Chapter V.—That Man Knoweth Not Himself Wholly.

7. For it is Thou, Lord, that judgest me;⁸³⁵⁸³⁵    1 Cor. iv. 4. for although no “man knoweth the things of a 144man, save the spirit of man which is in him,”⁸³⁶⁸³⁶    1 Cor. ii. 11. 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,”⁸³⁷⁸³⁷    Gen. xviii. 27. 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.”⁸³⁸⁸³⁸    1 Cor. xiii. 12. So long, therefore, as I be “absent” from Thee, I am more “present” with myself than with Thee;⁸³⁹⁸³⁹    2 Cor. v. 6. and yet know I that Thou canst not suffer violence;⁸⁴⁰⁸⁴⁰    See Nebridius’ argument against the Manichæans, as to God’s not being violable, in vii. sec. 3, above, and the note thereon. but for myself I know not what temptations I am able to resist, and what I am not able.⁸⁴¹⁸⁴¹    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. 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.⁸⁴²⁸⁴²    1 Cor. x. 13. 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”⁸⁴³⁸⁴³    Isa. lviii. 10. in Thy sight.