Chapter I.
(Verse 1.). He says therefore: Love etc. The Gloss: "Not only do." For the work of justice is not meritorious unless it is done out of love of justice. Gregory: "The branch of good work has no greenness unless it remains in the root of charity." Justice, namely uncreated, which is the rectitude of the divine will; and created, which is the rectitude of the human [will], according to Anselm. Love, I say, justice, that you may be conformed to God, because
"the Lord is just and has loved justice"; likewise, that with spiritual gladness you may be filled, according to that [verse] of the Psalm: "You have loved justice, etc.; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions"; likewise, that you may be made blessed, according to that [verse] of Matthew five: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice."
You who judge the earth: specifically indeed you, prelates, who judge the earth by public judgment: the earth, of the subject people. The Gloss: "To whom the power of judging has been given"; subject, I say, by the merit of sin. For Gregory says: "Where we do not transgress, there we are equals." And therefore he rightly says: the earth, that is, those who love earthly things; not the heavenly, because there is no need: "For the spiritual man judges all things," namely in hope, "and is judged by no one," that is, ought not to be judged, First Corinthians two; but the bestial, according to the Gloss on that [verse] of Genesis one: "Let him rule over the beasts" of the earth, that is, those living bestially.
Likewise, all of you generally, who judge, by private judgment, the earth, of your own body. The Gloss: that is, who "discreetly restrain the body," so that "your service may be rational," Romans twelve.
It should be noted, moreover, that there is found to be a fourfold earth, namely the upper earth, the earth, I say, of the living, of which in the Psalm: "I believe I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living." The lower earth, namely of the dead: Ezekiel thirty-one: "Behold, you have been brought down with the trees of pleasure to the uttermost earth." The outer earth, namely of the dying, namely the present world: Revelation eight: "Woe, woe, woe to those dwelling upon the earth"! that is, in the world. The inner earth, namely of death, that is, the mortal and earthly body: Ecclesiasticus ten: "Why are you proud, O earth and ashes"?
The first earth is not subject to our judgment, because it is not in our power; and therefore it was rightly said to Peter, Matthew sixteen: "Whatever you shall bind upon earth," not upon heaven.
The second has already been judged and cannot repent: John three: "He who does not believe has already been judged."
The third is to be judged by the judgment of justice, according to that [verse] of the Psalm: "Judge rightly, O sons of men."
The fourth is to be judged by the judgment of discerning discipline, according to that passage of Ecclesiasticus 33: "Fodder and a rod and a burden for the donkey: bread and discipline and work for the servant," that is, for the body, which must be compelled to serve the spirit, by the example of blessed Martin, who "compelled his limbs, though weakening with fever, to serve the spirit"; likewise by the example of Paul, who says: "I chastise my body and bring it into subjection," into which subjection, namely, it was in the state of innocence; I bring it back, through the power and works of penance. To the aforesaid servant is owed the sustenance of bread, lest it fail; the rod of discipline, lest it grow wanton; and the occupation of holy work, lest it grow sluggish.
(Vers. 1.). Think, that is, rightly esteem, of the Lord in goodness, that is, well, not badly, as heretics do. Moreover, he admonishes us to think well both by the exterior sense, by piously reading the divine Scriptures, and by the interior sense, by piously understanding them. Whence the Gloss: "Read and understand Scripture piously," piously, namely, by devoutly approving and carrying out what you understand, and not by criticizing and despising what you do not understand. And in simplicity of heart seek him, namely, by directing the whole intention of the heart toward him. Whence the Gloss: "Submit yourselves to his will"; which hypocrites do not do, and therefore they are inconstant, according to that passage of James 1: "A double-minded man is inconstant in all his ways"; and on account of this it is said to them in Ecclesiasticus 2: "Woe to the double heart"! The heart is double when its parts are drawn principally toward diverse things, which is the occasion of spiritual death, according to that passage of Hosea 10: "Their heart is divided, now they shall perish." But the heart is simple when all its parts are drawn toward the one most simple being, namely toward God, according to that passage of Ecclesiasticus 30: "Gather your heart in holiness." In simplicity of heart, that is, in the simple unity of the heart. This unity is produced by faith in the rational power, according to that passage of Ephesians 4: "One Lord, one faith," etc.; by charity in the concupiscible power: 1 Corinthians 6: "He who cleaves to the Lord is one spirit"; by peace in the irascible power: Ephesians 4: "Be careful to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." The first unity prohibits the division of errors in the intellect; the second, of desires in the affections; the third, of schisms in action.
(Vers. 2.). And well did I say: In simplicity, etc. For he is found, through grace in the present life, according to that passage of Song of Songs 3: "I found him whom my soul loves"; by those who do not tempt him, by displaying one thing outwardly while intending another inwardly, as the Scribes and Pharisees tempting Christ; and this he says against hypocrisy and duplicity: Matthew 22: "Why do you tempt me, you hypocrites?"
But He appears, namely in the future through glory: First John 3: "When He shall appear, we shall be like Him"; and Colossians 3: "But when Christ shall appear, your life, then you also shall appear with Him in glory." To those who have faith in Him: he says this against heresy and unbelief. And note that he says: In Him, because it does not suffice to believe Him or to believe that He is, but to believe in Him, which is the act of formed faith, according to Augustine. Or: He is found, on account of the devotion of the affections; He appears, through the contemplation of the intellect: Psalm: "Taste," by affection; "see," by intellect.
It should be noted, however, that according to Gregory, " to tempt is the same as to craftily test": and accordingly it happens that God is tempted in four ways, namely either by unduly wishing to test His power, as those who, tempting Christ, sought a sign from heaven, Matthew 16; or His wisdom, as the Sadducees, proposing to Him a question about the resurrection that was, according to their judgment, insoluble for those who posit the resurrection, Matthew 22; or His justice, as the Pharisees, by asking about the payment of tribute: "We know that You are truthful," etc.; or His mercy, as the Jews, by questioning about the judgment of the woman caught in adultery, John 8. And because every such tempting comes from distrust, and God is in no way to be distrusted, therefore every such tempting is prohibited; whence Deuteronomy 6: "You shall not tempt the Lord your God"; likewise Ecclesiasticus 18: "Do not be like a man who tempts God."
For perverse thoughts etc. Here he touches upon the manifold detriment of those who despise the exhortation to the good of justice, of which the first is exclusion from the fellowship of God: For perverse thoughts: the second, exclusion from the fellowship of wisdom: Because into a malevolent soul: the third, exclusion from the fellowship of the Holy Spirit: For the Holy Spirit. The first pertains to the Father, the second to the Son, the third to the Holy Spirit, whose presence is obtained through the love of justice; whence John 14:
"If anyone loves Me, etc., and We will come to him and make Our abode with him"; but their absence or deprivation, through hatred of justice.
(Verse 3). For perverse thoughts etc. I rightly said that He appears to those who have faith in Him, and not to others; for perverse thoughts, namely by perversity of faith or of morals, separate from God, with respect to the punishment of loss: Second Corinthians 6: "What fellowship has light with darkness?" Proverbs 17: "He who is perverse of heart shall not find good"; likewise Isaiah 59: "Your iniquities have divided," etc.
But proven etc., as if to say: nor does this suffice for punishment; but stands for "however." Proven virtue, that is "true virtue," according to the Gloss, namely divine virtue: corrects, by punishing: Psalm: "O Lord, do not correct me in your anger." The foolish: the Gloss says "that is, all foolishness"; this he says with regard to the punishment of the senses.
(Verse 4). For into a malevolent soul etc. I rightly said that they separate etc., for into a malevolent soul, with respect to spiritual sins, wisdom will not enter, by infusing itself into it: wisdom, I say, "which is from above, which is first indeed pure" etc.; although that wisdom may enter which is from below, "namely earthly, animal, diabolical," James 3. Nor will it dwell, by remaining, in a body subject to sins: this he says with regard to carnal sins, which, although they are of lesser guilt, are nevertheless of greater infamy, as Gregory says.
It is objected that all things desire the good: therefore no soul is malevolent, that is, willing evil.
It must be said that no one wills evil per se, but per accidens, because namely he wills that which is evil, namely an evil action, not insofar as it is evil, but insofar as it is delightful and an apparent good.
Again it is doubted: the body cannot be a dwelling place of wisdom nor the subject of sin or foolishness or grace: therefore it supposes something false when it says: Nor will it dwell etc.
To this it must be said that body there does not refer to the bodily part of man only, but by synecdoche, according to which a part is customarily put for the whole, body is taken here for the whole man, insofar as he follows the passions of the body. Hence the Gloss: "He who is subject to sins is body, not spirit." In such a one wisdom does not dwell: hence the Gloss: "In vain do heretics, Pharisees, and false Christians flatter themselves; for only those pure in heart can receive the wisdom of God."
(Verse 5). And I rightly said that he will not dwell etc. For the Holy Spirit of discipline: Gloss: "Who teaches all discipline," according to that passage of John 16: "He will teach you all truth," namely rational, natural, and moral: Psalm: "Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge." He is called Spirit, insofar as he breathes life: John 6: "It is the Spirit who gives life"; holy, insofar as he purges and renews, according to that passage of the Psalm: "You will send forth your spirit, and they shall be created: and you will renew the face of the earth"; of discipline, insofar as he removes ignorance and bestows wisdom, according to that passage of Isaiah 11: "The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom" etc. He will flee, that is, in the present he will flee far from, the deceitful, that is, the sinner, according to that passage of the Psalm: "Salvation is far from sinners," and especially the hypocrite, who is properly called deceitful: Job 13: "No hypocrite shall come into his sight." And he will withdraw himself from thoughts that are without understanding, that is, from false and erroneous thoughts: for understanding pertains only to true things. He will withdraw himself etc.; behold, the punishment of loss: and he will be reproved etc.: behold, the punishment of sense.
Likewise, it should be noted that he is said to withdraw himself because naturally the commission of fault precedes the withdrawal of grace: for God is first in approaching and last in departing. And although he withdraws himself from them, they will not nevertheless remain unpunished: whence he adds: And he will be reproved etc.: correction is done with words, reproof is done with scourges. He will be reproved, I say, namely the deceitful one in the future, that is, he will be punished, by the supervening iniquity, that is, on account of the supervening iniquity: whence the Gloss: "The deceitful one, when the day of retribution comes, will be punished for his iniquity." Supervening, that is, "oppressing," on account of which it is called supervening, just as one who oppresses comes upon another. — Or: He will be reproved, that is, he will be seized together in soul and body unto punishment.