Ignorance of the Philosophers.
2794.
For let us consider carefully the work of divine providence.
2795.
For whereas the philosophers have introduced certain subtle and difficult words, so that not even the terms that they use in their discourses can be known and understood by all, God has shown that those who thought themselves word-framers are altogether unskilful as respects the knowledge of the truth.
2796.
For the knowledge of things which is imparted by the true Prophet is simple, and plain, and brief;
which those men walking through devious places, and through the stony difficulties of words, are wholly ignorant of.
2797.
Therefore, to modest and simple minds, when they see things come to pass which have been foretold, it is enough, and more than enough, that they may receive most certain knowledge from most certain prescience; and for the rest may be at peace, having received evident knowledge of the truth.
2798.
For all other things are treated by opinion, in which there can be nothing firm,
For what speech is there which may not be contradicted?
And what argument is there that may not be overthrown by another argument?
2799.
And hence it is, that by disputation of this sort men can never come to any end of knowledge and learning, but find the end of their life sooner than the end of their questions.
End of the Conference.
2800.
And, therefore, since among these philosophers are things uncertain, we must come to the true Prophet.
2801.
Him God the Father wished to be loved by all, and accordingly He has been pleased wholly to extinguish those opinions which have originated with men, and in regard to which there is nothing like certainty— that He the true Prophet might be the more sought after, and that He whom they had obscured should show to men the way of truth.
2802.
For on this account also God made the world, and by Him the world is filled;
whence also He is everywhere near to them who seek Him,
though He be sought in the remotest ends of the earth.
2803.
Yet if any one seek Him not purely, nor holily, nor faithfully,
He is indeed within him, because He is everywhere, and is found within the minds of all men;
yet, as we have said before, He is dormant to the unbelieving,
and is held to be absent from those by whom His existence is not believed.
2804.
And when Peter had said this, and more to the same effect, concerning the true Prophet,
he dismissed the crowds;
and when he very earnestly entreated the old man to remain with us, he could prevail nothing;
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yet he also departed, to return next day, as had been agreed upon.
2805.
And after this, we also, with Peter, went to our lodging, and enjoyed our accustomed food and rest.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER NINETY FIVE
Divisions 2806-2830
Book 9
RECOGNITIONS 9
Explanation.
2806.
On the following day, Peter, along with us, hastened early to the place in which the discussion had been held the day before; and when he saw that great crowds had assembled there to hear, and saw the old man with them, he said to him:
2807.
Old man, it was agreed yesterday that you should confer today with Clement; and that you should either show that nothing takes place apart from genesis, or that Clement should prove that there is no such thing as genesis, but that what we do is in our own power.
2808.
To this the old man answered: I both remember what was agreed upon, and I keep in memory the words which you spoke after the agreement was made, in which you taught that it is impossible for man to know any thing, unless he learn from the true Prophet.
2809.
Then Peter said:
You do not know what I meant; but I shall now explain to you.
2810.
I spoke of the will and purpose of God, which He had before the world was, and by which purpose He made the world, appointed times, gave the law, promised a world to come to the righteous for the rewarding of their good deeds, and decreed punishments to the unjust according to a judicial sentence.
2811.
I said that this counsel and this will of God cannot be found out by men, because no man can gather the mind of God from conjectures and opinion, unless a prophet sent by Him declare it.
2812.
I did not therefore speak of any doctrines or studies, that they cannot be found out or known without a prophet; for I know that both arts and sciences can be known and practised by men, which they have learned, not from the true Prophet, but from human instructors.
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Preliminaries.
2813.
Since, therefore, you profess to be conversant with the position of the stars and the courses of the heavenly bodies, and that from these you can convince Clement that all things are subject to Genesis, or that you will learn from him that all things are governed by providence, and that we have something in our own power, it is now time for you two to set about this.
2814.
To this the old man answered:
Now indeed it was not necessary to raise questions of this kind, if it were possible for us to learn from the true Prophet, and to hear in a definite proposition, that anything depends on us and on the freedom of our will; for your yesterday's discourse affected me greatly, in which you disputed concerning the prophetic power.
2815.
Whence also I assent to and confirm your judgment, that nothing can be known by man with certainty, and without doubt, seeing that he has but a short period of life, and a brief and slender breath, by which he seems to be kept in life.
2816.
However, since I am understood to have promised to Clement, before I heard anything of the prophetic power, that I should show that all things are subject to Genesis, or that I should learn from him that there is something in ourselves, let him do me this favour, that he first begin, and propound and explain what may be objected:
2817.
for I, ever since I heard from you a few words concerning the power of prophecy, have, I confess, been confounded, considering the greatness of prescience; nor do I think that anything ought to be received which is collected from conjectures and opinion.
Beginning of the Discussion.
2818.
When the old man had said this, I, Clement began to speak as follows:
God by His Son created the world as a double house, separated by the interposition of this firmament, which is called heaven;
2819.
and appointed angelic powers to dwell in the higher, and a multitude of men to be born in this visible world, from among whom He might choose friends for His Son, with whom He might rejoice, and who might be prepared for Him as a beloved bride for a bridegroom.
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2820.
Yet even till the time of the marriage, which is the manifestation of the world to come, He has appointed a certain power, to choose out and watch over the good ones of those who are born in this world, and to preserve them for His Son, set apart in a certain place of the world, which is without sin; in which there are already some, who are there being prepared, as I said, as a bride adorned for the coming of the bridegroom.
2821.
For the prince of this world and of the present age is like an adulterer, who corrupts and violates the minds of men, and, seducing them from the love of the true bridegroom, allures them to strange lovers.
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