St Isaac of Nineveh - Mystical Treatises - chapter index

[Note: I created this is the table of contents from the pdf file of the book, from https://archive.org/download/IsaacOfNinevehMysticTreatises/isaac_of_nineveh_mystical_treatises_text.pdf

MYSTIC TREATISES BY ISAAC OF NINEVEH - TRANSLATED FROM BEDJAN'S SYRIAC TEXT - WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND REGISTERS by A. J. WENSINCK

[ Apparently the original table of contents and the introduction are missing from the scanned copies. May this prove useful and save some time to those who wish to study this most excellent work of a great saint. More info about St Isaac of Syria (Nineveh) can be found, among other places, here: http://orthodoxwiki.org/Isaac_of_Syria ]

01 - Six treatises on the behavior of excellence

07 - pg 67. ON OTHER SUBJECTS, CHAPTER BY CHAPTER, IN SHORT SECTIONS. ON THE CHARACTER OF TRUST IN GOD AND FOR WHOM IT IS BECOMING TO TRUST IN GOD. AND FURTHER: WHEN A MAN TRUSTS, HE WILL HAVE POWER ACCORDING TO [THE STATE OF] HIS MIND. AND WHO TRUSTS FOOLISHLY AND WITHOUT DISCERNMENT

08 - pg 70 - WHAT IT IS THAT HELPS A MAN TO COME NEAR UNTO GOD WITH HIS HEART AND WHY IT IS THAT HELP COMES NEAR UNTO HIM SECRETLY AND WHAT IT IS THAT CAUSES A MAN TO COME NEAR UNTO HUMILITY

09 - pg 74 - ON SINS [COMMITTED] INTENTIONALLY AND WITH EVIL WILL AND ON THOSE [COMMITTED] ACCIDENTALLY

10 - pg 78 - ON THE WORDS OF THE SCRIPTURES BEING SPOKEN AS IT WERE TO PATIENTS IN MODERATION LEST THEY SHOULD WHOLLY ABANDON THE LIVING GOD. BUT THIS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN BY US AS A REASON FOR GREATER FREEDOM REGARDING SIN

11 - pg 80 - WHEREBY THE BEAUTY OF SOLITARY LIFE IS TO BE PRESERVED AND HOW IT CAN BE A CAUSE OF GOD'S BEING GLORIFIED

12 - pg 82 - THAT IT IS NOT BEAUTIFUL FOR THE SERVANT OF GOD WHO HAS RENUNCIATED THE WORLD AND HAS GONE FORTH TO SEEK EVEN THE TRUTH, OUT OF FEAR THAT HE SHALL NOT FIND THE TRUTH TO DESIST FROM SEEKING IT OR FROM THE FERVOUR WHICH IS BORN FROM THE DESIRE OF DIVINE THINGS, OR FROM THE INQUIRY AFTER THEIR MYSTIC SECRETS WHICH ARE DESCRIBED MYSTERIOUSLY. THAT, BY THIS SEEKING, THE MIND MAY DESIST FROM EVIL DISTRACTION AND RECOLLECTIONS OF THE AFFECTIONS

13 - pg 84 - ON THE VARYING STATES WHICH COME TO THOSE WHO EIVE IN SOLITUDE, AS IS JUSTLY ORDERED BY GOD CONCERNING THIS [SPIRITUAL] WAY: NOW SADNESS AND PSYCHIC SUFFOCATION, THEN, SUDDENLY, GLADNESS AND JOY AND HOT FERVOUR AND UNUSUAL STRENGTH. PRAISE TO HIM THAT HAS ORDERED OUR WAY AMEN

14 - pg 85 - AS TO WHEN THOSE WHO LIVE IN SOLITUDE BEGIN TO KNOW, EVEN TO A SLIGHT EXTENT, HOW FAR THEY HAVE ADVANCED IN THEIR SERVICE IN THE UNFATHOMABLE SEA OF SOLITARY LIFE SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE SOMEWHAT ON THEIR LABOURS THAT THEY BEGIN TO BEAR FRUIT

15 - pg 87 - ON THE COURSE OF THE SOLITARY CAREER, SUCCINCTLY AND WITHOUT PROLIXITY. AND ON THE QUESTION HOW AND AT WHAT TIME ITS VIRTUES ARE BORN ONE FROM THE OTHER

16 - pg 89 - MOW PROFITABLE IT IS FOR THE SOUL WHILE IN SOLITUDE TO BE FREE FROM WORKS AND HOW INTERCOURSE HARMS THE MIND OF THE NOVICE WHICH HAS BUT LATELY BEGUN TO HAVE INSIGHT FOR ITSELF AND HOW IT IS CLEAR THAT BODILY WORKS NECESSARILY BRING ABOUT IN THE SOLITARY A DEFICIENCY IN DIVINE WORKS

17 - pg 91 - ON THE SHORT PATHS TOWARDS GOD WHICH ARE REVEALED TO ONE FROM THE SWEET WORKS IN VIGILS AND THAT THOSE WHO ARE GIVEN TO VIGILS ARE SUPPORTED BY HONEY THEIR WHOLE LIFETIME

18 - pg 95 - THINGS WHICH I HAVE HEARD FROM OLD MEN AND STORIES OF HOLY PEOPLE, THEIR PIOUS WORDS AND WONDERFUL BEHAVIOUR. MAY GOD PRESERVE US BY THEIR PRAYERS. AMEN.
- pg 101 - ADMONITION OF ONE OF THE FATHERS CONCERNING THE RIGHT SOLITUDE

19 - pg 105 - ON THE REVELATIONS AND POWERS WHICH HAPPEN TO THE SAINTS IN IMAGES

20 - pg 109 - ON VARIOUS INTELLIGIBLE FORCES OF THE MIND IN CONNECTION WITH THE. ACTION OF REVELATIONS AND SPIRITUAL VISIONS

21 - pg 110 - ON THAT WHICH HAPPENS DURING PRAYER [UNTO THOSE WHO LIVE] IN SOLITUDE

22 - pg 111 - ON VARIOUS [EXPERIENCES] DURING PRAYER AND ON THE LIMITS OF THE POWER OF THE MIND. AND IN HOW FAR IT HAS POWER TO MOVE ITS ARBITRARY IMPULSES BY THE VARIOUS HABITS OF PRAYER. AND WHAT IS THE LIMIT PRESCRIBED TO NATURE DURING PRAYER, THE LIMIT WHICH PRAYER IS NOT ALLOWED TO SURPASS. AND HOW WHEN IT HAS PASSED IT AND HAS PROCEEDED FARTHER, IT IS NO LONGER PRAYER, EVEN THOUGH WHAT HAPPENS IS CALLED BY THE NAME OF PRAYER

23 - pg 118 - ON THE SPEECH OF TRUE KNOWLEDGE

24 - pg 120 - ON THE THINGS A BROTHER IS PROVIDED WITH IN HIS CELL

25 - pg 124 - THE OPPORTUNITIES OF THE SOUL THAT SEEKS PROFOUND CONTEMPLATION TO IMMERSE ITSELF IN IT AND SO TO ESCAPE FROM BODILY DELIBERATIONS WHICH ARISE FROM THINGS RECOLLECTED

26 - pg 128 - AGAINST THOSE WHO SAY: IF GOD IS GOOD WHEREFORE HAS HE MADE THESE THINGS?

27 - pg 132 - IN HOW MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THE SIGHT OF INCORPOREAL BEINGS IS RECEIVED BY HUMAN NATURE

28 - pg 136 - A SYMBOLICAL DEMONSTRATION CONCERNING THE THEORY OF SABBATH AND SUNDAY

29 - pg 138 - ON THK DIFFERENT EXCELLENT METHODS OF WISE PROVIDENCE IN EDUCATING PUPILS

30 - pg 141 - ON THE POWER AND THE EVIL ACTION OE SIN AND CONCERNING THOSE IN WHOM IT MAINTAINS ITSELF AND THOSE IN WHOM IT IS ANNIHILATED

31 - pg 145 - THE STRUGGLE OR RATHER THE DANGER OF FALLING THAT EXCELLENT WORKS INCUR

32 - pg 146 - ON THE AIM OF GUARDING THK HEART AND ON SUBTLE SPECULATION THAT LOOKS INTO THE APARTMENT

33 - pg 148 - ON THE ACTION OF DIVINE LOVE

34 - pg 149 - ON THE NATURAL CHILDREN OF VIRTUES AND THE LIKE

35 - pg 152 - A TREATISE IN QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS CONCERNING CONSTANT BEHAVIOUR AND EVERY KIND OF EXCELLENCE WHICH IS EMINENTLY USEFUL FOR THOSE WHO HAVE STRIPPED OFF THE WORLD AND DWELL IN THE WILDERNESS, FOR RECLUSES AND FOR THOSE WHO IN VOLUNTARY MORTIFICATION AT ALL TIMES EXPECT THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

36 - pg 180 - ON THE VARIOUS WAYS IN WHICH SATAN WARS AGAINST THOSE WHO TREAD THE NARROW WAY WHICH IS ABOVE THE WORLD

37 - pg 188 - ON THE THINGS THE EXACT USE OF WHICH I HAVE LEARNT BY THE KNOWLEDGE OF DISCERNMENT

38 - pg 194 - SHORT SENTENCES CONCERNING THE DISTINCTION OF THE MIND'S IMPULSES

39 - pg 197 - HELPFUL ADVICE BASED ON LOVE

40 - pg 202 - EXPOSITION CONCERNING THE DEGREES OF THE PATH, NAMELY CONCERNING THE POWER OF MINISTRATION OF EACH OF THEM

41 - pg 205 - A LETTER WHICH HE WROTE TO ONE OF THE BRETHREN WHO LOVED SOLITUDE CONCERNING HOW SATAN CONTRIVES TO DIVERT THE ZEALOUS FROM CONSTANT SOLITUDE UNDER THE PRETEXT OF THE LOVE OF RELATIVES AND HONOURED MEN, AND THAT IT IS BECOMING THAT ALL SHOULD BE DESPISED IN THE EYES [OF THE SOLITARY] COMPARED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD WHICH IS FOUND IN SOLITUDE AS MAY BE SEEN IN THE EXAMPLE OF OUR ANCESTORS

42 - pg 209 - THE ANSWER HE SENT HIS NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL BROTHER WHO HAD TRIED TO PERSUADE HIM IN LETTERS THAT HE SHOULD VISIT HIM IN THE INHABITED WORLD BECAUSE HE LONGED TO SEE HIM

43 - pg 210 - PROFITABLE WORDS FULL OF SPIRITUAL WISDOM

44 - pg 212 - CONCERNING HOW MANY DEGREES KNOWLEDGE HAS AND CONGERNING THE DEGREES OF FAITH

45 - pg 215 - PROFITABLE ADVICE

46 - pg 221 - OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

47 - pg 225 - ON THE ANGELIC EMOTIONS STIRRING IN US BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE EOR THE EDUCATION OF THE SOUL IN SPIRITUAL THINGS

48 - pg 227 - ON THE VARYING STATES OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS TO WHICH THE SOUL IS SUBJECT AT ALL TIMES AND ON THE TRAINING IT ACQUIRES IN THINGS OF THE RIGHT HAND AND OF THE LEFT

49 - pg 228 - ON THE GLOOMY DARKNESS WHICH DURING SOLITUDE BEFALLS THOSE WHO WALK IN THE DISCIPLINE OF KNOWLEDGE

50 - pg 230 - SHORT SECTIONS CONTAINING VARIOUS CONSIDERATIONS IN WHICH IS SHOWN THE INJURY CAUSED BY FOOLISH ZEAL UNDER THE PRETEXT OF FEAR OF GOD AND THE PROFIT ORIGINATING IN QUIET NESS, TOGETHER WITH OTHER SUBJECTS

51 - pg 242 - ON THE THREE DEGREES OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN THEIR SERVICE AND IMPULSES AND ON THE FAITH OF THE SOUL AND THE TREASURES OF MYSTERIES HIDDEN IN IT AND TO WHAT EXTENT WORLDLY KNOWLEDGE IN ITS MEANS IS OPPOSED TO THE SIMPLICITY OF FAITH

52 - pg 253 - SHORT SECTIONS ON A DIFFERENT SUBJECT ON THE DISTINCTION OF THE IMPULSES OF KNOWLEDGE

53 - pg 254 - ON PRAYER AND THE OTHER THINGS WHICH ARE NECESSARILY TO BE SOUGHT IN CONSTANT RECOLLECTION AND WHICH IT IS VERY PROFITABLE FOR A MAN TO RECITE WITH DISCRIMINATION AND TO RETAIN

54 - pg 261 - OTHER EXPLANATIONS CONCERNING MAGGENANUTHA

55 - pg 263 - HOW THE HIDDEN ALERTNESS WITHIN THE SOUL IS TO BE PRESERVED HOW SLEEPINESS AND COLDNESS ENTER THE MIND BANISHING THE HOLY FERVOUR FROM THE SOUL KILLING THE DESIRE OF GOD THAT TENDS TOWARDS SPIRITUAL AND HEAVENLY DESIRABLE THINGS

56 - pg 265 - BEAUTIFUL CONSIDERATIONS CONCERNING THE LIFE OF MAN

57 - pg 268 - HOW PATIENCE FOR THE SAKE OF THE LOVE OF GOD ACQUIRES HELP FROM GOD

58 - pg 273 - ON THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF GOD AND PASS ALL THEIR DAYS IN A LIFE OF KNOWLEDGE

59 - pg 278 - A PROFITABLE DISCOURSE

60 - pg 281 - THAT WITHOUT NECESSITY WE SHOULD NOT DESIRE NOR ASK THAT ANY SIGN SHOULD MANIFESTLY HAPPEN THROUGH US OR UNTO US

61 - pg 286 - FOR WHICH CAUSES GOD ADMITS TEMPTATIONS TO HIS FRIENDS

62 - pg 288 - THAT BY THE THOUGHTS WHICH STIR IN A MAN HE KNOWS TO WHICH DEGREE HE BELONGS AND WHICH THOUGHTS FOLLOW

63 - pg 293 - WHY IT IS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE PSYCHIC STATE OE KNOWLEDGE CONSIDER SPIRITUAL THINGS IN ACCORDANCE WITH [THEIR] BODILY GROSSNESS AND HOW IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE MIND BE ELEVATED ABOVE THIS AND WHAT IS THE CAUSE WHY WE ARE NOT FREED FROM IT AND WHEN AND HOW IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE MIND TO REMAIN WITHOUT IMAGES AT THE TIME OF PRAYER

64 - pg 296 - ON THE MANY VARYING STATES WHICH CLING TO THE MIND AND ARE PURIFIED BY PRAYER

65 - pg 297 - GOOD ADVICE GIVING INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING WATCHFULNESS AND DIRECTIONS CONCERNING THE WAY OF DISCIPLINE BY WHICH A MAN MAY ACQUIRE A HIGH RANK

66 - pg 312 - LETTER WHICH HE SENT TO HIS FRIEND IN WHICH HE EXPOUNDS SOME THINGS CONCERNING THE MYSTERY OF SOLITUDE AND HOW IT IS THAT MANY NEGLECT THIS WONDERFUL SERVICE BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ACQUAINTED WITH IT WHEREAS THE MAIN PART OF THEM CLING TO SITTING IN THE CELL BECAUSE THIS IS CURRENT MONKISH TRADITION. TOGETHER WITH A COLLECTION OF SHORT SAYINGS USEFUL FOR THOSE WHO PRACTISE SOLITUDE

67 - pg 316 - AN ELUCIDATION WITH EXAMPLES CONCERNING THE DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN INTELLIGIBLE THINGS [SHOWING| WHICH USE THERE IS IN EACH OE THEM

68 - pg 318 - SHORT SECTIONS

69 - pg 321 - HOW THE INTELLIGENT HAVE TO DWELL IN SOLITUDE

70 - pg 324 - THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE DEGREE OF OUR BEHAVIOUR BY THE VARYING STATES OF OUR MIND WITHOUT CHILDISHLY JUDGING BY THE MANY DISTINCTIONS OF OUR LABOURS ONLY THAT WE SHOULD RECOGNISE THE DEGREE OF OUR SOUL AS SAGES BY THE JOY WHICH DAY BY DAY IS SECRETLY PERCEIVED IN IT. THE SUBTLE ORDER OF INITIATED KNOWLEDGE

71 - pg 328 - ON THE INFLUENCES PROCEEDING FROM GRACE

72 - pg 332 - ON TRUE KNOWLEDGE AND ON TEMPTATIONS AND THAT IT IS BECOMING TO KNOW EXACTLY THAT NOT ONLY WEAK AND INSIGNIFICANT AND UNEDUCATED PEOPLE BUT ALSO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF TEMPORARY APATHY AND HAVE REACHED PERFECTION OF MIND AND HAVE APPROACHED PARTIAL PURITY AS FAR AS THIS IS COMPATIBLE WITH MORTALITY AND HAVE GAINED EXALTATION ABOVE AFFECTIONS - IN SO FAR AS IN THIS WORLD IT IS ALLOWED BY GOD IN COMBINATION WITH LIFE IN AFFECTIBLE FLESH - HAVE TO STRUGGLE AND ARE INJURED BY THE AFFECTIONS BECAUSE OF THE BODY AND THAT TO THEM ALSO ARE CONTINUALLY PERMITTED [TEMPTATIONS] IN MERCY BECAUSE OF THE DANGER OF HAUGHTINESS IN SOME DEGREE AND THAT MANY TIMES THEY TRANSGRESS AND HEAL THEMSELVES BY REPENTANCE GRACE ACCEPTING THEM AGAIN

73 - pg 337 - THE CONCISE SENSE OF THE [EOREGOING] SECTION TOGETHER WITH EXPLANATIONS OE WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

74 - pg 341 - ON THE DISCRIMINATION OF VIRTUES AND THE SCOPE OF THE WHOLE COURSE AND THE GREATNESS OF THE LOVE UNTO MANKIND AND THE SPIRITUAL AIM WHICH IT REACHES IN ALL THE SAINTS CREATING WITHIN THEM A DIVINE LIKENESS BY THE RICH LOVE WHICH HE POURS OUT UPON MANKIND

75 -pg 348 - ON HIDDEN STATES AND THE POWERS AND INFLUENCES WHICH ARE IN THEM

76 - pg 350 - SHORT SAYINGS

77 - pg 352 - THIS CHAPTER IS FULL OF LIFE

78 - pg 360 - ON THE PROFIT [ARISING] FROM THE FLIGHT FROM THE WORLD THE METHOD OF WHICH HAS BEEN THOUGHT OUT BY THE FATHERS THROUGH PRUDENT EXAMINATION

79 - pg 361 - HOW THE HIDDEN IMPULSES VARY ALONG WITH THE VARIATION OF OUTWARD BEHAVIOUR

80 - pg 366 - ON VIGILS AND ON THE MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF LABOURS DURING THEM AND THAT IT IS NOT BECOMING THAT THE AIM OF OUR LABOURS SHOULD BE THE FULFILLING OF A QUANTITY BUT [TO WORK] IN FREEDOM AND WITH DISCRIMINATION AS CHILDREN OF GOD WHO WORK WITH THEIR FATHER IN THE ALERTNESS OF LOVE AND HOW PRECIOUS THE LABOUR OF VIGILS IS MORE THAN THAT OF ALL OTHER DUTIES AND WHAT THIS LABOUR IMPOSES ON THOSE WHO CHOOSE IT AND HOW THEY HAVE TO WALK IN IT AND ON THE GIFTS OF WHICH THEY ARE DEEMED WORTHY BY GOD AND ON THE BATTLES AGAINST THEM ON THE PART OF THE PRINCIPAL OF THIS WORLD

81 - pg 379 - AN ANSWER TO A BROTHER WHO HAD ASKED HIM WHY WHEN OUR LORD HAS DEFINED MERCY AS SIMILITUDE TO THE GREATNESS OF THE FATHER IN HEAVEN THE SOLITARIES HONOUR SOLITUDE MORE THAN IT? AND AN APOLOGY OF THIS POINT AND THAT IT IS NOT BECOMING TO NEGLECT THE DISTRESSED AND SICK WHEN THEY ARE NEAR

82 - pg 384 - HOW MUCH HONOUR HUMILITY POSSESSES AND HOW HIGH ITS RANK IS

pg 391 - Index (General Register)

pg 399 - Quotations from the Bible (cited)