,,on ,,prayer ,,and ,,the ,,contemplative ,,life ,,by ,s4 ,,thomas ,,aquinas ,,by ,,the ,,very ,,rev4 ,,hugh ,,pope1 ,o4,p41 ,s4,t4,m4 ,,author ,,of ,,the ,,catholic ,,student',s ',,aids' ,,to ,,the ,,bible1 ,,etc4 ,,with ,a ,,preface ,,by ,,very ,,rev4 ,,vincent ,mc,n,a,b,b1 ,o4,p41 ,s4,t4,l4 ,r4 ,t4 ,,washbourne1 ,,ltd4 ,,paternoster ,,row1 ,,london ,,and ,,at ,,manchester1 ,,birmingham1 ,,and ,,glasgow #aiad ,all rights reserved ,nihil ,obstat4 ,j4,p4 ,,arendzen1 ,d4,d41 ,censor ,deputatus4 ,imprimatur4 ,,edm4 ,,can4 ,,surmont1 ,vicarius ,generalis4 ,westmonasterii1 ,die #bj ,septembris1 #aiac4 ,te ,trina ,deitas unaque poscimus ,sic nos ,tu visita1 sicut ,te colimus3 ,per ,tuas semitas duc nos quo tendimus1 ,ad lucem1 quam inhabitas6 ,s4 ,thomas's ,hymn for ,matins on the ,feast of ,corpus ,christi4 ,,preface ,the present generation in the fervour of its repentance is like to cast off too much4 ,so many false principles and hasty deductions have been offered to its parents and grandparents in the name of science that it is becoming unduly suspicious of the scientific method4 ,a century ago men's minds were sick unto death from too much science and too little mysticism4 ,to-day the danger is that even the drawing-rooms are scented with a mysticism that anathematizes science4 ,at no time since the days of ,s4 ,thomas was the saint's scientific method more lacking4 ,everywhere there is need for a mystic doctrine1 which in itself is neither hypnotism nor hysteria1 and in its expression is neither superlative nor apostrophic1 lest the hungered minds of men die of surfeit following on starvation4 ,the message and method of ,s4 ,thomas are part of that strange rigidity of the thirteenth century which is one of the startling paradoxes of the ages of faith4 ,it is surely a consolation that these ages of a faith which moved mountains1 or at least essayed to remove the ,turk1 were minded to express their beliefs in the coat of mail of human reason6 ,the giants of those days1 who in the sphere of literature were rediscovering verse and inventing rhyme1 and who in every sphere of knowledge were bringing forth the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries1 were not so blinded by the white light of vision as to disown the ,greeks4 ,they made the ,ethics of ,aristotle the four-square walls of the city of ,god2 they expressed the mysteries of the ,undivided ,three in terms of the ,syllogism4 ,thus they refused to cut themselves off from the aristocracy of human genius4 ,they laid hands--but not violent hands--on the heritage of the ages4 ,no philosophers have ever equalled their bold and lowly-minded profession of faith in the solidarity of human reason4 ,for this cause ,s4 ,thomas1 who is their spokesman1 has now become an absolute necessity of thought4 ,unless the great ,dumb ,ox is given a hearing1 our mysticism will fill1 not the churches1 but the asylums and the little self-authorized ,bethels where every man is his own precursor and messiah4 ,that ,s4 ,thomas is to be accepted as a master of mysticism may be judged from the following facts in the life of a mystic of the mystics1 ,s4 ,john of the ,cross3 ,it has been recorded that during his studies he particularly relished psychology2 this is amply borne out by his writings4 ,s4 ,john was not what one could term a scholar4 ,he was1 however1 intimately acquainted with the ,summa of ,s4 ,thomas ,aquinas1 as almost every page of his works proves4444 ,he does not seem to have ever applied himself to the study of the ,fathers4444 ,as has already been stated1 the whole work 7,the ,ascent of ,mount ,carmel7 is based upon the view ,s4 ,thomas ,aquinas takes of the essence and operations of the senses and of the faculties of the soul1 and upon his treatise on the virtues4#a ,s4 ,thomas hardly needs an imprimatur after six centuries of full trust4 ,but in the hard matters of mysticism1 which he has treated as a scholar should1 it is reassuring to know that he has the approval1 not only of the scholars1 but of the mystics4 ,,vincent ,mc,n,a,b,b1 ,o4,p4 ,,contents ,,introduction ,,question ,,lxxxi ,,of ,,the ,,virtue ,,of ,,religion ,,question ,,lxxxii ,,of ,,devotion ,,question ,,lxxxiii ,,of ,,prayer ,,supplement--,,question ,,lxxii ,,of ,,the ,,prayers ,,of ,,the ,,saints ,,who ,,are ,,in ,,heaven ,,question ,,clxxix ,,of ,,the ,,division ,,of ,,life ,,into ,,the ,,active ,,and ,,the ,,contemplative ,,question ,,clxxx ,,of ,,the ,,contemplative ,,life ,,question ,,clxxxi ,,of ,,the ,,active ,,life ,,question ,,clxxxii ,,of ,,the ,,comparison ,,between ,,the ,,active ,,and ,,the ,,contemplative ,,life ,,question ,,clxxxvi ,,on ,,the ,,religious ,,state ,,index ,,index ,,of ,,texts ,,quoted ,,or ,,explained ,,introduction ,the pages which follow call for little introduction4 ,s4 ,thomas has left us no formal treatise on ,mystical ,theology1 though his teachings on this subject have been collected from his various works and combined to form such a treatise4 ,especially noteworthy is the work of the ,spanish ,dominican ,valgornera4#b ,no such synthesis has been attempted here4 ,we have simply taken from the ,summa ,theologica the treatises on ,religion1 on ,devotion1 ,prayer1 and the ,contemplative ,life1 and presented them in an ,english dress4 ,when occasion offered we have added to each portion appropriate passages from ,s4 ,augustine1 ,s4 ,thomas's master1 and more rarely from the ,commentary on the ,summa by the illustrious ,cardinal ,cajetan4 ,and we have been led to do this for several reasons4 ,the ,mystical life is the life of union with ,god1 and it is based essentially on ,prayer and ,contemplation4 ,but prayer and contemplation1 though simple in themselves1 are yet fraught with difficulties and dangers unless we be wisely guided4 ,and as ,father ,faber shrewdly says3 when we ask for instruction in these things1 let us by all means make appeal to those whose names begin with ,s--let us1 in other words1 go to ,god's ,saints4 ,and the reason is simple3 these ,saints are no mere idle sign-posts who point the way but stand still themselves2 they themselves have been where they would have us go2 they speak from no mere theoretical knowledge2 they themselves have tasted and seen that the ,lord is sweet6 ,further1 it would have been easy to cull from ,s4 ,thomas's writings the salient points of his teaching on these points1 and to have presented them in an attractive form4 ,but had we done so the teachings of the ,saint would have lost much of their force1 and readers might well have doubted at times whether they really had before them the mind of ,s4 ,thomas or that of the translator4 ,it is preferable to read the ,bible than what men have said about the ,bible4 ,unfortunately1 it is the fashion nowadays to consider ,s4 ,thomas's writings out of date6 ,if the perusal of these pages shall have induced some few at least to go to the original and study it for themselves they will have more than fulfilled the translator's desires4 ,another reason which has weighed much with the translator and encouraged him to undertake this task has been the suddenly awakened interest in ,mysticism and ,mystical studies during the last decade4 ,it has become the fashion to talk about ,mysticism1 even to pose as ,mystics1 and--need it be said8--those who talk the most on such subjects are those who know the least4 ,for those who have entered into the secret of the ,king are ever the most reticent on such matters4 ,at the same time we may welcome this recent development1 if only as a set-off against the ,spiritualism and occultism which have played such havoc with souls during a space of over fifty years4 ,the human soul1 naturally ,christian1 as ,tertullian would say1 is also naturally ,divine in the sense that1 as ,s4 ,augustine so often insists1 no rest is possible for it save in ,god4 ,now those who are familiar with the ,summa ,theologica are aware that ,union with ,god is its keynote1 or rather is the dominant note which rings out clear again and again with its ever-repeated ,sursum ,corda6 ,it is this that gives such special value to the treatises here presented on ,prayer and the ,contemplative ,life4 ,they flow from the pen of one who was literally steeped in ,god and ,divine things1 and who is speaking to us of things which he had himself tasted and seen4 ,it is this that gives such simplicity and charm to the whole of his teaching4 ,he is not experimenting2 he is not speaking of theories2 he is portraying to us what was his everyday life4 ,perhaps one of the commonest errors regarding the ,spiritual life is the confusion between the ordinary and the extraordinary ways of ,god4 ,for how many does not the ,contemplative ,life mean the life of ecstasy and vision with which we are familiar in the lives of the ,saints8 ,for ,s4 ,thomas1 on the contrary1 the ,contemplative ,life is but the natural life of a man who is serving ,god and who devotes a certain portion of his time to the study and contemplation of ,divine things4 ,ecstasy and vision he treats of in another place4 ,they occupy a sphere apart4 ,they belong to ,god's extraordinary dealings with favoured souls1 and while they presuppose prayer and contemplation on the part of those so visited they themselves form no integral part of the ,contemplative ,life2 indeed1 they are the exception4 ,hence in these pages we shall find nought touching ,supernatural manifestations1 such as visions1 ecstasies1 and revelations2 but we shall find what is of far greater use to us--a ,catechism on ,devotion1 ,prayer1 and ,contemplation4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the main features of the ,life of ,s4 ,thomas of ,aquin are known to most of those who are likely to read this book4 ,his life at first sight seems of such an even tenor that there is but little to record4 ,yet when we penetrate beneath the surface we realize that he lived in stirring days1 and that his short span of fifty years was passed in the full light of the world of the thirteenth century4 ,thomas was born in the beginning of the year #abbe in the castle of ,rocca-,secca1 the ancestral home of the ,counts of ,aquino1 in the kingdom of ,sicily4 ,his future glory was foretold to his mother1 the ,countess ,theodora1 by a hermit of that neighbourhood who also foretold that his parents would endeavour to make him a monk in the ,benedictine ,abbey of ,monte ,cassino1 but that ,god had other designs for him1 since he was to be a ,friar ,preacher1 a member of the ,order of the great ,s4 ,dominic who had just gone to his reward4 ,the prophecy was fulfilled to the letter4 ,at the early age of five years he was sent to the ,abbey to be educated among the young nobles of the day1 as was then the custom4 ,even thus early he showed a remarkable maturity of character1 and his biographer1 ,william of ,tocco1 dwells with delight on the calm reserve of his childish days and on that eager seeking after ,god which was to be his future glory4#c ,from ,monte ,cassino ,thomas passed to ,naples to complete his studies4 ,here he became conscious of his vocation1 and offered himself to the ,dominicans4 ,the ,prior of the convent at ,naples at that time was ,father ,john of ,s4 ,julian1 who later became ,patriarch of ,jerusalem#d2 he gave the habit of the ,order to ,thomas1 who was then but fourteen years of age4 ,his parents were indignant at this step1 and did all in their power to shake his determination4 ,fearing their recourse to the violent methods then so common1 the ,dominicans sent ,thomas to the convent of ,santa ,sabina at ,rome4 ,but ,s4 ,thomas's brothers1 at their mother's bidding1 seized upon the young man and carried him off in his religious habit to his mother who kept him imprisoned for nearly two years4#e ,during this time of anxiety nothing disturbed the ,saint's equanimity1 and he made good use of his time by studying the ,bible1 the ,book of the ,sentences--the ,theological ,manual of those days--and also ,aristotle's philosophical treatises4 ,it was at this time that the diabolical attempt upon his virtue was made--an attempt which the ,saint resisted effectually2 in reward for his constancy he was miraculously girded with a cincture by two ,angels from ,heaven4#f ,failing in their attempt to shake his determination1 his brothers permitted him to escape1 and he returned to the convent at ,naples in #abde4 ,thence he was sent by his superiors to ,rome1 and shortly afterwards to ,paris and ,cologne to study under ,blessed ,albert the ,great4 ,at ,cologne he led the life of a simple student1 a life of recollection1 prayer1 and study4 ,but his extraordinary talents could not long remain hid4 ,the post of ,bachelor in the famous ,house of ,studies at ,paris was vacant1 and at the suggestion of ,cardinal ,hugo a ,s4 ,caro1 himself a ,dominican1 ,s4 ,thomas was appointed by the ,master-,general of the ,order to the vacant post4 ,this was a blow to the ,saint's humility1 but he accepted it under obedience4 ,the impression made by his teaching was extraordinary1 and the words of ,william of ,tocco on this point are worth transcribing3 ,erat enim novos in sua lectione movens articulos1 novum modum et clarum determinandi inveniens1 et novas reducens in determinationibus rationes3 ut nemo qui ipsum audisset nova docere1 et novis rationibus dubia definire dubitaret1 quod eum ,deus novi luminis radiis illustrasset1 qui statim tam certi coepisset esse judicii1 ut non dubitaret novas opiniones docere et scribere1 quas ,deus dignatus esset noviter inspirare4 ,this novelty in method was evidently remarkable1 but1 while provoking the attacks of some1 it attracted an immense crowd to his lectures1 and this not simply by reason of the novelty which characterized them1 but by reason of the supereminent sanctity of the teacher4 ,dilectus ,deo6 cries out his biographer4 ,qui scientiam tribuit2 et acceptus hominibus1 quibus quasi novis radiis veritatis illuxit4#g ,in #abec or #abed ,thomas was1 again much against his will1 created ,master in ,sacred ,theology1 and the remaining twenty years of his life were wholly devoted to teaching1 studying1 and preaching1 whether at ,paris or at ,naples4 ,dignities and honours were frequently offered him1 but he succeeded in avoiding them all4 ,he felt that his vocation was to study and teach4 ,and since his teaching was to be of things ,divine1 he felt that he must needs be absorbed in such things1 and that his life must be wholly spent with ,god4 ,this feature of his life is insisted on by his biographers3 ,men ever saw him of joyful mien1 gentle and sweet1 not occupying himself with worldly affairs1 but ever given to study1 to reading1 to writing1 and to prayer for the enlightening of the faithful4#h ,thus we are told that when ,brother ,reginald1 who had been ,blessed ,thomas's companion1 returned from ,fossa ,nuova to ,naples after the ,master's death to resume the lectures he had been giving there1 he burst into tears as he stood before the ,brethren1 and said3 ,brothers1 ,i was forbidden by my ,master to reveal during his life the marvels ,i had seen4 ,one of those marvels was that his knowledge1 which so wondrously surpassed that of other men1 was not due to any human skill1 but to the merits of his prayers4 ,for whenever he would study1 or dispute1 or read1 or write1 or dictate1 he would first betake himself to prayer in secret1 and there with many tears would implore light wherewith to search rightly into the secret things of ,god4 ,and by the merits of such prayer it came to pass that1 whereas previous to his prayer he had been in doubt about the subject of his study1 he always returned from it illumined4 ,and when any doubtful point occurred to him before he had had recourse to prayer1 he went to pray1 and what had previously been obscure was then ,divinely made clear to him4#i ,truly characteristic of our ,saint are those three petitions he was wont to make3 that he might never learn to love things of earth2 that he might never change his state of life2 that ,god would reveal to him the state of his brother ,reginald1 who had been put to death1 unjustly1 as ,thomas thought1 by the ,emperor ,frederic4 ,all three petitions were granted1 two of them1 as he himself told ,brother ,reginald on his deathbed1 by the ,blessed ,virgin herself4 ,she appeared to him1 says ,william of ,tocco1 and assured him regarding his life and his knowledge1 promised him1 too1 that ,god would grant him whatsoever he should ask through her intercession1 and told him1 moreover1 that he would never change his state of life4#aj ,the following story is well known1 but is too illustrative of the ,saint's character to be omitted3 ,a dispute had arisen in the ,university of ,paris regarding the ,accidents of the ,holy ,eucharist1 and the ,doctors of the ,university decided to leave the decision with ,s4 ,thomas4 ,the responsibility was great1 but the ,saint according to his custom betook himself to prayer and then wrote his answer to the difficulty4 ,but since he would not dare1 says ,william of ,tocco1 to expound his opinion in the ,schools before the ,masters of the ,university without first consulting ,him of ,whom he was treating and to ,whom he had prayed that he might teach correctly1 he came to the altar and there spread out the pages he had written before ,him2 then1 lifting up his hands to the ,crucifix1 he prayed and said3 ',o ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 ,who art most truly contained in this wondrous ,sacrament and ,who as ,supreme ,artificer ever wondrously workest1 ,i seek to understand ,thee in this ,sacrament and to teach truly concerning ,thee4 ,wherefore ,i humbly pray ,thee that if what ,i have written spring from ,thee1 and be true concerning ,thee1 then ,thou wouldest enable me to declare it and clearly expound it4 ,but if ,i have written ought which is not in harmony with ,thy ,faith and which accords not with the ,mysteries of this ,sacrament1 then ,i pray ,thee that nought may proceed from my mouth which deviates from the ,catholic ,faith4' ,then those who watched saw on a sudden ,christ standing before the ,saint and on the paper he had written1 and they heard ,him say3 ',well hast thou written of ,me in this ,sacrament of ,my ,body1 and well and truly hast thou answered the question put to thee1 as far1 that is1 as it can be understood by man in this life1 or expressed in human words4'#aa ,and it was ever the same throughout his life3 in ,god he sought ,god4 ,hence his incessant meditation on the ,holy ,scriptures2 hence his diligent study of the writings of the ,fathers of the ,church4 ,master1 said a band of his students to him as they looked on ,paris spread before them--,master1 see what a lovely city ,paris is6 ,would you not like to be its owner8 ,and with a ,saint's simplicity he replied3 ,far rather would ,i have the ,homilies of ,chrysostom on ,s4 ,matthew6 ,for if this city were mine then the task of governing it would take me away from the contemplation of things ,divine and deprive my soul of its consolations6#ab ,and his companion ,reginald has told us how he studied to know the things of ,god4 ,for he tells us that when the ,saint was occupied with his ,commentary on ,isaias and could not arrive at any satisfactory explanation of a certain passage he gave himself up to fasting and prayer4 ,then one night ,reginald heard voices in the ,saint's cell1 and whilst he wondered what this might mean at that hour1 ,s4 ,thomas came to him and said3 ,reginald1 get up1 light a candle1 and take the book in which you have been writing upon ,isaias and make ready to write once more4 ,then ,reginald wrote whilst the ,saint dictated as though he were reading out of a book1 with such facility did he speak4 ,and then1 at ,reginald's insistent petition1 he said to him3 ,my son1 you have seen the affliction under which ,i have been of late owing to this passage of ,isaias which ,i have just been expounding1 and you know how ,i besought ,god with tears that ,i might understand it4 ,god1 then1 this very night had pity upon me1 and sent ,his ,blessed ,apostles ,peter and ,paul whom ,i had prayed to intercede for me1 and they have most fully explained it all6#ac ,how gladly would one know what passage of ,isaias it was which was thus ,divinely interpreted6 ,and so this truly marvellous life went on till the end drew near4 ,day by day he ascended the steps of the altar1 his face bathed in tears2 day by day he returned to his work more and more illumined regarding the ,mysterium ,fidei1 and with his soul still more closely knit to its ,maker4 ,his ecstasies became more frequent1 and in one of these he was told that the close of his life was at hand4 ,for it was at ,san ,severino1 not far from ,salerno1 that he fell into so prolonged an ecstasy that his sister who was present appealed to ,reginald to know what had happened to her brother4 ,even ,reginald was astonished4 ,he is frequently rapt in spirit1 he said1 but never before have ,i seen him thus abstracted6 ,then1 says ,william of ,tocco1 ,master ,reginald went to him1 and1 plucking him by the cloak1 roused him from this deep sleep of contemplation4 ,but he sighed and said3 ',my son ,reginald1 ,i tell thee in secret1 and ,i forbid thee to reveal it to anyone during my life1 the close of my writing has come2 for such things have been revealed to me that all ,i have written and taught seems to me of small account4 ,hence ,i hope in my ,god that as there is an end to my writing1 so too will speedily come the end of my life4'#ad ,and ,s4 ,thomas was ready for the end1 for not long previously1 when he was in the convent at ,naples and was praying in the ,church1 there appeared to him ,brother ,romanus1 whom he had left teaching at ,paris4 ,brother ,thomas said to him3 ,welcome6 ,whence dost thou come8 ,but ,romanus said to him3 ,i have passed from this life1 and ,i am allowed to come to thee by reason of thy merits4 ,then ,brother ,thomas1 summoning up his courage1 for he had been much disturbed by the sudden apparition1 said to him3 ,if it be pleasing to ,god1 ,i adjure you by ,god to answer my questions4 ,first3 ,how does it stand with me8 and are my works pleasing to ,god8 ,and the other answered3 ,thou art in a good state1 and thy works are pleasing to ,god4 ,then the ,master continued3 ,and what of thyself8 ,and ,romanus answered3 ,i am in ,eternal ,life1 but ,i was in ,purgatory sixteen days because of some negligence of which ,i was guilty in the affair of a will which the ,bishop of ,paris entrusted to me for speedy execution2 but ,i1 through mine own fault1 was tardy in executing it4 ,lastly ,s4 ,thomas asked3 ,what about that question we have so often discussed together3 ,do the habits we have acquired here abide with us when we are in our ,fatherland8 ,but the other replied3 ,brother ,thomas1 ,i see ,god1 and you must ask me nought further on that question4 ,but ,thomas at once said3 ,since you see ,god1 tell me whether you see ,him with or without any intermediate image8 ,but ,romanus replied3 ,as we have heard1 so we have seen in the ,city of our ,god1#ae and forthwith disappeared4 ,but the ,master remained astonished at that marvellous and unwonted apparition1 and filled with joy at his favourable replies4 ,o ,blessed ,teacher6 ejaculates ,william of ,tocco1 who has left us this account1 to whom ,heaven's secrets were thus familiar1 to whom ,heaven's citizens came with such sweet familiarity to lead him to those heavenly shores6#af ,nor was this the only warning4 ,for just as in earlier years at ,paris he had received ,divine commendation for his writings1 so now again at ,naples4 ,for ,brother ,dominic of ,caserta tells us that at ,naples he watched ,s4 ,thomas praying at night4 ,he saw him1 he says1 absorbed in prayer1 and then lifted up into the air about the height of two cubits from the ground4 ,and whilst for a long space he marvelled at this1 he suddenly heard this voice from the ,crucifix3 ,thomas1 well hast thou written of ,me6 ,what reward wilt thou have from ,me for all thy labour8 ,but he replied3 ,lord1 none save ,thyself6 ,at that time the ,saint was engaged upon the ,third ,part of the ,summa1 and was treating of the ,passion and ,resurrection of ,christ4 ,but after arriving at that point he wrote but little more by reason of the marvels that ,god had wondrously revealed to him4#ag ,since his soul1 then1 was thus united to ,god it is small wonder the ,brethren saw him rapt in ecstasy and with his face bathed in tears as he stood in choir and sang the ,antiphon wont to be sung according to the ,dominican ,office for ,compline during ,lent3 ,ne projicias nos in tempore senectutis3 cum defecerit virtus nostra1 ne derelinquas nos ,domine4#ah ,in the year #abgd the ,saint was summoned by ,pope ,gregory ,x4 to the ,council about to be held at ,lyons4 ,he set out1 taking with him his ,treatise against the ,errors of the ,greek ,schismatics1 for the great question which the ,pope had at heart was the settlement of the ,schism between the ,east and the ,west4 ,but the ,council was never to see ,thomas1 for he fell ill when traversing the ,campagna1 and though he was able to reach the ,cistercian ,abbey of ,fossa ,nuova he reached it only to die4 ,this is my rest for ever and ever1 he said as he entered the gates4 ,here will ,i dwell1 for ,i have chosen it4 ,and here1 as he lay dying1 he expounded to the monks who stood round that most sublime of all the ,books of the ,bible1 the ,canticle of ,canticles3 ,behold1 my ,beloved speaketh to me3 ,arise1 make haste1 my love1 my dove1 my beautiful one1 and come4444 ,i sleep1 and my heart watcheth2 the voice of my ,beloved ,who is knocking6444 ,my ,beloved to me and ,i to ,him ,who feedeth among the lilies3 till the ,day break and the shadows retire6 ,as the time of his summons drew on he asked for the ,holy ,viaticum4 ,and1 in the words of ,william of ,tocco1 when ,it was brought with devout reverence by the ,abbot and the monks1 he prostrated himself on the ground1 weak indeed in body but mighty in spirit1 and so came to meet his ,lord with tears4 ,and when the priest asked him--as it is the custom to ask all ,christians at death touching their faith in this mighty ,sacrament--whether he believed that ,that ,consecrated ,host was the ,true ,son of ,god1 ,who came forth from the ,virgin's womb1 ,who hung upon the tree of the ,cross1 ,who died for us and rose again on the third day3--with clear voice1 with full attention1 and with tears1 he replied3 ,if fuller knowledge than that of faith could be had in this life touching this ,sacrament1 in that knowledge ,i reply that ,i believe it to be true1 and that ,i know for certain that ,this is ,true ,god and ,man1 the ,son of ,god the ,father and of the ,virgin ,mother3 so ,i believe in my heart and so ,i confess in word4 ,after some other devout expressions he received the ,sacred ,host1 and then said3 ,i receive ,thee1 the ,price of my soul's redemption1 for love of ,whom ,i have studied1 watched1 and toiled2 ,thee have ,i preached and taught2 nought contrary to ,thee have ,i ever said1 neither do ,i obstinately hold to any opinion of mine own4 ,if1 however1 ,i have said ought wrongly concerning this ,sacrament1 ,i submit it all to the correction of the ,holy ,roman ,church in ,whose obedience ,i now pass from this life6 ,o ,blessed ,teacher6 who ran so swiftly in the race1 who fought so manfully in the strife1 who could so well say with the ,apostle3 ',i have fought a good fight1 ,i have finished my course1 ,i have kept the faith2 as for the rest there is laid up for me a crown of justice'2 and such indeed had he truly won by his study of inspired doctrine4#ai ,o ,sancte ,thoma6 ,scholarum ,patrone1 ,fidem invictam1 ,charitatem fervidam1 ,vitam castissimam1 ,scientiam veram1 ,a ,deo nobis obtine4 ,per ,christum ,dominum nostrum4 ,amen4 99 99 99 99 99 ,no one who is at all familiar with the writings of ,s4 ,thomas can be surprised to find many extracts from ,s4 ,augustine in the following pages4 ,for ,augustine and ,thomas are one4 ,their respective styles are different1 but their thoughts and teachings are the same on the great essential points of theological teaching4 ,cardinal ,aguirre has well said3 ,owing to the clearness and acuteness of his angelic mind ,s4 ,thomas sheds a flood of light on many most obscure matters1 and brings out very clearly even the most profound teachings contained in the works of the ,fathers1 especially in those of ,s4 ,augustine4 ,i speak simply from my own experience1 but ,i am certain that many another has felt the same3 in controverted matters1 if we look merely at the text of ,s4 ,augustine1 we are brought face to face with a flood of difficulties which seem well-nigh insoluble2 but the difficulty disappears and the solution becomes clear the moment we set to work to find out what was ,s4 ,thomas's teaching on the question2 for he is the surest and the easiest interpreter of ,s4 ,augustine4#bj ,and indeed ,augustine is a deep well6 ,man shall come to a deep heart6 he was fond of saying1 and those words of the ,psalmist might stand for a motto at the head of his works4 ,traditionary art represents him with his heart in his hand1 and the sentiment is true1 for great-hearted is the epithet which best suits him1 and those who use these pages for meditation or spiritual reading will find that whereas ,s4 ,thomas teaches how we ought to pray1 ,s4 ,augustine makes us pray2 not in vain had he studied and taught rhetoric for so many years6 ,this likeness between the two great ,saints forms the theme of one of the ,responsories for the ,office for ,s4 ,thomas in the ,dominican ,breviary4 ,it is based on a famous vision4 ,there appeared to me as ,i watched in prayer1 said ,brother ,albert of ,brescia in his deposition1 two revered personages clothed in wondrous splendour4 ,one of them wore a mitre on his head1 the other was clad in the habit of the ,friars ,preachers4 ,and this latter bore on his head a golden crown2 round his neck he wore two rings1 one of silver1 the other of gold2 and on his breast he had an immense precious stone1 which filled the church with light4 ,his cloak1 too1 was sewn with precious stones1 and his tunic and his hood were of snowy white4 ,and the one who wore the mitre said to me3 ',brother ,albert1 why art thou thus filled with wonder8 ,thy prayers are heard2 for--listen3 ,i am ,augustine1 the ,doctor of the ,church1 and ,i am sent to thee to tell thee of the doctrine and of the glory of ,brother ,thomas of ,aquin who is here with me4 ,for he is my son2 he in all things has followed my doctrine and that of the ,apostles1 and by his teaching he has illumined the ,church of ,god4 ,this is signified by the precious stones which you see1 and especially by the one he carries on his breast1 for it signifies the upright intention which he ever had in view in his defence of the faith and which he showed in his words4 ,these precious stones1 then1 and especially that great one1 signify the many books and works that he wrote1 and they show that he is equal to me in glory save only that in the aureola of ,virginity he surpasseth me4'#ba ,cardinal ,cajetan1 from whose famous ,commentary on the ,summa we have occasionally quoted1 is unfortunately too little known4 ,born in #adfi1 and dying in #aecd1 he was the contemporary of ,luther and the ,reformers1 and1 as was to be expected1 their most formidable opponent4 ,a great student1 a man of prayer as well as a man of action1 his was the striking figure of the early portion of the sixteenth century4 ,but his was a bold and independent mind1 and he was not afraid to advance views which1 though now commonly accepted1 brought his works into a certain disfavour4 ,this is especially to be regretted in the case of his ,commentaries on the ,bible4 ,a thorough ,greek scholar1 possessing no mean acquaintance with ,hebrew1 he deserves1 by reason of the clearness and precision of his thought1 the title of ,prince of ,commentators4 ,here1 however1 we are concerned with the devotional rather than with the critical aspect of his writings1 and the reader will gain from some of ,cajetan's terse and pithy comments a very great deal of instruction4 ,in conclusion1 a few words may be desirable regarding the method of ,s4 ,thomas4 ,s4 ,thomas divides his ,summa ,theologica into three main parts4 ,the ,first ,part treats of ,god1 the ,exemplar4#bb ,the ,second1 of man made to the image of ,god2#bc the ,third1 of ,god ,incarnate1 of ,his ,sacraments by which we attain to union with ,him in this life1 and of ,eternal ,life to which we attain ultimately by our resurrection4 ,here we are solely concerned with the ,second part4#bd ,it is subdivided into two portions1 known as the ,prima ,secundae and the ,secunda ,secundae respectively1 or as the ,first and ,second portions of the ,second part4 ,in the ,prima ,secundae the ,saint treats of the principles of ,morals--namely1 of man's ultimate end and of the habits1 acts1 and principles by which he attains it4 ,in the ,secunda ,secundae1 after having laid in the ,prima ,secundae the foundations of ,moral ,theology1 he proceeds to treat of the individual virtues1 firstly of the ,theological ,virtues1 ,faith1 ,hope1 and ,charity2 then of the ,cardinal ,virtues1 ,prudence1 ,justice1 ,fortitude1 and ,temperance4 ,under each of these heads he treats of the ,gifts corresponding to each ,virtue1 of the vices opposed to them1 and of the ,precepts regarding them4#be ,apropos of the ,cardinal ,virtue of ,justice1 he treats of the ,moral ,virtue of ,religion1 which is comprised under ,justice1 since ,religion may be defined as the offering to ,god the worship which is ,his due1 ,question ,,lxxxi4 ,he then treats of ,devotion1 ,question ,,lxxxii41 and then of ,prayer1 ,question ,,lxxxiii4 ,these three ,questions we here present in an ,english dress4 ,after these ,treatises on individual virtues1 he passes to the consideration of those virtues which concern1 not men as a whole1 but only certain classes of men4#bf ,and first of all he treats of those ,gifts which are bestowed upon certain men not so much for their own benefit as for the good of others--viz41 of ,prophecy1 of ,ecstasy1 of the ,gift of ,tongues1 and of the ,gift of ,miracles4 ,he then discusses the two kinds of operations or lives--the active1 namely1 and the contemplative--which find a place in the ,mystical ,body of ,christ1 which is the ,church4 ,these treatises in reality constitute a commentary on #a ,cor4 xii4 #d-aa4 ,question ,,clxxix41 ,on the ,division of ,life into the ,active and the ,contemplative1 is here given2 as also ,question ,,clxxx41 ,on the ,contemplative ,life2 ,question ,,clxxxi41 ,on the ,active ,life2 ,question ,,clxxxii41 ,on the ,comparison of the ,active with the ,contemplative ,life4 ,s4 ,thomas then proceeds to treat of various states of life--viz41 of the state of perfection1 of the ,episcopal and of the ,religious state4 ,only one question raised in this connection concerns us here3 ,whether1 namely1 ,contemplative ,religious ,orders are superior to ,active ,orders8 7,question ,,clxxxviii4 #f74 ,each ,question is1 as will be seen from the ,table of ,contents1 divided into ,articles4 ,the framework of what is termed an article of the ,summa is familiar to those who use that work1 but it may not be amiss to explain ,s4 ,thomas's method in brief fashion4 ,each article is couched in the form of a question1 thus3 ,has contemplation its joys8 ,and the ,saint at once sets forth in succession three1 sometimes more1 arguments which seem to militate against the view he himself holds4 ,these are commonly known as the objections4 ,he then gives us a short paragraph opening with the words3 ,sed contra1 or ,but on the contrary2 and in this paragraph he gives some authority1 generally that of ,holy ,scripture or one of the ,fathers1 for the view he is going to hold4 ,this paragraph is generally known from its opening words as the ,sed contra2 there is no argument in it save from authority4 ,he then proceeds to discuss the question from the standpoint of pure reason4 ,this portion is known as the ,corpus articuli1 or ,body of the ,article1 and in it the ,saint presents his reasoning in clear1 precise fashion4 ,it will be apparent1 of course1 that many questions cannot be answered with a categoric yes or no1 but the precise sense in which certain terms in the discussion are to be used has to be clearly ascertained2 according to the diverse ways in which they may be understood the answer will be affirmative or negative4 ,it is important for those not familiar with ,s4 ,thomas' works to grasp this point2 they must not1 for instance1 presume that because the opening objections seem to uphold one point of view ,s4 ,thomas is therefore going to hold the precise opposite4 ,a good example of this will be found in the ,article3 ,ought we to pray to ,god alone8 ,in the ,treatises here presented the argument1 though clear and precise1 is hardly what we should call subtle1 and this for the simple reason that the subject-matter does not call for subtle treatment4 ,but what cannot fail to strike the most cursory reader is the tone of submission to authority and to the teachings of the ,fathers which characterizes every page3 ,summe veneratus est sacros ,doctores1 says ,cajetan1 ideo intellectum omnium quodammodo sortitus est4#bg ,and the natural corollary of this is the complete self-effacement of the ,saint4 ,the first person is conspicuous by its absence all through the ,summa1 though the reader of the following pages will find one exception to this rule4 ,and the more we study these ,articles of ,s4 ,thomas the more we marvel2 the thought is so concentrated and yet so limpid in its expression1 that as we read it it seems as though no one could ever have thought otherwise4 ,but read it1 and then try to reformulate the line of argument which you have been following with such ease--and your mind halts1 your tongue stammers6 ,it is one thing to understand the thought when expressed1 quite another to think such thoughts and express them4 ,hence the declaration made by ,pope ,john ,,xxii4 when the question of the holy ,doctor's canonization was brought forward3 ,such teaching1 he exclaimed1 could only have been due to miracle6 ,and on the following day in the ,consistory3 ,he has brought greater light to the ,church than all other ,doctors2 by one year's study of his writings a man may make greater profit than if he spend his whole life studying the writings of others6#bh ,the reader will sometimes feel inclined to smile at the quaint etymologies which occur now and again4 ,but he must remember that these are given by the ,saint for what they are worth4 ,it was not a philological age1 and ,s4 ,thomas made use of the ,book of ,etymologies drawn up in the seventh century by ,s4 ,isidore of ,seville4 ,besides the writings of ,s4 ,augustine1 two ,patristic works are cited with considerable frequency by ,s4 ,thomas in these pages3 the ,opus ,imperfectum of ,s4 ,chrysostom on ,s4 ,matthew's ,gospel1 and the works of ,denis the ,areopagite4 ,the former is almost certainly not the work of ,s4 ,chrysostom1 but rather of an ,arian writer towards the close of the sixth century4#bi ,the writer known as ,denis the ,areopagite1 owing to his being traditionally identified with ,s4 ,paul's convert at ,athens1 probably wrote about the close of the fifth century4 ,few works of ,mystical ,theology exercised a greater influence on the writers of the ,middle ,ages4#cj ,a word must also be said about the ,gloss to which ,s4 ,thomas so often refers1 and which he quotes as an authority4 ,the term ,gloss was applied to the brief running commentaries on the ,bible which were in vogue in the ,middle ,ages4 ,these brief paraphrases were also known as ,postillae1 and they were frequently written in between the lines of the text of the ,bible1 whence the name ,interlinear ,gloss2 or in the margins1 whence the name ,marginal ,gloss4 ,the ,glossa ,ordinaria1 as it is called1 is the best known of these commentaries4 ,it is usually attributed to ,walafrid ,strabo1 a monk of the ,abbey of ,s4 ,gall1 who died in #hdi2 but it is probable that ,strabo took down his ,commentary from the lips of ,rabanus ,maurus1 a monk of the ,abbey of ,fulda1 and afterwards its abbot4 ,rabanus was a most prolific writer1 and has left ,commentaries on nearly all the ,books of the ,bible4 ,even when ,abbot he reserved to himself the ,chair of ,scripture2#ca he had had the great advantage of living for a time in ,palestine4 ,another ,biblical scholar to whom the ,glossa ,ordinaria of ,s4 ,thomas's time apparently owed much1 was ,hugo a ,s4 ,caro1 the ,dominican ,provincial in ,france1 and afterwards ,cardinal-,priest of ,s4 ,sabina4 ,it was under his direction that the first ,concordance of the ,bible was formed1 in which task he is said to have had the assistance of five hundred ,friars4#cb ,he owes his title of ,glossator to his well-known ,postillae1 or ,brief ,commentaries on the whole ,bible4 ,the ,glossa ,interlinearis is due to ,anselm1 a ,canon of ,laudun1 who died in #aaag4 ,another famous ,glossator was ,nicolas de ,lyra1 a ,franciscan who died in #acdj--some sixty-six years1 that is1 subsequent to ,s4 ,thomas4 ,lastly1 we should mention ,peter the ,lombard1 commonly known as ,the ,master of the ,sentences1 from his four books of ,sentences1 in which he presented the theological teaching of the ,fathers in ,scholastic fashion4 ,this treatise became the ,scholastic manual of the age4 ,to him is due a ,gloss on the ,psalter and on ,job1 as well as a series of brief notes on the ,epistles of ,s4 ,paul taken from the writings of the chief ,fathers1 ,s4 ,ambrose1 ,s4 ,jerome1 ,s4 ,augustine1 etc4 ,and the authority accorded to these ,glosses in general is due to the fact that they constituted a running ,commentary taken from the writings of the ,fathers and ,doctors of the ,church4 ,,the ,,breviary ,,hymn ,,to ,s4 ,,augustine4 ,magne ,pater ,augustine ,preces nostras suscipe1 ,et per eas ,conditori ,nos placare satage1 ,atque rege gregem tuum ,summum decus praesulum4 ,amatorem paupertatis ,te collaudant pauperes3 ,assertorem veritatis ,amant veri judices3 ,frangis nobis favos mellis1 ,de ,scripturis disserens4 ,quae obscura prius erant ,nobis plana faciens1 ,tu de verbis ,salvatoris ,dulcem panem conficis1 ,et propinas potum vitae ,de ,psalmorum nectare4 ,tu de vita clericorum ,sanctam scribis ,regulam1 ,quam qui amant et sequuntur ,viam tenent regiam1 ,atque tuo sancto ductu ,redeunt ad ,patriam4 ,regi regum salus1 vita1 ,decus et imperium3 ,trinitati laus et honor ,sit per omne saeculum3 ,qui concives nos adscribat ,supernorum civium4 ,amen4 ,,footnotes3 #a ,the ,ascent of ,mount ,carmel by ,s4 ,john of the ,cross4 ,prefatory ,essay on the ,development of ,mysticism in the ,carmelite ,order1 by ,benedict ,zimmerman1 ,o4,c4,d41 pp4 #ac-ag4 7,london3 ,thomas ,baker1 #aijf47 #b ,valgornera1 ,o4,p41 ,mystica ,theologia ,d4 ,thomae1 ed4 ,berthier4 #b ,vols4 ,turin1 #ahij-ia4 #c ,in aetate tam tenera et scibilium nescia1 qui necdum se scire poterat1 miro modo ,deum adhuc nesciens1 divino ductus instinctu scire quaerebat4 ,de quo futurum erat1 ut1 dum sic anxius maturius ,deum prae aliis quaereret1 clarius prae ceteris1 quae scire futurus erat1 scriberet1 quae de ,deo1 ipso donante1 studiosius et citius inveniret 7,william of ,tocco1 ,vita ,b4 ,thomae in the ,bollandists1 ,march #g1 ,no4 #e74 ,this ,william of ,tocco had seen and heard ,s4 ,thomas1 and in #acai took a prominent part in the ,saint's canonization 7see ,bollandists1 p4 #fec74 #d ,bernard ,guidonis1 ,boll41 ,no4 #g1 p4 #fei1 note4 #e ,boll41 ,nos4 #ab and #gf4 #f ,ibid41 ,no4 #aa4 #g ,boll41 p4 #ffa4 #h ,ibid41 p4 #ffb4 #i ,boll41 p4 #ffh4 #aj ,boll41 pp4 #ffh and #gaj4 #aa ,boll41 ,no4 #ec4 #ab ,ibid41 p4 #fga4 #ac ,boll41 p4 #ffh4 #ad ,boll41 p4 #fgb4 #ae ,ps4 xlvii4 #af ,boll41 p4 #fgb4 #ag ,boll41 p4 #ffi4 #ah ,ibid41 p4 #ffg2 cp4 ,ps4 lxx1 #bj4 #ai ,boll41 p4 #fge4 #bj ,touron1 ,vie de ,s4 ,thomas d',aquin1 ,paris1 #agdj1 p4 #cec4 #ba ,boll41 p4 #gjf2 cp4 p4 #ffe4 #bb ,prol4 to ,ia41 ,i,idae4 #bc ,prol4 to ,,iii4 ,pars4 #bd ,prol4 to ,i,ia41 ,i,idae4 #be ,prol4 to ,i,ia4 ,i,idae4 #bf ,prol4 to ,qu4 ,,clxxi4 of the ,i,ida41 ,i,idae4 #bg ,comment4 on ,i,ia41 ,i,iae41 cxlviii4 #d4 #bh ,boll41 p4 #fhj4 #bi ,see ,bardenhewer1 ,patrologie1 i4 #cai4 #cj ,smith and ,wace1 ,dict4 of ,christian ,biography1 i4 #hdg4 #ca ,fabricius1 ,bibliotheca ,latina1 s4v4 ,walafridus and ,rabanus4 #cb ,ibid41 s4v4 ,hugo a ,s4 ,caro4 ,,question ,,lxxxi ,,of ,,the ,,virtue ,,of ,,religion ,i4 ,does the ,virtue of ,religion ,direct a ,man ,to ,god ,alone8 ,s4 ,augustine1 sermon1 cccxxxiv4 #c on ,psalm lxxvi4 #cb sermon1 cccxi4 #ad-ae ,,ii4 ,is ,religion a ,virtue8 ,,iii4 ,is ,religion ,one ,virtue8 ,,iv4 ,is ,religion a ,special ,virtue ,distinct ,from ,others8 ,v4 ,is ,religion ,one of the ,theological ,virtues8 ,,vi4 ,is ,religion ,to ,be ,preferred ,to the ,other ,moral ,virtues8 ,,vii4 ,has ,religion1 ,or ,latria1 ,any ,external ,acts8 ,s4 ,augustine1 of ,care for the ,dead1 ,v4 ,,viii4 ,is ,religion the ,same ,as ,sanctity8 ,cardinal ,cajetan1 on the ,distinction ,between ,sanctity and ,religion ,i ,does the ,virtue of ,religion direct a ,man to ,god ,alone8 ,cicero says#cc3 ,religion offers internal and external reverence to that ,superior ,nature which we term the ,divine4 ,s4 ,isidore says#cd3 ,a religious man is1 as ,cicero remarks1 so called from religion1 for he is occupied with and1 as it were1 reads through again and again 7relegit7 the things that concern ,divine worship4 ,thus religion seems to be so called from reading again 7religendo7 things concerning ,divine worship2 for such things are to be repeatedly revolved in the mind1 according to those words of ,proverbs iii4 #f3 ,in all thy ways think on ,him4 ,at the same time religion might be said to be so called because we ought to choose again 7re-eligere7 those things which through our negligence we have lost1 as ,s4 ,augustine has noted4#ce ,or perhaps it is better derived from binding again 7religando72 thus ,s4 ,augustine says#cf3 ,let religion bind us once more to the ,one ,almighty ,god4 ,but whether religion be so called from frequent reading1 or from fresh election of ,him ,whom we have negligently lost1 or from rebinding1 it properly implies a certain relation to ,god4 ,for it is ,he to ,whom we ought to be especially bound as our indefectible principle2 to ,him must we assiduously direct our choice as our ultimate end2 ,he it is ,whom we negligently lose by sin and ,whom we must regain by believing in ,him and by professing our faith in ,him4 ,but some deny that religion directs a man to ,god alone1 thus3 #a4 ,s4 ,james says#cg3 ,religion clean and undefiled before ,god and the ,father is this3 to visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation2 and to keep oneself unspotted from this world4 ,but to visit the fatherless and widows indicates relation to our neighbour1 and to keep oneself unspotted from this world refers to ourselves4 ,hence religion is not confined to our relationship with ,god4 ,but religion has two sorts of acts4 ,some belong to it properly and immediately1 those acts1 namely1 which it elicits and by which man is directed to ,god alone1 as1 for instance1 to offer ,him sacrifice1 to adore ,him1 etc4 ,but there are other acts which religion produces through the medium of the virtues which it controls1 directing them1 that is1 towards reverence to ,god2 for that virtue which is concerned with the end directs those virtues which have to do with the means to the end4 ,and in this sense to visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation is said to be an act of religion because commanded by it1 though actually elicited by the virtue of mercy4 ,similarly to keep oneself unspotted from this world is an act commanded by religion1 though elicited by temperance or some other virtue4 #b4 ,s4 ,augustine says#ch3 ,since according to the genius of the ,latin speech--and that not merely of the unlearned1 but even of the most learned--religion is said to be shown towards our human relatives and connexions and intimates1 this word 'religion' cannot be used without some ambiguity when applied to the worship of ,god2 hence we cannot say with absolute confidence that religion is nought else but the worship of ,god4 ,religion1 then1 is not limited to our relation to ,god1 but embraces1 our neighbour as well4 ,but it is only by an extension of the name religion that it is made to embrace our relations towards our human kin1 it is not according to the proper signification of the word4 ,hence ,s4 ,augustine prefaced the words quoted from him above with the remark3 ,religion1 strictly speaking1 seems to mean1 not any kind of worship1 but only that of ,god4 #c4 ,further1 latria seems to come under religion4 ,but ,s4 ,augustine says#ci3 ,latria is interpreted as service4 ,but we ought to serve not ,god only1 but our neighbour as well3 ,by charity of the spirit serve one another4#dj ,religion1 then1 implies relation to our neighbour4 ,but since a slave implies a master1 it follows that where there exists a peculiar and special title of dominion there also will be found a peculiar and special ratio of servitude4 ,it is clear1 however1 that dominion belongs to ,god in a peculiar and special fashion1 since ,he it is ,who has made all things and ,who holds the chief rule over all things4 ,consequently a special kind of service is due to ,him4 ,and this service is by the ,greeks designated latria1 which is1 in consequence1 properly comprised under religion4 #d4 ,again1 reverence comes under religion4 ,but man has to reverence1 not only ,god1 but his neighbour as well2 as ,cato says3 ,reverence parents4 ,hence religion establishes a relation between ourselves and our neighbour as well as between ourselves and ,god4 ,but we are said to reverence those men whom we honour or remember1 or to whose presence we resort4 ,so1 too1 even things which are subject to us are said to be cultivated by us 7coli72 thus husbandmen 7agricolae7 are so called because they cultivate the fields2 the inhabitants of a place1 too 7incolae71 are so called because they cultivate the spots where they dwell4 ,but since special honour is due to ,god as the ,first ,principle of all1 a special kind of cultus#da or reverence is ,his due1 and this the ,greeks call eusebia or theosebia1 as ,s4 ,augustine says4#db #e4 ,lastly1 all who are in a state of salvation are subject to ,god4 ,but not all who are in a state of salvation are called religious1 but those only who bind themselves by certain vows and observances and who undertake to obey certain men4 ,hence religion does not seem to mean the relationship of subjection of man to ,god4 ,but although1 generally speaking1 all those who worship ,god can be termed religious1 yet those are specially so called who dedicate their whole lives to the ,divine worship and cut themselves off from worldly occupations4 ,thus those are not termed contemplatives who merely contemplate1 but they who devote their lives to contemplation4 ,and such men do not subject themselves to men for man's sake1 but for ,god's1 as the ,apostle says3 ,you received me as an ,angel of ,god1 even as ,christ ,jesus4#dc 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,we are to abide in ,christ6 ,how then shall ,that not be now our possession ,where we are then to abide and ,whence we are to draw ,life8 ,let ,holy ,scripture speak for us lest we should seem in mere conjecture to be saying things contrary to the teaching of the ,word of ,god4 ,hear the words of one who knew3 ,if ,god be for us who is against us8#dd ,the ,lord1 he says1 is the portion of my inheritance4#de ,he saith not3 ,lord1 what wilt ,thou give me for mine inheritance8 ,all that ,thou canst give me is worthless6 ,be ,thou mine inheritance6 ,thee do ,i love6 ,thee do ,i wholly love6 ,with all my heart1 with all my soul1 with all my mind do ,i love ,thee6 ,what1 then1 shall be my lot8 ,what wilt ,thou give me save ,thyself8 ,this is to love ,god freely4 ,this is to hope for ,god from ,god4 ,this is to hasten to be filled with ,god1 to be sated with ,him4 ,for ,he is sufficient for thee2 apart from ,him nought can suffice thee6 7,sermon1 cccxxxiv4 #c74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,i cried to the ,lord with my voice4#df ,many cry to the ,lord that they may win riches1 that they may avoid losses2 they cry that their family may be established1 they ask for temporal happiness1 for worldly dignities2 and1 lastly1 they cry for bodily health1 which is the patrimony of the poor4 ,for these and suchlike things many cry to the ,lord2 hardly one cries for the ,lord ,himself6 ,how easy it is for a man to desire all manner of things from the ,lord and yet not desire the ,lord ,himself6 ,as though the gift could be sweeter than the ,giver6 7on ,ps4 lxxvi474 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,picture ,god as saying to you--,he ,who re-created you and adopted you3 ,my son1 why is it that day by day you rise and pray1 and genuflect1 and even strike the ground with your forehead1 nay1 sometimes even shed tears1 while you say to ,me3 ',my ,father1 my ,god6 give me wealth6' ,if ,i were to give it to you1 you would think yourself of some importance1 you would fancy you had gained something very great4 ,yet because you asked for it you have it4 ,but take care to make good use of it4 ,before you had it you were humble2 now that you have begun to be rich you despise the poor6 ,what kind of a good is that which only makes you worse8 ,for worse you are1 since you were bad already4 ,and that it would make you worse you knew not1 hence you asked it of ,me4 ,i gave it to you and ,i proved you2 you have found--and you are found out6 ,you were hidden when you had nothing4 ,correct thyself6 ,vomit up this cupidity6 ,take a draught of charity6444 ,ask of ,me better things than these1 greater things than these4 ,ask of ,me spiritual things4 ,ask of ,me ,myself6 7,sermon1 cccxi4 #ad-ae74 ,,ii ,is ,religion a ,virtue8 ,a virtue is that which both renders its possessor1 as also his work1 good4 ,hence we must say that every good act comes under virtue4 ,and it is clear that to render to another what is his due has the character of a good act2 for by the fact that a man renders to another his due there is established a certain fitting proportion and order between them4 ,but order comes under the ratio of good1 just as do measure and species1 as ,s4 ,augustine establishes4#dg ,since1 then1 it belongs to religion to render to some one1 namely1 ,god1 the honour which is ,his due1 it is clear that religion is a virtue4 ,some1 however1 deny this1 thus3 #a4 ,it belongs to religion to show reverence to ,god4 ,but reverence is an act of fear1 and fear is a gift4#dh ,religion1 then1 is a gift1 not a virtue4 ,to reverence ,god is indeed an act of the gift of fear4 ,but to religion it belongs to do certain things by reason of our reverence for ,god4 ,hence it does not follow that religion is the same thing as the gift of fear1 but it is related to it as to a higher principle4 ,for the gifts are superior to the moral virtues4 #b4 ,all virtue consists in the free-will1 and hence virtue is called an elective or voluntary habit4 ,but latria belongs to religion1 and latria implies a certain servitude4 ,hence religion is not a virtue4 ,but even a servant can freely give to his master the service that is his due and thus make a virtue of necessity#di by voluntarily paying his debt4 ,and similarly the payment of due service to ,god can be an act of virtue according as a man does it voluntarily4 #c4 ,lastly1 as is said in ,aristotle's ,ethics1#ej the aptitude for the virtues is implanted in us by nature2 hence those things which come under the virtues arise from the dictates of natural reason2 but it belongs to religion to offer external reverence to the ,divine ,nature4 ,ceremonial1 however1 or external reverence1 is not due to the dictates of natural reason4 ,hence religion is not a virtue4 ,but it is due to the dictates of natural reason that a man does certain things in order to show reverence to ,god4 ,that he should do precisely this or that1 however1 does not come from the dictates of natural reason1 but from ,divine or human positive law4 ,,iii ,is ,religion ,one ,virtue8 ,s4 ,paul says to the ,ephesians#ea3 ,one ,god1 one faith4 ,but true religion maintains faith in one ,god4 ,consequently religion is one virtue4 ,habits are distinguished according to the divers objects with which they are concerned4 ,but it belongs to religion to show reverence for the ,one ,god for one particular reason1 inasmuch1 namely1 as ,he is the ,first ,principle1 the ,creator and ,governor of all things2 hence we read in ,malachi#eb3 ,if ,i am a ,father1 where is my honour8 for it is the father that produces and governs4 ,hence it is clear that religion is but one virtue4 ,but some maintain that religion is not one virtue1 thus3 #a4 ,by religion we are ordained#ec to ,god4 ,but in ,god there are ,three ,persons1 and1 moreover1 divers attributes which are at least distinguishable from one another by reason4 ,but the diverse character of the objects on which they fall suffices to differentiate the virtues4 ,hence religion is not one virtue4 ,but the ,three ,divine ,persons are but ,one ,principle as concerns the creation and the government of things4 ,and consequently ,they are to be served by one religion4 ,and the divers attributes all concur in the ,first ,principle1 for ,god produces all and governs all by ,his ,wisdom1 ,his ,will1 and the power of ,his ,goodness4 ,hence religion is but one virtue4 #b4 ,one virtue can have but one act2 for habits are differentiated according to their acts4 ,but religion has many acts1 e4g41 to worship1 to serve1 to make vows1 to pray1 to make sacrifices1 and many other similar things4 ,consequently religion is not one virtue4 ,but by one and the same act does man serve ,god and worship ,him2 for worship is referred to ,god's excellence1 to which is due reverence3 service regards man's subjection1 for by reason of his condition he is bound to show reverence to ,god4 ,and under these two heads are comprised all the acts which are attributed to religion2 for by them all man makes protestation of the ,divine excellence and of his subjection of himself to ,god1 either by offering ,him something1 or1 again1 by taking upon himself something ,divine4 #c4 ,further1 adoration belongs to religion4 ,but adoration is paid to images for one reason and to ,god for another4 ,but since diversity of reason serves to differentiate the virtues1 it seems that religion is not one virtue4 ,but religious worship is not paid to images considered in themselves as entities1 but precisely as images bringing ,god ,incarnate to our mind4 ,further1 regarding an image precisely as an image of some one1 we do not stop at it2 it carries us on to that which it represents4 ,hence the fact that religious veneration is paid to images of ,christ in no sense means that there are various kinds of latria1 nor different virtues of religion4 ,,iv ,is ,religion a ,special ,virtue ,distinct ,from ,others8 ,religion is regarded as a part of ,justice1 and is distinct from the other parts of ,justice4 ,since virtue is ordained to what is good1 where there exists some special ratio of good there must be some special corresponding virtue4 ,but the particular good towards which religion is ordained is the showing due honour to ,god4 ,honour1 however1 is due by reason of some excellency4 ,and to ,god belongs pre-eminent excellence1 since ,he in every possible way infinitely transcends all things4 ,hence special honour is due to ,him2 just as we note that in human concerns varying honours are due to the varying excellencies of persons2 one is the honour of a father1 another that of a king1 and so on4 ,hence it is manifest that religion is a special virtue4 ,some1 however1 maintain that religion is not a special virtue distinct from others1 thus3 #a4 ,s4 ,augustine says#ed3 ,true sacrifice is every work undertaken in order that we may be joined to ,god in holy fellowship4 ,but sacrifice comes under religion4 ,every work of virtue therefore comes under religion4 ,and consequently it is not a special virtue4 ,but every work of virtue is said to be a sacrifice in so far as it is directed to showing ,god reverence4 ,it does not thence follow that religion is a general virtue1 but that it commands all the other virtues4 #b4 ,the ,apostle says to the ,corinthians#ee3 ,do all to the glory of ,god4 ,but it belongs to religion to do some things for the glory of ,god4 ,hence religion is not a special virtue4 ,but all kinds of acts1 in so far as they are done for the glory of ,god1 come under religion2 not1 however1 as though it elicited them1 but inasmuch as it controls them4 ,those acts1 however1 come under religion as eliciting them which1 by their own specific character1 pertain to the service of ,god4 #c4 ,lastly1 the charity whereby we love ,god is not distinct from the charity by which we love our neighbour4 ,but in the ,ethics#ef it is said3 ,to be honoured is akin to being loved4 ,hence religion by which ,god is honoured is not a specifically distinct virtue from those observances1 whether dulia or piety1 whereby we honour our neighbour4 ,hence it is not a special virtue4 ,but the object of love is a good thing2 whereas the object of honour or reverence is what is excellent4 ,but it is ,god's ,goodness that is communicated to ,his creatures1 not the excellence of ,his ,goodness4 ,hence while the charity wherewith we love ,god is not a distinct virtue from the charity wherewith we love our neighbour1 yet the religion whereby we honour ,god is distinct from the virtues whereby we honour our neighbour4 ,v ,is ,religion ,one of the ,theological ,virtues8 ,religion is considered a part of ,justice1 and this is a moral virtue4 ,religion is the virtue whereby we offer to ,god ,his due honour4 ,two things have therefore to be considered in religion4 ,first we have to consider what religion offers ,god1 namely1 worship3 this may be regarded as the material and the object with which religion is concerned4 ,secondly1 we have to consider ,him to ,whom it is offered1 namely1 ,god ,himself4 ,now1 when worship is offered to ,god it is not as though our worshipful acts touched ,god1 though this is the case when we believe ,god1 for by believing in ,god we touch ,him 7and we have therefore said elsewhere#eg that ,god is the object of our faith not simply inasmuch as we believe in ,god1 but inasmuch as we believe ,god74 ,due worship1 however1 is offered to ,god in that certain acts whereby we worship ,him are performed as homage to ,him1 the offering sacrifice1 for instance1 and so forth4 ,from all which it is evident that ,god does not stand to the virtue of religion as its object or as the material with which it is concerned1 but as its goal4 ,and consequently religion is not a theological virtue1 for the object of these latter is the ultimate end2 but religion is a moral virtue1 and the moral virtues are concerned with the means to the end4 ,but some regard religion as a theological virtue1 thus3 #a4 ,s4 ,augustine says#eh3 ,god is worshipped by faith1 hope1 and charity1 and these are theological virtues4 ,but to offer worship to ,god comes under religion4 ,therefore religion is a theological virtue4 ,but it is always the case that a faculty or a virtue whose object is a certain end1 controls--by commanding--those faculties or virtues which have to do with those things which are means to that end4 ,but the theological virtues--i4e41 faith1 hope1 and charity--are directly concerned with ,god as their proper object4 ,and hence they are the cause--by commanding it--of the act of the virtue of religion which does certain things having relation to ,god4 ,it is in this sense that ,s4 ,augustine says that ,god is worshipped by faith1 hope1 and charity4 #b4 ,those are called theological virtues which have ,god for their object4 ,but religion has ,god for its object1 for it directs us to ,god alone4 ,therefore it is a theological virtue4 ,but religion directs man to ,god1 not indeed as towards its object1 but as towards its goal4 #c4 ,lastly1 every virtue is either theological or intellectual or moral4 ,but religion is not an intellectual virtue1 for its perfection does not consist in the consideration of the truth4 ,neither is it a moral virtue1 for the property of the moral virtues is to steer a middle course betwixt what is superfluous and what is below the requisite2 whereas no one can worship ,god to excess1 according to the words of ,ecclesiasticus#ei3 ,for ,he is above all praise4 ,religion1 then1 can only be a theological virtue4 ,but religion is neither an intellectual nor a theological virtue1 but a moral virtue1 for it is part of justice4 ,and the via media in religion lies1 not between the passions1 but in a certain harmony which it establishes in the acts which are directed towards ,god4 ,i say a certain1 not an absolute harmony1 for we can never show to ,god all the worship that is ,his due2 ,i mean1 then1 the harmony arising from the consideration of our human powers and of the ,divine acceptance of what we offer4 ,moreover1 there can be excess in those things which have to do with the ,divine worship2 not indeed as regards quantity1 but in certain other circumstances1 as1 for example1 when ,divine worship is offered to whom it should not1 or at times when it should not1 or in other unfitting circumstances4 ,,vi ,is ,religion to be preferred to the ,other ,moral ,virtues8 ,in ,exodus#fj the commandments which concern religion are put first1 as though they were of primary importance4 ,but the order of the commandments is proportioned to the order of the virtues2 for the commandments of the ,law fall upon the acts of the virtues4 ,hence religion is chief among the moral virtues4 ,the means to an end derive their goodness from their relation to that end2 hence the more nigh they are to the end the better they are4 ,but the moral virtues are concerned with those things which are ordained to ,god as their goal4 ,and religion approaches more nearly to ,god than do the other moral virtues1 inasmuch as it is occupied with those things which are directly and immediately ordained to the ,divine honour4 ,hence religion is the chief of the moral virtues4 ,some1 however1 deny that religion is pre-eminent among the moral virtues1 thus3 #a4 ,the perfection of a moral virtue lies in this1 that it keeps the due medium4#fa ,but religion fails to attain the medium of justice1 for it does not render to ,god anything absolutely equal to ,him4 ,hence religion is not better than the other moral virtues4 ,but the praiseworthiness of a virtue lies in the will1 not in the power4 ,hence to fall short of equality--which is the midpath of justice--for lack of power1 does not make virtue less praiseworthy1 provided the deficiency is not due to the will4 #b4 ,again1 in our service of men a thing seems to be praiseworthy in proportion to the need of him whom we assist2 hence it is said in ,isaias3#fb ,deal thy bread to the hungry4 ,but ,god needs nothing that we can offer ,him1 according to the ,psalmist3 ,i have said3 ,thou art my ,god1 for ,thou hast no need of my goods4#fc ,hence religion seems to be less praiseworthy than the other virtues1 for by them man is succoured4 ,but in the service we render to another for his profit1 that is the more praiseworthy which is rendered to the most needy1 because it is of greater profit to him4 ,but no service is rendered to ,god for ,his profit--for ,his glory1 indeed1 but for our profit4 #c4 ,lastly1 the greater the necessity for doing a thing the less worthy it is of praise1 according to the words3 ,for if ,i preach the ,gospel1 it is no glory to me1 for a necessity lieth upon me4#fd ,but the greater the debt the greater the necessity4 ,since1 then1 the service which man offers to ,god is the greatest of debts1 it would appear that religion is the least praiseworthy of all human virtues4 ,where necessity comes in the glory of supererogation is non-existent2 but the merit of the virtue is not thereby excluded1 provided the will be present4 ,consequently the argument does not follow4 ,,vii ,has ,religion1 ,that is ,latria1#fe any ,external ,acts8 ,in ,ps4 lxxxiii4 #c it is said3 ,my heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living ,god4 ,now interior acts belong to the heart1 and in the same way exterior acts are referred to the members of the body4 ,it appears1 then1 that ,god is to be worshipped by exterior as well as by interior acts4 ,we do not show reverence and honour to ,god for ,his own sake--for ,he in ,himself is filled with glory to which nought can be added by any created thing--but for our own sakes4 ,for by the fact that we reverence and honour ,god our minds are subjected to ,him1 and in that their perfection lies2 for all things are perfected according as they are subjected to that which is superior to them--the body1 for instance1 when vivified by the soul1 the air when illumined by the sun4 ,now the human mind needs--if it would be united to ,god--the guidance of the things of sense2 for1 as the ,apostle says to the ,romans#ff3 ,the invisible things of ,him are clearly seen1 being understood by the things that are made4 ,hence in the ,divine worship it is necessary to make use of certain corporal acts1 so that by their means1 as by certain signs1 man's mind may be stirred up to those spiritual acts whereby it is knit to ,god4 ,consequently religion has certain interior acts which are its chief ones and which essentially belong to it2 but it has also external acts which are secondary and which are subordinated to the interior acts4 99 99 99 99 99 ,some deny1 however1 that exterior acts belong to religion or latria1 thus3 #a4 ,in ,s4 ,john iv4 #bd we read3 ,for ,god is a ,spirit1 and they that adore ,him must adore ,him in spirit and in truth4 ,external acts belong1 however1 rather to the body than to the spirit4 ,consequently religion1 which comprises adoration1 has no exterior acts1 but only interior4 ,but here the ,lord speaks only of that which is chiefest and which is essentially intended in ,divine worship4 #b4 ,the end of religion is to show reverence and honour to ,god4 ,but it is not reverent to offer to a superexcellent person what properly belongs to inferiors4 ,since1 then1 what a man offers by bodily acts seems more in accordance with men's needs and with that respect which we owe to inferior created beings1 it does not appear that it can fittingly be made use of in order to show reverence to ,god4 ,but such external acts are not offered to ,god as though ,he needed them1 as ,he says in the ,psalm3 ,shall ,i eat the flesh of bullocks8 ,or shall ,i drink the blood of goats8#fg ,but such acts are offered to ,god as signs of those interior and spiritual works which ,god accepts for their own sakes4 ,hence ,s4 ,augustine says3 ,the visible sacrifice is the sacrament--that is1 the visible sign--of the invisible sacrifice4#fh #c4 ,lastly1 ,s4 ,augustine praises ,seneca#fi for his condemnation of those men who offered to their idols what they were wont to offer to men3 on the ground1 namely1 that what belongs to mortal men is not fittingly offered to the immortals4 ,still less1 then1 can such things be fittingly offered to the ,true ,god ,who is above all gods4#gj ,therefore to worship ,god by means of bodily acts seems to be reprehensible4 ,and consequently religion does not include bodily acts4 ,but idolaters are so called because they offer to their idols things belonging to men1 and this not as outward signs which may excite in them spiritual affections1 but as being acceptable by those idols for their own sake4 ,and especially because they offered them empty and vile things4 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,when men pray1 they1 as becomes suppliants1 make use of their bodily members1 for they bend the knee1 they stretch forth their hands1 they even prostrate on the ground and perform other visible acts4 ,yet all the while their invisible will and their heart's intention are known to ,god4 ,he needs not these signs for the human soul to be laid bare before ,him4 ,but man by so doing stirs himself up to pray and groan with greater humility and fervour4 ,i know not how it is that whereas such bodily movements can only be produced by reason of some preceding act on the part of the soul1 yet when they are thus visibly performed the interior invisible movement which gave them birth is thereby itself increased1 and the heart's affections--which must have preceded1 else such acts would not have been performed--are thereby themselves increased4 ,yet none the less1 if a man be in some sort hindered so that he is not at liberty to make use of such external acts1 the interior man does not therefore cease to pray2 in the secret chamber of his heart1 where lies compunction1 he lies prostrate before the eyes of ,god 7,of ,care for the ,dead1 v474 ,,viii ,is ,religion the ,same as ,sanctity8 ,in ,s4 ,luke's ,gospel#ga we read3 ,let us serve ,him in holiness and justice4 ,but to serve ,god comes under religion4 ,hence religion is the same as sanctity4 ,the word sanctity seems to imply two things4 ,first1 it seems to imply cleanness2 and this is in accordance with the ,greek word for it1 for in ,greek it is hagios1#gb as though meaning without earth4 ,secondly1 it implies stability1 and thus among the ancients those things were termed sancta which were so hedged about with laws that they were safe from violation2 similarly a thing is said to be sancitum because established by law4 ,and even according to the ,latins the word sanctus may mean cleanness1 as derived from sanguine tinctus1 for of old those who were to be purified were sprinkled with the blood of a victim1 as says ,s4 ,isidore in his ,etymologies4#gc ,and both meanings allow us to attribute sanctity to things which are used in the ,divine worship2 so that not men only1 but also temples and vessels and other similar things are said to be sanctified by reason of their use in ,divine worship4 ,cleanness indeed is necessary if a man's mind is to be applied to ,god4 ,for the mind of man is stained by being immersed in inferior things1 as indeed all things are cheapened by admixture with things inferior to them--silver1 for instance1 when mixed with lead4 ,and for our minds to be knit to the ,supreme ,being they must needs be withdrawn from inferior things4 ,without cleanness1 then1 the mind cannot be applied to ,god4 ,hence in the ,epistle to the ,hebrews#gd it is said3 ,follow peace with all men1 and holiness1 without which no man shall see ,god4 ,stability is also required if the mind is to be applied to ,god4 ,for the mind is applied to ,him as to the ,ultimate ,end and ,first ,principle1 and consequently must be immovable4 ,hence the ,apostle says3 ,for ,i am sure that neither death nor life shall separate me from the love of ,god4#ge ,sanctity1 then1 is said to be that whereby man's mind and its acts are applied to ,god4 ,hence sanctity does not differ from religion essentially1 but in idea only4 ,for by religion we mean that a man offers ,god due service in those things which specially pertain to the ,divine worship--sacrifices1 for example1 and oblations1 etc42 but by sanctity we mean that a man not only offers these things1 but also refers to ,god the works of the other virtues1 and also that a man disposes himself by good works for the ,divine worship4 99 99 99 99 99 ,some1 however1 deny the identity of religion and sanctity1 thus3 #a4 ,religion is a certain special virtue4 ,but sanctity is called a general virtue1 for according to ,andronicus1#gf sanctity is that which makes men faithful observers of what is justly due to ,god4 ,hence sanctity is not the same as religion4 ,but sanctity is in its essence a special virtue1 and as such is1 in a sort1 the same as religion4 ,it has1 however1 a certain general aspect in that1 by its commands1 it directs all the acts of the virtues to the ,divine ,good4 ,in the same way legal justice is termed a general virtue in that it directs the acts of all the virtues to the common good4 #b4 ,sanctity seems to imply cleanness1 for ,s4 ,denis says#gg3 ,sanctity is freedom from all impurity2 it is perfect and stainless cleanness4 ,cleanness1 however1 seems to come under temperance1 for this it is which precludes bodily defilement4 ,since1 then1 religion comes under justice1 sanctity cannot be identified with religion4 ,temperance indeed worketh cleanness1 but this has not the ratio of sanctity except it be referred to ,god4 ,hence ,s4 ,augustine says of virginity itself that not because it is virginity is it held in honour1 but because it is consecrated to ,god4#gh #c4 ,lastly1 things that are contradistinguished are not identical4 ,but in all enumerations of the parts of justice sanctity is set against religion4 ,but sanctity is set against religion because of the difference aforesaid2 they differ indeed in idea1 not in substance4 99 99 99 99 99 ,cajetan3 ,religion is directly concerned with those things which specially pertain to the ,divine worship--ceremonies1 for example1 sacrifices1 oblations1 etc4 ,whereas sanctity directly regards the mind1 and through the mind the other virtuous works1 including those of religion 444 for it makes use of them so as thereby to apply the mind--and by consequence all acts that proceed from the human mind--to ,god4 ,thus we see that many religious people are not saints1 whereas all saints are religious4 ,for people who devote themselves to ceremonies1 sacrifices1 etc41 can be termed religious2 but they can only be called saints in so far as by means of these things they give themselves interiorly to ,god 7on #b4 #b4 #ha4 #h74 ,,footnotes3 #cc ,de invent4 ,rhetor41 ii4 #ec4 #cd ,etymolog41 x4 sub litt4 ,r4 #ce ,of the ,city of ,god1 x4 #c4 #cf ,of the ,true ,religion1 lv4 #cg ,st4 ,jas4 i4 #bg4 #ch ,of the ,city of ,god1 x4 #a4 #ci ,of the ,city of ,god1 x4 #a4 #dj ,gal4 v4 #ac4 #da ,the objection and its solution turn upon the ,latin words cultus and colere1 which cannot be consistently rendered in ,english2 reverence is perhaps the most appropriate translation here4 #db ,of the ,city of ,god1 x4 #a4 #dc ,gal4 iv4 #ad4 #dd ,rom4 viii4 #ca4 #de ,ps4 xv4 #e4 #df ,ps4 lxxvi4 #a4 #dg ,of the ,nature of ,good1 iii4 #dh ,fear is one of the ,gifts of the ,holy ,ghost4 #di ,s4 ,jerome1 ,ep4 ,,liv41 alias ,x41 ad ,furiam4 #ej ,,ii41 vi4 #ae4 #ea iv4 #e-f4 #eb i4 #f4 #ec ,the ,latin word ordinare means to set in due order2 there is no precise ,english equivalent which can be consistently employed4 #ed ,of the ,city of ,god1 x4 #f4 #ee ,,ii4 x4 #ca4 #ef ,,viii4 viii4 #a4 #eg #b4 #b4 ,qu4 ,,ii41 ,art4 #b4 #eh ,enchiridion1 iii4 #ei xliii4 #cc4 #fj xx4 #a-ag4 #fa ,ethics1 ,,ii4 vi4 #fb lviii4 #g4 #fc ,ps4 xv4 #b4 #fd #a ,cor4 ix4 #af4 #fe ,see p4 #cj4 #ff i4 #bj4 #fg ,ps4 xlix4 #ac4 #fh ,of the ,city of ,god1 x4 #e4 #fi ,ibid41 vi4 #aj4 #gj ,ps4 xciv4 #c4 #ga i4 #gd-ge4 #gb ,thus ,origen1 ,hom4 ,,xi1 i4 in ,leviticum1 where1 however1 he is not really giving an etymology4 #gc ,x41 sub litt4 ,s4 #gd xii4 #ad4 #ge ,rom4 viii4 #ch-ci4 #gf ,de ,affectibus4 #gg ,of the ,divine ,names1 xii4 #gh ,of ,virginity1 viii4 ,,question ,,lxxxii ,,of ,,devotion ,i4 ,is ,devotion a ,special ,kind of ,act8 ,cardinal ,cajetan1 ,on the ,meaning of the ,term ,devotion ,s4 ,augustine1 ,confessions1 ,,xiii4 viii4 #b ,,ii4 ,is ,devotion an ,act of the ,virtue of ,religion8 ,,iii4 ,is ,contemplation1 that is ,meditation1 the ,cause of ,devotion8 ,cardinal ,cajetan1 ,on the ,causes of ,devotion ,on the ,devotion of ,women ,,iv4 ,is ,joy an ,effect of ,devotion8 ,cardinal ,cajetan1 ,on ,melancholy ,s4 ,augustine1 ,confessions1 ,,ii4 x4 ,i ,is ,devotion a ,special ,kind of ,act8 ,it is by our acts that we merit4 ,but devotion has a peculiarly meritorious character4 ,consequently devotion is a special kind of act4 ,devotion is so termed from devoting oneself4 ,hence the devout are so named because they devote themselves to ,god and thus proclaim their complete subjection to ,him4 ,thus1 too1 among the heathen of old those were termed devout who for the army's sake devoted themselves to their idols unto death1 as ,livy#gi tells us was the case with the two ,decii4 ,hence devotion seems to mean nothing else than the will to give oneself promptly to those things which pertain to ,god's service2 thus it is said in ,exodus#hj3 ,the multitude of the children of ,israel 444 offered first-fruits to the ,lord with a most ready and devout mind4 ,it is clear1 however1 that a wish to do readily what belongs to ,god's service is a special act4 ,hence devotion is a special act of the will4 ,but some argue that devotion is not a special kind of act1 thus3 #a4 ,that which serves to qualify other acts cannot be itself a special act4 ,but devotion appears to qualify certain other acts2 thus it is said that all the multitude offered victims1 and praises1 and holocausts with a devout mind4#ha ,but that which moves another gives a certain measure to the latter's movement4 ,the will1 however1 moves the other faculties of the soul to their respective acts2 and1 moreover1 the will1 as aiming at an end in view1 moves itself to the means towards that end4 ,consequently1 since devotion is the act of a man who offers himself to serve ,him ,who is the ,ultimate ,end1 it follows that devotion gives a certain measure to human acts--whether they be the acts of the will itself with regard to the means to an end1 or the acts of the other faculties as moved by the will4 #b4 ,again1 no act which finds a place in different kinds of acts can be itself a special kind of act4 ,but devotion is to be found in acts of different kinds1 both in corporal acts1 for example1 and in spiritual2 thus a man is said to meditate devoutly1 for instance1 or to genuflect devoutly4 ,but devotion does not find a place in different kinds of acts as though it were a species coming under different genera1 but in the same sense as the motive power of a moving principle is virtually discoverable in the movements of the things it sets in motion4 #c4 ,lastly1 all special kinds of acts belong either to the appetitive or to the cognoscitive faculties4 ,but devotion comes under neither of these--as will be evident to anyone who will reflect upon the various acts of these faculties respectively4 ,but devotion is an act of the appetitive powers of the soul1 and is1 as we have said above1 a movement of the will4 ,cajetan3 ,with regard to the proper meaning of the term devotion1 note that since devotion is clearly derived from devoting1 and since to devote--derived in its turn from to vow--means to promise something spontaneously to ,god3 it follows that the principle in all such promises is the will2 and further1 not the will simply as such1 but the will so affected as to be prompt4 ,hence in ,latin those are said to be devoted to some superior whose will is so affected towards him as to make them prompt in his regard4 ,and this seems to refer especially to ,god and to those who in a sense stand in ,his place1 as1 for instance1 our rulers1 our fatherland1 and our principles of action4 ,hence in the ,church's usage the term devotion is especially applied to those who are so affected towards ,god as to be prompt in ,his regard and in all that concerns ,him4 ,and so devotion is here taken to signify the act of a will so disposed1 the act by which a man shows himself prompt in the ,divine service4444 ,thus1 then1 devotion1 the principal act of the virtue of religion1 implies first of all the prompt desire of the ,divine honour in our exercise of ,divine worship2 and hence comes the prompt choice of appropriate means to this end1 and also the prompt carrying out of what we see to be suitable to that end4 ,and the proof of possession of such devotion is that truly devout souls1 the moment they perceive that some particular thing 7or other7 ought to be done for the service of ,god1 are so promptly moved towards it that they rejoice in having to do or in actually doing it 7on #b4 #b4 #hb4 #a74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,give me1 ,o ,lord1 ,thyself2 grant ,thyself to me6 ,for ,thee do ,i love1 and if my love be but weak1 then would ,i love ,thee more4 ,for ,i cannot measure it so as to know how much my love falls short of that love which shall make my life run to ,thy embraces nor ever turn away from ,thee till ,i be hid in the hiding-place of ,thy countenance4 ,this only do ,i know3 that it fares ill with me when away from ,thee2 and this not merely externally1 but within me2 for all abundance which is not my ,god is but penury for me6 7,confessions1 ,,xiii4 viii4 #b74 ,,ii ,is ,devotion an ,act of the ,virtue of ,religion8 ,devotion is derived from devoting oneself or making vows4 ,but a vow is an act of the virtue of religion4 ,consequently devotion also is an act of the virtue of religion4 ,it belongs to the same virtue to wish to do a thing and to have a prompt will to do it1 for the object of each of these acts is the same4 ,for this reason the ,philosopher says#hb3 ,justice is that by which men will and perform just deeds4 ,and it is clear that to perform those things which pertain to the ,divine worship or service comes under the virtue of religion4 ,consequently it belongs to the same virtue of religion to have a prompt will to carry out these things--in other words1 to be devout4 ,whence it follows that devotion is an act of the virtue of religion4 ,but some argue that devotion is not an act of the virtue of religion1 thus3 #a4 ,devotion means that a man gives himself to ,god4 ,but this belongs to the virtue of charity1 for1 as ,s4 ,denis says#hc3 ,divine love causes ecstasy since it permits not that those who love should belong any more to themselves1 but to those things which they love4 ,whence devotion would seem to be rather an act of charity than of the virtue of religion4 ,it is indeed through charity that a man gives himself to ,god1 clinging to ,him by a certain union of soul2 but that a man should give himself to ,god and occupy himself with the ,divine service1 is due directly to the virtue of religion1 though indirectly it is due to the virtue of charity1 which is the principle of the virtue of religion4 #b4 ,again1 charity precedes the virtue of religion4 ,but devotion seems to precede charity2 for charity is signified in ,scripture by fire1 and devotion by the fat of the sacrifices--the material on which the fire feeds4 ,consequently devotion is not an act of the virtue of religion4 ,but while the fat of the body is generated by the natural digestive heat1 that natural heat finds its nourishment in that same fat4 ,similarly charity both causes devotion--since it is by love that a man becomes prompt to serve his friend--and at the same time charity is fed by devotion2 just as all friendship is preserved and increased by the practice of friendly acts and by meditating upon them4 #c4 ,lastly1 by the virtue of religion a man turns to ,god alone4 ,but devotion extends to men as well2 people1 for instance1 are said to be devoted to certain ,saints1 and servants are said to be devoted to their masters1 as ,s4 ,leo says of the ,jews1#hd that being devoted to the ,roman laws1 they said3 ,we have no king but ,caesar4#he ,consequently devotion is not an act of the virtue of religion4 ,but the devotion which we have to the ,saints of ,god1 whether living or dead1 does not stop at them1 but passes on to ,god1 since we venerate ,god in ,god's ministers4 ,and the devotion which subjects have to their temporal masters is of a different kind altogether1 just as the service of temporal masters differs from the service of the ,divine ,master4 ,,iii ,is ,contemplation1 that is ,meditation1 the ,cause of ,devotion8 ,in ,ps4 xxxviii4 #d it is said3 ,and in my meditation a fire shall flame out4 ,but spiritual fire causes devotion4 ,therefore meditation causes devotion4 ,the extrinsic and principal cause of devotion is ,god ,himself2 thus ,s4 ,ambrose says#hf3 ,god calls those whom ,he deigns to call2 and whom ,he wills to make religious ,he makes religious2 and had ,he willed it ,he would have made the ,samaritans devout instead of indevout4 ,but the intrinsic cause of devotion on our part is meditation or contemplation4 ,for1 as we have said1 devotion is a certain act of the will by which a man gives himself promptly to the ,divine service4 ,all acts of the will1 however1 proceed from consideration1 since the will's object is good understood4 ,hence ,s4 ,augustine says#hg3 ,the will starts from the understanding4 ,meditation must1 then1 be the cause of devotion inasmuch as it is from meditation that a man conceives the idea of giving himself up to ,god4 ,and two considerations lead a man to do this3 one is the consideration of the ,divine ,goodness and of ,his benefits1 whence the words of the ,psalmist3 ,but for me it is good to cling close to my ,god1 to put my hope in the ,lord ,god4#hh ,and this consideration begets love1 which is the proximate cause of devotion4 ,and the second is man's consideration of his own defects which compel him to lean upon ,god1 according to the words3 ,i have lifted up mine eyes to the mountains1 from whence help shall come to me2 my help is from the ,lord ,who made ,heaven and earth4#hi ,this latter consideration excludes all presumption which1 by making him lean upon himself1 might prevent a man from submitting himself to ,god4 ,some1 however1 argue that contemplation or meditation is not the cause of devotion1 thus3 #a4 ,no cause hinders its own effect4 ,but subtle intellectual meditations often hinder devotion4 ,but it is the consideration of those things which naturally tend to excite love of ,god which begets devotion2 consideration of things which do not come under this head1 but rather distract the mind from it1 are a hindrance to devotion4 #b4 ,again1 if contemplation were the real cause of devotion1 it should follow that the higher the matter of our contemplation the greater the devotion it begot4 ,but the opposite is the case4 ,for it frequently happens that greater devotion is aroused by the contemplation of the ,passion of ,christ and of the other mysteries of ,his ,sacred ,humanity than by meditation upon the ,divine excellences4 ,it is true that things which concern the ,godhead are of themselves more calculated to excite in us love1 and consequently devotion1 since ,god is to be loved above all things2 yet it is due to the weakness of the human mind that just as it needs to be led by the hand to the knowledge of ,divine things1 so also must it be lead to ,divine love by means of the things of sense already known to it2 and the chief of these things is the ,humanity of ,christ1 as is said in the ,preface of the ,mass3 ,so that knowing ,god visibly in the flesh1 we may thereby be carried away to the love of things invisible4 ,consequently the things that have to do with ,christ's ,humanity lead us1 as it were1 by the hand and are thus especially suited to stir up devotion in us2 though1 none the less1 devotion is principally concerned with the ,divinity4 #c4 ,lastly1 if contemplation were the real cause of devotion1 it ought to follow that those who are the more fitted for contemplation are also the more fitted for devotion2 whereas the contrary is the case1 for greater devotion is often found among simple folk and in the female sex1 where contemplation is wanting4 ,but knowledge1 as indeed anything which renders a person great1 occasions a man to trust in ,himself1 and hence he does not wholly give himself to ,god4 ,it is for this reason that knowledge and suchlike things are sometimes a hindrance to a man's devotion1 whereas among women and simple folk devotion abounds by the suppression of all elation4 ,but if a man will only perfectly subject to ,god his knowledge and any other perfection he may have1 then his devotion will increase4 99 99 99 99 99 ,cajetan3 ,note these two intrinsic causes of devotion3 one1 namely1 which arises from meditation upon ,god and ,his benefits1 the other from meditation on our own defects4 ,under the first head ,i must consider ,god's goodness1 mercy1 and kindness towards mankind and towards myself2 the benefits1 for instance1 of creation according to ,his own ,likeness1 of ,redemption1 of ,baptism1 of ,his inspirations1 of ,his invitations-- whether directly or through the medium of others2 ,his patient waiting till ,i do penance2 ,his ,holy ,eucharist2 ,his preserving me from so many perils both of body and soul2 ,his care of me by means of ,his ,angels2 and ,his other individual benefits4 ,under the second head come all my faults and the punishments due to me1 whether in the past or now in the present2 my proneness to sin2 my misuse of my own powers by habituating my thoughts and desires--as well as the inclinations of my other various faculties--to evil2 my sojourning in a region far away from ,his ,friendship and from ,his ,divine conversation#ij2 my perverted affections which make me think far more of temporal than of spiritual advantages or disadvantages2 my utter lack of virtue2 the wounds of my ignorance1 of my malice1 of my weakness1 of my concupiscence2 the shackles on my hands and feet1 on my good works1 that is2 the shackles1 too1 on my affections1 so that ,i dwell amidst darkness and rottenness and bitterness1 and shrink not from it6 ,my deafness1 too1 to the inner voice of my ,shepherd2 and1 what is far worse1 that ,i have chosen ,god for my enemy and my adversary as often as ,i have chosen mortal sin1 and that ,i have thus offered ,him the grievous insult of refusing to have ,him for my ,god1 and choosing instead my belly1 or money1 or false delights--and called them my ,god6 ,meditations such as these should be in daily use among spiritual and religious people1 and for their sake they should put aside the much-speaking of vocal prayer1 however much it may appeal to them4 ,and it is of such meditations that devotion and1 by consequence1 other virtues1 are begotten4 ,and they who do not give themselves to this form of prayer at least once in the day cannot be called religious men or women1 nor even spiritual people4 ,there can be no effect without a cause1 no end without means to it1 no gaining the harbour on the island save by a voyage in a ship2 and so there can be no real religion without repeated acts regarding its causes1 the means to it1 and the vehicle that is to bring us thither 7on #b4 #b4 #hb4 #c74 ,cajetan3 ,just as he who removes an obstacle is the occasion of the resulting effect--a man1 for instance1 who pulls down a pillar is the occasion of the resulting fall of what it supported1 and a man who removes a water-dam is the occasion of the consequent flood--so in the same way have women and simple folk a cause of devotion within themselves1 for they have not that obstacle which consists in self-confidence4 ,and because ,god bestows ,his grace on those who put no obstacle to it1 the ,church therefore calls the female sex devout4 ,hence we are not to find fault with the learned for their knowledge1 nor are we to praise women for womanly weakness2 but that abuse of knowledge which consists in self-exaltation is blameworthy1 just as the right use of women's weakness in not being uplifted is praiseworthy 7on #b4 #b4 #hb4 #c74 ,,iv ,is ,joy an ,effect of ,devotion8 ,in the ,church's ,collect for the ,thursday after the ,fourth ,sunday of ,lent we say3 ,may holy devotion fill with joy those whom the fast they have undertaken chastises4 ,of itself indeed1 and primarily1 devotion brings about a spiritual joy of the mind2 but as an accidental result it causes sorrow4 ,for1 as we have said above1 devotion arises from two considerations4 ,primarily it arises from the consideration of the ,divine ,goodness1 and from this thought there necessarily follows gladness1 in accordance with the words3 ,i remembered ,god and was delighted4#ia ,yet1 as it were accidentally1 this consideration begets a certain sadness in those who do not as yet fully enjoy ,god3 ,my soul hath thirsted after the strong living ,god1#ib and he immediately adds3 ,my tears have been my bread4 ,secondarily1 however1 devotion arises from the consideration of our own defects1 for we thus reflect upon that from which a man1 by devout acts of the will1 turns away1 so as no longer to dwell in himself1 but to subject himself to ,god4 ,and this consideration is the converse of the former3 for of itself it tends to cause sadness since it makes us dwell upon our defects2 accidentally1 however1 it causes joy1 for it makes us think of the hope we have of ,god's assistance4 ,hence joy of heart primarily and of itself follows from devotion2 but secondarily and accidentally there results a sadness which is unto ,god4 ,some1 however1 argue that joy is not an effect of devotion1 thus3 #a4 ,christ's ,passion1 as said before1 is especially calculated to cause devotion4 ,but from dwelling on it there follows a certain affliction of soul3 ,remember my poverty 444 the wormwood and the gall#ic--that is1 the ,sacred ,passion2 and then follows3 ,i will be mindful1 and remember1 and my soul shall languish within me4 ,in meditation on the ,passion of ,christ there is food for sadness--viz41 the thought of the sins of men1 and to take these away ,christ had need to suffer4 ,but there is also food for joy--viz41 the thought of ,god's merciful kindness towards us in providing us such a deliverance4 #b4 ,again1 devotion principally consists in the interior sacrifice of the heart3 ,a sacrifice to ,god is an afflicted spirit2#id consequently affliction1 rather than pleasure or joy1 is the outcome of devotion4 ,but the soul which is on the one hand saddened because of its shortcomings in this present life1 is on the other hand delighted at the thought of the goodness of ,god and of the hope of ,divine assistance4 #c4 ,lastly1 ,s4 ,gregory of ,nyssa says#ie3 ,just as laughter proceeds from joy1 so are sorrow and groaning signs of sadness4 ,but out of devotion some burst into tears4 ,yet tears spring not from sadness alone1 but also from a certain tenderness of feeling3 and especially is this the case when we reflect on something that1 while pleasant1 has in it a certain admixture of sadness2 thus men are wont to weep from loving affection when they recover their children or others dear to them whom they had thought lost4 ,and it is in this sense that tears spring from devotion4 99 99 99 99 99 ,cajetan3 ,notice the proof here afforded that those are not devout persons who are habitually sad and gloomy1 and who cannot mingle with others without getting into difficulties or dissolving into tears4 ,for devout folk are cheerful1 and are full of joy in their souls2 and this not solely by reason of the principal cause1 as is stated in the text1 but also by reason of a secondary cause--the thought1 namely1 of their own failings4 ,for the sadness of devout folk is according to ,god1 and joy accompanies it2 whence ,s4 ,augustine's remark3 ,let a man grieve1 but let him rejoice at his grief4#if ,therefore it is that we read of the ,saints that they were joyful and bright2 and rightly so1 for they had begun upon earth their heavenly conversation#ig 7on #b4 #b4 #hb4 #d74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,for ,thee do ,i yearn1 ,justice and ,innocence1 ,beautiful and ,fair in ,thy beauteous light that satisfies and yet never sates6 ,for with ,thee is repose exceedingly and life without disquiet6 ,he that enters into ,thee enters into the joy of his ,lord2 he shall know no fear1 and in the ,best shall be best4 ,but ,i have deserted ,thee and have wandered away1 ,o ,lord1 my ,god6 ,too far have ,i wandered from ,thee1 the ,steadfast ,one1 in my youth1 and ,i have become to myself a very land of want6 7,confessions1 ,,ii4 x474 ,,footnotes3 #gi ,,viii4 #i and ,x4 #bi4 #hj xxxv4 #bj-ba4 #ha #b ,paral4 xxix4 #ca4 #hb ,ethics1 ,v4 i4 #c4 #hc ,of the ,divine ,names1 chap4 iv41 part i41 lect4 #aj4 #hd ,sermon ,,viii43 ,on the ,passion of ,our ,lord4 #he ,s4 ,john xix4 #ae4 #hf ,commentary on ,s4 ,luke ix4 #ee4 #hg ,de ,trinitate1 ix4 #ab2 xv4 #bc4 #hh ,ps4 lxxii4 #bh4 #hi ,ps4 cxx4 #a1 #b4 #ij ,s4 ,luke xv4 #ac1 #af4 #ia ,ps4 lxxvi4 #d4 #ib ,ps4 xli4 #c4 #ic ,lam4 iii4 #ai4 #id ,ps4 i4 #ai4 #ie ,de ,homine1 xii4 #if ,de ,vera et ,falsa ,poenitentia1 xiii4 #ig ,phil4 iii4 #bj4 ,,question ,,lxxxiii ,,of ,,prayer ,i4 ,is ,prayer an ,act of the ,appetitive ,powers8 ,cardinal ,cajetan1 ,on ,prayer based on ,friendship ,,ii4 ,is it ,fitting to ,pray8 ,cardinal ,cajetan1 ,on ,prayer as a ,true ,cause ,s4 ,augustine1 ,on the ,sermon on the ,mount1 ,,ii4 iii4 #ad ,on the ,gift of ,perseverance1 vii4 #ae ,,iii4 ,is ,prayer an ,act of the ,virtue of ,religion8 ,cardinal ,cajetan1 ,on the ,humility of ,prayer ,s4 ,augustine1 ,on ,psalm cii4 #aj ,of the ,gift of ,perseverance1 xvi4 #ci ,,iv4 ,ought ,we to ,pray to ,god ,alone8 ,s4 ,augustine1 ,sermon1 cxxvii4 #b ,v4 ,should ,we in our ,prayers ask for anything ,definite from ,god8 ,s4 ,augustine1 ,de ,catechizandis ,rudibus1 xxv4 #dg ,confessions1 ,x4 xxix4 ,confessions1 ,,xi4 ii4 #b ,,vi4 ,ought ,we in our ,prayers to ask for ,temporal ,things from ,god8 ,s4 ,augustine1 ,on ,psalm xxxvii4 #aj ,confessions1 ,i4 xx4 #b ,confessions1 ,,ix4 iv4 #ab ,s4 ,thomas is miraculously relieved from ,toothache ,s4 ,augustine1 ,sermon1 lxxx4 #g ,sermon1 cccliv4 #h ,,vii4 ,ought ,we to ,pray for ,others8 ,,viii4 ,ought ,we to ,pray for our ,enemies8 ,s4 ,augustine1 ,sermon1 xv41 on ,psalm xxv4 #h ,,ix4 ,on the ,seven ,petitions of the ,lord's ,prayer ,cardinal ,cajetan1 ,on the ,grouping of these ,petitions ,s4 ,augustine1 ,confessions1 ,,vii4 x4 #b ,sermon1 lvii41 on ,s4 ,matt4 vi4 #g ,sermon1 lvi4 #i1 on ,s4 ,matt4 vi4 ,sermon1 lvi4 #h1 on ,s4 ,matt4 vi4 ,of the ,city of ,god1 xix4 #bg ,s4 ,thomas's ,rhythm1 ,adoro ,te ,devote ,x4 ,is ,prayer ,peculiar to ,rational ,creatures8 ,,xi4 ,do the ,saints in ,heaven ,pray for ,us8 ,cardinal ,cajetan1 ,on the ,saints in ,limbo ,,xii4 ,should ,prayer be ,vocal8 ,cardinal ,cajetan1 ,on the ,conditions of ,vocal ,prayer ,s4 ,augustine1 ,confessions1 ,,ix4 iv4 #h ,confessions1 ,x4 xxxiii4 #ej ,on ,psalm cxviii41 ,sermon xxix4 #a ,,xiii4 ,must ,prayer necessarily be ,attentive8 ,cardinal ,cajetan1 ,on the ,varieties of ,attention at ,prayer ,s4 ,augustine1 ,on ,psalm lxxxv4 #g ,on ,psalm cxlv4 #a ,s4 ,thomas1 ,on ,distractions1 ,com4 on #a ,cor4 xiv4 #ad ,,xiv4 ,should our ,prayers be ,long8 ,,xv4 ,is ,prayer ,meritorious8 ,s4 ,augustine1 ,on ,psalm xxvi4 ,ep4 cxxx4 ad ,probam4 ,,xvi4 ,do ,sinners gain ,anything from ,god by their ,prayers8 ,,xvii4 ,can ,we rightly term ,supplications1 ,prayers1 ,intercessions1 and ,thanksgivings1 parts of ,prayer8 ,cardinal ,cajetan1 ,on the ,prayer of the ,consecration ,s4 ,augustine1 ,of ,divers ,questions1 iv4 ,i ,is ,prayer an ,act of the ,appetitive ,powers8 ,s4 ,isidore says#ih3 ,to pray is the same thing as to speak4 ,speaking1 however1 belongs to the intellect4 ,hence prayer is not an act of the appetitive1 but of the intellectual faculties4 ,according to ,cassiodorus1 on those words of the ,psalmist3 ,hear my prayer1 ,o ,lord1 and my supplication1 give ear to my tears1#ii prayer means the lips' reasoning4 ,now there is this difference between the speculative and the practical reason1 that the speculative reason merely apprehends things1 while the practical reason not only apprehends things1 but actually causes them4 ,but one thing is the cause of another in two ways3 in one way1 perfectly--namely1 as inducing a necessity--as happens when the effect comes entirely under the power of a cause2 in another way1 imperfectly--namely1 by merely disposing to it--as happens when an effect is not entirely under the power of a cause4 ,and so1 too1 reason is in two ways the cause of certain things3 in one way as imposing a necessity2 and in this way it belongs to the reason to command not merely the lower faculties and the bodily members1 but even men who are subject to us1 and this is done by giving commands4 ,in another way as inducing1 and in some sort disposing to1 an effect2 and in this way the reason asks for something to be done by those who are subject to it1 whether they be equals or superiors4 ,but both of these--namely1 to command something1 or to ask or beg for something to be done--imply a certain arrangement--as when a man arranges for something to be done by somebody else4 ,and in this respect both of these acts come under the reason whose office it is to arrange4 ,hence the ,philosopher says#ajj3 ,reason asks for the best things4 ,here1 then1 we speak of prayer as implying a certain asking or petition1 for1 as ,s4 ,augustine says#aja3 ,prayer is a certain kind of petition2 so1 too1 ,s4 ,john ,damascene says#ajb3 ,prayer is the asking of fitting things from ,god4 ,hence it is clear that the prayer of which we are here speaking is an act of the reason4 ,some1 however1 think that prayer is an act of the appetitive powers1 thus3 #a4 ,the whole object of prayer is to be heard1 and the ,psalmist says that it is our desires which are heard3 ,the ,lord hath heard the desire of the poor4#ajc ,prayer1 then1 is desire2 but desire is an act of the appetitive powers4 ,but the ,lord is said to hear the desires of the poor either because their desire is the reason why they ask--since our petitions are in a certain sense the outward expression of our desires2 or this may be said in order to show the swiftness with which ,he hears them--even while things are only existing in the poor man's desire2 ,god hears them even before they are expressed in prayer4 ,and this accords with the words of ,isaias3 ,and it shall come to pass that before they shall call ,i will hear1 as they are yet speaking ,i will hear4#ajd #b4 ,again1 ,denis the ,areopagite says3 ,but before all things it is good to begin with prayer1 as thereby giving ourselves up to and uniting ourselves with ,god4#aje ,but union with ,god comes through love1 and love belongs to the appetitive powers2 therefore prayer1 too1 would seem to belong to the appetitive powers4 ,but the will moves the reason to its end or object4 ,hence there is nothing to prevent the reason1 under the direction of the will1 from tending to the goal of charity1 which is union with ,god4 ,prayer1 however1 tends towards ,god--moved1 that is1 by the will1 which itself is motived by charity--in two ways3 in one way by reason of that which is asked for1 since in prayer we have particularly to ask that we may be united with ,god1 according to those words3 ,one thing ,i have asked of the ,lord1 this will ,i seek after1 that ,i may dwell in the house of the ,lord all the days of my life4#ajf ,and in another way prayer tends towards ,god--by reason1 namely1 of the petitioner himself2 for such a one must approach him from whom he asks something1 and this either bodily1 as when he draws nigh to a man1 or mentally1 as when he draws nigh to ,god4 ,hence the same ,denis says3 ,when we invoke ,god in prayer we are before ,him with our minds laid bare4 ,in the same sense ,s4 ,john ,damascene says3 ,prayer is the ascent of the mind towards ,god4 ,cajetan3 ,prayer demands of the petitioner a twofold union with ,god3 the one is general--the union1 that is1 of friendship--and is produced by charity1 so that further on#ajg we shall find the friendship arising from charity enumerated among the conditions for infallibly efficacious prayer4 ,the second kind of union may be termed substantial union2 it is the effect of prayer itself4 ,it is that union of application by which the mind offers itself and all it has to ,god in service--viz41 by devout affections1 by meditations1 and by external acts4 ,by such union as this a man who prays is inseparable from ,god in his worship and service1 just as when one man serves another he is inseparable from him in his service 7on #b4 #b4 #hc4 #a74 ,and now1 ,o ,lord1 ,thou art our ,father1 and we are clay3 and ,thou art our ,maker1 and we are all the works of ,thy hands4 ,be not very angry1 ,o ,lord1 and remember no longer our iniquity3 behold1 see we are all ,thy people4#ajh ,,ii ,is ,it ,fitting ,to ,pray8 ,in ,s4 ,luke's ,gospel we read3 ,we ought always to pray and not to faint4#aji ,a threefold error regarding prayer existed amongst the ancients2 for some maintained that human affairs were not directed by ,divine ,providence2 whence it followed that it was altogether vain to pray or to worship ,god2 of such we read3 ,you have said1 he laboureth in vain that serveth ,god4#aaj ,a second opinion was that all things1 even human affairs1 happened of necessity--whether from the immutability of ,divine ,providence1 or from a necessity imposed by the stars1 or from the connection of causes2 and this opinion1 of course1 excluded all utility from prayer4 ,a third opinion was that human affairs were indeed directed by ,divine ,providence1 and that human affairs did not happen of necessity1 but that ,divine ,providence was changeable1 and that consequently its dispositions were changed by our prayers and by other acts of religious worship4 ,these views1 however1 have elsewhere been shown to be wrong4 ,consequently we have so to set forth the utility of prayer as neither to make things happen of necessity because subject to ,divine ,providence1 nor to suggest that the arrangements of ,divine ,providence are subject to change4 ,to bring this out clearly we must consider that ,divine ,providence not merely arranges what effects shall take place1 but also from what causes they shall proceed1 and in what order4 ,but amongst other causes human acts are causes of certain effects4 ,hence men must do certain things1 not so that their acts may change the ,divine arrangement1 but that by their acts they may bring about certain effects according to the order arranged by ,god2 and it is the same with natural causes4 ,it is the same1 too1 in the case of prayer4 ,for we do not pray in order to change the ,divine arrangements1 but in order to win that which ,god arranged should be fulfilled by means of prayers2 or1 in ,s4 ,gregory's words3 ,men by petitioning may merit to receive what ,almighty ,god arranged before the ages to give them4#aaa ,some1 however1 maintain that prayer is futile1 thus3 #a4 ,prayer seems to be necessary in order that we may bring our wants to the notice of ,him to ,whom we make the petition4 ,but our ,lord says3 ,your ,father knoweth that ye have need of all these things4#aab ,but it is not necessary for us to set forth our petitions before ,god in order to make known to ,him our needs or desires1 but rather that we ourselves may realize that in these things it is needful to have recourse to the ,divine assistance4 #b4 ,again1 by prayer the mind of him to whom it is made is prevailed upon to grant what is asked of him2 but the mind of ,god is unchangeable and inflexible3 ,the ,triumpher in ,israel will not spare1 and will not be moved to repentance2 for ,he is not a man that ,he should repent4#aac ,consequently it is unavailing to pray to ,god4 ,but our prayers do not aim at changing the ,divine arrangements1 but at obtaining by our prayers what ,god has arranged to give us4 #c4 ,lastly1 it is more generous to give to one who does not ask than to one who asks1 for1 as ,seneca remarks3 ,nothing is bought at a dearer price than what is bought with prayers4#aad ,whereas ,god is most generous4 ,god1 indeed1 bestows on us many things out of ,his generosity1 even things for which we do not ask2 but ,he wishes to grant us some things on the supposition that we ask for them4 ,and this is for our advantage1 for it is intended to beget in us a certain confidence in having recourse to ,god1 as well as to make us recognize that ,he is the ,author of all good to us4 ,hence ,s4 ,chrysostom says3 ,reflect what great happiness is bestowed upon you1 what glory is given you1 namely1 to converse in your prayers with ,god1 to join in colloquy with ,christ1 and to beg for what you wish or desire4#aae ,cajetan3 ,notice how foolish are some ,christians who1 when desirous of reaching certain ends attainable by nature or art1 are most careful to apply such means1 and would rightly regard their hopes as vain unless they applied them2 and yet at the same time they have quite false notions of the fruits to be derived from prayer3 as though prayer were no cause at all1 or at least but a remote one6 ,whence it comes to pass that1 having false ideas about the causes1 they fail to reap any fruit 7on #b4 #b4 #hc4 #b74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,but some may say3 ,it is not so much a question whether we are to pray by words or deeds as whether we are to pray at all if ,god already knows what is needful for us4 ,yet the very giving ourselves to prayer has the effect of soothing our minds and purifying them2 it makes us more fit to receive the ,divine gifts which are spiritually poured out upon us4 ,for ,god does not hear us because of a display of prayer on our part2 ,he is always ready1 indeed1 to give us ,his light1 not1 indeed1 ,his visible light1 but the light of the intellect and the spirit4 ,it is we who are not always prepared to receive it1 and this because we are preoccupied with other things and swallowed up in the darkness resulting from desire of the things of earth4 ,when we pray1 then1 our hearts must turn to ,god1 ,who is ever ready to give if only we will take what ,he gives4 ,and in so turning to ,him we must purify the eye of our mind by shutting out all thought for the things of time1 that so--with single-minded gaze--we may be able to bear that simple light that shines divinely1 and neither sets nor changes4 ,and not merely to bear it1 but even to abide in it2 and this not simply without strain1 but with a certain unspeakable joy4 ,in this joy the life of the ,blessed is truly and really perfected 7,on the ,sermon on the ,mount1 ,,ii4 iii4 #ad74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,he could have bestowed these things on us even without our prayers2 but ,he wished that by our prayers we should be taught from ,whom these benefits come4 ,for from whom do we receive them if not from ,him from ,whom we are bidden to ask them8 ,assuredly in this matter the ,church does not demand laborious disputations2 but note ,her daily prayers3 ,she prays that unbelievers may believe3 ,god then brings them to the ,faith4 ,she prays that the faithful may persevere3 ,god gives them perseverance to the end4 ,and ,god foreknew that ,he would do these things4 ,for this is the predestination of the ,saints whom ,he chose in ,christ before the foundation of the world#aaf 7,of the ,gift of ,perseverance1 vii4 #ae74 ,thou hast taught me1 ,o ,god1 from my youth2 and till now ,i will declare ,thy wonderful works4 ,and unto old age and grey hairs1 ,o ,god1 forsake me not1 until ,i shew forth ,thy arm to all the generation that is to come4#aag ,,iii ,is ,prayer an ,act of the ,virtue of ,religion8 ,in ,ps4 cxl4 #b we read3 ,let my prayer be directed as incense in ,thy sight1 and on these words the ,gloss remarks3 ,according to this figure1 in the ,old ,law incense was said to be offered as an odour of sweetness to the ,lord4 ,and this comes under the virtue of religion4 ,therefore prayer is an act of religion4 ,it properly belongs to the virtue of religion to give due reverence and honour to ,god1 and hence all those things by which such reverence is shown to ,god come under religion4 ,by prayer1 however1 a man shows reverence to ,god inasmuch as he submits himself to ,him and1 by praying1 acknowledges that he needs ,god as the ,author of all his good4 ,whence it is clear that prayer is properly an act of religion4 ,some1 however1 maintain that prayer is not an act of the virtue of religion1 thus3 #a4 ,prayer is rather the exercise of the ,gift of ,understanding than of the virtue of religion4 ,for the virtue of religion comes under ,justice2 it is therefore resident in the will4 ,but prayer belongs to the intellectual faculties1 as we have shown above4 ,but we must remember that the will moves the other faculties of the soul to their objects or ends1 and that consequently the virtue of religion1 which is in the will1 directs the acts of the other faculties in the reverence they show towards ,god4 ,now amongst these other faculties of the soul the intellect is the noblest and the most nigh to the will2 consequently1 next to devotion1 which belongs to the will itself1 prayer1 which belongs to the intellective part1 is the chief act of religion1 for by it religion moves a man's understanding towards ,god4 #b4 ,again1 acts of worship fall under precept1 whereas prayer seems to fall under no precept1 but to proceed simply from the mere wish to pray2 for prayer is merely asking for what we want2 consequently prayer is not an act of the virtue of religion4 ,yet not only to ask for what we desire1 but to desire rightly1 falls under precept2 to desire1 indeed1 falls under the precept of charity1 but to ask falls under the precept of religion--the precept which is laid down in the words3 ,ask and ye shall receive4#aah #c4 ,lastly1 the virtue of religion embraces due worship and ceremonial offered to the ,divinity2 prayer1 however1 offers ,god nothing1 but only seeks to obtain things from ,him4 ,in prayer a man offers to ,god his mind1 which he subjects to ,him in reverence1 and which he1 in some sort1 lays bare before ,him--as we have just seen in ,s4 ,denis's words4 ,hence1 since the human mind is superior to all the other exterior or bodily members1 and also to all exterior things which have place in the ,divine worship1 it follows that prayer1 too1 is pre-eminent among the acts of the virtue of religion4 ,cajetan3 ,in prayer or petition there are three things to be considered3 the thing petitioned for1 the actual petition1 and the petitioner4 ,as far1 then1 as the thing petitioned for is concerned1 we give nothing to ,god when we pray2 rather we ask ,him to give us something4 ,but if we consider the actual petition1 then we do offer something to ,god when we pray4 ,for the very act of petitioning is an act of subjection2 it is an acknowledgment of ,god's power4 ,and the proof of this is that proud men would prefer to submit to want rather than humble themselves by asking anything of others4 ,further1 the petitioner1 by the very fact that he petitions1 acknowledges that he whom he petitions has the power to assist him1 and is merciful1 or just1 or provident2 it is for this reason that he hopes to be heard4 ,hence petition or prayer is regarded as an act of the virtue of religion1 the object of which is to give honour to ,god4 ,for we honour ,god by asking things of ,him1 and this by so much the more as--whether from our manner of asking or from the nature of what we ask for--we acknowledge ,him to be above all things1 to be our ,creator1 our ,provider1 our ,redeemer1 etc4 ,and this is what ,s4 ,thomas points out in the body of the ,article4 ,but if we consider the petitioner3 then1 since man petitions with his mind--for petition is an act of the mind--and since the mind is the noblest thing in man1 it follows that by petitioning we submit to ,god that which is noblest in us1 since we use it to ask things of ,him1 and thereby do ,him honour4 ,thus by prayer we offer our minds in sacrifice to ,god2 so1 too1 by bending the knee to ,him we offer to ,him and sacrifice to ,him our knees1 by using them to ,his honour 7on #b4 #b4 #hc4 #c74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,i stand as a beggar at the gate1 ,he sleepeth not on ,whom ,i call6 ,oh1 may ,he give me those three loaves6 ,for you remember the ,gospel8 ,ah6 see how good a thing it is to know ,god's word2 those of you who have read it are stirred within yourselves6 ,for you remember how a needy man came to his friend's house and asked for three loaves4 ,and ,he says that he sleepily replied to him3 ,i am resting1 and my children are with me asleep4 ,but he persevered in his request1 and wrung from him by his importunity what his deserts could not get4 ,but ,god wishes to give2 yet only to those who ask--lest ,he should give to those who understand not4 ,he does not wish to be stirred up by your weariness6 ,for when you pray you are not being troublesome to one who sleeps2 ,he slumbereth not nor sleeps that keepeth ,israel4#aai 444 ,he1 then1 sleeps not2 see you that your faith sleeps not6 7,enarr4 in ,ps4 cii4 #aj74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,some there are who either do not pray at all1 or pray but tepidly2 and this because1 forsooth1 they have learnt from the ,lord ,himself#abj that ,god knows1 even before we ask ,him1 what is necessary for us4 ,but because of such folk are we to say that these words are not true and therefore to be blotted out of the ,gospel8 ,nay1 rather1 since it is clear that ,god gives some things even to those who do not ask--as1 for instance1 the beginnings of faith--and has prepared other things for those only who pray for them--as1 for instance1 final perseverance--it is evident that he who fancies he has this latter of himself does not pray to have it 7,of the ,gift of ,perseverance1 xvi4 #ci74 ,i will sing to the ,lord as long as ,i live2 ,i will sing praise to my ,god while ,i have my being4 ,let my speech be acceptable to ,him2 but ,i will take delight in the ,lord4#aba ,,iv ,ought ,we ,to ,pray ,to ,god ,alone8 ,in ,job v4 #a we read3 ,call1 now1 if there be any that will answer thee1 and turn to some of the ,saints4 ,prayer is addressed to a person in two ways3 in one way as a petition to be granted by him2 in another way as a petition to be forwarded by him4 ,in the former way we only pray to ,god1 for all our prayers ought to be directed to the attaining of grace and glory1 and these ,god alone gives3 ,the ,lord will give grace and glory4#abb ,but in the latter way we set forth our prayers both to the holy ,angels and to men2 and this1 not that through their intervention ,god may know our petitions1 but rather that by their prayers and merits our petitions may gain their end4 ,hence it is said in the ,apocalypse3 ,and the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the ,saints ascended up before ,god from the hand of the ,angel4#abc ,and this is clearly shown1 too1 from the style adopted by the ,church in her prayers3 for of the ,holy ,trinity we pray that mercy may be shown us2 but of all the ,saints1 whomsoever they may be1 we pray that they may intercede for us4 ,some1 however1 maintain that we ought to pray to ,god alone1 thus3 #a4 ,prayer is an act of the virtue of religion4 ,but only ,god is to be worshipped by the virtue of religion4 ,consequently it is to ,him alone that we should pray4 ,but in our prayers we only show religious worship to ,him from ,whom we hope to obtain what we ask1 for by so doing we confess ,him to be the ,author of all our goods2 but we do not show religious worship to those whom we seek to have as intercessors with us before ,god4 #b4 ,again1 prayer to those who cannot know what we pray for is idle4 ,but ,god alone can know our prayers1 and this because prayer is frequently a purely interior act of which ,god alone is cognizant1 as the ,apostle says3 ,i will pray with the spirit4 ,i will pray also with the understanding2#abd and also because1 as ,s4 ,augustine says#abe3 ,the dead know not1 not even the ,saints1 what the living--not even excepting their own children--are doing4 ,it is true that the dead1 if we consider only their natural condition1 do not know what is done on earth1 and especially do they not know the interior movements of the heart4 ,but to the ,blessed1 as ,s4 ,gregory says1#abf manifestation is made in the ,divine ,word of those things which it is fitting that they should know as taking place in our regard1 even the interior movements of the heart4 ,and1 indeed1 it is most befitting their state of excellence that they should be cognizant of petitions addressed to them1 whether vocally or mentally4 ,hence through ,god's revelation they are cognizant of the petitions which we address them4 #c4 ,lastly1 some say3 if we do address prayers to any of the ,saints1 the sole reason for doing so lies in the fact that they are closely united to ,god4 ,but we do not address prayers to people who1 while still living in this world1 are closely knit to ,god1 nor to those who are in ,purgatory and are united to ,him4 ,there seems1 then1 to be no reason why we should address prayers to the ,saints in ,paradise4 ,but they who are still in the world or in ,purgatory do not as yet enjoy the vision of the ,divine ,word so as to be able to know what we think or say1 hence we do not implore their help when we pray2 though when talking with living people we do ask them to help us4 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,it is no great thing to live long1 nor even to live for ever2 but it is indeed a great thing to live well4 ,oh1 let us love eternal life6 ,and we realize how earnestly we ought to strive for that eternal life when we note how men who love this present temporal life so work for it--though it is to pass away--that1 when the fear of death comes1 they strive all they can1 not1 indeed1 to do away with death1 but to put death off6 ,how men labour when death approaches6 ,they flee from it2 they hide from it2 they give all they have2 they try to buy themselves off2 they work and strive2 they put up with tortures and inconveniences2 they call in physicians2 they do everything that lies within their power6 ,yet even if they spend all their toil and their substance1 they can only secure that they may live a little longer1 not that they may live for ever6 ,if1 then1 men spend such toil1 such endeavour1 so much money1 so much anxiety1 watchfulness1 and care1 in order to live only a little longer1 what ought we not to do that we may live for ever8 ,and if we call them prudent who take every possible precaution to stave off death1 to live but a few days more1 to save just a few days1 then how foolish are they who so pass their days as to lose the ,day of ,eternity6 7,sermon1 cxxvii4 #b74 ,may ,god have mercy on us1 and bless us3 may ,he cause the light of ,his countenance to shine upon us1 and may ,he have mercy on us4 ,that we may know ,thy way upon earth3 ,thy salvation in all nations4 ,let people confess to ,thee1 ,o ,god3 let all people give praise to ,thee4 ,let the nations be glad and rejoice3 for ,thou judgest the people with justice1 and directest the nations upon earth4 ,let the people1 ,o ,god1 confess to ,thee3 let all the people give praise to ,thee3 the earth hath yielded her fruit4 ,may ,god1 our ,god bless us1 may ,god bless us3 and all the ends of the earth fear ,him4#abg ,v ,should ,we in our ,prayers ask for ,anything ,definite from ,god8 ,our ,lord taught the disciples to ask definitely for the things which are contained in the petitions of the ,lord's ,prayer3 ,thus shalt thou pray4#abh ,maximus ,valerius tells of ,socrates#abi that he maintained that nothing further should be asked of the immortal gods save that they should give us good things2 and this on the ground that they knew well what was best for each individual1 whereas we often ask in our prayers for things which it would be better not to have asked for4 ,and this opinion has some truth in it as regards those things which can turn out ill1 or which a man can use well or ill1 as1 for example1 riches which1 as the same ,socrates says1 have been to the destruction of many2 or honours which have ruined many2 or the possession of kingdoms1 the issues of which are so often ill-fated2 or splendid matrimonial alliances1 which have sometimes proved the ruin of families4 ,but there are certain good things of which a man cannot make a bad use--those1 namely1 which cannot have a bad issue4 ,and these are the things by which we are rendered blessed and by which we merit beatitude2 these are the things for which the ,saints pray unconditionally3 ,show us ,thy ,face and we shall be saved2#acj and again3 ,lead me along the path of ,thy commandments4#aca ,some1 however1 say that we ought not in our prayers to ask for definite things from ,god1 thus3 #a4 ,s4 ,john ,damascene defines prayer as asking from ,god things that are fitting2#acb consequently prayer for things which are not expedient is of no efficacy1 as ,s4 ,james says3 ,you ask and receive not1 because you ask amiss4#acc ,moreover1 ,s4 ,paul says3 ,we know not what we should pray for as we ought4#acd ,but it is also true that though a man cannot of himself know what he ought to pray for1 yet1 as the ,apostle says in the same place3 ,in this the ,spirit helpeth our infirmity--namely1 in that1 by inspiring us with holy desires1 ,he makes us ask aright4 ,hence ,our ,lord says that the true adorers must adore in spirit and in truth4#ace #b4 ,further1 he who asks from another some definite thing strives to bend that other's will to do what the petitioner wants4 ,but we ought not to direct our prayers towards making ,god will what we will1 but rather we should will what ,he wills--as the ,gloss says on the words of ,ps4 xxxii4 #a3 ,rejoice in the ,lord1 ,o ye just6 ,it would seem1 therefore1 that we ought not to ask for definite things from ,god when we pray4 ,yet when in our prayers we ask for things which appertain to our salvation1 we are conforming our will to the will of ,god1 for of ,his will it is said3 ,he will have all men to be saved4#acf #c4 ,lastly1 evil things cannot be asked from ,god2 and ,he ,himself invites us to receive good things4 ,but it is idle for a person to ask for what he is invited to receive4 ,god1 it is true1 invites us to receive good things2 but ,he wishes us to come to them--not1 indeed1 by the footsteps of the body--but by pious desires and devout prayers4 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,fly1 then1 by unwavering faith and holy habits1 fly1 brethren1 from those torments where the torturers never desist1 and where the tortured never die2 whose death is unending1 and where in their anguish they cannot die4 ,but burn with love for and desire of the eternal life of the ,saints where there is no longer the life of toil nor yet wearisome repose4 ,for the praises of ,god will beget no disgust1 neither will they ever cease4 ,there will there be no weariness of the soul1 no bodily fatigue2 there will there be no wants3 neither wants of your own which will call for succour1 nor wants of your neighbour demanding your speedy help4 ,god will be all your delight2 there will ye find the abundance of that ,holy ,city that from ,him draws life and happily and wisely lives in ,him4 ,for there1 according to that promise of ,his for which we hope and wait1 we shall be made equal to the ,angels of ,god2 and equally with them shall we then enjoy that vision of the ,holy ,trinity in which we now but walk by faith4 ,for we now believe what we do not see1 that so by the merits of that same faith we then may merit to see what we believe1 and may so hold fast to it that the ,equality of ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 and the ,unity of the ,trinity1 may no longer come to us under the garb of faith1 nor be the subject of contentious talk1 but may rather be what we may drink in in purest and deepest contemplation amid the silence of ,eternity 7,de ,catechizandis ,rudibus1 xxv4 #dg74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,o ,lord1 my ,god1 give me what ,thou biddest and then bid what ,thou wilt6 ,thou biddest us be continent4 ,and ,i knew1 as a certain one says1 that ,i could not otherwise be continent save ,god gave it1 and this also was a point of wisdom to know ,whose gift it was4 ,now by continence we are knit together and brought back into union with that ,one from ,whom we have wandered away after many things4 ,for he loves ,thee but little who loves other things with ,thee1 and loves them not for ,thee6 ,o ,love that ever burnest and wilt never be extinguished6 ,o ,charity6 ,o ,lord1 my ,god1 set me on fire6 ,thou dost bid continence8 ,then give me what ,thou biddest and bid what ,thou wilt6 7,confessions1 ,x4 xxix474 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,o ,lord1 my ,god1 listen to my prayer and mercifully hear my desire6 ,for my desire burns not for myself alone1 but fraternal charity bids it be of use4 ,and ,thou seest in my heart that it is so2 for ,i would offer to ,thee in sacrifice the service of my thoughts and of my tongue4 ,grant me then what ,i may offer to ,thee4 ,for ,i am needy and poor1 and ,thou art rich towards all that call upon ,thee2 for in peace and tranquillity hast ,thou care for us4 ,circumcise1 then1 my lips1 within and without1 from all rashness and all untruthfulness4 ,may ,thy ,scriptures be my chaste delight2 may ,i never be deceived in them nor deceive others out of them4 ,attend1 ,o ,lord1 and have mercy upon me1 ,o ,lord1 my ,god4 ,thou art the ,light of the blind1 the ,strength of the weak1 and so1 too1 art ,thou the ,light of them that see and the ,strength of them that are strong4 ,look1 then1 on my soul1 and hear me when ,i cry from out the depths6 7,confessions1 ,,xi4 ii4 #b74 ,look down from ,heaven1 and behold from ,thy holy habitation and the place of ,thy glory3 where is ,thy zeal1 and ,thy strength1 the multitude of ,thy bowels1 and of ,thy mercies8 they have held back themselves from me4 ,for ,thou art our ,father1 and ,abraham hath not known us1 and ,israel hath been ignorant of us3 ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 art our ,father1 our ,redeemer1 from everlasting is ,thy ,name4#acg ,,vi ,ought ,we in our ,prayers to ask for ,temporal ,things from ,god8 ,we have the authority of the ,book of ,proverbs for answering in the affirmative1 for there we read#ach3 ,give me only the necessaries of life4 ,s4 ,augustine says to ,proba#aci3 ,it is lawful to pray for what it is lawful to desire4 ,but it is lawful to desire temporal things1 not indeed as our principal aim or as something which we make our end1 but rather as props and stays which may be of assistance to us in our striving for the possession of ,god2 for by such things our bodily life is sustained1 and such things1 as the ,philosopher says1 co-operate organically to the production of virtuous acts4#adj ,consequently it is lawful to pray for temporal things4 ,and this is what ,s4 ,augustine means when he says to ,proba3 ,not unfittingly does a person desire sufficiency for this life when he desires it and nothing more2 for such sufficiency is not sought for its own sake but for the body's health1 and for a mode of life suitable to a man's position so that he may not be a source of inconvenience to those with whom he lives4 ,when1 then1 we have these things we must pray that we may retain them1 and when we have not got them we must pray that we may have them4#ada ,some1 however1 argue that we ought not to pray for temporal things1 thus3 #a4 ,what we pray for we seek4 ,but we are forbidden to seek for temporal things1 for it is said3 ,seek ye therefore first the kingdom of ,god1 and ,his justice1 and all these things shall be added unto you1#adb those temporal things1 namely1 which ,he says are not to be sought but which are to be added to the things which we seek4 ,but temporal things are to be sought secondarily not primarily4 ,hence ,s4 ,augustine#adc3 ,when ,he says the former is to be sought first 7namely the kingdom of ,god71 ,he means that the latter 7namely temporal good things7 are to be sought afterwards2 not afterwards in point of time1 but afterwards in point of importance2 the former as our good1 the latter as our need4 #b4 ,again1 we only ask for things about which we are solicitous4 ,but we are not allowed to be solicitous about temporal concerns3 ,be not solicitous for your life1 what ye shall eat#add4444 ,but not all solicitude about temporal affairs is forbidden1 only such as is superfluous and out of due order4 #c4 ,further1 we ought in prayer to uplift our minds to ,god4 ,but by asking for temporal things in prayer our mind descends to things beneath it1 and this is contrary to the teaching of the ,apostle3 ,while we look not at the things which are seen1 but at the things which are not seen4 ,for the things which are seen are temporal3 but the things which are not seen are eternal4#ade ,when our mind is occupied with temporal affairs so as to set up its rest in them then it remains in them1 and is depressed by them2 but when the mind turns to them as a means of attaining to eternal life it is not depressed by them1 but rather uplifted by them4 #d4 ,lastly1 men ought not to pray except for things useful and good4 ,but temporal possessions are at times hurtful1 and this not merely spiritually but even temporally2 hence a man ought not to ask them of ,god4 ,but it is clear that since we do not seek temporal things primarily or for their own sake1 but with reference to something else1 we consequently only ask them of ,god according as they may be expedient for our salvation4 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,lord1 all my desire is before ,thee1 and my groaning is not hid from ,thee6#adf ,it is not before men who cannot see the heart1 but before ,thee is all my desire6 ,and let your desires1 too1 be before ,him1 and your ,father ,who seeth in secret will repay thee4 ,for your very desire is a prayer1 and if your desire is continual your prayer1 too1 is continual4 ,not without reason did the ,apostle say3 ,pray without ceasing4#adg ,yet can we genuflect without ceasing8 ,can we prostrate without ceasing8 ,can we lift up our hands without ceasing8 ,how1 then1 does he say3 ,pray without ceasing8 ,if by prayer he meant such things as these then ,i think we could not pray without ceasing4 ,but there is another prayer1 an interior prayer1 which is without ceasing--desire4 ,whatever else you do1 if only you desire that rest#adh you cease not to pray4 ,if you wish to pray without ceasing then desire without ceasing4 ,your continual desire is your continual voice2 but you will be silent if you cease to love 7,enarr4 in ,ps4 xxxvii4 #aj74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,but all these things are the gifts of my ,god2 ,i did not give them to myself2 they are good1 and all these things am ,i4 ,he then is good ,who made me2 nay1 ,he ,himself is my ,good1 and in ,him do ,i rejoice for all the good things which ,i had even as a boy6 ,but in this did ,i sin that1 not in ,him but in ,his creatures did ,i seek myself and other pleasures1 high thoughts and truths4 ,thus it was that ,i fell into sorrow1 confusion1 and error4 ,thanks be to ,thee1 my ,sweetness1 my ,honour and my ,trust1 ,o my ,god6 ,thanks be to ,thee for ,thy gifts6 ,but do ,thou keep them for me6 ,for so doing ,thou wilt be keeping me1 and those things which ,thou hast given me will be increased and perfected1 and ,i myself shall be with ,thee1 for even that ,i should be at all is ,thy gift to me6 7,confessions1 ,i4 xx4 #b74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,but ,i forget not1 neither will ,i keep silence regarding the severity of ,thy scourge and the wondrous swiftness of ,thy mercy4 ,thou didst torture me with toothache2 and when the pain had become so great that ,i could not even speak1 it came into my mind to tell all my friends who were there to pray to ,thee for me1 to ,thee the ,god of all manner of succour4 ,and ,i wrote my request on a wax tablet and ,i gave it them to read4 ,and hardly had we bent the knee in humble prayer than the pain fled6 ,but what a pain it was6 ,and how did it disappear8 ,i was terrified1 ,i confess it1 ,o ,lord my ,god6 ,never in all my life had ,i felt anything like it6 7,confessions1 ,,ix4 iv4 #ab74 ,it is narrated of ,s4 ,thomas that when at ,paris it happened that having to lecture at the ,university on a subject which he had commenced the day before1 he rose at night to pray as was his wont1 but discovered that a tooth had suddenly pushed its way through his gums in such a way that he could not speak4 ,his companion suggested that since it was an inopportune time for procuring assistance a message should be sent to the ,university stating what had happened and pointing out that the lecture could not be given till the tooth had been removed by a surgeon4 ,but ,s4 ,thomas1 reflecting upon the difficulty in which the ,university would be placed1 considering also the danger which might arise from the removal of the tooth in the way suggested1 said to his companion3 ,i see no remedy save to trust to ,god's ,providence4 ,he then betook himself to his accustomed place of prayer1 and for a long space besought ,god with tears to grant him this favour1 leaving himself entirely in ,his hands4 ,and when he had thus prayed he took the tooth between his fingers1 and it came out at once without the slightest pain or wrench1 and he found himself freed from the impediment to his speech which it had caused4 ,this tooth he carried about with him for a long time as a reminder of an act of ,divine loving-kindness such as he was anxious not to forget1 for forgetfulness is the mother of ingratitude2 he wished it1 too1 to move him to still greater confidence in the power of prayer which had on that occasion been so quickly heard 7see ,vita ,s4 ,thomae1 ,bollandists1 ,march #g1 vol4 i41 #ahfe1 pp4 #fgc1 #gjd1 #gab74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,but temporal things are sometimes for our profit1 sometimes for our hurt4 ,for many poverty was good1 wealth did them harm4 ,for many a hidden life was best1 high station did them harm4 ,and on the other hand money was good for some1 and dignities1 too1 were good for them--good1 that is1 for those who used them well2 but such things did harm when not taken away from those who used them ill4 ,consequently1 brethren1 let us ask for these temporal things with moderation1 being sure that if we do receive them1 ,he gives them ,who knoweth what is best suited to us4 ,you have asked for something1 then1 and what you asked for has not been given you8 ,believe in your ,father ,who would give it you if it were expedient for you 7,sermon1 lxxx4 #g74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,sometimes ,god in ,his wrath grants what you ask2 at other times in ,his mercy ,he refuses what you ask4 ,when1 then1 you ask of ,him things which ,he praises1 which ,he commands1 things which ,he has promised us in the next world1 then ask in confidence and be instant in prayer as far as in you lies1 that so you may receive what you ask4 ,for such things as these are granted by the ,god of mercy2 they flow not from ,his wrath but from ,his compassion4 ,but when you ask for temporal things1 then ask with moderation1 ask with fear2 leave all to ,him so that if they be for your profit ,he may give them you1 if they be to your hurt ,he may refuse them4 ,for what is for our good and what is to our hurt the ,physician knoweth1 not the patient 7,sermon1 cccliv4 #h74 ,cast thy care upon the ,lord1 and ,he shall sustain thee2 ,he shall not suffer the just to waver for ever4#adi ,,vii ,ought ,we ,to ,pray for ,others8 ,s4 ,james1 in his ,epistle1 says#aej3 ,pray for one another that ye may be saved4 ,as we said above1 we ought in prayer to ask for those things which we ought to desire4 ,but we ought to desire good things not for ourselves only but also for others1 for this belongs to that charity which we ought to exercise towards our neighbour4 ,hence charity demands that we pray for others4 ,in accordance with this ,s4 ,chrysostom says#aea3 ,necessity compels us to pray for ourselves1 fraternal charity urges us to pray for others4 ,but that prayer is more pleasing before ,god which arises not so much from our needs as from the demands of fraternal charity4 ,some1 however1 urge that we ought not to pray for others1 thus3 #a4 ,we are bound in our prayer to follow the norm which our ,lord delivered to us2 but in the ,lord's ,prayer we pray for ourselves and not for others1 for we say3 ,give us this day our daily bread1 etc4 ,but ,s4 ,cyprian says3#aeb ,we do not say my ,father1 but our ,father1 neither do we say ,give me1 but give us2 and this because the ,teacher of ,unity did not wish prayer to be made privately1 viz41 that each should pray for himself alone2 for ,he wished one to pray for all since ,he in ,his single ,person had borne all4 #b4 ,again1 we pray in order to be heard2 but one of the conditions for our prayer to be heard is that a man should pray for himself4 ,thus on the words3 ,if ye ask the ,father anything in ,my ,name ,he will give it you1#aec ,s4 ,augustine says3#aed ,all are heard for themselves1 but not for all in general1 hence ,he does not say simply3 ,he will give it1 but ,he will give it you4 ,but to pray for oneself is a condition attaching to prayer2 not indeed a condition affecting its merit1 but a condition which is necessary if we would ensure the attainment of what we ask4 ,for it sometimes happens that prayer made for another does not avail even though it be devout and persevering and for things pertaining to a man's salvation2 and this is because of the existence of some hindrance on the part of him for whom we pray1 as we read in ,jeremias#aee3 ,if ,moses and ,samuel shall stand before ,me1 ,my soul is not towards this people4 ,none the less1 such prayer will be meritorious on the part of him who prays1 for he prays out of charity2 thus on the words1 ,and my prayer shall be turned into my bosom1#aef the ,interlinear ,gloss has3 ,that is1 and even though it avail not for them1 yet shall ,i not be without my reward4 #c4 ,lastly1 we are forbidden to pray for others if they are wicked1 according to the words3 ,do not thou pray for this people 444 and do not withstand ,me1 for ,i will not hear thee4#aeg ,and1 on the other hand1 we ought not to pray for them if they are good1 for in that case they will be heard when they pray for themselves4 ,but we have to pray even for sinners1 that they may be converted1 and for the good1 that they may persevere and make progress4 ,our prayers for sinners1 however1 are not heard for all1 but for some4 ,for they are heard for those who are predestined1 not for those who are foreknown as reprobate2 just in the same way as when we correct our brethren1 such corrections avail among the predestinate but not among the reprobate1 according to the words3 ,no man can correct whom ,he hath despised4#aeh ,wherefore also it is said3 ,he that knoweth his brother to sin a sin that is not unto death1 let him ask1 and life shall be given to him who sinneth not to death4#aei ,but just as we can refuse to no one1 as long as he liveth on this earth1 the benefit of correction--for we cannot distinguish between the predestinate and the reprobate1 as ,s4 ,augustine says#afj--so neither can we refuse to anyone the suffrage of our prayers4 ,and for good men we have to pray1 and this for a threefold reason3 firstly1 because the prayers of many are more easily heard2 thus on the words3 ,i beseech ye therefore1 help me in your prayers for me1#afa the ,ordinary ,gloss of ,s4 ,ambrose says3 ,well does the ,apostle ask his inferiors to pray for him2 for even the very least become great when many in number1 and when gathered together with one mind2 and it is impossible that the prayers of many should not avail to obtain1 that is1 what is obtainable4 ,and secondly1 that thanks may be returned by many for the benefits conferred by ,god upon the just1 for these same benefits tend to the profit of many--as is evident from the ,apostle's words to the ,corinthians4#afb ,and thirdly1 that those who are greater may not therefore be proud1 but may realize that they need the suffrages of their inferiors4 ,father1 ,i will that where ,i am they also whom ,thou hast given ,me may be with ,me2 that they may see ,my glory1 which ,thou hast given ,me3 because ,thou hast loved ,me before the foundation of the world4#afc ,,viii ,ought ,we ,to ,pray for ,our ,enemies8 ,but ,i say to you 444 pray for them that persecute and calumniate you4#afd ,to pray for others is a work of charity1 as we have said above4 ,hence we are bound to pray for our enemies in the same way as we are bound to love them4 ,we have already explained1 in the ,treatise on ,charity1 in what sense we are bound to love our enemies2 namely1 that we are bound to love their nature1 not their fault2 and that to love our enemies in general is of precept2 to love them1 however1 individually1 is not of precept save in the sense of being prepared to do so2 a man1 for instance1 is bound to be ready to love an individual enemy and to help him in case of necessity1 or if he comes to seek his pardon4 ,but absolutely to love our individual enemies1 and to assist them1 belongs to perfection4 ,in the same way1 then1 it is necessary that in our general prayers for others we should not exclude our enemies4 ,but to make special prayer for them belongs to perfection and is not necessary1 save in some particular cases4 ,some1 however1 argue that we ought not to pray for our enemies1 thus3 #a4 ,it is said in the ,epistle to the ,romans#afe3 ,what things soever were written were written for our learning4 ,but in ,holy ,scripture we find many imprecations against enemies2 thus1 for instance#aff3 ,let all my enemies be ashamed1 let them be turned back and be ashamed very speedily4 ,from which it would rather seem that we ought to pray against our enemies than for them4 ,but the imprecations which find place in ,holy ,scripture can be understood in four different ways3 first of all according as the ,prophets are wont to predict the future under the figure of imprecations1 as ,s4 ,augustine says#afg2 secondly1 in that certain temporal evils are sometimes sent by ,god upon sinners for their amendment2 thirdly1 these denunciations may be understood1 not as demanding the punishment of men themselves1 but as directed against the kingdom of sin1 in the sense that by men being corrected sin may be destroyed2 fourthly1 in that the ,prophets conform their wills to the ,divine ,justice with regard to the damnation of sinners who persevere in their sin4 #b4 ,further1 to be revenged upon our enemies means evil for our enemies4 ,but the ,saints seek to be avenged upon their enemies3 ,how long1 ,o ,lord1 dost ,thou not judge and revenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth8#afh ,and in accordance with this we find them rejoicing in the vengeance taken upon sinners3 ,the just shall rejoice when he shall see the revenge4#afi ,it would seem1 then1 that we ought rather to pray against our enemies than for them4 ,but1 on the contrary1 as ,s4 ,augustine says3#agj ,the vengeance of the martyrs is the overthrow of the empire of sin under whose dominion they suffered so much2 or1 as he says elsewhere#aga3 ,they demand vengeance1 not by word of mouth1 but by very reason1 just as the blood of ,abel cried out from the earth4 ,moreover1 they rejoice in this vengeance1 not for its own sake1 but because of the ,divine ,justice4 #c4 ,lastly1 a man's deeds and his prayers cannot be in opposition4 ,but men sometimes quite lawfully attack their enemies1 else all wars would be illegal4 ,hence we ought not to pray for our enemies4 ,but it is lawful to assail our enemies that so they may be hindered from sin2 and this is for their good and for that of others4 ,in the same way1 then1 it is lawful to pray for temporal evils for our enemies to the end that they may be corrected4 ,in this sense our deeds and our prayers are not in opposition4 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,if there were no wicked folk1 then for whom could we be supposed to pray when we are told3 ,pray for your enemies8 ,perhaps you would like to have good enemies4 ,yet how could that be8 ,for unless you yourself are bad you will not have good people for enemies2 and if1 on the contrary1 you are good1 then no one will be your enemy save the wicked folk 7,sermon1 xv41 on ,ps4 xxv4 #h74 ,have mercy upon us1 ,o ,god of all1 and behold us1 and shew us the light of ,thy mercies3 ,and send ,thy fear upon the nations1 that have not sought after ,thee3 that they may know that there is no ,god beside ,thee1 and that they may shew forth ,thy wonders4 ,lift up ,thy hand over the strange nations1 that they may see ,thy power4#agb ,on the ,seven ,petitions of the lord's ,prayer4 ,the ,lord's ,prayer is the most perfect of all prayers1 for1 as ,s4 ,augustine says to ,proba#agc3 ,if we pray rightly and fittingly we can say nothing else but what is set down in the ,lord's ,prayer4 ,and since prayer is1 in a sort1 the interpreter of our desires before ,god1 we can only rightly ask in prayer for those things which we can rightly desire4 ,but in the ,lord's ,prayer not only do we have petitions for all those things which we can rightly desire1 but they are set forth in the order in which they are to be desired4 ,hence this prayer not only teaches us how to pray1 but serves as the norm of all our dispositions of mind4 ,for it is clear that we desire first the end and then the means to the attainment of that end4 ,but our end is ,god1 towards ,whom our desires tend in two ways3 first1 in that we desire ,god's glory2 secondly1 in that we desire to enjoy that glory ourselves4 ,the former of these pertains to that love wherewith we love ,god in ,himself1 the latter to that charity wherewith we love ourselves in ,god4 ,hence the first petition runs3 ,hallowed be ,thy ,name1 wherein we pray for ,god's glory2 and the second runs3 ,thy kingdom come1 wherein we pray that we may come to the glory of ,his kingdom4 ,but to this said end things lead us in two ways3 viz41 either essentially or accidentally4 ,things which are useful for the attainment of that end essentially lead us to it4 ,but a thing may be useful as regards that end which is the possession of ,god in two ways3 namely1 directly and principally1 that is1 according to the merits by which we merit the possession of ,god by obeying ,him2 and in accordance with this runs the petition3 ,thy ,will be done on earth as it is in ,heaven2 also instrumentally as assisting us to merit1 whence the petition3 ,give us this day our daily bread4 ,and this is true whether we understand by this bread that ,sacramental ,bread1 the daily use of ,which profits man1 and in ,which are comprised all the other ,sacraments2 or whether we understand it of material bread so that bread here means all that is sufficient for the support of life--as ,s4 ,augustine explains it to ,proba4#agd ,for both the ,holy ,eucharist is the chief of ,sacraments1 and bread is the chief of foods1 whence in the ,gospel of ,s4 ,matthew we have the term super-substantial or special applied to it1 as ,s4 ,jerome explains it4#age ,and we are lead1 as it were1 accidentally to the possession of ,god by the removal of impediments from our path4 ,now there are three things which impede us in our efforts after the possession of ,god4 ,the first of these is sin1 which directly excludes us from the kingdom3 ,neither fornicators1 nor idolaters1 444 etc41 shall possess the kingdom of ,god2#agf hence the petition3 ,forgive us our trespasses4444 ,and the second impediment is temptation which hinders us from obeying the ,divine ,will2 whence the petition3 ,and lead us not into temptation2 in which petition we do not pray that we may not be tempted1 but that we may not be overcome by temptation1 for this is the meaning of being led into temptation4 ,and the third hindrance lies in our present penal state which prevents us from having the sufficiency of life2 and for this reason we say3 ,deliver us from evil4 ,some1 however1 argue that these seven petitions are not very appropriate1 thus3 #a4 ,it seems idle to pray that that may be hallowed which is already hallowed or holy4 ,but the ,name of ,god is holy3 ,and holy is ,his ,name4#agg ,similarly1 ,his kingdom is everlasting3 ,thy kingdom1 ,o ,lord1 is a kingdom of all ages4#agh ,god's ,will1 too1 is always fulfilled3 ,and all ,my ,will shall be done4#agi ,hence it is idle to pray that ,god's ,name may be hallowed1 that ,his kingdom may come1 and that ,his ,will may be done4 ,but1 as ,s4 ,augustine says1#ahj when we say1 ,hallowed be ,thy ,name1 we do not make this petition as though ,god's ,name were not holy1 but that ,it may be held holy by men2 in other words1 that ,god's glory may be propagated amongst men4 ,and when we say1 ,thy kingdom come1 it is not as though we meant that ,god did not reign1 but1 as ,s4 ,augustine says to ,proba#aha3 ,we stir up our desires for that kingdom1 that it may come upon us and that we may reign in it4 ,lastly1 when we say1 ,thy ,will be done1 this is rightly understood to mean3 ,may ,thy precepts be obeyed on earth as in ,heaven--that is1 as by ,angels1 so by men4 ,these three petitions1 then1 will receive their perfect fulfilment in the life to come2 but the remaining four1 as ,s4 ,augustine says1 refer to the necessities of the present life4#ahb #b4 ,but further1 to depart from evil must precede the pursuit of what is good4 ,hence it hardly seems appropriate to place those petitions which are concerned with the pursuit of what is good before those which refer to the departing from evil4 ,yet since prayer is the interpreter of our desires the order of these petitions does not correspond to the order of attainment but of desire or intention2 in this order1 however1 the end precedes the means to the end1 the pursuit of good comes before the departure from evil4 #c4 ,but once more1 we ask for something in order that it may be given us4 ,but the chief gift of ,god is the ,holy ,spirit and those things which are given us through ,him4 ,hence these petitions do not seem to be very appropriate since they do not correspond to the ,gifts of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,s4 ,augustine#ahc1 however1 adapts these seven petitions to the ,gifts of the ,holy ,spirit and to the ,beatitudes2 he says3 ,if we have the fear of ,god by which the poor in spirit are blessed1 we pray that ,god's ,name may be hallowed among men by chaste fear4 ,if we have piety1 by which the meek are blessed1 we pray that ,his kingdom may come1 that we may be meek1 and that we may not withstand ,it4 ,if we have knowledge1 by which they that mourn are blessed1 we pray that ,his will may be done1 and that so we may not mourn4 ,if we have fortitude1 by which they that hunger are blessed1 we pray that our daily bread may be given us4 ,if we have counsel1 by which they that are merciful are blessed1 let us forgive our debtors that we ourselves may be forgiven4 ,if we have understanding1 by which the clean of heart are blessed1 let us pray that we may not have a double heart that pursues after temporal things whence temptations come to us4 ,if we have wisdom1 whence the peace-makers are blessed--for they shall be called the sons of ,god--let us pray that we may be delivered from evil1 for that very deliverance will make us the free sons of ,god4 #d4 ,again1 according to ,s4 ,luke1#ahd there are only five petitions in the ,lord's ,prayer4 ,hence it would seem superfluous to have seven in ,s4 ,matthew4 ,but1 as ,s4 ,augustine says#ahe3 ,s4 ,luke only includes five petitions and not seven in the ,lord's ,prayer1 for he shows that the third petition is1 in a sense1 only a repetition of the two preceding ones2 by omitting it he makes us see that ,god's will is more especially concerned with our knowledge of ,his sanctity and with our reigning with ,him4 ,but ,luke has omitted ,matthew's last petition1 ,deliver us from evil1 in order to show us that we are delivered from evil just precisely as we are not led into temptation4 #e4 ,and lastly1 it seems idle to try to stir up the benevolence of one who is beforehand with his benevolence4 ,but ,god does forestall us with ,his benevolence1 for ,he hath first loved us4#ahf ,consequently it seems superfluous to preface our petitions with the words ,our ,father ,who art in ,heaven1 words which seem intended to stir up ,god's benevolence4 ,but we must remember that prayer is not directed to ,god in order to prevail upon ,him1 but in order to excite ourselves to confidence in our petitions4 ,and this confidence is especially excited in us by consideration of ,his love towards us whereby ,he wishes us well1 wherefore we say1 ,our ,father2 and of ,his pre-eminent power whereby ,he is able to assist us1 whence we say1 ,who art in ,heaven4 99 99 99 99 99 ,cajetan3 ,the first three petitions of the ,lord's ,prayer can also be referred to that which we principally desire1 so that all three regard mainly that love wherewith we love ,god in ,himself1 and secondarily that love wherewith we love ourselves in ,god4 ,and the proof of this is that in each of the first three we have the pronoun ,thine1 but in the last four the pronoun our4 ,thus the first petition asks for the effective and enduring praise of ,god's ,name2 the second1 that ,he--and not the devil1 nor the world1 nor the flesh1 nor sin--may reign effectively2 the third1 that ,his ,will may be effectively fulfilled4 ,for these things are not now absolutely so with ,god1 and this by reason of the multitude of sins1 and also because the mode of their present fulfilment is hidden4 ,and the word effectively is introduced into each clause by reason of the subjoined qualification on earth as it is in ,heaven1 for this qualifies each of the foregoing clauses4 ,hence rightly do our desires first of all aim at1 wish for1 and pray that--even as something good for ,god ,himself--,he may be sanctified in ,his ,name2 that ,he may be permanently uplifted above all things--on earth as in ,heaven2 that ,he--not sin--may reign--on earth as in ,heaven2 that ,his ,will--none other--may be done--on earth as in ,heaven 7on #b4 #b4 #hc4 #i74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,o ,eternal ,truth1 ,true ,love and lovable ,eternity6 ,thou art my ,god2 for ,thee do ,i sigh night and day6 ,and when ,i first knew ,thee ,thou didst snatch me up so that ,i saw that ,that really was ,which ,i saw1 and that ,i who saw was really not--as yet4 ,and ,thou didst beat back my weak gaze1 pouring out ,thy light upon me in its intensity2 and ,i trembled with love and with horror4 ,for ,i found myself to be far away from ,thee in a land that was unlike ,thee2 it was as though ,i heard ,thy ,voice from on high1 saying3 ,i am the ,food of grown men1 grow1 and thou shalt eat ,me1 but thou shalt not be changed into ,me 7,confessions1 ,,vii4 x4 #b74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,and the faithful are well aware of that ,spiritual ,food ,which you1 too1 will soon know and ,which you are to receive from ,god's altar4 ,it will be your food1 nay1 your daily food1 needful for this life4 ,for are we not about to receive the ,eucharist wherein we come to ,christ ,himself1 and begin to reign with ,him for ever8 ,the ,eucharist is our daily ,bread4 ,but let us so receive it as to be thereby refreshed1 not in body merely but in mind4 ,for the power which we know to be therein is the power of ,unity whereby we are brought into union with ,his ,body and become ,his members4 ,let us be ,what we receive2 for then ,it will be truly our daily bread4 ,again1 what ,i set before you is your daily bread2 and what you hear read day by day in the church is your daily bread2 and the hymns you hear and which you sing--they are your daily bread4 ,for these things we need for our pilgrimage4 ,but when we get ,there are we going to hear a book read8 ,nay1 we are going to hear the ,word ,himself2 we are going to see the ,word ,himself2 we are going to eat ,him1 to drink ,him1 even as the ,angels do already4 ,do the ,angels need books1 or disputations1 or readers8 ,nay1 not so4 ,but by seeing they read1 for they see the ,truth ,itself and are sated from that ,fount whence we receive but the sprinkling of the dew 7,sermon1 lvii41 on ,s4 ,matt4 vi4 #g74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,when ye say ,give us this day our daily bread1 ye profess yourselves ,god's beggars4 ,yet blush not at it6 ,the richest man on earth is ,god's beggar4 ,the beggar stands at the rich man's door4 ,but the rich man in his turn stands at the door of one richer than he4 ,he is begged from1 and he1 too1 has to beg4 ,if he were not in need he would not beseech ,god in prayer4 ,but what can the rich man need8 ,i dare to say it3 he needs even his daily bread6 ,for how is it that he abounds with all things1 save that ,god gave them to him8 ,and what will they have if ,god but withdraw ,his hand8 7,sermon1 lvi4 #i1 on ,s4 ,matt4 vi474 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,think not that you have no need to say ,forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us4444 ,he who looks with pleasure at what he should not--sins4 ,yet who can control the glance of the eye8 ,indeed1 some say that the eye is so called from its swiftness 7oculus a velocitate74 ,who can control his eyes or his ears8 ,you can close your eyes when you like1 but how quickly they open again6 ,you can shut your ears with an effort2 put up your hand1 and you can touch them4 ,but if someone holds your hands your ears remain open1 and you cannot then shut out cursing words1 impure words1 flattering and deceitful words4 ,when you hear something which you should not--do you not sin with your ears8 ,what when you hear some evil thing with pleasure8 ,and the death-dealing tongue6 ,how many sins it commits6 7,sermon1 lvi4 #h74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,indeed1 our whole righteousness--true righteousness though it be1 by reason of the ,true ,good to ,whom it is referred1 consists rather1 as long as we are in this life1 in the remission of our sins than in the perfection of our virtues4 ,and the proof of this is the ,prayer of the whole ,city of ,god which is in pilgrimage on this earth4 ,for by all ,its members ,it cries to ,god3 ,forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them the trespass against us6 ,and this ,prayer is of no avail for those whose faith is without works--dead2 but only for those whose faith worketh through charity4 ,for though our reason is indeed subject to ,god1 yet in this our mortal condition1 in this corruptible body which weigheth down the soul1 our reason does not perfectly control our vices1 and hence such prayer as this is needful for the righteous 7,of the ,city of ,god1 xix4 #bg74 ,father1 the hour is come2 glorify ,thy ,son1 that ,thy ,son may glorify ,thee4 ,as ,thou hast given ,him power over all flesh1 that ,he may give life everlasting to all whom ,thou hast given ,him4 ,and this is life everlasting1 that they may know ,thee1 the only true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ1 ,whom ,thou hast sent4#ahg ,rhythm in ,honour of the ,blessed ,sacrament1 said to have been composed by ,s4 ,thomas on his ,death-,bed4#ahh ,adoro ,te devote1 latens ,deitas1 ,quae sub his figuris vere latitas2 ,tibi se cor meum totum subjicit1 ,quia ,te contemplans totum deficit4 ,visus1 tactus gustus1 in ,te fallitur1 ,sed auditu solo tuto creditur2 ,credo quidquid dixit ,dei ,filius1 ,nil hoc verbo veritatis verius4 ,in cruce latebat sola ,deitas1 ,at hic latet simul et humanitas2 ,ambo tamen credens atque confitens1 ,peto quod petivit latro poenitens4 ,plagas1 sicut ,thomas1 non intueor1 ,deum tamen meum ,te confiteor2 ,fac me ,tibi semper magis credere1 ,in ,te spem habere1 ,te diligere4 ,o memoriale mortis ,domini1 ,panis vivus1 vitam praestans homini1 ,praesta meae menti de ,te vivero1 ,et ,te illi semper dulce sapere4 ,pie ,pellicane ,jesu ,domine1 ,me immundum munda ,tuo ,sanguine1 ,cujus una stilla salvum facere ,totum mundum quit ab omni scelere4 ,jesu ,quem velatum nunc aspicio1 ,oro fiat illud quod tam sitio1 ,ut ,te revelata cernens facie1 ,visu sim beatus ,tuae gloriae6 7,an ,indulgence of #ajj days for the recitation of this rhythm4 ,s4 ,congr4 of ,indulgences1 ,december #bj1 #ahhd47 ,x ,is ,prayer ,peculiar to ,rational ,creatures8 ,prayer is an act of the reason1 as we have shown above4 ,and rational creatures are so termed because of the possession of reason4 ,consequently prayer is peculiar to them4 ,as we have said above1 prayer is an act of the reason by which a person pleads with his superior1 just in the same way as a command is an act of the reason by which an inferior is directed to do something4 ,prayer1 then1 properly pertains to one who has the use of reason and who also has a superior with whom he can plead4 ,the ,persons of the ,trinity have no superior2 the brute animals have no reason4 ,hence prayer belongs neither to the ,divine ,persons nor to the brute creation1 but is peculiar to rational creatures4 ,some1 however1 argue that prayer cannot be peculiar to rational creatures1 thus3 #a4 ,to ask and to receive belong to the same person4 ,but the ,divine ,persons receive3 the ,son1 namely1 and the ,holy ,spirit4 ,consequently ,they can also pray2 indeed it is the ,son ,himself ,who says1 ,i will ask the ,father1#ahi and the ,apostle says of the ,holy ,spirit1 ,the ,spirit ,himself asketh for us4#aij ,but it belongs to the ,divine ,persons to receive by ,their nature1 whereas to pray belongs to one who receives through grace4 ,the ,son is said to ask or pray according to the nature ,he took upon ,himself--that is according to ,his ,human1 and not according to ,his ,divine1 ,nature2 the ,holy ,spirit1 too1 is said to petition because ,he makes us petition4 #b4 ,but further1 the ,angels are superior to the rational creation since they are intellectual substances2 but it belongs to the ,angels to pray1 for it is said in the ,psalm#aia3 ,adore ,him1 all ye ,his ,angels4 ,but the intellect and the reason are not different faculties in us1 though they do differ in the sense that one is more perfect than the other4 ,consequently the intellectual creation1 such as are the ,angels1 is sometimes distinguished from the rational creation1 but at other times both are embraced under the one term rational4 ,and it is in this latter sense of the term rational that prayer is said to be peculiar to the rational creation4 #c4 ,lastly1 he prays who calls upon ,god2 for it is chiefly by prayer that we call upon ,god4 ,but the brute animals also call upon ,god1 for the ,psalmist says3 ,who giveth to beasts their food1 and to the young ravens that call upon ,him4#aib ,but the young ravens are said to call upon ,god by reason of those natural desires by which all things1 each in their own fashion1 desire to obtain the ,divine goodness4 ,in the same way brute animals are said to obey ,god by reason of the natural instinct by which they are moved by ,god4 ,reward them that patiently wait for ,thee1 that ,thy ,prophets may be found faithful3 and hear the prayers of ,thy servants4 ,according to the blessing of ,aaron over ,thy people1 and direct us into the way of justice1 and let all know that dwell upon the earth1 that ,thou art ,god the beholder of all ages4#aic ,,xi ,do the ,saints in ,heaven ,pray for ,us8 ,this is he who prayeth much for the people and for all the holy city1 ,jeremias the ,prophet of ,god4#aid ,as ,s4 ,jerome says1#aie ,vigilantius's error lay in maintaining that while we live we can mutually pray for one another2 but after we are dead no one's prayer for another is heard1 and this is especially clear in the case of the ,martyrs who were unable to obtain by their prayers vengeance for their blood4 ,but this is altogether false2 for since prayer for others springs from charity1 the more perfect the charity of those who are in ,heaven the more they pray for those wayfarers on earth who can be helped by their prayers4 ,and the more knit they are to ,god the more efficacious are their prayers2 for the ,divine harmony demands that the superabundance of those who are in the higher position should redound upon those who are lower1 just as the brightness of the sun renders the atmosphere itself luminous4 ,whence ,christ ,himself is said to be ,approaching of ,himself to ,god to intercede for us4#aif ,whence1 too1 ,s4 ,jerome's reply to ,vigilantius3 ,if the ,apostles and ,martyrs1 when they were still in the body1 and had still to be solicitous on their own account1 prayed for others1 how much more when they have won the crown1 when they have gained the victory and the triumph8 ,yet some maintain that the ,blessed in ,heaven do not pray for us1 thus3 #a4 ,a man's acts are more meritorious for himself than for another4 ,but the ,saints who are in ,heaven neither merit for themselves nor pray for themselves1 for they have already attained the goal of their desires4 ,hence neither do they pray for us4 ,but the ,saints who are in our ,fatherland lack no ,blessedness--since they are ,blessed--save the glory of the body1 and for this they pray4 ,but they pray for us who still lack the ultimate perfection of ,blessedness2 and their prayers are efficacious by reason of their previous merits and of the ,divine acceptation of their prayers4 #b4 ,but once more3 the ,saints are perfectly conformed to the ,will of ,god1 and consequently will nothing but what ,he wills4 ,but what ,god wills is always fulfilled4 ,hence it is idle for the ,saints to pray for us4 ,but the ,saints obtain that which ,god wills should come about through the medium of their prayers2 and they ask for what they think is1 by ,god's ,will1 to be fulfilled through their prayers4 #c4 ,and yet again3 just as the ,saints in ,heaven are superior to us so also are they who are in ,purgatory--for they cannot sin4 ,those1 however1 who are in ,purgatory do not pray for us1 but rather we for them4 ,it follows1 then1 that neither can the ,saints in ,heaven pray for us4 ,but though those who are in ,purgatory are superior to us in that they cannot sin1 yet are they our inferiors as regards the penalties they suffer2 hence they are not in a state to pray for us1 but rather we for them4 #d4 ,once more3 if the ,saints in ,heaven could pray for us it would follow that the prayers of the holiest ,saints would be the most efficacious1 and that consequently we ought not to ask the inferior ,saints to pray for us1 but only the greatest ones4 ,but ,god desires inferior things to be helped by all that are superior1 and consequently we have to implore the aid of not only the chief ,saints but also of the lesser2 else it would follow that we ought to implore mercy from ,god alone4 ,and it may sometimes happen that the petition made to a lesser ,saint is more efficacious1 either because we ask him more devoutly1 or because ,god wishes thus to show forth his sanctity4 #e4 ,lastly1 ,peter's soul is not ,peter4 ,consequently if the souls of the ,saints could pray for us1 we ought--as long as their souls are separated from their bodies--to appeal1 not to ,peter to help us1 but to ,peter's soul2 whereas the ,church does the contrary4 ,from which it would seem that the ,saints1 at all events previous to the ,resurrection1 do not pray for us4 ,but since the ,saints merited when alive that they should pray for us1 we therefore call upon them by the names they bore when here below1 and by which they are best known to us2 and we do this1 too1 in order to show our faith in the ,resurrection1 in accordance with the words ,i am the ,god of ,abraham4#aig 99 99 99 99 99 ,cajetan3 ,the question arises3 how could ,jeremias1 who in the days of the ,maccabees was not yet in our ,fatherland but still in the ,limbo of the ,fathers1 pray for ,jerusalem8 ,but if we carefully consider what it is at root which makes the prayers of the ,saints in the ,fatherland avail for us1 we shall find that the same reason holds for the ,saints who were in ,limbo as for those who enjoy the ,beatific ,vision4 ,for it is their charity in their state of absolute superiority to us which is the reason for their praying for us4 ,hence1 in the reply to the third difficulty1 those who are in ,purgatory are excluded from the number of those who pray for us because they are not altogether our superiors1 but by reason of their sufferings are inferior to us1 and need our prayers4 ,but the ,fathers in ,limbo were1 it is clear1 confirmed in charity and were incapable of sin1 neither were they liable to any peculiar or fresh suffering4 ,for while the pain of loss was common to them and to the sojourners on earth1 the former were free from all pain of sense1 hence they could pray for us4 ,there is1 however1 this difference to be noted between them and the ,saints in the ,fatherland--viz41 that whereas the former had it in common with the latter to pray for those sojourning on earth1 it is given only to the ,saints in the ,fatherland to see the prayers of us sojourners addressed to them4 ,hence ,jeremias is here said to pray1 he is not said to have heard their prayers or supplications 7on #b4 #b4 #hc4 #aa74 ,,xii ,should ,prayer be ,vocal8 ,i cried to the ,lord with my voice1 with my voice ,i made supplication to the ,lord4#aih ,prayer is of two kinds3 public and private4 ,public or common prayer is that which is offered to ,god by the ,church's ministers in the person of the whole body of the faithful4 ,and it is necessary that such prayer should be known to the body of the faithful for whom it is offered2 this1 however1 could not be unless it were vocal2 consequently it is reasonably enacted that the ,church's ministers should pronounce such prayers in a loud voice so as to reach the ears of all4 ,private prayer1 on the contrary1 is that which is offered by private individuals1 whether for themselves or for others2 and its nature does not demand that it should be vocal4 ,at the same time1 we can use our voices in this kind of prayer1 and this for three reasons3 ,firstly1 in order to excite interior devotion whereby our minds may1 when we pray1 be lifted up to ,god2 for men's minds are moved by external signs--whether words or acts--to understand1 and1 by consequence1 also to feel4 ,wherefore ,s4 ,augustine says to ,proba#aii3 ,by words and other signs we vehemently stir ourselves up so as to increase our holy desires4 ,hence in private prayer we must make such use of words and other signs as shall avail to rouse our minds interiorly4 ,but if1 on the other hand1 such things only serve to distract the mind1 or prove in any way a hindrance1 then we must cease from them2 this is especially the case with those whose minds are sufficiently prepared for devotion without such incentives4 ,thus the ,psalmist says3 ,my heart hath said to ,thee1 ,my face hath sought ,thee#bjj2 and of ,anna we are told that she spoke within her heart4#bja ,and secondly1 we make use of vocal prayer in payment1 as it were1 of a just debt--in order1 that is1 to serve ,god with the entirety of what we have received from ,him2 consequently not with our mind alone but with our body as well2 and this1 as the ,prophet ,osee says1 is especially suitable to prayer considered as a satisfaction for our sins3 ,take away all iniquity and receive the good1 and we will render the calves of our lips4#bjb ,and thirdly1 we sometimes make use of vocal prayer because the soul overflows1 as it were1 on to the body by reason of the vehemence of our feelings1 as it is written3 ,my heart hath been glad1 and my tongue hath rejoiced4#bjc ,but it seems to some that prayer should not be vocal1 thus3 #a4 ,prayer is1 as we have said1 principally directed to ,god1 and ,god knows the heart's speech4 ,consequently to add vocal prayer is idle4 ,but vocal prayer is not employed in order to manifest to ,god something which ,he did not know1 but to stir up the mind of him who prays1 and of others1 too1 towards ,god4 #b4 ,again1 man's mind is meant to rise by prayer towards ,god2 but words1 and other things pertaining to the senses1 keep back a man from the ascent of contemplation4 ,words appertaining to other things than ,god do indeed distract the mind and hinder the devotion of him who prays2 but devotional words stir up the mind1 especially if it be less devout4 #c4 ,lastly1 prayer ought to be offered to ,god in secret1 according to the words3 ,but thou when thou shalt pray1 enter into thy chamber1 and having shut the door1 pray to thy ,father in secret2#bjd whereas to pray vocally means to publish it abroad4 ,but1 as ,s4 ,chrysostom says#bje3 ,the ,lord forbade us to pray in public with a view to being seen by the public4 ,consequently1 when we pray we should do nothing novel to attract men's attention1 whether by uttering cries which may be heard by them1 or by openly beating our breasts1 or by spreading out our hands1 for the crowd to see us4 ,while1 on the other hand1 as ,s4 ,augustine remarks#bjf3 ,to be seen by men is not wrong1 but to do things to be seen by men4 99 99 99 99 99 ,cajetan3 ,note carefully1 ye who murmur at the ,church's services1 these three points3 the different kinds of vocal prayer1 its necessity1 and the conditions attaching to it4 ,for vocal prayer is divided into that which is in common and that which is private or individual4 ,the general necessity of vocal prayer arises from the fact that it is offered in the person of the ,church4 ,for since the ,church is composed of created beings dependent on the senses1 prayer made through the medium of the senses--i4e41 vocal prayer--must needs be offered by its ministers2 else we should not know whether the worship of prayer was being offered by ,god's ministers1 nor should we be conscious of the gift to ,god which was being offered by them in prayer2 for the ,church only judges from the things that appear externally4 ,our individual need of vocal prayer arises from the necessity of stirring up our own devotion1 and preserving it4 ,the conditions of prayer in common are twofold3 it must be vocal1 and it must be out loud4 ,hence those who say private ,masses in such a low tone--and that consciously--as to be unintelligible to their hearers1 appear to act unreasonably and are inexcusable1 unless it should happen by accident that no one is present2 in this case it is sufficient if they can be heard by the server who is close at hand4 ,this will also show us what use we are to make of chant1 or of recitation without chant1 in prayer in common3 it must be governed by our common devotion4 ,and in whatever fashion such prayer may be made this rule must always be observed3 it must be said so intelligibly that the meaning of the words may be distinctly perceived both by the reciters and by others1 that so the ,church's devotion may be aroused4 ,and reason tells us what conditions attach to our private prayer3 viz41 our own private devotion4 ,this shews1 too1 the error of those who1 in order to complete the tale of a large number of private vocal prayers each day1 lay aside meditation and mental prayer4 ,they neglect the end for the means 7on #b4 #b4 #hc4 #ab74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,oh6 ,how ,i lifted up my voice to ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 when ,i sang the ,psalms of ,david1 those songs full of faith1 those strains full of piety which soothed my swelling spirit6 ,and ,i was then but uninstructed in ,thy true love2 a catechumen spending my leisure with ,alypius1 another catechumen4 ,and my mother stayed with us3 clad indeed in woman's garb1 but with a man's faith1 with a matron's calm1 with a mother's love1 with a ,christian's piety4 ,oh6 ,how ,i lifted up my voice in those ,psalms6 ,how they inflamed my heart6 ,how ,i yearned to recite them1 if ,i could1 to the whole world--as an answer to the pride of the human race6 ,though1 indeed1 they are sung throughout the world1 and none can hide himself from ,thy heat6 7,confess41 ,,ix4 iv4 #h74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,sometimes1 indeed1 through immoderate fear of this mistake ,i err by excessive severity2 nay1 sometimes1 though it is but rarely1 ,i could almost wish to shut out from my ears and even from the ,church itself all those sweet-sounding melodies used in the accompaniment of ,david's ,psalms4 ,sometimes it seems to me as though it would be safer to do as ,i have often heard that ,athanasius1 the ,bishop of ,alexandria1 did1 for he made the reader of the ,psalms so modulate his voice that he came to be rather speaking than singing4 ,yet1 on the other hand1 when ,i remember the tears which ,i shed when ,i heard the ,church's chant in the early days of my regaining the faith1 and when ,i notice that even now ,i am stirred--not so much by the chant as by the things that are chanted--when1 that is1 they are chanted with clear intonation and suitable modulation1 then once more ,i recognize the great value of this appointed fashion 7,confess41 ,x4 xxxiii4 #ej74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,i have cried with my whole heart1 hear me1 ,o ,lord6#bjg ,who can question but that when men pray their cry to the ,lord is vain if it be nought but the sound of the corporeal voice and their heart be not intent upon ,god8 ,but if their prayer come from the heart1 then1 even though the voice of the body be silent1 it may be hidden from all men1 yet not from ,god4 ,whether1 then1 we pray to ,god with our voice--at times when such prayer is necessary--or whether we pray in silence1 it is our heart that must send forth the cry4 ,but the heart's cry is the earnest application of our minds4 ,and when this accompanies our prayer it expresses the deep affections of him who yearns and asks and so despairs not of his request4 ,and further1 a man cries with his whole heart when he has no other thought4 ,such prayers with many are rare2 with few are they frequent2 ,i know not whether anyone's prayers are always so 7,enarr4 in ,ps4 cxviii41 ,sermon1 xxix4 #a74 ,incline ,thy ear1 ,o ,lord1 and hear me2 for ,i am needy and poor4 ,preserve my soul1 for ,i am holy3 save ,thy servant1 ,o my ,god1 that trusteth in ,thee4 ,have mercy on me1 ,o ,lord1 for ,i have cried to ,thee all the day4 ,give joy to the soul of ,thy servant1 for to ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 ,i have lifted up my soul4 ,for ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 art sweet and mild2 and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon ,thee4#bjh ,,xiii ,must ,prayer necessarily be ,attentive8 ,that even holy men sometimes suffer distraction of mind when at prayer is clear from the words3 ,my heart hath forsaken me6#bji ,this question particularly concerns vocal prayer4 ,and for its solution we must know that a thing is said to be necessary in two senses3 firstly1 in the sense that by it a certain end is more readily attained1 and in this sense attention is absolutely requisite in prayer4 ,but a thing is said to be necessary also because without it a certain thing cannot attain its object at all4 ,now the effect or object of prayer is threefold4 ,its first effect--an effect1 indeed1 which is common to all acts springing from charity--is merit2 but to secure this effect it is not necessarily required that attention should be kept up throughout the prayer1 but the initial intention with which a man comes to prayer renders the whole prayer meritorious1 as1 indeed1 is the case in all other meritorious acts4 ,the second effect of prayer is peculiar to it1 and that is to obtain favours2 and for this1 too1 the primary intention suffices1 and to it ,god principally looks4 ,but if the primary intention is wanting1 prayer is not meritorious1 neither can it win favours2 for1 as ,s4 ,gregory says1 ,god hears not the prayer of a man who when he prays does not give heed to ,god4#baj ,the third effect of prayer is that which it immediately and actually brings about1 namely1 the spiritual refreshment of the soul2 and to attain this end attention is necessarily required in prayer4 ,whence it is said1 ,if ,i pray in a tongue my understanding is without fruit4#baa ,at the same time1 we must remember that there is a threefold species of attention which may find place in our vocal prayer3 one by which a man attends to the words he recites1 and is careful to make no mistake in them2 another by which he attends to the meaning of the words2 and a third by which he attends to the end of all prayer--namely1 ,god ,himself--and to the object for which he is praying4 ,and this species of attention is the most necessary of all1 and one which even uninstructed folk can have2 sometimes1 indeed1 the intensity with which the mind is borne towards ,god is1 as says ,hugh of ,s4 ,victor1 so overwhelming that the mind is oblivious of all else4#bab ,some1 however1 argue that prayer must of necessity be attentive1 thus3 #a4 ,it is said in ,s4 ,john's ,gospel#bac3 ,god is a spirit1 and they that adore ,him must adore ,him in spirit and truth4 ,but inattentive prayer is not in spirit4 ,but he prays in spirit and in truth who comes to pray moved by the impulse of the ,spirit1 even though1 owing to human infirmity1 his mind afterwards wanders4 #b4 ,but again1 prayer is the ascent of the mind towards ,god4 ,but when prayer is inattentive the mind does not ascend towards ,god4 ,but the human mind cannot1 owing to ,nature's weakness1 long remain on high1 for the soul is dragged down to lower things by the weight of human infirmity2 and hence it happens that when the mind of one who prays ascends towards ,god in contemplation it suddenly wanders away from ,him owing to his infirmity4 #c4 ,lastly1 prayer must needs be without sin4 ,but not without sin does a man suffer distraction of mind when he prays1 for he seems to mock ,god1 just as if one were to speak with his fellow-man and not attend to what he said4 ,consequently ,s4 ,basil says#bad3 ,the ,divine assistance is to be implored1 not remissly1 nor with a mind that wanders here and there2 for such a one not only will not obtain what he asks1 but will rather be mocking ,god4 ,of course1 if a man purposely allowed his mind to wander in prayer1 he would commit a sin and hinder the fruit of his prayer4 ,against such ,s4 ,augustine says in his ,rule#bae3 ,when you pray to ,god in ,psalms and hymns1 entertain your heart with what your lips are reciting4 ,but that distraction of mind which is unintentional does not destroy the fruit of prayer4 ,hence ,s4 ,basil also says3 ,but if through the weakness of sinful nature you cannot pray with attention1 restrain your imagination as far as you can1 and ,god will pardon you1 inasmuch as it is not from negligence but from weakness that you are unable to occupy yourself with ,him as you should4 99 99 99 99 99 ,cajetan3 ,does a man satisfy the precept of the ,church if1 being bound to the recitation of the ,divine ,office1 he sets out with the intention of meditating upon the ,divine ,goodness or upon the ,passion of ,christ1 and thus keeping his mind firmly fixed upon ,god8 ,clearly a man who strives to keep his mind occupied during the whole of the ,divine ,office with contemplation of and devout affections towards ,god and ,divine things fully satisfies his obligation4 ,so1 too1 a man who aims at meditation on the ,passion of ,christ and devout affections on it during the whole ,office1 undoubtedly satisfies his obligation1 for he is making use of a better means for keeping in touch with the ,divinity than if he merely dwelt upon the meaning of the words4 ,at the same time1 he must be ready to lay this aside if in the course of the ,office he finds himself uplifted to ,divine things1 for at this he must primarily aim4 ,one who so prays1 then1 must make the ,passion of ,christ a means and not an end2 he must1 that is1 be prepared to ascend thereby1 if ,god grants it1 to ,divine things4 ,in short1 we may make use of any one of the species of attention enumerated above provided we do not exclude the higher forms4 ,thus1 for example1 if a man feels that it is more suited to his small capacity to aim simply at making no mistakes1 and habitually makes use of this form of attention1 he must still use it as a means only2 he must1 that is1 be at ,god's disposition1 for ,god may have mercy upon him and grant him1 by reason of his dispositions1 some better form of attention4 ,again1 when a person prays for things needful for his support in life he must not be so occupied with the thought of these things as to appear to subordinate ,divine things to human1 as though prayer was but a means and his daily living the end4 ,we must bear in mind the doctrine laid down above#baf--viz41 that all our prayers should tend to the attainment of grace and glory4 ,we must occupy ourselves with the thought of eternal glory1 or of the glory of the adoption of sons during this life1 or with the virtues as means to arriving at our eternal home1 and as the adornment of the inhabitants of heaven1 and the commencement here of heavenly conversation2 such things as these must be counted as the highest forms of attention 7on #b4 #b4 #hc4 #ac74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,give joy to the soul of ,thy servant1 for to ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 ,i have lifted up my soul4 ,for ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 art sweet and mild4#bag ,it seems to me that he calls ,god mild because ,he endures all our vagaries1 and only awaits our prayers that ,he may perfect us4 ,and when we offer ,him our prayers ,he accepts them gratefully and hears them4 ,neither does ,he reflect on the careless way in which we pour them out1 ,he even accepts prayers of which we are hardly conscious6 ,for1 ,brethren1 what man is there who would put up with it if a friend of his began a conversation with him1 and yet1 just when he was ready to reply to what his friend said1 should discover that he was paying no attention to him but was saying something to someone else8 ,or supposing you were to appeal to a judge and were to appoint a place for him to hear your appeal1 and then suddenly1 while you were talking with him1 were to put him aside and begin to gossip with a friend6 ,how long would he put up with you8 ,and yet ,god puts up with the hearts of so many who pray to ,him and who yet are thinking of other things1 even evil things1 even wicked things1 things hateful to ,god2 for even to think of unnecessary things is an insult to ,him with ,whom you have begun to talk4 ,for your prayer is a conversation with ,god4 ,when you read1 ,god speaks to you2 when you pray1 you speak to ,god4444 ,and you may picture ,god saying to you3 ,you forget how often you have stood before ,me and have thought of such idle and superfluous things and have so rarely poured out to ,me an attentive and definite prayer6 ,but ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 art sweet and mild6 ,thou art sweet1 bearing with me6 ,it is from weakness that ,i slip away6 ,heal me and ,i shall stand2 strengthen me and ,i shall be firm6 ,but until ,thou dost so1 bear with me1 for ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 art sweet and mild 7,enarr4 in ,ps4 lxxxv4 #g74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,praise the ,lord1 ,o my soul6#bah ,what mean these words1 ,brethren8 ,do we not praise the ,lord8 ,do we not sing hymns day by day8 ,do not our mouths1 each according to their measure1 sound forth day by day the praises of ,god8 ,and what is it we praise8 ,it is a great ,thing that we praise1 but that wherewith we praise is weak as yet4 ,when does the singer fill up the praises of ,him ,whom he sings8 ,a man stands and sings before ,god1 often for a long space2 but oftentimes1 whilst his lips move to frame the words of his song1 his thoughts fly away to ,i know not what desires6 ,and so1 too1 our mind has sometimes been fixed on praising ,god in a definite manner1 but our soul has flitted away1 led hither and thither by divers desires and anxious cares4 ,and then our mind1 as though from up above1 has looked down upon the soul as it flitted to and fro1 and has seemed to turn to it and address its uneasy wanderings--saying to it3 ,praise the ,lord1 ,o my soul6 ,why art thou anxious about other things than ,him8 ,why busy thyself with the mortal things of earth8 ,and then our soul1 as though weighed down and unable to stand firm as it should1 replies to our mind3 ,i will praise the ,lord in my life6 ,why does it say in my life8 ,why8 ,because now ,i am in my death6 ,rouse yourself1 then1 and say3 ,praise the ,lord1 ,o my soul6 ,and your soul will reply to you3 ,i praise ,him as much as ,i can1 though it is but weakly1 in small measure1 and with little strength4 ,but why so8 ,because while we are in the body we are absent from the ,lord4#bai ,and why do you thus praise the ,lord so imperfectly and with so little fixity of attention8 ,ask ,holy ,scripture3 ,the corruptible body weigheth down the soul1 and the earthly habitation presseth down the mind that museth upon many things4#bbj ,o take away1 then1 my body which weigheth down the soul1 and then will ,i praise the ,lord6 ,take away my earthly habitation which presseth down the mind that museth upon many things1 so that1 instead of many things ,i may be occupied with ,one ,thing alone1 and may praise the ,lord6 ,but as long as ,i am as ,i am1 ,i cannot1 for ,i am weighed down6 ,what then8 ,wilt thou be silent8 ,wilt thou never perfectly praise the ,lord8 ,i will praise the ,lord in my life6 7,enarr in ,ps4 cxlv4 #a74 ,my spirit is in anguish within me2 my heart within me is troubled4 ,i remembered the days of old1 ,i meditated on all ,thy works2 ,i meditated upon the works of ,thy hands4 ,i stretched forth my hands to ,thee2 my soul is as earth without water unto ,thee4 ,hear me speedily1 ,o ,lord3 my spirit hath fainted away4#bba ,s4 ,thomas3 ,the fruits of prayer are twofold4 ,for first there is the merit which thereby accrues to a man2 and1 secondly1 there is the spiritual consolation and devotion which is begotten of prayer4 ,and he who does not attend to1 or does not understand his prayer1 loses that fruit which is spiritual consolation2 but we cannot say that he loses that fruit which is merit1 for then we should have to say that very many prayers were without merit since a man can hardly say the ,lord's ,prayer without some distraction of mind4 ,hence we must rather say that when a person is praying and is sometimes distracted from what he is saying1 or--more generally--when a person is occupied with some meritorious work and does not continuously and at every moment reflect that he is doing it for ,god1 his work does not cease to be meritorious4 ,and the reason is that in meritorious acts directed to a right end it is not requisite that our intention should be referred to that end at every moment1 but the influence of the intention with which we begun persists throughout even though we now and again be distracted in some particular point2 and the influence of this initial intention renders the whole body of what we do meritorious unless it be broken off by reason of some contrary affection intruding itself and diverting us from the end we had first in view to some other end contrary to it4 ,and it must be remembered that there are three kinds of attention4 ,the first is attention to the words we are actually saying2 and sometimes this is harmful1 for it may hinder devotion4 ,the second is attention to the meaning of the words1 and this1 too1 may be harmful1 though not gravely so4 ,the third is attention to the goal of our prayer1 and this better and almost necessary 7,commentary on #a ,cor4 xiv4 #ad74 ,,xiv ,should our ,prayers be ,long8 ,it would seem that we ought to pray continuously1 for our ,lord said3 ,we ought always to pray and not to faint#bbb2 so also ,s4 ,paul3 ,pray without ceasing4#bbc ,but we must notice that when we speak of prayer we can mean either prayer considered in itself or the cause of prayer4 ,now the cause of prayer is the desire of the love of ,god2 and all prayer ought to spring from this desire which is1 indeed1 continuous in us1 whether actually or virtually1 since this desire virtually remains in everything which we do from charity4 ,but we ought to do all things for the glory of ,god3 whether you eat or whether you drink1 or whatsoever else you do1 do all to the glory of ,god4#bbd ,in this sense1 then1 prayer ought to be continual4 ,hence ,s4 ,augustine says to ,proba3 ,therefore by our faith1 by our hope1 and by our charity1 we are always praying1 for our desire is continued4 ,but prayer considered in itself cannot be so continuous2 for we must needs be occupied with other things4 ,hence ,s4 ,augustine says in the same place3 ,at certain intervals1 at divers hours and times1 we pray to ,god in words so that by these outward signs of things we may admonish ourselves1 and may learn what progress we have made in this same desire1 and may stir ourselves up to increase it4 ,but the quantity of a thing has to be determined by its purpose1 just as a draught has to be proportioned to the health of the man who takes it4 ,consequently it is fitting that prayer should only last so long as it avails to stir up in us this fervour of interior desire4 ,and when it exceeds this measure1 and its prolongation only results in weariness1 it must not be prolonged further4 ,hence ,s4 ,augustine also says to ,proba3 ,the ,brethren in ,egypt are said to have had frequent prayers2 but they were exceedingly brief1 hardly more than eager ejaculations2 and they adopted this method lest1 if they prolonged their prayer1 that vigilant attention which is requisite for prayer should lose its keen edge and become dulled4 ,and thus they clearly show that this same attention1 just as it is not to be forced if it fails to last1 so neither is it to be quickly broken off if it does last4 ,and just as we have to pay attention to this in our private prayers1 and have to be guided by our powers of attention1 so must we observe the same principles in public prayer where we have to be governed by the people's devotion4 ,some1 however1 argue that our prayers ought not to be continual1 thus3 #a4 ,our ,lord said#bbe3 ,and when you are praying speak not much4 ,but it is not easy to see how a man can pray long without speaking much2 more especially if it is a question of vocal prayer4 ,but ,s4 ,augustine says to ,proba3 ,to prolong our prayer does not involve 'much-speaking4' ',much-speaking' is one thing2 the unceasing desire of the heart is another4 ,indeed we are told of the ,lord ,himself that ,he passed the whole night in the prayer of ,god#bbf2 and1 again1 that being in an agony ,he prayed the longer1#bbg and this that ,he might afford us an example4 ,and ,augustine adds a little later3 ,much speaking in prayer is to be avoided1 but not much petition1 if fervent attention lasts4 ,for 'much-speaking' in prayer means the use of superfluous words when we pray for something necessary2 but much petition means that with unceasing and devout stirrings of the heart we knock at ,his door to ,whom we pray2 and this is often a matter rather of groans than of words1 of weeping than of speaking4 #b4 ,further1 prayer is but the unfolding of our desires4 ,but our desires are holy in proportion as they are confined to one thing1 in accordance with those words of the ,psalmist#bbh3 ,one thing ,i have asked of the ,lord1 this will ,i seek after4 ,whence it would seem to follow that our prayers are acceptable to ,god just in proportion to their brevity4 ,but to prolong our prayer does not mean that we ask for many things1 but that our hearts are continuously set upon one object for which we yearn4 #c4 ,once more1 it is unlawful for a man to transgress the limits which ,god ,himself has fixed1 especially in matters which touch the ,divine worship1 according to the words3 ,charge the people lest they should have a mind to pass the limits to see the ,lord1 and a very great multitude of them should perish4#bbi ,but ,god ,himself has assigned limits to our prayer by instituting the ,lord's ,prayer1 as is evident from the words3 ,thus shalt thou pray4#bcj ,hence we ought not to extend our prayer beyond these limits4 ,but our ,lord did not institute this prayer with a view to tying us down exclusively to these words when we pray1 but to show us that the scope of our prayer should be limited to asking only for the things contained in it1 whatever form of words we may use or whatever may be our thoughts4 #d4 ,and lastly1 with regard to the words of our ,lord that we ought always to pray and not to faint1#bca and those of ,s4 ,paul1 ,pray without ceasing1#bcb we must remark that a man prays without ceasing1 either because of the unceasing nature of his desire1 as we have above explained2 or because he does not fail to pray at the appointed times2 or because of the effect which his prayer has1 whether upon himself--since even when he has finished praying he still remains devout--or upon others1 as1 for instance1 when a man by some kind action induces another to pray for him whereas he himself desists from his prayer4 ,our soul waiteth for the ,lord2 for ,he is our helper and protector4 ,for in ,him our hearts shall rejoice2 and in ,his ,holy ,name we have trusted4 ,let ,thy mercy1 ,o ,lord1 be upon us1 as we have hoped in ,thee4#bcc ,,xv ,is ,prayer ,meritorious8 ,on the words of the ,psalmist1 ,my prayer shall be turned into my bosom1#bcd the interlinear ,gloss has3 ,and if it is of no profit to them 7for whom it is offered71 at least ,i myself shall not lose my reward4 ,a reward1 however1 can only be due to merit4 ,prayer1 then1 is meritorious4 99 99 99 99 99 ,as we have said above1 prayer has1 besides the effect of spiritual consolation which it brings with it1 a twofold power regarding the future3 the power1 namely1 of meriting1 and that of winning favours4 ,but prayer1 as indeed every other virtuous act1 derives its power of meriting from that root which is charity1 and the true and proper object of charity is that ,eternal ,good1 the enjoyment of ,which we merit4 ,now prayer proceeds from charity by means of the virtue of religion whose proper act is prayer2 there accompany it1 however1 certain other virtues which are requisite for a good prayer--namely1 faith and humility4 ,for it belongs to the virtue of religion to offer our prayers to ,god2 while to charity belongs the desire of that the attainment of which we seek in prayer4 ,and faith is necessary as regards ,god to ,whom we pray2 for we must1 of course1 believe that from ,him we can obtain what we ask4 ,humility1 too1 is called for on the part of the petitioner1 for he must acknowledge his own needs4 ,and devotion also is necessary2 though this comes under religion of which it is the first act1 it conditions all subsequent effects4 ,and its power of obtaining favours prayer owes to the grace of ,god to ,whom we pray1 and ,who1 indeed1 induces us to pray4 ,hence ,s4 ,augustine says#bce3 ,he would not urge us to ask unless ,he were ready to give2 and ,s4 ,chrysostom says3 ,he never refuses ,his mercies to them who pray1 since it is ,he ,who in ,his loving-kindness stirs them up so that they weary not in prayer4 99 99 99 99 99 ,but some say that prayer cannot be meritorious1 thus3 #a4 ,merit proceeds from grace1 but prayer precedes grace1 since it is precisely by prayer that we win grace3 ,your ,father from ,heaven will give the ,good ,spirit to them that ask ,him4#bcf ,but prayer1 like any other virtuous act1 cannot be meritorious without that grace which makes us pleasing to ,god4 ,yet even that prayer which wins for us the grace which renders us pleasing to ,god must proceed from some grace--that is1 from some gratuitous gift2 for1 as ,s4 ,augustine says1 to pray at all is a gift of ,god4#bcg #b4 ,again1 prayer cannot be meritorious1 for if it were so it would seem natural that prayer should especially merit that for which we actually pray4 ,yet this is not always the case1 for even the prayers of the ,saints are often not heard2 ,s4 ,paul1 for example1 was not heard when he prayed that the sting of the flesh might be taken away from him4#bch ,but we must notice that the merit of our prayers sometimes lies in something quite different from what we beg for4 ,for whereas merit is to be especially referred to the possession of ,god1 our petitions in our prayers at times refer directly to other things1 as we have pointed out above4 ,consequently1 if what a man asks for will not tend to his ultimate attainment of ,god1 he does not merit it by his prayer2 sometimes1 indeed1 by asking and desiring such a thing he may lose all merit1 as1 for example1 if a man were to ask of ,god something which was sinful and which he could not reverently ask for4 ,sometimes1 however1 what he asks for is not necessary for his salvation1 nor yet is it clearly opposed to his salvation2 and when a man so prays he may by his prayer merit eternal life1 but he does not merit to obtain what he actually asks for4 ,hence ,s4 ,augustine says#bci3 ,he who asks of ,god in faith things needful for this life is sometimes mercifully heard and sometimes mercifully not heard4 ,for the physician knows better than the patient what will avail for the sick man4 ,it was for this reason that ,paul was not heard when he asked that the sting of the flesh might be taken away--it was not expedient4 ,but if what a man asks for will help him to the attainment of ,god1 as being something conducive to his salvation1 he will merit it1 and that not only by praying for it but also by doing other good works2 hence1 too1 he undoubtedly will obtain what he asks for1 but when it is fitting that he should obtain it3 for some things are not refused to us but are deferred1 to be given at a fitting time1 as ,s4 ,augustine says4#bdj ,yet even here hindrance may arise if a man does not persevere in asking2 hence ,s4 ,basil says#bda3 ,when then you ask and do not receive1 this is either because you asked for what you ought not1 or because you asked without lively faith1 or carelessly1 or for what would not profit you1 or because you ceased to ask4 ,and since a man cannot1 absolutely speaking1 merit eternal life for another1 nor1 in consequence1 those things which belong to eternal life1 it follows that a man is not always heard when he prays for another4 ,for a man1 then1 always to obtain what he asks1 four conditions must concur3 he must ask for himself1 for things necessary for salvation2 he must ask piously and perseveringly4 #c4 ,lastly1 prayer essentially reposes upon faith1 as ,s4 ,james says3 ,but let him ask in faith1 nothing wavering4#bdb ,but faith is not sufficient for merit1 as is evident in the case of those who have faith without charity4 ,therefore prayer is not meritorious4 ,but while it is true that prayer rests principally upon faith1 this is not for its power of meriting--for as regards this it rests principally on charity--but for its power of winning favours2 for through faith man knows of the ,divine ,omnipotence and ,mercy whence prayer obtains what it asks4 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,men1 then1 love different things1 and when each one seemeth to have what he loves1 he is called happy4 ,but a man is truly happy1 not if he has what he loves1 but if he loves what ought to be loved4 ,for many become more wretched through having what they love than they were when they lacked it4 ,miserable enough through loving harmful things1 more miserable through having them4 ,and our ,merciful ,god1 when we love amiss1 denies us what we love2 but sometimes in ,his anger ,he grants a man what he loves amiss6444 ,but when we love what ,god wishes us to love1 then1 doubtless1 ,he will give it us4 ,this is ,that ,one ,thing ,which ought to be loved3 that we may dwell in the ,house of the ,lord all the days of our life6 7,enarr4 in ,ps4 xxvi474 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,in those tribulations1 then1 which can both profit us and harm us1 we know not what we should pray for as we ought4 ,yet none the less since they are hard1 since they are vexatious1 since1 too1 they are opposed to our sense of our own weakness1 mankind with one consent prays that they may be removed from us4 ,but we owe this much devotion to the ,lord our ,god that1 if ,he refuses to remove them1 we should not therefore fancy that we are neglected by ,him1 but1 while bearing these woes with devout patience1 we should hope for some greater good1 for thus is power perfected in infirmity4 ,yet to some in their impatience the ,lord ,god grants in anger what they ask1 just as in ,his mercy ,he refused it to the ,apostle 7,ep4 cxxx4 ad ,probam74 ,hear my prayer1 ,o ,lord1 and my supplication2 give ear to my tears4 ,be not silent3 for ,i am a stranger with ,thee1 and a sojourner as all my fathers were4 ,o forgive me1 that ,i may be refreshed2 before ,i go hence1 and be no more4#bdc ,,xvi ,do ,sinners gain ,anything ,from ,god by their ,prayers8 ,s4 ,augustine says#bdd3 ,if ,god did not hear sinners1 in vain would the publican have said1 ,god be merciful to me a sinner2 and ,s4 ,chrysostom says#bde3 ,every one that asketh receiveth--that is1 whether he be just man or sinner4 ,hence the prayers of sinners do win something from ,god4 ,in a sinner we have to consider two things3 his nature1 which ,god loves2 his fault1 which ,god hates4 ,if1 then1 a sinner asks something of ,god formally as a sinner--that is1 according to his sinful desires--,god1 out of ,his mercy1 does not hear him1 though sometimes ,he does hear him in ,his vengeance1 as when ,he permits a sinner to fall still farther into sin4 ,for ,god in mercy refuses some things which in anger ,he concedes1 as ,s4 ,augustine says4#bdf ,but that prayer of a sinner which proceeds from the good desire of his nature ,god hears1 not1 indeed1 as bound in justice to do so1 for that the sinner cannot merit1 but out of ,his pure mercy1 and on condition1 too1 that the four above-mentioned conditions are observed--namely1 that he prays for himself1 for things needful for his salvation1 that he prays devoutly and perseveringly4 ,some1 however1 maintain that sinners do not by their prayers win anything from ,god1 thus3 #a4 ,it is said in the ,gospel1#bdg ,now we know that ,god doth not hear sinners2 and this accords with those words of ,proverbs#bdh2 ,he that turneth away his ears from hearing the law1 his prayer shall be an abomination4 ,but a prayer which is an abomination cannot win anything from ,god4 ,but1 as ,s4 ,augustine remarks1#bdi the words first quoted are due to the blind man as yet unanointed--viz41 not yet perfectly illumined--and hence they are not valid2 though they might be true if understood of a sinner precisely as such1 and in this sense1 too1 his prayer is said to be an abomination4 #b4 ,again1 just men obtain from ,god what they merit1 as we have said above4 ,sinners1 however1 can merit nothing1 since they are without grace1 and even without charity which1 according to the ,gloss#bej on the words1 ,having an appearance of piety1 but denying the power thereof1 is the power of piety4 ,and hence they cannot pray piously1 which1 as we have said above1 is requisite if prayer is to gain what it asks for4 ,but though a sinner cannot pray piously in the sense that his prayer springs from the habit of virtue1 yet his prayer can be pious in the sense that he asks for something conducive to piety1 just as a man who has not got the habit of justice can yet wish for some just thing1 as we have pointed out above4 ,and though such a man's prayer is not meritorious1 it may yet have the power of winning favours2 for while merit reposes upon justice1 the power of winning favours reposes upon grace4 #c4 ,lastly1 ,s4 ,chrysostom says#bea3 ,the ,father does not readily hear prayers not dictated by the ,son4 ,but in the prayer which ,christ dictated it is said3 ,forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors1 which sinners do not4 ,hence sinners either lie when they say this prayer1 and so do not deserve to be heard1 or1 if they do not say it1 then they are not heard because they do not make use of the form of prayer instituted by ,christ4 ,but1 as we have explained above1 the ,lord's ,prayer is spoken in the name of the whole ,church4 ,consequently1 if a man--while unwilling to forgive his neighbour his debts--yet says this prayer1 he does not lie2 for while what he says is not true as regards himself1 it yet remains true as regards the ,person of the ,church outside of which he deservedly is1 and he loses1 in consequence1 the fruit of his prayer4 ,sometimes1 however1 sinners are ready to forgive their debtors1 and consequently their prayers are heard1 in accordance with those words of ,ecclesiasticus#beb3 ,forgive thy neighbour if he hath hurt thee1 and then shall thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest4 ,with the ,lord shall the steps of a man be directed1 and he shall like well his way4 ,when he shall fall1 he shall not be bruised1 for the ,lord putteth ,his hand under him4 ,i have been young1 and now am old2 and ,i have not seen the just forsaken1 nor his seed seeking bread4#bec ,,xvii ,can ,we rightly term ,supplications1 ,prayers1 ,intercessions1 and ,thanksgivings1 parts of ,prayer8 ,the ,apostle says to ,timothy#bed3 ,i desire therefore first of all that supplications1 prayers1 intercessions1 and thanksgivings be made by all men4 ,for prayer three things are required3 first of all1 that he who prays come nigh to ,god2 and this is signified by the name prayer1 for prayer is the uplifting of the mind towards ,god4 ,secondly1 petition is required1 and is signified by the word postulation2 now a petition may be set forth in definite terms--and this some term postulation1 properly so called2 or it may be set forth in no express terms1 as when a man asks for ,god's help1 and this some call supplication2 or1 again1 the fact in question may be simply narrated1 as in ,s4 ,john#bee3 ,he whom ,thou lovest is sick1 and this some call insinuation4 ,and thirdly1 there is required a reason for asking for what we pray for1 and this reason may be either on the part of ,god or on the part of the petitioner4 ,the reason for asking on the part of ,god is ,his holiness1 by reason of which we ask to be heard3 ,incline ,thine ear and hear 444 for ,thine own sake1 ,o my ,god2#bef to this belongs obsecration--namely1 an appeal to sacred things1 as when we say3 ,by ,thy ,nativity1 deliver us1 ,o ,lord6 ,but the reason for asking on the part of the petitioner is thankfulness1 for by giving thanks for benefits already received we merit to receive still greater ones1 as is set forth in the ,church's ,collect4#beg ,hence the ,gloss#beh says that in the ,mass ,obsecrations are the prayers which precede the ,consecration1 for in them we commemorate certain sacred things2 in the ,consecration itself we have prayers1 for then the mind is especially uplifted towards ,god2 but in the subsequent petitions we have postulations1 and at the close thanksgivings4 ,these four parts of prayer may be noticed in many of the ,church's ,collects3 thus in the ,collect for ,trinity ,sunday1 the words ,almighty and ,everlasting ,god signify the uplifting of the soul in prayer to ,god2 the words3 ,who hast granted to ,thy servants to acknowledge in their profession of the true faith the glory of the ,eternal ,trinity1 and in the ,power of ,its ,majesty to adore ,its ,unity1 signify giving of thanks2 the words3 ,grant1 we beseech ,thee1 that by perseverance in this same faith we may be ever defended from all adversities1 signify postulation2 while the closing words3 ,through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 etc41 signify obsecration4 ,in the ,conferences of the ,fathers1 however1#bei we read3 ,obsecration is imploring pardon for sin2 prayer is when we make vows to ,god2 postulation is when we make petition for others2 giving of thanks1 those ineffable outpourings by which the mind renders thanks to ,god4 ,but the former explanation is preferable4 ,some1 however1 object to these divisions of prayer1 thus3 #a4 ,obsecration is apparently to swear by someone1 whereas ,origen remarks#bfj3 ,a man who desires to live in accordance with the ,gospel must not swear by anyone1 for if it is not allowed to swear1 neither is it allowed to swear by anyone4 ,but it is sufficient to remark that obsecration is not a swearing by1 or adjuring of ,god1 as though to compel ,him1 for this is forbidden1 but to implore ,his mercy4 #b4 ,again1 ,s4 ,john ,damascene says#bfa that prayer is the asking ,god for things that are fitting4 ,hence it is not exact to distinguish prayers from postulations4 ,but prayer1 generally considered1 embraces all the above-mentioned parts2 when1 however1 we distinguish one part against another1 prayer1 properly speaking1 means the uplifting of the mind to ,god4 #c4 ,lastly1 giving of thanks refers to the past1 whereas the other parts of prayer refer to the future4 ,hence giving of thanks should not be placed after the rest4 ,but whereas in things which are different from one another the past precedes the future1 in one and the same thing the future precedes the past4 ,hence giving of thanks for benefits already received precedes petition2 yet those same benefits were first asked for1 and then1 when they had been received1 thanks were offered for them4 ,prayer1 however1 precedes petition1 for by it we draw nigh to ,god to ,whom we make petition4 ,and obsecration precedes prayer1 for it is from dwelling upon the ,divine ,goodness that we venture to approach to ,him4 99 99 99 99 99 ,cajetan3 ,we might be asked how the mind can be especially elevated to ,god at the moment of consecration4 ,for in the consecration the priest has to express distinctly the words of consecration1 and consequently cannot have his mind uplifted towards ,god at that moment4 ,indeed1 the more his mind is uplifted to ,god1 the less he thinks of inferior things1 words1 and so forth4 ,but in the consecration of the ,holy ,eucharist--in which the priest in a sense brings ,god down upon earth--the very greatness of our uplifting of mind towards the ,divine ,goodness ,which has thus deigned to come amongst us is the very reason for our attention to the words in the act of consecration1 and makes the priest pronounce them distinctly and reverently4 ,some scrupulous folk1 however1 concentrate their whole attention on being intent and attentive2 but this is really a distraction1 and not attention1 for its object is precisely the being attentive4 ,the uplifting1 then1 of our minds to ,god in the consecration has indeed to be the very greatest1 not1 indeed1 intensively and by abstraction from the things of sense1 but objectively and concentrated--though always within the limits compatible with attention--on the endeavour to say the words as they should be said 7on #b4 #b4 #hc4 #ag47 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,and ,david went in and sat before the ,lord#bfb2 and ,elias1 casting himself down upon the earth1 put his face between his knees4#bfc ,by examples such as these we are taught that there is no prescribed position of the body in prayer provided the soul states its intention in the presence of ,god4 ,for we pray standing1 as it is written3 ,the ,publican standing afar off4 ,we pray1 too1 on our knees1 as we read in the ,acts of the ,apostles2#bfd and we pray sitting1 as in the case of ,david and ,elias4 ,and unless it were lawful to pray lying down1 it would not be said in the ,psalms#bfe3 ,every night ,i will wash my bed1 ,i will water my couch with my tears4 ,when1 then1 a man desires to pray1 he settles himself in any position that serves at the time for the stirring up of his soul4 ,when1 on the other hand1 we have no definite intention of praying1 but the wish to pray suddenly occurs to us--when1 that is1 there comes of a sudden into our mind something which rouses the desire to pray with unspeakable groanings--then1 in whatsoever position such a feeling may find us1 we are not to put off our prayer2 we are not to look about for some place whither we can withdraw1 for some place in which to stand or in which to make prostration4 ,for the very intention of the mind begets a solitude1 and we often forget to which quarter of the heavens we were looking1 or in what bodily position the occasion found us 7,of ,divers ,questions1 iv474 ,hear1 ,o ,god1 my prayer1 and despise not my supplication2 be attentive to me and hear me4 ,i am grieved in my exercise2 and am troubled at the voice of the enemy1 and at the tribulation of the sinner4 ,for they have cast iniquities upon me1 and in wrath they were troublesome to me4 ,my heart is troubled within me1 and the fear of death is fallen upon me4 ,fear and trembling are come upon me1 and darkness hath covered me4 ,and ,i said3 ,who will give me wings like a dove1 and ,i will fly and be at rest8#bff ,,footnotes3 #ih ,etymologies1 x41 sub litt4 ,o4 #ii ,ps4 xxxviii4 #ac4 #ajj ,ethics1 ,i4 xiii4 #ae4 #aja ,rabanus ,maurus1 ,de ,universis1 vi4 #ad4 #ajb ,on the ,orthodox ,faith1 iii4 #bd4 #ajc ,ps4 x4 #ag4 #ajd ,isa4 lxv4 #bd4 #aje ,of the ,divine ,names1 vi4 #a4 #ajf ,ps4 xxvi4 #d4 #ajg ,art4 ,,xv4 #ajh ,isa4 lxiv4 #h1 #i4 #aji xviii4 #a4 #aaj ,mal4 iii4 #ad4 #aaa ,dialogue1 i4 #h4 #aab ,s4 ,matt4 vi4 #cb4 #aac #a ,kings xv4 #bi4 #aad ,of ,good ,deeds1 ii4 #a4 #aae ,hom4 ,,ii41 ,on ,prayer2 also ,hom4 ,,xxx41 ,on ,genesis4 #aaf ,eph4 i4 #d4 #aag ,ps4 lxx4 #ag1 #ah4 #aah ,s4 ,matt4 vii4 #g4 #aai ,ps4 cxx4 #d4 #abj ,s4 ,matt4 vi4 #h4 #aba ,ps4 ciii4 #cc1 #cd4 #abb ,ps4 lxxxiii4 #ab4 #abc viii4 #d4 #abd #a ,cor4 xiv4 #ae4 #abe ,on ,care for the ,dead1 chaps1 xiii41 xv41 xvi4 #abf ,moralia in ,job1 xii4 #ad4 #abg ,ps4 lxvi4 #abh ,s4 ,matt4 vi4 #i-ac2 ,s4 ,luke xi4 #b-d4 #abi ,of ,socrates the ,philosopher1 vii4 #ba4 #acj ,ps4 lxxix4 #d4 #aca ,ps4 cxviii4 #ce4 #acb ,on the ,orthodox ,faith1 iii4 #bd4 #acc iv4 #c4 #acd ,rom4 viii4 #bf4 #ace ,s4 ,john iv4 #bd4 #acf #a ,tim4 ii4 #d4 #acg ,isa4 lxiii4 #ae1 #af4 #ach xxx4 #h4 #aci ,ep41 ,,cxxx41 chap4 xii4 #adj ,ethics1 ,i4 vii4 #ae4 #ada ,ep41 ,,cxxx41 chap4 vi4 #adb ,s4 ,matt4 vi4 #cc4 #adc ,on the ,sermon on the ,mount1 ,,ii4 x4 #a4 #add ,s4 ,matt4 vi4 #be4 #ade #b ,cor4 iv4 #ah4 #adf ,ps4 xxxvii4 #aj4 #adg #a ,thess4 v4 #ag4 #adh ,heb4 iv4 #c4 #adi ,ps4 liv4 #bc4 #aej v4 #af4 #aea ,opus ,imperf4 in ,matthaeum1 ,hom4 ,,xiv4 #aeb ,on the ,lord's ,prayer4 #aec ,s4 ,john xvi4 #bc4 #aed ,tractatus in ,joannem1 #ajb4 #aee xv4 #a4 #aef ,ps4 xxxiv4 #ac4 #aeg ,jer4 vii4 #af4 #aeh ,eccles4 vii4 #ad4 #aei #a ,john v4 #af4 #afj ,de ,correptionibus et ,gratia1 cap4 xv4 #afa ,rom4 xv4 #cj4 #afb #a ,cor4 i4 #aa4 #afc ,s4 ,john xxii4 #bd4 #afd ,s4 ,matt4 v4 #dd4 #afe xv4 #d4 #aff ,ps4 vi4 #aa4 #afg ,on the ,sermon on the ,mount1 i4 #ba4 #afh ,apoc4 vi4 #aj4 #afi ,ps4 lvii4 #aa4 #agj ,on the ,sermon on the ,mount1 i4 #bb1 and ,questions on the ,gospels1 ,,ii41 xlv4 #aga ,questions on the ,old and ,new ,testament1 ,qu4 lxviii4 #agb ,ecclus4 xxxvi4 #a-c4 #agc ,ep4 cxxx4 #ab4 #agd ,ep4 cxxx4 #aa4 #age ,comment4 on ,s4 ,matthew1 vi4 #agf #a ,cor4 vi4 #i1 #aj4 #agg ,s4 ,luke i4 #di4 #agh ,ps4 cxliv4 #ac4 #agi ,isa4 xlvi4 #aj4 #ahj ,on the ,sermon on the ,mount1 ii4 #e4 #aha ,ep4 cxxx4 #aa4 #ahb ,enchiridion1 #aae4 #ahc ,on the ,sermon on the ,mount1 ii4 #aa4 #ahd xi4 #b-d4 #ahe ,enchiridion1 #aaf4 #ahf #a ,john iv4 #ai4 #ahg ,s4 ,john xvii4 #a-c4 #ahh ,see ,touron1 ,o4,p41 ,vie de ,s4 ,thomas d',aquin1 p4 #bed2 ,paris1 #agdj4 #ahi ,s4 ,john xiv4 #af4 #aij ,rom4 viii4 #bf4 #aia xcvi4 #g4 #aib ,ps4 cxlvi4 #i4 #aic ,ecclus4 xxxvi4 #ah1 #ai4 #aid #b ,macc4 xv4 #ad4 #aie ,contra ,vigilantium1 vi4 #aif ,heb4 vii4 #be4 ,s4 ,thomas is quoting from memory4 #aig ,exod4 iii4 #f4 #aih ,ps4 cxli4 #a4 #aii ,ep4 cxxx4 #i4 #bjj ,ps4 xxvi4 #h4 #bja #a ,kings i4 #ac4 #bjb ,osee xiv4 #c4 #bjc ,ps4 xv4 #i4 #bjd ,s4 ,matt4 vi4 #f4 #bje ,opus ,imperf4 ,hom4 ,,xiii4 in ,matt4 #bjf ,on the ,sermon on the ,mount1 ii4 #c4 #bjg ,ps4 cxviii4 #ade4 #bjh ,ps4 lxxxv4 #a-e4 #bji ,ps4 xxxix4 #ac4 #baj ,implicitly1 ,moralia in ,job1 xxii4 #ac2 but see ,hugh of ,s4 ,victor1 ,exposition of the ,rule of ,s4 ,augustine1 iii4 #baa #a ,cor4 xiv4 #ad4 #bab ,of the ,manner of ,prayer1 ii4 #bac iv4 #bd4 #bad ,on the ,monastic ,constitutions1 chap4 i4 #bae ,ep4 cxxi4 #baf ,art4 ,,iv4 #bag ,ps4 lxxv4 #d1 #e4 #bah ,ps4 cxlv4 #a4 #bai #b ,cor4 v4 #f4 #bbj ,wisd4 ix4 #ae4 #bba ,ps4 cxlii4 #d-g4 #bbb ,s4 ,luke xviii4 #a4 #bbc #a ,thess4 v4 #ag4 #bbd #a ,cor4 x4 #ca4 #bbe ,s4 ,matt4 vi4 #g4 #bbf ,s4 ,luke vi4 #ab4 #bbg ,s4 ,luke xxii4 #dc4 #bbh ,ps4 xxvi4 #d4 #bbi ,exod4 xix4 #ba4 #bcj ,s4 ,matt4 vi4 #i4 #bca ,s4 ,luke xviii4 #a4 #bcb #a ,thess4 v4 #ag4 #bcc ,ps4 xxxii4 #bj-bb4 #bcd ,ps4 xxxiv4 #ac4 #bce ,on the ,sermon on the ,mount1 ,sermon ,,cv4 i4 #bcf ,st4 ,luke vi4 #ac4 #bcg ,on ,perseverance1 chap4 xxiii4 #bch #b ,cor4 xii4 #g-i4 #bci ,s4 ,prosper1 ,the ,book of ,sentences gleaned from ,s4 ,augustine1 ,sent4 #bab4 #bdj ,tractatus in ,joannem1 #ajb4 #bda ,monastic ,constitutions1 chap1 i4 #bdb i4 #f4 #bdc ,ps4 xxxviii4 #ac1 #ad4 #bdd ,tractatus in ,joannem1 #dd4 #bde ,opus ,imperf4 in ,matt41 ,hom4 ,,xviii4 #bdf ,tractatus in ,joannem1 #gc2 and ,de ,verbis ,domini1 ,sermon cccliv4 #g4 #bdg ,s4 ,john ix4 #ca4 #bdh xxviii4 #h4 #bdi ,tractatus in ,joannem1 #dd4 #bej ,implicitly in the old interlinear ,gloss on #b ,tim4 iii4 #e4 #bea ,opus ,imperf4 in ,matt41 ,hom4 ,,xiv4 #beb xxviii4 #b4 #bec ,ps4 xxxvi4 #bc-be4 #bed #a ,tim4 ii4 #a4 #bee xi4 #c4 #bef ,dan4 ix4 #ah1 #ai4 #beg ,friday in the ,september ,ember days4 #beh ,the ,ordinary ,gloss on the words obsecrations1 prayers1 etc41 in #a ,tim4 ii4 #a4 #bei ,collat41 ,,ix41 chaps4 xi-xiii4 #bfj ,tractatus xxxv4 in ,matt4 #bfa ,de ,orthodoxa ,fide1 iii4 #bd4 #bfb #b ,kings vii4 #ah4 #bfc #c ,kings xviii4 #db4 #bfd vii4 #ei2 xx4 #cf4 #bfe vi4 #g4 #bff ,ps4 liv4 #a-g4 ,,from ,,the ,,supplement ,,to ,,the ,,summa--,,question ,,lxxii ,,of ,,the ,,prayers ,,of ,,the ,,saints ,,who ,,are ,,in ,,heaven ,i4 ,are the ,saints cognizant of our ,prayers8 ,,ii4 ,ought we to appeal to the ,saints to intercede for us8 ,,iii4 ,are the ,saints' ,prayers to ,god for us always heard8 ,i ,are the ,saints cognizant of our ,prayers8 ,on those words of ,job1#bfg ,whether his children come to honour or dishonour1 he shall not understand1 ,s4 ,gregory says3 ,this is not to be understood of the souls of the ,saints1 for they see from within the glory of ,almighty ,god1 it is in nowise credible that there should be anything without of which they are ignorant4#bfh ,and he says also3 ,to the soul that sees its ,creator all created things are but trifling2 for1 however little of the ,creator's light he sees1 all that is created becomes of small import to him4#bfi ,yet the greatest difficulty in saying that the souls of the ,saints know our prayers and other things which concern us1 is their distance from us4 ,but since1 according to the authority just quoted1 this distance does not preclude such knowledge1 it appears that the souls of the ,saints do know our prayers and other things which concern us4 ,further1 if they did not know what concerned us1 neither would they pray for us1 since they would not know our deficiencies4 ,but this was the error of ,vigilantius1 as ,s4 ,jerome says in his ,epistle against him4#bgj ,the ,saints1 then1 know what concerns us4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,divine ,essence1 then1 is a sufficient medium for knowing all things1 as1 indeed1 is evident from the fact that ,god in seeing ,his own essence sees all things4 ,yet it does not follow that whoever sees the ,essence of ,god therefore sees all things1 but those only who comprehend the ,essence of ,god2 just in the same way as it does not follow that because we know a principle we therefore know all that that principle contains1 for that would only be the case if we comprehended the whole power of the principle4 ,since1 then1 the souls of the ,saints do not comprehend the ,divine ,essence1 it does not follow that they know everything which could be known through the medium of that ,divine ,essence4 ,hence the inferior ,angels are taught certain things by the higher ,angels1 though all see the ,divine ,essence4 ,but each person in possession of the ,beatific ,vision only sees in the ,divine ,essence as much of other things as is necessitated by the degree of perfection of his beatitude2 and for the perfection of beatitude it is required that a man should have whatever he wants1 and should desire nothing in an inordinate fashion4#bga ,each one1 however1 rightly desires to know those things which concern himself4 ,hence1 since no rectitude is lacking to the ,saints1 they wish to know those things which concern themselves1 and consequently they must know them in the ,word4 ,but it belongs to their glory that they should be able to help on the salvation of those who need it1 for it is thus that they are made co-workers with ,god--than which there is nought more ,divine1 as ,denis says4#bgb ,it is clear1 then1 that the ,saints have a knowledge of those things which are requisite for this end4 ,and so1 too1 it is manifest that they know in the ,word the desires1 the devout acts and the prayers1 of men who fly to them for help4 ,some1 however1 maintain that the ,saints do not know our prayers1 thus3 #a4 ,on the words of ,isaias1#bgc ,thou art our ,father1 and ,abraham hath not known us1 and ,israel hath been ignorant of us1 the ,interlinear ,gloss has3 ,for the ,saints who are dead know not what the living do1 even their own children4 ,this is taken from ,s4 ,augustine's treatise ,on ,care for the ,dead1 xiii41 where he quotes these words1 and adds3 ,if these great ,patriarchs were ignorant of what concerned those whom they had begotten1 how can the dead be concerned with knowing and assisting the affairs and the deeds of the living8 ,hence it would seem that the ,saints are not cognizant of our prayers4 ,but these words of ,s4 ,augustine are to be understood of the natural knowledge of the souls separated 7from this world72 and this knowledge is not obscured in holy men as it is in sinners4 ,moreover1 ,s4 ,augustine is not talking of that knowledge which is in the ,word1 a knowledge which it is clear that ,abraham had not at the time that ,isaias said these things2 for anterior to ,christ's ,passion no one had attained to the ,vision of ,god4 #b4 ,in #d ,kings xxii4 #bj1 it is said to ,josias the king3 ,therefore--because1 that is1 thou didst weep before ,me--,i will gather thee to thy fathers 444 that thy eyes may not see all the evils which ,i will bring upon this place4 ,but the death of ,josias would have been no relief to him if he was to know after death what was going to happen to his nation4 ,the ,saints1 then1 who are dead1 do not know our acts1 and consequently cannot understand our prayers4 ,but although after this life the ,saints know the things which are done here below1 we are not therefore to suppose that they are filled with grief at the knowledge of the afflictions of those whom they loved in the world4 ,for they are so filled with the joy of their beatitude that sorrow finds no place in them4 ,hence1 if they know after death the evil plight of those dear to them1 it is none the less a relief to their sorrow if they are withdrawn from this world before those woes come on4 ,at the same time it is possible that souls not yet in glory would feel a certain grief if they were made aware of the sorrows of those dear to them4 ,and since the soul of ,josias was not immediately glorified on its quitting the body1 ,s4 ,augustine endeavours to argue that the souls of the dead have no knowledge of the deeds of the living4#bgd #c4 ,again1 the more a person is perfected in charity the more ready he is to succour his neighbour in peril4 ,but the ,saints while still in the flesh had a care for their neighbours1 and especially for their relatives1 when in peril4 ,since1 then1 they are after death far more perfected in charity1 if they were cognizant of our deeds1 they would have now a much greater care for those dear to them or related to them1 and would help them much more in their necessities2 but this does not seem to be the case4 ,whence it would seem that they are not cognizant of our actions nor of our prayers4 ,but the souls of the ,saints have their will perfectly conformed to the ,will of ,god1 even in what they would will4 ,consequently1 while retaining their feelings of charity towards their neighbour1 they afford them no other assistance than that which they see is arranged for them in accordance with ,divine ,justice4 ,yet at the same time we must believe that they help their neighbours very much indeed by interceding for them with ,god4 #d4 ,further1 just as the ,saints after death see the ,word1 so also do the ,angels1 for of them it is said3 ,their ,angels in ,heaven always see the face of ,my ,father ,who is in ,heaven4#bge ,but the ,angels1 though seeing the ,word1 do not therefore know all things1 for the inferior ,angels are purified of their ignorance by the superior ,angels1 as is evident from ,denis4#bgf ,consequently1 neither do the ,saints1 although they see the ,word1 know in ,it our prayers and other things which concern us4 ,but although it is not necessary that those who see the ,word should see all things in the ,word1 they none the less see those things which belong to the perfection of their beatitude1 as we have said above4 #e4 ,lastly1 ,god alone is the ,searcher of hearts4 ,but prayer is essentially an affair of the heart4 ,consequently ,god alone knows our prayers4 ,but ,god alone knows of ,himself the thoughts of the heart2 others know them according as they are revealed to them either in their vision of the ,word or in any other way4 ,,ii ,ought we to appeal to the ,saints to intercede for us8 ,in the ,book of ,job1#bgg it is said3 ,call now1 if there be any that will answer thee2 and turn to some of the ,saints4 ,and on this ,s4 ,gregory says3 ,it is our business to call1 and to beseech ,god in humble prayer4#bgh ,when1 then1 we desire to pray to ,god1 we ought to turn to the ,saints that they may pray for us4 ,further1 the ,saints who are in the ,fatherland are more acceptable in the sight of ,god than they were when upon earth4 ,but we ought to ask the ,saints even when on earth to be our intercessors with ,god1 as the ,apostle shows us by his example when he says3 ,i beseech you1 therefore1 brethren1 through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and by the charity of the ,holy ,ghost1 that you help me in your prayers for me to ,god4#bgi ,much more1 then1 should we ask the ,saints who are in our ,fatherland to help us by their prayers to ,god4 ,moreover1 the common custom of the ,church confirms this1 since in her ,litanies she asks the prayers of the ,saints4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the words of ,denis1#bhj there is this ,divinely established harmony in things--that they which hold the lowest place should be brought to ,god through them that come between them and ,god4 ,since1 then1 the ,saints who are in our ,fatherland are most nigh to ,god1 the harmony of the ,divine ,government demands that we who1 abiding in the body1 are absent from the ,lord1 should be led to ,him by the ,saints who stand midway2 and this is secured when through their means the ,divine ,goodness pours out ,its effects upon us4 ,and since our return to ,god ought to correspond to the orderly way in which ,his goodnesses flow upon us--for ,his benefits flow out upon us through the intervention of the ,saints' suffrages for us--so also ought we to be brought back to ,god through the intervention of the ,saints1 and thus once more receive ,his benefits4 ,whence it is that we make them our intercessors for us with ,god--and1 as it were1 mediators--by begging them to pray for us4 99 99 99 99 99 ,but some say that we should not ask the ,saints to pray for us1 thus3 #a4 ,no one asks a man's friends to intercede for him except in so far as he thinks that he can obtain a favour more easily through them4 ,but ,god is infinitely more merciful than any ,saint1 and consequently ,his ,will is more readily inclined to hear us than is the will of any ,saint4 ,whence it would seem superfluous to make the ,saints mediators between ourselves and ,god1 and so ask them to intercede for us4 ,but just as it is not by reason of any deficiency on the part of the ,divine ,power that ,it works through the mediumship of secondary causes1 whereas it rather tends to the fulfilment of the harmony of the universe that ,his ,goodness should be more copiously diffused upon things1 so that things not only receive from ,him their own peculiar goodness1 but themselves become a source of goodness to other things as well2 so in the same way it is not by reason of any lack of mercy on ,his part that appeal to ,his mercy by means of the prayers of the ,saints is fitting2 but this is done in order that the aforesaid harmony may be preserved4 #b4 ,if we ought to ask the ,saints to pray for us1 it can only be because we know that their prayers are acceptable to ,god4 ,but the more saintly is a ,saint1 the more acceptable is his prayer to ,god4 ,consequently we ought always to make the greater ,saints our intercessors with ,god1 and never the lesser ones4 ,yet although the greater ,saints are more acceptable to ,god than are the lesser ones1 it is still useful to pray sometimes to the lesser ,saints4 ,and this for five reasons3 ,firstly1 because a man sometimes has a greater devotion to some lesser ,saint than to one who is greater2 and the efficacy of our prayers depends very much on our devotion4 ,secondly1 in order to avoid weariness2 for unremitting application to one thing begets distaste2 but when we pray to various ,saints fresh devotional fervour is stirred up in practically each case4 ,thirdly1 because certain ,saints are appointed the patrons of certain particular cases1 so ,s4 ,antony for the avoidance of hell-fire4 ,fourthly1 that so we may show due honour to them all4 ,fifthly1 because sometimes a favour may be gained at the prayer of many which would not be gained at the prayer of one alone4 #c4 ,christ1 even as man1 is termed the ,saint of ,saints2#bha and it belongs to ,him1 as man1 to pray4 ,yet we never ask ,christ to pray for us4 ,hence it is superfluous to make the ,saints our intercessors with ,god4 ,but prayer is an act4 ,and acts belong to individual beings4 ,consequently1 if we were to say1 ,christ1 pray for us1 we should appear1 unless we added something1 to be referring this to ,christ's ,person1 and thus we might seem to fall into the error of ,nestorius who regarded the ,person of the ,son of ,man as distinct in ,christ from the ,person of the ,son of ,god2 or perhaps1 too1 into the error of ,arius who regarded the ,person of the ,son as less than the ,father4 ,in order1 then1 to avoid these errors1 the ,church does not say1 ,christ1 pray for us1 but ,christ1 hear us1 or ,christ1 have mercy on us4 #d4 ,once more1 when one is asked to intercede for another1 he presents the latter's prayers to him with whom he has to intercede4 ,but it is superfluous to present anything to ,him to ,whom all things are present4 ,hence it is superfluous to make the ,saints our intercessors with ,god4 ,but the ,saints are not said to present our prayers to ,god as though they were manifesting to ,him something which ,he did not know1 but in the sense that they ask that these prayers may be heard by ,god1 or that they consult the ,divine ,truth concerning them1 so as to know what1 according to ,his providence1 ought to be done4 #e4 ,lastly1 that must be held superfluous which is done for the sake of something which1 whether the former were done or not1 would yet take place--or not take place--all the same4 ,but similarly1 the ,saints would pray for us or not pray for us whether we asked them to do so or not4 ,for if we deserve that they should pray for us1 they would pray for us1 even though we did not ask them to do so2 if1 on the other hand1 we are not deserving that they should pray for us1 then they do not pray for us--even though we ask them to do so4 ,hence to ask them to pray for us seems altogether superfluous4 ,but a man becomes deserving that some ,saint should pray for him from the very fact that with pure-hearted devotion he has recourse to him in his needs4 ,hence it is not superfluous to pray to the ,saints4 ,,iii ,are the ,saints' ,prayers to ,god for us always heard8 ,in #b ,maccabees xv4 #ad it is said3 ,this is he that prayeth much for the people1 and for all the ,holy ,city1 ,jeremias the prophet of ,god2 and that his prayer was heard is evident from what follows1 for ,jeremias stretched forth his right hand and gave to ,judas a sword of gold1 saying3 ,take this holy sword1 a gift from ,god1 etc4 ,further1 ,s4 ,jerome says#bhb3 ,you say in your book that while we live we can pray for one another1 but that after we are dead no one's prayer for others will be heard2 and ,s4 ,jerome condemns this statement thus3 ,if the ,apostles and ,martyrs while still in the body could pray for others while as yet solicitous for themselves1 how much more when they have won their crown1 completed the victory1 and gained their triumph8 ,moreover1 the ,church's custom confirms this1 for she frequently asks to be helped by the prayers of the ,saints4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,saints are said to pray for us in two ways3 firstly1 by express prayer1 when they by their ardent desires appeal to the ears of the ,divine ,mercy for us2 secondly1 by interpretative prayer--namely1 by their merits which1 standing as the ,saints do in the sight of ,god1 not only tend to their own glory but are1 as it were1 suffrages--and even prayers--for us2 just as the ,blood of ,christ1 shed for us1 is said to ask pardon for us4 ,and in both ways the prayers of the ,saints are1 as far as in them lies1 efficacious in obtaining what they ask for4 ,but that we do not obtain the fruit of their prayers may be due to defects on our part1 according1 that is1 as they are said to pray for us in the sense that their merits avail for us4 ,but according as they actually do pray for us--that is1 ask something for us by their desires--they are always heard4 ,for the ,saints only wish what ,god wishes1 and they only ask for what they wish should be done2 what ,god1 however1 wishes is always done--unless1 indeed1 we are speaking of the antecedent will of ,god1 according to which ,he wills all men to be saved3 this will is not always fulfilled4 ,hence it is not to be wondered at if what the ,saints also will according to this kind of will is not always fulfilled4 ,but some maintain that the ,saints' prayers for us are not always heard1 thus3 #a4 ,if the ,saints' prayers were always heard1 they would be especially heard when they pray for those things which affect themselves4 ,yet they are not always heard as regards these things1 for to the ,martyrs who prayed for vengeance upon the inhabitants of the earth it was said that they should rest for a little time till the number of their brethren should be filled up4#bhc ,much less1 then1 are their prayers heard for things that do not concern them4 ,but this prayer of the ,martyrs is nothing more than their desire to obtain the garment of the body and the society of the ,saints who are to be saved2 it expresses their agreement with the ,divine ,justice which punishes the wicked4 ,hence on those words of the ,apocalypse1#bhd ,how long1 ,o ,lord1 the ,ordinary ,gloss says3 ,they yearn for a greater joy1 and for the companionship of the ,saints1 and they agree with the justice of ,god4 #b4 ,it is said in ,jeremias#bhe3 ,if ,moses and ,samuel shall stand before ,me1 ,my soul is not towards this people4 ,the ,saints1 then1 are not always heard when they pray for us to ,god4 ,but ,god here speaks of ,moses and ,samuel according as they were in this life1 for they are said to have prayed for the people and thus withstood the wrath of ,god4 ,yet none the less1 had they lived in ,jeremias' time they would not have been able to appease by their prayers ,god's wrath upon the people1 so great was the latter's wickedness4 ,this is the meaning of that passage4 #c4 ,the ,saints in our ,fatherland are said to be the equals of the ,angels4#bhf ,but the ,angels are not always heard in their prayers to ,god1 as is evident from ,daniel#bhg3 ,i am come for thy words4 ,but the ,prince of the kingdom of the ,persians resisted me one and twenty days4 ,but the ,angel who spoke had not come to ,daniel's assistance without asking his freedom from ,god2 yet none the less the fulfilment of his prayer was hindered4 ,in the same way1 then1 neither are the prayers of other ,saints to ,god for us always heard4 ,but this contest of the good ,angels is not to be understood in the sense that they put forth contrary prayers before ,god1 but that they set before the ,divine scrutiny conflicting merits on either hand1 and awaited the ,divine decision4 ,thus ,s4 ,gregory1 expounding the above words of ,daniel1 says3 ,these sublime ,spirits who rule over the nations in no sense strive for those who do evil1 but they scrutinize their deeds and judge justly2 hence1 when the faults or the merits of any nation are submitted to the ,council of the ,supreme ,court1 he who is set over that particular nation is described as either losing or failing in the contest4 ,but the sole victory for all of them is the supreme will of his ,creator above him2 and since they ever look towards that ,will1 they never desire what they cannot obtain1#bhh and hence never ask for it4 ,whence it is clear that their prayers are always heard4 #d4 ,whoever obtains something by prayer in a certain sense merits it4 ,but the ,saints who are in our ,fatherland are no longer capable of meriting4 ,therefore they cannot obtain anything for us from ,god by their prayers4 ,but although the ,saints when once they are in our ,fatherland are not capable of meriting for themselves1 they are still capable of meriting for others1 or rather of helping others by reason of their own previous merits4 ,for when alive they merited from ,god that their prayers should be heard after death4 ,or we might say that in prayer merit and the power to obtain what we ask do not rest on the same basis4 ,for merit consists in a certain correspondence between an act and the end towards which it is directed and which is given to it as its reward2 but the impetratory power of prayer rests upon the generosity of him from whom we ask something4 ,consequently prayer sometimes wins from the generosity of him to whom it is made what perhaps was not merited either by him who asked nor by him for whom he asked4 ,and thus1 though the ,saints are no longer capable of meriting1 it does not follow that they are incapable of winning things from ,god4 #e4 ,again1 the ,saints conform their will in all things to the ,divine ,will4 ,therefore they can only will what they know ,god wills4 ,but no one prays save for what he wishes4 ,consequently they only pray for what they know ,god wills4 ,but what ,god wills would take place whether they prayed or not4 ,consequently their prayers have no power to obtain things4 ,but1 as is evident from the passage of ,s4 ,gregory quoted above in reply to the third difficulty1 neither the ,saints nor the ,angels will anything save what they see in the ,divine ,will4 ,and consequently they ask for nothing else save this4 ,but it does not follow that their prayers are without fruit1 for1 as ,s4 ,augustine says in his treatise1 ,on the ,predestination of the ,saints1#bhi and ,s4 ,gregory in his ,dialogues1#bij the prayers of the ,saints avail for the predestinate1 because perhaps it was pre-ordained that they should be saved by the prayers of those who interceded for them4 ,and so1 too1 ,god wills that by the prayers of the ,saints should be fulfilled what the ,saints see that ,he wills4 #f4 ,lastly1 the prayers of the entire ,court of ,heaven should1 if they can gain anything at all1 be far more efficacious than all the suffrages of the ,church on earth4 ,but if all the suffrages of the ,church on earth were to be accumulated upon one soul in ,purgatory1 it would be entirely freed from punishment4 ,since1 then1 the ,saints who are in our ,fatherland have the same reason for praying for the souls in ,purgatory as they have for praying for us1 they would by their prayers1 if they could obtain anything for us1 wholly deliver from suffering those who are in ,purgatory4 ,but this is false1 for if it were true1 then the suffrages of the ,church for the dead would be superfluous4 ,but the suffrages of the ,church for the dead are1 as it were1 satisfactions offered by the living in place of the dead1 and thus they free the dead from that debt of punishment which they have not paid4 ,but the ,saints who are in our ,fatherland are not capable of making satisfaction4 ,and thus there is no parity between their prayers and the ,church's suffrages4 ,,footnotes3 #bfg xiv4 #ba4 #bfh ,moralia in ,job1 xii4 #ad4 #bfi ,dialogue1 li4 #ce4 #bgj ,contra ,vigilant41 vi4 #bga ,s4 ,augustine3 ,of the ,trinity1 xiii4 #e4 #bgb ,of the ,heavenly ,hierarchy1 iii4 #bgc lxiii4 #af4 #bgd ,de ,cura ,mortuorum1 #ac1 #ad1 #ae4 #bge ,s4 ,matt1 xviii4 #aj4 #bgf ,of the ,heavenly ,hierarchy1 vii42 and ,of the ,ecclesiastical ,hierarchy1 vi4 #bgg v4 #a4 #bgh ,moralia in ,job1 v4 #cj4 #bgi ,rom4 xv4 #cj4 #bhj ,of the ,ecclesiastical ,hierarchy1 v4 #bha ,dan4 ix4 #ad4 #bhb ,ep4 contra ,vigilantium1 vi4 #bhc ,apoc4 vi4 #aa4 #bhd vi4 #aj4 #bhe xv4 #a4 #bhf ,s4 ,matt4 xxii4 #cj4 #bhg x4 #ab-ac4 #bhh ,moralia on ,job1 xvii4 #ab4 #bhi ,de ,dono ,perseverantiae1 xxii4 #bij i4 #h4 ,,question ,,clxxix ,,of ,,the ,,division ,,of ,,life ,,into ,,the ,,active ,,and ,,the ,,contemplative ,i4 ,may ,life be fittingly divided into the ,active and the ,contemplative8 ,s4 ,augustine1 ,de ,consensu ,evangelistarum1 ,i41 iv4 #h ,tractatus1 cxxiv4 #e1 in ,joannem ,,ii4 ,is this division of ,life into the ,active and the ,contemplative a sufficient one8 ,s4 ,augustine1 ,of the ,trinity1 ,i41 viii4 #ag ,i ,may ,life be fittingly divided into the ,active and the ,contemplative8 ,s4 ,gregory the ,great says#bia3 ,there are two kinds of lives in which ,almighty ,god instructs us by ,his ,sacred ,word--namely1 the active and the contemplative4 ,those things are properly said to live which move or work from within themselves4 ,but what especially accords with the innermost nature of a thing is that which is proper to it and towards which it is especially inclined2 consequently every living thing shows that it is living by those very acts which are especially befitting it and towards which it is especially inclined4 ,thus the life of plants is said to consist in their growing and in their producing seed2 the life of animals in their feeling and moving2 while that of man consists in his understanding and in his acting according to reason4 ,hence among men themselves each man's life appears to be that in which he takes special pleasure1 that with which he is particularly occupied1 that1 in fine1 in which each one wishes to live with a friend1 as is said in the ,ethics of ,aristotle4#bib ,since1 then1 some men are especially occupied with the contemplation of the truth while others are especially-occupied with external things1 man's life may be conveniently divided into the active and the contemplative4 99 99 99 99 99 ,some1 however1 repudiate this division1 thus3 #a4 ,the soul is by its essence the principle of life2 thus the ,philosopher says#bic3 ,for living things1 to live is to be4 ,but the same soul with its faculties is the principle both of action and of contemplation4 ,hence it would seem that life cannot be suitably divided into the active and the contemplative4 ,but the peculiar nature of every individual thing--that which makes it actually be--is the principle of its own proper action2 consequently to live is said to be the very being of living things1 and this because living things--by the very fact that they exist through such a nature--act in such a way4 #b4 ,again1 when one thing precedes another it is unfitting to divide the former by differences which find place in the latter4 ,but action and contemplation1 like speculation and practice1 are distinctions in the intellect1 as is laid down by the ,philosopher4#bid ,but we live before we understand2 for life is primarily in living things by their vegetative soul1 as also the ,philosopher says4#bie ,therefore life is not fittingly divided according to contemplation and action4 ,but we do not say that life universally considered is divided into the active and the contemplative1 but that man's life is so divided4 ,for man derives his species from his intellect1 hence the same divisions hold good for human life as hold good for the intellect4 #c4 ,lastly1 the word life implies motion1 as is clear from ,denis the ,areopagite4#bif ,but contemplation more especially consists in repose1 according to the words3 ,when ,i go into my house ,i shall repose myself with her 7,wisdom74#big ,but while contemplation implies a certain repose from external occupations1 it is still a certain motion of the intellect in the sense that every operation is a motion2 in this sense the ,philosopher says that to feel and to understand are certain motions in the sense that motion is said to be the act of a perfect thing4#bih ,it is in this sense1 too1 that ,denis#bii assigns three movements to the soul in contemplation3 the direct1 the circular1 and the oblique4#cjj 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,two virtues are set before the human soul1 the one active1 the other contemplative2 the former shows the path1 the latter shows the goal2 in the one we toil that so the heart may be purified for the ,vision of ,god1 in the other we repose and we see ,god2 the one is spent in the practice of the precepts of this temporal life1 the other is occupied with the teachings of the life that is eternal4 ,hence it is that the one is a life of toil and the other a life of rest2 for the former is engaged in purging away its sins1 the latter already stands in the light of the purified4 ,hence1 too1 during this mortal life the former is occupied with the works of a good life1 whereas the latter rather stands in faith1 and1 in the case of some few1 sees through a mirror in a dark manner1 and enjoys in part a certain glimpse of the ,unchangeable ,truth 7,de ,consensu ,evangelistarum1 ,i41 iv4 #h74 ,the ,lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup2 it is ,thou that wilt restore my inheritance to me4 ,the lines are fallen unto me in goodly places2 for my inheritance is goodly to me4#cja ,s4 ,augustine3 ,there is another life1 the life of immortality1 and in it there are no ills2 there we shall see face to face what we now see through a glass and in a dark manner even when we have made great advance in our study of the ,truth4 ,the ,church1 then1 knows of two kinds of life ,divinely set before ,her and commended to ,her2 in the one we walk by faith1 in the other by sight2 the one is the pilgrimage of time1 the other is the mansion of eternity2 the one is a life of toil1 the other of repose2 in the one we are on the way1 in the other in ,our ,father's ,home2 the one is spent in the toil of action1 the other in the reward of contemplation2 the one turneth away from evil and doth good1 the other hath no evil from which to turn away1 but rather a ,great ,good ,which it enjoys2 the one is in conflict with the foe1 the other reigns--conscious that there is no foe2 the one is strong in adversity1 the other knows of no adversity2 the one bridles the lusts of the flesh1 the other is given up to the joys of the ,spirit2 the one is anxious to overcome1 the other is tranquil in the peace of victory2 the one is helped in temptations1 the other1 without temptation1 rejoices in its ,helper2 the one succours the needy1 the other dwells where none are needy2 the one condones the sins of others that thereby its own sins may be condoned1 the other suffers naught that it can pardon nor does ought that calls for pardon2 the one is afflicted in sufferings lest it should be uplifted in good things1 the other is steeped in such fulness of grace as to be free from all evil that so1 without temptation to pride1 it may cling to the ,supreme ,good2 the one distinguishes between good and evil1 the other sees naught save what is good2 the one therefore is good--yet still in miseries1 the other is better--and in ,blessedness 7,tractatus1 cxxiv4 #e1 in ,joannem74 ,jesu nostra ,redemptio ,amor et ,desiderium6 ,deus ,creator omnium1 ,homo in fine temporum6 ,,ii ,is this division of ,life into the ,active and the ,contemplative a sufficient one8 ,these two kinds of life are signified by the two wives of ,jacob--namely1 the active life by ,lia1 the contemplative by ,rachel4 ,they are also signified by those two women who afforded hospitality to the ,lord3 the contemplative1 namely1 by ,mary1 the active by ,martha1 as ,s4 ,gregory says4#cjb ,but if there were more than two kinds of life1 these significations would not be fitting4 ,as we have said above1 the division in question concerns human life regarded as intellectual4 ,and the intellect itself is divided into the contemplative and the active1 for the aim of intellectual knowledge is either the actual knowledge of the truth--and this belongs to the contemplative intellect1 or it is some external action--and this concerns the practical or active intellect4 ,hence life is quite sufficiently divided into the active and the contemplative4 ,but some argue that this division is not a sufficient one1 thus3 #a4 ,the ,philosopher#cjc says that there are three specially excellent kinds of life3 the pleasurable1 the civil--which seems to be identified with the active--and the contemplative4 ,but the pleasurable life makes its end consist in the pleasures of that body which we have in common with the brute creation4 ,hence1 as the ,philosopher says in the same place1 this is a bestial life4 ,consequently it is not comprised in our division of life into the active and the contemplative4 #b4 ,again1 ,s4 ,augustine#cjd speaks of three different kinds of life3 the life of leisure1 which is referred to the contemplative2 the busy life1 which is referred to the active life2 and he adds a third composed of these two4 ,but things which hold a middle course are compounded of the extremes1 and hence are virtually contained in them1 as the tepid in the hot and the cold1 the pallid in the white and the black4 ,and similarly1 under the active and the contemplative lives is comprised that kind of life which is compounded of them both4 ,but just as in every mixture one of the simple elements predominates1 so in this mixed kind of life now the contemplative1 now the active predominates4 #c4 ,lastly1 men's lives are diversified according to their various occupations4 ,but there are more than two classes of human occupations4 ,but all classes of human occupations are1 if they are concerned with the necessities of this present life1 and in accordance with right reason1 comprised under the active life which1 by properly regulated acts1 takes heed for the needs of the present life4 ,but if these actions minister to our concupiscences1 then they fall under the voluptuous life which is not comprised in the active life4 ,but human occupations which are directed to the consideration of the truth are comprised under the contemplative life4 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,your life is hid with ,christ in ,god4 ,when ,christ shall appear1 ,who is your life1 then you also shall appear with ,him in glory2#cje but until that shall come to pass we see now through a glass in a dark manner--that is1 in images as it were--but then face to face4#cjf ,this1 indeed1 is the contemplation that is promised to us1 the goal of all our actions1 the eternal perfection of all our joys4 ,for we are the sons of ,god1 and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be2 we know that when ,he shall appear we shall be like ,him1 for we shall see ,him as ,he is4#cjg ,and as ,he said to ,his servant ,moses3 ,i am ,who am 444 thus shalt thou say to the children of ,israel3 ,he ,who is hath sent me to you1#cjh even that shall we contemplate when we live in eternity4 ,thus1 too1 ,he says3 ,this is eternal life1 that they may know ,thee1 the only ,true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ ,whom ,thou hast sent4#cji ,and this shall be when the ,lord shall come and bring to light the hidden things of darkness1#caj when the gloom of our mortal corruption shall have passed away4 ,then will be our morning1 that morning of which the ,psalmist says3 ,in the morning ,i will stand before ,thee and ,i will see4#caa 444 ,then1 too1 will come to pass that which is written3 ,thou shall fill me with joy with ,thy countenance4#cab ,beyond that joy we shall seek for nothing1 for there is naught further to be sought4 ,the ,father will be shown to us1 and that will suffice for us4 ,well did ,philip understand this when he said to the ,lord3 ,show us the ,father1 and it is enough for us6#cac 444 ,such contemplation1 indeed1 is the reward of faith1 and for this reward's sake are our hearts purified by faith1 as it is written3 ,purifying their hearts by faith#cad 7,de ,trinitate1 ,i41 viii4 #ag74 ,remember1 ,o ,lord1 ,thy bowels of compassion2 and ,thy mercies that are from the beginning of the world4 ,the sins of my youth and my ignorances do not remember4 ,according to ,thy mercy remember ,thou me2 for ,thy goodness' sake1 ,o ,lord4 ,the ,lord is sweet and righteous2 therefore ,he will give a law to sinners in the way4 ,he will guide the mild in judgment2 ,he will teach the meek ,his ways4 ,all the ways of the ,lord are mercy and truth to them that seek after ,his covenant and ,his testimonies4 ,for ,thy ,name's sake1 ,o ,lord1 ,thou wilt pardon my sin2 for it is great4#cae ,,footnotes3 #bia ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #bib ,,ix41 xii4 #ba4 #bic ,de ,anima1 ,,ii41 iv4 #d4 #bid ,de ,anima1 ,,iii41 x4 #b4 #bie ,ibid41 ,,ii41 iv4 #b4 #bif ,of the ,divine ,names1 vi4 #big ,wisd4 viii4 #af4 #bih ,de ,anima1 ,,iii41 vii4 #a4 #bii ,of the ,divine ,names1 ,,iv41 i4 #g4 #cjj ,for a commentary on this passage of ,s4 ,denis1 see ,qu4 ,,clxxx41 ,art4 #f1 pp4 #bjc-baj4 #cja ,ps4 xv4 #e-f4 #cjb ,moralia in ,job1 vi4 #ah2 and ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #cjc ,ethics1 ,i41 v4 #ba4 #cjd ,of the ,city of ,god1 xix4 #b and #ai4 #cje ,col4 iii4 #c-d4 #cjf #a ,cor4 xiii4 #ab4 #cjg #a ,john iii4 #b4 #cjh ,exod4 iii4 #ad4 #cji ,s4 ,john xvii4 #c4 #caj #a ,cor4 iv4 #e4 #caa ,ps4 v4 #e4 #cab ,ps4 xv4 #aa4 #cac ,s4 ,john xiv4 #h4 #cad ,acts xv4 #i4 #cae ,ps4 xxiv4 #f-aa4 ,,question ,,clxxx ,,of ,,the ,,contemplative ,,life ,i4 ,is the ,contemplative ,life wholly confined to the ,intellect1 or does the ,will enter into it8 ,s4 ,thomas1 ,on the ,beatific ,vision1 ,i41 xii4 #g ad #cm ,,ii4 ,do the ,moral ,virtues pertain to the ,contemplative ,life8 ,s4 ,augustine1 ,of the ,city of ,god1 xix4 #ai ,,iii4 ,does the ,contemplative ,life comprise many ,acts8 ,s4 ,augustine1 ,of the ,perfection of ,human ,righteousness1 viii4 #ah ,ep41 cxxx4 ad probam ,,iv4 ,does the ,contemplative ,life consist solely in the ,contemplation of ,god1 or in the ,consideration of other ,truths as well8 ,s4 ,augustine1 ,sermon1 ,,clxix41 xiv4 #ag ,ep41 cxxx4 ad probam ,v4 ,can the ,contemplative ,life attain1 according to the ,state of this ,present ,life1 to the ,contemplation of the ,divine ,essence8 ,s4 ,augustine1 ,of the ,sermon on the ,mount1 ,,ii41 ix4 #ce ,,vi4 ,is the ,act of ,contemplation rightly distinguished according to the three kinds of ,motion--,circular1 ,direct1 and ,oblique8 ,,vii4 ,has ,contemplation its ,joys8 ,,viii4 ,is the ,contemplative ,life lasting8 ,s4 ,augustine1 ,sermon1 cclix41 ,on ,low ,sunday ,i ,is the ,contemplative ,life wholly confined to the ,intellect1 or does the ,will enter into it8 ,s4 ,gregory the ,great says#caf3 ,the contemplative life means keeping of charity towards ,god and our neighbour1 and fixing all our desires on our ,creator4 ,but desire and love belong to the affective or appetitive powers2 consequently the contemplative life is not confined to the intellect4 99 99 99 99 99 ,when men's thoughts are principally directed towards the contemplation of the truth1 their life is said to be contemplative4 ,but to intend or direct is an act of the will1 since intention or direction is concerned with the end in view1 and the end is the proper object of the will4 ,hence contemplation1 having regard to the actual essence of it1 is an act of the intellect2 but if we consider that which moves us to the exercise of such an act1 then contemplation is an act of the will2 for it is the will which moves all the other faculties1 including the intellect1 to the exercise of their appropriate acts4 ,but the appetitive faculty--the will1 that is--moves us to consider some point either sensibly or intellectually1 that is1 sometimes out of love for the thing itself--for ,where thy treasure is there is thy heart also1--and sometimes out of love of that very knowledge which follows from its consideration4 ,for this reason ,s4 ,gregory#cag makes the contemplative life consist in the love of ,god1 since from love of ,god a man yearns to look upon ,his beauty4 ,and since we are delighted when we obtain what we love1 the contemplative life consequently results in delight1 and this resides in the affective powers1 from which1 too1 love took its rise4 99 99 99 99 99 ,some1 however1 urge that the contemplative life lies wholly in the intellect1 thus3 #a4 ,the ,philosopher says#cah3 ,the end of contemplation is truth4 ,but truth belongs wholly to the intellect4 ,but from the very fact that truth is the goal of contemplation it derives its character of a desirable and lovable and pleasing good1 and in this sense it comes under the appetitive powers4 #b4 ,again1 ,s4 ,gregory says#cai3 ,rachel1 whose name is interpreted 'the ,beginning seen1' signifies the contemplative life4 ,but the vision of a principle1 or beginning1 belongs to the intellect4 ,but it is love of ,god which excites in us desire of the vision of the ,first ,principle of all--viz41 ,god ,himself--and hence ,s4 ,gregory says#cbj3 ,the contemplative life1 trampling underfoot all cares1 ardently yearns to look upon the face of the ,creator4 #c4 ,s4 ,gregory says#cba3 ,it belongs to the contemplative life to rest from all exterior action4 ,but the affective or appetitive powers tend towards external action4 ,hence it would seem that the contemplative life does not come under them4 ,but the appetitive powers not only move the bodily members to the performance of external acts1 but the intellect1 too1 is moved by them to the exercise of contemplation4 ,hear1 you that are far off1 what ,i have done1 and you that are near1 know ,my strength4 ,the sinners in ,sion are afraid1 trembling hath seized upon the hypocrites4 ,which of you can dwell with devouring fire8 which of you shall dwell with everlasting burnings8 ,he that walketh in justices1 and speaketh truth1 that casteth away avarice by oppression1 and shaketh his hands from all bribes1 that stoppeth his ears lest he hear blood1 and shutteth his eyes that he may see no evil4 ,he shall dwell on high1 the fortifications of rocks shall be his highness3 bread is given him1 his waters are sure4 ,his eyes shall see the ,king in ,his beauty1 they shall see the land far off4#cbb 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,thomas3 ,we do not enjoy all the things that we have2 and this is either because they do not afford us delight1 or because they are not the ultimate goal of our desires1 and so are incapable of satisfying our yearnings or affording us repose4 ,but these three things the ,blessed have in ,god3 for they see ,him1 and seeing ,him they hold ,him ever present to them1 for they have it in their power always to see ,him2 and holding ,him1 they enjoy ,him1 satisfying their yearnings with ,that ,which is ,the ,ultimate ,end 7,summa ,theologica1 ,i41 xii4 #g1 ad #cm74 ,as the hart panteth after the fountains of water3 so my soul panteth after ,thee1 ,o ,god4 ,my soul hath thirsted after the strong living ,god2 when shall ,i come and appear before the face of ,god8 ,my tears have been my bread day and night1 whilst it is said to me daily3 ,where is thy ,god8 ,these things ,i remembered1 and poured out my soul in me2 for ,i shall go over into the place of the wonderful tabernacle1 even to the house of ,god4 ,with the voice of joy and praise2 the noise of one feasting4 ,why art thou sad1 ,o my soul8 and why dost thou trouble me8 ,hope in ,god1 for ,i will still give praise to ,him3 the salvation of my countenance1 and my ,god4#cbc ,,ii ,do the ,moral ,virtues pertain to the ,contemplative ,life8 ,the moral virtues are directed towards external actions1 and ,s4 ,gregory says#cbd3 ,it belongs to the contemplative life to abstain from all external action4 ,hence the moral virtues do not pertain to the contemplative life4 ,a thing may pertain to the contemplative life either essentially or by way of disposition towards it4 ,essentially1 then1 the moral virtues do not pertain to the contemplative life2 for the goal of the contemplative life is the consideration of truth4 ,knowledge1 says the ,philosopher1 which pertains to the consideration of truth1 has little to do with the moral virtues4#cbe ,hence he also says#cbf that moral virtues pertain to active1 not to contemplative happiness4 ,but dispositively the moral virtues do belong to the contemplative life4 ,for actual contemplation1 in which the contemplative life essentially consists1 is impeded both by the vehemence of the passions which distract the soul from occupation with the things of the intellect1 and divert it to the things of sense1 and also by external disturbances4 ,the moral virtues1 however1 keep down the vehemence of the passions1 and check the disturbance that might arise from external occupations4 ,consequently the moral virtues do pertain to the contemplative life1 but by way of disposition thereto4 99 99 99 99 99 ,but some maintain that the moral virtues do pertain to the contemplative life1 thus3 #a4 ,s4 ,gregory says#cbg3 ,the contemplative life means keeping charity towards ,god and our neighbour with our whole soul4 ,but all the moral virtues--acts of which fall under precept--are reduced to love of ,god and of our neighbour2 for ,love is the fulfilling of the ,law4#cbh ,consequently it would seem that the moral virtues do pertain to the contemplative life4 ,but1 as we have already said1 the contemplative life is motived by the affective faculties1 and consequently love of ,god and of our neighbour are required for the contemplative life4 ,impelling causes1 however1 do not enter into the essence of a thing1 but prepare for it and perfect it4 ,hence it does not follow that the moral virtues essentially pertain to the contemplative life4 #b4 ,again2 the contemplative life is especially directed towards the contemplation of ,god1 as ,s4 ,gregory says3 ,the soul1 trampling all cares underfoot1 ardently yearns to see its ,creator's face4 ,but no one can attain to this without that cleanness of heart which the moral virtues procure3 ,blessed are the clean of heart1 for they shall see ,god1#cbi and again3 ,follow peace with all men with holiness1 without which no man shall see ,god4#ccj ,but holiness--that is1 cleanness of heart--is produced by those virtues which have to do with those passions which hinder the purity of the reason4 ,and peace is produced by justice--the moral virtue which is concerned with our works3 ,the work of justice shall be peace#cca inasmuch1 that is1 as a man1 by refraining from injuring others1 removes occasions of strife and disturbance4 #c4 ,lastly1 ,s4 ,gregory says#ccb3 ,the contemplative life is something beautiful in the soul1 and it is for this reason that it is said to be typified by ,rachel1 for ,she was well-favoured and of a beautiful countenance4#ccc ,but the beauty of the soul1 as ,s4 ,ambrose remarks1 depends upon the moral virtues and especially on that of temperance4#ccd ,but beauty consists in a certain splendour combined with a becoming harmony4 ,both of these points are radically to be referred to the reason1 for to it belongs both the light which manifests beauty1 and the establishment of due proportion in others4 ,consequently in the contemplative life--which consists in the act of the reason--beauty is necessarily and essentially to be found2 thus of the contemplation of ,wisdom it is said3 ,and ,i became a lover of her beauty4#cce ,but in the moral virtues beauty is only found by a certain participation--in proportion1 namely1 as they share in the harmony of reason2 and this is especially the case with the virtue of temperance whose function it is to repress those desires which particularly obscure the light of reason4 ,hence it is1 too1 that the virtue of chastity especially renders a man fit for contemplation1 for venereal pleasures are precisely those which1 as ,s4 ,augustine points out1 most drag down the mind to the things of sense4#ccf 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,while it is true that any one of these three kinds of life--the leisurely1 the busy1 and the life commingled of them both--may be embraced by anybody without prejudice to his faith1 and may be the means of leading him to his eternal reward1 it is yet important that a man should take note of what it is that he holds to through love of the truth1 and should reflect on the nature of the work to which he devotes himself at the demand of charity4 ,for no man should be so addicted to leisure as for its sake to neglect his neighbour's profit2 neither should any man be so devoted to the active life as to forget the thought of ,god4 ,for in our leisured life we are not to find delight in mere idle repose1 but the seeking and finding of the truth must be our aim2 each must strive to advance in that1 to hold fast what he finds1 and yet not to grudge it to his neighbour4 ,similarly1 in the life of action3 we must not love honour in this life1 nor power2 for all things are vain under the sun4 ,but we must love the toil itself which comes to us together with such honour or power if it be rightly and profitably used--as tending1 that is1 to the salvation under ,god of those under us4444 ,love of truth1 then1 seeks for a holy leisure2 the calls of charity compel us to undertake the labours of justice4 ,if no one lays on us this burden1 then must we devote our leisure to the search after and the study of the truth2 but if such burden be imposed upon us1 we must shoulder it at the call of charity2 yet withal we must not wholly abandon the delights of the truth1 lest while the latter's sweetness is withdrawn from us1 the burden we have taken up overwhelm us 7,of the ,city of ,god1 xix4 #ai74 ,o expectation of ,israel1 the ,saviour thereof in time of trouble3 why wilt ,thou be as a stranger in the land1 and as a wayfaring man turning in to lodge8 ,why wilt ,thou be as a wandering man1 as a mighty man that cannot save8 but ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 art among us1 and ,thy ,name is called upon us1 forsake us not4#ccg ,,iii ,does the ,contemplative ,life comprise many ,acts8 ,by life is here meant any work to which a man principally devotes himself4 ,hence if there were many acts or works in the contemplative life1 it would not be one life1 but several4 ,it must be understood that we are speaking of the contemplative life as it concerns man4 ,and between men and ,angels there is1 as ,s4 ,denis says1#cch this difference--that whereas an ,angel knows the truth by one simple act of intelligence1 man1 on the contrary1 only arrives at a knowledge of the simple truth by arguing from many premises4 ,hence the contemplative life has only a single act in which it finds its final perfection--namely1 the contemplation of the truth--and from this one act it derives its oneness4 ,but at the same time it has many acts by means of which it arrives at this final act4 ,of these various acts1 some are concerned with the establishment of principles from which the mind proceeds to the contemplation of truth2 others1 again1 are concerned with deducing from these principles that truth the knowledge of which is sought4 ,but the ultimate act1 the complement of the foregoing1 is the contemplation of truth4 ,some1 however1 maintain that many acts pertain to the contemplative life1 thus3 #a4 ,richard of ,s4 ,victor#cci distinguishes between contemplation1 meditation1 and thought4 ,but these all seem to belong to the contemplative life4 ,but thought1 according to ,richard of ,s4 ,victor1 seems to signify the consideration of many things from which a man intends to gather some single truth4 ,consequently1 under the term thought may be comprised perceptions by the senses1 whereby we know certain effects--imaginations1 too1 as well as investigation of different phenomena by the reason2 in a word1 all those things which conduce to a knowledge of the truth we are in search of4 ,at the same time1 according to ,s4 ,augustine1#cdj every operation of the intellect may be termed thought4 ,meditation1 again1 seems to refer to the process of reasoning from principles which have to do with the truth we desire to contemplate4 ,and contemplation1 according to ,s4 ,bernard1#cda means the same thing1 although1 according to the ,philosopher1#cdb every operation of the intellect may be termed consideration4 ,but contemplation is concerned with the simple dwelling upon the truth itself4 ,hence ,richard of ,s4 ,victor says#cdc3 ,contemplation is the soul's clear1 free1 and attentive dwelling upon the truth to be perceived2 meditation is the outlook of the soul occupied in searching for the truth2 thought is the soul's glance1 ever prone to distraction4 #b4 ,further1 the ,apostle says3 ,but we all1 beholding the glory of the ,lord with open face1 are transformed into the same image from glory to glory4#cdd ,but this refers to the contemplative life2 therefore1 besides the three things already mentioned--namely1 contemplation1 meditation and thought1--speculation1 too1 enters into the contemplative life4 ,but speculation1 as ,s4 ,augustine's ,gloss has it1#cde is derived from speculum1 a 'mirror1' not from specula1 a 'watch-tower4' ,to see a thing in a mirror1 however1 is to see a cause by an effect in which its likeness is shown2 thus speculation seems reducible to meditation4 #c4 ,again1 ,s4 ,bernard says#cdf3 ,the first and chiefest contemplation is the marvelling at ,god's ,majesty4 ,but to marvel is1 according to ,s4 ,john ,damascene1#cdg a species of fear4 ,consequently it seems that many acts belong to contemplation4 ,but wonderment is a species of fear arising from our learning something which it is beyond our powers to understand4 ,hence wonderment is an act subsequent to the contemplation of sublime truth1 whereas contemplation reaches its goal in the affective powers4 #d4 ,lastly1 prayer1 reading1 and meditation seem to belong to the contemplative life4 ,devout hearing1 too1 belongs to it1 for it is said of ,mary1 who is the type of the contemplative life1 that sitting at the ,lord's feet1 she heard ,his word4#cdh ,man1 however1 arrives at the knowledge of truth in two ways3 first of all1 by receiving things from others2 as regards1 then1 the things a man receives from ,god3 prayer is necessary1 according to the words3 ,i called upon ,god1 and the spirit of ,wisdom came upon me4#cdi ,and as for the things he receives from men3 hearing is necessary if he receive them from one who speaks1 reading is necessary if it be question of what is handed down in ,holy ,scripture4 ,and secondly1 a man arrives at the knowledge of truth by his own personal study1 and for this is required meditation4 ,uni trinoque ,domino ,sit sempiterna gloria6 ,qui vitam sine termino ,nobis donet in ,patria6 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,as long1 then1 as we are absent from the ,lord1 we walk by faith and not by sight1#cej whence it is said3 ,the just man shall live in his faith4#cea ,and this is our justice as long as we are on our pilgrimage--namely1 that here now by the uprightness and perfection with which we walk we strive after that perfection and fulness of justice where1 in all the glory of its beauty1 will be full and perfect charity4 ,here we chastise our body and bring it into subjection2 here we give alms by conferring benefits and forgiving offences against ourselves2 and we do this with joy and from the heart1 and are ever instant in prayer2 and all this we do in the light of that sound doctrine by which is built up right faith1 solid hope1 and pure charity4 ,this1 then1 is our present justice whereby we run hungering and thirsting after the perfection and fulness of justice1 so that hereafter we may be filled therewith 7,de ,perfectione justitiae ,hominis1 viii4 #ah74 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,you know1 then1 ,i think1 not only how you ought to pray1 but what you ought to pray for2 and this not because ,i teach you1 but because ,he teaches you ,who has deigned to teach us all4 ,the ,life of ,beatitude is what we have to seek2 this we have to ask for from the ,lord ,god4 ,and what ,beatitude means is1 with many1 a source of much dispute4 ,but why should we appeal to the many and their many opinions8 ,for pithily and truly it is said in ,god's ,scripture3 ,happy is that people whose ,god is the ,lord6#ceb ,oh1 that we may be counted amongst that people6 ,oh1 that we may be enabled to contemplate ,him1 and may come one day to live with ,him unendingly6 ,the end of the commandment is charity from a pure heart and a good conscience1 and an unfeigned faith4#cec ,and among these three1 hope stands for a good conscience4 ,faith1 therefore1 with hope and charity1 leads to ,god the man who prays--that is1 the man who believes1 who hopes1 and who desires1 and who in the ,lord's ,prayer meditates what he should ask from the ,lord 7,ep4 cxxx4 ad probam74 ,for my heart hath been inflamed1 and my reins have been changed3 and ,i am brought to nothing1 and ,i knew not4 ,i am become as a beast before ,thee2 and ,i am always with ,thee4 ,thou hast held me by my right hand2 and by ,thy will ,thou hast conducted me2 and with glory ,thou hast received me4 ,for what have ,i in ,heaven8 and besides ,thee what do ,i desire upon earth8 ,for ,thee my flesh and my heart hath fainted away2 ,thou art the ,god of my heart2 and the ,god that is my portion for ever4 ,for behold they that go far from ,thee shall perish2 ,thou hast destroyed all them that are disloyal to ,thee4 ,but it is good for me to adhere to my ,god1 to put my hope in the ,lord ,god3 that ,i may declare all ,thy praises1 in the gates of the daughter of ,sion4#ced ,,iv ,does the ,contemplative ,life consist solely in the ,contemplation of ,god1 or in the ,consideration of other ,truths as well8 ,s4 ,gregory says#cee3 ,in contemplation it is the ,principle--namely1 ,god--which is sought4 ,a thing may come under the contemplative life in two ways3 either primarily1 or secondarily--that is1 dispositively4 ,now primarily the contemplation of ,divine ,truth belongs to the contemplative life1 since such contemplation is the goal of all human life4 ,hence ,s4 ,augustine says#cef3 ,the contemplation of ,god is promised to us as the goal of all our acts and the eternal consummation of all our joys4 ,and this will be perfect in the future life when we shall see ,god face to face--when1 consequently1 it will render us perfectly blessed4 ,but in our present state the contemplation of ,divine ,truth belongs to us only imperfectly--namely1 through a glass and in a dark manner2 it causes in us now a certain commencement of beatitude1 which begins here1 to be continued in the future4 ,hence even the ,philosopher#ceg makes the ultimate happiness of man consist in the contemplation of the highest intelligible truths4 ,but since we are led to a contemplation of ,god by the consideration of ,his ,divine works--,the invisible things of ,god 444 are clearly seen1 being understood by the things that are made#ceh--;it follows also that the contemplation of the ,divine works belongs in a secondary sense to the contemplative life--according1 namely1 as by it we are led to the knowledge of ,god4 ,for this reason ,s4 ,augustine says#cei3 ,in the study of created things we must not exercise a mere idle and passing curiosity1 but must make them a stepping-stone to things that are immortal and that abide for ever4 ,thus from what we have said it is clear that four things belong1 and that in a certain sequence1 to the contemplative life3 firstly1 the moral virtues2 secondly1 other acts apart from that of contemplation2 thirdly1 the contemplation of the ,divine works2 and fourthly--and this is the crown of them all--the actual contemplation of the ,divine ,truth4 ,some1 however1 say that the contemplative life is not merely confined to the contemplation of ,god but is extended to the consideration of any truth whatsoever1 thus3 #a4 ,in ,ps4 cxxxviii4 #ad we read3 ,wonderful are ,thy works6 ,my soul knoweth right well6 ,but the knowledge of the works of ,god is derived from a certain contemplation of the truth4 ,whence it would seem that it belongs to the contemplative life to contemplate not only the ,divine ,truth1 but also any other truth we please4 ,but ,david sought the knowledge of ,god's works that he might thereby be led to ,god ,himself1 as he says elsewhere3 ,i meditated on all ,thy works1 ,i mused upon the works of ,thy hands2 ,i stretched forth my hands to ,thee4#cfj #b4 ,again1 ,s4 ,bernard says#cfa3 ,the first point in contemplation is to marvel at ,god's majesty2 the second1 at ,his judgments2 the third1 at ,his benefits2 the fourth1 at ,his promises4 ,but of these only the first comes under the ,divine ,truth--the rest are effects of it4 ,but from the consideration of the ,divine judgments a man is led to the contemplation of the ,divine justice2 and from a consideration of the ,divine benefits and promises a man is led to a knowledge of the ,divine mercy and goodness1 as it were by effects either already shown or to be shown4 #c4 ,once more1 ,richard of ,s4 ,victor#cfb distinguishes six kinds of contemplation2 the first is according to the imagination simply1 when1 namely1 we consider corporeal things2 the second is in the imagination directed by the reason1 as when we consider the harmony and arrangement of the things of the senses2 the third is in the reason1 but based on the imagination1 as when by the consideration of visible things we are uplifted to the invisible2 the fourth is in the reason working on the things of the reason1 as when the soul occupies itself with invisible things unknown to the imagination2 the fifth is above the reason1 but not beyond its grasp1 when1 for instance1 we know by ,divine ,revelation things which cannot be comprehended by the human reason2 and the sixth is above the reason and beyond its grasp1 as when by ,divine illumination we know things which are apparently repugnant to human reason--for example1 the things we are told concerning the mystery of the ,holy ,trinity4 ,and only the last named of these seems to come under ,divine ,truth2 consequently contemplation of the truth is not limited to ,divine ,truth1 but extends also to those truths which we consider in created things4 ,but by these six are signified the steps by which we ascend through created things to the contemplation of ,god4 ,for in the first we have the perception of the things of sense2 in the second1 the progress from the things of sense to the things of the intellect2 in the third judgment upon the things of sense according to intellectual principles2 in the fourth1 the simple consideration of intellectual truths at which we have arrived by means of the things of sense2 in the fifth1 the contemplation of intellectual truths to which we could not attain by the things of sense1 but which can be grasped by reason2 in the sixth1 the contemplation of intellectual truths such as the reason can neither find nor grasp--truths1 namely1 which belong to the sublime contemplation of the ,divine ,truth1 in which contemplation is finally perfected4 #d4 ,lastly1 in the contemplative life the contemplation of truth is sought as being man's perfection4 ,but any truth whatsoever is a perfection of the human intellect4 ,consequently the contemplative life consists in the contemplation of any kind of truth whatsoever4 ,but the ultimate perfection of the human intellect is the ,divine ,truth2 other truths perfect the intellect by way of preparation for the ,divine ,truth4 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,martha1 ,martha1 thou hast chosen a good part1 but ,mary hath chosen the better4 ,yours is good--for it is good to busy oneself with waiting on the ,saints--but hers is better4 ,what you have chosen will pass away at length4 ,you minister to the hungry1 you minister to the thirsty1 you make the beds for them that would sleep1 you find house-room for them that need it--but all these things will pass away6 ,for there will come a time when none will hunger1 when none will thirst1 when none will sleep4 ,and then thy care will be taken from thee4 ,but ,mary hath chosen the better part1 which shall never be taken from her6 ,it shall not be taken away1 for she chose to live the life of contemplation1 she chose to live by the ,word4 ,what kind of life will that be that flows from the ,word without spoken word8 ,here on earth she drew life from the ,word1 but through the medium of the spoken word4 ,then will be life1 from the ,word indeed1 but with no spoken word4 ,for the ,word ,himself is life4 ,we shall be like ,him1 for we shall see ,him as ,he is#cfc 7,sermon1 ,,clxix41 xiv4 #ag74 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,one thing ,i have asked of the ,lord1 this will ,i seek after3 that ,i may dwell in the house of the ,lord all the days of my life6#cfd ,whosoever asks for ,this ,one ,thing and seeks after ,it prays with sure and certain confidence2 nor need he fear lest1 when he shall have obtained ,it1 he shall find ,it disagreeable to him1 for without ,it naught that he prays for as he ought1 and obtains1 is of any avail4 ,for this is the one1 true1 and only ,blessed ,life--to contemplate the delights of the ,lord for eternity1 in immortality and incorruptibility of body as well as soul4 ,for the sake of ,this ,one ,thing are all other things to be sought after1 and only thus our petitions for them are rendered not unbecoming4 ,whosoever hath this ,one ,thing will have all that he wishes for1 nor indeed will he be able to wish there for anything which is unfitting4 ,for there is the ,fountain of ,life1 for which we must now thirst in prayer as long as we live by hope--as long1 too1 as we see not ,what we hope for4 ,for we dwell 'neath the shadow of ,his wings before ,whom is all our desire1 that so we may be inebriated with the plenty of ,his house1 and may drink of the torrent of ,his pleasure3 for with ,him is the ,fountain of ,life1 and in ,his light we shall see light4#cfe ,then shall our desire be sated with all good things1 then will there be naught for us to seek for with groanings1 but only ,what we shall cling to with joy4 ,yet none the less1 since this is the peace that surpasseth all understanding1 even when praying for it we know not what we should pray for as we ought#cff 7,ep4 cxxx4 ad probam74 ,he shall cast death down headlong for ever3 and the ,lord ,god shall wipe away tears from every face1 and the reproach of ,his people ,he shall take away from off the whole earth3 for the ,lord hath spoken it4 ,and they shall say in that day3 ,lo1 this is our ,god1 we have waited for ,him1 and ,he will save us3 this is the ,lord1 we have patiently waited for ,him1 we shall rejoice and be joyful in ,his salvation4#cfg ,v ,can the ,contemplative ,life attain1 according to the ,state of this ,present ,life1 to the ,contemplation of the ,divine ,essence8 ,s4 ,gregory says#cfh3 ,as long as we live in this mortal flesh none of us can make such progress in the virtue of contemplation as to fix his mind's gaze on that ,infinite ,light4 ,s4 ,augustine also says#cfi3 ,no one who looks on ,god lives with that life with which we mortals live in the bodily senses2 but unless he be in some sort dead to this life1 whether as having wholly departed from the body1 or as rapt away from the bodily senses1 he is not uplifted to that vision4 ,a man1 then1 can be in this life in two ways3 he can be in it actually--that is1 as actually using his bodily senses--and when he is thus in the body no contemplation such as belongs to this present life can attain to the vision of the ,essence of ,god2 or a man may be in this life potentially1 and not actually2 that is1 his soul may be joined to his body as its informing principle1 but in such fashion that it neither makes use of the bodily senses nor even of the imagination1 and this is what takes place when a man is rapt in ecstasy3 in this sense contemplation such as belongs to this life can attain to the vision of the ,divine ,essence4 ,consequently the highest degree of contemplation which is compatible with the present life is that which ,s4 ,paul had when he was rapt in ecstasy and stood midway between the state of this present life and the next4 ,some1 however1 say that the contemplative life can1 even according to our present state of life1 attain to the vision of the ,divine ,essence1 thus3 #a4 ,jacob said3 ,i have seen ,god face to face1 and my soul hath been saved4#cgj ,but the vision of the face of ,god is the vision of the ,divine ,essence4 ,whence it would seem that a man may by contemplation actually reach1 even during this present life1 to the vision of the ,essence of ,god4 ,but ,s4 ,denis says#cga3 ,if anyone saw ,god and understood what he saw1 then it was not ,god he saw1 but something belonging to ,him4 ,and similarly ,s4 ,gregory says#cgb3 ,almighty ,god is never seen in ,his ,glory1 but the soul gazes at something derived from ,it1 and thus refreshed1 makes advance1 and so ultimately arrives at the glory of vision4 ,hence when ,jacob said1 ,i saw ,god face to face1 we are not to understand that he saw the ,essence of ,god1 but that he saw some appearance--that is1 some imaginary appearance--in which ,god spoke to him2 or1 as the ,gloss of ,s4 ,gregory#cgc has it1 ,since we know people by the face1 ,jacob called knowledge of ,god ,his face4 #b4 ,further1 ,s4 ,gregory says#cgd3 ,contemplative men turn back within upon themselves in that they search into spiritual things1 and do not carry with them the shadows of things corporeal2 or if perchance they touch them1 they drive them away with discreet hands4 ,but when they would look upon the ,infinite ,light1 they put aside all images which limit ,it1 and in striving to arrive at a height superior to themselves1 they become conquerors of their nature4 ,but a man is only withheld from the vision of the ,divine ,essence1 which is ,infinite ,light1 by the necessity he is under of turning to corporeal images4 ,from this it would seem that contemplation can1 even in this present life1 arrive at the sight of the ,infinite ,essential ,light4 ,but human contemplation according to this present state cannot exist without recourse to the imagination1 for it is in accordance with man's nature that he should see intelligible forms through the medium of pictures in the imagination1 as also the ,philosopher teaches4#cge ,yet intellectual knowledge does not consist in such images1 rather does the intellect contemplate in them the purity of intelligible truth2 and this is not merely the case in natural knowledge1 but also in those things which we know by revelation4 ,for ,s4 ,denis says3 ,the ,divine ,light manifests to us the ,angelic hierarchies by means of symbolical figures by force of which we are restored to the simple ray1 that is1 to the simple knowledge of intelligible truth4 ,it is thus that we ought to understand ,s4 ,gregory's words when he says3 ,in contemplation men do not carry with them the shadows of things corporeal1 for their contemplation does not abide in these things but rather in the consideration of intelligible truth4 #c4 ,lastly1 ,s4 ,gregory says#cgf3 ,to the soul that looks upon its ,creator all created things are but narrow4 ,consequently the man of ,god--namely1 the ,blessed ,benedict--who saw in a tower a fiery globe and the ,angels mounting up to ,heaven1 was doubtless only able to see these things by the light of ,god4 ,but the ,blessed ,benedict was then still in this life4 ,consequently contemplation1 even in this present life1 can attain to the vision of the ,essence of ,god4 ,but we are not to understand from ,s4 ,gregory's words that the ,blessed ,benedict saw the ,essence of ,god in that vision2 ,s4 ,gregory wishes to show that since to him who looks upon his ,creator all created things are but as nothing1 it follows that certain things can easily be seen by the illumination afforded by the ,divine ,light4 ,hence he adds3 ,for1 however little of the ,creator's ,light he sees1 all created things become of small account4 ,veni ,sancte ,spiritus ,et emitte coelitus ,lucis ,tuae radium6 ,o ,lux ,beatissima ,reple cordis intima ,tuorum fidelium6 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,and thus1 the remaining burden of this mortal life being laid aside at death1 man's happiness will1 in ,god's own time1 be perfected from every point of view--that happiness which is begun in this life1 and to the attainment and securing of which at some future time our every effort must now tend 7,of the ,sermon on the ,mount1 ,,ii41 ix4 #ce74 ,the old error is passed away2 ,thou wilt keep peace3 peace1 because we have hoped in ,thee4 ,you have hoped in the ,lord for evermore1 in the ,lord ,god mighty for ever4 ,and in the way of ,thy judgments1 ,o ,lord1 we have patiently waited for ,thee3 ,thy ,name1 and ,thy remembrance are the desire of the soul4 ,my soul hath desired ,thee in the night3 yea1 and with my spirit within me in the morning early ,i will watch to ,thee4#cgg ,,vi ,is the ,act of ,contemplation ,rightly ,distinguished ,according to the ,three ,kinds of ,motion--,circular1 ,direct1 and ,oblique8 ,s4 ,denis the ,areopagite#cgh does so distinguish the acts of contemplation4 ,the operation of the intellect in which contemplation essentially consists is termed motion in the sense that motion is the act of a perfect thing1 according to the ,philosopher4#cgi ,and since we arrive at a knowledge of intelligible things through the medium of the things of sense1 and the operations of the senses do not take place without motion1 it follows that the operations also of the intellect are correctly described as a species of motion1 and are differentiated according to the analogy of divers motions4 ,but the more perfect and the chiefest of bodily motions are local motions1 as is proved by the ,philosopher4#chj ,consequently the chief intellectual motions are described according to the analogy of these latter4 ,now1 there are three species of local motion3 one is circular1 according as a thing is moved uniformly about the same centre2 another is direct1 according as a thing proceeds from one point to another2 and a third is oblique1 compounded as it were from the two foregoing4 ,hence in intelligible operations1 that which simply has uniformity is attributed to circular motion2 that intellectual motion by which a man proceeds from one thing to another is attributed to direct motion2 while that intellectual operation which has a certain uniformity combined with progress towards different points1 is attributed to oblique motion4 ,all1 however1 do not agree with this division1 thus3 #a4 ,contemplation means a state of repose1 as is said in ,wisdom#cha3 ,when ,i go into my house ,i shall repose myself with ,her4 ,and motion is opposed to repose4 ,consequently the operations of the contemplative life cannot be designated according to these different species of motion4 ,but whereas external bodily movements are opposed to that repose of contemplation which is understood to be rest from external occupations1 the motion of intellectual operations belongs precisely to the repose of contemplation4 #b4 ,again1 the action of the contemplative life pertains to the intellect wherein man is at one with the ,angels4 ,but ,s4 ,denis does not apply these motions to the ,angels in the same way as he does to the soul2 for he says that the circular motion of the ,angels corresponds to the illumination of the beautiful and the good4 ,but of the circular motion of the soul he gives several definitions1 of which the first is the return of the soul upon itself as opposed to external things2 the second is a certain wrapping together of the powers of the soul whereby it is freed from error and from external occupation2 and the third is the union of the soul with things superior to it4 ,similarly1 he speaks in different terms of the direct motion of the soul as compared with that of the ,angels4 ,for he says that the direct motion of an ,angel is according as he proceeds to the care of the things subject to him2 while the direct motion of the soul is made to consist in two things3 first of all that it proceeds to those things which are around it2 secondly1 that from external things it is uplifted to simple contemplation4 ,and lastly1 he explains the oblique motion differently in each case4 ,for he makes the oblique motion of the ,angels consist in this that1 while providing for those that have less than themselves1 they remain in the same attitude towards ,god2 but the oblique motion of the soul he explains as meaning that the soul is illumined by ,divine knowledge rationally and diffusely4 ,consequently it does not appear that the operations of contemplation are fittingly distinguished according to the aforesaid species of motion4 ,but while man's intellect is generally the same with that of the ,angels1 the intellectual powers of the latter are far higher than in man4 ,it was therefore necessary to assign the aforesaid motions to human souls and to the ,angels in different fashion in proportion as their intellectual powers are not uniform4 ,for the ,angelic intellect has uniform knowledge in two respects3 firstly1 because the ,angels do not acquire intelligible truth from the variety of compound things2 and secondly1 because they do not understand intelligible truth discursively1 but by simple intuition4 ,whereas the intellect of the human soul1 on the contrary1 acquires intelligible truth from the things of sense1 and understands it by the discursive action of the reason4 ,hence ,s4 ,denis assigns to the ,angels circular motion in that they uniformly and unceasingly1 without beginning or end1 gaze upon ,god2 just as circular motion1 which has neither beginning nor end1 is uniformly maintained round the same central point4 ,but in the case of the human soul1 its twofold lack of uniformity must be removed before it can attain to the above-mentioned uniformity4 ,for there must first be removed that lack of uniformity which arises from the diversity of external things3 that is1 the soul must quit external things4 ,and this ,s4 ,denis expresses first of all in his definition of the circular motion of the soul when he speaks of the return of the soul upon itself as opposed to external things4 ,and there must be removed in the second place that second lack of uniformity which arises from the discursive action of the reason4 ,and this takes place when all the operations of the soul are reduced to the simple contemplation of intelligible truth4 ,this forms the second part of ,s4 ,denis's definition of this circular motion--namely1 when he speaks of the necessity of a certain wrapping together of the powers of the soul1 with the result that1 when discursive action thus ceases1 the soul's gaze is fixed on the contemplation of the one simple truth4 ,and in this operation of the soul there is no room for error1 just as there is no room for error in our understanding of first principles which we know by simple intuition4 ,then1 when these first two steps have been taken1 ,s4 ,denis puts in the third place that uniformity1 like to that of the ,angels1 by which the soul1 laying aside all else1 persists in the simple contemplation of ,god4 ,and this he expresses when he says3 ,then1 as now made uniform1 it1 as a whole--that is1 as conformed 7to ,god7--is1 with all its powers unified1 led by the hand to the ,beautiful and the ,good4 ,but the direct motion in the ,angels cannot be understood in the sense that1 by considering1 they proceed from one point to another2 but solely according to the order of their providential care for others--according1 namely1 as the superior ,angels illumine the inferior through those who stand between4 ,and this is what ,s4 ,denis means when he says that the direct motion of an ,angel is according as he proceeds to the care of the things subject to him1 taking in his course all things that are direct following--that is1 those things which are disposed in direct order4 ,but to the human soul ,s4 ,denis assigns direct motion in the sense that it proceeds from the exterior things of sense to the knowledge of intelligible things4 ,and he assigns oblique motion to the ,angels--a motion1 that is1 compounded of the direct and the circular--inasmuch as an ,angel1 according to his contemplation of ,god1 provides for those inferior to him4 ,to the human soul1 on the contrary1 he assigns this same oblique motion1 similarly compounded of the direct and the circular motions1 inasmuch as in its reasonings it makes use of the ,divine illuminations4 #c4 ,lastly1 ,richard of ,s4 ,victor#chb gives many other and different kinds of motion4 ,for1 following the analogy of the birds of the air1 he says of these latter that some at one time ascend on high1 at another swoop down to earth1 and they do this again and again2 others turn now to the right1 now to the left1 and this repeatedly2 others go in advance1 others fall behind2 some sail round and round in circles1 now narrower and now wider2 while others again remain almost immovably suspended in one place4 ,from all which it would seem that there are not merely three movements in contemplation4 ,but all these diversities of motion which are expressed by1 up and down1 to right and left1 backwards and forwards1 and in varying circles1 are reducible either to direct or to oblique motion1 for they all signify the discursive action of the reason4 ,for if this discursive action be from the genus to the species or from the whole to the part1 it will be1 as ,richard of ,s4 ,victor himself explains1 motion upwards and downwards4 ,if1 again1 it means argumentation from one thing to its opposite1 it will come under motion to right and left4 ,or if it be deduction from cause to effect1 then it will be motion backwards and forwards4 ,and finally1 if it mean arguing from the accidents which surround a thing1 whether nearly or remotely1 it will be circuitous motion4 ,but the discursive action of the reason arguing from the things of sense to intelligible things according to the orderly progress of the natural reason1 belongs to direct motion4 ,when1 however1 it arises from ,divine illuminations1 it comes under oblique motion1 as we have already said 7in the reply to the second argument74 ,lastly1 only the immobility which he mentions will come under circular motion4 ,whence it appears that ,s4 ,denis has quite sufficiently1 and with exceeding subtlety1 described the movements of contemplation4 ,for behold my witness is in ,heaven1 and ,he that knoweth my conscience is on high4 ,for behold short years pass away1 and ,i am walking in a path by which ,i shall not return4#chc ,,vii ,has ,contemplation its ,joys8 ,in ,wisdom viii4 #af we read3 ,her conversation hath no bitterness1 nor ,her company any tediousness1 but joy and gladness4 ,and ,s4 ,gregory says#chd3 ,the contemplative life means a truly lovable sweetness4 ,there are two sources of pleasure in contemplation2 for1 firstly1 there is the very act of contemplating1 and everyone finds a certain pleasure in the performance of acts which are appropriate to his nature or to his habits4 ,and the contemplation of truth is natural to man as a rational animal2 hence it is that all men naturally desire to know1 and consequently find a pleasure in the knowledge of truth4 ,and this pleasure is enhanced according as a man has habits of wisdom and knowledge which enable him to indulge in contemplation without difficulty4 ,secondly1 contemplation is pleasurable owing to the object which we contemplate1 as when a man looks at something which he loves4 ,and this holds good of even bodily vision1 for not only is the mere exercise of the visual faculties pleasurable1 but the seeing people whom we love is pleasurable4 ,since1 then1 the contemplative life especially consists in the contemplation of ,god1 to which contemplation we are moved by charity1 it follows that the contemplative life is not merely pleasurable by reason of the simple act of contemplating1 but also by reason of ,divine ,love ,itself4 ,and in both these respects the delights of contemplation exceed all other human delights4 ,for on the one hand spiritual delights are superior to carnal delights2 and on the other hand1 the love of ,divine charity wherewith we love ,god exceeds all other love2 whence it is said in the ,psalm3 ,taste and see that the ,lord is sweet4#che ,some maintain1 however1 that contemplation is not pleasurable1 thus3 #a4 ,pleasure belongs to the appetitive powers1 whereas contemplation is mainly in the intellect4 ,but while the contemplative life mainly consists in the intellect1 it derives its principle from the affective powers1 since a man is moved to contemplation by love of ,god4 ,and since the end corresponds to the principle1 it follows that the goal and term of the contemplative life is in the affective powers1 in the sense1 namely1 that a man finds a pleasure in the sight of a thing which he loves1 and this very pleasure stirs up in him a yet greater love4 ,hence ,s4 ,gregory says#chf3 ,when a man sees one whom he loves his love is yet more enkindled4 ,and in this lies the full perfection of the contemplative life3 that the ,divine ,truth should not only be seen but loved4 #b4 ,again1 strife and contention hinder delight4 ,but in contemplation there is strife and contention1 for ,s4 ,gregory says#chg3 ,the soul1 when it strives after the contemplation of ,god1 finds itself engaged in a species of combat2 at one time it seems to prevail1 for by understanding and by feeling it tastes somewhat of the ,infinite ,light2 at other times it is overwhelmed1 for when it has tasted it faints4 ,it is true indeed that contest and strife arising from the opposition presented by external things prevent us from finding pleasure in those same things4 ,for no man finds a pleasure in the things against which he fights4 ,but he does find a pleasure1 other things being equal1 in the actual attainment of a thing for which he has striven2 thus ,s4 ,augustine says#chh3 ,the greater the danger in the battle1 the greater the joy in the triumph4 ,and in contemplation the strife and the combat do not arise from any opposition on the part of the truth which we contemplate1 but from our deficient understanding and from the corruptible nature of our bodies which ever draw us down to things beneath us3 ,the corruptible body is a load upon the soul1 and the earthly habitation presseth down the mind that museth upon many things4#chi ,hence it is that when a man attains to the contemplation of truth he loves it still more ardently2 but at the same time he more than ever hates his own defects and the sluggishness of his corruptible body1 so that with the ,apostle he cries out3 ,unhappy man that ,i am6 ,who shall deliver me from the body of this death8#cij ,hence1 too1 ,s4 ,gregory says3 ,when ,god is known by our desires and our understanding1 ,he causes all pleasures of the flesh to wither up within us4#cia #c4 ,but again1 delight follows upon a perfect work4#cib ,but contemplation on this earth is imperfect1 according to the words of the ,apostle3 ,we see now through a glass in a dark manner4#cic ,hence it would seem that the contemplative life does not afford delight4 ,it is indeed true that the contemplation of ,god during this life is imperfect compared with our contemplation of ,him in our eternal home2 and in the same way it is true that the delights of contemplation here on earth are imperfect compared with the delights of contemplation in that home1 of which latter joys the ,psalmist says3 ,thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of ,thy pleasure4#cid ,yet1 none the less1 the contemplation of ,divine things here on earth is1 although imperfect1 far more perfect than any other subject of contemplation howsoever perfect it may be1 and this by reason of the excellence of what we contemplate4 ,whence the ,philosopher says#cie3 ,it may indeed be the case that with regard to such noble existences and ,divine substances we have to be content with insignificant theories1 yet even though we but barely touch upon them1 none the less so ennobling is such knowledge that it affords us greater delight than any other which is accessible to us4 ,hence1 too1 ,s4 ,gregory says3 ,the contemplative life has its most desirable sweetness which uplifts the soul above itself1 opens the way to heavenly things1 and makes spiritual things plain to the eyes of the soul4 #d4 ,lastly1 bodily injuries are a hindrance to delight4 ,but contemplation is productive of bodily injuries1 for we read in ,genesis#cif that ,jacob1 after saying ,i have seen ,god face to face1 444 halted on his foot 444 because ,he touched the sinew of his thigh and it shrank4 ,whence it would seem that the contemplative life is not pleasurable4 ,but after that contemplation ,jacob halted on one foot because1 as ,s4 ,gregory says1 it must needs be that as the love of this world grows weaker1 so a man grows stronger in his love of ,god1 and consequently1 when once we have known the sweetness of ,god1 one of our feet remains sound while the other halts2 for a man who halts with one foot leans only on the one that is sound4#cig ,tu esto nostrum gaudium ,qui es futurus ,praemium4 ,sit nostra in ,te gloria ,per cuncta semper saecula6 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,gregory3 ,between the delights of the body and those of the heart there is ever this difference that the delights of the body are wont1 when we have them not1 to beget a keen yearning for them2 but when we have them and eat our fill1 they straightway beget disgust for them1 for we are sated therewith4 ,spiritual joys1 on the contrary1 when we have them not are a weariness1 but when we have them we desire them still more1 and the more we feed upon them the more we hunger after them4 ,in the case of the former1 the yearning for them was a pleasure1 trial of them brought disgust4 ,in the case of the latter1 in desire we held them cheap1 trial of them proved a source of pleasure4 ,for spiritual joys increase the soul's desire of them even while they sate us1 for the more their savour is perceived1 the more we know what it is we ought eagerly to love4 ,whence it comes to pass that when we have them not we cannot love them1 for their savour is unknown to us4 ,for how can a man love what he is ignorant of8 ,wherefore the ,psalmist admonishes us1 saying3 ,o taste and see that the ,lord is sweet6#cih ,as though he would say to us in plain terms3 ,you know not ,his sweetness if ye have never tasted it2 touch1 then1 the ,food of ,life with the palate of your soul that so1 making proof of ,its sweetness1 ye may be able to love ,it4 ,these joys man lost when he sinned in ,paradise2 he went out when he closed his mouth to the ,food of ,eternal ,sweetness4 ,whence we too1 who are born amidst the toils of this pilgrimage1 come without relish to this ,food2 we know not what we ought to desire1 and the sickness of our disgust grows the more the further our souls keep away from feeding upon that ,sweetness2 and less and less does our soul desire those interior joys the longer it has grown accustomed to do without them4 ,we sicken1 then1 by reason of our very disgust1 and we are wearied by the long-drawn sickness of our hunger 7,hom4 ,,xxxvi41 ,on the ,gospels74 ,,viii ,is the ,contemplative ,life lasting8 ,the ,lord said ,mary hath chosen the best part which shall not be taken away from her#cii because1 as ,s4 ,gregory says3 ,contemplation begins here below that it may be perfected in our heavenly home4 ,a thing may be termed lasting in two ways3 from its very nature1 or as far as we are concerned4 ,as far as its nature is concerned1 the contemplative life is lasting in two ways3 for first of all it is concerned with incorruptible and unchangeable things1 and in the second place there is nothing which is its contrary3 for1 as ,aristotle says#djj3 ,to the pleasure which is derived from thought there is no contrary4 ,and also as far as we are concerned the contemplative life is lasting2 and this both because it comes under the action of the incorruptible portion of our soul--namely1 our intellect--and so can last after this life2 and also because in the work of the contemplative life there is no bodily toil1 and we can consequently apply ourselves more continuously to such work1 as also the ,philosopher remarks4#dja ,some1 however1 argue that the contemplative life is not lasting1 thus3 #a4 ,the contemplative life essentially concerns the intellect4 ,but all the intellectual perfections of this life will be made void1 as we read3 ,whether prophecies shall be made void1 or tongues shall cease1 or knowledge shall be destroyed4#djb ,but the fashion of contemplation here and in our ,father's home is not the same2 and the contemplative life is said to last by reason of charity1 which is both its principle and its end2 wherefore ,s4 ,gregory says3 ,the contemplative life begins here below that it may be perfected in our heavenly home1 for the fire of love which begins to burn here below1 when it sees ,him ,whom it loves1 burns yet more strongly with love of ,him4 #b4 ,again1 men but taste the sweetness of contemplation here1 snatching at it1 as it were1 and in passing3 whence ,s4 ,augustine says3 ,thou introducest me to a most unwonted affection within me1 to an unspeakable sweetness2 yet ,i fall back again as though dragged down by a grievous weight6#djc ,and ,s4 ,gregory1 expounding those words of ,job1 ,when a spirit passed before me1 says3 ,the mind does not long remain steadfastly occupied with the sweetness of intimate contemplation1 for it is recalled to itself1 stricken back by the immensity of that ,light4 ,the contemplative life1 then1 is not lasting4 ,it is true indeed that no action can remain long at the pitch of its intensity4 ,and the goal of contemplation is to attain to the uniformity of ,divine contemplation1 as ,denis the ,areopagite says4#djd ,hence1 although in this sense contemplation cannot last long1 yet it can last long as regards its other acts4 #c4 ,lastly1 what is not natural to a man cannot be lasting4 ,but the contemplative life1 as the ,philosopher says1 is beyond man4#dje ,but the ,philosopher says that the contemplative life is beyond man in the sense that it belongs to us according to what is ,divine in us--namely1 our intellect2 for our intellect is incorruptible and impassible in itself1 and consequently its action can be more lasting4 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,this day sets before us the great mystery of our eternal beatitude4 ,for that life which this day signifies will not pass away as to-day is to pass away4 ,wherefore1 brethren1 we exhort and beseech you by the ,name of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ by ,whom our sins are forgiven1 by ,him ,who willed that ,his ,blood should be our ransom1 by ,him ,who has deigned that we who are not deserving to be called ,his slaves should yet be called ,his brethren--we beseech you that your entire aim1 that which gives you your very name of ,christian1 and by reason of which you bear ,his ,name upon your foreheads and in your hearts1 may be directed solely to that life which we are to share with the ,angels2 that life where is to be unending repose1 everlasting joy1 unfailing happiness1 rest without disturbance1 joy without sadness1 no death4 ,what that life is none can know save those who have made trial of it2 and none can make trial of it save those who have faith 7,sermon1 ,,cclix41 ,on ,low ,sunday74 ,and thou shalt say in that day3 ,i will give thanks to ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 for ,thou wast angry with me3 ,thy wrath is turned away1 and ,thou hast comforted me4 ,behold1 ,god is my ,saviour4 ,i will deal confidently1 and will not fear3 because the ,lord is my strength1 and my praise1 and ,he is become my salvation4 ,you shall draw waters with joy out of the ,saviour's fountains3 ,and you shall say in that day3 ,praise ye the ,lord1 and call upon ,his ,name3 make ,his works known among the people3 remember that ,his ,name is high4 ,sing ye to the ,lord1 for ,he hath done great things3 shew this forth in all the earth4 ,rejoice1 and praise1 ,o thou habitation of ,sion3 for great is ,he that is in the midst of thee1 the holy ,one of ,israel4#djf ,,footnotes3 #caf ,moralia in ,job1 vi4 #ah4 #cag ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #cah ,metaphysics1 ii4 #c4 #cai ,moralia in ,job1 vi4 #ah2 and ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #cbj ,on ,ezechiel1 loc4 cit4 #cba ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #cbb ,isa4 xxxiii4 #ac-ag4 #cbc ,ps4 xli4 #a-f4 #cbd ,moralia in ,job1 vi4 #ah4 #cbe ,ethics1 ,,ii41 iv4 #c4 #cbf ,ibid41 ,x41 viii4 #a4 #cbg ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #cbh ,rom4 xiii4 #aj4 #cbi ,s4 ,matt4 v4 #h4 #ccj ,heb4 xii4 #ad4 #cca ,isa4 xxxii4 #ag4 #ccb ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #ccc ,gen4 xxix4 #ag4 #ccd ,de ,officiis1 i4 #dc1 #de1 #df4 #cce ,wisd4 viii4 #b4 #ccf ,soliloquies1 i4 #aj4 #ccg ,jer4 xiv4 #h1 #i4 #cch ,of the ,divine ,names1 vii4 #b4 #cci ,on ,contemplation1 i4 #c and #d4 #cdj ,de ,trinitate1 xiv4 #g4 #cda ,de ,consideratione1 ii4 #b4 #cdb ,de ,anima1 ,,ii41 i4 #b4 #cdc ,loc4 cit41 i4 #d4 #cdd #b ,cor4 iii4 #ah4 #cde ,de ,trinitate1 xv4 #h4 #cdf ,de ,consideratione1 v4 #ad4 #cdg ,de ,fide ,orthodoxa1 ii4 #ae4 #cdh ,s4 ,luke x4 #ci4 #cdi ,wisd4 vii4 #g4 #cej #b ,cor4 v4 #f-g4 #cea ,hab4 ii4 #d4 #ceb ,ps4 cxliii4 #ae4 #cec #a ,tim4 i4 #e4 #ced ,ps4 lxxii4 #ba-bh4 #cee ,moralia in ,job1 vi4 #bh4 #cef ,on the ,trinity1 i4 #h4 #ceg ,ethics1 ,x41 vii4 #b4 #ceh ,rom4 i4 #bj4 #cei ,de ,vera ,religione1 xxix4 #cfj ,ps4 cxlii4 #e1 #f4 #cfa ,de ,consideratione1 v4 #ad4 #cfb ,of ,contemplation1 i4 #f4 #cfc #a ,john iii4 #b4 #cfd ,ps4 xxvi4 #d4 #cfe ,ps4 xxxv4 #i1 #aj4 #cff ,phil4 iv4 #g2 ,rom4 viii4 #bf4 #cfg ,isa4 xxv4 #h1 #i4 #cfh ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #cfi ,de ,genesi ad ,litt41 xii4 #bg4 #cgj ,gen4 xxxii4 #cj4 #cga ,epistola ,i41 to ,caius the ,monk4 #cgb ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #cgc ,the ,glossa ,ordinaria1 taken from ,s4 ,gregory's ,moralia in ,job1 xxiv4 #e4 #cgd ,moralia1 vi4 #bg4 #cge ,de ,anima1 ,,iii41 vii4 #c4 #cgf ,dialogues1 ii4 #ce4 #cgg ,isa4 xxvi4 #c1 #d1 #h1 #i4 #cgh ,of the ,divine ,names1 ,,iv41 i4 #g4 #cgi ,de ,anima1 ,,iii41 vii4 #a and #b4 #chj ,physica1 ,,viii41 vii4 #b4 #cha viii4 #af4 #chb ,of ,contemplation1 i4 #e4 #chc ,job xvi4 #bj1 #bc4 #chd ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #che ,ps4 xxxiii4 #i4 #chf ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #chg ,ibid4 #chh ,conf41 viii4 #c4 #chi ,wisd4 ix4 #ae4 #cij ,rom4 vii4 #bd4 #cia ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #cib ,ethics1 ,x41 iv4 #f4 #cic #a ,cor4 xiii1 #ab4 #cid ,ps4 xxxv4 #i4 #cie ,de ,partibus ,animalium1 i4 #e4 #cif xxxii4 #cj-cb4 #cig ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #cih ,ps4 xxxiii4 #i4 #cii ,s4 ,luke x4 #db4 #djj ,topics1 ,i41 xiii4 #e4 #dja ,ethics1 ,x41 vii4 #b4 #djb #a ,cor4 xiii4 #h4 #djc ,conf41 x4 #dj4 #djd ,of the ,divine ,names1 ,,iv41 i4 #g2 and ,of the ,heavenly ,hierarchy1 iii4 #dje ,ethics1 ,x41 vii4 #h4 #djf ,isa4 xii4 #a-f4 ,,question ,,clxxxi ,,of ,,the ,,active ,,life ,i4 ,do all ,acts of the ,moral ,virtues come under the ,active ,life8 ,,ii4 ,does ,prudence pertain to the ,active ,life8 ,,iii4 ,does ,teaching belong to the ,active or to the ,contemplative ,life8 ,,iv4 ,does the ,active ,life continue after this ,life8 ,i ,do all ,acts of the ,moral ,virtues come under the ,active ,life8 ,s4 ,isidore says#djg3 ,in the active life all the vices are first of all to be removed by the practice of good works1 so that in the contemplative life a man may1 with now purified mental gaze1 pass to the contemplation of the ,divine ,light4 ,but all the vices can only be removed by the acts of the moral virtues4 ,consequently the acts of the moral virtues belong to the active life4 ,as we have said already1#djh the active and the contemplative lives are distinguished by the different occupations of men who are aiming at different ends1 one being the consideration of ,truth--the goal of the contemplative life2 the other external works with which the active life is occupied4 ,but it is clear that the moral virtues are not especially concerned with the contemplation of truth but with action2 thus the ,philosopher says#dji3 ,for virtue1 knowledge is of little or no avail4 ,it is therefore manifest that the moral virtues essentially belong to the active life2 and in accordance with this the ,philosopher#daj refers the moral virtues to active happiness4 ,some1 however1 maintain that all the acts of the moral virtues do not belong to the active life1 thus3 #a4 ,the active life seems to consist solely in those things which have to do with our neighbour2 for ,s4 ,gregory says#daa3 ,the active life means breaking bread to the hungry2 and at the close1 after enumerating many things which have to do with our neighbour1 he adds3 ,and to provide for each according as they have need4 ,but not by all the acts of the moral virtues are we brought into contact with others1 but only by justice and its divisions4 ,consequently all the acts of the moral virtues do not belong to the active life4 ,but the chief of the moral virtues is justice1 and by it a man is brought into contact with his neighbour1 as the ,philosopher proves4#dab ,we describe1 then1 the active life by those things by means of which we are brought into contact with our neighbour2 yet we do not thereby mean that the active life consists solely in these things1 but chiefly in them4 #b4 ,again1 ,s4 ,gregory says#dac3 ,by ,lia1 who was blear-eyed but fruitful1 is signified the active life which sees less clearly1 since occupied with works2 but when1 now by word1 now by example1 it arouses its neighbour to imitation1 it brings forth many children in good works4 ,but all this seems rather to come under charity1 by which we love our neighbour1 than under the moral virtues4 ,consequently the acts of the moral virtues seem not to belong to the active life4 ,but a man can1 by acts of all the moral virtues1 lead his neighbour to good works by his example2 and this ,s4 ,gregory here attributes to the active life4 #c4 ,lastly1 the moral virtues dispose us to the contemplative life4 ,but disposition to a thing and the perfect attainment of that thing come under the same head4 ,consequently the moral virtues do not belong to the active life4 ,but just as a virtue which is directed towards the end of another virtue passes over1 in some sort1 into the species of that latter virtue1 so also when a man uses those things which belong to the active life precisely as disposing him to contemplation1 then those things which he so uses are comprised under the contemplative life4 ,but for those who devote themselves to the works of the moral virtues as being good in themselves and not as dispositive towards the contemplative life1 the moral virtues belong to the active life4 ,although at the same time it might be said that the active life is a disposition to the contemplative life4 ,o death1 how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that hath peace in his possessions1 to a man that is at rest1 and whose ways are prosperous in all things1 and that is yet able to take meat6 ,o death1 thy sentence is welcome to the man that is in need1 and to him whose strength faileth1 who is in a decrepit age1 and that is in care about all things1 and to the distrustful that loseth patience6 ,fear not the sentence of death4 ,remember what things have been before thee1 and what shall come after thee3 this sentence is from the ,lord upon all flesh4 ,and what shall come upon thee by the good pleasure of the ,most ,high whether ten1 or a hundred1 or a thousand years4#dad ,,ii ,does ,prudence pertain to the ,active ,life8 ,the ,philosopher says#dae that prudence pertains to active happiness1 and to this pertain the moral virtues4 ,as we have said above1 when one thing is directed towards the attainment of another thing as its end1 it--and this especially holds good in morals--is1 so to speak1 drawn into the species of that towards which it is thus directed1 thus3 ,he who commits adultery in order to steal says the ,philosopher1#daf is rather a thief than an adulterer4 ,now it is clear that that knowledge which is prudence is directed to the acts of the moral virtues as its end1 for prudence is the right mode of procedure in our actions2#dag hence1 too1 the ends of the moral virtues are the principles of prudence1 as the ,philosopher also says in the same work4#dah ,in the same way1 then1 as we said above that in the case of a man who directs them to the repose of contemplation1 the moral virtues pertain to the contemplative life1 so also the knowledge which is prudence1 and which is by its very nature directed to the operations of the moral virtues1 directly pertains to the active life--that is1 of course1 on the supposition that prudence is understood in the strict sense in which the ,philosopher speaks of it4 ,if1 however1 prudence be understood in a broad sense--namely1 as embracing all kinds of human knowledge--then prudence pertains1 at least in certain of its aspects1 to the contemplative life2 thus ,cicero says#dai3 ,the man who can see a truth the most clearly and quickly1 and explain the reason of it1 is rightly regarded as most prudent and most wise4 ,but some maintain that prudence does not pertain to the active life1 thus3 #a4 ,just as the contemplative life pertains to the cognoscitive powers1 so does the active life pertain to the appetitive powers4 ,but prudence does not pertain to the appetitive powers but rather to the cognoscitive4 ,consequently it does not pertain to the active life4 ,but moral acts derive their character from the end towards which they are directed2 consequently to the contemplative life belongs that kind of knowledge which makes its end consist in the very knowledge of truth4 ,but the knowledge which is prudence1 and which is rather directed to the acts of the appetitive powers1 pertains to the active life4 #b4 ,again1 ,s4 ,gregory says#dbj ,the active life1 occupied as it is with works1 sees less clearly1 and hence is typified by ,lia1 who was blear-eyed4 ,but prudence demands clear vision1 so that a man may judge what is to be done4 ,whence it would seem that prudence does not pertain to the active life4 ,but occupation with external things only makes a man see less clearly those intelligible truths which are not connected with the things of sense2 the external occupations of the active life1 however1 make a man see more clearly in his judgment on a course of action--and this is a question of prudence--for he has experience1 and his mind is attentive3 ,when you are attentive1 says ,sallust1#dba then mental acumen avails4 #c4 ,lastly1 prudence comes midway betwixt the moral and the intellectual virtues4 ,but just as the moral virtues pertain to the active life1 so do the intellectual virtues pertain to the contemplative4 ,hence it would seem that prudence belongs neither to the active nor to the contemplative life1 but1 as ,s4 ,augustine says1 to a kind of life which is betwixt and between4#dbb ,but prudence is said to come betwixt the intellectual and the moral virtues in the sense that1 whereas it has the same subject as the intellectual virtues1 it yet coincides as regards its object with the moral virtues4 ,and that third species of life comes betwixt and between the active and the contemplative life as regards the things with which it is concerned1 for at one time it is occupied with the contemplation of truth1 at another time with external matters4 ,for what shall ,i do when ,god shall rise to judge8 and when ,he shall examine1 what shall ,i answer ,him8 ,for ,i have always feared ,god as waves swelling over me1 and ,his weight ,i was not able to bear4#dbc ,,iii ,does ,teaching ,belong to the ,active or to the ,contemplative ,life8 ,s4 ,gregory says#dbd3 ,the active life means breaking bread to the hungry2 teaching words of wisdom to them that know them not4 ,the act of teaching has a twofold object3 for teaching is by speaking1 and speaking is the audible sign of an interior mental concept4 ,one object1 therefore1 of our teaching is the matter to be taught1 the object1 that is1 of our interior concepts2 and in this sense teaching sometimes belongs to the active1 sometimes to the contemplative life4 ,it belongs to the active life if a man forms interiorly some concept of a truth with a view to thus directing his external acts2 but it belongs to the contemplative life if a man interiorly conceives some intelligible truth and delights in the thought of it and the love of it4 ,whence ,s4 ,augustine says#dbe3 ,let them choose for themselves the better part--that1 namely1 of the contemplative life2 let them devote themselves to the ,word of ,god2 let them yearn for the sweetness of teaching2 let them occupy themselves with the knowledge that leads to salvation--where he clearly says that teaching belongs to the contemplative life4 ,the second object of teaching arises from the fact that teaching is given through the medium of audible speech and thus the hearer himself is the object of the teaching2 and from this point of view all teaching belongs to the active life to which pertain all external actions4 ,some1 however1 regard teaching as rather belonging to the contemplative than to the active life1 thus3 #a4 ,s4 ,gregory says#dbf3 ,perfect men declare to their brethren those good things of ,heaven which they themselves have been able to contemplate at least 'through a glass1' and they thus kindle in their hearts the love of that hidden beauty4 ,yet what is this but teaching8 ,to teach1 therefore1 is an act of the contemplative life4 ,but ,s4 ,gregory expressly speaks here of teaching from the point of view of the matter that is presented--that is1 of teaching as it is concerned with the consideration of and love of the truth4 #b4 ,again1 acts and habits seem to belong to the same kind of life4 ,but to teach is an act of wisdom1 for the ,philosopher says3 ,the proof that a man knows is that he is able to teach4#dbg ,since1 then1 wisdom--that is1 knowledge--pertains to the contemplative life1 it would seem that teaching also must pertain to the contemplative life4 ,but habits and acts agree in their object1 and consequently the argument just given is based upon the material of the interior concept4 ,for the capacity for teaching is possessed by a wise or learned man just in proportion as he can express in outward words the concepts of his mind and so be able to bring home a truth to someone else4 #c4 ,lastly1 prayer is an act of the contemplative life just in the same way as is contemplation itself4 ,but prayer1 even when one man prays for another1 belongs to the contemplative life4 ,hence it would seem that when one man brings to the knowledge of another some truth upon which he has meditated1 such an act pertains to the contemplative life4 ,but he who prays for another in no way acts upon him for whom he prays2 his acts are directed towards ,god alone1 the ,intelligible ,truth4 ,but he who teaches another does act upon him by some external action4 ,hence there is no parallel between the two cases4 ,,iv ,does the ,active ,life continue after this ,life8 ,s4 ,gregory says#dbh3 ,the active life passes away with this present world2 the contemplative life begins here so as to be perfected in our heavenly home4 ,as already said1 the active life makes its end consist in external actions1 and these1 if they are directed towards the repose of contemplation1 already belong to the contemplative life4 ,but in the future life of the blessed all occupation with external things will cease2 or if there are any external acts they will be directed towards that end which is contemplation4 ,hence ,s4 ,augustine says1 at the close of his ,of the ,city of ,god3 ,there we shall be at rest from toil1 we shall gaze1 we shall love1 we shall praise4 ,and he had just previously said3 ,there will ,god be seen unendingly1 be loved without wearying1 be praised without fatigue2 this duty1 this disposition of soul1 this act1 will be the lot of all4#dbi ,some1 however1 maintain that the active life will be continued after this life1 thus3 #a4 ,to the active life belong the acts of the moral virtues4 ,but the moral virtues remain after death1 as ,s4 ,augustine says4#dcj ,but the acts of the moral virtues which are concerned with the means to the end will not remain after death1 but only those which have to do with the end itself4 ,yet it is precisely these latter which go to form the repose of contemplation to which ,s4 ,augustine alludes in the above-quoted passage where he speaks of being at rest from toil2 and this rest is not to be understood of freedom from merely external disturbances1 but also from the internal conflict of the passions4 #b4 ,again1 to teach others pertains to the active life4 ,but in the next life--where we shall be as the ,angels--there can be teaching2 for we see it in the case of the ,angels of whom one illumines1 clarifies1 and perfects another1 all of which refer to their reception of knowledge1 as is clear from ,denis the ,areopagite4#dca ,hence it seems that the active life is to be continued after this life4 ,but the contemplative life especially consists in the contemplation of ,god2 and as regards this no ,angel teaches another1 for it is said of the ,angels of the little ones#dcb--;,angels who are of an inferior choir--that they always see the face of the ,father4 ,and similarly in the future life3 there no man will teach another about ,god1 for we shall all see ,him as ,he is4#dcc ,and this agrees with the words of ,jeremias#dcd3 ,and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour 444 saying3 ,know the ,lord2 for all shall know ,me from the least of them even to the greatest4 ,but when it is question of dispensing the mysteries of ,god1 then one ,angel can teach another by clarifying1 illumining1 and perfecting4 ,and in this sense the ,angels do in some sort share in the active life as long as this world lasts1 for they are occupied with ministering to the inferior creation4 ,this is what was signified by ,jacob's vision of the ,angels ascending the ladder--whereby was meant the contemplative life--and descending the ladder--whereby was meant the active life4 ,at the same time1 as ,s4 ,gregory says#dce3 ,not that they so went out from the ,divine ,vision as to be deprived of the joys of contemplation4 ,and thus in their case the active life is not distinguished from the contemplative as it is in us who find the works of the active life an impediment to the contemplative life4 ,moreover1 we are not promised a likeness to the ,angels in their work of administering to the inferior creation1 for this does not belong to us according to our nature1 as is the case with the ,angels1 but according to our vision of ,god4 #c4 ,lastly1 the more durable a thing is the more capable it seems of lasting after this life4 ,but the active life is more durable than the contemplative1 for ,s4 ,gregory says#dcf3 ,we can remain steadfast in the active life1 but in nowise can we maintain the mind's fixed gaze in the contemplative life4 ,consequently the active life is much more capable of continuing after death than is the contemplative life4 ,but in our present state the durability of the active life as compared with the contemplative life does not arise from any feature of either of these kinds of life considered in themselves1 but from a defect on our part2 for we are dragged down from the heights of contemplation by the body's burden4 ,and thus ,s4 ,gregory goes on to say that1 thrust back by its very weakness from those vast heights1 the soul relapses into itself4 ,o bless our ,god1 ye ,gentiles3 and make the voice of ,his praise to be heard4 ,who hath set my soul to live3 and hath not suffered my feet to be moved4 ,for ,thou1 ,o ,god1 hast proved us2 ,thou hast tried us by fire1 as silver is tried4 ,thou hast brought us into a net1 ,thou hast laid afflictions on our back2 ,thou hast set men over our heads4 ,we have passed through fire and water1 and ,thou hast brought us out into a refreshment4#dcg ,,footnotes3 #djg ,of the ,supreme ,good1 ,,iii41 xv4 #djh ,qu4 ,,clxxix4 #a4 #dji ,ethics1 ,,ii41 iv4 #c4 #daj ,ibid41 ,x41 viii4 #a4 #daa ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dab ,ethics1 ,v41 i4 #ae4 #dac ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dad ,ecclus4 xli4 #a-f4 #dae ,ethics41 ,x41 viii4 #b4 #daf ,ibid41 ,v41 ii4 #d4 #dag ,ethics1 ,,vi41 v4 #d4 #dah ,ibid41 ,x41 viii4 #b4 #dai ,de ,officiis1 ,i41 v4 #dbj ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dba ,conjuratio ,catilinae1 li4 #dbb ,of the ,city of ,god1 xix4 #b1 #c1 and #ai4 #dbc ,job xxxi4 #ad1 #bc4 #dbd ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dbe ,on the ,words of the ,lord1 ,sermon civ41 alias xxvii4 #a4 #dbf ,hom4 ,v41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dbg ,metaphysics1 ,i41 i4 #i4 #dbh ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dbi xxii4 #cj4 #dcj ,on the ,trinity1 xiv4 #i4 #dca ,of the ,heavenly ,hierarchy1 vii4 #dcb ,s4 ,matt4 xviii4 #aj4 #dcc #a ,john iii4 #b4 #dcd xxxi4 #cd4 #dce ,moralia in ,job1 ii4 #b4 #dcf ,hom4 ,v41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dcg ,ps4 lxv4 #h-ab4 ,,question ,,clxxxii ,,of ,,the ,,comparison ,,between ,,the ,,active ,,and ,,the ,,contemplative ,,life ,i4 ,is the ,active ,life preferable to the ,contemplative8 ,cardinal ,cajetan1 ,on ,preparation for the ,contemplative ,life ,s4 ,augustine1 ,confessions1 ,x41 xliii4 #gj ,on ,psalm xxvi4 ,,ii4 ,is the ,active ,life more ,meritorious than the ,contemplative8 ,,iii4 ,is the ,active ,life a ,hindrance to the ,contemplative ,life8 ,cardinal ,cajetan1 ,on the ,true ,interior ,life ,s4 ,augustine1 ,sermon1 ,,cclvi41 v4 #f ,,iv4 ,does the ,active ,life precede the ,contemplative8 ,i ,is the ,active ,life preferable to the ,contemplative8 ,the ,lord said3 ,mary hath chosen the best part1 which shall not be taken away from her4#dch ,and by ,mary is signified the contemplative life1 which is consequently to be preferred to the active4 ,there is no reason why one thing should not be in itself more excellent than another while yet this latter is1 for certain reasons1 preferable to it4 ,absolutely speaking1 then1 the contemplative life is better than the active4 ,and the ,philosopher#dci alleges eight proofs of this4 ,firstly1 that the contemplative life pertains to that which is best in a man1 namely his intellect and its proper objects1 i4e4 intelligible truths1 whereas the active life is concerned with external things4 ,hence ,rachel1 who typifies the contemplative life1 is interpreted as meaning the ,beginning seen2 while ,lia1 who was blear-eyed1 typifies1 according to ,s4 ,gregory1 the active life4#ddj ,secondly1 because the contemplative life can be more continuous1 even though we cannot maintain our contemplation at its highest pitch2 thus ,mary1 who is typical of the contemplative life1 is depicted as sitting ever at the ,lord's feet4 ,thirdly1 because the delights of the contemplative life surpass those of the active life2 whence ,s4 ,augustine says#dda3 ,martha was troubled1 but ,mary feasted4 ,fourthly1 because in the contemplative life a man is more independent1 since for this kind of life he needs less2 whence we read3 ,martha1 ,martha1 thou art careful1 and art troubled about many things4#ddb ,fifthly1 because the contemplative life is loved rather for its own sake1 whereas the active life is directed towards an end other than itself2 whence it is said in ,ps4 xxvi4 #d3 ,one thing ,i have asked of the ,lord1 this will ,i seek after1 that ,i may dwell in the house of the ,lord all the days of my life4 ,sixthly1 because the contemplative life consists in a certain stillness and repose1 as is said in ,ps4 xlv4 #aa3 ,be still1 and see that ,i am ,god4 ,seventhly1 because the contemplative life is occupied with ,divine things whereas the active life is occupied with human things2 whence ,s4 ,augustine says#ddc3 ,in the beginning was the ,word3 see ,what ,mary heard6 ,the ,word was made ,flesh2 see to ,what ,martha ministered6 ,eighthly1 because the contemplative life pertains to that which is more peculiar to man--namely1 his intellect--whereas in the works of the active life our inferior powers--those1 namely1 which we share with the brute creation--have a part2 whence1 in ,ps4 xxxv4 #g1 after saying3 ,beasts and men ,thou wilt preserve1 ,o ,lord1 the ,psalmist adds what belongs to men alone3 ,in ,thy light we shall see light4 ,and the ,lord ,himself gives a ninth reason when ,he says3 ,mary hath chosen the best part which shall not be taken away from her1#ddd words which ,s4 ,augustine thus expounds3 ,not that thou1 ,martha1 hast chosen badly1 but that ,mary hath chosen better2 and see in what sense she hath chosen better3 because it shall not be taken away from her2 for from thee shall one day be taken away the burden of necessity2 but eternal is the sweetness of truth4#dde ,but in a certain sense1 and in certain cases1 the active life is to be chosen in preference to the contemplative1 and this by reason of the needs of this present life2 as also the ,philosopher says3 ,to practise philosophy is better than to become rich2 but to become rich is better for one who suffers need4#ddf ,some1 however1 think that the active life is preferable to the contemplative1 thus3 #a4 ,the lot which falls to the better people seems to be the more honourable and better1 as the ,philosopher says4#ddg ,but the active life is the lot of those who are in the higher position--of prelates1 for instance1 who are placed in honourable and powerful positions2 thus ,s4 ,augustine says#ddh3 ,in the life of action we must not love the honour which belongs to this life1 nor its power4 ,whence it would seem that the active life is preferable to the contemplative4 ,but it is not the active life only which belongs to prelates1 they must needs excel in the contemplative life2 whence ,s4 ,gregory says in his ,pastoral ,rule#ddi3 ,let the superior be foremost in action1 but before all let him be uplifted in contemplation4 #b4 ,again1 in all acts and habits the control belongs to the more important3 the soldier1 for instance--as being higher placed--directs the saddle-maker4 ,but it is the active life which directs and controls the contemplative1 as is clear from the words addressed to ,moses3 ,go down and charge the people1 lest they should have a mind to pass the limits to see the ,lord4#dej ,the active life is therefore more important than the contemplative4 ,but the contemplative life consists in a certain liberty of spirit2 for ,s4 ,gregory says#dea3 ,the contemplative life means passing over to a certain liberty of spirit since in it a man thinks not of temporal but of eternal things4 ,similarly ,boethius says#deb3 ,the human soul must needs be free when occupied with the thought of the ,divine ,mind2 not so when distracted with the things of the body4 ,from all this it is clear that the active life does not directly guide the contemplative1 but by preparing the way for it it does direct certain works pertaining to the contemplative life1 and in this sense the active life is rather the servant than the master of the contemplative4 ,and this ,s4 ,gregory expresses when he says3 ,the active life is termed a service1 the contemplative life freedom4#dec #c4 ,lastly1 no one should be withdrawn from what is greater in order to apply himself to what is less2 thus the ,apostle says3 ,be zealous for the better gifts4#ded ,but some are withdrawn from the contemplative state of life and are made to busy themselves with the affairs of the active life2 this is the case1 for instance1 with those who are placed in positions of authority4 ,whence it seems that the active life is of more importance than the contemplative4 ,but though a man may happen to be called away from contemplation to the works of the active life owing to the needs of the present life1 yet he is not thereby compelled completely to relinquish his contemplation4 ,hence ,s4 ,augustine says3#dee ,the love of truth asks for a holy leisure2 the demands of charity undertake honest toil--that1 namely1 of the active life4 ,and if no one imposes this latter burden on us1 then we must devote ourselves to the study and contemplation of the truth2 if1 however1 such a burden is imposed upon us1 then must we undertake it because of the demands of charity4 ,yet not even then are we altogether to resign the joys flowing from the contemplation of truth1 lest the sweetness of such contemplation be withdrawn from us and the burden we have assumed crush us4 ,whence it appears that when a man is called from the contemplative to the active life it is not so much that something is withdrawn from him1 but that an additional burden is imposed upon him4 ,as we have heard1 so have we seen1 in the city of the ,lord of ,hosts1 in the city of our ,god3 ,god hath founded it for ever4 ,we have received ,thy mercy1 ,o ,god1 in the midst of ,thy temple4 ,for this is ,god1 our ,god unto eternity1 and for ever and ever3 ,he shall rule us for evermore4#def ,cajetan3 ,those whose duty it is to instruct others in spiritual progress should note that they are bound to take great pains to exercise them in the active life before they urge them to ascend the heights of contemplation4 ,for they must learn to subdue their passions by acquiring habits of meekness1 patience1 generosity1 humility1 and tranquillity of soul1 before they ascend to the contemplative life4 ,through lack of this1 many1 not so much walking in the way of ,god as leaping along it1 find themselves--after they have spent the greater portion of their life in contemplation--devoid of virtue1 impatient1 irascible1 and proud1 if one but so much as touch them on this point6 ,such people have neither the active nor the contemplative life1 nor even a mixture of the two2 they have built upon sand6 ,and would that such cases were rare6 7on #b4 #ahb4 #a #b474 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,terrified by my sins and my weight of misery ,i was disturbed within my soul and meditated flight into solitude4 ,but ,thou didst forbid it and didst strengthen me and say3 ,christ died for all1 that they also who live may not now live to themselves1 but unto ,him ,who died for them and rose again4#deg ,behold1 ,o ,lord1 ,i cast my care upon ,thee so that ,i may live1 and ,i will meditate on the wondrous things of ,thy law4 ,thou knowest my lack of skill and my weakness2 teach me and heal me6 ,he--,thine ,only-,begotten ,son--in ,whom lie hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge1 ,he redeemed me with ,his blood4 ,let not the proud calumniate me6 ,when ,i think of my ,ransom then ,i eat and ,i drink1 and ,i pray1 and in my poverty ,i yearn to be filled with ,him1 to be among those who eat and are filled and they praise the ,lord who seek ,him 7,conf41 ,x41 xliii4 #gj74 99 99 99 99 99 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,he hath hid me in ,his tabernacle in the day of evils4#deh ,wherefore without any arrogance have ,i sought for ,that ,one ,thing1 neither doth my soul reproach me1 saying3 ,why do you seek after ,it8 ,from whom do you seek ,it8 ,do you1 a sinner1 wickedly dare to ask something of ,god8 ,do you1 weak man1 of unclean heart1 dare to hope that you will one day attain to the contemplation of ,god8 ,i dare6 ,not indeed of myself1 but because of ,his pleasure in me2 not out of presumptuous trust in myself1 but from confidence in ,his promise4 ,for will ,he ,who gave such a pledge to the pilgrim desert him when he comes to ,him8 ,for ,he hath hid me in ,his tabernacle in the day of evils 7,enarr4 in ,ps4 xxvi474 ,,ii ,is the ,active ,life more ,meritorious than the ,contemplative8 ,s4 ,gregory says#dei3 ,great are the merits of the active life1 but they are surpassed by those of the contemplative life4 ,the source of merit is charity4 ,charity1 however1 consists in the love of ,god and of our neighbour2 and to love ,god is1 in itself1 more meritorious than to love our neighbour4 ,consequently that which more directly pertains to the love of ,god is more meritorious in its nature than something that directly pertains to the love of our neighbour for ,god's sake4 ,the contemplative life1 however1 directly and immediately pertains to the love of ,god1 as ,s4 ,augustine says#dfj3 ,the love of truth asks for a holy leisure2 that is the contemplative life1 and this truth is the ,divine ,truth on ,which the contemplative life is centred4 ,the active life1 on the other hand1 is more immediately concerned with the love of our neighbour1 it is busy about much serving4#dfa ,hence of its very nature the contemplative life is more meritorious than the active1 as is well expressed by ,s4 ,gregory#dfb when he says3 ,the contemplative life is more meritorious than the active1 for the latter toils in the wear and tear of present work by which it must needs help its neighbour2 whereas the former1 by a certain inward savour1 already has a foretaste of the repose to come--that is1 in the contemplation of ,god4 ,it may1 however1 chance that one man derives greater merit from the works of the active life than another does from his contemplative life2 as1 for example1 when1 from the superabundance of the ,divine love1 in order to fulfil ,god's will1 and for ,his greater glory1 a man is content to be separated for a space from the sweetness of ,divine contemplation1 as the ,apostle says3 ,i wished myself to be an anathema from ,christ for my brethren4#dfc ,on these words ,s4 ,chrysostom#dfd comments thus3 ,the love of ,christ had so completely taken possession of his heart that he could even despise that which he desired beyond all things--namely1 to be with ,christ--and that because it was pleasing to ,christ4 ,yet some maintain that the active life is more meritorious than the contemplative1 thus3 #a4 ,a thing is said to be meritorious because of the reward4 ,but reward is due to work1 as ,s4 ,paul says3 ,and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour4#dfe ,labour1 however1 belongs to the active life1 repose to the contemplative1 as ,s4 ,gregory says#dff3 ,everyone who is converted to ,god must needs first labour in toil2 he must take ,lia--that is1 that so he may arrive at 'the vision of the ,beginning'--that is1 the embraces of ,rachel4 ,whence it seems as though the active life was more meritorious than the contemplative4 ,but while external toil makes for an increase of accidental reward1 the increase of merit as regards essential reward consists mainly in charity1 one proof of which is external toil undertaken for ,christ's sake2 but a much greater proof of this is given when a man puts aside all that pertains to this life and delights in giving himself up solely to ,divine contemplation4 #b4 ,again1 contemplative life is in some sort the commencement of future bliss2 and consequently the words of ,s4 ,john3 ,so will ,i have him to remain till ,i come1 ,s4 ,augustine comments as follows3 ,this might be more fully expressed thus3 ,may perfect actions1 modelled on the example of ,my ,passion1 follow ,me2 but may contemplation begun here on earth remain till ,i come1 to be perfected when ,i come#dfg2 and similarly ,s4 ,gregory says#dfh3 ,the contemplative life begins here below to be perfected in our heavenly home4 ,but in that future life we shall not merit1 but shall receive the reward of our merits4 ,consequently the contemplative life seems to have less of the ratio of merit than has the active life2 but it has more of the ratio of reward4 ,but in the state of future bliss a man has arrived at his perfection and consequently there is no room left for merit2 but if there were room left his merits would be more efficacious owing to the pre-eminence of his charity4 ,the contemplation of this present life1 however1 has some accompanying imperfection1 and consequently there is room for improvement2 hence such contemplation does not destroy the idea of meriting but makes increase of merit in proportion as ,divine charity is more and more exercised4 #c4 ,lastly1 ,s4 ,gregory says#dfi3 ,no sacrifice is more acceptable to ,god than zeal for souls4 ,but zeal for souls means that a man gives himself up to the works of the active life4 ,whence it seems that the contemplative life is not more meritorious than the active4 ,but a sacrifice is spiritually offered to ,god when anything is presented to ,him2 and of all man's good things ,god specially accepts that of the human soul when offered to ,him in sacrifice4 ,but a man ought to offer to ,god first of all his own soul1 according to the words of ,ecclesiasticus#dgj3 ,have pity on thine own soul1 pleasing ,god2 secondly1 the souls of others1 according to the words3 ,and he that heareth let him say3 ,come4#dga ,but the more closely a man knits his own soul1 or his neighbour's soul1 to ,god1 the more acceptable to ,god is his sacrifice2 consequently it is more pleasing to ,god that a man should give his soul1 and the souls of others1 to contemplation than to action4 ,when1 then1 ,s4 ,gregory says3 ,no sacrifice is more acceptable to ,god than zeal for souls1 he does not mean that the merit of the active life is greater than that of the contemplative1 but that it is more meritorious that a man should offer to ,god his own soul and the soul of others than that he should offer any other external gift whatsoever4 ,but thou1 our ,god1 art gracious and true1 patient1 and ordering all things in mercy4 ,for if we sin1 we are ,thine1 knowing ,thy greatness3 and if we sin not1 we know that we are counted with ,thee4 ,for to know ,thee is perfect justice3 and to know ,thy justice1 and ,thy power1 is the root of immortality4#dgb ,,iii ,is the ,active ,life a ,hindrance to the ,contemplative ,life8 ,s4 ,gregory says#dgc3 ,they who would hold the citadel of contemplation must first needs exercise themselves on the battle-field of toil4 ,we may consider the active life from two points of view4 ,for we may first of all consider the actual occupation with1 and practice of1 external works2 and from this point of view it is clear that the active life is a hindrance to the contemplative1 for it is impossible for a man to be simultaneously occupied with external works1 and yet at leisure for ,divine contemplation4 ,but we may also consider the active life from the standpoint of the harmony and order which it introduces into the interior passions of the soul2 and from this point of view the active life is an assistance to contemplation since this latter is hindered by the disturbance arising from the passions4 ,thus ,s4 ,gregory says#dgd3 ,they who would hold the citadel of contemplation must first needs exercise themselves on the battle-field of toil2 they must learn1 forsooth1 whether they still do harm to their neighbours1 whether they bear with equanimity the harm their neighbours may do them2 whether1 when temporal good things are set before them1 their minds are overwhelmed with joy2 whether when such things are withdrawn they are over much grieved4 ,and lastly1 they must ask themselves whether1 when they withdraw within upon themselves and search into the things of the spirit1 they do not carry with them the shadows of things corporeal1 or whether1 if perchance they have touched upon them1 they discreetly repel them4 ,thus1 then1 the exercises of the active life are conducive to contemplation1 for they still those interior passions whence arise those imaginations which serve as a hindrance to contemplation4 ,some1 however1 maintain that the active life is a hindrance to the contemplative1 thus3 #a4 ,a certain stillness of mind is needful for contemplation1 as the ,psalmist says3 ,be still and see that ,i am ,god4#dge ,but the active life implies anxiety3 ,martha1 ,martha1 thou art careful1 and art troubled about many things4#dgf #b4 ,again1 a certain clearness of vision is called for in the contemplative life4 ,but the active life hinders this clearness of vision1 for ,s4 ,gregory says#dgg3 ,lia was blear-eyed and fruitful1 for the active life1 since occupied with toil1 sees less clearly4 #c4 ,and lastly1 things that are contrary hinder one another4 ,but the active and the contemplative life are contrary to one another2 for the active life is occupied with many things1 whereas the contemplative life dwells upon one object of contemplation2 they are1 then1 in opposite camps4 ,but all these arguments insist upon the occupation with external affairs which is but one feature in the active life1 not upon its other feature--namely1 its power to repress the passions4 99 99 99 99 99 ,cajetan3 ,but the five foolish virgins1 having taken their lamps1 did not take oil with them4 ,but the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps4#dgh ,by this oil is signified testimony to a man's goodness or love of ,god4 ,for there is this difference between people who perform good works1 that the only testimony which some men have to their goodness is without--namely1 in the works themselves2 within1 however1 they do not feel that they love ,god with their whole heart1 that they repent of their sins because they are hateful to ,god1 or that they love their neighbour for ,god's sake4 ,but there are others who so perform good works that both their works that shine before men bear witness without to the good soul within1 and also within their own conscience the ,holy ,spirit ,himself testifies to their spirit that they are the sons of ,god2 for such men feel that they love ,god with their whole heart1 that they repent of their sins for ,god's sake1 and that they love their neighbour and themselves for ,god's sake3 in brief1 they feel that ,god is the sole reason why they love1 why they hope1 fear1 rejoice1 or are sad3 in a word1 why they work both within and without3 this is to have oil in one's own vessels 7,on ,s4 ,matt4 xxv4 #c1 #d74 ,s4 ,augustine3 ,see the life that ,mary chose6 ,yet was she but a type of that life1 she as yet possessed it not4 ,for there are two kinds of life3 one means delight2 the other means a burden4 ,and the burdensome one is toilsome1 while the delightsome one is pleasurable4 ,but enter thou within2 seek not that delight without1 lest ye swell with it and find yourself unable to enter by the narrow gate6 ,see how ,mary saw the ,lord in the ,flesh and heard the ,lord by the voice of the ,flesh--as ye have heard when the ,epistle to the ,hebrews has been read--as it were through a veil4 7,a new and living way which ,he hath dedicated to us through the veil1 that is to say1 ,his ,flesh4#dgi7 ,but when we shall see ,him face to ,face there will be no veil4 ,mary1 then1 sat--that is1 she rested from toil--and she listened and she praised2 but ,martha was anxious about much serving4 ,and the ,lord said to her3 ,martha1 ,martha1 thou art careful and art troubled about many things2 but one thing is necessary#dhj 7,sermon1 ,,cclvi41 v4 #f74 ,bless the ,lord1 ,o my soul3 and let all that is within me bless ,his holy ,name4 ,bless the ,lord1 ,o my soul1 and never forget all ,he hath done for thee4 ,who forgiveth all thy iniquities3 ,who healeth all thy diseases4 ,who redeemeth thy life from destruction3 ,who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion4 ,who satisfieth thy desire with good things3 thy youth shall be renewed like the eagle's4 ,the ,lord doth mercies1 and judgment for all that suffer wrong4 ,he hath made ,his ways known to ,moses3 ,his wills to the children of ,israel4 ,the ,lord is compassionate and merciful3 long suffering and plenteous in mercy4 ,he will not always be angry3 nor will ,he threaten for ever4 ,he hath not dealt with us according to our sins3 nor rewarded us according to our iniquities4 ,for according to the height of the ,heaven above the earth3 ,he hath strengthened ,his mercy towards them that fear ,him4 ,as far as the east is from the west1 so far hath ,he removed our iniquities from us4 ,as a father hath compassion on his children1 so hath the ,lord compassion on them that fear ,him3 for ,he knoweth our frame4 ,he remembereth that we are dust3 man's days are as grass1 as the flower of the field so shall he flourish4#dha ,,iv ,does the ,active ,life precede the ,contemplative8 ,s4 ,gregory says#dhb3 ,the active life precedes the contemplative in the order of time1 for from good works a man passes to contemplation4 ,one thing may precede another in two ways3 firstly by its very nature2 and in this sense the contemplative life precedes the active in that it is occupied with chiefer and better things1 and hence it both moves and directs the active life4 ,for1 as ,s4 ,augustine says1#dhc the higher reason1 which is destined for contemplation1 is compared to the lower reason1 which is destined for action1 as man is compared to woman--she is to be governed by him4 ,but secondly1 one thing may be prior to another as far as we are concerned1 it may1 that is1 precede it in the way of generation4 ,and in this sense the active life precedes the contemplative1 for it conduces to it1 as we have already said4 ,in the order of generation disposition to a nature precedes that nature1 though that nature is1 simply speaking and considered in itself1 prior to the disposition to it4 ,but some maintain that the active life does not precede the contemplative1 thus3 #a4 ,the contemplative life is directly concerned with the love of ,god1 the active life with the love of our neighbour4 ,but love of ,god precedes love of our neighbour1 for we have to love our neighbour for ,god's sake4 ,but the contemplative life is not concerned with merely any kind of love of ,god1 but with the perfect love of ,him2 the active life1 on the contrary1 is necessary for any kind of love of our neighbour1 for ,s4 ,gregory says#dhd3 ,without the contemplative life men can gain admittance to their heavenly home if they have not neglected the good works they could have done2 but they cannot enter without the active life1 if they neglect the good works they could do4 ,whence it appears that the active life precedes the contemplative in the sense that that which is common to everybody precedes in the order of generation that which is peculiar to the perfect4 #b4 ,again1 ,s4 ,gregory says#dhe3 ,you must know that just as the right procedure is for a man to pass from the active to the contemplative life2 so1 too1 it is often profitable to the soul to return to the active life4 ,consequently the active life is not absolutely speaking prior to the contemplative4 ,but while we proceed from the active life to the contemplative by way of generation1 we return from the contemplative to the active by way of direction1 in order1 that is1 that our active life may be directed by the contemplative2 just in the same way as habits are generated by acts and then1 as is said in the ,ethics1 when the habit is formed we act still more perfectly4#dhf #c4 ,lastly1 things which accord with different characters do not seem to be necessarily related4 ,but the active and contemplative life are suited to different characters2 thus ,s4 ,gregory says#dhg3 ,it often happens that men who could have given themselves to peaceful contemplation of ,god have been burdened with external occupations and so have made shipwreck2 while1 on the contrary1 men who could have lived well had they been occupied with human concerns1 have been slain by the sword of their life of repose4 ,consequently the active life does not seem to precede the contemplative4 ,but those who are subject to the influx of their passions because of their natural eagerness in action1 are for that very reason more suited for the active life1 and this because of the restlessness of their temperament4 ,hence ,s4 ,gregory says#dhh3 ,some are so restless that if they desist from work they suffer grievously1 for the more free they are to think the worse interior tumults they have to endure4 ,some1 on the contrary1 have a natural purity of soul and a reposefulness which renders them fit for the contemplative life2 if such men were to be applied wholly to the active life they would incur great loss4 ,hence ,s4 ,gregory says#dhi3 ,some men are of so slothful a disposition that if they undertake any work they succumb at the very outset4 ,but he adds3 ,yet often love stirs up even slothful souls to work1 and fear exercises a restraining influence on souls which suffer a disturbing influence in their contemplation4 ,hence even those who are more suited for the active life1 may1 by the exercise of it1 be prepared for the contemplative2 and1 on the contrary1 those who are more suited for the contemplative life may profitably undertake the labours proper to the active life1 that so they may be rendered still more fit for contemplation4 ,i have cried to ,thee1 for ,thou1 ,o ,god1 hast heard me3 ,o incline ,thy ear unto me1 and hear my words4 ,show forth ,thy wonderful mercies2 ,thou ,who savest them that trust in ,thee4 ,from them that resist ,thy right hand keep me1 as the apple of ,thy eye4 ,protect me under the shadow of ,thy wings4#dij ,,footnotes3 #dch ,s4 ,luke x4 #db4 #dci ,ethics1 x4 #g and #h4 #ddj ,moralia in ,job1 vi4 #ah4 #dda ,of the ,words of the ,lord1 ,sermon ciii41 alias xxvi4 #b4 #ddb ,s4 ,luke x4 #da4 #ddc ,of the ,words of the ,lord1 ,sermon civ41 alias xxvii4 #b4 #ddd ,s4 ,luke x4 #db4 #dde ,sermon ciii41 alias xxvi4 #d4 #ddf ,topica1 ,,iii41 ii4 #ba4 #ddg ,ibid41 ,,iii41 i4 #ab4 #ddh ,of the ,city of ,god1 xix4 #ai4 #ddi ii4 #a4 #dej ,exod4 xix4 #ba4 #dea ,hom4 ,,iii41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #deb ,of ,consolation1 v4 #b4 #dec ,hom4 ,,iii41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #ded #a ,cor4 xii4 #ca4 #dee ,of the ,city of ,god1 xix4 #ai4 #def ,ps4 xlvii4 #i1 #aj1 #ae4 #deg #b ,cor4 v4 #ae4 #deh ,ps4 xxvi4 #e4 #dei ,moralia in ,job1 vi4 #ah4 #dfj ,of the ,city of ,god1 xix4 #ai4 #dfa ,s4 ,luke x4 #dj4 #dfb ,hom4 ,,iii41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dfc ,rom4 ix4 #c4 #dfd ,of ,compunction1 i4 #g4 #dfe #a ,cor4 iii4 #h4 #dff ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dfg ,tractat41 #abd1 ,on ,st4 ,john1 xxi4 #bb4 #dfh ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dfi ,hom4 ,,xii41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dgj xxx4 #bd4 #dga ,apoc4 xxii4 #ag4 #dgb ,wisd4 xv4 #a-c4 #dgc ,moralia in ,job1 vi4 #ag4 #dgd ,ibid4 #dge ,ps4 xlv4 #aa4 #dgf ,s4 ,luke x4 #da4 #dgg ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dgh ,s4 ,matt4 xxv4 #c1 #d4 #dgi ,heb4 x4 #bj4 #dhj ,s4 ,luke x4 #da1 #db4 #dha ,ps4 cii4 #a-ae4 #dhb ,hom4 ,,iii41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dhc ,on the ,trinity1 xii4 #ab4 #dhd ,hom4 ,,iii41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dhe ,hom4 ,,xiv41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #dhf ii4 #a1 #b4 #dhg ,moralia in ,job1 vi4 #ag4 #dhh ,moralia1 vi4 #ag4 #dhi ,ibid41 vi4 #cg4 #dij ,ps4 xvi4 #f-i4 ,,question ,,clxxxvi ,,on ,,the ,,religious ,,state ,are ,contemplative ,orders superior to ,active ,orders8 ,are ,contemplative ,orders superior to ,active ,orders8 ,the ,lord declared that ,mary's was the best part1 and she is the type of the contemplative life4#dia ,religious ,orders differ from one another primarily according to the ends they have in view1 but secondarily according to the works they practise4 ,and since one thing cannot be said to be superior to another save by reason of the differences between them1 it will follow that the superiority of one ,religious ,order to another must depend primarily upon their respective ends1 secondarily upon the works they practise4 ,and these two grounds of comparison are not of equal value2 for the comparison between them from the point of view of their respective ends is an absolute one1 since an end is sought for its own sake2 whereas the comparison arising from their respective works is a relative one1 since works are not done for their own sake but for the sake of the end to be gained4 ,consequently one ,religious ,order is superior to another if its end is absolutely a superior one1 either as being in itself a greater good1 or as being of wider scope4 ,on the supposition1 however1 that the ends of any two ,orders are the same1 then the superiority of one to the other can be gauged1 not by the quantity of works they undertake1 but by the proportion these bear to the end in view4 ,thus it is that we find introduced into the ,conferences of the ,fathers#dib the opinion of ,s4 ,antony1 who preferred that discretion by which a man moderates all things to fasts and watchings and similar observances4 ,the works1 then1 of the active life are twofold4 ,there is one which springs from the fulness of contemplation3 teaching1 for example1 and preaching4 ,whence ,s4 ,gregory says#dic3 ,it is said of perfect men that on their return from contemplation3 ,they shall pour forth the memory of ,thy sweetness4 ,and this is preferable to simple contemplation4 ,for just as it is a greater thing to shed light than to be full of light1 so is it a greater thing to spread abroad the fruits of our contemplation than merely to contemplate4 ,and the second work of the active life is that which wholly consists in external occupation1 such as giving alms1 receiving guests1 etc4 ,and such works are inferior to the works of contemplation1 except it be in some case of necessity4 ,consequently1 then1 those ,religious ,orders are in the highest rank which are devoted to teaching and preaching4 ,and these1 too1 approach most nearly to the perfection of the ,episcopate2 just as in other things1 too1 the ends of those in the first place are1 as ,s4 ,denis says1 close knit to the principles of those in the second place4#did ,the second rank is occupied by those ,orders which are devoted to contemplation4 ,and the third with those devoted to external works4 ,and in each of these grades there is a certain superiority according as one ,order aims at acts of a higher order than does another1 though of the same class4 ,thus in the works of the active life it is a greater thing to redeem captives than to receive guests2 in the contemplative life1 too1 it is a greater thing to pray than to study4 ,there may also be a certain superiority in this that one is occupied with more of such works than another2 or again1 that the rules of one are better adapted to the attainment of their end than are those of another4 ,some1 however1 maintain that the contemplative ,orders are not superior to the active ,orders1 thus3 #a4 ,in the ,canon ,law#die it is said3 ,since the greater good is to be preferred to the less1 so1 too1 the common gain is to be preferred to private gain2 and in this sense teaching is rightly preferred to silence1 anxious care for others to contemplation1 and toil to repose4 ,but that ,religious ,order is the better which is directed to the attainment of the greater good4 ,hence it seems that ,orders which are devoted to an active life are superior to those which aim solely at contemplation4 ,but this ,decretal speaks of the active life as concerned with the salvation of souls4 #b4 ,all ,religious ,orders aim at the perfection of charity4 ,but on those words in the ,epistle to the ,hebrews1#dif ,ye have not yet resisted unto blood1 the ,gloss has3 ,there is no more perfect charity in this life than that to which the holy ,martyrs attained1 for they strove against sin even unto blood4 ,but to strive unto blood belongs to the ,military ,religious ,orders1 and they lead an active life4 ,it would seem1 then1 that these latter are the highest form of ,religious ,order4 ,but these ,military ,orders are more concerned with shedding the blood of their enemies than with shedding their own1 which is the feature of the ,martyrs4 ,at the same time1 there is nothing to preclude these ,religious from at times winning the crown of martyrdom and thus attaining to a greater height than other ,religious2 just as in some cases active works are to be preferred to contemplation4 #c4 ,lastly1 the stricter an ,order the more perfect it seems to be4 ,but there is nothing to preclude active ,orders from being stricter in their observance than some contemplative ,orders4 ,but strictness of observance is not that which is especially commendable in ,religious life1 as ,s4 ,antony has already told us1 and as is also said in ,isaias#dig3 ,is this such a fast as ,i have chosen1 for a man to afflict his soul for a day8 ,strictness of observance is1 however1 made use of in ,religious ,orders for the subjection of the flesh2 but if such strictness is carried out without discretion there is danger lest it should come to naught1 as ,s4 ,antony says4 ,hence one ,religious ,order is not superior to another because its observances are stricter1 but because its observances are directed to the end of that ,order with greater discretion4 ,thus1 for example1 abstinence from food and drink1 which means hunger and thirst1 are more efficacious means for preserving chastity than wearing less clothing1 which means cold and nakedness2 more efficacious1 too1 than bodily labour4 ,,footnotes3 #dia ,s4 ,luke x4 #db4 #dib ,conf41 ii4 #b4 #dic ,hom4 ,v41 ,on ,ezechiel4 #did ,of the ,divine ,names1 vii4 #die ,extrav4 ,of ,regulars and of those who pass to the ,religious ,orders1 cap4 ,licet4 #dif xii4 #d4 #dig lviii4 #e4 ,,index ,abiding in ,christ1 #cb ,abraham in ,limbo1 #aee ,accidents of the ,holy ,eucharist1 #i ,active ,life1 the3 its meaning1 #agj1 #agd1 #agf1 #bba1 #bbi2 typified in ,jacob's ,vision1 #bca2 typified by ,lia1 #agd1 #bbb1 #bbe1 #bcd1 #bdb1 #bdf2 two features of the ,active ,life1 #bba1 #bda1 #bdg2 in what sense it is distinct from the ,contemplative ,life1 #bbj2 how less meritorious than the ,contemplative ,life1 #bdj-bdd2 not preferable to the ,contemplative ,life1 #bcc-bdj2 it involves less sacrifice than the ,contemplative ,life1 #bdd2 in what sense it precedes the ,contemplative ,life1 #bbc1 #bcg1 #bde1 #bdi-beb2 how far it is necessary1 #ahf1 #bba1 #bci1 #bde1 #bej2 contrasted with the ,contemplative ,life1 #agb1 #agc2 how far it is more stable than the ,contemplative ,life1 #bcb2 its dangers1 #acf1 #adg1 #ahf2 it is a burden super-imposed upon the ,contemplative ,life1 #bch2 all are not meant for it1 #ahf1 #bea1 #beb2 it will not persist after this life1 #bbi-bcb2 the ,active ,life of the ,angels1 #bca2 how far the ,active ,life is inferior to the ,contemplative1 #bcc-bdj2 occasions when it must be embraced1 #ahf1 #bce1 #bci2 the part which the ,moral ,virtues play in it1 #aia1 #bbj-bbc2 it is a preparation for the ,contemplative ,life1 #agf1 #agg1 #bbj1 #bcg1 #bde2 prudence is requisite for it1 #ahf1 #bbc-bbf2 how far the teaching life pertains to the ,active ,life1 #bbf-bbi1 #bcj2 it will pass away1 #agg1 #aia1 #bbi-bcb2 it is the ,purgative way1 #bbj2 ,prelates and the ,active ,life1 #bcf ,active ,religious ,orders1 they are inferior to the ,contemplative1 #bec-beg ,adjure ,god1 in what sense we are said to do so in our prayers1 #adh ,adoration of the ,cross1 #cg ,adoro ,te ,devote1 the rhythm of ,st4 ,thomas in honour of the ,holy ,eucharist1 #aab ,albert of ,brescia1 ,o4,p41 #ah ,albert the ,great1 ,blessed1 #f ,alypius1 ,st4 ,augustine's friend1 #abc ,ambrose1 ,st43 on ,god as the cause of devotion1 #eg2 that the beauty of the soul depends on the ,moral ,virtues1 #ahd ,andronicus on the meaning of sanctity1 #di ,angels1 the3 how they are differentiated from men1 #aac1 #aad1 #ahg1 #bjf2 the knowledge of the ,angels1 #aeg1 #ahg1 #bje1 #bjh1 #bcj2 the ,beatific ,vision of the ,angels1 #bca2 the intelligence of the ,angels1 #ahg1 #bcj2 the intercession of the ,angels1 #afe2 their conformity to the will of ,god1 #afe1 #afg2 the ,angelic ,hierarchies1 #bja1 #bcj2 the teaching of the ,angels #bcj1 #bca2 the ,active ,life of the ,angels1 #bca2 we shall be like to the ,angels1 how1 #bcj1 #bca2 ,angels gird ,st4 ,thomas1 #f ,anselm of ,laudun1 #be ,antony1 ,st43 a patron against ,hell-fire1 #afj2 on discretion1 #aed1 #aeg ,areopagite4 ,cf4 s4v4 ,denis the ,areopagite ,aristotle3 on the aptitude for virtue1 #ce2 on honour1 #ci2 that the perfection of the moral virtues lies in their mean1 #dc2 on ,justice1 #ee1 #bba2 that reason asks for the best things1 #fi2 on the need of temporal things1 #hi2 that each man's life is that which he would wish to share with his friend1 #agj2 that to live is to be1 #agj2 on action and contemplation as distinctions in the intellectual life1 #aga2 that life is primarily in the vegetative soul1 #aga2 on three kinds of lives1 #age2 that knowledge has little to do with the moral virtues1 #ahb1 #bba2 that every act of the intellect may be termed consideration1 #ahh2 that the ultimate happiness of man consists in the contemplation of the highest truth1 #aic2 of man's dependence on the imagination1 #bja2 that motion is the act of a perfect thing1 #bjc2 on local motion as the chief of bodily motions1 #bjd2 that delight follows upon a perfect work1 #bac2 on the nobility of science1 #bad2 that there is no pleasure contrary to that derived from thought1 #bag2 on application to the ,contemplative ,life1 #bag2 that the ,contemplative ,life is beyond man1 #bah2 that prudence pertains to active happiness1 #bbc2 that he who commits adultery to steal is more a thief than an adulterer1 #bbc2 that prudence is the right mode of procedure in our actions1 #bbd2 that the ends of the moral virtues are the principles of prudence1 #bbd2 that the proof of the possession of wisdom is the power to teach1 #bbh2 eight proofs that the ,contemplative ,life is superior to the ,active1 #bcd1 #bce2 on the better lot1 #bcf2 that habits produce perfect acts1 #bea ,arius1 his error regarding the ,person of ,christ1 #afa ,athanasius1 ,st41 on the chanting of the ,psalms1 #abc ,attention3 mental1 #bbe2 in prayer1 #abe-acc2 three kinds of1 #abh1 #abi1 #acc ,attitudes in prayer1 #aej1 #aea ,augustine1 ,st43 ,st4 ,thomas's kinship with him in doctrine1 #ag-ai2 they are seen in a vision together1 #ah2 the ,breviary ,hymn to1 #bf2 definition of religion1 #bh1 #bi1 #cj2 on ,latvia1 #cj2 on ,eusebeia1 #ca2 on abiding in ,christ1 #cb2 on the desire of ,god1 #cb2 on prayer for wealth1 #cc2 on sacrifice1 #cb1 #df2 of true worship1 #dj2 of idolatry1 #df2 on the value of external acts in prayer1 #df2 of virginity1 #ej2 on ,god alone1 #ed1 #ib1 #ajh1 #adb1 #aig1 #ahi1 #bjc1 #bai2 on the will and the understanding1 #eg2 on true grief1 #fe2 prayer defined1 #fi2 why we should pray1 #ge2 on the prayers of the ,church1 #gf2 when we pray we are ,god's beggars1 #gi1 #aaj2 of those who say ,he knows already2 why then pray8 #hj2 of the knowledge the dead have of our affairs1 #hb2 on shrinking from death1 #hc2 on avoidance of ,hell1 #hf2 of the ,beatific ,vision1 #hg1 #bbi2 a prayer for continence1 #hg2 and for the knowledge of ,holy ,scripture1 #hh2 it is lawful to pray for what it is lawful to desire1 #hi2 on prayer for sufficiency of life1 #hi2 on seeking first the ,kingdom of ,god1 #ij2 on prayer without ceasing1 #ia2 of the prayer of desire1 #ib1 #acd2 his prayer for deliverance from toothache1 #ib2 why temporal favours are sometimes not granted1 #id1 #ie2 on prayer for others1 #if2 that we cannot here distinguish between the predestinate and the reprobate1 #ig2 on the imprecations in ,holy ,scripture1 #ajj1 #aja2 on prayer for the wicked1 #aja2 on the ,lord's ,prayer1 that it is the most perfect form of prayer1 #ajb2 on our ,daily ,bread1 #ajc1 #aji2 hallowed be ,thy ,name1 #ajd2 ,thy kingdom come1 #aje2 ,thy will be done1 #aje2 forgive us our trespasses1 #aaj1 #aaa2 of the ,lord's ,prayer and the gifts of the ,holy ,spirit1 #ajf2 of the two versions of the ,lord's ,prayer in ,st4 ,matthew and ,st4 ,luke1 #ajg2 on true righteousness1 #aaa2 on exterior religion1 #aai2 on the chanting of the ,psalter1 #abc2 on the prayer of the heart1 #abd2 on distractions1 #abi-aca2 on prayer at definite times1 #acd2 on the brief prayers of the hermits of old1 #acd2 on much speaking in prayer1 #ace2 that ,god urges us to pray1 #ach1 #aci2 that prayer is a gift of ,god1 #aci2 on unheard prayers1 #adj1 #adb2 on prayers heard in anger1 #adb1 #adc2 in what sense the prayers of sinners are heard1 #adc1 #add2 on the attitudes to be adopted in and of the time and place for prayer1 #abg1 #aej1 #aea2 of the knowledge of the ,saints in ,limbo1 #aed-aef2 why the prayers of the ,saints are heard1 #afg2 the ,contemplative contrasted with the ,active ,life1 #agb-agd1 #ahf2 the three lives1 #age1 #ahe2 the mixed life1 #bbf2 of the final possession and vision of ,god1 #agf1 #agg1 #aia1 #bjc2 on the use of leisure1 #ahf2 the claims of the two lives1 the ,active and the ,contemplative1 #ahf1 #bdh2 of the ,active ,life1 #bcf2 of the ,active ,life as opposed to the ,contemplative1 #bch2 that every operation of the intellect may be termed thought1 #ahh2 of the derivation of the term speculation1 #ahi2 of our present perfection1 #aij1 #aia2 on the pleasures of sense1 #ahe2 that the contemplation of ,god is the goal of all our acts1 #aic2 that we must use created things as stepping-stones to the things that abide for ever1 #aic2 on ,mary's better part1 #aif1 #aig2 on ,martha and ,mary1 #bcd1 #bce1 #bdh2 that in contemplation we do not see ,god ,himself1 #aii2 the greater the danger in the battle1 the greater the joy in the triumph1 #bab2 on the transitory nature of our present contemplation1 #bah2 on the beauty of the teaching life1 #bbg2 how the moral virtues remain after death1 #bcj2 of the repose of ,contemplation1 #bcj1 #bda2 of his desire for solitude1 yet he feels that he must work for others1 #bci2 he dare hope for the ,contemplative ,life1 #bdj2 of the higher reason1 #bdi ,basil1 ,st43 on distractions1 #abg1 #abh2 on unheard prayers1 #ada ,beatific ,vision1 the1 #hg1 #aec1 #agb1 #agf1 #agg1 #ahj1 #aha1 #aic1 #aih-bjc1 #bag ,beatitude1 in what it consists1 #agb1 #agf1 #agg1 #aha1 #aia1 #aih1 #bah1 #bai1 #bbi ,beatitude1 a prayer for1 #aib ,beauty1 definition of1 #ahe ,benedict1 ,st41 the vision of1 #bjb ,bernard1 ,st43 on the meaning of contemplation1 #ahh1 #ahi2 of the steps in contemplation1 #aid ,bestial ,life1 the1 #age ,birds1 the movements of1 #bji ,blood of ,christ1 the1 #afc ,boethius1 on the liberty needful for contemplation1 #bcg ,cajetan1 ,o4,p41 ,cardinal1 #ai1 #bj2 on the meaning of ,religion1 #ej2 on the meaning of devotion1 #ec1 #ed2 on its causes1 #fj2 on devotion as opposed to gloom1 #fd2 of the devout female sex1 #fb2 of the need of meditation1 #fa2 of prayer as the cause of union with ,god1 #ga2 of prayer as a real cause1 #gd2 on three points to be considered in prayer1 #gh2 on prayer as a sacrifice1 #gi2 of the divisions of the ,lord's ,prayer1 #ajg1 #ajh2 how those in ,limbo can hear prayers1 #aah2 on vocal prayer1 #aba1 #abc2 on the tone to be employed in saying ,mass1 #abb2 the function of ecclesiastical chant1 #abb1 #abd2 on attention in recitation of ,divine ,office1 #abh2 on attention to the words of ,consecration1 #adi1 #aej2 of the need of the moral virtues in the ,contemplative ,life1 #bci2 the ,parable of the ,ten ,virgins1 #bdg2 on the real object of prayer1 #abi ,canticle of ,canticles1 the1 #ad ,cassian1 the ,conferences of3 on ,st4 ,antony and discretion1 #bed1 #beg2 on different kinds of prayer1 #adh ,cassiodorus on ,ps4 xxxviii4 #ac1 #fh ,cato on respect for parents1 #cj ,ceremonial1 the value of1 #ce ,chant of the ,church1 the ,public1 #abb1 #abc ,charity as the principle of religion1 #ef4 ,cf4 s4v4 ,theological virtues ,christ1 pray for us1 why we do not say1 #afj1 #afa ,christ1 the ,name of1 on the foreheads of ,christians1 #bai ,chrysostom1 ,st43 the ,opus ,imperfectum in ,matthaeum falsely attributed to him1 #bd2 on prayer as a conversation with ,god1 #gd2 on prayer for others1 #ie2 in public1 #aba2 on prayer for sinners1 #adc2 on prayer through ,jesus ,christ1 #ade2 on the zeal of ,s4 ,paul1 #bdb ,church customs1 #aeh1 #afc ,church1 the prayers of the1 #ha ,cicero1 on religion1 #bg2 on prudence and intellectual quickness1 #bbd ,circular movement of the soul1 #agb1 #bjc-baj ,cleanness1 #dg1 #ahd ,colere1 #ca ,collect for ,friday in ,september ,ember ,week1 #adg2 for ,trinity ,sunday1 #adg1 #adh ,compline1 ,st4 ,thomas's devotion at1 #ad ,communion of ,saints1 #aeh1 #afd ,conformity to the will of ,god1 #hf ,consecration1 the ,prayer of the1 #adg1 #adi1 #aej ,contemplation and the ,contemplative ,life3 the meaning of contemplation1 #ahh1 #ahi1 #aif1 #bja1 #bjb1 #baa1 #bcj1 #bcd1 #bce1 #bcg2 it is something beautiful in the soul1 #ahd2 not purely an affair of the intellect1 #agi-ahb1 #ahi2 its relation to the affective powers1 #baa2 the place which reason occupies in contemplation1 #aie1 #baj1 #baa1 #bbe1 #bbf1 #bdi2 the place occupied by the imagination1 #aie2 in what sense contemplation involves many acts1 #ahg-aib2 how far contemplation may be described according to the three species of motion--circular1 direct1 and oblique1 #agb1 #bjc-baj2 contemplation is natural to man1 #baj2 it is pleasurable1 #baa2 it is primarily concerned with ,god1 #ahj1 #bda1 #bej2 it does not1 in this present life1 fall on the ,divine ,essence as such1 #aii-bjc2 its ultimate goal1 #ahj1 #ahd1 #ahg1 #aic1 #aid1 #aif1 #aih1 #bjc1 #bbi2 its ultimate goal in this life1 #bab1 #bbj2 how it is distinguished from meditation and thought1 #ahh2 and from speculation1 #ahi2 four integral parts of contemplation1 #aic1 #aid2 four phases in it1 #aid2 six steps in it1 #aie1 #aif2 the contemplation of this present life1 #aic1 #bac1 #bad2 not on earth as in ,heaven1 #agf1 #agg1 #bag1 #bdc2 it is beyond man1 #bah2 a busy life does not exclude it1 #bch2 it is lawful to desire it1 #bdj2 contemplation and ecstasy1 #bjj2 four subjects of contemplation1 #aid2 the repose of contemplation1 in what it consists1 #bjd1 #bje1 #bcd1 #bce1 #bdf ,the ,contemplative ,life3 its meaning1 #ahd1 #ahf1 #bcg1 #bej2 how it is distinguished from the ,active ,life1 #afi1 #agc1 #bbj1 #bcd1 #bce2 it is superior to the ,active ,life1 #bcc-bdj2 it is more meritorious than it1 #bdj-bdd2 its great merit1 #bdb2 it is prepared for in the ,active ,life1 #bci1 #bde-bdi2 the ,active ,life precedes it1 #bdi-beb2 the ,contemplative ,life directs the ,active1 #bea2 the relation of the ,contemplative ,life to the ,theological virtues1 #aib2 and to the ,moral virtues1 #ahb-ahf1 #bba1 #bbb1 #bci2 it demands temperance1 #ahd1 #ahe2 and chastity1 which it in turn fosters1 #ahd1 #ahe2 it calls for the subjection of the passions1 #ahd1 #ahe2 it results in the subjugation of the passions1 #bac2 it involves a certain liberty of spirit1 #bcd1 #bcg2 it is often distasteful1 #bae1 #baf2 it means the sacrifice of our own soul1 #bdd2 its joys1 #agg1 #aig1 #baj-baf1 #bcd1 #bdh2 its combats1 #bab1 #bac2 it is imperfect here on earth1 #bdc2 it is not incompatible with ,prelacy1 #bcf2 its relation to the office of teaching1 #bcf-bci2 it is not meant for all1 #bce1 #bcf1 #bci1 #bda1 #bea1 #beb2 reading is sometimes necessary for it1 #aij2 how far it refrains from all external actions1 #ahb2 it is typified by ,rachel1 #agd1 #ahj1 #ahd1 #bcd1 #bdb2 also by ,mary of ,bethany1 #agd1 #aij1 #aig1 #bcd1 #bce1 #bdh2 it is foreshown in ,jacob's ,vision1 #bca ,contemplative ,religious ,orders3 in what sense they are the best1 #bec-beg ,contemplatives1 #cb ,continence1 a prayer for1 #hg ,conversation1 sins of1 #aaj ,correction1 fraternal1 #ig ,created things must serve as stepping-stones1 #aic ,cross1 ,adoration of the1 #cg ,cultus1 #ca ,cyprian1 ,st41 on ,our ,father1 not ,my ,father1 #if ,damascene1 ,st4 ,john3 on ,wonderment1 #ahi2 definitions of prayer1 #fi1 #ga1 #he1 #adb1 #adh ,dead1 ,prayers for the1 #afg1 #afh ,death1 fear of1 #hc ,decii1 the1 #eb ,defects1 the thought of our1 causes devotion1 #fc1 #fd ,delights1 earthly1 as opposed to heavenly1 #bae1 #baf ,denis the ,areopagite1 #bd2 on sanctity1 #di2 on ecstasy1 #ee2 on beginning all with prayer1 #gj2 on being co-workers with ,god1 #aed2 of the knowledge of the ,angels1 #aeg2 of the harmony in ,divine things1 #aeh2 that life implies motion1 #aga2 on the three movements of the soul1 #agb1 #bjc-baj2 of the difference between the ,angelic and the human intellect1 #ahf2 that the goal of contemplation is to attain to the uniformity of the ,divine contemplation1 #bah2 that in contemplation here on earth we do not see the ,divine ,essence1 #bjj2 on the illumination of the ,angels1 #bcj2 of the ,divine harmony1 #bee ,desires1 their function and necessity1 #gg1 #ia1 #aje ,devotion3 defined1 #ea1 #ec1 #ee1 #eg1 #fd2 is a special act1 #ea2 is due to an act of the will1 #ec1 #eg2 is an act of the virtue of ,religion1 #eg2 is the principal act of the virtue of ,religion1 #ed2 involves sacrifice of the heart1 #fd2 it gives a certain measure to human acts1 #eb2 it means promptitude1 #ec1 #ee1 #ef1 #eg2 two causes of it1 #eg1 #fb1 #fc2 caused by meditation1 #eg2 especially by meditation on the ,sacred ,passion1 #ei1 #fc2 on the goodness of ,god1 #eh1 #fj2 on our own defects1 #eh1 #fj2 obstacles to it1 #fb2 how far it may be hindered by learning1 #fj2 it is productive of sorrow1 #fb-fd2 but is not therefore to be confounded with gloominess1 #fd1 #fe2 it produces joy1 #fb1 #fc2 devotion to the ,saints1 #eg2 the devotion of women1 #ei1 #fb2 the devout female sex1 #fb ,direct movement of the soul1 the1 #agb1 #baj-bac ,discretion1 ,st4 ,antony on1 #bed1 #beg ,distractions1 #abg4 ,cf4 s4v4 ,prayer1 distractions in ,divine ,office1 attention in the recitation of1 #abh ,dulia1 #ci ,ecstasy1 #d2 ,denis the ,areopagite on1 #ee2 that of ,st4 ,paul1 #aii1 #bjj ,ejaculatory prayers1 #acd1 #ace ,enemies1 prayer for1 #ii2 love of our1 #ii ,eternity3 the repose of1 #hf1 #hg1 #ib2 the silence of1 #hg ,etymologies1 those of ,st4 ,thomas and ,st4 ,isidore1 #bd ,eucharist1 the ,holy3 the ,accidents of1 #i2 ,st4 ,thomas's reception of ,it as ,viaticum1 #ae2 the ,chief of the ,sacraments1 #ajc2 our ,daily ,bread1 #ajc1 #aji2 the rhythm1 ,adoro ,te ,devote1 #aab ,eusebeia1 #ca ,example1 the force of1 #bbb ,exterior religion1 #de ,external actions1 #ahb1 #ahc ,extraordinary ways of ,god1 the1 #c ,faber1 ,father1 #b ,faith1 #aia1 #aib ,faith and ,vision1 #hg ,fasting1 #fc ,fear1 #ahi2 the gift of fear1 #cd2 fear of death1 #bc2 of ,hell1 #cf ,female sex1 the devout1 #fb ,forgive us our trespasses1 #aaj1 #aaa ,fossa ,nuova1 #ad ,frederic1 the ,emperor1 #h ,friendship1 #ef ,gifts of ,god1 #ib2 of the ,holy ,spirit1 #aje1 #ajf ,gloom1 not a characteristic of the ,saints1 #fd1 #fe ,gloss1 the1 on ,holy ,scripture1 #bd1 #be ,god3 ,god alone1 #ib1 #bdg2 in what sense we adjure ,him in our prayers1 #adh2 by prayer we become ,his beggars1 #gi1 #aaj2 ,he is not changed by our prayers1 #hf1 #ajg2 does not need our external acts of religion1 #dc1 #df2 ,his foreknowledge involves no compulsion1 #gb2 ,his goodness is a reason for prayer1 #ajg1 #adi2 ,his ,holiness is a reason for prayer1 #adg2 the harmony of ,divine things1 #aeh1 #aei2 ,he knows beforehand what we seek1 #hj1 #afa2 ,he knows the heart1 #aeg2 the majesty of ,god1 #ahi2 the ,patience of ,god1 #acj2 we do not pray to ,him alone1 #hj-hd2 ,he does not always hear our prayers1 #adb1 #adc2 why ,he wishes us to pray1 #gd1 #hf1 #ajg1 #ach2 ,he does not profit by our service1 #dc2 on seeking after ,god1 #ed1 #acd1 #agi1 #ahj1 #ahc1 #aib2 ,he is the ,first ,principle1 #ahj2 the ,ultimate ,end1 #ahb2 ultimate union with ,him1 #aji1 #aia2 union with ,him1 #fi1 #bjh2 we can hope for it1 #bdj2 hindrances to it1 #ajc1 #ajd2 the ,vision of ,god1 #aec1 #aee1 #afc1 #agb1 #agg1 #ahj1 #aha4 ,cf4 s4v4 ,beatific ,vision2 the ,antecedent ,will of ,god1 #afc ,greeks1 ,on the ,errors of the1 ,st4 ,thomas's treatise on1 #ad ,gregory the ,great1 ,st43 on ,lia as the type of the ,active ,life1 #bbb1 #bbe1 #bcd1 #bdb1 #bdf2 of ,martha and ,mary as types of the ,active and the ,contemplative ,life respectively1 #agd2 on attention at prayer1 #abf2 on the intercession of the ,angels1 #afe2 on the conformity of the ,angels to ,god's ,will1 #afg2 how the prayers of the ,saints avail1 #afg2 that the ,contemplative ,life is occupied with ,god alone1 #ahj1 #ahd1 #aib2 that contemplation in this life does not attain to the ,divine ,essence1 #aii1 #bjj2 that contemplation excludes all images1 #bja2 of ,st4 ,benedict's vision1 #bjb2 on the true sweetness of contemplation1 #baj2 contemplation springs from and leads to love of ,god1 #bab2 on the combats of the ,contemplative ,life1 #bab2 that knowledge of ,god brings about the death of all carnal desires1 #bac2 of the joys of the spiritual life1 #bae1 #baf2 on disgust for spiritual things #bae1 #baf2 of the ,active ,life1 #bba1 #bbe2 on teaching as falling under the ,active ,life1 #bbf2 as due to contemplation1 #bbg2 that the ,active ,life passes away1 not so the ,contemplative ,life1 #bbi2 of the ,contemplation of the ,angels1 #bca2 on the instability of our present contemplation1 #bcb1 #bdc2 of the merits of the ,contemplative ,life1 #bdj1 #bda2 that those who are ,superiors can still practise the ,contemplative ,life1 #bcf2 that the ,active ,life precedes the ,contemplative1 #bbd1 #bde1 #bdi2 of zeal for souls1 #bdc1 #bdd2 of the necessity of the ,active ,life1 #bej2 contemplata aliis tradere1 #bed2 that the ,blessed in ,heaven know our needs1 #hb2 not all are called to the ,contemplative ,life1 #bea1 #beb ,gregory of ,nyssa1 ,st41 of joys and sorrows1 #fd ,gregory ,x41 ,pope1 #ad ,guidonis1 ,bernard1 #f ,habits1 #ce1 #bea ,harmony of ,divine things1 #aeh1 #aei ,harmony of reason1 the1 #ahc ,heaven3 there will be no books in1 #aaa2 it is our ,fatherland1 #aff-afh1 #agc ,holiness1 #ahd ,hope1 #aia1 #aib ,hugo a ,st4 ,caro1 #f1 #be ,hugh of ,st4 ,victor's3 on attention at prayer1 #abf2 on intensity1 #abf ,idolatry1 #df ,images1 veneration of1 #cg ,imagination1 its function1 #aie1 #bja ,imprecations in ,holy ,scripture1 #ajj ,indulgences1 #afh ,ingratitude1 #id ,insinuation in prayer1 #ada ,intelligence1 quickness of1 #bbd ,intellect1 the noblest part of man1 #gi1 #hj ,intention1 #acc ,intercession as a part of prayer1 #adf ,intercession of the ,saints1 #afa ,interior ,spirit1 the true1 #bdg ,interpretive prayer1 #afc ,isaias1 ,st4 ,thomas's ,commentary on1 #aj ,isidore of ,seville1 ,st43 his etymologies1 #bd2 on religion1 #bg2 on the word sanctus1 #dh2 on prayer1 #fh ,jacob's ,vision1 #bca ,jeremias prays for the people1 though he is in ,limbo1 #aae1 #aah1 #afb ,jerome1 ,st43 on the error of ,vigilantius1 who said the prayers of the ,martyrs were not heard1 #aae1 #afb2 on making a virtue of necessity1 #ce2 on the term super-substantial ,bread1 #ajc ,john of ,st4 ,julian1 ,o4,p41 #e ,john ,,xxii41 ,pope1 #bc ,josias1 ,king of ,juda1 in ,limbo1 #aee ,joy as an effect of devotion1 #fb ,joys of ,contemplation1 the1 #baj-baf ,justice1 the chief of the ,moral ,virtues1 #cg1 #ee1 #bba ,knowledge1 its relation to the ,moral ,virtues1 #ahb ,latria1 #cj1 #cd1 #dd ,leo the ,great1 ,st41 on the ,jews1 #ef ,lia1 the type of the ,active ,life1 #bbb1 #bbe1 #bcd1 #bdb1 #bdf ,liberty of ,spirit1 #bcg ,life3 definitions of1 #afi1 #agj1 #aga1 #ahg2 considered as intellectual1 life may be divided into the ,active and the ,contemplative1 #aga1 #agd2 cf4 s4v4 ,contemplative ,life and ,active ,life2 the ,active and ,contemplative ,life compared1 #bcc-beg2 the two ,lives distinguished1 #afi-agg2 their relative order1 #bdi-beb2 the mixed life1 #age1 #ahe2 the ,life of ,beatitude1 #aia2 the bestial life1 #age2 the busy life1 #age2 the civil life1 #age2 the leisurely life1 #age1 #ahe2 the pleasurable life1 #age2 the life of repose1 #agb1 #agc2 the life of toil1 #agb1 #agc2 the voluptuous life1 #agf ,limbo1 #aah1 #aed-aef ,litany of the ,saints1 #aeh ,living for ,eternity1 on1 #hc ,livy on the ,decii1 #ea ,lombard1 ,peter1 #be ,lord's ,prayer1 the3 the seven petitions of1 #aje-aaa2 the most perfect form of prayer1 #aje2 distractions in saying it1 #acb2 why we say ,our ,father1 and not ,my ,father1 #if2 this prayer is recited in the name of the whole ,church1 #ade2 in what sense we are tied to this restricted form of prayer1 #acf1 #acg2 the ,lord's ,prayer as a subject of meditation1 #aib ,lyons1 the ,council of1 ,st4 ,thomas summoned to it1 #ad ,lyra1 ,nicolas de1 his ,gloss1 #be ,martyrs3 the prayers of the1 #afb-afd2 merits of the ,martyrs1 #bef ,marvel1 what it is to1 #ahi ,mass1 the3 to be said distinctly1 #abb2 the ,prayers of1 #adg2 the ,prayer of the ,consecration in the ,mass1 #adi1 #aej ,maximus ,valerius1 ,on ,socrates1 #hd ,meditation1 #ahh1 #aij2 causes devotion1 #eg2 produces sadness as well as joy1 #fb-fe2 the need of it1 #fa2 not to be neglected for vocal prayer1 #abc2 fruitful subjects for1 #fj2 meditation on the ,sacred ,passion1 #ei2 on choosing subtle subjects for meditation1 #eh1 #fj1 #fa ,melancholy1 no fruit of devotion1 #fd1 #fe ,merit3 definition of1 #aff2 source of1 #bdj2 merits and rewards1 #bdb2 none in ,heaven1 #aff1 #bdc2 of the ,active and ,contemplative ,life1 #bdj-bdd2 the merit of prayer1 #ada2 those of the ,saints1 #afc2 how we can merit for others1 #ada ,military ,religious ,orders1 #bef ,monica1 ,st41 #abc ,monte ,cassino1 #d ,moral ,acts1 their nature1 #bbe ,moral ,virtues1 the3 ,justice is the chief of the moral virtues1 #bba2 requisites for the moral virtues1 #da2 their place in the ,contemplative ,life #ahb-ahf2 their function1 #da1 #dc1 #ahc-ahe2 their part in the ,active ,life1 #bbj-bbf2 how far they remain after death1 #bcj ,movements of the soul1 the three1 #agb1 #bjc-baj ,mysticism1 #a-c ,necessity1 to make a virtue of1 #ce1 #dd ,nestorius's error concerning the ,person of ,christ1 #afa ,novelty of ,st4 ,thomas's teaching1 #f1 #g ,obsecration as a part of prayer1 #adg-adi ,observance1 strictness of1 #beg ,occultism1 #c ,office1 attention at the ,divine1 #abh ,origen on sanctity1 #dg2 on not swearing1 #adh ,passion1 ,meditation on the ,sacred1 #ei1 #fc1 #abh ,perfection1 #dd ,peter ,lombard1 #be ,philosophy is better than riches1 #bcf ,postillae1 #bd ,prayer to ,st4 ,thomas before study1 ,a1 #af ,prayer3 defined1 #fh1 #fi1 #gf1 #gh1 #he1 #ajb1 #a,o#e1 #abg1 #acf1 #adh2 it is an act1 #afa2 not an act of the appetitive powers1 #fh1 #ga1 #gg2 it is an act of the virtue of religion1 #gf-hj1 #afa2 after devotion1 prayer is the highest act of the virtue of religion1 #gg2 it is a conversation with ,god1 #gd2 by it we become ,god's beggars1 #aaj2 it is peculiar to the rational creation1 #aab-aad2 in what sense the brute creatures pray1 #aad2 prayer is a gift from ,god1 #aci2 three requisites for prayer1 #adf2 four requisites for prayer1 #ach2 the real meaning of petition1 #gh1 #gi2 the prayer of desire1 #ib1 #aje2 in what sense desire is not prayer1 #gg1 #gh2 prayer is a real cause1 #gb1 #gd1 #aff ,why we should pray3 prayer is reasonable1 #ga-gf1 #ajg1 #abj1 #adg2 the merit of prayer1 #abe1 #acg-adc2 the effects of prayer1 #ga1 #abj1 #abe1 #acb1 #ach2 prayer causes union with ,god1 #gj1 #ga ,errors concerning prayer3 in general1 #gb2 it is not an adjuring of ,god1 #adh2 it never wearies ,god1 #gi1 #hj2 much speaking in prayer1 #ace2 it cannot change ,god's decrees1 #gb1 #gc1 #hf1 #ajg1 #afa2 it does not bend ,his will1 #hf2 ,god knows beforehand what we would pray for1 #gc1 #ge1 #hj1 #hf1 #abj ,of prayers heard and unheard3 the condition necessary if our prayers are to be heard1 #hi1 #if1 #ada1 #add2 of prayers heard in anger1 #adb1 #adc2 in what sense the prayers of sinners are heard1 #adc-adf2 the prayers of the poor are speedily heard1 #fi2 how the prayers of the ,saints are heard1 #afb1 #afh2 the prayers of the ,martyrs and ,apostles1 #afb1 #afc2 why prayers are not heard1 #adb2 of unheard prayers1 #adj2 why our prayers for others are sometimes not heard1 #if2 in what sense the prayers of sinners are heard1 #adc-adf ,how we should pray3 at regular intervals1 #acd2 our attitude in prayer1 #aej1 #aea2 beginning occupations with prayer1 #gj2 prayer without ceasing1 #ia1 #acg2 attention at prayer1 #abe2 three kinds of attention1 #abj1 #acc2 distractions1 #aba1 #abg-acc2 the length of our prayers1 #acc-acg2 hindrances to prayer1 #ge2 the recitation of ,psalms1 #abc2 prayer in spirit and in truth1 #abf2 weariness in prayer1 #acd ,what we should pray for3 the impetratory value of prayer1 #ach1 #ada2 what we should pray for in general1 #abi1 #adb2 for ,beatitude1 #he-hg2 prayer for definite things1 #hd-hh2 for sufficiency of life1 #hi2 against death1 #hc2 for continence1 #hg2 for knowledge of ,holy ,scripture1 #hh2 for deliverance from toothache1 #ib1 #id2 for others1 #ie1 #ig1 #ih1 #bbi2 for the wicked1 #ig2 for the good1 #ih2 for our inferiors1 #ih2 for temporal blessings1 #hi-ie2 for the predestinate1 #afg2 for our enemies1 #ii-ajb2 the ,saints in ,heaven pray for the resurrection of their bodies1 #aaf ,to whom we should pray3 not to ,god alone1 #hj-hd2 to the ,angels1 #ha2 to the ,saints1 #aeg-afa2 to the lesser ,saints1 #aag ,who pray for us1 and how3 the ,angels pray for us1 how1 #aad2 in what sense the ,son and the ,holy ,spirit are said to pray1 #aac1 #aae2 how the ,holy ,spirit helps our prayers1 #he2 the ,saints pray for us1 #aae-aah2 how1 #aef1 #afc1 #aff1 #afg2 how we merit the prayers of the ,saints1 #afb2 how our prayers are known to the ,saints1 #aeb-aeg2 those in ,limbo prayed for those on earth1 #aah2 those in ,purgatory cannot pray for us1 #aag ,divers forms of prayer3 vocal prayer1 #aai-abe2 ejaculatory prayer1 #acd1 #ace2 prayer in secret1 #aba2 prayer of the heart1 #abd2 thanksgiving as a part of prayer1 #adi2 postulations as a part of prayer1 #adf-adh ,the ,lord's ,prayer3 we say not my ,father1 but our ,father1 #if2 the seven petitions of the ,lord's ,prayer1 #ajb-aaa2 the ,lord's ,prayer not said without distractions1 #acb2 in what sense we are tied to the ,lord's ,prayer as a formula1 #acf1 #acg ,the ,church's prayers3 in general1 #gf1 #adg1 #aeh2 public and private prayers1 #aai1 #aba1 #abb1 #ace2 how the prayer of many avails1 #ih2 the prayer of the ,consecration at ,mass1 #adi1 #aej ,prelates and ,contemplative ,life1 #bcf ,prosper1 ,st41 the ,book of ,sentences ,gleaned from ,st4 ,augustine1 #adj ,prudence3 its relation to the other ,moral ,virtues1 #bbd2 it is requisite for the ,active ,life1 #bbc-bbf ,purity of soul1 #beb ,purgatory3 why the suffrages of the ,church do not empty it at once1 #afg1 #afh2 the souls in ,purgatory do not know our needs1 #hc2 neither do they pray for us1 #hc1 #aaf1 #aah2 ,brother ,romanus passed sixteen days in ,purgatory1 #ab ,rabanus ,maurus3 his ,gloss1 #be2 on ,prayer1 #fi ,rachel1 a type of the ,contemplative ,life1 #afc1 #agd1 #ahj1 #ahd1 #bcd1 #bdb ,reading necessary for prayer1 #aij ,reason3 its function1 #bjf2 the higher and the lower1 #bdi2 the speculative and the practical1 #fh ,religion3 the virtue of1 #bg-ej2 that it is a virtue1 #cd2 definition of1 #bg-ca1 #ci1 #di2 its principle is charity1 #ef2 it is one virtue1 #ce2 and a ,moral ,virtue1 #dj2 and a special virtue1 #cg-ci2 not a ,theological ,virtue1 #ci2 the via media in1 #da2 the harmony of1 #db2 is superior to the other ,moral ,virtues1 #db2 is not for ,god's profit1 but for ours1 #dc2 demands external acts1 #dd2 how far it is identified with sanctity1 #dg-ej ,religious ,orders1 the ,active and ,contemplative compared1 #bec-beg ,religious people1 #ca1 #ej1 #fa2 they are not always ,saints1 #ej ,reposeful characters1 #beb ,romanus1 ,brother1 appears to ,st4 ,thomas1 #ab ,sacrifice1 the real nature of1 #ch1 #df1 #bdd ,saints1 the3 what it is to be a ,saint1 #ej2 they are not gloomy1 #fd1 #fe2 their knowledge of our needs1 #hb1 #aeb-aeg2 their prayers for us1 #aae-aah2 they feel no grief for us on earth1 #aee2 their wills are perfectly conformed to that of ,god1 #aaf1 #aef1 #afc1 #afe1 #afg2 the ,communion of ,saints1 #aeh1 #afd2 we ought to pray to them1 #aeg-afa2 of devotion to the ,saints1 #eg2 to the lesser ,saints1 #aag1 #afj2 they are co-workers with ,god1 #aed2 in what sense their prayers are always heard1 #aeh1 #afb-afh2 their merits1 #afc1 #aff2 how they pray for us1 #afc1 #afg ,saint of ,saints1 ,the1 #afj ,scripture1 prayer for knowledge of ,holy1 #hh ,seneca3 on petitions1 #gd2 on idolatry1 #df ,sentences1 the ,book of1 #f1 #be ,sinners1 prayer for3 #ig2 the prayers of sinners1 #adc-adf ,sins of conversation1 #aaj ,socrates on prayer1 #hd ,solicitude1 how far it is forbidden1 #ij ,sorrow1 as an effect of devotion1 #fb1 #fd ,speculation1 #ahi ,spirit1 the ,holy1 how ,he helps us to pray1 #he ,spirit and truth1 prayer in1 #abf1 #abg ,spiritualism1 #c ,stability implied in the notion of sanctity1 #di ,strabo1 ,walafrid1 his ,gloss1 #bd ,strictness of life not an end in itself1 #beg ,sufficiency of life1 prayer for1 #hi ,suffrages for the ,dead1 #afg1 #afh ,summa ,theologica3 the broad divisions of1 #ai1 #bj2 the method employed in1 #ba1 #bb2 the ,tertia ,pars1 #ac ,superiors and ,contemplation1 #bch ,supererogation1 works of1 #dd ,superstition1 #db ,supersubstantial ,bread1 #ajc ,supplications as a part of prayer1 #adf ,swearing1 ,origen on1 #adh ,teaching3 in what it consists1 #bbg1 #bbh2 due to ,contemplation1 #bbg2 how far it belongs to the ,active ,life1 #bbf-bbi2 the beauty of the teaching life1 #bbg2 how the ,angels teach1 #bca ,temperance3 a necessity for the ,contemplative ,life1 #ahd1 #ahe2 how far it is identical with sanctity1 #ej ,temporal things3 the part they play in our life1 #hi2 they are stepping-stones to ,heaven1 #ia2 how far they may be asked for1 #hi-ie ,thanksgivings as part of prayer1 #adg ,theological ,virtues1 the1 #ci-da1 #aia1 #aib ,theosebeia1 #ca ,thomas ,aquinas1 ,st43 born at ,rocca ,secca1 #d2 his early occupation with ,divine things1 #e2 goes to ,monte ,cassino1 #d2 to ,naples ,university1 #e2 receives the habit of the ,friars ,preachers1 #e2 is sent to ,santa ,sabina1 #e2 is imprisoned1 and studies the ,bible1 the ,sentences1 and the ,philosophy of ,aristotle1 #f2 is created ,bachelor in ,theology1 #f2 the novelty of his teaching1 #g1 #h2 created ,master in ,theology1 #g2 says he would prefer to possess ,st4 ,chrysostom's ,commentaries on the ,gospel according to ,st4 ,matthew to the possession of the city of ,paris1 #aj2 hears from ,our ,lord's lips1 ,bene scripsisti de ,me1 ,thoma1 #aj2 his three petitions1 #h2 his prayer before study1 #h-aa2 is visited by ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul1 who explain to him a passage of ,isaias1 #aa2 ,brother ,romanus appears to him1 #ab2 his approaching end is revealed to him1 #ab1 #ac2 the ,crucifix speaks to him1 #ac2 he ceases to write1 #ad2 his emotion on hearing the words1 ,ne projicias nos1 sung1 #ad2 is summoned to the ,council of ,lyons1 #ad2 his faith in the ,holy ,eucharist1 #i1 #ae2 his dying words1 #ae2 his rhythm1 ,adoro ,te ,devote1 #aab2 the method of his teaching1 #ai2 his teaching is regarded as miraculous1 #bc2 his use of the works of the ,fathers1 #af1 #ah1 #bc2 his teaching and that of ,st4 ,augustine1 #af-ah2 his self-effacement1 #bc ,tocco1 ,william of1 biographer of ,st4 ,thomas1 #e note1 #f1 #h1 #i1 #aa1 #ae ,toothache3 ,st4 ,thomas's deliverance from it1 #ic2 ,st4 ,augustine's deliverance from it1 #ic ,trinity1 the ,holy3 how to pray to1 #ha2 the ,collect for ,trinity ,sunday1 #adg ,union with ,god1 #c1 #aig1 #aih4 ,cf4 s4v4 ,god ,valgornera1 ,theologia ,mystica1 #a ,via media in religion1 #da ,vigilantius's errors regarding prayer1 #aag1 #afb ,virginity1 #ej ,virgins1 the five wise and the five foolish1 #bdg ,virtue3 definition of1 #cd2 its praiseworthy character1 #dc2 it lies in the will1 #dc ,walafrid ,strabo1 his ,gloss1 #bd ,will3 the object of the1 #eg2 its functions1 #eb1 #gj2 the part it plays in the ,contemplative ,life1 #agi-aha ,women1 the natural devotion of1 #ei ,worship3 in what it consists1 #da ,zeal for souls1 #bdc1 #bdd ,,index ,,of ,,texts ,,quoted ,,or ,,explained ,genesis4 xxix4 #ag2 #ahd xxxii4 #cj-cb2 #bjj1 #bad ,exodus4 iii4 #f2 #aag iii4 #ad2 #agf xiii4 #f2 #aag xix4 #ba2 #acf1 #bcg xx4 #a-ag2 #db xxxv4 #bj1 #ba2 #eb #a ,kings4 i4 #ah2 #abj xv4 #ai2 #gc #b ,kings4 vii4 #ah2 #aej #c ,kings4 xviii4 #db2 #aej #d ,kings4 xxii4 #ej2 #aee #b ,paralipomenon4 xxix4 #ca2 #eb ,job4 v4 #a2 #hj1 #aeg xiv4 #ba2 #aeb xvi4 #bj-bc2 #baj xxxi4 #ad2 #bbf xxxi4 #bc2 #bcf ,psalms4 v4 #e2 #agg vi4 #g2 #aea vi4 #aa2 #ii x4 #ag2 #fi xv4 #b2 #dc xv4 #e2 #cb xv4 #e1 #f2 #agb xv4 #i2 #abj xv4 #aa2 #agg xvi4 #f-i2 #beb xxiv4 #f-aa2 #agg xxvi4 #d2 #gj1 #acf1 #aig xxvi4 #e2 #bdj xxvi4 #h2 #abj xxxii4 #bj1 #ba2 #acg xxxiii4 #i2 #baa1 #baf xxxiv4 #ac2 #ig1 #acg xxxv4 #g2 #bce xxxvi4 #bc-be2 #adf xxxvii4 #aj2 #ia 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#af2 #ie ix4 #ca2 #add xi4 #c2 #adf xiv4 #h2 #agg xiv4 #af2 #aac xvi4 #bc2 #if xvii4 #a-e2 #aaa1 #agg xvii4 #bd2 #ih xix4 #a-e2 #ef xxi4 #bb2 #bdc ,acts4 vii4 #ei2 #aea xv4 #i2 #agg xx4 #cf2 #aea ,romans4 i4 #bj2 #de1 #aic vii4 #bd2 #bac viii4 #bf2 #he1 #aac1 #aih viii4 #ca2 #cb viii4 #ch1 #ci2 #dh ix4 #c2 #bda xiii4 #aj2 #ahc xv4 #d2 #ii xv4 #cj2 #ih1 #aeh #a ,corinthians4 i4 #aa2 #ih iii4 #h2 #bdb iv4 #e2 #agg vi4 #i1 #aj2 #ajd ix4 #af2 #dd x4 #ca2 #acd xii4 #ca2 #bcg xiii4 #h2 #bag xiii4 #ab2 #agf1 #bac xiv4 #ad2 #abf xiv4 #ae2 #hb #b ,corinthians4 iii4 #ah2 #ahi iv4 #ah2 #ij v4 #f2 #aca v4 #f1 #g2 #aij v4 #ae2 #bci x4 #ca2 #ch xii4 #g-i2 #aci ,galatians4 iv4 #ad2 #cb v4 #ac2 #cj ,ephesians4 i4 #d2 #gf iv4 #e1 #f2 #ce ,philippians4 iii4 #bj2 #fe iv4 #g2 #aih ,colossians4 iii4 #c1 #d2 #agf #a ,thessalonians4 v4 #ag2 #ia1 #acc1 #acg #a ,timothy4 i4 #e2 #aia ii4 #a2 #adf1 #adg ii4 #d2 #hf #b ,timothy4 iii4 #e2 #add ,hebrews4 iii41 iv41 v42 #ib vii4 #be2 #aae x4 #bj2 #bdh xii4 #d2 #bef xii4 #ad2 #dh1 #ahd ,st4 ,james4 i4 #f2 #ada i4 #bg2 #bh iv4 #c2 #he v4 #af2 #ie #a ,st4 ,john4 iii4 #b2 #agf1 #aig1 #bca iv4 #ai2 #ajg v4 #af2 #ig ,apocalypse4 vi4 #aj2 #ajj1 #afd vi4 #aa2 #afd viii4 #d2 #ha xv4 #a2 #afd xxii4 #ag2 #bdd ,,the ,,end ,printed in ,england