Letter 88: Chrysostom urges John of Jerusalem to continue separating from those who disturbed the churches.

We have been removed to Cucusus, but we have not been removed from your love. The first was in the power of others; the second is in our own. So, though we live at such a distance, we write and urge your Reverence to preserve the courage you showed from the beginning, when you turned away from those who filled the churches with so much disorder. Bring the beginning to an end worthy of it, or rather to one still more glorious. No small reward will be laid up for you if you have nothing in common with those who have raised this storm and scattered scandals through nearly the whole world. This is security for the churches; this is a wall; these are your crowns and prizes. Remember us, who love you deeply, and write when you can. From so far away, letters from you will be a great comfort.

ΠΗʹ. Ἰωάννῃ ἐπισκόπῳ Ἱεροσολύμων. Ἀπῳκίσθημεν εἰς τὴν Κουκουσὸν, τῆς δὲ ἀγάπης τῆς ὑμετέρας οὐ μετῳκίσθημεν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐφ' ἑτέροις ἔκειτο, τοῦτο δὲ ἐφ' ἡμῖν. ∆ιὸ δὴ ἐνταῦθα διατρίβοντες καὶ ἐκ τοσούτου καθήμενοι διαστήματος, καὶ ἐπιστέλλομεν, καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν ὑμῶν τὴν εὐλάβειαν, τὴν ἀνδρείαν ἣν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπεδείξασθε ἀποστραφέντες τοὺς τὰς Ἐκκλησίας τοσούτων θορύβων ἐμπλήσαντας, ταύτην καὶ νῦν διατηρεῖν, καὶ ἄξιον τῶν προοιμίων, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πολλῷ λαμπρότερον προσθεῖναι τὸ τέλος. Οὐ γὰρ μικρὸς ἐντεῦθεν ὑμῖν κείσεται ὁ μισθὸς, ὅταν τοὺς τοσοῦτον χειμῶνα ἐργασαμένους, καὶ τὴν οἰκουμένην σχεδὸν ἅπασαν τοσούτων ἐμπλήσαντας σκανδάλων, ὡς προσῆκόν ἐστιν ἀποστρέφησθε, καὶ μηδὲν κοινὸν ἔχητε πρὸς αὐτούς. Τοῦτο ἀσφάλεια τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, τοῦτο τεῖχος, τοῦτο ὑμέτεροι στέφανοι καὶ βραβεῖα. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰδὼς, δέσποτά μου τιμιώτατε καὶ εὐλαβέστατε, τάς τε Ἐκκλησίας ἀσφαλίζου, τὴν τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ μεγίστην ἐντεῦθεν προσδοκῶν ἀντίδοσιν, ἡμῶν τε τῶν σφόδρα ἀγαπώντων τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν, καὶ ἐκκρεμαμένων σου τῆς διαθέσεως, διηνεκῶς μέμνησο. Ἴσμεν γὰρ ὅσην περὶ ἡμᾶς ἀγάπην ἐπιδείκνυσαι, διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων αὐτῶν μαθόντες.