When reading my present treatise, bear in mind that by “faith” we do
not understand merely that which is uttered with the lips, but also
that which is apprehended by the soul, the conviction that the object
[of belief] is exactly as it is apprehended. If, as regards real or
supposed truths, you content yourself with giving utterance to them in
words, without apprehending them or believing in them, especially if
you do not seek real truth, you have a very easy task as, in fact, you
will find many ignorant people professing articles of faith without
connecting any idea with them.
If, however, you have a desire to rise to a higher state, viz., that of
reflection, and truly to hold the conviction that God is One and
possesses true unity, without admitting plurality or divisibility in
any sense whatever, you must understand that God has no essential
attribute in any form or in any sense whatever, and that the rejection
of corporeality implies the rejection of essential attributes. Those
who believe that God is One, and that He has many attributes, declare
the unity with their lips, and assume plurality in their thoughts. This
is like the doctrine of the Christians, who say that He is one and He
is three, and that the three are one. Of the same character is the
doctrine of those who say that God is One, but that He has many
attributes; and that He with His attributes is One, although they deny
corporeality and affirm His most absolute freedom from matter; as if
our object were to seek forms of expression, not subjects of belief.
For belief is only possible after the apprehension of a thing; it
consists in the conviction that the thing apprehended has its existence
beyond the mind [in reality] exactly as it is conceived in the mind. If
in addition to this we are convinced that the thing cannot be different
in any way from what we believe it to be, and that no reasonable
argument can be found for the rejection of the belief or for the
admission of any deviation from it, then the belief is true. Renounce
desires and habits, follow your reason, and study what I am going to
say in the chapters which follow on the rejection of the attributes;
you will then be fully convinced of what we have said; you will be of
those who truly conceive the Unity of God, not of those who utter it
with their lips without thought, like men of whom it has been said,
“Thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins” (Jer. xii. 2).
It is right that a man should belong to that class of men who have a
conception of truth and understand it, though they do not speak of it.
Thus the pious are advised and addressed, “Commune with your own heart
upon your bed and be still. Selah.” (Ps. iv. 5.)