Monologium, on the Being of God28 Chapter XXVIII. This Spirit exists simply, and created beings are not comparable with him.
Chapter XXVIII. This Spirit exists simply, and created beings are not comparable with him.
It seems to follow, then, from the preceding considerations, that the Spirit which exists in so wonderfully singular and so singularly wonderful a way of its own is in some sort unique; while other beings which seem to be comparable with it are not so.
For, by diligent attention it will be seen that that Spirit alone exists simply, and perfectly, and absolutely; while all other beings are almost non-existent, and hardly exist at all. For, seeing that of this Spirit, because of its immutable eternity, it can in no wise be said, in terms of any alteration, that it was or will be, but simply that it is; it is not now, by mutation, anything which it either was not at any time, or will not be in the future. Nor does it fail to be now what it was, or will be, at any time; but, whatever it is, it is, once for all, and simultaneously, and interminably. Seeing, I say, that its existence is of this character, it is rightly said itself to exist simply, and absolutely, and perfectly.
But since, on the other hand, all other beings, in accordance with some cause, have at some time been, or will be, by mutation, what they are not now; or, are what they were not, or will not be, at some time; and, since this former existence of theirs is no longer a fact; and that future existence is not yet a fact; and their existence in a transient, and most brief, and scarcely existing, present is hardly a fact — since, then, they exist in such mutability, it is not unreasonably denied that they exist simply, and perfectly, and absolutely; and it is asserted that they are almost nonexistent, that they scarcely exist at all.
Again, since all beings, which are other than this Spirit himself, have come from non-existence to existence, not through themselves, but through another; and, since they return from existence to non-existence, so far as their own power is concerned, unless they are sustained through another being, is it consistent with their nature to exist simply, or perfectly, or absolutely, and not rather to be almost non-existent.
And since the existence of this ineffable Spirit alone can in no way be conceived to have taken inception from non-existence, or to be capable of sustaining any deficiency rising from what is in nonexistence; and since, whatever he is himself, he is not through another than himself, that is, than what he is himself, ought not his existence alone to be conceived of as simple, and perfect, and absolute?
But what is thus simply, and on every ground, solely perfect, simple, and absolute, this may very certainly be justly said to be in some sort unique. And, on the other hand, whatever is known to exist through a higher cause, and neither simply, nor perfectly, nor absolutely, but scarcely to exist, or to be almost non-existent — this assuredly may be rightly said to be in some sort non-existent.
According to this course of reasoning, then, the creative Spirit alone exists, and all creatures are nonexistent; yet, they are not wholly non-existent, because, through that Spirit which alone exists absolutely, they have been made something from nothing.
Videtur ergo consequi ex praecedentibus quod iste spiritus, qui sic suo quodam mirabiliter singulari et singulariter mirabili modo est, quadam ratione solus sit; alia vero quaecunque videntur esse huic collata, non sint. Si enim diligenter intendatur, ille solus videbitur simpliciter et perfecte et absolute esse; alia vero omnia fere non esse, et vix esse, quoniam namque idem spiritus, propter incommutabilem aeternitatem suam, nullo modo secundum aliquem motum dici potest quia fuit, aut erit; sed simpliciter, est: nec mutabiliter est aliquid, quod aliquando aut non fuit, aut non erit; neque non est quod aliquando fuit, aut erit; sed quidquid est, semel et simul, et interminabiliter est. Quoniam, inquam, hujusmodi est esse ejus; jure ipse simpliciter et absolute et perfecte dicitur esse. Quoniam vero omnia alia secundum aliquid mutabiliter aliquando aut fuerunt, aut erunt quod non sunt; aut sunt quod aliquando non fuerunt, vel non erunt: et quoniam hoc quia fuerunt, jam non est; illud autem, scilicet quia erunt, nondum est; et hoc quia in labili brevissimoque et vix existente praesenti sunt, vix est. Quoniam ergo tam mutabiliter sunt, non immerito negantur simpliciter et perfecte et absolute esse; et asseruntur fere non esse, vix esse. Deinde, cum omnia, quaecunque aliud sunt quam ipse, de non esse venerint ad esse, non per se, sed per aliud; et cum de esse redeant ad non esse, quantum ad se, nisi sustineantur per aliud, quomodo illis simpliciter convenit, aut perfecte sive absolute esse, et non magis fere vix non esse? Cumque esse solius ejusdem ineffabilis Spiritus intelligi nullo modo possit, aut ex non esse incoeptum, aut aliquem pati posse, ex eo quod est in non esse, defectum; et quidquid ipse est, non sit per aliud quam per se, id est, per hoc quod ipse est, nonne hujus esse merito solum intelligitur simplex perfectumque et absolutum? Quod vero sic simpliciter et omnimoda ratione solum est perfectum, simplex et absolutum, id nimium quodammodo jure dici potest solum esse: et econtra, quidquid per superiorem rationem, nec simpliciter, nec perfecte, nec absolute esse; sed vix esse, aut fere non esse cognoscitur; id utique aliquo modo recte, non esse dicitur. Secundum hanc igitur rationem ille solus creator Spiritus est, et omnia creata, non sunt; nec tamen omnino non sunt, quia per illum qui solus absolute est, de nihilo aliquid facta sunt.