ON GOD, THE SOUL, AND EVIL.

...let us first note what might have acted as a midwife original: "obstetricari"; a metaphor for bringing something into being or facilitating its birth to this profession of ignorance.

III. Indeed, it is a prejudice of many that spiritual things are unthinkable original: "incogitabiles", that is, they are of such a nature that they cannot be represented by thought, but are beyond all thought. Hence, because something is thought—and clearly so—they deny that whatever can be thought belongs to the nature of spiritual things. Consequently, for them, a spiritual nature is nothing other than that which is neither conceived nor can be conceived; of which, I admit, no knowledge is given.

In exactly the same way, the forms of bodies, which they call "substantial forms," A term from Scholastic philosophy referring to the internal essence that gives a thing its specific qualities. By the 17th century, many "modern" philosophers argued these were meaningless labels. are imagined by their defenders to be so unthinkable that whatever is clearly conceived in bodies is denied to be the "form." Nothing remains but what cannot be known, marked with the empty name of "forms," which they even admit are unknown.

One may observe the contagion of this disease in many people (and we will occasionally follow this method of deducing less abstract matters here and there, lest the rest of the text seem too meager and of no use). For even in theological matters, if something is explained so that it can be understood with a new and easy clarity, some will often fear, because of that very evidence of clarity, that the truth is not there. Yet they will persuade themselves that truth is present where obscurity and mists of terminology original: "terminorum nebulæ" envelop the matter so much that it cannot be understood, leaving room for an unmerited stupor.

So in practice, a very simple life—which is as far removed from the confusion of the crowd and craftiness as a clear idea is from a confused one—is considered "no life" by the common folk. And in general, whatever things are clear, plain, easy, and simple—which, because of their natural agreement with the faculty of understanding, do not strike, disturb, or move us for long or with much force—are regarded as nothing. Other unknown things must be substituted for realities, so that they can be presumed to be greater and more wonderful.

Although such a boast of ignorance original: "ignorantiæ jactatio" might perhaps please some because it seems to have the appearance of sincerity, humility, and modesty, while it so openly confesses its own defects; nevertheless, if the truth be told, it is to be feared that it is a sign of a mind that is both profane—not caring (to use sacred words) to retain God in its knowledge original: "Deum habere in notitia"; a reference to the Epistle to the Romans 1:28—and also proud and unrefined. Such a person, failing to notice what is within himself, not only refuses to seem inferior or even equal to others who know these things, but even wishes to seem superior, rejoicing in trampling upon all the knowledge of all people, saying to each: "Not only do you know nothing, just as I do; but I have this advantage over you, that I know that you and others know nothing along with me, whereas you are ignorant of even that."

IV. There are others who deny that knowledge of spiritual things is given for this reason,