Par.

  1 1 |               God, and such as can aid you in seeking him; close your
  2 1 |             Psalms xxvii. 8). And come you now, O Lord my God, teach
  3 1 |              where and how it may seek you, where and how it may find
  4 1 |              where and how it may find you.~Lord, if you are not here,
  5 1 |              it may find you.~Lord, if you are not here, where shall
  6 1 |               here, where shall I seek you, being absent? But if you
  7 1 |              you, being absent? But if you are everywhere, why do I
  8 1 |           everywhere, why do I not see you present? Truly you dwell
  9 1 |             not see you present? Truly you dwell in unapproachable
 10 1 |                into it, that I may see you in it? Again, by what marks,
 11 1 |                what form, shall I seek you? I have never seen you,
 12 1 |            seek you? I have never seen you, O Lord, my God; I do not
 13 1 |              man do, an exile far from you? What shall your servant
 14 1 |                 anxious in his love of you, and cast out afar from
 15 1 |             your face? He pants to see you, and your face is too far
 16 1 |               him. He longs to come to you, and your dwelling-place
 17 1 |      inaccessible. He is eager to find you, and knows not your place.
 18 1 |              place. He desires to seek you, and does not know your
 19 1 |              not know your face. Lord, you are my God, and you are
 20 1 |              Lord, you are my God, and you are my Lord, and never have
 21 1 |            Lord, and never have I seen you. It is you that hast made
 22 1 |           never have I seen you. It is you that hast made me, and has
 23 1 |           enjoy; and not yet do I know you. Finally, I was created
 24 1 |          Finally, I was created to see you, and not yet have I done
 25 1 |          source of frequent sighs!~And you too, O Lord, how long? How
 26 1 |             long? How long, O Lord, do you forget us; how long do you
 27 1 |             you forget us; how long do you turn your face from us?
 28 1 |                face from us? When will you look upon us, and hear us?
 29 1 |                 and hear us? When will you enlighten our eyes, and
 30 1 |                us your face? When will you restore yourself to us?
 31 1 |          toilings and strivings toward you since we can do nothing
 32 1 |              we can do nothing without you. You do invite us; do you
 33 1 |                do nothing without you. You do invite us; do you help
 34 1 |              you. You do invite us; do you help us. I beseech you,
 35 1 |              do you help us. I beseech you, O Lord, that I may not
 36 1 |                its desolation; sweeten you it, I beseech you, with
 37 1 |              sweeten you it, I beseech you, with your consolation.
 38 1 |              in hunger I began to seek you; I beseech you that I may
 39 1 |           began to seek you; I beseech you that I may not cease to
 40 1 |                not cease to hunger for you. In hunger I have come to
 41 1 |               In hunger I have come to you; let me not go unfed. I
 42 1 |               depths. Teach me to seek you, and reveal yourself to
 43 1 |            yourself to me, when I seek you, for I cannot seek you,
 44 1 |            seek you, for I cannot seek you, except you teach me, nor
 45 1 |                cannot seek you, except you teach me, nor find you,
 46 1 |          except you teach me, nor find you, except you reveal yourself.
 47 1 |               me, nor find you, except you reveal yourself. Let me
 48 1 |           reveal yourself. Let me seek you in longing, let me long
 49 1 |               longing, let me long for you in seeking; let me find
 50 1 |                in seeking; let me find you in love, and love you in
 51 1 |             find you in love, and love you in finding. Lord, I acknowledge
 52 1 |                acknowledge and I thank you that you has created me
 53 1 |       acknowledge and I thank you that you has created me in this your
 54 1 |               that I may be mindful of you, may conceive of you, and
 55 1 |                of you, may conceive of you, and love you; but that
 56 1 |              conceive of you, and love you; but that image has been
 57 1 |              which it was made, except you renew it, and create it
 58 2 |              no God. ~AND so, Lord, do you, who do give understanding
 59 2 |              faith, give me, so far as you knowest it to be profitable,
 60 2 |         profitable, to understand that you are as we believe; and that
 61 2 |                as we believe; and that you are that which we believe.
 62 2 |                indeed, we believe that you are a being than which nothing
 63 3 |              to exist;. and this being you are, O Lord, our God.~So
 64 3 |                So truly, therefore, do you exist, O Lord, my God, that
 65 3 |            exist, O Lord, my God, that you can not be conceived not
 66 3 |        conceive of a being better than you, the creature would rise
 67 3 |         whatever else there is, except you alone, can be conceived
 68 3 |             conceived not to exist. To you alone, therefore, it belongs
 69 3 |               to a rational mind, that you do exist in the highest
 70 4 |                does not exist.~I thank you, gracious Lord, I thank
 71 4 |                 gracious Lord, I thank you; because what I formerly
 72 4 |              unwilling to believe that you do exist, I should not be
 73 5 |          things from nothing.~WHAT are you, then, Lord God, than whom
 74 5 |                conceived? But what are you, except that which, as the
 75 5 |            this cannot be conceived of you. What good, therefore, does
 76 5 |              every good is? Therefore, you are just, truthful, blessed,
 77 6 |              although it is better for you to be sensible, omnipotent,
 78 6 |               be these things; how are you sensible, if you are not
 79 6 |               how are you sensible, if you are not a body; or omnipotent,
 80 6 |                body; or omnipotent, if you has not all powers; or at
 81 6 |             and are in a body, how are you sensible, although you are
 82 6 |             are you sensible, although you are not a body, but a supreme
 83 6 |            Therefore, O Lord, although you are not a body yet you are
 84 6 |        although you are not a body yet you are truly sensible in the
 85 6 |               in respect of this, that you do cognise all things in
 86 7 |               against him.~BUT how are you omnipotent, if you are not
 87 7 |             how are you omnipotent, if you are not capable of all things?
 88 7 |          capable of all things? Or, if you can not be corrupted, and
 89 7 |            false --as, for example, if you should make what has been
 90 7 |                and the like. --how are you capable of all things? Or
 91 7 |                of something: "It is as you say it to be," though it
 92 7 |          proper to say, "It is not, as you say it is not." In the same
 93 7 |                God, the more truly are you omnipotent, since you are
 94 7 |              are you omnipotent, since you are capable of nothing through
 95 7 |              nothing has power against you.~ ~
 96 8 |                compassion.~BUT how are you compassionate, and, at the
 97 8 |             time, passionless? For, if you are passionless, you do
 98 8 |                if you are passionless, you do not feel sympathy; and
 99 8 |              not feel sympathy; and if you do not feel sympathy, your
100 8 |               be compassionate. But if you are not compassionate, whence
101 8 |               wretched? How, then, are you compassionate and not compassionate,
102 8 |                 O Lord, unless because you are compassionate in terms
103 8 |            terms of your being.~Truly, you are so in terms of our experience,
104 8 |           terms of our experience, but you are not so in terms of your
105 8 |           terms of your own. For, when you behold us in our wretchedness,
106 8 |              effect of compassion, but you do not experience the feeling.
107 8 |                the feeling. Therefore, you are both compassionate,
108 8 |            both compassionate, because you do save the wretched, and
109 8 |            spare those who sin against you; and not compassionate because
110 8 |              not compassionate because you are affected by no sympathy
111 9 |              justly pities.~BUT how do you spare the wicked, if you
112 9 |               you spare the wicked, if you are all just and supremely
113 9 |            just and supremely just, do you anything that is not just?
114 9 |          righteous and the wicked, can you save the wicked, if this
115 9 |               if this is not just, and you do not anything that is
116 9 |           unapproachable light wherein you dwell? Truly, in the deepest
117 9 |             your compassion flows.~For you are all just and supremely
118 9 |                and supremely just, yet you are kind even to the wicked,
119 9 |               the wicked, even because you are all supremely good.
120 9 |                all supremely good. For you would be less good if you
121 9 |              you would be less good if you were not kind to any wicked
122 9 |       punishing them alone. Therefore, you are compassionate, because
123 9 |             are compassionate, because you are all supremely good.
124 9 |                although it appears why you do reward the good with
125 9 |                 is most wonderful, why you, the all and supremely just,
126 9 |            those who are guilty toward you.~The depth of your goodness,
127 9 |        abundance of your goodness that you are good to those who sin
128 9 |               to those who sin against you; and in the depth of your
129 9 |                kindness.~For, although you do reward the good with
130 9 |             seems to demand. But, when you do bestow goods on the evil,
131 9 |                what sweet abundance do you well forth to us! O boundless
132 9 |       passionately should sinners love you! For you save the just,
133 9 |           should sinners love you! For you save the just, because justice
134 9 |            goes with them; but sinners you do free by the authority
135 9 |                acknowledging the goods you has granted; these by pardoning
136 9 |           these by pardoning the evils you hate. O boundless goodness,
137 9 |                for it wells forth from you. Spare, in mercy; avenge
138 9 |          harmony with justice. For, if you are compassionate only because
139 9 |             compassionate only because you are supremely good, and
140 9 |            supremely good only because you are supremely just, truly
141 9 |              are supremely just, truly you are compassionate even because
142 9 |             compassionate even because you are supremely just. Help
143 9 |               what I say.~Truly, then, you are compassionate even because
144 9 |             compassionate even because you are just. Is, then, your
145 9 |                of your justice? And do you spare the wicked, therefore,
146 9 |               because it is just, that you should be so good that you
147 9 |             you should be so good that you can not be conceived better;
148 9 |             conceived better; and that you should work so powerfully
149 9 |                work so powerfully that you can not be conceived more
150 9 |         Assuredly it could not be that you should be good only by requiting (
151 9 |               not by sparing, and that you should make good only those
152 9 |             therefore, it is just that you should spare the wicked,
153 9 |               done unjustly. If, then, you do not justly pity the wicked,
154 9 |                justly pity the wicked, you ought not to pity them.
155 9 |              not to pity them. And, if you ought not to pity them,
156 9 |                ought not to pity them, you pity them unjustly. And
157 9 |               is right to believe that you justly pity the wicked.~ ~
158 10|               BUT it is also just that you should punish the wicked.
159 10|             How, then, is it just that you should punish the wicked,
160 10|             wicked? Or, in one way, do you justly punish, and, in another,
161 10|           justly spare them? For, when you punish the wicked, it is
162 10|               when, on the other hand, you sparest the wicked, it is
163 10|                 in sparing the wicked, you are as just, according to
164 10|              not according to ours, as you are compassionate, according
165 10|              whom it would be just for you to destroy, you are compassionate,
166 10|               just for you to destroy, you are compassionate, not because
167 10|             compassionate, not because you feel an affection (affectum),
168 10|              the effect (effectum); so you are just, not because you
169 10|              you are just, not because you requite us as we deserve,
170 10|                we deserve, but because you do that which becomes you
171 10|              you do that which becomes you as the supremely good Being.
172 10|       therefore, without contradiction you do justly punish and justly
173 11|              your nature, O Lord, that you should punish the wicked?
174 11|                 Surely it is just that you should be so just that you
175 11|             you should be so just that you can not be conceived more
176 11|          conceived more just; and this you would in no wise be if you
177 11|             you would in no wise be if you did only render goods to
178 11|                gracious God, both when you do punish and when you sparest.~
179 11|            when you do punish and when you sparest.~Truly, then, all
180 11|               not just that those whom you do will to punish should
181 11|             saved, and that those whom you do will to spare should
182 11|               that alone is just which you do will; and that alone
183 11|                that alone unjust which you do not will. So, then, your
184 11|           justice.~For it is just that you should be so good that you
185 11|             you should be so good that you are good in sparing also;
186 11|            comprehended in any way why you can will to save the wicked,
187 11|            those who are alike wicked, you save some rather than others,
188 11|              supreme goodness; and why you do condemn the latter rather
189 11|             supreme justice.~So, then, you are truly sensible (sensibilis),
190 11|     compassionate, and passionless, as you are living, wise, good,
191 12|              BUT undoubtedly, whatever you are, you are through nothing
192 12|         undoubtedly, whatever you are, you are through nothing else
193 12|              than yourself. Therefore, you are the very life whereby
194 12|              are the very life whereby you live; and the wisdom wherewith
195 12|               and the wisdom wherewith you are wise; and the very goodness
196 12|              the very goodness whereby you are good to the righteous
197 13|                nothing is greater than you, no place or time contains
198 13|              no place or time contains you; but you are everywhere
199 13|              or time contains you; but you are everywhere and always.
200 13|              since this can be said of you alone, you alone are uncircumscribed
201 13|              can be said of you alone, you alone are uncircumscribed
202 13| uncircumscribed and eternal?~Assuredly you are alone eternal; for you
203 13|             you are alone eternal; for you alone among all beings not
204 13|               begin to be.~But how are you alone uncircumscribed? Is
205 13|             spirit, when compared with you is circumscribed, but when
206 13|               understood to be true of you alone. But circumscribed,
207 13|           separate members. Therefore, you, Lord, are peculiarly uncircumscribed
208 14|               those who seek him. ~HAS you found what you did seek,
209 14|               him. ~HAS you found what you did seek, my soul? You did
210 14|            what you did seek, my soul? You did seek God. You have found
211 14|                soul? You did seek God. You have found him to be a being
212 14|              where and always.~For, if you have not found your God,
213 14|             how is he this being which you have found, and which you
214 14|              you have found, and which you have conceived him to be,
215 14|                true certainty? But, if you have found him, why is it
216 14|              found him, why is it that you do not feel you have found
217 14|                it that you do not feel you have found him? Why, O Lord,
218 14|             God, does not my soul feel you, if it has found you? Or,
219 14|              feel you, if it has found you? Or, has it not found him
220 14|          understand anything at all of you, except through your light
221 14|           light and truth, it has seen you; if it has not seen you,
222 14|                you; if it has not seen you, it has not seen light and
223 14|              still it has not yet seen you, because it has seen you
224 14|               you, because it has seen you only in part, but has not
225 14|              in part, but has not seen you as you are? Lord my God,
226 14|                but has not seen you as you are? Lord my God, my creator
227 14|                desire of my soul, what you are other than it has seen,
228 14|             desires. It strains to see you more; and sees nothing beyond
229 14|              of which-there is none in you; but it sees that it cannot
230 14|              in itself, and dazzled by you. Doubtless it is both obscured
231 15|         conceived. ~THEREFORE, O Lord, you are not only that than which
232 15|               cannot be conceived, but you are a being greater than
233 15|              there is such a being, if you are not this very being,
234 15|             very being, a greater than you can be conceived. But this
235 16|          unapproachable light in which you dwell; for truly there is
236 16|            this light, that it may see you there. Truly, I see it not,
237 16|             blessed truth, how far are you from me, who am so near
238 16|             from me, who am so near to you! How far removed are you
239 16|               you! How far removed are you from my vision, though I
240 16|              near to yours! Everywhere you are wholly present, and
241 16|              wholly present, and I see you not. In you I move, and
242 16|         present, and I see you not. In you I move, and in you I have
243 16|             not. In you I move, and in you I have my being; and I cannot
244 16|            being; and I cannot come to you. You are within me, and
245 16|              and I cannot come to you. You are within me, and about
246 16|               and about me, and I feel you not.~ ~
247 17|               ineffable manner. ~STILL you are hidden, O Lord, from
248 17|            feel your pleasantness. For you have these attributes in
249 17|             them to objects created by you, after their sensible manner;
250 18|             not that which we seek.~Do you help me for your goodness'
251 18|             Free me from myself toward you. Cleanse, heal, sharpen,
252 18|               mind, that it may behold you. Let my soul recover its
253 18|     understanding let it strive toward you, O Lord. What are you, Lord,
254 18|           toward you, O Lord. What are you, Lord, what are you? What
255 18|                are you, Lord, what are you? What shall my heart conceive
256 18|                shall my heart conceive you to be?~Assuredly you are
257 18|          conceive you to be?~Assuredly you are life, you are wisdom,
258 18|                Assuredly you are life, you are wisdom, you are truth,
259 18|              are life, you are wisdom, you are truth, you are goodness,
260 18|             are wisdom, you are truth, you are goodness, you are blessedness,
261 18|               truth, you are goodness, you are blessedness, you are
262 18|         goodness, you are blessedness, you are eternity, and you are
263 18|     blessedness, you are eternity, and you are every true good. Many
264 18|                 How, then, O Lord, are you all these things? Are they
265 18|              things? Are they parts of you, or is each one of these
266 18|                rather the whole, which you are? For, whatever is composed
267 18|              these things are alien to you, than whom nothing better
268 18|           Hence, there are no parts in you, Lord, nor are you more
269 18|            parts in you, Lord, nor are you more than one. But you are
270 18|             are you more than one. But you are so truly a unitary being,
271 18|                 that in no respect are you unlike yourself; rather
272 18|                unlike yourself; rather you are unity itself, indivisible
273 18|              the rest are not parts of you, but all are one; and each
274 18|              these is the whole, which you are, and which all the rest
275 18|             way, then, it appears that you have no parts, and that
276 18|              that your eternity, which you are, is nowhere and never
277 18|            nowhere and never a part of you or of your eternity. But
278 18|               eternity. But everywhere you are as a whole, and your
279 19|               if through your eternity you have been, and are, and
280 19|                 as if it were not yet?~You was not, then, yesterday,
281 19|              then, yesterday, nor will you be to-morrow; but yesterday
282 19|               and to-day and to-morrow you are; or, rather, neither
283 19|               nor to-day nor to-morrow you are; but simply, you are,
284 19|         to-morrow you are; but simply, you are, outside all time. For
285 19|         existence, except in time; but you, although nothing exists
286 19|        although nothing exists without you, nevertheless do not exist
287 19|                but all things exist in you. For nothing contains you,
288 19|              you. For nothing contains you, but you contain all.~ ~
289 19|              nothing contains you, but you contain all.~ ~
290 20|             part which is past.~HENCE, you do permeate and embrace
291 20|                and embrace all things. You are before all, and do transcend
292 20|       transcend all. And, of a surety, you are before all; for before
293 20|             for before they were made, you are. But how do you transcend
294 20|              made, you are. But how do you transcend all? In what way
295 20|          transcend all? In what way do you transcend those beings which
296 20|            cannot exist at all without you; while you are in no wise
297 20|              at all without you; while you are in no wise less, if
298 20|                so, in a certain sense, you do transcend them. Or, is
299 20|          conceived to have an end; but you by no means? For so they
300 20|                in a certain sense; but you, in no sense. And certainly,
301 20|                Or, in this way also do you transcend all things, even
302 20|                present as a whole with you; while they have not yet
303 20|             part which is past? For so you do ever transcend them,
304 20|             ever transcend them, since you are ever present with yourself,
305 20|              come is ever present with you.~ ~
306 21|         immeasurability. And, although you are so great, O Lord, that
307 21|            that all things are full of you, and exist in you; yet you
308 21|              full of you, and exist in you; yet you are so without
309 21|             you, and exist in you; yet you are so without all space,
310 21|              half, nor any part, is in you.~ ~
311 22|                well-being. ~THEREFORE, you alone, O Lord, are what
312 22|                alone, O Lord, are what you are; and you are he who
313 22|            Lord, are what you are; and you are he who you are. For,
314 22|                are; and you are he who you are. For, what is one thing
315 22|              and absolutely exist.~But you are what you are, because,
316 22|                exist.~But you are what you are, because, whatever you
317 22|             you are, because, whatever you are at any time, or in any
318 22|               any time, or in any way, you are as a whole and forever.
319 22|               a whole and forever. And you are he who you are, properly
320 22|            forever. And you are he who you are, properly and simply;
321 22|               properly and simply; for you have neither a past existence
322 22|             present existence; nor can you be conceived as at any time
323 22|             any time non-existent. But you are life, and light, and
324 22|                of this nature. And yet you are only one supreme good;
325 22|             are only one supreme good; you are all-sufficient to yourself,
326 22|           yourself, and need none; and you are he whom all things need
327 23|           which it proceeds.~THIS good you are, you, God the Father;
328 23|           proceeds.~THIS good you are, you, God the Father; this is
329 23|               nothing, other than what you are, or greater or less
330 23|                or greater or less than you, can be in the Word by which
331 23|                be in the Word by which you do express yourself; for
332 23|               for the Word is true, as you are truthful. And, hence,
333 23|               is truth itself, just as you are; no other truth than
334 23|               are; no other truth than you; and you are of so simple
335 23|              other truth than you; and you are of so simple a nature,
336 23|               simple a nature, that of you nothing can be born other
337 23|                be born other than what you are. This very good is the
338 23|              is the one love common to you and to your Son, that is,
339 23|            this love is not unequal to you or to your Son; seeing that
340 23|               to your Son; seeing that you do love yourself and him,
341 23|              yourself and him, and he, you and himself, to the whole
342 23|          anything else proceeding from you and from him, which is not
343 23|                which is not unequal to you and to him. Nor can anything
344 24|                and conceive, so far as you can, of what character and
345 25|      Corinthians ii. 9).~Why, then, do you wander abroad, slight man,
346 25|                is enough. For, what do you love, my flesh? What do
347 25|                love, my flesh? What do you desire, my soul? There,
348 25|               There, there is whatever you love, whatever you desire.~
349 25|            whatever you love, whatever you desire.~If beauty delights
350 25|             desire.~If beauty delights you, there shall the righteous
351 25|          naught can withstand, delight you, they shall be as angels
352 25|                sound life that pleases you, there a healthful eternity
353 25|            impure, but pure, pleasure, you shall make them drink of
354 25|                is wisdom that delights you, the very wisdom of God
355 25|              If true security delights you, undoubtedly they shall
356 25|             sorrows, how greatly would you rejoice, if you did abound
357 25|          greatly would you rejoice, if you did abound in all these
358 25|           assuredly, if any other whom you did love altogether as yourself
359 25|              would be doubled, because you would rejoice not less for
360 25|                more, had the same joy, you would rejoice as much for
361 25|                one as for yourself, if you did love each as yourself.
362 26|               this is the joy of which you tell us through your Son:
363 26|                 How far they will know you, Lord, then! and how much
364 26|                how much they will love you! Truly, eye has not seen,
365 26|                how far they shall know you, and how much they shall
366 26|               how much they shall love you in that life.~I pray, O
367 26|                 I pray, O God, to know you, to love you, that I may
368 26|              God, to know you, to love you, that I may rejoice in you.
369 26|             you, that I may rejoice in you. And if I cannot attain
370 26|             full. Let the knowledge of you advance in me here, and
371 26|             made full. Let the love of you increase, and there let
372 26|                 Lord, through your Son you do command, nay, you do
373 26|               Son you do command, nay, you do counsel us to ask; and
374 26|              do counsel us to ask; and you do promise that we shall
375 26|                full. I ask, O Lord, as you do counsel through our wonderful
376 26|        Counsellor. I will receive what you do promise by virtue of