On “Not Three Gods.” To Ablabius.

 Ye that are strong with all might in the inner man ought by rights to carry on the struggle against the enemies of the truth, and not to shrink from t

 In truth, the question you propound to us is no small one, nor such that but small harm will follow if it meets with insufficient treatment. For by th

 The argument which you state is something like this:—Peter, James, and John, being in one human nature, are called three men: and there is no absurdit

 What, then, is the reason that when we count one by one those who are exhibited to us in one nature, we ordinarily name them in the plural and speak o

 We say, then, to begin with, that the practice of calling those who are not divided in nature by the very name of their common nature in the plural, a

 Most men think that the word “Godhead” is used in a peculiar degree in respect of nature: and just as the heaven, or the sun, or any other of the cons

 But some one will say that the proof of our argument does not yet regard the question. For even if it were granted that the name of “Godhead” is a com

 As we have to a certain extent shown by our statement that the word “Godhead” is not significant of nature but of operation, perhaps one might reasona

 Since, then, the character of the superintending and beholding power is one, in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as has been said in our previous argumen

 If, then, every good thing and every good name, depending on that power and purpose which is without beginning, is brought to perfection in the power

 It does not seem to me absolutely necessary, with a view to the present proof of our argument, to contend against those who oppose us with the asserti

 But if it pleases our adversaries to say that the significance of the term is not operation, but nature, we shall fall back upon our original argument

 As, then, the golden staters are many, but the gold is one, so too those who are exhibited to us severally in the nature of man, as Peter, James, and

 Indeed, it would be a lengthy task to set out in detail from the Scriptures those constructions which are inexactly expressed, in order to prove the s

 If, however, any one cavils at our argument, on the ground that by not admitting the difference of nature it leads to a mixture and confusion of the P

 But in speaking of “cause,” and “of the cause,” we do not by these words denote nature (for no one would give the same definition of “cause” and of “n

 Thus, since on the one hand the idea of cause differentiates the Persons of the Holy Trinity, declaring that one exists without a Cause, and another i

As we have to a certain extent shown by our statement that the word “Godhead” is not significant of nature but of operation, perhaps one might reasonably allege as a cause why, in the case of men, those who share with one another in the same pursuits are enumerated and spoken of in the plural, while on the other hand the Deity is spoken of in the singular as one God and one Godhead, even though the Three Persons are not separated from the significance expressed by the term “Godhead,”—one might allege, I say, the fact that men, even if several are engaged in the same form of action, work separately each by himself at the task he has undertaken, having no participation in his individual action with others who are engaged in the same occupation. For instance, supposing the case of several rhetoricians, their pursuit, being one, has the same name in the numerous cases: but each of those who follow it works by himself, this one pleading on his own account, and that on his own account. Thus, since among men the action of each in the same pursuits is discriminated, they are properly called many, since each of them is separated from the others within his own environment, according to the special character of his operation. But in the case of the Divine nature we do not similarly learn that the Father does anything by Himself in which the Son does not work conjointly, or again that the Son has any special operation apart from the Holy Spirit; but every operation which extends from God to the Creation, and is named according to our variable conceptions of it, has its origin from the Father, and proceeds through the Son, and is perfected in the Holy Spirit. For this reason the name derived from the operation is not divided with regard to the number of those who fulfil it, because the action of each concerning anything is not separate and peculiar, but whatever comes to pass, in reference either to the acts of His providence for us, or to the government and constitution of the universe, comes to pass by the action of the Three, yet what does come to pass is not three things. We may understand the meaning of this from one single instance. From Him, I say, Who is the chief source of gifts, all things which have shared in this grace have obtained their life. When we inquire, then, whence this good gift came to us, we find by the guidance of the Scriptures that it was from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yet although we set forth Three Persons and three names, we do not consider that we have had bestowed upon us three lives, one from each Person separately; but the same life is wrought in us by the Father, and prepared by the Son, and depends on the will of the Holy Spirit. Since then the Holy Trinity fulfils every operation in a manner similar to that of which I have spoken, not by separate action according to the number of the Persons, but so that there is one motion and disposition of the good will which is communicated from the Father through the Son to the Spirit (for as we do not call those whose operation gives one life three Givers of life, neither do we call those who are contemplated in one goodness three Good beings, nor speak of them in the plural by any of their other attributes); so neither can we call those who exercise this Divine and superintending power and operation towards ourselves and all creation, conjointly and inseparably, by their mutual action, three Gods. For as when we learn concerning the God of the universe, from the words of Scripture, that He judges all the earth15    Rom. iii. 6., we say that He is the Judge of all things through the Son: and again, when we hear that the Father judgeth no man16    S. John v. 22, we do not think that the Scripture is at variance with itself,—(for He Who judges all the earth does this by His Son to Whom He has committed all judgment; and everything which is done by the Only-begotten has its reference to the Father, so that He Himself is at once the Judge of all things and judges no man, by reason of His having, as we said, committed all judgment to the Son, while all the judgment of the Son is conformable to the will of the Father; and one could not properly say either that They are two judges, or that one of Them is excluded from the authority and power implied in judgment);—so also in the case of the word “Godhead,” Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, and that very power of superintendence and beholding which we call Godhead, the Father exercises through the Only-begotten, while the Son perfects every power by the Holy Spirit, judging, as Isaiah says, by the Spirit of judgment and the Spirit of burning17    Is. iv. 4., and acting by Him also, according to the saying in the Gospel which was spoken to the Jews. For He says, “If I by the Spirit of God cast out devils18    S. Matt. xii. 28.”; where He includes every form of doing good in a partial description, by reason of the unity of action: for the name derived from operation cannot be divided among many where the result of their mutual operation is one.

Ἐπειδὴ μετρίως ἡμῖν ἐκ τῆς κατασκευῆς ἀπεδείχθη οὐ φύσεως ἀλλ' ἐνεργείας εἶναι τὴν φωνὴν τῆς θεότητος, τάχα ταύτην ἄν τις αἰτίαν εὐλόγως εἴποι τοῦ πληθυντικῶς μὲν ἐπ' ἀνθρώπων τοὺς τῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων κοινωνοῦντας ἀλλήλοις ἀριθμεῖσθαι καὶ ὀνομάζεσθαι, μοναδικῶς δὲ τὸ θεῖον ὡς ἕνα θεὸν καὶ μίαν θεότητα λέγεσθαι, κἂν αἱ τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις τῆς ἐμφαινομένης τῇ θεότητι σημασίας μὴ ἀποκρίνοιντο, ὅτι ἄνθρωποι μέν, κἂν μιᾶς ὦσιν ἐνεργείας οἱ πλείονες, καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἕκαστος ἀποτεταγμένως ἐνεργεῖ τὸ προκείμενον, οὐδὲν ἐπικοινωνῶν ἐν τῇ καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἐνεργείᾳ πρὸς τοὺς τὸ ἴσον ἐπιτηδεύοντας: εἰ γὰρ καὶ πλείονες εἶεν οἱ ῥήτορες, τὸ μὲν ἐπιτήδευμα ἓν ὂν τὸ αὐτὸ ἐν τοῖς πλείοσιν ὄνομα ἔχει, οἱ δὲ μετιόντες καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἕκαστον ἐνεργοῦσιν ἰδίως ῥητορεύων ὁ δεῖνα καὶ ἰδίως ὁ ἕτερος: οὐκοῦν ἐν μὲν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἐπειδὴ διακεκριμένη ἐστὶν ἡ ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν ἑκάστου ἐνέργεια, κυρίως πολλοὶ ὀνομάζονται, ἑκάστου αὐτῶν εἰς ἰδίαν περιγραφὴν κατὰ τὸ ἰδιότροπον τῆς ἐνεργείας ἀποτεμνομένου τῶν ἄλλων: ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς θείας φύσεως οὐχ οὕτως ἐμάθομεν ὅτι ὁ πατὴρ ποιεῖ τι καθ' ἑαυτόν, οὗ μὴ συνεφάπτεται ὁ υἱός, ἢ πάλιν ὁ υἱὸς ἰδιαζόντως ἐνεργεῖ τι χωρὶς τοῦ πνεύματος, ἀλλὰ πᾶσα ἐνέργεια ἡ θεόθεν ἐπὶ τὴν κτίσιν διήκουσα καὶ κατὰ τὰς πολυτρόπους ἐννοίας ὀνομαζομένη ἐκ πατρὸς ἀφορμᾶται καὶ διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ πρόεισι καὶ ἐν τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ τελειοῦται. διὰ τοῦτο εἰς τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἐνεργούντων τὸ ὄνομα τῆς ἐνεργείας οὐ διασχίζεται, ὅτι οὐκ ἀποτεταγμένη ἑκάστου καὶ ἰδιάζουσά ἐστιν ἡ περί τι σπουδή: ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἂν γίνηται τῶν εἴτε εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν πρόνοιαν φθανόντων εἴτε πρὸς τὴν τοῦ παντὸς οἰκονομίαν καὶ σύστασιν, διὰ τῶν τριῶν μὲν γίνεται, οὐ μὴν τρία ἐστὶ τὰ γινόμενα. Νοήσωμεν δὲ τὸ λεγόμενον ἀφ' ἑνός τινος πράγματος, ἀπ' αὐτοῦ λέγω τοῦ κεφαλαίου τῶν χαρισμάτων. ζωῆς τετύχηκεν, ὅσα μετείληφε τῆς χάριτος ταύτης. ἐξετάζοντες οὖν πόθεν ἡμῖν τὸ τοιοῦτον γέγονεν ἀγαθόν, εὑρίσκομεν διὰ τῆς τῶν γραφῶν ὁδηγίας, ὅτι ἐκ πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου. ἀλλ' οὐκ, ἐπειδὴ τρία ὑποτιθέμεθα πρόσωπά τε καὶ ὀνόματα, τρεῖς καὶ ζωὰς (ἰδίως μίαν παρ' ἑκάστου αὐτῶν) δεδωρῆσθαι ἡμῖν λογιζόμεθα, ἀλλ' ἡ αὐτὴ ζωὴ καὶ παρὰ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἐνεργεῖται καὶ παρὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ ἑτοιμάζεται καὶ τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς ἐξῆπται βουλήσεως. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν καθ' ὁμοιότητα τοῦ εἰρημένου πᾶσαν ἐνέργειαν οὐ διῃρημένως ἐνεργεῖ κατὰ τὸν τῶν ὑποστάσεων ἀριθμὸν ἡ ἁγία τριάς, ἀλλὰ μία τις γίνεται τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θελήματος κίνησίς τε καὶ διάδοσις, ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ πρὸς τὸ πνεῦμα διεξαγομένη, ὡς οὐ λέγομεν τρεῖς ζωοποιοὺς τοὺς τὴν μίαν ἐνεργοῦντας ζωὴν οὐδὲ τρεῖς ἀγαθοὺς τοὺς ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ ἀγαθότητι θεωρουμένους οὐδὲ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα πληθυντικῶς ἐξαγγέλλομεν, οὕτως οὐδὲ τρεῖς ὀνομάζειν δυνάμεθα τοὺς τὴν θεϊκὴν ταύτην ἤτοι ἐποπτικὴν δύναμίν τε καὶ ἐνέργειαν συνημμένως καὶ ἀδιακρίτως δι' ἀλλήλων ἐφ' ἡμῶν τε καὶ πάσης τῆς κτίσεως ἐνεργοῦντας. ὥσπερ γὰρ μαθόντες περὶ τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τῆς γραφῆς λεγούσης κρίνειν αὐτὸν πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν κριτὴν τοῦ παντὸς αὐτὸν εἶναι διὰ τοῦτό φαμεν καὶ πάλιν ἀκούσαντες ὅτι Ὁ πατὴρ κρίνει οὐδένα οὐχ ἡγούμεθα μάχεσθαι πρὸς ἑαυτὴν τὴν γραφήν: ὁ γὰρ κρίνων πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ, ᾧ πᾶσαν δέδωκε τὴν κρίσιν, τοῦτο ποιεῖ: καὶ πᾶν τὸ παρὰ τοῦ μονογενοῦς γινόμενον εἰς τὸν πατέρα τὴν ἀναφορὰν ἔχει, ὥστε καὶ κριτὴν αὐτὸν τοῦ παντὸς εἶναι καὶ κρίνειν μηδένα διὰ τὸ πᾶσαν, ὡς εἴρηται, τὴν κρίσιν τῷ υἱῷ δεδωκέναι καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν τοῦ υἱοῦ κρίσιν τοῦ πατρικοῦ μὴ ἀπηλλοτριῶσθαι βουλήματος: καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις εὐλόγως ἢ δύο κριτὰς εἴποι ἢ τὸν ἕτερον ἠλλοτριῶσθαι τῆς κατὰ τὴν κρίσιν ἐξουσίας τε καὶ δυνάμεως: οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ τῆς θεότητος λόγου Χριστὸς θεοῦ δύναμις καὶ θεοῦ σοφία καὶ τὴν ἐποπτικήν τε καὶ θεατικὴν δύναμιν, ἥνπερ δὴ θεότητα λέγομεν, διὰ τοῦ μονογενοῦς ὁ πατὴρ ἐνεργεῖ, [ὁ πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ποιῶν θεός], τοῦ δὲ υἱοῦ πᾶσαν δύναμιν ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι τελειοῦντος καὶ κρίνοντος μέν, καθὼς Ἠσαΐας φησίν, ἐν πνεύματι κρίσεως καὶ πνεύματι καύσεως, εὐεργετοῦντος δὲ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου φωνήν, ἣν πρὸς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους πεποίηται, ἐν πνεύματι θεοῦ: λέγει γὰρ Εἰ δὲ ἐγὼ ἐν πνεύματι θεοῦ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια: ἀπὸ μέρους πᾶν εἶδος εὐεργεσίας περιλαμβάνων διὰ τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν ἑνότητος: οἷς γὰρ δι' ἀλλήλων ἐνεργεῖται τὸ ἕν, εἰς πολλοὺς καταμεμερίσθαι τὸ ὄνομα τῆς ἐνεργείας οὐ δύναται.