any time reply to them, in which case I would have rather published them along with his answer. After his decease, however, I published them,—the former, in order to admonish any who read it, either to forbear altogether from inquiring into the manner in which a soul is given to infants at the time of birth, or, at all events, in a matter so involved in obscurity, to accept only such a solution of the question as does not contradict the clearest truths which the Catholic faith confesses in regard to original sin in infants, as undoubtedly doomed to perdition unless they be regenerated in Christ; the latter m order that what seemed to us the true answer to the question therein discussed might be known. The work begins with the words, ‘Deum nostrum qui nos vocavit.0’ ”

1269 1 Thess 2,12.

1270 (1Tm 6,16 1Tm 6,

1271 (Mt 8,22).

1272 (Rm 7,24, 25.

1273 We read pertinere, not pertinens.

1274 (Jb 14,4, 5, according to LXX.

1275 Jerome against Jovinian, Book ii.

1276 Jerome On Jonah, ch. iii.

1277 De Libero Arbitro, 3,21).

1278 Letter CLXV).

496 1279 (Jn 5,17 Jn 5,

1280 See: Letter CLXV., p. 522.

1281 (Jn 3,10 Jn 3,

1282 (Mt 23,8 Mt 23,

1283 (Ex 18,14–25.

1284 (Ac 10,25–48.

1285 (Ga 2,11–21.

1286 (Gn 2,2).

1287 (Is 40,26 translated by Augustin, “Qui profert numerose saeculam.”

1288 (Rm 6,9 Rm 6,

1289 Hieron). Adv. Ruffin. lib. iii).

497 1290 De libero Arbitrio, lib. 3,ch. 23. n. 67).

1291 (1Co 15,21,22.

1292 (
Rm 5,18).

1293 (Jn 5,29 Jn 5,

1294 Cyprian’s Letters (LIX., Ad Fidum).

1295 (Za 12,1 Za 12,

1296 (Ps 33,15 Ps 33, Ps 33,

1297 (Ps 51,10 Ps 51,

1298 (Qo 12,7).

1299 (Jn 16,12 Jn 16,

1300 (Jc 2,10).

1301 (Jc 2,1–6.

498 1302 (Jc 2,6–9).

1303 Jerome, Contra Jovinianum, lib. ii.

1304 Jerome, Contra Jovinianum, lib. ii.

1305 (
Mt 10,16 Mt 10,

1306 (Mt 10,16 Mt 10,

1307 (Pr 1,4 Pr 1,

1308 Sallust, De Bello Catilinario.

1309 Ibid.

1310 Virum a quo denominata dictur virtus.

1311 (Jn 1,8 Jn 1,

1312 (Jc 3,2 Jc 3,

499 1313 (Jc 2,10 Jc 2,

1314 (Jb 28,28, Sept. ver).

1315 (1Tm 1,5 1Tm 1,

1316 Song of Sol. 8,6.

1317 (Jn 15,13 Jn 15,

1318 (1Co 8,1 1Co 8,

1319 (Jb 28,28 Jb 28,

1320 (Rm 13,10 Rm 13,

1321 (Ps 143,2 Ps 143,

1322 (Ha 2,4 Ha 2,

1323 (Jb 29,14).

500 1324 (Qo 5,7 Qo 5,

1325 (Ps 143,2 Ps 143,

1326 (1Jn 1,8 1Jn 1,

1327 (Mt 6,12 Mt 6,

1328 (Mt 22,40 Mt 22,

1329 (Rm 13,9, 10.

1330 (Jc 3,2).

1331 (Jc 2,8, 9.

1332 (Jc 2,13 Jc 2,

1333 (Lc 6,37, 38

1334 (Mt 5,7 Mt 5,

501 1335 (Ps 101,1 Ps 101,

1336 (Ps 143,2 Ps 143,

1337 (Jr 2,28, LXX.

1338 (2Co 9,7).

1339 De Civitate Dei, lib. I. ch. xxxvi.

1340 (1Co 14,38 1Co 14,

1341 (1Co 2,15 1Co 2,

1342 (1Co 14,33 1Co 14,

1343 (Lc 13,27 Lc 13,

1344 (Mt 5,8).

1345 (1Co 50,21, 25.

502 1346 (Rm 5,20 Rm 5,

1347 (Jn 17,12 Jn 17,

1348 (Lc 3,22).

1349 (Mt 17,5 Mt 17,

1350 (Sg 7,22 Sg 7,

1351 Homo autem Verbo accessit, non Verbum in hominem convertibiliter accesit.

1352 (1Co 2,8 1Co 2,

1353 (Ex 19,18 Ex 19,

1354 (Ex 13,21 Ex 13,

1355 (1Co 10,4).

1356 (Ac 2,2, 3.

503 1357 (Ps 110,3, LXX).

1358 Par. 1, p. 539.

1359 Letter CLXVII.

1360 (
1Co 15,22 1Co 15,

1361 Letter CLXVII.

1362 The work on Nature and Grace, addressed to Timasius and Jacobus—translated in the fourth volume of this series, Antipelagian Writings, 1,233.

1363 The allusion is probably to the acquittal of Pelagius in 415 by the Council of Diospolis (or Lydda, a place between Joppa and Jerusalem) Augustin viewed this Council’s decisions more favourably than Jerome, who denounces it without measure as a pitiful assembly, which allowed itself to be imposed upon by the evasions and feigned recantation of Pelagius; to this he makes reference in the concluding sentence of this paragraph).

1364 We adopt here the reading found in: Letter CCII. bis, sec. 3, where this sentence is quoted by Augustin in writing to Optatus, and we have “ne (instead of et) juxta Appium canina facundia exerceretur.” On the phrase “canina facundia,” see Lactantius, book vi. ch. 18).

1365 (Rm 14,5 Rm 14, by Jerome: “Unusquisque in suo sensu abundet.”

1366 Jerome probably alludes here to Augustin’s request in: Letter LXXI., sec. 3, 4; Letters, pp. 326, 327.

1367 An example is furnished in the case of Castorius,: Letter LXIX.; Letters, p. 326.

504 1368 (Qo 30,12).

1369 (Pr 23,14 Pr 23,

1370 (Ez 34,4 Ez 34,

1371 1 Cor 13,3.

1372 (Da 3,28).

1373 Primianus, Donatist bishop in Carthage, was in 393 deposed by a factious clique of bishops, who appointed Maximianus in his place. The other Donatist bishops, however, assembled in the following year at Bigai in Numidia, and, reversing the decision of their co-bishops deposed them in turn, and passed a sentence to which, as stated in the text, they did not inexorably adhere. The matter is referred to in: Letter XLIII. p. 276).

1374 (Si 34,25, translated, accurately enough, in our English version: “He that washeth himself after touching a dead body, if he touch it again, what availeth his washing?” The Donatist, in quoting the passage to support their practice of re-baptizing Catholics, omitted the clause, “et iterum tangit mortuum,” and translated the sentence thus: “He that is baptized by one who , what availeth his baptism?” It would be difficult to quote from the annals of controversy a more flagrant example of ignorant ingenuity in the wresting of words to serve a purpose.

1375 (Jn 6,67).

1376 (Ps 72,11 Ps 72,

1377 (Lc 14,21–23.

1378 (Rm 9,14 Rm 9,

505 1379 (Mc 13,32).

1380 (Gn 22,12 Gn 22,

1381 (Ga 2,14 Ga 2,

1382 (Ga 4,19).

1383 (Ga 1,20).

1384 We have left the word ambo in “ambo ista exhorrescas” untranslated. Critics are agreed that a few words of the original are probably wanting here, only one alternative of the dilemma being stated by St. Augustin in the text).

1385 In Letters XXVIII., XL., LXXV., and LXXXII., translated Letters, pp. 251, 272, 333, 349).

1386 Adversus Pelagium, book 1,

1387 Letters of Cyprian, LXXI).

1388 (1Th 2,13 1Th 2,

1389 In a letter of Jerome (the eighth) to Demetrias, we have a very graphic narrative of the manner in which Demetrias formed and carried into effect the vow for which she is here commended.

506 1390 (2Tm 3,2 2Tm 3,

1391 (Rm 5,5 Rm 5,

1392 (Ep 4,7 Ep 4,

1393 (Ps 68,18 Ps 68,

1394 In the end of this letter, Augustin distinctly ascribes to Pelagius the authorship of the letter to Demetrias, as also in his work on The Grace of Christ, ch. 22,

1395 Epistle to Demetrias, ch. xi.

1396 (2Co 11,2, 3.

1397 (2Co 4,7 2Co 4,

1398 (1Co 4,7 1Co 4,

1399 (Mt 19,11 Mt 19,

1400 (Jc 1,17 Jc 1,

507 1401 (Lc 11,3 Lc 11,

1402 (1Th 5,17, 18.

1403 (Lc 19,10 Lc 19,

1404 (1Co 4,7 1Co 4,

1405 (Ps 56,12 Ps 56,

1406 (Ps 30,7, LXX).

1407 Phil 2,13.

1408 (Sg 8,21 Sg 8,

1409 (Ga 6,4 Ga 6,

1410 (Ps 3,3 Ps 3,

1411 (Ps 34,2

508 1412 (Ps 103,5).

1413 (Sg 8,21 Sg 8,

1414 (Rm 12,3).

1415 (He 11,6).

1416 (Rm 1,17).

1417 (Ga 5,6).

1418 (Rm 14,23).

1419 (Rm 12,3).

1420 (1Co 8,1).

1421 (Rm 13,10).

1422 Count Boniface, to whom St. Augustin also addressed Letters CLXXXV. and CCXX., was governor of the province of Africa under Placidia, who for twenty-five years ruled the empire in the name of her son Valentinian. By his perfidious rival Aetius, Boniface was persuaded to disobey the order of Placidia, when, under the instigation of Aetius himself, she recalled him from the government of Africa. The necessity of powerful allies in order to maintain his position led him to invite the Vandals to pass from Spain into Africa. They came, under Genseric, and the fertile provinces of Northern Africa fell an easy prey to their invading armies. When the treachery of Aetius was discovered, Placidia received Boniface again into favour, and he devoted all his military talents to the task of expelling the barbarians whom his own invitation had made masters of North Africa. But it was now too late to wrest this Roman province from the Vandals; defeated in a great battle, Boniface was compelled in 430 to retire into Hippo Regius, where he succeeded in resisting the besieging army for fourteen months. It was during this siege, and after it had continued three months, that Augustin died. Reinforced by troops from Constantinople, Boniface fought one more desperate but unsuccessful battle, after which he left Hippo in the hands of Genseric, and returned by order of Placidia to Italy. For fuller particulars of his history, see Gibbon’s History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, ch. 33,

509 1423 Matt, 22,37–40.

1424 (
Rm 5,5 Rm 5,

1425 (Rm 13,10 Rm 13,

1426 (Ga 5,6 Ga 5,

1427 (Jn 3,2 Jn 3,

1428 (Mt 8,8–10.

1429 (Ac 10,4 Ac 10,

1430 (Mt 11,11 Mt 11,

1431 (Lc 3,14 Lc 3,

1432 (1Co 7,7).

1433 (Sg 3,6).

510 1434 (Mt 5,9).

1435 (Mt 6,21).

1436 The allusion is evidently to the ancient formulary in public worship, first mentioned by Cyprian in his treatise on the Lord’s Prayer. To the presbyter’s exhortation, “Sursum corda!” the people responded “Habemus ad Dominum.” For an account of this formulary and a most beautiful exposition of it, quoted from Cyril of Jerusalem, see Riddle’s Christian Antiquities, book IV. ch. 1,sec. 2).

1437 (Jc 1,17 Jc 1,

1438 (Jb 7,1, LXX).

1439 (Mt 6,12).

1440 Sixtus, afterwards Sixtus III., Bishop of Rome, the immediate successor of Caelestine, to whom the next letter is addressed. His name is the forty-third in the list of Popes, and he was in office from 432 to 440 A.D. The 194th letter of Augustin was addressed to the same Sixtus, and is a very elaborate dissertation on Pelagianism. It is omitted from this selection as being rather a theological treatise than a letter).

1441 Sixtus had been not without reason reckoned as a sympathiser with Pelagius, until their views were finally condemned in this year 418 by Zosimus.

1442 2 Tim 3,6.

1443 Caelestine, who was at the date of this letter a deacon in Rome, was raised in 423 to succeed Boniface as Bishop of Rome: he stands forty-second in the list of Popes.: Letter CCIX. is addressed to him).

1444 (Rm 13,8).

1445 Papa).

511 1446 In two Mss. this letter has, as a postscript, the letter already translated as CXXIII.: see page 451. The reason for that letter being supposed to belong to the year 410 is the interpretation which some put upon one of its obscure sentences as alluding to the fall of Rome in that year. If, however, the sentence in question referred to the ecclesiastical difficulties disturbing Jerusalem and all the East in connection with the Pelagian controversy, there is nothing to forbid the conjecture which its place in the Mss. aforesaid suggests, namely, that it was sent at the same time as this letter, with which in them it stands connected).

1447 [ The last letter of Jerome, who died at Bethlehem, 419.]

1448 Pseudodiaconus.

1449 (
2Co 11,29 2Co 11,

1450 (Mt 18,7 Mt 18,

1451 (Ph 2,21 Ph 2,

1452 (1Co 26
1453 (Mt 24,12, 13).

1454 (Mt 3,12 Mt 3,

1455 (Mt 3,12 Mt 3,

1456 (Mt 5,14, 15, 16.

512 1457 (Mt 23,2,3.

1458 (
1Co 11,1 1Co 11,

1459 (Ga 6,14 Ga 6,

1460 (1Co 4,15 1Co 4,

1461 (1Co 1,12, 13.

1462 (Col 1,6 The words “kaiV aujxanovmenov,” here translated by Augustin, are found in some Mss. but omitted in the Testus Receptus.

1463 (Mt 12,30 Mt 12,

1464 (Mt 22,9 Lc 14,23).

1465 The successor of Boniface as Bishop of Rome. See note to Letter CXCII. For a summary of the arguments which may be used on both sides in regard to the genuineness of this letter, which is found in only one Ms., see Dupin’s remarks upon it in his Ecclesiastical History, 5th century).

1466 Castellum).

1467 Translations from one see to another, now permitted, had been forbidden by the Councils of Nice, Sardis, and Antioch.

1468 (1P 5,3 1P 5,


Augustin: Letters 470