Epistola Ad Sanctum Augustinum Post Librum De Gratia Et Libero Arbitrio

Valentinus to Augustine, after the book On Grace and Free Will and his earlier letters, writing back, a letter, among the Augustinian letters number 216. To the truly holy lord, and to be reverently preferred above all things for us, and to be cherished with pious exultation, the most blessed Pope Augustine, Valentinus, servant of your Holiness, and the whole congregation which hopes with me through your prayers, sends greetings in the Lord. We received your venerable writings and your book with such a trembling heart that, just as the blessed Elijah, when he stood at the threshold of the cave, veiled his face as the glory of the Lord passed by, so we covered our reproached eyes, because we blushed at our own judgment through the rusticity of our brothers, whose disorderly journey made us fear to greet your Beatitude; because there is a time for speaking and a time for keeping silent, lest by writing through those who are doubting and wavering about the truth, we might seem to doubt with the doubters concerning the sayings of your wisdom, which is like that of an angel of God. For it was not necessary for us to inquire about your Beatitude and your wisdom, which is known to us through the grace of the Lord. For we were so cheerfully delighted by the book of your most sweet Holiness that, just as the Apostles did not dare to ask the Lord after the resurrection, when he was dining with them, who he was—for they knew that he was Jesus.

(XXI, 12): so we neither wished nor dared to inquire about the book, whether it was of your Sanctity: since the very grace of the faithful which is liberally commended in it, holy lord pope, attests to us that it is yours, by the most lively utterances. Let us begin, however, most blessed lord pope, to set forth the order of the disturbance itself. Our most dear brother Florus, servant of your Paternity, when he had set out for the Uzalensian country, urged by charity, brought to us from the monastery the eulogies of your Sanctity's works during the delays of his own city, with one brother Felix, who is known to have come late to your Sanctity after his companions, devoutly dictating the same book; they come to the monastery with the same little book, brother Florus having set out for Carthage from the Uzalensian city. The book not having been shown to me, they began to recite it to unskilled brothers: which moved the hearts of some who did not understand; because even when the Lord said, "He who has not eaten the flesh of the Son of man, nor drunk his blood, will not have life in himself" (John vi, 54), those who understood impiously departed, not by the fault of the Lord speaking, but by the hardness of the most impious heart.

The aforementioned brothers, who overturned everything, began to stir up the souls of the innocent, with my insignificance being completely unaware, to such an extent that I was ignorant of their murmuring gatherings, until brother Florus, returning from Carthage and recognizing their disturbances, diligently reported to me that there was a furtive and almost servile contention among them over the truth not being understood. I proposed, in order to remove impious questions, that we send to the lord holy father Evodius, and that he himself should write back to us something more certain about this sacrosanct book on account of the ignorant. They were unwilling to accept this even with patience, but seized upon a departure not desired by us in such a manner: with brother Florus nearly disturbed by their fury, against whom they raged, because he himself, as they thought, had brought the wounds of this book to them; in which the sick could not recognize the medicine. Hence we also asked the holy presbyter Sabinus for greater authority, and his Sanctity read the book with clear interpretations; yet the wounded soul was not healed. To whom, on account of piety itself, we gave expenses, lest we add to their wounds, which the grace of the book itself, in which your holy presence shines forth, could heal. With them departed, quiet and peace exulted among all the brothers in the Lord. For this contention was innate in the animosity of five or more brothers.

But because sometimes, holy father, joy arises from sadness, we are not saddened by it, since through ignorant and curious persons we have merited to be illuminated by the sweetest admonitions of your Sanctity. For even the doubt of the blessed apostle Thomas, seeking the holes of the nails (John 20:25), was the confirmation of the universal Church. Therefore, holy father, we have received the medicine of your piously healing letters along with grace, and we have struck our breasts; so that at least in this way our conscience may be healed, which through our free will, which mercy grants, grace heals and vivifies: but at this time, when we still sing mercy with delay. For when we begin to sing judgment to the Lord, we will receive the reward for our work, because the Lord is merciful and just, compassionate and upright (Psalm 111:4). For, as your Sanctity teaches us, we must present ourselves before the tribunal of Christ, so that each one of us may begin to bear his own body, according to what he has done, whether good or evil (2 Corinthians 5:10): because the Lord will come, and his reward with him (Isaiah 40:10): because man will stand, and his work before him: because the Lord comes like a burning furnace, to set the impious ablaze like straw (Joel 2:3, 5), and for those fearing the name of the Lord, the sun of justice will rise, when the impious will be punished by the judgment of justice (Malachi 4:1-3).

This just man, whose friend you are, Lord Pope, cries out, trembles, and suppliantly says: “Lord, do not enter into judgment with your servant” (Ps. 142:2). If grace were that of one who rewards, the just man would not fear the secret judgment of majesty. This is the contention of your servant Florus, father, not as those brothers are trifling. At present they have heard from him that the gift of piety is not given according to our merits, but through the grace of the Redeemer: for concerning that I say, who would doubt that grace is far away, when justice begins to grow angry? This we cry out, father; this we sing, taught by you, not secure but trembling: “Lord, do not rebuke me in your fury, nor chastise me in your anger” (Ps. 6:2). This we say: “Correct us, Lord, and instruct us from your law, that you may soften us from evil days” (Ps. 101:12-13). This we believe, taught by you, venerable father, that the Lord interrogates the just and the unjust, because to those placed on the right and on the left, he imputes the works of piety to be rewarded, he enumerates the tenacity of impiety to be punished. Where will grace be, when works, whether good or evil, are examined according to their quality?

But why is it not feared that a lie be openly uttered? We do not deny that free will is healed by the grace of God: but we believe that it progresses through the daily grace of Christ, and we trust that it is aided. What do men say, “It is in my power to do good”? If only men would do good. Vain boasting of the wretched! Daily they accuse their sins, and yet they assume for themselves a bare free will, boasting of it, not examining their own conscience, which cannot be healed except through grace, so that they might say: “Have mercy on me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you” (Ps. 40:5). What would they do, who glory in free will for themselves (which is not denied, only with the help of God), if death had already been swallowed up in victory, if our mortal part had already put on immortality, and our corruptible part had put on incorruption (1 Cor. 15:53, 54)? Behold, the wounds stink, and the medicine is sought arrogantly. They do not say, as the younger one, “Unless the Lord had helped me, my soul would have almost dwelt in hell” (Ps. 93:17). They do not say, as the saint, “Unless the Lord guards the city, he who guards it watches in vain” (Ps. 126:1).

But pray, most holy father, that we may have no other care than to expiate our sin with tears and to commend the grace of God. Pray, lord father, that the pit may not close its mouth over us (Ps. 68:16), that we may be saved from those descending into the mire (Ps. 29:4), that our soul may not perish with the impious (Ps. 25:9) through our pride, but may be healed through the Lord’s grace. Therefore, as you commanded, lord pope, our brother Florus, servant of Your Holiness, set out with all eagerness, for whom fatigue is not a hindrance but a benefit, so that the clarified instruction of the heart may come to him; we humbly commend him to Your Sanctity, and likewise beseech that you commend the ignorant to the Lord with your prayers, to be most gently set in order. Pray, lord and most sweet father, that the devil may flee from our congregation, and that, with every storm of alien questions removed, the ship of our purpose, laden with peaceful passengers, may stand secure within the station of the safest harbor, while it sails through this great and immense sea, and in that harbor, within which the voyage of life will no longer be feared, it may receive the undisputed price of its pleasing wares. We trust that we shall obtain this through the aid of Your Sanctity, by the grace which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We entreat all the sons of your apostolate, our lords the clerics, and the holy ones serving in the congregation of the purpose, that they deign to greet our office, so that together with Your Beatitude they may all deign to pray for us.

The undivided Trinity of our Lord God may preserve your apostolate, which He chose through grace, for us in His Church, and may crown you mindful of us in the great Church, which we desire, lord. But if anything should be suggested by your Holiness’s servant brother Florus, according to the rule of the monastery, we beg you, father, to deign to receive it willingly, and to instruct us weak ones in all things.