Bonaventure

Secundo, de bonorum adversitate.

Est et alia vanitas etc. Supra ostendit, quomodo oritur securitas ex aspectu sublimitatis malorum; hic secundo ostendit, quomodo oritur ex aspectu adversitatis bonorum. Et hoc quidem facit hoc ordine. Primo proponitur bonorum adversitas; secundo, ex hoc malorum securitas; tertio concluditur vanitas; quarto commendatur voluptas.

(Vers. 14.). Proponitur igitur bonorum adversitas, ex qua oritur vanitas; propter quod dicit: Est et alia vanitas, quae fit super terram, alia scilicet a praedicta, quia aliam habet causam; praedicta enim veniebat ex malorum sublimitate, haec ex bonorum adversitate. Ideo dicit: Sunt iusti, quibus mala proveniunt, id est adversitates; quasi opera egerint impiorum, secundum quod habetur ad Hebraeos undecimo⁹: « Sancti ludibria et verbera experti sunt, insuper et vincula et carceres; lapidati sunt, secti sunt, tentati sunt ». Exemplum de Tobia, qui fuit factus caecus, Tobiae secundo; exemplum de Iob, qui fuit ita afflictus, Iob primo. Et ratio huius redditur Iudith octavo: « Omnes, qui placuerunt Deo, per multas tribulationes transierunt fideles ».

Et sunt impii. Hic notatur secundum, scilicet malorum securitas. Quia enim impii vident, bonis mala succedere et sibi bona; ideo securi redduntur. Ideo dicit: Et sunt impii, qui ita securi fiunt, quasi iustorum facta habeant; et hoc, quia sunt a tribulatione immunes. Exemplum est de illo divite epulone, Lucae decimo sexto¹⁰, cui dictum est: « Memento, quia recepisti bona in vita tua, et Lazarus similiter mala ». Et ideo mali assecurantur, quia prosperantur; unde Ieremiae duodecimo: « Quare via impiorum prosperatur, bene est omnibus, qui praevaricantur » etc.

Sed et hoc vanissimum. Hic tertio concluditur vanitas ex hac malorum securitate. Ideo dicit: Sed et hoc vanissimum iudico. Vanum est enim, quando bonis et malis proveniunt bona, quia indignum p. 70 propter malos; vanius, quando bonis et malis mala, quia iniustum propter bonos; sed vanissimum, quando bonis mala et malis bona, quia iniustum pariter et indignum. Unde ita indignanter fert, ut quasi ex hoc velit Deum arguere; Habacuc primo¹: « Quare non respicis super iniqua agentes et taces, devorante impio iustiorem se »?

(Vers. 15.). Laudavi igitur laetitiam. Hic quarto ex hoc commendatur voluptas in detestationem tantae vanitatis, ex quo malis bona, et bonis mala proveniunt; et est laus et verbum hominis perturbati. Ideo dicit: Laudavi igitur laetitiam, scilicet carnis, quasi haec sola sit bona; ideo dicit: Quod non esset homini bonum sub sole, nisi quod comederet et biberet, secundum illud Isaiae vigesimo secundo²: « Ecce, gaudium et laetitia iugulare arietes, comedere carnes et bibere vinum », quasi non sit alia vita nec aliud praemium. Ideo subiungit: Et hoc solum aufert secum de labore suo, quasi non sit aliud exspectandum, sed laetandum in diebus vitae suae, quos dedit ei Deus sub sole; Sapientiae secundo: « Ubique relinquamus signa laetitiae nostrae, quoniam haec est pars nostra ».

Quaestiones.

Potest hic quaeri, quis status sit melior et utilior; utrum scilicet status prosperitatis, an adversitatis. Quod adversitatis, videtur:

1. Quia dicitur Apocalypsis tertio³: Ego quos amo arguo et castigo: ergo tribulatio est signum divini amoris.

2. Item dicitur ad Hebraeos duodecimo⁴: Flagellat autem omnem filium, quem recipit: ergo flagellari est signum divinae filiationis.

3. Item, Tobiae duodecimo⁵: Quia acceptus eras Deo, necesse fuit, ut tentatio probaret te: ergo etc.

4. Item, Iudith octavo⁶: Omnes, quotquot placuere Deo, per multas tribulationes transierunt fideles: ergo status ille melior.

Contra: 1. Ecclesia petit pacem⁷: « Da pacem, Domine, in diebus hostris »: ergo si Ecclesia petit quod melius est, status prosperitatis est melior.

2. Item, Apostolus, primae ad Timotheum secundo⁸, facit orari pro his qui sunt in sublimitate constituti, ut quietam et tranquillam vitam agamus: ergo status tranquillitatis est melior.

3. Item, si non esset peccatum, nulla esset adversitas, sed omnimoda tranquillitas et prosperitas: ergo status prosperitatis magis consonat statui innocentiae et gloriae; sed « quod similius est meliori est melius⁹ »: ergo etc.

Respondeo: dicendum, quod status prosperitatis et adversitatis possunt comparari ad bonos, vel ad malos. Si ad malos, qui elevantur in prosperis et deiiciuntur in adversis, neuter est utilis, nisi divina gratia interius adiuvet, ut, quando flagellat exterius, illuminet interius; sic¹⁰, inspiratione concomitante flagellum, quod saepe contingit, status adversitatis est malis utilior. — Si autem loquimur per comparationem ad bonos; sic dicendum, quod boni quidam sunt perfecti, de quibus dicitur illud Proverbiorum duodecimo¹¹: Non contristabit iustum, quidquid ei acciderit; sic perfectis melior et utilior est status adversitatis, quia in eo examinantur, sicut aurum probatur in igne. Status autem prosperitatis non est eis utilis, aut quia non proficiunt, aut quia tepescunt, aut quia animi eorum decidunt, sicut David in bellis fortis in aspectu mulieris cecidit. — Sunt et alii, qui sunt imperfecti, qui diligunt Deum et inducuntur per temporalia beneficia; et cum non habeant caritatem perfectam, de facili cadunt; talibus prosperitas est utilior. Et quia Ecclesia multos habet tenellos et infirmos plures quam fortes, ideo cogitur orare pro pace. Quod ergo bonis mala eveniunt in praesenti, donum Dei est, iuxta illud ad Philippenses primo¹²: Datum est vobis non solum, ut in eum credatis, sed etiam pro illo patiamini.

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Secondly, on the adversity of the good.

There is also another vanity etc. Above he showed how security arises from the sight of the loftiness of the evil; here, secondly, he shows how it arises from the sight of the adversity of the good. And this he does in this order. First the adversity of the good is set forth; secondly, from this, the security of the evil; thirdly vanity is concluded; fourthly pleasure is commended.

(Vers. 14.). The adversity of the good is therefore set forth, from which vanity arises; on account of which he says: There is also another vanity, which is done upon the earth, other, namely, than the aforesaid, because it has another cause; for the aforesaid came from the loftiness of the evil, this from the adversity of the good. Therefore he says: There are just men to whom evils happen, that is, adversities; as though they had done the works of the wicked, according to what is had to the Hebrews, the eleventh⁹: « The saints had trial of mockeries and stripes, moreover also of bands and prisons; they were stoned, they were cut asunder, they were tempted ». An example of Tobias, who was made blind, Tobias, the second; an example of Job, who was so afflicted, Job, the first. And the reason of this is given in Judith, the eighth: « All that have pleased God passed through many tribulations, remaining faithful ».

And there are wicked men. Here the second is noted, namely the security of the evil. For because the wicked see evils befall the good and good things themselves; therefore they are made secure. Therefore he says: And there are wicked men, who become so secure, as though they had the deeds of the just; and this, because they are immune from tribulation. An example is that rich glutton, Luke, the sixteenth¹⁰, to whom it was said: « Remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things ». And therefore the evil are made secure, because they prosper; whence Jeremias, the twelfth: « Why doth the way of the wicked prosper, why is it well with all them that transgress » etc.

But this also is most vain. Here, thirdly, vanity is concluded from this security of the evil. Therefore he says: But this also I judge most vain. For it is vain when good things befall both the good and the evil, because it is unworthy p. 70 on account of the evil; more vain, when evil things befall both the good and the evil, because it is unjust on account of the good; but most vain, when evil things befall the good and good things the evil, because it is at once unjust and unworthy. Whence he bears it so indignantly that he would, as it were, from this reproach God; Habacuc, the first¹: « Why lookest thou not upon them that do unjust things, and holdest thy peace when the wicked devoureth the man that is more just than himself »?

(Vers. 15.). Therefore I commended mirth. Here, fourthly, from this pleasure is commended, in detestation of so great a vanity, from which good things befall the evil and evil things the good; and it is the praise and word of a disturbed man. Therefore he says: Therefore I commended mirth, namely of the flesh, as if this alone were good; therefore he says: Because there was no good for a man under the sun, but to eat and drink, according to that of Isaias, the twenty-second²: « Behold joy and gladness, to kill rams, to eat flesh, and to drink wine », as if there were no other life nor other reward. Therefore he subjoins: And this alone he taketh with him of his labour, as if nothing else were to be awaited, but one were to make merry in the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun; Wisdom, the second: « Let us everywhere leave tokens of our joy, for this is our portion ».

Questions.

It may be asked here which state is better and more useful; namely, whether the state of prosperity or of adversity. That it is that of adversity, it seems:

1. Because it is said in the Apocalypse, the third³: Such as I love, I rebuke and chastise: therefore tribulation is a sign of divine love.

2. Likewise it is said to the Hebrews, the twelfth⁴: And he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth: therefore to be scourged is a sign of divine sonship.

3. Likewise, Tobias, the twelfth⁵: Because thou wast acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove thee: therefore etc.

4. Likewise, Judith, the eighth⁶: All, as many as have pleased God, passed through many tribulations, remaining faithful: therefore that state is better.

On the contrary: 1. The Church asks for peace⁷: « Give peace, O Lord, in our days »: therefore if the Church asks for what is better, the state of prosperity is better.

2. Likewise the Apostle, in First to Timothy, the second⁸, has prayer made for those that are in high station, that we may lead a quiet and a tranquil life: therefore the state of tranquillity is better.

3. Likewise, if there were no sin, there would be no adversity, but tranquillity and prosperity of every kind: therefore the state of prosperity accords more with the state of innocence and of glory; but « what is more like the better is better⁹ »: therefore etc.

I respond: it must be said that the states of prosperity and of adversity can be compared with the good, or with the evil. If with the evil, who are lifted up in prosperity and cast down in adversity, neither is useful, unless divine grace help inwardly, so that, when it scourges outwardly, it illumines inwardly; thus¹⁰, with inspiration accompanying the scourge, which often happens, the state of adversity is more useful to the evil. — But if we speak by comparison with the good; thus it must be said that some of the good are perfect, of whom that of Proverbs, the twelfth, is said¹¹: Whatsoever shall befall the just man, it shall not make him sad; thus to the perfect the state of adversity is better and more useful, because in it they are tried, as gold is proved in the fire. But the state of prosperity is not useful to them, either because they do not make progress, or because they grow lukewarm, or because their spirits fall, as David, strong in wars, fell at the sight of a woman. — There are also others, who are imperfect, who love God and are led on by temporal benefits; and since they do not have perfect charity, they fall easily; for such, prosperity is more useful. And because the Church has many tender and weak ones, more than strong, therefore she is compelled to pray for peace. That evils befall the good in the present, then, is a gift of God, according to that to the Philippians, the first¹²: To you it is given, not only that you should believe in him, but also that you should suffer for him.

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