Chapter XVIII.

As he purposes to establish the Godhead of the Holy Spirit by the points already discussed, St. Ambrose touches again on some of them; for instance, that He does not commit but forgives sin; that He is not a creature but the Creator; and lastly, that He does not offer but receives worship.

132. But to sum up, in order at the end more distinctly to gather up the arguments which have been used here and there, the evident glory of the Godhead is proved both by other arguments, and most especially by these four. God is known by these marks: either that He is without sin; or that He forgives sin; or that He is not a creature but the Creator; or that He does not give but receives worship.

133. So, then, no one is without sin except God alone, for no one is without sin except God.620    S. Matt. xix. 17. Also, no one forgives sins except God alone, for it is also written: “Who can forgive sins but God alone?”621    S. Luke v. 21. And one cannot be the Creator of all except he be not a creature, and he who is not a creature is without doubt God; for it is written: “They worshipped the creature rather than the Creator, Who is God blessed for ever.”622    Rom. i. 25. God also does not worship, but is worshipped, for it is written: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.”623    Deut. vi. 13.

134. Let us therefore consider whether the Holy Spirit have any of these marks which may bear witness to His Godhead. And first let us treat of the point that none is without sin except God alone, and demand that they prove that the Holy Spirit has sin.

135. But they are unable to show us this, and demand our authority from us, namely, that we should show by texts that the Holy Spirit has not sinned, as it is said of the Son that He did no sin.624    1 Pet. ii. 22. Let them learn that we teach by authority of the Scriptures; for it is written: “For in Wisdom is a Spirit of understanding, holy, one only, manifold, subtle, easy to move, eloquent, undefiled.”625    Wisd. vii. 22. The Scripture says He is undefiled, has it lied concerning the Son, that you should believe it to have lied concerning the Spirit? For the prophet said in the same place concerning Wisdom, that nothing that defiles enters into her. She herself is undefiled, and her Spirit is undefiled. Therefore if the Spirit have not sin, He is God.

136. But how can He be guilty of sin Who Himself forgives sins? Therefore He has not committed sin, and if He be without sin He is not a creature. For every creature is exposed to the capability of sin, and the eternal Godhead alone is free from sin and undefiled.

137. Let us now see whether the Spirit forgives sins. But on this point there can be no doubt, since the Lord Himself said: “Receive ye the Holy Spirit. Whosesoever sins ye forgive they shall be forgiven.”626    S. John xx. 22. See that sins are forgiven through the Holy Spirit. But men make use of their ministry for the forgiveness of sins, they do not exercise the right of any power of their own. For they forgive sins not in their own name but in that of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. They ask, the Godhead gives, the service is of man, the gift is of the Power on high.

138. And it is not doubtful that sin is forgiven by means of baptism, but in baptism the operation is that of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. If, therefore, the Spirit forgives sin, since it is written, “Who can forgive sins except God alone?”627    S. Mark ii. 7. certainly He Who cannot be separated from the oneness of the name of the Nature is also incapable of being severed from the power of God. Now if He is not severed from the power of God, how is He severed from the name of God.

139. Let us now see whether He be a creature or the Creator. But since we have above628    Cp. B. II. 5, 6. most clearly proved Him to be the Creator, as it is written: “The Spirit of God Who hath made me;”629    Job xxxiii. 4. and it has been declared that the face of the earth is renewed by the Spirit, and that all things languish without the Spirit,630    Ps. civ. [ciii.] 29, 30. it is clear that the Spirit is the Creator. But who can doubt this, since, as we have shown above, not even the generation of the Lord from the Virgin, which is more excellent than all creatures, is without the operation of the Spirit?

140. Therefore the Spirit is not a creature, but the Creator, and He Who is Creator is certainly not a creature. And because He is not a creature, without doubt He is the Creator Who produces all things together with the Father and the Son. But if He be the Creator, certainly the Apostle, by saying in condemnation of the Gentiles, “Who served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is God blessed for ever,”631    Rom. i. 25. and by warning men, as I said above, that the Holy Spirit is to be served, both showed Him to be the Creator, and because He is the Creator demonstrated that He ought to be called God. Which he also sums up in the Epistle written to the Hebrews, saying: “For He that created all things is God.”632    Heb. iii. 4. Let them, therefore, either say what it is which has been created without the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or let them confess that the Spirit also is of one Godhead with the Father and the Son.

141. The writer taught also that He was to be worshipped, Whom he called Lord and God. For He Who is the God and Lord of the Universe is certainly to be worshipped by all, for it is thus written: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.”633    Deut. vi. 13.

142. Or let them say where they have read that the Spirit worships. For it is said of the Son of God: “Let all the Angels of God worship Him;”634    Heb. i. 6. we do not read, Let the Spirit worship Him. For how can He worship Who is not amongst servants and ministers, but, together with the Father and the Son, has the service of the just under Him, for it is written: “We serve the Spirit of God.”635    Phil. iii. 3. He is, therefore, to be worshipped by us, Whom the Apostle taught that we must serve, and Whom we serve we also adore, according to that which is written, to repeat the same words again: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.”

143. Although the Apostle has not omitted even this point, so as to omit to teach us that the Spirit is to be worshipped. For since we have demonstrated that the Spirit is in the prophets, no one can doubt that prophecy is given by the Spirit, and plainly when He Who is in the prophets is worshipped, the same Spirit is worshipped. And so you find: “If the whole Church be assembled together, and all speak with tongues, and there come in one unlearned or unbelieving, will he not say that ye are mad? But if all prophesy, and there come in one unlearned and unbelieving, he is convicted by all, he is judged by all. For the secrets of his heart are made manifest, and so falling down on his face he will worship God, declaring that God is in truth among you.”636    1 Cor. xiv. 23–25. It is, therefore, God Who is worshipped, God Who abides and Who speaks in the prophets; but the Spirit thus abides and speaks, therefore, also, the Spirit is worshipped.

693 CAPUT XVIII.

Spiritus sancti divinitatem ex iis quae hactenus disputata sunt, confirmaturus, nonnulla iterum tractanda sumit, nimirum peccata eum non habere, sed condonare: creaturam 0808A non esse, sed creatorem: ac demum non adorare, sed adorari.

132. [Alias cap. XIX.] Ad summam tamen, ut in fine quae disperse dicta sunt, expressius colligamus; cum ex caeteris, tum ex quatuor istis prae caeteris manifesta divinitatis gloria comprobatur: Deus enim ex eo cognoscitur, aut quia sine peccato est, aut quia peccata condonat: aut quia creatura non est, sed creator est: aut quia non adorat, sed adoratur.

133. Sine peccato itaque nemo est, nisi unus Deus; quia nemo sine peccato, nisi unus Deus. Peccata quoque nemo condonat, nisi unus Deus; quia aeque scriptum est: Quis potest peccata donare, nisi solus Deus (Luc. V, 21)? Creator quoque omnium non potest esse, nisi qui creatura non est: qui autem 0808B creatura non est, sine dubio Deus est: quia scriptum est: Servierunt creaturae potius quam creatori, qui est Deus benedictus in saecula (Rom. I, 23). Deus quoque non adorat, sed adoratur; quia scriptum est: Dominum Deum tuum adorabis, et illi soli servies (Deutur. VI, 13).

134. Consideremus ergo utrum horum aliquid habeat Spiritus sanctus, quae testimonium afferant divinitatis. Primum igitur de eo tractemus, quia nemo sine peccato nisi unus Deus: et exigamus ut doceant quod peccatum habeat Spiritus sanctus.

135. Sed docere non possunt, et auctoritatem requirunt, ut lectione doceamus, quia non peccavit Spiritus sanctus, sicut de Filio lectum est, quia peccatum non fecit (I Petr. II, 22). Et hoc accipiant 0808C Scripturarum auctoritate nos docere; scriptum est enim: Quia in Sapientia est Spiritus intelligentiae, sanctus, unicus, multiplex, subtilis, bene mobilis, disertus, immaculatus (Sap. VII, 22). Immaculatum dicit Scriptura: numquid mentita est de Filio, ut de Spiritu credas esse mentitam? Dixit enim propheta in eodem loco de Sapientia, quia nihil maculosum in illam incurrit. Ipsa immaculata est, et immaculatus ejus est Spiritus. Ergo si peccatum non habet Spiritus, Deus est.

136. Sed quomodo reus potest esse peccati, qui donat ipse peccata? Ergo peccatum non fecit: et quia sine peccato est, creatura non est. Omnis enim creatura peccatorum capacitati obnoxia est: sola autem est a peccato immunis et immaculata sempiterna divinitas.

0808D 137. Nunc videamus utrum peccata donet Spiritus. Sed hic dubitari non potest, cum ipse Dominus dixerit: Accipite Spiritum sanctum: quorum remiseritis peccata, remissa erunt (Joan. XX, 22). Ecce 0809A quia per Spiritum sanctum peccata donantur. Homines autem in remissionem peccatorum ministerium suum exhibent, non jus alicujus 694 potestatis exercent. Neque enim in suo, sed in Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti nomine peccata dimittunt. Isti rogant, divinitas donat; humanum enim obsequium, sed munificentia supernae est potestatis.

138. Per baptismum quoque peccata donari non est ambiguum: in baptismo autem operatio Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti est. Ergo si peccatum donat Spiritus, cum scriptum sit: Quis potest dimittere peccata, nisi unus Deus (Marc. II, 7); utique qui non potest ab unitate naturalis nominis separari, non potest etiam a Dei potestate secerni. Si autem a Dei non secernitur potestate, quomodo a Dei appellatione 0809B secernitur?

139. Videamus nunc utrum creatura sit, an creator? Sed cum supra (Lib. II, cap. 5, 6) creatorem evidentissime probaverimus, quia scriptum est: Spiritus divinus qui fecit me (Job. XXXIII, 4): et innovari faciem terrae per Spiritum (Psal. CIII, 30), et sine Spiritu fatiscere omnia declaratum sit; apparet Spiritum esse creatorem. Sed quis hoc dubitet, quando, sicut supra ostendimus, ne Domini quidem ex Virgine assumpta generatio, quae praestantior omnibus creaturis est, operationis exsors sit spiritalis?

140. Non ergo creatura Spiritus, sed creator est: qui autem creator, non utique creatura. Et quia creatura non est, sine dubio creator est, qui Patri et 0809C Filio cooperator est omnium. Si autem creator, utique dicendo Apostolus in condemnationem gentilitatis: Quia servierunt creaturae potius quam Creatori, qui est Deus benedictus in saecula (Rom. I, 23): suadendo quoque, ut supra (Lib. II, cap. 5, 6) docuimus, serviendum esse Spiritui sancto; et creatorem ostendit, et quia creator est, Deum appellari debere monstravit. Quod etiam in epistola quae ad Hebraeos scripta est, comprehendit dicens: Quoniam qui omnia creavit, Deus est (Hebr. III, 4). Aut dicant igitur quid sit quod sine Patre et Filio et Spiritu sit creatum, aut Spiritum quoque unius cum Patre et Filio deitatis esse fateantur.

141. Adorandum quoque docuit, quem Dominum et Deum dixit. Qui enim Deus universitatis et dominus, 0809D utique ab omnibus adorandus est; sic enim scriptum est: Dominum Deum tuum adorabis, et ipsi soli servies (Deut. VI, 13).

142. Aut dicant ubi legerint quia adorat Spiritus. Dictum est enim de Dei Filio: Adorent eum omnes angeli ejus (Hebr. I, 6): non lectum est, adoret Spiritus. Quomodo enim potest adorare, qui non inter famulos et ministros est, sed cum Patre et 0810A Filio servitia habet subjecta justorum; quia scriptam est: Spiritui Dei servimus (Phil. III, 3). Adorandus igitur est nobis, cui serviendum a nobis Apostolus docuit: cui autem servimus, hunc et adoramus, juxta quod scriptum est, ut eadem saepe repetamus: Dominum Deum tuum adorabis, et illi soli servies.

143. Quamquam nec hoc praetermiserit Apostolus, quin et Spiritum diceret adorandum. 695 Cum enim docuerimus quia Spiritus in prophetis est, nec hoc quisquam possit ambigere, quia per Spiritum prophetia datur, utique cum adoratur qui in prophetis est, idem Spiritus adoratur. Itaque sic habes: Si conveniat universa Ecclesia in unum, et omnes linguis loquantur, intret autem idiota aut infidelis, nonne dicet quod insanitis. Sin autem prophetent omnes, intret 0810B autem quis idiota aut infidelis, convincitur ab omnibus, dijudicatur ab omnibus. Occulta etiam cordis ejus manifesta fiunt; et ita cadens in faciem, adorabit Deum, pronuntians quod vere Deus sit in vobis (I Cor. XIV, 23 et seq.). Deus est ergo qui adoratur, Deus qui manet, et qui loquitur in prophetis: manet autem et loquitur Spiritus; ergo et Spiritus adoratur.