CONFERENCES ON THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. A strong woman who will find one? ¹ etc.. -- Wisdom, where will it be found? and who is the place of intelligence? Man does not know her price, nor is she found in a savory manner [suaviter] in the land of the living ². Job questions [facit quaestionem] where wisdom is found; and he responds negatively that she is not found by men living in the human manner, saying: Man does not know her price, nor is she found in a savory manner in the land of the living. That last (phrase) explains the reason [reddit causam]; this is the cause, why carnal man does not know the price of wisdom, because carnal man does not perceive the taste of wisdom; nor can man know wisdom, unless he find her taste; and he does not find taste in her, if he lives in delights [deliciose], because carnal delights [deliciae] cannot exist [esse] with wisdom. Man does not know her price. Who can say: I am more than man? It is true that wisdom is drawn from the secrets [occultis] ³ of mysteries. -- It (often) happens, that a preacher pours wisdom upon others and (himself) tastes and makes others taste her, and (yet) he knows not, what she is; too little is she worth for him and for those who hear him, unless they be of a good disposition. -- That most glorious One found Wisdom and in Herself She also brought Him forth for the world. We will invoke Her, that in the spirit of counsel She may will to impetrate for us wisdom, that I may be able to say something (worthy of Him who lives and reigns ...).

2. A strong woman who will find one? etc.. I said yesterday and today, that the Most Blessed glorious Virgin is commended in those words first for strength of spiritual fortitude; second, for fecundity of supernatural conceiving; and third, for discretion of salutary counsel. The first is noted there: A strong woman who will find one?, the second there: Far off and from the last ends her price; the third there: She sought wool and flax and worked by the counsel of her hands ⁴. Of two things we spoke: yesterday we spoke of (Her) strength and gift of fortitude, today in the morning we said, in what manner She brought forth, payed off and possesses the price of the redemption of man and/or of the human race. It is true, that I had proposed to give [dicere] you an example; but because I ought to speak of the gift of counsel, the Blessed Virgin also has a part here and She wanted us to have a part; for that reason I have reserved it until now.

3. The price of anyone is the glorious Virgin, and why? Because She brought forth, payed off and posseses our price for the world. A certain converso [conversus] was in the religion of the Cistercians [monachorum alborum]; he had a good will towards the glorious Virgin, every day he recited [persolvit] for Her a psalter of one hundred and fifty Ave Maria's; but he was stiff necked [durae cervicis]. On a certain day he became infirm and was carried to the abbey of the grange. On a certain night, when all were at Matins, he alone remained in the infirmary; and it seemed to him, that certain ones were carrying him into the greatest fore-court [aulam], in which he saw Christ and the Apostles and the assemblage [coetum] of the angels; and demons presented him to Christ. And he who was carrying him, said: "Thou art a just judge; that one is ours". The Blessed Virgin said: "He is Mine, because he served Me". A grave dispute broke out [facta est]. The enemy said: "Thou art a just judge, a non-acceptor of persons; I want, that you judge according to the truth". And Christ said: "Let us see whose he is". And all his defects written on the paper were place on one side of the balance, and on the other side of the balance were placed the good things, which he had done. And the side, in which his defects were, was bent down to the earth. And then the enemy said: "See, Lord, that that one is ours: I ask for justice". And then the Blessed Virgin said to Christ: "Thou art My Son; the blood, which Thou doest have, Thou hast from Me; I ask that Thou give Me one drop". And Christ said: "I cannot deny this to You". And then the Blessed Virgin placed the drop of Blood together with his merits; and immediately that side of the balance bend down to the earth. And the enemy said: "It is not good to fight with Thee". Nevertheless, because the Lord did not want to let the evil, which he had done, go unpunished; He gave the demons power over his body; and then they beat him most atrociously, so that there scarcely remained in him any member, which was not entirely beaten. And the Judge said: "It is sufficient". When the brothers returned from Matins, they found him as if dead. The abbot questioned and caused it to be inquired, who did this. No one was found, who knew anything concerning this. Afterwards he spoke and asked his abbot and confessed to him; and assumed by noble compunction, he migrated to the Lord, and that was his punishment in place of [pro] purgatory.

4. Let us speak of counsel. -- She sought wool and flax and worked by the counsel of her hands ⁵. See, that the Holy Spirit described this gift of counsel as much as regards its preambulary act [actum praeambulum], and this as much as regards the intrinsic and extrinsic act, and as much as regards the proper act. The first and second are noted when He says: She sought wool and flax; and the third there: she worked by the counsel of her hands.

5. Let us first speak of the proper act. You ought to understand, that it is the counsel, by which we are instructed to discern, what it licit, what is fitting, what is helpful [expedit] for salvation according to the indication [indicium] of upright reason; the other is the counsel, by which we are instructed to choose what is licit, what is fitting, and what is helpful according to the rule [imperium] of a good will. -- The third is the counsel, by which we are instructed to seek after [ad prosequendum] what is licit, what is fitting, and what is helpful according to the exercise of virtuous acting. -- And of that counsel it is said: she worked by the counsel of her hands.

6. First, I say, counsel is that, by which we are instructed to discern, what is licit, what is fitting, and what is helpful according to the judgement of upright reason. Whence in Proverbs: I, Wisdom, dwell in counsel and I am among learned thoughts ⁶. -- I dwell in counsel, that is, that by which a man is instructed to discern what is licit, what is fitting, and what is helpful according to the judgement of upright reason. -- First a man ought to consider, whether it be licit, or whether it be fitting; many things are licit, which are not fitting. Afterwards he ought to consider, if it is even helpful, because the Apostle says: All things are licit to me; but not all things are helpful ⁷. Having made that threefold consideration, thoughts are instructed, and wisdom dwells in a man's counsel.

7. Another is the counsel, by which we are raised to choose what is licit, what is fitting, and what is helpful according to the proposal [propositum] of a good will. Whence in Ecclesiaticus: Gold and silver is the resting place [constitutio] of the feet, and upon both a well-pleasing counsel ⁸. By gold there is signified Sacred Scripture, by silver the science of philosophy. Both are speculative, and/or practical. Sacred Scripture concerns faith and morals, partly speculative and partly practical. Through those sciences ones feet are stabilized, because the heart is stabilized through theological and philosophical proofs [documenta]; nevertheless counsel stabilizes it more.

8. Third is the counsel, by which we are helped to seek after what is licit, what is fitting, and what is helpful according to the exercise of virtuous acting. Of that counsel it is said in Judith, that the priests said to Judith: May the God of our Fathers give you grace and may every counsel of your heart be thoroughly strengthened with virtue ⁹. -- Counsel of your heart etc., that is, what you have conceived in mind, may you consumate in work. The Psalm: May He grant to you according to your heart and may He confirm your every counsel ¹⁰. That counsel adds in addition helpfulness [superaddit expeditionem]. -- Threefold is its act, that is, to discern well, to choose well, and to seek after in a helpful manner [expedite]. For that reason He says: She worked by the counsel of her hands. Not only did she decide and choose, but she also sought after. It is not sufficient to have a good will, unless a man want to help it along [expedire] in work, from intellective virtue into affective (virtue) and from affective into action [operationem]. The Philosopher says, that there are three necessaries for virtue, that is, "to know, to will and to work in an unalterable manner [impermutabiliter]".

9. And He not only explains the gift of counsel as much as regards its proper act, nay also as much as regards it preambulary act, when He says: She sought wool and flax. Wool is that, from which one makes a thick [grossum] vestment; flax is that, from which one makes a sublte vestment. From wool one makes a warm vestment, from flax one makes a delicate vestment. Likewise, from wool an outer [extrisecum] vestment is made, from flax an inner [intrinsecum] vestment is made. According to that threefold property there are three understandings, that is, the allegorical, the anagogical and the tropological.

10. According to allegory by wool and flax there is signified the New and Old Testament. -- According to anagogy by wool, from which one makes a warm vestment, there is signified the revelation of prayer [orationis], because prayer is as warmth; but by flax, from which one makes a delicate vestment, there is signified delights. -- According to tropology by wool forensic things are given to be understood, by flax the experiences of just men. -- Therefore when it says: She sought wool and flax etc., there is understood the New and Old Testament, the revelation of prayers and delights, similarly there are understood forensic things and the experiences of just men. -- Out of those I choose, that which is the counsel, by which we are instructed to discern, what is licit, what is fitting, and what is helpful according to the judgement of upright reason; that (which) is the counsel, by which we are raised to choose what is licit, what is fitting, and what is helpful according to the proposal of a good will; the third (which) is the counsel, by which we are helped along to successively pursue what is licit, what is fitting, and what is helpful according to the exercise of a virtuous act [operationis].

11. The first counsel is regulated according to the dictate of divinely instituted laws; the second counsel is regulated according to the dictate of divinely inspired reasons; the third counsel is regulated according to the dictate of divinely illumened men [illustratorum hominem]. -- The first counsel, I say, is regulated according to the dictate of divinely inspired laws. Whence in Proverbs: Guard law and counsel, and you shall have grace for your throat and life for your soul ¹¹. What is that law? Certainly a law written for public places [foris] and a law divinely inspired. Of that law he says: Guard law etc.. The Psalm: For Thy testimony is also my meditation and Thy justifications my counsel ¹²; because counsel is made in testaments and in testimonies. In designating this, there is said in Exodus, that when Moses ought to have entered the oracle, he used to enter through he midst of the two cherubim ¹³. He used to go through the middle, because Christ ought to be respected in accord with [habere respectum ad] two Testaments.

12. Second, counsel is regulated according the dictate of divinely inspired reasons. Of this it is said in Tobias: In every season bless the Lord and ask Him, to direct your ways, and that all your counsels remain continually in Him ¹⁴. The Psalm: Reveal to the Lord your way, and He shall grant you the petitions of your heart. Be subject to the Lord ¹⁵ etc.. However much a man have knowledge of the New and Old Testament, it is nevertheless proper, that he consult the Lord; I do not say, that he is to have a special allocution with Him, but that it is proper, that the Lord thoroughly teach the truth to him as a light. -- In this some are reprehended, because they want to rule by their own knowledge [propria scientia]; concerning which ones Isaiah (says): Woe deserting sons! to have made counsel and not from Me, and to have begun a web [ordiremini telam] and not through My spirit ¹⁶. They make spiders' webs who employ [allegant] Sacred Scripture for evil things. (St.) Bernard says: "You will never understand Paul unless you discover [invenias] the spirit of Paul".

13. It is counsel, by which we are instructed according to the dictate of divinely instituted and inspired laws; but because it is difficult for a man to be instructed by himself [per se]; for that reason there is required the third counsel, by which one is regulated according to the dictate of divinely inspired men. Of which (gift) it is written: Let a heart of good counsel stand with you ¹⁷. Conversely of evil counselors [consiliariis] it is written: From a counselor guard your soul ¹⁸. Do not attend to these (men) in every counsel. But with a holy man be persistent [assiduus], whoever you know is observing the fear of God; whose soul is according to your soul ¹⁹. He gives the reason: Because the soul of a holy man sometimes states true things (more) clearly [enuntiat vera], than do seven watchmen [circumspectores], sitting on the height to see ²⁰, and he sees more than you do. -- Let us gather from this, that one counsel consists in this, that a man not put counsel in his own self; but he ought to ask counsel from another. Nor does it only consist in this, nay also, that he knows to discern a counselor and to choose a good one and to flee a bad one.

14. But who is a good counselor? Certainly he, of whom Ecclesiasticus says: There are many peacemakers for you, one in a thousand a counselor ²¹. -- One counselor, that is, Christ, of whom Isaiah says: His Name will be called the Admirable, the Counselor, God, the Strong, Father of the age to come, the Prince of peace ²². He is the Angel of great counsel ²³; that is the One, to whom we ought to attend with a pure heart. Ecclesiasticus says: Before all works let a true word precede you, and before every act a stable counsel ²⁴. -- A true Word, that can neither deceive nor be decieved, is the Only-begotten Son of God, both in His doctrine and in His life. Let that Word and His stable counsel go before you. There is not a stable counsel except from my God: The counsel of the Lord remains for ever ²⁵.

15. That Counselor, that is, Christ, has many counselors, with whom He shares His counsel. Paul said: One will be more blessed, if he remains such continually according to my counsel; moreover I think, that (in this) I also have the spirit of God ²⁶. Whence to the Corinthians: You know the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, since when He was rich, He became needy on our behalf ²⁷. And the Apostle himself says: In this I give counsel, however I do not have a precept ²⁸. (St.) Augustine says in the orginal, that "in as much as Christ was made (so) needy, that he did not have what wolves had, because wolves have dens; however the Son of man does not have where to recline His head ²⁹; hear what is said below [subaudi]: Christ became needy so that we may imitate His poverty". The Master says, that we are to imitate Him in giving alms, in humility, in poverty and in obedience ³⁰.

16. That counsel was confirmed by the Twelve Apostles and by the counsels of the Saints. Whence it is said in Ecclesiastes: The words of wisemen as goads and as nails on high, I have fixed upon; which through the counsel of masters have been given by one shepherd ³¹. If you want the testimony of the Saints concerning those counsels, ask (Sts.) Anthony, Paphnutius and Macarius, who all established the observing of those counsels. Ask the pontiffs Basil, Augustine, Martin and Gregory; all were monks and established the observing of those counsels and observed them. Ask also (St.) Benedict, who was an abbot; ask (St.) Dominic, ask (St.) Francis, who established all those counsels to be observed. From the Lamb there proceeded lamps ³² and they are illuminations to manifest counsels. It is written: God who has been glorified in the counsel of the saints ³³; The Psalm: I will confess to Thee, Lord, in my whole heart, in the counsel of the just and (their) congregation ³⁴. We ought, therefore, to choose a good counselor.

17. It is not sufficient for you to choose a good counselor, unless yourself beware of a evil counselor. Whence it is written: From a evil counselor keep your soul ³⁵; and in Ecclesiasticus: A spirit of evil counsel squanders intelligence ³⁶. Who is that spirit? He who converts great things into nothing, and good things into evil, and certain things into doubts. And why does he squander them? I say, because intelligence is for this, that from doubt one makes progress [processus veniat] into certitude; therefore, when anyone leads into doubt, then he causes intelligence to fall. -- First, I say, an evil counselor is he, who converts great things into nothing, as (are) they who say, that the counsels of God are evil and nothings. Such counselors were the Pharisees and experts in the Law, of whom it is said: The Pharisees and experts in the Law have spurned the counsel of God ³⁷. Would that now there be none such (as this)! -- Someone will say: "Do you praise me, because I follow the counsels and enter the religion of the Friars Minor and/or the (Friar) Preachers"? He says: "It is a contrived order, recently instituted, it has (only) exterior signs". He says further: "It is too little to spurn temporal things; we cannot let go of them. Why ought we to let go of those few goods? What value is barefootedness? Corporal exercising is useful a little bit, piety, however, for all things" ³⁸. -- Most dear ones! however much the Order be contrived and new, nevertheless it is good. And what he says, that corporal exercising is useful a little bit, and too little to let go of temporal goods; I say, that those are the greatest sacrifices. Christ came not on behalf of the small (of heart). It is the greatest thing to live in chastity and poverty. Those are the greatest, highest and noblest sacrifices, and you repute the counsel of God as nothing [pro nihilo], you contemn the counsel of God in yourself and in others. If you do not want to enter religion, do not prohibit another. (St.) Gregory says, that, "So much is let go by those who follow, that it can be desired by those not following". For that reason blessed Peter says: Behold, we have relinquished all things ³⁹. It is the greatest thing that a man reduce [redigat] his body to perpetual servitude ⁴⁰. A holocaust to the marrow ⁴¹ is to place one's own will into the will of another. When I do that for the sake of God, it is worth more than the whole world. Against those who speak against the counsels of God, there is said in Proverbs: I called and you refused; you have despised My every counsel and neglected My rebukings; on this account I will laugh at your destruction ⁴². -- A dog, when it lies on straw and does not want to eat, does not permit, that another eat. Thus those do not want to enter religion nor do they permit others to enter. -- Therefore the first counselor is he, who converts great things into nothing.

18. The other evil counselor is he, who converts good things into evil. The Psalm: Since they have deflected evils upon you, they have thought counsels which could not stabilize; since you put them behind ⁴³ etc.. It is an evil thing, when someone says something, from which the counsel of Christ can be reputed evil; as when someone reproves the counsel of entering holy religion. Stupid, dangerous, pernicious and temarious is, that which Christ called converting good into evil. Of entering religion some say, that one shoe does not fit all feet; but religion imposes one rule upon all. If you say this, you are saying that Christ and the Apostles are stupid. He also says: No one, putting his hand to the plow of God and looking backwards, is fit for the Kingdom of God ⁴⁴; and blessed Peter says: It is better to become acquainted with the way of justice than after acknowledging it to have turned backwards ⁴⁵. -- Dearest ones! I say: if one shoe can be made, according to which any foot can be fitted [informari], that shoe can be made for all. Anyone can fit himself to the rule of religion, because one way it is made for the youth, in another for the elderly, in another for the stong, in another for the weak. Whence (St.) Augustine says: "Let there be distribued to each one of you by your superior [praepositio] food and clothing, not equally to all, because not all equally fare well, but rather to each one, as there is need". Whence in Ecclesiasticus: Put your feet into her chains and your neck into her torque [torques]. And for you her foot gear [compedes] will be as the protection of fortitude and the bases of virtue, and her torque as a stole of glory. For the ornament of life is in her, and in her chains the saving bindings ⁴⁶. -- You will say: "To give purgative medicine, not preparatory, this is foolish". I say, that religion has purgative and preparative medicine, because one has despised himself before being able to be among those being received. -- You say, that "there is danger in false brothers" ⁴⁷. This is not said of religious, but of false brother Christians, not yet religious. -- You will say: "Many fall"; and blessed Peter says: It was better that they did not become acquainted with the way of justice, than after acknowledging it, to have turned backwards ⁴⁸. You ought not to fall with those falling, but stand with those standing.

19. The third evil counselor is he, who reduces [deducit] certain things into doubt. Whence it is said in Ezra, that certain ones came, who were across the stream, and they said to the Jews: Who gave you counsel, to build this house and establish its walls? ⁴⁹ The Jews had the counsels of God and of the Prophets; nevertheless those across the stream came to give counsel, nor [tamen] did they know, what to do in Jerusalem. -- Some do not know, what to do in religion, and nevertheless they want to give counsel and say to one willing to enter: "What do you want to do? Attend to what pleases God [divinum beneplacitum]: It is better to be in the will of God than in the hand of counsel ⁵⁰. -- By this way if you want to wait, for the Lord to reveal (it) to you, and you do not want to do what Holy Scripture and holy men tell you, and what Christ inspires you, you will always be able to be at the crossroad." Of such it is said: A duplicitous man [vir duplex animo] is inconstant in all his ways ⁵¹. A man ought to follow the counsels of the saints, of (St.) Benedict and the others. He ought not to bring forth new counselors, but follow the counsel of Christ, whose life is the certain form of living. If a religious says: "There is no salvation except among us"; he speaks evilly. One ought not to praise as holy, what others reprove. One can stand on behalf of his religion, so that he does not exceed (decency) in the manner of speaking and urging. He who thus follows counsel shall have joy. Whence in Proverbs: Those who go into the counsels of peace, joy follows forever, to which may He thoroughly lead us, who with the Father (and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns ... ).

¹. Prov 31:10.

². Job 28:12-13.

³. Job 28:18.

⁴. Prov 31:13.

⁵. Prov 31:13.

⁶. Prov 8:12.

⁷. 1 Cor 6:12; 10:23.

⁸. Eccli 10:25.

⁹. Judith 10:8.

¹⁰. Ps 19:5.

¹¹. Prov 3:21-22.

¹². Ps 118:24.

¹³. Cf. Ex 25:18-22.

¹⁴. Tob 4:20.

¹⁵. Ps 36:4-7.

¹⁶. Is 30:1.

¹⁷. Eccli 37:17.

¹⁸. Eccli 37:9.

¹⁹. Eccli 37:14-16.

²⁰. Eccli 37:18.

²¹. Eccli 6:6.

²². Is 9:6.

²³. According to the Septuagint: Is 9:5.

²⁴. Eccli 37:20.

²⁵. Ps 32:11.

²⁶. 1 Cor 7:40.

²⁷. 2 Cor 8:9.

²⁸. 1 Cor 7:25; 2 Cor 8:10.

²⁹. Mt 8:10.

³⁰. Cf. Mt 11:29; 19:21; Lc 12:33.

³¹. Eccle 12:11.

³². Cf. Ap 4:5; 5:6.

³³. Ps 88:8.

³⁴. Ps 110:1.

³⁵. Eccli 37:9.

³⁶. Eccli 32:22: "A man of counsel does not squander intelligence" (St. Bonaventure' quote is logically equivalent)

³⁷. Lk 7:30.

³⁸. 1 Tm 4:8.

³⁹. Mt 19:27.

⁴⁰. Cf. 1 Cor 9:27.

⁴¹. Ps 65:15.

⁴². Prov 1:24-26.

⁴³. Ps 20:12-13.

⁴⁴. Lk 9:62.

⁴⁵. 2 Petr 2:21.

⁴⁶. Eccli 6:25.30-31.

⁴⁷. 2 Cor 11:26.

⁴⁸. 2 Pt 2:21.

⁴⁹. 1 Ez 5:3.

⁵⁰. Eccli 15:14.

⁵¹. Jac 1:8.

⁵². Prov 12:20.