C. 3 - What Is the Virtue of Prayer, and On Blessed Hierotheus, and On Reverence, and On the Theological Treatise

What Is the Virtue of Prayer, and On Blessed Hierotheus, and On Reverence, and On the Theological Treatise

Only Lectio

There Is Prefaced a Certain Prooemium to the Whole Work

C. III, § 1. 78. And we shall inspect the naming of the good, first, if it seems, perfect and manifestive of the whole of the processions of God, invoking the foremost of good and supergood Trinity, which is manifestive of the whole of the providences kindly given by it.

79. For it is necessary that we should be led to it, as to the foremost of the good, first by prayers, and approaching more to it, in this to be taught the best good things gathered around it.

80. For it indeed is present to all things, yet not all things are present to it. Yet when we invoke it indeed by most chaste prayers and by revealed mind and by aptitude for divine unition, then we also are present to it.

81. For it is not in a place such that it should also be absent from a certain place or should cross over from some to others;

82. but it remains to say that it is in all existing things from the infinity that is over all things and comprehends all things.

83. Therefore let us extend ourselves by prayers to a higher respect of the divine good rays;

84. just as if a chain of much light, hanging from the celestial summit, yet descending before us, always grasping it with hands changed to the higher, we would seem indeed to draw it downwards, yet in reality we would not pull it down present both upwards and downwards, but we ourselves would drive upwards to the higher splendors of the rays of many lights.

85. Or just as if we had ascended a ship and were to hold certain ropes extended from a certain rock to us and as given to us to help, we would not lead the rock to us, but ourselves truly and the ship to the rock; just as conversely, if someone standing on a ship should thrust, he would do nothing against the rock standing and immobile, but he shall separate himself from it, and as much more as he shall thrust it, more shall he be thrust from it.

86. On account of which both before everything and more theology it is useful to begin from prayer, not as drawing the virtue everywhere present and nowhere, but as by divine memories and invocations drawing ourselves to it.

§ 2. 87. And this is perhaps worthy of excusing: that although our noble leader Hierotheus supernaturally gathered the Theological Elements, as though those do not suffice we have composed both others and the present theology.

88. For indeed, if he would have deigned to treat all theological business consequently and the chapter of the whole of theology had crossed over to particular considerations, we would not have arrived at so great a fury or depravity that either we would have reckoned that we introduce theologies more perspicaciously than him or more divinely, or that we would speak vain things saying the same things twice; besides also we would do injury to one who is both our master and our friend, and we having been introduced by his eloquences after divine Paul, snatching his noblest contemplation and manifestations to ourselves. But because in reality, prudently leading into divine things, he expounded definitions conspicacious to us and comprehending many things in one, commanding us and according to us whatever masters of souls that are newly perfected, as is possible, to open up and to discern, with a speech commensurate to us, the conspicacious and unitive convolutions of the most intellectual virtue of that man; and many times this man exhorted us to this and sent back this book as super-exceeding, for this reason also we determine this indeed as of the perfect deliberations of the masters for those who are above the many, as certain second eloquences and followings of the christs of God; yet to these who are according to us, we hand on divine things according to our proportion. For if strong food is of the perfect, of how great a perfection is it to feed others with this?

89. Rightly therefore was this also said by us: that vision indeed and the inspecting of equal intelligible things per se and conspicacious doctrine needs advanced virtue; yet the science of words bearing unto this and discipline befits the subjects sanctifying and sanctified.

90. Although this also has been observed by us very studiously: that to things discerned by this divine leader, according to plain manifestation, we totally do not apply the hand at any time to that same manifestation of the proposition of the same eloquence.

91. Because also among these our hierarchs having received God, when we also, as you know, and he and many of our holy brothers, came together unto a vision of the body of the prince of life and that had received God; yet there was present also James the brother of the Lord and Peter, the highest and most advanced summit of the theologians; afterwards it seemed, after the vision, that all the hierarchs would praise, as each was sufficient, the goodness of the infinite virtue of the thearchic infirmity, he surpassed, as you know, all the other holy masters after the apostles, wholly exceeding, wholly suffering ecstasy from himself and suffering communion to the things praised, and by all by whom he was heard and seen and known and not known, judged to have been accepted by God and a divine praiser. And what shall I say to you concerning the things theologized there? For if I do not forget even myself, many times I know from you also hearing certain parts of those hymns moved by God. Such was your zeal to follow divine things not leisurely.

§ 3. 92. And, so that we might pass over those mystical things, as must not be said to the many and as known to you, when it was necessary to communicate to many and to lead whom it is possible unto the knowledge of holy things that is according to us, how he exceeded many of the holy masters by the spending of time and by purity of mind and by diligence of demonstrations and by the rest of holy speeches. Wherefore never did we attempt to gaze against such a great sun.

93. For thus for ourselves we feel and know that we can neither grasp to understand sufficiently the intelligible things of divine matters, nor say and speak out those things that are speakable of the knowledge of God. Yet we fall far short of the science of divine men unto theological truth, because we come to this entirely on account of abundant reverence so that we neither totally hear nor say anything concerning divine philosophy unless we should receiving it according to mind, as it is not proper to neglect knowledge occurring of divine things; and not only did the desires of minds, according to nature amiably always desiring whatever they can grasp of supernatural contemplations, persuade us of this, but also this best disposition of the divine laws, prohibiting indeed that those things that are above us should be scrutinized much, both as above dignity and as impossible; yet commanding to discern attentively and to hand on kindly to others all things whatever are desired by us and are given.

94. Therefore both persuaded by these things and not lazing or fearing, but also not suffering to forsake without help those not prevailing to contemplate things better than us, we committed ourselves to write, daring indeed to introduce nothing new, but by subtler and particular investigations of singulars, discerning and manifesting those things that were said truly by Hierotheus conspicaciously.

222. After Denys has introduced certain things necessary for the following doctrine, here he begins to pursue his intention,

and first he prefaces a certain prooemium to the whole following work;

second he begins to treat the doctrine concerning the divine names, which he intends.

223. About the first, he does two things:

first he shows that it is necessary that he should begin from prayer;

second, he excuses himself that, after Hierotheus, he has tried to treat the same things about which he had treated, and how he observes reverence for his master, at and this is perhaps worthy of excusing,

and these two are touched on in the title of the chapter, which is thus: What Is the Virtue of Prayer, as regards the first part of the chapter;

and On Blessed Hierotheus, and On Reverence, and On the Theological Treatise, as regards the second part.

224. About the first, he does three things:

first, he proposes what he intends;

second, he manifests the proposition through argument, at for it is necessary that we should be led to it;

third, through examples, at just as if a chain of much light.

225. Therefore he says, first, that if this shall seem fitting, among the other divine namings, now we ought to consider the naming of the good, that is, according to which God is named good.

226. And to receive a naming of this sort, it must be considered that the Platonists, not distinguishing matter from privation, posited it in the order of non-being, as Aristotle says in the first book of the Physics. (Aristotle, Physics, 1.9, 191b35–192a2; cf. Aquinas, Commentary on Physics, lect. 15, n. 2.) Yet the causality of being does not extend itself except to beings. And therefore according to them the causality of being does not extend itself to prime matter, to which nevertheless the causality of the good extends itself. A sign of which is that this most of all desires the good. Yet it is proper to an effect that it should be converted through desire to its cause. And therefore the good is a more universal and higher cause than being, because its causality extends itself to more things.

227. And although Denys seems to touch on this in the following chapter, nevertheless he seems to have considered another ratio of this order. For he intends in this book to discuss about the divine names manifesting the processions of creatures from God, according as he is the cause of things. Yet what has the ratio of a cause first and universally is the good. Which appears from a twofold ratio:

first of all, because the good has the ratio of an end; yet the end, first, has the ratio of a cause. For form is a cause inasmuch as it makes matter to be actual; yet matter first is made actual when it begins by the agent.

Second, because an agent makes something like itself, not inasmuch as it is a being in whatever mode, but inasmuch as it is perfect. For the perfect, as is said in the fourth book of the Meteorologies, is what can make something like itself. (Aristotle, Meteorology, 4.3, 380a13–15; cf. Aquinas, Commentary on Meteorology, lect. 4, n. 1. See also On the Soul, 2.4, 415a26–29; cf. Aquinas, Commentary on Aristotle's On the Soul, lect. 7, n. 314.) Yet the perfect has the ratio of the good.

228. And therefore, whatever God makes for creatures, whether to be or to live or whatever else, the whole proceeds from the divine goodness and the whole pertains to the goodness of the creature. And for this reason he says that the naming is perfect, inasmuch as it comprehends all things and is manifestive of all the divine processions.

229. Yet to treat of the procession of the good, it is necessary that we, by praying, should invoke the holy Trinity, which is the principle of every good and is above all goodness. For just as, from its kindness, it gives all gifts foreseen by it, so it alone can manifest these sufficiently: for works of art are best known in the artist.

230. Then when he says, for it is necessary that we should be led to it, he manifests the proposition through argument, saying that it is necessary that we, to know the divine processions of the divine goodness, should invoke the Trinity by praying; and about this, he does three things:

first, he poses the argument for the principal proposition;

second, a manifests a certain thing presupposed in the argument, at for it indeed is present to all things;

third, he proves a certain thing assumed in this argument, at for it is not in a place.

231. Therefore he says that it is necessary that we should be led forth, that is, extended, through prayers, to the Trinity itself, as to the principle of every good procession, because through the fact that we pray, we approach it; and as much more as we approach it, so much more can we learn the gifts of its goodness, which are gathered around it, as though derived from it through a likeness of goodness; for as much as someone more approaches something, he knows more the things that are around it.

232. Then when he says, for it indeed is present to all things, he manifests a certain thing that he had proposed, namely that through prayer we approach the holy Trinity, and he says that this holy Trinity indeed is present to all things, inasmuch as it communicates its gifts to all things, but not all things are present to it, inasmuch as they fail of the participation of it. But when we invoke it, then we are present to it, approaching to it.

233. But in order for prayer to make us near to it, three things are required:

first, that sensuality should be cleansed from all carnal and mundane affections, allured by which we are drawn back down, and he touches on this when he says, by most chaste prayers;

second, that our intellect should not be overshadowed by the darkness of phantasms, which happens to those men who do not wish to grasp spiritual things over bodily ones, as those who posited that God is figured by the figure of a human body, on account of which also we are impeded from the ascent to God, and as regards this he says, by revealed mind;

third, that our will should be ordered to God through charity and devotion, and this is what he adds: and apt for divine unition.

234. Then when he says, for it is not in a place, he proves what he had presupposed, namely that the deity is present to all things; which indeed he proves by two arguments. For deity is not in a place as defined or circumscribed by place. Yet everything that is present somewhere, not existing elsewhere, or that so crosses over to a certain place that it leaves others, is in a place as circumscribed or defined. Therefore this cannot be said of the deity. Yet it is manifest that it is present to something, at least to its own self; therefore it is present to all things.

235. He poses the second argument at but it remains to say. Every infinite thing that is over all things and comprehends all things, is present to all things; but the Trinity is of such a sort; therefore it remains that it is present to all things.

236. And from this it can be received that no creature is everywhere, since from the infinity of God this remains through the consequence: that God is everywhere.

237. Yet finally, he concludes the principal intention: that we ought to extend ourselves through prayer to a higher consideration of the rays of the divine goodness.

238. Then when he says, just as if a chain of much light, he manifests the proposition through examples:

and first, he posits two examples to manifest the proposition;

second, he concludes the principal proposition, at on account of which and before everything.

239. The first example is that we imagine a chain of much light that hangs from the summit of heaven and descends all the way to the earth, before our face. If we were to receive that chain and always change hands toward the higher, we would seem indeed to draw the chain downwards, but according to the truth we would not bring it down, since it would be present upwards and downwards, but we ourselves would be elevated into the greater splendor of that luminous chain.

240. He posits the second example at or just as if we had ascended a ship, and he says that if we were to ascend onto a ship and were to hold certain ropes, which were extended from some rock outside to us, which were given to us to help, we would not draw the rock to us, but according to the truth of the thing we would lead both ourselves and the ship to the rock, and on the contrary if someone standing on a ship should thrust at a rock that stands beside the sea, he would do nothing against the rock, which is standing and immobile, but he shall separate himself from it and so much more as he shall thrust at it more.

241. Yet in order that these examples should be adapted to the proposition, it must be considered that it is necessary to judge about prayer according to five opinions in different ways:

for certain men totally destroyed the providence of God, positing that all things happen by chance, and this was the opinion of the Epicureans;

whereas certain men posited the providence of God about incorporeal and universal things, but removed divine providence from human things, and this was the opinion of certain Peripatetics;

whereas certain men extended divine providence even to all things, but they said that from divine providence all things have necessary events, totally removing contingency from things, and this was the opinion of the Stoics, positing, according to the inevitable series of causes that they named fate, that all things happen of necessity;

fourth was the opinion of certain Egyptians who said that the providence of God is mutable;

fifth was the opinion of certain Platonists saying that divine providence is immutable, but under it some things are contained mutably and contingently.

242. Therefore the first three opinions totally empty the fruit of prayer. For if God has no concern about things or at least has no concern about human things or if all things occur of necessity, in vain are prayers poured out to God. Yet the fourth opinion does not remove the fruit of prayer, but grants to it more than its due, namely to change divine providence. Whence, only the fifth opinion has right judgment concerning prayer, which Denys here follows, namely that through prayer we draw our mutable existing selves to the participation of divine providence, yet let us not believe that we can change divine providence.

243. Therefore the chain of light hanging from the immobile summit of heaven or the ropes that are extended from the immobile rock, signify the order of divine providence proceeding from the immobility of the divine wisdom. Yet that he says that the chain is present everywhere in heaven and on earth and then to all things, signifies that he extends his providence to all things, against the first opinion. Yet what he says concerning the immutability of the rock and that the chain of light cannot be drawn to us, signifies that divine providence is immobile, against the fourth position or opinion. Yet that he says that we ourselves are led upwards through the immobile chain and we approach the rock through the rope or are separated from it through thrusting, signifies our mobility for following the fruit of divine providence, against the third position.

244. Finally, he concludes the proposition, namely that, before all things, yet especially before theological business, it is useful that we should begin from prayer, not such that through prayer we should draw the divine virtue, which is present everywhere and is nowhere concluded, but as through divine commemoration and invocation drawing our own selves and uniting with him.

245. The necessity of prayer having been set forth, Denys proceeds to an excusing of himself;

and first, he posits whence he could seem accusable to someone;

second, he excuses himself, at for indeed, if he would have deigned.

246. Therefore he says, first, that this seems worthy of accusation: that although Hierotheus, who was his noble master, by speaking subtly united certain treatises on divine things, Denys has written both other treatises on divine things and the present book as if the treatises of Hierotheus were not sufficient, which seems to pertain to a certain irreverence.

247. Then when he says, for indeed, if he would have deigned, he proceeds to the excusing of himself; and about this, he does three things:

first, he excuses himself from irreverence;

second, he shows his reverence for Hierotheus, at because also among these our hierarchs;

third, he concludes his intention by composing in this work, at therefore both persuaded by these things.

248. Yet he excuses himself in three ways: the first excusing is that those things that Hierotheus had said unto one, he has treated from the mandate of Hierotheus and at the petition of Timothy through singulars; and this is what he says: that if Hierotheus would have deigned to treat in order all things that pertain to theological consideration, and had wished to run through the treatment of the whole of theology, namely that he carried out as though in a certain genus and summary, by scrutinizing in particular, Denys would not have arrived at so great a fury or depravity, that he would wish to write concerning divine things.

249. Yet that he would have reached to fury or depravity, he shows by either of two ways, one of which is that Denys would have reckoned to elevate himself to theological considerations more perspicaciously than Hierotheus and more divinely; the other way is that he would not believe himself to say higher things, and then two unfitting things would follow: one of which is that by repeating the same things that Hierotheus had said, he would write uselessly and thus would incur vain speech; the other unfitting thing is that, as though by snatching thievishly to himself the noblest contemplation and manifestation of divine things of Hierotheus himself, he would do injury to him, since nevertheless he was his master and friend, and Denys was introduced to theological knowledge especially from the words of Hierotheus, nevertheless after the doctrine of Paul.

250. But Hierotheus expounded certain conspicacious, that is, received with great difficulty and understanding, determinations, and comprehending many things in one universal, according to the truth of the thing leading men** prudently **to divine things; and he commanded Denys and other men like him who are masters of souls that are newly instructed, that according to their ability there would be manifested and distinguished by them the universal determinations of profound contemplation of that man, in which he rolled many things in one, and that they would do this with a speech commensurate to them, not universal such as Hierotheus had used. Timothy himself also exhorted Denys many times to this very completion, and he had sent back the book of Hierotheus to him, as exceeding his capacity.

251. Therefore because those things are such, for this reason we determine the aforementioned book to be of the perfect considerations of the masters, not apt for whomever, but for these only who exceed the multitude by their capacity, such that that book has a certain second authority from the eloquences of canonical Scripture, to which no authority can be equated; such that the words of that book consequently have themselves to the words of the christs of God, that is, to the words of the holy apostles, who are called christs, on account of the fullness of spiritual grace and on account of the dignity of the priest.

And thus since so high a book as this befits only the perfect, we according to our proportion hand on divine things to these who are according to us, that is, to the imperfect, like us. For we do not suffice to hand on the perfect doctrine to the perfect, because if solid food, that is, perfect doctrine, is only of the perfect, as is said in Hebrews 5:14, because only these can grasp perfect doctrine, it is of greater perfection to feed others with such food. For it is greater to teach others perfect doctrine, than to be able to take it from others. Yet it must be considered that as much as some intellect is higher and more perfect, so much more can it comprehend many things in one. Yet infirmity of intellect is required in order that singulars might be unfolded singularly. And for this reason he called the doctrine of Hierotheus, comprehending many things in few, perfect.

252. He posits a second excusing at rightly therefore was this also said, and he says that rightly can it be said, unto his excusing, that in order that someone through himself should inspect the understanding of the divine eloquences, which are the eloquences of Sacred Scripture and that transparent doctrine of theirs considered in them, it requires perfect virtue. But that someone should have science and consideration of words leading into the aforementioned consideration and doctrine, and that he should learn those words, can befit even the more imperfect, both the doctors whom he calls sanctifying and the ones taught whom he calls sanctified. Therefore just as to inspect and to reach the perfect science of divine things pertained to Hierotheus who was perfect, so to have the science of expounding the aforementioned doctrine and to teach the exposition of this sort pertains to the lesser, among whom Denys counts himself.

253. The third excusing is posited at although this also has been observed, and it says that Denys also observed this studiously: that he totally did not apply the hand also to manifesting the words of Hierotheus in those things that Hierotheus chose to distinguish according to plain manifestation.

254. Then when he says, because also among these our hierarchs, he shows the reverence that he has for Hierotheus;

and first, by showing its magnitude;

second, by recognizing his proper humility, at for thus for ourselves we feel.

For from these two it follows that someone has someone else in reverence: that he perceives great things about him and small things about himself. Yet he commends Hierotheus in two ways:

first of all, as regards the fact that he was most subtle and wholly divine;

second, as regards the fact that he knew how to give milk to the little ones in Christ, at and, so that we might pass over those mystical things.

255. Therefore he says, first, that Denys himself simultaneously with Timothy and Hierotheus himself and many other holy brothers, came together with the apostles to see the body of the one who is the principle of the whole of life and that received God. And this can be understood concerning a bodily vision of Christ, of which the Apostle makes mention in 1 Corinthians 15:38. For the body of Christ is the body of God who is the prince of life, and that body received God through unition, whence also it is called a temple, according to John 2:21: yet he said this concerning the temple of his body. It can also be understood that they came together to see the body of the blessed virgin Mary in her death, which also received God, by the Incarnation. And in that meeting, there was present also James the brother of the Lord and Peter who was the highest head of all the apostles.

256. Yet after the aforementioned vision, it seemed to all that all the apostles and bishops who were there, would praise the infinite goodness of the divine infirmity, that is, humanity, as was possible to each. And then Hierotheus surpassed all the masters after the apostles, to whom no other can be compared; and by that praise, he was wholly exceeding all sensible and mundane things and as though placed outside of himself, he seemed joined to these things that he praised through a certain unition, and thus by all, whoever heard and saw, whether they had known him before or not, he was judged accepted by God and a divine praiser. And what can be said of these things that he theologized there, which were so sublime? Which, as Denys says, if it does not fall from his mind, many times he recognized certain parts of those divine praises, which Hierotheus brought forth, with God inspiring, while he heard them brought forth by Timothy. For so great was Timothy in the study of divine things, that those that he heard, he also took care to retain in memory.

257. Then when he says, and, so that we might pass over those mystical things, he commends him concerning the education of the simple; and he says that, in order that he might omit to speak of those hidden things said there, because they were known to Timothy, this must be said: that, when it was necessary to communicate divine things to the multitude and to lead back whom he could to know holy things, by knowledge proportionate to the imperfect, Hierotheus exceeded many of the holy masters by the spending of time, because he spent or expended more time in teaching, and by purity of mind, because he was not wrapped up in phantasms or errors by which he would have been impeded from right judgment of truth, and by diligence of demonstrations, that is, efficacy of words in demonstrating the truth, and by the rest of holy speeches, that is, in the other things that are required for holy speeches. Whence he concludes that it was never his attempt to look against so great a sun, namely Hierotheus, by preferring or equating himself to him.

258. Then when he says, for thus for ourselves we feel, he shows what humble things he perceives about himself; and he says that he is so conscious that he is not sufficient for understanding divine things not only that are above the human intellect, but even many that are understood by other men; and likewise he reckons himself insufficient for saying and manifesting those things that can be said by others concerning the divine knowledge; and he reckons himself to fall far short of the science of theological truth, which the more perfect have had. And he introduces this for this reason: because he has been led to this on account of the perfect reverence that he has for greater men and for the divine philosophy; because he totally does not dare to think or to say anything concerning the divine wisdom, unless those things that he can grasp according to his mind and those also he hears and says, because it is not proper to neglect the knowledge of divine things that it happens that someone can have.

259. And he was persuaded of this in two ways:

first of all, from the natural desire of minds that with a certain love always desire the contemplation of supernatural things that they can grasp, because through this they are most of all perfected;

second, because the best disposition of divine laws prohibits that those things that are above us should be scrutinized much, both because they are above our dignity, and because it is impossible for us to attain them, as is clear in Ecclesiasticus 3:22, where it is said, lest you should seek things higher than you.

But those things that are desired by us and are given to us in order that we might be able to grasp them, the divine law commands us to discern attentively and to hand on kindly to others, according to Wisdom 7:13: which without fiction I learned and without envy I communicate. And this also is had from many other places in Scripture.

260. Then when he says, therefore both persuaded by these things, he concludes his intention, and he says that he has been persuaded from the above and that he is not called back from finding the truth of divine things, according to the possibility of science, neither on account of sloth nor on account of the fearfulness of pusillanimity. Again, his mind could not have suffered that he would dismiss without help those who could not have contemplated greater things than he. On account of all these things, he disposed himself to write this work, nevertheless such that he would dare to introduce nothing new, but those things that conspicaciously were said by Hierotheus in a certain universal understanding, he wishes to distinguish and manifest, through certain investigations more particular and subtler, by descending to singulars. And he speaks through a likeness of bodily things, in which as much as some whole is divided into many parts, there are effected subtler parts.