The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite

knowledge) of its superessentiality above reason, mind, and essence—to it must we attribute superessential science. We aspire to the Highest only insofar as the ray of the supremely Divine Oracles imparts itself, while we restrain our approach to higher glories through prudence and piety regarding Divine things. For, if we must place any confidence in the All-Wise and most trustworthy Theology, Divine things are revealed and contemplated in proportion to the capacity of each mind, since the supremely Divine Goodness divinely distributes its immeasurableness (as that which cannot be contained) with a justice that preserves those whose capacity is limited.

For, just as things intelligible cannot be comprehended by things of sense, nor uncompounded and unformed things by those that are compounded and formed, nor the intangible and unshaped formlessness of things without body by those formed according to the shapes of bodies; in accordance with this same analogy of truth, the superessential Illimitability is placed above things essential, and the Unity above mind is above all minds. The One, which is above conception, is inconceivable to all conceptions, and the Good, which is above word, is unutterable by word. It is a Unit making one every unit; a superessential essence and mind that is inconceivable; a Word that is unutterable; speechlessness c and non-conception d; and namelessness. It is not after the manner of any existing being, but is the Cause of being to all, though Itself does not "exist" in the way created things do, as It is beyond every essence, and as It may manifest Itself properly and scientifically concerning Itself.

c original: "ἀλογία" — "irrationality" or "speechlessness"
d original: "ἀνοησία" — "incomprehensibility"