But they say that this appellation is indicative of nature, and that, as the nature of the Spirit is not common to the Father and the Son, for this reason neither does he partake in the community of this attribute. Let them show, then, whereby they discern this diversity of nature. For if it were possible that the Divine nature should be contemplated in its absolute essence, and that we should find by appearances what is and what is not proper to it, we should surely have no need of other arguments or evidence for the comprehension of the question. But since it is exalted above the understanding of the questioners, and we have to argue from some particular evidence about those things which evade our knowledge12    Oehler and Migne’s edit. of S. Basil here read γνῶσιν, the Paris Edit. and the Benedictine S. Basil have μνήμην., it is absolutely necessary for us to be guided to the investigation of the Divine nature by its operations. If, then, we see that the operations which are wrought by the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit differ one from the other, we shall conjecture from the different character of the operations that the natures which operate are also different. For it cannot be that things which differ in their very nature should agree in the form of their operation: fire does not chill, nor ice give warmth, but their operations are distinguished together with the difference between their natures. If, on the other hand, we understand that the operation of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is one, differing or varying in nothing, the oneness of their nature must needs be inferred from the identity of their operation. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit alike give sanctification, and life, and light, and comfort, and all similar graces. And let no one attribute the power of sanctification in an especial sense to the Spirit, when he hears the Saviour in the Gospel saying to the Father concerning His disciples, “Father, sanctify them in Thy name13    Cf. S. John xvii. 11 and 17..” So too all the other gifts are wrought in those who are worthy alike by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: every grace and power, guidance, life, comfort, the change to immortality, the passage to liberty, and every other boon that exists, which descends to us.

Ἀλλὰ λέγουσι φύσεως ἐνδεικτικὴν εἶναι τὴν προσηγορίαν ταύτην, ἀκοινώνητον δὲ εἶναι πρὸς πατέρα καὶ υἱὸν τὴν τοῦ πνεύματος φύσιν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μηδὲ τῆς κατὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο κοινωνίας μετέχειν. οὐκοῦν δειξάτωσαν διὰ τίνων τὸ τῆς φύσεως παρηλλαγμένον ἐπέγνωσαν. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἦν δυνατὸν αὐτὴν ἐφ' ἑαυτῆς τὴν θείαν φύσιν θεωρηθῆναι καὶ τό τε οἰκείως ἔχον καὶ τὸ ἀλλότριον διὰ τῶν φαινομένων εὑρεῖν, οὐκ ἂν πάντως ἐδεήθημεν λόγων ἢ τεκμηρίων ἑτέρων πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ζητουμένου κατάληψιν: ἐπεὶ δὲ ἡ μὲν ὑψηλοτέρα τῆς τῶν ζητούντων ἐστὶ κατανοήσεως, ἐκ δὲ τεκμηρίων τινῶν περὶ τῶν διαφευγόντων τὴν γνῶσιν ἡμῶν στοχαστικῶς ἀναλογιζόμεθα, ἀνάγκη πᾶσα διὰ τῶν ἐνεργειῶν ἡμᾶς χειραγωγεῖσθαι πρὸς τὴν τῆς θείας φύσεως ἔρευναν. οὐκοῦν ἐὰν ἴδωμεν διαφερούσας ἀλλήλων τὰς ἐνεργείας τὰς παρὰ τοῦ πατρός τε καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἐνεργουμένας, διαφόρους εἶναι καὶ τὰς ἐνεργούσας φύσεις ἐκ τῆς ἑτερότητος τῶν ἐνεργειῶν στοχαζόμεθα. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐνδέχεται τὰ διεστῶτα κατὰ τὸν τῆς φύσεως λόγον πρὸς τὸ τῶν ἐνεργειῶν εἶδος ἀλλήλοις συνενεχθῆναι (οὔτε ψύχει τὸ πῦρ οὔτε θερμαίνει ὁ κρύσταλλος), ἀλλὰ τῇ τῶν φύσεων διαφορᾷ συνδιαχωρίζονται ἀπ' ἀλλήλων καὶ αἱ παρὰ τούτων ἐνέργειαι. ἐὰν δὲ μίαν νοήσωμεν τὴν ἐνέργειαν πατρός τε καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου ἐν μηδενὶ διαφέρουσάν τι ἢ παραλλάσσουσαν, ἀνάγκη τῇ ταυτότητι τῆς ἐνεργείας τὸ ἡνωμένον τῆς φύσεως συλλογίζεσθαι. ἁγιάζει καὶ ζωοποιεῖ καὶ παρακαλεῖ καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα ὁμοίως ὁ πατὴρ καὶ ὁ υἱὸς καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καὶ μηδεὶς κατ' ἐξαίρετον ἀπονεμέτω τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τοῦ πνεύματος τὴν ἁγιαστικὴν ἐξουσίαν ἀκούσας τοῦ σωτῆρος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ περὶ τῶν μαθητῶν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα λέγοντος: Πάτερ, ἁγίασον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου. ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα κατὰ τὸ ἴσον ἐνεργεῖται τοῖς ἀξίοις παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, [πᾶσα χάρις καὶ δύναμις,] ἡ ὁδηγία, ἡ ζωή, ἡ παράκλησις, ἡ πρὸς τὸ ἀθάνατον μεταβολή, ἡ εἰς ἐλευθερίαν μετάστασις καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο ἐστὶν ἀγαθὸν ὃ μέχρις ἡμῶν καταβαίνει.