VIII.  And when Infinity is considered from two points of view, beginning and end (for that which is beyond these and not limited by them is Infinity), when the mind looks to the depth above, not having where to stand, and leans upon phenomena to form an idea of God, it calls the Infinite and Unapproachable which it finds there by the name of Unoriginate.  And when it looks into the depths below, and at the future, it calls Him Undying and Imperishable.  And when it draws a conclusion from the whole it calls Him Eternal (αἴωνιος).  For Eternity (αἵων) is neither time nor part of time; for it cannot be measured.  But what time, measured by the course of the sun, is to us, that Eternity is to the Everlasting, namely, a sort of time-like movement and interval co-extensive with their existence.  This, however, is all I must now say about God; for the present is not a suitable time, as my present subject is not the doctrine of God, but that of the Incarnation.  But when I say God, I mean Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  For Godhead is neither diffused beyond these, so as to bring in a mob of gods; nor yet is it bounded by a smaller compass than these, so as to condemn us for a poverty-stricken conception of Deity; either Judaizing to save the Monarchia, or falling into heathenism by the multitude of our gods.  For the evil on either side is the same, though found in contrary directions.  This then is the Holy of Holies,20    The Holy of Holies here means the Holy Trinity. which is hidden even from the Seraphim, and is glorified with a thrice repeated Holy,21    The reference is to the Ter Sanctus or Triumphal Hymn, which is found in every Liturgy.  The previous writer referred to is thought by some to be S. Athanasius, but by others S. Dionysius the Areopagite, who has some words on this point in his treatise De Cœlest. Hier., c. 7.  But the most competent scholars deny the authenticity of the works attributed to S. Dionysius, and place them from one hundred to one hundred and fifty years later than S. Gregory’s time. meeting in one ascription of the Title Lord and God, as one of our predecessors has most beautifully and loftily pointed out.

Ηʹ. Διχῆ δὲ τοῦ ἀπείρου θεωρουμένου, κατά τε ἀρχὴν καὶ τέλος (τὸ γὰρ ὑπὲρ ταῦτα, καὶ μὴ ἐν τούτοις, ἄπειρον), ὅταν μὲν εἰς τὸν ἄνω βυθὸν ὁ νοῦς ἀποβλέψῃ, οὐκ ἔχων ὅποι στῇ καὶ ἀπερείσηται ταῖς περὶ Θεοῦ φαντασίαις, τὸ ἐνταῦθα ἄπειρον καὶ ἀνέκβατον, ἄναρχον προσηγόρευσεν: ὅταν δὲ εἰς τὰ κάτω καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, ἀθάνατον καὶ ἀνώλεθρον: ὅταν δὲ συνέλῃ τὸ πᾶν, αἰώνιον. Αἰὼν γὰρ, οὔτε χρόνος, οὔτε χρόνου τι μέρος: οὐδὲ γὰρ μετρητόν: ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἡμῖν ὁ χρόνος, ἡλίου φορᾷ μετρούμενος, τοῦτο τοῖς ἀϊδίοις, αἰὼν, τὸ συμπαρεκτεινόμενον τοῖς οὖσιν, οἷόν τι χρονικὸν κίνημα, καὶ διάστημα. Ταῦτά μοι περὶ Θεοῦ πεφιλοσοφήσθω τανῦν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὑπὲρ ταῦτα καιρὸς, ὅτι μὴ θεολογία τὸ προκείμενον ἡμῖν, ἀλλ' οἰκονομία. Θεοῦ δὲ ὅταν εἴπω, λέγω Πατρὸς, καὶ Υἱοῦ, καὶ ἁγίου Πνεύματος: οὔτε ὑπὲρ ταῦτα τῆς θεότητος χεομένης, ἵνα μὴ δῆμον θεῶν εἰσαγάγωμεν: οὔτε ἐντὸς τούτων ὁριζομένης, ἵνα μὴ πενίαν θεότητος κατακριθῶμεν, ἢ διὰ τὴν μοναρχίαν Ἰουδαΐζοντες, ἢ διὰ τὴν ἀφθονίαν Ἑλληνίζοντες. Τὸ γὰρ κακὸν ἐν ἀμφοτέροις ὅμοιον, κἂν ἐν τοῖς ἐναντίοις εὑρίσκηται. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν τὰ Ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων, ἃ καὶ τοῖς σεραφὶμ συγκαλύπτεται, καὶ δοξάζεται τρισὶν ἁγιασμοῖς, εἰς μίαν συνιοῦσι κυριότητα καὶ θεότητα: ὃ καὶ ἄλλῳ τινὶ τῶν πρὸ ἡμῶν πεφιλοσόφηται κάλλιστά τε καὶ ὑψηλότατα.