Andrew Louth - Syriac Christian Church

94 DIFFICULTY 10
1108A
B
C
1
Introduction
I do not think that I possess defectively the word of the
teacher handed down about the virtue of the Saints, and if, as
you wrote, there are some who think this, saying that the
divine philosophy belongs to those who pass over by reason
and contemplation alone without ascetic struggle, I on the
contrary dare to define as solely the truly fully satisfactory
philosophy that true judgment concerning reality and activity,
supported by ascetic struggle, or rather I undertake to
introduce reason, manifested as correcting [philosophy] by
reason and contemplation, as ascetic struggle is certainly
connected to reason, and the judgment it involves embraced by
contemplation. For the movement of the body is ordered by
reason, which by correct thinking restrains, as by a bridle,
any turning aside towards what is out of place, and the
rational and sensible choice of what is thought and judged is
reckoned to contemplation, like a most radiant light
manifesting truth itself through true knowledge. By these two
especially every philosophical virtue is created and protected
and by them is manifest through the body, though not wholly.
For philosophy is not limited by a body, since it has the
character of divine power, but it has certain shadowy
reflections, in those who have been stripped through the grace
of philosophy to become imitators of the godlike conduct of
God-loving men. Through participation in the Good they too
have put off the shamefulness of evil to become worthy of
being portions of God, through assistance they needed from
those empowered, and having received it they make manifest
in the body through ascetic struggle the virtuous disposition
that is hidden in the depth of the soul. So they become all
things to all men and in all things make present to all the
providence of God, and thus are a credit to the God-loving men.
If there were no-one who needed to suffer or stood in need of
an example to show him what virtue was, everyone would be
completely sufficient for himself and arrayed with the graces
of the virtues in his soul. But it is not absurd to say that this is
not the case apart from such virtues being demonstrated
manifestly through the body. He who acquires comprehension
devoutly through contemplation, it is as if he possessed
reality, with a rational will defining the reason of things
accurately and correctly, keeping the judgment for himself, or