Letter VIII.43    This important letter was written a.d. 360, when Basil, shocked at the discovery that Dianius, the bishop who had baptized him, had subscribed the Arian creed of Ariminum, as revised at Nike (Theod., Hist. Ecc. II. xvi.), left Cæsarea, and withdrew to his friend Gregory at Nazianzus.  The Benedictine note considers the traditional title an error, and concludes the letter to have been really addressed to the monks of the Cœnobium over which Basil had presided.  But it may have been written to monks in or near Cæsarea, so that title and sense will agree.

To the Cæsareans.  A defence of his withdrawal, and concerning the faith.

1.  I have often been astonished at your feeling towards me as you do, and how it comes about that an individual so small and insignificant, and having, may be, very little that is lovable about him, should have so won your allegiance.  You remind me of the claims of friendship and of fatherland,44    πατρίς seems to be used of the city or neighbourhood of Cæsarea, and so far to be in favour of Basil’s birth there. and press me urgently in your attempt to make me come back to you, as though I were a runaway from a father’s heart and home.  That I am a runaway I confess.  I should be sorry to deny it; since you are already regretting me, you shall be told the cause.  I was astounded like a man stunned by some sudden noise.  I did not crush my thoughts, but dwelt upon them as I fled, and now I have been absent from you a considerable time.  Then I began to yearn for the divine doctrines, and the philosophy that is concerned with them.  How, said I, could I overcome the mischief dwelling with us?  Who is to be my Laban, setting me free from Esau, and leading me to the supreme philosophy?  By God’s help, I have, so far as in me lies, attained my object; I have found a chosen vessel, a deep well; I mean Gregory, Christ’s mouth.  Give me, therefore, I beg you, a little time.  I am not embracing a city life.45    i.e. the life of the city, presumably Nazianzus, from which he is writing.  I am quite well aware how the evil one by such means devises deceit for mankind, but I do hold the society of the saints most useful.  For in the more constant change of ideas about the divine dogmas I am acquiring a lasting habit of contemplation.  Such is my present situation.

2.  Friends godly and well beloved, do, I implore you, beware of the shepherds of the Philistines; let them not choke your wills unawares; let them not befoul the purity of your knowledge of the faith.  This is ever their object, not to teach simple souls lessons drawn from Holy Scripture, but to mar the harmony of the truth by heathen philosophy.  Is not he an open Philistine who is introducing the terms “unbegotten” and “begotten” into our faith, and asserts that there was once a time when the Everlasting was not;46    cf. the Arian formula ἦν ποτὲ ὅτε οὐκ ἦν. that He who is by nature and eternally a Father became a Father; that the Holy Ghost is not eternal?  He bewitches our Patriarch’s sheep that they may not drink “of the well of water springing up into everlasting life,”47    John iv. 14. but may rather bring upon themselves the words of the prophet, “They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water;”48    Jer. ii. 13. when all the while they ought to confess that the Father is God, the Son God, and the Holy Ghost God,49    cf. p. 16, note.  This is one of the few instances of St. Basil’s use of the word θεός of the Holy Ghost. as they have been taught by the divine words, and by those who have understood them in their highest sense.  Against those who cast it in our teeth that we are Tritheists, let it be answered that we confess one God not in number but in nature.  For everything which is called one in number is not one absolutely, nor yet simple in nature; but God is universally confessed to be simple and not composite.  God therefore is not one in number.  What I mean is this.  We say that the world is one in number, but not one by nature nor yet simple; for we divide it into its constituent elements, fire, water, air, and earth.50    For the four elements of ancient philosophy modern chemistry now catalogues at least sixty-seven.  Of these, earth generally contains eight; air is a mixture of two; water is a compound of two; and fire is the visible evidence of a combination between elements which produces light and heat.  On the “elements” of the Greek philosophers vide Arist., Met. i. 3.  Thales (†c. 550 b.c.) said water; Anaximenes (†c. b.c. 480) air; and Heraclitus (†c. b.c. 500) fire.  To these Empedocles (who “ardentem frigidus Ætnam insiluit, c. b.c. 440) added a fourth, earth.  Again, man is called one in number.  We frequently speak of one man, but man who is composed of body and soul is not simple.  Similarly we say one angel in number, but not one by nature nor yet simple, for we conceive of the hypostasis of the angel as essence with sanctification.  If therefore everything which is one in number is not one in nature, and that which is one and simple in nature is not one in number; and if we call God one in nature how can number be charged against us, when we utterly exclude it from that blessed and spiritual nature?  Number relates to quantity; and quantity is conjoined with bodily nature, for number is of bodily nature.  We believe our Lord to be Creator of bodies.  Wherefore every number indicates those things which have received a material and circumscribed nature.  Monad and Unity on the other hand signify the nature which is simple and incomprehensible.  Whoever therefore confesses either the Son of God or the Holy Ghost to be number or creature introduces unawares a material and circumscribed nature.  And by circumscribed I mean not only locally limited, but a nature which is comprehended in foreknowledge by Him who is about to educe it from the non-existent into the existent and which can be comprehended by science.  Every holy thing then of which the nature is circumscribed and of which the holiness is acquired is not insusceptible of evil.  But the Son and the Holy Ghost are the source of sanctification by which every reasonable creature is hallowed in proportion to its virtue.

3.  We in accordance with the true doctrine speak of the Son as neither like,51    Asserted at Seleucia and Ariminum. nor unlike52    cf. D. Sp. S. § 4 on Aetius’ responsibility for the Anomœan formula. the Father.  Each of these terms is equally impossible, for like and unlike are predicated in relation to quality, and the divine is free from quality.  We, on the contrary, confess identity of nature and accepting the consubstantiality, and rejecting the composition of the Father, God in substance, Who begat the Son, God in substance.  From this the consubstantiality53    τὸ ὁμοούσιον. is proved.  For God in essence or substance is co-essential or con-substantial with God in essence or substance.  But when even man is called “god” as in the words, “I have said ye are gods,”54    Ps. lxxxii. 6. and “dæmon” as in the words, “The gods of the nations are dæmons,”55    Ps. xcvi. 5, LXX. in the former case the name is given by favour, in the latter untruly.  God alone is substantially and essentially God.  When I say “alone” I set forth the holy and uncreated essence and substance of God.  For the word “alone” is used in the case of any individual and generally of human nature.  In the case of an individual, as for instance of Paul, that he alone was caught into the third heaven and “heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter,”56    2 Cor. xii. 4. and of human nature, as when David says, “as for man his days are as grass,”57    Ps. cii. 15. not meaning any particular man, but human nature generally; for every man is short-lived and mortal.  So we understand these words to be said of the nature, “who alone hath immortality”58    1 Tim. vi. 16. and “to God only wise,”59    Rom. xvi. 27. and “none is good save one, that is God,”60    Luke xviii. 19. for here “one” means the same as alone.  So also, “which alone spreadest out the heavens,”61    Job ix. 8. and again “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve.”62    Deut. vi. 13, LXX., where the text runs κύριον τὸν θεόν σου φοβηθήσῃ.  St. Basil may quote the version in Matt. iv. 10 and Luke iv. 8, προσκυνήσεις.  The Hebrew="fear".  “There is no God beside me.”63    Deut. xxxii. 39, LXX.  In Scripture “one” and “only” are not predicated of God to mark distinction from the Son and the Holy Ghost, but to except the unreal gods falsely so called.  As for instance, “The Lord alone did lead them and there was no strange god with them,”64    Deut. xxxii. 12, LXX. and “then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and did serve the Lord only.”65    1 Sam. vii. 4.  And so St. Paul, “For as there be gods many and lords many, but to us there is but one god, the Father, of whom are all things; and one Lord Jesus Christ by Whom are all things.”66    1 Cor. viii. 5, 6.  Here we enquire why when he had said “one God” he was not content, for we have said that “one” and “only” when applied to God, indicate nature.  Why did he add the word Father and make mention of Christ?  Paul, a chosen vessel, did not, I imagine, think it sufficient only to preach that the Son is God and the Holy Ghost God, which he had expressed by the phrase “one God,” without, by the further addition of “the Father,” expressing Him of Whom are all things; and, by mentioning the Lord, signifying the Word by Whom are all things; and yet further, by adding the words Jesus Christ, announcing the incarnation, setting forth the passion and publishing the resurrection.  For the word Jesus Christ suggests all these ideas to us.  For this reason too before His passion our Lord deprecates the designation of “Jesus Christ,” and charges His disciples to “tell no man that He was Jesus, the Christ.”67    Matt. xvi. 19.  For His purpose was, after the completion of the œconomy,68    i.e. of His work on earth as God manifest in the flesh.  Vide note, p. 7. after His resurrection from the dead, and His assumption into heaven, to commit to them the preaching of Him as Jesus, the Christ.  Such is the force of the words “That they may know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent,”69    John xvii. 3. and again “Ye believe in God, believe also in me.”70    John xiv. 1.  Everywhere the Holy Ghost secures our conception of Him to save us from falling in one direction while we advance in the other, heeding the theology but neglecting the œconomy,71    cf. note, p. 7. and so by omission falling into impiety.

4.  Now let us examine, and to the best of our ability explain, the meaning of the words of Holy Scripture, which our opponents seize and wrest to their own sense, and urge against us for the destruction of the glory of the Only-begotten.  First of all take the words “I live because of the Father,”72    John vi. 57, R.V.  The Greek is ἐγὼ ζῶ διὰ τὸν πατέρα, i.e. not through or by the Father, but “because of” or “on account of” the Father.  “The preposition (Vulg. propter Patrem) describes the ground or object, not the instrument or agent (by, through διὰ τοῦ π.).  Complete devotion to the Father is the essence of the life of the Son; and so complete devotion to the Son is the life of the believer.  It seems better to give this full sense to the word than to take it as equivalent to ‘by reason of;’ that is, ‘I live because the Father lives.’”  Westcott, St. John ad loc. for this is one of the shafts hurled heavenward by those who impiously use it.  These words I do not understand to refer to the eternal life; for whatever lives because of something else cannot be self-existent, just as that which is warmed by another cannot be warmth itself; but He Who is our Christ and God says, “I am the life.”73    John xi. 25.  I understand the life lived because of the Father to be this life in the flesh, and in this time.  Of His own will He came to live the life of men.  He did not say “I have lived because of the Father,” but “I live because of the Father,” clearly indicating the present time, and the Christ, having the word of God in Himself, is able to call the life which He leads, life, and that this is His meaning we shall learn from what follows.  “He that eateth me,” He says, “he also shall live because of me;”74    John vi. 57, R.V. for we eat His flesh, and drink His blood, being made through His incarnation and His visible life partakers of His Word and of His Wisdom.  For all His mystic sojourn among us He called flesh and blood, and set forth the teaching consisting of practical science, of physics, and of theology, whereby our soul is nourished and is meanwhile trained for the contemplation of actual realities.  This is perhaps the intended meaning of what He says.75    With this striking exposition of Basil’s view of the spiritual meaning of eating the flesh and drinking the blood, cf. the passage from Athanasius quoted by Bp. Harold Browne in his Exposition of the XXXIX. Articles, p. 693.  It is not easy for Roman commentators to cite passages even apparently in support of the less spiritual view of the manducation, e.g. Fessler, Inst. Pat. i. 530, and the quotations under the word “Eucharistia,” in the Index of Basil ed Migne.  Contrast Gregory of Nyssa, in chap. xxxvii. of the Greater Catechism.

5.  And again, “My Father is greater than I.”76    John xiv. 28.  This passage is also employed by the ungrateful creatures, the brood of the evil one.  I believe that even from this passage the consubstantiality of the Son with the Father is set forth.  For I know that comparisons may properly be made between things which are of the same nature.  We speak of angel as greater than angel, of man as juster than man, of bird as fleeter than bird.  If then comparisons are made between things of the same species, and the Father by comparison is said to be greater than the Son, then the Son is of the same substance as the Father.  But there is another sense underlying the expression.  In what is it extraordinary that He who “is the Word and was made flesh”77    John i. 14. confesses His Father to be greater than Himself, when He was seen in glory inferior to the angels, and in form to men?  For “Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels,”78    Ps. viii. 5. and again “Who was made a little lower than the angels,”79    Heb. ii. 9. and “we saw Him and He had neither form nor comeliness, his form was deficient beyond all men.”80    Isa. liii. 2, 3, LXX.  All this He endured on account of His abundant loving kindness towards His work, that He might save the lost sheep and bring it home when He had saved it, and bring back safe and sound to his own land the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and so fell among thieves.81    cf. Luke x. 30.  Will the heretic cast in His teeth the manger out of which he in his unreasonableness was fed by the Word of reason?  Will he, because the carpenter’s son had no bed to lie on, complain of His being poor?  This is why the Son is less than the Father; for your sakes He was made dead to free you from death and make you sharer in heavenly life.  It is just as though any one were to find fault with the physician for stooping to sickness, and breathing its foul breath, that he may heal the sick.

6.  It is on thy account that He knows not the hour and the day of judgment.  Yet nothing is beyond the ken of the real Wisdom, for “all things were made by Him;”82    John i. 3. and even among men no one is ignorant of what he has made.  But this is His dispensation83    τοῦτο οἰκονομεῖ. because of thine own infirmity, that sinners be not plunged into despair by the narrow limits of the appointed period,84    τῷ στενῶ τῆς προθεσμίας. ἡ προθεσμίαsc. ἡμέρα was in Attic Law a day fixed beforehand before which money must be paid, actions brought, etc.  cf. Plat. Legg, 954, D.  It is the “time appointed” of the Father in Gal. iv. 2. no opportunity for repentance being left them; and that, on the other hand, those who are waging a long war with the forces of the enemy may not desert their post on account of the protracted time.  For both of these classes He arranges85    οἰκονομεῖ. by means of His assumed ignorance; for the former cutting the time short for their glorious struggle’s sake; for the latter providing an opportunity for repentance because of their sins.  In the gospels He numbered Himself among the ignorant, on account, as I have said, of the infirmity of the greater part of mankind.  In the Acts of the Apostles, speaking, as it were, to the perfect apart, He says, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in His own power.”86    Acts i. 7.  Here He implicitly excepts Himself.  So much for a rough statement by way of preliminary attack.  Now let us enquire into the meaning of the text from a higher point of view.  Let me knock at the door of knowledge, if haply I may wake the Master of the house, Who gives the spiritual bread to them who ask Him, since they whom we are eager to entertain are friends and brothers.

7.  Our Saviour’s holy disciples, after getting beyond the limits of human thought, and then being purified by the word,87    cf. John xv. 3, “Now ye are clean through the word.” are enquiring about the end, and longing to know the ultimate blessedness which our Lord declared to be unknown to His angels and to Himself.  He calls all the exact comprehension of the purposes of God, a day; and the contemplation of the One-ness and Unity, knowledge of which He attributes to the Father alone, an hour.  I apprehend, therefore, that God is said to know of Himself what is; and not to know what is not; God, Who is, of His own nature, very righteousness and wisdom, is said to know righteousness and wisdom; but to be ignorant of unrighteousness and wickedness; for God who created us is not unrighteousness and wickedness.  If, then, God is said to know about Himself that which is, and not to know that which is not; and if our Lord, according to the purpose of the Incarnation and the denser doctrine, is not the ultimate object of desire; then our Saviour does not know the end and the ultimate blessedness.  But He says the angels do not know;88    Mark xiii. 32. that is to say, not even the contemplation which is in them, nor the methods of their ministries are the ultimate object of desire.  For even their knowledge, when compared with the knowledge which is face to face, is dense.89    The Ben. note is Tota hæc explicandi ratio non sua sponte deducta, sed vi pertracta multis videbitur.  Sed illud ad excusandum difficilius, quod ait Basilius angelorum scientiam crassam esse, si comparetur cum ea quæ est facie ad faciem.  Videtur subtilis explicatio, quam hic sequitur, necessitatem ei imposuisse ita de angelis sentiendi.  Nam cum diem et horam idem esse statueret, ac extremam beatitudinem; illud Scriptura, sed neque angeli sciunt, cogebat illis visionem illam, quæ fit facie ad faciem, denegare; quia idem de illis non poterat dici ac de Filio, eos de se ipsis scire id quod sunt, nescire quod non sunt.  Quod si hanc hausit opinionem ex origenis fontibus, qui pluribus locis eam insinuat, certe cito deposuit.  Ait enim tom II. p. 320.  Ανγελοσ ιν δίινυμ φαχιεμ χοντινεντερ ιντεντοσ οχυλοσ ηαβερε.  Ιδεμ δοχετ ιν Χομ.Is. p. 515, n. 185, et De Sp. S. cap. XVI.  Only the Father, He says, knows, since He is Himself the end and the ultimate blessedness, for when we no longer know God in mirrors and not immediately,90    διὰ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων.  cf. 1 Cor. xiii. 12, where St. Paul’s word is ἔσοπτρον.  St. Basil’s κάτοπτρον may rather be suggested by 2 Cor. iii. 18, where the original is κατοπτριζόμενοι. but approach Him as one and alone, then we shall know even the ultimate end.  For all material knowledge is said to be the kingdom of Christ; while immaterial knowledge, and so to say the knowledge of actual Godhead, is that of God the Father.  But our Lord is also Himself the end and the ultimate blessedness according to the purpose of the Word; for what does He say in the Gospel?  “I will raise him up at the last day.”91    John vi. 40.  He calls the transition from material knowledge to immaterial contemplation a resurrection, speaking of that knowledge after which there is no other, as the last day:  for our intelligence is raised up and roused to a height of blessedness at the time when it contemplates the One-ness and Unity of the Word.  But since our intelligence is made dense and bound to earth, it is both commingled with clay and incapable of gazing intently in pure contemplation, being led through adornments92    κόσμων.  The Ben. note quotes Combefis as saying, “Dura mihi hic vox:  sit pro στοιχείων, per cognata corpori elementa,” and then goes on, sed hac in re minus vidit vir eruditus; non enim idem sonat illa vox acmundi, quasi plures ejusmodi mundos admittat Basilius; sed idem ac ornatus, sive ut ait Basilius in Epist. vi. τὰ περὶ γῆν κάλλη, pulchritudines quæ sunt circa terram.  In Com. in Is. n. 58, p. 422.  Ecclesia dicitur πρέπουσιν ἑαυτῆ κοσμίοις κεκοσμημένη, convenientibus sibi ornamentis instructa eadem voce utitur Gregorius Nazianz. Ep. cvii. cognate to its own body.  It considers the operations of the Creator, and judges of them meanwhile by their effects, to the end that growing little by little it may one day wax strong enough to approach even the actual unveiled Godhead.  This is the meaning, I think, of the words “my Father is greater than I,”93    John xiv. 28. and also of the statement, “It is not mine to give save to those for whom it is prepared by my Father.”94    Matt. xx. 23.  cf. n. Theodoret, p. 28.  This too is what is meant by Christ’s “delivering up the kingdom to God even the Father;”95    1 Cor. xv. 24. inasmuch as according to the denser doctrine which, as I said, is regarded relatively to us and not to the Son Himself, He is not the end but the first fruits.  It is in accordance with this view that when His disciples asked Him again in the Acts of the Apostles, “When wilt thou restore the kingdom of Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in His own power.”96    Acts i. 6, 7.  That is to say, the knowledge of such a kingdom is not for them that are bound in flesh and blood.  This contemplation the Father hath put away in His own power, meaning by “power” those that are empowered, and by “His own” those who are not held down by the ignorance of things below.  Do not, I beg you, have in mind times and seasons of sense but certain distinctions of knowledge made by the sun apprehended by mental perception.  For our Lord’s prayer must be carried out.  It is Jesus Who prayed “Grant that they may be one in us as I and Thou are one, Father.”97    John xvii. 21 and 22, slightly varied.  For when God, Who is one, is in each, He makes all out; and number is lost in the in-dwelling of Unity.

This is my second attempt to attack the text.  If any one has a better interpretation to give, and can consistently with true religion amend what I say, let him speak and let him amend, and the Lord will reward him for me.  There is no jealousy in my heart.  I have not approached this investigation of these passages for strife and vain glory.  I have done so to help my brothers, lest the earthen vessels which hold the treasure of God should seem to be deceived by stony-hearted and uncircumcised men, whose weapons are the wisdom of folly.98    Basil also refers to this passage in the treatise, C.Eunomium i. 20:  “Since the Son’s origin (ἀρχή) is from (ἀπό) the Father, in this respect the Father is greater, as cause and origin (ὡς αἴτιος καὶ ἀρχή).  Whence also the Lord said thus my Father is greater than I, clearly inasmuch as He is Father (καθὸ πατήρ).  Yea; what else does the word Father signify unless the being cause and origin of that which is begotten by Him?”  And in iii. 1:  “The Son is second in order (τάξει) to the Father, because He is from Him (ἀπό) and in dignity (ἀξιώματι) because the Father is the origin and cause of His being.”  Quoted by Bp. Westcott in his St. John in the additional notes on xiv. 16, 28, pp. 211 seqq., where also will be found quotations from other Fathers on this passage.

8.  Again, as is said through Solomon the Wise in the Proverbs, “He was created;” and He is named “Beginning of ways”99    The text of Prov. viii. 22 in the LXX. is κύριος ἔκτισέ με ἀρχὴν ὁδῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἔργα αὐτοῦ.  The rendering of A.V. is “possessed,” with “formed” in the margin.   The Hebrew verb occurs some eighty times in the Old Testament, and in only four other passages is translated by possess, viz., Gen. xiv. 19, 22, Ps. cxxxix. 13, Jer. xxxii. 15, and Zec. xi. 5.  In the two former, though the LXX. renders the word in the Psalms ἐκτήσω, it would have borne the sense of “create.”  In the passage under discussion the Syriac agrees with the LXX., and among critics adopting the same view Bishop Wordsworth cites Ewald, Hitzig, and Genesius.  The ordinary meaning of the Hebrew is “get” or “acquire,” and hence it is easy to see how the idea of getting or possessing passed in relation to the Creator into that of creation.  The Greek translators were not unanimous and Aquila wrote ἐκτήσατο.  The passage inevitably became the Jezreel or Low Countries of the Arian war, and many a battle was fought on it.  The depreciators of the Son found in it Scriptural authority for calling Him κτίσμα, e.g. Arius in the Thalia, is quoted by Athanasius in Or. c. Ar. I. iii. § 9, and such writings of his followers as the Letter of Eusebius of Nicomedia to Paulinus of Tyre cited in Theod., Ecc. Hist. I. v., and Eunomius as quoted by Greg. Nyss., c. Eunom. II. 10; but as Dr. Liddon observes in his Bampton Lect. (p. 60, ed. 1868), “They did not doubt that this created Wisdom was a real being or person.”   ἔκτισεwas accepted by the Catholic writers, but explained to refer to the manhood only, cf. Eustathius of Antioch, quoted in Theod., Dial. I.  The view of Athanasius will be found in his dissertation on the subject in the Second Discourse against the Arians, pp. 357–385 of Schaff & Wace’s edition.  cf. Bull, Def. Fid. Nic. II. vi. 8. of good news, which lead us to the kingdom of heaven.  He is not in essence and substance a creature, but is made a “way” according to the œconomy.  Being made and being created signify the same thing.  As He was made a way, so was He made a door, a shepherd, an angel, a sheep, and again a High Priest and an Apostle,100    Heb. iii. 1. the names being used in other senses.  What again would the heretics say about God unsubjected, and about His being made sin for us?101    cf. 2 Cor. v. 21.  For it is written “But when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him.”102    1 Cor. xv. 28.  i.e. Because the Son then shall be subjected, He is previously ἀνυπότακτος, not as being “disobedient” (1 Tim. i. 9), or “unruly” (Tit. i. 6, 10), but as being made man, and humanity, though subject unto Him, is not yet seen to be “put under Him” (Heb. ii. 8).  Are you not afraid, sir, of God called unsubjected?  For He makes thy subjection His own; and because of thy struggling against goodness He calls himself unsubjected.  In this sense too He once spoke of Himself as persecuted—“Saul, Saul,” He says, “why persecutest thou me?”103    Acts ix. 4. on the occasion when Saul was hurrying to Damascus with a desire to imprison the disciples.  Again He calls Himself naked, when any one of his brethren is naked.  “I was naked,” He says, “and ye clothed me;”104    Matt. xxv. 36. and so when another is in prison He speaks of Himself as imprisoned, for He Himself took away our sins and bare our sicknesses.105    cf. Isa. liii. 4 and Matt. viii. 17.  Now one of our infirmities is not being subject, and He bare this.  So all the things which happen to us to our hurt He makes His own, taking upon Him our sufferings in His fellowship with us.

9.  But another passage is also seized by those who are fighting against God to the perversion of their hearers:  I mean the words “The Son can do nothing of Himself.”106    John v. 19.  To me this saying too seems distinctly declaratory of the Son’s being of the same nature as the Father.  For if every rational creature is able to do anything of himself, and the inclination which each has to the worse and to the better is in his own power, but the Son can do nothing of Himself, then the Son is not a creature.  And if He is not a creature, then He is of one essence and substance with the Father.  Again; no creature can do what he likes.  But the Son does what He wills in heaven and in earth.  Therefore the Son is not a creature.  Again; all creatures are either constituted of contraries or receptive of contraries.  But the Son is very righteousness, and immaterial.  Therefore the Son is not a creature, and if He is not a creature, He is of one essence and substance with the Father.

10.  This examination of the passages before us is, so far as my ability goes, sufficient.  Now let us turn the discussion on those who attack the Holy Spirit, and cast down every high thing of their intellect that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.107    2 Cor. xi. 5.  You say that the Holy Ghost is a creature.  And every creature is a servant of the Creator, for “all are thy servants.”108    Ps. xix. 91.  If then He is a servant, His holiness is acquired; and everything of which the holiness is acquired is receptive of evil; but the Holy Ghost being holy in essence is called “fount of holiness.”109    Rom. i. 4.  Therefore the Holy Ghost is not a creature.  If He is not a creature, He is of one essence and substance with the Father.  How, tell me, can you give the name of servant to Him Who through your baptism frees you from your servitude?  “The law,” it is said, “of the Spirit of life hath made me free from the law of sin.”110    Rom. viii. 2.  But you will never venture to call His nature even variable, so long as you have regard to the nature of the opposing power of the enemy, which, like lightning, is fallen from heaven and fell out of the true life because its holiness was acquired, and its evil counsels were followed by its change.  So when it had fallen away from the Unity and had cast from it its angelic dignity, it was named after its character “Devil,”111    In Letter cciv.  The name of Διάβολος is more immediately connected with Διαβάλλειν, to caluminate.  It is curious that the occasional spelling (e.g. in Burton) Divell, which is nearer to the original, and keeps up the association with Diable, Diavolo, etc., should have given place to the less correct and misleading “Devil.” its former and blessed condition being extinct and this hostile power being kindled.

Furthermore if he calls the Holy Ghost a creature he describes His nature as limited.  How then can the two following passages stand?  “The Spirit of the Lord filleth the world;”112    Wisdom i. 7. and “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit?”113    Ps. cxxxix. 7.  But he does not, it would seem, confess Him to be simple in nature; for he describes Him as one in number.  And, as I have already said, everything that is one in number is not simple.  And if the Holy Spirit is not simple, He consists of essence and sanctification, and is therefore composite.  But who is mad enough to describe the Holy Spirit as composite, and not simple, and consubstantial with the Father and the Son?

11.  If we ought to advance our argument yet further, and turn our inspection to higher themes, let us contemplate the divine nature of the Holy Spirit specially from the following point of view.  In Scripture we find mention of three creations.  The first is the evolution from non-being into being.114    παραγωγὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι.  For παραγωγή it is not easy to give an equivalent; it is leading or bringing with a notion of change, sometimes a change into error, as when it means a quibble.  It is not quite the Ben. Latin “productio.”  It is not used intransitively; if there is a παραγωγὴ, there must be ὁ παράγων, and similarly if there is evolution or development, there must be an evolver or developer.  The second is change from the worse to the better.  The third is the resurrection of the dead.  In these you will find the Holy Ghost cooperating with the Father and the Son.  There is a bringing into existence of the heavens; and what says David?  “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.”115    Ps. xxxiii. 6.  τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ, LXX.  Again, man is created through baptism, for “if any man be in Christ he is a new creature.”116    2 Cor. v. 17.  And why does the Saviour say to the disciples, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost”?  Here too you see the Holy Ghost present with the Father and the Son.  And what would you say also as to the resurrection of the dead when we shall have failed and returned to our dust?  Dust we are and unto dust we shall return.117    cf. Gen. iii. 19.  And He will send the Holy Ghost and create us and renew the face of the earth.118    cf. Ps. ciii. 30.  For what the holy Paul calls resurrection David describes as renewal.  Let us hear, once more, him who was caught into the third heaven.  What does he say?  “You are the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you.”119    1 Cor. vi. 19.  Now every temple120    The Greek word ναός (ναίω)=dwelling-place.  The Hebrew probably indicates capacity.   Our “temple,” from the latin Templum (τέμενος—vΤΑΜ) is derivatively a place cut off. is a temple of God, and if we are a temple of the Holy Ghost, then the Holy Ghost is God.  It is also called Solomon’s temple, but this is in the sense of his being its builder.  And if we are a temple of the Holy Ghost in this sense, then the Holy Ghost is God, for “He that built all things is God.”121    Heb. iii. 4.  If we are a temple of one who is worshipped, and who dwells in us, let us confess Him to be God, for thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.122    Matt. iv. 10.  cf. note on p.  .  Supposing them to object to the word “God,” let them learn what this word means.  God is called Θεὸς either because He placed (τεθεικέναι) all things or because He beholds (Θεᾶσθαι) all things.  If He is called Θεὸς because He “placed” or “beholds” all things, and the Spirit knoweth all the things of God, as the Spirit in us knoweth our things, then the Holy Ghost is God.123    1 Cor. ii. 10, 11.  On the derivation of Θεός from θέω (τίθημι) or θεάομαι, cf. Greg. Naz.   Skeat rejects the theory of connexion with the Latin Deus, and thinks that the root of τίθημι may be the origin.  Again, if the sword of the spirit is the word of God,124    Eph. vi. 17. then the Holy Ghost is God, inasmuch as the sword belongs to Him of whom it is also called the word.  Is He named the right hand of the Father?  For “the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass;”125    Ps. cxviii. 16.  P.B. “doeth valiantly,” A.V. ἐποίησε δύνα μιν, LXX. and “thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.”126    Ex. xv. 6.  But the Holy Ghost is the finger of God, as it is said “if I by the finger of God cast out devils,”127    Luke xi. 20. of which the version in another Gospel is “if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils.”128    Matt. xii. 28.  So the Holy Ghost is of the same nature as the Father and the Son.

12.  So much must suffice for the present on the subject of the adorable and holy Trinity.  It is not now possible to extend the enquiry about it further.  Do ye take seeds from a humble person like me, and cultivate the ripe ear for yourselves, for, as you know, in such cases we look for interest.  But I trust in God that you, because of your pure lives, will bring forth fruit thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold.  For, it is said, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.129    Matt. v. 8.  And, my brethren, entertain no other conception of the kingdom of the heavens than that it is the very contemplation of realities.  This the divine Scriptures call blessedness.  For “the kingdom of heaven is within you.”130    Luke xvii. 21, ἐντὸς ὑμῶν.  Many modern commentators interpret “in your midst,” “among you.”  So Alford, who quotes Xen., Anab. I. x. 3 for the Greek, Bp. Walsham How, Bornemann, Meyer.  The older view coincided with that of Basil; so Theophylact, Chrysostom, and with them Olshausen and Godet.   To the objection that the words were said to the Pharisees, and that the kingdom was not in their hearts, it may be answered that our Lord might use “you” of humanity, even when addressing Pharisees.  He never, like a merely human preacher, says “we.”

The inner man consists of nothing but contemplation.  The kingdom of the heavens, then, must be contemplation.  Now we behold their shadows as in a glass; hereafter, set free from this earthly body, clad in the incorruptible and the immortal, we shall behold their archetypes, we shall see them, that is, if we have steered our own life’s course aright, and if we have heeded the right faith, for otherwise none shall see the Lord.  For, it is said, into a malicious soul Wisdom shall not enter, nor dwell in the body that is subject unto sin.131    Wisdom i. 4.  And let no one urge in objection that, while I am ignoring what is before our eyes, I am philosophizing to them about bodiless and immaterial being.  It seems to me perfectly absurd, while the senses are allowed free action in relation to their proper matter, to exclude mind alone from its peculiar operation.  Precisely in the same manner in which sense touches sensible objects, so mind apprehends the objects of mental perception.  This too must be said that God our Creator has not included natural faculties among things which can be taught.  No one teaches sight to apprehend colour or form, nor hearing to apprehend sound and speech, nor smell, pleasant and unpleasant scents, nor taste, flavours and savours, nor touch, soft and hard, hot and cold.  Nor would any one teach the mind to reach objects of mental perception; and just as the senses in the case of their being in any way diseased, or injured, require only proper treatment and then readily fulfil their own functions; just so the mind, imprisoned in flesh, and full of the thoughts that arise thence, requires faith and right conversation which make “its feet like hinds’ feet, and set it on its high places.”132    Ps. xviii. 33.  The same advice is given us by Solomon the wise, who in one passage offers us the example of the diligent worker the ant,133    cf. Prov. vi. 6. and recommends her active life; and in another the work of the wise bee in forming its cells,134    Ecclus. xi. 3.  The ascription of this book to Solomon is said by Rufinus to be confined to the Latin church, while the Greeks know it as the Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach (vers. Orig., Hom. in Num. xvii.). and thereby suggests a natural contemplation wherein also the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is contained, if at least the Creator is considered in proportion to the beauty of the things created.

But with thanks to the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost let me make an end to my letter, for, as the proverb has it, πᾶν μέτρον ἄριστον.135    Attributed to Cleobulus of Lindos.  Thales is credited with the injunction μέτρῳ χρῶ.  cf. my note on Theodoret, Ep. cli. p. 329.

ΤΟΙΣ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΥΣΙΝ ΑΠΟΛΟΓΙΑ ΠΕΡΙ ΤΗΣ ΑΠΟΧΩΡΗΣΕΩΣ

[1] Πολλάκις ἐθαύμασα τί ποτε πρὸς ἡμᾶς πεπόνθατε καὶ πόθεν τοσοῦτον ἥττησθε τῆς ἡμετέρας βραχύτητος τῆς μικρᾶς καὶ ὀλίγης καὶ οὐδὲν ἴσως ἐχούσης ἐράσμιον, καὶ λόγοις ἡμᾶς προτρέπεσθε φιλίας τε καὶ πατρίδος ὑπομιμνήσκοντες, ὥσπερ φυγάδας τινὰς πατρικοῖς σπλάγχνοις πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς πάλιν ἐπιστρέφειν πειρώμενοι. Ἐγὼ δὲ τὸ μὲν φυγὰς γεγονέναι ὁμολογῶ καὶ οὐκ ἀρνηθείην, τὴν δὲ αἰτίαν μάθοιτ' ἂν ἤδη ποθοῦντες. Μάλιστα μὲν τῷ ἀδοκήτῳ τότε πληγείς, καθάπερ οἱ τοῖς αἰφνιδίοις ψόφοις ἀθρόως καταπλαγέντες, οὐ κατέσχον τοὺς λογισμούς, ἀλλ' ἐμάκρυνα φυγαδεύων καὶ ηὐλίσθην χρόνον ἱκανὸν ἀφ' ὑμῶν, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ πόθος τις ὑπεισῄει με τῶν θείων δογμάτων καὶ τῆς περὶ ἐκεῖνα φιλοσοφίας. Πῶς γὰρ ἂν δυναίμην, ἔφην ἐγώ, κρατῆσαι τῆς συνοικούσης ἡμῖν κακίας; Τίς δ' ἄν μοι γένοιτο Λάβαν, ἀπαλλάττων με τοῦ Ἡσαῦ καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀνωτάτω φιλοσοφίαν παιδαγωγῶν; Ἀλλ' ἐπειδή, σὺν Θεῷ, τοῦ σκοποῦ κατὰ δύναμιν τετυχήκαμεν εὑρόντες σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς καὶ φρέαρ βαθύ, λέγω δὲ τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ στόμα Γρηγόριον, ὀλίγον ἡμῖν, παρακαλῶ, ὀλίγον συγχωρήσατε χρόνον, αἰτούμεθα, οὐ τὴν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι διατριβὴν ἀσπαζόμενοι, οὐδὲ γὰρ λέληθεν ἡμᾶς ὁ πονηρὸς διὰ τῶν τοιούτων τὴν ἀπάτην τοῖς ἀνθρώποις προσμηχανώμενος, ἀλλὰ τὴν συντυχίαν τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους ἐπωφελῆ μάλιστα κρίνοντες. Ἐν γὰρ τῷ λέγειν τι περὶ τῶν θείων δογμάτων καὶ ἀκούειν πυκνότερον ἕξιν δυσαπόβλητον θεωρημάτων λαμβάνομεν. Καὶ τὰ μὲν καθ' ἡμᾶς τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον.

[2] Ὑμεῖς δέ, ὦ θεῖαί μοι καὶ προσφιλέσταται πασῶν κεφαλαί, φυλάττεσθε τοὺς τῶν Φυλιστιαίων ποιμένας, μή τις λαθὼν ἐμφράξῃ ὑμῶν τὰ φρέατα καὶ τὸ καθαρὸν τῆς γνώσεως τῆς περὶ τὴν πίστιν ἐπιθολώσῃ. Τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἀεί ἐστιν ἐπιμελὲς μὴ ἐκ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν διδάσκειν τὰς ἀκεραιοτέρας ψυχάς, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς ἔξωθεν σοφίας παρακρούεσθαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ὁ γὰρ ἀγέννητον καὶ γεννητὸν ἐπεισάγων ἡμῶν τῇ πίστει καὶ τὸν ἀεὶ ὄντα μὴ ὄντα ποτὲ δογματίζων καὶ τὸν φύσει καὶ ἀεὶ Πατέρα πατέρα γινόμενον καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον οὐκ ἀΐδιον οὐκ ἀντικρύς ἐστι Φυλιστιαῖος, βασκαίνων τοῖς τοῦ Πατριάρχου ἡμῶν προβάτοις, ἵνα μὴ πίνωσιν ἐκ τοῦ καθαροῦ καὶ ἁλλομένου εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ὕδατος, ἀλλὰ τὸ τοῦ προφήτου λόγιον πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἐπισπάσωνται τὸ «Ἐμὲ ἐγκατέλιπον πηγὴν ὕδατος ζῶντος καὶ ὤρυξαν ἑαυτοῖς λάκκους συντετριμμένους, οἳ οὐ δυνήσονται ὕδωρ συσχεῖν», δέον ὁμολογεῖν Θεὸν τὸν Πατέρα, Θεὸν τὸν Υἱόν, Θεὸν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, ὡς οἵ τε θεῖοι λόγοι καὶ οἱ τούτους ὑψηλότερον νενοηκότες ἐδίδαξαν; Πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἐπηρεάζοντας ἡμῖν τὸ τρίθεον ἐκεῖνο λεγέσθω ὅτιπερ ἡμεῖς ἕνα Θεόν, οὐ τῷ ἀριθμῷ, ἀλλὰ τῇ φύσει, ὁμολογοῦμεν. Πᾶν γὰρ ὃ ἓν ἀριθμῷ λέγεται τοῦτο οὐχ ἓν ὄντως, οὐδ' ἁπλοῦν τῇ φύσει ἐστίν: ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἁπλοῦς καὶ ἀσύνθετος παρὰ πᾶσιν ὁμολογεῖται. Οὐκ ἄρα εἷς ἀριθμῷ ἐστιν ὁ Θεός. Ὃ δὲ λέγω τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν. Ἓν ἀριθμῷ τὸν κόσμον εἶναί φαμεν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ἕνα τῇ φύσει, οὐδ' ἁπλοῦν τινα τοῦτον. Τέμνομεν γὰρ αὐτὸν εἰς τὰ ἐξ ὧν συνέστηκε στοιχεῖα, εἰς πῦρ καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ ἀέρα καὶ γῆν. Πάλιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος εἷς ἀριθμῷ ὀνομάζεται. Ἕνα γὰρ ἄνθρωπον πολλάκις λέγομεν. Ἀλλ' οὐχ ἁπλοῦς τις οὗτός ἐστιν, ἐκ σώματος καὶ ψυχῆς συνεστώς. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἄγγελον ἕνα ἀριθμῷ ἐροῦμεν, ἀλλ' οὐχ ἕνα τῇ φύσει, οὐδὲ ἁπλοῦν: οὐσίαν γὰρ μεθ' ἁγιασμοῦ τὴν τοῦ ἀγγέλου ὑπόστασιν ἐννοοῦμεν. Εἰ τοίνυν πᾶν τὸ ἓν ἀριθμῷ ἓν τῇ φύσει οὐκ ἔστι, καὶ τὸ ἓν τῇ φύσει καὶ ἁπλοῦν ἓν ἀριθμῷ οὐκ ἔστιν, ἡμεῖς δὲ λέγομεν ἕνα τῇ φύσει Θεόν, πῶς ἐπεισάγουσιν ἡμῖν τὸν ἀριθμόν, αὐτὸν πάντη ἡμῶν ἐξοριζόντων τῆς μακαρίας ἐκείνης καὶ νοητῆς φύσεως; Ὁ γὰρ ἀριθμός ἐστι τοῦ ποσοῦ, τὸ δὲ ποσὸν τῇ σωματικῇ φύσει συνέζευκται: ὁ γὰρ ἀριθμὸς τῆς σωματικῆς φύσεως. Σωμάτων δὲ δημιουργὸν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν εἶναι πεπιστεύκαμεν. Διὸ καὶ πᾶς ἀριθμὸς ἐκεῖνα σημαίνει τὰ ἔνυλον καὶ περιγραπτὴν ἔχειν λαχόντα τὴν φύσιν, ἡ δὲ μονὰς καὶ ἑνὰς τῆς ἁπλῆς καὶ ἀπεριλήπτου οὐσίας ἐστὶ σημαντική. Ὁ τοίνυν ἀριθμὸν ἢ κτίσμα ὁμολογῶν τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἢ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον λανθάνει ἔνυλον καὶ περιγραπτὴν φύσιν εἰσάγων. Περιγραπτὴν δὲ λέγω οὐ μόνον τὴν περιεχομένην ὑπὸ τόπου, ἀλλ' ἥνπερ καὶ τῇ προγνώσει ἐμπεριείληφεν ὁ μέλλων αὐτὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι παράγειν, ὃ καὶ ἐπιστήμῃ περιλαβεῖν δυνατόν ἐστι. Πᾶν οὖν ἅγιον ὃ περιγραπτὴν ἔχει τὴν φύσιν καὶ ἐπίκτητον ἔχει τὴν ἁγιότητα οὐκ ἀνεπίδεκτόν ἐστι κακίας. Ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον πηγή ἐστιν ἁγιασμοῦ, ὑφ' ἧς πᾶσα ἡ λογικὴ κτίσις κατ' ἀναλογίαν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἁγιάζεται.

[3] Καίτοι ἡμεῖς, κατὰ τὸν ἀληθῆ λόγον, οὔτε ὅμοιον οὔτε ἀνόμοιον λέγομεν τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρί. Ἑκάτερον γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐπίσης ἀδύνατον. Ὅμοιον γὰρ καὶ ἀνόμοιον κατὰ τὰς ποιότητας λέγεται, ποιότητος δὲ τὸ θεῖον ἐλεύθερον. Ταυτότητα δὲ τῆς φύσεως ὁμολογοῦντες καὶ τὸ ὁμοούσιον ἐκδεχόμεθα καὶ τὸ σύνθετον φεύγομεν, τοῦ κατ' οὐσίαν Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς τὸν κατ' οὐσίαν Θεὸν καὶ Υἱὸν γεγεννηκότος. Ἐκ γὰρ τούτου τὸ ὁμοούσιον δείκνυται. Ὁ γὰρ κατ' οὐσίαν Θεὸς τῷ κατ' οὐσίαν Θεῷ ὁμοούσιός ἐστιν, ἐπειδὴ λέγεται θεὸς καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὡς τὸ «Ἐγὼ εἶπα θεοί ἐστε». Καὶ ὁ δαίμων θεός, ὡς τὸ «Οἱ θεοὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν δαιμόνια». Ἀλλ' οἳ μὲν κατὰ χάριν ὀνομάζονται, οἳ δὲ κατὰ ψεῦδος Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς μόνος κατ' οὐσίαν ἐστὶ Θεός. Μόνος δὲ ὅταν εἴπω, τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ἁγίαν καὶ ἄκτιστον δηλῶ. Τὸ γὰρ μόνος λέγεται καὶ ἐπί τινος ἀνθρώπου καὶ ἐπὶ φύσεως ἁπλῶς τῆς καθόλου. Ἐπί τινος μέν, οἷον, φέρε εἰπεῖν, ἐπὶ Παύλου, ὅτι μόνος ἡρπάγη ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἤκουσεν ἄρρητα ῥήματα ἃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἀνθρώπῳ λαλῆσαι. Ἐπὶ φύσεως δὲ τῆς καθόλου, ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ Δαβίδ: «Ἄνθρωπος, ὡσεὶ χόρτος αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτοῦ». Ἐνταῦθα γὰρ οὐ τόν τινα ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ τὴν καθόλου φύσιν δηλοῖ. Πᾶς γὰρ ἄνθρωπος πρόσκαιρος καὶ θνητός. Οὕτω κἀκεῖνα νοοῦμεν ἐπὶ τῆς φύσεως εἰρημένα, τὸ «Ὁ μόνος ἔχων ἀθανασίαν», καὶ «Μόνῳ σοφῷ Θεῷ», καὶ τὸ «Οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ Θεός». Τὸ γὰρ εἷς ἐνταῦθα τῷ μόνος ταὐτὸν δηλοῖ. Καὶ τὸ «Ὁ τανύσας τὸν οὐρανὸν μόνος». Καὶ πάλιν «Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ σου προσκυνήσεις καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις». Καὶ τὸ «Οὐκ ἔστι Θεὸς πλὴν ἐμοῦ». Τὸ γὰρ εἷς καὶ μόνος ἐπὶ Θεοῦ ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ οὐ πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἢ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος λέγεται, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοὺς μὴ ὄντας θεούς, ὀνομαζομένους δὲ ψευδῶς. Ὡς τὸ «Κύριος μόνος ἦγεν αὐτούς, καὶ οὐκ ἦν μετ' αὐτῶν θεὸς ἀλλότριος». Καὶ τὸ «Περιεῖλον οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ τὰ Βααλὶμ καὶ τὰ ἄλση Ἀσταρὼθ καὶ ἐδούλευον Κυρίῳ μόνῳ». Καὶ πάλιν ὁ Παῦλος. «Ὥσπερ εἰσὶ θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κύριοι πολλοί, ἀλλ' ἡμῖν εἷς Θεός, ὁ Πατήρ, ἐξ οὗ τὰ πάντα, καὶ εἷς Κύριος, Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα». Ἀλλὰ ζητοῦμεν ἐνταῦθα πῶς «Εἷς Θεὸς» εἰρηκὼς οὐκ ἠρκέσθη τῇ φωνῇ (ἔφαμεν γὰρ ὅτι τὸ μόνος καὶ τὸ εἷς ἐπὶ Θεοῦ τὴν φύσιν δηλοῖ), ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ Πατὴρ προσέθηκε καὶ Χριστοῦ ἐμνημόνευσεν. Ὑπονοῶ τοίνυν ὅτι οὐκ ἐξαρκεῖν ᾠήθη νῦν ὁ Παῦλος, τὸ σκεῦος τῆς ἐκλογῆς, κηρύσσειν μόνον Θεὸν τὸν Υἱὸν καὶ Θεὸν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, ὅπερ διὰ τῆς Εἷς Θεὸς ἐδήλωσε ῥήσεως, ἐὰν μὴ καὶ διὰ τῆς προσθήκης τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸν ἐξ οὗ τὰ πάντα δηλώσῃ καὶ διὰ τῆς μνήμης τοῦ Κυρίου τὸν Λόγον τὸν δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα σημάνῃ καὶ πάλιν διὰ τῆς Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ συμπαραλήψεως τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν ἀπαγγείλῃ καὶ τὸ πάθος παραστήσῃ καὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν φανερώσῃ. Τὸ γὰρ Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς τὰς τοιαύτας ἐννοίας ἡμῖν ἐμφαίνει. Διὸ καὶ πρὸ τοῦ πάθους παραιτεῖται ὁ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς καταγγέλλεσθαι καὶ διαστέλλεται τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἵνα μηδενὶ εἴπωσιν ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς ὁ Χριστός. Πρόκειται γὰρ αὐτῷ τελειώσαντι τὴν οἰκονομίαν, μετὰ τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν καὶ τὴν εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνάληψιν, ἐπιτρέψαι αὐτοῖς κηρύσσειν αὐτὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν Χριστόν. Τοιοῦτόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ «Ἵνα γινώσκωσί σε τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν καὶ ὃν ἀπέστειλας Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν», καὶ τὸ «Πιστεύετε εἰς τὸν Θεόν, καὶ εἰς ἐμὲ πιστεύετε», πανταχοῦ τὴν ἔννοιαν ἡμῶν ἀσφαλιζομένου τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ Ἁγίου, ἵνα μὴ θατέρῳ προσβαίνοντες θατέρου ἐκπίπτωμεν καὶ τῇ θεολογίᾳ προσέχοντες τῆς οἰκονομίας καταφρονῶμεν καὶ γένηται ἡμῖν κατὰ τὸ ἐλλεῖπον ἡ ἀσέβεια.

[4] Τὰ δὲ ῥήματα τῆς θείας Γραφῆς, ἅπερ λαμβάνοντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι καὶ διαστρέφοντες πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν συνείδησιν εἰς καθαίρεσιν τῆς δόξης τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ἡμῖν προφέρουσιν, οὕτως ἐξετάσωμεν κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν ἡμῖν ἀναπτύσσοντες αὐτῶν τὴν διάνοιαν. Καὶ πρῶτον ἡμῖν τεθείσθω τὸ «Ἐγὼ ζῶ διὰ τὸν Πατέρα». Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ἓν τῶν βελῶν τῶν εἰς οὐρανὸν πεμπομένων ὑπὸ τῶν ἀσεβῶς αὐτῷ κεχρημένων. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ τὸ ῥητὸν οὐ τὴν προαιώνιον, ὡς οἶμαι, ζωὴν ὀνομάζει (πᾶν γὰρ τὸ δι' ἕτερον ζῶν αὐτοζῶν εἶναι οὐ δύναται, ὡς οὐδὲ τὸ ὑφ' ἑτέρου θερμανθὲν αὐτοθερμότης εἶναι: ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἡμῶν εἴρηκεν: Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ζωή), ἀλλὰ ζωὴν ταύτην τὴν ἐν σαρκὶ καὶ ἐν τῷ χρόνῳ τούτῳ γεγενημένην ἣν ἔζησε διὰ τὸν Πατέρα. Βουλήσει γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἐπιδεδήμηκε τῷ βίῳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν: «Ἐγὼ ἔζησα διὰ τὸν Πατέρα», ἀλλ' «Ἐγὼ ζῶ διὰ τὸν Πατέρα», σαφῶς τὸν παρόντα προσημαίνων χρόνον. Δύναται δὲ καὶ ζωὴν λέγειν ἣν ζῇ ὁ Χριστὸς τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ δηλούμενον ἐκ τοῦ ἐπιφερομένου εἰσόμεθα. Καὶ «Ὁ τρώγων με, φησί, ζήσεται δι' ἐμέ». Τρώγομεν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὴν σάρκα καὶ πίνομεν αὐτοῦ τὸ αἷμα, κοινωνοὶ γινόμενοι διὰ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως καὶ τῆς αἰσθητῆς ζωῆς τοῦ Λόγου καὶ τῆς Σοφίας. Σάρκα γὰρ καὶ αἷμα πᾶσαν αὐτοῦ τὴν μυστικὴν ἐπιδημίαν ὠνόμασε καὶ τὴν ἐκ πρακτικῆς καὶ φυσικῆς καὶ θεολογικῆς συνεστῶσαν διδασκαλίαν ἐδήλωσε, δι' ἧς τρέφεταί τε ψυχὴ καὶ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ὄντων τέως θεωρίαν παρασκευάζεται. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ἐκ τοῦ ῥητοῦ ἴσως δηλούμενον.

[5] Καὶ πάλιν: «Ὁ Πατήρ μου μείζων μοῦ ἐστι». Κέχρηται γὰρ καὶ τούτῳ τῷ ῥητῷ τὰ ἀχάριστα κτίσματα, τὰ τοῦ πονηροῦ γεννήματα. Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ἐκ ταύτης τῆς φωνῆς τὸ ὁμοούσιον εἶναι τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρὶ δηλοῦσθαι πεπίστευκα. Τὰς γὰρ συγκρίσεις οἶδα κυρίως ἐπὶ τῶν τῆς αὐτῆς φύσεως γινομένας. Ἄγγελον γὰρ ἀγγέλου λέγομεν μείζονα καὶ ἄνθρωπον ἀνθρώπου δικαιότερον καὶ πτηνὸν πτηνοῦ ταχύτερον. Εἰ τοίνυν αἱ συγκρίσεις ἐπὶ τῶν ὁμοειδῶν γίνονται, μείζων δὲ κατὰ σύγκρισιν εἴρηται ὁ Πατὴρ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ὁμοούσιος ὁ Υἱὸς τῷ Πατρί. Ἔστι δέ τις καὶ ἄλλη ἔννοια ἐναποκειμένη τῷ ῥητῷ. Τί γὰρ θαυμαστὸν εἰ μείζονα ἑαυτοῦ τὸν Πατέρα ὡμολόγησε, Λόγος ὢν καὶ σὰρξ γεγονώς, ὁπόταν καὶ ἀγγέλων ὤφθη κατὰ τὴν δόξαν ἐλάττων καὶ ἀνθρώπων κατὰ τὸ εἶδος; «Ἠλάττωσας γὰρ αὐτόν, φησί, βραχύ τι παρ' ἀγγέλους». Καὶ πάλιν: «Τὸν δὲ βραχύ τι παρ' ἀγγέλους ἠλαττωμένον». Καὶ τὸ «Εἴδομεν αὐτὸν καὶ οὐκ εἶχεν εἶδος οὐδὲ κάλλος, ἀλλὰ τὸ εἶδος αὐτοῦ ἐκλεῖπον παρὰ πάντας ἀνθρώπους». Τούτων δὲ πάντων ἠνέσχετο διὰ τὴν πολλὴν αὐτοῦ περὶ τὸ πλάσμα φιλανθρωπίαν, ἵνα τὸ ἀπολωλὸς πρόβατον ἀνασώσηται καὶ τὸ σωθὲν καταμίξῃ, καὶ τὸν κατελθόντα ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ εἰς Ἱεριχὼ καὶ διὰ τοῦτο περιπεσόντα λῃσταῖς εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ὑγιαίνοντα πάλιν ἐπαναγάγῃ πατρίδα. Ἢ καὶ τὴν φάτνην αὐτῷ ὀνειδίσει ὁ αἱρετικός, δι' ἧς ἄλογος ὢν ἐτράφη ὑπὸ τοῦ Λόγου, καὶ τὴν πενίαν προοίσει, ὅτι κλινιδίου οὐκ ηὐπόρησεν ὁ τοῦ τέκτονος υἱός; Διὰ τοῦτο τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐλάττων ὁ Υἱός, ὅτι διὰ σὲ γέγονε νεκρός, ἵνα σε τῆς νεκρότητος ἀπαλλάξῃ καὶ ζωῆς μέτοχον ἐπουρανίου ποιήσῃ. Ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις καὶ τὸν ἰατρὸν αἰτιῷτο ὅτι συγκύπτων ἐπὶ τὰ πάθη τῆς δυσωδίας συναπολαύει, ἵνα τοὺς πεπονθότας ἰάσηται.

[6] Διὰ σὲ καὶ τὴν ὥραν καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς Κρίσεως ἀγνοεῖ: καίτοι οὐδὲν λανθάνει τὴν ὄντως Σοφίαν: πάντα γὰρ δι' αὐτῆς ἐγένετο. Οὐδεὶς δὲ οὐδὲ ἀνθρώπων πώποτε ὃ πεποίηκεν ἀγνοεῖ. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο οἰκονομεῖ διὰ τὴν σὴν ἀσθένειαν, ἵνα μήτε τῷ στενῷ τῆς προθεσμίας οἱ ἁμαρτήσαντες τῇ ἀθυμίᾳ καταπέσωσιν ὡς οὐχ ὑπολελειμμένου καιροῦ μετανοίας, μηδ' αὖ πάλιν οἱ πολεμοῦντες μακρὰ τῇ ἀντικειμένῃ δυνάμει διὰ τὸ μῆκος τοῦ χρόνου λειποτακτήσωσιν. Ἑκατέρους τοίνυν διὰ τῆς προσποιητῆς ἀγνοίας οἰκονομεῖ: τῷ μὲν διὰ τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα συντέμνων τὸν χρόνον, τῷ δὲ διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας καιρὸν μετανοίας ταμιευόμενος. Καίτοι ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ἑαυτὸν συγκαταριθμήσας τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσι διὰ τὴν τῶν πολλῶν, ὡς ἔφην, ἀσθένειαν, ἐν αἷς Πράξεσι τῶν Ἀποστόλων ὡς τελείοις κατ' ἰδίαν διαλεγόμενος καθ' ὑπεξαίρεσιν ἑαυτοῦ φησιν. «Οὐχ ὑμῶν ἐστι γνῶναι χρόνους ἢ καιροὺς οὓς ὁ Πατὴρ ἔθετο ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ». Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν κατὰ τὴν προτέραν ἐπιβολὴν εἰρήσθω παχύτερον. Ἤδη δὲ ἐξεταστέον ὑψηλότερον τὴν διάνοιαν τοῦ ῥητοῦ καὶ κρουστέον τὴν θύραν τῆς γνώσεως, εἴπη δυνηθείην ἐξεγεῖραι τὸν οἰκοδεσπότην τὸν τοὺς πνευματικοὺς ἄρτους διδόντα τοῖς αἰτοῦσιν αὐτόν, ἐπειδὴ φίλοι καὶ ἀδελφοί εἰσιν οὓς ἑστιᾶσαι σπουδάζομεν.

[7] Οἱ ἅγιοι μαθηταὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπέκεινα θεωρίας, ὡς ἔνι ἀνθρώποις, ἐλθόντες καὶ καθαρθέντες ἀπὸ τοῦ λόγου τὸ τέλος ἐπιζητοῦσι καὶ τὴν ἐσχάτην μακαριότητα γνῶναι ποθοῦσιν, ὅπερ ἀγνοεῖν καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν ἀπεφήνατο, ἡμέραν μὲν λέγων πᾶσαν τὴν ἀκριβῆ κατάληψιν τῶν ἐπινοιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὥραν δὲ τὴν ἑνάδος καὶ μονάδος θεωρίαν, ὧν τὴν εἴδησιν μόνῳ προσένειμε τῷ Πατρί. Ὑπονοῶ τοίνυν ὅτι ἐκεῖνο λέγεται περὶ ἑαυτοῦ εἰδέναι ὁ Θεός, ὅπερ ἐστί, κἀκεῖνο μὴ εἰδέναι, ὅπερ οὐκ ἔστι. Δικαιοσύνην μὲν γὰρ καὶ σοφίαν λέγεται εἰδέναι ὁ Θεός, αὐτοδικαιοσύνη καὶ σοφία ὑπάρχων, ἀδικίαν δὲ καὶ πονηρίαν ἀγνοεῖν: οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀδικία καὶ πονηρία ὁ κτίσας ἡμᾶς Θεός. Εἰ τοίνυν ἐκεῖνο λέγεται περὶ ἑαυτοῦ εἰδέναι ὁ Θεὸς ὅπερ ἐστί, κἀκεῖνο μὴ εἰδέναι ὅπερ οὐκ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστι δὲ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν κατὰ τὴν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως ἐπίνοιαν καὶ παχυτέραν διδασκαλίαν τὸ ἔσχατον ὀρεκτόν, οὐκ ἄρα οἶδεν ὁ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν τὸ τέλος καὶ τὴν ἐσχάτην μακαριότητα. «Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ οἱ ἄγγελοι, φησίν, ἴσασι», τουτέστιν οὐδὲ ἡ ἐν αὐτοῖς θεωρία καὶ οἱ λόγοι τῶν διακονιῶν εἰσι τὸ ἔσχατον ὀρεκτόν. Παχεῖα γὰρ καὶ τούτων ἡ γνῶσις συγκρίσει τοῦ πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον. Μόνος δὲ ὁ Πατήρ, φησίν, ἐπίσταται, ἐπειδὴ καὶ αὐτός ἐστι τὸ τέλος καὶ ἡ ἐσχάτη μακαριότης. Ὅταν γὰρ μηκέτι Θεὸν ἐν τοῖς κατόπτροις μηδὲ διὰ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἐπιγινώσκωμεν, ἀλλ' αὐτῷ ὡς μόνῳ καὶ ἑνὶ προσέλθωμεν, τότε καὶ τὸ ἔσχατον τέλος εἰσόμεθα. Χριστοῦ γὰρ βασιλείαν φασὶν εἶναι πᾶσαν τὴν ἔνυλον γνῶσιν, τοῦ δὲ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς τὴν ἄϋλον καί, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, αὐτῆς τῆς θεότητος θεωρίαν. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν καὶ αὐτὸς τὸ τέλος καὶ ἡ ἐσχάτη μακαριότης κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Λόγου ἐπίνοιαν. Τί γάρ φησιν ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ; «Κἀγὼ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ», ἀνάστασιν λέγων τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνύλου γνώσεως ἐπὶ τὴν ἄϋλον θεωρίαν μετάβασιν, ἐσχάτην δὲ ἡμέραν τὴν γνῶσιν ταύτην εἰπὼν μεθ' ἣν οὐκ ἔστιν ἑτέρα. Τηνικαῦτα γὰρ ὁ νοῦς ἡμῶν ἐξανίσταται καὶ πρὸς ὕψος μακάριον διεγείρεται, ὁπηνίκα ἂν θεωρήσῃ τὴν ἑνάδα καὶ μονάδα τοῦ Λόγου. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ παχυνθεὶς ἡμῶν ὁ νοῦς τῷ χοῒ συνεδέθη καὶ τῷ πηλῷ συμφύρεται καὶ ψιλῇ τῇ θεωρίᾳ ἐνατενίζειν ἀδυνατεῖ, διὰ τῶν συγγενῶν τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ κόσμων ποδηγούμενος τὰς ἐνεργείας τοῦ κτίστου κατανοεῖ καὶ ταῦτα ἐκ τῶν ἀποτελεσμάτων τέως ἐπιγινώσκει, ἵν' οὕτω κατὰ μικρὸν αὐξηθεὶς ἰσχύσῃ ποτὲ καὶ αὐτῇ γυμνῇ προσελθεῖν τῇ θεότητι. Κατὰ ταύτην δὲ οἶμαι τὴν ἐπίνοιαν εἰρῆσθαι καὶ τὸ «Ὁ Πατήρ μου μείζων μού ἐστι», καὶ τὸ «Οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμὸν δοῦναι, ἀλλ' οἷς ἡτοίμασται ὑπὸ τοῦ Πατρός». Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι καὶ τὸ παραδοῦναι τὴν βασιλείαν τὸν Χριστὸν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί, ἀπαρχὴν ὄντα καὶ οὐ τέλος, κατὰ τὴν παχυτέραν, ὡς ἔφην, διδασκαλίαν, ἥτις ὡς πρὸς ἡμᾶς καὶ οὐ πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν Υἱὸν θεωρεῖται. Ὅτι δὲ ταῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει, πάλιν ἐρωτήσασι τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι τῶν Ἀποστόλων τὸ «Πότε ἀποκαθιστανεῖς τὴν βασιλείαν τῷ Ἰσραήλ» φησιν: Οὐχ ὑμῶν ἐστι γνῶναι χρόνους ἢ καιροὺς οὓς ὁ Πατὴρ ἔθετο ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ«. Τουτέστιν οὐ τῶν συνδεδεμένων σαρκὶ καὶ αἵματι τῆς τοιαύτης βασιλείας ἡ γνῶσις. Ταύτην γὰρ τὴν θεωρίαν ὁ Πατὴρ ἐναπέθετο τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ, ἐξουσίαν λέγων τοὺς ἐξουσιαζομένους, ἰδίους δὲ ὧν μὴ μετέχει ἄγνοια τῶν κατωτέρω πραγμάτων. Χρόνους δὲ καὶ καιροὺς μή μοι νόει αἰσθητούς, ἀλλὰ διαστήματά τινα γνώσεως ὑπὸ τοῦ νοητοῦ ἡλίου γινόμενα. Δεῖ γὰρ τὴν προσευχὴν ἐκείνην ἐπὶ πέρας ἀχθῆναι τοῦ Δεσπότου ἡμῶν. Ἰησοῦς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ προσευξάμενος: »Δὸς αὐτοῖς ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐν ἡμῖν ἓν ὦσι, καθὼς ἐγὼ καὶ σὺ ἕν ἐσμεν, Πάτερ«. Εἷς γὰρ ὢν ὁ Θεός, ἐν ἑκάστῳ γινόμενος ἑνοῖ τοὺς πάντας καὶ ἀπόλλυται ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῇ τῆς μονάδος ἐπιδημίᾳ. Κἀγὼ μὲν οὕτως ἐπέβαλον τῷ ῥητῷ κατὰ τὴν δευτέραν Ἐπιχείρησιν. Εἰ δέ τις βέλτιον λέγοι ἢ διορθοίη εὐσεβῶς τὰ ἡμέτερα, καὶ λεγέτω καὶ διορθούσθω, καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἀνταποδώσει ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ παρ' ἡμῖν αὐλίζεται φθόνος, ὅτι μηδὲ φιλονεικίας ἕνεκεν ἢ κενοδοξίας ἐπὶ τήνδε τὴν ἐξέτασιν τῶν ῥημάτων κεχωρήκαμεν, ἀλλ' ὠφελείας ἕνεκεν τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ δοκεῖν παρακρούεσθαι τὰ ὀστράκινα σκεύη τὰ τὸν θησαυρὸν ἔχοντα τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπὸ τῶν λιθοκαρδίων καὶ ἀπεριτμήτων ἀνθρώπων τῶν ἐκ τῆς μωρᾶς ὡπλισμένων σοφίας.

[8] Πάλιν διὰ τοῦ σοφοῦ Σολομῶντος ἐν Παροιμίαις κτίζεται. »Κύριος γάρ, φησίν, ἔκτισέ με«. Καὶ ἀρχὴ ὁδῶν εὐαγγελικῶν ὀνομάζεται ἀγουσῶν ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, οὐ κατ' οὐσίαν κτίσις, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν ὁδὸς γεγονώς. Τὸ γὰρ γεγονέναι καὶ τὸ ἐκτίσθαι ταὐτὸν δηλοῖ. Ὡς γὰρ ὁδὸς γέγονε καὶ θύρα καὶ ποιμὴν καὶ ἄγγελος καὶ πρόβατον καὶ πάλιν ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ ἀπόστολος, ἄλλων κατ' ἄλλην ἐπίνοιαν τῶν ὀνομάτων κειμένων. Τί ἂν εἴποι πάλιν ὁ αἱρετικὸς περὶ τοῦ ἀνυποτάκτου Θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ δι' ἡμᾶς ἁμαρτίας γεγενημένου; Γέγραπται γάρ: »Ὅταν ὑποταγῇ αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα, τότε καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Υἱὸς ὑποταγήσεται τῷ ὑποτάξαντι αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα«. Οὐ φοβῇ, ἄνθρωπε, τὸν Θεὸν ἀνυπότακτον ὀνομαζόμενον διὰ σέ; Τὴν γὰρ σὴν ὑποταγὴν ἰδίαν ποιεῖται καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀντιτείνειν σε πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀνυπότακτον ἑαυτὸν ὀνομάζει. Οὕτω ποτὲ καὶ ἑαυτὸν ἔφη εἶναι τὸν διωκόμενον. »Σαῦλε γάρ, φησί, Σαῦλε, τί με διώκεις;« ἡνίκα ἐπὶ Δαμασκὸν ἔτρεχε τοὺς μαθητὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ συνδῆσαι βουλόμενος. Καὶ πάλιν ἑαυτὸν γυμνὸν ὀνομάζει ἑνός τινος τῶν ἀδελφῶν γυμνητεύοντος. »Γυμνὸς γάρ, φησίν, ἤμην, καὶ περιεβάλετέ με. Καὶ ἄλλου ἐν φυλακῇ ὄντος ἑαυτὸν ἔφη εἶναι τὸν καθειργμένον. Αὐτὸς γὰρ τὰς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν ἦρε καὶ τὰς νόσους ἐβάστασε. Μία δὲ τῶν ἀσθενειῶν ἐστι καὶ ἡ ἀνυποταξία, καὶ ταύτην ἐβάστασε. Διὸ καὶ τὰ συμβαίνοντα ἡμῖν περιστατικὰ ἰδιοποιεῖται ὁ Κύριος, ἐκ τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς κοινωνίας τὰ ἡμέτερα πάθη ἀναδεχόμενος.

[9] Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ «Οὐ δύναται ὁ Υἱὸς ποιεῖν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ οὐδὲν» λαμβάνουσιν οἱ θεομάχοι ἐπὶ καταστροφῇ τῶν ἀκουόντων. Ἐμοὶ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ῥητὸν μάλιστα καταγγέλλει τῆς αὐτῆς φύσεως εἶναι τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρί. Εἰ γὰρ ἕκαστον τῶν λογικῶν κτισμάτων δύναταί τι ποιεῖν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ αὐτεξούσιον καὶ ἴσην ἔχον τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρόν τε καὶ κρεῖττον ῥοπήν, ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς οὐ δύναταί τι ποιεῖν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ, οὐ κτίσμα ὁ Υἱός. Εἰ δὲ μὴ κτίσμα, ὁμοούσιος τῷ Πατρί. Καὶ πάλιν οὐδὲν τῶν κτισμάτων τὰ ὅσα βούλεται δύναται. Ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς πάντα ὅσα ἠθέλησεν ἐποίησεν. Οὐκ ἄρα κτίσμα ὁ Υἱός. Καὶ πάλιν πάντα τὰ κτίσματα ἢ ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων συνέστηκεν ἢ τῶν ἐναντίων ἐστὶ δεκτικά. Ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς αὐτοδικαιοσύνη καὶ ἄϋλός ἐστιν: οὐκ ἄρα κτίσμα ὁ Υἱός. Εἰ δὲ μὴ τοῦτο, ὁμοούσιος τῷ Πατρί.

[10] Καὶ αὕτη μὲν αὐτάρκης ἡμῖν ἡ ἐξέτασις, κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἡμετέραν, τῶν τεθέντων ῥητῶν. Ἤδη δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἀντιπίπτοντας τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ Ἁγίῳ τῷ λόγῳ χωρήσωμεν καθαιροῦντες αὐτῶν πᾶν ὕψωμα διανοίας ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ. Κτίσμα λέγεις τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον. Πᾶν δὲ κτίσμα δοῦλόν ἐστι τοῦ κτίσαντος. «Τὰ γὰρ σύμπαντα, φησί, δοῦλα σά». Εἰ δὲ δοῦλον, καὶ ἐπίκτητον ἔχει τὴν ἁγιότητα: πᾶν δὲ ὃ ἐπίκτητον ἔχει τὴν ἁγιότητα οὐκ ἀνεπίδεκτόν ἐστι κακίας: τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον κατ' οὐσίαν ὂν ἅγιον πηγὴ ἁγιασμοῦ προσαγορεύεται: οὐκ ἄρα κτίσμα τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον. Εἰ δὲ μὴ κτίσμα, ὁμοούσιόν ἐστι τῷ Θεῷ. Πῶς δὲ δοῦλον ἀποκαλεῖς, εἰπέ μοι, τὸν διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἐλευθεροῦντά σε τῆς δουλείας; «Ὁ γὰρ νόμος, φησί, τοῦ Πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς ἠλευθέρωσέ σε ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τῆς ἁμαρτίας». Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τρεπτὴν αὐτοῦ ποτε τὴν οὐσίαν τολμήσεις εἰπεῖν, ἀφορῶν εἰς τὴν φύσιν τῆς ἀντικειμένης δυνάμεως, ἥτις, ὡς ἀστραπή, πέπτωκεν ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἐξέπεσε τῆς ὄντως ζωῆς, διὰ τὸ ἐπίκτητον ἐσχηκέναι τὴν ἁγιότητα καὶ ἐπηκολουθηκέναι τῇ κακῇ βουλῇ τὴν ἀλλοίωσιν. Τοιγαροῦν καὶ ἐκπεσὼν τῆς μονάδος καὶ τὸ ἀγγελικὸν ἀπορρίψας ἀξίωμα, ἀπὸ τοῦ τρόπου ὠνομάσθη διάβολος, ἀποσβεσθείσης μὲν αὐτοῦ τῆς προτέρας καὶ μακαρίας ἕξεως, τῆς δὲ ἀντικειμένης ταύτης δυνάμεως ἀναφθείσης. Ἔπειτα εἰ κτίσμα λέγοι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, πεπερατωμένην αὐτοῦ τὴν φύσιν εἰσάγει. Πῶς οὖν σταθήσεται τὸ «Πνεῦμα Κυρίου πεπλήρωκε τὴν οἰκουμένην» καὶ τὸ «Ποῦ πορευθῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματός σου»; Ἀλλ' οὐδ' ἁπλοῦν αὐτὸ τῇ φύσει, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὁμολογεῖ. Ἀριθμῷ γὰρ ἓν αὐτὸ ὀνομάζει. Πᾶν δὲ ὃ ἓν ἀριθμῷ τοῦτο οὐχ ἁπλοῦν, ὡς ἔφην, ἐστίν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἁπλοῦν ἐστι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, ἐξ οὐσίας καὶ ἁγιασμοῦ συνέστηκε: τὸ δὲ τοιοῦτον σύνθετον. Καὶ τίς οὕτως ἀνόητος ὡς σύνθετον εἰπεῖν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον καὶ μὴ ἁπλοῦν καὶ κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἁπλότητος λόγον ὁμοούσιον Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ;

[11] Εἰ δὲ δεῖ προσβῆναι τῷ λόγῳ καὶ ἐποπτεῦσαι τὰ μείζονα, ἐκ τούτου μάλιστα τὴν θεϊκὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος θεωρήσωμεν. Τρεῖς κτίσεις εὑρήκαμεν ὀνομαζομένας ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ: μίαν μὲν καὶ πρώτην τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι παραγωγήν, δευτέραν δὲ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ χείρονος εἰς τὸ κρεῖττον ἀλλοίωσιν, τρίτην δὲ τὴν ἐξανάστασιν τῶν νεκρῶν. Ἐν ταύταις εὑρήσεις συνεργὸν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. Οὐρανῶν γὰρ οὐσίωσις. Καὶ τί φησιν ὁ Δαβίδ; «Τῷ λόγῳ Κυρίου οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν καὶ τῷ Πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν». Πάλιν ἄνθρωπος διὰ βαπτίσματος κτίζεται. «Εἴ τις γὰρ ἐν Χριστῷ καινὴ κτίσις». Καὶ τί φησι τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὁ Σωτήρ; «Ἀπελθόντες μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος». Ὁρᾷς κἀνταῦθα συμπαρὸν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. Τί δ' ἂν εἴποις καὶ περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῶν νεκρῶν, ὅταν ἐκλείψωμεν καὶ εἰς τὸν χοῦν ἡμῶν ἐπιστρέψωμεν; Γῆ γάρ ἐσμεν καὶ εἰς τὴν γῆν ἀπελευσόμεθα καὶ ἀποστελεῖ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον καὶ κτίσει ἡμᾶς καὶ ἀνακαινίσει τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς. Ἣν γὰρ Παῦλος ὁ ἅγιος ἐξανάστασιν εἴρηκε ταύτην Δαβὶδ ἀνακαινισμὸν προσηγόρευσεν. Ἀκούσωμεν δὲ πάλιν τοῦ ἁρπαγέντος ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ. Τί φησιν; «Ὅτι ναὸς τοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν Ἁγίου Πνεύματός ἐστε». Πᾶς δὲ ναὸς Θεοῦ ναός. Εἰ δὲ ναός ἐσμεν τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ Ἁγίου, Θεὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον. Λέγει δὲ καὶ ναὸς Σολομῶντος, ἀλλ' ὡς κατασκευάσαντος. Εἰ δὲ οὕτως ἐσμὲν ναοὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, Θεὸς τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα: «Ὁ γὰρ πάντα κατασκευάσας Θεός»: εἰ δὲ ὡς προσκυνουμένου καὶ ἐνοικοῦντος ἐν ἡμῖν, ὁμολογήσομεν αὐτὸ εἶναι Θεόν. «Κυρίῳ γὰρ τῷ Θεῷ σου προσκυνήσεις καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις». Εἰ δὲ τὴν Θεὸς φωνὴν παραιτοῖντο, μανθανέτωσαν τίνος ἐστὶ σημαντικὸν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο. Παρὰ γὰρ τὸ τεθεικέναι τὰ πάντα ἢ θεᾶσθαι Θεὸς ὀνομάζεται. Εἰ τοίνυν Θεὸς εἴρηται παρὰ τὸ τεθεικέναι ἢ θεᾶσθαι τὰ πάντα, τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα πάντα γινώσκει τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὡς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἐν ἡμῖν τὰ ἡμέτερα, Θεὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον. Καὶ πάλιν, εἰ ἡ μάχαιρα τοῦ Πνεύματος ῥῆμά ἐστι Θεοῦ, Θεὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον. Ἐκείνου γάρ ἐστιν ἡ μάχαιρα οὗ καὶ ῥῆμα καλεῖται. Καὶ εἰ δεξιὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὀνομάζεται: «Δεξιὰ γὰρ Κυρίου ἐποίησε δύναμιν», καὶ «ἡ δεξιά σου, Κύριε, ἔθραυσεν ἐχθρούς», δάκτυλος δὲ Θεοῦ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, κατὰ τὸ ῥητόν, τὸ «Εἰ ἐγὼ ἐν δακτύλῳ Θεοῦ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια», ὅπερ ἐν ἑτέρῳ Εὐαγγελίῳ γέγραπται τὸ «Εἰ ἐγὼ ἐν Πνεύματι Θεοῦ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια», τῆς αὐτῆς φύσεως Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον.

[12] Καὶ περὶ μὲν τῆς προσκυνητῆς καὶ ἁγίας Τριάδος τοσαῦτα ἡμῖν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος εἰρήσθω. Οὐ γὰρ νῦν δυνατὸν πλατύτερον ἐξετάσαι τὸν περὶ αὐτῆς λόγον. Ὑμεῖς δὲ λαβόντες παρὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας ταπεινώσεως σπέρματα στάχυν ὥριμον ἑαυτοῖς γεωργήσατε, ἐπεὶ καὶ τόκους, ὡς ἴστε, τῶν τοιούτων προσαπαιτούμεθα. Πιστεύω δὲ τῷ Θεῷ ὅτι καρποφορήσετε καὶ τριάκοντα καὶ ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν διὰ τὴν καθαρότητα τοῦ βίου ὑμῶν. «Μακάριοι γὰρ οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὄψονται.» Καὶ μηδὲ ἄλλο τι, ἀδελφοί, τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν νομίσητε ἢ τὴν τῶν ὄντων ἀληθῆ κατανόησιν ἣν καὶ μακαριότητα ὀνομάζουσιν αἱ θεῖαι Γραφαί. Εἰ γὰρ «ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστι», περὶ δὲ τὸν ἐντὸς ἄνθρωπον οὐδέν ἐστιν ᾗ θεωρία συνίσταται, θεωρία ἂν εἴη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. Ὧν γὰρ νῦν τὰς σκιὰς καθορῶμεν ὡς ἐν κατόπτρῳ, ὕστερον ἀπαλλαγέντες τοῦ γεώδους σώματος τούτου καὶ ἄφθαρτον ἐπενδυσάμενοι καὶ ἀθάνατον τούτων τὰ ἀρχέτυπα κατοψόμεθα. Ὀψόμεθα δέ, εἴ γε τὸν ἑαυτῶν βίον πρὸς τὸ εὐθὲς κυβερνῴημεν καὶ τῆς ὀρθῆς πίστεως ποιοίμεθα πρόνοιαν, ὧν χωρὶς οὐδεὶς ὄψεται τὸν Κύριον. «Εἰς γὰρ κακότεχνον ψυχήν, φησίν, οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται σοφία, οὐδὲ κατοικήσει ἐν σώματι καταχρέῳ ἁμαρτίαις». Καὶ μηδεὶς ὑποκρουέτω λέγων ὅτι τὰ ἐν ποσὶν ἀγνοῶν περὶ τῆς ἀσωμάτου καὶ πάντη ἀΰλου οὐσίας ἡμῖν φιλοσοφεῖς. Καὶ γὰρ ἄτοπον κρίνω τὰς μὲν αἰσθήσεις ἐᾶν ἀκωλύτως τῶν ἰδίων ἐμπίπλασθαι ὑλῶν, τὸν δὲ νοῦν μόνον εἴργεσθαι τῆς οἰκείας ἐνεργείας. Ὡς γὰρ ἡ αἴσθησις τῶν αἰσθητῶν, οὕτως ὁ νοῦς τῶν νοητῶν ἐπήβολός ἐστιν. Ἅμα δὲ καὶ τοῦτο λεκτέον ὅτι τὰ φυσικὰ κριτήρια ἀδίδακτα πεποίηκεν ὁ κτίσας ἡμᾶς Θεός. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ διδάσκει τὰς ὄψεις χρωμάτων ἢ σχημάτων ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι, οὐδ' ἀκοὴν ψόφων τε καὶ φωνῶν, οὐδ' ὄσφρησιν ἀτμῶν εὐωδῶν τε καὶ δυσωδῶν, οὐδὲ γεῦσιν χυμῶν καὶ χυλῶν, οὐδ' ἁφὴν μαλακῶν καὶ σκληρῶν, ἢ θερμῶν καὶ ψυχρῶν. Οὐδὲ τὸν νοῦν ἐπιβάλλειν τοῖς νοητοῖς διδάξοι τις ἄν. Καὶ ὥσπερ, εἴ τι πάθοιεν αὗται, ἐπιμελείας μόνον προσδέονται καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν ἐνέργειαν εὐκόλως ἀποπληροῦσιν, οὕτως καὶ ὁ νοῦς σαρκὶ συνδεθεὶς καὶ τῶν ἐκ ταύτης φαντασιῶν πληρωθεὶς πίστεως δεῖται καὶ πολιτείας ὀρθῆς, αἵτινες καταρτίζουσι τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ ἐλάφου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλὰ αὐτὸν ἱστῶσιν. Τοῦτό τοι αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ σοφὸς παρεγγυᾷ Σολομῶν καὶ ποτὲ μὲν ἡμῖν προφέρει τὸν ἀνεπαίσχυντον ἐργάτην τὸν μύρμηκα καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ τὴν πρακτικὴν ὁδὸν ἡμῖν ὑπογράφει, ποτὲ δὲ τὸ τῆς σοφῆς μελίττης κηρόπλαστον ὄργανον καὶ δι' αὐτῆς τὴν φυσικὴν θεωρίαν αἰνίττεται ἐν ᾗ καὶ ὁ περὶ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος ἐγκέκραται λόγος, εἴπερ ἐκ καλλονῆς κτισμάτων ἀναλόγως ὁ γενεσιουργὸς θεωρεῖται. Ἀλλ' εὐχαριστήσαντες Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι πέρας ἐπιθῶμεν τῷ γράμματι, ἐπειδὴ πᾶν μέτρον ἄριστον, καὶ ἡ παροιμία φησίν.