A Tale Of Two Dogs

Λέγεις ἀκηκοέναι Ἕλλνος ἁμαρτωλοῦ εἰπόντος, ὅτι Οὐδεαν μου διαφέρεις κἂν Χριστιανὸς ᾖς, ἁμαρτψωλὸς γὰρ καὶ σύ. Εἰπὲ τοίνυν πρὸς αὐτὸν τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην· Δύο κύνας τις οἰκοδεσπότης ἐκέκτητο, καὶ τὸν μὲν λυττήσαντα καὶ τὸν δεσπότην αὐτὸν σπαράξαι τολμήσαντα, ἀποτυμαπανισθῆναι προσέταξεν, τὸν δὲ ἀγαπῶντα, τὸν κύριον, καὶ περιγλίχοντα τῇ στοργῇ τοὺς πόδας τοῦ δεσπότου διὰ παντὸς, περιποιεῖται, καὶ τρέφει, καὶ εκσώζει. Ἅγιος Νειλος, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΡϟΗ' Τρυφωνι Ἀρχιτεκτονι Source: Migne PG 79.157a

You say that you've heard a Gentile sinner say, 'There is no difference between me and you when you are a sinner, even if you a Christian.' Tell him this parable: A master of a house once had two dogs, one was wild and was always trying to bite his master, and he commanded that this one be destroyed, the other loved his master and ever in affection followed at his feet through all things, and this one the master kept safe and fed and preserved. Saint Nilus of Sinai, Book 1, Letter 198 To Trypho the Architect