Basil of Caesarea, Letters

Letter CCLXV.1463 Placed in 377.

To Eulogius, Alexander, and Harpocration, bishops of Egypt, in exile.

1. In all things we find that the providence exercised by our good God over His Churches is mighty, and that thus the very things which seem to be gloomy, and do not turn out as we should like, are ordained for the advantage of most, in the hidden wisdom of God, and in the unsearchable judgments of His righteousness. Now the Lord has removed you from the regions of Egypt, and has brought you and established you in the midst of Palestine, after the manner of Israel of old, whom He carried away by captivity into the land of the Assyrians, and there extinguished idolatry through the sojourn of His saints. Now too we find the same thing, when we observe that the Lord is making known your struggle for the sake of true religion, opening to you through your exile the arena of your blessed contests, and to all who see before them your noble constancy, giving the boon of your good example to lead them to salvation. By God’s grace, I have heard of the correctness of your faith, and of your zeal for the brethren and that it is in no careless or perfunctory spirit that you provide what is profitable and necessary for salvation, and that you support all that conduces to the edification of the Churches. I have therefore thought it right that I should be brought into communion with your goodness, and be united to your reverences by letter. For these reasons I have sent my very dear brother the deacon Elpidius, who not only conveys my letter, but is moreover fully qualified to announce to you whatever may have been omitted in my letter.

2. I have been specially moved to desire union with you by the report of the zeal of your reverences in the cause of orthodoxy. The constancy of your hearts has been stirred neither by multiplicity of books nor by variety of ingenious arguments. You have on the contrary, recognised those who endeavoured to introduce innovations in opposition to the apostolic doctrines, and you have refused to keep silence concerning the mischief which they are causing. I have in truth found great distress among all who cleave to the peace of the Lord at the divers innovations of Apollinarius of Laodicea. He has all the more distressed me from the fact that he seemed at the beginning on our side. A sufferer can in a certain sense endure what comes to him from an open enemy, even though it be exceedingly painful, as it is written, “For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it.”1464 Ps. lv. 12. But it is intolerable, and beyond the power of comfort, to be wronged by a close and sympathetic friend. Now that very man whom I have expected to have at my right hand in defence of the truth, I have found in many ways hindering those who are being saved, by seducing their minds and drawing them away from direct doctrine. What rash and hasty deed has he not done? What ill considered and dangerous argument has he not risked? Is not all the Church divided against herself, specially since the day when men have been sent by him to the Churches governed by orthodox bishops, to rend them asunder and to set up some peculiar and illegal service? Is not ridicule brought upon the great mystery of true religion when bishops go about without people and clergy, having nothing but the mere name and title, and effecting nothing for the advancement of the Gospel of peace and salvation? Are not his discourses about God full of impious doctrines, the old impiety of the insane Sabellius being now renewed by him in his writings? For if the works which are current among the Sebastenes are not the forgery of foes, and are really his composition, he has reached a height of impiety which cannot be surpassed, in saying that Father, Son, and Spirit are the same, and other dark pieces of irreverence which I have declined even to hear, praying that I may have nothing to do with those who have uttered them. Does he not confuse the doctrine of the incarnation? Has not the œconomy of salvation been made doubtful to the many on account of his dark and cloudy speculations about it? To collect them all, and refute them, requires long time and much discussion. But where have the promises of the Gospel been blunted and destroyed as by his figments? So meanly and poorly has he dared to explain the blessed hope laid up for all who live according to the Gospel of Christ, as to reduce it to mere old wives’ fables and doctrines of Jews. He proclaims the renewal of the Temple, the observance of the worship of the Law, a typical high priest over again after the real High Priest, and a sacrifice for sins after the Lamb of God Who taketh away the sin of the world.1465 John i. 29. He preaches partial baptisms after the one baptism, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the Church which, through its faith in Christ, has not spot or wrinkle, or any such thing;1466 Eph. v. 27. cleansing of leprosy after the painless state of the resurrection; an offering of jealousy1467 cf. Num. v. 15. when they neither marry nor are given in marriage; shew-bread after the Bread from heaven; burning lamps after the true Light. In a word, if the law of the Commandments has been done away with by dogmas, it is plain that under these circumstances the dogmas of Christ will be nullified by the injunctions of the law.1468 This passage shews in what sense St. Basil understands δόγματα in Eph. ii. 15, and Col. ii. 14. cf. note on p. 41. At these things shame and disgrace have covered my face,1469 cf.Ps. lxiv. 7. and heavy grief hath filled my heart. Wherefore, I beseech you, as skilful physicians, and instructed how to discipline antagonists with gentleness, to try and bring him back to the right order of the Church, and to persuade him to despise the wordiness of his own works; for he has proved the truth of the proverb “in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin.”1470 Prov. x. 19. Put boldly before him the doctrines of orthodoxy, in order that his amendment may be published abroad, and his repentance made known to his brethren.

3. It is also desirable that I should remind your reverence about the followers of Marcellus, in order that you may decide nothing in their case rashly or inconsiderately. On account of his impious doctrines he has gone out from the Church.1471 Here the Ben. note is Mirum id videtur ac prima specie vix credibile, Marcellum ob impios errores ex ecclesia exiisee. Nam S. Athanasius suspectum illum quidem, sed tamen purgatum habuit, teste Epiphanio, Hæres. lxxii. lxxii. p. 837. Hinc illius discipuli communicatorias beatissimi papæ Athanasii litteras ostenderunt confessoribus Ægyptiis, ibid. p. 843. Testatur idem Epiphanius varia esse Catholicorum de Marcello judicia, aliis eum accusantibus, aliis defendentibus, p. 834. Paulinus ejus discipulos sine discrimine recipiebat, ut in superiore epistola vidimus. Ipse Basilius in epist. 69 queritur quod eum Ecclesia Romana in communionem ab initio suscepisset. Quomodo ergo exiise dicitur ex Ecclesia qui tot habuit communicatores? Sed tamen S. Basilii testimonium cum sua sponte magni est momenti (non enim ut in dijudicandis Marcelli scriptis, ita in ejusmodi facto proclive fuit errare), tum etiam hoc argumento confirmatur quod Athanasius extremis vitæ suæ annis Marcellum a communione sua removerit. Neque enim, si semper cum eo communicasset Athanasius, opus habuissent illius discipuli confessione fidei ad impetrandam confessorum Ægyptiorum communionem: nec Petrus Athanasii successor canones violatos, concessa illis communione, quereretur, ut videmus in epistola sequenti, si Ægyptum inter ac Marcellum ejusque clerum et plebem non fuisset rupta communio. Videtur ergo Marcellus sub finem vitæ aliquid peccasse, quod Athanasium ab ejus communione discedere cogeret: et cum jamdudum a tota fere oriente damnatus esset, amissa Athanasii communione, quæ unicum fere illius refugium erat, desertus ab omnibus videri debuit, nec ei nova ignominia notato prodesse poterat concessa olim a Romana Ecclesia communio. It is therefore necessary that his followers should only be received into communion on condition that they anathematize that heresy, in order that those who are united to me through you may be accepted by all the brethren. And now most men are moved to no small grief on hearing that you have both received them and admitted them to ecclesiastical communion on their coming to your excellency. Nevertheless you ought to have known that by God’s grace you do not stand alone in the East, but have many in communion with you, who vindicate the orthodoxy of the Fathers, and who put forth the pious doctrine of the Faith at Nicæa. The Westerns also all agree with you and with me, whose exposition of the Faith I have received and keep with me, assenting to their sound doctrine. You ought, then, to have satisfied all who are in agreement with you, that the action which is being taken may be ratified by the general consent, and that peace may not be broken by the acceptance of some while others are kept apart. Thus you ought to have at the same time seriously and gently taken counsel about matters which are of importance to all the Churches throughout the world. Praise is not due to him who hastily determines any point, but rather to him who rules every detail firmly and unalterably, so that when his judgment is enquired into, even at a later time, it may be the more esteemed. This is the man who is acceptable both to God and man as one who guides his words with discretion.1472 Ps. cxii. 5. Thus I have addressed your reverence in such terms as are possible in a letter. May the Lord grant that one day we may meet, that so, after arranging everything together with you for the government of the Churches, I may with you receive the reward prepared by the righteous Judge for faithful and wise stewards. In the mean time be so good as to let me know with what intention you have received the followers of Marcellus, knowing this, that even if you secure everything, so far as you yourselves are concerned, you ought not to deal with a matter of such importance on your own sole responsibility. It is further necessary that the Westerns, and those who are in communion with them in the East, should concur in the restoration of these men.

ΕΥΛΟΓΙῼ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡῼ ΑΔΕΛΦΟΚΡΑΤΙΩΝΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΙΣ ΑΙΓΥΠΤΙΟΙΣ ΕΞΟΡΙΣΘΕΙΣΙΝ

[1] Μεγάλην ἐν πᾶσιν εὑρίσκομεν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν περὶ τὰς Ἐκκλησίας αὐτοῦ οἰκονομίαν, ὥστε καὶ τὰ δοκοῦντα εἶναι σκυθρωπὰ καὶ μὴ πάντη κατὰ βούλησιν ἀπαντῶντα καὶ ταῦτα ἐπ' ὠφελείᾳ τῶν πολλῶν οἰκονομεῖσθαι ἐν τῇ δυσθεωρήτῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίᾳ καὶ τοῖς ἀνεξιχνιάστοις αὐτοῦ κρίμασιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάπην ἐκ τῶν κατ' Αἴγυπτον τόπων ἀναστήσας ὁ Κύριος εἰς μέσην ἀγαγὼν τὴν Παλαιστίνην ἱδρύσατο, κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ πάλαι Ἰσραὴλ ὃν διὰ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἀγαγὼν εἰς τὴν Ἀσσυρίων γῆν ἔσβεσε τὴν ἐκεῖ εἰδωλολατρείαν διὰ τῆς τῶν ἁγίων ἐπιδημίας. Καὶ νῦν τοίνυν οὕτως εὑρίσκομεν λογιζόμενοι ὅτι τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἆθλον ὑμῖν προβαλλόμενος ὁ Κύριος ὑμῖν μὲν διὰ τῆς ἐξορίας στάδιον ἤνοιξε τῶν μακαρίων ἀγωνισμάτων, τοῖς δὲ περιτυγχάνουσιν ὑμῶν τῇ ἀγαθῇ προαιρέσει ἐναργῆ τὰ πρὸς σωτηρίαν ὑποδείγματα ἐχαρίσατο. Ἐπεὶ οὖν τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι ἐμάθομεν ὑμῶν τὴν ὀρθότητα τῆς πίστεως, ἐμάθομεν τὸ περὶ τὴν ἀδελφότητα ἐπιμελὲς καὶ ὅτι οὐ παρέργως οὐδὲ ἠμελημένως παρέρχεσθε τὰ κοινωφελῆ καὶ ἀναγκαῖα πρὸς σωτηρίαν, ἀλλ' εἴ τι πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἐνεργεῖν προαιρεῖσθε, δίκαιον ἐνομίσαμεν κοινωνοὶ γενέσθαι τῆς ἀγαθῆς μερίδος ὑμῶν καὶ συνάψαι ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τοῦ γράμματος τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ εὐλαβείᾳ. Οὗπερ ἕνεκα ἀπεστείλαμεν καὶ τὸν ποθεινότατον υἱὸν ἡμῶν Ἐλπίδιον τὸν συνδιάκονον ὁμοῦ μὲν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν διακομίζοντα, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμενον ἀναγγεῖλαι ὑμῖν ὅσα τὴν ἐκ τοῦ γράμματος διαπέφευγε διδασκαλίαν.

[2] Μάλιστα δὲ ἡμᾶς ἐπέρρωσε πρὸς τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς συναφείας ὑμῶν ἡ ἀκοὴ τοῦ περὶ τὴν ὀρθότητα ζήλου τῆς εὐσεβείας ὑμῶν, ὅτι οὔτε πλήθει συνταγμάτων οὔτε ποικιλίᾳ σοφισμάτων παρηνέχθη ὑμῶν τὸ στερρὸν τῆς καρδίας, ἀλλ' ἐπέγνωτε μὲν τοὺς κατὰ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν δογμάτων καινοτομοῦντας, σιωπῇ δὲ κατασχεῖν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην παρ' αὐτῶν βλάβην οὐ κατεδέξασθε. Καὶ γὰρ τῷ ὄντι πολλὴν εὕρομεν λύπην παρὰ πᾶσι τοῖς ἀντεχομένοις τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου εἰρήνης ἐπὶ ταῖς νεωτεροποιίαις ταῖς παντοδαπαῖς Ἀπολιναρίου τοῦ Λαοδικέως, ὃς τοσούτῳ πλέον ἐλύπησεν ἡμᾶς ὅσῳ ἔδοξεν εἶναι ἐξ ἡμῶν τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ παρὰ φανεροῦ πολεμίου παθεῖν τι, κἂν ὑπερβάλλῃ τῷ ἀλγεινῷ, φορητόν πώς ἐστι τῷ καταπονουμένῳ, καθὼς γέγραπται: »Ὅτι εἰ ἐχθρὸς ὠνείδισέ με, ὑπήνεγκα ἄν«. Τὸ δὲ παρ' ὁμοψύχου καὶ οἰκείου βλάβης τινὸς πειραθῆναι, τοῦτο δύσφορον παντελῶς καὶ οὐδεμίαν ἔχον παραμυθίαν. Ὃν γὰρ προσεδοκήσαμεν συνασπιστὴν ἕξειν τῆς ἀληθείας, τοῦτον εὕρομεν νῦν ἐν πολλοῖς ἐμποδίζοντα τοῖς σωζομένοις ἐκ τοῦ περιέλκειν αὐτῶν τὸν νοῦν καὶ ἀποσπᾶν τῆς εὐθύτητος τῶν δογμάτων. Τί γὰρ ἐν ἔργοις παρ' αὐτοῦ θερμὸν καὶ τολμηρὸν οὐκ ἐπράχθη; Τί δὲ ἐν λόγοις οὐ παρεπενοήθη νεώτερον καὶ ἐπικεκινδυνευμένον; Οὐ πᾶσα μὲν Ἐκκλησία ἐφ' ἑαυτὴν ἐμερίσθη, μάλιστα δὲ ταῖς παρὰ τῶν ὀρθοδόξων κυβερνωμέναις ἐπιπεμφθέντων παρ' αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸ σχίσαι καὶ ἰδίαν παρασυναγωγὴν ἐκδικῆσαι; Οὐχὶ γελᾶται τὸ μέγα τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον ὡς ἄνευ λαοῦ καὶ κλήρου ἐπισκόπων περιερχομένων, ὄνομα ψιλὸν περιφερόντων, οὐδὲν δὲ κατορθούντων εἰς προκοπὴν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τῆς σωτηρίας; Οὐχὶ οἱ περὶ Θεοῦ λόγοι παρ' αὐτῷ πλήρεις εἰσὶν ἀσεβῶν δογμάτων, τῆς παλαιᾶς ἀσεβείας τοῦ ματαιόφρονος Σαβελλίου δι' αὐτοῦ νῦν ἀνανεωθείσης τοῖς συντάγμασιν; Εἰ γὰρ ἃ περιφέρουσιν οἱ Σεβαστηνοὶ μὴ συμπέπλασται παρ' ἐχθρῶν, ἀλλὰ κατ' ἀλήθειαν αὐτοῦ εἰσι συγγραφαί, οὐδεμίαν εἰς ἀσέβειαν ὑπερβολὴν καταλέλοιπε τὸν αὐτὸν Πατέρα λέγων καὶ Υἱὸν καὶ πάλιν Υἱὸν καὶ Πατέρα καὶ ἄλλα σκοτεινὰ ἀσεβῆ ῥήματα ἃ ἡμεῖς οὐδὲ ταῖς ἀκοαῖς ἡμῶν κατεδεξάμεθα παραδέξασθαι εὐχόμενοι μηδεμίαν ἔχειν μερίδα πρὸς τοὺς ἐκεῖνα τὰ ῥήματα φθεγξαμένους. Οὐχὶ συγκέχυται παρ' αὐτῷ ὁ τῆς Ἐνανθρωπήσεως λόγος; Οὐκ ἀμφίβολος γέγονε τοῖς πολλοῖς ἡ σωτήριος τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν οἰκονομία ἐκ τῶν θολερῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ σκοτεινῶν περὶ σαρκώσεως ζητημάτων; Ἃ πάντα συναγαγεῖν καὶ εἰς ἔλεγχον καταστῆσαι μακροῦ καὶ χρόνου καὶ λόγου δεῖται. Τὸν δὲ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν τόπον τίς οὕτως ἠμαύρωσε καὶ ἠφάνισεν ὡς ἡ τούτου μυθολογία; Ὅς γε τὴν μακαρίαν ἐλπίδα τὴν ἀποκειμένην τοῖς πολιτευσαμένοις κατὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ οὕτω ταπεινῶς καὶ ἐρριμμένως ἐτόλμησεν ἐξηγήσασθαι ὥστε εἰς γραώδεις λόγους καὶ ἰουδαϊκοὺς μύθους ἐκτραπῆναι. Ἄνωθεν ἐπαγγέλλεται τοῦ ναοῦ τὴν ἀνανέωσιν καὶ τῆς νομικῆς λατρείας τὴν παρατήρησιν καὶ πάλιν ἀρχιερέα τυπικὸν μετὰ τὸν ἀληθινὸν ἀρχιερέα καὶ θυσίαν ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν μετὰ τὸν ἀμνὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν ἄραντα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου καὶ βαπτίσματα μερικὰ μετὰ τὸ ἓν βάπτισμα καὶ σποδὸν δαμάλεως ῥαντίζουσαν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τὴν οὐκ ἔχουσαν διὰ τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως σπῖλον ἢ ῥυτίδα ἤ τι τῶν τοιούτων, καὶ καθαρισμοὶ λέπρας μετὰ τὴν ἀπάθειαν τῆς ἀναστάσεως, καὶ ζηλοτυπίας προσφοράν, ὅτε οὔτε γαμοῦσιν οὔτε γαμίσκονται, ἄρτοι προθέσεως μετὰ τὸν ἄρτον τὸν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, λύχνοι καιόμενοι μετὰ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν, καὶ ὅλως, εἰ νῦν ὁ νόμος τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασι κατήργηται, δῆλον ὅτι τότε τὰ δόγματα τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τοῖς νομικοῖς ἐν τάλμασιν ἀκυρωθήσεται. Ἐπὶ τούτοις αἰσχύνη μὲν καὶ ἐντροπὴ ἐκάλυψεν ἡμῶν τὰ πρόσωπα, λύπη δὲ βαρεῖα πεπλήρωκεν ἡμῶν τὰς καρδίας. Διὸ παρακαλοῦμεν ὑμᾶς, ὡς ἐπιστήμονας ἰατροὺς καὶ δεδιδαγμένους ἐν τῇ πραΰτητι παιδεύειν τοὺς ἀντιδιατιθεμένους, πειραθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐπαναγαγεῖν πρὸς τὴν εὐταξίαν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας καὶ πεῖσαι αὐτὸν καταφρονῆσαι τῆς πολυφωνίας τῶν συνταγμάτων (ἐβεβαίωσε γὰρ τὸν τῆς Παροιμίας λόγον ὅτι: »Οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ πολυλογίας ἐκφυγεῖν ἁμαρτίαν«), στενῶς δὲ αὐτῷ προβάλλειν τὰ τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας δόγματα, ἵνα κἀκείνου ἡ ἐπανόρθωσις φανερὰ γένηται καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ γνωρισθῇ ἡ μεταμέλεια.

[3] Εὔλογον δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν κατὰ Μάρκελλον ὑπομνησθῆναι ὑμῶν τὴν εὐλάβειαν, ἵνα μηδὲν ἀπερισκέπτως μηδ' εὐκόλως τυπώσητε περὶ αὐτῶν. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ δογμάτων ἕνεκεν ἀσεβῶν ἐξῆλθε τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐκεῖνος, τοὺς ἑπομένους αὐτῷ ἀναγκαῖον ἀναθεματίσαντας ἐκείνην τὴν αἵρεσιν οὕτω δεκτοὺς γενέσθαι τῇ κοινωνίᾳ, ἵν' οἱ ἡμῖν συναπτόμενοι δι' ὑμῶν παρὰ πάσης δεχθῶσι τῆς ἀδελφότητος, ἐπεὶ νῦν γε οὐ μετρία μετέσχε λύπη τοὺς πολλοὺς ἀκούσαντας ὅτι παραγενομένους πρὸς τὴν ὑμετέραν τιμιότητα καὶ προσήκασθε καὶ κοινωνίας αὐτοῖς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς μετεδώκατε. Καίτοιγε εἰδέναι ὑμᾶς ἐχρῆν ὅτι τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι οὔτε κατὰ τὴν Ἀνατολὴν μόνοι ἐστέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλοὺς ἔχετε τῆς ἑαυτῶν μερίδος, οἳ τὴν τῶν Πατέρων ἐκδικοῦσιν ὀρθοδοξίαν τῶν κατὰ Νίκαιαν τὸ εὐσεβὲς δόγμα τῆς πίστεως ἐκθεμένων, καὶ οἱ τῆς Δύσεως πάντες σύμφωνοι ὑμῖν τε καὶ ἡμῖν τυγχάνουσιν, ὧν δεξάμενοι τῆς πίστεως τὸν τόμον ἔχομεν παρ' ἑαυτοῖς ἑπόμενοι αὐτῶν τῇ ὑγιεῖ διδασκαλίᾳ. Ἔδει οὖν πάντας πληροφορεῖσθαι τοὺς ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ συναφείᾳ τυγχάνοντας ὑμῖν, ἵνα καὶ τὸ γινόμενον μᾶλλον ἐβεβαιώθη ἐν τῇ τῶν πολλῶν συγκαταθέσει καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη μὴ διέσπαστο ἐν τῇ τινων προσλήψει ἑτέρων ἀφισταμένων. Οὕτως ἦν πρέπον βουλεύσασθαι ἡμᾶς στιβαρῶς καὶ πράως περὶ πραγμάτων πάσαις ταῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην Ἐκκλησίαις διαφερόντων. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ ταχύ τι δογματίσας ἐπαινετός, ἀλλ' ὁ παγίως καὶ ἀσαλεύτως ἕκαστα κανονίσας ὥστε καὶ εἰς τὸν μετὰ ταῦτα χρόνον ἐξεταζομένην τὴν γνώμην δοκιμωτέραν φαίνεσθαι, οὗτος ἀπόδεκτος καὶ παρὰ Θεῷ καὶ ἀνθρώποις ὡς »οἰκονομῶν τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ ἐν κρίσει«. Ταῦτα, ὅσα ἐδίδου ἡμῖν ἡ διὰ τοῦ γράμματος ὁμιλία, προσεφθεγξάμεθα ὑμῶν τὴν εὐλάβειαν. Παράσχοι δὲ ὁ Κύριος καὶ εἰς ταὐτὸν ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις γενέσθαι ποτέ, ἵνα πάντα πρὸς καταρτισμὸν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ μεθ' ὑμῶν οἰκονομήσαντες μεθ' ὑμῶν δεξώμεθα τὸν μισθὸν τὸν ἡτοιμασμένον παρὰ τοῦ δικαίου Κριτοῦ τοῖς πιστοῖς καὶ φρονίμοις οἰκονόμοις. Τέως δὲ νῦν καταξιώσατε ἡμῖν ἀποστεῖλαι τὰς προτάσεις ἐφ' αἷς ἐδέξασθε τοὺς Μαρκέλλου, ἐκεῖνο εἰδότες ὅτι, κἂν πάνυ τὸ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ἀσφαλίσησθε, μόνοις ἑαυτοῖς ἐπιτρέψαι πρᾶγμα τοσοῦτον οὐκ ὀφείλετε, ἀλλὰ χρὴ καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῇ Δύσει καὶ τοὺς κατὰ τὴν Ἀνατολὴν κοινωνικοὺς συμψήφους αὐτῶν τῇ ἀποκαταστάσει γενέσθαι.