NPNF2-08. Basil: Letters and Select Works - Holy Bible Institute

The creation of terrestrial animals.not be able to say in self-justification, that we have learnt useful knowledge in books, sincethe untaught law of nature makes us choose that which is advantageous to us. Do you knowwhat good you ought to do your neighbour? The good that you expect from him yourself.Do you know what is evil? That which you would not wish another to do to you. Neitherbotanical researches nor the experience of simples have made animals discover those whichare useful to them; but each knows naturally what is salutary and marvellously appropriateswhat suits its nature.4. Virtues exist in us also by nature, and the soul has affinity with them not by education,but by nature herself. We do not need lessons to hate illness, but by ourselves we repel whatafflicts us, the soul has no need of a master to teach us to avoid vice. Now all vice is a sicknessof the soul as virtue is its health. Thus those have defined health well who have called it aregularity in the discharge of natural functions; a definition that can be applied without fearto the good condition of the soul. Thus, without having need of lessons, the soul can attainby herself to what is fit and conformable to nature. 1709 Hence it comes that temperanceeverywhere is praised, justice is in honour, courage admired, and prudence the object of all1041709 This is the Stoic doctrine. “Stoicorum quidem facilis conclusio est; qui cum finem bonorum esse senserint,congruere naturæ, cumque ea convenienter vivere.” cf. Cic., De Fin. iii. 7, 26, and De Nat. D. i. 14, and Hor., Ep.,i. x. 12. “Vivere naturæ si convenienter oportet.” So the Stoics’ main rule of life is ὁμολογουμένως τῇ φύσειζῆν. But with Basil this apparent disregard of the doctrine of original sin and the need of grace for redemptionmust be understood in the light of the catholic doctrine that sin is the corruption of human nature (cf. Art. ix.of Original or Birth Sin), which nature, though corrupt and prone to evil, retains capacities for good. But thesecapacities do need grace and training. cf. Basil’s Homily on Ps. xlv. 166. “What is said about the Saviour had adouble sense on account of the nature of the Godhead and the Economy of the incarnation. So, looking to thehumanity of God, it is said ‘thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity,’ instead of saying ‘the rest of menby toil and discipline and careful attention mostly attain a disposition towards good and an aversion from vice.But thou hast a kind of natural relationship to good and alienation from iniquity.’ And so to us, if we will, it isnot hard to acquire a love of righteousness and a hatred of iniquity.” i.e. In Christ, redeemed humanity lovesgood, and all men ‘naturally’ do need toil and discipline. The heredity of sin is recognised by Basil. (e.g. in Hom.in Famen. 7.) Man fell from grace given, and must return to it. (Serm. Ascet. in init.) It must always be rememberedthat questions of original sin, the will, and grace never had the same importance in the Greek as theyhad in the Latin church. cf. Dr. Travers Smith on St. Basil (c. ix. p. 108) and Böhringer (Das Vierte Jahrhundert.Basil, p. 102) who remarks: Wenn er auch noch von einer “Wieder herstellung des freien Willens, den wir zubrauchbaren Gefässen für den Herrn und zu jedem guten Werke fähig Werden” (De spir. sanct. 18) spricht, so hater dies doch nirgends begründet, obschon er bei der Besprechung der Folgen des Falls zuweilen sich äussert, es seider Mensch der von dem Schöpfer erhaltenen Freiheit beraubt worden. Im Allgemeinen setzt er den freien Willenauch nach dem Fall im Menschen so gut wieder Voraus, wie vor dem Fall, so dass jene Aeusserungen kaum mehr349