b

Therefore, those who are subject

to these divine balances, which govern all the holy hosts of the supercelestial orders, while indeed honoring that secret of divinity and those most exalted beings by a silence of holy intelligence original: "modesto quodam silentio" that does not scrutinize such things, we strive toward those splendors that shine upon us in the sacred writings. And by them we are illuminated toward divine hymns: being illuminated, that is, beyond the manner of the world. And from thence, we are formed toward sacred praises. Namely, so that we may easily see the divine lights handed down to us according to our capacity: and so that we may rightly praise that beneficent principle of all illumination: just as He Himself has handed down concerning Himself in the sacred utterances.

¶ God is so powerful and such an intimate cause of all good things for all things, that He Himself is the very good of things to the things themselves.

d

Concerning the reason of cause

and effect, it pertains that the latter should depend upon the former: and because the cause is more of a cause, the effect also depends more upon it. Since, therefore, the Light is the cause of causes, being the greatest cause, it follows that all things depend upon it entirely. ¶ For this reason, it is not only the sufficient cause of all things, but also the final one. And not only the efficient one, but also the preserving, moving, perfecting, and restoring one. And whatever things are in operation depend entirely upon it. In all worldly things, there is essence, life, virtue, inclination, motion, action, perseverance, and perfection. Therefore, the first cause makes, preserves, perfects, and restores all these things in things. ¶ Consequently, the first cause, because of its immense power, occupies the whole so entirely that it is everywhere most present to all. And it acts within all things at least to the extent that nature acts within them, which art undoubtedly does. Since, therefore, all things narrated in things depend entirely upon God, and since God is also the most intimate within all things, God Himself is rightly seen to be all these good things that have been narrated. Contemplate the image, if there is one in a mirror. It depends so much upon the living one that its essence, virtue, motion, and state are as it is itself; it sees itself according to itself in the mirror.

Much more so is God Himself the essence of things, life, virtue, action, perseverance, perfection, and reformation. And in minds, it is purity, illumination, perfection, and divinity. ¶ Plato himself says that something of a godlike nature was once infused into our souls, and that this is gradually abolished over the long courses of time. But when the soul first abandons God, it renews itself and again forms the minds with divinity. Dionysius touches upon this method. He then adds that God is the simplicity of those who become simple, and the unity of those who become one. Whether they are seen to be resolved into God, who is simplicity itself, by stripping away bodily things to be perfected in simplicity; or whether, having set aside the multitude of powers and actions, they betake themselves to the one, and are reduced into God, who is unity itself; or whether the intellects are united both among themselves and with the things they understand, and are thus joined to God, who is unity itself, as if by a certain glue. Or finally, when they become as one with God Himself, the minds are here at rest. Divine unity reigns. Minds formed by divine unity act. This is what Plotinus often proves and Iamblichus confirms. And even if God is so intimate to all things, He is meanwhile set apart, as a principle by a certain reason above essence: a principle, I say, above a principle, having, that is, no proportion with other principles or effects. Again, although He is so set apart, He is nonetheless immense, because He pours what is good in Himself, like a hidden light, most lavishly into all things. Hence that Orphic saying: Jupiter, while he hides the light within himself, produces it sometimes from his bountiful heart, working wonders.

¶ God is all the good things of things in all things.

t

He handed down

these things. God is the cause of all things and the beginning. And the essence and life. And for those who have fallen away from God, [He is] the recall and resurrection. For those who, by some fall, have lost the divine image within themselves, [He is] the renewal and reformation. And again, for those who are shaken by some profane agitation, [He is] the sacred confirmation. They remain