The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

154 VII.i.18–i.34 Isidore of Seville
not will. If that were to happen to him, in no way would
he be Almighty – for he does whatever he wishes, and
therein he is Almighty. 18. Again, ‘Almighty’ because all
things in every place are his, for he alone has dominion
over the whole world.
Certain other names are also said for God substantively,
as immortal, incorruptible, immutable, eternal.
Whence deservedly he is placed before every creature.
19. Immortal, as was written of him (I Timothy 6:16):
“Who only hath immortality,” because in his nature
there is no change, for every sort of mutability not
improperly is called mortality. From this it follows that
the soul also is said to die, not because it is changed
and turned into body or into some other substance,
but because everything is considered mortal that in
its very substance is now, or once was, of a different
sort, in that it leaves off being what it once was. And
by this reasoning only God is called immortal, because
he alone is immutable. 20. Heiscalledincorruptible
(incorruptibilis) because he cannot be broken up (corrumpere,ppl.
corruptus)and dissolved or divided. Whatever
undergoes division also undergoes passing away,
but he can neither be divided nor pass away; hence he is
incorruptible.
He is immutable (incommutabilis)because he remains
forever and does not change (mutare). 21. Heneither
advances, because he is perfect, nor recedes, because he
is eternal. 22. Heiseternalbecause he is without time,
for he has neither beginning nor end. And hence he
is ‘forever’ (sempiternus), because he is ‘always eternal’
(semper aeternus). Some think that ‘eternal’ (aeternus)
is so called from ‘ether’ (aether), for heaven is held to
be his abode. Whence the phrase (Psalm 113:16 Vulgate),
“The heaven of heaven is the Lord’s.” And these four
terms signify one thing, for one and the same thing is
meant, whether God is called eternal or immortal or
incorruptible or immutable.
23. ‘Invisible,’ because the Trinity never appears in
its substance to the eyes of mortals unless through the
form of a subject corporeal creature. Indeed, no one
can see the very manifestation of the essence of God
and live, as it was told to Moses (Exodus 33:20), whence
the Lord says in the Gospel (John 1:18), “No man hath
seen God at any time.” Indeed, he is an invisible thing,
and therefore should be sought not with the eye, but
with the heart. 24. ‘Impassible,’ because he is affected
by none of the disturbances to which human fragility
succumbs, for none of the passions touch him, not
desire, wrath, greed, fear, grief, envy, and the other
things with which the human mind is troubled. 25. But
when it is said that God is angry or jealous or sorrowful,
it is said from the human point of view, for
with God, in whom is utmost tranquillity, there is no
disturbance.
26. Further he is called ‘single’ (simplex), either from
not letting go of what he has, or because what he is and
what is in him are not distinct, in the way that being and
knowing are distinct for a human. 27. Ahuman can be,
and at the same time not have knowledge. God has being,
and he also has knowledge; but what God has he also is,
and it is all one. He is ‘single’ because there is nothing
accidental in him, but both what he is and what is in
him are of his essence, except for what refers to each of
the three persons. 28.Heisthe ‘ultimately good’ (summe
bonus)becauseheisimmutable. What is created is good,
to be sure, but it is not consummately good because it
is mutable. And although it may indeed be good, it still
cannot be the highest good. 29.Godiscalled ‘disembodied’
(incorporeus)or‘incorporeal’ (incorporalis)because
he is believed or understood to exist as spirit, not body
(corpus,gen.corporis). When he is called spirit, his substance
is signified.
30. ‘Immeasurable’ (immensus) because he encompasses
all things and is encompassed by nothing, but all
things are confined within his omnipotence. 31. Heis
called ‘perfect’ (perfectus)because nothing can be added
to him. However, ‘perfection’ is said of the completion
of some making; how then is God, who is not made
(factus), perfect (perfectus)? 32. But human poverty of
diction has taken up this term from our usage, and likewise
for the remaining terms, insofar as what is ineffable
can be spoken of in any way – for human speech says
nothing suitable about God – so the other terms are also
deficient. 33. Heiscalled ‘creator’ because of the matter
of the whole world created by him, for there is nothing
that has not taken its origin from God. And he is
‘one’ (unus) because he cannot be divided, or because
there can be no other thing that may take on so much
power. 34. Thereforewhat things are said of God pertain
to the whole Trinity because of its one (unus) and
coeternal substance, whether in the Father, or in his onlybegotten
Son in the form of God, or in the Holy Spirit,
which is the one (unus) SpiritofGodtheFather and of
his only-begotten Son.