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honors more by what is given, than it dishonors by what is taken away, even if what is done has the pretense of honor.

10. And if you imagine passions concerning the generation, I do concerning the creation; for I do not know that what is created is created without passion. But if He is not begotten according to you, nor created according to the true account, accept what is left of the argument for yourself, you who almost dare to say He is equal through the title of creature. For you then nothing is unattempted, nor undared by the evil arbiter and umpire of the Godhead; for you could not otherwise gain approval than by casting God far from His sovereignty, just as here those who are tyrannical in character and grasping do to the weaker. But I will utter one voice, the same and brief. The Trinity is truly the Trinity, brothers. But the Trinity is not an enumeration of unequal things (or what prevents one from naming also a decad, and a hundred, and a myriad, composed with so many? For many are the things numbered, and more than these), but a combination of equals and of equal honor, the name uniting those things which are united by nature, and not allowing to be scattered by a dividing number those things which are not divided.

11. This is what we think, and this is our position, so that as to how these things stand in relation and order to each other, we concede that the Trinity alone knows, and to whomever the Trinity may reveal it, being purified, either now, or later; but we ourselves know one and the same nature of Godhead, made known by being unoriginate, and by generation, and by procession, like the mind in us, and word, and spirit 35.1164 (insofar as one can compare the intelligible by the sensible, and the greatest things by the small, since no image reaches to the truth), itself consistent with itself, always the same, always perfect, without quality, without quantity, timeless, uncreated, incomprehensible, never falling short of itself, nor will it fall short; lives and life, lights and light, goods and good, glories and glory, truth itself and truth, and the spirit of truth, holy things and holiness itself; Each is God, when considered alone, the mind separating the inseparable; The three are God, when conceived together by the same movement and nature; neither leaving anything above itself, nor surpassing anything else; for there was nothing; nor will it leave anything after itself, or surpass it; for there will be nothing; nor admitting anything of equal honor with itself; for none of the created, and servile, and participant, and circumscribed things can attain to the uncreated, and sovereign, and participated, and infinite nature. For some are entirely far off, while others in some way approach and will approach; and this not by nature, but by participation, and when, that is, when serving the Trinity well becomes above servitude; if indeed this itself is not freedom and kingship, to know sovereignty well, but not to confuse things that are distinct, with humility of mind. And for those for whom servitude is so great, how great is their sovereignty? and if to know is blessedness, how great is that which is known?

12. This is what the great mystery intends for us; this, the faith and regeneration into the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and the common name, a denial of atheism and a confession of Godhead. For this is the common name. So that to dishonor one of the three or to separate them, is to dishonor the confession, on the one hand the regeneration, on the other the Godhead; the one deification, the other hope. See what graces the Spirit gives us when He is theologized, and with what penalties He afflicts us when He is set aside. For I omit to speak of the fear, and the threatened wrath, not for those who honor, but for those who dishonor. These things have been philosophized for you briefly, dogmatically but not contentiously; in the manner of fishermen, but not of Aristotle; spiritually, but not mischievously; ecclesiastically, but not in the manner of the marketplace; usefully, but not for display; so that you may know that we think the same thing, those who declaim against us, and hold festival, and agree only on this, being inspired by one thing, breathing one thing; and not, like those who are starving,

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μᾶλλον τιμᾷ τῷ διδομένῳ, ἢ ἀτιμάζει τῷ ἀφαιρουμένῳ, κἂν προσποίησιν ἔχῃ τιμῆς τὸ γινόμενον.

Ιʹ. Καὶ εἴ σοι πλάττεται πάθη περὶ τὴν γέννησιν, κἀμοὶ περὶ τὴν κτίσιν· οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸ κτιζόμενον ἀπαθῶς οἶδα κτιζόμενον. Εἰ δὲ μὴ γεγέννηται κατὰ σὲ, μηδὲ ἔκτισαι κατὰ τὸν ἀληθῆ λόγον, δέ ξαι τοῦ λόγου σοι τὸ λειπόμενον, ὁ μικροῦ τὸ ἴσον λέ γειν τολμῶν διὰ τῆς προσηγορίας τοῦ κτίσματος. Σοὶ μὲν οὖν οὐδὲν ἀνεπιχείρητον, οὐδὲ ἀτόλμητον τῷ κακῷ βραβευτῇ καὶ διαιτητῇ τῆς θεότητος· οὐ γὰρ εἶχες ἄλλως εὐδοκιμεῖν, ἢ μακρὰν ἐκβάλλων Θεὸν δεσποτείας, ὥσπερ ἐνταῦθα οἱ τυραννικοὶ τὸν τρόπον, καὶ πλεονεκτικοὶ τοὺς ἀσθενεστέρους. Ἐγὼ δὲ μίαν φωνὴν, τὴν αὐτὴν καὶ σύντομον φθέγξομαι. Τριὰς ὡς ἀληθῶς ἡ Τριὰς, ἀδελφοί. Τριὰς δὲ, οὐ πραγμάτων ἀνίσων ἀπαρίθμησις (ἢ τί κωλύει, καὶ δεκάδα, καὶ ἑκατοντάδα, καὶ μυριάδα ὀνομάζειν μετὰ τοσού των συντιθεμένην; πολλὰ γὰρ τὰ ἀριθμούμενα, καὶ πλείω τούτων), ἀλλ' ἴσων καὶ ὁμοτίμων σύλλη ψις, ἑνούσης τῆς προσηγορίας τὰ ἡνωμένα ἐκ φύσεως, καὶ οὐκ ἐώσης σκεδασθῆναι ἀριθμῷ λυομένῳ τὰ μὴ λυόμενα.

ΙΑʹ. Οὕτω φρονοῦμεν, καὶ οὕτως ἔχομεν, ὥστε ὅπως μὲν ἔχει ταῦτα πρὸς ἄλληλα σχέσεώς τε καὶ τά ξεως, αὐτῇ μόνῃ τῇ Τριάδι συγχωρεῖν εἰδέναι, καὶ οἷς ἂν ἡ Τριὰς ἀποκαλύψῃ κεκαθαρμένοις, ἢ νῦν, ἢ ὕστε ρον· αὐτοὶ δὲ μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν εἰδέναι φύσιν θεό τητος, ἀνάρχῳ, καὶ γεννήσει, καὶ προόδῳ γνωριζο μένην, ὡς νῷ τῷ ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ λόγῳ, καὶ πνεύματι 35.1164 (ὅσον εἰκάσαι τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς τὰ νοητὰ, καὶ τοῖς μι κροῖς τὰ μέγιστα, ἐπειδὴ μηδεμία εἰκὼν φθάνει πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν), αὐτὴν ἑαυτῇ συμβαίνουσαν, ἀεὶ τὴν αὐτὴν, ἀεὶ τελείαν, ἄποιον, ἄποσον, ἄχρονον, ἄκτι στον, ἀπερίληπτον, οὔποτε λείπουσαν ἑαυτῆς, οὔτε λείψουσαν· ζωὰς καὶ ζωὴν, φῶτα καὶ φῶς, ἀγα θὰ καὶ ἀγαθὸν, δόξας καὶ δόξαν, ἀληθινὸν καὶ ἀλή θειαν, καὶ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, ἅγια καὶ αὐτοαγιό τητα· Θεὸν ἕκαστον, ἂν θεωρῆται μόνον, τοῦ νοῦ χω ρίζοντος τὰ ἀχώριστα· Θεὸν τὰ τρία, μετ' ἀλλήλων νοούμενα τῷ ταυτῷ τῆς κινήσεως καὶ τῆς φύσεως· οὔτε ὑπὲρ ἑαυτήν τι καταλιποῦσαν, ἢ ὑπερβᾶσαν ἄλ λο τι· οὐ γὰρ ἦν· οὔτε μεθ' ἑαυτήν τι καταλείψου σαν, ἢ ὑπερβησομένην· οὐκ ἔσται γάρ· οὔτε μεθ' ἑαυτῆς τι παραδεχομένην ὁμότιμον· οὐ γὰρ ἐφικνεῖταί τι τῶν κτιστῶν, καὶ δούλων, καὶ μετ εχόντων, καὶ περιγραπτῶν τῆς ἀκτίστου, καὶ δεσπο τικῆς, καὶ μεταληπτικῆς, καὶ ἀπείρου φύσεως. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ πάντη πόῤῥω, τὰ δὲ ποσῶς πλησιάζοντα καὶ πλησιάσοντα· καὶ τοῦτο οὐ φύσει, ἀλλὰ μεταλή ψει, καὶ πηνίκα, ὅταν τὸ δουλεῦσαι καλῶς τῇ Τριάδι, ὑπὲρ τὴν δουλείαν γένηται· εἴπερ μὴ καὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸ ἡ ἐλευθερία καὶ ἡ βασιλεία, τὸ γνῶ ναι καλῶς δεσποτείαν, ἀλλὰ μὴ φύρειν τὰ διεστῶτα, νοῦ ταπεινότητι. Οἷς δὲ τὸ δουλεῦσαι τοσοῦτον, πηλί κη τούτων ἡ δεσποτεία; καὶ εἰ τὸ γνῶναι μακαριό της, πηλίκον τὸ γινωσκόμενον;

ΙΒʹ. Τοῦτο ἡμῖν τὸ μέγα μυστήριον βούλεται· τοῦ το, ἡ εἰς Πατέρα, καὶ Υἱὸν, καὶ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, καὶ τὸ κοινὸν ὄνομα, πίστις καὶ ἀναγέννησις, ἄρνησις ἀθεΐας καὶ ὁμολογία θεότητος. Τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ κοινὸν ὄνομα. Ὥστε τὸ ἀτιμάζειν τι τῶν τριῶν ἢ χωρίζειν, ἀτιμάζειν ἐστὶ τὴν ὁμολογίαν, τὸ μὲν τὴν ἀναγέννησιν, τὸ δὲ τὴν θεότητα· τὸ μὲν τὴν θέωσιν, τὸ δὲ τὴν ἐλπίδα. Ὁρᾶτε οἷα χαρίζεται ἡμῖν τὸ Πνεῦμα θεολογούμενον, καὶ οἷς ζημιοῖ ἀθετούμενον. Ἐῶ γὰρ λέγειν τὸν φόβον, καὶ τὴν ἠπειλημένην ὀρ γὴν, οὐ τοῖς τιμῶσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀτιμάζουσιν. Ταῦτα ὡς ἐν βραχέσι πεφιλοσόφηται πρὸς ὑμᾶς δογμα τικῶς, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀντιλογικῶς· ἁλιευτικῶς, ἀλλ' οὐκ Ἀριστοτελικῶς· πνευματικῶς, ἀλλ' οὐ κακοπραγμο νικῶς· ἐκκλησιαστικῶς, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀγοραίως· ὠφελί μως, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐπιδεικτικῶς· ἵνα γνῶτε τὸ αὐτὸ φρο νοῦντας ἡμᾶς, οἱ καθ' ἡμῶν δημηγοροῦντες, καὶ πα 35.1165 νηγυρίζοντες, καὶ τοῦτο μόνον ὁμονοοῦντες, ἓν ἐμ πνεομένους, ἓν πνέοντας· καὶ μὴ, καθάπερ οἱ λιμώττοντες,