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discernment with a certain concept; but investigation is the cognitive movement of the mind according to knowledge towards something knowable with a certain, that is, this kind of, desire; but exploration is the active discernment of the reason concerning something knowable with a certain, that is, this kind of, concept; transferring these terms to divine things, we say that seeking is the first and simple movement of the mind towards its own cause with desire, but inquiry is the first and simple discernment of the reason concerning its own cause with a certain concept, and investigation, again, is the cognitive movement of the mind according to knowledge towards its own cause with a certain fervent desire, but exploration is the discernment of the reason according to the activity of the virtues concerning its own cause, which comes about with a certain intelligent and wise concept.

Therefore, the holy prophets also, having investigated and explored concerning the salvation of souls, had a fiery and fervent movement of the mind towards God with knowledge and cognition according to desire, and an intelligent and wise discernment of the reason according to the activity of divine things; those who imitate them investigate the salvation of souls with cognition and knowledge, and exploring with prudence and wisdom, they pursue discernment in divine works.

SCHOLIA 1. He says that neither does divine grace effect illuminations of knowledge, when there is not that which, according to its

natural capacity, receives the illumination; (14Γ_182> nor indeed does the receptive faculty, without the grace that supplies the illumination, effect knowledge.

2. He who asks without passion receives the grace of being able to put the virtues into practice; and he who seeks dispassionately, finds the truth in existing things according to natural contemplation; and he who knocks dispassionately at the door of knowledge, will enter unhindered into the hidden grace of mystical theology.

3. The mind, he says, is the instrument of wisdom; the reason, of knowledge; the full assurance in both is of the faith constituted by both; and of the gift of healing, natural philanthropy is the instrument. For every divine gift has in us a suitable and fitting receptive instrument, like a capacity or a disposition. For example, he who has made his mind pure of every sensible image, receives wisdom; but he who has made his reason the master of the innate passions, I mean anger and desire, receives knowledge; but he who has unshakable full assurance concerning the Divine according to mind and reason, receives the faith that is able to do all things; but he who has set right his natural philanthropy, after the complete destruction of self-love, receives gifts of healing.

4. The sensible light, clearly. 5. The spiritual light, clearly. 6. Of those, that is, who are moved towards God. 7. The principle of being, he says, implies God as a natural beginning; and the

principle of well-being, implies God as an end, towards which everyone who yearns to reshape his desire towards God strives according to his will; the unity of which is the principle of well-being, coming into being according to grace and implying God, who is by nature superior to every beginning and end, making those who have a beginning and end by nature, to be without beginning and without end by grace.

(14Γ_184> 8. The transformation in quality towards deification according to grace is an exodus from those things that are circumscribed by nature with a beginning and an end.

9. A mystical indication demonstrative of the judgment to come. 10. First, he says, one seeks by choice to put sin to death, and choice to sin; and thus one inquires,

how and in what manner to put them to death to one another. And again, after their complete putting to death to one another, one seeks the life of choice according to virtue, and the life of virtue according to choice. And thus

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μετά τινος ἐννοίας διάκρισις· ἐκζήτησις δέ ἐστιν ἡ κατ᾽ ἐπιστήμην τοῦ νοὸς γνωστικὴ πρός τι γνωστὸν μετὰ ποιᾶς, ἤγουν τοιᾶσδε, ἐφέσεως κίνησις· ἐξερεύνησις δέ ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ λόγου κατ᾽ ἐνέργειαν περί τι γνωστὸν μετὰ ποιᾶς, ἤγουν τοιᾶσδε, ἐννοίας διάκρισις· οὕστινας ὅρους ἐπὶ τὰ θεῖα μεταφέροντες, φαμὲν ὅτι ζήτησίς ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ νοῦ πρώτη τε καὶ ἁπλῆ πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν αἰτίαν μετ᾽ ἐφέσεως κίνησις, ἐρεύνησις δέ ἐστιν ἡ πρώτη τε καὶ ἁπλῆ τοῦ λόγου περὶ τὴν ἰδίαν αἰτίαν μετά τινος ἐννοίας διάκρισις, ἐκζήτησις δὲ πάλιν ἐστὶν ἡ τοῦ νοῦ κατ᾽ ἐπιστήμην γνωστικὴ πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν αἰτίαν μετά τινος ζεούσης ἐφέσεως κίνησις, ἐξερεύνησις δέ ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ λόγου κατ᾽ ἐνέργειαν τῶν ἀρετῶν περὶ τὴν ἰδίαν αἰτίαν μετά τινος ἔμφρονος καὶ σοφῆς ἐννοίας γινομένη διάκρισις.

Οὐκοῦν καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι προφῆται, περὶ τῆς σωτηρίας τῶν ψυχῶν ἐκζητήσαντές τε καὶ ἐξερευνήσαντες, διάπυρον εἶχον καὶ ζέουσαν μετ᾽ ἐπιστήμης καὶ γνώσεως πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν τὴν τοῦ νοῦ κατ᾽ ἔφεσιν κίνησιν, καὶ ἔμφρονα καὶ σοφὴν τὴν τοῦ λόγου κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τῶν θείων διάκρισιν· οὓς οἱ μιμούμενοι μετὰ γνώσεως καὶ ἐπιστήμης τὴν τῶν ψυχῶν ἐκζητοῦσι σωτηρίαν, καὶ μετὰ φρονήσεως καὶ σοφίας ἐξερευνῶντες μετέρχονται τὴν ἐν τοῖς θείοις ἔργοις διάκρισιν.

ΣΧΟΛΙΑ 1. Οὔτε ἡ θείας χάρις φησίν ἐνεργεῖ φωτισμούς γνώσεως, οὐκ ὄντος τοῦ κατά

δύναμιν φυσικήν δεχομένου τόν φωτισμόν· (14Γ_182> οὔτε μήν τό δεκτικόν δίχα τῆς χορηγούσης χάριτος τόν φωτισμόν ἐνεργεῖ γνώσεως.

2. Ὁ δίχα πάθους αἰτῶν λαμβάνει τήν τοῦ ἐνεργεῖν δύνασθαι χάριν κατά τήν πρᾶξιν τάς ἀρετάς· καί ὁ ζητῶν ἀπαθῶς, εὑρίσκει κατά τήν φυσικήν θεωρίαν τήν ἐν τοῖς οὖσιν ἀλήθειαν· καί ὁ κρούων ἀπαθῶς τήν θύραν τῆς γνώσεως, ἀκωλύτως εἰς τήν ἀπόκρυφον τῆς μυστικῆς θεολογίας εἰσελεύσεται χάριν.

3. Ὁ νοῦς σοφίας ὄργανόν φησιν· ὁ λόγος, γνώσεως· ἡ κατ᾿ ἄμφω πληροφρία, τῆς κατ᾿ ἄμφω συνισταμένης πίστεως· τοῦ δέ τῶν ἰαμάτων χαρίσματος, ἡ φυσική φιλανθρωπία. Πᾶν γάρ χάρισμα θεῖον, ἐπιτήδειον ἐν ἡμῖν ἔχει καί προσφυές ὥσπερ δύναμιν ἤ διάθεσιν ὄργανον δεκτικόν. Οἷον ὁ τόν νοῦν πάσης αἰσθητῆς φαντασίας ποιήσας καθαρόν, δέχεται σοφίαν· ὁ δέ τόν λόγον τῶν ἐμφύτων παθῶν, θυμοῦ λέγω καί ἐπιθυμίας, καταστάσας ∆εσπότην, δέχεται γνῶσιν· ὁ δέ τήν κατά νοῦν καί λόγον περί τό Θεῖον ἀσάλευτον πληροφορίαν ἔχων, τήν πάντα δυναμένην δέχεται πίστιν· ὁ δέ τήν φυσικήν κατορθώσας φιλανθρωπίαν, μετά τήν τελείαν τῆς φιλαυτίας ἀναίρεσιν, ἰαμάτων δέχεται χαρίσματα.

4. Τό αἰσθητόν φῶς δῆλον ὅτι. 5. Τό πνευματικόν φῶς δῆλον ὅτι. 6. Τῶν πρός Θεόν, δηλονότι κινουμένων. 7. Ὁ τοῦ εἶναι λόγος τόν Θεόν ὡς ἀρχήν φυσικήν ἐπιφέρεται, φησίν· καί ὁ

τοῦ εὖ εἶναι λόγος, τόν Θεόν ὡς τέλος, πρός ὅν ἐπείγεται γνωμικῶς, πᾶς ὁ τήν ἔφεσιν εἰς Θεόν ἀναπλάσαι γλιχόμενος· ὧν ἑνότης ἐστίν, ὁ τοῦ εὖ εἶναι λόγος κατά χάριν παραγινόμενος, καί τόν Θεόν ἐπιφερόμενος, τόν πάσης ἀρχῆς καί τέλους κατά φύσιν ἀνώτερον, ποιοῦντα τούς ἀρχήν ἔχοντας κατά φύσιν καί τέλος ἀνάρχους κατά χάριν καί ἀτελευτήτους.

(14Γ_184> 8. Ἡ κατά χάριν ἐν τῷ ποιῷ πρός θέωσιν μεταποίησις, ἔκβασις τῶν ἀρχῇ τε καί τέλει φυσικῶς περιγεγραμμένων ἐστί.

9. Ἔμφασις μυστικά τῆς ἐσομένης κρίσεως ἀποδεικτική. 10. Πρῶτόν τις ζητεῖ, φησί, τῇ προαιρέσει νεκρῶσαι τήν ἁμαρτίαν, καί τήν

προαίρεσιν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ· καί οὕτως ἐρευνᾷ, πῶς δεῖ καί ποίῳ τρόπῳ νεκρῶσαι ταύτας ἀλλήλαις. Καί πάλιν μετά τήν τούτων ἀλλήλαις τελείαν νέκρωσιν, ζητεῖ τήν κατ᾿ ἀρετήν τῆς προαιρέσεως, καί τῆς ἀρετῆς τήν κατά προαίρεσιν ζωήν. Καί οὕτως