'Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.'
For Peace in unity joined together the peoples of Africa and of the East, and the rest beyond the sea, and this unity itself, through the representation |95 of all its members, made the Body of the Church solid. And then over this the Devil, whom it always tortures to see brethren living in peace, was sorely vexed.
At that time, under a Christian Emperor, Satan, as if shut up in the idols, lay abandoned in his temples. Your leaders too and first fathers had been sent, as they deserved; into banishment. In the Church there were no schisms. Pagans were not allowed their sacrilegious rites. Peace, beloved by God, dwelt amongst all Christian peoples. The devil mourned in his temples; you mourned in foreign lands.
XVI. The Edict of Julian.
Next, as is known to all men, there followed another Emperor, who, in conjunction with you, devised evil plans, and from the servant of God became the tool of God's enemy. His edicts bore him witness that he was an apostate. Yet this was the man whom you entreated to be allowed to return. If you deny that you sent such entreaties, we reply that we have read them. Nor did he whom you entreated make difficulties. He commanded you to come back, as you asked. For he knew well that you would come, with fierceness, to break up Peace.
If you have any shame, blush.
The same decree, which gave freedom to you, ordered the temples to be opened to their idols.
XVII. The madness and cruelty of the Donatists.
You returned, in your madness, to Africa almost |96 at the moment when the devil was loosed from his dungeons.
Still you do not blush----you who, at the same time as the Enemy, have reasons for rejoicing, which you share with him.
You came raging; you came full of wrath, rending the members of the Church; subtle in your deceits; savage in your slaughters, provoking the children of Peace to war. A large number you banished from their homes. Approaching with a hired band, you rushed upon the Basilicas. Many of your party throughout numerous districts (which it would be too long to mention by their names) worked massacres so bloody, that the judges of the time sent a report to the Emperor concerning deeds of such atrocity.
But the Judgement of God intervened and came to our aid, so that the Emperor who had already long ago ordered you to come back, and who, at your instigation, had arranged, or was even then arranging, for our persecution, died in the midst of his profanity and sacrileges.
XVIII. The Donatists' murderous deeds.
Catholics were slaughtered in the above-mentioned districts. You remember how your people ran to and fro from place to place. Were not Felix of Zaba and Januarius of Flumenpiscinum of your party, and the others who rushed all together as swiftly as they could, to a fortified place called Lemella ? |97 So soon as they saw that the Basilica, notwithstanding their clamours, was closed against them, they commanded their followers to climb to the top, strip the roof, and throw down the tiles. These orders were executed without delay. In the defence of the altar, a number of Catholic deacons were wounded with tiles----of whom two were killed----Primus the son of Januarius, and Donatus the son of Ninus. Your fellow-Bishops, whose names I have just given, were present and urged them on, so that, without doubt, of your party has it been said:
'Their feet are swift to shed blood.'
Primosus, the Catholic Bishop of the place, complained of all this----whilst you listened disingenuously to his complaints----at your Council held in the City of Theneste.
See then how you did the things, of which you have said:
'That is not the Church which battens on bloody morsels';
and again you have said:
'Soldiers sent to war are one thing, consecrated Bishops are another.'
What in your hatred you bring as a charge against us was done by others, not by us; that which you say ought not to have been done, has been done by you. |98
You have recalled how the most blessed Apostle Paul has said that the Church ought to be without wrinkle and without stain. In the presence, and at the order, of your Bishops, Catholic deacons were slain over the altar.
The same things happened also at Carpi. Do not such deeds appear to you indelible stains? When you came into the cities of Mauritania, the people were overwhelmed with dread, so that children who were near to birth died in their mothers' wombs. Does not this seem to you to be a 'wrinkle' such as cannot be stretched or made smooth by any reparation whatsoever? What have we done of such a character as this? We wait for the vengeance of God.
And yet you create a prejudice against Macarius, although anything that he may have done with harshness on behalf of unity may well be regarded as of light account, when compared with these monstrous, bitter, bloodstained acts of war done by you on behalf of dissension. Why should I mention Tipasa, a city of Mauritania Caesariensis, whither rushed from Numidia Urban of Forma and Felix of Idicra, two burning torches, set on fire by hatred ? These men upset the minds of quiet people, who were established in unity, and, aided by the favour and fury of certain officials, in the very presence of Athenias |99 the magistrate, with colours flying, broke up the Catholic assemblies, with bloodshed. Catholics were driven out from their homes. Their men were wounded. Their women were dragged into captivity. Their infants were slain. Mothers miscarried.
Look now at your church. Under the guidance of its Bishops it