Bonaventure

Art. 2. De vanitate avaritiae, et primo de ipsius consideratione.

Considerans reperi etc. Supra egit de vanitate malitiae; hic agit de vanitate avaritiae; et primo ponitur consideratio avaritiae; secundo vero, quia avarus non vult habere consortem, in ipsius detestationem ponitur commendatio societatis alienae, ibi: Melius est ergo, duos esse etc.

(Vers. 7. 8.). In consideratione igitur vanitatis avaritiae dicit: Considerans reperi aliam vanitatem sub sole, scilicet aliam, quia supra dicta fuit malitiae, haec autem avaritiae. — Unde subiungit: Unus est, et secundum non habet, non filium, non fratrem, et in modicis deberet esse contentus tanquam solus, quia etiam non vult habere socium; Ecclesiastici undecimo⁴: « Inveni requiem mihi, et nunc manducabo de bonis meis solus »; et tamen totus evanescit per avaritiam et in effectu et affectu et intellectu. In effectu; unde dicit: Et tamen laborare non cessat; Ecclesiastici trigesimo primo: « Laboravit dives in congregatione substantiae ». In affectu: Non satiantur oculi eius divitiis; Ecclesiastici decimo quarto: « Insatiabilis oculus cupidi in partem iniquitatis non satiabitur ». In intellectu; unde subdit: Nec recogitat dicens, cui laboro, et fraudo animam meam bonis? Psalmo trigesimo octavo: « Thesaurizat et ignorat, cui congregabit ea ». Ex his igitur infert vanitatem: In hoc quoque vanitas est et afflictio pessima; infra quinto: « Divitiae conservatae in malum domini sui; pereunt enim in afflictione pessima ».

Secundo, de commendatione societatis alienae.

(Vers. 9. 10. 11. 12.). Melius est ergo, duos esse etc. Tangitur hic secundo commendatio societatis-alienae, et hoc in detestationem sollicitudinis avaritiae; propter quod dicit: Melius est ergo, duos esse, quamvis illud avarus praeeligat; et subiungit rationem: Habent enim emolumentum societatis mutuae; et ideo, Lucae decimo⁵, Dominus « misit discipulos binos ante faciem suam ». — Et ostendit triplex emolumentum: scilicet in relevando, in conservando, in defendendo. Propter relevationem dicit: Si unus ceciderit, ab altero fulcietur; Deuteronomii vigesimo secundo⁶: « Si videris, asinum fratris tui cecidisse in via, non despicies, sed sublevabis cum eo ». Hoc beneficio caret solitarius; ideo subdit: Vae soli, quia, cum ceciderit, non habet sublevantem se, ideo miser; unde in Psalmo: « Respice in me et miserere mei, quia unicus et pauper sum ego ». — Quantum ad emolumentum in conservando subdit: Et si dormierint duo, fovebuntur mutuo, id est conservabuntur a frigore; ad Ephesios quinto⁷: « Nemo carnem suam odio habuit, sed nutrit et fovet eam ». Hoc beneficio caret solitarius; unde subdit: Unus, si dormierit, quomodo calefiet?

p. 40 Exemplum huius: tertii Regum primo dicitur, quod David senuerat et non calefiebat, et subditur, quod quaesierunt Abisag Sunamitem, quae dormiebat in sinu regis et calefaciebat eum; per se non poterat calefieri, cum esset solus. — Quantum ad emolumentum in defendendo subdit: Et si quisquam praevaluerit contra unum, duo resistent ei, et ita valet ad defensionem; secundi Regum decimo¹: « Si praevaluerint adversum me Syri, eris mihi in adiutorium; si autem filii Ammon praevaluerint adversum te, auxiliabor tibi ». Et hoc quidem manifestat exemplo: Funiculus triplex difficile rumpitur. Sicut chorda chordae coniuncta est fortior, sic et homo; Proverbiorum decimo octavo: « Frater, qui adiuvatur a fratre, quasi civitas firma ».

Spiritualiter hic notatur triplex effectus caritatis, scilicet mutua relevatio, mutua consolatio et mutua defensio. Propter relevationem dicit: Si unus ceciderit; ad Galatas ultimo²: « Si praeoccupatus fuerit homo in aliquo delicto, vos, qui spirituales estis, huiusmodi instruite in spiritu lenitatis »; unde dicitur Ecclesiastici trigesimo septimo: « Cor boni consilii statue tecum ». — Propter consolationem dicit: Fovebuntur mutuo; primae ad Thessalonicenses quinto: « Consolamini pusillanimes »; et ibidem secundo: « Facti sumus parvuli in medio vestri, tanquam si nutrix foveat filios suos ». — Propter defensionem dicit: Duo resistent; Isaiae quinquagesimo: « Stemus simul; quis est adversarius meus »? — Propter hunc triplicem effectum caritatis dicitur funiculus triplex; Osee undecimo: « In funiculis Adam traham te, in vinculis caritatis ».

Quaestiones

I. Quaeritur hic de vita solitaria, utrum sit praeeligenda societati. Quod sic, videtur:

1. Quia dicitur Threnorum tertio³ de bono adolescente: Sedebit solitarius et tacebit: ergo bonum est esse solum.

2. Praeterea, Bernardus⁴ dicit: « Quoties fui inter homines, minus homo redii »: non est ergo bonum esse inter homines.

3. Item, qui est in societate, necesse est, quod sit sollicitus, quomodo se conformet societati; sed Apostolus dicit primae ad Corinthios septimo⁵, quod bonum est non nubere propter vitandam sollicitudinem de placendo uxori: ergo similiter bonum est omnem societatem fugere.

Contra: 1. Genesis secundo⁶: Non est bonum, hominem esse solum: ergo solitudo est vituperabilis, et per oppositum societas laudabilis.

2. Item, Matthaei decimo octavo⁷: Ubi sunt duo vel tres congregati in nomine meo, ibi in medio eorum sum; non dicit: ubi unus, sed ubi duo vel tres: ergo melior est vita in congregatione quam solitaria.

3. Item, hoc probatur per litteram istam⁸, quia societas fulcit, fovet et defendit, quae sunt tria bona, quibus solitarii privantur.

Respondeo: dicendum, quod triplex est solitarium: unum per inopiam dilectionis, sicut avarus non vult habere consortem in divitiis, nec invidus in bonis, nec superbus in magnis; et solitudo haec mala omnino est. Alia solitudo per defectum consolationis, sicut dicitur in Psalmo⁹: Unicus et pauper sum ego, et haec misera est. Est et alia solitudo per quietem contemplationis, et haec laudabilis et honesta. — Similiter triplici modo est societas: quaedam scilicet turbans et impediens, sicut societas malorum; quaedam subsidio et solatio indigens, sicut societas uxorum et infirmorum; et quaedam adiuvans et promovens, sicut societas perfectorum. Prima est fugienda, secunda toleranda, sed tertia appetenda; et haec est in religione. Quando igitur Scriptura commendat societatem, intelligitur de hac; et haec non repugnat solitudini contemplationis, quia Bernardus in Canticis¹⁰: « Inter multos solus potest esse homo omnino, si curiositatem fugiat ». — Et sic patent obiecta.

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Art. 2. On the vanity of avarice, and first on the consideration of it.

Considering I found etc. Above he treated of the vanity of malice; here he treats of the vanity of avarice; and first there is set down the consideration of avarice; but secondly, since the avaricious man does not wish to have a partner, there is set down, in detestation of him, the commendation of the society of others, at: It is better therefore that there be two etc.

(Vers. 7. 8.). In the consideration, then, of the vanity of avarice he says: Considering I found another vanity under the sun, namely another, because the one spoken of above was of malice, but this one of avarice. — Hence he adds: There is one, and he hath not a second, no son, no brother, and he ought to be content with little, as being alone, since he does not even wish to have a companion; Ecclesiasticus, the eleventh chapter⁴: « I have found me rest, and now I will eat of my goods alone »; and yet he wholly vanishes away through avarice, in effect and in affection and in understanding. In effect; hence he says: And yet he ceaseth not to labour; Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-first chapter: « The rich man hath laboured in the gathering together of substance ». In affection: Neither are his eyes satisfied with riches; Ecclesiasticus, the fourteenth chapter: « The insatiable eye of the covetous man shall not be satisfied in the portion of iniquity ». In understanding; hence he adds: Neither doth he reflect, saying: For whom do I labour, and defraud my soul of good things? Psalm thirty-eight: « He storeth up, and he knoweth not for whom he shall gather these things ». From these things, then, he infers the vanity: In this also is vanity and a most grievous affliction; below, the fifth chapter: « Riches kept to the hurt of the owner; for they perish in a most grievous affliction ».

Secondly, on the commendation of the society of others.

(Vers. 9. 10. 11. 12.). It is better therefore that there be two etc. Here secondly is touched the commendation of the society of others, and this in detestation of the solicitude of avarice; on account of which he says: It is better therefore that there be two, although the avaricious man prefers the other; and he adds the reason: For they have the advantage of their mutual society; and therefore, Luke, the tenth chapter⁵, the Lord « sent the disciples two by two before his face ». — And he shows a threefold advantage: namely in raising up, in preserving, in defending. On account of the raising up he says: If one fall, he shall be supported by the other; Deuteronomy, the twenty-second chapter⁶: « If thou see thy brother's ass to have fallen in the way, thou shalt not slight it, but shalt lift it up with him ». The solitary man lacks this benefit; therefore he adds: Woe to him that is alone, for when he falleth, he hath none to lift him up, therefore he is wretched; hence in the Psalm: « Look thou upon me, and have mercy on me; for I am alone and poor ». — As to the advantage in preserving he adds: And if two sleep together, they shall warm one another, that is, they shall be preserved from the cold; to the Ephesians, the fifth chapter⁷: « No man ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it ». The solitary man lacks this benefit; hence he adds: One, if he sleep, how shall he be warmed?

p. 40 An example of this: in III Kings, the first chapter, it is said that David was old and was not warmed, and it is added that they sought Abisag the Sunamitess, who slept in the king's bosom and warmed him; by himself he could not be warmed, since he was alone. — As to the advantage in defending he adds: And if anyone prevail against one, two shall withstand him, and thus it avails for defence; II Kings, the tenth chapter¹: « If the Syrians prevail against me, thou shalt be a help to me; but if the children of Ammon prevail against thee, I will help thee ». And this indeed he makes manifest by an example: A threefold cord is hardly broken. As a cord joined to a cord is stronger, so also is man; Proverbs, the eighteenth chapter: « A brother that is helped by his brother is like a strong city ».

Spiritually there is noted here a threefold effect of charity, namely mutual raising up, mutual consolation and mutual defence. On account of the raising up he says: If one fall; to the Galatians, the last chapter²: « If a man be overtaken in any fault, you who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the spirit of meekness »; hence it is said in Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-seventh chapter: « Establish within thyself a heart of good counsel ». — On account of the consolation he says: They shall warm one another; I Thessalonians, the fifth chapter: « Comfort the feeble-minded »; and in the same place, the second chapter: « We became little ones in the midst of you, as if a nurse should cherish her children ». — On account of the defence he says: Two shall withstand; Isaias, the fiftieth chapter: « Let us stand together; who is my adversary »? — On account of this threefold effect of charity it is called a threefold cord; Osee, the eleventh chapter: « I will draw thee with the cords of Adam, with the bands of charity ».

Questions

I. Here it is asked concerning the solitary life, whether it is to be preferred to society. That it is, it seems:

1. Because it is said in Lamentations, the third chapter³, of the good youth: He shall sit solitary, and hold his peace: therefore it is good to be alone.

2. Likewise, Bernard⁴ says: « As often as I have been among men, I have come back less a man »: therefore it is not good to be among men.

3. Likewise, he who is in society must needs be solicitous how he may conform himself to the society; but the Apostle says, in I Corinthians, the seventh chapter⁵, that it is good not to marry, so as to avoid the solicitude of pleasing a wife: therefore likewise it is good to flee all society.

Contra: 1. Genesis, the second chapter⁶: It is not good for man to be alone: therefore solitude is blameworthy, and by the opposite society is praiseworthy.

2. Likewise, Matthew, the eighteenth chapter⁷: Where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them; he does not say: where there is one, but where there are two or three: therefore life in a congregation is better than the solitary life.

3. Likewise, this is proved by this text⁸, since society supports, warms and defends, which are three goods of which the solitary are deprived.

I respond: it must be said that solitariness is threefold: one through want of love, as the avaricious man does not wish to have a partner in riches, nor the envious man in goods, nor the proud man in great things; and this solitude is altogether evil. Another solitude is through lack of consolation, as is said in the Psalm⁹: I am alone and poor, and this is wretched. There is also another solitude through the rest of contemplation, and this is praiseworthy and honourable. — Likewise society is in a threefold mode: one, namely, troubling and hindering, as the society of the wicked; one needing aid and solace, as the society of wives and of the infirm; and one helping and furthering, as the society of the perfect. The first is to be fled, the second to be tolerated, but the third to be sought; and this is in religion. When, therefore, Scripture commends society, it is understood of this; and this is not repugnant to the solitude of contemplation, since Bernard, on the Canticle¹⁰: « Among many a man can be wholly alone, if he flee curiosity ». — And thus the objections are clear.

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