Those who lack earthly resources, and are not fed by the continued labor of daily work, or by the industry of an honorable craft, or perhaps by honest trade, are wont, before the doors of the rich, after hunger has shut out shame, to seek their sustenance by sighing entreaties; and sometimes even to knock at the most merciful ears of noble men with importunate petition: for they know that silence profits not the begging. But I, who labor in the poverty of a meager talent, and am not permitted, amid the many cares that bark at me, to work the food of wisdom by daily meditation on divine reading;
and being still less able by my own strength, that is, by the powers of my own disputations or reflections, to investigate what is doubtful, to explain what is obscure, to distinguish and define contrary things, I knock with frequent groanings at the door of the heavenly Father of the household. But when again I convince myself that I am unworthy that what I desire should be so quickly opened to me, then I entreat with suppliant voice those whom I see to have received from the innermost recesses of the king's chamber the money of my Lord to be dispensed, that they would deign to console our hunger with at least modest supplies.
And since you, being one from the number of those to whom talents have been entrusted, desire to multiply your gains, and share without envy that wastes away the most precious pearl of the heavenly Scribe — which you, a most faithful merchant, having sold all that you had, purchased — to be acquired, possessed, and enjoyed by all in common: bring forth, I beseech, from your treasure, excellent steward, things new and old alike, with which you may enrich the needy, feed the hungry, teach the unlearned, and show the doubter what he should follow. 2.
A certain religious man's servant, a young man in age, an Ethiopian in color, brought (I believe) from the furthest parts of a barbarian province, where men are darkened by the dry heat of the fiery sun, had not yet been cleansed by the sprinkling of the saving font, nor whitened by the gleaming grace of Christ. This man, therefore, by the diligence of his faithful masters, to be instructed in the ecclesiastical sacraments, was handed over to the church; he became, according to custom, a catechumen; and after some time nonetheless, as the paschal solemnity drew near, he was presented among the competentes, was enrolled, was instructed: and coming to know and receive all the venerable mysteries of the Catholic religion, once the scrutiny had been solemnly celebrated, he was claimed against the devil through the exorcism;
and being about to hear the Creed, he steadfastly professed to renounce him (the devil), as the custom here required. Moreover, pronouncing from memory the very words of the holy Creed in a clear voice before the faithful people, he received the pious rule of the Lord's Prayer. And at the same time now understanding both what he should believe and what he should pray, he was being prepared for the coming baptism, when suddenly he was assailed by violent fevers, and, the lethal sickness increasing, he was thrown into distress. The shortness of the days persuaded that he should be deferred, or rather reserved, to be washed at the font together with the others. And why should I linger longer?
The hour longed for by all had come, in which the people of acquisition, buried together with their Redeemer through baptism, should lay aside the old life, and, being renewed, take up the new faith of the resurrection. Then he, being set in his last breath, without voice, without motion, without sense, able to answer nothing to the questioning priest, was carried in the hands of those bearing him; and, with us answering for him as for an infant, being utterly absent in mind, he received baptism, which — dying shortly after — I judge that he did not know, in this present life, that he had received. 3. I ask now whether the loss of voice did nothing to harm his attaining eternal blessedness.
For I greatly fear lest on this account the Lord, to whom all things are possible, denied him the faculty of speaking, because he judged him unworthy of the benefit of the second birth. For in what way that age, capable of reason, could be purged by another's confession, I do not see. Do we not rightly believe that only little children are saved by the faith of those who offer them, whom we know to be condemned by original iniquity alone? — the divine justice so acting in wondrous ways that, in a manner, where one's own, that is, actual malice, is least found, there one's own will is rightly not required either; but through the abundance of grace salvation is given, others believing, to those to whom, others sinning, guilt was ascribed. But this man was living by his own free choice:
beyond that which he had drawn from the root, he had without doubt contracted many vices by his own desire, bound by the chains of very many sins, and to be saved only by voluntary belief, which in that place of redemption he neither would nor could confess; who, sensing nothing, was wholly unable to will anything at all. Or perhaps did the past confession, made while he had knowledge, merit remission of sins even for him who now knew nothing? But I hesitate to say this, lest someone truly say to me: Then he would have been saved even if he had not come to the very washing of the body; since, as you assert, he had merited the reward of expiation through the mysteries already accomplished. 4.
Finally, why do we not also baptize the dead, whom sudden death has often snatched away from holy baptism, yet whose will and faithful devotion was known to all? If I should try to give assent to one who answers such things, a great absurdity at once follows: that it would be thought that, those mysteries alone sufficing and conferring full salvation, one who is not to be born again receives the water of the eternal font, but one already reborn. I see that in this matter the customary sentence of the canons may be brought forward, which bids that the infirm be baptized, if they cannot answer for themselves, but their attendants have, at their own peril, given testimony to their will. Under which definition I judge rather what the Church ought to do to be commanded, than what that man may receive to be indicated.
That is to say, that the minister of the word may be free from the fault of negligence, not that that man may be shown to be a partaker and sharer of justice. Especially since, although I see many moved in this matter, I myself am nevertheless often more moved; hesitating what sentence ought to be held concerning those who, even if they are lawfully baptized in sound mind, being anticipated by a swifter death, are not permitted to eat the flesh of the Lord and drink his blood. For the words of the Savior are known to the faithful, saying: 'Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you' (John 6:54). Wherefore we ask that you instruct us with a speedier reply:
whether it harms, how much it harms, or whether it harms nothing at all, if someone baptized in the name of the holy Trinity be defrauded of the sacred food and drink. Deigning to answer both together — the things which by the presumption of charity we believe should be asked, and the things which we suggest will be most useful to many. May our God deign to keep your paternity for our edification, my lord and ever father. LETTER 12. Fulgentius, replying to Ferrandus, on the questions set before him concerning the salvation of a dying Ethiopian. To the venerable lord, and most greatly to be desired in the charity of Christ, the holy brother and fellow-deacon Ferrandus, Fulgentius, servant of the servants of Christ, greeting in the Lord. CHAPTER 1. — 1.
I rejoice, holy brother, that in your heart the flame of charity, which is poured out through the Holy Spirit, is nourished, grace ever increasing: which makes us, in those things which seem to most people doubtful, recognize something clear from the Scriptures; lest, while ambiguity is held concerning the very sacrament of salvation, the grace of the Savior be thought to be given in vain to believers. 1. You say, then, that a certain religious man's servant, a young man in age, an Ethiopian in color, was, by the diligence of his faithful masters, to be instructed in the ecclesiastical sacraments, handed over to the church, and made a catechumen according to custom.
After some time nonetheless, as the paschal solemnity drew near, he was presented among the competentes, was enrolled, was instructed, and coming to know and receive all the venerable mysteries of the Christian religion, once the solemn scrutiny had been celebrated, he was claimed against the devil through the exorcism; and being about to hear the Creed, he professed to renounce him (the devil) steadfastly, as the custom of the Church [of Carthage, in which now, God being favorable, you serve as deacon] required. Now, moreover, pronouncing from memory the words of the holy Creed in a clear voice before the faithful people, he received the pious rule of the Lord's Prayer. And at the same time now understanding both what he should believe and what he should pray, he was being prepared for the coming baptism.
You say that he was assailed by violent fevers, and thrown into distress as the lethal sickness increased. You add moreover that the shortness of the days persuaded that he should be deferred, or rather reserved, to be washed at the font together with the others. You say too that the hour longed for by all had come, in which the people of acquisition, buried together with their Redeemer through baptism, should lay aside the old life, and, being renewed, take up the new faith of the resurrection. Then he, as you say, being set in his last breath, without voice, without motion, without sense, able to answer nothing to the questioning priest, was carried in the hands of those bearing him, and, with you answering for him as for an infant, being utterly absent in mind, he received baptism;
which — dying shortly after — you judge that, in this present life, he did not know he had received. CHAPTER 2. — 3. This narration being thus completed, you then ask whether the loss of voice did nothing to harm his attaining eternal blessedness. For you testify that you greatly fear lest on this account God, to whom all things are possible, denied him the faculty of speaking, because he judged him unworthy of the benefit of the second birth. You say too that you do not see how that age, capable of reason, could be purged by another's confession, since we rightly believe that only little children are saved by the faith of those who offer them, whom we know to be condemned by original iniquity alone:
the divine justice so acting in wondrous ways that, in a manner, where one's own, that is, actual, malice is least found, one's own will is not required either, but through the abundance of grace salvation is given, others believing, to those to whom, others sinning, guilt was ascribed. But this man, as you assert, was living by his own free choice: beyond that which he had drawn from the root, he had without doubt contracted many vices by his own desire, bound by the chains of very many sins, and to be saved only by voluntary belief, which in that place of redemption he neither would nor could confess; who, sensing nothing, was wholly unable to will anything at all. 4.
To these words of yours you oppose another, under the fear of the question, saying: 'Or perhaps did the past confession, made while he had knowledge, merit remission of sins even for him who knew nothing?' This, you say, I hesitate to say, lest someone truly say to me: Then he would have been saved even if he had not come to the very washing of the body; since, as you assert, he had merited the reward of expiation through the mysteries already accomplished. Finally, why do we not also baptize the dead, whom sudden death has often snatched away from holy baptism, yet whose will and faithful devotion was known to all?
You then add that if you should try to give assent to one answering such things, a great absurdity would at once follow: that it would be thought that, those mysteries alone sufficing and conferring fullest salvation, one who is not to be born again receives the water of the eternal font, but one already reborn. 5. Finally, lest anything should be thought too little inquired into for your most vigilant understanding and most pious solicitude, you add that in this matter the customary sentence of the canons may be brought forward, which bids that the infirm be baptized, if they cannot answer for themselves, but their attendants have, at their own peril, given testimony to their will. Under which definition you say that you judge rather what the Church ought to do to be commanded, than what that man may receive to be indicated.
That is, that the minister of the word may be free from the fault of negligence, not that that man may be shown to be a partaker and sharer of justice. Especially since, although you see, as you say, that many are moved by this matter, you yourself are nevertheless often more moved, hesitating what sentence ought to be held concerning those who, even if they are lawfully baptized in sound mind, being anticipated by a swifter death, are not permitted to eat the flesh of the Lord and drink his blood. On account, namely, of those words of the Savior known to the faithful, saying: 'Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you' (John 6:54).
You then ask that I instruct you with a speedier reply, whether it harms, how much it harms, or whether it harms nothing at all, if someone baptized in the name of the holy Trinity be defrauded of the sacred food and drink. Since, therefore, charity commands us to answer both together, it is fitting that charity should gladly obey commanding charity. And we hope that, for the paying of the debt of that charity, the grace will be present from him by whom charity itself is inspired. CHAPTER 3. — 6. First, then, we ought to call to mind that sentence which the freely-given benevolence of the Savior promulgated generally for the salvation of the human race.
Now I mean that sentence which the Lord himself willed to cling to our minds so much the more tenaciously, as he deigned to promulgate it after all his precepts, at a later time. For after the resurrection, being about to ascend into heaven in body, but to remain with his own on earth in divinity, he is found to have said these things to his disciples: 'Going into the whole world, preach the Gospel to every creature: He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who does not believe shall be condemned' (Mark 16:15-16). Here the Lord rightly foretold that he who believes and is baptized shall be saved, and without doubt showed that the unbeliever is to be condemned. For in the unbeliever there was to be no reason at all for a future baptism.
For he who does not believe, whether he be baptized or not baptized, will without doubt be condemned. 7. But by this sentence, in which the Lord established and defined that every unbeliever is to be condemned with eternal punishment, it is beyond doubt that there are to be condemned by the divine definition not only those whom the end of this life finds estranged from the sacrament of baptism, but also all heretics. For if faith, which blessed Paul, filled with the divine Spirit, affirms to be one, is indeed that which is not feigned but true (Eph. 4:5); since the end of the commandment is charity from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned (1 Tim. 1:5); how is he said to believe, by whom the truth of faith is not held?
For whatever holds the mind of a believer that is recognized as alien from the truth of faith, that must needs be a lie. But the Lord hates all who work iniquity, and will destroy those who speak a lie (Ps. 5:6-7). Wherefore also Wisdom says in the Proverbs: 'For my mouth shall meditate truth, but lips speaking lies are an abomination before me' (Prov. 8:7). Therefore they do not receive salvation in baptism, who do not hold in heart and mouth the truth of faith. And thereby, although they have the form of piety which consists in the sacrament of baptism, yet by denying the power of piety, they receive neither life nor salvation.
But what remains for such, save eternal damnation, which faith not true but feigned will bring forth for them? For in such there is no charity from a pure heart: because, according to the sentence of blessed Peter (Acts 15:9), the Lord purifies the hearts of his own by faith; nor can there be purity of heart where there is no faith: because it is not to be called faith at all, where it is not true. Since, therefore, where there is charity from a pure heart, there is faith not feigned but true, and the heart is purged not by the pretense of faith, but by its truth; it is manifest that among heretics, in whom there is not truth but a feigning of faith, charity from a pure heart is by no means found.
But how can they have a good conscience, in whom, through unbelief, that prince of malice dwells? These, therefore, unless they are converted and saved by the truth of faith, will be condemned for the crime of unbelief, because they did not love him in whom they did not believe according to the truth of faith; nor could there be a good conscience in those who, it is established, held, against the true faith, a deadly perfidy even to the end of life. 8. Nor let it move anyone that the blessed Apostle nevertheless called it faith, though feigned: for in another place, as he preached one God, so he preached also one faith. For the blessed Apostle set that down not according to the truth of the matter, but according to the opinion of the faithful.
For that which was preached by the false apostles, the same Apostle both calls Gospel, and confirms not to be Gospel. Which is contained in his epistle, written to the Galatians, in these words: 'I marvel that you are so soon removed from him who called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel, which is not another' (Gal. 1:6-7). How then another gospel, if it is not another, save another according to the error of the faithless, but not another according to the truth of faith? So also faith is feigned by the faithless according to their own opinion, by whom the true faith which the Holy Spirit bestows is not held. The same blessed Apostle also points out the knowledge falsely so called, saying:
'O Timothy, keep that which is committed to your trust, avoiding the profane novelties of words, and oppositions of knowledge falsely so called' (1 Tim. 6:20). But just as that which is by a false name called knowledge is not knowledge, so also the faith which not the Spirit divinely pours in, but the human spirit feigns for itself, is assuredly not faith; and thereby, according to their opinion, it is called faith, which nevertheless is by no means found to be faith. For we find gods also named in the holy oracles, whom yet the divine oracles themselves plainly testify not to be gods. For it is said in the Psalms: 'All the gods of the nations are demons' (Ps. 95:5). Jeremiah too says: 'The gods that made not heaven and earth, let them perish from under heaven' (Jer.
10:11). Yet in another place he shows that those very ones whom he calls gods are not gods. For he says: 'Pass over to the isles of Chittim, and see; and send into Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if such things have been done. If a nation has changed its gods, and these are not gods' (Jer. 2:10-11). 9. But we find the name of God in the holy Scriptures, so far as now occurs to us, in four ways. For 'God' is said according to the truth of nature, in the manner in which the holy Trinity alone is the one, true, and unchangeable God, who says: 'See that I am God, and there is no other beside me' (Deut. 32:39); and of whom David says: 'Who is God but the Lord, or who is God but our God?' (Ps. 17:32).
This is the one and only God who alone is naturally God. From this one true God certain ones, that they might be gods, had it not naturally, but received it by the gift of grace. Of such gods was Moses, to whom that one true God said: 'Behold, I have made you a god to Pharaoh' (Exod. 7:1). Of such also are those of whom it is said: 'I have said, You are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High' (Ps. 81:6). These gods, therefore, received that grace whereby they might be gods, which they received that they might be made sons of God. For the Evangelist says that 'as many as received him, he gave them power to become the sons of God, to those who believe in his name; who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God' (John 1:12-13).
To these same it is likewise said: 'I have said, You are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High' (Ps. 81:6). 10. There are, then, these two ways of naming that are praiseworthy: one whereby the true God is naturally called, the other whom God has bestowed by grace on those he willed; which are nevertheless distinguished from one another by a great difference. For that way, in which the natural truth is shown in the name of God, so demonstrates the one God by the very truth of the natural name, that it never permits gods to be called within it. Hence it is that, just as the Father alone, or the Son alone, or the Holy Spirit alone is truly called God, so together the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are truly named, not three gods, but one God.
This the Trinity, one God, has: that there are indeed three persons, but there are not three gods: because that Trinity is one true God. Therefore the Son of God, not only according to the true divinity which he has from the nature of the Father, but also according to the flesh which he has truly and naturally from the body of his mother, is both believed and preached by us to be true God. Since the eternal divinity of the Son with his full humanity, and the same full humanity of the Son with his eternal divinity, is one person in the Trinity: and he himself, wholly in his divinity and humanity, the only-begotten Son, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, is one God.
But the other way, because it is not of nature but of grace, therefore receives within itself the name of gods without any depravity of faith; because it contains only the multitude of the adopted, to whom, that they might be made sons of God, the supreme Trinity, one true God, gave power. — CHAPTER 4. — In that first way, then, natural glory is recognized; but in this second, the bounty of grace is found. 11. But the two remaining ways, by which God, or some thing or person, is named, are found more deserving of blame than of praise. And therefore in both a manifest fault is found, because in none of them can either nature or grace be present. For the one is according to the affection of a depraved desire, the other according to the opinion of error.
For the mind given over to carnal desire makes that to be its god which it loves above all things. Hence it is that the blessed Apostle without doubt pronounces the belly to be the god of certain ones who savor earthly things, saying: 'Whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their confusion, who savor earthly things' (Phil. 3:19). Here I think the Apostle put 'to savor earthly things' for 'to love earthly things.' A like sense I judge to be contained also in that place, where the same Apostle says: 'Therefore if you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God: mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth' (Col. 3:1-2).
For, showing that they ought not to be wise about the things that are upon the earth, he added a little later: 'Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is the service of idols' (Col. 3:5). When therefore he commands that our members which are upon the earth be mortified, he assuredly bids that the desire of earthly things be mortified in us. For which reason it is said in another place: 'They who are Christ's have crucified their flesh with its vices and concupiscences' (Gal. 5:24). He also wishes us to reckon ourselves dead along with them, saying: 'Reckon yourselves indeed to be dead to sin, but living unto God in Christ Jesus' (Rom. 6:11).
For everyone lives to that thing which he loves, and shows himself dead to that whose affection he has mortified within himself. They therefore are wise about earthly things who love earthly things; and they make a god of their belly for themselves who bind their heart's servitude in enticing slavery to the delights of the gullet. But the opinion of human error has falsely fashioned for itself the name of God in a twofold way unto its own destruction: which twin opinion of error claims for itself no fewer heretics than pagans, since it subjects both these and those to itself, whereby it binds them all at once with the diverse fetters of manifold falsehood. For the pagans, having forsaken the true God, serve the superstition of false gods; while the heretics, thinking false things about the true God, resist the truth of holy religion.
It is therefore manifest that heretics are bound by the chain of a deadly error, and that those whom the Church endures as obstinate enemies ought not to be called faithful: seeing that it is the guilt of infidelity either to believe false things about the true God, or to worship a false god under the name of the true God. CHAPTER V. — Since therefore we have taken the beginning of our discussion from that saying of the Lord which laid down that 'everyone who shall believe and be baptized shall be saved' (Mark 16:16), let us believe that that boy was saved, in whom we find nothing to have been lacking of those things which pertain to the office and effect of baptism. For the office of the second birth consists in faith and confession, but its effect in regeneration.
'For as many as received him, to them he gave power to become sons of God, to those who believe in his name' (John 1:12). They believe, therefore, that they may become sons of God; since for this they receive the grace of faith, that believing they may receive the grace of the sacrament. For it is fitting that, while with the heart one believes unto righteousness, with the mouth confession be made unto salvation. But it is manifest that, just as the office of belief and confession pertains to the catechumen, so the effect of baptism pertains to the minister; and while by the former the confession is uttered through true faith, it follows that by the latter, in his administering the washing, the grace of the saving mystery is accomplished. And we see this rule kept in practice in the Acts of the Apostles by holy Philip:
for when he was admonished by the Holy Spirit to preach the Lord Jesus Christ to the eunuch, and had come at the same time to a certain water, the eunuch requesting and saying: 'Behold water, what hinders me from being baptized?' (Acts 8:36), he first drew forth the office of confession, to whom he might rightly administer the effect of holy baptism. Therefore he answered the eunuch: 'If you believe with all your heart, it is lawful' (Acts 8:37). And because the eunuch's confession went before, the effect of holy regeneration was consequently fulfilled in him also through Philip's ministry. By what justice, then, would he who has discharged the office of belief and confession not attain the effect of holy regeneration?