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Epistles on the Arian Heresy

Alexander of Alexandria

Section 1

About this work

Author: Alexander of Alexandria

1. The Word which is ungrudgingly sent down from

‹ Part 5 · Introduction Section 2 ›

heaven

,

is

fitted

for

the

irrigation

of

our

hearts

,

if

we

have

been

prepared

for

His

power

,

not

by

speaking

only

,

but

by

listening

.

For

as

the

rain

without

the

ground

does

not

produce

fruit

,

so

neither

does

the

Word

fructify

without

hearing

,

nor

hearing

without

the

Word

.

Moreover

,

the

Word

then

becomes

fruitful

when

we

pronounce

it

,

and

in

the

same

way

hearing

,

when

we

listen

.

Therefore

since

the

Word

draws

forth

its

power

,

do

you

also

ungrudgingly

lend

your

ears

,

and

when

you

come

to

hear

,

cleanse

yourselves

from

all

ill

-

will

and

unbelief

.

Two

very

bad

things

are

ill

-

will

and

unbelief

,

both

of

which

are

contrary

to

righteousness

;

for

ill

-

will

is

opposed

to

charity

,

and

unbelief

to

faith

;

just

in

the

same

way

as

bitterness

is

opposed

to

sweetness

,

darkness

to

light

,

evil

to

good

,

death

to

life

,

falsehood

to

truth

.

Those

,

therefore

,

who

abound

in

these

vices

that

are

repugnant

to

virtue

,

are

in

a

manner

dead

;

for

the

malignant

and

the

unbelieving

hate

charity

and

faith

,

and

they

who

do

this

are

the

enemies

of

God

.