Bonaventure

Notulae numeratae infra positae respondent signis quae in textu Latino superiore et in versione Anglica reperiuntur. Quaracchi numerationem in singulis paginis impressis restaurat; ideo notae per paginas distinguuntur (`p900`, `p901`).

Articulus III. De libris conscientiae.

Quaestio II. Utrum quilibet legat omnia in conscientia alterius.

Secundo quaeritur, utrum quilibet legat omnia in conscientia alterius. Et quod sic, videtur:

1. Quia Bernardus, tractans illud primae ad Corinthios quarto⁶: Illuminabuntur abscondita tenebrarum, dicit: « Cuncta arcana cunctorum cunctis ibi patebunt ».

2. Item, Glossa¹: « Gesta et cogitata, bona et mala ex tunc aperta et nota erunt omnibus ».

3. Item, ratione videtur: quia aut sunt bona, aut mala. Si bona, laudatur ibi Dei largitas ab omnibus; si mala, laudatur Dei iustitia puniens, vel misericordia liberans: ergo si ex omnibus elicere debet Deus gloriam suam manifestam² in futuro: ergo omnibus ostendet.

4. Item, quod mala malorum pateant bonis et malis, certum est³; quod iterum bona eorum pateant bonis, certum est, quia de illis gaudebunt.

5. Item, quod bonorum bona pateant malis, certum est, quia eorum comparatione iudicabuntur⁴.

6. Item, quod mala bonorum pateant bonis, certum est, quia « unius mentem ab alterius oculis corpulentia non abscondet », ut dicit Gregorius⁵; et iterum Augustinus, decimo quinto de Trinitate: « In futuro uno aspectu videbimus omnium cogitationes ».

Sed contra: 1. Quod mali non videant mala malorum, videtur: quia solatium et excusatio est alicui, dum habere videtur multos socios in scelere⁶: ergo sibi soli debent esse nota mala.

2. Item, quod mala bonorum non manifestentur exterius, videtur: quia Dominus⁷ comminatur in poenam manifestare verenda; sed a bonis aberit omnis poena: ergo non manifestabuntur eorum mala, nec omnes legent.

3. Item, caritas operit multitudinem peccatorum⁸; hoc non est dictum in conspectu hominum, quia operta sunt sine caritate: ergo in conspectu Dei: ergo multo magis in conspectu hominum.

4. Item, si reprehensibile est in homine denudare amici commissum⁹: cum Deus sit fidelior amicus quam aliquis homo, ergo non denudat peccata amicorum.

Conclusio. Omnia nota erunt omnibus, tam bona quam mala.

Respondeo: Dicendum, quod omnia nota erunt omnibus, tam bona quam mala in ipso iudicio, secundum quod vult Anselmus¹⁰, et Bernardus et textus et Glossa consonant; et hoc ad certam librationem meritorum, quae scitur in omnium actuum bonorum et malorum recognitione: quia ostensio malorum in bonis est ad manifestationem misericordiae prius factae, bonorum in eis ad ostensionem iustitiae; econtra malorum in malis ad ostensionem iustitiae, bonorum in eisdem ad ostensionem misericordiae.

1. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod solatium est videre aliena peccata; dicendum, quod immo erit magna confusio, dum attendit illius vituperium et ex eius vituperio cognoscet suum. Unus enim alterius peccatum non approbabit, immo vilipendet.

2. 3. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod manifestatio malorum est in poenam; dicendum, quod verum est in malis; sed in eis qui egerunt poenitentiam, est in gloriam. — Unde dicunt aliqui, quod sicut cicatrices corporales in Martyribus remanent ad gloriam, sic cicatrices spirituales in poenitentibus, quia vicerunt culpam, sicut illi poenam. — Sed tamen quidquid sit de hoc, non remanent in eorum contumeliam, sed in Dei gloriam, qui liberavit de tanta miseria. Unde bene concedendum est, quod videbuntur peccata iustorum, ut de ipsorum sanatione gratiae agantur Deo; et hoc dicit Anselmus¹¹. Unde sicut homo aget gratias Deo pro se, quia liberatus est a malis, ita socius eius.

4. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod infidelitas est denudare commissum amici; verum est in praesenti, ubi cedit ad infamiam; sed quia in futuro est ad Dei gloriam sine aliqua infamia, ideo non habet ibi hoc locum¹².

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Article III. On the books of conscience.

Question II. Whether each one reads all things in the conscience of another.

Secondly it is asked whether each one reads all things in the conscience of another. And that this is so seems [to be shown]:

1. Because Bernard, treating that passage of First Corinthians, chapter four⁶: The hidden things of darkness will be illumined, says: "All the secrets of all will there lie open to all."

2. Likewise, the Gloss¹: "Deeds and thoughts, good and evil, will from then on be open and known to all."

3. Likewise, it seems by reason: for they are either good or evil. If good, God's bounty is there praised by all; if evil, God's justice in punishing is praised, or his mercy in delivering: therefore if God must draw his manifest glory from all things² in the future: therefore he will show them to all.

4. Likewise, that the evils of the evil lie open to the good and the evil is certain³; that likewise their good deeds lie open to the good is certain, because they will rejoice over them.

5. Likewise, that the good deeds of the good lie open to the evil is certain, because by comparison with them they will be judged⁴.

6. Likewise, that the evils of the good lie open to the good is certain, because "bodily bulk will not hide the mind of one from the eyes of another," as Gregory says⁵; and again Augustine, in the fifteenth book On the Trinity: "In the future we shall behold in one glance the thoughts of all."

On the contrary: 1. That the evil do not see the evils of the evil seems [true]: because it is a solace and an excuse to someone that he seems to have many companions in wickedness⁶: therefore evils ought to be known to himself alone.

2. Likewise, that the evils of the good are not made manifest outwardly seems [true]: because the Lord⁷ threatens to make manifest shameful things as a punishment; but from the good all punishment will be absent: therefore their evils will not be made manifest, nor will all read them.

3. Likewise, charity covers a multitude of sins⁸; this is not said in the sight of men, because they are covered without charity: therefore in the sight of God: therefore much more in the sight of men.

4. Likewise, if it is blameworthy in a man to lay bare a friend's fault⁹: since God is a more faithful friend than any man, therefore he does not lay bare the sins of his friends.

Conclusion. All things will be known to all, both good and evil.

I respond: It must be said that all things will be known to all, both good and evil, in the judgment itself, according to what Anselm holds¹⁰, and Bernard and the text and the Gloss agree; and this for the exact weighing of merits, which is known in the recognition of all deeds, good and evil: because the showing of evils among the good is for the manifestation of the mercy previously shown, of goods among them for the showing of justice; on the contrary, the showing of evils among the evil is for the showing of justice, of goods among the same for the showing of mercy.

1. To that which is objected, that it is a solace to see the sins of others; it must be said that on the contrary there will be great confusion, when one attends to another's disgrace and from his disgrace comes to know his own. For one will not approve another's sin, but rather despise it.

2. 3. To that which is objected, that the manifestation of evils is for punishment; it must be said that it is true among the evil; but in those who have done penance it is for glory. — Whence some say that just as bodily scars remain in the Martyrs unto glory, so spiritual scars in the penitent, because they conquered guilt as the others [conquered] punishment. — But nevertheless, whatever be the case in this, they do not remain unto their contumely, but unto God's glory, who delivered them from so great a misery. Whence it is rightly to be granted that the sins of the just will be seen, so that thanks may be given to God for their healing by grace; and this Anselm says¹¹. Whence just as a man will give thanks to God for himself, because he was freed from evils, so also [will] his fellow.

4. To that which is objected, that it is unfaithfulness to lay bare a friend's fault; it is true in the present life, where it tends to infamy; but because in the future it is for God's glory without any infamy, therefore it has no place there¹².

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