46、基督教界都知道，神是无限和永恒，因为以亚他那修命名的三位一体教义就说到，父神是无限、永恒和全能；圣子神和圣灵神同样如此；然而，没有三位、只有一位是无限、永恒和全能。由此可知，由于神是无限和永恒，所以除了无限和永恒之外，没有什么东西能归给神。但有限不能理解什么是无限和永恒，不过也能理解。有限不能理解，是因为它无法包含无限；能理解，是因为存在抽象概念，通过抽象概念能看到事物的存在，即便不知道它们的性质。有些观念是能论及无限的，如：神因是无限，或神性因是无限，故是存在或现实本身，本质本身，物质本身，爱本身和智慧本身，良善本身和真理本身，因而是它本身或独一无二者或绝对者，是人本身或本质的人。当说无限是全有时，无限智慧是指全知，无限能力是指全能。
然而，这些概念会陷入思维的模糊，也可能会因不可思议而遭到否认，除非我们把思维由自然界中所获得的元素，尤其自然界的两个属性，即空间和时间，从观念中剔除。因为这些势必限制观念，使得抽象概念如同无有。然而，如果我们能像天使那样剔除它们，那么无限就能通过刚才所列举的那类观念来理解了。由此还能明白以下事实：人是真实的，或说是某种事物，因为他是由作为全有的无限的神创造的；人是有限的物质，因为他是由作为物质本身的无限的神创造的；人是智慧，因为他是由作为智慧本身的无限的神创造的，等等。因为除非无限的神是全有，是物质本身和智慧本身，否则人不是真实的，或说什么也不是，或按照那些被称为理想主义的空想家的说法，纯粹是存在的观念。
从《圣爱与圣智》一书的说明清楚可知，神性本质是爱与智慧（28-39节）；神性之爱与神性智慧是物质本身与形式本身，是独一无二者（40-46节）；神从祂自己，而非从无创造了宇宙及其万物（282-284节）。由此可知，一切受造物，尤其人和他里面的爱和智慧，都是真实的，或说是某种事物，不是纯粹的存在观念。因为如果神不是无限，那么有限之物不会存在；如果无限不是全有，那么就不会有任何事物；如果神不从祂自己创造一切事物，那么就不会有任何真实事物，或根本没有任何事物。简言之，我们是，是因为神是，或说我们存在，是因为神存在。
46. In Everything That it Does the Lord's Divine Providence Regards Something Infinite and Eternal
People in the Christian world know that God is infinite and eternal, for the doctrine of the Trinity named after Athanasius 1says that God the Father is infinite, eternal, and omnipotent, and so, too, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, and yet that there are not three infinite, eternal and omnipotent beings, but one. It follows from this that, because God is infinite and eternal, nothing else can be predicated of God except what is infinite and eternal.
What infinity and eternity are, however, cannot be comprehended by the finite mind, and at the same time can be. What they are cannot be comprehended because the finite cannot encompass the infinite; and it can be comprehended, because abstract ideas are possible which enable one to see the existence of things, even if not their nature. Such ideas are possible of the infinite; as for instance, that God, being infinite, or that the Divine, being infinite, is being itself, is existence and substance itself, is love itself and wisdom itself, or good itself and truth itself, thus the absolute - indeed, the supremely human. So, too, if we speak of the infinite as being omni- or all-, as that infinite wisdom is omniscience or all-knowing, or that infinite power is omnipotence or all-powerful.
[2] But even so, these ideas fall into a haziness of thought, and from incomprehensibility perhaps into denial, unless people remove from the idea those concepts which their thinking derives from nature, especially those concepts derived from the two properties of nature which are space and time, for these cannot but limit ideas and cause abstract ideas to have seemingly no reality.
On the other hand, if these concepts can be removed in a person, as they are in an angel, then the infinite can be comprehended by means of those ideas just listed above. And it can consequently be comprehended, too, that human beings have real existence because they were created by an infinite God who is omni- or all- ; moreover, that the human being is a finite substance because he was created by an infinite God who is substance itself; and further, that the human being is a form of wisdom because he was created by an infinite God who is wisdom itself; and so on. For unless the infinite God were omni- or all- , being substance itself, and wisdom itself, human beings would not have real existence, and so would be either non-existent, or existent only in idea, according to those dreamers called idealists.
[3] Points we demonstrated in our treatise Divine Love and Wisdom make apparent the following:
That the Divine essence is love and wisdom, Divine Love and Wisdom 28-39.
That Divine love and wisdom are substance itself and form itself, and the one and only absolute, Divine Love and Wisdom 40-46.
That God created the universe and everything in it from Himself and not from nothing, Divine Love and Wisdom 282-284.
It follows from this that every created thing, and above all the human being and the love and wisdom in him, have real existence, and do not exist only in idea. For unless God were infinite, there would be nothing finite. So, too, unless the infinite were omni- or all- , there would be nothing real. And unless God created all things from Himself, there would be nothing at all.
In a word: We are because God is. 2
Footnotes:
1. A Christian cleric, c. 296-373, from Alexandria, Egypt, and later canonized, who at the first Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. participated in the debate against Arianism, a theological view based on the teachings of Arius (c. 250-336 A.D.), who taught that Christ the Son was a created being, not consubstantial with God the Father, and thus not fully Divine. As Bishop of Alexandria (328-373 A.D.) Athanasius continued to speak and write against the Arian heresy, becoming its greatest and most consistent theological opponent, and because of it he was removed from his see and forced to flee five times between 335 and 365. A profession of faith beginning with the words "Quicunque vult" and widely used in western Christianity was attributed to him, and became known also as the Athanasian Creed; but modern scholarship no longer ascribes it to him but to some other, unknown western writer.
2. Cf. Acts of the Apostles 17:28; also .
46. In Everything That It Does, the Lord's Divine Providence Is Focusing on What Is Infinite and Eternal
It is widely recognized in Christian circles that God is infinite and eternal. In fact, it says in the doctrine of the Trinity named after Athanasius that God the Father is infinite, eternal, and omnipotent, as are God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, but that there are not three infinite, eternal, and omnipotent beings, but only one. It follows from this that since God is infinite and eternal, only what is infinite and eternal can be attributed to him.
However, we finite beings cannot grasp what anything infinite and eternal is--and yet at the same time we can. We cannot grasp it because the finite cannot contain the infinite; and we can grasp it because there are abstract notions that enable us to see that certain things do exist even though we cannot see what their nature is.
There are such notions about the infinite--for example, that because God is infinite, or Divinity is infinite, God is reality itself or essence itself and substance itself, love itself and wisdom itself, what is good itself and what is true itself, the Only--in fact, the essential Human. Then too, if we say that the infinite is the all, then infinite wisdom is omniscience and infinite power is omnipotence.
[2] These concepts, though, will get lost in the dim depths of our thought and perhaps even fall from incomprehension into denial unless we can rid them of elements that our thought gets from the material world, particularly those two essential features of the material world called space and time. These can only limit our concepts and make abstract concepts seem like nothing at all. However, if we can rid ourselves of them the way angels do, then the infinite can be grasped by means of the things I have just listed. This leads to a grasp of the fact that we ourselves are real because we have been created by the infinite God who is the All, that we are finite substances because we have been created by the infinite God who is substance itself, that we are wisdom because we have been created by the infinite God who is wisdom itself, and so on. For if the infinite God were not the All, substance itself, and wisdom itself, we would not be real, or would simply be nothing, or would be only ideas of existence, according to those dreamers called idealists.
[3] Material presented in the work Divine Love and Wisdom may serve to show that the divine essence is love and wisdom (Divine Love and Wisdom 28-39), that divine love and wisdom are substance itself and form itself and that divine love and wisdom are substance and form in and of themselves, and are therefore wholly "itself" and unique (Divine Love and Wisdom 40-46), and that God created the universe and everything in it not from nothing but from himself (Divine Love and Wisdom 282-284). It follows from this that everything that has been created, especially ourselves and the love and wisdom within us, is real, and is not just an image of reality.
If God were not infinite, then, nothing finite would exist; if the Infinite were not the All, there would not be anything; and if God had not created everything from himself, there would be nothing real, nothing at all. In short, we are because God is.
46. THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE OF THE LORD, IN EVERYTHING THAT IT DOES, REGARDS THE INFINITE AND THE ETERNAL
It is known in the Christian world that God is Infinite and Eternal; for in the doctrine of the Trinity which takes its name from Athanasius it is said that God the Father is Infinite, Eternal and Omnipotent; likewise God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; and yet there are not three that are Infinite, Eternal and Omnipotent, but One. From this it follows that, as God is Infinite and Eternal, nothing but what is Infinite and Eternal can be predicated of God. But what the Infinite and Eternal is cannot be comprehended by the finite, and yet it can be. It cannot be comprehended because the finite cannot contain the infinite; and it can be comprehended because there are abstract ideas by means of which it can be seen that things exist, though not what their nature is. There are such ideas respecting the Infinite as that God, because He is Infinite, or that the Divine, because it is Infinite, is Being (Esse) itself, is Essence itself and Substance itself, is Love itself and Wisdom itself, or is Good itself and Truth itself, and thus is the Self, yea is Man Himself. Such ideas also are present when it is said that the Infinite is the All, and that Infinite Wisdom is Omniscience, and that Infinite Power is Omnipotence.
[2] Yet these ideas are merged in obscurity of thought, and from being incomprehensible perchance meet with denial. This happens unless those things which thought derives from nature are withdrawn from the idea, especially what it derives from the two things proper to nature, space and time, for these cannot but limit ideas and cause abstract ideas to be as nothing. However, if those things can be withdrawn in man as they are in an angel, then the Infinite may be comprehended by means of the ideas just mentioned above. Hence also it may be comprehended that man has reality because he was created by the Infinite God who is the All; and that he is a finite substance because he was created by the Infinite God who is Substance itself; and further that he is wisdom because he was created by the Infinite God who is Wisdom itself; and so on. For unless the Infinite God were the All, Substance itself and Wisdom itself, man would not have reality; and thus would be nothing or merely an idea of being, according to those visionaries called idealists.
[3] From what has been shown in the treatise THE DIVINE LOVE AND WISDOM, it is clear that the Divine Essence is Love and Wisdom (n. 28-39); that the Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom are Substance itself and Form itself, and consequently the Self-subsisting and the one only subsisting Essence (n. 40-46); and that God created the universe and all things therein from Himself and not from nothing (n. 282-284). From this it follows that every created thing, and especially man, and the love and wisdom in him, have reality and are not merely ideas of being. For unless God were Infinite there would be no finite; and unless the Infinite were the All there would be no reality; and unless God had created all things from Himself there would be nothing. In a word, We are because God is.
46. THE LORD'S DIVINE PROVIDENCE LOOKS IN EVERY THING THAT IT DOES TO WHAT IS INFINITE AND ETERNAL.
It is known in the Christian world that God is Infinite and Eternal; for in the doctrine of the Trinity that has its name from Athanasius it is said that God the Father is Infinite, Eternal, and Omnipotent; likewise God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; and yet there are not three that are Infinite, Eternal, and Omnipotent, but One. From this it follows that as God is Infinite and Eternal, nothing but what is Infinite and Eternal can be predicated of God. But what the Infinite and Eternal is the finite cannot comprehend, and yet it can. The finite cannot comprehend it because it cannot contain the infinite; and it can comprehend it because there are abstract ideas by means of which the existence of things can be seen, if not the nature of them. Such ideas are possible respecting the Infinite; as that God because He is Infinite, that is, the Divine because it is Infinite, is Being (esse) itself, is Essence itself and Substance itself, is Love itself and Wisdom itself, or Good itself and Truth itself, and therefore is the Itself, yea, is Man Himself; and when the Infinite is said to be the All, that Infinite Wisdom is Omniscience, and that Infinite Power is Omnipotence.
[2] And yet such ideas as these fall into obscurity of thought, and perhaps, from their incomprehensibility, into denial, unless those things that thought derives from nature are withdrawn from the idea, especially those that it derives from the two properties of nature, space and time; for these must needs limit ideas and cause abstract ideas to be as nothing. But if these can be withdrawn in man as they are in an angel, the Infinite may be comprehended by means of such ideas as are enumerated just above, and also from this that man is something because he was created by an Infinite God who is the All; also that man is a finite substance because he was created by an Infinite God who is Substance Itself; also, that man is wisdom, because he was created by an Infinite God who is Wisdom itself, and so on. For unless the Infinite God were the All, and were Substance itself and Wisdom itself, man would not be anything; consequently either a nonentity or merely an idea of being, according to those visionaries that are called idealists.
[3] From what has been shown in the work on The Divine Love and the Divine Wisdom, it is clear that the Divine Essence is love and wisdom (Divine Love and Wisdom 28-39); that the Divine love and the Divine wisdom are substance itself and form itself, and are the Very and the Only (Divine Love and Wisdom 40-46); and that God created the universe and all things thereof from Himself and not from nothing (Divine Love and Wisdom 282-284). From this it follows that every created thing, and especially man, and the love and wisdom in him, are something, and not merely an idea of being. For unless God were Infinite there could be no finite; and unless the Infinite were the All there could not be any thing; and unless God had created all things from Himself there would be nullity or nothing. In a word, we are because God is.
46. Quod Divina Providentia Domini in omni quod facit, spectet infinitum et aeternum
In Christiano Orbe notum est, quod Deus sit Infinitus et Aeternus, nam in Doctrina Trinitatis, quae ab Athanasio nomen habet, dicitur quod Deus Pater sit Infinitus, Aeternus, et Omnipotens, similiter Deus Filius et Deus Spiritus Sanctus, et quod tamen non tres Infiniti, Aeterni et Omnipotentes sint, sed Unus: ex his sequitur, quod quia Deus est Infinitus et Aeternus, non aliud de Deo praedicari possit quam Infinitum et Aeternum. At quid Infinitum et Aeternum, non potest a finito comprehendi, et quoque potest; non potest comprehendi, quia finitum non est capax infiniti; et potest comprehendi, quia dantur ideae abstractae, per quas videri possunt res quod sint, tametsi non quales sunt; tales ideae de Infinito dantur, ut quod Deus quia est Infinitus, seu Divinum quia est Infinitum, sit ipsum Esse, quod sit ipsa Essentia et Substantia, quod sit Ipse Amor et ipsa Sapientia, seu quod sit ipsum Bonum et ipsum Verum, ita quod sit Ipsum, imo quod sit Ipse Homo; tum etiam si dicitur quod Infinitum sit Omne, ut quod Infinita Sapientia sit Omniscientia, ac Infinita Potentia sit Omnipotentia.
[2] Sed usque haec cadunt in obscurum cogitationis, et ab incomprehensibili forte in negativum, nisi ab idea abstrahantur illa quae cogitatio trahit ex natura, imprimis quae ex binis naturae propriis, quae sunt spatium et tempus, haec enim non possunt non finire ideas, ac facere ut ideae abstractae sint tanquam non aliquid: at si illa possunt abstrahi apud hominem, sicut fit apud angelum, tunc potest Infinitum per illa quae nunc supra nominata sunt, comprehendi; et inde quoque, quod homo sit aliquid, quia creatus est a Deo Infinito qui est Omne; tum quod homo sit substantia finita, quia creatus est a Deo Infinito qui est ipsa Substantia; ut et, quod homo sit Sapientia, quia creatus est a Deo Infinito qui est ipsa Sapientia, et sic porro; nam nisi Deus Infinitus esset Omne, ipsa Substantia, et ipsa Sapientia, homo non foret aliquid, ita vel nihil, vel solum idea quod sit, secundum visionarios, qui vocantur Idealistae.
[3] Ex illis quae in Transactione de DIVINO AMORE ET DIVINA SAPIENTIA, ostensa sunt, patet, Quod Divina Essentia sit Amor et Sapientia, de DIVINO AMORE ET DIVINA SAPIENTIA 28-39.
Quod Divinus Amor et Divina Sapientia sint ipsa Substantia et ipsa Forma: et quod sint 1Ipsum et Unicum, de DIVINO AMORE ET DIVINA SAPIENTIA 40-46. Et quod Deus creaverit universum et omnia ejus a Selpso, et non a nihilo, de DIVINO AMORE ET DIVINA SAPIENTIA 282-284; inde sequitur, quod omne Creatum, ac imprimis Homo, et in illo amor et sapientia, sint aliquid, et non solum idea quod sint; nam nisi Deus esset Infinitus, non foret finitum; tum nisi Infinitum esset Omne, non foret aliquid; et nisi Deus ex Se Ipso creaverit omnia, foret nullum seu nihil: verbo, SUMUS QUIA DEUS EST.
Footnotes:
1 Prima editio: sit