illustrious  persons  your  testimony  may  bring  them,  and  how
easily  and  profitably  through  these  persons  they  may  reach
others  ?  Or,  reflecting  on  this,  can  the  joy  diffused  in  my  heart
be  small  or  moderate  in  degree  ?

6. Since,  then,  I  cannot  in  words  express  how  great  delight
I  have  received  from  your  letter,  I  have  spoken  of  the  reason
why  it  delighted  me,  and  now  that  which  I  am  unable  adequately
to  utter  on  this  subject  I  leave  to  you  to  conjecture. Accept,
then,  my  son — accept,  0  excellent  man,  Christian  not  by  out
ward  profession  merely,  but  by  Christian  love — accept,  I  say,
the  books  containing  my  "  Confessions,"  which  you  desired  to
have. In  these  behold  me,  that  you  may  not  praise  me  beyond
what  I  am ;  in  these  believe  what  is  said  of  me,  not  by  others,
but  by  myself;  in  these  contemplate  me,  and  see  what  I  have
been  in  myself,  by  myself;  and  if  anything  in  me  please  you,
join  me,  because  of  it,  in  praising  Him  to  whom,  and  not  to
myself,  I  desire  praise  to  be  given. For  "  He  hath  made  us,
and  not  we  ourselves  ;5>1  indeed,  we  had  destroyed  ourselves,
but  He  who  made  us  has  made  us  anew. When,  however,  you
find  me  in  these  books,  pray  for  me  that  I  may  not  fail,  but  be
perfected. Pray,  my  son  ;  pray. I  feel  what  I  say ;  I  know  what
I  ask. Let  it  not  seem  to  you  a  thing  unbecoming,  and,  as  it
were,  beyond  your  merits. You  will  defraud  me  of  a  great
help  if  you  do  not  do  so. Let  not  only  you  yourself,  but  all
also  who  by  your  testimony  shall  come  to  love  me,  pray  for
me. Tell  them  that  I  have  entreated  this,  and  if  you  think
highly  of  us,  consider  that  we  command  what  we  have  asked ;
in  any  case,  whether  as  granting  a  request  or  obeying  a  com
mand,  pray  for  us. Eead  the  Divine  Scriptures,  and  you
will  find  that  the  apostles  themselves,  the  leaders  of  Christ's
flock,  requested  this  from  their  sons,  or  enjoined  it  on  their
hearers. I  certainly,  since  you  ask  it  of  me,  will  do  this  for
you  as  far  as  I  can. 