Chapter XVI
THE MYSTICAL ARK
templation. However, those who wish to examine these present things fully ought to be mindful that, according to the manner of the ark, its crown has four sides.
Chapter XVI That those things which pertain to this speculation are still able to be distinguished in another manner However there is yet another thing that we can note rightly with respect to this crown, if by it we ought to understand a plenitude of invisible goods, since the crown encircled the propitiatory on all sides and enclosed all of it within itself. For as far as pertains to the arrangement of the ark, it ought to be understood that there is no other propitiatory than the cover of the ark itself: namely, a kind of golden panel, completely made of the purest gold, which was drawn out from the lower part at the summit of the ark and was encircled on all sides by the golden crown, as has been said already. And so by these two things (that is, the crown and the propitiatory) we understand two kinds of contemplations, one concerning invisible goods, the other concerning invisible substances; as for example in angelic or human spirits. What does it mean that the crown encloses the whole propitiatory within itself except that the beatitude of the just includes all their longings within itself? As long as we live subject to the beggarly elements of this world, we extend our longings beyond our joys, because the things that we crave are infinitely more than those we are able to possess in this life. But blessed is the multitude of supernal spirits; it does not extend its desires beyond the plenitude of its joys, because it is wholly unable to lay hold of the immensity and infinity of its happiness that the crown of its blessedness encircles on every side and always encloses in the bosom of its greatness. The joy of these is not only from contemplation of the Creator, but even in contemplating His creatures. For while they now discover a marvelous
God in all His works, why marvel if everywhere they venerate by marveling and marvel by venerating the mighty deeds of Him whom they love? And so they discover not only in incorporeal
RICHARD OF ST. VICTOR
creatures but even in corporeal creatures that at which they marvel, that in which they worthily venerate their Creator. Thus there are some things that are above them, others that they see within themselves, and others they see beneath themselves.
All these things they continually contemplate; contemplating, they marvel; marveling, they rejoice. They rejoice concerning divine contemplation; they give thanks concerning mutual vision; they delight in the speculation of corporeal things. The lowest part of the crown, which goes down below the propitiatory and is fixed to the wood, indicates that delightful manifestation that they have in the lower creatures. The middle part of the crown, which is joined to the propitiatory, represents that most ardent longing of charity which they produce from the delightfulness of mutual vision. The highest part of the crown, which is raised up above the propitiatory, expresses that ineffable joy that they imbibe from continual contemplation of their Creator. Let us learn when contemplating to marvel and when marveling to contemplate in what way citizens of that supernal beatitude indefinitely behold all things that are beneath them and understand the rational principle and the order of everything they see from on high; how they continually rejoice concerning mutual community and indestructible charity; how they burn insatiably in that vision of divine brilliance— let us learn these things, and we have crowned our ark. Let us think how they go out and go in and discover pastures—and we shall have completed the crown of our ark according to a manner suitable for it. You certainly see that they discover spiritual pastures not only in interior things, but even in exterior and corporeal things. Without doubt corporeal goods, in so much as they have a similarity to invisible and incorporeal goods, are able to provide spiritual pastures for spiritual persons, and no wonder. For if visible goods were to have no similitude at all to invisible things for the investigation of invisible things, by no means would they be able to assist us, nor would what is read concerning them be evident, namely, that the invisible things of God from the creation of the world have been seen, being understood by means of those things which have been made (Rom.
1 :20). Again, if these things did not disagree with those by many dissimilitudes, without doubt they would not be perishable, transitory and insufficient.
Nevertheless, the dissimilitude of these to