Letter 204: 1. [There has been a long silence on both sides, revered and well-beloved brethren, just as if there were angry feelings between us. Yet who is there so sullen and implacable towards the party which has injured him, as to lengthen out the resentment which has begun in disgust through almost a whole life of man?] This [is happening in our case, n...

Beloved brothers, There has been a long silence on both sides, as though anger lay between us. Yet who is so sullen and unforgiving as to prolong his resentment through nearly a whole lifetime? This is what is happening between us, though I know of no just cause for estrangement. On the contrary, from the very beginning there have been many strong reasons for the closest friendship and unity. The greatest of these is our Lord's own command: "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" [John 13:35]. Again, the apostle says plainly that "love is the fulfilling of the law" [Romans 13:10], and that love is to be preferred above all great and good things: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so as to remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing" [1 Corinthians 13:1-3]. Furthermore, if it draws people together to share the same teachers, we have the same spiritual fathers -- the founders of your church. I mean the great Gregory [Gregory Thaumaturgus, the famous wonder-working bishop of Neocaesarea] and all who succeeded him in an unbroken line... [This substantial letter continues with Basil's defense of his liturgical and theological practices, particularly his doxological formula glorifying the Holy Spirit alongside the Father and the Son, and his argument that this represents authentic tradition rather than innovation.]

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To the Neocæsareans. 1. [There has been a long silence on both sides, revered and well-beloved brethren, just as if there were angry feelings between us. Yet who is there so sullen and implacable towards the party which has injured him, as to lengthen out the resentment which has begun in disgust through almost a whole life of man?] This [is happening in our case, no just occasion of estrangement existing, as far as I myself know, but on the contrary, there being, from the first, many strong reasons for the closest friendship and unity. The greatest and first is this, our Lord's command, pointedly saying, By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another. John 13:35] Again, the apostle clearly sets before us the good of charity where he tells us that love is the fulfilling of the law; Romans 13:10 and again where he says that charity is a good thing to be preferred to all great and good things, in the words, Though I speak with tongues of men and of angels and have not charity, I have become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burnt and have not charity, it profits me nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Not that each of the points enumerated could be performed without love, but that the Holy One wishes, as He Himself has said, to attribute to the commandment super-eminent excellency by the figure of hyperbole. 2. [Next, if it tend much towards intimacy to have the same teachers, there are to you and to me the same teachers of God's mysteries, and spiritual Fathers, who from the beginning were the founders of your Church. I mean the great Gregory, and all who succeeding in order to the throne of your episcopate, like stars rising one after another, have tracked the same course, so as to leave the tokens of the heavenly polity most clear to all who desire them.] And if natural relationships are not to be despised, but are greatly conducive to unbroken union and fellowship, these rights also exist naturally for you and me. [Why is it, then, O venerable among cities, for through you I address the whole city, that no civil writing comes from you, no welcome voice, but your ears are open to those who aim at slander?] I am therefore the more bound to groan, the more I perceive the end they have in view. There is no doubt as to who is the originator of the slander. He is known by many evil deeds, but is best distinguished by this particular wickedness, and it is for this reason that the sin is made his name. But you must put up with my plain speaking. You have opened both ears to my slanderers. You heartily welcome all you hear without any enquiry. Not one of you distinguishes between lies and truth. Who ever suffered for lack of wicked accusations when struggling all alone? Who was ever convicted of lying in the absence of his victim? What plea does not sound plausible to the hearers when the reviler persists that such and such is the case, and the reviled is neither present nor hears what is urged against him? Does not even the accepted custom of this world teach you, in reference to these matters, that if any one is to be a fair and impartial hearer, he must not be entirely led away by the first speaker, but must wait for the defense of the accused, that so truth may be demonstrated by a comparison of the arguments on both sides? Judge righteous judgment. John 7:24 This precept is one of those most necessary for salvation. 3. When I say this I am not forgetful of the words of the Apostle, who fled from human tribunals and reserved the defense of all his life for the unerring judgment seat, when he said, With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of man's judgment. 1 Corinthians iv Your ears have been preoccupied by lying slanders, slanders that have touched my conduct, slanders that have touched my faith in God. Nevertheless, knowing, as I do, that three persons at once are injured by the slanderer, his victim, his hearer, and himself; as to my own wrong, I would have held my tongue, be sure; not because I despise your good opinion, (how could I, writing now as I do and earnestly pleading as I do that I may not lose it?) but because I see that of the three sufferers the one who is least injured is myself. It is true that I shall be robbed of you, but you are being robbed of the truth, and he who is at the bottom of all this is parting me from you, but he is alienating himself from the Lord, inasmuch as no one can be brought near to the Lord by doing what is forbidden. Rather then for your sakes than for mine, rather to rescue you from unendurable wrong am I pleading. For who could suffer a worse calamity than the loss of the most precious of all things, the truth? 4. [What say I, brethren? Not that I am a sinless person; not that my life is not full of numberless faults. I know myself; and indeed I cease not my tears for my sins, if by any means I may be able to appease my God, and to escape the punishment threatened against them. But this I say: let him who judges me, hunt for motes in my eye, if he can say that his own is clear.] I own, brethren, that I need the care of the sound and healthy, and need much of it. If he cannot say that it is clear, and the clearer it is the less will he say so — (for it is the part of the perfect not to exalt themselves; if they do they will certainly come under the charge of the pride of the Pharisee, who, while justifying himself, condemned the publican) let him come with me to the physician; let him not judge before the time until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. 1 Corinthians 4:5 Let him remember the words, Judge not, and you shall not be judged; Matthew 7:1 and Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Luke 6:37 [In a word, brethren, if my offenses admit of cure, why does not such an one obey the teacher of the Churches, Reprove, exhort, rebuke? 2 Timothy 4:2 If, on the other hand, my iniquity be past cure, why does he not withstand me to the face, and, by publishing my transgressions, deliver the Churches from the mischief which I bring on them?] Do not put up with the calumny uttered against me within the teeth. This is the abuse which any slave-girl from the grindstone might utter; this is the kind of fine showing-off you might expect from any street vagabond; their tongues are whetted for any slander. But [there are bishops; let appeal be made to them. There is a clergy in each of God's dioceses; let the most eminent be assembled. Let whoever will, speak freely, that I may have to deal with a charge, not a slander.] Let my secret wickedness be brought into full view; let me no longer be hated, but admonished as a brother. It is more just that we sinners should be pitied by the blessed and the sinless, than that we should be treated angrily. 5. [If the fault be a point of faith, let the document be pointed out to me. Again, let a fair and impartial inquiry be appointed. Let the accusation be read; let it be brought to the test, whether it does not arise from ignorance in the accuser, not from blame in the matter of the writing. For right things often do not seem such to those who are deficient in accurate judgment. Equal weights seem unequal when the arms of the balance are of different sizes.] Men whose sense of taste is destroyed by sickness, sometimes think honey sour. A diseased eye does not see many things which do exist, and notes many things which do not exist. The same thing frequently takes place with regard to the force of words, when the critic is inferior to the writer. The critic ought really to set out with much the same training and equipment as the author. A man ignorant of agriculture is quite incapable of criticising husbandry, and the distinctions between harmony and discord can only be adequately judged by a trained musician. But any one who chooses will set up for a literary critic, though he cannot tell us where he went to school, or how much time was spent in his education, and knows nothing about letters at all. I see clearly that, even in the case of the words of the Holy Spirit, the investigation of the terms is to be attempted not by every one, but by him who has the spirit of discernment, as the Apostle has taught us, in the differences of gifts;— For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gift of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits. 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 If, therefore, my gifts are spiritual, he who wishes to judge them must show proof of his own possession of the gift of discerning of spirits. If, on the contrary, as he calumniously contends, my gifts are of the wisdom of this world, let him show that he is an adept in this world's wisdom, and I will submit myself to his verdict. And [let no one suppose that I am making excuses to evade the charge. I put it into your hands, dearest brethren, to investigate for yourselves the points alleged against me. Are you so slow of intelligence as to be wholly dependent upon advocates for the discovery of the truth? If the points in question seem to you to be quite plain of themselves, persuade the jesters to drop the dispute. [If there be anything you do not understand, put questions to me, through appointed persons who will do justice to me; or ask of me explanations in writing. And take all kinds of pains that nothing may be left unsifted. 6. What clearer evidence can there be of my faith, than that I was brought up by my grandmother, blessed woman, who came from you? I mean the celebrated Macrina who taught me the words of the blessed Gregory; which, as far as memory had preserved down to her day, she cherished herself, while she fashioned and formed me, while yet a child, upon the doctrines of piety. And when I gained the capacity of thought, my reason being matured by full age, I travelled over much sea and land, and whomsoever I found walking in the rule of godliness delivered, those I set down as fathers,] and made them my soul's guides in my journey to God. And up to this day, by the grace of Him who has called me in His holy calling to the knowledge of Himself, I know of no doctrine opposed to the sound teaching having sunk into my heart; nor was my soul ever polluted by the ill-famed blasphemy of Arius. If I have ever received into communion any who have come from that teacher, hiding their unsoundness deep within them, or speaking words of piety, or, at any rate, not opposing what has been said by me, it is on these terms that I have admitted them; and I have not allowed my judgment concerning them to rest wholly with myself, but have followed the decisions given about them by our Fathers. For after receiving the letter of the very blessed Father Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, which I hold in my hand, and show to any one who asks, wherein he has distinctly declared that any one expressing a wish to come over from the heresy of the Arians and accepting the Nicene Creed, is to be received without hesitation and difficulty, citing in support of his opinion the unanimous assent of the bishops of Macedonia and of Asia; I, considering myself bound to follow the high authority of such a man and of those who made the rule, and with every desire on my own part to win the reward promised to peacemakers, did enroll in the lists of communicants all who accepted that creed. 7. [The fair thing would be to judge of me, not from one or two who do not walk uprightly in the truth, but from the multitude of bishops throughout the world, connected with me by the grace of the Lord. Make enquiries of Pisidians, Lycaonians, Isaurians, Phrygians of both provinces, Armenians your neighbours, Macedonians, Achæans, Illyrians, Gauls, Spaniards, the whole of Italy, Sicilians, Africans, the healthy part of Egypt, whatever is left of Syria; all of whom send letters to me, and in turn receive them from me.] From these letters, alike from all which are dispatched from them. and from all which go out from us to them, you may learn that we are all of one mind, and of one opinion. [Whoever shuns communion with me, it cannot escape your accuracy, cuts himself off from the whole Church. Look round about, brethren, with whom do you hold communion? If you will not receive it from me, who remains to acknowledge you? Do not reduce me to the necessity of counselling anything unpleasant concerning a Church so dear to me.] There are things now which I hide in the bottom of my heart, in secret groaning over and bewailing the evil days in which we live, in that the greatest Churches which have long been united to one another in brotherly love, now, without any reason, are in mutual opposition. Do not, oh! Do not, drive me to complain of these things to all who are in communion with me. Do not force me to give utterance to words which hitherto I have kept in check by reflection and have hidden in my heart. Better were it for me to be removed and the Churches to be at one, than that God's people should suffer such evil through our childish ill-will. [Ask your fathers, and they will tell you that though our districts were divided in position, yet in mind they were one, and were governed by one sentiment. Intercourse of the people was frequent; frequent the visits of the clergy; the pastors, too, had such mutual affection, that each used the other as teacher and guide in things pertaining to the Lord.]

[Πρός: Τοῖς Νεοκαισαρεῦσιν.] Πολὺν χρόνον ἀπεσιωπήσαμεν πρὸς ἀλλήλους, ἀδελφοὶ τιμιώτατοι ἡμῖν καὶ περιπόθητοι, ὥσπερ οἱ πρὸς ὀργὴν διαναστάντες. καίτοι τίς οὕτω βαρύμηνις καὶ δυσδιάλλακτος τῷ λελυπηκότι, ὥστε ὅλῃ σχεδὸν ἀνθρώπου γενεᾷ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ μίσους ὀργὴν συμπαρεκτεῖναι; ὃ περὶ ἡμᾶς ἐστιν ἰδεῖν γινόμενον, οὐδεμιᾶς τοῦ διεζεῦχθαι δικαίας ἀφορμῆς ὑπαρχούσης, οὐκοῦν ὅσα γε ἴσμεν αὐτοί, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐναντίον, πολλῶν καὶ μεγάλων πρὸς τὴν ἄκραν ἡμῖν φιλίαν καὶ ἕνωσιν ἐνυπαρχόντων τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς· ἑνὸς μὲν τοῦ μεγίστου καὶ πρώτου, τῆς ἐντολῆς τοῦ Κυρίου διαρρήδην εἰπόντος, ὅτι Ἐν τούτῳ γνώσονται πάντες, ὅτι ἐμοὶ μαθηταί ἐστε, ἐὰν ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους· καὶ πάλιν τοῦ Ἀποστόλου σαφῶς τὸ τῆς ἀγάπης καλὸν παριστῶντος ἡμῖν, τοῦτο μὲν ἐν οἷς ἀποφαίνεται πλήρωμα νόμου εἶναι τὴν ἀγάπην, τοῦτο δὲ ὅταν προτίθησι πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν μεγάλων τὸ τῆς ἀγάπης καλόν, ἐν οἷς φησιν· Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λαλῶ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, γέγονα χαλκὸς ἠχῶν, ἢ κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον. καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω προφητείαν, καὶ εἰδῶ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν, καὶ ἔχω πᾶσαν τὴν πίστιν ὥστε ὄρη μεθιστᾷν, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδέν εἰμι. κἂν ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου, καὶ παραδῶ τὸ σῶμά μου ἵνα καυθῇ, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦμαι· οὐχ ὡς δυναμένου ποτὲ τῶν ἀπηριθμημένων ἑκάστου δίχα τῆς ἀγάπης ἐνεργηθῆναι, ἀλλὰ βουλομένου τοῦ ἁγίου, ὡς αὐτὸς εἶπε, τῷ καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν τρόπῳ τὴν κατὰ πάντων ὑπεροχὴν προσμαρτυρῆσαι τῇ ἐντολῇ. Δεύτερον δέ, ὅτι εἴ τι μέγα συμβάλλεται πρὸς συνάφειαν καὶ τὸ τῶν αὐτῶν μετασχεῖν διδασκάλων, οἱ αὐτοὶ ὑμῖν τέ εἰσι καὶ ἡμῖν διδάσκαλοί τε τῶν μυστηρίων τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ πατέρες πνευματικοί, οἱ ἐξ ἀρχῆς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τὴν ὑμετέραν θεμελιώσαντες. Γρηγόριον λέγω τὸν πάνυ, καὶ ὅσοι ἐφεξῆς ἐκείνῳ τῆς παρʼ ὑμῖν ἐπισκοπῆς τὸν θρόνον διαδεξάμενοι, ἄλλος ἐπʼ ἄλλῳ ὥσπερ τινὲς ἀστέρες ἐπανατέλλοντες, κατὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ἰχνῶν ἐπέβησαν, ὥστε διάγνωστα καταλιπεῖν τῆς κατʼ οὐρανὸν πολιτείας τὰ σημεῖα τοῖς βουλομένοις. εἰ δὲ καὶ αἱ σωματικαὶ οἰκειότητες οὐκ ἀπόβλητοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ μέγα συμβαλλόμεναι πρὸς ἀρραγῆ συνάφειαν καὶ κοινωνίαν βίου, καὶ ταῦτα ἡμῖν ὑπῆρξε πρὸς ὑμᾶς τὰ δίκαια. τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν, ὦ σεμνοτάτη πόλεων (δι’ ὑμῶν γὰρ τῇ πόλει πάσῃ διαλέγομαι), οὐ γράμμα ἥμερον αὐτόθεν, οὐ φωνὴ δεξιά, ἀλλʼ ἤνοικται μὲν ὑμῶν τὰ ὦτα τοῖς διαβάλλειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν; ὥστε τοσοῦτον πλέον στενάζειν ὀφείλω, ὅσῳπερ ἂν μᾶλλον ἴδω τὸ σπουδαζόμενον αὐτοῖς κατορθούμενον· ἐπειδὴ τὸ τῆς διαβολῆς ἔργον φανερὸν ἔχει τὸν καθηγούμενον, ὅς ἀπὸ πολλῶν ὑπάρχων ἀδικημάτων γνώριμος, ἀπὸ ταύτης μάλιστα τῆς πονηρίας χαρακτηρίζεται, ὥστε καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ γενέσθαι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. πλὴν ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς ἀνάσχεσθέ μου τῆς παρρησίας· ἀμφοτέρας τὰς ἀκοὰς τοῖς διαβάλλουσιν ἡμᾶς ἀναπετάσαντες, πάντα ἀνεξετάστως ταῖς ψυχαῖς παραδέχεσθε· καὶ οὐδεὶς ὁ τοῦ ἀληθοῦς τὸ ψεῦδος φυλοκρινῶν. τίς ἠπόρησέ ποτε πονηρῶν ἐγκλημάτων μόνος ἀγωνιζόμενος; τίς ἠλέγχθη ψευδόμενος μὴ παρόντος τοῦ συκοφαντουμένου; ποῖον ῥῆμα οὐκ ἔστι πιθανὸν τοῖς ἀκούουσιν, ἐὰν ὁ μὲν λοίδορος διατείνηται, ἦ μὴν οὕτως ἔχειν, ὁ δὲ λοιδορούμενος μήτε παρῇ, μήτε ἐπακούῃ τῶν βλασφημιῶν; οὐδὲ αὐτὴ ἡ τοῦ βίου συνήθεια παιδεύει ὑμᾶς πρὸς ταῦτα, ὅτι δεῖ τὸν μέλλοντα ἴσον καὶ κοινὸν ἀκροατὴν γενήσεσθαι, μὴ ὅλον ἀπάγεσθαι παρὰ τοῦ προλαβόντος, ἀλλʼ ἀναμένειν καὶ τὴν ἀπολογίαν τοῦ ἐναγομένου, ἵνʼ οὕτως ἐκ τῆς παραθέσεως ἑκατέρων τῶν λόγων διαδειχθῇ ἡ ἀλήθεια; κρῖμα δίκαιον κρίνατε πρόσταγμά ἐστιν ἓν τῶν ἀναγκαιοτάτων εἰς σωτηρίαν. Καὶ ταῦτα λέγω, οὐκ ἐπιλελησμένος τῶν ἀποστολικῶν ῥημάτων, ὅτι φεύγων ἐκεῖνος τὰ ἀνθρώπινα κριτήρια, ὅλον ἑαυτοῦ τὸν βίον ταῖς εὐθύναις τοῦ ἀνεξαπατήτου δικαστηρίου ἐταμιεύετο ἐν οἷς φησιν· Ἐμοὶ δὲ εἰς ἐλάχιστόν ἐστιν ἵνα ὑφʼ ὑμῶν ἀνακριθῶ, ἢ ὑπὸ ἀνθρωπίνης ἡμέρας. ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἐπειδὴ προλαβοῦσαι διαβολαὶ ψευδεῖς κατέσχον ὑμῶν τὰς ἀκοάς, καὶ διαβέβληται μὲν ἡμῶν ὁ βίος, διαβέβληται δὲ ἡ περὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν πίστις, εἰδὼς ὅτι τρισὶν ὁμοῦ προσώποις τὴν βλάβην προστρίβεται ὁ διαβάλλων· τόν τε γὰρ συκοφαντούμενον ἀδικεῖ, καὶ πρὸς οὓς ὁ λόγος ἐστὶν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἑαυτόν· τῆς μὲν ἐμαυτοῦ βλάβης κἂν ἀπεσιώπησα, εὖ ἴστε, οὐ καταφρονῶν τῆς παρʼ ὑμῖν ὑπολήψεως,(πῶς γὰρ ὅς γε ἵνα μὴ ταύτην ζημιωθῶ, ταῦτα ἐπιστέλλω καὶ ἀγωνίζομαι νῦν;) ἀλλʼ ὁρῶν ὅτι ἐν τρισὶ τοῖς βλαπτομένοις ὁ τὰ ἐλάττονα ζημιούμενος εἰμὶ ἐγώ. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἀποστεροῦμαι, ὑμεῖς δὲ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀφαιρεῖσθε· καὶ ὁ τούτων αἴτιος ἐμὲ μὲν ὑμῶν διίστησιν, ἑαυτὸν δέ ἀλλοτριοῖ τοῦ Κυρίου· διότι οὐκ ἔστι Θεῷ ἐκ τῶν ἀπηγορευμένων οἰκειωθῆναι. ὑμῶν οὖν μᾶλλον ἕνεκεν ἢ ἐμαυτοῦ ποιοῦμαι τοὺς λόγους, καὶ τοῦ ὑμᾶς ἐξελέσθαι βλάβης οὐκ ἀνεκτῆς. τί γὰρ ἂν καὶ μεῖζον πάθοι κακόν τις τὸ τιμιώτατον τῶν ὄντων ζημιωθείς, τὴν ἀλήθειαν; Τί οὖν φημι, ἀδελφοί; οὐχ ὅτι ἀναμάρτητός τις ἐγώ, οὔθʼ ὅτι ὁ βίος ὁ ἐμὸς οὐχὶ πλήρης ἐστὶ μυρίων ἐλαττωμάτων· οἶδα γὰρ ἐμαυτὸν καὶ οὐ διαλείπω γε στάζων τὸ δάκρυον ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, εἴ πως δυνηθείην ἐξιλάσασθαί μου τὸν Θεὸν καὶ διαφυγεῖν τὴν ἀπειληθεῖσαν κόλασιν· ἀλλʼ ὅτι ὁ τὰ ἡμέτερα κρίνων, εἰ μὲν καθαρὸν ἔχειν διαβεβαιοῦται τὸν ὀφθαλμόν, καρφολογείτω ἡμῶν τό ὄμμα. ὁμολογοῦμεν γὰρ δεῖσθαι πολλῆς τῆς ἐκ τῶν ὁγιαινόντων ἐπιμελείας· εἰ δὲ τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ ἂν εἴποι, καὶ τοσούτῳ γε πλέον οὐκ ἐρεῖ, ὅσῳπερ ἂν μᾶλλον ᾖ καθαρὸς, διότι ἴδιον τῶν τελείων τὸ μὴ ἑαυτοὺς ὑπεραίρειν, ἐπεὶ πάντως ὑπόδικοι τῇ ἀλαζονείᾳ τοῦ Φαρισαίου γενήσονται, ὃς ἑαυτὸν δικαιῶν κατέκρινε τὸν τελώνην, μετʼ ἐμοῦ ζητείτω τὸν ἰατρόν, καὶ μὴ πρὸ καιροῦ κρινέτω, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ Κύριος, ὃς ἀποκάλυψει τὰ κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους καὶ φανερώσει τὰς βουλὰς τῶν καρδιῶν. μεμνήσθω δὲ καὶ τοῦ εἰπόντος· μὴ κρίνετε, ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε· καί, Μὴ καταδικάζετε, ἵνα μὴ καταδικασθῆτε. ὅλως δέ, ἀδελφοί, εἰ μὲν ἰάσιμα ἡμῶν ἐστι τὰ πλημμελήματα, τί οὐχὶ πείθεται τῷ διδασκάλῳ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν λέγοντι· Ἔλεγξον, ἐπιτίμησον, παρακάλεσον; εἰ δὲ ἀνίατος ἡμῶν ἡ ἀνομία, τί οὐχὶ εἰς πρόσωπον ἡμῖν ἀντικαθίσταται καὶ δημοσιεύσας ἡμῶν τὰ ἀνομήματα ἐλευθεροῖ τῆς παρʼ ἡμῶν βλάβης τὰς ἐκκλησίας; μὴ τοίνυν ἀνάσχησθε τῆς ὑπʼ ὀδόντα λαλουμένης καθʼ ἡμῶν λοιδορίας. τοῦτο γὰρ κἂν παιδίσκη μία τῶν ἐκ μύλωνος ποιήσειε, κἂν τῶν ἀγοραίων τις μεθʼ ὑπερβολῆς ἐπιδείξαιτο, οἷς ἡ γλῶσσα πρὸς πᾶσαν ἠκόνηται λοιδορίαν. ἀλλʼ εἰσὶν ἐπίσκοποι· κληθῶσιν εἰς ἀκρόασιν. ἔστι κλῆρος κατὰ πᾶσαν τοῦ Θεοῦ παροικίαν· συναχθήτωσαν οἱ δοκιμώτατοι. λεγέτω μετὰ παρρησίας ὁ βουλόμενος, ἵνα ἔλεγχος ἦ τὸ γινόμενον, καὶ μὴ λοιδορία. ὑπʼ ὄψιν ἀγέτω τὰ λανθάνοντά μου τῆς πονηρίας· μισείτω δὲ μηδὲ τότε, ἀλλὰ νουθετείτω ὡς ἀδελφόν. ἐλεεῖσθαί που δικαιότεροί ἐσμεν παρὰ τῶν μακαρίων ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἀναμαρτήτων οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἡμεῖς μᾶλλον ἢ χαλεπαίνεσθαι. Εἰ δὲ περὶ πίστιν τὸ σφάλμα, δειχθήτω ἡμῖν ἡ συγγραφή· πάλιν ἴσον καὶ κοινὸν κριτήριον καθισάτω. ἀναγνωσθήτω τὸ ἔγκλημα. δοκιμασθήτω, εἰ μὴ ἀγνοίᾳ τοῦ ἐγκαλοῦντος ἔγκλημα εἶναι δοκεῖ μᾶλλον, ἢ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ φύσει κατεγνωσμένον ἐστὶ τὸ γράμμα. πολλὰ γὰρ τῶν καλῶν οὐ δοκεῖ εἶναι τοιαῦτα τοῖς τὸ κριτήριον τῆς διανοίας οὐκ ἀκριβὲς κεκτημένοις. ἐπεὶ καὶ τὰ ἰσοβαρῆ τῶν ὄγκων οὐκ ἶσα εἶναι δοκεῖ, ὅταν μὴ ἰσορρόπως ἔχωσι πρὸς ἀλλήλας αἱ πλάστιγγες. καὶ τὸ μέλι ἤδη πικρόν τισι κατεφάνη, τὴν γευστικὴν αἴσθησιν ὑπὸ τοῦ πάθους διεφθαρμένοις. ἀλλὰ καὶ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐχ ὑγιῶς ἔχων πολλὰ μὲν τῶν ὄντων οὐκ εἶδε, πολλὰ δὲ τῶν οὐκ ὄντων ὑπέθετο. καὶ τοίνυν καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς τῶν λόγων δυνάμεως τὸ ἴσον ὁρῶ πολλάκις γινόμενον, ὅταν τῆς τῶν συγγραψαμένων ἕξεως ὁ κριτὴς ἀπολιμπάνηται. δεῖ γὰρ σχεδὸν ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς παρασκευῆς ὡρμῆσθαι τόν τε κρίνοντα τοὺς λόγους καὶ τὸν συγγράφοντα. ἢ τὰ μὲν γεωργίας ἔργα οὐ δυνατός ἐστι κρίνειν ὅ γε μὴ γεωργικός, καὶ τὸ ἐκμελές τε καὶ ἐμμελὲς τῶν κατὰ μουσικὴν ῥυθμῶν οὐ διαγνώσεται ὁ μὴ τὴν ἐπιστήμην ἔχων τῆς μουσικῆς· λόγων δὲ κριτὴς εὐθὺς ὁ βουλόμενος ἔσται, ὁ μήτε διδάσκαλον ἔχων ἑαυτοῦ δεικνύναι, οὔτε χρόνον ἐν ᾧ μεμάθηκεν, οὔτε ὅλως ἐπαΐων τι μικρὸν ἢ μεῖζον τῶν περὶ λόγους. ἐγὼ δὲ ὁρῶ, ὅτι καὶ ἐν τοῖς λογίοις τοῦ Πνεύματος οὐ παντὶ ἐξῆν ἐπιβάλλειν τῇ ἐξετάσει τῶν εἰρημένων, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἔχοντι τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς διακρίσεως, καθὼς ἐδίδαξεν ἡμᾶς ὁ ἀπόστολος, ἐν ταῖς διαιρέσεσι τῶν χαρισμάτων εἰπών· ᾧ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τοῦ Πνεῦματος δίδοται λόγος σοφίας, ἄλλῳ δὲ λόγος γνώσεως, κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα· ἑτέρῳ δὲ πίστις ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ Πνεύματι· ἄλλῳ δὲ ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων· ἄλλῳ προφητεία, ἄλλῳ διακρίσεις πνευμάτων. ὥστε εἰ μὲν πνευματικὰ τὰ ἡμέτερα, δεικνύτω ἑαυτὸν ἔχοντα τὸ χάρισμα τῆς διακρίσεως τῶν πνευματικῶν ὁ τὰ ἡμέτερα κρίνειν βουλόμενος· εἰ δέ, ὡς αὐτὸς λοιδορεῖ, ἀπὸ τῆς σοφίας ἐστὶ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, δειξάτω ἑαυτὸν ἔμπειρον τῆς σοφίας τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ τότε αὐτῷ τὰς ψήφους τῆς κρίσεως ἐπιτρέψομεν. καὶ μηδεὶς οἰέσθω ταῦτα πρὸς ἀποφυγὴν τῶν ἐλέγχων ἐπινοεῖσθαι παρʼ ἡμῶν. ὑμῖν γὰρ ἐπιτρέπω, ποθεινότατοι ἀδελφοί, ἐφʼ ἑαυτῶν ποιήσασθαι τῶν ἐγκαλουμένων ἡμῖν τὴν ἐξέτασιν. οὕτως ἐστὲ βραδεῖς τὴν διάνοιαν, ὥστε πάντων δεῖσθαι τῶν συνηγόρων πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἀληθοῦς εὕρεσιν; ἀλλʼ ἐὰν μὲν ἀναντίρρητα ὑμῖν φανῇ ἐφʼ ἑαυτῶν, πείσατε τοὺς ἐρεσχελοῦντας ἀφέσθαι πάσης φιλονεικίας· ἐὰν δέ τι δοκεῖ καὶ ἀμφίβολον ἔχειν, ἐρωτήσατε ἡμᾶς διά τινων μεσιτῶν δυναμένων πιστῶς διακονήσασθαι τὰ ἡμέτερα· ἢ καὶ ἐγγράφους, εἰ δοκεῖ, ἀπαιτήσατε ἡμᾶς τὰς ἀποδεῖξεις. πάντως δὲ παντὶ τρόπῳ σπουδάσατε μὴ ἀνεξέταστα ταῦτα καταλιπεῖν. Πίστεως δὲ τῆς ἡμετέρας τίς ἂν καὶ γένοιτο ἐναργεστέρα ἀπόδειξις ἢ ὅτι τραφέντες ἡμεῖς ὑπὸ τίτθῃ μακαρίᾳ γυναικί, παρʼ ὑμῶν ὡρμημένῃ; Μακρίναν λέγω τὴν περιβόητον, παρʼ ἧς ἐδιδάχθημεν τὰ τοῦ μακαριωτάτου Γρηγορίου ῥήματα, ὅσα πρὸς αὐτὴν ἀκολουθίᾳ μνήμης διασωθέντα αὐτή τε ἐφύλασσε, καὶ ἡμᾶς ἔτι νηπίους ὄντας ἔπλαττε καὶ ἐμόρφου τοῖς τῆς εὐσεβείας δόγμασιν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν τοῦ φρονεῖν δύναμιν ἀπελάβομεν, τοῦ λόγου ἡμῖν διὰ τῆς ἡλικίας συμπληρωθέντος, πολλὴν ἐπελθόντες γῆν τε καὶ θάλασσαν, εἴ τινας εὕρομεν τῷ παραδοθέντι κανόνι τῆς εὐσεβείας στοιχοῦντας, τούτους καὶ πατέρας ἐπεγραψάμεθα καὶ ὁδηγοὺς τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν εἰς τὴν πρὸς Θεὸν πορείαν ἐποιησάμεθα. καὶ μέχρι γε τῆς ὥρας ταύτης, χάριτι τοῦ καλέσαντος ἡμᾶς κλήσει ἁγίᾳ εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἐπίγνωσιν, οὐδένα οἴδαμεν λόγον ἐχθρὸν τῆς ὑγιαινούσης διδασκαλίας ταῖς καρδίαις παραδεξάμενοι, οὐδὲ μολυνθέντες ποτὲ τὰς ψυχὰς τῇ δυσωνύμῳ τῶν Ἀρειανῶν βλασφημίᾳ. ἀλλʼ εἴ τινάς ποτε ὡρμημένους ἐξ ἐκείνου τοῦ διδασκάλου εἰς κοινωνίαν προσελαβόμεθα, ἐπικρυπτομένους τὴν ἐν τῷ βάθει νόσον, καὶ ῥήματα λαλοῦντας εὐσεβῆ, ἢ τοῖς γε παρʼ ἡμῶν λεγομένοις μὴ ἀντιτείνοντας, οὕτω προσηκάμεθα, οὔτε πᾶσαν ἑαυτοῖς τὴν κατʼ αὐτοὺς κρίσιν ἐπιτρέψαντες, ἀλλὰ ταῖς προεξενεχθείσαις περὶ αὐτῶν ψήφοις παρὰ τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἀκολουθήσαντες. ἐγὼ γὰρ δεξάμενος γράμματα τοῦ μακαριωτάτου πατρὸς Ἀθανασίου τοῦ τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας ἐπισκόπου, ἃ καὶ ἔχω ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ καὶ προβάλλομαι τοῖς ἐπιζητοῦσιν, ἐν οἷς φανερῶς διηγόρευσεν, εἴ τις ἐκ τῆς τῶν Ἀρειανῶν αἱρέσεως βούλοιτο μετατίθεσθαι, ὁμολογῶν τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν, τοῦτον προσίεσθαι, μηδὲν διακρινομένους ἐπʼ αὐτῷ· καὶ τούτου τοῦ δόγματος κοινωνούς μοι παρεχομένου τούς τε τῆς Μακεδονίας καὶ τῆς Ἀχαΐας ἐπισκόπους ἅπαντας, νομίζων ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι ἀκολουθεῖν ἀνδρὶ τοσούτῳ διὰ τὸ ἀξιόπιστον τῶν νομοθετησάντων, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ ἐπιθυμῶν τὸν τῆς εἰρηνοποιίας μισθὸν ὑποδέξασθαι, τοὺς ταύτην ὁμολογοῦντας τὴν πίστιν ἐγκατέτασσον τῇ μερίδι τῶν κοινωνικῶν. Δικαιότερον δὲ τὰ καθʼ ἡμᾶς κρίνεσθαι μὴ ἐξ ἑνὸς ἢ δευτέρου τῶν μὴ ὀρθοποδούντων πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλʼ ἐκ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐπισκόπων συνημμένων ἡμῖν χάριτι τοῦ Κυρίου. ἐξετασθῶσι δὲ Πισίδαι, Λυκάονες, Ἰσαῦροι, Φρύγες ἑκάτεροι, Ἀρμενίων ὅσον ὑμῖν ἐστι πρόσοικον, Μακεδόνες, Ἀχαιοί, Ἰλλύριοι, Γάλλοι, Ἱσπανοί, Ἰταλία σύμπασα, Σικελιῶται, Ἄφροι, Αἰγύπτου τὸ ὑγιαῖνον, τῆς Συρίας ὁπόσον λείψανον οἵτινες πέμπουσί τε πρὸς ἡμᾶς γράμματα καὶ πάλιν δέχονται παρʼ ἡμῶν. ὧν ἐστιν ὑμῖν ἔκ τε τῶν ἐκεῖθεν φερομένων γραμμάτων μαθεῖν καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐντεῦθεν πάλιν ἀντιπεμπομένων αὐτοῖς διδαχθῆναι, ὅτι σύμψυχοι πάντες ἐσμέν, τὸ ἓν φρονοῦντες. ὥστε ὁ τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς κοινωνίαν ἀποδιδράσκων μὴ λανθανέτω ὑμῶν τὴν ἀκρίβειαν, πάσης ἑαυτὸν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἀπορρηγνύς. περιβλέψασθε, ἀδελφοί, πρὸς τίνας ἐστὶν ὑμῖν ἡ κοινωνία· ἐπειδὰν παρʼ ἡμῶν μὴ δεχθῆτε, τίς λοιπὸν ὑμᾶς ἐπιγνώσεται; μὴ ἀγάγητε ἡμᾶς εἰς ἀνάγκην σκυθρωπόν τι βουλεύσασθαι περὶ τῆς φιλτάτης ἡμῖν ἐκκλησίας. μὴ ποιήσητέ με, ἃ νῦν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ κρύπτω τῇ ἐμαυτοῦ, κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν στενάζων καὶ ὀδυρόμενος τοῦ καιροῦ τὴν κακότητα, ὅτι αἰτίας οὐκ οὔσης, αἱ μέγισται τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, καὶ ἐκ παλαιοῦ πρὸς ἀλλήλας ἀδελφῶν τάξιν ἐπέχουσαι, αὗται νῦν διεστήκασι· μή με ποιήσητε ταῦτα πρὸς πάντας ὁμοῦ τοὺς κοινωνικοὺς ἀποδύρασθαι. μὴ ἐκβιάσησθέ με ἀφεῖναι ῥήματα, ἃ μέχρι τοῦ νῦν τῷ ἐκ τοῦ λογισμοῦ χαλινῷ κεκρυμμένα ἔχω παρʼ ἐμαυτῷ. βέλτιόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς ἐκποδῶν γενέσθαι, τὰς δὲ ἐκκλησίας ὁμονοεῖν πρὸς ἀλλήλας, ἢ διὰ τὰς μειρακιώδεις ἡμῶν μικροψυχίας κακὸν τοσοῦτον ἐπάγεσθαι τοῖς λαοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ. ἐρωτήσατε τοὺς πατέρας ὑμῶν, καὶ ἀναγγελοῦσιν ὑμῖν, ὅτι εἰ καὶ τῇ θέσει τοῦ τόπου διῃρῆσθαι ἐδόκουν αἱ παροικίαι, ἀλλὰ τῷ γε φρονήματι ἓν ἦσαν, καὶ μιᾷ γνώμῃ ἐκυβερνῶντο. συνεχεῖς μὲν τοῦ λαοῦ αἱ ἐπιμιξίαι· συνεχεῖς δὲ τοῦ κλήρου ἐπιδημίαι· αὐτοῖς δὲ τοῖς ποιμέσι τοσοῦτον περιῆν τῆς πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγάπης, ὥστε ἑκάτερον αὐτῶν διδασκάλῳ τῷ ἑτέρῳ καὶ ἡγεμόνι χρῆσθαι εἰς τὰ πρὸς Κύριον.