7. In these terms the Catholic faith is expressed. But as for those who speak evil of the Spirit and call him a creature, if what we have said does not make them repent, then may what we are about to say overwhelm them with shame. If there is a Triad, and if the faith is faith in a Triad, let them tell us whether it was always a Triad, or whether there was once when it was not a Triad. If the Triad is eternal, the Spirit is not a creature, for he coexists eternally with the Word and is in him. As for the creatures, there was a time when they were not. If he is a creature, and the creatures are from nothing, it is clear that there was once when the Triad was not a Triad but a dyad. What greater impiety can man utter? They are saying that the Triad owes its existence to alteration and progress; that it was a dyad, and waited for the birth of a creature which should be ranked with the Father and the Son, and with them become the Triad. God forbid that such a notion should so much as enter the minds of Christian people ! As the Son, because he always exists, is not a creature; so, because the Triad always exists, there is no creature in it. Therefore the Spirit is not a creature. As it always was, so it now is; as it now is, so it always was. It is the Triad, and therein Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And God is one, the Father, who is ‘over all and through all and in all’, who is ‘blessed for ever. Amen’.

I have written this in brief, as you directed, and am sending it. If anything is lacking therein, as a man of understanding, be kind enough to supply it. Read it ‘to them that are of the household of faith’, and refute those who love contention and evil speech. Perhaps, even by a late repentance, they may wash away from their souls the perversity which formerly was in them. It were well for them, as it is written, ‘to turn aside and not to tarry’; lest, by delaying, they should hear that which was spoken by the Lord: ‘Whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in the age to come.’

Τῆς μὲν οὖν καθολικῆς πίστεως ὁ χαρακτὴρ οὗτος. Οἱ δὲ δυσφημοῦντες εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα, καὶ λέγον τες αὐτὸ κτίσμα, εἰ μὴ ἐκ τῶν εἰρημένων μεταγι νώσκουσι, κἂν ἐκ τῶν λεχθησομένων αἰσχυνόμενοι καταδυέτωσαν. Εἰ Τριάς ἐστι, καὶ ἐν Τριάδι ἐστὶν ἡ πίστις, εἰπάτωσαν, εἰ ἀεὶ Τριάς ἐστιν, ἢ ἦν, ὅτε οὐκ ἦν Τριάς. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀΐδιός ἐστιν ἡ Τριὰς, οὐκ ἔστι κτίσμα τὸ Πνεῦμα, ἀϊδίως συνὸν τῷ Λόγῳ καὶ ἐν αὐ τῷ ὄν. Τὰ γὰρ κτίσματα ἦν, ὅτε οὐκ ἦν. Εἰ δὲ κτίσμα ἐστὶ, τὰ δὲ κτίσματα ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἐστὶ, δῆλον, ὅτι ἦν, ὅτε οὐκ ἦν Τριὰς, ἀλλὰ δυάς. Καὶ τί τούτου ἀσεβέστερον ἄν τις εἴποι; Ἐκ μεταβολῆς καὶ προκο πῆς λέγουσι συνίστασθαι τὴν Τριάδα, καὶ δυάδα μὲν εἶναι, ἐκδέχεσθαι δὲ κτίσματος γένεσιν, ἵνα μετὰ Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ συνταχθῇ καὶ γένηται ἡ Τριάς. Μὴ γένοιτο κἂν εἰς νοῦν ποτε ἐλθεῖν Χριστιανῶν τὸ τοιοῦτον! Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἀεὶ ὢν ὁ Υἱὸς οὐκ ἔστι κτίσμα, οὕ τως ἀεὶ οὔσης τῆς Τριάδος, οὐδέν ἐστιν ἐν αὐτῇ κτίσμα· διὸ οὐκ ἔστι κτίσμα τὸ Πνεῦμα. Ὡς γὰρ ἀεὶ ἦν, οὕτως ἐστὶ καὶ νῦν· καὶ ὡς νῦν ἐστιν, οὕτως ἀεὶ ἦν, καὶ ἔστιν ἡ Τριὰς, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ Πατὴρ, καὶ Υἱὸς, καὶ Πνεῦμα ἅγιον. Καὶ εἷς Θεὸς ὁ Πατὴρ ὁ ἐπὶ πάντων, καὶ διὰ πάντων, καὶ ἐν πᾶσι, ὅς ἐστιν εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν, ὡς ἐδήλωσας, δι' ὀλίγων καὶ ταῦτα καταγράψας ἀπέστειλα· σὺ δὲ ὡς συνετὸς, εἴ τι καὶ ἐν τούτοις λείπει, θέλησον πληρῶσαι· καὶ τοῖς μὲν οἰκείοις τῆς πίστεως ἀνάγνωθι, τοὺς δὲ φιλονεικοῦντας δυσφημεῖν ἔλεγχε· τάχα κἂν ὀψέ ποτε μεταγνόντες, ἀπονίψωσιν ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ἑαυτῶν τὴν προγενομένην ἐν αὐ τοῖς κακόνοιαν. Καλὸν γὰρ αὐτοὺς, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ἀποπηδῆσαι καὶ μὴ ἐγχρονίσαι· ἵνα μὴ ἐπιμένοντες ἀκούσωσι τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου· «Ὃς δ' ἂν εἴπῃ κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου, οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ οὔτε ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, οὔτε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι.