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.
3. Thus this distribution of God’s Infinite Power permeates all things, and there is nothing in the world utterly bereft of all power. Some power it must have, be it in the form of Intuition, Reason, Perception, Life, or Being. And indeed, if one may use express it, the very fact that power exists 2 is derived from the Super-Essential Power.
4. From this Source come the Godlike Powers of the Angelic Orders; from this Source they immutably possess their being and all the ceaseless and immortal motions of their spiritual life; and their very stability and unfailing desire for the Good they have received from that infinitely good Power which Itself infuses into them this power and this existence, and makes them ceaselessly to desire existence, and gives them the very power to desire that ceaseless power which they possess.
5. The effects of this Inexhaustible Power enter into men and animals and plants and the entire Nature of the Universe, and fill all the unified organizations with a force attracting them to mutual harmony and concord, and drawing separate individuals into being, according to the natural laws and qualities of each, without “confusion or merging of their properties. And the laws by which this Universe is ordered It preserves to fulfil their proper functions, and keeps the immortal lives of the individual angels inviolate; and the luminous stars of heaven It keeps in all their ranks unchanged, and gives unto Eternity the power to be; and the temporal orbits It differentiates when they begin their circuits and brings together again when they return once more; and It makes the power of fire unquenchable, and the liquid nature of water It makes perpetual; and gives the atmosphere its fluidity, and founds the earth upon the Void and keeps its pregnant travail without ceasing. And It preserves the mutual harmony of the interpenetrating elements distinct and yet inseparable, and knits together the bond uniting soul and body, and stirs the powers by which the plants have nourishment and growth, and governs the faculties whereby each kind of creature maintains its being and makes firm the indissoluble permanence of the world, and bestows Deification 1 itself by giving a faculty for it unto those that are deified. And, in short, there is nothing in the world which is without the Almighty Power of God to support and to surround it. For that which hath no power at all hath no existence, no individuality, and no place whatever in the world.
1 This is meant to meet the objection that if God’s power is infinite there should be no decay or death. Things, says D., are sometimes incapable of responding, as a blind eye cannot respond to the light.
2 i.e. Power in the abstract.
3. Thus this distribution of God’s Infinite Power permeates all things, and there is nothing in the world utterly bereft of all power. It must have some power, whether in the form of Intuition, Reason, Perception, Life, or Being. And indeed, if one may so express it, the very fact that power exists 2 is derived from the Super-Essential Power.
4. From this Source come the Godlike Powers of the Angelic Orders. From this Source they immutably possess their being and all the ceaseless and immortal motions of their spiritual life; and their very stability and unfailing desire for the Good they have received from that infinitely good Power which Itself infuses into them this power and this existence, makes them ceaselessly desire existence, and gives them the very power to desire that ceaseless power which they possess.
5. The effects of this Inexhaustible Power enter into men and animals and plants and the entire Nature of the Universe, and fill all the unified organizations with a force that draws them to mutual harmony and concord, and draws separate individuals into being, each according to its own natural laws and qualities, without confusion or merging of their properties.
It preserves the laws by which this Universe is ordered, so that they fulfil their proper functions, and keeps the immortal lives of the individual angels inviolate. It keeps the luminous stars of heaven unchanged in all their ranks, and gives Eternity the power to be. It differentiates the temporal orbits when they begin their circuits and brings them together again when they return once more. It makes the power of fire unquenchable and the liquid nature of water perpetual; it gives the atmosphere its fluidity, founds the earth upon the Void, and keeps its pregnant travail unceasing.
It preserves the mutual harmony of the interpenetrating elements, distinct and yet inseparable; it knits together the bond that unites soul and body; it stirs the powers by which plants are nourished and grow; it governs the faculties by which each kind of creature maintains its being; it makes firm the indissoluble permanence of the world; and it bestows Deification 1 itself by giving a faculty for it to those who are deified.
In short, there is nothing in the world without the Almighty Power of God to support and surround it. For that which has no power at all has no existence, no individuality, and no place whatever in the world.
1 This is meant to meet the objection that, if God’s power is infinite, there should be no decay or death. Things, says D., are sometimes incapable of responding, as a blind eye cannot respond to the light.
2 That is, Power in the abstract.