Collation 17 - Collations on the Hexaemeron — Bonaventure
English Latin
A. Fifth Treatise on the Third Vision, Which is Concerned with the Theories of Scripture Signified by the Fruits
1700 SEVENTEENTH COLLATION Fifth Treatise on the Third Vision, Which Is Concerned with the Theories of Scripture Signified by the Fruits, That Is, with Considerations Sustaining the Intellect and the Affective Dispositions, and First with Those Sustaining the Intellect. COLLATIO XVII DE TERTIA VISIONE TRACTATIO QUINTA, QUAE AGIT DE THEORIIS SCRIPTURAE SIGNIFICATIS PER FRUCTUS, SCILICET DE CONSIDERATIONIBUS REFICIENTIBUS INTELLECTUM ET AFFECTUM, ET PRIMO QUIDEM DE REFICIENTIBUS INTELLECTUM
1. THE earth brought forth vegetation, etc. It has been said that the vision of intelligence taught by Scripture is concerned with three objects: spiritual meanings, signified by the gathering of waters; sacramental figures, signified by the growth of plants and trees; manifold theories, signified by the multiplication of seeds and the sustainment obtained from trees. Some of the theories consist in the consideration of the times which follow upon each other, in a sense bearing seed, and in the correspondence between them. Other theories consist in the consideration of [those forms of] sustainment that result in salvation. Not by bread alone does man live. Man must consider with what he is being fed, that is, the words of Scripture: hence it is a tree that bears fruit. For the intellect is in need of sustainment, and so are the affective dispositions. 1. Protulit terra herbam virentem etc. Dictum est, quod visio intelligentiae per Scripturam eruditae versatur circa tria: circa intelligentias spirituales, quae intelliguntur per congregationes aquarum; circa figuras sacramentales, per germinationem herbarum et arborum; circa theorias multiformes, per multiplicationem seminum et refectionem arborum. Istae theoriae consistunt in considerationibus temporum sibi succedentium, quae sunt seminaria quaedam et in correspondentia eorundem; aliae theoriae consistunt in considerationibus salutarium refectionum; quia non in solo pane vivit homo . Considerare debet homo, ex quo pascatur, scilicet eloquio Scripturae; unde est lignum faciens fructum . Indiget enim intellectus refectione, indiget et affectus.
B. Sustainment of the Intellect
2. We must speak first of the sustainment of the intellect. But, as the Apostle says, the farmer who toils must be the first to partake of the fruit. For the preacher himself must first be filled and sweetened before offering [anything] to others. Yet, there are many who want to be considered prophets and to be heard as prophets, and their bread or food is tasteless and improperly cooked and cold, and they hold the people, but to little avail. 2. Primo dicendum de refectione intellectus. Sed, sicut dicit Apostolus, laborantem agricolam oportet prius edere de fructibus ; quia praedicator oportet quod prius sit imbutus et dulcoratus in se, et post aliis proponat. Multi tamen volunt videri prophetae et audiri tanquam prophetae; et panis eorum vel cibus insipidus est et male coctus et frigidus, et detinent populum et parum proficiunt.
3. It should be noted that as a fruit delights both sight and taste, it delights the sense of sight mostly by its excellence and beauty, but the sense of taste, by its sweetness and flavor. Likewise, these theories sustain the intellect by their beauty, and the affective dispositions by their sweetness. This is what Scripture suggests when it says: The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, to the east, and He put there the man He had formed, etc. This is said as a recapitulation on the seventh day, since the planting was done on the third day. 3. Notandum, quod sicut fructus oblectat visum et gustum, tamen principalius visum oblectat sua pulcritudine et decore, gustum vero dulcore et suavitate; sic et istae theoriae reficiunt intellectum suo decore et affectum sua suavitate. -- Hoc innuit Scriptura dicens: Plantaverat autem Dominus Deus paradisum voluptatis a principio, in quo posuit hominem etc. Hoc dictum est per recapitulationem post septimam diem, quia ista plantatio facta fuit tertia die.
4. There follows: The Lord God made to grow out of the ground all kinds of trees pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, so that it would sustain the intellect by its beauty and the affective dispositions by its sweetness. But consummation was to come about in the tree of life, provided caution was exercised in regard to the tree of knowledge. Hie soil, therefore, is Scripture which brings forth all kinds of trees pleasant to the sight, as regards the intellect, and good for food as regards the affective dispositions, that is, the manifold theories both delighting and sustaining. In the heavenly paradise, there is no planting, except of eternal reasons, and although there is sustainment in the fact of the predestination of all the saints, I will rejoice rather over my own. And this is what the Lord suggests: "Rejoice rather in this, that your names are written in heaven." Paul could speak of the heavenly paradise, because he was caught up to the third heaven. We do not know, but we speak of the earthly paradise. 4. Sequitur: Produxitque omne lignum pulcrum visu et ad vescendum suave: lignum vitae in medio paradisi lignum scientiae boni et mali , ut intellectum suo decore reficeret et affectum suavitate. Consummatio autem erat in ligno vitae, si lignum scientiae caveretur. Terra ergo est Scriptura, quae produxit omne lignum pulcrum visu quantum ad intellectum, et ad vescendum suave quantum ad affectum, scilicet multiformes theorias oblectantes et reficientes. In paradiso caelesti non est plantatio nisi rationum aeternarum; et licet ibi sit refectio de prae destinationibus omnium Sanctorum, potissime tamen gaudebo de mea praedestinatione; et hoc innuit Salvator: Gaudete, quia nomina vestra scripta sunt in caelis . -- Paulus potuit loqui de paradiso caelesti, qui raptus fuit usque ad tertium caelum ; nos nescimus, sed loquimur de terrestri.
1. For the Soul is a Paradise in Which Scripture is Planted
5. For the soul is a paradise in which Scripture is planted, and it has marvelous aspects of sweetness and beauty. Hence in the Canticle: My sister, my spouse is a garden enclosed, a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed up. Thy plants are a paradise of pomegranates. The soul is a garden in which there are sacramental mysteries and spiritual meanings, where a fountain of spiritual outpourings gushes forth, but it is enclosed, and the fountain is sealed up, for they are not visible to the impure, but to those whom God knows to be His. Eternal wisdom loves this garden and dwells around it. Hence in Ecclesiasticus: I, like the river Doryx, flowed out of paradise. This garden is watered by the One who plants all things: and whatever he did not plant will be rooted up. "Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up." And consequently, I said: I will water my garden of plants, and I will water abundantly the fruits of my meadow. For He waters by means of blood, with which He sprinkled the book and all the people; He also waters through the Holy Spirit flowing from Him. The Scripture has this flow and we find it there. Such are the trees beautiful to behold and sweet to feed upon because of the beauty and flavor of their fruits. 5. Est autem anima paradisus, in qua plantata est Scriptura, et habet mirabiles suavitates et decores. Unde in Cantico: Hortus conclusus, soror mea sponsa, hortus conclusus, fons signatus, emissiones tuae paradisus . Anima est hortus, in qua sunt sacramentalia mysteria et spirituales intelligentiae, ubi scaturit fons spiritualium emissionum; sed conclusus est et fons signatus, quia non patet immundis, sed illis, de quibus: Novit Dominus qui sunt eius . Hunc hortum sapientia aeterna diligit et circa eum versatur; unde in Ecclesiastico: Ego sicut fluvius dioryx exivi de paradiso . Hunc hortum rigavit ille qui omnes plantat; quam enim plantationem non plantat, illa eradicabitur. Omnis plantatio , inquit, quam non plantavit Pater meus caelestis, eradicabitur . Sequitur: Dixi: Rigabo hortum meum plantationum et inebriabo prati mei fructum . -- Rigat autem sanguine , quo aspersus est liber et omnis populus; rigat etiam affluentia Spiritus sancti manantis ab ipso, quam Scriptura habet, et quam invenimus in Scriptura. Haec sunt ergo ligna pulcra visu et ad vescendum suavia ratione fructuum pulcrorum et dulcium.
2. Intellectual Refreshment
6. Let us now speak of intellectual refreshment. As the body loses its strength, beauty and health in the absence of food, so the soul without the understanding of truth becomes dark and weak, distorted and unstable in all things; and so it needs to be fed. Hence, the unsettled mind, lacking food, wanders about and is unstable. And so, Jerusalem hath grievously sinned, therefore is she become unstable, and for that reason, having been expelled from paradise, she wanders about, and [her people] have given all their precious things for food to relieve the soul. And deep suffering follows upon this. Hence there is nothing healthier than that thoughts be stabilized, lest they wander into evil. Wherefore John Cassian went with many to a certain holy Father and complained about the instability of thoughts, and the fact that there was no object upon which the mind could attach itself. He answered [by asking] whether they had ever written verse, and whether at present they were concerned with such things. They replied that they had done it so much that they could not think of anything else, and that they even thought about it in their sleep. And he said it happened to them because of habit. Wherefore it is necessary to accustom oneself to anything, so that, when it comes into the mind, it be not evil. 6. De refectione intellectus dicendum. Sicut enim corpus sine cibo perdit virtutem, decorem et sanitatem; sic anima sine intelligentia veritatis tenebrescit et infirma, deformis et instabilis fit in omnibus; oportet ergo refici. Hinc est, quod mens vagabunda, non habens cibum discurrit et est instabilis. Unde: Peccatum peccavit Ierusalem; propterea instabilis facta est ; et ideo, eiecta de paradiso, vagatur et dat pretiosa quaeque pro cibo ad refocillandam animam . Unde haec est passio misera. Propter quod nihil sanius, nisi ut Agantur cogitationes, ne vagentur in malum. -- Unde Ioannes Cassianus venit cum multis ad quendam sanctum Patrem et conquestus est de ^stabilitate cogitationum, et quod in nullo poterat firmare intellectum. Et ille respondit: Si unquam versificati fuerant, et si tunc de illis cogitabant. Responderunt, quod in tantum, quod vix de aliquo alio cogitare poterant, immo etiam dormiendo cogitabant. Dixit ille, quod illud erat propter consuetudinem. Unde oportet assuescere circa rem aliquam, quae, cum in mentem venerit, non sit mala.
7. But such a thing is Scripture, wherein not one thing but many things are found, and in which there is spiritual delight. Thus we do not go out of the garden of Paradise: it is the soul insofar as it is tilling and keeping, and by doing so, it makes for itself a small but delicious garden in the mind. In this knowledge alone there is delight, and in no other. The Philosopher says it is a pleasure to know that the diameter is asymmetrical to the circumference. Let this pleasure be his: provided he savors it. 7. Haec autem est Scriptura, ubi non unum sed multa inveniuntur, in quibus est delectatio spiritualis; et sic non exibimus hortum paradisi, sed est anima ut operans et custodiens et facit sibi ex ea hortum parvum in mente deliciosum. -- In hac sola scientia est delectatio, non in aliis. Philosophus dicit, quod magna delectatio est scire, quod diameter est asymeter costae; haec delectatio sit sua; modo comedat illam.
8. Now, out of Scripture there comes forth a certain light or illumination in the mind and also in the imagination, so that there seems to be no going out [of Paradise] for the wise when he considers twelve aspects: inside, outside and above; below, before and after; right and left; from the opposite and in a circle; from afar and from close by. 8. Egreditur autem de Scriptura quaedam lux seu illustratio in intellectum iunctum imaginationi, ut non pateat egressus sapienti, et hoc aspiciendo ad duodecim, scilicet intra, extra, supra; infra, ante, retro; dextrorsum, sinistrorsum; ex opposito, in gyro; e longinquo, e vicino.
3. Scripture Enlightens
9. Scripture enlightens from inside by the multiplication of internal spectacles: indeed, it proposes noble spiritual sights which are the particular roots of faith. From outside , [it enlightens] through extrinsic examples, of which all of Scripture is full. If you seek an example of patience, behold Job and Tobias; of magnanimity, behold David fighting Goliath, and Judas Macchabee. As an example of faith, behold Abraham and the glorious Virgin, whose faith surpasses that of Abraham. For Abraham believed that he could have a son from a sterile old woman, but Mary believed that although a virgin, she would conceive of the Holy Spirit: nor would she have conceived had she not believed. If [you seek] an example of love, behold Moses who said: "If You would only forgive their sin! If You will not, then strike me out of the hook that You have written!" If [you seek] an example of mercy, look in Ecclesiasticus: Yet these also were godly men whose virtues have not been forgotten. If [you are looking for] justice, fortitude, prudence, purity, [Scripture] proposes you becoming examples of every virtue. For virtue consists in concrete doings, wherefore interior guidelines are not enough unless they are accompanied by a concrete example. Hence Scripture gives both. As a rule against anger, it offers: A mild answer calms wrath? Consider Abigail who broke David's wrath. 9. Illustrat Scriptura suis pullulationibus ab intra per interna spectacula; proponit enim spiritualia spectacula nobilia, quae specialiter sunt radicalia fidei; ab extra, per exempla extrinseca, de quibus tota Scriptura est plena. Si vis exemplum patientiae, respice Iob et Tobiam; si magnanimitatis, respice David contra Goliam, et Iudam Machabaeum; si fidei exemplum, Abraham et Virginem gloriosam, cuius fides transcendit fidem Abrahae. Abraham enim credidit, posse se habere filium de sterili sene ; sed Maria, quod Virgo conciperet de Spiritu sancto, credidit ; neque concepisset, nisi credidisset. Si exemplum caritatis, vide Moysen, qui dixit: Aut dimitte eis hanc noxam, aut dele me de libro tuo, quem scripsisti . Si exemplum misericordiae, in Ecclesiastico: Hi sunt viri misericordiae, quorum pietates non defuerunt . Si de iustitia, fortitudine, prudentia, munditia, de omni virtute honesta proponit tibi exempla. Quia virtus consistit circa operationes particulares, ideo non sufficit regula interius directiva, nisi sit exemplum particulare; et ideo Scriptura utrumque ponit. Contra iram dedit regulam: Responsio mollis frangit iram ; vide exemplum de Abigail, quae fregit iram David .
10. Again, Scripture enlightens from above by means of divine promises, for its teaching is concerned with things above. Hence the Apostle writes: For we know that if the earthly house in which we dwell be destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made by human hands, eternal in the heavens. And: "In My Father's house there are many mansions," says the Lord. In the Psalms, it is said: The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They have their fill of the prime gifts of Your house; from Your delightful stream You give them to drink. For with You is the fountain of life, and in Your light we see light. And in the Apocalypse: For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them, and will guide them to the fountains of the waters of life. And in a Psalm: The delights at Your right hand forever. And so [Scripture] offers us the divine promises. 10. Item, illustrat a supra per divina promissa; docet enim Scriptura de his quae sunt supra. Unde Apostolus: Scimus, quoniam, si terrestris domus nostra huius habitationis dissolvatur, quod aedificationem ex Deo habemus, domum non manufactam, aeternam in caelis ; et: In domo Patris mei mansiones multae sunt , ait Salvator; in Psalmis dicitur: Filii hominum sub umbra alarum tuarum sperabunt. Inebriabuntur ab ubertate domus tuae, et torrente voluptatis tuae potabis eos, quoniam apud te est fons vitae; et in lumine tuo videbimus lumen ; et illud Apocalypsis: Agnus, qui in medio throni est, reget illos et deducet eos ad vitae fontes aquarum ; et in Psalmo: Delectationes in dextera tua usque in finem . Proponit ergo nobis divina promissa.
11. Likewise, [Scripture] enlightens from below by showing forth the torments of hell. In the Psalm: He rains upon the wicked fiery coals and brimstone; a burning blast is their allotted cup. In the Apocalypse: Their portion shall be in the pool that burns with fire and brimstone. —And the smoke of their torments goes up forever and ever. Scripture proposes this from the very beginning where it is said that darkness covered the abyss, until the end. And so [Scripture] offers internal spectacles, external examples, heavenly promises, and the tortures of hell. 11. Item, illustrat ab infra proponendo inferni tormenta. Psalmus: Pluet super peccatores laqueos; ignis et sulphur et spiritus procellarum pars calicis eorum Apocalypsis: Et pars eorum in stagno ignis et sulphuris . Et ascendet fumus tormentorum eorum in saecula saeculorum . Haec proponit Scriptura a principio, ubi dictum est, quod tenebrae erant super faciem abyssi , usque ad finem. -- Proponit ergo interna spectacula, extrinseca exempla, caelestia promissa, inferni supplicia.
12. If all this is not enough for you and you wish to go out and look somewhere else for intellectual food, [Scripture] gives you also other trees, other fruits by which you may be restored. It enlightens a priori by means of directive precepts, and a posteriori by means of strict judgments; from the right , by means of dangerous satisfactions, and from the left by means of sweet or benign punishments. It is fitting, then, to have light before oneself. For the bidding is a lamp, and the teaching a light; and this leads to heaven. Hence, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." And to the commandments are added the counsels. And this is what Scripture teaches us everywhere. Wherefore the Psalm reads: Happy are they (whose way is) blameless. And: Instruct me, O Lord, in the way of Your statutes, etc. In every verse there is a reference to commands, indicated as law, or witnessing, or declarations, or some other equivalent name. Also, in the Hebrew, every verse of each octave begins with the same letter—which cannot be rendered in our language — so that the twenty- two letters correspond to the twenty-two octaves, and each octave contains eight verses. Augustine was moved by so great a correspondence: that there be here so much knowledge and so great a variety. For Augustine himself once saw a very beautiful tree that had twenty-two branches, and each one had eight twigs, and from these the most sweet drops were running. And he understood that this tree was the Psalm: Happy are they whose way is blameless. Hence, meditation on the Law is supremely necessary. The Psalm reads: Happy the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked,. . . but delights in the Law of the Lord. ... He is like a tree planted near running water. And Ecclesiasticus: The things that God hath commanded thee, think on them always, and in many of His works be not curious. 12. Si ista tibi non sufficiunt, sed vis exire et alibi quaerere refectionem intellectus; adhuc dabit tibi alias arbores, alios fructus, in quibus potes refici. Illustrat antrorsum per praecepta directiva; retrorsum, per districta iudicia; dextrorsum, per severa solatia; sinistrorsum, per dulcia seu benigna fragella. -- Oportet enim lumen habere ante se. Mandatum enim lucerna est, et lex lux ; haec dirigit in caelum, unde: Si vis ad vitam ingredi, serva mandata , quibus adduntur consilia ; haec proponit nobis Scriptura ubique. Unde in illo Psalmo: Beati immaculati , et: Legem pone mihi, Domine, viam iustificationum tuarum etc., in omni versu fit mentio de mandatis vel sub nomine legis, vel testimonii, vel eloquii, vel alicuius nominis aequivalentis. Unde etiam apud Hebraeos omnes versus unius octonarii ab eadem littera incipiunt; quod non potuit servari apud nos, ut viginti duae litterae respondeant viginti duobus octonariis; et quilibet habet octo versus. Unde etiam Augustinus turbatus fuit circa tantam identitatem; quod tamen est magna scientia et mira varietas. Nam et ipse Augustinus semel vidit unam arborem pulcherrimam, habentem viginti duos ramos, et quilibet habebat octo ramusculos, et de illis guttae dulcissimae rorabant. Et intellexit, quod illa arbor esset Psalmus: Beati immaculati in via. Unde meditatio legis summe necessaria est; Psalmus: Beatus vir, qui non abiit in consilio impiorum, sed in lege Domini fuit voluntas eius. Et erit tanquam lignum, quod plantatum est secus decursus aquarum . In Ecclesiastico: In multis operibus eius ne fueris curiosus, sed quae praecepit tibi, illa cogita semper .
13. [Scripture] enlightens also a posteriori through strict judgments. For God always imposes strict judgments upon transgressions of the precepts, as in the cases of Lucifer, Adam and his wife, the depraved upon whom came the flood, the prideful who built the tower [of Babel], the Chananeans and Israel. Likewise, the New Testament is full of judgments. Now, the judgment follows the act, while the command precedes it. The judgment is related to the command: if you transgress it, you shall be punished. Unless you follow the guiding light, a sword shall pierce you. Hence the Psalm: Unless they be converted, God will sharpen His sword; He will bend and aim His bow, prepare His deadly weapons against them, and use fiery darts for arrows. The bow is the judgment of Scripture; the hardness of the wood, the Old Testament; the cord that bends the wood, the New Testament; the judgments, light or harsh, are the arrows. Hence again in the Psalm: The Law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul; the decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. . . . The ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just. 13. Item, illustrat retrorsum per districta iudicia. Semper enim fecit Deus districta iudicia de transgressionibus praeceptorum, ut de Lucifero, de Adam, de uxore sua, de Cain, de luxuriosis, super quos diluvium venit, de superbis, qui aedificaverunt turrim, de Chananaeis, de Israel. Similiter novum testamentum plenum est iudiciis. Iudicium autem est retro, praeceptum ante. Iudicium respicit praeceptum; si transgredieris, punieris; nisi sequaris lucem dirigentem, gladius percutiet te; Psalmus: Nisi conversi fueritis, gladium suum vibrabit, arcum suum tetendit et paravit illum, et in eo paravit vasa mortis, sagittas suas ardentibus effecit . Arcus, iudicium Scripturae; duritia ligni, vetus testamentum; chorda, quae lignum flectit, novum testamentum; iudicia leviora et duriora, sagittae. Psalmus: Lex Domini immaculata convertens animas; testimonium Domini fidele, sapientiam praestans parvulis. Iudicia Domini vera, iustificata in semetipsa etc.
14. Again, [Scripture] enlightens from the right by means of dangerous satisfactions. Nor is it without reason that satisfactions are called dangerous and punishments benign, for satisfactions entail serious risk. Behold Adam, Saul, Solomon, the idolater Jeroboam, and the Prince of Angels, to all of whom temporal satisfactions and a state of high eminence were occasions of ruin. For they are occasions of ruin when they please. When they do not please, man is not taken up by them. Wherefore Christ did not want to have any temporal satisfaction, because a thousand fall at your side, ten thousand at your right. And one should always prefer to be on that side on which less are falling.! 14. Item, dextrorsum illustrat per severa solatia. Nec sine causa dicuntur solatia severa et flagella benigna, quia solatia sunt periculosa. Vide Adam, Saul, Salomonem, Ieroboam idololatrae! et primum angelum, quibus omnibus solatia temporalia et excellentiae fuerunt occasio ruinae. Sunt autem occasio ruinae, quando placent; quando autem non placent, non se ingerit homo. Unde Christus noluit habere solatium temporale, quia cadent a latere tuo mille, et decem millia a dextris tuis etc. Plus debet quis velle esse in ista parte, in qua pauciores cadunt.
15. Once more, [Scripture] enlightens from the left by means of benign punishments. Wherefore the Lord permitted the most just Abel to be murdered. Behold Noah who took a hundred years to build the Ark and placed in it everything he had: and the whole world was making fun of him. —And he added at this point of his speech that not even the King of France would ever be able to do such a thing, considering the actual volume measured in geometric cubits, It is the same with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who were pilgrims, and with Joseph who could not be exalted before having been sold, imprisoned and humiliated. See Moses, whom God was to place at the head of the whole world, how he was humbled: he tended the sheep of a priest for forty years. Likewise, David: as long as he suffered, he was very good, and he came to reign by means of sufferings. But later, living in prosperity, he committed many sins. Likewise, Ezechias in his weakness was very humble, but later he became proud at the time of the coming of the Babylonian envoys. Behold Elias, the poor little one who had nothing to eat but what the crow and the poor little widow brought to him: and who yet closed the heavens. Behold John the Baptist who stayed seven years in the desert and lay there on [a bed of] pebbles. Likewise, Paul says: They were stoned, they were sawed asunder, they were tempted, they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins, etc. Punishments, therefore, are most sweet. And so, either God punishes or He does not. For whom the Lord loves, He chastises. This is proved by particular instances. Hence it must be inferred [to apply] universally. 15. Item, sinistrorsum per benigna flagella illustrat. Unde Dominus permisit, Abel iustissimum interfici. Vide Noe, qui centum annis fabricavit arcam, et posuit ibi quidquid habebat; et totus mundus ipsum deridebat. -- Et addidit hic, quod rex Franciae non posset hodie talem facere, qui considerat eam secundum suam mensuram cubitorum geometricorum. -- De Abraham similiter, Isaac et Iacob, qui peregrinati fuerunt; et Ioseph, qui exaltari non poterat, nisi praecessisset venditio, incarceratio et humiliatio. Vide Moysen, quem Deus debebat praeponere toti mundo, quomodo fuit humiliatus; pascebat oves per quadraginta annos unius sacerdotis . Similiter David , quamdiu fuit in tribulatione, fuit optimus et ad regnum venit per tribulationes; et post, cum fuit in prosperitate, multa peccata commisit. Similiter Ezechias in infirmitate valde humilis fuit, sed postea superbus in adventu nuntiorum Babyloniorum. Vide Eliam pauperculum, qui non habebat ad comedendum, nisi quod corvus sibi ministrabat et illa paupercula vidua; qui tamen caelum claudebat. Vide Ioannem Baptistam , qui septem annorum intravit desertum et ibi super lapillos iacebat. Similiter de Christo et de Apostolis. Similiter dicit Paulus: Lapidati sunt, secti sunt, tentati sunt, in occisione gladii mortui sunt, circuierunt in melotis etc. Flagella ergo sunt suavissima. Aut ergo Deus flagellat, aut non. Flagellat autem omnem filium, quem recipit . Probata est haec per particularia; ergo debet inferri universaliter.
16. Now, Scripture also has trees for food. It enlightens by means of those things that are from the opposite side. For it shows us an endless army arrayed against us, either through the seven princes, through a single war, or through several wars. That war began on the day when Michael and his angels battled with the dragon. A threefold war is threatening us: domestic, civil, and military. The first is with the flesh, which has many troops. This servant-maid is ever- willing to give access, as did Eve. Hence, Against her who lies in your bosom guard the portals of your mouth. 16. Adhuc etiam habet Scriptura arbores ad reficiendum. Illustrat autem ex his quae sunt ex opposito. Ostendit enim nobis acies infi- nitas contra nos, modo per septem duces y modo unum bellum, modo multa. Istud bellum est ab illo die, quo Michael et Angeli eius praeliabantur cum dracone . Imminet autem nobis triplex bellum: bellum domesticum, bellum civile et campestre. -- Primum cum carne, quae habet multas acies; haec ancilla semper parata est aperire, sicut Eva. Unde: Ab ea quae dormit in sinu tuo, custodi claustra oris tui .
17. Again, civil war is the temptation of the world. Indeed, every creature is a trap4 Hence the saying: Vanity of vanities! AH things are vanity! What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun? Vain and worthless is anything of which nothing remains to man after death: wherefore all things are vanity. The Psalms reads: Turn away my eyes from seeing what is vain. 17. Item, bellum civile est tentatio mundi. Omnis enim creatura est in muscipulam y quia creaturae pulcritudo trahit homines. Unde: Vanitas , inquit, vanitatum, et omnia vanitas. Quid habet homo de universo labore suo, quo laborat sub sole? . Vane et frustra fit de quo nihil relinquitur homini in morte, et ideo cuncta vanitas; in Psalmo: Averte oculos meosy ne videant vanitatem .