16. To Him are referred all the eloquent sayings of Scriptural wisdom, as for instance those of Solomon and others. And yet the Jews understand as applying to Solomon what is said of Christ in the Psalm: Fairer in beauty are you than the sons of men; grace is poured out upon your lips. Solomon was not like that. And again, May his name be blessed forever. 16. Ad hunc referuntur omnia eloquia sapientiae Scripturae, ut Salomonis et aliorum. Tamen Iudaei accipiunt de Salomone quod de Christo dicitur in Psalmo: Speciosus forma prae filiis hominum, diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis ; non fuit Salomon talis; et: Sit nomen eius benedictum in saecula .
c. Acceptable
17. Again, this Hierarch is acceptable to god , for we need a most sacred Reconciler. Hence the Epistle to the Hebrews: It was fitting that we should have such a High Priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and become higher than the heavens, in order that He be entirely in the form of God. And so John writes: We saw His glory—glory as of the only-begotten of the Father— full of grace and of truth, because of the great number of graces. He enjoyed, indeed, the grace of an individual Person, the grace of the Head by which He influenced the members, and the grace of union which is infinite and flowing from a single source. For this reason He was acceptable to God, not only because in the form of God, but as God. Because He is God, He cannot be unacceptable. Hence He is called God, and the holiest examples come from Him. Hence, wherever in the Scriptures there is a reference to emanations, to the rivers of paradise, to gushing fountains, they apply to Him. 17. Item, Hierarcha iste est Deo acceptus; quia indigemus sacratissimo reconciliatore. Ad Hebraeos: Talis decebat, ut esset nobis pontifex, sanctus, innocens, impollutus, segregatus a peccatoribus et excelsior caelis factus , ut esset totus deiformis; unde in Ioanne: Vidimus gloriam eius, gloriam quasi unigeniti a Patre, plenum gratiae et veritatis , propter multitudinem gratiarum. Habuit enim gratiam singularis personae, gratiam capitis, per quam influit in membra, gratiam unionis, et haec est infinita ex una parte. Unde Deo fuit acceptus non solum, quia deiformis, sed quia Deus. Quia Deus est, non potest esse non acceptus. Et ideo dicitur Deus; et sic ab ipso sunt exempla sanctissima. -- Unde ubicumque in Scripturis fit mentio de emanationibus, de fluminibus paradisi, de scaturigines fontium, ad hunc referuntur.
d. Victorious
18. Once more, the Hierarch must be totally victorious by the number of His triumphs and victories. Hence, in the Epistle to the Colossians: And you, when you were dead by reason of your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh; and later: Disarming the Principalities and Powers, He displayed them openly, leading them away in triumph by force of it. Indeed, He overcame the world, despoiled Hades, and restored Paradise. Hence in the Psalm: Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the King of Glory may come in! Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty. We want to hear this: Lift up, O gates, your lintels!. . . Who is this King of Glory? The Lord, strong and mighty! He, then, is the Strong One. That is why at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth and under the earth. Isaiah asks: Who is this that comes from Edom, in crimson garments, from Bosra?. . . "It is I who announce vindication, 1 who am mighty to save." For that reason, He is called Strong, and from Him come strong defenses. Hence, mountains are round about Him. And so all the wars of Scripture refer to the victory of Christ. 18. Item oportet, quod hierarcha sit victoriosissimus propter multitudinem triumphi et victoriae. Unde ad Colossenses: Et vos cum mortui essetis in delictis et praeputio carnis vestrae ; et sequitur: Exspolians principatus et potestates, traduxit confidenter, palam triumphans illos in semetipso . Vicit enim mundum, spoliavit infernum, restauravit paradisum. Unde in Psalmo: Attolite portas principes vestras, et elevamini portae aeternales, et introibit Rex gloriae. Quis est iste Rex gloriae? Dominus fortis et potens. Adhuc volumus audire: Attollite portas principes vestras. Quis est iste Rex gloriae? Dominus virtutum . Iste est ergo fortis. Unde necesse est, ut in nomine Iesu omne genu flectatur caelestium, terrestrium et infernorum . Isaias: Quis est iste, qui venit de Edom tinctis vestibus de Bosra? Ego qui loquor iustitiam et propugnator sum ad salvandum . -- Et ideo dicitur fortis. Ab hoc manant fortia praesidia. Unde montes in circuitu eius . Unde omnia bella Scripturae referuntur ad victoriam Christi.
e. Generous
19. Again, our Hierarch must be most generous in the amount of what He gives out. As written in the Epistle to the Ephesians, to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's bestowal Thus it says, "Ascending on high, He led away captives; He gave gifts to men." As indeed a cloud rises aloft in order that it may rain down, so does Christ ascend in order that He may grant His gifts. The sun has been lifted up, and the moon remained in its shelter. For at first He had given the Holy Spirit to the world in a secret way, but He did it manifestly after He had ascended on high, for this Holy Spirit was the cleansing, enlightening, and perfecting Hierarch, and the Holy Spirit came down into the heavenly and sub-heavenly hierarchies. And so, suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a violent wind. The Holy Spirit came down as a means of cleansing: hence, the violent wind; as a means of instruction, hence there appeared to them parted tongues as of fire; as a means of perfection, hence the tongues of fire settled upon each of them. From Him come forth the free gifts of grace. Whatever is said in the Bible of the sun shedding light, or of other diffusions, or of banquets, is said of His bounty. Hence, in the Psalm: The household shall divide the spoils. And in Isaiah: They rejoice before You ... as men make merry when dividing spoils. These are the gifts of Christ's lavishness. Hence He is called the Father of the age to come, for He Himself is the Principle of those influences by which we will live in the future. As James writes: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights. And later: Of His own will He has begotten us by the word of truth, that we might be, as it were, the first-fruits of His creatures. We are now the beginning of creatures, but then we shall be creatures in full. 19. Item oportet, quod hierarcha noster sit largiflue propter magnitudinem influentiae. Ad Ephesios: Unicuique nostrum data est gratia secundum mensuram donationis Christi. Propter quod dicit: Ascendens in altum captivam duxit captivitatem, dedit dona hominibus . Sicut enim nubes ascendit in altum, ut postmodum pluat; sic ascendit Christus, ut dona sua daret; cum elevatus est sol; et luna stetit in ordine suo . Primo enim Spiritum sanctum in terra occulte dederat, sed postquam ascendit, tunc manifeste, quia ipse Spiritus sanctus fuit hierarcha purgans, illuminans, perficiens, et descendit Spiritus sanctus in hierarchiam caelestem et subcaelestem. Unde factus est repente de caelo sonus tanquam advenientis Spiritus , Descendit Spiritus sanctus ut purgans; unde dicitur advenientis Spiritus ; ut instruens: apparuerunt illis linguae dispertitae tanquam ignis ; in virtute perficiente: seditque super singulos eorum . Ab hoc manant dona gratuita. -- Quidquid ergo in Scriptura invenitur diffusionis in sole et aliis et conviviis referuntur ad largitionem eius. Unde in Psalmo: Speciei domus dividere spolia ; et in Isaia: Laetabuntur coram te, sicut exsultant victores, capta praeda, quando dividunt spolia . Haec sunt dona largitatis Christi. -- Unde dicitur pater futuri saeculi ; quia ipse est principium influentiam!!!, per quas vivemus in futuro saeculo; Iacobus: Omne datum optimum et omne donum perfectum desursum est, descendens a Patre luminum . Sequitur: Voluntarie genuit nos verbo veritatis, ut simus initium aliquod creaturae eius . Modo sumus initium creaturae, sed tunc erimus simpliciter creatura.
20. This [our Hierarch] is the most generous because He gives us whatever we ask. Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in My name, etc. He swears to it and asserts it with complete truthfulness. Hence in the Psalm: You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. And again: Man and beast You save, O Lord. — They shall be inebriated with the plenty of Thy house. 20. Iste est largissimus, quia dat nobis quidquid petimus: Amen, amen dico vobis: si quid petieritis Patrem in nomine meo etc. Iurat et in veritate asserit. Unde in Psalmis: Aperis tu manum tuam et imples omne animal benedictione ; et: Homines et iumenta salvabis, Domine. Inebriabuntur ab ubertate domus tuae *.
f. Just
21. Finally, He [our Hierarch] must be supremely just, because of the manifold character of a justice making infallible inquiries, irreproachable distinctions, and irrevocable judgments, handing out retribution to each one according to his deeds. Isaiah writes: A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse.—Justice shall be the band around his waist.—-Not by appearance shall He judge nor by hearsay shall He decide. Such, then, is God: for if He were mere man, He could not judge otherwise than through witnesses. All the judgments of Scriptures refer to this one judgment; hence, He [our Hierarch] is called the Prince of Peace. Wherefore just rewards come forth from Him. He, then, has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts. And such a key is the mystery of union. 21. Item, debet esse summe iustus propter multitudinem iustitiae infallibiliter inquirentis, irreprehensibiliter discutientis, irrevocabiliter sententiantis, ut retribuat unicuique secundum opera sua. Isaias: Egredietur de radice Iesse , et erit iustitia cingulum lumborum eius ; non secundum visionem oculorum iudicabit neque secundum auditum aurium arguet . Ergo talis est Deus, quia, si esset purus homo, non posset iudicare nisi per testes. -- Ad istud iudicium referuntur omnia iudicia Scripturae; et ideo dicitur princeps pacis . Unde ab eo manant praemia iusta. -- Iste ergo David habet clavem, qui aperit, et nemo claudit; claudit, et nemo aperit . Et clavis ista est mysterium unionis.
3. Third Key: Inspired Word - Vision
22. The third key is the understanding of the Inspired Word by whom all things are revealed; for there is no revelation except through this Inspired Word. Daniel understood the words: understanding is needed in the case of a vision. For unless the word resound in the ear of the heart, the splendor shine in the eye, the vapor and emanation of the Almighty be perceived as smell and His sweetness as taste, and unless eternity fill the soul, man is not fit to understand visions. God gave. . . to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams. By what means? Through the Inspired Word. 22. Tertia clavis est intellectus Verbi inspirati, per quod omnia revelantur; non enim fit revelatio nisi per Verbum inspiratum. Daniel intellexit sermonem. Intelligentia enim opus est in visione. Nisi enim verbum sonet in aure cordis, splendor luceat in oculo, vapor et emanatio omnipotentis sit in olfacto, suavitas in gustu, sempiternitas impleat animam; non est homo aptus ad intelligendas visiones. Sed Danieli dedit Deus intelligentiam omnium visionum et somniorum . Per quid? Per Verbum inspiratum.
23. Generally speaking, there are three kinds of vision: the bodily, the imaginary, and the intellectual. The first two are worthless without the third. Hence, in the vision of the hand, mere bodily sight was of little use to Belsassar, likewise, to Nabuchodonosor in the imaginary vision of the golden statue, and to Pharaoh in the vision of the cows and the ears of grain: but these visions were meaningful both to Daniel and to Joseph. Joseph corresponds to John and Daniel to Paul. 23. Visio autem est triplex, ut communiter dicitur: corporalis, imaginaria, intellectualis. Duae primae nihil valent sine tertia. Unde parum valuit Balthasar! visio corporalis in visione manus, et Nabuchodonosor visio imaginaria statuae aureae, et Pharaoni visio in spicis et bobus, sed Danieli et Ioseph. Ioseph respondet Ioanni, Daniel Paulo.
24. Besides these visions, there is one that is sixfold and corresponds to the works of the six days: through these, the lesser world is made perfect, as was the greater one, in six days. There is a vision through that understanding which is given by nature, and a vision through that understanding which is lifted up by faith, taught by Scripture, exalted by contemplation, enlightened by prophecy, absorbed by rapture in God. And after these, there is a seventh vision of the glorified soul: and Paul had all of them. The first two belong to many, the next two to a few, the last two to an extremely small number. 24. Praeter has est visio sextuplex, quae respondet operibus sex dierum; quibus minor mundus fit perfectus, sicut maior mundus sex diebus. Est visio intelligentiae per naturam inditae, et visio intelligentiae per fidem sublevatae, per Scripturam eruditae, per contemplationem suspensae, per prophetiam illustratae, per raptum in Deum absorptae. Ad has sequitur visio septima animae glorificatae, quas omnes habuit Paulus. -- Primae duae sunt multorum, duae aliae paucorum, hae ultimae duae paucissimorum.
25. Through the first, we understand that to which our intelligence reaches by its own power. This corresponds to the first day on which light was made. Hence in the Psalm: The light of thy countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us. Without this light which is given within, a man has nothing, neither faith nor grace nor the illumination of wisdom. For this reason also light was separated from darkness. 25. Per primam intelligitur, ad quid potest extendi nostra intelligentia de se. Haec intelligitur per primam diem, in qua facta est lux ; unde in Psalmo: Signatum est super nos lumen vultus tui, Domine Sine isto lumine indito, nihil habet homo, nec fidem nec gratiam nec lumen sapientiae; et ideo divisa est etiam lux a tenebris .
26. The second is understood of the second day, when a firmament was made in the midst, and this firmament is faith which divides the waters. Faith is the origin of wisdom and the origin of knowledge, whether of eternal or of temporal things, in so far as neither knowledge nor wisdom disagrees with faith. 26. Secunda intelligitur per secundam diem, ubi factum est firmamentum in medio . Hoc firmamentum est fides et dividit aquas ab aquis. Fides est origo sapientiae et origo scientiae, sive sit de aeternis, sive de temporalibus, sive scientia, sive sapientia non discordant a fide.
27. The third is understood of the third day, when the waters were gathered together and dry land appeared. The land is Scriptures which have spiritual meanings and refer to angelical and divine hierarchies which have often been marvelously described by the saints: and from these Scriptures spring forth vegetation and the tree of life. But let everyone beware of the tree of inquisitive knowledge. 27. Tertia intelligitur per tertiam diem, ubi congregatae sunt aquae, et apparuit arida . Terra est Scriptura habens intelligentias spirituales, hierarchias Angelicas et divinas, quae mirabiliter expositae a Sanctis pullulant; et in his producitur herba virens et ligna paradisi . Caveat tamen quisque a ligno curiositatis scientiae.
28. The fourth is understood of the fourth day, when it was said, "Let there be lights," that is, the sun, moon and stars. A man who does not have contemplation cannot yet enjoy the adornment of sun, moon and stars. For there is need of the apparition of a woman clothed with the sun, and (having) the moon. . . under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. And so, contemplation of the super-heavenly hierarchy is represented by the sun, contemplation of the sub-heavenly hierarchy, by the moon, and contemplation of the heavenly hierarchy, by the stars. Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow: in contemplation, there is admiration, expansion, a transference and restoration of one's self. Hence, after gazing on God, they could still eat and drink. 28. Quarta intelligitur in opere quartae diei, ubi dicitur: Fiant luminaria , scilicet sol et luna et stellae. Qui non habet contemplationem adhuc non habet ornamentum solis et lunae et stellarum. Apparere autem debet mulier amicta sole, et luna sub pedibus eius, et in capite eius corona duodecim stellarum , ut sit Contemplatio supercaelestis hierarchiae in sole, subcaelestis in luna, caelestis in stellis. Tunc videbis et afflues, et mirabitur et dilatabitur cor tuum , quia in contemplatione admiratio, dilatatio, alienatio, refectio; unde: Comederunt et viderunt Deum Israel .
29. The fifth vision, which comes about through understanding enlightened by prophecy, is still higher than the preceding ones, in that contingent things are seen infallibly, which comes about through a certain kind of sight looking into the Eternal Mirror. The contingent is changing and varied: if then a prophet sees with infallibility and certainty, everything he sees must be considered within infallible Truth. Hence it is difficult to make definite judgments about this; but the problem may be solved in the same way as that of God's foreknowledge: a prophet sees an event as future, and hence it will occur; God [simply] sees an event: hence it will occur, for God's vision is not a thing of the past, but indicates divine awareness as existing in the present with a connotation of time —and this connotation is contingent, that is, it is merely an incidental note. This vision is understood to refer to the fifth day when the fishes of the waters were made together with the birds, for the soul is carried up to God on the breeze by means of pinions and a great number of feathers. 29. Quinta est per prophetiam illustratae intelligentiae, adhuc altior praemissis, ut videat contingentia infallibiliter, quod fit quodam visionis modo speciali in speculo aeterno. Certum est enim, quod cum contingens sit mutabile et variabile, quodsi Propheta videt infallibiliter et certitudinaliter, quod non videt nisi in veritate infallibili. -- Unde difficile est determinare de istis; et per idem solvitur, sicut de praescientia Dei: hoc videt Propheta futurum: ergo eveniet; hoc videt Deus: ergo eveniet; quia visio Dei non cadit in praeteritum, sed praesentiam divinae visionis cum connotato temporali dicit, quod quidem connotatum contingens est vel connotatur. -- Haec intelligitur in opere quintae diei, in qua facti sunt pisces de aquis et aves . Per pennas enim et multitudinem plumarum et spiritus fertur anima in Deum.
30. The sixth vision is that of understanding absorbed by rapture in God. Hence, the Epistle to the Corinthians: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago — whether in the body ...or out of the body I do not know, God knows— such a one was caught up in this way. This lifting up makes the soul as similar to God as is possible in the state of pilgrimage, Ecstasy and rapture are not the same, wherefore it is said that they do not have merely a disposition toward glory, but the very act. And as the one vision consists in the common boundary between the way and the fatherland, so the other consists in the common boundary between union and separation from the body. Hence the Apostle writes: Whether in the body or out of the body 1 do not know. Why, then, would a man presume to determine what Paul himself did not know? To this vision corresponds the work of the sixth day: God said, "Let us make mankind in Our image and likeness," for it is of such great worth that it must have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,... and every creature that crawls on earth. The higher a man is lifted up, the humbler he is, as is the case with Paul, who lowered himself through humility when it came to determining the nature of the union. Hence in Job: Does the eagle fly up at your command to pass the night at his lofty nest? And later: Where the slain are, there is he. First, he speaks wonders of the eagle, and then humble things; and so it is with rapture. For the man ravished to the greatest height is also the most humble. And it must be so, for had he been proud, he could have lost grace and fallen into a reprobate sense. And so it is not without reason that the Apostle was given a thorn for the flesh; and he explains: Lest the greatness of the revelation puff me up. And I say that a man who has attained such a state may order and command other men as did Paul, and also Dionysius, who ordered the Church according to the exemplar shown to him. 30. Sexta est visio intelligentiae per raptum in Deum absorptae. Ad Corinthios: Scio hominem ante annos quatuordecim, sive in corpore sive extra corpus, nescio, Deus scit, raptum huiusmodi . Haec enim sublevatio facit animam Deo simillimam, quantum potest in statu viae -- nec est idem ecstasis et raptus -- unde, ut dicunt, non habent habitum gloriae, sed actum; et sicut illa visio est in confinio viae et patriae, sic illa est in confinio unionis et separationis a corpore. Ideo dicit Apostolus: Sive in corpore, sive extra corpus, nescio . Unde ergo homo praesumit determinare quod Paulus nescivit? -- Huic respondet opus sextae diei: Faciamus , inquit, hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram ; quia talis dignus est, ut praesit volatilibus et piscibus maris et reptilibus . -- Quanto enim quis elevatior, tanto humilior, ut Paulus, qui etiam ad coniugium determinandum descendebat per humilitatem. Unde dicitur in Iob: Nunquid ad praeceptum tuum elevabitur aquila et in arduis ponet nidum suum? . Et sequitur: Ubicumque fuerit cadaver, statim adest . Mirabilia primo dixerat de aquila, et postea humilia; sic est de raptu. Ille enim, qui in raptu fuit maior, magis est humilis. Et sic necesse est, quia, si superbiret, posset amittere gratiam et cadere in reprobum sensum ; et vix unquam surgeret, quia quanto magis novit, tanto magis sciret solvere omnia, quae dicerentur sibi; et ideo non sine causa datus fuit Apostolo stimulus carnis, ne magnitudo , inquit, revelationum extollat me . -- Ille, inquam, qui ad illum statum pervenit, potest alios ordinare et regere, ut Paulus fecit, et Dionysius, qui ordinavit Ecclesiam secundum exemplar, quod sibi monstrabatur.
31. The seventh day coincides with separation from the body. "This day thou shalt be with Me in paradise." And this day has no evening. Then follows the eighth day, which does not differ from the one before but is a repetition of the first, when the soul rejoins its body. 31. Septimus dies est absolutio a corpore; hodie mecum eris in paradiso ; qui dies non habet vesperam. -- Et post sequitur octava dies, qui non est alius a praecedentibus, sed est reiteratio primae diei, quando anima resumet corpus suum.
32. And so, this is the Key of David which the Inspired Word is teaching, this Word, who is uncreated in the bosom of the Father, incarnate in the Virgin's womb, inspired in your heart by faith. He penetrates angelic and human minds, and coming into them, He makes them understand these visions, because He is pure understanding and spirit; but He does so in different degrees, for there are different depths in the penetration by which the soul is intimately led to Him. And this comes about through a divine radiation, as Dionysius explains in his "Angelic Hierarchies ": "Wherefore, calling upon Jesus who is the light of His Father," etc. And as he writes in the "Ecclesiastic Hierarchy": "It is proper to Divine Law to bring back the lowest beings to the highest, through the action of the intermediary." This radiation of divine power, coming down upon the heavenly hierarchy, enlightens it, and through it, sheds light upon the ecclesiastic, or subheavenly hierarchy. This radiation, however, brings about the whole effect, for the angels in this case interfere only as occasions, as if, for instance, someone opened windows in order that the radiation bring light to many houses, and then the radiation would brighten them all; or as if someone prepared many mirrors in order to reflect light. Then, in the order of increasing freedom, this radiation leads us back to heavenly contemplation, and later, to the superheavenly. 32. Haec est ergo clavis David , quae docet Verbum inspiratum; illud Verbum, quod est in sinu Patris increatum, incarnatum in utero Virginis, inspiratum in corde tuo per fidem; illabitur mentes Angelicas et humanas, intrans in eis facit intelligere has visiones, quia est intellectus et spiritus purus; sed alio et alio modo, quia sunt maiores profundationes, secundum quod anima intime inducitur in se. Et hoc fit per divinum radium, ut dicit Dionysius De Angelica hierarchia : «Ergo Iesum, inquit, invocantes, qui est paternum lumen», etc.; et sicut dicit Dionysius De ecclesiastica hierarchia , «lex Divinitatis est infima per media ad suprema reducere». Ille thearchicus radius, descendens in caelestem hierarchiam, illam illuminat et per illam ecclesiasticam sive subcaelestem. -- Totum tamen facit ille radius, quia Angeli ibi nihil faciunt nisi occasionaliter; sicut, si quis vellet, quod radius illuminaret multas domus, aperiret fenestras, et tunc radius omnes domus illuminaret; et sicut, si quis praepararet multa specula ad recipiendum lumen. Deinde ordine resolutorio ille radius nos reducit in contemplationem caelestium et deinde supercaelestium.