there must needs be something perfect also in the same kind.
For if we take away perfection we cannot so much as devise how there
should be any imperfection. For the nature of things began not from that
which is defective and not complete, but, proceeding from entire and
absolute, falleth into that which is extreme and enfeebled. But if, as
we showed before, there be a certain imperfect felicity of frail goods,
it cannot be doubted but that there is some solid and perfect happiness
also." "Thou hast," quoth I, "concluded most firmly and most truly."
"Now where this good dwelleth," quoth she, "consider this. The common
conceit of men's minds proveth that God the Prince of all things is
good. For, since nothing can be imagined better than God, who doubteth
but that is good than which is nothing better? And reason doth in such
sort demonstrate God to be good that it convinceth Him to be perfectly
good. For unless He were so, He could not be the chief of all things.
For there would be something better than He, having perfect goodness,
which could seem to be of greater antiquity and eminence than He. For it
is already manifest that perfect things were before the imperfect.
Wherefore, lest our reasoning should have no end, we must confess that
the Sovereign God is most full of sovereign and perfect goodness. But we
have concluded that perfect goodness is true happiness, wherefore true
blessedness must necessarily be placed in the most high God." "I agree,"
quoth I, "neither can this be any way contradicted." "But I pray thee,"
quoth she, "see how boldly and inviolably thou approvest that which we
said, that the Sovereign God is most full of sovereign goodness." "How?"
quoth I. "That thou presumest not that this Father of all things hath
either received from others that sovereign good with which He is said to
be replenished, or hath it naturally in such sort that thou shouldst
think that the substance of the blessedness which is had, and of God who
hath it, were diverse. For if thou thinkest that He had it from others,
thou mayest also infer that he who gave it was better than the receiver.
But we most worthily confess that He is the most excellent of all
things. And if He hath it by nature, but as a diverse thing, since we
speak of God the Prince of all things, let him that can, invent who
united these diverse things. Finally, that which is different from
anythi