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| To Dominicus, Bishop.
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Epistle
V.
To Dominicus, Bishop.
Gregory to Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage.
Prosper your delegate (responsalis), the
bearer of these presents, has been with us, and after other expressions
of your charity handed us your second letters with an allegation of the
imperial commands, and a paper giving an account of the synod that has
been held among you1578
| 1578 This had been a
synod held at Carthage for the suppression of the Donatists. Cf.
I. 74, note 8. Gregory, while fully approving, as he shows
elsewhere, of strict enforcement of the imperial laws against them,
expresses fear in this epistle lest the council lately held might have
gone too far, so as to endanger the unity of the African Church, in
exceeding the decrees of synods that had been held elsewhere, and
especially in ordering severe measures against bishops or others who
might be remiss in the work of suppressing heresy. | . Having
read all, we rejoiced for your pastoral zeal, and that our most pious
lords had given no ear to the calumnies of venal persons brought
against you on the plea of religion; but especially that your
Fraternity has so taken pains to preserve the African province as in no
wise to neglect to restrain with priestly fervour the devious sects of
heretics; concerning the quieting of whom we remember having laid down
the law so fully, even before consulting the letters of your Charity,
that we do not believe that anything needs to be said again in reply to
you about them. Although, however, this is so, and though we
desire all heretics to be repressed always with vigour and reason by
catholic priests, yet, on looking thoroughly into what has been done
among you, we are in fact apprehensive lest offence should thereby be
caused (which thing may the Lord avert) to the
primates of other councils. For at the conclusion of your acts
you have promulged a sentence, in which, while ordering the searching
out of those heretics, you have brought in that those who neglect the
duty are to be punished by forfeiture of their possessions and
dignities. It is therefore best, most dear brother, that, in
dealing with matters outside ourselves that require correction, charity
among ourselves should first be preserved, and that we should be
subject in mind (as I judge to be peculiarly proper to your Gravity)
even to persons below us in dignity. For you will then more
advantageously meet the errors of heretics with your whole united
powers when, as befits your priesthood, you study to keep
ecclesiastical concord among yourselves.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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