22. Concerning Certain Higher Virtues and More Spiritual Actions Which Proceed from the Glft of Fortitude

BUT yet there are certain other sublimer virtues and more spiritual actions flowing forth from this divine gift of Spiritual Fortitude. For where this lofty gift has uplifted the free mind and all the powers of the soul into desire, praise and liberty, and into the contemplation of the loftiness, wisdom, goodness, devotion, liberality and exhaustless wealth flowing out of the sublime unity, then a man of this disposition now perceives that far less than is meet of praise, honour and veneration is paid to God. There upon he turns his regard to creatures who wander in their exile along by-paths. And hence spiritual sympathy and compassion herein spring forth, whenever he descries and discovers the most grievous losses of men, for since they are so wretched, and exposed to so many misfortunes, and might obtain such immense riches, honours, and de lights (provided that they would desire them and accommodate themselves therein) and might serve God honourably and lovingly — nevertheless all these things are ignored and forsaken by them, — this matter causes him such pain that he who has not experienced it cannot indeed understand it. Therefore again he turns his eyes now to the infinite goodness, liberality and kindnessi, pity or compassion and mercy of God, and now to the necessity of wretched men. And from this survey a very great love towards God, and towards all men generally, springs and arises herein : at the same time even a certain fixed character is brought back to his remembrance, and he is moved with a singular affection towards it ; and if indeed he feel no hindrance nor similitude in his ascent to God, he intercedes between God and all men as though a mediator and intervening agent. But hence intimate and devout supplications arise, whose power and efficacy are so great that they are able to bring about and procure even far greater things than can be told. For since the boundless goodness of God shows itself to be so kind, liberal, rich and favourable to all men, and widely flowing forth and poured out, this circumstance instils so great a trust in a man thus praying, that he would seem about to obtain easily whatever he has sought for himself. In the meantime how ever, can he neither ask nor seek of his own will either contentiously or pertinaciously, but his will expires in the infinite goodness of God. For he knows forthwith that the love of God towards men is'boundleas, and far greater than ever was bestowed on the whole human race at the same time. There fore to this infinite love, devotion and beneficence he commits and commends the entire needs of all Christendom, and whatever may be able to be of service to it. For then he observes good men and saints and the blessed in the heavenly kingdom, how through them the divine gifts of grace and glory have flowed forth : and how God, like the vastest sea, pours out Himself together with incomprehensible delights, and flows forth upon all those who can receive Him, and again flows back and carries them with ioo HIGHER VIRTUES

Himself, and draws them inwardly into the most wide ocean of His own eternity. For they are not able, on account of the object of unity set forth to them, to stand or remain in themselves, but they are compelled to flow and to reflow in true love. But hence even a keener hunger of completing and perfecting justice arises. Such as these are, so to speak, the loftiest giants and notable Heroes, adorned sublimely and excellently with virtues, whom no one should revile or accuse, since they are leading a life filled with truth, and they are they of whom Christ says, " Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after justice, for they themselves shall be satisfied : " here indeed by dying to their own will into the will of God, they experience such joy and freedom that they can neither choose nor seek any thing save that which God wills both in time and in eternity. But in the future eternal Kingdom of God they will be satisfied, seeing that there, by the disposition of justice, or by a just decree, all things will be fulfilled or perfected : and to all things severally in heaven and earth and under the earth shall that be restored which is right and fitting. By this very thing too shall the saints be satisfied, the will of whom indeed is just and right. As many as in this manner obtain this gift of Spiritual Fortitude are like the blessed spirits* of the fifth rank of the angels, and are to be included in their companionship and rank. Moreover those angelical spirits are called Princes, and are far loftier than the Powers ; for the Powers are uplifted to God by unending desire, together with a particular praising ; but the lofty Princes are uplifted by greater praise and devotion. And by the love in which they burn for God, they desire also to increase and to urge on His praise and honour, and nevertheless it is plainly apparent to them that they are able to accomplish this neither in proportion to their own intention and enkindled desire, nor in proportion to His incomprehensible dignity, as though God is to be affected neither by any honours nor by any praise, either from themselves or from all His creatures ; and this causes them to gaze downwards, and to look upon rational creatures, equally fashioned with themselves for the praise and honour of <jod. Then indeed they contemplate wretched men thoroughly blinded, wandering away through strange paths, powerless in themselves and in all their faculties through their sins and their own perversity : in considering these they are affected by immense pity and compassion, and they friendly wise join with and apply themselves to them, and entreat God by their own long ings that He may allow His goodness to flow upon them, and draw them upward from changing and outward matters, so that by this means He Himself may be honoured by all creatures, and that they may merit to taste Him and enjoy Him throughout all eternity. Behold these are the most powerful and strong Princes, who are both lifted upward, and also incline themselves and condescend to creatures ; and they have the power of commanding the spirits of the fourth rank, that is the Powers, that they may enlighten men who are uplifted or drawn upward, and that they may continue and burn in the praise of God. For the Powers are drawn upward, but for this reason they know not how to turn themselves downward, inasmuch as this is beyond them. Therefore they are able to enlighten, keep, protect and urge on to greater and more good the men who are like themselves, even those also who are be low them in the active life, and in the lowest hierarchy of the angels.

Now whosoever has obtained this Spiritual Fortitude perfectly is like unto God, both as regards His divine as also His human nature. For God, as regards His own nature, looks upon Himself in all His wealth, and with the most bountiful and boundless happiness, and in the same way, with His own goodness, benevolence and liberality : at the same time even, beholding the wretched who are averse from Him, and are turned towards trifles the most empty, momentary, and external, together with their perverted will, uncaring and estimating as nothing both Himself as well as all His gifts, He is moved with unspeakable sympathy and pity for them, because He cannot share Himself and His gifts among them. He therefore permits wars to arise, their powers to be rent asunder or to burn up in conflagrations, in order that perhaps thus He may by them be recognised. Some He visits with good, some with ill health ; these He makes rich, those He allows to be pressed down under many burdens. Some He gladdens with joy, others He afflicts with sorrow and grief ; some He suffers to be branded with perpetual shame, whereby they may recognise Him and consider their own salvation. Moreover He performs all these things by reason of His boundless faithfulness and love. Therefore those very persons who desire to be converted and to return to their own true Lord, are able to cast off their vices and to persevere in His love. I have written this more widely and in detail that I may set forth His boundless wisdom, un utterable pity, and immeasurable benevolence and generosity. But He turns Himself in peculiar love to all and each of good men, in* accordance with the dignity and merit of each one. And truly by that very Eternal Wisdom He beholds their loving or affectionate desires drawn upward, both in heaven as on earth, so that evidently they flow on together into a supreme unity with great vehemence, inward activity, and with all their powers at the same time united and bound together. But charity and devotion, or infinite inexhaustible bounty, together with all their own riches — which are itself— also pour themselves out together with the treasures of their own gifts. Therefore he who is able to draw may fill up all his waterpots. Yet that which is drawn is the creature or created things : wherefore it comes about that here they arc not able to endure it. But truly none the less do they always draw and drink, nor do they desire to recall to mind that all things «are to be discharged before they may depart. Let them drink in the meantime if it please them ; but afterward they will be thoroughly dis possessed. It is commonly said that a thing kept is profitable enough that brings back its own price again. Whatever therefore, they gain cannot remain with them, since indeed they are they who stand firm in the presence of a unity which demands from them far more than they can discharge. Again therefore, together with all which they can offer, flowing back inwards, they taste unity. And again streams of grace and glory flow into each in accordance with his own excellence and dignity. And this flowing and reflowing brings about an eternal hunger. While they are flowing inwardly with desire, thence they experience hunger, and taste unity, and because they ever experience unityy a continual hunger also conjoined with great appetite is present within them. Furthermore, Christ possessed most perfectly the gift of Spiritual Fortitude with regard to His humanity, since He was ever intent on freedom, and on the manifestation of His Father's praise and honour, with intense desire. And He Himself ever inclined and even now never ceases to in cline Himself to all the needs of everyone, and to sinners of whatever kind, with intense pity and sympathy,and with the most intimate and devoted supplications to God the Father for the need of all men. And of a truth if anyone should not hesitate to confide in Him as he ought, whatever he ought to strive for, he would readily obtain. For towards all good men He was ever disposed with so great a benevolence, and even now is impelled and moved so that He disdained not to redeem us by Himself and His death, and to discharge our debts ; and He bestowed His Flesh upon us for food and His Blood for drink, so that it should be possible for Him to enter and flow into our body, soul, and "all our powers, so that He should consume us, that is, that He should draw us wholly into Himself, whereby we should possess Him with a thirsty and desiring love, and that thus He in turn should be able to possess us with a penetrable or rather a penetrating enjoyment. And this is to eat and to be eaten. Of a truth I have ventured to affirm that he who perhaps has opened the mouth even very little, has been consumed by Christ. For since Christ is the Way and our Saviour, whosoever is consumed by Him is dispersed into unity, being wholly dissolved. And whatever desire He has, if in His most vehement love we are con sumed, how immense forthwith is then His love ? But thus to devour and to be de voured is the thirst for righteousness, for which, not to say in the whole duration of this present life but also in the endless ages we shall eternally have leisure.