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.
CHAP RER-VI
Concerning “ Life.”
I. NOW must we celebrate Eternal Life as that whence cometh very Life and all life1 which also endues every kind of living creature with its appropriate meed of Life. Now the Life of the immortal Angels and their immortality, and the very indestructibility of their perpetual motion, exists and is derived from It and for Its sake. Hence they are called Ever-living and Immortal, and yet again are denied to be immortal, because they are not the source of their own immortality and eternal life, but derive it from the creative Cause which produces and maintains all life. And, as, in thinking of the title “ Existent,” we said that It is an Eternity of very Being, so do we now say that the Supra-Vital or Divine Life is the Vitalizer and Creator of Life. And all life and vital movement comes from the Life which is beyond all Life and beyond every Principle of all Life. Thence have souls their indestructible quality, and all animals and plants possess their life as a far-off reflection of that Life. When this is taken away, as saith the Scripture, all life fades; and those which have faded, through being unable to participate therein, when they turn to It again revive once more.
2. In the first place It giveth to Very Life its vital quality, and to all life and every form thereof It gives the Existence appropriate to each. To the celestial forms of life it gives their immaterial, godlike, and unchangeable immortality and their unswerving and unerring perpetuity of motion ; and, in the abundance of Its bounty, It overflows even into the life of the devils, for not even diabolic life derives its existence from any other source, but derives from This both its vital nature and its permanence. And, bestowing upon men such angelic life as their composite nature can receive, in an overflowing wealth of love It turns and calls us from our errors to Itself, and (still Diviner act) It hath promised to change our whole being (I mean our souls and the bodies linked therewith) to perfect Life and Immortality, which seemed to the ancients unnatural, but seems to me and thee and to the Truth a Divine and Supernatural thing: Supernatural, I say, as being above the visible order of nature around us, not as being above the Nature of Divine Life. For unto this Life (since it is the Nature of all forms of life, and especially of those which are more Divine) no form of life is unnatural or supernatural. And therefore fond Simon’s captious arguments2 on this subject must find no entry into the company of God’s servants or into thy blessed soul. For, in spite of his reputed wisdom, he forgot that no one of sound mind should set the superficial order of sense-perception against the Invisible Cause of all things. We must tell him that if there is aught “against Nature” ’tis his language. For naught can be contrary to the Ultimate Cause.
1 The Godhead, though called Eternal Life, is really supra-vital, because life implies differentiations, and the Godhead as such is undifferentiated. This Supra-Vitality passes out through the Differentiated Persons of the Trinity into Very Life, whence life is derived to all the creatures. 2 Ps. Ci. 29, 80.
CHAP RER-VI
Concerning “ Life.”
1. We must now celebrate Eternal Life as that from which comes very Life and all life,1 and which endows every kind of living creature with its appropriate measure of Life. Now the Life of the immortal Angels, their immortality, and the very indestructibility of their perpetual motion exist and are derived from It and for Its sake. Hence they are called Ever-living and Immortal, and yet again are denied to be immortal, because they are not the source of their own immortality and eternal life but derive it from the creative Cause which produces and maintains all life.
And just as, in thinking of the title “Existent,” we said that It is an Eternity of very Being, so we now say that the Supra-Vital or Divine Life is the Vitalizer and Creator of Life. And all life and vital movement comes from the Life which is beyond all Life and beyond every Principle of all Life. From It souls have their indestructible quality, and all animals and plants possess their life as a far-off reflection of that Life. When this is taken away, as Scripture says, all life fades; and those which have faded, through being unable to participate in it, revive once more when they turn to It again.
2. In the first place It gives to Very Life its vital quality, and to all life and every form of it It gives the Existence appropriate to each. To the celestial forms of life It gives their immaterial, godlike, and unchangeable immortality and their unswerving and unerring perpetuity of motion; and in the abundance of Its bounty It overflows even into the life of the devils, for not even diabolic life derives its existence from any other source, but derives from This both its vital nature and its permanence.
And, bestowing on men such angelic life as their composite nature can receive, in an overflowing wealth of love It turns us and calls us from our errors to Itself, and (a still more Divine act) It has promised to change our whole being (I mean our souls and the bodies linked with them) to perfect Life and Immortality, which seemed to the ancients unnatural, but seems to me and to you, and to the Truth, a Divine and Supernatural thing: Supernatural, I say, as being above the visible order of nature around us, not as being above the Nature of Divine Life. For to this Life (since it is the Nature of all forms of life, and especially of the more Divine) no form of life is unnatural or supernatural.
And therefore foolish Simon’s captious arguments2 on this subject must find no entry into the company of God’s servants or into your blessed soul. For, in spite of his reputed wisdom, he forgot that no one of sound mind should set the superficial order of sense-perception against the Invisible Cause of all things. We must tell him that if anything is “against Nature,” it is his language. For nothing can be contrary to the Ultimate Cause.
1 The Godhead, though called Eternal Life, is really supra-vital, because life implies differentiations, and the Godhead as such is undifferentiated. This Supra-Vitality passes out through the Differentiated Persons of the Trinity into Very Life, from which life is derived to all the creatures. 2 Ps. Ci. 29, 80.