VISIO SECUNDA, cap. XXVI
The Distinct Work of the Virtues
Each virtue strengthens a different area of life, and together they race toward the full salvation of the person, even though no one possesses them all at once.
But the way these virtues are distinct from one another and complete in themselves means that one virtue gives strength in one area and another in another, and so their effects show up in people's lives. The same pattern holds for all the other virtues: good works follow a good will, and those who turn toward the knowledge of God — because they are being grounded in it — are led by it to every kind of righteousness and to heavenly uprightness as well. All the virtues are racing toward the salvation of the human person, even though they don't all show up at once in any single individual.
The Terror of God's Judgment
God's just judgment shakes every human deed and puts the soul to the test.
God's judgment terrifies the human person and puts them to examination, and no human deed is left unshaken by that judgment — because God's just judgment judges everything with justice.
Prudence and Patience Governing the Body
Prudence and patience together restrain carnal desire, and believers must imitate these virtues with good works to remain sound in holiness.
But when prudence together with foresight directs its strength toward a person, it wisely rejects the luxury of the age and embraces chastity; and when patience joined with gentleness takes hold of them, it enables them to endure the temptations of the flesh patiently as well — since in both sexes, that is, in men and women alike, the heat of carnal desire must be put to sleep by these virtues, without any lazy neglect. Therefore none of the believers should take these virtues lightly — so that they don't leave you dried up and barren, or smothered in carnal desires. Instead, imitate them with good works, so that they may keep you sound in every kind of holiness.
The Consequences of Neglecting God
Those who neglect God are justly subjected to bodily afflictions and creaturely trials because they refused the steadfastness of the virtues.
But if a person neglects God, by that person's own just sentence they also undergo bodily afflictions — as was said before — to the point that they are subjected to God's scourge by things above and below, by creatures, by heat and cold, by drought and moisture, and by many other kinds of pressure. Because they refused to look to the steadfastness of the virtues, they would not understand what they ought to do.
From Hidden Fear to Open Love
Virtues first work hidden in the soul, shaking it toward the fear of the Lord, and later reveal themselves openly through love, drawing the person from earthly fear to heavenly longing.
When virtues shape people in spiritual matters, they also make them wise in bodily ones — so that even before those virtues are openly visible in a person, they quietly shake them time and again, toward the fear of the Lord. But when the virtues reveal themselves in a person to the point that they openly cultivate them through love, then it will be clear that they had the fear of the Lord earlier in earthly matters — whereas now they have withdrawn from bodily things more out of longing for heavenly things than out of fear of hellish punishment, and have turned to spiritual things, strengthened by the power of the blessed virtues. As David testifies when he says, 'In my will,' he says:
A Psalm Testimony
A testimony from Psalm 117 is introduced to confirm the preceding teaching.
A testimony from Psalm 117 that agrees with this, and how it should be understood.
Read the original Latin
Sed secundum quod ordo earumdem virtutum a se et in se discretus est, ita quod virtus haec vires istas, illa vires illas ostendit, sic et operationes eorum in hominibus sunt, quemadmodum et de caeteris virtutibus intelligendum est, quoniam voluntatem bonam opera bona sequuntur, eodemque modo ad scientiam Dei declinantes, quia in scientia Dei sunt, hominem ad quamque justitiam, et ad rectitudinem coelestium pariter perducunt. Omnes enim virtutes ad salvationem hominis festinanter currunt, quamvis in uno homine pariter non appareant. Nam judicium Dei hominem exterret, ipsumque examinat, nec opus hominis relinquitur, quod judicio Dei non excutiatur, quia judicium Dei justum omnia juste dijudicat. Sed et prudentia vires suas cum providentia homini immittit, quatenus luxum saeculi prudenter abjiciens, castitatem amplectatur; patientia vero cum mansuetudine ipsum tangit, ut tentationes carnis patienter quoque sufferat, quoniam in utroque sexu, viri scilicet et feminae, ardor carnalis concupiscentiae virtutibus istis sine taedio negligentiae sopiendus est. Quapropter nullus fidelium ipsas negligenter habeat, ne eum in ariditate desiccatum, aut in concupiscentiis carnalibus suffocatum relinquant, sed eas bonis operibus imitetur, quatenus ipsum in omni sanctitate conservent. Si autem homo Deum negligit, justo judicio ipsius etiam corporales castigationes, ut praedictum est, saepius incurrit, ita ut tam de superioribus quam de subterioribus elementis, et creaturis, et in calore et frigore, in siccitate et humiditate, ac in aliis multimodis pressuris, flagello Dei subjaceat, quia constantiam virtutum non inspiciens, intelligere noluit quid facere deberet. Cum enim virtutes in spiritualibus causis homines imbuunt, in carnalibus quoque prudentes illos faciunt, ita ut cum nondum in illis palam apparent, ad timorem Domini ipsos silenter multoties concutiant. Sed cum se in eis manifestant, ita ut illi virtutes aperte per charitatem colant, tunc timorem Domini prius ipsi in temporalibus habuisse videbuntur, cum nunc magis propter desiderium coelestium quam propter metum infernalium poenarum a carnalibus se subtraxerint, et ad spiritualia converterint per fortitudinem beatarum virtutum roborati, quemadmodum David testatur, ubi in voluntate mea dicit:
Testimonium de psalmo CXVII ad hoc consonans, et quomodo intelligendum sit.
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