Bonaventure

The numbered footnotes below correspond to markers in both the Latin body above and the English translation; Quaracchi restart their numbering on every printed page, so the labels are qualified by page.

COLLATIO X.

De secunda visione tractatio tertia, quae incipit agere de fidei speciositate.

Summarium

Introductio. Fides est speciosa secundum duodecim speculationes orientes ex fide, 1. — Pars I. De his duodecim speculationibus in genere. Comparantur duodecim stellis et margaritis, 2. — Stellae differunt claritate; istae speculationes enumerantur, 3. — Notatur, non omnia credibilia posse investigari a ratione, 4. — Sufficientia harum duodecim ex quadruplici veritatis ratione, 5. — Primo consideratur veritas ut praeexistens tripliciter, 6. — Item, ut efficiens tripliciter, 7. — Item, ut reficiens tripliciter, 8. — Item, ut consummans tripliciter; epilogus, 9. — Pars II. De primo speculabili in specie, scilicet Deum esse primum. Esse est nomen Dei manifestissimum et perfectissimum, 10. 11. — Consideratur idem etiam in speculo creaturarum tripliciter: secundum viam ordinis, originis et completionis. Secundum viam ordinis tripliciter, primo secundum ordinem posterioris ad prius, 12. — Item, inferioris ad superius, 13. — Item, temporis ad aevum, et aevi ad aeternitatem, 14. — Secundum viam originis quadrupliciter, 15. 16. — Secundum viam completionis quintupliciter, 17. Epilogus partis II, 18.

1. Vocavit Deus firmamentum caelum¹ etc. De altitudine fidei et eius firmitate dictum est; nunc de speciositate dicendum est. Dicitur enim caelum quasi caelatum, id est sculptum luminibus. Quomodo speciosa sit haec fides, habetur in Genesi²: Suspice caelum et numera stellas, si potes; sic erit semen tuum. Pollicitatio seminis carnalis facta est ad Abraham, quia sic, inquit, erit semen tuum; pollicitatio etiam seminis spiritualis ei facta est, eo quod pater multarum gentium per fidem futurus. Caro Abraham generavit semen, et multiplicatum est; multo fortius eius generatio spiritualis fuit fecunda et generavit spiritualiter mente fecundata. Pullulationes speculationum orientium ex fide sunt transcendentes claritatem siderum. In Apocalypsi³: Sustulit me in spiritu in montem magnum et altum, et vidi Ierusalem descendentem de caelo. Et vidit, quod habebat duodecim portas, et super quamlibet portam margarita una, et portae ex singulis margaritis.

2. Hae speculationes fidei comparantur sideribus et comparantur duodecim margaritis. Licet enim sint stellae illae innumerabiles, tamen sunt duodecim signa, per quae sol currit⁴. Ista duodecim signa nihil aliud sunt nisi quaedam stellae, quae secundum varias figuras et varietatem luminum habent diversas influentias; et sol illis coniunctus variis temporibus secundum diversas influentias habet vitam ministrare in mundo. — Hae autem, ut dictum est, orientes ex fide speculationes comparantur claritati margaritarum, quia sunt fulgidae, vivificae, iucundae ad modum margaritae, quae habet fulgorem sive fulget, confortat per efficaciam, cor iucundat.

3. Secundum hoc igitur ingrediuntur ad contemplationem, nec potest ad visiones Apocalypsis homo mundanus accedere, nisi intelligat ista. Cum igitur secundum Apostolum⁵ sit alia claritas solis, alia lunae, alia stellarum, nos sublimati per fidem transformamur a claritate in claritatem, et hoc, revelata facie, ut similes simus duodecim stellis et duodecim margaritis. — Duodecim speculationes sunt, quas habemus ex fide: credere Deum primum, Deum trinum et unum, et exemplar rerum, ut creantem mundum, ut formantem animam, dantem spiritum — Deum carni unitum, Deum crucifixum, medelam mentium, vitale pabulum, ultorem scelerum, praemium aeternum.

4. Nota etiam, quod quaedam sunt credibilia, non tamen intelligibilia per rationem, ut Abraham

genuit Isaac¹, sive facta particularia; quaedam autem credibilia sunt intelligibilia; et quando intelliguntur, rationes solidas habent.

5. Ad sufficientiam horum duodecim nota, quod claritas fidei speculanda est ut veritatis praeexistentis, ut veritatis efficientis, ut veritatis reficientis, ut veritatis perficientis.

6. Ut veritatis praeexistentis tripliciter: vel quantum ad essentiam, vel quantum ad excellentiam, vel quantum ad refulgentiam. Esse enim divinum primum est, quod venit in mente. Unde Moysi quaerenti², quod esset nomen Dei, respondit Deus: Ego sum qui sum; et in hoc comprehendit quidquid est sive bonum, sive potens. — Secundo, quantum ad excellentiam, ut Deus unus, trinus et verus. — Tertio, quantum ad refulgentiam, ut exemplar rerum.

7. Si autem claritas consideratur ut veritas efficiens, hoc est tripliciter: aut in quantum inchoat naturam; aut in quantum illustrat intelligentiam; aut in quantum inspirat gratiam. Inchoat naturam sive mundum, quod non solum est credibile, sed etiam intelligibile. Ut illustrat intelligentiam; et sic format animam, scilicet intellectum humanum et angelicum, ut sit Deus obiectum intellectus; et hinc est, quod habet rationem perpetui quantum ad imaginem creationis, reparationis, similitudinis; quia imago est essentialis dependentia et relatio³. Ut inspirat gratiam; hic est consummatio, et hoc est credibile et intelligibile. Voluntas enim non perficitur nisi per donum Spiritus sancti infusum.

8. Si autem claritas veritatis consideratur ut reficiens, similiter tripliciter claritas refulget in anima: aut quantum ad humanae et angelicae reparationis principium, vel quantum ad pretium, vel quantum ad effectum. Primo est speculari Deum carni unitum, quod est credibile et intelligibile; si ut pretium, sic cruci affixum; si ut effectus, sic Deus medicina est animae. Est ergo principium nostrae creationis, reparationis, praemiationis.

9. Si autem consideratur ut consummans sive perficiens, sic tripliciter: ut vitale pabulum Ecclesiae militantis et triumphantis, ut ultor scelerum, ut finale praemium. Oportet, Deum esse primum; ergo est credibile et intelligibile, et hoc secundum influentiam secundum legem clementiae, iustitiae et concordiae: secundum primum, ut virtus; secundum secundum, ut veritas; secundum tertium, ut aequitas. — Hae sunt duodecim portae, de quibus Psalmus⁴: Aperite mihi portas iustitiae. Iusti intrabunt in eam; quia iustus ex fide vivit.

10. Primum speculabile est, Deum esse. Primum nomen Dei est esse, quod est manifestissimum et perfectissimum, ideo primum; unde nihil manifestius, quia quidquid de Deo dicitur reducitur ad esse; hoc est proprie proprium nomen Dei. Deus non dixisset Moysi sive latori Legis⁵: Ego sum qui sum, nisi esset primus. Postea dixit: Deus Abraham, Deus Isaac, Deus Iacob; in quo mysterium Trinitatis expressit. Tertio dixit: Qui fecit os hominis et linguam; in quo explicavit, se esse exemplar.

11. Deum esse primum, manifestissimum est, quia ex omni propositione, tam affirmativa quam negativa, sequitur, Deum esse, etiam si dicas: Deus non est, sequitur: si Deus non est, Deus est; quia omnis propositio infert se affirmativam et negativam, ut si Socrates non currit, verum est, Socratem non currere⁶.

12. Consideratur etiam haec veritas quasi in quodam speculo, quod confortat et dat visum. Omnis enim creatura concurrit ad hoc speculum faciendum et iungitur in hoc speculo secundum viam ordinis, originis, completionis. — Primo tripliciter: secundum rationem posterioris ad prius, inferioris ad superius, temporis ad aevum et aevi ad aeternitatem. Manifestum enim est, si est posterius, est prius: ergo et primum: ergo in isto ordine per posteriora ad priora et ad primum pervenitur. Omnia enim vel sunt posteriora, vel media, vel prima⁷.

13. Secundo est ordo inferioris ad superius, et superioris ad summum, quae habent essentialem ordinem et dependentiam secundum ordinem naturae. Et non dicitur hic superius et inferius secundum lineam praedicamentalem⁸, sed secundum magis nobile et minus nobile.

14. Tertio est ordo temporis ad aevum et aevi ad aeternitatem: quia, si est aliquid propter aliud creatum, ergo et illud aliud est aliquid propter aliud, scilicet increatum, et illud erit propter se; ut si est res temporalis propter animam, et anima propter Deum; necessario ergo Deus per se et propter se est. — Secundum ordinem ergo causalitatis, dignitatis et finis omnia declarant, esse primum, summum et ultimum, scilicet in ratione finiendi. Hoc ergo secundum rationem ordinis.

15. Alio modo omnis creatura dicit, Deum esse secundum rationem originis: ut si est ens creatum, est ens increatum; et si est ens per participationem, est ens per essentiam; si est ens per compositionem, est ens per simplicitatem; si est ens per multiformitatem, est ens per uniformitatem vel identitatem.

16. Primo dicendum, quod omne creatum ponit causam, et universitas causatorum ponit causam primam universalem. Tunc quaero de causa illa: aut est creata, aut non: si sic, erit abire in infinitum; si non, habeo propositum. — Item, ens per participationem ab eo habet esse, quod est ens per essentiam, quia fluit ab eo. — Similiter, omne compositum est a componentibus; similiter et partes, cum sint dependentes ad invicem, sunt ab aliquo simplicissimo absoluto. — Similiter de multiformitate; si enim est ens per multiformitatem, est ens per uniformitatem, ut in numeris, quia necesse est devenire ad unitatem. Hoc ergo ratione originis.

17. Tertio modo ratione completionis. Si est esse potentiale, est esse actuale; si est esse mutabile, est esse immutabile; si est esse secundum quid, est esse simpliciter; si est esse dependens, est esse absolutum; si est esse in genere, est esse extra genus. — Ens autem potentiale venit ab esse actuali necessario in diversis; sed in eodem esse potentiale praecedit esse actuale¹. — Similiter, mutabile est fluens ab immutabili fixo. — Similiter, creatura essentialiter dependet a primo, et materia et forma, et etiam accidens magis dependet a Deo quam a suo subiecto; quia Deus potest facere, ut sit sine subiecto, ut in Sacramento altaris², sed non, quod non dependeat ab eo. — Similiter, si est ens secundum quid, est et ens simpliciter in his quae nata sunt esse simpliciter; ut si est sapiens secundum quid, est sapiens simpliciter, ut removeatur instantia: est albus dente: ergo est albus simpliciter³. — Si est ens in genere, est ens extra genus. Ens enim in genere habet differentias coarctantes; et tale non habet posse, esse et agere universaliter. Unde Deus est ens extra genus et supra genus⁴.

18. Hae igitur speculationes ordinis, originis et completionis ducunt ad illud esse primum, quod repraesentant omnes creaturae. Hoc enim nomen scriptum est in omnibus rebus; et sunt hae conditiones entis, super quas fundantur certissimae illationes. Unde dixit ille⁵: « Prima rerum creatarum omnium est esse »; sed ego dico: prima rerum intellectualium est esse primum.

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COLLATION X.

On the second vision: the third treatment, which begins to treat of the comeliness of faith.

Summarium

Introduction. Faith is comely according to the twelve speculations arising out of faith, 1. — Part I. On these twelve speculations in general. They are compared to twelve stars and to pearls, 2. — The stars differ in brightness; these speculations are enumerated, 3. — It is noted that not all things believable can be investigated by reason, 4. — The sufficiency of these twelve from the fourfold account of truth, 5. — First, truth is considered as pre-existing, in three ways, 6. — Likewise, as effecting, in three ways, 7. — Likewise, as restoring, in three ways, 8. — Likewise, as consummating, in three ways; epilogue, 9. — Part II. On the first object of speculation in particular, namely that God is first. Being is the most manifest and most perfect name of God, 10. 11. — The same is considered also in the mirror of creatures in three ways: by the way of order, of origin, and of completion. By the way of order, in three ways: first according to the order of the posterior to the prior, 12. — Likewise, of the inferior to the superior, 13. — Likewise, of time to aeviternity, and of aeviternity to eternity, 14. — By the way of origin, in four ways, 15. 16. — By the way of completion, in five ways, 17. Epilogue of part II, 18.

1. God called the firmament heaven¹ etc. Of the height of faith and of its firmness it has been said; now its comeliness must be spoken of. For heaven (caelum) is so called as it were engraven (caelatum), that is, sculpted with lights. How comely this faith is, is had in Genesis²: Look up to heaven and number the stars, if thou canst; so shall thy seed be. The promise of carnal seed was made to Abraham, because so, he says, shall thy seed be; the promise also of spiritual seed was made to him, in that he was to be the father of many nations through faith. Abraham's flesh begot seed, and it was multiplied; much more strongly was his spiritual generation fruitful, and it begot spiritually, his mind having been made fruitful. The buddings forth of the speculations arising out of faith transcend the brightness of the stars. In the Apocalypse³: He took me up in spirit into a great and high mountain, and I saw Jerusalem coming down out of heaven. And he saw that it had twelve gates, and over each gate one pearl, and the gates were of single pearls.

2. These speculations of faith are compared to the constellations and are compared to twelve pearls. For although those stars are innumerable, nevertheless there are twelve signs through which the sun runs⁴. These twelve signs are nothing else but certain stars which, according to their various figures and the variety of their lights, have diverse influences; and the sun, conjoined to them at various seasons according to their diverse influences, has to minister life in the world. — But these speculations arising out of faith are, as has been said, compared to the brightness of pearls, because they are glittering, life-giving, gladdening, after the manner of a pearl, which has lustre or glitters, strengthens by its efficacy, and gladdens the heart.

3. According to this, therefore, men enter upon contemplation; nor can a worldly man approach the visions of the Apocalypse unless he understands these things. Since, therefore, according to the Apostle⁵ there is one brightness of the sun, another of the moon, another of the stars, we, raised on high through faith, are transformed from brightness into brightness, and this with face unveiled, that we may be like the twelve stars and the twelve pearls. — There are twelve speculations which we have from faith: to believe God first; God three and one, and the exemplar of things; as creating the world, as forming the soul, giving the spirit — God united to flesh, God crucified, the healing of minds, the food of life, the avenger of crimes, the eternal reward.

4. Note also that certain things are believable and yet not intelligible by reason, such as Abraham begot Isaac¹, or particular facts; but certain believable things are intelligible, and when they are understood they have solid grounds.

5. For the sufficiency of these twelve, note that the brightness of faith is to be contemplated as that of pre-existing truth, as that of effecting truth, as that of restoring truth, as that of perfecting truth.

6. As that of pre-existing truth, in three ways: either as regards essence, or as regards excellence, or as regards refulgence. For the divine being is the first thing that comes into the mind. Hence to Moses, asking² what was the name of God, God answered: I am who am; and in this he comprehended whatever is, whether good or powerful. — Second, as regards excellence, as God one, three, and true. — Third, as regards refulgence, as the exemplar of things.

7. But if brightness is considered as effecting truth, this is in three ways: either inasmuch as it begins nature; or inasmuch as it illumines the understanding; or inasmuch as it inspires grace. It begins nature or the world, which is not only believable but also intelligible. As it illumines the understanding; and so it forms the soul, that is, the human and the angelic intellect, so that God is the object of the intellect; and hence it is that the soul has the character of the perpetual as regards the image of creation, of reparation, of likeness; because an image is an essential dependence and relation³. As it inspires grace; here is the consummation, and this is believable and intelligible. For the will is not perfected except through the gift of the Holy Spirit infused.

8. But if the brightness of truth is considered as restoring, likewise in three ways does brightness shine back in the soul: either as regards the principle of human and angelic reparation, or as regards its price, or as regards its effect. First it is to contemplate God united to flesh, which is believable and intelligible; if as the price, so fixed to the cross; if as the effect, so God is the medicine of the soul. He is therefore the principle of our creation, reparation, and rewarding.

9. But if he is considered as consummating or perfecting, so in three ways: as the food of life of the Church militant and triumphant, as the avenger of crimes, as the final reward. It behoves that God be first; therefore he is believable and intelligible, and this according to an inflowing according to the law of clemency, of justice, and of concord: according to the first, as power; according to the second, as truth; according to the third, as equity. — These are the twelve gates, of which the Psalm⁴: Open ye to me the gates of justice. The just shall enter into it; because the just man liveth by faith.

10. The first object of speculation is that God is. The first name of God is being, which is most manifest and most perfect, and therefore first; whence nothing is more manifest, because whatever is said of God is reduced to being; this is properly the proper name of God. God would not have said to Moses, that is, to the bearer of the Law⁵: I am who am, unless he were first. Afterwards he said: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob; in which he expressed the mystery of the Trinity. Third he said: Who made the mouth of man and the tongue; in which he unfolded that he is the exemplar.

11. That God is first is most manifest, because from every proposition, affirmative as well as negative, it follows that God is — even if you say: God is not, it follows: if God is not, God is; because every proposition entails itself as affirmative and as negative, as if Socrates does not run, it is true that Socrates does not run⁶.

12. This truth is considered also as in a certain mirror, which strengthens and gives sight. For every creature concurs in the making of this mirror and is joined in this mirror by the way of order, of origin, of completion. — First, in three ways: according to the account of the posterior to the prior, of the inferior to the superior, of time to aeviternity and of aeviternity to eternity. For it is manifest that if there is a posterior, there is a prior: therefore also a first: therefore in this order one arrives through posterior things at prior things and at the first. For all things are either posterior, or middle, or first⁷.

13. Second is the order of the inferior to the superior, and of the superior to the highest, which have an essential order and dependence according to the order of nature. And superior and inferior are not said here according to the predicamental line⁸, but according to the more noble and the less noble.

14. Third is the order of time to aeviternity and of aeviternity to eternity: because if there is something created for the sake of another, then that other too is something for the sake of another, namely of the uncreated, and that will be for its own sake; as if a temporal thing is for the sake of the soul, and the soul for the sake of God; necessarily, therefore, God is through himself and for his own sake. — According to the order, then, of causality, of dignity, and of end, all things declare him to be first, highest, and last, that is, in the character of that which brings to an end. This, then, according to the account of order.

15. In another way every creature says that God is according to the account of origin: as, if there is created being, there is uncreated being; and if there is being by participation, there is being by essence; if there is being by composition, there is being by simplicity; if there is being by multiformity, there is being by uniformity or identity.

16. First it must be said that everything created posits a cause, and the totality of things caused posits a first universal cause. Then I ask concerning that cause: either it is created, or not: if so, there will be a going off into infinity; if not, I have what I proposed. — Likewise, being by participation has being from that which is being by essence, because it flows from it. — Likewise, every composite is from its components; likewise the parts too, since they are dependent upon one another, are from something most simple and absolute. — Likewise concerning multiformity; for if there is being by multiformity, there is being by uniformity, as in numbers, because it is necessary to arrive at unity. This, then, by the account of origin.

17. In a third way, by the account of completion. If there is potential being, there is actual being; if there is mutable being, there is immutable being; if there is being in a certain respect, there is being simply; if there is dependent being, there is absolute being; if there is being in a genus, there is being outside a genus. — Now potential being comes from actual being necessarily in different things; but in the same thing potential being precedes actual being¹. — Likewise, the mutable is a flowing from the immutable and fixed. — Likewise, a creature depends essentially on the first, both matter and form, and even an accident depends more on God than on its subject; because God can bring it about that it be without a subject, as in the Sacrament of the altar², but not that it should not depend on him. — Likewise, if there is being in a certain respect, there is also being simply in those things which are apt to be simply; as if one is wise in a certain respect, he is wise simply — so that the counter-instance be removed: he is white as to a tooth: therefore he is white simply³. — If there is being in a genus, there is being outside a genus. For being in a genus has differences that confine it; and such a being does not have power, being, and acting universally. Hence God is being outside a genus and above genus⁴.

18. These speculations, therefore, of order, of origin, and of completion lead to that first being which all creatures represent. For this name is written in all things; and these are the conditions of being, upon which the most certain inferences are founded. Hence that man said⁵: « The first of all created things is being »; but I say: the first of intellectual things is first being.

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