CONFERENCES ON THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. A strong woman who will find (one)? Far off and from the last ends (of the earth) her price. She sought wool and flax and worked by the counsel of her hands ¹. -- Your neck (is) as the Tower of David, which has been built with ramparts; a thousand round-shields hand from her, all the armor of the strong ². This [ultimum] word is written in the Canticle of Canticles and it is said of the spouse or of Mother Church, whose neck is similar to the Tower of David; a thousand round-shields etc.. It is called a neck, whence steps forth the doctrine of truth. A neck serves us for two things, that is, to take up food and to express conversations [sermones]. Thus Mother Church is called a neck, because from Her steps forth the doctrine of truth; whence he says: a thousand round-shields hang from her. Likewise there proceeds from her a universe [universitas] of conversations to thoroughly strengthen souls; whence he says: all the armor of the strong. There is nothing, which is valuable for the attainment [valet ad habendam] of spritual fortitude, that Sacred Scripture does not explain. -- We ought to speak of the fourth gift of the Holy Spirit, that is, of the gift of fortitude. We will beg in the beginning the Lord, (who lives and reigns ...).

2. A strong woman who will find (one) etc.. That word is written in Proverbs; without doubt it is said for the commendation of Mother Church, especially for the commendation of the glorious Virgin. In which word She is commended for three things: first, for strengthening [roboratione] of spiritual fortitude; second, for fecundity of supernatural conceiving [conceptus]; and third, for discretion of salutary counsel. The first is noted, when he says: A strong woman who will find (one) etc.. The second, when he says: Far off and from the last ends (of the earth) her price. The third he adds: She sought wool and flax etc.. -- Of the gift of fortitude we will now speak; of the privilege of fecundity tomorrow in the morning, and of the gift of counsel tomorrow in the evening.

3. First, I say, She is commended for the strength [robore] of spiritual fortitude, when he says: A strong woman who will find (one)? One seeks not by despairing, but by trusting [confidendo]. Who therefore will find? Certainly He who reaches from end even to end ³; He will find Her and send a best-man [paranymphum] to Her, that is, the Archangel Gabriel. "Gabriel" is interpreted "the fortitude of God", and he was sent to find a strong woman. Without doubt Solomon wanted to rest in Her as in a secure place; but this could not be, unless he was strong, because it is said in the Canticle, that before the couch [lectum] of Solomon sixty strongmen stood in flanks [ambiunt] ⁴. "Solomon" is interpreted "desireable king"; sixty strongmen flanked [ambiunt] his couch. -- The number sixty is perfect and results [resugrit] from the multiplication [ex duplicatione] of a group of six into a group of ten, and by this the entirety [universitas] signifies the ten precepts of the Decalogue. As much as one is strong and unshackled [expeditus] accdording to the dictate of the Law and the precepts of the Decalogue; then one is strong, so that he cannot be wounded by what is exterior [ab exeriori]. Whence in Proverbs: Fortitude and ornament (are) His clothes [decor . . . indumentorum] ⁵. As the body is embellished [ornatur] from habit, so the soul is embellished from fortitude; for that reason it is called a piece of clothing [indumentum] for the soul; nor is only fortitude a piece of clothing for the soul, and/or for the glorious Virgin, nay rather (also) for Mother Church. Whence Isaiah: Thoroughly rise up, thoroughly rise up, daughter Sion; put on [induere] the vestments of your glory ⁶.

4. This talk concerns the habit of fortitude, how we can be clothed (by it). If we want to rightly describe fortitude; one must pay attention [attendendum], that it is from Heaven. Whence in the Book of Maccabees: Not in the multitude of an army (is) the victory of war, but from Heaven is fortitude ⁷. The Psalm: God is wonderful in His saints; the God of Israel Himself will give virtue and fortitude to His common-folk [plebi suae] ⁸. Therefore fortitude is a gift of God. And so that we may better become acquainted with [cognoscamus] the gift of fortitude, we want to say three things concerning this gift. First I want to describe it on the part of the one giving it; secondly, on the part of the one taking it up [suscipientis]; and third, on the part of the work of the one sucessfully pursuing it [consequentis].

5. First, I say, I want to describe it on the part of the one giving it; and I say, that it is given by God protecting, by God redeeming and by God indwelling. -- First, I say, the gift of fortitude is given by God protecting. For God protects us according to a hierarchical ordering [ordinationem hierarchicam], by walling [muniens] us inside and out. It is written in Proverbs: A tower most strong (is) the Name of the Lord, to it runs the just and he shall be exalted ⁹; and in the same (passage): The substance of the rich (is) the city of fortitude and as the withstanding wall [murus validus] surrounding it ¹⁰. Fortitude is from God, as from a solid, sublime, and strong principle; and the eternal God is the origin of fortitude in all things; because nothing is powerful nor strong except through the fortitude of the First Principle. Therefore that fortitude descends from God protecting us as from the First Principle according to hierarchical dispositions; which fortitude renders [reddit] every man rich and secure and powerful and confident.

6. Second, that fortitude is from God redeeming through the Incarnation of the Divine Word. Whence Isaiah: My fortitude and my praise (is) the Lord, and He has been made (man) to save me; you will draw waters in joy from the fountains of the Savior ¹¹. Those are the waters, in which the soul is fortified [fortificatur], purified, redeemed, santified and snatched from the power of the demons. Through which is the soul redeemed? It is said in Habakuk: His splendor shall be as the light; horns in his hands; where His fortitude is hidden away ¹². Likewise it is written: When the armed strongman guards his entrancehall [atrium], in peace are those things which he possesses; however if one stronger overcoming him conquers him, all [universa] his arms, in which he trusted, shall be borne away, and he will distribute his spoils ¹³. That one who is stronger is God, because what is infirm in God is stronger than men ¹⁴. The Son of God was made infirm for our sake.

7. The third reason for the influence of fortitude is from God indwelling. Whence in Micah: I am filled full with the fortitude of the Lord, with judgement and with virtue ¹⁵. The human body, when it does not have spirit, does not have virtue, even if it is a gigantic body; thus if God is not in the soul, then it does not have virtue. Of our most strongman, that is, of Christ, it is said: There will 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 ¹⁶ etc.; and he places fortitude in the middle, because Christ does not dwell in us, unless we have those two things, that is, the Spirit of the Lord and fortitude; and for that reason he placed fortitude in the middle. (St.) Peter at the voice of the handmaid denied (Him) ¹⁷, and (yet) he stood against Caesar; because without the Spirit of the Lord the soul is weak, and with the Spirit of the Lord it is strong. Against Caesar he stood, because he was then strong with the Spirit of the Lord.

8. In designating this mystery it is said, that Samson according to the doctrine of the Angel did not permit a razor to ascend upon his head ¹⁸; but his hairs [crinibus] grew, and he became the strongest of men. It was wonderful, because he was strong with hairs and without hair [capillis] he became infirm. Dalila the prostitute deceived him; she asked him [petiit ab eo], where his fortitude was. Four times she asked him, and on the fourth time he told her the truth, but the first three times he concealed the truth from her. The first time he said: If I be bound with seven sinew-like ropes, I will be similar to all other men ¹⁹; and when he was bound, and the Philistines camw towards him, to sieze him, he immediately broke the ropes. Likewise she asked him, where his fortitude was; and he said: If I be bound with seven new ropes, which have not yet been at work; I will be as all other men ²⁰. The third time he said to her: If you fasten my seven hairs upon the earth with a nail, I will be as all other men ²¹. The fourth time he revealed to her the truth and he said: If you scrape off the seven hairs, which are on my head, I wil be similar to all other men. ²²; and then the Philistines siezed him. What is this? -- I say that the scraping off of the hairs signified the subtraction of the septiform grace of the Holy Spirit. Of all saints it is plane, that as long as there remained with them the grace of the Holy Spirit, they were strong. -- Why did she not say to him, where is your fortitude? See, hers is that process of sending away [amissione] the Holy Spirit, through which the Holy Spirit is lost [perditur]. Four are the amusements [oblectamenta] of the senses, that is, being occupied [occupatio], thinking [cogitation], the bending [incurvatio] of the interior affections and the impunging of divine laws [legum]. In the last the Holy Spirit is sent away, but in the others a man is only disposed towards this. First the devil offers the delights [delectabilia] of sense; and by this one is bound by seven sinew-like ropes. Afterwards, when a man delays in thinking upon the delight offered, then one is bound by seven new ropes, which were not yet at work. After, there follows the bending of the affections: as from a multitude of rays, heat is generated; so, when manifold thinking is in the soul, then the soul is bent toward that; and this the-binding-of-hairs-upon-the-earth-with-a-nail signifies. Still a man has not lost the Holy Spirit. But fourth there follows the impugning of the divine laws, when the hairs of the head are scrapped off, that is, when the grace of the Holy Spirit is subtracted. -- We have the means, by which the gift of the Holy Spirit proceeds, because (it is) from God protecting, from God redeeming and from God indwelling. Through the grace of the Holy Spirit nature guards the origin of life and we ought to guard the spirit of life. What value is a man, unless he have the Holy Spirit?

9. You now may say: through what is the soul disposed to taking up the influx of that gift? I say, that fortitude, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit, comes into us first through the inexpungable shield [scutum] of faith; second, through the imperturbable solace of hope; and third, through the inexstinguishable kindling [incendium] of charity.

10. First, I say, the soul is disposed to the gift of fortitude through the inexpungable shield of faith. Whence the Apostle to the Hebrews: Who through faith conquered kingdoms etc..; were made strong in war ²³; to the Ephesians: In all things taking the shield of faith in which you can exstinguish all the fiery darts of the worthless one [nequissimi] ²⁴; and in Ezra: A strong thing is wine, stronger is a king, stronger are wives, he said third; and fourth he said: The strongest thing is truth ²⁵. -- He shows, how a man can conquer the fortitude of the devil. The devil draws a man towards concupiscence of the flesh, towards concupiscence of the eyes and towards pride of life ²⁶. The concupiscence of the flesh renders men most strong; men suffer much, to be able to quench the lust [explere libidinem] of the flesh. Similarly, ambition renders men strong; on account of ambition for honors many suffer many things. Likewise, concupiscence of the eyes, which is the foment of concupiscence and of pride, renders men strong, because men suffer many things, to acquire temporal things. In the king pride is signified; in the wine, that makes a man drunk and renders a man bold [audacem], concupiscence of the eyes is signified. It is written: Do not look at wine attentively [intuearis], when it becomes yellow ²⁷ in the goblet. By wives, concupiscense of the flesh is signified. What material withstands them? In what manner can wine or the other two be conquered? I say: through truth. The Psalm: As a shield, will His truth surround you, that is, by indwelling faith, you shall not be afraid of the night-time fear ²⁸ etc.. And blessed Peter said: Your adversary goes around as a roaring lion, seeking, whom to devour; resist him, (being yourselves) strong in faith ²⁹. If we loved the truth, we would not fear the devil, because it is written: The eyes of the Lord contemplate the entire earth and they provide [praebent] fortitude to those who believe in Him with a perfect heart ³⁰.

11. The second disposition to the influx of the gift of fortitude is through the imperturbable solace of hope. Whence the Apostle to the Hebrews: We have the strongest solace, who take refuge [confugimus] in holding the hope proposed to us ³¹. And in Isaiah: They who hope in the Lord will change their fortitude; they will assume wings as eagles, they will run and they will not labor; the will walk and they will not become weak [deficient] ³². A man would freely bear a great burden for a mark of gold [approx. US $4,000]. If a fly refreshes so much; you ought, therefore, to move yourself to sustain much for the hope of a future and eternal reward. In God we ought to confide, because to the weary He gives fortitude ³³. The Philospher wants, that one of the cardinal virtues be magnanimity; but it is not proper, that that magnanimity, which is a virtue, be in you, but in God.

12. Third, a man is disposed to the influx of the gift of fortitude through the inexstinguishable kindling of charity. Whence in the Canticle: Place me as a token [signaculum] upon your heart, as a token upon your arm; because strong as death is love [dilectio], durable as Hell (its) rivalry; its lamps the lamps of fire and of flames; many waters could not exstinguish charity ³⁴. Do you believe that you (can) exstinguish a burning furnace with a drop of water? Every virtue is as a drop of water in respect to the soul of the lover [animae amantis]. Strong as death is love; death conquers all (men), similarly love [dilectio] conquers everything [totum] Durable as Hell (its) rivalry; Hell because it holds does not let go [dimittit], thus charity conquers and strongly holds all things [omnia]. Paul, what do you say of charity? Who, he says, will separate me from the charity of God? He responds: Tribulation? or anguish? or hunger? or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword? And he says: I am certain, that neither death nor life, neither things imminent nor future could separate me from the charity, which is in Christ Jesus ³⁵. (St. John) Chrysostom says, that Paul enumerated all creatures and says: Nor can anyother creature separate me from the charity which is in Christ Jesus; that is, if a new creature [de novo creatura] could be made, it would not separate me. -- That charity is drawing us to (our) heavenly nature [naturam caelestem], it does not release a foreign attack [permittit peregrinam impressionem] upon us; as much as it is of itself, it is perpetual; unless I give (Him) a writ of devorce [dem libellum repudii], God will not take His charity away from us (sic). In the Psalm: I love Thee, Lord, my fortitude, the Lord my firmament and my refuge and my liberator ³⁶. Protector of my life, from whom shall I be anxious [trepidabo] ? ³⁷ (Sts.) Catherine and Lucy were strong through the love [amorem] of God. If we have not been bound with the Lord through charity, we easily let go of [amittimus] our fortitude.

13. But you know, that a habit without act is nothing; for that reason it must be known, that for three things is the gift of fortitude given: first, to accomplish manly works [ad perficiendum operationes viriles]; second, to cast down the powers of the air [aëreas potestates]; and third, to endure [ad perferendum] worldly tribulations. -- First, I say, that the gift of fortitude is given to accomplish manly works; whence in Proverbs: A negligent hand has worked indigence; however the hand of the strong prepares riches ³⁸. And of the strong woman it is said: She dispatches her hands to strong (works), and her fingers grasp the spindle ³⁹. (This) is spoken of the Church and of Her members. It is proper to place one's hand to strong (works) before [prius quam] (one's) fingers grasp the spindle, that is, it is proper first to act strongly, afterwards a man can teach in a perspicacious manner [perspicaciter]. In the spindle, by which the thread is extracted from the tow [stupa], there is signified the industry, through which men accept doctrine and explain it. It is proper that he, who wants to teach well, dispatch his hands to strong (works). In the Book of Kings it is said: Step inside, because you are a strong man, and you announce good things ⁴⁰; and in Isaiah: Ascend upon an exalted mountain, you who evangelize Sion ⁴¹. If an arm is weak, even if the sword was strong and good; there will not be a good blow. Some are full of conversations and have too little of works.

14. Second, the gift of the Holy Spirit is given to cast down the powers of the air. Whence in John: I write to you, young men, since your are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have conquered the malignant one [malignum] ⁴². That fortitude ought to be in every Christian and especially in the leader of the army of the Christian people. It is written in the Book of Maccabees, that Let Judas strong in strengths [viribus] from his youth, be for you the prince of the militia, and he himself will conduct the people's war ⁴³. Everyone who accepts the care of souls, becomes [efficitur] a prince of the militia; and when the prince is not good, then the army is in great danger. Whence Jerimiah complains aloud [conqueritur]: Vanished, he says, is every ornament from daughter Sion; they have become her princes as rams not finding pasture, and the have gone away without fortitude before the face of the one pursuing them ⁴⁴. There were two, to whom the Lord gave fortitude, that is, Caleb and Joshua. Of Caleb it is said: The Lord gave fortitude to him, Caleb, and even to his old age that virtue remained [permansit], so that he could ascend [ut ascenderet] unto the exalted place of the land ⁴⁵. And similarly it is said of Joshua, that he was made strong in war ⁴⁶. Caleb is interpreted "whole heart". And Joshua is interpreted "salvation". On behalf of the salvation of others those (men) went about exploring the land of promise ⁴⁷.

15. Third, the gift of fortitude is given to endure worldly tribulations. Whence it is said in the Book of Maccabees, that Eleazar, when he passed from life, leaving an example of fortitude for the young and old, said: Freely for Thy love [amore]I suffer these things ⁴⁸. He could have been freed, if he pretended [simulasset], that he had eaten pieces of pork; but he did not want to, nay rather he wanted to die and to leave an example of fortitude to all. -- Who will have that gift? All now flee for a little thing, for the loss of a little temporal thing, and/or of a little convenience [modici commodi]; and why? Because they do not have fortitude. But Job himself says: The just will hold his way ⁴⁹. The way of Christ Himself is, that a man walk cleanly and strongly. Gird, he says, your loins with fortitude ⁵⁰. And elsewhere it is said: The victor has lead me, as I sing in psalms, forth upon the heights ⁵¹. -- We will beg Our Lord Jesus Christ, that He through His mercy may deign to thus lead and rule us in this mortal life, that we may be able to obtain the aforesaid gifts of the Holy Spirit and arrive at that ineffable joy, in which there lives an reigns He, whom "we will see, love and praise", by His leave [praestante ipso], who is Three and One; the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

¹. Prov 31:10-13.

². Cant 4:4.

³. Ws 8:1.

⁴. Cant 3:7.

⁵. Prov 31:25.

⁶. Is 50:1.

⁷. 1 Mac 3:19.

⁸. Ps 67:36.

⁹. Prov 18:10.

¹⁰. Prov 18:11; cf. 10:15.

¹¹. Is 12:2-3.

¹². Hab 3:4.

¹³. Lk 11:21-22.

¹⁴. 1 Cor 1:25.

¹⁵. Mich 3:8.

¹⁶. Is 11:2-3.

¹⁷. Cf. Mt 26:69-75.

¹⁸. Jg 13:3-5.

¹⁹. Jg 16:7.

²⁰. Jg 16:11.

²¹. Jg 16:13.

²². Cf. Jg 16:17..

²³. Heb 11:33.34.

²⁴. Eph 6:16.

²⁵. 3 Ez 3:10-12.

²⁶. Cf. 1 Io 2:16.

²⁷. Prov 23:31.

²⁸. Ps 90:5.

²⁹. 1 Pt 5:8-9; cf. also Breviarium Romanum, ad Completorium: lectio brevis.

³⁰. 2 Par 16:9.

³¹. Heb 6:18.

³². Is 40:31.

³³. Is 40:29.

³⁴. Cant 8:6-7.

³⁵. Rm 8:35.38.

³⁶. Ps 17:2-3.

³⁷. Ps 26:1.

³⁸. Prov 10:4.

³⁹. Prov 31:19.

⁴⁰. 3 Kg 1:42.

⁴¹. Is 40:9.

⁴². 1 Jn 2:14.

⁴³. 1 Mac 2:66.

⁴⁴. Lam 1:6.

⁴⁵. Eccli 46:11.

⁴⁶. Eccli 46:1.

⁴⁷. Cf. Num 13:7.17.

⁴⁸. 2 Mac 6:26-30.

⁴⁹. Job 17:9.

⁵⁰. Prov 31:17.

⁵¹. Hab 3:19.