The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite — trans. John Parker

completely fallen away from a religious mind. .^ For if any of them should have become captive to

\ evil, and have fallen from the heavenly and undefiled r\4 harmony of the divine Minds, he would be brought to the gloomy fall of the rebellious multitudes. But one may reverently say with regard to the Heavenly Hierarchy, that the illuminating from God in things hitherto unknown is a purification to the subordinate Beings, leading them to a more perfect science of the supremely Divine kinds of knowledge, and purifying them as far as possible from the ignorance of those things of which they had not hitherto the science, conducted, as they are, by the first and more Divine Beings to the higher and more luminous splendours of the visions of God : and so there are Ranks being illuminated and perfected, and purifying and illuminating and perfecting, after the example of the Heavenly Hierarchy ; since the highest and more Divine Beings purify the subordinate, holy, and reverent Orders, from all ignorance (in ranks and proportions of the Heavenly Hierarchies), and filling them with the most Divine illuminatings, and perfecting in the most pure science of the supremely Divine conceptions. For we have already said, and on the Ecclesiastical Hieraixhy. 145 the Oracles divinely demonstrate, that all the heavenly Orders are not the same, in all the sacred sciences of the God-contemplating visions ; but the first, from God immediately, and, through these, again from God, the subordinate are illuminated, in proportion to their powers, with the most luminous glories of the supremely Divine ray.

CAPUT VII.

" /. Co7icer?iing things perfonned over those fallen asleep.

Section I.

These things having 'been defined, I think it necessary also to describe the things religiously performed by us over those who have fallen asleep. For neither is this also the same between the holy and the unholy ; but, as the form of life of each is different, so also, when approaching death, those who have led a religious life, by looking steadfastly to the unfailing promises of the Godhead (inasmuch as they have observed their proof, in the resurrection proclaimed by it), come to the goal of death, with firm and unfailing hope, in godly rejoicing, knowing that at the end of holy contests their condition will be altogether in a perfect and endless life and safety, through their future entire resurrection ^ For the holy souls, which may possibly fall

^ Soul first — body afterwards.

in godly rejoicing, knowing that at the end of holy contests their condition will be altogether in a perfect and endless life and safety, through their future entire resurrection ^ For the holy souls, which may possibly fall

^ Soul first — body afterwards. L

146 D ion y si US the Areopagite during this present life to a change for the worse, in the regeneration, will have the most Godlike transition to an unchangeable^ condition. Now, the pure bodies which are enrolled together as yoke-fellows and companions of the holy souls, and have fought together within their Divine struggles in the unchanged steadfastness of their souls throughout the; divine life, will jointly receive their own resurrec-r tion ^ ; for, having been united with the holy souis to which they were united in this present life, by having become members y of Christ, they will receive in return the Godlike and imperishable immortality, and blessed repose ^ In this resi)ect then the sleep of the holy is in comfort and unshaken hopes, as it attains the goal of the Divine contests*.

Section II.

Now, amongst the profane, some^' illogically think to go to a non-existence ; others ^ that the bodily blending with their proper souls will be severed once for all, as unsuitable to them in a Divine life and blessed lots, not considering nor being sufficiently instructed in Divine science, that our most Godlike life in Christ has already begun '^ But others*' assign to souls union with other bodies, committing f, as I think, this injustice to them, that, after (bodies) have laboured together with the godly

^1 I John iii. 2. -"^ I Cor. xv. 52. 7 Ibid. vi. 15.

z Heb. iv. II. a 2 Tim. iv. 6—8. ^ Plato, Ph^ed. i. 54.

c Ibid. i. 62-3. d Col. iii. 3, 4. e phaed. i. 64.

dStfcaJires, Ap. C. v. .s. 5 — 7* '

on iJie Ecchsiatical Hierarchy. 147

"souls, and have reached the goal of their most Divine course, they relentlessly deprive them of their righteous retributions. And others^ (I do not know how they have strayed to conceptions of such earthly tendency) say, that the most holy and blessed repose promised to the devout is similar to our life in this world, and unlawfully reject, for those who are equal to the Angels, nourishments appropriate to another kind of life.

ayed to conceptions of such earthly tendency) say, that the most holy and blessed repose promised to the devout is similar to our life in this world, and unlawfully reject, for those who are equal to the Angels, nourishments appropriate to another kind of life. None of the most religious men, however, will ever fall into such errors as these ; but, knowing that their whole selves will receive the Christlike inheritance, when they have come to the goal of this present life, they see more clearly their road to incorruption already become nearer, and extol the gifts of the Godhead, and are filled with a Divine satisfaction, no longer fearing the fall to a worse condition, but knowing well that they will hold firmly and everlastingly the good things already acquired. Those, however, who are full of blemishes, and unholy stains, even though they have attained to some initiation, yet, of their own accord, have, to their own destruction, rejected this from their mind, and have rashly followed their destructive lusts, to them when they have come to the end of their life here, the Divine regulation of the Oracles will no longer appear as before, a subject of scorn ^\ but, when they have looked with different eyes upon the pleasures of their passions destroyed, and when they have pronounced g Matt. xxil. 28. ^ Republic, lib. i. p. 9. Cou:^in, Paris, 1833.

T48 Dionyslus the Arcopagite

blessed the holy life from which they thoiightlessl) fell away, they are, piteously and against their will, separated from this present life, conducted to no holy hope, by reason of their shameful life ^

Section III.

Now, whilst none of these attain the repose of the holy men, he himself, when coming to the end of his own struggles, is filled with a holy consolation, and with much satisfaction enters the path of the holy regeneration. The familiar friends, however, of him who has fallen asleep, as befits their divine familiarity and fellowship, pronounce him blessed, whoever he is, as having reached the desired end crowned with victory, and they send up odes of thanksgiving to the Author of victory, praying also that they may reach the same inheritance. Then they take him and bring him to the Hierarch, as to a bequest of holy crowns ; and he right gladly receives him, and performs the things fixed by reverend men, to be performed over those who have piously fallen asleep.

//. Mysterion over those 7vho have religiotisly fallen asleep.