Letter CLXI.804    Placed in 374.

To Amphilochius on his consecration as Bishop.

1.  Blessed be God Who from age to age chooses them that please Him, distinguishes vessels of election, and uses them for the ministry of the Saints.  Though you were trying to flee, as you confess, not from me, but from the calling you expected through me, He has netted you in the sure meshes of grace, and has brought you into the midst of Pisidia to catch men for the Lord, and draw the devil’s prey from the deep into the light.  You, too, may say as the blessed David said, “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence.”805    Ps. cxxxix. 7.  Such is the wonderful work of our loving Master.  “Asses are lost”806    1 Sam. ix. 3.  So six mss.  Editors have substituted “enemies.”  The letter does not exist in the Codex Harlæanus.  ῎Ονοι is supposed to mean that Faustinus and John, the predecessors of Amphilochius in the see of Iconium, were not very wise bishops.  ἔχθροιmight mean that they were Arian.  cf. Letter cxxxviii. that there may be a king of Israel.  David, however, being an Israelite was granted to Israel; but the land which has nursed you and brought you to such a height of virtue, possesses you no longer, and sees her neighbour beautified by her own adornment.  But all believers in Christ are one people; all Christ’s people, although He is hailed from many regions, are one Church; and so our country is glad and rejoices at the dispensation of the Lord, and instead of thinking that she is one man the poorer, considers that through one man she has become possessed of whole Churches.  Only may the Lord grant me both to see you in person, and, so long as I am parted from you, to hear of your progress in the gospel, and of the good order of your Churches.

2.  Play the man, then, and be strong, and walk before the people whom the Most High has entrusted to your hand.  Like a skilful pilot, rise in mind above every wave lifted by heretical blasts; keep the boat from being whelmed by the salt and bitter billows of false doctrine; and wait for the calm to be made by the Lord so soon as there shall have been found a voice worthy of rousing Him to rebuke the winds and the sea.  If you wish to visit me, now hurried by long sickness towards the inevitable end, do not wait for an opportunity, or for the word from me.  You know that to a father’s heart every time is suitable to embrace a well-loved son, and that affection is stronger than words.  Do not lament over a responsibility transcending your strength.  If you had been destined to bear the burden unaided, it would have been not merely heavy; it would have been intolerable.  But if the Lord shares the load with you, “cast all your care upon the Lord”807    cf. Ps. lv. 22 and 1 Pet. v. 7. and He will Himself act.  Only be exhorted ever to give heed lest you be carried away by wicked customs.  Rather change all previous evil ways into good by the help of the wisdom given you by God.  For Christ has sent you not to follow others, but yourself to take the lead of all who are being saved.  I charge you to pray for me, that, if I am still in this life, I may be permitted to see you with your Church.  If, however, it is ordained that I now depart, may I see all of you hereafter with the Lord, your Church blooming like a vine with good works, and yourself like a wise husbandman and good servant giving meat in due season to his fellow-servants and receiving the reward of a wise and trusty steward.  All who are with me salute your reverence.  May you be strong and joyful in the Lord.  May you be preserved glorious in the graces of the Spirit and of wisdom.

ΑΜΦΙΛΟΧΙῼ ΧΕΙΡΟΤΟΝΗΘΕΝΤΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠῼ ΤΟΥ ΙΚΟΝΙΟΥ

[1] Εὐλογητὸς ὁ Θεὸς ὁ τοὺς καθ' ἑκάστην γενεὰν εὐαρεστοῦντας αὐτῷ ἐκλεγόμενος καὶ γνωρίζων τὰ σκεύη τῆς ἐκλογῆς καὶ κεχρημένος αὐτοῖς πρὸς τὴν λειτουργίαν τῶν ἁγίων, ὁ καὶ νῦν σε φεύγοντα, ὡς αὐτὸς φῄς, οὐχ ἡμᾶς, ἀλλὰ τὴν δι' ἡμῶν προσδοκωμένην κλῆσιν, τοῖς ἀφύκτοις δικτύοις τῆς χάριτος σαγηνεύσας καὶ ἀγαγὼν εἰς τὰ μέσα τῆς Πισιδίας, ὥστε ἀνθρώπους ζωγρεῖν τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ἕλκειν ἀπὸ τοῦ βυθοῦ εἰς τὸ φῶς τοὺς ἐζωγρημένους ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου εἰς τὸ ἐκείνου θέλημα. Λέγε οὖν καὶ σὺ τὰ τοῦ μακαρίου Δαβίδ: «Ποῦ πορευθῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματός σου; καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου, ποῦ φύγω;» Τοιαῦτα γὰρ θαυματουργεῖ ὁ φιλάνθρωπος ἡμῶν Δεσπότης. Ὄνοι ἀπόλλυνται, ἵνα βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ γένηται. Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνος μὲν Ἰσραηλίτης ὢν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ἐδόθη, σὲ δὲ ἡ θρεψαμένη καὶ πρὸς τοσοῦτον ἀναβιβάσασα τῆς ἀρετῆς ὕψος οὐκ ἔχει, ἀλλὰ τὴν γείτονα ὁρᾷ τῷ ἰδίῳ κόσμῳ σεμνυνομένην. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἷς λαὸς πάντες οἱ εἰς Χριστὸν ἠλπικότες καὶ μία Ἐκκλησία νῦν οἱ Χριστοῦ, κἂν ἐκ διαφόρων τόπων προσαγορεύηται, χαίρει καὶ ἡ πατρὶς καὶ εὐφραίνεται ταῖς τοῦ Κυρίου οἰκονομίαις καὶ οὐχ ἡγεῖται ἕνα ἄνδρα ἐζημιῶσθαι, ἀλλὰ δι' ἑνὸς Ἐκκλησίας ὅλας προσειληφέναι. Μόνον παράσχοι ὁ Κύριος καὶ παρόντας ὁρᾶν ἡμᾶς καὶ ἀπόντας ἀκούειν τὴν προκοπήν σου, τὴν ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ, καὶ τὴν εὐταξίαν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν.

[2] Ἀνδρίζου τοίνυν καὶ ἴσχυε, καὶ προπορεύου τοῦ λαοῦ ὃν ἐπίστευσε τῇ δεξιᾷ σου ὁ Ὕψιστος. Καὶ ὡς νοήμων κυβέρνησιν ποιησάμενος, πάσης ζάλης ἀπὸ τῶν αἱρετικῶν πνευμάτων ἐγειρομένης ὑψηλότερος γινόμενος τῇ γνώμῃ ἀβάπτιστον τοῖς ἁλμυροῖς καὶ πικροῖς τῆς κακοδοξίας κύμασι διαφύλασσε τὴν ὁλκάδα, ἀναμένων τὴν γαλήνην ἣν ποιήσει ὁ Κύριος, ἐπειδὰν εὑρεθῇ φωνὴ ἀξία τοῦ διαναστῆσαι αὐτὸν πρὸς τὴν ἐπιτίμησιν τῶν πνευμάτων καὶ τῆς θαλάσσης. Εἰ δὲ βούλει ἡμᾶς λοιπὸν ὑπὸ τῆς μακρᾶς ἀρρωστίας ἐπειγομένους πρὸς τὴν ἀναγκαίαν ἔξοδον ἐπισκέψασθαι, μήτε καιρὸν ἀναμείνῃς μήτε τὸ παρ' ἡμῶν σύνθημα, εἰδὼς ὅτι πατρικοῖς σπλάγχνοις πᾶσα εὐκαιρία ἐστὶ περιπτύσσεσθαι τέκνον ἀγαπητὸν καὶ λόγου παντὸς κρείττων ἡ κατὰ ψυχὴν διάθεσις. Βάρος δὲ ὑπερβαῖνον τὴν δύναμιν μὴ ὀδύρου. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸς ᾖς ὁ μέλλων φέρειν τὸ βάσταγμα τοῦτο, οὐδὲ οὕτως ἂν ἦν βαρύ, ἀλλὰ φορητὸν παντελῶς. Εἰ δὲ Κύριος ὁ συνδιαφέρων, «Ἐπίρριψον ἐπὶ Κύριον τὴν μέριμνάν σου, καὶ αὐτὸς ποιήσει.» Μόνον ἐκεῖνο παραφυλάσσειν ἐν πᾶσι παρακλήθητι μὴ αὐτὸς τοῖς μοχθηροῖς ἔθεσι συμπεριφέρεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὰ κακῶς προειλημμένα διὰ τῆς δεδομένης σοι παρὰ Θεοῦ σοφίας μετατιθέναι πρὸς τὸ χρήσιμον. Καὶ γὰρ ἀπέστειλέ σε Χριστὸς οὐχ ἑτέροις κατακολουθεῖν, ἀλλ' αὐτὸν καθηγεῖσθαι τῶν σωζομένων. Καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν προσεύχεσθαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα, ἐὰν μὲν ἔτι ὦμεν ἐπὶ τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης, ἰδεῖν σε μετὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας καταξιωθῶμεν: ἐὰν δὲ ἀπελθεῖν λοιπὸν προσταχθῶμεν, ἐκεῖ ὑμᾶς ἴδωμεν παρὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ, τὴν μὲν ὡς ἄμπελον εὐθηνοῦσαν ἐπ' ἀγαθοῖς ἔργοις, σὲ δὲ ὡς σοφὸν γεωργὸν καὶ ἀγαθὸν δοῦλον, ἐν καιρῷ διδόντα τοῖς ὁμοδούλοις τὸ σιτομέτριον, πιστοῦ καὶ φρονίμου οἰκονόμου τὸν μισθὸν κομιζόμενον. Οἱ σὺν ἡμῖν πάντες ἀσπάζονταί σου τὴν εὐλάβειαν. Ἐρρωμένος καὶ εὔθυμος ἐν Κυρίῳ εἴης, εὐδοκιμῶν ἐπὶ χαρίσμασι Πνεύματος καὶ σοφίας φυλαχθείης.