Letter 57: Augustine asks Celer to help reconcile people on his estate to catholic unity.

I believe your good sense, if you consider the matter more carefully, will very easily understand that there was no just cause for the party of Donatus to cut itself off from the whole world, throughout which the catholic church is spread according to the promises of the prophets and the Gospel. If a fuller discussion of this question is necessary, I remember that I gave your good will a book to read after my very dear Caecilius, your son and mine, told me that you had asked for it. That book was with you for several days. If, amid your other duties, you wished and were able to read it out of a desire to understand this matter, I do not doubt that your good judgment found that they have nothing plausible to say against it. If anything still troubles you, then as God grants and permits, perhaps we can answer you when you ask, or give you something else to read, my dearly beloved, deservedly honorable, and cherished son. For that reason I ask you to commend catholic unity more carefully to your people in the Hippo region, especially Paternus and Maurusius. I know the watchfulness of your heart, and I do not think I need to write more. If you wish, you can very easily learn both what others on your estates are taking care of and guarding against, and what is being done in your own affairs. I have been told very firmly that on your property there is a friend with whom I wish to be reconciled. I ask you to favor this purpose, so that you may have great praise among people and a great reward with God. Through a certain Carus, a friend of us both, he had already sent word to me that he feared some violent men of his own party; on your property, and with your support, he will not be able to fear them. Nor should you love in him what is not constancy but plainly stubbornness. It is disgraceful to change an opinion when it is true and right; but to change a foolish and harmful opinion is praiseworthy and healthy. Just as constancy keeps a person from being corrupted, stubbornness keeps him from being corrected. One deserves praise; the other needs amendment. The presbyter I sent will explain the rest more plainly to your prudence. May the mercy of God keep you safe and happy, my dearly beloved, deservedly honorable, and cherished son.

EPISTOLA 57 Scripta paulo post superiorem. A. libro quodam suo, in eam rem conscripto, Celeri ostenderat Donatistas mera levitate se ab Ecclesia catholica segregasse. Eidem, si eo codice satisfactum non sit, promittit adhuc scripta de eadem re (n. 1); ac denique nuntiat conferre se cupere cum amico quodam Donati partis, Celeri subdito (n. 2). Domino dilectissimo meritoque honorabili ac suscipiendo filio Celeri, Augustinus, in Domino salutem Donatistas speciosa causa ab Ecclesia discessisse. 1. Nullam fuisse iustam causam, cur ab orbe terrarum, quo Ecclesia catholica secundum prophetica et evangelica promissa diffunditur, se pars Donati dirimeret, credo quod magis quoque considerans prudentia tua facillime intellegit. De qua re, si diligentior disputatio necessaria est, memini me ad legendum dedisse benevolentiae tuae codicem, cum id te petisse carissimus mihi, tuus filius, meus Caecilius intimasset; qui codex non paucis diebus apud te fuit. Quem si rei huius cognoscendae studio, vel inter occupationes tuas legere sive voluisti sive potuisti, non dubito comperisse prudentiam tuam nihil eos habere quod probabiliter contradicant. Et si quid te forte adhuc movet, quantum Deus donat ac sinit, forte poterimus respondere interroganti, aut ad legendum itidem aliquid dare, domine dilectissime meritoque honorabilis ac suscipiende fili. Constantiam a pertinacia discrepare. 2. Quapropter peto unitatem catholicam regioni Hipponensi diligentius commendes hominibus tuis, maxime Paterno et Maurusio. Vigilantiam cordis tui novi, nec opus est, arbitror, plura scribere; cum si volueris, facillime possis, et quid alii curent et caveant in possessionibus tuis, et in re tua quid agatur addiscere. In re tua esse, mihi valde affirmatum est, amicum, cum quo cupio concordare; peto faveas ad hanc rem, ut et inter homines magnam laudem, et apud Deum habeas magnam mercedem: iam enim mihi per quemdam Carum utriusque nostrum medium mandaverat, se nescio quos violentos suos timere ne faceret, quos in re tua et te favente timere non poterit; nec ipse in eo debes diligere non constantiam, sed plane pertinaciam. Turpe est enim mutare sententiam, sed veram et rectam; nam stultam et noxiam, et laudabile et salubre est. Sicut autem constantia non sinit hominem depravari, sic pertinacia non sinit corrigi: proinde sicut illa laudanda, sic ista est emendanda. Presbyter quem misi, reliqua tuae prudentiae planius intimabit. Incolumem felicemque te Dei misericordia tueatur, domine dilectissime meritoque honorabilis ac suscipiende fili.