Bonaventure

Capitulum VIII.

Secundo, contra inventam concupiscentiam datur remedium sapientiae ex quadruplici consideratione.

Quis talis, ut sapiens⁶? Supra descripsit vanitatem concupiscentiae. Hic contra illam vanitatem intendit dare sapientiae remedium; nullus enim eripitur a concupiscentia, nisi qui ambulat cum sapientia⁷. Hortatur igitur in hac parte sapientiae adhaerere ex quadruplici consideratione: primo ex consideratione suae nobilitatis; secundo, potestatis; tertio, utilitatis; quarto, temporis opportunitatis.

Hortatur igitur sapientiae adhaerere consideratione suae nobilitatis, quae perpenditur in hoc, quod hominem reddit nobilem et gloriosum et quantum ad aspectum et quantum ad verbum. Et hoc primo proponit quaerendo, deinde confirmat respondendo.

(Cap. 7. v. 30.). Quis talis, ut sapiens est? id est, quis ita spectabilis; Sapientiae octavo⁸: « Habebo propter hanc claritatem ad turbas et honorem ad seniores et iuvenes », loquitur de sapientia. Quis ita spectabilis in verbo? unde dicit: Et quis novit solutionem verbi? supple: nisi sapiens; Sapientiae octavo: « Scit versutias sermonum » etc.; et ideo in dubiis sapiens est reverenter audiendus; ideo Sapientiae octavo: « Facies principum mirabuntur me, tacentem me sustinebunt et loquentem me respicient et sermocinante me plura, manus ori suo imponent ».

(Vers. 1.). Proposuit quaerendo, nunc confirmat respondendo; ideo dicit: Sapientia hominis lucet in vultu eius; Proverbiorum decimo septimo⁹: « In facie prudentis lucet sapientia », id est, apparet in operibus eius; Ecclesiastici decimo nono: « Ex p. 65 visu cognoscitur vir, et ab occursu faciei cognoscitur sensatus ». Nam sicut bonus cognoscitur in vultu, ita sapiens in operibus¹. Nec mirum, si est spectabilis in aspectu, quia hoc Deus facit; unde dicit: Et potentissimus faciem illius commutabit. Potentissimus iste Deus est; Iob trigesimo sexto²: « Deus potentes non abiicit, cum ipse sit potens »; et post: « Ecce, Deus excelsus in fortitudine sua, et nullus ei similis in legislatoribus ». Iste commutat faciem exteriorem prius commutando interiorem, id est ad se eam convertendo. Facies enim animae est superior portio rationis, qua nata est videre Deum. Hanc faciem commutat solus Deus; Proverbiorum vigesimo primo³: « Sicut divisiones aquarum, ita cor regis in manu Domini; quocumque voluerit, inclinabit illud ».

(Vers. 2.). Non tantum est spectabilis sapiens quantum ad aspectum, sed etiam quantum ad verbum per sapientiam; in cuius persona dicit: Ego os regis observo, dicit sapientia. Rex iste Deus est, de quo primae ad Timotheum ultimo⁴: « Beatus et solus potens Rex regum et Dominus dominantium ». Os istius Regis Filius Dei est, per quem nobis loquitur; ad Hebraeos primo: « Novissime diebus istis locutus est nobis in Filio ». Os igitur regis observare est verbum Filii Dei diligenter intendere; Lucae undecimo: « Beati, qui audiunt verbum Dei et custodiunt illud ». Sapientia igitur dicit: Ego observo, et observare facio, iuxta illud Deuteronomii sexto: « Observa, ut facias quae praecepit tibi Dominus, et bene sit tibi ». Et explanat, in quibus observat, quia in mandatis, ideo dicit: Et praecepta iuramenti Dei, quae scilicet ex ore eius procedunt. Et observo, scilicet praecepta iuramenti Dei; praecepta iuramenti dicuntur, quia firma et inviolabilia; Matthaei vigesimo quarto⁵: « Caelum et terra transibunt, verba autem mea non praeteribunt ». Vel: ideo praecepta iuramenti, quia cum pacto et iureiurando data sunt; Exodi vigesimo quarto: « Moyses sanguinem sumtum respersit in populum, dicens: Iste est sanguis foederis Domini super cunctis sermonibus istis ».

(Vers. 3. 4.). Ne festines etc. Hic secundo hortatur adhaerere sapientiae consideratione suae potestatis, cum dicit: Ne festines recedere a facie eius, id est, noli declinare ab eius voluntate; et hoc propter peccatum cordis, quasi te abscondas ab eo. De hoc recessu Deuteronomii trigesimo secundo⁶: « Dereliquit Deum factorem suum, et recessit a Deo salutari suo ». Ne igitur recedas a facie eius, volens latere in malo; Ecclesiastici decimo sexto: « Non dicas: A Deo abscondar, et ex summo quis mei memorabitur »? Sicut Cain, qui dixit Domino: « Ecce, eiicis me hodie a facie tua, et a facie tua abscondar ». Et si contingat recedere, noli permanere in malo; ideo subdit: Neque permaneas in opere malo; Ecclesiastici quinto: « Ne tardes converti ad Dominum, et ne differas de die in diem ». Et ratio huius est consideratio divinae potestatis, quia facit omnipotenter: Quia omne, quod voluerit, faciet; Psalmus⁷: « Omnia, quaecumque voluit, fecit »; et Isaiae quadragesimo sexto: « Consilium meum stabit, et omnis voluntas mea fiet ». — Facit etiam faciliter; ideo dicit: Et sermo illius potestate plenus est; Psalmus: « Vox Domini in virtute, vox Domini confringentis cedros »; et Ieremiae trigesimo secundo: « Non erit tibi difficile omne verbum, qui facis misericordiam in millibus ». Facit etiam irreprehensibiliter: Nec dicere ei quisquam potest: Quare ita facis? Ad Romanos nono: « Tu quis es, qui respondeas Deo »?

(Vers. 5.). Qui custodit praeceptum etc. Hic tertio hortatur adhaerere sapientiae consideratione nostrae utilitatis. Magna enim utilitas est ei adhaerere et ipsius mandata servare. Propter quod dicit: Qui custodit praeceptum non experietur quidquam mali; immo multa habebit bona; Matthaei decimo nono⁸: « Si vis ad vitam ingredi, serva mandata »; et Ioannis octavo: « Si manseritis in sermone meo, vere discipuli mei eritis, et cognoscetis veritatem, et veritas liberabit vos ».

(Vers. 5. 6. 7. 8.). Tempus et responsionem etc. Hic quarto hortatur ad servandum mandata divinae sapientiae consideratione opportunitatis temporis, quam sapiens homo considerat in suis operibus. Propter quod dicit: Tempus et responsionem cor sapientis intelligit; intelligit tempus, quo operari oportet; ad Ephesios quinto⁹: « Videte, fratres, quomodo caute ambuletis, non quasi insipientes, sed quasi sapientes, redimentes tempus, quoniam dies mali sunt ». Non solum tempus, sed etiam responsionem in tempore; ad Colossenses quarto: « In sapientia ambulate ad eos qui foris sunt, tempus redimentes. Sermo vester semper in gratia sale sit conditus, ut sciatis, quomodo vos oporteat unicuique respondere ». — Et bene facit sapiens, qui tempus opportunum p. 66 considerat; quod probat, cum infert: Omni negotio, hoc est in omni negotio, tempus est et opportunitas et multa hominis afflictio, supple: in diligenter haec considerando; supra tertio¹: « Omnia tempus habent, et suis spatiis transeunt universa sub sole ». Est enim opportunitas temporis ad studendum; Ecclesiastici trigesimo octavo: « Sapientiam scribe in tempore vacuitatis ». Est etiam opportunitas ad orandum; Psalmus: « Media nocte surgebam ad confitendum tibi ». Est etiam opportunitas temporis ad bene faciendum; ad Galatas sexto: « Dum tempus habemus, operemur bonum ad omnes ». — Et haec opportunitas est in praesenti tempore; et hanc ostendit esse in praesenti tempore, ostendens futurum tempus periculosum, quia non potest praevideri; unde dixit: Qui² ignorat praeterita et futura nullo potest scire nuntio, quia multo minus possunt sciri futura quam praeterita; supra septimo: « Quis ei poterit indicare, quid post eum futurum sit »? — Non potest etiam prohiberi, unde dicit: Nec est in hominis ditione, id est potestate, prohibere spiritum, scilicet exeuntem, quia nemo potest prohibere, quin veniat tempus mortis. Et hoc explanat subdens: Nec habet potestatem in die mortis; Iob decimo quarto: « Constituisti terminos eius, qui praeteriri non poterunt ». Non potest declinari; unde dicit: Nec sinitur quiescere, ingruente bello, scilicet in die iudicii; Sapientiae quinto³: « Pugnabit pro eo orbis terrae contra insensatos ». Quod bellum non poterunt declinare mali; unde Apocalypsis sexto dicent montibus: « Cadite super nos » etc.; quia tunc « peribit fuga ». Non potest etiam dissimulari, ideo dicit: Non salvabit impietas impium, quasi possit simulare se bonum; Iob trigesimo sexto: « Non salvat impios, et iudicium pauperibus tribuit »; et Proverbiorum undecimo: « Non proderunt thesauri in die ultionis; iustitia liberabit a morte »; ideo Iob decimo: « Si impius fuero, vae mihi est ».

Quaestiones.

I. Quaeritur de hoc quod dicit: Observo praecepta iuramenti Dei: ergo Deus iurat.

Contra: 1. Matthaei quinto⁴: Sit sermo vester: est, est; non, non: ergo quod amplius est a malo est. Ergo si perfectis non convenit iurare; et nihil convenit Deo, nisi quod est summae perfectionis: ergo iurare non decet Deum.

2. Praeterea ostenditur, quod superfluat: quia Deus non potest mentiri⁵, ergo aeque verum est simplex verbum Dei, ut iuramentum.

3. Item videtur, quod non possit iurare: quia iurare est aliquem in testem et robur adducere; sed Deus non habet alium, per quem possit confirmare: ergo nec iurare.

Respondeo: dicendum, quod iuramentum finis est omnis controversiae⁶, et est assertio pura et firma, qua nulla firmior esse potest, et hoc ad faciendam certam fidem. Sic igitur, quando nos volumus certam facere fidem audienti, iuramus; sic Deus nostrae infirmitati condescendens iurat quidem, ut nostram fidem reddat solidam.

1. Quod obiicitur ergo, quod a malo est; exponitur, quod est a malo poenae, non iurantis, sed eius cui fit iuramentum, id est propter dubietatem eius⁷. — Aliter tamen dicendum, quod Dominus non prohibet ibi iuramentum tanquam malum; sed quia homines sunt proni ad dicendum falsum, prohibet pronitatem ad iurandum passim, ne aliquando simul incidant in mendacium et iuramentum in Dei contemptum; et quia Deus mentiri non potest, non habet haec ratio locum in Deo.

2. Quod obiicitur, quod non potest mentiri; dico, quod etsi iuramentum in Deo non⁸ addat super assertionem simplicem secundum rem, addit tamen secundum nostram appretiationem, quia firmior fit nobis fides; et ostenditur ad nos mira dignatio.

3. Quod obiicitur, quod non potest alium adducere; dico, quod sicut ipse sibi testis est, quia sua veritas; ita ipse per semetipsum iurat⁹; et est optimum testimonium, quia lux se et alia manifestat.

II. De hoc etiam est dubitatio, quia dicit: Qui custodit praeceptum non experietur quidquam mali.

Contra: infra eodem¹⁰: Sunt iusti, quibus mala proveniunt, quasi opera egerint impiorum.

p. 67 Respondeo: est experiri malum, quod permanet, et malum, quod transit; et loquitur de experientia mali hic, quod semper manet, non eius quod transit¹.

III. Quaestio etiam est de hoc quod dicit: Qui custodit praeceptum etc.

1. Cum multa sint praecepta custodienda, quare dicit praeceptum singulariter?

2. Praeterea, possibile est, aliquem servare praecepta divina timore, sicut servabant Iudaei; et tamen tales non salvantur.

Respondeo: dicendum, quod etsi praecepta multa sint per diversitatem operis; tamen unitatem habent et in comparatione ad mandantem et in comparatione ad observantem et in comparatione ad finem. Ad mandantem, quia unus est, qui praecipit; et ideo qui transgreditur unum mandatum non potest esse obediens mandanti, quia unus est qui mandat. — In comparatione ad observantem est unitas, quia uno principio et regulante omnia observat, scilicet caritate, quae omnia vincit. Unde sicut caritas aut omnes diligit, aut nullum; sic omnia mandata observat, aut nullum. — In comparatione ad finem est unitas, quia praemium unum debetur, et pro uno praemio sunt observanda. Quia ergo ista triplex concurrit unitas in debita observantia mandatorum, ideo recte dicit: Qui custodit praeceptum² etc.

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Chapter VIII.

Secondly, against the concupiscence that has been found the remedy of wisdom is given from a fourfold consideration.

Who is such as the wise man⁶? Above he described the vanity of concupiscence. Here against that vanity he intends to give the remedy of wisdom; for no one is rescued from concupiscence except him who walks with wisdom⁷. He exhorts, then, in this part to cleave to wisdom from a fourfold consideration: first from the consideration of its nobility; secondly, of its power; thirdly, of its utility; fourthly, of the opportuneness of time.

He exhorts, then, to cleave to wisdom by the consideration of its nobility, which is weighed in this, that it renders a man noble and glorious both as to his look and as to his word. And this he first proposes by asking, then confirms by answering.

(Cap. 7. v. 30.). Who is such as the wise man? that is, who is so worthy to be looked upon; Wisdom, the eighth chapter⁸: « For her sake I shall have glory with the multitudes and honour with the ancients and the young », he speaks of wisdom. Who is so worthy to be looked upon in his word? whence he says: And who hath known the resolution of the word? supply: except the wise man; Wisdom, the eighth chapter: « She knoweth the subtleties of speeches » etc.; and therefore in doubtful things the wise man is to be heard with reverence; therefore Wisdom, the eighth chapter: « The faces of princes shall wonder at me; they shall wait for me when I am silent, and they shall look upon me when I speak, and when I discourse at length they shall lay their hands on their mouth ».

(Vers. 1.). He proposed by asking, now he confirms by answering; therefore he says: The wisdom of a man shineth in his countenance; Proverbs, the seventeenth chapter⁹: « In the face of the prudent wisdom shineth », that is, it appears in his works; Ecclesiasticus, the nineteenth chapter: « By the p. 65 look a man is known, and by the meeting of the face the man of sense is known ». For as the good man is known in his countenance, so the wise man in his works¹. Nor is it any wonder if he is worthy to be looked upon in his look, since God does this; whence he says: And the most mighty will change his face. This most mighty one is God; Job, the thirty-sixth chapter²: « God doth not cast away the mighty, since he himself is mighty »; and after: « Behold, God is high in his strength, and none is like him among the lawgivers ». He changes the outward face by first changing the inward, that is, by turning it to himself. For the face of the soul is the higher portion of reason, by which it is born to see God. This face God alone changes; Proverbs, the twenty-first chapter³: « As the divisions of waters, so the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord; whithersoever he will he shall turn it ».

(Vers. 2.). The wise man is worthy to be looked upon not only as to his look, but also as to his word through wisdom; in whose person he says: I observe the mouth of the king, says wisdom. This king is God, of whom the first to Timothy, the last chapter⁴: « The Blessed and only Mighty, the King of kings and Lord of lords ». The mouth of this King is the Son of God, through whom he speaks to us; to the Hebrews, the first chapter: « Last of all in these days he hath spoken to us in the Son ». To observe the mouth of the king, then, is diligently to attend to the word of the Son of God; Luke, the eleventh chapter: « Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it ». Wisdom, then, says: I observe, and I make to observe, according to that of Deuteronomy, the sixth chapter: « Observe, that thou do the things which the Lord hath commanded thee, and that it may be well with thee ». And he explains in what things he observes, namely in the commandments; therefore he says: And the precepts of the oath of God, which, namely, proceed from his mouth. And I observe, namely the precepts of the oath of God; precepts of the oath they are called, because firm and inviolable; Matthew, the twenty-fourth chapter⁵: « Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away ». Or: they are therefore precepts of the oath, because they were given with a covenant and an oath; Exodus, the twenty-fourth chapter: « Moses sprinkled the blood he had taken upon the people, saying: This is the blood of the covenant of the Lord upon all these words ».

(Vers. 3. 4.). Be not hasty etc. Here, secondly, he exhorts to cleave to wisdom by the consideration of its power, when he says: Be not hasty to depart from his face, that is, do not turn aside from his will; and this on account of the sin of the heart, as if you were hiding yourself from him. Of this departure Deuteronomy, the thirty-second chapter⁶: « He forsook God his maker, and departed from God his saviour ». Do not, then, depart from his face, wishing to lie hidden in evil; Ecclesiasticus, the sixteenth chapter: « Say not: I shall be hidden from God, and who shall remember me from on high »? As Cain, who said to the Lord: « Behold, thou castest me out this day from thy face, and from thy face I shall be hid ». And if it happen that you depart, do not remain in evil; therefore he adds: And do not continue in an evil work; Ecclesiasticus, the fifth chapter: « Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from day to day ». And the reason of this is the consideration of the divine power, because he acts omnipotently: For he will do all that he will; the Psalm⁷: « All things whatsoever he would, he hath done »; and Isaias, the forty-sixth chapter: « My counsel shall stand, and all my will shall be done ». — He acts also easily; therefore he says: And his word is full of power; the Psalm: « The voice of the Lord in power, the voice of the Lord breaking the cedars »; and Jeremias, the thirty-second chapter: « No word shall be hard to thee, who showest mercy unto thousands ». He acts also irreproachably: Neither can any man say to him: Why dost thou so? To the Romans, the ninth chapter: « Who art thou that answerest God »?

(Vers. 5.). He that keepeth the precept etc. Here, thirdly, he exhorts to cleave to wisdom by the consideration of our utility. For great is the utility of cleaving to it and keeping its commandments. On account of which he says: He that keepeth the precept shall experience no evil; nay rather he shall have many goods; Matthew, the nineteenth chapter⁸: « If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments »; and John, the eighth chapter: « If you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free ».

(Vers. 5. 6. 7. 8.). Time and answer etc. Here, fourthly, he exhorts to keep the commandments of the divine wisdom by the consideration of the opportuneness of time, which the wise man considers in his works. On account of which he says: The heart of a wise man understandeth time and answer; it understands the time in which one must work; to the Ephesians, the fifth chapter⁹: « See, brethren, how you walk circumspectly, not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil ». Not only the time, but also the answer in time; to the Colossians, the fourth chapter: « Walk with wisdom towards them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always in grace seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man ». — And the wise man does well, who p. 66 considers the opportune time; which he proves when he infers: To every business, that is, in every business, there is time and opportunity and much affliction of man, supply: in considering these things diligently; above, the third chapter¹: « All things have their season, and in their spaces all things pass under the sun ». For there is an opportuneness of time for studying; Ecclesiasticus, the thirty-eighth chapter: « Write wisdom in the time of leisure ». There is also an opportuneness for praying; the Psalm: « At midnight I rose to confess to thee ». There is also an opportuneness of time for doing good; to the Galatians, the sixth chapter: « Whilst we have time, let us work good to all men ». — And this opportuneness is in the present time; and he shows it to be in the present time by showing the future time to be perilous, because it cannot be foreseen; whence he said: He who² is ignorant of things past and things to come can know them by no messenger, because things to come can be known much less than things past; above, the seventh chapter: « Who can tell him what shall be after him »? — It cannot also be held back, whence he says: Neither is it in man's dominion, that is, power, to hold back the spirit, namely as it goes out, because no one can hold back the time of death from coming. And this he explains, adding: Neither hath he power in the day of death; Job, the fourteenth chapter: « Thou hast appointed his bounds, which cannot be passed ». It cannot be turned aside; whence he says: Neither is he suffered to rest when war is at hand, namely in the day of judgement; Wisdom, the fifth chapter³: « The world shall fight for him against the unwise ». Which war the wicked shall not be able to turn aside; whence in the Apocalypse, the sixth chapter, they shall say to the mountains: « Fall upon us » etc.; because then « flight shall perish ». It cannot also be dissembled, therefore he says: Neither shall wickedness save the wicked, as though he could feign himself good; Job, the thirty-sixth chapter: « He saveth not the wicked, and he giveth judgement to the poor »; and Proverbs, the eleventh chapter: « Treasures shall not profit in the day of revenge; justice shall deliver from death »; therefore Job, the tenth chapter: « If I be wicked, woe unto me ».

Questions.

I. It is asked about what he says: I observe the precepts of the oath of God: therefore God swears.

On the contrary: 1. Matthew, the fifth chapter⁴: Let your speech be: yea, yea; no, no: therefore what is more than these is of evil. Therefore if it does not befit the perfect to swear; and nothing befits God except what is of the highest perfection: therefore it does not become God to swear.

2. Further, it is shown that it is superfluous: because God cannot lie⁵, therefore the simple word of God is as true as an oath.

3. Likewise it seems that he cannot swear: because to swear is to bring in someone as witness and as strength; but God has no other through whom he could confirm: therefore neither can he swear.

I respond: it must be said that an oath is the end of all controversy⁶, and it is a pure and firm assertion, than which none can be firmer, and this for making faith certain. So then, when we wish to make faith certain to the one hearing, we swear; so God, condescending to our infirmity, does indeed swear, that he may render our faith solid.

1. As to the objection, then, that it is of evil; it is expounded that it is of the evil of punishment, not of the one swearing, but of him to whom the oath is made, that is, on account of his doubtfulness⁷. — Otherwise, however, it must be said that the Lord does not forbid the oath there as something evil; but because men are prone to saying what is false, he forbids the proneness to swearing at random, lest at some time they fall at once into a lie and an oath, in contempt of God; and since God cannot lie, this reason has no place in God.

2. As to the objection that he cannot lie; I say that, although in God the oath does not⁸ add over the simple assertion according to the thing, it does add according to our estimation, because faith becomes firmer for us; and a wondrous deigning towards us is shown.

3. As to the objection that he cannot bring in another; I say that, as he himself is a witness to himself, because he is his own truth, so he swears by himself⁹; and it is the best testimony, because light manifests itself and other things.

II. There is also a doubt about this, because he says: He that keepeth the precept shall experience no evil.

On the contrary: below in the same place¹⁰: There are just men to whom evils happen, as though they had done the works of the wicked.

p. 67 I respond: there is to experience evil that remains, and evil that passes; and he speaks here of the experience of evil that always remains, not of that which passes¹.

III. There is also a question about what he says: He that keepeth the precept etc.

1. Since there are many precepts to be kept, why does he say precept in the singular?

2. Further, it is possible that someone keeps the divine precepts out of fear, as the Jews kept them; and yet such are not saved.

I respond: it must be said that, although the precepts are many through the diversity of the work, yet they have unity both in comparison to the one commanding and in comparison to the one observing and in comparison to the end. To the one commanding, because he who commands is one; and therefore he who transgresses one commandment cannot be obedient to the one commanding, because he who commands is one. — In comparison to the one observing there is unity, because he observes all things by one principle that also regulates, namely charity, which conquers all things. Hence as charity either loves all or none, so it observes all the commandments, or none. — In comparison to the end there is unity, because one reward is owed, and they are to be observed for one reward. Since, then, this threefold unity concurs in the due observance of the commandments, therefore he rightly says: He that keepeth the precept² etc.

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