Letter 11075: I must tell you: when the report reached us of what God has done through you in England — the conversions, the...

TO AUGUSTINE, BISHOP OF THE ENGLISH. Gregory to Augustine, bishop of the English. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will (Luke 2:14; cf. John); for the grain of wheat, having died, fell into the earth, that it might not reign alone in heaven [...]: by whose death we live, by whose weakness we are made strong, by whose suffering we are snatched away from suffering, by whose love we seek in Britain brethren whom we did not know, by whose gift we have found those whom, not knowing them, we were seeking. Who indeed could suffice to tell how great a joy has arisen in the heart of all the faithful, that the nation of the English, by the working of the grace of almighty God and by the labor of your fraternity, with the darkness of error driven out, has been suffused with the light of the holy faith; that with a wholly upright mind it now tramples upon the idols to which it formerly lay subject in mad fear; that it bows itself down with a pure heart to almighty God; that it is bound by the rules of holy preaching from the lapses of depraved conduct; that it submits its mind to the divine precepts, and is raised up in understanding; that it humbles itself even to the ground in prayer, lest in mind it lie upon the ground. Whose work is this, but His who said: My Father works until now, and I work (John 5:17)? Who, that He might show that He converts the world not by the wisdom of men but by His own power, chose His preachers, whom He sent into the world, without learning; doing the same thing now too, since He has deigned to work mighty things among the nation of the English through weak men. But there is in this heavenly gift, dearest brother, something which, together with great joy, ought most vehemently to be feared. For I know that almighty God, through your love, has shown great miracles in the nation which He willed to choose. Whence it is necessary that, concerning that same heavenly gift, you both rejoice with fear and fear with rejoicing. You should rejoice, namely, because the souls of the English are drawn through outward miracles to inward grace; but you should fear, lest among the signs that are done, the weak mind raise itself up in presumption of itself, and whence it is outwardly exalted in honor, thence through empty glory it inwardly fall. For we ought to remember that the disciples, returning with joy from their preaching, when they said to their heavenly master: Lord, in your name even the demons are subject to us (Luke 10:17), immediately heard: Do not rejoice over this, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). For they had set their mind on private and temporal joy, who rejoiced over the miracles. But they are recalled from private to common, from temporal to eternal joy, when it is said to them: In this rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. For not all the elect work miracles; and yet the names of them all are held inscribed in heaven. For there ought to be no joy for the disciples of truth, except concerning that good which they hold in common with all, and in which they have no end of joy. It remains, therefore, dearest brother, that amid those things which by God's working you outwardly do, you always inwardly and subtly judge yourself, and subtly understand both who you yourself are, and how great is the grace within that same nation, for whose conversion you have also received the gift of working signs. And if ever you remember that you have offended our Creator, whether by tongue or by deed, always recall these things to memory, that the memory of guilt may press down the rising glory of the heart. And whatever you receive or have received concerning the working of signs, count these as given not to yourself, but to those for whose salvation they were bestowed upon you. Now to the mind thinking these things there occurs what was done concerning one servant of God, even one outstandingly chosen. Surely Moses, while he was leading God's people out of Egypt, worked wonderful signs in Egypt, as your fraternity knows. On Mount Sinai, fasting forty days and nights, he received the tablets of the law amid lightnings and thunders, while all the people were terrified, and alone he was joined to the service of almighty God even in familiar conversation (Exodus 20; 31); he opened the Red Sea; on the journey he had a pillar of cloud as his leader; to the hungering people he sent down manna from heaven; to those desiring flesh he ministered by a miracle in the wilderness even to excessive satiety (Exodus 13; 14; 16). But when in the time of thirst they had come to the rock, he doubted, and was uncertain whether he could bring water out of it, which nevertheless, at the Lord's command, he opened with abundant streams. But how many miracles he did after these things through thirty and eight years in the desert, who can enumerate, who can investigate (Exodus 16; Numbers 20)? As often as a doubtful matter struck his mind, recurring to the tabernacle, he secretly inquired of the Lord, and concerning it he was straightway taught, God speaking (Exodus 33 and following). He appeased the Lord, angry with the people, by the intervention of his prayer; those rising up in pride and disagreeing in discord he caused to be swallowed by the gaping clefts of the opening earth, he pressed down the enemies with victories, he showed signs to the citizens (Numbers 26). But when they had now come to the land of promise, he was called up into the mountain; and the fault which he had committed thirty and eight years before, as I said, he heard that he had doubted concerning the bringing forth of water. And on account of this, he recognized that he could not enter the land of promise (Numbers 27). In which matter we must consider how greatly the judgment of almighty God is to be feared, who through that servant of His was doing so many signs, while He yet kept his fault for so long a time in His thought. Therefore, dearest brother, if we recognize that even that man died for his fault after signs, whom we know to have been especially chosen by almighty God, with how great fear ought we to tremble, who do not yet even know whether we are among the elect? But concerning the miracles of the reprobate, what ought I to say, since your fraternity well knows what Truth says in the Gospel: Many will come in that day saying to me: Lord, in your name we prophesied, and in your name we cast out demons, and in your name we did many mighty works. But I will say to them that I never knew who you are. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity (Matthew 7:22; Luke 13:27). The mind, therefore, is greatly to be restrained amid signs and miracles, lest perchance in them it seek its own glory, and exult with the private joy of its own exaltation. For through signs the gains of souls are to be sought, and the glory of Him by whose power those same signs are wrought. But the Lord has given us one sign, concerning which we can both vehemently rejoice and recognize in ourselves the glory of election, saying: In this it will be known that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35). Which sign the prophet was seeking, when he said: Work with me, Lord, a sign for good, that those who hate me may see and be confounded (Psalm 86:17). But I say these things because I desire to spread my hearer's mind low in humility. Yet let your very humility have its own confidence. For I, a sinner, hold a most certain hope, that through the grace of our almighty Creator and Redeemer, God and our Lord Jesus Christ, your sins are already forgiven, and therefore you have been chosen, that through you the sins of others may be forgiven. Nor will you have grief over any guilt hereafter, you who strive to make joy in heaven over the conversion of many. For the same our Creator and Redeemer, when He spoke concerning the penitence of man, said: So I say to you, there will be greater joy in heaven over one sinner doing penance than over ninety-nine just men who have no need of penance (Luke 15:7). And if over one penitent there be great joy in heaven, what joy do we believe to have been made over so great a people converted from its error, which, coming to the faith, condemned by penance the evils it had done? In this joy, therefore, of heaven and of the angels, let us repeat those same voices of the angels which we spoke before: Let us say therefore, let us all say: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will (Luke 2:14). (Cf. John the Deacon, book 2, chapter 40.) LETTER XXIX. TO BERTHA, QUEEN OF THE ENGLISH. Gregory to Bertha, queen of the English. He who, after earthly power, desires to acquire the glory of the heavenly kingdom, ought to labor more earnestly to make gain for his Creator, so that he may be able to ascend by the steps of the working he desires to those things which [he longs for], just as we rejoice that you have done. Therefore, our most beloved sons Laurentius the priest and Peter the monk, on returning, have related what glory your highness has shown toward our most reverend brother and fellow-bishop Augustine, and how great consolation or what charity you have bestowed upon him. And we have blessed almighty God, who has deigned mercifully to reserve the conversion of the nation of the English to your reward. For just as through Helena of revered memory, mother of the most pious emperor Constantine, He kindled the hearts of the Romans to the Christian faith, so also through the zeal of your highness we trust that He works His mercy among the nation of the English. And indeed, long ago you ought, by the good of your prudence, as truly a Christian, to have inclined the mind of our glorious son your husband, that, for the salvation of his kingdom and of his soul, he might follow the faith which you cultivate, to the end that both concerning himself and through him concerning the conversion of the whole nation a worthy retribution might be born to you in the heavenly joys. For after, as we have said, both by right faith your highness [...] [and inclined] the mind of your glorious husband to the love of the Christian faith. Therefore strengthen the mind of your glorious husband in the love of the Christian faith by assiduous exhortation; let your solicitude pour into him an increase of love toward God, and so kindle his mind, even for the fullest conversion of the nation subject to him, that he may both offer a great sacrifice to the almighty Lord from the zeal of your devotion, and that the things which have been related concerning you may both increase and in every way be approved to be true; because your good deeds have come not only now among the Romans, who prayed more strongly for your life, but also through diverse places, and even to Constantinople, to the most serene prince. Whence, just as joy has been made to us concerning the consolations of your Christianity, so also let there be joy to the angels in the heavens concerning your perfect working. So show yourself, with the help of the aforesaid most reverend brother and fellow-bishop of ours, and of the servants of God whom we have sent thither, devoutly and with all your strength in the conversion of your nation, that you may both here happily reign with our glorious son your husband, and after long spans of years may attain the future joys of life, which know no end. And we pray almighty God, that He may kindle the heart of your highness, both to perform the things we have said, with the fire of His grace, and may grant you the fruit of eternal reward from the working pleasing to Himself.

AD AUGUSTINUM ANGLORUM EPISCOPUM.. De Anglis conversis latari Romanos omnes. Latandum e! Auqustino de dono Dei; 8ed cavendam ex opera- Hione virtutum cordis elationem. Miracula, tum @ Moyse nondum culpa 80ltlo, tum a reprobis ipsis edila. In his non suam, zed Dei gloriam quarat et animarum salutem. De uno in nobis 8igno gauden- dun, scilicet dilectione. rs Gregorius Augustino episcopo Anglorum. * Gloria in excelsis Deo, etin terra paz hominibus bone volunt atis ( Luc. 11, 14; Joan; x11), quiagranum ſrumen- li L1L1Q * mortuum e>t cadens in terram, ne $0tum regnarel in celo, cujus morie vivimus, cujus infir- mitate roboramur, cvjus passione a passione eripi- mur, Ccujus amore © in Britannia ſraires querimus in Vatic., duobus Teller., Colbert., Rhem., etc. Confirmari potest h:xe lectio ex consequenlibus : Quia tyitur te Joannem religiosum, etc. Sic enim !e- - gendum ex omnibus Norm. , Corb., Rhem., Vac. quatuor; non quia igitur le Joannem, religios0, elc., ut exstat in Edit. Sumitur pro loco ubi c!eemosvyna pauperibus eroga- tur, ut epist. 20 lib. vin, nane lib. x epist. 21:;; vel pro eleemosyna ip+a et omni 1e que parperibus mi- nistratur, ut hic; vel pro collecta quz fit pauperum causa, ut apud Cag>ianum, collat, 18, C. 7. ©USSANXY. 4 Multa hoc loco mulavimus in verbis tantum, Suadentibus plerisque Mss. * flic editores legernnt intus pro julus, reluctan- tibus Mss., Reg., Vatic., etc. Eersr. XXVIN [ Al. 58], — * Hymnum angelicum in gratiarum acuonibus vilim adhiberi Solitum jam monuimus | b, v, epist. 5.), nota @. Teriulliani, Arnobii, Clementis Alexand. et fljerv- Dywi (quibus adde Urigenem, hom. 6 jn Lucan. ) $139 SANETI GREGORII MAGNI quos ignorabamns, cujns munere quos nescientes A ipsum quisis, et quanta sit in eadem gente gratia, pro quzerehamus, invenimus. Quis autem narrare suſfi- ciat quanta hiec lztitia in omnium corde fidelium ſue- rit exorta, quod gens\Anglorany;, operante omni- potentis Dei gratia, et tua fraternitate laboran'e, ex- pulsis errorum tenebris, sanctz fidei luce perſusa cst; 4 quod mente integerrima jam calcat idola, quibus prius vesano timore subjacebat; quod omnipotenti Deo puro corde $ubsternitur; quod a pravi operis lapsibus sanctz pra'dicationis regulis ligatur ; quod preceptis divinis animo subjacel, et intellecta sub- levatur ; quod usque ad terram se in oratione humi- liat, ne mente jaceat in terra. Cujus hoc opus est, nisi ejus qui ait : Pater meus usque modo operatur , et ego operor (Joan. v, 17)? Qui ut mundum osten- deret non $apientia hominum $sed 8ua- se virtute convertere , predicatores suos quos in mundum misit, sine litteris elegit ; hoc etiam modo ſaciens , quia in Anglorum gente fertia dignatus est per in- firmos operari. Sed est in isto dono ccelesti, frater charissime , quod cum magno gaudio vehementissi- me debeat formidari. Scio enim quod omnipotens Deus per dilectionem tuam in gente quam eligi vo- luit magna miracyula ostendit. Unde necesse est ut de eodem dono ecelesti el timendo gaudeas, et gau- dendo pertimescas. Gaudeas videlicet, quia Anglo- rum anime per exteriora miracula ad interiorem gratiam pertrahuntur (Beda, lib, 1 Histor, Angl.'c. 54); pertimescag vero ne inter signa que flunt infirmus avimys in $vi presumptionem 86 clevyet, et unde foris in honore glollitur, inde per inanem gloriam iotus cadat, Memipisse elenim debemnus quod disci- puli cum gaudio a preedicalione redcuntes, dum co- lestj magislro dicerent : Domine, in nomine {uo etiam demonis pobis subjects gunt (Luc. x, 47), protinus audierunt : Nolite gaudere super hoc, sed potius gau- dels yujia noming vestrg 8crip(a sunt in celo (Ibid., 20 ). in privata enim et temporali lztitia mentem posverant, qui de miraculis gaudebant. Sed de pri- vala ad communem, de temporali ad eternam Ieti- tiam revocantur, quibus dicitur : In hoo gandete quia noming vestra scripla 8unt in clo, Non enim omnes electi miracula ſaciunt ; ged tamen eorum onnium nomina in ccelo tenentur ascripta. Veritatis enim discipulis esse gaudium non debet, nisi de eo bono quod cammune cum omnibus habent, et in quo linen letliti aon habent. Restat itaque, frater charissime, ut inter ea que operanie Deo exlerius facis, gemper te interius subliliter judices, ac subtliliter intellieas et temet- Verum vel prope defecerat tempore sancti Gregorii, unde et Anglorum apostolus a quibusdam est appel- latns; vel Angli et Saxones, qui partem insulz ma- ximam occupaverant , idololatre erant more paren- tum <uorum Germanorum, quorum conversioni Grezo- rins papa totus per $40s incuboit. Partim exGus8axv. « Excusi, quod mente et devotione integerrima. * Modus est loquendi Gregorio familiaris lib. 11 Dial., c. 55, quatenus unum idemque eset momentum, et levare capul, et pluviam deponere. cujus conversione etiam faciendorum signorum dona percepisti. Et si quando te Creatori nostroseu per lin- gaam, sive per opera reminisceris deliquisse, semper hee ad memoriam revoces, ut surgentem cordis gloriam memoria reatus premat. Et quidquid de ſa- ciendis signis acceperis vel accepisti, LL11 hzc non tibi, sed illis deputes donata pro quorum tibj $alute collata s8unt. Occurrit autem menti- ista cogitanti quid de uno Dei ſamulo actum sit, etiam egregie eclecto. Certe Moyses dum Dei populum ex Xgypto educeret, mira, sicut tua fraternitas novit, signa in Zgypto opera- tus est. In Sina monte quadraginta diebus et nocti- bus jejunans, legis tabulas accepit, inter coruscos B et tonitruos, pertimescente omni populo, omnipoten- tis Dei $servitio s0lus familiari etiam collocutione conjunctus est ( Erod. xx, xxx1); Rubrum mare aperuit; in itinere ducem habuit nubis columnam ; esurienti populo ® manna de ccoelo deposuit; carnes desiderantibus usque ad satietatem nimiam in eremo per miraculum ministravit (Exod. xm, x1v, xv1). Sed cum jam sitis tempore ad petram ventum fuisset, diſſisus est , Seque de eadem aquam educere posse dubitavit, f quam jubente Domino largis utique fluenlis apervit. Quania autem post hzc per lrigiula £ et oclo annos in deserto miracula fecerit, quis enu- merare, quis investigare valeat (Ezod. xvi; Num. xx )? Quoties res dubia animum pulsasset, recurrens ad (labernaculum, 8ecreto Dominum requirebat, atque de ea protinus, Deo loquente, docebatur (Exod. xxx1in, 5eq. ). Iratum populo Dominum placabat suz precis interventione ; Surgenles in Superbia atque in discor- dia dissideples dehiscentis terrz hiatibus absorbebat, victoriis premebat hbostes, 8igna monstrabat civibus (Num. xxv1). Sed cum jam ad reprowissionis terram ventum ſuisset, vocalus in montem est ; et quam cul- pam ante annos triginta et octo, ut dixi, fecerat, au- divit quia de educenda aqua dubitavit. Et propter hoc quia terram repromissionis infrare non posset, agnovit (Num. xxvi). Qua in re conSiderandum nobis est quam timendum sit omnipotentis Dei judicium, qui per illum famulum 8uum tot signa ſa- ciebat cujus culpam tam longo tempore adhue $er- vabat in cogilatione. Igitur, ſrater charissime, i et illum agnoscimus post 8igna pro culpa mortuum, quem ab omnipoteute Deo novimus precipue electum, quanto nos debe- mus metu contremiscere, > qui needum adhuc novi- mus $i electi sumus? eusi, ubi legitur, quam jub. Dom, percussit alque aquas effluentes aperutt. : : } £ Videtur. Sanctus Gregorius n6n animadrertiss0 aliam hi<toriam recitari Exod. xvi, aliam Numer. xx, quando Moyses dubitavit. Hane exponit Augu- Stinns in Psal. cv, et lib. xvi contra Faustum Manich c. 16, 47. Theodoret. quzst. 38, in lib. Numer. Aliam autem quest. 27 et 28 in Exodum. Uiramque colt ſanit Procopius; distinguunt alii omnes, x Vide lib. xx Moral., num. 8 et eq. - nm EPISTOLAKUM LIB. XI. — INDICT. IV. — EPIST. XXIX. '* $442 De reproborum vero miraculis quid dicere debeo, A desiderat operationis 8uz gradibus possit ascendere, eom tua bene ſratgrnitas noverit quid in Evangelio Veritas dicit : Multi venient in i/la die dicentes mihi : Domine, in nomine tus prophetavimus, el in nomine 110 demonia ejecimus, el in tuo nomine virtutes multas 1112 ſecimus. Sed dicam illis quia nescio qui extis. Recedite a me, omnes operarii iniquitatis, ( Matth, vn, 22; Luc. xin, 27). Valde ergo premendus est animus inter signa et miracula, ne ſortassis in his propriam gloriam querat, et privato 812 exaltationis gandio exsnltet. Per 8igna enim animarum Jlucra quzerenda zunt, et ilius gloria , cujus virtute ipsa eadem 8igna geruntur. Unum yero Dominus nobis signum dedit, de quo et vehementer gaudere, et electionis gloriam in nobis pos8umus agnoscere, dicens : In hoc scietur . 8icut vos ſecisse gaudemus, Remeantes igitur dile- clissimus filius noster Laureptius presbyter el Peirus | monacius, qualis erga reverendissimum fratirew et coepiscopum nostrum Augustinam gloria ves/ra ex- Sliterit, quantaque il1j golatia vel qualem charitaten impenderit, retulerunt, Et omnipotentem Deum be- nediximus, qui conversiongm gentis Anglorum mer- cedi vestrz dignatus est propitius reservare. Nam zicut per recordande memories Helenam , mairem piissimi Constantini jmperatoris , ad Christianam ſidem corda Romanorum accendit, ita et per gloris vestre 8tudium in Anglorum gente ejus misericor- diam conſidimus operari. Et quidem jamdudum glg- riosi filii nostri conjugis yestri animos prudentia quia mei discipuli estis, 8i dilectionem habueritis ad B Vesire bono , sicut revera Christiane, debuistis in- invicem (Joan. xm, 53). Quod signum propheta re- quirebal, cum diceret : Fac mecum, Domine, signum in bonum, ut videant qui oderunt me, et conſundantur (Pzal. txxxv, 47). 5 Hrc autem dico,” quia auditoris mei animum in humilitate 8ternere Cupio. Sed ipsa tua humilitas habeal fiduciam suam. Nam peceator ego $pem cer- tissimam teneo, quia per omnipotentis Creatoris ac Redemptoris nostri Dei et Domini Jesu Christi gratiam jam peccata tua dimissa $unt, et idcirco electus es, ut per te dimittantur aliena. Nec habebis luctum de quolibet reatu in posterumw, qui de multorum con- versione gaudium conaris facere in clo. Idem vero Conditor et Redemptor noster, cum de penitentia hominis Joqueretur, ait : ta dico vobis, majus gau- C dium erit in celo super uno peccatore penitentiam * _ Ggente quam 8wper nonaginta novem justis quibus non opus est penitentia (Luc. xv, T). Et si de uno pani- tente grande sit gaudium in ccelo, quale gaudium ſactum credimus de: tanto populo a $10 errore con- vers0, qui, ad fidem veniens, mala que egit poeni- tendo damnavit? In hoc ilaque cceli et angelorum gaudio repetamus ipsas quas prediximus yoces an- gelorum : Dicamus ijgitur, dicamus omnes : Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax- hominibus bong volun- latis (Luc. 1, 14) i. (Cf. Joan. Diac. l. y, c. 40.) EPISTOLA XXAIX. AD BERTHAN ANGLORUM REGINA. De Anglorum conversione gratulutuy, Ne regis animum flectere, ut pro regni et anime guz salute fidem quam colitis sequerelur, quatenus et de 80 et per eum de totius gentis conyversione digna yobis in ccelestibus gaudiis retributio nasceretur. Nam post- quam, sicut diximus, et recta fide gloria yestra Itaque mentem gloriosi . conjugis vestri in dile- ctione Christianz fidei adbortatione assidua roborate, yestra ili sollicitudo augmentum in Dexum amoris inſandat, atque ita animos ejus, etiam pro subjectze Sibi gentis plepissima conversione guccendat, ut et magnum omnipotenti Domino © de devolionis vestre Studio sacrificium offerat, et ea qua de vobis nar- rata sunt et crescant et vera esse modis omnibus approbentur ; quia bona vestra non solum jain apud Romanos, qui pro vita vestra ſortius orayerunt, sed etiam per diversa loca, et usque Constantinopolim ad serenissimum principem pervenerunt. Unde sicut. nobis de Christianitatis vesirz $olatiis Iztitia ſacta esl, ita quoque de perfecla operatione vestra angelis ſiat gaudium in ccelis. Sic vos in adjutorio supradicti reverendissimi ſratris et coepiscopi nostri, et 8ervo- rum Dei quos illuc misimus, in conversione gentis vestre devote ac totis viribus exhbibete, ut et hic feliciter cum glorioso filio nostro conjuge vesiro re- ad perſectam Christiane fidei d'lectionem succendere Ty gnetis, et post longa annorum tempora future quo- diulius negligat, horlatur impense. | Gregorius * Berthz reginz Anglorum. Qui post terrenam poteslatem regui ccelestis glo- riam cupit acquirere, ad ſaciendum lucrum 1113 Creatori 8uo debet enixius laborare, ut ad ea que EeisT. XXIX [ Al. 59]. — * Ita Mss. Anglic., Norm., wrb., Reg., quatuor Vatic., tres Colbert. In uno Colbert. legitur Adilberge, consentiunique Excusi. Unde nomen hoc formatum sit ostendimus in Vita 8ancli Grezorii. Legendum Berthe, ex Beda, lib. 1 Hist. Eccles. Angl. gentis, c. 25, aliisque historicis. que vitze gaudia, quz finem habere nesciunt, capia- tiz. Oramns autem omnipotentem NDeum , ut glorie vestr# cor et ad operanda quz diximus, gratie $ue igne succendat, et zternz mercedis fructum vobis de placita sibj operatione concedat. Erat autem Bertha EthelbertiCantiorum in Britannia regis uxor, Chariberti Francorum regis filia, Clotarii primi neptis, Clodoyz#i Magni proneptis, que cum esset Christiaua, plurimum in conversione Mmariti sui labo- ravit. Lege virum clarissimum Adriauum Valesium, in lib. 1x Rerum Francicarum. Partim ex GUSSANY. 11443