The Spirit of Knowledge

Ait enim, ut jam superius ostendimus, Apostulus: Nos autem non spiritum hujus mundi accepimus, sed spiritum qui ex Deo est, ut sciamus quae a Deo donata sunt nobis.' Accipitur ergo ob scientiam. Ut enim natura humani corporis cessantibus officii sui causis erit otiosa; nam oculis, nisi lumen aut dies sit, nullus ministerii erit usus; ut aures, nisi vox sonusve reddatur, munus suum non recognoscent; ut nares, nisi odor fragraverit, in quo officio erunt nescient; non quod his deficiet natura per causam, sed usus habetur ex causa: ita et animus humanus nisi per fidem donum Spiritus hauserit, habebit quidem naturam Deum intelligendi, sed lumen scientiae non habebit. Munus autem quod in Christo est, omne omnibus patet unum: et quod ubique non deest, in tantum datur in quantum quis volet sumere; in tantum residet, in quantum quis volet promereri. Hoc usque in consummationem saeculi nobsicum, hoc exspectationis nostrae solatium, hoc, in donorum operationibus futurae spei pignus est hoc mentium lumen, hic splendor animorum est. Hic ergo Spiritus Sanctus expetendus est, promerendus est, et deinceps praeceptorum fide atque observatione retinendus Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis, De Trinitate, Liber Secundus,

The Apostle says, as I have already shown above, 'But we have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are given to us by God.'1 We receive Him, then, for the sake of knowing. The faculties of the human body, lacking the cause of use become useless, for the eye cannot perform its function unless by a light or the day; the ear unless it receive voice or sound will be ignorant of its function; the nostrils unless some scent be encountered will not know their purpose, it being not that the nature is lacking for the cause but rather the use is never caused, and thus it is with the human soul, which unless through faith it has experienced the gift of the Spirit, will have that nature to apprehend God, but it will not have the light of knowledge. That Gift which is in Christ, is available to all, is lacking nowhere, and it is given to each according to the wish for it and insofar as he who wishes is worthy. This gift is with us unto the end of the world, it is the comfort of our waiting, it is the pledge of future hope by the favours which are worked, it is the light of minds, it is the splendor of souls. This Holy Spirit must be sought, it must be earned, and then retained by faith and obedience to the commands of God. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, On The Trinity, Book 2 1 1 Cor 2.12