Chapter 4 Section 9.

- Eusebius Caesyreinsis

The
CAUSE OF GOD AND TRUTH.
Part 4
Chapter 4—Of Efficacious Grace

Section 9—Eusebius Caesariensis. A.D. 330.

Eusebius represents conversion as a wonderful change wrought in the soul through the power of divine grace; “Who
should be those Canaanites,” says he,[1] “but we, who before were aliens; and who, out of all nations, that were
formerly profane and ungodly, are preserved sheep for Christ; oi kai dia tes autou charitosmetabeblemetha,’ who also
are changed by his grace;’ and understanding the things before prophesied of, have received the true knowledge of the
word of the Lord.” And in another place he breaks out in a pathetic exclamation, after this manner,[2] “Who is he, that
is not amazed at this surprising affair, when he sees such who from the beginning worshipped stones, wood, devils,
brutes, demons, reptiles, etc.—who in their manner of living suffered nothing from the savage beasts, nuni dia tes tou
soteros emon entheou dunameon metablethentes kai osper ex eteron eteroi gegonotes, now through the divine power of
our Savior changed, and, as it were, become other men.” All which he supposes was brought about, not by moral
suasion, or merely by the ministry of the word; but by a secret, unspeakable, and almighty power, which attended it; to
which he always[3] ascribes the success of the Gospel: “You have,” says he,[4] “plain and evident demonstrations,
that is, in prophecy, from whom the Gospel should begin, even from Christ himself; by whom it should be preached,
namely, by his apostles; besides also, poia dunamei kratesei, oti me anthropeia, ‘with what power it should obtain or
overcome; that it should not be by that which is human.” It would be too tedious to transcribe all the passages of this
kind which are observable in this writer; I shall only add, that he considered sanctification as the peculiar work of the
Spirit of God, as appears from his following words;[5] “Wherefore the Holy Spirit dwells in a friendly manner with the
saints only, being imparted by the Son to those whom the Father would approve of, kai tout’ an eie ergon autou to
pantas agiazein, and this is his work, to sanctify all, to whom he gives some one or more of his gifts.”

ENDNOTES:

[1] Demonstr. Evangel. 1. 10, p. 484.

[2] Preparat. Evangel. 1. 1, c. 5, p. 21.

[3] Vide Eccl. Hist. 1. 2, c. I, p. 39; c. 3, p. 41; c. 14, p. 52; 1. 3, c. 37, p. 109. Preparat. Evangel. 1. 1, c. 4, p. 10; 1. 2,
c. 4. p. 68.

[4] Demonstr. Evangel. 1. 3, Proem. p. 89.

[5] De Ecclesiastes Theolog. 1. 3, c. 6, p. 174.

http://www.pbministries.org/books/gill/Cause_of_God_and_Truth/Part%204/chapter4/chap04_section09.htm[11/2/2010 10:41:17 AM]