Part 4. How Jesus Christ Helps Us Walk the Way Into the Kingdom of Heaven, and How This Help May Be Obtained

The Holy Spirit, as God, the third Person of the Holy Trinity, is just as almighty as the Father and the Son. He quickens, animates, and gives strength to creatures. He gives to animals life, to men reason, and to Christians a spiritual, higher life: that is, the Holy Spirit instructs man and helps him to walk into the Kingdom of Heaven. The Holy Spirit is given not according to merits, but freely, and out of the mercy of God is sent for the salvation of men; and the Holy Spirit helps in this way:

1) The Holy Spirit, having taken up His dwelling in a man, gives him faith and light. Without Him no one can have true, living faith. Without the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, even the very sage and learned man is, in the things of God and in His dispensation, a complete blind man. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit can to the most unlearned and simple man inwardly disclose and directly show the works of God, and can give him to feel the sweetness of the Heavenly Kingdom. The man who has the Holy Spirit within him feels in his soul an extraordinary light, until then wholly unknown to him.

2) The Holy Spirit, having taken up His dwelling in a man, produces in his heart true love. True love in the heart is, as it were, a pure warmth or heat that warms it; it is the root that produces in him all good deeds. For the man animated by true love there is nothing difficult, nothing terrible, and nothing impossible; for him no laws and commandments are hard, and all are readily fulfilled.

Faith and love, granted to man by the Holy Spirit, are such very great and powerful means that he who has them can easily, readily, with joy and consolation, walk along the way along which Jesus Christ passed.

3) Beyond this, the Holy Spirit gives a man the strength to resist the allurement of the world, so that, although he makes use of earthly goods, yet he makes use of them as a temporary visitor, not fastening his heart upon them. But the man who has not the Holy Spirit within him, for all his learning and good sense, is more or less always a slave and a worshiper of the world.

4) The Holy Spirit grants a man wisdom. This we can see especially in the holy Apostles, who before receiving the Holy Spirit were the most simple and unlearned of men; but afterward, who could withstand their wisdom and the power of their word? The Holy Spirit grants wisdom also in deeds and actions: thus, for example, the man who has the Holy Spirit within him will always find means and time for his salvation, and amid the noise of the world and in all his occupations he knows how to enter into himself—whereas to the ordinary man this seems impossible even in the very temple of God.

5) The Holy Spirit grants true joy and gladness and unshakable peace. The man who has not the Holy Spirit within him can never rejoice with true joy nor be glad with pure gladness, and cannot have a sweet peace of soul. True, he sometimes rejoices and is glad; but what kind of joy is this? momentary and impure; and his gladness is always empty and poor, after which tedium overcomes him still more. And it is true also that such a man is sometimes at rest; but this rest is not spiritual peace, but the sleep or the drowsiness of the soul. And woe will be to him who is heedless and will not rouse himself from such a sleep!

6) The Holy Spirit gives true humility. Even the most sensible man, if he has not the Holy Spirit within him, cannot properly know himself; for, as was said above, without the help of God he cannot see the inward state of his soul. If he does good to others and behaves honestly, then he thinks of himself that he is a righteous man and even perfect in comparison with others, and therefore he thinks that he is now in need of nothing… Ah, how often do men perish from a false assurance of their own honesty and rightness—that is, they perish from this, that, hoping in their own righteousness, they think nothing at all of the spirit of Christianity and of the help of the Holy Spirit, whereas they have the most extreme need of His help! And since the Holy Spirit is given only to him who asks and seeks, while such men not only do not ask and seek Him, but do not even count it needful: therefore He is not given to them—and consequently they remain in delusion and perish. But the Holy Spirit, having taken up His dwelling in the heart of a man, shows him all his inward poverty and weakness, and the corruption of his soul and heart, and his estrangement from God; and amid all his virtues and rightness shows him his sins, his laziness and his negligence concerning the salvation and good of men, his self-interest in his very virtues that seem disinterested, his gross self-love—there where he had not even suspected it. To put it briefly, the Holy Spirit shows everything in its true form. And then a man begins to be humbled with true humility, begins to lose hope in his own strength and virtues, and counts himself the worst of men. And humbling himself before Jesus Christ, who alone is Holy to the glory of God the Father, he begins truly to repent, and from that time resolves to sin no more and to live more carefully: and if he indeed has any virtues, then he sees clearly that he did and does them by no other means than the help of God, and therefore begins to hope in God alone.

7) The Holy Spirit teaches true prayer. No one, until he has received the Holy Spirit, can pray with that prayer which is truly pleasing to God. Because if anyone, not having the Holy Spirit within him, begins to pray, then his soul is scattered in various directions, from one thing to another, and he can in no way keep his thoughts upon one thing; and besides, he knows properly neither himself, nor his needs, nor how to ask and what to ask of God—nor does he even know who God is. But the man in whom the Holy Spirit dwells both knows God, and sees that He is his Father, and knows how to approach Him, and how to ask, and what to ask of Him. His thoughts in prayer are well-ordered, pure, and directed toward one object—God; and by his prayer he can indeed do everything—even move mountains from place to place.

This is a brief account of what the Holy Spirit grants to the one who has Him within him! And you see that without the help and assistance of the Holy Spirit it is impossible not only to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but even to take a step on the way to it. And therefore it is needful of necessity to seek and to ask for the Holy Spirit and to have Him within us, even as the holy Apostles had Him. But how He may be received or obtained—let us see further.

Jesus Christ said that the Holy Spirit breathes where He wills, and thou hearest His voice, but knowest not whence He comes and whither He goes. These words mean that the presence of the Holy Spirit in the heart, or His touching of our heart, can be heard, felt, and perceived, but the times and occasions when His visitation may be cannot be determined.

We see also that the holy Apostles received the Holy Spirit from Jesus Christ, and received Him more than once, and at a time not foretold to them, which they themselves did not determine or appoint, but at a time which it was pleasing to Jesus Christ. Only the solemn descent of the Holy Spirit was foretold to them, and came to pass at the appointed time and in the appointed place; but even here they received Him not for any special merits of their own, but freely, through faith and hope. And the unanimous prayer in which they continued after the Lord’s ascension until the descent of the Holy Spirit was not so much a means to the receiving of the Holy Spirit as a preparation for it. Consequently, no one can say definitely that thou wilt receive the Holy Spirit precisely at such a time and in such a manner. The Holy Spirit is a gift of God; and gifts are distributed unexpectedly and when it pleases the Giver of gifts, and He gives them to whom He wills. And therefore those greatly err who think to receive the Holy Spirit precisely in such a manner and at such a time; while those who themselves invent for this their own means not only will not receive the Holy Spirit, but take a terrible sin upon themselves.

But before we speak of how one may receive the Holy Spirit, it must be said that only the one who is a true believer can receive the Holy Spirit—that is, one who confesses the Holy Orthodox Catholic faith: confessing it rightly, without any addition or subtraction or alteration, but just as the holy Apostles handed it down to us and the Holy Fathers set it forth and confirmed it at the Ecumenical Councils. Every doubt and speculation concerning the faith is insubordination; and the insubordinate cannot be a temple or a house of the Holy Spirit. And the known and true means to the receiving of the Holy Spirit, according to the teaching of Holy Scripture and according to the experience of the great Saints, are the following:

1) Purity of heart and chastity.

2) Humility.

3) Hearkening to the voice of God.

4) Prayer.

5) Daily self-denial.

6) The reading and hearing of Holy Scripture.

7) The Mysteries of the Church, and in particular Holy Communion.

Every faithful soul will be filled with the Holy Spirit, if it is cleansed of sins, not cluttered and not shut up by self-love and pride. For the Holy Spirit always surrounds us and desires to fill us; but our evil deeds, surrounding us like a strong wall of stone, like evil guards, do not let Him reach us and drive Him away from us. Every sin can drive the Holy Spirit away from us; but especially abhorrent to Him are bodily uncleanness and spiritual pride. The Holy Spirit, as the most perfect purity, can in no way be in a man defiled by sins. And how can He be in our heart, when it is filled and cluttered with various cares, desires, and passions?

And therefore:

1) If we wish that the Holy Spirit, whom we receive at our baptism, should not withdraw from us—or if we wish to receive Him again—we must be pure in our hearts and must guard our bodies from fornication; because our heart and our body must be a temple of the Holy Spirit. And if anyone is pure in heart and undefiled in body, then the Holy Spirit will enter into him and take possession of his heart and soul, if only such a man will not hope in his good deeds and boast of them, counting himself as it were entitled to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, or to receive them as a reward due.

But if thou hast, by misfortune, defiled and corrupted thy heart and body, then strive to cleanse thyself by repentance—that is, cease to sin, and in contrition of heart repent that thou hast until now insulted God, thy loving Father; repent and begin to live with greater watchfulness: then thou too canst receive the Holy Spirit.

2) One of the most reliable means to the receiving of the Holy Spirit is humility. Though thou be a man honest, good, just, and merciful—in a word, though thou fulfill all the commandments of God—yet for all that always count thyself an unprofitable servant, and no more than an instrument of God, through which He acts. And besides, if we examine more attentively our good deeds, even the very greatest virtues, how many of them will prove to be such as deserve the name of Christian virtues? How often, for example, do we give alms or render aid to needy brethren, if not out of vainglory or self-love, like the Pharisees, then out of self-interest, like usurers—that is, with the intention of receiving from God hundreds and thousands for a kopeck given to a beggar! Of course, a good deed will always remain a good deed, and therefore continue to do and to multiply thy good deeds; every good deed may be called gold, and gold, even unrefined, has its value: it need only be put into the hands of a master—and it will receive its true value. So exactly will thy good deeds receive their value, if thou, with full trust, givest them over into the will and the hands of the Great Artificer: so then, continue to be honest, good, just, and merciful, and a faithful fulfiller of the law. But if thou wishest thy virtues to have their true value, do not boast of them and do not count them pure gold, worth the heavenly treasures. Thou art not the master, thou knowest not how to appraise it. True value to gold is given by craftsmanship, and true value to virtues is given by love—but love that is Christian, pure, disinterested—love which the Holy Spirit alone grants. All that is done not out of Christian love—that is, not by the Holy Spirit—is not true virtue. And therefore the man who has not the Holy Spirit within him, for all his virtues, is destitute and poor.

Humility is also yet another thing—that is, bear all the sorrows, griefs, and misfortunes that meet thee with patience and without murmuring, and count them a chastisement for thy sins, and say not: ah, how unhappy I am! but say: this is yet little for me, for my sins! And ask of God not so much that He deliver thee from calamities, as rather that He give thee strength to bear them.

3) The Holy Spirit may be received by attentively hearkening to the voice of God. The voice of God, which speaks clearly, distinctly, and intelligibly, can be heard everywhere and in everything—only for this one must have ears to hear. God, as thy most loving Father, from thy very birth to this day, speaks to thee daily, calls thee to Himself, warns, instructs, teaches, and admonishes thee. Thus, for example: art thou unhappy, has someone wronged thee, has one of thy kin died, or art thou thyself sick, or sorrowful, or sad without any visible cause (which happens not seldom to everyone)—in all this thou canst hear the voice of God, telling thee to come to thy senses, and instead of seeking help in men, in hope upon them, or seeking consolation in distraction and amusements, to turn in repentance to God and to seek in Him alone consolation and help. Or suppose that thou prosperest—that is, livest in abundance and plenty, all thy affairs and circumstances are in the best condition, and thou seest neither griefs nor sorrows, but even not seldom seest joys, and joys sometimes even spiritual. All this is the voice of God, telling thee to love with all thy heart the God who so benefits thee, and to thank Him according to thy strength, and that thou, making use of the goods of this world, shouldst not forget to gladden also the lesser brethren of Jesus Christ—that is, the poor—and shouldst not forget the true goods and joys of heaven, and Him who is the Source of all goods and joys. Who has not heard, and does not hear, the voice of God, speaking to us through the various things that happen to us? We hear, and hear clearly and distinctly; but few of us understand and act according to the voice of God. We, ordinarily, in our griefs and sorrows, instead of going deep into ourselves, seek distraction in vain occupations or amusements; and instead of receiving such visitations of God as a healing and using them for the benefit of our soul, we seek to be rid of them, and even sometimes murmur and lose all patience. Or, at the least, instead of seeking consolation in God, the Source of all consolation, we seek it in the world and its enjoyments. And being in prosperity and well-being, instead of loving God more and more as our Benefactor, we forget Him, and instead of using the goods that the Lord grants us for the common good and for the aid of our needy brethren, we use them on our own whims and on the satisfaction of our utterly superfluous desires. If it is a transgression of the law and a fearful thing to be inattentive and not to hearken to the voice of an earthly king, how much more sinful and fearful it is not to attend to and not to hearken to the voice of the Heavenly King! By such negligence and inattention one may come to such a pass that God, after His numerous and unceasing voices and callings, may at last cast us away from Himself, like stubborn children, and may allow us to do all that we take into our heads; and from this it may come that our mind, little by little, may be darkened to such a degree that even the most terrible and abominable sins may seem to us no more than unavoidable weaknesses of human nature. And therefore, as profitable and salutary as it is to be attentive to the voice of God, just so ruinous and terrible is it not to hearken to Him and to turn away from Him.

4) The Holy Spirit may be received by prayer. This means is the most simple and reliable, which everyone can always employ. It is known that prayer is of two kinds, outward and inward: that is, whoever prays and bows with the body, at home or in church, prays outwardly; while whoever turns to God with soul and heart and strives always to have Him in his mind, prays inwardly. Which of these prayers is better, more effectual, and more pleasing to God—every one of you knows. You know also that one may pray to God always and everywhere, in every place and even at the time when sin overcomes us; one may pray both at work and without work, on feast days and on ordinary days, standing, sitting, and lying down; this you know. But here it must be said only this: that although inward prayer is the most powerful means to the receiving of the grace of God, yet one must not abandon outward prayer either, and especially the prayer of the congregation. Many say: why should I go to church? I can pray at home too; there one will sin more than one will pray. But what do you think: is it justice or good sense that makes men speak so? Not at all! It is laziness and pride that make them speak so. Of course, by misfortune it sometimes happens indeed that, being in church, one sins: but this is not at all because I came to church, but because I came not with such a spirit as I ought, and stand in church not in order to pray, but do something else entirely. And just look at those who do not go to church for the reasons stated: well? do they pray at home? Not at all; and if some do pray, then with many of them the prayer is the prayer of the Pharisee. Because all their prayers can be expressed in the same words that the Pharisee spoke—that is, God, I thank Thee that I am not like other sinners and unrighteous men. So then, go both to the prayers of the congregation and pray at home before the holy icons, and pay no heed to any of the speculations of the would-be wise.

It was said above that the man who has not the Holy Spirit within him cannot pray with true prayer. This is a complete truth. Much labor and effort must be employed in order to know how to pray with holy prayer; not suddenly and not soon can one come to be able to raise one’s thoughts and heart to God, because it happens not only to us ordinary men, but even to many of those who have devoted their whole life to prayer, that thou wishest to turn thy thoughts to God, and they are scattered in various directions and onto various matters: thou wishest to have God in thy thoughts—and something else entirely comes to thee, and sometimes even something terrible.

True prayer has within it a sweet consolation of the heart, so that many holy fathers stood at prayer for whole days and nights, and in their sweet rapture did not notice the time and the duration of their prayer. And for them prayer was not a labor, but an enjoyment. But it is not easy to attain such a state, especially for one who from childhood gave full rein to his passions and oppressed his conscience. Yet what in the world, or what science and art or consolation, comes to us easily, swiftly, and without labor? And therefore pray, notwithstanding that in prayer thou seest, besides labors, no consolation or enjoyment—pray, and pray diligently and with all possible zeal; accustom thyself to prayer and to converse with God; thy scattered thoughts, so far as is possible, strive to gather and to hold—and little by little thou too wilt feel that it becomes easier and easier for thee, and thou wilt sometimes feel sweet consolations. And if thou wilt take care for this sincerely, then the Holy Spirit, seeing thy effort and the sincerity of thy desire, will soon show Himself to thee, and then, having entered into thee, will teach thee to pray with true prayer.

It is easiest of all to pray in the misfortunes and griefs that befall us; and therefore do not let such occasions slip, but make use of them: pour out thy grief before God in prayer.

Jesus Christ bids us pray without ceasing.

Many say: how can one pray without ceasing, living in the world? If we occupy ourselves with prayer alone, then when shall we discharge our offices and attend to our affairs? Of course, we cannot have unceasing prayer outwardly—that is, always to be standing at prayer—because we must discharge other duties also and labor. But whoever feels his inward poverty will not cease to pray even amid his occupations; whoever zealously desires to enter the Kingdom of Heaven will find occasion and time to pray both inwardly and outwardly: even amid the heaviest and most unremitting labors he will find time to say a word to God and to bow down to Him. Only he finds no time to pray who does not wish to pray.

It is said also that God will not hearken to sinners—that is, sinners will not receive from God that which they ask. And this is true: but to what kind of sinners will God not hearken? To such as entreat God but do not think of their own conversion; or who ask God to forgive them their sins, while they themselves are unwilling to forgive others anything, and on no account. Of course, to such sinners God will not hearken and will not fulfill their entreaty. And therefore thou, when thou prayest to God for the remission of thy debts, do thou also remit the debts of others and have the intention of forsaking thy sins. When thou entreatest God to be merciful to thee, be at the same time thyself also merciful to others, and then God will hearken to thee.

Some think that one may pray only from books. Of course, it is good if thou knowest how to pray and to glorify God in psalms and spiritual songs; but if thou art unlettered, then it is enough for thee to know the most important prayers, and especially the Lord’s Prayer (that is, the Our Father): because in this prayer, given to us by Jesus Christ Himself, all our needs are set forth. But when circumstances do not allow thee to pray longer, then say the ordinary prayers, such as: Lord, have mercy! or: God, help me! or: Lord, cleanse my sins! or: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!

5) One of the holy fathers said: if thou wishest thy prayer to fly up to God, then give it two wings—that is, fasting and almsgiving.

Before we speak of what fasting is, let us look at why fasting was instituted. The aim and purpose of fasting are these: to subdue and to lighten the body, and thereby to make it more obedient to the soul: because a sated and gross body craves luxury and ease and disposes a man to laziness, and hinders him from thinking of God; it as it were binds and constricts the soul, and in such a case it is like a willful, spoiled, and capricious wife who rules over her husband. So then, what is fasting? Fasting may be of various kinds; for a man reared in luxury, the fast may be of one sort, and for one reared in a simple and rough condition, of another: because for the one it means nothing to take the coarsest food and be in health, or to go without food for several days, while for the other a great change in food may be very perceptible and even harmful. And therefore, for everyone in general, fasting is above all abstinence and strict moderation in the use of food. Consequently, use food in moderation, and above all strive to curb the desires of the body and by no means fulfill its whims that are not needful for the preserving of health and the continuing of life—and then thy fast will be true.

But while fasting bodily, one must at the same time fast also in soul—that is, restrain one’s tongue from evil and not speak what is wicked and needless, moderate one’s desires and root out one’s passions; thus, for example: today do not do that which has come into thy mind as unseemly or needless; tomorrow, if circumstances dispose thee to be angry with someone, restrain thyself and give no rein to thy heart and thy tongue; the day after, if there come to thee a desire to go to some merriment, and especially to such where thou mayest see or hear something evil, do not go there—and so on, and in this manner continue to overcome thyself. After that, begin to restrain and to order thy thoughts also, that they may not wander where there is no need at all: because from thoughts much evil arises. And the truth must be told, that there is nothing harder than to stop one’s thoughts and to bring them into order; but one must know that it is impossible suddenly to order and to cleanse one’s thoughts: just as it is impossible suddenly to tame and to make gentle horses that have long been at large and have not known the bridle, so it is impossible suddenly to order his thoughts also for the one who all his life gave them free rein. And besides, when thou livest as an ordinary man, occupied only with thy worldly duties, thinking little of the duties of a Christian, then it seems to thee that thy thoughts are in order and even pure; but no sooner dost thou begin to ponder and to take care for thy salvation, than they will at once begin to grow turbid, like stagnant marsh water, which ordinarily, while it is not stirred, seems even bright and clear, but the more one begins to cleanse the marsh, the more the water grows turbid. So exactly is it with the thoughts; and at last the devil himself will stir them up. But notwithstanding all this, struggle with thy thoughts, hold firm and take courage, and never despair and never think that one can in no way stop and cleanse one’s thoughts: but so far as thy strength will allow, strive and ask help of God. And the Holy Spirit, seeing thy sincere desire, will take up His dwelling in thee and will help thee.

What is almsgiving? By almsgiving we ordinarily mean offerings to the poor. But by the name of almsgiving must be understood all deeds of mercy and compassion, such as: to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to visit the sick and the one imprisoned in jail, and to help them; and likewise to give shelter to the homeless, to care for the orphan, and so forth. But in order that thy almsgiving be true, thou must do all this without boasting, not desiring praise from men for thy benefactions or thanks from the poor. But act as Jesus Christ Himself said—that is, that thy left hand should not know what thy right hand does, and then the Heavenly Father, who sees the secret, will reward thee openly.

6) The Holy Spirit may be received by the reading and hearing of Holy Scripture, as the true word of God. Holy Scripture is such a treasure for man, from which he can draw both light and life: light, which can enlighten and make wise every man, and life, which can quicken, console, and gladden every man. Holy Scripture is one of the greatest benefactions of God toward man, and such a benefaction as everyone who only wills it can make use of. But it must be said that Holy Scripture is the divine wisdom, and a wisdom so wondrous that the very simplest and most unlearned man can understand and comprehend it, and on this account many men of the simple, reading or hearing Holy Scripture, have become pious and have received the Holy Spirit; but there have been also such, even of the learned, who, reading Holy Scripture, went astray and perished: and this is because the one sort read it in simplicity of heart and without speculation and reasoning, and sought in it not learning, but grace, power, and the spirit; while the others, on the contrary, counting themselves wise and all-knowing men, sought in it not the power and the spirit of the word of God, but worldly wisdom, and instead of receiving with submission all that it was pleasing to Providence to reveal to us, they tried to penetrate and to learn what is hidden; and from this they fell either into unbelief or into schisms. No! one could sooner pour the whole sea into a small cup than a man comprehend all the wisdom of God!

And therefore, when thou readest or hearest Holy Scripture, lay aside all thy speculation, submit to the word and the will of Him who speaks to thee through Holy Scripture, and ask Jesus Christ that He Himself instruct thee, enlighten thy mind, and give thee the inclination to read Holy Scripture and to fulfill what is said in it.

There are in the world many books called profitable and soul-saving; but only those of them deserve this name which are founded upon Holy Scripture and which are in agreement with the teaching of our Orthodox Church: and therefore one may and ought to read such books, but in the choosing of them one must be careful, lest sometimes, under the guise of a soul-saving book, there fall into one’s hands such a one as may ruin thy soul.

Jesus Christ said: “He who eats My body and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him; he has in himself eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” John 6:54, 56: that is, whoever worthily partakes of the Holy Mysteries is mystically united with Jesus Christ—that is, whoever with true repentance, with a pure soul, and with the fear of God and faith receives the Body and Blood of Christ, at the same time receives the Holy Spirit, who, having entered into a man, prepares in him a place for the receiving of Jesus Christ Himself and of God the Father, and consequently he becomes a temple and a dwelling place of the living God. But whoever partakes of the Body and Blood of Christ unworthily—that is, with an impure soul, with a heart filled with malice, vengeance, and hatred—not only will not receive the Holy Spirit, but becomes like Judas the betrayer and, as it were, crucifies Jesus Christ a second time.

The Christians of the first ages, feeling the importance and the spiritual benefit of the Holy Mysteries, partook of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ every Sunday and every feast; and it was for this reason that in them there was, as it is said in the book of Acts, one heart and one soul. But, my God, what a difference between them and us! How many of us are such as have not communed for several years on end! How many are such as do not think of this at all!

And so, for God’s sake, have the desire to partake of the Holy Mysteries, and at least, even if but once a year, yet without fail each one of you must do this. The Body and Blood of Christ are, for the worthy, a true healing of all ailments and sicknesses. And which of us is perfectly well? And who would not wish to receive healing and relief? The Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ are food for the way into the Kingdom of Heaven. But can one go on a far and difficult journey without food? The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ are a visible holy thing, handed down to us and left to us by Jesus Christ Himself for our sanctification. But who would not wish to be a partaker of such a Holy Thing and to be sanctified? So then, be not too slothful to approach the cup of life, of immortality, of love, and of holiness; but approach with the fear of God and faith. And whoever will not and is negligent about this does not love Jesus Christ, and he will not receive the Holy Spirit, and consequently he will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

And so, these are all the means by which we can receive the Holy Spirit—that is, purity of heart and blamelessness of life, humility, attentive hearkening to the voice of God, prayer, self-denial, the reading and hearing of the word of God, and the partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ. Of course, each of these means is effectual for the receiving of the Holy Spirit; but it is best and most reliable of all to employ them all together: then without doubt one may receive the Holy Spirit and be holy.

Here it must be said also that, if any of you be vouchsafed to receive the Holy Spirit, and if at that time any of you should somehow fall and sin, and thereby drive the Holy Spirit away from himself, then let such a one not despair and not think that he has lost everything, but let him the more quickly and the more diligently fall down before God with repentance and prayer, and the Holy Spirit will return to him again.