Chapter V.--That Man Knoweth Not Himself Wholly.
7. For it is Thou, Lord, that judgest me; 1 for although no "man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him," 2 yet is there something of man which "the spirit of man which is in him" itself knoweth not. But Thou, Lord, who hast made him, knowest him wholly. I indeed, though in Thy sight I despise myself, and reckon "myself but dust and ashes," 3 yet know something concerning Thee, which I know not concerning myself. And assuredly "now we see through a glass darkly," not yet "face to face." 4 So long, therefore, as I be "absent" from Thee, I am more "present" with myself than with Thee; 5 and yet know I that Thou canst not suffer violence; 6 but for myself I know not what temptations I am able to resist, and what I am not able. 7 But there is hope, because Thou art faithful, who wilt not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, but wilt with the temptation also make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it. 8 I would therefore confess what I know concerning myself; I will confess also what I know not concerning myself. And because what I do know of myself, I know by Thee enlightening me; and what I know not of myself, so long I know not until the time when my "darkness be as the noonday" 9 in Thy sight.
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1 Cor. iv. 4. ↩
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1 Cor. ii. 11. ↩
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Gen. xviii. 27. ↩
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1 Cor. xiii. 12. ↩
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2 Cor. v. 6. ↩
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See Nebridius' argument against the Manichaeans, as to God's not being violable, in vii. sec. 3, above, and the note thereon. ↩
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See his Enarr. in Ps. lv. 8 and xciii. 19, where he beautifully describes how the winds and waves of temptation will be stilled if Christ be present in the ship. See also Serm. lxiii.; and Eps. cxxx. 22, and clxxvii. 4. ↩
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1 Cor. x. 13. ↩
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Isa. lviii. 10. ↩
