Chapter 1123)
136 | THE SENTENCES, BOOK 3
and established all other natures, and than which nothing is better and more loveable. It pertains to justice to be subject to the rule of this nature, and so justice is wholly immortal; nor will it cease to exist in that [state of] blessedness, but it will be such and so great that it cannot be more perfect or greater."
3. ON THE USES OF THE OTHER THREE IN THE FUTURE. "Perhaps, the other three virtues (prudence, but now without any risk of error, and fortitude without the trouble of bearing evils, and temperance without the thwarting of lust) will also exist in that [state of] felicity: there it will pertain to prudence to prefer or equate no other good to God; and to fortitude to adhere to him with the greatest steadfastness; and to temperance to take pleasure in no harmful defect."*
4. "But that which justice now does in assisting the wretched, and prudence in guarding against treacheries, and fortitude in bearing troubles, and temperance in controlling evil pleasures, will not at all exist there, where there will be no evil. And so these works of the virtues, which are necessary to this mortal life, like the faith to which they are to be referred, will be reckoned among things past." See, Augustine plainly states here that the aforesaid virtues will exist in the future, but they will then have other uses than they have now.
5. BEDE. And Bede agrees with him, speaking as follows, on Exodus:
"The columns before which hangs the veil are the heavenly powers, shining brightly with the four most excellent virtues, namely fortitude, prudence, temperance, justice; these are kept otherwise in heaven by the angels and the holy souls than they are here by the faithful."° Bede then distinguishes the uses of those virtues according to the present state and the future one, imitating Augustine in the distinctions placed above.
DISTINCTION XXXIV
Chapter 1123) ON THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Now we must treat the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, where first we must consider whether these gifts are virtues; second, whether in the future they will cease, and [if so] whether all or any of them; finally, whether all these gifts were in Christ.
*Augustine, De Trinitate, bk 14 c9 n12.
"Tbid.
"Ibid.
°Ordinary gloss, on Ex. 26, 32; from Bede, De tabernaculo, bk 2 c8.