18. Of the Gift of Knowledge and of True Discretion

THE third gift of the Holy Spirit adorning the soul is Knowledge divinely infused, whereby the two preceding gifts, that is Fear and Devotion are adorned. More over this Knowledge is a certain supernatural light infused into the reasoning faculty of the mind, so that a man in accordance with the highest perfection may live out and follow after the rational life.

Out of this true Knowledge springs .discretion or moderation ; for when anyone by means of faith and loving or filial fear casts off and throws away the yoke of the devil from his neck — that is, his sins : and by humility and obedience has renounced his own will, is ready to obey God and by following all His virtues to carry the yoke, these things in his will adorn the Irascible faculty; and when through devotion, sympathy, and liberality he assists and succours his neighbours in every necessity by means of works of mercy, this in the same way adorns his will in accordance with the Concupiscible faculty. But in every duty or service, and the same way in all other things discretion and moderation are to be observed that it may be known at what time, for what cause, to whom and the amount, that is, how much, or how little, and for what reason each of these single cases lire to be ministered to and served. This adorns the intellect according to the Rational faculty. This discretion or moderation is the perfection and the ornament of all the moral virtues, and apart from it no virtue can be lasting, since indeed it is the parent of the virtues. This causes a man to consider what he may give up to the honour of God, and what may be either the necessity or the profit of his neighbour, and that he ought to satisfy each one of these. But hence the understanding of himself issues forth, that is, that which he perceives and experiences in reality — that he ofttimes fails God in shewing Him reverence, honour, praise, veneration and the service of humility ; and in the same way he is frequently in fault, wanting towards his neighbours, with respect to time of charity, want of interest or neglect. Thence arises concerning himself and all his deeds sorrow of mind and displeasure, because he knows that he gives satisfaction neither to God nor to anyone, neither accomplishes that which rightly he should do. This truly he accomplishes, to have small esteem as for himself so also for all his deeds.

The knowledge of our own being causes us to consider ourselves— whence we came, where we are, and whither we are going. We came indeed from God, but we are in exile ; for a loving desire always aspires to God, and desires to be with God, and always spends its time in exile. As to the body we are outwardly occupied in various pains and sorrows of hunger, thirst, cold, heat, illnesses*, and that kind of manifold ills and defects. Frequently by hellish op ponents, often by men are we grievouslv distracted and beset. An infused -know ledge teaches us divinely all these things, so that we shall not make more of them than we ought, nor be immoderately uplifted, or rejoice amid changing and fleeting circumstances, nor in all our actions, but rather grieve and mourn that we are God's unprofitable servants, and most of all lacking in all virtues. And this is the highest and chiefes-t thing of that gift of Knowledge divinely infused. Of such Christ spoke when He said : " Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be com forted." They who mourn and grieve that they fail in offering and yielding service and honour to God, although they do whatever they can — this proceeds from their love and faithfulness to God, and sets forth their virtues. Even though all such virtues that were ever perfected might suffice for one alone, it would appear to them far too little, because for Him whom men love they desire, study, and prefer to spend far more in hon our and service than can be offered by all mortals. Therefore blessed are those who mourn, since they will be comforted in the eternal kingdom of God.

There are some also who are like the angelic spirits of the third order, to whose society and rank they belong. Those spirits are called by the name of Virtues, because they are brighter or more eminent in discretion than the two lower ranks: wherefore they even direct and enlighten them in all their actions, since in discretion (as I said) they are endowed before them with a more eminent understanding. They can enlighten even men of their own light and inspirations by means of images and similitudes ; and there is much spiritual custom and habit common to them and those men who are similar in divine knowledge, and still more in clear discernment. They are called Virtues because they have authority to command the two lower ranks whenever they desire and need requires. And in the lowest hierarchy they hold a place, and conclude and complete its three ranks. Finally of these they are chief and supreme on whom it falls to direct and control the moral life. By that divine knowledge and discernment by which each one is filled, the same is like unto God both with regard to His divinity and to His humanity. But God with regard to the nature of divinity, inclining Himself downwards, in His eternal knowledge and discernment beholds all creatures, heaven and earth, and whatsoever in them is, in accordance with the control of true discernment, and arranges, adorns, and orders them. And to all men severally in all their actions and in all modes in every life in which they accommodate and apply themselves to Him, He responds, and in the same way illumines each several one outwardly and inwardly, according to every mode in which each one is capable.

But in accordance with His humanity, Christ Jesus was filled with knowledge and discernment, and preserved it most exactly throughout His whole life and in all His actions. He who obtained and followed out this gift of divine Knowledge and discernment with that perfection of which we have spoken, adorned the third element, so to say, of Air, that is the Rational faculty of the soul, and enlightened it with singular clearness. But the Rational faculty, irradiated and transfused by the light of divine Know ledge, is an adornment of earth, that is, the Irascible faculty, which is compared to the earth for this reason, that it is the lowest of the faculties, and itself urges a man to submit himself to humility and obedience. It is also an ornament to the waters, that is, to the Concupiscible faculty, which causes a man to flow forth in works of mercy. Further, of this Rational faculty the air is adorned with multitudinous birds, that is with separate actions. For some of the birds walk on the ground, others move on the waters, others flit through the air, others finally, fly in the supreme region not far remote from fire. *

Those which walk on the earth signify those who liberally bestow temporal goods and possessions for the use of the poor in accordance with the control or discernment of reason, and these most of all benefit or profit men so far as concerns their bodies.

But we must flow forth on the waters to all the boundaries of the earth, that is, on the compassion, pity, and mercy shown to all the needs of all men. For those who do this are of all others most useful for convey ing spiritual help and assistance to the hu man race in accordance with their bent.

Moreover we must fly in the air of the Rational faculty, that is, tRat each one may examine, look into and search himself in all his actions in accordance with the discernment of reason. And they of this Jund are of most benefit to themselves.

Finally like the eagle, we must soar be yond the air of the Rational faculty as far as the fire of the divine charity, that is, that we may refer all actions and virtues to the honour of God with boundless desire. Thus we have now three lower powers of the soul adorned with divine virtues : the Irascible, together with loving or filial fear, humility, obedience and abnegation of every possession ; the Concupiscible, with long suffering, devotion, sympathy and liberality or generosity ; and finally the Rational, with know ledge, discernment, and an intentional order ing of all things.

That active life, where it was said to have obtained these virtues, and followed them out by reason, is the perfect one, and he who is of this character is prepared and-fitted for all the virtues and for receiving all the gifts of God.