'Wisdom and spiritual knowledge are both gifts of the
one Holy Spirit, as are all the divine gifts of grace; but each has its
own distinctive energy. For this reason the Apostle testifies that to
one is given wisdom, to another spiritual knowledge by the same Spirit
(cf. 1 Cor. 12:8). Such knowledge unites man to God through experience,
but does not move him to express outwardly what he knows. Some, then, of
those who practice the solitary life are consciously illuminated by
spiritual knowledge, yet do not speak about God. But when wisdom, with
the fear of God, is given to someone at the same time as spiritual
knowledge - and this seldom happens - it leads him to express outwardly
the inner energies of this knowledge within him; for spiritual knowledge
illuminates men through its inner energy while wisdom does so through
being expressed outwardly. Spiritual knowledge comes through prayer,
deep stillness and complete detachment, while wisdom comes through
humble meditation on Holy Scripture and, above all, through grace given
by God.'
