Letter 1124: Gregory to all bishops of Numidia [the North African province, modern Algeria].

Gregory to all bishops of Numidia. If ever, most dear brothers in Christ, among the green crops some troublesome mingling of weeds intrudes, the hand of the cultivator must tear it out by the root, lest the future fruit of the fertile harvest be intercepted. We therefore, who though unworthy have taken up the cultivation of the Lord's field, must hasten to free the good crop from every scandal of weeds, so that the Lord's field may bear fruit in more abundant return. For you have petitioned through Hilarus, our chartularius, that we grant that the senior bishop be elected as primate by that very fact of seniority. Out of reverence for ancient custom, we now concede what we previously were unwilling to grant. Let it suffice, however, for those bishops to have the care only of the people committed to them, and not for those bishops whom the Catholic faith has taught and brought forth within the bosom of the Church to be surpassed in attaining the height of the primacy by those who were Donatists. I ask therefore that you love one another in Christ with mutual peace, and that you stand against heretics and enemies of the Church with one accord of heart. Be solicitous for the souls of your neighbors: persuade to the faith those whom you can by the preaching of charity, holding out also the terror of the future judgment, since you have been appointed as pastors, and the Lord of the flocks expects from the pastors to whom he has entrusted them the fruit of a multiplied flock. If he sees the increase of his own flock attended to with more diligent effort, he will assuredly adorn you with the manifold gifts of the heavenly kingdom. Rendering moreover the greeting of fraternal love, I pray the Lord, who has chosen you as pastors of souls, to make you worthy before him, and to direct our acts here which he will worthily receive in the life to come.

AD UNIVERSOS EPISCOPOS NUMIDVIE. Quod prius nolebat, jam ex antiqui moris reverentia concedit, geniorem episxcopum eo ipso in primatem eligi. Donatistam excipit. Numidas antistites hor- latur ad pacem, ad Kcelesie deſensionem,, ad 80lli- citudinem de prorimorum animabus. Gregorius universis episcopis Numidiz. Si quando, charissimi in Christo ſratres', inter vi- rentes $eg-tes zizaniorum quzedam $e infert impor- tuna commistio, hanc radicitus necesse est cnltoris manus adimat, ne futurus ſ-cunde 8egetis ſructus possit intercipi. Et nos ergo, qui, licet indigni, do- miniei agri culturam 8nscepimus, ab omni zizaniorum ritis approbabit. Quzzso ergo, vosmetipsos invicem alterna pace diligtte in Christo, et hereticis vel ini- micis Ecelesiz uno. cordis intuitu obviate. De proxi- morum animabus estote $olliciti: ad fidem quos va- letis priedicatione charitatis, prztenso eliam terrore futuri judicij , $8uadete , quoniam pastores conslituti eslis, et Dominus gregum ab iis quibus commisit pas- toribus ſructum multiplicati gregis exspectat, Oui $i proprii gregis augmentaw, adhibito studio diligen- tiori, prospexerit, multiplicibus profeeto vos ccales- tis regni muneribus decorabit, Perzolvens preterea ſfraternz dilectionis alloquium , oro Dominum, qui vos animarum pastores, quos elegit, ante se dignos eſſiciat, et hic actus nostros auos in ſutura vita digne scandalo ingenuam reddere segetem ſestinemns , BR suscipiat, ipse disponat. quatenus ager Domini reditu abundantiori ructificet. Peliistis etenim per Hilarum * chartularium nostrum Suffici4t autem illis commissa'$ibi plebis tantummodo curam gerere, non antem etiam illos antistites quos catholica fides in Ecclesis sinn SG9 et edocuit ct genuit ad oblinendi cnlmen primatus anteire. Vos ergo, ſratres charissimi , admonitiones nostras zelo Ccharitatis dominice prevenite, scientes quod distric- tus judex ad exeminandum deducturus est cuncta quz gerimus , et unnmquemque nostrum non ex Hilarium hic atque in aliis epist. septem, Chartula- rium; in allis vero decem, alternis quasi vicibus, no-- farium appellat. Idem fuit in Romana Ecclesia Char- tularii et Notarii officium. bd Romani pontiſices emnium Ecclesiarum privile- gia illibata servare profitentur. Sic Leo M., epist. $4, ad Marcianum : Priviſegia Ecelesiarum, gancto- rum Patrum Canonibus inslituta et vencrabilis Synodi fixa decretis, nulla porsut improbitate convetli.... In quo opere, auriliante Christo, fide iter exsequendo ne- cease ext me persereruntem habrre ſamulatum. Evisr. LXXVIN (Af. 76). — * Insula maris Tyr- rheni notvssima, Grace Cyrnus dicta, inter Liguria ad Aquifenem et Sardiniam ad Austrum, a qua fr-to Viclb, pas8hn disjungitoy. Snvest nunc doMiviv reipublice Genuens!s. UUSSANV. | Ita Onsueverat Romanus episcopus in provinciis $1hi vt metropolitano snbdit's, ex quibus Corsica. Sed et nonnunquam exterarom nationum Leclesiis dele- abyt vititatorem. Joannes I FEeelesize Regens] in allia visitatorem dari przcepit, epist. 4, 5, 6. Ut de--