教牧守則·對話錄與書信 第 339 章

Gregory to Pantaleo, prefect of Africa. It is not unknown to your Excellency how the most abominable depravity of heretics is more urgently persecuting the light. Those therefore whom both the integrity of our faith and the strictness of secular laws condemn—it is no light sin if they find in your times licence for opening again. In those parts, so far as we have learned, the audacity of the Donatists has so grown that they not only cast out priests of the catholic faith from their own churches by pestilent authority, but they do not fear to rebaptize those whom the water of regeneration had washed by true confession. And we greatly marvel, if indeed it be so, that to men so depraved it should be permitted to run wild there while you are stationed there.

First indeed consider what judgment you leave to men concerning yourselves, if those who in the times of others were justly restrained by right reason should, while you administer, find a way for their transgression. Next, know that our God requires the souls of the lost from your hand, if you neglect to amend so great a wickedness in as far as possibility demands. Let not your Excellency receive these things bitterly. For because we love you as our own sons, therefore we make known these things which we doubt not are profitable to you. But send to us our brother and fellow-bishop Paul with all haste, lest occasion be given to anyone of hindering him by any excuse;

so that, coming to know the truth more fully as to how the punishment of so great a crime ought to come about, we may, with God helping, be able to arrange it by reasonable deliberation.