Gregory Nazianzen Search This Resource     in this Authorin this Sectionin all Sections   Navigator (Page 1 of 3) Previous Next   Page2   Oration XLII. The Last Farewell in the Presence of the One Hundred and Fifty Bishops. This Oration was delivered during the Second (Ecumenical Council, held at Constantinople a.d. 381. Historical as well as personal motives render the occasion of the deepest interest. The audience consisted of the one hundred and fifty Bishops of the Eastern Church who took part in the Council, and of the speaker's own flock, the orthodox Christians of Constantinople. He had by his own exertions gathered that flock together, after it had been ravaged by heretical teachers. He had won the admiration and affection of its members, by his courageous championship of the Faith, his lucid teaching, and his fatherly care for their spiritual needs. He had been, against his will, enthroned with acclamation in the highest ecclesiastical position in the Eastern Church, and called to preside over the Synod of its assembled Bishops. Finding himself unable to guide the deliberations of the Council in regard to a question of the highest importance, and perceiving that he himself and his position were made by some of the Bishops a fresh cause of dissension, he felt bound to resign his high office, and endeavour by this personal sacrifice to restore peace to the Church. His language is worthy of the occasion. Obliged to deal with the topics which had caused dissension, he handles them with gentle and discriminating tact; he speaks with great self-restraint in his own defence; he sets forth with tenderest feeling the common experiences of himself and his flock: he gives with dignity and clearness his last public exposition of the Faith; and finally, in language of exquisite beauty, spoken with the quivering tones of an aged man, he bids a tender farewell to his flock, his cathedral, and his throne, with all their affecting associations. It was an occasion whose pathos is unsurpassed in history. Orator and audience were alike deeply moved, and the emotion has been renewed in all those who have read his words, and realised the scene of their delivery. 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 things(1) with which ye have come; beautiful again in our eyes, to whom ye have come in season, not to convert a wandering sheep,(2) but to converse with a pilgrim shepherd? What .think ye of this our pilgrimage? And of its fruit, or rather of that of the Spirit(3) within us,(4) by Whom we are ever moved,(5) and specially have now been moved, desiring to have, and perhaps having, nothing of our own? Do you of yourselves understand and perceive-and are you kindly critics of our actions? Or must we, like those from whom a reckoning is demanded as to their military command, or civil government, or administration of the exchequer, publicly and in person submit to you the accounts of our administration? Not indeed that we are ashamed of being judged, for we are ourselves judges in turn, and both with the same charity. But the law is an ancient one: for even Paul communicated to the Apostles his Gospel:(6) not for the sake of ostentation, for the Spirit is far removed from all ostentation, but in order to establish his success and correct his failure, if indeed there were any such in his words or actions, as he declares when writing of himself. Since even the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the prophets,(7) according to the order of the Spirit who regulates and divides all things well. And do not wonder that, while he rendered his account privately and to some, I do so publicly, and to all. For my need is greater than his, of being aided by the freedom of my censors, if I am proved to have failed in my duty, lest I should run, or have run, in vain.(8) And the only possible mode of self-defence is speech in the presence of men who know the facts. 2. What then is my defence?(9) If it be false, you must convict me, but if true, you on behalf of whom(10) and in whose presence I speak, must bear witness to it. For you are my defence, my witnesses, and my crown of rejoicing,(11) if I also may venture to boast myself a little in the Apostle's language. This flock was, when it was small and poor, as far as appearances went, nay, not even a flock, but a slight trace and relic of a flock, without order, or shepherd, or bounds, with neither right to pasturage, nor the defence of a fold, wandering upon the mountains and in caves and dens of the earth,(12) scattered and dispersed hither and thither as each one could find shelter or pasture, or could gratefully secure its own safety; like that flock which was harassed by lions, dispersed by tempest, or scattered in darkness, the lamentation of prophets who compared it to the misfortunes of Israel,(13) given up to the Gentiles; over which we also lamented, so long as our lot was worthy of lamentation. For in very deed we also were thrust out and cast off, and scattered upon every mountain and hill, from the need of a shepherd:(14) and a dreadful storm fell upon the Church, and fearful beasts assailed her, who do not even now, after the calm, spare us, but without being ashamed of themselves, wield a greater power than the time should allow; while a gloomy darkness, far more oppressive than the ninth plague of Egypt, the darkness which might be felt,(15) enveloped and concealed everything, so that we could scarcely even see one another. 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 us not, but Thou art our Father, and unto Thee do we look;(16) beside Thee we know none else, we make mention of Thy name."(17) Therefore, says Jeremiah, I will plead with Thee, I will reason the cause with Thee.(18) We are become as at the beginning, when Thou barest not rule(19) over us, and Thou hast forgotten Thy holy covenant, and shut up Thy mercies from us. Therefore we, the worshippers of the Trinity, the perfect suppliants of the perfect Deity, became a reproach to Thy Beloved, neither daring to bring down to our own level any of the things above us, nor in such wise to rise up against the godless tongues which fought against God, as to make His Majesty a fellow servant with ourselves; but, as is plain, we were delivered up on account of our other sins, and because our conduct had been unworthy of Thy commandments, and we had walked after our own evil mind. For what other reason can there be for our being delivered up to the most unrighteous and wicked men of all the dwellers upon the earth? First Nebuchadnezzar(20) afflicted us,(21) possessed during the Christian era with an anti-Christian rage, hating Christ just because he had through Him gained salvation, and having bartered the sacred books for sacrifices to those who are no gods. He devoured me, he tore me in pieces, a slight darkness enveloped me,(22) if I may even in my lamentation keep to the language of Scripture. If the Lord had not helped me,(23) and righteously delivered him to the hands of the lawless, by casting him off (such are the judgments of God) to the Persians, by whom his blood was righteously shed for his unholy sheddings of blood, since in this case alone justice could not afford even to be longsuffering, my soul had shortly dwelt in the grave.(24) The second(25) no more kindly, if he were not even more grievous still, for while he bore the name of Christ, he was a false Christ, and at once a burden and a reproach to the Christians, for, while to obey him was ungodly, to suffer at his hands was inglorious, since they did not even seem to be wronged, nor to gain by their sufferings the glorious title of martyr, inasmuch as the truth was in this case perverted, for while they suffered as Christians, they were supposed to be punished as heretics. Alas! how rich we were in misfortunes, for the fire consumed the beauties of the world.(26) That which the palmerworm left did the locust eat, and that which the locust left did the caterpillar eat: then came the cankerworm,(27) then, what next I know not, one evil springing up after another. But for what purpose should I give a tragic description of the evils of the time, and of the penalty exacted from us, or, if I must rather call it so, the testing and refining we endured? At any rate, we went through fire and water,(28) and have attained a place of refreshment by the good pleasure of God our Saviour. 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 the whole world with the fair seeds and doctrines of piety, but, apparently, even of any poor and needy man of slender means. Nay it did not deserve to be called a field, requiring neither barn nor threshing-floor, and not even worthy of the sickle; with neither heap nor sheaves, or small and untimely sheaves, like those on the housetop, which do not fill the hand of the reaper, nor call forth a blessing from them which go by.(29) Such was my field, such my harvest; great and well-eared and fat in the eyes of Him Who beholdeth hidden things, and becoming such a husbandman, its abundance springing from the valleys of souls well tilled with the Word: unrecognized however in public, and not collected together, but gathered in fragments, as an ear gleaned in the stubble,(30) as gleaning-grapes in the vintage, where there is no cluster left. I think I may add, only too appropriately, I found Israel like a figtree in the wilderness,(31) and like one or two ripe grapes in an unripe cluster, preserved as a blessing from the Lord,(32) and a consecrated firstfruit, though small as yet and scanty, and not filling the mouth of the eater: and as an ensign on a hill,(33) and as a beacon on a mountain, or any other solitary thing visible only to few. Such was its former poverty and dejection. 5. But since God, Who maketh poor and maketh rich, Who killeth and maketh alive;(34) Who maketh and transformeth all things; Who turneth night into day,(35) winter into spring, storm into calm, drought into abundance of rain; and often for the sake of the prayers(36) of one righteous man(37) sorely persecuted; Who lifteth up the meek on high, and bringeth the ungodly down to the ground;(38) since God said to Himself, I have surely seen the affliction of Israel;(39) and they shall no longer be further vexed with clay and brick-making; and when He spake He visited, and in His visitation He saved, and led forth His people with a mighty hand and outstretched arm,(40) by the hand of Moses and Aaron,(41) His chosen-what is the result, and what wonders have been wrought? Those which books and monuments contain. For besides all the wonders by the way, and that mighty roar, to speak most concisely, Joseph came into Egypt alone((42) and soon after six hundred thousand depart from Egypt.(43) What more marvellous than this? What greater proof of the generosity of God, when from men without means He wills to supply the means for public affairs? And the land of promise is distributed through one who was hated, and he who was sold(44) dispossesses nations, and is himself made a great nation, and that small offshoot becomes a luxuriant vine,(45) so great that it reaches to the river, and is stretched out to the sea,(46) and spreads from border to border, and hides the mountains with the height of its glory and is exalted above the cedars, even the cedars of God, whatever we are to take these mountains and cedars to be. 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 constant increase, and I prophesy that it will advance. This is foretold me by the Holy Spirit, if I have any prophetic instinct and insight into the future. And from what has preceded I am able to be confident, and recognize this by reasoning, being the nursling of reason. For it was much more improbable that, from that condition, it should reach its present development, than that, as it now is, it should attain to the height of renown. For ever since it began to be gathered together, by Him Who quickeneth the dead,(47) bone to its bone, joint to joint, and the Spirit of life and regeneration was given to it in their dryness,(48) its entire resurrection has been, I know well, sure to be fulfilled: so that the rebellious should not exalt themselves,(49) and that those who grasp at a shadow, or at a dream when one awaketh,(50) or at the dispersing breezes, or at the traces of a ship in the water,(51) should not think that they have anything. Howl, firtree, for the cedar is fallen!(52) Let them be instructed by the misfortunes of others, and learn that the poor shall not alway be forgotten,(53) and that the Deity will not refrain, as Habakkuk says, from striking through the heads of the mighty ones(54) in His fury-the Deity, Who has been struck through and impiously divided into Ruler and Ruled, in order to insult the Deity in the highest degree by degrading It, and oppress a creature by equality with Deity. 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 on the right hand and on the left, drive in thy stakes, spare not thy curtains.(55) I have given thee up, and I will help thee. In a little wrath I smote thee, but with everlasting mercy I will glorify thee.(56) The measure of His kindness exceeds the measure of His discipline. The former things were owing to our wickedness, the present things to the adorable Trinity: the former for our cleansing, the present for My glory, Who will glorify them that glorify Me,(57) and I will move to jealousy them that move Me to jealousy. Behold this is sealed up with Me,(58) and this is the indissoluble law of recompense. But thou didst surround thyself with walls and tablets and richly set stones, and long porticos and galleries, and didst shine and sparkle with gold, which thou didst, in part pour forth like water, in part treasure up like sand; not knowing that better is faith, with no other roof but the sky to cover it, than impiety rolling in wealth, and that three gathered together in the Name of the Lord(59) count for more with God than tens of thousands of those who deny the Godhead. Would you prefer the whole of the Canaanites to Abraham alone?(60) or the men of Sodom to Lot?(61) or the Midianites to Moses,(62) when each of these was a pilgrim and a stranger? How do the three hundred men with Gideon, who bravely lapped,(63) compare with the thousands who were put to flight? Or the servants of Abraham, who scarcely exceeded them in number, with the many kings and the army of tens of thousands whom, few as they were, they overtook and defeated?(64) Or how do you understand the passage that though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved?(65) And again, I have left me seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal?(66) This is not the case; it is not? God has not taken pleasure in numbers. 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 of election. For nothing is so magnificent in God's sight as pure doctrine, and a soul perfect in all the dogmas of the truth.-For there is nothing worthy of Him Who made all things, of Him by Whom are all things, and for Whom are all things,(67) so that it can be given or offered to God: not merely the handiwork or means of any individual, but even if we wished to honour Him, by uniting together all the property and handiwork of all mankind. Do not I fill heaven and earth?(68) saith the Lord! and what house will ye build Me? or what is the place of My rest?(69) But, since man must needs fall short of what is worthy, I ask of you, as approaching it most nearly, piety, the wealth which is common to all and equal in My eyes, wherein the poorest may, if he be nobleminded, surpass the most illustrious. For this kind of glory depends upon purpose, not upon affluence. These things be well assured, I will accept at your hands.(70) To tread(71) My courts ye shall not proceed, but the feet of the meek(72) shall tread them, who have duly and sincerely acknowledged Me, and My only-begotten Word, and the Holy Spirit. How long will ye inherit My holy Mountain?(73) How long shall My ark be among the heathen?(74) Now for a little longer ye indulge yourselves in that which belongs to others, and gratify your desires. For as ye have devised to reject Me, so will I also reject you,(75) saith the Lord Almighty. 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, and have now become many, and compact enough and enviable, Go through(76) My gates(77) and be ye enlarged. Must you always be in trouble and dwell in tents, while those who vex you rejoice exceedingly? And to. the presiding Angels, for I believe, as John teaches me in his Revelation, that each Church has its guardian,(78) Prepare ye the way of My people, and cast away the stones from the way,(79) that there may be no stumblingblock or hindrance for the people(80) in the divine road and entrance, now, to the temples made with hands,(81) but soon after, to Jerusalem above,(82) and the Holy of holies there,(83) which will, I know, be the end of suffering and struggle to those who here bravely travel on the way. Among whom are ye also called to be Saints,(84) a people of possession, a royal priesthood,(85) the most excellent portion of the Lord, a whole river from a drop, a heavenly lamp from a spark, a tree from a grain of mustard seed,(86) on which the birds come and lodge. FOOTNOTES: Isai. lii. 7; Rom. x. 15. S. Matt. xviii. 12. Gal. v. 22. 2 Tim. i. 14. Acts xvii. 28. Gal. ii. 2. 1 Cor. xiv. 32. Gal. ii. 2. 1 Cor. ix. 3. On behalf of, i.e., the Christians of Constantinople, whose Pastor he had been, who were present at the time in the church. 1 Thess. ii. 19. Heb. xi. 38. Ezek. xxxi. ii. Ib. xxxiv. 6. Exod. x. 21. Isai. lxiii. 16. Ib. xxvi. 13 (lxx.). Jer. xii. 1. Isai. lxiii. 19. Nebuchadnezzar, i.e., Julian. Jer. li. 34. Ps. lv. 6 (lxx.). Ps. xciv. 17. Ib. xciv 17. The second, i.e. Valens. Joel i. 19. Ib. i. 4. Ps. lxvi. 12. Ib. cxxix. 6. sqq. Mic. vii. 1. (lxx.). Hos. ix. 10 (lxx.). Isai. lxv. 8. Ib. xxx. 17. 1 Sam. ii. 6 sqq. Amos v. 8. 1 Kings xviii. 42. S. James v. 16, 17. Ps. cxlvii. 6. Exod. iii. 7. Ps. cxxxvi. 12. Ib. lxxvii. 20. Gen. xxxvii. 28. Exod. xii. 37. Gen. xlix. 22. Hos. x. 1. Ps. lxxx. 8 et seq. Rom. iv. 17. Ezek. xxxvii. 7, 10. Ps. lxvi. 7. Ps. lxxiii. 20. Wisd. v. 9 sqq. Zech. xi. 2. Ps. ix. 18. Hab. iii. 13. Isai. liv. 2. Ib. liv. 8. 1 Sam. ii. 30. Deut. xxxii. 21, 34. S. Matt. xviii. 20. Gen. xii. 6; xiii. 12. Ib. xix. 1. Exod. ii. 15. Judg. vii. 5. Gen. xiv. 14. Isai. x. 22; Rom. ix. 27. 1 Kings xix. 18; Rom. xi. 4. 1 Cor. viii. 6. Jer. xxiii. 24. Isai. lxvi. 1. Ib. i 12. To tread. etc. The Arians for a time had been in possession of the churches of Constantinople. Isai. xxvi. 6 (lxx.). Ib. lvii. 13; lxv. 9. 1 Sam. vi. 1. Hos. iv. 6. Go through, etc. This passage refers to the oration ofrest the churches to the orthodox by Theodosius, Jan. 10, A.D. 381. Isai. lxii. 10. Rev. ii. 1. Isai. lxii. 10. Ib. lvii. 14. Acts. vii. 48. Gal. iv. 26. Heb. ix. 3, 24. Rom. i. 6. 1 Pet. ii. 9. S. Matt. xiii. 21.