On the Divine Names and the Mystical Theology — trans. C. E. Rolt
The translator’s English as printed (C. E. Rolt). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
Thus while in the Undifferentiated Godhead the “Persons” of the Trinity ultimately transcend Themselves and point (as it were) to a region where They are merged, yet in that side of Its Nature which looks towards the universe They shine eternally forth and are the effulgence of those “Supernal Rays” through Which all light is given us, and whence all energy streams into the act of creation. For by Their interaction They circulate that Super-Essence Which Each of Them perfectly possesses, and so It passes forth from Them into a universe of Being.
Now the Godhead, while It is beyond all particular Being, yet contains and is the ultimate Reality of all particular Being; for It contains beforehand all the particular creatures after a manner in which they are ultimately identical with It, as seems to be implied by the phrase that all things exist in It fused and yet distinct. Thus although It is not a particular being, It in a transcendent manner contains and is Particularity. Again It is beyond all universal Being, for universals are apprehended by the intellect, whereas the Godhead is incomprehensible and therefore is described as “formless.” Nevertheless It contains and is the Ultimate Reality of all universals, for, even before the world was made, It eternally embraced and embraces all things and all the universal laws of their existence. Thus after a transcendent manner It contains and is Universality. And hence in Its transcendent Nature Universality and Particularity are contained as one and the same undifferentiated Fact.
tube Tren. WO.
2 See De Trin. viii. 4 ‘Not this and that Good, but the very Good . . . Not a good Personality (animus) but good Goodness” ; and vii. 11, where he condemns those who say the word persona is employed “in the sense of a particular man such as Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob, or anybody else who can be pointed out as being present.
3 sania, Pars ἘΠῚ O. xs Art
Thus, while in the Undifferentiated Godhead the “Persons” of the Trinity ultimately transcend Themselves and point (as it were) to a region where They are merged, yet in that side of Its Nature which looks towards the universe They shine eternally forth and are the radiance of those “Supernal Rays” through Which all light is given us, and from which all energy streams into the act of creation. For by Their interaction They circulate that Super-Essence Which Each of Them perfectly possesses, and so It passes forth from Them into a universe of Being.
Now the Godhead, while It is beyond all particular Being, yet contains and is the ultimate Reality of all particular Being; for It contains beforehand all the particular creatures in a manner in which they are ultimately identical with It, as the phrase that all things exist in It fused and yet distinct seems to imply. Thus, although It is not a particular being, It contains and is Particularity in a transcendent manner.
Again, It is beyond all universal Being, for universals are apprehended by the intellect, whereas the Godhead is incomprehensible and is therefore described as “formless.” Nevertheless It contains and is the Ultimate Reality of all universals, for even before the world was made It eternally embraced, and embraces, all things and all the universal laws of their existence. Thus in a transcendent manner It contains and is Universality. And so in Its transcendent Nature Universality and Particularity are contained as one and the same undifferentiated Fact.
tube Tren. WO.
2 See De Trin. viii. 4: “Not this and that Good, but the very Good . . . not a good Personality (animus) but good Goodness”; and vii. 11, where he condemns those who say the word persona is used “in the sense of a particular man such as Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob, or anyone else who can be pointed out as being present.
3 Summa, Pars ἘΠῚ O. xs Art