8. We conceive of the self-rule as no accident of the Good; but, from
the self-rule proper to (all) beings, we rise, by abstraction of the
contraries, to Him who Himself is liberty and independence, thus
applying to this Principle the lower attributes that we borrow from
inferior beings (that is, the Soul and Intelligence), because of our
impotence to speak properly of Him. Such indeed are the terms that we
could use in referring to Him, though it would be absolutely impossible
to find the proper expression, not only to predicate anything of Him,
but even to say anything whatever about Him. For the most beautiful and
venerable things do no more than imitate Him, who is their principle.
Nevertheless, from another standpoint, He is not their principle, since
this their imitation must be denied, and we must withdraw, as too
inferior, even the terms "liberty" and "self-rule," for these terms
seem to imply a tendency towards something else, an obstacle, even if
only to avoid it; the coexistence of other beings, even if only to
imitate Him uninterruptedly. Now no tendency should be attributed to
the Good. He is what He is before all other things, since we do not
even say of Him, "He is," so as not to establish any connection between
Him and "beings." Neither can we say of Him, "according to His nature";
for this expression indicates some later relation. It is indeed applied
to intelligible entities, but only so far as they proceed from some
other principle; that is why it is applied to "being," because it
is born of the (Good). But if we refer "nature" to temporal things,
it could not be predicated of "being"; for to say that "being" does
not exist by itself would be to affect its existence; to say that it
derives its existence from something else is equivalent to asserting
that it does not exist by itself. Nor should we say of the Good that
"His nature is accidental," nor speak of contingency in connection with
(the Divinity); for He is contingent neither for Himself nor for other
beings; contingency is found only in the multiple beings which, already
being one thing, have accidentally become some other. How indeed
could the First exist accidentally? for He did not reach His present
condition fortuitously enough to enable us even to ask, "How did He
become what He is?" No chance led Him (to become His present self),
nor led Him to hypostatic existence; for chance and luck did not exist
anteriorly to Him, since even they proceed from a cause, and exist only
in things that grow[188] (or, "become").
"CONTINGENCE" MIGHT BE APPLIED TO THE SUPREME, IF THE WORD BE
RE-DEFINED.
9. If however anybody applied the term "contingency" to the Divinity,
we should not dispute about the word, but go back of it to its
underlying meaning. Do you, by it, mean that the First is a principle
of particular nature and power; and that if He had had a different
nature, He would still, as principle, have conformed to the nature He
would have had? Also, that if He had been less perfect, He would still
have actualized in conformity with His being? We should answer such
an assertion thus: it was impossible for the higher Principle of all
things to be contingent; or to be less perfect accidentally, or good
in some other manner, as some higher thing that was less complete.
As the principle of all things must be better than they, He must be
determinate; and by this is here meant that He exists in an unique
manner. This, however, not by necessity; for necessity did not exist
before Him. Necessity exists only in the beings that follow the first
Principle, though the latter impose no constraint upon them. It is by
Himself that the First exists uniquely. He could not be anything but
what He is; He is what He ought to have been; and not by accident.
He is that; He had to be what He was. So "He who is what He ought to
have been" is the principle of the things that ought to exist. Not by
accident, nor contingently, therefore, is He what He is; He is what He
had to be; though here the term "had to be" is improper. (If we be
permitted to explain what we mean by an illustration, we may say that)
the other beings have to await the appearance of their king--which
means, that He shall posit Himself as what He really is, the true King,
the true Principle, the true Good. Of Him it must not even be said
that He actualizes in conformity with the Good, for then He would seem
subordinate to some other principle; we must say only that He is what
He is. He is not conformed to the Good, because He is the Good itself.