Now concerning the Essence of Divinity: in truth it is on no account
determined by anything apart from its own nature, and can in no wise be
comprehended. For whatsoever can be conceived by man is a reality that
hath limitations and is not unlimited; it is circumscribed, not
all-embracing. It can be comprehended by man, and is controlled by him.
Similarly it is certain that all human conceptions are contingent, not
absolute; that they have a mental existence, not a material one. Moreover,
differentiation of stages in the contingent world is an obstacle to
understanding. How then can the contingent conceive the Reality of the
absolute? As previously mentioned, differentiation of stages in the
contingent plane is an obstacle to understanding. Minerals, plants and
animals are bereft of the mental faculties of man that discover the
realities of all things, but man himself comprehendeth all the stages
beneath him. Every superior stage comprehendeth that which is inferior and
discovereth the reality thereof, but the inferior one is unaware of that
which is superior and cannot comprehend it. Thus man cannot grasp the
Essence of Divinity, but can, by his reasoning power, by observation, by
his intuitive faculties and the revealing power of his faith, believe in
God, discover the bounties of His Grace. He becometh certain that though
the Divine Essence is unseen of the eye, and the existence of the Deity is
intangible, yet conclusive spiritual proofs assert the existence of that
unseen Reality. The Divine Essence as it is in itself is however beyond
all description. For instance, the nature of ether is unknown, but that it
existeth is certain by the effects it produceth, heat, light and
electricity being the waves thereof. By these waves the existence of ether
is thus proven. And as we consider the outpourings of Divine Grace we are
assured of the existence of God. For instance, we observe that the
existence of beings is conditioned upon the coming together of various
elements and their non-existence upon the decomposition of their
constituent elements. For decomposition causeth the dissociation of the
various elements. Thus, as we observe the coming together of elements
giveth rise to the existence of beings, and knowing that beings are
infinite, they being the effect, how can the Cause be finite?
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