§14. He proceeds to discuss the views held by Eunomius, and by the Church, touching the Holy Spirit; and to show that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are not three Gods, but one God. He also discusses different senses of “Subjection,” and therein shows that the subjection of all things to the Son is the same as the subjection of the Son to the Father.

Thus much with regard to his profanity towards the Son. Now let us see what he says about the Holy Spirit. “After Him, we believe,” he says, “on the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth.” I think it will be plain to all who come across this passage what object he has in view in thus perverting the declaration of the faith delivered to us by the Lord, in his statements concerning the Son and the Father. Though this absurdity has already been exposed, I will nevertheless endeavour, in few words, to make plain the aim of his knavery. As in the former case, he avoided using the name “Father,” that so he might not include the Son in the eternity of the Father, so he avoided employing the title Son, that he might not by it suggest His natural affinity to the Father; so here, too, he refrains from saying “Holy Spirit,” that he may not by this name acknowledge the majesty of His glory, and His complete union with the Father and the Son. For since the appellation of “Spirit,” and that of “Holy,” are by the Scriptures equally applied to the Father and the Son (for “God is a Spirit397    S. John iv. 24,” and “the anointed Lord is the Spirit before our face398    Cf. Lam. iv. 20 in LXX.,” and “the Lord our God is Holy399    Ps. xcix. 9.,” and there is “one Holy, one Lord Jesus Christ400    Cf. the response to the words of the Priest at the elevation the Gifts in the Greek Liturgies.”) lest there should, by the use of these terms, be bred in the minds of his readers some orthodox conception of the Holy Spirit, such as would naturally arise in them from His sharing His glorious appellation with the Father and the Son, for this reason, deluding the ears of the foolish, he changes the words of the Faith as set forth by God in the delivery of this mystery, making a way, so to speak, by this sequence, for the entrance of his impiety against the Holy Spirit. For if he had said, “We believe in the Holy Spirit,” and “God is a Spirit,” any one instructed in things divine would have interposed the remark, that if we are to believe in the Holy Spirit, while God is called a Spirit, He is assuredly not distinct in nature from that which receives the same titles in a proper sense. For of all those things which are indicated not unreally, nor metaphorically, but properly and absolutely, by the same names, we are necessarily compelled to acknowledge that the nature also, which is signified by this identity of names, is one and the same. For this reason it is that, suppressing the name appointed by the Lord in the formula of the faith, he says, “We believe in the Comforter.” But I have been taught that this very name is also applied by the inspired Scripture to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost alike. For the Son gives the name of “Comforter” equally to Himself and to the Holy Spirit401    S. John xiv. 16; and the Father, where He is said to work comfort, surely claims as His own the name of “Comforter.” For assuredly he Who does the work of a Comforter does not disdain the name belonging to the work: for David says to the Father, “Thou, Lord, hast holpen me and comforted me402    Ps. lxxvi. 17.,” and the great Apostle applies to the Father the same language, when he says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who comforteth us in all our tribulation403    2 Cor. i. 3–4.”; and John, in one of his Catholic Epistles, expressly gives to the Son the name of Comforter404    1 S. John ii. 1. (The word is in the A.V. rendered “advocate.”). Nay, more, the Lord Himself, in saying that another Comforter would be sent us, when speaking of the Spirit, clearly asserted this title of Himself in the first place. But as there are two senses of the word παρακαλεῖν405    From which is derived the name Paraclete, i.e. Comforter or Advocate.,—one to beseech, by words and gestures of respect, to induce him to whom we apply for anything, to feel with us in respect of those things for which we apply,—the other to comfort, to take remedial thought for affections of body and soul,—the Holy Scripture affirms the conception of the Paraclete, in either sense alike, to belong to the Divine nature. For at one time Paul sets before us by the word παρακαλεῖν the healing power of God, as when he says, “God, Who comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus406    2 Cor. vii. 6.”; and at another time he uses this word in its other meaning, when he says, writing to the Corinthians, “Now we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God407    2 Cor. v. 20..” Now since these things are so, in whatever way you understand the title “Paraclete,” when used of the Spirit, you will not in either of its significations detach Him from His community in it with the Father and the Son. Accordingly, he has not been able, even though he wished it, to belittle the glory of the Spirit by ascribing to Him the very attribute which Holy Scripture refers also to the Father and to the Son. But in styling Him “the Spirit of Truth,” Eunomius’ own wish, I suppose, was to suggest by this phrase subjection, since Christ is the Truth, and he called Him the Spirit of Truth, as if one should say that He is a possession and chattel of the Truth, without being aware that God is called a God of righteousness408    The text reads, “that God is called righteousness,” but the argument seems to require the genitive case. The reference may be to Ps. iv. 1.; and we certainly do not understand thereby that God is a possession of righteousness. Wherefore also, when we hear of the “Spirit of Truth,” we acquire by that phrase such a conception as befits the Deity, being guided to the loftier interpretation by the words which follow it. For when the Lord said “The Spirit of Truth,” He immediately added “Which proceedeth from the Father409    S. John xv. 26,” a fact which the voice of the Lord never asserted of any conceivable thing in creation, not of aught visible or invisible, not of thrones, principalities, powers, or dominions, nor of any other name that is named either in this world or in that which is to come. It is plain then that that, from share in which all creation is excluded, is something special and peculiar to uncreated being. But this man bids us believe in “the Guide of godliness.” Let a man then believe in Paul, and Barnabas, and Titus, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, and all those by whom we have been led into the way of the faith. For if we are to believe in “that which guides us to godliness,” along with the Father and the Son, all the prophets and lawgivers and patriarchs, heralds, evangelists, apostles, pastors, and teachers, have equal honour with the Holy Spirit, as they have been “guides to godliness” to those who came after them. “Who came into being,” he goes on, “by the only God through the Only-begotten.” In these words he gathers up in one head all his blasphemy. Once more he calls the Father “only God,” who employs the Only-begotten as an instrument for the production of the Spirit. What shadow of such a notion did he find in Scripture, that he ventures upon this assertion? by deduction from what premises did he bring his profanity to such a conclusion as this? Which of the Evangelists says it? what apostle? what prophet? Nay, on the contrary every scripture divinely inspired, written by the afflatus of the Spirit, attests the Divinity of the Spirit. For example (for it is better to prove my position from the actual testimonies), those who receive power to become children of God bear witness to the Divinity of the Spirit. Who knows not that utterance of the Lord which tells us that they who are born of the Spirit are the children of God? For thus He expressly ascribes the birth of the children of God to the Spirit, saying, that as that which is born of the flesh is flesh, so that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. But as many as are born of the Spirit are called the children of God410    With this passage cf. S. John i. 12, iii. 6; Rom. viii. 14; 1 S. John iii. 3.. So also when the Lord by breathing upon His disciples had imparted to them the Holy Spirit, John says, “Of His fulness have all we received411    S. John xx. 21, and i. 16..” And that “in Him dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead412    Col. ii. 9.,” the mighty Paul attests: yea, moreover, through the prophet Isaiah it is attested, as to the manifestation of the Divine appearance vouchsafed to him, when he saw Him that sat “on the throne high and lifted up413    Is. vi. 1.;” the older tradition, it is true, says that it was the Father Who appeared to him, but the evangelist John refers the prophecy to our Lord, saying, touching those of the Jews who did not believe the words uttered by the prophet concerning the Lord, “These things said Esaias, when he saw His glory and spoke of Him414    S. John xii. 41. The “older tradition” means presumably the ancient interpretation of the Jews..” But the mighty Paul attributes the same passage to the Holy Spirit in his speech made to the Jews at Rome, when he says, “Well spoke the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet concerning you, saying, Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand415    Cf. Acts xxviii. 25, 26. The quotation is not verbal.,” showing, in my opinion, by Holy Scripture itself, that every specially divine vision, every theophany, every word uttered in the Person of God, is to be understood to refer to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Hence when David says, “they provoked God in the wilderness, and grieved Him in the desert416    Cf. Ps. lxxviii. 40.,” the apostle refers to the Holy Spirit the despite done by the Israelites to God, in these terms: “Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness; when your fathers tempted me417    Heb. iii. 7.,” and goes on to refer all that the prophecy refers to God, to the Person of the Holy Ghost. Those who keep repeating against us the phrase “three Gods,” because we hold these views, have perhaps not yet learnt how to count. For if the Father and the Son are not divided into duality, (for they are, according to the Lord’s words, One, and not Two418    S. John x. 30) and if the Holy Ghost is also one, how can one added to one be divided into the number of three Gods? Is it not rather plain that no one can charge us with believing in the number of three Gods, without himself first maintaining in his own doctrine a pair of Gods? For it is by being added to two that the one completes the triad of Gods. But what room is there for the charge of tritheism against those by whom one God is worshipped, the God expressed by the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost?

Let us however resume Eunomius’ statement in its entirety. “Having come into being from the only God through the Only-begotten, this Spirit also—” What proof is there of the statement that “this Spirit also” is one of the things that were made by the Only-begotten? They will say of course that “all things were made by Him419    Cf. S. John i. 3,” and that in the term “all things” “this Spirit also” is included. Our answer to them shall be this, All things were made by Him, that were made. Now the things that were made, as Paul tells us, were things visible and invisible, thrones, authorities, dominions, principalities, powers, and among those included under the head of thrones and powers are reckoned by Paul the Cherubim and Seraphim420    Cf. Col. i. 16; but the enumeration varies considerably.: so far does the term “all things” extend. But of the Holy Spirit, as being above the nature of things that have come into being, Paul said not a word in his enumeration of existing things, not indicating to us by his words either His subordination or His coming into being; but just as the prophet calls the Holy Spirit “good,” and “right,” and “guiding421    The last of these epithets is from Ps. li. 14 (πνεῦμα ἡγεμονικὸν, the “Spiritus principalis” of the Vulgate, the “free spirit” of the English version); the “right spirit” of ver. 12 being also applied by S. Gregory to the Holy Spirit, while the epithet “good” is from Ps. cxlii. 10.” (indicating by the word “guiding” the power of control), even so the apostle ascribes independent authority to the dignity of the Spirit, when he affirms that He works all in all as He wills422    Cf. 1 Cor. xii. 11.. Again, the Lord makes manifest the Spirit’s independent power and operation in His discourse with Nicodemus, when He says, “The Spirit breatheth where He willeth423    S. John iii. 8.” How is it then that Eunomius goes so far as to define that He also is one of the things that came into being by the Son, condemned to eternal subjection. For he describes Him as “once for all made subject,” enthralling the guiding and governing Spirit in I know not what form of subjection. For this expression of “subjection” has many significations in Holy Scripture, and is understood and used with many varieties of meaning. For the Psalmist says that even irrational nature is put in subjection424    Ps. viii. 7, 8., and brings under the same term those who are overcome in war425    Ps. xlvii. 3., while the apostle bids servants to be in subjection to their own masters426    Tit. ii. 9., and that those who are placed over the priesthood should have their children in subjection427    1 Tim. iii. 4., as their disorderly conduct brings discredit upon their fathers, as in the case of the sons of Eli the priest. Again, he speaks of the subjection of all men to God, when we all, being united to one another by the faith, become one body of the Lord Who is in all, as the subjection of the Son to the Father, when the adoration paid to the Son by all things with one accord, by things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth, redounds to the glory of the Father; as Paul says elsewhere, “To Him every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father428    Cf. Phil. ii. 10, 11, a passage which is apparently considered as explanatory of 1 Cor. xv. 28..” For when this takes place, the mighty wisdom of Paul affirms that the Son, Who is in all, is subject to the Father by virtue of the subjection of those in whom He is. What kind of “subjection once for all” Eunomius asserts of the Holy Spirit, it is thus impossible to learn from the phrase which he has thrown out,—whether he means the subjection of irrational creatures, or of captives, or of servants, or of children who are kept in order, or of those who are saved by subjection. For the subjection of men to God is salvation for those who are so made subject, according to the voice of the prophet, who says that his soul is subject to God, since of Him cometh salvation by subjection429    Cf. Ps. lxii. 1 (LXX.)., so that subjection is the means of averting perdition. As therefore the help of the healing art is sought eagerly by the sick, so is subjection by those who are in need of salvation. But of what life does the Holy Spirit, that quickeneth all things, stand in need, that by subjection He should obtain salvation for Himself? Since then it is not on the strength of any Divine utterance that he asserts such an attribute of the Spirit, nor yet is it as a consequence of probable arguments that he has launched this blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, it must be plain at all events to sensible men that he vents his impiety against Him without any warrant whatsoever, unsupported as it is by any authority from Scripture or by any logical consequence.

Καὶ περὶ μὲν τῆς εἰς τὸν υἱὸν βλασφημίας τοσαῦτα. ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ ὅσα περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος διεξέρχεται. « μετὰ τοῦτον πιστεύομεν », φησίν, « εἰς τὸν παράκλητον, τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας ». ἐγὼ δὲ δῆλον οἶμαι πᾶσιν εἶναι τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν, πρὸς ὅ τι βλέπων παρατρέπει τὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου παραδοθεῖσαν τῆς πίστεως ἔκθεσιν, ἐν τοῖς περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς λόγοις τῆς ἀτοπίας ταύτης ἀπελεγχθείσης: ὅμως δὲ καὶ νῦν δι' ὀλίγων τὸν σκοπὸν αὐτοῦ τῆς κακουργίας φανερὸν καταστῆσαι πειράσομαι. ὡς γὰρ ἐκεῖ πατέρα οὐκ εἶπεν, ἵνα μὴ τῇ ἀϊδιότητι τοῦ πατρὸς τὸν υἱὸν συνενδείξηται, οὐδὲ τὸν υἱὸν ὠνόμασεν, ἵνα μὴ τὴν κατὰ φύσιν οἰκειότητα τῇ φωνῇ ταύτῃ συμπαραστήσῃ, οὕτω καὶ νῦν οὐ λέγει πνεῦμα ἅγιον, ἵνα μὴ τὸ μεγαλεῖον τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ κατὰ πάντα ἡνωμένον πατρί τε καὶ υἱῷ διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τούτου συνομολογήσῃ. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ υἱῷ κατὰ τὸ ἴσον ἥ τε τοῦ πνεύματος καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἁγίου κλῆσις παρὰ τῆς γραφῆς ἐφαρμόζεται (Πνεῦμα γὰρ ὁ θεός, καὶ Πνεῦμα πρὸ προσώπου ἡμῶν Χριστὸς κύριος, καὶ Ἅγιος κύριος ὁ θεός, καὶ Εἷς ἅγιος, εἷς κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστός), ἵνα μή τις γένηται τοῖς ἀκούουσιν ἁγίου πνεύματος εὐσεβὴς διὰ τούτων ὑπόληψις ἡ διὰ τὸ κοινωνεῖν τῷ πατρί τε καὶ τῷ υἱῷ τῆς ἐνδόξου κλήσεως ἐγγινομένη, τούτου χάριν παρακρουσάμενος τὴν ἀκοὴν τῶν ἀνοήτων τῆς παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ προεκτεθείσης πίστεως ἐν τῇ παραδόσει τοῦ μοστηρίου ὑπαλλάσσει τὰ ῥήματα, ὥσπερ ὁδοποιήσας διὰ τῆς ἀκολουθίας ταύτης ἑαυτῷ τὴν κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου ἀσέβειαν. εἰ γὰρ εἶπεν ὅτι πιστεύομεν εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, πνεῦμα δὲ ὁ θεός, ὑπέκρουσεν ἂν ὁ τὰ θεῖα πεπαιδευμένος ὅτι, εἰ χρὴ πιστεύειν εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, πνεῦμα δὲ ὁ θεὸς ὀνομάζεται, οὐκ ἄλλο τι κατὰ τὴν φύσιν ἐστὶν ἢ ἐκεῖνο πάντως, ὃ διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ὀνομάτων κυρίως κατονομάζεται. ὅσα γὰρ οὐ ψευδῶς οὐδὲ ἐκ καταχρήσεως, ἀλλὰ κυρίως ὑπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν ὀνομάτων δηλοῦται, τούτων ἀνάγκη πᾶσα μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ὁμολογεῖσθαι φύσιν τὴν τοῖς αὐτοῖς σημαινομένην ὀνόμασι. διὰ ταῦτα σιωπήσας τὴν παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου νομοθετηθεῖσαν ἐν τῇ πίστει φωνὴν « πιστεύομεν », φησίν, « εἰς τὸν παράκλητον ». ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὸ ὄνομα κοινὸν ἔμαθον εἶναι παρὰ τῆς θεοπνεύστου γραφῆς πατρός τε καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου. ὁ γὰρ υἱὸς ἐπίσης ἑαυτόν τε καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὀνομάζει παράκλητον: ὁ δὲ πατὴρ δι' ὧν ἐνεργεῖ τὴν παράκλησιν, οἰκειοῦται πάντως τοῦ παρακλήτου τὸ ὄνομα. οὐ γὰρ δὴ τὸ ἔργον ποιῶν τοῦ παρακλήτου ἀπαξιοῖ τοῦ ἔργου τὸ ὄνομα. ὅ τε γὰρ Δαβὶδ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα φησὶν ὅτι Σὺ κύριε ἐβοήθησάς μοι καὶ παρεκάλεσάς με, καὶ ὁ μέγας ἀπόστολος τὰ αὐτὰ περὶ τοῦ πατρὸς διεξέρχεται λέγων Εὐλογητὸς ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁ παρακαλῶν ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ θλίψει ἡμῶν: τὸν δὲ υἱὸν ὁ Ἰωάννης ἐν μιᾷ τῶν καθολικῶν ἐπιστολῶν διαρρήδην ὀνομάζει παράκλητον. καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ κύριος δι' ὧν εἶπε καὶ ἄλλον παράκλητον ἡμῖν ἀποσταλήσεσθαι, περὶ τοῦ πνεύματος λέγων, ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ πάντως τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο προωμολόγησε. διπλῆς δὲ οὔσης τῆς τοῦ παρακαλεῖν σημασίας, μιᾶς μὲν διὰ τῶν τιμητικῶν ῥημάτων τε καὶ σχημάτων, ὑπὲρ ὧν, ἄν τινος δεόμενοι τύχωμεν, εἰς συμπάθειαν αὐτὸν ἐπαγόμεθα, ἑτέρας δὲ τῆς θεραπευτικῆς τῶν ψυχικῶν τε καὶ σωματικῶν παθημάτων ἐπινοίας, τῶν καθ' ἑκάτερον σημαινομένων ἐπίσης ἡ ἁγία γραφὴ προσμαρτυρεῖ τῇ θείᾳ φύσει τοῦ παρακλήτου τὴν ἔννοιαν. νῦν μὲν γὰρ ὁ Παῦλος τὴν ἰατικὴν ἡμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ δύναμιν διὰ τῆς παρακλήσεως ἡμῶν παρίστησι λέγων Ὁ παρακαλῶν τοὺς ταπεινοὺς παρεκάλεσεν ἡμᾶς ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ Τίτου, πάλιν δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἑτέραν διάνοιαν πρὸς τοὺς Κορινθίους γράφων ταῦτα διέξεισιν ὅτι Ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ πρεσβεύομεν, ὡς τοῦ θεοῦ παρακαλοῦντος δι' ἡμῶν: δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ, καταλλάγητε τῷ θεῷ.
Τούτων οὖν οὕτως ἐχόντων, ὅπως ἂν ἐπὶ τοῦ πνεύματος νοήσῃς τοῦ παρακλήτου τὸ ὄνομα, τῆς τοῦ πατρός τε καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ κοινωνίας καθ' ἑκάτερον τῶν σημαινομένων οὐκ ἀποστήσεις. οὔκουν ἐν τῷ μέρει τούτῳ οὐδὲ βουλόμενος κατασμικρύνειν τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος δόξαν δεδύνηται, ἐκεῖνο προσμαρτυρῶν αὐτῷ, ὅπερ καὶ τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ υἱῷ παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας γραφῆς ἀνατίθεται. « πνεῦμα » δὲ ἀληθείας εἰπὼν ὁ Εὐνόμιος αὐτὸς μέν, ὡς οἶμαι, τὸ ὑποχείριον ἠβουλήθη διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης παραστῆσαι φωνῆς, ἐπειδὴ ἀλήθεια μὲν ὁ Χριστός ἐστιν, ἐκεῖνο δὲ πνεῦμα ἀληθείας ὠνόμασεν, ὡς εἴ τις λέγοι κτῆμα εἶναι τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ ὑποχείριον, οὐκ εἰδὼς ὅτι δικαιοσύνη ὁ θεὸς λέγεται καὶ οὐ δήπου κτῆμα τῆς δικαιοσύνης τὸν θεὸν ἐνοήσαμεν. ὥστε καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας μαθόντες τὴν θεοπρεπῆ διάνοιαν παρὰ τῆς φωνῆς ἐδεξάμεθα, τῷ ἐπαχθέντι λόγῳ πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον χειραγωγούμενοι. εἰπὼν γὰρ ὁ κύριος τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας εὐθὺς ἐπήγαγεν „ὃ παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκπορεύεται„, ὅπερ οὐδενὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ κτίσει νοουμένων ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ κυρίου προσεμαρτύρησεν, οὐ τοῖς ὁρωμένοις, οὐ τοῖς ἀοράτοις, οὐ θρόνοις, οὐκ ἀρχαῖς, οὐκ ἐξουσίαις, οὐ κυριότησιν, οὐκ ἄλλῳ τινὶ ὀνομαζομένῳ ὀνόματι οὔτε ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ οὔτε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι. οὗ τοίνυν πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις ἐστὶν ἀμέτοχος, δῆλον ἂν εἴη πάντως ὅτι τοῦτο τῆς ἀκτίστου φύσεως ἴδιόν ἐστι καὶ ἐξαίρετον. οὗτος δὲ πιστεύειν κελεύει εἰς « τὸν καθηγητὴν τῆς εὐσεβείας ». οὐκοῦν πιστευέτω εἰς τὸν Παῦλόν τε καὶ Βαρνάβαν καὶ Τίτον καὶ Σιλουανὸν καὶ Τιμόθεον καὶ πάντας ἐκείνους, δι' ὧν πρὸς τὴν πίστιν καθωδηγήθημεν. εἰ γὰρ τὸ καθηγούμενον εἰς εὐσέβειαν μετὰ πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ πιστεύεσθαι χρή, πάντες οἱ προφῆται καὶ νομοθέται καὶ πατριάρχαι κήρυκές τε καὶ εὐαγγελισταὶ καὶ ἀπόστολοι ποιμένες τε καὶ διδάσκαλοι ὁμοτίμως ἔχουσι πρὸς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καθηγηταὶ τοῖς μετ' ἐκείνους τῆς εὐσεβείας γενόμενοι. « Γενόμενος », φησί, « ὑπὸ τοῦ μόνου θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ μονογενοῦς ». ἀνακεφαλαιοῦται πᾶσαν αὑτοῦ τὴν ἀσέβειαν διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων: πάλιν μόνον θεὸν τὸν πατέρα κατονομάζει, ὀργάνῳ κεχρημένον τῷ μονογενεῖ πρὸς τὴν κατασκευὴν τοῦ πνεύματος. ποίαν εὑρὼν ἐκ τῆς γραφῆς σκιὰν τοῦ τοιούτου νοήματος ταῦτα τολμᾷ; ἐκ ποίας ἀρχῆς δι' ἀκολούθου πρὸς τὸ τοιοῦτο πέρας προήγαγε τὴν ἀσέβειαν; τίς τῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν φησι, τίς ἀπόστολος, τίς προφήτης; πᾶν μὲν οὖν τοὐναντίον πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος ἡ διὰ τῆς ἐπιπνοίας τοῦ πνεύματος ἀναγραφεῖσα μαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι τὴν θεότητα, οἷον (κρεῖττον γὰρ δι' αὐτῶν τῶν μαρτυριῶν ἀποδεῖξαι τὸν λόγον) οἱ λαβόντες ἐξουσίαν τοῦ τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι μαρτυροῦσι τῷ πνεύματι τὴν θεότητα. τίς γὰρ ἀγνοεῖ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου φωνήν, ὅτι οἱ ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος γεννηθέντες θεοῦ τέκνα εἰσίν; οὕτω γὰρ διαρρήδην μαρτυρεῖ τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ τέκνων τὴν γέννησιν εἰπὼν ὅτι, ὥσπερ τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς σάρξ ἐστιν, οὕτω καὶ τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος πνεῦμά ἐστιν. ὅσοι δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος ἐγεννήθησαν, θεοῦ τέκνα προσηγορεύθησαν. οὕτω καὶ τοῦ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προσφυσήματος δεδωκότος τοῖς μαθηταῖς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, φησὶν ὁ Ἰωάννης Ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐλάβομεν. ἐν αὐτῷ δὲ κατοικεῖν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος ὁ μέγας Παῦλος διαμαρτύρεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔτι διὰ τοῦ προφήτου Ἠσαΐου περὶ τῆς γενομένης αὐτῷ θεοφανείας, ὅτε εἶδε τὸν καθήμενον ἐπὶ θρόνου ὑψηλοῦ καὶ ἐπηρμένου, ἡ μὲν ἀρχαιοτέρα παράδοσις τὸν πατέρα εἶναι λέγει τὸν ὀφθέντα, ὁ δὲ εὐαγγελιστὴς Ἰωάννης εἰς τὸν κύριον ἀναφέρει τὴν προφητείαν, λέγων περὶ τῶν μὴ πεπιστευκότων Ἰουδαίων τὰς τῷ προφήτῃ ῥηθείσας περὶ τοῦ κυρίου φωνὰς ὅτι Ταῦτα εἶπεν Ἠσαΐας, ὅτε εἶδε τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐλάλησε περὶ αὐτοῦ. ὁ δὲ μέγας Παῦλος τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι τὸν αὐτὸν τοῦτον λόγον προσεμαρτύρησεν ἐν τῇ γενομένῃ αὐτῷ πρὸς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους κατὰ τὴν Ῥώμην δημηγορίᾳ, ὅτε φησὶ Καλῶς εἶπε περὶ ὑμῶν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὅτι Ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε, δεικνὺς ὡς οἶμαι δι' αὐτῆς τῆς ἁγίας γραφῆς, ὅτι πᾶσα ὀπτασία θειοτέρα καὶ πᾶσα θεοφάνεια καὶ πᾶς λόγος ἐκ προσώπου θεοῦ λεγόμενος ἐπὶ τοῦ πατρὸς νοεῖται καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου. διὰ τοῦτο τοῦ Δαβὶδ εἰπόντος ὅτι Παρώργισαν τὸν θεὸν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ παρώξυναν αὐτὸν ἐν γῇ ἀνύδρῳ, ὁ ἀπόστολος εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἀναφέρει τὰ παρὰ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν κατὰ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγενημένα, οὕτω γράψας τῷ ῥήματι: Διό, καθὼς λέγει τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ πειρασμοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὗ ἐπείρασάν με οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἀνατίθησιν, ὅσα ἡ προφητεία πρὸς θεὸν ἀναφέρει. οἱ δὲ τρεῖς ἡμῖν θεοὺς διὰ τῶν τοιούτων ἐπιθρυλοῦντες δογμάτων οὔπω τάχα οὐδὲ ἀριθμεῖν ἐδιδάχθησαν. εἰ γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς καὶ ὁ πατὴρ οὐ μερίζονται ἀπ' ἀλλήλων εἰς δυϊκὴν σημασίαν (ἓν γάρ εἰσι καὶ οὐχὶ δύο κατὰ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου φωνήν), ἓν δὲ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, πῶς τὸ ἓν τῷ ἑνὶ συντιθέμενον εἰς τριῶν θεῶν ἀριθμὸν διασχίζεται; ἢ δῆλον πάντως ἐστὶν ὅτι οὐκ ἄν τις ἐπικαλέσειεν ἡμῖν τριῶν θεῶν ἀριθμόν, μὴ πρότερον αὐτὸς θεῶν δυάδα ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ δόγματι κατασκευάζων. τοῖς γὰρ δύο τὸ ἓν συντιθέμενον τὴν τριάδα τῶν θεῶν ἀπεργάζεται. παρ' ὧν δὲ εἷς προσκυνεῖται θεὸς ἐπ' ὀνόματι πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου, ποίαν ἔχει χώραν ἡ τῶν τριῶν θεῶν κατηγορία;
Ἀλλ' ἐπαναλάβωμεν πάντα τοῦ Εὐνομίου τὸν λόγον. « γενόμενος », φησί, « παρὰ τοῦ μόνου θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ μονογενοῦς [καὶ τοῦτο »]. τίς οὖν ἡ ἀπόδειξις τοῦ καὶ τοῦτο ἐν τῶν παρὰ τοῦ μονογενοῦς γεγονότων εἶναι; πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ γεγενῆσθαι πάντως ἐροῦσιν, ἐν δὲ τοῖς πᾶσι συμπεριειλῆφθαι καὶ τοῦτο. πρὸς οὓς ἐροῦμεν ὅτι Πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, ὅσα ἐγένετο, ἐγένετο δέ, καθὼς ὁ Παῦλός φησιν, ὁρατά τε καὶ ἀόρατα, θρόνοι ἀρχαὶ ἐξουσίαι κυριότητες δυνάμεις, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἀπηριθμημένοις διὰ τῶν θρόνων τε καὶ τῶν δυνάμεων τὰ Χερουβὶμ καὶ τὰ Σεραφὶμ ὑπὸ τοῦ Παύλου κατείλεκται. ἕως τούτου τὰ πάντα. τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὡς ὑπὲρ τὴν φύσιν τῶν γεγονότων ἐν τῇ ἀπαριθμήσει τῶν ὄντων ὁ Παῦλος ἀπεσιώπησεν, οὔτε τὸ γενέσθαι οὔτε τὸ ὑποτετάχθαι διὰ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ λόγων ἡμῖν ἐνδειξάμενος: ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ὁ προφήτης ἀγαθὸν καὶ εὐθὲς καὶ ἡγεμονικὸν ὀνομάζει τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, διὰ τοῦ ἡγεμονικοῦ τὸ ἀρχικὸν ἐνδεικνύμενος, οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν ἐνεργεῖν καθὼς βούλεται διοριζόμενος τὴν αὐθεντικὴν ἐξουσίαν προσμαρτυρεῖ τῇ ἀξίᾳ τοῦ πνεύματος. ὁ δὲ κύριος τὴν αὐτεξούσιον αὐτοῦ δύναμίν τε καὶ ἐνέργειαν ἐν τῷ πρὸς Νικόδημον λόγῳ φανερὰν ποιεῖ λέγων ὅτι Τὸ πνεῦμα ὅπου θέλει πνεῖ. πῶς οὖν ὁ Εὐνόμιος ἓν καὶ τοῦτο τῶν γεγονότων εἶναι παρὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ διορίζεται, τῇ ἀϊδίῳ ὑποταγῇ καταδεδικασμένον; « καθάπαξ γάρ », φησίν, « ὑποτεταγμένον », οὐκ οἶδα ποίῳ τῆς ὑποταγῆς εἴδει τὸ ἡγεμονικόν τε καὶ ἀρχικὸν ὑποζεύξας. πολύσημος γὰρ ἡ τοιαύτη φωνὴ παρὰ τῇ ἁγίᾳ γραφῇ καὶ πολυτρόπως νοουμένη καὶ λεγομένη. καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὴν ἄλογον φύσιν ὑποτετάχθαι φησὶν ὁ προφήτης, καὶ τοὺς ἐν πολέμῳ κεκρατημένους τῷ αὐτῷ ὑπάγει ὀνόματι, καὶ Δούλους τοῖς ἰδίοις δεσπόταις ὑποτάσσεσθαι, νομοθετεῖ ὁ ἀπόστολος, καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἐν ὑποταγῇ ἔχειν τοὺς τῆς ἱερωσύνης προεστηκότας διακελεύεται, ὡς τῆς γινομένης παρ' αὐτῶν ἀταξίας καθ' ὁμοιότητα τῶν Ἠλεὶ τοῦ ἱερέως παίδων εἰς τοὺς πατέρας διαβαινούσης. ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντων τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ὑποταγήν, ὅταν ἑνωθέντες οἱ πάντες ἀλλήλοις διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἓν σῶμα τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ ἐν πᾶσιν ὄντος γενώμεθα, τοῦ υἱοῦ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ὑποταγὴν ὁ ἀπόστολος λέγει, τῆς παρὰ πάντων ὁμοθυμαδὸν γινομένης τῷ υἱῷ προσκυνήσεως παρά τε τῶν ἐπουρανίων καὶ τῶν ἐπιγείων καὶ τῶν καταχθονίων εἰς τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς δόξαν διαβαινούσης, οὕτως εἰπόντος τοῦ Παύλου ὅτι Αὐτῷ κάμψει πᾶν γόνυ ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων, καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσεται ὅτι κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ πατρός. οὗ γενομένου τὸν ἐν πᾶσιν ὄντα υἱὸν διὰ τῆς τῶν πάντων ἐν οἷς ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς ὑποταγῆς αὐτὸν ὑποτάσσεσθαι τῷ πατρὶ ἡ μεγάλη τοῦ Παύλου διαβεβαιοῦται σοφία. τίνα οὖν ἐπιθρυλεῖ τῷ πνεύματι τὴν « καθάπαξ ὑποταγὴν » ὁ Εὐνόμιος, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τῆς προσριφείσης παρ' αὐτοῦ διδαχθῆναι φωνῆς, τῶν ἀλόγων ἢ τῶν αἰχμαλώτων ἢ τῶν οἰκετῶν ἢ τῶν σωφρονιζομένων τέκνων ἢ τῶν διὰ τῆς ὑποταγῆς σῳζομένων. ἡ γὰρ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑποταγὴ σωτηρία τοῖς ὑποτασσομένοις ἐστὶ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ προφήτου φωνήν, ἥ φησιν ὑποτάσσεσθαι τῷ θεῷ τὴν ψυχήν, ἐπειδὴ παρ' αὐτοῦ γίνεται διὰ τῆς ὑποταγῆς τὸ σωτήριον, ὡς εἶναι τὴν ὑποταγὴν τῆς ἀπωλείας ἀλεξητήριον. ὥσπερ τοίνυν ἡ ἰατρικὴ τοῖς νοσοῦσι σπουδάζεται, οὕτω καὶ ἡ ὑποταγὴ τοῖς δεομένοις τῆς σωτηρίας. τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον τὸ ζωοποιοῦν τὰ πάντα ποίας ἐνδεές ἐστι ζωῆς, ἵνα διὰ τῆς ὑποταγῆς τὴν σωτηρίαν ἑαυτῷ κατακτήσηται; ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν οὔτε ἀπό τινος θείας φωνῆς τὸ τοιοῦτον ἐπιθρυλεῖν ἔχει τῷ πνεύματι οὔτε ἐκ τῆς τῶν εἰκότων λογισμῶν ἀκολουθίας ταύτην κατὰ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος τὴν βλασφημίαν προήκατο, δῆλον ἂν εἴη τοῖς γε νοῦν ἔχουσιν, ὅτι ἀσυνηγόρητον ἐκτίθεται κατ' αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀσέβειαν, οὔτε μαρτυρίᾳ τινὶ γραφικῇ οὔτε μὴν ἀκολουθίᾳ λογισμῶν κρατυνομένην.