But the
reason has little light if it is separated from the body, for God has
joined soul and body together; and so by means of the senses knowledge
becomes definite and complete. For if the soul out of the body were
richer in knowledge, it would be in vain that it should be in the body.
God and nature have done nothing in vain, and therefore the soul's union
with the body ministers to its perfection.
The soul's knowledge, however, will not be complete so long as it lives
in this mortal body. It does not while here come to the fundamental
distinctions and causes of the substances, because it is obliged to know
the inner side of things through their externals. Therefore man is able
only imperfectly to know an incorporeal substance; how much less can he
know the uncreated infinite being of God? But if he can not know the
being of God, he will not be able to know many other infinite things
which are in Him. We ought therefore not to be surprized that there is
much in God which we can not understand, and that very many truths of
the faith we can not yet prove since we do not yet know everything. The
great God in His rich mercy saw our poor knowledge and came into our
flesh and assumed it that He might work for us, die, and rise again
from the dead; until after a life full of love He raised Himself above
the world of sense into His eternity.
Pages:
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107