‘How the fool has said in his heart what cannot be conceived; etc.’ - Saint Anselm of Canterbury - 'Proslogion' - Chapters IV-VII; pages 6-8
[Saint Anselm of Canterbury/Anselm of Aosta; XI-XII Century AD; Aosta, Kingdom of Burgundy, Holy Roman Empire/Canterbury, England; (aged 72); Italian Benedictine Monk; Archbishop; Abbot; Philosopher; Theologian; Doctor of the Church]“CHAPTER IV - How the fool has said in his heart what cannot be conceived
But how has the fool said in his heart what he could not conceive; or how is it that he could not conceive what he said in his heart? Since it is the same to say in the heart, and to conceive. But, if really, nay, since really, he both conceived, because he said in his heart; and did not say in his heart, because he could not conceive; there is more than one way in which a thing is said in the heart or conceived. For, in one sense, an object is conceived, when the word signifying it is conceived; and in another, when the very entity, which the object is, is understood. In the former sense, then, God can be conceived not to exist; but in the latter, not at all. For no one who understands what fire and water are can conceive fire to be water, in accordance with the nature of the facts themselves, although this is possible according to the words. So, then, no one who understands what God is can conceive that God does not exist; although he says these words in his heart, either without any or with some foreign, signification. For, God is that than which a greater cannot be conceived. And he who thoroughly understands this, assuredly understands that this being so truly exists, that not even in concept can it be non-existent. Therefore, he who understands that God so exists, cannot conceive that he does not exist.
I thank you, gracious Lord, I thank you; because what I formerly believed by your bounty, I now so understand by your illumination, that if I were unwilling to believe that you did exist, I should not be able not to understand this to be true.
CHAPTER V - God is whatever it is better to be than not to be; and he, as the only self-existent being, creates all things from nothing
What are you, then, Lord God, than whom nothing greater can be conceived? But what are you, except that which, as the highest of all beings, alone exists through itself, and creates all other things from nothing? For, whatever is not this is less than a thing which can be conceived of. But this cannot be conceived of you. What good, therefore, does the supreme Good lack, through which every good is? Therefore, you are just, truthful, blessed, and whatever it is better to be than not to be. For it is better to be just than not just; better to be blessed than not blessed.
CHAPTER VI - How God is sensible although he is not a body
But, although it is better for you to be sensible, omnipotent, compassionate, passionless, than not to be these things; how are you sensible, if you are not a body; or omnipotent, if you have not all powers; or at once compassionate and passionless? For, if only corporeal things are sensible, since the senses encompass a body and are in a body, how are you sensible, although you are not a body, but a supreme Spirit, who is superior to body?
But, if feeling is only cognition, or for the sake of cognition, for he who feels obtains knowledge in accordance with the proper functions of his senses; as through sight, of colours; through taste, of flavours, whatever in any way cognises is not inappropriately said, in some sort, to feel. Therefore, 0 Lord, although you are not a body yet you are truly sensible in the highest degree in respect of this, that you did cognise all things in the highest degree; and not as an animal cognises, through a corporeal sense.
CHAPTER VII - How he is omnipotent, although there are many things of which he is not capable
But how are you omnipotent, if you are not capable of all things? Or, if you can not be corrupted, and can not lie, nor make what is true, false - as, for example, if you should make what has been done not to have been done, and the like -, how are you capable of all things? Or else to be capable of these things is not power, but impotence.
For, he who is capable of these things is capable of what is not for his good, and of what he ought not to do; and the more capable of them he is, the more power have adversity and perversity against him; and the less has he himself against these. He, then, who is thus capable is so not by power, but by impotence. For, he is not said to be able because he is able of himself, but because his impotence gives something else power over him.
Or, by a figure of speech, just as many words are improperly applied, as when we use "to be" for "not to be," and "to do" for what is really not to do, "or to do nothing." For, often we say to a man who denies the existence of something: "It is as you say it to be," though it might seem more proper to say, "It is not, as you say it is not." In the same way, we say, "This man sits just as that man does," or, "This man rests just as that man does"; although to sit is not to do anything, and to rest is to do nothing. So, then, when one is said to have the power of doing or experiencing what is not for his good, or what he ought not to do, impotence is understood in the word power. For, the more he possesses this power, the more powerful are adversity and perversity against him, and the more powerless is he against them. Therefore, 0 Lord, our God, the more truly are you omnipotent, since you are capable of nothing through impotence, and nothing has power against you.”
Image: German_School_-_’Let_there_be_Light’
Music: Saint Hildegard von Bingen - ‘O Pater omnium - In principio’ · Sabine Lutzenberger
‘O Pater Omnium – In Principio’ = ‘O Father of all - In the beginning’
>>> youtube.com/watch?v=rjjiUESkx8I