Letter 57

57. To Meletius, bishop of Antioch.

If somehow the greatness of the joy which you produce in us, as often as you write, were made plain to your godliness, I know that you would never let a chance of writing pass by; nay, you would even contrive on every occasion to make your letters to us many, knowing the reward laid up by our loving Master for the refreshment of the afflicted. For all things here are filled with pain, and our only escape from troubles is the thought of your holiness — a thought made more vivid to us by converse through your letters, which are filled with all wisdom and grace. So that when we take your letter in hand, we first observe its length, and love it the more, the more it abounds in fullness. Then, as we go through it, we rejoice at every part of the discourse we come to, but as we draw near the end of the letter we are troubled. So entirely is everything you say in your letters good. For out of a good heart comes that which abounds, and it is good.

And if we were counted worthy through your prayers, while we are yet on earth, of meeting you face to face, and of receiving from the living voice itself profitable teachings, or provisions both for the present age and the age to come, we should judge this the greatest of goods, and set it for ourselves as a foretaste of God's favour. And we were already in the grip of this impulse, had not our most genuine and altogether brother-loving brethren restrained us; and that I might not publish my purpose by letter, I have explained the matter in detail to our brother Theophrastus, to report each particular to your perfection.