65. But what are these to his renown for
eloquence, and his powers of instruction, which have won the favour of
the ends of the world? As yet we have been compassing the foot of
the mountain, to the neglect of its summit, as yet we have been
crossing a strait, paying no heed to the mighty and deep ocean.
For I think that if any one ever has become, or can become, a trumpet,
in his far sounding resonance, or a voice of God, embracing the
universe, or an earthquake of the world, by some unheard of miracle, it
is his voice and intellect which deserve these titles, for surpassing
and excelling all men as much as we surpass the irrational
creatures. Who, more than he, cleansed himself by the Spirit, and
made himself worthy to set forth divine things? Who was more
enlightened by the light of knowledge, and had a closer insight into
the depths of the Spirit, and by the aid of God beheld the things of
God? Whose language could better express intellectual truth,
without, as most men do, limping on one foot, by either failing to
express his ideas, or allowing his eloquence to outstrip his reasoning
powers? In both respects he won a like distinction, and showed
himself to be his own equal, and absolutely perfect. To search
all things, yea, the deep things of God 1 Cor. ii. 10.
is, according to the testimony of S. Paul, the office of the Spirit,
not because He is ignorant of them, but because He takes delight in
their contemplation. Now all the things of the Spirit Basil had
fully investigated, and hence he drew his instructions for every kind
of character, his lessons in the sublime, and his exhortations to quit
things present, and adapt ourselves to things to come.