BOOK 1 CHAPTER I

LIBER PRIMVS.

   When I was one day sitting with the assembled brethren, and replying to the questions which they asked, many matters came up for discussion. Finally the conversation was so directed that we began with one accord to marvel at the instability and restlessness of the human heart, and to sigh over it. And the brethren earnestly entreated that they might be shown the cause of these unstable movements in man’s heart, and further particularly begged to be taught if such a serious evil as this could be countered by any skill or by the practice of some discipline. Desiring to satisfy their charity on both these accounts as far as we were able by God’s inspiration, we dealt with the main difficulty of these two problems by advancing arguments derived both from reason and from authority.

Cum sederem aliquando in conuentu fratrum et, illis interrogantibus me que respondente, multa in medium prolata fuissent, ad hoc tandem deducta sunt uerba ut de humani potissimum cordis instabilitate et inquietudine ammirari omnes simul et suspirare inciperemus. Cum que magno quidam desiderio exposcerent demonstrari sibi, que causa in corde hominis tantas cogitationum fluctuationes ageret, ac deinde si qua arte siue laboris cuiuslibet exercitatione huic tanto malo obuiari posset summopere doceri flagitarent, nos, quantum Deo aspirante ualuimus, in utroque caritati fratrum satisfacere uolentes, utriusque questionis nodum ductis tam ex auctoritate quam ex ratione firmamentis soluimus.

   Knowing, however, that some points in the discussion particularly pleased the brethren, I felt impelled to commit those to writing, not so much because I thought them worthy to be written down as because I knew that some people had not previously heard these ideas, and therefore found them all the more to their liking.

In qua collatione, quia quedam specialiter placuisse fratribus scio, ea potissimum stilo commendare uolui, non tantum ideo quod ea digna scribi existimem, quam iccirco quod quibusdam prius inaudita et ob hoc quodammodo magis grata esse cognoui.

The thing we have to do, therefore, is first to show whence such great mutability arises in the heart of man, and then to suggest the way in which the human mind can be brought to steady peace, and how it can be kept in that selfsame stability. And, though I doubt not that it is the property of divine grace to bring about this work, and that possession of such grace comes about not so much by man’s activity as by the gift of God and the inbreathing of the Holy Spirit, nevertheless I know that God would have us work along with Him, and that He so offers the gifts of His lovingkindness to the thankful that from the thankless He often takes away the very things that formerly He gave.

Primo igitur demonstrandum est, unde tanta in corde hominis uicissitudo oriatur ac deinceps quomodo ad pacem stabilem mens humana reduci qualiter que in eadem stabilitate sua conseruari possit insinuandum. Et licet hoc proprium diuine gratie opus esse non dubitem et non tantum humana industria quam diuino munere et Sancti Spiritus aspiratione possideri, scio tamen quod cooperari nobis uult Deus et sic gratis sue pietatis dona prestat, ut ingratis ea etiam que prestiterit sepe subtrahat.

Moreover, there is a further reason why it is not unprofitable for us to acknowledge both how great our weakness is and by what means it may be remedied; for a man who does not know how great a grace has been conferred on him does not understand how great is the gratitude which he owes to the Bestower.

Preterea etiam iccirco non inutile est et infirmitatis nostre magnitudinem et reparationis modum agnoscere, quia qui quanta sibi gratia collata sit nescit, quantas largitori grates debeat non intelligit.

The first man, then, was made in such a way that, if he had not sinned, the power of contemplation would have kept him always in his Maker’s presence. By always seeing Him he would thus always have loved Him, by always loving Him he would always have cleaved to Him, and, by always cleaving to Him who is immortal, he too would have possessed in Him life without end. This was, therefore, the one, true good of man, to wit, the full and perfect knowledge of his Maker full, you must understand, after that fullness which he received at his creation, not after that which he was to receive hereafter, when his obedience was fulfilled

Primus itaque homo ad hoc conditus fuit, ut si non peccasset per contemplationis presentiam uultui creatoris semper assisteret, ut eum semper uidendo semper amaret, semper amando semper ei adhereret, semper ei adherendo qui immortalis est etiam ipse uitam sine termino possideret. Hoc erat ergo unum et uerum bonum hominis, plena uidelicet et perfecta cognitio sui conditoris, plena scilicet secundum illam plenitudinem quam creatus acceperat, non secundum illam quam post peractam obedientiam accepturus erat.

  But he was banished from the face of the Lord when, smitten with the blindness of ignorance through his sin, he came forth from the inward light of contemplation. And the more he forgot the sweetness of supernal things, fot which he had alteady lost the taste, the more did he bend his spirit down to earthly desires.

Sed proiectus est a facie Domini quando, propter peccatum cecitate ignorantie percussus, ab intima contemplationis illius luce foras uenit eo que profundius ad desideria terrena mentem inclinauit, quo magis supernorum dulcedinem, quorum iam gustum perdiderat, obliuisci cepit.

In this way he became ‘a wanderer and a fugitive upon the earth’; [Gen. 4, 14] a wanderer on account of disordered desire, and a fugitive because of guilty conscience, the voice whereof is fittingly suggested by those words, ‘whosoever findeth me shall slay me’. 1 For every temptation that assails it overthrows the soul that is bereft of the divine assistance.

Sic que factus est uagus et profugus super terram, uagus uidelicet per inordinatam concupiscentiam, profugus per peccatricem conscientiam. Cuius uoce etiam illud apte subiungitur: “Quisquis inuenerit, occidet me”, quia mentem diuino desertam auxilio quecunque temptatio impetierit subuertit.

Thus, once it had begun to lose its integrity through its earthly desires, the human heart, which had hitherto kept its stability in cleaving to divine love and remained one in the love of the One, was as it were divided into as many channels as there were objects that it craved, once it had begun to flow in different directions through earthly longings.

Cor ergo hominis, quod prius amori diuino affixum stabile perstitit et unum amando unum permansit, postquam per desideria terrena diffluere cepit, quasi in tot diuisum est quot ea sunt que concupiscit.

And that is how it happens that the soul, not knowing how to love its true good, is never able to maintain its stability. Failing to find what it longs for in those things which it has, its desire is always reaching out in pursuit of the unattainable; and so it never has rest. Therefore, from movement without stability is born toil without rest, travel without arrival; so that our heart is always restless till such time as it begins to cleave to Him, 2 in whom it may both rejoice that its desire lacks nothing, and be assured that what it loves will last eternally.

Sic que fit, ut mens que uerum bonum amare nescit nunquam ualeat esse stabilis, quia desiderii sui finem in his que amplectitur non inueniens, dum semper se desiderio extendit, sequens quod consequi non ualet, nunquam requiescit. Hinc igitur nascitur motus sine stabilitate, labor sine requie, cursus sine peruentione, ita ut semper inquietum sit cor nostrum, donec illi adherere ceperit, ubi et desiderio suo nichil deesse gaudeat et ea que diligit semper mansura confidat.

See, we have shown you [these stages of] the disease itself, a wavering heart, unstable and restless; the cause of the disease which is clearly love of the world; and the remedy of the disease which is the love of God. And to these must be added a fourth, namely, the application of the remedy, that is, the way in which we may attain to the love of God. For without this it would be of little or no profit to know all the rest

Ecce ostendimus morbum, cor fluctuans, cor instabile, cor inquietum, et causam morbi, amorem scilicet mundi, et remedium morbi, amorem Dei. Quibus necessario quartum adiungitur, adeptio remedii, scilicet qualiter possimus pertingere ad amorem Dei, sine quo cetera agnouisse aut parum aut nichil proderit.

(BOOK 1) CHAPTER 2
The Love of God and Love of the World

<II>
<DE AMORE MVNDI ET AMORE DEI>

The difference between the love of God and the love of the world is this: the love of this world seems at the outset sweet, but has a bitter end; the love of God, by contrast, is bitter to begin with, but is full of sweetness in its end. This, in a most beautiful allegorical sense for it was uttered of our Bridegroom’s wedding is shown by the Gospel when it says: ‘Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine, and only after men have drunk well that which is inferior; but thou hast kept the good wine until now.’ [cf John 2, 10] Every man, that is, carnal man, does indeed set forth good wine at the beginning, for he finds a certain spurious sweetness in his pleasure. But once the rage of his evil longing has saturated his mind, then he provides inferior wine to drink, because a sudden pricking of conscience assails his thought, which till now had enjoyed a spurious delight, and grievously torments him. Our Bridegroom, on the other hand, offers the good wine last when He allows the heart, which He intends to fill with the sweetness of His love, first to pass beneath the bitter harrow of afflictions; so that, having tasted bitterness, it may quaff with greater eagerness the most sweet cup of charity. And this is ‘the first sign’  [cf John 2, xi] which Jesus made in His disciples  presence and they believed on Him; for the repentant sinner first begins to trust God’s mercy when he feels his heart cheered by die consolation of the Holy Spirit after long weariness of grief.

Inter amorem huius mundi et amorem Dei hec est differentia, quod huius mundi amor in principio dulcis esse uidetur, sed finem habet amarum, amor uero Dei ab amaritudine incipit, sed ultima eius dulcedine plena sunt.

Quod pulcherrima similitudine euangelicus sermo nobis ostendit, cum de sponsi nostri nuptiis decantaret dicens: “Omnis homo primum bonum uinum ponit, et cum inebriati fuerint, tunc id quod deterius est. Tu autem seruasti bonum uinum usque adhuc”. Omnis namque homo (id est carnalis) primum bonum uinum ponit, quia in sua delectatione falsam quandam dulcedinem sentit, sed postquam furor mali desiderii mentem inebriauerit, tunc id quod deterius est propinat, quia spina conscientie superueniens mentem, quam prius falso delectabat, grauiter cruciat. Sed sponsus noster postremo uinum bonum porrigit, dum mentem, quam sui dulcedine amoris replere disponit, quadam prius tribulationum compunctione amaricari sinit, ut post gustum amaritudinis auidius bibatur suauissimum poculum caritatis. Et hoc est primum signum quod Iesus facit coram discipulis suis. Et credunt in eum, quia inde peccator et penitens primum de misericordia Dei fiduciam habere incipit, quod post longa meroris tedia Sancti Spiritus consolatione cor suum releuari sentit.

Let us then see what we can do to attain the love of God, for He will integrate and stabilize our hearts, He will restore our peace and give us ceaseless joy. But nobody can love that which he does not know; and so, if we desire to love God, we must first make it our business to know Him, and this especially since He cannot be known without being loved. For so great is the beauty of His loveliness that no one who sees Him can fail to love Him. A man who wants to make himself acquainted with another person’s character and inmost thoughts gets on to friendly terms with him, and is often at his house and in the company of those who are his intimates.

Queramus ergo quomodo ad amorem Dei pertingere possimus, quia ipse colliget et stabiliet corda nostra, ipse pacem restituet et continuam prestabit letitiam. Nemo autem amare potest quod nescit, et ideo si Deum amare cupimus primum eum cognoscere satagamus, precipue cum ipse talis sit qui nequeat sciri et non amari. Tanta est enim species pulchritudinis eius, ut qui potuerit eum uidere non possit non diligere. Homo qui uult alterius hominis mores et secreta agnoscere facit se ei familiarem, frequenter in domo eius conuersatur et cum his qui illi familiares sunt.

And if he perceives this man’s affairs to be well and wisely ordered, he at once becomes the more certain of his excellence, and immediately considers him worthy of his love because he knows that he has found such patent proofs of his worth.

Et si uiderit ea que circa ipsum sunt honeste et prudenter disponi, certior iam de uirtute ipsius efficitur et amore iam dignum iudicat, cuius probitatis tam aperta se indicia inuenisse cognoscit.

The Three Houses of God

Let us likewise, therefore, inquire where God dwells, where His abode may be; let us interrogate His friends concerning Him. If He is wise, if He is faithful, then He merits praise. If He is kind, if He is merciful, if He is humble, then He merits love. He is wise, if He governs His house well. He is faithful, if it is not in Him to deceive those who serve Him. If He freely pardons those who sin, then He is kind. If He is pitiful to persons in affliction, then He is merciful. And He is lowly, if He rules His subjects not by oppressing but by helping them.

Et nos ergo inquiramus, ubi habitet Deus, ubi domus eius sit; interrogemus notos eius de ipso. Si prudens est, si fidelis est, laude dignus est. Si pius est, si misericors est, si humilis est, amore dignus est. Si domus sue curam bene agit, prudens est. Si seruientes sibi fraudare non nouit, fidelis est. Si peccantibus libenter parcit, pius est. Si afflictis compatitur, misericors est. Si subiectos non premendo sed iuuando regit, humilis est.

But maybe you are asking where this house of God is to be sought, and where it may be found.

Sed fortassis interrogas, ubi ista domus Dei querenda sit, ubi inueniri possit.

God’s house is the whole world; God’s house is the Catholic Church; God’s house is also every faithful soul. But God inhabits the world in one way, the Church in another, and every faithful soul in yet a third. He is in the world as ruler of His kingdom; He is in the Church as head of the family in His own home; He is in the soul as the bridegroom in the wedding-chamber. The heathen and the unbelievers are all of them in His house that is, in His kingdom; for through the power of His Godhead He maintains and governs all that He has made. False believers are in His house that is, in the Church; for He entrusts participation in His mysteries to all whom He has called to faith. But the truly faithful are in His house, or rather I should say they are His house, because by dwelling in them through love He owns and rules them.

Domus Dei totus est mundus, domus Dei Ecclesia catholica est, domus Dei etiam est quelibet fidelis anima. Sed aliter mundum inhabitat, aliter Ecclesiam, aliter unamquamque fidelem animam. In mundo est ut imperator in regno, in Ecclesia est ut paterfamilias in domo, in anima est ut sponsus in thalamo. Pagani et infideles quique in domo eius sunt (id est in regno), quia ipse omne quod condidit, per diuinitatis sue potentiam tenet et regit. Falsi fideles in domo eius sunt (id est in Ecclesia), quia ipse omnibus quos ad fidem uocauit sacramentorum suorum participationem credit. Fideles uero in domo eius sunt, et ut uerius dicam ipsi domus eius sunt, quia eos per dilectionem inhabitans possidet et regit.

We are all in His house by our very created condition. We are in His house through the faith whereby He called us. We are in His house through the love whereby He justified us. If you are in the house of God by your origin only, the devil is there too along with you. If you are in the house of God by faith, there is still chaff on your threshing-floor together with the wheat. But if you are in the house of God through love, blessed are you, for not only are you in the house of God, but you yourself have begun to be His house, to the intent that He who made you may also dwell in you.

Omnes in domo eius sumus per conditionem qua creauit nos; in domo eius sumus per fidem qua uocauit nos; in domo eius sumus per dilectionem qua iustificauit nos. Si in domo Dei es per conditionem, et diabolus te cum es. Si in domo Dei es per fidem, et palea cum granis in area est. Si autem in domo Dei fueris per caritatem, beatus es, quia non solum tu in domo Dei sed tu domus Dei esse cepisti, ut ipse te cum habitet in te qui fecit te.

This is the abode of health, these are the dwellings of the righteous through which the voice of joy and exultation [Cf. Ps. 118, 15]. ever rings, wherein the blessed dwell. Of this, the prophet longed to see the beauty, in it he yearned to dwell, he was on fire with desire for it. [Cf. Ps. 84, 2].  If then this dwelling has begun to be in us, let us go in and abide with Him. There, where He ‘whose place is in peace’ [Ps. 76, 2].  deigns to make His dwelling, we shall find peace and rest. But if it has not yet begun to be in us, then let us build it; for, if we have prepared a place for Him, He will gladly come to us who made us that He might dwell in us, even Jesus Christ our Lord.

Hec est salutaris mansio, hec sunt tabernacula iustorum, in quibus uox letitie et exultationis semper personat, ubi habitant beati, cuius decorem propheta concupiuit, cuius inhabitationem optauit, cuius desiderio flagrauit. Si ergo hec mansio in nobis esse cepit, intremus et habitemus cum eo. Ibi pacem inueniemus et requiem, ubi ille habitare dignatur cuius locus in pace factus est. Si uero necdum in nobis esse cepit, edificemus eam, quia si locum ei preparauerimus libenter ad nos ueniet qui iccirco fecit nos, ut in nobis habitaret Iesus Christus Dominus noster.

(BOOK 1) CHAPTER 3
God dwells in Two Ways in the Human Heart

<III> <QVOD DVOBUS MODIS DEVS COR HVMANUM INHABITAT>

God dwells in the human heart after two modes namely, by knowledge and by love. Yet these two are one abiding, for the double reason that everyone who knows Him loves Him, and that nobody can love Him without knowing Him. There seems, however, to be this difference between them, that knowledge erects the structure of faith by its knowing, whereas love like an adorning colour embellishes the building by its virtue. Each is thus seen to be essential to the other, for the building could not be glorious if it had never come to be, nor could it give delight were it not glorious.

Duobus modis Deus cor humanum inhabitat, per cognitionem uidelicet et amorem. Vna tamen mansio est, quia et omnis qui nouit eum diligit, et nemo diligere potest qui non nouit. In hoc tamen differe uidetur, quia scientia per cognitionem fidei fabricam erigit, dilectio autem per uirtutem quasi colore superducto edificium pingit. Sic autem utrumlibet alteri necessarium esse perspicitur, quia nec splendere potest si non fuerit, nec placere si non splenduerit.

Now, therefore, enter your own inmost heart, and make a dwelling-place for God. Make Him a temple, make Him a house, make Him a pavilion. Make Him an ark of the covenant, make Him an ark of the flood; no matter what you call it, it is all one house of God. In the temple let the creature adore the Creator, in the house let the son revere the Father, in the pavilion let the knight adore the King. Under the covenant, let the disciple listen to the Teacher. In the flood, let him that is shipwrecked beseech Him who guides the helm.

Ingredere ergo nunc in secretum cordis tui, et fac habitaculum Deo, fac templum, fac domum, fac tabernaculum, fac archam testamenti, fac archam diluuii, uel quocunque nomine appelles, una est domus Dei.In templo adoret plasma creatorem, in domo ueneretur filius patrem, in tabernaculo honoret miles regem, in testamento auscultet assecla preceptorem, in diluuio imploret naufragus gubernatorem.

God is become everything to you, and God has made everything for you. He has made the dwelling, and is become your refuge. This one is all, and this all is one. It is the house of God, it is the city of the King, it is the body of Christ, it is the bride of the Lamb. It is the heaven, it is the sun, it is the moon, it is the morning star, the daybreak and the evening. It is the trumpet, it is the mountain, and the desert, and the promised land. It is the ship, it is the way across the sea. It is the net, the vine, the field. It is the ark, the barn, the stable, and the manger. It is the beast of burden, and it is the horse. It is the storehouse, the court, the wedding-chamber, the tower, the camp, the battle-front. It is the people, and the kingdom, and the priesthood. It is the flock and the shepherd, the sheep and the pastures. It is paradise, it is the garden, it is the palm, the rose, the lily. It is the fountain and the river; it is the door, it is the dove, it is the raiment, it is the pearl, it is the crown, it is the sceptre, and it is the throne. It is the table and the bread, it is the spouse, the mother, the daughter and the sister.

Totum tibi factus est Deus, et totum tibi fecit Deus. Fecit habitaculum, factus est patrocinium. Hoc unum totum est, et totum hoc unum est: domus Dei est, ciuitas regis est, corpus Christi est, sponsa agni est, celum est, sol est, luna est, stella matutina est, aurora est, lucerna est, tuba est, mons est, desertum est, terra promissionis est, nauis est, uia in mari est, sagena est, uinea est, ager est, area est, horreum est, stabulum est, presepe est, subiugale est, equus est, apotheca est, aula est, thalamus est, turris est, castra est, acies est, populus est, regnum est, sacerdotium est, grex est, pastor est, ouis est, pascua est, paradisus est, hortus est, palma est, rosa est, lilium est, fons est, fluuius est, porticus est, columba est, uestis est, margaritum est, corona est, sceptrum est, thronus est, mensa est, panis est, coniunx est, mater est, filia est, soror est.

And, to sum it all up, it was for this, with a view to this, on account of this, that the whole of Scripture was made, For this, the Word was made flesh, God was made humble, man was made sublime.

Et ut breuius concludam: de hac et ad hanc et propter hanc omnis Scriptura facta est. Propter hanc mundus factus est; propter hanc Verbum caro factum est, Deus humilis, homo sublimis.

If you have this, then you have everything. If you have everything, you have nothing more to look for, and your heart is at rest.

Si hanc ergo habes, totum habes. Si totum habes, nichil est amplius quod expectes, et requiescit cor tuum.

Now the figure of this spiritual building which I am going to present to you is Noah’s ark. This your eye shall see outwardly, so that your soul may be fashioned to its likeness inwardly. You will see there certain colours, shapes, and figures which will be pleasant to behold. But you must understand that these are put there, that from them you may learn wisdom, instruction, and virtue, to adorn your soul. And because this ark denotes the Church, and the Church is the body of Christ, to make the illustration clearer for you I have depicted Christ’s whole Person, the Head with the members, in a form that you can see; 1 so that, when you have seen the whole, you will be able the more easily to understand what will be said hereafter with reference to the parts. And I want to represent this Person to you in such wise as Isaiah testifies that he beheld Him. So I shall quote Isaiah’s words to you, and from them take the thing I want to show you; so that what the literal sense says, the prophecy may confirm.

Huius uero spiritualis edificii exemplar tibi dabo archam Noe, quam foris uidebit oculus tuus, ut ad eius similitudinem intus fabricetur animus tuus. Videbis ibi colores quosdam, formas et figuras que delectent uisum. Sed scire debes ideo hec posita esse, ut in eis discas sapientiam, disciplinam atque uirtutem que exornent animum tuum. Et quia hec archa Ecclesiam significat, Ecclesia autem corpus Christi est, ut euidentius exemplar tibi fiat, totam personam Christi (id est caput cum membris) in forma uisibili depinxi, ut cum totum uideris que deinde de parte dicuntur facilius intelligere possis. Talem autem personam hanc exprimere tibi cupio qualem Isaias se uidisse testabatur. Et iccirco eius ipsius uerba in medium proferam, atque ex ipsis quod tibi demonstrare uolo sumam, ut quod dicit littera probet prophetia.

Now what he says is this: ‘I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up’ [Isa. 6, i] It is high, because it is located in the height. It is lifted up, because from the depths it has been translated to the heights.

Ait ergo: “Vidi Dominum sedentem super solium excelsum et eleuatum”. Excelsum est quod situm est in sublimi, eleuatum est quod de inferioribus translatum est ad superiora.

Angelic spirits are, therefore, the ‘high’ throne, and the souls of the saints, who from this world’s abyss have been translated to the joys of peace on high, are the throne ‘lifted up’. God is represented as ‘sitting on a throne high and lifted up’, because He rules over both.

Solium ergo excelsum sunt angelici spiritus, solium eleuatum anime sanctorum de huius mundi uoragine translate ad gaudia superne pacis. Et quia utrisque presidet Deus, ideo sedere perhibetur super solium excelsum et eleuatum.

That which is said a little further on, however, ‘the whole earth is full of His glory’, means that every corporeal creature on earth is full of the glory of God. For as the divine essence by means of knowledge guides a spiritual creature, ‘so does it fill that which is corporeal by ordering and ruling it. So, as it is said elsewhere, ‘I fill heaven and earth’, [cf Jer. 23, 24.]  and again, ‘the heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool’, [Isa. 66, 1] so in this place we have first, f l saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up  , and then ‘the whole earth is full of His glory’, and ‘the things that were beneath it filled the temple’. [Isa. 6, 3 and i.  ‘The temple’ is the power of understanding, whether of angels or of men, which temple is filled by the things that are beneath it. For the works of God so far transcend assessment that no creature has the power to understand them perfectly. The contemplation of them fills our heart, but our heart cannot compass their immensity. How, then, shall we comprehend the Maker of the works, when we cannot fully take in the works of the Maker?

Quod uero in sequentibus dicitur: “Plena est omnis terra maiestate eius”, per terram omnis corporea creatura significatur que plena est maiestate Dei, quia diuina essentia, sicut spirituali creature per cognitionem presidet, ita corpoream creaturam regendo atque disponendo implet. Quod ergo alibi dicitur: “Celum et terram ego impleo”, et rursum: “Celum michi sedes est et terra scabellum pedum meorum”, hoc hic dicitur: “Vidi Dominum sedentem super solium excelsum et eleuatum”, et deinde: “Plena est omnis terra maiestate eius”, “et ea que sub ipso erant replebant templum”.

Templum est angelici siue humani intellectus capacitas, quod uidelicet templum impletur ab his que sub eo sunt, quia tanta est diuinorum operum immensitas, ut ad ea perfecte comprehendenda nullius creature intelligentia sufficiat. Implet cor nostrum consideratio eorum, non comprehenditur a corde nostro immensitas eorum. Quando ergo factorem operis comprehendere ualebimus, qui ipsum opus factoris ad plenum capere non ualemus?

We may say also that this throne high and lifted up, whereon God sits, is the eternity of the Godhead; for it is said of Him alone that He ‘inhabiteth eternity’, [Isa. 57, 15]  not because God is one thing and His eternity another, but because a throne implies a ruler. He therefore is rightly represented as sitting upon the throne of eternity since, as there is neither beginning nor end to His being, so is there none either to His omnipotence. He always was. He always was omnipotent. Full ever in Himself and of Himself, He was at once perfect, and yet never overflowed. Well then may the prophet say, ‘I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up’, for the might of the Godhead at once precedes all creatures in eternity,, surpasses them in excellence, and orders them by power.

Possumus etiam dicere, quod solium hoc excelsum et eleuatum in quo sedet Deus eternitas sit deitatis, quia de ipso solo dicitur: “Qui habitat eternitatem”. Non quod aliud sit Deus et aliud eternitas eius, sed quia solium regnantium est et ideo recte in solio eternitatis sedere perhibetur, quia sicut essentie eius, ita etiam omnipotentie ipsius nec principium nec finis inuenitur. Semper fuit et semper omnipotens fuit, semper in se et a se plenus et perfectus fuit nec tamen redundauit. Dicat ergo: “Vidi Dominum sedentem super solium excelsum et eleuatum”, quia uirtus diuinitatis omnem creaturam et eternitate precedit et dignitate transcendit et potestate disponit.

Next come the words, “and the things that were beneath it filled the temple [Isa, 6, 2] . The temple may here be understood as meaning the cycle of the ages and revolutions of the centuries. For as the ages in their course return upon themselves’ they seem by their cycles to mark out as it were the enclosure of a temple, ‘the things that were beneath it filled the temple’, is to be taken, therefore, as meaning that all the periods of time are full of the works of God, and that every generation tells of His wonderful acts. Or else it may be taken thus: ‘the things that were beneath it filled the temple’ that is, the things that filled the temple were beneath it, because whatever belongs to time is found below eternity. For the vastness of eternity includes below itself the narrow paths of time, in that it is both before time, since it has no beginning, and after time, in that it knows no end. It is above time too, for it admits no change.

Sequitur: “Et ea que sub ipso erant implebant templum”. Templum in hoc loco intelligi potest circuitus temporum et ambitus seculorum. Tempora namque, dum cursu suo in se ipsa redeunt, quasi quendam templi ambitum girando circunscribunt. Quod ergo dicit: “Ea que sub ipso erant implebant templum”, sic intelligendum est, quia omnia seculorum tempora plena sunt operibus Dei et omnis generatio narrat mirabilia eius. Vel sic legi potest: “Ea que sub ipso erant implebant templum”, hoc est: ea que implebant templum sub ipso erant. Quia quicquid temporaliter uoluitur, infra eternitatem inuenitur. Immensitas enim eternitatis temporales angustias infra se claudit, quia et prius tempore est quod nunquam cepit et posterius tempore quod finem nescit, et supra tempus est quod mutabilitatem non recipit.

‘Above it stood the seraphim.’ [Isa, 6, 2] The two seraphim are the two covenants. And ‘seraphim’, which means ‘burning’, beautifully signifies Holy Scripture, which causes those whom it has first enlightened by knowledge afterwards to burn mightily with love. For when it shows our heart what it should desire, it first enlightens it, and then makes it burn. It burns, therefore, because it causes burning, as it is said elsewhere to shine because it enlightens. For of this Peter the apostle says, ‘We have a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts’. [2 Pet. 1, 19].  And perhaps it is in pursuance of this allegorical sense, whereby the effect it produces in the hearts of its hearers is wont to be attributed to the Scripture itself, that it is said: ‘Above it stood the seraphim.’ For it rises when it rouses us up, it walks when it makes us progress, and it stands when it confirms us in our good resolve.

“Seraphin stabant super illud”. Duo seraphin duo sunt testamenta. Et pulchre seraphin quod interpretatur ardens diuinam Scripturam significat, que eos quos per cognitionem prius illuminauerit per amorem postmodum fortiter ardere facit. Dum enim menti nostre quid desiderare debeat ostendit, prius eam illuminat ac deinde ardentem reddit. Ardet ergo quia ardentes facit, sicut alibi lucere dicitur quia illuminat. De hac enim Petrus apostolus ait: “Habemus firmiorem propheticum sermonem, cui benefacitis attendentes tanquam lucerne lucenti in caliginoso loco, donec dies illucescat et lucifer oriatur in cordibus uestris”.  Et fortassis secundum hanc similitudinem, qua ipsi Scripture attribui solet id quod ipsa in cordibus efficit audientium, hic dictum est: “Seraphin stabant super illud”.  Surgit enim, cum nos erigit, ambulat, cum nos proficere facit, stat, cum nos in bono proposito figit.

We must inquire, however, why God is said to sit upon the throne, while the seraphim are represented not as sitting on, but as standing above it. And because in what has gone before we have given two interpretations of this throne, we must make this explanation fit them both. If, then, we take the throne of God as meaning spiritual creatures, God is rightly described as sitting upon it; for, that it may be above all things, the excellency of the Godhead neither advances in virtue nor grows in wisdom, since Fullness cannot be increased, nor can Eternity be changed. But whenever the human mind, enlightened by the knowledge of Holy Scripture, is raised to the contemplation of heavenly things, it does indeed mount the throne, if it also climbs above the choirs of angels and attains to the presence of its Creator. Once there, however, it does not sit, it stands. For it has come by toil to a point at which it has no natural power to stay. Thus standing is the posture of one who works, sitting of Him who rests. And so we stand on the throne and God sits on it, for we are by grace beginning to be where He is by nature.

Sed inquirendum est, quare super solium Deus sedere dicitur et seraphin super solium non sedere sed stare perhibentur.

 Et quia superius duobus modis hoc solium interpretati sumus, secundum utrunque modum expositionem adaptare debemus.

 Si ergo per solium Dei spirituales creaturas accipimus, recte super solium Deus sedens describitur, quia diuinitas deitatis, ut sit super omnia, nec uirtute proficit nec sapientia crescit, cum nec plenitudo augeri possit nec eternitas uariari.  Mens uero humana, quotiens per cognitionem Scripture sacre illuminata ad celestia contemplanda subleuatur, si ipsos quoque angelorum choros transcendens usque ad presentiam conditoris sui profecerit, super solium quidem ascendit.  Sed tamen stat non sedet, quia illuc proficiendo per laborem uenit, ubi per naturam manere non habuit.  Stare namque laborantis est, sedere quiescentis.  Et ideo super solium nos stamus, Deus sedet, quia ibi esse incipimus per gratiam, ubi ipse est per naturam.  

In the same way, if we take the throne as meaning God’s eternity, we understand ourselves as standing on it, because we can attain His immortality only by passing through the toil of death; it is by adoption that we, who are by nature subject to this latter end, are made heirs of eternity. [cf. Rom. 8, 15-17; Gal 4, 3-7; Eph, 1, 3-14].

Similiter si per solium eternitatem Dei intelligimus, nos super solium stamus, quia ad eius immortalitatem non nisi per mortis laborem peruenire possumus, et qui ex conditione fini obnoxii sumus, ex adoptione eternitatis heredes efficimur.

Wings_of_Seraphim

‘THE one had six wings, and the other had six wings’ [Vulg, Isa. 6, 2] That is to say, each seraph had six wings, joined two and two to make three pairs. Each covers his own body, not the Lord’s, with two wings; that is the first pair. Each spreads out two, the one to cover not his own head, but the Lord’s, the other to cover not his own feet, but the Lord’s; that makes the second pair. Each flies with two, the one beating against the other; that makes the third pair.

“Sex ale uni et sex ale alteri”, id est utrumque sex alas habebat que iuncte bine et bine tria paria alarum faciunt.  Vtrumque duabus alis corpus suum tegit, non Domini; hoc est primum par.  Vtrumque duas extendit, alteram ad tegendum caput, non suum, sed Domini, alteram ad tegendos pedes, non suos, sed Domini; hoc est secundum par.  Vtrumque duabus uolat alter ad alterum; hoc est tertium par.  

[1] history,
[2] allegory,
[3] and tropology,

(id est historia,

allegoria,

 tropologia).

[A] the love of God and
[B] of their neighbor.

[1] The two wings which cover the body of the seraph are the historical sense, which covers mystical meanings beneath the veil of the letter.

[2] The two wings which are extended to cover the head and the feet of the Lord are the allegorical sense. For when we learn the mysteries of Holy Scripture, we come by the illumination of our minds to the knowledge of His Godhead who is before all things and after all things.

 Due ale que usque ad caput et pedes Domini extenduntur allegoria est, quia cum mysteria diuine Scripture discimus usque ad ipsius diuinitatis agnitionem, que ante omnia et post omnia est, per illuminationem mentis penetramus.  

One must understand, however, that though the extended wings reach to the head and feet, they cover while they touch. For whenever we are caught up into ecstasy of soul to ponder His eternity, we find in Him no beginning and no end. For we reach to His head, when we reflect that He was before all things; yet with this same wing we veil His head, since we cannot understand how it is that in Him there is neither beginning nor end. We reach out to His feet, when we consider that, not in time but in eternity, He is after all things; yet we cover His feet when we find in Him no end. So by touching His head we touch His feet also; for the more the human spirit strives to search out His eternity, the more does it marvel at His surpassing of all understanding.

Sed sciendum est quod ale extense usque ad caput et pedes attingunt, sed utrumque tangentes tegunt, quia quotiens ad eius eternitatem cogitandam per excessum mentis rapimur, nullum in eo principium aut finem inuenimus.  Alam ad caput extendimus, dum eum ante omnia fuisse cogitamus, sed hac eadem ala nobis caput eius uelamus, quia qualiter in eo nullum sit principium comprehendere non ualemus.  Alam ad pedes extendimus, dum eum post omnia esse non tempore sed eternitate consideramus, sed pedes tegimus, dum in eo finem non inuenimus.  Tangendo ergo caput eius et pedes tegimus, quia quanto magis eius eternitatem mens humana inuestigare nititur, tanto magis incomprehensibilem eum esse miratur.  

That which is written in Isaiah, however, is not ‘they covered His head’, but ‘they covered His face’. [Isa. 6, 2].  And this must be understood in the same sense as that which was said to Moses: “Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me, and live’ [Exod. 33, 20] The full knowledge of the Godhead, which is promised to the saints in the life everlasting, and of which the apostle says, we shall see Him ‘face to face’ , and again, ‘Then shall I know, even as also I am known’, [1 Cor. 13, 12] is veiled and hidden from those still living in this mortal state. But in that everlasting life it is not veiled, but unveiled and made clear, as the Lord bears witness with reference to the angels in the gospel, saying, ‘Their angels do always behold the face of the Father’. [Matt, 18, 10]

Quod autem in Isaia scriptum non est: “uelabant caput eius”, sed scriptum est: “Velabant faciem eius”, eo modo intelligi debet, quo dictum est ad Moysen: “Non poteris uidere faciem meam, non enim uidebit me homo et uiuet”.  Illa quippe plena cognitio diuinitatis que sanctis in eterna uita promittitur, de qua dicit Apostolus: “Videbimus eum facie ad faciem”, et rursus: “Tunc cognoscam sicut et cognitus sum”, in hac adhuc mortalitate degentibus uelata est et abscondita, in illa autem eterna uita non uelata, sed reuelata est et manifesta, sicut Dominus in Euangelio de beatis angelis testatur: “Angeli eorum in celis semper uident faciem Patris”.  

Since therefore for our present purposes it is more suitable that the face should remain exposed, in order that the truth may be verified that we cannot understand any beginning in God, we pass over rather than change the words of the prophet, and veil the head from above. And in order that those other words may stand, ‘their angels do always behold the face of the Father in heaven’, we leave the face uncovered. Other things also, which are here said otherwise, must be taken in conjunction not with the prophecy but with the picture.

Quia ergo ad presentem tractatum magis pertinebat, ut facies nuda remaneret, uerba prophetie non mutantes, sed pretermittentes, ut uerum sit, quia nullum in Deo principium comprehenditur, caput desuper uelamus, et ut stare possit, quod dicitur: “Angeli eorum in celis semper uident faciem Patris”, faciem apertam relinquimus.  Cetera quoque que hic aliter dicuntur non ad prophetiam, sed ad picturam referenda sunt.  

[3] ‘With two they did fly’ [Isa. 6, 2] Those two wings with which the seraphim flew denote the tropological sense. For when through reading Holy Scripture we are prepared for doing good works, we are lifted up to higher things, as it were on wings. We fly with them, moreover, one against another, when we encourage each other by the pursuit of well-doing. And we cry ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’ [See Isa. 6, 3] as we fly, if through our good works we seek not our own greater glory, but that of our Father who is in heaven. For what does crying ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’ mean, if not proclaiming the glory of our Maker which we have known within ?

Duabus alis uolabant.  Iste due ale quibus uolabant seraphin tropologiam significant, quia dum per lectionem diuine Scripture ad bona opera instruimur quasi quibusdam alis ad alta subleuamur.  Quibus etiam uolamus alter ad alterum, dum per studium bone operationis nos inuicem exhortamur.  Volantes autem “sanctus, sanctus, sanctus” clamamus, si per bona opera nostra non nostram, sed Patris nostri qui in celis est gloriam amplificare satagimus. Quid est enim “sanctus, sanctus, sanctus” clamare, nisi creatoris gloriam quam agnouimus intus in aperto predicare?

Having thus briefly explained these matters, let us now begin to treat of those that follow. For now that we have shown the meaning of that which we read, to the effect that the Lord’s Lead and feet are hidden from us, it remains to show what should be thought concerning the remainder of His body.

His breuiter explanatis, ea que sequuntur deinceps tractare incipiamus. Restat enim, ut, postquam ostendimus quid sibi uult quod caput Domini et pedes eius nobis abscondita esse leguntur, etiam quid de reliquo corpore cogitandum sit demonstremus.

If then we have taught you that the head of God is that which was before the foundation of the world, and His feet that which is to be after the consummation of the age, we must take the intervening portion of His body to be the period of time between beginning and end. The head and the feet are covered, therefore, because we cannot discover either the first things or the last. The body is visible, because we see the intermediate things that happen in the present age. This body is the Church, which began when the world began, and -will last till the end of the age.  This is the ark, of which we have set out to speak; and it reaches from the head to the feet, because through successive generations Holy Church reaches from the beginning to the end.

Si ergo caput Dei dicimus esse quod fuit ante constitutionem huius mundi, et pedes eius quod futurum est post consummationem seculi, recte longitudinem corporis eius accipimus, quod inter principium et finem medium est spatium temporis. Caput ergo et pedes teguntur, quia prima et nouissima inuestigare non possumus. Corpus apparet, quia ea que media in hoc presenti seculo geruntur uidemus. Hoc corpus est Ecclesia, que cepit a principio mundi et usque ad finem seculi durabit. Hec est archa, de qua loqui proposuimus, que a capite usque ad pedes pertingit, quia a principio usque ad finem per successionem generationum sancta Ecclesia se extendit.

You must however understand that, just as a human person is subject to bodily conditions, which are not part of his body nor directly related to it, so is it with Christ’s body, the Church. She dwells in the midst of a perverted race; and when she is attacked by unbelievers, the ark is buffeted as it were by stormy waves. When however she suffers tribulation from false brethren, the body is racked inwardly, as by noxious humours. Whatever, therefore, is contrary to the well-being of the body, whether from within or from without, is not of the body. But the fact that the arms of the Lord embrace all things on every side means that all things are under His control, and that no man can escape either the reward of His right hand or the punishment of His left.

Sed sciendum est, quod sicut in persona hominis alia sunt circa corpus eius et neque in corpore sunt neque de corpore, alia sunt in corpore nec tamen sunt de corpore, ita etiam est in corpore Christi, id est Ecclesia que habitat in medio praue nationis. Et dum assultus infidelium excipit, quasi quibusdam fluctibus procellosis foris archa tunditur; dum uero a falsis fratribus tribulationem sustinet, quasi quibusdam noxiis humoribus intus corpus torquetur. Quecunque ergo corpori contraria sunt, siue intus siue extra sint, non sunt de corpore. Quod autem brachia Domini hinc inde complectuntur omnia, hoc significat quod sub eius potestate sunt uniuersa, et nemo manum eius uel dexteram ad premium, uel sinistram eius effugere potest ad supplicium.

Why then should the members of the body worry any more about the well-being of the body, once they know the Head to have such power? He, who in His compassion is aware of the danger and by His power provides the remedy against it, knows what is best for His body. He it is who makes a track across the sea; for, guiding His body the Church through the storms of this life, as it were the ark in the flood, He brings her at last to the haven of eternal rest.

Cur ergo amplius membra de salute corporis sollicita sunt, que talem capitis potestatem agnouerunt? Ipse nouit quid expediat corpori suo, qui et per compassionem sentit periculum et per potestatem prestat remedium. Ipse est qui in mari uiam ponit, quia corpus suum (id est Ecclesiam suam) quasi archam in diluuio, sic inter huius uite procellas regens usque ad portum quietis eterne perducit.

If, then, we want to be saved, it behoves us to enter this ark. And, as I said before, we must build it within ourselves, so that we can live in it within ourselves. For it is not enough for us to be in it externally, if we have not also learnt how we should live in it within ourselves. In regard to this matter, there are three things that call chiefly for consideration. First, how we must build it in ourselves. Second, how we must enter it within ourselves. Third, how we must live in it within ourselves.

Si ergo saluari cupimus, oportet nos intrare hanc archam et, sicut supra dixi, hanc archam in nobis debemus facere, ut possimus intra nos in ea habitare. Non enim sufficit si extra nos in ea sumus, si non etiam didicerimus qualiter in nobis eam habitare debeamus. Ad quod nobis tria principaliter consideranda sunt: primum, qualiter eam debeamus edificare in nobis; secundum, qualiter eam debeamus intrare in nobis; tertium, qualiter eam debeamus habitare in nobis.

But look what has happened. We set out to talk about one ark, and one thing has so led to another that it seems now we have to speak not of one only, but of four. Of these, the two that are visible were built visibly and outwardly, but the two that are invisible come into being inwardly and invisibly, by an unseen process of construction. The first is that which Noah made, with hatchets and axes, using wood and pitch as his materials. [Gen. 6, 14] The second is that which Christ made through His preachers, by gathering the nations into a single confession of faith. The third is that which wisdom builds daily in our hearts through continual meditation on the law of God. The fourth is that which mother grace effects in us by joining together many virtues in a single charity.

Sed ecce dum de una archa loqui proponimus, ita per consequentiam rerum ducitur mens nostra, ut iam non de una tantum, sed de quatuor loquendum nobis uideamus. E quibus due uisibiles exterius uisibiliter facte sunt, due autem inuisibiles ex inuisibili structura intus inuisibiliter fiunt Prima est quam fecit Noe securibus et dolabris ex materia lignorum et bitumine. Secunda est quam fecit Christus per predicatores suos ex collectione populorum in una fidei confessione. Tertia est quam cotidie sapientia edificat in cordibus nostris ex iugi legis Dei meditatione. Quarta est quam mater gratia operatur in nobis ex confederatione multarum uirtutum in una caritate.

The first is realized in visible reality, the second in faith, the third in knowledge, and the fourth in power. Let us call the first Noah’s ark, the second the ark of the Church, the third the ark of wisdom, and the fourth the ark of mother grace. Nevertheless there is in a certain sense only one ark everywhere, for there is one only common ground of likeness everywhere, and that which is not different in nature ought not to be different in name. The form is one, though the matter is different, for that which is actualized in the wood is actualized also in the people, and that which is found in the heart is the same as that which is found in charity.

Prima est in re, secunda in fide, tertia in cognitione, quarta in uirtute. Primam uocemus archam Noe, secundam archam Ecclesie, tertiam archam sapientie, quartam archam matris gratie. Quodammodo tamen una ubique archa est, quia una ubique similitudo est et non discrepare debet in nomine quod non discrepat in proprietate. Vna forma, diuersa materia, quia quod est in ligno hoc est in populo, et quod est in mente idem est in caritate.

The special subject we have undertaken to discuss, however, is the ark of wisdom. So we shall run briefly through the explanation of the other three, so as to be free thereafter to explain this at greater length.

Nos tamen specialiter de archa sapientie loqui suscepimus, et iccirco reliquarum trium expositionem breuiter transcurremus, ut in explanatione huius postmodum liberius morari ualeamus.

The Four Ways of

Contemplating

(BOOK 2) CHAPTER 2
The Door and the Windows

<II> DE OSTIO ET FENESTRA>

[…] Through contemplation also we go out in four ways. The first way is when we consider what everything created is in itself, and find all things are vanity because, just as each creature comes into being out of nothing, so too its daily changes show that of itself it also tends to nothing.

Quatuor modis eximus per contemplationem.Primus modus est, quando consideramus omnem creaturam quid sit ex se. Et inuenimus omnia uanitatem, quia omnis creatura sicut de nichilo ad esse uenit, ita etiam cotidiana immutatione indicat, quia quantum in se est ad nichilum tendit. 

The second way is when we consider what the same creature is according to the gift of God, and perceive in it the likeness of His mind. For the selfsame creatures which through the state in which they are created are subject to change, nevertheless receive this boon from their Creator, that they never entirely cease to be. Thus after a fashion the temporal work mirrors the immutability of the eternal Author of the work.

Secundus modus est, quando consideramus quid sit eadem creatura ex dono creatoris. Et cernimus in ea diuine rationis similitudinem, quia ipsa que pro sua conditione mutabilitati subiacent, dum hoc ex beneficio creatoris accipiunt, ut nunquam prorsus esse desinant, quodammodo opus temporale eterni opificis igurate stabilitatem. 

The third way is when we consider how God uses the ministry of things created to fulfil His judgements, whether of His mercy in bestowing benefits, or in dispensing sufferings for our merit’s sake. By these considerations we discover that all things are the instrument of the divine economy, and the very proof of our depravity. In this kind of contemplation we hear every creature saying three things to us.

Tertius modus est, quando consideramus quomodo utatur Deus ministerio creaturarum ad implenda iudicia sua, siue pro sua misericordia beneficia largiendo, siue pro nostro merito erogando supplicia. In hac autem consideratione inuenimus omnia esse instrumentum diuine dispensationis et nostre prauitatis argumentum. In hoc genere contemplationis audimus omnem creaturam tribus uocibus nobis loquentem. 

(BOOK 2) CHAPTER 3
The Three Voices of the World

<III> DE TRIBVS VOCIBVS MVNDI

First it says, ‘Receive’, then it says, ‘Give’, thirdly it says Flee’. Receive the blessing, render the debt, flee the punishment. The first is the voice of a servant, the second of an adviser, the third of one who threatens.

Prima uox dicit: “Accipe”; secunda dicit: “Redde”; tertia dicit: “Fuge”. Accipe beneficium, redde debitum, fuge supplicium.Prima uox est famulantis, secunda ammonentis, tertia comminantis. 

The servant’s voice: The sky says, ‘I afford you light by day that you may be awake, darkness by night that you may rest. For your pleasure I bring about the welcome changes of the seasons, the gentle warmth of spring, the heat of summer, the ripeness of autumn, and the cold of winter. I make the days and nights different by a regular progression of variable lengthenings, so that change may take away your growing boredom and order afford you delight’ Air says, ‘I afford you the breath by which you live, and send you every kind of bird for your enjoyment.’ Water says, ‘I give you drink. I wash away your dirt. I water your dry places, and provide you with a diet of every kind of fish.’ Earth says, ‘I carry you. I feed you. I strengthen you with bread, I gladden you with wine, I delight you with all kinds of fruit, I load your tables with different meats.’

Vox famulantis est. Celum dicit: “Ministro tibi lucem in die ut uigiles, tenebras in nocte ut pauses. Ego ad oblectationem tuam gratas temporum uicissitudines pario: teporem ueris et estatis feruorem, autumpni plenitudinem et algorem hiemis. Ego alternantibus incrementis dierum et noctium igurat simili ratione dissimiliter extendo, ut et uarietas tollat fastidium et ratio pariat oblectamentum”. Aer dicit: “Vitalem tibi prebeo flatum, et omne genus auium ad tuum mitto obsequium”. Aqua dicit: “Potum tibi prebeo, sordes purgo, arentia rigo et diuersorum genera piscium ad tuum esum ministro”. Terra dicit: “Ego te porto, ego te nutrio, pane conforto, uino letifico, omnigenis fructibus oblecto, diuersis animalibus mensas tuas repleo”. 

The warning voice: The world says, ‘See, man, how much He loved you, who for your sake made me. I serve you, for I was created for your sake, that you in turn might serve Him who made both me and you, me for your sake and you for His own. If you appreciate this benefit, then pay your debt. You receive the favour, give your love in return. This is what He gives, and this is what He requires.’

Vox ammonentis est. Mundus dicit: “Vide homo, quomodo amauit te qui propter te fecit me.Seruio tibi, quia factus sum propter te, ut et tu seruias illi, qui fecit et me et te, me propter te, te propter se. Si sentis beneficium, redde debitum. Accipis benignitatem, redde caritatem. Hoc tribuit et hoc exigit Deus”. 

The threatening voice; Fire says, ‘You will be burnt by me.’ Water says, ‘You will be drowned by me.’ Earth says, ‘You will be sucked up by me.’ Hell says, ‘You will be swallowed down by me.’

Vox comminantis est. Ignis dicit: “A me combureris”. Aqua dicit: “In me summergeris”. Terra dicit: “A me absorberis”. Infernus dicit: “A me deglutieris”. 

For as every created thing is of its nature for the service of man, so also does it threaten sinners with the reminder of their evil desert; to the intent that they may fear lest it should happen to them through each created thing even as they know they have deserved. For which reason also it is said that ‘The wicked flee when no man pursueth’, [Prov. 28.1] for the wicked man is just as fearful when things go well, as the righteous man is calm when things go badly.

Quia omnis creatura, sicut ex conditione sua homini famulatur, sic etiam peccatoribus pro malorum meritorum conscientia comminatur, ut in singulis creaturis perpeti timeant quod se meruisse cognoscunt. Propter quod etiam dictum est quod nemine persequente fugit impius, quoniam ita est in securitate impius pauidus, sicut iustus in supplicio securus. 

The fourth way of contemplation is when we look at things created in the light of the use that man can make of them in order to satisfy the lust of his fleshly concupiscence, and consider them not as an aid to our natural weakness, but as affording satisfaction to our passions. It was from this point of view that Eve ‘saw that the tree was pleasant to the eyes, and was good for food, and she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat’. [Gen. 3, 6.]  Those who in this way issue forth through thought are like the raven which did not return. [Gen. 8, 6.] For when they find outside what gives them evil pleasure, they never want to come back again to the ark of conscience.

Quartus modus contemplationis est, quando inspicimus creaturas secundum hoc quod homo eis uti potest ad explendam carnalis concupiscentie uoluptatem. Et in eis cogitamus non naturalis infirmitatis subsidium, sed libidinis oblectamentum. Hoc oculo Eua lignum uidit, quod esset pulchrum uisu et ad uescendum suaue, et tulit de fructu eius et comedit. Qui hoc modo per cogitationem exeunt, similes sunt coruo qui reuersus non est, quia, dum foris quod male igurate inueniunt, ad archam conscientie amplius redire nolunt. 

The other three kinds of contemplation, however, are symbolized by the going forth of the dove who, when she was sent out and found no rest for her foot, returned at evening carrying in her mouth an olive branch in leaf. [See Gen. 8, 8-11

Reliqua uero tria contemplationum genera in exitu columbe igurate sunt, que cum emissa esset et non inueniret ubi requiesceret pes eius, reuersa est ad uesperam, portans ramum oliue uirentis in ore suo. 

(BOOK 2) CHAPTER 4
How the Olive Branch Returned to the Ark

<IV> QVOMODO RAMVS OLIVE REPORTATVR AD ARCHAM

] She went out empty, but she did not return so. For she found outside that which she did not have within, although the thing that she brought in she did not love outside. 4 The olive branch in leaf denotes a good state of soul. For it often happens that the more holy men gaze upon the works of their Creator, the more do they burgeon with an inward love for Him. For as a result of seeing the mutability of present things they lose their esteem for all that seems fair in this world and, as it were, return carrying the olive branch in their mouth; since they long to see the loveliness of their Creator all the more ardently for having found so little to their liking among things created. The soul is happy to find its food within, since no pleasure keeps it outside; and, having once been a shipwrecked mariner amid the billows of the world, now that it has been led back safely to the ark, its haven, it fairly jumps for joy.

Vacua exiuit, sed uacua non rediit, quia foris inuenit quod intus non habuit, nec tamen foris amauit quod intus detulit. Ramus oliue uirentis bonum mentis affectum demonstrat, quia sepe sancti uiri, quanto magis foris opera diuina aspiciunt, tanto magis intus in amore conditoris uiridescunt. Dum enim rerum presentium mutabilitatem aspiciunt, continuo omnia, que in hoc mundo pulchra uidentur, eis in cogitatione uilescunt.Et quasi reuertentes oliuam in ore deferunt, quoniam tanto ardentius conditoris sui speciem concupiscunt, que in rebus conditis nichil quod delectaret inuenerunt. Delectabiliter intus mens pascitur, quia delectabiliter foris non tenetur et quasi ad arche sue portum reducta iam secura tripudiat, que in mundi fluctibus prius naufraga erat. 

Similarly, in the second kind of contemplation, as often as we learn to marvel at God’s unseen power and wisdom in things visible, we bring back, as it were, olive branches from the waters to the ark; since in the changeable things exterior to ourselves we acknowledge Him whom we love unchangeably within ourselves.

Similiter in secundo genere contemplationis, quotiens in rebus uisibilibus inuisibilem Dei uirtutem et sapientiam ammirari discimus, quasi ramum oliue ab aquis ad archam reportamus, quia in rebus mutabilibus extra nos illum cognoscimus, quem in nobis immutabiliter diligamus. 

Again, in the third kind of contemplation, when we pay attention to His judgements without, we are renewed inwardly by His fear and love.

In tertio itidem contemplationis genere, dum iudicia eius foris attendimus, in timore eius et amore intus renouamur. 

In the first kind, therefore, our perception of the causes of vanity breeds in us contempt of the world. In the second, the likeness of a rational being generates God’s praises. In the third, the instrument of His economy begets His fear and love. In the fourth, the tinder of cupidity enkindles passion.

In primo ergo materia uanitatis inspecta in nobis generat contemptum mundi; in secundo, simulacrum rationis, laudem Dei; in tertio, instrumentum dispensationis, timorem et amorem Dei; in quarto, fomes cupiditatis, incentiuum libidinis. 

Let us beware, therefore, of this going out. Let no one be too sure of his own moral sense. Dinah was a virgin within, she was pure within, she was a dove within. But because the dove, being heartless, was seduced, when once it had gone out it altered both its colour and its name. For so is it written: ‘Dinah went out to see the women of that land. And when Shechem, the son of Hamor, the prince of that country, saw her, he fell in love with her and took her, and lay with her, forcing the virgin.’ [Gen. 34, 1-2] That she was forced shows that she did not go out with intent to be corrupted, but, because she went out rashly, she sustained the loss of her chastity, although unwillingly. But that which follows, ‘He made her cleave to him’, 2 means this: the raven found a piece of carrion, and did not want to go back to the ark any more.

Hunc igitur exitum caueamus, ne egrediamur temere. Nemo de conscientia sua confidat. Dina intus uirgo, intus casta, intus columba fuit, sed quia columba fuit seducta non habens cor, egressa foras colorem pariter cum nomine mutauit. Sic enim scriptum est: “Egressa est Dina, ut uideret mulieres regionis illius. Quam cum uidisset Sichem filius Emor Heuei, princeps terre illius, adamauit et rapuit et dormiuit cum illa, ui opprimens uirginem”.Que ui opprimitur patet, quia non ideo exit, ut corrumpatur, sed tamen quia temere exiit, pudicitie sue dampna etiam inuita sustinuit. Quod autem subiungitur “Conglutinauit eam sibi”, hoc est, cadauer inuenit et amplius ad archam redire noluit.

BOOK 2 CHAPTER 14
A Comparison of the Three Trees

<XV> COMPARATIO TRIVM LIGNORVM 

There are three paradises. One is a garden of earth, whose inhabitant was the first, the earthly Adam. The second is a garden of faith, the Church of the saints which the second, the heavenly Adam, Christ, founded, and in which He dwells. The third is heavenly, and that is the kingdom of God, and eternal life, and the knd of the living, or rather the living land wherein God dwells.

Tres sunt paradisi. Vnus terrestris, cuius incola fuit primus Adam terrenus. Secundus fidelis, quod est Ecclesia sanctorum, quem fundauit et inhabitat secundus Adam celestis (id est Christus). Tertius celestis, qui est regnum Dei et uita eterna et terra uiuentium, uel potius terra uiuens in qua habitat Deus. 

In the first paradise the tree of life is a material tree. In the second, the tree of life is the Saviour’s manhood. In the third, the tree of life is the wisdom of God, the word of the Father, the fount of life, the wellspring of good, and this is in truth the eternal life.

In primo paradiso lignum uite est arbor materialis. In secundo lignum uite est humanitas Saluatoris. In tertio lignum uite est sapientia Dei, Verbum Patris, fons uite et origo boni, et hec est uere uita eterna. 

Now let us make comparison between them. Assuredly the tree of life in the earthly paradise could promote only an unfailing bodily life. But the tree of life of the faithful paradise, that is Jesus Christ, promises His own eternal life to those who eat His flesh and drink His blood; [John vi, 47-58]  yet He Himself, desiring to show how far removed the sacrament is from the power, says, ‘it is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing’, [John vi, 63]  which is as if He said: Do not imagine that it is enough for you to receive Me bodily in the sacrament, unless you have learnt to eat Me also in My function as the word of life, enlightening souls, making sinners righteous, and quickening the dead’

Nunc ueniamus ad comparationem. Certe lignum uite, quod erat in paradiso terrestri, corporalem tantummodo uitam sine defectu uegetare potuit.Lignum autem uite fidelis paradisi (id est Christus Iesus) manducantibus carnem suam et bibentibus sanguinem suum uitam eternam repromittit. Et tamen idem ipse exprimere uolens quantum distaret sacramentum a uirtute, ait: “Corpus nichil prodest, spiritus est qui uiuificat”. Quasi diceret: Si me corporaliter in sacramento sumitis, non hoc uobis sufficere credatis, nisi etiam me quemadmodum uerbum uite sum - illuminans animas, iustificans peccatores et mortuos uiuificans - spiritaliter edere didiceritis. 

CHAPTER 16
The Tree of Wisdom

<XVI> DE ARBORE SAPIENTIE 

This, therefore, is the tree of life indeed, the word of the Father, the wisdom of God in the highest, which in the hearts of the saints, as in an unseen paradise,

Hoc est igitur uere lignum uite: Verbum Patris in excelsis, sapientia uidelicet Dei que in cordibus sanctorum tanquam in paradiso inuisibili

is sown in fear,

per timorem seminatur,

watered by grace,

per gratiam rigatur,

dies through grief,

per dolorem moritur,

takes root by faith,

per fidem radicat,

buds by devotion,

per deuotionem germinat,

shoots up through compunction,

per compunctionem oritur,

grows by longing,

per desiderium crescit,

is strengthened by charity,

per caritatem roboratur,

grows green by hope,

per spem uiret,

puts out its leaves and spreads its branches through caution,

per circunspectionem frondet et expandit ramos,

flowers through discipline,

per disciplinam floret,

bears fruit through virtue,

per uirtutem fructificat,

ripens through patience,

per patientiam maturescit,

is harvested by death, and

per mortem carpitur,

feeds by contemplation.

per contemplationem cibat. 

But as our discourse has gone on rather long, let us now have a little breathing-space, at the same time beseeching the same wisdom of God, that He who scorned not to redeem us by tasting bitter death, would deign to satisfy us with the taste of His own sweetness, to whom be honour and dominion unto the eternal ages of ages. Amen.

Sed quia longius sermo processit, paululum respiremus simul orantes ipsam Dei Sapientiam, ut nos gustu dulcedinis sue dignetur satiare, que nos per gustum amare mortis non dedignata est redimere, cui sit honor et imperium in eterna secula seculorum. Amen.

Fall and Restoration

[Book 4] CHAPTER 5
That God Speaks Rarely and With Few

<V> QVARE CVM PAVCIS ET RARO LOQVATUR DEVS 

The first man’s nature was so ordained and constituted by God that the soul, which governed the body, should fulfil its outward service to the body, certainly, but that, by means of reason, it should always be directed inwardly towards its Maker. It should in other words move the bodily members to external activity by giving them sense-life, but direct its attention and desire within to its Maker alone, and do nothing outwardly that did not originate in love for Him, or bear some relation to that love. Charity was thus to command, reason to direct, and the sensitive faculties to fulfil and complete his every act.

Primi hominis natura ita a Deo ordinata et instituta fuerat, ut anima que corpori preerat per sensus quidem ministeria corporis foris impleret, sed intus per rationem semper ad creatorem suum intenderet; hoc est ut membra corporis sensificando foris ad agendum moueret, sed intentionem et desiderium intus ad solum creatorem dirigeret et nichil foris ageret, quod ex eius dilectione non procederet et ad eius dilectionem non pertineret, ita ut omnem actum et caritas imperaret et ratio disponeret et sensus impleret atque perficeret.

As long, therefore, as man retained this order in his nature, he still remained within himself unmoved in purpose and in love, although his external activity subjected him to change. For he had one only purpose and did all things to one end. He loved one only thing, and the motive of all his desires and actions had reference to it. The depth of his spirit 1 was dways unfailingly turned towards that one object, his Maker.

Quandiu ergo hunc ordinem nature sue tenuit, quanuis foris per actionem uariaretur, intus tamen per intentionem et amorem stabilis permansit, quia unum intendebat et propter unum omnia faciebat, unum diligebat et omnium uoluntatum atque actionum suarum finem ad unum referebat et indefessa mentis acie ad unum iugiter respiciebat creatorem suum. 

Never, therefore, could he be in any doubt about his Maker, who was ever present within him by contemplation. The sight of Him enlightened his mind with knowledge, and made him to rise up and to lie down with love. But after he was cast out from before God’s face because of his transgression, he became blind and unstable, blind through mental ignorance and unstable through fleshly concupiscence. Both of these he passed on to his entire posterity, and to them every evil owes its origin. For through ignorance men at last sank so low that they did not acknowledge their Creator, and either thought that God did not exist at all, or else believed in the divinity of things that were not gods. And through concupiscence they were bewildered and led astray by countless falsehoods. For since men were thus subject to the darkness of ignorance and unaware of the existence of any other invisible good things, it was inevitable that they should lose control of themselves through the lust for earthly things which can be seen.

Vnde nec dubitare de creatore suo poterat, cui semper intus per contemplationem presens erat. Cuius uisio et per cognitionem cor eius illuminauit et per amorem stare et requiescere fecit. Sed postquam merito preuaricationis sue eiectus est a facie Domini, factus est cecus et instabilis: cecus per ignorantiam mentis, instabilis per concupiscentiam carnis. Quibus ab illo in omnem posteritatem transfusis uniuersa mala exorta sunt. Per ignorantiam enim ad hoc tandem deuoluti sunt homines, ut creatorem suum non agnoscerent et aut omnino Deum non esse existimarent, aut diuinitatem his qui dii non erant attribuerent. Per concupiscentiam uero infinitis erroribus distracti et dissipati sunt. Necesse enim fuerat, ut per concupiscentiam terrenarum rerum que uidebantur immoderate diffluerent, qui tenebris ignorantie pressi alia inuisibilia bona esse nescirent. 

God, therefore, wishing to collect our hearts from this distracted state, and to recall them to the contemplation of interior joys, speaks outwardly, in order that He may exhort us to return into ourselves. But because a mind accustomed to things that can be seen cannot so soon rise up to unseen things, He Himself decided to perform some miracles that could be seen, whereby our attraction for Him might be strengthened and His love towards us proved. Now these things have a special connexion with man’s restoration. For the things that were done with a view to the making of man show us chiefly their Creator’s power; while those whose purpose was man’s redemption are mainly connected with His love.

Volens ergo Deus ab hac distractione corda nostra colligere et ad interna gaudia contemplanda reuocare foris loquitur, ut nos intus redire ammoneat. Sed quia mens uisibilibus assueta nescit tam cito ad inuisibilia consurgere, iccirco uoluit ipse quedam etiam uisibiliter exhibere miracula, in quibus nostrum affectum enutriret et suam nobis caritatem commendaret.Hec autem sunt specialiter illa, que ad reparationem hominis pertinent. Nam ea, que ad conditionem hominis facta sunt, magis nobis potentiam opificis indicant. Ea uero, que ad redemptionem hominis facta sunt, precipue ad caritatem spectant. 

God, therefore, did these things to show what manner of love He bore us, and to call us back from the love of this world to that of Himself, Hence, too, He chose to limit the number of these works, lest, if there were no end to them, our soul that was to be unified should become preoccupied with them. Yet He decided to make them many, that the same soul, that could not yet endure a total lack of change, might find delight in their variety.

Hec igitur operatus est Deus, ut qualem erga nos haberet dilectionem ostenderet et nos ab amore huius mundi ad amorem suum reuocaret. Hec igitur opera ita moderari uoluit, ne infinita essent, ne animum nostrum qui colligendus erat in occupatione sua distraherent, et tamen multa essent, ut eundem animum perfecte adhuc stabilitatis impatientem rerum uarietate delectarent. 

This is the reason why He chose one people and one place, in which to begin the mysteries which concerned the salvation not of one people only, but of the whole world. He wanted to commend unity everywhere, and to recall the soul of man, inside and out, back to unity; for His intention was that even as die salvation of all men comes by the single Saviour, so also the beginning of salvation should come from a single people and a single place. For He who made all things for our sake undoubtedly acted as He knew was best for us.

Propterea elegit unam gentem et unum locum, ubi sacramenta non ad unius gentis tantum, sed ad salutem totius mundi pertinentia initiaret, ut unitas ubique commendaretur et humanus animus intus et foris ad unitatem reuocaretur, ut sicut ab uno saluatore est salus omnium, ita etiam ab uno loco et ab uno populo manaret salutis initium. Qui enim propter nos omnia fecit, sic utique fecit, sicut magis nobis expedire cognouit. 

God, however, did these things partly through men, partly through angels, and partly of Himself. He did most of them through men, many through angels, a few of Himself; so that, just as the human soul makes progress by climbing in its thought from the deeds of men to the deeds of angels, and from the deeds of angels to the acts of God, so also it may gtadually grow accustomed to unifying itself, and to approaching nearer to the true simplicity, in proportion as it gets further off from multiplicity.

Hec autem partim per homines, partim per angelos, partim per semetipsum operatus est: plurima per homines, per angelos multa, per semetipsum pauca. Propterea ut, dum in meditatione eorum humanus animus de factis hominum ad facta angelorum et de factis angelorum ad facta Dei ascendendo proficit, paulatim sese in unum colligere assuescat, et quanto magis multiplicitatem euadit tanto amplius ad ueram simplicitatem appropinquare incipiat. 

So, then, when God by speaking with the few (and that but seldom) draws our hearts to unity, and by speaking darkly and in secret draws them upwards to Himself, what else is He doing

Dum ergo Deus cum paucis et raro loquendo mentes nostras in unum colligit, obscure autem et in abscondito loquendo sursum ad se trahit, quid aliud quam,

if I may so say but producing in our hearts the form of an invisible ark?

ut ita dicam, inuisibilis cuiusdam arche in cordibus nostris formam fingit?

Therefore, although He made all things for the sake of man, His will was that the things He made for the service of those who were in health should be different from those that were intended to afford a medicine for the sick. For the world could keep a man in health, but it could not make a sick man better. Therefore, after that first creation of the things that were to minister to those who stood, it was necessary to make others which should raise the fallen. These are nobler than the first, as being the more necessary; and, as they are nobler, they take longer. For the former were made in six days, the latter in six ages, six days for the creation of things, six ages for the restoration of man.

Quanuis ergo omnia opera sua propter hominem fecerit, alia tamen uoluit esse opera illa que sanis exhiberent obsequium atque alia que infirmis conferrent remedium. Poterat enim mundus sano seruire, sed non poterat egrotum reparare. Proinde post illam primam rerum conditionem que facte fuerant, ut stantibus subessent, necesse erat alia facere, que iacentes erigerent. Que tanto primis digniora sunt quanto magis necessaria, et quanto dignitate precedunt, tanto prolixiori tempore currunt. Illa enim sex diebus facta sunt, ista sex etatibus fiunt. Sex diebus facta est rerum conditio, et sex etatibus perficitur hominum reparatio.