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.
All things have two sides to their existence: one in the Super-Essence, the other in themselves. Thus a human personality is (in William Law’s words) an “outbirth” from the Godhead. And having at last made its journey Home, it must still possess these two sides to its existence. And hence, whereas on the one side it is merged, on the other it is not. Its very being consists of this almost incredible paradox. And personality is a paradox because the whole world is a paradox, and the whole world is fulfilled in personality.
For this principle of a twofold existence underlies all things, and is a reflection of the Super-Essential Nature. As the Super-Essence has an eternal tendency to pass out of Itself by emanation, so the creatures have a tendency to pass out of themselves by spiritual activity. As the Super-Essence creates the world and our human souls by a species of Divine “ecstasy,” so the human soul must return by an answering “ecstasy” to the Super-Essence. On both sides there is the same principle of Self-Transcendence. The very nature of Reality is such that it must have its being outside itself.
And this principle of self-transcendence or ecstasy underlies not only the solitary quest of the individual soul for God, but also the mutual relations of the various individuals with each other. In all their social activities of loving fellowship the creatures seek and find themselves in one another and so, outside of themselves. It is the very essence of Reality that it is not self-sufficing or self-contained.
All things have two sides to their existence: one in the Super-Essence, the other in themselves. Thus a human personality is (in William Law’s words) an “outbirth” from the Godhead. And having at last made its journey Home, it must still possess these two sides to its existence. Hence, while on the one side it is merged, on the other it is not. Its very being consists in this almost incredible paradox. And personality is a paradox because the whole world is a paradox, and the whole world is fulfilled in personality.
For this principle of a twofold existence underlies all things, and is a reflection of the Super-Essential Nature. As the Super-Essence has an eternal tendency to pass out of Itself by emanation, so the creatures have a tendency to pass out of themselves by spiritual activity. As the Super-Essence creates the world and our human souls by a kind of Divine “ecstasy,” so the human soul must return to the Super-Essence by an answering “ecstasy.” On both sides there is the same principle of Self-Transcendence. The very nature of Reality is such that it must have its being outside itself.
And this principle of self-transcendence, or ecstasy, underlies not only the solitary quest of the individual soul for God, but also the mutual relations of the various individuals with one another. In all their social activities of loving fellowship the creatures seek and find themselves in one another, and so outside themselves. It is the very essence of Reality that it is not self-sufficient or self-contained.