Letter 7: Paulinus and Therasia to their lord, deservedly praiseworthy and honorable brother Romanianus.

To the lord deservedly to be praised and to be honored, our brother Romanianus, from Paulinus and Therasia. The day before we sent off this letter, when our brethren had returned from Africa, in expectation of whom you saw us in suspense, we had received-most longed-for thing-letters from there from those holy and most dear men, that is, from Aurelius, Alypius, Augustine, Profuturus, Severus, and indeed from all the bishops alike. Therefore, rejoicing at the most recent discourses of so many and such holy men, we hastened to report our gladness to you, so that we might also bestow upon you, by these most festive tokens, a joy long awaited amid the anxieties of your wandering abroad. If perchance you have learned the same things about these venerable and most beloved men through the arrival of other ships, receive them again through us as well, and exult once more with a gladness as it were renewed. But if this news comes to you first from us, rejoice that so great a love has been brought forth-Christ granting it-for us in your homeland, so that whatever divine providence, ever marvelous, as it is written, may work there among His saints, we may know it either first or among the first. We write, however, that this is not the only matter for rejoicing, that Augustine has received the episcopate, but that the African churches have deserved this care of God, that they might receive the heavenly words from the mouth of Augustine, who, advanced in a new fashion to the greater grace of the Lord's gift, was so consecrated that he did not succeed the bishop in the see, but was added to him. For while Valerius is still living, Augustine is co-bishop of the church of Hippo. And that blessed old man, whose most pure mind no stain of grudging envy has ever sullied, now takes from the Most High the fruits worthy of the peace of his own heart, so that the man whom he in his simplicity desired as the successor of his priesthood he is found worthy to hold as a colleague. Could this have been believed, before it came to pass? But in this work too of the Almighty that gospel saying may be spoken: "These things are hard for men, but with God all things are possible." Let us therefore exult and be glad in Him who alone does wondrous things, and who makes those of one mind to dwell in a house, since He Himself has regarded our lowliness and has visited His people in good things, who has raised up a horn in the house of David His servant, and now has exalted the horn of His Church among His chosen ones, so that-as He promises through the prophet-He may shatter the horns of sinners, that is, of the Donatists and Manichaeans. Would that now this trumpet of the Lord, with which He thunders through Augustine, might strike the hearing of our son Licentius, but that he might hear with that ear by which Christ enters, from which the enemy does not snatch away the seed of God! Then truly Augustine will seem to himself the highest pontiff of Christ, because then he will feel himself also heard from on high, if the one whom he begot worthy of you in letters he may also worthily bring forth as a son for himself in Christ. For even now-believe us, we pray-he has written to us with the most ardent solicitude concerning him. We believe in the almighty Christ, that the spiritual prayers of Augustine may prevail over the carnal desires of our young man. He will be conquered even against his will, believe me, he will be conquered by the faith of his most devoted parent, lest he win by an evil victory, if he should prefer to conquer unto his own ruin rather than to be overcome unto his salvation. Lest the duty of brotherly kindness should seem empty, from the soldier's bread of the Christian campaign, in whose battle-line we serve daily for the ration of frugality, we have sent five loaves to you and to our son Licentius alike; for we could not separate from the blessing one whom we desire to bind utterly to ourselves by the same grace. Yet let us speak in a few words to him as well, lest he deny that what is written to you about him is written for himself; for what Micio hears is said to be said for Aeschinus [an allusion to Terence's comedy The Brothers, where the words addressed to one concern the other]. But why should I speak with another's words, when we are able to say everything even of others from our own, and it is not the mark of a sound head to speak the words of others-by which sound head, through the grace of God, we are sound and whole, we whose head is Christ? May we have you safe in years as many as may be and ever blessed, together with your whole household, as we desire, in Christ, lord brother deservedly most worthy to be honored and most to be longed for.

VII. DOMINO MERITO PRAEDICABILI ET HONORANDO FRATRI ROMANIANO PAVLINVS ET THERASIA. Pridie quam has daremus reuersis ex Africa fratribus nostris, quorum expectatione nos pendere uidisti, optatissime sanctorum et carissimorum uirorum inde epistolas receperamus, id est Aurelii, Alypii, Augustini, Profuturi, Seueri, iam omnium 2] (Prou. 18, 19). 5] (Act. 4, 82). 1 ut tuae M 3 adiunantem f, iuuanti FPU 4 data est om. f remunerare MY, renuntiari f uoles] uolo cp, uelis FMPU toto yl; 1x cito add. Y uelim] nolo MlfJ 5 et credas M et om. f nobiscum in domino anima Col . 6 domini MY domino nostro f 7 dilectissime et desiderabilis om. Y omnem Y in christo c s. l. m.2 8 sanctus c1, sclh Y quales] in xpo add. FPU quoherere C, choerere P dubii (p1 a om. FPU 9 nos omnibus-dignentur om. Y ut om. f 10 dignentur] uale add. U, ualeas add. FP* . — explicit epfa paulini et therasiae ad augustinum rlfJ CrFMPUa cySfhip . — XXX. paulinus et therasia romaniano C, incipit. (om. ah) epfa paulini et therasie ad romanianum ayh, paulinus et therasia ad romanianum XX f, incipit epfa (epfa om. tp) eorundem ad romanianum (XXXII add. cp) rcp, romaniano paulinus P, epfo (sci add. M) paulini ad romanianum VN. (XX. ô) MS, epistola sSf paulini episcopi ad romanianum: ubi de acceptis epistolis a quam pluribus episcopis affricanis gratulantibus ei super beato augustino quod euectus fuerit ad yponeusem episcopatum plurimum et ipse congaudet et letatur U at 12 praecabili (It m. 2) cp et om. f honorato h 13 paulus y et] e C theresia y1 14 affrica TUSfh 17 alipii cod. plurimi pariter episcoporum. ergo tot sanctorum talium recentissimis sermonibus gratulantes properauimus ad te nostram referre laetitiam, ut tibi quoque expectatum in peregrinatione sollicita gaudium festiuissimis conferremus indiciis. si forte eadem de uenerabilibus et amantissimis uiris per aliarum aduentus nauium conperisti, per nos etiam repetita accipe et quasi renouata hilaritate rursus exulta. quod si primus hic a nobis tibi nuntius ueniet, gratulare tantam nobis in tua patria caritatem Christo donante partam, ut quicquid illic diuina prouidentia gerat mirabilis semper, ut scriptum est, in sanctis suis uel primi uel cum primis sciamus. Non autem tantum hoc scribimus gratulandum, quod episcopatum Augustinus acceperit, sed quod hanc dei curam meruerint Africanae ecclesiae, ut uerba caelestia Augustini ore perciperent, qui ad maiorem dominici muneris gratiam nouo more prouectus ita consecratus est, ut non succederet in cathedra episcopo, sed accederet. nam incolumi Valerio Hipponiensis ecclesiae coepiscopus Augustinus est. et ille beatus senex, cui purissimam mentem nulla umquam liuentis inuidiae macula suffudit, dignos sui cordis pace nunc ab altissimo 10] Ps. 67, 36. 1 pater F tot] ut h 2 nostram ad te referre M 3 ut] alit ut J ibi f 4 festmissimis <f, festissimis a, festiuis f conferamus Mer, sumas f iuditiis (p1 post indiciis repetit cJ\': ut ibi-festiuissimt indiciis forte] uero forsitan M 5 nauium ex namuiri C m. 2 7 tibi hic a nobis FPU, a nobis hic tibi f 8 ueniat U tantum ah1, tanta c nobis a 9 partam CPcy, partem F, portam U, paratam TMadfip, partitam h quicquid CMhep, quod c, quid cet . 12 hoc tantum a, hoc FPU scripsimus C 13 augustinus c s. I. m. 2 hoc quod C, om. y curam dei h 14 meruit yh affricanae rCUctif, in (in om. y) affricana yh ?cclesia yh caelestis (regni add. m. 2) c 15 perceperiut FP, perceperunt U, perciperet h qui ad] quia FPU domini f gloriam f 16 nouo more] ñ uomere Ta profectus ree non in ras . « succederit F 17 act\'tderit FP incolomi ytp1 18 hipponiensis CMchcp, ipponiensis rff, hipponensis Fy, hypponensis P, ypponensis Uf, yppouiensis a episcopus FPU, episcopo M, episcopo coepiscopus Rosw . est] est consecratus U, coepiscopus factus est M et] ut FPU beatissimus M 19 cuius M pu*rissiinam y libentis r*c, luentis h 20 dignus F fructus capit, ut quem successorem sacerdotii sui simpliciter optabat hunc mereatur tenere collegam. credine hoc potuit, antequam fieret? sed in hoc quoque omnipotentis opere dici euangelicum illud potest: hominibus haec ardua, apud deum autem omnia possibilia. exultemus itaque et laetemur in eo qui facit mirabilia solus, et qui facit unanimes habitare in domo, quoniam ipse respexit humilitatem nostram et uisitauit in bono plebem suam, qui erexit cornu in domo Dauid pueri sui et nunc exaltauit cornu ecclesiae suae in electis suis, ut cornua peccatorum, sicut per prophetam spondet, hoc est Donatistarum Manichaeorumque confringat. Vtinam haec nunc domini tuba, qua per Augustinum intonat, filii nostri Licentii pulset auditus, sed ut illa audiat aure, qua Christus ingreditur, de qua non rapit dei semen inimicus! tunc uere sibi summus Christi pontifex Augustinus uidebitur, quia tunc se et exauditum sentiet ab excelso, si quem tibi dignum genuit in litteris hunc et sibi digne filium pariat in Christo. nam et nunc, uelim credas, flagrantissima de ipso nobis sollicitudine scripsit. credimus in omnipotente Christo, quod adolescentis nostri uotis carnalibus spiritalia Augustini uota praeualeant. uincetur uel inuitus, mihi crede, uincetur piissimi parentis fide, ne mala uictoria uincat, si 4] Matth. 19, 26; Marc. 10, 27; Luc. 18, 27. 6] Ps. 71, 18. Ps. 67, 7 sec. Psalt. Rom. 8] Luc. 1, 69. 10] (Ps. 74, 11). 14] (Matth. 13, 4; Marc. 4, 4; Luc. 8, 5). 1 fructos P 2 potuit hoc h 8 an uquam yh (sed h 8. I. m. 2: x antequam) fieret (et m. 2) C 4 euangelium f 5 et letemur ex edei domo temur c m. 2 7 habitare] habere y domino 4 ipse om. h 8 nostram om. 4 ( uisitabit c cornu] salutis add. M 10 lectis c1, §cclesiis h ut] in U per om. f, add. 8. 1. m. 2 c propheta f 11 spopondit a c, spondit rFPUy est om. f constringat f1 12 hoc U nunc om. M quae C 13 licenti c1 audiat om. c 14 dei] de U 15 sibi om. FPU pontifex xpi clh 16 et om. Uh, in ras. a 17 tibi] se FPU dignum M 18 nam - l. 20 Christo bis exh. U 19 credimus om. FPU omnipotentem xpm èM cp 20 quod in h adulescentis c, adolescentea FP, adoloscentes U spiritualia Ca 21 aug c, augustina ex uota Augustini Col . inuitis FU, inuictus y 22 uincetur crede C ne] non FPU mulauerit ip1 maluerit in perniciem suam uincere quam pro salute superari. ne uacuum fraternae humanitatis officium uideretur, de buccellato Christianae expeditionis, in cuius procinctu cotidie ad frugalitatis annonam militamus, panes quinque tibi pariter et filio nostro Licentio misimus; non enim potuimus a benedictione secernere quem cupimus eadem nobis gratia penitus annectere. paucis tamen et ad ipsum loquamur, ne neget sibi scriptum quod de se tibi scriptum est; Aeschino enim dicitur quod audit Micio. sed quid alienis loquar, cum de proprio cuncta possimus et aliena loqui non soleat esse sani capitis, quo dei gratia sano et saluo sumus quibus caput Christus est? incolumem te aetate quam plurima et beatum semper cum tota domo tua, ut cupimus, habeamus in Christo, domine frater merito honorandissime et desiderantissime.