When one discerns any quality of God, he discerns a quality of man as God's likeness; and as one scientifically claims the quality as his own, it appears in his thought and life. One who has had such experience, moreover, can help others in developing like qualities. From these facts arises the great interest which Christian Scientists have in the full and precise setting forth of the nature of God in the writings of Mary Baker Eddy. She defines Him with synonyms—words which are suitable to stand by themselves in place of the word "God"—and also with many other terms. Thus on page 465 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," she writes, "God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth. Love," and then, after stating that these terms are synonymous, she adds, "The attributes of God are justice, mercy, wisdom, goodness, and so on." Elsewhere in her writings, she names many other attributes.
Each of these terms, the synonyms and the others, as the student thoughtfully considers it, advances his understanding of God, and therefore of himself. It may be noted, however, that the terms do not indicate qualities that are separate from one another. They indicate, rather, qualities which color and enrich one another, and which together define the infinite, indivisible One. Mind, Life, or any other of the synonyms is a comprehensive term for His allness; each of them defines the other synonyms and thus stands for them all, for the divine whole. Similarly, mercy and justice can by no means be separated. They characterize each other, and together characterize the infinite oneness of God; and the same may be said of any of the qualities.
All the qualities of God, enriched by one another, are expressed without measure in man, in the true individuality of everyone, and hence are for everyone to claim as his own. By claiming them, and therefore necessarily by disowning their opposites, men are released from the limitations and distresses which seemingly have belonged to them, and thus demonstrate the grandeur of true being.
