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11. As, therefore, we do not say three essences, so we do not say
three greatnesses, or three who are great. For in things which are
great by partaking of greatness, to which it is one thing to be, and
another to be great, as a great house, and a great mountain, and a
great mind; in these things, I say, greatness is one thing, and
that which is great because of greatness is another, and a great
house, certainly, is not absolute greatness itself. But that is
absolute greatness by which not only a great house is great, and any
great mountain is great, but also by which every other thing whatsoever
is great, which is called great; so that greatness itself is one
thing, and those things are another which are called great from it.
And this greatness certainly is primarily great, and in a much more
excellent way than those things which are great by partaking of it.
But since God is not great with that greatness which is not Himself,
so that God, in being great, is, as it were, partaker of that
greatness; otherwise that will be a greatness greater than God,
whereas there is nothing greater than God; therefore, He is great
with that greatness by which He Himself is that same greatness.
And, therefore, as we do not say three essences, so neither do we
say three greatnesses; for it is the same thing to God to be, and to
be great. For the same reason neither do we say three greats, but one
who is great; since God is not great by partaking of greatness, but
He is great by Himself being great, because He Himself is His own
greatness. Let the same be said also of the goodness, and of the
eternity, and of the omnipotence of God, and, in short, of all the
predicaments which can be predicated of God, as He is spoken of in
respect to Himself, not metaphorically and by similitude, but
properly, if indeed anything can be spoken of Him properly, by the
mouth of man.
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