Refutation of Eunomius 1 part 6/6

Let us also see what sort of things he, having severed the Spirit from communion with the Son, grants to the glory of the Spirit.

"For being," he says, "one, and this one both first and alone, and excelling all the works of the Son in essence and natural worth, accomplishing every operation and teaching according to what seems good to the Son, being sent by him and receiving from him and announcing to those being instructed, and leading in truth."

He says that the Holy Spirit accomplishes every operation and teaching.

What operation? Is it that which both the Father and the Son perform, according to the word of the Lord who up to now works out the salvation of mankind, or some other operation besides this? For if it performs those same works, it altogether has the same power and nature as they; and the notion of being of a different kind from God has no place in such a case.

For just as, if something performs the works of fire, shining and warming in the same way, it is altogether fire, so also, if the Spirit does the works of the Father, it is acknowledged to be altogether of the same nature as he.

But if it works something other than our salvation, and displays its operation toward something contrary, it will thereby be shown to be of a different nature and essence.

But indeed, the word itself testifies that the Spirit gives life in like manner as the Father and the Son.

Therefore, that the Spirit is by no means estranged from the nature of the Father and of the Son is established through the identity of their operations.

And as to the Spirit's accomplishing operation and teaching according to what seems good to the Son, we do not contend against this;

for the communion of nature testifies that the will of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is one, so that if the Holy Spirit wills that which seems good to the Son, the communion of will clearly establishes the unity of essence.

"But," he says, "being sent by him, and receiving from him, and announcing to those being instructed, and leading in truth."

If he had not already stated that this was said concerning the Spirit, the hearer would certainly have supposed that these things were being said concerning some teacher among men.

For to be sent is the same as to be dispatched, and to have nothing of one's own, but to receive from the grace of the one who sends, and to minister the words to those being taught, and to guide those who err into the truth.

For all these things belong also to present-day pastors and teachers — to be sent, to receive, to announce, to teach, to set forth the truth — which are the very things Eunomius grants to the Holy Spirit.

Now, having said before these things that the Spirit is one and first and alone and excelling all things, if he had stopped his argument at this point, he would have appeared an advocate of the doctrines of truth.

For truly one is he who is contemplated inseparably in the One, and first is he who is in the First, and alone is he who is in the Alone.

For just as the spirit of man which is in him and the man himself are one man, so also the Spirit of God which is in him and God himself would properly be called one God, and first and alone, being unable to be separated from him in whom he is.

But now, by adding "excelling all the works of the Son," he has shown his blasphemous argument to be a turbid overturning, granting mere degrees of preference, by comparison with the rest of created things, to him who blows where he wills and works all things in all.

Let us also see what else he has added to these things.

"Sanctifying," he says, "the saints."

One who says this also concerning the Father and the Son will speak truly;

for in whomever the Holy One comes to be, he makes them holy, just as the Good One also makes them good;

and the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are holy and good, as has been demonstrated.

"Initiating into the mysteries," he says, "those who approach the mystery."

This may well be said concerning Apollos, who watered the planting of Paul.

For the Apostle plants through catechesis, and Apollos waters through baptism, bringing, through mystical regeneration, those catechized by Paul to the mystery.

Does this, then, bring the Spirit, who perfects human beings through baptism, down to equal honor with Apollos?

"Distributing," he says, "every gift."

To this we too assent.

"It is a portion of the gifts of the Spirit,"

"cooperating," he says, "with the faithful for the understanding and contemplation of the things that have been ordained,"

By not adding by whom these things were ordained, he has made the statement ambiguous — whether it stands correctly, or otherwise.

But let us, by a small addition, bring what has been said into conformity with piety.

For since, whether it be a word of wisdom, or a word of knowledge, or faith, or helps, or forms of leadership, or whatever else is recorded among the things that save us, all these the one and the same Spirit works, apportioning to each individually as he wills — for this reason we do not reject the statement of Eunomius when he said that the Spirit cooperates with the faithful for the understanding and contemplation of the things ordained by him — namely, by the Spirit — since all the good teachings have been ordained for us by him.

"Echoing," he says, "to those who pray."

It would be foolish to earnestly refute the sense of this saying, since the absurdity and senselessness of this expression is immediately obvious to all alike.

For who is so deranged and out of his senses as to wait to learn from us that the Holy Spirit is not a bell or an empty jar, echoing and vibrating, as it were at some blow, to the voice of the one who prays? "Guiding," he says, "toward what is profitable."

This also the Father and the Son do alike.

For "he guides Joseph like a sheep," and "he guided his people like sheep," and "the good Spirit guides us in a level land."

"Strengthening," he says, "toward piety."

"For you are my strength and my refuge," says the prophet, and "the Lord is the strength of his people," and "he himself will give strength and might to his people."

Therefore, if these things are spoken according to the prophetic sense, they are a testimony to the deity of the Spirit;

but if it contradicts the prophecy, then by this very fact the blasphemy stands convicted, in that by his statement he sets himself against the glory ascribed by the holy prophets.

Then he says, "illuminating souls with the light of knowledge."

This grace, likewise, the doctrine of piety ascribes alike to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

And likewise the purification of thoughts too is, as the text says, proper to the power of the Lord;

for "the radiance of his glory and the very stamp of his hypostasis" effected the purification of our sins; and as for driving away demons, which Eunomius says is proper to the Spirit — this too the only-begotten God does, he who says to the demon, "I command you"; and he also bears witness to the power of the Spirit, saying, "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God..."

so that the destruction of the demons is not a diminishment of the Spirit's glory, but rather a confirmation of his divine and surpassing power.

"Healing the sick," he says, "curing the infirm, comforting the afflicted, raising up those who stumble, restoring those who are weary."

These are the words of the pious concerning the Holy Spirit;

for no one would ascribe the operation of each of these to anyone other than God.

If, then, this heresy itself affirms that these things — which belong to none but God alone to do — are worked by the power of the Spirit, then we have, in support of what we are contending for, even the testimony of our enemies.

How does the prophet seek healing from God, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled"? Isaiah says to God, "The dew that is from you is healing for them"; and prophecy testifies that the turning back of those who have gone astray is the work of God;

"For they went astray," it says, "in the wilderness, in a waterless place," and it adds, "and he led them by a straight way, that they might go to a city of habitation";

and, "When the Lord turned back the captivity of Zion..."

and the prophet, speaking in the person of God, says, "In affliction you called upon me, and I delivered you."

And the raising up of those who stumble is, in countless ways, attributed by Scripture to the power of God;

"I was pushed, so as to be overthrown and fall, but the Lord upheld me"; and "When he falls, he shall not be dashed down, for the Lord upholds his hand"; and "The Lord raises up those who are cast down."

And the restoration of those who are weary carries within it the confession of God's loving-kindness — if indeed Eunomius, too, understood what we have learned from prophecy — as Scripture says: "You laid afflictions upon our backs, you set men upon our heads, we passed through fire and water, and you brought us out into a place of refreshment."

Thus far, then, the greatness of the Spirit has been demonstrated through the testimony of our enemies;

but in what follows, the purity of piety is once again defiled by the heretical mire.

For he says of the Spirit that it "prompts those who contend [in the games]," and this bears the charge of the utmost folly and impiety.

For in the stadiums, some serve as umpires for those who are about to display athletic strength; others, surpassing the rest in power and skill, contend for the victory, stripping down for the contests against one another; and the rest, being divided in their goodwill toward the competitors — according to whatever zeal and disposition each has toward one of the athletes — call out, at the moment of the grappling, either to give warning of a hold, or to recall a wrestling-move, or to urge him to keep himself, by skill, from falling.

Into what rank, then, Eunomius assigns the Holy Spirit, understand from what has been said.

For since in the stadiums there are those who serve as umpires, those who judge the lawful contest, those who compete, and those who call out to the competitors — who are admittedly far inferior to the athletes — Eunomius regards the Holy Spirit as one of the spectators from the crowd, or as one of those who attend upon the athletes: a Spirit that neither presides as umpire, nor judges the victory, nor contends against the adversary, but through its calling-out contributes nothing at all toward the victory (for it neither joins in the contest, nor produces the power for this very purpose), but wishes only that the one for whom it is zealous should not be shown inferior to his rivals.

And Paul indeed contends against the principalities, against the powers, and against the world-rulers of this darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places;

but the Spirit of power, [on Eunomius' view,] does not strengthen the contenders, nor distribute to them the gifts, apportioning to each individually as he wills, but has power only to the extent of calling out to those who are grappling.

Again he says, "emboldening the cowardly."

But this statement, by his own logic, follows upon the preceding blasphemy against the Spirit; yet the truth manifests itself even through the mouth of the enemy.

For it belongs to no one else to instill courage in the fearful except to God alone, who says to the fearful, "Do not be afraid, for I am with you; fear nothing," as the prophet says;

"For though I walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me."

But the Master himself also says to those who are afraid, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid," and "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" and "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid," and again, "Take courage, I have overcome the world."

Therefore, even against Eunomius' will, the truth shows itself through this very hostile voice.

And the statement that follows agrees with the one preceding it.

"Caring for all," he says, "and bringing to bear every concern and providence."

But if what remains has been hammered out without sense, in a mere noise of empty words, let no one blame me for that, seeing him to be, in most respects, feeble and untrained in any sound understanding;

"understanding," he says, "unto the winning of the more well-disposed, and the safeguarding of the more faithful" — what this means, neither could he himself say, nor those who foolishly admire his words.