The Longer Rules
(Regulae Fusius Tractatae)
St Basil the Great
Translated by W. K. L. Clarke, The Ascetic Works of Saint Basil
(London: SPCK, 1925), pp. 145–228.
Public domain in the United States (published 1925).
Preface
SINCE, by the grace of God, we who have set before ourselves one and the same end, namely, the life of piety, are met together in one place in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; and you indeed are plainly desirous to learn somewhat of the things that concern salvation; I for my part must proclaim the righteous acts of God, remembering night and day how the apostle said: “By the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears.” And the present time is most convenient for us, and this place provides quiet and complete freedom from the disturbances of the outside world. Let us therefore pray together, so that we may give to our fellow servants their portion of food in due season, and that you having received the word may, like the good ground, bring forth the perfect and manifold fruit of righteousness, as it is written.
I beseech you, therefore, through the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins, let us apply ourselves to care for our souls. Let us lament the vanity of our past life. Let us strive for such things as will be for the glory of God, and of His Christ, and of the adorable and Holy Spirit. Let us not remain in this slothful ease, always losing through our slothfulness the present opportunity, and putting off to the morrow or distant future the beginning of our works, lest, being found unprovided with good works by Him Who demands our souls, we be cast forth from the joy of the bridechamber, shedding vain and useless tears, and lamenting our ill-spent life, at a time when repentance can no longer avail. “Now is the acceptable time,” says the apostle, “now is the day of salvation.” This is the age of repentance, that of reward: this of labour, that of recompense: this of patience, that of comfort. Now God is the helper of such as turn from the evil way: then He will be the terrible and inexorable examiner of all human deeds, words and thoughts. Now we enjoy His long-suffering: then we shall know His justice, when we shall rise again, some to eternal punishment, others to eternal life, and each shall receive according to his works. How long shall we defer our obedience to Christ, Who has called us to His heavenly Kingdom? Shall we not rouse ourselves to sobriety? Shall we not recall ourselves from our accustomed manner of life to the careful life of the Gospel? Shall we not set before our eyes that terrible and notable day of the Lord, on which those who by their good works come to the Lord’s right hand shall be received into the Kingdom of heaven, but those who by their lack of good works have been set on His left hand shall be enveloped in the fire of hell and everlasting darkness? “There,” it says, “shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Now we say we desire the Kingdom of heaven, but we have no care for those things by which it may be gained. And though we undertake no labour to fulfil the Lord’s commands yet we imagine in the folly of our heart that we shall receive equal honours with those who have resisted sin even unto death. Who has ever remained at home idle or asleep at the time of sowing, and then, when harvest has come, filled his bosom with sheaves? Who has ever gathered grapes from a vine which he has not planted and laboured for? Those who have laboured receive the fruits; honours and crowns are for conquerors. Who would ever crown him who had not even stripped to meet a foe? For it is necessary not only to conquer, but also to contend lawfully, according to the words of the apostle; that is, not to neglect even the smallest of such things as are commanded, but to do each thing even as we have been ordered. For it is said: “Blessed is that servant, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find,” not doing anywise, but “so doing.” And “if thou hast offered rightly, but hast not divided aright, thou hast sinned.”
But we, thinking perhaps that we have fulfilled one commandment—I would not say having actually fulfilled, for the commandments are joined one to another according to the sound meaning of Scripture, so that, if one be broken, the others are of necessity also broken—do not expect the wrath of God for those which we have transgressed, while for the keeping of one commandment we actually look for honours.
He who from the ten talents entrusted to him has retained one or two, and has restored the others, is not declared to be good because he has restored the greater part, but is shown to be both wicked and grasping because he has kept back the smaller part. Why do I say “kept back”? He that was entrusted with one talent, and gave back that very one whole and unharmed as he had received it, is nevertheless condemned because he did not add anything to that which was given him. He that has honoured his father for ten years and then inflicts one single blow upon him is not honoured as a benefactor, but is condemned as a parricide. “Go ye,” said the Lord, “and make disciples of all the nations, teaching them,” not to observe some things and neglect others, but “to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you.” And the apostle writes in like manner: “Giving no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our ministration be not blamed; but in everything commending ourselves as ministers of God.” For if all these things had not been necessary for the attainment of our salvation, all the commandments would not have been written; nor would they all have been prescribed of necessity for our observance. What is the use of my other virtues, if through calling my brother a fool I am in danger of hell? What is the use of being free from the majority of sins, if one is held in bondage by one single sin? For it is said, “Every one that committeth sin is the bond servant of sin.” And what gain has he who is free from many diseases, if his body is afflicted with one disease?
So then, some one will say, is it not useless for the multitudes of Christians who do not keep all the commandments to keep any of them? In this connexion it is well to remember the blessed Peter, who, though he had done so many good deeds, and had received such great blessings, yet for his one fault was told: “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.” And I need not say that the actual occasion showed no negligence or contempt, but was rather a proof of his reverence and devotion.
Yet some one may say that it is written: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” so that the mere calling upon the name of the Lord is enough to save him that calls. Let him rather hearken to the apostle who says: “How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed?” And if thou believest, hear the Lord Who says: “Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” For indeed when a man does the will of God, but not as God wills, nor with a disposition of love towards God, his zeal for good works is fruitless, according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who says: “This they do that they may be seen of men; verily I say unto you, they have received their reward.” Wherefore Paul was taught to say: “And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.” And, in short, I perceive three different dispositions which by inevitable necessity lead us to obey. Either through fear of punishment we turn away from that which is evil, and so are of a slavish disposition; or, seeking to profit by the reward, we fulfil the commandments for the sake of our own benefit, and are accordingly like hirelings; or else we do good for the sake of the good itself and from love of Him Who gave us the law, rejoicing that we are thus thought worthy to serve the glorious and great God, and so we have the disposition of sons. Nor will he who keeps the commandments from fear, and is always expecting the penalty of sloth, obey some orders and neglect others, but he will dread as equally terrible the judgment which comes upon every disobedience. Accordingly he is pronounced blessed who fears always with reverence. And he stands firm in the truth, for he can say: “I have seen God always before me, for he is on my right hand lest I should be shaken,” as never choosing to neglect anything that is right. Again, “Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord.” Why? Because “he will delight greatly in his commandments.” Wherefore it is not possible for those who fear to neglect any of God’s orders, or to perform them carelessly. Nor indeed will the hireling choose to transgress any of the commandments. For how will he win the reward of his labour in the vineyard, if he does not fulfil all he agreed to do? For if he come short in even one thing that is needful, he makes himself useless to his master. And who will pay a reward, so long as the damage remains, to him that has done the harm?
The third service is that of love. What son, seeking to please his father, and satisfying him in great things, will choose to grieve him in small matters? He will be all the more careful as he remembers the apostle’s words: “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in Whom ye were sealed.”
In what category do those who transgress most of the commandments deserve to be classed? They neither serve God as Father, nor believe in Him as the promiser of great things, nor serve him as Master. “If I, then, be a father,” He says, “where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear?” For “he that feareth the Lord will delight greatly in his commandments.” But “through thy transgression of the law,” it says, “thou dishonourest God.” And how, if we prefer the life of pleasure to the life of obedience to the commandments, can we expect for ourselves a life of blessedness, fellow-citizenship with the Saints and joy among the angels in the presence of Christ? Truly such imaginations bespeak a foolish mind. For how shall I be with Job, if I have not received even ordinary affliction with thankfulness? Or how shall I be with David, if I have not shown myself long-suffering toward my enemy? Or how with Daniel, if I have not sought God with constant abstinence and laborious prayer? Or how with any of the Saints, if I have not followed in their steps? Who is so unfair an umpire as to judge him who has never contended to be worthy of the same crown as the victor? What general ever invited those who never turned up for the fight to share equally in the spoil with those who have been victorious? God is good, but He is also just. And it is the nature of the just to recompense worthily, as it is written: “Do well, O Lord, unto those that are good and true of heart. As for those that turn back unto crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of lawlessness.” He is merciful, but He is also a judge. For He says: “The Lord loveth mercy and judgment.” And therefore it is said: “I will sing of mercy and judgment unto thee, O Lord.” And we have learned who they are that receive mercy, for He says: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Thou canst see with what discernment He uses mercy, being neither unjustly merciful nor mercilessly unjust. For “the Lord is both merciful and just.” Let us not then know God by halves, nor make His kindness an occasion of sloth. For this cause are thunders and lightnings, that His goodness may not be despised. He that maketh the sun to rise also punishes with blindness. He that giveth the rain also rains fire. Those show His goodness, these His severity. Let us then either love Him for those, or fear Him for these, that it not be said to us: “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath.” Since then it is impossible to be saved, unless we do those works which are according to the commandment of God, nor is it without danger to neglect any precept—for it is terrible arrogance to make ourselves the judges of our Lawgiver, and to approve some of His laws and reject others—let us who endure the conflict of piety and lead the life of calm and rest, regard such a life with honour, as being our fellow worker in keeping the Gospel decrees, and one and all take careful heed that no commandment escape us. For if the man of God must be perfect—as it is written, and as our words have already shown—it is before all things necessary that he be made perfect in every commandment, according to “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”; for by the divine law a beast with a blemish, even if he was clean, was not accepted as a sacrifice to God.
If therefore anyone think that he is lacking in anything, let him bring it forth that all may examine it in common. For it is easier through the careful scrutiny of the many to find out that which is hidden, seeing that God allows us to find that for which we seek, by means of the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Since, then, “necessity is laid upon me, and woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel,” so also there is equal danger for you, if you are slothful in your search, or if you show yourselves careless and negligent in the keeping of tradition, or in fulfilling it by good works. Wherefore the Lord says: “The word which I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day.” And “that servant which knew not his Lord’s will, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes; but he that knew, and did not, neither made himself ready according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.” Let us pray then that I may blamelessly dispense the word, and that the teaching may bear fruit in you. And since, then, we know that the words of divine Scripture will rise up before us at the judgment seat of Christ—“For I will reprove thee,” He says, “and set before thee thy sins”—let us hearken diligently to that which is spoken, and seek earnestly to carry out the divine decrees; for we know not on what day or at what hour the Lord will come.
1 Kiusdem Regulae Fusius Tractatae (rod adtod xat& mA&tO<). 2 This section is translated by E. F. Morison, St. Basil and his Rule, pp. 138-144, to which the present version is indebted. 3 Acts xx. 31. 4 Lk. xii. 42. 5 Mt. xiii. 23 § zpooxvvntod. % 2 Cor, vi. 2. K
1 The phraseology is almost identical with that of B.’s baptismal symbol, 227c.
4 Mt. xxv. 30. 829 Tim. 11,39 41.
4 Lk. xii. 43 omit add after xbproc*.
© Gen. iv. 7 é&v d90&¢ wey (uév not in Sw. or Brooke-Maclean) xa.
1 Mt. xxviii. 19, 20 (shortened). The reference to Baptism is omitted here, though it occurs in the other quotations of this passage, see Index. HD iCoravinios 4:
3 Jn. viii. 34. Gaol ge ch ated 5 Joel ii. 32.
6 Rom. x. 14 énuxadrécovtat for émuxargowvta K.