19. If, while you are sitting, the thought of purity or virginity comes to you, then this is the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Do we not often see that a virgin, having already been at the marriage bed, fled from it, having been taught virginity by Him? Do we not often see how the glorious courtier despised wealth and dignity, being taught by the Holy Spirit? Do we not often see that a young man, seeing bodily beauty, shifted his eyes, withdrew so as not to see it, and thus avoided defilement?

You want to know from what this happened: the Holy Spirit taught the soul of the young man. There are so many flattering benefits in the world, but Christians have nothing. From what? By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Truly an invaluable gift, the Holy and Good Spirit. Righteously we are baptized into the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Man, while still in the flesh, confronts many of the most ferocious unclean spirits.

And often the unclean spirit, whom many could not humble with iron chains, was humbled by the prayer of the one in whom dwelt the power of the Holy Spirit: and the breath of the conjurer alone is fire to these invisible enemies. Thus, we have a great Champion and Intercessor from God, a great Teacher of the Church, a great Protector. Let us not be afraid of evil spirits, nor of the devil himself: for our Defender is greater; only let us open the doors to Him.

For He goes about everywhere, looking for those who are worthy, seeking to communicate His gifts to someone.

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).