Letter 238: I have received your letter, my reverend brethren, but it told me nothing that I did not already know, for the whole country round about was already full of the report announcing the disgrace of that one among you who has fallen, and through lust of vain glory has brought on himself very shameful dishonour, and has through his self-love lost the...

I received your letter, my reverend brothers, but it told me nothing I did not already know. The whole region was already buzzing with the report of the man among you who has fallen -- who, through his craving for empty glory, has brought shameful dishonor on himself and, through his self-love, has thrown away the rewards that faith promises. Indeed, through the righteous contempt of those who fear the Lord, he has lost even that pitiful scrap of glory for which he sold himself to impiety. The character he has now revealed proves plainly that he never at any point in his life genuinely lived in hope of the Lord's promises. All along, he was using the language of faith and the appearance of piety to deceive everyone he met. But how are you harmed? Are you really worse off than before? One of your number has fallen away. If one or two others went with him, they deserve our pity, but by God's grace your body remains whole. The useless part is gone, and what remains has not been mutilated. You may be distressed that you have been driven outside your church walls. But you dwell under the protection of the God of heaven, and the angel who watches over the Church has gone out with you. Meanwhile, your opponents sit in empty buildings day after day, bringing heavy judgment on themselves through the scattering of the people. If there is sorrow to bear in all this, I trust the Lord that it will not be without purpose for you. The greater your trials, the more perfect the reward you may expect from your just Judge. Do not take your present troubles badly. Do not lose hope. 'Yet a little while, and your Helper will come to you and will not delay.'

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To the presbyters of Nicopolis. I have received your letter, my reverend brethren, but it told me nothing that I did not already know, for the whole country round about was already full of the report announcing the disgrace of that one among you who has fallen, and through lust of vain glory has brought on himself very shameful dishonour, and has through his self-love lost the rewards promised to faith. Nay, through the just hatred of them that fear the Lord he misses even that contemptible little glory for lust of which he has been sold to impiety. By the character he has now shown he has very plainly proved, concerning all his life, that he has never at any time lived in hope of the promises laid up for us by the Lord, but, in all his transactions of human affairs, has used words of faith and mockery of piety, all to deceive every one whom he met. But how are you injured? Are you any worse off for this than you were before? One of your number has fallen away, and if one or two others have gone with him, they are to be pitied for their fall, but, by God's grace, your body is whole. The useless part has gone, and what is left has not suffered mutilation. You are haply distressed that you are driven without the walls, but you shall dwell under the protection of the God of Heaven, and the angel who watches over the Church has gone out with you. So they lie down in empty places day by day, bringing upon themselves heavy judgment through the dispersion of the people. And, if in all this there is sorrow to be borne, I trust in the Lord that it will not be without its use to you. Therefore, the more have been your trials, look for a more perfect reward from your just Judge. Do not take your present troubles ill. Do not lose hope. Yet a little while and your Helper will come to you and will not tarry. Habakkuk 2:3

[Πρός: Νικοπολίταις πρεσβυτέροις.] Ἐδεξάμην τὰ γράμματα τῆς εὐλαβείας ὑμῶν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἔσχον καινότερον τῶν ἐγνωσμένων ἤδη παρʼ αὐτῶν διδαχθῆναι. καὶ γὰρ ἔφθασεν ἡ φήμη εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν περιοικίδα, τοῦ παρʼ ὑμῖν καταπεσόντος τὴν αἰσχύνην περιαγγέλλουσα, ὃς ἐπιθυμίᾳ δόξης κενῆς τὴν αἰσχίστην ἑαυτῷ συνήγαγεν ἀτιμίαν, καὶ εὑρέθη τῶν μὲν ἐπὶ τῇ πίστει μισθῶν διὰ τὴν φιλαυτίαν ἐκπεσών· αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ δύστηνον δοξάριον, οὗ ἐπιθυμήσας ἐπράθη τῇ ἀσεβείᾳ, οὐκ ἔχων διὰ τὸ δίκαιον μῖσος τῶν φοβουμένων τὸν Κύριον. ἀλλὰ ἐκεῖνος μὲν παντὸς τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ βίου ἐναργέστατον ἐξήνεγκε δεῖγμα ἐκ τῆς νῦν προαιρέσεως, ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἔζη ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι τῶν ἀποκειμένων ἡμῖν ἐπαγγελιῶν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, ἀλλὰ εἴ τι ἑαυτῷ ἐπραγματεύετο τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων, καὶ ῥήματα πίστεως καὶ πλάσμα εὐλαβείας, πάντα πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων ἀπάτην ἐπετηδεύετο. Ὑμᾶς δὲ τί καταπονεῖ τὸ συμβάν; τί χείρους ἑαυτῶν γεγόνατε παρὰ τοῦτο; ἔλειψεν εἷς ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος ὑμῶν, εἰ δὲ καὶ συναπῆλθέ που ἄλλος εἷς ἢ δεύτερος, ἐλεεινοὶ τοῦ πτώματος οὗτοι, ὑμῶν δὲ τὸ σῶμα ὁλόκληρόν ἐστι τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι. καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ ἀχρειωθὲν ἀπερρύη, καὶ οὐκ ἐκολοβώθη τὸ μένον. εἰ δὲ ἀνιᾷ ὑμᾶς, ὅτι τῶν τοίχων ἐξεβλήθητε, ἀλλʼ ἐν σκέπῃ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ αὐλισθήσεσθε, καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος ὁ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἔφορος συναπῆλθεν ὑμῖν. ὥστε κενοῖς ἐγκατακλίνονται καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, ἐκ τῆς διασπορᾶς τοῦ λαοῦ βαρὺ ἑαυτοῖς τὸ κρῖμα κατασκευάζοντες. εἰ δέ τις καὶ κόπος ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ πράγματι, πέπεισμαι τῷ Κυρίῳ μὴ εἰς κενὸν ὑμῖν ἀποβήσεσθαι τοῦτο. ὥστε ὅσῳ ἂν ἐν πλείοσι πειρατηρίοις γένησθε, τοσούτῳ πολυτελέστερον παρὰ τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ μισθὸν ἀναμένετε. μήτε οὖν δυσφορεῖτε τοῖς παροῦσι, μήτε ἀποκάμνετε τῇ ἐλπίδι. ἔτι γὰρ μικρὸν ὅσον ὅσον, ἥξει πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὁ ἀντιλαμβανόμενος ὑμῶν, καὶ οὐ χρονιεῖ.