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  1 Pre|                           PREFACE.~In this brief work the author
  2 Pre|         the author aims at proving in a single argument the existence
  3 Pre|          task. --The author writes in the person of one who contemplates
  4 Pre|           on the grounds of faith, in the person of one who investigates,
  5 Pre|           of one who investigates, in a course of silent reasoning
  6 Pre|          my mental vision, at last in despair I was about to cease,
  7 Pre|            me from other thoughts, in which I might be successful;
  8 Pre|         resisting its importunity, in the very conflict of my
  9 Pre|          have found, would, if put in writing, be welcome to some
 10 Pre|            the following treatise, in the person of one who strives
 11 Pre|       understand what he believes. In my judgment, neither this
 12 Pre|         title by which they might, in some sort, invite one into
 13 Pre|    discharges the apostolic office in Gaul, who instructed me
 14 1  |            labors and attempts are in vain without God. Man cannot
 15 1  |           himself. God created man in his image, that he might
 16 1  |         and rest for a little time in him. Enter the inner chamber
 17 1  |            and such as can aid you in seeking him; close your
 18 1  |           present? Truly you dwell in unapproachable light. But
 19 1  |        into it, that I may see you in it? Again, by what marks,
 20 1  |           your servant do, anxious in his love of you, and cast
 21 1  |            and that remains which, in itself, is only miserable.
 22 1  |     abounded, we beg. He possessed in happiness, and miserably
 23 1  |         possession; we suffer want in unhappiness, and feel a
 24 1  |           on myself. I sought calm in privacy, and I found tribulation
 25 1  |       found tribulation and grief, in my inmost thoughts. I wished
 26 1  |        thoughts. I wished to smile in the joy of my mind, and
 27 1  |           that I may not lose hope in sighs, but may breathe anew
 28 1  |        sighs, but may breathe anew in hope. Lord, my heart is
 29 1  |            your consolation. Lord, in hunger I began to seek you;
 30 1  |           cease to hunger for you. In hunger I have come to you;
 31 1  |          not go unfed. I have come in poverty to the Rich, in
 32 1  |            in poverty to the Rich, in misery to the Compassionate;
 33 1  |          yourself. Let me seek you in longing, let me long for
 34 1  |       longing, let me long for you in seeking; let me find you
 35 1  |           seeking; let me find you in love, and love you in finding.
 36 1  |          you in love, and love you in finding. Lord, I acknowledge
 37 1  |            that you has created me in this your image, in order
 38 1  |     created me in this your image, in order that I may be mindful
 39 1  |      penetrate your sublimity, for in no wise do I compare my
 40 1  |           but I long to understand in some degree your truth,
 41 1  |         may believe, but I believe in order to understand. For
 42 2  |         although the fool has said in his heart, There is no God. ~
 43 2  |            since the fool has said in his heart, there is no God? (
 44 2  |         and what he understands is in his understanding; although
 45 2  |          thing for an object to be in the understanding, and another
 46 2  |      afterwards perform, he has it in his understanding, but be
 47 2  |           painting, be both has it in his understanding, and he
 48 2  |    convinced that something exists in the understanding, at least,
 49 2  |     whatever is understood, exists in the understanding. And assuredly
 50 2  |            conceived, cannot exist in the understanding alone.
 51 2  |             For, suppose it exists in the understanding alone:
 52 2  |          can be conceived to exist in reality; which is greater.~
 53 2  |           can be conceived, exists in the understanding alone,
 54 2  |      conceived, and it exists both in the understanding and in
 55 2  |           in the understanding and in reality.~ ~
 56 3  |            other beings, and hence in a higher degree than all
 57 3  |          exist so truly, and hence in a less degree it belongs
 58 3  |            then, has the fool said in his heart, there is no God (
 59 3  |            mind, that you do exist in the highest degree of all?
 60 4  |          IV.~How the fool has said in his heart what cannot be
 61 4  |           A thing may be conceived in two ways: (1) when the word
 62 4  |            conceived not to exist; in reality he cannot.~BUT how
 63 4  |          BUT how has the fool said in his heart what he could
 64 4  |          not conceive what he said in his heart? since it is the
 65 4  |        since it is the same to say in the heart, and to conceive.~
 66 4  |         conceived, because he said in his heart; and did not say
 67 4  |         his heart; and did not say in his heart, because he could
 68 4  |         there is more than one way in which a thing is said in
 69 4  |           in which a thing is said in the heart or conceived.
 70 4  |           heart or conceived. For, in one sense, an object is
 71 4  |    signifying it is conceived; and in another, when the very entity,
 72 4  |          object is, is understood.~In the former sense, then,
 73 4  |        conceived not to exist; but in the latter, not at all.
 74 4  |         conceive fire to be water, in accordance with the nature
 75 4  |       although he says these words in his heart, either without
 76 4  |        truly exists, that not even in concept can it be non-existent.
 77 6  |          these than not be. He who in any way knows, is not improperly
 78 6  |             is not improperly said in some sort to feel.~BUT,
 79 6  |           encompass a body and are in a body, how are you sensible,
 80 6  |            feels obtains knowledge in accordance with the proper
 81 6  |             of flavors, --whatever in any way cognises is not
 82 6  |          not inappropriately said, in some sort, to feel.~Therefore,
 83 6  |         yet you are truly sensible in the highest degree in respect
 84 6  |     sensible in the highest degree in respect of this, that you
 85 6  |          you do cognise all things in the highest degree; and
 86 7  |             as you say it is not." In the same way, we say, "This
 87 7  |            impotence is understood in the word power. For, the
 88 8  | passionless. God is compassionate, in terms of our experience,
 89 8  |          God is not compassionate, in terms of his own being,
 90 8  |      because you are compassionate in terms of our experience,
 91 8  |  experience, and not compassionate in terms of your being.~Truly,
 92 8  |           being.~Truly, you are so in terms of our experience,
 93 8  |     experience, but you are not so in terms of your own. For,
 94 8  |            For, when you behold us in our wretchedness, we experience
 95 9  |   incomprehensible, is this hidden in the unapproachable light
 96 9  |          wherein you dwell? Truly, in the deepest and most secret
 97 9  |           who sin against you; and in the depth of your goodness
 98 9  |       wells forth from you. Spare, in mercy; avenge not, in justice.~
 99 9  |       Spare, in mercy; avenge not, in justice.~For, though it
100 9  |           justice; nay, that it is in true harmony with justice.
101 9  |           and not the wicked also. In this way, therefore, it
102 10 |          spares the wicked. --God, in sparing the wicked, is just,
103 10 |        time, spare the wicked? Or, in one way, do you justly punish,
104 10 |            you justly punish, and, in another, justly spare them?
105 10 |           with your goodness.~For, in sparing the wicked, you
106 10 |          to yours; seeing that, as in saving us, whom it would
107 10 |          the supremely good Being. In this way, therefore, without
108 11 |         truth; and yet God is just in all his ways. --We cannot
109 11 |           just; and this you would in no wise be if you did only
110 11 |          yet the Lord is righteous in all his ways (Psalms cxlv.
111 11 |          so good that you are good in sparing also; and this may
112 11 |          if it can be comprehended in any way why you can will
113 13 |             BUT everything that is in any way bounded by place
114 13 |           which, when it is wholly in one place, cannot at the
115 13 |         cannot at the same time be in another. And this is seen
116 13 |           soul were not as a whole in the separate members of
117 13 |          would not feel as a whole in the separate members. Therefore,
118 14 |       because it has seen you only in part, but has not seen you
119 14 |             of which-there is none in you; but it sees that it
120 14 |         Surely it is both darkened in itself, and dazzled by you.
121 14 |            How great is that truth in which is everything that
122 16 |           the unapproachable light in which you dwell; for truly
123 16 |            light of the sun, which in the sun itself it cannot
124 16 |        present, and I see you not. In you I move, and in you I
125 16 |            not. In you I move, and in you I have my being; and
126 17 |                      CHAPTER XVII.~In God is harmony, fragrance,
127 17 |       hidden, O Lord, from my soul in your light and your blessedness;
128 17 |      therefore my soul still walks in its darkness and wretchedness.
129 17 |          you have these attributes in yourself, Lord God, after
130 18 |         one; it is capable, either in fact or in concept, of dissolution.
131 18 |         capable, either in fact or in concept, of dissolution.
132 18 |           concept, of dissolution. In God wisdom, eternity, etc.,
133 18 |          or unity itself, not even in concept divisible.~AND lo,
134 18 |           feel that I am enveloped in it. I fell before my mother
135 18 |        mother conceived me. Truly, in darkness I was conceived,
136 18 |      darkness I was conceived, and in the cover of darkness I
137 18 |        darkness I was born. Truly, in him we all fell, in whom
138 18 |         Truly, in him we all fell, in whom we all sinned. In him
139 18 |             in whom we all sinned. In him we all lost, who kept
140 18 |            altogether one, but is: in some sort plural, and diverse
141 18 |            from itself; and either in fact or in concept is capable
142 18 |      itself; and either in fact or in concept is capable of dissolution.
143 18 |          Hence, there are no parts in you, Lord, nor are you more
144 18 |      identical with yourself, that in no respect are you unlike
145 18 |            which all the rest are.~In this way, then, it appears
146 19 |     CHAPTER XIX.~He does not exist in place or time, but all things
147 19 |         time, but all things exist in him. ~BUT if through your
148 19 |          have no existence, except in time; but you, although
149 19 |          nevertheless do not exist in space or time, but all things
150 19 |         time, but all things exist in you. For nothing contains
151 20 |          how do you transcend all? In what way do you transcend
152 20 |         without you; while you are in no wise less, if they should
153 20 |            to nothingness? For so, in a certain sense, you do
154 20 |         they actually have an end, in a certain sense; but you,
155 20 |            certain sense; but you, in no sense. And certainly,
156 20 |         sense. And certainly, what in no sense has an end transcends
157 20 |           transcends what is ended in any sense. Or, in this way
158 20 |            ended in any sense. Or, in this way also do you transcend
159 21 |         are full of you, and exist in you; yet you are so without
160 21 |         nor half, nor any part, is in you.~ ~
161 22 |             For, what is one thing in the whole and another in
162 22 |           in the whole and another in the parts, and in which
163 22 |          another in the parts, and in which there is any mutable
164 22 |            you are at any time, or in any way, you are as a whole
165 23 |           itself, there is nothing in the Father, who utters it,
166 23 |          which is not accomplished in the Word by which he expresses
167 23 |         themselves and one another in the same degree in which
168 23 |         another in the same degree in which what they are is good.
169 23 |           or less than you, can be in the Word by which you do
170 23 |           single, necessary Being, in which is every good; nay,
171 24 |           are delectable, conceive in earnestness how delectable
172 24 |        such as we have experienced in created objects, but as
173 24 |           all salvation! If wisdom in the knowledge of the created
174 24 |            are many great delights in delectable things, what
175 24 |           how great is the delight in him who has made these delectable
176 25 |          good. --Joy is multiplied in the blessed from the blessedness
177 25 |         wander abroad, slight man, in your search for the goods
178 25 |            body? Love the one good in which are all goods, and
179 25 |            I Corinthians xv. 44) --in power certainly, though
180 25 |        power certainly, though not in nature. If it is a long
181 25 |          that good, will never and in no wise fail them; as they
182 25 |         rejoice, if you did abound in all these things! Ask your
183 25 |           each as yourself. Hence, in that perfect love of innumerable
184 25 |      another so far as he rejoices in the other's good, and as,
185 25 |          the other's good, and as, in that perfect felicity, each
186 25 |           rejoice beyond reckoning in the felicity of God, more
187 25 |         felicity of God, more than in his own and that of all
188 26 |            Lord, show your servant in his heart whether this is
189 26 |      entered into the heart of man in this life, how far they
190 26 |           much they shall love you in that life.~I pray, O God,
191 26 |            you, that I may rejoice in you. And if I cannot attain
192 26 |          cannot attain to full joy in this life may I at least
193 26 |           knowledge of you advance in me here, and there be made
194 26 |           here my joy may be great in hope, and there full in
195 26 |            in hope, and there full in truth. Lord, through your