ACC ~ John 7 v38b

THE SPIRIT FLOWS IN ALL OF US

IRENAEUS: The Spirit is in us all, and he is the living water that the Lord supplies to those who rightly believe in him and love him. AGAINST HERESIES 5.18.2. [1]

[1] HE WORD IN THE BEGINNING | JOHN 1:1

THE RIVER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

AMBROSE: This… is not a trivial matter when we read that a river goes forth from the throne of God. For you read the words of the Evangelist John that speaks to this: “And he showed me a river of living water, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of the street and on either side was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of all nations.” [1] This is certainly the river proceeding from the throne of God, that is, the Holy Spirit, whom he drinks who believes in Christ, as Christ himself says: “If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes on me, as the Scripture says, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this he spoke of the Spirit.” Therefore the river is the Spirit. This, then, is in the throne of God, for the water does not wash the throne of God…. And what wonder is it if the Holy Spirit is the throne of God, since the kingdom of God itself is the work of the Holy Spirit. [2] ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 3.20.153-156. [3]

[1] Rev 22:1-2.

[2] See Rom 14:17; Mt 12:25, 28.

[3] NPNF 2 10:156-57*. This theme is abundant in Ambrose. See also On the Holy Spirit 1.16.177-78; The Prayer of Job and David 4.2.7; Letter 15 (to Constantius).

SUPERABUNDANT RIVERS FOR IMMORTALITY

ORIGEN: He who believes in him has not only a well but also wells; not only springs but also rivers within him. But the springs and rivers are not those that comfort this mortal life but that bestow immortality. HOMILIES ON NUMBERS 12.1. [1]

[1] AEG 3:263*; GCS 30:94.

THE SPIRIT ONE IN NATURE, DIVERSE IN GIFTS

CYRIL OF JERUSALEM: Let us drink waters out of our own cisterns and out of our own springing wells. [1] We drink of living water springing up into everlasting life. But this is what the Savior said of the Spirit, which those who believe on him should receive. For observe what he says: “He who believes on me—not simply this, but—as the Scripture has said—here he sends you back to the Old Testament—out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” These are not rivers perceived by sense that merely water the earth with its thorns and trees. But these are rivers that bring souls to the light. And in another place he says, “But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of living water springing up into everlasting life” [2] —a new kind of water living and springing up, springing up to those who are worthy.

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 rain showers comes down from heaven; because it comes down one in form but works in many forms. For one fountain waters the whole of paradise, and one and the same rain comes down on 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. So it is one in the palm tree, and another in the vine, and all in all things; and yet it 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 that receives it, it becomes to each what is suitable. [3] And so the Holy Spirit also, being one, and of one nature and indivisible, distributes to each his grace, as he wills. [4] And as the dry tree, after being nourished with water, puts forth shoots, so also the soul in sin, when it has been through repentance made worthy of the Holy Spirit, brings forth clusters of righteousness. And though he is one in nature, yet many are the virtues he inculcates by the will of God and in the name of Christ. For he employs the tongue of one person for wisdom; the soul of another he enlightens by prophecy; to another he gives power to drive away devils, while another is given ability to interpret the divine Scriptures. He strengthens one person’s self-control while another learns how to give to the poor. He teaches one to fast and be disciplined and another to despise the things of the body, and still another he trains for martyrdom—diverse in different people, yet not diverse from himself. [5] CATECHETICAL LECTURES 16.11-12. [6]

[1] Prov 5:15.

[2] Jn 4:14.

[3] See Catechetical Lectures 9.9-10.

[4] 1 Cor 12:11.

[5] He then cites the whole of 1 Cor 12:7-11.

[6] NPNF 2 7:117-18*.

WISDOM AS THE FOUNTAIN OF SPIRITUAL GRACE

AMBROSE: As Wisdom is the fountain of life, it is also the fountain of spiritual grace. It is also the fountain of other virtues that guide us to the course of eternal life. Therefore, the stream that irrigates paradise rises from the soul when well-tilled, but not from the soul that lies uncultivated. The results therefore are fruit trees of diverse virtues. There are four principal trees that constitute the divisions of Wisdom. These are the well-known four principal virtues: prudence, temperance, fortitude and justice…. Wisdom acts as the source from which these four rivers take their rise, producing streams that are composed of these virtues. ON PARADISE 3.14. [1]

[1] FC 42:295-96*.

FAITHFUL PREACHING

GREGORY THE GREAT: When sacred preaching flows from the soul of the faithful, rivers of living water, as it were, run down from the bellies of believers. For what are the insides of the belly but the inner part of the mind; in other words, a right intention, a holy desire, humility toward God and mercy toward your fellow human beings. HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 1.10. [1]

[1] CCL 142:147.

THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS SPRUNG UP IN THE DESERT

IRENAEUS: [Christ] plainly announced that liberty that distinguishes the new covenant and the new wine that is put into new wineskins, [that is], the faith that is in Christ, by which he has proclaimed the way of righteousness sprung up in the desert and the streams of the Holy Spirit in a dry land, to give water to the elect people of God, whom he has acquired, that they might show forth his praise. AGAINST HERESIES 4.33.14. [1]

[1] ANF 1:511*.

Jn