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od would seem to have existed before thus coming into existence； if He makes Himself； then in regard to the self which He makes He is not yet in being and as maker He exists before this Himself thus made。 The answer is that we utterly must not speak of Him as made but sheerly as maker； the making must be taken as absolved from all else； no new existence is established； the Act here is not directed to an achievement but is God Himself unalloyed： here is no duality but pure unity。 Let no one suspect us of asserting that the first Activity is without Essence； on the contrary the Activity is the very reality。 To suppose a reality without activity would be to make the Principle of all principles deficient； the supremely complete becomes incomplete。 To make the Activity something superadded to the essence is to shatter the unity。 If then Activity is a more perfect thing than essence and the First is all perfect； then the Activity is the First。 By having acted； He is what He is and there is no question of 〃existing before bringing Himself into existence〃； when He acted He was not in some state that could be described as 〃before existing。〃 He was already existent entirely。 Now assuredly an Activity not subjected essence is utterly free； God's selfhood； then； is of his own Act。 If his being has to be ensured by something else； He is no longer the self…existent First： if it be true to say that He is his own container； then He inducts Himself； for all that He contains is his own production from the beginning since from the beginning He caused the being of all that by nature He contains。 If there had been a moment from which He began to be； it would be possible assert his self…making in the literal sense； but； since what He is He is from before all time； his self…making is to be understood as simultaneous with Himself； the being is one and the same with the making and eternal 〃coming into existence。〃 This is the source also of his self…disposal… strictly applicable if there were a duality； but conveying； in the case of a unity； a disposing without a disposed； an abstract disposing。 But how a disposer with nothing to dispose？ In that there is here a disposer looking to a prior when there is none： since there is no prior； This is the First… but a First not in order but in sovereignty； in power purely self…controlled。 Purely； then nothing can be There that is under any external disposition； all in God is self…willing。 What then is there of his content that is not Himself； what that is not in Act； what not his work？ Imagine in Him anything not of his Act and at once His existence ceases to be pure； He is not self…disposing； not all…powerful： in that at least of whose doing He is not master He would be impotent。 21。 Could He then have made Himself otherwise than as He did？ If He could we must deny Him the power to produce goodness for He certainly cannot produce evil。 Power； There； is no producer of the inapt； it is that steadfast constant which is most decidedly power by inability to depart from unity： ability to produce the inapt inability to hold by the fitting； that self…making must be definite once for all since it is the right； besides； who could upset what is made by the will of God and is itself that will？ But whence does He draw that will seeing that essence； source of will； is inactive in Him？ The will was included in the essence； they were identical： or was there something； this will for instance； not existing in Him？ All was will； nothing unwilled in Him。 There is then nothing before that will： God and will were primally identical。 God； therefore； is what He willed； is such as He willed； and all that ensued upon that willing was what that definite willing engendered： but it engendered nothing new； all existed from the first。 As for his 〃self…containing；〃 this rightly understood can mean only that all the rest is maintained in virtue of Him by means of a certain participation； all traces back to the Supreme； God Himself； self…existing always； needs no containing； no participating； all in Him belongs to Him or rather He needs nothing from them in order to being Himself。 When therefore you seek to state or to conceive Him； put all else aside； abstracting all； keep solely to Him； see that you add nothing； be sure that your theory of God does not lessen Him。 Even you are able to take contact with Something in which there is no more than That Thing itself to affirm and know； Something which lies away above all and is… it alone… veritably free； subject not even to its own law； solely and essentially That One Thing； while all else is thing and something added。 NINTH TRACTATE。
ON THE GOOD； OR THE ONE。
1。 It is in virtue of unity that beings are beings。 This is equally true of things whose existence is primal and of all that are in any degree to be numbered among beings。 What could exist at all except as one thing？ Deprived of unity； a thing ceases to be what it is called： no army unless as a unity： a chorus； a flock； must be one thing。 Even house and ship demand unity； one house； one ship； unity gone； neither remains thus even continuous magnitudes could not exist without an inherent unity； break them apart and their very being is altered in the measure of the breach of unity。 Take plant and animal； the material form stands a unity； fallen from that into a litter of fragments； the things have lost their being； what was is no longer there； it is replaced by quite other things… as many others； precisely； as possess unity。 Health； similarly； is the condition of a body acting as a co…ordinate unity。 Beauty appears when limbs and features are controlled by this principle； unity。 Moral excellence is of a soul acting as a concordant total； brought to unity。 Come thus to soul… which brings all to unity； making； moulding； shaping； ranging to order… there is a temptation to say 〃Soul is the bestower of unity； soul therefore is the unity。〃 But soul bestows other characteristics upon material things and yet remains distinct from its gift： shape； Ideal…Form and the rest are all distinct from the giving soul； so； clearly； with this gift of unity； soul to make things unities looks out upon the unity just as it makes man by looking upon Man； realizing in the man the unity belonging to Man。 Anything that can be described as a unity is so in the precise degree in which it holds a characteristic being； the less or more the degree of the being； the less or more the unity。 Soul； while distinct from unity's very self； is a thing of the greater unity in proportion as it is of the greater； the authentic； being。 Absolute unity it is not： it is soul and one soul； the unity in some sense a concomitant； there are two things； soul and soul's unity as there is body with body's unity。 The looser aggregates； such as a choir； are furthest from unity； the more compact are the nearer； soul is nearer yet but still a participant。 Is soul to be identified with unity on the ground that unless it were one thing it could not be soul？ No； unity is equally necessary to every other thing； yet unity stands distinct from them； body and unity are not identical； body；