De roboratione arboris sapientiae per charitatem.
Love's Strengthening Work
Love, likened to wine, cleanses the conscience, grants boldness, strength, forgetfulness of transitory things, and an inward insensibility to outward hardship.
The eighth step is added: it is strengthened through love. Love is like wine. For wine, once it has intoxicated those it touches, makes them cheerful, bold, strong, forgetful, and in a certain way insensible. So love, by cleansing the conscience, gladdens the mind, and then makes it bold, since through the cleanness of conscience it offers confidence. Then it increases strength, because, as Scripture testifies, the one who trusts in the Lord is strong as a lion.✦ For a clean conscience cannot be overcome by any adversity, because since it always trusts inwardly in God's help, whatever adversity it endures from outside it easily despises and conquers. It also produces forgetfulness, because while it draws the whole intention of the soul toward the desires of eternal things, it uproots from the soul, from their very foundation, the memory of all that passes away. It makes one insensible, because while it fills the mind through inward sweetness to the very marrow, whatever bitter thing is brought in from outside it despises as though it were not felt at all.
Wisdom Strengthened by Love
Love strengthens wisdom by rendering the mind confident, strong, and in a certain way insuperable.
Love therefore strengthens wisdom, since by rendering the mind confident and strong and, in a certain way, insuperably unfeeling, it provides steadfastness.
The Eight Beatitudes Mapped
The eight beatitudes are set forth in order, each aligned with a corresponding step of the ark's moral progression.
We can, if we wish, note eight beatitudes set forth in order across these eight steps, so that what was said to be sown through fear may pertain to what is said: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.✦ What was said to be watered through grace may pertain to what is said: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.✦ What is said to die through grief may pertain to what is said: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.✦ What was said to take root through faith may pertain to what is said: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.✦ What was said to sprout through devotion may pertain to what is said: Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy.✦
From Compunction to Love's Crown
The final three beatitudes are linked to compunction, desire, and love, culminating in the promise of the kingdom of heaven.
What is said to arise through compunction may pertain to what is said: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.✦ What is said to grow through desire may pertain to what is said: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.✦ What is said to be strengthened through love may pertain to what is said: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.✦
Read the original Latin
Octavo loco adjunctum est: per charitatem roboratur. Charitas similis est vino. Vinum namque eos, quos inebriaverit reddit hilares, audaces, fortes, obliviosos, et quodammodo insensibiles. Sic charitas mundando conscientiam mentem exhilarat, deinde audacem reddit, quando per munditiam conscientiae, fiduciam praestat. Deinde vires auget, quia, sicut testatur Scriptura, fortis est ut leo qui confidit in Domino. Conscientia enim munda nullis adversis superari potest, quia cum intus de Dei semper adjutorio confidit, quidquid adversi foris tolerat facile contemnit, et vincit. Oblivionem quoque generat, quia, dum totam animi intentionem ad desideria aeternorum trahit, omnium quae transeunt memoriam ab animo funditus evellit. Insensibilem reddit, quia dum mentem per internam dulcedinem medullitus replet, quidquid exterius amarum infertur contemnit, quasi non sentiatur.
Charitas ergo sapientiam roborat, dum menti et fiduciam, et fortitudinem, et insuperabilem quodammodo insensibilem reddendo constantiam praestat. Possumus si volumus in his octo gradibus octo beatitudines per ordinem expressas notare, ita ut id quod dictum est, per timorem seminatur, pertineat ad id quod dicitur. Beati pauperes spiritu, quoniam ipsorum est regnum coelorum. Id quod dictum est, per gratiam rigatur, pertineat ad id quod dicitur: Beati mites, quoniam ipsi possidebunt terram. Id quod dicitur, per dolorem moritur, pertineat ad id quod dicitur: Beati qui lugent, quoniam ipsi consolabuntur. Id quod dictum est, per fidem radicat, pertineat ad id quod dicitur. Beati qui esuriunt, et sitiunt justitiam, quoniam ipsi saturabuntur. Id quod dictum est, per devotionem germinat, pertineat ad id quod dicitur: Beati misericordes, quoniam ipsi misericordiam consequentur.
Id quod dicitur, per compunctionem oritur, pertineat ad id quod dicitur: Beati mundo corde quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt. Id quod dictum est, per desiderium crescit, pertineat ad id quod dicitur: Beati pacifici, quoniam filii Dei vocabuntur. Id quod dictum est per charitatem roboratur, pertineat ad id quod dicitur: Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter justitiam, quoniam ipsorum est regnum coelorum.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Prov.28.1 — The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.
- ↩Matt.5.3 — Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- ↩Matt.5.5 — Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
- ↩Matt.5.4 — Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- ↩Matt.5.6 — Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
- ↩Matt.5.7 — Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
- ↩Matt.5.8 — Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
- ↩Matt.5.9 — Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
- ↩Matt.5.10 — Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
De Arca Noe Morali et Mystica (On the Moral and Mystical Ark of Noah) companion
Keep the ark under construction
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