Letter 477: Theodore Studite, Letter 477; Greek heading: Θεοδώρῳ μονάζοντι.

I received your honored letter, which bore the heading "encyclical letter," that is, "a letter of healing," and from the very starting-line I was beside myself, brother; and when I had gone through what followed, I all but lost my wits, having nothing to argue or to plead in defense to my beloved. And may you bear with me magnanimously, even if what I am about to say is rather harsh, since I have no other way, in keeping with what is fitting, to put into words and to say what is needful concerning the things that have fallen upon my humble heart. Can it be, beloved, that someone, having slipped into your person, has been driven headlong into so great a swelling of arrogance as to conceive what is above the clouds and to do what dashes everything down? Can it be that we ourselves, having once gone out of our minds, chose to compose some childish prank in matters that are not playthings but rather very grievous reckless deeds? What are you saying, my good man? Is it permitted to us, who hold no rank of priesthood but rank only among the monks, without truth being endangered by a seizing of priestly dignity, to draft an encyclical letter and by it to rise up against hierarchs and ordained men, monks and abbots; nay more, to bring forth private laws out of a self-judging heart; and besides this, to subject the whole fullness of the confessor brotherhood to insults and reproaches, to condemnations and estrangements? For these men, as you say, even if not all the defenders of the truth, while feigning the part of repentance, in the very manner of those of the opposite party who falsely put on the name of piety, have disposed both truth and repentance with equal grievousness, shooting down with dreadful words and bringing in a rabble of wretched reasonings, stirring up dissensions, wronging the blameless faith, dishonoring the Charioteer and Overseer and Maker of all, quarreling with one another, overcome by gain, devising means of profit, giving offense for the sake of those who think with the impious, preferring and setting before those who have confessed and have braved danger for the truth those very men who have most grievously wronged and persecuted her, becoming bitter at those who act on behalf of the truth, and accounting it as nothing to suffer for Christ, knowing evil and, with regard to the things for which they have braved danger, having forgotten cruelly and unfittingly. Heaven was astonished at this, and I, wretched man, shuddered all the more; and had I not been listening to your own words, I would not have believed the one who informed me beforehand that a letter had been composed by Your Honor against the Church of God. For it is against her that such stammerings denounce those renowned and confessor men who went about in manifold trials, being in want, afflicted, ill-treated, persecuted, wandering in deserts and mountains and in the holes of the earth, of whom the world is not worthy, to speak in apostolic fashion. And the more causative and inhuman matters have not yet been disclosed. Does anyone, I ask, who is enrolled among soldiers dare, having usurped authority by a royal document, to pronounce this and that and to insult those in positions of eminence as being borne along disorderly and at random? And if he were detected having done this, he is at once seized and led away as one under sentence of death. Why then should not the simple monk likewise suffer at the hands of the Church's tribunal, having dared something close to that man's deed? For do we not have a High Priest, who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses according to what is written, and who is able to deal moderately with the ignorant and the erring? Whose encyclical letter is according to the authority of the Spirit given to him. And he, if he had known that there was anything unlawful and not profitable in the things being done, would surely have uttered what was fitting. But since he sees the heresy that prevails and the straits set on both sides, he has allowed all who are eager to heal the maladies that have befallen, each according to the power he has, doing well, that most divine man, so that what is being accomplished should be neither a legislating nor yet that a soul, for which Christ died, should be left unhealed; and this, clearly, until an orthodox synod, when both the things rightly done will be approved and those that are otherwise will be rejected. And the matter is in the highest degree pleasing to God, who desires all to be saved, not to say those who run to the medicine of repentance, which also assists him who loves his brother and stretches out his hand, and raises up together with him who rouses the one who is sick. For it is his own voice: "Comfort, comfort, O priests, my people; speak to the ears of Jerusalem." And what else would comfort be than the preservation of those who stand firm and the restoration through repentance of those who have gone astray? Then to those who have sinned: "When you turn and groan, then shall you be saved and shall know where you were." And again: "While you are still speaking the words of your prayer, he will say, 'Behold, here I am.'" And he is a helper of those who turn back from the evil way, and he takes up the strayed sheep upon his shoulders, and, as long as it is called "today," he sets before us the medicines of repentance; and he counted the robber worthy of paradise in a single instant of time, and he received back the great Peter, who had denied him, by his bitter weeping, and he again bestowed upon David the gift of prophecy, as though he had not sinned at all. And what need is there to bring forward many examples and to prolong the discourse? He is kind in his kindness toward fellow-servants and severe toward the unsympathetic. For which reason the healings, the penances accomplished in the present time, are not, as Your Honor has mocked (away with the blasphemy!), nor are the things being done occasions of stumbling, but rather tokens of true love; for the Lord says, "No one has such love as this, that a man lay down his soul for his friends." The healers, then, according to the true word, lay down their souls on behalf of those being healed, not trafficking in the God-judged dispensation [oikonomia: the pastoral economy or administration] like Christ-mongers; and the people of God is purged day by day, and the house of Saul, growing weak, has been diminished, while the house of David, being magnified, has increased, the one who has recovered being transferred from this state into that. But what would you have, O marvelous man, when for so many years the heresy prevails and the divine creature is perishing, that no physician anywhere be seen? That there be no methods of healing? That the blind man not be led by the hand? That the sick not be made whole? That the wounded not be bound up? That the lame not be set on straight feet? That the broken not be bound together? That the wandering not be turned back? That with regard to every malady whatsoever the one who is willing not contend so far as he is able? And yet we see among the physicians of bodies much diligence and many remedies; and one has been entrusted to treat this man, another that, and not even the one stationed in the rank of an assistant is prevented from laying on hands according to the medical knowledge that is in them, whether superior or subordinate. And every day there are those who come to them, and full are the hearths that receive them, and no one accuses their diligence nor blames the one who is zealously occupied about the cure, but both the chief leaders and the head-physicians and the middling and the lowest practice the benevolent administration. And if there it is so, then much more surely in the things pertaining to the soul, by analogy, all this both is seen and ought to come to pass; and whoever would hinder it will be reckoned a destroyer and a common enemy of the race, as cooperating with the murderer of man from the beginning. "No," he says, "that is not our concern, but I inquire this: that, if the Lord did not venture, on account of his goodness, to grant repentance, which is a deviation from the strictness of justice, before he himself laid down every just punishment owed to the scales and balances of justice, then who is so reckless and arrogant as to permit himself to cleanse by repentance those who have denied the sufferings which our Savior Christ endured on our behalf, without first paying back the whole reparation to the inviolable severity of justice?" Alas for the reckless and senseless problem! When was Christ seen proclaiming repentance as good news? When did he say to the paralytic, "Take courage, child, your sins are forgiven you"? When was that same forgiveness bestowed upon the harlot who wetted his divine feet with tears, rebuking Simon the host? When was it said to the one who lay sick for thirty-eight years, "See, you have become well; sin no more, lest something worse happen to you," as though the sickness had clearly come upon him from sin? And other works of divine signs, which it is not opportune to unfold and disclose to one going through them, were they before the Passion or after the Passion? And if it is plain to all and acknowledged that it was before the Passion, just as also, having sent forth the disciples, he gives them all authority to heal every disease and every infirmity, which was bestowed through the repentance and prostration of those who came to him, what then is the reckless tongue that declares that Christ did not venture, before first laying down through himself every just punishment owed to the scales and balances of justice, and that thence rebukes those who have undertaken the dispensation of repentance as reckless and arrogant, since they have not first paid back the whole severity of justice? Or is it not plain that the rebuke is of a Pharisaic mind and the prohibition of a Novatianist [Novatian: the third-century rigorist who denied repentance to the lapsed] misanthropy? See, then, henceforth, O man, how, having been lifted up on high, you have been cast down, having departed from your own measures and not having preserved for yourself the dignity that is in you. Or have you not read that every overseer of what is another's [allotrioepiskopos: meddler in others' affairs] is cut off from proclamation? "And I did not send them," he says, "yet they prophesied." And, "No one takes the honor to himself, but he who is called by God." So also Christ did not glorify himself to become a high priest, according to what is written, but he who spoke to him: "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." But who has called you, brother, and who has appointed you a lawgiver over the Church of God, who, not having perhaps even learned to be ruled, and on this account not having been observed to rule anyone, ought rather to be subject to law than to give law, rather to be led by the hand than to lead, rather to be enlightened than to enlighten, rather to be taught than to teach, and from the experience of the former to rise to the latter, just as is a divine law and one most excellent both in divine and in human dignities? Let us not suppose, O friend, that to know how to utter something out of a wisdom that has been made foolish, and to throw in a battered argument, is what constitutes lawgivers (since to Moabites and Ammonites too the divine altar is accessible), but rather those whom Christ-imitating obedience has approved and long-enduring patience has borne witness to and the evangelical word has perfected. And if the outsider [classical, secular learning] is also present, it is not graceless, provided it be adorned with humility and be governed by the evangelical word, but does not pride itself on its own dignities, on which those who pride themselves, leaning as upon a reed staff, are fittingly wounded and dashed down. "But," he says, "in zeal I have been zealous for the Lord, and the things seen are not bearable." And where, O excellent man, is the gift of prophecy among us? And where is Mount Carmel? And where are the heavenly keys? And where is the sheepskin mantle that divided the Jordan, which came upon Elisha in a double gift? And as for us, even if some gift is present, to whom is it to be bequeathed, when we have not even a disciple? Wherefore let us now consider, lest, in striving after the things beyond our power, we fail of even moderate things, and lest, straining out the gnat, we swallow the camel, or, in attempting to take the specks out of the eyes of the brethren, we ourselves, not seeming to do so, carry the beam upon our own eyes, condemned, as the saying goes, by those very things in which we associate and eat together here and there. "So-and-so," he says, "has confessed falsely, hiding his most shameful sin; and another, having hidden his impiety, recounts some things in place of others. And how can the one who supposedly heals say that these men have obtained healing?" One ought not to believe this, my good man, but rather to denounce it strongly; for no one coming of his own free will to healing will choose not to lay bare his own malady. And if anywhere it is true, it is not ours to judge but God's, who watches over us; for it says: "The things that are manifest belong to God and to us, but the hidden things to the Lord your God." And you, why do you judge your brother? Or you too, why do you set at naught the healer? For we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, who will also bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of hearts; and then the praise will come to each one from God, or the contrary. "All," he says, "stretch out a foot beyond the step, and they presume upon things not granted to them, and they extend themselves to things too high." You were caught by your own feathers, as one of those outside said somewhere, from whom also comes your premise; for, being a foot appointed to its place, you were raised out of self-will into a head, transfixed by the other two premises, O noble one. Again another accusation: "All entrust to themselves things beyond their power, and account others as inferiors, and rush to loose and to bind unrestrainedly and uncalled, and all strive to drag others to their own feet, and wish that no other should be or be reckoned the one who looses, and envy those who do such things, and receive only those whom they themselves have loosed, but turn away from and accuse those who have obtained penance from others, since they have not run to them and have not asked absolution from them." These charges are fabrications of a demonic mind, and the problems come from an envious heart; at which one might fittingly laugh as at certain childish jests and idle talk and toys. Or rather, to speak the truth, since no one comes to us out of unbelief to receive penance, we rage against those who heal out of the confidence of those who come, suffering some demonic affliction, and, like the icon-fighters [eikonomachoi: the iconoclasts], heaping insults equally upon those who are modest. "What," he says, "is the difference of this heresy from Manichaeism? Have we not contended against the Manichaean heresy both in words and in deeds? And the written treatises of those who contended against it make this plain, in which, by irrefutable syllogisms and indestructible demonstrations, they demonstrated it, even if now they have forgotten themselves and their own labors." You seem, comrade, to syllogize unsyllogistically, and to prop yourself up on your own reasonings for the setting aside of the truth, not knowing that the images, when compared with their prototypes, are not those very archetypes themselves, but have so much of identity to one another as, while sharing the name in common with the others, they differ in substance. And some are named properly, others not properly, and some are spoken by way of catachresis [abuse of terms], others according to truth: as, for example, in the case of the icon of Christ and of Christ himself, that the one is and is named Christ according to truth, while the other is so by way of catachresis, that is, homonymy. Since Paul too, the sacred apostle, called covetousness a second idolatry, causatively and by a likening reference to actual idolatry; from which it does not follow that the covetous are to be censured as idolaters, since in that case we ought to go out of the world. But as it is, many are covetous and altogether uncensured, overlooked. What then is out of tune here too, if the icon-fighting heresy be compared to the Manichaean only so far as the relation of image and prototype is concerned? Inasmuch as the second ecumenical and holy synod at Nicaea [the Second Council of Nicaea, 787, which restored the icons], in healing those caught up in it, did not proceed against them as having Manichaized, and the ones who composed the labors concerning it, and contended against it in words and deeds, have by no means forgotten this. But you yourself have truly been ignorant of your own self, which is a matter of much accusation and a charge of stupidity. I had wished, then, to bring forward against the things said before still other premises of your manifold and repetitive document, and to demonstrate them as refuted in every way by right reason; but some of them as unprofitable and incoherent, others as carrying their refutation in themselves, and some as obscure and contrary in opinion to the truth, having cast them off far away as into the fire of Hephaestus, at the end of the discourse I add this one thing: that, if we ask pardon for the things in which we have rashly both provoked God to anger and dishonored the saints and brought accusation against the confession and have spoken ill of the Church, it would be well; but if not, then we, the lowly, will at least put a hand upon our mouth, not provoking your Holiness to a second written address.

Ἐδεξάμην σου τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τῆς τιμιότητος ἐπιγράφουσαν ἐγκύκλιος ἐπιστολή, ἤτοι θεραπευτική, καὶ εὐθὺς ἀπὸ βαλβῖδος ἐξέστην, ἀδελφέ· ἐπελθὼν δὲ τοῖς ἐφεξῆς μικροῦ καὶ τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἀπώλεσα, μὴ ἔχων ὅ τι διαλογίσομαι ἢ τί ἀπολογήσομαι τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ. καί μοι μακροθύμως οἴσειας, εἰ καὶ τραχύτερα τὰ λεχθησόμενα, οὐκ ἔχοντί πως ἄλλως τὰ ἐνσκήψαντα τῇ ταπεινῇ μου καρδίᾳ κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς ἐκφερομυθῆσαι καὶ ἀναγκαῖον εἰπεῖν. Ἆρα μή τις, ἀγαπητέ, τὸ σὸν πρόσωπον ὑποδὺς εἰς τοσοῦτον ἐξετραχηλιάσθη ὄγκον φρονήματος, ὥστε ἐννοῆσαι τὰ ὑπερνεφῆ καὶ δρᾶσαι τὰ καταράσσοντα; ἆρα μὴ αὐτοὶ ἡμεῖς, ἔξω ποτὲ φρενῶν γενόμενοι, παιδιάν τινα προειλάμεθα συγγράφεσθαι ἐν οὐ παικτοῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ λίαν χαλεποῖς τολμήμασιν; τί λέγεις, ὦ τᾶν; ἔξεστιν ἡμῖν, τοῖς μή τινα κλῆρον ἱερωσύνης ἔχουσιν ἢ μόνον ἐν μοναχοῖς τελοῦσιν, δίχα κινδυνευούσης ἀληθείας ἁρπαγμῷ ἱερατικοῦ ἀξιώματος ἐγκύκλιον ἐπιστολὴν ἐντάττειν καὶ ταύτῃ κατεξανίστασθαι ἱεραρχῶν τε καὶ ἱερωμένων, μοναστῶν τε καὶ καθηγουμένων, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ νόμους ἰδικοὺς ἀποίσειν ἐξ ἰδιοκρίτου καρδίας, πρὸς δὲ καὶ ὕβρεσι καὶ ὀνείδεσι, κατακρίσεσί τε καὶ ἀλλοτριώσεσιν ὑποβάλλειν τὸ ὅλον πλήρωμα τῆς ὁμολογητικῆς ἀδελφότητος; Οὗτοι γάρ, ὡς φῆς, κἂν οὐχὶ πάντες οἱ τῆς ἀληθείας ὑπασπισταί, τὸ τῆς μετανοίας ὑποκρινόμενοι, ὃν τρόπον οἱ τῆς ἐναντίας μοίρας τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας ὄνομα ψευδῶς ὑποδυσάμενοι, ἐξ ἴσου παγχάλεπα τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ τὴν μετάνοιαν διέθηκαν, δεινοῖς κατακοντίζοντες λόγοις καὶ συρφετὸν ἀθλίων εἰσκομίζοντες λογισμῶν, διχοστασίας ἐγείροντες, τὴν ἀμώμητον πίστιν ἀδικοῦντες, τὸν ἁπάντων ἡνίοχον καὶ ἐπιστάτην καὶ δημιουργὸν ἀτιμάζοντες, ἀλλήλοις ἐρίζοντες, λημμάτων ἡττώμενοι, πόρους ἐπινοοῦντες, τοῖς ὁμόφροσι τῶν ἀσεβησάντων χάριν προσκρούοντες, τῶν ὁμολογησάντων καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας προκεκινδυνευκότων τοὺς τὰ μέγιστα ταύτην ἀδικήσαντας καὶ διώξαντας προτιμῶντες καὶ προτιθέμενοι, οἷς τε δρῶσι τῇ ἀληθείᾳ χαλεπαίνοντες καὶ τὸ ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ παθεῖν οὐδὲν ἡγούμενοι, κακῶς εἰδότες καὶ ὑπὲρ ὧν κεκινδυνεύκασιν ὠμῶς καὶ ἀκαθηκόντως ἀμνημονήσαντες. Ἐξέστη ὁ οὐρανὸς ἐπὶ τούτῳ καὶ ἔφριξα ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἐγὼ ὁ τάλας· καί, εἰ μὴ τῶν σῶν φωνῶν ἐπαΐειν, οὐκ ἂν ἐπίστευσα τῷ προδεδηλωκότι ἐπιστολὴν συντετάχθαι ὑπὸ τῆς τιμιότητός σου κατὰ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκλησίας· κατ' αὐτῆς γάρ ἐστι τὸ τοὺς κλεινοὺς καὶ ὁμολογητὰς ἄνδρας, οἳ περιῆλθον ἐν ποικίλοις πειρασμοῖς ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, κακοχούμενοι, διωκόμενοι, ἐν ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι καὶ ὄρεσι καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς, ὧν οὐκ ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος, ἀποστολικῶς εἰπεῖν, καταγορεύειν τὰ τοιαῦτα βατταρίσματα· καὶ οὔπω ἐκπέφασται τὰ αἰτιολογικώτερα καὶ ἀπανθρωπότερα. τολμᾷ τις, ἐρωτῶ, ἐν στρατιώταις κατειλεγμένος, βασιλικῷ συγγράμματι ἐξαυθεντήσας τοῦτο κἀκεῖνο διαγορεύειν καὶ τοὺς ἐν ὑπεροχαῖς καθυβρίζειν ὡς ἀτάκτως καὶ εἰκῇ φερομένους; εἰ δὲ τοῦτο φωραθείη πεποιηκώς, ἀνάρπαστος εὐθὺς καὶ ἀγώγιμος ὡς ἐπιθανάτιος· τί καὶ οὐ πείσεται ὁ ἁπλῶς μοναστὴς ὑπὸ τοῦ τῆς ἐκκλησίας κριτηρίου παραπλήσιον ἐκείνῳ τετολμηκώς; μὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἀρχιερέα, τὸν δυνάμενον συμπαθῆσαι ταῖς ἀσθενείαις ἡμῶν κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, μετριοπαθεῖν τε δυνάμενον τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσι καὶ πλανωμένοις; οὗ ἡ ἐγκύκλιος ἐπιστολὴ κατὰ τὴν δεδομένην αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν τοῦ πνεύματος. ὅς, εἰ ᾔδει ἐν τοῖς γιγνομένοις ἔκθεσμόν τι καὶ οὐ λυσιτελοῦν, πάντως δὴ ἐφθέγξατο τὰ εἰκότα. ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ὁρᾷ τὴν ἐπικρατοῦσαν αἵρεσιν καὶ στενὰ ἑκατέρωθεν παριστάμενα, εἴασεν ἅπαντας τοὺς προθυμουμένους ἰᾶσθαι τὰ συμπεσόντα νοσήματα ὡς ἕκαστος ἔχει δυνάμεως, εὖ ποιῶν ὁ θεσπεσιώτατος, ὡς μήτε νομοθεσίαν εἶναι τὸ τελούμενον μήτε μὴν ἀθεράπευτον ψυχήν, ὑπὲρ ἧς Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν, καταλιμπάνεσθαι, καὶ τοῦτο δηλαδὴ μέχρις ὀρθοδόξου συνόδου, ὁπηνίκα καὶ τὰ καλῶς ὑπηργμένα ἐγκριθήσεται καὶ τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα ἀποδοκιμασθήσεται. καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα θεῷ προσφιλὲς ὅτι μάλιστα, ὃς ἐρᾷ πάντας σῴζεσθαι, μὴ ὅτι γε τοὺς τῷ τῆς μετανοίας φαρμάκῳ προστρέχοντας, ὃς καὶ συνεπικουρεῖ τῷ φιλαδέλφῳ, χεῖρα ὀρέγοντι, καὶ συνανίστησι τῷ ἐξεγείροντι τὸν κάμνοντα· αὐτοῦ γὰρ φωνή ἐστιν· παρακαλεῖτε, παρακαλεῖτε, ἱερεῖς, τὸν λαόν μου, λαλήσατε εἰς τὰ ὦτα Ἱερουσαλήμ. τί δ' ἂν εἴη ἄλλο ἡ παράκλησις ἢ ἡ τῶν καθεστώτων συντήρησις καὶ τῶν ἐκτραπέντων διὰ μετανοίας ἐπανόρθωσις; εἶτα πρὸς τοὺς ἡμαρτηκότας· ὅταν ἀποστραφεὶς στενάξῃς, τότε σωθήσῃ καὶ γνώσῃ ποῦ ἦσθα. καὶ αὖθις· ἔτι σου τὰ ῥήματα τῆς προσευχῆς λαλοῦντος, ἐρεῖ "4ἰδοὺ πάρειμι"5. καὶ βοηθός ἐστι τῶν ἀποστρεφόντων ἀπὸ ὁδοῦ πονηρᾶς καὶ τὸ πεπλανημένον πρόβατον ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων αἴρει καὶ ἄχρις οὗ τὸ σήμερον καλεῖται τὰ τῆς μετανοίας φάρμακα προτίθησι· καὶ τὸν λῃστὴν μιᾷ καιροῦ ῥοπῇ τοῦ παραδείσου ἠξίωσεν καὶ τὸν μέγαν Πέτρον ἀρνησάμενον τῷ πικρῷ κλαυθμῷ προσήκατο καὶ τῷ Δαυὶδ ὡς μηδ' ὁτιοῦν ἁμαρτήσαντι πάλιν τὸ τῆς προφητείας χάρισμα ἐνίησι. καὶ τί δεῖ τὰ πολλὰ παραδείγματα ὑποφαίνειν καὶ μηκύνειν τὸν λόγον; καὶ χρηστός ἐστιν ἐν τοῖς πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοδούλους χρηστευομένοις καὶ ἀπότομος ἐν τοῖς ἀσυμπαθέσιν. οὗ εἵνεκα αἱ ἰατρεῖαι, αἱ ἐπιτιμίαι κατὰ τὸν παρόντα χρόνον τελούμεναι, οὐχ ὡς ἡ τιμιότης σου κεκωμῴδηκεν (ἄπαγε τῆς βλασφημίας) οὐδὲ σκανδάλων παραίτια τὰ γιγνόμενα, ἀλλ' ἀληθινῆς ἀγάπης τεκμήρια· φησὶ γὰρ ὁ Κύριος, τοιαύτην ἀγάπην οὐδεὶς ἔχει, ἵνα τις τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ θῇ ὑπὲρ τῶν φίλων αὐτοῦ. Τιθέασιν οὖν τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἰατρευομένων οἱ ἀκέστορες κατὰ τὸν ἀληθῆ λόγον, οὐκ ἐμπορευόμενοι τὴν θεόκριτον οἰκονομίαν ὡς χριστέμποροι· καὶ ὁ λαὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὁσημέραι ἀνακαθαίρεται καὶ ὁ οἶκος Σαοὺλ ἀσθενῶν ἠλάττωται, ὁ δὲ οἶκος Δαυὶδ μεγαλυνόμενος ἐπηύξηται, ἐκ τούτου εἰς τοῦτο μεταταττομένου τοῦ ἀνασφήλαντος. ἀλλὰ τί βούλοιο, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ἐν τοσούτοις χρόνοις ἐπικρατούσης τῆς αἱρέσεως καὶ ὀλλυμένου τοῦ θείου πλάσματος μὴ ὀπτανθῆναι ἰατρόν τί που; μὴ εἶναι θεραπευτικὰς μεθόδους; μὴ χειραγωγηθῆναι τυφλώττοντα; μὴ ὑγιασθῆναι νοσηλευόμενον; μὴ μοτωθῆναι τραυματιζόμενον; μὴ ὀρθοποδῆσαι χωλεύοντα; μὴ καταδεσμευθῆναι συντριβόμενον; μὴ ἐπιστραφῆναι πλανώμενον; μὴ κατὰ πᾶν ὁτιοῦν νόσημα καθόσον οἷόν τε ἐπαγωνίσασθαι τὸν προαιρούμενον; καίτοι γε ὁρῶμεν ἐν τοῖς τῶν σωμάτων ἰατροῖς πολλὴν τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν καὶ πολλὰ τὰ ἰατήρια· καὶ ὃς μὲν τόνδε, ὃς δὲ τόνδε ἐγκεχείρισται θεραπεύειν καὶ οὐδὲ ὁ ἐν στάσει ὑπηρέτου κατατεταγμένος κεκώλυται χειραπτεῖν κατὰ τὴν ἐνοῦσαν αὐτοῖς ἰατρικὴν ἐπιστήμην ἢ προύχουσαν ἢ ὑφειμένην. καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην οἱ συμπίπτοντες καὶ πλήρεις αἱ τούτους ὑποδεχόμεναι ἑστίαι, καὶ οὐδεὶς κατεγκαλεῖ τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν οὐδὲ καταιτιᾶται τὸν περὶ τὴν ἰατρείαν σπουδαιολογούμενον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρώταρχοι καὶ ἀρχιητροὶ καὶ μέσοι καὶ τελευταῖοι τὴν φιλάνθρωπον δρῶντες οἰκονομίαν. εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖ οὕτως, πολλῷ δήπουθεν ἐν τοῖς κατὰ ψυχὴν κατὰ τὸ ἀνάλογον πάντα καὶ ὁρᾶται καὶ ὀφείλει γίγνεσθαι καὶ ὁ κωλύσων λυμεών τις καὶ κοινὸς ἐχθρὸς τοῦ γένους ὡς τῷ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς ἀνθρωποκτόνῳ συνεργῶν λογισθήσεται. "4οὔ"5, φησί, "4τοιοῦτον τὸ ἡμέτερον, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο πυνθάνομαι ὅτι, εἰ ὁ Κύριος τὴν μετάνοιαν, παρατροπὴν οὖσαν τῆς τοῦ δικαίου ἀκριβείας, διὰ τὸ ἀγαθὸν οὐ τεθάρρηκε δωρεῖσθαι πρὶν πᾶσαν ὀφειλομένην τοῖς τοῦ δικαίου σταθμοῖς τε καὶ ζυγοῖς δι' ἑαυτοῦ καταθέσθαι δικαίαν τιμωρίαν, τίς τολμηρὸς καὶ ὑπερήφανος, ὃς ἐπιτρέψει ἑαυτῷ μετάνοιαν καθαρίζειν τῶ ἀρνησαμένων τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Χριστοῦ τὰ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν παθήματα, μὴ πρότερον ἅπασαν ἔκτισιν ἀποδοῦναι τῇ τοῦ δικαίου ἀπαραβάτῳ αὐστηρία;"5 Φεῦ τοῦ τολμηροῦ καὶ ἀσυνέτου προβλήματος. πότε ὦπται ὁ Χριστὸς τὴν μετάνοιαν εὐαγγελιζόμενος; πότε τῷ παραλυτικῷ εἴρηκεν, θάρσει, τέκνον, ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου; πότε τῇ δακρυοβρεχούσῃ πόρνῃ τοὺς θείους πόδας ἡ αὐτὴ συγχώρησις δεδώρηται, ἐπιπλήττουσα Σίμωνα τὸν ἑστιάτορα; πότε τῷ ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ κατακειμένῳ ἐν τριάκοντα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτεσιν εἴρηται, ἴδε ὑγιὴς γέγονας, μηκέτι ἁμάρτανε, ἵνα μὴ χεῖρόν σοί τι γένηται, ὡς ἐξ ἁμαρτίας δηλαδὴ τῆς ἀσθενείας ἐπισκηψάσης; ἄλλα, ἅττα οὐκ εὔκαιρον ἀνελιττομένῳ ὑποφαίνειν θεοσημείας ἔργα, πότερον, πρὸ τοῦ πάθους ἢ μετὰ τὸ πάθος; εἰ δὲ πᾶσιν εὔδηλον καὶ ὁμολογούμενον ὅτι πρὸ τοῦ πάθους, ὥσπερ καὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς ἀπεσταλκὼς δίδωσιν ἐξουσίαν πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν θεραπεύειν, ἥτις διὰ τῆς τῶν προσερχομένων μετανοίας καὶ ὑποπτώσεως ἐδεδώρητο, τίς ἡ τολμηρὰ γλῶσσα ἐπιφθεγγομένη μὴ τεθαρρηκέναι Χριστὸν πρὸ τοῦ πρὶν πᾶσαν τὴν ὀφειλομένην τοῖς τοῦ δικαίου σταθμοῖς τε καὶ ζυγοῖς δι' ἑαυτοῦ καταθέσθαι δικαίαν τιμωρίαν κἀντεῦθεν ἐπιτιμᾶν τοῖς τῆς μετανοίας ἀναδεξαμένοις τὴν οἰκονομίαν ὡς τολμηροῖς καὶ ὑπερηφάνοις, μὴ πρότερον ἅπασαν ἀποτίσασι τὴν τοῦ δικαίου αὐστηρίαν; ἢ δῆλον ὅτι Φαρισαϊκῆς διανοίας ἡ ἐπίπληξις καὶ Ναυατιανικῆς μισανθρωπίας ἡ ἀπαγόρευσις; Ὅρα δὴ οὖν λοιπόν, ὦ ἄνερ, οἷον ἀπομετεωρισθεὶς κατεκρημνίσθης, τῶν οἰκείων μέτρων ἐκστὰς καὶ μὴ συντετηρηκὼς ἑαυτῷ τὸ ἐνόν σοι ἀξίωμα. ἢ οὐκ ἀνέγνως ὡς πᾶς ἀλλοτριοεπίσκοπος ἐκκήρυκτος; καὶ οὐκ ἀπέστελλον αὐτούς, φησί, καὶ προεφήτευον· καί, οὐχ ἑαυτῷ τις τὴν τιμὴν λαμβάνει, ἀλλ' ὁ καλούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ. οὕτως καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς οὐχ ἑαυτὸν ἐδόξασε γενέσθαι ἀρχιερέα κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ἀλλ' ὁ λαλήσας πρὸς αὐτόν· σὺ ἱερεὺς εἶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδέκ. σὲ δὲ τίς κέκληκεν, ἀδελφέ, τίς δὲ κατέστησεν νομοθέτην ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅς, μηδὲ ἄρχεσθαι τυχὸν μεμαθηκὼς κἀκ τούτου μηδὲ ἄρχειν τινὸς τεθεωρημένος, ὀφείλεις νομοθετεῖσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ νομοθετεῖν, χειραγωγεῖσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ χειραγωγεῖν, φωτίζεσθαι ἢ φωτίζειν, διδάσκεσθαι ἢ διδάσκειν, κἀκ τῆς τοῦ προτέρου πείρας ἐπὶ τὸ δεύτερον ἀνιέναι, ὥσπερ δὴ θεῖος νόμος καὶ κάλλιστα ἔχων κἀν τοῖς θείοις κἀν τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις ἀξιώμασιν. Μὴ γὰρ οἰώμεθα, ὦ φίλε, τὸ ἐκ τῆς μωρανθείσης σοφίας εἰδέναι τι φθέγγεσθαι καὶ ἐπίτριπτον λόγον συνεισβάλλειν, τοῦτο καθίστησι νομοθέτας (ἐπεὶ καὶ Μωαβίταις καὶ Ἀμμανίταις εἰσιτητὸν τὸ θεῖον θυσιαστήριον), ἀλλ' οὓς ὑπακοὴ χριστομίμητος ἐδοκίμασεν καὶ πολυχρόνιος ὑπομονὴ ἐμαρτύρησεν καὶ εὐαγγελικὸς λόγος ἐτελείωσεν· εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐξωτερικὸς πάρεστιν, οὐκ ἄχαρις, εἴ γε ὑπὸ ταπεινοφροσύνης κεκόσμηται καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ ἡγεμονεύοιτο, ἀλλὰ μὴ τοῖς οἰκείοις ἀξιώμασιν ἐναβρύνεται, οἷς οἱ ἐναβρυνόμενοι, ὡς ἐπὶ καλαμίνῃ ῥάβδῳ ἐπερειδόμενοι, εἰκότως τιτρωσκόμενοι καταράσσονται. ἀλλά, φησί, ζηλῶν ἐζήλωκα τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ οὐκ ἀνεκτὰ τὰ ὁρώμενα. καὶ ποῦ ἡμῖν τὸ τῆς προφητείας χάρισμα, ὦ βέλτιστε; καὶ ποῦ τὸ Καρμήλιον ὄρος; καὶ ποῦ αἱ οὐράνιαι κλεῖς; καὶ ποῦ ἡ διατέμνουσα τὸν Ἰορδάνην μηλωτή, ἐν διπλῷ χαρίσματι τῷ Ἐλισ σαίῳ ἐπιφοιτήσασα; ἡμῖν δέ, εἰ καί τι πάρεστι χάρισμα, τίνι καταλειπτέον, μηδὲ φοιτητὴν ἔχουσιν; Ὅθεν σκοπῶμεν ἤδη μήπως τῶν ὑπὲρ δύναμιν ἐφιέμενοι καὶ τῶν μετρίων ἀποτύχοιμεν μηδὲ τὸν κώνωπα διυλίζοντες τὴν κάμηλον καταπίνωμεν ἢ καὶ τὰ κάρφη ἐκ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐξαίρειν δοκιμάζοντες αὐτοὶ τὴν δοκὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μὴ δοκοῦντες φέρωμεν, τὸ δὴ λεγόμενον, ἐξ ὧν συναναστρεφόμεθα καὶ συνεσθίομεν ὧδε κἀκεῖσε καταγινωσκόμενοι. "4ὁ δεῖνα"5, φησί, "4ψευδῶς ἐξηγόρευκε, κρύπτων τὸ αἴσχιστον αὐτοῦ ἁμάρτημα· καὶ ἄλλος, κρύψας τὸ ἀσέβημα, ἕτερα ἀνθ' ἑτέρων ἐξηγεῖται. καὶ πῶς ὁ δῆθεν ἰατρεύων δύναται φάναι θεραπείας τούσδε τετυχηκέναι;"5 οὐ πιστευτέον, ὦ τᾶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ λίαν κατηγορητέον· οὐδεὶς γὰρ αὐθαιρέτως ἴων πρὸς ἴασιν μὴ οὐχὶ ἀπογυμνοῦν τὸ οἰκεῖον πάθος αἱρήσεται. εἰ δὲ καί ποι ἄληθες, οὐχ ἡμῶν τὸ κρίνειν, ἀλλὰ θεοῦ τοῦ ἐφορῶντος· φησὶ γάρ· τὰ μὲν φανερὰ θεῷ καὶ ἡμῖν, τὰ δὲ κρυπτὰ Κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ σου· σὺ δὲ τί κρίνεις τὸν ἀδελφόν σου ἢ καὶ σὺ τί ἐξουθενεῖς τὸν ἰητῆρα; πάντες γὰρ παραστησόμεθα τῷ βήματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃς καὶ φωτίσει τὰ κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους καὶ φανερώσει τὰς βουλὰς τῶν καρδιῶν· καὶ τότε ὁ ἔπαινος γενήσεται ἑκάστῳ ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ τοὐναντίον. "4Πάντες"5, φησίν, "4ὑπερβάθμιον ἐκτείνουσι πόδα καὶ τῶν οὐ παρακεχωρημένων κατατολμῶσιν καὶ τοῖς ὑψηλοτέροις ἐπεκτείνονται"5. τοῖς οἰκείοις ἑάλως πτεροῖς, ὥς πού τις ἔφη τῶν ἔξω, ἀφ' οὗ καὶ ἡ πρότασίς σου· ποὺς γὰρ τεταγμένος εἰς κεφαλὴν ἐξ αὐθαδείας ἤρθης, ταῖς ἄλλαις δυσὶ προτάσεσι περιπαρείς, ὦ γενναῖε. ἑτέρα πάλιν ἔγκλησις· "4πάντες ἑαυτοῖς ἐπιτρέπουσι τὰ ὑπὲρ δύναμιν καὶ ἥττονας ἡγοῦνται τοὺς ἄλλους καὶ τῷ λύειν καὶ δεσμεῖν ἀσχέτως καὶ ἀκλήτως ἐπιτρέχουσι καὶ πάντας φιλονεικοῦσι πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους ἕλκειν πόδας καὶ μηδένα ἕτερον τὸν λύοντα ἢ εἶναι ἢ νομίζεσθαι θέλουσιν καὶ φθονοῦσι τοῖς τὰ τοιάδε πράττουσι καὶ τούτους μόνους δέχεσθαι, οὓς αὐτοὶ λελύκασι, τοὺς δὲ ὑφ' ἑτέρων τετυχηκότας ἐπιτιμήσεως ἀποστρέφεσθαι καὶ ἐγκαλεῖν, ἐπεὶ μὴ πρὸς αὐτοὺς δεδραμήκασι καὶ παρ' αὐτῶν ᾐτήσαντο τὴν ἄφεσιν"5. ἀναπλάσματα διανοίας δαιμονιώδους τὰ κατηγορήματα καὶ ἐκ φθονερᾶς καρδίας τὰ προβλήματα· οἷς ἐπιγελάσειέν τις εἰκότως ὡς παιδιάς τινας καὶ ὕθλους καὶ ἀθύρματα· ἢ μᾶλλον τἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν, ἐπεὶ μηδεὶς ἡμῖν ἐξ ἀπιστίας ὁ προστρέχων κατὰ λῆψιν ἐπιτιμήσεως, μαινόμεθα πρὸς τοὺς ἐκ πεποιθήσεως τῶν προσιόντων θεραπεύοντας, δαιμόνιόν τι πάθος πάσχοντες καὶ τοῖς εἰκονομάχοις τὰ ἴσα τοὺς αἰδήμονας καθυβρίζοντες. "4Τί"5, φησί, "4τὸ διάφορον τῆς αἱρέσεως ταύτης πρὸς τὸν Μανιχαϊσμόν; οὐχὶ κατὰ Μανιχαϊκῆς αἱρέσεως ἠγωνίσμεθα καὶ λόγοις καὶ ἔργοις; καὶ δηλοῦσι τὰ ἔγγραφα συντάγματα τῶν κατ' αὐτῆς ἀγωνισαμένων, ἐν οἷς ἀπαραλογίστοις συλλογισμοῖς καὶ ἀκαθαιρέτοις ἀποδείξεσιν ἀπέδειξαν, εἰ καὶ νῦν ἑαυτῶν καὶ τῶν οἰκείων πονημάτων ἀμνημονοῦσιν"5. ἔοικας, ἑταῖρε, ἀσυλλογίστως συλλογίζεσθαι καὶ ἰδίοις λογισμοῖς ἐπ' ἀθετήσεις ἀληθείας στηρίζεσθαι, μὴ εἰδὼς ὅτι τὰ παραδείγματα, τοῖς πρωτοτύποις παραβαλλόμενα, οὐκ αὐτὰ ἐκεῖνα εἶεν τὰ ἀρχέτυπα, ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτον ἔχοντα τὸ πρὸς ἄλληλα ταὐτόν, ὅσον τὸ κατὰ τοὔνομα κοινὸν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐξαλλάσσοντα. καὶ τὰ μὲν κυρίως ὠνόμασται, τὰ δὲ οὐ κυρίως, καὶ τὰ μὲν κατὰ κατάχρησιν λέλεκται, τὰ δὲ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν· οἷον, φέρε εἰπεῖν, ἐπὶ τῆς εἰκόνος Χριστοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅτι ὁ μὲν κατὰ ἀλήθειαν Χριστὸς καὶ ἔστι καὶ ὀνομάζεται, ἡ δὲ κατὰ κατάχρησιν, ἤτοι ὁμωνυμίαν. ἐπεὶ καὶ Παῦλος ὁ ἱερὸς ἀπόστολος τὴν φιλαργυρίαν δευτέραν εἰδωλολατρείαν ἀπεκάλεσεν αἰτιολογικῶς καὶ κατὰ ἀναφορὰν ὁμοιωματικὴν τῆς οὔσης εἰδωλολατρείας· ἐξ οὗ οὐδὲ ἐπιτιμητέον τοῖς φιλαργύροις ὡς εἰδωλολάτραις, ἐπεὶ ἄρα ὀφείλομεν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου ἐξελθεῖν. νῦν δὲ πολλοὶ φιλάργυροι καὶ πάντῃ ἀνεπιτίμητοι παρεωραμένοι. τί οὖν ἀπᾷδον κἀνταῦθα, εἰ ἡ εἰκονομαχικὴ αἵρεσις τῇ Μανιχαϊκῇ παραβάλλοιτο ὅσον κατ' εἰκόνος καὶ πρωτοτύπου λόγον; καθὸ καὶ ἡ ἐν Νικαίᾳ τὸ δεύτερον οἰκουμενική τε καὶ ἁγία σύνοδος τοὺς ἐν ταύτῃ ἑαλωκότας οὐχ ὡς μανιχαΐσαντας ὑπεξελθοῦσα τεθεράπευκεν καὶ οὔ τί που ἀμνημονήκασιν οἱ τὰ περὶ αὐτῆς πονήματα καταβαλλόμενοι, καὶ λόγοις καὶ ἔργοις κατ' αὐτῆς ἀνταγωνισάμενοι. ἠγνόηκας δ' αὐτὸς ὄντως ἑαυτόν, ὃ πολλῆς ἐστι κατηγορίας καὶ ἀβελτερίας ἔγκλημα. Ἐβουλόμην οὖν καὶ ἑτέρας προτάσεις τοῦ πολυσχεδοῦς καὶ ταὐτολογοῦντος γραμματείου συνεισοῖσαι τοῖς προλεχθεῖσι καὶ ἀποδεῖξαι πάντῃ ἐξ ὀρθοῦ λόγου ἐληλεγμένας· ἀλλὰ ἃς μὲν ὡς ἀλυσιτελεῖς καὶ ἀσυναρτήτους, ἃς δὲ ὡς αὐτόθεν ἐχούσας τὸν ἔλεγχον, ἐνίας δὲ ὡς σκοτεινὰς καὶ ἀντιδόξους τῇ ἀληθείᾳ πόρρω που ἀπορριψάμενος ὡς εἰς πῦρ Ἡφαίστου, ἐπὶ τέλει τοῦ λόγου ἐκεῖνο ἐπιφθέγγομαι, ὅτι, εἰ μὲν αἰτοῦμεν συγγνώμην ἐφ' οἷς προπετῶς καὶ θεὸν παρωργίσαμεν καὶ ἁγίους ἠτιμάσαμεν καὶ τὴν ὁμολογίαν κατῃτιασάμεθα καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν δεδυσφημήκαμεν, εὖ ἂν ἔχοι· εἰ δὲ μή, ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς γε οἱ ταπεινοὶ ἐπὶ στόματι χεῖρα ἐπιθήσομεν, μὴ ἐκκαλούμενοί σου τὴν ὁσιότητα εἰς δευτέραν γραμματικὴν προσφώνησιν.