[Ishoʿyahb of Hidyab, Ep. #9]
To the most honorable, and who are the glory of the Lord's ministry, my beloved brothers, N & N, elder clergy, and N & N, noble faithful of the city Nisibin, mother of the vivifying teachings, Ishoʿyahb your brother: in our Lord greetings.
In the middle of that river which is called "Tigris" by us and from the divine book "Deqlat", the letter of your Charity, my brothers, I received with a responsive enthusiasm; when I was on my way to the famous Selîq expecting the hope, as you have heard, which the Lord brings as please His will. This was open and read, and soon after I began to be kindled by the fire of your Charity, which in the teachings of spiritual theory shone as it were from the mental light of the sanctified Spirit. reciting and reciting the names of those who, by the light of the lamps of their tongues, have pleased our good and merciful Lord, manifesting themselves in a special way to the Eastern world, to the excellent entrances of our honored mother, who conceived and nourished you physically, and us spiritually for you. and here he meets all who fear God, as a shadow a the letter of your charity worthy of praise. Now I am what I was before I was upset by this rumor.
I had learned that the insane error, which by the name "Chalcedon" introduces perturbation of the united hypostasis to corrupt the true faith - to the unity of the glorious prosopon of the Lord's filiation united in two forms hypostatic and natural, as your letter beautifully teaches - a few days before, in a liberty furtive and stolen from your ruling seat, with perturbing voice was heard. And you have not ceased - as I have also heard - until you have averted, by the bridle of correction, the exuberance of this errant tongue. You have perfected the beauty of your excellent honor by those things which you have now written to me. For this reason I thanked our Lord and thanked him for the greatness of the matter. But I pray that without diminution the excellence of the city of the mighty Lord, the city of our God, the mother which begat and nourished you, may be preserved for ever and ever.
But concerning those things which, in one mind with my weakness, you wrote to me on account of the sublime business, for which we were called to the ministry: your Sanctity knows much better than you have perceived that the communication of the matters was distinct in your honor. For sent to inform you, and to be called into this present synod, was a most honorable man in the paternal and patriarchal assembly of the clergy [Maruzan]. But the alarming rumors forced him to retreat from the mdînta of Balad, who then proceeded to your mdînta. Upon discovering the matter, I did not blame the delay, but appropiately took care of your time by renouncing, when it be possible for us to meet others in the Karka d-Seleucia. This thought, however, distracted us from the injustice of the impending adversity, which we had not been able to foresee. And so happened what happened, as your letter relates; to the disapproval of those who ministered him. But afterward, when in the mdînta of Seleucia itself we were tormented by the horrible rumors of the destruction of the world; and we as weak men, and driven by the change of much thought many days, scarcely dissolved the synod before again returning to our places, until the holy feasts and various rumours pass away.
Behold now, with the help of our Lord, we are making our journey thither by a river-route, as was written to us, with the greatest haste, which robs us as we go thither. If it happens based on the estimated acceleration for us that the completion of the business be successful, we will thank God for the accomplishment and thank you also for the agreement, since you have in your letter prompted a good conscience to complete the task. But if a delay arises from the usual enemies, it is proper for me to send a message that you be present with us, so that, as directors of the general body, you will be giving direction of speech for all your good work. It is fair, therefore, for you to come, even if you ought to find the perfect work, and especially by that reason, so that the very thing which is wanting to you in a singular part, may be wisely fulfilled by the general concourse of the powerful at all; of whom also a little before, when we were in the Karka, I wrote to your charity, which (it was written) did not yet come to you, as I understood from your letter.
But concerning those things which you wrote to me again in a particular way, on account of the inmost fissure which arose among you, I think your extraordinary pain has been absorbed by all the general pains, and I am less grieved, although the pain is a thing very worthy, because according to the word of Egypt it was once said {Ex. 12:30}: We now have no house, that is, no city or city, no nation or tribe, no house in which there is no such thing as a dead man, and perhaps, as Egypt's linens, the end of the community hastens. For we have rebelled even as Pharaoh, and it was fitting that we should now be forsaken.
But consider the common good, friends and brothers, I beg you, and accept the burden of the disabled, if there be such men among you. Purify the faithful soul for the Lord, so that the disciples and friends may be received and possessed, as well as ministers of the sanctuary and the tables of the Eucharist, and companions of the passions and worshipers of the virtues. For you know the time well; you know whatever you need to know. Know, then, that, as is fitting for you, a fire is kindled out of a small spark {Eccl. 11:34}; thus they went forth driven by the events. Lest you be crippled, while I exhort you, a nod of persuasion suffices. Agree with you indeed as teachers of God, and give him a good name, an honor befitting him. Gather up to me and to all who fear God, wherever appropriate materials for spiritual joy and the confession of God. May the good and merciful God himself render you distinguished in the perfection of virtues; but to us in his grace he may grant the rest of our days in spite of the things that we may do to please the will of God.
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