{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/208/2080120.htm","path":"chr/ecf/208/2080120.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/208/2080120.htm","text":"Letter XLVII. 2157\nTo Gregory. 2158\n\u201cWho will give me wings like a dove? 2159 Or how can my old age be so renewed that I can travel to your affection, satisfy my deep longing to see you, tell you all the troubles of my soul, and get from you some comfort in my affliction? For when the blessed bishop Eusebius 2160 fell asleep, we were under no small alarm lest plotters against the Church of our Metropolis, wishful to fill it with their heretical tares, should seize the present opportunity, root out by their wicked teaching the true faith sown by much labour in men\u2019s souls, and destroy its unity. This has been the result of their action in many churches. 2161 When however I received the letters of the clergy exhorting me not to let their needs be overlooked at such a crisis, as I ranged my eyes in all directions I bethought me of your loving spirit, your right faith, and your unceasing zeal on behalf of the churches of God. I have therefore sent the well beloved Eustathius, 2162 the deacon, to invite your reverence, and implore you to p. 153 add this one more to all your labours on behalf of the Church. I entreat you also to refresh my old age by a sight of you; and to maintain for the true Church its famous orthodoxy, by uniting with me, if I may be deemed worthy of uniting with you, in the good work, to give it a shepherd in accordance with the will of the Lord, able to guide His people aright. I have before my eyes a man not unknown even to yourself. If only we be found worthy to secure him, I am sure that we shall acquire a confident access to God and confer a very great benefit on the people who have invoked our aid. Now once again, aye, many times I call on you, all hesitation put aside, to come to meet me, and to set out before the difficulties of winter intervene.\nPlaced in 370. The letters numbered 47 to 291, inclusive, are placed by the Benedictine editors during St. Basil\u2019s episcopate.\n152:2158\nOn this title Benedictine editors remark that no careful reader can fail to note that the letter is written not by Basil but about Basil. \u201cHodie,\u201d they write, \u201cinter eruditos fere convenit eam a Gregorio patre, filii manu, ad Eusebium Samosatensem scriptam fuisse. Nam senem se esse declarat auctor Epistol\u00e6 et in Cappadocia Episcopum, ut qui litteris cleri ad electionem Episcopi, et Ecclesi\u00e6 C\u00e6sariensis defesionem invitatus fuerit. Is autem ad quem scribit et eadem dignitate pr\u00e6ditus erat, et laboribus pro Ecclesia susceptis clarus, et amicus Basilio, nec Cappadoci\u00e6 vicinus. Omnia in Eusebium Samosatensem mirifice conveniunt, quem Basilii ordinationi scimus interfuisse,\u201d and they give, moreover, as their descriptive heading: \u201cGregorius Theologi pater Eusebium Samosatensem, misso Eustathio diacono, invitat ad electionem Episcopi C\u00e6sariensis ut eo adjuvante Basilius eligi possit.\u201d Fialon, however, apparently forgetting the reference to old age, writes (\u00c9tude Hist. p. 87, n.): \u201cCette lettre est \u00e9videmment de Gr\u00e9goire de Nazianze,\u201d meaning the younger. The election of St. Basil, who probably \u201cvoluit episcopari\u201d to the archiepiscopal throne, was indeed mainly due to the intervention of the elder Gregory. Basil\u2019s unfortunate and indefensible disingenuousness in summoning the younger Gregory to C\u00e6sarea on the plea of his own severe illness defeated its object. But for the prompt and practical intervention of Gregory the elder, and this appeal to Eusebius of Samosata, the archbishopric might have fallen into unworthy, or at least inferior, hands. Vide Biog. Notice in Proleg., .\n152:2159\ncf. Ps. lv. 6, LXX.\n152:2160\nEusebius, at the time of his election an unbaptized layman, was elevated to the throne of C\u00e6sarea on the death of Dianius in 362. In this case too it was due to the counsels of the elder Gregory that the objections both of Eusebius and of the bishops, forced by the opposing party to consecrate him, were finally overcome. It was he who ordained Basil to the presbyterate and chafed against the ascendancy of his more able and brilliant subordinate.\n152:2161\nIn 365 Valens came to C\u00e6sarea with Arian bishops, and endeavoured to put down the Catholics. Basil returned from his retreat in order to aid Eusebius in resisting the attack, and seems to have shown much tact and good feeling as well as vigour and ability. cf. Greg. Naz., Or. xx. 340.\n152:2162\ncf. Letter cxxxvi., where it appears that Basil kindly nursed a deacon Eustathius. The fact of an Eustathius being one of Basil\u2019s deacons is so far in favour of Basil\u2019s having written the letter. But Eustathius was a common name, and Eustathius, a monk, is mentioned in the will of Gregory of Nazianzus.","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Ser. II, Vol. VIII: The Letters.: To Gregory.","type":"page"}