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.
5. There is, on the other hand, a Differentiation made in the Super-Essential Doctrine of God—not merely such as I have just mentioned (viz. that in the very Unity, Each of the Divine Persons possesses without confusion Its own distinct existence), but also that the Attributes of the Super-Essential Divine Generation are not interchangeable. The Father alone is the Source of the Super-Essential Godhead, and the Father is not a Son, nor is the Son a Father ; for the Divine Persons all preserve, Each without alloy, His own particular Attributes of praise. Such, then, are the instances of Undifference and of Differentiation in the Ineffable Unity and Subsistence of God. And if the term “ Differentiation ” be also applied to the bounteous act of Emanation whereby the Divine Unity, brimming Itself with goodness in the excess of Its Undifferenced Unity thus enters
1 Material things are merged by being united (e. g. drops of water). Souls or angels being united through love (whereby they participate in into Multiplicity,1 yet an undifferenced unity worketh even in those differentiated acts whereby, in ceaseless communications, It bestows Being, Life, and Wisdom, and those other gifts of the all-creative Goodness in respect of which (as we behold the communications and the participants thereof) we celebrate those things wherein the creatures supernaturally participate. Yea, ’tis a common and undifferenced activity of the whole Godhead that It is wholly and entirely communicated unto each of them that share It and unto none merely in part;2 even as the centre of a circle is shared by all the radii which surround it in a circle ;* and as there are many impressions of a seal all sharing in the seal which is their archetype while yet this is entire, nor is it only a part thereof that belongeth unto any of them. But the Incommunicable All-creative Godhead transcends all such symbols in that It is beyond Apprehension nor hath It any other mode of communion such as to join It unto the participants.*
God) are not merged but remain distinct even while being, as it were, fused into a single spiritual unity more perfect than the fusion of water with wine. The Persons of the Trinity are still more perfectly united and at the same time still more utterly distinct.
2 Two kinds of Differentiation: (1) Distinctness of Existence, (2) Difference of Functions.
5. On the other hand, there is a Differentiation made in the Super-Essential Doctrine of God: not merely the one I have just mentioned (namely, that within the very Unity Each of the Divine Persons possesses Its own distinct existence without confusion), but also this, that the Attributes of the Super-Essential Divine Generation are not interchangeable. The Father alone is the Source of the Super-Essential Godhead; the Father is not a Son, nor is the Son a Father; for the Divine Persons all preserve, Each without alloy, His own particular Attributes of praise. These, then, are the instances of Undifference and of Differentiation in the Ineffable Unity and Subsistence of God. And if the term “Differentiation” is also applied to the bounteous act of Emanation whereby the Divine Unity, brimming with goodness in the excess of Its Undifferenced Unity, thus enters
1 Material things merge when they are united (e.g. drops of water). Souls or angels, being united through love (through which they participate in into Multiplicity,1 yet an undifferenced unity is at work even in those differentiated acts by which, in ceaseless communications, It bestows Being, Life, and Wisdom, and the other gifts of the all-creative Goodness on account of which (as we behold the communications and those who participate in them) we celebrate the things in which the creatures supernaturally participate.
Indeed, it is a common and undifferenced activity of the whole Godhead that It is communicated wholly and entirely to each of those who share It, and to none merely in part;2 just as the centre of a circle is shared by all the radii that surround it in a circle;* and as there are many impressions of a seal, all sharing in the seal that is their archetype, while the seal remains entire, and it is not merely a part of it that belongs to any one of them. But the Incommunicable All-creative Godhead transcends all such symbols, in that It is beyond Apprehension and has no other mode of communion that would join It to the participants.*
God) are not merged but remain distinct, even while being, as it were, fused into a single spiritual unity more perfect than the fusion of water with wine. The Persons of the Trinity are united still more perfectly, and at the same time are still more utterly distinct.
2 Two kinds of Differentiation: (1) Distinctness of Existence, (2) Difference of Functions.