Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

two, but in hypostasis one. 2786 The men who congratulate themselves on the subtilty of
their intelligence could not perceive that this is said not in reference to dogmatic opinion,
but in controversy with Ælian. And in this dispute there are not a few copyists’ blunders,
as, please God, I shall shew in the case of the actual expressions used. But in his endeavour
to convince the heathen, he deemed it needless to be nice about the words he employed; he
judged it wiser sometimes to make concessions to the character of the subject who was being
persuaded, so as not to run counter to the opportunity given him. This explains how it is
that you may find there many expressions which now give great support to the heretics, as
for instance “creature” 2787 and “thing made” 2788 and the like. But those who ignorantly
criticise these writings refer to the question of the Godhead much that is said in reference
to the conjunction with man; as is the case with this passage which they are hawking about.
For it is indispensable to have clear understanding that, as he who fails to confess the community
of the essence or substance falls into polytheism, so he who refuses to grant the
distinction of the hypostases is carried away into Judaism. For we must keep our mind
stayed, so to say, on certain underlying subject matter, and, by forming a clear impression
of its distinguishing lines, so arrive at the end desired. For suppose we do not bethink us
of the Fatherhood, nor bear in mind Him of whom this distinctive quality is marked off,
how can we take in the idea of God the Father? For merely to enumerate the differences of
Persons 2789 is insufficient; we must confess each Person 2790 to have a natural existence in
real hypostasis. Now Sabellius did not even deprecate the formation of the persons without
hypostasis, saying as he did that the same God, being one in matter, 2791 was metamorphosed
as the need of the moment required, and spoken of now as Father, now as Son, and now as
Holy Ghost. The inventors of this unnamed heresy are renewing the old long extinguished
error; those, I mean, who are repudiating the hypostases, and denying the name of the Son
of God. They must give over uttering iniquity against God, 2792 or they will have to wail
with them that deny the Christ.
2786 The Ben. note refused to believe that so Sabellian an expression can have been used by Gregory. Basil’s
explanation is that it was used in controversy with a heathen on another subject, loosely and not dogmatically.
The words are said not to be found in any extant document attributed to Gregory, whether genuine or doubtful.
But they may be matched in some of the expressions of Athanasius. cf. p. 195. Ath., Tom. ad Af. § 4 and Hom.
in Terem. viii. 96.
2787 κτίσμα.
2788 ποίημα.
2789 προσώπων.
2790 πρόσωπον.
2791 τῷ ὑποκειμένῳ.
2792 Ps. lxxv. 5, LXX.
To the notables of Neocæsarea.
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