Concerning the Nature of Good, Against the Manichæans 22
22 Measure in Some Sense is Suitable to God Himself PL 42, 558
But God cannot be said to have measure, lest He should seem to be spoken of as limited. Yet He is not immoderate by whom measure is bestowed upon all things, so that they may in any measure exist. Nor again ought God to be called measured, as if He received measure from any one. But if we say that He is the highest measure, by chance we say something; if indeed in speaking of the highest measure we mean the highest good. For every measure in so far as it is a measure is good; whence nothing can be called measured, modest, modified, without praise, although in another sense we use measure for limit, and speak of no measure where there is no limit, which is sometimes said with praise as when it is said: "And of His kingdom there shall be no limit." For it might also be said, "There shall be no measure," so that measure might be used in the sense of limit; for He who reigns in no measure, assuredly does not reign at all.
Modus an aliqua ratione Deo ipsi conveniat. Deus autem nec modum habere dicendus est, ne finis ejus dici putetur. Nec ideo tamen immoderatus est, a quo modus omnibus tribuitur rebus, ut aliquo modo esse possint. Nec rursus moderatum oportet dici Deum, tanquam ab aliquo modum acceperit. Si autem dicamus eum summum modum, forte aliquid dicimus; si tamen in eo quod dicimus summum modum, intelligamus summum bonum. Omnis enim modus in quantum modus est, bonus est: unde omnia moderata, modesta, modificata, dici sine laude non possunt; quanquam sub alio intellectu modum pro fine ponamus, et nullum modum dicamus, ubi nullus est finis: quod aliquando cum laude dicitur, sicut dictum est, Et regni ejus non erit finis . Posset enim dici etiam, Non erit modus, ut modus pro fine dictus intelligeretur: nam qui nullo modo regnat, non utique regnat.