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.
Perception. We do not regard the Good as one thing, the Existent as another, and Life or Wisdom as another; nor do we hold that there are many causes and different Godheads producing different effects and subordinate one to another; but we hold that one God is the universal Source of the emanations,1 and the Possessor of all the Divine Names we declare ; and that the first Name expresses the perfect Providence of the one God, and the other names express certain more general or more particular modes of His Providence.2
3. Now, some one may say: “How is it, since Existence transcends Life, and Life transcends Wisdom, that living things are higher than things which merely exist, and sentient things than those which merely live, and reasoning things than those which merely feel, and intelligences than those which have only reason?? Why do the creatures rise in this order to the Presence of God and to a closer relationship with Him? You would have expected those which participate in God’s greater gifts to be the higher, and to surpass the rest.” Now if intelligent beings were defined as having no
1 i. e. Is the Source of Goodness, existence, life, wisdom, etc.
2 The title “Good” applies to all God’s providential activity, for everything that He makes is good. And even evil is good depraved ; and exists as good in the Good (see p. 132, n. 1). Or, rather, evil possesses not an existence but a non-existence in the Good. It is (according to D.) a kind of non-existent good. Hence the title “Existent” is not quite so general as the title “Good.” “Living” is a less general title still (since a stone, for instance, has no life), and “Wise” is yet less general (since a plant is not wise). Thus we get the following table of emanating activity : (1) Good (including and transcending existent and non-existent things, viz. “good,” and “evil”). (2) Existent (existent things, viz. good). (3) Life (plants, animals, men, angels). (4) Wisdom (men and angels). 3 Intuition is the faculty of the Intelligences or Angels, by which are meant, of course, angels and spiritual men; Discursive Reason is that of natural men.
Perception. We do not regard the Good as one thing, the Existent as another, and Life or Wisdom as another; nor do we hold that there are many causes and different Godheads producing different effects and subordinate one to another. We hold that one God is the universal Source of the emanations,1 and the Possessor of all the Divine Names we declare; and that the first Name expresses the perfect Providence of the one God, and the other names express certain more general or more particular modes of His Providence.2
3. Now someone may say: “How is it, since Existence transcends Life and Life transcends Wisdom, that living things are higher than things which merely exist, sentient things higher than those which merely live, reasoning things higher than those which merely feel, and intelligences higher than those which have only reason?3 Why do the creatures rise in this order to the Presence of God and to a closer relationship with Him? You would have expected those which participate in God’s greater gifts to be the higher, and to surpass the rest.” Now if intelligent beings were defined as having no
1 i.e. He is the Source of Goodness, existence, life, wisdom, etc.
2 The title “Good” applies to all God’s providential activity, for everything that He makes is good. Even evil is good depraved, and exists as good in the Good (see p. 132, n. 1). Or rather, evil possesses not an existence but a non-existence in the Good. It is (according to D.) a kind of non-existent good. Hence the title “Existent” is not quite so general as the title “Good.” “Living” is a less general title still (since a stone, for instance, has no life), and “Wise” is less general yet (since a plant is not wise). Thus we get the following table of emanating activity: (1) Good (including and transcending existent and non-existent things, viz. “good” and “evil”). (2) Existent (existent things, viz. good). (3) Life (plants, animals, men, angels). (4) Wisdom (men and angels). 3 Intuition is the faculty of the Intelligences or Angels, by which are meant, of course, angels and spiritual men; Discursive Reason is that of natural men.