86 



GhazzaWs Alchemy of Happiness. 



forbid that His sovereignty and government should be com- 

 pared and measured. The doctors of the law have been al- 

 lowed however, in the way of illustration to explain in a 

 certain degree the knowledge, power, excellence and sove- 

 reignty of God to man, who is frail and weak in under- 

 standing. 



Thus, let us suppose that a person had been born and 

 brought up in darkness, where he had never seen the rays 

 or light of the sun, but had merely heard a description of 

 the sun. If such a person should ask to have the light and 

 mode of shining of the sun explained to him, how would it 

 be possible in any way to explain to him what it is ? If 

 however, there should happen to be in that dark place 

 many glow worms, the person addressed, taking one of 

 them up in his hands, might say, " the light of the sun re- 

 sembles this, " although in reality it has not a particle or 

 an atom of resemblance. Take another example : suppose 

 a child incapable of making distinctions, should inquire of 

 us about the pleasure derived from exercising authority 

 and sovereignty. We, knowing the impossibility of explain- 

 ing the matter to him, might answer that the pleasure of 

 ruling was like that obtained from playing with nuts or at 

 ball, although it does not resemble them in any particular. 

 From these examples we may learn that it is impossible 

 for any being, except God himself, to know God. " God 

 is witness ! God is witness ! No one knows God, except 

 God himself. " 



Finally, seeker after divine mysteries, know that the paths 

 to the knowledge of God, are as numerous as the souls of 

 creatures, and their number is known to God alone. But 

 we have spoken so much as is found above, for the sake of 

 both warning and stimulating the seeker after the know- 

 ledge and love of God. 



The happiness of man consists in the knowledge, obedi- 

 ence and worship of God. Only a little previously we have 



