The Divine Names of the Holy Spirit

That calling him the true Son and the true Spirit denotes the appropriation of nature by God: but regarding all other things, it differs by lordship or by faith; just as we are accustomed to say regarding those who are of the same substance to us, 'my son, my spirit,' but regarding others, 'my field, my horse,' yet also 'my God.'

For the manner of the hypostatic Logos of the divine nature is not shown to have become Son and only-begotten and the Word of God, Christ, by simply and unattachedly speaking, but by having the syllable of 'my' and 'your' joined together. As when God says, 'This is my beloved Son' (Matt 3:17), and again, 'my good Word,' and, 'I prepared a lamp for my Christ'; and we say, 'your Son, your only-begotten, your Christ.'

Nor does it being called by the same name or by a similar name regarding us—'sons of men, how long will you be heavy-hearted?' (Ps 38:13)—bring forth the Son of God through the homonymy of divinity; likewise, the Holy Spirit does not simply being called 'Spirit,' but the joining to the name, or as being from God the 'my,' or as being from the creation the 'your,' or even the word 'holy' or 'incorruptible' or 'eternal,' denotes that he proceeds from the Father's hypostasis; nor does the speaking of the liturgical things and our spirits or holy or eternal things by the same name bring forth that he is by nature the true Spirit of God.

For in the riddles concerning him, some declaration of his divine nature and power is always found. But the creatures received the holy and eternal toward their own nature, not possessing these things by nature from themselves.

Since even these heretics are found arguing against themselves, that the 'my' regarding the Son of God and the 'holy' and the 'eternal' they simply accept as announcing the identity of the divine nature? Furthermore, in these matters, he did not name our soul 'spirit' in the proofs provided, but his own Holy Spirit. For having our own spirit, the Spirit of God was given to us. For the Father said, 'My Spirit shall not remain in these men' (cf. Ps 105:36), and the Son: 'Receive the Holy Spirit' (John 20:22). It is clear.

And, as it was said concerning the divine Spirit, that it is like our own indwelling Spirit. Therefore, just as the Son, the Word of God, is paternally generative, so the Holy Spirit is spiritually proceeding and not by creation. And just as there is no change in essence, power, or glory for the only-begotten Son in relation to God the Father—though any difference, if it is permissible to say so, exists in relation to creation—so also with the one divine Spirit.

Thus, it is more righteous not even to hear the heretics and to approach listening to these things. Concerning how the divine nature of the Holy Spirit is signified by various names. What we have said from the beginning, the words testify a second time: that there are various God-befitting names for the Spirit of God, having laid upon them much other emphasis and a relation surpassing all, contributing to the present theorems continuously and more excellently than the most appropriate interpretation, to both the Father and the Son.

And still replenishing both his divine nature and his authentic power, and comforting our weakness regarding our ability to reach him either by the interpretation of words or by the contemplation of the mind, and providing boldness to call him without danger consubstantial with God and to believe in his sanctification. And we find nothing of the other spirits privileged to be called by these names; but these things, which alone exist by nature, are not one of the many things, but God.

And these names are these: Holy Spirit, as it is written everywhere; Spirit of holiness, and Sanctifier, as he writes to the Romans: 'Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and was designated the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness' (Rom 1:1-4). And again: 'that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified in the Holy Spirit' (Rom 15:16), and likewise: 'we must always thank God for all of you, beloved brothers, because God chose you as a firstfruit for salvation in the sanctification of the Spirit and in the faith of truth' (1 Thess 2:13). Spirit of power and of love and of self-control, as Paul in the second epistle to...