On the Power of the Holy Spirit

Contents

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1. 1Nicetas turns to the Holy Spirit, whom many, misled by their teachers, think a creature, and promises an account from the Scriptures alone.
2. 2Nicetas says that Nicaea simply confessed the Holy Spirit, and describes the dilemma (born or unborn?) by which the Macedonians try to force the conclusion that the Spirit is a creature.
3. 3Nicetas answers that Christ said only that the Spirit “proceeds from the Father,” and that John 1:3, spoken by the Spirit himself, concerns creatures, not the Spirit.
4. 4Nicetas argues from Col 1:16, Ps 119:91 and Paul’s calling the Spirit “Lord” and “Spirit of adoption” that the Spirit is not among created and serving things but is Lord and free.
5. 5Nicetas holds that the Spirit proceeds from the Father in a way no one can know, is a true person who sanctifies and is not sanctified, formed Christ’s body in Mary, rested on him at baptism, and forgives sins through the apostles.
6. 6Nicetas proposes to show from the Spirit’s works, as the Father and Son are known by theirs, that he works with them in everything, not in baptism only.
7. 7Nicetas argues that if the Spirit renews man in baptism he also created him, citing Psalm 33:6, where the Lord, his Word and his Spirit appear together.
8. 8From Job 33:4 and Psalm 104:30 Nicetas shows that the Spirit creates, rejects the claim that “Spirit” there means the Son, and says this honours the Father, who creates through his Word and Spirit.
9. 9Nicetas shows from Scripture that the Father, the Son and the Spirit alike give life.
10. 10Nicetas shows that foreknowledge and knowledge of hidden things belong to God and to Christ.
11. 11Nicetas shows that the Spirit, like the Father and the Son, foreknows and reveals the things of God.
12. 12Nicetas shows that the Father, the Son and the Spirit are all present everywhere and dwell in the faithful.
13. 13Nicetas shows that the Father, the Son and the Spirit all convict and judge, the Spirit slaying the Antichrist and judging every creature.
14. 14Nicetas shows that goodness and rightness are ascribed alike to the Father, the Son and the Spirit.
15. 15Nicetas notes that the prophets spoke for the Lord, Christ in his own name, and the new prophets for the Holy Spirit, who also sent Paul, as the Father and Christ did.
16. 16Nicetas explains that “Paraclete” (advocate, comforter) is a title of kindness shared by the Son and the Father, so it does not lessen the Spirit.
17. 17From Ananias, who lied to the Spirit and so to God, and from the unforgivable blasphemy against the Spirit, Nicetas argues that the Spirit is God.
18. 18Nicetas sums up the Spirit’s works and concludes that he who is confessed in baptism with the Father and the Son must be worshipped with them.
19. 19Nicetas concludes that the Father, Son and Spirit are adored with one worship, since even the Lord’s footstool is to be adored and angels long to look on the Spirit.
20. 20Nicetas argues from 1 Cor 14:24–25 that even unbelievers fall down before the Spirit speaking in the prophets, so the faithful should adore him willingly.
21. 21Nicetas explains that the Spirit is not adored separately, as pagans worship many gods, but in one worship with the Father and the Son.
22. 22Nicetas concludes that Christians, named from the Father, the Son and the Spirit, must honour the whole Trinity in one faith, as they sing “Holy, holy, holy” in the liturgy.