Collation 8 - Collations on the Hexaemeron — Bonaventure
English Latin
A. On the Second Vision, That Is, on Understanding Lifted Up by Faith first Treatise, Concerning the Scope of Faith
800 EIGHTH COLLATION On the Second Vision, That Is, on Understanding Lifted Up by Faith —First Treatise, Concerning the Scope of Faith COLLATIO VIII DE SECUNDA VISIONE, SCILICET INTELLIGENTIAE PER FIDEM SUBLEVATAE TRACTATIO PRIMA QUAE AGIT DE ALTITUDINE FIDEI
1. GOD called the firmament heaven. And there was evening and morning, the second day. There now follows the work of the second day, which is the second vision of understanding, lifted up by faith: and of this it is not said that God "saw" but that He "called" it. Literally speaking, this heaven is lofty, stable, and visible: it is lofty as regards its position, stable as regards its form, and visible as regards its clarity. It is lofty : hence in Proverbs, The heaven above and the earth beneath. By the very fact that the heaven is noble, it holds the highest place in the order of the universe, and the earth the lowest. It is also stable as regards its form, for it moves without changing place, but within its place, around a center. Hence in Job: Do you spread out with Him the firmament of the skies, hard as a brazen mirror? It is finally visible as regards the multitude of its adornments. Hence, in Job, His spirit hath adorned the heavens. And, in Ecclesiasticus, The beauty, the glory of the heavens are the stars, that rise to adorn the heights of God. Because of the latter quality, heaven is called caelum, from caelando, "by engraving," and not [from celando,] "by concealing": by carving, since it is written with the diphthong ae, for it is adorned and so to speak engraved with lights. 1. Vocavit Deus firmamentum caelum; factum est vespere et mane, dies secundus . Sequitur opus secundae diei, quae est secunda visio intelligentiae per fidem sublevatae, et de ea non dicitur: vidit, sed vocavit. Ad litteram hoc caelum est sublime, stabile et spectabit: sublime quantum ad situm, stabile quantum ad formam, spectabile quantum ad claritatem. Sublime est; unde in Proverbiis: Caelum sursum, et terra deorsum ; hoc ipso, quod caelum est nobile, in ordine universi superiorem locum obtinet, et terra infimum. -- Est etiam stabile quantum ad formam, quia movetur non mutando locum, sed in loco et circa medium; Iob: Tu forsitan cum eo fabricatus es caelos, qui solidissimi quasi aere fusi sunt -- Est etiam spectabile quantum ad multitudinem ornatuum; Iob: Spiritus eius ornavit caelos ; et Ecclesiasticus: Species caeli, gloria stellarum, mundum illuminans in excelsis Dominus . Ab ista conditione ultima denominatur caelum a caelando, non ab abscondendo, sed a sculpendo, quia scribitur per ae diphthongum, quia ornatum et quasi sculptum est luminaribus.
2. Firmament means a vision of faith. For faith makes the soul or intelligence lofty, since it goes beyond every reason and investigation of the mind. It makes it stable, because it excludes doubt and vacillation; it makes it visible, because it displays its multiformed light. And so, the solidity)" of faith is also called heaven, because it makes understanding lofty through investigation, stable when it establishes the truth, and visible when it fills it with a manifold light. Hence in Daniel: The wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament. But no one is wise unless he is taught by God, for "No one comes to the Father but through Me," says the Saviour. And in John: "They all shall be taught of God." No one is taught in matters of faith except through God; and because it comes about through God's voice, it is said: God called the firmament heaven. It is not said, God saw the firmament, but called it, because the solidity of faith consists rather in belief than in contemplation. For belief is through the ear, because, as the Apostle wrote to the Romans, faith depends on hearing, and, before that, with the heart a man believes unto justice. 2. Per firmamentum autem intelligitur visio fidei. Fides enim reddit sublimem animam vel intelligentiam, quia transcendit omnem rationem et investigationem rationis; reddit stabilem, quia excludit dubitationem et vacillatione!!!; reddit etiam spectabilem, quia multiformem ostendit claritatem. Vocatur ergo fidei firmitas caelum, quia facit intelligentiam sublimem per investigationem; stabilem, dum stabilit in veritate; spectabilem, dum replet eam multiformi lumine. Unde Daniel: Qui docti fuerint fulgebunt quasi splendor firmamenti. Sed nemo doctus est, nisi doceatur a Deo, quia nemo venit ad Matrem nisi per me , ait Salvator; et in Ioanne: Erunt omnes docibiles Dei . Ad fidem nullus docetur nisi per Deum; et quia venit a voce Dei, ideo dicitur: Vocavit Deus firmamentum caelum . Unde non dicit: vidit Deus firmamentum, sed vocavit, quia firmitas fidei magis est in credulitate quam in contemplatione; credulitas autem est per auditum, quia fides ex auditu*, ut ait Apostolus ad Romanos, et antea: Corde creditur ad iustitiam .
3. Now faith consists more precisely in the confession of truth than in the communication of light. Hence, with the mouth profession of faith is made unto salvation. Therefore in a certain sense faith sees, and in another it does not see. The merit of faith is founded on non-seeing, the light of faith on believing. There exists therefore a firmament-heaven, the substance of things to be hoped for. And it consists in light, because it is the evidence of things that are not seen. Wherefore it has both light and clouds. God called the firmament heaven. In Ecclesiasticus it is written: The firmament on high is His beauty, the beauty of heaven with its glorious shew. And here, three things are touched upon: loftiness, stability, and beauty. For this vision of faith is lofty, stable and beautiful. This faith is most noble, most solid and most splendid. Many possess it, however, without knowing it, for the face of faith is covered: it wears a kind of dark veil. It turns sinful souls into the most exalted. Hence, in the Acts, He .. . cleansed their hearts by faith. 3. Fides autem magis est in confessione veritatis quam in communicatione lucis; unde ore confessio fit ad salutem . Unde fides quodam modo videt, quodam modo non videt; unde non videre est fidei meritum, credere autem fidei lumen. Est ergo firmamentum-caelum, quia substantia sperandarum rerum ; et est lumen, quia argumentum non apparentium , unde habet lumen et habet nubem. -- Vocavit Deus firmamentum caelum ; in Ecclesiastico: Altitudinis firmamentum species caeli in visione gloriae . Et haec tria tangit hic, scilicet sublimitatem, stabilitatem et speciositatem. Est enim haec visio fidei alta, firma et speciosa. Haec fides nobilissima est, firmissima et speciosissima. Multi tamen habent hanc fidem, et eam non cognoscunt, quia fides habet faciem velatam; unde habet quoddam velamen nigrum ante faciem. Facit etiam de turpibus animabus altissimas; unde in Actibus: Fide purificans corda eorum .
4. Now, the loftiness (scope) of faith consists in two things: the extreme of altitude and the extreme of depth. Concerning the first, Ecclesiasticus says: Heavens height, earth's breadth, the depth of the abyss: who can explore these? As if he were saying, above all human reason there is the understanding of this: faith's loftiness, love's expansion, and the veneration brought about by the fear of God. Concerning the second, there is in Ecclesiastes: What exists is far-reaching: it is deep, very deep: who can find it out? That is, by means of reason. For it goes beyond our powers of investigation. And although in bodies height and depth are the same, they are distinguished by reason. The Apostle makes this distinction when he writes: You may be able to comprehend ... what is the breadth and length and height and depth. 4. Altitudo autem fidei in duobus est: in altitudine sublimitatis et in altitudine profunditatis. De prima altitudine Ecclesiasticus dicit: Altitudinem caeli et latitudinem terrae et profundum abyssi quis dimensus est? . Quasi diceret, super omnem humanam rationem est nosse sublimitatem fidei, dilatationem caritatis, venerationem divini timoris. -- De secunda, in Ecclesiaste: Alta profunditas; quis inveniet eam? scilicet per rationem; transcendit enim investigationem nostram. Et licet altitudo et profunditas in corporibus idem sint, distinguuntur tamen secundum rationem; et Apostolus distinguit, cum dicit: Ut possitis comprehendere, quae sit longitudo, latitudo, sublimitas et profundum .
5. Concerning these two, Ecclesiasticus says: In the highest heavens did I dwell, my throne on a pillar of cloud. The height of faith consists in understanding the eternal God, its depth, in knowing God made man. Of the first, it is written: It is higher than the heavens; what can you do? Concerning the second, there is added: It is deeper than the nether world; what can you know? The depth of God made man, that is, the humility, is such that reason fails. The height of God is beyond investigation. Hence, such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too lofty for me to attain. Likewise the words in the highest heavens are used to indicate the teaching of faith that God is eternal. The words, God's throne on a pillar of clouds, refer to the teaching about God made man. About these two, the Apostle writes to the Romans: Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His judgments and how unsearchable His ways! Wisdom refers to the understanding of the eternal God, knowledge to the knowing of God made man. Wherefore the firmament was made in the midst of the waters , that is, faith, in order that the soul may know those things that are above the firmament and those that are below it. And such wisdom concerns divine things, and such knowledge, human things. 5. De his duobus Ecclesiasticus: Ego in altissimis habito, et thronus meus in columna nubis . Altitudo fidei consistit in cognitione Dei aeterni, profunditas autem in cognitione Dei humanati. De primo scriptum est: Excelsior caelo est, et quid facies? . De secundo subiungitur: Profundior inferno, et unde cognosces? . Profunditas Dei humanati, scilicet humilitas, tanta est, quod ratio deficit. -- Altitudo Dei investigabilis est; unde mirabilis facta est scientia tua ex me; confortata est, et non potero ad eam . -- Item, in altissimis dicit, in quantum fides docet Deum aeternum; thronus meus in columna nubis dicit, in quantum docet Deum humanatum. De his duobus Apostolus ad Romanos: O altitudo divitiarum sapientiae et scientiae Dei, quam incomprehensibilia sunt iudicia eius et investigabiles viae eius! . Sapientia quantum ad notitiam Dei aeterni, scientia quantum ad notitiam Dei humanati. Unde firmamentum factum est in medio aquarum, hoc est fides, ut cognoscat anima ea quae sunt super firmamentum, et quae sub firmamento sunt. Et haec sapientia est divinarum rerum, et scientia humanarum.
6. That wisdom through which God judges all things is incomprehensible. But most incomprehensible is wisdom that travels along roads that are beyond investigation. Concerning this, it is said in Proverbs: Three things are too wonderful for me, yes, four I cannot understand: the way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden. The way of an eagle in the air came about in the ascension of Christ; the way of a serpent upon the rock, in the resurrection, for a serpent is renewed upon the rock where it sheds its old skin; the way of a ship on the high seas, in the passion; the way of a man with a maiden, in the incarnation, which the author says he cannot understand. And it is true in terms of human reason, but not so in terms of faith. 6. Incomprehensibilis est sapientia, per quam iudicat omnia; sed maxime incomprehensibilis, quae vadit per vias investigabiles. De quo in Proverbiis: Tria sunt difficilia mihi, et quartum penitus ignoro: viam aquilae in caelo, viam colubri super petram, viam navis in medio mari, et viam viri in adolescentula . Via aquilae in caelo fuit in Christi ascensione; via colubri, in resurrectione, quia coluber in petra innovatur, ubi dimittit vetustam pellem; via navis in mari, in passione; via viri in adolescentula, in incarnatione, quam penitus se dicit ignorare; et verum est secundum humanam rationem, sed secundum fidem secus est.
7. Hence, there is a twofold dimension to the firmament: one concerned with the highest, the other with the lowest; one which makes known the eternal God, the other which reveals God made man. Of these two aspects, Isaiah says, in chapter six, in a vision which was the root of all his other visions: I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. Seraphim were stationed above; each of them had six wings: with two they veiled their faces, with two they veiled their feet, with two they hovered aloft. "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!" they cried one to the other. "All the earth is filled with His glory." And immediately there follows upon this the blinding of the Jews and the enlightenment of the Gentiles. Hence, John says: When he saw the Lord, Isaiah said again: "He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts." Hence the enlightenment of the Gentiles became the blinding of the Jews. And it is in reference to this that the Apostle cries out: Oh, the depth of the riches, etc. 7. Est ergo duplex altitudo firmamenti: una, per quam suprema respicit; altera, per quam infima; una, per quam docet cognoscere Deum aeternum; altera, Deum incarnatum. De his duobus dicitur Isaiae sexto in visione, quae omnium suarum visionum fuit radix: Vidi Dominum sedentem etc., usque ibi: Plena est omnis terra gloria eius Et statim sequitur excaecatio Iudaeorum et illuminatio gentium. Unde dicit Ioannes: Haec dixit Isaias, quando vidit Dominum ; et sequitur: Excaeca cor populi huius et aures eius aggrava . Unde illuminatio gentium fuit excaecatio Iudaeorum. Et de hoc exclamat Apostolus: O altitudo divitiarum etc.
8. Wherefore Isaiah says I saw, that is, through the vision of understanding lifted up by faith and stabilized in the height of eternal wisdom, in which there is a twofold light, inflaming and seraphic. Because it is seraphic, it gives rise to the threefold cry; and faith makes the soul seraphic in a double way, and makes the minds winged with six wings. 8. Dicit ergo Isaias: Vidi* , scilicet visione intelligentiae per fidem sublevatae et stabilitae in sublimitate sapientiae aeternae, per quam est duplex lumen inflammativum et seraphicum; quod quidem seraphicum facit clamare tripliciter; et facit fides duplici seraphicatione animam seraphim et facit mentes alatas senis alis.
9. For indeed, our intellect enlightened by faith cries out three times: Holy, holy, holy. And there are two Seraphim established in us through faith, and each one makes the triple exclamation, but refers only once to the Lord God. For the understanding of God is the understanding of three Persons with unity of essence. Wherefore there are three that hear witness (in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one) . And so the intellect is made to resemble a Seraph, that is, it is enlightened and inflamed through faith, and cries out Holy three times. The other Seraph answers Holy, holy, holy, for as in the eternal God there are trinity of Persons and oneness of essence, so also in God made man there are trinity of natures:): and unity of Person. And these are the two roots of faith, and a man who ignores them believes nothing: they refer to the body, the soul and the divinity. The holy Christ has a holy body, the holy Christ has a holy soul, the holy Christ has a holy divinity. He is holy without, holy within, and holy above. 9. Intellectus enim noster per fidem illuminatus clamat tripliciter: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus . Sunt enim duo Seraphim stabiliti in nobis per fidem, et quilibet clamat triplici exclamatione, tamen non nisi semel Dominus Deus . Notitia enim Dei est notitia trium personarum cum unitate essentiae; unde tres sunt, qui testimonium dant in caelo, Pater, Verbum et Spiritus sanctus, et hi tres unum sunt . Intellectus ergo seraphicatus, id est illuminatus et inflammatus per fidem, clamat ter sanctus . Alter Seraph respondet: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus : quia sicut in Deo aeterno est trinitas personarum cum unitate essentiae, ita etiam in Deo humanato sunt tres naturae cum unitate personae. Et isti sunt duae radices fidei, quas qui ignorat nihil credit: ut corpus, anima, Divinitas. Sanctus Christus sanctum habet corpus; sanctus Christus sanctam habet animam; sanctus Christus sanctam habet Divinitatem. Sanctus exterius, sanctus interius, sanctus superius.
10. These are the two knowledges of faith illuminating and inflaming in a threefold manner while being retraced to unity. They [the Seraphim] are said to cry, out of admiration, because both [forms of knowledge] are admirable. Wherefore in the Psalm: O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is Your name over all the earth! You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. And in truth this name is admirable in so far as it refers to the eternal God, for it implies a true distinction of Persons together with unity of essence, through which they are supremely conforming to each other, supremely in accord, supremely coequal, coeternal, con- substantial, and coessential. Likewise, it is admirable [in so far as it refers to God made man], because the three natures are conjoined: the highest with the lowest, without debasement; the first with the last, without alteration; the simple with the composite, without composition. 10. Hae sunt duae cognitiones fidei illuminantes et ardentes triformiter ad unitatem reductae. Clamare autem dicuntur propter admirationem, quia utrumque est admirabile; unde in Psalmo: Domine Dominus noster, quam admirabile est nomen tuum in universa terra! Minuisti eum paulo minus ab Angelis; gloria et honore coronasti eum . Et vere admirabile nomen quantum ad Deum aeternum, quia ibi est vera distinctio personarum cum unitate essentiae, per quam sunt summe conformes, summe concordes, summe coaequales, coaeternae, consubstantiales, coessentiales. -- Item, est admirabile, quoniam tres naturae coniunctae sunt: supremum cum infimo sine depressione, primum cum ultimo sine innovatione, simplex cum composito sine compositione.
11. It is in these three aspects that all admirable things are rooted: and in them taken together does the knowledge of God's divinity and humanity consist, for the incarnation cannot be known unless one is aware of the distinction of Persons. For if you do not know the Trinity, the Father could have been incarnated and have suffered as well as the Son: and this is Sabellianism and Patripassianism. Likewise, if you suppose the Trinity and not the incarnation, you have a witnessing in heaven, but you do not receive it on earth. Yet, since there are three that hear witness... [on earth]: the Spirit and the water and the blood. The spirit refers to the Godhead, the water to the body, and the blood, wherein is the life of the soul, to the soul. Through blood, indeed, Christ united the Spirit with the water, for by means of the soul, the Godhead was joined to a body. 11. In his tribus omnia mirabilia radicantur; et sunt iuncta cognitio Divinitatis et humanitatis, quia incarnatio non cognoscitur, nisi cognoscatur distinctio personarum. Si enim non cognoscas Trinitatem, ita bene Pater incarnatus est vel passus ut Filius; et es Sabelliana et Patripassianus. -- Item, si ponas Trinitatem et non incarnationem, testimonium habes in caelo, et non accipis in terra; cum tamen tres sint, qui testimonium dant in terra, spiritus, aqua et sanguis . In spiritu Divinitas, in aqua corpus, in sanguine, ubi est vita animae , anima. Per sanguinem enim Christi spiritus aquae iungitur, quia mediante anima Divinitas coniungitur corpori.
12. And so, we have two Seraphim crying out in admiration. There now remains to be explained why they have six wings, and then will be seen those matters which pertain to faith. Faith is both toward the eternal God and toward God made man. Faith toward the eternal God contains one explanation of the six wings, and this in a twofold way: either as regards the distinction of the Persons, or as regards the diffusion of the Trinity in the creatures, by means of essence, power, and operation. In reference to the first, there are three articles [of faith]: concerning the unbegotten Father, the only-begotten Son proceeding from the Father only, and the Holy Spirit breathed by both. These are the three wings on the right side, that is, in eternity. Now, as regards emanation, nothing can be added or subtracted, as if there were, for instance, a producing being and none produced, for this would be [a contradictory] infinity; or as if there were a being who was only produced, and none that was only producing, for this would be [a contradictory] infinity on the part of the first. Hence it is necessary to assume the simultaneity of producing and produced beings, so that they may be compatible with each other. Otherwise, there would be in the Godhead a distinction without order. Now, a distinction without order is confusion. Hence, it is necessary that the Holy Spirit proceed from both. And this is what all the wise Greeks say, and so, there is no controversy except in wording. Consequently, the error is found only among the foolish Greeks. 12. Habemus ergo duos Seraphim clamantes et admirantes; restat dicere, quare sex alas habent, et tunc videbuntur ea quae fidei sunt. Fides enim est in Deum aeternum et humanatum. -- Fides in Deum aeternum est una illustratio senarum alarum; et hoc dupliciter: aut quantum ad distinctionem personarum, aut quantum ad diffusionem Trinitatis in creaturam secundum essentiam, virtutem et operationem. -- Primo modo sunt tres articuli, scilicet Patris ingeniti, Filii unigeniti a solo Patre, Spiritus sancti ab utroque spirati. Isti sunt tres alae in latere dextero, scilicet in aeternitate; nec potest addi nec minui ad emanationem, ut scilicet sit producens tantum et non productum, quia sic esset infinitas; si esset tantum productum, et non producens tantum, sic esset infinitas ex parte ante; ergo necesse est ponere producens et productum simul, ut ad invicem cohaereant. Aliter in divinis esset distinctio sine ordine; distinctio autem sine ordine confusio est: unde necesse est, quod Spiritus sanctus procedat ab utroque; et hoc dicunt omnes sapientes Graeci, nec est controversia nisi de nomine; et per consequens iste fuit error in fatuis Graecis.
13. Likewise, on the left there are three wings inasmuch as there is diffusion into the creature out of a single essence, power and operation. And in this regard, there is a threefold operation, in so far as the one God is the Creator, the Sanctifier and the Retributor: for everything that flows out of Him is in the order of essence or of grace or of glory. And so the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are a single Creator through essence, a single Sanctifier through grace, and a single Retributor through glory. But the first is before time, the second in time, and the third after all time. The first is in the beginning of time, the second in its course, and the third in its consummation. There is, however, a creation of souls in the course of time, for "My Father works even until now, and I work." Retribution also comes about in the midst of time, as in the case of souls, but it is completed later. Again, creation is attributed to the Father because He is mighty, sanctification to the Holy Spirit because He is good, and retribution to the Son, because He shall judge and appear as a King. 13. Similiter in sinistro sunt tres alae, in quantum ab una essentia, virtute et operatione est diffusio in creaturam. Et secundum hoc est triplex operatio, in quantum unus Deus est creator, sanctificator et praemiator; quia omne, quod ab ipso emanat, aut est natura, aut gratia, aut gloria. Et sic Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus sanctus unus creator per naturam, unus sanctificator per gratiam, unus praemiator per gloriam. Primum autem est ante tempus, secundum in tempore, tertium post omne tempus. Primum est in initio temporis, secundum in decursu, tertium in consummatione. -- Est tamen creatio animae in decursu temporis, quia Pater meus usque modo operatur, et ego operor*. Praemiatio etiam fit in medio temporis, ut animarum, sed post fiet perfecta. -- Item, creatio attibuitur Patri, quia potens; sanctificatio Spiritui sancto, quia bonus; praemiatio Filio, quia iudicabit et rex apparebit.
14. But how does one wing correspond to the other? It can be said that sanctification may be considered either as mercy, which comes about through redemption and hence is attributed to the Son; or as grace and hence is attributed to the Holy Spirit. Likewise, retribution may be considered in regard to the judgment of the one who passes sentence, and in this sense it is attributed to the Son; or in regard to the love of the one who rewards, in which case it is attributed to the Holy Spirit. The intermediate operation leads to the last, and so are the three wings set in place. 14. Sed quomodo respondebit ala alae? Dicendum, quod sanctificatio aut consideratur quantum ad veniam, quae quidem fit per redemptionem, et sic attribuitur Filio; aut quantum ad gratiam, et sic attribuitur Spiritui sancto. -- Similiter praemiatio consideratur secundum iudicium sententiantis, et sic attribuitur Filio; aut quantum ad amorem praemiantis, et sic Spiritui sancto. Media autem operatio pervenit ad ultimam; sic tres alae disponuntur.
15. The other Seraph is closer to us and also has six wings: three in the order of descent and three in the order of ascent; in the order of descent, beginning with the wing over the head, through the intermediate one, to the wing covering the feet. These are the three articles concerning the incarnation, crucifixion and descent into hell in the order of the soul. For it begins with the top, because it was necessary that He unite to Himself a nature in which He would become visible and through which He would come down, for He Himself is by nature immutable. Then He came to the cross, and finally to hell. These are the wings on the left. 15. Alter Seraph propinquior est nobis et habet similiter sex alas: tres secundum descensum, et tres secundum ascensum; secundum descensum, veniendo ab ala super caput per medium ad alam super pedes. Hi sunt tres articuli secundum incarnationem, crucifixionem, descensum ad inferos secundum animam. Incepit enim a summo, quia necesse fuit, ut uniret sibi naturam, in qua appareret et per quam descenderet, quia ipse de se immutabilis est; deinde venit ad crucem; demum ad infernum. Hae alae in sinistro.
16. Likewise, there are three in the order of ascent: resurrection out of hell into the world, ascension out of the world into heaven, and the coming out of heaven for the judgment, so that there be a rising out of the Church Militant into the Church Triumphant. But first there comes about a stripping of hell in the resurrection, an opening of the door in the ascension, and a consummation of the kingdom in the judgment. And nothing is more certain than these things. 16. Tres similiter ascendendo: resurrectio de inferis in mundum, ascensio de mundo in caelum, de caelo adventus ad iudicium, ut sit ascensio ab Ecclesia militante in triumphantem. Sed primo fiet expoliatio inferni in resurrectione, apertio ianuae in ascensione, consummatio regni in iudicio; his nihil certius.
17. These six wings are the six perfect considerations of God in the three Persons and the three operations; the other six in the second series are the six considerations of God incarnate. In these things, therefore, are contained the twelve articles of faith, of which the twelve apostles were the preachers. For a wing lifts up in order to transcend every human reason. In the absence of this twofold consideration, there is no worshiper of God. 17. Hae sex alae primae sunt sex considerationes perfectae Dei in tribus personis et tribus operibus; aliae sex secundae, sex considerationes Dei incarnati: in his ergo duodecim articuli fidei, cuius praedicatores sunt duodecim Apostoli. Aia enim sublevat ad transcendendum omnem humanam rationem. Sine hac duplici consideratione nullus est cultor Dei.
18. As a symbol of this, the High Priest had two stones on his breastplate: one on the right side and the other on the left. And on these were written the twelve names of the sons of Israel: six names on one stone and six names on the other—and they were made of lucid and ardent onyx, through which faith in the humanity and divinity is expressed. And they are likewise expressed in the Symbol (Creed) composed by the twelve apostles. And a sacrifice made in such faith as this is pleasing to God. 18. In cuius designatione Pontifex in superhumerali habebat lapides duos: unum in dextero latere, et alterum in sinistro; et in illis duodecim nomina filiorum Israel: sex nomina in lapide uno, et sex in altero, et erant in lapide onychino lucido et ardenti , in quo fides humanitatis et Divinitatis exprimitur; quae similiter exprimuntur in Symbolo a duodecim Apostolis composito. In hac fide sacrificium placet Deo.
19. On the stones, the names were listed according to birth, but in the Symbol, according to the words of the apostles. Hence, "I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth" —here is one article concerning the unbegotten Father. 'And in Jesus Christ, His only- begotten Son, our Lord." This second article concerns the Son begotten of the Father. Then follow six articles related to the humanity [of Christ]: "Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary," the third article. "Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried," the fourth article. "He went down into hell," the fifth. "On the third day, He arose from the dead," the sixth. "He ascended into heaven, where He sits at the right hand of the Father Almighty," the seventh. "Whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead," the eighth. "I believe in the Holy Spirit," the ninth. "In the Holy Catholic Church," the tenth. "In the communion of saints and the remission of sins," the eleventh. "In the resurrection of the flesh and eternal life," the twelfth. And these according as the Holy Spirit institutes them, unites them and purifies them in accordance to the three last operations besides the last [article]. 19. In lapidibus ordinabantur nomina secundum nativitatem ipsorum, sed in Symbolo secundum dicta Apostolorum. Unde: «Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, creatorem caeli et terrae»; ecce, unus articulus Patris ingeniti. -- «Et in Iesum Christum, Filium eius unicum, Dominum nostrum»; secundus, Filii geniti a Patre. -- Deinde sequuntur sex ad humanitatem pertinentes. «Qui conceptus est de Spiritu sancto, natus ex Maria virgine», tertius articulus. -- «Passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus et sepultus», quartus articulus. -- «Descendit ad inferos», quintus. -- «Tertia die resurrexit a mortuis», sextus. -- «Ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis», septimus. -- «Inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos», octavus. -- «Credo in Spiritum sanctum», nonus. -- «Sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam», decimus. -- «Sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum», undecimus. -- «Carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam», duodecimus. -- Et haec, secundum quod Spiritus sanctus instituit, unit, purificat quantum ad tres ultimas operationes praeter ultimum.