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158.1 Since my sins stood against me so that I was unable to bring to completion the desire I have long had for a meeting with you, at least by letter I console myself for the absence; and we ask you not to cease remembering us in your prayers, so that, if we live, we might be deemed worthy to enjoy your company, but if not, through the help of your prayers we might depart from this world with good hope. And we commend to you the brother in charge of the camels.

159.τ TO EUPATERIUS AND HIS DAUGHTER

159.1 How much gladness the letter of your decency afforded me, you yourself surely guess from what was written. For what could be more pleasant for a man who prays always to converse with those who fear God and to partake of the profit from them, from such letters by which the knowledge of God is sought. For if for us to live is Christ, it follows that our speech ought to be about Christ, and our thought and every action dependent on his commandments, and our soul formed according to him. Therefore I rejoice to be asked about such things and I rejoice with those who ask. To us, therefore, in a word, the faith of the Fathers who gathered at Nicaea is preferred to all those devised later, in which the Son is confessed to be consubstantial with the Father and to be of the same nature as the one who begot him. For Light from Light, and God from God, and Good from Good, and all such things were both confessed by those holy men and are now testified to by us, who pray to walk in their footsteps. 159.2 But since the question that has now arisen from those who are always attempting to innovate something, having been passed over in silence by the ancients because it was indisputable, was left unarticulated (I mean, that concerning the Holy Spirit), we add the statement concerning this in accordance with the meaning of Scripture, that as we are baptized, so also we believe, as we believe, so also we give glory. Since, therefore, baptism was given to us by the Savior in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we offer the confession of faith in accordance with the baptism, and the doxology in accordance with the faith, glorifying together with the Father and the Son the Holy Spirit, being persuaded that he is not alien to the divine nature. For that which is estranged by nature would not share in the same honors. But we pity those who call the Holy Spirit a creature, as falling into the unforgivable fall of blasphemy against him, through such a statement. For that creation is distinct from divinity needs no argument for those who have been even slightly trained in the Scriptures. For creation serves, but the Spirit makes free; creation is in need of life, the Spirit is that which gives life; creation needs teaching, the Spirit is that which teaches; creation is sanctified, the Spirit is that which sanctifies. Whether you say angels, or archangels, or all the supramundane powers, they receive holiness through the Spirit. But the Spirit himself has holiness by nature, not having received it by grace, but it being co-essential with him; whence also he has exceptionally obtained the title of "the Holy." That which, therefore, is holy by nature, just as the Father is holy by nature and the Son is holy by nature, we can neither endure to separate and sever from the divine and blessed Trinity, nor do we accept those who readily number it with creation. Let these things, as in summary, be said sufficiently for your piety. For from small seeds you will cultivate the greater part of piety, with the Holy Spirit working with you. “For give an opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser.” But we will postpone the more perfect teaching for a face-to-face meeting, by which it is possible both to resolve objections, and to provide broader testimonies from the Scriptures, and to confirm every sound type of faith. But for the present, grant pardon for the brevity. For also

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158.1 Ἐπειδὴ ἀντέστησάν μοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι μου πρὸς τὸ μὴ δυνηθῆναί με ἣν πάλαι ἔσχον ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς ὑμετέρας συντυχίας ἀγαγεῖν εἰς πέρας, γράμμασι γοῦν παραμυθοῦ μαι τὴν ἀπόλειψιν· καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν ὑμᾶς μὴ διαλιπεῖν μεμνημένους ἡμῶν ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς, ἵνα, ἐὰν ζῶμεν, καταξιωθῶμεν ὑμῶν ἀπολαῦσαι, εἰ δὲ μή, διὰ τῆς βοηθείας τῶν προσευχῶν ὑμῶν μετὰ ἀγαθῆς ἐλπίδος μεταναστῶμεν ἀπὸ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου. Τὸν δὲ ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἐπὶ τὰς κα μήλους παρατιθέμεθα ὑμῖν.

159.τ ΕΥΠΑΤΕΡΙΩ ΚΑΙ ΤΗ ΘΥΓΑΤΡΙ

159.1 Ὅσην εὐφροσύνην παρέσχε μοι τὸ γράμμα τῆς κοσμιό τητός σου εἰκάζεις πάντως αὐτὸς τοῖς ἐπεσταλμένοις. Τί γὰρ ἂν ἥδιον γένοιτο ἀνθρώπῳ εὐχὴν ποιουμένῳ φοβου μένοις ἀεὶ Θεὸν προσομιλεῖν καὶ τοῦ παρ' αὐτῶν κέρδους μεταλαμβάνειν, γραμμάτων τοιούτων, δι' ὧν ἡ Θεοῦ γνῶσις ἐπιζητεῖται. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ ζῆν ἡμῖν Χριστός, ἀκολούθως καὶ ὁ λόγος ἡμῶν περὶ Χριστοῦ ὀφείλει εἶναι καὶ ἡ ἔννοια καὶ πᾶσα πρᾶξις τῶν ἐντολῶν αὐτοῦ ἠρτῆσθαι καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν κατ' αὐτὸν μεμορφῶσθαι. Χαίρω τοίνυν περὶ τοιούτων ἐρωτώμενος καὶ συγχαίρω τοῖς ἐρωτῶσιν. Ἡμῖν τοίνυν ἑνὶ μὲν λόγῳ ἡ τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνελθόντων Πατέρων πίστις πασῶν τῶν ὕστερον ἐφευρεθεισῶν προτετίμηται, ἐν ᾗ ὁμοούσιος ὁμολογεῖται ὁ Υἱὸς τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ὑπάρχων φύσεως ἧς ὁ γεννήσας. Φῶς γὰρ ἐκ Φωτὸς καὶ Θεὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ καὶ Ἀγαθὸν ἐξ Ἀγαθοῦ καὶ τὰ τοιαῦταπάντα ὑπό τε τῶν ἁγίων ἐκείνων ὡμολογήθη καὶ ὑφ' ἡμῶν νῦν, τῶν εὐχομένων κατ' ἴχνη βαίνειν ἐκείνοις, προσμαρτυ ρεῖται. 159.2 Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸ νῦν ἀνακύψαν παρὰ τῶν ἀεί τι και νοτομεῖν ἐπιχειρούντων ζήτημα, παρασιωπηθὲν τοῖς πάλαι διὰ τὸ ἀναντίρρητον, ἀδιάρθρωτον κατελείφθη (λέγω δὴ τὸ περὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος), προστίθεμεν τὸν περὶ τούτου λόγον ἀκολούθως τῇ τῆς Γραφῆς ἐννοίᾳ, ὅτι ὡς βαπτιζό μεθα, οὕτω καὶ πιστεύομεν, ὡς πιστεύομεν, οὕτω καὶ δοξολογοῦμεν. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν βάπτισμα ἡμῖν δέδοται παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος εἰς ὄνομα Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ καὶ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ἀκόλουθον τῷ βαπτίσματι τὴν ὁμολογίαν τῆς πίστεως παρεχόμεθα, ἀκόλουθον δὲ καὶ τὴν δοξολογίαν τῇ πίστει, συνδοξάζοντες Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα τῷ πεπεῖσθαι μὴ ἀλλότριον εἶναι τῆς θείας φύσεως. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν τῶν αὐτῶν μετέσχε τιμῶν τὸ ἀπεξενωμένον κατὰ τὴν φύσιν. Τοὺς δὲ κτίσμα λέγοντας τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον ἐλεοῦμεν ὡς εἰς τὸ ἀσυγχώρητον πτῶμα τῆς εἰς αὐτὸ βλασφημίας, διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης φωνῆς, καταπίπτοντας. Ὅτι γὰρ διώρισται κτίσις θεότητος οὐδενὸς λόγου προσδεῖ τοῖς κἂν μικρὸν ταῖς Γραφαῖς ἐγγεγυμνασμένοις. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ κτίσις δουλεύει, τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα ἐλευθεροῖ· ἡ κτίσις ζωῆς προσδεής ἐστι, τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστι τὸ ζωοποιοῦν· ἡ κτίσις διδασκαλίας δεῖται, τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστι τὸ διδάσκον· ἡ κτίσις ἁγιάζεται, τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστι τὸ ἁγιάζον. Κἂν ἀγγέ λους εἴπῃς, κἂν ἀρχαγγέλους, κἂν πάσας τὰς ὑπερκοσμίους δυνάμεις, διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τὴν ἁγιωσύνην λαμβάνουσιν. Αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα φυσικὴν ἔχει τὴν ἁγιότητα οὐ κατὰ χάριν λαβόν, ἀλλὰ συνουσιωμένην αὐτῷ· ὅθεν καὶ τῆς προσ ηγορίας τῆς τοῦ Ἁγίου ἐξαιρέτως τετύχηκεν. Ὃ τοίνυν φύσει ἅγιον, ὡς φύσει ἅγιος ὁ Πατὴρ καὶ φύσει ἅγιος ὁ Υἱός, οὔτε αὐτοὶ τῆς θείας καὶ μακαρίας Τριάδος χωρίσαι καὶ διατεμεῖν ἀνεχόμεθα, οὔτε τοὺς εὐκόλως τῇ κτίσει συναριθμοῦντας ἀποδεχόμεθα. Ταῦτα, ὥσπερ ἐν κεφαλαίῳ, ἀρκούντως τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ ὑμῶν εἰρήσθω. Ἀπὸ γὰρ μικρῶν σπερμάτων γεωργήσετε τὸ πλεῖον τῆς εὐσεβείας συνεργοῦν τος ὑμῖν τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος. «∆ίδου γὰρ σοφῷ ἀφορμὴν καὶ σοφώτερος ἔσται.» Τὴν δὲ τελειοτέραν δι δασκαλίαν εἰς τὴν κατ' ὀφθαλμοὺς συντυχίαν ὑπερθησό μεθα, δι' ἧς καὶ τὰ ἀντικείμενα ἐπιλύσασθαι, καὶ πλατυτέ ρας τὰς ἐκ τῶν Γραφῶν παρασχέσθαι μαρτυρίας, καὶ πάντα τύπον τὸν ὑγιῆ τῆς πίστεως βεβαιώσασθαι δυνατόν. Τὸ δὲ νῦν ἔχον συγγνώμην νείματε τῇ βραχύτητι. Καὶ γὰρ