St Gregory of Nyssa AGAINST EUNOMIUS, Second Part, Complete

Translated by W. Moore and H. A. Wilson

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This Part: 128 Pages

Page 20

For who is so demented and beside himself as to wait for us to tell him that the Holy Spirit is not a bell nor an empty cask sounding an accompaniment and made to ring by the voice of him who prays as it were by a blow? "Leading us to that which is expedient for us." This the Father and the Son likewise do: for "He leadeth Joseph like a sheep [493] ," and, "led His people like sheep [494] ," and, "the good Spirit leadeth us in a land of righteousness [495] ." "Strengthening us to godliness." To strengthen man to godliness David says is the work of God; "For Thou art my strength and my refuge [496] ," says the Psalmist, and "the Lord is the strength of His people [497] ," and, "He shall give strength and power unto His people [498] ." If then the expressions of Eunomius are meant in accordance with the mind of the Psalmist, they are a testimony to the Divinity of the Holy Ghost: but if they are opposed to the word of prophecy, then by this very fact a charge of blasphemy lies against Eunomius, because he sets up his own opinions in opposition to the holy prophets. Next he says, "Lightening souls with the light of knowledge." This grace also the doctrine of godliness ascribes alike to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. For He is called a light by David [499] , and from thence the light of knowledge shines in them who are enlightened. In like manner also the cleansing of our thoughts of which the statement speaks is proper to the power of the Lord. For it was "the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person," Who "purged our sins [500] ." Again, to banish devils, which Eunomius says is a property of the Spirit, this also the only-begotten God, Who said to the devil, "I charge thee [501] ," ascribes to the power of the Spirit, when He says, "If I by the Spirit of God cast out devils [502] ," so that the expulsion of devils is not destructive of the glory of the Spirit, but rather a demonstration of His divine and transcendent power. "Healing the sick," he says, "curing the infirm, comforting the afflicted, raising up those who stumble, recovering the distressed." These are the words of those who think reverently of the Holy Ghost, for no one would ascribe the operation of any one of these effects to any one except to God. If then heresy affirms that those things which it belongs to none save God alone to effect, are wrought by the power of the Spirit, we have in support of the truths for which we are contending the witness even of our adversaries.

[493] Ps. lxxx. 1.

[494] Ps. lxxvii. 20.

[495] Cf. Ps. cxliii. 10.

[496] Cf. Ps. xxxi. 3

[497] Ps. xxviii. 8.

[498] Ps. lxviii. 35.

[499] Ps. xxvii. 1.

[500] Heb. i. 3.

[501] Cf. S. Mark ix. 25

[502] S. Matt. xii. 28.

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