13.07.2015 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

<strong>Basil</strong> to Urbicius the monk, concerning continency.Letter CCCLXVI. 3294<strong>Basil</strong> to Urbicius the monk, concerning continency.You do well in making exact definitions for us, so that we may recognise not only continency,but its fruit. Now its fruit is the companionship of God. For not to be corrupted,is to have part with God; just as to be corrupted is the companionship of the world. Continencyis denial of the body, <strong>and</strong> confession to God. It withdraws from anything mortal, likea body which has the Spirit of God. It is without rivalry <strong>and</strong> envy, <strong>and</strong> causes us to be unitedto God. He who loves a body envies another. He who has not admitted the disease of corruptioninto his heart, is for the future strong enough to endure any labour, <strong>and</strong> though hehave died in the body, he lives in incorruption. Verily, if I rightly apprehend the matter,God seems to me to be continency, because He desires nothing, but has all things in Himself.He reaches after nothing, nor has any sense in eyes or ears; wanting nothing, He is in allrespects complete <strong>and</strong> full. Concupiscence is a disease of the soul; but continency is itshealth. And continency must not be regarded only in one species, as, for instance, in mattersof sensual love. It must be regarded in everything which the soul lusts after in an evil manner,not being content with what is needful for it. Envy is caused for the sake of gold, <strong>and</strong> innumerablewrongs for the sake of other lusts. Not to be drunken is continency. Not to overeatone’s self is continency. To subdue the body is continency, <strong>and</strong> to keep evil thoughts insubjection, whenever the soul is disturbed by any fancy false <strong>and</strong> bad, <strong>and</strong> the heart is distractedby vain cares. Continency makes men free, being at once a medicine <strong>and</strong> a power,for it does not teach temperance; it gives it. Continency is a grace of God. Jesus seemed tobe continency, when He was made light to l<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> sea; for He was carried neither by earthnor ocean, <strong>and</strong> just as He walked on the sea, so He did not weigh down the earth. For ifdeath comes of corruption, <strong>and</strong> not dying comes of not having corruption, then Jesuswrought not mortality but divinity. 3295 He ate <strong>and</strong> drank in a peculiar manner, withoutrendering his food. 3296 So mighty a power in Him was continency, that His food was not3273294 Introduced by the Ben. with the following preface: “En magni <strong>Basil</strong>ii epistolam, ex prisco codicelxi. f.324, a me exscriptam quæ olim clarissimis quoque viris Marcianæ bibliothecæ descriptoribus Zannetro atqueMorellio inedita visa est; atque utrum sit alicubi postremis his annis edita, mihi non constat, sed certe in plenissimaGarnerii editione desideratur. Ea scribitur ad Urbicum monachum, ad quem aliæ duæ <strong>Basil</strong>ii epistolæ exstant,nempe 123 <strong>and</strong> 262, in Garneriana editione. Argumentum titulusque est De Continentia, neque vero scriptumhoc <strong>Basil</strong>ianum diutius ego cel<strong>and</strong>um arbitror præsertim quia Suidas ac Photius nihil præstantius aut epistolaricharacteri accommodatius <strong>Basil</strong>ii epistolis esse judicarunt. Mai, biblioth. nov. patr. iii. 450.3295 θεότητα οὐ θνητότητα.3296 The Ben. note is: “Hac super re reverentissime theologiceque scribit Athanasius Corinthi episcopus infragmento quod nos edidimus A.A. class l. x. p. 499–500, quod incipit: Ζητοῦμεν, εἰ ἡ πλήρωσις τῶν βρωμάτων929

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!