u he that troubleth Israel?" The
Jews by provocation of Divine justice had set themselves in a fair
way towards desolation and ruin; this event to come they had the
presumption to lay upon the faith of our Lord's doctrine. "If,"
said they, "we let him alone, all men will believe on him, and the
Romans shall come, and take away our place and nation," whereas, in
truth, a compliance with his directions and admonitions had been the
only means to prevent those presaged mischiefs. And, _si_ _Tibris_
_ascenderit_ _in_ _mania_, if any public calamity did appear, then
_Christianos_ _ad_ _leones_, Christians must be charged and
persecuted as the causes thereof. To them it was that Julian and
other pagans did impute all the discussions, confusions, and
devastations falling upon the Roman Empire. The sacking of Rome by
the Goths they cast upon Christianity; for the vindication of it
from which reproach St. Augustine did write those renowned books 'De
Civitate Dei.' So liable are the best and most innocent sort of men
to be calumniously accused in this manner.

Another practice (worthily bearing the guilt of slander) is, aiding
and being accessory thereto, by anywise furthering, cherishing,
abetting it. He that by crafty significations of ill-will doth
prompt the slanderer to vent his poison; he that by a willing
audience and attention doth readily suck it up, or who greedily
swalloweth it down by credulous approbation and assent; he that
pleasingly relisheth and smacketh at it, or expresseth a delightful
complacence therein; as he is a partner in the fact, so he is a
sharer in the guilt. There are not only slanderous throats, but
slanderous ears also; not only wicked inventions, which engender and
brood lies, but wicked assents, which hatch and foster them. Not
only the spiteful mother that conceiveth such spurious brats, but
the midwife that helpeth to bring them forth, the nurse that feedeth
them, the guardian that traineth them up to maturity, and setteth
them forth to live in the world; as they do really contribute to
their subsistence, so deservedly they partake in the blame due to
them, and must be responsible for the mischief they do.

BASIL THE GREAT (329-379)

Basil the Great, born at Caesarea in Cappadocia A. D. 329, was one
of the leading orators of the Christian Church in the fourth
century. He was a friend of the famous Gregory of Nazianzus, and
Gregory of Nyssa was his brother.

The spirit of his t