The following translation was produced by Gemini. I have not yet edited it.
"AND TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN SARDIS WRITE"
1. "To the Angel, that is, the chief priest of the Church, namely of the Christians who are in the city of Sardis, write."
"These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God"—that is, Christ, in whom the seven gifts of the Spirit were and are most fully present, and who is the Lord of the seven Spirits, that is, of all angelic spirits, who are designated by the seven spirits (Apoc 1:4), as was said above on the passage: "And from the seven spirits which are before the throne of God"—"and the seven stars," that is, the seven bishops of the Churches of Asia, by whom the bishops and prelates of all Churches are signified, because all are in the hand of the Savior.
"I know your works, that you have the name of being alive, and are dead."
"I know your works" that displease Me. God knows good works by approval, and evil works by simple knowledge and detestation, according to that: "I know your many transgressions" (Amos v 12), and that verse of the Psalm: "The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men, that they are vain" (Ps xciii 11). Nor does what is read in Habacuc hinder this: "Your eyes are too pure, O Lord, to behold evil, and You cannot look on iniquity" (Habac i 13). For this is said not by way of assertion, but by way of inquiry, and is said in a contrary sense.
"That you have the name of being alive," that is, you are esteemed by others to be living through charity and grace, and you have acquired a good reputation through your hypocrisy. Reputation is called a "name," according to that of Ecclesiasticus: "Take care of a good name" (Eccli xli 15), and that of Maccabees: "Let us also make a name for ourselves" (1 Mach v 12).
"And are dead" with the death of sin, of which the Savior says: "Let the dead bury their dead" (Matth viii 22). Indeed, the spiritual life of the soul is charity, which he who sins mortally loses and spiritually dies, and he works no act pleasing to God or meritorious, but is like a foul and fetid corpse before the Most Holy God.
2. "Be watchful, and strengthen the rest, that are ready to die. For I find not your works full before my God."
"Be watchful," that is, diligent in the custody of your heart and of your subjects; and the more you preside over, the more solicitous and active you should be. For a prelate ought utterly to cast away all sluggishness and work out his own salvation and that of his flock "with fear and trembling" (Philipp ii 12). Hence, concerning unworthy pastors, it is said: "His watchmen are all blind, seeing vain things and sleeping" (Is lvi 10). From this, the Apostle warns the Romans: "He that rules, let him do it with carefulness" (Rom xii 8).
"And strengthen the rest, that are ready to die," that is, exercise your small works, which are good in nature, with greater purity, so that they may be born of charity and proven to be meritorious, which otherwise will profit you nothing for salvation. Or, "Strengthen the rest, that are ready to die," that is, raise up the weak or imperfect of your flock to virtues by praying, teaching, and exemplary conduct, just as the Savior said to Peter: "You, being once converted, confirm your brethren" (Luc xxii 32). The flock, indeed, quickly slips into vices and will soon suffer the death of guilt unless it is helped, informed, and guided by the prelate, according to what the Lord says through the Prophet: "My sheep were scattered, because there was no shepherd" (Ezech xxxiv 5).
"For I find not your works full," that is, truly virtuous, "before my God," according to what I am as man. For he who acts rightly with a vain intention is empty in mind, exhausted of sin, truly most poor. Such are those who seek to please men, who assume the appearance rather than the existence of sanctity, and who, though they may seem something before men, cannot deceive God. Hence, the lamps of the foolish virgins are extinguished (Matth xxv). And as Ambrose testifies, the life of the just has fullness, but the days of the wicked are empty.
3. "Have in mind therefore in what manner you have received and heard; and observe, and do penance."
"Have in mind therefore," that is, diligently consider in what manner you have received the grace of God in Baptism, then the priesthood and the rank of bishop, and heard from Me and other Saints those things which pertain to a bishop and the remaining teachings, precepts, and counsels of the evangelical law, and observe all these things by recalling them from memory and effectively following through on them. Hence, Paul admonishes Timothy: "Do not neglect the grace that is in you, which was given to you by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery" (1 Tim iv 14), and again: "Be strong in the grace... and the things which you have heard from me by many witnesses, the same commit to faithful men" (II Tim ii 1-2). "And do penance" for the good things omitted and the evils committed.
"If then you will not watch, I will come to you as a thief, and you shalt not know what hour I will come to you."
"If then you will not watch," that is, unless you shall diligently execute your office and direct your eyes to consider your own defects and those of your subjects, "I will come to you" through the effect of My power and the vindication of My justice "as a thief," that is, suddenly, according to that of the Apostle: "The day of the Lord shall so come as a thief in the night" (1 Thess v 3), and "you shall not know the hour I will come to you," except when you begin to experience it. For the hour of death is uncertain. Therefore, Christ exhorts: "Watch ye therefore, because you know not when the lord of the house comes: at evening, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch" (Marc xiii 35, 37, 33).
Finally, he sleeps bodily who keeps the eyes of the flesh closed, neither uses reason nor does anything with attention; so too, he sleeps spiritually and miserably who does not open the eyes of his mind to the things of God and his own salvation, who does not follow reason which urges him to the best things, and who works nothing meritorious.
4. "But you have a few names in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments: and they shall walk with me in white, because they are worthy."
"But you have a few names in Sardis," that is, some faithful people in your Church, "which have not defiled their garments," that is, they have kept the garment of innocence conferred in Baptism undistained, by not sinning mortally afterward and by making satisfaction daily for venial sins; moreover, they have grown in the splendor of grace and virtues.
The garments of the soul are also the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit, with which the mind is adorned and is fortified against the cold of vices and the heat of concupiscences and temptations. Hence, charity is called the nuptial garment. And of the Spouse, it is sung: "I saw the beautiful one, whose odor was inestimable in her garments" (Cant iv 12). The soul glorifies itself, saying: "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, for He has clothed me with the garment of salvation, and with the raiment of justice He has covered me" (Is lxi 10). He who does not fall into mortal sin, and cleanses himself every hour from venial sins by frequently raising his mind to God and by constantly applying himself to good works, does not defile these garments.
Again, garments are works. Hence, the Apostle says, having cast away the works of darkness: "I have put off my tunic, how shall I put it on?" (Rom xiii 12, Cant v 3). Therefore, he who strives to serve God in purity, giving no offense to anyone as far as he can, does not defile his garments. To this, the Apostle exhorts the Philippians: "That your charity may more and more abound... that you may be sincere and without offense" (Philipp i 9-10).
But how can anyone keep these garments undefiled when the Prophet complains, saying: "We are all become as one unclean, and all our justices as the rag of a menstruous woman" (Is lxiv 6)?
It must be answered that this is said in comparison to the divine light and purity. For thus, even the heavens are not pure (Job xv 15). Hence, in the Book of Job it is said: "Shall man be justified compared to God?" (Job ix 2), and again: "What is man that he should be immaculate and appear just, being born of a woman?" (Job xv 14). Nevertheless, the Psalmist says: "Keep my soul, for I am holy" (Ps lxxxv 2). And the Apostle says: "I am not conscious to myself of any thing" (1 Cor iv 4).
Therefore, it must be noted that a person is said to have not defiled the aforementioned garments in two ways:
First, when after the first justification or infusion of grace, he never sinned mortally, which applies to very few.
Second, when he is actually in charity and grace, striving to serve God in sanctity and justice all his days (Luc i 74), which is certain to apply to all truly penitent and progressing individuals.
"And they shall walk with me in white," that is, they shall be with Me in the heavenly kingdom, clothed with the stole of glory and immortality; "in white," also, that is, in glorified and most splendid bodies, with the gifts of glory. Also, in the Church Militant, "they shall walk with me," that is, before Me, and following My footsteps. For he who says he abides in Christ ought to walk as Christ walked (1 Joann ii 6). Thus, Scripture commends David that he walked before the Lord (III Reg viii 25, II Par xx 17). And it is said to Abraham: "Walk before me, and be perfect" (Gen xvii 1).
"In white," that is, in the garments of innocence, if they have not lost their baptismal grace, or in good works, according to Berengandus. Hence, as Haymo asserts, not only those who have remained in innocence, but also those who have risen through penance—that is, all the elect—shall walk with Christ in white, who says: "Father, I will that where I am, they also whom You have given me may be with me, that they may see my glory" (Joann xvii 24).
"Because they are worthy." From this, it seems to follow that someone merits eternal life of condignity (de condigno), although the Apostle says: "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come" (Rom viii 18), and the Savior says: "When you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which we ought to do" (Luc xvii 10).
But it must be said that man existing in charity merits eternal life of condignity in so far as the Holy Spirit moves and excites charity to act, not in so far as the work proceeds or the passion is accepted by free will, even with the habit of charity attached. This is the response of St. Thomas.
5. "He that shall overcome, the same shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."
"He that shall overcome" the vanities of the world, the desires of the flesh, and the suggestions of the devil, "the same shall be clothed in white garments," that is, he shall be adorned with the aforementioned good gifts of grace and glory.
"And I will not blot out his name out of the book of life." This says less and signifies more, so that the meaning is: I will show him to be written in the book of life.
Here it must be asked how anyone is said to be blotted out of the book of life.
It must be answered that the Book of Life in God is the inscription of the elect, a tenacious memory, or firm knowledge in the divine mind, which book is Predestination itself.
Therefore, according to Thomas, someone is said to be written in the Book of Life in two ways:
First, according to the ordination of predestination, as those whom God has decreed to save; and in this way, no one is blotted out.
Second, according to the effect of predestination, namely, charity and grace, which he who has is worthy of eternal life, and is therefore said to be written in the Book of Life; and when he loses it by sinning, he is blotted out according to this respect, namely, as to the effect of the divine predestination.
This is equivalent to what others say: a person is written in the Book of Life first by eternal foreknowledge, and in this way, one who is written is never blotted out, just as God's foreknowledge is not mistaken. Because of this it is written: "Every one that is written in life, in Jerusalem, shall be called holy" (Is iv 3). Second, by present justice, and in this way one can be blotted out. Hence, when Moses said to the Lord: "Either forgive this people their sin, or strike me out of the book that you have written" (Exod xxxii 31-32), the Lord immediately replied: "He that has sinned against me, I will strike him out of my book" (Exod xxxii 33).
Moreover, he who is written in the Book of Life in the first way is said to be simply written; he who is written in the second way is said to be written in a certain respect (secundum quid). Therefore, speaking absolutely, no one is properly blotted out of the Book of Life, just as no one who is predestined is damned.
5. (Continuation) "And I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."
"And I will confess his name," that is, in the hour of His particular and universal judgment, I will testify that he belongs to Me before My Father and before His angels. This confession is a singular honor, for the sake of which all earthly honor should be scorned.
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches."
This admonition is sometimes placed before the divine promise, and sometimes placed after it, to indicate that we ought to diligently listen to the words of God and the divine promises, whether we are forewarned to do so or not.
6. "And to the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia write."
Consequently, the word is directed to the prelate of the Church of Philadelphia.
"And to the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia," that is, the bishop of the Christian congregation dwelling in this city, "write."
"These things saith the Holy and the True," that is, Christ, who according to His Divine Nature is essentially holy and true, and according to His assumed nature is also holier than all, and true in words and works, who testifies: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (John xiv 6), of whom it is said in Daniel: "The Holy of Holies shall be anointed" (Dan ix 24).
"He that hath the key of David." A key is that by which hidden things are unlocked, and closed things are opened, and a door is revealed. Thus, this key of David which Christ has is His illuminating power or wisdom, through which He opens to us the mysteries of the Scriptures, just as He "opened the understanding of the Apostles, that they might understand the Scriptures" (Luc xxiv 45).
Through this power, He also opens to us David himself, or the Book of Psalms, in which, according to the divine Dionysius, is contained whatever is in the Scriptures. Hence, this key is called the key of David, who prophesied about Christ more than others, and whose psalms Christ elucidated.
Nevertheless, according to Berengandus and Haymo, the key of David is understood as the Humanity of Christ assumed from the seed of David (Rom i 3), through which all things are unlocked, both what David spoke about God and what God spoke to David; and through which the gate of the heavenly kingdom is made manifest and the whole Church is enlightened.
"He that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens."
"He that opens," that is, infuses knowledge of the Scriptures into the mind, makes hearts receptive to grace, charity, and faith; "and no man shuts" against him to whom Christ thus opens, because no one can prohibit or impede Christ's operation directly, and when Christ does not will it. However, the devil and wicked men sometimes instrumentally turn the illuminated toward the darkness of falsehood and vices, just as the Savior says in the Gospel: "The devil comes, and takes the word of God out of their heart, lest believing they should be saved" (Luc viii 12). And again: "Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, who shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter" (Matth xxiii 13), namely, as much as lies in you.
"And shuts," that is, He withdraws grace, He does not infuse salutary understanding of the Scriptures into the proud and the reprobate, "and no man opens" these great goods to them. He certainly closed to the Jews and opened to the Gentiles, as He speaks in the Gospel: "For judgment I am come into this world; that they who see not may see, and they who see may be made blind" (Joann ix 39). These words, however, are written in Isaiah concerning Eliakim, according to his figure of Christ (Is xxii 22), when it is said: "I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder: and he shall open, and none shall shut, etc."
8. "I know thy works. Behold, I have given before thee an open door, which no man can shut."
"I know thy works" by approval.
"Behold, I have given before thee an open door," that is, I have made manifest to you the entrance to the understanding of the Scriptures by illuminating your mind with the brightness of saving knowledge, "which no man can shut" against you, since I, who am powerful to preserve you in the given knowledge of divine things, have opened it. This door is indeed the infused clarification of the soul by which one understands the Scriptures.
Finally, besides this door, Scripture speaks of a manifold door. For preaching is a door, according to that of Paul: "A great and evident door is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries" (1 Cor xvi 9). Faith is also called a door, as in the Acts: "They related what God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles" (Act xiv 26). Moreover, the preparation of the heart for the things of God is called a door, as the Psalmist says.
"Because thou hast a little strength." This is explained in many ways. Some understand by a "little strength" the humility by which a man is made fit to receive divine illumination, according to that: "The declaration of Your words gives light, and gives understanding to little ones" (Ps cxix 130). Others say that he is reported to have little strength because he did not have the power or grace to work miracles, as bishops commonly had then; therefore, God recompensed what was lacking in that grace with understanding of the Scriptures.
Berengandus seems to clarify this more subtly by saying: It seems to me that this Angel of the Church of Philadelphia was not sufficiently learned in the divine Scriptures. And therefore, He said that he had little strength to convince the enemies of the faith.
It can also be accepted in this way: "Thou hast a little strength," that is, your natural and proper virtue and knowledge are not sufficient for you; therefore, I grant you the aid of grace.
"And hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." That is, you have obeyed My words, and "hast not denied my name," that is, Me myself, but you have freely professed yourself a Christian and Me to be the Son of God.
9. "Behold, I will give of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie. Behold, I will make them to come and adore before thy feet. And they shall know that I have loved thee."
"Behold, I will give to thee of the synagogue of Satan," that is, I will convert some of the unbelieving Jews through your preaching and subject them to you, "who say they are Jews" truly and properly according to the property of the name and the imitation of their fathers' virtues. For Jews are so called as if "confessing," and these, before they received the faith of Christ, boasted that they faithfully worshipped and confessed God and followed the faith and works of their fathers, which was not so.
Therefore, it is added: "And are not this way Jews, but do lie," because they are Jews only according to the flesh. Christians, however, spiritually circumcised, are called Jews according to spiritual property and virtue, by confessing Christ who arose from the seed of Judah. Wherefore the Apostle says: "For he is not a Jew, who is so outwardly; nor is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew, who is one inwardly; and the circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter" (Rom ii 28-29). And again: "They who are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham" (Galat iii 7).
"Behold, I will make them to come and adore before thy feet," that is, they shall humbly subject themselves to you after receiving the faith, and shall honor you as a father, venerating God with the worship of latria and you with the worship of dulia.
"And they shall know that I have loved thee," whom I have advanced to such an abundance of sanctifying grace and gratuitous grace, whom I have so illuminated, ordained as bishop, and appointed as the teacher of others. For since to love is to will good to someone, God loves those whom He has pre-ordained to the goods of grace and the gifts of glory.
10. "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole world to try them that dwell upon the earth."
"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience," that is, My teaching by which I commanded and taught patience, and which I demonstrated by work.
"I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole world to try them that dwell upon the earth."
By this hour of temptation, some understand the time of persecution of the Church by the Antichrist, who will persecute Christians everywhere; others, the day of judgment. But it is more literal to refer it to the time of this bishop and to take it as the persecution of Christians by the Romans and their satellites. Indeed, when John wrote these things, they began to persecute the Church generally, and some after them persecuted it more severely.
Therefore, this bishop is promised that he will be preserved through the virtue and grace of the Holy Spirit amidst the most severe tribulations that are pressing, not that he will not suffer adversities, but that he will not be overcome by them, nor "led into temptation," that is, he will not be overwhelmed by temptations and consent to them. Hence, as Haymo asserts, temptation is here taken for the lapse of deception.
Nevertheless, any persecution or tribulation can be called a temptation, because through it, man is examined and what kind of person he is is known. For thus God tests the elect (Sap iii 5), because through adversity and difficulty, He receives experience, proof, or evidence of their perfection, not so that He Himself may know, but that it may be revealed to others for edification. For thus it is read that God "tempted Abraham" (Gen xxii 1). Moses also speaks to the people of Israel: "You shall remember all the way through which the Lord your God has brought you... to afflict you and to prove you, and that the things that were in your heart might be made known, whether you would keep His commandments or not" (Deut viii 2). Hence, in the Book of Wisdom, it is said: "God proved them, and found them worthy of Himself" (Sap iii 5).
Furthermore, from the fact that the Lord says: "Because thou hast kept my word, I will make them to come and adore before thy feet," it is elicited that, when a man has preserved humility and patience toward his adversaries, they are reconciled to him, as is written: "When the ways of man shall please the Lord, He will convert even his enemies to peace" (Prov xvi 7).
11. "Behold, I come quickly. Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."
"Behold, I come quickly," by translating you from the way to the homeland, from tribulation to glory, from merit to reward. By this word, He infuses consolation and excites to patience.
"Hold fast that which thou hast," that is, persevere in the gifts of grace, "that no man take thy crown," that is, lest you be deprived of the prepared reward through your own fault and another be substituted in your place. For since the number of the saved is certain, if one just person should fall and perish, another will succeed to his rank or place.
However, although neither the predestined could be deprived of the crown nor the foreknown attain it in the composite sense (i.e., ut talis, as such, and in comparison to God's providence), yet both retain free will; and in the divided sense (in sensu diviso), the former can be damned and the latter saved.
12. "He that shall overcome, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God; and he shall go out no more; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and my new name."
"He that shall overcome," that is, shall scorn sins and not grant consent to anything unlawful, "I will make him a pillar," that is, strong, fixed, and eminent "in my temple," that is, in the Church, so that he can bear the infirmity of others and teach the simpler ones. Hence, by the pillar are signified the perfect, and preachers, and prelates, whose role is to bear up and strengthen others through charity. Thus, Paul calls Peter, James, and John "pillars" (Galat ii 9).
"And he shall go out no more," by receding from ecclesiastical unity and individual charity; rather, he will persevere in holy works until the end, with My help.
And "I will write upon him the name of my God," that is, I will cause him to be called the Son of God, since virtuous men are called gods (Ps lxxxi 6). The name of my God is to be eternal being, which is written upon the victors when eternity is communicated to them, so that they dwell with the Lord without end.
"And the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem," that is, I will impress upon him the name of the Church Militant, so that he will be asserted as Catholic or ecclesiastical and faithful in all things. For the Church is the new city of God through grace, which is called Jerusalem because the beginning of the vision of peace and the contemplation of heavenly rest is in it. "Which cometh down out of heaven from my God," that is, from the supernal regions and from the Holy Spirit, it is regenerated, ordered, and governed. For "Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights" (Jacob i 17). Nevertheless, the Church ascends to heaven by aspiring to the goods of glory. Christ speaks this as man, saying: "From my God."
"And my new name" I will write upon him, so that he may be called a Christian from Me, Christ. For the Son of God began to be called Christ in time.
But because some of the faithful who seemed to be pillars in the Church fell, and went out through false doctrine (one of whom Berengandus says was Origen), this passage is here explained concerning the reward and the Church Triumphant, so that the meaning is: "He that shall overcome, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God," that is, he will be placed with the firmest stability in the heavenly kingdom, "and he shall go out no more," meaning he will not lose that beatitude.
13. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches."
14. "And to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea write."
Subsequently, the word is directed to the prelate of the Church of Laodicea.
"These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness," that is, Christ, who is the True and the Truth, and the Witness of God the Father (Joann viii 25) and of human actions. Amen is sometimes taken nominally, as here, and then it signifies True; thus it applies to Christ, who is Himself the First, the Highest, and the exemplary True. Sometimes it is taken adverbially, and then it signifies Truly.
"Who is the beginning of the creation of God," that is, the Creator of all things, through whom the Father made all things, according to that: "All things were made by him" (Ibid i 3). Because of this, He says to the Jews: "I am the beginning, who also speak to you" (Ibid viii 25). Or, "The Beginning of the creation of God," that is, the first among created things in dignity and grace, according to the assumed nature, as was said more fully above (In Apoc i 5).
15. "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou wert cold or hot."
"I know thy works" by simple knowledge, because "thou art neither cold" through infidelity "nor hot" through infused charity.
"I would thou wert cold or hot," that is, in one of the extremes: namely, totally without the knowledge of God and with simulated justice, or fervent with love. For then your sin would be less, because a servant who knows the will of his master and does not fulfill it sins more grievously (Luc xii 47). You would also more easily turn to the fervor of love then, because upon hearing the word of God, you would perceive yourself to be an open sinner and would not consider yourself anything but would accuse yourself.
16. "But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth."
"But because thou art lukewarm," that is, lazy, sluggish, and negligent, having an unformed faith and judging yourself to be something, and "neither cold, nor hot," "I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth," that is, I will reprove you by My sentence, separate you from the number of the faithful, and depose you from your office.
The faithful and fervent are incorporated into Christ, from whom they are rejected when they fall into mortal sin. Just as lukewarm water is quickly vomited up as generating nausea, so too these lukewarm individuals are especially detestable and ungrateful to God. And we see clearly that those who are openly vicious, so that they do not think they have done or are doing any good, are more easily converted than the lukewarm or those who want to adhere to, please, and serve God and the world partly. Finally, lukewarm in this place is not taken as a middle ground, participating somewhat in the heat of charity, for in that case, it is better to be lukewarm than cold.
17. "Because thou sayest: I am rich, and made wealthy, and have need of nothing: and knowest not, that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."
"Because thou sayest" in mental or vocal words "that I am rich" through virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, "and made wealthy" through abundant meritorious works, "and have need of nothing," that is, greater progress or grace or the prayer or teaching of others is not necessary for my salvation.
"And knowest not," that is, you do not pay attention, or you do not want to know, and thus you have affected ignorance, which is inexcusable, concerning which it is reported in the Psalm: "He would not understand, that he might do well" (Ps xxxv 4).
Because "thou art wretched" through fault, according to that: "Justice exalts a nation; but sin makes nations miserable" (Prov xiv 34), "and miserable" to others because of the punishment impending and due to you, "and poor," that is, stripped of the gifts of grace, "and blind," lacking wisdom and blinded by vices, "and naked" of good works and virtuous habits.
18. "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be made rich; and white garments, that thou mayest be clothed; and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear; and anoint thy eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see."
"I counsel thee to buy of me," the most opulent source of all goods, "gold tried in the fire," that is, fervent charity, divinely commended, exercised by adversities, true, not fictitious, approved by all truly wise men. This charity so excels among the other virtues, is red, shines, and perfectly adorns the chamber of the mind, just as gold is the most excellent among metals and decorates a bodily structure.
Charity and grace are asserted to be bought, not that one existing in mortal sin merits them of condignity (de condigno), but in some way of congruity (de congruo) when he enables and disposes himself for them, doing what is in him. For thus the Apostle says: "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Rom v 20, Rom xi 6).
Again, by gold is understood wisdom, especially that which is the first among the gifts (Is xi 2), which is the savoring and affective knowledge of divine things. Therefore, it is called "ignited and tried" because it establishes those who possess it as loving and acceptable to God. Hence, Solomon says: "A desirable treasure is in the mouth of the wise" (Cf. Prov xxi 20).
But how is charity or wisdom bought, when holy Job testifies: "It shall not be given for fine gold, and man knows not the price thereof" (Job xxviii 15, 13)? But also Solomon says: "Wisdom is more precious than all riches, and all things that are desired are not to be compared to it" (Prov iii 15).
To which the prophetic word responds: "All you that thirst, come to the waters: and you that have no money, make haste, buy, and eat: come buy wine and milk without money, and without any exchange" (Is lv 1). Therefore, it is not bought with a temporal thing, but with good works, continuous prayers, acts of mercy, studies of penance, contempt of all earthly things, and finally with the dearest coin, namely, of oneself, or the spontaneous denial of one's own will, and voluntary poverty. Hence Christ speaks: "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and come follow me" (Matth xix 21).
CONTINUE.
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