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Book II.
1. That it is possible
then to make use of deceit for a good purpose, or rather that in
such a case it ought not to be called deceit, but a kind of good
management worthy of all admiration, might be proved at greater
length; but since what has already been said suffices for
demonstration, it would be irksome and tedious to lengthen out my
discourse upon the subject. And now it will remain for you to prove
whether I have not employed this art to your advantage.
Basil: And what kind of
advantage have I derived from this piece of good management, or
wise policy, or whatever you may please to call it, so as to
persuade me that I have not been deceived by you?
Chrysostom: What
advantage, pray, could be greater than to be seen doing those
things which Christ with his own lips declared to be proofs of love
to Himself?66
For addressing
the leader of the apostles He said, “Peter, lovest thou me?”
and when he confessed that he did, the Lord added, “if thou
lovest me tend my sheep.” The Master asked the disciple if He was
loved by him, not in order to get information (how should He who
penetrates the hearts of all men?), but in order to teach us how
great an interest He takes in the superintendence of these sheep.
This being plain, it will likewise be manifest that a great and
unspeakable reward will be reserved for him whose labors are
concerned with these sheep, upon which Christ places such a high
value. For when we see any one bestowing care upon members of our
household, or upon our flocks, we count his zeal for them as a sign
of love towards ourselves: yet all these things are to be bought
for money:—with how great a gift then will He requite those who
tend the flock which He purchased, not with money, nor anything of
that kind, but by His own death, giving his own blood as the price
of the herd. Wherefore when the disciple said, “Thou knowest Lord
that I love Thee,” and invoked the beloved one Himself as a
witness of his love, the Saviour did not stop there, but added that
which was the token of love. For He did not at that time wish to
show how much Peter loved Him, but how much He Himself loved His
own Church, and he desired to teach Peter and all of us that we
also should bestow much zeal upon the same. For why did God not
spare His only-begotten Son, but delivered Him up, although the
only one He had?67
It was that He
might reconcile to Himself those who were disposed towards Him as
enemies, and make them His peculiar people. For what purpose did He
shed His blood? It was that He might win these sheep which He
entrusted to Peter and his successors. Naturally then did Christ
say, “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord
shall make ruler over His household.”68
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Matt. xxiv. 45. Some
mss. of Chrysostom have the future καταστήσει, shall make ruler, but
all mss. of the New Testament have the
aorist κατ™στησε, made
ruler. | Again, the
words are those of one who is in doubt, yet
the speaker did not utter them in doubt, but just as He asked Peter
whether he loved Him, not from any need to learn the affection of
the disciple, but from a desire to show the exceeding depth of his
own love: so now also when He says, “Who then is the faithful and
wise servant?” he speaks not as being ignorant who is faithful
and wise, but as desiring to set forth the rarity of such a
character, and the greatness of this office. Observe at any rate
how great the reward is—“He will appoint him,” he says,
“ruler over all his goods.”69
2. Will you, then, still contend that you were
not rightly deceived, when you are about to superintend the things
which belong to God, and are doing that which when Peter did the
Lord said he should be able to surpass the rest of the apostles,
for His words were, “Peter, lovest thou me more than these?”70
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In some editions the words “tend my sheep” are added here. | Yet He might have said to him, “If
thou lovest me practise fasting, sleeping on the ground, and
prolonged vigils, defend the wronged, be as a father to orphans,
and supply the place of a husband to their mother.” But as a
matter of fact, setting aside all these things, what does He say?
“Tend my sheep.” For those things which I have already
mentioned might easily be performed by many even of those who are
under authority, women as well as men; but when one is required to
preside over the Church, and to be entrusted with the care of so
many souls, the whole female sex must retire before the magnitude
of the task, and the majority of men also; and we must bring
forward those who to a large extent surpass all others, and soar as
much above them in excellence of spirit as Saul overtopped the
whole Hebrew nation in bodily stature: or rather far more.71
For in this case let me not take the
height of shoulders as the standard of inquiry; but let the
distinction between the pastor and his charge be as great as that
between rational man and irrational creatures, not to say even
greater, inasmuch as the risk is concerned with things of far
greater importance. He indeed who has lost sheep, either through
the ravages of wolves, or the attacks of robbers, or through
murrain, or any other disaster befalling them, might perhaps obtain
some indulgence from the owner of the flock; and even if the latter
should demand satisfaction the penalty would be only a matter of
money: but he who has human beings entrusted to him, the rational
flock of Christ, incurs a penalty in the first place for the loss
of the sheep, which goes beyond material things and touches his own
life: and in the second place he has to carry on a far greater and
more difficult contest. For he has not to contend with wolves, nor
to dread robbers, nor to consider how he may avert pestilence from
the flock. With whom then has he to fight? with whom has he to
wrestle? Listen to the words of St. Paul. “We wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places.”72
Do you see the terrible multitude of enemies, and their fierce
squadrons, not steel clad, but endued with a nature which is of
itself an equivalent for a complete suit of armor. Would you see
yet another host, stern and cruel, beleaguering this flock? This
also you shall behold from the same post of observation. For he who
has discoursed to us concerning the others, points out these
enemies also to us, speaking in a certain place on this wise:
“The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these,
fornication, adultery, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife,73
backbitings, whisperings, swellings,
tumults,”74
and many more
besides; for he did not make a complete list, but left us to
understand the rest from these. Moreover, in the case of the
shepherd of irrational creatures, those who wish to destroy the
flock, when they see the guardian take to flight, cease making war
upon him, and are contented with the seizure of the cattle: but in
this case, even should they capture the whole flock, they do not
leave the shepherd unmolested, but attack him all the more, and wax
bolder, ceasing not until they have either overthrown him, or have
themselves been vanquished. Again, the afflictions of sheep are
manifest, whether it be famine, or pestilence, or wounds, or
whatsoever else it may be which distresses them, and this might
help not a little towards the relief of those who are oppressed in
these ways. And there is yet another fact greater than this which
facilitates release from this kind of infirmity. And what is that?
The shepherds with great authority compel the sheep to receive the
remedy when they do not willingly submit to it. For it is easy to
bind them when cautery or cutting is required, and to keep them
inside the fold for a long time, whenever it is expedient, and to
bring them one kind of food instead of another, and to cut them off
from their supplies of water, and all other things which the
shepherds may decide to be conducive to their health they perform
with great ease.
3. But in
the case of human infirmities, it is not easy in the first place
for a man to discern them, for no man “knoweth the things of a
man, save the spirit of man which is in him.”75
How then can any one apply the
remedy for the disease of which he does not know the character,
often indeed being unable to understand it even should he happen to
sicken with it himself? And even when it becomes manifest, it
causes him yet more trouble: for it is not possible to doctor all
men with the same authority with which the shepherd treats his
sheep. For in this case also it is necessary to bind and to
restrain from food, and to use cautery or the knife: but the
reception of the treatment depends on the will of the patient, not
of him who applies the remedy. For this also was perceived by that
wonderful man (St. Paul) when he said to the Corinthians—“Not
for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your
joy.”76
For Christians
above all men are not permitted forcibly to correct the failings of
those who sin. Secular judges indeed, when they have captured
malefactors under the law, show their authority to be great, and
prevent them even against their will from following their own
devices: but in our case the wrong-doer must be made better, not by
force, but by persuasion. For neither has authority of this kind
for the restraint of sinners been given us by law, nor, if it had
been given, should we have any field for the exercise of our power,
inasmuch as God rewards those who abstain from evil by their own
choice, not of necessity. Consequently much skill is required that
our patients may be induced to submit willingly to the treatment
prescribed by the physicians, and not only this, but that they may
be grateful also for the cure. For if any one when he is bound
becomes restive (which it is in his power to be), he makes the
mischief worse; and if he should pay no heed to the words which cut
like steel, he inflicts another wound by means of this contempt,
and the intention to heal only becomes the occasion of a worse
disorder. For it is not possible for any one to cure a man by
compulsion against his will.
4. What then is one to do? For if you deal too
gently with him who needs a severe application of the knife, and do
not strike deep into one who requires such treatment, you remove
one part of the sore but leave the other: and if on the other hand
you make the requisite incision unsparingly, the patient, driven to
desperation by his sufferings, will often fling everything away at
once, both the remedy and the bandage, and throw himself down
headlong, “breaking the yoke and bursting the band.”77
I could tell of many who have run
into extreme evils because the due penalty of their sins was
exacted. For we ought not, in applying punishment, merely to
proportion it to the scale of the offence, but rather to keep in
view the disposition of the sinner, lest whilst wishing to mend
what is torn, you make the rent worse, and in your zealous
endeavors to restore what is fallen, you make the ruin greater. For
weak and careless characters, addicted for the most part to the
pleasures of the world, and having occasion to be proud on account
of birth and position, may yet, if gently and gradually brought to
repent of their errors, be delivered, partially at least, if not
perfectly, from the evils by which they are possessed: but if any
one were to inflict the discipline all at once, he would deprive
them of this slight chance of amendment. For when once the soul has
been forced to put off shame it lapses into a callous condition,
and neither yields to kindly words nor bends to threats, nor is
susceptible of gratitude, but becomes far worse than that city
which the prophet reproached, saying, “thou hadst the face of a
harlot, refusing to be ashamed before all men.”78
Therefore the pastor has need of
much discretion, and of a myriad eyes to observe on every side the
habit of the soul. For as many are uplifted to pride, and then sink
into despair of their salvation, from inability to endure severe
remedies, so are there some, who from paying no penalty equivalent
to their sins, fall into negligence, and become far worse, and are
impelled to greater sins. It behoves the priest therefore to leave
none of these things unexamined, but, after a thorough inquiry into
all of them, to apply such remedies as he has appositely to each
case, lest his zeal prove to be in vain. And not in this matter
only, but also in the work of knitting together the severed members
of the Church, one can see that he has much to do. For the pastor
of sheep has his flock following him, wherever he may lead them:
and if any should stray out of the straight path, and, deserting
the good pasture, feed in unproductive or rugged places, a loud
shout suffices to collect them and bring back to the fold those who
have been parted from it: but if a human being wanders away from
the right faith, great exertion, perseverance and patience are
required; for he cannot be dragged back by force, nor constrained
by fear, but must be led back by persuasion to the truth from which
he originally swerved. The pastor therefore ought to be of a noble
spirit, so as not to despond, or to despair of the salvation of
wanderers from the
fold, but continually to reason with himself and say,
“Peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging
of the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare
of the devil.”79
Therefore the
Lord, when addressing His disciples, said, “Who then is the
faithful and wise servant?”80
For he indeed who disciplines himself compasses only his own
advantage, but the benefit of the pastoral function extends to the
whole people. And one who dispenses money to the needy, or
otherwise succors the oppressed, benefits his neighbors to some
extent, but so much less than the priest in proportion as the body
is inferior to the soul. Rightly therefore did the Lord say that
zeal for the flock was a token of love for Himself.
Basil: But thou
thyself—dost thou not love Christ?
Chrysostom: Yea, I love
Him, and shall never cease loving Him; but I fear lest I should
provoke Him whom I love.
Basil: But what riddle can
there be more obscure than this—Christ has commanded him who
loves Him to tend His sheep, and yet you say that you decline to
tend them because you love Him who gave this command?
Chrysostom: My saying is no
riddle, but very intelligible and simple, for if I were well
qualified to administer this office, as Christ desired it, and then
shunned it, my remark might be open to doubt, but since the
infirmity of my spirit renders me useless for this ministry, why
does my saying deserve to be called in question? For I fear lest if
I took the flock in hand when it was in good condition and well
nourished, and then wasted it through my unskilfulness, I should
provoke against myself the God who so loved the flock as to give
Himself up for their salvation and ransom.
Basil: You speak in jest:
for if you were in earnest I know not how you would have proved me
to be justly grieved otherwise than by means of these very words
whereby you have endeavored to dispel my dejection. I knew indeed
before that you had deceived and betrayed me, but much more now,
when you have undertaken to clear yourself of my accusations, do I
plainly perceive and understand the extent of the evils into which
you have led me. For if you withdrew yourself from this ministry
because you were conscious that your spirit was not equal to the
burden of the task, I ought to have been rescued from it before
you, even if I had chanced to have a great desire for it, to say
nothing of having confided to you the entire decision of these
matters: but as it is, you have looked solely to your own interest
and neglected mine. Would indeed you had entirely neglected them;
then I should have been well content: but you plotted to facilitate
my capture by those who wished to seize me. For you cannot take
shelter in the argument that public opinion deceived you and
induced you to imagine great and wonderful things concerning me.
For I was none of your wonderful and distinguished men, nor, had
this been the case, ought you to have preferred public opinion to
truth. For if I had never permitted you to enjoy my society, you
might have seemed to have a reasonable pretext for being guided in
your vote by public report; but if there is no one who has such
thorough knowledge of my affairs, if you are acquainted with my
character better than my parents and those who brought me up, what
argument can you employ which will be convincing enough to persuade
your hearers that you did not purposely thrust me into this danger:
say, what answer shall I make to your accusers?
Chrysostom: Nay! I
will not proceed to those questions until I have resolved such as
concern yourself alone, if you were to ask me ten thousand times to
dispose of these charges. You said indeed that ignorance would
bring me forgiveness, and that I should have been free from all
accusation if I had brought you into your present position not
knowing anything about you, but that as I did not betray you in
ignorance, but was intimately acquainted with your affairs, I was
deprived of all reasonable pretext and excuse. But I say precisely
the reverse: for in such matters there is need of careful scrutiny,
and he who is going to present any one as qualified for the
priesthood ought not to be content with public report only, but
should also himself, above all and before all, investigate the
man’s character. For when the blessed Paul says, “He must also
have a good report of them which are without,”81
he does not dispense with an exact
and rigorous inquiry, nor does he assign to such testimony
precedence over the scrutiny required in such cases. For after much
previous discourse, he mentioned this additional testimony, proving
that one must not be contented with it alone for elections of this
kind, but take it into consideration along with the rest. For
public report often speaks false; but when careful investigation
precedes, no further danger need be apprehended from it. On this
account, after the other kinds of evidence he places that which
comes from those who are without. For he did not simply say, “he
must have a good report,” but added the
words, “from them which are without,” wishing
to show that before the report of those without he must be
carefully examined. Inasmuch, then, as I myself knew your affairs
better than your parents, as you also yourself acknowledged, I
might deserve to be released from all blame.
Basil: Nay this is the very
reason why you could not escape, if any one chose to indite you. Do
you not remember hearing from me, and often learning from my actual
conduct, the feebleness of my character? Were you not perpetually
taunting me for my pusillanimity, because I was so easily dejected
by ordinary cares?
5. Chrysostom: I do
indeed remember often hearing such things said by you; I would not
deny it. But if I ever taunted you, I did it in sport and not in
serious truth. However, I do not now dispute about these matters,
and I claim the same degree of forbearance from you while I wish to
make mention of some of the good qualities which you possess. For
if you attempt to convict me of saying what is untrue, I shall not
spare you, but shall prove that you say these things rather by way
of self-depreciation than with a view to truth, and I will employ
no evidence but your own words and deeds to demonstrate the truth
of my assertion. And now the first question I wish to ask of you is
this: do you know how great the power of love is? For omitting all
the miracles which were to be wrought by the apostles, Christ said,
“Hereby shall men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one
another,”82
and Paul said
that it was the fulfilling of the law,83
and that in default of it no
spiritual gift had any profit. Well, this choice good, the
distinguishing mark of Christ’s disciples, the gift which is
higher than all other gifts, I perceived to be deeply implanted in
your soul, and teeming with much fruit.
Basil: I acknowledge indeed
that the matter is one of deep concern to me, and that I endeavor
most earnestly to keep this commandment, but that I have not even
half succeeded in so doing, even you yourself would bear me witness
if you would leave off talking out of partiality, and simply
respect the truth.
6. Chrysostom: Well,
then, I shall betake myself to my evidences, and shall now do what
I threatened, proving that you wish to disparage yourself rather
than to speak the truth. But I will mention a fact which has only
just occurred, that no one may suspect me of attempting to obscure
the truth by the great lapse of time in relating events long past,
as oblivion would then prevent any objection being made to the
things which I might say with a view to gratification.84
| 84
The passage is awkwardly expressed in the original. What Chrysostom
says is that he will mention an event which has recently occurred
as an evidence of Basil’s character, because if he referred to
events which were no longer fresh in people’s recollection, the
accuracy of his statements could not be tested, and he might be
suspected of partiality. | For when one of our intimate
friends, having been falsely accused of insult and folly, was in
extreme peril, you then flung yourself into the midst of the
danger, although you were not summoned by any one, or appealed to
by the person who was about to be involved in danger. Such was the
fact: but that I may convict you out of your own mouth, I will
remind you of the words you uttered: for when some did not approve
of this zeal, while others commended and admired it, “How can I
help myself?” you said to those who accused you, “for I do not
know how otherwise to love than by giving up my life when it is
necessary to save any of my friends who is in danger:” thus
repeating, in different words, indeed, but with the same meaning,
what Christ said to his disciples when he laid down the definition
of perfect love. “Greater love,” He said, “hath no man than
this that a man lay down his life for his friends.” If then it is
impossible to find greater love than this, you have attained its
limit, and both by your deeds and words have crowned the summit.
This is why I betrayed you, this is why I contrived that plot. Do I
now convince you that it was not from any malicious intent, nor
from any desire to thrust you into danger, but from a persuasion of
your future usefulness that I dragged you into this
course?
Basil: Do you then suppose
that love is sufficient for the correction of one’s
fellowmen?
Chrysostom: Certainly it
would contribute in a great measure to this end. But if you wish me
to produce evidence of your practical wisdom also, I will proceed
to do so, and will prove that your understanding exceeds your
lovingkindness.
At these remarks he blushed scarlet and said, “Let
my character be now dismissed: for it was not about this that I
originally demanded an explanation; but if you have any just answer
to make to those who are without, I would gladly hear what you have
to say. Wherefore, abandoning this vain contest, tell me what
defence I shall make, both to those who have honored you and to
those who are distressed on their account, considering them to be
insulted.
7. Chrysostom: This
is just the point to which I am finally hastening, for as my
explanation to you has
been completed I shall easily turn to this part of my defence. What
then is the accusation made by these persons, and what are their
charges? They say that they have been insulted and grievously
wronged by me because I have not accepted the honor which they
wished to confer upon me. Now in the first place I say that no
account should be taken of the insult shown to men, seeing that by
paying honor to them I should be compelled to offend God. And I
should say to those who are displeased that it is not safe to take
offence at these things, but does them much harm. For I think that
those who stay themselves on God and look to Him alone, ought to be
so religiously disposed as not to account such a thing an insult,
even if they happened to be a thousand times dishonored. But that I
have not gone so far as even to think of daring anything of this
kind is manifest from what I am about to say. For if indeed I had
been induced by arrogance and vainglory, as you have often said
some slanderously affirm, to assent to my accusers, I should have
been one of the most iniquitous of mankind, having treated great
and excellent men, my benefactors moreover, with contempt. For if
men ought to be punished for wronging those who have never wronged
them, how ought we to honor those who have spontaneously preferred
to honor us? For no one could possibly say that they were requiting
me for any benefits small or great which they had received at my
hands. How great a punishment then would one deserve if one
requited them in the contrary manner. But if such a thing never
entered my mind, and I declined the heavy burden with quite a
different intention, why do they refuse to pardon me (even if they
do not consent to approve), but accuse me of having selfishly
spared my own soul? For so far from having insulted the men in
question I should say that I had even honored them by my
refusal.
And do not be surprised at the paradoxical nature of
my remark, for I shall supply a speedy solution of it.
8. For had I accepted the office, I do not say
all men, but those who take pleasure in speaking evil, might have
suspected and said many things concerning myself who had been
elected and concerning them, the electors: for instance, that they
regarded wealth, and admired splendor of rank, or had been induced
by flattery to promote me to this honor: indeed I cannot say
whether some one might not have suspected that they were bribed by
money. Moreover, they would have said, “Christ called fishermen,
tentmakers, and publicans to this dignity, whereas these men reject
those who support themselves by daily labor: but if there be any
one who devotes himself to secular learning, and is brought up in
idleness, him they receive and admire. For why, pray, have they
passed by men who have undergone innumerable toils in the service
of the Church, and suddenly dragged into this dignity one who has
never experienced any labors of this kind, but has spent all his
youth in the vain study of secular learning.” These things and
more they might have said had I accepted the office: but not so
now. For every pretext for maligning is now cut away from them, and
they can neither accuse me of flattery, nor the others of receiving
bribes, unless some choose to act like mere madmen. For how could
one who used flattery and expended money in order to obtain the
dignity, have abandoned it to others when he might have obtained
it? For this would be just as if a man who had bestowed much labor
upon the ground in order that the corn field might be laden with
abundant produce, and the presses overflow with wine, after
innumerable toils and great expenditure of money were to surrender
the fruits to others just when it was time to reap his corn and
gather in his vintage. Do you see that although what was said might
be far from the truth, nevertheless those who wished to calumniate
the electors would then have had a pretext for alleging that the
choice was made without fair judgment and consideration. But as it
is I have prevented them from being open mouthed, or even uttering
a single word on the subject. Such then and more would have been
their remarks at the outset. But after undertaking the ministry I
should not have been able day by day to defend myself against
accusers, even if I had done everything faultlessly, to say nothing
of the many mistakes which I must have made owing to my youth and
inexperience. But now I have saved the electors from this kind of
accusation also, whereas in the other case I should have involved
them in innumerable reproaches. For what would not the world have
said? “They have committed affairs of such vast interest and
importance to thoughtless youths, they have defiled the flock of
God, and Christian affairs have become a jest and a
laughing-stock.” But now “all iniquity shall stop her
mouth.”85
For although
they may say these things on your account, you will speedily teach
them by your acts that understanding is not to be estimated by age,
and the grey head is not to be the test of an elder—that the
young man ought not to be absolutely excluded from the ministry,
but only the novice: and the difference between the two is
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