Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 392

Gregory to all the bishops established throughout the province of Hellas. I give thanks together with you, most dear brethren, to Almighty God, who has brought to the knowledge of all the hidden wound which the ancient enemy had inflicted, and has restrained it from the body of His Church by a salutary incision. Wherein we have both cause for joy and cause for grief: joy indeed at the correction of the crime, but grief at the fall of a brother. Yet since for the most part one man's fall is wont to be another man's caution, let whoever fears to fall take heed to this, that he give the enemy no entrance, and let him not suppose that what is done lies hidden. For the Truth cries out: There is nothing hidden that shall not be revealed (Matt. X, 26).

For this voice is already the herald of our deeds, and, with Him as witness, in every way brings to light what is done in secret. Or who would strive to hide his own acts before Him who is both the witness and the judge of them? But because sometimes, while one thing is attended to, another is not guarded against, it behoves each one to be watchful against all the snares of the enemy, lest, while he conquers in one point, he be overcome in another. For even the earthly enemy, who desires to invade fortified places, uses this manner of fighting beforehand: he secretly lays his ambushes, and shows himself wholly bent on storming a single place, so that, while men gather to the defence of that place where the danger presses, other places about which there is no suspicion may be taken.

And it comes to pass that he who, being known, was repulsed by the strength of the resister, secretly obtains what he could not gain by open contest. But because in all these things there is need of the aid of divine protection, let each of us cry out to the Lord with the voice of the heart, saying: O Lord, put not far from me Thy help; look to my defence (Ps. XXI, 20). For it is manifest that unless He Himself has aided us, and defended those who cry to Him, our enemy cannot be overcome. Furthermore, receiving the letter of your Charity by our brother and fellow-bishop Andrew, know that we have transmitted the pallium to our brother John, bishop of the Corinthians;

whom it greatly befits you to obey, especially since both the order of ancient custom claims this for him, and his good qualities, to which you yourselves bear testimony, invite it. For from the report of certain persons I have learned that in those parts no one attains to sacred orders without the giving of a bribe. But if this be so — I say it with sorrow, and announce it with groaning — that when the priestly order has fallen inwardly, it cannot long stand even outwardly. For we know from the Gospel what our Redeemer did by Himself: that entering into the temple, He overthrew the seats of them that sold doves (Matt. XXI, 12).

For to sell doves is to receive temporal profit for the Holy Spirit, whom Almighty God, consubstantial with Himself, bestows upon men through the imposition of hands. From which evil, as I have said before, is intimated what follows: that they who have presumed to sell doves in the temple of God, their seats, God being the judge, have fallen. Which error indeed is propagated among subordinates with increase. For he too who is brought to sacred orders, being already corrupted in the very root of his advancement, is the more ready to sell to others what he bought. And where is that which is written: Freely you have received, freely give (Matt. X, 8)?

And since it was the simoniac heresy that first arose against the holy Church, why is it not weighed, why is it not seen, that he who ordains anyone for a price, by advancing him acts so that he becomes a heretic? Therefore we exhort that none of you suffer this to be done henceforth; but let no one dare, whether by anyone's favour or by entreaty, to promote any to sacred orders, save him whom the quality of his life and conduct shall have shown to be worthy of it. For if we perceive it done otherwise henceforth, know that it will be restrained by strict and canonical punishment. Given on the 15th day of the month of August, in the 13th indiction.