Canto 7

“Osanna sanctus Deus Sabaoth, superillustrans claritate tua felices ignes horum malacoth!”⁹⁹—thus, turning to its own melody, this substance,¹⁰⁰ upon which a double light is twinned,¹⁰¹ was seen by me to sing. And it and the others moved with their dance, and like swiftest sparks veiled themselves to me with sudden distance. I was in doubt, and was saying to myself, “Tell her, tell her,” I was saying, “tell her, my Lady, who slakes my thirst with her sweet distillings;” but that reverence which lords it altogether over me, only by BE and by ICE,¹⁰² bowed me again like one who drowses. Little did Beatrice endure me thus, and she began, irradiating me with a smile such as would make a man in the fire happy, “According to my infallible advisement, how a just vengeance could be justly avenged has set thee thinking. But I will quickly loose thy mind: and do thou listen, for my words will make thee a present of a great doctrine.

“Osanna sanctus Deus Sabaoth, superillustrans claritate tua felices ignes horum malacoth!”⁹⁹ I saw this spirit,¹⁰⁰ on whom a double light shines,¹⁰¹ sing these words as it turned to its own melody. It and the others danced on, then vanished from my sight in an instant, like the swiftest sparks. I was in doubt, and I said to myself, “Tell her, tell her. Tell her, my Lady, who quenches my thirst with her sweet drops of wisdom.” But the reverence that rules me completely at the mere sound of BE and ICE¹⁰² bowed me down again, like someone falling asleep. Beatrice did not leave me like that for long. She smiled at me with a radiance that would make a man happy even in a fire. Then she said, “I know without fail what you are thinking about: how a just punishment could itself be justly punished. But I will soon clear your mind. Listen, for my words will give you a great teaching.

“By not enduring for his own good a curb upon the power which wills, that man who was not born,—damning himself, damned all his offspring; wherefore the human race lay sick below for many centuries, in great error, till it pleased the Word of God to descend where He, by the sole act of His eternal love, united with Himself in person the nature which had. removed itself from its Maker.

“The man who was not born refused to accept a restraint on his will, though it was for his own good. By damning himself, he damned all his offspring. As a result, the human race lay sick below, in great error, for many centuries. At last, the Word of God chose to descend. By the sole act of his eternal love, he united with himself in person the nature that had turned away from its Maker.

“Now direct thy sight to the discourse which follows. This nature, united with its Maker, became sincere and good, as it had been created; but by itself it had been banished from Paradise, because it turned aside from the way of truth and from its own life. The punishment therefore which the cross afforded, if it be measured by the nature assumed, none ever so justly stung; and, likewise, none was ever of such great wrong, regarding the Person who suffered, with whom this nature was united. Therefore from one act issued things diverse; for unto God and unto the Jews one death was pleasing: by it earth trembled and the heavens were opened. No more henceforth ought it to seem perplexing to thee, when it is said that a just vengeance was afterward avenged by a just court,

“Now turn your attention to what follows. Human nature, united with its Maker, became pure and good, as it had been when created. But human nature on its own had been banished from Paradise because it turned away from truth and its own life. Therefore, judged by the nature Christ assumed, no punishment was ever more just than that of the cross. But judged by the Person who suffered, with whom that nature was united, no punishment was ever more unjust. So one act brought about different things. The same death pleased both God and the Jews. Because of it, the earth trembled and the heavens were opened. So it should no longer puzzle you to hear that a just punishment was later avenged by a just court,

“But I see now thy mind tied up, from thought to thought, within a knot the loosing of which is awaited with great desire, Thou sayest, 'I discern clearly that which I bear; but it is occult to we why God should will only this mode for our redemption.' This decree, brother, stands buried to the eyes of every one whose wit is not full grown in the flame of love. Truly, inasmuch as on this mark there is much gazing, and little is discerned, I will tell why such mode was most worthy. The Divine Goodness, which from Itself spurns all rancor, burning in Itself so sparkles that It displays the eternal beauties. That which distils immediately¹⁰³ from It, thereafter has no end, for when It seals, Its imprint is not removed. That which from It immediately rains down is wholly free, because it is not subject unto the power of the new things.¹⁰⁴ It is the most conformed to It, and therefore pleases It the most; for the Holy Ardor which irradiates every thing is most living in what is most resemblance to Itself. With all these things¹⁰⁵ the human creature is advantaged, and if one fail, he needs must fall from his nobility. Sin alone is that which disfranchises him, and makes him unlike the Supreme Good, so that by Its light he is little illumined. And to his dignity he never returns, unless, where sin makes void, he fill up for evil pleasures with just penalties. Your nature, when it sinned totally in its seed,¹⁰⁶ was removed from these dignities, even as from Paradise; nor could they be recovered, if thou considerest full subtly, by any way, without passing by one of these fords:—either that God alone by His courtesy should forgive, or that man by himself should make satisfaction for his folly. Fix now thine eye within the abyss of the eternal counsel, fixed as closely on my speech as thou art able. Man within his own limits could never make satisfaction, through not being able to descend so far with humility in subsequent obedience, as disobeying he intended to ascend; and this is the reason why man was excluded from power to make satisfaction by himself. Therefore it behoved God by His own paths¹⁰⁷ to restore man to his entire life, I mean by one, or else by both. But because the work of the workman is so much the more pleasing, the more it represents of the goodness of the heart whence it issues, the Divine Goodness which imprints the world was content to proceed by all Its paths to lift you up again; nor between the last night and the first day has there been or will there be so lofty and so magnificent a procedure either by one or by the other; for God was more liberal in giving Himself to make man sufficient to lift himself up again, than if only of Himself He had pardoned him. And all the other modes were scanty in respect to justice, if the Son of God had not humbled himself to become incarnate.

“But I see that your mind is tangled in a knot of thoughts, and you long for it to be untied. You say, ‘I understand clearly what I hear, but I cannot see why God should choose only this way to redeem us.’ Brother, this decree remains hidden from everyone whose understanding has not fully matured in the flame of love. Many look intently at this question, but see little. So I will tell you why this way was most worthy. Divine Goodness rejects all resentment. Burning within itself, it shines so brightly that it reveals the eternal beauties. What flows directly¹⁰³ from Divine Goodness has no end. For when it sets its seal on something, its imprint cannot be removed. What rains down directly from Divine Goodness is wholly free, because it is not subject to the power of created things.¹⁰⁴ It is most like Divine Goodness and therefore pleases it most. For the holy ardor that shines through everything is most alive in what most resembles itself. Human beings are blessed with all these things.¹⁰⁵ If any one of them is lost, a person must fall from that nobility. Sin alone robs a person of freedom and makes him unlike the Supreme Good. As a result, its light shines little upon him. He never regains his dignity unless he makes up for the harm sin has done, repaying evil pleasures with just penalties. When your nature sinned wholly in its first ancestor,¹⁰⁶ it lost these dignities, just as it lost Paradise. And if you consider the matter carefully, they could be recovered only by one of two paths. Either God alone, in his generosity, had to forgive, or humanity had to make satisfaction for its folly by itself. Now look into the depths of the eternal counsel, attending as closely as you can to my words. Within his own limits, man could never make satisfaction. Through disobedience, he had tried to rise so high that he could never descend as far through humble obedience afterward. That is why man could not make satisfaction by himself. God therefore had to restore man to his full life by his own paths.¹⁰⁷ He had to do so by one path or both. But a worker’s deed is more pleasing the more it reveals the goodness of the heart it comes from. So Divine Goodness, which sets its imprint on the world, chose to use all its paths to raise you up again. Between the first day and the last night, there has never been, and never will be, a deed so noble and magnificent, whether by one path or the other. For God showed greater generosity by giving himself to make man able to rise again than if he had simply pardoned him. And all other ways would have fallen short of justice if the Son of God had not humbled himself to become incarnate.

“Now to fill completely every desire of thine, I return to a certain place to clear it up, in order that thou mayest see there even, as I do. Thou sayest, 'I see the water, I see the fire, the air; and the earth, and all their mixtures come to corruption, and endure short while, and yet these things were created;' so that, if what I have said has been true, they ought to be secure against corruption. The Angels, brother, and the sincere¹⁰⁸ country in which thou art, may be called created, even as they are, in their entire being; but the elements which thou hast named, and those things which are made of them, are informed by a created power.¹⁰⁹ The matter of which they consist was created; the informing power in these stars which go round about them was created. The ray and the motion of the holy lights draw out from its potential elements¹¹⁰ the soul of every brute and of the plants; but the Supreme Benignity inspires your life without intermediary, and enamors it of Itself so that ever after it desires It. And hence¹¹¹ thou canst argue further your resurrection, if thou refleetest bow the human flesh was made when the first parents were both made.”

“Now, to satisfy every desire of yours, I return to a point to make it clear. Then you can see it as clearly as I do. You say, 'I see that water, fire, air, and earth, and all their mixtures, decay and last only a short time. Yet these things were created.' So, if what I have said is true, they should be safe from decay. Brother, the Angels and the pure¹⁰⁸ realm where you are may be called created, just as they are, in their entire being. But the elements you named, and the things made from them, are given form by a created power.¹⁰⁹ The matter they consist of was created. So was the power that gives them form, which is in the stars that circle them. The rays and movement of the holy lights draw the soul of every animal and plant from the potential elements¹¹⁰. But the Supreme Benignity breathes life into you without any intermediary. It makes your soul fall in love with it, so that your soul desires it ever after. And from this¹¹¹ you can also reason that you will be resurrected, if you consider how human flesh was made when the first parents were both created.”