Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series I/Volume IV/Donatist Controversy/Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist/Preface

Three Books of Augustin,

The Letters of Petilian, the Donatist,

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Written c. 400, some say 398 , but Augustin places it some time after the treatise on Baptism:&#160; Retractt. Bk. ii. xxv.&#160; From the same, we gather the following points as to the origin of this treatise:&#160; Before A. had finished his books on the Trinity and his word-for-word commentary on Genesis, a reply to a letter which Petilian had addressed to his followers, only a small part of which however had come into A.&#8217;s hands, demanded immediate preparation.&#160; This constitutes Book First.&#160; Subsequently the whole document was obtained, and he was engaged in preparing the second Book, c. 401; but even before the full treatise of Petilian had been secured, the latter had obtained A.&#8217;s first book, and afterwards put an epistle abusive of A. in circulation.&#160; The answer to this latter is Book Third, c. 402.&#160; Petilian was originally an advocate.&#160; The opponents charged him with having become a Donatist by compulsion, with assuming the title of Paraclete, and with endeavoring to prevent all access on their part to his writings.

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