The 3 True Limitations of Human Knowledge

These limitations are 3:

1. “That we do not so place our felicity in knowledge, as we forget our mortality”

Solomon said:

“I saw well that knowledge goes away as far from ignorance as light goes away from darkness. The wise man’s eyes keep watch in his head, whereas this fool goes around in darkness. Yet they have the same mortality.”

2. “That we make application of our knowledge, to give ourselves repose and contentment, and not distaste or repining;”

There is no vexation or anxiety of mind which results from knowledge otherwise than merely by accident.

Wonder is the seed of knowledge

All knowledge and wonder is an impression of pleasure in itself. But that carefulness and trouble of mind grown when men:

• fall to framing conclusions out of their knowledge
• apply it to their particular
• minister to themselves thereby weak fears or vast desires

For then, knowledge becomes Lumen madidum, or maceratum, being steeped and infused in the humours of the affections. It no longer is Lumen siccum, whereof Heraclitus the profound said, Lumen siccum optima anima.

3. “That we do not presume by the contemplation of Nature to attain to the mysteries of God.”

A man is spoiled by vain philosophy if he inquires into the sensible and material things in order to discover the nature or will of God.

This is because the contemplation of God’s creatures and works produces knowledge of those works and creatures themselves. But if these are done without regard to God, then it leads to broken knowledge instead of perfect knowledge.

One of Plato’s school rightly said that the sense of man resembles the sun.

• It shines on all of the terrestrial globe.
• But it also obscures and conceals the stars and celestial world

The sense discovers natural things. But it darkens and shuts the divine.

This is why great learned men have been heretical when they tried to fly up to the secrets of the Deity by this waxen wings of the senses.

The conceit for too much knowledge inclines a man to atheism.

The ignorance of second causes should make a more devout dependence on God, which is the first cause.

Job asked of his friends:

“Will you lie for God, as one man will lie for another, to gratify him?”

God works nothing in Nature but by second causes.

If they would have it otherwise believed, it is mere imposture, as it were in favour towards God, and nothing else but to offer to the Author of truth the unclean sacrifice of a lie.

But further, it is an assured truth, and a conclusion of experience, that a little or superficial knowledge of philosophy may incline the mind of men to atheism, but a further proceeding therein doth bring the mind back again to religion.

For in the entrance of philosophy, when the second causes, which are next unto the senses, do offer themselves to the mind of man, if it dwell and stay there it may induce some oblivion of the highest cause; but when a man passeth on further and seeth the dependence of causes and the works of Providence; then, according to the allegory of the poets, he will easily believe that the highest link of Nature’s chain must needs he tied to the foot of Jupiter’s chair.

In conclusion, let no man upon a weak conceit of sobriety or an ill-applied moderation think that a man can search too far, or well study in the book of God’s word, or in the book of God’s works, divinity or philosophy.

Instead, men should endeavour an endless progress or proficience in both.

only let men beware that they apply both to charity, and not to swelling; to use, and not to ostentation; and again, that they do not unwisely mingle or confound these learnings together.