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Dist. 25, Art. 2, Q. 3

Book III: On the Incarnation of the Word · Distinction 25

Textus Latinus
p. 549

Quaestio III. Utrum fides creverit quoad assensus certitudinem.

Tertio quaeritur, utrum fides creverit quantum ad assensus certitudinem. Et quod sic, videtur.

1. Certius assentitur ei quod clarius cognoscitur; sed fides secundum diversitatem temporum profecit in claritate cognoscendi: ergo in certitudine assentiendi.

2. Item, certius assentitur rei, quanto certior est in se; sed necessarium certius est quam contingens: ergo fides, quae est de necessario, certior est quam fides, quae est de contingenti. Sed fides, qua credimus, Christum esse passum, est de necessario; fides, qua crediderunt, Christum esse passurum, fuit de contingentip549-4: ergo certior est fides post adventum Christi quam ante.

3. Item, certiusp549-5 est aliquid, quanto pluribus testibus confirmatur: sed fides Ecclesiae pluribus testibus confirmata est, quam fuerit fides Synagogaep549-6, sive quantum ad mirabilia, sive quantum ad martyria, sive quantum ad Prophetarum oracula.

4. Item, quanto fides firmius adhaeret, tanto certior est, sed quanto fides est devotior, tanto firmius adhaeret; sed secundum diversitatem temporum crevit fidei devotio: ergo crevit ipsius fidei certitudo. Quod autem secundum diversitatem temporum fidei devotio creverit, manifestum est: quia devotionem ipsius Ecclesiae admiratur Synagoga in Canticis quasi per totum, secundum quod Glossae exponunt; et hoc ipsum expresse videri potest in choris Martyrum, Virginum et Confessorum, qui amplius abundant post Christi adventum quam ante.

Sed contra: 1. Tota certitudo ipsius fidei pendet ex divina Veritate dictantep549-7; sed ipsi divinae Veritati dictanti nulla omnino potest accrescere certitudo: ergo pari ratione nec ipsi fidei assentienti.

2. Item, cognitio fidei est conformis divinae praescientiae, a qua recipit illuminationemp549-8; sed divina praescientia aeque certa est de futuro, antequam eveniat, sicut et de praeterito, postquam evenit:

p. 550

ergo videtur, quod fides Patrum praecedentium adventum Christi habebat tantam certitudinem, quantam habet fides eorum qui sunt subsecuti.

3. Item, aeque certa est ipsa fides de eo quod cognoscit, sicut et prophetia; sed «prophetia est divina inspiratio, rerum eventum immobili veritate denuntiansp550-1», quae adeo est certa de futuro, sicut et de praeterito — unde et futura frequenter annuntiat per modum praeteriti — ergo pari ratione videtur, quod et fides in Patribus praecedentibus adventum Christi aeque certa fuerit, sicut et in consequentibus.

4. Item, sicut in fide nostra nullus cadit error, nulla dubitatio, sic nec in fide praecedentium Patrum: si ergo «albius dicitur quod est nigro impermixtiusp550-2», et certius quod remotum est ab omni dubitatione; et aeque erat remota fides antiquorum Patrum ab errore et dubitatione, sicut et nostra: ergo aequaliter erat certa: ergo fides non crevit quantum ad certitudinem.

Conclusio.

Fidei certitudo in comparatione ad Veritatem dictantem non crevit, licet in comparatione ad ipsum credentem crescere possit.

Respondeo: Dicendum, quod de certitudine fidei est loqui dupliciter secundum duplicem comparationem. Habet enim fides comparari ad ipsam Veritatem dictantem, habet etiam comparari ad ipsum intellectum assentientem. Si loquamur de certitudine fidei per comparationem ad Veritatem dictantem, sic eius certitudo nec habet minui nec augeri, quia, cum ipsa Veritas divina certissima sit et falli non possit; quantum est ex parte rationis dictantis, in fide quacumque, qua assentit divinae Veritati propter se et super omnia, status est certitudinis, nec habet ex illa parte fides proficere in certitudine, sicut ostendunt rationes ad secundam partem inductae. — Si autem loquamur de certitudine fideip550-3 per comparationem ad ipsum credentem, sic concedi potest, quod fides crescit quantum ad certitudinem, tum propter clariorem cognitionem tum propter maiorem devotionem. Illa enim fides certior est, quae apertius cognoscit et devotius acquiescit. Et quantum ad haec duo fides secundum diversitatem temporum crescit, secundum quod dicit magister Hugo de sancto Victore in libro de Sacramentisp550-4: «Duo, inquit, sunt, secundum quae fides crescere dicitur, cognitio et affectus. Secundum cognitionem fides crescit, quando eruditur ad scientiam; secundum affectum vero, quando ad devotionem excitatur et roboratur ad constantiam». Et utroque modo crevit fides secundum diversitatem temporum. Quod enim creverit quantum ad devotionem, satis ostendunt Martyrum passiones; quod quantum ad scientiam, satis ostendunt Doctorum eruditiones. — Unde Hugop550-5 dicit, quod illud signatum fuit in Numerorum decimo tertio de botro, qui portabatur in vecte, de quo ait sic: «Botrus siquidem in vecte Christus in cruce est, cuius mysterium in sacramento duo populi portant. Qui praecesserunt portaverunt, sed non viderunt; quia praecedentes adventum eius sacramenta passionis ipsius portaverunt, sed non omnes per cognitionem intelligere valuerunt. Secundi autem portant et vident, quia fideles post adventum Christi sacramentum passionis eius per fidem suscipiunt et per revelatam cognitionem iam aperte cognoscunt». Sic igitur patet, quod etsi certitudo fidei a parte Veritatis dictantis non habet incrementum, habet tamen proficere ex parte ipsius credentis.

Et secundum hoc patet responsio ad quaestionem propositam. Patet etiam responsio ad obiecta: quia rationes ad primam partem procedunt secundum unam viam, et rationes ad secundam partem procedunt per aliam, sicut manifestum est pertractanti.

Patet etiam generaliter ex praedictis, quis sit modus proficiendi in ipsa fide. Proficitp550-6 enim fides quodam modo extensive quantum ad articulorum explicationem; proficit etiam intensive quantum ad clariorem illuminationem; proficit etiam radicative quantum ad certitudinis et devotionis adhaesionem; et hoc dico respiciendo ad statum communem. — Et per consimilem modum proficere habet in eodem homine et etiam in diversis hominibus, qui sunt sub eadem Lege, sese gradatim excedentibus secundum fidei profectum. Et hoc est quod dicit Hugo de sancto Victorep550-7: «Secundum incrementa fidei diversa genera hominum inveniuntur. Quidam enim fideles sunt, qui sola pietate credere eligunt, sed

p. 551

utrum credendum sit, vel non credendum, ratione non comprehendunt. Alii vero ratione approbant quod fide iam credunt. Alii vero quod fide credunt et ratione approbant purificatae mentis intelligentia experiuntur. In primis sola fides facit electionem; in secundis ratio adiungit approbationem; in tertiis puritas intelligentiae apprehendit certitudinem». — Et sic patet responsio ad propositam quaestionemp551-1.

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English Translation

Question III. Whether faith has grown as to the certitude of assent.

Third it is asked whether faith has grown as to the certitude of assent. And that it is so, it seems.

1. One assents more certainly to that which is more clearly known; but faith, according to the diversity of times, has progressed in clarity of knowing: therefore [also] in certitude of assenting.

2. Likewise, one assents more certainly to a thing the more certain it is in itself; but the necessary is more certain than the contingent: therefore faith, which is of the necessary, is more certain than faith which is of the contingent. But the faith by which we believe that Christ has suffered is of the necessary; the faith by which they believed that Christ was to suffer was of the contingentp549-4: therefore faith after the coming of Christ is more certain than before.

3. Likewise, a thing is more certainp549-5 the more it is confirmed by many witnesses: but the faith of the Church has been confirmed by more witnesses than was the faith of the Synagoguep549-6, whether as to wonders, or as to martyrdoms, or as to the oracles of the Prophets.

4. Likewise, the more firmly faith adheres, the more certain it is, but the more devout faith is, the more firmly it adheres; but according to the diversity of times the devotion of faith grew: therefore the certitude of faith itself grew. And that according to the diversity of times the devotion of faith grew is manifest: because the Synagogue admires the devotion of the Church itself in the Canticles, as it were throughout, according as the Glosses expound; and this very thing can be expressly seen in the choirs of Martyrs, of Virgins, and of Confessors, who abound more amply after the coming of Christ than before.

On the contrary: 1. The whole certitude of faith itself depends on the divine Truth which dictatesp549-7; but to the divine Truth itself which dictates no certitude at all can accrue: therefore by like reasoning neither [can any accrue] to faith itself which assents.

2. Likewise, the cognition of faith is conformed to the divine foreknowledge, from which it receives its illuminationp549-8; but the divine foreknowledge is equally certain of the future, before it comes to pass, as of the past, after it has come to pass:

therefore it seems that the faith of the Fathers who preceded the coming of Christ had as great a certitude as the faith of those who followed has.

3. Likewise, faith is as certain of what it knows as prophecy is; but «prophecy is a divine inspiration, announcing the outcome of things with immovable truthp550-1», which is as certain of the future as of the past — whence also it frequently announces future things in the manner of past things — therefore by like reasoning it seems that faith too in the Fathers preceding the coming of Christ was equally certain as in those who followed.

4. Likewise, just as in our faith no error falls, no doubt, so neither [does any fall] in the faith of the preceding Fathers: if therefore «that is called whiter which is more unmingled with blackp550-2», and that more certain which is removed from all doubt; and the faith of the ancient Fathers was equally removed from error and doubt as ours is: therefore it was equally certain: therefore faith has not grown as to certitude.

Conclusion.

The certitude of faith, in comparison to the Truth which dictates, has not grown, although in comparison to the believer himself it can grow.

I respond: It must be said that one may speak of the certitude of faith in two ways according to a twofold comparison. For faith has [a relation] to be compared to the Truth itself which dictates, and it has also [a relation] to be compared to the intellect itself which assents. If we speak of the certitude of faith by comparison to the Truth which dictates, then its certitude can neither be diminished nor increased, because, since the divine Truth itself is most certain and cannot be deceived; as far as is on the part of the dictating ground, in any faith whatever, by which it assents to the divine Truth for its own sake and above all things, there is a state of certitude, nor on that side does faith have to progress in certitude, as the reasons adduced for the second part show. — But if we speak of the certitude of faithp550-3 by comparison to the believer himself, then it can be granted that faith grows as to certitude, both on account of a clearer cognition and on account of a greater devotion. For that faith is more certain which knows more openly and acquiesces more devoutly. And as to these two faith grows according to the diversity of times, according as master Hugh of St. Victor says in the book On the Sacramentsp550-4: «Two things, he says, there are according to which faith is said to grow, cognition and affection. According to cognition faith grows, when it is instructed unto knowledge; but according to affection, when it is excited to devotion and strengthened unto constancy». And in both modes faith grew according to the diversity of times. For that it grew as to devotion, the passions of the Martyrs sufficiently show; that [it grew] as to knowledge, the erudition of the Doctors sufficiently shows. — Whence Hughp550-5 says that this was signified in the thirteenth [chapter] of Numbers concerning the cluster of grapes which was carried on a pole, of which he speaks thus: «The cluster on the pole is indeed Christ on the cross, whose mystery in the sacrament two peoples carry. Those who preceded carried it, but did not see; because those preceding his coming carried the sacraments of his passion, but not all were able to understand [it] through cognition. But the latter both carry and see, because the faithful after the coming of Christ receive the sacrament of his passion through faith and now openly know [it] through revealed cognition». Thus therefore it is plain that, although the certitude of faith on the part of the Truth which dictates has no increase, yet it has to progress on the part of the believer himself.

And according to this the response to the question proposed is plain. The response to the objections is also plain: because the reasons for the first part proceed according to one way, and the reasons for the second part proceed by another, as is manifest to one who examines [them].

It is also plain in general from the foregoing what is the mode of progressing in faith itself. For faith progressesp550-6 in a certain way extensively as to the explication of the articles; it progresses also intensively as to a clearer illumination; it progresses also radically as to the adherence of certitude and devotion; and this I say with regard to the common state. — And in a like manner it has to progress in the same man and also in diverse men, who are under the same Law, gradually exceeding one another according to the progress of faith. And this is what Hugh of St. Victor saysp550-7: «According to the increments of faith diverse kinds of men are found. For some are faithful, who choose to believe by piety alone, but

whether a thing is to be believed, or not to be believed, they do not comprehend by reason. But others approve by reason what they already believe by faith. But others experience, by the understanding of a purified mind, what they believe by faith and approve by reason. In the first faith alone makes the choice; in the second reason adds approval; in the third the purity of understanding apprehends certitude». — And thus the response to the question proposed is plainp551-1.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. Cfr. quaest. praeced., et supra d. 24. a. I. q. I. ad 3. — In maiori pro certius edd. tanto certius, et pro assentitur rei, quam lectionem, o codd. A G Z bb in textum intulimus, alii codd. et edd. assentitur ei.
    Cf. the preceding question, and above, d. 24. a. I. q. I. ad 3. — In the major [premise], for certius the editions [read] tanto certius, and for assentitur rei, which reading, with codices A G Z bb, we have brought into the text, other codices and editions [read] assentitur ei.
  2. Edd. tanto certius. Paulo inferius pro mirabilia codd. K T miracula.
    The editions [read] tanto certius. A little below, for mirabilia codices K T [read] miracula.
  3. Exempli gratia illa ordinaria apud Strabum et Lyranum in Cantic. 6, 9: Ecclesia gentium ita firmiter instituta... illis novissimis temporibus iam intuens Synagoga tam bene operatam operantemque ipsam sanctam Ecclesiam tam diffusam, tot sapientissimos sine schismate sequi unam fidem, praeterea vivorum et mortuorum miracula et multa alia christianae fidei argumenta, iam convicta, poenitens et compuncta dicit admirative: Quae est ista etc. — Codd. Z bb Glossa exponit. Post Synagoga edd. subiiciunt ut patet.
    For example, that ordinary [gloss] in Strabo and Lyra on Canticles 6, 9: The Church of the gentiles, so firmly established... in those last times now beholding the Synagogue, [seeing] the same holy Church so well wrought and working, so widespread, so many most wise men following one faith without schism, besides the miracles of the living and the dead and many other arguments of the Christian faith, now convicted, penitent and stricken, says in wonder: Who is she etc. — Codices Z bb [read] Glossa exponit. After Synagoga the editions add ut patet.
  4. Cfr. supra d. 23. a. I, q. 3. in corp. et q. 4. — In conclus. post ergo pari ratione cod. Z addit videtur, quod.
    Cf. above, d. 23. a. I, q. 3. in the body, and q. 4. — In the conclusion, after ergo pari ratione codex Z adds videtur, quod.
  5. Vide supra d. 24. a. I. q. I. in corp.
    See above, d. 24. a. I. q. I. in the body.
  6. Ut Cassiodorus ait, de quo vide supra pag. 513, nota 1. — Circa finem arg. pro in Patribus edd. in pluribus Patribus.
    As Cassiodorus says, concerning whom see above, page 513, note 1. — Near the end of the argument, for in Patribus the editions [read] in pluribus Patribus.
  7. Aristot., III. Topic. c. 4. (c. 5.). — Subinde verbo remotum Vat. praemittit magis.
    Aristotle, Topics III. c. 4. (c. 5.). — Thereupon, to the word remotum the Vatican [edition] prefixes magis.
  8. Cod. Z divinae fidei.
    Codex Z [reads] divinae fidei.
  9. Libr. I. p. X. c. 4, ubi textus origin. post et affectus addit: id est constantia vel firmitas credendi.
    Book I. p. X. c. 4, where the original text after et affectus adds: that is, the constancy or firmness of believing.
  10. Libr. I. de Sacram. p. X. c. 7, qui locus in textu origin. habetur sic: Botrus... sacramenta passionis eius omnes quidem per fidem portaverunt, sed non omnes per cognitionem... portaverunt intelligere meruerunt. Sequentes autem et portant et vident, quia fideles, qui post adventum eius in carne subsequuntur, sacramentum passionis eius et per fidem suscipiunt et per revelatam iam cognitionem agnoscunt. Cfr. supra d. 13. a. 2. q. 3. ad 6. — Testimonium Scripturae est Num. 13, 24. — Pro signatum fuit cod. H figuratum fuit.
    Book I. On the Sacraments p. X. c. 7, which passage in the original text reads thus: The cluster... all indeed carried the sacraments of his passion through faith, but not all... who carried [them] deserved to understand [them] through cognition. But those who follow both carry and see, because the faithful, who follow after his coming in the flesh, both receive the sacrament of his passion through faith and now acknowledge [it] through revealed cognition. Cf. above, d. 13. a. 2. q. 3. ad 6. — The testimony of Scripture is Num. 13, 24. — For signatum fuit codex H [reads] figuratum fuit.
  11. Codd. A K hic et in seqq. constanter Profecit. Deinde pro extensive cod. G extensione et similiter intensione pro intensive, pariterque post pauca codd. I Z (H a prima manu) radicatione pro radicative.
    Codices A K here and in what follows constantly [read] Profecit. Then for extensive codex G [reads] extensione and likewise intensione for intensive, and equally after a few words codices I Z (H by a first hand) [read] radicatione for radicative.
  12. Libr. I. de Sacram. p. X. c. 4: Secundum incrementum fidei tria genera credentium inveniuntur. Quidam enim fideles... eligunt, quod tamen, utrum sit credendum, an non credendum sit, ratione non comprehendunt. Alii ratione approbant quod fide credunt. Alii puritate cordis et munda conscientia interius iam gustare incipiunt quod fide credunt. In primis sola pietas facit electionem etc. — Circa initium testimonii cum edd. recepimus diversa (pro tria in textu origin.), quod in codd. desideratur.
    Book I. On the Sacraments p. X. c. 4: According to the increment of faith three kinds of believers are found. For some are faithful... who choose, yet whether a thing is to be believed, or is not to be believed, they do not comprehend by reason. Others approve by reason what they believe by faith. Others, by purity of heart and a clean conscience, now begin inwardly to taste what they believe by faith. In the first piety alone makes the choice etc. — Near the beginning of the testimony we have, with the editions, received diversa (for tria in the original text), which is lacking in the codices.
  13. Vide scholion ad 1. huius articuli quaest.
    See the scholion on question 1 of this article. ---
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