ΤΟΥ ΕΝ ΑΓΙΟΙΣ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΗΜΩΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΥ Ἀρχιεπισκόπου Καισαρείας Καππαδοκίας ΠΕΡΙ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΠΝΕΥΜΑΤΟΣ πρὸς τὸν ἐν ἁγίοις Ἀμφιλόχιον ἐπίσκοπον Ἰκονίου.   

 [1] Ἐπῄνεσα τὸ φιλομαθές σου καὶ φιλόπονον τοῦ τρόπου, καὶ ἥσθην γε ὑπερφυῶς τῷ ἐπιστατικῷ καὶ νηφαλίῳ τῆς διανοίας, δι' ἣν οὐδεμίαν ἀδιερεύνητον οἴει

 [2] Εἰ δὲ τῷ «ἀνοήτῳ ἐπερωτήσαντι σοφία λογισθήσεται», τὸν συνετὸν ἀκροατήν, τὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου «τῷ θαυμαστῷ συμβούλῳ» παραζευχθέντα, πόσου ἄξιον λο

 [3] Προσευχομένῳ μοι πρῴην μετὰ τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ ἀμφοτέρως τὴν δοξολογίαν ἀποπληροῦντι τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί, νῦν μὲν μετὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ σὺν τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ, ν

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Βʹ   Ποίαν ἔσχεν ἀρχὴν ἡ περὶ τὰς συλλαβὰς τῶν αἱρετικῶν παρατήρησις. 

 [4] Ἡ περὶ τὰς συλλαβὰς καὶ τὰς λέξεις τῶν ἀνδρῶν τούτων μικρολογία οὐχ ἁπλῆ τίς ἐστιν, ὡς ἄν τῳ δόξαι, οὐδὲ εἰς μικρὸν τοῦ κακοῦ φέρουσα, ἀλλὰ βαθεῖα

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Γʹ   Ὅτι ἐκ τῆς ἔξωθεν σοφίας ἡ περὶ τῶν συλλαβῶν τεχνολογία. 

 [5] Ὑπηγάγετο μέντοι αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὴν ἀπάτην ταύτην καὶ ἡ τῶν ἔξωθεν παρατήρησις, οἳ τὸ ἐξ οὗ καὶ τὸ δι' οὗ κεχωρισμένοις κατὰ τὴν φύσιν πράγμασι προσδ

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Δʹ   Ὅτι ἀπαρατήρητος τῇ Γραφῇ τῶν συλλαβῶν τούτων ἡ χρῆσις. 

 [6] Ἡμεῖς δὲ κεχρῆσθαι μὲν πολλαχοῦ ταῖς φωναῖς ταύταις καὶ τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας λόγον ὁμολογοῦμεν: οὐ μὴν τήν γε τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐλευθερίαν δουλεύειν πάντω

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Εʹ   Ὅτι καὶ ἐπὶ Πατρὸς λέγεται τὸ δι' οὗ, καὶ ἐπὶ Υἱοῦ τὸ ἐξ οὗ, καὶ ἐπὶ Πνεύματος. 

 [7] Τὰ μὲν δὴ ἐκείνων, τοιαῦτα: ἡμεῖς δὲ δείξομεν ὃ προεθέμεθα, ὅτι οὔτε ὁ Πατὴρ τὸ ἐξ οὗ λαβὼν τῷ Υἱῷ προσέρριψε τὸ δι' οὗ, οὔτε ὁ Υἱὸς πάλιν τὸ Πνεῦ

 [8] Εἰ δὲ πρὸς ταύτην ἡμῶν τὴν ἐκδοχὴν ἐνίστανται, τίς αὐτοὺς ἐξαιρήσεται λόγος τοῦ μὴ οὐχὶ φανερῶς ἑαυτοῖς περιπίπτειν Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐπὶ τοῦ Κυρίου δώσο

 [9] Γράφων ὁ ἀπόστολος πρὸς Ἐφεσίους, φησίν: «Ἀληθεύοντες δὲ ἐν ἀγάπῃ, αὐξήσωμεν εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα, ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ Χριστός, ἐξ οὗ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα συνα

 [10] Ὅτι δὲ τὴν δι' οὗ φωνὴν ὁμοίως ἐπί τε Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἡ Γραφὴ παραδέχεται, ἤδη δεικτέον. Ἐπὶ μὲν δὴ τοῦ Υἱοῦ παρέλκον ἂν εἴη

 [11] Τὰ αὐτὰ δὲ ταῦτα καὶ περὶ τῆς ἐν συλλαβῆς εἰπεῖν ἔχομεν, ὅτι καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς τὴν χρῆσιν αὐτῆς ἡ Γραφὴ παραδέδεκται, ὡς ἐπὶ μὲν Παλαιᾶ

 [12] Οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς θεολογίας αἱ χρήσεις τῶν φωνῶν ἐπαλλάττονται, ἀλλ' ἤδη καὶ πρὸς τὰ ὑπ' ἀλλήλων σημαινόμενα πολλάκις ἀντιμεθίστανται, ὅταν ἑτέ

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Ϛʹ   Ἀπάντησις πρὸς τοὺς ἀποφαινομένους, μὴ μετὰ Πατρὸς εἶναι τὸν Υἱόν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τὸν Πατέρα, ἐν ᾧ τὰ περὶ τῆς ὁμοτίμου δόξης. 

 [13] Καὶ μὴν οὐδὲ πρὸς τὴν ἐξ ἀγνοίας συγγνώμην δυνατὸν αὐτοὺς καταφυγεῖν, οὕτω τεχνικῶς καὶ κακοήθως τὸν λόγον ὑπολαμβάνοντας. Οἵγε προδήλως ἡμῖν χαλ

 [14] Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐκεῖνο πρῶτον αὐτοὺς ἐρωτήσωμεν, τὸ μετὰ τὸν Πατέρα πῶς τὸν Υἱὸν λέγουσιν ὡς χρόνῳ νεώτερον, ἢ ὡς τάξει, ἢ ὡς ἀξίᾳ Ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ μέν, οὐδ

 [15] Εἰ δ' ὡς ἐν τόπῳ ὑποκειμένῳ ὑπόβασίν τινα τοῦ Υἱοῦ νοοῦσι πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, ὥστε ὑπεράνω μὲν τὸν Πατέρα καθῆσθαι, πρὸς δὲ τὸ ἐφεξῆς εἰς τὸ κάτω τὸ

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Ζʹ   Πρὸς τοὺς λέγοντας μὴ ἁρμόζειν ἐπὶ Υἱοῦ λέγεσθαι τὸ μεθ' οὗ, ἀλλὰ τὸ δι' οὗ. 

 [16] Ἀλλὰ τὸ μετ' αὐτοῦ λέγειν, φασίν, ἀπεξενωμένον παντελῶς καὶ ἀσύνηθες: τὸ δὲ δι' αὐτοῦ, τῷ τε λόγῳ τῆς Γραφῆς οἰκειότατον, καὶ ἐν τῇ χρήσει τῆς ἀδ

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Ηʹ   Ποσαχῶς τὸ δι' οὗ, καὶ ἐπὶ ποίας ἐννοίας ἁρμοδιώτερον τὸ μεθ' οὗ: ἐν ᾧ καὶ ἐξήγησις, πῶς ἐντολὴν λαμβάνει ὁ Υἱὸς καὶ πῶς ἀποστέλλεται.

 [17] Ὅταν οὖν ὁ ἀπόστολος εὐχαριστῇ «τῷ Θεῷ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ», καὶ πάλιν δι' αὐτοῦ λέγῃ τὴν χάριν εἰληφέναι «καὶ τὴν ἀποστολὴν εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως ἐν

 [18] Δι' αὐτοῦ γὰρ πᾶσα βοήθεια τῶν ψυχῶν, καὶ καθ' ἕκαστον εἶδος ἐπιμελείας ἰδιάζουσά τις προσηγορία ἐπινενόηται. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ τὴν ἄμωμον ψυχήν, τὴν

 [19] Ὁποία δὲ πάλιν καὶ ἡ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς εἰς ἡμᾶς δι' αὐτοῦ χορηγία τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἑξῆς ἂν εἴη λέγειν. Ὅτι πάσης τῆς φύσεως, τῆς ἐν τῇ κτίσει, τῇ τε ὁρω

 [20] Ὅταν οὖν λέγῃ: «Ἐγὼ ἐξ ἐμαυτοῦ οὐκ ἐλάλησα», καὶ πάλιν: «Καθὼς εἴρηκέ μοι ὁ Πατήρ, οὕτω λαλῶ», καί: «Ὁ λόγος ὃν ἀκούετε, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμός, ἀλλὰ τοῦ

 [21] «Ὁ ἑωρακὼς ἐμέ, ἑώρακε τὸν Πατέρα», οὐ τὸν χαρακτῆρα, οὐδὲ τὴν μορφήν: καθαρὰ γὰρ συνθέσεως ἡ θεία φύσις: ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀγαθὸν τοῦ θελήματος, ὅπερ σύνδ

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Θʹ   Ἀφοριστικαὶ ἔννοιαι περὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος τῇ τῶν Γραφῶν ἀκολουθοῦσαι διδασκαλίᾳ. 

 [22] Ἤδη δὲ καὶ περὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος τὰς κοινὰς ἡμῶν ἐννοίας ὁποῖαί τινές εἰσιν ἐξετάσωμεν, τάς τε ἐκ τῶν Γραφῶν περὶ αὐτοῦ συναχθείσας ἡμῖν καὶ ἃς ἐκ τ

 [23] Οἰκείωσις δὲ Πνεύματος πρὸς ψυχὴν οὐχ ὁ διὰ τόπου προσεγγισμὸς_πῶς γὰρ ἂν πλησιάσαι τῷ ἀσωμάτῳ σωματικῶς _ἀλλ' ὁ χωρισμὸς τῶν παθῶν, ἅπερ ἀπὸ τῆ

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Ιʹ   Πρὸς τοὺς λέγοντας μὴ χρῆναι συντάσσειν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. 

 [24] Οὐ χρή, φασί, Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ συντετάχθαι τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, διά τε τὸ τῆς φύσεως ἀλλότριον καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀξίας καταδεές. Πρὸς οὓς δίκαιον τὴν τῶν ἀποστ

 [25] Ἀλλ' ἡ μὲν παρασκευὴ τοῦ καθ' ἡμῶν πολέμου ἐξήρτυται καὶ πᾶσα διάνοια πρὸς ἡμᾶς τέταται, καὶ γλῶσσαι βλασφήμων ὧδε τοξεύουσι σφοδρότερον βάλλουσα

 [26] Χριστιανοὶ πόθεν ἡμεῖς Διὰ τῆς πίστεως, πᾶς τις ἂν εἴποι. Σῳζόμεθα δὲ τίνα τρόπον Ἀναγεννηθέντες δηλονότι διὰ τῆς ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι χάριτος. Πόθ

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΙΑʹ   Ὅτι παραβάται οἱ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἀρνούμενοι. 

 [27] Τίνι οὐαί τίνι θλῖψις τίνι ἀπορία καὶ σκότος τίνι αἰωνία κατάκρισις Οὐ τοῖς παραβάταις οὐ τοῖς τὴν πίστιν ἀρνησαμένοις Τίς δὲ τῆς ἀρνήσεως

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΙΒʹ   Πρὸς τοὺς λέγοντας ἐξαρκεῖν καὶ μόνον τὸ εἰς τὸν Κύριον βάπτισμα. 

 [28] Καὶ μηδένα παρακρουέσθω τὸ τοῦ ἀποστόλου, ὡς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ βαπτίσματος μνήμης πολλάκις παραλιμπάνοντος

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΙΓʹ   Αἰτίας ἀπόδοσις διὰ τὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ παρὰ τῷ Παύλῳ συμπαρελήφθησαν. 

 [29] Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερα, φησί, συναριθμούμενα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ, οὐχὶ καὶ συνδοξάζεται πάντως. Ὡς ὁ ἀπόστολος ἀγγέλους συμπαρελάβετο, εἰς τὴν διαμαρτυρίαν τὴν

 [30] Καὶ οὐχ οὗτος μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντες ἁπλῶς οἱ λόγου τινὰ διακονίαν πεπιστευμένοι, οὐδένα χρόνον διαμαρτυρόμενοι παύονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν κα

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΙΔʹ   Ἔνστασις, ὅτι καὶ εἰς Μωϋσῆν τινες ἐβαπτίσθησαν, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτόν, καὶ πρὸς ταύτην ἀπάντησις, ἐν οἷς καὶ τὰ περὶ τύπων. 

 [31] Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ εἰ βαπτιζόμεθα, φησίν, εἰς αὐτό, οὐδ' οὕτω δίκαιον μετὰ Θεοῦ τετάχθαι. Καὶ γὰρ «καὶ εἰς τὸν Μωϋσῆν τινες ἐβαπτίσθησαν, ἐν τῇ νεφέλῃ καὶ

 [32] Τί οὖν ἐπειδὴ τυπικῶς εἰς Μωϋσῆν ἐβαπτίσθησαν, διὰ τοῦτο μικρὰ ἡ τοῦ βαπτίσματος χάρις Οὕτω μὲν οὖν οὐδ' ἂν ἄλλο τι μέγα εἴη τῶν ἡμετέρων, εἴπε

 [33] Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ εἰς τὸν Μωϋσέα πίστις οὐ τὴν εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα πίστιν ὀλίγου τινὸς ἀξίαν δείκνυσιν: ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν τούτων λόγον, μᾶλλον τὴν εἰς τὸν Θεὸν τῶ

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΙΕʹ   Ἀπάντησις πρὸς ἀνθυποφορὰν ὅτι καὶ εἰς ὕδωρ βαπτιζόμεθα: ἐν ᾧ καὶ τὰ περὶ βαπτίσματος. 

 [34] Τί οὖν πρὸς τούτοις ἔτι Πολλῶν γὰρ διαλύσεων εὐποροῦσιν. Καὶ εἰς ὕδωρ, φασί, βαπτιζόμεθα, καὶ οὐ δήπου τὸ ὕδωρ πάσης ὁμοῦ τῆς κτίσεως προτιμήσομ

 [35] Ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν περὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον οἰκονομία ἀνάκλησίς ἐστιν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκπτώσεως, καὶ ἐπάνοδος εἰς οἰκείωσιν Θεοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς διὰ τὴν παρακο

 [36] Διὰ Πνεύματος ἁγίου ἡ εἰς παράδεισον ἀποκατάστασις: ἡ εἰς βασιλείαν οὐρανῶν ἄνοδος: ἡ εἰς υἱοθεσίαν ἐπάνοδος: ἡ παρρησία τοῦ καλεῖν ἑαυτῶν Πατέρα

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΙϚʹ   Ὅτι ἀχώριστον ἐπὶ πάσης ἐννοίας, Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, ἐπί τε τῆς τῶν νοητῶν δημιουργίας καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων οἰκονομί

 [37] Ἐπὶ οὖν τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπανίωμεν, ὅπως ἐν πᾶσιν ἀχώριστόν ἐστι καὶ ἀδιάστατον παντελῶς Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. Ἐν τῷ περὶ τοῦ χαρίσματος τῶ

 [38] Μάθοις δ' ἂν τὴν πρὸς Πατέρα καὶ Υἱὸν τοῦ Πνεύματος κοινωνίαν καὶ ἐκ τῶν δημιουργημάτων τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς. Αἱ γὰρ καθαραὶ καὶ νοεραὶ καὶ ὑπερκόσμιοι δ

 [39] Τὰς δὲ περὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον οἰκονομίας, τὰς ὑπὸ «τοῦ μεγάλου Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ» κατὰ τὴν ἀγαθότητα τοῦ Θεοῦ γενομένας, τίς ἀντερεῖ

 [40] Εὕροι δὲ ἄν τις ἀκριβῶς λογιζόμενος, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ καιροῦ τῆς προσδοκωμένης ἐπιφανείας τῆς ἐξ οὐρανῶν τοῦ Κυρίου, μὴ ἀσυντελὲς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον,

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΙΖʹ   Πρὸς τοὺς λέγοντας μὴ συναριθμεῖσθαι Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, ἀλλ' ὑπαριθμεῖσθαι: ἐν ᾧ καὶ περὶ τῆς εὐσεβοῦς συναριθμήσεως κεφα

 [41] Τὴν δὲ ὑπαρίθμησιν ὃ καὶ λέγουσι, καὶ κατὰ τίνος σημαινομένου τὴν φωνὴν ταύτην ἄγουσιν, οὐδὲ ἐπινοῆσαι ῥᾴδιον. Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ ἐκ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου σοφί

 [42] Τί γὰρ λέγουσιν Ὁρᾶτε αὐτῶν τῆς ἀλαζονείας τὰ ῥήματα. Ἡμεῖς τοῖς μὲν ὁμοτίμοις φαμὲν τὴν συναρίθμησιν πρέπειν: τοῖς δὲ πρὸς τὸ χεῖρον παρηλλαγμέ

 [43] Καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν ὑπαριθμεῖσθαι τῷ Πατρὶ λέγετε, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τῷ Υἱῷ, ἢ τῷ Πνεύματι μόνῳ τὴν ὑπαρίθμησιν ἀφορίζετε Εἰ μὲν γὰρ καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν ὑπαριθμεῖ

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΙΗʹ   Πῶς ἐν τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ τῶν τριῶν ὑποστάσεων τὸ εὐσεβὲς τῆς μοναρχίας δόγμα διατηροῦμεν, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὁ κατὰ τῶν τὸ Πνεῦμα ὑπαριθμεῖσθαι φασκό

 [44] Πατέρα καὶ Υἱὸν καὶ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα παραδιδοὺς ὁ Κύριος, οὐ μετὰ τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ συνεξέδωκεν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν ὅτι εἰς πρῶτον καὶ δεύτερον καὶ τρίτον: οὐδὲ

 [45] Οὐ γὰρ κατὰ σύνθεσιν ἀριθμοῦμεν, ἀφ' ἑνὸς εἰς πλῆθος ποιούμενοι τὴν παραύξησιν, ἓν καὶ δύο καὶ τρία λέγοντες, οὐδὲ πρῶτον καὶ δεύτερον καὶ τρίτον

 [46] Καὶ οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν μόνον τῆς κατὰ τὴν φύσιν κοινωνίας αἱ ἀποδείξεις, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἶναι λέγεται: οὐχ ὡς τὰ πάντα ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐ

 [47] Ἐπειδὴ δὲ διὰ δυνάμεως φωτιστικῆς τῷ κάλλει τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου εἰκόνος ἐνατενίζομεν, καὶ δι' αὐτῆς ἀναγόμεθα ἐπὶ τὸ ὑπέρκαλον τοῦ ἀρχετύπου

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΙΘʹ   Πρὸς τοὺς λέγοντας μὴ εἶναι δοξαστὸν τὸ Πνεῦμα. 

 [48] Ἔστω ταῦτα, φησίν, ἀλλ' οὐχὶ καὶ δόξα πάντως ὀφειλομένη ἐστὶ τῷ Πνεύματι, ὥστε δοξολογίαις ἀνυψοῦσθαι παρ' ἡμῶν. Πόθεν ἂν οὖν τῆς ὑπερεχούσης πάν

 [49] Αἱ δὲ ἐνέργειαι τίνες Ἄρρητοι μὲν διὰ τὸ μέγεθος, ἀνεξαρίθμητοι δὲ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος. Πῶς μὲν γὰρ νοήσομεν τὰ τῶν αἰώνων ἐπέκεινα τίνες ἦσαν αὐτοῦ

 [50] Ἀλλὰ «καὶ ἐντυγχάνει, φησίν, ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν». Ὥστε ὅσον ἱκέτης τοῦ εὐεργέτου λείπεται, τοσοῦτον τὸ Πνεῦμα κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν ἀποπέπτωκε τοῦ Θεοῦ. Σὺ δὲ οὔ

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Κʹ   Πρὸς τοὺς λέγοντας μήτε ἐν δουλικῇ τάξει μήτε ἐν δεσποτικῇ εἶναι τὸ Πνεῦμα, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ τῶν ἐλευθέρων. 

 [51] Οὔτε δοῦλόν φησιν, οὔτε δεσπότην, ἀλλ' ἐλεύθερον. Ὢ τῆς δεινῆς ἀναλγησίας, ὢ τῆς ἐλεεινῆς ἀφοβίας τῶν ταῦτα λεγόντων. Τί πλέον αὐτῶν ὀδύρωμαι τὸ

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΚΑʹ   Μαρτυρίαι ἐκ τῶν Γραφῶν τοῦ κυριολογεῖσθαι τὸ Πνεῦμα. 

 [52] Καὶ τί δεῖ ἐκ τῶν ταπεινῶν ἀπομαχομένους, αἰσχρῶς τὴν νίκην κατακτᾶσθαι τῷ λόγῳ, ἐξὸν τῇ παραθέσει τῶν σεμνοτέρων ἀναντίρρητον τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΚΒʹ   Σύστασις τῆς κατὰ τὴν φύσιν κοινωνίας τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἐκ τοῦ ὁμοίως εἶναι Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ πρὸς θεωρίαν δυσέφικτον. 

 [53] Οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐξ ὧν τὰς αὐτὰς προσηγορίας ἔχει καὶ κοινωνόν ἐστι τῶν ἐνεργειῶν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ, τὸ ὑπερέχον αὐτοῦ τῆς φύσεως γνώριμον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξ ὧν

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΚΓʹ   Ὅτι δοξολογία Πνεύματός ἐστιν ἡ τῶν προσόντων αὐτῷ ἀπαρίθμησις. 

 [54] Τῶν μὲν οὖν ἄλλων ἑκάστη δυνάμεων ἐν περιγραπτῷ τόπῳ τυγχάνειν πεπίστευται. Ὁ γὰρ τῷ Κορνηλίῳ ἐπιστὰς ἄγγελος, οὐκ ἦν ἐν ταὐτῷ καὶ παρὰ τῷ Φιλίππ

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΚΔʹ   Ἔλεγχος τῆς ἀτοπίας τῶν μὴ δοξαζόντων τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐκ τῆς πρὸς τὰ ἐν τῇ κτίσει δοξαστὰ παραθέσεως. 

 [55] Εἶτα «δόξῃ μὲν καὶ τιμῇ ἐστεφάνωται» ὁ κοινὸς ἄνθρωπος, καὶ «δόξα καὶ τιμὴ καὶ εἰρήνη παντὶ τῷ ποιοῦντι τὸ ἀγαθὸν» ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις ἀπόκειται. Ἔστι

 [56] Σκεψώμεθα οὖν τὰ καθέκαστον. Φύσει ἐστὶν ἀγαθόν, ὡς ἀγαθὸς ὁ Πατὴρ καὶ ἀγαθὸς ὁ Υἱός. Ἡ κτίσις δὲ ἐν τῇ ἐκλογῇ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ μέτοχός ἐστι τῆς ἀγαθότ

 [57] Ἐν ἡμῖν, φησί, τὸ Πνεῦμα ὡς δῶρόν ἐστι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὐ δήπου δὲ τὸ δῶρον ταῖς ἴσαις τιμαῖς τῷ δεδωκότι σεμνύνεται. Δῶρον μὲν οὖν Θεοῦ τὸ Πνεῦμα

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΚΕʹ   Ὅτι τῇ ἐν συλλαβῇ ἀντὶ τῆς σὺν ἡ Γραφὴ κέχρηται, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὅτι ἡ καὶ ἰσοδυναμεῖ τῇ σύν. 

 [58] Πῶς οὖν, φησίν, ἡ Γραφὴ οὐδαμοῦ συνδοξαζόμενον Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ τὸ Πνεῦμα παρέδωκεν, ἀλλὰ πεφυλαγμένως ἐξέκλινε τὸ ‘σὺν τῷ Πνεύματι’ εἰπεῖν πανταχο

 [59] Ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἀμφοτέρας ἐν τῇ τῶν πιστῶν χρήσει καταλαμβάνοντες τὰς ῥήσεις, ἀμφοτέραις κεχρήμεθα: τὴν μὲν δόξαν τῷ Πνεύματι ὁμοίως ἀφ' ἑκατέρας πληρο

 [60] Πρὸς δὲ τὴν ἐν συλλαβὴν ἐκεῖνο μάλιστα τὸ διάφορον ἔχει, ὅτι ἡ μὲν σὺν τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους συνάφειαν τῶν κοινωνούντων παρίστησιν, οἷον τῶν συμπλεόν

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΚϚʹ   Ὅτι ὁσαχῶς λέγεται τὸ ἐν, τοσαυταχῶς καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος λαμβάνεται. 

 [61] Ἐμοὶ τοίνυν σκοπουμένῳ δοκεῖ, ἁπλῆς καὶ συντόμου τῆς ἐκφωνήσεως οὔσης, πολλὰ καὶ ποικίλα εἶναι τὰ δι' αὐτῆς σημαινόμενα. Ὁσαχῶς γὰρ λέγεται τὸ ἐν

 [62] Ὃ δὲ παράδοξον μὲν εἰπεῖν, ἀληθὲς δὲ οὐδενὸς ἔλαττον, ὅτι καὶ ὡς χώρα τῶν ἁγιαζομένων πολλάκις τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγεται. Καὶ φανήσεται οὐδὲ οὗτος ὁ τρόπ

 [63] Ἐν μὲν οὖν τοῖς γεννητοῖς οὕτω πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως ἐνεῖναι λέγεται τὸ Πνεῦμα: Πατρὶ δὲ καὶ Υἱῷ οὐχὶ ἐνεῖναι μᾶλλον, ἀλλὰ συνεῖναι εἰπεῖν εὐσ

 [64] Δεύτερος δὲ νοῦς, οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ἀπόβλητος: ὅτι ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ Υἱῷ ὁρᾶται ὁ Πατήρ, οὕτως ὁ Υἱὸς ἐν τῷ Πνεύματι. Ἡ τοίνυν ἐν τῷ Πνεύματι προσκύνησις, τὴν

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΚΖʹ   Πόθεν ἡ σὺν ἤρξατο συλλαβὴ καὶ ποίαν δύναμιν ἔχει, ἐν ᾧ καὶ τὰ περὶ τῶν ἀγράφων τῆς Ἐκκλησίας νομίμων. 

 [65] Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν, φασίν, ἰδίως προσηκούσης τῷ Πνεύματι τῆς ἐν συλλαβῆς, καὶ εἰς πᾶσαν ἡμῖν τὴν περὶ αὐτοῦ ἔννοιαν ἐξαρκούσης, τὴν καινὴν ταύτην ὑ

 [66] Τῶν ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ πεφυλαγμένων δογμάτων καὶ κηρυγμάτων, τὰ μὲν ἐκ τῆς ἐγγράφου διδασκαλίας ἔχομεν, τὰ δὲ ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων παραδόσεως διαδοθέ

 [67] Ἐπιλείψει με ἡ ἡμέρα, τὰ ἄγραφα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μυστήρια διηγούμενον. Ἐῶ τἄλλα: αὐτὴν δὲ τὴν ὁμολογίαν τῆς πίστεως εἰς Πατέρα καὶ Υἱὸν καὶ ἅγιον Πν

 [68] Εἴρηται μὲν οὖν τίς ἡ δύναμις ἑκατέρας τῆς ἐκφωνήσεως. Εἰρήσεται δὲ καὶ πάλιν, ὅπη τε συμφωνοῦσιν ἀλλήλαις καὶ ὅπη διίστανται: οὐκ ἀπομαχόμεναι π

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΚΗʹ   Ὅτι ἃ περὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων λέγει ἡ Γραφὴ ὡς συμβασιλευόντων Χριστῷ, ταῦτα περὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος οὐ συγχωροῦσιν οἱ ἀντιλέγοντες. 

 [69] Ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ εἴ τινα ἀπολογίαν τοῖς πατράσιν ἡμῶν τῆς χρήσεως ταύτης ἐπινοήσομεν. Οἱ γὰρ τὴν ἀρχὴν παρασχόντες τῷ λόγῳ, μᾶλλον ἡμῶν ὑπόκεινται τ

 [70] Αἰσχύνομαι ἐπαγαγεῖν τὰ λειπόμενα, ὅτι σὺ μὲν συνδοξασθήσεσθαι Χριστῷ προσδοκᾷς_«εἴπερ γὰρ συμπάσχομεν ἵνα καὶ συνδοξασθῶμεν»_, τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα τῆς

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ΚΘʹ   Ἀπαρίθμησις τῶν ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ διαφανῶν, ὅσοι ἐχρήσαντο ἐν τοῖς συγγράμμασιν ἑαυτῶν τῇ φωνῇ σύν. 

 [71] Πρός γε μὴν τὸ ἀμάρτυρον καὶ ἄγραφον εἶναι τὴν σὺν τῷ Πνεύματι δοξολογίαν, ἐκεῖνο λέγομεν: ὅτι εἰ μὲν μηδὲν ἕτερον ἄγραφον, μηδὲ τοῦτο παραδεχθήτ

 [72] Εἰρηναῖος ἐκεῖνος, καὶ Κλήμης ὁ Ῥωμαῖος, καὶ Διονύσιος ὁ Ῥωμαῖος, καὶ ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεὺς Διονύσιος, ὃ καὶ παράδοξον ἀκοῦσαι, ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ πρὸς τὸν ὁμ

 [73] Ἤδη δὲ καὶ Ὠριγένην ἐν πολλαῖς τῶν εἰς τοὺς ψαλμοὺς διαλέξεων εὕρομεν, σὺν τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι τὴν δόξαν ἀποδιδόντα, ἄνδρα οὐδὲ πάνυ τι ὑγιεῖς περὶ

 [74] Γρηγόριον δὲ τὸν μέγαν καὶ τὰς ἐκείνου φωνὰς ποῦ θήσομεν ἆρ' οὐχὶ μετὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν ἄνδρα τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι ἐκείνοις περιπατήσαντα

 [75] Πῶς οὖν καινοτόμος ἐγώ, καὶ νεωτέρων ῥημάτων δημιουργός, ἔθνη ὅλα καὶ πόλεις, καὶ ἔθος πάσης μνήμης ἀνθρωπίνης πρεσβύτερον, καὶ ἄνδρας στύλους τῆ

  ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ Λʹ   Διήγησις τῆς παρούσης τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν καταστάσεως. 

 [76] Τίνι οὖν ὁμοιώσομεν τὴν παροῦσαν κατάστασιν Ἦ που ὁμοία ἐστὶ πολέμῳ τινὶ ναυτικῷ, ὃν ἐκ παλαιῶν προσκρουσμάτων, πολὺν κατ' ἀλλήλων τὸν θυμὸν θρέ

 [77] Μετάβα δή μοι ἀπὸ τῆς εἰκόνος ἐπ' αὐτὸ τοῦ κακοῦ τὸ ἀρχέτυπον. Οὐχὶ πάλαι μέν πως ἐδόκει τὸ Ἀρειανὸν σχίσμα εἰς ἀντίπαλον μοῖραν ἀποκριθὲν τῇ Ἐκκ

 [78] Διὰ ταῦτα λυσιτελεστέραν τοῦ λόγου τὴν σιωπὴν ἐτιθέμην, ὡς οὐ δυναμένης φωνῆς ἀνθρώπου διὰ τοσούτων θορύβων εἰσακουσθῆναι. Εἰ γὰρ ἀληθῆ τὰ τοῦ Ἐκ

 [79] Τούτων μὲν οὖν πάντων ἕνεκεν σιωπᾶν ἔδει, ἀλλ' ἀνθεῖλκε γὰρ ἑτέρωθεν ἡ ἀγάπη, οὐ ζητοῦσα τὸ ἑαυτῆς, καὶ νικᾶν ἀξιοῦσα πᾶσαν καιρῶν καὶ πραγμάτων

51. He is not a slave, it is said; not a master, but free. Oh the terrible insensibility, the pitiable audacity, of them that maintain this! Shall I rather lament in them their ignorance or their blasphemy? They try to insult the doctrines that concern the divine nature  1  τὰ τῆς θεολογίας δόγματα. cf. note on § 66. by comparing them with the human, and endeavour to apply to the ineffable nature of God that common custom of human life whereby the difference of degrees is variable, not perceiving that among men no one is a slave by nature. For men are either brought under a yoke of slavery by conquest, as when prisoners are taken in war; or they are enslaved on account of poverty, as the Egyptians were oppressed by Pharaoh; or, by a wise and mysterious dispensation, the worst children are by their fathers’ order condemned to serve the wiser and the better;  2  cf. Gen. ix. 25. and this any righteous enquirer into the circumstances would declare to be not a sentence of condemnation but a benefit. For it is more profitable that the man who, through lack of intelligence, has no natural principle of rule within himself, should become the chattel of another, to the end that, being guided by the reason of his master, he may be like a chariot with a charioteer, or a boat with a steersman seated at the tiller. For this reason Jacob by his father’s blessing became lord of Esau,  3  Gen. xxvii. 29. in order that the foolish son, who had not intelligence, his proper guardian, might, even though he wished it not, be benefited by his prudent brother. So Canaan shall be “a servant unto his brethren”  4  Gen. ix. 25. because, since his father Ham was unwise, he was uninstructed in virtue. In this world, then, it is thus that men are made slaves, but they who have escaped poverty or war, or do not require the tutelage of others, are free. It follows that even though one man be called master and another servant, nevertheless, both in view of our mutual equality of rank and as chattels of our Creator, we are all fellow slaves. But in that other world what can you bring out of bondage? For no sooner were they created than bondage was commenced. The heavenly bodies exercise no rule over one another, for they are unmoved by ambition, but all bow down to God, and render to Him alike the awe which is due to Him as Master and the glory which falls to Him as Creator. For “a son honoureth his father and a servant his master,”  5  Mal. i. 6. and from all God asks one of these two things; for “if I then be a Father where is my honour? and if I be a Master where is my fear?”  6  Mal. i. 6. Otherwise the life of all men, if it were not under the oversight of a master, would be most pitiable; as is the condition of the apostate powers who, because they stiffen their neck against God Almighty, fling off the reins of their bondage,—not that their natural constitution is different; but the cause is in their disobedient disposition to their Creator. Whom then do you call free? Him who has no King? Him who has neither power to rule another nor willingness to be ruled? Among all existent beings no such nature is to be found. To entertain such a conception of the Spirit is obvious blasphemy. If He is a creature of course He serves with all the rest, for “all things,” it is said “are thy servants,”  7  Ps. cxix. 91. but if He is above Creation, then He shares in royalty.  8  St. Basil’s view of slavery is that (a) as regards our relation to God, all created beings are naturally in a condition of subservience to the Creator; (b) as regards our relationship to one another, slavery is not of nature, but of convention and circumstance. How far he is here at variance with the well known account of slavery given by Aristotle in the first book of the Politics will depend upon the interpretation we put upon the word “nature.” “Is there,” asks Aristotle, “any one intended by nature to be a slave, and for whom such a condition is expedient and right, or rather is not all slavery a violation of nature? There is no difficulty in answering this question, on grounds both of reason and fact. For that some should rule, and others be ruled, is a thing not only necessary, but expedient; from the hour of their birth some are marked out for subjection, others for rule.…Where, then, there is such a difference as that between soul and body, or between men and animals (as in the case of those whose business it is to use their body, and who can do nothing better), the lower sort are by nature slaves, and it is better for them, as for all inferiors, that they should be under the rule of a master.…It is clear, then, that some men are by nature free and others slaves, and that for these latter slavery is both expedient and right.” Politics, Bk. 1, Sec. 5. Here by Nature seems to be meant something like Basil’s “lack of intelligence,” and of the τὸ κατὰ φύσιν ἄρχον, which makes it “profitable” for one man to be the chattel of another (κτῆμα is livestock, especially mancipium. cf. Shakespeare’s K. and Pet., “She is my goods, my chattels.” “Chattel” is a doublet of “cattle”). St. Basil and Aristotle are at one as to the advantage to the weak slave of his having a powerful protector; and this, no doubt, is the point of view from which slavery can be best apologized for. Christianity did indeed do much to better the condition of the slave by asserting his spiritual freedom, but at first it did little more than emphasize the latter philosophy of heathendom, εἰ σῶμα δοῦλον, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ νοῦς ἐλεύθερος (Soph., frag. incert. xxii.), and gave the highest meaning to such thoughts as those expressed in the late Epigram of Damascius (c. 530) on a dead slave: Ζωσίμη ἡ πρὶν ἐοῦσα μόνῳ τῷ σώματι δούλη, Καὶ τῷ σώματι νῦν εὗρεν ἐλευθερίην. It is thought less of a slave’s servitude to fellow man than of the slavery of bond and free alike to evil. cf. Aug., De Civit. Dei. iv. cap. iii. “Bonus etiamsi serviat liber est: malus autem si regnat servus est: nec est unius hominis, sed quod gravius est tot dominorum quot vitiorum.” Chrysostom even explains St. Paul’s non-condemnation of slavery on the ground that its existence, with that of Christian liberty, was a greater moral triumph than its abolition. (In Genes. Serm. v. 1.) Even so late as the sixth century the legislation of Justinian, though protective, supposed no natural liberty. “Expedit enim respublicæ ne quis re suâ utatur male.” Instit. i. viii. quoted by Milman, Lat. Christ. ii. 14. We must not therefore be surprised at not finding in a Father of the fourth century an anticipation of a later development of Christian sentiment. At the same time it was in the age of St. Basil that “the language of the Fathers assumes a bolder tone” (cf. Dict. Christ. Ant. ii. 1905), and “in the correspondence of Gregory Nazianzen we find him referring to a case where a slave had been made bishop over a small community in the desert. The Christian lady to whom he belonged endeavoured to assert her right of ownership, for which she was severely rebuked by St. Basil (cf. Letter CXV.) After St. Basil’s death she again claimed the slave, whereupon Gregory addressed her a letter of grave remonstrance at her unchristian desire to recall his brother bishop from his sphere of duty. Ep. 79,” id.

1 τὰ τῆς θεολογίας δόγματα. cf. note on § 66.
2 cf. Gen. ix. 25.
3 Gen. xxvii. 29.
4 Gen. ix. 25.
5 Mal. i. 6.
6 Mal. i. 6.
7 Ps. cxix. 91.
8 St. Basil’s view of slavery is that (a) as regards our relation to God, all created beings are naturally in a condition of subservience to the Creator; (b) as regards our relationship to one another, slavery is not of nature, but of convention and circumstance. How far he is here at variance with the well known account of slavery given by Aristotle in the first book of the Politics will depend upon the interpretation we put upon the word “nature.” “Is there,” asks Aristotle, “any one intended by nature to be a slave, and for whom such a condition is expedient and right, or rather is not all slavery a violation of nature? There is no difficulty in answering this question, on grounds both of reason and fact. For that some should rule, and others be ruled, is a thing not only necessary, but expedient; from the hour of their birth some are marked out for subjection, others for rule.…Where, then, there is such a difference as that between soul and body, or between men and animals (as in the case of those whose business it is to use their body, and who can do nothing better), the lower sort are by nature slaves, and it is better for them, as for all inferiors, that they should be under the rule of a master.…It is clear, then, that some men are by nature free and others slaves, and that for these latter slavery is both expedient and right.” Politics, Bk. 1, Sec. 5. Here by Nature seems to be meant something like Basil’s “lack of intelligence,” and of the τὸ κατὰ φύσιν ἄρχον, which makes it “profitable” for one man to be the chattel of another (κτῆμα is livestock, especially mancipium. cf. Shakespeare’s K. and Pet., “She is my goods, my chattels.” “Chattel” is a doublet of “cattle”). St. Basil and Aristotle are at one as to the advantage to the weak slave of his having a powerful protector; and this, no doubt, is the point of view from which slavery can be best apologized for. Christianity did indeed do much to better the condition of the slave by asserting his spiritual freedom, but at first it did little more than emphasize the latter philosophy of heathendom, εἰ σῶμα δοῦλον, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ νοῦς ἐλεύθερος (Soph., frag. incert. xxii.), and gave the highest meaning to such thoughts as those expressed in the late Epigram of Damascius (c. 530) on a dead slave: Ζωσίμη ἡ πρὶν ἐοῦσα μόνῳ τῷ σώματι δούλη, Καὶ τῷ σώματι νῦν εὗρεν ἐλευθερίην. It is thought less of a slave’s servitude to fellow man than of the slavery of bond and free alike to evil. cf. Aug., De Civit. Dei. iv. cap. iii. “Bonus etiamsi serviat liber est: malus autem si regnat servus est: nec est unius hominis, sed quod gravius est tot dominorum quot vitiorum.” Chrysostom even explains St. Paul’s non-condemnation of slavery on the ground that its existence, with that of Christian liberty, was a greater moral triumph than its abolition. (In Genes. Serm. v. 1.) Even so late as the sixth century the legislation of Justinian, though protective, supposed no natural liberty. “Expedit enim respublicæ ne quis re suâ utatur male.” Instit. i. viii. quoted by Milman, Lat. Christ. ii. 14. We must not therefore be surprised at not finding in a Father of the fourth century an anticipation of a later development of Christian sentiment. At the same time it was in the age of St. Basil that “the language of the Fathers assumes a bolder tone” (cf. Dict. Christ. Ant. ii. 1905), and “in the correspondence of Gregory Nazianzen we find him referring to a case where a slave had been made bishop over a small community in the desert. The Christian lady to whom he belonged endeavoured to assert her right of ownership, for which she was severely rebuked by St. Basil (cf. Letter CXV.) After St. Basil’s death she again claimed the slave, whereupon Gregory addressed her a letter of grave remonstrance at her unchristian desire to recall his brother bishop from his sphere of duty. Ep. 79,” id.

[51] Οὔτε δοῦλόν φησιν, οὔτε δεσπότην, ἀλλ' ἐλεύθερον. Ὢ τῆς δεινῆς ἀναλγησίας, ὢ τῆς ἐλεεινῆς ἀφοβίας τῶν ταῦτα λεγόντων. Τί πλέον αὐτῶν ὀδύρωμαι; τὸ ἀμαθές; ἢ τὸ βλάσφημον; οἵ γε τὰ τῆς θεολογίας δόγματα ἀνθρωπίνοις παραδείγμασι καθυβρίζουσι, καὶ τὴν ὧδε συνήθειαν, παρηλλαγμένην ἔχουσαν τῶν ἀξιωμάτων τὴν διαφοράν, τῇ θείᾳ καὶ ἀρρήτῳ φύσει προσαρμόζειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν: οὐκ ἐννοοῦντες, ὅτι παρὰ μὲν ἀνθρώποις τῇ φύσει δοῦλος οὐδείς. Ἢ γὰρ καταδυναστευθέντες ὑπὸ ζυγὸν δουλείας ἤχθησαν, ὡς ἐν αἰχμαλωσίαις: ἢ διὰ πενίαν κατεδουλώθησαν, ὡς οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι τῷ Φαραώ: ἢ κατά τινα σοφὴν καὶ ἀπόρρητον οἰκονομίαν, οἱ χείρους τῶν παίδων, ἐκ τῆς τῶν πατέρων φωνῆς, τοῖς φρονιμωτέροις καὶ βελτίοσι δουλεύειν κατεδικάσθησαν: ἣν οὐδὲ καταδίκην, ἀλλ' εὐεργεσίαν εἴποι τις ἂν δίκαιος τῶν γινομένων ἐξεταστής. Τὸν γάρ, δι' ἔνδειαν τοῦ φρονεῖν, οὐκ ἔχοντα ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸ κατὰ φύσιν ἄρχον, τοῦτον ἑτέρου κτῆμα γενέσθαι λυσιτελέστερον, ἵνα τῷ τοῦ κρατοῦντος λογισμῷ διευθυνόμενος, ὅμοιος ᾖ ἅρματι ἡνίοχον ἀναλαβόντι, καὶ πλοίῳ κυβερνήτην ἔχοντι ἐπὶ οἰάκων καθήμενον. Διὰ τοῦτο Ἰακὼβ κύριος τοῦ Ἠσαῦ ἐκ τῆς εὐλογίας τοῦ πατρός, ἵνα καὶ μὴ βουλόμενος παρὰ τοῦ φρονίμου εὐεργετῆται ὁ ἄφρων, οὐκ ἔχων τὸν οἰκεῖον κηδεμόνα τὸν νοῦν. Καὶ «Χαναὰν παῖς οἰκέτης ἔσται τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς», ἐπειδὴ ἀδίδακτος ἦν τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἀσύνετον ἔχων τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πατέρα τὸν Χάμ. Ὧδε μὲν οὖν οὕτως οἱ δοῦλοι: ἐλεύθεροι δέ, οἱ διαφυγόντες πενίαν, ἢ πόλεμον, ἢ τῆς ἑτέρων κηδεμονίας ἀπροσδεεῖς. Ὥστε κἂν ὁ μὲν δεσπότης, ὁ δὲ οἰκέτης λέγηται, ἀλλ' οὖν πάντες καὶ κατὰ τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὁμοτιμίαν, καὶ ὡς κτήματα τοῦ πεποιηκότος ἡμᾶς, ὁμόδουλοι. Ἐκεῖ δέ, τί δύνασαι τῆς δουλείας ὑπεξαγαγεῖν; Ὁμοῦ τε γὰρ ἐκτίσθη, καὶ τὸ δοῦλον εἶναι συγκατεσκεύασται. Ἀλλήλων μὲν γὰρ οὐ κατάρχουσιν, ἐπειδὴ πλεονεξίας ἄμοιρα τὰ οὐράνια, Θεῷ δὲ πάντα ὑποκύπτει, καὶ ὡς δεσπότῃ τὸν ὀφειλόμενον φόβον, καὶ ὡς δημιουργῷ τὴν ἐπιβάλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποδιδόντα. «υἱὸς γὰρ δοξάζει πατέρα, καὶ δοῦλος τὸν κύριον αὐτοῦ.» Καὶ ἀπαιτεῖ πάντως τῶν δύο τὸ ἕτερον ὁ Θεός. «Εἰ γὰρ Πατήρ εἰμι ἐγώ, ποῦ ἐστι, φησίν, ἡ δόξα μου»; καὶ εἰ Κύριός εἰμι ἐγώ, ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ φόβος μου; Ἢ πάντων ἂν εἴη ἐλεεινοτάτη ζωή, μὴ ὑπὸ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν τοῦ Δεσπότου κειμένη. Ὁποῖαί εἰσιν αἱ ἀποστατικαὶ δυνάμεις, αἱ διὰ τὸ τραχηλιάσαι κατὰ Θεοῦ παντοκράτορος, ἀφηνιάζουσαι τῆς δουλείας: οὐ τῷ ἑτέρως πεφυκέναι, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἀνυποτάκτως ἔχειν πρὸς τὸν ποιήσαντα. Τίνα οὖν λέγεις ἐλεύθερον; Τὸν ἀβασίλευτον; τὸν μήτε ἄρχειν ἑτέρου δύναμιν ἔχοντα, μήτε ἄρχεσθαι καταδεχόμενον; Ἀλλ' οὔτε ἔστι τις τοιαύτη φύσις ἐν τοῖς οὖσι, καὶ τοῦτο ἐννοῆσαι κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἀσέβεια περιφανής. Ὥστε εἰ μὲν ἔκτισται, δουλεύει δηλαδὴ μετὰ πάντων. «Τὰ γὰρ σύμπαντα, φησί, δοῦλα σά»: εἰ δὲ ὑπὲρ τὴν κτίσιν ἐστί, τῆς βασιλείας ἐστὶ κοινωνόν.