Fraternal Encouragment

Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ὁ ἐναρξάμενος ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἐπιτελέσει, καὶ μὴ ἀποκάμῃς ὑπηρετῶν τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ πνεύματος, μηδὲ ἡμιτελῆ ποιήσῃς τὴν ἀριστείαν τῶν κατὰ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ στρατευομένων, ἀλλὰ μίμησαι τὸν γνήσιόν σου πατέρα, ὁς κατὰ τὸν ζηλωτὴν Φινεὲς τῇ μιᾷ πληγῇ τοῦ ἐλέγχου τὸν μαθητὴν τῷ διδασκάλῳ συναπεκέντησεν· οὕτω καὶ σὺ εὐτόνως τῇ χειρὶ τοῦ λόγου δι’ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν αἱρετικων βιβλίων ὧσον τὴν τοῦ πνεύματος μάχαιραν, ἵνα μὴ τὴν κεφαλὴν συντεθλασμένος ὁ ὅφις κατὰ τὴν οὐρὰν περισπαίρων τοὺς ἀκεραιοτέπους φοβῇ. Τῶν γὰρ πρώτων τοῦ λόγου ἀναιρεθέντων, ἐὰν τὸ τελευταῐον ἀνεξέταστον ἀφεθῇ, ἰσχύν τινα κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας ἔχειν παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς νομισθήσεται.   Πετρος Σεβαστειας, Επιστολη Προς Τον Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος Νύσσης του αὐτου Ἀδελφον.

Since then it befits one who has begun a good work to bring it to completion lest any weariness be attributed to the power of the Spirit, lest a half wrought work militate against the glory of Christ, rather you should imitate your authentic Father, that zeal of Phineas which with one blow of refutation transfixed student and teacher, thus even you with the well exercised hand of the Word should pierce both heretical books with the spiritual sword, so that not only the head of the serpent should be cut off but also the tail, and thus all fear should be utterly dispersed. For if only the first things of a heretic be disposed of, a certain strength against the truth remains to endanger many. Saint Peter of Sebaste, Letter to Saint Gregory of Nyssa his brother.