Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 731

Gregory to Virgilius, bishop of Arles. Since, by the testimony of divine Scripture, the service of idols is called covetousness, we recognize with what zeal it must be driven from the temple of God; yet by certain priests — a thing we say with groaning — it is not guarded against. For savage cupidity holds the heart captive, and persuades that the evil it commands is lawful, and so contrives that with one and the same sword it slays both the giver and the receiver. What place, then, after this, can prevail to be safe against covetousness, if the Church of God is opened to it by wicked priests? When will he keep the sheepfolds inviolate who invites the wolf to enter? O the wickedness!

He defiles himself with an unlawful gift, and believes that he raises up others by his blessing, when he himself is already laid low by his own iniquity and no less made captive by his own ambition. Since therefore the rapacity of this evil has never entered the citadel of your mind, and you affirm that you hold your hands innocent of such ordinations, give thanks to almighty God, and know yourselves to be so much the more debtors to Him, the more you have remained, by His keeping, unharmed by the contagion of this disease. But these good things profit you less than they might, if you do not also carefully forbid it in others. And just as this evil displeased you in yourself, so ought you to have shown zeal against it in your brother.

For since the divine precepts admonish us that we ought to love our neighbours as ourselves, it is no small fault to despise, and not to fear for others what each man fears for himself. Even now, therefore, most beloved brother, take pains to repair what you lost in others by keeping silent from rebuke, and restrain from this depravity those whom you can, and press on that a synod may be gathered to root out this very heresy, so that — to the reward of your love — what has by God's authorship been condemned by the decision of all may the better be guarded against by all. Moreover, it has come to us

namely, that our brother and fellow-bishop Serenus of Marseilles admits into his fellowship altogether wicked men, so that indeed he holds as an intimate a certain presbyter who, after his fall, is said to be still wallowing in his iniquities. This must be diligently inquired into by you. And if it be so established, let it be your care to correct this in our stead, in such a way that both he who receives such a man may learn not to cherish him with familiarity but rather to restrain him with punishment; and he who has been received may learn to wash away his sins with tears, not to heap up iniquity in his uncleannesses. As for the monks whom we have sent to our most reverend brother and fellow-bishop Augustine, let your fraternity hold them commended in all things;

and let it strive so to comfort and assist them for their journey that, with you helping them, they may, under God's protection, be able speedily to reach the place whither they have been directed. Gregory to Aetherius, bishop of Gaul. The speech of your letters, full of venerable gravity, has so fixed the affection of our heart to itself that it is always a delight to exchange mutual discourse, so that even if we cannot enjoy your bodily presence, your absence may not, with this interchange coming between, avail to claim anything against us.

For how great a love of ecclesiastical order shines forth in you, how great is your love of discipline, how great your zeal for the observance of wholesome decrees, you show by that very thing, in that you receive our exhortation humbly and altogether willingly, and proclaim it must be observed inviolably. Since therefore you bear a heart ready for the amendment of others, and, as is fitting, condemn with free voice the evil of old, after both the other brethren and our fellow-bishops are of the same will, it behooves that with one accord you should rise up against the Lord's enemies, and by synodal definition cast out covetousness from the house of God. Let no savage hunger for gold find place in bestowing ecclesiastical orders, let no flatteries steal it away, let no favour confer it:

let the reward of honour be an upright life, let the increase of advancement be modesty, so that, with such observance prevailing, both he who seeks to rise by rewards may be judged unworthy, and he to whom his conduct bears good testimony may be worthily honoured. Let this, most beloved brother, be your care; let this solicitude ever keep watch in your mind, that you may show forth by deed the zeal which you display in your letters as the witness of your heart. Therefore press on assiduously and urgently to gather a synod; and show yourself the more earnestly, that you may fulfil the dignity of your name by the administration of your office. But concerning that which you demand to be granted to your Church according to ancient custom, we have caused a search to be made in the archives, and nothing has been found.

Wherefore send us the letters which you say you have, that from them we may gather what ought to be granted. As for the acts or writings of blessed Irenaeus, long ago... which we have diligently sought, but hitherto nothing could be found from them. Moreover, let your fraternity strive to hold commended in all things the monks whom we have directed to our most reverend brother and fellow-bishop Augustine, and show them your charity for God's sake; and so with priestly zeal earnestly assist them, and hasten to help them on their journey by your comfort, that, when no matter there gives them cause for delay, both they may proceed the more speedily, and you may be able to find your reward for the things bestowed. Given the 10th day of July, in the 4th indiction.

(See above, letter 49.)