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" As
for
John
word
to shew, for
he wrote no workes."
HARDING TO JEWELL.
" Hujus
viri cogitationes,
10 ANNUS
NOW
D.D.,
ST. PAUl/s.
sur-master of
st.
H.
st.
LUPTON,
M.A.,
LONDON:
BELL AND DALDY, YORK STREET,
C
VE NT
GARDEN.
1869.
u
5
NOV
0^^-
1966
LIBRARY
Toronto
PREFACE.
THE
public,
made
De
volume
in the
Library of
St.
Paul's School.
ing that
is
it is
no need
The
to
so that,
to give
is
in an edition of
beyond mention-
Hierarchy,
This
it
on the
here.
Celestial
iv.
sion.
The second
is
nowhere
Treatise,
else to
on the
Ecclesiastical Hierarchy,
is
am
aware.
_p
^ ^g
infer,
occasional errors.
One
slight
have made
PREFACE.
vi
uniformly throughout
namely, by writing
is
ce
for the
In other respects,
e.
my
Company
of the Worshipful
me
for allowing
to
shaw,
for
Esq.,
affording
me
his
courtesy in previously
great
ready access to
To Mr. Seebohm,
formers of 1498,
Henry Brad-
it.
my obligations
expressed in a Preface.
I
I
am
are
which he has
me.
set before
That the
work
life
and
writings of
tion, at the
memory,
interest in his
is,
I think, a
nition
which
rence to his
is
his due,
attrac-
happy omen
own maxim,
Si vis divinus
esse, late
March
17 th, 1869.
for
ut
CONTENTS.
Introduction.
1.
2.
......
3. On Dean
4.
5.
6.
7.
Page
Preliminary
On the Biographies of Dean Colet
Colet's Writings
ix
....
ix
xii
xv
xix
xxxii
xlv
Celestial Hierarchy
Dedication
Chapter
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XV.
XVI.
.....
....
Supplementary
fallen
on distinctions
Angels
in office,
2
7
15
16
17
18
20
24
27
31
33
33
34
and on the
36
CONTENTS.
Vlll
Ecclesiastical Hierarchy.
Page
Chapter
I.
Introductory;
to the
Chapter
II.
III.
IV.
V.
heavenly
1.
59
2.
On
61
3.
70
Communion
Ante-Communion Service, and cele
bration of Holy Communion
1.
Introduction to Synaxis, or
2.
On
3.
1, 2.
On
3.
1.
Introduction
2,
On
3.
Spiritual contemplation of
1.
Introduction to Initiation
2, 3.
1.
On
.....
to
the
Holy Orders
Monks
134
Dead
On
,,
3.
holy
Dead
137
140
141
Infant Baptism
119
126
.
2.
On
102
118
3 2.
100
Sacrament] of Holy
the Consecration of
78
84
95
77
the
VII.
48
Part
Orders
VI.
.....
155
De Celesti Hierarchia
163
De
197
......
Ecclesiastic a Hierarchia
Index
273
INTRODUCTION.
SI.
his writings.
2.
THAT
On
the Biographies of
Dean
Colet.
be but a miniature,
it
is
If
INTRODUCTION.
x
master, and
it is
life.
But the
must
benefit
Wittemberg
reformer,
portrait,
that of
known
John
a Franciscan
Vitrier,
monk
of St.
summer of
1500.
life
INTRODUCTION.
xi
and
fifty
years, in
The destruction
plished.
the
fire
of the School
and
its library, in
it, if it
had not
also.
The
Tu
verras
le
violent spirit of these propositions perhaps does not well accord with
in 1498.
v. p. 161,
1
Servian of Conforming,
8fc.
p. 330.
(16f>l), p. 2.
INTRODUCTION.
xii
amongst
to live
us.
3.
On Bean Colet'
Writings.
"
sort of
knowledge
to himself, he
all
Life (1730),
This Life, which was anonymous, was assailed in a bitter pamphlet, entitled Short JRernarks, Sfc, which came out in the same year.
Kennett' s change of political principles, from Jacobite to Hanoverian,
exposed him to long and violent hostility. The Rector of Whitechapel
inserted his portrait, as Judas, in an altar-piece representing the Last
Supper an act of profanity which drew multitudes to the Church, till
The obloquy he underwent appears to me to
the Bishop interfered.
p. 190.
have robbed him of some of the respect he deserves for his literary labours and on this account I am desirous that his merit in the present
See Nichols' Lit. Anecd., i. p. 396 n.
instance should be acknowledged.
2
See the letter of Dr. Knight to Bp. Kennett, dated March 28th,
and Kennett' s reply. No
1 721, prefixed to the MS. volume referred to
of
Bp. Kennett's and of Dr.
relative
value
one can properly estimate the
Knight's labours, who has not well examined this important volume.
;
INTRODUCTION.
xiii
for I should
discretion."
eventually
came
Matthew Parker,
to
the
Corinthians?
The
The author
Medal
Erasmus, sive Thvcydidis cum Tacito comparatio, threw his piece into the form of a dialogue between Warham, Colet,
Erasmus and More but he prudently avoided imitating Colet's Latinity
Oxford
at
in 1866, entitled
too closely.
2
Kennett's
For the
p. 69.
The Oxford Reformers, p. 36 n. Knight
wrongly describes the volume as containing the same comments as that
in the Emmanuel Library.
Pref p. xv.
5
For a description of this I am indebted to the Rev. Octavius Glover,
Dr. Tuckney was successively Master of EmB.D., the Librarian.
manuel and St. John's College, Cambridge, and Regius Professor of
Divinity, and died in 1670.
Letters to Radulphus, see
INTRODUCTION.
xiv
There
Gale
MSS.
volume
is
also
Queen
to contain a
is
the
Cambridge, a
(0. 4.44)
Elizabeth's time,
among
now
copy
strongly
doubted.
in St.
PauPs School
comprises
all
am
And when
aware.
Knight (Pref.
it
is
But there
is
it
Colet, so far as I
how
considered
p.
archbishop Parker."
Dean
A note in Dr. Thos. Gale's writing gives his opinion that it is Colet's
work, from its similarity to another volume, then in the Chapter House
of St. Paul's, but now no longer discoverable.
3
I must here express my obligations to Signor Ferrucci, the venerable Librarian of the Mediceo-Laurentian Library at Florence, for informing me that no record of Colet is to be found among; the archives
under his care and to Robert S. Collet, Esq., of The Hale, Wendover,
;
latter of
whom
list
to
Bibliothcca (1757),
i.
p. 309,
makes him
to
INTRODUCTION.
xv
portant a section of his works has not yet seen the light, I
and
altogether undeserved.
On
4.
Dionysian Writings.
time
but
still
the
title
them
It becomes accordingly an interesting question,
how Dionysius should exert such an influence upon him.
A German essayist on Dionysius, Augustus Meier, 2 is
scription of
Dionysius.
and Kemp,
2767.
pp. 102,
1
Treatise on the Sacraments (1867), Introd. p. 4.
To what is there
may
added
the
fact that it was
be
said about the Latin Edition of 1498,
edited by Jacobus Faber of Staples, who was the frequent correspondent of Erasmus, and may therefore have been probably known to Colet.
2
Dionysii Areopagitce
rantur (1845), p. 2.
et
mysticorum
compa-
INTRODUCTION.
xvi
in mysticism."
At such
But
by following out
mystic writings
much
may be found
and Ficino
ambassador in
Ganay.
It was the sight of a letter of Erasmus's to Robert Gaguin,
the French historian, that first introduced Erasmus to the
2
The practice of handing letters about, as
notice of Colet.
evidences of scholarship, seems at that time to have been
common and Gaguin had in this manner shewn to Colet
The fact would seem
one received by him from Erasmus.
Erasmi Epist.
vi. p.
(164*2), v. 3;
439.
dated 1407
INTRODUCTION.
xvii
to betoken a certain
and
Colet.
possessor of
learning.
all
Platonists."
Thus Erasmus writes to ask the loan of Macrobius (Ep. iv. 26), of
Trapezuntius and Quintilian (v. 16).
2
Epistole (1498) f. xlv.
" Quibus omnibus
Roberti Gaguini
plerique nostratium scholasticorum ardent te facie nosse et intueri
1
hominem, a quo
3
Dated Oct.
monumenta
si
Ex
prodierunt," etc.
et
et
I NT ROD
xviii
deeply affected by
TJOTION.
it.
but there
nothing improbable
in it ; and if this were so, then by another channel would
Colet be brought into communication with the writings of
Ficino and Mirandola, and through them again be pointed
learned Bishop;
onwards
is
at least
to Dionysius.
if in-
prove beyond all doubt that he had read some, at least, of the
From the Apologia of
writings of Mirandola and Ficino.
passage
of
some
quotes
a
length, with scarcely
the former he
a verbal alteration;
place,
betray a
"
i.
severely.
2
"Qui
i.
13
i.
'
14.
Ficino's
INTRODUCTION.
xix
John Trittenheim.
This included
life
many
illustrious
works.
how
it
is
Colet's atten-
came
tion
not only in making popular the study of the so-called Areopagite, but in infusing
much
5.
THE
Eugenius
On
its
ciliation of the
its
'
The
first
edition
was published
Leaf
2, b.
still
living.
at Basle in 1494,
INTRODUCTION.
xx
number
The conver-
men,
surnamed GemisMedici
Cosmo de'
with an ardent desire
to transplant the philosophy of Plato to Italian soil ; and to
his efforts must be ascribed the foundation of the Platonic
sation of these
especially of George,
Academy
at Florence.
is
no need
to
INTRODUCTION.
xxi
them
till
of
the
i.
p. 548.
House of Medicis,
tr.
by Spence,
p.
234.
3
See
c.
i.
He
gives the
vivium.
4
Lib.
The
iii.
story
is
told
by Alexander ab Alexandro,
at the
beginning of
Gemmarum.
Dolensis,
and
commentary
first line
est,
cleri-
INTRODUCTION.
xxii
" From
thought
period/' says
this
in
Europe took
M.
its rise
Delecluze,
and from
" freedom
of
crude med-
this
at Salern,
who
could say,
Hung up
is
my
gauntlet,
my
banner,
my
shield,
all
Mirandola could boast of nine hundred Questions, on all conceivable subjects, as the literary gages he had thrown down.
It would be alike beside my purpose to stay to investigate
these, and presumptuous to attempt to decide on the real
knowledge which they indicate; 2 suffice it to say, that proculis,
i.
scholaribus
"{Ed.
1482).
Who
Villari,
in
xxiii
a place
find
among
the
number
at this
and Proclus,
early period
of
1480.
Holy Scriptures
first
The
we
find
him writing
"with the
reconciliation of Plato
pursuit I give
give to
"I am
my
my
To
and Aristotle.
whole mornings.
My
that
afternoon hours I
and
orators,
" These propositions," he says, " were after all very inand substantially contained nothing of any importance.
It must be confessed that his learning was not very profound, and that
he was far inferior in erudition to Politian, and in philosophy to Ficino."
History of Savonarola, tr. by Horner, i. p. 81. In the case of one
who died in his thirty-second year, an inferiority to Politian and Ficino,
in the departments peculiar to each, may readily be allowed
and enough
will still remain, as it seems to me, almost to justify the eulogy of Erasmus and of the elder Scaliger.
Letter to Germain de Ganay, dated March 23rd, 1494. Op. 1601,
of Mirandola.
significant,
p. 275.
2
Op.
p.
250.
Examen
vanitatis doctrince
Op.
Gentium,
p. 243.
iv. 2.
Op. Pars.
ii.
p.
666.
INTRODUCTION.
xxiv
which he
feeling letter in
as
'
wisdom
second
self."
and
in the
'
To be near
and in
him
affection a
an
it
It
was through
his entreaties
an author
whom
"
Nam
silio
vicinas
conduxit,
triennium habitavit."
humiles
Corsii
admodum
quas
Vita, p. 192.
Corsius, p. 190.
frater, et
venisset, aedes
tamen totura
Marfere
INTRODUCTION.
xxv
men.
of
unfortunate that
we
are.
'
The harvest
truly
is
plenteous,
my dear
And the fewer we
but the labourers are few/
Mirandola, the more frequently and the more zealously must
are,
we
said
dated, as
his
that
it
it
would be desirable
to
know
from
it is
one, in
its
this
at
letter is not
what period of
life
arises
Farewell."
labour.
amounts to this
interest as
Were Mirandola and Ficino uniformly, through at least a considerable portion of
their lives, men of such a religious spirit as the above letter
would seem to imply
or were they almost wholly indifferent to Christianity, till a certain event arrested and
changed their course, which event was the preaching of
it
Savonarola
Now
strongholds of iniquity.
There was that fire of the Spirit in him for which enthusiasm sounds but a cold name, that can inflame the luke-
effet,
foi,
p.
language,
xxxi
"Et,
Colet's
en
in
i.
p.
956.
sait,
INTRODUCTION.
xxiv
which he relates
wisdom
and in the
him
and in affection a
To be near his friend, Mirandola hired an
second self."
adjacent house, though one unequal to his rank, and resided
3
It was through his entreaties
in it for nearly three years.
that Ficino undertook the translation of Plotinus ; an author
whom Mirandola speaks of as worthy not only of constant
4
perusal, but of being learnt by heart, and who appears to
have led Ficino naturally on to Dionysius, as a translation
5
of some of his works was the next task he took in hand.
There is one letter of Ficino's to Mirandola, unfortunately
not dated, which describes so pleasingly the spirit in which
" You send
they both worked, that I will give it entire.
me," he writes, "most welcome intelligence, my worthy
friend, that you are daily advising many, and have already
succeeded in persuading some, to abandon the irreligion of
Epicurus, or lay aside some notions they may have gained
from Averroes, and embrace the devout sentiments of our
Plato touching the soul and God.
For through this, as
through an intervening road, they may finally reach the reHeaven speed you then, true fisher of
ligion of Christ.
For if they who persuade common minds seem to
men
or minnows, as one may say
they
be catchers of fishes,
who convince leading intellects are judged to be fishers
as
"
Nam
frater, et
triennium habitavit."
4
Corsii
Vita, p. 192.
INTRODUCTION.
xxv
men.
unfortunate that
we
are.
The harvest
truly is plenteous,
Farewell."
labour.
I
said
dated, as
that
it
it
would be desirable
to
from
know
this
letter is
not
at what period of
it is
one, in
its
strongholds of iniquity.
There was that fire of the Spirit in him for which enthusiasm sounds but a cold name, that can inflame the luke-
"Et,
So Bouillet, Les Enneades de Plotin (1857), Pre/, p. xxxi
en effet, plusieurs des premiers Peres et des plus zeles Confesseurs de la
foi, Saint Justin, Athenagore, Clement d'Alexandrie, etaient, on le sait,
1
Ficini
Opera (1641),
i.
p. 956.
INTB OB UCTION.
xxvi
When
to
lb. p.
who
curam posthabuisse
nimium
dicitur,
ii.
p. 230, writes
" Cum
interim Savonarola
INTRODUCTION.
is
we should expect
not what
him
the other
is
if
Ficino
xxvii
owed
so
much
to
life
is
by peculiarities of constitution
and of the fruitless remedies by which he sought to alleviate
it.
He then speaks of a conviction growing upon him that
of his
fostered partly
life,
we
1478,
find
touching his
you
find in
it
without whose
See
(1865),
iv. p.
De
Trollope's
History
of
the
Commonwealth of Florence
25.
In a letter in Ficino's
own
letter
is
dated Nov.
1st,
list
Lit.
(1725),
IN TROD UCTION.
xxviii
even to his
latest day,
ment he met
by
the Pope, was the bitter lesson which sobered his thoughts,
As
Sir
Thomas More
to
trans-
" But
Some
Politian,
stars,
ther with long discourses on the occult virtues of agates, topazes, the
I. p. 64.
Ficino
teeth of vipers, the claws of lions, and so forth."
himself describes the work as a medical one, and including, therefore,
many
specifics
attached
own
348.
As
himself.
2
this
is
Ficino's letter
Published
P.
in 1510,
is
under the
title
Here
is
INTRODUCTION.
xxix
before this
lie
'
Dated
May
1492. Op.
ii. p. 819.
It was translated by Gaunder the title of Conseil pourfitable contre
His words acquire a peculiar
les ennuys et tribulations du moncle.
solemnity, when it is remembered that this same nephew was afterwards
murdered, along with his son.
2
This is stated by J. F. Pico in his Vita Savonarola (1674), vol. i.
and also by Burlamacchi, in his Vita del P. F. Girolamo Savonap. 20
rola (1764), p. 15.
The latter says that Mirandola " tanto resto preso
dalla dottrina sua mirabile, che non gli pareva poi poter vivere senza lui
in modo che, trovandosi poi et ragionando di lui con Lorenzo de' Medici, amator grande degli huomini eccellenti, gli persuase che volesse
con Tautorita, sua operare che egli ritornasse in S. Marco."
15th,
2.
INTRODUCTION.
xxx
it
would be unjust
up
But
their
thought which
at that time drew the rising generation of scholars along
with it.
Without even going beyond the bounds of their
writings, we can trace the main stream in which the speculations of the age flowed.
If the study of Cicero, which was
eagerly pursued by Cicero's countrymen at the revival of
2
letters, encouraged the study of Plato, then Plato not unalso directed very materially the current of
way
to Plotinus.
And
to the Christian
doubted to be the Areopagite, would seem to bid him wel" His walls," says Creuzer, " are inlaid with Ploticome.
nian mosaic.
The rills that water his garden-plots, are
drawn from the well-head of Plotinus " s We have seen
above what a reader and admirer of Plotinus Mirandola was,
and that his works were translated by Ficino. It is no surprise, therefore, to find Dionysius a familiar name with both
4
of them.
And to the Platonist, who had made his way
through Dionysius, what would seem so fitting a completion
of his journey as St. Paul ? To his writings, and perhaps
.
See Stanley's Lectures on the Jewish Church, Part ii. (1865), p. 358.
This is pointed out by Van Ileusde, in bis Characterismi princip.
vet. (1839), p. 181.
Annotationcs in Plotini de Pulcr. (1814), pp. 198, 205.
In Savonarola, too, there are passages which read very
Philosoph.
3
4
much
like
Compendium Revelationum
igitur
in coelum vidi novem an" Suspiciens
"
INTRODUCTION.
also to the Epistles of St.
xxxi
John/ he would be
inclined to
we
And
this, to find
so
commen-
on St. Paul, as
Lorenzo in Florence 2 nor finally that Colet, a student of
Plato, Plotinus and Dionysius, lectured on St. Paul, on his
licly lectured
return to Oxford.
The conclusion
to
this
imper-
movement, in which Mirandola and Ficino were leading actors, was not an essenfect account,
tially
directly
it
is,
conduced
but that
and more
intelligent Christianity.
Christianity," says
trine of Plato to
it
down maxims
as
if
Gibbon, in ch. xxi. of his Decline and Fall, has some remarks, in his
unenviable manner, about the doctrines of Plato gaining currency through
St. John.
1
Villari,
i.
am indebted
me
3
that Ficino
p.
to
is
59
Characterismi, p. 185.
INTRODUCTION.
xxxii
it is
only
fair to
we may
losophy
Ficino.
On
6.
the
Dionysian Writings.
WHEN
of the world, as
Villari,
i.
it is
59.
Valorius,
ib. p.
12
soli-
tum, absque Platonica diseiplina nee bonura eivem, nee Christiana? doctrinas peritum facile quenquam futurum."
INTRODUCTION.
xxxiii
new with
tact of the
new dawn
bear the
name
As he spake
still
seemed
and
scured,
As
their
elsewhere briefly
Ecclesiastical.
1
rests
will
it.
The
summed up by
INTRODUCTION.
xxxiv
Erasmus
He
in the note on
Acts
Annotationes
is
found (Homilia
I. in
weapon
as these writings
" Deinde mirum, si tarn priscus autor fuit, et tain multa scripsit, a
nemine veterum, seu Graecorum seu Latinorum, fuisse citatum," etc.
2
Quastiones IV.> appended to Migne's Edition of Dionysius, torn. iv.
p. 893.
3
fuit,
quoted
in
De
This
(1G30), p. 215.
Ussher,
ib.
ib
p.
281.
INTRODUCTION.
xxxv
When
is
con-
probable.
we
we
arguments
In enumerating them, I
on the same side no less strong.
shall purposely leave out all taken from the Letters ascribed
to Dionysius, since such compositions are so often wrongly
included in the works of ancient writers.
We find, then, in one passage, 2 a quotation from Igna(i
tius
Scribit enim divinus Ignatius, Meus amor cruci3
fixus est/ " JSTow, according to Eusebius, these words were
written by Ignatius when on his way to Rome to suffer martyrdom, about the ninth year of Trajan's reign. But DionyIf
find the
sius
If this
This
is
216.
a
De
,{
Eccl. Hist.
4
5
Divinis Nominibus,
iii.
Ch. v. 9.
Stromata, lib.
iv. 12.
36
quoted by Ussher,
viii
quoted by Hakewill,
ut supra, p. 288.
ut supra, p. 222.
p.
INTRODUCTION.
xxxvi
common
till
a period later
Finally
it is
is
It
is
is
addressed as
xxxvii
by the
Chifflet
can
point out that " ancient" and " recent" are comparative
terms, and that Dionysius, who lived to a great age, might
2
properly speak of "ancient tradition;" and so on.
But
when each single objection can only be got rid of by what
may
scriptis,
Ewaldus
INTRODUCTION.
xxxviii
ries;
cott
who
by saying
"the error cannot be great, if it be conjectured that they were composed a.d. 480
520, either at
that
andrian mind
(if
monuments
it
of the Alex-
In
name
out-
it
fourth century.
8
3
4
is
274. Not greatly differing in his conBishop Pearson, who assigns the works to the
i.
p. 249.
Ut supra, p. 116.
Compendium of Theol.
Alexandria
and that
all
was a Dionysius,
i.e.
Diony-
who wished
magnify their subject.
6 "
Le nom de 1'auteur," siys M. Montet, " restera probablement
the Areopagite, are additions by over-zealous scribes,
connu."P.
133.
to
in-
INTRO D UCTION.
2.
xxxix
it is difficult
to restrain a
As none
is
With words
consequendum, necessarius
(1641),
ii.
omnino
nobis
divinus
est
furor."
Op.
p. 1.
Dionysii
2.
Dante
INTRODUCTION.
xl
How
man
God
these
are
to
to
occupied the
thoughtful in
all
ages.
The writings
of the Neo-Platonists
all
kingdom
but he that faileth of this Divine Vision alone ; for the obtaining whereof it were meet to abandon kingdoms, and
dominion over every land, yea and over every sea, and over
heaven itself; if only, by forsaking and despising these, one
might see and turn to that." 2 And elsewhere he has a
striking comparison about man's purification to the truly
beautiful.
Just as a statuary, he says, chips away from the
Ennead
the Liber
2
De
<lc
I.
De
Dialectica
quoted by Creutzer
Pulchritudine,
c. vii.
in his
p. civ.
Pr¶tio to
INTRODUCTION.
xli
moving
it
so should
fashioning his
godlike splen-
in holy purity."
with foreign
filled
affec-
and manners, and customs, and have gained an inclination for them.
And just as he that means to return
from thence to his own land, not only longs to be on his
journey, but also takes pains to lay aside everything foreign
that he has acquired, in order that he may be received back
again and calls to mind what he had forgotten that he possessed, without which it were impossible for him to be received again by those of his own country so in like manner
must we, if we would return from hence to what is truly
our native home, lay aside all things that we have acquired
tions,
from our mortal nature, along with our propensity for them
.... and
" Compare
Oportet
lb.
Hier.
De
with
ix.
c.
iii.
abstinentia, Lib.
and
this
igitur,
I.
p. 59.
This notion of
colour
quality, as
INTRODUCTION.
xlii
De
Unitate et Pulchritudine,
c.
ii.
and p. 95 below.
49.
Marini Prodi Vita (Ed. Fabricius, 1 703), pp. 26
4 "
Fateor taraen mihi longe videri credibilius, utrumque, et Procluni
et larvatum ilium Dionysium Areopagitam una eademque Neoplatonicorum vitula arasse, quain Proclum ex Dionysio profecisse, ejusque
verba scriptis suis inseruisse." lb. Prolegomena, p. xii.
2
lb. c.
iii.
Ilicr. vi. 3. 2,
INT It OD UGTION.
xliii
communion with
to
himself."
As
still
finally
with God
outward system, or agency, by which Dionysius would bring about this result, it will be so readily apprehended from Coletf s summary of it, as to require little to
be said here.
Accustomed to the notion of emanations from the Divine
Being, which had gradually been materialized and distorted
by the successors of Plotinus, he seems to have adapted to
these the various names for the angelic host which he found
in Scripture, and thus to have laid the groundwork of his
to the
And when
Hierarchy.
Celestial
it is
considered
how
all
but silent the Scriptures are concerning " Thrones, Princedoms, Pow'rs, Dominions," and the other " orders and degrees " which Dionysius recounts, it will readily be imagined
that these are in fact
little
more than
titles
by which those
emanations might be denoted; and that the orders themselves have only that slight individuality, which could be
derived to them from the import of their names. 2
The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, in keeping with this, is
looked upon as only a continuation of the Celestial.
It is
but the end which touches earth of the same heavenly
ladder
another medium.
after
him
As
of Milton, beheld
the
array
"
so the
Under
"Every descent
faint,
by Davidson),
ii.
p. 113.
Compare below,
humanity, &c."
2
" Some, as Proelus, Hermias, Syrianus, and many others, betwixt
God and the rational soul place a great number of creatures ....
Plotinus, Porphyrius, and generally the most refined Platonists, betwixt
God and the soul of the world assigne onely one creature, which they
call the Son of God, because immediately produced by him.
The first
opinion complies most with Dionysius Areopagita, and Christian Divines,
who assert the number of Angels to be in a manner infinite." Miran-
p. 100,
of divinity
is
dola's Platonick
Discourse
(tr.
by Stanley, 1651),
p. 217.
INTRODUCTION.
xliv
it.
Knowledge
(or
the
Sacraments,
How
sublime," he continues,
'
'
they themselves
Hierarchy were as themselves
were formed and organized after the pattern of the great
Orders in heaven."
This, however, will be so readily understood from the
pages of Colet himself, whose orderly cast of mind appears
to have found a peculiar pleasure in such symmetry of arrangement, 2 that no more need here be said upon the subject.
I would only beg the reader not to lose sight, in the
course of the various details, of what has been pointed out
3
as the main object of Dionysius in his Hierarchies ; namely,
to show the relation of the soul to God, and the means by
which it may be raised from its earthly prison-house to the
unclouded glory of the Divine presence.
Celestial
See
and science,
the godlike" (Cel.
hierarchie est done
(ju'il se peut aux
order,
originelles
p. 101.
is
p. 274.
defined by Dionysius himself to be " a sacred
attributs divins,
comme un
reflet
et reproduisant
Ut supra,
INTRODUCTION.
On
7.
ALTHOUGH
xlv
it
is
some passing
topic than
is
done in the
original.
may
But what
it
some
halting-
more concerns us
to notice, is the
way
in
'
'
8
4
ii.
2, 1.
De
Divin. Norn.
ii.
9.
n.
INTRODUCTION.
xlvi
work
of a personal Saviour.
2
of Hierarchies."
De Sacramentis
in the
Dcclesice especially,
which may
by nature
are evil
De
Divin.
Nam.
ii.
That, in some
way
or other,
10.
Ut supra, p. 19. He says also very truly, " De incarnatione disputat quidem Areopagita, sed ita ut revera negetur potius quam agnos2
catur.
nisi
per hierar-
chias eo descenderit."
8
4
in
iv.
See below,
p. 45.
Ibid. p. 44.
De
Divin.
Nam.
INTROD UGTION.
there
is
we
xlv
call evil,
Dionysius
is
In other
words, all thiugs were created perfectly good and if any
beings discover opposite qualities, it must be through their
failing to keep up to their proper standard of goodness.
Evil is a failure, a defect, not an active intelligent power
working in opposition to God. 2
Very different is this from the language of Colet, referred
of weakness in respect of their natural energy."
now
" Pravi
De Divin. Norn.
2
iv.
rife
in naturali
23.
and M. Montet
See Mr. Westcott's Essay, above quoted, p. 21
who shews the similarity between this theory and the optimism
;
(p. 86),
of Plotinus.
factuosus,
quorum
seeum contrahens
in suas partes
Compare
pp. 123,
12(5,
P. 50.
136, 151,
and elsewhere.
quod
scienter et
lviii
I consider this to be
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
DEDICATION.
KNOW
I
my
worthy and
is
entitled
On
in
tioned.
2
So Savonarola,
"
But
if,
i.
"
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
God
is
good, and
may bo
ch.
i.
briefly touch
CHAPTER
On
I.
Father of
creation
all
established in
the capacity of
its
its
own
permit
all
things to
itself,
that everything
so
may be
nature,
may be
perfected in God.
That
light
is
itself.
In
this
re-
mains one and undivided in different objects so that, without confusion, you may assign always variety to the objects,
;
Colet's
memory was
(1605) p. 120 part of which was quoted by Thos. Smith, in his edition
of Colet's sermon, and after him by Knight.
It sets forth that y there
was by our time at Canterburie here in England a Canon, a Doctor of
Divinitie and also in the law, named Johannes Coletus, to whom, by
that time he was sixteene yeares old, was an experiment imparted by a
Christened Jew, whereby he obtained such a marvellous strong memorie
that he retained and kept all that he ever read in all his life time."
Various instances of this strength of memory then follow, as well as the
The
"experiment," or prescription itself, which is singular enough.
story is probably worthless, except to show, as I think it may be fairly
taken to do, that Dean Colet's memory was a matter of common remark.
;
ch.
i.
Now
that marvellous
itself,
it
for
shining of the
them up closely to
them, and even makes them one with
touch, and
lifts
itself,
last place
among rational
beings, and
who
truth of
God
should, as
it
little to
their
bodily, that
is,
In the
MS.
Spirit of
God
treatise
mistici," is a striking
:
Dei
vinculum
ecclesise in Christo
Jesu vel
qua? est
ferme cujusmodi coaguli virtus in lacte qua eoagulatur, vel certe perinde se habet ut magnetis vis in ferro, qua trahifm
ferrum et suspenditur. Omnes sumus tracti in spiritum Dei, ut ex
spiritu Dei solo pendeamus, qui noster est quasi magnes, et Ebrologii
nostri temperatio." Camb. MS. Gg, iv. 26, fol. 70 b.
ejusmodi
in ecclesia
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
en.
i.
and
figures.
own
And
self
cognizing the intimacy which the soul has with the senses,
on
entered
another
course,
and
may be
is
midway between
by the body
led
to the spirit,
by the senses
to
image
to the truth
may
flesh,
Then the third hierarchy of angels, seeing the ignorance of men upon earth (who are in the fourth place) and
third.
men
is
should
it
i.<
;;
oh.
ON EMANATION FROM
i.
imitate
the
angels in
to
their
who
bodies and
GOD.
bodily actions
in spirit
we
to explain
it
will help
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
ch.
i.
neither
sense
And
is,
when they
during our
life
by means
of sensible signs
which,
l
the spirit
is
profitably recognized.
all
its
work now
lost,
De
ii.
3,
ch.
ii.
coverings, so to speak
that
it
may
not by
its
excessive
CHAPTEB
On
II.
the Use of
THEOLOGY,
Clod.
chap.
It is
vi.
more
fully explained
by Colet below,
at the
beginning of
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
order established
among
the
ch.ii.
Which
Jews by Moses.
fore-
it is
may
pass away.
spiritual acts,
2 ( or.
iii.
'
That
is,
"by
continuing
in
this
><
"
ch.
"
ii.
'
it
were, of the
human
race, that it
may be
fashioned again
is
The
words themselves are quoted by St. Paul, from Isai. x. 23, where the
Almighty " is represented, in the language of men, as making a short
and summary reckoning (logon, i. e. tale or account), with the entire
population of the land of Israel."
See Peile on Rom. ix. 28. Through
the influence of the Septuagint on the Apostle's quotation, that which in
the Vulgate of Isaiah appears as " consummationem et abbreviationem,"
in the Vulgate of Rom. ix. 28, is " verbum breviatum."
I suppose,
therefore, that Colet, thinking chiefly of the term verbum, understood by
it not any " work," (as in the E.V.), or summary visitation of God
but
;
Word,
Consiliarius."
full discussion
Cor.
12
i
xiii
jj
in.
isai. ix. 6.
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
10
John
i.
is.
He
be the time
ch.
has declared
ii.
it
for the
more clearly
of God and the Trinities of the Angels.
He has offered
Himself as leader, and instituted a chorus, and a more
forth
may
one
if
say
it,
'
Cor.xiii.
12
face."
will be,
Which church
and even now
is
now an image
LXX.
and
in the Scholia
on
c. iv.
"XXXI
ch.
ii.
11
will
this
2 Cor.
iii.
him,
we may with
When Moses
learned this
from the angels, who showed him in what way they themselves exhibit the form and order of God, he endeavoured,
according to the rule and direction of the pattern showed
him, to fashion among men a representation of God, after
the likeness of the angels
to the end that, by a certain
system and order, men might imitate the angels in their
life and actions, and present in themselves something of the
divine plan; although, as was natural for the beginning of
the matter, they did it somewhat ignorantly and blindly.
Bat their heavenly Father was content with a commencement, however poor foreseeing that there would be one to
refine and enlighten their dull ignorance.
Thus led he
forth those uninstructed Hebrews, like boys, to school; in
order that, like children playing with dolls and toys, they
might represent in shadow what they were one day to do in
;
reality as
men
herein imitating
little
girls,
who
in early
age play with dolls, the images of sons, being destined afterwards in riper years to bring forth real sons ; imitating
Cor.
xiii.
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
12
but when
ch.
ii.
2 Cor.
iii.
18,
2 Cor.
may be
iv.
knowledge of the
God
that by faith
discern more truly the countenance of him who has
what Moses pourtrayed concerning Christ and the
Kom.
ix.
He
Jesus Christ;"
glory of
we may
revealed
Church.
For
work
in Christ
"In
ad cujus imitationem suos vocat Christus, Angelis eos solitus comparare." It is strange
to observe in what an unquestioning spirit the anecdote of Erasmus
about barbarity in schools (" Novi theologum quendam," etc., Op. i.
Mr.
441,) has been assumed to refer to Dean Colet above all people.
Seebohm has satisfactorily refuted this application of the story {Oxford
Reformers, p. 144), and I will not impair the freshness of his arguments
by repeating them. But it may be instructive to notice how widely
such base coin circulates, before it can be finally detected and destroyed.
Thus, in the present case, we have Tytler, in his Life of Henry VIII.
" the amiable Erasmus
has left us a picture
(p. 42), relating how
of the manner in which Colet used to superintend the flagellations, and
the good will with which Lilly administered them, which is at once
pueris ac puellis delectabat naturae puritas ac simplicitas
And
xxxix.
p.
ch.
ii.
13
are
all
things in
full
to the Psalm,
as displayed in the
This will explain Colet's use of verbum. By abbreviatum is said to be signified the shortness of the Psalm.
The whole
composition is a most singular one.
1
The soundness of this reasoning is pointed out by Mr. Westcott, in
his Paper on Dionysius in the "Contemporary Review" (May, 1867), p. 10.
" And here Dionysius acutely adds, that those positive affirmations are
to be preferred which, while they convey a partial truth, yet convey it
incarnate Word.
in
truth.
similitude of beasts
likeness
'
silius
Ficinus
(whom
Colet
more
directly
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
14
ch.it.
way
that
The
the uninitiated.
15
CHAPTER
On
III.
and
its
threefold Office of
GOD, who
is
Holy Ghost
all
things
is
to
ness to
God
it
the property
first
Likewise, in the
of the third.
perfecting
is
first
In
so that perfection
this threefold
way
which
is first
make
all
"
to
the praise," in St. Paul's words, of the glory of the grace Eph.
'
hierarchies,
men
i.
6.
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
10
God,
may
ch.
iv.
made equal
God makes
us like himself.
bestows that we may bestow.
In communicating what we have received, we become most like God.
The divinest of virtues is a tender-hearted liberality.
In benefiting others we become most like God.
He
CHAPTER
On
GOD
he
Angels, as Messengers of
created
is
IV.
all
good he
things, because he
is
to
Man.
good
and because
There
himself to them.
God
may
bountifully communicate
To the
all
rest in suc-
"
At
id
leeis effiffiem."
Sec.
3.
ch. v.
taught
men
men
again there
member,
17
is
member
In
to
in Christ,
at his
For before
it
who
man and God
;
of
iv. 6.
Isai. ix. 6.
angels
Eph.
was
his
were, to the
at once
immortal
all.
CHAPTER v.
uiAJrrjjJK
On
the general
and
name
of Angel.
Messengers from the messages they bear seeing that the higher announce the
things of God to the lower, even down to men.
But the
greatest messenger to man was Jesus Christ whence he is
called by Isaiah u Wonderful Counsellor," and " messenger
of the great counsel."
Although the lowest spirits are, by
2
a special name, called Angels, yet inasmuch as their office
can be discharged by all the higher ones (since a higher
power can do all that a lower can) the names of the lower
are suitable to the higher, though those of the higher are
of
who
is
bosom of
his
The
Pilkington,
Isai. ix. 6.
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
18
ch. vi.
by no means so for the lower. These names were not inAnd the
vented by man, but borrowed from Holy Writ.
variety of them in the Sacred Volume of necessity betokens a
variety of spirits in heavenly regions
the order of
whom
and may
spiritual,
them,
among men,
so far
that from
as
is
possible, there
CHAPTER
On
GOD,
who
is
hierarchies
of the
VI.
order in
Hierarchy
and
all
God, who
at another, Hierarchies.
is
the founder of
things exactly
knows
all
is
quo pacto
sacra?
In the later
ch. vi.
And
and
is called,
God
Holy Writ,
as
this
19
both
is,
it
teacher.
ceptor noster
to St.
;"
in this passage
is
Paul, or Hierotheus,
structor.
2
viii.
below
To be no
lesse
And
first
supreme Deity.
In the celestiall, Ten and thus they run
Luna, Mercury, Venus, and the Sun,
Mars, Jove, and Saturne Then the starry Heaven,
Crystalline, and Empyriall, make them even.
In this below the moon, where we now live,
(Above
all
these) the
Are
These characters
first,
whom we
give
Materia Prima
Heywood
last
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
20
following
names
ch. vn.
are these
names
of
volume.
CHAPTER
On
TRST
the
VII.
Spirits, all
In the
very God for evermore.
contemplation of his blessedness they love, worship, and
adore ; and moreover learn fully from our most glorious
Jesus what by their
is
filled
Pet.
12
'
i.
These
in gazing
feel
l
not.
to look into."
Next
wisdom
those
after
of
first
God
who may be
may be
among
called loving
Wisdoms,
For there
is
as
in each
books but his work is not, as might be supposed from the title, avowedly founded upon the former's. The Cabalistic names of the nine orders are given by Archangelus at p. 728 of his
spersed
his nine
"Novem
sunt
HIGHEST THREE.
ch. vii.
21
Which very
attri-
the
supreme God.
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
22
ch. to.
decree.
fication.
fected.
This
Among
the Cherubs.
there
is
last office is
a striving with
all
their
might
to imitate
is
Dionysius
who
is
who
the very
God
makes
perfect.
the
incarnate Deity
may
whom
of
who
Ps. xxiv.
710.
"
Quosdam
fere," &c.
8.
"
HIGHEST THREE.
ch. vii.
"
23
up your heads/
ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everand the King of glory shall come in."
And
u The Lord strong and
to their question they make answer
mighty, the Lord mighty in battle the Lord of hosts, he is
the king of glory."
He it is that has " ascended into the
Lift
lasting doors,
hill
'
It
may make
the sense
somewhat
Vulgate, from which Dean Colet quotes, the word Principes is used
otherwise than the English version would lead us to suppose. It there
implies " Lift up your gates, ye princes" by which designation the
angels may be intended ; not " Lift up your heads, O ye gates," which,
as
Hammond
observes,
is
The
applicable to the raising of a portcullis.
"
princes,
take
Ye
seen in Wycliffe's version
former interpretation is
gatis, and ye everelastynge] gatis be reisid
:
up your
Hakewill, in his Apologie (1630), v. 224, makes this a mark of discrepancy between Dionysius and St. Paul, whom he professes to be his
"This Dionysius, in diverse chapters of the same Hierarchy,
teacher:
teacheth that the higher orders of angels are alwayes assistant about the
throne of God, never imployed in forraine messages directly contrary
to that of his Master, 'Are they not all ministering spirits,' not some, but
all,
sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall bee heires of salva2
'
tion ?
'
Ps. xxiv.
3 ~ 6,
is. lxiii.
13.
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
24
CHAPTER
On
THERE
the
VIII.
And
archetypes in God.
Hence the
first
it
name
exhibits.
God.
In the second Hierarchy, the first have the name of
Domination, being an express image of the true and archeFor the domination in them is
typal dominion in God.
simple and unmingled, and devoid of all subjection, rulingover all, useful to all, a true and unmixed liberty of bearing
And they not
sway, after the form and pattern of God.
only strive to exhibit in themselves this divine domination,
fastness,
in
but they strive also most earnestly to draw all things everywhere to a true dominion, and to an imitation of the dominion
God
in order that
'"
-M.
8EG0ND THREE.
25
He
ch. vni.
self,
taught us, I say, that true virtue and strength among men
was endurance and the very " power of God," Jesus Christ
;
-,
Thus Mirandola,
in the Preface
Op.
1601, p. 4.
iCor.
i.25.
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
26
ch.
vm.
wisdom and
love
there
is
at the
Zech.
ii.
3,
prove
1
'*
That
That
in
is,
the
is,
in this similarity
first
unlike.
3
In 2 of ch.
viii.
Zechariah, to Dan.
viii.
and other
texts.
27
CHAPTER
On
the
IX.
THE
and
These Orders
Angels.
Princedoms, Archangels
have in God himself
also
they, I
press the bountiful and profitable messages of God, and exercise themselves truly
they can,
among one
and
more
is
their life
familiar to us.
Midway between
Archangels, as
it
these Orders
is
called
is
who have by
nature, power,
principatibus dicitur.
functio una,
unaque
quidem
celestibus
distinctio."
C.
ix. 2.
-7
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
28
ch. ix.
Such
of Angels,
men, and
God
it is
to bring
men
hierarchy, to wit, of
there
also to
is
among
men on
the angels.
among
may
exist a threefold
which
Isai. ix. 6.
Luke
ii.
men.
He, the Virgin's Son, established a hierarchy after the
model of the angels, according to the pattern of his own
truth, and built it up of those whom he would, as living
Dan.
21
x. 20,
whom
he not only arranged in order, but also quickened in himself, that as lively members they might be
arranged in him who is Order itself.
Now, that the angels are leaders and officers of mankind,
for their obedience to God, the writings of the prophets
For in Daniel, there is a Prince of the Persians,
testify.
and a Prince of the Grecians, and Michael is called the Prince
of the Jewish nation j for " the Most High appointed the
bounds of nations according to the number of the angels of
God." * Michael had, as Vicegerent, the province of the
In all the
Hebrews, which was more obedient to him.
others, the wickedness of mankind so resisted, and every
one so followed his own proper will and crooked desire, that
nothing could be brought either into order or the semblance
Of this evil, as Dionysius says, each one's selfof order.
pride
was the cause. But Michael found some
love and
shadow of truth at least among the Hebrews, and trained
stones
The
Scholiast on
c. ix. briefly
So far as the
" Hoc oraculo caremus."
cannot be found
wording alone is concerned, the nearest parallel is perhaps Dent, xxxii.
" When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when
8
he separated the sons of Adam, ho set the bounds of the people according
tation
to the
number
LOWEST THREE.
ch. ix.
29
them in figures, that after a time they might then be promoted to something higher. At length the glorious Christ,
the Lord of all, not only called men forth from every nation
to love and obey God, but moreover caused them to shew
such loving obedience to the whole host of angels, now
ministering more readily for the salvation of men in Jesus
as for men to be everywhere converted and
towards
the life-giving ray of God, now that
live, turning
Jesus, the " Sun of Righteousness" Himself, had arisen. As
their Saviour
men
God
at all
and men
in the world,
own
why
The
spirit,
when
warmed by
grace, in
i.
v.,
" to
men
of good will."
his Annotationes
in
Hebr.
vii.
Lukeii. 14.
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY,
30
ch. tx.
Gen.
xli.
Dan.
ii.
19.
is
"
tunditur: ceterum dissimilitudo Spiritalium luniinum facit, ut affluentissima paternae benignitatis lux aut omnino capi participarique non
possit .... aut certe ipsa lucis participatio pro suycipientium meritis
C. ix. . 3.
varia sit; parva scilicet vel magna, obscura vel lucida."
l
Ch. ix. 3 and 4 ending with the words " omnes autem angelos
'
DEPENDENCE OF ORDERS.
ch. x.
"And
31
in
it is
written:
there
is
iii.
the Gentiles
29.
But inasmuch
as the
Hebrews
written
and
more
David it
Ps. cxxxv.
4.
CHAPTER
Recapitulatory
X.
OF
the spirits
have just discoursed, the first Hierarchy both penetrates more deeply, and is more inflamed in God, than the
rest
being wholly purified, wholly illumined, and wholly
perfected.
This chiefly works out firmness, knowledge and
love in the human Hierarchy
that the first among men,
being borne on high, may along with them have a pure, clear,
and glowing vision of all things.
This first shining and
dazzling Hierarchy irradiates the second and next beneath
it, that it being enlightened may illuminate the third
that
the third in order may beautifully colour darksome men, and
cause them in some measure to imitate and reproduce the
beauty of God; for to Him all is set down as due.
And as
this diffusion goes on and advances, fresh names in turn
arise in the distinctions of ranks.
The gifts that have at
length come down to men, from the bestowal of God, have,
on account of their lowered condition, other appellations
and thus, when Jesus Christ arose, who as man shewed more
clearly to us wretched men the divine plan, the ray proceeding from Him, which purifies, illumines, and perfects, is
;
And
men
(those I
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
32
ch. x.
it
and appears
in its
The English version of Psulni xxxvi. 8, docs not convey the full force
of the Latin, which Colet had probably in mind in this passage. It is
more nearly "They shall be drunken with the fulness of thy House."
1
SPIRITUAL NATURES.
CHAPTER
On
OF
33
XI.
who
same God, whom we
the individuals
another Drink, there are, and stand distinctly forward, personal peculiarities, as
were
it
is
an unbroken unity.
The nature of Spirits is divided into existence, virtue and
For they exist that they may be strong, and
operation.
they are strong* that they may act.
On this threefold conand by reason thereof they share
dition all Spirits exist
their names.
is
CHAPTER
On
the sense in
XII.
is,
all
things are in
all
He may
" For
Mai.
ii.
7.
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
34
ch. xv.
1 s*angels.
Gen.
xxxii. 28
Ps. xcv. 3.
Ex.
vii.
1.
Ps. Ixxxii.
6.
John
x. 34.
We
may
is
the matter, so at
mankind from
above.
CHAPTER
On
XV'.
the similitudes by
when
THEwardsAngels,
God
;
they
"
Deus
fecting
in
number of
is
vii. 10.
Aquinas
ON SIMILITUDES.
ch. xv.
made known
35
to us*
similitudes from
all
parts, they
its
make
angels as
it
were
men.
natures,
powers,
actions,
properties,
likeness, difference,
pleasantness,
beneficence, vigour,
'
in the
hominum,
quidem
Deum
et divina
et servata
conservent," as
it
now
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
36
CHAPTER
Supplementary, on
XVI.
ch. xvi.
and
of the
Celestial Orders, and their representatives on earth; on
the fallen Angels, their state
GOD, the
John
i.
5.
and
office
operations.
within, and
"
encompassing to infinity without, is very light, andin him is no darkness at all." Wherefore, wherj it " shine th
in darkness, the darkness comprehended it not." This very
Divine principle also is abstracted in itself from matter,
boundless good,
filling to
the
full
place,
things
may
perfect
also
all
tern of
are
seek
by which
itself.
The
all
God
is
lastly,
by which
all
are beauti-
things are
stands by
all.
as the
all
fully ordered,
it
It is so abstracted, that
In the Cambridge
MS.
it
itself,
DISTINCTIONS IN OFFICE.
ch. xvi.
what
these words
This- is
Romans, in
through him, and to him are
Epistle to the
for ever."
St.
:
things
all
37
own
pattern,
and
by
is
infinite in
Son of the
This
the infinite.
eternal,
is
whom of
And
common
infinity, are
both
equal one with another, and most like, and their essence
is
all.
is in each, is in
;
Upon
we
call angels,
And
whom
of
things.
more nearness
xi.
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
38
ch. xvi.
and intensity on the End/ gaze npon all things in the End
lovingly and sweetly as also they do npon the Beginning
Bnt
and Middle, both the power of God and the Wisdom.
they contemplate the End itself more attentively than they
do the rest.
The Chernbs also gaze npon the End along with the
Seraphs
but in that End more the middle, while the
Thrones behold more the beginning in the End.
;
And
Hierarchy turn
rather towards the good End, and the Holy Spirit of God.
so these
first
But among these who are so rapt by the force of the End
and of the good, as to be occupied about God alone,
although, in the contemplation of that End, the Seraphs, as
gazing on the End most chiefly, are called Flames and Loves,
the Cherubs, as gazing on the middle in the End, and on
order and beauty, are called Knowing whilst the Thrones,
as gazing chiefly on the beginning in the End, and on
power and steadfastness, are called Standing yet still all
this third and highest Hierarchy, inasmuch as it is especially
bent upon the third Person, in which each order chiefly
marks that which is peculiar to it, is therefore on the whole
so situated with respect to the other two Hierarchies, supposing it to be compared with them, as the first Order in
;
it is
to the
remaining two. 2
And
of God, yet
trinity
loving.
all
is
This term is used to denote the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity,
terms Beginning and Middle denote the other two.
So in like
manner they are described by the attributes of Power, Wisdom and
Love respectively, corresponding to the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit.
A glance at the table which follows, p. 41, will make this clearer.
2 That is, as the Seraphim are to the Cherubim and Thrones; distinguished chiefly by the attribute of love.
1
as the
DISTINCTIONS IN OFFICE.
ch. xvi.
39
which
members
its
fold order,
may on
ceding, be rightly
Moreover
all
and so
to say
Seated.
more
all
more
nearly,
readily, gaze
Further, in the
fection of each.
of the
first
for the
Or
first,
those Spirits
being of each
who
are
those of
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
40
ch. xvi.
for
being in perfection
fection
itself.
men
The
spirits.
first
of
all.
reckoning downwards.
DISTINCTIONS IN OFFICE.
ch. xvi.
all-disposing
wisdom
41
and the
fair verities of
illumine man,
GOD.
Beginning
{Seraphs
Cherubs
Thrones
{Dominations
Virtues
Powers
End.
Holy Ghost.
Middle.
Son.
Father.
-\
Good
Wise
{Princedoms
One
J
God.
J
{Seraphs
-\
{Cherubs
rEnd
the < End
l End
in the End.
in the Middle.
in the Beginning.
Virtues
{Thrones
Powers
Angels
Goodness
End
/-Beginning in the End.
Mid
> contemplate the < Beginning in the Middle.
I Beginning in the Beainni;
J
Beginning.
t-Beeinnina
Truth
-\
Unity
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
42
ch. xvi.
GOD.
A
(
Father.
Son.
Holy Ghost.
Power.
Wisdom.
Goodness.
( Thrones.
<
(.
Cherubs.
Seraphs.
Powers.
Virtues.
Angels.
Archangels.
Dominations.
Princedoms.
Faith.
Hope.
Charity.
Christians
( Jews.
under Christ.
Ascension
the
Holy
under
Spirit.
GOD.
(
Father.
Son.
Holy Ghost.
First.
Third.
Unity.
Second.
Middle.
Beauty.
Centre.
Radii.
Prayer.
Fasting.
Hope.
Repentance.
Thought.
Faith.
Charity.
Baptism.
Eucharist.
Word.
Deed.
Root.
Stalk.
Fire.
Light.
Ear.
Heat. 1
Beginning.
As
End.
Goodness.
Circumference.
Almsgiving.
manner
of
And
of the angels.
in
all
In the
of hope
who
love in hope
worth while
down
state
;
the
who
as
"Seraphim
in
it
to set
etc.
in
ON THE FALLEN ANGELS.
ch. xvi.
hope in
faith
the
are those
fifth
Thrones, are
those
who
especially
and wholly
in love
were
who
them there
it
love.
especially believe
the seventh, as
believe in love
Those who
who
43
and death.
Among
own
everlasting destruction.
It
the lowest.
to
may make
this
somewhat clearer
whilst the same three virtues form the three ascending gradations on
each foundation.
2
th'
;"
and elsewhere
Beyond
And
The
first
mov'd."
his Angels.
ii.
112.
Ecclus.
XV111
'
'
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
44
Luke x.
18.
witness to
this,
when he
from heaven."
fall
said,
"I beheld
ch. xvi.
Satan, as lightning,
to
Eph.
ii.
2.
power of the
of the
air."
we may
feel a like
punish-
ment with them. But during our life here angels are delegated, by the mercy of God, to the protection of mankind.
For each one has his own angel as his guardian aud preserver,
what
is
It is the
which these
All the angels have a care
but those to
whom we
la-
" And by Tartarus here (2 Pet. ii. 4,) in all probability is meant
lower caliginous air, or atmosphere of the earth, according to that
of St. Austin concerning these angels, Post peccatum in hanc sunt detrusi
Cudworth, Intel. Syst. (1678), p. 817.
caliginem, ubi tamen ct aery
2
I am not sure whether the passage which Colet had in view was
Art. iii. of Qucest. xciii. in the Supplement to the Sumrna of Aquinas.
The concluding words are " Quamvis etiam ex ipso genere actus possit
aliquis gradus in mcrendo considerari
non quidem respectu pramiii
essentialis, quod est gaudium de Deo; sed respectu alicujus accidentalis
There is a similar
praemii, quod est gaudium de aliquo bono creato."
line of argument in Lib. iv. Dist. xlix. a. of the Sentences of Peter Lombard.
The chief texts on which both rely are John xiv. 2, and 1 Cor.
xv. 41.
It will be noticed that Colet speaks with but scanty respect of
the author, or authors, from whom he quotes.
1
this
ch. xvi.
45
Wherefore they
provide for us with more earnest care.
act most rightly who daily worship and pray to their own
guardian angel with some special prayer.
The Devils, unclean spirits, possessed of reason, subtle,
envious, strive to injure the
human
2 Cor. xi.
14,
hymns
in his
" Be pleased,
Lord, to deliver me
Lord, make haste
to help me. Let them be ashamed and confounded together
Let them be driven
that seek after my soul to destroy it.
Let them
backward and put to shame that wish me evil.
be desolate for a reward of their shame." Again in another
Psalm "Make haste,
God, to deliver me make haste to
Lord.
Let them be ashamed and confounded
help me,
In truth he does scarcely anythat seek after my soul."
thing else in all his Psalms than pray to God in Christ, that
among so many and great enemies he may come off victorious, and be saved in God.
To this perilous war men are
called by God through Jesus Christ. But we must not proceed to it rashly or heedlessly, but weigh our strength first,
and look beforehand to the risk.
Yea and before each one
becomes a Christian, or a priest and religious in Christianity,
let him first consider carefully with himself what he will be
able to do
lest, if ho be vanquished, the Devil, now become
:
See
Ps. xl.
13 " 15,
Ps. lxx. 1,
CELESTIAL HIERARCHY.
46
ch. xvi.
Luke
o
xiv.
Of)
2 Pet.ii.2i.
By
a slight fault of
show how
full his
as
The circumstance,
mind was of
St. Paul.
from
St.
Paul
trivial in itself,
ch. xvi.
47
they harm men's bodies, and shatter their limbs, and bring
on them diseases before their senses they place vain phantoms, and overwhelm the mind with false images.
On
:
of the Devil.
Pet.
v. 8.
48
ON THE
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
CHAPTER
I.
Introductory
man, and on
the light of
HOLY
has within
it
secrated to
priesthood
human priesthood
God in Christ. The
In this
tion.
human
are
all
those
who
are con-
is
jejunio Pentecostes."
vol.
i.
p.
31G.
at
See
Sancti Leonis
Magni
De
Opera (1753),
ch.
SENSE OF SCRIPTURE.
i.
49
Scriptures, not so
way
much by words as by
This
is
the
of elucidating the
acts,
not so much
by teaching and writing as in reality, according to the appointment and command of the Apostles, that Saint Dionysius undertakes to write of to Timotheus.
Before which,
2
he conjures him seriously and in many words, not wickedly
to disclose to the multitude the principles of sacred rites,
and things most holy, and the mysteries of God and of
divine worship, nor to impart them to any but men like
himself, of the greatest holiness, keeping in mind that precept of Jesus Christ u Give not that which is holy unto the
dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine."
He bids
him rather keep all in sacred and serious privacy and store
them up and tend them religiously, with all love and reverence, in the deep of his own heart; imitating herein
Jesus, the author of all priesthood and sacred rites, who
taught the mysteries to none but his own disciples, and that
too apart
and taught not all even to them, who were not
yet perfect and spiritually minded, nor able to bear all.
That same Jesus now, as Light unspeakable, at the right
hand of the Father, shines more brightly and more fully
upon the angels, beings of far higher nature than man, and
bestows on them a more abundant revelation; then in turn
through them on such men as tower aloft by severance and
separation from the body, and approach more nearly the
:
He
"
Ch.
ii.
See above,
is
p. 14.
vii. 6.
Matth.
"
vii.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
50
ch.
*****
*******
Cor.
xii.
iCor.vii.7.
is
a recognition of degree,
God, and means by which men are established in different states of being in Christ, that in different ways they may be illumined in him, and when so
illumined, may be perfected.
And in all these, in Christ,
there is a truly single principle, so to speak, and what
Dionysius calls an intensity, 2 and all strive for the same
object, according to the strength of the grace given them.
For " there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit."
" The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to
and of devotion
there
profit withal
after that."
to
" to
"one
after this
The endeavour
of
all
fected
God.
like to
He
is
possible
made
first
is
end that he should transmit that which he has received. And the greater he is, the more should he serve in
the office of love and ministration. Then, in the next place,
those who are second perform this task, and transmit what
they have received to the third. And thus the work goes
on in order, and the imbuing of men with truth in Christ
proceeds
all
striving upwards, and delivering to those
beneath them what they have drawn from above, that they
may bo perfect members in Christ, through a yearning love
of God and their neighbour. Through the love of God they
receive, through the love of their neighbour they give, that
to the
One
in
eum
amore
rerun),
C.
i.
sec.
1.
ch.
IMITATION OF CHRIST.
i.
51
received
for
it
giving there
Joh.
iv.
Joh
*"
a liar."
is
the Church
is
love
all
with the
fire
may
sanctify others
so
ecclesiastical
dance
that
ii.
6.
the sacred
He
him with linked hands.
righteousness, that all in him should
may
lb.
follow
and in
what other perfection is there in the angels, than the giving
what they have received ?
In this giving they more resemble God than in receiving.
For there is no perfection
in receiving.
God receives nothing but he gives in the
highest degree, and by giving he is in the highest degree
set forth.
Wherefore St. Paul says that "it is more blessed
;
who
In Christ therefore, in
whom
are
things,
who
gives
all
is
things,
who has
1
See above,
p. 10.
Actsxx.35.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
52
who has
Moses
ch.
i.
may be
Philipp.iii.
20
'
spirits
tion is in
heaven
we
;"
made
St.
men
are as yet
to
Cor.
xiii.
through a glass darkly," no training or fashioning or forming of us, no working and imitating spiritual beings, can
For as long as we are in
dispense with corporeal figures.
the body, our sacraments and ecclesiastical system must be
in some degree corporeal.
Under Moses the legal hierarchy was wholly corporeal and figurative under Christ,
in whom we are now imitating the truth which spirits
possess, there has been established an ecclesiastical hier;
archy triumphant,
all
Then
shall
we
will
all
be
spiritual,
"
we
face to face."
as possible to
Church
is
assume
its
Jesus, towards
form.
Now
whom wo
Him ought
all
run, that
we may
Rom.xii.8.
in the hier-
may
But
ch.
i.
MEANING OF HIERARCHY.
must he do
he should seem to be
it
degree as he can,
and thus
lest
63
so in as high a
loth to do all he
iii.
to lay
But
Every hierarchy
is
a system and
summary of things
sacred.
office
The name
Clerks," founded
of Ignatius Loyola (who was twenty-five years younger than Colet) did
not formally receive their title till 1540.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
54
God
more
ch.
i.
substantially,
and in a yet more perfect manner. Nay, it follows that through him all spiritual and divine gifts must be
transmitted to all the orders of the Church and that from
him nothing goes forth in the Church which is not first contained in him, the Bishop and that nothing praiseworthy
and divine exists in any one beneath the Bishop that is not
For in truth if
recognized as having proceeded from him.
he were wanting in anything proceeding from God that is
found in any inferior person, such as holiness, wisdom, justice, he assuredly is not the one to occupy the seat of the
and
clearly,
Bishop.
its
weapons.
divine image.
To
that end,
all
who
may repreGod so far as they are able. And how far men are able,
Jesus, who is God and man, has taught us.
For he willed
to be made man, that he might show among men a godlike
way of living f to whose likeness all, in him, ought to strive.
John
ii.
ch.
i.
55
may
God
mark
in Christ Jesus
for
;" that
by imitating him he " may win Christ," " being made conformable to his death," that at the resurrection he
fashioned like him in glory, that at length by death
may be
he may
he should rise
and run and fly it should he seize, and taste, and feed on,
and be wholly brought to very Christ in God.
This wholesome strife, indeed, there ought to be on the part of every
one in the Church that all men should in all things have an
appearance, a sound, a savour, taste, and representation of
ject,
to it
Christ.
et, homo
munere functus
human
i ;
etc. p. 19.
ille
si
factus est,
Quo
ordo fungitur."
Phil.
'
iii.
'
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
56
God renders
godlike,
by imparting himself
ch.
i.
to the angels
immediately and singly; to men indirectly, and by a manifold system of images, of which Holy Scripture is full (which
1
Dionysius calls the substance of our priesthood), the Old
Testament especially ; and the New, added thereto, and
written by evangelists and apostles, is not wanting in such
figures. These books, in the time of Dionysius, were placed
Matt.
6<
vii.
The passage
is
common
sort,
whilst the
sacer-
dotii nostri
Scriptura sacra
est,
"pulchrum
et irrefragabile
argumentum"
manners
2
less speculations
As he almost
possible that he
Commentary.
ii.
pt.
cer-
iii.), it is
ch.
HIDDEN MEANINGS.
i.
57
men
only in the
Church.
Of
among
the
common
follow in the
them should
who
many years,
the Bishopric of
iCor.viii.7.
Matth.
vii.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
58
oh.
i.
sance, pa'ienne dans les arts, dans les lettres, dans les mceurs
enfin le
siecle,
There is some truth in this and the poetic taste of the late Dr.
Neale, aided by his fellow-translator, discovered something that is valu;
able, as well as
signs, I
merely curious,
in
Durandus.
elsewhere,
in the
consist
And
priest,
is
preacher."
" Ad
haec
cum
funis etc."
its
mystery
in the
mouth of
the
INTRODUCTION TO BAPTISM.
59
them
ch.
i.
ii.
in order
'
swine ."
CHAPTER
PART
Introduction
to the
II.
I.
THEour becomingour
object of
is
which
is
introductory,
is
being a kind of preface to the subject treated of, the second relating the
ceremonies with which the sacrament under consideration was solem-
nized,
them.
v.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
60
ch.h.i.
Now we
Joh.
xiv.
then are
we born again
sons of
God
fire.
this is the
baptism
Joh.
i.
13.
will
new
life,
to
ch.
men
to
ON BAPTISM.
ii. *.
61
may be means
by the
Spirit of truth.
CHAPTER
PART
On
WHILST
the
II.
II.
Sacrament of Baptism.
men were
God
to be like man,
"
The Word was Joh. u.
that he might render men like God.
"
He who was in the Phil.
made flesh, and dwelt among us."
form of God, made himself of no reputation, and took upon
him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
men.
himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of
"He hath made him to be sin for us, who 2Cor.v.2i,
the cross."
that
we might be made the righteousness of
knew no sin,
God in him." This was the eternal Son of God, whom the
Father " sending in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, Rom. viii.
condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the law 3 4>
might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but
after the Spirit," in the acknowledgment and worship of the
His office on earth the Bishops everywhere distrue God.
charge, and in him act as he acted, and with like zeal strive
themselves,
it
i.
ii.
'
It is observable how Colet here expands, and brings into due prominence the work of Christ's atonement, as compared with Dionjsius.
1
The
latter, in
Bishop, desiring the salvation of men by their being made like to God,
" proclaims to all the gospel, truly so called, how that God, in mercy to
us, in
is left
very
much
in the
background
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
62
ch.it.
2.
and illumination and salvation of mankind, by constant preaching of the truth, and diffusion of
St. Paul says, " God was
gospel light, even as he strove.
in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us
Now then we are ambassadors
the word of reconciliation.
Christ's
stead, they fan the fire
in
for Christ."
Acting
which Christ came to send upon the earth, that they may
" I am come," he saith in St. Luke, " to send
increase it.
for the purification
2 Cor.
19 > 20
Luke
v.
'
xii.
Luke
iii.
John?
12!
it is
Erasmus has
ac peculiare
munus Episcoporum
I.
est,
is,
and what
praecipuum
docere plebem Christ ianam, nee
Tennyson,
"Not
ch.
&
ON BAPTISM.
2.
ii.
become the sons of God ;" that the sons of men, now believing in Christ, might be happily born anew the sons of
to
When, however,
on him who was present.
he had shewn the form of a Bishop, our good and
in believing
after
patient
High
to
stead
self.
who
" For
we preach not
the Lord
him
as he preached him-
"but
Therefore,
Jesus' sake."
He
such as
Christ Jesus
"
who discharged
believed on those
whom
as
St.
Luke
records,
did
the Lukex.
This
is
tribuere."
And
again,
" Subjicimini
iv. 5.
for
2 Cor.
16.
COLESIASTICAL HIEBABCHY.
ch. h.
2.
wore a messenger midway between God and men, to announce to men heavenly things, as Christ did; to render
others such and suchlike as God has rendered him to proclaim unceasingly that precept of the Apostle's, " Be ye
;
C<r.
of
man upon
am
earth consists in
VQH
all
men
to desire to
be
may
God
Holy Spirit is a repentance for the life which is being done away with, and a
laying aside and casting away of it for ever.
Hence the
forerunner of Christ, St. John, used to cry " Repent ye."
Christ also after him cried aloud to man with yet grander
tones, <c Repent
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
For he that repents not of past evil, cannot wish for future
good.
And he who has not laid aside what he repents of,
out
Matth.
2.
Matth.
17.
cannot put on the better habit that he may wish for. Whoso
wishes to change his raiment, must strip, that he may
clothe himself and abolish in himself all that is old, that he
may
savour of what
That which
preached by the
Bishop is a new thing, and requires vessels thoroughly new,
with the old flavour scoured away
lest like new wine
poured into old bottles, it should burst them and itself be
spilled.
He that will walk becomingly in Christ, in the
new and spotless robe, which the hand and finger of God
is
new.
is
IX.
ch.
ii.
new
ON BAPTISM.
2.
garment;"
" No
man
ment;"
also
65
01% as
Mark
St.
speaks, Markii.21.
seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garLuke adds, the new patch "agreeth not Luke v. 36.
for, as St.
If a
xiii.
We
'
'
against
men whose
sal-
in Ezekiel,
vi. 12.
'
Ezck
;.
high places."
He who
declares this
light,
through love of the prize which is set forth for the conquerors, ought humbly and yet courageously to come to the
Church, and ask of some one that he may be brought to the
captain of the army, that is, the Bishop
that by the
soldier's oath in Christ he may be bound in him to fight,
and may avow himself the enemy of the world, and the
servant and soldier of Christ ; and being sworn by his oath
(St. Paul calls those to whom he writes his " fellow-sol;
diers")
may
may
Philem.
2.
ask to be sta-
Joh.
vi.
44.
Acts
xiii.
M ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
prayer desire nothing niore than that as
many
ch. n.
*.
as possible
Matth.
xii.
2Pet.u.
tiated in the
Christian rites.
ch.
ON BAPTISM.
ii. 2.
And
Jesus Christ.
67
them
priests, for
of Christians
(whom Dionysius
calls Sponsor; the same, I suppose, as we now in our
country call Godfather) he straightway consigns him to the
his
his introducer
and deacons
priests
the devil's
self.
all
avow
finally,
And when
renounced
to
that
all
that
own
he has done
and
is his,
this,
lastly
as St.
Luke
relates,
On
this
his cross,
sons, see
Bingham's
spoken of not only by Dionysius, and the author of the Apostolical Constitutions, but by many other more unquestionable writers
St.
Austin often mentions them but then he also acquaints us, that it was
no part of their office to make responses for their pupils in baptism, as
it was in the case of infants, and sick persons, who could not answer for
themselves." Erasmus in his Annotationes alludes to the custom, in his
note on Luke i. 4.
2
The expression in the original, " ut exflet Sathanam," for which
insufflare and exsufflare are elsewhere used, to render the emphusesai of
the Greek, is more forcible than the term I have adopted.
It denotes
a spitting, or blowing out of the breath, to imply a detestation and de;
fiance of Satan.
Luke
23.
ix.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
68
man
towards the
east,
cH.n.a.
oil first
him
signs
him
off,
and
then delivers
to the priests to
In the Apostolical Constitutions, ii. 61, the reason given for turning
in prayer during the Holy Communion, is the recol" in memoriam veteris possessionis Paradisi ad
lection of paradise
Oricntem
silio
2
positi,
may be drawn
Bingham
says, " It
com-
plain from
with the holy unction, and had imposition of hands, in order to receive
the Holy Ghost. Whence I think Daille's conjecture very just and
reasonable, that the unction preceding baptism is of later date, and not
adopted among the ceremonies of* baptism in the time of Tertulwriters of the following ages speak distinctly of two
unctions, the one before, and the other after, baptism."
Antiquities
as yet
lian.
But the
(1855), vol.
3
iv. p.
The Font
is
158.
ch.
ii.
ON BAPTISM.
2.
69
more
is
one
faith,
so that one
may
added
to, or
made
in his day.
He
says, " In
Ante evangelium canuntur prosae, nonnunpraetermittitur symbolum fidei. Ante canonem missse,
quam
indoctse, et
superstitionem."
Annotationes, in Luc.
ii.
14.
Eph.
iv.
5.
70
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
CHAPTEK
PART
On
B
tion
II.
III.
E SIDES
cii.ii. 3.
the purification of
life,
Baptism.
which
is
fitly signified
by the above washing of water, there is also an elevain it, and an indication of a higher meaning.
For as
iv. 2.
body
and they
to soul.
The
Kom.
3
xii.
Rom.
i.
22.
to think,
all.
it
in
Eph.
v.
14.
;
:
ch.ii.
CONTEMPLATION OF BAPTISM.
71
" pure words, even as the silver which is tried, and purified
The Bishop himself is made fire
seven times in the fire."
by God he has the light of truth, the warmth of goodness
in loving-kindness he teaches all.
He now who has learnt that he is in darkness (" all
Ps.
xii. 7.
made manifest by
Eph.
v.
13.
the light
But
spiritual order.
To apply thus
to a believer
humility,
is
it
God
the Shepherd,
called
is
by
Holy
Spirit.
Then
is
the
name
man
happily
among
those
who
many
up
in the
Sec above,
p. 65.
Eph.
4
'
i.
13,
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
72
ch.
ii. 3.
Matth.
tvm
"
'
above, only.
he,
Luke
Luke
who has
it is
one,- should
ix.
13.
Christ has
woven
raiment of righteousness, he
2Cor.vi.
7.
all
his
ch.ii.
3.
CONTEMPLATION OF BAPTISM.
73
full
of goodness
When
sin.
Datur
igitur
baptismus
in
mortem Jesu
8>
74
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
ch. n.
3.
Rom.
10.
vi.
in righteousness
that at length
we may
We
must
then we must rise
glory.
come
first
same body
of righteousness
forth to a
to a life of glory.
life
And
for us.
that
we be
that
sin, it
we may
And
again.
having put
again, that
we
ourselves
washing of regeneration,
in
man
is
who baffle
used by
confirmed in grace and
is
finally
on the Head of the Party baptized, anointed and signed, and prayed
that the Holy Ghost would be pleased to descend and rest upon him.
This immediately followed Signation, as that did Unction.
So saith
Tertullian, 'The flesh is anointed that the soul may be consecrated
the
flesh is signed, that the soul may be fortified. The flesh is overshadowed
with the imposition of hands, that the soul may be enlightened by the
"
Spirit.'
King on the Primitive Church, ii. p. 82 and Tert. Dc Resurrect.
Carnu, p. 31, there quoted.
;
ch.ii.
CONTEMPLATION OF BAPTISM.
3.
perfected.
is
thus perfected as a
75
member
of
Christ in his kind) for his union with the Body, and his
nourishment as a member, the sacred food of the Eucharist
is administered
by which it is understood that he is both in
the Body, and is fed and spiritually nourished in that Body.
No one is perfectly a member of Christ, until he has been a
partaker of the Holy Communion and the food of life by
participation in which he grows to be one with the Body.
In the early Church all who were baptized and at the same
time confirmed by the holy anointing, were invited without
delay to the Communion of the heavenly food.
It is to be observed, that Dionysius speaks of Confirmation
in such a way as to teach, not that it is a distinct sacrament,
but something for the completion of baptism so as for it
and baptism to be only one sacrament. It is also no less to
be remarked, that it was customary in the primitive Church
for all the baptized to communicate at once, in order, by a
common nourishment, to be reckoned to be of the mystical
body of Christ. Otherwise, although baptized, they are not
considered to be of the body.
For such communicating
gathers and binds together by a common nourishment, and
perfects by a final completion.
On this account it was at
1
one time given even to baptized infants
about whom we
"
If a Bishop be preread thus in ancient Sacramentaries
sent, the child must be at once confirmed, and afterwards
;
Pars
iii.
sius, in
ix.
fact that
Diony-
speaks distinctly of
" Illud vero quia pueri quoque,
11,
76
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
receive the
Communion.
If a
ch.h.
3.
before the infant suck, or have tasted anything, let the priest
communion
it
the
of the
how pure he
how inwardly
and thoroughly washed; how white, how shining, how
utterly without blemish and spot
in fine how perfected and
that professes Christ ought to be
filled,
Col.
ii.
19.
who
alludes to
it
ad
Vitalem.
By
cuinus,
who
in his
" Postea
vestiatur
statim confirmari
cum
et
si
Episcopus deest, communicetur a Presbytero dicente ita Corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi custodiat te in vitam reternam. Amen
Sed
et hoc providendum est, ut nullum cibum accipiant, neque lactentur
:
From
T think that something has been left out in the transcript of Colet'fl
" Nor
let
it
ch.iii.
tism,
i.
INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNION.
we " be
77
which
hand of God
let us set our affections on things above, not on things on the
earth." Being dead, let us seek our life, which is " hid with
Christ in God," which is the glory that shall appear to us,
are Christ's, where Christ sitteth on the right
when
Christ, in
Meanwhile,
we who
may
whom we
profess Christ
all
have hope,
may both
be,
and
appear in glory.
it
to pass, that
CHAPTER
PART
Introduction
shall
to the
III.
I.
Christ
is
the
consummation of all the sacraments. All the sacraments indeed lead to (a communion, but in no degree compared to this, in which there is a wonderful communication
and fellowship, since many, by participation in one, become
themselves one.
For this, men are prepared by other
sacraments, which go before, that by this they may be fulAll the sacraments have for their object the developfilled.
ing of unity, likeness and simplicity among men.
Towards this we are brought by other sacraments by
the Eucharist and Synaxis we are perfected.
Wherefore,
whatever great mystery is being performed, it is wont to be
completed by this sacrament without which all the mysteries
in which men are initiated, are undeveloped and imperfect.
And since the effect of them all is, that men may be formed
into one body, by being themselves united to one, and since
the synaxis especially attains this end, it has on that account
had this name specially allotted to it l just as to the sacra;
it
passeth
all
it is
Col.
l
iii.
4*
78
ECCLESIASTICAL HIEBARCHY.
ment
of regeneration the
In
fitted.
all
name
of Illumination
2.
peculiarly
but perfection is the attribute of the synaxis, illumination of the sacrament of regeneration. For in the latter first man receives light, whereby
Hence baptism is called by
he begins to perceive the truth.
Dionysius the sacrament of illumination. For he who is
touched by the heavenly ray is recalled and looks back.
This is signified by the laying on of the bishop's hand.
He
l
looks back upon the light by returning to God ; as David
says, " In thy light shall we see light."
of purifying, illumining, perfecting
Ps. xxxvi.
is
ch.iii.
9.
CHAPTER
PART
1.
On
III.
II.
2.
On
the celebration
of Holy Communion.
1.
Bishop
THEsuppose
first offers
which
to
Communion.
gathereth our
lives, that
ship.
1
This seems to be the general sense of the passage, but I cannot understand the Latin resiliente in Deum.
oh. in.
HOLY COMMUNION.
a,
79
the mysteries.
The Catechumens
spirits,
in
whom
Gal.
vi. 6.
"
Him
that
is
men.
2
with an evil
is
spirit."
its
largest significa-
it is used by
whose bodies are seized or possessed
A form of prayer for
Antiqq. Bk. iii. c. iv. 6.
Ecclesiastical writers
them
who
for persons
viii. 8.
Eph.vi.12.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
80
minds, nothing
is
of their madness,
who commenced
ch. 111.2.
evil spirit,
In the falling
And
heavenly enthusiasm, so does the former in a devilish madBut the heavenly enthusiasm is wisdom and health
in Christ ; and such as have fallen away from him towards
ness.
are pleased
then
forsaken
with their
by God,
easily
such
are
led
When
the
therefore
moved by
Matth.
20.
vii.
Christ are
Psal. xciii.
heavenly mysteries in
all
be driven far away from the sacred rites and mysteries. For,
as David has sung, " holiness becometh the house of God."
All these accordingly, whose wicked life has declared them
to be in the power of the devil (for " by their fruits ye shall
know them,") used in the primitive Church to be kept far
that this honour might not be
off from the sacred rites
;
1
In illustration of what is here said may be quoted the striking
dream, related in E pist viii. G of Dionysius, which Mr. Westcott has
given in an English version al p. 3. of the Contemp. Rev. for May, 1867.
.
HOLY COMMUNION.
CH.m.a.
81
New
'
munion
and
is
named
Wm.
is
is
till
when
after
it
is
Com-
ended,
Guest to
Sir
Ezek.
xxxiii. 11.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
82
ch.iii.
2.
now
the mystic
names
might seem as
It
if
two
were here
Roman
Office.
sion fails in closeness) are proomologetheises hypo pantos tou tes ecclesias
am
what
ch.iii.
2.
matter
HOLY COMMUNION.
83
their salvation.
known by
is
office
him
made
choice
by
strifes,
his opinion
who had
that episcopal
all
controllable
first
by the Apostles,
in
themselves,
vii. 5.
John
iv.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
84
much
ch.iii.
3.
since he performs
priest, as
in
CHAPTER
PART
On
IRST
Eph.
v.
18-
20-
Col.
iii.
16.
III.
of
are heard
may
This
taught.
Holy Eucharist. 1
all,
III.
is
learn a holy
what
filled
life
all
in the records
where
As Dean
title to this
MS.
sometimes
scarcely distinguishable, and has had to be now made by comparison
indeed in the
with Dionysius.
is
ch.iii.3.
EUCHARIST SYMBOLICAL.
hymns, and
hearts."
spiritual
85
grace in your
same form by
all
is
that, in
whom
all
that shall
believe hereafter.)
.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
86
ch.iii.
loftier subjects of
thought
as
Luke
7.
v. 5-
to himself,
which when
let
down
into
is
in well-nigh the
as the
EUCHARIST SYMBOLICAL.
ch.iii.3.
Now
thither return.
called
is
grace, which,
fruitful
87
what
is
when ministered by
it
may
the
return to
him
goodness,
all
natural science,
instruction in
all
all
me taphysical
all
all
things to
the past
come
in a
all
belief
become
subjects of further
js
speculation,
In 4 of the Contemplatio
is
Eph.
v. 18.
"
16,
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
88
ch.iii.
3.
Whence
it
word
of truth
itiated,
it,
but
is
a third of
sufficiently free
ancients called
Energumens
whom
evil spirits,
a fourth, of those
the
who repent
All of
that,
all
man
who
to
God
in
him
whom
their
is
in travail,
and
And
whom
she
Lat. ex profectione.
to their profession."
Perhaps
it
;;
ch.iii.
3.
EUCHARIST SYMBOLICAL.
89
all
believe in one
God.
For in
it
are
Joh.
2 Tim.
See above,
p. 82.
24.
ii.
19,
v.
xiii.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
90
CH.m.3.
any
if
taint of sin,
when about
of feet
on the
grace.
Ps. xxvi.
6.
will
Hence
Peter's feet.
the Bishop,
At which
act
it
it
be,
in innocency."
But no one
is
so
rooted out.
And
This
is
Oh
priests,
Oh
priesthood,
Oh
"Enimvero
the
de-
pontificis ilia
ch.iii.
EUCHARIST SYMBOLICAL.
3.
men
91
Oh
whom
head.
salvation
and
to our
if
own
The Bishop
eternal condemnation.
thing
all
him by
it.
show
it
This very
this
common
participation.
let
had they faded from his mind, when in 1518 he exhibited to Cardinal
Wolsey his Statutes for the Reformation of Residence in St. Paul's CaSee the documents in the Appendix to Dugdale's St. Paul's
thedral.
(1716), pp. 32-3, and 45, especially the passages where he enters into
The renewed conthe meaning of the terms Canonici and Residentes.
trast of deforming and reforming, and the repeated Proh dolor I and
Proh scelus I which sound like Colet's battle cry, all shew that the Convocation Sermon of 1513 was but an audible passage in a great sermon
which began many years before, and was not ended till his death.
Ex.
xl. 30.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
92
When,
was
ch.iii.
human
nature
Heb.
Phil.
ii.
ii.
14,
7.
allured
and took upon him the form of a servant," and " himself likewise took part of the same" flesh and blood
that
is, human nature
' that through death he might destroy
him that had the power of death, that is, the devil and
deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage :" that he might destroy, I say, that
enemy, not by force, but (as Dionysius says) by judgment
and righteousness, which he calls a hidden thing and a
2
mystery.
For it was a marvellous victory, that the Devil,
though victorious, in the very fact o his conquering should
be conquered ; and that Jesus should conquer in the very
tion
'
et carnale muliebriter
agamus."
vi. pt.
i.
below.
2
"Non
eloquium,
Pars
iii.
sec. 11.
ch.iii.
steps
EUCHARIST SYMBOLICAL.
3.
93
and dying as
he became the
) ,
cast out,
though vanquished, overcame
heard
that voice of the Father,
caster out when there was
"I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again ;" which
Then Jesus,
voice was uttered for the sake of others.
shewing what kind of glorifying that was, said " Now is
;
Joh.
xii.
283;j
-
the
judgment
of this world;
And
draw
all
men
I, if
I be lifted
up from the
earth,
unto me.
By
now
that death
and
said,
the form of
God may be
reflected in us.
concidens
as
by Corderius,
as rendered
L lke
XXil
^
1
Cor.
26,
xi.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
94
cup
He
in one.
CH.m.3.
manner
if
we would be
He came
became
visible
the one, in a
of his mysteries
breaking, so
it
nibus impertiens: Dividing the bread, that stood covered, into many
Beplie
parts, and delivering the unitie of the Cup unto all the people."
(1G11)
1
"
p.
329.
Sanctamque
12.
95
CHAPTER
PARTS
On
II.
I.
IV.
is
by these kindred
prin-
men may be
Thus it is clear,
between God, who is one, and men, who are many that the
many may be made godlike in God.
The consecration of the Chrism, 1 which the priestly office
employs for almost all its services, has well-nigh the same
;
During the consecration of it also, Catechumens, Apostates, Energumens and Penitents are disThe concealment and covering of the Chrism
missed.
indicates and signifies the keeping secret in the religious
lessons, chants.
p.
161 n.
96
ECCLESIASTICAL H1ERABCEY.
mind
of divine inspirations
ch.iv.i,*.
lest,
The fragrance
in
of
alike to
If
self.
Mat.
xxiii.
5.
and you ought so to conceal them, as not only to refrain from publishing wisdom,
and what you know by revelation, but even from " doing
your works " publicly, according to our Saviour's injunction,
" to be seen of men."" For as God is in secret, so are divine
men retired, secret, solitary, and inwardly self-contained,
being widely separated from the multitude and so is their
whole wisdom and life and works hidden, being seen of God
They "seek and set their
and the angels, not of men.
affections on things above, where Christ sitteth on the right
hand of God, not on things on the earth. They are dead,
and their life is hidden in Christ. " Hence they love solitude
and, like God, all their good deeds they desire to do in
secret, that God may be praised, not themselves; and that
their works may " shine before men," not themselves, and
" their Father which is in heaven may be glorified," not they
If you would be godlike, lie hidden, as God
themselves.
does be manifest in heaven, and in heaven let your conversation be. If you be in the truth itself, you need not senyou possess the grace of God itself, which
sible sacraments
is
gone
Col.
i.
13.
Matth.
16.
ch.iv. .,*.
is
the object of
all
monks
97
in
Egypt 1
once possess
it,
ness,
is
on the sun
itself,
They
the vision,
with
it,
may have
This Chrism
is
self,
all
in
whom
an
I do not
this,
{Lectures &c. 1845, p. 227), who traces the origin of it to the ancient
Therapeutse. In the persecution under Decius many fled to such re-
which
in the
coiners
2
Compare with
(Ed. 1708)
p. 53.
98
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
ch.iv.i,*.
giving
of gladness, that
oil
This
we may be
the
is
oil,
life-
vigorous, strong,
which
of
own
St.
:
Paul thus
" Now he
which
l
John
ii.
20 ' 27-
is
all
things," as St.
God
is all
it is
sweetest of odours.
is,
John writes
anointed in anointing
we
itself.
Jesus,
itself
pleasure,
This softness
filling
affording rather
the
touch, and
the eyes,
is
ears,
He
ought
We
to
isni. vi. 3.
that
ON THE HOLY CHRISM.
1
-,
99
They
may in turn
by the anointing Jesus, that we may
t(
rightly employed in
is
all
sacred
rites.
nostrils it is
is
To the
to the ears,
xlv. 7.
spiritual
and the
The Soul
hears
C Eucharist.
"|
>
God
in the I
Word
of the Gospel,
Sacred Unguent.
smells J
fEucharist.
In these three, Jesus Christ
is
The signs
Anointing.
us, that
we
be sunk in
by baptism
into death."
in Dionysius is merely " duodecim sacris alis circumbut in the next section this is explained to refer to the Sera-
The expression
tectum
;"
m.
vi.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
100
ch.iv.
3.
and die
l Cor. i.
30, 31.
therefore
is
that, according as
him glory
in the Lord."
it is
He
is
and redemp-
sanctification
written,
He
He is our
whether purifying, illumining or perfecting.
temple, our altar, our priest, our sacrifice and sanctification
and he sanctified himself for us, that we may be sanctified
in him, our very Lord Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER
PART
On
OH
IV.
III.
fication for
them
that believe in
him
mortification, I say, of
mony
this
so
Eccl. Antiq.
altars, as
But
as
distinct
CONTEMPLATION OF CHRISM.
ch.iv.3.
faithful
live
immortally in God.
101
All the
live in us.
that Christ
may
live in us.
is,
die,
mortification, in all
to life;
Through sacraments of
of which there is the death and cross of
to the
of
life
life.
that in
Christ,"
in
him
were from the dead, living in Christ, puriwhich is the virtue of the death
by
and cross of Christ ; by which sacraments we " crucify the
flesh with the affections and lusts," that the virtue of the
Spirit may live in us.
All things were first in Christ, and
from him come all things to us. In him is humility, death,
sanctification of himself, an ensample to others, that they may
die righteous.
In St. John he says, " For their sakes I
sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through
the truth."
He, the holy one, sanctified others, that they,
being holy, might sanctify yet others he gave an ensample
of holiness to men.
From him flow all things, which are
previously in himself. He, being purified, makes pure;
being sanctified, he sanctifies ; being perfected, he makes
perfect.
He is our Telete, that is, our sanctification and
perfection.
Since the Chrism makes perfect, it was there1
fore called Telete by our forefathers. Extreme Unction is the
consummation of our Christianity. In anointing there is an
emblem of Christianizing from the fulness of anointing,
rising again, as
fied
it
his sacraments, in
Jesus
called
is
Christ;
in
whom
all
that are
his
are
anointed.
As
will
Dionysius
is
final,
Unction of
0*
LIBRARY
Gal.
v.
24.
Joh. xvii.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
102
CHAPTER
PART
Introduction
THE
to the
ch. v.
,.
V.
I.
all
The whole
who
aud
third
and
who
last
The
triune
God
all.
himself
is
these
is
all
things
All those
colours
puro and un tempered light of truth and righteousness, powerful in its force and working, might for a time gaze upon
;;
ch.v.
i.
INTBOD. TO
HOLY ORDERS.
103
and
De Sacramentis EccL, p. 48
Dei depingi in terr& in hominibus, nisi prius
adumbraretur. In media mundi tabula et hominum quasi carbone infuscavit atrum quiddam Moyses
depinxit clarius in toto mundo noster
Jesus." How much Colet's thoughts were occupied at times by the
Mosaic writings, may be seen from The Oxford Reformers, pp. 25-36,
where a summary is given of his letters to Radulphus on the account of
the Creation.
The reference to Macrobius, by the way, which is there
alluded to (p. 35), may be supplied by observing the last words with
which the MS. abruptly breaks off: " Honestissimo et piissimo figmento," etc.
Colet was no doubt going to quote, when he mentioned
Macrobius, the passage in Lib. i. c. 2, of the Comment, in Somn. Scip.
" Aut sacrarum rerum notio sub figmentorum veiamine, ho?iestis et
1
"
There
Non
is
et
Col.
ii.
8.
104
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
On
this
canvas of
shadow
this
in heaven.
is
ch.v.i.
of
to the image,
Now
is
(
(.
f Heavenly
The <
(_
Christian
Mosaic
The World
is
^j
> Hierarchy
all
order.
Luminous
truth.
is I
it
the picture.
what he
will.
is
Out
of these
men he
God
to
moulds, and by
a structure of shadows, with Moses for his minister, prefigures on earth the
Heavenly Hierarchy.
first
truth, screening
ch.v.i.
105
Col.
iii.
3,
>
Heavenly
"|
Christian
,
^"
tt.
Mosaic Hierarchy
fi
is
act
is
ii
The part.
wholly
' ,
i. .,
n
in its acts of
typical
Jr
wit, the
The whole.
The
f Anagoge, to
< Allegory.
/,
Individual J
,
,.
>
^lhe
righteous hie of a n
Christian man.
.
fLight.
a shadow of three things<| The Whole.
[The
From
From
Christ's
Part.
this order,
four senses
1
agony
much more
As
this passage.
He
the subject
two chief
is
latter again
is
and Anagogical.
it
is
in the allegorical.
And
lastly in Jer.
it is
ii.
13, "
'
106
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
ch.v.i.
Church.
The literal is, when the actions of the men of old
time are related.
When yon think of the image, even of
the Christian Church which the Law foreshadows, then you
catch the allegorical sense.
as from the
shadow
When
aloft, so
our thoughts are raised from the earthly to the heavenly. Mirandola goes to great lengths in this direction.
Thus he says
in a passage of his Heptaplus that the Waters above the Firmament, the
by which, that
Firmament
is,
itself,
that
under four other heads, namely, Spiritual, Moral, Alle(Villari's Hist. tr. by Horner, i. 114.)
So also
gorical, Anagogical."
Bishop Longland, a friend of Colet's, when preaching before the University of Oxford, on the occasion of Hen. VIII.'s founding a new
College there in 1525, took for his text Prov. ix. 1, 2 and explained the
words " She hath also furnished her table," to betoken the four dishes,
or courses, of History, Morality, Allegory and Anagogy, which Wisdom
set forth on the table of her Scriptural banquet. (Concio, 1525, fol. 23).
These extracts may serve to shew the principle as it was maintained
by some at that period, and those too, men whose opinion Dean Colet
would respect.
The opposite view may be taken as it is held by a learned scholar of
Dean Colet's school, Whitaker, the opponent of Bellarmine. In his
" As
Disputation on Holy Scripture (Parker Soc. 1849, p. 405) he says
in the Bible
it is
accommodated
to bear.
text in Gal.
iv.
this principle;
;;
ch.v.i.
INTROD. TO
HOLY ORDERS.
107
always underlying
is
it.
though he is driven to admit, that " the whole entire sense is not in the
words taken strictly but part in the type, part in the transaction itself.
In either of these, considered separately and by itself, part only of the
meaning is contained; and by both taken together the full and perfect
meaning is completed."
It seems to me that this last admission concedes as much as Colet, in
the guarded sentence with which he ends the paragraph, has assumed
and that there may be a middle ground on which the contending parties
could unite.
The keen mind of Thomas Aquinas appears to me to
truth,
when he writes
" The author of Holy Scripture is
detect the
only
it
is,
not
to accommodate words to have a
God in whose power
meaning (as man also can do), but facts themselves as well. And so,
whereas in all other sciences words are significant of things, the science
of Theology has this peculiar property, that the very things implied by
words have themselves also a significance" (Summa, Parsl. Art. X.
Without going so far as to maintain, with some expositors,
Conclusio.)
that the very names of places, such as Bethesda, Bethsaida, and the like,
were given, in the workings of Providence, to harmonize with events
afterwards to be transacted there, I yet am unable to think that the
meaning of such an act as the lifting up of the Serpent in the wilderness,
Doubtless the only
is exhausted in the record of it as an historical fact.
meaning of the writer who narrates it, is the simple literal meaning
but the act itself I would look on as a word
which his words bear
spoken in the then unknown language of God, whose meaning in later
;
On
lxxxvi.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
108
ch.v.i.
world and gloom of mankind, the patriarchs and prophets were stars shining in the absence of the Sun that
this
2 Pet.
i.
19.
"We
Day
The day
is
Sun of Righteousness
r Stars shining in heaven, under Christ;
by the Sun.
Conversation
enlightens
when
the
all things.
in heaven.
In Night
j
Law
a watery image
of the Church.
light,
before the
Law.
we
all
in its fulness,
Begun
in Christians
men beholding
Sun
of Righteousness.
understanding the
INTROD. TO
ch.v.i.
HOLY ORDERS.
109
and religious
by God
silence.
history, there is
shown
all
Matth.
6.
From
than in the Apologia, as edited in 1601. How it came to pass that Colet
should transcribe this portion of Mirandola's treatise, without citing the
author's name
whether it be a token that he never contemplated the
publishing of his own treatise or whether the omission be simply due
to the copyer of the original manuscript
are interesting questions, but
to which I have no means of furnishing an answer.
;
vii,
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
110
ch.v.
i.
"
Wherefore those wise ancients divulged not the profound contemplation of the most secret
things in the Law, and the hidden depth of its more recondite truth, save to wise men only, unknown to the mulpearls before swine
Cor.
ii.
6.
titude
thians
among whom
that
custom among
all
the wise
men
riddles.
him
without the intervention of their commentaries, these could not be long preserved in memory \
determined that the wise men who then survived should be
would perish,
since,
ch.v.
i.
Ill
among
the people
for in
them
And
I did so."
l
God himself
Moses
to
with a display of
1
" It
is
all
originally
Law,
Hebrew, Kabalah,
We
root Kibel,
to receive
by tradition.
2Esdr.xiv.
45 48
112
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
ch.v.i.
under the bark and rugged surface of the words of the Law
and that Moses received a twofold Law on the mount, the
The literal, it is evident, he comliteral and the spiritual.
mitted to writing, and according to God's command delivered
the spiritual Law he communicated to wise
to the people
men only, seventy in number, whom Moses at God's command had chosen for the guardianship of the Law and he
enjoined upon them not to write it, but to reveal it by word
of mouth to their successors, and these in turn to others.
From this successive reception it was called Cabala but this
knowledge afterwards came to be put into writing ; and
those books openly contain all the secret things and mysteries which are veiled in the literal Law.
These secret
1
things, as Origen perceives, are called by St. Paul "the
oracles of God," giving life to the Law without which lifegiving spirit the Law is dead.
That explanation and spiritual sense of the whole literal Law, which Moses, as we
have said, received from God, was what we call the Anagogic
For as there is with us a fourfold method of exsense.
plaining the Bible, and a fourfold sense, namely, the Literal,
Mystical and Allegorical, Tropological, and Anagogical so
was it with the Hebrews. But the Cabala follows the Ana2
gogic sense, which was delivered to Moses from the mouth
drawing
of God, and which is the loftier and more divine
and leading us up from earthly to heavenly things from
from things temporal to
the sensible to the intellectual
;
Rom.
iii.
2.
" Sed et hoc ipsuni quod dicit, Quia credita sunt Mis eloquia Dei,
considerandum est quia non dixerit litteras esse creditas, sed eloquia Dei.
Unde via nobis datur intelligendi quod his qui legunt et non intelligunt,
et qui legunt et non credunt, littera sola sit credita, ilia de qua dicit
Apostolus quia littera occidit; eloquia autem Dei illis sint credita, qui
intelligentes et credentes his quae Moyses scripsit, credunt et Christo,
sicut et
utique mihi
L.
ii.
,*
14.
" The Cabalists therefore, which are the anatomists of words, and
have a theological alchymy to draw sovereign tinctures and spirits from
plain and gross literal matter, observe in every variety some great mystic
signification
but so it is almost in every Hebrew name and word."
Donne's Essays in Divinity, by Jessopp, p. 122.
;
::
ch.v.i.
human
to the divine,
is
lowest to what
is
113
highest, from
spiritual.
us
jout
is
intermediate; and, as
becomes what
His words are " Duces vero ad earn ii sunt, qui sanctum illud tabernaculum a Mose sacratius didicerunt;" which the Scholiast explains as
" Per eos .... intelligit eos septuaginta qui post Mosen
Colet does
1
2 Cor.
6
'
iii.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
114
we
as
are
ch.v.i.
For, so long
spiritual of
it
can.
a figurative
manner
and
all
Christian \
5 Angelic
Human
Legal
We
Human.
Higher.
Enlightened.
Angelic.
enlightened.
shadowy.
The
The
God. Heaven
spirit;
flesh
man.
Earth.
Middle>
Lower.
Shadowy.
may consider
of mankind.
may
and complete
and perfected in God. Purification
the putting off whatever was ours, even our
third perfect
be
purified, illumined
consists in
Rom.
10
xiii.
purify, the
that
we may
turn to
ch.v.i.
pletion
and
Church
in
work
whom
men
115
in hope,
by the
by those
diate ones as
and
last
finally
The whole
of this
more
glorious scale,
divine working,
among
the heavenly
Hence there
its
unity, beauty
purification, illumination
and goodness.
one single
were, whereby they stand firm in God.
The
is
beauty,
is
directed.
conceive
"
The
effect of perfection
is
perfection."
It will
be seen that
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
116
ch.v.i.
which indeed
is one and the same, working
but according
to a distinction of degrees there is a various assignment of
names, and each has his own special attribute. Each one in
his degree, in proportion to the gift bestowed upon him,
discharges his office
all labour together in drawing men
away from this world, and consecrating them to God.
" Now/' says St. Paul, (< being made free from sin, and
become servants to God, we have our fruit unto holiness,
and the end everlasting life."
In Dionysius three ecclesiastical orders are named those
1
The office of the Bishops
of Bishops, Priests and Deacons.
is the widest, having all the power of a lower order, and
having moreover its own proper duty, which is, to make the
Whence it appears that Dionyoffering of the Eucharist.
sius styles those Bishops, whom the later Church calls
Priests
and those generally Priests, who are now called
greater or less participation in the divine ray
everything in all
Rom.
vi.
22.
Deacons.
The
office of Priests,
with him,
to initiate in
is
by the minis-
purified
but
',
Cor. xv.
49.
'
The terms
in the original
ch.v.
INTROD. TO
i.
the Spirit of
hands of the
117
God works.
priests,
by the Bishop.
pleted
HOLY ORDERS.
All completion
is
He bestows
counted as himself complete.
the Eucharist, and confirms with the sacred Chrism, and
manifests to the worthy the mysteries of the signs that, if
they be deemed fit persons, they may be perfected in all
things under the Bishop's hands, and coming forth from
him perfect, may go to the station and degree of their
office, as the wisdom of the Bishop rightly determines.
By
the deacons and ministers men are brought in purity into
the Church ; by the priests they are advanced with illuminating sacraments; by the Bishop they are perfected with
Bishop,
who
is
perfecting mysteries.
The Bishop,
rites,
God
and
who unceasingly
by the
imitate
office
of
The Bishop
the Bishop.
Christ
upon
earth, to the
xii.
measure of faith."
"Now there are diversities of gifts;
but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to
profit withal " to wit, that the Church may be perfected at
length in the Spirit, and in immortality.
called,
" Quia
this
with
For
all its
to this it is
power,
tinctiones," etc.
C.
v.
Pars
i.
7.
if it
dis-
Cor.
7'
xii.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
118
ch.v..z.
preserving
its
CHAPTER
PART
On
V.
II.
and Deacons.
WHEN
one
is
There
is
communion
The same
again,
when
of the Eucharist.
This custom seems to have been in use in all the ancient Churches.
In the Apostolical Constitutions two Deacons have the office of holding
the Gospels over the head of the one being consecrated a Bishop
whence Vasquez infers that this ceremony is not, like the imposition of
His argument is given in
hands, an essential part of the Sacrament.
the notes of Corderius. The ancient form of Ordination of Priests is
1
kiss of peace.
The author
ii.
c.
xix. 17.
'
119
CHAPTER
PART
On
V.
III.
Sacrament
of Holy Orders.
NOW, thatandwethatmayour
state the
signs,
may
perceive
its
meaning of these
visible
our bodily,
approach to the
first
and admonishes us
For bending the
knee is a token of subjection and obedience and by the
use of this term St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Philippians,
affirms that all things are subject to Jesus
saying, " Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a
name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in
earth, and things under the earth.
Wherefore, my beloved," be obedient.
There is, and ought to be, in the
Bishop, and prostration at the
of subjection to
God and
altar, tells
to his Bishop.
Phil.
ii.
Eph.
vi.
9,
own
also is
sanctification
to
God
be
it
This
among
is
in
Christ;
in
whom
sanctifica-
the teaching
of St. Paul, in
his Epistle
written
the
Ephesians,
former.
all
these in-
1.
*
120
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
he who
is
hold of by
Rom.
Eph.
Luke
viii.
vi.12.
xiv.
God
that in
is
ch. v.
3.
wholly laid
all
things,
"we
be
my disciple."
Now for men
his cross,
to take
up and
and
is
in
for ever,
life,
Phil.
iii.
may
manner
10, 11.
Phil.
This
Paul writes touching himself to the Philippians
one thing I know ; forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus." To the Galatians he also writes;
"They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the
This is the import of the sign of the
affections and lusts."
cross, imprinted on the man who professes Christ, that, after
he has received the stamp of the sacred cross from the
Bishop, he should say with St. Paul " I am crucified with
Christ ; nevertheless I live yet not I, but Christ liveth in
me." In him truly a man is a member, that he maybe conformable to the head ; and a branch in the tree of Christ,
that in all things he may savour of the root ; in order that
no longer now by his own will, which has been crucified, but
by the life-giving sap drawn from the root, which is Christ,
Let
he may in all things, so to speak, live Christianlike.
each one then seriously recollect what is the meaning of the
iii.
13 ' 14
'
Gal.
v.
24.
Gal.
ii.
20.
as
"
St.
ch.v.
3.
121
to
must be copied.
The one who is consecrated by the Bishop is next proclaimed by name l which signifies, no doubt, the election
and lot of God by whose will and pleasure all that is
This gives me an
rightly done, is done in the Church.
;
by
lot
if
I first state
et
He
makes
this to
Bingham, " in the Apostolical and following ages there were four several
ways of designing persons for the ministry, or discovering who were most
fit to be ordained
the first of which was by casting Lots, the second by
making choice of the first-fruits of the Gentile converts the third by
particular direction and inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and the last in
the common and ordinary way of examination and election." Eccl.Antiq.
Bk. iv. c. i. 1.
;
38,
x.
122
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
whom
Prov. xvi.
33.
it
were, whereby
is
ch. y.
perceived on
Acts
23-
26i
Rom.
viii.
Psal.
exxvii.
1.
3.
This
is
a repetition
little
before.
ch.v.3.
123
ing
men
that
as to
will,
v. 5.
whom
common-
the
name
phemers of
humble and
not in
The
and
Out upon
allusion
Matth.
xviii. 18.
124
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
ch.v.
John
viii.
4.
honour
Ps. ex.
is
Lorenzo
instituted new ones for the avowed purpose of selling them."
de Medici, p. 219, Bohn's Ed. Sixtus IV. died in 1484. In the Oratio
de reformandis moribus addressed by the younger Pico to Leo X. (15131522) language is used as strong as any employed by Dean Colet
1
"
licitationibus invigilaverint,
like.
ii.
p. 887.
1
ch.v.
125
In the choosing
and visible marks, is called a sacrament.
by lot of Matthias a great sacrament is noted by Dionysius
2
as he says that in it the Apostles had an indication of the
And so in
one on whom the secret election of God fell.
the sacrament of joint election, when performed by fit persons, there is disclosed (as is undoubtingly believed) the
By Him, the one whom he
election of God in heaven.
wills is designated in the Church; and whosoever is not
designated by him, let him believe himself to be not what
Would that the Bishops that are nominated
he professes.
by temporal princes, being such as I have said, would listen
to this
In the
common
salutation
and
kiss given to
him who
is
by
all
made like
whom he is made like.
also in those to
But what
is
It is this,
that the Bishop should keep in his head and in his heart
all
religion.
of the
The
p. 263.
2 "
it
was,
iv. 1.
126
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
ch.ti.i.
men may be
filled
quillity
CHAPTER
PART
to the subject
Introduction
Church
AS
and
I.
God
who are
purify, illumine
and perfect,
VI.
See
p.
so on
De Sacramentis Ecclesice this idea is a very pro72 (Ed. 18C7) " Masculinior pars [ecclesise] cum
In Colct's Treatise
minent one.
Monk.
and elsewhere.
ch.vi.
INTBOD. TO INITIATION.
i.
127
to be, as
it
may be
perfected in the
men
who
may
that those
stay themselves
and slipping away, and tossed about,
^bn God, on the central point of hope ; that, hoping in God,
And as there are
they may at length be rooted in him.
different persons to be purified, so are there different ministers.
To Catechumens,
striving to
come
world, a hand
is
And
so he overthrows
and destroys
may
fall,
may
stand.
;;
128
Gal.
v.
17.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
Mark
xiv.
38.
timony,
c<
the spirit
But inasmuch
is
Cor. xv.
28
i.
by our Saviour's
tes-
willing,
as,
ch.vi.
life,
ch.vi.
INTROD. TO INITIATION.
i.
129
the last are chiefly subservient to the soul, the vital to the
senses,
to generation, nutrition,
growth,
so,
same
God, the Church's soul some chiefly tend the lower part of
the Church, to repair, nourish, foster, increase, cleanse and
preserve it some, midway between these, are the ministers
of the senses, as it were, and enlighten them to perceive the
spiritual properties of the sacraments in the Church.
The
2
first in order, which are nearer to the carnal portion of the
Church, quicken the flesh by their purifying virtue, washing
away men's sinful mortal nature, that they may live by hope
in God.
The second, who spiritualize the senses, illumine
those who are purified and hoping in God ; that with faith
they may have a perfect sense of the sacraments of the
Church, and every sacred symbol, and rejoice therein with
the fullest belief.
The third and highest are those who are
intent upon God with all their affections, and have a clear
understanding of the simple meaning of each sense.
These
take such as have by faith had a sense of the symbols and
sacraments and as many of them as come to them in a fit
and ripe state they make contemplators of the simple meanings of the mysteries and objects of sense, according to their
capacity in order that, what they have long had a sense of,
under priests, they may now, under the Bishop, understand
with the most perfect love and being filled with the mysteries, so far as they are capable, may be made perfect.
;
word here
Johnson explains it
from natural and vital, are the lower
powers of the mind, as the will, memory, and imagination."
2
That is, the first, reckoning upwards in reality the lowest.
1
I use the
"Animal
in its strict
sense, as
functions, distinguished
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
130
For light
ch.vi.
i.
who
who
the lowest,
things
all
who
purify,
illu-
are the
of his
for
own to
" The
give
temporal as well as
them
What
all.
spiritual is
temporal
from heaven.
is
of the
who
earth;
created
what
is
earthly
by
manner the heavenly and
more exalted portion bestows what is spiritual, as a minister
portion of the Church
is
These
life
liberally affording
them
spiritual food
whilst
This
of " creatura
hiatus,
ch.vi.
INTBOD. TO INITIATION.
i.
131
life
to the
more
spiritual portion.
in each kind of
temporal
and spiritual ; the higher portion receiving temporal life
from the lower, and the lower receiving spiritual life and
strength from the higher ; that so the whole Church, seeking
only what is necessary in this world, and that too without
overmuch care, an<| for the passing day, may strive for
erting themselves to sustain
it
life,
In this lowest
part of the Church are the Catechumens, as they are called,
now under instruction ; the Penitents who have been recalled ; the Energumens who have been exorcized ; and the
Apostates who have been reclaimed.
It is the business of
these, by bodily work and labour in the earthly bounties of
God, to earn the bodily sustenance of the Church ; that they
may exercise themselves in earthly matters in all simplicity
and truth ; being now ministers of God in these terrestrial
spiritual life here, for life eternal hereafter.
whom
and corporeal
St. Paul, in his
members
of the
body
comely than others, are the more necessary, and receive the
greater care for their preservation from injury.
From this
sort of men, if at any time any of those who form its higher
and clearer region, have at length through the assiduous
labour of the deacons become more godlike, every stain of
sin being thoroughly scoured away, so as now to be judged
by the discerning deacons to be open and transparent, and
capable of receiving a measure of light, they are then presented to the priests, that they may be suffused by them
with fuller light, and shine with greater faith.
These have
now
offered to their
being
now
purified,
Cor.
23.
xii.
132
ECOLESIASTIOAL HIERARCHY,
ch.vi.
i.
holiest signs,
may
contemplate in spiritual
same
humility the marks and im-
all
God and
finished Christians.
mined by the
who
are perfected
by
to
at,
passage.
ch.vi.
i.
133
so that they
C Bishop.
Spirit < Priests.
Body
(.
Deacons.
Monks
<
(.
Monk.
Perfection.
Holy People.
Those under Purification.
Illumination.
perfected.
People learning.
Penitents under purification.
But
Purification.
Deacons, purifying.
"fragret."
possibly the
a phrase
which
is
134
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
CHAPTER
PARTS
On
II.
cu.vi.2,3,
VI.
III.
tlie
single
may behold
who are com-
holy people,
For
self,
to a
Monk
allots, in
gives
the esteem
Who
Wordsworth, Eccl.
Sketches.
ch.vi.2,
may
CONSECRATION OF MONKS.
135
felt to
the same
is
kiss
is
significant of a sweet
uniting.
Lastly he
is
And had
institution
of the
me
Apostles.
be such
in our Church as was Ezra in the synagogue of Moses, who
willed that the mysteries of the Old Law should be committed to writing, lest in the confusion of affairs and of
The reason given for this
crinium vitam mundissimam
1
practice by Dionysius
is
to
fucatam, et qure
sed ipsa in
animi deformitatem exornet
seipsa non humanis venustatibus sed singularibus et unicis ad Dei exactissimam similitudinein properet."
It will be
Eccl. Hier. vi. p. iii.
borne in mind, that the shaving, or more strictly cutting off, the hair,
referred to by Dionysius, was a very different thing from the formal
tonsure of the Latin Church in later times.
The short-cropped hair was
looked on as a decent remove from long flowing locks on the one hand,
and from the shaven heads of the priests of Isis on the other. See
Richardson's Prcelectiones Ecclesiastic a> (17 "2 6), vol. ii. p. 291.
Cor. v.
4.
136
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
men
the record of so
perish)
memory
Now
had
not
Church,
CH.vi.2,3.
down by
his
of the insti-
tom.
to
more zealous
than were the Jews in retaining their traditions ; in proportion as ours are clearer and more excellent than theirs, and
ch. vii.
137
i.
CHAPTER
PART
Introduction
VII.
I.
to the rites
destroyed, and
who have
those
who have
may
righteousness of
God
from
this
life,
Jesus,
soul in glory.
the Sadducees,
"
who
who knew
all
saying,
When
they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry Mark
nor are given in marriage ; but are as the angels which are 25
Supported by this hope, the good, who have
in heaven."
-
and joyfully;
being glad, in part, at having escaped the danger of a fall,
on which they might perhaps chance, were their life further
prolonged
and in part rejoicing in the highest degree at
the prospect of the reward of labour done, and the crown of
glory for their Christian warfare, which is doubtless laid up
in store for them that strive lawfully.
Over the happy
departure, yea and death, of those saints, their friends and
relations together rejoice with many congratulations, and
pray for a like consummation in Christ of their own lives
life
xii.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
138
ch.vii.
i.
and
before him, to be committed
bear
it
to the priest,
and
set it
to holy sepulture.
For nothing
in which there
glory after
is
had fared
many
tears, as if
ill
and
relatives.
But
who have
lived a
this is doubtless
life
here
so
Thess.
iv.
12, 15.
will
'
is
tise
ch.vii.
i.
139
wise the brave martyr Ignatius was wont to say, " My Love
meaning Christ, with whom he desired
is crucified "
1
The absurd notions that have arisen
to be in heaven.
among men, even since the time of Christ, from hearing
;
by Christians
I mean,
better things.
of lofty soul
who hope
either
for
that souls
and
or exist in
some Elysian
All these
Philipp.
23.
140
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
CHAPTER
PART
On
ch.vii.i.
VII.
II.
But if
it
be that of one
the chancel, whilst the obsequies and sacred rites of the dead
are going on
in the spot
ments of God.
which is parted
that
all
it is
alike
may behold
the sacra-
the people
services
all,
where
in
of thanks
is
deacons.
eulogy
1
soul
for ever
is
made
responsible
Paehymeres
The
to
'
was
his Business also, as the Bishop's substitute, to order all things re-
Church:
as
Antiqq. B.
ii.
c.
xxi.
ch.vii.
141
as
it
were ex-
When
the funeral rites have thus been duly performed, and the customary service done, the remains are then
committed to interment, amid the other saints of his own
with
oil.
order.
CHAPTER
PART
On
the spiritual
BUT
life.
VII.
III.
Contemplation of the
rites
now
of things divine, so
it is
in heaven.
to
Bingham
this
Service in
all
Churches."
lb. xxiii.
iii.
11.
Matth.xvi.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
142
ii.
Matth.
7.
v.
48,
Cor.
vii.
in a cer-
tain
Phil.
ch.vii.
to our deserts.
in Christ
As
rails, concetti) as
we have mention
of the chancel
Tours)
in the sixth.
the
(lie
Eccl. Antiq.
;
;
ch.vii.
3.
143
ment
'
righteous in Christ.
The Church
xiv.
144
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
ch.vii.
3.
Thus
hopeful.
Now
which
is,
is
away and
given by God
in
baptism
Cor.
ii.
9.
by the hope of a
office of
life
ch.vii.3.
145
"
made
is
desert.
first
not
In what follows, on the subject of prayers for the dead, Colet fairly
represents the guarded language of Dionysius, though, as usual, he discusses it at greater length.
Dionysius (ch. vii. 6, 7.) distinctly lays
down
the two great principles, that the prayer of the Bishop over the
departed Christian is declaratory, rather than intercessory and that it
avails those only who are fit objects of God's mercy.
The Roman doctrine of Purgatory, it need hardly be said, is not in Dionysius.
Thus
Stillingfleet can aver, in his argument with T. C, that the one who is
prayed for in Dionysius " is said to be replenished with divine joy, and
not fearing any change to the worse, but knowing well that the good things
[possessed shall be firmly and everlastingly enjoyed; as he speaks at his entrance upon that discourse. And if this be in effect to teach Purgatory,
as you would have it, you must set your Purgatory a great deal higher
than you do."
Rational Account (1665), p. 648.
;
146
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
whose
ch.vii.
3.
;
so that, if supplication continue without ceasing,
with hope and in humility (according to the teaching of our
efficacious
It
is
noticeable that in
Dean
month of
his death
fieri
postulet."
G.
ch.vii.
whom
3.
prayer in no wise
prayed
But
for.
for
147
profits,
to
This opinion
supported by
is
St.
John
his canonical
in
<c
If
John
16
v,
The prayer
be in glory,
is
not so
much
a petition that
it
may be
may
so, as a
it is so.
ii.
whom
Spirit of
1
And
quod
to the
same
to
it is
Nota,
dignis
et hie et post
mortem."
148
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
ch. vii.
when the doors were shut, and said to them once and
"
again Peace be unto you;" it was for the purpose, I say,
ciples,
John
9
xx.
~ 23
'
of
making them
fit
will, to
Cor.
iv.
ch.vii.
3.
God
149
and
have been
;
u Venerandus
antistes (ut scriptura ait) interpres est judiciorum
divinorum angelus enim domini omnipotentis est."
7.
1
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY,
150
God who
ch.vii.
in faith in
reveals
it,
gives notice of
',
things.
They
Hence may we
how
exalted,
Bishop should be
we
Pope
how wholly
that what
how
he especially who
see
by
is
the highest,
whom
he diffuses
over the Church, quickening it to life eternal, he may draw
wholly from God, and digest it when so drawn, and rightly
and lawfully distribute it through all the members thereof;
that these, being refreshed by the divine nourishment, may
jointly live in the Bishop, who in the fullest degree lives in
God.
And this, to the end that all things should go forth
from God to his Church, for the recalling of all things to
himself, who himself in a sound and holy Church is all in
all
who quickens, illumines and perfects the Bishop, especially him who is the highest
that he in turn may faithfully and sincerely be a minister of the wisdom and the will
of God in all things, for the life and salvation of all seeking
call
the
his authority
it
ch.vii.
3.
151
for
many
members
of the
Church
who
all
who
it
a " creature")
unless, I say, the Mediator Jesus lay to his
hand with all speed, our most disordered Church cannot be
far from death.
Men slacken and draw again, loose and
bind, not, through faith in God, what has been bound in
heaven, but what they themselves wish
and hence all
things on earth are in confusion. They are not executors of
the will of God, but doers of their own. They do not testify
what God wills, as they ought to do (for their office is no;
but they
They consult not
;
set forth
The connection
"
of this with the subject of " binding and loosing
shews that Colet has in view the abuses of Papal Indulgences. More than a hundred years before, the system had been
satirized by Chaucer, whose Pardonere is made to say
lately mentioned,
"
And
that
Colloquies
De
ciam, qui,
Erasm.
nummo
Ep.
Joel. Jonce.
Rom.
viii.
152
Phil.
ii.
21.
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
ch.vii.
I write with both grief and tears) " seek their own, not the
but earthly ; what will bring them to death, not what will
bring them to life eternal.
But, to return to my subject, the true Bishop, and lawful
overseer, and faithful steward of the mysteries of God, does
nothing except after God.
He is the hand, the minister,
the instrument of God ; whom we must believe even as God
himself.
Wherefore in the Funeral Service, whilst he is
praying for eternal life for the saints that are dead in Christ,
he is reverently speaking forth the sure will of God
faithfully and effectually asking for that to be done, which
he fully knows will be done ; that by words of intercession,
which at all times beseem a Bishop, he may testify to the
congregated Church the justice and grace of God towards
men, towards those namely who die well in Christ. For the
Bishop is the testifier of God's will, and as it were the
mouthpiece and utterance of the mind of God, expressing
the things that have been foreordained of God, which he
perceives
well in
by
faith.
It is
all
things
all.
all
it
is
a token of his being not dead altogether, but one who is passing to another region, to his own true and proper country.
is
And
oil,
here must
addition of
oil,
or balsam, or
See above,
p. 68.
CH.vn.3.
The Church
And
tion.
this
Chrism
is
own
a sign of the
153
peculiar composi-
Holy
Spirit/ where-
by
all
we,
made
battle,
spiritual in the
wage war
the
last,
when we
off
we are anointed at
men may know that we have finished
safe in Christ,
our departure
that
come
is
done,
'
It
is
Confutation of an addition, v.
154
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
when by
the power of
ch.vii.
God they
shall
those sacraments work eternal life for the body also, in them
The soul on the other hand has its own
that believe.
proper food and drink on which it feeds, and its ointment,
wherewith it is cherished which the multitude and untaught people cannot see and discern.
By obedience in
God, by good hope, by faith in the signs, by constancy in
;
well-doing,
multitude of
the
although through
Christians will
be saved,
this
those
further,
in heaven.
As
to the sacramental
Dionysius,
when
is
rites, St.
purposely
silent,
fas
In 10 of Ch.
non
vii. pt.
"At
ch.vii.
BAPTISM OF INFANTS.
.*.
155
that nothing
is
most sacred.
CHAPTER
PART
On
the
III.
VII.
SECTION
II.
Baptism of Infants.
from
the very beginning of the rising Church, provision was
made by Christ himself and his Apostles for the salvation of
infants.
And in the early Church I find that new-born infants were not only washed in the holy laver of regeneration
and illumined, but also by participation in the most holy
Eucharist (without which in the primitive Church not even
the baptism of infants could take place), were joined and incorporated in the mystical body of Christ.
that,
And
this,
be-
cause they are at that age far from fault of their own, and
clear of sins
this
in derision
is
by
carnal
1) of
As
it
expanded
in
Ch.
ii.
156
.2.
God appears
By
compassion.
men
esteemed a matter
full of piety, so it be done duly and in a lawful manner.
And though the meaning of it cannot be seen by men, that
is no marvel
seeing that not even the chief angels themselves know all things.
But pious faith accepts and reverences all.
And they who first appointed not only that
sacrament, but all the rest besides, the Apostles, I mean,
either possessed the reasons of them, or believed one who did
so.
That which has arisen, and is now performed, at the
prompting of the Spirit of God, cannot be devoid of the very
highest reason ; and though this is not attained by poor
human reason, yet it is by faith which is above reason, 1 a
light full surely given us in Christ, and capable of the highest
reason.
Now if we are weak in this matter of faith, which
even the very chief of Christ's Apostles sought to have increased, let us not on that account despise the great Sacraments of God. Nay rather let us acknowledge and truly and
humbly confess the narrowness of our reason, and let us
ascribe to our own perverseness our want of power to comprehend the things of God, rather than disdainfully spurn what
our puny reason comprehends not ; yea and let us seek to
become something that is above reason, namely great in
faith ; and above the flesh, that is spiritual ; and above men,
that is divine ; and let us wholly and without doubt believe
that divine things cannot be received except by divine men.
But now let us see, with respect to the sacred rites of infants born in the Christian Church, what was the order and
ceremony of initiating them, practised by the early men of our
it is
x.vii. p.
27.
ch.vii.
.*.
BAPTISM OF INFANTS.
157
parent,
Church, was, according to Dionysius, as follows.
world,
brought
into
the
aware
has
been
that it
when a child
had been better for a son or a daughter not to be born,
than not to be born again in Christ \ not ignorant also that
the sacrament
is
of
little benefit,
he grow up,
is
certainly injurious,
correspond to the
a parent, I say, in order that his child
life, if
nay
shall
and
be a sponsor
for him before the Bishop, that, if the latter shall have
signed him, and endued him with the heavenly rites, the infant, if he grow up, shall himself live according to those
sacred rites, in holiness and purity in Christ.
And when
the father has found such a man, and entrusted his little son
to him in honest faith, as to a second and greater parent in
God (for the fatherly duty, and begetting of an infant, is an
office preparatory to the regeneration of the same) , the man
then who has taken upon himself the bringing forth of the
infant in Christ, that at length, if he live, he may be formed
and fashioned a perfect Christian, on this great profession of
fatherhood in Christ, goes to the Bishop, shews him whom
he has taken to himself for regeneration, or rather for a full
fashioning in Christ, and reverently asks the Bishop to admit
him into the body of Christ by assimilation and sealing of the
sacraments, that thereupon he may, through his sponsor's
care and assiduity, grow to live a life worthy of those
sacred rites.
The Bishop then, on hearing the man promise
and make a holy vow for the child, and perceiving that he
is not unmeet to perform his promise, accepts his sponsorship, in reliance on the divine compassion ; and, after the
See above,
p. 75. n.
to
158
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
instituted
ch.vii. 3 .*.
and
mining him with baptism and perfecting him with the Holy
Communion. Meanwhile the foster-father, who has undertaken the rearing of the child in Christ, gives a pledge and
sacred promise, on behalf of the infant, of all things that true
Christianity demands
namely, a renouncing of all sin, and
faith in the sacraments, and a life of perseverance in Christ,
worthy of such a profession. And this he says not in the
child's stead, since it would be a fond thing- for another to
speak in place of one that was in ignorance but when, in
his own person, he speaks of renouncing, he professes that he
will bring it to pass, so far as he can, that the little infant,
;
as soon as ever
and
it is
life
god-sib,
say, hears
'
Dionysius explains
it,
<(
have used
this term,
tained their compere ; but this, I believe, has now diverged in common
language from its original meaning, much as gossip has done in English.
ch.vh.
.*.
BAPTISM OF INFANTS.
159
more
truly a father,
God than
to
be be-
more account
and in a higher position than the father and his office and
work is far more excellent and meritorious, and such as to
deserve far more both of God and the little infant, than anything that is done by the parent in begetting.
For he performed only the work of the flesh, rather for the sake of his
own pleasure, than for the welfare of any offspring. But the
sponsor, without pleasure to himself, nay even with pain,
gotten of man.
is
of
bears afresh a
man
human
being.
by the
ordi-
nance of the Apostles, infants were not admitted unreservedly to the sacred rites, but on condition only that some
one would be surety for them, that, when come to years of
discretion, they should thenceforward set before them in
reality the pattern of Christ.
And this surety and sponsor
will hold it a matter to be seen to by him, to educate and
bring up the boy in such learning and manners that, ac-
the
De
point.
is
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
ch.vh. 3 .*.
may show
160
profession of Christ.
little
how much
how much also
infants
ch. vii.
3,
*.
BAPTISM OF INFANTS.
But
man
if lie
161
jurious or
to
more damnable,
if
who
are as
it
By
the careless-
it
comes
1
j
to pass that
is
know can
duty moreover, to
none be admitted
to the sponsor's office, to whom an infant is entrusted, but
worthy, holy, learned and good men ; men that will bring
forth the infants to be such as they are themselves
that
children, imitating their holy sponsor in holiness and goodness, may at length become worthy members in Christ, and
children in
Christ.
It is the priest's
With
in the edition of
the fruit
ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY.
162
CH.vn. 3 ,a.
Thus much
rites
they
all
in us
own
great goodness,
Lord.
IOANNIS COLETI
S.T.P.
OPUS
EX LECTIONE
DIONISII
RMC
EXCERP-
SIT ET SCRIPSIT:
COGNOSCO
tuam sublimem
et
care
id vel
mus
quum
memoria
reportavi, ea volo
tecum communi-
primum
et
maximum
est,
aliis et
com-
municemus
tributis
agnoscant,
et
ipsi
simul
matim volo
universi et
Deum bonum
sum-
et breviter perstringere.
CAP.
I.
illo
luminum
quandam
exire et per
et spiritalem
Largiter
C.
BE GAELESTI
166
in se revocatricem, ut sistat se
ac pro
modo
cap.
i.
gradu suo
Lux autem ilia
quodque ordine
et
Deo perficiatur.
eadem est, non variata quid em
suae naturae in
et penitus
rum
varietate
quandam
re-
unitatem sui.
In qua unitate lucis omnino et identitate est varietas rerum,
luxque eadem manet una et simplex in variis rebus ; ut sine
fieri
et
hominum non potuit sese insinuare, quumque agnovit familiaritatem quam habot anima cum sensibus, aliam est aggressa
viam, et per hos sensus, utpote per opportuna media, attemptavit ad animas se introducere: ut, quod effici non potuit
cap.
HIERARCHIA.
i.
167
homo veritatis
Deo in angelos
Itaque quod a
purum simplex
quoad maxime
fieri
contensus in spiritum, in
conquiescat.
tandem ad veritatem
et
Nam
omnis ordinis
ineffabilis causa,
amore
creator
ille,
et
sacro
illi
principatui,
qui tanto
Deum,
et quae
quam
inepti erant,
in-
propter crassitatem
corpore,
Deum
quadam
corpoream, saltern
similitudinaria
ratione,
in
nequiverant,
ipsa
(ut
carne
fieri
et
possit)
non
intellectis et spirita-
libus.
/:
BE GAELESTI
168
factum
terea vero
umbra
ordinis
fuit
umbrosa
mentem
ilia
cap.
instituta moisaica,
ut revelatis credat.
et alicujus
i.
Inilia
ut justo
hierarchic appareret;
videatur
ab
imagine in veritatem.
imago jam
ut
Umbra
scilicet
erat sub
Sub Moise ea
erit in celo.
fuit,
umbra
illic
in
in
imaginem, ab
Moyse;
illustrata
hebreorum
plurima umbra modica lux esset.
ratio
sinagoge
et
In ecclesia
vero Christi hie dum sunius, plurima lux est, sed simul cum
ea nonnulla opacitas et umbra; verumtamen sic victa a
luce, ut color potius
Etenim
ecclesia,
dum
Color enim
adhuc in
nee potest
ad retinendos infirmiores
in ecclesia admodum necessaria; ut ex sensu sint admoniti
quando animo spiritum capiunt. Qui spiritus non descendit
in homines, dum homines sensibiles sint, nisi adhibitis signis
sensilibus, quae, dum hie vivitur, fundamenta et essencialis
materia sacramentorum sunt Christianorum, sine quibus iniHaec causa
tiari et veritate sacrorum imbui non possunt.
est, ut tradit Dionisius, sacrosancti mysterii communionis,
in qua Iesu sancta societas in spiritu feliciter agnoscitur.
Reliqua etiam sacramenta omnia suas habent substratas materias desenter et congrue adhibitas
in quibus dum hie
vivitur, discunt ii quibus ministratur spiritus, se homines
esse, adhucque etiam omnino ad nudum spiritum non esse
Veniet quidem tempus in quo, corporis nostri
habiles.
opacitate et morte penitus extincta, nee umbra nee color
sed mera ilia in se et rutilans lux simplex et nuda percipietur a nobis, quando quod credimus re et effectu net.
Sed ut ad Dionysium redeamus, id (ut summatim dicam) in
hoc capite agitur et ostenditur communem quandam lucem
spiritalem et divinam promanare a Deo, et procurrere per
omnia suaviter, receptam a quoque pro sua cujusque capaciIn angelos vero illos perspicuos et translucidos intate.
fusam simplicem et nudam, ad homines autem pro mirifica
Dei benignitate ministratam involucris quibusdam et intoquidem.
et
cap.
HIERARCHIA.
ii.
169
adducantur.
CAP.
THEOLOGIA,
II.
quam quum
generare, celestes
degenerare
facit,
condicionem
velit in celestem
et spiritales naturas
illas
infirmitatis
re-
quodammodo
eorum
actionibus, ut
primnm scena
efc
spectaculnm aliquod
tamen
solutae veritatis,
si
non
ipsius ab-
umbra
rum sinagoga
ut
umbra
Ut enim diximus
se habet
supra, Judaao-
Moyse.
Quam
immissis
adumbracionem exortus
radiis veritatis suae
imaginem producta,
et
umbra
illustravit,
in claram
umbra
conquiescant.
ratione
quid
Ut Judei
quadam compositis
illic
illi
BE CAELESTI
170
cap. n.
Hae
spiri tales
veritatis
non animis acta, quorsnmque tenderit. Cujus evangelio et bono nuncio qui credunt, ac simul ex hac fide quod significatum est animo et
spiritu peragunt, uti Iesus, qui non solem verbis sed etiam
ilia
ii
admodum
actionibus
spiritalibus
et
mu-
cum
perspicuis,
In quam, ut
representant.
ait
Paulus, transformantur a
claritate in claritatem,
cre-
et expectantes avide
ut in felicitatem reformetur,
primum antegressa
est levis
;:
cap.
HIEBARGHIA.
ii.
fidem
illi
in
omnibus adhibentes
171
Dei in honiinibus
Talibus mediis et oportunis racionibus, admiimitacionem.
rabili Dei bonitate et benignitate in homines, revocatio et
a corpore in spiritum, a spiritu in
retractio est ad celestia
Deum ut ex corporeis et carnalibus facti hie in Christo
primens statum celestium in
terris,
et
spiritales,
homines vere
in se
Ipsi
ficatio
quae
hominum
clari et
clari-
plene justi
nee per
ecclesise specu-
lum
hie, in
ut
quadam
ted;
BE CAELESTI
172
cap. n.
Quum eram
ut parvulus
quum
par-
con-
puerilitate
et
Christo enim sunt omnia cumulate, quae vel docere in jusvel in religione instituere
Moyses
voluit;
quae
illus-
ticia,
ille
In
afnrmas, mentiris,
dicere.
Tamen
quum
nihil
est
CAP.
HIEBARGEIA.
III.
173
non ex re
utque agnoscatur aperte, te non proipsa dixisse videare
priis uti, sed similitudinibus. Quapropter, non solum nomine
loquaris transferendo, ut aliunde petiisse verbum,
;
quid hujusmodi sit melius ; sed etiam nomine volucrum et quadrupedum et plantarum, lapidum et elementorum et reptilium,
divina dieuntur. Est enim omnia in omnibus ; et deteriora
meliora referunt obscuriter, omnia etiam Deum, quoad posHoc genere
sunt ; a quo et per quern et in quo sunt omnia.
intellectusrmentis, vel
si
et necessario et utili.
non poterant
autem, quod eo
utili
Deo
loqui
celatur.
Velamen
illud
CAP.
DEUS
III.
sanctus,
ilia
creatrix
omnium
trinitas, ipsa
rerum pur-
gatio est in
perfectio.
illam hierarchiam
sonales attributiones
accommodetur.
Item in prima
qui primus est, ut perficiat maxime
hierarchia, ordini
illi
secundo ut illuminet
Hac
tercio ut purget, attribuitur.
triplici rati one triplex hierarchia trino Deo assimulatur.
Totus conatus omnium spirituum est referre Deum.
Deus
imprimis potenter assimilat quae vicina sunt ei; assimulata
;
BE GAELESTI
174
cap. iv.
deinceps asshnulant.
omnium
gracise Dei.
Deum
in quibus redigendis in
rum
licet
summoruni, mediorum
et infimo-
ut in
terris, quae
in
celis.
ei.
Impartit ut impartiamur.
Benefaciendo
aliis
CAP. IV.
CREAVIT
morum
effictio, et
commode
Reliquis
indicantur omnia, et
Harum
HIEBABGHIA.
cap.v.
175
continet.
Quare Diony-
nt anima3
ministerio,
et
spiritus
Dei
fiant.
membro
in
membrum
homo
immortalis erat
omnium Deus.
CAP. V.
magni
consilii angelus.
spiritus
Quanquam
peculiari
nomine
infimi
perfici
superiorum inferioribus
inventa ab hominibus, sed ex sacris Uteris assumpta.
Quae
angeli
quorum ordinem
pontifices
digessit Dionysius.
nostros et antistites
Ultimi
exagitant, extenu-
BE CAELESTI
176
spiritificent
ut ex hominibus (quoad
bene
quarta hierarchia
sit
spiritus erunt
angeli,
et
cap. vi.
fieri possit)
qui
spiritalis,
spiritificacione
in Christo
aliquando veri
eorum a Deo
in
homines continuata.
CAP. VI.
or-
archias
quas
modo
functiones,
modo
Ille
distinctiones,
conditor
modo
omnium rerum
prophetis
quum
proprie et vere
is
theologus
qui a
est,
Deo
revelata
inquam, prophetis Deus per angelos aliquatenus indicavit, quae illi deinceps, quatenus licuit, mandarunt Uteris quas sacrae et sunt et vocantur, sacras Dei
revelationes continentes in quibus novem ordinum beatissimorum spirituum nomina audiuntur. Quge quid voluerunt
et quid significarunt, illustratus Paulus spiritu Dei probe
intellexit.
Is Dionysium interpretamenta divini sermonis
proloquitur)
illis,
Ex
spiritibus profitetur.
se
et prce-
referentes
hierarchia,
triplicatse
novem
hierarchias
autem
tres
esse,
quae
tutes,
Quas
divinitus in sacro
HIEBARCHIA.
cap. vii.
177
CAP. VII.
enim incendium
in
Deo
toti flamei
Seraphin
pleni et perfecti.
significat.
divina pulchritudine
consociati in felicitate
ipse in secula;
venerantur, adorant
ediscunt
Iesu
immo
qua3
ipsi
explentur
voluptate
in
contuitu
Iesu
sentiunt perfundi.
omni
gaudio
se
In
secundo
illustra-
quam
ait in Epistola
Deinde ab iis
prasclarissima quaedam
amantes, ut
quod est,
minus sunt omnia qui, comparati ad primos, luces duntaxat
videntur esse. Quapropter scientias cognomen habent.
Sic
in
illis
ergo differunt
amoris, in
illis
illi
illis
amor
scientia amor.
remissior
scire,
amare
amor
scientiae
sed
citate,
amorem.
quandam
illos
et coequalitatem
ita
secundi
Dei
constantia et firmitate,
appellantur
amanter,
illi
ho's scire
quam
scientia est, in
ut, sicut
amor
est scientia.
scienter.
in his
modo
Throni,
modo
Sed
sedes,
eis
ex
Sed hoc
iis
in Cherubicis et Seraphicis
peculiari attributione
accommodatur, quod
BE GAELESTI
178
personam
cap. vn.
omni
trinitatis
triplici
cionem Dei
illustratio
Potentia expurgat,
v amor
et
perficit.
liquida Veritas
consummatus
serenat,
illos
supre-
habet) suspicere
lesum
ab
eum
illo
adorare,
discere
et
ii
alios
tores
Nam
doceant inferiores.
alios
a Iesu didicerunt;
eum
videlicet,
illi
alii
doc-
inferiores
illos
super se
portae
prelio,
gantibus responderunt
dominus virtutum
ascendit in
corde, qui
montem
Dominus
;
fortis,
Ille est
non accepit
in
qui
mundo
in dolo
EIEBARCHIA.
cap. viii.
Supremi
Iesum
179
illi
contemplantes
tuum
Quibus
ille
docuerunt,
feriores
est
spiritus,
quam
suavissime
in-
quam
premi
Ita secretum
didicerunt, et
ficientes.
indumentum
beatissima
concinunt:
felicitate
Sanctus,
Illi
vero su-
requiescentes,
Sanctus,
Sanctus,
CAP. VIII.
SUNT
contrahere
cipiat,
vere in
Deo dominetur.
quandam
virilem et
masculam
inconcussam fortitudinem, valitudinemque in vie tarn et insuperabilem, ac divinas ipsius virtu tis mirabilem imitacionem
et
BE CAELESTI
180
in
qua
fit
cap.
vm.
Deo
quadam
ubique repraasentetur.
catos in nostra
humana
effigie
veram virtutem
exemplum ostendens,
Infirmum Dei
potestatis
quae virtus
crucis.
Unde Paulus
valitudinem et fortitudinem
scripsit
ad Corin-
Terciis
autem
ac majestatem quasi
paternam prae se ferunt, semper imitantes Deum in progignendo quodque ad id quod magnificentius est quod non solum
ipsi nituntur, sed etiam ad potestalem (ut ita dicam) majestatem fecundam et fertilem in Deo omnia convocant primum
sibi viciniora, quae ipsa, quod acceperunt, vicinis suis deinceps dirivant.
Nam quod novem hauriunt angelorum or;
ut
HIEEABCHIA.
cap. ix.
181
ut,
quemadmodum
est in dissimili-
torum gravis
et solida constantia
illustratio
sit
omnium
ordina-
non
vacillet
ut pulchritudo
inconstans, et constantia
autem
simul
displiceat.
Quod
quendam angelum ab
alio
docuerat.
me
egre-
is turn
dicens
CAP. IX.
ULTIMA
rum
et
angelorum.
patus aliud
in cura et nunciacione
mundo maxime
et apertissime sunt,
et utilem referunt
maxime,
et in
DE CAELESTI
182
cap. ix.
Deo
et imitantur principalem
et angelos
qui
quandam vim
et
Sunt hi ordines, ut
Deo
pax hominibus.
Hie virginis filius hierarchiam
ad angelorum formam, ad suae veritatis exemplar instituit, et
ex quibus voluit vivis lapidibus edificavit, quos non solum
et in terra
Quod autem
ordine digerantur.
hominum
cogi poterat.
amor
sunt in
ait
umbrae
At Michael
cionibus quibusdam
exercuit,
saltern nonnihil
HIERAROHIA.
cap. ix.
183
promoveantur.
Demum magnificus Christus, dominus omnium^ non solum ex omni gente convocavit in aniorem
Dei et obedientiain, sed preterea fecit ut amantes obedirent
ministrantibus tunc universis angelis alacrius in
hominum
vivant
ticiae
jam
Ut autem ait
mentibus hominum
Dionysius,
Iesu, denunciaverunt
pacem in terra
cogita adjumentum
angeli
adjumentum
est,
In diffuso radio
se convertat ad Deum.
efficacior,
eorum qui
et
inde conversio
Sol, et
in
hominum
positi per
Deum omnium,
et
angelos
equales
prefectos
Nonne
suis
locis
Quid enim
bonus angelus et
princeps illius regionis indicavit somnium, quod postea
Item
Ioseph edoctus ab angelo, quid voluit, exposuit ?
Egiptiorum regi
Pharaoni
BE CAELESTI
184
mentem,
illius
cap. x.
niisit
affirmat
ubique
visionis
distributes
angelos procuratores
nihil
hebreos
illos
niundi,
veteres
CAP. X.
est)
prima hierarchia
(de quibus
modo
dis-
et intimitis se insinuat, et
in
HIEBARGHIA.
cap. xi.
Christo exorto,
qui
homo
185
divinas raciones,
radius
ille
X in
qua recte vult et agit omnia, charitas appelSimiliter reliquae graciarum donationes suis nomilator.
nibus, aliis quam sunt angelorum, in hominibus, pro humana
In angelis vero illis omnibus, a
yparvitate nuncupantur.
superioribus hucusque ad nos, deorsum est niutua et vicitudinaria nunciatio, acceptis et traditis vicissim, quae nunciant
mirabili et quam pulcherrimo ordine.
Quoniam in ipsis
angelis est ordinatorum ordo ad omnium ordinem.
Nunfides
perfectio,
perfectio
et representatio
est
lux
extet
et
singulari,
officio
referens in suo
CAP. XI.
eodem Deo, quern
INmus,
participantium
voca-
sit unitas.
ut in uno
Racio
spi-
BE CAELESTI
186
cap. xn.
omnes
spiritus, et propter
eandem nomina
communicant.
CAP. XII.
ITEM
angelus
quod
gelorum nunciationeque
veritatis,
ex imitatione an-
studioque et
officio
pur-
gandi illuminandi et perficiendi eos qui ejus curse commitUt enim supra diximus, ex Dionysii sententia,
tuntur.
EIERAEGHIA.
187
CAP. XV.
deorsum infundunt.
Hasc angelorum
figuris et
sunt
illis
demons trantur.
maxime nobis
sensibili et tenebrarum mundo
quas aguntur in luminoso mundo
quaque re
Ex hoc ergo
simillimas,
celestes spiritus
ex multis
aliis et variis
significant
plicitatem, constanciam,
stabilitatem,
robor, obedientiam,
ordinem, pulchritudinem, lumen, sapientiam, suavitatem, benignitatem, vigorem, celeritatem, subtilitatem, libertatem,
presidentiam, potenciam, authoritatem, equitatem, guberna-
sanctimo-
CAP. XYI.
DEUS, immensum
BE GAELESTI
188
cap. xvi.
Absolutum autem ut finem ilium omnia appetunt quo perficiantur, a quo erant effecta omnia/ et medium per quod
omnia pulchre disposita sunt et finis denique a quo omnia
consummatim perficiuntur. Hoc est quod Paulus ait in
Epistola ad Eomanos his verbis Ex ipso et per ipsum et in
Quia ex
ipso sunt omnia ipsi gloria in secula seculorum.
;
se et ad
ficit
suum exemplar
Quatenus
omnia.
quatenus
quatenus benigniter
perficit,
Hinc in rebus existencia, ordo et aphinc creata omnia et sunt, et pulchra sunt et bona.
petitus
Hoc
illic
quiddam unum,
in
quod ipsum
ob infinitam potenciam propagat in se intime sobolem infinitam, quod infinitum in infinito est.
Hie eternus pulcher
filius est eterni omnipotentis patris
inter quos necessario
Quee tria, propter comviget eternus et infinitus amor.
;
munem
homini
aliter loqui
principium,
medium
quam
et finem
est.
tres personas, et
omnium.
unum Deum,
In quibus, exceptis
Pater
appeticio in universis
fine constant
bene vigent quidem in illo, a quo esse, speciem et boniIn illam ineffabilem trinitatem beatistatem acceperunt.
simi illi spiritus, quos angelos vocamus, assidue suae mentis
et
oculos intendunt.
personas intuentur
tamen omnia
et
sed
diversi
attente tres
racione diversa
illas
omnes
Se-
Agunt.C.
;:
HIEBARCHIA.
cap. xvi.
189
Throni in
tres
fine
quanquam
Verum
Deum
Itaque
hii
bonum,
et
in his qui vi
solum versentur,
Atque quanquam
quam
nominari.
intuentur.
in
quae versatur
maxime
in ilia
Tercia
BE CAELESTI
190
archangel! in
in principio
angeli in principium in
principio.
pium
medium
cap. xvi.
tendit
ipsum principium
angeli in
potestates prin-
principium in
tlironi
fine.
ITAQUE
Deo
in Dei
primi,
maxime
esse in perfectione
qui secundi,
maxime
speciem in perfectione ; qui tercii maxime ipsam perfecSic angelorum ministerio sunt, formantur et comtionem.
plentur omnia.
in
Deo
Media revelat
et
illuminat, ut
homines
fide clareant
HIEBAROHIA.
CAP. XVI.
191
tatein,
istis
illi
cherubici spiritus, et in
archangel!, raciones
rerum
et
illis
vir-
pulchras
jam
tentia Dei,
omnes
alii
in calore spiritus
fide, solide et
amore Dei
dominationibus et
thronis
postremo a
seraphicis in spiritu Dei
principatibus
perficiantur.
DEUS
Principium.
Pater.
Medium.
Finis.
Filius.
Spiritus Sanctus.
{Seraphici finem in
Bonus
<v
Prima hierarchia.
Unus
Tercia hierarchia.
DEU
Bonum
Verum
{Throni principium
-Unum
Leg. sancti.
fine
Speculantur.
in fine
Leg. complent.
DE GAELESTI
192
CAP. XVI.
Deus.
A
>
Pater
Potentia
Filius
Spiritus Sanctus
Sapientia
Bonitas
Throni
Cherubichi
Virtutes
Dominaciones
Potestates
Angeli
Spes
Judei
Seraphici
Archanofeli
Principatus
Fides
Charitas
Christiani
sub
Christo
censionem sub
Spiritu Sancto.
Deus
A
>
Pater
Filius
Spiritus Sanctu
Primum
Secundum
Tercium
Principium
Ortus
Potencia
Medium
Finis
Progressus
Consummacio
Sapientia
Virtus
Unura
Pulciirum
Bonum
Simplex
Vita
Verum
Justum
Scientia
Actio
Capud
Mens
Os
Corpus
Racio
Pedes
Rectitudo
Verbum
Operatio
Homo
Man us
Digitus
Rami
Fructus
Profundum
Centrum
Latitudo
Radii
Linea
Superficies
Corpus
Sol
Lux
Mane
Calor
Nox
Hiems
Ver
Autumnus
Radix
Longitudo
estas
Circumferencia
Meridies
Purgatio
Tlluminatio
Perfectio
Puritas
Perspicuitas
Efficacia
Constantia
Diabolus
Oratio
Obedientia
Spes
Unitas
Splendor
Caro
Jejunium
Mundus
Castitas
Paupertas
Fides
Veritas
Charitas
Justicia
Penitencia
Baptismus
Eucharistia
Desperatio
Incredulitas
Odium
Gloria
Elemosyna
H1ERARUH1A.
CAP. XVI.
193
Mors
Tenebrae
Frigus
Cogitatio
Verbum
Opus
Initiura
Incrementum
Complecio
Paciencia
Serenitas
Misericordia
Constancia
Fixio
Venustas
Flos
Gracia
Fructus
Radix
Calamus
Arista
Ignis
Lumen
Calor
Mens
Ratio
Voluntas
Infimum
Medium
Summum
Fundamentum
Edificium
Tectum
Consilium
Bona animi
Decretum
Executio
Corporis
Fortunae
omnibus
omnes Deum
in Christo.
tica hierarchia
non
maxime sperantes
Alioquin in hac
est
triplici ecclesias-
maxime credentes
sexti sunt
amantes in
am ore
amant
et
sunt
sunt.
fide
;
tercii
quinti
septimi
octavi sunt
NGELI
omnis que
cum natura
spiritalis
natura creata
Degeruntur
C.
fait
simul
In quit enim,
DE GAELESTI
194
cap. xvi.
est,
quando
dixit
de celo cadentem.
Videbam Sathanam
Item
ille
in veritate
non
per-
Incolunt miseri
hunc
circa nos
adorant.
DEMONES, impuri
spiritus, racionales,
fallere
lantes inquietant
mundum
;
et
cap. xvi.
HIERARCHIA.
ita
ut amplius in
195
eodem
et
ad idem pec-
catum temptare non audeant. De his maleficis naturis conqueritur Davyd in snis hymnis incessanter et quasi semper
in periculo, implorat sibi opem, et demonibus illis dira imprecatur.
Inquit enim in quodam psalmo Complaceat tibi,
Domine, ut eruas me domine, ad adjuvandum me respice.
Confundantur et revereantur simul qui quasrunt animam
meam. Convertantur et revereantur qui volunt mihi mala
ferant confestim confusionem suam.
Item in alio Deus in
adjutorium meum intende ; domine ad adjuvandum me re;
spice.
que antequam
fiat
At-
agat secum
tributarius.
Ob
imperator hujus
quam
si
vincatur, durius et
si
id
belli,
quum ad
et
qui
cum
si
possit
cum
Alioquin adhuc
illo
Quando
professi
in Christo,
ad hebreos
qui
ut,
si
quemadmodum
Paul us
196
cap. xvi.
ticiae,
converti.
Sua-
quern devoret.
tanquam
quia adversa-
eundem superare
Christi, qui
temptatus
maxime
vicit, et diaboli
potentiam
fregit.
197
SACRA
I.
humanuni sacerdotium ex
talis,
Christo enim
Moyses locutus
est
De
'
ut ea
omnes
Hasc Leo
gant."
ille
De qua
factis,
illustratione
non
scripturarum
non
quam
tarn verbis
quam
re, institucione et
Leg. ceremonias.
Leg. prodidit.
BE ECCLESIASTIOA
198
cap.
i.
raciones
cultus
cum
et
non prodat
precepti
porcis
Non
memor
communicet,
Iesu
dabitis
nisi
Christi illius
margaritas
colatque religiosissime
imitatus
et reverencia condat
omnis
ilium Iesum,
sa-
cerdotii et
portare.
ilia ineffabilis
in dextra patris et
hominibus
purgatioribus, illisque revelat copiosius, ac deinde tunc per
illos talibus hominibus qui, sevocati et separati a corpore
illuminati
et
perfecti.
ad
unus
spiritus
utilitatem, alius
quidem conatus
lenturque
est,
quidem
sic, alius
is
quidem
sic.
Omnium
assequitur,
terii,
potest.
Quod
primum locum
officio
qui
maxime
tenet minis-
et ministrandi.
cap.
EIEBARCEIA.
i.
199
et
charitate
vicissitudinaria
ordo,
munus
igne, ut
charitatis
similes fiant
spem
ut scribit Johannes
cujusque sanctificandi
Qui
in
se
et officium
ecclesia, ac in
amore Dei
est
ille
Omnes
Et idem
sanctus est.
dicit se in illo
sequantur.
Ille
ipsius justitiam
coimitentur,
magis referunt
in illo
et
Deus maxime,
omnes
Deus enim
Nam
nihil accipit.
in acceptione
Dat autem
Quapropter
Paulus dicit beatius esse dare quam accipere. In Christo
itaque in quo sunt omnia, qui racio est summa et diffinitio
et
nos super legem Moysaicam in lucem evangelii et revelacionis, qui fide fecit
nos sapere et ex
recte
spiritales,
ut
illos
aliquando spiritus
simus,
quorum
BE ECCLESIASTICA
200
cap.
t.
spirituum
corporalibus
carere
imaginibus
Nam
potest.
erat
hierarchia
tota
corporea et imaginaria
In triumphanti vero
spiri talis.
spiritalis,
ilia
hierarchia
signaculis
sub
erumpemus
Ex
tota
erit
in faciem et veritatem
ut
cum
an-
videamus.
mam
tionem spiritus ; neve videatur sponte languere, quum valere potest; cujusmodi voluntaria egrotacio damnabilis est.
accepimus
numisma
agendum
est.
illius,
;
pro
In quo
illo
cap.
HIERARCHIA.
i.
201
Deo
in
illo, off'era-
pro nobis,
m quo
si
OMNIS hierarchia
est.
nipotentissimus Iesus.
adoranda
sit
ilia
cum
Spiritu sancto,
hasc hierarchia
humana
bene
et per-
homo quod
quidem esse non potest certe nisi homines deificentur, reformenturque in divinum statum, diique fiant assimilati Deo,
ut Deum referant.
Illuc enim in finem enixe et impensissime tendunt omnia, ut in divinam formam effigiantur.
Ad
eum finem omnes vocati in Christum Deo consecrantur, ut
hie dum vivant Deum referant quatenus possunt.
Quatenus
autem homines possunt, Iesus Deus et homo docuit, qui
fecte
sit.
BE ECCLESIASTIOA
202
voluit
homo
fieri,
demonstret.
dere debent.
Ad
cap.
Nam
omnes
i.
formam
in eo conten-
ille
Ille
ilium
illi
eundem
glorioso configuretur
recreati
donee
ipso
quotidie, translati
a claritate in claritatem,
In ilium, in quam,
autem
sit
Deo
acris
sibi
Deo
Deus
deificat,
fuerint, et
secretior
cap.
HIEBABOHIA.
i.
servata, quae
203
eorum sancte
illi
et religiose
qui dein-
non commendant
ea,
ne divina vilescant, et
nemo
illo
genere cernebat,
ita
Sublimitas
adumbravit
eodem
in ecclesia et
in ecclesia
ab
ipsis apostolis
illis
[quos]
agnoverunt purgatiores, et ad pontificalem dignitatem promotos, qui illi nudas rerum rationes et sacramentorum intellexerunt.
Consilio apostolorum factum fuit, ut eadem
quadam racione imaginaria plebeiis propinarentur ut rudes
;
imaginum
et sinmlachrorum,
ab
eodem a
humana acies
quo
alioquin
hebescat necesse
est.
in ecclesia in
signacula,
et
est
quorum
DE EOCLESIASTICA
204
raciones docti a
sii
utar)
Deo
visibilibus
i,
sacramenta texerunt,
celestia
locantes
cap. n.
in multiplied spiritalia
in
in principio,
mendarunt.
Nam
ciantes
illi
presbiteris
et simplicioris
lucem
altioris
coloratur Christiana
Christiana religione
Pontifices
autem
in
ipsam
Dionysius
calluit
mysteria
eum
illi
quoque [non]
nisi
CAP.
II. 1.
De Baptismo.
Deo
assi-
celis.
Amore regignimur
in
novum
cap.
HIERARCHIA.
ii. a.
spiritale
esse
in
Deo.
fideles et sperantes,
Primum
oportet regignitus
in melins.
205
sis in
in
illo
Pater.
Deum,
qni calefaciens
Ex
expurgat nos, nt credamns Christo et speremns in eo.
amore qnnm credimns et speramns credita, renascimnr filii
Dei hie baptismus est spiritn et igne. Haec spiritalis racio
adnmbratur imaginibns et significatur, nt spiritns incorpoqnibns signis
retnr ab eis et corpora spiritificentur ab illis
:
amur mundo
et
ISTonne
CAP.
II. 2.
De Baptismo.
QUUM
minum
formam
servi
suscipiens, in
similitudinem ho-
BE ECCLESIASTICA
206
cap. n.
2.
fecit,
Dei
filius,
cruris.
similitudinem
quern
carnis
peccati, de peccato,
ficatio legis
tatis
molitus est
Paulus
ille.
reconcilians sibi,
in nobis
verbum
ait
non reputans
Deus
eum
mundum
illis
reconciliationis.
erat in Christo
flant,
amplificent.
Ignem,
in quit
apud Lucam, veni mittere in terram, et quid volo nisi ut acBaptisma habeo baptizari, et quomodo coarctor
cendatur ?
Baptizavit ille, Joannis testimonio,
donee perficiatur ?
Ignis enim purgat, illuminat et perficit.
spiritu et igne.
Ignis ille spiri talis hsec facit in animis hominum.
Ut hoc
salutare incendium augeant in silva hominum, ministri et
vicarii sunt
Deo
hominum
in
amor Dei,
quern amabiles pontifices dirivant in mundum, in Deo ipsi
amantes homines, ut ii deinde Deum redament, amoreque
Dei regeniti in Deo vivant, credentes filio misso, et omnem
spem ponentes in Deo. Amor enim principium gignendi
est
et sanctus amor sanctitatis, et Dei amor deitatis.
Hujus autem bonitatis, misericordiaB, amoris et pietatis Dei,
quaerunt.
est sanctus
Qui
redament.
agnoscunt, ad-
jam credentes
dum vixit
edocens.
Quum
filios
Dei
fieri
ut nati ex hominibus,
filii
Dei.
Ille
Et turn
vero,
salus
ostensa
erat
pontificis
Deo
in
cap.
EIEEARGEIA.
ii. z.
207
operam Iesu
sicut ille
Non enim
seipsum nunciavit.
illis
qui vicariam
eundem nunciant,
prasdicamus, inquit
dominum
personam Dei
Christi
instar,
evangelizare.
medius angelus, qui divina, ut Christus, denunciet hominibus, ut, qualem eum Deus effecerit, ejusmodi et tales alios
homines efficiat ; ut quemadmodum ille Deum, ita alii deinceps ipsum imitentur qui incessanter clamet illud apostolicum Imitamini me, sicut ego Christum. Imitacio enim et
profectio in similitudinem Dei qui est in Christo Iesu est
Pontifex, in se Christi formam
vita hominis super terram.
;
ut velint se in illam
formam
effingi,
admonens omnes
'
Dei,
is
Deo
Nam
penitere
Idem deinde
Christus et
tiam agite
Peniten-
Cujus
BE ECGLESIASTIGA
208
cap.ii...
Quod
ut novitatera oleat.
est, et
prgedicatur a pontifice
novum
immissum
derumpat
in vasa Vetera, ea
et
ipsum
effluat.
Quum
pugnam cum
cum
excesserit e
Non
principe tenebrarum.
est,
mundo
insignitus
hostibus veritatis,
ut scribit apostolus ad
est,
mors.
contra homines,
quorum
dicit
Dominus
non
in Ezechieli,
sed ut convertatur et vivat) sed colluctacio nostra est adversus principes et potestates, adversus mundi rectores tene-
spiritalia
nequiciae
in
celestibus.
lucis,
pugnam
in
ipso, profiteaturque se
hostem
socium et servum et militem Christi cujus sacramento juratus (vocat Paulus ad quos scribit suos commili-
mundi,
tones),
et
petat
arma
spiritalia,
petat
institui
in
legittima
cap.
EIERABOHIA.
ii. 2.
209
is,
tamen
in prin-
humana
temere in
illi,
hominis
illius
se suscipiat
fiunt
pejora
Ut
prioribus.
in secunda est
mundi
in cog-
Melius
justicise,
quam
quod
illis
illis
enim
esset
illis
non cognoscere
viam
Contingit enim
suum vomitum,
Canis reversus ad
Erat quidem in more, et consueverunt illi omnes qui introduxerint aliquem in ecclesiam
Christi in celestem militiam in templum Dei primum hesitaet sus lota in volutabro luti.
justiciae, in
pristinum,
desiderat
novum
velle
Christi
deplorat statum
Iesu.
Quam veram
approbans, asseverat
Deum,
illuc
ei
eum totum
in primis,
si
velit
iter
capere in
BE ECCLESIASTICA
210
omnino
cap.
ii.
2.
et ministris
et
perfectum.
exuendum
statim tradit.
Exutum
et
nudum
Quod
qui
fecerit,
thanam, et ejus omnia renunciaverit, abnegaveritque denique semetipsum (juxta illud salvatoris, qui dixit omnibus
suis, ut Lucas refert, Si quis vult venire post me, abneget
semetipsum, et tollat crucem suam, et sequatur me) tunc
hominem vertunt in orientem, et jubent turn mente turn
Quem
verbis Christum ter et quee sunt Christi profiteatur.
sic facientem benedicit pontifex, et precibus eum Deo commendat, manibus iterum in caput impositis.
Turn, quod
reliquum est tegumenti, detracto, quum ter signo crucis
eum
pontifex
hominem
interea,
sacerdotibus
quum aquam,
deungendum
tradit.
Ipse pontifex
adductum hominem
nomen
hominem
Emersum autem
jam editum
et
in lucem, quasi
et
ritus
non judicetur.
cap.
ii.
HIEBARGEIA.
3.
quamobrem
211
statuta
Nam
immutare
in sacris profecto
scelus
nephandum
est.
edoeti a Iesu Christo, mysteriis quae sunt opportuna symbola et congrua signacula probe cognoverunt ut
liceat in additis et detractis ab institutis eorum posteritatis
vel temeritatem vel negligentiam suspicari.
illi,
CAP.
II.
3.
PR^ETER
vitae
aquae lotio
Ut enim
sublimioris intelligentiae.
lium
Deus bonus
benignus est justiciae sol, spiritales naturas irradians, similiter et equaliter se fundens in
omnes sine intermissione, et astans ad fores et fenestras
animi, pulsans ut recipiatur.
Sub quibus radiis divini solis
duo sunt hominum genera. Unum, quod nolit sapere quantum potest ; alteram, quod velit etiam plusquam potest.
Iste improbe et sponte delectatus malo et tenebris recusat
lucem ; hie superbius modum lucis suae excurrit unde sequitur non solum ilium non accipere quod velit, sed etiam
amittere quod habuit.
Nam, ut admonet Paulus, non plus
sapere quam oportet, sed sapere ad sobrietatem, ne dicentes
adhibentur.
et
si
omnia.
ratione accepisti;
id est,
BE ECCLESIASTIGA
212
In ipsa luce
si
cap.
ii. 3.
confisus tibi
ali-
quo vadis. Pontifex quern illuminavit Christus, solis instar, ex pulpito fulget luce veritatis,
Clamat,
et diradiat evangelicum verbum pariter universis.
Surge qui dormis, et exurge a mortuis, et illuminabit te
Illius oracio eloquia casta sunt, argentum igne
Christus.
examinatum, purgatum septuplum. Pontifex ipse ignis fac-
Deo
tus a
est,
quum
fit
homo
Quod
ille
con-
Ac-
redemptionem
laudem
manus im-
acquisitionis, in
gloriae ipsius.
positio
ita
filius est
tangitur,
hominum
rem ipsam)
turba in
in
dumtaxat, ut multa
communia, cepit
quern Dionysius
vocat
terea
reservari.
Deus pater ille,
susceptorem, etiam conscribitur
Deo
prop-
ovom
cap.
ii.
HIEBABOHIA.
213
centesimara magis
erraverunt.
Is
quandam
et
is,
qui
habet
est.
quod unum
illius
Nam
vitas.
Nemo enim
simplicitatis, in
quam
cam.
tendat necesse
et simplex esse
Non
simplicitatem.
unam partem
mittens
unum
est fas ut
in solam
diliget, aut
non
profiteatur oportet.
Divisus
homo, ut a multitudine in
trahitur
faciendum est ut
nudus accedas, ut earn induas ; pristinamque vivendi formam
deponas, ut subeas earn quae Christi est.
Id velit et significat, quod exuit vestes omnes is qui se confert in Christum,
quod exspuit
orientem
ticiae, id,
quicquid est
nudum jam
inquam,
vis esse,
et exsufflat
cione abrenunciat
si
iniquitatis.
Quod
in
se
significat ut
et
vestem
lucis et justiciae
ut
ciencia invicta
ilia
vestis
in
in qua
quam
vestis
merementum
lucis
eundum
est,
Quod
quam
;;
DE EGGLESIASTIGA
214
unctio
ilia significat,
membra
cap.
reddantur.
ut coroneris.
ii.
pugnat
qui,
illo,
in omnibus.
carnaliumque cogitacionum a mente, et omnium peccatorum, a quibus se separari et mori in perpetuum profitetur qui Christo credit.
Qui mortuus est peccato, mortuus
carnis,
est semel
Ut mors
est depo-
pultos triduo
cum
Christo
quod vult
trina
ilia
dimersio, ut
emergendum
gloriosam.
est in
Mors
in
delet
Primum
Ut denique mortui
cap.
ii.
3.
HIERARGHIA.
Cui
significet.
sic perfecto
membro
215
in
membrum
perfecte
munionis et
ali
ac spiritaliter enutriri.
Nemo
Cujus partici-
corpus.
in
coalescit
Episcopus
si
prgesens
perfectus
homo jam
sit.
si
necessitas
luminat et nitidum
facit,
il-
fecto Christo, in
candidus,
quam
nitidus,
quam
ut constanter
DE EOCLESIASTICA
216
cap. hi.
i.
et colant,
utque
sit
quisque
sic olens
si
Interea qui
CAP.
De
III.
1.
sancta Communione.
Synaxi.
dem
Omnia sacramenta
compleantur.
id agunt,
ut unitas in
hominibus, similitudo et simplicitas extet. In hoc provehimur aliis sacramentis ; eucharistia et synaxi perficimur.
Quocirca quicquid magni misterii agitur, id hoc sacramento
solet compleri
sine
quo inchoata
et imperfecta sunt
omnia
homines
hoc maxime assequitur
formentur in
nominis sortitum
nationis
nomen
est, sicut
synaxis,
ideo
ei
id
praecipue convenit.
In omnibus sacramentis
primum lumen
peculiariter
sed perfectio
In hac enim
capit
Pontificis
quidem lumen
manus impositio
resiliente in
Deum
id significat.
ut
David
Respicit
inquit,
In
cap. in.
HIERAROHIA.
2.
CAP.
217
III. 2.
PONTIFEX
quam
primum ad
arbitror
altare
cum
Ministri deinde diaconique alius post alium ex sacra scriptura recitant quas lectiones vocavere.
intersint.
sacris
baptizentur.
ei
Energumini vero
quibus insedet
vi et operacione
religioncm
suam
vel
repudiat,
ut apostataa
vel
quum
quum
regno,
immo ex
in quibus plus
possunt principes tenebrarum et spiritalia nequicias in celestibus quam Christus, qui non absunt ab illis qui a malignis
spiritus
et satellitibus diaboli
summatam insaniam
aliquot
nisi ad con;
gradus adhibeantur ab illo
BE ECOLESIASTICA
218
maligno
spiritu, qui
cap.
m.
z.
In
omne genus
flagitii
a Spiritu Dei, ut
facile
ad
filius
Dei
sit, is
filius
diaboli
sit.
eos)
in
non tribuatur
videlicet ut aliqui
suorum
tersint.
vitas
pcnam
penituit
ac
et
penitucrit,
celis,
rursum benigniter
cap. in. 2
HIEBABGEIA.
219
inserviunt,
cum
sanctum panem
et calicem benedictionis
im-
ponunt
jam
altari.
quam credo
fuisse
dominicam turn denunciata etiam a pontifice unipace, omnes mutuo se et salutant et coosculantur.
:
versis
cum
cum omni
teria
in salutem.
quis diligit
Scientia
Deum,
et cujus est
turn
summe
quam
conficere, turn
Si
Ignorans amor
At pontisumme amare
Ad
id proculdubio obligantur et
mentum
charitas.
eis
frigida sapiencia.
rem divinam
conficere, ut in illo
intelligant.
quorum
In prima ecclesia
est
probat
ii
erant
BE ECCLESIASTICA
220
prunium primi
et in principio
Nam
ex
omnes, ut hoc
cap. in.
3.
officio equales,
actione agnoscitur
officio et
dignitas.
dominicum consecrare. Ex
et segregari non potest quisquam
Ex sacerdotibus tamen statim post
ad officium excellentius.
apostolorum et sequacibus,
et ex sacerdotum numero, officio et dignitate equali, unus
erat delectus et prepositus ad dirimendas lites, et sedandas
discordias, et sua opinione ac sententia ad terminandas dis-
apostolos, a primis
illis
discipulis
commaneat
sensiones, ut in concordia
ecclesia
ad quern
sentientes inter se in
et dignitate
agit
non
illius
sentencia conquiescant
quoque sacerdote
excellentius,
cum eodem
quodam puncto
omnibus
adminis-
ut in eo omnes
sententise
quum nihil
quam quadam
qui simul
qui officio
non con-
tanquam
finitis discordiis
in
conquies-
archani
quam nemo
sacerdos debet
ignorare.
CAP.
III.
3.
hymnis
et canticis spiritualibus
cantantes et psal-
lentes in cordibus
pro omnibus in
cap. in.
HIEBABGEIA.
3.
221
et canticis spiritalibus, in
Illinc
tractum est ut
ammonentur, ut
aliti et nutriti
unum
coales-
Patre, in
mensa
uno, omnes in
Deo
dam unum
in
unum cum
pite et comedite
cem
Acci-
illis
hie enim est sanguis meus novi testanienti, qui pro multis
effundetur in remissionem peccatorum.
Quod datum erat a
mores
illius
omnibus credentibus
cenaa uniantur
cum
a pon-
distribuitur, ut
eis in Christo
me-
qui primi in
communione
altiora
dominicam cenam,
communem educationem
unitatem,
si nihil
et
cogitamina
in eo esset aliud,
sed,
quod proferat
et fraternam
:;
BE ECCLESIASTICA
222
ille
personam Dei
cap.
m.
3.
suam
salute redeat in
large effundat, ut
eundem, qui
in se
mare ab eodem piscibus plenum in navim reduciad eundem ferme modum, ut minima maxima imitari
ductum
tur,
in
ipsum
et
nuens, impartit
cum
aliis
eo in Christo deificentur.
diens, et rediens in
benigniter et divinitus, ut
Christi
quam
plurimi
est,
sancte et auguste
agnoscant a
summo
Psalmorum modulatio
rum earum
rum
amor
et
ad Ephesios et
hymnis
cap. in.
HIERARGHIA.
223
tes in cordibus
Deo.
in ecclesia inter
et scrip turaa
dum
veritatis
alteram,
quod admittit sed nondum iniciatur is cathecuminus vocatur tercium, eorum qui iniciati a potestate demonum non
satis se
solverint, quos veteres energuminos vocavere
quartum, quos penituit ex professione non vixisse.
Hi
;
nemo
num Deo
in ipso
quae
Itaque arcentur
omnes prophahi,
procul a misteriis
nondum
nimium perstringantur
oculi
catione, infirmitati
imperfecti,
edidit in lucem.
ergo
Nam
non modicam
Qui
iniciati fuerint
Ne
diminuti,
fidei
mali
Christiani
minime
ex
profectione
spiritu
agitati
immo
omni maligno
ii
quo
perfecti
spiritui
nequaquam vexantur;
imperant
et
denique omnis
DE ECCLESIASTIOA
224
prophana turba
CAP.111.3.
sacrorum conspectu dissipatur, etiam quos penituit peccasse, donee plene expurgentur.
Relicti vero sunt in templo homines solum puri, illustres et
perfecti penitus sine macula; Pontifex ille sacratissimus,
discutitur, et a
Deum)
In
ooncinunt.
illo
symbolum (Credo
in
unum
summa
devocione re-
memores
Deo videamur.
et
Quando
est altari
mutuo
se salutant cooasculantes, et
sanctorum in Christo
culum vivorum,
mortuorum
in
memoria mortuorum,
et
Christo
et
vivorum
et
unitatem, concordiam,
significat
quam omnes
tentur imitari.
recitandum
Inter
etiam
ilia
sanctorum
non possunt
recitari
tantur
quorum nomina
prae multitudine
mortem/
et in illius
vitas describitur.
suos, ut in libro
unum quiddam cum illo esse intelliQuod autem pontifex cum sacerdotibus lavat
ut in Iesu
gantur.
manus,
nisi in
illi
uniti
extremis partibus
manus
lavantur, ut
si
mundus
totus.
lotione,
est,
non
Summas
Leg. a morte
in
vitam
Difficile est
cap. in.
enim
HIERAEOHIA.
3.
sic caste et
tiiincula
225
in
affectus
nostro candore
Hinc
Hinc summas manus,
subappareat.
Pontifex, facturus
est,
summis
in
sit,
Hie videatque
sacramentum quam
quisque
sacerdos
mundus, quam
tersus,
quam
mysteria et praesertim dominici corporis sacramentum conqui ita lavari et tergi intime et expoliri debent, ut
trectet
;
Deus inambulet.
nostras
sacerdotium,
sacerdotes,
hujus
hominum
scelera-
gremio (O
nephandum
scelus
)
!
in
templum
ecclesias,
ad
caput.
Ad
eneum
et lotio in
Exodo
illic signifi-
expiationes.
rem ejusdem
quorum con-
sacra tissim am
agimus;
si
rite,
in salutem
DE ECCLESIASTIOA
226
cap.iii.
ad confectionem sacramenti, ad illius in apertum ostensionem, postremo ad communicationem in eodem, quod ipsum unum una cum pontiqua3 quid velint,
fice universi, qui adherent conparticipando
quid que significent, ut ostendatur, paulo altius repetamus.
lotus,
Quum
humana natura
blandis adversarii illecebris illecta delapsa fuerit a Deo in
muliebrem et moribundam conditionem, quumque fuerit in
ipsam mortem celeri cursu praeceps devoluta, pro omnibus
vero statim post creationem stulta
suo
hominem
Nam,
deleto.
illius
(id
mortem
destrueret
eum
qui
victus
eodem vinceret; ut
in cruce,
utrinque in victoria
quam
appareret.
homo
aliter
re ipsa esset
hominem,
restitutus
in libertatem et
lucem
:;
cap. in.
HIERARCHIA.
3.
celebramus
piens
Hoc
facietis
in
227
memoriam
Item Paulus
hunc, mortem Domini
mei.
imaginem
ilia
re-
Christi, et
Deo
institutis.
quaa
intelli-
dimultiplicatum esse, ut
videlicet qui Iesu (ut
quod
is
ille
non
peccavit.
Primus pontifex
omnium
esse
indigna tractatio
illius
sanctissimus et sapientissimus.
Nam
participat,
maxima
BE EOGLESIASTICA
228
CAP. IV.
De
1, 2.
Consecratione Unguenti.
signa
menta omnia
esse opportuna
et
Unguentum
multos homines,, ut multi in Deo deificentur.
autem consecratur, quo ad omnia fere utitur sacerdotale
officium, et habet ferme eas ceremonias quas Synaxis,
Illud quoque dum
incensum, psalmos, lectiones, cantus.
consecratur, cathecumini, apostatae, energumini, penitentes
Opertum
et
celari
Non enim
vult
Ut enim Deus
sum
non ab hominibus.
Deo
et
non quae
;;:
EIEBAECHIA.
229
Mortui sunt
et vita
Christo.
et,
gamus
alas illae
integunt
sacrum crisma, quo omne sacerdotale munus perEst enim sanctum crisma eucharistiae
pene par, et usu necessitateque equalis. In cujus consecratione
est eadem ceremoniarum celebritas, in quo etiam per multiformes colores homines trahuntur ad ipsam simplicem lucem
quae in se intime lucet, et in opacitate signorum non evadit
colorata in quo unguento, sicuti in eucharistia, in qua a
corporis oculis Veritas Dei in signis spectatur, a spiritali acie
et tutantur
ficitur et
completur.
simplex
ilia
Hoc unguentum
et nares
in
mentis reficiens
in cordibus nostris.
;
BE ECCLESIASTICA
230
animam sponsam
quae
cum
illo coit,
prae voluptate
non
spiritus
odorem
hauriunt.
circa
se in plenitudine
sanctus
summe
prae ineffabili
in
summo
duas seraphin
alteri alta et
leticia
letantur.
Iesu,
Sanctus, sanctus,
Quum duodecim
alas legis,
Dei feruntur.
Invicem ad se clamant, ut gloriam invicem
communicent. Astant crismali Iesu, ut intelligamus Christum
incarnatum a maj estate sua et angelis non decessisse, et
inunctum prae consortibus suis ac sanctificatum, ipsum esse
qui inungens sanctificat.
Christus Iesus unctio est ipsa,
quam angeli venerantur ideo in omnibus sacris juste adhibetur.
Est ejusmodi ad nares spiritales, cujusmodi ad
aures verbum Dei, et ad oculos eucharistia.
;
Anima
fVidet
Audit
<
["
"]
Dcum
^Olfaeit J
saeramcntuiu
Eucharistia.
ipsum fJEucharistw.
< Evangelu.
^Unctionis.
cap. iv.
HIERARCHIA.
231
(quemadmodum scriptum
demptio
Domino
glorietur.
ut
Ille est
est)
qui gloriatur, in
Ille
templum,
est nostra
qui se
sanctificatio
Christo.
CAP. IV.
DBUS
quidem
3.
sacramentis,
sacramenta in hominibus, ad mortem eorum hie temporalem, ut homines in sacramentis ipsis iniciati sint in
Omnis descensio deitatis
Christo et Deo in vitam eternam.
omnis descensio ad mortiest ad ascensionem humanitatis
:
ficationem est, ut
sit
resurrectio ad vitam.
Deus
factus est
BE ECCLESIASTICA
232
cap.v.i.
sacramenta in ipso credentibus; inortificantia, inquam, mortem fidelium hominum, ut immortales vivant Deo.
Omnia sacramenta, ut docet Dionysius Areopagita, agunt
tificantia
sacramentis
illius,
cum
illo
mors, sanctificatio
riantur.
illi
prius in ipso.
Ille
telete
Quod
vocatum
christianizatio est.
tionis
omnes
Ab
illo
In
illo
humi-
ille sanctifi-
exemplum
sanCti-
fluunt
et perfectio.
majoribus
erant
et perfectus perficit.
ficatio
Omnia
Sanctus
alios sanctificent
hominibus.
con-
sui,
viciis et
sanctificat,
unguentum, idcirco a
Extrema unctio consummata
perficit
fuit.
In unctione est
significatio christianiza-
sunt uncti.
CAP.
V.
1.
Omnis
et
tripharia distribuitur.
ordinem hones-
Omnis
hierarchia
BIEEABGHIA.
cap. v.i.
inferiores
233
et perficiunt, tercii
tione
deitatis
omnis
fectionem omnium.
Telete autem et ipsa perfectio perficiens omnia ipse Deus est unus et trinus, qui triphariam
agit hoininum perfection em.
Hinc tres sunt sub trinitate
Dei hierarchic spirituum; et earum quaeque triplex tribus
distinctis ordinibus.
Aperte et dilucide omnes illi ordines
suscipiunt gloriosissimam trinitatem a primis per medios ad
infimos angelos, divina luce accepta et transfusa deorsum.
Haec benigna perfusio divinae lucis et bonitatis ; qua perficiantur omnia, pergit per simplices illos spiritus ad homines
usque.
Sed superioribus seculis adhuc, quum homines parvuli erant et sensibus teneri, subiit simplex ille divinus
.
simplex
ilia
quam
plu-
quasi degenerans a se
meram ipsam
justiciae lucent, vi et
ut
et simplicem veritatis
et
tempus intueatur
donee vigorosior aliquando et lucipotens oculus in ipsam
veritatem sine umbris intendere poterit.
Haec est quidem
deluciores et quasi debiliores colores ad
tamen crassis
contextis velaminibus, quod cernebat
admodum
et denso
filo
in
mundus
immo
summum
Quum enim
sine imagine,
totus
immo
nuda tabula primum, ac homines quidem instituendi in frigidis umbris mutua inter se actione, opere et
cultu umbratico
quod in epistola ad Colocenses elimenta
ordo, quasi in
vocat Paulus
quae adumbracio
expectaret illustracionem
BE ECGLESIASTIGA
234
cap. v.
i.
Nunc
hierarchia.
Sunt haec
tatem representat.
unum
subapparet,
infra aliud
imago
superioris
habent, et
;
celestis
Moysaica.
Mundus
Moysaica
....
....
Veritas luculenta.
Illustris imago veritatis.
Adumbratio imaginis.
Humanum
Deum
more contemplentur,
fuit
tarn
necesse prius
in
mundo
umbram
jacuit in terras.
umbram
tatis suae,
ange-
lucem
veri-
HIEBABOEIA.
cap. v.^,.
235
spectetur in terris.
quum
apparuerit
in gloria sua.
in veteri lege
Litteralis est,
conjicias,
Quando
omnia
tibi
sonant moralia.
r Celestis significatur
Hierarchia
<
Totum.
Pars.
Tv/r
i,
C Celestem veritatem.
Moysaica rebus
gestis | _.
<
Christianam lmajnnem.
?
tota signincans est
_. . .
*?
l
.
L Ohristiani hominis justam vitam.
4-'
'
{Lucis.
Totius.
Partis.
In novi testamenti
domino Iesu
cuit
quando in parabolis
loqui, quod Christus saepe
scriptis, nisi
et apostolis
plafacit
totus reliquus
sermo, quo vel salvator apertius edocet discipulos, vel apostoli instituunt ecclesias, habet eum sensum quern prse se
fert
nificatur
Vel potest
brec[ulis]
hominum,
stellas
(patriarchas et prophetas,
lucentes
Moysen,
mundi
absente
et tene-
sole
fuisse
BE EOCLESIASTICA
236
cum Moyse
cap. v.
i.
spiritus
facitis
autem ille
rum, ubi dominorum dominus
Dies
ille
die-
summum
ille
Conversatio in
In nocte <
( Stellae lucentes in
Nox
celis.
Nam dum
Dies
<
quum
erit
Clnchoatus
Deus omnia
in Christianis
omnibus. _<r
cernentes solem justiciae exortum.
in
C Lucentes
Nox <
(.
Moyses quidem non tantum legem, quam exaratam quinque libris posteritati reliquit, sed etiam certe in monte Syna
divinitus accepit totius legis secretam et veram enarrationem
interpretacionemque, et sensum spiritalem apertaa; quern
prsecepit Deus ne traderet literis ullo modo, nee invulgaret,
sed revelaret et traderet Iesu
Naue tantum,
qui deinceps
publicaret
Legem autem
bus indicaret.
omnes
illic
clemencia in bonos,
ut potentem,
;
ubique in
Deum populus agnoscat et veneretur.
justicia
bonum
et
justum
cap. v.
HIEBAEOHIA.
i.
237
videlicet
ilia
patefecissent
id, te quaeso,
illi
stultae plebi
quam sanctum
illi
Qua-
inter quos
tantum
scribit Paulus.
verbo, ex animo in
animum
medio intercedente
transfusa fuisse.
solo
Eodem modo
restituti
per Cyrum,
ad reparandam legem
tariis
constituit ut,
afferret
enim
fere in Synedrio
erant sapientes)
redigerentur.
;
,
BE ECCLESIASTICA
238
cap. v.
i.
De qua
decimo
et tercio
altissimus, dicens,
palam pone
In
his enim est vena intellectus, sapientiae fons, scientiae flumen. Atque ita feci. Hi libri sunt Cabalae receptionisque,
qui apud Hebreos tanta religione coluntur, ut eos [attin-
gere]
In
illis
in
monte Syna, et quam ille quinque libris scrip tarn contentamque reliquit, revelatam quoque fuisse eidem Moysi ab
ipso Deo veram legis expositionem, cum manifestacione
omnium misteriorum
verborum
facie
legem Moysen
legis
in
continentur;
duplicemque accepisse
literalem scripsisse, et
quern accepit
cap. v.
ad
HIERARCHIA.
i.
239
spiritualia.
ralia, infima,
occidente.
intelligibilia, eterna,
quod revelatum
id plane,
Moyse septuaginta
Moysi a Deo,
delectis traditum
et
ab eodem
[Ad] quam divinam veritatem propius vosunt homines a Christo, ut altius sapiant quam Iudei, et
supernus
cati
fuit
est.
rectius vivant
Ad
quern scribit
lum
At
cum fide
legis
ut
et charitate
est nostra
quaa, ut
medium
trema in se comprehendit, habens turn ex superiori spiritalem et lucentem intelligentiam, turn ex inferiori carnalem
corporalemque et sensibilem signification em.
Nam quamdiu homines sumus, vel spiritalissimi signis omnia carere
non possumus. Inferior superiorem refert, ut possit, modo
Omnia quas sunt in celesti hierarchia, eadem sunt in
suo.
omniaque quae sunt in ChrisChristiana, modo imaginario
;
umbratico.
Luculenta.
Superior.
Angelica; luculenta. Spiritus Deus. Celum. ) , T ,.
,.
i TJ
f Media.
(.Humana; umbratica.
Caro TT
Homo, m
lerra.
)
Umbratica.
Inferior.
t Humana.
Celestis
Christiana;
.
modo
,_.
Legalis
Angelica.
I
quoque
novem
triplices
quorum umbras
functio versatur
homines Deo, qui sanctus est, assimiin quibus sunt sancti quidam primi et summi
in sanctificatione, ut
lentur
quorum omnis
;;
BE ECGLESIASTIGA
240
quidam
sanctificantes,
quidam
sanctificati,
cap. v.
,.
Omnes autem
ministri
illuminant et perficiunt
perficiuntur infimi,
jam
Purgantur
f[ir]mati.
jam
et
iniciati
sacris,
baptizati
et
et
con-
ipsi lucentes
Complent
Ab omnibus enim
quae a primis.
illuminatio et perfectio.
purgatio,
illuminatio
et
Effectus
perfectio.
pur-
in
quae in
Deo.
Veritas,
illis
Effectus
est
est,
illuminationis
quo firmiter se
est
speciosa
significant,
bonitas,
benignitas,
sis tun t
varietas,
verba
et in angelis multiformem quan-
idem quiddam
dam
unum quiddam
Perfectionis
amor,
perfectio,
quae
demum
effectus
charitas.
Hae
;;
EIEBABGEIA.
cap. v.i.
veritati
nostra est
perfectio
munus
et functio in
rantibus
amor
hasc
et
omne
tendit
Christi ecclesia.
Bonitas et
Cliristo.
Ad
boni.
241
genera credentium,
tria
nominum
sorti[tio], et
suum
ilia
JSTam vult
mundo
et seipsis,
dare
sacramentis^ sed
quam
gatur.
Qui quum
sacerdotibus.
jam ut
in eis celestis
Hi quum
summeque
tunc offeruntur
imaginem
imago depin-
esse dispositos
ut, sicut
portaverunt
Leg. sperantium.
cum
Hie
in
BE ECCLESIASTICA
242
cap. v.
t.
is
Pontifex om-
nium sacrorum
et in Christo a pontificali
munere
et Christi
Deus
divisit
mensuram
fidei.
ad utilitatem
scilicet
tandem, et immortalitate, in
ut ecclesia perficiatur
quam
vocata totis
si
aliquando im-
CAP. V.
2.
PONTIFEX
tare
capud habet.
Invocatur trinitas in eum insignitur cruce
nominatur a toto sacerdotio ; doosculatur.
Eadem fiunt
;
cap. v.
HIEBARCHIA.
243
Eadem denique
capud.
genu
fiexo
ministro
consecrationi
communionem
se
Omnes
unico duntaxat
Solus
pontifex
consecrati ad eucharistiaa
cientur.
3.
primus
is
substernit.
CAP. V.
UT autem
sed
cum
significant, ut
ad Philippenses omnia
Iesu subjecta esse affirmat, dicens Propter quod et Deus
in epistola
exaltayit ilium,
nomen
ut in
terrestrium et infernorum.
Haec subjectio
ferioris
in
sui
Deo
in
quo etiam praesidentia est superiorum in inferiorum sanctificationem, sub quocunque nomine president
etiam in plebeis patres, domini, mariti ut docet
Paulus in epistola ad Ephesios, et in epistola ad ColloChristo
in
censes scripta
subjectionem et
in quibus prascipit
obedientiam,
filiis,
servis et uxoribus
quod intelligendum
est
in
;
:
DE ECCLESIASTICA
2U
sit,
non
carnem et sanguinem,
adversus mundi rectores
3.
nequiciae in celestibus.
tius,
cap. v.
autem
crucis caractere
preedicat
protestatur,
et
suam
crucis
crucifixerunt
cum viciis
impressum in hominem
signaculum,
Id denotat
et concupiscentiis.
profitentem
ut,
certe est
membrum homo,
ut capiti conformis
sit,
et surcu-
ut non
ex radice hausto
vi tali succo, qui Christus est, in omnibus vivat (ut ita dicam)
Chris tianiter.
Recordetur ergo graviter secum quisque,
quid velit impressio signi crucis, quae est peccatricis personae
in homine ipsa mors in sempiternum, ut ea deinde nunquam
reviviscat.
Nam,
ut docuit
ille
est, sed,
magister
vitae,
accipienda
Nominatim deinde
quo certe indicatur
consecratus a pontifice
denunciatur,
divina electio
et sors,
quod nomen
in scripturis
est
si prius, quid
multum
usur-
HIERAROHIA.
cap. v.
patum
est.
quo
verbum
fit
sortior,
quod
prgenunciant.
eligo.
Qui aliquid
fatali necessitate,
est,
futura
245
Apud
quidem priscos viros et apostolos, magnum erat sortis sacramentum ; sortisque jactio
apud homines certissimam apud Deum indicavit electionem.
Est quidem sors apud homines expectantes omnia a Deo,
credentesque cum eorum signis Deum operari, argumentum
et signum et quasi sacramentum, in quo agnoscitur in quern
Christianos, certe illos
certissima
electio.
Sortes,
ait
debent ab ipso Deo, hominibus interea credentibus et exQuicquid, vel qui vocetur in ecclesiam, vel in
pectantibus.
eadem ad aliquem gradum et dignitatis locum promoveatur,
quicquid (invel ab eodem promoto ex ejus officio agitur
;
pletione ecclesias,
nihil est.
id divini spiritus
instinctu
non
comfiat,
domum,
in
BE ECGLESIASTIGA
246
vanum laboraverunt
cap. v.
In
opere suo, quae est ecclesia, aequum est ut ille temperet omnia.
Quod si liumanum se temere imniisceat ingenium, disturbari
todierit civitatem, frustra vigilant qui custodiunt earn.
et confundi
omnia necesse
quod requiratur,
est.
Quia
credendum
est
apostolos,
apostolicos
et
nonnunquam
fuisse usos
de Dei judicio doceantur, quern ad aliquod munus et ofncium ex Dei voluntate noniinent, credentes plane illic esse voluntatem Dei ubi sors cecidit.
Quae statim in quern obtigit sors, omnes quasi uno ore Dei
connominent, credentes indubitanter, qui nominatus est in
ut
per
terris,
illas
eundem
Deo nominatum
esse in celis.
Soluta enim
quoniam congregatis
in illo
ille
sed
honiunculis,
Quocirca hie
qui
jam diu
tum
licet
esse
videatur.
mo [rem]
inolevit in ecclesia, et
nunc
prope in interi-
quo temporales
principes, insani quidem et sub Christiano nomine hostes
et inimici Dei, blasphemi Christi, eversores ecclesiae, non
humilibus et piis animis, sed superbis et temerariis, non
reipublicae Christianas inveteratus est,
sacris
copos,
et castis locis,
qui
Christi
sed in cubiculis
eos quoque
(0 nephandum
scelus)
rei ignaros,
omnis prophanao
scios,
tiose
et conviviis,
epis-
nomi[nan]t, et
homines omnis sacrae
ecclesiam gubernent,
quam,
perditi mores,
corum hominum cecitas
flagi-
seculum ne-
principum insania,
ecclesiastiet stultitia, deridendane an deflenda
HIEBAROHIA.
cap. v.
3.
magis
ignore-
247
instat, occupabit
Nam
signifi-
sacramentum vocatur.
In sorte Mathiae magnum
notat sacramentum Dionysius, quum in ea dicit indicium
catur,
ab idoneis
est,
Ita in
ut creditur sine
si
minantur.
viris
fit,
Sed quid
sacrosanctorum evangeliorum
impositio capiti pontificis consecrati ?
Nempe ut pontifex
latur.
omnia sacra
velit
ilia
p [ectore] contineat,
divinis rebus longe sapientissimus, et
omni virtute ac sancta actione longe optimus, ad exemplum
ille
sit que
illius
omnium
in
innuit
quum
sacerrima
ilia
quern
quodammodo
quoad possit ipsum in se Christum prae se ferat vita, sanctimonia et bonitate, et illius veritatis ac religionis sapientia.
Minister vero uno genu flexus purgatorum sacramentum
BE EGGLESIASTIGA
248
habet
sacerdos duobus
pontifex praeter
purgatorum
flexis,
duorum genuum
cap. vi.
i.
et illuminatorum
hominnm constantem
simplicitatem,
sit
lux
sole
mundi
et sal terrae
sub
mundum.
hominum
tenebrosorum tanta jam dudum et tarn spissa spiravit sursum, ut civitatis lumen fere obruit; ut nunc ecclesiastici
homines, involuti tenebris, ignorantes quo vadant, stulti
commiscuerunt et confunderunt se cum omnif?], ut nunc
rursus in
mundo
nihil sit,
quam hominum
turba, confusius.
hominum
in tanta
ordinem
et serenitatem.
CAP. VI.
UTI
sunt a
ficiant,
Deo
1.
masculina virtute,
instituti qui
ita
virili
In hac parte sunt obstetricandi cathecumini, apostatoo revocandi, energumini exorciIn his officiis sunt ministri,
zandi, penitentes detcrgendi.
quorum officium purgare est, et parere, quoad possunt, simfemina, ut in viro perficiatur.
ut delabentes et defluentes
cap. vi.
HIEBABOEIA.
i.
et jactati se sistant in
Deo, in puncto
Deo jam
Ut autem
radicentur.
249
spei, ut sperantes in
mundum, manum
trahunt cathecizantes
Adversarius incessanter
ministri.
damnum
omnibus
si
penitentes,
expurgant ministri ut
quos
sistant.
tentes.
cum damnis
Dei et diaboli
vicitudinariis dimicant
:
dominio
isti
exercitus
homines
diligunt carnem, boni
contra carnales.
Maligni spiritus
spiritum concupiscunt.
ritual, et spiritus
adversus carnem.
et
et spiritu" luculento,
materiem habet ex
suppeditatam
mundi
quae inferiori sua parte virili et activa, superiorem et magis passivam mundi partem, non aliter ferme
atque solis radii summas aquae partes, suo calore eas extenuans et rarifaciens, attollit in altum, ut ex ea primum construat sibi quasi corpus, quod ipsum, quanquam spiritaliori
parte ecclesiae crassius est et corpulentius, tamen est toto
mundano corpore spiritalius. Ex quo corpore deinde, et
;
BE EGGLESIASTICA
250
cap.vi.i.
summa
jam prope
evase-
et vitalior sanguis,
ecclesiae, qui
ex
talibus
spiri-
ut
pars
inter
quam quidem,
et
Deum
animam, sunt spiritales homines, operatores et effecomnium. Ut in homine inter ejus animam et corpus
ecclesiae
tores
deifi-
viunt,
vitales
sensibus,
animales
naturales
hi
summe
animae inser-
generacioni, nutricioni,
ferme ad eundem
et partem popularem, sunt
modum
in Christo, inter
Deum
sic
quidam inter hos medii, qui subserviunt quasi sensibus, et eos, ut sensibiles qualitates sacramentorum in ecclesia
vent
agnoscant, illuminant.
ecclesiae, vivificant
mortem
Primi
spiritales faciunt,
sentiant credentes, et eo
et
fedam eorum
ut sacramenta ecclesiae et
quidem
summi, qui in
omne
summa
Deum
sacratius
signum perfecte
fide delectentur.
Tercii
illi
cap. vi.
HIEEAEGHIA.
,.
251
pontifice
Lux enim
si
intelligant, ac
calore
res
et spec-
amore
Mysteriorum
omnia.
Supremi
amor
visio,
ergo
illi
cerdotes
perficit
Deo spem, ut
in simplicem
jam
complet et
et cultus
nunc
parum
in se
mundo pro
dentes
ministri
Deo pen-
non
callidi ingenii
et plenitudo ejus.
omnia
Illius
et spiritalia,
Temporalia ex terra
celestis
vero
ex celo.
ilia
Hi sunt
vitam sempiternam,
ministri corpulentiori et
spiritale eis
illi
dumque
utrinque et ex superiori et ex
temporalibus
et
spiritalibus
dum
hie militat,
maxime
spiritalis,
Dei servis
Dei et
et ministris
se
BE ECOLESIASTIGA
252
cap. vi.
i.
inferiori
Horum
est
omni
victnm quaeritare
ut in terrenis se exerceant in
jam Dei
in his terres-
Hi
aliqui
eorum ex summa
toti ecclesiae,
assimilat vilioribus
aliis,
eo
maquando
Ex
assi-
fidei,
jam
tique
sacris
Christianis et sacerrimis
signis
inicia-
insigniti
in se et notas et caracteres
sigillo
humano
templi Dei, et
plantur;
secretiores sunt
non
est
licet,
maxime
vigent.
cap. vi.
EIEBARCHIA.
non pOssunt,
regionem
ignis, et
non
sint,
cujusmodi
parando victu
ecclesise
in
in
si
253
amore
{Pontifex.
Sacerdotes.
Ministri.
Monachus.
Perfectio.
Sancta plebs.
Qui purgantur.
Purgatio.
f Monachi perfecti.
Uluminatio.
ei
purgatione penitentes.
CAP. VI.
2, 3.
est,
Deo omnino
potest.
Ut
illuminati baptismate
suum habent
consecra-
BE ECGLE8IASTIGA
254
moneat
et indicet.
quam modo
g*p,vl,j.
dentur tenuisse
eum locum
in
Deum
professione
omnem
hominem
nunciare in perpetuum
in
unum
se collectum tenere
oculum
professione insignitionem sanctae crucis patitur, ut quae praedicat se abrenunciare, in Christi cruce
mortua esse
intelli-
Tonditur
quam mundisDei
appareat.
Mutat vesteni, mutans
simus in conspectu
vitam ut vitae simpliciori simplicior vestis congruat.
Hoc
observatum est in omni sancta mutacione, ut quum se interior homo ab habitu spiritali in alium se spiritalem habitum
transmutat, turn simul exterior homo idem faciei, ut habitus
caesaries, ut
omni
Hinc a
Ad
eucharistiam
mos
iniciandi et consecrandi
quoscunque ordines_, qui propter institucionem apostolorum summam authoritatem habuit, et sanctissime in prima
ecclesia observatus fuit, posterioribus seculis nescio qua pontificum abolevit mos vetus, et alius deinde etiam nescio qua
alios
hominum
invaluit jam tantum,
temeritate
literis,
cap. vii.
HIEBABOHIA.
i.
hominum futuram
nasset
memoria ex
255
apostolorum in disponenda
et ordinanda ecclesia suo felici calamo descripta non reliquisset, nihil recordacionis veteris moris habuissemus. Quod
quae tenuit
jam
statutis
a consuetudine decessisse
ingemendum
est sane,
quum
debemus, quam erant hebrei in suis traditionibus retinendis quanto nostra excellentiora et clariora sunt
diosiores esse
quam
illi
accommodarent,
Nam
in ecclesia instituisse.
toris
bit
verba
illos
Quorum
non misertus
fuerit, interibunt
si
Deus
omnia.
CAP. VII.
1.
regenerati
interiit,
sunt in
quique juste
justiciae
Deum
Dei in
ipsis, justiciae
et in bello socia
in Christo et
animo
ut quisque Justus
homo
totus ipse
sit.
Quod
DE ECCLESIASTICA
256
cap. vii.
saduceis,
Quum
i.
veritatis
a mortuis resur-
sanctorum
de quo
illoruni
felici
consummacionem
erumnosam pro
felici
cum
illis
dubio, qui sic vixerint vita hie Christi vitse tarn dissimili, ut
consciencia perditse vitas
pectent,
miseriam.
Quos ad hunc
epistola ad Tessalonicenses
modum
:
expectantes eternam
mortem
et
1
I
cap. vii.
HIERABOHIA.
2.
turbulentae et
erumnosaa
vitae,
257
securitatem velint, et
et
plenis degere.
Omnes
CAP. VII.
SACERDOTIS
si
sit
credendam
2.
quod mortuum
dum
aperuit.
est
cadaver, ante
agitur.
omnium, ut Dei
Sacrarium autem sive
officia
celebrat,
chorus vocitatur.
tio incipit.
qui
locus
a nostris
quoque jam
firment.
258
BE ECCLESIASTIGA
gratulacio de
mortuo
in
cetum sanctorum,
quod creditur
in Christo Iesu,
et in
cap. yii.
vitam beatiorem in
iniisse
celis,
ubi
CAP. VII.
SED jam
deamus.
catio
Omnis nostra
eorum quae
Nam
fiunt in celis.
quod
3.
terris
in fide
fundamur
et
agimus, divinarum
ligatumque fore
in celis.
assimularet.
suum hac
in
monte
sentencia conclusit,
perfectus est.
Sed
in hac contentione in
id assequitur quisque
quod
Unusquisque proprium donum habet aiius quidem sic, alius vero sic pro mensura
pro racione meritorum sunt prasmia. Difidei sunt merita
versitas et ordo hie in ecclesia militante imago est ordinis
illius quern ecclesia triumphans est habitura in celis.
Sacerquia
itaque
habetur
justior
laico,
is mortuus dum parendos
tatur, in medio choro inter sacerdotes statuitur.
Extra
cancellos vero ante chorum in plebeorum regione laicus defunctus, vel monachus ille sanctior, inter laicos collocatur;
ut hoc ordine ammoniti alkim in celis sacerdotibus locum, et
sacra tiorem multo, quam laico, datum esse credimus
quumad Corinthios
scripsit apostolus
illo
ordine dirivatur;
omnem
veritatem didicerunt.
Dei virtute electi in Christianum exorcitum pugnamus, vincimus, evadimus, morimur justi in Christo, justorum gloriazd
;
:
HIERAROEIA.
CAP.vii.3.
259
cum
festivali
Quae canit
num
mortem
fore
parum credunt.
Quod
si
credidissent
Iesum
illo
hominibus jucundiorem diem nullum esse posse, quam eum in quo Justus
aliquis moritur; maxime si pro justicia etiam vim paciens
moriatur.
Illi homini tanta erit gloria, ut tota ecclesia prse
leticia exultet.
Iesus quum sua sanctissima mors instaret,
de ea suos discipulos ita alloquutus est, ut Ioannes refert
Et, quia
Audistis quia dixi vobis, vado et venio ad vos.
Si diligeretis me, gauderetis
vidit eos msestos, addidit
utique quia vado ad patrem ut illi de Iesu morte gauderent
ita et tota ecclesia et singulus quisque in ea gaudeat de justo
homine commortuo cum Christo in gloriam, ut ofncium
Christianae pietatis videatur prgestitisse, utque fratrem demortuum etiam dilexisse videatur -.gaudeat (inquam) quisecclesia haec facit ut ostendat Christianis
BE ECCLESIASTICA
260
que de
fratris
alioquin
mundo
non
commodo
fratris in
in morte, et
illi
'
cap.vh.
3.
valde gratuletur
Quod
au-
est id
quidem quod
ii
quod
in
quas
ille
vivus
humana
cat, et misericors
veniam
feliciter in
patriarcharum sinubus
quamque exultans
in
delectacio
hominis,
domus
illis filiis
Inebriabuntur ubertate
Dionysius
illi
respon-
MS.
cap. vii.
HIEBABGHIA.
261
cum
rit sibi
Deum
cum
maxime et intentissime
Hac via et modo inita oracio
illo
omnium potentissima et efficacissima sane, ut si incessanter cum spe pergat humilis flagitacio (salvatoris ipsius
res est
exemplo
doctrina, in
illius
illius
is
tiam
sibi
homo
est
unus omnium
ille
egrotus
et,
ut
solem intueri.
Desipit
ille
quum
posse ; quique redire in graciam cum eo principe a quo alienatus erat confidit per aliorum operam, quum ipse nihil agit
in
maxime agunt
cum
ut bene
Lnprimens. MS.
omnibus
non potest
ipsi
eis fiat,
BE EOOLESIASTICA
262
cap. vn.
3.
male
is
Deprecatio
vivit.
in gloria
sit,
non
bonorum
ilia pontificis
super defunctum, ut
fiat,
quam
indi-
Ideo deprecatio
ilia
est narratio
agitur
ut in verbis
mortui
et pontifici qui
uti
monetur a Deo
pontifex in
Deo,
et
illius
quorum
vult
voluntatis
pontifex,
Deus
misereri,
divinator,
eorum
miseretur.
habent spiritum
ut quasi instrumenta sint actionis Dei
non agant quidem ipsi aliquid, sed Deus in eis agat omnia.
Ad hoc post suam resurrectionem Deushomo Iesus Christus
;
instrumenta
Pax
quod
fecerit ipse in
illi
cap. vii.
HIEBABGHIA.
luntatem Dei
quorum
remittuntur
accepto)
Spiritu
isto
retinueritis, retiuentur
263
modo ex
Dei
eis
Spiritu dato
et
fiat,
non a Deo
alioquin
Quapropter Paulus
fit, cui credendum est.
ad Corinthios scribens, quum se apostolos et qui talem personam gerunt dixit ministros Christi et dispensatores misteriorum Dei, subjunxit e vestigio Hie jam qugeritur inter
sed ab homine
electi in
ipsum sursum
tracti
ex
illo
Deus
Hi
omnia.
non agunt
certe
Deo factum
ipsi,
facti,
sed Deus in
sed Deus
eis,
nee
qui quicquid
esse
De
et loquantur omnia.
me
misit me.
spernit
me
maxime
in ecclesiae primariis,
si illi
illis
qui
vere sunt
loquitur Christus
Hi
hi alti in
Deo
et
BE EGGLESIASTICA
264
sed homines ex
Deo pendent.
Nee
cap. vn.
ille
quod a Deo
in terris,
Quod revelatum
et
credendum
Hinc
est.
est
ligatum est in
quod solutum
divinam ligacionem
terris
est,
celis,
et
idem
est in celis,
solvit in terris
id
Quia
notificat.
ut
annotandum,
pontifices
non insolescant, non esse
est valde
hominum remittere peccatorum vincula nee ad eos pertinet
Solvit enim et ligat
potestas solvendi et ligandi quicquam.
Qui
solus Deus, et apud se in celo solvit et ligat omnia.
primi sunt in ecclesia, sicuti sunt pontifices, quod illic ligatum
et solutum est accipiunt ex revelatione, et acceptum denunciant, et verbis divinam mentem exsequuntur, non propriam.
Quod si non procedant ex revelacione, acti spiritu Dei in
omnibus quae agant dicantve, delirant stulti tunc necessario
ex seipsis, et potestate data turn in blasphemiam Dei turn in
ecclesiae
Ex
quibus
licet
cernere,
quam
altus,
hauriat,
haustumque decoquat,
et
rite
ac legittime
per
maxime
Deo
utque
omnia ex Deo procedant in ecclesiam, in revocationem omnium in ipsum, qui ipse in sana et casta ecclesia est omnia
pontifice
in
convivant
omnibus
maxime
illo,
qui
vivit
ilium qui
summus
est
ut
is
deinceps sapientiam et
in
cap. vii.
HIERAROHIA.
3.
265
Quod si quippiam ex
quippiam sed Deus in illo.
semetipso attempted venenum tunc parturit.
Si idem
proferat, et suam ipsius voluntatem exsequatur, in ecclesiae
Quod nunc quidem
interitum perdite venenum infundit.
abhinc annis multis factum est, et jam ita se auxit et omnes
ecclesiae artus ita potenter occupat, ut nisi mediator ille qui
solus potest, qui ecclesiam sibi creavit et condidit ex nihilo
(idcirco earn saepe creaturam vocat Paulus); nisi, inquam,
mediator ille Iesus quam cito manus apponat, egrotissima
>ecclesia longe a morte abesse non potest.
Relaxant et
retrahunt, solvunt et ligant homines, non ex fide Deo, quae
ligata sunt in celis, sed quae ipsi volunt, unde omnia disagit
turbantur in
terris.
Non
Non
(nam eorum omcium nihil aliud est quam testivoluntatis Dei) , sed quod ipsi appetunt, demons trant.
facere debent
ficacio
Non
consulunt
Deum
in agendis
cum
liuntur omnia.
dendum
est.
Quamobrem
in officio funerali,
dum
precatur
BE ECGLESIASTICA
266
cap. vii.
3.
Anno-
unctionem
Unguenti
accepisse.
nsus
vocatur
Unguentum
Christiana.
est
freqnens
in
cognomen habet,
vero
est
et
diversorum
odorum conmiixtio, addito oleo aut balsamo, aut alio hujusmodi pingui. Ecclesia in hoc genere propriam suam habet
compositionem. Quod unguentum Spiritum sanctum significat, quo roborantur omnes in Christo, et ad certamen
spectat quod imus sub duce Christo
in celestibus,
dimicamus
cum quibus
cum
spiritalibus nequiciae
qua
spiritales in
spiritalibus
legittimi,
cum
in
Christo
tuti in Christo
quamdiu
Postremo
spiritalibus hostibus,
quum
confligimus.
hie vivimus
invicti
ipsi
malorum
et abstinencia a voluptatibus,
mortalitatem ilKus
animi immortalem.
num
pabulum,
quemadmodum
spiritus
et unctio,
extroma
fotio,
Leg. externa.
in
gloriam
calix, inter-
quidnam vult
aliud
cap. vii. 4
HIEBAROHIA.
anima
v.
all,
267
in
sequentur, sicuti
illi
attrectata vilescunt.
ex remoto
licet aspicere, et id
reverentia.
CAP. VII.
EX sermone
Dionysii videre
4.
licet, saluti
infantum statim
;;
BE ECCLESIASTICA
268
cap. vii. 4
qua
in
consertos fuisse.
Quod quanquam
divinae misericordiae
fidelibus et spirita-
magnum
admirandum
Et ab ecclesia
et
sacramentum videtur.
pietatis,
modo rite
fiat et
modo
legittimo
illi
illud
sacramentum,
eorum vel
Quod instinctu
scilicet apostoli,
nos parvi sumus, idcirco magna Dei sacramenta non conQuinimmo agnoscamus, et vere ac humiliter
temnamus.
si
quam
musque omnino
Sed jam de sacris parvulorum qui in ecclesia Christiana nati sunt, quisnam fuerat eorum iniciandorum
ordo et ritus apud priscos illos nostrae religionis viros videamus.
bus, capi
Apud
non posse.
quadam condicione
et lege turn
Modus inducendi
eos ut
annume-
fuit.
filio filiaeve
cap. vii. 4
HIERARCHIA.
melius fuisse,
quam
in Christo
269
immo
respondent
nt ergo
a pontifice in participacionem sacrorum admittatur, parens
circuit et sollicite quasrit, ubinam locorum reperiat bonum
virum ac peritum
promittat instructionem
et eruditionem in
filii
omnibus
si ille
illis
eum
si
adoleverit,
ministerium
si
effigiatur,
ut
eum
rum, ut ex
cura
vitam
ipsis in
coalescat.
sacris
Pontifex
turn
dignam sua
quum
assiduitate et
hominem
quumque eundem
audiat
more
et ritu insti-
educandum
Interea
communione
alumno, qui puerum in Christo
illo
omnia ea quae vera Christianitas exposcit ; abrenunciacionem videlicet omnis iniquitatis, et sacramentis fidem,
et vitam perseverantem in Christo, tanta professione dignam
quod non pro infante loquitur, quod esset ridiculum ut alius
infante
ille
omnem
statim
sed
se,
quum
quum
quoad
dicit
abrenunciacionem
vita
BE ECCLESIASTICA
270
tandem
sciens
in
cap. vii. 4
si-
ranios,
Unde
qui
natum hominem
in Christo complet,
Chris ti
formam
pra3 se laturos.
curam, ut erudiat et
educet puerum ea doctrina et moribus, ut pro sacramentosibi in
cap. vii. 4
rum
HIEBARCHIA.
271
racione praestet se
insignitus sacris,
tum onus
esse
in se suscipit qui
alumnum
infantulis se polliceatur
in infante praestet
quantum
turum.
maximum
mittit
is,
scelus
Quantus
hominem
spondet,
professo
lucrum, et sibimet
officium, et sinat
tunc
sibi
nee fructuo-
ita
quoque eodem certe nihil est nee detrimentosius nee damnaquod ad sacrum lavachrum promittit pontifici, per-
bilius, si
fide negligat.
ecclesiae, in
Ex quorum
incuria,
Christiano confluctuacio
sit
unde
fit
ut sub nomine
BE ECCLESIASTIGA HIERARCHIA.
272
quorum
Cujus horroris et
feditatis.
maxima
curae
commissa
talis
est civitas.
et
susceptores
puerorum
Parentes etiam in
est educatio
Quoniam
qualis
summa
stulticia
et
illi
comparent
civi-
sibi tales
monia
et bonitate referentes,
fallant.
generavimus.
Sed Deum precamur, ipsum formatorem rerum, ut pro sua maxime pietate deformata in nobis reformet,
per
FINIS
EORUM
HIERARCHIAM DIONYSII.
; ;;;
INDEX.
\* The Roman numerals
ALCUIN
quoted, 56 n., 76 n.
Altars, consecration
of,
100.
nine
Anointing, 152.
Apostates, 127, 131.
Confirmation, the
completion
Archangels, 27.
character of writings
n.,
of
Baptism, 75.
of,
xxx
xxxiii
61 n.
of,
of,
140.
names of Angels, 20
Catechize, meaning of, 79.
Cabalistic
n.
of,
xiii,
inaccuracy of
style, xiii
power of memory,
2 n. fondness for children, 12 n.
3 n.
xiv,
his
xxxix
resemblance
incompleteness
136,
xiii
146 n.
compared
to Ezra, 135.
of,
82 n.
of,
57
n.
Empyrean, the, 43 n.
Energumens, 79, 127, 131.
Erasmus, his Life of Colet, x
concerning Dionysius,
on the Episcopal office,
complaint of innovations,
on parents and sponsors,
opinion
xxxiv
62 n.
69 n.
159 n.
;
126,
;
of,
to Proclus, xli
Diptychs, meaning
Durandus, account
118.
Burial, solemnities
sources
INDEX.
274
Marsiglio, manuscript
Ficino,
of,
xxiv letter
of, to Mirandola, xxiv
inclined
to astrology, xxviii; quoted by
Colet, xviii, xxxi n., 36 n.
Free will, man's, 29.
xviiin.; account
of,
Funerals, lamentation
at,
138, 143.
xxii
110
his
n.,
109 n.
Conclusiones,
Ill n.;
his
of,
xxii,
Apologia,
his
Commentary on Be-
responsibility
160.
of,
W.
n.
xxviii n.
Moses, reference
to,
109.
Heywood, Thomas,
his Hierarchies
19 n.
Hierarchy, definition
office of, 15, 37-41
of,
;
xliv n.
the Legal,
139.
of,
Ordination, manner
118.
123.
of,
of,
86.
Indulgences, 151 n.
Baptism
of,
155.
xxiv
influence
xl.
Politian, Angelo,
n.
quoted, 83.
Jesuits, 53.
Jonas, Justus, x.
of, xii n.
xii.
Leo
I.,
St.,
xx
Symposium, xxxix.
Initiation, 126.
Jerome,
Nomination, sacrament
75
xlvi.
n.
INDEX.
Sacraments, utility of, 154.
Sacramentaries, 76.
Savonarola, influence
of,
xxv,
xxvi n., xxx
quotation from,
;
1 n.
Scripture, fulness
senses
of,
Simony, 123
105
of,
87
manifold
n., 112.
n.
113.
Telete,
i.e.
Perfection, 101-2.
138
n.
Vitrier, or Vitrarius,
John, x
7.
77.
Dionysius, 93
for, in
n.
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275
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