To Anastasius, Presbyter.

Epistle XXXII.

To Anastasius, Presbyter ¹⁷¹⁴ .

Gregory to Anastasius, &c.

That a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things (Matt. 12:35, Luke 6:45), this thy Charity has shewn, both in thy habitual life and lately also in thy epistle; wherein I find two persons at issue with regard to virtues; that is to say, thyself contending for charity, and another for fear and humility.  And, though occupied with many things, though ignorant of the Greek language, I have nevertheless sat as judge of your contention.  But, in very truth, thou hast, in my judgment, thyself conquered thy opponent by the apostolical sentence, which I proffered to you during your contention, That there is no fear in charity,, but perfect charity casteth out fear; because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in charity.  I know then how much thy Fraternity is made perfect in charity.  And, since thou lovest Almighty God much, thou oughtest to presume on thy neighbour much.  For it is not places or ranks that make us neighbours to our Creator; but either our good deserts join us to Him, or our bad deserts separate us from p. 225b Him.  Since, then, it is still uncertain what any one is inwardly, how was it that thou wast afraid to write, ignorant as thou art as to which of us two is the superior?  And indeed that thou livest well I know, but I am conscious myself of being burdened by many sins.  And though thou art thyself a sinner, still thou art much better than I, since thou bearest thine own sins only, but I those also of the persons committed to me.  In this, then, I look upon thee as lofty, in this I look upon thee as great, that in a great place and lofty before human eyes thou hast not felt thyself advanced at all.  For therein, while honour is paid thee by men outwardly, thy mind is sunk into depths, because burdened by distracting cares.  But to thee Almighty God has done as it is written; He hath laid down ascents in the heart, in the valley of tears (Psa. 84.6).  To me, however, thou mightest have appeared far loftier, far more sublime, hadst thou never undertaken the leadership of the monastery which is called Neas, seeing that in that monastery, as I hear, there is indeed an appearance of monks kept up, but many secular things are done under the garb of sanctity.  But even to this I shall think that heavenly grace has brought thee, if what in that place displeases Almighty God should be corrected under thy guidance.

But, since there have been wont to be quarrels between the father of this same monastery and the pastor of the Church of Jerusalem, I believe that Almighty God has willed that thy Love and my most holy brother and fellow-priest Amos should be at the same time at Jerusalem for this end, that the quarrels which I have spoken of should be put an end to.  Shew, then, now how much you loved before.  For I know that both of you are abstinent, both learned, both humble; whence the glory of our Saviour must needs be praised, according to the language of the Psalm, in timbrel and chorus (Ps. cl. 4).  For in a timbrel the sound from the skin is dry, but in a chorus there is a concord of voices.  What therefore is denoted by a timbrel but abstinence, and what by a chorus but unanimity?  Since then by abstinence ye praise the Lord in timbrel, I beg that by unanimity ye praise Him in chorus.  The Truth also in person says, Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another (Mark ix. 50).  What is denoted by salt but wisdom, as Paul attests, who says, Let your speech be alway in grace, seasoned with salt (Col. iv. 6)?  Since, then, we know that you have salt through the teaching of the heavenly word, it remains that through the grace of charity you keep with all your hearts peace between yourselves.  All this I say, dearest brother, because I love you both exceedingly, and am much afraid lest the sacrifices of your prayers should be stained by any dissension between you.

The blessing which you sent, first by Exhilaratus the Secundicerius ¹⁷¹⁵ , and afterwards by Sabinianus the deacon, I received with thanksgiving, since from a holy place it became you to send holy things, and to shew by your very gift whom you serve continually.  May Almighty God protect you with His right hand, and preserve you scatheless from all evils.

Footnotes

224b:1714

This epistle appears to have been in reply to one from a presbyter.  Anastasius (al. Athanasius), of Jerusalem announcing his promotion to the abbacy of a monastery there.  There had been, it seems, a standing feud between the abbots of this monastery and the bishops of Jerusalem, the continuance of which Gregory gracefully deprecates in the course of his letter.

225b:1715

See III. 56, note 3.