of

persons of opposite sex; men are not to rush to keep the rules of Modesty in the company of women, nor women to do so in the company of men. But the necessities of a journey are continually apt to reduce this scrupulousness to a very indifferent observance of such rules. . . . And as the inns and hostelries and cities of the East present many examples of licence and of indifference to vice, how will it be possible for one passing through such smoke to escape without smarting eyes? . .

What advantage, moreover, is reaped by him who reaches those celebrated spots themselves? He cannot imagine that our Lord is living in the body there at the present day, but has gone away from us foreigners; or that the Holy Spirit is in abundance at Jerusalem, but unable to travel as far as us. Whereas, if it is really possible to infer God's presence from visible symbols, one might more justly consider that He dwelt in the Cappadocian nation than in any of the spots outside it. For how many Altars there are there, on which the name of our Lord is glorified! One could hardly count so many in all the rest of the world.

Again, if the Divine grace was more abundant about Jerusalem than elsewhere, sin would not be so much the fashion amongst those that live there; but, as it is, there is no form of uncleanness that is not perpetrated amongst them: rascality, adultery, theft, idolatry, poisoning, quarrelling, murder, are rife; and the last kind of evil is so excessively prevalent, that nowhere in the world are people so ready to kill each other as there; where kinsmen attack each other like wild beasts, and spill each other's blood merely for the sake of lifeless plunder. Well, in a place where such things go on, what proof, I ask, have you of the abundance of Divine grace?—N. & P.-N.F. v. 382 sq.

No. 104. Macrina rescues Basil

From Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, 372-†95, Vita S. Macrine (Op. ii. 181 C-D; P.G. xlvi. 966 B–C).

When the mother had arranged excellent marriages for the other sisters, such as was best in each case, Macrina's brother, the great Basil, returned after his long period of education, already a practised rhetorician. He was puffed

up beyond measure with the pride of oratory and looked down on the local dignitaries, excelling in his own estimation all the men of leading and position. Nevertheless Macrina took him in hand, and with such speed did she draw him also toward the mark of philosophy that he forsook the glories of this world and despised fame gained by speaking, and deserted it for this busy life where one toils with one's hands. His renunciation of property was complete, lest anything should impede the life of virtue.W. K. L. Clarke, St. Gregory of Nyssa's Life of St. Macrina, 27 sq. (S.P.C.K., 1916).

No. 104 A.-The Method of Catechetical

Teaching

From Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, 372-†95, Orat. Cat. Præf. (Op. iii. 43–44 C; P.G. xlv. 9–12 C).

Catechetical teaching is necessary for the ministers of the 'mystery of godliness,"1 that the Church may be increased by the addition of those who are being saved,2 while the "word of faith in accordance with the teaching "3 is brought within reach of the hearing of unbelievers. Yet the same method of teaching will not be suitable in the case of all who come to hear the word, but as the forms of religion vary, so also the instruction must be adapted to meet them, the same object in teaching being kept in view, but different arguments being used in each case. For he who follows the Jewish religion starts from one set of preconceptions, and he who is born and bred in Hellenism starts from another; while the Anomoan, the Manichæan, and the followers of Marcion, Valentinus, Basilides, and the rest who are included in the list of those who are astray in heresy, each have their own preconceptions, and make it necessary to combat their opinions; for the character of the malady must determine also the method of treatment to be applied. You will not apply the same remedy to the polytheism of the Greek as you apply to the Jew's disbelief in the Only-begotten God, nor will you in the case of those 2 Cp. Acts ii. 47.

I

1 Tim. iii. 16.

4

4

3 Titus i. 9.

μovoyevĥ deóv. This reading is found in place of "Only-begotten Son" in some important MSS. in John i. 18. The reading is common in both orthodox and Arian writers in the fourth century.

who have gone astray among heresies use the same arguments in each case to overthrow their erroneous fancies concerning the doctrines of religion. For the arguments which might restore to the right path the Sabellian will not help the Anomoean, nor does the controversy with the Manichæan benefit the Jew, but, as we have said, we must look to men's preconceptions, and adapt our discussion to suit the error in which each is involved, propounding in each discussion certain principles and reasonable propositions, in order that by means of what is admitted on both sides the truth may be unfolded in logical sequence.

When then a discussion arises with one who is attached to Greek ways of thinking, it will be well to begin the argument as follows. Does he presuppose the existence of God, or does he agree with the doctrine of the atheists? If he denies the existence of God, then by the signs of skill and wisdom shown in the ordering of the universe he will be led to acknowledge therein the existence of some power manifest in created things and transcending the universe. But if, while not denying the existence of God, he is led astray by his notions to believe in a plurality of gods, let us have recourse, in dealing with him, to some such argument as this. Does he consider the Deity to be perfect or imperfect? If, as he probably will do, he testifies to the perfection of the Divine nature, let us require him to grant that this perfection extends through everything that is observed in the Deity, in order that the Divine being may not be considered to be a mixture of contrary elements, imperfection and perfection. But whether it be in respect of power, or the conception of goodness, or wisdom, incorruption, eternity, and any other thought worthy of God that may happen to be connected with the subject of our enquiry, he will agree, as the logical outcome of this course of reasoning, that perfection is in every case the idea contemplated in the Divine nature.

And when this is admitted, it will be no longer difficult to bring round his thought, which he has dissipated over a plurality of gods, to a single Deity.-J. H. Srawley, The Catechetical Oration of St. Gregory of Nyssa, 23–5 (S.P.C.K., 1917).

No. 105.-Arian Disputatiousness

From Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, 372-†95, De deitate Filii et Spiritus sancti Oratio (Op. iii. 466 D; P.G. xlvi. 557 B).

Why to-day there are men, like those Athenians, who "spend their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing," men of yesterday and the day before, mere mechanics, off-hand dogmatists in theology, servants too and slaves that have been flogged, runaways from servile work, and are solemn with us and philosophical about things incomprehensible. You know quite well to whom I refer. With such the whole city is full; its smaller gates, forums, squares, thoroughfares; the clothes-vendors, the money-lenders, the victuallers. Ask about pence, and he will discuss the Generate and the Ingenerate. Enquire the price of bread, he answers: Greater is the Father, and the Son is subject. Say that a bath would suit you, and he defines that the Son is made out of nothing!-J. H. Newman, Select Treatises of St. Athanasius, ii. 23 sq.

7

No. 106.-Holy Week at Milan, 385 From Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan, 374-†97, Ep. xx. (Op. II. i. 852-9; P.L. xvi. 994-1002).

[§ 1] In nearly all your letters you inquire anxiously about the Church; hear then what is going on. The day after I received the letter in which you told me how you had been troubled in your dreams, a heavy weight of troubles began to assail me. It was not now the Portian Basilica, that is the one without the walls, which was demanded, but the new Basilica, that is, one within the walls, which is larger in size.

[S2] In the first place some chief men, counsellors of state, appealed to me to give up the Basilica, and restrain the people from raising any commotion. I replied, as a matter of course, that a Bishop could not give up God's house.

[§ 3] On the following day the people expressed their approval in the Church, and the Præfect also came thither, and began to urge us to yield up at least the Portian

Basilica. The people were clamorous against this, whereupon he departed, saying, that he would report matters to the Emperor.

[§ 4] On the following day, which was the Lord's day, having dismissed the catechumens after the lessons and sermon, I was explaining the Creed to some candidates for Baptism in the Baptistery of the Church. There the news was reported to me that, on learning that officials had been sent from the palace to the Portian Basilica, and were putting up the Imperial hangings, many of the people were proceeding thither. I however continued my ministrations, and began to celebrate the Eucharist.

[§ 5] While I was offering, tidings were brought me that the populace had seized upon one Castulus, whom the Arians called a priest. While making the oblation I began to weep bitterly and to beseech God's aid that no blood might be shed in the Church's quarrel; or if so, that it might be my own, and that not for my people only, but even for the ungodly themselves. But, to be brief, I sent some presbyters and deacons, and rescued the man.

[§ 6] The severest penalties were immediately decreed; first upon the whole body of merchants. And thus, during the sacred period of the last Week, wherein the debtor was wont to be loosed from his bonds, chains are placed on innocent men's necks, and two hundred pounds' weight of gold is demanded within three days. They reply they will willingly give as much, or twice as much again, so that they may not violate their faith. The prisons too were filled with tradesmen.

[§ 7] All the Officials of the palace, the Recorders, the Proctors, the Apparitors of the several Courts, on the pretext of its being unlawful for them to be present at seditious assemblies, were commanded to keep at home, severe threats were held out against men of high rank in case the Basilica was not delivered up. The persecution raged, and had an opening been afforded, they seemed likely to break out into every kind of outrage.

[§ 8] I myself had an interview with the Counts and Tribunes, who urged me to give up the Basilica without delay, declaring that the Emperor was acting on his rights, inasmuch as he had supreme power over all things. I