A Philosophy For The Few

Οὐ παντός, ὦ οὗτοι, τὸ περὶ θεοῦ φιλοσοφεῖν, οὐ παντός· οὐχ οὕτω τὸ πρᾶγμα εὔωνον καὶ τῶν χαμαὶ ἐρχομένων. προσθήσω δέ, οὐδὲ πάντοτε, οὐδὲ πᾶσιν, οὐδὲ πάντα, ἀλλ' ἔστιν ὅτε, καὶ οἷς, καὶ ἐφ' ὅσον. οὐ πάντων μέν, ὅτι τῶν ἐξητασμένων καὶ διαβεβηκότων ἐν θεωρίᾳ, καὶ πρὸ τούτων καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα κεκαθαρμένων, ἢ καθαιρομένων, τὸ μεριώτατον. μὴ καθαρῷ γὰρ ἅπτεσθαι καθαροῦ τυχὸν οὐδὲ ἀσφαλές, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ ὄψει σαθρᾷ ἡλιακῆς ἀκτῖνος. ὅτε δέ; ἡνίκα ἂν σχολὴν ἄγωμεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἔξωθεν ἰλύος καὶ ταραχῆς, καὶ μὴ τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν ἡμῶν συγχέηται τοῖς μοχθηροῖς τύποις καὶ πλανωμένοις, οἷον γράμμασι πονηροῖς ἀναμιγνύντων κάλλη γραμμάτων, ἢ βορβόρῳ μύρων εὐωδίαν. δεῖ γὰρ τῷ ὄντι σχολάσαι, καὶ γνῶναι θεόν· καὶ ὅταν λάβωμεν καιρόν, κρίνειν θεολογίας εὐθύτητα. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος ΚΖ' Κατὰ Εὐνομιανῶν Προδιάλεξις Migne PG 36.13-16

Not to every one, my friends, does it belong to philosophize about God, not to every one; the matter is not so cheap and common; and I shall add, should not be done at all times, nor before everyone, nor on all points; but at certain times, and before certain persons, and on certain points. Not to all men, because it is permitted only to those who who have passed through contemplation, those who have been purified in soul and body, or at least are being purified. For the impure to touch the pure is, we may safely say, not safe, just as it is unsafe to fix weak eyes upon the sun's rays. And when should we? We may when we are free from all external defilement or disturbance, and when that which rules within us is not confused with depraved or erring images; like those who mix up good and bad writing, or filth with the sweet smelling ointments. For it is necessary to be truly at leisure to know God, and when we have a convenient season, to discern the straight road of things Divine. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 27