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

in order to the throne of your episcopate, like stars rising one after another, have tracked
the same course, so as to leave the tokens of the heavenly polity most clear to all who desire
them.] And if natural relationships are not to be despised, but are greatly conducive to unbroken
union and fellowship, these rights also exist naturally for you and me. [Why is it,
then, O venerable among cities, for through you I address the whole city, that no civil writing
comes from you, no welcome voice, but your ears are open to those who aim at slander?]
I am therefore the more bound to groan, the more I perceive the end they have in view.
There is no doubt as to who is the originator of the slander. 2739 He is known by many evil
deeds, but is best distinguished by this particular wickedness, and it is for this reason that
the sin is made his name. 2740 But you must put up with my plain speaking. You have
opened both ears to my slanderers. You heartily welcome all you hear without any enquiry.
Not one of you distinguishes between lies and truth. Who ever suffered for lack of wicked
accusations when struggling all alone? Who was ever convicted of lying in the absence of
his victim? What plea does not sound plausible to the hearers when the reviler persists that
such and such is the case, and the reviled is neither present nor hears what is urged against
him? Does not even the accepted custom of this world teach you, in reference to these
matters, that if any one is to be a fair and impartial hearer, he must not be entirely led away
by the first speaker, but must wait for the defence of the accused, that so truth may be
demonstrated by a comparison of the arguments on both sides? “Judge righteous judgment.”
2741 This precept is one of those most necessary for salvation.
3. When I say this I am not forgetful of the words of the Apostle, who fled from human
tribunals and reserved the defence of all his life for the unerring judgment seat, when he
said, “With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of man’s judgment.”
2742 Your ears have been preoccupied by lying slanders, slanders that have touched
my conduct, slanders that have touched my faith in God. Nevertheless, knowing, as I do,
that three persons at once are injured by the slanderer, his victim, his hearer, and himself;
as to my own wrong, I would have held my tongue, be sure; not because I despise your good
opinion, (how could I, writing now as I do and earnestly pleading as I do that I may not lose
it?) but because I see that of the three sufferers the one who is least injured is myself. It is
true that I shall be robbed of you, but you are being robbed of the truth, and he who is at
the bottom of all this is parting me from you, but he is alienating himself from the Lord,
inasmuch as no one can be brought near to the Lord by doing what is forbidden. Rather
then for your sakes than for mine, rather to rescue you from unendurable wrong am I
2739 τῆς διαβολῆς.
2740 i.e. ὁ διαβολος. The little paronomasia is untranslatable.
2741 John vii. 24.
2742 1 Cor. iv.
To the Neocæsareans.
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