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”
Ps. lxxi. 3, LXX. and
concerning the Spirit “behold there is place by me, and stand
upon a rock.”
Ex. xxxiii.
21, LXX. Plainly
meaning the place or contemplation in the Spirit wherein, after
Moses had entered thither, he was able to see God intelligibly
manifested to him. This is the special and peculiar place of
true worship; for it is said “Take heed to thyself that thou
offer not thy burnt offerings in every place…but in the place
the Lord thy God shall choose.”
Deut. xii. 13,
14. Now what is a spiritual burnt
offering? “The sacrifice of praise.”
Ps. l. 14, LXX. And in what place do we offer
it? In the Holy Spirit. Where have we learnt this?
From the Lord himself in the words “The true worshippers shall
worship the Father in spirit and in truth.”
John iv. 23. With this
interpretation, cf. Athan., Epist. i. Ad
Serap. § 33, “Hence it is shewn that the Truth is
the Son Himself…for they worship the Father, but in Spirit
and in Truth, confessing the Son and the Spirit in him; for the
Spirit is inseparable from the Son as the Son is inseparable from
the Father.” This place Jacob saw and said
“The Lord is in this place.”
Gen. xxviii.
16. It follows that the Spirit is
verily the place of the saints and the saint is the proper place for
the Spirit, offering himself as he does for the indwelling of God,
and called God’s Temple.
1 Cor. vi.
19. So
Paul speaks in Christ, saying “In the sight of God we speak in
Christ,”
2 Cor. ii.
17. and Christ in
Paul, as he himself says “Since ye seek a proof of Christ
speaking in me.”
2 Cor. xiii.
3. So also in
the Spirit he speaketh mysteries,
1 Cor. xiv.
2. and again
the Spirit speaks in him.
1 Peter i.
11.