Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 594

Gregory to Gulfaris, master of the soldiers. The bearers of these presents, coming to us from the regions of Istria, have reported to us such good things concerning your Glory, that they have vehemently kindled us to render thanksgiving to you. For we have learned that amid the cares of the governance of those regions enjoined upon you, you have a special solicitude for the gain of souls, and that you so hasten to recall the hearts of the erring to the unity of the Church, that, so far as it pertains to your desire, you wish none there to remain separated from the Apostolic Church; and that so great a love of blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, has kindled you, that you desire with the utmost longing to restore to wholeness his sheepfold, to which the keys have been handed by the Lord, the Creator of all.

Have, glorious son, from so great and such a work a firmly fixed confidence concerning the divine recompense; in which not only our exhortation, but also the apostolic word confirms you, for he who shall have caused a sinner to be converted from the error of his way, shall save his soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins (James 5). For however great may be temporal abundance, or indeed prosperity, it has its own end, the term of death. But this zeal which you have laid hold of for the gain of souls holds the fixed certainty of its hope, namely the recompense of eternal life.

Wherefore, having first offered the affection of a father's greeting, we exhort Your Glory that, for the unity of the holy faith, you may pursue with the more zeal the zeal which the Author of unity himself has bestowed upon you, and that, recalling as many as you can from the error of their schism into the bosom of Mother Church, you may cherish them with continual encouragement. And in accomplishing this, protect with the comforts of your defense those whom the Lord shall grant to be restored to his fold through you, in such wise that there be no reason why those who are still fixed in error should not, on returning to wholesome counsel, be able to attach themselves to it.

For while you carry out God's causes on earth, he himself both here happily orders your acts by the help of his protection, and in the eternal life which you desire there will be for you a recompense for so great a good of yours. Gregory to Romanus the defensor. The bearers of this letter, coming hither from the regions of Istria to their bishop, who now dwells in the regions of Sicily, have requested to proceed with our assistance; and, sending them on from here, we have caused them to travel. Receiving them, therefore, let your Experience arrange how they may more quickly reach their aforesaid bishop; lest, as they assert, others from the schismatics of those regions should forestall them to persuade them otherwise. For, as far as they indicate, the bishop himself has a desire of coming to us for the unity of the faith.

Therefore they must be helped, that the good things they desire they may, with the Lord's aid, be able to bring to completion. But let your Experience, either in person, if he is nearby, or by your letters, exhort the same bishop that, the Lord being favorable, he may hasten to press on to the thresholds of the Apostles, knowing that he will be received by us with all affection. And we wish you to furnish him the expenses of the journey, that he may reach us. But if it is burdensome for him to come hither, and he plans to dwell in Sicily, and consents to remain, with caution, in the unity of the Church among the perverters of the Scriptures, do not delay to indicate this to us also by your suggestion, that we may arrange, with the Lord's help, how he may be able there to have provision made for him.

But let it also be a matter of your endeavor and comfort that the bearers of this letter may come to the same their bishop, so that, coming from us, they may perceive nothing lacking.