813813 SPURIA. AD HOMILIAM DE SPIRITU SANCTO 814
Savilius, in his Notes, p. 815, expressed a judgment of this kind concerning the discourse on the Holy Spirit: "Photius acknowledges this homily in his *Bibliotheca*, p. 841; it is transcribed from the Royal Library of Paris. It is either by Chrysostom, or, as I rather think, by some other person from that learned antiquity. For the style is more concise, and frequent forms of speaking are used that are not customary for our John. Certainly the diversity of style is so great that Fronto Ducæus has rightly banished it among the spurious works. For this orator is entirely lean and uses a constrained kind of speech; so that no one has ever seemed to me more unlike Chrysostom. Therefore, Photius wrongly enumerated it among the genuine works of the holy doctor, just as he also adopted many other works." But I am pleased to translate into Latin that epitome of this discourse which he himself composed in chapter 77, which without doubt will not displease the reader. "The first homily of Chrysostom on the Holy Spirit was read, the beginning of which is, *Yesterday, O Christ-loving ones*. The false Christs spoke from themselves, not from the Law, not from the prophets; but from their own sense and impulse. The Savior, however, did not depart from the Law, did not abandon the prophets; but said at one time, *Well did Isaiah prophesy* (Matt. 15:7); and at another time, *Is it not written in your law?* (John 10:34), and six hundred similar things. Because, therefore, those who came before Christ, and craftily and fraudulently presumed to impose his name upon themselves, did not bring forth their errors from the Sacred Scriptures, but from their own arrogance: the Savior said, *I do not speak from myself* (John 14:10), just as they do. For to speak from oneself is to speak outside of the Sacred Scriptures. But that it is the custom of false-Christs and false-prophets to speak from themselves, God himself teaches through the prophet Ezekiel: *I did not send them, they spoke from themselves, they speak from their own heart* (Ezek. 13:3, 6). Since, therefore, the false-prophets preached from their own sense, in order to remove that suspicion from himself; for the ungrateful nation of the Jews slandered him as a deceiver who would lead the world into error; he therefore said: *I do not speak from myself*, but from the Law, from the prophets: *Whatever I heard from the Father* (John 8:38) in the Law, in the prophets: He speaks in the person of the flesh in such a way as to drive away that impious suspicion: *But you, whatever you have heard from your father the devil* (John 8:44). For that which belongs to a father is the lot and inheritance of the sons: and therefore those things that pertain to him descend to his heirs: so that it is found to be one and the same thing, to collapse into the same, to speak from themselves and to speak from their father the devil. Just as Christ, arriving, became the fullness of the Law and the prophets: so too the Spirit is the fullness of the Gospel. Christ, arriving, confirmed those things which had been spoken by the Father in the Law and in the prophets. Therefore Paul says (Rom. 10:4), *Christ is the fullness of the Law*. The Holy Spirit, arriving, fulfilled those things which were of the Gospel. Whatever things are in the doctrine of Christ, these the Spirit fulfills; whatever things, however, are in the doctrine of the Law, [797]
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM'S SERMON ON THE HOLY SPIRIT
A 1 Yesterday, O Christ-loving ones, the indwelling of the holy and adorable Spirit was celebrated, honored not by human thoughts, but testified to by the Father's power. For the Word of God does not consist of those things which we reason or speak, but it consists of those things by which we are enlightened, and piety is established, and the truth is preached. Only the Word of God, only the teaching of the Holy Spirit, is both the lamp of piety, and the proclamation of the knowledge of God, and the illumination of divine teaching. It is necessary, however, to dwell on the explanation of the holy and adorable Spirit, and to say something more clearly about that holy and glorious power. Again, to use the same words, not from those things which we reason, but from those things by which we are taught, the Holy Spirit—from those things which the divine words teach, or rather from those things which it proclaims about itself, and speaks through the prophets, and carries its own ray through the apostles—is in nature indivisible, inasmuch as it has proceeded from the indivisible and unpartitioned nature. Its name is Holy Spirit, Spirit of truth, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of the Father, Spirit of the Son, Spirit of Christ; and Scripture calls it this—or rather it calls itself this—both Spirit of God, and Spirit which is from God. And lest, when we hear "Spirit of God," we should think that "Spirit of God" is said by way of appropriation, Scripture introduces the Holy Spirit and adds to "of God" that which is "from God." B For "of God" is one thing, and "from God" is another. For the heaven and earth are "of God," as having been made by him, but nothing is called "from God" unless it is from his substance. It is called, then, Holy Spirit. For this is the principal and primary appellation, having a more emphatic meaning, and representing the Holy Spirit. C ...the Holy Spirit, Spirit of God. Who calls it Spirit of God? Hear the Savior: *But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons* (Matt. 12:28). Spirit of God. In order, therefore, as I said before, that no one, upon hearing "Spirit of God," should think that an appropriation is meant, and not a communion of nature, Paul says: *But you have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God* (1 Cor. 2:12). Again, it is called Spirit of the Father, as the Savior says to the holy apostles: *Do not be anxious how or what you should speak; for it is not you who are speaking, but the Spirit of our Father who speaks in you* (Matt. 10:20). And just as he said "Spirit of God," and Scripture added, "that which is from God," so again it is said "Spirit of the Father." And lest you think this is spoken by way of appropriation, the Savior confirms it: *But when the Paraclete comes, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father* (John 15:26). There, "from God"; here, "from the Father." That which he added for himself, *I came forth from the Father* (John 16:28), this he added for the Holy Spirit: *Who proceeds from the Father*. It is, therefore, Spirit of God and Spirit of the Father, and it proceeds from the Father. What is, "It proceeds"? He did not say, "It is begotten." For we must not hold opinions that are not written. The Son is begotten from the Father, the Spirit is proceeding from the Father. You seek from me the difference, by all means: how was this one begotten, how did that one proceed? What then? Because you have learned that he was begotten, have you learned also the manner? D Therefore, since you hear the Son being proclaimed, you have also grasped the manner of the begetting. These are names honored by faith, and kept by pious thought. But what is the power of, "It proceeds"? In order that Scripture may bypass the name of "begetting," in order that it may not call it "Son," it says "Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father." It introduces it as proceeding, like water springing from the earth: according to that which is said concerning Paradise: *And a river proceeds from Eden*; it proceeds,