Bonaventure

Quarto, documenta quatuor ad habendam iustitiam.

Noli esse iustus multum. Supra posuit documenta ad habendam modestiam, constantiam et prudentiam; hic quarto ponit documenta ad habendam iustitiam; et quia non est iustitia vera, quae excedit in rigore et crudelitate, nisi contemperetur pietate: ideo ponit hic quatuor documenta. In primo prohibet rigorem severitatis vel excessum iustitiae; in secundo, praecipitium impietatis; in tertio commendat exhibitionem misericordiae; in quarto, dissimulationem propriae iniuriae.

(Vers. 17.). In primo igitur documento dissuadet excessum iustitiae in puniendo, cum dicit: Noli esse iustus multum, id est, ne excedas in rigore iustitiae, quia culpa est totam culpam prosequi; unde Iacobi secundo¹¹: « Iudicium sine misericordia fiet ei qui non facit misericordiam ». Non debes etiam excedere in perscrutando culpam; ideo dicit: Neque plus sapias, quam necesse est, quia dicitur Proverbiorum trigesimo: « Qui vehementer emungit elicit sanguinem »; ideo ad Romanos duodecimo: « Non plus sapere, quam oportet sapere, sed sapere ad sobrietatem ».

(Vers. 17. 18.). Ne obstupescas etc. Notatur hic secundum documentum in quo prohibet praecipitium impietatis; impietas enim reddit hominem stupidum in affectu et durum. Ideo dicit: Ne obstupescas; Ieremiae trigesimo primo¹²: « Omnis, qui comederit uvam p. 60 acerbam, obstupescent dentes eius ». Reddit crudelem in actu; ideo dicit: Ne impie agas multum, id est crudeliter; Psalmus: « Dixi iniquis: Nolite inique agere »; et Ecclesiastici septimo: « Non semines mala in sulcis iniustitiae, et non metes ea in septuplum ». Reddit etiam caecum intellectum; ideo dicit: Noli esse stultus; Proverbiorum vigesimo quarto: « Qui cogitat mala facere stultus vocabitur. Cogitatio stulti, peccatum ». Et quia peccatum et stultitia accelerant mortem; ideo sequitur ratio: Ne moriaris in tempore non tuo, id est, ne acceleretur mors tua, quia in Psalmo¹: « Viri sanguinum et dolosi non dimidiabunt dies suos »; et rursus Lucae duodecimo: « Stulte, hac nocte animam tuam repetent a te ». Exemplum de Dathan et Abiron, qui « descenderunt viventes in infernum ».

(Vers. 19. 20. 21.). Bonum est, te sustentare iustum. Hic notatur tertium documentum, in quo monet ad exhibitionem misericordiae; et praemittit exhortationem et subiungit rationem. — Exhortatur, cum dicit: Bonum est, te sustentare iustum, in iustitia scilicet; Proverbiorum vigesimo quarto²: « Ne insidieris et quaeras impietatem in domo iusti, et ne vastes requiem eius »; quia dicitur Proverbiorum decimo septimo: « Non est bonum damnum inferre iusto, nec percutere principem, qui recta iudicat ». Non solum iustus est sustentandus in causa iusta, sed etiam porrigenda ei manus per eleemosynam; unde subiungit: Sed et ab illo ne subtrahas manum tuam; Ecclesiastici duodecimo³: « Benefac iusto, et invenies retributionem magnam; et si non ab illo, certe a Deo ». Sic praemissa exhortatione, subiungit rationem triplicem; et prima est divina voluntas, ob quam dicit: Qui timet Deum nihil negligit, de illis scilicet, quae Deus vult fieri; Ecclesiastici septimo⁴: « In tota anima tua time Deum, et de negligentia tua purga te cum paucis ». — Secunda ratio est iusti dignitas, ob quam dicit: Sapientia confortavit sapientem super decem principes civitatis; et ita, Sapientiae sexto, « melior est sapientia quam vires, et vir prudens melior est quam fortis ». — Tertia ratio est humana fragilitas, ob quam dicit: Non est homo iustus in terra, qui faciat bonum et non peccet; et ideo miserendum est peccanti; Proverbiorum vigesimo quarto⁵: « Septies in die cadit iustus et resurget »; immo quantumcumque perfectus aliquando peccat; primae Ioannis primo: « Si dixerimus, quoniam peccatum non habemus, ipsi nos seducimus, et veritas non est in nobis ».

(Vers. 22. 23.). Sed et cunctis sermonibus etc. Tangitur hic quartum documentum, in quo hortatur ad dissimulationem propriae iniuriae; unde non debet inquirere nec omni referenti credere. Ideo dicit: Sed et cunctis sermonibus, qui dicuntur, ne accommodes cor tuum, id est, non praebeas fidem, quia parva fides est adhibenda verbis, quia multi multa loquuntur; quia, Ecclesiastici decimo nono⁶, « qui cito credit levis est corde »; et quia difficile est audire et non credere; Ecclesiastici vigesimo octavo: « Sepi aures tuas spinis, et noli audire linguam nequam »; unde non debet esse sollicitus ad audiendum, quae de se dicuntur. Et redditur ratio: Ne forte audias servum maledicentem tibi; sicuti Semei David, secundi Regum decimo sexto; unde dicit Abisai: « Quare maledicit canis hic pessimus domino meo regi? Vadam et amputabo caput eius ». — Et hoc quidem saepe contingit, sicut potest homo nosse ex se ipso: Scit enim conscientia tua, quia tu crebro maledixisti aliis, et ita non debes diligenter attendere nec punire; Ecclesiastici trigesimo primo⁷: « Cognosce quae sunt proximi tui ex te ipso ». Et iterum indulge; sicut enim dicitur Matthaei decimo octavo: « Nonne ergo oportuit, et te misereri conservi tui, sicut et ego tui misertus sum »?

Quaestiones.

I. Quaeritur hic primo de hoc quod dicit: Noli esse iustus multum.

Contra: 1. Haec est per se vera: iustus est bonus, ergo magis iustus magis bonus, ergo maxime iustus maxime bonus: ergo in iustitia non est superfluum.

2. Item, quidquid dicitur de Deo, in summo dicitur; sed iustum dicitur de Deo: ergo Deus summe iustus. Et constat, quod hoc non est malum: ergo si summitas in iustitia non est mala, ergo non est ibi superfluitas.

II. Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicitur: Neque plus sapias, quam necesse erit.

1. Qui enim plus diligit plus sapit; sed nemo potest nimis diligere: ergo nec nimis sapere, secundum quod refertur dilectio in Deum.

2. Praeterea, nemo est nimis sapiens, ergo nec potest esse: ergo nemo potest plus sapere, quam necesse est.

Sed contra: Virtus consistit in medietate et corrumpitur per superfluum, sicut per diminutum⁸: ergo sicut potest esse peccatum in remittendo nimis, ita in nimis puniendo.

Respondeo: dicendum ad hoc, quod iustus uno modo est idem quod habens talem virtutem; et sic attenditur excessus iustitiae per accessum ad medium, p. 61 et ita non potest esse ibi superfluitas, quia nemo potest esse nimis virtuosus nec nimis accedere ad medium. Alio modo iustus dicitur, secundum quod nominat actum illius virtutis, qui est punire; et sic excessus eius non attenditur per accessum ad medium, immo ad superfluum; tunc dicitur magis iustus qui magis punit, et maxime punire non est bonum¹. Et sic intelligitur in littera.

2. Quod obiicitur secundo, quod quidquid Deo convenit, summe dicitur; verum est de eo quod absolute dicitur, et quod nominat per modum habitus; sed quod dicit effectum, non summe, sicut Deus non summe punit nec summe parcit, sed quatenus convenit².

II. Quod quaeritur de sapientia, dicendum, quod habitus sapientiae nullo modo potest esse nimius; sed in actu notandum, quod est triplex, scilicet gustare, cognoscere et scrutari; gustare et cognoscere nemo potest nimis, sed perscrutari bene potest nimis. Et ratio huius est, quia perscrutatio nimia deducit ad insipientiam, sed dilectio non potest esse nimia in Deum, quia summe diligendus³.

III. Quaeritur de hoc quod dicit: Noli esse stultus, ne moriaris in tempore non tuo.

Contra: Iob decimo quarto⁴: Constituisti terminos eius, qui praeteriri non poterunt: ergo videtur, quod propter bonitatem non possunt augeri: ergo nec propter malitiam minui.

Si hoc verum est, quomodo Deus promittit annos longos in Scriptura⁵? — Item, de Ezechia, quarto Regum vigesimo, quomodo Deus auxit sibi annos quindecim? — Item, etiam abbreviat; in Psalmo⁶: Viri sanguinum et dolosi non dimidiabunt dies suos.

Respondeo: dicendum, quod mori in tempore suo est tripliciter: uno modo in tempore suae salutis, ad quam unusquisque ordinatus est; sic moriuntur omnes boni in tempore suo, et nulli mali, quia nunquam ad hoc perveniunt, de finaliter malis dico. — Secundo modo mori in tempore suo, id est morte naturali, quae quidem est per consumtionem humidi radicalis⁷, et sic moriuntur in tempore suo senes et decrepiti. — Tertio modo mori in tempore suo est mori tempore sibi a Deo praefinito, secundum praescientiam divinam, quae nunquam fallitur. Illud nemo praevenit, nemo pertransit. Primo modo mali moriuntur in tempore non suo; secundo modo et boni et mali, qui moriuntur morte accidentali; tertio modo nullus.

Loquitur ergo hic Ecclesiastes et Scriptura quantum ad primum modum; sed Iob intelligit quantum ad tertium. Similiter de Ezechia dicitur, quod Dominus mutavit consilium⁸.

IV. Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicit: Qui timet Deum nihil negligit.

Sed qui peccat aliquid negligit: ergo nullus, qui peccat, timet Deum. Sed non est iustus qui non peccet⁹: ergo non est iustus qui timeat Deum.

V. Item quaeritur, utrum aliquis iustus possit esse sine peccato. — Quod non, videtur per illud quod dicitur hic et primae Ioannis primo¹⁰: Si dixerimus, quia peccatum non habemus, ipsi nos seducimus.

Quod autem possit, videtur:

1. Per illud Iob decimo septimo¹¹: Non peccavi, et in amaritudinibus moratur oculus meus.

2. Item, si non potest; et nullus peccat in eo quod vitare non potest¹²: ergo etc.

Respondeo: dicendum, quod negligentia uno modo importat contemptum, et sic est peccatum mortale, et sic intelligitur hic; alio modo qualemcumque omissionem circumstantiae, et sic veniale, et nullus sine ea. — Similiter dicendum de peccato, quod sine mortali multi, sine veniali nullus utens libero arbitrio nisi Christus, et hoc de beatissima Virgine credimus.

1. Quod obiicitur de Iob, respondeo: non negat, se non peccasse, sed non peccasse, ut sic puniretur. Similiter cor reprehendit, quando peccatum complacuit; quando vero, quod noluit, hoc fecit, etsi peccavit, cor non reprehendit¹³.

2. Quod dicitur de impossibilitate vitandi, dicendum, quod ex vitio intrusus ad hoc est homo; et ideo non excusatur, quin peccet aliquo modo. Praeterea, etsi non possit universaliter vitare, potest tamen quodlibet particulariter evitare: ideo¹⁴ etc.

---

Fourthly, four teachings for having justice.

Be not over just. Above he set down teachings for having modesty, constancy and prudence; here, fourthly, he sets down teachings for having justice; and because that is not true justice which exceeds in rigour and cruelty, unless it be tempered with piety: therefore he sets down here four teachings. In the first he forbids the rigour of severity or the excess of justice; in the second, the headlong fall of impiety; in the third he commends the showing of mercy; in the fourth, the dissimulation of one's own injury.

(Vers. 17.). In the first teaching, then, he dissuades from excess of justice in punishing, when he says: Be not over just, that is, do not exceed in the rigour of justice, because it is a fault to pursue the whole fault; whence James, the second chapter¹¹: « Judgement without mercy shall be to him that doth not mercy ». Thou oughtest not either to exceed in searching out the fault; therefore he says: Neither be more wise than is necessary, because it is said in Proverbs, the thirtieth chapter: « He that strongly bloweth his nose bringeth out blood »; therefore to the Romans, the twelfth chapter: « Not to be more wise than it behoveth to be wise, but to be wise unto sobriety ».

(Vers. 17. 18.). Lest thou become stupid etc. Here is noted the second teaching, in which he forbids the headlong fall of impiety; for impiety renders a man stupid in affection and hard. Therefore he says: Lest thou become stupid; Jeremias, the thirty-first chapter¹²: « Every one that shall eat the sour p. 60 grape, his teeth shall be set on edge ». It renders him cruel in act; therefore he says: Do not act wickedly overmuch, that is, cruelly; the Psalm: « I said to the unjust: Do not act unjustly »; and Ecclesiasticus, the seventh chapter: « Sow not evils in the furrows of injustice, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold ». It renders also a blind understanding; therefore he says: Be not foolish; Proverbs, the twenty-fourth chapter: « He that deviseth to do evils shall be called a fool. The thought of a fool is sin ». And because sin and folly hasten death; therefore the reason follows: Lest thou die in a time not thy own, that is, lest thy death be hastened, because in the Psalm¹: « Men of blood and deceitful men shall not live out half their days »; and again Luke, the twelfth chapter: « Thou fool, this night they shall require thy soul of thee ». An example concerning Dathan and Abiron, who « went down alive into hell ».

(Vers. 19. 20. 21.). It is good that thou shouldst hold up the just. Here is noted the third teaching, in which he admonishes to the showing of mercy; and he puts first an exhortation and subjoins a reason. — He exhorts, when he says: It is good that thou shouldst hold up the just, namely in justice; Proverbs, the twenty-fourth chapter²: « Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, and spoil not his rest »; because it is said in Proverbs, the seventeenth chapter: « It is not good to do hurt to the just, nor to strike the prince, who judgeth right ». Not only is the just man to be held up in a just cause, but also a hand is to be stretched out to him through alms; whence he subjoins: But also from him withdraw not thy hand; Ecclesiasticus, the twelfth chapter³: « Do good to the just, and thou shalt find great recompense; and if not of him, assuredly of God ». Having thus put first the exhortation, he subjoins a threefold reason; and the first is the divine will, on account of which he says: He that feareth God neglecteth nothing, namely of those things which God wills to be done; Ecclesiasticus, the seventh chapter⁴: « With all thy soul fear God, and purge thyself of thy negligence with a few ». — The second reason is the dignity of the just man, on account of which he says: Wisdom hath strengthened the wise man above ten princes of the city; and so, Wisdom, the sixth chapter, « wisdom is better than strength, and a prudent man is better than a strong man ». — The third reason is human frailty, on account of which he says: There is no just man upon earth, that doth good and sinneth not; and therefore one must have mercy on him who sins; Proverbs, the twenty-fourth chapter⁵: « Seven times in a day the just man falleth, and shall rise again »; indeed, however perfect, a man sometimes sins; the first of John, the first chapter: « If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us ».

(Vers. 22. 23.). But also to all words etc. Here is touched the fourth teaching, in which he exhorts to the dissimulation of one's own injury; whence one ought not to inquire, nor to believe everyone who reports. Therefore he says: But also to all words that are spoken apply not thy heart, that is, give no credence, because little credence is to be given to words, because many men say many things; because, Ecclesiasticus, the nineteenth chapter⁶, « he that believeth quickly is light of heart »; and because it is difficult to hear and not believe; Ecclesiasticus, the twenty-eighth chapter: « Hedge in thy ears with thorns, and hear not a wicked tongue »; whence one ought not to be anxious to hear the things that are said of oneself. And the reason is given: Lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee; as Semei reviled David, the second book of Kings, the sixteenth chapter; whence Abisai says: « Why doth this most wicked dog revile my lord the king? I will go and cut off his head ». — And this indeed often happens, as a man can know from himself: For thy conscience knoweth that thou hast often reviled others, and so thou oughtest not diligently to attend to it nor to punish it; Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-first chapter⁷: « Know the things of thy neighbour from thyself ». And again, pardon; for so it is said in Matthew, the eighteenth chapter: « Oughtest not thou then also to have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had compassion on thee »?

Questions.

I. It is asked here first concerning what he says: Be not over just.

On the contrary: 1. This is true of itself: the just man is good, therefore the more just the more good, therefore the most just the most good: therefore in justice there is nothing superfluous.

2. Likewise, whatever is said of God is said in the highest degree; but just is said of God: therefore God is just in the highest degree. And it is certain that this is not evil: therefore if the highest degree in justice is not evil, then there is no superfluity there.

II. Likewise it is asked concerning what is said: Neither be more wise than will be necessary.

1. For he who loves more is more wise; but no one can love too much: therefore neither be wise too much, according as love is referred to God.

2. Moreover, no one is too wise, therefore neither can he be: therefore no one can be more wise than is necessary.

But on the contrary: Virtue consists in the mean and is corrupted by the superfluous, as by the diminished⁸: therefore just as there can be sin in remitting too much, so in punishing too much.

I respond: It must be said to this that just in one way is the same as having such a virtue; and in this way the excess of justice is reckoned by approach to the mean, p. 61 and so there cannot be superfluity there, because no one can be too virtuous nor approach the mean too much. In another way just is said according as it names the act of that virtue, which is to punish; and in this way its excess is reckoned not by approach to the mean, but rather to the superfluous; then he is called more just who punishes more, and to punish to the utmost is not good¹. And so it is understood in the letter.

2. As to what is objected secondly, that whatever befits God is said in the highest degree; it is true of that which is said absolutely, and which names by way of a habit; but what signifies an effect, not in the highest degree, as God does not punish in the highest degree nor spare in the highest degree, but insofar as it is fitting².

II. As to what is asked concerning wisdom, it must be said that the habit of wisdom can in no way be excessive; but in the act it is to be noted that it is threefold, namely to taste, to know and to search; to taste and to know no one can do too much, but to search thoroughly one can well do too much. And the reason of this is that too much thorough searching leads down to unwisdom, but love toward God cannot be too much, because he is to be loved supremely³.

III. It is asked concerning what he says: Be not foolish, lest thou die in a time not thy own.

On the contrary: Job, the fourteenth chapter⁴: Thou hast appointed his bounds, which cannot be passed: therefore it seems that they cannot be increased on account of goodness: therefore neither diminished on account of malice.

If this is true, how does God promise long years in Scripture⁵? — Likewise, concerning Ezechias, the fourth book of Kings, the twentieth chapter, how did God add to him fifteen years? — Likewise, he also shortens them; in the Psalm⁶: Men of blood and deceitful men shall not live out half their days.

I respond: It must be said that to die in one's own time is threefold: in one way, in the time of one's salvation, to which each one is ordained; thus all the good die in their own time, and none of the wicked, because they never arrive at it, I speak of the finally wicked. — In the second way to die in one's own time, that is, by natural death, which indeed is through the consuming of the radical moisture⁷, and thus the old and decrepit die in their own time. — In the third way to die in one's own time is to die at the time foreordained for one by God, according to the divine foreknowledge, which is never deceived. That no one forestalls, no one passes beyond. In the first way the wicked die in a time not their own; in the second way both the good and the wicked, who die by an accidental death; in the third way no one.

Ecclesiastes therefore, and Scripture, speak here as to the first way; but Job understands it as to the third. Likewise concerning Ezechias it is said that the Lord changed his counsel⁸.

IV. Likewise it is asked concerning what he says: He that feareth God neglecteth nothing.

But he who sins neglects something: therefore no one who sins fears God. But there is no just man that sinneth not⁹: therefore there is no just man who fears God.

V. Likewise it is asked whether any just man can be without sin. — That he cannot, seems from that which is said here and in the first of John, the first chapter¹⁰: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.

But that he can, seems:

1. From that of Job, the seventeenth chapter¹¹: I have not sinned, and my eye abideth in bitterness.

2. Likewise, if he cannot; and no one sins in that which he cannot avoid¹²: therefore etc.

I respond: It must be said that negligence in one way imports contempt, and so it is mortal sin, and so it is understood here; in another way any omission whatever of a circumstance, and so it is venial, and no one is without it. — Likewise it must be said concerning sin, that many are without mortal sin, but none who uses free choice is without venial sin except Christ, and this we believe of the most blessed Virgin.

1. As to what is objected concerning Job, I respond: he does not deny that he sinned, but that he sinned so as to be punished thus. Likewise the heart reproves when sin has pleased; but when a man has done what he did not will, although he has sinned, the heart does not reprove¹³.

2. As to what is said concerning the impossibility of avoiding, it must be said that man has been thrust into this by vice; and therefore he is not excused from sinning in some way. Moreover, although he cannot avoid universally, yet he can avoid each particular: therefore¹⁴ etc.

---