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

Gregory to Virgilius, bishop of Arles, and Theodorus, bishop of Marseilles in Gaul. Though there was no fitting occasion of time or persons to render the due address of fraternal greeting, it has come about that I should at once fulfill what was owed in fraternal love, and also not be silent concerning a complaint that has reached us about how the souls of those who err may be saved. For very many persons of the Jewish religion, dwelling in this province and traveling from time to time to the region of Marseilles on various business, have brought to our notice that many of the Jews living in those parts have been led to the font of baptism more by force than by preaching. I consider such an intention praiseworthy indeed, and I declare it proceeds from love of our Lord. But I fear that unless a fitting effect from Holy Scripture accompanies this intention, either no reward will come from it, or perhaps — God forbid — the loss of the very souls we wish to rescue may follow. For when anyone comes to the font of baptism not by the sweetness of preaching but by compulsion, he returns to his former superstition and dies the worse for having been washed. Let your fraternity therefore stir up such people by frequent preaching, so that they may desire to change their old life through the gentleness of the teacher. For in this way both our intention is rightly fulfilled, and the mind of the convert is not changed back to its former vomit. Discourse must therefore be employed which both burns the thorns of error in them, and through preaching illuminates what is dark in them, so that your fraternity may gain a reward for frequent admonition, and may lead them, as far as God grants, 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.)