The Goodness of the Spirit

They do not pay attention, although it is true that angels or men were regarded as holy; for they are creatures, or lesser than the men sanctified by God and partakers of Him, and they stand in this state. That participation is not inherently participativebut this is the property of God alone. Creation is not essentially participative in the rational soul, as if it were to be inhabited; for to be thus partaking is the property of God alone.

But the Holy Spirit is essentially participative, just as the Father and the Son, as was said in the first place. For since even here, with the Father dwelling once in the worthy ones, as was necessary, would it not be the case that, unless through the unity of the divine nature and fullness, the Son and the Holy Spirit also flow in and are poured in upon us? Surely no one would ever dare to say that a multitude of gods dwell in us, but rather one exists in the unity of divinity, the three hypostases.

That it is good, creation itself self-produces the goodnesses and truth and wisdom and love; and in it every good gift and every perfect endowment is thought together. Creation possesses the good, receiving from the Trinity in one divinity, which is not the Good itself. And it is a second thing to have by participation something toward its own measure of good, since the first is by nature itself good and immeasurable; and it is not gathered or arranged with the original good of the Creator, of whom all things indeed flow, but He Himself is nothing of it.

The good found in creation, even if it is said in the Gospel: 'Well done, good servant' (Matt 25:21), and: 'The good man brings good out of the good treasure of the heart' (Luke 6:45). For, so to speak, it does not say that the heart itself is primarily good, but rather that which is joined and fitting to the creation. For that primordial good strives to multiply even the native works in goodness, so that each of the beings might be saved from this place and remain in the rank in which it attained being; and that is the one Good, the cause of all good things; and through it the lower good is performed; and it saves all things it encounters, just as evil happens through our preconception. Of this, even those outside say: How? The wicked have this greatest good in themselves; for while attempting evil against others, they first enjoy their own misery.

The Spirit, as previously stated, is inherently good—not lacking—and always entirely good toward all, being equal to the Father and the Son; and regarding this, he received testimony, as was demonstrated in the first Word, and as Ezra, having spoken boldly concerning the divine because of his knowledge—that even if one should stumble, no harm comes from it—prophesied: 'And your good Spirit you gave to instruct them.'

And Matthew and Luke, signifying that the divine goodness is the Spirit in essence, and that in it is found 'every good gift and every perfect gift,' the one wrote: 'How much more will the Father from heaven give good things to those asking him?' and the other: 'How much more will the Father from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those asking him?' For a creature, which is a created thing, it is a property of essence to be made good, or sanctified, or made wise by another, rather than possessing these things unchangeably.

And God, showing in Isaiah that no one shall ever receive his spiritual blessings without first finding the wisdom and understanding of the Holy Spirit, said: 'I will pour out my Spirit upon your offspring and my blessings upon your children.' Following this, Paul wrote: 'Therefore,' he says, 'we also, from the day we heard, do not cease praying for you and asking, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will, walking in all wisdom and spiritual understanding worthy of the Lord.'

It is clear that he speaks of the divine Spirit. For the infinite heavenly kingdom is thought to be co-inherent with the Spirit of God, not being foreign to it because of the succession toward the Father and the Son. And again, through the same epistle, it is confirmed, writing: 'For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.'

And this did not fail even Peter. For defending himself to those accusing him regarding the encounter he had with Cornelius, he said: 'If then God has granted them the same gift, having provided the Holy Spirit, as also to us in the beginning: who was I that could withstand God?' and again: 'And God, the knower of hearts, testified to them, having given the Holy Spirit, just as to us;'