Of the fourth evil that comes to the soul from the distinct
supernatural apprehensions of the memory, which is the hindrance
that it interposes to union.
CONCERNING this fourth evil there is not much to be said,
since it has already been treated again and again in this third
book, wherein we have proved how, in order that the soul may come
to union with God in hope, it must renounce every possession of
the memory; for, in order that its hope in God may be perfect, it
must have naught in the memory that is not God. And, as we have
likewise said, no form or figure or image or other kind of
knowledge that may come to the memory can be God, neither can be
like Him, whether it be of heaven or of earth, natural or
supernatural, even as David teaches, when he says: 'Lord, among
the gods there is none like unto Thee.'[511]
2. Wherefore, if the memory desires to pay heed to any of
these things, it hinders the soul from reaching God; first,
because it encumbers it, and next because, the more the soul has
of possession, the less it has of hope. Wherefore it is needful
for the soul to be stripped of the distinct forms and the
knowledge of supernatural things, and to become oblivious to them,
so that the memory may cause no hindrance to its union with God in
perfect hope.
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