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

To the Cæsareans. A defence of his withdrawal, and concerning the faith.Letter VIII. 1779To the Cæsareans. A defence of his withdrawal, and concerning the faith.1. I have often been astonished at your feeling towards me as you do, and how it comesabout that an individual so small and insignificant, and having, may be, very little that islovable about him, should have so won your allegiance. You remind me of the claims offriendship and of fatherland, 1780 and press me urgently in your attempt to make me comeback to you, as though I were a runaway from a father’s heart and home. That I am a runawayI confess. I should be sorry to deny it; since you are already regretting me, you shall be toldthe cause. I was astounded like a man stunned by some sudden noise. I did not crush mythoughts, but dwelt upon them as I fled, and now I have been absent from you a considerabletime. Then I began to yearn for the divine doctrines, and the philosophy that is concernedwith them. How, said I, could I overcome the mischief dwelling with us? Who is to be myLaban, setting me free from Esau, and leading me to the supreme philosophy? By God’shelp, I have, so far as in me lies, attained my object; I have found a chosen vessel, a deepwell; I mean Gregory, Christ’s mouth. Give me, therefore, I beg you, a little time. I am notembracing a city life. 1781 I am quite well aware how the evil one by such means devisesdeceit for mankind, but I do hold the society of the saints most useful. For in the moreconstant change of ideas about the divine dogmas I am acquiring a lasting habit of contemplation.Such is my present situation.2. Friends godly and well beloved, do, I implore you, beware of the shepherds of thePhilistines; let them not choke your wills unawares; let them not befoul the purity of yourknowledge of the faith. This is ever their object, not to teach simple souls lessons drawnfrom Holy Scripture, but to mar the harmony of the truth by heathen philosophy. Is nothe an open Philistine who is introducing the terms “unbegotten” and “begotten” into ourfaith, and asserts that there was once a time when the Everlasting was not; 1782 that He whois by nature and eternally a Father became a Father; that the Holy Ghost is not eternal? He1161779 This important letter was written a.d. 360, when Basil, shocked at the discovery that Dianius, the bishopwho had baptized him, had subscribed the Arian creed of Ariminum, as revised at Nike (Theod., Hist. Ecc. II.xvi.), left Cæsarea, and withdrew to his friend Gregory at Nazianzus. The Benedictine note considers the traditionaltitle an error, and concludes the letter to have been really addressed to the monks of the Cœnobium overwhich Basil had presided. But it may have been written to monks in or near Cæsarea, so that title and sense willagree.1780 πατρίς seems to be used of the city or neighbourhood of Cæsarea, and so far to be in favour of Basil’sbirth there.1781 i.e. the life of the city, presumably Nazianzus, from which he is writing.1782 cf. the Arian formula ἦν ποτὲ ὅτε οὐκ ἦν.372