SUMMARY. CHAPTER I. Difficulties of approaching the subject of the sixth beatitude-What was understood by cleanness of heart: in what relation the senses stood with it-Conformity to divine image-Beauty of holy souls: their humility, purity of language-Scrupulous obedience to the voice of conscience-ExamplesNecessity of attaining to this supernatural cleanness of heart, insisted on by the ancient guides-Their rules to facilitate its acquisition-Their description of moral conversions-They were effected by love, by the ministry of angels p. 515 CHAPTER II. Extent to which cleanness of heart prevailed in ages of faith-Influence of the love of God on the affections-Traits of ancient manners in proof-Power of the clergy-Consequent stability of statesThe contempt for comfort which characterized Catholic society-Sanctification of all professions by a divine motive-Direction of the intention-Consequent inability of modern writers to give a true picture of Catholic manners in ages of faith P. 534 CHAPTER III. Influence of cleanness of heart upon literature-Representations of love-Sanctity of the ancient typeThe drama religious-Consequent universality of the range opened to genius in union with religionAntipathy to paganism-Love of truth-Obedience-Interior purity indicated even by style-Influence of the clean of heart upon music, and upon art in general-The Catholic schools of painting; sanctity of the artists-Revival of paganism in modern art P. 545 CHAPTER IV. Quoniam videbunt Deum-Influence of moral purity upon the intellectual character of those agesSanctity of the eminent men of the Catholic schools-Predominance of an intellectual conscience proved by the prevalence of faith-Cause and indications of its absence in the enemies of the Church-Grounds of their ignorance considered-Grounds of their hostility to the Catholic religion considered-How the spiritual day begins and is perfected in the clean of heart p. 553 CHAPTER V. The love and cultivation of wisdom in ages of faith, indicated by the influence of the spiritual over the material power-The importance ascribed to knowledge--How truth was valued for its own sake: how earnestly it was loved-Men sought wisdom, not profit: desired all kinds of knowledge-The love for wisdom indicated by the number of collegiate foundations-Universities-By the privileges of scholars, and by the general features of the ancient scholastic character and manners CHAPTER VI. P. 570 Glance at the series of eminent philosophers in ages of faith, who are made to pass as if processionally, classed in periods. P. 583 CHAPTER VII. General characteristics of all schools of philosophy in ages of faith-Religion and philosophy were synonymous with the fathers, with the scholastic doctors, and with the laymen who philosophized in the middle ages-Testimony of reason and of the ancients to the wisdom of this view CHAPTER VIII. p. 607 Consideration of the objection that no grand questions were agitated-Faith superseded inquiry-Consequent inutility of discussions-Curiosity and intellectual restlessness of the moderns the result of having lost faith-Groundlessness of the charge that there was no inquiry whatever-There remained magnificent subjects for discussion-Causes of the scholastic subtilty explained-Important disputes of the scholastics-Pernicious consequences of the modern subtilties . CHAPTER IX. p. 614 On the method of philosophy in ages of faith-Divisions of proofs appropriate to divisions of truthsA threefold method recognised-Authority, testimony, and experiment or induction-The two former adopted in the sphere of religion and morals-The latter recognised as the proper method in physical science—The grounds of certainty ascertained-Reason, authority, or faith-Cause of faith, and mode of its acquirement-The inductive experimental philosophy excluded from the sphere of religion and morals -The philosophy of development and illustration adopted-Direction of studies by this rule-Method of instruction conformable to it p. 630 CHAPTER X. Other characteristics of the philosophy of ages of faith-Its bumility-Danger of intellectual pride then estimated-The humble, docile spirit of the scholastic philosophers-Their humility in speculation, in regard to religion, to language-Change in the manners of the learned on the rise of the new opinions -Humility of the Catholic philosophers in submitting their writings to the Holy See-Its practical character-Practice recognised as the source of knowledge-Practicability of the Catholic philosophy— Its clearness and communicability-All men could receive it-Error of the unintelligible philosophy— The imaginative and poetic character of the philosophy of the middle ages an indication of its truth— Arguments of the schoolmen to show the relation of the senses to intelligence-Mistake of modern writings in stating that theirs was merely imaginative-Its Catholicity-How heresy is opposed to philosophy-Unity of the church and of its philosophy-How it was Catholic in principles-Mystics and scholastics not antagonists-Catholic truth one-Consequent advantage to the intellect-Force of Catholic truth; its grandeur, its generous and ennobling influence, its warmth and expansiveness p. 645 CHAPTER XI. How the clean of heart more immediately saw God first in creatures-The study of nature in ancient times-In ages of faith-Not confined to scientific pursuits-Vanity recognised of mere human science -How far the sciences were cultivated in the middle ages-In what spirit they were pursued-Change of sentiment in this regard p. 685 CHAPTER XII. How the clean of heart saw God in history, in miraculous operations-Piety, humility, and Catholicity obliged them to recognise the divine agency-Its unlimited power-The universality of its manifestations -Miracles considered historically, philosophically-Objections refuted CHAPTER XIII. p. 702 How the impure sought to behold their God-A Supreme Being-Analogous to their internal state— Origin of demoniac mysticism-Faith and superstition the two great rivals-Contest of the church with the latter, under the form of idolatry-Contest continued through the middle ages with sorcery and old errors in a new form-What is to be thought respecting the arts condemned by the church-Magic and demoniac mysticism considered-Historically-Philosophically-Books of magicians alone would justify the zeal of the church against all such arts-Defence of the ancient Catholic society from the charge of superstition—Origin and termination of the ordeals-Abuse of religious practices exposed and prohibited -Error of the moderns in classing some ancient convictions among superstitions-Delusion here also distinguished from truth-Visions P. 715 CHAPTER XIV. How the clean of heart saw God in human records-In the Gentile philosophy-Consequent use of the pagan learning to confirm religion by reason, and to convey the original traditions of mankind-Spirit with which the heathen philosophy was studied in ages of faith CHAPTER XV. p. 752 How the clean of heart saw God in the holy Scriptures-The Bible considered historically, philosophically-Necessity recognised of guarding against its abuse-Against false translations-Zeal in the church in promoting versions-Familiarity of all classes of men in the middle ages with the holy Scriptures p. 759 CHAPTER XVI. How the clean of heart saw God in the church, in the mysteries of faith-The sacramental sense in general-The Ineffable Presence-The Eucharist-Considered historically-philosophically-Sentiments of the clean of heart respecting it-External effects-Miraculous visions-Fruits of wisdom and all grace-Consequent proof of the divinity of the Catholic religion-How the clean of heart saw God in mystic union of their souls with his divinity—The spiritual vision-The intellectual vision-Its organic effects attested-Testimony of the scholastic and mystic philosophers-Their description of the consequences of thus seeing God-Fxperience of Catholics at the present day confirms its truth-Longings after the final consummation-The beatific vision-In future glory p. 767 |