nsists of two things. First, in the affluence of external goods,
whether riches or honors; from which man is withdrawn--by a virtue so
that he uses them in moderation--and by a gift, in a more excellent
way, so that he despises them altogether. Hence the first beatitude
is: "Blessed are the poor in spirit," which may refer either to the
contempt of riches, or to the contempt of honors, which results from
humility. Secondly, the sensual life consists in following the bent
of one's passions, whether irascible or concupiscible. From following
the irascible passions man is withdrawn--by a virtue, so that they
are kept within the bounds appointed by the ruling of reason--and by
a gift, in a more excellent manner, so that man, according to God's
will, is altogether undisturbed by them: hence the second beatitude
is: "Blessed are the meek." From following the concupiscible
passions, man is withdrawn--by a virtue, so that man uses these
passions in moderation--and by a gift, so that, if necessary, he
casts them aside altogether; nay more, so that, if need be, he makes
a deliberate choice of sorrow [*Cf. Q. 35, A. 3]; hence the third
beatitude is: "Blessed are they that mourn."

Active life consists chiefly in man's relations with his neighbor,
either by way of duty or by way of spontaneous gratuity. To the
former we are disposed--by a virtue, so that we do not refuse to do
our duty to our neighbor, which pertains to justice--and by a gift,
so that we do the same much more heartily, by accomplishing works of
justice with an ardent desire, even as a hungry and thirsty man eats
and drinks with eager appetite. Hence the fourth beatitude is:
"Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice." With regard
to spontaneous favors we are perfected--by a virtue, so that we give
where reason dictates we should give, e.g. to our friends or others
united to us; which pertains to the virtue of liberality--and by a
gift, so that, through reverence for God, we consider only the needs
of those on whom we bestow our gratuitous bounty: hence it is written
(Luke 14:12, 13): "When thou makest a dinner or supper, call not thy
friends, nor thy brethren," etc . . . "but . . . call the poor, the
maimed," etc.; which, properly, is to have mercy: hence the fifth
beatitude is: "Blessed are the merciful."

Those things which concern the contemplative life, are either final
beatitude itself, or some beginning thereof: wherefore they are
included in th