And as in the case of Moses, from his righteous conduct, and from his uninterrupted intercourse with God, who spoke to him, a kind of glorified hue settled on his face; so also a divine power of goodness clinging to the righteous soul in contemplation and in prophecy, and in the exercise of the function of governing, impresses on it something, as it were, of intellectual radiance, like the solar ray, as a visible sign of righteousness, uniting the soul with light, through unbroken love, which is God-bearing and God-borne. Thence assimilation to God the Saviour arises to the Gnostic, as far as permitted to human nature, he being made perfect "as the Father who is in heaven." [3376]
It is He Himself who says, "Little children, a little while I am still with you." [3377] Since also God Himself remains blessed and immortal, neither molested nor molesting another; [3378] not in consequence of being by nature good, but in consequence of doing good in a manner peculiar to Himself. God being essentially, and proving Himself actually, both Father and good, continues immutably in the self-same goodness. For what is the use of good that does not act and do good?
[3364] i.e., that mentioned in the last sentence of chap xi., which would more appropriately be transferred to chap. xii.
[3365] Wisd. ii. 22, 25.
[3366] Ps. xvii. 3, 4.
[3367] Sylburgius proposes kosmikas, worldly, instead of kosmias, decorous; in which case the sentence would read: "and [true] poverty, destitution in worldly desires."
[3368] Gen. xviii. 12.
[3369] The reading of the text has, "not of the same mother, much less of the same father," which contradicts Gen. xx. 12, and has been therefore amended as above.
[3370] 1 Sam. i. 13.
[3371] Or, "judging from the motion of the soul;" the text reading here ou kinematos psuches, for which, as above, is proposed, ouk ek kinematos psuchen.
[3372] Tob. xii. 8.
[3373] Metaphorical expression for perfect. The phrase "a quadrangular man" is found in Plato and Aristotle. [The proverbial tetragonos aneu psogou, of the Nicomach. Ethics, i. 10, and of Plato in the Protagoras, p. 154. Ed. Bipont, 1782.]
[3374] 2 Cor. vi. 7.
[3375] Ex. xxxiv. 29.
[3376] Matt. v. 48.
[3377] John xiii. 33.
[3378] This is cited by Diogenes Laertius as the first dictum of Epicurus. It is also referred to as such by Cicero, De Natura Deorum, and by others.
Chapter XIII.--Degrees of Glory in Heaven Corresponding with the Dignities of the Church Below.
He, then, who has first moderated his passions and trained himself for impassibility, and developed to the beneficence of gnostic perfection, is here equal to the angels. Luminous already, and like the sun shining in the exercise of beneficence, he speeds by righteous knowledge through the love of God to the sacred abode, like as the apostles. Not that they became apostles through being chosen for some distinguished peculiarity [3379] of nature, since also Judas was chosen along with them. But they were capable of becoming apostles on being chosen by Him who foresees even ultimate issues. Matthias, accordingly, who was not chosen along with them, on showing himself worthy of becoming an apostle, is substituted for Judas.
Those, then, also now, who have exercised themselves in the Lord's commandments, and lived perfectly and gnostically according to the Gospel, may be enrolled in the chosen body of the apostles. Such an one is in reality a presbyter of the Church, and a true minister (deacon) of the will of God, if he do and teach what is the Lord's; not as being ordained [3380] by men, nor regarded righteous because a presbyter, but enrolled in the presbyterate [3381] because righteous. And although here upon earth he be not honoured with the chief seat, [3382] he will sit down on the four-and-twenty thrones, [3383] judging the people, as John says in the Apocalypse.
For, in truth, the covenant of salvation, reaching down to us from the foundation of the world, through different generations and times, is one, though conceived as different in respect of gift. For it follows that there is one unchangeable gift of salvation given by one God, through one Lord, benefiting in many ways. For which cause the middle wall [3384] which separated the Greek from the Jew is taken away, in order that there might be a peculiar people. And so both meet in the one unity of faith; and the selection out of both is one. And the chosen of the chosen are those who by reason of perfect knowledge are called [as the best] from the Church itself, and honoured with the most august glory--the judges and rulers--four-and-twenty (the grace being doubled) equally from Jews and Greeks. Since, according to my opinion, the grades [3385] here in the Church, of bishops, presbyters, deacons, are imitations of the angelic glory, and of that economy which, the Scriptures say, awaits those who, following the footsteps of the apostles, have lived in perfection of righteousness according to the Gospel. For these taken up in the clouds, the apostle [3386] writes, will first minister [as deacons], then be classed in the presbyterate, by promotion in glory (for glory differs [3387] from glory) till they grow into "a perfect man." [3388]
[3379] In opposition to the heretical opinion, that those who are saved have an innate original excellence, on account of which they are saved. [Elucidation VIII.]
[3380] Or, "elected"--cheirotonoumenos. Acts xiv. 23, "And when they had ordained (cheirotonesantes) them elders in every church." A different verb (kathistemi) is used in Tit. i. 5.
[3381] Presbytery or eldership.
[3382] psotokathedria, Mark xii. 39, Luke xx. 46.
[3383] Rev. iv. 4, xi. 16.
[3384] Eph ii. 14, 15, 16, iv. 13.
[3385] prokopai. [Book vii. cap. i, infra.]
[3386] 1 Thess. iv. 17.
[3387] 1 Cor. xv. 41.
[3388] Eph. iv. 13.