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| To Maximus, Bishop of Salona.
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Epistle
XXXVI.
To Maximus, Bishop of Salona113
| 113 For a summary of
previous dealings with Maximus of Salona, and his long defiance of the
authority of Rome, see III. 47, note 2. It appears from this
epistle that all former insubordination, which had called forth such
fulminations, was now fully condoned. | .
Gregory to Maximus, &c.
When our common son the presbyter Veteranus came to the Roman city, he found me so weak from the pains of gout as to be
quite unable to answer thy Fraternity’s letters myself. And
indeed with regard to the nation of the Sclaves114
,
from which you are in great danger, I am exceedingly afflicted and
disturbed. I am afflicted as suffering already in your
suffering: I am disturbed, because they have already begun to
enter Italy by way of Istria. Further, of Julian the
scribo115
| 115 As to the
designation Scribo, see II. 32, note 7; V. 30, note 8. As
to this Julian, so described, cf. IX. 41. | , what shall I say, seeing that I see
everywhere how our sins find us out, so as to cause us to be disturbed
by the nations from without and by judges from within? But be not
at all saddened by such things, since those who shall live after us
will see worse times; so much so, that they will regard us as having
had happy days in comparison with their own. But, so far as thy
Fraternity has power, thou oughtest to oppose thyself in behalf of the
poor, in behalf of the oppressed. And, even if thou shouldest be
unable to do any good, the very devotion of thy heart, which Almighty
God has given, is enough for Him. For it is written, Rescue
them that are drawn unto death, and forbear not to deliver them that
are ready to be slain (Prov. xxiv. 11). But if thou shouldest say,
My powers are insufficient, He who sees into the heart
understands. In all that thou doest, then, desire to have Him Who
sees into the heart well-pleased with thee. But whatever there is
whereby He may be pleased omit not thou to do. For human terrors
and favours are like smoke, which is snatched by a light breeze and
vanishes away. Know this most assuredly, that no one can please
God and bad men. Let, therefore, thy Fraternity esteem thyself to
have pleased Almighty God in such degree as thou knowest thyself to
have displeased froward men. Yet let thy defence of the poor
itself be moderate and grave, lest, if anything be done too rigidly,
men should think you actuated by the pride of youth. But our
defence of the poor must needs be found of such sort that both the
humble may feel protection and oppressors may not easily find what out
of a malevolent disposition they may blame. Attend, then, to what
is said to Ezekiel, Son of man, unbelievers and destroyers are with
thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions (Ezek. ii. 6). And the blessed Job says,
I have been a brother of dragons, and a companion of owls
(Job xxx. 29). And Paul
says to his disciples, In the midst of a crooked and perverse
nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world
(Philip. ii. 15). We ought, then, to
walk all the more cautiously as we know that we are living among the
enemies of God. Further, with regard to the Photinianists, let
thy Fraternity pay the utmost attention; and, as thou hast begun, study
how to recall them to the bosom of holy Church. But, if any
should wish to come to me, and to receive an explanation, let them
first make oath that they will not permit their followers to persist in their error even after
an explanation has been received. And then let thy Holiness
promise them that they will suffer no wrong from me, but that I will
give them an explanation. If they should acknowledge the truth,
let them accept it; if they should not acknowledge it, I will dismiss
them unharmed. But, if any of them should wish to come to us
against you, let thy Fraternity by no means detain them; for, when they
come, they shall either accept an explanation, or assuredly they will
not see that land any more.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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