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

To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata.To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata. 2467Letter CXLI. 24661. I have now received two letters from your divine and most excellent wisdom,whereof the one told me clearly how I had been expected by the laity under the jurisdictionof your holiness, and what disappointment I had caused by failing to attend the sacredsynod. The other, which from the writing I conjecture to be of the earlier date, though itwas delivered later, gave me advice, at once honourable to yourself and necessary to me,not to neglect the interests of God’s Churches, nor little by little to allow the guidance ofaffairs to pass to our opponents, whereby their interests must win, and ours lose. I thinkthat I answered both. But, as I am uncertain whether my replies were preserved by thosewho were entrusted with the duty of conveying them, I will make my defence over again.As to my absence, I can put in an unimpeachable plea, as to which I think intelligence musthave reached your holiness, that I have been detained by illness which has brought me tothe very gates of death. Even now as I write about it, the remains of sickness are still uponme. And they are such as to another man might be unendurable.2. As to the fact of its not being owing to my neglect that the interests of the Churcheshave been betrayed to our opponents, I wish your reverence to know that the bishops incommunion with me, from lack of earnestness, or because they suspect me and are not openwith me, or because the devil is always at hand to oppose good works, are unwilling to cooperatewith me. Formerly, indeed, the majority of us were united with one another, includingthe excellent Bosporius. 2468 In reality they give me no aid in what is most essential.The consequence of all this is, that to a great extent my recovery is hindered by my distress,and the sorrow I feel brings back my worst symptoms. What, however, can I do alone andunaided, when the canons, as you yourself know, do not allow points of this kind to besettled by one man? 2469 And yet what remedy have I not tried? Of what decision have I2052466 Placed in 373.2467 On his being hindered from traveling by ill health, and on his difficulties with the bishops in communionwith him.2468 cf. Letter li.2469 The Ben. note is: “Canones illos qui apostolis afficti fuere, nonnunquam citat Basilius in Epistolis canonicis.Videtur hoc loco respicere ad vigesimum (?xxxvii.) septimum, ubi præscribitur, ut in unaquaque provincia episcopinihil majoris rei incipiant sine sententia illius, qui inter eos primus, ac unus quisque iis contentus sit, quæ adparœciam suam pertinent: sed nec ille absque omnium voluntate quidquam faciat. Erat Basilius hujus canonisobservandi studiosus, et quamvis nominis fama et sedis dignitate plurimum posset, nunquam ab eo communionisrestitutionem impetrare potuerunt Marcelli discipuli, antequam Petri Alexandrini auctoritates accessisset: et cum591