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9. The angels fell, the soul of man fell? and they have thus
indicated the abyss in that dark deep, ready for the whole spiritual
creation, unless Thou hadst said from the beginning, "Let there be
light," and there had been light, and every obedient intelligence of
Thy celestial City had cleaved to Thee, and rested in Thy Spirit,
which unchangeably is "borne over" everything changeable.
Otherwise, even the heaven of heavens itself would have been a
darksome deep, whereas now it is light in the Lord. For even in that
wretched restlessness of the spirits who fell away, and, when
unclothed of the garments of Thy light, discovered their own
darkness, dost Thou sufficiently disclose how noble Thou hast made
the rational creature; to which nought which is inferior to Thee will
suffice to yield a happy rest, and so not even herself. For Thou,
0 our God, shalt enlighten our darkness; from Thee are derived our
garments of light,' and then shall our darkness be as the noonday."
Give Thyself unto me, O my God, restore Thyself unto me;
behold, I love Thee, and if it be too little, let me love Thee
more strongly. cannot measure my love, so that I may come to know how
much there is yet wanting in me, ere my life run into Thy
embracements, and not be turned away until it be hidden in the secret
place of Thy Presence. This only I know, that woe is me except in
Thee, not only without, but even also within myself; and all
plenty which is not my God is poverty to me.'
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