S. Bonaventurae Bagnoregis
S. R. E. Episc. Card. Albae
atque Doctor Ecclesiae Universalis

St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio
Cardinal Bishop of Alba
& Doctor of the Church

Commentaria in Quatuor Libros Sententiarum

Commentaries on the Four Books of Sentences

Magistri Petri Lombardi, Episc. Parisiensis

of Master Peter Lombard, Archbishop of Paris

SECUNDI LIBRI

BOOK TWO

COMMENTARIUS IN DISTINCTIONEM IV.

COMMENTARY ON DISTINCTION IV

ARTICULUS II.

 

Quaestio I.

ARTICLE II

 

Question 1

 

Opera Omnia S. Bonaventurae,
Ad Claras Aquas, 1885, Vol. 2, pag. 135-136.
Cum Notitiis Originalibus

 

 

Latin text taken from Opera Omnia S. Bonaventurae,
Ad Claras Aquas, 1885, Vol. 2, pp. 135-136.
Notes by the Quaracchi Editors.

 

ARTICULUS II.

 

De Angelis quoad futuri eventus praescientiam.

ARTICLE II

 

On the Angels in regard to the foreknowledge of (their) future outcome.

Consequenter circa secundum duo quaeruntur.

Consequently about the second (article) two (things) are asked.

Primum est, utrum bonis revelari debuerit futura permansio.

The first is, whether to the good (Angels) there ought to have been revealed (their) future permanence [permansio].*

Secundum est, utrum revelari potuerit malis sua damnatio.

The second is, whether to the evil (angels) their own damnation could have been revealed.

QUAESTIO I.

 

Utrum bonis Angelis revelari debuerit futura permansio.

QUESTION 1

 

Whether to the good Angels (their) future permanence ought to have been revealed?

PRIMO ERGO quaeritur, cum nullis in creatione data sit gloria, nullis etiam data sit gratia, utrum aliquibus data sit futurae glorificationis praescientia.  Et quod sic, videtur.

THEREFORE FIRST there is asked, since in the (act) of being created glory has been given to none, (and sanctifying) grace also has been given to none, whether to some there has been given the foreknowledge of (their) future glorification. And it seems, that (it is) so.

1. Deus ab instanti suae conditionis Angelos conditit repletos scientia rerum mundanarum; sed Deo magis placet, quod servi sui habeant scientiam de his quae spectant ad salutem:  si ergo praescientia futurae salutis erigit1 animum et delectat, ergo cum aliqui essent salvandi, videtur, quod saltem debuit eis dari praescientia talis; constat enim, quod potuit.

1. God from the instant of their foundation founded the Angels replete with the knowledge of mundane things; but it is more pleasing to God, that His servants have the knowledge of those things which pertain to salvation:  therefore, if the foreknowledge of (their) future salvation upbuilds [erigit]1 and delights the spirit, therefore since some were to be saved, it seems, that such a foreknowledge ought to be given at least to them; for it is established that it could (have been given).

2. Item, si non fuerunt de salute certi, ergo potuerunt rationabiliter dubitare et timere; sed timor poenam habet:  ergo poena ante culpam; sed hoc est inconveniens:2  ergo videtur, quod illi saltem debuerunt certificari, qui erant salvandi.

2. Likewise, if they were not certain of (their) salvation, therefore they could have reasonably doubted and feared; but fear regards [habet] punishment:  therefore (they had) a punishment before a fault; but this is unfitting:2  therefore it seems, that those, who were to be saved, at least ought to have been made certain (of this).

3. Item, propinquiores erant Angeli ad gloriam quam nos in miseriis constituti, ergo saltem tantam certitudinem vel maiorem habebant, quantum nos habemus; sed nos habemus certitudinem spei:  ergo ipsi habebant hanc vel aliam. Sed non habebant hanc, quia « spes est certa expectatio futurae beatitudinis proveniens ex gratia et meritis »:3  cum ergo ipsi non haberent gratiam et merita, certitudinaliter sperare eis fuisset praesumtio:  non ergo habebant certitudinem spei.  Sed non est aliam dare quam certitudinem praescientiae vel revelationis:  ergo videtur, quod aliquibus saltem esset data.

3. Likewise, the Angels were nearer to glory than we (are who have) been constituted in miseries, therefore they  at least had as much and/or more certitude, as we have; but we have the certitude of hope:  therefore they had this and/or another (certitude).  But they did not have this, because « hope is the certain expectation of future beatitude, coming forth from grace and merits »:3  therefore since they did not have grace and merits, it would have been presumption for them to hope with certitude [certitudinaliter]:  therefore they did not have the certitude of hope. But there is the granting of no other (certitude) than the certitude of foreknowledge and/or of revelation:  therefore it seems, that to some at least (this) would have been given.

CONTRA:  1. Plus est dare certitudinem de gloria quam dare gratiam — multis enim Deus dat gratiam, quibus tamen non revelat certitudinaliter suam gloriam — ergo cum non habuerint gratiam, sicut supra4 probatum est, patet, quod nec stabilitatis praescientiam.

ON THE CONTRARY:  1. Concerning glory there is a greater granting of certitude than a granting of grace — for to the many God grants grace, to whom, however, He does not reveal their own glory with certitude — therefore since (the Angels) did not have grace, just as has been proven above,4 it is clear, that neither (did they have) the foreknowledge of (their) stability.

2. Item, diabolus sive lucifer non habuit prae- / -scientiam . . .

2. Likewise, the Devil or Lucifer did not have the fore- / -knowledge . . .

1  Cod. cc et ed. 1 exhilarat.

2  Cfr. August., III. de Lib. Arb. c. 18. n. 51:  Omnis autem poena si iusta est, peccati poena est et supplicium nominatur.  —  Paulo anterius cod. F:  ergo poenam habuerunt ante culpam pro ergo poena ante culpam.  Circa finem arg. cod. W pro saltem substituit de salute.

3  Haec definitio spei invenitur in littera Magistri, III. Sent. d. XXVI. et apud Hugonem a S. Vict., Sent., tr. 1. c. 9; eadem a S. Bonav., ibid. dub. 2 tribuitur Haymoni, in quo tamen definitionem ad verbum non invenimus.

4  Art. 1. q. 2.  —  Plures codd. cum non habuerunt pro cum non habuerint.

1  Codex cc and edition 1 have gladdens [exhilarat].

2  Cf. (St.) Augustine, On Free Will, Bk. III, ch. 18, n. 51:  But every punishment, if it is just, is a punishment for sin and is named a supplicium.  —  A little before this codex F reads:  therefore they had a punishment before a fault [ergo poenam habuerunt ante culpam].  Near the end of the argument codex W for at least . . . (of this) [saltem] substitutes of (their) salvation [de salute].

3  This definition of hope is found in the text of Master (Peter), Sent., Bk. III, d. XXVI, and in Hugo of St. Victor, Sent., tr. 1, ch. 9; the same is attributed by St. Bonaventure, ibid., Doubt 2, to (Bishop) Haymo (of Halberstadt, O. S. B, † 853 A. D.), in whom, however, we did not find the definition word for word.

4  Article 1, q. 2.  —  Several codices have therefore when [habuerunt] for therefore since [habuerint].

 

* [Trans. note:  Here permansio has the more exact meaning of a “remaining throughout”; and thence the sense of permanence here is that of the Angels abiding in God through the time of testing and forever.]

p. 136

prae- / -scientiam de statu, quia non erat permansurus:  ergo si ipse fuit plenus sapientia et perfectus decore1 inter omnes, videtur, quod nulli alii habuerunt.

the fore- / -knowledge of his state, because he was not going to abide (in God) [permansurus]:  therefore if he himself was full of wisdom and perfect in ornament1 among all (the Angels), it seems, that none of the others had (this).

3. Item, ostenditur per deductionem ad duplex inconveniens.  Unum inconveniens est excusatio diaboli sive sui peccati.  Posset enim de peccato suo quodam modo se excusare, quia scientiam non habuit, quam Deus aliis Angelis dedit.  Aliud inconveniens videtur accusatio Dei, quia ante videtur punisse malos, quam mali fuerint; et quod ante gratiam suam sive donum scientiae substraxerit, quod aliis dedit, quia non praecellebant ipsos nec merito vitae nec dignitate naturae.2

3. Likewise, it is shown through a deduction to a twofold unfitting (consequence).  One unfitting (consequence) is the excusing of the Devil or of his sin.  For he could in a certain manner excuse himself of his own sin, because he did not have the knowledge, which God gave to the other Angels.  The other unfitting (consequence) seems (to be) the accusing of God, because He seems to have punished the evil (angels) before they were evil; and (it seems) that before His grace or gift of knowledge, that He subtracted what He gave to the others, because they did not excel before them, neither in the merit of life nor in the dignity of nature.2

CONCLUSIO.

 

Nullius Angelis revelata est futura permansio ipsorum.

CONCLUSION

 

To none of the Angels was their future permanence revealed.

RESPONDEO:  Circa hoc duplex fuit opinio, sicut tangit Magister in littera.3

I RESPOND:  About this there was a twofold opinion, just as Master (Peter) touches upon in the text.3

Quidam enim dicere voluerunt, quod bonis, quia permansuri erant, data est revelatio sive praescientiae suae stabilitatis, et hoc loco spei, ratione cuius iam quodammodo beati erant. Et innituntur illi verbo Augustini, quod dicit opinando super Genesim ad litteram:4  « Forte Deus diabolo revelare noluit, quid facturus vel passurus esset; ceteris vero revelare voluit, quod in veritate mansuri essent ».

For certain ones wanted to say, that to the good (Angels), because the were going to remain throughout [permansuri erant], there was give a revelation or foreknowledge of their own stability, and this in place of hope, by reason of which they already were in a certain manner blessed.  And they are supported by that word of (St.) Augustine, which he says, opining, On a Literal Exposition of Genesis:4  « Perhaps God did not want to reveal to the Devil, what he was going to do and/or suffer; but to the rest He wanted to reveal, that they were going to remain [mansuri esset] in the Truth ».

Alia est positio, quod nullis data est praescientia sui status, quia habere certitudinem de sua permansione est cognito magis spectans ad statum praemii quam ad statum meriti; et huius signum est, quod Deus aut paucissimis, aut nullis revelat quantumcumque dilectis et amicis, se certitudinaliter glorificandos.  Haec enim cognitio potius est expediens ad gaudendum quam ad merendum.  Unde quia Angeli erant in statu meriti omnes, quia nondum erant beati; ideo nullis data est haec cognitio.  —  Et haec positio est magis rationabilis et magis placet Magistro et magis consonat verbis Augustini, sicut patet in littera5 et undecimo de Civitate Dei, ubi dicit, quod pares fuerunt Angeli quantum ad conditiones ante lapsum.  Unde si alicubi videtur dicere contrarium, si quis inspiciat adiacentia, aut opinando, aut quaerendo dicit.  Et ideo haec positio magis est tenenda.

The other position is, that there was given to none a foreknowledge of their state, because to have certitude of their permanence [permansione] is a cognition pertaining more to the state of a reward than to the state of merit; and the sign of this is, that God either to a very few, or to none, howsoever beloved and friends, reveals, with certitude that they are to be glorified. For this cognition is rather expedient to rejoicing than to meriting.  Wherefore because all the Angels were in the state of merit, because they were not yet blessed; for that reason there was given to none this cognition.  —  And this position is more reasonable and is more pleasing to Master (Peter) and is more consonant with the words of (St.) Augustine, just as is clear in the text5 and in the eleventh (book) On the City of God, where he says, that the Angels were the peers (of one another) as much as regards (their) conditions before the fall.  Wherefore, if it seems to anyone that he says the contrary, if one inspects the adjacent (statements), (he will discover that) he says (them) either by opining, or by asking.  And for this reason this position is more to be held.

1. Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur, quod Deus dedit Angelis praecognitionem rerum mundanarum; dicendum, quod non est simile, quia cognitio universi spectat ad cognitionem naturalem, et perfecta cognitio universi spectat ad perfectionem naturalis cognitionis;6 sed certa cognitio sui status spectat ad perfectionem gloriae; et ideo solum debet dari, quando in statu tali ponitur, a quo non potest cadere.  Et sic patet illud.

1. To that, therefore, which is objected, that God gave the Angels a pre-cognition of mundane things; it must be said, that it is not similar, because the cognition of the universe pertains to natural cognition, and the perfect cognition of the universe pertains to the perfection of natural cognition;6 but a certain cognition of their own state pertains to the perfection of glory; and for that reason it only ought to be given, when one is placed in such a state, from which one cannot fall down.  And thus that (objection) is clear..

2. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod si non erant certi, ergo videtur, quod rationabiliter poterant dubitare et timere; dicendum, quod est certitudo ex parte cognitivae et ex parte affectivae.  —  Certitudo ex parte cognitivae est duplex, una scilicet infallibilis, ut quando ita scit aliquid, quod non potest falli; altera probabilis, ut quando habet verisimiles rationes ad hoc sive ad unam partem, ita quod ad oppositum aut nullas habet, aut paucas.  Et in Angelis fuit certitudo secundo modo, non primo.  Ipsi enim rationabiliter poterant coniicere ex his bonis, quae acceperant, quod ad beatitudinem parati erant, maxime, cum in se nullam viderent maculam.7  —  Certitudo ex parte affectivae est duplex:  una in exspectando, alia in tenendo.  Expectare est spei, sed tenere est comprehensionis.  Secunda non potuit esse in Angelis ante confirmationem; prima fuit semiplene, et minus plene quam in viris sanctis, quia in his ex gratia et meritis, in illis erat affectione naturae.  —  Ex his patent obiecta:  quia certitudo probabilitatis, quae non habebat rationes ad oppositum, liberabat et a dubitatione et a poenali timore.

2. To that which is objected, that if they were not certain, therefore it seems, that they reasonably could have doubted and feared; it must be said, that there is a certitude on the part of the cognitive (power) and on the part of the affective (power).  —  Certitude on the part of the cognitive (power) is twofold, namely, one infallible, as when one knows something thus, that he cannot be deceived; the other probable, as when one has likely [verisimiles] reasons for it or for one side, such that for the opposite either one has none, or few.  And in the Angels there was a certitude in the second manner, not in the first.  For they reasonably could have conjectured from those goods, which they had accepted, that they had been prepared for beatitude, most of all, since they saw no stain7 in themselves.  —  Certitude on the part of the affective (power) is twofold:  one in expecting, another in holding.  ‘To expect’ belong to hope, but ‘to hold’ belongs to comprehension.  The second could not be in the Angels before (their) confirmation; the first was in a semi-full manner, and in a less full manner than in holy men, because in the latter (it arises) out of grace and merits, in the former it was from the affection of nature.  —  From these the objections are clear:  because the certitude of probability, which does not have reasons for the opposite, freed them both from doubting and from penal fear.

3. Patet etiam ultimo obiectum, quia aliquam certitudinem habuerunt; sed tamen non oportet, quod esset maior certitudine spei.  Et ad illud quod obiicitur, quod proximiores erant; dicendum, quod proximiores quantum ad statum, quia medii erant inter gloriam et miseriam.  Sed tamen magis distabant quantum ad meritum, quia nondum habebant pignus gloriae nec primitias spiritus,8 sicut habent viri sancti in hac vita, de quibus dicit Apostolus ad Romanos quinto:  Spes autem non confundit, quia caritas Dei etc.

3. The last objection is also clear, because they had some certitude; but yet it is not necessary [non opportet], that it was greater than the certitude of hope. And to that which is objected, that they were nearer; it must be said, that (they were) nearer as much as regards (their) state, because they belongs to a middle (state) between glory and misery.  But yet they were more distant as much as regards merit, because they did not yet have the pledge of glory nor the first fruits of the spirit,8 just as holy men have in this life, concerning which the Apostle says in the fifth (chapter of his Letter) to the Romans:  But hope does not confound, because the charity of God etc..

SCHOLION.

SCHOLIUM

Ad quaest. 1. et 2. huius 2. articuli principales Scholastici, coniectantes potius quam asserentes, in eodem sensu, et multi una sola quaestione respondent.

To the first and second Questions of this Article the principle Scholastics, conjecturing rather than asserting, respond in the same sense, and many in a question sole.

Alex. Hal., S. p. I. q. 25. m. 1. 2.  —  S. Thom., hic q. unica, a. 2.  — B. Albert., hic q. 3; S. p. III. tr. 4. q. 18. m. 3. a. 1.  —  Petr. a Tar., hic q. unica, a. 3. 4.  —  Richard. a Med., hic a. 3. q. 1. 2.  —  Aegid. R., hic q. 1. a. 2. 3.  —  Durand., hic q. 3.  —  Dionys. Carth., hic q. 3.

Alexander of Hales, Summa., p. I, q. 25, m. 1 and 2.  —  St. Thomas, here in the q. sole, a. 2.  — Bl. (now St.) Albertus (Magnus), here in q. 3; Summa., p. III, tr. 4, q. 18, m. 3, a. 1.  —  (Bl.) Peter of Tarentaise, here in the q. sole, aa. 3 and 4.  —  Richard of Middleton, here in a. 3, qq. 1 and 2.  —  Giles the Roman, here in q. 1, aa. 2 and 3.  —  Durandus, here in q. 3.  —  (Bl.) Dionysius the Carthusian, here in q. 3.

1  Ezech. 28, 12.

2  Vide August., XI. de Gen. ad lit. c. 17. n. 22. et XI. de Civ. Dei, c. 13.

3  In hac distinctione.

4  Libr. XI. c. 17. n. 22, in quibus verbis multi codd. contra textum originalem qui in veritate pro quod in veritate.

5  In hac distinctione, in qua etiam sententia Augustini exponitur, quae XI. de Civ. Dei, c. 11. 13. et 15. exhibetur.

6  Vat. hic omittit ad cognitionem naturalem et perfecta cognitio universi spectat.

7  Plures codd. malitiam; cod. cc et ed. 1 dispositionem mali.  Cod. U prosequitur Item certitudo etc.

8  Rom. 8, 23.  Verba pignus gloriae respicere videntur ad Eph. 1, 14, ubi de Spiritu S. dicitur:  qui est pignus haereditatis nostrae.  —  Sequens textus est Rom. 5, 5.

1  Ezekiel 28:12.

2  See (St.) Augustine, On a Literal Exposition of Genesis, Bk. XI, ch. 17, n. 22, and On the City of God, Bk. XI, ch. 13.

3  In this Distinction.

4  Book XI, ch. 17, n. 22, in which words many manuscripts, against the original text, have that they [qui] for that they [quod].

5  In this distinction, in which the sentence of (St.) Augustine, which is exhibited in On the City of God, Bk. XI, chs. 11, 13, and 15, is also expounded.

6  The Vatican edition omits here to a natural cognition, and the perfect cognition of the universe pertains [ad cognitionem naturalem et perfecta cognitio universi spectat].

7  Several codices have wickedness [malitiam]; codex cc and edition 1 disposition to evil [dispositionem mali].  Codex U continues Likewise certitude etc. [Item certitudo etc.].

8  Rm. 8:23.  The words pledge of glory [pignus gloriae] seem to refer to Eph. 1:14, where there is said of the Holy Spirit:  who is the pledge of our inheritance [qui est pignus haereditatis nostrae].  —  The following text is Rm. 5:5.

This English Translation and the digitization of the Latin and English texts, the HTML markup,  all emendations and corrections of the Latin text, and all notes by the Translator, are © 2007, 2008 by Br. Alexis Bugnolo.  The / symbol is used to indicate that the text which follows appears on the subsequent page of the Quaracchi Edition. The translation of the notes in English corresponds to the context of the English text, not that of the Latin text; likewise they are a freer translation than that which is necessitated by the body of the text. Items in square [ ] brackets contain Latin terms corresponding to the previous English word(s), or notes added by the English translator.
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