Letter 8017: I believe that my prayers reach you even when you are unaware of them.

I believe that you came to my aid in my perils even without knowing: or why should I trust that those whom it befalls through God to foreknow all things are ignorant of anything? For after I returned from the city, the divine mysteries were renewed in me and what had grown old was resurrected by fresh examples. Again Lazarus was called from the tomb — not indeed equal in merit to the one who earned the name of friend of the redeemer — but in the diversity of actions the form of one mystery agrees. Led through manifold illnesses to the grave but called back by a heavenly voice, I turned first to these duties which are owed to you, believing it pleases God if to his worshippers, through the tongue which he himself restored, service is rendered in the first place. Therefore, with the reverence of greeting bestowed, I beg that you take more attentive care to pray for me, as I have asked, so that through your merit divine clemency may deign to confirm what it has granted, and that you frequently relieve me with the holy promulgation of your letters. I ask that you allow no one else to dictate them, by the soul of Lord Asterius and by your own profession: so may the excellence you desire attend him to the time of completion.

XVII. ENNODIVS STEPHANIAE. Credo uos et ignorantes meis periculis subuenisse: aut quare confidam nescire quicquam quos per deum contingit uniuersa 5 cf. Io. 11, 11 1 uariare L 2 aegritadinis B dña PTb 5 di dici fort.; cf. p. 212, 4 sed] secundum fort . 6 sepulchro BLTV 7 eo] et Pb 8 cessit] accessit fort . indebitae B 11 ausilio B 12 nro L1, uestrae B comitatensis PTVb, commitatensis B 14 dna PTb laborari L oneri Pb, honeri BLTV submore L, snbmittere b 15 prouintiae LV 16 institu.untur B bona] ea fort . 17 ezspectatissimo F, ezspectantissimo L 18 reuelatis B 19 patiamine B quae-impetratione om. B imperatione L XVII. 22 stefaniae BLY, stepbanie T 28 pecolis B 24 continget B uniuersa∗∗∗ L 14* praenoscere ? postquam enim ab urbe redii, reparata sunt in me diuina mysteria et quod senuerat temporibus nouellis resurrexit exemplis. iterum uocatus est Lazarus de sepulcro, non quidem illius par merito qui amici redemptoris nomen emeruit: sed in diuersitate actuum unius conuenit forma mysterii. deductus per aegritudines multiplices ad sepulcra, sed caelesti uoce reuocatua, ad haec primum quae uobis soluuntur officia me conuerti, credens placere deo, si cultoribus eius per linguam, quam ipse reddidit, principe loco exhibeantur obsequia. ergo reuerentia salutationis inpensa deprecor, ut pro me, sicut poposci, orare adtentius procuretis, ut per meritum uestrum diuina clementia dignetur confirmare quod tribuit, et frequenter me pia litterarum uestrarum promulgatione subleuetis. rogo, ut nullum alium dictare facias, per dommi Asteri animam et professionem tuam: sic ei nitor quem optas usque ad consummationis tempus adsistat.