Collation 18 - Collations on the Hexaemeron — Bonaventure
English Latin
A. Sixth Treatise on the Third Vision, Which is Concerned with the Theories of Scripture Signified by the Fruits, in Particular How They Sustain the Affective Dispositions.
1800 EIGHTEENTH COLLATION Sixth Treatise on the Third Vision, Which Is Concerned with the Theories of Scripture Signified by the Fruits, in Particular How They Sustain the Affective Dispositions. COLLATIO XVIII DE TERTIA VISIONE TRACTATIO SEXTA, QUAE AGIT DE THEORIIS SCRIPTURAE SIGNIFICATIS PER FRUCTUS, ET QUIDEM QUATENUS REFICIUNT AFFECTUM
1. Scripture Sustains the Affective Dispositions
1. THE earth brought forth vegetation , etc. It has been said above that these theories are reduced to a twofold consideration: to the consideration of times as they follow upon each other, and as they correspond to each other in the government of the world: and here they correspond to the seeds. They also consist in the consideration of saving observations or sustainments by which the soul is fed: and there they correspond to the fruits. And so, this fruit is beautiful in the measure in which the intellect is sustained by it, and it is tasty in the measure in which the affective dispositions are fed by it. But it has been said how the intellect is enlightened by these theories, in order that it may go on to the tasting of its fruit. And this is necessary. As Gregory says, "He who labors only to find out what to say and how, remains empty inside and is devoid of inner devotion," for as the Apostle says, he has become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. 1. Protulit terra herbam virentem etc. Dictum est supra, quod istae theoriae reducuntur ad considerationem duplicem: ad considerationem succedentium temporum et sibi mutuo correspondentium in gubernatione mundi; et sic intelliguntur per semina. Consistunt etiam circa considerationem salutarium circumspectionum vel refectionum, quibus anima reficitur, et sic intelliguntur per fructus; et sic iste fructus est decorus, secundum quod ipso reficitur intellectus; et est sapidus, secundum quod ipso reficitur affectus. Sed haec refectio adhuc ad aliud ordinatur. -- Dictum est autem quomodo intellectus illustratur per has theorias, ut ultra procedatur ad degustandum eius fructum; et hoc necesse est. «Qui enim ad hoc tantum laborat, ut sciat, quid et quomodo loquatur; interius vacuus remanet, ut dicit Gregorius, ab interna devotione»; quia, secundum Apostolum, factus est velut aes sonans aut cymbalum tinniens .
2. And so, the intellect is enlightened in twelve ways, as it has been said. But as regards the last four, they will be expressed better [than they had been before], so that what had been put in the eleventh place will now be in the twelfth.^ Wherefore those last [ways] used by Scripture and enlightening the soul, are four in number: assistance from the citizens [of heaven], that is, the hierarchized spirits, from the right; attacks from enemies, from the left, as is clearly the case with the three foes; the gifts of graces, from nearby; the symbolism of figures, from afar. This is the final enlightenment, for in this last one the preceding are included: within it, there is a concurrence of the heavenly forms, the elementary [forms, the natures^ of] meteors, of minerals; the natures of plants, of swimming beings, of birds, of progressing animals; the human limbs, the human powers, the human works, the human arts, out of all of which the soul rises in God's praise. And this act which straightens the intellect is an affective motion. 2. Illustratur ergo intellectus duodecim modis, ut dictum est; sed in quatuor modis ultimis melius dicetur, quam diceretur prius, ita ut id quod ponebatur in undecimo loco, ponatur in duodecimo. Illa ergo ultima, quibus utitur Scriptura, et illustratur anima, sunt quatuor, scilicet civium praesidia, qui sunt spiritus hierarchici, e directo; item, hostium certamina, ex obliquo, ut patet de tribus hostibus; gratiarum dona, e vicino; figurarum signa, e longinquo. Haec est illustratio ultima, quia in hanc ultimam praecedentes intrant; ad quam concurrunt formae caelestes, elementares, meteoricae, numerales; naturae germinum, natatilium, volatilium, gressibilium; humana membra, humanae vires, humana facta, humanae artes, ex quibus omnibus anima assurgit in laudem Dei. Et iste actus est affectus, qui habet rectificare intellectum.
2. Danger of Inquisitiveness, Knowledge Only
3. It is true that in this regard there comes the danger of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, so that, after dismissing the tree of life by reason of the sweetness of emotions, the soul may wander around other sciences and go so far that it can no longer come back but is excluded from the delights of paradise and loses the flavor of the tree of life. To eat of the tree of life by means of these enlightenments is to be sustained, so that a man seeks nothing but the intelligence of truth, the mood of piety, and the enjoyment of sweetness, that is, the solace of contemplation. But when a man forgets these things and delights in the pursuit of inquisitiveness, he only wants to know; and out of this is born the arrogance of vanity when he looks down upon other men. And upon this there follows the conflict of lawsuits, because he considers himself dishonored when someone stands up to him: and he is always ready to fight any opponent. And in such a way true life is taken away from man, as occurred with Adam, or rather, with the woman who was inquisitive and wanted to be like God. Therefore, they made themselves coverings and blamed another for their sin, Adam [blaming] God for having given him such a wife, and the woman [blaming] the serpent. Hence these enlightenments must enter the affective dispositions in order that the intellect be straightened. 3. Verum est, quod circa ista incidit periculum ligni scientiae boni et mali, ut, dimisso ligno vitae , scilicet suavitate affectus, anima evagetur circa scientias alias et in tantum elongetur, ut non redire possit et excludatur a deliciis paradisi et non gustet de ligno vitae. Edere de ligno vitae his illustrationibus est refici, ut homo nihil quaerat nisi intellectum veritatis, affectum pietatis, delectationem suavitatis sive solatium contemplationis. Sed quando homo horum obliviscitur et delectatur in studio curiositatis, vult scire tantum; et ex hoc nascitur supercilium vanitatis, cum alios despicit; ex quo sequitur litigium contentionis, quia reputat se despectum, quando quis respondet ei; et semper paratus est contra illos qui resistunt ei. Et per hoc aufertur homini vera vita; sicut Adam, vel potius mulier, quae curiosa fuit et voluit esse sicut Deus ; et ideo consuerunt sibi perizomata et refuderunt culpam in alium, ut Adam in Deum, quia uxorem talem dederat sibi, mulier autem in serpentem . Debent ergo istae illustrationes intrare in affectum, ut intellectus rectificetur.
4. In this garden, there is much walking about, for if one is not happy to remain in the first, he goes to the second, and likewise with the others. And so man is compassed about with apples. Hence, in the Canticle: Stay me up with flowers, compass me about with apples. And in the Psalm: His truth shall compass thee with a shield. And so, as the intellect is ordained toward the affective dispositions, and faith is the way to charity, so also these enlightenments must pass over into the affective dispositions, in order that the intellect pass from the speculative to the practical. 4. In hoc horto multa deambulatio est, quia, si non placet stare in primo, vade ad secundum, et sic de aliis. Et sic homo stipatus est malis; unde in Cantico: Fulcite me floribus, stipate me malis ; et in Psalmo: Scuto cincumdabit te veritas eius*. Sicut ergo intellectus ordinatur ad affectum, et fides est via ad caritatem; sic istae illustrationes transire debent in affectum, ut intellectus speculativus fiat practicus.
3. From These Twelve [enlightenments] a Threefold Fruit
5. Now, there arises from these twelve [enlightenments] a threefold fruit. From the first four comes forth the fruit of grace, from the intermediate [four], the fruit of righteousness, from the last [four], the fruit of wisdom. These fruits are referred to in Deuteronomy: To Joseph also he said: "Of the blessing of the Lord be his land, of the fruits of heaven, and of the dew, and of the deep that lieth beneath. Of the fruits brought forth by the sun and the moon. Of the tops of the ancient mountains, of the fruits of the everlasting hills, and of the fruits of the earth, and of the fullness thereof. It touches upon this threefold fruit, meaning these enlightenments, in the sense that they produce nourishing food, in that this threefold fruit is from Christ. Hence, in the Canticle: As an apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my lover among men. I delight to rest in his shadow, and his fruit is sweet to my mouth. 5. Oritur autem ex his duodecim triplex fructus: ex primis quatuor oritur fructus gratiae, ex mediis fructus iustitiae, ex ultimis fructus sapientiae. De his fructibus in Deuteronomio: De benedictione Domini terra eius , dicitur de Ioseph, de pomis caeli et rore, atque abysso subiacente; de pomis fructuum solis et lunae} de vertice antiquorum montium, de pomis collium aeternorum et de frugibus terrae et de plenitudine eius . Tangit istum triplicem fructum sive istas illustrationes, secundum quod generant poma refectiva, secundum quod iste triplex fructus est a Christo; unde in Cantico: Sicut malus inter ligna silvarum, sic dilectus meus inter filios. Sub umbra illius quem desiderabam, sedi, et fructus eius dulcis gutturi meo .
a. Fruit of Grace
6. And so, concerning the fruit of grace, it is written in the Psalm: For the Lord will give goodness: and our earth shall yield her fruit. The fruit of justice is mentioned in the Canticle, the fruit of wisdom in Proverbs: Her fruit [is better than] the chief est and the purest [gold]. And so these fruits come forth from Christ, blessed by Joseph who produced fruit of heaven, and of the dew, and of the deep that lieth beneath, that is, the charismatic gifts of the graces, by means of dew on humble hearts. 6. De fructu igitur gratiae scriptum est in Psalmo: Dominus dabit benignitatem, et terra nostra dabit fructum suum ; de fructu iustitiae in Cantico, de fructu sapientiae in Proverbiis: Primi et purissimi fructus eius . Isti ergo fructus oriuntur a Christo, a Ioseph benedicto, qui producit poma de caelo et rore, atque abysso subiacente, scilicet charismata gratiarum per modum roris in corda humilia.
b. Righteousness
7. The fruits of the sun and the moon and the tops of the mountains refer to the exercise of perfect righteousness which consists in this, that man trains himself to fulfill God's commands, according to his condition of being a subject, a prelate, or a contemplative. The fruits of the sun refer to the merits of righteousness of one who presides, the fruits of the moon to the merits of righteousness of one who is a subject, the fruits and the tops of the mountains to the height of apostolic men who possess that life which God had given in paradise. If indeed man had not sinned, there would not have been a division of lands, but all would have been [owned] in common. 7. Per poma solis et lunae et verticem montium intelligitur exercitium perfectae iustitiae, quae est in hoc, quod homo se exerceat ad mandata Dei implenda, secundum statum subiectionis, praelationis, contemplationis. -- De pomis solis intelligitur quantum ad merita iustitiae praesidentis; de pomis lunae, quantum ad meritum iustitiae subiacentis; de pomis et vertice montium, per hoc intelligitur sublimitas apostolicorum virorum, qui tenent vitam, quam Deus dedit in paradiso. Si enim homo non peccasset, nulla fuisset agrorum divisio, sed omnia communia.
c. Wisdom
8. By the fruits of the everlasting hills, wisdom is understood, or the fruit of wisdom, which consist in the contemplation of eternal reasons and the consideration of lofty heavenly spirits. Thou enlightenest wonderfully from the everlasting hills. All the foolish of heart were troubled. The fruits of the earth refer to the consideration of the divine condescensions in the orders of the Churches. Their fullness is seen as the conjunction of both Churches, the militant and the triumphant. It is in this manner that God has granted peace in your borders; that is, as He shall declare, peace is like a river . 8. Per poma collium .aeternorum intelligitur sapientia vel fructus sapientiae, quae est in contemplatione aeternarum rationum et in consideratione caelestium spirituum sublimatorum; Psalmus: Illuminans tu mirabiliter a montibus aeternis, turbati sunt omnes insipientes corde etc. -- De frugibus terrae, quantum ad considerationem divinarum condescensionum in ordinibus Ecclesiarum. -- De plenitudine eius, quantum ad coniunctionem utriusque Ecclesiae militantis et triumphantis, quomodo Dominus posuit finem eius pacem , scilicet, ut declarabit, sicut flumen pacem.
9. Hence this fruit comes from Christ in a threefold manner, because Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Because He is Jesus, from Him comes the fruit of grace; because He is Christ, from Him comes the fruit of righteousness; because He is the Son of God, from Him comes the fruit of wisdom. For all these considerations both proceed from Christ and lead back to Him. If you consider the inner spectacle of lights, they lead you back to Christ. If you come to exemplars, the supreme Exemplar of all virtues is in Christ. Compared to the patience of Job, the patience of Christ is greater. You have heard of the patience of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, says James. For stars are nothing when compared to the sun. If you come to the eternal rewards, these we shall not have except through Christ. John writes: Now this is everlasting life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Him whom Thou hast sent, Jesus Christ. If you turn to the eternal punishments, unless the hand of Christ hold you, you shall not be delivered [from them]. For a child afraid of falling into a chasm most fittingly holds on to its mother. Wherefore you cannot be saved unless you have been freed by the blood of Christ. 9. Sic igitur iste fructus est a Christo tripliciter, quia Iesus Christus est Filius Dei: quia Iesus, ab ipso fructus gratiae; quia Christus, fructus iustitiae; quia Filius Dei, fructus sapientiae. Omnes enim considerationes et a Christo sunt et ad Christum reducunt. -- Si consideras interna spectacula luminum, ad Christum te reducunt. -- Si venis ad exempla, summum exemplar omnium virtutum in Christo est. Si patientiam consideras Iob, maior est Christi patientia; patientiam Iob audistis et finem Domini vidistis , dicit ille. Stellae enim nihil sunt in comparatione solis. -- Si venis ad praemia aeterna, haec non habebimus nisi per Christum; in Ioanne: Haec est vita aeterna, ut cognoscant te solum verum Deum, et quem misisti Iesum Christum . -- Si ad tormenta perpetua; nisi manus Christi te teneat, non liberaberis. Puer enim, si timet cadere in praecipitium, optime se tenet ad matrem; nisi enim per sanguinem Christi liberatus fueris, non poteris salvari.
10. If you consider the commands, this is My commandment, that you love one another. If you are concerned with judgment, it is to Christ that the power of judgment pertains; and we should gladly choose to have Him as a judge, for He loves us. We should say to Him: "Lord, You must judge us; but make it so that Your blood atones for us." 10. Si consideras praecepta; hoc est praeceptum meum, ut diligatis invicem . -- Si de iudicio; Christus iudicare habet; et hunc debemus libenter velle habere iudicem, quia nos diligit; unde debemus sibi dicere: Domine, debes nos iudicare; sed fac, ut sanguis tuus satisfaciat pro nobis.
d. All Considerations Return to Christ.
11. If you consider dangerous satisfactions,! they are not seen in Christ in the same manner as they are in others, but in another way: for to Him they were never dangerous, and He never enjoyed temporal consolations. He mixed bitterness with consolations, suffering with enjoyment. For His soul, which was always united to the Godhead, was in a state of supreme delectation. And yet He Himself mixed [with it] bitterness, poverty, crucifixion; and by contrast, He mixed consolations with the scourging in which He experienced supreme joy. Hence, taking Christ as an example, we should mix fear with consolation, and consolation with sadness, as did also Blessed Francis who, when an honor was offered to him, told his companion that they were not enriched by it in the least, but that when they received insults, then they were enriched. 11. Si consideras solatia severa, in Christo non videntur per illum modum, sicut in aliis, sed per alium; quia sibi nunquam periculosa fuerunt, nec temporalia solatia habuit. -- Miscuit enim cum solatiis amaritudinem, cum fruitione poenam; anima enim eius, quae semper unita est Divinitati, summe delectabatur; et tamen ipse miscuit amari tudinem, paupertatem, crucem, et e converso miscuit solatia in flagellis, in quibus summe delectabatur. Unde exemplo Christi in consolatione iungendus est timor, et in tristitia iungendum est solatium, exemplo etiam beati Francisci, qui, quando ei offerebatur honor, dicebat socio suo, quod ibi nihil erant lucrati; sed quando recipiebant vituperia, tunc lucrabantur.
12. If you take a straight look at the leaders of the city, the foremost chief is Christ. In terms of the fight, although the angels and the saints help—I lift up my eyes toward the mountains; whence shall help come to me — yet the principal contender is Christ. Hence, in the Psalm: I set the Lord ever before me; with Him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. And again, in the Acts: " Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." If you are concerned with grace, all such things proceed from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Behold, says John, a river coming forth from the throne of God and of the Lamb. If you consider the prophetic signs, all refer to Christ and are obscure unless their meaning is solved through Christ. Hence all considerations return to Christ. 12. Si consideras e directo ad civium praesidia, hierarcha principalis Christus est. -- Si de pugna; etsi Angeli et Sancti iuvant. -- Psalmus: Levavi oculos meos in montes, unde veniet auxilium mihi -- principalis tamen pugnator Christus est; unde in Psalmo: Providebam Dominum in conspectu meo semper, quoniam a dextris est mihi, ne commovear ; item, in Actibus: Video caelos apertos et Filium hominis stantem a dextris Dei : -- Si gratiam consideras, haec omnia veniunt de sede Dei et Agni. Vidi, inquit Ioannes, fluvium procedentem de sede Dei et Agni . -- Si consideras figurarum signa, omnia referuntur ad Christum et sunt obscura, nisi per Christum solvantur signacula . -- Unde omnes considerationes remittunt ad Christum.
13. From Christ, indeed, is the fruit of grace. This fruit of grace is fourfold: it consists in steadying the soul through faith, blessing it through divine love, lifting it up through hope, curbing it through divine fear. The Apostle speaks of the first: It is good to make steadfast the heart by grace, not by foods. The Jews steadied themselves with foods. Peter speaks of the second: Therefore, having girded up the loins of your understanding, he sober and set your hope completely on that grace which is brought to you in the revelation of Jesus Christ. For sanctification consists in this, that virtues, which are the loins of the mind, are transformed in God. The third is mentioned in the Epistle to Titus: Justified by His grace, we are heirs in the hope of life everlasting. And in the First Epistle of Peter: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy hath regenerated us unto a lively hope. The fourth is indicated in Ecclesiasticus: The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things. 13. A Christo ergo est fructus gratiae. Est autem quadruplex fructus gratiae: stabilire animam per fidem, sanctificare per divinum amorem, sursum ferre per spem, inclinare per divinum timorem. -- De primo Apostolus: Optimum est gratia stabilire cor, non escis . Iudaei stabiliebant se super escas. -- De secundo Petrus: Propter quod, succinti lumbos mentis vestrae, sobrii, perfecte sperate in eam quae offertur vobis gratiam, in revelationem Iesu Christi . Sanctificatio enim est in eo, quod virtutes, quae sunt lumbi mentis, transferuntur in Deum. -- De tertio ad Titum: Iustificati gratia ipsius, heredes sumus secundum spem vitae aeternae . Et prima Petri: Benedictus Deus et Pater Domini nostri Iesu Christi, qui secundum magnam misericordiam suam regeneravit nos in spem vivam . De quarto Ecclesiasticus: Quanto maior es, humilia te in omnibus .
14. Through the spectacle of lights, the soul is disposed toward the first act of grace. For the better Scripture is understood, the more faith is increased: and hence it is the one food of affective dispositions. The examples of the saints prepare for the sanctification of the soul, the second act of grace. Among all the things we read about Joseph, this one is particularly pleasing: that he served his master with such faithfulness in spite of his mistress' beauty and her threats. David, likewise, who did so many things worthy of imitation, is most pleasing in this, that while he could have killed Saul, he did not choose to do so, and yet, as Augustine says, he had nothing to fear from God or man: not from man, because sleep had invaded them all, nor from God, because this man was a reprobate, and David was truly king, and yet out of charity he let him go. The same charity was present in all the Fathers: if they sometimes fell, they made penance. Hence, as Jerome writes, if the case of David displeases you, may his penance please you. You have here an indication that no one should despair in his own case, nor should he be presumptuous about his own state. 14. Per luminum spectacula disponitur anima ad primum actum gratiae. Quanto enim plus intelligitur Scriptura, tanto augetur fides; et sic est una refectio affectus. -- Sanctorum exempla disponunt ad sanctificationem animae, ad secundum actum gratiae. Inter omnia, quae de Ioseph leguntur, placet illud, quod sic fidelitatem servavit domino suo; cum tamen domina sua pulcherrima erat et comminabatur sibi . David similiter, cum multa fecerit, quae movent ad imitationem, illud potis- sime placet, quod cum Saul posset interficere, noluit ; qui tamen, ut dicit Augustinus, nec Deum nec hominem timebat: hominem non, quia sopor irruerat in omnes; Deum non, quia ille reprobatus erat, et David secundum veritatem rex erat, et tamen ex caritate dimisit. Et similiter in omnibus Patribus fuit haec caritas; qui tamen, si aliquando ceciderunt, poenituerunt. Unde si displicet tibi casus David, placeat tibi eius poenitentia, ut dicit Hieronymus, et habes in hoc, ut de casu suo nullus desperet, et de statu suo nullus praesumat.