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Letter
LXII.—To John and Antiochus.4797
4797 Of
John and Antiochus nothing is known, unless the latter is the later
bishop of Ptolemais and enemy of Chrysostom. Both men seem to belong to
the class of well-meaning mischief-makers, given to retailing invidious
stories. Hence the polite reserve of our little note (Migne xxvi. 115,
and its laconic dismissal of the gossip about Basil, the new bishop of
the Cappadocian Cæsarea (supr. p. 449). The main interest
of this and the following letter, which seem to date from the winter
371–372, consists in the testimony of the high esteem of
Athanasius for Basil, as well as his indifference to words where no
essential principle was involved. The two recipients of this letter
either lived or were visitors at Jerusalem. On Basil’s
difficulties at this time, see D.C.B. i. 288 a, 293, and on his
relations with Athan., cf. Prolegg. ch. ii. §10. |
Athanasius to John and Antiochus, our beloved
sons and fellow-presbyters in the Lord, greeting.
I was glad to receive your letter just now, the
more so as you wrote from Jerusalem. I thank you for informing me about
the brethren that there assembled, and about those who wish, on account
of disputed points, to disturb the simple. But about these things let
the Apostle charge them not to give heed to those who contend about
words, and seek nothing else than to tell and hear some new thing4798 . But do you, having your foundation sure,
even Jesus Christ our Lord, and the
confession of the fathers concerning the faith, avoid those who wish to
say anything more or less than that, and rather aim at the profit of
the brethren, that they may fear God and keep His commandments, in
order that both by the teaching of the fathers, and by the keeping of
the commandments, they may be able to appear well-pleasing to the Lord
in the day of judgment. But I have been utterly astonished at the
boldness of those who venture to speak against our beloved Basil the
bishop, a true servant of God. For from such vain talk they can be
convicted of not loving even the confession of the fathers.
Greet the brethren. They that are with me greet
you. I pray that ye may be well in the Lord, beloved and much-desired
sons. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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