The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite — trans. John Parker
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, over our discursive and bodily reason, and the material perception of the senses which is alien to the incorporeal Minds. It is, then, permissible to depict forms, which are not discordant, to the celestial beings, even from poron the Heavenly Hierarchy. 1 1 tions of matter which are the least honourable, since even it, having had its beginning from the Essentially Beautiful, has throughout the whole range of matter some echoes of the intellectual comeliness ; and it is possible through these to be led to the immaterial archetypes — things most similar being taken, as has been said, dissimilarly, and the identities being defined, not in the same way, but harmoniously, and appropriately, as regards the intellectual and sensible beings.
Section V.
We shall find the Mystic Theologians enfolding these things not only around the illustrations of the Heavenly Orders, but also, sometimes, around the supremely Divine Revelations Themselves. At one time, indeed, they extol It under exalted imagery as Sun ^ of Righteousness, as Morning ^ Star rising divinely in the mind, and as Light * illuming without veil and for contemplation ; and at other times, through things in our midst, as Fire ^^ shedding its innocuous light: as Water", furnishing a fulness of life, and, to speak symbolically, flowing into a belly, and bubbling forth rivers flowing irresistibly ; and at other times, from things most remote, as sweetsmelling ointment % as Head Corner-stoned But they also clothe It in forms of wild beasts, and attach to It identity with a Lion % and Panther % and say that it shall be a Leopard ^, and a rushing Bear ^ But,
'' Mai. iv. 2. ■■ Num. xxiv. 17 ; 2 Pet. i. 19. » John i. 5. * Exod. iii. 2. ° John vii. 38. "^ Cant. i. 2. f Eph. ii. 20. ^ ilob. xiii. 8. ' Ibid. 7. *> Ibid. 8. c ibid.
1 2 Dionysius the Areopagite
I will also add, that which seems to be more dishonourable than all, and the most incongruous, viz. that distinguished theologians have shewn it to us as representing Itself under the form of a worm''. Thus do all the godly-wise, and interpreters of the secret inspiration, separate the holy of holies ^ from the uninitiated and the unholy, to keep them undefiled, and prefer the dissimilar description of holy things, so that Divine things should neither be easily reached by the profane, nor those who diligently contemplate the Divine imagery rest in the types as though they were true ; and so Divine things should be honoured by the true negations, and by comparisons with the lowest things, which are diverse from their proper d by the profane, nor those who diligently contemplate the Divine imagery rest in the types as though they were true ; and so Divine things should be honoured by the true negations, and by comparisons with the lowest things, which are diverse from their proper resemblance. There is then nothing absurd if they depict even the Heavenly Beings under incongruous dissimilar similitudes, for causes aforesaid. For probably not even we should have come to an investigation, from not seeing our way, — -not to say to mystic meaning through an accurate enquiry into Divine things, — unless the deformity of the descriptions representing the Angels had shocked us, not permitting our mind to hnger in the discordant representations, but rousing us utterly to reject the earthly proclivities, and accustoming us to elevate ourselves through things that are seen, to their supermundane mystical meanings. Let these things suffice to have been said on account of the material and incongruous descriptions of the holy Angels in the Holy Oracles. And next, it is
^ Ps. xxii. 6. * 0740 Tuv ayiwi'.
on the Heavenly Hierarchy. i 3 necessary to define what we think the Hierarchy is in itself, and what benefit those who possess a Hierarchy derive from the same. But let Christ lead the discourse — if it be lawful to me to say — He Who is mine, — the Inspiration of all Hierarchical revelation. And thou, my son, after the pious rule of our Hierarchical tradition, do thou religiously listen to things religiously uttered, becoming inspired through instruction in inspired things; and when thou hast enfolded the Divine things in the secret recesses of thy mind, guard them closely from the •profane multitude as being uniform, for it is not lawful, as the Oracles say, to cast to swine the unsullied and bright and beautifying comeliness of the intelligible pearls.
♦
CAPUT HL
What is Hierarchy ? and what the use of Hierarchy ?
Section I. Hierarchy is, in my judgment, a sacred order and science and operation, assimilated, as far as attainable, to the likeness of God, and conducted to the illuminations granted to it from God, according to capacity, with a view to the Divine imitation. Now the God-becoming Beauty, as simple, as good, as source of initiation, is altogether free from any dissimilarity, and imparts its own proper light to each according to their fitness, and perfects in most Divine initiation, as becomes the undeviating moulding of those who are being initiated harmoniously to itself.
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Section II.
ny dissimilarity, and imparts its own proper light to each according to their fitness, and perfects in most Divine initiation, as becomes the undeviating moulding of those who are being initiated harmoniously to itself.
14 Dionysius the Areopagite
Section II.
The purpose, then, of Hierarchy is the assimilation and union, as far as attainable, with God, having Him Leader of all religious science and operation, by looking unflinchingly to His most Divine comeliness, and copying, as far as possible, and by ' perfecting its own followers as Divine images, mirrors most luminous and without flaw, receptive of the primal light and the supremely Divine ray, and devoutly filled with the entrusted radiance, and again, spreading this radiance ungrudgingly to those after it, in accordance with the supremely Divine regulations. For it is not lawful for the Mystic Rites of sacred things, or for things religiously done, to practise anything whatever beyond the sacred regulations of their own proper function. Nor even must .they attempt otherwise, if they desire to attain its deifying splendour, and look to it religiously, and are moulded after the example of each of the holy minds. He, then, who mentions Hierarchy, denotes a certain altogether Holy Order, an image of the supremely Divine freshness, ministering the mysteries of its own illumination in hierarchical ranks, and sciences, and assimilated to its own proper Head as far as lawful.
For each of those who have been called into the Hierarchy, find their perfection in being carried to the Divine imitation^ in their own proper degree; and, what is more Divine than all, in becoming a
^ Eph. V, I.
( on the Heavenly Hierarchy. 15 fellow-worker o with (}od, as the Oracles say, and in shewing the Divine energy in himself manifested as far as possible. For it is an Hierarchical regulation that some are puriaedand that others purify'' ; that some are enlightened and others enlighten * ; that some are perfected and others perfect ; the Divine imitation will fit each one in this fashion. The Divine blessedness, to speak after the manner of men, is indeed unstained by any dissimilarity*^, and is full of invisible light ^ — perfect °\ and needing no perfection ; cleansing, illuminating, and perfecting, yea, rather a holy purification, and illumination, and perfection — above purification, above light, preeminently perfect, self-perfect source and cause of every Hierarchy, and elevated pre-eminently above every holy thing.
Section IH.