Bonaventure

Capitulum XII.

Partis tertiae membrum II. De poena, quae est pura afflictio, agitur tum generaliter tum specialiter.

Memento Creatoris tui etc. Egit supra de vanitate poenalitatis, quae est poena et peccati occasio; hic agit de illa quae est pura afflictio, quae revocat a malo et sollicitat in bono. Et habet haec pars duas: quia primo tangit poenalitates et miserias in generali; secundo, in speciali, ibi: Quando commovebuntur etc.

Art. 1. Poena, quae est pura afflictio, describitur generaliter.

Poenalitatem igitur in communi describit quantum ad tria: primo, quantum ad praesentiam nocivi; secundo, quantum ad absentiam iucundi; tertio, quantum ad defectum remedii; ex quorum consideratione hortatur meminisse Dei.

(Vers. 1.). Quantum igitur ad praesentiam nocivi dicit: Memento Creatoris tui, laudem et confessionem sibi dando; in diebus iuventutis tuae, id est, quamdiu iuvenis es et sanus; Ecclesiastici decimo septimo²: « Confiteberis vivens, vivus et sanus confiteberis et laudabis Dominum, et gloriaberis in miserationibus illius ». Et ratio huius est, ut non exspectetur tempus senectutis, in quo est praesentia nocivi; propter quod dicit: Antequam veniat tempus afflictionis; Ecclesiastici decimo octavo: « Ante languorem adhibe medicinam, et ante iudicium interroga te ipsum ». Et appropinquent anni, de quibus dicas: Non mihi placent. Isti sunt anni, in quibus natura humana inquietatur per multas molestias; et isti sunt in senectute et appropinquant, quia in Psalmo³: « Anni nostri sicut aranea meditabuntur » etc.

(Vers. 2.). Quantum ad absentiam iucundi dicit: Antequam tenebrescat sol, in cuius aspectu est magna iucunditas; supra undecimo⁴: « Dulce lumen et delectabile est oculis videre solem »; unde Tobiae quinto: « Quale gaudium mihi erit, qui in tenebris sedeo et lumen caeli non video »? Et ut significet omnimodam absentiam, excludit omne lumen caeleste; unde dicit: Antequam tenebrescat sol, ut scilicet non videatur in sua rota, et lumen, ut non videatur eius influentia, et hoc de die; et luna et stellae, de nocte; Isaiae decimo tertio⁵: « Stellae caeli et splendor earum non expandent lumen suum, obtenebratus est sol in ortu suo, et luna non splendebit in lumine suo ».

Quantum ad defectum remedii dicit: Et revertantur nubes post pluviam. Post pluviam consuevit caelum serenari; quando ergo post pluviam revertitur turbatio nubium, signum est, quod non est reditus ad exsultationem et laetitiam; Tobiae tertio⁶: « Post tempestatem tranquillum facis, et post lacrymationem et fletum exsultationem infundis ». Sed dies illi convertentur in tenebras nec revertentur ad lucem; Iob tertio: « Exspectet lucem et non videat, nec ortum surgentis aurorae ».

Spiritualiter hortatur hic, unumquemque recordari beneficiorum Dei et ipsius benefactoris, antequam tradatur homo in reprobum sensum⁷ et incidat in caecitatem erroris. Propterea debent recordari Dei, quia creator. Primum quidem dedit essentiam; Isaiae quadragesimo quinto⁸: « Ego feci terram et hominem super eam creavi », ideo Dei recordandum; contra quod Deuteronomii trigesimo secundo: « Oblitus es Dei, Creatoris tui ». Dedit potentiam; Deuteronomii octavo: « Domini Dei tui recordaberis, eo quod ipse tribuit tibi vires, ut impleret pactum suum ». Dedit operationem bonam; ad Philippenses secundo⁹: « Deus operatur in nobis velle et perficere »; et Isaiae vigesimo sexto: « Omnia opera nostra operatus es in nobis, Domine »; et ideo recordandum; Psalmus: « Memor fui operum Domini, quia memor ero ab initio mirabilium tuorum ». — Quia pro nobis incarnatus est; Canticorum primo¹⁰: « Exsultabimus et laetabimur in te, memores uberum tuorum super vinum ». — Quia redemptor, qui pro nobis passus; Threnorum tertio: « Recordare paupertatis meae et transgressionis » etc.; qui nobis cibus de caelo datus est; Psalmus: « Memoriam fecit mirabilium suorum misericors et miserator Dominus, escam dedit timentibus se ». — Quia remunerator secundum meritum; Psalmus¹¹: « Reddes unicuique secundum p. 93 opera sua »; propter hoc dicitur alibi in Psalmo: « Memor fui iudiciorum tuorum » etc. Ad votum; Isaiae vigesimo sexto: « Nomen tuum et memoriale tuum in desiderio animae » etc.; et ideo subditur: « Anima mea desideravit te in nocte ». Retribuens supra desiderium; Isaiae sexagesimo tertio: « Miserationum Domini recordabor super omnibus, quae reddidit nobis Dominus » etc.

Huius igitur Creatoris debemus recordari et gratias agendo et ad ipsum convertendo; antequam tenebrescat sol, scilicet iustitiae, Christus, cum homo cadit a fide; Amos octavo¹: « Occidet eis sol in meridie »; et lumen, gratiae, cum homo cadit a caritate, tunc enim perdit gratiam; Sapientiae quinto: « Erravimus a via veritatis, et lumen iustitiae non luxit nobis »; et luna, intelligentia sacrae Scripturae, quae scilicet lumen recipit a Christo; Apocalypsis duodecimo: « Mulier amicta sole, et luna sub pedibus eius ». Mulier amicta sole est gentium Ecclesia, cui data est sacrae Scripturae plena intelligentia. Et stellae, exempla perfectorum; Baruch tertio²: « Stellae lumen dederunt in custodiis suis », nocte scilicet, « et dixerunt: Adsumus ». Et nubes revertantur etc., id est, cesset doctrina praedicatorum; Ezechielis tertio: « Fili hominis, adhaerere faciam linguam tuam palato tuo ».

Art. 2. De poenis pure afflictivis in speciali, secundum triplicem earum differentiam.

Quando commovebuntur etc. Supra egit de poenalitate, quae venit et consequitur iuventutem in generali; hic agit in speciali. Et primo agit de miseriis antecedentibus mortem; secundo, de concomitantibus, ibi: Quoniam ibit homo; tertio, de consequentibus, ibi: Antequam rumpatur funis³ argenteus.

De miseriis mortem antecedentibus.

Prima pars habet duas: quia primo agitur de poenalitate, quae attenditur in membrorum debilitate; secundo vero, de signo debilitatis, ibi: Excelsa quoque timebunt.

(Vers. 3.). Primo igitur ostendit debilitationem futuram in senectute quantum ad sex genera membrorum: primo scilicet quantum ad commotionem ossium, quae ordinata sunt ad corpus protegendum, cum dicit: Quando commovebuntur custodes domus. Domus est machina corporis; haec fragilis est, et ideo custode indiget; et ideo dicit Philosophus⁴, quod natura fecit ossa dura ad custodienda membra mollia, sicut costae ad ventrem, et testa ad caput. Haec commoventur, quando eorum iuncturae laxantur.

Item, quantum ad debilitationem crurium ad pondus corporis sustinendum; unde dicit: Et nutabunt viri fortissimi; viri fortissimi sunt crura, quia, sicut fortes portant pondus belli, sic crura pondus corporis⁵. Hi viri fortissimi nutant, quando crura tremulant et vacillant et non secure sustentant.

Tertio, quantum ad imminutionem dentium ad cibaria masticandum; unde dicit: Et otiosae erunt molentes, imminuto⁶ numero; molentes sunt duae maxillae, quae ad modum duarum molarum conterunt cibum. Hae, imminuto numero dentium, sunt otiosae, quia cibum ad manducandum non possunt conterere.

Quarto, quantum ad obscurationem oculorum ad videndum; ideo dicit: Et tenebrescent videntes per foramina; videntes per foramina oculi sunt, qui sunt quasi duo foramina ad videndum. Isti tenebrescunt, quando senes lumen videre non possunt, sicut Heli; primi Regum tertio⁷, qui « non poterat videre. Lucerna Dei, antequam exstingueretur » etc. Sicut etiam Isaac, de quo Genesis vigesimo septimo: « Senuit Isaac, et caligaverunt oculi eius » etc.

(Vers. 4.). Quinto, quantum ad immobilitationem labiorum ad pronuntiandum, cum dicit: Et claudent ostia in platea; ostia sunt labia, per quae clauditur porta oris. Ista ostia clauduntur in platea, quando homo prae senectute non potest alte loqui, ut audiatur a multis; ideo dicit: In humilitate vocis molentes, id est plane loquentes; molere dicit loqui, quia, sicut homo movet maxillas ad cibaria conterendum, sic movet maxillas et labia ad verba formata pronuntiandum.

Sexto, quantum ad surditatem aurium ad audiendum dicit: Consurgent ad vocem volucris, id est galli, quia senes non possunt audire alta, quia de facili laeduntur et facillime excitantur. Non possunt etiam audire sonora et consonantia; unde dicit: Et obsurdescent omnes filiae carminis. Filiae carminis, quae audiunt consonantia, sunt aures; hae in senibus obsurdescunt, quia voces sonoras audire non possunt; secundi Regum decimo nono⁸ dixit Berzellai ad David: « Octogenarius sum; nunquid vigent sensus mei ad discernendum suave aut amarum, vel audire possum ultra voces cantatorum et cantatricum »? — Isti igitur sunt sex defectus, qui consequuntur vel concomitantur senectutem: quia senes non possunt nociva repellere, non possunt se p. 94 sustentare, non possunt comedere, non possunt videre, non possunt loqui, non possunt audire.

Excelsa quoque timebunt etc. Supra posuit debilitationem corporis in sene; hic subiungit signa debilitationis, quae sunt quatuor: tremor corporis, canities capitis, tumor ventris et infrigidatio libidinis.

(Vers. 5.). Primum igitur signum infirmitatis in sene est tremor corporis; propter quod dicit: Excelsa quoque timebunt et formidabunt in via, id est, omnia membra corporis efficientur tremulosa; et illud est signum resolutionis et debilitationis virtutis contentivae membrorum, quae membra non valet continere; et ideo compellitur continue agitare; unde miser senex potest dicere illud Psalmi¹: « Timor et tremor venerunt super me » etc. — Secundum signum est canities capitis, quantum ad quod dicit: Florebit amygdalus, id est, canescet caput et barba; amygdalus enim, dum floret, dealbatur, et istud est signum debilitatis virtutis; quia enim in sene debilitatur virtus contentiva humorum, ideo putrescunt humores et etiam refrigescunt, in cuius signum superfluitates de corpore senis albae procedunt; et ideo canescunt. — Tertium signum senilis infirmitatis est tumor ventris vel aliorum membrorum corporis; quantum ad quod dicit: Impinguabitur locusta. Impinguatio locustae etiam circa suum senium est potius tumor quam vera pinguedo, per quem modum est in senibus impinguatio, et hoc est signum debilitatis caloris digerentis. Quia enim calor digerens deficit, abundat humor phlegmaticus, aquosus et indigestus, qui corpus senis implet et impinguare videtur. — Quartum signum est remissio libidinis; propter quod dicit: Dissipabitur capparis. Capparis est herba quaedam, quae « valet renibus », ut dicit Glossa², et confortat actum virtutis generativae; et secundum Hieronymum in Hebraeo commune nomen habet ad herbam et ad amorem libidinosum. In quacumque igitur significatione accipiatur, rectus est sensus: dissipabitur capparis, id est, remittetur fervor libidinis; et istud est signum debilitationis in sene. In actu enim generationis movet calor, et materiam subministrat digestus humor. Quia igitur senectus est frigida et sicca, deficit calor et humor, et ideo libidinis minuitur fervor.

De miseriis mortem concomitantibus in moriente et compatientibus.

(Vers. 5.). Quoniam ibit homo in domum etc. Descriptae sunt miseriae antecedentes mortem. Hic describitur ipsa miseria mortis et in moriente et in compatientibus. In moriente, cum dicit: Quoniam ibit homo in domum aeternitatis suae, id est, morietur. Domus enim post mortem aeterna est, quia, supra undecimo³, « si ceciderit lignum ad austrum, ibi erit; si ad aquilonem, ibi erit »; et ita domus post mortem recte dicitur domus aeternitatis. Quantum ad miseriam in compatientibus dicit: Et circuibunt in platea plangentes; circumeunt, quia prae dolore quiescere nesciunt; Psalmus⁴: « Caput circuitus eorum, labor labiorum ipsorum operiet eos ». Et plangent super mortuo quasi nolentes consolari, sed non sic debent; Ecclesiastici vigesimo secundo: « Luctus mortui septem dies ».

De miseriis mortem consequentibus.

Antequam rumpatur funis etc. Supra tetigit miserias antecedentes et concomitantes mortem; hic tangit consequentes, quae sunt corporis resolutio et spiritus ad Deum migratio; quae isto ordine describuntur.

(Vers. 6. 7.). Primo notatur dissolutio nervorum, cum dicit: Antequam rumpatur funis argenteus, et debet repeti verbum⁵: « Memento Creatoris tui » etc. Nervorum involutio recte dicitur funis, quia totum corpus cingit et ligat, et argenteus, propter ipsorum albedinem et pervietatem. Funis ergo argenteus rumpitur, quando nervorum ligatura dissolvitur. — Secundo, resolutio venarum sive arteriarum, cum dicit: Et recurrat vitta aurea; venarum involutio recte dicitur vitta⁶, quia, sicut vitta circumvolvitur, et ea totum ligatum salvatur; sic venis et arteriis tota corporis machina circumdatur et salvatur. Ista venarum involutio et arteriarum recte dicitur aurea, quia aurum rubrum et huiusmodi venae rubeae propter contenti sanguinis rubicunditatem. Tunc ergo recurrit vitta aurea, quando venarum et arteriarum involutio non perdurat. — Tertio notatur confractio vasis urinae, cum dicit: Et conteratur hydria super fontem. Hydria est receptaculum aquae exhaustae a fonte, et vesica est receptaculum urinae procedentis ab hepate tanquam a fonte. Urina enim est colamentum sanguinis et aliorum humorum, qui ab hepate in totum corpus procedunt tanquam a fonte. Hydria ergo conteritur super fontem, quando vesica rumpitur et colamentum humorum non potest recipere, quod procedit ab hepate. — Quarto notatur destructio meatus superfluitatis impurae, cum dicit: Et confringatur rota super cisternam. Rota est instrumentum, per quod fit p. 95 eductio aquae foetidae et lutosae de cisterna; cisterna continet ut plurimum aquam lutulentam; et talis est venter noster. Rotam igitur confringi super cisternam est meatum impurae superfluitatis a ventre exeuntis in morte dissipari. — Quinto notatur totius corporis incineratio, cum dicitur: Et revertatur pulvis in terram suam, unde erat, id est, corpus incineretur, secundum illud Genesis tertio¹: « Pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris ». In terram suam, quia de illa est; Ecclesiastici quadragesimo: « Omnia, quae de terra facta sunt, in terram convertentur ». — Sexto tangitur spiritus sive animae ad Deum reversio; unde dicit: Et spiritus redeat ad Deum, qui dedit illum. Ipse Dominus dat spiritum, unde dicitur in Psalmo²: « Qui finxit singillatim corda eorum » etc.; et ad eum redit omnis spiritus tanquam ad retributorem; ad Romanos decimo quarto: « Omnes stabimus ante tribunal Christi » etc.

Spiritualiter ab illo loco: Quando commovebuntur etc., describitur hic status Ecclesiae finalis: primo, quoad antecedentia iudicium; secundo, quantum ad concomitantia, ibi: Quoniam ibit homo in domum; tertio, ad consequentia, ibi: Antequam rumpatur funis argenteus. — Status ante iudicium, qui erit in adventu antichristi, describitur quantum ad tria: primo, quantum ad diminutionem fidei; secundo, quantum ad dilatationem erroris, ibi: Et consurgent ad vocem volucris etc.; tertio, quoad modum dilatandi, ibi: Florebit amygdalus etc.

Primo ergo praedicit, futuram esse diminutionem fidei quantum ad quatuor genera personarum: primo, quantum ad praelatos; secundo, quantum ad perfectos; tertio, quantum ad simplices; quarto, quantum ad sapientes. Primo igitur praedicit commotionem praelatorum, cum dicit: Quando commovebuntur custodes domus. Domus ista est Ecclesia, de qua in Psalmo³: « Domum tuam decet sanctitudo » etc. Custodes sunt praelati, quibus cura dominici gregis est commissa; Isaiae sexagesimo secundo: « Super muros tuos, Ierusalem, constitui custodes ». Custodes igitur commovebuntur, quando praelati in fide concutientur; et hoc quidem erit in antichristi adventu; unde Iudith ultimo: « Montes a fundamentis commovebuntur ». — Secundo praedicit dubitationem perfectorum, cum ait: Et nutabunt viri fortissimi. Viri fortissimi sunt perfecti in caritate et spe, secundum illud Isaiae quadragesimo⁴: « Qui sperant in Domino mutabunt fortitudinem ». Isti nutabunt; Matthaei vigesimo quarto: « Surgent pseudoprophetae et dabunt signa, ut in errorem inducantur, si fieri potest, etiam electi »; et ibidem: « Et nisi breviati fuissent dies illi, non fieret salva omnis caro; sed propter electos breviabuntur ». — Tertio praedicit lapsum simplicium, cum subiungit: Et otiosae erunt molentes imminuto numero, id est, simplices a bono opere cessabunt, affecti taedio propter multam eorum deceptionem; unde dicit: imminuto numero, quia multum minuentur; Matthaei vigesimo quarto⁵: « Duo ad molam, unus assumetur, et alter relinquetur ». — Quarto praedicit errorem sapientium, cum dicit: Et tenebrescent videntes per foramina, id est, sapientes, qui subtiliter vident, erroris tenebris involventur; Iob duodecimo⁶: « Palpabunt quasi in tenebris et non in lumine, et errare faciet eos quasi ebrios ». Et quia cadentes a fide cadunt a confessione fideli, ideo dicit: Et claudent ostia in platea, id est in publico; in humilitate vocis molentes, id est mussitantes. Sed vera confessio est in publico; unde Matthaei decimo: « Quod in aure auditis praedicate super tecta ».

Et consurgent ad vocem etc. Hic secundo notatur dilatatio erroris post diminutionem fidei quantum ad tria. Primo dicit, quod praedicabitur et audietur falsitas; secundo, quod tacebitur veritas; tertio, quod sublimabitur et timebitur antichristi potestas. — Primum quidem praedicabitur falsitas ab antichristo, cum dicit: Consurgent ad vocem volucris. Vox volucris nocte canentis est praedicatio antichristi praedicantis in nocte obscuritatis et infidelitatis. Ad vocem ergo eius consurgent qui praedicationi eius credent. Propterea dicitur Matthaei vigesimo quarto⁷, ut fidem non adhibeant: « Si ergo dixerint vobis: Ecce, in deserto est; nolite credere ». Tamen multi audient et credent; Ioannis quinto dicitur Iudaeis: « Si alius venerit in nomine suo, illum recipietis ». — Secundo praedicit, quod tacebitur veritas, quia non erit qui audiat; ideo dicit: Obsurdescent omnes filiae carminis. Tunc filiae carminis obsurdescunt, quando sonum veritatis, quae est velut quaedam consonantia, audire non possunt. Illud erit tempore antichristi, sicut praedictum est; Isaiae trigesimo⁸ praedicitur de illo populo, qui adhaerebit antichristo: « Populus ad iracundiam provocans est, filii mendaces, filii nolentes audire legem Dei ». — Tertio praedicit, quod formidabitur antichristi potestas, cum ait: Excelsa quoque timebunt et p. 96 formidabunt etc., id est, omnes, tam parvi quam magni, verebuntur potentiam antichristi et prae timore adorabunt; unde Apocalypsis decimo tertio¹: « Admirata est omnis terra post bestiam, dicentes: Quis similis bestiae huic, et quis poterit pugnare cum ea »? Et post: « Et data est illi potestas in omnem tribum et populum et linguam, et adorabunt eam omnes, qui habitant in terra, quorum nomina non sunt scripta in libro vitae ».

Florebit amygdalus. Descripta est supra debilitatio fidei et dilatatio erroris; hic tertio describitur modus multiplicandi errorem. Et iste modus erit triplici via, scilicet per miracula, per donaria, per tormenta. — Primo igitur praedicitur modus trahendi ad errorem per miracula, cum dicit: Florebit amygdalus, ut sicut virga Aaron mirabiliter floruit et amygdalas produxit, secundum quod dicitur Numerorum decimo septimo²; ita in aemulationem antichristus faciet florere virgam et deflorere et alia multa miracula, per quae stulti convertentur ad ipsum; Apocalypsis decimo tertio: « Et fecit bestia signa magna et seduxit habitantes in terra propter signa, quae data sunt illi facere in conspectu hominum ».

Secundo praedicit modum trahendi per donaria, cum subiungit: Et impinguabitur locusta. Locusta impinguatur, quando homo avidus pecunia repletur et per illam a Deo avertitur; Deuteronomii trigesimo secundo³: « Incrassatus est dilectus et recalcitravit incrassatus, impinguatus, dilatatus » etc. Hoc modo multos avertet antichristus a fide, quod significatum est secundi Machabaeorum septimo: « Antiochus, cum adhuc adolescentior superesset, hortabatur non tantum verbis, sed etiam iuramento promittebat, divitem se et beatum eum facturum et translatum a legibus carum habiturum ». — Tertio praedicit, aliquos trahendos per tormenta, cum dicit: Et dissipabitur capparis. Capparis, ut dictum fuit, est herba libidinem provocans. Per hanc intelliguntur carnales, qui curam carnis gerunt in desideriis⁴. Isti dissipantur, cum timore tormentorum a fide recedunt; sunt enim de illis, de quibus dicitur Lucae octavo: « Ad tempus credunt et in tempore tentationis recedunt ». Tempus tentationis erit in adventu antichristi; unde Matthaei vigesimo quarto: « Erit talis tribulatio, qualis non fuit ab initio mundi usque modo ».

Quoniam ibit homo in domum etc. Egit supra de antecedentibus ad iudicium; hic agit secundo de ipso iudicio, in quo praemiabuntur boni, et punientur mali. — Quantum ad praemiationem bonorum dicit: Ibit homo in domum aeternitatis suae, quando scilicet dicetur eis: « Venite, benedicti Patris mei, percipite regnum, quod paratum est vobis a constitutione mundi », Matthaei vigesimo quinto⁵. Et tunc ibunt in domum aeternae laetitiae; Isaiae trigesimo quinto: « Venient in Sion cum laude, et laetitia sempiterna super capita eorum; gaudium et laetitiam obtinebunt ». — Quantum ad malos dicit: Et circuibunt in platea plangentes, scilicet mali; unde Sapientiae quinto⁶: « Dicent intra se, poenitentiam agentes et prae angustia spiritus gementes »; et Matthaei vigesimo quarto: « Videbunt signum filii hominis in caelo; et tunc plangent omnes tribus terrae et videbunt filium hominis » etc.

Antequam rumpatur funis etc. Egit supra de antecedentibus ad iudicium et concomitantibus; hic agit de consequentibus. Describit autem sex consequentia post iudicii statum. Primo notatur evacuatio eloquentiae, cum dicitur: Antequam rumpatur funis argenteus. Argentum est sonorum et significat eloquentiam; funis argenteus est verborum pulcra coniunctio et colligatio, quae ad modum funis hominem ligat, dum persuadet, secundum illud quod dicitur Proverbiorum septimo⁷: « Irretivit eum multis sermonibus, et blanditiis labiorum protraxit illum ». Tunc ergo rumpetur funis argenteus, quando post diem iudicii mundana eloquentia obmutescet; Matthaei vigesimo secundo: « Amice, quomodo huc intrasti, non habens vestem nuptialem? At ille obmutuit ». — Secundo notatur evacuatio praelationis sive potentiae, cum dicit: Recurrat vitta aurea. Per vittam, quae ponebatur in capite sacerdotis⁸, intelligitur ordo potentiae et praelationis, in quo colligatur Ecclesia. Ista vitta recurrit ad suum principium, scilicet quando solus Christus dominabitur, et omnis alia potestas auferetur; et hoc erit post iudicium; primae ad Corinthios decimo quinto: « Deinde finis, cum tradiderit regnum Deo et Patri, cum evacuaverit omnem principatum et dominationem et virtutem ». — Tertio notatur evacuatio mundanae sapientiae, cum dicit: Et conteratur hydria super fontem. Ista hydria est cordis curiositas, quae p. 97 fertur ad hauriendam sapientiam; de qua in figura Ioannis quarto¹: « Venit mulier de Samaria cum hydria haurire aquam ». Mulier de Samaria gentilitas est, quae venit cum hydria, id est curiositate, ad sapientiam hauriendam; unde dicitur Actuum decimo septimo²: « Athenienses ad nihil aliud vacabant, nisi aut dicere, aut audire aliquid novi ». Fons autem est mundana sapientia; unde in Psalmo: « Dirupisti fontes et torrentes » etc. Hydria ergo super fontem frangitur, quando non restat locus, ut mundanae sapientiae curiose vacetur; Isaiae trigesimo: « Et comminuetur velut lagena figuli contritione pervalida » etc. — Quarto notatur ablatio mundanae opulentiae, cum subiungit: Et confringatur rota super cisternam. Per cisternam, quae recipit aquas, intelligitur congregatio opulentiae mundanae, secundum illud Ieremiae secundo³: « Me dereliquerunt, fontem aquae vivae, et foderunt sibi cisternas dissipatas » etc. Rota dicitur volubilitas et variabilitas in possidendo; unde ista dicuntur bona fortunae. Tunc ergo rota confringitur super cisternam, quando omnis spes habendi bona temporalia aufertur; quod significatum est Exodi decimo quarto⁴: « Respiciens Dominus super castra Aegyptiorum, subvertit rotas curruum », quia, Ecclesiastici quadragesimo, « substantiae impiorum sicut fluvius siccabuntur ». — Quinto notatur, quomodo malis fiet inflictio poenae, cum dicit: Et revertatur pulvis in terram. Pulvis recte dicitur impius et peccator, secundum illud Psalmi⁵: « Non sic impii, non sic, sed tanquam pulvis, quem proiicit ventus a facie terrae ». Terra est obscuritatis profunditas, secundum illud Proverbiorum vigesimo quinto: « Caelum sursum, et terra deorsum ». Tunc ergo pulvis ad terram revertitur, quando peccator in infimum infernalis tenebrositatis recluditur; Apocalypsis vigesimo: « Qui non est inventus in libro vitae scriptus missus est in stagnum ignis ». — Sexto vero notatur, quomodo iustis et spiritualibus fiet collatio gloriae, cum dicit: Spiritus redeat ad Deum, qui dedit illum. Spiritus est homo spiritualis et bonus, qui Deo est coniunctus per gratiam; primae ad Corinthios sexto⁶: « Qui adhaeret Domino unus spiritus est ». Iste spiritus redit ad Deum, non quia prius fuerit cum eo et post recesserit, cum venit ad corpus et in morte iterum revertitur, quemadmodum voluit Origenes; sed ideo redire dicitur, quia ab illo est et per illum et ad illum finaliter ordinatur; et hoc quidem erit in gloria post iudicium, secundum quod dicitur ad Colossenses tertio: « Cum autem apparuerit Christus, vita vestra, tunc et vos apparebitis cum ipso in gloria ».

Triplicis probationis conclusio.

(Vers. 8.). Vanitas vanitatum etc. Sicut dictum fuit a principio libri, totus liber iste ad probandum unam propositionem ordinem habet, quam in principio libri proposuit, hanc scilicet: Vanitas vanitatum etc. Hanc per totum librum probavit et modo in fine concludit dicens: Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes. Supra⁷ similiter dixit, id est proposuit; sed nunc: dixit Ecclesiastes, id est conclusit. Dixit, inquam: Vanitas vanitatum. Sermo iste materialiter tenetur, et transit actus dicendi super ipsum, ut sit sensus: Ecclesiastes dixit hunc sermonem: Vanitas vanitatum; et in hoc sermone genitivus ille designat originem, ut sit sensus: Vanitas vanitatum, id est, a vanitatibus oritur vanitas. Dixit etiam Ecclesiastes hoc, scilicet: Omnia vanitas, et intelligitur verbum substantivum ex usu loquendi, ut sit sensus: Omnia sunt vanitas. — Ex hoc duplici dicto elicitur talis ratio: Si a vanitatibus oritur vanitas; et omnia vanitas: ergo omnia creata dilectorem suum beatum non faciunt, sed faciunt vanum, secundum illud Ieremiae secundo⁸: « Ambulaverunt post vanitatem, et vani facti sunt ». Si ergo omnes debent appetere beatitudinem et refugere vanitatem: ergo omnes debent terrena bona despicere. Et haec est conclusio huius libri.

Epilogus.

Cumque esset sapientissimus etc. Dictum est supra⁹, quod liber iste habet tres partes principales, scilicet prologum, tractatum et epilogum. Duabus primis partibus terminatis, hic incipit tertia pars. In hoc autem epilogo hoc ordine procedit. Primo notatur scribentis studiositas; secundo, sermonum eius auctoritas; tertio reprimitur curiositas auditorum; quarto aperitur summa dictorum.

(Vers. 9. 10.). Insinuatur ergo primo scribentis studiositas: quia, cum esset sapiens, sapientiam suam non abscondit, sed aliis enarravit. Ideo dicit: Cumque esset sapientissimus Ecclesiastes; tertii Regum quarto¹⁰: « Praecedebat sapientia Salomonis sapientiam omnium Orientalium; et erat sapientior cunctis hominibus ». Cum ita esset sapiens, non fuit negligens, sed diligens. Unde docuit populum; p. 98 Ecclesiastici vigesimo quarto: « Adhuc doctrinam quasi prophetiam effundam, et relinquam illam quaerentibus sapientiam »; et post: « Respicite, quia non mihi soli laboravi, sed omnibus quaerentibus veritatem ». Explicat diligentiam, scilicet per multitudinem scriptorum et documentorum; et tanguntur hic tres libri, quos composuit. Primo Ecclesiastes, cum dicit: Et enarravit quae fecerat, supple: in hoc libro Ecclesiastae; supra primo¹ et secundo capitulo narravit opera spiritualia et carnalia, ut in malis daret exemplum detestandi, in bonis exemplum imitandi. Secundo tangitur liber Proverbiorum, cum dicit: Et investigans composuit parabolas, quae sunt verba utilia, id est in Proverbiis; in principio Proverbiorum²: « Parabolae Salomonis, filii David, regis Israel, ad sciendam sapientiam et disciplinam, ad intelligenda verba prudentiae ». Tertio tangitur liber Canticorum, cum dicit: Et conscripsit sermones rectissimos ac veritate plenos. Hoc dicit, quia illa verba, quae dicuntur in Canticis, videntur verba luxuriae et libidinis; ideo dicit: Sermones rectissimos, id est iustos et bonos; Proverbiorum octavo³: « Iusti sunt omnes sermones mei, non est in eis pravum quid neque perversum ». Videntur etiam verba Canticorum esse falsa et iocosa, cum dicit: « Nasus tuus sicut turris »; ideo dicit: Ac veritate plenos; plenum enim est illud quod intra continet aliquid et capit; sic et verba Canticorum intus celant et ambiunt veritatem; et hoc est necessarium omni doctrinae; Ecclesiastici trigesimo septimo: « Ante omnia opera verbum verax praecedat te ».

(Vers. 11.). Verba sapientium etc. Hic secundo notatur sermonum sive documentorum eius auctoritas, quia non sunt leviter prolata, immo cum consilio prolata et a Deo inspirata, et ideo sunt firma et stabilia. Et propterea dicit: Verba sapientium quasi stimuli, ad interiora scilicet penetrantes; et quasi clavi in altum defixi, id est in profundum, qui sunt immobiles, et ideo non de facili repelluntur a corde, sed manent et ad bonum inducunt. Unde verbum Dei gladio comparatur ad Ephesios sexto⁴: « Et gladium spiritus, quod est verbum Dei ». Et ideo pungit cor, secundum quod dicitur Actuum secundo: « His auditis, compuncti sunt corde ». Sunt ergo verba sapientium penetrantia, quia non sunt leviter dicta; ideo dicit: Quae per magistrorum consilium, id est deliberatam discussionem et sententiam, data sunt a pastore uno, id est a Christo, qui est pastor, secundum quod dicitur Ioannis decimo⁵: « Ego sum pastor bonus ». Ab isto pastore verba sapientium sunt data, quia, secundum quod dicit Augustinus, « cathedram habet in caelo qui intus docet »; unde Matthaei vigesimo tertio: « Unus est magister vester, Christus ». Sunt tamen data per consilium magistrorum, id est ministrorum istius summi magistri, quos ipse misit et docuit; unde dicitur primae Petri quinto⁶: « Seniores, pascite qui in vobis est gregem Dei, ut, cum venerit princeps pastorum, percipiatis immarcescibilem gloriae coronam ». Hos misit ipse; Matthaei ultimo: « Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes ».

(Vers. 12.). His amplius etc. Hic tertio reprimitur curiositas auditorum, quos alloquitur sub persona filii dicens: His amplius, fili mi, ne requiras, ut semper velis audire nova; sufficit enim scire necessaria; Ecclesiastici tertio⁷: « Quae praecepit tibi Deus, illa cogita semper, et in pluribus operibus eius ne fueris curiosus ». — Et redditur ratio duplex huius admonitionis, quia inquisitio huius curiositatis est interminata et laboriosa. Est interminata; ideo dicit: Faciendi plures libros nullus est finis; quia curiosi nunquam tot habent, quin velint audire plures, quia nunquam volunt audire vetera, sed semper nova; unde Actuum decimo septimo⁸: « Athenienses ad nihil aliud vacabant, nisi aut dicere, aut audire aliquid novi ». Ideo dicitur Danielis duodecimo: « Pertransibunt plurima tempora, et multiplex erit scientia », eo quod scientia semper quodam modo renovatur. Non tantum est interminata, sed etiam laboriosa curiosa inquisitio; ideo subdit: Frequensque meditatio carnis est afflictio; Ecclesiastici trigesimo primo⁹: « Vigilia honestatis tabefaciet carnem ». Est, inquam, afflictio magna, et e contrario utilitas modica, secundum quod dictum est supra octavo: « Est homo, qui diebus et noctibus non capit somnum oculis. Et intellexi, quod operum Dei nullam possit homo invenire rationem eorum quae fiunt sub sole ».

(Vers. 13.). Finem loquendi pariter etc. Hic quarto tangitur sententia dictorum per quandam epilogationem, ad quam audiendam, et memorandam excitat discipulorum audientiam cum dicit: Finem loquendi, id est terminum et consummationem locutionis, pariter omnes audiamus, tanquam omnibus utilem et necessariam. — Et consistit in hoc sententia omnium dictorum, scilicet in declinatione mali, vel in operatione boni; ad quod ordinatur omnis doctrina et locutio Salomonis, immo tota Scriptura. Ideo primitus quantum ad declinationem mali dicit: Deum time; Proverbiorum decimo sexto¹⁰: « In timore p. 99 Domini declinat omnis a malo ». Quantum ad operationem boni dicit: Et mandata eius observa; Deuteronomii sexto: « Audi, Israel, et observa, ut facias quae praecepit Dominus ». Hoc est omnis homo, id est totus et perfectus homo. Si enim facit bonum et non declinat a malo, non est integer homo, sed dimidius; rursus, si declinat a malo et non facit bonum, non est nisi dimidius; si autem declinat a malo per timorem et facit bonum per mandatorum observationem, iam est omnis homo, id est completus iustus. Dominus ab homine nil amplius requirit; Deuteronomii decimo¹: « Et nunc Israel, quid Dominus requirit a te, nisi ut timeas Dominum Deum tuum et ambules in viis eius, et servias Domino in toto corde tuo et in tota anima tua, custodiasque mandata Domini Dei tui »?

(Vers. 14.). Et ratio est, quare Deus timendus sit, et mandata eius sint observanda: quia de omnibus exiget rationem, sive de bonis, sive de malis. Ideo subdit: Et cuncta, quae fiunt, adducet Deus in iudicium pro omni errato, quia nihil remanebit indiscussum, nec gestum per malitiam nec gestum per errorem; Matthaei duodecimo²: « De omni verbo otioso, quod locuti fuerint homines, reddent rationem ». Et non tantum discutientur mala, immo etiam bona; ideo subiungit: Sive bonum, sive malum sit, adducetur in iudicio; unde in Psalmo: « Cum accepero tempus, ego iustitias iudicabo »; et rursus, secundae ad Corinthios quinto: « Omnes nos manifestari oportet ante tribunal Christi »; ideo cuncta iudicabit, quia omnia respicit. Et hoc est quod multum debet hortari ad timorem et mandatorum observationem; et ideo in hoc consummat, sicut et Boethius in fine de Consolationibus³: « Magna est nobis indicta necessitas probitatis, dum cuncta agimus in conspectu iudicis cuncta cernentis ».

Explicit Ecclesiastes⁴.

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Chapter XII.

Member II of the third part. On the punishment which is pure affliction; it is treated both generally and specially.

Remember thy Creator etc. He treated above of the vanity of penalty which is both punishment and an occasion of sin; here he treats of that which is pure affliction, which calls back from evil and stirs up to good. And this part has two: because first he touches penalties and miseries in general; second, in special, there: When the keepers [of the house] shall tremble etc.

Art. 1. Punishment which is pure affliction is described generally.

Penalty, then, he describes in common with respect to three things: first, with respect to the presence of what harms; second, with respect to the absence of what is pleasant; third, with respect to the lack of a remedy; from the consideration of which he exhorts us to be mindful of God.

(Vers. 1.). With respect, then, to the presence of what harms he says: Remember thy Creator, giving him praise and confession; in the days of thy youth, that is, as long as thou art young and healthy; Ecclesiasticus, the seventeenth²: « Thou shalt give thanks whilst thou art living, whilst thou art living and in health thou shalt give thanks, and shalt praise the Lord, and shalt glory in his mercies ». And the reason of this is, that the time of old age be not waited for, in which there is the presence of what harms; on account of which he says: Before the time of affliction come; Ecclesiasticus, the eighteenth: « Before sickness take a medicine, and before judgment examine thyself ». And the years draw nigh of which thou shalt say: They please me not. These are the years in which human nature is disquieted through many troubles; and these are in old age and draw nigh, because in the Psalm³: « Our years shall be considered as a spider » etc.

(Vers. 2.). With respect to the absence of what is pleasant he says: Before the sun be darkened, in the sight of which there is great pleasantness; above, the eleventh⁴: « The lumen^tr. is sweet, and it is delightful for the eyes to see the sun »; whence Tobias, the fifth: « What manner of joy shall be to me, who sit in darkness, and see not the lumen of heaven »? And to signify an absence of every kind, he excludes every heavenly lumen; whence he says: Before the sun be darkened, namely so that it is not seen in its orb, and the lumen, so that its influence is not seen, and this by day; and the moon and the stars, by night; Isaias, the thirteenth⁵: « The stars of heaven and their brightness shall not display their lumen, the sun shall be darkened in his rising, and the moon shall not shine with her lumen ».

With respect to the lack of a remedy he says: And the clouds return after the rain. After rain the sky is wont to clear; when therefore after rain the disturbance of the clouds returns, it is a sign that there is no return to exultation and gladness; Tobias, the third⁶: « After a storm thou makest a calm, and after tears and weeping thou pourest in joyfulness ». But those days will be turned into darkness and will not return to light; Job, the third: « Let it expect light and not see it, nor the rising of the dawning of the day ».

Spiritually he exhorts here each one to remember the benefits of God and the benefactor himself, before a man be delivered up to a reprobate sense⁷ and fall into the blindness of error. They ought therefore to remember God, because he is creator. First indeed he gave essence; Isaias, the forty-fifth⁸: « I made the earth, and I created man upon it », therefore God is to be remembered; against which, Deuteronomy, the thirty-second: « Thou hast forgotten God, thy Creator ». He gave power; Deuteronomy, the eighth: « Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, because he gave thee strength, that he might fulfil his covenant ». He gave good operation; to the Philippians, the second⁹: « God worketh in us both to will and to accomplish »; and Isaias, the twenty-sixth: « Thou hast wrought all our works in us, O Lord »; and therefore he is to be remembered; the Psalm: « I remembered the works of the Lord, for I will be mindful of thy wonders from the beginning ». — Because he was incarnate for us; the Canticle, the first¹⁰: « We will be glad and rejoice in thee, remembering thy breasts more than wine ». — Because he is redeemer, who suffered for us; Lamentations, the third: « Remember my poverty and transgression » etc.; who was given to us as food from heaven; the Psalm: « He hath made a remembrance of his wonderful works, being a merciful and gracious Lord: he hath given food to them that fear him ». — Because he is rewarder according to merit; the Psalm¹¹: « Thou wilt render to every man according to p. 93 his works »; on account of this it is said elsewhere in the Psalm: « I remembered thy judgments » etc. According to desire; Isaias, the twenty-sixth: « Thy name and thy remembrance are the desire of the soul » etc.; and therefore it is added: « My soul hath desired thee in the night ». Rewarding beyond desire; Isaias, the sixty-third: « I will remember the tender mercies of the Lord for all the things that the Lord hath bestowed upon us » etc.

This Creator, then, we ought to remember both by giving thanks and by turning to him; before the sun be darkened, namely of justice, Christ, when a man falls away from faith; Amos, the eighth¹: « The sun shall go down for them at midday »; and the lumen, of grace, when a man falls away from charity, for then he loses grace; Wisdom, the fifth: « We have erred from the way of truth, and the lumen of justice hath not shined unto us »; and the moon, the intelligence of sacred Scripture, which namely receives lumen from Christ; Apocalypse, the twelfth: « A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet ». The woman clothed with the sun is the Church of the gentiles, to which has been given the full intelligence of sacred Scripture. And the stars, the examples of the perfect; Baruch, the third²: « The stars have given lumen in their watches », namely by night, « and they said: Here we are ». And the clouds return etc., that is, the teaching^tr. of preachers ceases; Ezechiel, the third: « Son of man, I will make thy tongue stick fast to the roof of thy mouth ».

Art. 2. On the purely afflictive punishments in special, according to their threefold difference.

When [the keepers of the house] shall tremble etc. Above he treated of the penalty which comes upon and follows youth in general; here he treats in special. And first he treats of the miseries preceding death; second, of those accompanying it, there: Because man shall go; third, of those following it, there: Before the silver cord³ be broken.

On the miseries preceding death.

The first part has two: because first there is treated the penalty which is observed in the weakness of the members; but second, the sign of the weakness, there: They shall fear high things also.

(Vers. 3.). First, then, he shows the weakening that is to come in old age with respect to six kinds of members: first, namely, with respect to the shaking of the bones, which are ordained to protect the body, when he says: When the keepers of the house shall tremble. The house is the frame of the body; this is fragile, and therefore needs a keeper; and therefore the Philosopher says⁴ that nature made the bones hard to guard the soft members, as the ribs for the belly, and the skull for the head. These tremble when their joints are loosened.

Likewise, with respect to the weakening of the legs for bearing the weight of the body; whence he says: And the strong men shall stagger; the strong men are the legs, because, as the strong carry the weight of war, so the legs the weight of the body⁵. These strong men stagger when the legs tremble and totter and do not support securely.

Third, with respect to the diminution of the teeth for chewing food; whence he says: And the grinders shall be idle, the number being diminished⁶; the grinders are the two jaws, which after the manner of two millstones grind the food. These, the number of the teeth being diminished, are idle, because they cannot grind the food for eating.

Fourth, with respect to the darkening of the eyes for seeing; therefore he says: And they that look through the holes shall be darkened; they that look through the holes are the eyes, which are as it were two holes for seeing. These are darkened when old men cannot see the lumen, as Heli; the first of Kings, the third⁷, who « could not see. The lamp of God, before it went out » etc. As also Isaac, of whom Genesis, the twenty-seventh: « Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim » etc.

(Vers. 4.). Fifth, with respect to the immobility of the lips for pronouncing, when he says: And they shall shut the doors in the street; the doors are the lips, by which the gate of the mouth is shut. These doors are shut in the street when a man for old age cannot speak aloud so as to be heard by many; therefore he says: In the lowness of the voice of the grinder, that is, of those speaking softly; he calls to grind to speak, because, as a man moves his jaws to grind food, so he moves his jaws and lips to pronounce formed words.

Sixth, with respect to the deafness of the ears for hearing he says: They shall rise up at the voice of the bird, that is, of the cock, because old men cannot hear high sounds, because they are easily hurt and very easily roused. Neither can they hear sonorous and harmonious things; whence he says: And all the daughters of music shall grow deaf. The daughters of music, which hear harmonious things, are the ears; these grow deaf in the old, because they cannot hear sonorous voices; the second of Kings, the nineteenth⁸, Berzellai said to David: « I am fourscore years old; are my senses quick to discern sweet or bitter, or can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women »? — These, then, are the six defects which follow upon or accompany old age: because old men cannot repel harmful things, cannot support p. 94 themselves, cannot eat, cannot see, cannot speak, cannot hear.

They shall fear high things also etc. Above he set down the weakening of the body in the old man; here he adds the signs of the weakening, which are four: the trembling of the body, the hoariness of the head, the swelling of the belly and the cooling of lust.

(Vers. 5.). The first sign, then, of infirmity in the old man is the trembling of the body; on account of which he says: They shall fear high things also, and they shall be afraid in the way, that is, all the members of the body will be made tremulous; and that is a sign of the slackening and weakening of the containing power of the members, which cannot contain the members; and therefore it is compelled to shake continually; whence the wretched old man can say that of the Psalm¹: « Fear and trembling are come upon me » etc. — The second sign is the hoariness of the head, with respect to which he says: The almond tree shall flourish, that is, the head and beard will grow hoary; for the almond tree, while it flowers, is whitened, and this is a sign of the weakness of the power; for because in the old man the containing power of the humours is weakened, therefore the humours putrefy and also grow cold, in sign of which the superfluities proceed white from the body of the old man; and therefore they grow hoary. — The third sign of senile infirmity is the swelling of the belly or of the other members of the body; with respect to which he says: The locust shall be made fat. The fattening of the locust, also about its old age, is rather a swelling than true fatness, after which manner there is fattening in the old, and this is a sign of the weakness of the digesting heat. For because the digesting heat fails, the phlegmatic humour abounds, watery and undigested, which fills the body of the old man and seems to fatten it. — The fourth sign is the remission of lust; on account of which he says: The caperberry shall be destroyed. The caper is a certain herb which « is good for the kidneys », as the Gloss says², and strengthens the act of the generative power; and according to Jerome in the Hebrew it has a name common to the herb and to libidinous love. In whichever signification, then, it is taken, the sense is right: the caperberry shall be destroyed, that is, the heat of lust will be remitted; and this is a sign of weakening in the old man. For in the act of generation heat moves, and digested humour supplies the matter. Because, then, old age is cold and dry, heat and humour fail, and therefore the heat of lust is lessened.

On the miseries accompanying death, in the one dying and in those suffering with him.

(Vers. 5.). Because man shall go into the house etc. The miseries preceding death have been described. Here is described the very misery of death, both in the one dying and in those suffering with him. In the one dying, when he says: Because man shall go into the house of his eternity, that is, he will die. For the house after death is eternal, because, above, the eleventh³, « if the tree fall to the south, there shall it be; if to the north, there shall it be »; and so the house after death is rightly called the house of eternity. With respect to the misery in those suffering with him he says: And the mourners shall go round about in the street; they go round about, because for grief they know not how to rest; the Psalm⁴: « The head of them compassing me about, the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them ». And they mourn over the dead as though unwilling to be comforted, but they ought not so; Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-second: « Seven days are the mourning for the dead ».

On the miseries following death.

Before the silver cord be broken etc. Above he touched the miseries preceding and accompanying death; here he touches those following, which are the resolution of the body and the migration of the spirit to God; which are described in this order.

(Vers. 6. 7.). First is noted the dissolution of the nerves, when he says: Before the silver cord be broken, and the word ought to be repeated⁵: « Remember thy Creator » etc. The enfolding of the nerves is rightly called a cord, because it girds and binds the whole body, and silver, on account of their whiteness and pervious character. The silver cord, then, is broken when the binding of the nerves is dissolved. — Second, the resolution of the veins or arteries, when he says: And the golden fillet shrink back; the enfolding of the veins is rightly called a fillet⁶, because, as a fillet is wound round, and by it the whole that is bound is preserved; so by the veins and arteries the whole frame of the body is surrounded and preserved. This enfolding of the veins and arteries is rightly called golden, because gold is red and such veins are red on account of the redness of the blood contained. Then, therefore, the golden fillet shrinks back when the enfolding of the veins and arteries does not endure. — Third is noted the breaking of the vessel of urine, when he says: And the pitcher be crushed at the fountain. The pitcher is the receptacle of water drawn from a fountain, and the bladder is the receptacle of the urine proceeding from the liver as from a fountain. For urine is the strainings of the blood and of the other humours, which proceed from the liver into the whole body as from a fountain. The pitcher, then, is crushed at the fountain when the bladder bursts and cannot receive the strainings of the humours which proceed from the liver. — Fourth is noted the destruction of the passage of impure superfluity, when he says: And the wheel be broken upon the cistern. The wheel is the instrument by which p. 95 the drawing off of foul and muddy water from a cistern is done; the cistern contains for the most part muddy water; and such is our belly. For the wheel, then, to be broken upon the cistern is for the passage of the impure superfluity going out from the belly to be destroyed in death. — Fifth is noted the reduction to ashes of the whole body, when it is said: And the dust return into its earth, from whence it was, that is, the body is reduced to ashes, according to that of Genesis, the third¹: « Dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return ». Into its earth, because it is from it; Ecclesiasticus, the fortieth: « All things that are of the earth shall return to the earth ». — Sixth is touched the return of the spirit or soul to God; whence he says: And the spirit return to God, who gave it. The Lord himself gives the spirit, whence it is said in the Psalm²: « He who hath made the hearts of every one of them » etc.; and to him every spirit returns as to the one who repays; to the Romans, the fourteenth: « We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ » etc.

Spiritually, from that place: When [the keepers of the house] shall tremble etc., there is described here the final state of the Church: first, with respect to the things preceding the judgment; second, with respect to those accompanying it, there: Because man shall go into the house; third, to those following, there: Before the silver cord be broken. — The state before the judgment, which will be at the coming of antichrist, is described with respect to three things: first, with respect to the diminution of faith; second, with respect to the spreading of error, there: And they shall rise up at the voice of the bird etc.; third, with respect to the manner of spreading, there: The almond tree shall flourish etc.

First, then, he foretells that there will be a diminution of faith with respect to four kinds of persons: first, with respect to prelates; second, with respect to the perfect; third, with respect to the simple; fourth, with respect to the wise. First, then, he foretells the shaking of prelates, when he says: When the keepers of the house shall tremble. The house is the Church, of which in the Psalm³: « Holiness becometh thy house » etc. The keepers are the prelates, to whom the care of the Lord's flock has been committed; Isaias, the sixty-second: « Upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen ». The keepers, then, shall tremble when the prelates are shaken in faith; and this indeed will be at the coming of antichrist; whence Judith, the last: « The mountains shall be shaken from the foundations ». — Second he foretells the wavering of the perfect, when he says: And the strong men shall stagger. The strong men are those perfect in charity and hope, according to that of Isaias, the fortieth⁴: « They that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength ». These shall stagger; Matthew, the twenty-fourth: « There shall arise false prophets and shall shew signs, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect »; and in the same place: « And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved; but for the sake of the elect they shall be shortened ». — Third he foretells the fall of the simple, when he adds: And the grinders shall be idle, the number being diminished, that is, the simple will cease from good work, affected with weariness on account of the much deception of them; whence he says: the number being diminished, because they will be much diminished; Matthew, the twenty-fourth⁵: « Two at the mill: one shall be taken, and the other left ». — Fourth he foretells the error of the wise, when he says: And they that look through the holes shall be darkened, that is, the wise, who see subtly, will be wrapped in the darkness of error; Job, the twelfth⁶: « They shall grope as in the dark, and not in the lumen, and he shall make them stagger like men that are drunk ». And because those falling from faith fall from faithful confession, therefore he says: And they shall shut the doors in the street, that is, in public; in the lowness of the voice of the grinder, that is, muttering. But true confession is in public; whence Matthew, the tenth: « That which you hear in the ear, preach ye upon the housetops ».

And they shall rise up at the voice etc. Here second is noted the spreading of error after the diminution of faith, with respect to three things. First he says that falsehood will be preached and heard; second, that truth will be silent; third, that the power of antichrist will be exalted and feared. — First, indeed, falsehood will be preached by antichrist, when he says: They shall rise up at the voice of the bird. The voice of the bird singing by night is the preaching of antichrist, preaching in the night of obscurity and unbelief. At his voice, then, they shall rise up who will believe his preaching. Therefore it is said in Matthew, the twenty-fourth⁷, that they should not give faith: « If therefore they shall say to you: Behold he is in the desert; believe it not ». Yet many will hear and believe; in John, the fifth, it is said to the Jews: « If another shall come in his own name, him you will receive ». — Second he foretells that truth will be silent, because there will be none to hear; therefore he says: All the daughters of music shall grow deaf. Then the daughters of music grow deaf when they cannot hear the sound of truth, which is as it were a certain harmony. That will be in the time of antichrist, as was said before; in Isaias, the thirtieth⁸, it is foretold of that people which will cleave to antichrist: « It is a people that provoketh to wrath, and lying children, children that will not hear the law of God ». — Third he foretells that the power of antichrist will be feared, when he says: They shall fear high things also, and they shall be p. 96 afraid etc., that is, all, small as well as great, will fear the power of antichrist and for fear will adore; whence Apocalypse, the thirteenth¹: « All the earth was in admiration after the beast, saying: Who is like to this beast, and who shall be able to fight with it »? And afterward: « And power was given to him over every tribe and people and tongue, and all that dwell upon the earth shall adore it, whose names are not written in the book of life ».

The almond tree shall flourish. There was described above the weakening of faith and the spreading of error; here third is described the manner of multiplying error. And this manner will be by a threefold way, namely through miracles, through gifts, through torments. — First, then, is foretold the manner of drawing to error through miracles, when he says: The almond tree shall flourish, that as the rod of Aaron wonderfully flowered and brought forth almonds, according to what is said in Numbers, the seventeenth²; so in rivalry antichrist will make a rod flower and lose its flower, and many other miracles, through which the foolish will be turned to him; Apocalypse, the thirteenth: « And the beast did great signs and seduced them that dwell on the earth, for the signs which were given him to do in the sight of men ».

Second he foretells the manner of drawing through gifts, when he adds: And the locust shall be made fat. The locust is made fat when a greedy man is filled with money and through it is turned away from God; Deuteronomy, the thirty-second³: « The beloved grew fat and kicked; he grew fat, and thick and gross » etc. In this manner antichrist will turn many away from the faith, which was signified in the second of Machabees, the seventh: « Antiochus, when the youngest was yet alive, did not only exhort him by words, but also assured him with an oath that he would make him a rich and a happy man, and, if he would turn from the laws, would hold him dear ». — Third he foretells that some are to be drawn through torments, when he says: And the caperberry shall be destroyed. The caper, as was said, is an herb provoking lust. By it are understood the carnal, who make provision for the flesh in its desires⁴. These are destroyed when for fear of torments they fall away from the faith; for they are of those of whom it is said in Luke, the eighth: « They believe for a while, and in time of temptation they fall away ». The time of temptation will be at the coming of antichrist; whence Matthew, the twenty-fourth: « There shall be such tribulation as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now ».

Because man shall go into the house etc. He treated above of the things preceding the judgment; here he treats second of the judgment itself, in which the good will be rewarded and the wicked punished. — With respect to the rewarding of the good he says: Man shall go into the house of his eternity, namely when it will be said to them: « Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world », Matthew, the twenty-fifth⁵. And then they will go into the house of eternal gladness; Isaias, the thirty-fifth: « They shall come into Sion with praise, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness ». — With respect to the wicked he says: And the mourners shall go round about in the street, namely the wicked; whence Wisdom, the fifth⁶: « They shall say within themselves, repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit »; and Matthew, the twenty-fourth: « They shall see the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man » etc.

Before the silver cord be broken etc. He treated above of the things preceding the judgment and accompanying it; here he treats of those following it. And he describes six things following after the state of the judgment. First is noted the voiding of eloquence, when it is said: Before the silver cord be broken. Silver is sonorous and signifies eloquence; the silver cord is the beautiful joining and binding together of words, which after the manner of a cord binds a man while it persuades, according to that which is said in Proverbs, the seventh⁷: « She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips ». Then, therefore, the silver cord will be broken when after the day of judgment worldly eloquence will be struck dumb; Matthew, the twenty-second: « Friend, how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment? But he was silent ». — Second is noted the voiding of prelacy or power, when he says: The golden fillet shrink back. By the fillet, which was placed upon the head of the priest⁸, is understood the order of power and prelacy, in which the Church is bound together. This fillet shrinks back to its beginning, namely when Christ alone will rule, and every other power will be taken away; and this will be after the judgment; the first to the Corinthians, the fifteenth: « Afterwards the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father, when he shall have brought to nought all principality and power and virtue ». — Third is noted the voiding of worldly wisdom, when he says: And the pitcher be crushed at the fountain. This pitcher is the curiosity of the heart, which p. 97 is borne to draw wisdom; of which in figure John, the fourth¹: « There cometh a woman of Samaria with a pitcher to draw water ». The woman of Samaria is the gentile world, which comes with a pitcher, that is, with curiosity, to draw wisdom; whence it is said in the Acts, the seventeenth²: « The Athenians were free for nothing else^tr. but either to tell or to hear some new thing ». The fountain, moreover, is worldly wisdom; whence in the Psalm: « Thou hast broken up the fountains and the torrents » etc. The pitcher, then, is broken at the fountain when no place remains for one to be curiously free for worldly wisdom; Isaias, the thirtieth: « And it shall be broken small as the potter's vessel is broken all to pieces with mighty breaking » etc. — Fourth is noted the taking away of worldly opulence, when he adds: And the wheel be broken upon the cistern. By the cistern, which receives waters, is understood the gathering of worldly opulence, according to that of Jeremias, the second³: « They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns » etc. The wheel is called the revolving and changeableness in possessing; whence these are called the goods of fortune. Then, therefore, the wheel is broken upon the cistern when every hope of having temporal goods is taken away; which was signified in Exodus, the fourteenth⁴: « The Lord looking upon the Egyptian army, overthrew the wheels of the chariots », because, Ecclesiasticus, the fortieth, « the riches of the wicked shall be dried up like a river ». — Fifth is noted how the infliction of punishment will come upon the wicked, when he says: And the dust return into its earth. The dust is rightly called the impious man and the sinner, according to that of the Psalm⁵: « Not so the wicked, not so, but like the dust which the wind driveth from the face of the earth ». The earth is the depth of obscurity, according to that of Proverbs, the twenty-fifth: « The heaven above, and the earth beneath ». Then, therefore, the dust returns to the earth when the sinner is shut up in the lowest of the infernal darkness; Apocalypse, the twentieth: « Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the pool of fire ». — But sixth is noted how the conferring of glory will come upon the just and the spiritual, when he says: The spirit return to God, who gave it. The spirit is the spiritual and good man, who is joined to God through grace; the first to the Corinthians, the sixth⁶: « He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit ». This spirit returns to God, not because it was with him before and afterward withdrew, when it comes to the body, and in death returns again, as Origen would have it; but it is said to return for this reason, because it is from him and through him and is finally ordained to him; and this indeed will be in glory after the judgment, according to what is said to the Colossians, the third: « When Christ shall appear, who is your life, then you also shall appear with him in glory ».

Conclusion of the threefold proof.

(Vers. 8.). Vanity of vanities etc. As was said at the beginning of the book, this whole book has its order toward proving one proposition, which he proposed at the beginning of the book, namely this: Vanity of vanities etc. This he proved through the whole book and now at the end concludes, saying: Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes. Above⁷ likewise he said, that is, proposed; but now: said Ecclesiastes, that is, concluded. He said, I say: Vanity of vanities. This speech is taken materially, and the act of saying passes over upon it, so that the sense is: Ecclesiastes said this speech: Vanity of vanities; and in this speech that genitive designates origin, so that the sense is: Vanity of vanities, that is, from vanities vanity arises. Ecclesiastes said this also, namely: All things vanity, and the substantive verb is understood from the usage of speaking, so that the sense is: All things are vanity. — From this twofold saying such an argument is drawn: If from vanities vanity arises; and all things are vanity: therefore all created things do not make their lover blessed, but make him vain, according to that of Jeremias, the second⁸: « They have walked after vanity, and are become vain ». If, then, all ought to desire beatitude and to flee vanity: therefore all ought to despise earthly goods. And this is the conclusion of this book.

Epilogue.

And whereas Ecclesiastes was very wise etc. It was said above⁹ that this book has three principal parts, namely the prologue, the treatise and the epilogue. The first two parts being finished, here begins the third part. And in this epilogue he proceeds in this order. First the studiousness of the writer is noted; second, the authority of his words; third the curiosity of the hearers is restrained; fourth the sum of what has been said is opened.

(Vers. 9. 10.). First, then, is intimated the studiousness of the writer: because, since he was wise, he did not hide his wisdom, but declared it to others. Therefore he says: And whereas Ecclesiastes was very wise; the third of Kings, the fourth¹⁰: « The wisdom of Solomon surpassed the wisdom of all the Orientals; and he was wiser than all men ». Since he was so wise, he was not negligent, but diligent. Whence he taught the people; p. 98 Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-fourth: « I will yet pour out teaching as prophecy, and will leave it to them that seek wisdom »; and afterward: « See ye that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all that seek out the truth ». He unfolds his diligence, namely through the multitude of his writings and lessons; and here are touched the three books which he composed. First Ecclesiastes, when he says: And declared the things that he had done, supply: in this book of Ecclesiastes; above, in the first¹ and second chapter, he narrated spiritual and carnal works, so as to give in evil things an example for detesting, in good things an example for imitating. Second is touched the book of Proverbs, when he says: And seeking out he set forth parables, which are profitable words, that is, in the Proverbs; at the beginning of Proverbs²: « The parables of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, to know wisdom and instruction, to understand the words of prudence ». Third is touched the book of Canticles, when he says: And wrote words most right and full of truth. He says this because those words which are said in the Canticles seem words of lechery and lust; therefore he says: Words most right, that is, just and good; Proverbs, the eighth³: « All my words are just, there is nothing wicked nor perverse in them ». The words of the Canticles also seem to be false and jesting, when he says: « Thy nose is as the tower »; therefore he says: And full of truth; for that is full which contains something within and holds it; so also the words of the Canticles hide and encompass truth within; and this is necessary to every teaching; Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-seventh: « Let a true word go before thee in all thy works ».

(Vers. 11.). The words of the wise etc. Here second is noted the authority of his words or lessons, because they are not lightly uttered, but rather uttered with counsel and inspired by God, and therefore they are firm and stable. And on this account he says: The words of the wise are as goads, penetrating namely to the inward parts; and as nails deeply fastened in, that is, into the depth, which are immovable, and therefore are not easily driven back from the heart, but remain and lead to good. Whence the word of God is compared to a sword, to the Ephesians, the sixth⁴: « And the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God ». And therefore it pricks the heart, according to what is said in the Acts, the second: « Now when they had heard these things, they had compunction in their heart ». The words of the wise, then, are penetrating, because they are not lightly said; therefore he says: Which by the counsel of teachers, that is, deliberate discussion and judgment, are given from one shepherd, that is, from Christ, who is the shepherd, according to what is said in John, the tenth⁵: « I am the good shepherd ». From this shepherd the words of the wise are given, because, according to what Augustine says, « he has his chair in heaven who teaches within »; whence Matthew, the twenty-third: « One is your teacher, Christ ». Yet they are given by the counsel of teachers, that is, of the ministers of this supreme teacher, whom he himself sent and taught; whence it is said in the first of Peter, the fifth⁶: « Ye ancients, feed the flock of God which is among you, that, when the prince of pastors shall appear, you may receive a never-fading crown of glory ». These he himself sent; Matthew, the last: « Going therefore, teach ye all nations ».

(Vers. 12.). More than these etc. Here third the curiosity of the hearers is restrained, whom he addresses under the person of a son, saying: More than these, my son, require not, so as always to wish to hear new things; for it suffices to know the necessary things; Ecclesiasticus, the third⁷: « The things that God hath commanded thee, think on them always, and in many of his works be not curious ». — And a twofold reason of this admonition is given, because the inquiry of this curiosity is endless and laborious. It is endless; therefore he says: Of making many books there is no end; because the curious never have so many but that they wish to hear more, because they never wish to hear old things, but always new; whence the Acts, the seventeenth⁸: « The Athenians were free for nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing ». Therefore it is said in Daniel, the twelfth: « Many shall pass over, and knowledge shall be manifold », for the reason that knowledge is always in some manner renewed. Curious inquiry is not only endless, but also laborious; therefore he adds: And frequent meditation is an affliction of the flesh; Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-first⁹: « Watching for riches consumeth the flesh ». It is, I say, a great affliction, and on the contrary a small profit, according to what was said above, in the eighth: « There is a man that day and night taketh no sleep with his eyes. And I understood that man can find no reason of all those works of God that are done under the sun ».

(Vers. 13.). Let us all hear together the conclusion of the discourse etc. Here fourth is touched the sentence of what has been said, through a certain epilogue, to hearing and remembering which he rouses the attention of the disciples when he says: The conclusion of the discourse, that is, the end and consummation of the speaking, let us all hear together, as useful and necessary to all. — And the sentence of all that has been said consists in this, namely in the turning away from evil, or in the working of good; to which is ordained all the teaching and speaking of Solomon, nay the whole of Scripture. Therefore first, with respect to the turning away from evil, he says: Fear God; Proverbs, the sixteenth¹⁰: « By the fear of the p. 99 Lord every one declineth from evil ». With respect to the working of good he says: And keep his commandments; Deuteronomy, the sixth: « Hear, O Israel, and observe to do the things which the Lord hath commanded ». For this is all man, that is, the whole and perfect man. For if he does good and does not turn away from evil, he is not a whole man, but a half; again, if he turns away from evil and does not do good, he is only a half; but if he turns away from evil through fear and does good through the observance of the commandments, now he is all man, that is, a completely just man. The Lord requires nothing more of man; Deuteronomy, the tenth¹: « And now, Israel, what doth the Lord require of thee, but that thou fear the Lord thy God and walk in his ways, and serve the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and keep the commandments of the Lord thy God »?

(Vers. 14.). And the reason why God is to be feared, and his commandments are to be observed, is: because he will exact an account of all things, whether of good or of evil. Therefore he adds: And all things that are done, God will bring into judgment for every error, because nothing will remain undiscussed, neither what was done through malice nor what was done through error; Matthew, the twelfth²: « Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it ». And not only will evil things be discussed, nay good things also; therefore he adds: Whether it be good or evil, it will be brought into judgment; whence in the Psalm: « When I shall take a time, I will judge justices »; and again, the second to the Corinthians, the fifth: « We must all be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ »; therefore he will judge all things, because he looks upon all things. And this is what ought greatly to exhort to fear and to the observance of the commandments; and therefore he ends on this, as Boethius too at the end of the Consolations³: « A great necessity of uprightness is laid upon us, since we do all things in the sight of a judge who discerns all things ».

Here ends Ecclesiastes⁴.

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