Virtue And Knowledge

Vos autem curam omnem subinferentes, ministrate in fide vestra virtutem, in virtute autem scientiam, in scientia autem abstinentiam, in abstinentia autem patientiam, in patientia autem pietatem, in pietate autem amorem fraternitatis, in amore autem fraternitatis caritatem. Hæc enim si vobiscum adsint, et superent, non vacuos nec sine fructu vos constituent in Domini nostri Jesu Christi cognitione. Cui enim non praesto sunt haec, caecus est... Oculus scientiam, manus operationem designat. Caecus est autem et menu tentans, qui, scientiam rectae operationis non habens, quidquid sibi rectum videntur operatur, et lumen veritatis ignorans quasi manum ad opus quod non videt extendit, gressus in iter quod non praevidet attollit, ideoque repente miser in ruinam perditionis, quam praescire nequibat, incidit. Talis autem est omnis cui non praesto sunt haec quae Petrus loquitur, quia per incrementa virtutum spiritualium ad consortium divinitatis pervenire nos conveniat. At contra Salomon sapientem monens auditorem: Et palpebrae tuae praecedant gressos tuos. Quod est patenter suggerere, ut in cunctis actibus nostris qui nos finis sequatur, sedula intentione praevidere curemus, quid secundum Dei voluntatem, quid aliter agatur solerter exploremus. Sancta Beda, In II Epistolam Sancti Petri Source: Migne PL 93.71a-b

And you also attend with every care, crowning your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with continence, continence with endurance, endurance with piety, piety with fraternity, and fraternity with charity. These, when they are yours and abound, will establish you neither empty nor without fruit in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever does not have these things is blind... 1 The eye indicates knowledge, the hand the deed. For blind is he who taking something in hand has no knowledge of the right way of doing it, but whatever seems right to him he does, and ignorant of the light of truth he puts his hand to a work he does not see, not looking ahead over the way in which he walks, and therefore suddenly the wretch comes to ruin, falling into that which he was unable to see. So Peter speaks to all who do not have these things, because by steps of spiritual virtue it befits us to come to fellowship with the Divine. So Solomon warns the wise hearer: 'Let your vision go before your feet.' 2 Which more openly counseled is that we have care to look ahead to the ends which follow all our deeds, diligently attentive to what is accordance with the will of God, that we become accustomed to see how else it may be done. Saint Bede, Commentary on the Second Letter of Peter 1 2 Pet 1.5-9 2 Prov 4.25