Against this: God alone knows the hearts of men: whence 1 Corinthians 2: "For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?" as if to say: no one except God.
It must be said that here he speaks of the knowledge of conjecture, not of certitude. Or it must be said that through the revelation of Wisdom they can be known by man, not through nature or one's own industry.
The differences of shrubs, that is, of plants, and the powers of roots, namely, of herbs: 3 Kings 4: "He discoursed on all trees from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop," etc.
(Vers. 21.). And whatever things are hidden, or concealed, from their causes, and unforeseen by men, I learned: Ecclesiastes 7: "I surveyed all things with my mind, that I might know and consider and seek wisdom."
Third, through what medium he was taught.
For the artificer of all things etc. Here he shows through what medium he was taught, namely, through uncreated Wisdom, begotten of the Father; and that she was able to teach, knew how, and willed to do so, he shows first through the Holy Spirit, who is from her; second, through the nature and power that is in her: For more mobile than all things, etc.
In the first part, he first touches upon the procession of the Holy Spirit from uncreated Wisdom; second, his manifold effect in us: Holy, manifold, etc.; third, his goodness in his own nature: Undefiled; fourth, his universal sufficiency: Having all power. — He touches upon his effect in us, first interior, second exterior: Modest. He touches upon a fourfold interior effect, namely, the amendment of fault, when he says: Holy; the multiplication of grace, when he says: Manifold; the unity of concord, when he says: One; the subtlety of understanding, when he says: Subtle. A threefold exterior effect, namely, modesty, when he says: Modest; eloquence, when he says: Eloquent; obedience, when he says: Mobile.
(Vers. 21.). The artificer of all things is shown, namely, of things above, things in the middle, and things below, namely, God, Hebrews 11. Wisdom taught me, that is, through Wisdom: the Gloss: "Because through her the knowledge of truth is given," because man can teach outwardly, but not inwardly; whence Gregory: "Unless there is one within who teaches, the tongue of the teacher labors in vain outwardly."
(Verse 22.). For there is in her etc., as if to say: and well was she able to teach me: for there is in her, namely in wisdom, a Spirit etc., in her, namely according to humanity, by dwelling: Isaiah 11: "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him"; in her according to Divinity by emanating from her. A Spirit, I say, of understanding, [its] giver: Job 32: "The inspiration of the Almighty gives understanding." Holy: the Gloss: "Sanctifying all things": above, chapter 1: "The holy Spirit of discipline," etc. Manifold: the Gloss: "Giving manifold graces": 1 Corinthians 12: "There are divisions of graces, etc. But all these things one and the same Spirit works, dividing to each one as he wills." One: the Gloss: "Uniting the good"; Ephesians 4: "Careful to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." Subtle, that is, causing hidden things to be penetrated: 1 Corinthians 2: "The Spirit searches all things," that is, causes all things to be searched, "even the deep things of God." Likewise, subtle, that is, producing subtlety or furnishing keenness of understanding: whence he is called "the spirit of understanding," Isaiah 11. Modest, that is, teaching to maintain measure in all things: Philippians 4: "Let your moderation be known to all men." Eloquent, that is, making others eloquent: below, chapter 10: "He made the tongues of infants eloquent." Mobile, that is, making others mobile through obedience: Ezekiel 1: "Wherever the spirit went, the wheels likewise were lifted up, following him. For the spirit of life was in the wheels."
Undefiled etc. Here he describes his goodness in his own nature and first his absolute goodness in himself: second, his goodness in comparison to us: Loving the good: third, the immutability of both: Steadfast.
He touches upon absolute goodness in three respects, namely in purity, when he says: Undefiled: in truth: Sure: in tranquility, when he says: Sweet.
(Verse 22.). He says therefore undefiled: the Gloss: "That is, without stain," whence he also cleanses stains in baptism: John 3: "Unless one is born again of water and the Spirit," etc.; likewise Titus 3: "Through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit," etc. Sure: the Gloss: "He neither deceives nor is deceived"; whence it is said, John 16: "The Spirit of truth." Sweet, that is, tranquil, having nothing of harshness: the Gloss: "Gentle and merciful"; below, chapter 12: "O how good and sweet is your Spirit in us, O Lord!"
Loving the good etc. Here he shows his goodness in comparison to us, first, in the love of the good; second, in its promotion: Who nothing [hinders]; third, in the communication of himself or communion: Humane: fourth, in the communication of his own, there: Kind.
He says therefore: Loving the good, in act; 1 Corinthians 13: "It does not rejoice over iniquity, but rejoices with the truth": who in no way hinders doing good, indeed he assists; Romans 8: "The Spirit helps our weakness"; Proverbs 3: "Do not forbid doing good," etc.
(Vers. 23.). Humane: The Gloss: "Common to all"; Acts 10: "In truth I have found that God is no respecter of persons." Or: humane, that is, compassionate, the sign of which is what is said in Romans 8: "The Spirit intercedes for us with unspeakable groanings." Or: humane, that is, willingly dwelling among men; Proverbs 8: "My delights are to be with the sons of men." Kind: that is, generous "by innate goodness"; above, chapter 1: "The spirit of wisdom is kind," etc.; likewise: Kind, by forgiving evils, giving good things, directing toward the homeland; whence kindness is said to be a fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5. Steadfast, namely in himself, according to that saying of Boethius: "And remaining steadfast," etc.; likewise, giving steadfastness in his promised gifts. Nor is it surprising if here he is called steadfast and above in the same passage mobile, because here it is said with respect to diverse effects, concerning which the Psalm says: "He set my feet upon a rock and directed my steps." Or: mobile in active things, steadfast in contemplative things; or: steadfast in Christ, mobile in other Saints; John 1: "Upon whom you shall see the Spirit remaining." Or thus: steadfast, in the good; sure, that is, constant in the true; secure, from evil, according to that saying of the Psalm: "No evil shall approach you." And just as in himself he is steadfast and sure and secure, so also those whom he inhabits he makes steadfast in the good, sure in the true, secure from evil; Colossians 1: "Grounded in faith and steadfast and immovable from the hope of the Gospel."
Having every virtue. Here he shows its universal sufficiency, first, in goodness; second, in wisdom: Overseeing all things; third, in power: And who comprehends all intelligible spirits.
He says therefore: Having every virtue; in the Psalm: "By the Spirit of his mouth is all their virtue."
But to the contrary: Because he does not have faith, since faith is enigmatic knowledge and an imperfect virtue.
It must be said that he speaks of every virtue, not any whatsoever, but perfect virtue.
Beholding all things: Job 37: "He beholds above all the heavens, and his light is over all the ends of the earth"; likewise Hebrews 4: "All things are naked and open to his eyes." And who apprehends all spirits, namely the angelic ones, "because they run within him, wherever they may be sent," according to Bede on that passage in Luke 1: "I am Gabriel, who stand before God." Spirits Angels are called with respect to their substance or nature; intelligible, with respect to their power, or because they are by nature not uniteable to bodies. Or: apprehends, that is, causes to apprehend, all spirits, that is, all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, concerning which Isaiah 11: "The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding," etc. Pure, namely through the purity of innocence: for Angels are, according to Dionysius, "pure and most brilliant mirrors"; and he adds: pure, to distinguish them from unclean spirits, that is, demons. Subtle, through the keenness of understanding; or: subtle, through wisdom; Gregory: "What is there that they do not see, who see him who sees all things?" Some books have pure, subtle: pure the spirit of wisdom is, because without the dregs of matter; subtle, because it is pure form. But the first reading is more correct, because thus Rabanus has it in the text and in the exposition. Or: pure the spirit of wisdom is called, because it cleanses from past sins and preserves from future ones; or because in the present it purges from guilt, in the future from punishment; undefiled, because it can contract no impurity either from itself or from another; subtle, because it penetrates all things, or because it works in us subtlety of affection with respect to the gift of wisdom, and of understanding with respect to the gift of intelligence or understanding.
For more mobile than all mobile things. Here he shows that wisdom, through its nature and through the power that is in it, was able to be the medium by which he was instructed. And to demonstrate this he first adduces its mobility; second, its purity: But she reaches; third, its power: And being but one; fourth, its beauty: For she is more beautiful.
(Verse 24). I have rightly said that in her there is a spirit, etc. For more mobile than all mobile things, by whatever kind of motion, namely whether in substance, or in quality, or in quantity, or in place, wisdom is more mobile, that is, swifter in working; the Gloss: "Nothing is more subtle and mobile than wisdom, which created, governs, and orders all things"; more mobile, I say, not because it is moved, but because it moves all things while remaining itself immobile, according to that saying of Boethius:
And remaining stable, you give all things to be moved.
Likewise Acts 17: "In him we live and move and have our being."
But she reaches, etc. Here he shows her purity, first through this, that she proceeds, or emanates, from the most pure fountain; second, because she represents in herself the brightness of the fountain: She is the brightness, etc.