tteras Petiliani_, lib. ii. cap. lxxxiii; Ep. clxxxv,
n. 21; Ep. xciii, n. 4.

Conversions obtained in this way are none the less sincere.
Undoubtedly, absolute toleration is best in theory, but in practice a
certain amount of coercion is more helpful to souls. We must judge
both methods by their fruits.

In a word, St. Augustine was at first, by temperament, an advocate of
absolute toleration, but later on experience led him to prefer a
mitigated form of coercion. When his opponents objected--using words
similar to those of St. Hilary and the early Fathers--that "the true
Church suffered persecution, but did not persecute," he quoted Sara's
persecution of Agar.[1] He was wrong to quote the Old Testament as
his authority. But we ought at least be thankful that he did not cite
other instances more incompatible with the charity of the Gospel. His
instinctive Christian horror of the death penalty kept him from
making this mistake.

[1] Ep. clxxxv, n. 10.

. . . . . . . .

Priscillianism brought out clearly the views current in the fourth
century regarding the punishment due to heresy. Very little was known
of Priscillian until lately; and despite the publication of several
of his works in 1889, he still remains an enigmatical personality.[1]
His erudition and critical spirit were, however, so remarkable, that
an historian of weight declares that henceforth we must rank him with
St. Jerome.[2] But his writings were, in all probability, far from
orthodox. We can easily find in them traces of Gnosticism and
Manicheism. He was accused of Manicheism although he anathematized
Manes. He was likewise accused of magic. He denied the charge, and
declared that every magician deserved death, according to Exodus:
"Wizards thou shalt not suffer to live."[3] He little dreamt when he
wrote these words that he was pronouncing his own death sentence.

[1] On Priscillian and his work, cf. Dom Leclerc, _L'Espagne
Chretienne_, Paris, 1906, ch. iii; Friedrich Paret, _Priscillianus_,
Wuerzburg, 1891; Kuenstle, _Antipriscilliana_, Freiburg, 1905.

[2] Cf. Leclerc, p. 164.

[3] Exod. xxii. 18.

Although condemned by the council of Saragossa (380), he nevertheless
became bishop of Abila. Later on, he went to Rome to plead his cause
before Pope Damasus, but was refused a hearing. He next turned to St.
Ambrose, who likewise would not hearken to his defense.[1] In 385 a
council was assembled at Bordeaux to consider his case anew. He at
on