Chapter III
THE MYSTICAL ARK
itself, on account of knowledge of visible things and consideration of vain and mutable things, compels itself to flee the things that it marvels at less and escape from a kind of flood of an immense storm, as it were, into a breeze of true liberty, and when the peril has been escaped completely to tread underfoot all inferior things by means of despising, and to rest in true goods by means of longing. Nothing is more true, nothing more certain, assuredly and without any doubt whatsoever, than that the more carefully the mutability of earthly things is observed, the better and the more clearly it is understood that they must be fled from by means of fear and trod underfoot by means of despising. For although innumerable things ought to be marveled at in themselves on account of divine disposition, nevertheless these very same things ought to be despised on account of their mutability and fled from for our benefit. Why is it that the propitiatory is not joined directly to the pieces of wood but is separated by the interposition of the gilding except that on account of knowledge of mutable things and contemplation of mutability we are driven away from them? Therefore let each one of us pay attention to such a propitiatory and then return to himself.
Behold our propitiatory:
It rises above so that it may direct; it lies so that it may be quiet. Therefore ascend to a high heart, fix your longing in the height, and you will find a couch as delightful as it is tranquil.
Chapter III Again: How it differs from and rises above the second We can now show the particular and special difference between these contemplations if we are willing to turn our attention more carefully to the representation of them. It is necessary that the propitiatory, as the covering of the ark, have some density, while gilding often—nay always—seems to have no solidity, not to mention thickness. For what can I more rightly call gilding, other than a kind of deception of the exterior sense? When gilding is placed over that ark it falsely declares to external sight that it is solid gold. So without doubt gilding is that knowledge which flows into the deep
RICHARD OF ST. VICTOR
places of some wise persons but deceives the eyes of carnally foolish persons much more than it illumines them. For what does knowledge of exterior things mean to you unless perhaps it leads you to knowledge of interior things? Yet your wisdom is foolishness in the presence of God. Of what benefit is it for you to have known all other things and not to know yourself and to be ignorant of your
Creator? Why do you boast of the world so much, O philosopher?
If it is necessary to glory, do not glory in yourself, but in the Lord (2 Cor.
10:17). Certainly if this foolish wisdom and untaught teaching of yours advanced you to knowledge of yourself or even to knowledge of God, it would make you not so much tumid as timid.
If you are rightly wise, if you are truly wise, do not have conceited wisdom but have fear. "What do you have that you have not received?" (1 Cor. 4:7). You ought to glory in the one from whom you have received and glorify the one from whom you have received.
"Why do you glory as if you have not received?" (1 Cor. 4:7). "If I want to glory, I will not be foolish, for I will speak the truth"
(2 Cor.
12:6). You surely see that I have the name from the thing: I am called a philosopher, a lover of wisdom:
"I have said to wisdom, you are my sister, and I have called prudence my friend." (Prov.
7:4). You are deceived, deceived, O philosopher; the appearance of things deceives you and concupiscence overturns your heart. This which you reckon as wisdom and call wisdom is foolishness in the presence of God. Therefore you say, what place does it have in the ark of wisdom, or why is such a work in need of such gilding? If it shines on the surface, if it has no solidity, why does it have any place in such a work? Hear, if you will, what is acceptable in our work and what is unacceptable to us in your work. Your ark does not have a covering; you do not know how to make a propitiatory.
But content with gilding alone, you glory concerning the completion of the work you do, and you do not know how to continue the work. This is clearly worthy of mockery by all because you have begun to build and you have not been able to complete. Foolish and unwise, you do not know, or else you pretend not to know, that a vessel that does not have a cover ought according to divine command to be broken to pieces at the first opportunity.
It is right that the vessel should be broken to pieces since always and everywhere it lies open for all sorts of impurities. O impure philosopher, you
THE MYSTICAL ARK
clean your vase externally, but internally it is full of all kinds of filth. Content with outward reputation alone, you show no zeal in purifying your conscience. Your ark shines outwardly; it is inwardly filthy inasmuch as it does not have a covering.
Striver for outward reputation; neglector of conscience: Do you not pay attention to something because it was necessary to do this and not necessary to omit that? Let your ark shine outwardly and let it shine no less inwardly. Let it shine outwardly on account of this statement:
"So let your light shine before men that they may see your good works" (Matt.
5:16). And no less let it also shine inwardly on account of this: "O blind Pharisee, first make clean the inside of the cup and the dish so that the outside may be made clean" (Matt.
23:26). Thus our ark has need of gilding, but it is not fitting for it to be content with gilding only. For without a covering it cannot maintain internal purity. Therefore strive according to the divine example to make the propitiatory; receive a cover of the sort that is suitable for the ark of wisdom. O unclean philosopher, if you wish to have an ark of wisdom clean within, if you crave to maintain purity of heart, ascend to this fourth stage of contemplation that is indicated by the propitiatory of the ark. We have already said above that this is that speculation that is concerned with invisible substances, namely human and even angelic spirits. Therefore the first thing in this consideration is that you should return to yourself, enter into your heart, and learn to estimate the worth of your spirit.
Investigate what you are; what you have been; what you ought to be; what you are able to be—what you have been by nature; what you are now by sin; what you ought to be by activity; what you are yet able to be by grace. From your spirit learn to know how you ought to estimate the worth of other spirits. This is the gate. This is the ladder. This is the entrance. This is the ascent. By this we enter the innermost parts. By this we are raised up to the highest. This is the way to the summit of this speculation. This is the artful skill of making the propitiatory. This, without doubt, is the art by means of which purity of heart is recovered and, when recovered, is preserved. You certainly see how rightly we call this work the covering of the ark. By it we protect the purity of the innermost parts.
Assuredly, if your ark with its gilding were under such a cover, namely a propitiatory of such sort; if your philosophy served such a