Great Throughts Treasury

"Therefore, since it is evident that through itself this [Nature] is whatever it is and that through it all other things are what they are, in what manner does this [Nature] exist through itself ? For what is said to exist through something seems to exist either through something efficient or through a material or through some other aid, as through an instrument. But whatever exists in any of these three modes exists through something other [than itself] and is later, and somehow less, than this other through which it has its existence."

"Those blessed ones of thine... shall rejoice according as they shall love; and they shall love according as they shall know. How far they will know thee, Lord, then! and how much they will love thee!"

"Thus, we must carefully give heed to something which, though very uncommon in the case of created things, is seen to hold true of the Supreme Spirit and its Word. Assuredly, whatever they are essentially and whatever they are in relation to creatures is present to each individually and to both together in such way that it is wholly in each of the two without being more than one."

"To what was I aspiring, for what do I sigh? I sought after good things1 and, behold, [here is] turmoil. I was striving unto God but collided with myself."

"What are You? What shall my heart understand You to be? Surely, You are life, wisdom, truth, goodness, blessedness, eternity— You are every true good."

"Thus, whoever thinks that what-is is thinks what he ought to; and so, his thinking is correct. Accordingly, if our thought is correct and true simply because we think that what-is is, or that what-is-not is not, then the truth of thought is simply its rightness, or correctness."

"Yet, it is also just that You punish those who are evil. For what is more just than for those who are good to receive good things and for those who are evil to receive bad things? But, then, how is it just for You to punish those who are evil and likewise just for You to spare them? Do You justly punish them in one respect and justly spare them in another? For when You punish those who are evil, it is just [for You to do so] because [punishment] besuits their merits. But when You spare them, it is just [for You to do so], not because [sparing them] besuits their merits but because it befits Your goodness. For in sparing them, You are just in Yourself but are not just from our viewpoint, even as You are merciful from our viewpoint but are not merciful in Yourself. For in saving us whom You could justly damn, You are just not because You requite us as we deserve but because You do what befits You as supremely good, even as You are merciful not because You experience any emotion but because we experience the effect [of Your mercy]. So, then, without inconsistency, You both punish justly and spare justly."