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5. Verecundus was wasted with anxiety at that our happiness, since
he, being most firmly held by his bonds, saw that he would lose our
fellowship. For he was not yet a Christian, though his wife was one
of the faithful; and yet hereby, being more firmly enchained than by
anything else, was he held back from that journey which we had
commenced. Nor, he declared, did he wish to be a Christian on any
other terms than those that were impossible. However, he invited us
most courteously to make use of his country house so long as we should
stay there. Thou, O Lord, wilt "recompense" him for this "at
the resurrection of the just," seeing that Thou hast already given
him "the lot of the righteous." For although, when we were absent
at Rome, he, being overtaken with bodily sickness, and therein being
made a Christian, and one of the faithful, departed this life, yet
hadst Thou mercy on him, and not on him only, but on us also; lest,
thinking on the exceeding kindness of our friend to us, and unable to
count him in Thy flock, we should be tortured with intolerable grief.
Thanks be unto Thee, our God, we are Thine. Thy exhortations,
consolations, and faithful promises assure us that Thou now repayest
Verecundus for that country house at Cassiacum, where from the fever
of the world we found rest in Thee, with the perpetual freshness of
Thy Paradise, in that Thou hast forgiven him his earthly sins, in
that mountain flowing with milk, that fruitful mountain, Thine
own.
6. He then was at that time full of grief; but Nebridius was
joyous. Although he also, not being yet a Christian, had fallen
into the pit of that most pernicious error of believing Thy Son to be
a phantasm, yet, coming out thence, he held the same belief that we
did; not as yet initiated in any of the sacraments of Thy Church,
but a most earnest inquirer after truth. Whom, not long after our
conversion and regeneration by Thy baptism, he being also a faithful
member of the Catholic Church, and serving Thee in perfect chastity
and continency amongst his own people in Africa, when his whole
household had been brought to Christianity through him, didst Thou
release from the flesh; and now he lives in Abraham's bosom.
Whatever that may be which is signified by that bosom, there lives my
Nebridius, my sweet friend, Thy son, O Lord, adopted of a
freedman; there he liveth. For what other place could there be for
such a soul? There liveth he, concerning which he used to ask me
much, me, an inexperienced, feeble one. Now he puts not his
ear unto my mouth, but his spiritual mouth unto Thy fountain, and
drinketh as much as he is able, wisdom according to his desire,
happy without end. Nor do I believe that he is so inebriated with
it as to forget me, seeing Thou, O Lord, whom he drinketh, art
mindful of us. Thus, then, were we comforting the sorrowing
Verecundus (our friendship being untouched, concerning our
conversion, and exhorting him to a faith according to his condition,
I mean, his married state. And tarrying for Nebridius to follow
us, which being so near, he was just about to do, when, behold,
those days passed over at last; for long and many they seemed, on
account of my love of easeful liberty, that I might sing unto Thee
from my very marrow. My heart said unto Thee, I have sought Thy
face; "Thy face, Lord, will I seek."
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