Chapter XV.

The Holy Spirit is Life equally with the Father and the Son, in truth whether the Father be mentioned, with Whom is the Fount of Life, or the Son, that Fount can be none other than the Holy Spirit.

171. We have said that the Father is Light, the Son is Light, and the Holy Spirit is Light; let us also learn that the Father is Life, the Son Life, and the Holy Spirit Life. For John said: “That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, and which we have seen, and have beheld with our eyes, and our hands have handled concerning the Word of Life; and the Life appeared, and we saw and testify, and declare to you of that Life which was with the Father.”201    1 John i. 1, 2. He said both Word of Life and Life that he might signify both the Father and the Son to be Life. For what is the Word of Life but the Word of God? And by this phrase both God and the Word of God are shown to be Life. And as it is said the Word of Life, so, too, the Spirit of Life. Therefore, as the Word of Life is Life, so, too, the Spirit of Life is Life.

172. Learn now that as the Father is the Fount of Life, so, too, many have stated that the Son is signified as the Fount of Life;202    Ps. xxxvi. [xxxv.] 9. so that, he says, with Thee, Almighty God, Thy Son is the Fount of Life. That is the Fount of the Holy Spirit,203    In these words St. Ambrose appears plainly to set forth the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Son, though he admits that some consider the Father to be the Fount of Life, but he argues even in this case the Son was with Him. for the Spirit is Life, as the Lord says: “The words which I speak unto you are Spirit and Life,”204    S. John vi. 64. for where the Spirit is, there also is Life; and where Life is, is also the Holy Spirit.

173. Many, however, consider that in this passage the Father only is signified by the Fount. Let them, however, notice what the Scripture relates: “With Thee is the Well of Life.” That is, the Son is with the Father; since the Word was with God, Who was in the beginning, and was with God.

174. But whether in this place one understands the Fount to be the Father or the Son, we certainly do not understand a fount of that water which is created, but the Fount of that divine grace, that is, of the Holy Spirit, for He is the living water. Wherefore the Lord said: “If thou knowest the gift of God, and Who He is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked Him, and He would have given thee living water.”205    S. John iv. 10.

175. This was the water for which the soul of David thirsted. The hart desires the fountain of these waters,206    Ps. xlii. [xli.] 3. not thirsting for the poison of serpents. For the water of the grace of the Spirit is living, that it may purify the inner parts of the mind, and wash away every sin of the soul, and purify the transgression of hidden faults.

CAPUT XV.

0738D Spiritum sanctum aeque ac Patrem et Filium vitam esse; immo vero sive Pater intelligatur, apud quem est fons vitae, sive Filius, fontem illum aliud non esse quam Spiritum.

151. [Alias cap. XVIII.] Diximus quia lux est Pater, 0739A lux Filius, lux Spiritus sanctus: accipiamus etiam quia vita est Pater, vita Filius, vita Spiritus sanctus. Dixit enim Joannes: Quod erat ab initio, quod audivimus et quod vidimus, et oculis nostris perspeximus, et manus nostrae scrutatae sunt de Verbo vitae: et vita apparuit, et vidimus et testamur et annuntiamus vobis de vita, quae erat apud Patrem (I Joan. I, 1, 2). Et Verbum vitae dixit et vitam; ut 631 et Patrem vitam significaret et Filium. Quod enim est vitae Verbum, nisi Dei Verbum? Ac per hoc et Deus et Verbum Dei vita est. Et sicut Verbum vitae dicitur, ita et Spiritus vitae. Scriptum est enim: Et Spiritus vitae erat in rotis (Ezech. I, 20). Itaque sicut Verbum vitae vita est, ita et vitae Spiritus vita est.

152. [Alias cap. XIX.] Accipe nunc quia sicut 0739B Pater fons vitae est, ita etiam Filium plerique fontem vitae memorarunt significatum; eo quod apud te, inquit, Deus omnipotens, Filius tuus fons vitae sit, hoc est, fons Spiritus sancti; quia Spiritus vita est, sicut Dominus ait: Verba quae ego locutus sum vobis, spiritus et vita sunt (Joan. VI, 64) quia ubi Spiritus, et vita est: et ubi vita est, etiam Spiritus sanctus.

153. Plerique tamen hoc loco Patrem volunt tantummodo per fontem significatum, quamquam videant quid Scriptura memoraverit: Apud te, inquit, fons vitae (Psal. XXXV, 10), hoc est, apud Patrem Filius; quoniam Verbum apud Deum, quod erat in principio, et erat apud Deum.

154. Sed sive Patrem quis hoc loco, sive Filium 0739C intelligat fontem; fontem utique intelligimus non aquae istius, quae creatura est: sed divinae illius gratiae, hoc est, Spiritus sancti; ipse est enim aqua viva. Propterea Dominus dicit: Si scires donum Dei, et quis est qui dicit tibi: Da mihi bibere; tu petisses ab eo, et dedisset tibi aquam vivam (Joan. IV, 10).

155. Hanc aquam sitivit anima David (Psal. XLI, 3). Harum fontem aquarum desiderat cervus, non sitiens venena serpentum. Viva est enim aqua gratiae spiritalis, eo quod mentis interna purificet, et omne animi peccatum abluat, occultorumque mundet errorem.