The Great Letter

1.1 THE God who is Lord and Maker of all and Lover of mankind always grants good occasions to the human race for the knowledge of the good things to come. To those who wish to choose advancement toward better things, by a nod of his goodness he sets them on their way, always drawing toward the good the human being made according to his image. [Gen. 1:26 is echoed here.] For since the soul by nature has an inclination toward beautiful things and is always eager to desire what is better, the left-hand side of wickedness, with dreadful craftiness, continually presents to simpler souls an appearance of good things in order to darken those things that are truly good. Through the divinely inspired Scriptures [The phrase recalls 2 Tim. 3:16], therefore, the ineffable love of the grace of Christ teaches us, according to the prophet who says: "Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge, for I have believed your commandments." [Ps. 118:66 LXX] He therefore wills us to drive away every cause of evils, so that in this way we may be able to cast away ignorance, the cause of all evils, and, guided by the light of true knowledge, may be able completely to expel the fleshly and irrational way of thinking that is in us, deceitfully strengthened by the promise of knowledge, having learned that the knowledge of the truth is the cause of salvation.

1.2 Since, then, you also, most beloved and cherished brothers, have often wished to receive from us instruction about what the life of withdrawal ought to be; how those who have withdrawn from fleshly pleasures and from the deceit of this age, and who have come together in one place, having become a sacred assembly according to the apostolic pattern and a band of brotherhood, and having chosen to live piously with one another at all times, ought to live; how they ought to conduct their common life with one another; what disposition of good character and conduct they ought to possess; what the goal is of the road that stretches toward the summit of virtue; what "the will of God—the good and acceptable and perfect" is [Rom. 12:2]; what the contest and course are of those who desire to attain perfection and who are always hastening to arrive at the measure of spiritual maturity [Eph. 4:13]—in short, so as not to extend the discourse to great length, you asked us to set these matters, and those that follow from them, down for you in writing as a continual reminder of soul-profiting instruction. Accordingly, we too will carry out your request, setting before you what is possible for us. I ask only that those who read examine these things attentively, so that, possessing knowledge of virtue, you may not fall away from it. For the subject is exceedingly profitable to those who examine it carefully.

1.3 We must begin from this point. Be fully persuaded concerning the divine and most sacred ordinance of exact and pious doctrine and faith, as it has rightly been defined: one Godhead is to be worshiped; the Trinity is consubstantial; there is one will, one glory, one worship of the one Godhead in three hypostases, just as in the holy mystery of holy baptism we piously "confessed the good confession before many witnesses." [1 Tim. 6:12]

1.4 For this reason, when we saw your great eagerness for the good and perceived your desire for the summit of virtue, we did not hesitate to compose a brief reminder. Taking the starting points of our thoughts from the divinely inspired Scriptures themselves, we have at the same time set forth the scriptural testimonies themselves for the full assurance of unwavering faith, so that no one might think that we are saying anything from ourselves, or suspect that from vanity we utter swelling words of emptiness. [2 Pet. 2:18]