NPNF2-08. Basil: Letters and Select Works - Holy Bible Institute

To the Senate of Tyana.Letter XCVII. 2340To the Senate of Tyana. 2341The 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. Nothinghas escaped my notice, nor has any single action been unknown. Nevertheless I neither seenor hear anything but the peace of God and all that pertains to it. Others may be great andpowerful and self-confident, but I am nothing and worth nothing, and so I could never takeupon myself so much as to think myself able to manage matters without support. I knowperfectly well that I stand more in need of the succour of each of the brethren than one handdoes of the other. Truly, from our own bodily constitution, the Lord has taught us the necessityof 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 couldnot walk securely without the support of the other; one eye could not see well, were it notfor 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 madefirmer by the fellowship of the fingers. In a word, of all that is done by nature and by thewill, I see nothing done without the concord of fellow forces. Even prayer, when it is notunited prayer, loses its natural strength and the Lord has told us that He will be in the midstwhere two or three call on Him in concord. The Lord Himself undertook the economy, 2342that by the blood of His cross He might make peace between things in earth and things inheaven. 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 Iwill not undertake, no act, no word of humility, that I will shrink from; I will reckon nolength of journey, I will undergo any inconvenience, if only I may be rewarded by beingable to make peace. If I am followed by any one in this direction, it is well, and my prayersare answered; but if the result is different I shall not recede from my determination. Everyone will receive the fruit of his own works in the day of retribution.1822340 Placed in 372.2341 On the whole circumstances of the difficulties which arose in consequence of the civil division of Cappadocia,and the claim put forward in consequence by Anthimus, bp. of Tyana, to exercise metropolitan jurisdiction,see the biographical notice in the Prolegomena.2342 i.e.of the Incarnation. cf. note on p. 7, and on Theodoret, p. 72.531