Chapter 1, Lecture 1, C

Second, he introduces the reason for the aforementioned law, here: secundum quam etc. And the virtue of his reason is of such a kind: we are able to begin with principles of human wisdom in those doctrines in which things are argued which are understandable and speakable for men, and are able to be understood and spoken by those who have that doctrine. But regarding doctrines of faith, certain things unknowable and unutterable yet clung to by the faithful are put forth; not through understanding or through explicating with perfect words, although they cling more surely and clinging to things of this sort is higher than any natural understanding. Therefore in doctrines of faith we are not able to begin with principles of human wisdom. And this is what he says: “according to which” namely, that sort of revelation in the Apostles and prophets which proceeds from the Holy Spirit, we ourselves through faith “are united to the ineffable and unknowable, that is to the divine truth which exceeds all human speech and understanding. Neither is faith thus joined to these things that it may make things to be understood by the believing man and thus to be spoken, for this of clear vision, but it joins the “ineffable and unknown:” “for we now see through a mirror” as it is said in I Corinthians 13. And lest anyone contemptuously believe this conjunction is because of the imperfection of his (reason), he is joined “secundum meliorem unionem nostrae rationalis et intellectualis virtutis et operationis” which because Dionysius, a Greek has conflated the Ablative and Genitive would be more easily rendered “supra virtutem et operationem nostrae rationis et intellectus” “beyond the power and operation of our reasoning and intellection.”