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A Treatise on Faith and the Creed

7.

From this, I trust, it is now made patent to spiritual minds that there cannot possibly exist any nature contrary to God. For if He is,--and this is a word which can be spoken with propriety only of God (for that which truly is remains unchangeably; inasmuch as that which is changed has been something which now it is not, and shall be something which as yet it is not),--it follows that God has nothing contrary to Himself. For if the question were put to us, What is contrary to white? we would reply, black; if the question were, What is contrary to hot? we would reply, cold; if the question were, What is contrary to quick? we would reply, slow; and all similar interrogations we would answer in like manner. When, however, it is asked, What is contrary to that which is? the right reply to give is, that which is not.

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De la foi et du symbole

7.

De là, j'en ai la confiance, il résulte clairement pour les âmes spirituelles qu'il ne peut y avoir de nature contraire à Dieu. En effet si Dieu est, et que ce mot ne puisse proprement s'appliquer qu'à lui (car ce qui est réellement, demeure immuable ;puisque ce qui changé a été quelque chose qu'il n'est plus et sera ce qu'il n'est pas encore,) il n'a donc rien qui lui soit contraire. Car si on nous demandait quel est l'opposé du blanc nous répondrions le noir ; du chaud, nous répondrions le froid; de la vitesse, nous dirions le lenteur, et ainsi du reste. Donc quand on nous demande quel est le contraire de ce qui est, nous avons raison de répondre : ce qui n'est pas.