60. Seeing, then, that the
origin, the cause, the reason of so many and so important things,
escapes you yourselves also, and that you can neither say nor explain
what has been made, nor why and wherefore it should not have been
otherwise, do you assail and attack our timidity, who confess
that we do not know that which cannot be known, and who do not care to
seek out and inquire into those things which it is quite clear cannot
be understood, although human conjecture should extend and spread
itself through a thousand hearts? And therefore Christ the
divine,—although you are unwilling to allow it,—Christ the
divine, I repeat, for this must be said often, that the ears of
unbelievers may burst and be rent asunder, speaking in the form of man
by command of the Supreme God, because He knew that men are
naturally38173817 blind, and
cannot grasp the truth at all, or regard as sure and certain what they
might have persuaded themselves as to things set before their eyes, and
do not hesitate, for the sake of their38183818 conjectures, to raise and bring up
questions that cause much strife,—bade us abandon and disregard
all these things of which you speak, and not waste our thoughts upon
things which have been removed far from our knowledge, but, as much as
possible, seek the Lord of the universe with the whole mind and spirit;
be raised above these subjects, and give over to Him our hearts, as yet
hesitating whither to turn;38193819 be ever mindful of Him; and although
no imagination can set Him forth as He is,38203820 yet form some faint conception of
Him. For Christ said that, of all who are comprehended in
the vague notion of what is sacred and divine,38213821 He alone is beyond the reach of doubt,
alone true, and one about whom only a raving and reckless madman can be
in doubt; to know whom is enough, although you have learned nothing
besides; and if by knowledge you have indeed been related to38223822 God, the
head of the world, you have gained the true and most important
knowledge.