Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| To Timothy, Bishop of Alexandria.
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP 
Letter CLXXI.
To Timothy, Bishop of
Alexandria.
Leo, the bishop, to Timothy, catholic bishop of the
church of Alexandria.
I. He congratulates him on his election,
and bids him win back wanderers to the fold.
It is clearly apparent from the brightness of the
sentiment quoted by the Apostle, that “all things work together
for good to them that love God639
,” and by the dispensation of
God’s pity, where adversities are
received, there also prosperity is given. This the experience of
the Alexandrine church shows, in which the moderation and long
suffering of the humble has laid up for themselves great store in
return for their patience: because “the Lord is nigh them that are of a contrite heart, and shall
save those that are humble in spirit640
,” our
noble Prince’s faith being glorified in all things, through whom
“the right-hand of the Lord hath done
great acts641
,” in
preventing the abomination of antichrist any longer occupying the
throne of the blessed Fathers; whose blasphemy has hurt no one more
than himself, because although he has induced some to be partners of
his guilt, yet he has inexpiably stained himself with blood. And
hence concerning that which under the direction of Faith your election,
brother, by the clergy, and the laity, and all the faithful, has
brought about, I assure you that the whole of the Lord’s Church rejoices with me, and it is my strong
desire that the Divine pity will in its loving-kindness confirm this
joy with manifold signs of grace, your own devotion ministering thereto
in all things, so that you may sedulously win over, through the
Church’s prayers, those also who have hitherto resisted the
Truth, to reconciliation with God, and, as a
zealous ruler, bring them into union with the mystic body of the
catholic Faith, whose entirety admits of no division, imitating that
true and gentle Shepherd, who laid down His
life for His sheep, and, when one sheep
wandered, drove it not back with the lash, but carried it back to the
fold on His own shoulders.
II. Let him be watchful against heresy
and send frequent reports to Rome.
Take heed, then, dearly beloved brother, lest any
trace of either Nestorius’ or Eutyches’ error be found in
God’s people: because “no
one can lay any foundation except that which is laid, which is Christ
Jesus642
;” who would not have reconciled the
whole world to God the Father, had He not by
the regeneration of Faith adopted us all in the reality of our
flesh643
| 643 Per fidei
regenerationem omnes in nostræ carnis veritate
susciperet. The doctrine of the Atonement in the light of the
Incarnation is here expressed in a rather unusual way, and I have
therefore translated the expression as literally as possible. | . Whenever, therefore, opportunities
arise which you can use for writing, brother, even as you necessarily
and in accordance with custom have done in sending a report of your
ordination to us by our sons, Daniel the presbyter and Timothy the
deacon, so continue to act at all times and send us, who will be
anxious for them, as frequent accounts as possible of the progress of
peace, in order that by regular intercourse we may feel that “the
love of God is shed abroad in our hearts
through the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us644
.” Dated the 18th of August, in
the consulship of Magnus and Apollonius (460).E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
