Bonaventure

Capitulum XI.

Secundo datur remedium contra vanitatem securitatis ortam ex defectu retributionis iustitiae.

Mitte panem tuum etc. Posuit supra remedium contra hoc, quod videbatur deficere regimen providentiae ex inordinatione praelationis; hic secundo ponit remedium contra hoc, quod videbatur deficere retributio iustitiae, propter quam assecurabatur homo in malo et torpebat ad bonum. Remedium autem hoc consistit in consideratione retributionis futurae; et quoniam Deus tribuit bene facientibus bona et male facientibus retribuit mala: ideo primo ex considera- p. 88 tione praemii invitat ad bonum; secundo ex consideratione supplicii revocat a malo, ibi: Si annis multis vixerit homo.

Primo invitat ad bonum consideratione praemii.

Bonum autem, ad quod invitat, est bonum pietatis, quae « valet ad omnia », et propter quam maxime iusti salvantur, sicut patet apud Matthaeum vigesimo quinto¹, ubi sola opera misericordiae numerantur. Ideo hortatur hic ad opera misericordiae et eleemosynae faciendae propter retributionem.

Et primo hortatur, ut fiant libenter; secundo, ut fiant abundanter, ibi: Da partes septem; tertio, ut fiant incessanter, ibi: Qui observat ventum nunquam etc. — Cum ergo hortatur, ut fiant voluntarie et libenter, praemittit exhortationem et subiungit rationem.

(Vers. 1.). Exhortatur igitur ad libenter eleemosynam faciendam; ideo dicit: Mitte panem tuum, id est, libenter et liberaliter da, non per extorsionem et quasi coactus; secundae ad Corinthios nono²: « Unusquisque, prout destinavit in corde suo, non ex tristitia, aut ex necessitate; hilarem enim datorem diligit Deus ». Panem tuum, non alienum; Ecclesiastici trigesimo quarto: « Qui offert sacrificium ex substantia pauperis, quasi qui victimat filium in conspectu patris ». Super transeuntes aquas. Aquae multae sunt populi multi, Apocalypsis decimo septimo; transcuntes aquae sunt qui transeunt de gente in gentem et de regno ad populum alterum; tales sunt peregrini et advenae; istis facienda est eleemosyna; Isaiae quinquagesimo octavo³: « Frange esurienti panem tuum, et egenos vagosque induc in domum tuam ». Vel: aquae sunt tribulationes praesentes, iuxta illud Psalmi: « Intraverunt aquae usque ad animam meam »; transeuntes aquae sunt pauperes et afflicti, quia per tribulationes transeunt ad requiem; talibus est eleemosyna facienda; Lucae decimo quarto: « Cum facis eleemosynam, voca pauperes ac debiles, caecos etc. Et redditur ratio: Quia post tempora multa invenies illum, id est retributionem pro illo; non ergo deficit retributio, sed differtur; Ecclesiastici duodecimo⁴: « Benefac iusto, et invenies retributionem magnam; et si non ab illo, certe a Domino »; item Lucae decimo sexto: « Facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis » etc.

(Vers. 2. 3.). Da partes septem etc. Hic secundo hortatur ad dandum abundanter; et praemittit exhortationem et subiungit rationem. Exhortatur ergo ad abundantiam dicens: Da partes septem nec non et octo, id est secundum possibilitatem tuarum virium da eleemosynam, ut, sive pauper fueris, sive dives, des bonorum tuorum septimam et octavam, id est, partem pauperum facias bonam; secundae ad Corinthios octavo⁵: « Ut vestra abundantia illorum inopiam suppleat »; et Lucae undecimo: « Date eleemosynam de eo quod superest ». Ideo dicit: Da partes septem; per septenarium enim intelligimus quantum sufficit ad supplendam necessitatem propriam; quidquid ultra illud est dicitur septem et octo; et hoc pauperibus est distribuendum, non est congregandum in thesauros terrenos, sed caelestes; unde Matthaei sexto⁶: « Thesaurizate vobis thesauros in caelo, ubi neque aerugo neque tinea demolitur »; et Tobiae quarto: « Si multum tibi fuerit, abundanter tribue; si parum, etiam illud libenter impertiri stude ». Et ratio huius largitatis redditur, cum infertur: Quia ignoras, quid mali etc. Et multiplex redditur ratio, scilicet propter cautelam mali; unde dicit: Ignoras, quid mali futurum sit super terram. Quia ergo non es certus, necesse habes tibi providere, ne incidas in periculum; et remedium optimum est abundans eleemosyna; Ecclesiastici vigesimo nono⁷: « Conclude eleemosynam in sinu pauperis, et haec pro te exorabit et liberabit ab omni malo ». — Propter amplificationem meriti dicit: Si repletae fuerint nubes, a Deo supple, imbrem super terram effundent, propter quem imbrem terra fructificat; Osee sexto⁸: « Veniet quasi imber nobis temporaneus et serotinus terrae »; et hoc ad fructificandum et multiplicandum bona terrae merito eleemosynae. Sicut enim nubes plenae inebriant terram pluvia, sic eleemosynae multiplicatae inebriant animam gratia; secundae ad Corinthios nono: « Qui autem administrat semen seminanti, et panem ad manducandum praestabit et multiplicabit semen vestrum et augebit incrementa frugum iustitiae vestrae ». Propter stabilitatem praemii, quod non poterit variari nec perdi; propter quod dicit: Si ceciderit lignum ad austrum; lignum istud, homo; de quo Iob decimo quarto⁹: « Lignum habet spem, si praecisum fuerit, rursum virescet ». Et auster dat intelligere calorem caritatis et statum gloriae; Cantici quarto: p. 89 « Surge, aquilo, et veni, auster; perfla hortum meum » etc. Lignum igitur cadere ad austrum est hominem in morte introduci in gloriam; et tunc ibi erit, id est, nunquam poterit demoveri; Apocalypsis tertio: « Qui vicerit, faciam illum columnam in templo Dei mei, et foras non egredietur amplius ». Si ceciderit ad aquilonem, ibi erit, id est, si ad poenam infernalem; Ieremiae primo¹: « Ab aquilone pandetur omne malum »; qui cadit in infernum ibi erit, quia inde nunquam liberabitur. Iusto enim dicitur Isaiae ultimo: « Ignis eorum non exstinguetur, et vermis eorum non morietur ». In quocumque loco ceciderit, ibi erit, sive bono, sive malo; ad Galatas sexto: « Quae seminaverit homo, haec et metet ».

Qui observat ventum etc. Hic hortatur ad dandum incessanter; et primo docet, tempora non esse observanda; secundo, opera divina non esse perscrutanda; tertio, opera misericordiae continuanda.

(Vers. 4.). Quantum ad primum dicit: Qui observat ventum non seminat, quia frequenter venit ventus, quem non vult, et non venit ventus, qui placeat. Et qui considerat nubes nunquam metet; et ideo oportet, quod quando est tempus metendi, metat, et serendi, seminet, non exspectet. Sic etiam in proposito, dum tempus habet, bonum faciat; Ecclesiastici quarto²: « Cor inopis ne afflixeris, et ne protrahas datum angustianti »; et Proverbiorum tertio: « Ne dicas amico tuo: Vade et revertere, cras dabo tibi, cum statim possis dare »; et ita non debet tardare.

(Vers. 5.). Quomodo ignoras, quae sit via etc. Supra dixit, tempora non esse observanda, hic secundo docet, divina opera non esse consideranda vel perscrutanda, quia non possumus; ideo dicit: Quomodo ignoras, quae sit via spiritus. Spiritus, qui est Deus, quia hanc ignoramus; unde Ioannis tertio³: « Spiritus, ubi vult, spirat, et vocem eius audis, sed nescis » etc.; et Iob nono: « Si venerit ad me, non videbo eum; si abierit, non intelligam ». Spiritus, qui est animus sive spiritualis creatura, cuius via, id est ortus, nescitur, nec etiam occasus; supra tertio⁴: « Quis novit, si spiritus filiorum Adam ascendat sursum »? Spiritus, qui est ventus, cuius via nescitur, id est origo; unde in Psalmo: « Qui profert ventos de thesauris suis »; Exodi decimo quinto: « Flavit spiritus tuus, et operuit eos mare ». Dicit ergo: Quomodo ignoras, quae sit via spiritus, et qua ratione compingantur ossa in ventre praegnantis, id est, quomodo compaginentur et distinguantur; quia etiam ipse Avicenna dicit, quod vis formativa membrorum est vis divina; secundi Machabaeorum septimo⁵: « Nescio, qualiter in utero meo apparuistis; neque enim spiritum et animam donavi vobis, et singulorum membra non ego compegi »; sed ille compegit, ad quem Iob decimo: « Ossibus et nervis compegisti me ». Quomodo haec ignoras, quae sunt carnalia; sic ignoras opera Domini, qui fabricator est omnium; opera, id est occulta iudicia, de quibus in Psalmo⁶: « Magna opera Domini, exquisita in omnes voluntates eius ». Haec opera ignoramus; ad Romanos undecimo: « O altitudo divitiarum sapientiae et scientiae Dei! quam incomprehensibilia sunt iudicia eius, et investigabiles viae eius »!

Mane semina etc. Hic tertio hortatur ad bene faciendum incessanter; et praemittitur exhortatio; secundo subiungitur exhortationis ratio, et tertio remuneratio.

(Vers. 6.). Exhortatur ergo ad faciendum opera misericordiae incessanter, cum dicit: Mane semina semen tuum, hoc est in tempore iuventutis, quia, Threnorum tertio⁷, « bonum est viro, cum portaverit iugum ab adolescentia sua ». Et vespere ne cesset manus tua, id est in senectute, quasi dicat, quod in omni tempore et aetate sine cessatione sunt bona opera facienda; ad Galatas ultimo: « Bonum autem facientes, non deficiamus; tempore enim accepto metemus, non deficientes ». Ideo continue serendum, quia, secundum quod dicitur secundae ad Corinthios nono, « qui parce seminat parce et metet, et qui seminat in benedictionibus de benedictionibus et metet ».

Quia nescis etc. Hic notatur secundum, scilicet exhortationis ratio: quia nescit homo, quando et quae opera acceptat Deus, sicut qui seminat nescit, quod semen fructum facit. Ideo dicit: Quia nescis, quid magis oriatur; hoc, id est serotinum, an illud, id est matutinum; supra nono⁸: « Nescit homo, utrum amore, an odio dignus sit ». Et si utrumque simul, melius erit, quia « plura bona paucioribus magis eligenda »; Isaiae trigesimo secundo: « Beati, qui seminatis super omnes aquas ».

(Vers. 7.). Dulce lumen etc. Hic notatur tertium, scilicet remuneratio; et haec est aspectus luminis et p. 90 solis aeterni, in quo est summa dulcedo, et ita magna remuneratio est. Et propterea dicit: Dulce lumen, ad aspiciendum. De hac dulcedine in Psalmo¹: « Quam magna multitudo dulcedinis tuae, Domine » etc. Et delectabile est oculis videre solem, illum solem, de quo Malachiae quarto: « Orietur vobis timentibus Deum sol iustitiae ». Hunc solem delectabile est videre; ideo primae Petri primo: « In quem desiderant Angeli prospicere ». Et quia hi soli videbunt illud lumen, qui erunt a dextris; ideo in Psalmo: « Delectationes in dextera tua usque in finem ».

Possunt etiam breviter haec exponi de eleemosyna spirituali, quae consistit in instructione proximi; ad quam similiter exhortatur, ad dandum libenter sive liberaliter, abundanter et incessanter: libenter sive liberaliter, cum dicit: Mitte panem tuum etc., id est, gratis da; Matthaei decimo²: « Gratis accepistis, gratis date »; panem, scilicet doctrinae, de quo dicitur Threnorum quarto: « Parvuli petierunt panem, et non erat qui frangeret eis ». Super transeuntes aquas, id est contemnentes bona temporalia, quibus solis dandus est; Matthaei septimo: « Nolite dare sanctum canibus ». Vel: super illos, de quibus in Psalmo: « Transivimus per ignem et aquam, et eduxisti nos » etc.

Abundanter etiam dispensanda; ideo dicit: Da partes septem; partes septem intelligimus doctrinam Christi veteris testamenti, quia ibi praecipiebatur septimus dies servari. Per octo intelligimus doctrinam novi testamenti, quia octavus dies observari praecipitur³. Et quia non potest homo abundanter doctrinam communicare, nisi desuper impleatur, dicit: Si impletae fuerint nubes, imbrem super terram effundent. Nubes sunt praedicatores boni, qui volant ad alta per contemplationem; Isaiae sexagesimo⁴: « Qui sunt hi qui ut nubes volant et quasi columbae ad fenestras suas »? Isti replentur a Domino scientia; Isaiae undecimo: « Repleta est terra scientia tua, sicut aqua maris operientis »; et hoc per Spiritum sanctum; Sapientiae primo: « Spiritus Domini replevit orbem terrarum ». Istae nubes repletae effundent imbrem, id est divini verbi doctrinam; Ecclesiastici trigesimo nono⁵: « Ipse tanquam imbres mittet eloquia sapientiae suae »; Isaiae quinquagesimo quinto: « Quomodo descendit imber et nix de caelo et inebriat terram et infundit eam; sic erit verbum meum », super terram cordis ad fructificandum; ad Hebraeos sexto: « Terra super se venientem bibens imbrem, et proferens herbam opportunam » etc.

Incessanter etiam est dispensanda; ideo dicit: Qui considerat ventum non seminat. Seminare est verbum Dei praedicare; Matthaei decimo tertio⁶: « Exiit qui seminat seminare semen suum »; et post exponit: « Semen est verbum Dei ». Ventus iste est ventus detractionis, de quo Iob primo: « Ventus venit a regione deserti et concussit quatuor angulos domus ». Qui observat hunc ventum detractionis nunquam seminat, quia qui timet verba hominum detrahentium non praedicat ad fructum, immo agitatur ut arundo; Matthaei undecimo: « Quid existis videre? Arundinem vento agitatam »? Et qui considerat nubes nunquam metet. Nubes, ut dicit Glossa⁷, est blandimentum adulationis, quam qui cupit habere nunquam metit vitam aeternam, quia « recepit mercedem suam », Matthaei sexto; et seminat in carne, et ideo metet corruptionem ad Galatas ultimo: « Qui seminat in carne » etc. Et ideo haec contemnenda, sed mane et vespere praedicandum; secundae ad Timotheum quarto: « Praedica verbum, insta opportune, importune »; Actuum vigesimo: « Per triennium non cessavi die ac nocte, cum lacrymis monens unumquemque vestrum ».

Secundo revocat a malo consideratione futuri supplicii.

Si annis multis vixerit homo etc. Supra hortatus est ad bonum consideratione praemii; hic intendit revocare a malo consideratione futuri supplicii; et id quidem facit hoc ordine. Primo dicit, futuri temporis habendam esse memoriam; secundo reprehendit praesentem laetitiam; tertio hortatur abiicere omnem nequitiam et malitiae abundantiam.

(Vers. 8.). Ad futuri temporis memoriam habendam hortatur et monet, quantumcumque homo p. 91 abundet praesenti prosperitate. Propter quod dicit: Si annis multis vixerit homo, quia revera, etsi videantur multi, multi tamen esse non possunt, secundum illud Ecclesiastici decimo octavo¹: « Numerus dierum hominis, ut multum centum anni ». Et in his omnibus laetatus fuerit, secundum quod illi, de quibus dicitur Iob vigesimo primo, « tenent tympanum et gaudent ad sonitum organi; ducunt in bonis dies suos » etc. Meminisse debet tenebrosi temporis, id est diei iudicii, quae erit tempus tenebrosum; Sophoniae primo²: « Dies illa, dies irae, dies tenebrarum et caliginis »; et dierum multorum. Isti sunt dies sive anni aeternitatis; in Psalmo: « Melior est dies una in atriis tuis super millia ». Memorari debet diei iudicii, ut timeat; memorari debet gloriae, ut speret et gaudeat, et hoc secundum vicissitudinem operum; unde Ecclesiastici undecimo: « In die bonorum ne immemor sis malorum, et in die malorum ne immemor sis bonorum ». Dierum, inquam, multorum, qui cum venerint, vanitatis arguentur praeterita, id est, manifeste ostendentur fuisse vana; unde Hieronymus³: Cum regnum Christi venerit, cetera regna evanescent. Arguentur praeterita, scilicet de vanitate mutabilitatis; Sapientiae quinto⁴: « Quid nobis profuit superbia? Aut divitiarum iactantia quid contulit nobis? Transierunt haec omnia velut umbra ». Arguentur de vanitate iniquitatis; Ecclesiastici decimo septimo: « Quid nequius, quam quod excogitavit caro et sanguis »? Et haec arguentur; ad Ephesios quinto: « Quae enim arguuntur a lumine manifestantur ».

(Vers. 9.). Laetare ergo iuvenis etc. Hic secundo reprehendit praesentem laetitiam, asserens, hominem pro illa iudicandum esse; unde ironice loquens dicit: Laetare ergo, in iuvenis, adolescentia tua, quia illa aetas est laetitiae apta; unde Sapientiae secundo⁵: « Venite, fruamur creatura tanquam in iuventute celeriter »; quasi dicat: ne laeteris in iuventute, ne doleas in senectute; unde Ecclesiastici quinto: « Ne sequaris in fortitudine tua concupiscentiam cordis tui ». Et explicat laetitiam, ut sit completa et in animo et in opere et in signo. Quantum ad laetitiam delectationis in animo dicit: Et in bono sit cor tuum, quasi dicat: non laeteris corde, quia supra septimo⁶: « Cor stulti, ubi laetitia ». Quantum ad delectationem in opere: Et ambula in viis cordis tui, id est, exterius comple opere quod desideras corde, quasi dicat: non ambules; Ecclesiastici decimo octavo: « Fili, post concupiscentias tuas non eas, et a voluntate tua avertere ». Quantum ad laetitiam in signo dicit: Et in intuitu oculorum tuorum, ut ea intueatur oculus, quae desiderat cor, et operatur manus tua, secundum quod de illis dicitur, de quibus secundae Petri secundo⁷: « Habentes oculos plenos adulterii et incessabilis delicti », quasi dicat: non sic ambules; Isaiae tertio: « Pro eo quod elevatae sunt filiae Sion et ambulaverunt extento collo et nutibus oculorum » etc. Et quod istud sit ironice dictum, patet, quia comminatur malum sic laetantibus; unde subdit: Et scito, quod pro his omnibus adducet te Deus in iudicium. Et ideo omnia sunt fugienda; Iob decimo nono: « Fugite a facie gladii, quia ultor iniquitatis est gladius, et scitote, esse iudicium ».

(Vers. 10.). Aufer iram etc. Hic tertio hortatur abiicere omnem nequitiam, videlicet malitiam cordis et immunditiam carnis. Quantum ad malitiam cordis dicit: Aufer iram a corde tuo, ut non irascaris, quia ira reddit hominem nequam; Matthaei quinto⁸: « Ego autem dico vobis, quod omnis, qui irascitur fratri suo, reus erit iudicio »; et si irascitur, non perdurare debet; unde ad Ephesios quarto: « Sol non occidat super iracundiam vestram ». Quantum ad immunditiam carnis dicit: Et amove malitiam a carne tua, et sic excludit omnem immunditiam carnis; Iacobi primo⁹: « Abiicientes omnem immunditiam et abundantiam malitiae, in mansuetudine suscipite insitum verbum ». Ille aufert malitiam a carne, qui eam mortificat; ad Colossenses tertio: « Mortificate membra vestra, quae sunt super terram ». Et redditur ratio huius: Adolescentia enim et voluptas vana sunt, quia cito transeunt; p. 92 primae Ioannis secundo¹: « Transit mundus et concupiscentia eius », et ideo Sapientiae quinto: « Quid nobis profuit superbia? Aut divitiarum iactantia quid contulit nobis? Transierunt haec omnia velut umbra » etc.

---

Chapter XI.

Secondly a remedy is given against the vanity of security arising from the defect of the retribution of justice.

Cast thy bread etc. He set down above a remedy against this, that the government of providence seemed to fail through the disorder of prelacy; here, secondly, he sets down a remedy against this, that the retribution of justice seemed to fail, on account of which a man was made secure in evil and grew sluggish toward good. Now this remedy consists in the consideration of future retribution; and since God bestows good things on those who do well and repays evil things to those who do evil: therefore, first, from the considera- p. 88 tion of reward he invites to good; secondly, from the consideration of punishment he calls back from evil, there: If a man live many years.

First he invites to good by the consideration of reward.

Now the good to which he invites is the good of piety, which « is profitable to all things », and on account of which the just are most of all saved, as is plain in Matthew, the twenty-fifth¹, where the works of mercy alone are numbered. Therefore he exhorts here to works of mercy and of almsgiving on account of retribution.

And first he exhorts that they be done willingly; secondly, that they be done abundantly, there: Give seven parts; thirdly, that they be done unceasingly, there: He that observeth the wind never etc. — Since, then, he exhorts that they be done voluntarily and willingly, he sets down first the exhortation and adds the reason.

(Vers. 1.). He exhorts, then, to giving alms willingly; therefore he says: Cast thy bread, that is, give willingly and liberally, not through extortion and as though compelled; the second to the Corinthians, the ninth²: « Every one as he hath determined in his heart, not with sadness, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver ». Thy bread, not another's; Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-fourth: « He that offereth sacrifice of the goods of the poor, is as one that sacrificeth the son in the presence of his father ». Upon the passing waters. Waters that are many are many peoples, Apocalypse, the seventeenth; passing waters are those who pass from nation to nation and from kingdom to another people; such are pilgrims and strangers; to these alms are to be given; Isaiah, the fifty-eighth³: « Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house ». Or: the waters are present tribulations, according to that of the Psalm: « The waters are come in even unto my soul »; the passing waters are the poor and afflicted, because through tribulations they pass over to rest; to such alms are to be given; Luke, the fourteenth: « When thou givest alms, call the poor and the feeble, the blind etc. And the reason is given: For after many times thou shalt find it, that is, the retribution for it; retribution therefore does not fail, but is deferred; Ecclesiasticus, the twelfth⁴: « Do good to the just, and thou shalt find great recompense; and if not of him, assuredly of the Lord »; likewise Luke, the sixteenth: « Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity » etc.

(Vers. 2. 3.). Give seven parts etc. Here, secondly, he exhorts to giving abundantly; and he sets down first the exhortation and adds the reason. He exhorts, then, to abundance, saying: Give seven parts, and also eight, that is, according to the possibility of thy strength give alms, so that, whether thou be poor or rich, thou give a seventh and an eighth of thy goods, that is, make the part of the poor a good one; the second to the Corinthians, the eighth⁵: « That your abundance may supply their want »; and Luke, the eleventh: « Give alms of that which remaineth ». Therefore he says: Give seven parts; for by the number seven we understand as much as suffices to supply one's own need; whatever is beyond that is called seven and eight; and this is to be distributed to the poor, it is not to be gathered into earthly treasuries, but heavenly ones; whence Matthew, the sixth⁶: « Lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither the rust nor moth doth consume »; and Tobias, the fourth: « If thou have much, give abundantly; if little, take care even so to bestow that willingly ». And the reason of this largesse is given, when it is inferred: For thou knowest not what evil etc. And a manifold reason is given, namely on account of caution against evil; whence he says: Thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. Since, then, thou art not certain, thou must needs provide for thyself, lest thou fall into danger; and the best remedy is abundant alms; Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-ninth⁷: « Shut up alms in the bosom of the poor, and it shall obtain help for thee and shall deliver thee from all evil ». — On account of the amplification of merit he says: If the clouds be full, namely by God, they will pour out rain upon the earth, on account of which rain the earth bears fruit; Osee, the sixth⁸: « He will come to us as the early and the latter rain to the earth »; and this for bearing fruit and multiplying the goods of the earth by the merit of alms. For as full clouds inebriate the earth with rain, so multiplied alms inebriate the soul with grace; the second to the Corinthians, the ninth: « And he that ministereth seed to the sower, will both give you bread to eat, and will multiply your seed, and increase the growth of the fruits of your justice ». On account of the stability of the reward, which will not be able to be varied or lost; on account of which he says: If the tree fall to the south; the tree, this is man; of whom Job, the fourteenth⁹: « A tree hath hope, if it be cut, it groweth green again ». And the south gives to understand the heat of charity and the state of glory; the Canticle, the fourth: p. 89 « Arise, O north wind, and come, O south wind; blow through my garden » etc. For the tree to fall to the south, then, is for a man in death to be brought into glory; and then there shall it be, that is, it will never be able to be moved; Apocalypse, the third: « He that shall overcome, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more ». If it fall to the north, there shall it be, that is, if to infernal punishment; Jeremiah, the first¹: « From the north shall every evil break forth »; he who falls into hell shall be there, because he will never be freed thence. For to the just it is said in Isaiah, the last: « Their fire shall not be quenched, and their worm shall not die ». In what place soever it shall fall, there shall it be, whether good or evil; to the Galatians, the sixth: « What things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap ».

He that observeth the wind etc. Here he exhorts to giving unceasingly; and first he teaches that times are not to be observed; secondly, that the divine works are not to be searched out; thirdly, that the works of mercy are to be continued.

(Vers. 4.). As to the first he says: He that observeth the wind shall not sow, because frequently the wind comes which one does not want, and the wind does not come which would please. And he that considereth the clouds shall never reap; and therefore it is fitting that, when it is the time for reaping, he reap, and for sowing, he sow, and not wait. So also in the matter at hand, while he has time, let him do good; Ecclesiasticus, the fourth²: « Afflict not the heart of the needy, and defer not to give to him that is in distress »; and Proverbs, the third: « Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give to thee, when thou canst give at present »; and so he ought not to delay.

(Vers. 5.). As thou knowest not what is the way etc. Above he said that times are not to be observed; here, secondly, he teaches that the divine works are not to be considered or searched out, because we cannot; therefore he says: As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit. The Spirit which is God, because this we do not know; whence John, the third³: « The Spirit breatheth where he will, and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not » etc.; and Job, the ninth: « If he come to me, I shall not see him; if he depart, I shall not understand ». The spirit which is the soul or the spiritual creature, whose way, that is, rising, is not known, nor yet its setting; above, the third⁴: « Who knoweth if the spirit of the children of Adam ascend upward »? The spirit which is the wind, whose way is not known, that is, its origin; whence in the Psalm: « Who bringeth forth winds out of his stores »; Exodus, the fifteenth: « Thy wind blew, and the sea covered them ». He says, then: As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, and by what means the bones are joined together in the womb of her that is with child, that is, how they are compacted and distinguished; since even Avicenna himself says that the formative power of the members is a divine power; the second of Machabees, the seventh⁵: « I know not how you were formed in my womb; for I neither gave you breath nor soul, nor was it I that joined the members of every one of you »; but he joined them, to whom Job, the tenth: « Thou hast put me together with bones and sinews ». As thou knowest not these things, which are carnal, so thou knowest not the works of God, who is the maker of all; the works, that is, the hidden judgements, of which in the Psalm⁶: « Great are the works of the Lord, sought out according to all his wills ». These works we do not know; to the Romans, the eleventh: « O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgements, and how unsearchable his ways »!

In the morning sow etc. Here, thirdly, he exhorts to doing good unceasingly; and first the exhortation is set down; secondly the reason of the exhortation is added, and thirdly the remuneration.

(Vers. 6.). He exhorts, then, to doing the works of mercy unceasingly, when he says: In the morning sow thy seed, that is, in the time of youth, because, Lamentations, the third⁷, « it is good for a man, when he hath borne the yoke from his youth ». And in the evening let not thy hand cease, that is, in old age, as if to say that at every time and age good works are to be done without ceasing; to the Galatians, the last: « And in doing good let us not fail; for in the time accepted we shall reap, not failing ». Therefore one must sow continually, because, according to what is said in the second to the Corinthians, the ninth, « he who soweth sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and he who soweth in blessings shall also reap of blessings ».

For thou knowest not etc. Here the second is noted, namely the reason of the exhortation: because a man does not know when and which works God accepts, as one who sows does not know which seed bears fruit. Therefore he says: For thou knowest not which may rather spring up; this, that is, the late one, or that, that is, the early one; above, the ninth⁸: « Man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love, or hatred ». And if both together, it shall be the better, because « more goods are to be chosen rather than fewer »; Isaiah, the thirty-second: « Blessed are ye that sow upon all waters ».

(Vers. 7.). Sweet is the lumen^tr. etc. Here the third is noted, namely the remuneration; and this is the beholding of the lumen and p. 90 of the eternal sun, in which is the highest sweetness, and so it is a great remuneration. And therefore he says: Sweet is the lumen, to behold. Of this sweetness in the Psalm¹: « How great is the multitude of thy sweetness, O Lord » etc. And it is delightful for the eyes to see the sun, that sun of which Malachias, the fourth: « Unto you that fear God the sun of justice shall arise ». This sun it is delightful to see; therefore the first of Peter, the first: « On whom the Angels desire to look ». And because those alone will see that lumen who will be on the right hand; therefore in the Psalm: « At thy right hand are delights even to the end ».

These things can also be expounded briefly of spiritual alms, which consists in the instruction of one's neighbour; to which he likewise exhorts, to giving willingly or liberally, abundantly and unceasingly: willingly or liberally, when he says: Cast thy bread etc., that is, give freely; Matthew, the tenth²: « Freely have you received, freely give »; bread, namely of teaching^tr., of which it is said in Lamentations, the fourth: « The little ones have asked for bread, and there was none to break it unto them ». Upon the passing waters, that is, those who despise temporal goods, to whom alone it is to be given; Matthew, the seventh: « Give not that which is holy to dogs ». Or: upon those of whom in the Psalm: « We have passed through fire and water, and thou hast brought us out » etc.

Abundantly also it is to be dispensed; therefore he says: Give seven parts; by seven parts we understand the teaching of Christ of the old testament, because there the seventh day was commanded to be kept. By eight we understand the teaching of the new testament, because the eighth day is commanded to be observed³. And because a man cannot communicate teaching abundantly unless he be filled from above, he says: If the clouds be filled, they will pour out rain upon the earth. The clouds are good preachers, who fly to the heights through contemplation; Isaiah, the sixtieth⁴: « Who are these, that fly as clouds, and as doves to their windows »? These are filled by the Lord with knowledge; Isaiah, the eleventh: « The earth is filled with thy knowledge, as the covering waters of the sea »; and this through the Holy Spirit; Wisdom, the first: « The Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole world ». These clouds, filled, pour out rain, that is, the teaching of the divine word; Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-ninth⁵: « He shall pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers »; Isaiah, the fifty-fifth: « As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and soak the earth, and water it; so shall my word be », upon the earth of the heart, for bearing fruit; to the Hebrews, the sixth: « The earth that drinketh in the rain which cometh upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet » etc.

Unceasingly also it is to be dispensed; therefore he says: He that considereth the wind shall not sow. To sow is to preach the word of God; Matthew, the thirteenth⁶: « The sower went forth to sow his seed »; and afterwards he expounds: « The seed is the word of God ». This wind is the wind of detraction, of which Job, the first: « A wind came from the side of the desert, and shook the four corners of the house ». He who observes this wind of detraction never sows, because he who fears the words of detracting men does not preach to fruit, but rather is shaken like a reed; Matthew, the eleventh: « What went you out to see? A reed shaken with the wind »? And he that considereth the clouds shall never reap. The cloud, as the Gloss says⁷, is the blandishment of flattery, which he who desires to have never reaps eternal life, because « he hath received his reward », Matthew, the sixth; and he sows in the flesh, and therefore will reap corruption to the Galatians, the last: « He that soweth in the flesh » etc. And therefore these things are to be despised, but one must preach morning and evening; the second to Timothy, the fourth: « Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season »; Acts, the twentieth: « For three years I ceased not, night and day, with tears to admonish every one of you ».

Secondly he calls back from evil by the consideration of future punishment.

If a man live many years etc. Above he exhorted to good by the consideration of reward; here he intends to call back from evil by the consideration of future punishment; and this indeed he does in this order. First he says that memory is to be had of the future time; secondly he reproves present gladness; thirdly he exhorts to cast away all wickedness and the abundance of malice.

(Vers. 8.). To having memory of the future time he exhorts and admonishes, however much a man p. 91 may abound in present prosperity. On account of which he says: If a man live many years, because in truth, although they seem many, yet they cannot be many, according to that of Ecclesiasticus, the eighteenth¹: « The number of the days of man at the most are a hundred years ». And have rejoiced in them all, according as those of whom it is said in Job, the twenty-first, « take the timbrel, and rejoice at the sound of the organ; they spend their days in good things » etc. He must remember the darksome time, that is, the day of judgement, which will be a darksome time; Sophonias, the first²: « That day, a day of wrath, a day of darkness and obscurity »; and the many days. These are the days or years of eternity; in the Psalm: « Better is one day in thy courts above thousands ». He must remember the day of judgement, that he may fear; he must remember glory, that he may hope and rejoice, and this according to the alternation of works; whence Ecclesiasticus, the eleventh: « In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils, and in the day of evils be not unmindful of good things ». Of the many days, I say, which when they shall come, the things past shall be accused of vanity, that is, they will be manifestly shown to have been vain; whence Jerome³: When the kingdom of Christ shall come, the other kingdoms will vanish. The things past shall be accused, namely of the vanity of mutability; Wisdom, the fifth⁴: « What hath pride profited us? Or what advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow ». They will be accused of the vanity of iniquity; Ecclesiasticus, the seventeenth: « What is more wicked than that which flesh and blood hath invented »? And these things will be accused; to the Ephesians, the fifth: « For all things that are reproved are made manifest by the lumen ».

(Vers. 9.). Rejoice therefore, young man etc. Here, secondly, he reproves present gladness, asserting that a man is to be judged for it; whence, speaking ironically, he says: Rejoice therefore, in young man [sic], thy youth, because that age is apt for gladness; whence Wisdom, the second⁵: « Come, let us enjoy the creature as in youth speedily »; as if to say: do not rejoice in youth, lest thou grieve in old age; whence Ecclesiasticus, the fifth: « Follow not in thy strength the desire of thy heart ». And he unfolds the gladness, so that it is complete in the mind and in the work and in the sign. As to the gladness of delight in the mind he says: And let thy heart be in that which is good, as if to say: do not rejoice in heart, because above, the seventh⁶: « The heart of a fool, where there is mirth ». As to delight in the work: And walk in the ways of thy heart, that is, fulfil outwardly in work what thou desirest in heart, as if to say: do not walk so; Ecclesiasticus, the eighteenth: « Son, go not after thy lusts, but turn away from thy own will ». As to gladness in the sign he says: And in the sight of thy eyes, that the eye may behold the things which the heart desires and thy hand works, according to what is said of those of whom the second of Peter, the second⁷: « Having eyes full of adultery and of sin that ceaseth not », as if to say: do not walk so; Isaiah, the third: « Because the daughters of Sion are haughty, and have walked with stretched out necks, and wanton glances of their eyes » etc. And that this is said ironically is plain, because he threatens evil to those who rejoice so; whence he adds: And know that for all these God will bring thee into judgement. And therefore all these things are to be fled; Job, the nineteenth: « Flee from the face of the sword, for the sword is the revenger of iniquity, and know ye that there is a judgement ».

(Vers. 10.). Remove anger etc. Here, thirdly, he exhorts to cast away all wickedness, namely the malice of the heart and the uncleanness of the flesh. As to the malice of the heart he says: Remove anger from thy heart, that thou be not angry, because anger renders a man wicked; Matthew, the fifth⁸: « But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgement »; and if he is angry, he ought not to persist; whence to the Ephesians, the fourth: « Let not the sun go down upon your anger ». As to the uncleanness of the flesh he says: And put away malice from thy flesh, and so he excludes all uncleanness of the flesh; James, the first⁹: « Casting away all uncleanness and abundance of malice, with meekness receive the ingrafted word ». He removes malice from the flesh who mortifies it; to the Colossians, the third: « Mortify your members which are upon the earth ». And the reason of this is given: For youth and pleasure are vain, because they pass quickly; p. 92 the first of John, the second¹: « The world passeth away, and the concupiscence thereof », and therefore Wisdom, the fifth: « What hath pride profited us? Or what advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow » etc.

---