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.
he were to use these terms in a different sense from the ordinary one to mean that the qualities of created things pre-exist, after a superlative manner as touching their true Being in the Creative Originals.® | g. Even the plainest article of Divinity, namely the
1 The act by which one spirit or soul imparts spiritual life to another is a manifestation in time of a Mystery which is eternally perfect in the Trinity, and would be impossible were it not ultimately rooted in that Mystery. Just as all life draws its existence from the Divine swfravitality, so all spiritual paternity draws its existence from the Divine supra-paternity.
2 ra altia—i. e. The Persons of the Godhead.
3 So St. Augustine constantly teaches that God acts not in the manner which we call activity, but by causing the creature itself to perform the action. Thus he explains God’s rest on the Seventh Day to mean not that God Himself rested but that the creation now rested in Him. Aristotle and his disciple, St. Thomas, teach that God moves all things simply through being desired by them. So God causes action without Himself acting (somewhat as fire causes warmth without feeling it). Cf. p. 87, n. I.
he were using these terms in a sense different from the ordinary one, to mean that the qualities of created things pre-exist in a superlative manner, as regards their true Being, in the Creative Originals.3 9. Even the plainest article of Divinity, namely the
1 The act by which one spirit or soul imparts spiritual life to another is a manifestation in time of a Mystery that is eternally perfect in the Trinity, and it would be impossible were it not ultimately rooted in that Mystery. Just as all life draws its existence from the Divine supravitality, so all spiritual paternity draws its existence from the Divine supra-paternity.
2 ra altia—i.e. the Persons of the Godhead.
3 So St. Augustine constantly teaches that God acts not in the manner we call activity, but by causing the creature itself to perform the action. Thus he explains God’s rest on the Seventh Day to mean not that God Himself rested but that the creation now rested in Him. Aristotle and his disciple St. Thomas teach that God moves all things simply by being desired by them. So God causes action without Himself acting (somewhat as fire causes warmth without feeling it). Cf. p. 87, n. 1.