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Collationes de septem donis Spiritus Sancti · Collatio VIII: De dono intellectus

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COLLATIO VIII.

De dono intellectus.

Summarium

Introductio; utile est omnibus audire verbum Dei, 1. — Expositio textus, in quo innuitur dispositio ex parte hoc donum suscipientis, et liberalis diffusio ex parte dantis. Primo per modum prooemii agitur de triplici dispositione ex parte suscipientis, 2. — Prima est vitae sanctimonia, 3. — Secunda, mansuetudinis tractabilitas, 4. — Tertia, intelligentiae captivatio, 5. — De liberalitate ex parte dantis. A prima intelligentia est omnis radiositas intelligentiae; notantur specialiter tres, quarum duae priores exponuntur, 6. — Pars I. De intellectu, qui est regula circumspectionum moralium. Oportet, quod homo dirigatur secundum divinas regulas, ut hoc donum recipiat, 7. — Intellectus tria docet: primo, quid evitandum, 8. — Secundo, quid exsequendum, 9. — Tertio, quid exspectandum, 10. — Haec confirmantur per Scripturam, 11. — Pars II. De intellectu, qui est ianua considerationum scientialium. Hic habet triplicem radicem, 12. — Primo, partim est a dictamine naturae, 13. — Secundo, partim a frequentia experientiae, 14. — Tertio, partim ex illustratione lucis aeternae; triplex certitudo; haec illuminatio iuvatur per Angelos; Deus causa essendi in anima ut principium, ordo vivendi ut donum infusum, ratio intelligendi ut sol intelligentiae, 15. — Contra haec tria sunt tres errores, scilicet de aeternitate mundi, de necessitate fatali et de unitate intellectus, 16-19. — Quomodo differant tres intellectus, 20.

1. Benedicam Dominum, qui tribuit mihi intellectum7. — Audiens sapiens sapientior erit, et intelligens gubernacula possidebit. In secundo verbo ostendit Salomon, quod utile est audire verbum Dei;

p. 494 et ratio est, quia in auditu verbi Dei proficit et ille qui intelligit, et similiter ille qui non intelligit: ergo et sapientes et simplices ire debent ad audiendum verbum Dei. Quod sapientes proficiant audiendo verbum Dei, patet, quia dicit, quod audiens sapiens sapientiam sapientior erit. Item, quod proficiant simplices audiendo verbum Dei, patet, quia dicitur in Psalmo1: Declaratio sermonum tuorum illuminat et intellectum dat parvulis. Parvulus appellatur hic qui propter mediocritatem scientiae suae parvulus dicitur, sicut parvam animam dicitur habere qui pauca novit, et similiter magni intellectus dicitur qui multa novit. Parvulus etiam dicitur qui humiliter se habet, etsi multa noverit et sit multum intelligens. Unde in Evangelio2 dicitur: Abscondisti haec a sapientibus et prudentibus, et revelasti ea parvulis, id est humilibus. — Nihil enim tam obscurat intellectum in his quae Dei sunt, sicut praesumtio. Omnes laudamus humilitatem et vituperamus praesumtionem; pauci tamen immunes sunt a praesumtione. Dicit Richardus de sancto Victore, quod «disputando contra superbiam homo frequenter superbit». Ecce, quod fortis deceptor decipit multos. Nullus potest illuminare corda hominum, nisi ille qui novit conscientias hominum. In principio rogemus Deum etc.

2. Benedicam Dominum etc. Istud breve verbum est ipsius David per Spiritum sanctum explicantis nobis ipsum donum intellectus3 datum nobis a Spiritu sancto, et explicat ipsum nobis quantum ad suscipientis gratitudinem humilem et quantum ad dantis diffusionem liberalem. Suscipientis gratitudo humilis notatur, cum dicit: Benedicam Dominum; dantis liberalis diffusio notatur, cum subdit: Qui tribuit mihi intellectum. Donum istud requirit, hominem esse gratum Deo, et facit, quod homo recognoscat se ipsum et donum et doni principium; et intelligendo doni principium recognoscat homo se ipsum, et sic gratias agat. Et tunc benedicit Deum et refundit pulcritudinem doni in ipsum auctorem doni et ipsum laudat et dantem non impugnat. — Disponimus autem nos ad suscipiendum istud donum per tria: primo, per vitae sanctimoniam; secundo, per mansuetudinis tractabilitatem; et tertio, per intelligentiae captivationem, ut benedicamus auctorem istius doni.

3. Primo, dico, disponimus nos ad recipiendum istud donum intellectus per vitae sanctimoniam; unde Isaias4: Quem docebit scientiam, et quem intelligere faciet auditum? Ablactatos a lacte et avulsos ab uberibus. — Lac significat dulcedinem delectationum carnalium, qua dulcedine pascuntur carnales et infantes, id est, qui sequuntur motus infantiles. Et quamdiu homo coniunctus est istis consolationibus carnalibus, dicitur lactans et non est idoneus ad suscipiendum solidum cibum vitae et intellectus. Si volumus benedicere Deum et recipere istud donum, oportet, quod simus avulsi ab istis consolationibus et sequestremus nos a lacte concupiscentiarum. De Daniele5 et sociis eius, qui continentes erant, dicitur, quod dedit eis Deus scientiam et disciplinam in omni libro et sapientia. Delectatio circa tactum impugnat maxime istud donum, ebrietas ex parte anteriori et luxuria ex parte posteriori.

4. Secundo disponitur homo ad recipiendum istud donum per mansuetudinis tractabilitatem. Unde in Ecclesiastico6: Esto mansuetus ad audiendum verbum, ut intelligas. Concupiscentia obnubilat intellectum, et furor impedit intelligentiam, quia «impedit ira animum, ne possit cernere verum». — Philosophus dicit, quod, «quiescendo anima fit prudens et sciens». Quando aqua est quieta, tunc homo videt in ea bene faciem suam; sed quando est turbata, tunc nihil potest in ea videre. Ita, quando homo est in ira, tunc non videt veritatem. Contentiosi intelligentiam impediunt in se et in aliis. Iratus etiam pertinaciter defendit falsum. Unde Legislator mitissimus fuit. Dicit Isaias7: Tantummodo sola vexatio intellectum dabit auditui. Homo tractabilis addiscit et fit mitis.

5. Tertio disponitur homo ad donum intellectus digne suscipiendum per intelligentiae captivationem. Unde Isaias8 secundum translationem Septuaginta dicit: Nisi credideritis, non intelligetis. Et Augustinus dicit: «Nisi homo captivet intellectum suum et sequatur per fidem ea quae audit, non disponitur ad donum intellectus». Et Apostolus9 dicit: Captivantes intellectum in obsequium Christi. Qui secundum lucem intelligentiae suae vult sacram Scripturam indagare, cogitat errores falsissimos. In vita ista sumus parvuli, et «oportet addiscentem credere10»;

p. 495 Deo enim oportet credere et maxime in sublimibus, quae transcendunt intelligentiam nostram. Primus Angelus erravit, quia praesumsit de se. — Concupiscibilis deordinata impedit istud donum; similiter et irascibilis, quando est deordinata; sed quando rationalis est deordinata, maxime impedit istud donum. Oportet igitur, quod captivemus intellectum nostrum, si volumus suscipere istud donum. Furibundus est qui omnia despicit; non est dispositus ad suscipiendum istud donum nec praesumtuosus. Oportet igitur, quod captivemus intellectum nostrum, quia qui plus credit scire frequenter minus scit. — Per ista tria disponitur homo ad digne suscipiendum donum intellectus. Patet modo primum, scilicet suscipientis humilis gratitudo.

6. Sequitur liberalitas ex parte dantis, quae tangitur, cum dicit: Qui tribuit mihi intellectum. Deus det mihi aliquid dicere et tribuat mihi intellectum ad dicendum aliquid congruum de isto dono intellectus. — Omnis radiositas intelligentiae ab illo fonte intelligentiae venit. Et licet multiformis sit radiositas intelligentiae, volo tamen ad praesens dicere de tribus, scilicet quod intellectus est regula circumspectionum moralium, ianua considerationum scientialium et clavis contemplationum caelestium; et iste est donum1.

7. Primo incipiam ab illo qui est regula circumspectionum moralium. Oportet enim, te esse morigeratum, si vis habere istud donum intellectus. Psalmus2: Intellectum dabo tibi et instruam te in via hac, qua gradieris; firmabo super te oculos meos. Nolite fieri sicut equus et mulus, quibus non est intellectus. Dominus promittit nobis istum intellectum et ostendit nobis, qualiter debemus ipsum recipere. — Firmabo, inquit, super te oculos meos. Divina complacentia acceptat quod facimus approbando in praesenti et remunerando in futuro. Si vis regulari secundum istam regulam, caveas tibi, quod non sis bestialis, sed regularis: non dirigaris secundum impetum sensus, sed secundum iudicium rationis; non secundum phantasmata bestialia, sed secundum iudicia intellectualia. Aliter accidet tibi quod accidit Adae, qui, contempta regula veritatis, secutus est instinctum mulieris, et mulier secuta est instinctum serpentis. Psalmus3: Homo, cum in honore esset, non intellexit; comparatus est iumentis insipientibus et similis factus est illis. Factus est homo brutalis et subiectus passionibus.

8. Iste intellectus prudentialis est, quo instruitur homo secundum dictamen divinae legis ad cognoscendum, quid evitandum, quia omne malum; quid exsequendum, quia omne bonum; et quid exspectandum, quia summum bonum. — Primo, dico, intellectus prudentialis docet, quid evitandum, quia omne malum. Unde dicit Sapiens4: Si sapientiam invocaveris et inclinaveris cor tuum prudentiae et quaesieris eam quasi pecuniam, et sicut thesauros effoderis illam; tunc intelliges timorem Domini et scientiam Dei invenies. Qui intellectum istum vult habere, debet ipsum quaerere cum desiderio cordis et studiositate operis; et quid tunc invenies? Certe, timorem Domini et scientiam Dei. Quod omnis homo, qui vult dirigi in bonum, debet timere Deum, ut vitet omne malum; dicit Psalmus5: Sanctum, inquit, et terribile nomen eius; initium sapientiae timor Domini; intellectus bonus omnibus facientibus eum. Ecce, timor Domini sapientia, et recedere a malo prudentia, dicit sapiens. — Igitur intellectus prudentialis docet primo, quid evitandum, quia omne malum.

9. Secundo docet, quid exsequendum, quia omne bonum secundum viam interioris cogitatus et exterioris operationis. Scribitur in Iosue6: Non declines a lege; sequitur: ut intelligas cuncta, quae agis. Sapientia callidi est intelligere viam suam, et imprudentia stultorum errans. Scribitur: Si est tibi intellectus, responde proximo tuo; si non, sit manus tua super os tuum. Et in libro Sapientiae: Spiritus sanctus disciplinae effugiet fictum et auferet se a cogitationibus, quae sunt sine intellectu. Deus enim vult, quod omnia agamus rationabiliter. Et beatus Ambrosius7 dicit, quod nihil agere nec loqui debemus de eo, de quo non possimus reddere rationem. — Ista est secunda pars intellectus moralis. Dicit Salomon: Omni negotio tempus est et opportunitas.

10. Tertio instruit intellectus prudentialis, quid exspectandum, quia summum bonum. Unde in Proverbiis8: Gemma gratissima exspectatio postulantis; quocumque se vertit, prudenter intelligit. In omnibus, quae dirigunt intelligentiam nostram in agendis et in vitandis, debet homo uti consilio finis. Oportet enim, quod homo aliquid exspectet in eo quod agit. Si intendis temporale commodum, vilem mercedem exspectas. Grata, immo gratissima gemma est bonum aeternum. Unde in Baruch9: Disce, ubi sit prudentia, ubi sit virtus, ubi sit intellectus, ut scias simul, ubi sit longiturnitas vitae et victus, ubi sit lumen oculorum et pax. — Dicit: ut scias, ubi sit longiturnitas vitae et victus, lumen oculorum et pax. Et ubi est? Certe, longitudo dierum in dextera eius10; et Psalmus dicit: Apud te

p. 496 est fons vitae etc. Si lumen oculorum habetis, prudenter agetis.

11. Hic est intellectus prudentialis triplex, et qui non habet istum intellectum rectificari non potest. Unde scribitur1: Gens absque consilio est et sine prudentia; utinam saperent et intelligerent ac novissima providerent. Tangit tres partes intelligentiae, scilicet memoriam praeteritorum, intelligentiam praesentium et circumspectionem futurorum. — Intellectus iste est regula circumspectionum moralium cum desiderio cordis et prosecutione operis, ut homo consideret, quid sit vitandum, quid agendum, et quid exspectandum. Deus enim dat istum intellectum, et est donum Dei. Unde Psalmus2: Intellectum tibi dabo et instruam te in via hac, qua gradieris.

12. Alius est intellectus, qui est ianua considerationum scientialium, de quo dicitur in Ecclesiastico3: In thesauris sapientiae intellectus etc.; hoc est dicere, quod thesauri absconditi scientiae vel consistunt in cognitione causarum altissimarum, vel conclusionum, vel principiorum. Et oportet fodere per studium veritatis, ut homo ad istum thesaurum perveniat. — Iste intellectus, qui est ianua considerationum scientialium, partim est a dictamine naturae, id est a lumine interiori; partim ex frequentia experientiae, sicut a lumine exteriori; et partim ex illustratione lucis aeternae, sicut a lumine superiori.

13. Quod sit partim ex dictamine naturae, patet in Ecclesiastico4, ubi dicitur: Deus de terra creavit hominem, scilicet quantum ad corpus, et secundum imaginem suam fecit illum, scilicet quantum ad animam. Sequitur: Creavit ex ipso adiutorium simile sibi; consilium et linguam et oculos et aures et cor dedit illis excogitandi, et disciplina intellectus replevit illos. Dat intelligere, quod anima humana tres habet operationes, secundum quod est eius potentia et operatio. «Omnis anima nobilis tres habet operationes5», quibus se convertit super corpus suum, super se et ad divina. Aliquando convertit se super corpus: habet linguam ad loquendum, aures ad audiendum etc.; aliquando convertit se super se; aliquando ad intelligendum et cognoscendum Deum. — Et hoc est secundum triplicem considerationem animae; consideratur enim anima ut forma et perfectio corporis, ut hoc aliquid6 et ut imago. — Quod autem iste intellectus sit partim a dictamine naturae, patet in Adam, quia omnibus rebus nomina imposuit7. Sed quod Deus eum replevit disciplina intellectus, istud fuit privilegium eius; unde non est in nobis. Anima autem nostra habet supra se quoddam lumen naturae signatum, per quod habilis est ad cognoscenda prima principia, sed illud solum non sufficit, quia, secundum Philosophum8, «principia cognoscimus, in quantum terminos cognoscimus». Quando enim scio, quid totum, quid pars; statim scio, quod «omne totum maius est sua parte».

14. Secundo dico, quod partim est a frequentia experientiae; in Ecclesiastico9: Vir in multis expertus cognoscet multa. Philosophus: «Ex multis sensibus fit una memoria; ex multis memoriis fit una experientia; ex multis experientiis fit unum universale, quod est principium artis et scientiae».

15. Et quantumcumque homo habeat naturale iudicatorium bonum et cum hoc frequentiam experientiae, non sufficiunt, nisi sit illustratio per divinam influentiam. Unde dicitur in Daniele10: Dat sapientiam sapientibus et scientiam intelligentibus disciplinam. Ipse revelat profunda et abscondita et novit in tenebris constituta; et lux cum eo est. Tangit certitudinem sapientialem, scientialem et intellectualem. Sed unde est ista certitudo? Certe a Deo. Certitudinem sapientialem tangit, cum dicit: Ipse revelat profunda. Apostolus: Ipse illuxit in cordibus nostris ad illuminationem scientiae claritatis Dei. Lux ista pura est et est cum eo; unde in Ioanne: Ipse est lux vera, quae illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum. Nullus certitudinaliter illuminatur nisi per ipsum. Et Augustinus decimo quarto de Trinitate11 quaerit, unde hoc, quod impius bene iudicat aliquando; unde quaerit: «Ubi scriptae sunt illae leges iustitiae, secundum quas iudicat bene impius»? Et respondet, quod «scriptae sunt in libro lucis aeternae, et non migrando, sed imprimendo descendunt in animam, sicut imago anuli, quae cerae imprimi-

p. 497 tur, anulum non relinquit» etc. — Haec autem illuminatio iuvatur per Angelos; in Daniele1 dicitur: Factum est autem, cum viderem ego Daniel visionem et quaererem intelligentiam; ecce, stetit in conspectu meo quasi species viri etc.; et clamavit et ait: Gabriel, fac intelligere istum visionem. Visiones istae descenderunt a Patre luminum, et Angelus adiuvat intellectum Danielis, ut capiat lucem Dei et per hanc intelligat. Dicit Glossa, quod intellectus per naturam habet vim intelligendi, secundum quod discernitur homo a pecore; sed solus Deus illuminat perfecte. Verum est, quod homo ministerialiter et adminiculative per Angelum instruitur, sicut patuit in Daniele; sed effective solus Deus habet potestatem super ipsam animam rationalem, quia ipsa immediate a Deo formatur. Ipse enim illuminat omnem hominem. Unde Angelus sic illuminat, sicut ille qui fenestram aperit, dicitur illuminare domum. «Solus enim habet cathedram in caelis qui docet hominem in terris». — Unde non est verum quod dicunt philosophi, quod una Intelligentia aliam creat, quia creare est omnipotentis Dei, non alicuius virtutis creatae; unde illius lucis, quae est actus purus, est hoc facere. Dixit Paulus in Actibus Apostolorum,2: In ipso vivimus et movemur et sumus; et dicit Augustinus, quod Apostolus non loquitur ibi de vita corporali, sed de vita intellectuali. Unde loquitur ibi de Deo, secundum quod est omnibus «causa essendi, ratio intelligendi et ordo vivendi». Causa est essendi immediate producens omnia perpetua, mediate vero temporalia, immediate tamen per virtutes elementares. Ratio autem intelligendi est, quia certificantur per ipsum intelligentiae super transmutabilitatem naturae. Si omnes creaturae impugnarent, Deus tamen est amandus; nec Deus potest facere, quin sit amandus. Corruptis omnibus, remanet certitudo veritatis. Est etiam Deus ordo vivendi; nisi donum Spiritus sancti inhabitat in homine, non regetur secundum regulam rectae vitae. — Secundum quod Deus est causa essendi, intrat in animam ut principium; secundum vero quod est ordo vivendi, intrat in animam ut donum infusum; secundum quod est ratio intelligendi, intrat in animam ut sol intelligentiae. Iste est sol, qui omnes illuminat; a quo aliqui aberrant, secundum quod dicunt impii in libro Sapientiae3: Ergo erravimus a via veritatis et iustitiae; lumen non luxit nobis, et sol intelligentiae non est ortus nobis etc.

16. Tres sunt errores cavendi in scientiis, qui sacram Scripturam et fidem christianam et omnem sapientiam exterminant; quorum unus est contra causam essendi, alius contra rationem intelligendi, et tertius contra ordinem vivendi4. Error contra causam essendi est de aeternitate mundi, ut ponere mundum aeternum. Error contra rationem intelligendi est de necessitate fatali, sicut ponere, quod omnia eveniunt de necessitate. Tertius est de unitate intellectus humani, sicut ponere, quod unus est intellectus in omnibus. — Isti errores significantur in Apocalypsi in numero nominis bestiae. Dicitur ibi5, quod habuit nomen, cuius numerus sexcenti sexaginta sex, qui est numerus cyclicus. Primi fundant se super circulum motus et temporis; secundi, supra motum siderum; tertii, supra Intelligentiam unam, dicendo, quod ingreditur et egreditur in corpus. — Totum istud est falsum. Primus error refellitur per id quod scriptum est in veteri testamento: In principio creavit Deus caelum et terram6. Secun-

p. 498 dum errorem secundum nihil est de libero arbitrio, nihil valet crux Christi. Secundum tertium non est differentia in merito et praemio, si una est anima Christi et Iudae proditoris. Totum est haereticum.

17. Primus, dico, error destruit causam essendi: quia tu sentis, Deum esse causam omnium aut secundum partem, aut secundum totum. Si secundum partem: ergo aufers Deo suam principalitatem causandi. Si secundum totum: ergo cuiuscumque alterius Deus est causa: ergo producit illud non de se ipso, non de aliquo alio, quia nihil est: ergo de nihilo1. — Item, sequitur secundum istum errorem, quod res habuit simul esse et non-esse, et quod esse ante non-esse; et multa alia inconvenientia. Unde certum est, quod Deus omnia creavit. Et ideo dixit illa bona mulier filio suo in libro Machabaeorum2, quod respiceret omnia, quia de nihilo ea creavit Deus.

18. Secundus error est de necessitate fatali, sicut de constellationibus: si homo sit natus in tali constellatione, de necessitate erit latro, vel malus, vel bonus. Istud evacuat liberum arbitrium et meritum et praemium: quia, si homo facit ex necessitate quod facit, quid valet libertas arbitrii? Quid merebitur? — Sequitur etiam, quod Deus sit origo omnium malorum. Verum est, quod aliqua dispositio relinquitur ex stellis; sed tamen solus Deus principatur animae rationali. Dicit Ieremias3: Confundentur vehementer, quia non intellexerunt opprobrium sempiternum. Opprobrium sempiternum habebunt qui sic errant.

19. Tertius error est pessimus, qui comprehendit utrumque. Aliqui insani male intellexerunt de intellectu. Unde quidam dixerunt, quod esset ignis; quidam, quod aqua; isti reprobati sunt per philosophos4. — Quod iste intellectus sit unus in omnibus, istud est contra radicem distinctionis et individuationis, quia in diversis intellectus habet esse distinctum: ergo habet principia suae essentiae propria et distincta et individuantia. — Quod alii dicunt, quod una Intelligentia irradiat super omnes; istud est impossibile; quia nulla creatura istud potest. Unde hoc est solius Dei.

20. «Omnis substantia intellectualis est sciens et rediens supra se reditione completa5». Unde omnis substantia intellectualis intelligit se et diligit et iudicat. Unde habet rationem speculi et lucem super illud radiantem. Et hoc quidem verum est in Deo, et tam in Angelo quam in homine; sed differenter: quia in Deo idem sunt speculum et lux ipsa re, sed differunt ratione. In Angelo autem differunt ratione et natura6, sed non tempore, quia non potest intelligere plus quam intelligat, quia «intelligentia plena est formis7». Sed in homine differunt et ratione et natura et tempore, quia homo non statim intelligit, cum potest intelligere. Sic ergo intellectus humanus habet rationem apprehendentis et iudicantis, intellectum possibilem et agentem; nec potest iste intellectus sufficienter illuminari sine adminiculo superioris et altioris lucis, quia Sapiens8 dicit: Corpus, quod corrumpitur, aggravat animam etc.; et Philosophus dicit: «Sicut se habet oculus vespertilionis ad lucem solis, sic se habet intellectus noster ad manifestissima naturae».

De tertio intellectu, scilicet qui est clavis contemplationum caelestium, longum esset dicere9. Rogabimus Dominum etc.

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English Translation
p. 493

COLLATION VIII.

On the gift of understanding.

Summarium

Introduction; it is profitable for all to hear the word of God, 1. — Exposition of the text, in which is intimated the disposition on the part of him who receives this gift, and the liberal outpouring on the part of the giver. First, by way of preface, the threefold disposition on the part of the receiver is treated, 2. — The first is holiness of life, 3. — The second, the tractableness of meekness, 4. — The third, the taking captive of the intelligence, 5. — On the liberality on the part of the giver. From the first intelligence comes all the radiance of intelligence; three are noted in particular, of which the two former are expounded, 6. — Part I. On the understanding which is the rule of moral circumspections. A man must be directed according to the divine rules if he is to receive this gift, 7. — The understanding teaches three things: first, what is to be avoided, 8. — Secondly, what is to be carried through, 9. — Thirdly, what is to be looked for, 10. — These things are confirmed by Scripture, 11. — Part II. On the understanding which is the door of scientific considerations. This has a threefold root, 12. — First, it is partly from the dictate of nature, 13. — Secondly, partly from frequency of experience, 14. — Thirdly, partly from the illumination of the eternal light; the threefold certitude; this illumination is helped by the Angels; God is the cause of being in the soul as its principle, the order of living as an infused gift, the reason of understanding as the sun of intelligence, 15. — Against these three there are three errors, namely on the eternity of the world, on fatal necessity and on the unity of the understanding, 16-19. — How the three understandings differ, 20.

1. I will bless the Lord, who hath given me understanding7. — A wise man shall hear and shall be wiser, and he that understandeth shall possess governments. In the second saying Solomon shows that it is profitable to hear the word of God;

p. 494 and the reason is that in the hearing of the word of God both he who understands and likewise he who does not understand make progress: therefore both the wise and the simple ought to go to hear the word of God. That the wise make progress by hearing the word of God is plain, because he says that a wise man hearing wisdom shall be wiser. Likewise, that the simple make progress by hearing the word of God is plain, because it is said in the Psalm1: The declaration of thy words giveth light, and giveth understanding to little ones. He is here called a little one who is called little on account of the middling measure of his knowledge, just as he is said to have a small soul who knows few things, and likewise he is said to be of great understanding who knows many things. He is also called a little one who bears himself humbly, even though he knows many things and is very intelligent. Whence it is said in the Gospel2: Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones, that is, to the humble. — For nothing so darkens the understanding in the things that are God's as presumption. We all praise humility and blame presumption; yet few are free from presumption. Richard of Saint Victor says that "in disputing against pride a man frequently grows proud." Behold how the strong deceiver deceives many. No one can enlighten the hearts of men except him who knows the consciences of men. At the outset let us pray to God, etc.

2. I will bless the Lord, etc. This brief saying is that of David himself, expounding to us by the Holy Spirit that very gift of understanding3 given to us by the Holy Spirit; and he expounds it to us in respect of the humble gratitude of the receiver and in respect of the liberal outpouring of the giver. The receiver's humble gratitude is noted when he says: I will bless the Lord; the giver's liberal outpouring is noted when he adds: Who hath given me understanding. This gift requires that a man be thankful to God, and it brings it about that a man acknowledges himself and the gift and the source of the gift; and by understanding the source of the gift a man acknowledges himself, and so gives thanks. And then he blesses God and pours back the beauty of the gift upon the author of the gift himself, and praises him and does not fight against the giver. — Now we dispose ourselves to receive this gift by three things: first, by holiness of life; secondly, by the tractableness of meekness; and thirdly, by the taking captive of the intelligence, that we may bless the author of this gift.

3. First, I say, we dispose ourselves to receive this gift of understanding by holiness of life; whence Isaiah4: Whom shall he teach knowledge, and whom shall he make to understand the hearing? Them that are weaned from the milk, that are drawn away from the breasts. — Milk signifies the sweetness of carnal delights, on which sweetness the carnal and infants feed, that is, those who follow infantile motions. And so long as a man is joined to these carnal consolations he is said to be a suckling and is not fit to receive the solid food of life and of understanding. If we wish to bless God and to receive this gift, we must be drawn away from these consolations and set ourselves apart from the milk of concupiscences. Of Daniel5 and his companions, who were continent, it is said that God gave them knowledge and skill in every book and wisdom. Delight in respect of touch fights hardest against this gift — drunkenness on the side in front, and lust on the side behind.

4. Secondly, a man is disposed to receive this gift by the tractableness of meekness. Whence in Ecclesiasticus6: Be meek to hear the word, that thou mayst understand. Concupiscence beclouds the understanding, and fury impedes the intelligence, because "anger hinders the mind, that it cannot discern the truth." — The Philosopher says that "by being at rest the soul becomes prudent and knowing." When water is still, a man sees his own face well in it; but when it is troubled, he can see nothing in it. So too, when a man is in anger, he does not see the truth. The contentious impede intelligence both in themselves and in others. The angry man also stubbornly defends what is false. Hence the Lawgiver was most meek. Isaiah says7: Vexation alone shall make you understand what you hear. A tractable man learns and becomes gentle.

5. Thirdly, a man is disposed worthily to receive the gift of understanding by the taking captive of the intelligence. Whence Isaiah8, according to the translation of the Septuagint, says: Unless you believe, you shall not understand. And Augustine says: "Unless a man take his understanding captive and follow by faith the things he hears, he is not disposed for the gift of understanding." And the Apostle9 says: Bringing into captivity every understanding unto the obedience of Christ. He who wishes to search out sacred Scripture according to the light of his own intelligence thinks up the falsest errors. In this life we are little ones, and "the learner must believe10";

p. 495 for God must be believed, and most of all in things sublime, which transcend our intelligence. The first Angel erred because he presumed upon himself. — The concupiscible power, when disordered, impedes this gift; likewise the irascible, when it is disordered; but when the rational is disordered, it impedes this gift most of all. We must therefore take our understanding captive if we wish to receive this gift. He is raging mad who despises everything; he is not disposed to receive this gift, nor is the presumptuous man. We must therefore take our understanding captive, because he who believes he knows more frequently knows less. — By these three a man is disposed worthily to receive the gift of understanding. So now the first is plain, namely the humble gratitude of the receiver.

6. There follows the liberality on the part of the giver, which is touched on when he says: Who hath given me understanding. May God grant me something to say and give me understanding to say something fitting about this gift of understanding. — All the radiance of intelligence comes from that fountain of intelligence. And although the radiance of intelligence is manifold, I wish nevertheless for the present to speak of three, namely that the understanding is the rule of moral circumspections, the door of scientific considerations, and the key of heavenly contemplations; and this last is the gift1.

7. First I shall begin from that which is the rule of moral circumspections. For you must be well-mannered if you wish to have this gift of understanding. The Psalm2: I will give thee understanding, and I will instruct thee in this way, in which thou shalt go; I will fix my eyes upon thee. Do not become like the horse and the mule, who have no understanding. The Lord promises us this understanding and shows us how we ought to receive it. — I will fix, he says, my eyes upon thee. The divine good pleasure accepts what we do, approving it in the present and rewarding it in the future. If you wish to be ruled according to this rule, take heed that you be not bestial but regular: be not directed according to the impulse of sense, but according to the judgment of reason; not according to bestial phantasms, but according to intellectual judgments. Otherwise there will happen to you what happened to Adam, who, despising the rule of truth, followed the prompting of the woman, and the woman followed the prompting of the serpent. The Psalm3: Man, when he was in honour, did not understand; he is compared to senseless beasts, and is become like to them. Man became brutish and subject to the passions.

8. This understanding is prudential, by which a man is instructed according to the dictate of the divine law to know what is to be avoided, namely every evil; what is to be carried through, namely every good; and what is to be looked for, namely the highest good. — First, I say, prudential understanding teaches what is to be avoided, namely every evil. Whence the Wise Man says4: If thou shalt call for wisdom and incline thy heart to prudence, and shalt seek her as money, and shalt dig for her as for a treasure; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and shalt find the knowledge of God. He who wishes to have this understanding must seek it with desire of heart and diligence of work; and what will you find then? Assuredly, the fear of the Lord and the knowledge of God. That every man who wishes to be directed toward the good must fear God, so as to shun every evil, the Psalm says5: Holy, he says, and terrible is his name; the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding to all that do it. Behold: the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil, that is prudence, says the wise man. — Therefore prudential understanding teaches first what is to be avoided, namely every evil.

9. Secondly it teaches what is to be carried through, namely every good, according to the way of interior thought and exterior operation. It is written in Josue6: Decline not from the law; there follows: that thou mayst understand all things which thou doest. The wisdom of a discreet man is to understand his way, and the imprudence of fools erreth. It is written: If thou have understanding, answer thy neighbour; but if not, let thy hand be upon thy mouth. And in the book of Wisdom: The Holy Spirit of discipline will flee from the deceitful, and will withdraw himself from thoughts that are without understanding. For God wills that we do all things reasonably. And blessed Ambrose7 says that we ought neither to do nor to say anything of which we cannot give a reason. — This is the second part of moral understanding. Solomon says: For every business there is a time and opportunity.

10. Thirdly, prudential understanding instructs what is to be looked for, namely the highest good. Whence in Proverbs8: The expectation of him that asketh is a most acceptable jewel; whithersoever he turneth himself, he understandeth prudently. In all the things that direct our intelligence in what is to be done and in what is to be shunned, a man ought to use the counsel of the end. For a man must look for something in what he does. If you aim at temporal advantage, you look for a cheap wage. A pleasing, indeed a most pleasing jewel, is the eternal good. Whence in Baruch9: Learn where is prudence, where is strength, where is understanding, that thou mayst know also where is length of days and life, where is the light of the eyes and peace. — He says: that thou mayst know where is length of days and life, the light of the eyes and peace. And where is it? Assuredly, length of days is in her right hand10; and the Psalm says: With thee

p. 496 is the fountain of life, etc. If you have the light of the eyes, you will act prudently.

11. This prudential understanding is threefold, and he who has not this understanding cannot be set right. Whence it is written1: They are a nation without counsel and without prudence; O that they would be wise and would understand, and would provide for their last end. He touches the three parts of intelligence, namely memory of things past, intelligence of things present, and circumspection of things to come. — This understanding is the rule of moral circumspections, with desire of heart and carrying through of work, so that a man may consider what is to be shunned, what is to be done, and what is to be looked for. For God gives this understanding, and it is God's gift. Whence the Psalm2: I will give thee understanding, and I will instruct thee in this way, in which thou shalt go.

12. There is another understanding, which is the door of scientific considerations, of which it is said in Ecclesiasticus3: In the treasures of wisdom is understanding, etc.; which is to say that the hidden treasures of knowledge consist either in the cognition of the highest causes, or of conclusions, or of principles. And one must dig by the study of truth, that a man may come to this treasure. — This understanding, which is the door of scientific considerations, is partly from the dictate of nature, that is, from an interior light; partly from frequency of experience, as from an exterior light; and partly from the illumination of the eternal light, as from a light above.

13. That it is partly from the dictate of nature is plain in Ecclesiasticus4, where it is said: God created man of the earth, that is, as to the body, and made him after his own image, that is, as to the soul. There follows: He created of him a helper like to himself; counsel and a tongue and eyes and ears and a heart he gave them to devise, and he filled them with the discipline of understanding. He gives us to understand that the human soul has three operations, according as it has its power and its operation. "Every noble soul has three operations5," by which it turns itself upon its own body, upon itself, and to divine things. Sometimes it turns itself upon the body: it has a tongue for speaking, ears for hearing, etc.; sometimes it turns itself upon itself; sometimes to understanding and knowing God. — And this is according to the threefold consideration of the soul; for the soul is considered as the form and perfection of the body, as this something6 and as image. — But that this understanding is partly from the dictate of nature is plain in Adam, since he imposed names on all things7. But that God filled him with the discipline of understanding was his privilege; whence it is not in us. Our soul, however, has stamped upon it a certain light of nature, by which it is fit to know first principles; but that alone does not suffice, because, according to the Philosopher8, "we know principles inasmuch as we know terms." For when I know what a whole is and what a part is, at once I know that "every whole is greater than its part."

14. Secondly I say that it is partly from frequency of experience; in Ecclesiasticus9: A man that hath much experience shall know many things. The Philosopher: "Out of many sensations one memory is made; out of many memories one experience; out of many experiences one universal, which is the principle of art and science."

15. And however good a natural power of judgment a man may have, and with it frequency of experience, they do not suffice unless there be illumination by a divine influence. Whence it is said in Daniel10: He giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that have understanding. He revealeth deep and hidden things, and knoweth what is in darkness; and light is with him. He touches the sapiential, scientific and intellectual certitude. But whence is this certitude? Assuredly from God. He touches sapiential certitude when he says: He revealeth deep things. The Apostle: He hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. This light is pure and is with him; whence in John: He was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. No one is enlightened with certitude save through him. And Augustine, in the fourteenth book On the Trinity11, asks whence it comes that the impious man sometimes judges well; whence he asks: "Where are written those laws of justice according to which the impious man judges well?" And he answers that "they are written in the book of the eternal light, and they descend into the soul not by migrating but by imprinting, as the image of a ring which is impressed on wax

p. 497 does not leave the ring," etc. — Now this illumination is helped by the Angels; in Daniel1 it is said: Now it came to pass, when I Daniel saw the vision and sought the meaning; behold, there stood before me as it were the appearance of a man, etc.; and he cried out and said: Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. These visions came down from the Father of lights, and the Angel helps Daniel's understanding, so that it may take in the light of God and understand through it. The Gloss says that the understanding has by nature the power of understanding, according to which man is distinguished from the beast; but God alone enlightens perfectly. It is true that a man is instructed ministerially and by way of help through an Angel, as appeared in Daniel; but effectively God alone has power over the rational soul itself, because it is formed immediately by God. For he himself enlightens every man. Whence the Angel enlightens in the way that he who opens a window is said to light up the house. "For he alone has his chair in heaven who teaches man on earth." — Whence what the philosophers say is not true, that one Intelligence creates another, because to create belongs to the omnipotent God, not to any created power; whence it belongs to that light which is pure act to do this. Paul said in the Acts of the Apostles,2: In him we live and move and are; and Augustine says that the Apostle is not speaking there of corporeal life, but of intellectual life. Whence he speaks there of God according as he is to all "the cause of being, the reason of understanding, and the order of living." He is the cause of being by producing immediately all perpetual things, and mediately temporal things, yet immediately through elemental powers. And he is the reason of understanding because through him intelligences are made certain above the mutability of nature. If all creatures should fight against it, God is nevertheless to be loved; nor can God bring it about that he should not be lovable. Though all things be corrupted, the certitude of truth remains. God is also the order of living; unless the gift of the Holy Spirit dwells in a man, he will not be governed according to the rule of right living. — According as God is the cause of being, he enters into the soul as its principle; according as he is the order of living, he enters into the soul as an infused gift; according as he is the reason of understanding, he enters into the soul as the sun of intelligence. This is the sun that enlightens all; from which some go astray, according to what the impious say in the book of Wisdom3: Therefore we have erred from the way of truth and of justice; the light hath not shined upon us, and the sun of understanding hath not risen upon us, etc.

16. There are three errors to be guarded against in the sciences, which exterminate sacred Scripture and the Christian faith and all wisdom; of which one is against the cause of being, another against the reason of understanding, and the third against the order of living4. The error against the cause of being is that concerning the eternity of the world, as to posit the world eternal. The error against the reason of understanding is that concerning fatal necessity, as to posit that all things come about of necessity. The third is that concerning the unity of the human understanding, as to posit that there is one understanding in all. — These errors are signified in the Apocalypse in the number of the name of the beast. It is said there5 that he had a name whose number is six hundred sixty-six, which is a cyclic number. The first ground themselves upon the circle of motion and time; the second, upon the motion of the stars; the third, upon one Intelligence, saying that it enters into and goes out of the body. — All this is false. The first error is refuted by that which is written in the Old Testament: In the beginning God created heaven and earth6. Accord-

p. 498 ing to the second error nothing pertains to free will, and the cross of Christ avails nothing. According to the third there is no difference in merit and reward, if the soul of Christ and of Judas the traitor is one. The whole is heretical.

17. The first error, I say, destroys the cause of being: because you hold God to be the cause of all things either according to a part or according to the whole. If according to a part: then you take away from God his primacy in causing. If according to the whole: then God is the cause of whatever else there is: therefore he produces it not out of himself, not out of anything else, since there is nothing: therefore out of nothing1. — Again, it follows on this error that a thing had being and non-being at once, and that being came before non-being; and many other absurdities. Whence it is certain that God created all things. And therefore that good woman said to her son in the book of Machabees2 that he should look upon all things, because God made them out of nothing.

18. The second error is that concerning fatal necessity, as about the constellations: that if a man be born under such a constellation, of necessity he will be a thief, or bad, or good. This empties out free will and merit and reward: for if a man does of necessity what he does, what is the worth of the freedom of choice? What will he merit? — It follows also that God is the origin of all evils. It is true that some disposition is left from the stars; but nevertheless God alone rules over the rational soul. Jeremiah says3: They shall be greatly confounded, because they have not understood the everlasting reproach. An everlasting reproach will they have who so err.

19. The third error is the worst, and it comprehends both. Certain madmen understood ill about the understanding. Whence some said that it was fire; some, that it was water; these were refuted by the philosophers4. — That this understanding should be one in all is against the root of distinction and individuation, because in different men the understanding has a distinct being: therefore it has the principles of its essence proper and distinct and individuating. — As for what others say, that one Intelligence irradiates upon all: this is impossible, because no creature can do this. Whence this belongs to God alone.

20. "Every intellectual substance is knowing and returns upon itself with a complete return5." Whence every intellectual substance understands itself and loves itself and judges. Whence it has the character of a mirror and of a light shining upon it. And this indeed is true in God, and both in the Angel and in man; but differently: for in God the mirror and the light are the same in reality, but differ in reason. In the Angel, however, they differ in reason and in nature6, but not in time, because it cannot understand more than it does understand, since "an intelligence is full of forms7." But in man they differ both in reason and in nature and in time, because a man does not understand at once when he is able to understand. So then the human understanding has the character of apprehending and of judging, the possible and the agent intellect; nor can this understanding be sufficiently enlightened without the help of a higher and loftier light, because the Wise Man8 says: The corruptible body is a load upon the soul, etc.; and the Philosopher says: "As the eye of the bat is to the light of the sun, so is our understanding to the things most manifest in nature."

Of the third understanding, namely that which is the key of heavenly contemplations, it would be long to speak9. We shall pray the Lord, etc.

---

Apparatus Criticus
  1. 7
    Psalm. 15, 7. — Seq. locus est Prov. 1, 5.
    Psalm 15:7. — The following passage is Proverbs 1:5.
  2. 1
    Psalm. 118, 130.
    Psalm 118:130.
  3. 2
    Matth. 11, 25. — Sententia Richardi habetur in eius libro Benjamin minor, c. 46.
    Matthew 11:25. — Richard's sentence is found in his book Benjamin minor, c. 46.
  4. 3
    De hoc dono cfr. III. Sent. d. 35. q. 3.
    On this gift cf. Book III of the Sentences, d. 35, q. 3.
  5. 4
    Cap. 28, 9. Cfr. Hieron. in hunc locum. Hebr. 5, 12. seqq.: Et facti estis quibus lacte opus sit, non solido cibo. Omnis enim, qui lactis est particeps, expers est sermonis iustitiae; parvulus enim est. Perfectorum autem est solidus cibus, eorum qui pro consuetudine exercitatos habent sensus ad discretionem boni ac mali.
    Chapter 28:9. Cf. Jerome on this passage. Hebrews 5:12 and following: And you are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that is a partaker of milk is unskilful in the word of justice; for he is a little child. But strong meat is for the perfect, for them who by custom have their senses exercised to the discerning of good and evil.
  6. 5
    Cap. 1, 17. — De delectatione circa tactum cfr. Aristot., III. Ethic. c. 10; VII. c. 4. et c. 7.
    Chapter 1:17. — On delight in respect of touch cf. Aristotle, Ethics III, c. 10; VII, c. 4 and c. 7.
  7. 6
    Cap. 5, 13. — Seq. sententia: Impedit ira etc., habetur inter Disticha de moribus vulgo Catoni adscripta (Ed. secunda Arntzenii, Amstelaedami 1754), lib. II. n. 4. (pag. 154); sententia Aristot. in VII. Phys. text. 20. (c. 3.); cfr. supra pag. 449, nota 1.
    Chapter 5:13. — The following sentence, Anger hinders the mind, etc., is found among the Distichs on Morals commonly ascribed to Cato (Arntzenius's second edition, Amsterdam 1754), bk. II, n. 4 (p. 154); the sentence of Aristotle is in Physics VII, text 20 (c. 3); cf. above, p. 449, note 1.
  8. 7
    Cap. 28, 19. — Num. 12, 3: Erat enim Moyses vir mitissimus super omnes homines, qui morabantur in terra.
    Chapter 28:19. — Numbers 12:3: For Moses was a man exceeding meek above all men that dwelt upon earth.
  9. 8
    Cap. 7, 9. Cfr. supra pag. 306, nota 1, ubi etiam locus Augustini indicatur, ex quo seq. sententia August. colligi potest. Vide etiam in Ioan. Evang. tr. 29. n. 6; Serm. 91. (alias 234. de Tempore) c. 6. n. 6. et Serm. 126. (alias 32. ex Homiliis 50) c. 1. n. 1. seqq.; Enarrat. in Ps. 118. serm. 18. n. 3; 83 Qq. q. 48.
    Chapter 7:9. Cf. above, p. 306, note 1, where the passage of Augustine is also indicated, from which the following sentence of Augustine can be gathered. See also On the Gospel of John, tract. 29, n. 6; Sermon 91 (elsewhere 234, On the Seasons) c. 6, n. 6, and Sermon 126 (elsewhere 32, from the Fifty Homilies) c. 1, n. 1 and following; Enarration on Psalm 118, serm. 18, n. 3; Eighty-three Questions, q. 48.
  10. 9
    Epist. II. Cor. 10, 5: In captivitatem redigentes omnem intellectum etc.
    Second Epistle to the Corinthians 10:5: Bringing into captivity every understanding, etc.
  11. 10
    Aristot., I. Elench. c. 2.
    Aristotle, Sophistical Refutations I, c. 2.
  12. 1
    Cfr. supra in Hexaëm. collat. 3. n. 1.
    Cf. above in the Hexaëmeron, collation 3, n. 1.
  13. 2
    Psalm. 31, 8. et 9.
    Psalm 31:8 and 9.
  14. 3
    Psalm. 48, 13.
    Psalm 48:13.
  15. 4
    Prov. 2, 3-5.
    Proverbs 2:3-5.
  16. 5
    Psalm. 110, 9. et 10. — Seq. locus est Iob 28, 28. Pro prudentia Vulgata intelligentia.
    Psalm 110:9 and 10. — The following passage is Job 28:28. For prudentia the Vulgate has intelligentia.
  17. 6
    Cap. 1, 7. — Seq. locus est Prov. 14, 8: Sapientia callidi etc.; tertius est Eccli. 5, 14; quartus Sap. 1, 5.
    Chapter 1:7. — The following passage is Proverbs 14:8: The wisdom of a discreet man, etc.; the third is Ecclesiasticus 5:14; the fourth Wisdom 1:5.
  18. 7
    Cfr. I. de Officiis ministr. c. 2. n. 5; c. 3. n. 13. seq.; c. 10. n. 35; c. 22. n. 99. et 24. n. 105. seqq.; Enarrat. in Ps. 36, 30. n. 66. et 68; in Ps. 38, 2. n. 5. et in Ps. 118, 9. serm. 2. n. 5. — Seq. locus est Eccle. 8, 6.
    Cf. On the Duties of Ministers I, c. 2, n. 5; c. 3, n. 13 and following; c. 10, n. 35; c. 22, n. 99, and 24, n. 105 and following; Enarration on Psalm 36:30, n. 66 and 68; on Psalm 38:2, n. 5, and on Psalm 118:9, serm. 2, n. 5. — The following passage is Ecclesiastes 8:6.
  19. 8
    Cap. 17, 8.
    Chapter 17:8.
  20. 9
    Cap. 3, 14.
    Chapter 3:14.
  21. 10
    Prov. 3, 16. — Seq. locus est Ps. 35, 10.
    Proverbs 3:16. — The following passage is Psalm 35:10.
  22. 1
    Deut. 32, 28. et 29. — De seq. propositione cfr. supra pag. 90, nota 1.
    Deuteronomy 32:28 and 29. — On the following proposition cf. above, p. 90, note 1.
  23. 2
    Psalm. 31, 8.
    Psalm 31:8.
  24. 3
    Cap. 1, 26. — De seq. propositione cfr. supra pag. 356, nota 2. et Aristot., I. Poster. c. 2. — De triplici lumine cfr. opusculum de Reductione artium ad theolog. n. 1.
    Chapter 1:26. — On the following proposition cf. above, p. 356, note 2, and Aristotle, Posterior Analytics I, c. 2. — On the threefold light cf. the opusculum On the Reduction of the Arts to Theology, n. 1.
  25. 4
    Cap. 17, 1. et 5.
    Chapter 17:1 and 5.
  26. 5
    Secundum auctorem libri de Causis, propos. 3. Vide supra 442, nota 5. — In seqq. codd. ordinem propositionum confundunt, et B aliqua omittit. Adhibita ed. Vaticana, quae hanc collationem interserit collationi 3. in Hexaëm., ordinem restituimus et pauca verba supplevimus.
    According to the author of the Book of Causes, prop. 3. See above, 442, note 5. — In what follows the codices confuse the order of the propositions, and B omits some things. Using the Vatican edition, which inserts this collation into collation 3 of the Hexaëmeron, we have restored the order and supplied a few words.
  27. 6
    Cfr. supra pag. 227, nota 3.
    Cf. above, p. 227, note 3.
  28. 7
    Vide Gen. 2, 19. De isto actu cfr. II. Sent. littera Magistri d. XXIII. c. 3. et Comment. ibid. a. 2. q. 1. ac dub. 3. — Subinde respicitur Ps. 4, 7: Signatum est super nos lumen vultus tui, Domine.
    See Genesis 2:19. On this act cf. Book II of the Sentences, the Master's text, d. XXIII, c. 3, and the Commentary on the same place, a. 2, q. 1, and dub. 3. — Thereafter Psalm 4:7 is looked to: The light of thy countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us.
  29. 8
    Cfr. supra pag. 49, nota 1. — De dignitate: Omne totum etc., vide supra pag. 303, nota 6. — In hoc numero 13. A est valde confusus et corruptus; secuti sumus meliorem B, adiunctis tamen nonnullis ex A. Idem prorsus docetur supra Quaest. disp. de Scientia Christi q. 4. in fine corp. et infra in Serm.: Unus est magister etc., post medium.
    Cf. above, p. 49, note 1. — On the axiom Every whole, etc., see above, p. 303, note 6. — In this number 13, A is very confused and corrupt; we have followed the better codex B, adding nevertheless some things from A. Precisely the same is taught above in the Disputed Questions on the Knowledge of Christ, q. 4, at the end of the body, and below in the Sermon: One is your master, etc., after the middle.
  30. 9
    Cap. 34, 9. — De sententia Philosophi vide supra pag. 21, nota 10.
    Chapter 34:9. — On the sentence of the Philosopher see above, p. 21, note 10.
  31. 10
    Cap. 2, 21. seq. — Seq. locus est II. Cor. 4, 6; tertius Ioan. 1, 9. De certitudine sapientiali etc. vide supra in Hexaëm. collat. 7. n. 1.
    Chapter 2:21 and following. — The following passage is II Corinthians 4:6; the third John 1:9. On sapiential certitude, etc., see above in the Hexaëmeron, collation 7, n. 1.
  32. 11
    Cap. 15. n. 21; cfr. supra pag. 17, nota 10. et pag. 23, nota 6. et 7.
    C. 15, n. 21; cf. above, p. 17, note 10, and p. 23, notes 6 and 7.
  33. 1
    Cap. 8, 15. et 16. (Aliquae edd. Vulgatae istam pro istum). — Glossa inferius allegata est in Ps. 118, 73. et est secundum August. (cfr. supra pag. 348, nota 7.), ad cuius mentem est etiam seq. sententia: Solus enim habet etc. Cfr. supra pag. 324, nota 2. et pag. 331, nota 6. De opinione philosophorum respectu Intelligentiae vide supra pag. 338, nota 2. in fine.
    Chapter 8:15 and 16. (Some editions of the Vulgate have istam for istum). — The Gloss alleged below is on Psalm 118:73 and is according to Augustine (cf. above, p. 348, note 7), to whose mind the following sentence also answers: For he alone has, etc. Cf. above, p. 324, note 2, and p. 331, note 6. On the opinion of the philosophers regarding the Intelligence see above, p. 338, note 2, at the end.
  34. 2
    Cap. 17, 28. — August., XIV. de Trin. c. 12. n. 16: Et quidem non longe positus ab unoquoque nostrum, sicut Apostolus [Act. 17, 27. et 28.] dicit, adiungens: In illo enim vivimus et movemur et sumus. Quod si secundum corpus diceret, etiam de isto corporeo mundo posset intelligi. Nam et in illo secundum corpus vivimus, movemur et sumus. Unde secundum mentem, quae facta est ad eius imaginem, debet hoc accipi, excellentiore quodam eodemque non visibili, sed intelligibili modo. Nam quid non est in ipso, de quo divine scriptum est [Rom. 11, 36.]: Quoniam ex ipso et per ipsum et in ipso sunt omnia? Cfr. supra pag. 349, nota 8, ubi etiam de seq. sententia: causa essendi etc.
    Chapter 17:28. — Augustine, On the Trinity XIV, c. 12, n. 16: "And indeed he is not far from every one of us, as the Apostle [Acts 17:27 and 28] says, adding: For in him we live and move and are. But if he were saying this according to the body, it could be understood even of this corporeal world. For in it too we live, move and are according to the body. Hence it ought to be taken according to the mind, which was made to his image, in a certain more excellent and likewise not visible but intelligible manner. For what is not in him, of whom it is divinely written [Rom. 11:36]: For of him and by him and in him are all things?" Cf. above, p. 349, note 8, where there is also matter on the following sentence: the cause of being, etc.
  35. 3
    Cap. 5, 6. seq.
    Chapter 5:6 and following.
  36. 4
    Vide supra in Hexaëm. collat. 6. n. 2. seqq. et collat. 7. n. 1. seq.
    See above in the Hexaëmeron, collation 6, n. 2 and following, and collation 7, n. 1 and following.
  37. 5
    Cap. 13, 17. et 18: Et ne quis possit emere, aut vendere, nisi qui habet characterem, aut nomen bestiae, aut numerum nominis. Hic sapientia est. Qui habet intellectum, computet numerum bestiae. Numerus enim hominis est; et numerus eius sexcenti sexaginta sex. — Secundum Boeth., II. Arithmet. c. 30, numerus cyclicus vel sphaericus est ille qui in multiplicatione apparet tanquam terminus multiplicationis; v. g. «quinquies quinque, qui fit 25, ab 5 progressus, in eosdem 5 desinit. Et si hos rursum quinquies ducas, in eosdem 5 eorum terminus veniet. Quinquies enim 25 fiunt 125» etc. Hoc modo non accipitur hic numerus cyclicus; Bonelli in sua ed. huius opusculi de Septem Donis Sp. S. pro qui est numerus cyclicus habet: in quo sunt tres circulationes. Rupert. abbas Tuitiens., in praenotatum locum Apoc.: Et numerus eius sexcenti sexaginta sex, ait: «Ecce, senarius numerus tertio repetitus, immo in decuplum atque inde in centuplum multiplicatus est». Subinde ostendit, quod in hac triplicatione senarii, qui est numerus creaturarum et specialiter hominis (sexto die creati), significetur malitia multiplicata satanae; nam ipse primo peccavit, hominem seduxit et in antichristo malitiam suam complebit. Richard. a S. Vict., IV. super Apoc. c. 5. ait: Sex perfectionem significant. Possumus autem per senarium minimam perfectionem accipere, et per sexagenarium mediocrem, et per sexcentenarium maximam et consummatam perfectionem intelligere. Merito itaque tali numero describitur, qui et in omni gradu malorum perfecte malignus, et in omni gradu bonorum bonitati perfecte contrarius invenitur etc. Cfr. Bonelli, tom. II. Supplement. oper. S. Bonav. col. 608 n. 985, ubi eadem explicatio datur in Comment. in Apoc. S. Bonaventurae erronee tributo. — In cod. B ea quae hic sequuntur desiderantur.
    Chapter 13:17 and 18: And that no man might buy or sell, but he that hath the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man; and the number of him is six hundred sixty-six. — According to Boethius, Arithmetic II, c. 30, a cyclic or spherical number is one that appears in multiplication as the term of the multiplication; e.g. "five times five, which makes 25, having set out from 5, ends in the same 5. And if you multiply these again by five, their term will come to the same 5. For five times 25 makes 125," etc. It is not in this way that the number cyclic is taken here; Bonelli, in his edition of this opusculum On the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, has, in place of which is a cyclic number: in which there are three circlings. Rupert, abbot of Deutz, on the aforesaid passage of the Apocalypse, And the number of him is six hundred sixty-six, says: "Behold, the number six repeated a third time, indeed multiplied tenfold and thence a hundredfold." He then shows that in this tripling of the six — which is the number of creatures and especially of man (created on the sixth day) — is signified the multiplied malice of Satan; for he sinned first, seduced man, and will complete his malice in Antichrist. Richard of Saint Victor, On the Apocalypse IV, c. 5, says: Six signifies perfection. Now we can take by the six the least perfection, and by the sixty the middling, and by the six hundred understand the greatest and consummate perfection. Rightly therefore is he described by such a number, who is found both perfectly malignant in every degree of evils and perfectly contrary to goodness in every degree of goods, etc. Cf. Bonelli, tom. II of the Supplement to the works of St Bonaventure, col. 608, n. 985, where the same explanation is given in the Commentary on the Apocalypse erroneously attributed to St Bonaventure. — In codex B what follows here is wanting.
  38. 6
    Gen. 1, 1. seqq.
    Genesis 1:1 and following.
  39. 1
    Cfr. supra Breviloq. p. II. c. 1.
    Cf. above, the Breviloquium, part II, c. 1.
  40. 2
    Libr. II. 7, 28: Peto, nate, ut aspicias ad caelum et terram et ad omnia, quae in eis sunt, et intelligas, quia ex nihilo fecit illa Deus.
    Book II, 7:28: I beseech thee, my son, look upon heaven and earth, and all that is in them, and understand that God made them out of nothing.
  41. 3
    Cap. 20, 11. Cfr. II. Sent. d. 14. p. II. a. 2. q. 3.
    Chapter 20:11. Cf. Book II of the Sentences, d. 14, part II, a. 2, q. 3.
  42. 4
    Cfr. Aristot., I. de Anima, text. 19. seqq. (c. 2. seqq.). Ibid. text. 20. insinuatur, quod «Democritus quidem ignem quendam et calorem dicit esse ipsam [animam; cfr. text. 30.], et text. 32, quod «magis autem onerosorum quidam [ipsam animam] et aquam existimaverunt, ut Hippo». — Seq. opinio (Averrois) refellitur II. Sent. d. 18. a. 2. q. 1. — In codd. corrupte legitur: hoc est contra radicem distinctum (!). Adiecimus textui verba distinctionis et individuationis, quia in diversis intellectus habet esse (cfr. loc. cit. in corp. et ad 1.).
    Cf. Aristotle, On the Soul I, text 19 and following (c. 2 and following). In the same place, text 20, it is intimated that "Democritus indeed says that it [the soul; cf. text 30] is a certain fire and heat," and text 32, that "certain of the more cumbrous thinkers held it [the soul] to be water, as Hippo did." — The following opinion (that of Averroes) is refuted in Book II of the Sentences, d. 18, a. 2, q. 1. — In the codices it is corruptly read: this is against the root distinct (!). We have added to the text the words of distinction and individuation, because in different men the understanding has a distinct being (cf. the passage cited, in the body and at 1).
  43. 5
    Secundum auctorem libri de Causis, propos. 15, supra pag. 215, nota 4. allegatum. Cfr. supra in Hexaëm. collat. 2. n. 10.
    According to the author of the Book of Causes, prop. 15, alleged above, p. 215, note 4. Cf. above in the Hexaëmeron, collation 2, n. 10.
  44. 6
    Praecedentia septem verba supplevimus ex Bonelli (in hac collat.). Verba non tempore referuntur ad species innatas, quin excludatur nova actualis cognitio, ut explicatur II. Sent. d. 3. p. II. a. 2. q. 1. in corp. et ad 1.
    The seven preceding words we have supplied from Bonelli (in this collation). The words not in time refer to innate species, without excluding a new actual cognition, as is explained in Book II of the Sentences, d. 3, part II, a. 2, q. 1, in the body and at 1.
  45. 7
    Ut ait auctor libri de Causis, propos. 10; cfr. supra pag. 299, nota 5. — De speculo et luce cfr. supra in Hexaëm. collat. 5. n. 23. seqq. et collat. 12. n. 2. seqq.
    As the author of the Book of Causes says, prop. 10; cf. above, p. 299, note 5. — On the mirror and the light cf. above in the Hexaëmeron, collation 5, n. 23 and following, and collation 12, n. 2 and following.
  46. 8
    Sap. 9, 15. — De sententia Philosophi vide supra pag. 309, nota 2. De intellectu possibili et agente cfr. II. Sent. d. 24. p. I. a. 2. q. 4.
    Wisdom 9:15. — On the sentence of the Philosopher see above, p. 309, note 2. On the possible and agent intellect cf. Book II of the Sentences, d. 24, part I, a. 2, q. 4.
  47. 9
    De ipso sive de tertio membro divisionis (vide supra n. 6.) agit S. Doctor in Hexaëm. collat. 3. n. 1. seqq., ubi auctor se refert ad ea quae in hac collatione dixerat.
    Of it, that is, of the third member of the division (see above, n. 6), the holy Doctor treats in the Hexaëmeron, collation 3, n. 1 and following, where the author refers back to what he had said in this collation. ---
Cited by

2 places in the Opera Omnia citethis question. Derived from Quaracchi’s own apparatus, never tagged by hand.

On the gift of wisdom
Collationes de septem donis Spiritus Sancti · Collatio IX: De dono sapientiae
supra pag. 494, nota 6
On poverty as to mendicancy
Quaestiones disputatae de perfectione evangelica · Quaestio II: De paupertate
pag. 494