CONFERENCES ON THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. We urge [hortamur] you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ¹. -- Grace is spread upon thy lips, on that account God has blest thee in eternity. ². The word proposed secondly is directed to Our Lord Jesus Christ, according to what appears in the Psalm from the preceeding and subsequent text. For it is first said [praemittiur] in the Psalm -- where these words are written -- An imposing [speciosus] form before the sons of men ³; and there follows [subsequitur]: Thy throne, God, unto age of age. ⁴ etc.. Therefore it speaks of Christ, who is blest, in whom all the nations [gentes] of the Earth are blest. In Thy seed shall all nations be blest ⁵, was said to Abraham; and because Christ is the Word, through which all things are blest; and [because] those who are blest from God the Father are blest from Christ; for that reason all things are blest through Christ.

2. It is said in Ecclesiasticus: The words of the mouth of the wise man [are] grace ⁶. There is a word that is written in John: The Law has been given through Moses, but grace and truth have been wrought through Christ ⁷. For salvation two things are necessary, namely the knowing [notitia] of the truth and the exercising [exercitatio] of virtue. The knowing of the truth is had through the Law, but the exercising of virtue is had through grace. "Virtue is a good quality of the mind, by which one lives uprightly [recte], which no one uses for evil [male], which God works in us". The Law is held [se habet] for grace, as apprehensive virtue is for motive, and as an instrument for operative virute. Though it be [esto], that a bird have the power of sight [aspectum] to see the sky [caelum] and not have virtue in its wings, it cannot fly nor reach [pertingere] there. So, however much a Jew glories in the Law, from which one is without grace, he is nothing. The craftsman, when he has the instrument, by which he works, unless he has operative virtue in his hands, can make nothing good [nihil boni]. Perfidious Jew, you have the Law in your hand, but unless you have operative virtue, in vain do you think, that you have the Law. For that reason no one is saved through the Law, unless grace be there [adsit]. And so it is clear, that much more excellent is the grace of God than the Law itself. -- At another time [alias] I spoke to you of the Law of the Decalogue, and now [modo] I shall speak to you of grace; and more necessary is grace for us than the Law; to receive which grace fruitfully Mother Church and the Apostle Paul urge us. And in the beginning we shall beg the Lord, that our words may zealously serve grace, and the intention of our mind, if it has grace, be strengthend in words, to be able to say something, which is for the praise of God and the salvation of our souls.

3. We urge you ⁸ etc.. The Apostle Paul in this brief word rouses us up to take up [ad suscipiendum] divine grace, to guard what has been taken up, and to multiply the grace taken up and guarded. He urges us, not to accept the grace of God in vain, but to receive it fruitfully; therefore he wants to say, that we are to be [simus] prompt to take up, guard, and multiply the grace of God. Moroever that this exhortation of his be able to be fulfilled in us, three things occur here for us to consider: first, what is the rise [ortus] of grace; second, what is the use of grace; and third, what is the fruit of grace. I do not want to speak except in the plainer manner, by which I am able, so that everyone can understand.

4. First I say: if we consider the rise of grace, I ask, what is the original principle of grace. It is certain, that grace is the best given and the perfect gift, descending from above from the Father of lights ⁹ . I make this argument from the Canonical [Letter] of James. I posit the major, affirmative universal thus: Every best given and every perfect gift is from above, descending from the Father of lights, among whom there is no transmutation nor overshadowing of alternation [vicissitudinis] ¹⁰ ; but grace, as I will show in the following [points], is the best given and the perfect gift -- the whole of what I say, I want to order towards proving this assumption -- but if grace is the best given and the perfect gift: therefore it is descending from above from the Father of lights.

5. But by which way does grace descend into men? Job asks (this) saying: Through which way is light scattered, and heat distributed over the earth? ¹¹ I respond and say, that grace descends over rational minds through the Incarnate Word, through the Crucified Word, and through the Inspired Word. -- Proof. It is said in the Canonical [Letter] of James: He has voluntarily begotten us in the Word of truth, so that we be a certain beginning of His creation [creaturae].¹². Through the Incarnate Word an abundance of graces descends towards us; whence in John: Of His fullness all of us have accepted even grace on behalf of grace. ¹³. It is certain that the original Principle, which is God, when He created man in accord with [ad] His image and similitude in the state of innocence, did so near create him to Himself, that through the Uncreated Word man was informable in accord with [ad] grace. But after man fell through sin, the Divine Wisdom provided a manner of condescension through the Incarnate Word, through which man was to be adapted to grace. And because that was done in the womb of the glorious Virgin, for that reason it was said to Her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee ¹⁴; and the Apostle Paul recommends to those wanting to obtain grace, that they approach the Throne of grace, that is the glorious Virgin. Let us go, he said, with trust [fiducia] towards the Throne of grace ¹⁵ . -- Thus, therefore, prima facie there occurs to us the Father of mercies and the Mother of mercies and the Son, who is the Light of mercies. Thus is clear the first orgination of grace in us, which happens [fit] through the Incarnate Word. O most unhappy ones! who do not know how they can have that beginning of grace.

6. Second, grace descends into us through the Crucified Word. We were not only inept to take up grace on account of (our) ignorance of the divine precepts, yes indeed, also on account of our infirmity and impotence and concupiscence for earthly things [terrenorum]: for that reason the Lord wanted to prop (us up) [ponere fulcimenta]. To heal our languors ¹⁶ , He descended into us through the Crucified Word. Whence the Apostle to the Ephesians: God, who is rich in mercy, on account of His exceeding charity, with which He has loved [dilexit] us; when we had died with sins, vivified us together [convivificavit] with Christ, by whose grace we have been saved ¹⁷. We have been vivified by Christ through Christ, because Christ has triumphed from death; whence death could not absorb Him, rather the Fount of life absorbed death, according to that which is written: I will be thy death, O Death! ¹⁸ . Otherwise we could not be healed and saved. Whence the Apostle to the Galatians: I do not throw away the grace of God; for if justice (is) through the Law, therefore Christ died without recompense [gratis]¹⁹; However Christ has died, to resuscitate the dead for the taking up [ad susceptionem] of life and grace; therefore grace is flowed into [influitur] us through the Incarnate Word and through the Crucified Word. -- And the Blessed Virgin took up that Word (that is) full of grace ²⁰; and the stream [fluvius] of graces has come forth [egressus est] from the side of Him, who has the efficacy to heal us.

7. Third, grace rises in us through the Inspired Word. However much God has sent His Son ²¹ into flesh, unless you believe that He was crucified, you will not have grace. Whence the Apostle to Titus: Not out of the works of justice, which we have done, but according to His mercy has He saved us through the laver of regeneration and the renovation of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured forth abundantly into us through Jesus Christ, Our Savior ²². Dear ones! It is the Holy Spirit, who is the giver of graces and the Love [amor] proceeding from the Father and the Son. Whatever therefore the Father does and the Son suffers, it is nothing without the Holy Spirit. For He joins us to the Father and the Son. Whence the Apostle: The grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in regard [quantum] to the Second (Person), and the charity of God, in regard to the First, and the communication of the Holy Spirit, in regard to the Third, be with all of you. Amen ²³.

8. Therefore, if you want to have the love [amorem] of the Son and of the original Principle and of the Gift, the Holy Spirit, dispose yourself to grace. Whence therefore does grace rise? I say, that it rises from the Father of lights through the Incarnate Word, through the Crucified Word and through the Inspired Word. Noble influence, which has its origin from God incarnate! Much better ought that grace be guarded; but you lose it through sin. In what manner have you dared to introduce into your house a prostitute, who carries off all of what [totum quidquid] you have? You love [diliges] temporal things; much more ought you love grace. Since he who is worthy of eternal life, through sin makes himself worthy of eternal death. Such a one ought to be punished much. Whence the Apostle to the Hebrews: He who makes void [irritam faciens] the Law of Moses dies without any mercy on the testimony [testibus] of two or three. How much more do you think one merits worse punishments [supplicia], who tramples upon the Son of God and reckons [duxerit] polluted the Blood of the Testament, in which he was sanctified, and who speaks contumely [contumeliam fecerit] against the Spirit of grace? ²⁴ If a man sins, he tramples upon the Son of God. -- Therefore the grace of God decends to us through the Incarnate Word, through the Crucified Word and through the Inspired Word. Man impunges that most noble influence through sin. On behalf of all the things from the world man ought not have committed sin. Not without cause has God wanted to be tempted. It is said in Ecclesiaticus: As if from the face of a serpent [colubri] flee from sin ²⁵ . A serpent pouring forth venom kills, thus sin kills the life of grace. -- Now it is clear, what is the rise of grace.

9. Let us see, what the use of grace is. You ought to understand [intelligere], that the use of grace is for this, that it leads us in making progress [in profectum]; moreover for this it is required, that the use of grace be faithful in respect to God, virile in itself and liberal unto one's neighbor. -- First, I say, the use of grace ought to be faithful in respect to God. Whence the Apostle: Since it thoroughly pleased Him who set me apart from the womb of my mother and called me through His grace . . I immediately did not take comfort [acquievi] in flesh or blood ²⁶. He is faithful who does not diminish the gift, which He accepted on behalf of another. But when you seek something more principle [principalius] than God, you are not faithful. For that reason the Apostle says: I did not take comfort in flesh or blood, that is, "I did not seek carnal glory, but only divine." Those wise in optics [perspectiva] say, that if a ray (of light) falls perpendicularly upon a clean and polished body; it is necessary, that it be reflected by the same angle [per eandum viam]. The influx of grace is as a perpendicular ray; I speak of grace which makes one pleasing [gratia gratum faciente], because grace freely given [gratia gratis data] is as an incident ray; it is necessary therefore, that he who truly takes up the grace of God, render God the glory. Whence if you preach for your own glory, there is nothing better for you (to expect). Upon this Ecclesiastes: To the place, whence the rivers go forth, they return ²⁷; (St. Bernard) says, that "the origin of springs is the sea, the origin of virtues and sciences [scientiarum] is Christ". Therefore he says To the place, whence the rivers go forth, that is of graces, they return, to flow again ²⁸. For as the spring does not have length [durationem], unless it has a continuous conjuction with its origin, so also light; thus the grace of the Holy Spirit cannot grow [vigere] in the soul unless through its reversion to is own original Principle.

10. That reversion and conjuction protects [servat] humility, and dissolves pride. Whence in the Canonical (Letter) of James: God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble ²⁹. And what is the reason? Who is humble? Certainly, he who of all the good things which he has, attributes them to their original Principle; but the proud man attributes all his own to himself. The humble man is in continutity [continuatur] with his origin, but the proud is in discontinuity and (is) as one who says: "this I have not accepted from Thee." And for that reason Lucifer became darkened [obscurus], because he receeded from his orginal Principle; but Christ leads Himself back into His own original Principle through humility, and for that reason He was bright [clarus]. On account of this it is said in Ecclesiasticus: As much as you are great, humble yourself in all things ³⁰. Are you an archbishop or bishop; do you want to find grace? Humble yourself. Otherwise we are thieves, if we do not humble ourselves. If a king had enriched anyone, and he did not want to recognize that he had received goods from the former; he would be very unfaithful and ought to be stoned. We see others exalted by God, who nevertheless set themselves up against God, saying: Our exalted hand, and not God, has wrought these things ³¹. Such men loose both the land of the living and the grace of the Holy Spirit.

11. The second difference, the use of grace, is that it ought to be virile in itself. Whence the Apostle to the Hebrews: It is best that grace stabilize [stabilire] the heart ³², he did not say "the belly". In other seasons you have labored to stabilize your hearts. It is proper that he who wants to have strong arms exercise himself by [ad] strong works. Similarly, it is proper that he who wants to have stabilizing grace, exercise himself in works of virtue. The Apostle, when he said: By the grace of God, I am what I am ³³; added further [subdit]: I have labored more abundantly than all ³⁴. Therefore you praise yourself, Apostle? No; whence he added further: Not I, but the grace of God with me ³⁵. It is a noble example [exemplum], that some are acquainted with [cognoscant] their own virtue and are not proud from it. How virtuously do some act with the grace of the Holy Spirit! -- Sampson with his hair [capillatus] was the strongest man; his fortitude went above nature ³⁶. And why was his fortitude in his seven hairs? I say, that the seven hairs signified the septiform grace of the Holy Spirit, through which his fortitude was strengthened [roboratur] ³⁷. But when he reclined in the lap of Delila and had not his hair, he became in strength [in viribus] as all other men. Give me one without grace, who can sustain what blessed Lawrence sustained! For a man can do nothing without grace; and nothing is so hard [durum], that a man cannot sustain with grace. Whence the Apostle: I can (do) all things in Him who strengthens me together with (Himself) [confortat] ³⁸.

12. Third, the use of grace ought to be liberal unto one's neighbor. Whence in Matthew: Freely you have accepted, freely give ³⁹. O Sun, why do you not sell your light? And you, O Seine, why do you not sell drops of water? Certianly, because it has accepted freely, it for that reason communicates freely. Man alone is wretched, who sells the grace collected by himself. Whence has entered that first sale [venditio]? Certainly from Simon the wizard, to whom the Apostle Peter said: May your money be with you unto perdition! ⁴⁰. The peak of the Apostles, blessed Peter said: Whichever one has accepted grace, ministering unto the other, as good dispensors of the manifold grace of God ⁴¹. Dionysius (the Areopagite) determines for us the use of grace in The Angelic Hierarchy and The Celestial Hierarchy and he says, that if the superior angels contain themselves and do not want to influence [influere in] the inferior angels, then they themselves close their own way to the influence of God. If the good, which you have from God, you deny to others and you see one poor in life or in merit; you are not worthy of eternal life, and your life is the worst and like a swine [porcina] ⁴². -- It is difficult for a man to be faithul, virile and liberal; for that reason many err about the use of grace.

13. But what is the fruit of all these things? He who plants a vine plants it on account of its fruit. Moreover threefold is the fruit of grace, which one can never discover, except in him who is in grace. The first is the remission of fault [culpae], the second is the fullness of justice, and the third is the perpetuation of blessed life.

14. The first fruit, I say, of grace is the remission of fault. Whence the Apostle to the Romans: Justified through faith, we have peace towards God through Our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have access through faith in that grace (of His), in which we stand and glory in the hope of the glory of the sons of God ⁴³. As the Philosopher would have it [vult], that no one be changed from viciousness [vitiositate] to virtues except through being accustomed [per assuefactionem] to the contrary habit; so fault is not remitted in eternity except through grace. Can the greedy man come to [devinire] liberality except through the exercise of liberality? The Philospher considers vice, in as much as he calls it a certain disordering [disordinationem]; when God is known to me [habeo notitiam de Deo], I judge of sin, that it is offensive to God; for through the privation of the law you do not honor [inhonoras] God ⁴⁴; whence it is necessary that you be subject to the vengeance [vindictae] of God. It is necessary, that he who has not honored out of fault [in culpa], be subject to punishment [poenae]. -- Sin is subject to the vengeance of God; therefore it is proper, that punishment be eternal, because the offense is infinite. For the offense is as great, as He who is offended; but God is immense, and (His) majesty is inifite; therefore also is the offense infinite; therefore also the punishment is infinite, not in intensity [intensive], but in duration [processive]; because it is impossible that, created, active virtue be infinite. Therefore it is necessary, that eternal virtue be at work [operetur]; but God is infinite; therefore if He changes the soul, it is proper, that this be done through some influence of grace. Likewise, (a sin meriting) Gehenna is not forgiven [dimittitur] except through grace. See, therefore, in what manner grace frees from the servitude of sin and of the devil ⁴⁵.

15. The second fruit of grace is the fullness of justice, which consists in this, that man be just in himself both as regards [quoad] God and neighbor, that is that man avoids evil and works good. And in what manner? The Apostle says to Titus: The grace of God Our Savior has appeared to all men, instructing [erudiens] us, to live in this age soberly, justly, and piously, renouncing [abnegantes] impiety and secular desires, awaiting the blessed hope and advent of the glory of the Great God ⁴⁶. -- The grace of Our God and of Jesus Christ has appeared etc.. This is the grace, which expels all evils and grants [tribuit] all goods; therefore in grace is the fullness of justice. Whence in Ecclesiaticus Uncreated Wisdom says: I (am) the mother of beautiful love [dilectionis] and of fear and of acknowledgement [agnitionis] and of holy hope; in Me (there is) every grace of way and of truth; in Me every hope of life and of truth; pass over to me all you, who desire [concupisicitis] Me, and be filled up by what I have brought forth [a generationibus meis] ⁴⁷. Do you want to be full of grace and virtue? Passover to me, that is, to Christ. And how? We cannot do this, unless we be raised over ourselves; but some things impede us, lest we be raised over ourselves; for that reason it is proper, that we rise up [insurgamus] against those things which impede us. In that fullness of grace one is not placed [collocatur], unless one rises up against oneself and is raised above oneself and loves [diligat] God above all things and (his) enemy as his very self ⁴⁸; because by the name of neighbor every man is understood. Therefore full justice is to love [diligere] God above all things, and this is to love every man, therefore both family member [domesticum] and enemy. But what brings it about [faciet], that a man is raised against himself and above himself? Grace, certainly; I say, the grace of way and of truth. It is difficult for anyone, to love one's enemy, except through grace. A stone cannot be warmed by itself [per se]; but if it is placed near a burning furnace [fornacem], one can then [postea] warm it. If you love those who love you, what thanks [gratia] (is there in that)? ⁴⁹ To love only your friend is not the virtue of grace.

16. The third fruit of grace is the attainment [assecutio] of eternal beatitude. Whence the Apostle to the Romans: The stipend of sin (is) death; however the grace of God (is) eternal life ⁵⁰. You have the planting ground [plantationem] for life and death. The grace of God is eternal life. What however is sin? Certainly nothing other but the tree of death. Here is the tree of death, and here the tree of life; place yourself in the garden, where the Tree of life is ⁵¹. One would be stupid who would plant a tree of death; if you have planted the tree, upon which you ought to be hung, you were stupid. Therefore evil men plant that tree of sin. -- Therefore threefold is the fruit of grace: the first is the remission of fault, the second is the fullness of justice, and the third is the attainment of eternal beatitude.

17. And according to this grace is threefold, that is curing grace [gratia curans], strengthening grace [gratia corroborans] and consummating grace [gratia consummans]. -- Curing grace is given in the seven Sacraments against the sevenfold disease [morbum]; in the just it is guarded through the seven exercises of justice, which are dealt with in the seven penetential Psalms. And not without reason are these said to be the seven penetential Psalms and not others, and that they cannot be changed nor multiplied. Likewise, curing grace is perfected in the seven works of mercy. ⁵² -- But strengthening grace consists in two things. For either it is considered [se habere] in the manner [per modum] of one rectifying, and so consists in the seven virtues; or it is considered in the manner of one expediting, and so consists in the seven gifts of the Holy Spriit. -- But consummating grace consists in two septenaries [duobus septenariis], that is grace (which) consumates on the way, in the seven beatitudes, which are touched upon in the Gospel, when it is said: Blessed (are) the poor, since theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven ⁵³ etc.; but consummating grace (consists) in seven dowries of the fatherland to the soul itself, which (doweries) are seeing [visio], enjoyment [fruitio], and holding [tentio]. The first responds to faith; the second, to hope; and the third to charity. It also consists in four dowries to the body, which redound unto the body from the beatitude of the soul and they are clarity, subtility, agility [agibilitas] and impassibility; which respond to the four cardinal virtues.

18. And thus are the seven septenaries. To speak of the seven Sacraments, of the seven exercises of justice and of the seven works of mercy would be exceedingly long; to speak also of the seven beatitudes and of the seven dowries would be exceedinly arduous at the present [ad praesens]. And for that reason we propose in the middle to hold and speak of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are the gift of wisdom and understanding, the gift of counsel and fortitude, the gift of knowledge [scientiae] and piety and the gift of the fear of the Lord. And let us proceed not in that manner, by which Isaiah proceeded ⁵⁴, but let us begin from the last gift, that is from the fear of the Lord; and let us beg the Lord, that He grant us the gifts of the Holy Spirit, who with the Father and the Son lives and reigns . . .