Tractates on the Gospel of John (continued)
TRACTATE 6 151
Come then, that you may have love. "But we have martyrs." What martyrs? They are not doves; therefore they tried to fly and fell from the rock.
24. And so, my brothers, you see all things shout out against them, all the holy pages, all the prophecy, the whole gospel, all the apostolic letters, all the moanings of the dove; and they do not yet awaken, they do not yet bestir themselves. But if we are the dove, let us moan, let us endure, let us hope. The mercy of God will be at hand that the fire of the Holy Spirit might flame forth in your simplicity; and they will come. We must not despair.
(2) Pray, preach, love. The Lord is absolutely powerful. Already they have begun to recognize their impudence; many have recognized it, many have blushed. Christ will be present so that the rest, too, may recognize it. And certainly, my brothers, let the chaff alone remain there; let all the grain be gathered. Whatever has borne fruit there, let it return to the ark through the dove.
25. Now, failing in every point, finding nothing to say, what do they propose to us? "They have taken away our country houses, they have taken away our country estates." They adduce the wills of men.'^ "Look here where Gains Seius"^ has given his country estate to the church over which Faustinus'^ presided." Of what church was Faustinus the bishop? What is the church? "To the church," he said, "over which Faustinus presided." ^ut Faustinus presided, not over a church; rather he presided over a sect. The dove, in fact, is the Church, Why do you shout? We have not devoured country houses; let the dove have them. Let it be asked who is the dove, and let it have them. For you know, my brothers, that these country houses
72. On February 12, 405 A.D., the Emperor Honorius proclaimed an edict which interdicted the Donatists from making or receiving wills or donations. Cf. Berrouard, Homelies I— XVI, 81—82, 398, and Frend, Donatist Church 263-264. 73. Gains Seius is a fictional legal name, like the English John Doe. 74. Faustinus was a Donatist bishop at Hippo Regius at the time when Gildo was terrorizing Africa, 401-402 A.D. Cf. Augustine, Contra Litteras Petiliani 2.83.184 (PL 43.316; and CSEL 52.1 12-1 15); Monceaux, 4.143; and La Bonnardiere, 25.