The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite — trans. John Parker
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to his proper headship ® without diminution, and, when he has made the intellectual entry of himself to the One, he sees clearly the uniform raiso?is cVetre^ of the things done, as he makes the goal of his philanthropic progress to things secondary the more Divine ° return to things primary.
Section IV.
The chanting of the Psalms, being co-essential with almost all the Hierarchical mysteries, was not likely to be separated from the most Hierarchical of all. For every holy and inspired Scripture sets forth e ipxTji^. ^ \6yov5. s Hieracles, p. 41.
94 Diotiysius the Areopaglte for those meet for deification, either the originated beginning ^^ and ordering of things from God; or the Hierarchy i and pohty of the Law; or the distributions^ and possessions of the inheritances of the people of God ; or the understanding of sacred judges \ or of wise kings, or of inspired Priests : or philosophy^" of men of old time, unshaken" in endurances of tiie things let loose in variety and multitude ; or the treasures of wisdom for the conduct of life ; or songs and inspired "" pictures of Divine Loves ; or the declaratory predictions ^ of things to come; ^or the Theandric works of Jesus ^; or the God-transmitted ^ and God - imitating polities and holy teachings of His Disciples, or the hidden and mystic gaze of the beloved and divinely sweet of the disciples, or the supermundane theology of Jesus ; and implanted them in the holy and Godlike instructions of the mystic rites. Now the sacred description of the Divine Odes*, whose purpose is to sing the words and works of God throughout, and to praise the holy words and works of godly men, forms an universal Ode and narrative of things Divine, and makes, in those who inspiredly" recite it, a habit suitable for the reception and distribution of every Hierarchical mystery.
^ Genesis i. i Leviticus and Deut. ^ Numbers.
^ Judges and Kings. i" Proverbs and Wisdom. ^i Job.
o Canticles. P Prophets. 1 di'Spucos 'ItjctoD deovpylas.
J" Gospels. 3 Acts and Epistles. ^ Psalms.
* ivdtws ItpoAoyovaiv.
on the Ecclesiastical Hiei'archy. 95
Section V.
When, then, the comprehensive melody of the holy Hymns has harmonized the habits of our souls to the things which are presently to be ministered, and, by the unison of the Divine Odes, as one and concordant chorus of holy men, has established an accord with things Divine, and themselves^, and one another, the things, more strained and obscure in the intellectual by the unison of the Divine Odes, as one and concordant chorus of holy men, has established an accord with things Divine, and themselves^, and one another, the things, more strained and obscure in the intellectual language of the mystic Psalms, are expanded by the most holy lections of the inspired writings, through more full and distinct images and narratives. He, who devoutly contemplates these, will perceive the uniform and one conspiration, as being moved by One, the supremely Divine Spirit. Hence, naturally, in the history of the world, after the more ancient^ tradition, the new Covenant is proclaimed ; the inspired and Hierarchical order teaching this, as I think, that the one affirmed the Divine works of Jesus, as to come ; but the other accomplished ; and as that described the truth in figures, this shewed it present. For the accomplishment, within this, of the predictions of that, established the truth, and the work of God is a consummation of the Word of God.
Section VI.
Those who absolutely have no ear for these sacred initiations do not even recognize the images, — ■
^ Republic, lib. iv. ad finem. Dulac, p. 426-7. y The Law and the Prophets.
g6 Dionysius the Areopagite unblushingly rejecting the saving revelation of the Divine Birth, and in opposition to the Oracles reply to their destruction, " Thy ways I do not wish to knovv^"
Now the regulation of the holy Hierarchy permits the catechumens, and the possessed, and the penitents, to hear the sacred chanting of the Psalms, and the inspired reading of the all-Holy Scriptures ; but it does not invite them to the next religious services and contemplations, but only the eyes of the initiated. For the Godlike Hierarchy is full of reverent justice, and distributes savingly to each, according to their due, bequeathing savingly the harmonious communication of each of the things Divine, in measure, and proportion, and due time. The lowest rank, then, is assigned to the catechumens, for they are without participation and instruction in every Hierarchical initiation, not even having the being in God by Divine Birth, but are yet being brought to^ Birth by the Paternal Oracles, and moulded, by life-giving formations, towards the blessed introduction to their first life and first light from Birth in God.
Hierarchical initiation, not even having the being in God by Divine Birth, but are yet being brought to^ Birth by the Paternal Oracles, and moulded, by life-giving formations, towards the blessed introduction to their first life and first light from Birth in God. As, then, children after the flesh, if, whilst immature and unformed, they should anticipate their proper delivery, as untimely born and abortions, will fall to earth without life and without light ; and no one, in his senses, would say from what he saw, that they, released from the darkness of the womb, were brought to the light (for the
2 Job xxi. 14. a See Plato, Thet. i. 114, 115. Dulac, 429.
on the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy. 97 medical aiithoritv, which is learned in the functions of the body, would say that light operates on things receptive of light) ; so also the all-wise science of religious rites brings these first to delivery, by the preparatory nourishment of the formative and lifegiving Oracles ; and when it has made their person ripe for Divine Birth, gives to them savingly, in due order, the participation in things luminous and perfecting ; but, at present, it separates things perfect from them as imperfect, consulting the good order of sacred things, and the delivery and life of the catechumens, in a Godlike order of the Hierarchical rites.
Section VII.
Now the multitude of the possessed indeed is unholy, but it is next above the catechumens, which is lowest. Nor is that which has received a certain participation in the most holy offices, but is yet entangled by contrary qualities, whether enchantments or terrors, on a par, as I think, with the altogether uninitiated and entirely uncommunicated in the Divine initiations ; but, even for them, the view and participation in the holy mysteries is contracted, and very properly. For, if it be true that the altogether godly man, the worthy partaker of the Divine mysteries, the one carried to the very summit of tlie Divine likeness, to the best of his powers, in complete and most perfect deifications, does not even perform the things of the flesh, beyond the most necessary requirements of nature, and then as
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98 Dio7tystus the Areopagite a parergon, but will be, at the same time, a temple, and a follower, according to his ability, of the supremely Divine Spirit, in the highest deification, implanting like in like ; — such an one as thjs would never be possessed by opposing phantoms or fears, but will laugh them to scorn, and when they approach, will cast them down and put them to flight,