Syriac Patrology, Volume 3: The Book of Steps

PRAEFATIO — CAPUT II. DE ARGUMENTO LIBRI GRADUUM.

avoid sinners; for they received this commandment at a time when they were still "infants" in knowledge.

In the sixth discourse, the constant progress of man in perfection is outlined. By the likeness of a building and a golden vessel, he is described who, having received the Paraclete, knows the whole truth and becomes like Adam on the day of creation, and after constant progress, arrives at contemplating the majesty of God face to face.

The seventh discourse is entitled "on the commandments of the just." Having explained the notion of justice, it deals with different kinds of superstition: the use of amulets, incantations, and vain cures; then the Author discusses the right way of living for the just, teaching that it is the will of God that each person should perform good works according to his own capacity and measure.

The eighth discourse deals with that charity of the perfect man, "who gives everything he has to the poor" and also prays for his enemies. The Author places this charity before even the charity of the martyrs, since they are nothing compared with the protomartyr Stephen, praying for his enemies.

In the ninth discourse, the subject is "the just and the charity of the just." By the name of the just are called the holy men of the Old Covenant, who indeed sincerely sought perfection but could not attain it "because of the wall of enmity standing between God and men" until Christ pierced it with His blood, reconciling those above and those below. On account of this enmity, God did not permit the ancient just to be perfected, and even sometimes rendered them unjust, sending them against nations so that they might harm and curse them. All of these things are illustrated by the example of Abraham, Elijah, Elisha, and other prophets. These saints, indeed, the Lord perfected after His resurrection and raised to the place of the blessed; but since today no one is perfected after his death, no one who has not attained perfection while still alive will be admitted to the vision of God after death. In the ancient saints, however, an example is set for the just of today who are established in the use of the goods of this world, so that by using riches rightly they may be saved, that is, so that they may attain at least some lower degree of eternal beatitude.

In the tenth discourse, the Author teaches that the devil sends tribulations upon the good, whom he deters from good works, and he deals "with the utility that we have while we endure evils while doing good" and with the manner in which God "tests" the healthy through the infirm, and the rich through the poor, to explore the beneficence of each.

The eleventh discourse is occupied with explaining "the hearing of the Scriptures," that is, by what reason the "great and small," the "gentle and hard" mandates are to be distinguished when the Scriptures are heard in church, which is also illustrated by several examples.

In the twelfth discourse, the Author pursues the subject of the preceding Discourse further, dealing "with the hidden and manifest ministry of the Church" and teaching that the visible ministry and visible sacraments of the visible Church are a mere figure of the invisible Church of the "heart and the sublime," in which the perfect are baptized in an invisible and more excellent manner.

The thirteenth discourse deals "with the conduct of the just," that is, with the duties of the "just" toward God and neighbor, which are illustrated by various examples drawn from the Old Covenant.

The following discourse, the fourteenth, dealing "with the just and the perfect," compares the manner of acting and the duties of the just and the perfect in detail.

The fifteenth discourse, which is entitled "on the instinct of coitus in Adam," is divided into three parts. The first part (1-9) deals with the fall of the first parents and the origin of the carnal stimulus and explains how men can be freed from "evil thoughts" through renunciation. In the second part (10-15), the discussion concerns divine remuneration and vengeance, and the question of the salvation of the saints of the Old Covenant, who were raised to heaven after Christ's resurrection, is weighed. Finally, in the third part (16-20), the discussion concerns the different degrees of grace and charisms.

In the sixteenth discourse, the Author raises the question "on the way by which one becomes greater than the great commandments" and shows that the perfect can even exceed the great commandments if they perform more than they are ordered, which then happens if one declares oneself a "sinner" and "esteems all men better than oneself."

In the seventeenth discourse, the Author shows that the Lord was an example to us by His passion, that is, by what reason we should love our enemies; and that the Savior sympathizes with us if, patiently enduring the persecutions of our enemies, we pray for them.

The eighteenth discourse deals "with the tears of prayer" or the sorrow for sins committed and the joy for the grace of God recovered, when, having conquered internal sin, one becomes master of the grace of God. The manner in which internal sin can be uprooted from the heart after many prayers and tears is also shown.

The nineteenth discourse is occupied with the "exposition of the perfect way." In the first part (1-8), the "great" commandments are likened to the straight way, which leads quickly, though most painfully, to the city of the Lord. Since, therefore, this way is too arduous, the Lord and the Apostles showed the weak "paths" running to the side of the way, which do not indeed lead to the city of the Lord, but for those running in them, at least free them from eternal destruction. In the second part (9-33), it is shown practically in detail which of the Lord's and Apostles' precepts are of the "way" and which are "paths." In the third part (34-40), he urges the "paths" or small commandments by the Lord and the Apostles.