On the Divine Names and the Mystical Theology — trans. C. E. Rolt
The translator’s English as printed (C. E. Rolt). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
3. In obedience to these divine behests which guide all the holy dispositions * of the heavenly hosts, we worship with reverent silence the unutterable Truths and, with the unfathomable‘ and holy veneration of our mind, approach that Mystery of Godhead which exceeds all Mind and Being. And we press upwards to those beams which in the Holy Scripture shine upon us; wherefrom we gain the light which leads us unto the Divine praises,1 being supernaturally enlightened by them and conformed unto that sacred hymnody, even so as to behold the Divine enlightenments the which through them are given in such wise as fits our powers, and so as to praise the bounteous Origin of all holy illumination in accordance with that Doctrine, as concerning Itself, wherewith It hath instructed us in the Holy Scriptures. Thus do we learn 2 that It is the Cause and Origin and Being and Life of all creation. And It is unto them that fall away from It a Voice that doth recall them and a Power by which they rise; and to them that have stumbled into a corruption of the Divine image within them, It is a Power of Renewal and Reform; and It is a sacred Grounding to them that feel the shock of unholy assault, and a Security to them that stand: an upward Guidance to them that are being drawn unto It, and a Principle of Illumination* to them that are being enlightened: a Principle of Perfection to them that are being perfected;5 a principle of Deity to them that are being deified;* and of Simplicity to them that are being brought unto simplicity ; ? and of Unity to them that are being brought unto unity. Yea, in a super-essential manner, above the category of origin, It is the Origin of all origin, and the good and bounteous Communication (so far as such may be!) of hidden mysteries; and, in a word, It is the life of all things that live and the Being of all that are, the Origin and Cause of all life and being through Its bounty which both brings them into existence and maintains them.
1 θεωριά, κοινωνία, ὁμοίωσις. These are three elements of one process. Resemblance is the final goal, cf. 1 John iii. 2. D. defines Deification as “a process whereby we are made like unto God (ἀφομοίωσις) and are united unto Him (ἕνωσις) so far as these things Maybe (eect. rer, 1. 4. Mipne,p--376; A.)
2 Two kinds of danger: (1) spiritual presumption; (2) the temptations of our earthly nature. In dealing with the first D. warns us against leaving the Affirmative Path until we are ready. The Negative Path goes on where the Affirmative Path stops. St. John of the Cross and other spiritual writers insist that, though contemplation is a higher activity than meditation through images, yet not all are called to it, and that it is disastrous prematurely to abandon meditation. S. John of the Cross, in the Dark Night of the Soul, explains the signs which will show when the time has come for the transition. Note the spiritual sanity of D. His Unknowing is not a blank.
4 A depth opens up in the heart of man corresponding to the depth of the Godhead. Deep answers unto deep. Cf. 1 Cor. il. 10, II.
3. In obedience to these divine behests, which guide all the holy dispositions * of the heavenly hosts, we worship the unutterable Truths with reverent silence and, with the unfathomable4 and holy veneration of our mind, approach that Mystery of Godhead which exceeds all Mind and Being. And we press upward to those beams which shine upon us in the Holy Scripture. From them we gain the light which leads us to the Divine praises,1 being supernaturally enlightened by them and conformed to that sacred hymnody, so as to behold the Divine enlightenments given through them in such measure as fits our powers, and to praise the bounteous Origin of all holy illumination in accordance with the Doctrine concerning Itself with which It has instructed us in the Holy Scriptures.
Thus we learn 2 that It is the Cause and Origin and Being and Life of all creation. And to those who fall away from It, It is a Voice that recalls them and a Power by which they rise; and to those who have stumbled into a corruption of the Divine image within them, It is a Power of Renewal and Reform; and It is a sacred Grounding to those who feel the shock of unholy assault, and a Security to those who stand: an upward Guidance to those who are being drawn to It, and a Principle of Illumination* to those who are being enlightened: a Principle of Perfection to those who are being perfected;5 a principle of Deity to those who are being deified;* and of Simplicity to those who are being brought to simplicity;7 and of Unity to those who are being brought to unity.
Indeed, in a super-essential manner, above the category of origin, It is the Origin of all origin, and the good and bounteous Communication (so far as such may be!) of hidden mysteries; and, in a word, It is the life of all things that live and the Being of all that are, the Origin and Cause of all life and being through Its bounty, which both brings them into existence and maintains them.
1 θεωριά, κοινωνία, ὁμοίωσις. These are three elements of one process. Resemblance is the final goal; cf. 1 John iii. 2. D. defines Deification as “a process whereby we are made like unto God (ἀφομοίωσις) and are united unto Him (ἕνωσις) so far as these things may be” (Eccl. Hier. i. 4. Migne, p. 376, A.)
2 Two kinds of danger: (1) spiritual presumption; (2) the temptations of our earthly nature. In dealing with the first, D. warns us against leaving the Affirmative Path before we are ready. The Negative Path goes on where the Affirmative Path stops. St. John of the Cross and other spiritual writers insist that, though contemplation is a higher activity than meditation through images, not all are called to it, and that it is disastrous to abandon meditation prematurely. S. John of the Cross, in the Dark Night of the Soul, explains the signs which show when the time has come for the transition. Note the spiritual sanity of D. His Unknowing is not a blank.
4 A depth opens up in the heart of man corresponding to the depth of the Godhead. Deep answers unto deep. Cf. 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11.