Oration XLII. The Last Farewell in the Presence of the One Hundred and Fifty Bishops.

 1.  What think ye of our affairs, dear shepherds and fellow-shepherds:  whose feet are beautiful, for you bring glad tidings of peace and of the good

 2.  What then is my defence?   If it be false, you must convict me, but if true, you on behalf of whom

 3.  To speak in a more feeling strain, trusting in Him Who then forsook me, as in a Father, “Abraham has been ignorant of us, Israel has acknowledged

 4.  To return to my original startingpoint.  This was my field, when it was small and poor, unworthy not only of God, Who has been, and is cultivating

 5.  But since God, Who maketh poor and maketh rich, Who killeth and maketh alive Who maketh and transformeth all things Who turneth night into day,

 6.  Such then was once this flock, and such it is now, so healthy and well grown, and if it be not yet in perfection, it is advancing towards it by co

 7.  I seem indeed to hear that voice, from Him Who gathers together those who are broken, and welcomes the oppressed:  Enlarge thy cords, break forth

 8.  Thou countest tens of thousands, God counts those who are in a state of salvation thou countest the dust which is without number, I the vessels o

 9.  This I seemed to hear Him say, and to see Him do, and besides, to hear Him shouting to His people, which once were few and scattered and miserable

 10.  These we present to you, dear shepherds, these we offer to you, with these we welcome our friends, and guests, and fellow pilgrims.  We have noth

 11.  Lift up thine eyes round about, and see, thou critic of my words!  See the crown which has been platted in return for the hirelings of Ephraim

 12.  To those who platted this crown—that which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, nevertheless I will say it—I also have given assistance.  Some

 13.  Would you have me say something still more venturesome?  Do you see the tongues of the enemy made gentle, and those who made war upon the Godhead

 14.  But you are perhaps longing for me to give an exposition of the faith, in so far as I am able.  For I shall myself be sanctified by the effort of

 15.  One concise proclamation of our teaching, an inscription intelligible to all, is this people, which so sincerely worships the Trinity, that it wo

 16.  Let us then bid farewell to all contentious shiftings and balancings of the truth on either side, neither, like the Sabellians, assailing the Tri

 17.  But, to resume:  let us speak of the Unbegotten, the Begotten, and the Proceeding, if anyone likes to create names:  for we shall have no fear of

 18.  Moreover, the Moabites and Ammonites must not even be allowed to enter into the Church of God, I mean those sophistical, mischievous arguments wh

 19.  You have now, my friends, heard the defence of my presence here:  if it be deserving of praise, thanks are due for it to God, and to you who call

 20.  What then do I mean?  I am no proficient in virtue without reward, having not attained to so high a degree of virtue.  Give me the reward of my l

 21.  What more need be said?  But how can I bear this holy war?  For there has been said to be a holy, as well as a Persian, war.   How shall I unite

 22.   I cannot bear your horse races and theatres, and this rage for rivalry in expense and party spirit.  We unharness, and harness ourselves on the

 23.  Now, consider the charges laid against us.  You have been ruler of the church, it is said, for so long, and favoured by the course of time, and t

 24.  Perhaps we may be reproached, as we have been before, with the exquisite character of our table, the splendour of our apparel, the officers who p

 25.  What say you?  Are you persuaded, have you been overcome by my words?  Or must I use stronger terms in order to persuade you?  Yea by the Trinity

 26.  Farewell my Anastasia, whose name is redolent of piety:  for thou hast raised up for us the doctrine which was in contempt:  farewell, scene of o

 27.  Farewell, mighty Christ-loving city.  I will testify to the truth, though thy zeal be not according to knowledge.   Our separation renders us mor

16.  Let us then bid farewell to all contentious shiftings and balancings of the truth on either side, neither, like the Sabellians, assailing the Trinity in the interest of the Unity, and so destroying the distinction by a wicked confusion; nor, like the Arians, assailing the Unity in the interest of the Trinity, and by an impious distinction overthrowing the Oneness.  For our object is not to exchange one evil for another, but to ensure our attainment of that which is good.  These are the playthings of the Wicked One, who is ever swaying our fortunes towards the evil.  But we, walking along the royal road which lies between the two extremes, which is the seat of the virtues, as the authorities say, believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, of one Substance and glory; in Whom also baptism has its perfection, both nominally and really (thou knowest who hast been initiated!); being a denial of atheism and a confession of Godhead; and thus we are regenerated, acknowledging the Unity in the Essence and in the undivided worship, and the Trinity in the Hypostases or Persons (which term some prefer.)  And let not those who are contentious on these points utter their scandalous taunts, as if our faith depended on terms and not on realities.  For what do you mean who assert the three Hypostases?  Do you imply three Essences by the term?  I am assured that you would loudly shout against those who do so.  For you teach that the Essence of the Three is One and the same.  What do you mean, who assert the Three Persons?  Do you imagine a single compound sort of being, with three faces,94    With three faces (or masks).  A play upon the word πρόσωπον which is used in theology in the sense of Person. or of an entirely human form?  Perish the thought!  You too will loudly reply that he who thinks thus, will never see the face of God, whatever it may be.  What is the meaning of the Hypostases of the one party, of the Persons of the other, to ask this further question?  That They are three, Who are distinguished not by natures, but by properties.95    Properties.  Cf. xliii. 30, note.  Excellent.  How could men agree and harmonize better than you do, even if there be a difference between the syllables you use?  You see what a reconciler I am, bringing you back from the letter to the sense, as we do with the Old and New Testaments.

Ι#2ʹ. Τὰς μὲν οὖν φιλονείκους ἐπὶ θάτερα μετακλίσεις τοῦ λόγου καὶ ἀντισηκώσεις, χαίρειν ἐάσωμεν: οὔτε τῷ ἑνὶ Σαβελλίζοντες κατὰ τῶν τριῶν, καὶ συναιρέσει κακῇ τὴν διαίρεσιν λύοντες: οὔτε τοῖς τρισὶν Ἀρειανίζοντες κατὰ τοῦ ἑνὸς, καὶ πονηρᾷ διαιρέσει τὸ ἓν ἀνατρέποντες. Οὐ γὰρ κακοῦ τὸ κακὸν ἀλλάξασθαι τὸ ζητούμενον, ἀλλὰ τοῦ καλοῦ μὴ διαμαρτεῖν. Ὡς ταῦτά γε τοῦ πονηροῦ παίγνια, κακῶς τὰ ἡμέτερα ταλαντεύοντος. Αὐτοὶ δὲ τὴν μέσην βαδίζοντες καὶ βασιλικὴν, ἐν ᾧ καὶ τὸ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἕστηκεν, ὡς δοκεῖ τοῖς ταῦτα δεινοῖς, πιστεύομεν εἰς Πατέρα, καὶ Υἱὸν, καὶ Πνεῦμα ἅγιον, ὁμοούσιά τε καὶ ὁμόδοξα: ἐν οἷς καὶ τὸ βάπτισμα τὴν τελείωσιν ἔχει, ἔν τε ὀνόμασι καὶ πράγμασιν (οἶδας ὁ μυηθείς): ἄρνησις ὂν ἀθεΐας, καὶ ὁμολογία θεότητος, καὶ οὕτω καταρτιζόμεθα: τὸ μὲν ἓν, τῇ οὐσίᾳ γινώσκοντες, καὶ τῷ ἀμερίστῳ τῆς προσκυνήσεως: τὰ δὲ τρία, ταῖς ὑποστάσεσιν, εἴτουν προσώποις, ὅ τισι φίλον. Μηδὲ γὰρ οἱ περὶ ταῦτα ζυγομαχοῦντες ἀσχημονείτωσαν, ὥσπερ ἐν ὀνόμασι κειμένης ἡμῖν τῆς εὐσεβείας, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐν πράγμασι. Τί γάρ φατε οἱ τὰς τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις εἰσφέροντες; μὴ τρεῖς οὐσίας ὑπολαμβάνοντες τοῦτο λέγετε; Μέγα οἶδ', ὅτι βοήσετε κατὰ τῶν οὕτως ὑπειληφότων. Μίαν γὰρ καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν τῶν τριῶν δογματίζετε. Τί δαὶ οἱ τὰ πρόσωπα; μὴ ἓν, οἷόν τι σύνθετον, ἀναπλάσσετε, καὶ τριπρόσωπον, ἢ ἀνθρωπόμορφον ὅλως; Ἄπαγε, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀντιβοήσετε, μηδὲ πρόσωπον, ὅ τί ποτέ ἐστιν, ἴδοι Θεοῦ, ὃς οὕτως ἔχει. Τί οὖν ἡμῖν αἱ ὑποστάσεις βούλονται, ἢ ὑμῖν τὰ πρόσωπα; προσερήσομαι γάρ. Τὸ τρία εἶναι τὰ διαιρούμενα, οὐ φύσεσιν, ἀλλ' ἰδιότησιν. Ὑπέρευγε. Πῶς ἄν τινες συμφρονοῖεν μᾶλλον καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ λέγοιεν, ἢ οὕτως ἔχοντες, κἂν ταῖς συλλαβαῖς διαφέρωσιν; Ὁρᾶτε οἷος ἐγὼ διαλλακτὴς ὑμῖν, πρὸς τὸν νοῦν ἄγων ἀπὸ τοῦ γράμματος, ὥσπερ τὴν Παλαιὰν καὶ τὴν Νέαν.