208

The various gifts of the Holy Ghost.

XVI.

LECT. He that believeth on me, (not simply this, but,) as the Scripture hath said, (thus He hath sent thee back to the Old Testament,) out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water, airfroí. rivers, not perceived by sense, and merely watering the earth with its thorns and trees, but bringing light to the soul. And in another place He says, But the water that I shall give John 4, him, shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life,—a new water, living and springing up, springing up to them who are worthy.

14.

12. And why has He called the grace of the Spirit by the name of water? because by water all things subsist; because of water are herbs and animals created; because the water of the showers comes down from heaven; because it comes down one in form, yet manifold in its working. For one v. Gen. fountain watered the whole of the Garden, and one and the 2, 10. same rain comes down upon all the world, yet it becomes white in the lily, and red in the rose, and purple in the violets and pansies, and different and varied in each several kind: so it is one in the palm tree, and another in the vine, and all in all things; being the while one in nature, not diverse from itself; for the rain does not change, when it comes down, first as one thing, then as another, but adapting itself to the nature of each thing which receives it, it becomes to each what is suitable. Thus also the Holy Ghost, being one, and povedís. of one nature, and undivided, divides to each His grace, 1 Cor. according as He will: and as the dry tree, when it partakes of 12, 11. water, puts forth shoots, so also the soul in sin, when it has been

through repentance made worthy of the Holy Ghost, brings forth clusters of righteousness. And He, being One in nature, a. yet at the will of God and in the Name of Christ works many

excellences. For He employs the tongue of one man for wisdom; the soul of another He enlightens by Prophecy; to another He gives power to drive away devils; to another He gives to interpret the divine Scriptures. He invigorates one man's self-command; He teaches another the way to give alms; another He teaches to fast and exercise himself; another He teaches to despise the things of the body; another He trains for martyrdom: diverse in different men, yet not 1Cor. 12, diverse from Himself, as it is written, But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to

Different senses of the word Spirit.

209

one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another, discerning of spirits; to another, diverse kinds of tongues; to another, the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.

ed. v.

11. xi. 1.

13. But since concerning that which is called Spirit, many (6.) and diverse things are written in the divine Scriptures, and there is reason to fear lest some out of ignorance fall into confusion, not knowing what sort of spirit is spoken of; it will be well now to certify you, of what kind the Scripture declares the Holy Spirit to be. For, as Aaron is called Christ, and David and Saul and others are called Christs, i. e. Anointbut there is only one true Christ, so, since the name of the Spirit is given to different things, it is right to see what is supr. x. meant in particular by the Holy Spirit. For many things are called spirits. Thus an Angel is called spirit, and our soul is called spirit, and this wind which is blowing is called spirit; and great excellence is spoken of as spirit; and an unclean deed as spirit; and a devil our adversary is called spirit. Beware therefore when thou hearest these things, lest from their having a common name thou mistake one for another. For concerning our soul the Scripture says, His spirit shall go Ps.146, forth, and he shall return to his earth and of the same soul 4. Sept. it says again, Which formelh the spirit of man within him. 12, 1. And of the Angels it is said in the Psalms, Who maketh His Ps. 104, 4. Angels spirits, and His ministers a flaming fire. And of the Ps. 48, wind it saith, Thou shalt break the ships of Tarshish with a 7. Sept. violent spirit; and, As the tree in the wood is moved by the Is. 7, 2. Sept. spirit; and, Fire, hail, snow, ice, spirit of storm. And of p. 148, good doctrine the Lord Himself says, The words that unto you, they are spirit, and they are life; instead of, are 63. spiritual." But the Holy Spirit is not pronounced by the tongue; but He is Living, and He it is who gives to speak wisely, speaking and discoursing Himself.

I

Zech.

speak 8.

14. And wouldest thou know that He discourses and speaks? Philip by revelation of an Angel went down to the way which leads to Gaza, when the Eunuch was coming;

P

John 6,

210

Instances of the Holy Ghost speaking.

29.

5.

Acts 13,

2.

23.

LECT. and the Spirit said to Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this XVI._chariot. Seest thou the Spirit talking to one who hears Acts 8, Him? And Ezekiel speaks thus, And the Spirit of the Lord Ezek.11, fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the Lord. And again, The Holy Ghost said, unto the Apostles who were in Antioch, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. Beholdest thou the Spirit living, separating, calling, and with authority sending forth? Acts 20, So Paul said, Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every For this city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. the good Sanctifier of the Church, and her Helper, and Teacher, the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, of whom the Saviour John 14, said, He shall teach you all things, (and He said not only, He shall teach, but, He shall bring to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you; for the teachings of Christ and of the Holy Ghost are not different, but the same;) He, I say, testified before to Paul what should befal him, that he might be the more stout-hearted, from knowing them previously. I have been led to make these remarks in consequence of the text, The words which I speak unto you, they are spirit; that thou mayest understand this, not of the utterance of the lips, but of good doctrine.

26.

12.

(7.)

15. In Scripture too sin also is called spirit, as I have already said; but in another and opposite sense, as when it is Hos. 4, said, The spirit of whoredoms caused them to err. The name spirit" is given also to the unclean spirit, the devil; but with the addition of, " unclean;" for to each is joined its distinguishing name, to mark its proper nature. When the Scripture uses "spirit" in reference to the soul of man, it is with the addition," of man ;" if it mean the wind, it says, the "spirit of storm;" if sin, it says, the "spirit of whoredoms;" if the devil, it says, an unclean spirit:" that we may know which particular thing is spoken of, and thou mayest not suppose that it means the Holy Ghost; God forbid! For this word spirit is common to many things; and every thing which has not a gross body is in a general way called spirit. Since, therefore, the devils have not such bodies, they are called spirits: but great is the difference; for the unclean devil, when he comes upon the soul of a man, (may the Lord deliver from him every soul that hears me, yea, and that is away!) he comes

Contrast between inspiration and demoniacal possession. 211

like a wolf upon a sheep, ravening for blood, and ready to devour. His presence is most cruel; the sense of it most oppressive; the mind is darkened: his attack is an injustice also, and the usurpation of another's possession. For he tyrannically uses another's body, another's instruments, as his own property; he throws down him who stands upright; (for he is akin to him who fell from heaven;) he Luke 10, perverts the tongue and distorts the lips. Foam comes instead of words; the man is filled with darkness; his eye is open, yet the soul sees not through it; and the miserable man quivers convulsively before his death. The devils are truly foes of men, using them basely and pitilessly.

18.

16. Such is not the Holy Ghost; God forbid! For His (8.) doings tend the contrary way, to what is good and salutary. First, His coming is gentle; the perception of Him is fragrant; most light is His burden; beams of light and knowledge gleam forth before His coming. He comes with the bowels of a true guardian; for He comes to save, and to heal, to teach, to admonish, to strengthen, to exhort, to enlighten the mind, first of him who receives Him, and afterwards of others also, through him. And as a man, who having been previously in darkness, on a sudden beholds the sun, receives light in his bodily sight, and sees plainly things which he saw not, so in like manner he who is vouchsafed the Holy Ghost, is illuminated in his soul, and sees things beyond man's sight, which he knew not; his body is on earth, yet to his soul are mirrored forth the heavens. He sees, like Esaias, the Lord sitting upon a throne high and Is. 6, 1. lifted up; he sees, like Ezekiel, Him who is above the Ezek. Cherubim; he sees, like Daniel, thousand thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand; and the man, little though he 10. be, beholds the beginning of the world and the end of the world, and the times intervening, and the successions of kings,things which he had not learnt: for the True Enlightener is present with him. The man is within walls; but the power of his knowledge reaches far and wide, and he sees even what other men are doing.

10,1.&c.

Dan. 7,

17. Peter was not with Ananias and Sapphira when they sold their possessions, but he was present by the Spirit; Why, he says, hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Acts 5,

3.

212 Gift of supernatural knowledge through the Spirit.

LECT. Holy Ghost?

XVI.

v. 4.

13.

There was no accuser; there was no witness; whence knew he what had happened? Whiles it remained was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in Acts 4, thine heart? The unlettered Peter, by the grace of the Spirit, learnt what not even the sages of the Greeks had known. Thou hast the like, in the case also of Elisseus. For when he had freely healed the leprosy of Naaman, Gehazi received the reward, the reward of another's achievement; and took the money from Naaman, and bestowed it Ps. 139, in a dark place. But the darkness is no darkness to the 12. Saints. And when he came, Elisseus asked him; and like Acts5,8. Peter, when he said, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so 2 Kings much? he also enquires, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? Not in ignorance, but in sorrow ask I whence comest thou? From darkness art thou come, and to darkness shalt thou go; thou hast sold the cure of the leper, and the leprosy shall be thy heritage. I have fulfilled, he says, the bidding of Him Mat. 10, who said to me, Freely ye have received, freely give; but thou hast sold this grace; receive now the terms of thy purchase. But what says Elisseus to him? Went not mine heart with thee? I was here shut in by the body, but the spirit which has been given me of God, saw even the things afar off, and shewed me plainly what was doing elsewhere. Thou seest how the Holy Ghost not only rids of ignorance, (9.) but invests with knowledge; thou seest how He illuminates souls.

5, 25.

8.

12.

18. Esaias lived nearly a thousand years ago; and he Is. 1, 8. beheld Sion as a cottage. The city was still standing, and beautified with public places, and robed in majesty; yet he Mic. 3, says, Zion shall be ploughed as a field, foretelling what is fulfilled in our days. And observe the exactness of the proIs. 1, 8. phecy; for he said, And the daughter of Zion shall be left as Sept. a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers. And now the place is filled with gardens of cucumbers. Seest thou how the Holy Spirit illuminates the holy ones? Be not therefore carried away to other things, by the force of a common term, but keep fast what is exactly meant.

19. And if ever, while thou hast been sitting here, thoughts concerning chastity or virginity have come into thy mind, it