12. And why did He call the grace of the
Spirit water? Because by water all things subsist; because water
brings forth grass and living things; because the water of the showers
comes down from heaven; because it comes down one in form, but works in
many forms. For one fountain watereth the whole of Paradise, and
one and the same rain comes down upon all the world, yet it becomes
white in the lily, and red in the rose, and purple in violets and
hyacinths, and different and varied in each several kind: so it
is one in the palm-tree, and another in the vine, and all in all
things; and yet is one in nature, not diverse from itself; for the rain
does not change itself, and come down first as one thing, then as
another, but adapting itself to the constitution of each thing which
receives it, it becomes to each what is suitable Compare a similar
passage on rain in Cat. ix. 9, 10.. Thus also the Holy Ghost, being one,
and of one nature, and indivisible, divides to each His grace,
according as He will 1 Cor. xii. 11.: and as the
dry tree, after partaking of water, puts forth shoots, so also the soul
in sin, when it has been through repentance made worthy of the Holy
Ghost, brings forth clusters of righteousness. And though He is
One in nature, yet many are the virtues which by the will of God and in
the Name of Christ He works. For He employs the tongue of one man
for wisdom; the soul of another He enlightens by Prophecy; to another
He gives power to drive away devils; to another He gives to interpret
the divine Scriptures. He strengthens one man’s
self-command; He teaches another the way to give alms; another He
teaches to fast and discipline himself; another He teaches to despise
the things of the body; another He trains for martyrdom: diverse
in different men, yet not diverse from Himself, as it is written,
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit
withal. For to one is given through the Spirit the word of
wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge according to the same
Spirit; to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of
healing, in the same Spirit; and to another workings of miracles; and
to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits; and to
another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of
tongues: but all these worketh that one and the same Spirit,
dividing to every man severally as He will Ib. vv.
7–11..