Ambrose of Milan, Letters

1. I am always pleased to receive a letter from you, but when you also send to me some of our fellow servants, as you have now given our brother and co-presbyter Syrus a letter to me, my joy is doubled. I would however that this pleasure had been more lasting; for as soon as he had arrived he thought he must return, and this diminished my regret and added greatly to my estimation of him.

2. For I love those presbyters and deacons who when they have performed their mission will not allow themselves to remain absent any longer from their duties. For the prophet says, I have not been weary in following thee. And who can be weary in following Jesus, when He Himself says, Come unto Me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Let us therefore never cease from following Jesus, which if we do we shall never fail, for He gives strength to them that follow Him. The more nearly you approach to the Source of power the stronger you will be.

3. Often, while we are thus following Him, the adversaries say to us, Where is the word of the Lord? let it come now. But let us not grow weary in following Him, let us not be turned aside by meeting with this crafty question. It was said to the prophet, when he was thrown into prison, when he was cast into the pit of mire, Where is the word of the Lord? let it come now. But he followed him so much the more, and therefore attained the prize, and received the crowd; for following Jesus he was not weary; for there is no weariness in Jacob, neither shall sorrow be in Israel.

Farewell; love me, for I love one who loves me, and whom I regard as a father.

EPISTOLA LXXXV.

SYRICIO gratiis actis, quod litteras ad se miserit per Syrum presbyterum, celerem hujus reditum laudat, et de sequendo Christo quaedam subjungit.

AMBROSIUS SYRICIO.

1. Gratum est mihi cum litteras accipio tuas. At cum de conservitio nostro 1106 aliquos dirigis, ut fratrem nostrum et compresbyterum Syrum tuis es prosecutus litteris, geminatur laetitia. Sed utinam fructus fuisset iste diuturnior! Nam statim ut venit, 1282C recurrendum putavit: quod quidem desiderium meum plurimum minuit, ad sui gratiam multum addidit.

2. Nam ego diligo eos vel presbyteros vel diaconos, qui cum aliquo processerint, nequaquam se patiuntur a suo diutius abesse munere. Dicit enim propheta: Non laboravi sequens post te (Jerem. XVII, 16). Quis autem potest laborare sequens Jesum; cum ipse dicat: Venite ad me, omnes qui laboratis, et onerati estis, et ego vos reficiam (Matth. XI, 28)? Sequamur ergo Jesum semper, nec desinamus. Quod si semper sequamur, numquam deficimus; dat enim vires sequentibus se. Itaque quo propior virtuti fueris, eo fortior eris.

1282D 3. Plerumque cum sequimur, dicitur nobis ab adversariis: Ubi est verbum Domini? Veniat (Jerem. XVII, 15). Sed nos non fatigemur sequendo, non avertamur subdolae interrogationis impedimento. 1283A Dicebatur hoc prophetae, cum mitteretur in carcerem, cum demergeretur in voraginem luti: Ubi est verbum Domini? Veniat (Jerem. XXXVII, 15). Sed ille multo magis secutus est, et ideo ad bravium pervenit, ideo accepit coronam; quia non laboravit, qui sequebatur Jesum: Non est enim labor Jacob, nec dolor videbitur in Israel (Num. XXIII, 21). Vale, et nos dilige; quia et nos amantem nostri, et parentem, diligimus.