Dist. 39, Divisio Textus
Book II: On the Creation of Things · Distinction 39
## COMMENTARIUS IN DISTINCTIONEM XXXIX.
Quare voluntas magis depravetur in suo actu quam aliqua alia potentia.
Hic autem oritur quaestio satis necessaria etc.
DIVISIO TEXTUS.
Supra ostendit Magister, unde voluntas habeat rectificari et depravari. In hac parte inquirit, quare voluntas magis depravetur in suo actu quam aliqua alia potentia. Dividitur autem pars ista in duas partes, in quarum prima inquirit de causa depravationis15 voluntatis deliberativae. In secunda vero inquirit de rectitudine voluntatis humanae, secundum quod movetur per modum naturae, ibi: Praeterea quaeri solet, quomodo intelligendum sit etc.
Prima pars dividitur in partes duas, in quarum prima movet quaestionem et determinat; in secunda vero opponit contra praedictam solutionem ad maiorem veritatis26 explanationem, ibi: Sed adhuc quaeritur, quare huiusmodi naturalis etc.
Similiter secunda pars principalis dividitur in duas partes; in quarum prima movet dubitationem et opponit; in secunda parte eam dissolvit secundum diversorum opiniones, ibi: Proposita est quaestio profunda etc. — Et sic principaliter duo determinat Magister in parte ista, qualiter videlicet voluntas depravari possit, cum sit naturalis animae potentia, et qualiter homo naturaliter bonum velit et appetat, videlicet ratione naturalis iudicatorii, quod quidem est conscientia, quae semper bonum dictat, et ratione scintillae rationis vel conscientiae37, quae quidem est synderesis, quae semper ad bonum inclinat et contra malum recalcitrat4.
TRACTATIO QUAESTIONUM.
Ad intelligentiam igitur huius partis incidit hic quaestio circa duo.
Et primo quaeritur de ipsa conscientia, quae est voluntatis quaedam regula directiva.
Secundo quaeritur de synderesi, quae dicitur ipsius conscientiae scintilla.
Circa primum quaeruntur tria.
Primo quaeritur de ipsa conscientia in comparatione ad subiectum, utrum scilicet sit ex parte cognitivae, vel ex parte affectivae.
Secundo quaeritur in comparatione ad originem, utrum scilicet sit a natura, vel ab acquisitione.
Tertio quaeritur in comparatione ad effectum, videlicet utrum omnis conscientia habeat obligare.
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## COMMENTARY ON DISTINCTION XXXIX.
Why the will is more depraved in its act than any other power.
But here arises a question sufficiently necessary, etc.
DIVISION OF THE TEXT.
Above, the Master showed whence the will has it to be set right and to be depraved. In this part he inquires why the will is more depraved in its act than any other power. Now this part is divided into two parts: in the first of which he inquires about the cause of the depravation15 of the deliberative will; but in the second he inquires about the rectitude of the human will, insofar as it is moved after the manner of nature, there: Furthermore, it is wont to be asked how it is to be understood, etc.
The first part is divided into two parts, in the first of which he raises the question and determines it; but in the second he raises objections against the aforesaid solution, for the fuller explanation of the truth26, there: But still it is asked, why a natural [appetite] of this kind, etc.
Likewise the second principal part is divided into two parts; in the first of which he raises a doubt and objects; in the second part he resolves it according to the opinions of various [authorities], there: A profound question is proposed, etc. — And so the Master principally determines two things in this part: namely, in what way the will can be depraved, since it is a natural power of the soul, and how a human being naturally wills and desires the good, namely by reason of a natural faculty of judgment, which indeed is conscience, which always dictates the good, and by reason of the spark of reason or conscience37, which indeed is synderesis, which always inclines toward the good and kicks back against evil4.
TREATMENT OF THE QUESTIONS.
Therefore, for the understanding of this part, a question arises here concerning two things.
And first it is asked about conscience itself, which is a certain directive rule of the will.
Secondly it is asked about synderesis, which is called the spark of conscience itself.
Concerning the first, three things are asked.
First it is asked about conscience itself in comparison to its subject, namely whether it is on the side of the cognitive [power], or on the side of the affective.
Secondly it is asked in comparison to its origin, namely whether it is from nature, or from acquisition.
Thirdly it is asked in comparison to its effect, namely whether every conscience has [the power] to oblige.
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- Rom. 7, 19. Verbotenus legitur in Glossa, quae incipit v. 13. et sumta est ex Comment. in Epistolas S. Pauli, qui falso tribuitur S. Ambrosio (inter Opera Ambros. in hunc locum).Rom. 7:19. It is read word-for-word in the Gloss, which begins at v. 13 and is taken from the Commentary on the Epistles of St. Paul, which is falsely attributed to St. Ambrose (among the Works of Ambrose, at this passage).
- Dist. XXV. c. 7. — Paulo inferius post idem motus et servit, et Vat. et plures edd. bis ponunt quo pro qua, et iterum post istarum est ponunt qua pro quae, refragantibus codd. et ed. I.Dist. XXV, c. 7. — A little further below, after idem motus et servit, et, the Vatican edition and several editions twice put quo for qua, and again after istarum est they put qua for quae, against the codices and edition I.
- Dist. XXVI. c. I. — Vat. cum paucis edd., refragantibus codd. et ceteris edd., habet libro de Fide ad Petrum; et revera in hoc (c. 2.5. n. 68.), non in illo, locus cit. invenitur.Dist. XXVI, c. 1. — The Vatican edition with a few editions, against the codices and the other editions, has in the book On Faith to Peter; and in fact the cited passage is found in this work (c. 25, n. 68), not in that one.
- Super Ezech. 1, 7, et est etiam in Glossa ordinaria. — Inferius Vat. cum paucis edd. post malum addit semper, et post motum omittit mentis.On Ezekiel 1, 7, and it is also in the ordinary Gloss. — Below, the Vatican edition with a few editions adds semper after malum, and omits mentis after motum.
- NOTAE AD COMMENTARIUM. — Edd., excepta 1, privationis. — Supra ante aliqua alia cod. Y perperam inserit in.NOTES TO THE COMMENTARY. — The editions, except edition 1, read privationis. — Above, before aliqua alia, codex Y wrongly inserts in.
- Edd., excepta 1, voluntatis.The editions, except edition 1, read voluntatis.
- Codd. C L R S T ee et alii scientiae.Codices C, L, R, S, T, ee and others read scientiae. ---