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.
2. And if any one say that we herein are introducing a confusion of all distinctions in the Deity,* we for our part opine that such his argument is not sufficient even to persuade himself. For if he is one utterly at enmity with the Scriptures, he will also be altogether far from our Philosophy ; and if he recks not of the Holy Wisdom drawn from the Scriptures, how can he reckon aught of that method by which we would conduct him to an understanding of things Divine? But if he taketh Scriptural Truth as his Standard, this is the very Rule and Light by which we will (so far as in us lies) proceed straight to our defence, and will declare that the Sacred Science sometimes employs a method of Undifference and sometimes one of Differentiation; and that we must neither disjoin those things which are Undifferenced nor confuse those which are Differentiated; but following the Sacred Science to the best of our powers, we must lift up our eyes towards the Divine Rays; for, receiving thence the Divine Revelations as a noble Standard of Truth, we strive to preserve its treasure in ourselves without addition, diminution, or distortion, and in thus preserving the Scriptures, we also are preserved, and are moreover enabled by the same to the end that we may still preserve them and be by them preserved.
1 John x. 30. 2 John xvi. 15. 3 John xvii. 10.
* i. e. That we are seeking to destroy the distinction between the Persons of the Trinity.
2. If anyone says that in this we are introducing a confusion of all distinctions in the Deity,* we for our part think that such an argument is not sufficient to persuade even himself. For if he is utterly at enmity with the Scriptures, he will also be altogether far from our Philosophy; and if he cares nothing for the Holy Wisdom drawn from the Scriptures, how can he care anything for the method by which we would lead him to an understanding of things Divine?
But if he takes Scriptural Truth as his Standard, this is the very Rule and Light by which we will (so far as we can) proceed straight to our defence. We will declare that the Sacred Science sometimes employs a method of Undifference and sometimes one of Differentiation; that we must neither disjoin things that are Undifferenced nor confuse those that are Differentiated; but that, following the Sacred Science as best we can, we must lift up our eyes towards the Divine Rays. For, receiving the Divine Revelations from there as a noble Standard of Truth, we strive to preserve its treasure in ourselves without addition, diminution, or distortion; and in thus preserving the Scriptures we too are preserved, and are further enabled by them to go on preserving them and being preserved by them.
1 John x. 30. 2 John xvi. 15. 3 John xvii. 10.
* I. e. that we are seeking to destroy the distinction between the Persons of the Trinity.