Part 5
PART FIVE. On the Grace of the Holy Spirit.
Chapter I.
On grace, insofar as it is a gift divinely given.
After the treatise on the incarnation of the Word, which is the origin and font of every gratuitous gift, some things must be said concerning the grace
of the Holy Spirit, which presents itself for our consideration in a fourfold manner. First, insofar as it is a gift divinely given.
Second, in comparison to free will.
Third, in comparison to the habits of the virtues.
Fourth, in comparison to the exercise of merits.
Concerning grace, therefore, insofar as it is a gift divinely given,
the following must be held: that it is a gift which is immediately given and infused by God. For indeed, with it and in it the Holy Spirit is given, who is the uncreated gift, the best and perfect gift, which descends from the Father of lights
through the incarnate Word, according to what John in Revelation saw a river, shining like
crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
It is nonetheless a gift through which the soul is perfected and made the bride of Christ, the daughter of the eternal Father, and the temple of the Holy Spirit: which in no way comes about except from the dignifying condescension and condescending dignity of the eternal Majesty through the gift of His grace.
It is, finally, a gift which purges, illuminates, and perfects the soul; vivifies, reforms, and stabilizes it; elevates, assimilates, and joins it to God, and thereby renders it acceptable: on account of which a gift of this kind is rightly called and ought to be named grace making pleasing.
Now the reason for understanding the aforesaid is this: since the first productive principle, out of its supreme benevolence, made the rational spirit capable of eternal beatitude; and the reparative principle restored that capacity, weakened by sin, unto salvation; and eternal beatitude consists in possessing the supreme good; and this is God, a good surpassing beyond all proportion every dignity of human service: no one at all is worthy to attain that supreme good, since it is entirely above all the limits of nature, unless, by God condescending to him, he is elevated above himself. But God does not condescend through his unchangeable essence, but through an influence flowing from himself; nor is the spirit elevated above itself through local position, but through a deiform habit. It is therefore necessary for the rational spirit, in order to become worthy of eternal beatitude, that it become a partaker of the deiform influence. Now this deiform influence, because it is from God and according to God and for the sake of God, therefore renders the image of our mind conformed to the most blessed Trinity, not only according to the order of origin, but also according to the rectitude of choice and according to the repose of fruition. And since he who has this is immediately led back to God, just as he is immediately conformed to him, therefore that gift is immediately bestowed by God as by an inflowing principle: so that, just as the image of God immediately emanates from God, so the likeness of God immediately abides from him, which is the deiform perfection of the divine image, and therefore is called the image of re-creation.
Again, since he who enjoys God possesses God, therefore with grace, which by its deiformity disposes to the fruition of God, there is given an uncreated gift, which is the Holy Spirit, which he who has, has God also.
And since no one possesses God without being more specially possessed by him; no one possesses and is possessed by God without loving him preeminently and incomparably and being loved by him as a bride by a bridegroom; no one is so loved without being adopted for the eternal inheritance as a son: hence it is that grace which makes pleasing renders the soul a temple of God, a bride of Christ, and a daughter of the eternal Father. And because this cannot be except from the supreme condescension and graciousness of God, therefore it cannot be through any habit naturally implanted, but only through a gift divinely and gratuitously infused; which clearly appears if one considers how great a thing it is to be a temple of God, a son of God, and nonetheless to be indissolubly and, as it were, matrimonially joined to God through the bond of love and grace.
Finally, because our mind is not made conformable to the most blessed Trinity according to the rectitude of choice except through the vigor of virtue, the splendor of truth,
and the fervor of charity:
and the vigor of virtue
purges, stabilizes,
and elevates the soul: the splendor of truth
illuminates, reforms,
and assimilates the soul to God: the fervor of charity
perfects, vivifies,
and unites the soul to God,
and from all these a man becomes pleasing and acceptable
to God: hence it is that that deiform influence is said to have all the ten aforementioned acts, yet in such a way that it is denominated from the last as from the most complete.
For it is called grace making pleasing,
because it makes the one who possesses it pleasing to God, since it is not only given freely by God,
but is also according to God and for the sake of God:
since it exists for this purpose, that through it the work flowing from God may return to God, in which, after the manner of an intelligible circle, consists the fulfillment of all rational spirits.
Ch. II.
On grace, insofar as it assists toward meritorious good.
Second, the grace of the Holy Spirit must be considered by us in comparison to free choice,
and this in a twofold manner. First, namely, insofar as it is an aid toward merit:
second, insofar as it is a remedy against sin.
Concerning the grace of God, therefore, insofar as it is an aid toward meriting
, these things must be held: that since grace is spoken of generally, specially
and properly: generally
it is called the divine aid bestowed freely and gratuitously upon a creature, indifferently toward any act whatsoever: and without this kind of aid of grace we can neither accomplish anything nor endure in being.
- Specially
grace is called the aid divinely given so that one may prepare oneself to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, by which one may arrive at the state of merit: and such is called gratuitous grace,
and without this no one sufficiently does what is in oneself to prepare oneself for salvation. - Properly
grace is called the aid given divinely for meriting, which indeed is called the gift of sanctifying grace,
without which no one can merit, nor advance in good, nor arrive at eternal salvation. For it, as the root of meriting, precedes all merits: on account of which it has been said that "it precedes the will, so that it may will: but it follows after, lest it will in vain." Hence no one can merit it by condign
merit, but "it itself merits to be increased by God along the way, so that once increased it may merit to be perfected in the fatherland and in everlasting glory by God himself, whose it is to infuse, increase
and perfect
grace according to the cooperation of our will and according to the purpose or good pleasure of eternal predestination.
Now the reason for understanding the aforesaid is this: because, since the first principle by its omnipotent power and most benign generosity brought forth every creature from nothing into being,
and through this the creature of itself has non-being,
but has all its being
from another, it was so made that, on account of its defectibility, it would always need its principle, and the first principle, on account of its benignity, would not cease to exert its influence. Since therefore the rational spirit, by the very fact that it is from nothing, is in itself defective;
by the very fact that it is a limited and needy nature, is curved in upon itself,
loving its own good; by the very fact that it is entirely from God, is totally subject to God;
and because it is defective,
of itself it tends toward non-being;
because it is curved,
of itself it does not rise to the rectitude of perfect justice; because it is totally subject to God,
and God does not need its goods, it can do nothing of itself and by its own power by which it would make God its debtor, and especially of the eternal reward, which is God, except through divine condescension: hence it is that, in order to be preserved in being,
since it is defective,
it always needs the help of divine presence, sustenance, and influence, by which it may be sustained in being;
which, although it is universal toward all creatures, is nevertheless named by the name of grace,
because it does not proceed from what is owed, but from the liberality of divine goodness.
Hence it is also that, in order to prepare itself for the gift of supernatural grace,
since it is curved in upon itself,
it needs the gift of another grace freely given,
especially after fallen nature, by which it may be rendered capable of moral goods, which are goods from circumstance,
which in no way can be called good unless they proceed from a right intention, namely that they be done not for our own sake but for the sake of the highest good, to which our curved spirit does not rise unless it is anticipated by God through some grace freely given.
Hence it is no less the case that, in order to perform meritorious works
of eternal reward, since it is totally subject to God
and a debtor of its entire self, it needs the gift of sanctifying grace,
by which God condescends to it, first accepting his image and will before the operation flowing from it: because, since "the cause is nobler than the effect," no one can make himself better nor do a work pleasing to God unless he himself first pleases, so that God first looks upon him
before looking upon his gifts.
And therefore every root of meriting is founded in sanctifying grace, whose function is to make a person worthy of God: on account of which no one can merit it by the merit of condignity,
but only by the merit of congruity.
Once possessed, grace itself merits its own increase
in the state of the wayfarer through its good use by a worthy merit.
For since God alone is the fontal principle of infusing grace itself, He
alone is the principle of augmenting it by way of infusing, and grace
by way of merit and worthiness, and free choice
by way of cooperating and meriting, inasmuch as free choice cooperates
with grace and makes what belongs to grace its own.
And therefore free choice through grace merits not only the increase of grace in the state of the wayfarer by a worthy merit,
but also its completion
in the state of the fatherland by a condign
merit, both on account of the sublimity
of the gift of the Holy Spirit cooperating in the merit; and on account of the truthfulness
of God who promises; and on account of the mutability
of free choice that consents and finally perseveres; and on account of the difficulty
of the state of meriting; and on account of the dignity
of Christ our Head who intercedes, who ought to be glorified with His members; and on account of the liberality
of God who repays, whom it does not befit to render small things in return for the service of one faithfully obeying Him; and on account of the nobility
of the work, which proceeds from charity, which weighs as much in the sight of the Judge as the love from which it proceeds, which incomparably prefers God above all creatures, and therefore cannot be sufficiently and fittingly recompensed except in God and the supreme Good.
From all of which, as from seven reasons, the sevenfold grace causes eternal glory to be merited by a merit not only of congruity,
but also of condignity.
Chapter III.
On grace, insofar as it is a remedy for sin.
Concerning grace, insofar as it is a remedy against sin,
these things are to be held: that free will, although it is "most powerful under God," can nevertheless fall into sin by itself, but can in no way rise again without the aid of divine grace, which is called making pleasing.
That grace, however, although it is a sufficient remedy against sin, is nevertheless not infused into an adult unless the consent of free will is present. From which it is gathered that four things concur for the justification of the ungodly, namely: the infusion of grace, the expulsion of guilt, contrition,
and the movement of free will. -
Guilt is therefore expelled by the gift of God, not by free will, yet not without free will. For it belongs to gratuitously given
grace to recall free will from evil and to arouse it to good; and it belongs to free will
to consent or to dissent; and it belongs to the one consenting
to receive grace; and it belongs to the one receiving it
to cooperate with it, so that one may at last arrive
at salvation.
Now the reason for understanding the aforesaid is this: because, since the first principle, by the very fact that it is first and most powerful, is the cause of all things that come about in the universe except sins, which are "transgressions of the divine law and disobedience to the heavenly commandments," it has nothing rebellious, injurious, and offensive to itself except sin, which, by contemning the precept of God and turning us away from the unchangeable good, offends
God, deforms
free will, destroys
the gratuitous gift, and binds
to eternal punishment. Since therefore the deformation of the image and the destruction of grace is as it were an annihilation in the being
of moral life and gratuitous life; since the offense against God is to be weighed as great as He Himself is; since the liability to eternal punishment holds the character of the infinite: it is impossible for man to rise from guilt unless he is recreated
in gratuitous life, unless the offense is remitted,
and the eternal punishment released.
He alone, therefore, who was the creative
principle is also the recreative
principle, namely the eternal Word of the Father, which is Christ Jesus, the mediator of God and men
, who because He creates all things from nothing, therefore creates by Himself alone without any intermediary.
But because He recreates, reforming what was deformed
through the vice of guilt by the habit of grace and justice, absolving what was bound
to punishment through condign satisfaction; hence it is that He restores us, by sustaining punishment for us in the assumed nature and by infusing reformative grace, which, since it joins us to its origin, makes us members of Christ; and through this makes the sinful soul, which had been an enemy of God, a brothel of the devil, and a slave of sin, into a bride of Christ, a temple of the Holy Spirit, and a daughter of the eternal Father: all of which comes about through the gratuitous and condescending infusion of the gratuitous gift.
Again, since God so reforms that He does not weaken the laws implanted in nature, He therefore so bestows this grace upon free will that He nevertheless does not compel it, but its consent remains free. And therefore, in order that fault be expelled,
it is necessary not only that grace be introduced,
but also that free will in adults—in adults, I say, because in infants the faith of the Church and the merit of Christ suffice, and their incapacity excuses them—it is necessary, I say, that it conform itself to the expulsion of fault
through the detestation of all sins, which we call contrition;
it is also necessary that it conform itself to the introduction of grace
through complacence in and acceptance of the divine gift, which we call the movement of free will.
And thus it is necessary that these four concur for the justification of the ungodly.
Finally, because the predisposition toward the completive form ought to be conformed to it: in order that free will dispose itself toward sanctifying grace, it needs the aid of gratuitously given grace; and because it belongs to grace not to compel free will but to go before it, and it belongs to both together to proceed into act: hence it is that in our justification the act of free will
and of grace
concur, harmoniously indeed and in an ordered manner, such that it belongs to gratuitously given grace to arouse
free will; but it belongs to free will to consent
to or dissent
from this arousal; and it belongs to the one consenting
to prepare itself for sanctifying grace, because this is to do what lies within oneself; and to one thus disposed, sanctifying
grace is to be infused, with which free will can cooperate,
if it wills, and then it merits; or it can oppose
it through sin, and then it demerits. If therefore it cooperates with it unto the end, it merits to attain
eternal salvation.
It is therefore true what Augustine says, that "He who created you without you will not justify you without you."
It is also true that it is not of him who wills nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.
It is also true that no one can boast of merits, because God crowns nothing in us except his own gifts. For God has reserved to himself the gifts of grace to be freely bestowed, so that man may learn not to be ungrateful nor to glory in himself as though he had not received, but to glory in the Lord. — It is also true that, although free choice cannot of itself fulfill the law nor produce grace within itself, it is nevertheless inexcusable if it does not do what it can, because grace freely given
is always at hand for admonition, with the aid of which it can do what lies within itself: which having been done, it may have grace making acceptable:
which having been obtained, it may fulfill the divine law and do the will of God: which having been done, it may at last arrive at eternal beatitude on account of meritorious works, which are wholly from grace,
and wholly also from free choice,
although principally from grace: because, as Augustine says, "grace is compared to free choice as a rider to a horse," which rider indeed directs, leads,
and conducts
free choice to the harbor of eternal felicity, exercising us in the works of perfect virtue according to the gift of sevenfold grace itself.
Ch. IV.
On the branching of grace into the habits of the virtues.
Third, it remains to treat of grace in comparison to the habits of the virtues,
concerning which three things must be considered. The first is how one grace branches into the habits of the virtues;
the second is how it branches into the habits of the gifts;
the third is how it branches into the habits of the beatitudes.
Concerning the branching of grace into the habits of the virtues,
therefore, these things must be held: that although there is one grace making the soul pleasing to God, nevertheless there are seven gratuitous virtues
by which human life is governed: three indeed theological, namely faith, hope, and charity; and four cardinal, namely prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice, which in one way is a common
and general virtue, and in another way special
and proper.
Now these seven virtues, although they are distinct
and have their own excellences, are nevertheless connected
and equal
to one another in the same subject; and although they are gratuitous,
informed by grace, they can nevertheless become unformed
through fault, charity alone excepted, and again be informed
through penance, when grace arrives, which is the origin, end,
and form of the virtuous habits.
Now the reason for understanding the aforesaid is this: because, just as the productive
principle, by its supreme perfection in giving life to nature, gives not only living
with respect to first act, but also with respect to second act, which is operating,
so it is necessary that the reparative
principle bestow life on the spirit in gratuitous being,
both with respect to being
and with respect to operating.
And since for one living being according to one primary life there are many vital operations for the perfect manifestation of that life — since acts are diversified by their objects, and the diversity of acts requires a distinction of habits — hence it is that although there is one vivifying grace, it must nevertheless necessarily branch into various habits on account of various operations. And since certain moral works are primary,
such as believing; certain ones intermediate,
such as understanding the things believed; and certain ones final,
such as seeing the things understood; and in the first the soul is rectified,
in the second it is made ready,
in the third it is perfected:
therefore grace making one pleasing to God branches into the habits of the virtues,
whose role is to rectify the soul;
into the habits of the gifts, whose role is to make ready the soul;
and into the habits of the beatitudes,
whose role is to perfect the soul.
Again, since the perfect rectitude of the soul requires that it be rectified according to its twofold face, namely the superior
and the inferior,
and with respect to the end,
and with respect to those things which are directed toward the end:
Therefore it is necessary that the soul, with respect to the superior
face in which the image of the eternal Trinity consists, be rectified through the three theological
virtues, so that, just as the image of creation consists in a trinity of powers with a unity of essence, so the image of re-creation consists in a trinity of habits with a unity of grace, through which the soul is rightly borne toward the supreme Trinity according to the three things appropriated to the three persons; so that faith
directs toward the supremely true by believing and assenting, hope
toward the supremely arduous by relying and expecting, charity
toward the supremely good by desiring and loving.
It is also necessary that with respect to the inferior
face the soul be rectified through the four cardinal
virtues. For prudence
rectifies the rational power, fortitude
the irascible, temperance
the concupiscible, while justice
rectifies all these powers in relation to another.
And because that other
can determinately be one's neighbor,
the same person can also be compared to himself
as to another, and it can also be God
himself: hence it is that justice
is said to encompass all the powers. It is also called not only a cardinal
virtue, but also a general
one, comprehending the rectitude of the whole soul, since it is called "rectitude of the will." Whence it comprehends not only the virtues ordering toward one's neighbor,
such as equity and liberality: but also toward oneself,
such as penitence and innocence; and also toward God,
such as latria, piety, and obedience.
Finally, since all rectitude of the virtues according to their gratuitous being
flows from grace as from its origin
and root: and according to their meritorious being
is related to charity as to its origin, form,
and end:
hence it is that the other gratuitous virtues with respect to their habits
are connected
and with respect to their meritorious acts
are equal.
Hence it is also that the other habits of the virtues can be unformed,
with the sole exception of charity, which is the form of the virtues. For when they are possessed without grace and charity, in which the life of the virtues consists, then they are unformed.
But when grace is infused upon them, then they are formed
and adorned and become acceptable to God: just as colors without light are invisible, but when light comes upon them, they become luminous, beautiful, and pleasing to sight. Whence just as from light and colors one thing comes to be in the character of a motive power, and one light suffices to illuminate many colors: so from grace and unformed habits, when they are formed, one thing comes to be according to the character of the meritorious and the gratuitous: and one grace nonetheless suffices for the formation and gratification of diverse habits.
Chapter V.
On the ramification of grace into the habits of the gifts.
Concerning the ramification of grace into the habits of the gifts,
these things are to be held: that although the gifts of gratuitously given grace are very many, and generally
all habits divinely given can not absurdly be called gifts of God,
yet specially
and appropriately
there are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, which Isaiah enumerates and names, speaking of the flower that proceeded from the root of Jesse, that is, Christ, of whom he says that the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill him.
In this enumeration he proceeds by descending from the highest and by combining, so that at once the distinction, connection, origin,
and order of the gifts may be shown.
The reason for understanding the aforesaid is this: since the restorative principle through supreme liberality gives grace not only for rectifying
against the crookedness of vices through the habits of virtues,
but also for freeing
against the impediments of infirmities through the habits of gifts;
therefore the gratuitous gifts must be multiplied according to what is necessary for sufficiency of freedom. Since therefore our soul needs to be freed in a sevenfold manner, hence it is that from a sevenfold cause it is necessary that the gifts of the Holy Spirit be sevenfold. For it needs to be freed against the crookedness of vices,
with respect to the natural powers
and with respect to the superadded virtues,
in suffering, in acting,
in contemplating,
and in both ways.
First, therefore, for most expeditiously repelling the crookedness of vices,
there are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, namely: fear
against pride; piety
against envy; knowledge
against anger, which is as it were a kind of madness; fortitude
against sloth, which renders the mind powerless for good; counsel
against avarice; understanding
against gluttony; and wisdom
against lust.
Second, for freeing the natural powers,
the gifts of the Holy Spirit must be seven. For the irascible
power needs to be freed for good things both in prosperity and in adversity: in prosperity it is freed through fear,
in adversity through fortitude. The concupiscible
power needs to be freed with respect to affection toward the neighbor,
and this is done through piety;
and with respect to affection toward God, and this is done through the taste of wisdom. The rational
power indeed needs to be freed in the speculation, choice,
and execution of truth: through the gift of understanding
it is freed for speculating upon the true, through the gift of counsel
for choosing the true, through the gift of knowledge
for executing what has been chosen; for through the gift of knowledge we rightly conduct ourselves in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.
Third, for the carrying out of the seven offices of the virtues there must be seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. For fear disposes to temperance, since fear transfixes the flesh; piety to true justice: knowledge to prudence: fortitude to fortitude or patience: counsel to hope: understanding to faith; wisdom to charity. Whence, just as " charity is the mother and consummation of all the virtues ", so wisdom is of the gifts, such that the Wise Man truly says : All good things came to me together with her, and innumerable honor through her hands.
Fourth, for readiness in suffering conformably to Christ, there are seven habits of the gifts. Now Christ was moved to suffer by the paternal will, human necessity and the vigor of virtue. The divine will indeed moved him, as known through understanding, as loved through wisdom, as held in reverence through fear. Our necessity also moved him, for the knowing of which knowledge is necessary, and for the pitying of which piety is superadded. The vigor of virtue moved him no less, as provident in choosing through counsel, as vigorous in enduring through fortitude. And thus the gifts must be seven.
Fifth, for readiness in acting, seven gifts are given by the Holy Spirit. For ready action, we must be made ready to turn away from evil, which is done through fear. We must also be made ready to advance in good of a twofold kind: either of necessity, or of supererogation. Regarding the first, we are made ready through knowledge and piety, such that one directs and the other executes; regarding the second, through counsel directing and through fortitude executing. We must also rest in the best, both as regards the understanding of the true and as regards the affection for the good; the first is done through the gift of understanding, the second through the gift of wisdom, in which there is rest.
Sixth, for readiness in contemplating, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are seven in number. For the hierarchical and contemplative life requires the soul to be purged, illuminated, and perfected . Now it must be purged from concupiscence, from malice, from ignorance, from weakness or impotence: the first is done by fear, the second by piety, the third by knowledge, the fourth by fortitude. Illuminated we also need to be regarding the works of restoration and of the original creation: the first is given by counsel, the second by understanding. Perfected we are to be through approach to the highest, which consists in one, and this through the gift of wisdom; and thus the mystery of contemplation is consummated from the broad, as it were, into a cubit .
Seventh and finally, for readiness in action and contemplation
there must be seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. For the contemplative
life, on account of its turning toward the Trinity, must have three expediting gifts: with respect to reverence for majesty, fear;
with respect to the understanding of truth, understanding;
with respect to the savor or taste of goodness, wisdom. The active
life, however, which is engaged in doing and enduring, must have four, namely piety
for doing and fortitude
for enduring; and the directive gifts of these two, namely knowledge
and counsel.
Whence, because direction
is necessary for readiness, there arises a combination of gifts; and more gifts pertain to the intellect, because the light of knowledge greatly avails to direct one's feet into the right path
.
Chapter VI.
On the ramification of grace into the habits of the beatitudes and consequently of the fruits and senses.
Concerning the ramification of grace into the habits of the beatitudes,
these things are to be held: that there are seven beatitudes,
which the Savior enumerates in the Sermon on the Mount, namely poverty of spirit, meekness, mourning, hunger for justice, mercy, purity of heart,
and peace.
To these beatitudes, on account of their perfection and fullness, the twelve fruits of the Spirit
and the five spiritual senses
follow: which do not denote new habits,
but states of delight and exercises
of spiritual contemplations, by which the spirits of just men are filled and consoled.
Now the reason for understanding the aforesaid is this: since the restorative principle is most perfect and most perfectly restorative and reformative through its gratuitous gift, therefore the gift of grace flowing from it liberally and abundantly ought to ramify even unto the habits of perfections, which, since they approximate the end, are rightly called by the name of beatitudes:
whose sufficiency, number,
and order
are gathered from the integrity of perfection,
from the modes of perfections,
and from the dispositions toward perfection.
First, therefore, for the integrity of perfection
there is necessarily required a perfect withdrawal from evil,
a perfect advance in good,
and a perfect standing in the best.
Since evil
proceeds either from the swelling of pride, or from the rancor of malice, or from the languor of concupiscence, therefore for perfectly distancing oneself from this threefold kind of evil, three beatitudes are necessary, namely poverty of spirit,
distancing from the evil of swelling; meekness,
distancing from the evil of rancor; and mourning,
distancing from the evil of lust and concupiscential languor.
Since indeed a perfect advance in good
is considered according to divine imitation, and all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth
: hence it is that there is a twofold beatitude according to these two ways, namely hunger
or zeal for justice,
and the affection of mercy.
Since standing in the best
is either through limpid cognition or through tranquil affection, hence it is that there are two final beatitudes, namely purity of heart
for seeing God and peace of mind
for perfectly enjoying him.
Secondly also, if the modes of perfections
are considered, there ought to be seven habits of the beatitudes. For there is the perfection of religious life, of prelacy,
and of interior sanctity.
For the perfection of religious life,
there is necessarily required the renunciation of private good, the acceptance of fraternal good, and the desire for eternal good; the first is accomplished through poverty of spirit,
the second through meekness of affection,
the third through the bitterness of mourning.
For the perfection of prelacy,
two things are necessarily required, namely zeal for justice
and the affection of mercy: for mercy
and truth preserve the king.
According to these two, the governance of prelacy in the Church militant ought to be ordered.
For the perfection of interior sanctity,
there is necessarily required purity of conscience
and tranquility of the whole soul through the peace of God
surpassing all human understanding.
Third, if the preliminary dispositions are considered,
the beatitudes ought to be seven. For fear
causes one to withdraw from evil and from the occasion of evil; and because the root of all evils is cupidity,
therefore fear
disposes to poverty of spirit,
in which humility is joined together with poverty, so that the perfect man may thus be distanced from the fount of all fault, namely from pride and cupidity. And hence it is that poverty of spirit
is the foundation of all evangelical perfection. Whence he who wishes to come to the summit of perfection must first lay this foundation, according to that passage in Matthew nineteen: If you wish to be perfect, go and sell all that you have: behold,
perfect poverty,
which retains absolutely nothing for itself: and follow me:
behold, humility,
which causes a man, by denying himself, to take up his cross and follow Christ, who is the most principal foundation of all perfection. Fear therefore disposes to poverty of spirit. — But piety
disposes to meekness:
for he who is piously disposed toward another neither provokes him nor is provoked by him. — Knowledge
disposes to mourning,
since through knowledge we recognize that we have been banished from the state of blessedness into this valley of misery and tears. — But fortitude
disposes to hunger for justice;
for he who is strong holds so eagerly to justice that he would rather be separated from bodily life than from justice. — Counsel
disposes to mercy:
for there is nothing God counsels more in Scripture than to show mercy, which he esteems above all holocausts. — Understanding
disposes to cleanness of heart:
for the contemplation of truth cleanses our heart from all phantasms.
Wisdom
disposes to peace:
for wisdom joins us to the highest truth and good, in which is the end and tranquility of our whole rational appetite.
When this peace has been attained, there necessarily follows a superabundant spiritual delight, which is contained in the twelvefold number of the fruits to intimate the superabundance of delights. For twelve is an abundant number, in which is intimated the exuberance of spiritual charisms, in which the holy soul takes delight and rejoices; and then the person is fit for contemplation and for the gazes and embraces of the Bridegroom and the Bride, which take place according to the spiritual senses, by which is seen the supreme beauty of Christ the Bridegroom under the aspect of Splendor: is heard the supreme harmony under the aspect of the Word: is tasted the supreme sweetness under the aspect of Wisdom, which comprehends both, namely the Word and the Splendor: is smelled the supreme fragrance under the aspect of the Word inspired in the heart; is clasped the supreme gentleness under the aspect of the Word incarnate, dwelling among us bodily and rendering himself palpable, kissable, and embraceable to us through the most ardent charity, which causes our mind to pass over through ecstasy and rapture from this world to the Father.
From what has been said, therefore, it is clearly gathered that the habits of the virtues principally dispose one to the exercise of the active life; the habits, however, of the gifts to the repose of the contemplative life: while the habits of the beatitudes dispose to the perfection of both. The fruits of the Spirit, however, which are charity, joy, peace, patience, longanimity, goodness, benignity, mildness, faith, modesty, continence, chastity, denote the delights consequent upon perfect works. The spiritual senses, moreover, denote mental perceptions concerning the truth to be contemplated. This contemplation indeed was in the Prophets through revelation with respect to the threefold vision, namely corporeal, imaginative, and intellectual; in other just persons, however, it is found through speculation, which begins from sense and arrives at imagination, and from imagination to reason, from reason to understanding, from understanding to intelligence; from intelligence, however, to wisdom or ecstatic knowledge, which begins here on the way but is consummated in everlasting glory.
And in these degrees consists the ladder of Jacob, whose summit reaches heaven: and the throne of Solomon,
upon which sits the most wise King, truly peaceful and loving as the most beautiful bridegroom and wholly desirable: upon whom the Angels desire to gaze,
and toward whom the desire of holy souls sighs, as the hart longs for the fountains of waters.
By which most fervent desire, in the manner of fire, our spirit is not only made agile for ascent, but also by a certain learned ignorance
is rapt above itself into darkness and ecstasy, so that not only does it say with the bride: We will run in the fragrance of your ointments,
but also sings with the Prophet: And the night is my illumination in my delights.
Which nocturnal and delightful illumination no one knows except he who experiences it, nor does anyone experience it except through grace divinely given, nor is it given to anyone except to him who exercises himself toward it; therefore henceforth we must consider the exercises of merits.
Ch. VII.
On the exercise of grace with respect to things to be believed.
In the fourth place, therefore, it remains to consider grace with regard to the exercises of merits.
And concerning these, four things must be considered. First, the exercise of grace in things to be believed,
such as the articles of faith; second, in things to be loved,
such as those things which pertain to the order of loving; third, in things to be carried out,
such as the precepts of the divine law; fourth, in things to be asked for,
such as the petitions of the Lord's Prayer.
Concerning the articles
of faith,
the following must be held: that although through faith we are bound to believe very many things which are above reason, and generally
all things which are contained and set forth in the canon of Sacred Scripture; yet specially
and properly, those are called articles of faith which are contained in the series of the Apostles' Creed: which in one way are twelve,
if regard is had to those who composed the Creed, and in another way fourteen,
if we consider what things are radically to be believed as the foundations of all things to be believed.
Now the reason for understanding the aforesaid is this: since the first principle in itself is supremely true
and good,
and in its work is supremely just
and merciful:
and to the supremely true
is owed firm assent, to the supremely good fervent love, to the supremely just
universal subjection, to the supremely merciful trustful
invocation: and grace is that which orders our mind to the due worship of the first principle: hence it is that grace itself directs and regulates toward due and meritorious exercises in things to be believed, things to be loved, things to be carried out,
and things to be asked for,
according as the supreme truth, goodness, justice, and mercy in the blessed Trinity requires.
Since therefore truth
is to be believed, and a greater truth is to be believed more, and consequently the supreme truth is to be believed supremely; and the truth of the first principle is infinitely greater than every created truth and more luminous than every light of our intellect: hence it is that, in order that our intellect may be rightly ordered in things to be believed, it is necessary that it believe the supreme truth more than itself, and that it bring itself into the obedience of Christ; and through this, that it believe not only those things which are according to reason,
but also those which are above reason
and contrary to the experience of the senses:
for if it refuses, it does not exhibit due reverence to the supreme truth, since it prefers the judgment of its own industry to the dictate of the eternal light; which cannot be without the swelling of pride and blameworthy elation.
Again, because truth that is above
reason or beyond reason is truth neither seen nor apparent, but rather hidden and most difficult to believe: therefore, in order that it may be firmly believed, there is needed an illumination of truth
elevating the soul, and there is also needed a testimony of authority
strengthening the soul. The first is accomplished through infused faith,
the second through authentic Scripture,
both of which come from the supreme truth through Jesus Christ, who is the Splendor and the Word, and through the Holy Spirit, who shows and teaches the truth and nonetheless causes belief. Hence it is that authority
provides the support of faith, and faith
assents to authority. And because authority principally resides in sacred Scripture, which was composed entirely by the Holy Spirit for the direction of the catholic faith: hence it is that true faith does not disagree with Scripture, but assents to it with unfeigned assent.
Finally, because the truth to the belief of which we are bound by faith, and which sacred Scripture principally treats, is not just any truth, but divine truth, either as it is in its own nature or as it is in the assumed nature — for in the knowledge of this truth consists both the reward of the fatherland and the merit of the way —: hence it is that the articles of faith, which are the foundations of faith, pertain either to the Divinity
or to the humanity.
And since the Divinity
is to be considered in three persons,
namely the Father begetting, the Son begotten, and the Holy Spirit proceeding, and in a fourfold operation,
namely creation in the being of nature, recreation in the being
of grace, resurrection in the restoration of life, and glorification in the bestowal of glory: hence it is that the articles pertaining to the Divinity
are seven.
Similarly, because Christ's humanity
is to be considered as conceived of the Holy Spirit, as born of the Virgin, as suffering on the cross, as descending into hell, as rising from the dead, as ascending into heaven, as coming to the final judgment; hence it is that there are seven articles of the humanity,
and thus fourteen
in all, after the manner of the seven stars and the seven golden lampstands, in the midst of which the Son of Man walked.
Since therefore there is one Christ in divine and human nature; and there is only one supreme truth, which is the one, first, supreme, and sole ground of believing, which does not change through the ages: hence it is that concerning all the aforesaid articles there is only one faith about the same, unchanged in those of the present as in those of the past as in those of the future, although it is more clear and explicit in those who follow Christ than in those who preceded his coming; just as the New Testament is clearer than the Old, in which the aforesaid articles are contained.
And because the Holy Spirit brought together these articles of faith, contained in the depths of the Scriptures, into one through the twelve Apostles as through the most steadfast witnesses: hence it is that the aforesaid articles were collected into the one Creed of the Apostles. And therefore, according to the Apostles who composed it, they can be called twelve
articles, because each Apostle, for the building up of the faith, set down one article as one living stone: which the Holy Spirit rightly prefigured in the twelve men who drew twelve stones from the bed of the Jordan for the construction of the altar of the Lord.
Chapter VIII.
On the exercise of grace with respect to things to be loved.
Concerning things to be loved,
these things must be held: that although all divine works are very good, four things, however, are properly to be loved from charity, namely, the eternal God,
what we ourselves
are, our neighbor,
and our body.
In the love of these, an order
and measure must be observed,
so that God
is loved first and above all things and for His own sake; second, what we ourselves are,
under God and for God; third, our neighbor,
as ourselves; fourth, our body,
below us and below our neighbor, as a less excellent good.
For the fulfillment of this, there is given one habit of charity
and a twofold commandment,
on which hangs the whole of the Law and the Prophets, not only with respect to the Old Testament, but also with respect to the New.
Now the reason for understanding the aforesaid is this: because the first principle, by the very fact that it is first, is supreme; and by the very fact that it is supreme, it is supremely good; and by the very fact that it is supremely good, it is supremely blessed and supremely beatifying; and by the very fact that it is supremely beatifying, it is supremely to be enjoyed; and by the very fact that it is supremely to be enjoyed, one must supremely cling to it through love and rest in it as in one's end. Since, therefore, right and ordered love, which is called charity,
is principally directed toward that good which it enjoys and in which it rests, and this itself is the reason for loving, it follows that charity loves that good especially as beatifying, and consequently loves the other things which through it are capable of being beatified. Since, therefore, our neighbor
is born to attain beatitude together with us, and our body
also is born to attain it as capable of being beatified together with the spirit, it follows that only four things are said to be loved from charity, namely, God
and our neighbor, our spirit,
and our body.
Again, since God is above us as the supreme good, our spirit is within us as an intrinsic good, our neighbor is beside us as a kindred good, and our body is below us as a subject good, it follows that this order
must be observed in loving: first, God
is to be loved above all things and for His own sake; second, our spirit,
under God and above every perishable good; third, our neighbor,
beside us toward a similar good; fourth, our body,
below us as the lowest good. And in the same degree the body of our neighbor ought to be included, because both hold the character of a lesser good in relation to our spirit.
Finally, because love is the weight of the mind and the origin of every mental affection, which easily turns back upon itself but with difficulty tends toward one's neighbor and with still greater difficulty is raised up to God, it follows that although four things are to be loved from charity, nevertheless a twofold commandment is given:
one which directs us toward God, and another which directs us toward our neighbor.
And because all precepts are referred either to God or to neighbor, as to the end and to that which is ordered to the end; hence it is that in these two commandments is enclosed the collection of the commandments and the comprehension of all the Scriptures. And charity itself is the root, form, and end of the virtues, joining all things with the ultimate end and binding all things to one another simultaneously and in order; therefore it is the weight of ordered inclination and the bond of perfect binding, order
indeed preserving with respect to the diverse objects of love as regards both affection and effect, unity
however having in habit as regards one end and one principal beloved, which is the reason for loving with respect to all other things, which through the bond of love are meant to be bound together in one Christ as regards head and body, which contains in itself the universality of those to be saved. This unity is now begun on the way, but is consummated in eternal glory, according to what the Lord prays, that they may be
one, as we also are one: and I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one:
when this unity is consummated through the bond of charity, God will be all in all
in certain eternity and perfect peace, and all things will be common through love, ordered in communion and connected in ordering and indissolubly bound in connection.
Chapter IX.
On the exercise of grace with respect to things to be done, precepts, and counsels.
Concerning the precepts
of divine law, this must be held: that in the Mosaic
law there are judicial, figurative,
and moral precepts, namely the ten precepts of the Decalogue written on two tablets by the finger of God.
Now the evangelical law tempers the judicial
precepts by removing them, empties the figurative
precepts by fulfilling them, and consummates the moral
precepts by adding to them. It adds, moreover, teachings that instruct, promises that encourage, and counsels that perfect: of which kind are the counsel of poverty, the counsel of obedience, and the counsel of chastity, to the fulfillment of which Christ our Lord invites him who wishes to be perfect.
The reason for understanding the aforesaid is this: because the First Principle, just as it is supremely good in itself, so it is supremely just
in its work and in disposing the governance of the universe. Since, therefore, it belongs to the supremely just
to be zealous for justice not only in itself but also in another, and justice consists in conforming oneself to the rules of right: hence it is that it belongs to divine justice to impress and express the rules of justice upon man, not only by dictating
in the manner of truth that instructs, but also by commanding
and obligating
in the manner of a will that commands. And since grace makes our will conformed to the divine will, it belongs to grace to dispose us to obey and submit to those rules of justice according to the dictate of the law divinely given.
Furthermore, since it happens that one obeys divine commands in two ways, namely from fear of punishment
or from love of justice,
and the first belongs to the imperfect, the second to the perfect: therefore God bestowed upon man a twofold law: one of fear, another of love; one generating into servitude and another transferring into the adoption of the sons of God. And accordingly, because it befits those who fear and are imperfect that they be terrified
by judgments and led by the hand
through signs and directed
nonetheless by precepts: hence it is that the Mosaic
law, which is the law of fear, contains judicial,
figurative,
and moral precepts. -
But for the perfect and those who love, there befits the open instruction
of teachings, the generous promise
of rewards, and the lofty perfection
of counsels: hence it is that the evangelical
law contains these three. And therefore the Mosaic law is said to differ from the evangelical, because the former is of figure,
the latter of truth;
the former is the law of punishment, the latter of grace;
the former is literal,
the latter spiritual;
the former kills,
the latter gives life;
the former is of fear,
the latter of love;
the former is of servitude,
the latter of liberty;
the former is of burden, the latter of ease.
Finally, since the rules pertaining to the necessity of justice are contained in the divine precepts, and it belongs to justice to "render to each one his due": it is necessary that certain moral precepts order us toward God:
and certain toward our neighbor
according to the twofold precept of charity; which the Holy Spirit willed to intimate through the mystery of the two tablets, and therefore they are said to be written by the finger of God .
And because God is triune, namely Father and Son and Holy Spirit, to whom belongs the highest majesty to be adored,
truth to be professed,
and charity to be embraced,
according to the irascible, rational, and concupiscible powers, through the act of deed, of mouth, and of heart: therefore the commandment of the first tablet is threefold, corresponding to the three aforesaid, namely subjective adoration,
truthful oath-taking, and sacred sabbath-observance.
But because the neighbor is an image of the Trinity, and to him, insofar as he bears the image of the Father, piety
is owed: insofar as he bears the image of the Son, truthfulness
is owed, insofar as he bears the image of the Holy Spirit, benignity
is owed: hence it is that there are seven commandments which pertain to the second tablet. For with respect to piety
there are two:
one which commands piety, namely concerning honoring one's father: the other which forbids impiety, namely concerning not killing. With respect to truthfulness,
which principally consists in word, one is taken, namely concerning not bearing false testimony. With respect to benignity,
to which cupidity and concupiscence are opposed, each of which can be in deed or in heart, four
are taken, namely thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, thou shalt not steal,
and thou shalt not covet another's goods .
And these are to be ordered according to greater or lesser injuries by which justice can be violated. And thus the rules pertaining to the necessity of justice ought to be contained in the ten precepts.
But since justice arrives at perfection when it perfectly distances itself from evil both as to worship
and as to cause:
and all evil arises from a threefold root, namely the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life: hence it is that there are three evangelical counsels,
perfectly distancing us from the aforesaid threefold root. Which are therefore counsels because, in order that they may perfectly cause one to withdraw from evil, they separate not only from illicit things, but also from licit and permitted things which can be an occasion of evil: and through this they contain not only sufficient,
but also abundant ,
justice, according to what befits the perfection of the evangelical law and the exercise of perfecting grace.
Chapter X.
On the exercise of grace with respect to things to be sought and prayed for.
Concerning the petitions
of the Lord's Prayer, this must be held: that although God is most generous and more ready to give than we are to receive, nevertheless He wills to be prayed to by us, so that He may have occasion to bestow the gifts of the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Moreover, He wills to be prayed to not only by mental
prayer, which is "the ascent of the intellect to God," but also by vocal
prayer, which is "the petition of fitting things from God," not only through ourselves,
but also through the Saints
as through helpers divinely given to us, so that what we are less worthy to obtain through ourselves we may be able to obtain through the Saints.
And because we know not what we should pray for as we ought,
lest we wander in uncertainty, He handed down to us a form in the prayer which He composed, in which under the sevenfold number of petitions the universality of things to be sought is comprehended.
Now the reason for understanding the aforesaid is this: because the First Principle, just as He is supremely true and good in Himself, so He is merciful
and just
in His work. And since He is most merciful,
He most willingly condescends to human misery through the infusion of His grace. But because He is at the same time just,
He does not give the perfect gift
except to the one who desires it, does not give grace except to the one who gives thanks, does not bestow mercy except on the one who acknowledges his misery, so that the freedom of the will may be preserved, the nobility of the gift may not be cheapened, and the worship of divine honor may persevere whole and entire. Since therefore it belongs to the one who prays to seek divine assistance, to acknowledge his own deficiency, and to give thanks for the benefit freely given: hence it is that prayer disposes one to the reception of divine gifts, and God wills to be prayed to for this purpose, that He may bestow His gifts.
Furthermore, because in order that desire may effectively tend upward to obtain divine gifts, it is necessary that our affection
be fervent and our thought collected into one, and that our expectation
be certain and firm; and because our heart is frequently tepid, frequently scattered, and frequently even fearful on account of the remorse of sin, not daring to appear by itself before the divine sight: hence it is that the Lord willed that we pray not only mentally,
but also vocally,
for the arousal of our affection through words and for the recollection of our thoughts through the meaning of words.
He also willed that we pray through the Saints, and the Saints for us, to give confidence to the fearful, so that those who do not dare or cannot obtain through themselves may obtain through suitable intercessors: and through this, humility
may be preserved in those who pray, dignity
may be declared in the Saints who intercede, and charity
and unity
may be shown in all the members of Christ, whereby the lower members may have confident recourse to the higher, and the higher may generously condescend to the lower.
Finally, because God, who is just and merciful, ought not to hear us except in those things which pertain to his honor and to our salvation—and such things are those which pertain to the reward of the homeland and to the provision for the journey, the first being three and the following four—hence it is that the petitions of the Lord's Prayer, which teach us what we ought profitably to ask, are seven.
For those things which pertain to divine honor and the reward of the homeland are three, namely the understanding
of truth, the reverence
of majesty, and the concord
of will; or in other words, it is either the vision
of the highest truth, which is not seen except by the pure and holy, and this is asked when it is said: Hallowed be thy name,
that is, may the knowledge of thy name be given to the perfect, holy, and pure; or it is the attainment
of the supremely exalted, which makes kings and through which the kingdom is possessed, and this is asked when it is said: Thy kingdom come;
or it is the enjoyment
of the highest good, which is not given except to those who have their wills conformed to the divine will, and this is asked when it is said: Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Those things, however, which pertain to the passage of the journey regard either the bestowal
of a benefiting good or the removal
of a harming evil. The bestowal
of a benefiting good is asked for in the daily or supersubstantial bread, in which is asked whatever is necessary for the preservation of present life, whether according to spirit or according to body. The removal
of a harming evil is asked in the three last petitions: because every evil either has the character of the past,
or the future,
or the present;
or otherwise, it has the character of the evil of fault,
or of struggle,
or of punishment.
The first is asked to be removed in the forgiveness of debts;
the second in the victory over temptations;
the third and last, in deliverance
from the oppression of evils.
And thus there are seven petitions in all, in which is universally asked whatever ought to be asked; and this indeed quite fittingly, so that the sevenfold number of petitions corresponds to the sevenfold number of divine gifts and of the gifts of sevenfold grace.
On account of which it should be noted that sacred Scripture sets before us a sevenfold septenary for consideration, namely of the capital vices, of the Sacraments, of the virtues, of the gifts, of the beatitudes, of the petitions,
and of the glorious endowments,
three spiritual and four corporal, as will appear below: the septenary of vices
as the first, from which we ought to withdraw; the septenary of the Sacraments
as the second, through which we ought to advance; the septenary of the endowments
as the last, which we ought to desire; the septenary of the petitions
as the penultimate, by which we ought to ask: and the threefold intermediate septenary of the virtues, the gifts,
and the beatitudes,
through which we ought to pass: so that, praising the name of the Lord and praying seven times a day,
we may obtain the sevenfold grace of the virtues, gifts, and beatitudes, by which we may overcome the sevenfold battle of the capital vices and arrive at the sevenfold crown of the glorious endowments, with the aid nonetheless of the sevenfold medicine of the Sacraments divinely established for the restoration of the human race.