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 XIX.

De tertia visione tractatio septima et ultima, quae agit de recta via et ratione, qua fructus Scripturae percipiantur, sive qua per scientiam et sanctitatem ad sapientiam perveniatur.

Summarium

Introductio. De fructibus Scripturae, ad quos invitat Sapientia aeterna. Transitus bonus et malus, 1. — Sapientia et caritas sunt principales fructus, quibus contraria est vanitas, 2. — Periculum in transitu a scientia ad sapientiam; media via est sanctitas, 3. — Tentatio in scientia; curiositas, 4. — Pars I. De studio scientiae et de modo studendi. Quatuor requiruntur, 5. — Primo, ordo; quatuor genera scripturarum, 6. — Scientia quaerenda est in fonte, scilicet in sacra Scriptura, 7. 8. — Primum est, quod homo habeat Scripturam non sicut Iudaeus, 9. — De originalibus Sanctorum et de Summis magistrorum, 10. — Periculum in secundis, maius in tertiis, 11. — Maximum in quartis, scilicet in philosophia; exemplum de Hieronymo, 12. — Figuratur hoc in Scriptura de Gedeone, 13. — Exemplum in beato Francisco, 14. — Epilogus de ordine studendi, 15. — Secundo, assiduitas, 16. — Tertio, complacentia, 17. — Monitio, 18. — Quarto, commensuratio; epilogus partis I, 19. — Pars II. De sanctitate ut via ad sapientiam et de ipsa sapientia. Quatuor proprietates vitae sanctae; primo debet esse vita

timorata, 20. — Secundo, impolluta, 21. — Tertio, religiosa, 22. — Quarto, aedificatoria, 23. — Sapientia, quae est fructus scientiae et sanctitatis, consistit in quatuor: primo in recognitione internorum defectuum, 24. — Secundo, in castigatione passionum, 25. — Tertio, in ordinatione cogitationum, 26. — Quarto, in desiderii sursumactione, 27.

1. Protulit terra herbam virentem¹ etc. Dictum est de fructibus sacrae Scripturae; et ad hos fructus invitat nos Sapientia aeterna; in Ecclesiastico: Ego quasi vitis fructificavi suavitatem odoris, et flores mei fructus honoris et gratiae. Transite ad me omnes, qui concupiscitis me, et a generationibus meis implemini. Si volumus transire, oportet, nos esse filios Israel, qui transierunt Aegyptum; sed Aegyptii non transierunt, sed submersi sunt². Illi autem transeunt, qui totum suum studium ponunt, qualiter a vanitatibus transeant in regionem veritatis. A veritate in vanitatem transivit Adam, unde in Psalmo: Verumtamen in imagine pertransit homo, sed et frustra conturbatur. Thesaurizat et ignorat, cui congregabit ea. Mane sicut herba transeat, mane floreat et transeat, vespere decidat, induret et arescat. Quando ergo amatur commutabile bonum, transitorium, vanum; tunc homo transit; et hunc transitum reprobat Sapientia. Hic transitus facit omne malum. Sic transivit lucifer, cui dictum est³: Verumtamen ad infernum detraheris. Primo proiectus est per culpam, secundo per iudicium. Sic etiam fecit Adam; postquam dimisit lignum vitae, abscondit se. Vidit enim se nudum ab omnibus habitibus bonis; propter quod abiectus est de paradiso.

2. Sapientia ergo et caritas sunt principales fructus; quibus principaliter est contraria vanitas. Unde in Cantico exprimitur sapientia amorosa. Non enim potest quis dicere verba Cantici sine sapientia et amore, nec nisi elongatus a vanitate. Et ideo Ecclesiastes praecedit hunc librum; ubi ostendit vanitatem, cum dicit⁴: Vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas. Haec propositio vera est et probatur in toto libro. Oportet ergo transire ab omnibus ad veritatem, ut non sit delectatio nisi in Deo.

3. Quomodo autem transeundum est? Volunt omnes esse sapientes et scientes. Sed cito accidit, quod mulier decipit virum⁵. Sapientia autem est supra tanquam nobilis; sed scientia infra, at videtur homini pulcra, et ideo vult sibi coniungi, et inclinatur anima ad scibilia et sensibilia et vult ea cognoscere et cognita experiri et per consequens eis uniri. Et ita enervatur, ut Salomon, qui voluit omnia scire et disputavit super lignis a cedro, quae est in Libano, usque ad hyssopum⁶; et oblitus est principalis, et ideo est factus vanus. Non est ergo securus transitus a scientia ad sapientiam; oportet ergo medium ponere, scilicet sanctitatem. Transitus autem est exercitium: exercitatio a studio scientiae ad studium sanctitatis, et a studio sanctitatis ad studium sapientiae; de quibus in Psalmo⁷: Bonitatem et disciplinam et scientiam doce me. Incipit a summo, quia vellet gustare, quam bonus et suavis est Dominus; ad sapientiam autem perveniri non potest nisi per disciplinam, nec ad disciplinam nisi per scientiam: non est ergo praeferendum ultimum primo. Malus esset mercator, qui stannum praeeligeret auro. Qui enim praefert scientiam sanctitati nunquam prosperabitur.

4. Augustinus, de Civitate Dei⁸, dicit, quod Angeli boni sive spiritus habent nomen angeli, scilicet nuntii, quia de humilitate gaudent; spiritus nequam vocantur daemones, scilicet scientes, quia ab illius fastu volunt nominari. Sed verendum est quod dicit Iob⁹ de behemoth-leviathan: Sternet sibi aurum quasi lutum. Per scientiam enim est tentatio facilis ad ruinam. Unde: Eritis sicut dii, scientes bonum et malum. Unde quidam super viam naturae volunt perscrutari, sicut de contingentibus. Beatus Bernardus dicit de gradibus superbiae, quod primum vitium est curiositas, per quod lucifer cecidit; per hoc etiam Adam cecidit. Appetitus scientiae modificandus est, et praeferenda est ei sapientia et sanctitas.

5. Qualiter ergo studendum est scientiae et sanctitati et sapientiae? Oportet scire, ut de fructibus sapientiae habeatur, et per portas civitatis possimus introire; Ecclesiastes¹: Labor stultorum perdet eos qui nesciunt in urbem pergere, hoc est, qui nesciunt studere in quibus oportet. In Genesi dicitur, quod tulit Dominus Deus hominem et posuit in paradiso, ut operaretur et custodiret illum. — Oportet operari in sacra Scriptura et exercitare intellectum. Seneca: « Multos inveni exercitantes corpus, paucos ingenium ». Haec exercitatio est spiritus ad pietatem; unde in Proverbiis²: Per agrum hominis pigri transivi et per vineam viri stulti. Et ecce, totum repleverant urticae, et operuerant superficiem eius spinae, et maceria lapidum destructa erat. Hoc fit, quando homo habet bonam dispositionem et non exercet eam, sed crescunt ibi urticae malignitatis, spinae cupiditatis. Maceria lapidum virtutum destruitur propter dissipationem cogitationum; unde ibidem: Praepara foris opus tuum, et diligenter exerce agrum tuum.

6. Modus studendi debet habere quatuor conditiones: ordinem, assiduitatem, complacentiam, commensurationem. — Ordo diversimode traditur a diversis; sed oportet ordinate procedere, ne de primo faciant posterius. Sunt ergo quatuor genera scripturarum, circa quae oportet ordinate exerceri. Primi libri sunt sacrae Scripturae. In testamento veteri secundum Hieronymum³ viginti duo libri, in novo testamento octo sunt. Secundi libri sunt originalia Sanctorum; tertii, Sententiae magistrorum; quarti, doctrinarum mundialium sive philosophorum.

7. Qui ergo vult discere quaerat scientiam in fonte, scilicet in sacra Scriptura, quia apud philosophos non est scientia ad dandam remissionem peccatorum; nec apud Summas magistrorum, quia illi ab originalibus traxerunt, originalia autem a sacra Scriptura. Unde dicit Augustinus⁴, quod ipse decipi potest et alii; sed ibi est fides tanta, ubi non potest esse deceptio. Et hoc dicit Dionysius de Divinis Nominibus, quod « nihil assumendum est, nisi quod ex eloquiis sacris divinitus nobis est expressum ». — Studere debet Christi discipulus in sacra Scriptura, sicut pueri primo addiscunt a, b, c, d etc., et postea syllabicare et postea legere et postea, quid significet pars. Similiter in sacra Scriptura primo debet quis studere in textu et ipsum habere in promptu et intelligere, « quid dicitur per nomen⁵ », non solum sicut Iudaeus, qui semper intendit ad litteralem sensum. Tota Scriptura est quasi una [?], et inferior chorda per se non facit harmo[?], sed cum aliis; similiter unus locus Scripturae dependet ab alio, immo unum locum respiciunt mille loca.

8. Notandum, quod quando Christus fecit miraculum de conversione aquae in vinum, non statim dixit: fiat vinum, nec fecit de nihilo; sed voluit, quod ministri implerent hydrias aqua, ut dicit Gregorius⁶. Ad litteram, quare sic fecit, ratio reddi non potest; sed secundum spiritualem intelligentiam reddi potest ratio: quia Spiritus sanctus non dat spiritualem intelligentiam, nisi homo impleat hydriam, scilicet capacitatem suam, aqua, scilicet notitia litteralis sensus, et post convertit Deus aquam sensus litteralis in vinum spiritualis intelligentiae. — Propter hoc Paulus fuit altus, quia ipse didicerat Legem ad pedes Gamalielis⁷. Unde qui Scripturam habet potens est in eloquiis et etiam in venusto sermone. Unde beatus Bernardus parum sciebat, sed quia in Scriptura multum studuit; ideo locutus est elegantissime.

9. Primum igitur est, quod homo habeat Scripturam non sicut Iudaeus, qui solum vult corticem. Unde quidam Iudaeus semel legebat illud capitulum Isaiae⁸: Domine, quis credidit auditui nostro etc.; et legebat ad litteram et non potuit habere concordantiam nec sensum, et ideo proiecit librum ad terram, imprecans, ut Deus confunderet Isaiam, quia, ut sibi videbatur, non poterat stare quod dicebat.

10. Ad hanc autem intelligentiam non potest homo pervenire per se, nisi per illos quibus Deus revelavit, scilicet per originalia Sanctorum, ut Augustini, Hieronymi et aliorum. Oportet ergo recurrere ad originalia Sanctorum; sed ista sunt difficilia; ideo necessariae sunt Summae magistrorum, in quibus elucidantur illae difficultates. Sed cavendum est de multitudine scriptorum. Sed quia ista scripta

adducunt philosophorum verba, necesse est, quod homo sciat vel supponat ipsa. — Est ergo periculum descendere ad originalia, quia pulcher sermo est originalium; Scriptura autem non habet sermonem ita pulcrum. Unde Augustinus, si tu dimittas Scripturam et in libris suis studeas, pro bono non habet; sicut nec Paulus de illis qui in nomine Pauli baptizabantur¹. Sacra Scriptura in magna reverentia habenda est.

11. Maius autem periculum est descendere ad Summas magistrorum, quia aliquando est in eis error; et credunt, se intelligere originalia, et non intelligunt, immo eis contradicunt. Unde sicut fatuus esset qui vellet semper immorari circa tractatus et nunquam ascendere ad textum; sic est de Summis magistrorum. In his autem homo debet cavere, ut semper adhaereat viae magis communi.

12. Descendere autem ad philosophiam est maximum periculum; unde Isaias²: Pro eo, quod abiecit populus ille aquas Siloe, quae currunt cum silentio, et assumsit magis Rasin et filium Romeliae; propter hoc, ecce, Dominus adducet super eos aquas fluminis fortes et multas, regem Assyriorum etc. Non amplius revertendum est in Aegyptum. — Notandum de Hieronymo, qui post studium Ciceronis non habebat saporem in propheticis libris; ideo flagellatus fuit ante tribunal³. Hoc autem propter nos factum est; unde magistri cavere debent, ne nimis commendent et appretientur dicta philosophorum, ne hac occasione populus revertatur in Aegyptum, vel exemplo eorum dimittat aquas Siloe, in quibus est summa perfectio, et vadant ad aquas philosophorum, in quibus est aeterna deceptio.

13. Signatum fuit hoc in Gedeone⁴, ubi illi qui probati fuerunt ad aquas, qui scilicet lambuerunt sicut canes, pugnaverunt et vicerunt; et illi qui flexo poplite incurvati biberunt, reversi sunt; et vincentibus datae sunt tubae, lagenae et laternae, et per clangorem buccinae et complosionem lagenarum vicerunt. Isti sunt Ecclesiae praedicatores, qui clangunt in praedicatione buccina. Lagenae sunt corpora, lampades sunt miracula. Quando enim pro veritate mortui sunt, miraculis coruscaverunt et superaverunt hostes. Isti autem, qui bibunt lingua attrahendo sicut canes, qui parum aquae lingua hauriunt, sunt qui de philosophia parum sumunt; sed illi qui flexo poplite bibunt, sunt qui totaliter se ibi incurvant; et illi curvantur ad errores infinitos, et inde fovetur fermentum erroris; Osee⁵: Quievit paululum civitas a commixtione fermenti, donec fermentaretur totum; et fovent ova aspidum, ut quod confotum fuerit erumpat in regulum.

14. Nota de beato Francisco, qui praedicabat Soldano. Cui dixit Soldanus, quod disputaret cum sacerdotibus suis. Et ille dixit, quod secundum rationem de fide disputari non poterat, quia supra rationem est, nec per Scripturam, quia ipsam non reciperent illi; sed rogabat, ut fieret ignis, et ipse et illi intrarent. — Non igitur tantum miscendum est de aqua philosophiae in vinum sacrae Scripturae, quod de vino fiat aqua; hoc pessimum miraculum esset; et legimus⁶, quod Christus de aqua fecit vinum, non e converso. — Ex hoc patet, quod credentibus fides non per rationem, sed per Scripturam et miracula probari potest. In Ecclesia etiam primitiva libros philosophiae comburebant⁷. Non enim panes mutari debent in lapides.

15. Est ergo ordo, ut prius studeat homo in sacra Scriptura quantum ad litteram et spiritum, post in originalibus, et illa subiiciat sacrae Scripturae; similiter in scriptis magistrorum et in scriptis philosophorum, sed transeundo et furando, quasi ibi non sit permanendum. Quid lucrata fuit Rachel, quod furata fuit idola patris sui⁸? Tantum fuit lucrata, quod mentita fuit et simulavit infirmitatem et abscondit ea subter stramenta cameli et sedit desuper; sic, quando quaterni philosophorum absconduntur. Aquae nostrae non debent descendere ad mare mortuum, sed in suam primam originem.

16. Secundo oportet habere assiduitatem. Impedimentum enim est maximum lectio vagabunda, quasi plantans modo hic, modo ibi; modo legere

unum, modo alium. Vagatio exterior signum est vagationis animae; et ideo talis non potest proficere, quia non figitur in memoria; sicut ponit exemplum Gregorius¹, quod quando homo videt semel faciem hominis, non ita perfecte postea cognoscit, sed quando frequenter videt, postea cognoscet. Sic de sacra Scriptura: quia primo faciem obscuram habet, postea, quando frequenter videtur, efficitur familiaris.

17. Tertio oportet habere complacentiam. Sicut enim Deus proportionavit gustum et cibum, quia cibo dedit saporem, gustui autem discretionem; et ex his duobus cibus incorporatur: sic primo oportet sumere Scripturam, postea masticare, demum incorporare. Ad quid homo bibet aquam turbidam? Ieremias²: Quid tibi vis in via Aegypti, ut bibas aquam turbidam? Sed bibe aquam salutarem, scilicet sapientiae.

18. Nota, quod animal, quod non ruminat, immundum est³. Ruminatio enim fit eo, quod animal habet duos ventres; attrahit cibum ad os et totum ruminat et proiicit in alterum ventrem ulteriorem. — In Psalmo⁴: Quam dulcia faucibus meis eloquia tua, super mel ori meo! Non diligas meretricem et dimittas sponsam tuam; in Sapientia: Hanc amavi et exquisivi a iuventute mea. Non accipias glandes et siliquas porcorum, ut suspendaris cum Absalom per capillos, scilicet affectus tuos. Doctrinae saeculares sunt sicut quercus altae, proceres, inflexibiles. Noli comedere pepones Aegypti et porros et allia, sed manna de caelo⁵; et non nauseas super cibo isto, non sis carnalis, sicut filii Israel; et hi non inveniebant nisi unum saporem, sed alii homines spirituales inveniebant omnis saporis suavitatem.

19. Quartum est commensuratio, ut non velit sapere super vires, sed sapere ad sobrietatem⁶. Unde ait Sapiens: Mel invenisti, comede quod tibi sufficit, ne forte satiatus evomas illud. Non plus te extendas, quam ingenium tuum potest ascendere, nec infra maneas. Unde in designationem huius, ut dicit Dionysius, Seraphim mediis volabant alis, ut nec sistat homo citra id quod potest, nec ascendat ultra id quod potest; sicut illi qui cantant ultra vires, nunquam bonam faciunt harmoniam. — Et dicit Augustinus⁷, quod illi qui non ordinant studium, sunt sicut pulli equorum, qui modo currunt huc, modo illuc; sed iumentum plano passu tantum vadit, eo quod aeque proficit; sic unus durus, dummodo ordinare sciat studium suum, sicut ingeniosus inordinate studens.

20. Qui autem vult proficere in hoc studio, oportet, quod habeat sanctitatem et possit studere ad vitam timoratam, impollutam, religiosam, aedificatoriam. — Haec est vita Sanctorum timorata, ut in his quae agit, semper timeat, sive vadens ad Missam, sive ad mensam, sive stans, sive ambulans, quia in omnibus potest esse peccatum; Iob⁸: Verebar omnia opera mea, sciens, quod non parceres delinquenti. Optimum signum est timor, et pessimum signum est audacia, quia talis nunquam corrigitur.

21. Secundo, vita impolluta, quod totum faciat propter amorem Dei, non propter amorem alicuius rei, quia omnis amor suspectus est nisi Dei. Unde dicit Augustinus⁹, et beatus Bernardus in quadam epistola ad quendam monachum, quod dilectio Apostolorum ad carnem Christi impediebat adventum Spiritus sancti. Quid de alio amore creaturarum? Psalmus¹⁰: Renuit consolari anima mea etc. Custodi me, Domine, ut pupillam oculi. Pupilla non bene custoditur munda, quando est vapor, vel pulvis, vel humor in ea.

22. Tertio, quod sit vita religiosa, clausa sicut maceria vineae; sic oportet, quod homo faciat sibi restrictionem gustus, linguae et sensuum ceterorum: quia, si quis putat, se religiosum esse, non refrenans linguam suam, sed seducens cor suum; huius vana est religio¹¹. Sepi aures tuas spinis. Vita nostra non debet esse data loquelis, sed lacrymis.

23. Quarto, quod sit vita aedificatoria proximi et remoti, ut sit paratus omnes aedificare et doleat, si quis ex ipso scandalizatur; et debet cavere damna alterius; quia, si ego solus bene comederem, et alii ieiunarent, male factum esset. Et iste est fructus aliorum.

24. Item sequitur ex his praedictis, scilicet scientia et sanctitate, fructus sapientiae vel studium, quod consistit in quatuor, quae sunt necessaria, scilicet recognitio internorum propriorum defectuum. Unde in fronte Apollinis scriptum erat¹: « Recognosce te ipsum »; sine hoc impossibile est venire ad sapientiam. Unde quanto sapiens plus proficit, tanto plus se despicit. Unde malus mercator est qui se ipsum decipit; quod facit qui se appretiatur plus quam valet; sed debet alios appretiari et se despicere; et hoc est principalissimum studium sapientiae, ut sibi ipsi persuadeat homo suos defectus et fiat humilis in oculis suis.

25. Secundum studium sapientiae est castigatio passionum, quae sunt septem affectiones animae, quatuor principales et tres annexae: timor, dolor, spes, gaudium²; desiderium, verecundia, odium. Etiam in omnibus his contingit excedere. Puer autem, quando nimis clamat, compescitur; sic homo censura quadam iudiciali debet domare et restringere huiusmodi passiones, ut, quando venit dolor, dicatur sibi: sta in pace, et sic de aliis; et praescinde istas puerilitates et pueriles affectiones. Pueri enim insecutores sunt passionum; maledictus puer centum annorum³.

26. Tertium studium sapientiae est ordinatio cogitationum; unde: Stultus per fenestram prospicit in domum proximi⁴. Et hic est magna difficultas ordinare phantasmata nostra, ut, quando sumus in Ecclesia, nil cogitemus nisi de officio, et sic de aliis; et necessario oportet ordinare has cogitationes ad hoc, quod Spiritus sanctus intret per sapientiam, quia Spiritus sanctus disciplinae effugiet fictum et auferet se a cogitationibus, quae sunt sine intellectu⁵. Et ideo oportet habere certas materias, circa quas nos exerceamus.

27. Quartum studium sapientiae est desiderii sursumactio; hoc facit alia studia valere, ut posteriora obliti extendamus nos ad ea quae sunt priora⁶. Sapientis oculi in capite eius. Cor sapientis in dextera eius. Hoc est sapientis studium, ut non declinet studium nostrum nisi ad Deum, qui est totus desiderabilis. — Haec quatuor sunt difficilia, nisi habeantur prima studia, et cum his sunt facilia. Unde facile est tunc habere dominium supra passiones, ut dicitur de quodam philosopho⁷, qui dixit servo suo: « Quantum te affligerem, si non essem iratus ».

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COLLATION XIX.

On the third vision: the seventh and last treatment, which treats of the right way and method by which the fruits of Scripture are received, or by which one comes through knowledge and holiness to wisdom.

Summarium

Introduction. On the fruits of Scripture, to which the eternal Wisdom invites us. The good passage and the bad, 1. — Wisdom and charity are the principal fruits, to which vanity is contrary, 2. — The danger in the passage from knowledge to wisdom; the middle way is holiness, 3. — The temptation in knowledge; curiosity, 4. — Part I. On the study of knowledge and on the manner of studying. Four things are required, 5. — First, order; the four kinds of writings, 6. — Knowledge is to be sought at the fountain, that is, in sacred Scripture, 7. 8. — The first thing is that a man should have Scripture not as the Jew has it, 9. — On the original works of the Saints and on the Summas of the masters, 10. — The danger in the second kind, greater in the third, 11. — Greatest in the fourth, that is, in philosophy; the example of Jerome, 12. — This is figured in Scripture in Gideon, 13. — The example in blessed Francis, 14. — Epilogue on the order of studying, 15. — Second, assiduity, 16. — Third, complacency, 17. — A warning, 18. — Fourth, commensuration; epilogue of Part I, 19. — Part II. On holiness as the way to wisdom, and on wisdom itself. The four properties of the holy life; first, the life ought to be

fearing, 20. — Second, unpolluted, 21. — Third, religious, 22. — Fourth, upbuilding, 23. — Wisdom, which is the fruit of knowledge and of holiness, consists in four things: first, in the recognition of one's inward defects, 24. — Second, in the chastening of the passions, 25. — Third, in the ordering of one's thoughts, 26. — Fourth, in the lifting up of desire, 27.

1. The earth brought forth the green herb¹ and so on. It has been said of the fruits of sacred Scripture; and to these fruits the eternal Wisdom invites us; in Ecclesiasticus: I as the vine have brought forth a sweet odour, and my flowers are the fruit of honour and riches. Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits. If we wish to pass over, it is necessary that we be sons of Israel, who passed over Egypt; but the Egyptians did not pass over, but were drowned². Those pass over who set their whole study upon this, how they may pass over from vanities into the region of truth. From truth into vanity Adam passed over, whence in the Psalm: Surely man passeth as an image, yea, and he is disquieted in vain. He storeth up, and he knoweth not for whom he shall gather these things. In the morning let him pass away as grass, in the morning let him flourish and pass away, in the evening let him fall, grow dry and wither. When, therefore, a changeable good, transitory and vain, is loved, then a man passes away; and this passing Wisdom reproves. This passing does every evil. Thus Lucifer passed over, to whom it was said³: But yet thou shalt be brought down to hell. First he was cast out through fault, second through judgment. So too did Adam; after he let go the tree of life, he hid himself. For he saw himself naked of all good habits; on account of which he was cast out of paradise.

2. Wisdom, then, and charity are the principal fruits; to which vanity is principally contrary. Whence in the Canticle a loving wisdom is expressed. For no one can utter the words of the Canticle without wisdom and love, nor unless he be far removed from vanity. And therefore Ecclesiastes goes before this book; where he shows vanity, when he says⁴: Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity. This proposition is true and is proved throughout the whole book. It is necessary, therefore, to pass over from all things to truth, so that there may be no delight save in God.

3. But how is one to pass over? All wish to be wise and knowing. But it quickly happens that the woman deceives the man⁵. Now wisdom is above, as being noble; but knowledge below, and yet it seems beautiful to a man, and therefore he wishes to be joined to it, and the soul is bent toward the knowable and the sensible, and wishes to know these things and to experience what it knows and consequently to be united to them. And so it is unnerved, like Solomon, who wished to know all things and disputed of trees from the cedar that is in Libanus unto the hyssop⁶; and he forgot the chief thing, and therefore was made vain. The passage from knowledge to wisdom is therefore not safe; a middle term must be set, namely holiness. Now the passage is exercise: the exercise from the study of knowledge to the study of holiness, and from the study of holiness to the study of wisdom; of which in the Psalm⁷: Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge. He begins from the highest, because he would taste how good and sweet the Lord is; but to wisdom one cannot come except through discipline, nor to discipline except through knowledge: the last, then, is not to be preferred to the first. He would be a bad merchant who chose tin before gold. For whoever prefers knowledge to holiness will never prosper.

4. Augustine, in the City of God⁸, says that the good Angels or spirits have the name angels, that is, messengers, because they rejoice in humility; the wicked spirits are called demons, that is, knowers, because they wish to be named from that pride. But what Job says of behemoth-leviathan is to be feared⁹: He shall esteem gold as mire. For through knowledge the temptation to ruin is easy. Whence: You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Whence certain men wish to search out things beyond the way of nature, as about contingent things. Blessed Bernard says of the degrees of pride that the first vice is curiosity, through which Lucifer fell; through this Adam also fell. The appetite for knowledge must be tempered, and wisdom and holiness are to be preferred to it.

5. How, then, is one to study knowledge and holiness and wisdom? One must know, so that the fruits of wisdom may be had, and that we may be able to enter in through the gates of the city; Ecclesiastes¹: The labour of fools shall afflict them that know not how to go to the city, that is, who know not how to study in the things in which they ought. In Genesis it is said that the Lord God took man and put him in paradise, that he might dress it and keep it. — One must work in sacred Scripture and exercise the understanding. Seneca: « I have found many exercising the body, few the mind ». This exercise is of the spirit unto piety; whence in Proverbs²: I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man. And behold, nettles had filled it all up, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the wall of stones was broken down. This comes about when a man has a good disposition and does not exercise it, but there grow up the nettles of malice, the thorns of cupidity. The wall of stones of the virtues is broken down through the scattering of thoughts; whence in the same place: Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground.

6. The manner of studying ought to have four conditions: order, assiduity, complacency, commensuration. — Order is handed down in various ways by various men; but one must proceed in order, lest they make of the first the last. There are, then, four kinds of writings, about which one must be exercised in order. The first books are those of sacred Scripture. In the Old Testament, according to Jerome³, there are twenty-two books, in the New Testament there are eight. The second books are the original works of the Saints; the third, the Sentences of the masters; the fourth, those of worldly teachings, or of the philosophers.

7. Whoever, then, wishes to learn, let him seek knowledge at the fountain, that is, in sacred Scripture, because among the philosophers there is no knowledge for the giving of the remission of sins; nor among the Summas of the masters, because they drew from the original works, and the original works from sacred Scripture. Whence Augustine says⁴ that he himself can be deceived, and others too; but there is such faith there, where there can be no deception. And this Dionysius says On the Divine Names, that « nothing is to be taken up except what has been divinely expressed to us out of the sacred utterances ». — Christ's disciple ought to study in sacred Scripture as children first learn a, b, c, d and so on, and afterwards to form syllables, and afterwards to read, and afterwards what a part signifies. Likewise in sacred Scripture one ought first to study in the text and to have it ready to hand and to understand « what is said by the name⁵ », not only as the Jew does, who always attends to the literal sense. The whole of Scripture is as it were one [?], and the lower string by itself does not make harmo[?], but together with the others; likewise one passage of Scripture depends upon another, nay, a thousand passages regard one passage.

8. It is to be noted that when Christ worked the miracle of the changing of water into wine, he did not at once say: let there be wine, nor did he make it from nothing; but he willed that the servants should fill the water-pots with water, as Gregory says⁶. As to the letter, why he did so, no reason can be given; but according to the spiritual understanding a reason can be given: because the Holy Spirit does not give spiritual understanding unless a man fill the water-pot, that is, his own capacity, with water, that is, with the knowledge of the literal sense, and afterwards God changes the water of the literal sense into the wine of spiritual understanding. — On account of this Paul was lofty, because he himself had learned the Law at the feet of Gamaliel⁷. Whence he who has Scripture is mighty in utterance and also in graceful speech. Whence blessed Bernard knew little, but because he studied much in Scripture, therefore he spoke most elegantly.

9. The first thing, then, is that a man should have Scripture not as the Jew has it, who wants only the rind. Whence a certain Jew was once reading that chapter of Isaiah⁸: Lord, who hath believed our report? and so on; and he was reading it according to the letter and could get neither concordance nor sense, and therefore he threw the book to the ground, praying that God would confound Isaiah, because, as it seemed to him, what he said could not stand.

10. Now to this understanding a man cannot come by himself, save through those to whom God revealed it, that is, through the original works of the Saints, such as Augustine's, Jerome's and others'. It is needful, therefore, to have recourse to the original works of the Saints; but these are difficult; therefore the Summas of the masters are necessary, in which those difficulties are made clear. But one must beware of the multitude of writings. But because these writings

bring forward the words of the philosophers, it is necessary that a man should know or presuppose them. — There is therefore a danger in descending to the original works, because the speech of the original works is beautiful; but Scripture has not so beautiful a speech. Whence Augustine — if you let go Scripture and study in his books, he does not take it for good; just as neither did Paul in the case of those who were baptized in Paul's name¹. Sacred Scripture is to be held in great reverence.

11. But there is a greater danger in descending to the Summas of the masters, because sometimes there is error in them; and they believe that they understand the original works, and they do not understand them, nay, they contradict them. Whence, as a man would be a fool who wished always to linger over the treatises and never to ascend to the text, so it is with the Summas of the masters. In these a man ought to beware, so that he may always cleave to the more common way.

12. But to descend to philosophy is the greatest danger; whence Isaiah²: Forasmuch as this people hath cast away the waters of Siloe, that go with silence, and hath rather taken Rasin and the son of Romelia; therefore, behold, the Lord will bring upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, the king of the Assyrians and so on. There is no returning any more into Egypt. — It is to be noted of Jerome, who after the study of Cicero had no relish for the prophetic books; therefore he was scourged before the tribunal³. And this was done for our sake; whence masters ought to beware lest they commend and prize the sayings of the philosophers too much, lest on this occasion the people return into Egypt, or by their example let go the waters of Siloe, in which is the highest perfection, and go to the waters of the philosophers, in which is eternal deception.

13. This was signified in Gideon⁴, where those who were proved at the waters, that is, who lapped like dogs, fought and conquered; and those who drank bowed down upon bended knee turned back; and to the conquerors were given trumpets and pitchers and lanterns, and by the blare of the trumpet and the smashing of the pitchers they conquered. These are the preachers of the Church, who sound the trumpet in preaching. The pitchers are bodies, the lamps are miracles. For when they died for the truth, they flashed with miracles and overcame their enemies. But those who drink by drawing with the tongue like dogs, who draw up little water with the tongue, are they who take little from philosophy; but those who drink upon bended knee are they who bow themselves down wholly there; and they are bent to infinite errors, and thence the leaven of error is fostered; Hosea⁵: The city rested a little from the mingling of the leaven, till the whole was leavened; and they cherish the eggs of asps, so that what is hatched shall break out into a basilisk.

14. Note concerning blessed Francis, who was preaching to the Sultan. To whom the Sultan said that he should dispute with his priests. And he said that concerning faith one could not dispute by reason, because it is above reason, nor by Scripture, because they would not accept it; but he asked that a fire be made, and that he and they should enter it. — So much water of philosophy, then, is not to be mingled into the wine of sacred Scripture that of wine there be made water; this would be the worst of miracles; and we read⁶ that Christ made wine of water, not the other way round. — From this it is clear that for believers faith can be proved not by reason, but by Scripture and by miracles. In the primitive Church, too, they burned the books of philosophy⁷. For loaves ought not to be changed into stones.

15. The order, then, is that a man should first study in sacred Scripture as to the letter and the spirit, afterwards in the original works, and should subject them to sacred Scripture; likewise in the writings of the masters and in the writings of the philosophers, but passing through and stealing, as though one were not to remain there. What did Rachel gain, that she stole the idols of her father⁸? So much did she gain, that she lied and feigned infirmity and hid them under the camel's litter and sat upon them; so it is when the quires of the philosophers are hidden away. Our waters ought not to descend to the dead sea, but into their own first origin.

16. Second, one must have assiduity. For the greatest hindrance is wandering reading, as of one planting now here, now there; now reading

one thing, now another. Outward wandering is a sign of the wandering of the soul; and therefore such a man cannot make progress, because nothing is fixed in the memory; as Gregory gives the example¹, that when a man sees a man's face once, he does not afterwards know it so perfectly, but when he sees it often, he will afterwards know it. So of sacred Scripture: because at first it has an obscure face, but afterwards, when it is often looked upon, it becomes familiar.

17. Third, one must have complacency. For as God made taste and food proportionate to each other, because to food he gave savour, and to taste discernment; and out of these two the food is incorporated: so first one must take Scripture, afterwards chew it, and at last incorporate it. To what end shall a man drink muddy water? Jeremiah²: What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink muddy water? But drink the water of salvation, that is, of wisdom.

18. Note that an animal that does not chew the cud is unclean³. For rumination comes about by this, that the animal has two stomachs; it draws the food to its mouth and chews it all and casts it into the other, further stomach. — In the Psalm⁴: How sweet are thy words to my palate, more than honey to my mouth! Do not love a harlot and dismiss your bride; in Wisdom: Her have I loved and sought out from my youth. Do not take acorns and the husks of swine, lest you be hanged with Absalom by the hair, that is, by your affections. The secular teachings are like oaks, tall, lofty, unbending. Do not eat the melons of Egypt and the leeks and the garlic, but the manna from heaven⁵; and be not nauseated at this food, be not carnal, like the sons of Israel; and these found only one savour, but other, spiritual men found the sweetness of every savour.

19. The fourth is commensuration, that one should not wish to be wise beyond one's powers, but to be wise unto sobriety⁶. Whence the Wise Man says: Thou hast found honey, eat what is sufficient for thee, lest being glutted thou vomit it up. Do not stretch yourself further than your mind can ascend, nor stay below it. Whence, in token of this, as Dionysius says, the Seraphim flew with their middle wings, so that a man may neither stop short of what he can do, nor ascend beyond what he can do; like those who sing beyond their powers, who never make good harmony. — And Augustine says⁷ that those who do not order their study are like colts, which now run this way, now that; but the beast of burden goes only at an even pace, and thereby makes equal progress; so a slow man, provided he knows how to order his study, keeps pace with a clever man studying without order.

20. But whoever wishes to make progress in this study must have holiness and be able to study unto a life fearing, unpolluted, religious, upbuilding. — This is the fearing life of the Saints, that in the things he does he should always fear, whether going to Mass, or to table, whether standing or walking, because in all things there can be sin; Job⁸: I feared all my works, knowing that thou didst not spare the offender. Fear is the best sign, and boldness is the worst sign, because such a man is never corrected.

21. Second, the unpolluted life, that he do everything for the love of God, not for the love of any thing, because every love is suspect save the love of God. Whence Augustine says⁹, and blessed Bernard in a certain letter to a certain monk, that the Apostles' love toward the flesh of Christ hindered the coming of the Holy Spirit. What then of any other love of creatures? The Psalm¹⁰: My soul refused to be comforted and so on. Keep me, O Lord, as the apple of the eye. The apple of the eye is not well kept clean when there is vapour, or dust, or moisture in it.

22. Third, that the life be religious, enclosed like the wall of a vineyard; so it is needful that a man make for himself a restraint of taste, of the tongue, and of the other senses: because, if any man think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this man's religion is vain¹¹. Hedge in thy ears with thorns. Our life ought not to be given to speeches, but to tears.

23. Fourth, that the life be upbuilding to the neighbour near and far, so that he be ready to build up all and grieve if anyone is scandalized by him; and he ought to beware of another's harm; because, if I alone ate well, and others fasted, it would be badly done. And this is the fruit of others.

24. Likewise there follows from these foregoing things, that is, from knowledge and holiness, the fruit of wisdom, or study, which consists in four things that are necessary, namely the recognition of one's own inward defects. Whence on the front of Apollo's temple it was written¹: « Know thyself »; without this it is impossible to come to wisdom. Whence the more a wise man makes progress, the more he despises himself. Whence he is a bad merchant who deceives himself; which he does who prizes himself more than he is worth; but he ought to prize others and to despise himself; and this is the chief study of wisdom, that a man should persuade himself of his own defects and become humble in his own eyes.

25. The second study of wisdom is the chastening of the passions, which are the seven affections of the soul, four principal and three annexed: fear, sorrow, hope, joy²; desire, shame, hatred. In all of these too it happens that one goes to excess. Now a boy, when he cries too much, is checked; so a man ought by a certain judicial censure to tame and restrain passions of this kind, so that, when sorrow comes, it may be said to it: stand in peace, and so with the rest; and cut away those childish things and childish affections. For children are the pursuers of the passions; cursed is the child of a hundred years³.

26. The third study of wisdom is the ordering of one's thoughts; whence: The fool looketh through the window into his neighbour's house⁴. And here is the great difficulty of ordering our phantasms, so that, when we are in church, we may think of nothing but the office, and so with the rest; and it is necessary to order these thoughts to this end, that the Holy Spirit may enter through wisdom, because the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee from the deceitful and will withdraw himself from thoughts that are without understanding⁵. And therefore one must have fixed matters about which we may exercise ourselves.

27. The fourth study of wisdom is the lifting up of desire; this makes the other studies avail, so that, forgetting the things that are behind, we may stretch ourselves forth to those that are before⁶. The eyes of a wise man are in his head. The heart of a wise man is at his right hand. This is the wise man's study, that our study should incline to nothing but God, who is wholly desirable. — These four things are difficult unless the first studies be had, and with these they are easy. Whence it is then easy to have dominion over the passions, as is said of a certain philosopher⁷, who said to his servant: « How I would beat you, if I were not angry ».

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