memory by which the mind, which is ever by whom because itself was made, it is capa-
Cuap. XII. ] ON THE TRINITY. IgI ostse, and are not generated by knowledge.
profane literature, where exactness of words was more looked 'for than truth of things, ut when knowledge has come to pass, whenever the things known and laid up in memory are reviewed by recollection, who does not see that the retaining them in the memory.is prior in time to the sight of them in recollection, and to the uniting of the two things by will asa third? Inthe mind, how. ver, it is not so. For the mind is not adventitious to itself, as though there came to itself already existing, that same self not already existing, from somewhere else, or did not indeed come from somewhere else, but that in the mind itself already existing, there was born that same mind not already existing; just as faith, which before was not, arises in
Nor did Ulysses suffer such things, nor did the Ithacan forget himself in so great a peril.''" For when Virgil said that Ulysses did not forget himself, what else did he mean, except that he remembered himself? And since he was present to himself, he could not possibly remember himself, unless memory pertained to things present. And, therefore, as that is called memory in things past which makes it possible to recall and remember them; so in athing present, as the mind is to itself, that is not unreasonably to be called memory, which makes the mind at hand to itself, so that it can be understood by its own thought, and then both be joined together by love of itself.
' the mind which already was, Nor does the mind see itself, as it were, set up in its own memory by recollection subsequently to the knowing of itself, as though it was not there before it knew itself; whereas,doubtless, from' _{the time when it began to be,
CHAP, 12.—THE TRINITY IN THE MIND IS THE IMAGE OF GOD, IN THAT IT REMEMBERS, UNDERSTANDS, AND LOVES GOD, WHICH TO DO it has never
"ceased to remember, to understand, and to
IS WISDOM, love itself, as we have already shown. And hence, when it is turned to itself by thought, there arises a trinity, in which now at length we can discern also a word; since it is formed
15. This trinity, then, of the mind is not therefore the image of God, because the mind remembers itself, and understands and loves itself; but because it can also remember, un- } derstand, and love Him by whom it was made. } And in so doing it is made wise itself. But if it does not do so, even when it remembers, understands, and loves itself, then it is foolish. Let it then remember its God, after whose image it is made, and let it understand and love Him. Or to say the same thing more briefly, let it worship God, who is not made, by whom because itself was made, it is capable and can be partaker of Him; wherefore it is written, '' Behold, the worship of God, that is wisdom.''3 And then it will be wise, not by its own light, but by participation of that supreme Light; and wherein it is eternal, therein shall reign in blessedness. For this wisdom of man is so called, in that it is also of God. For then it is true wisdom; for if it is human, it is vain. Yet not so of God, as is that wherewith God is wise. For He is not wise by partaking of Himself, as the mind 1s by partaking of God. But as we call it the righteousness of God, not only when we speak of that by which He Himself is righteous, but also of that which He gives to man when He justifies the ungodly, which latter righteousness the apostle commending, says of some, that '' not knowing the righteousness of God and going about to establish their own righteousness, they are not subject to the righteousness of God;'' so also it may be said of some, that not knowing the wisdom of God from thought itself, will uniting both. Here, then, we may recognize, more than we have hitherto done, the image of which we are in search.
CHAP. II, WHETHER MEMORY IS ALSO OF THINGS PRESENT.
14. But some one will say, That is not memory by which the mind, which is ever present to itself, is affirmed to remember itself; for memory is of things past, not of things present. For there are some, and
among them Cicero, who, in treating of the virtues, have divided prudence into these three—memory, understanding, forethought: to wit, assigning memory to things past, understanding to things present, forethought to things future; which last is certain only in the case of those who are prescient of the future; and this is no gift of men, unless it be granted from above, as to the prophets. And hence the book of Wisdom, speaking of men, ** The thoughts of mortals,'' it says, "' are fearful, and our forethought uncertain.''* But memory of things past, and understanding of things present, are certain: certain, J] mean, respecting things incorporeal, which are present; for things corporeal are present to the sight of the corporeal eyes. But let any one who denies that there is any memory of things present, attend to the language used even in
2 Eneid, iii. 628, 629. 3 Job. xxviii. 28. 4 Rom. x. 3.
1 Wisd. ix. 14.