Service And Wealth

Εἰ τῷ Χριστοῦ διακονεῖς θυσιαστηρίω, μετὰ τῶν αὐτοῦ νόμων μετέρχῃ την λειτουργίαν σου, πρᾶος καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ φαινόμενος. Οὐ γὰρ πολιτικήν τινα χειρίζεις ἡγεμονίαν, τύφῳ καὶ κόμπῳ φλεγμαίνουσαν· ἀλλὰ διακονίαν εἰρηνικὴν καὶ ἀτάραχον. Εἰ δὲ πλοῦτος ἄδικος συναχθεὶς ὑπεραίρει σε, αὐτὸς μὲν θᾶττον ἐξεμεθήσεται, ρευστὴν ἔχων τὴν φύσιν καὶ ἄστατον· σὺ δὲ πολὺν ὀφλήσεις τὸν γέλωτα, τοῖς παρατρέχουσιν ὡς ἑστῶσι προσθέμενος Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΡΝΖ' Πανσοφιῳ Ἀρχιδιακονῳ Source: Migne PG 78.288c

If you serve at the altar of Christ, you should attend to the laws of its service, and exhibit meekness and humility in your heart. You are not some grasping worldly ruler bloated with conceit and pomp and, but yours should be a peaceful and untroubled service. But if you have wickedly gathered wealth to exalt yourself, you should quickly vomit it forth as something naturally slippery and unstable, lest you become a laughing stock who has seized on passing things as something stable. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 157, To Pansophios the Archdeacon 1 1 Pet 2.2

The Beginning Of Perfection

Εἰ καὶ τελείους ἡμᾶς εἶναι ὁ θεῖος βούλεται νόμος, ὁμώνυμε, ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἀνάβασιν καὶ προκοπὴν πρὸςτὴν τελείωσιν φθάσαντας, πρότερον γάλακτι ποτιζομένους, ὡς ἀρτιγένητα βρέφη, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς σωτηρίαν αὐξάνοντας. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΥΜA' Ἰσιδωρῳ Διακονῳ Source: Migne 78.425a

Even if the Divine law wishes us to be perfect, my namesake, it is necessary that we come to it by ascent and advance, as little infants who are nourished by the drinking of milk and by it grow to salvation. 1 Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 441, To Isidore The Deacon 1 1 Pet 2.2

The Law And The Gospel

Αὐτὸς ὁ μέγας Ἀπόστολος, ὁ πλεῖον πάντων κoπιάσας, ὁ τὸν νόμον ἀκριβῶς μετελθὼν, παιδευσάτω σε, νηπίαν εἶναι ἐν αὐτῷ γνῶσιν τῆς θείας παιδεύσεως , ὡς ἐν σκιᾷ κεκαλυμμένην, καὶ ἀμυδρώς δια ερωμένην . Σκιὰν εἶχεν ὁ νόμος τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν, ἀποφαινόμενος, οὐκ αὐτὴν τὴν εἰκόνα τῶν πραγμάτων , ἣν ἐπιστεύθη τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον , πρὸς ἣν οἱ τύποι ἐπέβλεπον. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΥΜΔ' Ἰσιδωρῳ Διακονῳ Source: Migne 78.425d

Let the great Apostle himself, who toiled more than anyone, 1 and diligently attended to the law, teach you that there was slight knowledge of Divine teaching there, as if it were covered with a veil, and hardly gave itself to be seen. For the law, he proclaims, is a shadow law of future things, 2 not an image of the things themselves, for which the Gospel was given, and to which it points as a figure. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 444, To Isidore The Deacon 1 1 Cor 15.10 2 Heb 10.1

The Child And The Man

Τό, Ως νήπιος ἐλάλουν, ὡς νήπιος ἐφρόνουν, εἰρημένον τῷ θεόφρονι Παύλῳ περὶ τῆς κατὰ νόμον ἀγωγῆς αὐτῷ γέγραπται, καθ ' ἣν ὡς νήπιος λαλῶν, ἐφύλαττε τὸν νόμον νηπίοις δεδομένον, ὡς νήπιος φρονῶν, ἐδίωκε τὸν λόγον , ἀμύνων τοῖς τοῦ νόμου. Οτε δὲ γέγονα, φησίν, ἀνήρ, τὰ τοῦ νηπίου κατάήργηκα, οὐδὲ τὸν νόμον ἀκυρῶν, καὶ τοῦ λόγου κατηχών. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΥΜΓ', Ἰσιδωρῳ Διακονῳ Source: Migne 78.425c

That 'I spoke as a child, I thought as I child,' 1 spoken by the blessed Paul was written about the discipline of the law according to which he was speaking like a child and given to the service of the law like a child, so that thinking as a child he opposed the Word and defended the law. 'But come the man,' he says, 'and the things of the child pass away,' which is not to annul the law but to be instructed by the Word. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 443, To Isidore The Deacon 1 1 Cor 13.11

John And The Greatest

Διὰ τί μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν, ἔφης, Ιωάννης, καὶ εἰ προφήτης ὁ Ἰωάννης, τί ἦν ἐν αὐτῷ περισσότερον προφήτου; Ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο λέγει ὁ Κύριος. Ἄκους τοίνυν πλεῖστα ἐν ὀλίγοις· μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν ὁ Ἰωάννης, ἐπειδὴ ἐξ αὐτῆς νηδύος μητρικής προεφήτευσε, καὶ ἐν σκότει κρυπτόμενος,τὸ φῶς ἐλθὸν, οὐκ ἠγνόησε. Περισσότερον δὲ προφητῶν, τὸ καὶ αὐτὸν ἰδεῖν ἐν σαρκὶ τὸν προφητευόμενον, ὃν πάντες οἱ πατριάρχαι καὶ προφῆται, δι' ὀνείρωνμὲν ἢ ὀπτασιῶν ἐφαντάσθησαν, θεωρῆσαι δὲ αὐτοψει οὐκ ἐπέτυχον. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΛΓ’, Προυνιχιῳ Source: Migne 78.201d-204a

You ask why it was said that John was the greatest born of women, 1 and as he was a prophet, if had a a certain greater and more excellent dignity of prophecy, since this is what the Lord said. Hear, then, much in little. John was the greatest born among women because he made prophecy from out of the maternal womb and hidden in the darkness was not ignorant of the light that had come. 2 This is why he stands ahead of the other prophets and also because when he was preaching he saw Him in the flesh, which all the patriarchs and prophets had till  then been told about in dreams and visions, but they were not able to look upon Him themselves. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 33, To Prounichios 1 Mt 11.11 2 Lk 1.41

Books And Fruit

Εἴ σέ τι ὤνησεν ἡ τῆς βίβλου ἀνάγνωσις , δεῖξον ἐπὶ τῆς πράξεως. Εἰ δὲ μένεις ἐφ᾽ ὧν ἐκείνη καταηγορεί, φαίνῃ καταγινώσκων αὐτῆς. Καὶ πάντως ἐπὶ τούτοις ἡμεῖς οὔτε φθεγξόμεθά τι πρὸς σὲ διὰ γράμματος, οὔτε βιβλίον αἰτοῦντι παράσχωμεν, εἰ μὴ καὶ τῆς προτέρας καρπὸν θεασώμεθα. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΥΠΑ' Ἱερωνι Source: Migne 78.444d

If you have plucked some fruit from the reading of the book, show it in deeds. But if you remain as one whom it denounces, you seem to scorn it. And certainly because of such things we shall not speak to you through letters, nor attend to your requests for books, not until you we see some fruit. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 481, to Hiero

Children And Perfection

Κάκεῖνο, ὅπερ ἔφης, συνήγορον εὑρίσκω τῶν πρώην γραφέντων σοι, μὴ παιδία γίνεσθαι ταῖς φρεσὶν, ἀλλὰ τῇ κακίᾳ νηπιάζειν, ταῖς δὲ φρεσὶ τελειοῦσθαι, τοῦ πανσόφου γράψαντος Παύλου. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστι μὴ ἀποσμήξαντας τὴν κακίαν, καὶ νηπιάσαντας πρὸς ἀγνείαν, ἢ φρεσὶ τελειωθῆναι, ἢ εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον εργάτην ἀνεπαίσχυντον ἀναβῆναι. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΥΜΒ', Ἰσιδωρῳ Διακονῳ Source: Migne 78.425b

That, which as you say, I set down among the things recently written to you, does not mean that we should be like children in our minds, but that we should be childlike in wickedness while perfecting the mind. Unless we are cleansed of all wickedness it is not possible that we shall regain a childlike purity and chastity, so that we might achieve perfection of mind and be lifted up to the blameless work of the perfect man. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 442, To Isidore The Deacon

The Writing On The Cross

Ἡ της σανίδας γραφή, ἣν Πιλᾶτος πρὸ τῆς Κυριακής έπηξε κεφαλῆς, τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπλήρου φωνήν, Ἐπειδὰν ὑψωθῶ, λέγοντος, πάντας ἑλκύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν. Ἐδήλου τοίνυν ἡ ἐκεῖθεν ἀνάγνωσις, οὐχ ὑπὲρ Ἰουδαίας μόνης, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ πάσης Ελληνος καὶ βαρβάρου γεγενῆσθαι τὸ σωτήριον πάθος. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΥϟA' Εὐτονιῳ Διακονῳ Source: Migne 78.449c

The writing on the tablet that Pilate had fixed above the head of the Lord fulfills this saying of the Lord, 'When I shall be lifted up, I shall draw all things to myself.' 1 Clearly then this writing indicates that the salvific passion was not just for the Jews, but even for all the Greeks and the barbarians. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 491 To Eutonoius the deacon 1 Jn 12.32

The Denials

Τρὶς τὸν Κύριον ἀρνησάμενος τῶν ἀποστόλων ὁ ἔξαρχος, τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πάντων ἁμαρτίαν ὑπο ἔδειξε, τρὶς ἀθετησάντων τὸν Κτίσαντα, ἐν τῇ δόσειτῆς πρώτης ἐντολῆς , ἐν τῇ θέσει τοῦ νόμου τοῦ γραστοῦ, ἐν τῇ σαρκώσει τοῦ Λόγου καὶ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν· ἣν τριπλῇ πάλιν μεταγνώσει ἰάσατο, ἀνάλογον τῷ τραύματι πορισάμενος καὶ τὸ φάρμακον, καὶ δείξας ὡς πάντων τῶν κακῶν θεραπεία, ἡ τοῦ Κυρίου γέγονε παρουσία. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΤΝϚ’, Σελευκῳ Source: Migne 78.385b

The prince of the Apostles' denial of the Lord three times points to the sin of all men who rejected the Lord three times, in the giving of the first command, in the establishment of the written law, in the putting on of humanity by the Word and God, 1 which three time denial is again healed by penance, which is as the bringing of medicine to a wounded man, for which reason the Lord came, showing care for every evil. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 356, To Seleucus 1 Gen 2.16-17, Exod 32, Jn 1.11

Contentment With Little

Την Ελισσαίου εὐτέλειαν ζήλου, ὑπερῴῳ καὶ λύχνῳ ἀρκούμενος· ἅπερ τὴν ὑψηλὴν καὶ πεφωτισμένην τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἡνίσσετο πρᾶξιν· ἀλλὰ μὴ μεγάλαῖς οἰκοδομαῖς ὡς Φαραὼ προστηκόμενος καὶ προσασήκων αὐταῖς τοὺς μονάζοντας , τὴν ἀληθῆ ἐργασίαν κατάλυε. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΥϟΗ’, Θεωνι Source: Migne 78.453a

Be content with the frugality of zealous Elijah and with a hut and lamp, which designates the sublimity and splendor of that man. Do not wither away in great buildings like another Pharaoh, and as solitaries who cling to these things to the ruin of the true life. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 498, to Theonis

Curing An Avaricious Man

Εἰ καὶ ἑάλως τῷ τῆς φιλαργυρίας ἰῷ, ὅσπερ καὶ παντός ἐστι ῥίζα κακοῦ, καὶ πρὸς εἰδωλολατρίαν ἐκβακχεύει σε, πᾶσαν πρὸς ἑαυτὸν μεταστήσας τὴν αἴσθησιν, ἀλλ' ἀπόκριναι αὐτῷ τὴν θεοδίδακτον φωνὴν, Κύριον τὸν Θεόν μου προσκυνήσω, καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσω. Καὶ ὁ μὲν οιχήσεται, σὺ δὲ ἀνανήψεις πρὸς τὴν αὐτάρκειαν. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΥΛΔ', Κρισπῳ Source: Migne 78.421b

If you have been struck by the dart of the love of money, which is the root of all evil, 1 and it has driven you to a frenzy, possessing all your senses, answer it with the God taught speech, 'I serve the Lord my God and Him alone I revere,' 2 and it will depart, and you will return to yourself and be content with what is sufficient. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 434, To Crispus 1 1 Tim 6.10 2 Mt 6.24, Deut 6.13

Healing And Wisdom

Ἰατρικὴ μὲν κατὰ Δημόκριτον, σώματος νόσους ἀκέεται· σοφίη δὲ ψυχὴν παθέων ἀφαιρέεται. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἀμφοτέρας μετείληφας , καὶ θατέρᾳ κέχρηται πρὸς ἑτέρους, πάθη σωμάτων ἰώμενος · τῇ ἑτέρασαυτὸν ἐξιάτρευσον, τὴν λείπουσαν ὑγείαν προσκτώμενος, ἧς ἄνευ οὔτε ἰατρὸς ἄριστος, οὔτε σοφός ἔσῃ τῷ πράγματι. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΥΛΖ' Ὀριβασιῳ Ἰατρῳ Source: Migne 78.424a

According to Democritus medicine heals the body, but wisdom relieves the soul of the passions. Since then you partake of both, and the one you apply to improve others, driving out the suffering of the body, attend to yourself with the other art, and acquire the health that is lacking, which without you are neither a fine physician nor wise in your ways. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 437, To Oribasius the Physician

Monks Warned

Πολλὰς ἐνηχούμενοι περὶ ὑμων καταβοήσεις, πολλας ὑμῖν ἀπαντλοῠμεν καθ' ἡμέραν τὰς παρακλήσεις. Ἄνδρες Νινευῗται ἀναστήσονται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης, καὶ κατακρινοῠσιν αὐτὴν, εἴπεν ὁ Κύριος. Ὅτι οἱ μὲν ἀνήκοοι τοῦ νόμου γεγονότες, τὴν τοῦ προφήτου ἀπειλὴν κατεπλάγησαν, καὶ τύπον καὶ σκιὰν τῆς Δεσποτικῆς ταφῆς ἀκηκοότες, ἔδεισαν πρὸς τὸ τοῦ συμβάντος παράδοξον. Ἡμεῖς δὲ αὐτὸν ἰδόντες τὸν προφητευθέντα, καὶ ψηλαφήσαντες, αγνίομονες μένομεν πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ ἀνένδοτοι πρὸς μετάγνωσιν. Μὴ τοίνυν, ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ ἐθνῶν φανῶμεν ἀπιστότεροι, καὶ ὄν ἐκεῖνοι ἔφυγον ὄλεθρον επισπώμενοι. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΡΝΔ’, Πηλουσιωταις Εἰς Το Κοινοβιον Source: Migne PG 78.285c

It is because many complaints about you have come to us that we daily exhort you with the warning, 'The men of Nineveh will rise up in judgement against this generation and condemn it,' as the Lord says. 1 For they who had hardly even heard of the law were shaken by the threat of the prophet, and having heard of a type and shadow of the Lord's sepulchre they were fearful because of a troubling future. But we who have seen and touched the one prophesised 2 remain opposed to Him, and are inflexible against correction. Do not, brothers, be surpassed by pagans and the faithless who fled destruction. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 154, to the Coenobites of Pelusium 1 Mt 12.41 2 1 Jn 1.1

Clashing Concerns

Εἰ τῆς ἀνοχῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας, ὦ τάλας, καταφρονεῖς, κἂν τὰ παρόντα αἰδέσθητι. Πολλοὶ γὰρ πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα ἀβλεπτοῦντες, τὰς ἐνταῦθα ἐκκλίνουσι κωμῳδίας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ταῦτα κάκεῖνα καταφρονεῖς, ἐνταῦθα γελασθήσῃ, κάκεῖ θρηνηθήσῃ. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΡΠΔ', Ζωσιμῳ Source: Migne PG 78.301c

If you scorn the patience and forbearance of God, O wretched man, then present things will be your concern. For many blind to future things turn to things here which please them. And if because of these things you scorn those other things, you shall laugh here, and weep there. 1 Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 184, to Zosimus 1 Lk 6.25

The Acceptable Sacrifice

Γέγραπας δηλωθῆναι σοι, δι' ἥν αἰτίαν ὁ δεῖνα παραγινόμενος τοὺς πτωχοὺς εὖ ποιῆσαι, κίνδυνον ἀργαλέον ὑπέμεινε, καὶ οὐκ ἐξείλετο αὐτὸν τῶν συμπτωμάτων ἡ πρόθεσις. Ἐπειδὴ, φημὶ, οὐ χαίρει Θεὸς ἐξ ἀδικίας θυσίαις, καὶ οὐ προσίεται κίβδηλα δῶρα. Οὐ γὰρ πᾶς ὁ βουλόμενος εὖ ποιεῖ, ἀλλ' ὁ ἀξίως Θεοῦ καὶ κτησάμενος, καὶ ἐπαγγειλάμενος τὴν θυσίαν. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΣΚΘ', Ἡρμινῳ Κομητι Source: Migne PG 78.325a

You have written to have it made clear to you how it is that he who would do well to the poor should be embroiled in tribulations and suffer grave trials, and his disposition does not save him from such occurrences. I say that God does not rejoice in an unrighteous sacrifice and does not accept base offerings. It is not everyone who wishes it that does good, but worthy of God is he who makes the promised sacrifice. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 229, to Count Herminos

Tearing The Veil

Ἡ τῶν ἁγίων ὁδὸς ἐν ναῷ κρυπτομένη, καὶ καταπετάσματι διειργομένη, μήπω δεδόσθαι τὸν ἁγιασμὸν ὑπεδείκνυ τῇ του Κυρίου ἡμῶν φυλαττόμενον παρουσίᾳ. Ἡνίκα διαῥῥήξας τὸ καταπέτασμα, καὶ γυμνώσας τοῖς ἔθνεσι τὰ τῶν ἁγίων ἀπόῥῥητα, κεκαλυμμένα Ἰουδαίοις ὡς ἀγνώμοσιν, ὡδοποίησεν ἡμῖν πρὸς τὴν ἄνω συγγένειαν. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΣΝΒ’ Ἀλφειῳ Πρεσπυτερῳ Source: Migne PG 78.336a

In the temple the way to the holy of holies was hidden by the curtain and this indicated that it was not yet time for the veiled presence of the Lord to be revealed. But when that cover was torn, 1 the secrets of holy things, which the Jews had hidden as sacred, were revealed to the Gentiles, and a way was given to us to gain knowledge of heavenly things. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 252, To Alpheius the Priest 1 Mk 15.38

The Lioness And The Sheep

Ὥσπερ λεαίνῃ συννέμεσθαι πρόβατον ἡ φύσις οὐκ ἔδωκεν· οὕτως οὐδε τῦφον μοναχικῇ συνοικεῖν ὅλως ἐνδέχεται. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ θηριώδης ἐστὶ καὶ ἀκάθεκτος· ἡ δὲ πάντα εὐπειθῶς τὰ χρηστὰ καταδέχεαι, καὶ τὰ λυπηρὰ καρτερῶς μάλα προσίεται. Εἰ τοίνυν πρὸς ταύτην ἀπεδύσω γυμνάσασθαι, ἐκείνου ἀπόστηθι· μή τί σε δεινὸν διὰ τούτου ἐργάσηται, ὁ ἔναντι Κυρίου τραχηλιάσας, καὶ πάντας ἔχειν ζηλωτὰς τῆς οἰκείας ἐπάρσεως καὶ πτώσεως προθυμούμενος. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΤΞΗ’ Σευηρῳ Source: Migne PG 78.392a

As nature does not allow that a lioness and a sheep may feed together, likewise it is not possible for pride to dwell in the monastic life. For the former is fierce and will hardly be leashed, while the latter meekly receives all that is beneficial into its soul and bravely endures grievous trials. If, then, you have bound yourself with a zeal for imitation to the latter, withdraw from the former, lest that which raises its neck against the Lord do something terrible to you, that which desires that all be imitators of its pride and of its ruin. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 368, to Severus

Appearances Corrected

Εἰ καὶ κρύπτεις τὸ ἤττημα, ἀλλὰ φαίνῃ φυσώμενος πέρα καὶ τοῦ γένους, καὶ τῆς ἰσχύος, καὶ τῆς ἀξίας σου φρυαττόμενος. Ἢ τοίνυν σύμμετρον σαυτῷ κτῆσαι φρόνημα, ἢ ἴσθι παρὰ πάντων γελώμενος. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΙΒ’ Ἄμμονιῳ Source: Migne PG 78.188a

Even if you hide what is worst, yet you appear puffed up because of your lineage and your strength and your lofty arrogance. Either, then, have a mind that is appropriate to yourself, or be ridiculous to everyone. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 12 To Ammonius 1 Levit 23.3

Error And Recovery

Κάλλιστον μὲν τὸ μὴ ἁμαρτεῖν, καὶ πρὸς Θεὸν ἔχον ἐγγύτητα· καλὸν δὲ καὶ τὸν ἁμαρτόντα γνωσιμαχῆσαι, καὶ ταχέως ἐξαναστῆναι τοῦ πτώματος. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν τοῦ προτέρου, ὡς ἀδυνάτου πάντως διήμαρτες, τοῦ δευτέρου, ὡς δυνατοῦ καὶ ῥᾳδίου ἐπιμελήθητι, μήποτέ σε ἡ τύραννος αἰχμαλωτεύσῃ ἀπόγνωσις. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΤΠΑ’ Μαρτινιανῳ Source: Migne PG 78.397b

Most beautiful it is not to sin and to cleave closely to God, and it is also beautiful to recognise that one has sinned and quickly rise up from one's fall. Since, then, you formerly went far beyond your strength, now have care for what your strength may actually accomplish, and never despair in the tyrant's captivity. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 381, to Martinianus

Baptism And The Trinity

Ἔοικάς μοι βούλεσθαι τῷ Κυρίῳ πείθεσθαι, καὶ τὰς Γραφὰς ἐρευνᾷν. Ἀνάγκη τοίνυν καὶ ἀποκρίνεσθαι πρὸς τὰς πεύσεις σου. Οὕτος ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς, ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ ἐξ οὐρανῶν βαπτιζομνένῳ τῷ Υἱῷ ἐπεβόησεν, ἵνα καὶ τὸν γνήσιον δείξῃ καὶ φυσικὸν Υἱὸν, μεταξὺ τῶν θέσει καὶ ἀξίᾳ χρητματιζόντων υἱῶν ἀμφιβαλλόμενον, καὶ τὴν θείαν καὶ προσκυνητὴν τῆς θεότητος Τριάδα φανέρώσῃ, ἐν ἰδίαις ὑποστάσεσι γνωριζομένην· καὶ Μοντανῷ καὶ Σαβελλίῳ ἀποκλείσῃ τὴν κακόνουν ἀσέβειαν. Τοῡ γὰρ Υἱοῦ βαπτιζομένου ὁ Πατὴρ ἐμαρτύρησε, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καταπτὰν ὁμοούσιον ἑαυτῷ καὶ τῷ Πατρὶ ὑπεδείκνυ τὸν βαπτιζόμενον Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΞΖ’ Τιμοθεῳ Ἀναγηωστῃ Source: Migne PG 78.228a

It seems to me you are scrutinising the Scriptures in order to be persuaded about something regarding the Lord. Thus concerning this about which you enquire it is necessary for me to reply. 'This is my beloved Son,' 1 says God the Father from heaven with a loud voice, giving witness to His Son and showing that He is the true and natural Son among those who are called sons through adoption and dignity, 2 and this also declares the holy and worshipful Trinity of Divinity, with each one being known as their own person, which is denied to the depraved impiety of Montanus and Sabellius. For with the Father bearing witness to the baptised Son, and the Holy Spirit coming down, this reveals that the one baptised is of the same substance as the Father. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 67, to Timotheus the Lector 1 Mt 3.17 2 Jn 1.12, Rom 8.15, Galat 4.7, Ephes 1.5