Chapter VII.

The Son Himself does not judge or punish without the Spirit, so that the same Spirit is called the Sword of the Word. But inasmuch as the Word is in turn called the Sword of the Spirit, the highest unity of power is thereby recognized in each.

44. But what should we say of the other points? We have heard that the Lord Jesus not only judges in the Spirit but punishes also. For neither would He punish Antichrist, whom, as we read, “the Lord Jesus shall slay with the Spirit of His mouth,”504    2 Thess. ii. 8. unless He had before judged of his deserts. Yet here is not a grace received, but the unity remains undivided, since neither can Christ be without the Spirit, nor the Spirit without Christ. For the unity of the divine nature cannot be divided.

45. And since that instance comes before us, that the Lord Jesus shall slay with the Spirit of His mouth, the Spirit is understood to be as it were the Sword of the Word. Lastly, in the Gospel also the Lord Jesus Himself says: “I came not to send peace but a sword.”505    S. Matt. x. 34. For He came that He might give the Spirit; and so there is in His mouth a two-edged sword,506    Rev. xix. 15. which is in truth the grace of the Spirit. So the Spirit is the Sword of the Word.

46. And that you may know that there is no inequality but unity of nature, the Word also is the Sword of the Holy Spirit, for it is written: “Taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”507    Eph. vi. 16, 17.

47. Since, then, the Sword of the Word is the Holy Spirit, and the Sword of the Holy Spirit is the Word of God, there is certainly in Them oneness of power.

CAPUT VII.

Filium ipsum non judicare aut vindicare sine Spiritu; unde idem Spiritus Verbi gladius appellatur. Sed cum vicissim Verbum dicatur Spiritus gladius, summam in utroque potentiae unitatem inde cognosci.

0786B 44. Sed quid de caeteris loquamur? ipsum Dominum Jesum in Spiritu non solum judicare accepimus, sed etiam vindicare. Neque enim vindicaret in Antichristum, nisi ante de ejus meritis judicaret, quem (sicut legimus) Dominus Jesus interficiet Spiritu oris sui (II Thess. II, 8). [Alias cap. VIII]. Sed hic non acquisita gratia est, sed individua manet unitas; quia neque Christus sine Spiritu, neque Spiritus potest esse sine Christo. Non enim potest divinae naturae unitas separari.

45. Et quia in medium id venit exemplum quod Dominus Jesus interficiet Spiritu oris sui, gladius quidam Verbi Spiritus intelligitur (Ephes. VI, 17). Denique et in Evangelio dicit ipse Dominus Jesus: Non veni pacem mittere, sed gladium (Matth. X, 34). 0786C Venit enim ut Spiritum daret, ideoque et in ore ejus gladius bis acutus, utique gratia spiritalis (Apoc. XIX, 15). Spiritus ergo Verbi gladius est.

46. Et ut scias inaequalitatem non esse, sed unitatem naturae, Verbum quoque gladius est Spiritus sancti; scriptum est enim: Accipientes scutum fidei, in quo possitis omnia tela maligni ignita exstinguere, et galeam salutis assumite, et gladium Spiritus, quod est Verbum Dei (Ephes. VI, 16, 17).

47. Cum igitur Verbi gladius Spiritus sanctus sit, et Spiritus sancti gladius Verbum Dei sit; utique unitas est potentiae.