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| To Gregory.
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Letter XLVII.2157
| 2157 Placed in
370. The letters numbered 47 to 291, inclusive, are placed by
the Benedictine editors during St. Basil’s
episcopate. |
To Gregory.2158
| 2158 On this title
Benedictine editors remark that no careful reader can fail to note
that the letter is written not by Basil but about Basil.
“Hodie,” they write, “inter eruditos
fere convenit eam a Gregorio patre, filii manu, ad Eusebium
Samosatensem scriptam fuisse. Nam senem se esse declarat
auctor Epistolæ et in Cappadocia Episcopum, ut qui litteris
cleri ad electionem Episcopi, et Ecclesiæ Cæsariensis
defesionem invitatus fuerit. Is autem ad quem scribit et eadem
dignitate præditus erat, et laboribus pro Ecclesia susceptis
clarus, et amicus Basilio, nec Cappadociæ vicinus. Omnia
in Eusebium Samosatensem mirifice conveniunt, quem Basilii
ordinationi scimus interfuisse,” and they give, moreover,
as their descriptive heading: “Gregorius Theologi
pater Eusebium Samosatensem, misso Eustathio diacono, invitat ad
electionem Episcopi Cæsariensis ut eo adjuvante Basilius eligi
possit.” Fialon, however, apparently forgetting the
reference to old age, writes (Étude Hist. p. 87,
n.): “Cette lettre est
évidemment de Grégoire de Nazianze,”
meaning the younger. The election of St. Basil, who probably
“voluit episcopari” to the
archiepiscopal throne, was indeed mainly due to the intervention of
the elder Gregory. Basil’s unfortunate and indefensible
disingenuousness in summoning the younger Gregory to Cæsarea on
the plea of his own severe illness defeated its object. But
for the prompt and practical intervention of Gregory the elder, and
this appeal to Eusebius of Samosata, the archbishopric might have
fallen into unworthy, or at least inferior, hands. Vide
Biog. Notice in Proleg., . |
“Who will give me
wings like a dove?2159
Or how can my
old age be so renewed that I can travel to your affection, satisfy my
deep longing to see you, tell you all the troubles of my soul, and get
from you some comfort in my affliction? For when the blessed
bishop Eusebius2160
| 2160 Eusebius, at
the time of his election an unbaptized layman, was elevated to the
throne of Cæsarea on the death of Dianius in 362. In this
case too it was due to the counsels of the elder Gregory that the
objections both of Eusebius and of the bishops, forced by the
opposing party to consecrate him, were finally overcome. It
was he who ordained Basil to the presbyterate and chafed against the
ascendancy of his more able and brilliant subordinate. | fell asleep, we
were under no small alarm lest plotters against the Church of our
Metropolis, wishful to fill it with their heretical tares, should seize
the present opportunity, root out by their wicked teaching the true
faith sown by much labour in men’s souls, and destroy its
unity. This has been the result of their action in many
churches.2161
| 2161 In 365
Valens came to Cæsarea with Arian bishops, and endeavoured to
put down the Catholics. Basil returned from his retreat in
order to aid Eusebius in resisting the attack, and seems to have
shown much tact and good feeling as well as vigour and
ability. cf. Greg. Naz., Or. xx.
340. | When however
I received the letters of the clergy exhorting me not to let their
needs be overlooked at such a crisis, as I ranged my eyes in all
directions I bethought me of your loving spirit, your right faith, and
your unceasing zeal on behalf of the churches of God. I have
therefore sent the well beloved Eustathius,2162
| 2162 cf.
Letter cxxxvi., where it appears that Basil kindly nursed a
deacon Eustathius. The fact of an Eustathius being one of
Basil’s deacons is so far in favour of Basil’s having
written the letter. But Eustathius was a common name, and
Eustathius, a monk, is mentioned in the will of Gregory of
Nazianzus. |
the deacon, to invite your reverence, and implore you to
add this one more to all your
labours on behalf of the Church. I entreat you also to refresh my
old age by a sight of you; and to maintain for the true Church its
famous orthodoxy, by uniting with me, if I may be deemed worthy of
uniting with you, in the good work, to give it a shepherd in accordance
with the will of the Lord, able to guide His people aright. I
have before my eyes a man not unknown even to yourself. If only
we be found worthy to secure him, I am sure that we shall acquire a
confident access to God and confer a very great benefit on the people
who have invoked our aid. Now once again, aye, many times I call
on you, all hesitation put aside, to come to meet me, and to set out
before the difficulties of winter intervene.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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