Chapter XXIV
RICHARD OF ST. VICTOR
Chapter XXIV Concerning the consideration of those things pertaining to the fifth stage
In the fifth stage of this contemplation, just as we have already said above, we marvel with fixed attention and direct our attention with wonder at the quality and modes of aspired grace. Without doubt whatever good is done in the hearts of good persons, that sevenfold Spirit works it in them by inspired grace. Behold one and the same Spirit always and everywhere has the care of so many minds, and it devotes the service of its grace in many ways. See, it instructs the minds of so many persons in so many ways and inclines the wills of all of them to the judgment of its own will without any compulsion. When it reveals itself, truth is understood; when it inspires itself, good is loved. For without cooperating grace we do not suffice either for knowledge of truth or for love of virtue. Nevertheless, how great, how marvelous that one is believed to be, since whatever virtue it works in us, it is attributed to us for merit. And in a certain marvelous and incomprehensible manner. He inspires the good pleasure of His will in us in such a way that whatever goodness of His grace imprints or reforms in us ought justly to be reckoned to us for merit.
For by the sound judgment of human will and wholly without any compulsion, every good will is stirred up by inspired grace to the good pleasure of divine goodness, and for that reason whatever is done in him by divine influence, out of a free concord of the mind, is reckoned to a person for the glory of retributions. However that grace which cooperates with good efforts works some things in us that are for the enlarging of debt; some things that are for the increase of merit; and some things that seem to be for the beginning of reward. As often as the gift of knowledge and wisdom grows larger in us so often does divine favor increase the debt of our servitude and make us more obligated to Him. And so these things and any such things whatsoever have more to do with the enlarging of debt than of merit. But whatever virtue divine goodness inspires in us accumulates for the merits of retributions. In fact, whatever intimate pleasantness, whatever divine sweetness, is imparted to our minds by divine influence seems in a certain manner to look toward the be-
THE MYSTICAL ARK
ginning of reward. One and the same Spirit works all these things.
For His unction teaches us concerning all things, and the charity of God has been diffused in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
It is no less evident that any joy whatsoever from Him is in the Holy Spirit. However, do you wish to know more openly for what fruit this Spirit is accustomed to make our spirit fruitful? The Apostle says, "The fruits of the Spirit are charity, joy, peace, patience, long-suffering, and goodness" (Gal.
5:22). O how many, O how great are those things which this Spirit works in us, apportioning to individuals as He wills! For "there are diverse kinds of graces, but the same Spirit.
Indeed, to one a word of wisdom is given through the Spirit, to another a word of knowledge, to another faith, to another the grace of healing, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discretion of spirits"
(1 Cor.
12:4, 8-10) and other innumerable things in this manner. Consider, I beg you, how remarkable and wholesome it is that these workings of such a divine Spirit lead into speculation and strengthen one's soul for humility and charity in the contemplation of these things. For the soul advances much in every way, both to love of God and to despising of itself, when it frequently pays attention and fully recognizes how it is able to do nothing by itself.
O how much we ought to admire and embrace the grace of that one by whom He works all our works in us in such a way that they are as much His as ours: His gifts and our merits. We have already indicated above how manifold and diverse the affections of the human heart are. Yet the Spirit of the Lord daily combines them little by little in His elect and skillfully forms them into one harmony and by the plucking instrument of His graces fits them together in a certain harmonious consonance like a learned harp player who stretches these and loosens those, until a certain melody, mellifluous and sweet beyond measure, resounds from them into the ears of the Lord Sabaoth as if from the playing of many harpers upon their harps (cf. Rev.
14:2). But if so marvelous a harmony and so manifold a consonance arises from one heart in so great a plurality of so many affections, what,
I ask, or how much will be that consonant concord and concordant consonance of supercelestial souls in so great a multitude of so many thousands of angels and so many holy souls exulting and praising Him who lives
RICHARD OF ST. VICTOR
world without end? That multiform grace of the divine Spirit does and sets in order all these things. This is the Spirit that, as has already been said above, works all things in everyone. Therefore, if we have exercised our sense in the five stages of this contemplation, if we are ready and inclined for such speculation, surely we have completed our propitiatory according to the manner set forth in the divine example.