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| To Theodotus bishop of Nicopolis.
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Letter
CXXX.2430
To Theodotus bishop of Nicopolis.
1. You have very
rightly and properly blamed me, right honourable and well beloved
brother, in that ever since I departed from your reverence, conveying
to Eustathius those propositions about the faith, I have told you
neither much nor little about his business. This neglect is
really not due to any contempt on my part for the way in which he has
treated me, but simply to the fact that the story is now published
abroad in all men’s ears, and nobody needs any instructions from
me in order to learn what his intentions are. For this he has had
good heed, as though he were really afraid that he would have few
witnesses of his opinion, and has sent to the ends of the earth the
letter which he has written against me. He has therefore severed
himself from communion with me. He did not consent to meet me at
the appointed spot, and did not bring his disciples, as he had
promised. On the contrary, he publicly stigmatized me in the
public synods, with the Cilician Theophilus,2431
| 2431 Bishop
of Castabala, whither he was translated from Eleutheropolis.
cf. Letters ccxliv. and ccxlv. | by
the open and undisguised slander of sowing in the souls of the people
doctrines at variance with his own teaching. This was quite
enough to break up all union between us. Afterwards he came to
Cilicia, and, on meeting with a certain Gelasius, showed him the creed
which only an Arian, or a thorough disciple of Arius, could
subscribe. Then, indeed, I was yet more confirmed in my
alienation from him. I felt that the Ethiopian will never change
his skin, nor the leopard his spots,2432
nor a man
nurtured in doctrines of perversity ever be able to rub off the stain
of his heresy.
2. In addition to all this he has had the
impudence to write against me, or rather to compose long discourses
full of all kinds of abuse and calumny. To these, up to this
time, I have answered nothing, taught as we are by the Apostle, not to
avenge ourselves, but to give place unto wrath.2433
Moreover, at the thought of the
depth of the hypocrisy with which he has all along approached me, I
have, in a way, become speechless with amazement. But, if all
this had never happened, who would not feel horror and detestation
of the fellow at this fresh piece of audacity? Now, as I hear,
if the report is really true and not a slanderous invention, he has
ventured to re-ordain certain men; a proceeding on which so
far no heretic has ventured. How then can I quietly endure
such treatment? How can I look upon the errors of the man as
curable? Beware, then, of being led away by lies; do not be
moved by the suspicions of men who are prone to look at everything
in a bad light, as though I were making little of such things.
For, be sure, my very dear and honourable friend, that I have never
at any time been so grieved as I am now, on hearing of this
confusion of the laws of the Church. Pray only that the Lord
grant me to take no step in anger, but to maintain charity, which
behaveth itself not unseemly and is not puffed up.2434
| 2434
1 Cor. xiii. 5 and 4. | Only look how men without charity
have been lifted up beyond all human bounds and conduct themselves
in an unseemly manner, daring deeds which have no precedent in all
the past.2435
| 2435 There is no
other mention in Basil’s letters of Eustathius being guilty of
re-ordination. The Ben. note, however, states that Basil is
not accurate in saying that there was no heretical precedent for
such proceedings. The Arians are charged with it in the Book
of Prayers of Faustus and Marcellinus, Bib. Patr.v.
655. cf. also the letter of Constantius to the
Ethiopians against Frumentius. Athan., Apol. ad
Const. § 31. | E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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