Chapter VI.

The passages of Scripture above cited are taken as an occasion for a digression, wherein our Lord’s freedom of action is proved from the ascription to the Spirit of such freedom, and from places where it is attributed to the Son.

47. Let us now, for the present, explain more fully why our Lord said, “If it be possible,” and so call a truce, as it were, while we show that He possessed freedom of will. Ye deny—so far are ye gone in the way of iniquity—that the Son of God had a free will. Moreover, it is your wont to detract from the Holy Spirit, though you cannot deny that it is written: “The Spirit doth breathe, where He will.”302    S. John iii. 8. The same word in Greek at least, serves to denote “wind” and “spirit”—the invisible and yet sensible and real air, wind, or breath being taken as the best emblem of the spirit, which is known and its presence realized only by its effects. Spiritus, “spirit,” primarily means “breath.” “Where He will,” saith the Scripture, not “where He is ordered.” If, then, the Spirit doth breathe where He will, cannot the Son do what He will? Why, it is the very same Son of God Who in His Gospel saith that the Spirit has power to breathe where He will. Doth the Son, therefore, confess the Spirit to be greater, in that He has power to do what is not permitted to Himself?

48. The Apostle also saith that “all is the work of one and the same Spirit, distributing to each according to His will.”303    1 Cor. xii. 11. “According to His will,” mark you—that is, according to the judgment of a free will, not in obedience to compulsion. Furthermore, the gifts distributed by the Spirit are no mean gifts, but such works as God is wont to do,—the gift of healing and of working deeds of power. While the Spirit, then, distributes as He will, the Son of God cannot set free whom He will. But hear Him speak when He does even as He will: “I have willed to do Thy will, O my God;”304    Ps. xl. 10. and again: “I will offer Thee a freewill offering.”305    Ps. liv. 8.

49. The holy Apostle later knew that Jesus had it in His power to do as He would, and therefore, seeing Him walk upon the sea, said: “Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come to Thee over the waters.”306    S. Matt. xiv. 28. Peter believed that if Christ commanded, the natural conditions could be changed, so that water might support human footsteps, and things discrepant be reduced to harmony and agreement. Peter asks of Christ to command, not to request: Christ requested not, but commanded, and it was done—and Arius denies it!

50. What indeed is there that the Father will have, but the Son will not, or that the Son will have, but the Father will not? “The Father quickeneth whom He will,” and the Son quickeneth whom He will, even as it is written.307    S. John v. 21. Tell me now whom the Son hath quickened, and the Father would not quicken. Since, however, the Son quickeneth whom He will, and the action [of Father and Son] is one, you see that not only doeth the Son the Father’s will, but the Father also doeth the Son’s. For what is quickening but quickening through the passion of Christ? But the passion of Christ is the Father’s will. Whom, therefore, the Son quickeneth, He quickeneth by the will of the Father; therefore their will is one.

51. Again, what was the will of the Father, but that Jesus should come into the world and cleanse us from our sins? Hear the words of the leper: “If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.”308    S. Matt. viii. 2. Christ answered, “I will,” and straightway health, the effect, followed. See you not that the Son is master of His own will, and Christ’s will is the same as the Father’s. Indeed, seeing that He hath said, “All things that the Father hath are Mine,”309    S. John xvi. 15. nothing of a certainty being excepted, the Son hath the same will that the Father hath.

479 CAPUT VI.

Occasione superiorum Scripturae locorum tantisper digrediens, libertatem Domini primum ex eo quod eadem praeditus affirmetur Spiritus sanctus, deinde expressis quibus ipsa Filio Dei attribuitur, testimoniis demonstrat.

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47. Ergo ut quasi interpositis plenioris expositionis paulisper induciis, cur dixerit: Si possibile est, voluntatis interim liberae Dominum fuisse doceamus. In tantum processistis impietatis, ut negetis quod Filius Dei liberae voluntatis sit! At certe soletis etiam sancto Spiritui derogare, et negare non potestis scriptum esse: Spiritus ubi vult, spirat (Joan. III, 8). Ubi vult, inquit, non ubi jubetur. Ergo si Spiritus ubi vult, spirat, Filius quod vult, non agit? Et certe idem Dei Filius in Evangelio suo dicit, ubi velit spirandi suppetere Spiritui facultatem. Numquid ergo superiorem fatetur; quia illi licet, quod sibi non licet?

0569C 48. Apostolus quoque dicit quia omnia operatur unus atque idem Spiritus, dividens singulis prout vult (I Cor. XII, 11). Prout vult, inquit, hoc est, pro liberae voluntatis arbitrio, non pro necessitatis obsequio. Et dividit Spiritus non mediocria; sed quae Deus consuevit operari, gratiam curationum, et operationem virtutum. Ergo dividit Spiritus prout vult, Filius Dei non liberat, quem vult? Sed audi etiam ipsum agere quod vult. Dixit enim: Ut faciam voluntatem tuam, Deus meus, volui (Psal. XXXIX, 9). Et alibi: Voluntarie sacrificabo tibi (Psal. LIII, 8).

49. Scivit sanctus apostolus Petrus Jesum in potestate habere quae vellet; et ideo cum videret ambulare eum supra mare, ait: Domine, si tu es, jube me venire ad te super aquas (Matth. XIV, 28). Petrus 0569D credidit quia si Christus jubeat, naturae possit conditio mutari; ut humanis se subjiciat unda vestigiis, et discrepantium naturarum possit convenire concordia. Petrus poscit ut jubeat, non ut roget Christus: Christus non rogavit, sed jussit, et factum est: et Arius contradicit?

50. Quid est tamen quod Patre velit, Filius nolit: aut Filius velit et Patre nolit? Pater quos vult, vivificat; 0570A et Filius quos vult, vivificat, sicut scriptum est (Joan. V, 21). Dic nunc quos vivificaverit Filius, et Pater vivificare noluerit. Cum autem Filius quos velit vivificet, et operatio una sit; vides quia non solum Filius voluntatem Patris, sed etiam Pater Filii faciat voluntatem? Quid est autem vivificare, nisi per Filii passionem? Passio autem Christi voluntas est Patris. Quos ergo Filius vivificat, per Patris vivificat voluntatem. Una igitur est voluntas.

51. Quae autem voluntas Patris, nisi ut veniret Jesus in hunc mundum, et nos mundaret a vitiis? 480 Audi leprosum dicentem: Si vis, potes me mundare (Matth. VIII, 2). Respondit Christus, Volo; et statim secutus est effectus sanitatis. Vides quia Filius suae arbiter voluntatis est, et Christi voluntas 0570B eadem quae paterna est? Quamquam cum dixerit: Omnia quae Pater habet, mea sunt (Joan. XVI, 15): sine dubio quia nihil excipitur, quam Pater habet, eamdem habet et Filius voluntatem.