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.
CHAPTER IX Concerning “Great,” “Small,” “Same,” “Different,” “Paes”
“Unlike,” “Standing,” “Motion,” “Equality.”
I. NOW, since Greatness and Smallness are ascribed to the Universal Cause, and Sameness and Difference, and Similarity and Dissimilarity, and Rest and Motion, let us also consider these Titles of the Divine Glory so far as our minds can grasp them. Now Greatness is attributed in the Scriptures unto God, both in the great firmament and also in the thin air whose subtlety reveals the Divine Smallness. 1 And Sameness is ascribed to Him when the Scripture saith, “Thou art the same,” and Difference when He is depicted by the same Scriptures as having many forms and qualities. And He is spoken of as Similar to the creatures, in so far as He is the Creator of things similar to Himself and of their similarity ; and as Dissimilar from them in so far as there is not His like. And He is spoken of as Standing and Immovable and as Seated for ever, and yet as Moving and going forth into all things. These and many similar Titles are given by the Scriptures unto God.
2. Now God is called Great in His peculiar Greatness which giveth of Itself to all things that are great and is poured upon all Magnitude from outside and stretches far beyond it ; embracing all Space, exceeding all Number, penetrating beyond all Infinity * both in Its exceeding fullness and creative magnificence, and also in the bounties that well forth from It, inasmuch as these, being shared by all in that lavish outpouring, yet are totally undiminished and possess the same exceeding Fullness, nor are they lessened through their distribution, but rather overflow the more. This Greatness is Infinite, without Quantity and without Number.l And the excess of Greatness reaches to this pitch through the Absolute Transcendent outpouring of the Incomprehensible Grandeur.
1 Boundless space cannot contain God, yet He is wholly contained in a single point of that apparent nothingness which we call air. Cf. Section 3.
2 Cf. St. Augustine, Confessions, 1, Section I. The great paradox is that God combines perfect Rest and perfect Motion. Idealism has seized the first aspect, Pragmatism and Vitalism the second. A sense of both is present in the highest Mystical experience and in the restful activity or strenuous repose of Love. 2° CEA rs55, 1 3-
CHAPTER IX Concerning “Great,” “Small,” “Same,” “Different,” “Paes”
“Unlike,” “Standing,” “Motion,” “Equality.”
1. Now, since Greatness and Smallness are ascribed to the Universal Cause, as are Sameness and Difference, Similarity and Dissimilarity, and Rest and Motion, let us also consider these Titles of the Divine Glory, so far as our minds can grasp them.
Greatness is attributed to God in the Scriptures both in the great firmament and also in the thin air, whose subtlety reveals the Divine Smallness. 1 Sameness is ascribed to Him when Scripture says, “You are the same,” and Difference when the same Scriptures depict Him as having many forms and qualities. He is spoken of as Similar to the creatures in so far as He is the Creator of things similar to Himself and of their similarity; and as Dissimilar from them in so far as there is none like Him. He is spoken of as Standing and Immovable and as Seated for ever, and yet as Moving and going forth into all things. These and many similar Titles are given to God by the Scriptures.
2. Now God is called Great in His peculiar Greatness, which gives of Itself to all things that are great, is poured upon all Magnitude from outside, and stretches far beyond it: embracing all Space, exceeding all Number, penetrating beyond all Infinity * both in Its exceeding fullness and creative magnificence and in the bounties that well forth from It. For these, though shared by all in that lavish outpouring, are wholly undiminished and possess the same exceeding Fullness; they are not lessened by being distributed, but rather overflow the more. This Greatness is Infinite, without Quantity and without Number. 1 And the excess of Greatness reaches this pitch through the Absolute, Transcendent outpouring of the Incomprehensible Grandeur.
1 Boundless space cannot contain God, yet He is wholly contained in a single point of that apparent nothingness which we call air. Cf. Section 3.
2 Cf. St. Augustine, Confessions, 1, Section I. The great paradox is that God combines perfect Rest and perfect Motion. Idealism has seized on the first aspect, Pragmatism and Vitalism on the second. A sense of both is present in the highest Mystical experience, and in the restful activity or strenuous repose of Love. 2° CEA rs55, 1 3-