20. But He is called the Comforter because He comforts, exhorts, and alleviates our infirmity. For what we pray for, as befits us, we do not know: but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings unutterable (Romans 8:26), it is obvious that before God. It often happens that someone suffers unjust anger and dishonor for Christ: a martyr's feat comes, torments come from everywhere, and fire, and swords, and beasts, and the abyss. But the Holy Spirit inspires, saying: "Be patient with the Lord" (Psalm 26:14), man! it does not matter what happens to you, but the gifts are great: if you do not labor here for long, you will live forever with the Angels. Unworthy of the passion of the present time for the glory that desires to be manifested in us (Romans 8:18). He depicts the kingdom of heaven to man, and shows him the paradise of sweetness; and the martyrs, of necessity, standing before the judgments in person, in the body, by the power of the Spirit, already in paradise, despised the cruelties they saw.

21. And do you want to know that by the power of the Holy Spirit the martyrs perform the feat of martyrdom? Do not worry about how or what you say, or what you say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour that befits the prayer (Luke 12:11, 12). For it is impossible to perform a martyr's feat for Christ, if one does not perform it with the help of the Holy Spirit. For if no one can speak of the Lord Jesus by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3), then who will lay down his life for Jesus without the help of the Holy Spirit?

22. The Holy Spirit is great, omnipotent in gifts, and wondrous. Think how many of you are now, how many souls are here! He acts by adapting himself to everyone: being among us, he sees each attribute, sees thoughts and conscience, knows also what we say and what we think about. Great indeed is what I have said about Him, but it is still not enough. You, who have an enlightened mind from Him, see how many Christians are in our region and in all Palestine; then turn your mind's gaze from this region to the entire Roman kingdom; and after this look at the whole world, at the tribes of Persia, at the peoples of India, at the Goths and Sarmatians, at the Gauls and the Gispanians, at the Moors and the Libyans and the Ethiopians, and at other peoples unknown to us. For we do not know many peoples even by name. Look at the bishops, presbyters, deacons, monastic virgins in every nation, and also the laity. See how this great Intercessor and Giver of gifts, in all the whole world, bestows purity on one, eternal virginity on another, disposition to almsgiving, love for poverty to another, and power to cast out nasty spirits to another; and as light illuminates all things by the mere striving of the ray, so the Holy Spirit enlightens those who have eyes. Therefore, if anyone who is blind does not receive grace, let him not reproach the Spirit, but his own unbelief.

23. You have seen His power at work throughout the world; do not stop on earth, but be lifted up on high; ascend with your mind to the first heaven, and look there at the myriad of Angels. Ascend with your thoughts, if you can, and higher. Look at the Archangels, look at these Spirits, look at the Powers, look at the Principalities, look at the Powers, look at the Thrones, look at the Dominion. The Comforter for all of them is the Ruler from God, and the Teacher and Sanctifier. Men have need of Him, Elijah, and Elisha, and Isaiah; the angels, Michael and Gabriel, have need of Him. Nothing created has an equal dignity to Him. The ranks of angels and all of them together have no equality with the Holy Spirit. All of them are invisible before the all-good power of the Comforter. They are sent into service, and this one searches both the depths of God, as the Apostle says, for the Spirit searches all things, and the depths of God. For who is the message of man, which is in man, the spirit of man that dwelleth in him? In the same way there is no message of God, but the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:10, 11).

24. He proclaimed Christ in the prophets; He acted in the Apostles; To this day in Baptism He seals souls. And although the Father gives everything to the Son, the Son gives it to the Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself says this, not I: all things are committed to Me by My Father (Matt. 11:27). And of the Holy Spirit He says: When He comes, the Spirit of truth, etc. (John 16:13). He will glorify Me, as He will receive from Me, and He will declare it to you (14). The Father gives everything through the Son together with the Holy Spirit. Not other gifts of the Father, some of the Son, but others of the Holy Spirit. There is one salvation, one power, one faith, one God the Father, one Lord, His only-begotten Son, one Holy Spirit the Comforter. It is enough for us to know this; but do not be curious about His nature, or His essence. For if it had been written, we would have said. What is not written, we dare not say. It is enough for us to know for salvation that there is a Father, and a Son, and the Holy Spirit.

25. This Spirit descended upon the seventy elders in the time of Moses: (but let not a long conversation be a burden to you, beloved; may He Himself, of whom we speak, give strength to all of us, both to me who speaks and to you who hear). This Spirit descended, as I said, upon the seventy elders in the time of Moses. and this I offer you in order to show now that He knows all things, and acts as He pleases. Seventy elders were chosen: and the Lord descended in the cloud, and received from the Spirit, which was upon Moses, and put an elder upon the seventy men (Num. 11:23): it was not the Spirit that was divided, but grace was divided according to the readiness and ability of those who received it. But sixty-eight were there and prophesied; Eldad and Modad were not there. Therefore, in order to show that it was not Moses who communicated this gift, but the working Spirit, Eldad and Modad, although they were called, did not come, and yet prophesied.

26. Joshua, the successor of Moses, was amazed, and when he came, he said to Moses, "You have heard that Eldad and Modad prophesy, they were called, and they did not come, 'My Lord, to Moses! rebuke them" (Num. 11:28). I cannot forbid them, says Moses, for this is a heavenly gift: and much less can I forbid them, since I myself have the gift of grace. But I do not think that you said this out of envy. Do not be jealous that they prophesy, and you do not yet prophesy. Wait for time. And who will give all the people of the Lord (to be) prophets, when the Lord gives his Spirit upon them (29)? Moses also said this prophetically, "When the Lord gives." Now he has not yet given: therefore thou hast not yet had. Did not Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph have this Spirit? Did those who were formerly their former also not have Him? But these words, when the Lord gives, obviously mean that He will give it to all. Now grace is partial, then it will be given in abundance. He spoke divination about what happened to us on the day of Pentecost: for the same Spirit came to us. He had come down to many before. For it is written: "And Joshua the son of Nun shall be filled with the Spirit of wisdom: for Moses lay his hands on him" (Deuteronomy 34:9). Do you see that everywhere, both in the Old and New Testaments, the Spirit was communicated in the same way? In the time of Moses, the Spirit was communicated by means of ordination; and Peter communicated the Spirit by putting on him: "And grace shall descend upon thee, when thou shalt be baptized: in what manner? I do not say; for it is not yet the time.

27. This Spirit descended upon all the righteous and prophets, i.e., Enos, Enoch, Noah, and others: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. As for Joseph, Pharaoh already knew that he had the Spirit of God in him. You have heard many times about Moses and his miraculous actions performed by the power of the Spirit. The courageous Job and all the Saints had this Spirit: although we do not count the names of all of them.

28. By the power of this Spirit, as we read in the book of Judges, Othniel judged; Gideon was strong, Jephah overcame, Deborah's wife waged war; and Sampson, as long as he did righteousness and did not offend the Spirit, did by His power works greater than man. About Samuel and David we clearly read in the books of Kings, how they themselves prophesied by the Holy Spirit, and other prophets were leaders. Samuel was called a seer (1 Samuel 9:9), and David clearly said: "The Spirit of the Lord has spoken in me" (2 Samuel 23:2); and in the Psalms: "And take not away Thy Holy Spirit from me" (Psalm 50:13); and in another place: "Thy good Spirit shall guide me to the land of righteousness" (Psalm 142:10). In the book of Chronicles we read that Azariah was vouchsafed the Holy Spirit in the reign of Asa, and Josiel in the reign of Josephat; and another Azariah, stoned to death. Ezra says: "And thy good Spirit hast gave, that thou shalt teach them" (Neh. 9:20). Of Elijah, who was taken to heaven, and of Elisseus, these Spirit-bearers and wonder-workers, though we do not speak; it is known, however, that they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

29. If anyone reads all the books of the twelve and other prophets, he will find many testimonies about the Holy Spirit. Micah says in the presence of God: "Unless I am filled with power with the Spirit of the Lord" (Micah 3:8). Joel exclaims, "And thou shalt be after these things," saith God, "I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and so forth." (Joel 2:28). Haggai says: "I am not with you," saith the Lord Almighty, "and my Spirit shall dwell in your midst" (Haggai 2:5-6). Likewise, the 3 Achariah: Accept both my words and my laws, since I command in Dous my servant the Prophet, and so on. (Zech. 1:6).

30. Isaiah commandingly says: "And the Spirit of God shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and godliness, and the Spirit of the fear of God shall fill him" (Isaiah 11I:2, 3). The prophet shows that although the Spirit is one and inseparable, His actions are different. And in another place: "Jacob my servant" (Isaiah 41:1), and then: "I will put my Spirit upon thy seed." (Ibid. 44:3). And again: "The Lord hath sent me, and His Spirit" (48:16). Likewise, "This is to them, who is a covenant from me," the Lord said, "My Spirit which is in thee" (59:21). And also: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for His sake I am anointed, and so on. (Isaiah 61:1); then saying to the Jews, "But I have not submitted, and have angered His Holy Spirit" (63:10), again: "Where is he who has put the Holy Spirit in them" (11)? Remember (if only you are not tired of hearing) the testimony already quoted from Ezekiel: "And the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and said unto me, Speak, this saith the Lord" (Ezekiel 11:5). The words "This" that attack me must be taken in a good way: they signify strong love; as, for example, when Jacob saw Joseph, he attacked his neck (Gen. 46:20), and how the loving father mentioned in the Gospel, seeing his son returning from a distant country, was moved by mercy, and fell upon his neck, and kissed him (Luke 15:20); and again in Ezekiel, And bring me to the land of the Chaldeans as a captive; in a vision by the Spirit of God (Ezekiel 11:24). And you have heard other testimonies before in the teaching about Baptism: "And I will sprinkle pure water on you," and so on. (Ezekiel 36:25) and I will give you (26). And immediately, "And I will give my Spirit in you: later; and the hand of the Lord shall be upon me, and he shall bring me forth in the Spirit of the Lord (Ezekiel 37:1).

31. This Holy Spirit made Daniel's soul wise, so that he became the judge of the elders when he was a young man. The chaste Susanna was condemned as an adulterer: there was no defender, who could deliver her from the judges? She was led to death, she was already in the hands of murderers. But the Helper appeared, the Comforter, the Spirit, sanctifying the entire intellectual nature. Go, young man, He says to Daniel, rebuke the elders of the sins of youth. For it is written: "God raised up a young child by the Holy Spirit" (Dan. 13:45), and yet, let us say briefly, by the voice of Daniel the chaste Susanna was saved. For the sake of testimony, we only offer this. For now is not the time to narrate in detail. And Nebuchadnezzar knowed that the Holy Ghost was in Daniel. For he said to him: "Belshazzar, the prince of charmers, I understand her as the Holy Spirit of God (Dan. 4:6). On the one hand, he spoke the truth, and on the other hand, an evil lie: that he had the Holy Spirit is true. But he was not a prince of charmers; for he was not a sorcerer, but was wise of the Holy Spirit. Before this, Daniel explained to him a vision of the image, which he himself did not understand; Tell me, he said, a vision which I have seen, but I do not know. You see the power of the Holy Spirit; what those who have seen themselves do not know, those who have not seen know and explain.

32. It was true that one could gather a great deal of testimony from the Old Testament, and one could see a great deal of evidence about the Holy Spirit, but there is not much time; At the same time, one must take care not to burden those who hear. Why now, while we are satisfied with the testimonies from the Old Testament, the rest of the New, if it pleases God, we will offer in the next sermon. And may the God of peace, our Lord Jesus Christ, and vouchsafe you all spiritual and heavenly gifts through the love of the Spirit (Romans 15:30). Glory to him and power forever and ever. Amen.