Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It seems that the seventh beatitude does not correspond to the gift of wisdom. For the seventh beatitude is: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." Now both these things belong to charity: since of peace it is written (Ps. 118:165): "Much peace have they that love Thy law," and, as the Apostle says (Rm. 5:5), "the charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Who is given to us," and Who is "the Spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry: Abba " (Rm. 8:15). Therefore the seventh beatitude ought to be ascribed to charity rather than to wisdom.

Objection 2: Further, a thing is declared by its proximate effect rather than by its remote effect. Now the proximate effect of wisdom seems to be charity, according to Wis. 7:27: "Through nations she conveyeth herself into holy souls; she maketh the friends of God and prophets": whereas peace and the adoption of sons seem to be remote effects, since they result from charity, as stated above (Question 29, Article 3). Therefore the beatitude corresponding to wisdom should be determined in respect of the love of charity rather than in respect of peace.

Objection 3: Further, it is written (James 3:17): "The wisdom, that is from above, first indeed is chaste, then peaceable, modest, easy to be persuaded, consenting to the good, full of mercy and good fruits, judging without dissimulation ." Therefore the beatitude corresponding to wisdom should not refer to peace rather than to the other effects of heavenly wisdom.

On the contrary, Augustine says (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i, 4) that "wisdom is becoming to peacemakers, in whom there is no movement of rebellion, but only obedience to reason."

I answer that, The seventh beatitude is fittingly ascribed to the gift of wisdom, both as to the merit and as to the reward. The merit is denoted in the words, "Blessed are the peacemakers." Now a peacemaker is one who makes peace, either in himself, or in others: and in both cases this is the result of setting in due order those things in which peace is established, for "peace is the tranquillity of order," according to Augustine (De Civ. Dei xix, 13). Now it belongs to wisdom to set things in order, as the Philosopher declares (Metaph. i, 2), wherefore peaceableness is fittingly ascribed to wisdom. The reward is expressed in the words, "they shall be called the children of God." Now men are called the children of God in so far as they participate in the likeness of the only-begotten and natural Son of God, according to Rm. 8:29, "Whom He foreknew . . . to be made conformable to the image of His Son," Who is Wisdom Begotten. Hence by participating in the gift of wisdom, man attains to the sonship of God.

Reply to Objection 1: It belongs to charity to be at peace, but it belongs to wisdom to make peace by setting things in order. Likewise the Holy Ghost is called the "Spirit of adoption" in so far as we receive from Him the likeness of the natural Son, Who is the Begotten Wisdom.

Reply to Objection 2: These words refer to the Uncreated Wisdom, which in the first place unites itself to us by the gift of charity, and consequently reveals to us the mysteries the knowledge of which is infused wisdom. Hence, the infused wisdom which is a gift, is not the cause but the effect of charity.

Reply to Objection 3: As stated above (Article 3) it belongs to wisdom, as a gift, not only to contemplate Divine things, but also to regulate human acts. Now the first thing, to be effected in this direction of human acts is the removal of evils opposed to wisdom: wherefore fear is said to be "the beginning of wisdom," because it makes us shun evil, while the last thing is like an end, whereby all things are reduced to their right order; and it is this that constitutes peace. Hence James said with reason that "the wisdom that is from above" (and this is the gift of the Holy Ghost) "first indeed is chaste," because it avoids the corruption of sin, and "then peaceable," wherein lies the ultimate effect of wisdom, for which reason peace is numbered among the beatitudes. As to the things that follow, they declare in becoming order the means whereby wisdom leads to peace. For when a man, by chastity, avoids the corruption of sin, the first thing he has to do is, as far as he can, to be moderate in all things, and in this respect wisdom is said to be modest. Secondly, in those matters in which he is not sufficient by himself, he should be guided by the advice of others, and as to this we are told further that wisdom is "easy to be persuaded." These two are conditions required that man may be at peace with himself. But in order that man may be at peace with others it is furthermore required, first that he should not be opposed to their good; this is what is meant by "consenting to the good." Secondly, that he should bring to his neighbor's deficiencies, sympathy in his heart, and succor in his actions, and this is denoted by the words "full of mercy and good fruits." Thirdly, he should strive in all charity to correct the sins of others, and this is indicated by the words "judging without dissimulation ," lest he should purpose to sate his hatred under cover of correction.

Articulus 6

Argumentum 1

Ad sextum sic proceditur. Videtur quod septima beatitudo non respondeat dono sapientiae.

Septima enim beatitudo est, beati pacifici, quoniam filii dei vocabuntur.

Utrumque autem horum pertinet immediate ad caritatem.

Nam de pace dicitur in psalm., pax multa diligentibus legem tuam.

Et ut apostolus dicit, Rom. V, caritas dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per spiritum sanctum, qui datus est nobis; qui quidem est spiritus adoptionis filiorum, in quo clamamus, abba, pater, ut dicitur Rom. VIII.

Ergo septima beatitudo magis debet attribui caritati quam sapientiae.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, unumquodque magis manifestatur per proximum effectum quam per remotum. Sed proximus effectus sapientiae videtur esse caritas, secundum illud Sap. VII, per nationes in animas sanctas se transfert, amicos dei et prophetas constituit, pax autem et adoptio filiorum videntur esse remoti effectus, cum procedant ex caritate, ut dictum est.

Ergo beatitudo sapientiae respondens deberet magis determinari secundum dilectionem caritatis quam secundum pacem.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, Iac. III dicitur, quae desursum est sapientia primo quidem pudica est, deinde autem pacifica, modesta, suadibilis, bonis consentiens, plena misericordia et fructibus bonis, iudicans sine simulatione.

Beatitudo ergo correspondens sapientiae non magis debuit accipi secundum pacem quam secundum alios effectus caelestis sapientiae.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod Augustinus dicit, in libro de serm. Dom. In monte, quod sapientia convenit pacificis, in quibus nullus motus est rebellis, sed obtemperans rationi.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod septima beatitudo congrue adaptatur dono sapientiae et quantum ad meritum et quantum ad praemium.

Ad meritum quidem pertinet quod dicitur, beati pacifici.

Pacifici autem dicuntur quasi pacem facientes vel in seipsis vel etiam in aliis. Quorum utrumque contingit per hoc quod ea in quibus pax constituitur ad debitum ordinem rediguntur, nam pax est tranquillitas ordinis, ut Augustinus dicit, XIX de CIV. Dei.

Ordinare autem pertinet ad sapientiam; ut patet per philosophum, in principio metaphys..

Et ideo esse pacificum convenienter attribuitur sapientiae.

Ad praemium autem pertinet quod dicitur, filii dei vocabuntur.

Dicuntur autem aliqui filii dei inquantum participant similitudinem filii unigeniti et naturalis, secundum illud Rom. VIII, quos praescivit conformes fieri imaginis filii sui, qui quidem est sapientia genita. Et ideo percipiendo donum sapientiae, ad dei filiationem homo pertingit.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod caritatis est habere pacem, sed facere pacem est sapientiae ordinantis. Similiter etiam spiritus sanctus intantum dicitur spiritus adoptionis inquantum per eum datur nobis similitudo filii naturalis, qui est genita sapientia.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod illud est intelligendum de sapientia increata, quae prima se nobis unit per donum caritatis, et ex hoc revelat nobis mysteria, quorum cognitio est sapientia infusa.

Et ideo sapientia infusa, quae est donum, non est causa caritatis, sed magis effectus.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod, sicut iam dictum est, ad sapientiam, secundum quod est donum, pertinet non solum contemplari divina, sed etiam regulare humanos actus. In qua quidem directione primo occurrit remotio a malis quae contrariantur sapientiae, unde et timor dicitur esse initium sapientiae, inquantum facit recedere a malis. Ultimum autem est, sicut finis, quod omnia ad debitum ordinem redigantur, quod pertinet ad rationem pacis.

Et ideo convenienter Iacobus dicit quod sapientia quae desursum est, quae est donum spiritus sancti, primum est pudica, quasi vitans corruptelas peccati; deinde autem pacifica, quod est finalis effectus sapientiae, propter quod ponitur beatitudo.

Iam vero omnia quae sequuntur manifestant ea per quae sapientia ad pacem perducit, et ordine congruo. Nam homini per pudicitiam a corruptelis recedenti primo occurrit quod quantum ex se potest, modum in omnibus teneat, et quantum ad hoc dicitur, modesta.

Secundo, ut in his in quibus ipse sibi non sufficit, aliorum monitis acquiescat, et quantum ad hoc subdit, suadibilis.

Et haec duo pertinent ad hoc quod homo consequatur pacem in seipso.

Sed ulterius, ad hoc quod homo sit pacificus etiam aliis, primo requiritur ut bonis eorum non repugnet, et hoc est quod dicit, bonis consentiens. Secundo, quod defectibus proximi et compatiatur in affectu et subveniat in effectu, et hoc est quod dicitur, plena misericordia et fructibus bonis. Tertio requiritur ut caritative emendare peccata satagat, et hoc est quod dicit, iudicans sine simulatione, ne scilicet, correctionem praetendens, odium intendat explere.