proceeds from the soul, so also the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. And I said thus: Soul, word and breath, one soul, and not three; for the word and the breath are inseparable from the soul. Likewise Father, and Son, that is, Word, and Spirit, one God, and not three; for the Word and the divine Spirit are inseparable from the Father. And just as the soul is invisible, so also is God invisible. And so when you doubt in your mind, and say, how is God one, and is also of three hypostases? remember your soul, and say: Just as my soul is one, but also of three hypostases, soul, word, and breath; so also God is one, but is also of three hypostases, Father, Word, and Holy Spirit. And say in your mind, that, if the soul, the creation of God, likewise also the sun, is of three hypostases, but their nature is one; how much more God the creator of these! Is it not possible to be thus, so that He is one in nature, and of three hypostases in persons? and truly it is possible. For as soul, word and breath are three persons, and one nature of soul, and not three souls; so Father, Word and Holy Spirit, are three persons, and one God in nature, and not three gods. Thus if you always reason, you will not blaspheme against the Holy Trinity. But still hear also another image of God, beloved. Behold fire is one, yet it is also of three hypostases. For the underlying fire is one thing, but its burning quality is another person, and its illuminating quality is another person. Behold then three persons of the one fire, that is, the underlying fire, and the burning quality, and the illuminating quality; but one nature of fire, and not three. Likewise also with God; for the Father is the fire, the Son the burning quality, and the Holy Spirit is the illuminating quality. And just as with the fire, the fire, the burning quality, and the illuminating quality, and the underlying fire itself, we call one, and not three; so also we speak of God, the three persons, both the Father, and Son, and the Holy Spirit, we call one God, and not three. And concerning the knowledge of the Holy Trinity, let these things suffice for the one who believes. But hear also another mystery in addition to these. The word of man has a double birth, and is born on two occasions; on one occasion it is born from the soul, and on another from the lips. And the word of man is born from the soul, when someone thinks to say something. For the thought is called the first birth of the word, since one thinks of saying that word; but does not say it through the lips, 781 but the soul keeps the word in its bosom; and that thought is the first birth of the word from the soul. However, even if the word is born from the soul, a first birth when the soul thinks it, yet it does not manifest it, but still keeps it. But when it wishes to manifest the word, then it brings it forth from the lips. And this second birth of the word from the lips, this one manifests the word to all, and no longer then is the word called unmanifest, but manifest. And when the word is born through the lips, then all hear it, and it becomes manifest to all; and this birth through the lips is called the second birth of the word; so that there are two births of our word; one from the soul, when one thinks of speaking the word, which is also called the first birth; and another from the lips, which manifests the word to all men, which is also called the second birth. Learn therefore accurately, that, just as the word of man has two births, one from the soul, and another from the lips, so also the Word of God has two births, one from God the Father, which is also called the first birth; and another from the flesh, which is also called the second birth. And just as our word, even if it is born the first birth from the soul, yet it is nevertheless unmanifest, and is not revealed, but again

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ἐκπορευτὴ ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς, οὕτω καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐκπορευτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ Πατρός. Καὶ εἶπον οὕτω· Ψυχὴ, λόγος καὶ πνοὴ, μία ψυχὴ, καὶ οὐ τρεῖς· ἀχώριστος γὰρ ὁ λόγος καὶ ἡ πνοὴ ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς. Ὁμοίως Πατὴρ, καὶ Υἱὸς, ἤτοι Λόγος, καὶ Πνεῦμα, εἷς Θεὸς, καὶ οὐ τρεῖς· ἀχώριστος γὰρ ὁ Λόγος καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ θεῖον ἐκ τοῦ Πατρός. Καὶ καθάπερ ἀόρατος ἡ ψυχὴ, οὕτως ἀόρατος καὶ ὁ Θεός. Καὶ οὕτως ὅταν διστάζεις ἐν τῷ νοΐ σου, καὶ λέγεις, πῶς ἔνι ὁ Θεὸς εἷς, καὶ ἔνι καὶ τρισυπόστατος; ἐνθυ μοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς σου, καὶ λέγε· Ὥσπερ ἡ ψυχή μου μία ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τρισυπόστατος, ψυχὴ, λόγος, καὶ πνοή· οὕτω καὶ ὁ Θεὸς εἷς ἐστιν, ἀλλ' ἔστι καὶ τρισ υπόστατος, Πατὴρ, Λόγος, καὶ Πνεῦμα ἅγιον. Καὶ λέγε ἐν τῷ νοΐ σου, ὅτι, ἐὰν ἡ ψυχὴ, τὸ ποίημα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁμοίως καὶ ὁ ἥλιος, ἐστὶ τρισυπόστατος, ἡ δὲ φύσις αὐτῶν μία· πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ποιητὴς τούτων! Οὐκ ἐνδέχεται τὸ εἶναι οὕτως, ὥστε εἶναι αὐτὸν ἕνα τῇ φύσει, καὶ τρισυπόστατον τοῖς προσ ώποις; καὶ ἀληθῶς ἐνδέχεται. Ὡς γὰρ ψυχὴ, λόγος καὶ πνοὴ τρία πρόσωπα, καὶ μία φύσις ψυχῆς, καὶ οὐ τρεῖς ψυχαί· οὕτω Πατὴρ, Λόγος καὶ Πνεῦμα ἅγιον, τρία πρόσωπα, καὶ εἷς τῇ φύσει Θεὸς, καὶ οὐ τρεῖς θεοί. Οὕτως ἐὰν συλλογίζῃ πάντοτε, οὐ μὴ βλασφημήσῃς ἐπὶ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος. Ἀλλὰ ἀκμὴν καὶ ἄλλην εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ἄκουσον, ἀγα πητέ. Ἰδοὺ τὸ πῦρ ἕν ἐστι, ἄλλως καὶ τρισυπόστα τον. Αὐτὸ γὰρ ἕν ἐστι τὸ ὑποκείμενον πῦρ, τὸ δὲ καυστικὸν αὐτοῦ ἕτερον πρόσωπον, καὶ τὸ φωτιστι κὸν αὐτοῦ ἄλλο πρόσωπον. Ἰδοὺ λοιπὸν τρία πρόσ ωπα τοῦ ἑνὸς πυρὸς, ἤγουν τὸ ὑποκείμενον πῦρ, καὶ τὸ καυστικὸν, καὶ τὸ φωτιστικόν· μία δὲ φύσις τοῦ πυρὸς, καὶ οὐ τρεῖς. Ὁμοίως καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ· ὁ γὰρ Πατὴρ ἔνι τὸ πῦρ, ὁ Υἱὸς τὸ καυστικὸν, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἔνι τὸ φωτιστικόν. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ πυρὸς, τὸ πῦρ, τὸ καυστικὸν, καὶ τὸ φωτιστικὸν, καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ὑποκείμενον πῦρ, ἓν λέγομεν, καὶ οὐ τρία· οὕτω λέγομεν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ τρία πρόσ ωπα, τόν τε Πατέρα, καὶ Υἱὸν, καὶ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, Θεὸν ἕνα λέγομεν, καὶ οὐ τρεῖς. Καὶ περὶ μὲν τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος ἀρκείτω ταῦτα τῷ πιστεύοντι. Πλὴν ἄκουσον καὶ ἄλλο πρὸς τούτοις μυστήριον. Ὁ λόγος τοῦ ἀνθρώπου διπλῆν ἔχει τὴν γέννησιν, καὶ ἐν δυσὶ φοραῖς γεννᾶται· μίαν μὲν φορὰν γεννᾶται ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς, ἑτέραν δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν χειλέων. Καὶ γεννᾶται μὲν ὁ λόγος τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς, ὅταν ἐν θυμηθῇ τις εἰπεῖν τι. Ἡ γὰρ ἐνθύμησις πρώτη γέν νησις λέγεται τοῦ λόγου, ἐπεὶ ἐνθυμεῖται τοῦ εἰπεῖν ἐκεῖνον τὸν λόγον· οὐ λέγει δὲ τοῦτον διὰ τῶν χειλέων, 781 ἀλλὰ φυλάττει τὸν λόγον ἡ ψυχὴ ἐν τοῖς κόλποις αὐτῆς· καὶ ἔστιν ἡ ἐνθύμησις ἐκείνη πρώτη γέννη σις τοῦ λόγου ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς. Ὅμως, κἂν γεννηθῇ ὁ λόγος ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς, πρώτην γέννησιν ὅταν ἐν θυμηθῇ αὐτὸν ἡ ψυχὴ, ἀλλ' οὐ φανεροῖ αὐτὸν, ἀκμὴν δὲ φυλάττει αὐτόν. Ὅταν δὲ θελήσῃ τοῦ φανερῶσαι τὸν λόγον, τότε γεννᾷ αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν χειλέων. Αὐτὴ δὲ ἡ ἐκ τῶν χειλέων δευτέρα γέννησις τοῦ λόγου, αὐτὴ φανεροῖ τὸν λόγον ἐν τοῖς πᾶσι, καὶ οὐκ ἔτι λοιπὸν ὁ λόγος ἀφανὴς λέγεται, ἀλλ' ἐμφανής. Ὅταν δὲ γεννηθῇ ὁ λόγος διὰ τῶν χειλέων, τότε οἱ πάντες ἀκούουσιν αὐτὸν, καὶ φανερὸς γίνεται τοῖς πᾶσι· καὶ λέγεται αὕτη ἡ γέννησις ἡ διὰ τῶν χειλέων δευτέρα γέννησις τοῦ λόγου· ὥστε δύο εἰσὶν αἱ γεννήσεις τοῦ λόγου ἡμῶν· μία μὲν ἐκ τῆς ψυχῆς, ὅταν ἐνθυμηθῇ τοῦ λαλῆσαι τὸν λόγον, ἥτις καὶ πρώτη γέννησις λέγεται· καὶ ἑτέρα ἐκ τῶν χειλέων, ἥτις φανεροῖ τὸν λόγον πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις, ἥτις καὶ δευτέρα γέννησις λέγεται. Μάνθανε οὖν ἀκριβῶς, ὅτι, ὥσπερ ὁ λόγος τοῦ ἀνθρώπου δύο γεννήσεις ἔχει, μίαν ἐκ τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ ἄλλην ἐκ τῶν χειλέων, οὕτως καὶ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος δύο γεννήσεις ἔχει, μίαν μὲν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς, ἥτις καὶ πρώτη γέννησις λέγεται· καὶ ἑτέραν ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς, ἥτις καὶ δευτέρα γέννησις λέγεται. Καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ λόγος ἡμῶν, κἂν γεννηθῇ τὴν πρώτην γέννησιν ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἀφανής ἐστι, καὶ οὐ φανεροῦται, ἀλλὰ πάλιν

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