Letter 1094: The importance of maintaining good order in the churches of southern Gaul is a matter that concerns both your...

To Virgilius of Arles and Theodorus, bishop of Marseilles. [That the Jews are not to be compelled to baptism, but rather gently exhorted to embrace the faith.] Gregory to Virgilius of Arles and to Theodorus, bishop of Marseilles in the Gauls. Although there was no occasion of suitable time or of persons for writing to your Fraternity and for rendering the address of fitting salutation, it has nonetheless come about that, at one and the same time, we should both perform those things which befit the love of brotherly nearness, and not keep silent about the complaint of certain persons which has been brought to us concerning the manner in which the souls of those who go astray are to be saved. For very many men of the Jewish religion, dwelling in this province, and from time to time travelling into the regions of Marseilles for various pieces of business, have brought to our notice that many of the Jews settled in those parts have been led to the font of baptism more by force than by preaching. Now an intention of this kind I judge to be even worthy of praise, and I profess that it descends from the love of our Lord. But this same intention, unless the proper effect of Holy Scripture accompany it, I fear lest either no work of reward should come of it thereafter, or else, in keeping with something — which God forbid — losses should follow upon the souls which we wish to be rescued. For when anyone comes to the font of baptism not by the sweetness of preaching but by necessity, returning to his former superstition, he dies the more grievously in that he seemed to have been born again. Therefore let your Holiness rouse such men by frequent preaching, so that they may desire to change their old life rather out of the sweetness of the teacher. For thus both our intention is rightly accomplished, and the mind of the convert is not turned back again to his former vomit. A discourse, then, is to be applied to them which both ought to burn away the thorns of errors in them, and, by preaching, may illumine whatever grows dark in them; so that for these things your Fraternity may receive a reward through frequent admonition, and may lead them, as far as God shall grant, to the regeneration of a new life.

AD VIRGILIUN ARELATENSEM, ET THEODORUM MASS1I- LIENSEM EPISCOPUM. " -Jud@os non esxe ad baplismum cogeidos, sed ad fidem amplectendam 8uaviter excuandos. ; Gregorius * Virgilio » Arelalensi, et Theodoro e episcopo Massil:;z Galliarum. Scribeadi ad tralernilatem vestram reddendique Eersr. XLVI (Al. 44). — * ita tres Vatic., consen-. lientibus atiis melioris note. In Vaticano tamen qui nolatur B legitur,, filium Fliimuth. In A et C, filium Ovadiscalchi. linc fortasse occasio Scribendi Odis- calchi, ut habeinus jn Curb. et omnibus Norm, _ b Videmur esse dolia, mensura vini, ut infra epi>t. 30 Jib. x, munc 27 lib. x1. Avastasius ift Adriano : Decimatas duas pensanites per unamquan- que decimatam libras Lx. Gussanv. la Yalic, B, et vini dyucimas ter vigintt. In a:tero C, ef vin! decinalio- nem viginlt. In regis, et vini decima ter vigintt debeat minisfrari. Eeisr., XLVH (40. 45). — * Dissentiunt Mss. in hujus Ep. iseriptione. In Vatic. Bet UClegitur Virg. et Theod. epizce»pis Ga'l, In D, Virg. et Theo-. doro episropo Mavilig. lia evam Corb., Rhem., Norm., An leg. Virgilum inter et Licerium , qui ano 88 obiit, Saxius in poniif, Arelat. Pascha$ium locat, qurm, quia brevi temporis intervallo Sedil, a Gregorio Turon, pratermissum censet; ct quidem in veteribus diptychis Arelat. kecle>siz a Mabillumo elitis, tom. I Analectorum, Paschasius codem or- dine recensetur. Sancti Virgilii mortem anno Circa 616 accidisse putat Mabilloniu-, Crrte bealz: Ruvlt- cul fanus, quam: anno 652 obiissec probat Carolus le Cointe, in Annal. Eccles., ad an. 505, num. 17, el ad an. 632, num, 15, cur»vit Theodosius Arelat. Vid- Mabillonii notas in Vitam beatze Rusticule,, num, 34, et in Vitam $ancti Virgilii, num. 7. Porro Lerinensem chrovwologum immerito erroris arguil Gussanvillzeus, quod. dixerit Virgi.inm tuisse abba- lem Lirim. post Sancium Honmwatum. In Virgilit quidemn Via, qu: im ex perantiqus menmnbrancy CUo- dice \incentius Barralis edidit, Lonoraius dicitur Virgihi precess0r7, at non proxiumus, Cx ipsy Cuilice. Quippe Hilarinn H norato in «P SCypalu SUCCESSISSC circa anmun 45.) >eribit chronolog i parte 1, pag. 51. Demnde, pag. 94, observat ex Arnol.io Wion, et ex \irgilii ip>ius Vita sub $eculi vi witium SCHpLA, creatum fuisse Virgilium epi>copum Arcial. an. ol. An vero cun ad «(p.scopatim :S>umnptus et fucrit Lerinen. abbas, nt habet iſlius Vita ; an Augustulu- nenis, ut apud Greg. Turon., lib. 1x Hi-tor., Cap. 25, legitur, non inquir.t, Plura de Vi. gil:v apud Frau- cicze his!0r iv prentem frustra quarrres. De ills Boliaudiani, 5 Martii. A debit Salutationis alloquium, licet nulla 4 congrui temporis vel pers0uarum esset occasia, actum es ut uno in tempore es quz Jecebant de dilectivne prozi- milatis ſraterne pers9Jverew, BA4RY cl quorumdam querimoniain, quiz ad nos perlata est, quomodo er- rantivm anime $alvandz $int, nou tacerem. Plurimi Si quidem Judaicz religionis viri in hac provincia commanentes, ac Subinde in Massiliz partes pro di- versis negotliis ambulantes, ad nostram perduxere notitiam, mullos consislentium in illis partibus Ju- dzxorum, vi magis ad foutem baplismatis quam predicatione perductos. Nam intentionem quidem hujuscemodi et laude dignam censeo, et de Domini nostri diiectione descendere proliteor. Sed hanc eam- dem iutentionem, nisi competens Scripture $ac1:e RB comiltetur effectus, timeo ne aut mercedis opus exinde non proveniat, aut juxla aliquid, anigarnm quas eiipi volumus, quod ab-it, dispendia $ubsC- quantur. Dum enim quispiam ad baptismatis ſontem non predicationis Suavitate, Sed © necessitale perve- uerit, ad pristinam $uperslitionem remeans, inde de- jectam, ut contendit Gugsanvill,, probat Quesnellius dissertatione 5 apologetica pro $ancto [lilariv Are- latensi, capp. 4 et $eqq., quem videsis. © Fuit hic sanclitale consSpicuus, qui ab ann. 580 ad 590 variis procellis agilatus, Massiliensem rexit Ecclesiam, multa a rectoribus Massilias perpessus , quia Childeberti regis partibus adhzxrebat, cam re- clores Ii Guntchramao regi Chilleberti patruo fa- verent. Rem lotam fſuse narcat testis oculatus Gre- gorius Turonensis, lib. vi, cap, 11; lib. vin, cap. 12; et lib, 1x, cap. 22. Gussaxv. C posl ordinaliouem LUrra cCommunicatorice, neque it Arelat, et per ip$um universis Galtize cpiscopis. Id priasLlitit Gregorius ipsc, nec palriarchis modo, Sed et pracipuarum $Srdiuwm avlistitibus, Vide, SUP., epi-L, 25 et 27, Pclagius 1 recens'in pontulicem ele- Cius, episl. 5, ad Sapaudum Arelal., scripsit in bunc modum : Que nobiscum omnipotenalis Dei qraiiu ſuerit operula, ud Charitetem tuam crediiius ſuisze peria- lum :; pro qua re ad nos deslinari contenerat ut visita- lone communi magno invicem yaudiv (rueremur. Nos lumen fruternet mMemores Churitulis PrESentiume porti- lurum vecas:0/1e reperta, officium ſraterne 8alutationis impendinus, Huic Pelagii moniw obsequentes Virgi- lus et Theudorus, ad Gregorium, audita illus con Sec. lione, Scrip>erant. Ad illus rescribit ip>e , tum quud adsit congrui te:uporis vecasto, lum ut debite Salulationss alloquium rediati. . © A Chilpericu Neustriaz rege mullos e Judzis ad baptiSmwmn adactss Srribit Greg, Turon., ad an. Chrizl 582, lib. v1 His, cap. 17, klem in Childe- bel regno facium colligitur ex hac ad epi>copes Aielat. et Massil. epislola qua morem iium Gregs- rius Mag. inmprobat. In IHispan, quoque ciHca all, Vv15 Judizos ad baplismum >S>ciptentium coxebat Si- Sebutis rex, legit dluita ut Jadans bapi.smum reci- $ans, Ccentium flagella decalratus $Uscrpinl, et debita mulftelur exailu pune. Goncil, Tolet. Iv, pozb annos Circiter 2y habilum, can. 37%, de Judeais priecipit, Nemitn deinceps ad credeuiimn vim inlerre. $4 Fre- degarto ciedimus, Clirou., cap. bo ; Weraclins ime nitas ergo vestra hnjusmodi homines ſrequenti pre- dicatione provocet, quatenus mntare velerem vitam magis de doctoris $uavitate desiderent. Sic enim et intentio nostra recte perſicitur, et conversi animus ad priorem denuo vomitum non mutatur. Adhiben- dus ergo est illis 8ermo, qui et errorum in ipsis spi- nas urere debeat, et predicando quod in his lene- bre=cit illominet, ut pro his admonitione ſrequenti mercedem fraternitas vestra capiat, et eos quantum Deus donaverit, ad nove regenerationem vitz per- ducat. (C[. Joan. Diac, l. iv, c. 45.)