Letter II.
To his most pious brother
Gregory. Peter greeting in the Lord.
Having met with the writings of
your holiness and having perceived in your tract against this heresy
your zeal both for the truth and for our sainted father in God, I judge
that this work was not due simply to your own ability, but was that of
one who studied that the Truth should speak, even in the publication of
his own views. To the Holy Spirit of truth I would refer this plea for
the truth; just as to the father of lies, and not to Eunomius, should
be referred this animosity against sound faith. Indeed, that murderer
from the beginning who speaks in Eunomius has carefully whetted the
sword against himself; for if he had not been so bold against the
truth, no one would have roused you to undertake the cause of our
religion. But to the end that the rottenness and flimsiness of their
doctrines may be exposed, He who “taketh the wise in their own
craftiness” hath allowed them both to be headstrong against the
truth, and to have laboured vainly on this vain speech.
But since he that hath begun a
good work will finish it, faint not in furthering the Spirit’s
power, nor leave half-won the victory over the assailants of
Christ’s glory; but imitate thy true father who, like the zealot
Phineas, pierced with one stroke of his Answer both master and pupil. Plunge with thy intellectual arm the sword of the Spirit through both these heretical pamphlets, lest, though broken on the head, the serpent affright the simpler sort by still quivering in the tail. When the first arguments have been answered, should the last remain unnoticed, the many will suspect that they still retain some strength against the truth.
The feeling shewn in your
treatise will be grateful, as salt, to the palate of the soul. As bread
cannot be eaten, according to Job, without salt, so the discourse which
is not savoured with the inmost sentiments of God’s word will
never wake, and never move, desire.
Be strong, then, in the thought
that thou art a beautiful example to succeeding times of the way in
which good-hearted children should act towards their virtuous
fathers.