CONFERENCES ON THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. Come, sons, hear Me; I wil teach you the fear of the Lord ¹. -- Hear, one (who) keeps silence, and for (thy) reverence good grace will come to thee ². This [ultimum] word is written in Ecclesiaticus, in which the Wise Man urges the good listener, that silently [tacite] and with reverence, he hear the word of God; because keeping silent and reverence is not unuseful to him, because through these good grace will come to him. What is good grace? Or what are evil graces? Good is the grace, which makes a man good; but a false and vain grace is beauty [pulchritudo] ³, as is said in Proverbs. Grace freely given stands with mortal sin. That grace Ecclesiasticus reputes little, but the grace which makes one pleasing he apprises much. -- That grace he describes for you in a threefold manner ⁴, that is as much as regards [quantum ad] the rise of grace, the use of grace and the fruit of grace. As much as regards the rise of grace I said, because grace is nothing other than the best given and the perfect gift, descending from the Father of lights ⁵ through the Incarnate Word, through the Crucified Word and through the Inspired Word. And I said, that that Word leads us back into the Most High Principle; and this Dionysius (the Areopagite) notes, in his discussion of [tractans] this word: every best given etc., and he adds and says: "But also after the Father acts [Patre moto], every process of manifestations, coming upon us bountifully [large] and in a good manner [bene], and (every) unific virtue [unifica virtus] fills us full and converts us unto the Father of lights" -- As much as regards the use of grace I said, that the use of grace ought to be faithful, virile and liberal; therefore the grace which makes us pleasing is the perfect gift, through which we use it and other things for good [bene]. And the use of grace ought to be, that a man use grace for good faithfully as much as regards God, virilely as much as regards his very self and liberally as much as regards his neighbor. -- Third, as much as regards the fruit of grace, I said, that grace cures from fault, thoroughly strengthens in virtue and consummates in glory. -- And from this there is elicited such a description of grace, that grace is the best given and perfect gift, descending from the Father of lights, curing from evil, thoroughly strengthening in good and consummating in glory. Curing grace is given in the seven Sacraments, guarded in the seven exercises of justice and perfected in the seven works of mercy. Thoroughly strengthening grace consists in the seven habits of the virtues; and in seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. But consummating grace consists in the seven Beatitudes and in the seven dowries. -- Those are the seven septenaries, which are counted in the jubilee year. Of that multitude we said that we cannot speak except of the one septenary, that is the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. We will beg the Lord ...

2. There shall rest upon him the Spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and of piety, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord will fill him full ⁶. Concerning [de] those spirits I want you to understand what John saw in the Apocalyspe in the midst of the throne and the four animals, the Lamb having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into every land ⁷. John puts forth [ponit] a fantastic vision and expreses the truth. He calls the gifts of the Holy Spirit horns and eyes. And why? You ought to understand, that of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is a certain efficacy, through which all evils are impunged; there is another efficacy of the gifts, through which man is expedited towards all good things. And because in horns is fortitude, for that reason he call the gifts, through which evils are impunged, horns. And because expeditive virtue is in the eyes, for that reason he calls the gifts, through which man is expedited towards all good things, eyes. -- Seven are the sins, which are impunged through the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. The first is the sin of pride, the second sin is envy, the third wrath, the fourth sloth: [accidia], the fifth avarice, the sixth is gluttony [gula] and the seventh is luxury [luxuria].

3. Those vices are expelled through the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the seven virtues are introduced, which Christ taught, when He proposed the foundations of salvation [fundamenta salutis] upon the Mount. The first virtue is voluntary poverty, of which in the Gospel: Blessed the poor in spirit. The Second is gentleness [mansuetudo] or meekness [mititas], of which in the Gospel: Blessed the meek etc.. The third is morning [luctus], of which in the Gospel: Blessed those, who mourn. The fourth is the hunger for justice, of which in the Gospel: Blessed those, who hunger and thirst for justice. The fifth is mercy, of which in the Gospel: Blessed the merciful. The sixth virtue is cleanliness of heart, of which in the Gospel: Blessed the clean of heart. And the seventh is peace, of which in the Gospel: Blessed the peacemakers ⁸. -- Through those seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, designated by the seven horns, the seven mortal sins are destroyed, and the seven virtues are introduced. The gift of fear destroyes pride and induces the good of poverty; the gift of piety destroys envy and introduces gentleness or meekness of soul; the gift of knowledge destroys an angry disposition [iracundiam] and introduces the gift of morning -- nothing is so contrary to an angry disposition than the clearing [serenatio] of the mind -- the gift of fortitude destroys sloth: and introduces the hunger for justice; the gift of counsel destroys avarice and introduces mercy; the gift of understanding destroys gluttonous behavior [gulositatem] and introduces cleanliness of heart; the gift of wisdom destroyes luxury and introduces peace. -- Whence through the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit all evils are destroyed, and all good things are introduced.

4. Those gifts of the Holy Spirit are touched upon in the Lord's Prayer ⁹. Those gifts are not had except from the Father of lights; for that reason Christ wanting to teach us, in what manner we can obtain them, teachs us to ask for them in the Lord's Prayer. In the first part the gift of fear is asked for, when He says: Our Father, who art in Heaven [caelis] , hallowed be Thy Name. Secondly piety is asked for, when He says: May Thy Kingdom come. Third the gift of knowledge is asked for, when He says: Thy will be done on earth as it is in the heavens [caelo]. Fourth the gift of fortitude is asked for, when He says: Give us this day our daily bread. Bread strengthens [confirmat] the heart of a man ¹⁰. Fifth the gift of counsel is asked for, when He says: And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. Sixth the gift of understanding is asked for, when He says: And put us not to the test [inducas in tentationem]. Seventh the gift of wisdom is asked for, when He says: But free us from evil. Amen.

5. In the first our sanctification is asked for, and this through the gift of fear, when He says, Our Father, who art in Heaven; hallowed be Thy Name. Isaiah: Hallow the Lord of Hosts, He is both thy trembling and they fear ¹¹. In the second the consummation of human salvation is asked for, which is not had except through the gift of piety; let there be judgement without mercy for him who has not worked mercy ¹². That gift is touched upon, when He says: Thy Kingdom come. In the third part the fulfillment of the divine law is asked for through the gift of knowledge, because it teaches how to ask well and avoid evils. This gift is touched upon, when He says: Thy will be done etc.. In the fourth part the reheating [refocillatio] of eternal virtue is asked for, and through this the gift of virute or of fortitude, when He says: Give us this day our daily bread. Bread strengthens the heart of a man ¹³. In the fifth the remission of sins is asked for through the gift of counsel, when He says: And forgive our our debts, as etc.. In the sixth petition the warding off [propulsatio] of hostile deceit [fraudis] is asked for through the gift of understaning, when He says: And put us not to the test. In the seventh petition the subjugation of carnal concupiscence is asked for through the gift of wisdom, when He says: But free us from evil. Amen. It is impossible, that the soul tame [domet] its flesh, unless it be filled full with the gift of wisdom. To speak of these would take a long time [esset longum].

6. Come, sons ¹⁴ etc.. Those words belong to the prophet [sunt prophetae] David, in which He invites the sons of God's grace and the sons of adoption to learn in addition [ad addiscendam] that reading; and he not only invites children [parvulos], but also those advanced (in age) and old men and the decrepit. This is one reading, which ought to be taught in youth and never deserted. Whence in Ecclesiasticus: Keep [serva] the fear of the Lord and grow old in it ¹⁵. And in Tobias it is said, that Tobias begot a son, whom from his infancy he taught to fear God ¹⁶. Therefore this reading belongs to everyone. It is true that Sacred Scripture speaks of the fear of the Lord; and the fear of the Lord is handed down [traditur] in Sacred Scripture. A preacher speaks [facit] as the man, who is in the field and collects flowers; he cannot collet them all, but he collects some and from that makes a wreath [sertum]. It is said in Ecclesiasticus: A crown of wisdom the fear of the Lord ¹⁷. I want to make for you a wreath from flowers, which I have collected, which at the present I want to minister to you. It seems to me, that the fear of the Lord is the most beautiful tree planted in the heart of a holy man, (and) which God waters continuously; and when the tree is consummated, then the man is worthy of eternal glory. I want to describe for you the root of that tree and its branches with its one fruit. -- (There are) three things to be considered here that I want to say to you, so that as one of you [una vobiscum] I may learn to fear God. I want to describe for you, what is the origin of the divine fear, what its utility, and what is perfection.

7. What is the root of the fear of the Lord? For it is proper to go to the original principle, to know, the way through which the fear of the Lord rises in us. Moreover the fear of the Lord rises in us first from the consideration of the sublimity of the Divine Power; second, from the consideration of the perspicacity of the Divine Wisdom; third, from the consideration of the severity of the Divine Vengeance. -- First, I say, the fear of God rises in us from the consideration of the Divine Power. Whence in Jerimiah: There is none like Thee, Lord, great art Thou, and great Thy Name in strength; who will not fear Thee, O King of the nations? For Thy distinction [decus] is among all the other wise men of the nations and in their diverse kingdomes who is like Thee? ¹⁸ First he speaks [praemittit] of the magnitude of the Divine Power, when he says: There is none like Thee, Lord etc.. Whence in the Book of Wisdom: As a drop of pre-dawn dew, so before Thee (is) all the earth [omnis orbis terrarum] ¹⁹. Therefore who will not fear Thee, except the impious and the stupid? Wherefore there is also said in Malachi: A son honors his father and a slave his own lord; if I am thy Father, where is My honor? And if I am thy Lord, where is fear of Me [timor meus]? ²⁰ If a man is impious, he is in want of [indiget] punishment; if he is stupid, he is in want of sense. That the most high stupidity is not-fearing (the Lord), the Lord says in Jeremiah: Hear he says, stupid people, who have not a heart; because having eyes, you do not see; ears, and you do not hear. Therefore you will not fear Me and grieve from My Face? Who has placed the sand as the terminus of the sea, a sempiternal precept, which will not pass away ²¹. You will not fear Me? -- Therefore I say, that fear first rises in us from the consideration of the Divine Power.

8. But secondly the fear of the Lord rises in us from the consideration of the perspicacity of the Divine Wisdom. Whence Job: For He is the only One; and no one can avert His thoughts [cogitationes]. And about that I am troubled by His face and considering Him, I am disquieted by fear [timore sollicitor] ²². -- He is the only One, that is, from Himself alone does he have being [esse], and all other things from Him. And as from the first being all things flow, so God is the Cause of all. Therefore if God is the Cause of all, there is no creature, which is not naked in His eyes, because He himself sees and intentively gazes upon [intuetur] the thoughts of men. For that reason Job in the person of the man considering the Divine Wisdom, (which) weighs [librantem] all other things, says: Considering Him, I am disquieted by fear. Whence upon this the Psalms: Who respects the earth and makes it tremble ²³ etc.; the Gloss says: "God then respects the earth and makes it tremble, when He brightens earthly man in respect to His grace and converts him to his original Principle, through which all others are derived [principiantur] and governed. And then man trembles thoroughly [contremiscit]". -- For that reason a man ought to consider, what he thinks, what he speaks, and what he does; because God sees all things. Whence Boethius in his book On the Consolation says: "If you do not want to be concealed, there is a great, unspoken necessity of your being proved [vobis...necessitas probitatis], since all other things you do in the sight of the Judge (who) sifts all other things". And in Ester it is said: I saw Thee, Lord, as does the Angel of God, and thoroughly disturbed was my heart because of the fear [prae timore] of Thy glory; for Thou art very wonderful, Lord, and Thy Face (is) full of graces ²⁴. -- I saw Thee, Lord, as does an angel of God. An angel sees and circumspects all things, he approves good things and reproves evil ones; likewise, an angel loves [diligit] the good and hates evil.

9. The third origination of the fear of the Lord is from the consideration of the serverity of the Divine Vengeance. Whence in Habakuk: Lord, I have heard what is heard of Thee [auditionem tuam] and I fear. I have heard and thoroughly distrubed is my stomach [venter] ; from speaking [a voce] my lips thoroughly tremble. May rot step into my bones and gush beneath me, that I may rest on the day of tribulation ²⁵. He says: I have heard what is heard of Thee and I fear, that is, that which is said [illam auditionem], when it is said: Go, accursed ones, into the eternal fire ²⁶. He says: May rot step into my bones and gush beneath me, that I may rest on the day of tribulation. Not only on the day of tribulation or of the severity of the Last Judgement, but of whatever other judgement, because God's judgements are very many [plura]. Whence the Psalm: Fasten together my flesh [carnes meas] with Thy fear, for I am afraid of Thy judgements [timui a] ²⁷.

10. For seven are God's judgements; six are in the present, and the seventh in death, and that will be doubled. -- The God's first judgement is that of confinement [alligationis]; the second judgement is that of acute blinding [excaecationis]; God's third judgment is that of obstinancy [obstinationis]; God's fourth judgement is that of dereliction [derelictionis]; the fifth is that of dissipation; the sixth is that of desperation, and the seventh is that of condemnation. -- God's first, I say, judgement is that of confinement, because the sinner, when he sins, is despoiled [spoliatur] of gratuitous things and wounded in natural ones. And so the sinner is bound by two chains, that is by proneness [pronitate] to evil and by difficulty to good. By those two chains a sinner is bound unto the hands of the devil, as Peter was unto the hands of Herod ²⁸. -- After that judgement there follows another judgement, that is the judgement of acute blinding, which figures in the Book of Judges, where it is said, that the Philistines, when they had captured Sampson, tore out his eyes and made him grind at a millstone ²⁹. For from sin a man has a chain on his mind, so that he reputes nothing a sin; he thinks [putat], that light is darkness and darkness is light ³⁰, because he has acutely blinded his spiritual eyes.

11. God's third judgement is the judgement of obstinancy, that is when the heart of a man can be softened neither with promises nor threats [minis] nor whips nor torments. Of such a one it is said: His heart is hardened as a stone ³¹. The wife of Lot was converted into a stone. I would rather, that my heart to be converted into a stone ³², than to be so hard. -- God's fourth judgement is the judgement of dereliction, that is when God forsakes [derelinquit] a man and exposes him to whatever temptation and sin. The Psalm: When my virtue has failed, do not forsake me ³³, Lord. Do not depart from me ³⁴. Great is the danger, when a father exposes his son in the midst of wolves. -- God's fifth judgement is the judgement of dissipation, when all things, which a man does are dissipated. Nothing upright does he say, nothing prosperous, nothing odered does he do; rather the whole of what he does, is iniquous.

12. God's sixth judgement is the judgment of desperation, that is, when the Lord bears off a man's hope, and a man believes, that he has been deprived of eternal glory. Of such (men) it is said: The desperate have betrayed themselves to impurity [impudicitiae] , in working every uncleaness, in avarice ³⁵. That is the most horrible judgement. In that judgement fell Judas; and that is is the greatest judgement, so that in the present life a greater one cannot be given. -- The seventh judgement is in death, that is the judgement of condemnation. When a man dies in mortal sin, he is separated forever [perpetuo] from eternal glory, and his soul is condemned to eternal fire unto the end of the world, and then he will be punished also in his body. Whence the Apostle says: Terrible is the expectation of judgement ³⁶. That judgment Habakuk feared ³⁷, but David feared all God's judgements; whence he said: For I am afraid of Thy judgements ³⁸.

13. Therefore collect these three consideration, that is the consideration of the sublimity of the Divine Power, the consideration of the perspicacity of the Divine Wisdom and the consideratoin of the severity of the Divine Vengeance. And who will there be, who will not fear? Whence Job says: Always as if waves swollen over me I have feared God, and His weight I could not bear ³⁹. If you were in a small boat, when the waves went over the boat on all sides [ex omni parte]; you could not flee, because the waves would be everywhere; you could not hide, because you could not hide yourself away, as a man hides himself away from lightning [contra fulgura]; you could not even resist, because you would have nothing, which you could place against a wave. Collect these three; if they would be yours, more would you fear. And Job says, Always as if waves swollen over me I have feared God. And why? I cannot flee on account of the sublimity of the Divine Power; because if I ascend into Heaven, Thou art there; if I descend into the Inferno, Thou art present; if I take up my wings before dawn and dwell at the extremities of the sea, for indeed to that place [illuc] will Thy hand lead me, and Thou will hold me with Thy right hand. ⁴⁰. Likewise, I cannot hide on account of the perspicacity of the Divine Wisdom, because God sees all things. Likewise, I cannot resist on account of the severity of the Divine Vengeance, because he who sins is punished with an eternal judgement. Whence in the Gospel: Do not fear those who kill the body and after that have nothing more, to do; however I will show you, whom to fear; fear Him, who after He has killed, has the power to send into Gehenna ⁴¹. Therefore it is necessary, that we fear God. I would prefer throughout seven thousand years to be under the greatest punishment in [de] the world, than to sustain the least eternal punishment; the Aposlte: One must dread to fall into the hands of the living God ⁴², because God afflicts in eternity. -- Behold the origin of the fear of God. Consider the sublimity of the Divine Power, the perspicacity of the Divine Wisdom and the severity of the Divine Vengeance, so that you may fear God.

14. But what usefullness is there in fearing God? Tobias says: Do not fear, my son; we indeed live a poor life, but we will have many good things, if we fear God ⁴³. To three things does the fear of God prevail, that is to impetrate the influence of divine grace, to introduce the rectitude of divine justice and to obtain the brightening of divine wisdom. In those three things all good things are comprehended.

15. I say, the first usefulness of the fear of God is, that the fear of God prevails to impetrate the influence of divine grace. Whence Isaiah: Whom shall I respect except the little poor man and the contrite in spirit and the one who trembles at My sermons? ⁴⁴ However much a man be powerful, rich, knowlegable [sciens] and strong, unless he fears God, it is worth [valet] nothing to him. Whence the Psalm: His desire will not be [voluntatem habebit] in the fortitude of a horse, nor His pleasure in the swift feet of a man [in tibiis viri]; the pleasure of the Lord is upon those who fear Him, and in them who hope upon His mercy ⁴⁵; and the Apostle to the Phillipians: Since we have wrought your salvation in fright and fear. For God is He, who works in you both to will and to accomplish on behalf of your good will ⁴⁶. We cannot have the grace of God except through the fear of God, because the mercy of the Lord (is) from eternity and unto eternity upon those who fear Him ⁴⁷. No one receives the grace of God, except him who fears God. (St.) Bernard: "In truth did I tell you [didixi], that there is nothing equally efficacious to deserve, conserve and multiply the grace of God, than if every time (you are) before God you find that you do not know His height, but fear it. Fear therefore, when grace dries up; fear, when it goes away; fear, when it returns again". He who does not have grace, ought to fear for himself much; similarly, if the Lord renders unto a man a lost grace, he ought to fear for himself much, lest he lose that and become ungrateful, and (that) man's final state [novissima] become worse than before ⁴⁸. -- Therefore the fear of God prevails to impetrate the influence of divine grace.

16. Secondly the fear of God prevails to introduce the rectitude of divine justice. Whence Ecclesiasticus: The fear of the Lord expells sin. For he who is without fear can not be justified ⁴⁹. Injustice does not enter into the soul except through sin; moreover the first justification of the soul is, that it subjects itself to the divine sublimity. Having destroyed that fear, it is necessary, that the latter things be destroyed. On this account it is said in Ecclesiasticus: Son, approach [accedens ad] God's service, stand in justice and in fear and prepare your soul for temptation ⁵⁰; and Ecclesiasticus says: If you do not urgently [instanter] hold yourself in the fear of the Lord, your house will be swiftly subverted ⁵¹. Consider David, who says: Serve the Lord in fear and exult Him with trembling ⁵².

17. Third the fear of the Lord prevails to obtain the brightening of divine wisdom, because the beginning [principium] of wisdom (is) the fear of the Lord ⁵³. For the fear of the Lord is wisdom's extrinsic principle [principium] and intrinsic principle and the complement of wisdom; because fear is servile, and that is an initiative to wisdom, because, as a bristle [seta] introduces a thread [filum] and does not remain with the thread, so servile fear introduces wisdom and does not remain with wisdom. Another thing is the fear of the vengeance and offense of God; and that is the beginning of intrinsic wisdom and the root of wisdom. The third fear is that of filial reverence; and that is the complement of wisdom, because the fullness of wisdom is to fear God ⁵⁴.

18. Those three things cause [facit] fear in us, because the beginning of wisdom (is) the fear of the Lord; and the root of wisdom (is) to fear God ⁵⁵, and the fullness of wisdom is to fear God; Job: Behold, the fear of the Lord is itself wisdom ⁵⁶. He who does not fear God, knows nothing. And because the fear of the Lord prevails to (accomplish) those three things, that is to impetrate the influence of divine wisdom, to introduce the rectitude of divine justice and to obtain the brightening of divine wisdom; for that reason Ecclesiasticus says: The fear of the Lord (is) as a paradise of blessing ⁵⁷. And Solomon in Proverbs (says): The fear of the Lord (is) a fount of life, to turn them away [declinent] from the ruin of death ⁵⁸; Jeremiah: I know and see, that it is an evil and bitter thing, for you to have forsaken the Lord Thy God, and to not have fear of Me before you ⁵⁹. If you do not fear God, you have lost grace, you have lost justice and you have lost true wisdom. See therefore, how evil and bitter it is, for you to have forsaken the Lord Thy God. Where there is not fear, there is not wisdom nor justice nor grace. The Psalm: A sepulchre lying open is their throat, the poison of asps under their lips, with their lips they were acting deceitfully, swift their feet to shed blood; whose mouth is full of malediction and bitterness, obliteration [contritio] and unhappiness in their ways etc.; The fear of God is not before their eyes ⁶⁰. When a man does not have the fear of God, then his sense is converted unto wickeness and it steps outside [egredietur foras] as asps' poison. Whence he says: A sepulcher lying open is their throat, the poison of asps beneath their tounge. Iniquity follows in work; whence he says: With their lips they were acting deceitfullly, swift their feet to shed blood. When a man has been disordered in his affection as much as regards thinking, in his speech [sermone] as much as regards speaking [locutionem] and in his work as much as regard its effect; then he has nothing good. Whence he says: Swift their feet to shed blood. Obliteration and unhappiness in their ways, and with the way of peace they have not acquainted themselves [cognoverunt], that is the way of grace of the Holy Spirit. And why? Because the fear of God is not before their eyes. Let us make a demonstration through the impossible. If you want to strive [conari] to have grace, justice and wisdom; and those are not able to be had without fear, there is insipience [insipientia], wickedness and iniquity, obliteration and unhappiness; but those must be fleed from as the worst things; therefore etc.. -- Therefore having considered the origin and utility of the fear of the Lord, we ought to strive to have the fear of God.

19. The third sub-part [particula] of the fear of the Lord concerns [est de] the perfection of the fear of God. Moroever the perfection of the fear of God consists in three things, that is in the perfect sanctification and cleansing-out [emundation] of the conscience, in the perfect promptitude of obedience and in the perfect firmness of trust [fiducia]. -- First, I say, that the perfection of the fear of God consists in the perfect sanctification or cleansing-out of the conscience. Whence the Apostle to the Corinthians: Let us cleanse ourselves from every iniquity [iniquinamento] of the flesh and spirit, accomplishing [perficientes] (our) sanctification in the fear of God ⁶¹. And in what manner shall we accomplish (our) sanctification? It is said in Ecclesiasticus: They who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts and will sanctify their souls in His sight ⁶². The Apostle to the Romans: Do you not know, that the kindness of God leads you towards penance? You however according to (your) hardness and impenitent heart treasure up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and the revelation of the just judgement of God ⁶³. -- They who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, that is, they will hold themselves back and cease from sins. Let us approach therefore to cleanse (our) conscience. It is a wonder, how a man can stand in mortal sin. When a man enters his bed, he enters into a sepulchre. I do not believe, that a man would enter his bed, unless he hopes, that if he dies, that God will be merciful to his soul. I saw some [de] spiritual men, that when they had a little venial (sin), they could scarcely sleep. If I had bound a lion to myself, how could I sleep? The enemy holds you bound, if you are in mortal sin. Rise up therefore and sanctify your soul. Do not halve [dimidies] your confession, but confess most perfectly and most entirely [integerrime]. Let the fear of the Lord lead [inducas] you to this.

20. The other subpart of the perfection of the fear of the Lord consists in the perfect promptitude of obedience. Whence in the Book of Paralipomenon: Let the fear of the Lord be with you, and with diligence do all other things ⁶⁴; as if he says: "Do not be sluggish nor negligent," because it is written in Ecclesiastes: He who fears God neglects nothing ⁶⁵. If I believed, that a thief ought to enter my room and carry of (my) treasure; you would not leave the window open. You ought always to fear God, because he who observes the whole Law, (and) however offends in one thing, becomes guilty [reus] of (violating) all ⁶⁶. And in Deuteronomy it is said: And now Israel, what does the Lord Thy God ask of you, except that you fear Him and keep all His mandates and walk in His ways? ⁶⁷ And Solomon says: Fear God and observe His mandates; every man is by this ⁶⁸, that is, "(is by this) perfected." Therefore if you want to be perfect, fear God.

21. The third part of the perfection of the fear of the Lord consists in the perfect firmness of trust; because the fear of the Lord is a tower of firmness and of trust. The Psalm: As a shield will His truth surround you, you will not fear from the nightime fear, from the arrow flying by day, from the difficulty of walking about [negotio perambulante] in darkness, from invasion and the noonday demon ⁶⁹. And in Proverbs: The fear of the Lord (is) a tower of fortitude ⁷⁰. It is proper that he who does not fear God, fear Him everywhere; and he who truly fears God has that which none can bear off from him. But he who fears something from God has that which ought to be borne off from him. He who fears God cannot lost God. Not so concerning [est de] money. If a man has money, he fears, lest he loose it, and it is sure [securus], that he will lose it. But he who fears God is secure everywhere. How great the multitude of Thy sweetness, Lord, which Thou has hidden away for those (who) fear Thee; it follows: Thou has perfected them who hope in Thee ⁷¹. For that reason the fear of God ought to be perfect, because To those (who) fear God (all) will be well. ⁷², because they will come to the blessing of glory, to which (glory) may He lead us, who with the Father etc..

1. Ps 33:12.

2. Eccli 32:9.

3. Prov 31:30.

4. Cf. Prov 22:20.

5. Cf. Jm 1:17.

6. Is 11:2-3.

7. Ap 5:6.

8. Cf. Mt 5:3-9.

9. Mt 6:9-13; cf. Lk 11:2-4.

10. Ps 103:15.

11. Is 8:13.

12. Jm 2:13.

13. Ps 103:15.

14. Ps 33:12.

15. Eccli 2:6.

16. Tob 1:10.

17. Eccli 1:22.

18. Jer 10:6-7.

19. Ws 11:23.

20. Mal 1:6.

21. Jer 5:21- 22.

22. Job 23:13,15.

23. Ps 103:32.

24. Est 15:16.

25. Hab 3:2,16.

26. Mt 25:41.

27. Ps 118:120.

28. Cf. Act 12:6.

29. Jgc 16:21.

30. Cf. Is 5:20.

31. Job 41:15.

32. Cf. Gen 19:26.

33. Ps 70:9.

34. Ps 21:12.

35. Eph 4:19.

36. Heb 10:27.

37. Cf. Hab 3:2,16.

38. Ps 118:120.

39. Job 31:23.

40. Ps 138:8-10.

41. Lk 12:4-5; cf. Mt 10:28.

42. Heb 10:31.

43. Tob 4:23.

44. Is 66:2.

45. Ps 146:10-11.

46. Phil 2:12-13.

47. Ps 102:17.

48. Nt 12:45,

49. Eccli 1:27-28.

50. Eccli 2:1.

51. Eccli 27:4.

52. Ps 2:11.

53. Prov 9:10; 1:7; Ps 110:10; Eccli 1:16.

54. Eccli 1:20.

55. Eccli 1:25.

56. Job 28:28.

57. Eccli 40:28.

58. Prov 14:27.

59. Jer 2:19.

60. Ps 13:3.

61. 2 Cor 7:1.

62. Eccli 2:20-22.

63. Rm 2:4-5.

64. 2 Par 19:7.

65. Eccle 7:19.

66. Jm 2:10.

67. Deut 10:12-13.

68. Eccle 12:13.

69. Ps 90:5-6.

70. Prov 14:26: In the fear of the Lord (is) the trust of fortitude; 18:10: A tower most strong, the Name of the Lord; Ps 60:4: Because Thou became my hpe, a tower of strength in the face [a facie] of my enemy.

71. Ps 30:20.

72. Eccli 1:13.19: To him who fears the Lord (all) will be well.