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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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To the notables of Neocæsarea.6. I have felt compelled to write to you in these terms, that you may be on your guardagainst the mischief arising from bad teaching. If we may indeed liken pernicious teachingsto poisonous drugs, as your dream-tellers have it, these doctrines are hemlock <strong>and</strong>monkshood, or any other deadly to man. It is these that destroy souls; not my words, asthis shrieking drunken scum, full of the fancies of their condition, make out. If they hadany sense they ought to know that in souls, pure <strong>and</strong> cleansed from all defilement, theprophetic gift shines clear. In a foul mirror you cannot see what the reflexion is, neithercan a soul preoccupied with cares of this life, <strong>and</strong> darkened with the passions of the lust ofthe flesh, receive the rays of the <strong>Holy</strong> Ghost. Every dream is not a prophecy, as saysZechariah, “The Lord shall make bright clouds, <strong>and</strong> give them showers of rain,…for theidols have spoken vanity <strong>and</strong> the diviners have told false dreams.” 2793 Those who, as Isaiahsays, dream <strong>and</strong> love to sleep in their bed 2794 forget that an operation of error is sent to “thechildren of disobedience.” 2795 And there is a lying spirit, which arose in false prophecies,<strong>and</strong> deceived Ahab. 2796 Knowing this they ought not to have been so lifted up as to ascribethe gift of prophecy to themselves. They are shewn to fall far short even of the case of theseer Balaam; for Balaam when invited by the king of Moab with mighty bribes brooked notto utter a word beyond the will of God, nor to curse Israel whom the Lord cursed not. 2797If then their sleep-fancies do not tally with the comm<strong>and</strong>ments of the Lord, let them becontent with the Gospels. The Gospels need no dreams to add to their credit. The Lordhas sent His peace to us, <strong>and</strong> left us a new comm<strong>and</strong>ment, to love one another, but dreamsbring strife <strong>and</strong> division <strong>and</strong> destruction of love. Let them therefore not give occasion tothe devil to attack their souls in sleep; nor make their imaginations of more authority thanthe instruction of salvation.2793 Zech. x. 1, 2.2794 cf. Is. lvi. 10.2795 Eph. ii. 2.2796 1 Kings xxii. 22.2797 Num. xxii. 11.711

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