Bonaventure

Quaestio IV. Utrum indulgentiae debeant fieri pro spirituali, an pro corporali beneficio.

Quarto quaeritur, pro quo debeat relaxatio fieri, utrum scilicet pro spirituali, an pro corporali beneficio. Et quod pro temporalibus et corporalibus actibus fieri debeat, vel etiam beneficiis, ostenditur:

1. Per communem usum Ecclesiae, ubi indulgentiae fiunt pro eleemosynis, peregrinationibus, visitationibus reliquiarum et huiusmodi.

2. Item, ratione videtur: quia huiusmodi relaxationes aliquo modo sacramentales sunt; sed Sacramenta attenduntur in rebus exterius gestis¹; ergo etc.

3. Item, istae relaxationes non sunt a culpa, sed a poena; sed poena, si recte commutatur, commutatur in poenam; sed absolutio fit a poena exteriori in carne, utpote a ieiuniis et consimilibus: ergo debet fieri commutatio in poenam exteriorem: ergo pro² tali commutatione fieri debent.

4. Item, si non pro opere exteriori, sed pro interiori: ergo cum bona voluntas simul possit esse in aliquo respectu omnium relaxationum, quia perfectus omne bonum vult et sibi placet³; videtur tunc, quod quilibet iustus haberet omnes indulgentias; quod non est conveniens dicere, tunc enim frustra homines laborarent.

Contra: 1. Indulgentia sive relaxatio dicit beneficium spirituale; sed quicumque dat spirituale pro temporali, committit simoniam: ergo videtur, quod in omnibus relaxationibus sit simonia, si fiunt pro exterioribus obsequiis vel eleemosynis.

2. Item, maior est misericordia spiritualis quam corporalis — unde maius est alicui parcere quam hospitio colligere vel eleemosynam dare⁴ — ergo facit magis hominem dignum remissione: ergo potius pro illo opere deberet fieri relaxatio.

3. Item, in maiori ruina et periculosiori est Ecclesia, in qua est schisma, quam ecclesia, cuius parietes minantur ruinam: ergo magis indiget talis Ecclesia muniri quam alia: si ergo relaxationes debito modo fiunt pro ecclesia materiali reparanda⁵, ut qui iuvat habeat indulgentiam; videtur multo fortius indulgentia debere dari pro spirituali ruina reparanda, ut qui orat, ut Deus det ei concordiam, indulgentiam habeat.

4. Item, maioris perfectionis et plus Deo acceptum est religionem intrare quam crucem accipere: ergo potius deberet dominus Papa indulgentiam dare intrantibus religionem quam euntibus ultra mare.

Iuxta hoc quaeritur: si aliquis accipit crucem et habet votum et voluntatem perfectam eundi ultra mare, utrum habeat remissionem omnium peccatorum. Quodsi sic, tunc indulgentia fit pro sola voluntate, et ita pro re spirituali; si vero non, tunc Ecclesia non videtur esse conformis Deo, qui votum

et bonam voluntatem, si plena est et non deficiat, quantum in se est, reputat pro facto⁶.

Conclusio. Indulgentiae praecipue fieri debent pro actibus exterioribus.

Respondeo: Dicendum, quod sicut videmus in politicis et communitatibus humanis, quod thesaurus reipublicae propter duo maxime consuevit proferri et communicari exterius; sic in spiritualibus intelligendum. Profertur namque thesaurus extra ad dispergendum propter gloriam principis, sicut faciunt reges curiales, sicut fecit Assuerus Esther primo⁷; alio modo propter utilitatem communitatis sive necessitatem, ut quando laeditur communitas, proferuntur stipendia et donativa militibus, ut eant ad pugnam. Sic thesaurus Ecclesiae ab his qui habent dispensare, duplici ex causa debet distribui, scilicet propter gloriam principis et laudem; et laus et honor Dei est in Sanctis suis⁸, et Sancti honorantur in constructione basilicarum, visitatione basilicarum, commemoratione virtutum suarum, et idem fit in praedicationibus et sermonibus: ideo pro his omnibus indulgentiae recte fiunt. Communis autem utilitas⁹ est defensio Terrae sanctae, defensio fidei, promotio studii et consimilia; et ideo adhuc pro talibus debent fieri. Et quoniam haec consistunt in actibus exterioribus, ideo maxime pro actibus exterioribus debent fieri indulgentiae.

1. Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur, quod est simonia, quia datur spirituale pro temporali; dicendum, quod falsum est, immo maior poena commutatur in minorem et residuum solvit pastor Ecclesiae de gratia. — Vel dicendum, quod non dat indulgentiam pro eleemosyna exteriori considerans datum, sed fructum, videlicet quia ex radice bonae voluntatis procedit.

2. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod spiritualis eleemosyna maior est; dicendum, quod in donatione indulgentiae non consideratur operis nobilitas¹⁰, quia tunc magis deberet dari docentibus quam peregrinantibus; sed consideratur hoc, quod illud opus sit merae voluntatis, non necessitatis, sit etiam quid taxabile, sit etiam aliquo modo poenale; haec enim omnia considerat qui indulgentiam praestat.

3. Ad illud quod obiicitur de ruina spirituali, dicendum, quod, sicut tactum est¹¹, pro talibus tenetur homo orare. Praeterea, non est bonum talia publicare; ruinam autem materialem Ecclesiae publicare non dicit aliquod malum nec infamiam. Praeterea, magis potest homo subvenire ad relevandum inopiam Ecclesiae quam ad ponendum ibi concordiam, quia primum est opus humanum, secundum vero est opus divinum.

4. Ad illud quod obiicitur de ingressu in religionem, dicendum, quod sicut indulgentiae non debent dari indignis, ita nec debent dari nisi indigentibus; veri autem religiosi, qui statum aggrediuntur perfectionis, potius spiritualia bona aliis largiuntur, quam aliunde mendicent. Unde hic maxime verum est quod dicitur Actuum vigesimo: Beatius est magis dare quam accipere. In temporalibus autem non habet veritatem, nisi quando donans dat de proprio labore, et accipiens accipit ex torpore.

Ad illud quod quaeritur de illo qui dat sola voluntate, dicendum, quod secundum peritos non habet totam indulgentiam, quidquid isti vulgares praedicatores dicant; tamen valet eis tam nobile propositum ad augmentum caritatis et per consequens contritionis, et ita ad remissionem poenae. Indulgentiae enim non intelliguntur dari pro sola voluntate, sed pro effectu; unde qui habet voluntatem et effectum indulgentiam consequitur; alius, qui habet voluntatem solam, ex devotione habet meritum magnum, licet non omnimodum consequatur effectum¹².

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Question IV. Whether indulgences ought to be made for a spiritual, or for a bodily benefit.

Fourthly it is asked, for what relaxation ought to be made, namely whether for a spiritual, or for a bodily benefit. And that it ought to be made for temporal and bodily acts, or even benefits, is shown:

1. By the common usage of the Church, where indulgences are made for almsgivings, pilgrimages, visitations of relics, and the like.

2. Likewise, it seems so by reason: because relaxations of this kind are in some way sacramental; but the Sacraments are attended to in things outwardly done¹; therefore etc.

3. Likewise, these relaxations are not from guilt, but from punishment; but punishment, if it is rightly commuted, is commuted into punishment; but absolution is made from outward punishment in the flesh, such as from fastings and the like: therefore the commutation ought to be made into an outward punishment: therefore they ought to be made for² such a commutation.

4. Likewise, if not for an outward work, but for an inward one: then, since a good will can be present alike in respect of all relaxations, because the perfect man wills every good and it is pleasing to him³; it then seems that every just man would have all indulgences; which it is not fitting to say, for then men would labor in vain.

On the contrary: 1. An indulgence or relaxation expresses a spiritual benefit; but whoever gives a spiritual thing for a temporal one commits simony: therefore it seems that in all relaxations there is simony, if they are made for outward services or almsgivings.

2. Likewise, spiritual mercy is greater than bodily mercy — whence it is greater to spare someone than to gather him into one's lodging or to give alms⁴ — therefore it makes a man more worthy of remission: therefore relaxation ought rather to be made for that work.

3. Likewise, the Church in which there is schism is in greater and more perilous ruin than a church whose walls threaten ruin: therefore such a Church needs more to be fortified than the other: if therefore relaxations are duly made for the repairing of a material church⁵, so that he who helps may have the indulgence; it seems much more strongly that an indulgence ought to be given for the repairing of spiritual ruin, so that he who prays that God may grant concord may have the indulgence.

4. Likewise, it is of greater perfection and more acceptable to God to enter religion than to take the cross: therefore the lord Pope ought rather to give the indulgence to those entering religion than to those going across the sea.

Alongside this it is asked: if someone takes the cross and has the vow and a perfect will of going across the sea, whether he has remission of all sins. And if yes, then the indulgence is made for the will alone, and thus for a spiritual thing; but if no, then the Church does not seem to be conformable to God, who reckons the vow and the good will, if it is full and does not fail, as far as in it lies, for the deed accomplished⁶.

Conclusion. Indulgences ought chiefly to be made for outward acts.

I respond: It must be said that, just as we see in political bodies and human communities that the treasure of the commonwealth is wont to be brought forth and shared outwardly chiefly for two reasons; so it is to be understood in spiritual things. For the treasure is brought forth abroad to be dispersed for the glory of the prince, as courtly kings do, as Ahasuerus did for Esther in the first chapter⁷; in another way for the advantage of the community or its necessity, as when the community is harmed, stipends and gifts are brought forth for the soldiers, that they may go to battle. So the treasure of the Church must be distributed by those who have its dispensing for a twofold cause, namely for the glory of the prince and praise; and the praise and honor of God is in His Saints⁸, and the Saints are honored in the building of basilicas, the visiting of basilicas, the commemoration of their virtues, and the same is done in preachings and sermons: therefore for all these indulgences are rightly made. But the common advantage⁹ is the defense of the Holy Land, the defense of the faith, the promotion of study, and the like; and therefore indulgences ought still to be made for such things. And since these consist in outward acts, therefore indulgences ought chiefly to be made for outward acts.

1. To that, then, which is objected, that it is simony, because a spiritual thing is given for a temporal one; it must be said that it is false, rather the greater punishment is commuted into a lesser one and the pastor of the Church pays the remainder out of grace. — Or it must be said that he does not give the indulgence for the outward alms, considering the thing given, but the fruit, namely because it proceeds from the root of a good will.

2. To that which is objected, that spiritual almsgiving is greater; it must be said that in the giving of an indulgence the nobility¹⁰ of the work is not considered, since then it ought rather to be given to those who teach than to pilgrims; but this is considered, that that work be of mere will, not of necessity, that it be also something assessable, that it be also in some way penal; for he who grants the indulgence considers all these things.

3. To that which is objected concerning spiritual ruin, it must be said that, as has been touched on¹¹, a man is bound to pray for such things. Moreover, it is not good to publicize such things; but to publicize the material ruin of the Church expresses no evil nor infamy. Moreover, a man can more readily come to the relief of the Church's want than to the establishing of concord there, because the first is a human work, but the second is a divine work.

4. To that which is objected concerning entrance into religion, it must be said that just as indulgences ought not to be given to the unworthy, so neither ought they to be given except to the needy; but true religious, who undertake the state of perfection, rather bestow spiritual goods on others than beg them from elsewhere. Whence here most truly does that hold which is said in Acts the twentieth: It is more blessed to give than to receive. But in temporal things it does not hold true, except when the giver gives from his own labor, and the receiver receives out of sloth.

To that which is asked concerning him who gives by will alone, it must be said that according to the learned he does not have the whole indulgence, whatever those common preachers may say; nevertheless so noble a resolve avails them for the increase of charity and consequently of contrition, and thus for the remission of punishment. For indulgences are not understood to be given for the will alone, but for the effect; whence he who has the will and the effect obtains the indulgence; another, who has the will alone, out of devotion has great merit, although he does not obtain the full effect¹².

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