2

See then and pay heed, since the best which exists simply is that than

which nothing better can be thought of. And this is such that it cannot be

rightly thought not to be. For Being is in all ways better than Non-Being.

This is such that it cannot rightly be thought of unless conceived of as

both three and one. For the Good is said to be self-diffusive. The highest

good is therefore the most self-diffusive. The greatest diffusion, however,

can exist only if it is actual and intrinsic, substantial and hypostatic,

natural and voluntary, free and necessary, lacking nothing and perfect.

Unless, then, there be eternally in the highest good a production which is

actual and consubstantial, and an hypostasis as noble as the producer

through generation and spiration, so that it would be from the eternal

principle eternally co-producing and would be beloved ("dilectus") in

itself and co-loved ("condilectus"), generated, and spirated as are the

Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in no way would it be the highest

good, for it would not diffuse itself most highly. For temporal diffusion

in creation is nothing else than central and punctiform with respect to the

immensity of the eternal goodness. Whence also can some diffusion be

conceived as greater than that - to wit, that in which the diffusive power

communicates its whole substance and nature to another. Therefore the

highest good would not exist if it could lack that characteristic either in

existence or in thought.

If then you can look with the mind's eye upon the purity of goodness, which

is the pure actualization of the principle of Charity, pouring forth free

and due love, and both mingled together, which is the fullest diffusion

according to nature and will - the diffusion as Word, in which all things

are expressed, and as Gift, in which all other gifts are given - you may see

by the highest communicability of the Good that a Trinity of Father and Son

and Holy Spirit is necessary. Because of the greatest goodness, it is

necessary that there be in them the greatest communicability, and out of

the greatest communicability the greatest consubstantiality, and from the

greatest consubstantiality the greatest configurability, and from all these

the greatest coequality; and therefore the greatest coeternity as well as,

because of all the aforesaid, the greatest co-intimacy, by which one is in

the other necessarily through the highest degree of mutual penetration and

one operates with the other through the complete identity of substances and

power and operation of the most Blessed Trinity itself.