Dist. 3, Part 2, Dubia
Book II: On the Creation of Things · Distinction 3
DUBIA CIRCA LITTERAM MAGISTRI.
DUB. I.
In parte ista sunt dubitationes circa litteram, et primo quaeritur de intellectu illius verbi Iob: Hoc est initium figmenti Dei etc., quare dicitur figmentum. Si ratione corporis aptati, ut infra1 exponit, quomodo hoc verum est, cum illud non habuerit ab initio? — Item, Deus vult omnes salvos fieri2: ergo fecit Angelum illum, ut beatificaretur, non illuderetur: ergo male dicitur, ut illudatur ei etc.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod omnis creatura ratione suae fragilitatis figmentum dicitur, maxime rationalis, quando non consolidatur per gratiam. Quoniam igitur lucifer excellens fuit inter ceteras creaturas, et ipse sprevit gratiam et in veritate non stetit3; ideo dicitur initium figmenti. Unde et alia translatio habet: ipse est principium viarum Dei. Hunc autem quamvis Deus praesciret futurum esse malum, tamen fecit, quia et simul praevidit, quibus bonis usibus accommodaret4, scilicet Sanctorum victoriae et amplificandae coronae. Potest igitur intelligi haec coniunctio ut consecutive, vel causaliter. Consecutive, sicut frequenter accipitur in Evangelio5: hoc autem factum est, ut impleretur, quia consecutivum est ad hoc; sic diaboli ludificatio subsecuta est, quamvis propter illam non fuerit factus. Si autem intelligatur causaliter, tunc ponitur consequens pro antecedente. Finaliter enim diabolus factus est ad exercitium et propter promotionem bonorum, ad quod consequitur ipsius diaboli ludificatio, qui, dum intendit deiicere, promovet. Unde sensus est, quod Deus fecit diabolum, quem praevidit malum, ad exercitium bonorum, ad quod consequitur eius ludificatio6.
DUB. II.
Item quaeritur de intellectu illius verbi: Sapientia est fructus pietatis, quomodo sit intelligendum, quia magis videtur esse principium pietatis, quam fructus. — Item, nihil videtur ad propositum, quia praescientia casus non est sapientia, sed tantum scientia.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod sapientia non dicitur hic a sapore, sed a sapere7; et dicitur hic sapientia cognitio desursum descendens8 per inspirationem sive per revelationem. Haec autem est dupliciter: quaedam est a Verbo, quaedam est in Verbo. Praescientia igitur casus non potuit esse nisi cognitio desursum descendens, quia futurum est contingens, de quo nulla potest haberi certitudo secundum causas inferiores; aut igitur est in Verbo, aut a Verbo. Si in Verbo, sic est fructus pietatis; nemo enim pervenit ad visionem Verbi, nisi per pietatem animi; et quia hanc non habuit diabolus, ideo non potuit hoc nosse in Verbo. Si a Verbo, sic est fructus pietatis, quia a misericordia Dei excludente ignorantiam. Et hoc modo, si praescientia casus daretur innocenti, non esset ex pietate, sed ex crudelitate, sicut infra patebit9, quia cruciaretur innocens sine culpa. Et sic patet intellectus verbi illius, et qualiter valet ad propositum.
DUB. III.
Item quaeritur de intellectu illius verbi: Triplex erat naturalis cognitio: aut distinguit formaliter, aut materialiter. Si materialiter, tunc multo plures; si formaliter; contra: unus erat modus cognoscendi.
Respondeo: Potest dici, quod est distinctio quantum ad numerum cognoscibilium, et quantum ad gradum. Quantum ad numerum, quia cognoscibile aut est Creator, aut creatura; et creatura aut corporalis, aut spiritualis. — Ordo etiam est, quia cognoscibile aut supra, aut infra, aut iuxta; et sic clauditur omnis cognoscibilis differentia, ratione cuius Magister distinguit cognitionem magis quam ratione modi cognoscendi.
DOUBTS CONCERNING THE TEXT OF THE MASTER.
DOUBT I.
In this part there are doubts concerning the text, and first inquiry is made about the meaning of that word of Job: This is the beginning of the handiwork of God etc., why it is called handiwork. If by reason of the body fitted to it, as he explains below1, how is this true, since it did not have that from the beginning? — Likewise, God wishes all to be saved2: therefore He made that Angel that he might be beatified, not mocked: therefore it is ill said that he should be mocked, etc.
I respond: It must be said that every creature, by reason of its fragility, is called handiwork, especially the rational creature, when it is not consolidated by grace. Since therefore Lucifer was excellent among the other creatures, and he himself spurned grace and did not stand in the truth3; therefore he is called the beginning of the handiwork. Hence another translation has: he is the beginning of the ways of God. But although God foreknew that he would be evil, nevertheless He made him, because He also at the same time foresaw to what good uses He would accommodate him4, namely to the victory of the Saints and to the enlarging of the crown. This conjunction can therefore be understood as consecutive or as causal. Consecutively, as is frequently taken in the Gospel5: now this was done, that it might be fulfilled, because it is consecutive to this; thus the mocking of the devil followed, although he was not made on account of it. But if it be understood causally, then the consequent is put for the antecedent. For finally the devil was made for the exercise and for the promotion of the good, on which follows the mocking of the devil himself, who, while he intends to cast down, promotes. Hence the sense is that God made the devil, whom He foresaw to be evil, for the exercise of the good, on which follows his mocking6.
DOUBT II.
Likewise inquiry is made about the meaning of that word: Wisdom is the fruit of piety, how it is to be understood, since it seems rather to be the principle of piety than the fruit. — Likewise, nothing seems to the purpose, because the foreknowledge of the fall is not wisdom, but only knowledge.
I respond: It must be said that wisdom is here named not from taste (sapor), but from being wise (sapere)7; and wisdom here means cognition descending from above8 through inspiration or through revelation. But this is twofold: one kind is from the Word, another is in the Word. The foreknowledge of the fall, therefore, could only be a cognition descending from above, because the future is contingent, of which no certitude can be had according to inferior causes; either therefore it is in the Word, or from the Word. If in the Word, thus it is the fruit of piety; for no one comes to the vision of the Word except through piety of soul; and because the devil did not have this, therefore he could not know this in the Word. If from the Word, thus it is the fruit of piety, because from the mercy of God excluding ignorance. And in this way, if the foreknowledge of the fall were given to an innocent, it would be not from piety, but from cruelty, as will appear below9, because the innocent would be tortured without fault. And thus the meaning of that word is plain, and how it avails for the purpose.
DOUBT III.
Likewise inquiry is made about the meaning of that word: The natural cognition was threefold: does it distinguish formally or materially? If materially, then there are far more; if formally, on the contrary: there was one mode of knowing.
I respond: It can be said that the distinction is both as to the number of knowables and as to the grade. As to the number, because the knowable is either the Creator or a creature; and the creature either corporeal or spiritual. — There is also an order, because the knowable is either above, or below, or beside; and thus is enclosed every difference of the knowable, by reason of which the Master distinguishes cognition rather than by reason of the mode of knowing.