Bonaventure

Secundo reprehendit suam curiositatem ob inventam vanitatem, quae consistit in mutabilitate, et primo reprehendit eam generaliter.

Cumque me convertissem. Egit supra de sua curiositate; hic reprehendit eam ob inventam vanitatem, quae consistit in mutabilitate. Et haec pars habet duas: quia primo sua opera curiosa reprehendit generaliter, secundo specialiter, ibi: Transivi ad contemplandam.

(Vers. 11.). Invenit igitur vanitatem et afflictionem in operibus, quae fecerat curiose, propter diligentem considerationem; ob quam causam dicit: Cumque me convertissem ad universa opera, quae fecerant manus meae, id est, diligenter considerassem, secundum illud Apostoli ad Galatas sexto²: « Opus autem suum probet unusquisque ». Et ad labores, in quibus frustra sudaveram, ideo frustra, quia non propter Deum fecerat, et ideo in vanum laboraverat; Sapientiae tertio: « Vacua est spes illorum, et labor sine fructu ». Vidi in omnibus vanitatem et afflictionem spiritus, et nihil permanere sub sole; ideo erant vana et afflictiva, quia instabilia. Eo enim quod non permanent, sunt vana; eo quod amittuntur et non permanent, sunt afflictiva; Ecclesiastici quadragesimo³: « Substantiae impiorum sicut fluvius siccabuntur, et sicut tonitruum magnum in pluvia personabunt »; unde primae Ioannis secundo: « Transit mundus et concupiscentia eius »; et ideo: « Fallax est eius gratia, et vana est pulcritudo ».

Secundo reprehendit suam curiositatem specialiter, et hoc dupliciter: primo, quoad studium ordinatum ad sapientiam quadruplici ratione.

Transivi ad contemplandam. Hic in speciali ostendit in suis operibus vanitatem; et dividitur: quia primo ostendit vanitatem in operibus sive in studio ordinato ad sapientiam; secundo, in studio ordinato ad opulentiam, secundum duplicia opera curiositatis praedeterminata⁴, et hoc ibi: Rursus detestatus sum omnem industriam.

Primo igitur redarguit suam curiositatem circa studium sapientiae hoc ordine: primo insinuat suae considerationis diligentiam; secundo innuit sapientis ad stultum compertam praeeminentiam; tertio, ulterius inventam aequiparantiam; quarto, ex hoc concludit vanitatem et reprehensionem secundum considerationem propriam⁵.

(Vers. 12.) Primo igitur innuit suae considerationis diligentiam in pertractando ea, in quibus studuerat. Propter hoc dicit: Transivi ad contemplandam sapientiam, quantum ad eligenda; erroresque et stultitiam, quantum ad vitanda. Transivi, inquam, a voluptate; unde Ecclesiastici vigesimo quarto⁶: « Transite ad me omnes, qui concupiscitis me » etc.; sed licet esset in eo diligentia, non tamen erat sufficientia; unde subdit: Quid est, inquam, homo, ut sequi possit Regem, factorem suum? Quasi dicat: insufficiens est ad considerandum et videndum quae Dominus praevidet. Quid est homo? quasi dicat: parvum et insufficiens; Psalmus⁷: « Quid est homo, quod memor es eius »? Ut sequi possit Regem, factorem suum, id est Deum creatorem; Isaiae sexagesimo quarto: « Et nunc, Domine, pater noster es tu, nos vero lutum; et fictor noster es tu, et opera manuum tuarum omnes nos ». Hunc nemo potest sequi; Iob undecimo: « Forsitan vestigia Dei comprehendes, et usque ad perfectum Omnipotentem reperies »?

(Vers. 13. 14.). Et vidi, quod tantum etc. Hic notatur secundum, scilicet sapientiae ad stultitiam inventa praeeminentia, quia quasi improportionabiliter antecellit. Propter quod dicit: Et vidi, quod tantum praecederet sapientia stultitiam, id est nobilior p. 25 esset, quantum differt lux a tenebris. Et ista comparatio bona est, quoniam sapientia illuminat, et stultitia excaecat sive obtenebrat. Propterea subdit: Sapientis oculi in capite eius, scilicet ad dirigendum; stultus in tenebris ambulat, quasi non habeat oculos in capite. Quod autem sapientia illuminet, Sapientiae sexto¹: « Diligite lumen sapientiae omnes, qui praeestis populis »; unde et Christus, Dei sapientia, dicit se lucem; Ioannis octavo: « Ego sum lux mundi ». Econtra stultitia est tenebra; Isaiae quinto: « Vae, qui dicitis bonum malum et malum bonum, ponentes lucem tenebras et tenebras lucem »; unde Ioannis primo: « Lux in tenebris lucet, et tenebrae eam non comprehenderunt »; ideo, quia « nescierunt neque intellexerunt, ideo in tenebris ambulant »; Ioannis tertio: « Dilexerunt enim magis tenebras quam lucem ».

(Vers. 14. 15. 16.). Et didici, quod unus esset etc. Tangitur hic tertium: sapientis ad stultum aequiparantia et in morte et post mortem. Quantum ad aequiparantiam in moriendo dicit: Et didici, quod unus utriusque esset interitus; unus, id est consimilis, quia nemo effugit mortis sententiam propter suam sapientiam; unde secundi Regum decimo quarto²: « Omnes morimur, et sicut aquae, quae dilabuntur in terram, quae non revertentur ». Sicut stultus nihil aufert, sic nec sapiens; Iob primo: « Nudus egressus sum de utero matris meae, et nudus revertar ». — Et propter hanc aequiparantiam contempsit sapientiam; ideo dicit: Et dixi in corde meo: si unus et stulti et meus occasus erit, quid mihi prodest, quod maiorem sapientiae dedi operam? quasi dicat: nihil quantum ad mortem; Ecclesiastici quadragesimo: « Dies finitionis, id est mortis, a residente » etc. — Non tantum aequiparantia in morte, sed etiam post mortem; unde et subdit: Locutusque fui cum mente mea, id est interius consideravi, et animadverti, quod hoc quoque esset vanitas, scilicet dare sapientiae operam maiorem quam stultus, quia non est magis de ipso memoria quam de stulto. — Ideo dicit: Non enim erit sapientis memoria similiter ut stulti in perpetuum; et ratio subditur: Et futura tempora oblivione cuncta pariter operient. Unde supra primo³ dictum est: « Non est priorum memoria, nec etiam eorum quae post futura sunt »; Sapientiae secundo: « Et oblivionem accipiet nomen nostrum per tempus, et nemo memoriam habebit operum nostrorum »; Iob decimo tertio: « Et memoria vestra comparabitur cineri, et redigentur in lutum cervices vestrae ».

(Vers. 16. 17.). Hic quarto ex huiusmodi aequiparantia inventa concludit vanitatem in suo studio et reprehensionem suam; unde repetit aequiparantiam dicens: Moritur doctus similiter ut indoctus, et ita pares sunt. — Et ex hoc concludit: Idcirco taeduit me vitae meae, quasi recusavit vivere prae taedio, sicut Iob decimo⁴: « Taedet animam meam vitae meae »: propter peccatorum occasiones; Genesis vigesimo septimo dixit Rebecca: « Taedet me vitae meae propter filias Heth ». Propter labores; Numerorum vigesimo primo: « Taedere coepit populum itineris et laboris et locutus est contra Dominum » etc. Propter tribulationes; secundae ad Corinthios primo: « Supra modum gravati sumus, ita ut taederet nos etiam vivere ». Propter futurae gloriae dilationem; Iob decimo: « Taedet animam meam vitae meae ». Propter imminentem tentationem; Psalmus: « Dormitavit anima mea prae taedio, confirma » etc. Propter mortis imminentis horrorem; Marci decimo quarto: « Coepit Iesus pavere et taedere ». — Videntem, mala esse universa sub sole, et cuncta vanitatem et afflictionem spiritus; Sapientiae nono⁵: « Corpus, quod corrumpitur, aggravat animam, et terrena inhabitatio sensum deprimit multa cogitantem »; ideo frequens meditatio carnis est afflictio.

Quaestiones

I. Quaeritur hic primo de hoc quod dicit: Quid est homo, ut sequi possit Deum?

Contra: 1. Ecclesiastici vigesimo tertio⁶: « Magna gloria est sequi Dominum ».

2. Item, Iob vigesimo tertio⁷: « Vestigia eius secutus est pes meus ».

Respondeo: dicendum, quod est sequi per aequiparantiam; et hoc nulli datum est creaturae; et quia satanas hoc voluit, ideo corruit. Est iterum sequi per subiectionem et obedientiam; et hoc quidem potest homo, sed non quilibet, sed quibus datum est a Deo per gratiam, et quem ipse trahit⁸; et ideo nullus potest per se sine Dei auxilio.

II. Quaeritur de hoc quod dicit: Quid mihi prodest, quod maiorem sapientiae operam dedi?

Quia secundum hoc videtur, quod dissuadeat studere, cuius contrarium saepe hortatur; et Proverbiorum vigesimo septimo⁹: « Stude sapientiae, fili mi » etc.

p. 26 Respondeo: dicendum, quod dare operam sapientiae, hoc potest esse dupliciter: propter commodum praesentis vitae, vel propter remunerationem gloriae aeternae. Propter commodum praesentis vitae prodest sapientia ante mortem, quia dirigit hominem in suis operibus; sed in morte nihil, eo quod ita moritur doctus ut indoctus, nec protelatur ei vita. Si autem propter commodum aeternae vitae, sic non moritur, immo vivit.

Est utilis ad operationem boni; Ecclesiastici vigesimo primo¹: Ornamentum aureum prudenti doctrina etc. — Est utilis ad declinationem mali; Ecclesiastici tertio: Sapiens cor et intelligibile abstinebit se a peccatis. — Est utilis ad augmentum gratiae; Proverbiorum quarto: Dabit capiti tuo augmenta gratiarum. — Est utilis ad augmentum gloriae; Proverbiorum tertio: Gloriam sapientes possidebunt. — Sic igitur dehortatur, quod non est studendum in sapientia propter praesens commodum et curiositatem, sed propter aeternam salutem; et ideo se ipsum reprehendit, quia ipse laboraverat propter curiositatem et mundanam vanitatem.

III. Quaeritur de hoc quod dicit: Non erit memoria sapientis ut stulti.

Contra: 1. Proverbiorum decimo²: Memoria iusti cum laudibus, et nomen impiorum putrescet.

2. Item, Ecclesiastici trigesimo nono³: Non recedet memoria eius, et nomen eius requiretur etc.

Respondeo: ad hoc dicunt quidam, quod ipse loquitur in persona carnalis, unde falsum dicit simpliciter, sed verum secundum carnalium aestimationem. — Sed hoc non plene solvit, quia debet carnalium positionem non asserere, sed potius infirmare.

Propterea dicendum, quod est loqui de memoria sapientis et stulti aut quantum ad Deum, aut quantum ad homines. Si loquamur quantum ad Deum, memoria utique est boni sapientis, qui studet sapientiae ad gloriam Dei; sed quantum ad homines tam bonorum quam malorum transit memoria, ut in pluribus, quia homines pauca recolunt⁴. — Si autem de malo sapiente et vano, non est memoria, nec quantum ad Deum nec quantum ad homines, immo nomen eius transit ut nomen stulti; et ideo stultum est propter famam nominis in sapientia laborare. Ecclesiastes autem loquitur de sapiente vano, qui oculum habet ad terrena, et loquitur de memoria humana, non divina.

IV. Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicit: Taeduit me vitae meae videntem mala universa sub sole.

Contra: Genesis primo⁵: Vidit Deus cuncta, quae fecerat, et erant valde bona; ergo non sunt mala, immo hoc est haereticum.

Respondeo: dicendum, quod sicut dicit Apostolus ad Romanos septimo⁶: Lex sancta, et mandatum sanctum, tamen per occasionem mandatum fuit non habentibus gratiam mortiferum et operatum est mortem; sicut creaturae iustis et Deum diligentibus valde sunt bonae et cooperantur in bonum et de se sunt bonae, tamen impiis peccatoribus et insipientibus omnia convertuntur in mala per occasionem; unde Sapientiae decimo quarto: Creaturae Dei sunt in tentationem et in muscipulam pedibus insipientium; et Ecclesiastici trigesimo nono: Haec omnia impiis et peccatoribus in mala convertentur.

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Secondly he reproves his curiosity for the vanity he found, which consists in mutability, and first he reproves it generally.

And when I turned myself. He treated above of his curiosity; here he reproves it for the vanity he found, which consists in mutability. And this part has two divisions: for first he reproves his curious works generally, secondly specially, there: I passed on to the contemplation.

(V. 11.). He found, then, vanity and affliction in the works which he had made out of curiosity, on account of his diligent consideration; for which cause he says: And when I turned myself to all the works which my hands had wrought, that is, when I had diligently considered them, according to that word of the Apostle to the Galatians, the sixth chapter²: « But let every one prove his own work ». And to the labours wherein I had laboured in vain, in vain for this reason, that he had not done them for God's sake, and so had laboured to no purpose; Wisdom, the third chapter: « Their hope is vain, and their labour without fruit ». I saw in all things vanity and affliction of spirit, and that nothing was lasting under the sun; they were therefore vain and afflictive, because unstable. For in that they do not remain, they are vain; in that they are lost and do not remain, they are afflictive; Ecclesiasticus, the fortieth chapter³: « The substance of the wicked shall be dried up like a river, and shall pass away like a great thunder in rain »; whence the first of John, the second chapter: « The world passeth away, and the concupiscence thereof »; and therefore: « Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain ».

Secondly he reproves his curiosity specially, and this in two ways: first, as to the study ordered to wisdom, on a fourfold ground.

I passed on to the contemplation. Here he shows the vanity in his works in particular; and it is divided: for first he shows the vanity in the works, or in the study ordered to wisdom; secondly, in the study ordered to opulence, according to the twofold works of curiosity already determined⁴, and this there: Again I hated all my application.

First, then, he reproves his curiosity about the study of wisdom in this order: first he intimates the diligence of his consideration; secondly he hints at the preeminence of the wise man over the fool which he had ascertained; thirdly, at the equality he further found; fourthly, from this he concludes to the vanity and the reproof according to his own consideration⁵.

(V. 12.) First, then, he hints at the diligence of his consideration in handling those things in which he had studied. On this account he says: I passed on to the contemplation of wisdom, as to the things to be chosen; and of errors and folly, as to the things to be avoided. I passed on, he says, from pleasure; whence Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-fourth chapter⁶: « Come over to me, all ye that desire me » etc.; but although there was diligence in him, yet there was not sufficiency; whence he adds: What is man, said I, that he can follow the King, his maker? As if he should say: he is insufficient for considering and seeing the things which the Lord foresees. What is man? as if he should say: a small and insufficient thing; the Psalm⁷: « What is man, that thou art mindful of him »? That he can follow the King, his maker, that is, God the creator; Isaias, the sixty-fourth chapter: « And now, O Lord, thou art our father, and we are clay; and thou art our maker, and we all are the works of thy hands ». Him no one can follow; Job, the eleventh chapter: « Peradventure thou wilt comprehend the steps of God, and wilt find out the Almighty perfectly »?

(V. 13. 14.). And I saw that, etc. Here the second is noted, namely the preeminence of wisdom over folly which he had found, since it excels it as it were out of all proportion. On which account he says: And I saw that wisdom excelled folly, that is, that it was nobler, p. 25 as much as light differeth from darkness. And this comparison is a good one, since wisdom illumines, and folly blinds or darkens. Therefore he adds: The eyes of a wise man are in his head, namely for directing; the fool walketh in darkness, as though he had no eyes in his head. Now that wisdom illumines, Wisdom, the sixth chapter¹: « Love the lumen^tr. of wisdom, all you that rule over peoples »; whence also Christ, the wisdom of God, calls himself light; John, the eighth chapter: « I am the light of the world ». On the contrary, folly is darkness; Isaias, the fifth chapter: « Woe to you that call good evil and evil good, that put light for darkness and darkness for light »; whence John, the first chapter: « The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it »; and therefore, since « they have not known nor understood, they walk on in darkness »; John, the third chapter: « For they loved darkness rather than the light ».

(V. 14. 15. 16.). And I learned that one was etc. Here the third is touched upon: the equality of the wise man with the fool both in death and after death. As to the equality in dying he says: And I learned that the end of them both was one; one, that is, alike, since no one escapes the sentence of death on account of his wisdom; whence the second of Kings, the fourteenth chapter²: « We all die, and like waters that run down into the earth, which return not ». As the fool carries nothing away, so neither does the wise man; Job, the first chapter: « Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return ». — And on account of this equality he despised wisdom; therefore he says: And I said in my heart: if the death of the fool and mine shall be one, what doth it avail me that I have applied myself more to the study of wisdom? as if he should say: nothing, as to death; Ecclesiasticus, the fortieth chapter: « The day of ending, that is, of death, from him that sitteth » etc. — And there is an equality not only in death, but also after death; whence he adds: And speaking with my own mind, that is, having considered inwardly, I perceived that this also was vanity, namely to apply oneself to wisdom more than the fool does, since there is no more memory of him than of the fool. — Therefore he says: For there shall be no remembrance of the wise man like unto the fool for ever; and the reason is subjoined: And the times to come shall cover all things together with oblivion. Whence it was said above in the first chapter³: « There is no remembrance of former things, nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come »; Wisdom, the second chapter: « And our name shall in time be forgotten, and no man shall have any remembrance of our works »; Job, the thirteenth chapter: « And your memory shall be compared to ashes, and your necks shall be brought to clay ».

(V. 16. 17.). Here, fourthly, from the equality thus found he concludes to the vanity in his study and to his own reproof; whence he repeats the equality, saying: The learned dieth in like manner as the unlearned, and so they are equal. — And from this he concludes: And therefore I was weary of my life, as it were refusing to live for weariness, as in Job, the tenth chapter⁴: « My soul is weary of my life »: on account of the occasions of sins; in Genesis, the twenty-seventh chapter, Rebecca said: « I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth ». On account of labours; Numbers, the twenty-first chapter: « The people began to be weary of their journey and labour, and spoke against the Lord » etc. On account of tribulations; the second to the Corinthians, the first chapter: « We were pressed out of measure, so that we were weary even of life ». On account of the deferring of future glory; Job, the tenth chapter: « My soul is weary of my life ». On account of imminent temptation; the Psalm: « My soul hath slumbered through heaviness, strengthen thou me » etc. On account of the horror of imminent death; Mark, the fourteenth chapter: « Jesus began to fear and to be heavy ». — Seeing that all things under the sun are evil, and all vanity and affliction of spirit; Wisdom, the ninth chapter⁵: « For the corruptible body is a load upon the soul, and the earthly habitation presseth down the mind that museth upon many things »; and therefore the frequent meditation of the flesh is an affliction.

Questions

I. The question is asked here first concerning this, which he says: What is man, that he can follow God?

Contra: 1. Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-third chapter⁶: « It is a great glory to follow the Lord ».

2. Again, Job, the twenty-third chapter⁷: « My foot hath followed his steps ».

I respond: it must be said that there is a following by equality; and this has been given to no creature; and because Satan willed it, therefore he fell. There is again a following by subjection and obedience; and this indeed a man can do, but not just anyone, but those to whom it has been given by God through grace, and whom he himself draws⁸; and therefore no one can do it of himself without God's help.

II. The question is asked concerning this, which he says: What doth it avail me that I have applied myself more to the study of wisdom?

For according to this it seems that he dissuades from study, the contrary of which he often urges; and Proverbs, the twenty-seventh chapter⁹: « Study wisdom, my son » etc.

p. 26 I respond: it must be said that to apply oneself to wisdom can be done in two ways: on account of the advantage of the present life, or on account of the reward of eternal glory. On account of the advantage of the present life wisdom profits before death, because it directs a man in his works; but in death nothing, since the learned dieth in like manner as the unlearned, nor is life prolonged for him. If, however, it be on account of the advantage of the eternal life, then he does not die, but rather lives.

It is useful for the doing of good; Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-first chapter¹: Learning[^tr-doctrina] is a golden ornament to the prudent etc. — It is useful for the turning aside of evil; Ecclesiasticus, the third chapter: A wise and understanding heart will abstain from sins. — It is useful for the increase of grace; Proverbs, the fourth chapter: It shall give to thy head increase of graces. — It is useful for the increase of glory; Proverbs, the third chapter: The wise shall possess glory. — Thus, then, he dissuades, on the ground that one must not study wisdom for the sake of present advantage and curiosity, but for the sake of eternal salvation; and therefore he reproves himself, because he had laboured for the sake of curiosity and worldly vanity.

III. The question is asked concerning this, which he says: There shall be no remembrance of the wise man like unto the fool.

Contra: 1. Proverbs, the tenth chapter²: The memory of the just is with praises, and the name of the wicked shall rot.

2. Again, Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-ninth chapter³: His memory shall not depart away, and his name shall be in request etc.

I respond: to this some say that he speaks in the person of a carnal man, and so says what is false simply, but true according to the estimation of carnal men. — But this does not fully solve it, because he ought not to assert the position of carnal men, but rather to weaken it.

Therefore it must be said that one may speak of the memory of the wise man and of the fool either as to God or as to men. If we speak as to God, there is indeed memory of the good wise man, who applies himself to wisdom for the glory of God; but as to men the memory of the good as well as of the wicked passes away, for the most part, because men remember few things⁴. — If, however, we speak of the wicked wise man and the vain one, there is no memory, neither as to God nor as to men, but rather his name passes away like the name of a fool; and therefore it is foolish to labour in wisdom for the sake of the renown of one's name. Now Ecclesiastes speaks of the vain wise man, who has his eye upon earthly things, and he speaks of human memory, not divine.

IV. Again the question is asked concerning this, which he says: I was weary of my life, seeing that all things under the sun are evil.

Contra: Genesis, the first chapter⁵: God saw all the things that he had made, and they were very good; therefore they are not evil, and indeed this is heretical.

I respond: it must be said that, as the Apostle says to the Romans, the seventh chapter⁶: The law is holy, and the commandment holy, yet by occasion the commandment was deadly to those who had not grace, and wrought death; just as creatures are very good to the just and to those who love God, and work together unto good, and are good of themselves, yet to the wicked, to sinners and to the foolish all things are turned into evils by occasion; whence Wisdom, the fourteenth chapter: The creatures of God are made a temptation and a snare to the feet of the unwise; and Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-ninth chapter: All these things shall be turned into evils for the wicked and for sinners.

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