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Prologus

Breviloquium · Prologus

Textus Latinus
p. 201

Prologus Sancti Bonaventurae in Breviloquium.

Flecto genua mea ad Patrem Domini nostri Iesu Christi, ex quo omnis paternitas in caelo et in terra nominatur, ut det vobis secundum divitias gloriae suae virtutem, corroborari per Spiritum eius in interiori homine, habitare Christum per fidem in cordibus vestris; in caritate radicati et fundati, ut possitis comprehendere cum omnibus Sanctis, quae sit latitudo, longitudo, sublimitas et profundum; scire etiam supereminentem scientiae caritatem Christi, ut impleamini in omnem plenitudinem Dei1.

Magnus doctor gentium et praedicator veritatis, divino repletus Spiritu, tanquam vas electum et sanctificatum, in hoc verbo aperit sacrae Scripturae, quae theologia dicitur, ortum, progressum et statum: insinuans, ortum Scripturae attendi secundum influentiam beatissimae Trinitatis, progressum autem, secundum exigentiam humanae capacitatis, statum vero sive fructum, secundum superabundantiam superplenissimae felicitatis.

Ortus namque non est per humanam investigationem, sed per divinam revelationem, quae fluit a Patre luminum2, ex quo omnis paternitas in caelo et in terra nominatur, a quo per Filium eius, Iesum Christum, manat in nos Spiritus sanctus, et per Spiritum sanctum, dividentem et distribuentem dona singulis, sicut vult, datur fides, et per fidem habitat Christus in cordibus nostris. Haec est notitia Iesu Christi, ex qua originaliter manat firmitas et intelligentia totius sacrae Scripturae. Unde et impossibile est, quod aliquis in ipsam ingrediatur agnoscendam, nisi prius Christi fidem habeat sibi infusam, tanquam totius Scripturae lucernam et ianuam et etiam fundamentum. Est enim ipsa fides omnium supernaturalium illuminationum, quamdiu peregrinamur a Domino3, et fundamentum stabiliens et lucerna dirigens et ianua introducens; secundum cuius etiam mensuram necesse est mensurari sapientiam nobis divinitus datam, ne quis sapiat plus quam oportet sapere, sed ad sobrietatem, et unicuique sicut Deus divisit mensuram fidei4. Mediante igitur hac fide, datur nobis notitia sacrae Scripturae, secundum influentiam Trinitatis beatae, iuxta quod expresse insinuat Apostolus in prima parte auctoritatis prius inductae.

Progressus autem sacrae Scripturae non est coarctatus ad leges ratiocinationum, definitionum et divisionum iuxta morem aliarum scientiarum et non est coarctatus ad partem universitatis5; sed potius, cum secundum lumen supernaturale procedat ad dandam homini viatori notitiam rerum sufficientem, secundum quod expedit ad salutem, partim per plana verba, partim per mystica describit totius universi continentiam quasi in quadam summa, in quo attenditur latitudo; describit decursum, in quo attenditur longitudo; describit excellentiam finaliter salvandorum, in quo attenditur sublimitas; describit miseriam damnandorum, in quo profunditas consistit non solum ipsius universi, verum etiam divini iudicii. — Et sic describit totum universum, quan-

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tum expedit de ipso habere notitiam ad salutem, secundum ipsius latitudinem, longitudinem, altitudinem et profundum1, habens etiam ipsa in suo progressu haec quatuor, secundum quod posterius2 declarabitur; quia sic exigebat conditio capacitatis humanae, quae magna et multa nata est magnifice et multipliciter capere, tanquam speculum quoddam nobilissimum, in quo nata est describi non solum naturaliter, verum etiam supernaturaliter rerum universitas mundanarum; ut sic progressus sacrae Scripturae attendatur secundum exigentiam capacitatis humanae.

Status vero sive fructus sacrae Scripturae non est quicumque, sed plenitudo aeternae felicitatis. Nam haec est Scriptura, in qua verba sunt vitae aeternae3, quae ideo scripta est, non solum ut credamus, verum etiam ut vitam possideamus aeternam, in qua quidem videbimus, amabimus, et universaliter nostra desideria implebuntur; quibus impletis, vere tunc sciemus supereminentem scientiae caritatem, et ita impleti erimus in omnem plenitudinem Dei. Ad quam quidem plenitudinem conatur nos divina introducere Scriptura, iuxta praedictae sententiae apostolicae veritatem4. Hoc igitur fine, hac intentione sacra Scriptura perscrutanda est et docenda et etiam audienda.

Et ut ad istum fructum et terminum recto perveniamus progressu per viam recti itineris Scripturarum, inchoandum est ab exordio, hoc est, ut cum mera fide5 ad Patrem luminum accedamus, flectendo genua cordis nostri, ut ipse per Filium suum in Spiritu sancto det nobis veram notitiam Iesu Christi et cum notitia amorem eius, ut sic ipsum cognoscentes et amantes, et tanquam in fide solidati et in caritate radicati, possimus ipsius sacrae Scripturae noscere latitudinem, longitudinem, altitudinem et profundum, et per hanc notitiam pervenire ad plenissimam notitiam et excessivum amorem beatissimae Trinitatis6, quo Sanctorum desideria tendunt, in quo est status et complementum omnis veri et boni.

Huius7 sacrae Scripturae fine concupito et intento, et principio credito simul et invocato, videndus est progressus quantum ad ipsius latitudinem, longitudinem, sublimitatem et profundum, secundum viam et ordinem apostolici documenti.

Consistit autem ipsius latitudo in multitudine suarum partium, longitudo vero in descriptione temporum et aetatum, altitudo in descriptione hierarchiarum gradatim ordinatarum, profunditas in multitudine8 mysticorum sensuum et intelligentiarum.

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English Translation

Prologue of Saint Bonaventure to the Breviloquium.

I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom all paternity in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened by his Spirit with might unto the inward man, that Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts; that being rooted and founded in charity, you may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth; to know also the charity of Christ, which surpasseth knowledge, that you may be filled unto all the fulness of God1.

The great teacher of the gentiles and preacher of truth, filled with the divine Spirit, as a vessel chosen and sanctified, opens in this word the origin, the progress, and the end of sacred Scripture, which is called theology: conveying that the origin of Scripture is to be regarded according to the inflowing of the most blessed Trinity; its progress, according to the requirement of human capacity; and its end or fruit, according to the superabundance of a more-than-fullest happiness.

For its origin is not through human investigation, but through divine revelation, which flows from the Father of lights2, of whom all paternity in heaven and earth is named, from whom, through his Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit flows into us; and through the Holy Spirit, dividing and distributing gifts to each one as he wills, faith is given, and through faith Christ dwells in our hearts. This is the knowledge of Jesus Christ, from which originally flow the firmness and the understanding of all sacred Scripture. Hence it is also impossible that anyone should enter upon knowing it unless he first have the faith of Christ infused into him, as the lamp and the gate and also the foundation of all Scripture. For faith itself is the foundation of all supernatural illuminations so long as we are pilgrims from the Lord3 — a foundation that steadies, a lamp that directs, and a gate that leads in; and according to its measure the wisdom divinely given to us must also be measured, lest anyone be wise more than it behooveth to be wise, but to be wise unto sobriety, and according as God hath divided to every one the measure of faith4. Through the mediation of this faith, therefore, the knowledge of sacred Scripture is given to us according to the inflowing of the blessed Trinity, in accordance with what the Apostle expressly conveys in the first part of the authority adduced above.

But the progress of sacred Scripture is not confined to the laws of reasonings, definitions, and divisions after the manner of the other sciences, nor is it confined to a part of the universe5; but rather, since it proceeds by a supernatural light to give the wayfaring man a sufficient knowledge of things according as is expedient for salvation, it describes — partly in plain words, partly in mystical ones — the content of the whole universe as it were in a summary, and in this its breadth is regarded; it describes the universe's course, and in this its length is regarded; it describes the excellence of those finally to be saved, and in this its height is regarded; it describes the misery of those to be damned, and in this consists its depth, not only the depth of the universe itself but also that of the divine judgment. — And thus it describes the whole universe, so far as

it is expedient to have knowledge of it unto salvation, according to its breadth, length, height, and depth1 — Scripture itself having these four also in its own progress, according as will later2 be shown; because the condition of human capacity so required, which, being great and manifold, is born to grasp magnificently and in manifold ways, as a certain most noble mirror in which the whole universe of worldly things is born to be described, not only naturally but also supernaturally: so that thus the progress of sacred Scripture is regarded according to the requirement of human capacity.

But the end or fruit of sacred Scripture is not just anything whatever, but the fulness of eternal happiness. For this is the Scripture in which are the words of eternal life3, which was written for this reason: not only that we might believe, but also that we might possess eternal life, in which indeed we shall see, we shall love, and universally our desires shall be fulfilled; and when they are fulfilled, we shall then truly know the charity that surpasseth knowledge, and thus we shall be filled unto all the fulness of God. To which fulness the divine Scripture strives to lead us, according to the truth of the aforesaid apostolic saying4. With this end, then, and with this intention, sacred Scripture is to be searched out and taught and also heard.

And that we may arrive at this fruit and term by a right progress along the way of the right path of the Scriptures, we must begin from the beginning: that is, that with pure faith5 we approach the Father of lights, bending the knees of our heart, that he himself, through his Son in the Holy Spirit, may give us the true knowledge of Jesus Christ and, with that knowledge, love of him; so that, knowing and loving him in this way, and as it were made firm in faith and rooted in charity, we may be able to know the breadth, length, height, and depth of sacred Scripture, and through this knowledge come to the fullest knowledge and the surpassing love of the most blessed Trinity6, toward which the desires of the saints tend, and in which is the end and completion of all that is true and good.

The end of this7 sacred Scripture having been desired and intended, and its beginning believed and at the same time invoked, we must now consider its progress as regards its breadth, length, height, and depth, according to the way and order of the apostolic instruction.

Now its breadth consists in the multitude of its parts; its length, in the description of times and ages; its height, in the description of the hierarchies graded in order; its depth, in the multitude8 of mystical senses and understandings.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 1
    E F M addunt Ephes. 3. [14-19.]. Vulgata gloriae suae, virtute corroborari pro gloriae suae virtutem, corroborari et in interiorem hominem [ita etiam H I] pro in interiori homine. Plures codd. det nobis et in cordibus nostris pro det vobis et in cordibus vestris, sed incongrue, nisi cum B substituatur ut possimus pro ut possitis [et ut impleamur pro ut impleamini]. Solae edd. 1, 3 incipiunt cum inscriptione: § 1. De ortu progressu et statu s. Scripturae. — Inferius respicitur Act. 9, 15: Vas electionis est mihi iste etc. — Subinde post aperit P addit nobis, et I sive fructum post statum.
    E F M add Ephesians 3 [14–19]. The Vulgate has gloriae suae, virtute corroborari for gloriae suae virtutem, corroborari, and in interiorem hominem [so too H I] for in interiori homine. Very many codices have det nobis and in cordibus nostris for det vobis and in cordibus vestris — but incongruously, unless with B one substitutes ut possimus for ut possitis [and ut impleamur for ut impleamini]. Editions 1 and 3 alone begin with the heading: § 1. On the origin, progress, and end of sacred Scripture. — Below, reference is made to Acts 9:15: This man is to me a vessel of election, etc. — Thereupon, after aperit P adds nobis, and I adds sive fructum after statum.
  2. 2
    Iac. 1, 17. — Inferius respicitur I Cor. 12, 11: Haec autem omnia operatur unus atque idem Spiritus, dividens singulis prout [ita etiam P Q] vult; et ibid. v. 9: Alteri [datur] fides in eodem Spiritu. — Post pauca pro ex qua K ex quo.
    James 1:17. — Below, reference is made to 1 Corinthians 12:11: But all these things one and the same Spirit worketh, dividing to every one according as he will; and ibid., v. 9: To another [is given] faith in the same Spirit. — Shortly after, for ex qua K has ex quo.
  3. 3
    Epist. II. Cor. 5, 6. — Superius voci Scripturae A K addunt sacrae, Vat. ipsius; subinde pro ipsa fides E fides lumen, H autem post illuminationum addit lumen.
    Second Epistle to the Corinthians 5:6. — Above, A K add sacrae to the word Scripturae, the Vatican edition ipsius; thereupon, for ipsa fides E has fides lumen, while H adds lumen after illuminationum.
  4. 4
    Rom. 12, 3, ubi Vulgata et C F N O P nec non 2 post sed addunt sapere, Vat. sapiat. — Inferius fide plurimorum codd. et 2 substituimus beatae pro beatissimae.
    Romans 12:3, where the Vulgate and C F N O P as well as edition 2 add sapere after sed, the Vatican edition sapiat. — Below, on the authority of very many codices and edition 2 we have substituted beatae for beatissimae.
  5. 5
    Cfr. Aristot., I. Poster. c. 7. seqq. et VI. Metaph. text. 1. seqq. (V. c. 1.). — Inferius post expedit Vat. et 1 subiungunt ei. Subinde post summa D E F H I M O P Q T et 1 in qua pro in quo, et pro damnandorum Vat. damnatorum.
    Cf. Aristotle, Posterior Analytics I, c. 7 ff., and Metaphysics VI, text 1 ff. (V, c. 1). — Below, after expedit the Vatican edition and 1 add ei. Thereupon, after summa D E F H I M O P Q T and 1 have in qua for in quo; and for damnandorum the Vatican edition has damnatorum.
  6. 1
    Vat. profunditatem, quae etiam cum aliis edd. contra B C D E F G H L N immediate post substituit Ipsa enim habet pro habens etiam ipsa [I M O Q habens etiam et ipsa]; in subnexis plurimi codd. habent processu pro progressu, et infra etiam processus pro progressus. Superius post quantum K addit secundum quod, 1 tamen, quae etiam post habere subiungit homini, B nominatim.
    The Vatican edition has profunditatem, which also, together with the other editions and against B C D E F G H L N, immediately afterwards substitutes Ipsa enim habet for habens etiam ipsa [I M O Q habens etiam et ipsa]; in what follows very many codices have processu for progressu, and below also processus for progressus. Above, after quantum K adds secundum quod, edition 1 tamen, which also adds homini after habere, B nominatim.
  7. 2
    In seqq. §§.
    In the following §§.
  8. 3
    Respicitur Ioan. 6, 69: « Domine... verba vitae aeternae habes », et ibid. 20, 31: « Haec autem scripta sunt, ut credatis, quia Iesus est Christus Filius Dei, et ut credentes vitam habeatis in nomine eius ». Verbis videbimus, amabimus [P recte addit laudabimus] exprimitur sententia August. supra pag. 111, nota 1. allata. — Mox pro scripta est E I K L scripta sunt. Inferius post universaliter [M universa] edd., contradicentibus codd., addunt omnia, et post caritatem B I cum textu originali [Eph. 3, 19.] subiungunt Christi.
    Reference is made to John 6:69: « Lord… thou hast the words of eternal life », and ibid. 20:31: « But these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name ». By the words videbimus, amabimus [P rightly adds laudabimus] is expressed the saying of Augustine adduced above at p. 111, note 1. — Shortly after, for scripta est E I K L have scripta sunt. Below, after universaliter [M universa] the editions add omnia, against the codices; and after caritatem B I, with the original text [Eph. 3:19], add Christi.
  9. 4
    P iuxta praedictam Apostoli auctoritatem. Post pauca vocibus hac intentione Vat. et 1, 2, 3 interserunt etiam. Inferius pro fructum L finem, quod substituit P pro terminum.
    P has iuxta praedictam Apostoli auctoritatem. Shortly after, the Vatican edition and 1, 2, 3 insert etiam into the words hac intentione. Below, for fructum L has finem, which P substitutes for terminum.
  10. 5
    S Haec est enim via, ut cum vera [H I etiam vera; quae lectio magis placet] fide. Inferius Vat. ipsius pro eius; ante tanquam A D F G H L omittunt et, ac non pauci codd. sacrae ante Scripturae. Vat. nosse pro noscere et profunditatem pro profundum (idem recurrit inferius).
    S has Haec est enim via, ut cum vera [H I also vera; which reading is preferable] fide. Below, the Vatican edition has ipsius for eius; before tanquam A D F G H L omit et, and not a few codices have sacrae before Scripturae. The Vatican edition has nosse for noscere and profunditatem for profundum (the same recurs below).
  11. 6
    Vide supra Quaest. de scientia Christi, q. 7. in fine corp. — Pro et excessivum B O et excellentissimum, Vat. et excellentissimum et excessivum.
    See above, the Disputed Questions on the Knowledge of Christ, q. 7, at the end of the body. — For et excessivum B O have et excellentissimum, the Vatican edition et excellentissimum et excessivum.
  12. 7
    E praemittit tanquam rubricam De progressu sacrae Scripturae. Mox plures codd. omittunt simul.
    E prefixes, as a rubric, On the progress of sacred Scripture. Shortly after, very many codices omit simul.
  13. 8
    Q V multiplicitate, quod etiam inferius in principio § 4. habetur. Pro altitudo I sublimitas.
    Q V have multiplicitate, which is also found below at the beginning of § 4. For altitudo I has sublimitas. ---
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