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

Without address.Letter CCXIII. 2804Without address.1. May the Lord, Who has brought me prompt help in my afflictions, grant you thehelp of the refreshment wherewith you have refreshed me by writing to me, rewarding youfor your consolation of my humble self with the real and great gladness of the Spirit. For Iwas indeed downcast in soul when I saw in a great multitude the almost brutish and unreasonableinsensibility of the people, and the inveterate and ineradicable unsatisfactoriness oftheir leaders. But I saw your letter; I saw the treasure of love which it contained; then I knewthat He Who ordains all our lives had made some sweet consolation shine on me in thebitterness of my life. I therefore salute your holiness in return, and exhort you, as is mywont, not to cease to pray for my unhappy life, that I may never, drowned in the unrealitiesof this world, forget God, “who raiseth up the poor out of the dust;” 2805 that I may neverbe lifted up with pride and fall into the condemnation of the devil; 2806 that I may never befound by the Lord neglectful of my stewardship and asleep; never discharging it amiss, andwounding the conscience of my fellow-servants; 2807 and, never companying with thedrunken, suffer the pains threatened in God’s just judgment against wicked stewards. I beseechyou, therefore, in all your prayers to pray God that I may be watchful in all things;that I may be no shame or disgrace to the name of Christ, in the revelation of the secrets ofmy heart, in the great day of the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ.2. Know then that I am expecting to be summoned by the wickedness of the hereticsto the court, in the name of peace. Learn too that on being so informed, this bishop 2808wrote to me to hasten to Mesopotamia, and, after assembling together those who in thatcountry are of like sentiments with us, and are strengthening the state of the Church, totravel in their company to the emperor. But perhaps my health will not be good enough toallow me to undertake a journey in the winter. Indeed, hitherto I have not thought thematter pressing, unless you advise it. I shall therefore await your counsel that my mind maybe made up. Lose no time then, I beg you, in making known to me, by means of one of ourtrusty brethren, what course seems best to the divinely guided intelligence of your excellency.2532804 Placed in 375.2805 Ps. cxiii. 7.2806 cf. 1 Tim. iii. 6.2807 cf. 1 Cor. viii. 12.2808 Maran (Vit. Bas. vi) conjectures this bishop to be Meletius, and refers to the beginning of Letter ccxvi.with an expression of astonishment that Tillemont should refer this letter to the year 373.715