Sketch of the Life and Works of Saint Basil the Great

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Page 80

(ii) Next in order come the Prooemium de Judicio Dei (prooimion peri krimatos Theou) and the De Fide (peri pisteos). These treatises were prefixed by Basil to the Moralia. He states that, when he enquired into the true causes of the troubles which weighed heavily on the Church, he could only refer them to breaches of the commandments of God. Hence the divine punishment, and the need of observing the Divine Law. The apostle says that what is needed is faith working by love. So St. Basil thought it necessary to append an exposition of the sound faith concerning the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and so pass in order to morals. [530] It has, however, been supposed by some [531] that the composition published in the plan as the De Fide is not the original tract so entitled, but a letter on the same subject written, if not during the episcopate, at least in the presbyterate. This view has been supported by the statement "Thus we believe and baptize." [532]

This, however, might be said generally of the custom obtaining in the Church, without reference to the writer's own practice. Certainly the document appears to have no connexion with those among which it stands, and to be an answer to some particular request for a convenient summary couched in scriptural terms. [533] Hence it does not contain the Homoousion, and the author gives his reason for the omission--an omission which, he points out, is in contrast with his other writings against heretics. [534] Obviously, therefore, this composition is to be placed in his later life. Yet he describes the De Fideas being anterior to the Moralia.

[530] De Jud. Dei. S: 8.

[531] cf. Ceillier VI. viii. 3.

[532] houtos phronodmen kai houtos Baptizomen eis Toiada homoousion, kata ten entolen autou tou kuriou hemon 'Iesou Christou eipontos poreuthentes matheteusate k.t.l. S:; the co-essential Trinity being described as involved in the baptismal formula.

[533] S: 1.

[534] S: 1.

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