Глава IV

Prayer is also a gift of God 16. If we say that the merit of prayer precedes, so that the gift of faith can be acquired, then, although prayer, asking for everything that it asks, thereby makes it clear that all this is the gift of God, so that a person does not think that he has this from himself, because if he had it in his power, then, of course, he would not ask, yet, so that we do not think that at least the merits of prayer precede, according to which grace is not given freely, but something that is no longer grace, since it is rewarded for merit - so prayer itself is also included among the gifts of grace. Thus says the teacher of the pagans 54: For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be expressed 55. What does “intercedes” mean if not “makes us intercede”? Here, intercession with sighs is the surest sign of someone in need of something. But it is unacceptable to believe that the Holy Spirit needs a certain thing. However, it is said “intercedes” because He causes us to intercede and instills in us an incentive to intercession and groaning. Likewise, the Gospel says the following: For it is not you who will speak, but the Spirit of your Father who will speak in you 56 . After all, this is not done by us, as if we ourselves were not doing anything. Thus, in such words the help of the Holy Spirit is expressed, and therefore He is said to do what He causes us to do. The Holy Spirit motivates to acts of piety 17. After all, one should not think that the Spirit about whom it is said: intercedes with unspeakable groanings is our spirit, but [one must believe] that it is the Holy Spirit who helps our weakness, as the Apostle clearly testifies to this. For at first he says: The Spirit helps our weakness, and then he continues like this: For we do not know what to pray for, as we should 57 and so on. He speaks more clearly about the same Spirit in another place: You did not receive the spirit of slavery to live again in fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry: “Abba, Father!” Now, here he did not say that the Spirit Himself cries out in prayer; but said: By whom we cry: “Abba, Father!” 58 However, in another place he says: Since you are sons of God, God sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying: “Abba, Father!” 59 Here he no longer says: “By whom we cry,” but preferred to call the Spirit Himself the one who calls, through whose influence we cry. Likewise in the above passages: the Spirit Himself intercedes with groanings that cannot be expressed 60 and: the Spirit of your Father will speak in you 61 . No one is able to pray without the Spirit of prayer or believe without the Spirit of faith 18. Therefore, just as no one philosophizes correctly, understands correctly, is not distinguished by faithful advice and strength, just as no one is wisely pious or piously knowledgeable, just as no one fears God with pure fear, unless he receives the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, advice and strength, knowledge, piety and fear of God 62, and just as no one has true strength, true love, godly chastity, unless he receives the Spirit of strength, love and chastity 63, in the same way, without the Spirit of faith, no one can properly believe, and without the Spirit of prayer, no one can pray for salvation. Not because there are many spirits, but all this is produced by one and the same Spirit, dividing it to each one individually as He pleases 64 , since the Spirit breathes where it wants 65 . But it should be recognized that in one way He helps without yet inhabiting, and in others by already inhabiting. After all, without yet moving in, he helps people become believers, and when he moves in, he helps those who are already believers. J.-P. Migne. Paris, 1845. T. 33. Col. 874–891. Places with discrepancies were verified with the publication: Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum. Vindobonae, 1911. Vo1. 57. R. 176–214. You might be interested in: