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Chapter VI.—God to Be Loved More Than Parents.

“Then let us consider carefully, in the next place, what reason we have for loving our parents.  For this cause, it is said, we love them, because they seem to be the authors of our life.  But our parents are not authors of our life, but means of it.  For they do not bestow life, but afford the means of our entering into this life; while the one and sole author of life is God.  If, therefore we would love the Author of our life, let us know that it is He that is to be loved.  But then it is said, We cannot know Him; but them we know, and hold in affection.  Be it so:  you cannot know what God is, but you can very easily know what God is not.  For how can any man fail to know that wood, or stone, or brass, or other such matter, is not God?  But if you will not give your mind to consider the things which you might easily apprehend, it is certain that you are hindered in the knowledge of God, not by impossibility, but by indolence; for if you had wished it, even from these useless images you might have been set on the way of understanding.