On Dominion
LVI. On Dominion
1. God is Lord of everything that has been
created and produced from nothing,
because without Him it would never have existed.
2. God is the Lord of nothingness,
because therefrom did He produce all that is fitting,
and He is Lord of all that emerges therefrom.
3. God is Lord of the firmament,
of the angels <and> the elements,
as well as of the future and the present.
4. God is the Lord of virtuous loving
and He is Lord thereof by reason of bestowing,
judging and forgiving.
5. God is the Lord of created freedom,
for He has obliged one
to do good without iniquity.
6. God is Lord by virtue of right and honour;
and whoever seeks to be lord by virtue of sin
resides in dishonourable servitude.
7. Dominion is the cause of evil
when possessed by a sinful and faithless man,
for it is of no use to himself or to others.
8. Dominion which exists by reason of love
is far closer to worth
than is dominion which exists by reason of fear.
9. To be lord of one’s own will,
of one’s memory and one’s wisdom
constitutes a dominion of pleasure.
10. The Lord has been found
as a result of the occurrence of sin,
a Lord Who is necessary.