Therefore, we ought to take what has been said about the Holy Spirit, “For He will not speak of Himself; but what things soever He will hear, he will speak,” in such a way that we understand that He is not of Himself. For the Father alone is not from another. The Son is born from the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, but the Father is neither born nor proceeds from another. And yet, because of this, absolutely no disparity in that supreme Trinity should occur to human thought; for the Son is equal to Him from whom He is born, and the Holy Spirit is equal to Him from whom He proceeds. But what difference there is between proceeding and being born, it is both too large a task to discuss it through inquiry and rash to define it once you have discussed it. For this is most difficult both for the mind to comprehend in any way at all and, if the mind perchance comprehends something of it, for the tongue to explain it, however great a teacher is leading the discussion, however great a listener is present. Therefore “He will not speak of Himself” because He is not of Himself. “But what things soever He will hear, He will speak”; He will hear of that one from whom He proceeds. For that one, to hear is to know, but to know is to be, as was argued earlier. Therefore, because He is not of Himself but of Him from whom He proceeds, and His knowledge is of Him of whom His essence is, therefore from Him is His hearing, a thing that is nothing other than His knowledge.
Augustine, Tractate on the Gospel of John 99.4.3
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