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

To the Neocæsareans.of the writing. For right things often do not seem such to those who are deficient in accuratejudgment. Equal weights seem unequal when the arms of the balance are of different sizes.]Men whose sense of taste is destroyed by sickness, sometimes think honey sour. A diseasedeye does not see many things which do exist, and notes many things which do not exist.The same thing frequently takes place with regard to the force of words, when the critic isinferior to the writer. The critic ought really to set out with much the same training andequipment as the author. A man ignorant of agriculture is quite incapable of criticisinghusbandry, and the distinctions between harmony and discord can only be adequatelyjudged by a trained musician. But any one who chooses will set up for a literary critic,though he cannot tell us where he went to school, or how much time was spent in his education,and knows nothing about letters at all. I see clearly that, even in the case of thewords 2749 of the Holy Spirit, the investigation of the terms is to be attempted not by everyone, but by him who has the spirit of discernment, as the Apostle has taught us, in the differencesof gifts;—“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the wordof knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gift ofhealing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to anotherdiscerning of spirits.” 2750 If, therefore, my gifts are spiritual, he who wishes to judgethem must shew proof of his own possession of the gift of “discerning of spirits.” If, on thecontrary, as he calumniously contends, my gifts are of the wisdom of this world, let himshew that he is an adept in this world’s wisdom, and I will submit myself to his verdict. And[let no one suppose that I am making excuses to evade the charge. I put it into your hands,dearest brethren, to investigate for yourselves the points alleged against me. Are you soslow of intelligence as to be wholly dependent upon advocates for the discovery of the truth?If the points in question seem to you to be quite plain of themselves, persuade the jesters todrop the dispute. [If there be anything you do not understand, put questions to me, throughappointed persons who will do justice to me; or ask of me explanations in writing. Andtake all kinds of pains that nothing may be left unsifted.6. What clearer evidence can there be of my faith, than that I was brought up by mygrandmother, blessed woman, who came from you? I mean the celebrated Macrina whotaught me the words of the blessed Gregory; which, as far as memory had preserved downto her day, she cherished herself, while she fashioned and formed me, while yet a child, uponthe doctrines of piety. And when I gained the capacity of thought, my reason being maturedby full age, I travelled over much sea and land, and whomsoever I found walking in the ruleof godliness delivered, those I set down as fathers,] and made them my soul’s guides in my2452749 τοῖς λόγοις πνεύματος ἁγίου, the reading of the mss. Bas. Sec. and Paris. The commoner reading isλογίοις.2750 1 Cor. xii. 8–10.695