e beatitudes, not as merits, but as rewards. Yet the
effects of the active life, which dispose man for the contemplative
life, are included in the beatitudes. Now the effect of the active
life, as regards those virtues and gifts whereby man is perfected in
himself, is the cleansing of man's heart, so that it is not defiled
by the passions: hence the sixth beatitude is: "Blessed are the clean
of heart." But as regards the virtues and gifts whereby man is
perfected in relation to his neighbor, the effect of the active life
is peace, according to Isa. 32:17: "The work of justice shall be
peace": hence the seventh beatitude is "Blessed are the peacemakers."

Reply Obj. 1: The acts of the gifts which belong to the active life
are indicated in the merits: but the acts of the gifts pertaining to
the contemplative life are indicated in the rewards, for the reason
given above. Because to "see God" corresponds to the gift of
understanding; and to be like God by being adoptive "children of
God," corresponds to the gift of wisdom.

Reply Obj. 2: In things pertaining to the active life, knowledge is
not sought for its own sake, but for the sake of operation, as even
the Philosopher states (Ethic. ii, 2). And therefore, since beatitude
implies something ultimate, the beatitudes do not include the acts of
those gifts which direct man in the active life, such acts, to wit,
as are elicited by those gifts, as, e.g. to counsel is the act of
counsel, and to judge, the act of knowledge: but, on the other hand,
they include those operative acts of which the gifts have the
direction, as, e.g. mourning in respect of knowledge, and mercy in
respect of counsel.

Reply Obj. 3: In applying the beatitudes to the gifts we may consider
two things. One is likeness of matter. In this way all the first five
beatitudes may be assigned to knowledge and counsel as to their
directing principles: whereas they must be distributed among the
executive gifts: so that, to wit, hunger and thirst for justice, and
mercy too, correspond to piety, which perfects man in his relations
to others; meekness to fortitude, for Ambrose says on Luke 6:22: "It
is the business of fortitude to conquer anger, and to curb
indignation," fortitude being about the irascible passions:
poverty and mourning to the gift of fear, whereby man withdraws from
the lusts and pleasures of the world.

Secondly, we may consider the motives of the beatitudes: and, in this
way, some of th