Letter 71

71. Basil to Gregory.

I received the letter of your reverence by the most reverend brother Hellenius; and what you hinted to us, he himself related plainly. And when you have heard how we were disposed, you will surely have no doubt. But nevertheless, since we have resolved to make our love for you higher than all grief, we received even these things as was fitting, and we pray the holy God that the remaining days or hours may be so preserved in our disposition toward you, as also in the time past, in which we are conscious of having failed ourselves in nothing, whether small or great.

But if a certain person, lately ambitious to peer into the life of Christians, and then thinking it brings him some dignity to rub shoulders with us, both fabricates what he never heard and expounds what he never understood, there is nothing to wonder at. But this is the wondrous and astonishing thing: that he has as hearers of these things the most genuine to me of the brethren among you — and not hearers only, but disciples, as it seems. Even if it were otherwise astonishing that such a man should be the teacher and I the one torn to pieces, yet the overturning of the times has trained us not to be vexed at anything. For long ago things more dishonouring than these became familiar to us, on account of our sins. I, then, if I have not yet given his brethren proof of my doctrine concerning God, have nothing to answer even now; for those whom the long time did not persuade, how shall a brief letter convince? But if those proofs are sufficient, let the words of the slanderers be reckoned as nonsense. Except for this: that if we permit unbridled mouths and untaught hearts to speak of whatever they wish, and have our ears ready to receive it, not only shall we accept what belongs to others, but others too will accept what is ours.

The cause of these things is that which I long ago exhorted should not be — and now, despairing, I keep silent about it — namely, that we do not meet one another. For if, according to the ancient compacts, and according to the care now owed by us to the Churches, we passed the greater part of the year with one another, we should not have given an opening to the slanderers. But you, if you please, let these men go, and be entreated yourself to labour together with us in the contest before us, and to meet, along with us, him who wages war against us. For if you only appear, you will check his impulse, and break up those banded together for the overthrow of our country's affairs, making it known to them that you yourself, by the grace of God, take the lead of our assembly, and you will stop every unjust mouth of those who speak iniquity against God. If this happens, the very facts will show who follows you in good things, and who turns aside and through cowardice betrays the word of truth. But if the affairs of the Church are being betrayed, I have little concern to persuade by words those who value me at so much as men, not yet taught to measure themselves, may esteem me. For before long, by the grace of God, the demonstration through deeds will refute the slanders; since we expect, for the sake of the word of truth, perhaps to suffer something even greater — but if not, certainly to be driven out of the Churches and our country. And if none of the things expected should happen, the tribunal of Christ is not far off. So that, if you seek a meeting for the sake of the Churches, I am ready to hasten wherever you may summon me; but if it is that I should refute the slanders, I have no leisure now to answer concerning these things.