Your Letter Is Full of Falsehood

I have read the letter that you in your wisdom have written me. You rail against me. Once you praised me and called me your true partner and brother; now you write books to summon me to answer the charges with which you try to frighten me. I see fulfilled in you the words of Solomon: “In the mouth of the foolish is the rod of insolence,” and, “A fool does not receive the words of good sense, unless you say what is passing in his heart.” And the words of Isaiah: “The fool will speak folly, and his heart will understand empty things, to practice wickedness and speak falsehood against the Lord.” What need was there for you to send me whole volumes full of accusation and cursing, and to bring them before the public, when at the end of your letter you threaten me with death if I dare to reply to your slanders? I beg your pardon: to your praises. For your praises and your accusations come to the same thing; sweet and bitter flow from the same fountain. I beg you to set me the example of the modesty and sense of shame that you recommend to me. You accuse another of lying; stop being a liar yourself. [a]

I do not want to give anyone a cause of stumbling, and I will not become your accuser; for I have to consider not merely what you deserve but what is fitting for me. I tremble at our Savior’s words: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.” And: “Woe to the world because of causes of stumbling! For such causes must come; but woe to the man through whom they come.” I too could have piled up falsehoods against you, and said that I had heard or seen what no one had noticed, so that among the ignorant my brazenness might pass for truthfulness and my violence for firmness. But far be it from me to imitate you, and to do myself what I condemn in you. The man who is capable of doing filthy things may use filthy words. “The evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out what is evil; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” You may count it good fortune that the man you once called a friend and now accuse has no intention of making vile charges against you. I say this not from any dread of the sword of your accusation, but because I would rather be accused than be the accuser, and rather suffer a wrong than do one. I know the apostle’s command: “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for by doing this you will heap coals of fire on his head.” For one who avenges himself cannot claim the Lord’s vindication.