Gregory of Nazianzus, Apologetic Works

113. And, to distinguish yet more clearly, for the fear of leadership, perhaps the law of obedience might also help, since God repays faith through His own goodness, and makes into a perfect leader 35.512 one who has trusted in Him and placed all his hopes on Him; but for the danger of disobedience, I do not know who will be the helper, or what word will command us to be of good courage. For there is a fear lest we should hear this concerning those entrusted to us, that I will require their souls at your hands; and, As you have rejected Me from being leaders and rulers of My people, so also will I reject you from being a king to you; and, As you did not listen to My voice, but gave a stiff back, and disobeyed; so shall it be, when you call upon Me; but I will not look upon your prayer, nor will I listen. May it never be that these words come to us from the just judge, to whom, though we sing of mercy, we certainly also sing of judgment.

114. But I am carried back again to history, and on examining the most distinguished of the ancients, I find that of all those whom grace ever put forward for leadership or prophecy, some readily yielded to the call, while others deferred the gift; and I find fault with neither, neither the timidity of those who drew back, nor the eagerness of those who pressed forward. For the one class was in awe of the magnitude of the ministry; the others followed, having trusted in Him Who called them. Aaron was ready; but Moses resisted; Isaiah obeyed readily; but Jeremiah, being young, was afraid, and did not venture upon the prophetic office until he had received from God a promise and power greater than his age.

115. With these considerations I soothe myself, and little by little my soul yields and is softened, like iron; and I take time as a fellow-worker with my thoughts, and for counsel the statutes of God, to which I have entrusted my whole life. Therefore I am not disobedient, nor do I gainsay, says my Master, not being called to leadership, but being led as a sheep to the slaughter; but I also fall down and humble myself under the mighty hand of God, and I ask pardon for my former idleness and disobedience, if this be any charge against me. I was silent, but I will not be silent forever. I did withdraw for a short time, just long enough to examine myself, and 35.513 to give consolation to my grief; but now I have accepted to exalt Him in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the seat of the elders. If the former actions are worthy of accusation, these are worthy of pardon.

116. Why do we need longer speeches? You have me, O shepherds and fellow-shepherds; you have me, O sacred flock worthy of Christ the chief Shepherd; you have me, O father, conquered in all things, and according to the laws of Christ more subject than to those outside. You have my obedience, give back the blessing. Guide me also with your prayers, lead me with your word, strengthen me with your spirit. A father's blessing establishes the houses of children; and may both I and this spiritual house be established, which I have chosen, which I pray may also become for me a resting place for ever and ever, being sent forth from the Church here to the one there, and to the festal gathering of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.

117. So great then is our legation, and so reasonable; but may the God of peace, who made both one, and has restored us to one another, who seats kings on thrones, and raises the poor from the earth, and lifts the needy from the dunghill; who chose David his servant, and took him from the flocks of sheep, though he was the least among the sons of Jesse and the youngest; may He who gives the word to those who preach the gospel with great power for the fulfillment of the Gospel, may He Himself take hold of our right hand, and guide us by His counsel, and with

ΡΙΓʹ. Καὶ, ἔτι διελέσθαι σαφέστερον τῷ μὲν φόβῳ τῆς προστασίας, τάχα ἂν βοηθήσειε καὶ ὁ νόμος τῆς εὐπειθείας, τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν πίστιν ἀμειβομένου διὰ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ χρηστότητος, καὶ εἰς προστάτην τέ 35.512 λειον καταρτίζοντος, τὸν αὐτῷ θαῤῥήσαντα, καὶ πάσας θέμενον ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὰς ἐλπίδας· τῷ δὲ κινδύνῳ τῆς ἀπειθείας, οὐκ οἶδα τίς ἔσται ὁ βοηθῶν, ἢ τίς ὁ θαῤῥεῖν διακελευόμενος λόγος. Φόβος γὰρ μὴ τοῦτό γε ἀκούσωμεν περὶ ὧν ἐπιστεύθημεν, ὅτι τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν ἐκζη τήσω· καὶ Καθὼς ἀπώσασθέ με τοῦ εἶναι εἰς ἡγουμένους τοῦ λαοῦ μου καὶ ἄρχοντας, οὕτω κἀγὼ ἀπώσομαι ὑμᾶς τοῦ εἶναι ὑμῖν εἰς βασιλέα· καὶ, Καθὼς οὐκ εἰσηκούσατε τῆς φωνῆς μου, ἀλλ' ἐδώκατε νῶτον σκληρὸν, καὶ ἠπειθήσατε· οὕτως ἔσται, ὅταν ἐπικαλέσησθέ με· ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ἐπιβλέψω ἐπὶ τὴν προσευχὴν ὑμῶν, οὐδ' εἰσα κούσομαι. Ταύτας μὴ γένοιτο ἐλθεῖν ἡμῖν παρὰ τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ τὰς φωνὰς, ᾧ κἂν τὸν ἔλεον ᾄδωμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν κρίσιν γε πάντως συνᾴδο μεν.

ΡΙ∆ʹ. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὴν ἱστορίαν φέρομαι, καὶ τῶν παλαιῶν τοὺς εὐδοκιμωτάτους ἀνασκοπῶν, εὑρίσκω ὅσους πώποτε εἰς ἐπιστασίαν ἢ προφητείαν ἢ χάρις προὐβάλετο, τοὺς μὲν εἴξαντας προθύ μως τῇ κλήσει, τοὺς δὲ ἀναβαλομένους τὸ χάρισμα· καὶ οὐδετέρων μεμπτὴν, οὔτε τῶν ὑποχωρησάντων τὴν δειλίαν, οὔτε τῶν ὁρμησάντων τὴν προθυμίαν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τῆς διακονίας τὸ μέγεθος ηὐλαβήθησαν· οἱ δὲ τῷ καλοῦντι πιστεύσαντες ἠκολού θησαν. Πρόθυμος ἦν Ἀαρών· ἀλλὰ Μωσῆς ἀπεμάχετο· ὑπήκουσεν Ἡσαΐας ἑτοίμως· ἀλλ' ἐδεδοίκει τὸ νέον Ἱερεμίας, καὶ οὐ πρότερον τὴν προφητείαν ἐθάῤῥη σεν, ἢ παρὰ Θεοῦ λαβεῖν καὶ ὑπόσχεσιν καὶ δύναμιν τῆς ἡλικίας κρείττονα.

ΡΙΕʹ. Τούτοις ἐμαυτὸν ἐγὼ κατεπᾴδω τοῖς λογισμοῖς, καί μοι κατὰ μικρὸν εἴκει τε καὶ μαλάσσεται, ὥσπερ σίδηρος, ἡ ψυχή· καὶ συνεργὸν λαμβάνω τῶν λογισμῶν τὸν χρόνον, καὶ συμβουλίαν τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαιώματα, οἷς πᾶσαν τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ ζωὴν κατεπίστευσα. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀπειθῶ, οὐδὲ ἀντιλέγω, φησὶν ὁ ἐμὸς ∆εσπότης, οὐκ ἐπὶ προστασίαν καλούμε νος, ἀλλ' ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἀγόμενος· ἀλλὰ καὶ προσπίπτω καὶ ταπεινοῦμαι ὑπὸ τὴν κραταιὰν τοῦ Θεοῦ χεῖρα, καὶ συγγνώμην αἰτοῦμαι τῆς πρὶν ἀργίας καὶ ἀπειθείας, εἴ τί μοι τοῦτο ἔγκλημα. Ἐσιώπησα μὲν, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀεὶ σιωπήσομαι. Ὑπεχώρησα μέν τι μικρὸν, ὅσον ἐμαυτὸν ἐπισκέψασθαι, καὶ 35.513 τῇ λύπῃ δοῦναι παράκλησιν· ἀλλὰ νῦν ὑψοῦν αὐτὸν ἐν Ἐκκλησίᾳ λαοῦ, καὶ ἐν καθέδρᾳ πρεσβυτέρων αἰνεῖν ἐδεξάμην. Εἰ ἐκεῖνα κατηγορίας, ταῦτα συγ γνώμης ἄξια.

ΡΙςʹ. Τί δεῖ μακροτέρων ἡμῖν τῶν λόγων; Ἔχετε ἡμᾶς, ὦ ποιμένες καὶ συμποιμένες· ἔχετε, ὦ ποίμνιον ἱερὸν καὶ Χριστοῦ τοῦ ἀρχιποιμένος ἄξιον· ἔχεις, ὦ πάτερ, εἰς πάντα νενικημένον, καὶ κατὰ τοὺς τοῦ Χριστοῦ νόμους πλέον ἢ τοὺς ἔξωθεν ὑπε ξούσιον. Ἔχεις τὴν εὐπείθειαν, ἀπόδος τὴν εὐλογίαν. Χειραγώγησον καὶ σὺ ταῖς εὐχαῖς, ὁδήγησον τῷ λόγῳ, τῷ πνεύματι στήρισον. Εὐλογία πατρὸς στηρίζει οἴκους τέκνων· καὶ στηριχθείημεν ἐγώ τε καὶ ὁ πνευ ματικὸς οἶκος οὗτος, ὃν ᾑρετισάμην, ὅν μοι καὶ γενέσθαι κατάπαυσιν εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος εὔχομαι, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν Ἐκκλησίας ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν παραπεμφθέντι, καὶ πανήγυριν πρωτοτόκων ἀπογε γραμμένων ἐν οὐρανοῖς.

ΡΙΖʹ. Ἡ μὲν δὴ πρεσβεία τοσαύτη, καὶ οὕτως εὔλογος· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης, ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἓν, καὶ ἀποδοὺς ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις, ὁ καθίζων βασιλεῖς ἐπὶ θρόνων, καὶ ἀπὸ γῆς ἐγείρων πτωχὸν, καὶ ἀπὸ κοπρίας ἀνυψῶν πένητα· ὁ ἐκλεξάμενος ∆αβὶδ τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀναλαβὼν ἐκ τῶν ποιμνίων τῶν προβάτων, ἐλάχιστον ὄντα ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰεσσαὶ καὶ νεώτατον· ὁ διδοὺς ῥῆμα τοῖς εὐαγγελιζομένοις δυνάμει πολλῇ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τελείωσιν, αὐτὸς κρατήσειε τῆς χειρὸς ἡμῶν τῆς δεξιᾶς, καὶ ἐν τῇ βουλῇ αὐτοῦ ὁδηγήσειε, καὶ μετὰ