Letter 109: Many are the plots secretly being hatched against me, and through me against the apostolic faith itself.
To Eusebius, Bishop of Ancyra,
Many are the plots secretly being hatched against me, and through me against the apostolic faith itself. But I take comfort from the sufferings of the saints -- prophets, apostles, martyrs, and those famous in the churches for the word of grace -- and above all from the promises of our God and Savior. For in this present life he has promised us nothing pleasant or easy, but rather trouble, toil, danger, and the attacks of enemies: "In the world you shall have tribulation" [John 16:33]; "If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you" [John 15:20]; "If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household" [Matthew 10:25]; "The time comes when whoever kills you will think he does God service" [John 16:2]; "Straight is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life" [Matthew 7:14]; "When they persecute you in this city, flee to another" [Matthew 10:23]. The divine apostle too speaks in the same vein: "All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution, but evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived" [2 Timothy 3:12-13].
These words give me the greatest comfort in my distress. Since the slanders uttered against me have probably reached your holiness's ears, I beg you: give no credence to my accusers' lies. I am not aware of ever having taught anyone to believe in two sons. I have been taught to believe in one Only-Begotten, our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Word made man. I know the distinction between flesh and Godhead, and I regard as impious both those who divide our one Lord Jesus Christ into two sons, and those who, traveling in the opposite direction, confuse Godhead and manhood into one nature.
Human translation - New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
Latin / Greek Original
Original text not yet available in this corpus.
This letter still needs a Latin or Greek source-text backfill. The source link, when available, is preserved so the text can be checked and added later.
View sourceRevision history
- 2026-03-20v2.1.0-import
Initial corpus import from New Advent / NPNF.
Fields: letter text, metadata, source links. Source: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2707109.htm
Related Letters
When I saw your affectionate letter, in the country bordering on Armenia, it was like a lighted torch held up at a distance to mariners at sea, especially if the sea happen to be agitated by the wind. Your reverence's letter was of itself a pleasant one, and full of comfort; but its natural charm was very much enhanced by the time of its arrival...
At once and in haste, after your departure, I came to the town. Why need I tell a man not needing to be told, because he knows by experience, how distressed I was not to find you? How delightful it would have been to me to see once more the excellent Eusebius, to embrace him, to travel once again in memory to our young days, and to be reminded o...
1. In what state the good Isaaces has found me, he himself will best explain to you; though his tongue cannot be tragic enough to describe my sufferings, so great was my illness. However, any one who knows me ever so little, will be able to conjecture what it was.
I know the countless labours which you have undergone for the Churches of God; I know your press of occupation, while you discharge your responsibilities, not as though they were of mere secondary importance, but in accordance with God's will. I know the man who is, as it were, laying close siege to you and by whom you are forced, like birds cr...
1. I both wrote to your reverence by the vicar of Thrace, and sent other letters by one of the officers of the treasury of Philippopolis, who was starting from our country into Thrace, and begged him to take them on his departure. But the vicar never received my letter, for while I was visiting my diocese, he came into town in the evening and s...