perfection. What discourses, what writings of any philosophers, what laws of any republics have any rules comparable to those two precepts, on which Christ says, depend all the law and the prophets, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself!" Here also the welfare of the public is consulted. For a city cannot be founded and established but by the ground and bond of faith, and by concord: when the common good is chosen, the chiefest and truest of which is God; and in him men love sincerely themselves and one another, and for his sake, to whom alone it is known in what manner they love. a • The style of the scripture is such as is suited to all sorts of persons, and to the things delivered. Bad tempers are corrected, weak minds are cherished, and the greatest wits are entertained. He only can be an enemy to this teaching, who knows not what is wholesome, or, in his sickness, loaths the proper medicine.' Augustine then concludes his letter to Volusian in a most affectionate manner, saluting him and his pious mother, and sending to him salutations from Possidius, who was then with him; and encouraging Volusian, if he pleased, to write again, and send him all his objections, ' if any difficulties yet remained.' с It has been observed, that this letter is a kind of abridgment of Augustine's large work of the City of God. Indeed I think it to be an excellent letter, and a good argument for the truth of the Christian religion. I persuade myself that many of my readers will be of the same opinion, and will attend to it, and receive satisfaction from it. For certain we have now seen the genuine difficulties and objections of heathen people at that time, and Augustine's solutions and answers to them. d What was the result of this correspondence is not known: all that can be said is, that if Volusian was uncle to Melania, he was not converted to the Christian faith till near the time of his death, in the year 436. с There follows, as before intimated, a letter of Augustine to Marcellinus, in which the other difficulties mentioned by Marcellinus are particularly considered, and well answered. But I am willing to suppose that my readers are themselves well able to solve those difficulties. I therefore need not transcribe nor abridge that letter, but only refer the more curious to it. Moreover the objections of that letter are partly answered in this letter of Augustine to Volusian. SECTION. XIII. The Correspondence between the People of Madaura and Augustine. It will not, I think, be improper to subjoin here, in the next place, Augustine's correspondence with the people of Madaura. The time is not exactly known, and these letters are put by the Benedictines in the class of such letters, of which the date is uncertain. The people of Madaura recommended Florentine to Augustine, desiring his assistance in an affair to be transacted at Hippo, where Augustine was. Their letter is not in being: but we see some parts of it in the answer which Augustine wrote to them. It was inscribed, B • Modus autem ipse dicendi, quo sancta Scriptura contexitur, quam omnibus accessibilis, quamvis paucissimis penetrabilisHis salubriter et prava corriguntur, et parva nutriuntur, et magna oblectantur ingenia. Ille huic doctrinæ inimicus est animus, qui vel errando eam nescit esse saluberrimam, vel odit ægrotando medicinam. num. 18. Incolumem felicioremque misericordissima Dei omnipotentia tueatur, Domine illustris et merito insignis, ac præstantissime fili. Sanctam et in Christo dignissime honorandam matrem, cujus pro te Deus preces exaudiat, pro meritis vestris officiocissime saluto. Sanctus frater et coëpiscopus meus Possidius præstantiam vestram multum salutat. num. 20. • See Tillemont. St. Augustin. art. 224. num. T. 13. p. 594. d Ibid. p. 595. e See 486. f Augustin. Ep. 138. Tom. 2. Num 2. Quod enim scripsistis, Patri Augustino in VOL. IV. p. • To 'Domino æternam salutem,' cum legerem, tanta spe subito erectus sum, ut crederem vos ad ipsum Dominum, et ad ipsam æternam salutem, aut jam esse conversos, aut per nostrum ministerium desiderare converti. Sed ubi legi cætera, refriguit auimus meus. Quæsivi tamen ab epistolæ portatore, utrum jam vel essetis Christiani, vel esse cuperetis. Cujus responsione postea quam comperi, nequaquam vos esse mutatos, gravius dolui, quod Christi nomen, cui jam totum orbem subjectum esse conspicitis, non solum a vobis repellendum, sed etiam in nobis irridendum esse credidistis. Et si esset hinc aliqua de interpretatione vestræ sententiæ dubitatio, subscriptione epistolæ tolleretur, ubi aperte posuistis, optamus te Domine, in Deo et Christo ejus, per multos annos semper in clero tuo gaudere. Quibus omnibus perlectis atque discussis, quid mihi aliud occurrere potuit, aut cuilibet homini potest, nisi aut veridico aut fallaci scribentium animo hæc esse conscripta ? 3 R 4.90 The Correspondence between the People of Madaura and Augustine. our father Augustine eternal salvation in the Lord.' And the subscription was: ‹ We wish you, honoured Sir, that God and his Christ may grant you a long and happy life amidst your clergy. When Augustine read the inscription, he was filled with joy, thinking they had already embraced the Christian religion; or at least that they were desirous to be brought to it by his means. But what followed in the letter damped all his hopes. However, he inquired of the bearer of the letter, if they were not already Christians, or desirous to be so. • When he told me that you were not at all changed, it gave me great concern to think that when you see the whole world subject to Christ, you should not only reject him, but also deride his name in me. For when I read those things in your letter what could I, or any other man think, but that you had written sincerely or deceitfully. If sincerely, what should hinder you from being * Christians? If deceitfully, how could you expect that I should undertake your business, when insulted the name of Christ in me?' 'you However, Augustine fails not to lay hold of this opportunity to recommend the Christian religion to them. At the same time awakening their consideration, by telling them that their condemnation would be aggravated, if his arguments and exhortations should be without effect. He then goes on in his argument; which, perhaps, my readers will observe to have a resemblance with that in his letter to Volusian before transcribed. Be persuaded then, my friends, to attend. In the sacred scriptures may be found recorded 'all those things concerning true religion, which our ancestors have delivered down to us, as transacted in former times, relating to the human race; and likewise all those things which we now see, and which we deliver down to posterity. And all things are now done as they were 'foretold to be done. Certainly you see the people of the Jews removed from their own country ' and scattered, and dwelling in almost every part of the earth. And the rise and increase of 'that people, and then the loss of their kingdom, and their dispersion, as they were foretold they have been exactly so done. You likewise see the word and law of God, which was taught by Christ, who was wonderfully sprung from them; this law, I say, you see to be received and 'maintained by all nations. All these things we read foretold as we now see them done. You likewise see others glorying indeed in the Christian name, but are really withered branches, who have departed from the doctrine delivered by tradition from the apostles, whom we call "heretics and schismatics. These also were foreseen, foretold, and recorded beforehand. You ' also plainly see the temples of images in part fallen and lying in ruins, partly destroyed, partly shut up, partly converted to other uses; and the images themselves either broken to pieces or burnt, or shut up in the temples, or destroyed; and the powers of this world, which formerly 'persecuted Christian people out of respect to images, now conquered and subdued, not by rebellions but by dying Christians: who now have turned their power and the edge of the 'laws against images, for which they had killed Christians: and the emperors themselves bow⚫ing their crowned heads and humbly praying at the tomb of Peter a fisherman.' Sed si veridico animo ista scribitis, quis vobis ad hanc veritatem interclusit viam?—si autem fallaciter atque irridenter hæc scribitis, itane tandem mihi negotia vestra curanda imponitis, ut nomen ejus, per quem aliquid possum, audeatis non venetatione debitâ adtollere, sed insultatione adulatoriâ ventilare? 3. Sciatis me, carissimi, cum ineffabili pro vobis tremore cordis hæc dicere. Novi enim quanto graviorem et perniciosiorem causam sitis habituri apud Deum, si frustra vobis hæc dixero. Omnia, quæ præteritis temporibus erga humanum genus majores nostri gesta esse meminerunt, nobisque tradiderunt; omnia etiam quæ nos videmus, et posteris tradimus, quæ tamen pertinent ad veram religionem quærendam et tenendam, divina scriptura non tacuit: sed ita omnino cuncta transeunt, ut transitura esse prædicta sunt. Videtis certe populum Judæorum avulsum a sedibus suis, per omnes fere terras disseminatum, atque diffusum. Et origo ejus populi, et incrementa, et regni amissio, et per cuncta dispersio, sicut prædicta sunt, ita facta sunt. Videtis certe ex ipso populo verbum Dei legemque prodeuntem per Christum, qui ex ipsis mirabiliter natus est, omnium gentium fidem occupâsse et tenuisse. Ita hæc omnia prænuntiata legimus, ut videmus. Videtis certe multos præcisos a radice Christianæ societatis, quæ per sedes Apostolorum et successiones episcoporum certâ per orbem propagatione diffunditur, de solâ figurâ originis, sub Christiano nomine, quasi arescentia sarmenta gloriari, quæ hæreses et schismata nominamus: prævisa, prædicta, scripta sunt omnia. Videtis certe simulacrorum templa, partim sine reparatione collapsa, partim diruta, partim clausa, partim in usus alios commutata; ipsaque simulacra vel confringi, vel incendi, vel includi, vel destrui: atque ipsas hujus seculi potestates, quæ aliquando pro simulacris populum Christianum persequebantur, victas et domitas, non a repugnantibus, sed a morientibus Christianis, et contra eadem simulacra, pro quibus Christianos occiderunt, impetus suos legesque vertisse et imperii nobilissimi eminentissimum culmen ad sepulcrum piscatoris Petri submisso diademate supplicare. 4. Hæc omnia scripturæ divinæ, quæ in manus omnium jam venerunt, ante longissima tempora futura esse testatæ sunt. Hæc omnia tanto robustiore fide lætamur fieri, quanto majore auctoritate prædicta esse in sanctis literis invenimus. Numquidnam, obsecro vos, numquidnam solum judicium Dei, quod inter fideles atque infideles futurum esse in eisdem literis legimus, cum illa omnia, sicut prædicta sunt, venerunt, numquidnam solum judicium Dei venturum non esse putabimus? Imo veniet, sicut illa omnia venerunt. All these things the divine scriptures, which are now in the hands of all men, foretold long ago. And we the more firmly believe these things, and the more cordially rejoice in their fulfilment, because we find them so recorded and foretold in the holy scriptures, which are in great authority. And, I pray, shall not the Divine judgment upon all men, good and bad, and that alone which is also foretold as future in the same scriptures, shall not that come to pass? Yes it will come, as all the other things have come.' a Augustine goes on to say: Christ had no worldly kingdom, nor worldly riches, nor other worldly splendour. It was Christ crucified who was preached all over the earth. A few believed then, and now all people in general. For when Christ crucified was preached, the lame • were made to walk, the dumb to speak, the deaf to hear, the blind to see, and the dead were raised. So God was glorified and the pride of man subdued.' b Awake then at length, ye people of Madaura, my brethren, and my parents; God has given me this opportunity of writing to you, which I could not but cheerfully embrace. According to the best of my abilities I have assisted my brother Florentine, by whom you wrote to me, in the business which he had to transact here. Nor was there any great difficulty in it; for Florentine has many friends at Hippo.' And now, my honoured and beloved brethren, may the one true God convert you to him*self, and deliver you from the vanity of this world!' That is a large part of Augustine's letter to the people of Madaura; it shews the truly Christian zeal of this bishop; and it is written with good temper. He calls the people of Madaura his brethren and parents,' and Florentine his brother,' though he was a Gentile. It is supposed that Augustine so calls the people of Madaura, because he had studied litera ture there in his youth. SECTION XIV. The Correspondence between Augustine and Longinian. WHAT follows next is the correspondence between Augustine and Longinian. Augustine had before some conversation with him, by which he perceived Longinian to be a man of good ◄ understanding, and well disposed. He therefore now invites him to write to him, and let him know his thoughts concerning God and Christ, and the best way of attaining to happiness.' To that letter Longinian wrote an answer, treating Augustine in a very respectful manner. He calls him the best of the Romans. He declares that "he had never known or heard of e • more than one, who had so diligently applied himself to the knowledge of the true God, or ⚫ was so likely to attain to him and to true happiness, by the purity of his heart, and a disengagement from all worldly impediments."" • 6 Itaque non Christus regno terreno decoratus, nec Christus terrenis opibus dives, nec Christus ullâ terrenâ felicitate præfulgens, sed Christus crucifixus, per totum terrarum orbem prædicatur. Quod riserunt prius populi superborum, et adhuc rident reliquiæ. Crediderunt autem prius pauci, nunc populi: quia tunc ad fidem paucorum, et contra irrisio. nem populorum, cum Christus crucifixus prædicaretur, claudi ambulabant, muti loquebantur, surdi audiebant, cæci vide bant, mortui resurgebant. Sic tandem animadvertit terrena superbia, nihil in ipsis terrenis esse potentius humilitate divina 7. Expergiscimini aliquando, fratres mei, et parentes mei Madaurenses. Hanc occasionem scribendi vobis Deus mihi obtulit. Quantum potui quidem in negotio fratris Florentini, per quem literas misistis, sicut Deus voluit, adfui et adjuvi. Sed tale negotium erat, quod etiam sine operâ meâ facile peragi posset. Prope omnes enim domûs ipsius homines, qui apud Hipponem sunt, noverunt Florentinum, et multum ejus orbitatem dolent-Deus unus et verus vos ab omni hujus seculi vanitate liberatos convertat ad se, Domini prædicabiles, et dilectissimi fratres. Ep. 232. al. 42. Tom. 2. • So the Benedictines in a note upon the place, and Tillemont, S. Augustin. art. 105. p. 271.. d Proinde quia videor inspexisse tamquam in speculo sermocinationis mecum tuæ nihil te esse malle quam virum bonum; Deum, quo nihil est melius, et unde humanus animus haurit ut bonus sit, quonam modo colendum credas, audeo percontari. Nam quod eum colendum credas, jam teneo. Quæro etiam, quid de Christo sentias. Quod enim eum non parvi pendas, adverti. Sed utrum eâ et solâ viâ, quæ ab illo demonstrata est, ad vitam beatam perveniri posse existimes, et aliquâ ex causâ non eam negligas ire, sed differas; an et aliam vel alias ad tam opimam et præ omnibus appetendam possessionem vias esse arbitreris, et aliquam earum jam te ingredi credas, nôsse cupio, ut opinor, non impudenter. Aug, Ep. 233. al. 20. e Romanorum vir vere optime, Ep. 234. al. 21 sect. 1. f Siquidem adhuc post hominum memoriam- -adhuc audierim, legerim, viderim neminem, aut certe, post unum, nullum, quod Deo teste, bono periculo certoque dixerim, nisi te, Deum conniti semper agnoscere, et posse puritate animi, corporisque projectâ gravedine sectari facillime, et spé perfecta conscientiae non dubia credulitate tenere. lb. num. 1. са 66 By way of answer to the questions which had been put to him, Longinian says, he would speak his opinion so far as he had been able to learn from pious antiquity. The best way of going to God is that in which a good man goes to the one true God, the incomprehensible, 'ineffable, unchangeable creator of the universe, even by good words and good works, accompanied and assisted by the powers of God, whom you call angels. In this way, and when purified by expiations according to the pious directions of the ancients, and practising abstemiousness and self-denial in body and mind, good men have easy access to God."' "As for Christ, in whom you believe, and the Spirit of God, through whom you, my ho'noured father, hope to go to the supreme, blessed, true God, and father of all, I dare not nor am I able to express what I think. And indeed it is very difficult to define what a man does ⚫ not understand. But I have the highest respect for your virtues.' With that letter Augustine seems to be well pleased, and writes an answer to it, which is to this effect: I cannot dislike your caution in not denying, or affirming any thing concerning ⚫ Christ. It is a modest reserve, not unbecoming in a Pagan. I am very willing to afford you the assistance which you desire. But I must intreat the solution of some questions. You say that "when good men are purified by expiations according to the pious directions of the ancients, they have easy access to God." In which words, as seems to me, you say, that in order to go to God, it is not sufficient, that by pious, just, pure, chaste, true words and works, a good man approve himself to the gods, in whose company he may go to God the supreme * creator of all, unless he be purified according to the pious directions of the ancients. Where'fore I desire to know of you, what there is which needs to be purified by sacred rites in him, who by piety, justice, purity, and sincerity, has approved himself to the gods, and by them to him who is the one God of gods. For if he is still to be purified by sacred rites and 'expiations, he is not clean; and if he is not clean, he does not five piously, justly, purely chastely. For what need can he have to be purified by sacred expiations who is already clean? This is wanting to be cleared up before we proceed.' By all which Augustine seems to intimate that sincerely good and virtuous men are pure, and clean, and acceptable to God, and need no other purifications or expiations whatever. That is the sum of this correspondence. There are no other letters between Augustine and Longinian. Who Longinian was we do not know exactly. I do not see that he was a priest or pontiff, as some have imagined; but he was a learned man. In the contents of the epistle, as represented by the Benedictines, he is called a Pagan philosopher.' Says Tillemont, We know not what was the issue of this conference. Possidius mentions no more than two letters to Longinian against Paganism. There was one of this name in the time of Honorius, who was præfect of Italy, and was killed in the year 408 as a friend of Stilicho. I see no difficulty in allowing that this is the same person.' Verum quod traditum sancte atque antiquitus teneam atque custodiam, ut potuero, paucis edicam. Via est ad Deum melior, quâ vir bonus, piis, puris, justis, castis, veris dictis factisque sine ullâ temporum mutatorum cantatâ jactatione probatus, et deorum comitatu vallatus, Dei utique potestatibus emeritus, id est, ejus unius et universi et incomprehensibilis et ineffabilis infatigabilisque Creatoris impletus virtutibus, quos, ut verum est, angelos dicitis, vel quid alterum post Deum vel cum Deo, aut in Deo, aut in Deum intentione animi mentisque ire festinat. Via est, inquam, quâ purgati antiquorum sacrorum piis præceptis expiationibusque purissimis, et abstemiis observationibus decocti, animo et corpore constantes deproperant. num. ii. 3. De Christo autem tuæ jam credulitatis carnali, et Spiritu Dei, per quem in illum summum, beatum, verum, et patrem omnium ire securus es, Domine pater percolende, non audeo, nec valeo quid sentiam exprimere; quia, quod nescio, difficillimum credo definire. Ut autem me cultorem tuarum virtutum dignatus es―num. iii. b Unde jam video exortam et exorsam inter nos magnæ hac de re magnâ disputationis quasi sementem. Hoc est quod volebarn prius, deinde quod adhuc volo, Deus adjuvabit Proinde quod de Christo nihil tibi negandum vel affirmandum putâsti, hoc in Pagani animo temperamentum non in vitus acceperim—Sed prius opus est eliquare quodammodo, 2. In his verbis sentio, ni fallor, videri tibi non sufficere ad viam quâ itur ad Deum, uti vir bonus piis, justis, puris, castis, veris dictis factisque promereatur deps, quorum comitatu vallatus, in illum summum Deum omnium Creatorem ire festinet, nisi etiam sacrorum antiquorum piis præceptis expiationibus purgetur. Quamobrem velim scire, quid arbitreris esse per sacra purgandum, in eo, qui pie, juste, pure, veraciter vivendo promeretar Deos, et per eos unum illum deorum Deum. Si enim adhuc sacris purgandus est, utique mundus non est. Et si mundus non est, pie, juste, pure, casteque non vivit. Si enim ita vivit, jam mundus est. Porro jam mundum atque purum quid opus est sacris expiando purgari? &c. Ibid. num. 2. Le Saint, ayant eu un entretien avec Longinien, qui étoit payen, et apparemment pontife du paganisme. Tillem. Augustin. art. cv. T. 13. p. 271. ̧ Tillem. ib. p. 272. SECTION XV. Observations of Orosius and Augustine upon the Treatment given to the Gentiles by Christian Magistrates. b a OROSIUS, who finished his history in the year of Christ 417, or thereabout, speaks to this purpose near the conclusion of it: Constantine,' says he, was the first Christian emperor excepting Philip, who was a Christian, for a few years only, and, as seems to me, for this purpose, that the thousandth year of Rome might be consecrated to Christ rather than to idols. From • Constantine to this time all the emperors have been Christians excepting Julian, who lost his life when he was meditating, as it has been said, evil things, [that is against the Christians, and intending their extirpation.] This has been their slow but sure ruin. For which reason they ⚫ are continually complaining, and though not hurt they smart, and though they live much at ease, they gradually decline; so that now there remain very few of them, though they have 'never been persecuted by any.' Orosius was not unacquainted with the imperial laws concerning the Gentiles and their worship; and yet he speaks as if they had never been persecuted. I think it may be hence argued that few Gentiles had suffered in their persons by those laws. So, as before quoted by us, he said that, Constantine by edict ordered the temples of the Pagans to be shut up, but ⚫ without putting any of them to death.' Augustine was contemporary with Orosius, but survived him. Let us now observe some things which we meet with in his writings. In his first book against Parmenian, a Donatist bishop, he puts him in mind that there" 'were imperial laws not only against heretics, but also against Pagans, and that their images had been ordered by late laws to be thrown down and broken to pieces; and that their 'sacrifices had been forbidden upon pain of death.' So writes Augustine, and with too evident tokens of approbation. That book is supposed to have been written in the year of Christ 400. с In his letter to Vincentius he says, that many had been induced to forsake Gentilism by the terror of the imperial laws. His words are these: The Pagans may reflect upon us for the laws which Christian emperors have enacted against the worshippers of idols; nevertheless • many of them have been converted, and still are daily converted to the one living and true 'God.' That letter is supposed to have been written about the year 408. In a sermon to the people he descants upon the words of Psalm cxli. 6, which he reads thus, agreeably to the version of the seventy: "They shall hear my words because they have prevailed." He there compares the timidity and unsteadiness of Gentile people with the resolution and fortitude of the martyrs, who were exalted above the fear of death. How then did they a See Tillemont St. Augustin. art. 266. Mem. Tom. xiv. Igitur mortuo, ut dixi, Constantio in Britanniis, Constantinus Imperator est creatus, primus Imperatorum Christianus, excepto Philippo, qui Christianus annis admodum paucissimis, ad hoc tantum constitutus fuisse mihi visus est, ut millesimus Romæ annus Christo potius quam idolis dicaretur. A Constantino autem omnes Christiani Imperatores usque in hodiernum diem creati sunt, excepto Juliano, quem impia, ut aiunt, machinantem, exitiabilis vita deseruit. Hæc est lenta illa paganorum pœna, sed certa. Hinc sani insaniunt, hinc non vulnerati compunguntur, hinc ridentes gemunt, hinc viventes deficiunt, hinc secreto excruciantur, quos nemo persequitur hinc jam paucissimi remanserunt, qui nunquam aliquo persequente puniti sunt. Oros. lib. 7. cap. 28. p. 537. See before, p. 437, 438.. f stringi jussa sunt recentioribas legibus, inhiberi etiam sacrificia terrore capitali. Contr. Epist. Parmen. lib. i. cap. ix. Tom. 9. e Pagani vero magis nos blasphemare possunt de legibus, quas contra idolorum cultores Christiani Imperatores tulerunt: et tamen ex eis multi correcti, et ad Deum vivum verumque conversi sunt, et quotidie convertuntur. Ad Vincent. Rogatist. Ep. 93. al. 48. num. 26. Tom. ii. Audiunt verba mea, quoniam prævaluerunt.' Unde prævaluerunt? Quis eorum comprehensus est in sacrificio, cum his legibus ista prohiberentur, et non negavit? Quis eorum comprehensus est adorare idolum, et non clamavit, Non feci, et timuit ne convinceretur; Unde autem prævaluerunt verba Domini?Et quid est factum de tot mortibus Martyrum, nisi ut ipsa verba prævalerent, et tamquam irrigatâ terrâ sanguine testium Christi, pullularet ubique seges Ecclesiæ ? Unde prævaluerunt? Jam diximus, cum prædicantur a non timentibus. Quid non timentibus? Nec |