Pascal calls the orders of things. Philosophy belongs to one order,
theology to another. They have different objects. The object of philosophy
is to understand and explain the nature of the world around us; the object
of theology is to understand and explain doctrines delivered by divine
revelation. The scholastics recognized the distinction,[3] and the
corresponding difference in the function of Faith and Reason. Their final
aim was to co-ordinate the two, but this was not possible before the
thirteenth century. Meanwhile Boethius helps to prepare the way. In the
_Consolation_ he gives Reason her range, and suffers her, unaided, to
vindicate the ways of Providence. In the _Tractates_ Reason is called in to
give to the claims of Faith the support which it does not really lack.[4]
Reason, however, has still a right to be heard. The distinction between
_fides_ and _ratio_ is proclaimed in the first two _Tractates_. In the
second especially it is drawn with a clearness worthy of St. Thomas
himself; and there is, of course, the implication that the higher authority
resides with _fides_. But the treatment is philosophical and extremely
bold. Boethius comes back to the question of the substantiality of the
divine Persons which he has discussed in Tr. I. from a fresh point of view.
Once more he decides that the Persons are predicated relatively; even
Trinity, he concludes, is not predicated substantially of deity. Does this
square with catholic doctrine? It is possible to hear a note of challenge
in his words to John the Deacon, _fidem si poterit rationemque coniunge_.
Philosophy states the problem in unequivocal terms. Theology is required to
say whether they commend themselves.

One object of the scholastics, anterior to the final co-ordination of the
two sciences, was to harmonize and codify all the answers to all the
questions that philosophy raises. The ambition of Boethius was not so
soaring, but it was sufficiently bold. He set out, first to translate, and
then to reconcile, Plato and Aristotle; to go behind all the other systems,