Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration on the Holy Lights

XVIII. I, however, for I confess myself to be a man,—that is to say, an animal shifty and of a changeable nature,—both eagerly receive this Baptism, and worship Him Who has given it me, and impart it to others; and by shewing mercy make provision for mercy. For I know that I too am compassed with infirmity,88 Heb. v. 2. and that with what measure I mete it shall be measured to me again.89 Matt. vii. 2. But what sayest thou, O new Pharisee pure90 The Novatians were known as Cathari or Puritans. in title but not in intention, who dischargest upon us the sentiments of Novatus,91 In a.d. 251 Novatus, a Presbyter of the Church of Carthage, who with others had formed a party against S. Cyprian, their Bishop, came to Rome, and excited Novatian to become leader in a similar schism against Cornelius, the recently elected Bishop of the Apostolic See. The plea urged on behalf of the schism was that Cornelius, who was of one accord with Cyprian, had lapsed in the time of the persecution under Decius, a.d. 250, and that he had relaxed the discipline of the Church by admitting to Communion on too easy terms those who had been guilty of a similar offence; and that therefore he ought not to be recognized as a true Bishop of the Church, but a faithful Pastor should be chosen in his place. Consequently Novatian was elected by some who held these views, and was consecrated by three Bishops. There seem to have been a good many of his followers in Constantinople at this time. There had been at one time a disposition among them to reunite themselves to the Catholic Church, for they were orthodox in faith; but it had been hindered by the malevolence of their party leaders; so that the schism continued, and the Novatians must be added to the opponents with whom S. Gregory had to deal. though thou sharest the same infirmities? Wilt thou not give any place to weeping? Wilt thou shed no tear? Mayest thou not meet with a Judge like thyself? Art thou not ashamed by the mercy of Jesus, Who took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses;92 Matt. viii. 17. Who came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance;93 Ib. ix. 13. Who will have mercy rather than sacrifice; who forgiveth sins till seventy times seven.94 Ib. xviii. 22. How blessed would your exaltation be if it really were purity, not pride, making laws above the reach of men, and destroying improvement by despair. For both are alike evil, indulgence not regulated by prudence, and condemnation that will never forgive; the one because it relaxes all reins, the other because it strangles by its severity. Shew me your purity, and I will approve your boldness. But as it is, I fear that being full of sores you will render them incurable. Will you not admit even David’s repentance, to whom his penitence preserved even the gift of prophecy? nor the great Peter himself, who fell into human weakness at the Passion of our Saviour? Yet Jesus received him, and by the threefold question and confession healed the threefold denial.95 John xxi. 15. sq. Or will you even refuse to admit that he was made perfect by blood (for your folly goes even as far as that)? Or the transgressor at Corinth? But Paul confirmed love towards him when he saw his amendment, and gives the reason, “that such an one be not swallowed up by overmuch sorrow,”96 2 Cor. ii. 7. being overwhelmed by the excess of the punishment.97 “This too often ignored page gives a solemn contradiction to those who, falsifying history as well as theology, pretended two centuries ago to revive by their extravagant rigour the spirit of the primitive Church. The spirit of the Church never changes. Inflexible against error, it is full of gentleness and kindliness for repentant sinners. The spirit of the Church is that of the Saints of all times; or rather it is that of the Divine Shepherd, Who made Himself known above all by His unspeakable tenderness and His inexhaustible mercy to lost sheep.” (Benoit S. G. de N.) And will you refuse to grant liberty of marriage to young widows on account of the liability of their age to fall? Paul ventured to do so; but of course you can teach him; for you have been caught up to the Fourth heaven, and to another Paradise, and have heard words more unspeakable, and comprehend a larger circle in your Gospel.

ΙΗʹ. Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν (ἄνθρωπος εἶναι γὰρ ὁμολογῶ, ζῶον τρεπτὸν καὶ ῥευστῆς φύσεως), καὶ δέχομαι τοῦτο προθύμως, καὶ προσκυνῶ τὸν δεδωκότα, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις μεταδίδωμι, καὶ προεισφέρω τοῦ ἐλέου τὸν ἔλεον. Οἶδα γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀσθένειαν περικείμενος, καὶ ὡς ἂν μετρήσω, μετρηθησόμενος. Σὺ δὲ τί λέγεις, τί νομοθετεῖς, ὦ νέε Φαρισαῖε, καὶ καθαρὲ τὴν προσηγορίαν, οὐ τὴν προαίρεσιν, καὶ φυσῶν ἡμῖν τὰ Ναυάτου μετὰ τῆς αὐτῆς ἀσθενείας; Οὐ δέχῃ μετάνοιαν; οὐ δίδως ὀδυρμοῖς χώραν; οὐ δακρύεις δάκρυον; Μὴ σύ γε τοιούτου κριτοῦ τύχοις. Οὐκ αἰδῇ τὸ Ἰησοῦ φιλάνθρωπον, τοῦ τὰς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν λαβόντος, καὶ τὰς νόσους βαστάσαντος, τοῦ μὴ δικαίοις ἐλθόντος, ἀλλ' ἁμαρτωλοῖς εἰς μετάνοιαν, τοῦ ἔλεον θέλοντος μᾶλλον ἢ θυσίαν, τοῦ ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτὰ συγχωροῦντος τὰ ἁμαρτήματα; Ὡς μακάριόν σου τὸ ὑψηλὸν, εἰ καθαρότης ἦν, ἀλλὰ μὴ τῦφος, νομοθετῶν ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον, καὶ λύων τῇ ἀπογνώσει τὴν ἐπανόρθωσιν. Ὁμοίως γάρ ἐστι κακὸν, καὶ ἄνεσις ἀσωφρόνιστος, καὶ κατάγνωσις ἀσυγχώρητος: ἡ μὲν ὅλην ἐφιεῖσα τὴν ἡνίαν, ἡ δὲ τῷ σφοδρῷ κατάγχουσα. Δεῖξόν μοι τὴν καθαρότητα, καὶ δέχομαί σου τὴν θρασύτητα. Νῦν δὲ δέδοικα, μὴ βρύων ἕλκεσιν, εἰσάγῃς τὸ ἀνιάτρευτον. Οὐδὲ τὸν Δαβὶδ δέχῃ μετανοοῦντα, ᾧ καὶ τὸ προφητικὸν χάρισμα ἡ μετάνοια συνετήρησεν; Οὐδὲ Πέτρον τὸν μέγαν παθόντα τι ἀνθρώπινον περὶ τὸ σωτήριον πάθος; Ἰησοῦς δὲ ἐδέξατο, καὶ τῷ τρισσῷ τῆς ἐρωτήσεως καὶ τῆς ὁμολογίας, τὸ τρισσὸν τῆς ἀρνήσεως ἐθεράπευσεν. Ἢ οὐδὲ τελειωθέντα δέχῃ δι' αἵματος; Ἔστι γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο τῆς σῆς ἀπονοίας. Οὐδὲ τὸν ἐν Κορίνθῳ παρανομήσαντα; Παῦλος δὲ καὶ ἀγάπην ἐκύρωσεν, ἐπειδὴ τὴν διόρθωσιν εἶδε: καὶ τὸ αἴτιον: Ἵνα μὴ τῇ περισσοτέρᾳ λύπῃ καταποθῇ ὁ τοιοῦτος, βαρηθεὶς τῇ ἀμετρίᾳ τῆς ἐπιπλήξεως. Οὐδὲ τὰς νέας γαμίζεις χήρας, διὰ τὸ τῆς ἡλικίας εὐάλωτον; Παῦλος δὲ τοῦτο ἐτόλμησεν, οὗ σὺ δηλαδὴ διδάσκαλος, ὡς ἐπὶ τέταρτον οὐρανὸν φθάσας, καὶ ἄλλον παράδεισον, καὶ ἀποῤῥητοτέρων ἀκούσας ῥημάτων, καὶ μείζονα κύκλον τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ περιλαβών.