Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

To the Senate of Tyana. 2341
Letter XCVII. 2340
The Lord, Who reveals hidden things, and makes manifest the counsels of men’s hearts,
has given even to the lowly knowledge of devices apparently hard to be understood. Nothing
has escaped my notice, nor has any single action been unknown. Nevertheless I neither see
nor hear anything but the peace of God and all that pertains to it. Others may be great and
powerful and self-confident, but I am nothing and worth nothing, and so I could never take
upon myself so much as to think myself able to manage matters without support. I know
perfectly well that I stand more in need of the succour of each of the brethren than one hand
does of the other. Truly, from our own bodily constitution, the Lord has taught us the necessity
of fellowship. When I look to these my limbs and see that no out of them is selfsufficient,
how can I reckon myself competent to discharge the duties of life? One foot could
not walk securely without the support of the other; one eye could not see well, were it not
for the alliance of the other and for its being able to look at objects in conjunction with it.
Hearing is more exact when sound is received through both channels, and the grasp is made
firmer by the fellowship of the fingers. In a word, of all that is done by nature and by the
will, I see nothing done without the concord of fellow forces. Even prayer, when it is not
united prayer, loses its natural strength and the Lord has told us that He will be in the midst
where two or three call on Him in concord. The Lord Himself undertook the economy, 2342
that by the blood of His cross He might make peace between things in earth and things in
heaven. For all these reasons then, I pray that I may for my remaining days remain in peace;
in peace I ask that it may be my lot to fall asleep. For peace’s sake there is no trouble that I
will not undertake, no act, no word of humility, that I will shrink from; I will reckon no
length of journey, I will undergo any inconvenience, if only I may be rewarded by being
able to make peace. If I am followed by any one in this direction, it is well, and my prayers
are answered; but if the result is different I shall not recede from my determination. Every
one will receive the fruit of his own works in the day of retribution.
2340 Placed in 372.
2341 On the whole circumstances of the difficulties which arose in consequence of the civil division of Cap-
padocia, and the claim put forward in consequence by Anthimus, bp. of Tyana, to exercise metropolitan juris-
diction, see the biographical notice in the Prolegomena.
2342 i.e.of the Incarnation. cf. note on p. 7, and on Theodoret, p. 72.
To the Senate of Tyana.
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