On Virtue
XXV. On Virtue
1. O God, who art perfect virtue!
You are the joy, the life and the salvation
of all those by whom You are loved.
2. Divine virtue is as worthy in its operation
as it is in its being able to possify,[1]
in order that it may be infinite.
3. God enjoys as great a virtue in <His> goodness
as He does in <His> wisdom and <His> will,
for the reason that in <His> goodness He possesses the bonified.
4. Whoever in himself enjoys the operation of virtue
is remote from want and from sin,
and shall dwell forever in glory.
5. Goodness is able to possess virtue by reason of greatness,
and greatness, by reason of goodness and power,
is able to possess virtue on account of wisdom.
6. Virtue is so good and <exists> in such great quantity
that everyone can acquire it at will,
and whoever has more of it, is more greatly honoured by God.
7. Virtue is not earned by means of possessions,
but by faithfulness and good will,
for which reason all men can acquire it.
8. Virtue is worth more than gold or family,
for by means of virtue does one protect oneself
against the enemy (i.e. the devil) and against torment (i.e. hell).
9. By means of virtue can one adorn oneself better
than if one uses silk, colours <applied to the face> or braiding,
or a saddle, a shield or a <particular> hairstyle.
10. Whoever fails to ask God for virtue
has no fear of punishment nor does he love salvation,
and he incurs the ill will of God.
[1] Cf. n. 3, Ch. IX, § 3.