Letter 11063: What good gifts have been conferred on you from above, and with what piety heavenly grace has filled you, this, among all the other proofs of your merits, intimates evidently to all that you both govern the savage hearts of barbarians with the skill of prudent counsel, and (what is still more to your praise), adorn your royal power with wisdom. ...
Pope Gregory the Great→Brunichild|c. 601 AD|Pope Gregory the Great|Human translated
barbarian invasionproperty economics
Barbarian peoples/invasions; Theological controversy; Church council
Gregory to Brunichild, Queen of the Franks.
What good gifts have been bestowed on you from above, and with what piety heavenly grace has filled you -- this, among all the other proofs of your merits, is clear to everyone. You govern the fierce hearts of barbarians with the skill of prudent counsel, and -- what is still more to your credit -- you adorn your royal power with wisdom. Since you stand above many nations in both these respects, and also excel them in the purity of your faith, I have great confidence that you will act to correct what is unlawful. The contents of the letters you have already sent confirm how warmly your Excellency has embraced my exhortation and how eagerly you wish to carry it out.
Since the one who gives good intentions also helps to fulfill them, I trust that God will direct your affairs all the more favorably as he sees you devoted to his cause. Do God's work, and God will do yours.
Order a synod to be convened. Among other matters, as I have written before, ensure that the sin of simoniacal heresy [buying and selling church offices] is formally condemned and prohibited in your kingdom by the authority of the council. Offer a sacrifice to God by conquering the enemy within, so that by his help you may conquer the enemies without. As great as the zeal you show against his foes, so great will you find his aid.
Believe me -- and I speak from the experience of many -- whatever is gathered together through sin is spent in loss. If you wish to lose nothing unjustly, make sure you have nothing gotten by injustice. Loss in earthly matters always has its origin in sin. If you wish to stand above hostile nations and gain swift victories with God's permission, receive the commandments of Almighty God with trembling, so that he himself may fight for your enemies.
Book XI, Letter 63
To Brunichild, Queen of the Franks.
Gregory to Brunichild, etc.
What good gifts have been conferred on you from above, and with what piety heavenly grace has filled you, this, among all the other proofs of your merits, intimates evidently to all that you both govern the savage hearts of barbarians with the skill of prudent counsel, and (what is still more to your praise), adorn your royal power with wisdom. And since, as you are above many nations in both these respects, so also you excel them in the purity of your faith, we have great confidence in your amending what is unlawful. For the contents of the letters you have already sent us are witness how your Excellency has embraced our exhortation, and with what devotion you long to fulfil the same. But, since He Who is the giver of good dispositions is wont to be their helper also, we trust that He may direct your causes in His loving-kindness all the more favourably as He sees you to be assiduous in His cause. Do you God's work, and God will do yours. Wherefore order a synod to be assembled, and, among other things, as we have before written, studiously prohibit by the definition of a council the sin of simoniacal heresy in your kingdom. Offer a sacrifice to God by conquering the enemy that is within, that by His help you may conquer the enemies that are without; and that, according to the zeal you evince against His foes, such you may feel Him to be in aiding you. Believe me, moreover, that, as we have learned from the experience of many, whatever is gathered together with sin is spent with loss. If, then, you wish to lose nothing unjustly, endeavour to the utmost to have nothing got by injustice. For in earthly matters loss has always its origin in sin. You, therefore, if you wish to stand above adverse nations, if you would speedily, with God's leave, be victorious over them, receive with trembling the commandments of the same Almighty God, that He Himself may fight for you against your adversaries, Who has promised in Holy Writ, saying, The Lord shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace Exodus 14:14.
[In Collect. Pauli Diac.: Data die decima Kalend., Indict. 4. In Remigiano: Data die x Kalendas Julii, Indict. 4.]
◆
Gregory to Brunichild, Queen of the Franks.
What good gifts have been bestowed on you from above, and with what piety heavenly grace has filled you -- this, among all the other proofs of your merits, is clear to everyone. You govern the fierce hearts of barbarians with the skill of prudent counsel, and -- what is still more to your credit -- you adorn your royal power with wisdom. Since you stand above many nations in both these respects, and also excel them in the purity of your faith, I have great confidence that you will act to correct what is unlawful. The contents of the letters you have already sent confirm how warmly your Excellency has embraced my exhortation and how eagerly you wish to carry it out.
Since the one who gives good intentions also helps to fulfill them, I trust that God will direct your affairs all the more favorably as he sees you devoted to his cause. Do God's work, and God will do yours.
Order a synod to be convened. Among other matters, as I have written before, ensure that the sin of simoniacal heresy [buying and selling church offices] is formally condemned and prohibited in your kingdom by the authority of the council. Offer a sacrifice to God by conquering the enemy within, so that by his help you may conquer the enemies without. As great as the zeal you show against his foes, so great will you find his aid.
Believe me -- and I speak from the experience of many -- whatever is gathered together through sin is spent in loss. If you wish to lose nothing unjustly, make sure you have nothing gotten by injustice. Loss in earthly matters always has its origin in sin. If you wish to stand above hostile nations and gain swift victories with God's permission, receive the commandments of Almighty God with trembling, so that he himself may fight for your enemies.
Human translation — New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)