Becoming a Community of Disciples

Chapter 4: Spiritual Teachings – The Tools of Good Works

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but leaves behind the root. As long as the root remains in the ground it will eventually generate shoots from the same stock. So also with sin: 3 since not all who commit an offense take their impulse from the sins themselves— rather the cause of the offense arises from yet other offences— 4 it is necessary for him who wishes to purify himself wholly from sin to cut out from below the very first causes of defect. 5 For example, if there has been something of strife and envy (cf. Rom 13:13, et al.), it does not take a beginning from itself, but has a root of arrogance and the love of human glory; 6 for he who seeks glory from men either harries with disputes or envies those who act uprightly, that is, with anyone through whom he appears to be held in less praise or admiration. 7 Therefore, if someone who has been censured 2 once for the vice of envy or contention 3 falls into the same again, 8 let him recognize that the primary cause of which we spoke above from which arises envy or contentiousness is the love of glory which he has lurking in his innermost marrow. 9 He therefore ought to be cured by the contrary and opposite, that is, by exercises of humility. Such exercises of humility are that he submit himself to menial tasks and give himself to lowly acts of service. 10 In this way the vice of arrogance and human glory shall be able to be cured, so that, once he is established in the disposition of humility, he will not fall again into the offense of arrogance and vainglory.

2 Censured – corrected. 3 Contention – conflict.