rnal goods is denoted. Again,
men seek consolation for the toils of the present life, in the lusts
and pleasures of the world. Hence Our Lord promises comfort to those
that mourn.

Two other beatitudes belong to the works of active happiness, which
are the works of virtues directing man in his relations to his
neighbor: from which operations some men withdraw through inordinate
love of their own good. Hence Our Lord assigns to these beatitudes
rewards in correspondence with the motives for which men recede from
them. For there are some who recede from acts of justice, and instead
of rendering what is due, lay hands on what is not theirs, that they
may abound in temporal goods. Wherefore Our Lord promised those who
hunger after justice, that they shall have their fill. Some, again,
recede from works of mercy, lest they be busied with other people's
misery. Hence Our Lord promised the merciful that they should obtain
mercy, and be delivered from all misery.

The last two beatitudes belong to contemplative happiness or
beatitude: hence the rewards are assigned in correspondence with the
dispositions included in the merit. For cleanness of the eye disposes
one to see clearly: hence the clean of heart are promised that they
shall see God. Again, to make peace either in oneself or among
others, shows a man to be a follower of God, Who is the God of unity
and peace. Hence, as a reward, he is promised the glory of the Divine
sonship, consisting in perfect union with God through consummate
wisdom.

Reply Obj. 1: As Chrysostom says (Hom. xv in Matth.), all these
rewards are one in reality, viz. eternal happiness, which the human
intellect cannot grasp. Hence it was necessary to describe it by
means of various boons known to us, while observing due proportion to
the merits to which those rewards are assigned.

Reply Obj. 2: Just as the eighth beatitude is a confirmation of all
the beatitudes, so it deserves all the rewards of the beatitudes.
Hence it returns to the first, that we may understand all the other
rewards to be attributed to it in consequence. Or else, according to
Ambrose (Super Luc. v), the kingdom of heaven is promised to the poor
in spirit, as regards the glory of the soul; but to those who suffer
persecution in their bodies, it is promised as regards the glory of
the body.

Reply Obj. 3: The rewards are also arranged in ascending order. For
it is more to possess the land of the heavenly kingdom than simply t