[ed. bishop Isho'yahb future Isho'yahb III, letter 43]
- to the faithful, true, who lacks little glory befitting him - our honored and proven prince Mar Yazdnan : Greetings in our Lord.
That neither by the zeal of the will nor even by the agitation of everyday matters, it never occurred for my lowliness or your greatness to meet one another, even by means of messages, after all this time - such is already agreed for you and me and for those who care about this. When I was excused such faults by you for obvious reasons, I nonetheless submit myself to the obligation of apology. But after the change of opinion had come upon the priests of God, which adversity befell upon your honor, until perdition approached your perilous peak: for our suffering and for the misery of all the church of the Lord: I grew disabled with the joy of my mind, that the ally of your self should rush and throw a little bit of water into the washing. If you need to practice medicine I will place myself in the part of the ministers; but if the works pertain to prompting, intelligence, and perfection of assistance, not even in such a case will I be absent from their number who pay great attention to your honor and to your good reputation, and to the increase of your virtues.
Now indeed, when from the adversities which befell: and from the uninterrupted commotion of troublesome changes: and from the great tragedy of all the age which has plunged the mind into swift despair, I also prevented myself from doing what I ought to, and in the midst of one's own miseries which Satan awakened in me through the ministers of his will who are the heretics, enemies of God: the letter of your love came to me. This breathed the zeal for the true love of faith with a sweet aroma and by it you sent into me, a feeble and cowardly soul, courage for the contest. The study of faith and the love of Orthodoxy suits you in every respect: one from the father indeed, whose own faith, I think, was not much less than that of Peter and Abraham. From the mother too: who was no unequal in the greatness of her spouse's faith; and from yourself, because you have long possessed the power of understanding which of the following may be proved by matters of this kind. You did, thus, beautifully to help me in the contest {cf 2 Tim. 4:7 - kalon agona}, which Satan has sent against us via the impious, who minister deceitfully. Now increase your strength in this with the help of God strengthening you. Increase daily abounding exhortations to the point of extraordinary perfection, which moves to the praise of God all God-fearing men everywhere.
What is the limit of the crimes that are taking place! that is - the shamelessness of the impious, and the beginning of the attack of their folly, and of those who then acted violently; how they are provoking and troubling the governors and the people of the land every day, and how I had to deal with such challenges by visiting or by being driven before the rulers. And about all of these things in the letter, I have written that it be spread and be made further known. I sent before you a report of all those facts to our honored brother Mar Hnanisho the archmandrite, to hear from him what is necessary for you yourself to do what is necessary.
After this, I pray thee through the mercy of God: make no changes to your life contrary to God's religion, nor give the enemy the opportunity of imposing blemishes upon your honor as an honoured member of the Lord's body. Let not your heart's bruise be sore, lest be fastened that daily twist of the spine - that is, the insult of one's enemies. Yes, o brother! grant the repose of my friendship to Christ. Return to your conscience with mental pain. Look a little near, and understand a little far. Your father is an example of your physical prowess which shows proof of the greatness of his faith by the works of God themselves. The testimony of his every concern for the religion of God is celebrated by the mouth of many. . . .
etc etc etc
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