Chapter IV.

The same argument, namely, that blessedness is not lessened or added to by external matters, is illustrated by the example of men of old.

10. There is, then, a blessedness even in pains and griefs. All which virtue with its sweetness checks and restrains, abounding as it does in natural resources for either soothing conscience or increasing grace. For Moses was blessed in no small degree when, surrounded by the Egyptians and shut in by the sea, he found by his merits a way for himself and the people to go through the waters.365    Ex. xiv. When was he ever braver than at the moment when, surrounded by the greatest dangers, he gave not up the hope of safety, but besought a triumph?

11. What of Aaron? When did he ever think himself more blessed than when he stood between the living and the dead, and by his presence stayed death from passing from the bodies of the dead to the lines of the living?366    Num. xvi. 48. What shall I say of the youth Daniel, who was so wise that, when in the midst of the lions enraged with hunger, he was by no means overcome with terror at the fierceness of the beasts. So free from fear was he, that he could eat, and was not afraid he might by his example excite the animals to feed on him.367    Bel v. 39.

12. There is, then, in pain a virtue that can display the sweetness of a good conscience, and therefore it serves as a proof that pain does not lessen the pleasure of virtue. As, then, there is no loss of blessedness to virtue through pain, so also the pleasures of the body and the enjoyment that benefits give add nothing to it. On this the Apostle says well: “What things to me were gain, those I counted loss for Christ,” and he added: “Wherefore I count all things but loss, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”368    Phil. iii. 7, 8.

13. Moses, too, thought the treasures of Egypt to be his loss, and thus showed forth in his life the reproach of the Cross of the Lord. He was not rich when he had abundance of money, nor was he afterwards poor when he was in want of food, unless, perchance, there is any one who thinks he was less happy when daily food was wanting to him and his people in the wilderness. But yet manna, that is, angels’ food, which surely none will dare deny to be a mark of the greatest good and of blessedness, was given him from heaven; also the daily shower of meat was sufficient to feed the whole multitude.369    Ex. xvi. 13.

14. Bread for food also failed Elijah, that holy man, had he sought for it; but it seemed not to fail him because he sought it not. Thus by the daily service of the ravens bread was brought to him in the morning, meat in the evening.370    1 [3] Kings xvii. 6. Was he any the less blessed because he was poor to himself? Certainly not. Nay, he was the more blessed, for he was rich toward God. It is better to be rich for others than for oneself. He was so, for in the time of famine he asked a widow for food, intending to repay it, so that the barrel of meal failed not for three years and six months, and the oil jar sufficed and served the needy widow for her daily use all that time also.371    1 [3] Kings xvii. 14. Rightly did Peter wish to be there where he saw them. Rightly did they appear in the mount with Christ in glory,372    S. Matt. xvii. 3. for He Himself became poor when He was rich.

15. Riches, then, give no assistance to living a blessed life, a fact that the Lord clearly shows in the Gospel, saying: “Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst now, for they shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now, for ye shall laugh.”373    S. Luke vi. 20, 21. Thus it is stated as plainly as possible that poverty, hunger, and pain, which are considered to be evils, not only are not hindrances to a blessed life, but are actually so many helps toward it.

CAPUT IV.

Idem argumentum, scilicet rebus externis non minui neque augeri beatitudinem, veterum exemplis illustratur.

10. Est ergo beatitudo et in doloribus, quos plena suavitatis virtus comprimit et coercet, ipsa sibi domesticis opibus abundans, vel ad conscientiam, 0106C vel ad gratiam. Neque enim parum beatus Moyses, cum Aegyptiorum vallatus populis, et mari clausus, per fluctus sibi et populo patrum pedestrem viam piis meritis invenisset (Exod. XIV, 13). Quando autem fortior, quam tunc cum extremis circumventus periculis non desperabat salutem, sed exigebat triumphum?

11. Quid Aaron, quando se beatiorem credidit, quam tunc quando medius stetit inter vivos ac mortuos, et objectu sui statuit mortem, ne ad vivorum transiret agmina a cadaveribus mortuorum (Num. XVI, 48)? Quid de puero Daniele loquar, qui tam sapiens erat, ut inter leones fame exasperatos, nulla bestialis saevitiae formidine frangeretur: ita alienus a metu, ut posset epulari, nec vereretur, ne ad pastum 0106D exemplo sui feras provocaret (Dan. XIV)?

12. Est ergo et in dolore virtus, quae sibi bonae suavitatem exhibeat conscientiae; et ideo indicio est, quod non minuat dolor virtutis voluptatem. Sicut ergo nulla virtuti decessio beatitudinis per dolorem, 0107A ita etiam nulla accessio per voluptatem corporis aut commodorum gratiam. De quibus pulchre Apostolus ait: Quae mihi lucra fuerunt, haec duxi propter Christum detrimenta esse (Phil. III, 7, 8). Et addidit: Propter quem omnia damna duxi, et aestimo ut stercora, ut Christum lucrifaciam (Hebr. XI, 26).

13. Denique Moyses damnum suum credidit thesauros esse Aegyptiorum, et opprobrium Dominicae crucis praetulit: nec tunc dives cum abundaret pecunia, nec postea pauper cum egeret alimento; nisi forte tunc alicui minus beatus 74 videretur fuisse, cum in deserto quotidiana alimonia sibi et populo suo deforet. Sed quod summi boni ac beatitudinis nemo negare audeat, manna ei, hoc est, panis Angelorum ministrabatur e coelo: carnis quoque quotidiana 0107B pluvia totius plebis epulis redundabat (Exod. XVI, 13 et seq.).

14. Eliae quoque sancto panis ad victum deerat, si quaereretur (III Reg. XVII, 6): sed non videbatur deesse, quia non quaerebatur. Itaque diurno corvorum obsequio mane panis, caro ad vesperam deferebatur. Numquid ideo minus beatus, quia pauper erat sibi? Minime. Immo eo magis beatus, quia erat Deo dives. Aliis enim quam sibi divitem esse praestat, ut iste erat, qui tempore famis cibum a vidua petebat, largiturus ut hydria farinae per triennium et sex menses non deficeret, et quotidianos usus olei vas viduae inopi sufficeret ac ministraret (Ibid., 14). Merito ibi volebat Petrus esse, ubi istos videbat (Matth. XVII, 4). Merito in monte cum Christo in gloria apparuerunt; 0107C quia et ipse pauper factus est, cum dives esset.

15. Nullum ergo adminiculum praestant divitiae ad vitam beatam. Quod evidenter Dominus in Evangelio demonstravit dicens: Beati pauperes, quoniam vestrum est regnum Dei. Beati qui nunc esuriunt et sitiunt, quia saturabuntur. Beati qui nunc fletis, quia ridebitis (Luc. VI, 20 et seq.). Itaque paupertatem, famem, dolorem, quae putantur mala, non solum impedimento non esse ad vitam beatam, sed etiam adjumento evidentissime pronuntiatum est.