...continued from part one.
Let no insolent tongue be moved against the Spirit, Who reigns and creates, to speak illicit words. From the divine Word that made everything, "the heavens were established" (Ps. 32:6), but we have learned that it was also the Spirit who cooperated in their power. "No one knows the Father except the Son" (Matt. 11:27), but the Spirit does not lag behind in this knowledge either. "For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:10). The Son gives forgiveness of sins, the Spirit has the same power. The Spirit makes slaves noble by adoption (Rom. 8:15). Let those who lower the Spirit who gives freedom to the level of slavery be ashamed (2 Cor. 3:17). Those who do not tremble to place among the creatures the Spirit, who is the cause of the creation, what great madness! The Pneumatomachi do not understand that they are fighting themselves. They sharpen their tongues against themselves and do not sense it. Tell me, you dark creature, if the Spirit is a creature, how does He bestow freedom? If He is not God, how does He impart divine grace? If He does not reign, how does He make men heirs to the kingdom? If He is not of the same nature with God, how through Him do we partake of the divine nature? (Rom. 6:5). What compels you to be a more violent tyrant, than that tyrant already abolished, I mean the apostate demon, by bestowing upon the creation after incorruption decay once again? Because, of course, creatures do not become incorruptible by a creature. If indeed the Spirit is a slave, as a creature He is enslaved to decay, although for our sake so great a ransom was given. The Son receives the Spirit, which has the same power and cooperates with Him in the regeneration of people, and together with Him and with the Father, He brings about our regeneration. But if the Spirit is reckoned together with the creatures, He cannot act in that which He is perceived to be able to do. You should not say that of course nothing prevents one from receiving the Spirit as a creature, and then say that He will set us free. In the first place, if that which has been decayed was remade through a creature, why does the Creator with philotimo proceed to the event and show His will so great in this work that it was possible to do it using a creature as a servant? And why does the Son dwell in a womb, and is wrapped in swaddling clothes, and in the fullness of time God receives the fullness of my own regeneration? And why is a Cross erected, and the hands of murderers dare bold deeds, and He who is above the heavens is hidden on earth and lodged in a place of corruption? Why? For there was no other way to help the creature, nor could the servant render so great a benefit, nor could we through the creature be delivered from corruption, nor from the creature receive so great a gift, but from God alone. Who, because He was moved by mercy and judged that he had to relieve man who was burdened with wounds, because it was not possible in any other way to do the appointed work, to fulfill those things which comfort, He gave himself up. How, then, does Christ, ministering, receive the Spirit as a partner in the regeneration of that which has been corrupted, since it was not possible for the created nature to serve the work of regeneration if the Spirit was placed with the creatures? Then, what is our way of sinning against another and receiving from Him the forgiveness of sin, to which of course we are not accountable? For man sinned not against a creature, but against God, not keeping the commandment He gave. How, then, does created nature to which I am not accountable free me from debt? You who misjudge the Trinity and are dangerously disposed to your own things, deprive not then the Spirit of His glory. Nor by distinguishing Him from the divine equal honor of the Father and the Son do you lower Him to the rank of creatures. Be ashamed of the greatness of the office, if of course you want nothing else, but at least be ashamed of the testimony given by the Word, the kin of the Spirit. He says to those to whom He entrusted the ministry, when He ascended to the Father: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 19). The slave cannot participate in the Despotic arrangement of Persons.
The Spirit, therefore, participates in the arrangement, because He is also a Despot and not a slave. Because He is a co-creator, He cooperates in the regeneration of the creation. Because He is God He bestows a share in His own divine glory and not in some glory of another, to which He is a stranger, as the impious say. Because He is beyond good He gushes forth goodness, because He is beyond holy He gushes forth holiness, because He created He sanctifies creation. Therefore, He does not exist, as if He took His existence from creatures, because they do not impart to the creatures sanctification being creatures equal to them. For how will He impart that which does not have of Himself, and which similarly every creature needs?
But, he says, "He will take what is mine and declare it to you" (Jn. 16:15) and "whom I will send unto you" (Jn. 25:26), and other such things are uttered by unrighteous lips, making the rebuke of their wickedness an advocate of their blasphemy. The Evangelist did not say, "He will take what is mine and declare it to you" so that you may find cause for offense. Nor to suppose that Christ being rich as a Despot gives, and the Spirit is in need and slavishly receives, but in these words He presents the common qualities and that they are not divided. Saying similar to these words about the Spirit and about the Son's intimacy with the Father: "I have come in My Father’s name" (Jn. 5:43) and "I have glorified you on earth" (Jn. 18:4) and "all that You have given Me comes from You" (Jn. 18:7). And especially it says of the disciples: "They belonged to You, and You gave them to Me" (Jn. 18:6). So what? Therefore, because He came in the name of the Father and glorifies Him, and receives everything from Him, will you alienate Him from being a Despot and from having the same nature? But take as an example those words that say, "And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them" (Jn. 17:10), and turn away from poor thoughts. Do not think that the Father gives to the Son as if He were in need, but that by agreement He allows it because they have the dominion in common. Although this seems to you to be an expression of gratitude and moderation, as it certainly seems so to others, but from what I have said here the discussion about moderation is abandoned. Well, not even to the Spirit does he give what was said about those who do not pervert what is right and do not make a show of asking for some occasion to degrade Him, but he declares that the Spirit also has the same nature and inheritance of glory which the Son has before the Father
"He will take what is mine and declare it to you" (Jn. 16:15). How does He take from what He has? For whatever the Son does, the Spirit also does. Just as He receives from the Father, and does those works which He sees Him doing.
"He will take what is mine and declare it to you." It does not mean some transmission, which He needs, but the same will and unanimity from which He has never separated.
PART THREE
Let no insolent tongue be moved against the Spirit, Who reigns and creates, to speak illicit words. From the divine Word that made everything, "the heavens were established" (Ps. 32:6), but we have learned that it was also the Spirit who cooperated in their power. "No one knows the Father except the Son" (Matt. 11:27), but the Spirit does not lag behind in this knowledge either. "For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:10). The Son gives forgiveness of sins, the Spirit has the same power. The Spirit makes slaves noble by adoption (Rom. 8:15). Let those who lower the Spirit who gives freedom to the level of slavery be ashamed (2 Cor. 3:17). Those who do not tremble to place among the creatures the Spirit, who is the cause of the creation, what great madness! The Pneumatomachi do not understand that they are fighting themselves. They sharpen their tongues against themselves and do not sense it. Tell me, you dark creature, if the Spirit is a creature, how does He bestow freedom? If He is not God, how does He impart divine grace? If He does not reign, how does He make men heirs to the kingdom? If He is not of the same nature with God, how through Him do we partake of the divine nature? (Rom. 6:5). What compels you to be a more violent tyrant, than that tyrant already abolished, I mean the apostate demon, by bestowing upon the creation after incorruption decay once again? Because, of course, creatures do not become incorruptible by a creature. If indeed the Spirit is a slave, as a creature He is enslaved to decay, although for our sake so great a ransom was given. The Son receives the Spirit, which has the same power and cooperates with Him in the regeneration of people, and together with Him and with the Father, He brings about our regeneration. But if the Spirit is reckoned together with the creatures, He cannot act in that which He is perceived to be able to do. You should not say that of course nothing prevents one from receiving the Spirit as a creature, and then say that He will set us free. In the first place, if that which has been decayed was remade through a creature, why does the Creator with philotimo proceed to the event and show His will so great in this work that it was possible to do it using a creature as a servant? And why does the Son dwell in a womb, and is wrapped in swaddling clothes, and in the fullness of time God receives the fullness of my own regeneration? And why is a Cross erected, and the hands of murderers dare bold deeds, and He who is above the heavens is hidden on earth and lodged in a place of corruption? Why? For there was no other way to help the creature, nor could the servant render so great a benefit, nor could we through the creature be delivered from corruption, nor from the creature receive so great a gift, but from God alone. Who, because He was moved by mercy and judged that he had to relieve man who was burdened with wounds, because it was not possible in any other way to do the appointed work, to fulfill those things which comfort, He gave himself up. How, then, does Christ, ministering, receive the Spirit as a partner in the regeneration of that which has been corrupted, since it was not possible for the created nature to serve the work of regeneration if the Spirit was placed with the creatures? Then, what is our way of sinning against another and receiving from Him the forgiveness of sin, to which of course we are not accountable? For man sinned not against a creature, but against God, not keeping the commandment He gave. How, then, does created nature to which I am not accountable free me from debt? You who misjudge the Trinity and are dangerously disposed to your own things, deprive not then the Spirit of His glory. Nor by distinguishing Him from the divine equal honor of the Father and the Son do you lower Him to the rank of creatures. Be ashamed of the greatness of the office, if of course you want nothing else, but at least be ashamed of the testimony given by the Word, the kin of the Spirit. He says to those to whom He entrusted the ministry, when He ascended to the Father: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 19). The slave cannot participate in the Despotic arrangement of Persons.
The Spirit, therefore, participates in the arrangement, because He is also a Despot and not a slave. Because He is a co-creator, He cooperates in the regeneration of the creation. Because He is God He bestows a share in His own divine glory and not in some glory of another, to which He is a stranger, as the impious say. Because He is beyond good He gushes forth goodness, because He is beyond holy He gushes forth holiness, because He created He sanctifies creation. Therefore, He does not exist, as if He took His existence from creatures, because they do not impart to the creatures sanctification being creatures equal to them. For how will He impart that which does not have of Himself, and which similarly every creature needs?
But, he says, "He will take what is mine and declare it to you" (Jn. 16:15) and "whom I will send unto you" (Jn. 25:26), and other such things are uttered by unrighteous lips, making the rebuke of their wickedness an advocate of their blasphemy. The Evangelist did not say, "He will take what is mine and declare it to you" so that you may find cause for offense. Nor to suppose that Christ being rich as a Despot gives, and the Spirit is in need and slavishly receives, but in these words He presents the common qualities and that they are not divided. Saying similar to these words about the Spirit and about the Son's intimacy with the Father: "I have come in My Father’s name" (Jn. 5:43) and "I have glorified you on earth" (Jn. 18:4) and "all that You have given Me comes from You" (Jn. 18:7). And especially it says of the disciples: "They belonged to You, and You gave them to Me" (Jn. 18:6). So what? Therefore, because He came in the name of the Father and glorifies Him, and receives everything from Him, will you alienate Him from being a Despot and from having the same nature? But take as an example those words that say, "And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them" (Jn. 17:10), and turn away from poor thoughts. Do not think that the Father gives to the Son as if He were in need, but that by agreement He allows it because they have the dominion in common. Although this seems to you to be an expression of gratitude and moderation, as it certainly seems so to others, but from what I have said here the discussion about moderation is abandoned. Well, not even to the Spirit does he give what was said about those who do not pervert what is right and do not make a show of asking for some occasion to degrade Him, but he declares that the Spirit also has the same nature and inheritance of glory which the Son has before the Father
"He will take what is mine and declare it to you" (Jn. 16:15). How does He take from what He has? For whatever the Son does, the Spirit also does. Just as He receives from the Father, and does those works which He sees Him doing.
"He will take what is mine and declare it to you." It does not mean some transmission, which He needs, but the same will and unanimity from which He has never separated.
PART THREE