Knowledge and Limit

Non est autem in tantum confidendum prudentia humana, ut perfectum se quis putet sapere quod sapiat: et in eo arbitretur absolutae rationis summae contineri, quod ipsa mente pertractans, aequabili undique apud se existimet veritatis opinione constare. non enim concipiunt imperfecta perfectum, neque quod ex alio subsistit, absolute vel auctoris sui potest intelligentiam obtinere, vel propriam: se quidam in eo tantum quod est sentiens, caeterum ulterius sensum suum quam sibi constituta sit natura non tendens. Notum enim suum non sibi debet, sed auctori: et idcirco id, quod in aliud ex auctore subsistit, imperfectum sibi est, dum constat aliunde; et necesse est, ut in quo se perfectum putet sapere, desipiat: quia naturae suae non moderans necessitatem, et omnia infirmitatum suarum existimans terminis contineri, falso jam sapientiae nomine gloriantur: quia sapere, sibi ultra sensus sui non liceat potestatem, et quam infirmum subsistendi est virtute, tam sensus sit. Atque ob id imperfectae naturae substitutio, perfecti sensus sapientiam obtinere se glorians, stultae sapientiae irridetur opprobrio, Apostolo dicente: 'Non enim misit me Christus baptizare, sed evangelizare, non in sermone sapientiae, ne inanis fiat crux Christi: verbum enim crucis stultitia est his qui pereunt, iis autem qui salvantur, virtus Dei est. Scriptum est enim: Perdam sapientiam sapientium, et intellectum intelligentium reprobabo. Ubi sapiens? Ubi scriba? Ubi conquisitor hujus saeculi? Nonne stultam fecit Deus sapientiam hujus mundi? Quoniam quidem in sapientia Dei non cognovit mundus per sapientiam Deum, decrevit Deus per stultitiam praedicationis salvare credentes: quoniam Juaei signa petunt et Graecu sapientiam quaerunt: nos autem praedicamus Christum Jesum crucifixum, Jaudeis quidem scandalum, gentibus autem stultitiam, ipsis autem vocatis Judaeis et Graecis Christum Dei virtutem et Dei sapientiam: quia quod infirmum est Dei fortius est hominibus, et quod stultum est Dei, sapientius est hominibus.' Omnis itaque infidelitas stultitia est: quia imperfecti sensus sui usa sapientia, dum omnia infirmitatis suae opinione moderatur, putat effici non posse quod non sapit. Causa enim infidelitatis de sententia est infirmitatis, dum gestum esse quis non putat, quod geri non posse definiat. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis, De Trinitate, Liber III

One most not have total confidence in the human intellect as to imagine that one thinks one perfectly knows what one may know and to judge that in oneself is contained the absolute peak of reason, that drawing something into the mind and equally from all side judging it, that one stands firmly in the opinion of truth. The imperfect cannot conceive the perfect; a being dependent for its existence upon another cannot attain to perfect knowledge either of its Creator or of itself, for in its consciousness of self and of other things outside itself nature has established limits beyond which it may not reach. Its own knowledge is not self-caused, but due to the Creator, and so that which depends on a Creator is imperfect, since its origin is from elsewhere, and so necessarily it is an error for that being to say that it has perfect knowledge of anything; it cannot modify the necessity of its own nature, and judging its own infirmity to contain everything it falsely glories in the name of wisdom, for to know what is beyond its mental power is not possible, its strength of perception restricted by its limitations. And therefore this masquerade of an imperfect nature glorying that it possesses the wisdom of a perfect mind, is laughed at for the disgrace of confusing folly and wisdom, the Apostle saying, 'For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel, not in words of wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be worthless. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the understanding of the prudent I will reject. Where is the wise? Where the scribe? Where is the enquirer of this world? Has God not made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, God decreed through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Jesus Christ crucified, to the Jews indeed a scandal and to the Gentiles foolishness, but unto those called, Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the weakness of God is stronger than men, and the foolishness of God is wiser than men.' 1Thus all unbelief is foolishness, because it takes up the wisdom of its imperfect mind, and, measuring everything by its own infirmity, it determines that which it is not able to understand must not be possible. For the cause of unbelief is born of flawed judgement, so that when something happens they do not think it did because what has happened they are not able to contain within their limits. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, On The Trinity, Book 8 1 1 Cor 1. 17- 25