DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE
DIVINE NAMES AND MYSTIC THEOLOGY
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH
FROM THE ORIGINAL GREEK
BY THE
REV. JOHN PARKER, M.A.,
DIVINE NAMESW
PREFACE TO THE “DIVINE NAMES.”
THE Treatise on “Divine Names” was written by Dionysius, at the request of
Timothy, and at the instigation of Hierotheus, to express, in a form more
easily understood, the more abstract Treatise of Hierotheus, who was his
chief instructor after St. Paul. Its purpose is to explain the epithets in
Holy Scripture applied alike to the whole Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost. It does not pretend to describe the unrevealed God, Who is beyond
expression and conception, and can only be known through that union with
God, “by which we know, even as we are known.” Holy Scripture is the sole
authority, beyond which we must neither think nor speak of Almighty God. The
Treatise, being written by one of the most learned Greeks, the phraseology
is, naturally, that of Plato and Aristotle ; but Plato and Aristotle are not
authorities here. When Plato treated his Hebrew instructor with such
reverence, and was so versed in the Pentateuch, we need not be sensitive as
to the admission of Plato’s authority. But, as a matter of fact, on the
question of Exemplars [2] and some other points, the opinions of Plato are
expressly refuted. The phrase of Luther, “Platonising, rather than
Christianising,” proves only a very meagre acquaintance with Dionysius. The
Greek language is moulded in a marvellous manner to express the newly
revealed Christian Faith in its most exalted form, in a style which Daillé
confesses to be always of the same “colour;” and Pearson, “always like
itself.” Jahn has followed Dionysius step by step in order to trace the
connection between the language of Plato and Dionysius, for the purpose of
exploding the puerile supposition that such complex writings as these could
have been evolved from the elementary treatises of Proclus and Plotinus.
Most probably, some of the lost writings of Dionysius are in part preserved
in those writers and in Clement of Alexandria; but Dionysius is the Master,
not Pupil! The works are very distinct and precise upon the Divinity of
Christ, and the Hypostatic Union. Like St. Paul, Dionysius affirms that He,
Who made all things, is God; and further that Jesus is God, by some
startling phraseology. He speaks of James, “the Lord’s brother [3] ,” as
“brother of God” David, from whom was born Christ after the flesh, is called
“father of God [4] .” When speaking of the entombment of the Blessed Virgin,
he speaks of her body as the “Life-springing” and “God-receptive body;” thus
testifying that Jesus, born of a pure Virgin, is Life and God. He describes
the miracles of Jesus as being, as it were, the new and God-incarnate energy
of God become Man. The newly-coined words indicate an original thinker
moulding the Greek language to a newly acquired faith. There are two words,
“Agnosia” and “Divine Gloom,” which illustrate a principle running through
these writings,—that the negative of abstraction denotes the superlative
positive. “Divine Gloom” is the darkness from excessive light; “Agnosia” is
neither ignorance nor knowledge intensified: but a supra-knowledge of Him,
Who is above all things known. It is “the most Divine knowledge of Almighty
God, within the union beyond mind, when the mind, having stood apart from
all existing things, and then, having dismissed itself, has been united to
the superluminous rays—thence and there, being illuminated by the
unsearchable wisdom.” In the Mystic Theology, Dionysius exhorts Timothy
thus,—“But, thou, O dear Timothy, leave behind both sensible perception, and
intellectual efforts, and all objects of sense and intelligence; and all
things being and not being, and be raised aloft as far as attainable,
agnōstōs—unknowingly [5] ,—to the union with Him above every essence and
knowledge. For by the resistless and absolute ecstacy from thyself, in all
purity, thou wilt be carried high to the superessential ray of the Divine
darkness, when thou hast cast away all, and become liberated from all.”
Thus, we must pass beyond all things known, and all things being, and lie
passive under the illuminating ray of God, if we would attain the highest
conception of Him, “Who passeth all understanding.” God “unknown” is still
the God of Dionysius, and He is still to be worshipped unknowingly. There is
a tradition that Dionysius erected the altar in Athens “to God unknown,” as
author of the inexplicable darkness, which he observed in Egypt, and found
afterwards from St. Paul to have been contemporaneous with the Crucifixion.
Did St. Paul adapt his discourse at Athens to the conversion of Dionysius?
The only heresiarch, whom Dionysius mentions by name, is Elymas, the
Sorcerer, Simon Magus, a man of great intellectual attainments and a
considerable author. Flavius Clemens and Eugenius, Bishop of Toledo, were
disciples of Simon before their conversion to Christ. The tenets of Elymas
are described by Hippolytus. He formed an eclectic system from the Old
Testament and the Christian Faith, and with Cerinthus and Carpocrates
originated many heresies to which the apostolic epistles allude, and which
in later times became prominent in the Church. In refuting these heresies,
by manifestation of the truth, Dionysius anticipated many errors—ancient and
modern.
Jerome informs us (Scr. Ecc. 46) that Pantaenus [6] , one of the most
celebrated Christian philosophers of Alexandria, was sent, A.D. 193, by
Demetrius, Bishop of that city, to India, at the request of a delegation
from India for that purpose. Pantaenus discovered, on his arrival, that St.
Bartholomew (one of the twelve) had preached the coming of Jesus Christ, in
that country. Pantaenus found a copy of the Hebrew Gospel of St. Matthew in
India. Now, by the extract, contained in the Scholia of Maximus, from the
Scholia of Dionysius of Alexandria (250) upon the Divine Names, and also by
the extract from a letter of the same Dionysius, recently discovered in the
British Museum [7] (Nos. 12151-2), we know that the writings of Dionysius
the Areopagite were known and treasured in Alexandria a few years after the
death of Pantaenus. Can we reasonably doubt that Pantaenus took the writings
of Dionysius, and the more abstract works of Hierotheus, to India? Have we
not here an explanation of the remarkable similarity between the Hindu
philosophy, as expressed by Sankara [8] in the eighth, and Râmânuja in the
thirteenth century, and the “Divine Names?” Sankara treats of the Supreme as
“absolutely One;” Râmânuja as “non-dual, with qualification.” Both these
truths are combined and expressed in Dionysius.
I cannot but believe that many of the beautiful expressions about Vishnu,
the Redeemer, in the Râmâyana of Tulsidâs are Christian Truths under a Hindu
dress [9] . Many learned Hindus affirm that it is needless for them to
become Christian, because they have a more exalted conception of the Supreme
God than Christians themselves. I submit that the “Divine Names” will be
instrumental in bringing India to the Christian Faith, in the best and only
effectual way—by communities and not by individuals—through the most learned
and devout, and not through the most ignorant.
Dionysius was first converted, and then, through him, those who naturally
and properly followed his lead.
LUCIUS FLAVIUS DEXTER.
Dexter was a friend of Jerome. Jerome even addresses him as “filius
amicus,” and describes him as “clarus apud saeculum et Christi fidei
deditus.”
Dexter became Prefect of the Pretorian Oriental Guards, and was one of the
most illustrious statesmen of his time. He resided two years in Toledo. From
the archives of the Church of Toledo and other cities he compiled a
chronicle from A.D. 1 to A.D. 430, giving a brief summary of the Church
events in Spain. That chronicle he dedicated to Jerome, who, enrolled both
Chronicle and Author amongst his “illustrious men.” It was at the request of
Dexter that Jerome wrote his book on Ecclesiastical Writers. Among the
earliest Bishops of Toledo, Dexter describes a remarkable
man,—Marcellus,—surnamed Eugenius, on account of his noble birth.
Bivarius says he was of the house and family of Caesar, being uncle to the
Emperor Hadrian. Marcellus was consecrated Bishop by Dionysius the
Areopagite at Aries, and sent to Toledo. Respecting him, Dexter records that
Dionysius dedicated the books of the Divine Names to him, u.c. 851, A.D. 98.
Dexter further records that Dionysius surnamed Marcellus, Timothy, on
account of his excellent disposition. Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus, relates
that Timothy, Bishop of Ephesus, to whom the works of Dionysius were
originally dedicated, was martyred during the reign of Nerva, A.D. 96-97.
Upon the return of Dionysius to Gaul, after his visit to St. John, released
from Patmos, we find him calling his friend Marcellus, Timothy, and
presenting the books of the “Divine Names “to him, A.D. 98; in order that he
might still have a Timothy on earth,— “in vivis”—although his first Timothy,
“migravit ad Christum,” A.D. 97.
This touch of nature, preserved in a chronicle, written more than 1400 years
ago, by an illustrious statesman, who was son of a Bishop celebrated for
learning and sanctity, may fairly be deemed, by an unprejudiced mind,
reasonable proof that the “Divine Names” were written previous to A.D. 98.
N.B. As the result of some research I affirm that our Saviour’s last
commission is the Key to Church history in the first century. As He
commanded the Apostles to preach the Gospel throughout the world, so the
Gospel was preached when St. Paul wrote his Epistle to the Colossians, Chap.
I. v. 23 (tou kēruchthentos en pasē ktisei), and with such success amongst
the most learned and noble, that, but for the cruel massacre of Flavius [10]
Clemens and his family for the Christian Faith, there would have been a
Christian Emperor in the first century. As Jesus said, “Ye shall be
witnesses of Me unto the uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts Chap. 1. v. 8),
so the Apostles planted the Church of Christ in Gaul, Spain and Britain,
with its threefold ministry; and by the end of the second century there was
an organised Church throughout each of those territories [11] .
Dr. Schneider informs me “that in Germany they now admit that the external
proofs are in favour of genuineness of Dionysius, but they confine
themselves to the internal proofs. They pretend that the doctrine is too
clear and precise to have been written in the apostolic age.”
How could the chief Areopagite, the convert and companion of St. Paul, and
the familiar friend of St. John, Theologus, have understood theology!!
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[2] C. V. § 2.
[3] Adelphotheos.
[4] Theopator.
[5] As beyond knowledge.
[6] Conversion of India, p. 12. Pressensé, The Earlier Years of
Christianity, Vol. II. p. 271. The History of Mathurâ (Muttra), by F. S.
Growse, on the glorification of the Divine Name.
[7] Vidieu, p. 73.
[8] Sankara’s doctrine, Sir Monier Williams, “Brahmanism,” p. 55.
Râmânuja’s explained, “Brahmanism,” p. 119, &c. J. Murray.
[9] At Council of Nicea in 325, Johannes, the Metropolitan of Persia, signed
also as “of the great India.” Merv was an Episcopal See, A.D. 334. Con. of
India, pp. 15—31.
[10] Burton, Ecc. Hist., Vol. I. p. 367.
[11] Mansi I. 698, Jaffi. Regesta Rom. Pon. 2nd Ed., p. 10, by Ewald.
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DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE,
ON DIVINE NAMES.
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CAPUT I.
TO MY FELLOW PRESBYTER, TIMOTHY,
DIONYSIUS THE PRESBYTER.
What is the purpose of the discourse, and what the tradition concerning
Divine Names.
SECTION I.
Now then, O Blessed One, after the Theological Outlines [12] , I will pass
to the interpretation of the Divine Names, as best I can.
But, let the rule of the Oracles be here also prescribed for us, viz., that
we shall establish the truth of the things spoken concerning God, not in the
persuasive words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit-moved
power of the Theologians, by aid of which we are brought into contact with
things unutterable and unknown, in a manner unutterable and unknown, in
proportion to the superior union of the reasoning and intuitive faculty and
operation within us. By no means then is it permitted to speak, or even to
think, anything, concerning the superessential and hidden Deity, beyond
those things divinely revealed to us in the sacred Oracles [13] . For
Agnosia, (supra-knowledge) of its superessentiality above reason and mind
and essence—to, it must we attribute the superessential science, so far
aspiring to the Highest, as the ray of the supremely Divine Oracles imparts
itself, whilst we restrain ourselves in our approach to the higher glories
by prudence and piety as regards things Divine. For, if we must place any
confidence in the All Wise and most trustworthy Theology, things Divine are
revealed and contemplated in proportion to the capacity of each of the
minds, since the supremely Divine Goodness distributes Divinely its
immeasurableness (as that which cannot be contained) with a justice which
preserves those whose capacity is limited. For, as things intelligible
cannot be comprehended and contemplated by things of sense, and things
uncompounded and unformed by things compounded and formed; and the
intangible and unshaped formlessness of things without body, by those formed
according to the shapes of bodies; in accordance with the self-same analogy
of the truth, the superessential Illimitability is placed above things
essential, and the Unity above mind above the Minds; and the One above
conception is inconceivable to all conceptions; and the Good above word is
unutterable by word—Unit making one every unit, and superessential essence
and mind inconceivable, and Word unutterable, speechlessness [14] and
inconception [15] , and namelessness—being after the manner of no existing
being, and Cause of being to all, but Itself not being, as beyond every
essence, and as It may manifest Itself properly and scientifically
concerning Itself.
SECTION II.
Concerning this then, as has been said, the superessential and hidden Deity,
it is not permitted to speak or even to think beyond the things divinely
revealed to us in the sacred Oracles. For even as Itself has taught (as
becomes Its goodness) in the Oracles, the science and contemplation of
Itself in Its essential Nature is beyond the reach of all created things, as
towering superessentially above all. And you will find many of the
Theologians, who have celebrated It, not only as invisible and
incomprehensible, but also as inscrutable and untraceable, since there is no
trace of those who have penetrated to Its hidden infinitude. The Good indeed
is not entirely uncommunicated to any single created being, but benignly
sheds forth its superessential ray, persistently fixed in Itself, by
illuminations analogous to each several being, and elevates to Its permitted
contemplation and communion and likeness, those holy minds, who, as far as
is lawful and reverent, strive after It, and who are neither impotently
boastful towards that which is higher than the harmoniously imparted Divine
manifestation, nor, in regard to a lower level, lapse downward through their
inclining to the worse, but who elevate themselves determinately and
unwaveringly to the ray shining upon them; and, by their proportioned love
of permitted illuminations, are elevated with a holy reverence, prudently
and piously, as on new wings.
SECTION III.
Following then, these, the supremely Divine standards, which also govern the
whole holy ranks of the supercelestial orders,—whilst honouring the
unrevealed of the Godhead which is beyond mind and matter, with inscrutable
and holy reverence of mind, and things unutterable, with a prudent silence,
we elevate ourselves to the glories which illuminate us in the sacred
Oracles, and are led by their light to the supremely Divine Hymns, by which
we are supermundane
ly enlightened and moulded to the sacred Songs of Praise, so as both to see
the supremely Divine illuminations given to us by them, according to our
capacities, and to praise the good-giving Source of every holy manifestation
of light, as Itself has taught concerning Itself in the sacred Oracles. For
instance, that It is cause and origin and essence and life of all things;
and even of those who fall away from It, both recalling and resurrection;
and of those who have lapsed to the perversion of the Divine likeness,
renewal and reformation; of those who are tossed about in a sort of
irreligious unsteadiness, a religious stability; of those who have continued
to stand, steadfastness; of those who are being conducted to It, a
protecting Conductor; of those being illuminated, illumination; of those
being perfected, source of perfection; of those being deified, source of
deification; of those being simplified, simplification; of those being
unified, unity; of every origin superessentially super-original origin; and
of the Hidden, as far as is right, beneficent communication; and, in one
word, the life of the living, and essence of things that be; of all life and
essence, origin and cause; because Its goodness produces and sustains things
that be, in their being.
SECTION IV.
These things we have learned from the Divine Oracles, and you will find all
the sacred Hymnology, so to speak, of the Theologians arranging the Names,
of God with a view to make known and praise the beneficent progressions of
the Godhead. Hence, we see in almost every theological treatise the Godhead
religiously celebrated, both as Monad and unity, on account of the
simplicity and oneness of Its supernatural indivisibility from which, as an
unifying power, we are unified, and when our divided diversities have been
folded together, in a manner supermundane, we are collected into a godlike
unit and divinely-imitated union; but, also as Triad, on account of the
tri-personal manifestation of the superessential productiveness, from which
all paternity in heaven and on earth is, and is named; also, as cause of
things existing, since all things were brought into being on account of Its
creative goodness, both wise and good, because all things, whilst preserving
the properties of their own nature unimpaired, are filled with every
inspired harmony and holy comeliness, but pre-eminently, as loving towards
man, because It truly and wholly shared, in one of Its Persons
(subsistencies), in things belonging to us, recalling to Itself and
replacing the human extremity, out of which, in a manner unutterable, the
simplex Jesus was composed, and the Everlasting took a temporal duration,
and He, Who is superessentially exalted above every rank throughout all
nature, became within our nature, whilst retaining the unchangeable and
unconfused steadfastness of His own properties. And whatever other
divinely-wrought illuminations, conformable to the Oracles, the secret
tradition of our inspired leaders bequeathed to us for our enlightenment, in
these also we have been initiated; now indeed, according to our capacity,
through the sacred veils of the loving-kindness towards man, made known in
the Oracles and hierarchical traditions, which envelop things intellectual
in things sensible, and things superessential in things that are; and place
forms and shapes around the formless and shapeless, and multiply and fashion
the supernatural and formless simplicity in the variedness of the divided
symbols; but, then, when we have become incorruptible and immortal, and have
reached the Christlike and most blessed repose, according to the Divine
saying, we shall be “ever with the Lord,” fulfilled, through all-pure
contemplations, with the visible manifestation of God covering us with
glory, in most brilliant splendours, as the disciples in the most Divine
Transfiguration, and participating in His gift of spiritual light, with
unimpassioned and immaterial mind; and, even in the union beyond conception,
through the agnostic and most blessed efforts after rays of surpassing
brilliancy, in a more Divine imitation of the supercelestial minds. For we
shall be equal to the angels, as the truth of the Oracles affirms, and sons
of God, being sons of the resurrection. But now, to the best of our ability,
we use symbols appropriate to things Divine, and from these again we elevate
ourselves, according to our degree, to the simple and unified truth of the
spiritual visions; and after our every conception of things godlike, laying
aside our mental energies, we cast ourselves, to the best of our ability,
towards the superessential ray, in which all the terms of every kind of
knowledge pre-existed in a manner beyond expression, which it is neither
possible to conceive nor express, nor entirely in any way to contemplate, on
account of Its being pre-eminently above all things, and super-unknown, and
Its having previously contained within Itself, superessentially, the whole
perfections of all kinds of essential knowledge and power, and Its being
firmly fixed by Its absolute power, above all, even the supercelestial
minds. For, if all kinds of knowledge are of things existing, and are
limited to things existing, that, beyond all essence, is also elevated above
all knowledge.
SECTION V.
And yet, if It is superior to every expression and every knowledge, and is
altogether placed above mind and essence,—being such as embraces and unites
and comprehends and anticipates all things, but Itself is altogether
incomprehensible to all, and of It, there is neither perception nor
imagination, nor surmise, nor name, nor expression, nor contact, nor
science;—in what way can our treatise thoroughly investigate the meaning of
the Divine Names, when the superessential Deity is shewn to be without Name,
and above Name?
But, as we said when we put forth the Theological Outlines, it is not
possible either to express or to conceive what the One, the Unknown, the
Superessential self-existing Good is,—I mean the threefold Unity, the alike
God, and the alike Good. But even the unions, such as befit angels, of the
holy Powers, whether we must call them efforts after, or receptions from,
the super-Unknown and surpassing Goodness, are both unutterable and unknown,
and exist in those angels alone who, above angelic knowledge, are deemed
worthy of them. The godlike minds (men) made one by these unions, through
imitation of angels as far as attainable (since it is during cessation of
every mental energy that such an union as this of the deified minds towards
the super-divine light takes place) celebrate It most appropriately through
the abstraction of all created things—enlightened in this matter, truly and
super-naturally from the most blessed union towards It—that It is Cause
Indeed of all things existing, but Itself none of them, as being
superessentially elevated above all. To none, indeed, who are lovers of the
Truth above all Truth, is it permitted to celebrate the supremely-Divine
Essentiality—that which is the super-subsistence of the
super-goodness,—neither as word or power, neither as mind or life or
essence, but as pre-eminently separated from every condition, movement,
life, imagination, surmise, name, word, thought, conception, essence,
position, stability, union, boundary, infinitude, all things whatever. But
since, as sustaining source of goodness, by the very fact of Its being, It
is cause of all things that be, from all created things must we celebrate
the benevolent Providence of the Godhead; for all things are both around It
and for It, and It is before all things, and all things in It consist, and
by Its being is the production and sustenance of the whole, and all things
aspire to It—the intellectual and rational, by means of knowledge—things
inferior to these, through the senses, and other things by living movement,
or substantial and habitual aptitude.
SECTION VI.
The theologians, having knowledge of this, celebrate It, both without Name
and from every Name. Without name, as when they say that the Godhead Itself,
in one of those mystical apparitions of the symbolical Divine manifestation,
rebuked him who said, “What is thy name?” and as leading him away from all
knowledge of the Divine Name, said this, “and why dost thou ask my Name?
“and this (Name) “is wonderful,” And is not this in reality the wonderful
Name, that which is above every Name—the Nameless—that fixed above every
name which is named, whether in this age or in that which is to come? Also,
as “many named,” as when they again introduce It as saying, “I am He, Who
is—the Life—the Light—the God—the Truth.” And when the wise of God
themselves celebrate Him, as Author of all things, under many Names, from
all created things—as Good—as Beautiful—as Wise—as Beloved—as God of gods—as
Lord of lords—as Holy of Holies—as Eternal—as Being—as Author of Ages—as
Provider of Life—as Wisdom—as Mind—as Word—as Knowing—as preeminently
possessing all the treasures of all knowledge—as Power—as Powerful—as King
of kings—as Ancient of days—as never growing old—and Unchangeable—as
Preservation—as Righteousness—as Sanctification — as Redemption—as
surpassing all things in greatness—and as in a gentle breeze.—Yea, they also
say that He is in minds, and in souls, and in bodies, and in heaven and in
earth, and at once, the same in the same—in the world—around the world—above
the world—supercelestial, superessential, sun,
star—fire—water—spirit—dew—cloud—self-hewn stone and rock—all things
existing—and not one of things existing.
SECTION VII.
Thus, then, the “Nameless “befits the cause of all, which is also above all,
as do all the names of things existing, in order that there may be strictly
a kingly rule over the whole; and that all things may be around It and
dependent upon It, as cause, as beginning, as end. And Itself, according to
the Divine saying, may be the “all in all,” and truly sung as of all,
producing, directing and perfecting and sustaining guard, and shrine, and
turning towards Itself, and that uniformly, irresistibly and pre-eminently.
For It is not only cause of sustenance, or life, or perfection,—so that from
this or that forethought alone the Goodness above Name should be named, but
It previously embraced in Itself all things existing, absolutely and without
limit, by the complete benefactions of His one and all-creating forethought,
and by all created things in joint accord It is celebrated and named.
SECTION VIII.
Further also, the Theologians do not honour alone the Names of God which are
given from universal or particular Providences, or objects of His
forethought; but also from certain occasional Divine Visions, in the sacred
temples or elsewhere, which enlightened the initiated or the Prophets, they
name the surpassing bright Goodness which is above Name, after one or other
causes and powers, and clothe It in forms and shapes of man, or fire, or
electron, and celebrate Its eyes and ears, and locks of hair, and
countenance, and hands, and back, and wings, and arms, and hinder parts and
feet. Also they assign to It crowns [16] and seats, and drinking vessels and
bowls, and certain other things mystical, concerning which, in our Symbolic
Theology, we will speak as best we can. But now, collecting from the Oracles
so much as serves the purpose of our present treatise, and using the things
aforesaid, as a kind of Canon, and keeping our eyes upon them, let us
advance to the unfolding of the Names of God, which fall within the range of
our understanding, and, what the hierarchical rule always teaches us
throughout every phase of theology, let us become initiated (to speak
authoritatively) in the godlike contemplations with a god-enlightened
conception. And let us bring religious ears to the unfoldings of the Holy
Names of God, implanting the Holy in the Holy, according to the Divine
tradition, and removing it from the laughter and jeers of the uninitiated;
yea, rather, if certain men really are such, purifying them from their
fighting against God in this matter. Be it thine, then, to guard these
things, O excellent Timothy, according to the most holy leading, and to make
the things Divine neither spoken nor known to the uninitiated. For myself,
may Almighty God give me to celebrate, in a manner worthy of God, the
numerous beneficent Names of the uncalled and unnamed Deity; and may He not
take away a word of truth from my mouth.
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[12] Cap. 3. Mystic Theology.
[13] Ib. c. I. s. 3.
[14] alogia.
[15] anoēsia.
[16] Letter to Titus.
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CAPUT II.
Concerning common and distinctive theology, and what is the Divine Union and
distinction.
SECTION I.
LET then the self-existent Goodness be sung from the Oracles as defining and
manifesting the whole supremely-Divine-Subsistence in its essential nature.
For, what else is there to learn from the sacred theology, when it affirms
that the Godhead Itself, leading the way, says, “Why dost thou ask me
concerning the Good?—None is Good except God alone.” Now, this, we have
thoroughly demonstrated elsewhere, that always, all the God-becoming Names
of God, are celebrated by the Oracles, not partitively, but as applied to
the whole and entire and complete and full Godhead, and that all of them are
referred impartitively, absolutely, unreservedly, entirely, to all the
Entirety of the entirely complete and every Deity. And verily as we have
mentioned in the Theological Outlines, if any one should say that this is
not spoken concerning the whole Deity, he blasphemes, and dares, without
right, to cleave asunder the super-unified Unity.
We must affirm, then, that this is to be received respecting the whole
Deity. For even the essentially Good Word Himself said, “I am Good [17] .”
And a certain one of the God-rapt Prophets celebrates the Spirit as “the
Good [18] .” And again this, “I am He, Who is [19] .” If they shall say that
this is said, not of the whole Deity, but should violently limit it to one
part, how will they understand this? “These things, saith He, Who is, Who
was, Who is to come, the Almighty [20] ,” and “Thou art the same [21] ,” and
this, “Spirit of truth, which is, which proceedeth from the Father [22] .”
And if they say that the supremely Divine Life is not coextensive with the
whole, how is the sacred Word true which said, “As the Father raiseth the
dead and maketh alive, so also the Son maketh alive whom He will [23] ,” and
that “the Spirit is He, Who maketh alive [24] ?” But, that the whole Deity
holds the Lordship over the whole, one can scarcely say, as I think how many
times, in reference to the Paternal Deity, or the Filial, the word “Lord “is
repeated in the Word of God, as applied to Father and Son [25] . But the
Spirit also is Lord [26] . And “the beautiful and the wise” are also sung
respecting the whole Deity. And the light, and the deifying, and the cause,
and whatever pertains to the whole Godhead, the Oracles introduce into all
the supremely Divine hymnody—collectively, when they say “all things are
from Almighty God; “but, specifically, as when they say, “all things were
made through Him and to Him,” and “all things in Him consist,” and “Thou
shalt send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be made.” And, that one may
speak summarily, the supremely Divine Word Himself said, “I and the Father
are One,” and “all that the Father hath are Mine,” and, “All Mine are Thine,
and Thine, Mine.” And again, whatever pertains to the Father and Himself, He
attributes. to the supremely Divine Spirit, collectively and in common—the
works of God—the homage, the fontal and ceaseless cause and the distribution
of the goodly gifts. And I think, none of those, who have been nourished in
the Divine Oracles with unprejudiced conceptions, will oppose this, that all
things befitting God belong to the whole Godhead, according to the divinely
perfect Word. Since, then, we have demonstrated and defined these things
from the Oracles,—here indeed partially, but elsewhere sufficiently—we will
undertake to unfold every Divine Name whatsoever, which is to be received as
referring to the whole Deity.
SECTION II.
But if any one should say that we introduce in so doing a confusion, in
disparagement of the distinction which befits God, we do not think that such
a statement as this is itself sufficient to convince that it is true. For,
if there is any one who has placed himself entirely in opposition to the
Oracles, he will be also entirely apart from our. philosophy; and, if he has
no care for the divine Wisdom of the Oracles, how shall we care for his
guidance to the theological science? But, if he regards the truth of the
Oracles, we also, using this canon and illumination, will advance
unwaveringly to the answer, as best we can, by affirming that theology
transmits some things as common, but others as distinctive; and neither is
it meet to divide the common, nor to confuse the distinctive; but that
following It according to our ability, we ought to rise to the Divine
splendours; for, by taking thence the Divine revelations, as a most
excellent canon of truth, we strive to guard the things lying there, in
their native simplicity and integrity and identity—being ourselves guarded
in our guard of the Oracles, and from these receiving strength to guard
those who guard them.
SECTION III.
The (Names) then, common to the whole Deity, as we have demonstrated from
the Oracles, by many instances in the Theological Outlines, are the
Super-Good, the Super-God, the Super-essential, the Super-Living, the
Super-Wise, and whatever else belongs to the superlative abstraction; with
which also, all those denoting Cause, the Good, the Beautiful, the Being,
the Life-producing, the Wise, and whatever Names are given to the Cause of
all Good, from His goodly gifts. But the distinctive Names are the
superessential name and property of Father, and Son and Spirit, since no
interchange or community in these is in any way introduced. But there is a
further distinction, viz., the complete and unaltered existence of Jesus
amongst us, and all the mysteries of love towards man actually existing
within it.
SECTION IV.
But it is rather necessary, I suppose, to resume and to set forth the
complete fashion of the Divine union and distinction, in order that the
whole discourse may be seen at a glance to reject everything ambiguous and
indistinct, and to define critically and distinctly the proper Names, as far
as possible. For, as I said elsewhere, the sacred instructors of our
theological tradition call the “Divine Unions” the hidden and unrevealed
sublimities of the super-unutterable and super-unknown Isolation; but the
“distinctions,” the goodly progressions and manifestations of the Godhead;
and, following the sacred Oracles, they mention also properties of the
aforesaid “Union; “and again of the distinction, that there are certain
specific unions and distinctions. For example, with regard to the Divine
Union, that is, the Superessentiality, there is kindred and common to the
One-springing Triad, the superessential sustaining Source, the super-Divine
Deity, the super-good Goodness, the supreme identity of the whole supreme
Idiosyncrasy, the Oneness above source of one; the Unspeakable; the
Much-speaking, the Agnosia, the Comprehended by all, the Placing of all, the
Abstraction of all, that which is above all affirmation and abstraction, the
abiding and steadfastness in each other, if I may so speak, wholly
super-united and in no part commingled of the One-springing Persons, just as
lights of lamps (to use sensible illustrations familiar to our capacity),
when in one house, are both wholly distinct in each other throughout, and
keep the distinction from each other specifically and perfectly maintained,
being one in distinction and distinct in union; and then, indeed, we may see
in a house, in which are many lamps, the lights of all united to form one
certain light and lighting up one combined radiance; and, as I suppose, no
one would be able to distinguish in the air containing all the lights the
light of one or other lamp from the rest, and to see one without the other,
since whole in whole are mixed together without being mingled. But, if any
one were to take out from the chamber one particular burner, the whole light
belonging to it will depart with it; no particle of the other lights being
drawn along with it, nor any of its own light left with the other. For there
was, as I said, the complete union of all with all, unmingled throughout,
and in no part confused, and this actually in a body, the air, the light
even itself being dependent on the material fire. Whence we affirm that the
superessential Union is fixed above not only the unions in bodies, but also
above those in souls themselves, and in minds themselves, which, in a manner
unmingled and supermundane, the Godlike and supercelestial Illuminations,
whole through whole, possess, as beseems a participation analogous to those
who participate in the Union elevated above all.
SECTION V.
But there is a distinction in the superessential nomenclature of God, not
only that which I have mentioned, namely, that each of the One-springing
Persons is fixed in the union itself, unmingled and unconfused; but also
that the properties of the superessential Divine Production are not
convertible in regard to one another. The Father is sole Fountain of the
superessential Deity, since the Father is not Son, nor the Son, Father;
since the hymns reverently guard their own characteristics for each of the
supremely Divine Persons. These then are the unions and distinctions within
the unutterable Union and sustaining Source. But, if the goodly progression
of the Divine Union, multiplying itself super-uniquely through Goodness, and
taking to itself many forms, is also a Divine distinction, yet, common
within the Divine distinction, are the resistless distributions, the
substance-giving, the life-giving, the wise-making, and the other gifts of
the Goodness, Cause of all, after which from the participations and those
participating are celebrated the things imparticipatively participated. And
this is kindred and common, and one, to the whole Divinity, that it is all
entire, participated by each of the Participants, and by none partially.
Just as a point in a circle’s centre participates in all the circumjacent
[27] straight lines in the circle, and as many impressions of a seal
participate in the archetypal seal, and in each of the impressions the seal
is whole and the same, and in none partial in any respect. But superior to
these is the impartibility of the Deity—Cause of all—from the fact that
there is no contact with it. Nor has it any commingled communion with the
things participating.
SECTION VI.
And yet some one might say the seal is not whole and the same in the images
throughout. But of this the seal is not the cause, for it imparts itself all
and the same to each; but the difference of the recipients makes the figures
dissimilar, since the archetype is one and complete and the same. For
instance, if the wax were soft and impressionable, and smooth and unstamped,
and neither unimpressionable and hard, nor running and dissolving, it will
have the figure clear and sharp and fixed. But if it should lack any of the
aforesaid aptitudes, this will be the cause of the non-participative and
un-figured and indistinct, and whatever else arises from inaptitude for
reception. Further, there is a distinction from the goodly work of God
towards us, in that the superessential Word was invested with being amongst
us—from us—wholly and truly, and did and suffered whatever things are choice
and pre-eminent in His human work of God. For in these, the Father and the
Spirit in no respect communicated, except perhaps, one might say, as regards
the benign and philanthropic purpose, and as regards all the pre-eminent and
unutterable work of God which the unchangeable, qua God and Word of God, did
when He had been born amongst us. Thus we, too, strive to unite and
distinguish in the Word the things Divine, as the things Divine themselves,
are united and distinguished.
SECTION VII.
Now we have set forth in the Theological Outlines whatever Divine Causes we
have found in the Oracles, of these unions, and distinctions, by treating
each separately, according to our ability; by explaining some things, by the
infallible Word, and unfolding them; and by conducting the religious and
unpolluted mind to the bright visions of the Oracles; but others, as being
full of mystery, by approaching them according to the Divine tradition,
which is superior to mental energy. For all the Divine properties, even
those revealed to us, are known by the participations alone; and themselves,
such as they are in their own source and abode, are above mind and all
essence and knowledge. For instance, if we have named the superessential
Hiddenness, God, or Life, or Essence, or Light, or Word (logos), we have no
other thought than that the powers brought to us from It are deifying, or
essentiating, or life-bearing, or wisdom-imparting; but to Itself we
approach during the cessation of all the intellectual energies, seeing no
deification, or life, or essence whatever, such as is strictly like the
Cause pre-eminently elevated above all. Again, that the Father is fontal
Deity, but the Lord Jesus and the Spirit are, if one may so speak,
God-planted shoots, and as it were Flowers and superessential Lights of the
God-bearing Deity, we have received from the holy Oracles; but how these
things are, it is neither possible to say, nor to conceive.
SECTION VIII.
But. up to this point, our utmost power of mental energy carries us, namely,
that all divine paternity and sonship have been bequeathed from the Source
of paternity and Source of sonship—pre-eminent above all—both to us and to
the supercelestial powers, from which the godlike become both gods, and sons
of gods, and fathers of gods, and are named Minds, such a paternity and
sonship being of course accomplished spiritually, i.e. incorporeally,
immaterially, intellectually,— since the supremely Divine Spirit is seated
above all intellectual immateriality, and deification, and the Father and
the Son are pre-eminently elevated above all divine paternity and sonship.
For there is no strict likeness, between the caused and the causes. The
caused indeed possess the accepted likenesses of the causes, but the causes
themselves are elevated and established above the caused, according to the
ratio of their proper origin. And, to use illustrations suitable to
ourselves, pleasures and pains are said to be productive of pleasure and
pain, but these themselves feel neither pleasure nor pain. And fire, whilst
heating and burning, is not said to be burnt and heated. And, if any one
should say that the self-existent Life lives, or that the self-existent
Light is enlightened, in my view he will not speak correctly, unless,
perhaps, he should say this after another fashion, that the properties of
the caused are abundantly and essentially pre-existent in the causes.
SECTION IX.
Further also, the most conspicuous fact of all theology—the God-formation of
Jesus amongst us—is both unutterable by every expression and unknown to
every mind, even to the very foremost of the most reverend angels. The fact
indeed that. He took substance as man, we have received as a mystery, but we
do not know in what manner, from virginal bloods, by a different law, beyond
nature, He was formed, and how, with dry feet, having a bodily bulk and
weight of matter, He marched upon the liquid and unstable substance [28] ;
and so, with regard to all the other features of the super-physical
physiology of Jesus. Now, we have elsewhere sufficiently spoken of these
things, and they have been celebrated by our illustrious leader, in his
Theological Elements, in a manner far beyond natural ability—things which
that illustrious man acquired, either from the sacred theologians, or
comprehended from the scientific, search of the Oracles, from manifold
struggles and investigations respecting the same, or was instructed from a
sort of more Divine Inspiration, not only having learnt, but having felt the
pangs of things Divine, and from his sympathy with them, if I may so speak,
having been perfected to their untaught and mystic union and acceptance. And
that we may display, in fewest words, the many and blessed visions of his
most excellent intelligence, the following are the things he says,
concerning the Lord Jesus, in the Theological Elements compiled by him.
SECTION X.
From the Theological Elements of the most holy Hierotheus.
Deity of the Lord Jesus,— the Cause and Completing of all, which preserves
the parts concordant with the whole, and is neither part nor whole, and
whole and part, as embracing in Itself everything both part and whole, and
being above and before—is perfect indeed in the imperfect, as source of
perfection, but imperfect in the perfect, as super-perfect, and
pre-perfect—Form producing form, in things without form, as Source of
form—formless in the forms, as above form,—Essence, penetrating without
stain the essences throughout, and superessential, exalted above every
essence—setting bounds to the whole principalities and orders, and
established above every principality and order. It is measure also of things
existing, and age, and above age, and before age—full, in things that need,
super-full in things full, unutterable, unspeakable, above mind, above life,
above essence. It has the supernatural, supernaturally,—the superessential,
superessentially. Hence, since through love towards man, He has come even to
nature, and really became substantial, and the Super-God lived as Man [29]
(may He be merciful with regard to the things we are celebrating, which are
beyond mind and expression), and in these He has the supernatural and
super-substantial, not only in so far as He communicated with us without
alteration and without confusion, suffering no loss as regards His
super-fulness, from His unutterable emptying of Himself—but also, because
the newest of all new things, He was in our physical condition
super-physical—in things substantial, super-substantial, excelling all the
things—of us—from us—above us.
SECTION XI.
This then is sufficient on these matters, let us now advance to the purpose
of the discourse by unfolding, to the best of our ability, the kindred and
common Names of the Divine distinction. And, in order that we may first
distinctly define everything, in order, we call Divine distinction, as we
have said, the goodly progressions of the Godhead. For, by being given to
all things existing, and pouring forth the whole imparted goods in
abundance, It is distinguished uniformly, and multiplied uniquely, and is
moulded into many from the One, whilst being self-centred. For example,
since Almighty God is superessentially Being, but the Being is bequeathed to
things being, and produces the whole Essences; that One Being is said to be
fashioned in many forms, by the production from Itself of the many beings,
whilst It remains undiminished, and One in the multiplicity, and Unified
during the progression, and complete in the distinction, both by being
superessentially exalted above all beings, and by the unique production of
the whole; and by the un-lessened stream of His undiminished distributions.
Further, being One, and having distributed the One, both to every part and
whole, both to one and to multitude, He is One, as it were,
superessentially, being neither a part of the multitude, nor whole from
parts; and thus is neither one, nor partakes of one, nor has the one. But,
beyond these, He is One, above the one, to things existing—One, and
multitude indivisible, unfilled super-fulness, producing and perfecting and
sustaining every one thing and multitude. Again, by the Deification from
Itself, by the Divine likeness of many who become gods, according to their
several capacity, there seems, and is said to be, a distinction and
multiplication of the One God, but. He is none the less the Supreme God, and
super-God, superessentially One God,—undivided in things divided, unified in
Himself, both unmingled and unmultiplied in the many. And when the common
conductor of ourselves, and of our leader to the Divine gift of light,—he,
who is great in Divine mysteries—the light of the world—had thought out this
in a manner above natural ability,—he speaks as follows, from the
inspiration of God, in his sacred writings—“For, even if there are who are
called gods, whether in heaven or upon earth, as there are gods many and
lords many; but to us there is One God, the Father, from Whom are all
things, and we unto Him,—and One Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom are all
things, and we, through Him [30] .” For, with regard to things Divine, the
unions overrule the distinctions, and precede them, and are none the less
unified, even after the self-centred and unified distinction. These, the
mutual and common distinctions, or rather the goodly progressions of the
whole Deity, we will endeavour to the best of our ability to celebrate from
the Names of God, which make them known in the Oracles;—first, having laid
down, as we have said, that every beneficent Name of God, to whichever of
the supremely Divine Persons it may be applied, is to be understood with
reference to the whole Supremely Divine wholeness unreservedly.
_________________________________________________________________
[17] Matt. xx. 15.
[18] Neh. ix. 20.
[19] Ex. iii. 14.
[20] Rev. i. 8.
[21] Heb. i. 12.
[22] John xv. 26.
[23] John v. 21.
[24] Ib. vi. 63.
[25] 1 Cor. i. 30.
[26] 2 Cor. iii. 17.
[27] The radii.
[28] Letter IV.
[29] Letter IV.
[30] 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6.
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT III.
What is the power of prayer, and concerning the blessed Hierotheus, and
concerning reverence and covenant in the Word of God.
SECTION I.
FIRST, with your permission, let us examine the all-perfect Name of
Goodness, which is indicative of the whole progressions of Almighty God,
having invoked the supremely good, and super-good Triad—the Name which
indicates Its whole best Providences. For, we must first be raised up to It,
as Source of good, by our prayers; and by a nearer approach to It, be
initiated as to the all good gifts which are established around It. For It
is indeed present to all, but all are not present to It. But then, when we
have invoked It, by all pure prayers and unpolluted mind, and by our
aptitude towards Divine Union, we also are present to It. For, It is not in
a place, so that It should be absent from a particular place, or should pass
from one to another. But even the statement that It is in all existing
beings, falls short of Its infinitude (which is) above all, and embracing
all. Let us then elevate our very selves by our prayers to the higher ascent
of the Divine and good rays,—as if a luminous chain being suspended from the
celestial heights, and reaching down hither, we, by ever clutching this
upwards, first with one hand, and then with the other, seem indeed to draw
it down, but in reality we do not draw it down, it being both above and
below, but ourselves are carried upwards to the higher splendours of the
luminous rays. Or, as if, after we have embarked on a ship, and are holding
on to the cables reaching from some rock, such as are given out, as it were,
for us to seize, we do not draw the rock to us, but ourselves, in fact, and
the ship, to the rock. Or to take another example, if any one standing on
the ship pushes away the rock by the sea shore, he will do nothing to the
stationary and unmoved rock, but he separates himself from it, and in
proportion as he pushes that away, he is so far hurled from it. Wherefore,
before everything, and especially theology, we must begin with prayer, not
as though we ourselves were drawing the power, which is everywhere and
nowhere present, but as, by our godly reminiscences and invocations,
conducting ourselves to, and making ourselves one with, it.
SECTION II.
Perhaps also, this is worthy of apology, that whilst our illustrious leader,
Hierotheus, is compiling his Theological Elements, in a manner above natural
capacity, we, as if those were not sufficient, have composed others, and
this present theological treatise. And yet, if that man had deigned to treat
systematically all the theological treatises, and had gone through the sum
of all theology, by detailed expositions, we should not have gone to such a
height of folly, or stupidity, as to have attempted alone theological
questions, either more lucidly or divinely than he, or to indulge in vain
talk by saying superfluously the same things twice over, and in addition to
do injustice to one, both teacher and friend, and that we, who have been
instructed from his discourses, after Paul the Divine, should filch for our
own glorification his most illustrious contemplation and elucidation. But,
since in fact, he, whilst teaching things divine, in a manner suitable to
presbyters, set forth comprehensive definitions, and such as embraced many
things in one, as were suitable to us, and to as many as with us were
teachers of the newly-initiated souls, commanding us to unfold and
disentangle, by language commensurate with our ability, the comprehensive
and uniform compositions of the most intellectual capacity of that
illustrious man; and you, yourself, have oftentimes urged us to this, and
sent back the very book, as being of transcendent value; for this reason,
then, we too distinguish him as a teacher of perfect and presbyterial
conceptions for those who are above the common people, even as certain
second Oracles, and next to the Anointed of God. But for people, such as we
are, we will transmit things Divine, according to our capacity. For, if
strong meat belongs to the perfect, how great perfection is required that
the same should feed others. Correctly, then, we have affirmed this, that
the self-perceptive vision of the intelligible Oracles, and their
comprehensive teaching, needs presbyterial power; but the science and the
thorough teaching of the reasons which lead to this, fittingly belong to
those purified and hallowed persons placed in a subordinate position. And
yet, we have insisted upon this with the utmost care, that, as regards the
things that have been thoroughly investigated by him, our divine leader,
with an accurate elucidation, we should not, in any way, handle the same
tautologically, for the same elucidation of the Divine text expounded by
him. For, amongst our inspired hierarchs (when both we, as you know, and
yourself, and many of our holy brethren, were gathered together to the
depositing of the Life-springing and God-receptive body, and when there were
present also James, the brother of God, and Peter, the foremost and most
honoured pinnacle of the Theologians, when it was determined after the
depositing, that every one of the hierarchs should celebrate, as each was
capable, the Omnipotent Goodness of the supremely Divine Weakness), he,
after the Theologians, surpassed, as you know, all the other divine
instructors, being wholly entranced, wholly raised from himself, and
experiencing the pain of his fellowship with the things celebrated, and was
regarded as an inspired and divine Psalmist by all, by whom he was heard and
seen and known, and not known. And why should I say anything to thee
concerning the things there divinely spoken? For, if I do not forget myself,
many a time do I remember to have heard from thee certain portions of those
inspired songs of praise; such was thy zeal, not cursorily, to pursue things
Divine.
SECTION III.
But to pass over the mystical things there, both as forbidden to the
multitude and as known to thee, when it was necessary to communicate to the
multitude, and to bring as many as possible to the sacred knowledge amongst
ourselves, he so excelled the majority of sacred teachers, both by use of
time and purity of mind, and accuracy of demonstrations, and by his other
sacred discourses, that we should scarcely have dared to look so great a sun
straight in the face. For we are thus far conscious in ourselves, and know,
that we may neither advance to understand sufficiently the intelligible of
Divine things, nor to express and declare the things spoken of the divine
knowledge. For, being far removed from the skill of those divine men, as
regards theological truth, we are so inferior that we should have, through
excessive reverence, entirely come to this—neither to hear nor to speak
anything respecting divine philosophy, unless we had grasped in our mind,
that we must not neglect the knowledge of things divine received by us. And
to this we were persuaded, not only by the innate aspirations of the minds
which always lovingly cling to the permitted contemplation of the
supernatural, but also by the most excellent order itself of the Divine
institutions, which prohibits us, on the one hand, from much inquisition
into things above us, as above our degree, and as unattainable; yet, on the
other hand, persistently urges us to graciously impart to others also
whatever is permitted and given to us to learn. Yielding then to these
considerations, and neither shirking nor flinching from the attainable
discovery of things Divine, but also not bearing to leave unassisted those
who are unable to contemplate things too high for us, we have brought
ourselves to composition, not daring indeed to introduce anything new, but
by more easy and more detailed expositions to disentangle and elucidate the
things spoken by the Hierotheus indeed.
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT IV.
Concerning Good, Light, Beauty, Love, Ecstasy, Jealousy, and that the Evil
is neither existent, nor from existent, nor in things being.
SECTION I.
BE it so then. Let us come to the appellation “Good,” already mentioned in
our discourse, which the Theologians ascribe pre-eminently and exclusively
to the super-Divine Deity, as I conjecture, by calling the supremely Divine
Subsistence, Goodness; and because the Good, as essential Good, by Its
being, extends Its Goodness to all things that be.
For, even as our sun—not as calculating or choosing, but by its very being,
enlightens all things able to partake of its light in their own degree—so
too the Good—as superior to a sun, as the archetype par excellence, is above
an obscure image—by Its very existence sends to all things that be, the rays
of Its whole goodness, according to their capacity. By reason of these
(rays) subsisted all the intelligible and intelligent essences and powers
and energies. By reason of these they are, and have their life, continuous
and undiminished, purified from all corruption and death and matter, and
generation; and separated from the unstable and fluctuating and vacillating
mutability, and are conceived of as incorporeal and immaterial, and as minds
they think in a manner supermundane, and are illuminated as to the reasons
of things, in a manner peculiar to themselves; and they again convey to
their kindred spirits things appropriate to them; and they have their
abiding from Goodness; and thence comes to them stability and consistence
and protection, and sanctuary of good things; and whilst aspiring to It,
they have both being and good being; and being conformed to It, as is
attainable, they are both patterns of good, and impart to those after them,
as the Divine Law directs, the gifts which have passed through to themselves
from the Good.
SECTION II.
Thence come to them the supermundane
orders, the unions amongst themselves, the mutual penetrations, the
unconfused distinctions, the powers elevating the inferior to the superior,
the providences of the more exalted for those below them; the guardings of
things pertaining to each power; and unbroken convolutions around
themselves; the identities and sublimities around the aspiration after the
Good; and whatever is said in our Treatise concerning the angelic properties
and orders. Further also, whatever things belong to the heavenly Hierarchy,
the purifications befitting angels, the supermundane illuminations, and the
things perfecting the whole angelic perfection, are from the all-creative
and fontal Goodness; from which was given to them the form of Goodness, and
the revealing in themselves the hidden Goodness, and that angels are, as it
were, heralds of the Divine silence, and project, as it were, luminous
lights revealing Him Who is in secret. Further, after these—the sacred and
holy minds—the souls, and whatever is good in souls is by reason of the
super-good Goodness—the fact that they are intellectual—that they have
essential life—indestructible—the very being itself—and that they are able,
whilst elevated themselves to the angelic lives, to be conducted by them as
good guides to the good Origin of all good things, and to become partakers
of the illuminations, thence bubbling forth, according to the capacity of
each, and to participate in the goodlike gift, as they are able, and
whatever else we have enumerated in our Treatise concerning the soul. But
also, if one may be permitted to speak of the irrational souls, or living
creatures, such as cleave the air, and such as walk on earth, and such as
creep along earth, and those whose life is in waters, or amphibious, and
such as live concealed under earth, and burrow within it, and in one word,
such as have the sensible soul or life, even all these have their soul and
life, by reason of the Good. Moreover, all plants have their growing and
moving life from the Good; and even soulless and lifeless substance is by
reason of the Good, and by reason of It, has inherited its substantial
condition.
SECTION III.
But, if the Good is above all things being, as indeed it is, and formulates
the formless, even in Itself alone, both the non-essential is a pre-eminence
of essence, and the non-living is a superior life, and the mindless a
superior wisdom, and whatever is in the Good is of a superlative formation
of the formless, and if one may venture to say so, even the nonexistent
itself aspires to the Good above all things existing, and struggles somehow
to be even itself in the Good,—the really Superessential—to the exclusion of
all things.
SECTION IV.
But what slipped from our view in the midst of our discourse, the Good is
Cause of the celestial movements in their commencements and terminations, of
their not increasing, not diminishing, and completely changeless, course
[31] , and of the noiseless movements, if one may so speak, of the vast
celestial transit, and of the astral orders, and the beauties and lights,
and stabilities, and the progressive swift motion of certain stars, and of
the periodical return of the two luminaries, which the Oracles call
“great,” from the same to the same quarter, after which our days and nights
being marked, and months and years being measured, mark and number and
arrange and comprehend the circular movements of time and things temporal.
But, what would any one say of the very ray of the sun? For the light is
from the Good, and an image of the Goodness, wherefore also the Good is
celebrated under the name of Light; as in a portrait the original is
manifested. For, as the goodness of the Deity, beyond all, permeates from
the highest and most honoured substances even to the lowest, and yet is
above all, neither the foremost outstripping its superiority, nor the things
below eluding its grasp, but it both enlightens all that are capable, and
forms and enlivens, and grasps, and perfects, and is measure of things
existing, and age, and number, and order, and grasp, and cause, and end; so,
too, the brilliant likeness of the Divine Goodness, this our great sun,
wholly bright and ever luminous, as a most distant echo of the Good, both
enlightens whatever is capable of participating in it, and possesses the
light in the highest degree of purity, unfolding to the visible universe,
above and beneath, the splendours of its own rays, and if anything does not
participate in them, this is not owing to the inertness or deficiency of its
distribution of light, but is owing to the inaptitude for light-reception of
the things which do not unfold themselves for the participation of light. No
doubt the ray passing over many things in such condition, enlightens the
things after them, and there is no visible thing which it does not reach,
with the surpassing greatness of its own splendour. Further also, it
contributes to the generation of sensible bodies, and moves them to life,
and nourishes, and increases, and perfects, and purifies and renews; and the
light is both measure and number of hours, days, and all our time. For it is
the light itself, even though it was then without form, which the divine
Moses declared to have fixed that first Triad [32] of our days. And, just as
Goodness turns all things to Itself, and is chief collector of things
scattered, as One-springing and One-making Deity, and all things aspire to
It, as Source and Bond and End, and it is the Good, as the Oracles say, from
Which all things subsisted, and are being brought into being by an
all-perfect Cause; and in Which all things consisted, as guarded and
governed in an all-controlling route; and to Which all things are turned, as
to their own proper end; and to Which all aspire —the intellectual and
rational indeed, through knowledge, and the sensible through the senses, and
those bereft of sensible perception by the innate movement of the aspiration
after life, and those without life, and merely being, by their aptitude for
mere substantial participation; after the same method of its illustrious
original, the light also collects and turns to itself all things
existing—things with sight —things with motion—things enlightened—things
heated—things wholly held together by its brilliant splendours—whence also,
Helios, because it makes all things altogether (aollē), and collects things
scattered. And all creatures, endowed with sensible perceptions, aspire to
it, as aspiring either to see, or to be moved and enlightened, and heated,
and to be wholly held together by the light. By no means do I affirm, after
the statement of antiquity, that as being God and Creator of the universe,
the sun, by itself, governs the luminous world, but that the invisible
things of God are clearly seen from the foundation of the world, being
understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Deity.
SECTION V.
But we have spoken of these things in our Symbolical Theology. Let us now
then celebrate the spiritual Name of Light, under Which we contemplate the
Good, and declare that He, the Good, is called spiritual [33] Light, on the
ground that He fills every supercelestial mind with spiritual light, and
expels all ignorance and error from all souls in which they may be, and
imparts to them all sacred light, and cleanses their mental vision from the
mist which envelops them, from ignorance, and stirs up and unfolds those
enclosed by the great weight of darkness, and imparts, at first, a measured
radiance; then, whilst they taste, as it were, the light, and desire it
more, more fully gives Itself, and more abundantly enlightens them, because
“they have loved much,” and ever elevates them to things in advance, as
befits the analogy of each for aspiration.
SECTION VI.
The Good then above every light is called spiritual Light, as fontal ray,
and stream of light welling over, shining upon every mind, above, around
[34] , and in the world, from its fulness, and renewing their whole mental
powers, and embracing them all by its over-shadowing; and being above all by
its exaltation; and in one word, by embracing and having previously and
pre-eminently the whole sovereignty of the light-dispensing faculty, as
being source of light and above all light, and by comprehending in itself
all things intellectual, and all things rational, and making them one
altogether. For as ignorance puts asunder those who have gone astray, so the
presence of the spiritual light is collective and unifying of those being
enlightened, both perfecting and further turning them towards the true
Being, by turning them from the many notions and collecting the various
views, or, to speak more correctly, fancies, into one true, pure and uniform
knowledge, and by filling them with light, one and unifying.
SECTION VII.
This Good is celebrated by the sacred theologians, both as beautiful and as
Beauty, and as Love, and as Beloved; and all the other Divine Names which
beseem the beautifying and highly-favoured comeliness. But the beautiful and
Beauty are not to be divided, as regards the Cause which has embraced the
whole in one. For, with regard to all created things, by dividing them into
participations and participants, we call beautiful that which participates
in Beauty; but beauty, the participation of the beautifying Cause of all the
beautiful things. But, the superessential Beautiful is called Beauty, on
account of the beauty communicated from Itself to all beautiful things, in a
manner appropriate to each, and as Cause of the good harmony and brightness
of all things which flashes like light to all the beautifying distributions
of its fontal ray, and as calling (kaloun) all things to Itself (whence also
it is called Beauty) (kallos), and as collecting all in all to Itself. (And
it is called) Beautiful, as (being) at once beautiful and super-beautiful,
and always being under the same conditions and in the same manner beautiful,
and neither coming into being nor perishing, neither waxing nor waning;
neither in this beautiful, nor in that ugly, nor at one time beautiful, and
at another not; nor in relation to one thing beautiful, and in relation to
another ugly, nor here, and not there, as being beautiful to some, and not
beautiful to others; but as Itself, in Itself, with Itself, uniform, always
being beautiful, and as having beforehand in Itself pre-eminently the fontal
beauty of everything beautiful. For, by the simplex and supernatural nature
of all beautiful things, all beauty, and everything beautiful, pre-existed
uniquely as to Cause. From this Beautiful (comes) being to all existing
things,—that each is beautiful in its own proper order; and by reason of the
Beautiful are the adaptations of all things, and friendships, and
inter-communions, and by the Beautiful all things are made one, and the
Beautiful is origin of all things, as a creating Cause, both by moving the
whole and holding it together by the love of its own peculiar Beauty; and
end of all things, and beloved, as final Cause (for all things exist for the
sake of the Beautiful) and exemplary (Cause), because all things are
determined according to It. Wherefore, also, the Beautiful is identical with
the Good, because all things aspire to the Beautiful and Good, on every
account, and there is no existing thing which does not participate in the
Beautiful and the Good. Yea, reason will dare to say even this, that even
the non-existing participates in the Beautiful and Good. For then even it is
beautiful and good, when in God it is celebrated superessentially to the
exclusion of all. This, the one Good and Beautiful, is uniquely Cause of all
the many things beautiful and good. From this are all the substantial
beginnings of things existing, the unions, the distinctions, the identities,
the diversities, the similarities, the dissimilarities, the communions of
the contraries, the commingling of things unified, the providences of the
superior, the mutual cohesions of those of the same rank; the attentions of
the more needy, the protecting and immoveable abidings and stabilities of
their whole selves and, on the other hand, the communions of all things
among all, in a manner peculiar to each, and adaptations and unmingled
friendships and harmonies of the whole, the blendings in the whole, and the
undissolved connections of existing things, the never-failing successions of
the generations, all rests and movements, of the minds, of the souls, of the
bodies. For, that which is established above every rest, and every movement,
and moves each thing in the law of its own being to its proper movement, is
a rest and movement to all.
SECTION VIII.
Now, the divine minds [35] are said to be moved circularly indeed, by being
united to the illuminations of the Beautiful and Good, without beginning and
without end; but in a direct line, whenever they advance to the succour of a
subordinate, by accomplishing all things directly; but spirally, because
even in providing for the more indigent, they remain fixedly, in identity,
around the good and beautiful Cause of their identity, ceaselessly dancing
around.
SECTION IX.
Further, there is a movement of soul, circular indeed,—the entrance into
itself from things without, and the unified convolution of its intellectual
powers, bequeathing to it inerrancy, as it were, in a sort of circle, and
turning and collecting itself, from the many things without, first to
itself, then, as having become single, uniting with the uniquely unified
powers, and thus conducting to the Beautiful and Good, which is above all
things being, and One and the Same, and without beginning and without end.
But a soul is moved spirally, in so far as it is illuminated, as to the
divine kinds of knowledge, in a manner proper to itself, not intuitively and
at once, but logically and discursively; and, as it were, by mingled and
relative operations; but in a straight line, when, not entering into itself,
and being moved by unique intuition (for this, as I said, is the circular),
but advancing to things around itself, and from things without, it is, as it
were, conducted from certain symbols, varied and multiplied, to the simple
and unified contemplations.
SECTION X.
Of these three motions then in everything perceptible here below, and much
more of the abidings and repose and fixity of each, the Beautiful and Good,
which is above all repose and movement, is Cause and Bond and End; by reason
of which, and from which, and in which, and towards which, and for sake of
which, is every repose and movement. For, both from It and through It is
both Essence and every life, and both of mind and soul and every nature, the
minutiae, the equalities, the magnitudes, all the standards and the
analogies of beings, and harmonies and compositions; the entireties, the
parts, every one thing, and multitude, the connections of parts, the unions
of every multitude, the perfections of the entireties, the quality, the
weight, the size, the infinitude, the compounds, the distinctions, every
infinitude, every term, all the bounds, the orders, the pre-eminences, the
elements, the forms, every essence, every power, every energy, every
condition, every sensible perception, every reason, every conception, every
contact, every science, every union, and in one word, all things existing
are from the Beautiful and Good, and in the Beautiful and Good, and turn
themselves to the Beautiful and Good.
Moreover, all things whatever, which are and come to being, are and come to
being by reason of the Beautiful and Good; and to It all things look, and by
It are moved and held together, and for the sake of It, and by reason of It,
and in It, is every source exemplary, final, creative, formative, elemental,
and in one word, every beginning, every bond, every term, or to speak
summarily, all things existing are from the Beautiful and Good; and all
things non-existing are superessentially in the Beautiful and Good; and it
is of all, beginning and term, above beginning and above term, because from
It, and through It, and in It, and to It, are all things, as says the Sacred
Word.
By all things, then, the Beautiful and Good is desired and beloved and
cherished; and, by reason of It, and for the sake of It, the less love the
greater suppliantly; and those of the same rank, their fellows brotherly;
and the greater, the less considerately; and these severally love the things
of themselves continuously; and all things by aspiring to the Beautiful and
Good, do and wish all things whatever they do and wish. Further, it may be
boldly said with truth, that even the very Author of all things, by reason
of overflowing Goodness, loves all, makes all, perfects all, sustains all,
attracts all; and even the Divine Love is Good of Good, by reason of the
Good. For Love itself, the benefactor of things that be, pre-existing
overflowingly in the Good, did not permit itself to remain unproductive in
itself, but moved itself to creation [36] , as befits the overflow which is
generative of all.
SECTION XI.
And let no one fancy that we honour the Name of Love beyond the Oracles, for
it is, in my opinion, irrational and stupid not to cling to the force of the
meaning, but to the mere words; and this is not the characteristic of those
who have wished to comprehend things Divine, but of those who receive empty
sounds and keep the same just at the ears from passing through from outside,
and are not willing to know what such a word signifies, and in what way one
ought to distinctly represent it, through other words of the same force and
more explanatory, but who specially affect sounds and signs without meaning,
and syllables, and words unknown, which do not pass through to the mental
part of their soul, but buzz without, around their lips and ears, as though
it were not permitted to signify the number four, by twice two, or straight
lines by direct lines, or motherland by fatherland, or any other, which
signify the self-same thing, by many parts of speech.
We ought to know, according to the correct account, that we use sounds, and
syllables, and phrases, and descriptions, and words, on account of the
sensible perceptions; since when our soul is moved by the intellectual
energies to the things contemplated, the sensible perceptions by aid of
sensible objects are superfluous; just as also the intellectual powers, when
the soul, having become godlike, throws itself, through a union beyond
knowledge, against the rays of the unapproachable light, by sightless
efforts. But, when the mind strives to be moved upwards, through objects of
sense, to contemplative conceptions, the clearer interpretations are
altogether preferable to the sensible perceptions, and the more definite
descriptions are things more distinct than things seen; since when objects
near are not made clear to the sensible perceptions, neither will these
perceptions be well able to present the things perceived to the mind. But
that we may not seem, in speaking thus, to be pushing aside the Divine
Oracles, let those who libel the Name of Love (Erōtos) hear them. “Be in
love with It,” they say, “and It will keep thee—Rejoice over It, and It will
exalt thee—Honour It, in order that It may encompass thee,”—and whatever
else is sung respecting Love, in the Word of God.
SECTION XII.
And yet it seemed to some of our sacred expounders that the Name of Love is
more Divine than that of loving-kindness (agapēs). But even the Divine
Ignatius [37] writes, “my own Love (erōs) is crucified;” and in the
introductions to the Oracles you will find a certain One saying of the
Divine Wisdom, “1 became enamoured of her Beauty.” So that we, certainly,
need not be afraid of this Name of Love, nor let any alarming statement
about it terrify us. For the theologians seem to me to treat as equivalent
the name of Loving-kindness, and that of Love; and on this ground, to
attribute, by preference, the veritable Love, to things Divine, because of
the misplaced prejudice of such men as these. For, since the veritable Love
is sung of in a sense befitting God, not by us only, but also by the Oracles
themselves, the multitude, not having comprehended the Oneness of the Divine
Name of Love, fell away, as might be expected of them, to the divided and
corporeal and sundered, seeing it is not a real love, but a shadow, or
rather a falling from the veritable Love. For the Oneness of the Divine and
one Love is incomprehensible to the multitude, wherefore also, as seeming a
very hard name to the multitude, it is assigned to the Divine Wisdom, for
the purpose of leading back and restoring them to the knowledge of the
veritable Love; and for their liberation from the difficulty respecting it.
And again, as regards ourselves, where it happened often that men of an
earthly character imagined something out of place, (there is used) what
appears more euphonius. A certain one says, “Thy affection fell upon me, as
the affection of the women.” For those who have rightly listened to things
Divine, the name of Loving-kindness and of Love is placed by the holy
theologians in the same category throughout the Divine revelations, and this
is of a power unifying, and binding together, and mingling pre-eminently in
the Beautiful and Good; pre-existing by reason of the beautiful and good,
and imparted from the beautiful and good, by reason of the Beautiful and
Good; and sustaining things of the same rank, within their mutual coherence,
but moving the first to forethought for the inferior, and attaching the
inferior to the superior by respect.
SECTION XIII.
But Divine Love is extatic, not permitting (any) to be lovers of themselves,
but of those beloved. They shew this too, the superior by becoming mindful
of the inferior; and the equals by their mutual coherence; and the inferior,
by a more divine respect towards things superior. Wherefore also, Paul the
Great, when possessed by the Divine Love, and participating in its extatic
power, says with inspired lips, “I live no longer, but Christ lives in
me.” As a true lover, and beside himself, as he says, to Almighty God, and
not living the life of himself, but the life of the Beloved, as a life
excessively esteemed. One might make bold to say even this, on behalf of
truth, that the very Author of all things, by the beautiful and good love of
everything, through an overflow of His loving goodness, becomes out of
Himself, by His providences for all existing things, and is, as it were,
cozened by goodness and affection and love, and is led down from the
Eminence above all, and surpassing all, to being in all, as befits an
extatic superessential power centred in Himself. Wherefore, those skilled in
Divine things call Him even Jealous, as (being) that vast good Love towards
all beings, and as rousing His loving inclination to jealousy,—and as
proclaiming Himself Jealous—to Whom the things desired are objects of
jealousy, and as though the objects of His providential care were objects of
jealousy for Him. And, in short, the lovable is of the Beautiful and Good,
and Love preexisted both in the Beautiful and Good, and on account of the
Beautiful and Good, is and takes Being.
SECTION XIV.
But what do the theologians mean when at one time they call Him Love, and
Loving-kindness, and at another, Loved and Esteemed? For, of the one, He is
Author and, as it were, Producer and Father; but the other, He Himself is;
and by one He is moved, but by the other He moves; or (when they say), that
He Himself is Procurer and Mover of Himself and by Himself. In this sense,
they call Him esteemed and loved, as Beautiful and Good: but again Love and
Loving-kindness, as being at once moving and conducting Power to
Himself;—the alone—self Beautiful and Good, by reason of Itself, and, being,
as it were, a manifestation of Itself through Itself, and a good Progression
of the surpassing union, and a loving Movement, simplex, self-moved,
self-operating, pre-existing in the Good, and from the Good bubbling forth
to things existing, and again returning to the Good, in which also the
Divine Love indicates distinctly Its own unending and unbeginning, as it
were a sort of everlasting circle whirling round in unerring combination, by
reason of the Good, from the Good, and in the Good, and to the Good, and
ever advancing and remaining and returning in the same and throughout the
same. And these things our illustrious initiator divinely set forth
throughout His Hymns of Love, of which we may appropriately make mention,
and, as it were, place as a certain sacred chapter to our treatise
concerning Love.
SECTION XV.
Extract from the “Hymns of Love” by the most holy Hierotheus:—
Love, whether we speak of Divine, or Angelic, or intelligent, or psychical,
or physical, let us regard as a certain unifying and combining power, moving
the superior to forethought for the inferior, and the equals to a mutual
fellowship, and lastly, the inferior to respect towards the higher and
superior.
SECTION XVI.
Of the same, from the same Erotic Hymns.
Since we have arranged the many loves from the one, by telling, in due
order, what are the kinds of knowledge and powers of the mundane and
supermundane loves; over which, according to the defined purpose of the
discourse, the orders and ranks of the mental and intelligible loves
preside; next after [38] which are placed the self-existent intelligible and
divine, over the really beautiful loves there which have been appropriately
celebrated by us; now, on the other hand, by restoring all back to the One
and enfolded Love, and Father of them all, let us collect and gather them
together from the many, by contracting It into two Powers entirely lovable,
over which rules and precedes altogether the Cause, resistless from Its
universal Love beyond all, and to which is elevated, according to the nature
of each severally, the whole love from all existing things.
SECTION XVII.
Of the same, from the same Hymns of Love.
Come then, whilst collecting these again into one, let us say, that it is a
certain simplex power, which of itself moves to a sort of unifying
combination from the Good, to the lowest of things existing, and from that
again in due order, circling round again, through all to the Good from
Itself, and through Itself and by Itself, and rolling back to Itself always
in the same way.
SECTION XVIII.
And yet, any one might say, “if the Beautiful and Good is beloved and
desired, and esteemed by all (for even that which is non-existing desires
It, as we have said, and struggles how to be in It; and Itself is the
form-giving, even of things without form, and by It alone, even the
non-existing is said to be, and is superessentially)—“How is it that the
host of demons do not desire the Beautiful and Good, but, through their
earthly proclivities, having fallen away from the angelic identity, as
regards the desire of the Good, have become cause of all evils both to
themselves and to all the others who are said to be corrupted? and why, in
short, when the tribes of demons have been brought into being from the Good,
are they not like the Good? or how, after being a good production from the
Good, were they changed? and what is that which depraved them, and in short,
what is evil? and from what source did it spring? and in which of things
existing is it? and how did He, Who is Good, will to bring it into being?
and how, when He willed it, was He able? And if evil is from another cause,
what other cause is there for things existing, beside the Good? Further,
how, when there is a Providence, is there evil, either coming into existence
at all, or not destroyed? And how does any existing thing desire it, in
comparison with the Good?
SECTION XIX. [39]
Such a statement as this might be alleged by way of objection. We, however,
on our part, will pray the objector to look to the truth of the facts, and
will make bold to say this first. The Evil is not from the Good, and if it
is from the Good, it is not the Evil. For, it is not the nature of fire to
make cold, nor of good to bring into being things not good; and if all
things that be are from the Good (for to produce and to preserve is natural
to the Good, but to destroy and to dissolve, to the Evil), there is no
existing thing from the Evil, nor will the Evil itself be, if it should be
evil even to itself. And, if it be not so, the Evil is not altogether evil,
but has some portion of the Good, in consequence of which it wholly is. Now,
if the things existing desire the Beautiful and Good, and whatever they do,
they do for the sake of that which seems good, and every purpose of things
existing has the Good for its beginning and end (for nothing looking to the
Evil qua evil, does what it does), how shall the Evil be in things existing;
or, wholly being, how has it been seduced from such a good yearning? Also if
all the things existing are from the Good, and the Good is above all things
existing, then there is existing in the Good even the non-existing; but the
Evil is not existing; and, if this be not the case, it is not altogether
evil, nor non-existing, for the absolutely non-existing will be nothing,
unless it should be spoken of as in the Good superessentially. The Good,
then, will be fixed far above both the absolutely existing and the
non-existing; but the Evil is neither in things existing, nor in things
non-existing, but, being further distant from the Good than the non-existing
itself, it is alien and more unsubstantial. Where then is the Evil? some one
may perchance say. For if the Evil is not,—virtue and vice are the same,
both universally and particularly. Or, not even that which opposes itself to
virtue will be evil, and yet sobriety and license, and righteousness and
unrighteousness, are contraries. And I, by no means, speak in reference to
the just and unjust man, and the temperate and intemperate man; but also,
long before the difference between the just man and his opposite is made
manifest externally, in the very soul itself the vices stand altogether
apart from the virtues, and the passions rebel against the reason; and from
this we must grant some evil contrary to the Good. For the Good is not
contrary to Itself, but as the product from one Source and one Cause, It
rejoices in fellowship and unity and friendship. Nor yet is the lesser good
opposed to the greater, for neither is the less heat or cold opposed to the
greater. The Evil [40] then is in things existing, and is existing, and is
opposed, and is in opposition to, the Good; and if it is the destruction of
things existing, this does not expel the Evil from existence; but it will
be, both itself existing, and generator of things existing. Does not
frequently the destruction of one become birth of another? and the Evil will
be contributing to the completion of the whole, and supplying through itself
non-imperfection to the whole.
SECTION XX.
Now to all this true reason will answer, that the Evil qua evil makes no
single essence or birth, but only, as far as it can, pollutes and destroys
the subsistence of things existing. But, if any one says, that it is
productive of being, and that by destruction of one it gives birth to
another, we must truly answer, that not qua destruction it gives birth, but
qua destruction and evil, it destroys and pollutes only, but it becomes
birth and essence, by reason of the Good; and the Evil will be destruction
indeed, by reason of itself; but producer of birth by reason of the Good;
and qua evil, it is neither existing, nor productive of things existing;
but, by reason of the Good, it is both existing and good-existing, and
productive of things good. Yea, rather (for neither will the same by itself
be both good and evil, nor the self-same power be of itself destruction and
birth—neither as self-acting power, nor as self-acting destruction), the
absolutely Evil is neither existing nor good, nor generative, nor productive
of things being and good; but the Good in whatever things it may be
perfectly engendered, makes them perfect and pure, and thoroughly good,—but
the things which partake of it in a less degree are both imperfectly good,
and impure, by reason of the lack of the Good. And (thus) the Evil
altogether, is not, nor is good, nor good producing; but that which
approaches more or less near the Good will be proportionately good; since
the All-perfect Goodness, in passing through all, not only passes to the
All-good beings around Itself, but extends Itself to the most remote, by
being present to some thoroughly, to others subordinately, but to the rest,
in the most remote degree, as each existing thing is able to participate in
It. And some things, indeed, participate in the Good entirely, whilst others
are deprived of It, in a more or less degree, but others possess a more
obscure participation in the Good; and to the rest, the Good is present as a
most distant echo. For if the Good were not present according to the
capacity of each, the most Divine and honoured would occupy the rank of the
lowest. And how were it possible that all should participate in the Good
uniformly, when not all are in the same way adapted to its whole
participation?
Now, this is the exceeding greatness of the power of the Good, that It
empowers, both things deprived, and the deprivation of Itself, with a view
to the entire participation of itself. And, if one must make bold to speak
the truth, even the things fighting against It, both are, and are able to
fight, by Its power. Yea rather, in order that I may speak summarily, all
things which are, in so far as they are, both are good, and from the Good;
but, in so far as they are deprived of the Good, are neither good, nor do
they exist. For, even with regard to the other conditions, such as heat or
cold, there are things which have been heated, and when the heat has
departed from them, many of them are deprived both of life and intelligence
(now Almighty God is outside essence, and is, superessentially), and, in one
word, with regard to the rest, even when the condition has departed, or has
not become completely developed, things exist, and are able to subsist; but
that which is every way deprived of the Good, in no way or manner ever was,
or is, or will be, nor is able to be. For example, the licentious man, even
if he have been deprived of the Good, as regards his irrational lust, in
this respect he neither is, nor desires realities, but nevertheless he
participates in the Good, in his very obscure echo of union and friendship.
And, even Anger participates in the Good, by the very movement and desire to
direct and turn the seeming evils to the seeming good. And the very man, who
desires the very worst life, as wholly desirous of life and that which seems
best to him, by the very fact of desiring, and desiring life, and looking to
a best life, participates in the Good. And, if you should entirely take away
the Good, there will be neither essence, nor life, nor yearning, nor
movement, nor anything else. So that the fact, that birth is born from
destruction, is not a power of evil, but a presence of a lesser good, even
as disease is a defect of order, not total—for, if this should be, not even
the disease itself will continue to exist, but the disease remains and is,
by having the lowest possible order of essence, and in this continues to
exist as a parasite. For that which is altogether deprived of the Good, is
neither existing, nor in things existing; but the compound, by reason of the
Good in things existing, and in consequence of this in things existing, is
also existing in so far as it participates in the Good. Yea rather, all
things existing will so far be, more or less, as they participate in the
Good; for, even as respects the self-existing Being, that which in no ways
is at all, will not be at all; but that which partially is, but partially is
not, in so far as it has fallen from the ever Being, is not; but so far as
it has participated in the Being, so far it is, and its whole being, and its
non-being, is sustained and preserved. And the Evil,—that which has
altogether fallen from the Good—will be good, neither in the more nor in the
less; but the partially good, and partially not good, fight no doubt against
a certain good, but not against the whole Good, and, even it is sustained by
the participation of the Good, and the Good gives essence even to the
privation of Itself, wholly by the participation of Itself; for, when the
Good has entirely departed, there will be neither anything altogether good,
nor compound, nor absolute evil. For, if the Evil is an imperfect good,
(then) by the entire absence of the Good, both the imperfect and the perfect
Good will be absent; and then only will be, and be seen, the Evil, when on
the one hand, it is an evil to those things to which it was opposed, and, on
the other, is expelled from other things on account of their goodness. For,
it is impossible that the same things, under the same conditions in every
respect, should fight against each other. The Evil then is not an actual
thing.
SECTION XXI.
But neither is the Evil in things existing. For, if all things existing are
from the Good, and the Good is in all things existing, and embraces all,
either the Evil will not be in things existing, or it will be in the Good;
and certainly it will not be in the Good, for neither is cold in fire, nor
to do evil in Him, Who turns even the evil to good. But, if it shall be, how
will the Evil be in the Good? If forsooth, from Itself, it is absurd and
impossible. For it is not possible, as the infallibility of the Oracles
affirms, that a “good tree should bring forth evil fruits,” nor certainly,
vice versa. But, if not from Itself, it is evident that it will be from
another source and cause. For, either the Evil will be from the Good, or the
Good from the Evil; or, if this be not possible, both the Good and the Evil
will be from another source and cause, for no dual is source, but a Unit
will be source of every dual. Further, it is absurd that two entirely
contraries should proceed and be from one and the same, and that the
self-same source should be, not simplex and unique, but divided and double,
and contrary to itself, and be changed; and certainly it is not possible
that there should be two contrary sources of things existing, and that these
should be contending in each other, and in the whole. For, if this were
granted, even Almighty God will not be in repose, nor free from disquietude,
if there were indeed something bringing disturbance even to Him. Then,
everything will be in disorder, and always fighting; and yet the Good
distributes friendship to all existing things, and is celebrated by the holy
theologians, both as very Peace, and Giver of Peace. Wherefore, things good
are both friendly and harmonious, every one, and products of one life, and
marshalled to one good; and kind, and similar, and affable to each other. So
that the Evil is not in God, and the Evil is not inspired by God. But
neither is the Evil from God, for, either He is not good, or He does good,
and produces good things; and, not once in a way, and some; and at another
time not, and not all; for this would argue transition and change, even as
regards the very Divinest thing of all, the Cause. But, if in God, the Good
is sustaining essence, God, when changing from the Good, will be sometimes
Being, and sometimes not Being. But, if He has the Good by participation, He
will then have it from another; and sometimes He will have it, and sometimes
not. The Evil, then, is not from God, nor in God, neither absolutely nor
occasionally.
SECTION XXII.
But neither is the Evil in Angels; for if the good-like angel proclaims the
goodness of God, being by participation in a secondary degree that which the
Announced is in the first degree as Cause, the Angel is a likeness of
Almighty God—a manifestation of the unmanifested light—a mirror
untarnished—most transparent—without flaw—pure—without spot— receiving, if I
may so speak, the full beauty of the Good-stamped likeness of God—and
without stain, shedding forth undefiledly in itself, so far as is possible,
the goodness of the Silence, which dwells in innermost shrines. The Evil,
then, is not even in Angels. But by punishing sinners are they evil? By this
rule, then, the punishers of transgressors are evil, and those of the
priests who shut out the profane from the Divine Mysteries. And yet, the
being punished is not an evil, but the becoming worthy of punishment; nor
the being deservedly expelled from Holy things, but the becoming accursed of
God, and unholy and unfit for things un-defiled.
SECTION XXIII.
But, neither are the demons evil by nature; for, if they are evil by nature,
neither are they from the Good, nor amongst things existing; nor, in fact,
did they change from good, being by nature, and always, evil. Then, are they
evil to themselves or to others? If to themselves, they also destroy
themselves; but if to others, how destroying, or what destroying?—Essence,
or power, or energy? If indeed Essence, in the first place, it is not
contrary to nature; for they do not destroy things indestructible by nature,
but things receptive of destruction. Then, neither is this an evil for every
one, and in every case; but, not even any existing thing is destroyed, in so
far as it is essence and nature, but by the defect of nature’s order, the
principle of harmony and proportion lacks the power to remain as it was. But
the lack of strength is not complete, for the complete lack of power takes
away even the disease and the subject; and such a disease will be even a
destruction of itself; so that, such a thing is not an evil, but a defective
good, for that which has no part of the Good will not be amongst things
which exist. And with regard to the destruction of power and energy the
principle is the same. Then, how are the demons, seeing they come into being
from God, evil? For the Good brings forth and sustains good things. Yet they
are called evil, some one may say. But not as they are (for they are from
the Good, and obtained a good being), but, as they are not, by not having
had strength, as the Oracles affirm, “to keep their first estate.” For in
what, tell me, do we affirm that the demons become evil, except in the
ceasing in the habit and energy for good things Divine? Otherwise, if the
demons are evil by nature, they are always evil; yet evil is unstable.
Therefore, if they are always in the same condition, they are not evil; for
to be ever the same is a characteristic of the Good. But, if they are not
always evil, they are not evil by nature, but by wavering from the angelic
good qualities. And they are not altogether without part in the good, in so
far as they both are, and live and think, and in one word—as there is a sort
of movement of aspiration in them. But they are said to be evil, by reason
of their weakness as regards their action according to nature. The evil
then, in them, is a turning aside and a stepping out of things befitting
themselves, and a missing of aim, and imperfection and impotence, and a
weakness and departure, and falling away from the power which preserves
their integrity in them. Otherwise, what is evil in demons? An irrational
anger—a senseless desire—a headlong fancy.—But these, even if they are in
demons, are not altogether, nor in every respect, nor in themselves alone,
evils. For even with regard to other living creatures, not the possession of
these, but the loss, is both destruction to the creature, and an evil. But
the possession saves, and makes to be, the nature of the living creature
which possesses them. The tribe of demons then is not evil, so far as it is
according to nature, but so far as it is not; and the whole good which was
given to them was not changed, but themselves fell from the whole good
given. And the angelic gifts which were given to them, we by no means affirm
that they were changed, but they exist, and are complete, and all luminous,
although the demons themselves do not see, through having blunted their
powers of seeing good. So far as they are, they are both from the Good, and
are good, and aspire to the Beautiful and the Good, by aspiring to the
realities, Being, and Life, and Thought; and by the privation and departure
and declension from the good things befitting them, they are called evil,
and are evil as regards what they are not: and by aspiring to the
non-existent, they aspire to the Evil.
SECTION XXIV.
But does some one say that souls are evil? If it be that they meet with evil
things providentially, and with a view to their preservation, this is not an
evil, but a good, and from the Good, Who makes even the evil good. But, if
we say that souls become evil, in what respect do they become evil, except
in the failure of their good habits and energies; and, by reason of their
own lack of strength, missing their aim and tripping? For we also say, that
the air around us becomes dark by failure and absence of light, and yet the
light itself is always light, that which enlightens even the darkness. The
Evil, then, is neither in demons nor in us, as an existent evil, but as a
failure and dearth of the perfection of our own proper goods.
SECTION XXV.
But neither is the Evil in irrational creatures, for if you should take away
anger and lust, and the other things which we speak of, and which are not
absolutely evil in their own nature, the lion having lost his boldness and
fierceness will not be a lion; and the dog, when he has become gentle to
every body, will not be a dog, since to keep guard is a dog’s duty, and to
admit those of the household, but to drive away the stranger. So the fact
that nature is not destroyed is not an evil, but a destruction of nature,
weakness, and failure of the natural habitudes and energies and powers. And,
if all things through generation in time have their perfection, the
imperfect is not altogether contrary to universal nature.
SECTION XXVI.
But neither is the Evil in nature throughout, for if all the methods of
nature are from universal nature, there is nothing contrary to it. But in
each individual (nature) one thing will be according to nature, and another
not according to nature. For one thing is contrary to nature in one, and
another in another, and that which is according to nature to one, is to the
other, contrary to nature. But malady of nature, that which is the contrary
to nature, is the deprivation of things of nature. So that there is not an
evil nature; but this is evil to nature, the inability to accomplish the
things of one’s proper nature.
SECTION XXVII.
But, neither is the Evil in bodies. For deformity and disease are a defect
of form, and a deprivation of order. And this is not altogether an evil, but
a less good; for if a dissolution of beauty and form and order become
complete, the body itself will be gone. But that the body is not cause of
baseness to the soul is evident, from the fact that baseness continues to
coexist even without a body, as in demons. For this is evil to minds and
souls and bodies, (viz.) the weakness and declension from the habitude of
their own proper goods.
SECTION XXVIII.
But neither (a thing which they say over and over again) is the evil in
matter, so far as it is matter. For even it participates in ornament and
beauty and form. But if matter, being without these, by itself is without
quality and without form, how does matter produce anything—matter, which, by
itself, is impassive? Besides how is matter an evil? for, if it does not
exist in any way whatever, it is neither good nor evil but if it is any how
existing, and all things existing are from the Good, even it would be from
the Good; and either the Good is productive of the Evil, or the Evil, as
being from the Good, is good; or the Evil is capable of producing the Good;
or even the Good, as from the Evil, is evil; or further, there are two first
principles, and these suspended from another one head. And, if they say that
matter is necessary, for a completion of the whole Cosmos, how is matter an
evil? For the Evil is one thing, and the necessary [41] is another. But, how
does He, Who is Good, bring anything to birth from the Evil? or, how is
that, which needs the Good, evil? For the Evil shuns the nature of the Good.
And how does matter, being evil, generate and nourish nature? For the Evil,
quâ evil, neither generates, nor nourishes, nor solely produces, nor
preserves anything.
But, if they should say, that it does not make baseness in souls, but that
they are dragged to it, how will this be true? for many of them look towards
the good; and yet how did this take place, when matter was dragging them
entirely to the Evil? So that the Evil in souls is not from matter, but from
a disordered and discordant movement. But, if they say this further, that
they invariably follow matter, and unstable matter is necessary for those
who are unable to stand firmly by themselves, how is the Evil necessary, or
the necessary an evil?
SECTION XXIX.
But neither is it this which we affirm—the “privation fights against the
Good by its own power [42] ”; for the complete privation is altogether
powerless, and the partial has the power, not in respect of privation, but
in so far as it is not a complete privation. For, whilst privation of good
is partial, it is not, as yet, an evil, and when, it has become an
accomplished fact, the nature of the evil has departed also.
SECTION XXX.
But, to speak briefly, the Good is from the one and the whole Cause, but the
Evil is from many and partial defects. Almighty God knows the Evil qua good;
and, with Him, the causes of the evils are powers producing good [43] . But,
if the Evil is eternal, and creates, and has power, and is, and does, whence
do these come to it? Is it either from the Good, or by the Good from the
Evil, or by both from another cause? Everything that is according to nature
comes into being from a defined cause. And if the Evil is without cause, and
undefined, it is not according to nature. For there is not in nature what is
contrary to nature; nor is there any raison d’ etre for want of art in art.
Is then the soul cause of things evil, as fire of burning, and does it fill
everything that it happens to touch with baseness? Or, is the nature of the
soul then good, but, by its energies, exists sometimes in one condition, and
sometimes in another? If indeed by nature, even its existence is an evil,
and whence then does it derive its existence? Or, is it from the good Cause
creative of the whole universe? But, if from this, how is it essentially
evil? For good are all things born of this. But if by energies, neither is
this invariable, and if not, whence are the virtues? Since it (the soul)
comes into being without even seeming good. It remains then that the Evil is
a weakness and a falling short of the Good.
SECTION XXXI.
The Cause of things good is One. If the Evil is contrary to the Good, the
many causes of the Evil, certainly those productive of things evil, are not
principles and powers, but want of power, and want of strength, and a mixing
of things dissimilar without proportion. Neither are things evil unmoved,
and always in the same condition, but endless and undefined, and borne along
in different things, and those endless. The Good will be beginning and end
of all, even things evil, for, for the sake of the Good, are all things,
both those that are good, and those that are contrary. For we do even these
as desiring the Good (for no one does what he does with a view to the Evil),
wherefore the Evil has not a subsistence, but a parasitical subsistence,
coming into being for the sake of the Good, and not of itself.
SECTION XXXII.
It is to be laid down that being belongs to the Evil as an accident and by
reason of something else, and not from its own origin, and thus that that
which comes into being appears to be right, because it comes into being for
the sake of the Good, but that in reality it is not right for the reason
that we think that which is not good to be good. The desired is shewn to be
one thing, and that which comes to pass is another. The Evil, then, is
beside the path, and beside the mark, and beside nature, and beside cause,
and beside beginning, and beside end, and beside limit, and beside
intention, and beside purpose. The Evil then is privation and failure, and
want of strength, and want of proportion, and want of attainment, and want
of purpose; and without beauty, and without life, and without mind, and
without reason, and without completeness, and without stability, and without
cause, and without limit, and without production; and inactive, and without
result, and disordered, and dissimilar, and limitless, and dark, and
unessential, and being itself nothing in any manner of way whatever. How, in
short, can evil do anything by its mixture with the Good? For that which is
altogether without participation in the Good, neither is anything, nor is
capable of anything. For, if the Good is both an actual thing and an object
of desire, and powerful and effective, how will the contrary to the
Good,—that which has been deprived of essence, and intention, and power, and
energy,—be capable of anything? Not all things are evil to all, nor the same
things evil in every respect. To a demon, evil is to be contrary to the
good-like mind—to a soul, to be contrary to reason—to a body, to be contrary
to nature.
SECTION XXXIII.
How, in short, are there evils when there is a Providence? The Evil, qua
evil, is not, neither as an actual thing nor as in things existing. And no
single thing is without a Providence. For neither is the Evil an actual
thing existing unmixed with the Good. And, if no single thing is without
participation in the Good, but the lack of the Good is an evil, and no
existing thing is deprived absolutely of the Good, the Divine Providence is
in all existing things, and no single thing is without Providence. But
Providence, as befits Its goodness, uses even evils which happen for the
benefit, either individual or general, of themselves or others, and suitably
provides for each being. Wherefore we will not admit the vain statement of
the multitude, who say that Providence ought to lead us to virtue, even
against our will. For to destroy nature is not a function of Providence.
Hence, as Providence is conservative of the nature of each, it provides for
the free, as free; and for the whole, and individuals, according to the
wants of all and each, as far as the nature of those provided for admits the
providential benefits of its universal and manifold Providence, distributed
proportionably to each.
SECTION XXXIV.
The Evil, then, is not an actual thing, nor is the Evil in things existing.
For the Evil, qua evil, is nowhere, and the fact that evil comes into being
is not in consequence of power, but by reason of weakness. And, as for the
demons, what they are is both from the Good, and good. But their evil is
from the declension from their own proper goods, and a change—the weakness,
as regards their identity and condition, of the angelic perfection befitting
them. And they aspire to the Good, in so far as they aspire to be and to
live and to think. And in so far as they do not aspire to the Good, they
aspire to the non-existent; and this is not aspiration, but a missing of the
true aspiration.
SECTION XXXV.
Now the Oracles call conscious transgressors those who are thoroughly weak
as regards the ever memorable knowledge or the practise of the Good, and
who, knowing the will, do not perform it,—those who are hearers indeed, but
are weak concerning the faith, or the energy of the Good. And for some, it
is against their will to understand to do good, by reason of the deviation
or weakness of the will. And in short, the Evil (as we have often said) is
want of strength and want of power, and defect, either of the knowledge, or
the never to be forgotten knowledge, or of the faith, or of the aspiration,
or of the energy of the Good. Yet, some one may say, the weakness is not
punishable, but on the contrary is pardonable. Now, if the power were not
granted, the statement might hold good; but, if power comes from the Good,
Who giveth, according to the Oracles, the things suitable to all absolutely,
the failure and deviation, and departure and declension of the possession
from the Good of our own proper goods is not praiseworthy. But let these
things suffice to have been sufficiently said according to our ability in
our writings “Concerning just and Divine chastisement” throughout which
sacred treatise the infallibility of the Oracles has cast aside those
sophistical statements as senseless words, speaking injustice and falsehood
against Almighty God. But now, according to our ability, the Good has been
sufficiently praised, as really lovable,—as beginning and end of all—as
embracing things existing—as giving form to things not existing—as Cause of
all good things—as guiltless of things evil—as Providence and Goodness
complete—and soaring above things that are and things that are not—and
turning to good things evil, and the privation of Itself—as by all desired,
and loved, and esteemed, and whatever else, the true statement, as I deem,
has demonstrated in the preceding.
_________________________________________________________________
[31] euroias.
[32] See Dulac, Theology anticipates Science.
[33] The Greek word is noēton, which in connection with phōs is rendered
here “spiritual light.”
[34] See Book of Hierotheus, c. 2.
[35] Angels.
[36] Creation through Goodness not necessity.
[37] See note, p. 128.
[38] i.e. in ascending order.
[39] Plato, Theaet.
[40] Theaet., 1763.
[41] Jahn, p. 66.
[42] Jahn, p, 67.
[43] Out of evil forth producing good.
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT V.
Concerning Being—in which also concerning Exemplars.
SECTION I.
LET us now then pass to the name “Being”—given in the Oracles as veritably
that of Him, Who veritably is. But we will recall to your remembrance this
much, that the purpose of our treatise is not to make known the
superessential Essence—qua superessential—(for this is inexpressible, and
unknowable, and altogether unrevealed, and surpassing the union itself), but
to celebrate the progression of the supremely Divine Source of Essence,
which gives essence to all things being. For the Divine Name of the Good, as
making known the whole progressions of the Cause of all, is extended, both
to things being, and things not being, and is above things being, and things
not being. But the Name of Being is extended to all things being, and is
above things being;—and the Name of Life is extended to all things living,
and is above things living; and the Name of Wisdom is extended to all the
intellectual and rational and sensible, and is above all these.
SECTION II.
The treatise, then, seeks to celebrate these, the Names of God, which set
forth His Providence. For it does not profess to express the very
superessential Goodness, and Essence, and Life, and Wisdom, of the very
superessential Deity, Which is seated above all Goodness, and Deity, and
Essence, and Wisdom, and Life,—in secret places, as the Oracles affirm. But
it celebrates the beneficial Providence, which has been set forth as
preeminently Goodness and Cause of all good things, and as Being, and Life,
and Wisdom,—the Cause essentiating and vivifying, and wise-making, of those
who partake of essence, and life, and mind, and reason, and sense. But it
does not affirm that the Good is one thing, and the Being another; and that
Life is other than Wisdom; nor that the Causes are many, and that some
deities produce one thing and others another, as superior and inferior; but
that the whole good progressions and the Names of God, celebrated by us, are
of one God; and that the one epithet makes known the complete Providence of
the one God, but that the others are indicative of His more general and more
particular providences.
SECTION III.
Yet, some one might say, for what reason do we affirm that Life is superior
to Being, and Wisdom to Life? Things with life no doubt are above things
that merely exist—things sensible above those which merely live,—and things
rational above these,—and the Minds [44] above the rational, and are around
God, and are more near to Him. Yet, things which partake of greater gifts
from God, must needs be better and superior to the rest. But if any one
assumed the intellectual to be without being, and without life, the
statement might hold good. But if the Divine Minds are both above all the
rest of beings, and live above the other living beings, and think and know,
above sensible perception and reason, and, beyond all the other existing
beings, aspire to, and participate in, the Beautiful and Good, they are more
around the Good, participating in It more abundantly, and having received
larger and greater gifts from It. As also, the rational creatures excel
those of sensible perception, by their superiority in the abundance of
reason, and these, by their sensible perception, and others, by their life.
And this, as I think, is true, that the things which participate more in the
One and boundless-giving God, are more near to Him, and more divine, than
those who come behind them (in gifts).
SECTION IV.
Now, since we are speaking of these things, come then, and let us praise the
Good, as veritably Being, and giving essence to all things that be. He, Who
is, is superessential, sustaining Cause of the whole potential Being, and
Creator of being, existence, subsistence, essence, nature; Source and
Measure of ages, and Framer of times, and Age of things that be, Time of
things coming into being, Being of things howsoever being, Birth of things
howsoever born. From Him, Who is, is age, and essence, and being, and time,
and birth, and thing born; the realities in things that be, and things
howsoever existing and subsisting. For Almighty God is not relatively a
Being, but absolutely and unboundedly, having comprehended and anticipated
the whole Being in Himself. Wherefore, He is also called King of the ages,
since the whole being both is, and is sustained, in Him and around Him. And
He neither was, nor will be, nor became, nor becomes, nor will become—yea
rather, neither is. But He is the Being to things that be, and not things
that be only, but the very being of things that be, absolutely from before
the ages. For He is the Age of ages—the Existing before the ages.
SECTION V.
Summing up, then, let us say, that the being to all beings and to the ages,
is from the Preexisting. And every age and time is from Him. And of every
age and time, and of everything, howsoever existing, the Pre-existing is
Source and Cause. And all things participate in Him, and from no single
existing thing does He stand aloof. And He is before all things, and all
things in Him consist. And absolutely, if anything is, in any way
whatsoever, it both is, and is contemplated, and is preserved in the
Pre-existing. And, before all the other participations in Him, the being is
pre-supposed. And self-existent Being has precedence of the being
self-existent Life; and the being self-existent Wisdom; and the being
self-existent Divine Likeness; and the other beings, in whatever gifts
participating, before all these participate in being; yea, rather, all
self-existent things, of which existing things participate, participate in
the self-existent Being. And there is nothing existent, of which the
self-existent Being is not essence and age. Naturally, then, more chiefly
than all the rest, Almighty God is celebrated as Being, from the prior of
His other gifts; for pre-possessing even pre-existence, and super-existence,
and super-possessing being, He pre-established all being, I mean
self-existent being; and subjected everything, howsoever existing, to Being
Itself. And then, all the sources of beings, as participating in being, both
are, and are sources, and first are, and then are sources. And, if you wish
to say, that the self-existent Life is source of living things, as living;
and the self-existent Similitude, of things similar as similar; and the
self-existent Union, of things united, as united; and the self-existent
Order, of things ordered, as ordered and of the rest, as many as, by
participating in this or that, or both, or many, are this or that, or both,
or many, you will find the self-existent participations themselves, first
participating in being, and by their being, first remaining;—then being
sources of this or that, and by their participating in being, both being,
and being participated. But, if these are by their participation of being,
much more the things participating in them.
SECTION VI.
The self-existent Super-goodness then, as projecting the first gift of
self-existent being, is celebrated by the elder and first of the
participations; and being itself is from It, and in It; as also the sources
of things being, and all the things that be, and the things howsoever
sustained by being, and that irresistibly, and comprehensively and
uniformly. For even in a monad, every number preexists in the form of a
unit, and the monad holds every number in itself singly. And every number is
united in the monad, but so far as it advances from the monad, so far it is
distributed and multiplied. And in a centre, all the lines [45] of the
circle coexist within one union, and the point holds all the straight lines
in itself, uniformly united, both to each other, and to the one source from
which they proceeded, and in the centre itself they are completely united;
but standing slightly distant from it, they are slightly separated; but when
more apart, more so. And in one word, the nearer they are to the centre, the
more they are united to it and to each other? and the more they stand apart
from it, the more they stand apart from each other.
SECTION VII.
But all the proportions of nature individually are comprehended in the whole
nature of the whole, within one unconfused union; and in the soul, the
powers of each several part are provident of the whole body in a uniform
fashion. There is nothing out of place then, that, by ascending from obscure
images to the Cause of all, we should contemplate, with supermundane eyes,
all things in the Cause of all, even those contrary to each other, after a
single fashion and unitedly. For It is Source of things existing, from which
are both being itself, and all things however being; every source, every
term, every life, every immortality, every wisdom, every order, every
harmony, every power, every protection, every stability, every endurance,
every conception, every word, every sensible perception, every habit, every
standing, every movement, every union, every mingling, every friendship,
every agreement, every difference, every limit, and whatever other things
existing by being, characterize all things being.
SECTION VIII.
And from the same Cause of all, are the higher and lower intellectual [46]
essences of the godlike angels; and those of the souls; and the natures of
the whole Cosmos; all things whatsoever said to be either in others, or by
reflection. Yea, even the all holy and most honoured Powers veritably being,
and established, as it were, in the vestibule of the superessential Triad,
are from It, and in It; and have the being and the godlike being; and after
them, as regards Angels, the subordinate, subordinately, and the remotest,
most remotely, but as regards ourselves, supermundanely. And the souls, and
all the other beings, according to the same rule, have their being, and
their well-being; and are, and are well; by having from the Pre-existing
their being and their well-being. And in It are both being and well-being;
and from It, beginning; and in It, guarded; and to It, terminated. And the
prerogatives of being he distributes to the superior beings, which the
Oracles call even eternal. But being itself never at any time fails all
existing beings. And even self-existent being is from the Pre-existent, and
of Him is being, and He is not of being;—and in Him is being, and He is not
in being; and being possesses Him, and not He possesses being; and He is
both age and beginning, and measure of being; being essentiating Source, and
Middle and End, of pre-essence, and being and age and all things. And for
this reason, by the Oracles, the veritably Pre-existing is represented under
many forms, according to every conception of beings, and the “Was” and the
“Is,” and the “Will be,” and the “Became,” and the “Becomes,” and the “Will
become,” are properly sung respecting Him. For all these, to those who think
worthily of God, signify by every conception His being superessentially, and
Cause in every way of things existing. For He is not this, but not that; nor
is He in some way, but not in some other; but He is all things, as Cause of
all, and containing and pre-holding in Himself all governments, all
controls, of all existing things. And He is above all, as superessentially
super-being before all. Wherefore, also, all things are predicated of Him
and together, and He is none of them all; of every shape, of every kind,
without form, without beauty, anticipating in Himself, beginnings and
middles, and ends of things existing, irresistibly and preeminently; and
shedding forth without flaw, (the light of) being to all, as beseems a One
and super-united Cause. For, if our sun, at the same time that he is one and
sheds a uniform light, renews the essences and qualities of sensible
creatures, although they are many and various, and nourishes and guards, and
perfects and distinguishes, and unites, and fosters, and makes to be
productive, and increases, and transforms, and establishes, and makes to
grow, and awakens, and gives life to all; and each of the whole, in a manner
appropriate to itself, participates in the same and one sun; and the one sun
anticipated in himself, uniformly, the causes of the many participants; much
more with regard to the Cause of it and of all things, ought we to concede
that It first presides over, as beseems One superessential Oneness, all the
exemplars, of things existing; since He produces even essences, as beseems
the egression from essence. But, we affirm that the exemplars are the
methods in God, giving essence to things that be, and pre-existing
uniformly, which theology calls predeterminations, and Divine and good
wills, which define and produce things existing; according to which
(predeterminations) the Superessential both predetermined and brought into
existence everything that exists.
SECTION IX.
But, if the Philosopher Clemens thinks good, that the higher amongst beings
should be called exemplars in relation to something, his statement advances,
not through correct and perfect and simple names. But, when we have conceded
even this, to be correctly said, we must call to mind the Word of God, which
says, “I have not shewn thee these things for the purpose of going after
them, but that through the proportionate knowledge of these we may be led up
to the Cause of all, as we are capable.”
We must attribute, then, all existing things to It, as beseems One Union
pre-eminent above all, since by starting from Being, the essentiating
Progression and Goodness, both penetrating all, and filling all things with
Its own being, and rejoicing over all things being, pre-holds all things in
Itself, rejecting all duplicity by an one superfluity of simplicity. But It
grasps all things in the same way, as beseems its super-simplified Infinity,
and is participated in by all uniquely, even as a voice, whilst being one
and the same, is participated in by many ears as one.
SECTION X.
The Pre-existing then is beginning and end of existing things; beginning
indeed as Cause, and end as for whom; and term of all, and infinitude of all
infinitude; and term, especially, of things that are, as it were, opposed.
For in One, as we have often said, He both pre-holds and sustains all
existing things, being present to all, and everywhere, both as regards the
one, and the same, and as the every same, and issuing forth to all, and
abiding in Himself; and standing and moving, and neither standing nor
moving; neither having beginning, or middle, or end; neither in any of the
existing things, nor being any of the existing things. And neither does any
of the things eternally existing, or those temporarily subsisting, entirely
come up to Him, but He towers above time and eternity, and all things
eternal and temporal. Wherefore also, He is Eternity itself, and things
existing, and the measures of things existing, and things measured through
Him and from Him. But let us speak of these things more opportunely on
another occasion.
_________________________________________________________________
[44] Angels.
[45] i.e. the radii.
[46] Maximus, Scholia, cap. 4, sec. i.
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT VI.
Concerning Life.
SECTION I.
Now let us sing the Eternal Life, from which comes the self-existing Life,
and every life; and from which, to all things however partaking of life, is
distributed the power to live appropriately to each. Certainly the life; and
the immortality of the immortal Angels, and the very indestructibility of
the angelic perpetual motion, both is, and is sustained from It, and by
reason of It. Wherefore, they are also called living always and immortal;
and again, not immortal, because not from themselves have they their
immortality and eternal life; but from the vivifying Cause forming and
sustaining all life; and as we said of Him, Who is, that He is Age even of
the self-existing Being, so also here again (we say) that the Divine Life,
which is above life, is life-giving and sustaining even of the self-existing
Life; and every life and life-giving movement is from the Life which is
above every life, and all source of all life. From It, even the souls have
their indestructibility, and all living creatures, and plants in their most
remote echo of life, have their power to live. And when It is “taken
away,” according to the Divine saying, all life fails, and to It even things
that have failed, through their inability to participate in It, when again
returning, again become living creatures.
SECTION II.
And It gives chiefly to the self-existing Life to be a life, and to every
life, and to the individual life, that each should be conformable to that
which nature intended it to be. And to the supercelestial lives It gives the
immaterial and godlike, and unchangeable immortality; and the unswerving and
undeviating perpetual movement; whilst extending Itself through excess of
goodness, even to the life of demons [47] . For, neither has this its being
from another cause, but from It life has both its being and its continuance.
Further, It bequeaths even to men the angelic life, so far as is possible to
compound being, and through an overflowing love towards man turns, and calls
us back to Itself, even when we are departing from It; and, what is still
more Divine, promises to transfer even our whole selves (I mean souls, and
bodies their yoke-fellows), to a perfect life and immortality;—a fact which
perhaps seems to Antiquity contrary to nature, but to me, and to thee, and
to the truth, both Divine and above nature. But, by “above nature,” I
understand our visible nature, not the all-powerful nature of the Divine
Life. For, to this, as being nature of all the living creatures, and
especially the more Divine, no life is against nature, or above nature. So
that the contradictory statements of Simon’s folly on this matter, let them
be far repelled from a Divine assembly, and from thy reverent soul. For this
escaped him, as I imagine, whilst thinking to be wise, that the
right-thinking man ought not to use the visible reason of the sensible
perception, as an ally against the invisible Cause of all; and this must be
our reply to him, that his statement is against nature, for to It nothing is
contrary.
SECTION III.
From It, both all living creatures and plants draw their life and
nourishment; and whether you speak of intellectual, or rational, or
sensible, or nourishing, or growing, or whatever, life, or source of life,
or essence of life, from It, which is above every life, it both lives and
thrives; and in It, as Cause, uniformly pre-existed. For the super-living,
and life-springing Life is Cause both of all life, and is generative, and
completive, and dividing of life, and is to be celebrated from every life,
in consequence of its numerous generation of all lives, as Manifold, and
contemplated, and sung by every life; and as without need, yea, rather,
superfull of life, the Self-living, and above every life, causing to live
and super-living, or in whatever way one might extol the life which is
unutterable by human speech.
_________________________________________________________________
[47] Rom. xi. 29, “For the gifts of God are without repentance.”
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT VII.
Concerning Wisdom, Mind, Reason, Truth, faith.
SECTION I.
COME then, if you please, let us sing the good and eternal Life, both as
wise, and as wisdom’s self; yea, rather, as sustaining all wisdom, and being
superior to all wisdom and understanding. For, not only is Almighty God
superfull of wisdom, and of His understanding there is no number, but He is
fixed above all reason and mind and wisdom. And, when the truly divine man,
the common sun of us, and of our leader, had thought this out, in a sense
above nature, he says, “the foolishness of God is wiser than men,” (meaning)
not only that all human intelligence is a sort of error, when tried by the
stability and durability of the Divine and most perfect conceptions, but
that it is even usual with the theologians to deny, with respect to God,
things of privation, in an opposite sense. Thus, the Oracles declare, the
All-luminous Light, invisible, and Him, Who is often sung, and of many
names, to be unutterable and without name, and Him, Who is present to all,
and is found of all, to be incomprehensible and past finding out. In this
very way, even now, the Divine Apostle is said to have celebrated as
“foolishness of God,” that which appears unexpected and absurd in it, (but)
which leads to the truth which is unutterable and before all reason. But, as
I elsewhere said, by taking the things above us, in a sense familiar to
ourselves, and by being entangled by what is congenial to sensible
perceptions, and by comparing things Divine with our own conditions, we are
led astray through following the Divine and mystical reason after a mere
appearance. We ought to know that our mind has the power for thought,
through which it views things intellectual, but that the union through which
it is brought into contact with things beyond itself surpasses the nature of
the mind. We must then contemplate things Divine, after this Union, not
after ourselves, but by our whole selves, standing out of our whole selves,
and becoming wholly of God. For it is better to be of God, and not of
ourselves. For thus things Divine will, be given to those who become dear to
God. Celebrating then, in a superlative sense, this, the irrational and
mindless and foolish Wisdom, we affirm that It is Cause of all mind and
reason, and all wisdom and understanding; and of It is every counsel, and
from It every knowledge and understanding; and in It all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge are hidden. For, agreeably to the things already
spoken, the super-wise, and all-wise Cause is a mainstay [48] even of the
self-existing Wisdom, both the universal and the individual.
SECTION II.
From It the contemplated and contemplating powers of the angelic Minds have
their simple and blessed conceptions; collecting their divine knowledge, not
in portions, or from portions, or sensible perceptions, or detailed
reasonings, or arguing from something common to these things, but purified
from everything material and multitudinous, they contemplate the conceptions
of Divine things intuitively, immaterially and uniformly, and they have
their intellectual power and energy resplendent with the unmixed and
undefiled purity, and see at a glance the Divine conceptions indivisibly and
immaterially, and are by the Godlike One moulded, as attainable by reason of
the Divine Wisdom, to the Divine and Super-wise Mind and Reason. And souls
have their reasoning power, investigating the truth of things by detailed
steps and rotation, and through their divided and manifold variety falling
short of the single minds, but, by the collection of many towards the One,
deemed worthy, even of conceptions equal to the angels, so far as is proper
and attainable to souls. But, even as regards the sensible perceptions
themselves, one would not miss the mark, if one called them an echo of
wisdom. Yet, even the mind of demons, qua mind, is from It; but so far as a
mind is irrational, not knowing, and not wishing to attain what it aspires
to, we must call it more properly a declension from wisdom. But, since the
Divine Wisdom is called source, and cause, and mainstay, and completion and
guard, and term of wisdom itself, and of every kind, and of every mind and
reason, and every sensible perception, how then is Almighty God Himself, the
super-wise, celebrated as Mind and Reason and Knowledge? For, how will He
conceive any of the objects of intelligence, seeing He has not intellectual
operations? or how will He know the objects of sense, seeing He is fixed
above all sensible perception? Yet the Oracles affirm that He knoweth all
things, and that nothing escapes the Divine Knowledge. But, as I have been
accustomed to say many times before, we must contemplate things Divine, in a
manner becoming God. For the mindless, and the insensible, we must attribute
to God, by excess—not by defect, just as we attribute the irrational to Him
Who is above reason; and imperfection, to the Super-perfect, and
Pre-perfect; and the impalpable, and invisible gloom, to the light which is
inaccessible on account of excess of the visible light. So the Divine Mind
comprehends all things, by His knowledge surpassing all, having anticipated
within Himself the knowledge of all, as beseems the Cause of all; before
angels came to being, knowing and producing angels; and knowing all the rest
from within; and, so to speak, from the Source Itself, and by bringing into
being. And, this, I think, the sacred text teaches, when it says, “He,
knowing all things, before their birth.” For, not as learning existing
things from existing things, does the Divine Mind know, but from Itself, and
in Itself, as Cause, it pre-holds and pre-comprehends the notion and
knowledge, and essence of all things; not approaching each several thing
according to its kind, but knowing and containing all things, within one
grasp of the Cause; just as the light, as cause, presupposes in itself the
notion of darkness, not knowing the darkness otherwise than from the light.
The Divine Wisdom then, by knowing Itself, will know all things; things
material, immaterially, and things divisible, indivisibly, and things many,
uniformly; both knowing and producing all. things by Itself, the One. For
even, if as becomes one Cause, Almighty God distributes being to all things
that be, as beseems the self-same, unique Cause, He will know all things, as
being from Himself, and pre-established in Himself, and not from things that
be will He receive the knowledge of them; but even to each of them, He will
be provider of the knowledge of themselves, and of the mutual knowledge of
each other. Almighty God, then, has not one knowledge, that of Himself,
peculiar to Himself, and another, which embraces in common all things
existing; for the very Cause of all things, by knowing Itself, will hardly,
I presume, be ignorant of the things from Itself, and of which It is Cause.
In this way then, Almighty God knows existing things, not by a knowledge of
things existing, but by that of Himself. For the Oracles affirm, that the
angels also know things on the earth, not as knowing them by sensible
perceptions, although objects of sensible perception, but by a proper power
and nature of the Godlike Mind.
SECTION III.
In addition to these things, we must examine how we know God, Who is neither
an object of intellectual nor of sensible perception, nor is absolutely
anything of things existing. Never, then, is it true to say, that we know
God; not from His own nature (for that is unknown, and surpasses all reason
and mind), but, from the ordering of all existing things, as projected from
Himself, and containing a sort of images and similitudes of His Divine
exemplars, we ascend, as far as we have power, to that which is beyond all,
by method and order in the abstraction and pre-eminence of all, and in the
Cause of all. Wherefore, Almighty God is known even in all, and apart from
all. And through knowledge, Almighty God is known, and through agnosia. And
there is, of Him, both conception, and expression, and science, and contact,
and sensible perception, and opinion, and imagination, and name, and all the
rest. And He is neither conceived, nor expressed, nor named. And He is not
any of existing things, nor is He known in any one of existing things. And
He is all in all, and nothing in none. And He is known to all, from all, and
to none from none. For, we both say these things correctly concerning God,
and He is celebrated from all existing things, according to the analogy of
all things, of which He is Cause. And there is, further, the most Divine
Knowledge of Almighty God, which is known, through not knowing (agnosia)
during the union above mind; when the mind, having stood apart from all
existing things, then having dismissed also itself, has been made one with
the super-luminous rays, thence and there being illuminated by the
unsearchable depth of wisdom. Yet, even from all things, as I said, we may
know It, for It is, according to the sacred text, the Cause formative of
all, and ever harmonizing all, and (Cause) of the indissoluble adaptation
and order of all, and ever uniting [49] the ends of the former to the
beginnings of those that follow, and beautifying the one symphony and
harmony of the whole.
SECTION IV.
But Almighty God is celebrated in the holy Oracles as “Logos”; not only
because He is provider of reason and mind and wisdom, but because He
anticipated the causes of all, solitarily in Himself, and because He passes
through all, as the Oracles say, even to the end of all things; and even
more than these, because the Divine Word surpasses every simplicity, and is
set free from all, as the Superessential. This “Logos “is the simple and
really existing truth, around which, as a pure and unerring knowledge of the
whole, the Divine Faith is—the enduring foundation of the believers—which
establishes them in the truth, and the truth in them, by an unchangeable
identity, they having the pure knowledge of the truth of the things
believed. For, if knowledge unites the knowing and the known, but ignorance
is ever a cause to the ignorant person of change, and of separation from
himself, nothing will move one who has believed in the truth, according to
the sacred Logos, from true Faith’s Sanctuary upon which he will have the
steadfastness of his unmoved, unchangeable identity. For, well does he know,
who has been united to the Truth, that it is well with him although the
multitude may admonish him as “wandering.” For it probably escapes them,
that he is wandering from error to the truth, through the veritable faith.
But, he truly knows himself, not, as they say, mad, but as liberated from
the unstable and variable course around the manifold variety of error,
through the simple, and ever the same, and similar truth. Thus then the
early leaders [50] of our Divine Theosophy are dying every day, on behalf of
truth, testifying as is natural, both by every word and deed, to the one
knowledge of the truth of the Christians, that it is of all, both more
simple and more Divine, yea rather, that it is the sole true and one and
simple knowledge of God.
_________________________________________________________________
[48] See Caput XI., Section VI.
[49] True theory of evolution.
[50] First persecution of Nero.
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT VIII.
Concerning power, justice, preservation, redemption, in which also
concerning inequality.
SECTION I.
BUT since the theologians sing the Divine truth fulness and super-wise
wisdom, both as power and as justice, and designate It preservation and
redemption, come then, let us unfold these Divine Names also, as best we
can. Now, that the Godhead is pre-eminent above, and surpasses every power,
howsoever being and conceived, I do not suppose any of those nourished in
the Divine Oracles does not know. For on many occasions the Word of God
attributes the Lordship to It, even when distinguishing It from the
supercelestial powers themselves. How then do the theologians sing it also
as a Power, which is pre-eminent above every power? or how ought we to
understand the name of power as applied to It?
SECTION II.
We say, then, that Almighty God is Power, as pre-having, and super-having,
every power in Himself, and as Author of every power, and producing
everything as beseems a Power inflexible and unencompassed, and as being
Author of the very existence of power, either the universal or particular,
and as boundless in power, not only by the production of all power, but by
being above all, even the self. existent Power, and by His superior power,
and by His bringing into existence, ad infinitum, endless powers other than
the existing powers; and by the fact that the endless powers, even when
brought into existence without end, are not able to blunt the super-endless
production of His power-making power; and by the unutterable and unknown,
and inconceivable nature of His all-surpassing power, which, through
abundance of the powerful, gives power even to weakness, and holds together
and preserves the remotest of its echoes; as also we may see even with
regard to the powerful insensible perception, that the super-brilliant
lights reach even to obscure visions, and they say, that the loud sounds
enter even into ears which are not very well adapted to the reception of
sounds. For that which does not hear at all is not hearing; and that which
does not see at all is not sight.
SECTION III.
The distribution, then, of boundless power, from Almighty God, passes to all
beings, and there is no single being which is utterly deprived of the
possession of some power; but it has either intellectual, or rational, or
sensible, or vital, or essential power; yea even, if one may say so,
self-existent being has power to be from the superessential Power.
SECTION IV.
From It, are the godlike powers of the angelic ranks; from It, they have
their immutability, and all their intellectual and immortal perpetual
movements; and their equilibrium itself, and their undiminishable aspiration
after good, they have received from the Power boundless in goodness; since
It commits to them the power to be, and to be such, and to aspire always to
be, and the power itself to aspire to have the power always.
SECTION V.
But the gifts of the unfailing Power pass on, both to men and living
creatures, and plants, and the entire nature of the universe; and It
empowers things united for their mutual friendship and communion, and things
divided for their being each within their own sphere and limit, without
confusion, and without mingling; and preserves the order and good relations
of the whole, for their own proper good, and guards the undying lives of the
individual angels inviolate; and the heavenly and the life-giving and astral
bodies [51] and orders without change: and makes the period of time possible
to be; and disperses the revolutions of time by their progressions, and
collects them together by their returns; and makes the powers of fire
unquenchable, and the rills of water unfailing; and sets bounds to the
aerial current, and establishes the earth upon nothing; and guards its
life-giving throes from perishing; and preserves the mutual harmony and
mingling of the elements without confusion, and without division; and holds
together the bond of soul and body; and arouses the nourishing and growing
powers of plants; and sustains the essential powers of the whole; and
secures the continuance of the universe without dissolution, and bequeaths
the deification Itself, by furnishing a power for this to those who are
being deified. And in a word, there is absolutely no single thing which is
deprived of the overruling surety and embrace of the Divine Power. For that
which absolutely has no power, neither is, nor is anything, nor is there any
sort of position of it whatever.
SECTION VI.
Yet Elymas, the Magician, says, “if Almighty God is All-powerful, how is He
said by your theologian, not to be able to do some thing “? But he
calumniates the Divine Paul, who said, “that Almighty God is not able to
deny Himself.” Now in advancing this, I very much fear lest I should incur
ridicule for folly, as undertaking to pull down frail houses, built upon the
sand by little boys at play; and as being eager to aim at the theological
intelligence of this, as if it were some inaccessible mark. For, the denial
of Himself, is a falling from truth, but the truth is an existent, and the
falling from the truth is a falling from the existent. If, then, the truth
is an existent, and the denial of the truth a falling from the existent,
Almighty God cannot fall from the existent, and non-existence is not; as any
one might say, the powerless is not powerful; and ignorance, by privation,
does not know. The wise man, not having understood this, imitates those
inexperienced wrestlers, who, very often, by assuming that their adversaries
are weak, according to their own opinion, and manfully making a show of
fight with them, when absent, and courageously beating the air with empty
blows, think that they have overcome their antagonists, and proclaim
themselves victors (though) not yet having experienced their rivals’
strength. But we, conjecturing the meaning of the Theologian to the best of
our ability, celebrate the Super-powerful God, as Omnipotent, as blessed,
and only Lord; as reigning in the kingdom of Eternity itself; as in no
respect fallen from things existing;—but rather, as both super-having and
pre-having all existing things, as beseems Power superessential; and as
having bequeathed to all things being, the power to be, and this their being
in an ungrudging stream, as beseems abundance of surpassing power.
SECTION VII.
But further, Almighty God is celebrated as justice, as distributing things
suitable to all, both due measure, and beauty, and good order, and
arrangement, and marking out all distributions and orders for each,
according to that which truly is the most just limit, and as being Cause for
all of the free action of each. For the Divine Justice arranges and disposes
all things, and preserving all things unmingled and unconfused, from all,
gives to all existing beings things convenient for each, according to the
due falling to each existing thing. And, if we speak correctly, all those
who abuse the Divine Justice, unconsciously convict themselves of a manifest
injustice. For they say, that immortality ought to be in mortals, and
perfection in the imperfect, and imposed necessity in the free, and identity
in the variable, and perfect power in the weak, and the temporal should be
eternal, and things moveable by nature, unchangeable, and that temporary
pleasures should be eternal; and in one word, they assign the properties of
one thing to another. They ought to know that the Divine Justice in this
respect is really a true justice, because it distributes to all the things
proper to themselves, according to the fitness of each existing thing, and
preserves the nature of each in its own order and capacity.
SECTION VIII.
But some one may say, it is not the mark of justice to leave pious men
without assistance, when they are ground down by evil men. To which we must
reply, that, if those whom you call pious do indeed love things on earth,
which are zealously sought after by the earthly, they have altogether fallen
from the Divine Love. And I do not know how they could be called pious, when
they unjustly treat things truly loveable and divine, which do not at once
surpass in influence in their estimation things undesirable and unloveable.
But, if they love the realities, they who desire certain things ought to
rejoice when they attain the things desired. Are they not then nearer the
angelic virtues, when, as far as possible, by aspiration after things
Divine, they withdraw from the affection for earthly things, by being
exercised very manfully to this, in their perils, on behalf of the
beautiful? So that, it is true to say, that this is rather a property of the
Divine Justice—not to pamper and destroy the bravery of the best, by the
gifts of earthly things, nor, if any one should attempt to do this, to leave
them without assistance, but to establish them in the excellent and harsh
condition, and to dispense to them, as being such, things meet for them.
SECTION IX.
This Divine Justice, then, is celebrated also even as preservation of the
whole, as preserving and guarding the essence and order of each, distinct
and pure from the rest; and as being genuine cause of each minding its own
business in the whole. But, if any one should also celebrate this
preservation, as rescuing savingly the whole from the worse, we will
entirely accept this as the cantique of the manifold preservation, and we
will deem him worthy to define this even as the principal preservation of
the whole, which preserves all things in themselves, without change,
undisturbed and unswaying to the worse; and guards all things without strife
and without war, each being regulated by their own methods; and excludes all
inequality and minding others’ business, from the whole; and maintains the
relations of each from falling to things contrary, and from migrating. And
since, without missing the mark of the sacred theology, one might celebrate
this preservation as redeeming all things existing, by the goodness which is
preservative of all, from falling away from their own proper goods, so far
as the nature of each of those who are being preserved admits; wherefore
also the Theologians name it redemption, both so far as it does not permit
things really being to fall away to non-existence, and so far as, if
anything should have been led astray to discord and disorder, and should
suffer any diminution of the perfection of its own proper goods, even this
it redeems from passion and listlessness and loss; supplying what is
deficient, and paternally overlooking the slackness, and raising up from
evil; yea, rather, establishing in the good, and filling -up the leaking
good, and arranging and adorning its disorder and deformity, and making it
complete, and liberating it from all its blemishes. But let this suffice
concerning these matters, and concerning Justice, in accordance with which
the equality of all is measured and defined, and every inequality, which
arises from deprivation of the equality, in each thing severally, is
excluded. For, if any one should interpret inequality as distinctions in the
whole, of the whole, in relation to the whole, Justice guards even this, not
permitting the whole, when they have become mingled throughout, to be thrown
into confusion, but keeping all existing things within each particular kind,
in which each was intended by nature, to be.
_________________________________________________________________
[51] ousias
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT IX.
Concerning great, small, same, different, similar, dissimilar, standing,
movement, equality.
SECTION I.
BUT since even the great and the small are attributed to the Cause of all,
arid the same, and the different, and the similar, and the dissimilar, and
the standing, and the movement. Come! and let us gaze upon these images of
the Divine Names, such as have been manifested to us. Almighty God, then, is
celebrated in the Oracles as great, both in greatness and in a gentle
breeze, which manifests the Divine littleness; and as the same, when the
Oracles declare “thou art the same”; and as different, when He is depicted,
by the same Oracles, as of many shapes and many forms; and as similar, as
mainstay of things similar and similitude; and as dissimilar to all, as the
like of whom there is not; and as standing, and unmoved, and seated for
ever; and as moving, as going forth to all; and whatever other Divine Names,
of the same force with these, are celebrated by the Oracles.
SECTION II.
Almighty God, then, is named great in reference to His own peculiar
greatness, which imparts itself to all things great; and overflows, and
extends itself outside of all greatness; embracing every place, surpassing
every number, going through every infinitude, both in reference to its
super-fulness, and mighty operation, and its fontal gifts, in so far as
these, being participated by all in a stream of boundless gifts, are
altogether undiminished, and have the same super-fulness, and are not
lessened by the impartations, but are even still more bubbling over. This
Greatness then is infinite, and without measure and without number. And this
is the preeminence as regards the absolute and surpassing flood of the
incomprehensible greatness.
SECTION III.
But little, i.e. fine, is affirmed respecting Him,—that which leaves behind
every mass and distance, and penetrates through all, without hindrance. Yet
the little is Elemental [52] Cause of all, for nowhere will you find the
idea of the little unparticipated. Thus then the little must be received as
regards God as penetrating to all, and through all, without impediment; and
operating, and piercing through, to “a dividing of soul and spirit, and
joints and marrow”; and “discerning thoughts and intents of heart,” yea
rather—all things that be. For there is not a creature unmanifest in His
sight. This littleness is without quality and without quantity, without
restraint, without limit, without bound, comprehending all things, but
itself incomprehensible.
SECTION IV.
But the same is superessentially everlasting, inconvertible, abiding in
itself, always being in the same condition and manner; present to all in the
same manner, and itself by itself, upon itself, firmly and purely fixed in
the most beautiful limits of the superessential sameness, without changing,
without falling, without swerving, unalterable, unmingled, immaterial, most
simplex, self-sufficient, without increase, without diminution,
unoriginated, not as not yet come into being, or unperfected, or not having
become from this, or that, nor as being in no manner of way whatever, but as
all unoriginated, and absolutely unoriginated, and ever being; and being
self-complete, and being the same by itself, and differentiated by itself in
one sole and same form; and shedding sameness from itself to all things
adapted to participate in It; and assigning things different to those
different; abundance and cause of identity, preholding identically in itself
even things contrary, as beseems the One and unique Cause, surpassing the
whole identity.
SECTION V.
But the different, since Almighty God is present to all providentially, and
becomes all in all, for the sake of the preservation of all, resting upon
Himself, and His own identity within Himself, standing, as beseems an
energy, one and ceaseless, and imparting Himself with an unbending power,
for deification of those turned to Him. And we must suppose that the
difference of the manifold shapes of Almighty God, during the multiform
visions, signifies that certain things are different from the phenomena
under which they appear. For, as when language depicts the soul itself,
under a bodily form, and fashions bodily members around the memberless, we
think differently of the members attributed to it, as befits the soul’s
memberless condition; and we call the mind head, and opinion neck,—as
intermediate between rational and irrational—and anger, breast; and lust,
belly; and the constitution, legs and feet; using the names of the members
as symbols of the powers. Much more then, as respects Him, Who is beyond
all, is it necessary to make clear the difference of forms and shapes by
reverent and God-becoming, and mystic explanations. And if you wish to apply
the threefold shapes of bodies to the impalpable and shapeless God, you must
say, that the Progression of Almighty God, which spreads out to all things,
is a Divine extension; and length, the power extending itself over the
whole; and depth, the hiddenness and imperception incomprehensible to all
creatures. But, that we may not forget ourselves, in our explanation, of the
different shapes and forms, by confounding the incorporeal Divine Names with
those given through symbols of objects of sense, we have for this reason
spoken concerning these things in the Symbolic Theology. But now, let us
suppose the Divine difference, as really not a sort of change from the
super-immovable identity, but as the single multiplication of itself, and
the uniform progressions of its fecundity to all.
SECTION VI.
But similar, if any one might speak of Almighty God as the same, as being
wholly throughout, similar to Himself—abidingly and indivisibly; we must not
despise the Divine Name of the Similar; but the Theologians affirm that the
God above all, in His essential nature, is similar to none; but that He
bequeaths a Divine similarity to those who turn to Him, Who is above every
limit and expression, by imitation according to their capacity. And there is
the power of the Divine similitude, which turns all created things to the
Cause. These things, then, must be said to be similar to Almighty God, both
after a Divine likeness and similitude. For, neither must we say that
Almighty God is similar to them, because neither is a man like his own
image. For, with regard to those of the same rank, it is possible that these
should be similar to each other, and that the similarity corresponds to
each, and that both are similar to each other, after a preceding appearance
of like. But, with respect to the Cause and the things caused, we do not
accept the correspondence. For, the being similar is bequeathed, not to
these, or those, alone, but to all those who participate in similarity.
Almighty God becomes Cause of their being similar, and is mainstay of the
self-existing Similarity itself; and the similar in all is similar to a soft
of footprint of the Divine Similarity and completes their Oneness.
SECTION VII.
And what must we say concerning this? For the Word of God Itself extols the
fact that He is dissimilar, and of the same rank with none; as “different”
even from everything, and, what is more paradoxical, says there is nothing
that is similar to Him. Yet the expression is not contrary to the similarity
towards Him, for the same things are both similar to God, and dissimilar—the
former as regards the received imitation [53] of the inimitable, the latter
as regards the dependence of the things caused upon the cause, and their
being inferior in degrees, endless and incalculable.
SECTION VIII.
But what also do we say concerning the Divine standing, i.e. seat? What
other than that Almighty God remains Himself, in Himself, and is abidingly
fixed in unmoved identity, and is firmly established on high; and that He
acts according to the same conditions, and in reference to the same object,
and in the same way; and that He exists altogether, as beseems the
immutability from Himself; and as beseems the immovability Itself, entirely
immovable, and that superessentially. For He is Cause of the standing and
sitting of all, Who is above all sitting and standing, and in Him all things
consist, being kept from falling out of the state of their own proper goods.
SECTION IX.
But what again, when the Theologians say, that the unmoved goes forth to
all, and is moved? Must we not understand this in a sense befitting God? For
we must reverently suppose that He is moved, not as beseems carriage, or
change, or alteration, or turning, or local movement, or the straight, or
the circular, or that from both (curvative), or the intellectual, or the
spiritual, or the physical, but that Almighty God brings into being and
sustains everything, and provides in every way for everything; and is
present, to all, by the irresistible embrace of all, and by His providential
progressions and operations to all existing things. But we must concede to
our discourse, to celebrate in a sense becoming God, even movements of God,
the immovable. And the straight must be considered (to be) the unswerving
and the undeviating progression of the operation, and the production from
Himself of the whole; and the curvative—the steady progression and the
productive condition; and the circular the same, and the holding together
the middle and extremities, which encompass and are encompassed,—and the
turning to Him of the things which proceeded from Him.
SECTION X.
But, if any one should take the Divine Name in the Oracles, of “the same,”
or that of “justice,” in the sense of “the equal,” we must say, that
Almighty God is equal, not only as indivisible and unswerving, but also as
going forth to all, and through all, equally; and as foundation of the
self-existent Equality, in conformity with which, He equally effects the
same passage, through all things mutually, and the participation of those
who receive equally, according to the aptitude of each; and the equal gift
distributed to all, according to due; and according as He has anticipated
pre-eminently and uniquely in Himself, every equality, intelligible,
intelligent, rational, sensible, essential, physical, voluntary, as beseems
the Power over all, which is productive of every equality.
_________________________________________________________________
[52] Atomic theory.
[53] Letter 2.
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT X.
Concerning Sovereign Lord, “Ancient of days” in which also, concerning Age
and Time [54] .
SECTION I.
THE time, then, is come for our discourse, to sing the God of many Names, as
“Sovereign Lord,” and as “Ancient of days.” For He is called the former, by
reason that He is an all-controlling basis, binding and embracing the whole,
and establishing and supporting, and tightening, and completing the whole.
Continuous in itself, and from itself, producing the whole, as it were from
a Sovereign root, and turning to itself the whole, as to a sovereign parent
stock, and holding them together as an all-embracing basis of all, securing
all the things embraced, within one grasp superior to all, and not
permitting them, when fallen from itself to be destroyed, as moved from an
all-perfect sanctuary. But the Godhead is called Sovereign, both as
controlling and governing the members of His household, purely, and as being
desired and beloved by all, and as placing upon all the voluntary yokes, and
the sweet pangs of the Divine and Sovereign, and in dissolvable love of the
Goodness itself,
SECTION II.
But Almighty God is celebrated as “Ancient of days” because He is of all
things both Age and Time,—and before Days, and before Age and Time. And yet
we must affirm that He is Time and Day, and appointed Time, and Age, in a
sense befitting God, as being throughout every movement unchangeable and
unmoved, and in His ever moving remaining in Himself, and as being Author of
Age and Time and Days. Wherefore, in the sacred Divine manifestations of the
mystic visions, He is represented as both old and young; the former indeed
signifying the “Ancient” and being from the beginning, and the latter His
never growing old; or both teaching that He advances through all things from
beginning to end,—or as our Divine initiator says, “since each manifests the
priority of God, the Elder having the first place in Time, but the Younger
the priority in number; because the unit, and things near the unit, are
nearer the beginning than numbers further advanced.
SECTION III.
But we must, as I think, see from the Oracles the nature of Time and
Eternity, for they do not always (merely) call all the things absolutely
unoriginated and really everlasting, eternal, but also things imperishable
and immortal and unchangeable, and things which are in like fashion, as when
they say, “be ye opened, eternal doors,” and the like. And often they
characterize the things the most ancient by the name of Eternity; and again
they call the whole duration of our time Eternity, in so far as the ancient
and unchangeable, and the measurement of existence throughout, is a
characteristic of Eternity. But they call time that concerned in generation
and decay and change, and sometimes the one, and sometimes the other.
Wherefore also, the Word of God says that even we, who are bounded here by
time, shall partake of Eternity, when we have reached the Eternity which is
imperishable and ever the same. But sometimes eternity is celebrated in the
Oracles, even as temporal, and time as eternal. But if we know them better
and more accurately, things spiritual [55] are spoken of and denoted by
Eternity, and things subject to generation by time. It is necessary then to
suppose that things called eternal are not absolutely co-eternal with God,
Who is before Eternity, but that following unswervingly the most august
Oracles, we should understand things eternal and temporal according to the
hopes recognized by them, hut whatever participates partly in eternity and
partly in time, as things midway between things spiritual and things being
born. But Almighty God we ought to celebrate, both as eternity and time, as
Author of every time and eternity, and “Ancient of days,” as before time,
and above time; and as changing appointed seasons and times; and again as
being before ages, in so far as He is both before eternity and above
eternity and His kingdom, a kingdom of all the Ages. Amen.
_________________________________________________________________
[54] Dulac, p. 226.
[55] ta onta—actual.
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT XI.
Concerning Peace, and what is meant by the self-existent Being; what is the
self-existent Life, and what the self-existent Power, and such like
expressions.
SECTION I.
COME, then, let us extol the Peace Divine, and Source of conciliation, by
hymns of peace! For this it is which unifies all, and engenders, and effects
the agreement and fellowship of all. Wherefore, even all things aspire to
it, which turns their divided multiplicity into the thorough Oneness, and
unifies the tribal war of the whole into a homogeneous dwelling together, by
the participation of the divine Peace. With regard, then, to the more
reverend of the conciliating powers, these indeed are united to themselves
and to each other, and to the one Source of Peace of the whole; and the
things (that are) under them, these they unite also to themselves and to
each other, and to the One and all-perfect Source and Cause of the Peace of
all, which, passing in-divisibly to the whole, limits and terminates and
secures everything, as if by a kind of bolts, which bind together things
that are separated; and do not permit them, when separated, to rush to
infinity and the boundless, and to become without order, and without
stability, and destitute of God, and to depart from the union amongst
themselves, and to become intermingled m each other, in every sort of
confusion. Concerning then, this, the Divine Peace and Repose, which the
holy Justus calls unutterableness, and, as compared with every known
progression, immobility, how it rests and is at ease, and how it is in
itself, and within itself, and entire, and to itself entire is super-united,
and when entering into itself, and multiplying itself, neither loses its own
Union, but even proceeds to all, whilst remaining entire within, by reason
of excess of its Union surpassing all, it is neither permitted, nor
attainable to any existing being, either to express or to understand. But,
having premised this, as unutterable and unknowable, as being beyond all,
let us examine its conceived and uttered participations, and this, as
possible to men, and to us, as inferior to many good men.
SECTION II.
First then, this must be said, that It is mainstay of the self-existent
Peace, both the general and the particular; and that It mingles all things
with each other within their unconfused union, as beseems which, united
indivisibly, and at the same time they severally continuously unmingled
stand, as regards their own proper kind, not muddled through their mingling
with the opposite, nor blunting any of their unifying distinctness and
purity. Let us then contemplate a certain One and simple nature of the
peaceful Union, unifying all things to Itself, and to themselves, and to
each other; and preserving all things in an unconfused grasp of all, both
unmingled and mingled together; by reason of which the divine Minds, being
united,, are united to their own conceptions, and to the things conceived;
and again they ascend to the unknowable contact of things fixed above mind;
by reason of which, souls, by uniting their manifold reasonings, and
collecting them together to an One intellectual Purity, advance in a manner
proper to themselves, by method and order, through the immaterial and
indivisible conception, to the union above conception; by reason of which,
the one and indissoluble connection of all is established, within its Divine
Harmony, and is harmonized by complete concord and agreement and fellowship,
being united without confusion, and held together without division. For the
fulness of the perfect Peace passes through to all existing things, as
beseems the most simple, and unmingled presence of Its unifying power,
making all One. and binding the extremes through the intermediate to the
extremes, which are yoked together in an one connatural friendship; and
bestowing the enjoyment of Itself, even to the furthest extremities of the
whole, and making all things of one family, by the unities, the identities,
the unions, the conjunctions of the Divine Peace, standing of course
indivisibly, and showing all in one, and passing through all, and not
stepping out of Its own identity. For It advances to all, and imparts Itself
to all, in a manner appropriate to them, and there overflows an abundance of
peaceful fertility; and It remains, through excess of union, super-united,
entire, to and throughout Its whole self.
SECTION III.
But how, some one may say, do all things aspire to peace, for many things
rejoice in diversity and division, and would not, at any time, of their own
accord, be willingly in repose. Now, if in saying this, he affirms, that the
identity of each existing thing is diversity and division, and that there is
no existent thing whatever, which at any time is willing to destroy this
(identity), neither would we in any way contradict this, but would declare
even this an aspiration after peace. For all things love to dwell at peace,
and to be united amongst themselves, and to be unmoved and unfallen from
themselves, and the things of themselves. And the perfect Peace seeks to
guard the idiosyncrasy of each unmoved and unconfused, by its peace-giving
forethought, preserving everything unmoved and unconfused, both as regards
themselves and each other, and establishes all things by a stable and
unswerving power, towards their own peace and immobility.
SECTION IV.
And if all things in motion desire, not repose, but ever to make known their
own proper movement, even this is an aspiration after the Divine Peace of
the whole, which preserves all things from falling away of their own accord,
and guards the idiosyncrasy and moving life of all moving things unmoved and
free from falling, so that the things moved, being at peace amongst
themselves, and always in the same condition, perform their own proper
functions.
SECTION V.
But if, in affirming the diversity as a falling from peace, he insists that
peace is not beloved by all, verily there is no existing being which has
entirely fallen from every kind of union; for, the altogether unstable and
infinite, and unestablished, and without limit, is neither an actual thing,
nor in things actual. But if he says, that those are inimical to peace, and
good things of peace, who rejoice in strife and anger and changes and
disturbances, even these are controlled by obscure images of a peaceful
aspiration; being vexed by tumultuous passions, and ignorantly aspiring to
calm them, they imagine that they will pacify themselves by the
gratification of things which ever elude them, and they are disturbed by the
non-attainment of the pleasures which overpowered them. What would any one
say of the peaceful stream of love towards man in Christ, according to which
we have learned no longer to wage war, either with ourselves, or each other,
or with angels, but that with them, according to our power, we should also
be fellow-workers in Divine things, after the purpose of Jesus, Who worketh
all in all, and forms a peace unutterable and pre-determined from Eternity,
and reconciles us to Himself, in Spirit, and through Himself and in Himself
to the Father; concerning which supernatural gifts it is sufficiently spoken
in the Theological Outlines, whilst the Oracles of the sacred inspiration
furnish us with additional testimony.
SECTION VI.
But, since you once asked me by letter, what in the world I consider the
self-existent Being, the self-existent Life, the self-existent Wisdom, and
said that you debated with yourself how, at one time, I call Almighty God,
self-existent Life, and at another, Mainstay of the self-existent Life, I
thought it necessary, O holy man of God, to also free you from this
difficulty, so far as lay in my power. And first then, in order that we may
now resume that which I have said a thousand times already, there is no
contradiction in saying that Almighty God is self-existent Power, or
self-existent Life, and that He is Mainstay of the self-existent Life or
Peace or Power. For the latter, He is named from things existing, and
specially from the first existing, as Cause of all existing things; and the
former, as being above all, even the first existing of beings, being above
superessentially. But you say, what in the world do we call the
self-existent Being, or the self-existent Life, or whatever we lay down to
be absolutely and originally and to have stood forth primarily from God? And
we reply, this is not crooked but straight, and has a simple explanation.
For we do not say that the self-existent Being, as Cause of the being of all
things, is a sort of Divine or angelic essence (for the Superessential alone
is Source and Essence and Cause of the existence of all things, and of the
self-existent Being), nor that another Deity, besides the Super-divine,
produces Life for all that live, and is a Life Causative of the
self-existent Life; nor to speak summarily, that essences and personalities
originate and make existing things, so that superficial people have named
them both gods, and creators of existing things,—whom, to speak truly and
properly, neither they themselves knew (for they are non-existent), nor
their fathers,—but we call self-existent Being, and self-existent Life, and
self-existent Deity, as regards at least Source, and Deity, and Cause, the
One Superior and Superessential Source and Cause; but as regards
Impartation, the providential Powers, that issue forth from God the
unparticipating, (these we call) the self-existent essentiation,
self-existent living, self-existent deification, by participating in which
according to their own capacity, things existing, both are, and are said to
be, existing, and living, and full of God—and the rest in the same way.
Wherefore also, He is called the good Mainstay of the first of these, then
of the whole of them, then of the portions of them, then of those who
participate in them entirely, then of those who participate in them in part.
And why must we speak of these things, since some of our divine instructors
in holy things, affirm that the Super-good and Super-divine self-existent
Goodness and Deity, is Mainstay even of the self-existent Goodness and
Deity; affirming that the good-making and deifying gift issued forth from
God; and that the self-existent beautifying stream, is self-existent beauty,
and whole beauty, and partial beauty, and things absolutely beautiful, and
things partially beautiful, and whatever other things are said and shall be
said after the same fashion, which declare that providences and goodnesses
issuing forth from God the unparticipating, in an ungrudging stream, are
participated by existing things, and bubble over in order that distinctly
the Cause of all may be beyond all, and the Superessential and Supernatural
may, in every respect, be above things of any sort of essence and nature
whatever.
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT XII.
Concerning Holy of Holies, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, God of Gods.
SECTION I.
BUT since whatever we have to say on these matters has reached, in my
opinion, a fitting conclusion, we must sing Him of endless names, both as
Holy of Holies and King of Kings; and as ruling eternity and for ever and
beyond, and as Lord of Lords, and God of Gods. And first we must say, what
we think Holiness Itself is; and what Kingdom, and what Lordship, and what
Divinity, and what the Oracles wish to denote by the duplication of the
names.
SECTION II.
Holiness then is (so far as we can say) the purity free from every
pollution, and all perfect, and altogether unstained; Kingdom is the
assignment of every limit and order, and ordinance and rank; and Lordship is
not only the superiority over the worse, but also the perfect possession,
in. every respect, of the Beautiful and Good; and a true and unswerving
stability. Wherefore Lordship is parallel to to Kuros kai kurion, kai to
kuristōn [56] ; and Deity is the Providence watching over all, and with
perfect goodness both circumscribing and grasping all, and filling with
Itself, and surpassing all things which enjoy Its forethought.
SECTION III.
These things, then, must be sung absolutely, respecting the Cause surpassing
all, and we must add that It surpasses Holiness, and Lordship, and Kingdom,
and most simplex [57] Deity. For, from It, individually and collectively,
were born and distributed every untarnished distinctness of every spotless
purity, the whole arrangement and regulation of things existing, whilst It
excludes want of harmony and want of equality, and want of symmetry, and
rejoices over the well-ordered identity and rectitude, and leads round
things, deemed worthy to participate in Itself. From It is all the perfect
and complete possession of all. good things, every good forethought,
watching and sustaining the objects of Its forethought, imparting Itself, as
befits Its goodness, for deification of those who are turned to It.
SECTION IV.
But since the Cause of all is super-full of all, as beseems the One
superfluity which surpasses all, He is sung as Holy of Holies and the rest,
as beseems an overflowing Cause, and a towering Pre-eminence. As one might
say, so far as the things which are,—holy or divine, or lordly, or
kingly,—surpass the things which are not, and the self-existent
participations, their participants; to such an extent is seated above all
things that be, He Who is above all things that be, and the unparticipating
Cause of all the participants and the participations. But Holy and Kings and
Lords and Gods, the Oracles call the higher orders in each, through whom the
inferior in participating the gifts from God, multiply the simplicity of
their distribution around their own diversities, the variety of which, the
superior orders carefully and divinely collect to their own Oneness.
_________________________________________________________________
[56] The rendering of which may be, the lordly, and the lordlier, and the
lordliest.
[57] Letter 2.
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT XIII.
Concerning “Perfect” and “One”.
SECTION I.
So much then on these matters; but let us now at last, with your good
pleasure, approach the most difficult subject in the whole discourse. For
the Word of God predicates everything, singly and collectively, respecting
the Cause of all, and extols Him both as Perfect and as One [58] . He is
then perfect not only as self-perfect, and solitarily separated within
Himself, by Himself, and throughout most perfect, but also as super-perfect,
as beseems His pre-eminence over all, and limiting every infinitude, and
surpassing every term, and by none contained or comprehended; but even
extending at once to all, and above all, by His unfailing gratuities and
endless energies. But, on the other hand, He is called perfect, both as
without increase, and always perfect, and as undiminished, as pre-holding
all things in Himself, and overflowing as beseems one, inexhaustible, and
same, and super-full, and undiminished, abundance, in accordance with which
He perfects all perfect things, and fills them with His own perfection.
SECTION II.
But One, because He is uniquely all, as beseems an excess of unique Oneness,
and is Cause of all without departing from the One. For there is no single
existing being, which does not participate in the one, but as every number
participates in an unit, and one dual and one decade is spoken of, and one
half, and one third and tenth, so everything, and part of everything
participates in the one, and by the fact that the One is, all existing
things are. And the Cause of all is not One, as one of many, but before
every one and multitude, and determinative of every one and multitude. For
there is no multitude which does not partake in some way or other of the
one. Yea, that which is many by parts, is one in the whole; and the many by
the accidents, is one by the subject; and the many by the number or the
powers, is one by the species, and the many by the species, is one by the
genus; and the many by the progressions, is one by the source. And there is
no single thing which does not participate in some way in the one, which
uniformly pre-held in the uniqueness throughout all, all and whole, all,
even the things opposed. And indeed, without the one there will not be a
multitude, but without the multitude there will be the one, even as the unit
previous to every multiplied number; and, if any one should suppose, that
all things are united to all, the All will be one in the whole.
SECTION III.
Especially must this be known, that according to the pre-conceived species
of each one, things united are said to be made one, and the one is elemental
of all; and if you should take away the one, there will be neither totality
nor part, nor any other single existing thing. For the one, uniformly,
pre-held and comprehended all things in itself. For this reason, then, the
Word of God celebrates the whole Godhead, as Cause of all, by the epithet of
the One, both one God the Father, and one Lord Jesus Christ, and one and the
same Spirit, by reason of the surpassing indivisibility of the whole Divine
Oneness, in which all things are uniquely collected, and are super-unified,
and are with It Superessentially. Wherefore also, all things are justly
referred and attributed to It, by Which and from Which, and through Which,
and in Which, and to Which, all things are, and are co-ordinated, and abide,
and are held together, and are filled, and are turned towards It. And you
would not find any existing thing, which is not what it is, and perfected
and preserved, by the One, after which the whole Deity is superessentially
named. And it is necessary also, that we being turned from the many to the
One, by the power of the Divine Oneness, should celebrate as One the whole
and one Deity—the one Cause of all—which is before every one and multitude,
and part and whole, and limit and illimitability, and term and infinity,
which bounds all things that be, even the Being Itself, and is uniquely
Cause of all, individually and collectively, and at the same time before
all, and above all, and above the One existing Itself, and bounding the One
existing Itself; since the One existing—that in things being—is numbered,
and number participates in essence; but the superessential One bounds both
the One existing, and every number, and Itself is, of both one and number,
and every being, Source and Cause, and Number and. Order. Wherefore also,
whilst celebrated as Unit and Triad, the Deity above all is neither Unit nor
Triad, as understood by us or by any other sort of being, but, in order that
we may celebrate truly. Its super-oneness, and Divine generation, by the
threefold and single name of God, we name the Deity, Which is inexpressible
to things that be, the Superessential. But no Unit nor Triad, nor number nor
unity, nor productiveness, nor any other existing thing, or thing known to
any existing thing, brings forth the hiddenness, above every expression and
every mind, of the Super-Deity Which is above all superessentially. Nor has
It a Name, or expression, but is elevated above in the inaccessible. And
neither do we apply the very Name of Goodness, as making it adequate to It,
but through a desire of understanding and saying something concerning that
inexpressible nature, we consecrate the most august of Names to It, in the
first degree, and although we should be in accord in this matter with the
theologians, yet we shall fall short of the truth of the facts. Wherefore,
even they have given the preference to the ascent through negations, as
lifting the soul out of things kindred to itself, and conducting it through
all the Divine conceptions, above which towers that which is above every
name, and every expression and knowledge, and at the furthest extremity
attaching it to Him, as far indeed as is possible for us to be attached to
that Being.
SECTION IV.
We then, having collected these intelligible Divine Names, have unfolded
them to the best of our ability, falling short not only of the precision
which belongs to them, (for this truly, even Angels might say) nor only of
their praises as sung by Angels (and the chief of our Theologians come
behind the lowest of them), nor indeed of the Theologians themselves, nor of
their followers or companions, but even of those who are of the same rank as
ourselves, last and subordinate to them; so that, if the things spoken
should be correct, and, if we, as far as in us lies, have really reached the
perception of the unfolding of the Divine Names, let the fact be ascribed to
the Author of all good things, Who, Himself, bestows first the power to
speak, then to speak well. And if any one of the Names of the same force has
been passed over, that also you must understand according to the same
methods. But, if these things are either incorrect or imperfect, and we have
wandered from the truth, either wholly or partially, may it be of thy
brotherly kindness to correct him, who unwillingly is ignorant, and to
impart a word to him, who wishes to learn, and to vouchsafe assistance to
him, who has not power in himself; and to heal him, who, not willingly, is
sick; and having found out some things from thyself, and others from others,
and receiving all from the good to transfer them also to us. By no means
grow weary in doing good to a man thy friend, for thou perceivest, that we
also have kept to ourselves none of the hierarchical communications
transmitted to us, but have transmitted them without flaw, both to you and
to other holy men, yea, and will continue to transmit them, as we may be
sufficient to speak, and those to whom we speak, to hear, doing injury in no
respect to the tradition, if at least we do not fail in the conception and
expression thereof. But, let these things be held and spoken in such way, as
is well pleasing to Almighty God; and let this indeed be our conclusion to
the intelligible Divine Names. But I will now pass to the Symbolic Theology
[59] , with God for my Guide.
27 October, 1896.
_________________________________________________________________
[58] [Greek]. It should be noted that where He, Him and His are used in this
Section, the Neuter is used in the Greek.
[59] See letter to Titus.
_________________________________________________________________
NOTE.
IGNATIUS.
" MY love is crucified."
Upon this passage I differ from all the commentators that I know. I believe
the passage to have been written and inserted in the text by Dionysius when
writing this letter, which must have been before A.D. 98. I do not think it
a quotation from the letter of Ignatius written just previous to his
martyrdom. I think Dionysius quoted some previous writing of Ignatius, in
which he spoke of our Saviour as "My Love, Which is mine." That is the sense
in this passage, to shew the exalted use of Love. In the letter of Ignatius
to the Romans, he seems to use "love" in the sense of human passion or fire,
and says that that is crucified in him. In any case, there is no
chronological difficulty. Ignatius was martyred A.D. 107, Dionysius, A.D.
_________________________________________________________________
MYSTIC THEOLOGY
PREFACE
MYSTIC THEOLOGY is like that ladder set up on the earth whose top reached to
Heaven on which the angels of God were ascending and descending, and above
which stood Almighty God. The Angel ascending is the “negative” which
distinguishes Almighty God from all created things. God is not matter—soul,
mind, spirit, any being, nor even being itself, but above and beyond all
these. The Angel descending is the “Affirmative.” God is good, wise,
powerful, the Being, until we come to Symbolic Theology, which denotes Him
under material forms and conditions: Theology prefers the negative because
Almighty God is more appropriately presented by distinction than by
comparison.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT I.
What is the Divine Gloom?
SECTION I.
TRIAD supernal, both super-God and super-good, Guardian of the Theosophy of
Christian men, direct us aright to the super-unknown and super-brilliant and
highest summit of the mystic Oracles, where the simple and absolute and
changeless mysteries of theology lie hidden within the super-luminous gloom
of the silence, revealing hidden things, which in its deepest darkness
shines above the most super-brilliant, and in the altogether impalpable and
invisible, fills to overflowing the eyeless minds with glories of surpassing
beauty. This then be my prayer; but thou, O dear Timothy, by thy persistent
commerce with the mystic visions, leave behind both sensible perceptions and
intellectual efforts, and all objects of sense and intelligence, and all
things not being and being, and be raised aloft unknowingly to the union, as
far as attainable, with Him Who is above every essence and knowledge. For by
the resistless and absolute ecstasy in all purity, from thyself and all,
thou wilt be carried on high, to the superessential ray of the Divine
darkness, when thou hast cast away all, and become free from all.
SECTION II.
But see that none of the uninitiated listen to these things—those I mean who
are entangled in things being, and fancy there is nothing superessentially
above things being, but imagine that they know, by their own knowledge, Him,
Who has placed darkness as His hiding-place. But, if the Divine initiations
are above such, what would any one say respecting those still more
uninitiated, such as both portray the Cause exalted above all, from the
lowest of things created, and say that It in no wise excels the no-gods
fashioned by themselves and of manifold shapes, it being our duty both to
attribute and affirm all the attributes of things existing to It, as Cause
of all, and more properly to deny them all to It, as being above all, and
not to consider the negations to be in opposition to the affirmations, but
far rather that It, which is above every abstraction and definition, is
above the privations.
SECTION III.
Thus, then, the divine Bartholomew says that Theology is much and least, and
the Gospel broad and great, and on the other hand concise. He seems to me to
have comprehended this supernaturally, that the good Cause of all is both of
much utterance, and at the same time of briefest utterance and without
utterance; as having neither utterance nor conception, because It is
superessentially exalted above all, and manifested without veil and in
truth, to those alone who pass through both all things consecrated and pure,
and ascend above every ascent of all holy summits, and leave behind all
divine lights and sounds, and heavenly words, and enter into the gloom,
where really is, as the Oracles say, He Who is beyond all. For even the
divine Moses is himself strictly bidden to be first purified, and then to be
separated from those who are not so, and after entire cleansing hears the
many-voiced trumpets, and sees many lights, shedding pure and streaming
rays; then he is separated from the multitude, and with the chosen priests
goes first to the summit of the divine ascents, although even then he does
not meet with Almighty God Himself, but views not Him (for He is viewless)
but the place where He is. Now this I think signifies that the most Divine
and Highest of the things seen and contemplated are a sort of suggestive
expression, of the things subject to Him Who is above all, through which His
wholly inconceivable Presence is shown, reaching to the highest spiritual
summits of His most holy places; and then he (Moses) is freed from them who
are both seen and seeing, and enters into the gloom of the Agnosia; a gloom
veritably mystic, within which he closes all perceptions of knowledge and
enters into the altogether impalpable and unseen, being wholly of Him Who is
beyond all, and of none, neither himself nor other; and by inactivity of all
knowledge, united in his better part to. the altogether Unknown, and by
knowing nothing, knowing above mind.
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT II.
How we ought both to be united and render praise to the Cause of all and
above all.
SECTION I.
WE pray to enter within the super-bright gloom, and through not seeing and
not knowing, to see and to know that the not to see nor to know is itself
the above sight and knowledge. For this is veritably to see and to know and
to celebrate super-essentially the Superessential, through the abstraction
of all existing things, just as those who make a lifelike statue, by
extracting all the encumbrances which have been placed upon the clear view
of the concealed, and by bringing to light, by the mere cutting away [60] ,
the genuine beauty concealed in it. And, it is necessary, as I think, to
celebrate the abstractions in an opposite way to the definitions. For, we
used to place these latter by beginning from the foremost and descending
through the middle to the lowest, but, in this case, by making the ascents
from the lowest to the highest, we abstract everything, in order that,
without veil, we may know that Agnosia, which is enshrouded under all the
known, in all things that be, and may see that superessential gloom, which
is hidden by all the light in existing things.
_________________________________________________________________
[60] i.e. the abstraction.
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT III.
What are the affirmative expressions respecting God, and what the negative.
SECTION I.
IN the Theological Outlines, then, we celebrated the principal affirmative
expressions respecting God—how the Divine and good Nature is spoken of as
One—how as Threefold—what is that within it which is spoken of as Paternity
and Sonship—what the Divine name of “the Spirit “is meant to signify,—how
from the immaterial and indivisible Good the Lights dwelling in the heart of
Goodness sprang forth, and remained, in their branching forth, without
departing from the coeternal abiding in Himself and in Themselves and in
each other,—how the super-essential Jesus takes substance in veritable human
nature—and whatever other things, made known by the Oracles, are celebrated
throughout the Theological Outlines; and in the treatise concerning Divine
Names, how He is named Good—how Being—how Life and Wisdom and Power—and
whatever else belongs to the nomenclature of God. Further, in the Symbolical
Theology, what are the Names transferred from objects of sense to things
Divine?—what are the Divine forms?—what the Divine appearances, and parts
and organs?—what the Divine places and ornaments?—what the angers?—what the
griefs?—and the Divine wrath?—what the carousals, and the ensuing
sicknesses?—what the oaths,—and what the curses?—what the sleepings, and
what the awakings?—and all the other Divinely formed representations, which
belong to the description of God, through symbols. And I imagine that you
have comprehended, how the lowest are expressed in somewhat more words than
the first. For, it was necessary that the Theological Outlines, and the
unfolding of the Divine Names should be expressed in fewer words than the
Symbolic Theology; since, in proportion as we ascend to the higher, in such
a degree the expressions are circumscribed by the contemplations of the
things intelligible. As even now, when entering into the gloom which is
above mind, we shall find, not a little speaking, but a complete absence of
speech, and absence of conception. In the other case, the discourse, in
descending from the above to the lowest, is widened according to the
descent, to a proportionate extent; but now, in ascending from below to that
which is above, in proportion to the ascent, it is contracted, and after a
complete ascent, it will become wholly voiceless, and will be wholly united
to the unutterable. But, for what reason in short, you say, having
attributed the Divine attributes from the foremost, do we begin the Divine
abstraction from things lowest? Because it is necessary that they who place
attributes on that which is above every attribute, should place the
attributive affirmation from that which is more cognate to it; but that they
who abstract, with regard to that which is above every abstraction, should
make the abstraction from things which are further removed from it. Are not
life and goodness more (cognate) than air and stone? and He is not given to
debauch and to wrath, more (removed) than He is not expressed nor conceived.
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT IV.
That the pre-eminent Cause of every object of sensible perception is none of
the objects of sensible perception.
SECTION I.
WE say then- that the Cause of all, which is above all, is neither without
being, nor without life—nor with- out reason, nor without mind, nor is a
body—nor has shape—nor form—nor quality, or quantity, or bulk—nor is in a
place—nor is seen—nor has sensible contact—nor perceives, nor is perceived,
by the senses—nor has disorder and confusion, as being vexed by earthly
passions,—nor is powerless, as being subject to casualties of sense,—nor is
in need of light;—neither is It, nor has It, change, or decay, or division,
or deprivation, or flux,—or any other of the objects of sense.
_________________________________________________________________
CAPUT V.
That the pre-eminent Cause of every object of intelligible perception is
none of the objects of intelligible perception.
ON the other hand, ascending, we say, that It is neither soul, nor mind, nor
has imagination, or opinion, or reason, or conception; neither is expressed,
nor conceived; neither is number, nor order, nor greatness, nor littleness;
nor equality, nor inequality; nor similarity, nor dissimilarity; neither is
standing, nor moving; nor at rest; neither has power, nor is power, nor
light; neither lives, nor is life; neither is essence nor eternity, nor
time; neither is Its touch intelligible, neither is It science, nor truth;
nor kingdom, nor wisdom; neither one, nor oneness; neither Deity, nor
Goodness; nor is It Spirit according to our understanding; nor Sonship, nor
Paternity; nor any other thing of those known to us, or to any other
existing being; neither is It any of non-existing nor of existing things,
nor do things existing know It, as It is; nor does It know existing things,
qua existing; neither is there expression of It, nor name, nor knowledge;
neither is It darkness, nor light; nor error, nor truth; neither is there
any definition at all of It, nor any abstraction. But when making the
predications and abstractions of things after It, we neither predicate, nor
abstract from It; since the all-perfect and uniform Cause of all is both
above every definition and the pre-eminence of Him, Who is absolutely freed
from all, and beyond the whole, is also above every abstraction.
_________________________________________________________________
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"All joy wants eternity!" —Nietzsche
The essays by the authors included in this blog are in the public domain and are copyright-free.
Upanishads, Psalms, Proverbs and Song of Songs, Buddha (The Lankavatara Sutra, Lotus of the True Law, Maha-Satipatthana Sutra, Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana), Bhagavad Gita, Plato, The Four Gospels, Aurelius, Plotinus, St. Augustine, Ramanuja, Boethius, Pseudo-Dionysius, Shankara, St. Francis, Ruusbroec, Theologia Germanica, Thomas a Kempis, Boehme, Eckhart, Dante, Cloud of Unknowing, St. Teresa, St. John of the Cross, Law, Emerson, Underhill
(Coming: Jacopone da Todi, Angela of Foligno, Mirror of Simple Souls) (Not included because of copyright issues: Jane Roberts/Seth)
"You can only behold that which you are."
Scroll down for note to reader and contents. Regrettably, the order of the contents is restricted by entry date. Sorry for the inconvenience. Use Control/F to search site.
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"All joy wants eternity!" —Nietzsche
Dear Reader:
The purpose of this site is make available, in one place, the major works by some of the great seers of the world—individuals that were able to see and experience the spiritual reality that forms and comprises the physical reality that we normally experience. The great and ancient Indian seers are represented by the Upanishads (c. 1000 BCE) and the Bhagavad Gita (c. 500 BCE), both in their entirety; the poetic expression of the Upanishads is “developed and enriched,” as Aldous Huxley said, “in the Bhagavad Gita.” There are three texts included here that represent the thoughts of the Buddha (c. 563 to 483 BCE). The first is the Dhammapada, verses that were thought to have been delivered by the Buddha on various occasions, most of which deal with ethics. The most important verse, however, is the first, which opens with the line: "All that we are is the result of what we have thought." This is reminescent of the line from Proverbs, "As a man thinketh in his heart," and it is in these lines that one finds the essence of the Buddha's teaching. Next in the collection is the "Lankavatara Sutra," and it is unfortunate that this abridged edition does not contain his sermon on not killing animals and not eating meat, which he was opposed to under any circumstances and which many of the followers of the Buddha conveniently ignore. For him, “Respect for animal life is an integral part of morality. A good Buddhist does not kill animals for pleasure or eat flesh. They are his humble brethren and now lower creatures over whom he has dominion by divine right. Serenity of spirit and love for all sentient creation are enjoined by the Buddha” (Radhakrishnan in his introduction to The Dhammapada). (It is curious that in Thailand, for example, 95 percent of the population profess to be Buddhist, yet they gorge themselves on meat at every meal, and between meals as roasted snacks from roadside stands.) I have also included the complete version, which does contain the chapter on not eating meat. The underlying theme of this work is the fact that mind or consciousness is at the foundation of all reality: "the objects of the world, and the names and forms of experience, are merely manifestations of the mind. It is the erroneous concept of subject/object that ties us to the wheel of rebirth" (Wikipedia). The Lankavatara Sutra and the later The Awakening of Mahayana Faith both emphasize consciousness as the basic substance of all reality, that all things are from consciousness and of consciousness or mind, thus bringing this later form of Buddhism in line with the earlier thought of Plotinus, and it is the act of contemplation that "makes" what it contemplates. As Jane Roberts would later say, "reality [all reality] is idea construction." This particular Sutra had perhaps more influence than any other on the development of Mahayana and Zen Buddhism. Finally there is the Buddha's Maha-satipatthana Sutra, which is perhaps the best Buddhist text on "mindfulness" or awareness, which is necessary for right living and for perceiving reality as it is. It is perhaps the most reproduced of all the Sutras, and in Ceylon, for example, "the Satipatthana ...is reverently wrapped in a clean cloth, and from time to time, in the evening it is read to the members of the family" (Nyanaponika Thera). It can be said, and has been many times, that "mindfulness" is the core of the Buddha's teaching. One last note on Buddhism, or rather on the commentary on Buddhism. The Buddha never spoke directly about man having a soul, although behind all of his teaching is the idea that there is more to reality than our personal self or ego. Life for the Buddha is basically change, and it is our ego that attempts to solidify a self around which we build our lives. He also speaks repeatedly about the essential non-duality of reality, and that it is ethically incumbent upon us to attempt to overcome our grasping after fact and permanence in our experience. Practice in mindfulness is the main road to this realization of the inherent non-dual nature of reality. The commentators on the Buddha's sutras, however, have taken a step that the Buddha refused to take throughout his life in asserting the non-existence of a soul. Because the ego is impermanent, they say, there is no such thing as a soul. It is not the perception of nothingness that the Buddha suggests is the aim of meditation or awareness; it is rather "the highest and purest state of the soul, when it enjoys the untrammeled bliss of its own nature" (Ramakrishnan). As the Buddha put it, it is a "state of love without an object of love," "the spiritual hidden below the sensible appearances" (Radhakrishnan). Twenty-five hundred years later, Jane Roberts/Seth says the same thing: "Love is a biological as well as a spiritual characteristic. Basically, love and creativity are synonymous. Love exists without an object. It is the impetus by which all being becomes manifest." This is what the Dhammapada and the Buddha's entire corpus is about—training the mind and removing the obstacles to the realization of this experience of love and joy, and he admonishes us to see it in all sentient being. Plato’s Republic (428-348 BCE) is offered in a complete version, along with some of his other dialogues that deal most directly with the metaphysical. As Emerson said of him, “No man ever more fully acknowledged the Ineffable”: “the Asia in his mind was first heartily honored,—the ocean of love and power, before form, before will, before knowledge, the Same, the Good, the One; and now, refreshed and empowered by this worship, the instinct of Europe, namely, culture, returns; and he cries, Yet things are knowable!” Included in this collection is the gospel according to John (c. 100), which is considered by many to be the most poetic and mystical of the four gospels. Neither Jesus nor the Buddha did any writing themselves, and the texts that we have representing their thought are far removed from their physical lives, so it is difficult to tell for sure what they actually thought or said—Christian dogmatism notwithstanding. For the other authors included here, we have translations that purport to be close to the original writing. If this blog is a collection of the world’s great seers, then Marcus Aurelius (121-180) probably does not belong here, if he will forgive me. However, he is included for a couple of reasons. For one thing, his writing represents what you might call the culmination of one line or angle of centuries of thought Greek and Roman thought in general and of Stoic thought in particular: he is Stoicism’s best representative. The other reason concerns what the Meditations, and Stoicism, are about. According to Pierre Hadot, “The Stoic philosophical life consists essentially in mastering one’s inner discourse.” We saw above that for the Buddha, reality is essentially mind or consciousness, and his philosophy might be summarized in his injunction: “Be mindful!” By mindful, he may have meant cultivating awareness of your thinking and simultaneously distancing yourself from that thinking; in other words, meditation. It is this “action” of the mind that leads to ultimate liberation into the soul (“true meditation is action,” according to Jane Roberts/Seth. action is not a force from without that acts upon matter. “Action is, instead, the inside vitality of the inner universe—it is the dilemma between inner vitality's desire and impetus to completely materialize itself, and its inability to completely do so.) The Buddha’s aim may have been more metaphysical than that of Marcus Aurelius because of the depth of his own insight into the spiritual dimension at the base of the physical one; nevertheless, the reader will find in Marcus Aurelius a kindred spirit of the Buddha in his honest struggle to master his own mind in the Meditations and for this reason they are included here. The Enneads of Plotinus (204-270) are offered complete. Following his master Plato, Plotinus not only believed but saw that the world that we perceive is an emanation of a spiritual world, which we are able to access through contemplation. For him, “Every soul is, and becomes, that which she contemplates.” Like the Indian seers before him, Plotinus realized the identity of our self with the source of that self, of the Atman with Brahman; hence the similarities between Vedanta and Neo-Platonism. In the Chandogya Upanishad, Svetaketu's father says to him, "Here likewise in this body of yours, my son, you do not perceive the True; but there in fact it is. In that which is the subtle essence, all that exists has its self. That is the True, that is the Self, and thou, Svetaketu, art That." (For an essential overview of Plotinus' thought, read treatises I 6 "On the Beautiful" and VI 9 ""On the Good.") Next is St. John's record of the life and thought of Jesus, which is considered by many to be the most poetic and mystical of the four gospels. I have included the gospel of John with the other three gospels for comparison. The texts representing the thought of the Buddha and Jesus are far removed from the physical lives, and they did no writing themselves, so it is impossible to determine, obviously, what they actually thought and said—Christian dogmatism notwithstanding. For most of the authors included here, however, we have translations of texts that are purported to be close to the originals. Next we move on to the Confessions of St. Augustine (354-430), which draws on both Neo-Platonic and Christian traditions. The complete text is offered. Shankara’s (788-820) Crest-Jewel of Wisdom, a systemization of the earlier tradition of the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, is included. Dante’s (1265-1321) Paradiso is included, as it, as Evelyn Underhill has said with reference to the entire Comedia, is one of “the most sublime visions of the Absolute which has ever been crystallized into speech”…and “apprehends and shows to us a Beatific Vision in which the symbolic systems of all great mystics are included and explained.” Three major works of the 16th c. Spanish nun, St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), are offered, as well as the two major works of the 18th c. spiritual writer William Law (1686-1761). Of the three works by St. Teresa, The Interior Castle is her best statement of her perception of inner reality, and her work generally was chosen for the clarity of its writing. Too often Christian writers obscure the meaning of their experience with the heavy use of metaphor both in their interpretation of their experience and in the communication of it to the reader. This is not less so with St. Teresa, however; in The Interior Castle, for example, she uses the idea of seven dwelling places within the “castle” of the mind, representing levels of consciousness or aspects of the soul. It was tempting to include Shakespeare in this collection despite the fact that he is a poet and not a “mystic”—Emerson called him a Platonist in that he belonged to that “well-marked class of souls, namely, those who delight in giving a spiritual, that is, an ethico-intellectual expression to every truth, by exhibiting an ulterior end which is yet legitimate to it.” Emerson’s (1803-1882) essay that catapulted him onto the international stage, Nature, and his Essays: First and Second Series, are included, along with many of his other essays, some of which are difficult to find but which are nevertheless extremely valuable for the typical power of their insight into man’s spiritual relation with himself, nature and God. Mary Oliver said of Emerson that his certainty that we are "spirits that have descended into our bodies" never wavered. The Buddha said the same of all sentient beings; and for Jane Roberts/Seth and don Juan Matus (see below), the entire universe, sentient and non-sentient, physical and non-physical, is alive with consciousness. It could also be said, of Emerson and the other writers collected here, that their certainty of other aspects of reality never wavered: that the universe is an emanation from a spiritual dimension, that this reality or energy pervades everything and yet is separate from any of its manifestations, that you can know it by looking within or by seeing it everywhere, and that among its essential nature are awareness or consciousness, love, goodness, freedom, creativity, eternity (or to use the Dalai Lama’s suggestive phrase borrowed from his tradition, “beginningless time”), beauty ("the form under which the intellect prefers to study the world” —Emerson), and perhaps most descriptive of all, desire in its deepest sense, an aspect of reality so maligned by the Buddhists in their narrow use of the term. The individuals represented here stress that this reality can be described like this in an analytic or intellectual way, but that the reality itself is beyond description and must be personally experienced. "Beauty, Goodness, Splendour, Love, all those shining words which exhilarate the soul, are but the names of aspects of qualities picked out by human intuition as characteristic of this intense and eternal Life in which is the life of men"—Evelyn Underhill According to Jane Roberts, we can experience this greater reality within us or our "Source Self" by experiencing the present moment as fully as possible, and by "momentarily [turning our] attention away from the constant activity that is taking place—turn off the physical sense as it were [easier said than done!—my comment]—and switch [our] attention to those events that have escaped [us] earlier." For many of these authors, the dream state provides us with the best example of the basic nature of reality, where love, purpose, belief and intent form perhaps more immediately and obviously the reality that we perceive. "The dream state can be used...as a psychological or psychic platform to view other realities, and to glimpse the inner mechanics by which nonphysical events become actualized in your world"(Jane Roberts). You can find a brilliant discussion of the nature of reality as it is perceived by the great western mystics in Evelyn Underhill’s (1875-1941) Mysticism. It is a true literary and spiritual gem. Not included here are the works by the great contemporary writers on spiritual reality, Carlos Castaneda (1925-1998), who documented the teachings of Don Juan Matus, who expressed the spiritual traditions of ancient Mexico; and the works by the 20th c. American writer and mystic (although she would likely cringe at the term), Jane Roberts (1929-1984), who automatically dictated, without correction, the works by “the energy-essence personality,” as he characterized himself, called Seth in a trance state. For Jane Roberts/Seth, all dimensions of all realities, physical and non-physical, are composed of “god stuff,” an energy that is both conscious and limitless, just as the seers of the Upanishads 3000 years before her characterized this energy—Brahman—as Sat-Chit-Ananda: Existence, Consciousness, Bliss. These latter works are not included because they are currently under copyright, but they are readily available. Castaneda’s works in order of publication, are: The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge, A Separate Reality, Journey to Ixtlan, Tales of Power, The Second Ring of Power, Eagle's Gift, Fire from Within, Power of Silence, The Art of Dreaming, The Active Side of Infinity, The Wheel of Time: The Shamans of Mexico, Their Thoughts About Life, Death and The Universe, The Witch's Dream: A Healer's Way of Knowledge. The major works of Jane Roberts include The Seth Material, Seth Speaks, The Nature of Personal Reality, The Nature of the Psyche, The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events, and The Unknown Reality among others (a limited number of Jane Roberts’ works are available at Amazon.com, but all of her works are available at, for example, http://www.sethcenter.com/). I hope that these texts bring you as much pleasure and understanding as they have me.
A final note on reading, in which you will read things you already know, but this is my blog so I am going to say it anyway, partly to clarify the ideas for myself. All of these great works bear re-reading. I have found that I read a work, and then a few months later read it again or a part of it and see it in the light of knowledge gained from my subsequent reading. That is one thing. Another thing I find fascinating is the parallels that run through these texts, from the most ancient to the most modern. Think of the concepts of Atman and Brahman in the ancient Indian texts; Plato's concept of the Realm of Ideas; Plotinus idea of three hypostases, the One, the Intellect, and the Soul; Emerson's Over-Soul and of the spiritual aspect of Nature; Jane Roberts' Framework 2, which is not included here (see below), to mention just the broad frameworks that have been used by these authors to discuss what they felt to be the real reality. The parallels are endless and include such ideas, for example, as love and creativity being at the heart of the fabric of existence. One trick I have taught myself is to use my imagination in the interpretation of the concepts and ideas used by these authors, always asking myself if by such and such a concept the author might have meant something that another discussed. This flexibility in interpretation has helped me to gain a richer understanding of the texts. Again, this kind of reading is recursive, not to mention enlightening. One final note on reading is something that Jane Roberts/Seth and Emerson, among others, have stressed: that reading is secondary experience. Just as reading about being poor is not the same as being poor, reading these authors' ideas about the spiritual, non-physical reality at the foundation of the one we normally experience is not the same thing as experiencing it for yourself. For that, these authors can be guides, as they say, but they cannot have the experience for us. This is the reason that all of them stress meditation or contemplation (parallels again)—that the truth can only be found within us (Jesus, Tolstoy, and everybody else), and even then, given the basic open-ended, creative nature of reality, our discovery of it will be personal and, if we are to believe what some of these authors say about the subjective nature of reality (in line with the most creative aspects of modern physics), our discovery of reality will always, to an extent, alter it and our perception of it. We will let Jane Roberts have the last word: "There are no limitations or boundaries to the self."
Thank you for visiting the site, and if you actually read this note, thank you for reading this far! If you are attracted to some of these works in particular, you may want to investigate other translations.
Bruce Leeds, Ph.D. (the picture above is of me and my dog Sophia—her mother was rescued from a certain slow death in Thailand and a few days later, Sophia was born!)
Contents
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2009
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October
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- RUYSBROECK: THE ADORNMENT OF THE SPIRITUAL MARRIAG...
- DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE: DIVINE NAMES, MYSTIC THE...
- ST. FRANCIS: THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS
- THOMAS A KEMPIS: THE IMITATION OF CHRIST
- BOEHME: OF TRUE REPENTENCE, OF REGENERATION, OF TR...
- BROTHER LAWRENCE: THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD
- ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS; ASCENT OF MOUNT CARMEL
- ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS: DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL
- ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS: A SPIRITUAL CANTICLE OF THE...
- DANTE: DIVINE COMEDY (COMPLETE)
- ECKHART: SERMONS
- FOUR GOSPELS: MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, JOHN
- UNDERHILL: MYSTICISM, PART ONE, THE MYSTIC FACT
- UNDERHILL: MYSTICISM, PART TWO, THE MYSTIC WAY
- ANONYMOUS: THEOLOGIA GERMANICA
- ANONYMOUS: THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING
- HILTON: SCALE OF PERFECTION
- SAINT CATHERINE OF GENOA
- PLATO: SYMPOSIUM
- PLATO: MENO
- BOETHIUS: CONSOLATION OF PHILOSOPHY
- ANONYMOUS: THE AWAKENING OF FAITH IN THE MAHAYANA ...
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October
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