Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

our is the fulfilling of the law. 2326 But, as we have said, the just judgment of God, which
has ordained that the affliction due to our sins must be fulfilled, has held you back. But
when you have learnt all, specially what has not hitherto reached your ears, from our reverend
brother the deacon Sabinus, who will be able to narrate in person what is omitted in our
letter, we do beseech you to be roused both to zeal for the truth and sympathy for us. We
implore you to put on bowels of mercy, to lay aside all hesitation, and to undertake the labour
of love, without counting length of way, your own occupations, or any other human interests.
2. It is not only one Church which is in peril, nor yet two or three which have fallen
under this terrible storm. The mischief of this heresy spreads almost from the borders of
Illyricum to the Thebaid. Its bad seeds were first sown by the infamous Arius; they then
took deep root through the labours of many who vigorously cultivated the impiety between
his time and ours. Now they have produced their deadly fruit. The doctrines of true religion
are overthrown. The laws of the Church are in confusion. The ambition of men, who have
no fear of God, rushes into high posts, and exalted office is now publicly known as the prize
of impiety. The result is, that the worse a man blasphemes, the fitter the people think him
to be a bishop. Clerical dignity is a thing of the past. There is a complete lack of men
shepherding the Lord’s flock with knowledge. Ambitious men are constantly throwing away
the provision for the poor on their own enjoyment and the distribution of gifts. There is
no precise knowledge of canons. There is complete immunity in sinning; for when men
have been placed in office by the favour of men, they are obliged to return the favour by
continually showing indulgence to offenders. Just judgment is a thing of the past; and
everyone walks according to his heart’s desire. Vice knows no bounds; the people know no
restraint. Men in authority are afraid to speak, for those who have reached power by human
interest are the slaves of those to whom they owe their advancement. And now the very
vindication of orthodoxy is looked upon in some quarters as an opportunity for mutual attack;
and men conceal their private ill-will and pretend that their hostility is all for the sake
of the truth. Others, afraid of being convicted of disgraceful crimes, madden the people
into fratricidal quarrels, that their own doings may be unnoticed in the general distress.
Hence the war admits of no truce, for the doers of ill deeds are afraid of a peace, as being
likely to lift the veil from their secret infamy. All the while unbelievers laugh; men of weak
faith are shaken; faith is uncertain; souls are drenched in ignorance, because adulterators
of the word imitate the truth. The mouths of true believers are dumb, while every blasphemous
tongue wags free; holy things are trodden under foot; the better laity shun the churches
as schools of impiety; and lift their hands in the deserts with sighs and tears to their Lord
in heaven. Even you must have heard what is going on in most of our cities, how our people
with wives and children and even our old men stream out before the walls, and offer their
2326 cf. Rom. xiii. 10.
To the Italians and Gauls.
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