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AND THEIR REFUTATION. 133
Chalcedon, the Second and Third of Constantinople, and the
Second of Nice confirmed the same symbol. Nay more, the
Fourth Council of Constantinople pronounced an anathema
against Macedonius, and defined that the Holy Ghost is consubstantial
to the Father and to the Son. Finally, the Fourth
"
Council of Lateran thus concludes : We define that there is but
one true God alone, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy
Ghost, three Persons, indeed, but only one Essence, Substance,
or simple Nature And that all these Persons are consub-
stantial, omnipotent, and co-eternal, the one beginning of all
things."
ANSWER TO OBJECTIONS
17. First, the Socinians, who have revived the ancient here
sies, adduce a negative argument. They say that the Holy
Ghost is never called God in the Scriptures, nor is ever proposed
to us to be adored and invoked. But St. Augustin (1) thus
answers this argument, addressing the Macedonian Maximinus :
" When
have you read that the Father was not born, but self-
existing ? and still it is no less true," &c. The Saint means to
say that many things in the Scriptures are stated, not in express
terms, but in equivalent ones, which prove the truth of what is
stated, just as forcibly ; and, for a proof of that, the reader can
refer to ^V. 4 and 6, where the Divinity of the Holy Ghost is
incontestibly proved, if not in express, in equivalent, terms.%
18.
Secondly, they object that St. Paul, in his first Epistle to
the Corinthians, speaking of the benefits conferred by God on
mankind, mentions the Father and the Son, but not the Holy
Ghost. We answer, that it is not necessary, in speaking of God,
that we should always expressly name the three Divine Persons,
for, when we speak of one, we speak of the three, especially in
(1) St. Augus. /. 2, alias 3, coiit. Maxim, c. 3.