Bonaventure

The numbered footnotes below correspond to markers in both the Latin body above and the English translation. Quaracchi restarts footnote numbering on each printed page; here the markers are renumbered continuously across the quaestio.

Articulus I. De ministris.

Quaestio IV. Utrum dans ordines simoniace ex hoc ipso fiat haereticus.

Quarto quaeritur, utrum dans ordines simoniace ex hoc ipso fiat haereticus. Et quod sic, videtur.

1. Gregorius in Registro, et habetur Causa prima, quaestione prima¹, Presbyter si per pecuniam; et infra: « Quia decimas et altare et Spiritum sanctum emere vel vendere simoniacam haeresim nullus fidelium ignorat ».

2. Item, in eodem²: « Quisquis per pecuniam ordinatur, ad hoc, ut fiat haereticus, promovetur ».

3. Item, Causa prima, quaestione prima³, Eos qui per pecunias; et infra: « Tolerabilior est enim Macedonii et eorum qui circa ipsum sunt Spiritus sancti impugnatorum impia haeresis; illi enim creaturam et servum Dei Patris et Filii Spiritum sanctum delirando fatentur; isti vero eundem Spiritum sanctum efficiunt servum suum »: ergo videtur, quod sit impiissima haeresis.

4. Item, omnis qui aestimat, donum Dei pecunia possideri⁴, errat et haereticus est iudicandus; sed omnis vendens vel emens ordines aestimat, donum Dei pecunia possideri: ergo etc.

5. Item, nullus est maior error circa naturalia quam uni contrario attribuere suum contrarium, ut si quis ponat album nigrum; et circa mores nullus maior quam ponere bonum malum⁵: ergo nec circa divina aliquis est maior error quam ponere, Dei gratiam non esse gratiam; hoc autem ponit omnis qui eam emere vel vendere contendit: ergo etc.

6. Item, sicut Filio attribuitur sapientia, ita Spiritui sancto largitas⁶; sed qui attribueret Filio insipientiam laberetur in haeresim: ergo qui attribuit Spiritui sancto avaritiam haereticus est. Sed qui credit, dona Spiritus sancti per pecuniam vendi vel emi, est huiusmodi, quia ponit, Spiritum sanctum esse venalem: ergo etc.

Contra: 1. Nulla haeresis est in contractu, sed in credulitate⁷; sed simonia est in contractu emptionis et venditionis: ergo non videtur, quod simoniacus fiat haereticus.

2. Item, haeresis est peccatum in Filium et contra veritatem; sed simonia⁸ peccat contra Spiritus sancti gratiam et bonitatem: ergo non videtur esse haereticus.

3. Item, non videtur labi in aliquod peccatum vendendo Spiritus sancti donum, quia dicitur primi Regum nono⁹ de Saul, et tertii Regum decimo quarto de uxore Ieroboam, quod utrique ad sanctos Prophetas pretium detulerunt pro prophetica manifestatione; et constans est, prophetiam donum ei esse: ergo etc.

4. Item, per novum testamentum, primae ad Corinthios nono¹⁰: Si nos vobis spiritualia seminamus, non est magnum, si carnalia vestra metamus: ergo licitum est pro spiritualibus carnalia accipi: non ergo videtur peccare.

5. Item, non videtur peccare qui emit: quia regnum caelorum, quod est supremum inter omnia, p. 648 vendi potest et emi, sicut dicit Gregorius¹¹: « Regnum caelorum tantum valet, quantum habes »: ergo etc.

6. Item, qui emit dat temporale pro spirituali, ergo carius habet spirituale quam carnale: ergo non avertit se ab incommutabili bono, immo potius convertit: ergo non peccat, quia « peccatum est aversio ab incommutabili bono et conversio ad commutabile¹² ».

Conclusio

> Simoniacus non est proprie haereticus, nisi credat, spiritualia esse venalia.

Respondeo: Dicendum, quod sacri ordines nec aliquid Sacramentorum per pecuniam dari potest sine gravi et enormi peccato, pro eo quod spirituale, quod ex sola liberalitate pro sui dignitate dandum est, mercatur et facit vile¹³; rursus, quia illud quod erat impretiabile, sub pretio ponit; quod nullo modo potest fieri, quin fiat contumelia Spiritui sancto: et ideo illud non tantum est malum in se, immo etiam secundum se.

Si autem tu quaeras a me, utrum sit peccatum in fide, vel in moribus; dicendum, quod ille qui emit vel vendit huiusmodi spiritualia, aut credit, ea pro pretio posse aestimari et valori rei terrenae aequari et per pecuniam possideri; et haec est haeresis manifesta, et sic aestimavit Simon magus¹⁴. Talis enim errat in fide, quia credit, gratiam non esse gratiam. — Aut ille qui vendit et emit non hoc credit, quod gratia Dei per pecuniam comparetur, sed tamen ardens avaritia nititur aliquid assequi vel impetrare per pecuniam, quod ad humanam spectat dispensationem; et sic non est peccatum fidei, sed morum, quoniam talis peroptime novit et male¹⁵ facit; sicut et ille qui fornicatur sciens, fornicationem esse peccatum, non errat in fide, sed in via morum. — Et sic simoniacus est avarus et in pessima specie avaritiae, nec est haereticus proprie, sed tamen a Sanctis haereticus vocatur, sive quia ad modum haeretici operatur, sive quia ut haereticus proiicitur a Dei servitio et cultu propter enorme scelus.

Et sic patet, quomodo respondendum sit ad illud quod obiiciebatur, quod simoniacus non sit haereticus; patet etiam, quod ad utramque partem obiicitur.

3. Ad illud vero quod obiicitur, quod non sit peccatum vendere exemplo Prophetarum; dicendum, quod nullus Propheta donum vendidit prophetiae, qui esset bonus et sanctus, sed solum mali, sicut expresse reprehenduntur tales in Michaeae tertio¹⁶: Iudices eius in muneribus iudicabant, et sacerdotes eius in mercede docebant, et Prophetae eius in pecunia divinabant; et infra: Propter hoc causa vestri Sion quasi ager arabitur etc. — Ad illud quod obiicitur de uxore Ieroboam et Saul; dicendum, quod nunquam legitur, quod illi Prophetae aliquid recepissent; sed ignoranter illi dicebant, quia morem istum accipere consueverunt quodam modo a divinis hariolis, qui non erant prophetae veri.

4. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod seminans spiritualia potest metere carnalia; dicendum, quod si propter hoc seminat, ut illa metat finaliter, maxime si pactio interveniat, non est iustitia, immo malitia et avaritia; quodsi hoc non intendit principaliter, immo carnalia metit, ut se sustentet et spiritualia seminet; nulla est avaritia, nulla mercatio, immo manifesta iustitia, sicut multiplici exemplo Apostolus primae ad Corinthios nono¹⁷ probat, quoniam talis debet sustentari. — Unde ex hoc patet, quod si doctor et consiliarius et medicus et alii, qui laborant, de consilio sive de doctrina pretium recipiant propter laborem et suam sustentationem; nulla est culpa, nulla est simonia. Si tamen quis venderet donum sibi divinitus datum, non laborem suum, iudicaretur simoniacus¹⁸. Similiter intelligendum est de celebratione Missarum et consimilibus.

5. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod regnum caelorum emitur; dicendum, quod emptio illa non est emptio, pro eo quod pretium eius non est nisi bona voluntas, quae mercedem non intuetur; unde quamvis sine mercede non possit servire¹⁹, tamen, quia liberaliter deservit, nulla omnino pactio intervenit; unde totum spirituale est. p. 649 6. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod se convertit ad bonum spirituale; dicendum, quod quamvis se convertat, tamen convertit se inordinate; et hoc est magis averti quam converti. Exemplum huius est in Lucifero, qui ad Deum se convertens, volens ei aequari, magis cecidit, quam ascendit; sic qui convertitur ad emendum donum Spiritus sancti magis a Deo recedit, quam ad eum accedit²⁰.

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Article I. On the ministers.

Question IV. Whether one who confers orders simoniacally thereby becomes a heretic.

Fourth, it is asked whether one who confers orders simoniacally thereby becomes a heretic. And that it is so, it seems.

1. Gregory in the Register, and it is found in Cause I, question I¹, A presbyter, if through money; and below: "That no one of the faithful is ignorant that to buy or sell tithes and the altar and the Holy Spirit is a simoniacal heresy."

2. Likewise, in the same²: "Whoever is ordained through money is promoted to this end, that he may become a heretic."

3. Likewise, Cause I, question I³, Those who through moneys; and below: "For more tolerable is the impious heresy of Macedonius and of those around him who assail the Holy Spirit; for they, raving, declare the Holy Spirit to be a creature and a servant of God the Father and of the Son; but these make the same Holy Spirit their own servant": therefore it seems that it is a most impious heresy.

4. Likewise, everyone who reckons that the gift of God can be possessed by money⁴ errs and is to be judged a heretic; but everyone selling or buying orders reckons that the gift of God can be possessed by money: therefore etc.

5. Likewise, there is no greater error concerning natural things than to attribute to one contrary its own contrary, as if someone should posit white [to be] black; and concerning morals none greater than to posit good [to be] evil⁵: therefore neither concerning divine things is anyone in greater error than to posit that the grace of God is not grace; but this everyone posits who strives to buy or sell it: therefore etc.

6. Likewise, just as wisdom is attributed to the Son, so bounty to the Holy Spirit⁶; but he who should attribute foolishness to the Son would lapse into heresy: therefore he who attributes avarice to the Holy Spirit is a heretic. But he who believes that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are sold or bought for money is of this kind, since he posits the Holy Spirit to be for sale: therefore etc.

On the contrary: 1. No heresy is in a contract, but in belief⁷; but simony is in a contract of buying and selling: therefore it does not seem that the simoniac becomes a heretic.

2. Likewise, heresy is a sin against the Son and against truth; but simony⁸ sins against the grace and goodness of the Holy Spirit: therefore he does not seem to be a heretic.

3. Likewise, one does not seem to lapse into any sin by selling the gift of the Holy Spirit, since it is said in First Kings [Samuel] chapter nine⁹ concerning Saul, and in Third Kings chapter fourteen concerning the wife of Jeroboam, that both brought a price to the holy Prophets for a prophetic disclosure; and it is established that prophecy is a gift to him: therefore etc.

4. Likewise, through the New Testament, First Corinthians chapter nine¹⁰: If we have sown spiritual things for you, it is no great thing if we reap your carnal things: therefore it is licit to receive carnal things for spiritual: therefore he does not seem to sin.

5. Likewise, he who buys does not seem to sin: since the kingdom of heaven, which is supreme among all things, p. 648 can be sold and bought, as Gregory says¹¹: "The kingdom of heaven is worth as much as you have": therefore etc.

6. Likewise, he who buys gives a temporal thing for a spiritual, therefore he holds the spiritual dearer than the carnal: therefore he does not turn himself away from the unchangeable good, but rather turns [toward it]: therefore he does not sin, since "sin is a turning away from the unchangeable good and a turning toward the changeable¹²."

Conclusion

> A simoniac is not properly a heretic, unless he believes that spiritual things are for sale.

I respond: It must be said that neither the sacred orders nor anything of the Sacraments can be given for money without a grave and enormous sin, for the reason that a spiritual thing — which out of pure liberality, according to its dignity, ought to be given — he makes an object of trade and renders cheap¹³; and again, because he sets under a price that which was priceless; which can in no way come about without becoming an affront to the Holy Spirit: and therefore that is not only evil in itself, but even according to itself.

But if you ask me whether the sin is in faith or in morals; it must be said that he who buys or sells such spiritual things either believes that they can be reckoned for a price and equated to the value of an earthly thing and possessed through money — and this is a manifest heresy, and thus Simon Magus reckoned¹⁴. For such a one errs in faith, since he believes that grace is not grace. — Or he who sells and buys does not believe this, that the grace of God is procured through money, but nevertheless, burning with avarice, strives to obtain or procure through money something that pertains to human dispensation; and thus it is not a sin of faith, but of morals, since such a one knows full well and yet does ill¹⁵; just as also he who fornicates knowing that fornication is a sin does not err in faith, but in the way of morals. — And thus the simoniac is avaricious and in the worst species of avarice, nor is he properly a heretic, but nevertheless is called a heretic by the Saints, either because he acts after the manner of a heretic, or because, like a heretic, he is cast out from the service and worship of God on account of the enormous crime.

And thus it is clear how one is to respond to that which was objected, that the simoniac is not a heretic; it is clear also with respect to what is objected on either side.

3. But to that which is objected, that it is not a sin to sell after the example of the Prophets; it must be said that no Prophet who was good and holy sold the gift of prophecy, but only the evil ones, as such are expressly reproved in Micah chapter three¹⁶: Her judges judged for bribes, and her priests taught for hire, and her prophets divined for money; and below: Therefore on your account Zion shall be plowed as a field, etc. — To that which is objected concerning the wife of Jeroboam and Saul; it must be said that it is nowhere read that those Prophets received anything; but they said this in ignorance, since they had grown accustomed in a certain way to take up this practice from the diviners, who were not true prophets.

4. To that which is objected, that one who sows spiritual things may reap carnal things; it must be said that if he sows for this purpose, that he may in the end reap those [carnal things], especially if a bargain intervenes, it is not justice, but rather malice and avarice; but if he does not intend this principally, but rather reaps carnal things that he may sustain himself and sow spiritual things; there is no avarice, no commerce, but rather manifest justice, as the Apostle proves by manifold example in First Corinthians chapter nine¹⁷, since such a one ought to be sustained. — Whence from this it is clear that if a teacher and a counselor and a physician and others who labor should receive a price for counsel or for teaching on account of the labor and their own sustenance; there is no fault, no simony. If, however, someone should sell a gift divinely given to him, not his own labor, he would be judged a simoniac¹⁸. Similarly it must be understood concerning the celebration of Masses and the like.

5. To that which is objected, that the kingdom of heaven is bought; it must be said that that buying is not a buying, for the reason that its price is nothing but a good will, which does not look to a reward; whence although one cannot serve without a reward¹⁹, nevertheless, because he serves freely, no bargain at all intervenes; whence the whole is spiritual. p. 649 6. To that which is objected, that he turns himself toward the spiritual good; it must be said that although he turns himself, nevertheless he turns himself in a disordered way; and this is more to be turned away than to be turned. An example of this is in Lucifer, who, turning himself toward God, wishing to be made equal to Him, fell more than he ascended; so he who turns himself toward buying the gift of the Holy Spirit recedes from God more than he approaches Him²⁰.

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