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| To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium.
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Letter
CXCI.2671
To Amphilochius, bishop of
Iconium.2672
| 2672 So the
mss. and Editors. The Ben. note would
have it addressed to the recipient of the preceding. Tillemont
thinks it written to one of the Lycian bishops referred to in
Letter ccxviii. |
On reading the letter of
your reverence I heartily thanked God. I did so because I found
in your expressions traces of ancient affection. You are not like
the majority. You did not persist in refusing to begin an
affectionate correspondence. You have learned the greatness of
the prize promised to the saints for humility, and so you have chosen,
by taking the second place, to get before me. Among Christians
such are the conditions of victory, and it is he who is content to take
the second place who wins a crown. But I must not be behindhand
in this virtuous rivalry, and so I thus salute your reverence in
return; and inform you as to how I am minded, in that, since agreement
in the faith is established among us,2673
| 2673 ἡμῖν. Some mss. have ὑμῖν. |
there is nothing further to prevent our being one body and one spirit,
as we have been called in one hope of our calling.2674
It is for you, then, of your charity
to follow up a good beginning to rally men of like mind to stand at
your side, and to appoint both time and place for meeting. Thus,
by God’s grace, through mutual accommodation we may govern the
Churches by the ancient kind of love; receiving as our own members
brothers coming from the other side, sending as to our kin, and in turn
receiving as from our own kin. Such, indeed, was once the boast
of the Church. Brothers from each Church, travelling from one end
of the world to the other, were provided with little tokens, and found
all men fathers and brothers. This is a privilege whereof, like
all the rest, the enemy of Christ’s Churches has robbed us.
We are confined each in his own city, and every one looks at his
neighbour with distrust. What more is to be said but that our
love has grown cold,2675
whereby alone our
Lord has told us that His disciples are distinguished?2676
First of all, if you will, do you
become known to one another, that I may know with whom I am to be in
agreement. Thus by common consent we will fix on some place
convenient to both, and, at a season suitable for travelling, we will
hasten to meet one another; the Lord will direct us in the way.
Farewell. Be of good cheer. Pray for me. May you be
granted to me by the grace of the Holy One?2677
| 2677 Whether
the proposed meeting took place, and, indeed, what meeting is
referred to, cannot be determined. Basil met Amphilochius and
some neighbouring bishops in Pisidia in 375. But before this
he counts the Isaurians as already in communion with him
(Letter cciv.). Perhaps all that the meeting was
desired to bring about was effected by correspondence. This is
the explanation of the Ben. Ed. | E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
