Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

to have remained, 1236 and, generally, any one similar to these in character. And like reason
in the soul, which is at one time the thought in the heart, and at another speech uttered by
the tongue, 1237 so is the Holy Spirit, as when He “beareth witness with our spirit,” 1238 and
when He “cries in our hearts, Abba, Father,” 1239 or when He speaks on our behalf, as it is
said, “It is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of our Father which speaketh in you.” 1240 Again,
the Spirit is conceived of, in relation to the distribution of gifts, as a whole in parts. For we
all are “members one of another, having gifts differing according to the grace that is given
us.” 1241 Wherefore “the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee; nor again the
head to the feet, I have no need of you,” 1242 but all together complete the Body of Christ in
the Unity of the Spirit, and render to one another the needful aid that comes of the gifts.
“But God hath set the members in the body, every one of them, as it hath pleased Him.” 1243
But “the members have the same care for one another,” 1244 according to the inborn spiritual
communion of their sympathy. Wherefore, “whether one member suffer, all the members
suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.” 1245 And as
parts in the whole so are we individually in the Spirit, because we all “were baptized in one
body into one spirit.” 1246
62. It is an extraordinary statement, but it is none the less true, that the Spirit is frequently
spoken of as the place of them that are being sanctified, and it will become evident
that even by this figure the Spirit, so far from being degraded, is rather glorified. For words
applicable to the body are, for the sake of clearness, frequently transferred in scripture to
spiritual conceptions. Accordingly we find the Psalmist, even in reference to God, saying
“Be Thou to me a champion God and a strong place to save me” 1247 and concerning the
Spirit “behold there is place by me, and stand upon a rock.” 1248 Plainly meaning the place
1236 Numb. xi. 25, 26, LXX. and R.V. “did so no more” for “did not cease” of A.V.
1237 The distinction between the λόγος ἐνδιάθετος, thought, and the λογος πορφορικός, speech, appears
first in Philo. II. 154. On the use of the term in Catholic Theology cf. Dr. Robertson’s note on Ath., De Syn. §
xxvi. p. 463 of the Ed. in this series. Also, Dorner, Div. I. i. p. 338, note.
1238 Rom. viii. 16.
1239 Gal. vi. 4.
1240 Matt. x. 20.
1241 Rom. xii. 5, 6.
1242 1 Cor. xii. 21.
1243 1 Cor. xii. 18, slightly varied in order.
1244 1 Cor. xii. 25.
1245 1 Cor. xii. 26.
1246 An inversion of 1 Cor. xii. 13.
1247 Ps. lxxi. 3, LXX.
1248 Ex. xxxiii. 21, LXX.
That the word “in,” in as many senses as it bears, is understood of the…
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