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 XVIII.

De tertia visione tractatio sexta, quae agit de theoriis Scripturae significatis per fructus, et quidem quatenus reficiunt affectum.

Summarium

Introductio et repetitio. Illustratio intellectus per has theorias facta ordinatur ad aliud, scilicet ad refectionem affectus, 1. — Melius hic ordinantur quatuor ultimi modi illustrationis, quam ordinati sunt in praecedente collatione, 2. — Repetitur monitio contra periculum profanae scientiae, 3. — Ubertas refectionum spiritualium in Scriptura; sed transire debent in affectum, 4. — Pars I. In genere de triplici fructu ex duodecim considerationibus praecedentis collationis quoad affectum colligendo. Hi oriuntur a Christo. Ex primis quatuor oritur fructus gratiae; ex mediis quatuor fructus iustitiae, ex ultimis fructus sapientiae, 5. — De his loquitur Scriptura, 6. 7. 8. — Omnes hi fructus sunt a Christo et ducunt ad Christum. Probatur quoad singulos, 9-12. — Pars II. De istis tribus fructibus eorumque quadruplici actu in specie et de duodecim fructibus spiritus. Primo, de fructu gratiae et quadruplici eius actu secundum Scripturam, 13. — Ad primum actum, scil. gratiam stabilientem per fidem, disponitur anima per Scripturae spectacula; item ad secundum, scil. gratiam per amorem sanctificantem, per exempla Sanctorum, 14. — Item, ad gratiam per spem sublevantem, per promissiones; item, ad gratiam per timorem inclinantem, per tormenta infernalia, 15. — Secundo, de fructu iustitiae et quadruplici eius actu, scilicet facere bona, fugere mala, formidare prospera, ferre adversa, 16. — Hi oriuntur ex quatuor mediis considerationibus, 17. — Primus actus, scil. facere bona, fit per directionem praeceptorum, 18. — Secundus, fugere mala, fit per iudicia districta, 19. — Tertius, formidare prospera, per severa solatia; quartus, ferre adversa, per dulcia flagella, 20. — Tertio, de fructu sapientiae et quadruplici eius actu; est enim sapientia confortans, colluctans, contemplans, collaudans, 21. — Hi oriuntur ex quatuor ultimis considerationibus; hoc docetur de primo actu confortante, 22. — De secundo actu colluctante, 23. — De tertio, contemplante, 24. — De quarto, collaudante. Hinc ascendendo sunt duodecim fructus, ordinati ad caritatem, ad quam tota Scriptura intendit, 25. — Similiter descendendo fluunt a caritate duodecim fructus spiritus, relati ab Apostolo Paulo, 26. — Sufficientia duodecim fructuum secundum quatuor ex caritate diligenda: tres sunt, quatenus quis fruitur Deo, 27. — Tres, in fruendo propria anima, 28. — Tres, in fruendo proximo, 29. — Tres, in fruendo corpore in Deo, 30. — De his duodecim loquitur Scriptura, 31. — Epilogus, 32.

1. Protulit terra herbam virentem⁴ etc. Dictum est supra, quod istae theoriae reducuntur ad considerationem duplicem: ad considerationem succedentium temporum et sibi mutuo correspondentium in gubernatione mundi; et sic intelliguntur per semina. Consistunt etiam circa considerationem salutarium circumspectionum vel refectionum, quibus anima reficitur, et sic intelliguntur per fructus; et sic iste fructus est decorus, secundum quod ipso reficitur intellectus; et est sapidus, secundum quod ipso reficitur affectus. Sed haec refectio adhuc ad aliud ordinatur. — Dictum est autem, quomodo intellectus

illustratur per has theorias, ut ultra procedatur ad degustandum eius fructum; et hoc necesse est. « Qui enim ad hoc tantum laborat, ut sciat, quid et quomodo loquatur; interius vacuus remanet, ut dicit Gregorius¹, ab interna devotione »; quia, secundum Apostolum, factus est velut aes sonans aut cymbalum tinniens.

2. Illustratur ergo intellectus duodecim modis, ut dictum est²; sed in quatuor modis ultimis melius dicetur, quam diceretur prius, ita ut id quod ponebatur in undecimo loco, ponatur in duodecimo. Illa ergo ultima, quibus utitur Scriptura, et illustratur anima, sunt quatuor, scilicet civium praesidia, qui sunt spiritus hierarchici, e directo; item, hostium certamina, ex obliquo, ut patet de tribus hostibus; gratiarum dona, e vicino; figurarum signa, e longinquo. Haec est illustratio ultima, quia in hanc ultimam praecedentes intrant; ad quam concurrunt formae caelestes, elementares, meteoricae, minerales; naturae germinum, natatilium, volatilium, gressibilium; humana membra, humanae vires, humana facta, humanae artes, ex quibus omnibus anima assurgit in laudem Dei. Et iste actus est affectus, qui habet rectificare intellectum.

3. Verum est, quod circa ista incidit periculum ligni scientiae boni et mali, ut, dimisso ligno vitae³, scilicet suavitate affectus, anima evagetur circa scientias alias et in tantum elongetur, ut non redire possit et excludatur a deliciis paradisi et non gustet de igno vitae. Edere de ligno vitae his illustrationibus est refici, ut homo nihil quaerat nisi intellectum veritatis, affectum pietatis, delectationem suavitatis sive solatium contemplationis. Sed quando homo horum obliviscitur et delectatur in studio curiositatis, vult scire tantum; et ex hoc nascitur supercilium vanitatis, cum alios despicit; ex quo sequitur litigium contentionis, quia reputat se despectum, quando quis respondet ei; et semper paratus est contra illos qui resistunt ei. Et per hoc aufertur homini vera vita; sicut Adam, vel potius mulier, quae curiosa fuit et voluit esse sicut Deus⁴; et ideo consuerunt sibi perizomata et refuderunt culpam in alium, ut Adam in Deum, quia uxorem talem dederat sibi, mulier autem in serpentem. Debent ergo istae illustrationes intrare in affectum, ut intellectus rectificetur.

4. In hoc horto multa deambulatio est, quia, si non placet stare in primo, vade ad secundum, et sic de aliis. Et sic homo stipatus est malis; unde in Cantico⁵: Fulcite me floribus, stipate me malis; et in Psalmo: Scuto circumdabit te veritas eius. Sicut ergo intellectus ordinatur ad affectum, et fides est via ad caritatem; sic istae illustrationes transire debent in affectum, ut intellectus speculativus fiat practicus.

5. Oritur autem ex his duodecim triplex fructus: ex primis quatuor oritur fructus gratiae, ex mediis fructus iustitiae, ex ultimis fructus sapientiae. De his fructibus in Deuteronomio⁶: De benedictione Domini terra eius, dicitur de Ioseph, de pomis caeli et rore, atque abysso subiacente; de pomis fructuum solis et lunae, de vertice antiquorum montium, de pomis collium aeternorum et de frugibus terrae et de plenitudine eius. Tangit istum triplicem fructum sive istas illustrationes, secundum quod generant poma refectiva, secundum quod iste triplex fructus est a Christo; unde in Cantico: Sicut malus inter ligna silvarum, sic dilectus meus inter filios. Sub umbra illius quem desiderabam, sedi, et fructus eius dulcis gutturi meo.

6. De fructu igitur gratiae scriptum est in Psalmo⁷: Dominus dabit benignitatem, et terra nostra dabit fructum suum; de fructu iustitiae in Cantico, de fructu sapientiae in Proverbiis: Primi et purissimi fructus eius. Isti ergo fructus oriuntur a Christo, a Ioseph benedicto, qui producit poma de caelo et rore, atque abysso subiacente, scilicet charismata gratiarum per modum roris in corda humilia.

7. Per poma solis et lunae et verticem montium intelligitur exercitium perfectae iustitiae, quae est in hoc, quod homo se exerceat ad mandata Dei implenda, secundum statum subiectionis, praelationis, contemplationis. — De pomis solis intelligitur quantum ad merita iustitiae praesidentis; de pomis lunae, quantum ad meritum iustitiae subiacentis; de pomis et vertice montium, per hoc intelligitur sublimitas apostolicorum virorum, qui tenent vitam, quam Deus dedit in paradiso. Si enim homo non peccasset, nulla fuisset agrorum divisio, sed omnia communia.

8. Per poma collium aeternorum intelligitur sapientia vel fructus sapientiae, quae est in contemplatione aeternarum rationum et in consideratione caelestium spirituum sublimatorum; Psalmus⁸: Illuminans tu mirabiliter a montibus aeternis, turbati sunt omnes insipientes corde etc. — De frugibus terrae, quantum ad considerationem divinarum con-

descensionum in ordinibus Ecclesiarum. — De plenitudine eius, quantum ad coniunctionem utriusque Ecclesiae militantis et triumphantis, quomodo Dominus posuit finem eius pacem¹, scilicet, ut declarabit, sicut flumen pacem.

9. Sic igitur iste fructus est a Christo tripliciter, quia Iesus Christus est Filius Dei: quia Iesus, ab ipso fructus gratiae; quia Christus, fructus iustitiae; quia Filius Dei, fructus sapientiae. Omnes enim considerationes et a Christo sunt et ad Christum reducunt. — Si consideras interna spectacula luminum, ad Christum te reducunt. — Si venis ad exempla, summum exemplar omnium virtutum in Christo est. Si patientiam consideras Iob, maior est Christi patientia; patientiam Iob audistis et finem Domini vidistis, dicit ille². Stellae enim nihil sunt in comparatione solis. — Si venis ad praemia aeterna, haec non habebimus nisi per Christum; in Ioanne: Haec est vita aeterna, ut cognoscant te solum verum Deum, et quem misisti Iesum Christum. — Si ad tormenta perpetua; nisi manus Christi te teneat, non liberaberis. Puer enim, si timet cadere in praecipitium, optime se tenet ad matrem; nisi enim per sanguinem Christi liberatus fueris, non poteris salvari.

10. Si consideras praecepta; hoc est praeceptum meum, ut diligatis invicem³. — Si de iudicio; Christus iudicare habet; et hunc debemus libenter velle habere iudicem, quia nos diligit; unde debemus sibi dicere: Domine, debes nos iudicare; sed fac, ut sanguis tuus satisfaciat pro nobis.

11. Si consideras solatia severa, in Christo non videntur per illum modum, sicut in aliis, sed per alium; quia sibi nunquam periculosa fuerunt, nec temporalia solatia habuit. — Miscuit enim cum solatiis amaritudinem, cum fruitione poenam; anima enim eius, quae semper unita est Divinitati, summe delectabatur; et tamen ipse miscuit amaritudinem, paupertatem, crucem, et e converso miscuit solatia in flagellis, in quibus summe delectabatur. Unde exemplo Christi in consolatione iungendus est timor, et in tristitia iungendum est solatium, exemplo etiam beati Francisci⁴, qui, quando ei offerebatur honor, dicebat socio suo, quod ibi nihil erant lucrati; sed quando recipiebant vituperia, tunc lucrabantur.

12. Si consideras e directo ad civium praesidia, hierarcha principalis Christus est. — Si de pugna; etsi Angeli et Sancti iuvant — Psalmus⁵: Levavi oculos meos in montes, unde veniet auxilium mihi — principalis tamen pugnator Christus est; unde in Psalmo: Providebam Dominum in conspectu meo semper, quoniam a dextris est mihi, ne commovear; item, in Actibus: Video caelos apertos et Filium hominis stantem a dextris Dei. — Si gratiam consideras, haec omnia veniunt de sede Dei et Agni. Vidi, inquit Ioannes⁶, fluvium procedentem de sede Dei et Agni. — Si consideras figurarum signa, omnia referuntur ad Christum et sunt obscura, nisi per Christum solvantur signacula. — Unde omnes considerationes remittunt ad Christum.

13. A Christo ergo est fructus gratiae. Est autem quadruplex fructus gratiae: stabilire animam per fidem, sanctificare per divinum amorem, sursum ferre per spem, inclinare per divinum timorem. — De primo Apostolus⁷: Optimum est gratia stabilire cor, non escis. Iudaei stabiliebant se super escas. — De secundo Petrus: Propter quod, succincti lumbos mentis vestrae, sobrii, perfecte sperate in eam quae offertur vobis gratiam, in revelationem Iesu Christi. Sanctificatio enim est in eo, quod virtutes, quae sunt lumbi mentis, transferuntur in Deum. — De tertio ad Titum⁸: Iustificati gratia ipsius, heredes sumus secundum spem vitae aeternae. Et prima Petri: Benedictus Deus et Pater Domini nostri Iesu Christi, qui secundum magnam misericordiam suam regeneravit nos in spem vivam. — De quarto Ecclesiasticus: Quanto maior es, humilia te in omnibus.

14. Per luminum spectacula disponitur anima ad primum actum gratiae. Quanto enim plus intelligitur Scriptura, tanto augetur fides; et sic est una refectio affectus. — Sanctorum exempla disponunt ad sanctificationem animae, ad secundum actum gratiae. Inter omnia, quae de Ioseph leguntur, placet illud, quod sic fidelitatem servavit domino suo; cum tamen domina sua pulcherrima erat et comminabatur sibi⁹. David similiter, cum multa fecerit, quae movent ad imitationem, illud potissime placet, quod cum Saul posset interficere, noluit; qui tamen,

ut dicit Augustinus, nec Deum nec hominem timebat: hominem non, quia sopor irruerat in omnes; Deum non, quia ille reprobatus erat, et David secundum veritatem rex erat, et tamen ex caritate dimisit. Et similiter in omnibus Patribus fuit haec caritas; qui tamen, si aliquando ceciderunt, poenituerunt. Unde si displicet tibi casus David, placeat tibi eius poenitentia, ut dicit Hieronymus¹, et habes in hoc, ut de casu suo nullus desperet, et de statu suo nullus praesumat.

15. Gratia autem sursum agens habetur per spem. Psalmus²: Quid enim mihi est in caelo, et a te quid volui super terram? Deus cordis mei, et pars mea Deus in aeternum, et alibi: Dixi: tu es spes mea, portio mea in terra viventium, ut totum reservetur in illam patriam. Ideo quod momentaneum est et leve tribulationis nostrae aeternum gloriae pondus operatur. Dominus enim delectationes habet in dextera; Psalmus: Delectationes in dextera tua usque in finem; in sinistra habet divitias et glorias et consolationes temporales. Debemus autem adhaerere dexterae; Psalmus: Me suscepit dextera tua, Domine. Ergo praemia disponunt ad tertium actum gratiae. — Similiter gratiam inclinantem facit habere quarta consideratio, scilicet tormentorum infernalium³.

16. Similiter iustitiae quatuor actus sunt: facere bona, fugere mala, formidare prospera, ferre adversa. — De primis duobus Psalmus⁴: Declina a malo et fac bonum. Oculi Domini super iustos; et: Vultus autem Domini super facientes mala. — De tertio: Beatus homo, qui semper est pavidus in prosperitatibus. Unde iustus deprecatur, ne ruat, et si corruat, ut resurgat; quia septies cadet iustus et resurget. — De quarto in Proverbiis⁵: Iustus quasi leo confidens absque terrore erit. Et: Beati, qui persecutionem patiuntur propter iustitiam. Et: Pro iustitia agonizare pro anima tua, et usque ad mortem certa pro iustitia.

17. Isti fructus oriuntur ex quatuor mediis considerationibus, scilicet antrorsum, retrorsum, dextrorsum, sinistrorsum, ut, secundum Dionysium⁶, anima moveatur circulariter, recte et circumflexe. Et dicit Richardus, quod quaedam aves sursum volant, quaedam deorsum, quaedam circulariter, quaedam ante etc. Sic anima per istas considerationes.

18. Ex prima consideratione habetur primus actus, scilicet facere bonum, per directionem praeceptorum; si vis ad vitam ingredi, serva mandata⁷. Consideratio enim mandatorum Dei facit facere bonum. Praeceptum Domini rectum est in se; iustitia enim nihil aliud est, quam rectitudo; rectitudo autem per se est in lege, per participationem in servante. Oportet ergo praecepta divina considerare, acceptare, amare; si sic fecissent Adam et Eva, non cecidissent; et sic transformaris per amorem.

19. Ex secunda consideratione oritur fructus iustitiae, scilicet fugere mala, scilicet per iudicia districta; Ecclesiasticus⁸: Ne semines mala in sulcis iniustitiae, et non metes ea in septuplum. Nullus enim vult metere zizaniam vel lolium, quia, ut dicitur in Deuteronomio, iuxta modum culpae erit et plagarum modus. Consideratio igitur iudiciorum facit fugere mala.

20. Ex tertia consideratione, scilicet per severe solatia, oritur fructus iustitiae, scilicet formidare prospera. Oblatis enim honoribus, fugit homo, quia timet in culpam incidere, quia in quolibet grano est vermis: in grano honoris, elatio; in grano divitiarum, avaritia; in grano deliciarum, concupiscentia. Fructus enim quidam sunt, qui statim incipiunt verminari, ut cerasa in Italia. Quidam sunt, qui apparent optimi, et tamen vermis est intus. — Econtra, per dulcia flagella ostenditur fructus iustitiae quartus, scilicet patienter ferre adversa; vide Paulum, Laurentium.

21. Similiter sapientiae fructus ex quatuor ultimis antithetis nascitur. Huius sunt quatuor actus: sapientia enim est confortans, colluctans, contemplans, collaudans. — Confortans in bono; Ecclesiastes⁹: Sapientia confortabit sapientem super decem principes civitatis. — Est etiam colluctans contra malum; unde Ecclesiastes: Melior est sapientia quam arma bellica; et in Sapientia: Certamen forte

dedit illi, ut vinceret et sciret, quoniam omnium potentior est sapientia. — Est etiam contemplans summum bonum; in Sapientia: Est enim haec speciosior sole. Facit enim animam gustare et uniri. — Est etiam collaudans ex omnibus Deum. Hic fructus est coniunctus gloriae; hoc opus, hoc munus, hic fructus: videbimus, amabimus, laudabimus¹.

22. Hi quatuor fructus per ordinem oriuntur. Consideratio e directo per civium praesidia disponit ad primum actum sapientiae, in acie terribili, ordinata et in choris castrorum².

23. Secundo, per hostium certamina ex adverso oritur secundus fructus, scilicet colluctari contra hostes; quia homo, quando habet hostes, tunc valde sagaciter se gerit, et imminens bellum facit hominem sagacem, fortem et sapientem; sicut inclusi multas inveniunt vias ad evadendum; unde tentatio imminens quasi ex obliquo fortiorem reddit, sicut radius veniens super corpus opacum, densum, solidum, postea reflexus, maius lumen et calorem generat, ut patet in speculo ferreo. Similiter magis castus quis efficitur, cum inimicus fortiter vult trahere ad luxuriam. — Sicut enim dixit, mulier habebat daemonem, qui in illa loquebatur et dixit, quod Franciscus magnum malum eis faciebat, et quod bene erant contra ipsum congregati quinque millia ad ipsum deiiciendum; et frater, qui audivit, dixit beato Francisco; tunc ipse surrexit et dixit, quod modo fortior esset³.

24. Tertius fructus sapientiae est contemplari summum bonum, quod oritur ex consideratione e vicino per gratiarum dona. Tanta enim posset esse gratia, quod existens hic esset quasi in paradiso. Videret enim in intimis suis, sicut beatus Paulus, qui dicit⁴: Sapientiam loquimur inter perfectos; et post: Nobis autem revelavit Deus per Spiritum sanctum. Sicut enim nemo scit quae sunt hominis, nisi spiritus, qui in illo est; ita et quae Dei sunt nescimus, nisi Spiritus Dei intret in nos.

25. Ex quarto, scilicet e longinquo, nobis innascitur collaudatio Dei in omnibus. Omnes enim creaturae effantur Deum. Quid ego faciam? Cantabo cum omnibus. Grossa chorda in cithara per se non bene sonat, sed cum aliis est consonantia. Figurarum signa ab omnibus creaturis accipiuntur in Scriptura ad laudandum Deum, ut patet in Psalmo⁵: Laudate Dominum de caelis; et in: Benedicite omnia opera Domini Domino, a summo usque deorsum; sic homo Deum videns in omnibus, Deum gustans in omnibus tribus viribus suis. Psalmus: Iucundum sit ei eloquium meum, ego vero delectabor in Domino; et alibi: Delectasti me, Domine, in factura tua; et: Magnificabo eum in laude. Sic in omnibus habet gustum et refectionem intellectus et affectus. — Ex his omnibus fructibus surgunt fructus amoris et caritatis, quae intenditur in omnibus. Omnis enim Scriptura ordinatur ad caritatem. Hi duodecim fructus ordinate ascendunt ad caritatem.

26. Descendendo autem a caritate fluunt charismata duodecim, quae sunt fructus, quos ponit Apostolus ad Galatas quinto⁶: Fructus autem spiritus est caritas, gaudium, pax, patientia, longanimitas, bonitas, benignitas, mansuetudo, fides, modestia, continentia, castitas. Gratia enim et iustitia et sapientia non possunt esse sine caritate⁷. Nam fructus dicitur a frui; « frui autem est inhaerere alicui rei propter se ipsam ». Unde nec iustitia nec miracula nec scire mysteria sine caritate prosunt. Et hoc sentiunt omnes doctores et Sancti. Sic ecce, quod una vetula, quae habet modicum hortum, quia solam caritatem habet, meliorem fructum habet quam unus magnus magister, qui habet maximum hortum et scit mysteria et naturas rerum.

27. Sufficientia autem horum duodecim fructuum sumitur per hunc modum. Secundum Augustinum, filium Pauli⁸, quatuor sunt diligenda ex caritate, quibus fruimur: Deo, me ipso in Deo, proximo in Deo, corpore meo in Deo. — Deo autem fruor, quando summe in Deo conquiesco, delector, unior: conquiesco per amorem, delector per gaudium, unior per pacem. Et haec tria ordinata sunt; quia, ubi est pax, necesse est, ut sit gaudium; et ubi gaudium, necesse est, ut sit quies.

28. Secundo, fruor me ipso in Deo. Anima autem mea fruor, quando illam possideo; quia, si transit res in possessionem alterius, fructum non habeo. Tunc autem possideo, quando patienter possum ferre adversa; in patientia vestra possidebitis animas vestras⁹; patienter autem ferre adversa non debet

esse a casu, vel fortuna, sed intuitu mercedis; et hoc est exspectare mercedem; tertium est condonare iniurianti offensam. Et haec tria sunt per patientiam, longanimitatem, bonitatem. Patientia est adversa tolerando; longanimitas, exspectando mercedem ex omnibus tribulationibus; bonitas, liberaliter condonando. Unde si caritas patiens, longanimis, bona; tunc inundationes maris quasi lac sugit¹, sicut Laurentius carbonibus quasi floribus laetabatur. Hi fructus sunt in spiritu, non in carne. Unde Iacobus: Omne gaudium existimate, fratres mei, cum in tentationes varias incideritis.

29. Tertio, proximo fruimur in Deo, quando habemus caritatem ad proximum; et hoc tripliciter: benigne in corde vel animo; mansuete in contubernio; fideliter in verbo vel signo. Cor benignum habeo, quando quidquid boni habet proximus in meum bonum refundo. Similiter mansuetudo est, quae hominem facit gregalem² et socialem. Aliqui homines sunt valde boni, et tamen sunt ita duri in signis, quod homo non audet eis appropinquare; sed quando homo familiarem se reddit, tunc est mansuetus. Similiter fidelitas multum facit amabilem; et haec facit confidere de homine magis in verbo quam in corde, quia affectus est variabilis.

30. Quarto, fruor corpore meo in Deo, quando mundum servo corpus meum, et hoc, quando servatur modestia in gustu, continentia in tactu, castitas in omnibus sensibus. In gustu principaliter notatur modestia. Corpora luxuriosorum, gulosorum, incontinentium non sunt in pace sepulta³.

31. Sic ergo descendendo, ex caritate, quae est unguentum fluens a capite ad barbam usque ad oram vestimenti⁴, est fruitio Dei, mei, proximi, corporis. Sicut ergo sunt duodecim fructus ex duodecim illustrationibus ascendendo ad caritatem, sic sunt duodecim fructus descendendo. Et hoc est illud quod in Apocalypsi dicitur, ex utraque parte fluminis esse lignum vitae, afferens fructus duodecim per duodecim menses: ab una parte fluminis fructus intellectuales, ab altera affectuales; vel ab una parte fructus ascendentes, ab altera descendentes.

32. Iste ergo est fructus Scripturarum, scilicet caritas. Propter hanc sunt mysteria, intelligentiae, theoriae. Unde in fine Apocalypsis⁵: Beati, qui lavant vestimenta sua, ut intrent per portam civitatis. — Et dicebat: Imaginor illas duodecim illustrationes primas sive ascendentes, quae fluunt a Deo et ad Deum terminantur et currunt per totam Scripturam; imaginor sicut duodecim circulos, ut in quemcumque anima intret, inveniat silvam et arborum amoenitatem ac fructuum ubertatem.

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COLLATION XVIII.

On the third vision: the sixth treatment, which treats of the contemplations of Scripture signified through the fruits, and indeed in so far as they refresh the affection.

Summarium

Introduction and recapitulation. The illumination of the understanding effected through these contemplations is ordered to something further, namely to the refreshment of the affection, 1. — The four last modes of illumination are better ordered here than they were ordered in the preceding collation, 2. — The warning against the danger of profane learning is repeated, 3. — The abundance of spiritual refreshments in Scripture; but they must pass over into the affection, 4. — Part I. In general, on the threefold fruit to be gathered, as regards the affection, from the twelve considerations of the preceding collation. These arise from Christ. From the first four arises the fruit of grace; from the middle four the fruit of justice, from the last the fruit of wisdom, 5. — Of these Scripture speaks, 6. 7. 8. — All these fruits are from Christ and lead to Christ. This is proved as to each one, 9-12. — Part II. On these three fruits and their fourfold act in particular, and on the twelve fruits of the spirit. First, on the fruit of grace and its fourfold act according to Scripture, 13. — To the first act, namely the grace that steadies through faith, the soul is disposed through the sights of Scripture; likewise to the second, namely the grace that sanctifies through love, through the examples of the Saints, 14. — Likewise, to the grace that lifts up through hope, through the promises; likewise, to the grace that inclines through fear, through the torments of hell, 15. — Second, on the fruit of justice and its fourfold act, namely to do good things, to flee evil things, to dread prosperity, to bear adversity, 16. — These arise from the four middle considerations, 17. — The first act, namely to do good things, comes about through the direction of the precepts, 18. — The second, to flee evil things, comes about through the strict judgments, 19. — The third, to dread prosperity, through the severe consolations; the fourth, to bear adversity, through the kindly scourgings, 20. — Third, on the fruit of wisdom and its fourfold act; for wisdom is strengthening, wrestling, contemplating, praising, 21. — These arise from the four last considerations; this is taught of the first act, the strengthening one, 22. — On the second act, the wrestling one, 23. — On the third, the contemplating one, 24. — On the fourth, the praising one. Hence, ascending, there are twelve fruits, ordered to charity, to which the whole of Scripture tends, 25. — Likewise, descending, there flow from charity the twelve fruits of the spirit, reported by the Apostle Paul, 26. — The sufficiency of the twelve fruits according to the four things to be loved out of charity: three there are, in so far as one enjoys God, 27. — Three, in enjoying one's own soul, 28. — Three, in enjoying one's neighbour, 29. — Three, in enjoying one's body in God, 30. — Of these twelve Scripture speaks, 31. — Epilogue, 32.

1. The earth brought forth the green herb⁴ and so on. It has been said above that these contemplations are reduced to a twofold consideration: to the consideration of the times succeeding one another and corresponding to one another in the government of the world; and so they are understood through the seeds. They consist also in the consideration of the salutary circumspections or refreshments, by which the soul is refreshed, and so they are understood through the fruits; and so this fruit is comely, according as the understanding is refreshed by it; and it is savoury, according as the affection is refreshed by it. But this refreshment is ordered to something further still. — Now it has been said how the understanding

is illumined through these contemplations, so that one may go on further to taste its fruit; and this is necessary. « For he who labours only for this, that he may know what and how he is to speak, remains empty within, as Gregory says¹, of inward devotion »; because, according to the Apostle, he has become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.

2. The understanding, then, is illumined in twelve modes, as has been said²; but in the four last modes it will be better stated than it was stated before, so that what was put in the eleventh place is put in the twelfth. Those last ones, then, which Scripture uses, and by which the soul is illumined, are four, namely the defences of the citizens, who are the hierarchic spirits, from straight ahead; likewise, the combats of the enemies, from the oblique, as is clear in the case of the three enemies; the gifts of graces, from near at hand; the signs of the figures, from afar. This is the last illumination, because into this last one the preceding ones enter; to which there concur the celestial forms, the elemental, the meteoric, the mineral; the natures of things that sprout, of things that swim, of things that fly, of things that walk; human members, human powers, human deeds, human arts, from all of which the soul rises up into the praise of God. And this act is affection, whose office it is to set the understanding right.

3. It is true that in these matters there falls the danger of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, so that, the tree of life³ being let go — that is, the sweetness of the affection — the soul wanders off among other sciences and is drawn away so far that it cannot return, and is shut out from the delights of paradise and does not taste of the tree of life. To eat of the tree of life is, by these illuminations, to be refreshed, so that a man may seek nothing but the understanding of truth, the affection of piety, the delight of sweetness, or the solace of contemplation. But when a man forgets these things and takes delight in the pursuit of curiosity, he wishes only to know; and from this is born the haughtiness of vanity, when he despises others; from which follows the strife of contention, because he reckons himself despised whenever anyone answers him; and he is always ready against those who resist him. And through this the true life is taken away from a man; as with Adam, or rather the woman, who was curious and wished to be as God⁴; and therefore they sewed themselves aprons and poured back the blame upon another, as Adam upon God, because he had given him such a wife, and the woman upon the serpent. These illuminations, then, ought to enter into the affection, so that the understanding may be set right.

4. In this garden there is much walking about, because, if it does not please you to stand at the first, go to the second, and so on with the rest. And thus a man is compassed about with apples; whence in the Canticle⁵: Stay me up with flowers, compass me about with apples; and in the Psalm: His truth shall compass thee with a shield. As, then, the understanding is ordered to the affection, and faith is the way to charity; so these illuminations ought to pass over into the affection, so that the speculative understanding may become practical.

5. Now from these twelve there arises a threefold fruit: from the first four arises the fruit of grace, from the middle ones the fruit of justice, from the last ones the fruit of wisdom. Of these fruits it is said in Deuteronomy⁶: Of the blessing of the Lord be his land, it is said of Joseph, of the fruits of heaven, and of the dew, and of the deep that lieth beneath; of the fruits brought forth by the sun and by the moon, of the tops of the ancient mountains, of the fruits of the everlasting hills and of the fruits of the earth, and of the fulness thereof. He touches upon that threefold fruit, or upon those illuminations, according as they generate refreshing apples, according as that threefold fruit is from Christ; whence in the Canticle: As the apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow, whom I desired, and his fruit was sweet to my palate.

6. Of the fruit of grace, therefore, it is written in the Psalm⁷: The Lord will give goodness, and our earth shall yield her fruit; of the fruit of justice in the Canticle, of the fruit of wisdom in Proverbs: Her first and purest fruits. These fruits, then, arise from Christ, from Joseph the blessed, who brings forth apples of heaven, and of the dew, and of the deep that lieth beneath, namely the charisms of graces after the manner of dew into humble hearts.

7. By the fruits of the sun and of the moon and the top of the mountains is understood the exercise of perfect justice, which consists in this, that a man should exercise himself in fulfilling the commandments of God, according to the state of subjection, of prelacy, of contemplation. — Of the fruits of the sun is understood what pertains to the merits of the justice of him who presides; of the fruits of the moon, what pertains to the merit of the justice of him who is subject; of the fruits and the top of the mountains, by this is understood the sublimity of apostolic men, who hold to the life which God gave in paradise. For if man had not sinned, there would have been no division of fields, but all things would have been in common.

8. By the fruits of the everlasting hills is understood wisdom, or the fruit of wisdom, which consists in the contemplation of the eternal reasons and in the consideration of the sublimated heavenly spirits; the Psalm⁸: Thou enlightenest wonderfully from the everlasting hills; all the foolish of heart were troubled and so on. — Of the fruits of the earth, as regards the consideration of the divine con-

descensions in the orders of the Churches. — Of the fulness thereof, as regards the joining of both Churches, militant and triumphant, in the way that the Lord hath placed peace for its bounds¹, namely, as he will declare, peace like a river.

9. Thus, then, this fruit is from Christ in a threefold way, because Jesus Christ is the Son of God: because Jesus, from him the fruit of grace; because Christ, the fruit of justice; because Son of God, the fruit of wisdom. For all the considerations are both from Christ and lead back to Christ. — If you consider the inner sights of the lights, they lead you back to Christ. — If you come to examples, the highest exemplar of all the virtues is in Christ. If you consider the patience of Job, greater is the patience of Christ; you have heard of the patience of Job, and you have seen the end of the Lord, says that one². For the stars are nothing in comparison with the sun. — If you come to the eternal rewards, we shall not have these except through Christ; in John: This is eternal life, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. — If to the everlasting torments; unless the hand of Christ hold you, you will not be set free. For a boy, if he fears to fall over a precipice, holds fast to his mother as best he can; for unless you are set free by the blood of Christ, you will not be able to be saved.

10. If you consider the precepts; this is my commandment, that you love one another³. — If concerning judgment; Christ has to judge; and we ought willingly to wish to have him as judge, because he loves us; whence we ought to say to him: Lord, thou must judge us; but grant that thy blood may make satisfaction for us.

11. If you consider the severe consolations, they are not seen in Christ after that manner in which they are seen in others, but after another; because they were never dangerous to him, nor did he have temporal consolations. — For he mingled bitterness with consolations, punishment with fruition; for his soul, which was always united to the Godhead, was supremely delighted; and yet he himself mingled bitterness, poverty, the cross, and conversely mingled consolations amid scourgings, in which he was supremely delighted. Whence, after the example of Christ, fear is to be joined to consolation, and consolation is to be joined to sadness, after the example also of blessed Francis⁴, who, when honour was offered him, used to say to his companion that in that place they had gained nothing; but when they received revilings, then they were gaining.

12. If you consider from straight ahead the defences of the citizens, the principal hierarch is Christ. — If concerning the battle; although the Angels and the Saints help — the Psalm⁵: I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence help shall come to me — yet the principal fighter is Christ; whence in the Psalm: I set the Lord always in my sight, for he is at my right hand, that I be not moved; likewise, in the Acts: I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. — If you consider grace, all these things come from the throne of God and of the Lamb. I saw, says John⁶, a river proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. — If you consider the signs of the figures, all things are referred to Christ and are obscure, unless the seals be loosed through Christ. — Whence all the considerations send us back to Christ.

13. From Christ, then, is the fruit of grace. Now the fruit of grace is fourfold: to steady the soul through faith, to sanctify it through divine love, to bear it upward through hope, to incline it through divine fear. — Of the first the Apostle⁷: It is best to establish the heart with grace, not with meats. The Jews used to establish themselves upon meats. — Of the second Peter: Wherefore, having the loins of your mind girt up, being sober, hope perfectly for that grace which is offered you in the revelation of Jesus Christ. For sanctification consists in this, that the virtues, which are the loins of the mind, are carried over into God. — Of the third, to Titus⁸: Being justified by his grace, we are heirs according to the hope of life everlasting. And the first of Peter: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy hath regenerated us unto a lively hope. — Of the fourth Ecclesiasticus: The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things.

14. Through the sights of the lights the soul is disposed to the first act of grace. For the more Scripture is understood, the more faith is increased; and so there is one refreshment of the affection. — The examples of the Saints dispose to the sanctification of the soul, to the second act of grace. Among all the things that are read of Joseph, that one pleases, that he thus kept faith with his master; although his mistress was most beautiful and threatened him⁹. David likewise, though he did many things that move to imitation, that one pleases most of all, that when he could have killed Saul, he was unwilling; who nevertheless,

as Augustine says, feared neither God nor man: not man, because sleep had fallen upon them all; not God, because that man was reprobate, and David according to truth was king, and yet out of charity he let him go. And likewise in all the Fathers there was this charity; who nevertheless, if at any time they fell, repented. Whence if David's fall displeases you, let his repentance please you, as Jerome says¹, and you have in this that no one may despair of his fall, and no one may presume upon his state.

15. Now grace acting upward is had through hope. The Psalm²: For what have I in heaven, and besides thee what have I desired upon earth? Thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion for ever, and elsewhere: I said: thou art my hope, my portion in the land of the living, so that the whole may be reserved for that fatherland. Therefore that which is at present momentary and light of our tribulation worketh an eternal weight of glory. For the Lord has delights at his right hand; the Psalm: At thy right hand are delights even to the end; at his left hand he has riches and glories and temporal consolations. But we ought to cleave to the right hand; the Psalm: Thy right hand hath received me, Lord. Therefore the rewards dispose to the third act of grace. — Likewise the fourth consideration, namely of the torments of hell³, causes one to have the grace that inclines.

16. Likewise there are four acts of justice: to do good things, to flee evil things, to dread prosperity, to bear adversity. — Of the first two the Psalm⁴: Turn away from evil and do good. The eyes of the Lord are upon the just; and: But the countenance of the Lord is upon them that do evil things. — Of the third: Blessed is the man who is always fearful in prosperity. Whence the just man prays that he may not fall, and that if he does fall, he may rise again; because a just man shall fall seven times and shall rise again. — Of the fourth, in Proverbs⁵: The just, bold as a lion, shall be without dread. And: Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake. And: Strive for justice for thy soul, and even unto death fight for justice.

17. These fruits arise from the four middle considerations, namely forwards, backwards, to the right, to the left, so that, according to Dionysius⁶, the soul may be moved circularly, straight, and obliquely. And Richard says that certain birds fly upward, certain downward, certain circularly, certain forward, and so on. So the soul through these considerations.

18. From the first consideration is had the first act, namely to do good, through the direction of the precepts; if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments⁷. For the consideration of God's commandments makes a man do good. The precept of the Lord is right in itself; for justice is nothing else than rightness; and rightness is in the law of itself, and in the keeper of it by participation. It is needful, therefore, to consider, to accept, to love the divine precepts; if Adam and Eve had done so, they would not have fallen; and thus you are transformed through love.

19. From the second consideration arises the fruit of justice, namely to flee evil things, namely through the strict judgments; Ecclesiasticus⁸: Sow not evils in the furrows of injustice, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold. For no one wishes to reap cockle or darnel, because, as it is said in Deuteronomy, according to the measure of the fault shall the measure also of the stripes be. The consideration, therefore, of the judgments makes a man flee evil things.

20. From the third consideration, namely through the severe consolations, arises the fruit of justice, namely to dread prosperity. For when honours are offered, a man flees, because he fears to fall into fault, because in every grain there is a worm: in the grain of honour, elation; in the grain of riches, avarice; in the grain of delights, concupiscence. For there are certain fruits that begin at once to breed worms, like cherries in Italy. There are certain ones that appear best, and yet the worm is within. — On the contrary, through the kindly scourgings is shown the fourth fruit of justice, namely patiently to bear adversity; see Paul, Lawrence.

21. Likewise the fruit of wisdom is born from the four last antitheses. Of this there are four acts: for wisdom is strengthening, wrestling, contemplating, praising. — Strengthening in good; Ecclesiastes⁹: Wisdom hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city. — It is also wrestling against evil; whence Ecclesiastes: Better is wisdom than weapons of war; and in Wisdom: She gave him a strong conflict,

that he might overcome and know that wisdom is mightier than all. — It is also contemplating the highest good; in Wisdom: For she is more beautiful than the sun. For it makes the soul taste and be united. — It is also praising God out of all things. This fruit is joined to glory; this is the work, this the office, this the fruit: we shall see, we shall love, we shall praise¹.

22. These four fruits arise in order. The consideration from straight ahead, through the defences of the citizens, disposes to the first act of wisdom, in an army terrible, set in array, and in the companies of camps².

23. Second, through the combats of the enemies from the opposite side arises the second fruit, namely to wrestle against the enemies; because a man, when he has enemies, then bears himself very shrewdly, and an imminent war makes a man shrewd, brave and wise; just as men shut in find many ways of escape; whence an imminent temptation, as it were from the oblique, makes one stronger, like a ray coming upon a body opaque, dense, solid, and afterwards reflected, which generates greater light and heat, as is clear in an iron mirror. Likewise a man is made more chaste when the enemy strives hard to draw him to lust. — For as he said, a woman had a demon, who spoke in her and said that Francis was doing them great harm, and that they had rightly gathered together against him five thousand to cast him down; and the brother who heard it told blessed Francis; then he himself rose up and said that he was now the stronger³.

24. The third fruit of wisdom is to contemplate the highest good, which arises from the consideration from near at hand through the gifts of graces. For grace could be so great that a man existing here would be as it were in paradise. For he would see in his inmost parts, like blessed Paul, who says⁴: We speak wisdom among the perfect; and afterwards: But to us God hath revealed it by his Spirit. For as no man knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of a man that is in him; so the things also that are of God we do not know, unless the Spirit of God enter into us.

25. From the fourth, namely from afar, there is born in us the praising of God in all things. For all creatures utter God. What shall I do? I shall sing with all of them. A thick string on a lyre does not of itself sound well, but with the others there is concord. The signs of the figures are taken from all creatures in Scripture for the praising of God, as is clear in the Psalm⁵: Praise ye the Lord from the heavens; and in: All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord, from the highest down to the lowest; so a man, seeing God in all things, tasting God in all things with his three powers. The Psalm: Let my speech be acceptable to him, but I will take delight in the Lord; and elsewhere: For thou hast given me, O Lord, a delight in thy doings; and: I will magnify him with praise. Thus in all things he has the taste and the refreshment of the understanding and of the affection. — Out of all these fruits there rise the fruits of love and charity, which is intended in all of them. For the whole of Scripture is ordered to charity. These twelve fruits ascend in order to charity.

26. But descending from charity there flow twelve charisms, which are the fruits that the Apostle sets down to the Galatians in the fifth chapter⁶: Now the fruit of the spirit is charity, joy, peace, patience, longanimity, goodness, benignity, mildness, faith, modesty, continency, chastity. Grace, indeed, and justice and wisdom cannot exist without charity⁷. For fruit is so called from to enjoy; « and to enjoy is to cleave to something for its own sake ». Whence neither justice nor miracles nor the knowing of mysteries profit without charity. And this all the doctors and the Saints hold. So, behold, one little old woman, who has a small garden, because she has charity alone, has a better fruit than one great master who has the largest garden and knows the mysteries and the natures of things.

27. Now the sufficiency of these twelve fruits is taken in this way. According to Augustine, the son of Paul⁸, four things are to be loved out of charity, which we enjoy: God, myself in God, my neighbour in God, my body in God. — Now I enjoy God when I supremely rest, am delighted, am united in God: I rest through love, I am delighted through joy, I am united through peace. And these three are ordered; because, where there is peace, it is necessary that there be joy; and where there is joy, it is necessary that there be rest.

28. Second, I enjoy myself in God. Now I enjoy my soul when I possess it; because, if a thing passes into another's possession, I do not have the fruit of it. But I possess it then, when I can patiently bear adversity; in your patience you shall possess your souls⁹; and to bear adversity patiently ought not to be

from chance, or fortune, but with a view to the reward; and this is to await the reward; the third is to forgive the offence to him who does the injury. And these three come about through patience, longanimity, goodness. Patience is in bearing adversity; longanimity, in awaiting the reward out of all tribulations; goodness, in forgiving liberally. Whence if charity is patient, longanimous, good; then it sucks the inundations of the sea as milk¹, as Lawrence rejoiced over the coals as over flowers. These fruits are in the spirit, not in the flesh. Whence James: Count it all joy, my brethren, when you shall fall into divers temptations.

29. Third, we enjoy our neighbour in God, when we have charity toward our neighbour; and this in a threefold way: kindly in heart or mind; mildly in companionship; faithfully in word or sign. I have a kind heart when I pour back into my own good whatever good my neighbour has. Likewise there is mildness, which makes a man companionable² and sociable. Some men are very good, and yet are so harsh in their outward signs that a man does not dare to draw near to them; but when a man makes himself familiar, then he is mild. Likewise fidelity makes a man much loved; and this makes one trust in a man more in his word than in his heart, because affection is changeable.

30. Fourth, I enjoy my body in God when I keep my body clean, and this when modesty is kept in taste, continence in touch, chastity in all the senses. In taste modesty is principally noted. The bodies of the lustful, of the gluttonous, of the incontinent are not buried in peace³.

31. Thus, then, descending, from charity, which is the ointment running down from the head to the beard, even to the skirt of the garment⁴, there is the enjoyment of God, of myself, of my neighbour, of my body. As, then, there are twelve fruits from the twelve illuminations ascending to charity, so there are twelve fruits descending. And this is that which is said in the Apocalypse, that on both sides of the river there is the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits through twelve months: on one side of the river the intellectual fruits, on the other the affective ones; or on one side the ascending fruits, on the other the descending ones.

32. This, then, is the fruit of the Scriptures, namely charity. For the sake of this there are the mysteries, the understandings, the contemplations. Whence at the end of the Apocalypse⁵: Blessed are they that wash their garments, that they may enter in by the gate into the city. — And he used to say: I imagine those first or ascending twelve illuminations, which flow from God and are terminated in God and run through the whole of Scripture; I imagine them as twelve circles, so that into whichever one the soul may enter, it may find a wood and the pleasantness of the trees and the abundance of the fruits.

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