THE ECLECTIC PHILOSOPHY PAVES THE WAY FOR DIVINE VIRTUE.
The Greek preparatory culture, therefore, with philosophy itself, is
shown to have come down from God to men, not with a definite direction,
but in the way in which showers fall down on the good land, and on the
dunghill, and on the houses. And similarly both the grass and the wheat
sprout; and the figs and any other reckless trees grow on sepulchres.
And things that grow, appear as a type of truths. For they enjoy the
same influence of the rain. But they have not the same grace as those
which spring up in rich soil, inasmuch as they are withered or plucked
up. And here we are aided by the parable of the sower, which the Lord
interpreted. For the husbandman of the soil which is among men is one;
He who from the beginning, from the foundation of the world, sowed
nutritious seeds; He who in each age rained down the Lord, the Word.
But the times and places which received [such gifts], created the
differences which exist. Further, the husbandman sows not only wheat
(of which there are many varieties), but also other seeds--barley, and
beans, and peas, and vetches, and vegetable and flower seeds. And to
the same husbandry belongs both planting and the operations necessary
in the nurseries, and gardens, and orchards, and the planting and
rearing of all sorts of trees.
In like manner, not only the care of sheep, but the care of herds,
and breeding of horses, and dogs, and bee-craft, all arts, and to
speak comprehensively, the care of flocks and the rearing of animals,
differ from each other more or less, but are all useful for life. And
philosophy--I do not mean the Stoic, or the Platonic, or the Epicurean,
or the Aristotelian, but whatever has been well said by each of those
sects, which teach righteousness along with a science pervaded by
piety,--this eclectic whole I call philosophy. But such conclusions of
human reasonings, as men have cut away and falsified, I would never
call divine.
And now we must look also at this, that if ever those who know not how
to do well, live well;[868] for they have lighted on well-doing. Some,
too, have aimed well at the word of truth through understanding. “But
Abraham was not justified by works, but by faith.”[869] It is therefore
of no advantage to them after the end of life, even if they do good
works now, if they have not faith. Wherefore also the Scriptures were
translated into the language of the Greeks, in order that they might
never be able to allege the excuse of ignorance, inasmuch as they are
able to hear also what we have in our hands, if they only wish. One
speaks in one way of the truth, in another way the truth interprets
itself. The guessing at truth is one thing, and truth itself is
another. Resemblance is one thing, the thing itself is another. And
the one results from learning and practice, the other from power and
faith. For the teaching of piety is a gift, but faith is grace. “For
by doing the will of God we know the will of God.”[870] “Open, then,”
says the Scripture, “the gates of righteousness; and I will enter in,
and confess to the Lord.”[871] But the paths to righteousness (since
God saves in many ways, for He is good) are many and various, and
lead to the Lord’s way and gate. And if you ask the royal and true
entrance, you will hear, “This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous
shall enter in by it.”[872] While there are many gates open, that in
righteousness is in Christ, by which all the blessed enter, and direct
their steps in the sanctity of knowledge. Now Clemens, in his Epistle
to the Corinthians, while expounding the differences of those who
are approved according to the church, says expressly, “One may be a
believer; one may be powerful in uttering knowledge; one may be wise in
discriminating between words; one may be terrible in deeds.”