Bonaventure

Idem probatur in speciali quoad ortum occasumque, quoad statum, usum et conversationis modum.

Tempus nascendi. Supra proposuit propositionem generalem, hic probat eam inducendo in speciali, ostendens in rebus diversas temporum varietates. Et haec pars habet quatuor partes. Primo tangitur varietas temporum, quae respicit ortum et occasum. Secundo, quae respicit statum, ibi: Tempus flendi et tempus ridendi. Tertio, illa quae respicit usum, ibi: Tempus amplexandi. Quarto, illa quae respicit debitae conversationis modum, ibi: Tempus tacendi.

De varietate temporum quoad ortum et occasum quadrupliciter.

Primo igitur introducitur illa varietas, quae respicit ortum rerum et occasum sub quadruplici differentia: primo viventium, secundo vegetabilium, tertio sensibilium, quarto artificialium.

(Vers. 2.). Quantum ad ortum et occasum viventium dicit ibi esse varietatem, cum dicit: Tempus nascendi et tempus moriendi, et hoc in omnibus viventibus, quia de nativitate venitur ad mortem; Iob decimo quarto⁷: « Homo, natus de muliere, brevi vivens tempore, repletur multis miseriis »; Ecclesiastici quadragesimo: « Occupatio magna creata est omnibus hominibus, et iugum grave super filios Adam a die exitus de ventre matris eorum usque in diem sepulturae in matrem omnium ». Et ideo Sapientiae quinto: « Nos nati continuo desinimus esse »; Ecclesiastici decimo quarto: « Alia generantur, et alia deiiciuntur; sic generatio carnis et sanguinis, alia finitur, et alia nascitur ».

Quantum ad ortum vegetabilium dicit: Tempus plantandi; quantum ad occasum, tempus evellendi quod plantatum est; Genesis secundo⁸: « Plantaverat Dominus Deus paradisum voluptatis a principio »; sed tempus evellendi, infructuosa; unde Lucae decimo tertio: « Ecce, tres anni sunt, ex quo venio quaerens fructum in hac ficu, et non invenio: succide ergo illam ».

(Vers. 3.). Quantum ad ortum et occasum sensibilium subdit: Tempus occidendi, et praemittitur: tempus occidendi, et sequitur: tempus sanandi, propter statum naturae corruptae, quae magis inolevit, ut sanitas non habeat locum. De hac variatione Deuteronomii trigesimo secundo⁹: « Ego occidam, et ego vivere faciam »; et rursus, secundi Regum octavo: « Mensus est duos funiculos, unum ad occidendum et unum ad vivificandum ».

Quantum ad ortum et occasum artificialium subdit quarto: Tempus destruendi, ecce occasus; et tempus aedificandi, ecce reformatio destructi. Destruenda sunt ruinosa; Lucae decimo nono¹⁰: « Non relinquetur in te lapis super lapidem ».

p. 30 Tempus aedificandi, cum adest rerum copia; Lucae duodecimo: « Destruam horrea mea, et rursus faciam maiora ». Aggaei primo: « Portate lignum, aedificate domum; et acceptabilis erit mihi ». Et sic non est status in rerum egressu.

De varietate temporum quoad statum, secundum triplicem differentiam.

Tempus flendi etc. Posita varietate temporum, quae respicit ortum rerum et occasum, ponitur hic varietas temporum, quae respicit statum, utpote prosperitatis et adversitatis. Et hoc attenditur secundum triplicem differentiam, scilicet prosperitatis, iucunditatis et securitatis, et suorum oppositorum.

(Vers. 4.). Quantum igitur ad tempus prosperitatis, in qua ridendum, et adversitatis, in qua plorandum, dicit: Tempus flendi, in adversitate; primi Machabaeorum primo¹: « Omnis maritus sumsit lamentum, et quae sedebant in toro maritali lugebant »; et Threnorum primo: « Plorans ploravit in nocte, et lacrymae eius in maxillis eius ». Et tempus ridendi, in prosperitate; Esther octavo: « Iudaeis nova lux oriri videbatur et gaudium atque tripudium ». Et praemittit fletum risui, vel quia praecedit secundum naturam lapsam; Sapientiae septimo: « Primam vocem similem omnibus emisi plorans »; vel quia primo dolendum, quia Lucae sexto: « Beati, qui nunc fletis, quia ridebitis »; econtra de malis; Proverbiorum decimo quarto: « Risus dolore miscebitur ».

Quantum ad iucunditatis statum et suum oppositum dicit: Tempus plangendi et tempus saltandi. Differt planctus et fletus, risus et saltus, quia fletus est in lacrymis, planctus in voce, risus in signo, saltus in corporis elevatione. De planctu Genesis ultimo²: « Planctus magnus est iste Aegyptiis », in loco isto, hoc est ad exsequias; sed saltus ad solemnitates praeclaras; Marci sexto dicitur, quod in die natalis Herodis intravit filia Herodiadis, ut saltaret.

(Vers. 5.). Quantum ad tempus securitatis et sui oppositi dicit: Tempus spargendi lapides, scilicet quando est securitas; Michaeae quarto³: « Non sumet vir contra virum gladium ». Tempus colligendi, ad exstructionem munitionum, scilicet quando de hostibus est timiditas; secundi Paralipomenon trigesimo secundo: « Aedificavit omnem murum, qui fuerat dissipatus, et exstruxit turres ».

De varietate temporum quoad usum, secundum quadruplicem differentiam.

Tempus amplexandi etc. Posita est varietas temporum, quae respicit ortum et occasum rerum et etiam statum; ponitur hic tertia, quae respicit usum, et hoc sub quadruplici differentia, scilicet quantum ad usum uxorum, possessionum, thesaurorum et vestimentorum.

(Vers. 5.). Quantum igitur ad usum uxorum, qui consistit in copula carnali ad generationem prolis, dicit: Tempus amplexandi et tempus longe fieri ab amplexibus; primae ad Corinthios septimo⁴: « Reliquum est, ut qui habent uxores sint tanquam non habentes »; et iterum: « Nolite fraudare invicem, nisi forte ex consensu ad tempus, ut vacetis orationi, et iterum revertimini in id ipsum ».

(Vers. 6.). Quantum ad usum possessionum dicit: Tempus acquirendi et tempus perdendi. Acquirimus per industriam, sed perdimus per pigritiam; Proverbiorum decimo quarto⁵: « Sapiens mulier aedificat domum suam, insipiens exstructam quoque manibus destruet ». — Vel acquirendi in vita, perdendi in morte; Iob vigesimo: « Divitias, quas congregavit, evomet » etc. — Vel acquirendi, cum Deo coniungimur; perdendi, cum separamur; Psalmus: « Benedixit eis, et multiplicati sunt »; et post: « Et pauci facti sunt ».

Quantum ad usum thesaurorum subdit: Tempus custodiendi, quando est abundantia; et tempus abiiciendi, quando est pauperum indigentia. Exemplum de Ioseph, Genesis quadragesimo primo⁶, qui custodivit in fertilitate et dispersit in egestate. Ad hoc enim custodiendae sunt divitiae, ut dispergantur, unde in Psalmo: « Dispersit, dedit pauperibus ».

(Vers. 7.). Quantum ad usum vestimentorum subdit: Tempus scindendi, cum devastantur; et tempus consuendi, quia vestimenta nostra quotidie devastantur et non renovantur, nisi forte divino miraculo, sicut Deuteronomii octavo⁷: « Vestimentum tuum, quo operiebaris, nequaquam est vetustate consumtum »; sed nostra cito consumuntur; ideo parum est curandum; primae ad Timotheum sexto: « Habentes alimenta et quibus tegamur, his contenti simus ».

De varietate temporum quoad conversandi modum, secundum triplicem actuum alternationem.

Tempus tacendi etc. Hic ponitur quarta varietas temporis, quae respicit debitum conversandi modum, quae attenditur secundum triplicem actuum alternationem, scilicet quantum ad actum rationabilis virtutis, qui est loqui; concupiscibilis, qui est amare; irascibilis, cuius est bellare¹, et quantum ad sua opposita.

(Vers. 7.). Quantum igitur ad alternationem locutionis dicit: Tempus tacendi et tempus loquendi, quia non semper loquendum nec semper tacendum; Ecclesiastici vigesimo²: « Homo sapiens tacebit usque ad tempus; lascivus autem et imprudens non servabunt tempus ». Sapiens enim tacet et suo tempore loquitur; unde Proverbiorum vigesimo quinto: « Mala aurea in lectis argenteis, qui loquitur verbum in tempore suo ». Et praemittit taciturnitatem locutioni, quia deliberate est loquendum; Proverbiorum decimo tertio: « Qui custodit os suum custodit animam suam; qui autem inconsideratus est ad loquendum sentiet mala ».

(Vers. 8.). Quantum ad alternationem actus concupiscibilis dicit: Tempus dilectionis, cum res habet bonitatem; et tempus odii, quando convertitur ad malignitatem; Psalmus³: « Iniquitatem odio habui et abominatus sum »; et ad Romanos duodecimo: « Odientes malum, adhaerentes bono, dilectione fraternitatis invicem diligentes ».

Quantum ad alternationem actus irascibilis dicit: Tempus belli, contra adversarios infestantes; secundi Regum undecimo⁴: « Factum est autem, vertente anno, eo tempore, quo solent reges ad bella procedere, misit David Ioab » etc. Et tempus pacis, quando cessant insurgentes; primi Machabaeorum decimo quarto: « Siluit terra Iuda diebus Simonis » etc.; et Michaeae quarto: « Non levabit gens contra gentem gladium, et non discent ultra belligerare ».

Spiritualiter haec quadruplex variatio refertur ad quatuor status hominum existentium in Ecclesia: prima quoad renatos; secunda quoad poenitentes; tertia quoad iustos; quarta quoad praelatos. — Primo igitur in baptizatis est tempus nascendi et moriendi, qui nascuntur Deo; Ioannis tertio⁵: « Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et Spiritu sancto » etc., sicut moriuntur mundo; ad Romanos sexto: « Consepulti sumus cum illo per baptismum in mortem ». — Secundo est tempus plantandi et tempus evellendi, quia plantantur in eis virtutes; Psalmus⁶: « Filii tui sicut novellae olivarum »; sed evelluntur vitia; Sapientiae quarto: « Adulterinae plantationes non dabunt radices altas », quia, Matthaei decimo quinto, « omnis plantatio, quam non plantavit Pater meus caelestis, eradicabitur ». — Tertio est in baptizatis tempus occidendi motum concupiscentiae; ad Colossenses tertio⁷: « Mortificate membra vestra, quae sunt super terram »; et est tempus sanandi virtutem naturae; Ieremiae trigesimo: « Obducam cicatricem tuam et a vulneribus tuis sanabo te ». — Quarto est tempus destruendi et aedificandi in baptizatis, quia destruitur habitatio diaboli, et fit habitatio Christi; primae Petri secundo⁸: « Ad quem accedentes lapidem vivum, et ipsi superaedificamini in domus spirituales »; Ieremiae primo: « Constitui te super gentes et regna, ut evellas et destruas et disperdas et aedifices et plantes ».

Secunda varietas temporum spectat ad poenitentes quantum ad tria: scilicet contritionem, confessionem et satisfactionem. Tempus flendi et tempus ridendi, in contritione, in qua gaudium et dolor; Proverbiorum decimo quarto⁹: « Cor, quod novit amaritudinem animae suae, in gaudio eius non miscebitur extraneus ». — Tempus plangendi et tempus saltandi, in confessione, in quo debet confiteri cum planctu; Iob decimo: « Dimitte me, ut plangam paululum dolorem meum ». Debet confiteri nude et aperte; secundi Regum sexto: « David saltabat accinctus coram arca ». — Est tempus spargendi lapides et tempus colligendi, in satisfactione. Lapides offensionis sunt occasiones peccati; Ecclesiastici vigesimo primo¹⁰: « Via impiorum complanata est lapidibus, et in fine illorum inferi et tenebrae et poenae ». Hi colliguntur in consideratione et sparguntur

p. 32 in cauta evitatione et carnis maceratione. Ab his occasionibus pauci liberantur, nisi qui a Domino custodiuntur; Psalmus: « In manibus portabunt te, ne forte offendas ad lapidem pedem tuum ».

Tertia varietas respicit iustos quantum ad duplicem statum, scilicet activorum et contemplativorum. Quantum ad contemplativos: Tempus amplexandi et tempus longe fieri ab amplexibus, quia modo actioni, modo debent intendere contemplationi. De quo amplexu Proverbiorum quarto¹: « Glorificaberis ab illa, cum illam fueris amplexatus ». Longe debent fieri ab amplexibus carnis, de quibus Proverbiorum septimo: « Veni, inebriemur cupitis amplexibus ». — Quantum ad activos, qui debent exerceri in operibus pietatis, subiungit: Tempus acquirendi et tempus perdendi, hoc est acquisita distribuendi per eleemosynam; Ecclesiastici vigesimo nono: « Perde pecuniam propter fratrem et amicum, et non abscondas illam sub lapide ». — Hoc dictum est perfectae iustitiae; sed supererogationis est dare totum, et quantum ad hoc dicitur: Tempus custodiendi et tempus abiiciendi, quasi totum dimittendi; Matthaei decimo nono²: « Si vis perfectus esse, vade, vende quae habes et da pauperibus ». — Rursus, quantum ad activos: Tempus scindendi et tempus consuendi, et hoc quantum ad vestitum; Iob trigesimo primo: « Si absque operimento dimisi pauperem, et si non benedixerunt mihi latera eius ».

Quarta varietas attenditur quantum ad praelatos, primo in docendo, cum dicit: Tempus tacendi et tempus docendi, quia prius discere et postea docere; Ecclesiastici decimo octavo³: « Antequam loquaris, disce »; Ecclesiastici trigesimo secundo: « Audi tacens ». — Tempus dilectionis et tempus odii, in correptione malorum, quae consistit in odiendo vitium et in diligendo naturam; secundae ad Thessalonicenses ultimo: « Nolite quasi inimicum aestimare illum, sed corripe ut fratrem »; et Psalmus: « Perfecto odio oderam illos ». — Tempus belli et tempus pacis: belli, ad incorrigibiles, qui sunt feriendi gladio excommunicationis; Ecclesiastici septimo: « Noli quaerere fieri iudex, nisi virtute valeas irrumpere iniquitates ». Pacis, ad redeuntes; Lucae decimo: « Si fuerit in domo illa filius pacis, requiescet super illum pax vestra; sin autem, ad vos revertetur ».

Quaestio

Quaestio est de numero istorum temporum. Videtur enim, quod insufficienter posuerit diversitates variationum temporum, quia multae sunt, quae ad has non reducuntur, sicut tempus comedendi et ieiunandi et consimilia. — Si dicas, quod gratia exempli; tunc ergo superflua, quia multo pauciora suffecissent.

Respondeo: dicendum, quod, sicut dicit Augustinus⁴, etsi quaelibet mutatio in universo per se considerata sit imperfectionis, tamen in tota universitate resultat carmen perfectum. Quia ergo Salomon sic voluit varietatem narrare, ut imperfectum in singulis et perfectum in toto ostenderet; ideo in tali numero, qui comprehendit universitatem et perfectionem. Et ideo enumerat viginti octo tempora et quatuordecim variationes; quia viginti octo numerus est perfectus et comprehendit septenarium, qui est universitas temporis⁵. Licet autem senarius sit perfectus, non tamen comprehendit septenarium; ideo tot posuit, non pauciores, ne deficeret universitas; non plures, quia in perfectione standum et universitate.

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The same is proved in particular as to rise and setting, as to state, use and manner of conversation.

A time to be born. Above he set down the general proposition; here he proves it by bringing it forward in particular, showing in things the diverse varieties of times. And this part has four parts. First is touched the variety of times which regards rise and setting. Second, that which regards state, at: A time to weep and a time to laugh. Third, that which regards use, at: A time to embrace. Fourth, that which regards the due manner of conversation, at: A time to keep silence.

On the variety of times as to rise and setting, in four ways.

First, then, is introduced that variety which regards the rise of things and their setting, under a fourfold difference: first of living things, second of plants, third of sentient things, fourth of artificial things.

(Vers. 2.). As to the rise and setting of living things he says that there is variety there, when he says: A time to be born and a time to die, and this in all living things, because from birth one comes to death; Job, chapter 14⁷: « Man, born of a woman, living for a short time, is filled with many miseries »; Ecclesiasticus, chapter 40: « A great occupation is created for all men, and a heavy yoke upon the children of Adam, from the day of their coming forth out of their mother's womb until the day of their burial into the mother of all ». And therefore Wisdom, chapter 5: « We, being born, forthwith cease to be »; Ecclesiasticus, chapter 14: « Some are begotten, and others are cast down; so is the generation of flesh and blood, one comes to an end, and another is born ».

As to the rise of plants he says: A time to plant; as to their setting, a time to pluck up that which is planted; Genesis, chapter 2⁸: « The Lord God had planted a paradise of pleasure from the beginning »; but a time to pluck up, the unfruitful things; whence Luke, chapter 13: « Behold, for three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none: cut it down therefore ».

(Vers. 3.). As to the rise and setting of sentient things he subjoins: A time to kill, and there is set before it: a time to kill, and there follows: a time to heal, because of the state of corrupted nature, which has grown the more ingrained, so that health has no place. Of this variation, Deuteronomy, chapter 32⁹: « I will kill, and I will make to live »; and again, II Kings, chapter 8: « He measured two cords, one to put to death and one to save alive ».

As to the rise and setting of artificial things he subjoins, fourthly: A time to destroy, behold the setting; and a time to build, behold the restoring of what was destroyed. Ruinous things are to be destroyed; Luke, chapter 19¹⁰: « There shall not be left in thee a stone upon a stone ».

p. 30 A time to build, when there is abundance of things; Luke, chapter 12: « I will destroy my barns, and again I will make them greater ». Aggeus, chapter 1: « Carry wood, build the house; and it shall be acceptable to me ». And so there is no stability in the coming forth of things.

On the variety of times as to state, according to a threefold difference.

A time to weep etc. The variety of times which regards the rise and setting of things having been set down, there is set here the variety of times which regards state, namely of prosperity and adversity. And this is considered according to a threefold difference, namely of prosperity, of joyfulness and of security, and of their opposites.

(Vers. 4.). As, then, to the time of prosperity, in which one is to laugh, and of adversity, in which one is to weep, he says: A time to weep, in adversity; I Machabees, chapter 1¹: « Every husband took up lamentation, and they that sat in the marriage bed mourned »; and Lamentations, chapter 1: « Weeping she hath wept in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks ». And a time to laugh, in prosperity; Esther, chapter 8: « To the Jews a new light seemed to rise, and joy and dancing ». And he puts weeping before laughter, either because it precedes according to fallen nature; Wisdom, chapter 7: « The first voice like to all I uttered, weeping »; or because one must first grieve, since Luke, chapter 6: « Blessed are you that weep now, because you shall laugh »; and conversely of the wicked; Proverbs, chapter 14: « Laughter shall be mingled with sorrow ».

As to the state of joyfulness and its opposite he says: A time to mourn and a time to dance. Mourning differs from weeping, and laughter from dancing, because weeping is in tears, mourning in the voice, laughter in a sign, dancing in the lifting up of the body. Of mourning, Genesis, last chapter²: « This is a great mourning for the Egyptians », in that place, that is, at funerals; but dancing belongs to illustrious solemnities; in Mark, chapter 6, it is said that on Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias came in, to dance.

(Vers. 5.). As to the time of security and its opposite he says: A time to scatter stones, namely when there is security; Micheas, chapter 4³: « Man shall not take up sword against man ». A time to gather, for the building of fortifications, namely when there is fear of enemies; II Paralipomenon, chapter 32: « He built up all the wall that had been broken down, and raised towers ».

On the variety of times as to use, according to a fourfold difference.

A time to embrace etc. There has been set down the variety of times which regards the rise and setting of things, and also state; here is set the third, which regards use, and this under a fourfold difference, namely as to the use of wives, of possessions, of treasures and of garments.

(Vers. 5.). As, then, to the use of wives, which consists in carnal union for the begetting of offspring, he says: A time to embrace and a time to be far from embraces; I Corinthians, chapter 7⁴: « It remaineth that they who have wives be as if they had none »; and again: « Defraud not one another, except perhaps by consent for a time, that you may be free^tr. for prayer, and return again together ».

(Vers. 6.). As to the use of possessions he says: A time to get and a time to lose. We get by industry, but we lose by laziness; Proverbs, chapter 14⁵: « A wise woman buildeth her house, the foolish will pull down with her hands that also which is built ». — Or a time to get in life, to lose in death; Job, chapter 20: « The riches which he hath gathered, he shall vomit up » etc. — Or a time to get, when we are joined to God; to lose, when we are separated; the Psalm: « He blessed them, and they were multiplied »; and afterwards: « And they were made few ».

As to the use of treasures he subjoins: A time to keep, when there is abundance; and a time to cast away, when there is the need of the poor. The example of Joseph, Genesis, chapter 41⁶, who kept in time of plenty and dispersed in time of want. For riches are to be kept to this end, that they may be dispersed, whence in the Psalm: « He hath distributed, he hath given to the poor ».

(Vers. 7.). As to the use of garments he subjoins: A time to rend, when they are worn out; and a time to sew, because our garments are daily worn out and not renewed, unless perhaps by a divine miracle, as Deuteronomy, chapter 8⁷: « Thy garment, wherewith thou wast covered, is in no way consumed by age »; but ours are quickly consumed; therefore little care is to be taken of them; I Timothy, chapter 6: « Having food and wherewith to be covered, with these let us be content ».

On the variety of times as to the manner of conversation, according to a threefold alternation of acts.

A time to keep silence etc. Here is set the fourth variety of time, which regards the due manner of conversation, which is considered according to a threefold alternation of acts, namely as to the act of the rational power, which is to speak; of the concupiscible, which is to love; of the irascible, whose act is to war¹, and as to their opposites.

(Vers. 7.). As, then, to the alternation of speech he says: A time to keep silence and a time to speak, because one must not always speak nor always keep silence; Ecclesiasticus, chapter 20²: « A wise man will hold his peace till a fit time; but a wanton and imprudent man will not keep the time ». For the wise man is silent and speaks in his own time; whence Proverbs, chapter 25: « Golden apples on beds of silver, he that speaketh a word in his own time ». And he puts silence before speech, because one must speak deliberately; Proverbs, chapter 13: « He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his soul; but he that is inconsiderate in speaking shall feel evils ».

(Vers. 8.). As to the alternation of the act of the concupiscible he says: A time of love, when a thing has goodness; and a time of hatred, when it is turned to malignity; the Psalm³: « I have hated iniquity and abhorred it »; and Romans, chapter 12: « Hating that which is evil, cleaving to that which is good, loving one another with the charity of brotherhood ».

As to the alternation of the act of the irascible he says: A time of war, against assailing adversaries; II Kings, chapter 11⁴: « And it came to pass, at the return of the year, at the time when kings are wont to go forth to war, David sent Joab » etc. And a time of peace, when those who rise up cease; I Machabees, chapter 14: « The land of Juda was quiet all the days of Simon » etc.; and Micheas, chapter 4: « Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and they shall learn war no more ».

Spiritually this fourfold variation is referred to the four states of men existing in the Church: the first as to the reborn; the second as to penitents; the third as to the just; the fourth as to prelates. — First, then, in the baptized there is a time to be born and to die, who are born to God; John, chapter 3⁵: « Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit » etc., as they die to the world; Romans, chapter 6: « We are buried together with him by baptism into death ». — Secondly there is a time to plant and a time to pluck up, because virtues are planted in them; the Psalm⁶: « Thy children as olive plants »; but vices are plucked up; Wisdom, chapter 4: « Bastard plantings shall not give deep roots », because, Matthew, chapter 15, « every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up ». — Thirdly there is in the baptized a time to kill the motion of concupiscence; Colossians, chapter 3⁷: « Mortify your members which are upon the earth »; and there is a time to heal the power of nature; Jeremias, chapter 30: « I will close up thy scar and will heal thee of thy wounds ». — Fourthly there is a time to destroy and to build in the baptized, because the dwelling of the devil is destroyed, and the dwelling of Christ is made; I Peter, chapter 2⁸: « Unto whom coming, a living stone, be you also built up into spiritual houses »; Jeremias, chapter 1: « I have set thee over the nations and over kingdoms, to root up and to pull down and to destroy and to build and to plant ».

The second variety of times looks to penitents as to three things: namely contrition, confession and satisfaction. A time to weep and a time to laugh, in contrition, in which there is joy and sorrow; Proverbs, chapter 14⁹: « The heart that knoweth the bitterness of its own soul, in its joy the stranger shall not intermeddle ». — A time to mourn and a time to dance, in confession, in which one ought to confess with mourning; Job, chapter 10: « Suffer me, that I may lament my sorrow a little ». One ought to confess nakedly and openly; II Kings, chapter 6: « David danced girded before the ark ». — There is a time to scatter stones and a time to gather, in satisfaction. The stones of offence are the occasions of sin; Ecclesiasticus, chapter 21¹⁰: « The way of the wicked is made plain with stones, and in their end are hell and darkness and pains ». These are gathered in consideration and are scattered

p. 32 in careful avoidance and in the mortification of the flesh. From these occasions few are delivered, save those who are kept by the Lord; the Psalm: « In their hands they shall bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone ».

The third variety regards the just as to a twofold state, namely of the active and of the contemplative. As to the contemplative: A time to embrace and a time to be far from embraces, because at one time they must attend to action, at another to contemplation. Of which embrace, Proverbs, chapter 4¹: « Thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt have embraced her ». They must be far from the embraces of the flesh, of which Proverbs, chapter 7: « Come, let us be inebriated with the embraces we have desired ». — As to the active, who ought to be exercised in works of piety, he subjoins: A time to get and a time to lose, that is, to distribute what has been got by almsgiving; Ecclesiasticus, chapter 29: « Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend, and hide it not under a stone ». — This is said of perfect justice; but it is of supererogation to give the whole, and as to this it is said: A time to keep and a time to cast away, as it were to give up the whole; Matthew, chapter 19²: « If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast and give to the poor ». — Again, as to the active: A time to rend and a time to sew, and this as to clothing; Job, chapter 31: « If I have left the poor man without covering, and if his sides have not blessed me ».

The fourth variety is considered as to prelates, first in teaching, when he says: A time to keep silence and a time to teach, because one must first learn and afterwards teach; Ecclesiasticus, chapter 18³: « Before thou speak, learn »; Ecclesiasticus, chapter 32: « Hear in silence ». — A time of love and a time of hatred, in the correction of the wicked, which consists in hating the vice and loving the nature; II Thessalonians, last chapter: « Do not esteem him as an enemy, but correct him as a brother »; and the Psalm: « I have hated them with a perfect hatred ». — A time of war and a time of peace: of war, toward the incorrigible, who are to be struck with the sword of excommunication; Ecclesiasticus, chapter 7: « Seek not to be made a judge, unless thou have strength enough to break through iniquities ». Of peace, toward those who return; Luke, chapter 10: « If there be there a son of peace, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you ».

Question

The question is about the number of these times. For it seems that he has set down the diversities of the variations of times insufficiently, because there are many which are not reduced to these, such as a time to eat and to fast and the like. — If you say that it is by way of example; then they are superfluous, because far fewer would have sufficed.

I respond: it must be said that, as Augustine says⁴, although any change whatever in the universe, considered in itself, is of imperfection, nevertheless in the whole universality there results a perfect song. Since, then, Solomon wished so to narrate the variety that he might show what is imperfect in the several parts and what is perfect in the whole, therefore he did it in such a number as comprehends universality and perfection. And therefore he enumerates twenty-eight times and fourteen variations; because twenty-eight is a perfect number and comprehends the seven, which is the universality of time⁵. But although six is perfect, it does not comprehend the seven; therefore he set down so many, not fewer, lest universality should fail; not more, because one must stop at perfection and universality.

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