The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite — trans. John Parker

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, and will act rather than comply, and in addition to the passionless and indomitableness of his own character, will be seen also a physician to others, for such "possessions" as these ^ ; (and / think further, yea, rather, I know certainly that the most impartial discrimination of Hierarchical persons knows more than they *", that such as are possessed with a most detestable possession, by departing from the Godlike life, become' of one mind and one condition with destructive den>ons, by turning themselves from things that really are, and undying possessions, and everlasting pleasures, for the sake of the most base and impassioned Tollydestructive to themselves; and by desiring and pursuing the earthly variableness, and the perishable and corrupting pleasures, and the unstable comfort in things foreign to their nature, not real but seeming;) these then, first, and more properly than those, were shut out by the discriminating authority of the Deacon ; for it is not permitted to them to have part in any other ^ holy function than the teaching of the Oracles, which is likely to turn them to better things. For, if the superb evepyriiJ.aTwv, ^ The energoumenoi.

071 the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy. 99 mundane Service of the Divine Mysteries excludes those under penitence, and those who have already attained it, not permitting anything to come near which is not completely perfect, and proclaims, and this in all sincerity, that " I am unseen and uncommunicated by those who are in any respect imperfectly weak as regards the summit of the Divine Likeness" (for that altogether most pure voice scares away even those who cannot be associated with the worthy partakers of the most Divine mysteries) ; how much more, then, will the multitude of those wh'o are under the sway of their passions be unhallowed and alien from every sight and participation in the holy mysteries.

ot be associated with the worthy partakers of the most Divine mysteries) ; how much more, then, will the multitude of those wh'o are under the sway of their passions be unhallowed and alien from every sight and participation in the holy mysteries. When, then, the un- ' initiated in the mysteries, and the imperfect, and with them the apostates from the religious life, and aftei\ them, those who through unmanliness are prone to the fears and fancies of contrary influences, as not reaching through the persistent and indomitable inclination towards godliness, the stability and activity of a Godlike condition ; then, in addition to these, those who have separated indeed from the contrary life, but have not yet been cleansed froiii its imaginations by a godly and pure habit and love, and next, those who are not altogether uniform, and to use an expression of the Law, " entirely without spot and blemish," when these have been excluded from the divine temple an<l the service which is too high for them, the all-holy ministers and loving contemplators of things all-holy, gazing reverently upon the most pure rite, loo Dionysius the Areopagite sing in an universal Hymn of Praise ^ the Author and Giver of all good, from Whom the saving mystic Rites were exhibited to us, which divinely work the sacred deification of those being initiated. Now this Hymn some indeed call a Hymn of Praise, others, the symbol of worship, but others, as I think, more divinely, a Hierarchical thanksgiving, as giving a summary of the holy gifts which come to us from God. For, it seems to me the record ^ of all the works of God related to have been done for us in song, which, after it had benevolently fixed our being and life, and moulded the Divine likeness in ourselves to beautiful archetypes, and placed us in participation of a more Divine condition and elevation ; but when it beheld the dearth of Divine gifts, which came upon us by our heedlessness, is declared to have called us back to our first condition, by goods restored, and by the complete assumption ^ of what was ours, to have made good the most perfect impartation of His own, and thus to have given to us a participation in God and Divine things.

Section VHI.

When the supremely Divine love towards Man has thus been religiously celebrated, the Divine Bread is presented, veiled, and likewise the Cup of Blessing, and the most Divine greeting is ded vfivoXoyia Ka6o\iKfj. The whole Psalter is said in Liturgy of St. James before celebration.

ove towards Man has thus been religiously celebrated, the Divine Bread is presented, veiled, and likewise the Cup of Blessing, and the most Divine greeting is ded vfivoXoyia Ka6o\iKfj. The whole Psalter is said in Liturgy of St. James before celebration.

® Liturgy of Dionysius, p. 191. ^ Incarnation.

on the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy.

lOI voutly performed, and the mystic and supermundane recital of the holy-written tablets. For it is not possible to be collected to the One, and to partake of the peaceful union with the One, when people are divided amongst themselves. For if, being illuminated by the contemplation and knowledge of the One, we would be united to an uniform and Divine agreement, we must not permit ourselves to descend to divided lusts, from which are formed earthly enmities, envious and passionate, against that which is according to nature. This unified and undivided life is, in my opinion, established by the holy service of the " peace," which establishes like in like, and separates the Divine and unified visions from things divided. The recital of the holy tablets after the " peace " proclaims those who have passed through life holily, and have reached the term of a virtuous life without faltering, urging and conducting us to their blessed condition and Divine repose, through similarity to them, and, announcing them as living, and, as the Word of God says, " not dead, but as having passed from death to a most divine life ^."

Section IX.

But observe that they are enrolled in the holy memorials, not as though the Divine memory were represented under the figure of a memorial, after the manner of men ; but as one might say, with

^ I John iii. 14.

102 Dionysius the A7'eopagite reverence towards God, as beseems the august and unfailing knowledge in God of those who have been perfected in the likeness of God. For "He knoweth," say the Oracles, "them that are His^\" and "precious, in the sight of the Lord, is the death of His saints^, "death of saints," being said, instead of the perfection in hohness. And bear this religiously in mind, that when the worshipful symbols have been placed on the Divine Altar, through which (symbols) the Christ is signified and partaken, there is inseparably present the reading of the register of the holy persons, signifying the indivisible conjunction of their supermundane and sacred union with Him.