I MARVEL, Lorp, seeing that Thou beholdest at once all men and each individual, even as this painted image whereon I look showeth forth, how the universal coincideth with the particular in Thy faculty of sight? But on consideration I find that my imagination doth not comprehend how this may be, because I seek to judge Thy vision from mine own faculty of sight. Now, Thine is not limited as is mine unto the organ of sight, ’tis thus my judgment is deceived. Thy vision, Lord, is Thine essence.
If I consider human nature, which is simple and one in all men, I find it in each and in all. And, although in itself it be neither eastern nor western, nor southern nor northern, yet it is in the east in dwellers in the east, and
in dwellers in the west, in the west. Thus, albeit neither motion nor rest is of the essence of human nature, yet ’tis moved when men move and resteth when they rest, and standeth when they stand. And this at one and the same time, because human nature doth not desert men whether they be moved, or be not moved, whether they sleep, or rest. If this human nature, which is individuated,! and is not found outside men, is such that ’tis not more present in one man than in another, and is as perfectly present in one as if it were present in no other, much more highly shall it be so with that unindividuated humanity ? which is the exemplar * and idea of the individuated, and, as it were, its form and truth. For it can never be dissociated from individuated human beings, since it is the form which giveth being to the formal nature of man. No specific form can exist without it, since none of itself hath being, but being cometh from that which existeth of itself, before which there is none other. That form, then, which giveth being unto the species is Absolute Form, and Thou art It, O God, who formest the sky and the earth and all things.
1 contracta. * Or, humanity in general. * Or, pattern.
When, therefore, I consider limited human nature, and through that the Absolute, —seeing, to wit, the Absolute in the limited, like the cause in the effect, and the truth and exemplar in the image—then Thou appearest unto me, my God, as the Exemplar of all men, and as Man of himself, that is, Absolute. And when in like manner I turn me in all species unto the Form of forms, in all these Thou appearest unto me their Idea and Exemplar. Being the Absolute Exemplar, and the most simple, Thou art not composite of several exemplars, but Thou art the one Exemplar, most simple, and infinite, in such wise that Thou art the truest and most adequate Exemplar of all things which can be formed, and of each of them. Thou art, therefore, the Essence of essences, giving power to limited essences to be that which they are.
Apart from Thee, Lord, naught can exist. If, then, Thine essence pervade all things, so also doth Thy sight, which is Thine essence. For even as no created thing can escape from its Own proper essence, so neither can it from Thine essence, which giveth essential being to all beings. Wherefore, neither can it from Thy sight. Accordingly, Thou, Lord, seest all things and_each thing at one and the same time, and
movest with all that move, and standest with them that stand. And because there be some that move while others stand, Thou, Lord, dost stand and move at the same time, at the same time Thou dost proceed and rest. For if both motion and rest be individuated at the same time in divers beings, and if naught can exist apart from Thee, and no motion be apart from Thee, nor any rest; then Thou, Lord, art wholly present to all these things, and to each, at one and the same time. And yet Thou dost not move nor rest, since Thou art exalted above all, and freed from all that can be conceived or named. Wherefore, Thou standest and proceedest, and yet at the same time dost not stand or proceed, and that this painted face showeth me. For, if I move, its glance seemeth to move because it quitteth me not; if, while I am moving, another look on the face while standing still, its glance in like manner quitteth not him, but standeth still as he doth. Howbeit, the condition of motion or standing cannot rightly suit with a face that is freed from such conditions, for it is above all standing or motion, in simplest and absolute infinity; and *tis on the hither side of this infinity that are found motion, and rest, and their opposition, and whatever may be uttered or conceived.
Hence I observe how needful it is for me to enter into the darkness, and to admit the coincidence of opposites, beyond all the grasp of reason, and there to seek the truth where impossibility meeteth me. And beyond that, beyond even the highest ascent of intellect, when I shali have attained unto that which is unknown to every intellect, and which every intellect judgeth to be most far removed from truth, there, my God, art Thou, who art Absolute Necessity.1 And the more that dark _ impossibility is recognised as dark and impos- ’ sible, the more truly doth His Necessity shine forth, and is more unveiledly present, and draweth nigh.
Wherefore I give Thee thanks, my God, because Thou makest plain to me that there is none other way of approaching Thee than that which to all men, even the most learned philosophers, seemeth utterly inaccessible and impossible. For Thou hast shown me that Thou canst not be seen elsewhere than where impossibility meeteth and faceth me. Thou hast inspired me, Lord, who art the Food of the strong, to do violence to myself, because
impossibility coincideth with necessity, and I
1 Necessitas, i.e. a Being that cannot but exist. Necessary existence (or self-existence, or uncaused existence) is identified by many scholastics with the essence of God.
have learnt that the place wherein Thou art found unveiled is girt round with the coincidence of contradictories,! and this is the wall of Paradise wherein Thou dost abide. The door whereof is guarded by the most proud spirit of Reason, and, unless he be vanquished, the way in will not lie open. Thus ’tis beyond the coincidence of contradictories that ‘Thou mayest be seen, and nowhere this side thereof. If, then, in Thy sight, Lord, impossibility be necessity, there is naught that Thy sight seeth not.
1 contradictoria. Perhaps ‘‘antitheses.’”’ This is a favourite theme with Nicholas, one of the cornerstones of his teaching.
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