Pars 5, Cap. 6

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Pars 5, Cap. 6

Breviloquium · Pars V: De gratia Spiritus sancti

Textus Latinus

p. 258

Capitulum VI. De ramificatione gratiae in habitus beatitudinum, et per consequens fructuum et sensuum.

De ramificatione autem gratiae in habitus beatitudinum haec tenenda sunt, quod septem sunt beatitudines, quas Salvator enumerat in sermone de monte⁵ scilicet paupertas spiritus, mititas, luctus, esuries iustitiae, misericordia, munditia cordis et pax. — Ad has beatitudines propter sui perfectionem et plenitudinem duodecim fructus Spiritus et quinque sensus spirituales consequuntur; qui non dicunt novos habitus, sed status delectationum et usus spiritualium speculationum, quibus replentur et consolantur spiritus virorum iustorum.

Ratio autem ad intelligentiam praedictorum haec est: quia, cum reparativum principium sit perfectissimum et perfectissime reparativum et reformativum per donum gratuitum; ideo gratiae donum ab ipso manans liberaliter et abunde ramificari debet usque ad habitus perfectionum, qui, cum fini approximent, recto vocabulo nuncupantur ex nomine beatitudinum; quarum sufficientia, numerus et ordo colligitur ex integritate perfectionis, ex modis perfectionum et ex dispositionibus ad perfectionem.

Primo igitur ad integritatem perfectionis requiritur necessario perfectus recessus a malo, perfectus processus in bono et perfectus status in optimo. Quoniam autem malum aut procedit ex tumore superbiae, aut ex rancore malitiae, aut ex languore concupiscentiae⁶; ideo ad perfecte elongandum ab hoc triplici genere mali tres sunt necessariae beatitudines, scilicet paupertas spiritus elongans a malo tumoris, mititas elongans a malo rancoris, et luctus elongans a malo libidinis et languoris concupiscentialis. — Quia vero perfectus processus in bono attenditur secundum divinam imitationem; et universae viae Domini misericordia et veritas⁷: hinc est,

p. 259 quod duplex est beatitudo secundum has duas vias, scilicet esuries sive zelus iustitiae, et affectus misericordiae. — Quoniam autem status in optimo est vel per limpidam cognitionem, vel per tranquillam affectionem; hinc est, quod sunt duae ultimae beatitudines, scilicet munditia cordis ad Deum videndum et pax mentis ad perfecte fruendum.

Secundo etiam, si modi perfectionum attendantur, debent esse septem habitus beatitudinum. Nam est perfectio religionis, praelationis et internae sanctitudinis¹. Ad perfectionem autem religionis necessario requiritur abdicatio boni privati, acceptatio boni fraterni et appetitio boni aeterni; primum fit per paupertatem spiritus, secundum per mititatem affectus, tertium per amaritudinem luctus. — Ad perfectionem vero praelationis duo necessario requiruntur, scilicet zelus iustitiae et affectus misericordiae; misericordia enim et veritas custodiunt regem². Secundum haec duo disponi debet regimen praelationis in Ecclesia militante. — Ad perfectionem autem internae sanctitudinis necessario requiritur puritas conscientiae et tranquillitas totius animae per pacem Dei omnem humanum sensum exsuperantem.

Tertio, si attendantur dispositiones praeambulae, septem debent esse beatitudines. Timor enim facit recedere a malo et a mali occasione; et quia radix omnium malorum est cupiditas³: ideo timor disponit ad spiritus paupertatem, in qua simul iungitur humilitas cum paupertate, ut sic elongetur vir perfectus a fonte omnis culpae, scilicet a superbia et cupiditate. Et hinc est, quod paupertas spiritus est fundamentum totius perfectionis evangelicae. Unde primo oportet hoc fundamentum sternere qui vult ad culmen perfectionis venire, secundum illud Matthaei decimo nono⁴: Si vis perfectus esse, vade et vende omnia, quae habes; ecce, perfecta paupertas, quae nihil sibi prorsus retinet; et sequere me; ecce, humilitas, quae facit, quod homo abnegando se ipsum tollat crucem suam et sequatur Christum, qui est totius perfectionis principalissimum fundamentum. Disponit ergo timor ad spiritus paupertatem. — Pietas autem ad mititatem; nam qui pie ad aliquem afficitur nec illum irritat nec ab illo irritatur. — Scientia disponit ad luctum, quoniam per scientiam cognoscimus nos a statu beatitudinis relegatos in hanc vallem miseriae et lacrymarum. — Fortitudo autem disponit ad esuriem iustitiae; qui enim fortis est tam avide se tenet cum iustitia, ut malit a vita corporali quam a iustitia separari. — Consilium disponit ad misericordiam; nihil enim Deus magis consulit in Scriptura quam facere misericordiam, quod super omnia reputat holocausta⁵. — Intellectus disponit ad cordis munditiam; nam speculatio veritatis mundat cor nostrum ab omnibus phantasiis. — Sapientia disponit ad pacem; nam sapientia iungit nos summo vero et bono, in quo est finis et tranquillitas totius nostri rationalis appetitus.

Qua pace adepta, necessario sequitur superabundans delectatio spiritualis, quae in duodenario fructuum continetur ad insinuandam superabundantiam delectationum. Est enim duodenarius numerus abundans⁶, in quo insinuatur spiritualium charismatum exuberantia, quibus fruitur et delectatur anima sancta; et tunc est homo ad contemplationem idoneus et ad aspectus et amplexus sponsi et sponsae, qui fieri habent secundum sensus spirituales, quibus videtur Christi sponsi summa pulcritudo sub ratione Splendoris; auditur summa harmonia sub ratione Verbi; gustatur summa dulcedo sub ratione Sapientiae comprehendentis utrumque, Verbum scilicet et Splendorem; odoratur summa fragrantia sub ratione Verbi inspirati in corde; astringitur summa suavitas sub ratione Verbi incarnati, inter nos habitantis⁷ corporaliter et reddentis se nobis palpabile, osculabile, amplexabile per ardentissimam caritatem, quae mentem nostram per ecstasim et raptum transire facit ex hoc mundo ad Patrem.

Ex dictis igitur manifeste colligitur, quod habitus virtutum ad exercitium principaliter disponunt activae; habitus vero donorum ad otium⁸ contemplativae; habitus autem beatitudinum ad perfectionem utriusque. Fructus vero Spiritus, qui sunt caritas, gaudium, pax, patientia, longanimitas, bonitas, benignitas, mansuetudo, fides, modestia, continentia, castitas⁹, dicunt delectationes consequentes

p. 260 opera perfecta. Sensus vero spirituales dicunt perceptiones mentales circa veritatem contemplandam. Quae quidem contemplatio in Prophetis fuit per revelationem quantum ad triplicem visionem, scilicet corporalem, imaginativam et intellectualem¹; in aliis vero iustis reperitur per speculationem, quae incipit a sensu et pervenit ad imaginationem et de imaginatione ad rationem, de ratione ad intellectum, de intellectu ad intelligentiam; de intelligentia vero ad sapientiam sive notitiam excessivam, quae hic in via incipit, sed consummatur in gloria sempiterna.

Et in his gradibus consistit scala Iacob, cuius cacumen attingit caelum²; et thronus Salomonis, in quo residet Rex sapientissimus et vere pacificus et amorosus ut sponsus speciosissimus et desiderabilis totus; in quem desiderant Angeli prospicere, et ad quem suspirat desiderium sanctarum animarum, sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum. Quo quidem desiderio ferventissimo ad modum ignis spiritus noster non solum efficitur agilis ad ascensum, verum etiam quadam ignorantia docta supra se ipsum rapitur in caliginem et excessum, ut non solum cum sponsa dicat: In odorem unguentorum tuorum curremus³, verum etiam cum Propheta psallat: Et nox illuminatio mea in deliciis meis. Quam nocturnam et deliciosam illuminationem nemo novit nisi qui probat, nemo autem probat nisi per gratiam divinitus datam, nemini datur, nisi ei qui se exercet ad illam; ideo deinceps consideranda sunt exercitia meritorum.

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English Translation

Chapter VI. On the branching of grace into the habits of the beatitudes, and consequently of the fruits and the senses.

Concerning the branching of grace into the habits of the beatitudes, these things are to be held: that the beatitudes are seven, which the Savior enumerates in the sermon on the mount⁵ — namely, poverty of spirit, meekness, mourning, hunger for justice, mercy, cleanness of heart and peace. — Upon these beatitudes, by reason of their perfection and fulness, there follow twelve fruits of the Spirit and five spiritual senses; which do not name new habits, but states of delight and uses of spiritual contemplations, by which the spirits of just men are filled and consoled.

Now the reason for the understanding of the foresaid is this: since the reparative principle is most perfect and most perfectly reparative and reformative through the gratuitous gift, therefore the gift of grace flowing from it liberally and abundantly must branch out even to the habits of the perfections, which, because they draw near to the end, are by a right name called after the name of the beatitudes; and their sufficiency, number and order are gathered from the integrity of perfection, from the modes of the perfections and from the dispositions toward perfection.

First, then, for the integrity of perfection there is necessarily required a perfect withdrawal from evil, a perfect advance in good and a perfect rest in what is best. Now since evil proceeds either from the swelling of pride, or from the rancor of malice, or from the languor of concupiscence⁶, therefore, for a perfect removal from this threefold kind of evil, three beatitudes are necessary: namely, poverty of spirit, which removes from the evil of swelling; meekness, which removes from the evil of rancor; and mourning, which removes from the evil of lust and of the languor belonging to concupiscence. — But because a perfect advance in good is measured according to the imitation of God, and all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth⁷, hence it is

p. 259 that the beatitude answering to these two ways is twofold: namely, hunger, or zeal, for justice, and the affection of mercy. — And since rest in what is best is either through limpid knowledge or through tranquil affection, hence it is that there are two final beatitudes: namely, cleanness of heart for seeing God, and peace of mind for perfectly enjoying him.

Second, likewise, if the modes of the perfections be considered, the habits of the beatitudes must be seven. For there is a perfection of religious life, of prelacy and of interior holiness¹. Now for the perfection of religious life there is necessarily required the renunciation of private good, the acceptance of a brother's good and the desire of the eternal good; the first is done through poverty of spirit, the second through meekness of affection, the third through the bitterness of mourning. — For the perfection of prelacy, on the other hand, two things are necessarily required: namely, zeal for justice and the affection of mercy; for mercy and truth preserve the king². According to these two the government of prelacy in the Church militant must be ordered. — And for the perfection of interior holiness there is necessarily required purity of conscience and the tranquillity of the whole soul through the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding.

Third, if the preambular dispositions be considered, the beatitudes must be seven. For fear makes one withdraw from evil and from the occasion of evil; and because the root of all evils is covetousness³, therefore fear disposes toward poverty of spirit, in which humility is joined together with poverty, so that the perfect man may thus be removed from the fount of all fault, namely from pride and covetousness. And hence it is that poverty of spirit is the foundation of the whole of evangelical perfection. Whence he who wishes to come to the summit of perfection must first lay this foundation, according to that word of Matthew, chapter nineteen⁴: If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast — behold, perfect poverty, which retains nothing at all for itself — and follow me: behold, humility, which brings it about that a man, denying himself, takes up his cross and follows Christ, who is the most principal foundation of the whole of perfection. Fear therefore disposes toward poverty of spirit. — Piety, in turn, toward meekness; for one who is affectionately disposed toward another neither provokes him nor is provoked by him. — Knowledge disposes toward mourning, since through knowledge we recognize that we have been banished from the state of blessedness into this valley of misery and of tears. — Fortitude, in turn, disposes toward hunger for justice; for one who is brave holds to justice so eagerly that he would rather be parted from bodily life than from justice. — Counsel disposes toward mercy; for God counsels nothing in Scripture more than the doing of mercy, which he accounts above all holocausts⁵. — Understanding disposes toward cleanness of heart; for the contemplation of truth cleanses our heart of all phantasms. — Wisdom disposes toward peace; for wisdom joins us to the highest true and good, in which is the end and the tranquillity of our whole rational appetite.

And when this peace has been attained, there necessarily follows a superabundant spiritual delight, which is contained in the twelvefold number of the fruits, to signify the superabundance of the delights. For twelve is an abundant number⁶, in which is signified the exuberance of the spiritual charisms which the holy soul enjoys and delights in; and then a man is fit for contemplation and for the beholding and the embraces of the bridegroom and the bride, which have to come about 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 touched the supreme suavity under the aspect of the Word incarnate, dwelling among us⁷ bodily and rendering himself to us palpable, kissable, embraceable by that most ardent charity which makes our mind pass over, through ecstasy and rapture, out of this world to the Father.

From the things said, therefore, it is manifestly gathered that the habits of the virtues dispose principally toward the exercise of the active life; the habits of the gifts, toward the leisure⁸ of the contemplative; and the habits of the beatitudes, toward the perfection of both. But the fruits of the Spirit, which are charity, joy, peace, patience, longanimity, goodness, benignity, mildness, faith, modesty, continence, chastity⁹, name the delights that follow upon

p. 260 perfect works. And the spiritual senses name the mental perceptions concerning the truth to be contemplated. Which contemplation was in the Prophets through revelation, as regards a threefold vision — namely the corporeal, the imaginative and the intellectual¹; while in the other just it is found through speculation, which begins from sense and comes through to imagination, and from imagination to reason, from reason to intellect, from intellect to intelligence; and from intelligence to wisdom, or knowledge that exceeds, which begins here on the way but is consummated in everlasting glory.

And in these degrees consists Jacob's ladder, whose summit touches heaven²; and the throne of Solomon, on which sits the King most wise and truly peaceful and loving, as a bridegroom most beautiful and altogether desirable; upon whom the Angels desire to look, and toward whom the longing of holy souls sighs, as the hart longs for the fountains of waters. And by this most fervent longing, after the manner of fire, our spirit is not only made agile for the ascent, but by a certain learned ignorance is caught up above itself into darkness and excess, so that it not only says with the bride: In the odor of thy ointments we will run³, but also sings with the Prophet: And the night is my illumination in my delights. And that nocturnal and delightful illumination no one knows save him who has tasted it, and no one tastes it save through grace divinely given, and it is given to none save to him who exercises himself toward it; therefore the exercises of merits are next to be considered.

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Apparatus Criticus

5
Matth. 5, 3. seqq. — Fructus Spiritus S. enumerantur Gal. 5, 22. seq. — Quae proponuntur in hoc cap. tanguntur III. Sent. d. 34. p. 1. a. 1. q. 1. in fine corp. et a. 2. q. 1. in fine corp. Quoad numerum beatitudinum (septem, non octo) cfr. ibid. d. 36. q. 1. scholion.
Matt. 5, 3 and following. — The fruits of the Holy Spirit are enumerated in Gal. 5, 22 and following. — What is set out in this chapter is touched on in III Sent., d. 34, p. 1, a. 1, q. 1, at the end of the body, and a. 2, q. 1, at the end of the body. On the number of the beatitudes (seven, not eight) cf. ibid., d. 36, q. 1, scholion.
6
Cfr. supra p. III. c. 8.
Cf. above, Pars III, c. 8.
7
Psalm. 24, 10. — Superius pro concupiscentialis plures codd. vel concupiscentis, vel concupiscentiae, vel cum 2 concupiscibilis. Terminus concupiscentialis et adverbium occurrit apud Augustin.; cfr. Magister II. Sent. d. XXX. c. 7.
Ps. 24, 10. — Above, for concupiscentialis several codices have either concupiscentis, or concupiscentiae, or, with edition 2, concupiscibilis. The term concupiscentialis and the corresponding adverb occur in Augustine; cf. the Master, II Sent., d. XXX, c. 7.
1
Plures codd., inter quos L M, hic et inferius sanctitatis. Subinde pro requiritur D S requiruntur, pro acceptatio 2 cum pluribus codd. acceptio, et pro appetitio Q appretiatio.
Several codices, among them L M, have here and below sanctitatis. Thereupon, for requiritur D S have requiruntur; for acceptatio, edition 2 with several codices has acceptio; and for appetitio Q has appretiatio.
2
Prov. 20, 28. — Inferius respicitur Phil. 4, 7: Et pax Dei, quae exsuperat omnem sensum, custodiat corda vestra etc.
Prov. 20, 28. — Below, reference is made to Phil. 4, 7: And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts etc.
3
Epist. I. Tim. 6, 10. — Inferius pro fonte C H K et 1 fomite (cfr. supra p. III. c. 9.).
The Epistle I Tim. 6, 10. — Below, for fonte C H K and edition 1 have fomite (cf. above, Pars III, c. 9).
4
Vers. 21. — Seq. locus ibid.: Et veni, sequere me. — Subinde respicitur Matth. 16, 24: Si quis vult post me venire, abneget semetipsum et tollat crucem suam et sequatur me. Cfr. supra Quaest. de perfectione evang. q. 1. et 2. — Inferius pro fundamentum G H exemplum, F legit perfectionis principium.
Verse 21. — The following passage is in the same place: And come, follow me. — Thereupon reference is made to Matt. 16, 24: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Cf. above, the Disputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, qq. 1 and 2. — Below, for fundamentum G H have exemplum, and F reads perfectionis principium.
5
Cfr. Osee 6, 6; Matth. 9, 13. et 12, 7. — H quae super omnia reputatur holocausta, G substituit quam pro quod. Superius pro hanc vallem I K L M O P hac valle, et subinde plures codd., inter quos E L M, omittunt corporali.
Cf. Osee 6, 6; Matt. 9, 13 and 12, 7. — H has quae super omnia reputatur holocausta; G substitutes quam for quod. Above, for hanc vallem I K L M O P have hac valle, and thereupon several codices, among them E L M, omit corporali.
6
Cfr. tom. IV. pag. 972, nota 3. — Quae sequuntur de sensibus spiritualibus habentur etiam quasi ad verbum in Compendio theolog. veritatis, lib. V. c. 56. — Superius pro fructuum F G N et 2 fructu, H numero (in edd., excepta 2, additur Spiritus).
Cf. tom. IV, p. 972, note 3. — What follows concerning the spiritual senses is found also almost word for word in the Compendium of Theological Truth, book V, c. 56. — Above, for fructuum F G N and edition 2 have fructu, H has numero (in the editions, 2 excepted, Spiritus is added).
7
Respicitur Ioan. 1, 14. et paulo inferius Ioan. 13, 1. — Pro astringitur A amplectitur. Inferius pro et raptum P raptam.
Reference is made to John 1, 14, and a little below to John 13, 1. — For astringitur A has amplectitur. Below, for et raptum P has raptam.
8
Ita P Q T U V Z et etiam in Centiloq. p. III. sect. 46, ubi eadem verba transcripta sunt. Edd., excepta 2, actum (G et 2 actus), M O donum. Cfr. Gregor., II. Homil. in Ezech. homil. 7. n. 11; Bernard., V. de Considerat. c. 13. n. 32. et Serm. in Cantic. serm. 62. n. 4.
So P Q T U V Z, and also in the Centiloquium, p. III, sect. 46, where the same words are transcribed. The editions, 2 excepted, have actum (G and 2 have actus), M O have donum. Cf. Gregory, II Homilies on Ezekiel, homily 7, n. 11; Bernard, V On Consideration, c. 13, n. 32, and Sermons on the Canticle, sermon 62, n. 4.
9
Gal. 5, 22. seq.
Gal. 5, 22 and following.
1
Secundum August., XII. de Gen. ad lit. c. 6. n. 15. seqq. Cfr. supra pag. 8, nota 4, et tom. III. pag. 503, nota 4. — Distinctio virium animae, exhibita in seq. propositione et etiam in Itinerar. mentis in Deum, c. 1, sumta est ex Lib. de Spiritu et anima (inter opera August.), c. 10-14.
According to Augustine, XII On Genesis according to the Letter, c. 6, n. 15 and following. Cf. above, p. 8, note 4, and tom. III, p. 503, note 4. — The distinction of the powers of the soul, set out in the following proposition and also in the Itinerarium mentis in Deum, c. 1, is taken from the book On the Spirit and the Soul (among the works of Augustine), cc. 10–14.
2
Gen. 28, 12. — De throno Salomonis cfr. III. Reg. 10, 18. seqq.; subinde allegatur Cant. 5, 16; I. Petr. 1, 12. et Ps. 41, 1.
Gen. 28, 12. — On the throne of Solomon cf. III Kings 10, 18 and following; thereupon Cant. 5, 16 is alleged, and I Peter 1, 12, and Ps. 41, 1.
3
Cant. 1, 3. — Seq. locus est Ps. 138, 11. — Cfr. II. Sent. d. 23. a. 2. q. 3. in corp. et ad 6, nec non supra Quaest. de scientia Christi, q. 7. circa finem corp.; Incend. amoris, c. 3. circa finem, et Itinerar. mentis in Deum, c. 7, ubi in textu verba Dionysii de raptu in caliginem et excessum allegantur aliique doctores citantur. — Inferius ante nemini delevimus cum C K L M O P T quae quia; post nemini P T addunt autem.
Cant. 1, 3. — The following passage is Ps. 138, 11. — Cf. II Sent., d. 23, a. 2, q. 3, in the body and at [reply] 6; and also above, the Disputed Questions on the Knowledge of Christ, q. 7, toward the end of the body; The Kindling of Love, c. 3, toward the end; and the Itinerarium mentis in Deum, c. 7, where in the text the words of Dionysius on the rapture into darkness and excess are alleged and other doctors are cited. — Below, before nemini, we have deleted, with C K L M O P T, the words quae quia; after nemini P T add autem. ---