Chapter LXXXVII
RICHARD OF ST. VICTOR
Chapter LXXXVII How contemplation ends in meditation and how meditation rises up into contemplation What does it mean that Benjamin descends into Egypt except that the mind's consideration is called back from contemplation of eternal things to contemplating temporal things, and the rays of understanding are brought down from the light of eternity, from the peak of heaven, as it were, to the darkness of mutable things, and in such a confusion of alternating things they carefully weigh the reason of divine judgments and penetrate them in great part?
And what does it mean that Joseph and Benjamin come together and join in kisses except that meditation and contemplation often run to meet each other with the witness of reason? For as much as it pertains to general consideration, just as the grace of contemplation is understood by Benjamin, so the grace of meditation is understood by Joseph. But properly and more clearly, pure understanding is designated by Benjamin; true prudence, by Joseph. By Benjamin, of course, that kind of contemplation which concerns invisible things is meant; by Joseph, that kind of meditation which is concerned with morals.
Since indeed comprehension of invisible things pertains to pure understanding, foresight concerning morals truly pertains to true prudence. We call pure understanding that which is without admixture of imagination; moreover true prudence differs from that which is called prudence of the flesh. True prudence concerns acquiring, increasing and preserving true goods; prudence of the flesh concerns transitory goods, according to which the children of this world are called more prudent than the sons of light.
(Cf. Luke 16:8.) As often as Joseph falls upon the neck of Benjamin, so often meditation ends in contemplation. Benjamin receives his brother falling upon himself when the mind rises up from the effort of meditation to contemplation.
Benjamin and Joseph join in kisses when divine showing and human reason unite in one witness to truth. Do you see how divine Scripture changes the mode of signification concerning one and the same thing? Yet everywhere it adds something, for which reason it does not let its
THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS
sense lie totally hidden. In the death of Rachel contemplation ascends above reason; in the entry of Benjamin into Egypt contemplation descends to the imagination; in the affectionate kissing of Benjamin and Joseph human reason gives applause to divine showing.
THE MYSTICAL ARK
BENJAMIN MAJOR