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MYSTICAL CITY OF GOD
BOOK 1
CHAPTER 5.
INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING HOLY SCRIPTURES, AND IN PARTICULAR CONCERNING CHAPTER EIGHT OF
THE PROVERBS, IN CONFIRMATION OF THE PRECEDING PAGES.
52. I will converse, O Lord, with Thy great Majesty, since Thou art the God of mercies,
though I am only dust and ashes (Gen. 18, 17), and I will supplicate thy incomprehensible
Immensity to look from thy exalted throne upon me, thy most vile and useless creature,
and to be propitious to me by continuing to enlighten my understanding. Speak, O Lord,
for thy servant heareth (I Reg. 3, 10). Then the Most High, the Corrector of the wise,
spoke to me (Sap. 7, 15). He referred me to the eighth chapter of the Proverbs and gave
me the understanding of its mysteries. First was given me the literal wording of the chapter,
which is as follows (Prov. 8, 22): 53. Verse 22. "The Lord possessed me in the
beginning of his ways before He made anything from the beginning."
23. "I was set up from eternity and of old, before the earth was made."
24. "The depths were not as yet and I was already conceived: neither had the fountains
of waters as yet sprung out." 25. "The mountains with their huge bulk had
not as yet been established: before the hills I was brought forth."
26. "He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles of the earth."
27. "When He prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law and compass He enclosed
the depths." 28. "When He established the sky above and
poised the fountains of the waters." 29. "When He compassed the sea with its bounds,
and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when He balanced the
foundations of the earth." 30. "I was with Him forming all things: and
was delighted every day, playing before Him all the times."
31. "Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men."
54. This is the portion of the Proverbs, of which the Most High gave me an understanding.
I understood at first, that it treats of the ideas or decrees, which were in the Divine
Mind before the Creation of the world; and that, in its literal sense, it speaks of the
Person of the Incarnate Word and of his most holy Mother, while in its mystical sense it
refers to the holy angels and prophets. For before decreeing or forming the ideals' of
the rest of the material creation, He formed and decreed their prototype, the most sacred
humanity of Christ and of his purest Mother, and this is indicated by the first words.
55. "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways." In God there are no ways, and
his Divinity does not need them: but He made use of them, in order, that by them we may
know Him and that all of us creatures, who are capable of knowing Him, may tend toward
Him. In this beginning, before He formed any other ideal in his mind, because He desired
to create paths and open ways in his mind for the communication of the Divinity, He
decreed, as a beginning, the formation of the humanity of the Word, who was to be the
highway, by which the other creatures might come to the Father (Joan. 14, 6). Joined with
this decree was that of his most holy Mother, through whom his Divinity was to enter into
the world, becoming man and being born from Her as God and man; therefore it is said:
"God possessed me" since both were possessed by his Majesty: for as to his Divinity, He
was the possession, the property, and the treasure of the Father without possibility
of separation, because Father and Son are One, of the same substance and Divinity with
the Holy Ghost; and also as to his humanity, the Father possessed the Son; because He himself
knew and decreed the plenitude of grace and glory, which He was to bestow upon it at the
moment of its creation and its hypostatical union. Moreover, as this decree and possession
was to be brought about by the mediation of the Mother, who was to conceive and bring
forth the Word (since He did not decide to create it out of nothing, nor form his soul
and body out of any other material), it followed that He possessed Her, who was to give Him
the human form. Thus He possessed and claimed Her as his own in the same instant, providing
with solicitude, that in the order of grace neither the human race nor any other, should
have at any time a right or a part in Her. He alone retained the full right in Her as
his portion, and so much his portion as the dignity of Mother required. She alone was
to call Him Son, and She alone was to be called Mother, a Mother worthy of having an incarnate
God for a Son. Now as all this far surpassed in dignity the whole creation, so did it also
take the precedence in the mind of the supreme Creator. Hence He says:
56. "Before He made anything from the beginning, I was set up from eternity and of old." We,
in our present state, conceive this eternity of God as an interminable time. But what were
the things "of old," since none had been created? It is clear that the three Persons are here
spoken of, namely, that She was foreseen from the eternal ages of the Divinity, by the Beings,
which alone are ancient, namely, the indivisible Trinity (since all the rest, having a beginning,
are recent), that She was foreseen when only the ancient Uncreated was, and before any
ideals of the future creation were formed. Between these two extremes intervened the
ideal of the hypostatic union which was to be verified ad extra through the intervention
of most holy Mary. Both were ordained together, immediately next to God and before any other
creature, and it was the most wonderful decree ever passed or ever to be passed. The first
and most admirable image in the mind of God, next to the eternal generation, was that of
Christ and next to it, that of his Mother. 57. And what other order could there be in
God, in whom all that pertains to Him is present at one and the same time, so that no part
of His being must await the perfection of another, or one perfection ever need succeed
upon others? All is well ordered in his eternal nature, and so it was and will be forever.
The new ordainment, however, was that the person of the Son should become incarnate
and that from his deified humanity should begin the order of God's desires and of his
decrees ad extra. He was to be the Head and Ideal of all other men and creatures; for
this was the most appropriate order and harmony to be instituted among creatures, that they
have One, who is the first and the highest, and that from Him should descend the order
of all nature, and In a special manner, of the mortals. First among them all, however,
was the Mother of the ManGod, as the Supreme among mere creatures, following immediately
upon Christ, and, through Him, upon the Divinity. Thus the conduits, which led the crystalline
fountains of the Divinity from the eternal throne, meet first in the humanity of the
Word and immediately thereafter in his holy Mother in the degree and in the manner, as
it was possible for a mere creature, and as it was proper for the Mother of the Creator.
It was equitable, that all the divine attributes should exert themselves in Her, without reserve,
so far as She was capable; and that She be inferior only to Christ our Lord. She was
to be superior in the degree of his incomparable graces to all the rest of the creatures, that
are deserving of graces and gifts. This then was the order, so well instituted by the eternal
wisdom: that all was to commence with Christ and his Mother. Therefore the text adds:
58. "Before the earth was made; and the depths were not as yet and I was already conceived."
This earth was that of the first Adam; for before his creation was decreed, and before
the abysses of the ideas ad extra were formed in the divine mind, the likenesses of Christ
and of his Mother were already conceived. The forms are called abysses, because there
is an infinite distance between the being of God and that of creatures. This distance
was measured (speaking according to our own way of understanding), when the ideals of
the creatures were formed; for then these very abysses were formed. Not only was the
Word conceived before all these by eternal generation from the Father, but His temporal
generation from the *** Mother full of grace, had already been decreed and conceived
in the divine mind. Inasmuch as no efficacious and complete decree of this temporal generation
could exist without at the same time including his Mother, and such a Mother, the most holy
Mary, was then and there conceived within that beautiful Immensity, and Her eternal
record was written in the *** of the Divinity, in order that for all the ages it should never
be blotted out. She was stamped and delineated in the mind of the eternal Artificer and possessed
the inseparable embraces of his love. 59. "Neither had the fountains of waters as
yet sprung out." The images and ideals of creatures had not yet sprung from their source
and origin; for they had not yet broken from the fountains through the channels of God's
goodness and mercy, through which the divine will was to be moved to create the universe
and to communicate his divine attributes and perfections. In respect to the entire rest
of the universe, these waters and fountains were still repressed and detained within the
bounds of the immense ocean of the Divinity; in his own Being there were as yet no founts
or currents for outward manifestation, not having until then met their proper object,
namely, men. But when these were encountered, the sacred humanity of Christ and his ***
Mother had already furnished proper objects of benevolence. And therefore it is added:
60. "The mountains with their huge bulk had not been established," for God had not as
yet then decreed the creation of the high mountains, the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles
and Martyrs or the other saints of great holiness, and this was not yet exerting its full weight
and force in the mighty and sweet manner (Sap. 8, 1) in which God executes his counsels and
great works. And not only before the mountains (which are the great saints) but also "before
the hills I was brought forth," which are the orders of the holy angels. Before them
the divine Mind had conceived the most holy Humanity united hypostatically with the divine
Word, and the Mother, who bore it. The Son and the Mother were conceived before the hierarchies
of the angelic hosts, so, that, what David said in the eighth psalm, becomes intelligible:
"What is man that Thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that Thou visitest him?
Thou hast made him a little lesser than the Angels, Thou hast crowned him with glory and
honor! Thou has set him over the works of thy hands; Thou hast subjected all things
under his feet." Let all understand and know, that there is a Godman, who is above all angels
and men, and that all are his inferiors and his servants, for being the first of men,
He is God at the same time. He is the first in the divine Mind and in the divine Will,
and with Him is associated and inseparably connected, one Woman and ***, his Mother,
the exalted Queen of all creation. 61. And if man, as says the same psalm, was
crowned with glory and was constituted above all the works of the hand of the Lord, it
was because the Godman, his Chief, had merited both this crown, and also that, which is borne
by the angels. The same psalm adds, that, after having made man a little less than the
angels, He placed him over the works of his hands: yet these very angels were works of
his hands. Thus David spoke to the whole human race, when he said: God made man a little
less than the angels; but although man was inferior in his nature, one Man is found who
is of superior make and is set over these same angels, who were works of the hand of
God. This superiority is in the order of grace, not only as far as His Divinity united to
the humanity is concerned, but also in regard to the humanity itself in so far as grace
was conferred by the hypostatic union. In a proportionate degree his most holy Mother
likewise attained this superiority, just as some saints in virtue of the same incarnate
Lord can reach a station and throne superior to that of the angels.
62. It is further said: "I was brought forth" or born, which means more than being conceived;
for the latter refers to the divine intellect of the Blessed Trinity at the instant, when
the Incarnation was known and, as it were, weighed in regard to its propriety. But to
be brought forth refers to the act of the divine Will, which determined upon this work,
for the most holy Trinity, in its divine councils, resolved upon the efficacious execution of
this work by determining, and preliminarily putting into effect, the wonderful decree
of the hypostatic union and of calling into being Mary most holy. That is the reason for
using first the word "conceived" and then the words "brought forth," or born; for in
reality the work was at first conceived and then immediately afterwards determined upon
and willed. 63. "He had not yet made the earth, nor the
rivers, nor the poles of the (earth) world." Before the creation of the second earth, namely,
the earthly paradise (the sense in which the earth is mentioned a second time), into which
the first man, after he had been created from the first earth of the Damascene plains, was
placed, and where he sinned, the sacred humanity of the Word and the material from which it
was to spring, namely the ***, was determined upon. For it was necessary, that God should
provide beforehand against her participating in sin and against her being in any way subject
to it. The rivers and poles of the earth are the militant Church and the gifts of grace
which were to flow from the sources of the Divinity. These were to flow toward all men
and with efficacy to the saints and the foreknown. Fixed in God as in their pole or pivot and
being dependent upon Him they nevertheless move around Him in seeking after the virtues
of faith, hope and charity, through which they sustain, vivify and direct themselves
though yet entangled in human conversation. They are drawn toward their last end and toward
the highest good, without swerving from the center about which they turn. Also the Sacraments
and the institutions of the Church are here signified, her safety and stability, her beauty
and sanctity without blot or wrinkle (Eph, 5, 27), for this is what is meant by this
circumference and these rivers. Before the Most High prepared all this and ordained this
mystical sphere and system, of which Christ was to be the center and head, He decreed
the union of the Word with human nature, and foresaw his Mother, through whom He was to
execute these wonders in the world. 64. "When he prepared the heavens, I was there."
When He prepared and preordained the heaven and the reward, which was to be given to the
just sons of the Church after their sojourn upon the earth, then already was decreed the
union of the humanity with the Word, thereby meriting grace as their Head; and with Him
his Mother most holy. Having destined the greater part of this grace for the Mother
and the Son, He then disposed and arranged similar gifts of glory for the other saints.
65. "When with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths," namely, when He decided
to close the abysses of his Divinity in the person of the Son according to a certain law
and measure, which no living being can ever compass or understand. He delineated this
sphere and circumference, where none could nor ever can enter, except only the Word (since
none but Himself can ever fill his place). For thus He was able to empty (Phil. 11, 7)
and humiliate his Divinity in the humanity, then, both humanity and Divinity, in the womb
of the most holy Mary, afterwards, in the small quantity and species of the bread and
wine, and finally, in the narrow space of sinful, mortal hearts. All this is indicated
by the words: abysses, law and circle or limits. They are called "certain" on account of their
vast bearing and also on account of the certainty, with which they were to be fulfilled (in spite
of seeming impossibility), and on account of the difficulty of explaining them in words.
It certainly did not appear feasible, that the Divinity should be subject to law, nor
that It should enclose Itself within determined limits. But the wisdom and the power of that
same Lord made it possible and has accomplished it by enclosing Himself in a designated created
being. 66. "When he established the sky above, and
poised the fountains of the waters; when he encompassed the sea with its bounds, and set
a law to the waters, that they should not pass their limits." He calls here the just
"heavens," for that is what they are, as God remains and dwells within them by grace, and
through it, according to each one's disposition, gives them courage and firmness to rise above
the earth as long as they are pilgrims. Afterwards He gives them a place and a dwelling in the
heavenly Jerusalem according to their merits. For them He poised the fountains and has divided
them, distributing to each one with equity. He weighs the gifts of glory, the virtues,
the helps, and the perfections, according to the dispositions of his Wisdom. When He
resolved to make the distributions of these waters of grace, He also resolved to give
to the humanity united to the Divinity all the ocean of graces and gifts, which naturally
flowed from the Divinity in its union with the Onlybegotten of the Father. Although this
ocean was infinite, He placed confines to it, namely, the humanity, in which was to
dwell the plenitude of the Divinity (Col. 2, 9); and it was enclosed thirty-three years
within these confines, in order that He might dwell among men, and in order that, what happened
to the three Apostles on Tabor mount might not happen to all men. In the same moment
in which this entire ocean and all the rivers of grace reached Christ our Lord as being
nearest to the Deity, they also redounded in his most holy Mother as being nearest to
her Onlybegotten Son. For without the Mother, and precisely such a Mother, the gifts and
graces of her Son could not have been disposed of in such order and with such high perfection.
Nor did the admirable harmony of the celestial and spiritual machinery, and the distribution
of the gifts of the Church militant and triumphant rest on any other foundation.
67. "When he balanced the foundation of the earth, I was with him forming all things."
The works ad extra are common to the three divine Persons, for They are one God, one
wisdom, one power; therefore it was unavoidably necessary, that the Word, in whom according
to the Divinity all things are made, should be in union with the Father in making them.
But here more is meant, for also the incarnate Word was already present together with his
most holy Mother in the divine Will. Thus, just as through the Word, as far as He is
God, all things were made, so also for Him, in the first place and because He is the most
noble and most worthy end, were created the foundations of the earth and all that is contained
in it. 68. Therefore it is farther said: "And I was
delighted every day, playing before him at all times, playing in the world." The incarnate
Word diverted Himself at all times, because He knew all the ages and the lives of all
the mortals, all being as one day in comparison with eternity (Ps. 89, 4). He was delighted,
because the whole course of Creation had found its end, for when the ultimate day with all
its perfection should arrive, men were to enjoy the affluence of grace and the crown
of glory. He diverted Himself as it were, counting the days, when He should descend
from heaven to earth and assume human flesh. He knew that all the works and thoughts of
men were like a play, wherein all is mere burlesque and deceit. He saw also the just,
who, though so weak and limited in their capacity, nevertheless would be fit for the manifestation
and communication of God's glory and perfections. He compared his immutability with the changefulness
of men, and how He was nevertheless to act in concert with them. He delighted in his
own works, and especially in those, which He ordained in his most holy Mother. He took
a great delight in the prospect of assuming the form of man within Her and in making Her
worthy of so great a privilege. And because the conception of these ideals and the efficacious
decree of the divine Will in their regard were to be followed by their actual fulfillment,
therefore the divine Word adds: 69. "And my delight is to be with the children
of men." My recreation is to work for them and show them favors: my contentment is to
die for them and my joy is to be their Teacher and their Redeemer. My delight is to raise
the needy one from the dust and to unite Myself with the lowly one (Ps. 112,7); my pleasure
is to unbend my Divinity for this purpose, and to clothe it with human nature, to constrain
and debase Myself, and to suspend the glory of my body in order to make Myself capable
of suffering and of meriting for men the friendship of the Father; to be a Mediator between his
most just indignation and the malice of men, and to be their Model and Head, whom they
might imitate. 70. O eternal and incomprehensible Goodness!
how am I ravished with admiration, when I compare the immensity of thy immutable Being
with the insignificance of man ! When I see thy eternal love mediating between two extremes
of such immeasurable distance; a love infinite, for a creature so insignificant and at the
same time so ungrateful! Oh, on what a low and debased object, o Lord, dost Thou cast
thy eyes, and on what a noble Object can and should man fix his thought and his affection
in beholding such a mystery! Filled with admiration and with sadness of heart, I lament over the
unhappy state of men, their darkness and blindness, since they do not make any effort to understand
how much thy Majesty has been beforehand in looking down upon them and in offering them
true felicity with such great love and care as if thy own consisted in it.
71. All his works, and the disposition of them, as they were to be called into being,
the Lord had in his mind ab initio, and He numbered and weighed them according to his
equity and rectitude. He knew the constitution of the world before its creation, as it is
written in the book of Wisdom (7, 18 Seq.). He knew the beginning, the middle and the
end of time, the changes of the years and the courses of the ages, the disposition of
the stars, the powers of the elements, the nature of animals, the wrath of wild beasts,
the force of winds, the difference of plants, the virtues of roots and the thoughts of men.
All He weighed and counted (Sap. 11, 21), not only that which is literally true of the
rational and irrational creatures, but He preordained also all that which is signified
mystically by these creatures. But as this comes not within my scope at present, I do
not speak of it in this place.