Collation 13 - Collations on the Hexaemeron — Bonaventure
English Latin
A. On the Third Vision, Through Understanding Instructed by Scriptures. First Treatise, Concerning the Spiritual Meanings of Scriptures
1300 THIRTEENTH COLLATION On the Third Vision, Through Understanding Instructed by Scriptures. First Treatise, Concerning the Spiritual Meanings of Scriptures COLLATIO XIII DE TERTIA VISIONE, QUAE EST INTELLIGENTIAE PER SCRIPTURAM ERUDITAE, TRACTATIO PRIMA, IN QUA AGITUR DE SCRIPTURAE INTELLIGENTIIS SPIRITUALIBUS
1. LET the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place and let the dry land appear." And so it was. God called the dry land Earth and the assembled waters Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants and all kinds of fruit trees that bear fruit containing their seed," etc. Such is the third vision, of understanding instructed by Scriptures, which is figured in the work of the third day. And as in the work of the days, there is added a second to the first and a third to both of them, so also out of the first and second visions there comes forth a third, and this vision is more noble and greater than the preceding two. And although such adaptation and comparison to the work of the third day may not seem properly fitting since the earth is the lowest of the elements, while the Scriptures are most high, yet the relationship is excellently pointed out: for whatever the heavens contain in any measure of excellence, the earth holds or receives or possesses in some measure of liveliness. Wherefore it receives the influences of heaven and brings forth the most beautiful swarms of beings. 1. Congregentur aquae, quae sub caelo sunt, in locum unumy et appareat arida. Et factum est ita. Et vocavit Deus aridam terram congregationesque aquarum appellavit maria. Et vidit Deus, quod esset bonum. Et ait: germinet terra herbam virentem et facientem semen, et lignum pomiferum, faciens fructum iuxta genus suum, cuius semen in semetipso sit super terram etc. Haec est tertia visio, intelligentiae per Scripturam eruditae, quae intelligitur in opere tertiae diei. Et sicut in operibus dierum est additio secundae ad primam et tertiae ad utramque; sic ex prima et secunda visione oritur tertia; et ista visio est nobilior et maior praecedentibus. Et licet videatur inconveniens adaptatio et correspondentia cum opere tertiae diei, pro eo quod terra est infimum elementorum, Scriptura autem est sublimissima; optime tamen assignatur, quia quidquid caelum continet in quadam excellentia, terra tenet vel suscipit vel habet in quadam vivacitate. Unde suscipit caeli influentias et facit pulcherrimas pullulationes.
B. Spiritual Meanings
2. Now this vision is concerned with three things, the spiritual meanings of the senses, that is the "sense," the sacramental symbols, and the manifold interpretations that are drawn from them. All of Scriptures may be reduced to these three. The first are offered to our understanding by means of the gathering of the waters, that is, the spiritual meanings. The second, that is, the sacramental symbols, are represented by the swarming of beings on earth, in this passage: "Let the earth bring forth vegetation." The third, that is, the manifold interpretations, are signified by the seed, in this passage: "... containing their seed," etc. Who can know the infinity of seeds, when in a single one are contained forests of forests and thence seeds in infinite number? Likewise, out of Scriptures may be drawn an infinite number of interpretations which none but God can comprehend. For as new seeds come forth from plants, so also from Scriptures come forth new interpretations and new meanings, and thereby are Sacred Scriptures distinct [from everything else]. Hence, in relation to the interpretations yet to be drawn, we may compare to a single drop from the sea all those that have been drawn so far. 2. Consistit autem haec visio circa tria, scilicet circa spirituales intelligentias sensuum sive sensus, circa sacramentales figuras, circa multiformes theorias inde elicitas. Ad haec tria omnis Scriptura reducitur. -- Primae dantur intelligi per congregationes aquarum, scilicet spirituales intelligentiae; secundae, scilicet sacramentales figurae, per pullulationes terrae, ibi: Germinet terra herbam virentem ; tertiae, scilicet multiformes theoriae, intelliguntur per semina, ibi: Cuius semen sit in semetipso etc. -- Quis potest scire infinitatem seminum, cum tamen in uno sint silvae silvarum et postea infinita semina? Sic ex Scripturis elici possunt infinitae theoriae, quas nullus potest comprehendere nisi solus Deus. Sicut enim ex plantis nova semina; sic ex Scripturis novae theoriae et novi sensus; et ideo Scriptura sacra distinguitur. Unde sicut si una gutta de mari extrahatur; sic sunt omnes theoriae, quae eliciuntur, respectu illarum quae possunt elici.
3. First, then, we must speak of the spiritual meanings, then of the symbols, and finally of the interpretations: for signs are worthless unless the things themselves are understood. And so also God began by gathering the waters, then He produced trees, and finally seeds. Concerning the gathering of waters, the Psalm says: He gathers the waters of the sea as in a flask . He gathers the waters of the sea in a flask when He brings together in the skin of Scriptures the totality of the spiritual meanings. Now there are three reasons why these meanings are compared to waters gathered in a wine-bag—to wit, because of the primitive origination of these spiritual meanings, because of their most profound depth, and because of their abundantly flowing multiformity. 3. Primo enim dicendum est de intelligentiis spiritualibus et postea de signis et postea de theonis; quia signa nihil valent, nisi res intelligantur. Sic etiam primo congregavit aquas, deinde produxit ar ceri I, 9-11. bores, deinde semina. -- De congregatione maris Psalmus: Congregans sicut in utre aquas maris . In utre congregavit aquas maris, quando in corio Scripturae congregavit universitatem intelligentiarum spiritualium. -- Assimilantur autem intelligentiae aquis congregatis in utre propter tres rationes: scilicet propter ipsam spiritualium intelligentiarum primitivam originationem, propter intelligentiarum spiritualium profundissimam altitudinem, propter intelligentiarum spiritualium profluentissimam multiformitatem.
4. In relation to the first , it is written in Ecclesiastes: All rivers go to the sea, yet never does the sea become full. To the place where they go, the rivers keep on going: and it is the same with all the spiritual meanings that flow from divine Scripture. The spiritual meanings are called rivers — and also those men who understand in a spiritual manner— because they have their origin from the Scriptures and are confirmed by the Scriptures, and because, from these [spiritual meanings,] other meanings are derived. Hence in the Psalm: The floods lift up, O Lord, the floods lift up their voice; the floods lift up their tumult. More powerful than the roar of many waters. Why? Because powerful on high is the Lord, God's voice had to be loud. 4. De primo in Ecclesiaste: Omnia flumina intrant in mare, et mare non redundat; ad locum, unde exeunt, flumina revertuntur, ut iterum fluant ; sic omnes intelligentiae spirituales a Scriptura divina. Intelligentiae spirituales dicuntur flumina -- et etiam viri intelligentes spiritualiter -- quia originem habent a Scriptura et per Scripturam confirmantur, et per illas aliae intelligentiae habentur; unde in Psalmo: Elevaverunt flumina, Domine, elevaverunt flumina vocem suam. Elevaverunt flumina fluctus suos a vocibus aquarum multarum . Quare? quia mirabiles elationes maris . Quare? Quia mirabilis in altis Dominus , vox Dei debuit esse magna.
5. In relation to the second —the most profound depth [of spiritual meanings] — the Psalm reads: They who sailed the sea in ships, trading on the deep waters. The man goes down to the sea in ships who approaches the Scriptures in a spirit of extreme reverence in order to explain them. He goes down with ships who takes as support the wood of the cross: for anyone who seeks to enter the sea of Scriptures without this wood is submerged, for he sinks into the greatest errors. Unless he is Peter himself, he founders.:]: Hence, it is very deep: who can find it out? Wisdom is glorified, which penetrated the profound abyss and saw God's marvels in the deep. I dwelt in the highest places, and My throne is in a pillar of a cloud. I alone have compassed the circuit of heaven, and have penetrated into the bottom of the deep, and have walked in the waves of the sea. This is what incarnate Wisdom says: I dwelt in the highest heavens, in the creation; My throne is in a pillar of cloud, in the incarnation; 1 have walked in the waves of the sea, in the passion; 1 have penetrated into the bottom of the deep, in the penetration of Scriptures, for after He arose, He opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures. By faith in the cross, Peter walked on the sea. 5. Secunda ratio propter profundissimam altitudinem; in Psalmo: Qui descendunt mare in navibus, facientes operationem in aquis multis . Ille descendit cum navibus in mare, qui cum spiritu summae reverentiae accedit ad exponendum Scripturas. Cum navibus descendit qui habet manuductionem lignum crucis; quia qui sine isto ligno vult intrare mare Scripturae submergitur, in maximos errores cadens; nisi enim sit Petrus , demergitur. Unde, alta profunditas; quis inveniet eam ? . Sapientia gloriatur, quae profundum abyssi penetravit et vidit mirabilia Dei in profundo; Ecclesiastici vigesimo quarto: Ego in altissimis habitavi, et thronus meus in columna nubis. Gyrum caeli circuivi sola et profundum abyssi penetravi, in fluctibus maris ambulavi . Haec dicit Sapientia incarnata: Ego in altissimis habitavi , in creatione; thronus meus in columna nubis , in incarnatione; in fluctibus maris ambulavi , in passione; profundum abyssi penetravi , in penetratione Scripturarum, quia aperuit illis sensum post resurrectionem, ut intelligerent Scripturas . Propter fidem crucis Petrus super mare ambulavit .
6. In relation to the third — the abundantly flowing multiformity [of the spiritual meanings] —there are many outpourings, of the waters from clouds, rivers, fountains, and all come from the sea. If you ask: How? It is through various detours and motions: this is how the cloud, the river, the fountain answer. Hence, in Isaiah: The earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea. And before this: There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain. 6. Tertia ratio est propter profluentissimam multiformitatem. Multiplex enim profluentia est ab aquis nubium, a fluminibus, a fontibus, et omnia sunt a mari. -- Si quaeris: quomodo? Per varios meatus et per varios motus; sic respondet nubes, sic fluvius, sic fons; Isaias: Repleta est terra scientia Domini, sicut aquae maris operientes . Et praecedit illud: Non nocebunt et non occident in universo monte sancto meo .
7. Now this refers much more directly to the time of the New Testament, when Scripture was made evident, and mostly toward the end, when those Scriptures were understood which had not been understood before. For then there shall be a mountain, that is, the contemplative Church; then, there shall be no harm when the monsters of heresy shall flee on account of the proper use of wisdom. But today Mount Sion is desolate because of jackals, that is, because of cunning and fetid interpreters. 7. Et hoc potissime refertur ad tempus novi testamenti, quando Scriptura manifestata est, et maxime in fine, quando Scripturae intelligentur, quae modo non intelliguntur. Tunc erit mons, scilicet Ecclesia contemplativa; et tunc non nocebunt, quando fugient monstra haeresum sapientiae usura. Sed hodie mons Sion propter vulpes disperiit , id est propter expositores versipelles et foetidos.
8. In regard to the third point, there is a reading in the Book of Esther: The little fountain ... grew into a river, and was turned into a light, and into the sun, and abounded into many waters. Scripture was a little fountain at the time of the giving of the Law, for the book containing the commandments of the Law is small; but later it grew into an immense river in the books of Josue, Judges, Kings, Esdras, Judith, Tobias, Esther and the Macchabees. Then, it was turned into light, that is, the light of the Prophets, for prophecy is light; then again, into the sun, that is, in the Gospels. And many interpretations were drawn from it, and in that sense, it may be said that it abounded into many waters. 8. De isto tertio Esther: Fons parvus crevit in fluvium maximum et in lucem solemque conversus est et in aquas plurimas redundavit . Scriptura fuit fons parvus in Legis datione, quia parvus est liber praeceptorum Legis; sed post crevit in fluvium maximum in libro Iosue, Iudicum, Regum, Esdrae, Iudith, Tobiae, Esther, Machabaeorum. Et post conversus est in lucem, scilicet Prophetarum; nam prophetia lux est; et post in solem, scilicet in Evangelio; et multae intelligentiae elicitae sunt, et sic in aquas plurimas redundavit.
9. Ezechiel saw this multiformity more clearly, for he beheld within... figures resembling four living creatures; and the first had the face of a man, the second that of a lion, the third that of an ox, and the fourth that of an eagle. And each one had four faces. And later there appeared a wheel within another. Then [the Prophet] says that the appearance of the wheels and the work of them was like the appearance of the sea, and that it was as it were a wheel in the midst of a wheel. And he continues by saying that he heard the sound of their wings, like the roaring of mighty waters, like the voice of the Almighty. All agree that the four living creatures represent the writers of Sacred Scriptures, mostly the Prophets and the Evangelists. According to Gregory, the two wheels having four faces point to Scripture which has the Old and the New Testaments, the four faces being the four principal interpretations, the literal, the figurative, the moral and the anagogical. Their appearance is like a vision of the sea because of the depth of the spiritual mysteries. The sound of their wings is heard when the minds are prompted; and the voice of the Almighty rings out because all things are from God. Hence, in the Apocalypse: I heard a voice from heaven like a voice of many waters, because of the great number of possible interpretations; a voice of harpers because of the accord of these interpretations, for they agree in such a marvelous way that the resulting harmony is wonderful. 9. Istam multiformitatem clarius vidit Ezechiel, qui vidit in medio similitudinem quatuor animalium ; et primum animal habebat faciem hominis; secundum, faciem leonis; tertium, faciem bovis; et quartum, faciem aquilae; et unumquodque quatuor facies habebat. Et post apparuit rota in medio rotae; et postea dicit, quod aspectus rotarum et opus quasi visio maris, et quod rota erat in rota . Et postea dicit, se audivisse sonum alarum quasi sonum aquarum multarum et quasi sonum sublimis Dei *. Per quatuor animalia secundum omnes intelliguntur scriptores Scripturae sacrae, maxime Prophetae et Evangelistae. Secundum Gregorium per rotas duas habentes quatuor facies intelligitur Scriptura habens vetus et novum testamentum; et quatuor facies sunt quatuor intelligentiae principales, scilicet litteralis, allegorica, moralis, anagogica. Aspectus autem quasi visio maris, propter profunditatem mysteriorum spiritualium; et volatus audiuntur, quando mentes excitantur; et fit sonus sublimis Dei, quia omnia sunt a Deo; unde in Apocalypsi: Et vox, quam audivi, sicut vox aquarum multarum , propter multitudinem inelligentiarum; vox citharoedorum, propter concordantiam illarum intelligentiarum, quia miro modo concordant, et mira est harmonia.
10. Scriptures, then, have a number of meanings because the voice of God must be expressed in a manner that is sublime. The other sciences are contained within a single sense, but in this one the sense is manifold, and both the language and the topics have significance. In the other sciences, only the language has meaning, for each area of teaching is determined by the signs proper to it; hence the written words and the language are the signs of the meaning—and the written words are the most important of the two; and since the meanings are proportioned and terminated, so also is the language, so that once a noun has been established [with a given sense], it must not be used later in a different sense. But God is the cause of the soul and of language which is formed by the soul, and also of the things with which language is concerned. 10. Habet autem Scriptura multos intellectus, quia talis debet esse vox Dei, ut sit sublimis. Ceterae scientiae sunt contentae sub uno sensu, sed in hac est multiformis, et in hac significant voces et res; in aliis autem solae voces, quia unaquaeque doctrina determinatur per signa sibi convenientia; unde litterae et voces, quarum principia litterae, sunt signa intellectuum; et quia intellectus proportionati et ter- minati sunt, ideo et voces, ut nomine semel posito non sit utendum aequivoce. -- Deus autem causa est et animarum et vocum formatarum ab anima et rerum, quarum sunt voces.
11. Therefore, the first meaning is the literal. After that, because things themselves have a sense, there are three other meanings. For God manifests Himself in every creature in a threefold manner: according to substance, power, and operation. And every creature represents God, who is Trinity, and shows the way to Him. And because the way to God is through faith, hope, and love, every creature is a suggestion of what we should believe, expect, and do. And parallel to this, there is a threefold spiritual meaning: the allegorical concerning what we should believe, the anagogical concerning what we should expect, and the moral concerning what we should do, for love leads to action. The literal meaning resembles a natural face, that of a man, while the others are symbolical. The lion, being magnificent, points to allegory, or what we should believe; the face of an ox, that pulls the plow and furrows the soil for the harvest, points to tropology, or moral obligation; the eagle that flies on high points to anagogy. The first face, the literal, is open; the second is lifted up on high by magnificence; the third, the tropological, is fruitful; the fourth looks upon the sun almost without flinching. These four are like the appearance of the sea because of the primitive origination, the most profound depth, and the abundantly flowing multiformity of the spiritual meanings. And so, as there are three Persons within the single Essence, there are three meanings beneath the single surface of the letter. 11. Ideo primus sensus litteralis; deinde, quia res significant, sunt tres sensus. Deus enim manifestat se in qualibet creatura tripliciter; secundum substantiam, virtutem et operationem. Et omnis creatura repraesentat Deum, qui est Trinitas, et qualiter pervenitur ad eum. Et quia per fidem, spem et caritatem pervenitur ad Deum; ideo omnis creatura insinuat, quid credendum, quid exspectandum, quid operandum. Et secundum hoc est triplex intelligentia spiritualis: allegoria, quid credendum; anagogia, quid exspectandum; tropologia, quid operandum, quia caritas facit operari. -- Intelligentia litteralis est quasi facies naturalis, scilicet hominis; aliae sunt facies mysticae: per leonem, qui habet magnificentiam, allegoria, sive quid credendum; per faciem bovis, qui trahit aratrum et sulcat terram ad fructificandum, tropologia sive moralis; per aquilam, quae in altum volat, anagogia. -- Prima facies, scilicet litteralis, aperta est; secunda, magnificentia alte elevata; tertia, tropologia est fructuosa; quarta, quasi irreverberatis oculis solem intuetur. -- Hae quatuor sunt quasi visio maris propter spiritualium intelligentiarum primitivam originationem, profundissimam altitudinem et profluentissimam multiformitatem. Unde sicut sunt tres personae in una essentia, sic tres intelligentiae in una superficie litterae.
12. It should be noted, however, that while the world serves man in his body, it serves him more particularly in his soul; and that if it serves to forward life, it serves more particularly to forward wisdom. It is certain that as long as man stood up, he had the knowledge of created things and through their significance, was carried up to God, to praise, worship, and love Him. This is what creatures are for, and this is how they are led back to God. But when man had fallen, since he had lost knowledge, there was no longer any one to lead creatures back to God. Hence this book, the world, became as dead and deleted. And it was necessary that there be another book through which this one would be lighted up, so that it could receive the symbols of things. Such a book is Scripture which establishes the likenesses, the properties, and the symbolism of things written down in the book of the world. And so, Scripture has the power to restore the whole world toward the knowledge, praise, and love of God. Hence, if you ask what is the meaning of the serpent to you, or what is its use— it is more useful to you than the whole world because it teaches you how to be prudent, as the ant teaches you how to be wise. Solomon says: Go to the ant, O sluggard, study her ways and learn wisdom. And Matthew: Be therefore wise as serpents. 12. Notandum autem quod mundus, etsi servit homini quantum ad corpus, potissime tamen quantum ad animam; et si servit quantum ad vitam, potissime quantum ad sapientiam. Certum est, quod homo stans habebat cognitionem rerum creatarum et per illarum repraesentationem ferebatur in Deum ad ipsum laudandum, venerandum, amandum; et ad hoc sunt creaturae et sic reducuntur in Deum. Cadente autem homine, cum amisisset cognitionem, non erat qui reduceret eas in Deum. Unde iste liber, scilicet mundus, quasi emortuus et deletus erat; necessarius autem fuit alius liber, per quem iste illuminaretur, ut acciperet metaphoras rerum. Hic autem liber est Scripturae, qui ponit similitudines, proprietates et metaphoras rerum in libro mundi scriptarum. Liber ergo Scripturae reparativus est totius mundi ad Deum cognoscendum, laudandum, amandum. Unde si quaeras, quid tibi valet serpens, vel de quo tibi servit? Plus valet tibi quam totus mundus, quia docet te prudentiam, sicut formica sapientiam; Salomon: Vade ad formicam, o piger, et disce sapientiam ; item, in Matthaeo: Estote prudentes sicut serpentes .
13. These four meanings are the four rivers of the sea in Scripture: they derive or originate from the sea, and they return to it. Hence Sacred Scripture sheds light on all things and retraces them all back to God, thus restoring the original state of creatures. 13. Hae quatuor intelligentiae sunt quatuor flumina maris Scripturae , a quo derivantur vel oriuntur et revertuntur. Unde sacra Scriptura est illuminativa omnium et.reductiva in Deum, sicut primo fuit creatura.
14. But how can each one of the meanings have four faces, since it is said that each one of the living creatures had four faces? Let us ask the friend of the bridegroom, that is, John. —And he said here: this pertains especially to the order of this one—and he (John) says in the Apocalypse that the four living creatures stood around God's throne, and that the first had the face of a lion, the second that of an ox, the third that of a man, and the fourth that of an eagle: but he does not say that each one had four faces. While Ezechiel says that the living creatures moved, this one says that they stood. Ezechiel says that the first living creature had the face of a man; this one, that it had the face of a lion. He also says that they cried out "Holy!" Ezechiel says none of this, but only that they gave voice. Wherefore John seems to comprise the visions both of Isaiah and of Ezechiel. Cf. Lam 5, 18. Est 10, 6. Ez I, 5. Cf. Ez I, 6-16. Ez I, 24. Ap 14, 2.14. Sed quomodo habet quatuor facies quaelibet intelligentia dicta, quia dicitur, quod unumquodque animal quatuor facies habebat? Interrogemus amicum sponsi, scilicet Ioannem -- et dixit hic: iste est istius ordinis specialiter --, et dicit in Apocalypsi , quod quatuor animalia erant circa thronum Dei, et quod animal primum habebat faciem leonis; secundum, faciem bovis; tertium, faciem hominis; quartum, faciem aquilae; et non dicit, quod unumquodque haberet quatuor facies; Ezechiel autem dicit, quod animalia ibant, et iste, quod stabant; Ezechiel dicit, quod animal primum habebat faciem hominis; iste, quod faciem leonis; item, iste dicit, quod clamabant sanctus; ille nihil horum exprimit, nisi quod dabant voces. Unde Ioannes videtur comprehendere visionem Isaiae et Ezechielis .
Divisions of the Canon
15. In this regard, it should be noted that Ezechiel intends to describe these meanings in the order of their importance: therefore he begins with the natural face of a man, which signifies the literal interpretation. But John intends to describe the four meanings, not in the order of importance, but according to the four faces which represent four meanings, that is, the literal or the allegorical or the tropological or the anagogical within any one of the four. 15. Ad hoc notandum, quod Ezechiel intendit describere intelligentias istas per ordinem principalem; ideo incipit a naturali facie hominis, quae significat intellectum litteralem. Ioannes autem intendit describere quatuor intelligentias non principales secundum quatuor facies, quae sunt quatuor intelligentiae, scilicet litteralis, vel allegorica, vel tropologica, vel anagogica, cuiuslibet quatuor.
16. Every teaching of the Old Testament is either legal, as that of Moses, or historical as that of the historical books, or sapiential as that of the sapiential books, or prophetical as in the Psalms and the twelve minor and the four major prophets. Likewise the Scriptures in the New Testament are either legal as in the Gospels where commands are established, or historical as in the Acts of the Apostles, or sapiential as in the Epistles of Paul to which should be added the Canonical Letters, or prophetical as in the Apocalypse. Although the Epistles are placed after the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles follow the Gospels immediately. In the former book, O Theophilus, I spoke of all that Jesus did and taught. The legal books correspond to the lion, because of its magnificence and authority; the historical to the ox who pulls the plow, because of its simplicity, and because it furrows the earth; the sapiential to man; and the prophetical to the face of an eagle. 16. Omnis doctrina veteris testamenti aut est legalis, ut in Moyse; aut historialis, ut in libris historialibus; aut sapientia^, ut in libris sapientialibus; aut prophetalis, ut in Psalmis et in duodecim Prophetis minoribus et quatuor maioribus. -- Novi testamenti Scriptura similiter aut est legalis, ut in Evangelio, ubi ponuntur praecepta; aut historialis, ut in Actibus Apostolorum; aut sapientialis, ut in Epistolis Pauli, coadiunctis canonicis; aut prophetalis, ut in Apocalypsi; quamquam Epistolae ponantur post Evangelia, tamen Actus Apostolorum immediate sequuntur Evangelium: Primum quidem sermonem feci de omnibus, o. Theophile, quae coepit Iesus facere et docere . -- Legalis respondet leoni propter magnificentiam et auctoritatem; historialis bovi, qui trahit aratrum, propter simplicitatem, et quia terram sulcat; sapientialis respondet homini; prophetalis respondet faciei aquilae.
17. For Scripture tends to lead back to the first beginning by means of reformation, or it describes eternal things, as in the Laws and Gospels. Hence in the Psalm: He gave them a duty which shall not pass away. And in Ecclesiasticus: As everlasting foundations upon a solid rock, so the commandments of God in the heart of a holy woman. This woman is the Church. For it is not to be understood that the Law or the Commandments will pass away, but rather that they will be better served in the fatherland. For they are not served in the same manner under the Old Testament and under the New Testament: they are served better under the New Testament, and yet better still in the fatherland. God indeed lives by these very Laws which He Himself has given. But when Scripture deals with temporal matters, it is either of the past, and in this it is historical; or of the present, and in this it is sapiential; or of the future, and in this it is prophetical. Hence, there are commandments, examples, documents, and revelations. And so, this first meaning has four faces: if we ordain them according to the order of Ezechiel, then we obtain an order which is right in itself; but according to [our] nature, we must turn our eyes to most important eternal matters. 17. Intendit enim Scriptura reducere ad originale principium per reformationem; aut ergo describit aeterna, quae sunt leges et Evangelia; in Psalmo: Praeceptum posuit Dominus, quod non praeteribit ; et in Ecclesiastico: fundamenta aeterna supra petram solidam, et mandata Dei in corde mulieris sanctae ; haec mulier est Ecclesia. Non enim intelligendum est, quod lex transeat sive praecepta, immo melius servabuntur in patria. Non enim eodem modo servantur in lege veteri et nova, sed melius in nova, completius autem in patria. Deus enim vivit secundum leges, quas dedit. -- Si autem Scriptura agat de temporalibus, aut ergo de praeteritis, et sic historialia; aut de praesentibus, et sic sapientialia; aut de futuris, et sic prophetalia. Sunt ergo mandata, exempla, documenta, revelationes. -- Haec igitur prima intelligentia quatuor habet facies; si ordinemus secundum ordinem Ezechielis, tunc habetur ordo rectus in se; sed nos debemus secundum naturam ferre oculum ad aeterna, quae principalia sunt.
18. Anagogy is concerned with things from above allegory, with that which has been done; tropology, with things yet to be done. According to Hugh of Saint-Victor, anagogy is part of allegory, for it is concerned with matters of faith. 18. Anagogia autem est de. supernis; allegoria est de his quae facta sunt; tropologia de his quae fienda sunt. Anagogia etiam est pars allegoriae secundum Hugonem, quae est de credendis.
19. Wherefore in the anagogical sense there are four faces, that is, the eternal Trinity of God, the wisdom of the Exemplar, the loftiness of the angels, and the Church Triumphant. And so, when Scripture speaks of these things, it is a matter of anagogy. 19. In sensu ergo anagogico quatuor sunt facies, scilicet aeterna Dei trinitas, exemplaris sapientia, angelica sublimitas, Ecclesia triumphans. Quando ergo Scriptura loquitur de istis, hoc pertinet ad anagogiam.