man, whom he renewed by the communion he has with himself. To him be honor and adoration, who was A of old, and is now, and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
NOTICE ON THE SUBSEQUENT EPISTLES OF SAINT ATHANASIUS TO SERAPION
512-515. I. The following epistles of St. Athanasius to Serapion, Bishop of Thmuis, were written by the holy Doctor in the desert at the invitation and urging of Serapion himself, as is evident from the first epistle, numbers 1 and 33, and indeed after the Orations against the Arians, as one may conjecture from these words of the first epistle, number 2: "Therefore, this thought is indeed not foreign to the Arians. For once having denied the Word of God, they reasonably utter the same blasphemies also against His Spirit. Therefore, there is no need to say any more to them; for what has been said against them before is sufficient." Thus, such a position is by no means foreign to the Arians. For since they have once dared to deny the Word of God, they rightly utter impious lies about His Spirit as well. Wherefore, it is not necessary to say more against them, for what has been said against them earlier should be sufficient. In these epistles, therefore, St. Athanasius disputes against certain men who had indeed departed from the Arians and confessed that the Son is truly God, yet held impious views concerning the Holy Spirit—wishing Him to be a created thing, and one of the ministering spirits, differing from the angels only in rank, as is stated in number 1 of the first epistle. Hence Athanasius B aptly says that their conflict with the Arians is feigned, and that they are in reality adversaries of the true faith. For the Arians defended both errors—namely, that both the Son and the Spirit are created things—as we have just seen, and as the holy Doctor declares elsewhere throughout, for example in Oration III against the Arians, page 447, number 15. But from this it came about that they were hated by the Arians, because they would not admit the Son to be a created thing, as is narrated in number 32 of that same first epistle, nor were they accepted by the orthodox, because they denied that the Holy Spirit is truly God. These men were further called "Tropici," as St. Athanasius often calls them, as in numbers 10 and 32 of the first epistle, because they wished to interpret as metaphors and tropes those places in Holy Scripture which the orthodox used in defending the divinity of the Holy Spirit. However, these men do not appear to be the same as the Macedonians. For it is indicated in number 1 and elsewhere that those men held correct views regarding the Son; but the Macedonians were unwilling for the Son to be consubstantial with the Father, but merely "similar," as Theodoret reports in *Hæreticarum fabularum* book IV, number 5, and *Historia ecclesiastica* book II, chapter 6.
II. Those epistles exist in a very disordered and perverse arrangement in the previously published works of St. Athanasius. For that which ought to be the first is the second; that which ought to be the second occupies the first place. Nay, the latter part of the second epistle exists in the second volume, while the former part of the same is in the first volume. Similarly, the latter part of the last epistle is placed in the first volume, but the former part in the second. But with the aid of the manuscripts, we have restored them individually to their proper order, as follows. The first, indeed, is that which begins, "The letter of yours," etc., which, when some of the brethren desired to have it reduced to an epitome, Serapion requested of Athanasius that he might not be burdened to effect this. And this was the cause of the holy Doctor writing the second epistle to the same, the beginning of which is, "I indeed thought," etc. In the first part of this, he briefly defends the divinity of the Word against the Arians: in the other part, which he begins with these words, "Perhaps you will wonder," etc., he summarizes the first epistle. For it appears that these are not strictly different epistles, but merely two parts of the same epistle, which copyists later divided as if they were distinct epistles. For he does not begin the latter part as if it were another epistle; rather, he excuses himself that, having been asked to summarize the first epistle concerning the Holy Spirit, he had first discoursed upon the divinity of the Son. Moreover, at the beginning of the second epistle he writes that he has accomplished therein what Serapion had requested, namely, that he would wish to encompass the first—which seemed somewhat wordier—in fewer words: which, since he has accomplished this only in this second part of which we speak, it is clear that this is not a new epistle, but only the latter part of the second epistle. Hence, even in most of the more excellent manuscript codices, a note is inscribed at the beginning of the second epistle stating that it is an epitome of the first, which would certainly be alien to the truth if its other part were a distinct epistle.
III. Nor did it befall only the second epistle to be split into two, but the same also happened to the last, which
as it is found in the Globerian and Felckmanni codices, was likewise split into two epistles. But although it seems to us to be established that this is the state of affairs, yet, since the second epistle is distinguished as two epistles in all the manuscript codices we have seen, we have not dared to join them together, but have divided it just as it is held in the manuscripts themselves.
IV. A Felckmannus judged the second epistle, or its first part, which discourses on the Son, to be a synopsis of the Orations against the Arians. But the manuscript codices, which observe it to be an epitome of the first epistle to Serapion, stand against this opinion, as does the very beginning of the same, where St. Athanasius mentions only the first, which he says in this second one he had abridged at the request of Serapion, and with no brothers desiring it. We do not deny, however, that the principal arguments, which are set forth more fully in the Orations against the Arians, are treated here in a strict and concise manner; but we maintain that that work, which he says at the beginning of the second epistle he had reduced into an epitome, is none other than the first epistle to Serapion.
V. B Finally, the last epistle begins, *'Evétuyov xαὶ τῇ*, etc. C The latter part of this, however, or as it were an appendix, is a treatise on the words of Matthew, *Whosoever shall speak*, etc., which has been wrongly separated from it in editions published thus far. For not only does it immediately follow this epistle in all the manuscript codices, but it is also correctly joined to it without any title in the Regius and Seguerianus copies of excellent quality, and the very words of Matthew are brought in only in the margin, as is done in other places as well. In the Globerianus and the first of Felckmanni, however, this inscription is placed before it as if it were a new epistle: *Πρὸς τὸν αὐτὸν Σερapίωνα*. Indeed, since St. Athanasius had cited these words of the Gospel against the adversaries in the first epistle, 516, number 3, and at the end of the latter part of the second, Serapion asked him to interpret that passage and explain why he who has sinned against the Holy Spirit is to be punished more severely than he who has sinned against the Son; to which request, though, as he writes, he was much reluctant, he satisfied him at the end of this last epistle.
VI. We shall not dwell long on refuting the precipitous and altogether iniquitous judgment of Erasmus concerning the first epistle to Serapion. "Saving," says he, "the judgment of learned men, which is held in high regard, I consider this work to be that of an idle man, endowed with no talent, who wished to imitate the booklets of divine Athanasius to Serapion. This is a wondrous heap of places and a confusion of arguments, and a most annoying repetition of things once said." Scultetus and Rivetus rashly subscribe to the same opinion, with no other arguments brought forward, except that Rivetus adds that there is cited in that epistle a passage from Micah, which is nowhere to be found, namely, *The house of Jacob has provoked the Spirit of the Lord*. But he is very much hallucinating; for that is the seventh verse of the second chapter of Micah according to the Greek version.
VII. D How vain and reckless is an opinion of this kind of theirs is proved by all the manuscript codices whatsoever, in which, indeed, it is attributed to St. Athanasius by great consensus. Moreover, whoever has been even slightly versed in the reading of St. Athanasius will easily recognize the method, the diction, and the very words of the holy Doctor in that epistle. For he does not discourse otherwise here than in his other works, for example, in the Orations against the Arians, in which he accumulates testimonies of Scripture from all sides to defend the divinity of the Son. For since both the Arians and the Tropici admitted the same Scriptures as the orthodox, whence, I ask, could he bring forward stronger arguments than from these divine books? Nor does he repeat the same things more frequently here than elsewhere, which he himself is accustomed to warn should be a nuisance to no one. Finally, since those same men agree that the later part of the second epistle, which is an epitome of the first, is Athanasius's, it is truly very strange that they should dare to repudiate this one. But of these things, enough and more than enough. For it is so clear that this first epistle is truly Athanasius's that for anyone examining the matter seriously, no suspicion can arise to call it into doubt.
VIII. Cardinal Perronius in book 11 *De Eucharistia*, and some others, have denied that the last part or appendix of the final epistle, namely the *Treatise on the words of Matthew, Whosoever shall speak*, etc., is the true work of St. Athanasius. But those things which were said a little earlier, in numbers III and V, show most openly that it is his genuine offspring. Add that in the Lateran Council under Martin I, page 304, three passages from this treatise are cited as from a true work of St. Athanasius.
OF OUR HOLY FATHER ATHANASIUS, ARCHBISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA, EPISTLE TO SERAPION, BISHOP OF THMUIS
Against those who blaspheme and say that the Holy Spirit is a created thing.
1. A I have received the letters of your holy charity in the desert. For although a bitter persecution was pressing upon us, and there was a great searching by those who were seeking to slay us, yet the “Father of mercies and God of all consolation” (2 Cor. 1:3), has comforted us through your letters. For as I recalled your disposition and that of all my genuine friends, I seemed to see them present with me then. Therefore, I was greatly rejoiced upon receiving your letters; but I had scarcely finished reading them when I began again to grieve severely, moved by the perversity of those who have once and for all set their minds to fight against the truth. For you wrote, beloved and truly most desired one, being yourself also grieved, that some had stepped forth from the ranks of the Arians B—
[Note: The remaining text on this page consists of the critical apparatus (footnotes 71, 72, 73) describing manuscript variations, which is omitted per instructions.]
the Arians — A detesting the heresy against the Son of God, while at the same time holding blasphemous opinions against the Holy Spirit, and saying that He is not only a creature, but even one of the ministering spirits, and that He differs from the angels only in degree. This is, toward the Arians, a feigned battle; but it is a true contradiction against the pious faith. For just as they, by denying the Son, deny also the Father; so too these men, by blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, blaspheme also against the Son. And both parties have divided the resistance against the truth, so that some, holding opinions against the Word, and others against the Spirit, may have the same blasphemy against the holy Trinity. Seeing these things, then, and pondering much within myself, I have fallen into great sorrow, because the devil has again found an opportunity to play among those who pretend to share his madness; and I had judged that I should remain silent B at such a time; but because of the exhortation of your holiness, and because of their heterodoxy and satanic audacity, I have with difficulty written this letter, having been able to do even this only with labor—that you might take an occasion from these points, according to the discernment you possess, to add what is lacking, so that the refutation against this impious heresy may be complete.
2. Therefore, this opinion is by no means foreign to the Arians. For once having dared to deny the Word of God, they naturally utter the same impious lies regarding His Spirit. Wherefore it is not necessary to say more against them, but what has been said before against them ought to suffice. But regarding those who, being deceived, hold false opinions about the Holy Spirit, it is fitting to reply to them in a certain way, or rather, as they themselves would say, by a "trope" C. For truly their madness might seem astonishing, in that those who do not wish the Son of God to be a creature—and they do well, indeed, to hold this opinion—how could they even hear that the Spirit of the Son is a creature? D
For if, because of the unity of the Word with the Father, they do not wish the Son to be one of the things that have come to be, but—as is truly the case—judge him to be the creator of all things, why do they say that the Holy Spirit, who has the same unity toward the Son as the Son has toward the Father, is a creature? A They have failed to realize that, just as those who do not divide the Son from the Father preserve the unity of God, so those who divide the Spirit from the Word no longer preserve the one divinity in the Trinity; they tear it apart, and by introducing an alien and different nature into it, they make it equal to created things. Furthermore, this does not show that the Trinity is one, but rather that it is composed of two different natures, because of the "hetero-ousia" (difference of being) of the Spirit, as they have invented for themselves B. What kind of theology is this, then, composed of a creator and a creature? For either it is not a Trinity but a duality, and the rest is creation; or, if it is a Trinity—as indeed it is—how can they classify the Spirit of the Trinity with those creatures that come after the Trinity? For this is once again to divide and dissolve the Trinity. Therefore, if they think wrongly about the Holy Spirit, they do not think correctly about the Son either. For if they thought rightly about the Word, they would also think soundly about the Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and, being the Spirit of the Son, is given by Him C to the disciples and to all those who believe in Him. Thus, wandering in error, they do not possess a sound faith regarding the Father either. For those who set themselves against the Spirit, as the great martyr Stephen said, are the same ones who deny the Son. But those who deny the Son do not have the Father either.
A 3. Whence, I ask, have you such boldness that you do not fear what was said by the Lord: “Whoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness, neither in this age nor in the future”? The Arians, indeed, although they did not understand the bodily presence of the Word and the things said by reason of it, nonetheless most wickedly took from these an occasion to invent their heresy, and were convicted of being enemies of God and, in truth, of speaking vanity from the earth. But you, whence, I pray, have you been led into error? Who taught you thus, or what at length is the manner of your error? “We read,” they say, “in the prophet Amos these words of God: ‘For behold, I am he who establishes the thunder and creates the spirit, and makes known to men his Christ, B making the dawn and the mist, and walking upon the high places of the earth: the Lord God Almighty is his name.’” And from this we were persuaded to agree with the Arians, who teach that the Holy Spirit is a created thing.
Have you then read what stands in Amos? But as to that which is said in the Proverbs: “The Lord created me as the beginning of his ways for his works,” did you read it or not? Are you therefore interpreting that passage in the Proverbs according to the truth, so that you do not call the Word a created thing, but that passage in the prophet you do not interpret, but merely having heard the word “spirit,” you thought it was being said that the Holy Spirit is a created thing? Yet in the Proverbs, Wisdom openly says: “He created me.” C Nevertheless, you do well to interpret that statement in such a way that you do not number the creative Wisdom among created things. But the statement in the prophet has no indication regarding the Holy Spirit, but is spoken simply about spirit. How then, although there is a very great difference in the Scriptures regarding spirits, and the passage is able to have an upright sense, do you, as if contentious or harmed by the bite of the Arian serpent, think that the prophet Amos was speaking of the Holy Spirit, lest you cease to believe that the Holy Spirit is a created thing?
4. Tell me, I pray, whether you find in any place in divine Scripture the Holy Spirit being called simply “spirit,” without the added word “of God,” or “of the Father,” or D of the Son, or “from me,” which is…
A from God, or unless it be with the article, so that it is not said merely as spirit, but either as “that Spirit,” or “the Holy Spirit,” or “the Paraclete,” or “of truth,” which is of the Son, who says: “I am the truth” (John XIV, 6)—this is so that you, on hearing the bare word “spirit,” might not suspect it to be the Holy Spirit. Yet I would wish to exempt from this rule those who, having already received the Holy Spirit, are afterwards mentioned again, or those who, having first learned what should be believed concerning the Holy Spirit, are subsequently reminded through a repetition or exhortation, where the bare word “spirit” is uttered, and who are not ignorant of whom they hear, especially since it is expressed in this way even with the article. Finally, you will never find the Holy Spirit signified without the article or the aforementioned addition. Of this kind are those things which Paul writes to the Galatians: B “This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (Gal. III, 2). Whom else indeed had they received, if not the Holy Spirit, who is given to those who believe and are reborn through the laver of regeneration? And writing to the Thessalonians also: “Do not quench the Spirit” (I Thess. V, 19). For he was admonishing those who certainly knew what Spirit they had received, so that they might not quench, through negligence, the grace of the Spirit that had been kindled in them. But if the evangelists in the Gospels, speaking of the Savior according to human nature because of the flesh he assumed, have these words: “Jesus, full of the Spirit, returned from the Jordan” (Luc. IV, 1); and: “Then Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit” C (Matth. IV, 1)—the same sense must be observed here. Since it had been said beforehand by Luke: “It came to pass when all the people were being baptized, and Jesus was baptized and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form like a dove upon him” (Luc. III, 21, 22). Wherefore it is evident that the Holy Spirit himself is signified there by the word “Spirit.” Similarly, among those with whom the Holy Spirit is, although he may be called only “Spirit” without the addition, there should be no doubt that the Holy Spirit is denoted, especially if the article is present.
5. You, however, demonstrate what has been proposed to you, if indeed you find in any place in divine Scripture the Holy Spirit D
A spoken of simply, without the aforementioned addition and the observation of which we have made mention. But you could not say this; for you will not find it written. But in Genesis it is written: “And the Spirit of God was borne over the water,” and after a little: “My Spirit shall not remain in these men, because they are flesh.” And in Numbers, Moses says to the son of Nun: “Do you envy me? And who would grant that all the Lord’s people should be prophets, whenever the Lord gives His Spirit upon them?” And in the Book of Judges concerning Othoniel it is said: “And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel.” And again: “And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephte.” And concerning Samson: “The boy grew,” he says, “and the Lord blessed him; and the Spirit of the Lord began to go with him.” And, “The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him.” David also sings: “Thy Holy Spirit take not from me.” And again in the one hundred and forty-second Psalm: “Thy good Spirit shall guide me in the straight land; for Thy name’s sake, O Lord, Thou shalt make me live.” In Isaiah also we read: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me.” But before these words it was said: “Woe, rebellious children. Thus saith B the Lord: You have taken counsel, not by me, and [made] covenants not by My Spirit, to add sin to sins.” And again: “Hear these things: Not from the beginning have I spoken in secret; when it came to pass, there I was; and now the Lord hath sent me, and His Spirit.” And after a little he says thus: “And this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord, My Spirit which is upon thee.” And further, in what follows he adds, saying: “No messenger, nor angel, but the Lord Himself saved them, because He loved them and spared them; He Himself redeemed them, and took them up, and lifted them up all the C days of old. But they disobeyed, and provoked His Holy Spirit...
and He turned to be their enemy. A Ezekiel also speaks thus: "And the Spirit took me up, and brought me into the land of the Chaldeans, in a vision, in the Spirit of God." And in Daniel: "God raised up the Holy Spirit of a younger boy, whose name was Daniel; and he cried out with a loud voice: I am pure from the blood of this woman." And Micah says: "The house of Jacob has provoked the Spirit of the Lord." And through Joel, God says: "And it shall be after these things, that I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh." And through Zechariah again, it is the voice of God saying: "Only receive My words and My statutes, which I command in My Spirit to My servants, the prophets." When the prophet was blaming the people, he said a little later: B "And they set their heart to be disobedient, so as not to hear My law, and the words which the Lord Almighty sent in His Spirit by the hand of the former prophets." And having gathered these few things from the Old Testament, we have spoken briefly.
6. If you please, consult the Gospels and what the apostles wrote, and you will hear how, even there, though there is a great variety of spirits, the Holy Spirit is specially named, not simply as Spirit, but with the aforementioned addition. For when the Lord, as I said before, was being baptized in a human manner, because of the flesh He bore, the Holy Spirit is said to have descended upon Him; and when He was giving this C to the disciples, He said: "Receive the Holy Spirit"; and He taught them: "The Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things." And a little later concerning the same, He said: "When the Paraclete comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness concerning Me"; and again: "For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."
A And a little later: "But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." And the whole theology and our initiation—in which He joined us to Himself, and through Himself to the Father—He fulfilled in this, charging His disciples: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." B Furthermore, having promised that He would send Him to them, He "commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem"; and a few days later: "When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Hence, afterwards, by the laying on of the hands of the apostles, the Holy Spirit was given to those being reborn. Moreover, a certain Agabus prophesied in this same manner, saying: "Thus says the Holy Spirit." And Paul: "In which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church of God, which He purchased with His own blood." And upon the eunuch being baptized: "The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip." C Also Peter wrote: "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." John likewise writes: "Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit." Paul similarly writes these things to the Romans: "But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead
shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you. And to the Corinthians: “For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” And after a little: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” And again: “But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.” And again: “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.” And again: “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” See also how He writes to the Galatians, saying: “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” And again: “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” And to the B Ephesians He spoke thus: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” And again: “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” And to the Philippians He spoke with boldness, writing: “What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing C I shall be ashamed.” And to the Thessalonians: “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus.” And: “He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us His holy Spirit.”
And to the Hebrews it speaks thus: “The holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing.” And again: “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” And again: “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works?” And to the Thessalonians: “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” B
524 7. Behold how the holy Spirit is indicated throughout all the pages of divine Scripture. What, therefore, have you observed in the prophet that is analogous to this? For neither does the spirit of which he speaks even have an article joined to it, so that there might be some reason for you. But you wrongfully dare to invent tropes for yourselves, nor do you fear to assert that the spirit, which is said to be created, is the holy Spirit Himself, although it would have been possible for you to learn from learned men about the difference of spirits. For even the spirit of man is spoken of, as David sings: “In the night I communed with my own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.” And Baruch, praying in these words, says: “The soul that is greatly vexed, and the spirit that is an unclean, crieth unto thee.” And in the hymn of the three children: “Bless the Lord, O ye spirits: and, O ye souls of the righteous.” So also the Apostle writes: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs.” And again: “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?” C
7. Behold how the holy Spirit is made known in all divine Scripture. What, therefore, have you observed in the prophet that is similar to this? For neither does the spirit spoken of by the prophet even have the article (55), so that you might have even a pretext. But you have simply dared to invent modes for yourselves, and to say that the spirit which is said to be created is the holy Spirit Himself, although you could have learned from learned men concerning the difference of spirits. For even the spirit of man is spoken of, as David chants: “In the night I meditated with my heart, and my spirit grew weary.” And Baruch, praying, says: “A soul in straits and a spirit of despondency crieth unto thee.” And in the song of the three children (54): “Bless the Lord, O ye spirits; and souls of the righteous.” And the Apostle writes: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs.” And again: “No man knoweth the things of D and for the holy Spirit Himself the great Athanasius accepted this saying, but not for any of the other spirits. That saying spoken by the prophet, if it does not have the article, it is not placed. And Daniel. And the Apostle: it, the Spirit itself.
A Nemo scit quæ sunt hominis, nisi spiritus hominis qui in ipso est. In the Epistle to the Thessalonians, praying, he says: "May your whole spirit, and soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." B It is also said of the spirits of the winds, thus, in Genesis: "And God brought a spirit upon the earth, and the water abated," and in the case of Jonah: "And the Lord raised a spirit upon the sea, and there was a great tempest in the sea, and the ship was in danger of breaking." And in the one hundred and sixth Psalm it is written: "He spoke, and a spirit of storm stood, and its waves were lifted up." And in the one hundred and forty-eighth Psalm: "Praise the Lord from the earth, you dragons and all deeps, fire, hail, snow, ice, spirit of storm, fulfilling his word," and in Ezekiel, in the lamentation for Tyre: "In the heart of the sea, in many waters, your rowers brought you; the spirit of the south wind has destroyed you."
8. But if you also read the Holy Scriptures, you will find both "spirit" mentioned and the understanding of the divine words themselves in them, as Paul writes: C "Who has also made us sufficient to be ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit. For the letter kills, but the spirit gives life." For the explicit word is inscribed by the letter; but the meaning that is in it is called spirit. Thus also, "the law is spiritual," so that, as he said again, we might not serve in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the spirit. And he himself, giving thanks, said: "So then, I myself with the mind serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. There is, therefore, now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin." And Philip, wishing to convert the eunuch from the letter to the spirit, said: "Do you understand what you are reading?" It is testified that Caleb also had such a spirit in Numbers, D with God saying: "My servant Caleb, because another spirit was in him and he has followed me, I will bring him into the land into which he entered there." For because he spoke with a different understanding than those others, he was acceptable to God. God urged the people to have such a heart through Ezekiel: "Make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit." Since these things are so, and are of such a nature that...
the difference between the spirits is clearly shown, you would act more equitably, if, when you hear of a created spirit, you were to understand it as referring to one of those aforementioned, such as that which is written in Isaiah: "Aram has conspired with Ephraim, and his soul and the soul of his people were struck A with fear, as a tree in the forest is shaken by the spirit." Similar to this is also: "The Lord aroused a spirit over the sea" on account of Jonah. For the spirits of the winds follow the thunder, as happened in the rain that fell against Ahab, just as it is written: "And it happened thus and thus, and the heavens were darkened with clouds and spirit."
9. But since they say that Scripture makes mention of Christ, it follows therefore that the spirit in question here must be understood as none other than the Holy Spirit. Did you indeed notice that the Holy Spirit is named together with Christ? But where did you understand that he is divided and separated by nature from the Son, when you dare to say that Christ is not a created thing, but that the Holy Spirit is a created thing? Indeed, it would be B absurd to name together and celebrate with the same glory things that are dissimilar by nature. For what communion or what likeness is there between a created thing and the Creator? Truly, if that is the case, nothing else remains but for you to recount and join to the Son the things which he himself created. And so it seemed sufficient to understand what was written by the prophet regarding the spirit of the winds, as has already been said. But since you object that mention of Christ is made in that same place, the matter must be accurately explained by us, in case we might be able to show something better regarding that spirit which is said to be created. For what is it to announce his Christ among men, other than him becoming man himself, and is it not the same C as that saying: "Behold, the virgin shall have in her womb, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel," and the other things which are written regarding his advent? Since, therefore, the advent of the Word into the flesh is announced in that place, what kind of created spirit ought we to understand, if not the spirit of men which is fashioned and renewed, just as God indicated through Ezekiel, saying: "And I will give you a new heart, and I will take away the stony heart from your flesh, D and I will give you a new spirit"?
within you." When, then, was this fulfilled, if not when the Lord came and renewed all things by his grace? A Furthermore, the difference between the spirits is shown even in this passage. For our spirit is that which is renewed; but the Holy Spirit—not merely "spirit," but God declares it to be His own Spirit—is that in which our spirit is indeed renewed, as the Psalmist also says in the hundred and third Psalm: "You will take away their spirit, and they will fail, and they will return to their dust. You will send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created, and you will renew the face of the earth." But if we are renewed in the Spirit of God, then it is not the Holy Spirit that is now said to be created, but our own. And if, because all things were made through the Word, you rightly believe that the Son is not a created thing, how is it not blasphemous for you to call the Spirit a creature, in whom the Father, through the Word, perfects and renews all things? And if, because it is written simply that "spirit" is created, they have falsely imagined for themselves that this refers to the Holy Spirit, they ought now to be persuaded B that it is not the Holy Spirit who is created, but that it is our own spirit which is renewed in Him—concerning which David also prayed, singing: "Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit within my inward parts." For here indeed it is said that He "creates," but earlier it is said that He "fashioned," as Zechariah says: "Stretching out the heaven, and founding the earth, and forming the spirit of man within him." For He has re-created that which had fallen, which He had previously fashioned, having Himself become in the created thing when the Word became flesh, "in order," as the Apostle said, "that He might create the two into one new man, who has been created according to God in righteousness and holiness of truth." For he did not speak as though some other man were created besides the one who was made from the beginning in the image of God; C rather, he was counseling them to take up the mind that had been created and renewed in Christ, which is also indicated again through Ezekiel, when he says: "Make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit; and why will you die, O house of Israel? For I do not desire the death of the one who dies, says the Lord Adonai."
10. Since, therefore, such is the case regarding the spirit...
A of understanding, that which is called the established thunder may fittingly be understood as the faithful word and the unshakable law of the Spirit. For the Lord, willing that James and John should be ministers of this, called them Boanerges, which is, "sons of thunder" (cf. Mark 3:17). Hence, John truly cries out from heaven: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). For the law previously held a shadow of the good things to come; but when Christ was announced to men and arrived, saying, "I, the one speaking, am here" (cf. John 4:26), then, as Paul said, his voice shook the earth, he having previously promised: "Yet once more I will shake" (Hebrews 12:26) not only the earth, but also the heaven. The words "yet once more" indicate the removal of those things which are shaken, so that those things which are not shaken may remain. Therefore, receiving an unshakable kingdom, we have grace, through which we serve God acceptably (Hebrews 12:28). And what he calls an unshakable kingdom, David sings of it as being established: "The Lord has reigned, he has clothed himself with majesty; the Lord has clothed himself with power and girded himself. For he established the world, and it shall not be shaken" (Psalm 92:1). Therefore, that which was said by the prophet signifies the coming of the Savior, in which we also have been renewed, and the law of the Spirit remains unshakable. B But those truly "tropici" or "versatile ones," having entered into a pact with the Arians, and having divided among themselves the blasphemy against the Divinity—so that those ones would call the Son a creature, and these ones would call the Spirit a creature—dared, as they themselves say, to invent "tropes" again for themselves and to misinterpret even that which the Apostle rightly wrote to Timothy, saying: "I charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, that you keep these things without prejudice, doing nothing out of partiality" (1 Timothy 5:21). But they argue that, since he named God and Christ, and then the angels, it is necessary for the Spirit to be numbered among the angels and for him to be of their order, and for the angel C to be greater than the others. First of all, this invention is that of the impious Valentinus; and they do not escape notice for speaking the same things as him. For he asserted that when the Paraclete was sent, there were sent together with him his coeval angels. Then, while they [bring] the Spirit to...
a leading them to believe that angels belong to the nature of the Trinity, they do not notice that, according to them, if the angels follow after the Father and the Son, then the angels certainly belong to the Trinity; and they are no longer "ministering spirits sent forth for service," nor are they being sanctified, but rather they would be the ones sanctifying others.
11. What is this absurd dementia of theirs? In what place of holy Scripture have they ever found the Spirit called an angel? It is necessary for me to repeat the same things I just said. He is called the Paraclete, and the spirit of adoption, and the spirit of sanctification, and the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Christ; but nowhere is He called an angel, or archangel, or a spirit of service, such as the angels are. On the contrary, He even ministers along with the Son, as Gabriel says to Mary: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you." B Since the Scriptures do not call the Spirit an angel, what possible excuse can these people have for such an absurd audacity, especially when Valentinus himself—who sowed this impious thought into them—named the Paraclete the Paraclete, but named the others angels, even if, in the same moment, this most foolish man also arranges the Spirit as being of the same age as the angels and having come into existence only at the same time as they did? But, they say, "See, it is written in the prophet Zechariah: 'Thus says the angel who speaks in me.'" And it is clear that by the name of angel C he signifies not the Spirit, but the one speaking in him. But they would not have said this if they had been attentive to the reading. For Zechariah himself, when he saw the vision concerning the lampstand, says: "And the angel who spoke in me answered and said: Do you not know what these are? And I said: No, Lord. And he answered, and said to me, saying: This is the word of the Lord to Zorobabel, saying: Not by great power, nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty." D It is evident, then, that the angel who was speaking to the prophet was not the Holy Spirit, but that the one was indeed an angel, while this is the Spirit of God Almighty, to whom the angel also ministers, and who cannot be divided from the Godhead, and is proper to the Word. But if they oppose us with the apostolic words, which are said after
A Christ named the elect angels, let them say which one of all these is to be joined to the Trinity? For they are not all one in number. Or which of them is it that descended upon the Jordan in the form of a dove? For there are thousands of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand who minister to Him. Or why, when the heavens were opened, was it not said, "And one of the elect angels descended," but, "the Holy Spirit"? Or why does the Lord Himself, when discoursing with the disciples about the end of the ages, say distinctly: "The Son of man shall send forth His angels"? And before this it had been said: "The angels were ministering to Him." And again He Himself says: "The angels shall go forth." But when giving the Holy Spirit to the disciples, He said: "Receive the Holy Spirit." And again, when He sent them to preach: "Go," He says, "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." For He did not join an angel to the Godhead, nor did He join us to Himself and to the Father in a created thing, but in the Holy Spirit, whom, when He promised, He did not say He would send an angel, but "the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father," and who receives from Him and is given.
12. Moses also, B knowing that the angels were created things, but that the Holy Spirit was united to the Son and the Father, when God said to him: "Go, ascend from this place, you and your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, into the land which I swore to Abraham, and to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying: 'To your seed I will give it; and I will send my angel before your face, and he shall cast out the Canaanite'," refused it, C answering thus: "If you yourself do not go with us, do not lead me up from this place." For he did not want a created thing to go before the people, lest they learn to worship the creature rather than God who created all things. Indeed, having refused the angel, he entreated God Himself to be their leader. And when God, having promised, answered him: "And this word of yours, which you have spoken, I will do; for you have found grace before me, and I know you above all"—as it is written in Isaiah: "Who brought up from the earth the shepherd of the sheep; where is He who placed in D
A them His Holy Spirit, who guided Moses at his right hand?" 10 And a little later it says: "The Spirit descended from the Lord and guided them." Thus did You lead Your people, making for Yourself a name of glory. Who, from these things, does not perceive the truth? For whereas God promised to be the guide, behold, He no longer promises to send an angel, but His Spirit, who is above the angels, and He Himself is the guide of the people. And it is shown that the Spirit is not among created things, nor is it an angel, but is above creation, 12 joined to the divinity of the Father. For God Himself was leading the people through the Word in the Spirit; whence also, throughout all of Scripture, He says: "I brought you up 13 from the land of Egypt; you are witnesses whether there was another god among you besides me."
The saints also address God: "You led Your people like sheep." B And, "The Lord led them in hope, 14 and they did not fear." To Him they also offer the hymn, saying: "To Him who led His people through the desert, for His mercy is unto eternity." And great Moses repeatedly declares 15: "The Lord God who goes before your face." The Spirit of God, therefore, cannot be an angel, nor a creature, but is proper to His divinity. For since the Spirit was in the people, God was in them through the Son in the Spirit.
15. But if these things be so, (the opponents) say: "Why, then, after Christ, did the Apostle not name the Holy Spirit, but the elect angels?" And one might ask them the same thing: Why did Paul not name archangels, nor 16 cherubim, nor seraphim, nor dominions, nor thrones, nor anything else, but only the elect angels? C Does it follow, then, because he did not name them in that way, that the angels are archangels, or that only angels exist, and that there are no seraphim or cherubim, no archangels and dominions, no thrones, no principalities, and that nothing else exists? But to inquire into this is nothing else than to impose upon the Apostle the necessity of writing in this way or that, and it shows an ignorance of the divine Scriptures, and a consequent straying from the D truth. For behold, it is written in Isaiah: "Draw near to me, and hear these things: Not from the beginning did I speak in secret;
when it came to pass, I was there; and now the Lord has sent me, and his Spirit." A And in Haggai: "And now (18) take courage, O Zorobabel, says the Lord, and take courage, O Jesus, son of Josedec, the high priest, says the Lord. And let all the people of the land take courage, says the Lord, and act; for I am with you, says the Lord Almighty, and my Spirit stands in the midst of you." B And in both prophets there is mention only of the Lord and of the Spirit. What, then, will they say to this? For if, because Paul, when mentioning Christ, was silent about the Spirit but made mention of the elect angels, they for that reason venture to rank the Spirit among the angels; it is time for them, when they encounter these prophetic words also (20), to reason more boldly concerning that which is passed over in silence. For if they say that the Lord is the Son, what will they say concerning the Father? Or if they say it is the Father, what will they say concerning the Son? Far be it from us even to entertain in thought the impiety that follows from their opinion. For it must be that they answer either that He has no existence, or that because He was passed over in silence, He is to be numbered among created things.
14. What, then, will they say if they hear the Lord himself saying: [c] "There was a judge in a certain city, who feared not God, and had no regard for man" 90? Does it follow that, because He named man after God, that man is the Son whom the unjust judge did not regard? Or perhaps because He placed man after God, the Son is third after man, and the Holy Spirit fourth? And what, if they hear the Apostle again in the same Epistle saying: "I charge you before God who gives life to all things, and Christ Jesus, who bore witness before Pontius Pilate the good confession, that you keep the commandment without spot, irreproachable" 91? D Do they, because he was silent here about the angels and the Spirit, doubt whether the Spirit and the angels exist? Indeed, they might so doubt, as long as they meditate upon such impious things against the Spirit. If, furthermore, they attend to these words of the book of Exodus: "And the people feared the Lord, and they believed in God, and in Moses his servant" 92, will they…
number Moses with God, and, after God, will they fail to understand the Son, but only Moses? And what if they hear also the patriarch Jacob blessing Joseph and saying: "The God who feeds me from my youth unto this day; the angel who delivers me from all evils, bless these children" B? Because he named an angel after God, is the angel prior to the Son, or is the Son numbered among the angels? They would indeed think so, since their heart is corrupt. But this is not the apostolic faith, nor is it permitted for a Christian to bear such things. For the holy and blessed Trinity is indivisible and united to Itself; and when the Father is mentioned, His Word, and the Spirit in the Son, is immediately understood. And if the Son is named, the Father is likewise in the Son, and the Spirit is not outside the Word. For there is one grace from the Father, perfected through the Son in the Holy Spirit; and there is one Divinity, and there is one God C who is over all, and through all, and in all. For thus, too, Paul, having said, "I testify before God and Jesus Christ" D, knew that the Spirit was not divided from the Son, but was also in Christ, just as the Son is in the Father. He added the elect angels reasonably, so that, since this was being said to a disciple—he to whom it was by no means hidden that the things said by God through Christ were spoken in the Spirit, and that angels administer our affairs and observe the actions of each—he might keep the exhortations of the master, as one who has those who look on as witnesses of the things being said. Or perhaps he calls the angels, who ever see the face of the Father who is in heaven, witnesses on account of the little ones of the Church, that the disciple, having recognized the guardians of the peoples, might not neglect the admonitions of the Apostle.
15. Such, it seems to me, is the sense of the holy Scriptures, by which the impiety of those against the Spirit is most validly refuted. But those same men continue to oppose the truth, as you write, no longer from the Scriptures (since they find nothing there), but from the redundancy of their own heart they again belch forth these things: If the Spirit is not a created thing, nor is He one of the angels, but proceeds from the Father; then the Son also must be called...
A Son, and there are two brothers—He Himself and the Word. And if He is a brother, how is the Word the Only-begotten, or how are they not equal, but the one named after the Father, and the other after the Son? And how, if He is from the Father, is He not also said to be begotten, or why is He not just called Son, but simply Holy Spirit? And if the Spirit is of the Son, then the Father is the grandfather of the Spirit. Such things do these base men babble, playing at curiosity and wishing to search out the depths of God, which no one knows except the Spirit of God, whom they blaspheme. B It would indeed be proper to answer them no longer, but according to the apostolic commandment, after the previously mentioned admonition, to avoid them as heretics, or to question them as they question, and to demand from them an answer such as they demand from us. Let them answer, therefore: if the Father is from a father, and if another has been begotten with Him, and if they are brothers from one [source], and what is their name, and who is the father and grandfather of these, and their ancestors? But they will answer that there are none. Why then is He called Father by them, if He Himself did not originate from a Father? Or how could He have a Son, not having Himself first been begotten as a Son? I know that the question is impious; but it is right to play with those who play, so that even from such an absurd and impious question they might be able to perceive their own folly. For these things are not so; God forbid! Nor is it fitting to ask such things about the Divinity. For God is not like man, so that one might dare to ask human things about Him.
16. C But as I have already said, it would certainly be better to keep silence regarding these questions and to disregard such sophistries of theirs. Nevertheless, lest our silence provide an occasion for greater impudence on their part, I shall not refuse to reply as follows. Namely, just as we cannot call the Father’s father, so neither can we call the Son’s brother. For as was said before, there is no other God of the Father; nor is there any other son similarly, for He is the Only-begotten. Therefore, He is the sole and one Father, the Father of a sole and one Son; and thus in the Divinity alone, the Father and the Son always are and have been. For although among men, if anyone is called a father, he has become a son of another; D and if a son is called, he has become...
A the father of another; so that among men the name of father and son is not kept strictly. Abraham, for instance, being the son of Terah, became the father of Isaac; and Isaac, being the son of Abraham, became the father of Jacob; and in this way human nature goes, for they are parts of one another, and each one who is born has a part of the father, so that he himself may also become the father of another. But in the case of the Godhead it is not so. For God is not as a man, nor does He possess a divisible nature; wherefore He does not generate a Son by being divided, so that he himself might also become the Father of another, since he himself is not from a father; nor is the Son a part of the Father; wherefore he does not generate, just as he was generated, but is the whole image and radiance of the whole. And in the Godhead alone the Father is properly Father, B and the Son is properly Son; and in these cases it holds that the Father is always Father, and the Son is always Son. And just as the Father would never be the Son, so the Son would never be the Father. And just as the Father will never cease being alone Father, so the Son will never cease being alone Son. It is madness, therefore, to think of or even to say "brother" with regard to the Son, or "grandfather" with regard to the Father. For neither is the Spirit called son in the Scriptures, lest he be thought a brother; nor is he called the son of the Son, lest the Father be thought a grandfather; but the Son is called the Son of the Father, and the Spirit the Spirit of the Father; and thus of the holy Trinity the Godhead and the faith is one.
17. Therefore, it is madness to claim that it is a creature. For if it were a creature, it would not be numbered with the Trinity. For the whole is one God. And it is sufficient to know that the Spirit is not a creature, nor is it numbered with the things that are made; for nothing foreign is admixed with the Trinity, but it is indivisible and like unto itself. C These things are sufficient for the faithful; up to this point human knowledge reaches; up to this point the cherubim cover with their wings. But he who seeks things beyond these and desires to investigate, disobeys him who says: "Do not be wise beyond what is necessary, lest you be stunned" (Eccl. VII, 17). For the things that have been delivered by faith, these ought to be pondered not by human wisdom, but by the hearing of faith. For what D
A speech could worthily interpret things that transcend created nature? Or, I ask, what ears could grasp what it is not permitted for men to either hear or speak? For thus Paul testified concerning those things which he himself heard; but concerning God Himself he says: "How unsearchable are His ways! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counsellor?" Hence Abraham neither inquired curiously, nor discussed the words of Him who spoke, but "believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness." Thus Moses was called a faithful servant. But if the Arians, because "wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul," are unable to understand or believe concerning the indivisible and holy Trinity: let them not for that reason adulterate the truth, nor contend that things which they themselves cannot perceive cannot exist. For it is a most absurd thing that, since they are unable to conceive how the holy Trinity can be indivisible, the Arians for that reason SHOULD number the Son among created things, and the B *Tropici* should number the Holy Spirit among the creatures. Yet it would have been fitting for them, if they did not understand at all, to keep silent and not to associate either the Son among those, or the Holy Spirit among these, as if they were creatures; or else to acknowledge what is written, and join the Son with the Father, and not divide the Spirit from the Son, so that the indivisible and truly consubstantial nature of the holy Trinity might remain. Having learned these things, they ought not to have rushed with such audacity to inquire with doubt as to how these things happened, lest, if the one asked should be at a loss in answering, they might invent perverse concepts for themselves. For this is the condition of all created things, and especially of us men, that we cannot speak worthily of things that cannot be expressed in words. But it would truly be a greater rashness if, to explain these same matters, we were to devise new terms other than those of the Scriptures. Indeed, he ought to be considered utterly insane who even thinks of answering someone questioning him about these matters; since he will not be deemed in his right mind who has questioned about these same matters concerning created things.
18. Or if they eventually venture to answer, saying easily how the heaven was constituted, and of what matter, and what is its mixture, or how the sun and each of the stars were composed? But what is the wonder if we convict their madness from superior or heavenly things, when not even to them is it manifest what is the nature of those things below, [the wood], and the systems of the waters, and how the formation of living creatures D comes to be? But not even this would they be able to say, although Solomon, who [knew] the...
was a more abundant participant in wisdom than all others, seeing it was impossible for men to discover about these things, said: A “And he has set the whole world in their heart, so that man may not find the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end” (Eccl. 3:11). Since, therefore, they cannot discover them, do they acknowledge that they do not exist? Indeed, they will acknowledge it, having their understanding utterly corrupted. Therefore, one might justly say to them: O foolish ones, and bold and precipitous in all things, why do you not rather cease from curiously scrutinizing the holy Trinity, and believe only that it exists, imitating the teacher the Apostle in this matter, whose words are these: B “For one must first believe in God, that he exists, and that he becomes a rewarder to those who seek him” (Heb. 11:6)? For he did not say how he exists, but only “that he exists.” But if they are not humbled even by this, let them say how the Father exists, so that they may thus learn how his Word also exists. But they will say, “It is absurd to inquire thus about the Father.” Let them hear, then, that it is likewise absurd to inquire thus about his Word.
19. C Since such an undertaking is redundant and more than madness, let no one dare to ask such things anymore, but let them have enough to learn only those things which are contained in the Scriptures. For the examples concerning this matter which are set forth in them are sufficient and adequate. The Father, therefore, is called both fountain and light: “For me,” he says, “they have forsaken, the fountain of living water” (Jer. 2:13). And again in Baruch: “What is it, O Israel, that you are in the land of your enemies? You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom” (Bar. 3:10, 12). And according to John: “God our light is” (1 John 1:5). The Son, however, when related to the fountain, is called a river: for “The river of God was filled with waters” (Ps. 65:10). But when the same is related to light, he is called radiance, as Paul says: “Who, being the radiance of his glory and the impress of his substance” (Heb. 1:3). D Since, therefore, the Father is light, and the Son is his radiance (for one should not be loath to say the same things often, especially concerning matters of this kind), it is possible to see also in the Son the Spirit, in whom we are illuminated. For the Apostle says: “That he may give to you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your heart enlightened” (Eph. 1:17). And when we are illuminated by the Spirit, it is Christ himself who illuminates us in him, as these words testify: “He was the true light, which illuminates every man coming into the world” (John 1:9). And again, since the Father is a fountain and the Son is called a river, we are said to drink the Spirit; for it is written,
“We have all been made to drink of one Spirit” (I Cor. XII, 13). A And when we drink the Spirit, we drink Christ. For “they drank,” He says, “of the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ” (I Cor. X, 4). And again, since Christ is the true Son, we, receiving the Spirit, are made sons; “For you have not received,” He says, “the spirit of slavery again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption” (Rom. VIII, 15). And being made sons by the Spirit, it is clear that we are called children of God in Christ; “For as many as received Him, He gave them power to become children of God” (John I, 12). Then, just as the Father, as Paul taught, is alone wise, so the Son is His wisdom; for “Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God” (I Cor. I, 24). And since the Son is wisdom, we, receiving the Spirit of wisdom, have the Son, and in Him we become wise. B For so it is also written in the one-hundred-forty-fifth Psalm: “The Lord sets free those who are bound, the Lord makes the blind wise” (Ps. CXLV, 7). And the Spirit also being given to us (“For receive the Holy Spirit,” the Savior was saying) (John XX, 22), God is in us; for so John has written: “If we love one another, God abides in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given to us of His Spirit” (I John IV, 12, 13). And when God is in us, the Son is certainly also in us, the Son Himself saying: C “I and the Father will come and make an abode with him” (John XIV, 23). Likewise, as the Son is life, the same One testifying, “I am the life” (John XIV, 6); so also we are said to be vivified in the Spirit, as Paul says: “He who raised Jesus Christ from the dead will also vivify your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom. VIII, 11). And as we receive life in the Spirit, Christ Himself is said to live in us, as is clear from these words: “I have been crucified with Christ. Yet I live; and yet not I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. II, 19, 20). And again, just as the Son, concerning the works which He did, testified that His Father was doing them: D “The Father,” He says, “abiding in Me, He does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves” (John XIV, 10, 11); so, what Paul was working in the power of the Spirit, he taught to be the works of Christ: “For I will not dare,” he says, “to speak of anything of those which Christ has not worked through me into the obedience of the nations in word and work, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. XV, 18, 19). 20. Such then is the conjunction and unity in the holy Trinity; who would now divide the Son from the Father, or the Spirit from the Son, or the Father Himself?
A Or who is so bold as to say that the Trinity is dissimilar and of a different nature to itself, or that the Son is of a substance alien to the Father, or the Spirit is foreign to the Son? And how are these things so? If someone were again to ask, seeking to know: how, when the Spirit is in us, is the Son said to be in us, and when the Son is in us, is the Father said to be in us? Or how, when there is a Trinity, is the Trinity signified in one? Or how, when one is in us, is the Trinity said to be in us? Let him first separate B the radiance from the light, or the wisdom from the wise; or let him say how these things are. But if he cannot do this, it is a madness of much greater daring to seek such things concerning God. For the Godhead is not delivered by proofs of reasoning, as has been said, but by faith and pious reflection with reverence. For if even concerning the saving cross, "not in wisdom of words, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" did Paul preach (I Cor. 1, 17), and he heard "unspeakable words" (II Cor. XII, 4) in the paradise, "which it is not lawful for a man to utter," who is able to speak about the holy Trinity itself C? Nevertheless, one will be able to heal such a difficulty, primarily through faith, and then also from the things previously mentioned—I mean the image, the radiance, the fountain, the river, the subsistence, and the character. For just as the Son is in the Spirit as in His own image, so also is the Father in the Son. For the divine Scripture, to relieve our weakness by which we are not permitted to comprehend and explain in speech such great things, has provided us with such examples, so that in this way, because of the unbelief of D petulant men, we might be able to speak of these things more simply and without danger, and it might be permitted to us to understand such difficult matters without blame, and finally to believe that there is one sanctification, which comes from the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit. For just as the Son is Only-begotten, so also the Spirit from the Son is given and sent, and it is itself one and not many, nor from...
many one, but it is the Spirit itself alone. For since the Son is one, and is the living Word, there must be one perfect and full life-giving and illuminating efficacy and gift of His, which is said to proceed from the Father, because it shines forth from the Word who is confessed to be from the Father, and is sent and given by Him. Indeed, the Son is sent by the Father: "For so," He says, "God so loved the world, that He sent His only-begotten Son." And the Son sends the Spirit: "For if I go not away," He says, "I will send to you the Paraclete." And the Son honors the Father, as He Himself says: "Father, I have glorified You"; and the Spirit glorifies the Son: "He," He says, "shall glorify Me." And the Son says: "What I have heard from the Father, these things I speak into the world"; and the Spirit receives from the Son: "He shall receive of Mine," He says, "and shall declare it to you." And the Son came in the name of the Father; "And the Holy Spirit," says the Son, B "whom the Father will send in My name."
21. Since the Spirit therefore has the same order and nature toward the Son, as the Son has toward the Father, by what reason, I ask, does he who contends that the Holy Spirit is a created thing, not necessarily hold the same opinion concerning the Son? For if the Spirit of the Son is a created thing, it follows that they must also confess the Word of the Father to be a created thing. For clearly the Arians, having imagined such things, have fallen into the Judaism of Caiaphas. But if those who dare to say such things about the Spirit do not wish to hold the opinion of Arius, let them then flee his words also, and not be impious toward the Holy Spirit. For just as the Son, who is in the Father, and in whom also the Father is, is not a created thing, but is proper to the Father’s substance (for this even you profess to say); so also C it is utterly impious to rank the Holy Spirit, who is in the Son, and in whom the Son is, among created things, or to divide Him from the Word, and thereby render the Trinity imperfect. It is sufficient, therefore, to have refuted up to this point the impiety of the Tropici, which arose from ignorance, in order to explain the words of the prophets and Apostles, the sense of which they, by adulterating, have led themselves into error. But now let us examine separately... D
those things which are said in the divine Scriptures concerning the Holy Spirit, and let us, as skilled money-changers, discern whether the Spirit has anything in common with created things, or whether He is proper to God, so that we may say that He is either a creature, or else something other than created things, and is proper and one of the Godhead in the Trinity. Perhaps in this way they may even be put to shame, having learned how far the words they have invented for their blasphemy differ from the divine oracles.
22. Therefore, created things were made from nothing, having an origin of coming into being; for in the beginning B God created the heaven and the earth and all that is in them. But the Holy Spirit is said to be from God; for, "No one," He says, "knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him; even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. We, however, have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God." What kinship, then, from what has been said before, is there between the Spirit and created things? For created things were not, whereas God is who He is, from whom the Spirit also is. But that which is from God could not be from what is not, nor be a created thing, lest according to them He also from whom the Spirit is, be thought to be a created thing. Who then can endure such fools, who also say in their heart that there is no God? For if, just as no one knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him, C so also no one knows the things of God except the Spirit which is in Him; how would it not be blasphemous to call the Spirit which is in God a creature, who even searches the depths of God? For such a person will learn from these things that the spirit of a man is outside the man himself, but that the Word which is in the Father, and the Spirit D which is of renewal, is and is called the Spirit; for Paul writes: "Who was designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness from the resurrection of the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord." And again he says: "But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God."
A He writes to Titus, saying: "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that, having been justified by His grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." And as regards created things, they themselves are sanctified and renewed: "For You will send forth," he says, "Your Spirit, and they shall be created, and You will renew the face of the earth." And Paul says: "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit."
B 23. If He is not sanctified by another, nor does He partake of sanctification, but is Himself that which is partaken, in whom even all created things are sanctified, how could He be one of all things, peculiar to those who partake of Him? For it is necessary for those who say this to say also that the Son, through whom all things were made, is one of all things. The Spirit is called life-giving: "For He who raised," he says, "Jesus Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." And the Lord is indeed Life Itself and "the Author of life," as Peter said; yet the Lord Himself said: "The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." This He said concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him were about to receive. But created things, as it has been said, receive life through Him. He, therefore, who does not become a partaker of life, C but is Himself that which is partaken and gives life to created things, what sort of kinship has He, I ask, with created things? Or by what reasoning could He be reckoned among created things, when they themselves receive life in Him from the Word? The Spirit is also called an anointing, and is likewise a seal; whence John writes: "And you, the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you. And you do not need that anyone should teach you; but as His anointing,"—namely, His Spirit—"teaches you concerning all things." And in the prophet Isaiah it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me." And Paul says: "In whom also, having believed, you were sealed for the day of redemption." And created things D are sealed and anointed by Him, and
A learn about all things. But if the Spirit is anointing and a seal, in whom the Word anoints and seals all things, what likeness or property can the anointing and the seal have toward those things that are anointed and sealed? Surely, according to this, it could not be one of all things. For the seal would not be from among the things that are sealed, nor the anointing from among the things that are anointed; but this is peculiar to the Word who anoints and seals. For the anointing possesses the sweetness and fragrance of the One who anoints, and those who are anointed, receiving of this, say: "We are the fragrance of Christ." And the seal possesses the B form of Christ who seals, and those who are sealed partake of this, being conformed to it, as the Apostle says: "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you." And being thus sealed, we logically become partakers also of the divine nature, as Peter said, and thus the whole of the creation partakes of the Word in the Spirit.
24. And through the Spirit we are all called partakers of God. "Do you not know," He says, "that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which you are." But if the Holy Spirit were a created thing, there would be no participation C in God for us in Him; but we would be joined to a created thing, and would be strangers to the divine nature, as partaking in nothing of it. But now, when we are called partakers of Christ and partakers of God, it is shown that the anointing and the seal which is in us does not belong to the nature of generated things, but to that of the Son, through the Spirit who is in Him, who joins us to the Father. For this is what John, as was said before, taught in writing: "By this we know that we abide in God, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit." D And if by participation in the Spirit we become partakers of the divine nature, anyone would be mad to say that the Spirit is of a created nature, and not of God. For there is no other reason why those in whom He is are made gods, and if
He makes them gods, it is not doubtful that His nature is of God. Furthermore, A a clearer proof to refute this heresy is sung in the one hundred and third Psalm, as we said before: "You will take away their spirit, and they will fail, and they will return to their dust. You will send forth your Spirit, and they will be created, and you will renew the face of the earth." And Paul writes to Titus: "Through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ." B If, therefore, the Father creates and renews all things through the Word in the Holy Spirit, what likeness or kinship has the Creator with created things? Or how could He in whom all things are created be a creature? For such a blasphemy also involves the blasphemy against the Son; so that those who call the Spirit a creature must also say that the Word, through whom all things are created, is also a creature. The Spirit is called and is the image of the Son. For "those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son." Since, therefore, even according to them [the heretics], the Son is acknowledged not to be a creature, so also His image cannot be considered a creature. For whatever the image is, of necessity the one whose image it is must also be of that same nature. Hence, logically and fittingly, the Word is acknowledged not to be a creature, existing as the image of the Father; therefore, C whoever counts the Spirit among created things will necessarily count the Son among them as well, and by this very act blasphemes even against the Father, because of the blasphemy against the image of His Son.
25. Therefore, it is manifest that the Spirit is entirely different from created things, and we have shown Him to be proper to the Son, and not foreign to God. For as for that clever question of theirs: "If the Spirit is from God, why is He not also called Son?" I have already shown at length above that this little question is audacious and rash; but we shall not be reluctant to demonstrate it once again. For although the Spirit is not called Son in the Scriptures, but the Spirit of God, He is nevertheless said to be in God Himself and from God Himself, as the Apostle wrote. And if the Son, because He is from the Father, is proper to His essence, it is necessary that also
the Spirit, called from God, is own to the Son according to essence. Indeed, since the Lord is the Son, the Spirit Himself (21) is called the Spirit of adoption. And again, since the Son is wisdom and truth, it is written that the Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom and truth. Further, as the Son is the power of God and Lord of glory, so the Spirit is called the Spirit of power (22) and the Spirit of glory, as the Scripture says in each case. For Paul writes to the Corinthians: "For if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory" (I Cor. II, 8), and in another place: "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption" (Rom. VIII, 15); and again: "God sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying: Abba, Father" (Galat. IV, 6). And Peter wrote: "If you are reproached in the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of power and of God rests upon you" (I Petr. IV, 14). The Lord Himself openly testifies that the Spirit is the Spirit of truth and the Paraclete (Joan. XIV, 16), from which it is shown that the Trinity is perfect in Him. In Him, therefore, the Word glorifies the creation, and by making [it] divine and making [it] sons, brings it to the Father. For that which joins the creation to the Word could not itself be one of the created things; and that which makes the creation sons could not be foreign to the Son, since it would be necessary to seek another Spirit in order that this [first] one might be joined to the Word in that [second] one (25). But this is absurd. Therefore, the Spirit is not of the things produced, but is proper to the Godhead of the Father, in which the Word also makes the things produced divine. And in that in which the creation is made divine, it cannot be outside the Godhead of the Father.
That the Spirit is something other than the nature of things produced, and is proper to the Godhead, one can understand again from this (26). The Holy Spirit is unchangeable and immutable: "For the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee deceit, and will remove Himself from thoughts that are without understanding" (Sap. I, 5), he says. And Peter says: "In the incorruptibility of a quiet and modest Spirit" (I Petr. III, 4). And again in Wisdom it is read: "For Your incorruptible Spirit is in all things" (Sap. XII, 1). Item, if no one knows the things of God (28), except the Spirit of God which is in Him, it is not—
26. That the Spirit is above created things, and other than things produced, one may also perceive from this. For the Holy Spirit is immutable and devoid of variation: "The Holy Spirit," he says, "of discipline will flee deceit, and will remove Himself from thoughts which are without intellect" (Sap. I, 5). And Peter says: "In the incorruptibility of a quiet and modest Spirit" (I Petr. III, 4). And again it is read in Wisdom: "For Your incorruptible Spirit is in all things" (Sap. XII, 1).
A For no one knows the things of God, except the Spirit of God which is in Him; and, as James said, there is no variation or shadow of turning with God. Since the Holy Spirit is in God, He must reasonably be unchangeable, unalterable, and incorruptible. But the nature of generated things and creatures is changeable, since it is outside the substance of God and came into existence from nothing; for "all men," he says, "are liars" (Ps. CXV, 11), and "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. III, 23). And He has kept the angels B who did not keep their own principality, but left their own habitation, in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day (Jud. 6). And in Job: "He does not trust in His holy angels (Job IV, 18), and He devised something crooked against His angels; and the stars are not clean in His sight" (Job XXV, 5). Moreover, Paul writes: "Do you not know that we shall judge angels, much more the things of this life?" (I Cor. VI, 3). And indeed, we also heard that the devil, who was in the midst of the cherubim and was the seal of resemblance, fell from heaven like lightning (Ezech. XXVIII, 12). If such is the nature of created things, and such things are written concerning angels; C but the Spirit is the same and unalterable, and shares in the unchangeableness of the Son, remaining always with Him unchangeable: what affinity, I ask, has the unchangeable with those that change? For it would be clear that He is neither a creature, nor in any way of the nature of the angels, because they are changeable; but He is the image of the Word and the proper Spirit of the Father. And again, the Spirit of the Lord has filled the world. For so also David sings: "Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit?" (Ps. CXXXVIII, 7). And again it is written in Wisdom: "For Thy incorruptible Spirit is in all things" (Sap. XII, 1). But all generated things exist in divided places—the sun, for instance, and the moon, and the stars in the firmament, and the clouds in the air. D And He set the boundaries of the nations for mankind (Deut. XXXII, 8). Angels, likewise, are sent out for ministries: "And the angels of God came to stand before the Lord," as is written in Job (Job I, 6); and, "Jacob the patriarch dreamed, and behold, a ladder set up on the earth, whose head reached to heaven, and the angels of God ascending and descending on it" (Gen. XXVIII, 12). If, then, the Spirit fills all things and is present in the Word in the midst of all, and if the angels are inferior in this regard, and only there...
A present where they are sent; then it is not questionable that the Spirit is neither a created thing nor in any way an angel, as you assert, but is surely superior to the nature of the angels.
27. For, moreover, from the words of Scripture we have brought forward, it is evident that the Holy Spirit makes others participants of Himself, but does not Himself become a participant of others (for it is not wearisome to repeat the same things). For, "It is impossible," he says, "for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, [(36)] and have tasted the good word of God," and so forth. [Heb. vi, 4.] But the angels and other created things are participants of this very Spirit; for this is the reason why these things can fall away from that which they have participated in. But the Spirit is always the same; for He is not from among those things which receive participation, but all things participate in Him. If, therefore, He is always the same and is participated in, while created things are those that participate in Him, then the Holy Spirit cannot be an angel, nor a created thing at all, but is the proper B possession of the Word, from whom, being given, He is participated in by created things; for otherwise it would be necessary for them to call the Son a creature also, in whom we have all become partakers in the Spirit. And again, the Holy Spirit is one; but created things are many. For the angels are thousands of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand; there are many luminaries, and thrones, [(39)] and dominions, and heavens, and cherubim, and seraphim, and many archangels; and, in short, created things are not one, but all are many and diverse. If then the Holy Spirit is one, and created things are many, and the angels are many, what similarity has the Spirit to created things? And it is not unclear that the Spirit is not of the many, nor is He an angel, but He is one; [(40)] nay rather, as the Word is one, He is the proper possession of the Word, and being God, He is the proper and consubstantial possession of the One. These points alone, C when stated by themselves regarding the Holy Spirit, show that He has nothing in common or peculiar in nature and substance with created things, but that He is something other than created beings, and is proper and not alien to the substance and divinity of the Son; through which, being of the Holy Trinity, He puts their senselessness to shame.
28. Let us, however, look also to the tradition from the beginning, and the teaching, and the faith of the Catholic Church, which the Lord gave, and the apostles preached, and the fathers D kept. In this the Church is founded, and whoever falls away from this would not be, nor would he deserve to be called, a Christian again.
A Therefore, the Trinity is holy and perfect, acknowledged in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, possessing nothing alien or introduced from without, nor is it composed of a creator and a created thing; rather, it is entirely endowed with the power of creating and bringing into being. Its nature is similar to itself and indivisible, and its efficacy and action are one. For the Father, through the Word, in the Holy Spirit, does all things, and in this way the unity of the holy Trinity is preserved, and so one God is preached in the Church, who is "over all, and through all, and in all." "Over all," indeed, as Father, as principle and source; "through all," namely, through the Word; "in all," finally, in the Holy Spirit. Moreover, the Trinity is not a Trinity in name only and by a mere appearance of words, B but it exists in truth and in reality. For just as the Father truly is, so truly is his Word, who is himself God over all. And the Holy Spirit also does not fail to exist, but truly exists and subsists. Nor does the Catholic Church think less than this, lest it fall into the modern Jews—who are not unlike Caiaphas—and into Sabellius; nor does it imagine anything more, lest it slide into the polytheism of the Greeks. And that this is the faith of the Church, let them learn how the Lord, in sending the apostles, instructed them to lay this foundation in the Church, saying: "Go, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." C The apostles, having gone forth, taught accordingly; and this is the preaching that has reached throughout every Church under heaven.
29. Since this foundation of the faith belongs to the Church, let those men again answer us, if they are not weary: Is it a Trinity or a duality? If it is a duality, then, if you will, join the Spirit to created things. But if that is so, your faith is no longer in one God, who is "over all, and through all, and in all." For you will not have "in all" if you separate the Spirit from the Godhead and make Him alien to it. Likewise, your initiation, which you think you are performing if you think this way, will not be whole and perfect in the name of the Godhead; because you mix a created thing into it, and like the Arians D you mix into it...
join the creature together with God who created it through His own Word. But being so disposed, what hope can you have? Or who will join you to God, you who possess not the Spirit of God Himself, but that of a creature? What audacity and heedlessness is yours, A that you drag down the Father and His Word to the level of created things, and on the other hand, equalize a created thing with God! For this is what you do when you think of the Spirit as a creature, and yet do not fear to rank Him in the Trinity. And what is this mad behavior of yours, that you should hold such an unjust opinion against God, as if not all angels, or all created things, but only one from among them should be numbered with God and His Word? For if, as you suppose, the Spirit is a creature and is ranked in the Trinity, it would have been necessary not for one, but for all created angels to be ranked with It; and it would no longer be a Trinity, but some uncountable multitude of godhead: so that the initiation that seems to take place in it would, by being B divided here and there, become unstable by such diversity. For such are the ends of your reasoning and that of the Arians, who devise such impious things against the Godhead, and serve created things rather than God the Creator of all.
30. Therefore, such are the absurdities that occur from speaking of a dyad. But if it is a Trinity, as it truly is, and it has been shown to be indivisible and not dissimilar, it must of necessity have one holiness, one eternity, and one unchanging nature. For just as the faith which is delivered C to us regarding it is one, and joins us to God; and one who subtracts anything from the Trinity, and is baptized only in the name of the Father, or in the name of the Son alone, or without the Spirit in the Father and the Son, receives nothing, but remains empty and uninitiated, both he himself and the one who seems to give it—since initiation exists only in the Trinity—so too, he who divides the Son from the Father, or drags the Spirit down into created things, possesses neither the Son nor the Father, but is godless and worse than an infidel, and should rightly and justly be considered anything rather than a Christian. For just as there is one baptism given in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, D and one faith is in the same Trinity, as the Apostle teaches (Eph. iv, 5): so the holy Trinity, which...
A is the same with itself and united to itself, has nothing within itself of generated things; and this is the indivisible Unity of the Trinity, and one is the faith in it. But if, according to the fabrication of you Tropici, it is not so, but you have dreamt up that the Holy Spirit is a created thing, then your faith is no longer one, nor is your baptism one, but two: one, indeed, into the Father and the Son, and another into an angel, since it is a created thing; and henceforth nothing in you is secure or true. For what communion is there between a generated thing and its Maker? Or what fellowship is there between inferior created things and the Word by whom they were produced? Assuredly, the blessed Paul, who was least ignorant of these things, does not divide the Trinity as you do, but, teaching its unity while writing to the Corinthians concerning spiritual things, he reduces all things to one God the Father as to the head, in this manner, saying: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are B varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” For whatever the Spirit distributes to each, these things are provided by the Father through the Word. For all things that are the Father’s are also the Son’s; hence the things provided by the Son in the Spirit are truly the gifts of the Father. And when the Spirit is in us, the Word from whom we receive Him is also in us, and in the Word is also the Father; and thus comes to pass that which was said: “We will come, I and the Father, and make our home with him,” as has already been stated. For where the light is, there also is the radiance; and where the radiance is, there also is its efficacy and luminous grace. And teaching this same thing again, Paul wrote once more C to the Corinthians in his second Epistle, saying: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” For the grace and gift which is given in the Trinity is given from the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit. For just as the grace given is from the Father through the Son, so there could not be a communion of that gift among us unless it were in the Holy Spirit. For being partakers of Him, we have the love of the Father, and the grace of the Son, and the fellowship of the Spirit Himself.
51. From these things it is shown that the activity of the Trinity is one. For the Apostle does not signify that the things given are diverse and divided from each D of Them; but he signifies that those things which are given are in the Trinity.
Therefore, how could he who is not a creature, but united A to the Son, just as the Son is united to the Father, who is co-glorified with the Father and the Son, and is worshipped as God together with the Word, and who performs the very things which the Father accomplishes through the Son—how could he who calls him a creature avoid speaking impiously against the Son Himself? For there is absolutely nothing which is not brought into being and performed through the Word in the Spirit. This is also what is sung in the Psalms: "By the Word of the Lord the heavens were fixed, and all their power by the Spirit of His mouth." And in the one hundred and forty-seventh Psalm: "He shall send forth His Word, and melt them; His Spirit shall breathe, and the waters shall flow." Moreover, we have been justified, as the Apostle said, "in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." For the Spirit of the Word cannot be divided. Indeed, when the Lord says, "We will come, I and the Father," B the Spirit also enters, in no other way than as the Son, to dwell within us, as Paul writes to the Ephesians: "That He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts." And when the Son is in us, the Father also is present, as the Son Himself bears witness: "I in the Father, and the Father in me." Therefore, when the Word is among the prophets, they prophesy in the very Holy Spirit. For when the Scripture says, "And the Word of the Lord came unto this or that prophet," it is shown that he is prophesying in the Holy Spirit. For indeed, in Zechariah it has been written: "Receive my words and my statutes, which I command in my Spirit to my servants the prophets." And when, a little C later, He reproves the people, He said: "And they set their heart to be disobedient, so as not to hear my laws and the words which the Lord Almighty sent in His Spirit by the hand of His prophets of old." Peter also spoke in the Acts: "Men and brethren, it was necessary that the Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before." And the apostles together cried out thus: "Master, who hast made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them, who through the Holy Spirit by the mouth of our father David, thy child, hast said." And Paul, when he was living in Rome, spoke confidently to the Jews who came to him: "Well did the Holy Spirit speak through Isaiah the prophet..." D
to your fathers." And to Timothy he wrote: "But the Spirit explicitly says that in the latter times some will depart from the sound faith, paying attention to spirits of error." B Therefore, also when it is said that the Spirit comes to be in some, it is understood that the Word, who gives the Spirit, is in them. When, then, prophecy was being fulfilled, "I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh," Paul said: "Through the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ for me." And to the Corinthians he also wrote: "Or do you seek proof of Christ speaking in me?" But if it was Christ who was speaking in him, it is clear that C it was Christ's Spirit that was speaking in him; for indeed, when Christ was speaking in him, in the Acts he said again: "And now, behold, I, bound in the Spirit, am going to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will befall me there; except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and tribulations await me." Whence, if the holy ones say: "Thus says the Lord," they do not speak otherwise than in the Holy Spirit; and speaking in the Spirit, they say these things in Christ. But if Agabus also in the Acts says: "Thus says the Holy Spirit," D he is to be understood in no other way than that, when the Word had come to him, the Spirit was suggesting what he should speak in him, so that he might also declare the things that were about to befall Paul in Jerusalem. Indeed, when the Spirit was testifying to Paul again, the same Christ was speaking in him, just as when the Spirit was again testifying to Paul, the same Christ was speaking in him, as
A His testimony that comes from the Spirit is of the Word. Thus, also, when the Word was dwelling in the holy Virgin Mary, the Spirit was entering with Him, and the Word was fashioning and preparing the body for Himself in the Spirit, wishing to unite and to offer the creation to the Father through Himself, and to reconcile all things in Himself, “having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Col. 1, 20).
32. It is shown, therefore, by the consensus of the divine Scriptures that the Holy Spirit is not a created thing, but is proper to the Word and the divinity of the Father. For thus the teaching of the saints converges upon the holy and indivisible Trinity, and this is the one faith of the catholic Church. But the thoughtless myth-making of the Tropici differs from the Scriptures and agrees entirely with the folly of the Arians; and it is likely that they B dissemble in this way for the sake of deceiving the innocent. But thanks be to the Lord that, as you write, they have not succeeded in concealing themselves by their feigned opposition to the Arians. For they have also incurred the hatred of those men, because they say that only the Spirit is a creature, and not the Word as well. And they have been condemned by everyone as truly fighting against the Spirit and, after a little while, becoming dead—empty and void of the Spirit. For according to the blessed Apostle, being natural men, they were unable to receive the things of the Spirit of God, because they were spiritually discerned; but those who think the things of the truth discern all things, C yet they themselves are discerned by no one, having in themselves the Lord who reveals to them in the Spirit both Himself and, through Himself, the Father.
55. I, therefore, although living in the desert, because of the impudence of those who have turned aside from the truth, having no care for those who wish to mock because of the weakness and humility of the demonstration through words, have written a few things and sent them to your D reverence, strongly exhorting you that, in reading these, you might correct some things, and forgive me for those things said weakly. For I have handed down according to the apostolic faith delivered to us by the Fathers, having invented nothing from without, but I have written down what I learned in agreement with the holy Scriptures. For this also is in agreement with those things previously decided upon for confirmation from the holy Scriptures. And it was not invented from without, but the Lord Jesus Christ Himself taught the Samaritan woman through Himself, and through her, us, the perfection of the Holy Trinity, existing as indivisible and one Deity. This truth itself testifies, as He says to the Samaritan woman: “Believe me, woman, that... ”
the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth; for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth.” A It is demonstrated, then, from this that the Truth itself is the Son, as He Himself says: “I am the truth.” Concerning whom the Prophet David also cried out, saying: “Send forth Your light and Your truth.” The true worshipers, therefore, worship the Father, but in Spirit and in truth, confessing the Son and in Him the Spirit. For the Spirit is inseparable from the Son, as the Son is inseparable from the Father. The Truth Himself testifies, saying: “I will send to you the Paraclete, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, whom the world cannot receive”; B that is to say, those who deny that He is from the Father in the Son. It is necessary, therefore, in imitation of the true worshipers, to confess and embrace the truth. But if, even after this, they either will not learn or cannot understand, let them at least cease to utter impious things, and let them not dare to divide the Trinity, lest they themselves be separated from life; nor let them count the Holy Spirit among created things, lest—just as the Pharisees of old attributed the works of the Holy Spirit to Beelzebul—they too, daring to commit the same act, undergo the same unforgivable punishment, both here and in the life to come, with them. C
BY THE SAME, TO THE SAME BISHOP SERAPION, AGAINST THOSE WHO CONTEND THAT THE SON IS A CREATED THING
1. I considered these things brief, and I accused myself of great weakness, in that I had not been able to write as much as it is permitted for men to say against those who are impious regarding the Holy Spirit. But since, as you write, some of the brethren requested that these things be brought into a compendium, D so that they might be more prepared and ready both to answer briefly those who ask about the faith that is in us, and to refute the impious, I have done this also, being confident that, having a good conscience, if even in these matters I have—
been found to omit anything, you yourself will supply it. A The Arians, turning toward themselves, and thinking nothing more than what is outside themselves, according to the manner of the Sadducees, have interpreted the divinely inspired Scripture with human reasonings. Hearing, therefore, that the Son is the Wisdom, and the Brightness, and the Word of the Father, they are accustomed to add: "How can this be?" as if it were impossible for that to be which they themselves cannot understand. B It is time for them, then, to think such things also concerning the whole universe: "How can the creation, not having existed at any time, come to be?" or "How can a rational man be formed from the dust of the earth?" or "How can that which is subject to corruption become incorruptible?" or "How has the earth been founded upon the seas, and upon the floods, has God prepared it?" And hence they may say to themselves: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" (1 Cor. xv, 32)—so that, clearly, as they themselves perish, the madness of their heresy may perish with them.
2. There is, therefore, nothing but the mortal and corruptible in such an opinion of the Arians. But the word of truth, which it would have behooved them also to contemplate, is of this kind: C If God is a source, and a light, and a Father, it is surely impious to speak of either a dry source, or of light without brightness, or of God without the Word, so that God would not be believed to be devoid of wisdom, and reason, and splendor. Since, therefore, the Father is eternal, it is necessary that the Son also be eternal. For whatever we understand to be in the Father, it is not doubtful that these same things are in the Son, the Lord Himself saying: "All things that the Father hath are mine," and "all mine are the Father's" (John xvi, 15). The Father, then, is eternal; the Son is also eternal, for by Him the ages were made (Hebr. i, 2). The Father is [the Being]; the Son is also necessarily the "God who is over all, blessed forever. Amen," as Paul said (Rom. ix, 2). It is not holy to say of the Father, "There was once when He was not"; it is likewise unholy to say of the Son, "There was once when He was not." D The Father is almighty; the Son is also almighty, John saying: "He who is, and who was, and who is to come, the almighty." The Father is light; the Son is the brightness and the true light. The Son is true God; thus indeed John wrote...
A "We are in the true one, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and life eternal." In short, there is nothing that the Father has, which does not belong to the Son. For this reason the Son is in the Father, and the Father is in the Son; because what belongs to the Father, that is in the Son, and again the same is understood in the Father. Thus is also understood that saying, "I and the Father are one," because they are not one thing in this one and another in the Son; but what is in the Father, that is in the Son. And since you see in the Father what you also see in the Son, the statement is rightly understood, "He who has seen me has seen the Father."
5. Those things being thus confirmed, he who contends that the Son is a created thing must without doubt be considered impious. For he will be forced to say that B the very fountain from which flows created wisdom is also a created thing, as is the Word, in whom all things that are of the Father exist. Moreover, even from these things one may see the worthlessness of the Arian heresy. For we are similar to those to whose nature we share an identity, and we are therefore consubstantial. Human beings, for instance, are similar, and because we have the same identity, we are consubstantial with one another. For the same things belong to all: mortality, corruption, mutability, and an origin from nothingness. Angels likewise and all other things agree together in similarity of nature. Let the over-curious, therefore, investigate whether there is any similarity between the Son and created things; or whether they can find in created beings the things that are in the Son, so that they might dare to call the Word of God a created thing. But the men who are reckless and wandering from true piety C will not find it. For among created things there is nothing almighty, and nothing is held by any power other than that of God alone. For every creature is of God. "For the heavens declare the glory of God; and the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the sea saw and fled." Finally, all things are servants of the Creator, doing his word and obeying his command. But the Son is almighty, as is the Father; and this has been written and demonstrated. Furthermore, there is nothing among created things that is immutable by nature. For some of the angels did not keep their own rank; and "the stars are not pure in his sight"; and the devil fell from heaven; and Adam transgressed, D and all things are subject to change. But the Son is immutable and unchangeable, as is the Father. And Paul reminded us of this from the one hundred and first Psalm.
saying A: "And Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the works of Thy hands are the heavens. They shall perish, but Thou shalt remain; and they all shall wax old as a garment, and as a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed; but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail." And he says again: "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today, and for ever."
4. Furthermore, whatever has been made was made because before it there was nothing. He made the earth, which before was nothing, and he "calleth those things which be not as though they were." And indeed they are made things and creatures; for this reason they have a beginning of their coming into existence. For "in the beginning" God made heaven and earth, and all that is in them; and again: "My hand hath made all these things." But the Son, being what He is, is God over all, as is the Father; and this is proved as follows: He is not a thing made, but the Maker; not created, but creating and performing the works of the Father. For through Him the ages were made, and all things were made through Him, and without Him was made nothing; and as the Apostle taught from the psalm, He Himself in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the works of His hands are the heavens.
Moreover, no created thing is God by nature, but each of the things that have come to be is what it has also been named: one is heaven, another is earth; some are luminaries, others are stars; others are the sea, and the abysses, and four-footed beasts, and further, man: and before these things, angels, archangels B, cherubim, seraphim, and powers, principalities, authorities, dominions, paradise; and thus each remains what it is. If, however, some are also called gods, they are named so not by nature, but by participation in the Son. For He Himself said also: "If He called them gods, unto whom the word of God came." Wherefore, because they are not gods by nature, it happens at times that some are turned aside, hearing: "I said, Ye are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High. But ye shall die like men." Such was he to whom it was said: "But thou art man, and not God." But the Son is true God, even as the Father is. For in Him is and C D
A the Father is in the Son. And John indeed wrote, as has been shown; but David sings: "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of thy kingdom." And the prophet Isaiah also cries out: "Egypt has labored and the merchandise of the Ethiopians; and the Sabaim, men of stature, shall pass over unto thee, and they shall follow thee bound in chains, and they shall worship thee, because God is in thee. For thou art the God of Israel, and we knew it not." Who, then, is the God in whom God is, if not the Son who says: "I am in the Father, and the Father is in me"?
5. Since these things are written, who does not see that the Son is consubstantial with the Father, since He has nothing in common with created things, but whatever things are the Father's, these are also the Son's? For B if He had any likeness or kinship with created things, He would be consubstantial with them; but since He is other than created things according to substance, and the Word is proper to the Father, He cannot be other than He is; but since all things that are the Father's are also His own, He would reasonably be consubstantial with the Father. For thus also the Fathers, having perceived this, confessed in the synod at Nicaea that the Son is consubstantial and from the substance of the Father. For they saw correctly that a created substance can never say: "All things that the Father has are mine." For since it has a beginning of existence, it cannot be said to be and to have been eternally. And for this reason, since C these things belong to the Son, and all things that are said to be the Father's are also the Son's, it is necessary that the substance of the Son not be created, but consubstantial with the Father. Furthermore, for this reason also, it could not be a created substance, as it is capable of the properties of God. And I call these His properties, by which God is known, such as that He is almighty, that He is truly Being, that He is unchangeable, and the other things mentioned above, lest God Himself, according to the foolish, should seem to be consubstantial with created things, by having those things which created things also could possess.
6. And thus also one can refute the impiety of those who contend that the Son of God D is a created thing.
A Our faith is in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Son Himself saying to the apostles, "Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." He spoke in this way, so that from the things we know, we might also understand the things previously spoken of. Just as, therefore, we do not call fathers "makers," but "progenitors," and no one would say that we are a creation of our fathers, but sons by nature and consubstantial with our fathers; so, if God is Father, in every way He is Father to a Son who is by nature a son and consubstantial. For instance, Abraham did not create Isaac, but begat him; but Bezalel and Oholiab did not beget, but made all the works that were in the tabernacle. Similarly, shipwrights and builders do not beget what they make; rather, each one works, the one on the ship, the other on the house. B Yet Isaac does not make, but begets by nature and as consubstantial, Jacob; and Jacob in this same way begets Judah and his brothers. Just as, therefore, someone would be insane to call a house consubstantial with the builder, or a ship with the shipwright, so it is fitting for one to say that every son is consubstantial with his own father. If, therefore, there is a Father and a Son, it is necessary and essential that the Son be by nature and in truth a Son. This is what it means to be consubstantial with the Father, as has been shown from many examples. Indeed, concerning created things, He Himself said, "He spoke, and they were made; He commanded, and they were created." But concerning the Son: "My heart has brought forth a good Word." And Daniel knew the Son of God, and he knew the works of God; and he saw the Son cooling the furnace; C but having spoken about the works, "Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord," he enumerated each of the created things, but he did not number the Son among these, knowing that He is not a work, but that the works came to be through Him, and that He is celebrated and highly exalted in the Father. Just as, therefore, God is revealed through Him to those who know Him, so through Him the blessing, and the hymn, and the glory, and the power are confessed to the Father through Him and in Him, so that such a confession becomes acceptable, as the Scriptures say. Therefore, from many arguments, and from these as well, it is shown and is evident that he is impious, whoever claims that the Word of God is a created thing. D
A 7. But because they boast of the words written in the Proverbs, “The Lord created me as the beginning of his ways for his works,” and add for themselves, “Behold, he created, and he is a created thing,” it is necessary to show from this also how much they wander, not knowing the aim of the divine Scripture. For if he is the Son, let him not be called a created thing; but if he is a created thing, let him not be called the Son. For it has been shown in what precedes how great is the difference between a created thing and the Son. And since the perfecting of the faithful is not into a creator and a created thing B, but into Father and Son, it is necessary that the Lord not be called a created thing, but the Son. “Was it not written, then?” they say. Yes, it is written, and it has been said necessarily; but the heretics wrongly understand what was rightly said. For if they understood and knew the character of Christianity, they would not say that the Lord of glory is a created thing, nor would they stumble over what is written rightly. They, therefore, “did not know, nor did they understand; for this reason,” as it is written, “they walk in darkness”; but it is necessary for us to speak, so that they may be shown to be senseless in this, and we may not omit the refutation against their impiety, so that perhaps even they themselves may repent. C The character, therefore, of the faith in Christ is this: that the Son of God, who is the Word and God (“For in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God”), being the wisdom and power of the Father (“For Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God”), has at the end of the ages become man for our salvation. For John himself, having said, “In the beginning was the Word,” soon added, “And the Word became flesh,” which is the same as if he said, “he became man.” And the Lord himself said concerning himself, “Why do you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth?” And Paul, having learned from him, wrote, “One God, one also mediator of God and men, Christ Jesus man.” Having become man, I say, and having administered human affairs, and having put to flight and destroyed death, which was our lot, he now sits at the right hand of the Father, in whom he himself also is, and the Father is in him, just as he was, and is always.
8. This, then, is the true form of the Christian faith, derived from the apostles through the Fathers. But he who gives himself to the reading of Scripture must weigh and discern when it speaks of the divinity of the Word, and when D of his human nature.
A lest by understanding one thing for another we wander from the truth (60), as the Arians have suffered. Just as, therefore, knowing Him to be the Word, we know that "all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made," and, "By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established," and, "He sends His Word and heals all things"; and knowing Him also to be Wisdom, we know that God founded the earth by wisdom, and the Father made all things in wisdom; and knowing Him also to be God, we believe that He Himself is the Christ. For "Thy throne, O God," sings David, "is for ever and ever; a sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, Thy God, has anointed Thee with the oil of gladness B above Thy fellows." And in Isaiah He Himself says concerning Himself: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me." And Peter confessed: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Thus, knowing Him to have become man, we do not deny the things said of Him humanly, such as being hungry, being thirsty, being struck, weeping, falling asleep, and finally enduring for our sake the death upon the cross; for all these things are written concerning Him. Thus also, the word "He created," Scripture did not conceal, since it is fitting for men, but stated it. For we men have been created and made. But just as, hearing that He was hungry, slept, and was struck, C we do not deny His divinity, so hearing the word "He created," it is right to remember that, being God, He was created man. For it is the property of men to be created, just as it is with the aforementioned things, to be hungry, and the like.
9. For that saying also is well spoken (65), though ill understood by them—I mean: "But concerning that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels, neither the Son"—it holds a good meaning (66). For they imagine from the saying "neither the Son," that He indicates ignorance, and that He is a creature. But it is not so; God forbid! For just as when He says (67), "He created," [he spoke humanly; for they do not know unless they hear and learn.]
He was designating the human nature, so too when He says, "nor does the Son" B, He spoke humanly. And there is a good reason for His having spoken in this way. For since He became man, as it is written, and it is proper to men to be ignorant, just as it is to hunger and other things of that sort (for they do not know unless they have heard and learned), for this reason He, having become man, displays the ignorance of men: first, that He might show that He truly has a human body; and second, that by bearing the ignorance of men in the body, He might redeem and cleanse it from all things, and present the humanity perfect and holy to the Father. What excuse will the Arians find any longer? What new things will they devise to mutter about? They have been refuted out of their own ignorance of the text, "The Lord created me for His works." And they have been shown not to understand the text, C, "But of that day no one knows, not even the angels, neither the Son." For just as when He says, "He created," He signifies the human aspect, that He was made man and created; but when He says, "I and the Father are one," and, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father," and, "I am in the Father and the Father in Me," He signifies His eternity and consubstantiality with the Father; so in saying, "No one knows, not even the Son," He speaks again as man; for it is peculiar to men to be ignorant. But [in saying], "No one knows the Father except the Son, nor the Son except the Father," He knows created things much more. Therefore, the disciples D in the Gospel according to John were saying to the Lord, "Now we know that You know all things." It is evident, therefore, that there is nothing that He is ignorant of, being the Word through Whom all things were made. And since that day is one of all things, it will certainly come to be through Him, even if the Arians tear themselves to pieces a hundred times over through their own ignorance.
LETTER OF THE SAME TO THE SAME SERAPION, BISHOP, CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. You may perhaps wonder why, when I was bidden to compress the letter concerning the Holy Spirit
B and to explain the matter in a few words, you see me meanwhile setting aside that task, and writing against those who think impiously concerning the Son of God, and say that He is a created thing. But I know well that you will not blame me, when you have learned the reason; and rather, your piety will approve of it, seeing the reasonableness of it. For since, as the Lord Himself said: “The Paraclete will not speak of Himself; but whatever He hears, He will speak; because He will receive of Mine, and will report it to you,” and because, having breathed upon them, He gave Him to the disciples from Himself, and in that way the Father poured Him out upon all flesh, as it is written: for this reason it has rightly and deservedly been written and stated first concerning the Son of God, so that from the knowledge of the Son, we may be well able to attain also the knowledge of the Spirit. For such as we know the property of the Son to be in relation to the Father, the same shall we find the Spirit to have in relation to the Son. C And just as the Son says, “All things whatsoever the Father has are Mine,” so we shall find these same things existing through the Son and in the Spirit. And as the Father pointed out the Son, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I was well pleased,” so the Spirit is of the Son; for, says the Apostle, “He sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” And, what is wonderful, just as the Son says, “My things are the Father’s,” so the Holy Spirit, who is said to be the Son’s, is the Father’s. For the Son Himself says: “When the Paraclete shall come, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He shall bear witness of Me.” But Paul writes: “No one knows the things of a man, D except the spirit of man which is in him: so also no one knows the things of God, except the Spirit of God which is in Him. But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we may know the things that have been bestowed upon us by God.” And in all the divine Scripture you will find that the Holy Spirit, who is called the Son’s, is also said to be God’s: and this we have written in the preceding pages. Therefore, if the Son, on account of His property in relation to the Father, and because He is the proper offspring of His essence, is not
A a creature, but is consubstantial with the Father, thus neither shall the Holy Spirit be a creature; and he who says this is impious, because of His property in relation to the Son, and because He is given to all from Him, and what He has belongs to the Son.
2. Indeed, these things would have been enough to persuade any contentious person, so that after this he would no longer call a creature of God Him who is in God, and who searches the deep things of God, and is given from the Father through the Son: lest from this he be compelled to call the Son also a creature, who is the Word, the wisdom, the image, the radiance: whom he who sees, sees also the Father; and lest he subsequently hear: B «He who denies the Son, does not have the Father either.» For such a man will gradually go on to say, like that fool: «There is no God.» However, so that the impious may be refuted by many arguments, it will be worth the effort, from those things by which the Son is demonstrated not to be a created thing, to prove from the same that the Holy Spirit is not a created thing either. Created things are from nothing, and have a beginning of existing: for, «In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,» and the things that are in them. But the Holy Spirit is from God, and is so called, as the Apostle said. But if the Son, because He is not from nothing, but from God, cannot be a creature: therefore neither can the Holy Spirit be a creature; since He is acknowledged to be from God. For creatures are from nothing.
3. Again, the Holy Spirit is called an unction and a seal; and He is so. For John writes: C «And you, the unction which you received from Him abides in you; and you have no need that anyone should teach you, but as His unction, His spirit, teaches you concerning all things.» And in the prophet Isaiah it is written: «The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me.» And Paul writes thus: «In whom also having believed you were sealed;» and again: «Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, in whom you were sealed unto the day of redemption.» But created things are anointed and sealed in Him; and if created things are anointed and sealed in Him, the Spirit would by no means be a creature; for that which anoints is not similar to those things which are anointed. And indeed this unction is the breath of the Son; so that he who has the Spirit may say: «We are the sweet odor of Christ D
A And the seal expresses the Son, so that that which is sealed may possess the form of Christ, as the Apostle says: «My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you.» But if the Spirit is the sweet odor and the form of the Son, it is evident that the Spirit cannot be a creature; since the Son also, existing in the form of the Father, is not a creature. For just as he who has seen the Son sees the Father, so he who has the Holy Spirit has the Son, and having Him, he is a temple of God, as Paul writes: «Know you not that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you?» And John says: «In this we know that we abide in God, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.» B But if the Son, being in the Father, in whom also the Father is, has been confessed not to be a creature, it is entirely necessary that the Spirit also not be a creature; for the Son is in Him, and He Himself is in the Son. Therefore, also, he who receives the Spirit becomes a temple of God. Again, from this it is good to perceive, if the Son of God is the Word, He is one even as the Father is one. «For there is one God, of whom are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ;» C therefore He is also called and written of as the only-begotten Son. But creatures are many and various: angels, archangels, cherubim, principalities, powers, and the others, as has been said. But if, because the Son is not one of the many, but is one, as the Father is one, He is not a creature, then by all means the Spirit also (for it is necessary to receive from the Son the knowledge concerning the Spirit) cannot be a creature. For it is not of the many, but it is one, and it is the same.
4. And the Apostle knows this, saying: «But all these things that one and the selfsame Spirit works, dividing to every man severally as He will;» and after a few words: «For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, and we have all been made to drink into one Spirit.» And again, since it is necessary to receive from the Son the knowledge concerning the Spirit, it would be appropriate to bring forward the proofs from Him. Therefore, the Son is everywhere, for He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him. For He sustains and holds together all things, and it is written that «in Him all things consist,» D both visible and invisible, «and He is before all.» But creatures are in divided places: the sun, indeed, and the moon and the other luminaries are in the firmament, and in heaven are the angels, and men are upon the earth. But if the Son, since He is not in divided places, but is in the Father,
A is everywhere, and exists outside of all things, He is not a creature; consequently, the Spirit would not be a creature either, not being in divided places, but filling all things and existing outside of all things. For thus it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord has filled the world” (Sap. 1, 7). And David sings: “Where shall I go from Thy Spirit?” (Ps. cxxxviii, 7), as though He were not in a place, but outside of all things, and in the Son, even as the Son is in the Father. For this reason, He is not a creature, as has been demonstrated. And in addition to all these things, the Arian heresy will be the more refuted by this, and through the Son, the knowledge of the Spirit will be recognized again. The Son, therefore, is Creator as the Father is. “For whatsoever I see,” He says, “the Father doing, these things I also do” (Joan. v, 19). “All things,” indeed, “were made by Him, and without Him was made not even one” (Joan. 1, 3). But if the Son, being Creator as the Father is, is not a creature—and if, because all things are created through Him, He is not of the things created—it is clear that the Spirit is not a creature either, since it is also written concerning Him in the one hundred and third Psalm: “You shall take away their spirit, and they shall fail, and they shall return to their dust. You shall send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created, and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth” (Ps. ciii, 29, 30).
5. Since it is written in this way, it is B evident that the Spirit is not a creature, but is present in the act of creating. For the Father creates all things through the Word in the Spirit; since where the Word is, there is also the Spirit; and the things created through the Word have from the Spirit, by the Word, the power of existing. For thus it is written in the thirty-second Psalm: “By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth all their power” (Ps. xxxii, 6). Indeed, the Spirit is so inseparable from the Son that there is no room for doubting from what is said. For when the Word came to the prophet, the prophet spoke the things from the Word in the Spirit. Thus it is written in the Acts, with Peter saying: “Men, brethren, the Scripture must needs be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold” (Act. 1, 16); and in Zechariah, when the Word had come to him, it is written: C “Nevertheless receive my words and my statutes, which I command in my Spirit to the prophets” (Zach. 1, 6). And after a little, blaming the people, He says: “They have set their heart as an adamant stone, that they might not hear the law, and the words which...”
the Lord Almighty sent in His Spirit, by the hands of the former prophets” (Zach. VII, 12). A And while Christ was speaking in Paul, as He Himself says: “Do you seek an experiment of Christ speaking in me?” (II Cor. XIII, 3), none the less he still had the Holy Spirit who supplied words to him; for thus he writes: “According to the subministration of the Spirit of Jesus Christ to me” (Philipp. I, 19). And again, while Christ was speaking in him, he said: “Except that the Holy Spirit witnesses to me in every city, saying (Act. XX, 25), that chains and tribulations await me.” For the Spirit is not outside the Word, but while existing in the Word, B He is in God through Him; so that the gifts are given in the Trinity. For in their division, as he writes to the Corinthians, it is the same Spirit and the same Lord, and it is the same God who works all things in all (I Cor. XII, 4-6). For the Father Himself, through the Word, in the Spirit, works and gives all things.
6. Indeed, praying over the Corinthians, he prayed in the Trinity with these words: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity of God, and the communication of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (II Cor. XIII, 13). C For being partakers of the Spirit, we have the grace of the Word, and in Him the charity of the Father. But as the grace of the Trinity is one, so the Trinity is indivisible. One might see this also in the case of the holy Mary herself. For the angel Gabriel, having been sent to announce the coming down of the Word upon her, said, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee” (Luc. I, 35), knowing that the Spirit was in the Word; therefore he immediately added: “And the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee.” D For Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God (I Cor. I, 24). But since the Spirit is in the Word, it would be evident that the Spirit was also in God through the Word. And so, when the Spirit has come to be in us, the Son will come, and the Father, and they will make their abode with us (Joan. XIV, 23). For the Trinity is indivisible, and its divinity is one; and there is one God over all, and through all, and in all. This is the faith of the Catholic Church. For the Lord founded and rooted it in the Trinity, saying to the disciples: “Going, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matth. XXVIII, 19). But if the Spirit were a creature, He would not have joined Him with the Father, lest the Trinity should be unlike itself if some extraneous and alien thing were joined to it.
For what was lacking to God, that He should take to Himself a thing of different substance, and be glorified with it? Far be it! It is not so. "I am full," A He says Himself. Therefore the Lord Himself conjoined Him with the name of the Father, to show that the holy Trinity does not consist of diverse things, that is, of Creator and creature; but that its divinity is one. Having learned this, Paul taught that there is one grace given in the Trinity, saying: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." But as there is one baptism, so also is there one faith; for he who believes in the Father knows that the Son is in the Father, and the Spirit is not outside of the Son; and for this reason he believes also in the Son and in the Holy Spirit, B since the divinity of the Trinity is one, known from one Father.
7. This is the character of the catholic faith. But those who blaspheme against the Spirit, and call Him a creature, if they do not come to their senses from what has been said, let them at least be ashamed and humbled by what is to be said. If there is a Trinity, and faith is situated in the Trinity, let them say whether there has always been a Trinity, or if there was a time when there was no Trinity. If, therefore, the Trinity is eternal, the Spirit is not a creature, eternally coexisting with the Word and being in Him. For there was a time when the creatures were not. But if He is a creature, and creatures are from things that do not exist, it is manifest that there was a time when there was no Trinity, C but a duality; and what could one say that is more impious than this? They say the Trinity consists of change and progress, and that there was a duality, but that it awaited the generation of a creature so that it might be united with the Father and the Son, and the Trinity might come into being. Far be it that any such thought should ever enter the minds of Christians! For just as the Son, because He always is, is not a creature, so because the Trinity always is, there is no creature in it; wherefore the Spirit is not a creature. For as He always was, so He is now; and as He is now, so He always was; and the Trinity exists, and in it are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And there is one God, the Father, who is over all, and through all, and in all, D who is blessed forever. Amen.
I, for my part, as you have suggested, have written these things down briefly and sent them to you. But since you are prudent, if anything is lacking in these, I pray you to supply it, and read them to the household of faith; but rebuke those who blaspheme out of contentiousness. Perhaps, even if late, they may eventually come to their senses and wash away from their soul the error that has taken root in them. For it will be to their advantage, as it is written, to recoil and not to delay; lest, if they persist, they hear what was said by the Lord…
“Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, neither in this age, nor in the age to come.” (Matt. XII, 32).
THE SAME EPISTLE TO THE SAME SERAPION, LIKEWISE CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT
A I have received the epistle currently written by your reverence, and having been thoroughly astonished at the shamelessness of the heretics, I perceived that nothing fits the case of speaking about them so well as the injunction of the Apostle: “A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject; knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself” (Tit. III, 10). B For having a perverted mind, he does not inquire so that, once he has heard, he might obey, nor so that, having learned, he might repent; but he does so for the sake of those whom he has deceived, lest, if he should keep silent, he might be condemned by them as well. The things said before were surely sufficient; those many and great proofs brought against them were enough to make them cease from their blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. But they were not satisfied; rather, they are being shameless once again, to show that, having practiced wrangling with words and now becoming “Spirit-fighters,” they will shortly be dead in their folly. C And indeed, even if someone should answer their current questions, they will nonetheless continue to be inventors of evils, only so that, while seeking, they may not find, or having heard, they may not understand.
What kind are their “wise” questions? “If,” they say, “the Holy Spirit is not a creature, then He is a Son, and the Word and He are two brothers.” Then they add, as you write: “If the Spirit is to receive from the Son, and is given by Him (for so it is written), then the Father is a grandfather, and the Spirit is His grandson.”
2. Who, hearing these things, would consider them Christians, and not rather consider them pagans? For such are the things that pagans say among themselves against us. Who would wish to respond to such folly of theirs? D I, for my part, having pondered much and sought a suitable response to them, found none other than that which was then given to the Pharisees. For just as the Savior questioned them when they asked with malicious intent, so that they might sense the perversity of their own mind, so since these men also ask such things, let them tell us, or rather let them answer when they are questioned just as they themselves question. For since, while speaking, they do not understand their own inventions, perhaps even while hearing, they might recognize their own folly...
A If the Holy Spirit is not a creature, as has been demonstrated above, but is in God and is given from God, then He is a son, and there are two brothers, He Himself and the Son. And if the Spirit belongs to the Son, and the Spirit receives all things from the Son, as He Himself has said, and "breathing upon them, he gave it to them" (for you also confess these things), then the Father is a grandfather, and the Spirit is His grandson. For it is just that you should be questioned by us from the same sources from which you demand answers from us when you question us. If, then, you deny what is written, you should no longer be called Christians, and it is right that we, as Christians, should be questioned by you. But if you read the same things as we do, it is necessary that you also be questioned by us about the same matters. Tell us, therefore, and do not hesitate, whether the Spirit is a Son, and the Father a grandfather. But if, B reasoning as those Pharisees of old did, you also say among yourselves: "If we say that He is a Son, we shall hear: 'Where is this written?' But if we say He is not a Son, we fear lest they say to us: 'How then is it written: We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God?'" If, while debating such matters among yourselves, you also say, "We do not know," it is necessary for the one whom you have questioned about such things to remain silent, obeying Him who says: "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him; but answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit." Moreover, the response that is most fitting for you C is silence, so that you may recognize your own ignorance.
3. Again, therefore, it is just that you should be questioned by us just as you question. Since the prophets speak in the Spirit of God, and the Holy Spirit prophesies in Isaiah, as has been shown above, is the Spirit then the Word of God, and are there two Words, namely the Spirit and the Son? For the prophets prophesied at the time when the Word of God came to them. And furthermore, since all things were made through the Word, and without Him not anything was made, and "God by wisdom founded the earth," and "in wisdom He made all things" (it is written, as has been shown above: "Thou shalt send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created"), then either the Spirit is the Word, or God made all things in two, in Wisdom and in the Spirit. And how does Paul say, "One God, of whom are all things, and one Lord, through whom are all things"? And again: D "Since the Son is the image of the Father of the invisible—
A for the Spirit is the image of the Son (for it is written: "Whom he foreknew and predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son"), therefore by this line of reasoning the Father is the grandfather. And since the Son came in the name of the Father—"But the Holy Spirit," says the Son, "whom the Father will send in my name"—therefore in this way also the Father is the grandfather. What do you have to say to this, even though you speak everything rashly? Why do you reason among yourselves? Or, seeing that you are at a loss, do you blame such questions? B But first condemn yourselves (for you are accustomed to ask such things), and yield to the Scriptures, and since you are at a loss for an answer, learn from henceforth: the Spirit has not been named Son in the Scriptures, but Holy Spirit and Spirit of God. Just as the Spirit has not been named Son, so neither has it been written concerning the Son that he himself is the Holy Spirit. Are we to conclude, therefore, because the Spirit was not named Son, nor is the Spirit said to be the Son, that the faith is at variance with the truth? God forbid! But rather, each of the things signified has its own proper knowledge. For the Son is the offspring proper to the essence and nature of the Father, and this is what his name signifies. And C the Spirit, being called of God and being in him, is not foreign to the nature of the Son, nor to the divinity of the Father. For this reason, in the Trinity—in the Father, and in the Son, and in the Spirit himself—there is one divinity, and in that same Trinity there is one baptism, and one faith. Naturally, while the Father sends the Spirit, the Son breathes Him and gives Him to the disciples, because "all things that the Father has are the Son's." And when the Word was in the prophets, they themselves prophesied by the Spirit, as has been written and demonstrated: "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made firm, and by the Spirit of his mouth all their power."
4. Thus, the Spirit is not a creature, but is proper D to the essence of the Word, proper also to God, and is said to be in him. For again, it is not burdensome to say the same things. Even if the Holy Spirit is not named Son, he is not outside the Son. For he is called the Spirit of adoption, and because "Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God," it has been consistently said concerning the Spirit: "He is the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of power." For when we partake of the Spirit, we have the Son, and having the Son, we have the Spirit crying in our hearts, "Abba, Father," as Paul has said. But if, because the Spirit is of God and it is written that he is in him—"For the things of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God who is in him"—and the Son also has said, "I am in the Father, and the Father is in me," why is the same name not given to this one and to that one?
A If anyone inquires in this way, he would surely be insane, searching into the inscrutable and disobeying the Apostle who says: "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" Besides, as to what God has named, who would dare to change the names? For if he were to do so, let him apply the same to created things. Let them say, since the creation was brought into existence by the same will: why is one thing the sun, another the heaven, and another the earth, the sea, and the air? If this seems impossible to those madmen (for each remains as it was created), then much more do those things which are above the creation possess an eternal permanence; and it is not otherwise than that the Father is Father, and not grandfather; and the Son is the Son of God, and not the Father of the Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit, and not the offspring B of the Father, nor the brother of the Son.
5. These things having been thus demonstrated, surely he who should inquire whether the Spirit is also the Son would be insane. Yet, because it is not written so, no one for that reason should exclude Him from the nature and property of God; but as it is written, let him believe, and not say: "Why is it thus and not otherwise?" lest, thinking such thoughts, he should begin to meditate and say: "Where then is God, and how is He?" and afterwards hear: "The fool has said in his heart: God is not." For the things which are delivered by faith have a knowledge that is not to be curiously scrutinized. Certainly when the disciples heard: "Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," they did not curiously inquire why the Son is second and the Spirit third, or why there is a Trinity at all; C but as they had heard, they believed. Nor did they inquire as you do: "Is the Spirit therefore the Son?" Nor, when the Lord named the Spirit after the Son, did they ask: "Is the Father then a grandfather?" For they had not heard "in the name of the grandfather," but "in the name of the Father"; and this faith they preached everywhere, having reasoned correctly. For it was not possible to speak otherwise than the Savior had said: calling himself the Son, and the other the Holy Spirit. Nor were they to be changed, otherwise than as they were joined in order, just as also in the case of the Father. For as it is not permitted to speak otherwise about Him than that He is Father, so it would be impious to inquire whether the Son is the Spirit, or the Spirit is the Son. For this reason Sabellius was judged an alien to the Church, having dared to attribute to the Father the name of the Son, and to the Son the name D of the Father. Will anyone, therefore, after these things, having heard of the Son and the Spirit, dare to say: "Is the Father therefore a grandfather, or is the Spirit the Son?" Yes, the followers of Eunomius, Eudoxius, and Eusebius will dare to do so. Since
A they have once played the role of actors in the Arian heresy, they will never restrain their tongues from impiety. For who delivered these things to them? Who taught them? Certainly no one from the divine Scriptures; rather, from the abundance of their heart such madness has emerged.
6. If, therefore, because it has been demonstrated that the Son is not a creature (for through him all things that were made were created), you ask, "Is the Father therefore the Son?"—or similarly, "Is the Spirit therefore the Son, and is the Son himself the Holy Spirit?"—in thinking such things, they will be outside the Holy Trinity, and they will be judged as atheists, because they change the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and transfer it at their own whim into the likeness of human generation, calling them grandsons and grandfathers, and fashioning for themselves a theogony of the Gentiles. But this is not the faith of the Church; rather, as the Savior said, it is into the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. B Yet the Father cannot be called a grandfather, nor can the Son be called a Father, nor is the Holy Spirit named otherwise than by this name. Concerning this faith, it is not permitted to speak variably, but the Father is always the Father, and the Son is always the Son, and the Holy Spirit is always and is called the Holy Spirit. For in human affairs it is not so, even if the Arians imagine such things. For as it is written, "God is not as man" (Num. xxiii, 19), so one might say, "Men are not as God." Among men, the father is not always a father, nor is the son always a son. For the same person becomes a father to a son, yet he himself exists as the son of another. And the son, while being the son of a father, becomes the father of another. Abraham, for example, while being the son of Nahor, became the father of Isaac; and Isaac, while being the son of Abraham, C became the father of Jacob. For each person, being a part of his parent, is born a son, but becomes himself the father of another. But in the Godhead it is not so, since God is not as man. Thus, the Father is not from a Father, and therefore he does not beget one who is to be the Father of another; nor is the Son a part of the Father, and therefore he is not a fetus [able] to beget a son. Whence in the Godhead alone, the Father being properly and solely the Father, is and was and always will be. And the Son is properly and solely the Son. For in these stands that which holds: that the Father is always the Father and the Son is always the Son, and [they] are so called; that the Holy Spirit is always the Holy Spirit; and we believe that this is of God, and is given from the Father through the Son. For thus the Holy Trinity remains invariable, D known in one Godhead. Therefore, he who asks: "Is the Son therefore the Spi
Spirit?" because he imagines that the name can be changed, gathers madness to himself. And he who asks: "Is the Father therefore a grandfather?" while contriving a name for the Father, wanders in his heart. To answer further to the impudence of the heretics is not safe A; for it is to fight against apostolic admonition; but rather to advise them, as he himself has commanded, is good.
7. These things are sufficient for your refutation of their foolish talking. Do not further mock the Godhead. For it is the manner of those who mock to inquire into things which are not written, and to say: "Is the Son therefore the Spirit, and is the Father a grandfather?" Thus do the bishops of Caesarea and Scythopolis mock B. It is sufficient for you to believe that the Spirit is not a creature, but is the Spirit of God, and in Him is the Trinity, Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit. Nor is the Son to be called by the name of the Father; nor is it permitted to say that the Holy Spirit is the Son himself; nor that the Son is the Spirit himself. But the matter stands as it has been said, and there is one Godhead in this Trinity, and one faith, and one baptism which is given in it, and one initiation in Christ Jesus our Lord, through C whom and with whom to the Father be glory and power with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
Of our holy Father Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, on the saying of the Gospel: "Whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come."
8. But concerning what you have written to me regarding the evangelical saying, pardon me, beloved, as I have a good conscience. For I feared even to approach it at all; lest, if I were to plunge my mind into that saying and begin to investigate it, I might not be able to draw out the profound meaning within it. Consequently, I had decided to be completely silent on this matter, and to be content only with these previous writings. But fearing lest you might insist that I write about this a second time, I forced myself to write the moderate opinion I have learned concerning it; trusting that if we reach the mark, you will approve it for the sake of him who taught it; but if we do not reach it, you will not reproach D me, since you know our affection. [alt-version omitted]