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

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

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A transcript of the faith as dictated by Saint <strong>Basil</strong>, <strong>and</strong> subscribed by Eustathius, bishop ofSebasteia.Letter CXXV. 2407A transcript of the faith as dictated by Saint <strong>Basil</strong>, <strong>and</strong> subscribed by Eustathius, bishop ofSebasteia. 24081. Both men whose minds have been preoccupied by a heterodox creed <strong>and</strong> now wishto change over to the congregation of the orthodox, <strong>and</strong> also those who are now for the firsttime desirous of being instructed in the doctrine of truth, must be taught the creed drawnup by the blessed fathers in the Council which met at Nicæa. The same training would alsobe exceedingly useful in the case of all who are under suspicion of being in a state of hostilityto sound doctrine, <strong>and</strong> who by ingenious <strong>and</strong> plausible excuses keep the depravity of theirsentiments out of view. For these too this creed is all that is needed. They will either getcured of their concealed unsoundness, or, by continuing to keep it concealed, will themselvesbear the load of the sentence due to their dishonesty, <strong>and</strong> will provide us with an easy defencein the day of judgment, when the Lord will lift the cover from the hidden things of darkness,<strong>and</strong> “make manifest the counsels of the hearts.” 2409 It is therefore desirable to receive themwith the confession not only that they believe in the words put forth by our fathers at Nicæa,but also according to the sound meaning expressed by those words. For there are men whoeven in this creed pervert the word of truth, <strong>and</strong> wrest the meaning of the words in it to suittheir own notions. So Marcellus, when expressing impious sentiments concerning the hypostasisof our Lord Jesus Christ, <strong>and</strong> describing Him as being Logos <strong>and</strong> nothing more, 2410had the hardihood to profess to find a pretext for his principles in that creed by affixing animproper sense upon the Homoousion. Some, moreover, of the impious following of theLibyan Sabellius, who underst<strong>and</strong> hypostasis <strong>and</strong> substance to be identical, derive groundfor the establishment of their blasphemy from the same source, because of its having beenwritten in the creed “if any one says that the Son is of a different substance or hypostasis,the Catholic <strong>and</strong> Apostolic Church anathematizes him.” But they did not there state hypostasis<strong>and</strong> substance to be identical. Had the words expressed one <strong>and</strong> the same meaning,what need of both? It is on the contrary clear that while by some it was denied that the Son2407 Placed in 373.2408 On <strong>Basil</strong>’s relations with Eustathius of Sebasteia (Siwas in Armenia Minor), the Vicar of Bray of theArian controversies, who probably subscribed more creeds than any other prominent bishop of his age, see<strong>Letters</strong> cxxx. <strong>and</strong> ccxliv., <strong>and</strong> p. 171, n.2409 1 Cor. i. 5.2410 Marcellus of Ancyra (Angora) was represented to teach that the Son had no real personality, but wasonly the outward manifestation (Πορφορικὸς Λόγος) of the Father, but he could always defend himself on theground that he was in communion with Julius <strong>and</strong> Athanasius, popes of Rome <strong>and</strong> Alex<strong>and</strong>ria. cf. Jer., De Vir.Ill. chap. lxxxvi.564

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