Book VII.

§1. The seventh book shows from various statements made to the Corinthians and to the Hebrews, and from the words of the Lord, that the word “Lord” is not expressive of essence, according to Eunomius’ exposition, but of dignity. and after many notable remarks concerning “the Spirit” and the Lord, he shows that Eunomius, from his own words, is found to argue in favour of orthodoxy, though without intending it, and to be struck by his own shafts.

Since, however, Eunomius asserts that the word “Lord” is used in reference to the essence and not to the dignity of the Only-begotten, and cites as a witness to this view the Apostle, when he says to the Corinthians, “Now the Lord is the Spirit757    2 Cor. iii. 17.,” it may perhaps be opportune that we should not pass over even this error on his part without correction. He asserts that the word “Lord” is significative of essence, and by way of proof of this assumption he brings up the passage above mentioned. “The Lord,” it says, “is the Spirit758    2 Cor. iii. 17..” But our friend who interprets Scripture at his own sweet will calls “Lordship” by the name of “essence,” and thinks to bring his statement to proof by means of the words quoted. Well, if it had been said by Paul, “Now the Lord is essence,” we too would have concurred in his argument. But seeing that the inspired writing on the one side says, “the Lord is the Spirit,” and Eunomius says on the other, “Lordship is essence,” I do not know where he finds support for his statement, unless he is prepared to say again759    It is not quite clear whether πάλιν is to be constructed with λέγοι or with κεῖσθαι, but the difference in sense is slight. that the word “Spirit” stands in Scripture for “essence.” Let us consider, then, whether the Apostle anywhere, in his use of the term “Spirit,” employs that word to indicate “essence.” He says, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit760    Rom. viii. 16.,” and “no one knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him761    1 Cor. ii. 11.,” and “the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life762    2 Cor. iii. 6.,” and “if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live763    Rom. viii. 13.,” and “if we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit764    Gal. v. 25..” Who indeed could count the utterances of the Apostle on this point? and in them we nowhere find “essence” signified by this word. For he who says that “the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,” signifies nothing else than the Holy Spirit Which comes to be in the mind of the faithful; for in many other passages of his writings he gives the name of spirit to the mind, on the reception by which of the communion of the Spirit the recipients attain the dignity of adoption. Again, in the passage, “No one knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him,” if “man” is used of the essence, and “spirit” likewise, it will follow from the phrase that the man is maintained to be of two essences. Again, I know not how he who says that “the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life,” sets “essence” in opposition to “letter”; nor, again, how this writer imagines that when Paul says that we ought “through the Spirit” to destroy “the deeds of the body,” he is directing the signification of “spirit” to express “essence”; while as for “living in the Spirit,” and “walking in the Spirit,” this would be quite unintelligible if the sense of the word “Spirit” referred to “essence.” For in what else than in essence do all we who are alive partake of life?—thus when the Apostle is laying down advice for us on this matter that we should “live in essence,” it is as though he said “partake of life by means of yourselves, and not by means of others.” If then it is not possible that this sense can be adopted in any passage, how can Eunomius here once more imitate the interpreters of dreams, and bid us to take “spirit” for “essence,” to the end that he may arrive in due syllogistic form at his conclusion that the word “Lord” is applied to the essence?—for if “spirit” is “essence” (he argues), and “the Lord is Spirit,” the “Lord” is clearly found to be “essence.” How incontestable is the force of this attempt! How can we evade or resolve this irrefragable necessity of demonstration? The word “Lord,” he says, is spoken of the essence. How does he maintain it? Because the Apostle says, “The Lord is the Spirit.” Well, what has this to do with essence? He gives us the further instruction that “spirit” is put for “essence.” These are the arts of his demonstrative method! These are the results of his Aristotelian science! This is why, in your view, we are so much to be pitied, who are uninitiated in this wisdom! and you of course are to be deemed happy, who track out the truth by a method like this—that the Apostle’s meaning was such that we are to suppose “the Spirit” was put by him for the Essence of the Only-begotten!

Then how will you make it fit with what follows? For when Paul says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit,” he goes on to say, “and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” If then “the Lord is the Spirit,” and “Spirit” means “essence,” what are we to understand by “the essence of the essence”? He speaks again of another Spirit of the Lord Who is the Spirit,—that is to say, according to your interpretation, of another essence. Therefore in your view the Apostle, when he writes expressly of “the Lord the Spirit,” and of “the Spirit of the Lord,” means nothing else than an essence of an essence. Well, let Eunomius make what he likes of that which is written; what we understand of the matter is as follows. The Scripture, “given by inspiration of God,” as the Apostle calls it, is the Scripture of the Holy Spirit, and its intention is the profit of men. For “every scripture,” he says, “is given by inspiration of God and is profitable”; and the profit is varied and multiform, as the Apostle says—“for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness765    2 Tim. iii. 16..” Such a boon as this, however, is not within any man’s reach to lay hold of, but the Divine intention lies hid under the body of the Scripture, as it were under a veil, some legislative enactment or some historical narrative being cast over the truths that are contemplated by the mind. For this reason, then, the Apostle tells us that those who look upon the body of the Scripture have “a veil upon their heart766    2 Cor. iii. 15.,” and are not able to look upon the glory of the spiritual law, being hindered by the veil that has been cast over the face of the law-giver. Wherefore he says, “the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life,” showing that often the obvious interpretation, if it be not taken according to the proper sense, has an effect contrary to that life which is indicated by the Spirit, seeing that this lays down for all men the perfection of virtue in freedom from passion, while the history contained in the writings sometimes embraces the exposition even of facts incongruous, and is understood, so to say, to concur with the passions of our nature, whereto if any one applies himself according to the obvious sense, he will make the Scripture a doctrine of death. Accordingly, he says that over the perceptive powers of the souls of men who handle what is written in too corporeal a manner, the veil is cast; but for those who turn their contemplation to that which is the object of the intelligence, there is revealed, bared, as it were, of a mask, the glory that underlies the letter. And that which is discovered by this more exalted perception he says is the Lord, which is the Spirit. For he says, “when it shall turn to the Lord the veil shall be taken away: now the Lord is the Spirit767    2 Cor. iii. 16, 17..” And in so saying he makes a distinction of contrast between the lordship of the spirit and the bondage of the letter; for as that which gives life is opposed to that which kills, so he contrasts “the Lord” with bondage. And that we may not be under any confusion when we are instructed concerning the Holy Spirit (being led by the word “Lord” to the thought of the Only-begotten), for this reason he guards the word by repetition, both saying that “the Lord is the Spirit,” and making further mention of “the Spirit of the Lord,” that the supremacy of His Nature may be shown by the honour implied in lordship, while at the same time he may avoid confusing in his argument the individuality of His Person. For he who calls Him both “Lord” and “Spirit of the Lord,” teaches us to conceive of Him as a separate individual besides the Only-begotten; just as elsewhere he speaks of “the Spirit of Christ768    Rom. viii. 9.,” employing fairly and in its mystic sense this very term which is piously employed in the system of doctrine according to the Gospel tradition. Thus we, the “most miserable of all men,” being led onward by the Apostle in the mysteries, pass from the letter that killeth to the Spirit that giveth life, learning from Him Who was in Paradise initiated into the unspeakable mysteries, that all things the Divine Scripture says are utterances of the Holy Spirit. For “well did the Holy Spirit prophesy769    Cf. Acts xxviii. 25.,”—this he says to the Jews in Rome, introducing the words of Isaiah; and to the Hebrews, alleging the authority of the Holy Spirit in the words, “wherefore as saith the Holy Spirit770    Heb. iii. 7.,” he adduces the words of the Psalm which are spoken at length in the person of God; and from the Lord Himself we learn the same thing,—that David declared the heavenly mysteries not “in” himself (that is, not speaking according to human nature). For how could any one, being but man, know the supercelestial converse of the Father with the Son? But being “in the Spirit” he said that the Lord spoke to the Lord those words which He has uttered. For if, He says, “David in the Spirit calls him Lord, how is He then his son771    S. Matt. xxii. 45; Cf. Ps. cx. 1.?” Thus it is by the power of the Spirit that the holy men who are under Divine influence are inspired, and every Scripture is for this reason said to be “given by inspiration of God,” because it is the teaching of the Divine afflatus. If the bodily veil of the words were removed, that which remains is Lord and life and Spirit, according to the teaching of the great Paul, and according to the words of the Gospel also. For Paul declares that he who turns from the letter to the Spirit no longer apprehends the bondage that slays, but the Lord which is the life-giving Spirit; and the sublime Gospel says, “the words that I speak are spirit and are life772    Cf. S. John vi. 63,” as being divested of the bodily veil. The idea, however, that “the Spirit” is the essence of the Only-begotten, we shall leave to our dreamers: or rather, we shall make use, ex abundanti, of what they say, and arm the truth with the weapons of the adversary. For it is allowable that the Egyptian should be spoiled by the Israelites, and that we should make their wealth an ornament for ourselves. If the essence of the Son is called “Spirit,” and God also is Spirit, (for so the Gospel tells us773    S. John iv. 24), clearly the essence of the Father is called “Spirit” also. But if it is their peculiar argument that things which are introduced by different names are different also in nature, the conclusion surely is, that things which are named alike are not alien one from the other in nature either. Since then, according to their account, the essence of the Father and that of the Son are both called “Spirit,” hereby is clearly proved the absence of any difference in essence. For a little further on Eunomius says:—“Of those essences which are divergent the appellations significant of essence are also surely divergent, but where there is one and the same name, that which is declared by the same appellation will surely be one also”:—so that at all points “He that taketh the wise in their own craftiness774    1 Cor. iii. 19; cf. Job v. 13.” has turned the long labours of our author, and the infinite toil spent on what he has elaborated, to the establishment of the doctrine which we maintain. For if God is in the Gospel called “Spirit,” and the essence of the Only-begotten is maintained by Eunomius to be “Spirit,” as there is no apparent difference in the one name as compared with the other, neither, surely, will the things signified by the names be mutually different in nature.

And now that I have exposed this futile and pointless sham-argument, it seems to me that I may well pass by without discussion what he next puts together by way of attack upon our master’s statement. For a sufficient proof of the folly of his remarks is to be found in his actual argument, which of itself proclaims aloud its feebleness. To be entangled in a contest with such things as this is like trampling on the slain. For when he sets forth with much confidence some passage from our master, and treats it with preliminary slander and contempt, and promises that he will show it to be worth nothing at all, he meets with the same fortune as befalls small children, to whom their imperfect and immature intelligence, and the untrained condition of their perceptive faculties, do not give an accurate understanding of what they see. Thus they often imagine that the stars are but a little way above their heads, and pelt them with clods when they appear, in their childish folly; and then, when the clod falls, they clap their hands and laugh and brag to their comrades as if their throw had reached the stars themselves. Such is the man who casts at the truth with his childish missile, who sets forth like the stars those splendid sayings of our master, and then hurls from the ground,—from his downtrodden and grovelling understanding,—his earthy and unstable arguments. And these, when they have gone so high that they have no place to fall from, turn back again of themselves by their own weight775    Altering Oehler’s punctuation slightly.. Now the passage of the great Basil is worded as follows776    S. Basil adv. Eunomium II. 4 (p. 240 C.). The quotation as here given is not in exact verbal agreement with the Benedictine text.:—

“Yet what sane man would agree with the statement that of those things of which the names are different the essences must needs be divergent also? For the appellations of Peter and Paul, and, generally speaking, of men, are different, while the essence of all is one: wherefore, in most respects we are mutually identical, and differ one from another only in those special properties which are observed in individuals: and hence also appellations are not indicative of essence, but of the properties which mark the particular individual. Thus, when we hear of Peter, we do not by the name understand the essence (and by ‘essence’ I here mean the material substratum), but we are impressed with the conception of the properties which we contemplate in him.” These are the great man’s words. And what skill he who disputes this statement displays against us, we learn,—any one, that is, who has leisure for wasting time on unprofitable matters,—from the actual composition of Eunomius.

From his writings, I say, for I do not like to insert in my own work the nauseous stuff our rhetorician utters, or to display his ignorance and folly to contempt in the midst of my own arguments. He goes on with a sort of eulogy upon the class of significant words which express the subject, and, in his accustomed style, patches and sticks together the cast-off rags of phrases: poor Isocrates is nibbled at once more, and shorn of words and figures to make out the point proposed,—here and there even the Hebrew Philo receives the same treatment, and makes him a contribution of phrases from his own labours,—yet not even thus is this much-stitched and many-coloured web of words finished off, but every assault, every defence of his conceptions, all his artistic preparation, spontaneously collapses, and, as commonly happens with the bubbles when the drops, borne down from above through a body of waters against some obstacle, produce those foamy swellings which, as soon as they gather, immediately dissolve, and leave upon the water no trace of their own formation—such are the air-bubbles of our author’s thoughts, vanishing without a touch at the moment they are put forth. For after all these irrefragable statements, and the dreamy philosophizing wherein he asserts that the distinct character of the essence is apprehended by the divergence of names, as some mass of foam borne downstream breaks up when it comes into contact with any more solid body, so his argument, following its own spontaneous course, and coming unexpectedly into collision with the truth, disperses into nothingness its unsubstantial and bubble-like fabric of falsehood. For he speaks in these words:—“Who is so foolish and so far removed from the constitution of men, as, in discoursing of men to speak of one as a man, and, calling another a horse, so to compare them?” I would answer him,—“You are right in calling any one foolish who makes such blunders in the use of names. And I will employ for the support of the truth the testimony you yourself give. For if it is a piece of extreme folly to call one a horse and another a man, supposing both were really men, it is surely a piece of equal stupidity, when the Father is confessed to be God, and the Son is confessed to be God, to call the one ‘created’ and the other ‘uncreated,’ since, as in the other case humanity, so in this case the Godhead does not admit a change of name to that expressive of another kind. For what the irrational is with respect to man, that also the creature is with respect to the Godhead, being equally unable to receive the same name with the nature that is superior to it. And as it is not possible to apply the same definition to the rational animal and the quadruped alike (for each is naturally differentiated by its special property from the other), so neither can you express by the same terms the created and the uncreated essence, seeing that those attributes which are predicated of the latter essence are not discoverable in the former. For as rationality is not discoverable in a horse, nor solidity of hoofs in a man, so neither is Godhead discoverable in the creature, nor the attribute of being created in the Godhead: but if He be God He is certainly not created, and if He be created He is not God; unless777    Altering Oehler’s punctuation., of course, one were to apply by some misuse or customary mode of expression the mere name of Godhead, as some horses have men’s names given them by their owners; yet neither is the horse a man, though he be called by a human name, nor is the created being God, even though some claim for him the name of Godhead, and give him the benefit of the empty sound of a dissyllable.” Since, then, Eunomius’ heretical statement is found spontaneously to fall in with the truth, let him take his own advice and stand by his own words, and by no means retract his own utterances, but consider that the man is really foolish and stupid who names the subject not according as it is, but says “horse” for “man,” and “sea” for “sky,” and “creature” for “God.” And let no one think it unreasonable that the creature should be set in opposition to God, but have regard to the prophets and to the Apostles. For the prophet says in the person of the Father, “My Hand made all these things”778    Is. lxvi. 2. Not verbally from the LXX., meaning by “Hand,” in his dark saying, the power of the Only-begotten. Now the Apostle says that all things are of the Father, and that all things are by the Son779    Cf. 1 Cor. viii. 6., and the prophetic spirit in a way agrees with the Apostolic teaching, which itself also is given through the Spirit. For in the one passage, the prophet, when he says that all things are the work of the Hand of Him Who is over all, sets forth the nature of those things which have come into being in its relation to Him Who made them, while He Who made them is God over all, Who has the Hand, and by It makes all things. And again, in the other passage, the Apostle makes the same division of entities, making all things depend upon their productive cause, yet not reckoning in the number of “all things” that which produces them: so that we are hereby taught the difference of nature between the created and the uncreated, and it is shown that, in its own nature, that which makes is one thing and that which is produced is another. Since, then, all things are of God, and the Son is God, the creation is properly opposed to the Godhead; while, since the Only-begotten is something else than the nature of the universe (seeing that not even those who fight against the truth contradict this), it follows of necessity that the Son also is equally opposed to the creation, unless the words of the saints are untrue which testify that by Him all things were made.

Ἐπεὶ δέ φησι τὴν Κύριος λέξιν τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ μονογενοῦς, οὐ τῆς ἀξίας κατηγορεῖσθαι, καὶ τὸν ἀπόστολον τούτοις ἐπιμαρτύρεται λέγοντα πρὸς Κορινθίους Ὁ δὲ κύριος τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστιν, εὔκαιρον ἂν εἴη μηδὲ ταύτην αὐτοῦ τὴν πλάνην περιϊδεῖν ἀδιόρθωτον. τὴν κύριος λέξιν τῆς οὐσίας εἶναι σημαντικὴν διορίζεται καὶ εἰς ἀπόδειξιν τῆς ὑπολήψεως ταύτης ἐπάγει τὸν ῥηθέντα λόγον. ἴδωμεν τοίνυν εἴ τι κοινὸν τοῦτο πρὸς τὸ προκείμενον ἔχει. Ὁ κύριος, φησί, τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστιν. ὁ δὲ τὴν γραφὴν πρὸς τὸ δοκοῦν ἐξηγούμενος οὐσίαν ὀνομάζει τὴν κυριότητα καὶ διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων οἴεται τὸν λόγον εἰς ἀπόδειξιν ἄγειν. ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν εἴρητο παρὰ τοῦ Παύλου Ὁ δὲ κύριος οὐσία ἐστί, καὶ ἡμεῖς τοῖς λεγομένοις ἂν συνεδράμομεν: ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ μὲν θεόπνευστος λόγος τὸ πνεῦμά φησιν εἶναι τὸν κύριον, ὁ δὲ Εὐνόμιος οὐσίαν λέγει τὴν κυριότητα, οὐκ οἶδα πόθεν ὁ λόγος αὐτῷ τὴν ἰσχὺν ἔχει, εἰ μὴ τάχα πάλιν καὶ τὴν τοῦ πνεύματος λέξιν ἀντὶ τῆς οὐσίας λέγοι παρὰ τῇ γραφῇ κεῖσθαι. ἐξετάσωμεν τοίνυν εἴ που τῇ τοῦ πνεύματος λέξει χρησάμενος ὁ ἀπόστολος τὴν οὐσίαν διὰ τῆς φωνῆς ἐνεδείξατο. Αὐτό, φησί, τὸ πνεῦμα συμμαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν, καὶ Οὐδεὶς οἶδε τὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, εἰ μὴ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ Τὸ γράμμα ἀποκτέννει, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ζωοποιεῖ, καὶ Εἰ πνεύματι τὰς πράξεις τοῦ σώματος θανατοῦτε, ζήσεσθε, καὶ Εἰ ζῶμεν πνεύματι, πνεύματι καὶ στοιχῶμεν, καὶ τίς ἂν ἐξαριθμήσαιτο τὰς τοῦ ἀποστόλου περὶ τούτου φωνάς, ἐν αἷς οὐδαμοῦ τὴν οὐσίαν διὰ τῆς λέξεως ταύτης σημαινομένην εὑρίσκομεν. ὁ γὰρ λέγων ὅτι Αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα συμμαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ τὸ ἅγιον ἐνδείκνυται πνεῦμα τὸ τῇ διανοίᾳ τῶν πιστῶν ἐγγινόμενον: καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸν νοῦν πολλαχῇ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ λόγων πνεῦμα κατονομάζει, οὗ δεξαμένου τὴν κοινωνίαν τοῦ πνεύματος παραγίνεται τοῖς δεξαμένοις τὸ τῆς υἱοθεσίας ἀξίωμα. καὶ τῷ Οὐδεὶς οἶδε τὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, εἰ μὴ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ, εἰ καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος κατὰ τῆς οὐσίας καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα ὡσαύτως, δύο οὐσίαι ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τῶν εἰρημένων εἶναι κατασκευάζεται. ὁ δὲ τὸ γράμμα λέγων ἀποκτιννύναι, ζωοποιεῖν δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα, οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως οὐσίαν ἀντιδιαστέλλει τῷ γράμματι. ἢ πάλιν πῶς οὗτος οἴεται λέγοντα τὸν Παῦλον πνεύματι δεῖν τὰς πράξεις τοῦ σώματος ἀναιρεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν οὐσίαν ἄγειν τὸ τοῦ πνεύματος σημαινόμενον; τὸ δὲ ζῆν πνεύματι καὶ στοιχεῖν πνεύματι, τοῦτο καὶ παντάπασιν ἔξω διανοίας ἂν εἴη, εἰ πρὸς τὴν οὐσίαν τὸ τοῦ πνεύματος σημαινόμενον φέροιτο. τίνι γὰρ ἄλλῳ καὶ οὐχὶ τῇ οὐσίᾳ τοῦ ζῆν μετέχομεν ἅπαντες οἱ ἐν τῷ ζῆν ὄντες; εἶτα περὶ τούτου συμβουλὴν ἡμῖν ὁ ἀπόστολος κατατίθεται οὐσίᾳ ζῆν, ὡς ἂν εἰ ἔλεγεν ὅτι δι' ὑμῶν αὐτῶν καὶ μὴ δι' ἑτέρων τῆς ζωῆς μετέχετε; εἰ οὖν οὐδαμοῦ ταύτην κυρίως ἔστι παραληφθῆναι τὴν ἔννοιαν, πῶς ἐνταῦθα πάλιν τοὺς ὑποκριτὰς τῶν ὀνείρων μιμούμενος ἀντὶ τῆς οὐσίας κελεύει τὸ πνεῦμα παραλαμβάνεσθαι, ἵνα συμπεράνῃ συλλογιστικῶς τὸ κατὰ τῆς οὐσίας συγκεῖσθαι τὴν κύριος λέξιν; εἰ γὰρ τὸ πνεῦμα οὐσία ἐστίν, ὁ δὲ κύριος τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστιν, ὁ κύριος οὐσία πάντως εὑρίσκεται. ὢ πῶς ἀνανταγώνιστος ἡ τοῦ ἐπιχειρήματος δύναμις. πῶς ἔστιν ἐκδῦναι καὶ ἀναλῦσαι τὴν ἀμήχανον ταύτην τῶν ἀποδείξεων ἀνάγκην; ὁ κύριος, φησί, κατὰ τῆς οὐσίας λέγεται, πῶς τοῦτο κατασκευάζων; ὅτι φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος Ὁ δὲ κύριος τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστι. τί οὖν τοῦτο πρὸς τὴν οὐσίαν; ἀλλὰ τὸ πνεῦμα κελεύων ἀντὶ τῆς οὐσίας τετάχθαι. αὗται τῶν ἀποδεικτικῶν ἐφόδων αἱ τέχναι, ταῦτα τῆς Ἀριστοτελικῆς τεχνολογίας τὰ κατορθώματα, διὰ τοῦτο ἐλεεινοὶ μὲν ἡμεῖς κατὰ τὸν σὸν λόγον οἱ τῆς σοφίας ταύτης ἀμύητοι, μακαριστὸς δὲ σὺ πάντως ὁ διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης ἐφόδου τἀληθὲς ἀνιχνεύων. οὕτω νοεῖς τὸν ἀπόστολον, ὡς ἀντὶ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ μονογενοῦς οἴεσθαι τὸ πνεῦμα παρ' αὐτοῦ τετάχθαι; πῶς οὖν ἁρμόσεις κατὰ τὸ ἀκόλουθον; οὐ γὰρ τούτοις τὸ νόημα περιγράφεται. εἰπὼν γὰρ ὁ Παῦλος Ὁ δὲ κύριος τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστιν, ἐπήγαγεν: Οὗ δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα κυρίου ἐλευθερία. εἰ οὖν κύριός ἐστιν ἡ οὐσία, οὐσία δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα, τίς πάλιν ἡ τῆς οὐσίας οὐσία; μία γὰρ οὐσία τὸ πνεῦμα κατὰ τὸν λόγον τὸν σόν, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὁ κύριος. πάλιν τοῦ κυρίου, ὅς ἐστι τὸ πνεῦμα, ἕτερον λέγει πνεῦμα, τουτέστιν ἄλλην οὐσίαν κατὰ τὴν σὴν ἑρμηνείαν. οὐδὲν οὖν ἄλλο κατὰ τὸν ὑμέτερον λόγον ἢ οὐσίαν οὐσίας νοεῖ ὁ ἀπόστολος, κύριον πνεῦμα καὶ πνεῦμα κυρίου διαρρήδην γράφων.
Ἀλλ' Εὐνομίῳ μὲν ἐχέτω τὰ γεγραμμένα κατὰ τὸ ἀρέσκον αὐτῷ, ὃ δὲ ἡμεῖς περὶ τούτων γινώσκομεν, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν. ἡ θεόπνευστος γραφή, καθὼς ὁ θεῖος ἀπόστολος αὐτὴν ὀνομάζει, τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματός ἐστι γραφή, τὸ δὲ βούλημα ταύτης ἡ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστὶν ὠφέλεια. Πᾶσα γάρ, φησί, γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος, ποικίλη δὲ καὶ πολυειδὴς ἡ ὠφέλεια, καθώς φησιν ὁ ἀπόστολος: πρὸς διδασκαλίαν, πρὸς ἐλεγμόν, πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν, πρὸς παιδείαν τὴν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ. τὸ δὲ τοιοῦτο κέρδος οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ προχείρου λαβεῖν ἔστι τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν, ἀλλ' οἷον παραπετάσματί τινι τῷ σώματι τῆς γραφῆς τὸ θεῖον ὑποκρύπτεται βούλημα, νομοθεσίας τινὸς ἢ ἱστορίας τῶν κατὰ τὸν νοῦν θεωρουμένων προβεβλημένης. διά τοι τοῦτο τοὺς πρὸς τὸ σῶμα βλέποντας τῆς γραφῆς ὁ ἀπόστολος κάλυμμα ἐπὶ τῆς καρδίας ἔχειν φησὶ καὶ μὴ δύνασθαι πρὸς τὴν δόξαν διαβλέψαι τοῦ πνευματικοῦ νόμου, κωλυομένους διὰ τοῦ ἐπιβεβλημένου τῷ προσωπείῳ τοῦ νομοθέτου καλύμματος. διό φησι Τὸ γράμμα ἀποκτέννει, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ζωοποιεῖ, δεικνὺς ὅτι πολλαχῇ τῶν γεγραμμένων ἡ πρόχειρος ἑρμηνεία, εἰ μὴ κατὰ τὸν προσήκοντα νοῦν ἐκληφθείη, τῇ διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑποδεικνυμένῃ ζωῇ τὸ ἐναντίον ποιεῖ, τοῦ μὲν τὸ τέλειον τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐν ἀπαθείᾳ πάσῃ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νομοθετοῦντος, τῆς δὲ τῶν γεγραμμένων ἱστορίας ἔστιν ὅπου καὶ ἀπεμφαινόντων πραγμάτων τινῶν περιεχούσης τὴν ἔκθεσιν καὶ οἱονεὶ συντρέχειν νομιζομένης τοῖς τῆς φύσεως πάθεσιν, οἷς εἴ τις προσέχοι κατὰ τὸ πρόχειρον, θανάτου διδασκαλίαν τὸ γράμμα ποιήσεται. τῶν μὲν οὖν σωματικώτερον τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ἐντυγχανόντων προβεβλῆσθαί φησι τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς αἰσθητηρίων τὸ κάλυμμα, τῶν δὲ εἰς τὸ νοητὸν τὴν θεωρίαν τρεπόντων οἷον προσωπείου τινὸς γυμνωθεῖσαν ἀνακαλύπτεσθαι τὴν ἐγκειμένην δόξαν τῷ γράμματι. τὸ δὲ διὰ τῆς ὑψηλοτέρας κατανοήσεως εὑρισκόμενον κύριον εἶναί φησιν, ὅπερ ἐστὶ τὸ πνεῦμα. ἡνίκα γὰρ ἂν ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς κύριον, περιαιρεῖσθαι λέγει τὸ κάλυμμα: ὁ δὲ κύριος τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστι. λέγει δὲ τοῦτο τῇ δουλείᾳ τοῦ γράμματος τὴν τοῦ πνεύματος ἀντιδιαιρῶν κυριότητα. ὡς γὰρ τῷ ἀποκτιννύντι τὸ ζωοποιοῦν ἀντιτίθεται, οὕτως ἀντιδιαστέλλει τῇ δουλείᾳ τὸν κύριον. καὶ ὡς ἂν μή τινα σύγχυσιν πάθοιμεν περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου διδασκόμενοι πνεύματος, διὰ τῆς τοῦ κυρίου φωνῆς πρὸς τὴν τοῦ μονογενοῦς ὑπόνοιαν ἐναγόμενοι, διὰ τοῦτο τῇ ἐπαναλήψει τὸν λόγον κατασφαλίζεται καὶ κύριον τὸ πνεῦμα εἰπὼν καὶ πνεῦμα κυρίου προσαγορεύσας, ἵνα τῷ τιμίῳ τῆς κυριότητος τὸ τῆς φύσεως ὑπερέχον ἐνδείξηται καὶ τὸ τῆς ὑποστάσεως ἰδιάζον μὴ συγχέῃ τῷ λόγῳ. ὁ γὰρ καὶ κύριον αὐτὸν καὶ κυρίου πνεῦμα εἰπὼν ἴδιόν τι παρὰ τὸν μονογενῆ διδάσκει νοεῖν: ὥσπερ καὶ ἑτέρωθι Χριστοῦ πνεῦμα λέγει, τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο καλῶς καὶ μυστικῶς τὸ κατὰ τὴν ἀκολουθίαν τοῦ δόγματος εὐσεβὲς κατὰ τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν παράδοσιν ὑπογράφων. οὕτως ἡμεῖς οἱ « πάντων ἐλεεινότατοι » παρὰ τοῦ ἀποστόλου μυσταγωγούμενοι ἐκ τοῦ ἀποκτιννύντος γράμματος πρὸς τὸ ζωοποιοῦν μεταβαίνομεν πνεῦμα, μαθόντες παρὰ τοῦ μυηθέντος ἐν παραδείσῳ τὰ ἄρρητα ὅτι ὅσα ἡ θεία γραφὴ λέγει, τοῦ πνεύματός εἰσι τοῦ ἁγίου φωναί. καλῶς γὰρ προεφήτευσε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. τοῦτο πρὸς τοὺς κατὰ Ῥώμην Ἰουδαίους εἰπὼν τὰς Ἠσαΐου φωνὰς ἐπιφέρει: καὶ πρὸς Ἑβραίους τὸ πνεῦμα προτάξας ἐν οἷς φησιν ὅτι Διὸ καθὼς λέγει τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ἐπάγει τὰ τῆς ψαλμῳδίας ῥήματα τὰ ἐκ προσώπου θεοῦ διεξοδικῶς εἰρημένα: καὶ παρ' αὐτοῦ δὲ τοῦ κυρίου τὸ ἴσον ἐμάθομεν, ὅτι Δαβὶδ οὐκ ἐν ἑαυτῷ μὲν ὤν, τουτέστιν οὐ κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν φθεγγόμενος, τὰ οὐράνια διεξῄει μυστήρια (πῶς γὰρ ἄν τις ἄνθρωπος ὢν τὸν ὑπερουράνιον διάλογον τοῦ πατρὸς πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν γνοίη;) ἀλλ' ἐν πνεύματι ὢν καὶ κύριον εἶπε τῷ κυρίῳ λαλεῖν ἃ εἴρηκεν. Εἰ γὰρ Δαβὶδ ἐν πνεύματι, φησί, καλεῖ αὐτὸν κύριον, πῶς υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἐστιν; οὐκοῦν τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ πνεύματος οἱ θεοφορούμενοι τῶν ἁγίων ἐμπνέονται καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος λέγεται, διὰ τὸ τῆς θείας ἐμπνεύσεως εἶναι διδασκαλίαν. εἰ περιαιρεθείη τὸ σωματικὸν τοῦ λόγου προκάλυμμα, τὸ λειπόμενον κύριός ἐστι καὶ ζωὴ καὶ πνεῦμα κατά τε τὸν μέγαν Παῦλον καὶ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου φωνήν. ὁ μὲν γὰρ Παῦλος τῷ ἐπιστρέψαντι ἐκ τοῦ γράμματος πρὸς τὸ πνεῦμα οὐκέτι τὴν ἀναιροῦσαν δουλείαν, ἀλλὰ κύριον εἶπε καταλαμβάνεσθαι, ὃς τὸ ζωοποιὸν πνεῦμά ἐστι. τὸ δὲ ὑψηλὸν εὐαγγέλιόν φησι: Τὰ ῥήματα ἃ ἐγὼ λαλῶ πνεῦμά ἐστι καὶ ζωή ἐστιν, ὡς γυμνὰ ὄντα τοῦ σωματικοῦ προκαλύμματος. οὐσίαν δὲ τοῦ μονογενοῦς τὸ πνεῦμα νοεῖν τοῖς ὀνειροπόλοις ἀφήσομεν, μᾶλλον δὲ κατὰ περιουσίαν πολλὴν καὶ τοῖς ἐκείνων χρησόμεθα καὶ διὰ τῶν ἐναντίων βελῶν καθοπλίσομεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. ἔξεστι γὰρ συλαγωγεῖσθαι παρὰ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν τὸν Αἰγύπτιον καὶ ποιῆσαι τὸν ἐκείνων πλοῦτον ἡμέτερον κόσμον: εἰ πνεῦμα λέγεται τοῦ υἱοῦ ἡ οὐσία, πνεῦμα δὲ καὶ ὁ θεός (οὕτω γὰρ λέγει καὶ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον), καὶ ἡ τοῦ πατρὸς οὐσία πάντως λέγεται πνεῦμα. ἀλλὰ εἰ μόνων ἐκείνων λόγος ἐστὶ τὰ ἀνομοίως προφερόμενα καὶ κατὰ τὴν φύσιν ἀνομοίως ἔχειν, συνάγεται πάντως τὰ ὡσαύτως λεγόμενα μηδὲ κατὰ τὴν φύσιν ἠλλοτριῶσθαι πρὸς ἄλληλα. ἐπεὶ οὖν κατὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτῶν πνεῦμα λέγεται τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡ οὐσία, τὸ μὴ εἶναι τῆς οὐσίας διαφορὰν διὰ τούτων σαφῶς ἀποδέδεικται.
Μικρὸν γὰρ μετὰ ταῦτά φησιν ὁ Εὐνόμιος ὅτι « τῶν παρηλλαγμένων οὐσιῶν παρηλλαγμέναι πάντως καὶ αἱ σημαντικαὶ τῆς οὐσίας εἰσὶ προσηγορίαι ἐφ' ὧν δὲ μία καὶ ἡ αὐτὴ φωνή, ἓν πάντως ἔσται καὶ τὸ τῇ αὐτῇ προσηγορίᾳ δηλούμενον »: ὥστε διὰ πάντων ὁ δρασσόμενος τοὺς σοφοὺς ἐν τῇ πανουργίᾳ αὐτῶν τοὺς μακροὺς πόνους τοῦ λογογράφου καὶ τοὺς μυρίους ἐπὶ τοῖς πονηθεῖσιν ἱδρῶτας πρὸς τὴν σύστασιν τοῦ καθ' ἡμᾶς δόγματος περιήγαγεν. εἰ γὰρ πνεῦμα μὲν ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ λέγεται, πνεῦμα δὲ τοῦ μονογενοῦς ἡ οὐσία παρὰ τοῦ Εὐνομίου κατασκευάζεται, τῷ ὀνόματι πρὸς τὸ ὄνομα μηδεμιᾶς ὑπούσης διαφορᾶς, οὐδὲ τὰ σημαινόμενα πάντως ὑπὸ τῶν ὀνομάτων ἀπ' ἀλλήλων κατὰ τὴν φύσιν διενεχθήσεται. καί μοι δοκεῖ καλῶς ἔχειν τὴν ἀδρανῆ ταύτην καὶ ἄπληκτον σκιαμαχίαν ἐλέγξαντα τὴν ἐφεξῆς αὐτῷ συγγεγραμμένην πρὸς κατηγορίαν τῶν τοῦ διδασκάλου λόγων παραδραμεῖν ἀνεξέταστον. ἔλεγχος γὰρ ἱκανὸς τῆς τῶν εἰρημένων ἐστὶ ματαιότητος αὐτὸς ὁ λόγος δι' ἑαυτοῦ βοῶν τὴν ἀσθένειαν. τὸ δὲ τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐν ἀγωνίᾳ συμπλέκεσθαι ἴσον ἐστὶ τῷ καὶ νεκροῖς ἐπεμβαίνειν. ἐκθέμενος γὰρ ἐκ πολλῆς πεποιθήσεως ῥῆσιν τοῦ διδασκάλου τινὰ καὶ προδιαβαλὼν καὶ διαπτύσας καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ μηδενὸς εἶναι δείξειν ἐπαγγειλάμενος ταὐτὸν ἔπαθε τοῖς νηπίοις τῶν παίδων, οἷς τὸ ἀτελὲς καὶ ἄωρον τῆς διανοίας καὶ τὸ τῶν αἰσθητηρίων ἀγύμναστον οὐκ ἀκριβῆ δίδωσι τῶν φαινομένων τὴν κατανόησιν: διὰ τοῦτο πολλάκις μικρὸν ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς εἶναι τοὺς ἀστέρας νομίζοντες βώλοις τισὶν ὑπὸ παιδικῆς ἀνοίας προφανέντας καταλιθάζουσιν, εἶτα καταπεσούσης τῆς βώλου σὺν κρότῳ καὶ γέλωτι πρὸς τοὺς ἡλικιώτας μεγαλαυχοῦσιν ὡς ἐπ' αὐτοὺς τοὺς ἀστέρας τῆς βολῆς ἐνεχθείσης. τοιοῦτος ὁ τῷ βέλει τῶν νηπίων τὴν ἀλήθειαν βαλών, ὃς καθάπερ ἀστέρας τινὰς τοὺς ὑπερλαμπεῖς ἐκείνους τοῦ διδασκάλου προεκθέμενος λόγους χαμόθεν ἐκ τῆς πεπατημένης καὶ χαμερποῦς διανοίας τοὺς γεώδεις τε καὶ ἀστάτους ἔρριψε λόγους, οἳ τοσοῦτον ὑψωθέντες, ὅσον μὴ ἔχειν ὅθεν πέσωσιν αὐτομάτως, τῷ ἑαυτῶν βάρει περιετράπησαν. ἡ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ μεγάλου Βασιλείου ῥῆσις οὕτως κατὰ τὴν λέξιν ἔχει. „καίτοι τίς ἂν τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ σωφρονῶν πρόσθοιτο, ὅτι ὧν τὰ ὀνόματά ἐστι διάφορα, τούτων παρηλλάχθαι καὶ τὰς οὐσίας ἀνάγκη; Πέτρου γὰρ καὶ Παύλου καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς ἀνθρώπων προσηγορίαι μὲν διάφοροι, οὐσία δὲ πάντων μία. διόπερ ἐν τοῖς πλείστοις οἱ αὐτοὶ ἀλλήλοις ἐσμέν, τοῖς δὲ ἰδιώμασι μόνοις τοῖς περὶ ἕκαστον θεωρουμένοις ἕτερος ἑτέρου διενηνόχαμεν. ὅθεν καὶ αἱ προσηγορίαι οὐχὶ τῶν οὐσιῶν εἰσι σημαντικαί, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἰδιοτήτων, αἳ τὸν καθ' ἕνα χαρακτηρίζουσιν. ὅταν οὖν ἀκούσωμεν Πέτρον, οὐ τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ νοοῦμεν ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος (οὐσίαν δὲ λέγω νῦν οὐ τὸ ὑλικὸν ὑποκείμενον), ἀλλὰ τῶν ἰδιωμάτων τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν θεωρουμένων τὴν ἔννοιαν ἐντυπούμεθα.„ Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ μέγας φησίν. ὁ δὲ μαχόμενος τοῖς εἰρημένοις οἵᾳ κέχρηται καθ' ἡμῶν τῇ εὐστοχίᾳ, ὅτῳ σχολὴ τοῖς ἀνονήτοις ἐνευκαιρεῖν, ἐξ αὐτῆς τοῦ Εὐνομίου τῆς συγγραφῆς διδασκέσθω. οὐ γάρ μοι φίλον τοῖς ἐμοῖς παρεντιθέναι πόνοις τὴν ναυτιώδη φλυαρίαν τοῦ ῥήτορος καὶ τὸ ἀμαθὲς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνόητον διὰ μέσου τῶν ἐμῶν λόγων ἐνστηλιτεύεσθαι. « ἔπαινον » γάρ τινα διεξέρχεται « λόγων τῶν σημαντικῶν τὸ ὑποκείμενον φανερούντων » καὶ διὰ τῆς συνήθους ἑαυτοῦ λέξεως συντίθησι καὶ διακολλᾷ τὰ ἐν τριόδοις ἀπερριμμένα τῶν λεξειδίων ῥακώματα, καὶ πάλιν ὁ τλήμων Ἰσοκράτης περιεσθίεται ῥήματά τε καὶ σχήματα πρὸς τὴν σύνθεσιν τοῦ προκειμένου παρατιλλόμενος, ἔστι δὲ ὅπου καὶ ὁ Ἑβραῖος Φίλων τὰ ἴσα πάσχει, ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων πόνων συνερανίζων αὐτῷ τὰ λεξείδια. καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐξειργάσθη τὸ πολυκέντητον τοῦτο καὶ πολύχρωμον τῶν λόγων ἐξύφασμα, ἀλλὰ πᾶν ἐπιχείρημα καὶ πᾶσα προβολὴ νοημάτων καὶ πᾶσα παρασκευὴ τεχνικὴ αὐτὴ περὶ ἑαυτὴν κατερρύη: καὶ οἷόν τι περὶ τὰς πομφόλυγας συμβαίνειν εἴωθεν, ὅταν πρός τι διὰ σύστασιν ὑδάτων ἄνωθεν αἱ σταγόνες φερόμεναι τὰς ἀφρώδεις ἐπαναστάσεις ἐργάζωνται, αἳ ὁμοῦ τε συνέστησαν καὶ παραχρῆμα διέπεσον, μηδὲν τῆς ἰδίας συστάσεως τοῖς ὕδασιν ἴχνος ὑπολειπόμεναι, τοιαῦται τῶν τοῦ λογογράφου νοημάτων αἱ φυσαλίδες ὁμοῦ τῷ προβληθῆναι δίχα τῶν ἁπτομένων κατασβεννύμεναι. μετὰ γὰρ τὰς ἀλύτους ἐκείνας κατασκευὰς καὶ τὴν ἐνύπνιον φιλοσοφίαν, δι' ἧς ταῖς τῶν ὀνομάτων παραλλαγαῖς τὸ διῃρημένον εἶπε τῆς οὐσίας καταλαμβάνεσθαι, καθάπερ τις ἀφρώδης ὄγκος κατὰ ῥοῦν ἀπαγόμενος ἐνσείσας τινὶ τῶν στερροτέρων διέπεσεν, οὕτω κατὰ τὸ αὐτόματον ὁ λόγος φερόμενος καὶ ἀπροόπτως τῇ ἀληθείᾳ προσενεχθεὶς τὴν ἀνυπόστατον ταύτην καὶ πομφολυγώδη τοῦ ψεύδους σύστασιν εἰς τὸ μὴ ὂν διεσκέδασεν. λέγει γὰρ τοῖς ῥήμασι τούτοις: « τίς οὕτως ἠλίθιος καὶ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης καταστάσεως ἐκτός, ὡς περὶ ἀνθρώπων διαλεγόμενος τὸν μὲν εἰπεῖν ἄνθρωπον, τὸν δὲ ἵππον καλεῖν συγκρίνων »; εἴποιμι ἂν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐγώ: καλῶς ὀνομάζεις ἠλίθιον τὸν οὕτως περὶ τὰς φωνὰς ἁμαρτάνοντα, καὶ χρήσομαί γε πρὸς συνηγορίαν τῆς ἀληθείας μάρτυρι σοί. εἰ γὰρ τῆς ἐσχάτης ἐστὶν ἠλιθιότητος τὸν μὲν ἵππον τὸν δὲ ἄνθρωπον λέγειν, εἴπερ ἄνθρωποι κατὰ ἀλήθειαν εἶεν ἀμφότεροι, τῆς ἴσης πάντως παραπληξίας ἐστί, θεοῦ μὲν τοῦ πατρός, θεοῦ δὲ τοῦ υἱοῦ εἶναι πεπιστευμένου, τὸν μὲν κτιστὸν τὸν δὲ ἄκτιστον λέγειν, ὡς ἐκεῖ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, οὕτως καὶ ἐνταῦθα τῆς θεότητος οὐκ ἐπιδεχομένης τὴν πρὸς τὸ ἑτερογενὲς παρατροπὴν τοῦ ὀνόματος. ὃ γάρ ἐστιν τὸ ἄλογον πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, τοῦτο καὶ ἡ κτίσις πρὸς τὴν θεότητα, κατὰ τὸ ἴσον μὴ δυναμένη τὸν αὐτὸν ἐπιδέξασθαι τῷ προάγοντι λόγον. καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἔστι τὸν αὐτὸν ἐφαρμόσαι ὅρον τῷ λογικῷ τε καὶ τῷ τετράποδι (διΐσταται γὰρ φυσικῶς ἑκάτερον ἀπὸ τοῦ ἑτέρου τῷ ἰδιάζοντι), οὕτως οὐδὲ τὴν κτιστήν τε καὶ ἄκτιστον οὐσίαν διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ἑρμηνεύσεις, τῶν ἐπὶ ταύτης λεγομένων τῆς οὐσίας οὐκ ἐφευρισκομένων τῇ ἄλλῃ. ὡς γὰρ οὐχ εὑρίσκεται τὸ λογικὸν ἐν ἵππῳ οὐδὲ ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ τὸ μονώνυχον, οὕτως οὔτε τῇ κτίσει ἡ θεότης « ἐνθεωρεῖται » οὔτε τῇ θεότητι τὸ διὰ κτίσεως εἶναι: ἀλλ' εἰ θεός, πάντως καὶ ἄκτιστος, εἰ δὲ κτιστός, οὐ θεός, εἰ μή τις ἄρα διὰ καταχρήσεώς τινος καὶ συνηθείας λόγων ψιλὸν ἐπὶ τὴν κτίσιν ἄγοι τὸ τῆς θεότητος ὄνομα, καθάπερ καὶ ἵπποις τισὶ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα τῶν ὀνομάτων παρὰ τῶν ἱππικῶν ἐπιβέβληται: ἀλλ' οὔτε ὁ ἵππος ἄνθρωπος, κἂν ἀνθρωπίνῃ προσηγορίᾳ κατονομάζηται, οὔτε τὸ κτίσμα θεός, κἂν προσμαρτυρῶσιν αὐτῷ τινες τὴν φωνὴν τῆς θεότητος, φθόγγον διάκενον ἐν δυάδι συλλαβῶν χαριζόμενοι. ἐπεὶ οὖν συνηνέχθη κατὰ τὸ αὐτόματον ὁ τῆς αἱρέσεως λόγος πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν, αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ συμβουλευσάτω τοῖς οἰκείοις ἐμμένειν καὶ μηδενὶ τρόπῳ τὰς ἑαυτοῦ φωνὰς ἀνατίθεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τῷ ὄντι νομίζειν ἠλίθιον εἶναι καὶ παρεξεστηκότα τὸν τὸ ὑποκείμενον μὴ ὡς ἐστὶν ὀνομάζοντα, ἀλλ' ἀντὶ ἀνθρώπου ἵππον καὶ ἀντὶ οὐρανοῦ θάλασσαν καὶ ἀντὶ θεοῦ λέγοντα κτίσμα. καὶ μηδεὶς οἰέσθω παράλογον ἀντιδιαιρεῖσθαι τῷ θεῷ τὴν κτίσιν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοὺς προφήτας καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἀποστόλους βλεπέτω. ὁ μὲν γὰρ προφήτης φησὶν ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ πατρὸς ὅτι Ἡ χείρ μου ἐποίησε ταῦτα πάντα, χεῖρα τὴν τοῦ μονογενοῦς δύναμιν ἐν αἰνίγματι λέγων, ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς εἶναι τὰ πάντα καὶ διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τὰ πάντα λέγει. συμβαίνει δέ πως τὸ προφητικὸν πνεῦμα τῇ ἀποστολικῇ διδασκαλίᾳ καὶ ταύτῃ διὰ πνεύματος γενομένῃ: ἐκεῖ τε γὰρ τὰ πάντα τῆς χειρὸς ἔργα τοῦ ἐπὶ πάντων ὁ προφήτης εἰπὼν διαστέλλει τὴν τῶν γεγονότων φύσιν πρὸς τὸν ποιήσαντα, ὁ δὲ ποιήσας ἐστὶ διὰ τῆς ἰδίας χειρὸς τὰ πάντα ὁ ἐπὶ πάντων θεός, τὴν μὲν χεῖρα ἔχων, τὰ δὲ πάντα δι' αὐτῆς ἐργαζόμενος. καὶ ἐνταῦθα πάλιν ὁ ἀπόστολος τὴν αὐτὴν ποιεῖται τῶν ὄντων τομήν, τὰ πάντα μὲν τῆς ποιητικῆς ἐξάπτων αἰτίας, οὐκ ἐν τοῖς πᾶσι δὲ τὸ ποιοῦν ἐξαριθμήσας, ὡς σαφῶς διὰ τούτων τὸ τῆς φύσεως διάφορον τοῦ κτιστοῦ πρὸς τὸ ἄκτιστον διδαχθῆναι, καὶ ἄλλο μὲν τὸ ποιοῦν κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν φύσιν, ἕτερον δὲ τὸ γινόμενον δείκνυσθαι. ἐπεὶ οὖν τὰ πάντα ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ, θεὸς δὲ ὁ υἱός, καλῶς ἡ κτίσις ἀντιδιαστέλλεται τῇ θεότητι, τοῦ δὲ μονογενοῦς ἄλλο τι παρὰ τὴν τῶν πάντων ὄντος φύσιν καὶ οὐδὲ τῶν μαχομένων τῇ ἀληθείᾳ πρὸς τοῦτο ἐνισταμένων, ἀνάγκη πᾶσα καὶ τῷ υἱῷ κατὰ τὸ ἴσον ἀντιδιαιρεῖσθαι τὴν κτίσιν, εἴπερ μὴ ψεύδονται δι' αὐτοῦ γεγενῆσθαι τὰ πάντα τῶν ἁγίων αἱ φωναὶ μαρτυρόμεναι.