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The Holy Ghost gives power over the flesh, the world, and the devil. 213

δας.

has been His teaching. Has not often a maiden, already at the bridal threshold, fled away, He teaching her the doctrine OCTáof virginity? Has not often a man high in court, spurned wealth and rank, being taught by the Holy Ghost? Has not often a young man, at the sight of beauty, closed his eyes, and fled from the sight, and escaped the defilement? Askest thou, whence it came to pass? The Holy Ghost taught the soul of the young man. Many ways of covetousness are

there in the world; yet Christians refuse possessions: wherefore? by the instigation of the Holy Ghost. Awful in truth is that Spirit, holy and good; and fittingly are we baptized into Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. A man, still with a body about him, wrestles with many fiercest demons; and often the demon, whom many men could not master with iron bands, has been mastered by him with words of prayer, through the power which is in him of the Holy Ghost; and the mere breathing of the Exorcist becomes as fire to that unseen foe. A mighty Succour and Protector, therefore, have we of God; a great Teacher of the Church, a mighty Champion on our behalf. Let us not be afraid of the demons, nor of the devil; for our Champion is mightier. Only let us open to Him our doors; for He goes Wisd. 6, about seeking such as are worthy, and searching on whom He 16. may confer His gifts.

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20. And He is called the Comforter, because He comforts (10.) us, and encourages us, and helpeth our infirmities; for we Rom. 8, know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered, that is, to God. Oftentimes, a man for Christ's sake has been outraged and injuriously dishonoured; martyrdom is at hand; tortures on every side, and fire, and sword, and savage beasts, and the deep pit. But the Holy Ghost lowly whispers to him, "Wait thou for the Lord, O man; what is now befalling thee is a small matter; that which is bestowed on thee is great. Suffer thou a little while, and be with Angels everlastingly; the sufferings of Rom. 8, this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." He pourtrays to the man the kingdom of heaven; He almost shews him even the paradise of delight; and the martyrs, whose bodily countenances

18.

214 Diversity of operations of the Spirit in the Church Catholic.

LECT. are of necessity turned to their judges, but who in spirit XVI. are already in Paradise, despise those harships which are

τῇ δυνά

με.

seen.

21. And wouldest thou be sure that through the power of the Holy Ghost the Martyrs bear their witness? The Luke 12, Saviour says to His disciples, And when they bring you unto 11. 12. the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye

no thought how ye shall answer, or what ye shall say; for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour, what ye ought to say. For it is impossible to suffer martyrdom for Christ's 1Cor. 12, sake, except a man suffer by the Holy Ghost; for if no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, how shall any man give his own life for Jesus' sake, but by the Holy Ghost?

3.

(11.)

παροι κίας.

ixag

xías. χίας.

22. Great indeed, and all-powerful in gifts, and wonderful, is the Holy Ghost. Consider, how many of you are now sitting here, how many souls of us are present. For each He is working as is suitable, and being in the midst, He beholds the temper of each. He beholds also his thoughts and his conscience, and what we say, and what we imagine. What I have now said is great indeed, yet is it small. For consider, I pray, with thoughts illuminated by Him, how many Christians there are of this diocese, and how many in the whole province of Palestine, and carry forward thy mind from this province, to the whole Roman empire; and after this, consider the whole world; races of Persians, and nations of Indians, Goths and Sarmatians, Gauls and Spaniards, and Moors Libyans and Ethiopians, and the rest for whom we have no names; for of many of the nations not even the names have reached us. Consider, I pray, of each nation, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Solitaries, Virgins, and other laity; and then behold the great Protector, and Dispenser of their gifts;-how throughout the world He gives to one chastity, to another perpetual virginity, annu- to another almsgiving, to another voluntary poverty, to another power of repelling hostile spirits. And as the light with one gleam sheds radiance on all things, so also the Holy Ghost enlightens those who have eyes; for if any from blindness is not vouchsafed His grace, let him not blame the Spirit, but his own unbelief.

σύνην.

(12.)

23. Thou hast seen His power, which is throughout the

Operations of the Spirit in the Heavenly Host and in the Prophets. 215

world; tarry now no longer upon earth, but ascend on high. Ascend, I say, in imagination even unto the first heaven, and behold how many uncounted myriads of Angels are there. Rise up in thy thoughts, if thou canst, yet higher; do but consider the Archangels, do but consider the Spirits; consider the Virtues, consider the Principalities, consider the Powers, consider the Thrones, consider the Dominions;-the Comforter is of all these the Ruler from God, and the Teacher, and the Sanctifier. Of Him has Elias need, and Elisseus, and Esaias, among men; of Him Michael and Gabriel have need among Angels. Nought of things created is equal in honour to Him: for the families of the Angels, and all their hosts assembled together, have no equality with the Holy Ghost. All these the all-excellent power of the Comforter overshadows. And they indeed are sent forth to minister; but He searches even the deep things of God, according as the Apostle says, For the 1 Cor. 2, Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

10. 11.

27.

24. He preached concerning Christ in the Prophets; He wrought in the Apostles; He to this day seals the souls in Baptism. And the Father indeed gives to the Son; and the Son shares with the Holy Ghost. For it is Jesus Himself, not I, who says, All things are delivered unto Me of My Mat. 11, Father; and of the Holy Ghost He says, When He, the John 16, Spirit of Truth, shall come, and the rest. . . . He shall glorify 13. 14. Me; for He shall receive of Mine, and shall shew it unto you. The Father through the Son, with the Holy Ghost, bestows all things; the gifts of the Father are none other than those of the Son, and those of the Holy Ghost; for there is one Salvation, one Power, one Faith; One God, the Father; One Lord, His only-begotten Son; One Holy Ghost, the Comforter. And it is enough for us to know these things; but enquire not curiously into His nature or substance: for had it væórrabeen written, we would have spoken of it; what is not written, let us not venture on; for it is sufficient for our salvation to know, that there is Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost.

σιν.

25. This Spirit descended upon the seventy Elders in the (13.) days of Moses. (Now let not the length of the discourse,

XVI.

216 The Holy Ghost given to some, but not to all, before Pentecost.

LECT beloved, produce weariness in you: but may He of whom our discourse is, grant strength to every one, both to us who speak, and to you who listen!) This Spirit, as I said, came down upon, the seventy Elders in the time of Moses; and I say this to thee, that I may set before thee, that He knows 1 Cor. all things, and worketh as He will. The seventy Elders were 12, 11. chosen; And the Lord came down in a cloud, and took of the 11, 24. Spirit that was upon Moses, and gave it unto the seventy 25. Elders; not that the Spirit was divided, but His grace,

Numb.

29.

Ibid. v.

Sept.

according to the vessels of it, and the capacity of the recipients. But there were present sixty and eight, and they prophesied; but Eldad and Medad were not present: therefore that it might be shewn that it was not Moses who bestowed the gift, but the Spirit who wrought, Eldad and Medad, who had been called, but had not as yet presented themselves, prophesy.

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26. Jesus the Son of Nun, the successor of Moses, was ver. 28. amazed; and coming to him he says, "Hast thou heard that Eldad and Medad prophesy? They were called, and they came not; my lord Moses, forbid them." "I cannot forbid them," he says, " for this grace is from heaven; nay, so far am I from forbidding them, that I even think it a mercy. I think not, however, that thou hast said this in envy; yet hast v. 29. thou not rivalry for my sake, because that they prophesy, and v. Sept. thou prophesiest not yet? wait for the proper season; and O that all the Lord's people were prophets, whenever the Lord shall put His Spirit upon them!" saying this also prophetically, Whenever the Lord shall put; "However He has not as yet given it; so thou hast it not yet."-Had not then Abraham this, and Isaac, and Jacob, and Joseph? And they of old, had they it not? Nay, but the words plainly mean, "when He shall put it upon all; as yet indeed this grace is partial, then it shall be given lavishly." And he secretly alluded to what was to happen on the day of Pentecost among us; for He descended among us, yet He had before Deut. also descended upon many. For it is written, And Jesus the 34, 9. son of Nun was full of the Spirit of wisdom; for Moses had (14.) laid his hands upon him. Thou seest the same figure in the Old and New Testaments;-in the days of Moses, the Spirit was given by the laying on of hands; and Peter also gives

The Holy Ghost in all the just, in all Prophets.

217

the Spirit by the laying on of hands. And on thee also, who art about to be baptized, shall His grace come; yet in what manner I say not, for I will not anticipate the proper season.

41, 38.

27. He also came upon all the just, and the Prophets; Enos, I mean, and Enoch, and Noah, and the rest; upon Abraham, Isaac, Jacob; for as regards Joseph, even Pharaoh v. Gen. understood that he had the Spirit of God within him. And of Moses, and the wonderful works wrought by the Spirit in his days, thou hast heard often. This Spirit had Job, that most enduring man, and all the saints, though we repeat not all their names. He also was sent when the tabernacle was Exod. in making, and filled with wisdom the wise-hearted men who 31, 1-6. were with Bezaleel.

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10.

29.

2 Sam.

28. In the might of this Spirit, as we have it in the Book of Judg. 3, Judges, Othniel judged; Gideon was made strong; Jephtha 1.6,34. conquered; Deborah, a woman, waged war; and Samson, lb. 11, so long as he wrought righteousness, and grieved Him not, achieved things beyond man's power. And as for Samuel and David, we have it plainly in the Books of Kings, that by the Holy Ghost they prophesied, and were the chiefs of the prophets; and Samuel was called, the Seer; and David says 1 Sam.9, distinctly, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and in the 9. Psalms, And take not thy Holy Spirit from me, and again, 23, 2. Ps. 51, Let thy good Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteous-11. ness. And as we have it in the Books of Chronicles, Azariah, Ps. 143, 10. (Pr. in the time of King Asa, and Jahaziel in the time of King B. vers.) Jehoshaphat, partook of the Holy Ghost; and again, another 2 Chron. 15, 1. Azariah, he who was stoned. And Ezra says, Thou gavest Ib. 20, also Thy good Spirit to instruct them. But as touching Elias who was taken up, and Elisseus, those spirit-instinct and 20. 21. wonder-working men, it is manifest, without our saying so, 20. that they were full of the Holy Ghost.

14.

vid. 24,

Neh. 9,

29. And if a man peruse all the books of the Prophets, (15.) both of the twelve, and of the others, many will he find the texts to be concerning the Holy Ghost; as when Micah says

in the person of God, Unless I fulfil might by the Spirit of Mic.3,8. the Lord; and Joel cries, And it shall come to pass after- Sept.

& AnuμaTopógar. "Used in a bad sense, as belonging to false prophets, in Hos. 9, 7. Zeph. 3, 4. Sept. but applied

to holy men by ecclesiastical writers."
Ed. Ben.

Joel 2,

28.

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