Bonaventure

The numbered footnotes below correspond to markers in both the Latin body above and the English translation; Quaracchi restart their numbering on every printed page, so the labels are qualified by page.

COLLATIO XXII.

De quarta visione tractatio tertia, quae specialiter agit tum de secundo obiecto huius visionis, nempe de consideratione militantis Ecclesiae, tum de tertio, quod est ipsa anima hierarchizata.

Summarium

Introductio, repetitio, 1. — Pars I. De secundo obiecto huius visionis, id est de Ecclesia militante. Argumentum; Ecclesia, lunae comparata, debet stabilire animam contemplativam; habet ordines respondentes hierarchiae supernae; triplex distinctio ordinum ecclesiasticorum, 2. — Prima eorum distinctio est secundum rationem processuum; sic sunt tres ordines, scilicet fundamentales, promotivi, consummantes, respondentes triplici hierarchiae caelesti ac divinis personis, 3. 4. — Fundamentales sunt tres: patriarchalis, prophetalis, apostolicus; eorum correspondentia, 5. 6. — Item, promotivi: martyres, confessores, virgines; eorum correspondentia, 7. 8. — Item, consummantes: praesidentes, magistratus, regulares; eorum correspondentia, 9. 10. — Secunda distinctio ipsorum est secundum rationem ascensuum et graduum; tres gradus: purgativi, illuminativi, perfectivi; purgatio est triplex, cui respondent tres infimi ordines: ostiarii, lectores, exorcistae, 11. — Ordines illuminativi iterum tres: acolythi, subdiaconi, diaconi, 12. 13. — Ordines perfectivi tres: sacerdotes, episcopi, patriarchae; de Papa, 14. 15. — Tertia distinctio eorundem est secundum rationem exercitiorum; triplex eorum genus secundum triplicem vitam, scilicet activam, contemplativam, ex utraque permixtam; correspondentia trium statuum, 16. 17. — Primo, status laicorum est triplex, scilicet plebium, consulum, principum; correspondentia, 18. — Secundo, item status clericorum est vel ministerialis, vel sacerdotalis, vel pontificalis, 19. — Tertio, status contemplantium iterum triplex: per modum supplicatorium, speculatorium, sursumactivum; de pluribus ordinibus, et de futuro ordine seraphico; epilogus, 20-23. — Pars II. De tertio obiecto quartae visionis sive de anima hierarchizata, quae comparatur luci stellarum. Ipsa habet gradus respondentes supernae hierarchiae; hi gradus disponuntur et distinguuntur secundum ascensum, descensum et regressum. Primo secundum ascensum, sic sunt tres gradus: industriae cum natura, industriae cum gratia, gratiae super naturam et industriam, 24. — Primi gradus sunt tres actus, respondentes tribus infimis ordinibus caelestis hierarchiae, 25. — Item, tres alii actus in secundo gradu cum correspondentia, 26. — Item, tres alii actus in tertio gradu, qui respondent tribus supremis ordinibus, 27. — Secundo, secundum descensum, distinctio fit secundum tres virtutes animae, scilicet susceptivas, custoditivas, distributivas, 28. — Sub primo respectu requiruntur tria, respondentia tribus supremis ordinibus caelestis hierarchiae, 29-31. — Sub secundo respectu iterum tria, respondentia mediis ordinibus, 32. — Similiter sub tertio respectu, et sic est correspondentia cum infimis ordinibus, 33. — Tertio fit distinctio secundum regressum; tres gradus distinguuntur secundum tres potentias et operationes animae, 34. — Primo, secundum virtutes exteriores sunt tria: perlustratio, praeelectio, prosecutio; de his et correspondentia, 35. — Secundo, hierarchizatio fit secundum potentias interiores; sunt tria: castigatio, confortatio, convocatio, 36-38. — Tertio, secundum potentias superiores sunt tria: admissio, inspectio, inductio; epilogus, 39. — Duodecim materiae considerandae, respondentes duodecim stellis, 40. — De duplici eclipsi lunae, 41. — Hoc applicatur ad contemplativum virum deficientem, 42.

1. Signum magnum apparuit in caelo, mulier amicta sole, et luna sub pedibus eius, et in capite eius corona stellarum duodecim². Dictum est de consideratione caelestis monarchiae, quae intelligitur per lucem solarem, ut est sol vigens, fulgens, calens, secundum quod consurgunt in anima

p. 438 novem lumina secundum considerationes divinae excellentiae, divinae influentiae, divinae praesidentiae; et quomodo caelestis hierarchia illustratur ab illo sole et hierarchizatur propter conformitatem ad solem, propter dispositionem integritatis hierarchiae et propter multiformitatem aspectuum.

2. Restat ergo dicere de luna. Sicut enim anima contemplativa est mulier bona, amicta sole, ita luna est sub pedibus eius, non ad conculcandum, sed ad stabiliendum, scilicet militans Ecclesia. Philosophi multa consideraverunt de sole aeterno, sed nihil eis valuit, quia non fuit luna sub pedibus. Unde sicut luna est filia solis et recipit lumen ab eo, similiter militans Ecclesia a superna Ierusalem; unde Apostolus¹ dicit eam matrem nostram, quia est mater influentiarum, quibus efficimur filii Dei. Caelestis hierarchia est illustrativa militantis Ecclesiae. — Oportet ergo, quod Ecclesia militans habeat ordines correspondentes hierarchiae illustranti. Distinguuntur autem tripliciter: uno modo secundum rationem processuum; alio modo secundum rationem ascensuum; tertio modo secundum rationem exercitiorum.

3. Primo ergo secundum rationem processuum, quia in tempore nascitur et procedit, non sicut Angeli, qui subito creati sunt et simul firmati. Sicut enim luna plus et plus recipit lumen a sole, quousque veniat ad complementum; sic Ecclesia. Habet ergo tres ordines, scilicet fundamentales, qui respondent supremae hierarchiae; promoventes, qui respondent mediae; consummantes, qui respondent infimae.

4. Fundamentales ergo respondent supremae, quia in spiritualibus fundamenta sunt altissima; in corporalibus vero, quia res descendunt ad infimum, ideo fundamentum est infimum, sed in spiritualibus fundamentum est supremum². Unde et homo habet caput erectum ad caelum, quod est sicut radix. Unde sicut in arboribus per radicem est derivatio et attractio ad ramos, sic in homine quidquid est in corpore derivatur a capite, licet aliud membrum sit principalius, ut cor, secundum Philosophum³. Christus autem, qui est caput, locum supremum tenet in hierarchia nostra.

5. Sunt ergo tres ordines: fundamentales, respondentes Patri; promoventes, Filio; consummantes, Spiritui sancto. Sunt autem in Ecclesia tres ordines fundamentales, scilicet ordo patriarchalis, prophetalis, apostolicus; ad Ephesios⁴: Iam non estis hospites et advenae; sequitur: Superaedificati supra fundamentum Apostolorum et Prophetarum. — Patriarchae fuerunt patres Apostolorum secundum carnem et secundum promissionem. Iste ordo respondet Patri, ut est in se ipso; prophetalis respondet Patri, ut est in Filio; apostolicus respondet Patri, ut est in Spiritu sancto. Isti Apostoli sunt filii excussorum; Psalmus⁵: Sicut sagittae in manu potentis, ita filii excussorum; et alibi: Pro patribus tuis nati sunt tibi filii.

6. Ordo patriarchalis respondet Thronis; ordo prophetalis, Cherubim; ordo apostolicus, Seraphim. In Patriarchis fuit stabilitas fidei; in Prophetis, limpiditas cognitionis; in Apostolis, fervor caritatis. Si ergo genitura novi testamenti fuit a nobilissimo principio, debuit esse a nobilissimis principibus⁶. Et ideo Apostoli respondent Seraphim, quia apostolicus ordo conformatur Christo, et ante illum ordo illuminativus, scilicet prophetalis, et ante illum ordo stabilis, scilicet patriarchalis.

7. Sunt etiam tres ordines promotivi, per quos Ecclesia stabilitur in ordinibus martyrum, confessorum, virginum. Ordo martyrum respondet Filio, ut est in Patre, quia in martyribus fuit maxima potestas. Ordo confessorum respondet Filio, ut est in semetipso, scilicet ratione doctrinae. Ordo virginum respondet Filio, ut est in Spiritu sancto. Per viros istos dilatata est Ecclesia, in qua sunt exempla virtutis: in ordine martyrum documenta veritatis, in ordine confessorum privilegia sanctitatis fulgent, in ordine virginum privilegia castitatis. Per virgines intelliguntur non solum puellae passae pro Christo, sed omnes, qui zelo castitatis sequestraverunt se a mundo, ut Hilarion, Paulus, primus eremita.

8. Martyres respondent Dominationibus, confessores Virtutibus, virgines Potestatibus, ubi removetur omnis deordinatio. In martyribus Ecclesia aliquantulum fuit obscurata, quia luna apparuit sicut sanguis⁷, sed repurgata est et rediit ad maiorem dilatationem; unde per sanguinem martyrum dilatata est Ecclesia. Similiter tempore confessorum per haereticos impugnata est; sed post haeresis destructa est in Conciliis, et magis est Ecclesiae fides explanata. Similiter tempore virginum, quando homines ad carnem convertebantur, excitavit Spiritus sanctus mentes quorundam, ut castitatem amarent et servarent.

9. Tertius est ordo consummantium, et sunt tres, scilicet praesidentium, magistratuum, regularium. Ordo praesidentium respondet Spiritui sancto, ut est in Patre; ordo magistratuum respondet eidem, ut est in Filio; ordo regularium respondet

p. 439 eidem, ut est in se ipso. Primo Ecclesia fuit fundata in primis tribus; secundo, in tribus mediis crevit; tertio oportet, quod sit ordinata in tota sua universitate et compleatur per Spiritum sanctum. Sunt ergo in Ecclesia praesidentes et subditi, docentes et discipuli, regulantes et regulati; et intelligo magistros seu docentes vel philosophiam, vel ius, vel theologiam, vel artem quamcumque bonam, per quam promoveatur Ecclesia. Per ordinem praesidentium intelliguntur praelati cuiuscumque auctoritatis. Per ordinem regulantium et regulatorum comprehenditur vita monastica; et isti sunt ultimi, quia oportet, mundum consummari in castitate, quia ultimi non generabunt. Consistit ergo in hoc consummatio Ecclesiae, ut regatur secundum rationem praelationis, secundum rationem illustrationis, secundum rationem a carne abstractionis.

10. Ordo praesidentium respondet Principatibus; ordo magistratuum, Archangelis; ordo regularium, Angelis, qui habent officium humilitatis¹. Debent enim plus esse subiecti regulares superiori suo, quam discipuli magistro, quam subiecti praesidenti; quia sic decet nos implere omnem iustitiam². Unde ille qui magis est humilis, maior est apud Deum.

11. Alia est distinctio secundum rationem ascensus et graduum ecclesiasticorum. Oportet autem, eam ordinari tribus ordinibus lapidum³. Sunt autem gradus quidam purgativi, illuminativi, perfectivi. — Purgatio autem triplex est: purgatur homo a consortio foedorum, a nubilo ignorantiarum, ab infestatione daemonum. His respondet ordo ostiariorum, lectorum, exorcistarum: ordo ostiariorum, ut excludantur immundi, excommunicati, energumeni, catechumeni et non fundati in fide. Et ista fiebant in Ecclesia primitiva, quando Ecclesia optime erat disposita; sed modo porcus et canis intrant. — Ordo lectorum est, [?] homo purgetur a nubilo ignorantiarum per auditum lectionis, ut homo sciat historiam eorum quae leguntur, et sic informetur. Unde etiam in primitiva Ecclesia, quia tunc quasi omnes erant litterati, legebatur eis lectio. — Tertia purgatio a vexationibus daemonum per ordinem exorcistarum. — Ordo primus respondet Angelis, secundus Archangelis, tertius Principatibus.

12. Item, est ordo graduum ad illuminandum per ordinem acolythorum, subdiaconorum, levitarum. Acolythorum est ferre lumina, subdiaconorum legere Epistolam, diaconorum legere Evangelium. Omnes autem ministrant vasa, sed diversimode, quia acolythus ampullas, subdiaconus parat calicem, diaconus offert; unde etiam aliquando ministrabat Sanguinem, quando ministrabatur Sanguis olim⁴.

13. Isti ergo ordines sunt illuminativi. Illuminatio autem quaedam est per exempla exteriora, quaedam per documenta mediocria, quaedam per documenta suprema. — Primi portant cereos, ut acolythi, quibus dicitur: Sint lumbi vestri praecincti, et lucernae ardentes⁵. Lucernae enim sunt opera lucida secundum Gregorium. — Secundi illuminant verbo et exemplo; ut sitis sine querela et simplices filii Dei, sine reprehensione, in medio nationis pravae et perversae, inter quos lucetis sicut luminaria in mundo, verbum vitae continentes, ut subdiaconi, qui continent verbum Epistolarum. — Tertii per documenta altissima, ut Evangeliorum, sunt diaconi. Unde etiam solebant praedicare, ut Stephanus, Laurentius, Vincentius. Unde in Luca⁶ Angelus ad pastores ait: Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum etc. Ille Angelus est diaconus. — Ordo acolythorum respondet Potestatibus; ordo subdiaconorum, Virtutibus: ordo diaconorum, Dominationibus⁷.

14. Est etiam ordo perfectivus, et iste est triplex; sacerdotalis, episcopalis et patriarchalis. Consummatio enim est secundum triplicem modum. Una est in administratione communi Sacramentorum, sine quibus non est salus, ut est baptismus, poenitentia, eucharistia, unctio extrema. Primum est, per quod introducitur homo in Ecclesiam; secundum, per quod reducitur in gradum pristinum; tertium, per quod homo deducitur in caelum. Primum est, ad deletionem culpae originalis; secundum, ad deletionem mortalis; tertium, ad deletionem omnis venialis; et quia in his non est perfectio nisi ut in Christo, ideo Sacramentum eucharistiae committitur sacerdoti specialiter.

15. Secunda est in administratione ordinum privilegiatorum, ut sacri ordinis et confirmationis; quod est episcoporum, non aliorum; et quia faciunt sacerdotes perfectiores; ideo in ipsis debet esse altior perfectio ad dandum Spiritum sanctum, qui non nisi per Apostolos dabatur; ideo etiam locum tenent Apostolorum. — Super Apostolos autem est Christus, et post Petrus. Oportet ergo, esse patrem patrum, quem nos Papam vocamus, qui tamen propter humilitatem quatuor habet patriarchas: Constantinopolitanum, Alexandrinum, Hierosolymitanum, Antiochenum. Et de his loquitur Isaias⁸: Erunt quinque

p. 440 civitates in terra Aegypti, loquentes lingua Chanaan et iurantes per Dominum exercituum; Roma autem universalis est, ideo civitas solis vocabitur una; quia, etsi aliae quatuor sedes plenam auctoritatem habeant super Ecclesias vicinas illis, tamen Roma habet universaliter, sicut sol, plenitudinem potestatis super omnes. — Et secundum hoc sunt tres ordines, non quidem propter novi characteris impressionem, quia ultra sacerdotium non est gradus; sed propter eminentiam et potestatem¹. — Primus respondet Thronis, secundus Cherubim, tertius Seraphim; quia oportet, episcopum esse amplectentem eum qui secundum doctrinam est fidelem sermonem². Papa autem debet esse perfectissimus inter omnes. Si autem sic esset ordinatio interius, sicut exterius, optima esset.

16. Tertia ordinatio est secundum rationem exercitiorum, quae sunt tria: actuosum, otiosum, ex utroque permixtum; vita activa, vita contemplativa, ex utroque permixta. Et licet ordo praelatorum secundum ordinem ascensuum ponatur in summo, tamen secundum istum processum ponitur in medio, ex quo permixtus est. Est ergo ordo activorum in infimo, ordo praelatorum in medio, ordo contemplativorum in summo. — Ordo activorum respondet Patri, cui competit generatio et productio; ordo praelatorum Filio; ordo contemplativorum Spiritui sancto.

17. Unde in Ecclesia sunt tres ordines: monasticus, qui est productus tantum; laicus, qui est producens; clericalis, qui est productus et etiam producens. Nam ex laico fit clericus, et non e converso, si iam ordinem sacrum habet, nec alio modo fieri debet, etiam si non habet, nisi sit totaliter ineptus. Ex clerico fit religiosus et non e converso.

18. In ordine laicorum est triplex ordo, scilicet sacrarum plebium, sacrorum consulum, sacrorum principum. Restituam, inquit³, iudices tuos, sicut a principio. Boni enim principes habent bonos consiliarios. Et boni principes et boni consules habent bonas plebes, quia erudiunt illas. Econtra mali principes habent malos consiliarios, et per consequens male instruunt plebes. Malae plebes eligunt malos principes. — Primus ordo, scilicet plebium, respondet Angelis; secundus, scilicet consulum, Archangelis; tertius, scilicet principum, Principatibus. — Modo autem non est ita, sicut quando Constantinus regnabat. Qualis consiliarius fuit Ambrosius, qui adhuc Saracenus, scilicet catechumenus, virgo fuit! Sed modo principes sunt socii furum⁴, et consiliarii in munere consulunt.

19. Secundus ordo est clericalis, activus et contemplativus, qui et pascere debet et contemplari, ut sint medii inter Deum et plebem. Omnis enim pontifex ex hominibus assumtus pro hominibus constituitur in iis quae sunt ad Deum, ut offerat dona et sacrificia pro peccatis⁵. Et hi sunt tres ordines: ministerialis, sacerdotalis, pontificalis. Ad hos reducuntur omnes, quia omnes aut sunt ministrantes, et sunt primi sex; aut sunt sanctificantes per verba; aut sunt regentes per eminentiam. — Primus ordo, scilicet ministerialis, respondet Potestatibus; ordo sacerdotalis, in quo est efficacia Sacramenti, est ordo Virtutum; ordo pontificum respondet Dominationibus, quia habet iubere, in quo est efficacia et virtus.

20. In ordine contemplantium sunt tres ordines respondentes supremae hierarchiae, quorum est divinis vacare. Intendunt autem divinis tripliciter: quidam per modum supplicatorium, quidam per modum speculatorium, quidam per modum sursumactivum. — Primo modo sunt illi qui se totos dedicant orationi et devotioni et divinae laudi, nisi aliquando, quando intendunt operi manuali seu labori ad sustentationem suam et aliorum, ut sunt ordo monasticus, sive albus, sive niger, ut Cisterciensis, Praemonstratensis, Carthusiensis, Grandimontensis, Canonici regulares. Omnibus istis datae sunt possessiones, ut orent pro illis qui dederunt. Huic respondent Throni.

21. Secundus est, qui intendit per modum speculatorium vel speculativum, ut illi qui vacant speculationi Scripturae, quae non intelligitur nisi ab animis mundis. Non enim potes noscere verba Pauli, nisi habeas spiritum Pauli; et ideo necesse est, ut sis sequestratus in deserto cum Moyse et ascendas in montem⁶. — Huic respondent Cherubim. Hi sunt Praedicatores et Minores. Alii principaliter intendunt speculationi, a quo etiam nomen acceperunt, et postea unctioni. — Alii principaliter unctioni et postea speculationi. Et utinam iste amor vel unctio non recedat a Cherubim. — Et addebat⁷, quod beatus Franciscus dixerat, quod volebat, quod fratres sui studerent, dummodo facerent prius, quam docerent. Multa enim scire et nihil gustare quid valet?

22. Tertius ordo est vacantium Deo secundum modum sursumactivum, scilicet ecstaticum seu excessivum. — Et dicebat: Quis enim iste est? Iste est ordo seraphicus. De isto videtur fuisse Franciscus.

p. 441 Et dicebat, quod etiam antequam haberet habitum, raptus fuit et inventus iuxta quandam sepem¹. — Hic enim est maxima difficultas, scilicet in sursumactione, quia totum corpus enervatur, et nisi esset aliqua consolatio Spiritus sancti, non sustineret. Et in his consummabitur Ecclesia. Quis autem ordo iste futurus sit, vel iam sit, non est facile scire.

23. Primus ordo respondet Thronis; secundus Cherubim; tertius Seraphim, et isti sunt propinqui Ierusalem et non habent nisi evolare. Iste ordo non florebit, nisi Christus appareat et patiatur in corpore suo mystico. — Et dicebat, quod illa apparitio Seraph beato Francisco², quae fuit expressiva et impressa, ostendebat, quod iste ordo illi respondere debeat, sed tamen pervenire ad hoc per tribulationes. Et in illa apparitione magna mysteria erant. — Sic ergo distinguuntur isti ordines secundum maiorem et minorem perfectionem; comparatio autem est secundum status, non secundum personas; quia una persona laica aliquando perfectior est quam religiosa.

24. Sequitur de luce stellari, per quam anima hierarchizata intelligitur. Necesse est enim, ut anima, quae est hierarchizata, habeat gradus correspondentes supernae Ierusalem. Grandis res est anima: in anima potest describi totus orbis. Pulcra dicitur sicut Ierusalem³, quia assimilatur Ierusalem per dispositionem graduum hierarchicorum. Disponuntur autem in anima tripliciter: secundum ascensum, secundum descensum et secundum regressum in divina; et tunc anima videt Angelos Dei ascendentes et descendentes per scalam, ut vidit Iacob in mente sua⁴. — Abbas Vercellensis assignavit tres gradus, scilicet naturae, industriae, gratiae. Sed non videtur, quod aliquo modo per naturam anima possit hierarchizari. Et ideo nos debemus attribuere industriae cum natura, industriae cum gratia, et gratiae super naturam et industriam.

25. Tres autem sunt gradus industriae cum natura sive actus, scilicet nuntiatio, dictatio, ductio. Nuntiatio respondet Angelis; dictatio, Archangelis; ductio, Principatibus. — Industria enim primo percipit quod quilibet sensus nuntiat. Visus et auditus multa nuntiant, sed auditus plura, ut illa quae Romae fiunt; gustus, odoratus et tactus non vadunt longe, et ideo tardi sunt⁵. Cavere autem debet industria, ut non permittat, omnem nuntium intrare, ut mulieres videre. Industria ergo debet discernere inter nuntiata, utrum sint respuenda, vel eligenda. — Deinde necesse est deliberatio, quae est dictatio, utrum liceat; et si liceat, utrum deceat; et si liceat et deceat, utrum expediat. Nil enim expedit, nisi quod licet et decet. — Deinde necessaria est ductio, ut prosequatur. « Prosequi autem est assumere in facultatem voluntatis⁶ », et hoc est Principatuum. Multi enim sunt Angeli et Archangeli, scilicet perspicientes et deliberantes quod expedit, sed non sunt prosequentes, ut Principatus.

26. Secundus est gradus industriae cum gratia; et sunt tres actus. Primus, ut propter Deum fiat quod deliberatum est; unde prima ordinatio est in Deum, quae est Potestatum, scilicet in finem ordinare et quidquid deordinatum est, removere; et quia hoc est difficile, ideo necessaria est roboratio, quae est Virtutum; et quia in finem ordinare est difficile et roborare; ideo sequitur imperatio, quae est Dominationum.

27. Tertia hierarchizatio est gratiae super naturam et industriam, quando scilicet anima supra se elevata est et, se deserta, suscipit divinas illuminationes et supra se speculatur quod sibi datum est; et ex hoc surgit in divina sive sursum agitur. Ista tria sunt susceptio, revelatio, unio⁷, ultra quam non procedit mens. Et in istis consistit Canticum canticorum totum, scilicet in castis, castioribus, castissimis susceptionibus; in castis, castioribus, castissimis speculationibus; in castis, castioribus, castissimis unitionibus; et tunc poterit dicere illud Cantici⁸: Osculetur me osculo oris sui. — Susceptio respondet Thronis, revelatio Cherubim, unio Seraphim. Et haec hierarchizatio est secundum ascensum.

28. Item, est hierarchizatio animae secundum descensum sive per modum descendendi. Oportet enim, ut unguentum capitis hierarchiae supernae cadat in barbam, in mediam hierarchiam, et in vestimenta⁹, id est infimam. Haec autem habent fieri secundum virtutes animae, quae sunt tres, secundum Dionysium: susceptivae, custoditivae, distributivae; ut copiose suscipiat, studiose custodiat, liberaliter refundat; unde gratis accepistis, gratis date¹⁰.

29. Ad hoc autem, quod anima recipiat illa lumina, requiritur vivacitas desiderii, perspicacitas

p. 442 scrutinii, tranquillitas iudicii. Non enim est contemplativa anima sine desiderio vivaci. Qui hoc non habet nihil de contemplatione habet, quia origo luminum est a supremis ad infima, non e converso. — Primus respondet Seraphim, qui est ardens sicut ignis; unde ignis maximam significationem habet in Scripturis. Ad istum ignem ardentem in vertice montis ascendit Moyses, et tamen illum ignem prius vidit in pede montis¹. Non enim Moyses descendere potuit ad erudiendum populum, nisi prius ad ignem ascendisset. Desiderium ergo disponit animam ad suscipiendum lumen.

30. Secundo oportet, quod anima perspicaciter advertat vel percipiat quae data sunt sibi a Deo, et non habeat phantasmata vel occupationes, quin possit occupari et ferri in illa lumina. Et istud respondet Cherubim.

31. Tertio oportet, quod habeat tranquillitatem iudicii, quia donum Dei non debet in vacuum recipere², ut non pervertatur iudicium in aliqua passione; quia, sicut animae iudicium pervertitur, si inordinate amo vel odio, sic similiter, si spero, et sic de aliis passionibus. Et hoc respondet Thronis.

32. Ex his sequitur auctoritas imperii. Ex quo enim desiderio suscipit et istud perspicaciter percipit et tranquille faciendum iudicat, quod Deus vult; tunc anima imperat fieri; et istud respondet Dominationibus. Sed imperare parum valet, nisi faciat; ideo oportet, quod sit virilitas propositi exercitati, quod respondet Virtutibus, ut propter nullam tribulationem dimittat bonum, quod scit Deum velle. — Post quod venit nobilitas triumphi propter impedimenta, quae occurrunt, postquam recipitur aliquid a Deo; et istud respondet Potestatibus, scilicet de omnibus triumphare. Haec tria faciunt mediam hierarchiam animae.

33. Tertium est custoditi distributio; et in hoc sunt tria vel tripliciter contingit, scilicet per claritatem exempli, per veritatem eloquii, per humilitatem obsequii. Sic debemus vitam dare proximo, scilicet per exempla, scientiam, substantiam. — Praeclaritas exempli respondet Principatibus, quorum est ducere; veritas eloquii, Archangelis; humilitas obsequii, Angelis. — Sic ergo est consummatio in humilitate secundum descensum, et inceptio in caritate; ascendendo e contrario. Sic ergo descendendo incipimus a vivacitate desiderii ad humilitatem obsequii. Unde Christus venit ad humilitatem obsequii nostri. Sicut ergo anima habet Angelos ascendentes, sic debet habere descendentes. Unde in Ioanne³: Nemo ascendit in caelum, nisi qui descendit de caelo, filius hominis, qui est in caelo.

34. Tertio modo modus distinguendi in anima secundum regressum est secundum triplicem gradum contemplationis. Gregorius super Ezechielem⁴ ponit tres gradus: aut enim quod venit in considerationem nostram est extra nos, aut intra nos, aut supra nos. Unde Deus contemplatur aut in his quae sunt intra nos, aut extra nos, aut supra nos, secundum tres potentias, scilicet exteriores, interiores, superiores, sive apprehensivas, amativas, operativas. Et secundum philosophum⁵ « omnis anima nobilis tres habet operationes », scilicet animalem ad extra, intellectualem ad intra, divinam ad supra. Oportet ergo, ut anima habeat hierarchizationem secundum has potentias: primo secundum virtutes exteriores, circa quas sunt tria, scilicet discreta perlustratio, discreta praeelectio, discreta prosecutio.

35. Primo ergo debet esse discreta perlustratio, ut discrete consideretur mundus ab anima. Nam in anima est sicut quaedam manus scribens. Sensus enim percipit exteriora et post, sensus communis; deinde imaginatio, et ratio considerat et reponit in memoria⁶. Oportet ergo, quod sit magna discretio ad custodiendam domum, ne omnes intrent ad has vires; nihil nuntietur regi et reginae, quod sit inutile. Latro enim introduci non debet coram rege, nisi forte, ut condemnetur. Eva enim misera et incauta introduxit eloquium serpentis et dubitavit⁷; et isto eloquio hodie multi corrumpuntur. Nihil ergo debet intrare per portas istas immundum; in Apocalypsi: Foras canes et venefici et impudici. — Secundum est discreta praeelectio; ex quo apparet, quid percipitur, sequitur, ut praeeligatur, ex quo percipitur bonum; quia in bonis est electio ordinata; non enim prius manducandum quam celebrandum. — Et hoc respondet Archangelis, et discreta perlustratio convenit Angelis. — Post sequitur iudicium — et istud convenit Principatibus — quod est in prosecutione. Ex quo bonum percipitur et bonum praeeligitur faciendum, sequi debet iudicium ad prosequendum. Haec autem omnia operatur gratia, non industria sola cum natura, ut dicebatur primo⁸.

36. Secunda hierarchizatio mentis est quantum ad potentias interiores; quod est magis difficile quam primum. Haec autem consistit in tribus, quae sunt: districta castigatio, districta confortatio, districta convocatio, quae interius hierarchizatam faciunt animam. — Primo, quod castigentur radices passionum et amputentur, et enerventur contrariae potestates. Venit

p. 443 enim princeps mundi huius et in me non habet quidquam¹. Quamdiu enim passiones illae dominantur homini, diabolus habet de suo in homine. Ad hoc autem faciendum necesse est, ut eradicetur triplex libido: libido principandi, libido delectandi, libido possidendi; quia haec triplex libido inducit diabolum in animam. — Haec autem hierarchizatio respondet Potestatibus. Non potest autem anima potestativa esse, quamdiu diabolus habet ius suum in anima. Oportet ergo, ut homo habeat tria opposita: ut sit subiectus, castus, pauper. Et sic amputantur radices passionum; in Cantico²: Tempus putationis advenit, quia qualibet die pullulant.

37. Secunda est districta confortatio. Sicut enim triplex libido facit pronitatem ad malum, sic triplex infirmitas facit difficultatem ad bonum. Haec autem est infirmitas negligentiae, impatientiae, diffidentiae. Quidam ita sunt negligentes, ut durum sit eis facere bonum; secundi, ut cito sint impatientes; tertii, etsi ambo praemissa non habeant, tamen cito diffidunt. Oportet ergo, per mentis vigilantiam, tolerantiam, confidentiam animam reformari. Et huic respondet ordo Virtutum.

38. Sequitur districta convocatio. Quando enim mens est ordinata sicut Ecclesia, quando habet potestatem supra se, tunc est templum Dei; quando dominatur et imperat omnibus viribus, tunc est hierarchizata Dominationibus; quando virtutes vocantur ad opera sua, et dicitur huic: fac hoc, et illi: fac tu illud³. Ad hoc autem faciendum necesse est, ut dominetur appetitibus, phantasmatibus, occupationibus, ut sit districtio in appetitibus, phantasmatibus, occupationibus. — Et tunc est anima domina sui, quando concupiscibili aufertur concupiscentia triplex, irascibili aufertur infirmitas triplex, rationali aufertur error triplex. Tunc anima habet imperium in regno suo; et tunc non expellitur extra domum suam, quando illae passiones sunt amputatae; et in tali anima Deus habitat, non in furiosa concupiscentia etc. Diabolus libenter imprimit quod in se habet; haec sunt « furor irrationalis, amens concupiscentia, phantasia proterva⁴ ».

39. Sequitur, quomodo anima hierarchizatur quantum ad virtutes superiores. Quando enim anima facit quod potest, tunc gratia facile levat animam, et Deus ibi operatur, ut sit digna semper admissio, digna inspectio, digna inductio. — Digna admissio divinorum respondet Thronis. Et ita intelligitur illud quod legitur in Threnis⁵: Consurge in principio vigiliarum, effunde sicut aquam cor tuum ante conspectum Domini, id est, pone ante Deum preces. In Psalmo: Domine, ante te omne desiderium meum, et gemitus meus a te non est absconditus. — Et post, quando elevatur, non debet esse otiosa et debet circumspicere; Isaias: Ierusalem, consurge et sta in excelso; et: Tunc videbis et afflues, et mirabitur et dilatabitur cor tuum. Tunc enim debet anima esse fixa et stans et exspectare. — Post sequitur divina inductio; quando facta est digna admissio et sancta perceptio, tunc rapitur in Deum sive in dilectum. Unde in Cantico⁶: Laeva eius sub capite meo, et dextera illius amplexabitur me. Ego dilecto meo, et dilectus meus mihi, qui pascitur inter lilia, quia iam sensit unionem et factus est unus spiritus cum Deo; unde: Qui adhaeret Deo unus spiritus est; et hoc est supremum in anima, quod animam facit esse in caelo. — Et istis per ordinem respondent ordines supremae hierarchiae. — Et sic est anima mulier amicta sole, et luna sub pedibus eius, et in capite eius corona duodecim stellarum⁷, quia est plena luminibus et nunquam oculum divertit a lumine.

40. Et quia in hac vita non possumus stare in uno, ideo anima habet duodecim materias sicut duodecim lumina, circa quae semper moveatur in quodam circulo, sicut sol percurrit duodecim constellationes, scilicet per duodecim signa⁸, et nunquam exit. Hae autem considerationes ornant animam, et ideo sunt sicut corona ex duodecim stellis, quae sunt: consideratio corporalium naturarum, spiritualium substantiarum, intellectualium scientiarum, affectualium virtutum, institutarum divinitus legum, infusarum divinitus gratiarum, irreprehensibilium iudiciorum⁹, incomprehensibilium misericordiarum, remunerabilium meritorum, praemiantium praemiorum, temporalium decursuum, aeternalium rationum. — In his debet contemplativa anima versari semper in aliquo istorum luminum, sicut sol semper est in aliquo signo¹⁰.

41. Et nota, quod luna patitur eclipsim in capite, vel in cauda draconis. Sunt autem duae intersectiones in caelo super eclipticam¹¹, per quam transit luna, quae vocantur caput et cauda draconis;

p. 444 draco vocatur propter circulum, quasi tenens caudam in ore. Illa intersectio, quae est versus aquilonem, vocatur caput, quia sol magis laedit nos, quando est ibi, quia magis diametraliter urit nos, sicut draco est peior et magis nocivus in capite. Cauda autem est versus meridiem, et minus laedit nos sol, quando est in parte illa, quia magis a nobis elongatur. Et quando sol in una parte est, et luna in puncto alio sibi opponitur, ut in plenilunio; tunc eclipsatur.

42. Similiter vir contemplativus eclipsatur dupliciter et cadit turpiter et multum periculose, eo quod vix resurgit; nec mirum, quia de alto cadit. Cadit enim per errorem et per praesumtionem. Videt enim se illuminatum et praesumit, et fit luciferianus et cadit a luce in tenebras horribiles. [?] similiter per errorem aestimationis, quae oritur ex praesumtione, quando credit, se omnia habere per revelationem. Semper tamen debet esse regula. — Unde dicebat, quod multi decipiuntur, quod credunt, se habere omnia per revelationem. — Unde in illa visione et apparitione, quae est regula omnium apparitionum, Domini in monte, apparuerunt Christus, Moyses et Elias¹, ut nihil credatur verum vel revelatum, nisi quod consonat Legi, Prophetis et Evangelio. — Debet ergo contemplativus esse humilis et circumspectus, ut non ad caput draconis veniat per praesumtionem, vel in cauda involvatur per errorem. Et ideo mulier, scilicet anima hierarchizata, videt duas visiones, scilicet arcam et civitatem².

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COLLATION XXII.

On the fourth vision: the third treatment, which treats specially both of the second object of this vision, namely of the consideration of the Church militant, and of the third, which is the soul itself made hierarchic.

Summarium

Introduction, repetition, 1. — Part I. On the second object of this vision, that is, on the Church militant. The argument; the Church, compared to the moon, ought to establish the contemplative soul; it has orders answering to the hierarchy above; the threefold distinction of the ecclesiastical orders, 2. — The first distinction of them is according to the ground of processions; thus there are three orders, namely the foundational, the promotive, the consummating, answering to the threefold heavenly hierarchy and to the divine persons, 3. 4. — The foundational are three: the patriarchal, the prophetic, the apostolic; their correspondence, 5. 6. — Likewise, the promotive: martyrs, confessors, virgins; their correspondence, 7. 8. — Likewise, the consummating: those presiding, masters, regulars; their correspondence, 9. 10. — The second distinction of them is according to the ground of ascents and of grades; three grades: purgative, illuminative, perfective; purgation is threefold, to which answer the three lowest orders: porters, readers, exorcists, 11. — The illuminative orders again three: acolytes, subdeacons, deacons, 12. 13. — The perfective orders three: priests, bishops, patriarchs; on the Pope, 14. 15. — The third distinction of the same is according to the ground of exercises; their threefold kind according to the threefold life, namely the active, the contemplative, and that mixed of both; the correspondence of the three states, 16. 17. — First, the state of laymen is threefold, namely of peoples, of counsellors, of princes; the correspondence, 18. — Second, likewise the state of clerics is either ministerial, or sacerdotal, or pontifical, 19. — Third, the state of contemplatives again threefold: by the mode of supplication, of speculation, of upward-acting; on the several orders, and on the future seraphic order; the epilogue, 20-23. — Part II. On the third object of the fourth vision, or on the soul made hierarchic, which is compared to the light of the stars. It has grades answering to the hierarchy above; these grades are disposed and distinguished according to ascent, descent and return. First according to ascent, thus there are three grades: of industry with nature, of industry with grace, of grace above nature and industry, 24. — Of the first grade there are three acts, answering to the three lowest orders of the heavenly hierarchy, 25. — Likewise, three other acts in the second grade with their correspondence, 26. — Likewise, three other acts in the third grade, which answer to the three highest orders, 27. — Second, according to descent, the distinction is made according to the three powers of the soul, namely the receptive, the custodial, the distributive, 28. — Under the first respect three things are required, answering to the three highest orders of the heavenly hierarchy, 29-31. — Under the second respect again three, answering to the middle orders, 32. — Likewise under the third respect, and thus there is correspondence with the lowest orders, 33. — Third, the distinction is made according to return; three grades are distinguished according to the three powers and operations of the soul, 34. — First, according to the exterior powers there are three: surveying, prior choice, pursuit; on these and their correspondence, 35. — Second, the making-hierarchic takes place according to the interior powers; there are three: chastisement, strengthening, calling-together, 36-38. — Third, according to the superior powers there are three: admission, inspection, leading-in; the epilogue, 39. — Twelve matters to be considered, answering to the twelve stars, 40. — On the twofold eclipse of the moon, 41. — This is applied to the contemplative man who fails, 42.

1. A great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars². It has been said of the consideration of the heavenly monarchy, which is understood through the light of the sun, as it is a sun vigorous, resplendent, warm, according as there arise in the soul nine lights according to the considerations of the divine excellence, the divine influence, the divine presiding; and how the heavenly hierarchy is illumined by that sun and is made hierarchic by reason of its conformity to the sun, by reason of the disposition of the hierarchy's integrity, and by reason of the multiformity of its regards.

2. It remains, then, to speak of the moon. For as the contemplative soul is the good woman, clothed with the sun, so the moon is under her feet, not for trampling, but for establishing — namely the Church militant. The philosophers considered many things about the eternal sun, but it availed them nothing, because the moon was not under their feet. Whence, as the moon is the daughter of the sun and receives light from it, so likewise the Church militant from the Jerusalem above; whence the Apostle¹ calls her our mother, because she is the mother of the influences by which we are made sons of God. The heavenly hierarchy is illuminative of the Church militant. — It behoves, then, that the Church militant have orders answering to the hierarchy that illumines her. And they are distinguished in a threefold way: in one way according to the ground of processions; in another way according to the ground of ascents; in a third way according to the ground of exercises.

3. First, then, according to the ground of processions, because she is born and proceeds in time, not like the Angels, who were created at once and confirmed at once. For as the moon receives light from the sun more and more, until it comes to its completion, so the Church. She has, then, three orders, namely the foundational, which answer to the highest hierarchy; the promoting, which answer to the middle; the consummating, which answer to the lowest.

4. The foundational, then, answer to the highest, because in spiritual things the foundations are highest; but in bodily things, because things descend to what is lowest, therefore the foundation is lowest, whereas in spiritual things the foundation is highest². Whence man too has his head erect toward heaven, which is as it were his root. Whence, as in trees derivation and attraction to the branches is through the root, so in man whatever is in the body is derived from the head, although another member be more principal, as the heart, according to the Philosopher³. But Christ, who is the head, holds the highest place in our hierarchy.

5. There are, then, three orders: the foundational, answering to the Father; the promoting, to the Son; the consummating, to the Holy Spirit. Now there are in the Church three foundational orders, namely the patriarchal, the prophetic, the apostolic; to the Ephesians⁴: Now you are no more strangers and foreigners; and there follows: Built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets. — The Patriarchs were the fathers of the Apostles according to the flesh and according to the promise. That order answers to the Father, as He is in Himself; the prophetic answers to the Father, as He is in the Son; the apostolic answers to the Father, as He is in the Holy Spirit. These Apostles are the sons of them that have been shaken out; the Psalm⁵: As arrows in the hand of the mighty, so the sons of them that have been shaken out; and elsewhere: Instead of thy fathers, sons are born to thee.

6. The patriarchal order answers to the Thrones; the prophetic, to the Cherubim; the apostolic, to the Seraphim. In the Patriarchs there was stability of faith; in the Prophets, limpidity of knowledge; in the Apostles, fervour of charity. If, then, the begetting of the new testament was from the noblest beginning, it had to be from the noblest princes⁶. And therefore the Apostles answer to the Seraphim, because the apostolic order is conformed to Christ, and before it the illuminative order, namely the prophetic, and before that the stable order, namely the patriarchal.

7. There are also three promotive orders, through which the Church is established: in the orders of martyrs, of confessors, of virgins. The order of martyrs answers to the Son, as He is in the Father, because in the martyrs there was the greatest power. The order of confessors answers to the Son, as He is in Himself, namely by reason of doctrine. The order of virgins answers to the Son, as He is in the Holy Spirit. Through these men the Church was spread abroad, in which there are examples of virtue: in the order of martyrs the proofs of truth, in the order of confessors the privileges of holiness shine forth, in the order of virgins the privileges of chastity. By virgins are understood not only maidens who suffered for Christ, but all who out of zeal for chastity have set themselves apart from the world, as Hilarion, Paul, the first hermit.

8. Martyrs answer to the Dominations, confessors to the Virtues, virgins to the Powers, where all disorder is removed. In the martyrs the Church was somewhat darkened, because the moon appeared like blood⁷, but she was purged again and returned to a greater spreading abroad; whence through the blood of the martyrs the Church was spread abroad. Likewise in the time of the confessors she was assailed by heretics; but afterwards heresy was destroyed in the Councils, and the faith of the Church was the more unfolded. Likewise in the time of the virgins, when men were turning to the flesh, the Holy Spirit stirred up the minds of certain persons, that they might love and keep chastity.

9. The third is the order of the consummating, and they are three, namely of those presiding, of masters, of regulars. The order of those presiding answers to the Holy Spirit, as He is in the Father; the order of masters answers to the same, as He is in the Son; the order of regulars answers to the same, as He is in Himself. First the Church was founded in the first three; second, in the three middle ones she grew; third, it behoves that she be ordered in her whole universality and be completed through the Holy Spirit. There are, then, in the Church those presiding and subjects, those teaching and disciples, those regulating and the regulated; and I mean by masters or teachers those who teach either philosophy, or law, or theology, or any good art whatsoever, through which the Church may be advanced. By the order of those presiding are understood prelates of whatsoever authority. By the order of those regulating and of the regulated the monastic life is comprised; and these are the last, because it behoves that the world be consummated in chastity, since the last will not beget. In this, then, consists the consummation of the Church: that she be governed according to the ground of prelacy, according to the ground of illumination, according to the ground of abstraction from the flesh.

10. The order of those presiding answers to the Principalities; the order of masters, to the Archangels; the order of regulars, to the Angels, who have the office of humility¹. For regulars ought to be more subject to their superior than disciples to a master, than subjects to one presiding; because so it becometh us to fulfil all justice². Whence he who is more humble is greater with God.

11. Another is the distinction according to the ground of ascent and of the ecclesiastical grades. Now it behoves that she be ordered with three rows of stones³. And there are certain grades purgative, illuminative, perfective. — Purgation is threefold: a man is purged from the fellowship of the foul, from the cloud of ignorances, from the infestation of demons. To these answers the order of porters, of readers, of exorcists: the order of porters, that the unclean, the excommunicate, the possessed, catechumens, and those not grounded in the faith may be shut out. And these things were done in the primitive Church, when the Church was best disposed; but now the swine and the dog enter in. — The order of readers is, [?] a man be purged from the cloud of ignorances through the hearing of the lesson, so that a man may know the history of the things that are read, and so be informed. Whence also in the primitive Church, because then almost none were lettered, the lesson was read to them. — The third purgation is from the vexations of demons through the order of exorcists. — The first order answers to the Angels, the second to the Archangels, the third to the Principalities.

12. Likewise, there is an order of grades for illuminating through the order of acolytes, of subdeacons, of levites. It belongs to acolytes to carry the lights, to subdeacons to read the Epistle, to deacons to read the Gospel. All, moreover, minister the vessels, but in different ways, since the acolyte the cruets, the subdeacon prepares the chalice, the deacon offers; whence also he sometimes ministered the Blood, when of old the Blood was ministered⁴.

13. These orders, then, are illuminative. Now illumination is in one way through exterior examples, in another through middling teachings, in another through supreme teachings. — The first carry the tapers, as the acolytes, to whom it is said: Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands⁵. For lamps are lucid works, according to Gregory. — The second illumine by word and example; that you may be blameless and simple children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life, as the subdeacons, who hold the word of the Epistles. — The third, through the highest teachings, namely of the Gospels, are the deacons. Whence also they used to preach, as Stephen, Laurence, Vincent. Whence in Luke⁶ the Angel says to the shepherds: I bring you tidings of great joy, etc. That Angel is a deacon. — The order of acolytes answers to the Powers; the order of subdeacons, to the Virtues; the order of deacons, to the Dominations⁷.

14. There is also the perfective order, and this is threefold: the sacerdotal, the episcopal and the patriarchal. For consummation is according to a threefold mode. One is in the common administration of the Sacraments, without which there is no salvation, as baptism, penance, the eucharist, extreme unction. The first is that by which a man is brought into the Church; the second, that by which he is brought back to his former grade; the third, that by which a man is led into heaven. The first is for the blotting out of original guilt; the second, for the blotting out of mortal sin; the third, for the blotting out of every venial sin; and because in these there is no perfection save as in Christ, therefore the Sacrament of the eucharist is committed to the priest specially.

15. The second is in the administration of the privileged orders, as of holy orders and of confirmation; which belongs to bishops, not to others; and because they make priests more perfect, therefore in them there ought to be a higher perfection for giving the Holy Spirit, who was given only through the Apostles; therefore also they hold the place of the Apostles. — Above the Apostles, however, is Christ, and after Him Peter. It behoves, then, that there be a father of fathers, whom we call the Pope, who nevertheless for humility's sake has four patriarchs: the Constantinopolitan, the Alexandrian, the Jerusalemite, the Antiochene. And of these Isaiah speaks⁸: There shall be five cities in the land of Egypt, speaking the language of Chanaan and swearing by the Lord of hosts; but Rome is universal, therefore one shall be called the city of the sun; because, although the other four sees have full authority over the Churches near to them, yet Rome has universally, like the sun, the fulness of power over all. — And according to this there are three orders, not indeed by reason of the impressing of a new character, since beyond the priesthood there is no grade; but by reason of eminence and power¹. — The first answers to the Thrones, the second to the Cherubim, the third to the Seraphim; because it behoves that the bishop be one embracing that faithful word which is according to doctrine². But the Pope ought to be the most perfect of all. And if the ordering were thus within, as it is without, it would be the best.

16. The third ordering is according to the ground of exercises, which are three: the active, the leisured, and that mixed of both; the active life, the contemplative life, and that mixed of both. And although the order of prelates is placed at the summit according to the order of ascents, yet according to this procession it is placed in the middle, since it is mixed. There is, then, the order of the active at the lowest, the order of prelates in the middle, the order of contemplatives at the summit. — The order of the active answers to the Father, to whom generation and production belong; the order of prelates to the Son; the order of contemplatives to the Holy Spirit.

17. Whence in the Church there are three orders: the monastic, which is produced only; the lay, which is producing; the clerical, which is produced and also producing. For from a layman a cleric is made, and not conversely, if he already has a sacred order, nor ought it to be done otherwise, even if he has not, unless he be wholly unfit. From a cleric a religious is made, and not conversely.

18. In the order of laymen there is a threefold order, namely of the sacred peoples, of the sacred counsellors, of the sacred princes. I will restore, he says³, thy judges as they were before. For good princes have good counsellors. And good princes and good counsellors have good peoples, because they instruct them. On the contrary, bad princes have bad counsellors, and consequently they instruct the peoples badly. Bad peoples choose bad princes. — The first order, namely of peoples, answers to the Angels; the second, namely of counsellors, to the Archangels; the third, namely of princes, to the Principalities. — But now it is not so, as when Constantine reigned. What a counsellor was Ambrose, who while still a Saracen — that is, a catechumen — was a virgin! But now the princes are the companions of thieves⁴, and the counsellors give counsel for a bribe.

19. The second order is the clerical, active and contemplative, which ought both to feed and to contemplate, so that they may be mediators between God and the people. For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins⁵. And these are three orders: the ministerial, the sacerdotal, the pontifical. To these all are reduced, because all are either ministering, and these are the first six; or sanctifying through words; or ruling through eminence. — The first order, namely the ministerial, answers to the Powers; the sacerdotal order, in which is the efficacy of the Sacrament, is the order of the Virtues; the order of pontiffs answers to the Dominations, because it belongs to it to command, wherein is efficacy and power.

20. In the order of contemplatives there are three orders answering to the highest hierarchy, whose office is to be free for divine things. Now they attend to divine things in a threefold way: some by the mode of supplication, some by the mode of speculation, some by the mode of upward-acting. — In the first mode are those who dedicate themselves wholly to prayer and devotion and the divine praise, except sometimes, when they attend to manual work or labour for their own sustenance and that of others, as are the monastic order, whether white or black, as the Cistercian, the Premonstratensian, the Carthusian, the Grandmontine, the Canons regular. To all these possessions have been given, that they may pray for those who gave them. To this order the Thrones answer.

21. The second is he who attends by the mode of speculation or the speculative, as those who are free for the speculation of Scripture, which is not understood save by clean souls. For thou canst not know the words of Paul, unless thou have the spirit of Paul; and therefore it is necessary that thou be set apart in the desert with Moses and ascend into the mountain⁶. — To this order the Cherubim answer. These are the Preachers and the Minors. Some attend principally to speculation, from which also they took their name, and afterwards to unction. — Others attend principally to unction and afterwards to speculation. And would that this love or unction might not depart from the Cherubim. — And he added⁷ that blessed Francis had said that he wished his brothers to study, provided that they did first what they taught. For what does it avail to know much and to taste nothing?

22. The third order is of those free for God according to the upward-acting mode, namely the ecstatic or excessive. — And he said: Who then is this one? This is the seraphic order. Of this Francis seems to have been. And he said that even before he had the habit he was rapt and was found beside a certain hedge¹. — For here is the greatest difficulty, namely in upward-action, because the whole body is enfeebled, and unless there were some consolation of the Holy Spirit, it would not endure it. And in these the Church shall be consummated. But what this order is to be, or whether it already is, is not easy to know.

23. The first order answers to the Thrones; the second to the Cherubim; the third to the Seraphim, and these are near to Jerusalem and have nothing to do but to fly forth. This order will not flourish unless Christ appear and suffer in His mystical body. — And he said that that apparition of the Seraph to blessed Francis², which was expressive and impressed, showed that this order ought to answer to him, but that it must come to this through tribulations. And in that apparition there were great mysteries. — Thus, then, these orders are distinguished according to greater and less perfection; but the comparison is according to states, not according to persons; because one lay person is sometimes more perfect than a religious.

24. There follows the starry light, through which the soul made hierarchic is understood. For it is necessary that the soul which is made hierarchic have grades answering to the Jerusalem above. A great thing is the soul: in the soul the whole world can be described. She is called beautiful as Jerusalem³, because she is made like to Jerusalem through the disposition of the hierarchic grades. Now they are disposed in the soul in a threefold way: according to ascent, according to descent and according to return into divine things; and then the soul sees the Angels of God ascending and descending by the ladder, as Jacob saw in his mind⁴. — The Abbot of Vercelli assigned three grades, namely of nature, of industry, of grace. But it does not seem that in any way the soul can be made hierarchic through nature. And therefore we ought to assign them to industry with nature, to industry with grace, and to grace above nature and industry.

25. Now there are three grades or acts of industry with nature, namely announcement, dictation, leading. Announcement answers to the Angels; dictation, to the Archangels; leading, to the Principalities. — For industry first perceives what any sense announces. Sight and hearing announce many things, but hearing more, as the things that are done at Rome; taste, smell and touch do not go far, and therefore they are slow⁵. Now industry ought to beware that it permit not every messenger to enter, as to see women. Industry, then, ought to discern among the things announced, whether they are to be rejected or to be chosen. — Then deliberation is necessary, which is dictation: whether it be lawful; and if lawful, whether it be seemly; and if lawful and seemly, whether it be expedient. For nothing is expedient save what is lawful and seemly. — Then leading is necessary, that one may pursue. « Now to pursue is to take up into the faculty of the will⁶ », and this belongs to the Principalities. For many are Angels and Archangels, namely perceiving and deliberating what is expedient, but they are not pursuing, as the Principalities.

26. The second grade is that of industry with grace; and there are three acts. The first, that what has been deliberated be done for God's sake; whence the first ordering is into God, which belongs to the Powers, namely to order to the end and to remove whatever is disordered; and because this is difficult, therefore strengthening is necessary, which belongs to the Virtues; and because to order to the end and to strengthen is difficult, therefore command follows, which belongs to the Dominations.

27. The third making-hierarchic is that of grace above nature and industry, namely when the soul is raised above herself and, having left herself, receives the divine illuminations and above herself contemplates what is given to her; and from this she rises into divine things, or is borne upward. These three are receiving, revelation, union⁷, beyond which the mind does not proceed. And in these consists the whole Canticle of Canticles, namely in chaste, more chaste and most chaste receivings; in chaste, more chaste and most chaste speculations; in chaste, more chaste and most chaste unitings; and then she will be able to say that word of the Canticle⁸: Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth. — Receiving answers to the Thrones, revelation to the Cherubim, union to the Seraphim. And this making-hierarchic is according to ascent.

28. Likewise, there is a making-hierarchic of the soul according to descent, or by the mode of descending. For it behoves that the ointment of the head of the hierarchy above run down upon the beard, upon the middle hierarchy, and upon the garments⁹, that is, the lowest. Now these things have to be done according to the powers of the soul, which are three, according to Dionysius: the receptive, the custodial, the distributive; that she may receive copiously, keep studiously, pour forth liberally; whence freely you have received, freely give¹⁰.

29. But for this, that the soul may receive those lights, there is required liveliness of desire, perspicacity of scrutiny, tranquillity of judgment. For a soul is not contemplative without a lively desire. He who has not this has nothing of contemplation, because the origin of lights is from the highest to the lowest, not conversely. — The first answers to the Seraphim, who are burning like fire; whence fire has the greatest signification in the Scriptures. To that burning fire on the top of the mountain Moses ascended, and yet he had first seen that fire at the foot of the mountain¹. For Moses could not descend to instruct the people, unless he had first ascended to the fire. Desire, then, disposes the soul for receiving light.

30. Second, it behoves that the soul perspicaciously advert to or perceive the things that are given to her by God, and that she have not phantasms or occupations, so that she may be able to be occupied with and borne into those lights. And this answers to the Cherubim.

31. Third, it behoves that she have tranquillity of judgment, because the gift of God ought not to be received in vain², that judgment be not perverted in any passion; because, as the soul's judgment is perverted if I love or hate inordinately, so likewise if I hope, and so of the other passions. And this answers to the Thrones.

32. From these follows the authority of command. For from the fact that she receives with desire and perspicaciously perceives it and tranquilly judges that what God wills is to be done, then the soul commands that it be done; and this answers to the Dominations. But to command avails little unless she act; therefore it behoves that there be manfulness of exercised purpose, which answers to the Virtues, that for no tribulation she may let go the good which she knows God to will. — After which comes the nobility of triumph on account of the impediments which occur after something is received from God; and this answers to the Powers, namely to triumph over all things. These three make the middle hierarchy of the soul.

33. The third is the distribution of what has been kept; and in this there are three, or it happens in a threefold way, namely through brightness of example, through truth of speech, through humility of service. Thus we ought to give our life to our neighbour, namely through example, knowledge, substance. — The brightness of example answers to the Principalities, whose office is to lead; the truth of speech, to the Archangels; the humility of service, to the Angels. — Thus, then, there is consummation in humility according to descent, and beginning in charity; ascending, it is the contrary. Thus, then, in descending we begin from liveliness of desire down to humility of service. Whence Christ came to the humility of our service. As, then, the soul has Angels ascending, so she ought to have them descending. Whence in John³: No man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man, who is in heaven.

34. In the third mode, the manner of distinguishing in the soul according to return is according to the threefold grade of contemplation. Gregory on Ezechiel⁴ sets down three grades: for what comes into our consideration is either outside us, or within us, or above us. Whence God is contemplated either in the things that are within us, or outside us, or above us, according to three powers, namely the exterior, the interior, the superior, or the apprehensive, the affective, the operative. And according to the philosopher⁵ « every noble soul has three operations », namely the animal toward what is without, the intellectual toward what is within, the divine toward what is above. It behoves, then, that the soul have a making-hierarchic according to these powers: first according to the exterior powers, about which there are three, namely discreet surveying, discreet prior choice, discreet pursuit.

35. First, then, there ought to be discreet surveying, so that the world may be discreetly considered by the soul. For in the soul there is as it were a certain hand writing. For sense perceives exterior things, and after it the common sense; then the imagination, and reason considers and lays up in the memory⁶. It behoves, then, that there be great discretion for guarding the house, lest all things enter in to these powers; that nothing be announced to the king and the queen which is useless. For a thief ought not to be brought in before the king, unless perhaps that he may be condemned. For Eve, wretched and incautious, brought in the speech of the serpent and doubted⁷; and by that speech many are corrupted today. Nothing unclean, then, ought to enter through these gates; in the Apocalypse: Without are dogs and sorcerers and the unchaste. — The second is discreet prior choice; from the fact that it appears what is perceived, it follows that it be chosen beforehand, from the fact that a good is perceived; because in good things there is an ordered choice; for one must not eat before celebrating. — And this answers to the Archangels, and discreet surveying belongs to the Angels. — Then follows judgment — and this belongs to the Principalities — which is in pursuing. From the fact that a good is perceived and a good is chosen beforehand to be done, there ought to follow judgment for pursuing. Now all these things grace works, not industry alone with nature, as was said at first⁸.

36. The second making-hierarchic of the mind is as to the interior powers; which is more difficult than the first. Now this consists in three things, which are: strict chastisement, strict strengthening, strict calling-together, which make the soul hierarchic within. — First, that the roots of the passions be chastised and cut away, and that the contrary powers be enfeebled. For the prince of this world cometh, and in me he hath not any thing¹. For as long as those passions dominate a man, the devil has something of his own in the man. And for the doing of this it is necessary that a threefold lust be rooted out: the lust of ruling, the lust of delighting, the lust of possessing; because this threefold lust brings the devil into the soul. — Now this making-hierarchic answers to the Powers. For the soul cannot be endowed with power so long as the devil has his right in the soul. It behoves, then, that a man have the three opposites: that he be subject, chaste, poor. And thus the roots of the passions are cut away; in the Canticle²: The time of pruning is come, because every day they sprout again.

37. The second is strict strengthening. For as the threefold lust makes a proneness to evil, so a threefold infirmity makes a difficulty toward good. Now this is the infirmity of negligence, of impatience, of diffidence. Some are so negligent that it is hard for them to do good; a second sort, that they are quickly impatient; a third sort, that even if they have neither of the aforesaid, yet they quickly lose confidence. It behoves, then, that the soul be reformed through the mind's vigilance, endurance, confidence. And to this answers the order of Virtues.

38. There follows strict calling-together. For when the mind is ordered like the Church, when she has power over herself, then she is the temple of God; when she dominates and commands all her powers, then she is made hierarchic by the Dominations; when the powers are called to their own works, and it is said to this one: do this, and to that one: do thou that³. And for the doing of this it is necessary that she dominate her appetites, her phantasms, her occupations, so that there be strictness in appetites, in phantasms, in occupations. — And then is the soul mistress of herself, when from the concupiscible the threefold concupiscence is taken away, from the irascible the threefold infirmity is taken away, from the rational the threefold error is taken away. Then the soul has empire in her own kingdom; and then she is not driven out of her own house, when those passions are cut away; and in such a soul God dwells, not in furious concupiscence, and so on. The devil willingly impresses what he has in himself; these are « irrational fury, mad concupiscence, wanton fantasy⁴ ».

39. There follows how the soul is made hierarchic as to the superior powers. For when the soul does what she can, then grace easily lifts the soul, and God works there, so that there may always be worthy admission, worthy inspection, worthy leading-in. — Worthy admission of divine things answers to the Thrones. And thus is understood that which is read in the Lamentations⁵: Arise in the beginning of the watches, pour out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord, that is, set thy prayers before God. In the Psalm: Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hidden from thee. — And afterwards, when she is raised up, she ought not to be idle and ought to look about her; Isaiah: Jerusalem, arise and stand on high; and: Then thou shalt see and abound, and thy heart shall wonder and be enlarged. For then the soul ought to be fixed and standing and waiting. — Then follows the divine leading-in; when worthy admission and holy perception have been made, then she is rapt into God or into the Beloved. Whence in the Canticle⁶: His left hand is under my head, and his right hand shall embrace me. I to my beloved, and my beloved to me, who feedeth among the lilies, because she has already felt the union and has been made one spirit with God; whence: He who cleaveth to God is one spirit; and this is the highest thing in the soul, which makes the soul to be in heaven. — And to these answer, in order, the orders of the highest hierarchy. — And thus the soul is a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars⁷, because she is full of lights and never turns her eye from the light.

40. And because in this life we cannot stand in one thing, therefore the soul has twelve matters like twelve lights, about which she may always move in a certain circle, as the sun runs through the twelve constellations, namely through the twelve signs⁸, and never goes out. Now these considerations adorn the soul, and therefore they are like a crown of twelve stars, which are: the consideration of bodily natures, of spiritual substances, of intellectual sciences, of affective virtues, of the laws divinely instituted, of the graces divinely infused, of the irreprehensible judgments⁹, of the incomprehensible mercies, of the rewardable merits, of the rewarding rewards, of the temporal courses, of the eternal grounds. — In these the contemplative soul ought always to be engaged, in some one of these lights, as the sun is always in some sign¹⁰.

41. And note that the moon suffers eclipse in the head, or in the tail of the dragon. Now there are two intersections in heaven upon the ecliptic¹¹, through which the moon passes, which are called the head and the tail of the dragon; it is called a dragon on account of the circle, as it were holding its tail in its mouth. That intersection which is toward the north is called the head, because the sun harms us more when it is there, since it burns us more diametrically, as the dragon is worse and more harmful in the head. The tail is toward the south, and the sun harms us less when it is in that part, because it is farther removed from us. And when the sun is in one part, and the moon in the other point is set opposite to it, as at the full moon, then it is eclipsed.

42. Likewise the contemplative man is eclipsed in a twofold way, and falls basely and very perilously, in that he scarcely rises again; nor is it a wonder, since he falls from a height. For he falls through error and through presumption. For he sees himself illumined and presumes, and becomes a Luciferian and falls from light into horrible darkness. [?] likewise through the error of estimation, which arises from presumption, when he believes that he has all things by revelation. Yet there ought always to be a rule. — Whence he said that many are deceived in that they believe they have all things by revelation. — Whence in that vision and apparition of the Lord on the mountain, which is the rule of all apparitions, there appeared Christ, Moses and Elias¹, so that nothing be believed to be true or revealed save what accords with the Law, the Prophets and the Gospel. — The contemplative, then, ought to be humble and circumspect, so that he may not come to the head of the dragon through presumption, or be entangled in the tail through error. And therefore the woman, that is, the soul made hierarchic, sees two visions, namely the ark and the city².

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