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.

Catechetical Instruction Seventeen

To those who are preparing in Jerusalem for enlightenment, spoken without preparation, in which the continuation of the teaching about the Holy Spirit is offered, and to the words from the first Epistle to the Corinthians: "To him is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom," and so on. (1 Corinthians 12:8).

1. In the former teaching, as much as we could, we offered to your love, listeners, some of the testimonies about the Holy Spirit. In the Spirit: now, by the will of God, let us cite as much as possible the remaining testimonies from the New Testament. Before, in order not to burden your ears, I stopped your zeal (for one can never be satisfied with the word of the Holy Spirit): now let us offer some part of what remains to be said. I frankly confess now that our weakness cannot contain all that is said about this in the Scriptures, however, even now I will not have recourse to human wisdom, for it is useless; I will offer only what is contained in the Holy Scriptures. For this is perfectly safe, according to the words of the holy Apostle Paul, who says: "And we speak not in words learned by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Holy Spirit, spiritual reasoning with spiritual things" (1 Corinthians 2:13). We act like travelers or sailors, who, having one goal on their long journey, although they eagerly hasten to reach it; however, because of human weakness, they usually stop for rest in certain cities or harbors.

2. Although we share our reasoning about the Holy Spirit, He Himself is inseparable and is one and the same. For, as in our discourses about the Father, sometimes the teaching of His sovereignty was offered, sometimes of why He is called the Father, or Almighty, and sometimes of the fact that He is the Creator of all things, and yet faith was not divided by the division of teachings: for there was and is one end of godliness. And just as in our discourses on the Only-begotten Son of God at one time we taught about His Divinity, and at another we offered a teaching about His humanity, and although we divided the teaching about our Lord Jesus Christ into many discourses, nevertheless we preached a faith that was not shared in Him: in various ways and now, dividing our teachings about the Holy Spirit. In the Spirit, we preach an undivided faith in Him. For there is one and the same Spirit, dividing the gifts to each one in particular, as He pleases, but Himself abiding indivisible. For the Comforter is not another, different from the Holy Spirit; but there is one and the same, only called by different names. He has life, self-existence; He says, He acts, and all rational beings created from God through Christ, i.e. Angels and men, is the Sanctifier.

3. Lest, because of the different names of the Holy Spirit, some out of ignorance think that these are different spirits, and that they are not one and the same Spirit, Who is one, then, warning you, the Universal Church has betrayed in the confession of faith to believe in one Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who said in the Prophets: That you may know that, although many are names, nevertheless, there is only one Holy Spirit. Of these names, having chosen some of the many, we will now speak.

4. He is called simply the Spirit, as it is now read: to him by the Spirit is given the word of wisdom (Corinthians 12:8). It is called the Spirit of truth, as the Saviour says: "When the Spirit of truth comes" (John 16:13) It is called the Comforter, as the same Saviour said: "For if I do not come, the Comforter will not come to you" (7). And that He is one and the same, called by different names, is clearly shown by the following. For it is said that the Holy Spirit is the same as the Comforter: "But the Comforter is the Holy Spirit" (John 14:26). As for the fact that the Comforter is the same as the Spirit of truth, it is said thus: "And the Spirit of truth will give you another Comforter, that he may be with you forever" (16). And again: "When the Comforter comes, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth" (John 15:26). He is also called the Spirit of God, as it is written: "And I saw the Spirits of God descending" (Matt. 3:16): and in another place: "For they are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God" (ROM. 8:14). It is also called the Spirit of the Father, as the Saviour says: "For ye shall not speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaketh in you" (Matt. 10:20); and Paul again, "For this reason I bow my knee to the Father," and so on. that He may grant you to be strengthened by His Spirit (Eph. 3:14-16). It is also called the Spirit of the Lord, as Peter said: "That thou shalt consent to tempt the Spirit of the Lord" (Acts 5:9)? It is also called the Spirit of God, and immediately the Spirit of Christ, as Paul writes: "But ye bear it in the flesh, but in the Spirit, because the Spirit of God dwelleth in you: but whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of Him" (Rom. 8:9). He is also called the Spirit of the Son of God, as it is said: "Inasmuch as ye are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of His Son." It is especially called the Spirit of Christ, as it is written: "In what or at what time the Spirit of Christ was manifested in them" (1 Peter 1:11). And in another place: "By your prayer and the giving of the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:19).

5. In addition to these, you will find many other names for the Holy Spirit. He is called the Spirit of holiness, as it is written: according to the Spirit of holiness (Romans 1:4).He is also called the Spirit of sonship, as Paul says: "For do not receive the Spirit of work in fear, but receive the Spirit of sonship, for Whom we cry out: Abba Father" (Romans 8:15). It is also called the Spirit of revelation, as it is written: "That He may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation unto the knowledge of Him" (Ephesians 1:17). It is also called the Spirit of promise, as the same Paul says: "In Him also ye who believed were signified by the Holy Spirit of Promise" (13). He is also called the Spirit of grace, as the same Apostle says again: "And he who reproaches the Spirit of grace." (Hebrews 10:20). It is called by many other similar names. Thou hast clearly heard in the former teaching that in the Psalms He is sometimes called good (Psalm 142:10), sometimes He is called the Lord (50:14). And in the prophecy of Isaiah he is called the Spirit of wisdom, and understanding, and counsel, and strength, and knowledge, and godliness, and the Spirit of the fear of God (Isaiah 11:2, 3).