Chapter VIII.
St. Ambrose examines and refutes the heretical
argument that because God is said to be glorified in the Spirit, and
not with the Spirit, the Holy Spirit is therefore inferior to the
Father. He shows that the particle in can be also
used of the Son and even of the Father, and that on the other hand
with may be said of creatures without any infringement on the
prerogatives of the Godhead; and that in reality these prepositions
simply imply the connection of the Three Divine Persons.
70. But what wonder
is it if foolish men question about words, when they do so even about
syllables? For some think that a distinction should be made and
that God should be praised in the Spirit, but not with
the Spirit, and consider that the greatness of the Godhead is to be
estimated from one syllable or some custom, arguing that if they
consider that God should be glorified in the Spirit, they point
to some office of the Holy Spirit, but that if they say that God
receives glory or power with the Spirit, they seem to imply some
association and communion of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit.
71. But who can separate what is incapable of separation? who can divide
that association which Christ shows to be inseparable?
“Go,” says He, “baptize all nations in the Name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”1095
Has He changed either a word or a
syllable here concerning the Father or the Son or the Holy
Spirit? Certainly not. But He says, in the Name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The expression is
the same for the Spirit as for the Father and for Himself. From
which is inferred not any office of the Holy Spirit, but rather a
sharing of honour or of working when we say “in the
Spirit.”
72. Consider, too, that this opinion of yours
tends to the injury of the Father and the Son, for the latter did not
say, “with the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit,” but in the Name, and yet not any office but the power of
the Trinity is expressed in this syllable,
73. Lastly, that you may know that it is not
a syllable which prejudices faith, but faith which commends a syllable,
Paul also speaks in Christ. Christ is not less, because Paul
spoke in Christ, as you find: “We speak before God in
Christ.”1096
As, then,
the Apostle says that we speak in Christ, so, too, is that which we
speak in the Spirit; as the Apostle himself said: “No man
saith Lord Jesus, except in the Holy Spirit.”1097
So, then, in this place not any
subjection of the Holy Spirit, but a connection of grace is
signified.
74. And that you may know that distinction
does not depend upon a syllable, he says also in another place:
“And these indeed were you, but ye are washed, but ye are
sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and in the Spirit of our God.”1098
How
many instances of this I can bring forward. For it is
written: “Ye are all one in Christ Jesus,”1099
and elsewhere: “To those
sanctified in Christ Jesus,”1100
and again:
“That we might be the righteousness of God in
Him,”1101
and in another
place: “Should fall from the chastity which is in Christ
Jesus.”1102
75. But what am I doing? For while I say
that like things are written of the Son as of the Spirit, I am rather
leading on to this, not that because it is written of the Son,
therefore it would appear to be reverently written of the Holy Spirit,
but that because the same is written of the Spirit, therefore men
allege that the Son’s honour is lessened because of the
Spirit. For say they, Is it written of God the Father?
76. But let them learn that it is also said
of God the Father: “In the Lord I will praise the
word;”1103
and
elsewhere: “In God we will do mighty deeds;”1104
and “My remembrance shall be ever in
Thee;”1105
and “In Thy
Name will we rejoice;”1106
and again in
another place: “That his deeds may be manifested, that they
are wrought in God;”1107
and Paul:
“In God Who created all things;”1108
and again: “Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus to the Church
of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ;”1109
and in the
Gospel: “I in the Father and the Father in Me,” and
“the Father that dwelleth in Me.”1110
It is also written: “He
that glorieth let him glory in the Lord;”1111
and in another place: “Our life is hid with Christ in
God.”1112
Did he here
ascribe more to the Son than to the Father in saying that we are with
Christ in God? or does our state avail more than the grace of the
Spirit, so that we can be with Christ and the Holy Spirit cannot?
And when Christ wills to be with us, as He Himself said:
“Father, I will that they whom Thou hast given Me be with Me
where I am,”1113
would He disdain
to be with the Spirit? For it is written: “Ye coming
together and my spirit with the power of the Lord
Jesus.”1114
Do we then
come together in the power of the Lord, and dare to say that the Lord
Jesus would not be willing to come together with the Spirit Who does
not disdain to come together with us?
77. So the Apostle thinks that it makes no
difference which particle you use. For each is a conjunctive
particle, and conjunction does not cause separation, for if it divided
it would not be called a conjunction.
78. What, then, moves you to say that to God
the Father or to His Christ there is glory, life, greatness, or power,
in the Holy Spirit, and to refuse to say with the Holy
Spirit? Is it that you are afraid of seeming to join the Spirit
with the Father and the Son? But hear what is written of the
Spirit: “For the law of the Spirit is life in Christ
Jesus.”1115
And in
another place God the Father says: “They shall worship
Thee, and in Thee they shall make supplication.”1116
God the Father says that we ought to
pray in Christ; and do you think that it is any derogation to the
Spirit if the glory of Christ is said to be in Him?
79. Hear
that what you are afraid to acknowledge of the Spirit, the Apostle did
not fear to claim for himself; for he says: “To be
dissolved and to be with Christ is much better.”1117
Do you deny that the Spirit, through
Whom the Apostle was made worthy of being with Christ, is with
Christ?
80. What, then, is the reason that you
prefer saying that God or Christ is glorified in the Spirit rather than
with the Spirit? Is it because if you say in the Spirit, the
Spirit is declared to be less than Christ? Although your making
the Lord greater or less is a matter which can be refuted, yet since we
read, “For Christ was made sin for us, that we might be the
righteousness of God in Him,”1118
He is found
chiefest in Whom we are found most low. So, too, elsewhere you
read, “For in Him all things consist,”1119
that is, in His power. And the things
which consist in Him cannot be compared to Him, because they receive
from His power the substance whereby they consist.
81. Do you then understand that God so
reigns in the Spirit that the power of the Spirit, as a kind of source
of substance, imparts to God the origin of His rule? But this is
impious. And so our predecessors1120
| 1120 See St. Basil,
De Sp. Sancto, III. 29. |
spoke of the unity of power of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, when they said that the glory of Christ was with the Spirit,
that they might declare their inseparable connection.
82. For how is the Holy Spirit separated
from the Son, since “the Spirit Himself beareth witness with our
spirit that we are sons of God, and if sons, also heirs, heirs, indeed,
of God and joint-heirs with Christ.”1121
Who, then, is so foolish as to wish
to dissever the eternal conjunction of the Spirit and Christ, when the
Spirit by Whom we are made joint-heirs with Christ conjoins even what
is severed.
83. “If so be,” he says,
“we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified
together.”1122
If we then
shall be glorified together with Christ through the Spirit, how do we
refuse to admit that the Spirit Himself is glorified together with
Christ? Do we dissociate the life of Christ and of the Holy
Spirit when the Spirit says that we shall live together with the Son of
God? For the Apostle says: “If we be dead with Christ
we believe that we shall also live with Him;” and then
again: “For if we suffer with Him we shall also live with
Him, and not only shall we live with Him, but shall be also glorified
with Him, and not only be glorified but shall also reign with
Him.”1123
84. No division, then, is implied in those
particles, for each is a particle of conjunction. And lastly, we
often find in holy Scripture the one inserted and the other understood,
as it is written: “I will enter into Thy house in whole
burnt-offerings,”1124
that is,
“with whole burnt-offerings;” and in another place:
“He brought them forth in silver and gold,”1125
that is, “with silver and
gold.” And elsewhere the Psalmist says: “Wilt
Thou not go forth with us in our hosts?”1126
for that which is really meant, “with our hosts.” So,
then, in the use of the expression no lessening of honour can be
implied, and nothing ought to be deduced derogatory to the honour of
the Godhead, it is necessary that with the heart man should believe
unto righteousness, and that out of the faith of the heart confession
should be made in the mouth unto salvation. But they who believe
not with the heart spread what is derogatory with their
mouth.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
