Magistri Petri Lombardi
Arch. Episc. Parisiensis

Master Peter Lombard
Archbishop of Paris

Sententiarum Quatuor Libri

The Four Books of Sentences

LIBER PRIMUS SENTENTIARUM.

 

DE DEI UNITATE ET TRINITATE

THE FIRST BOOK OF THE SENTENCES

 

ON THE UNITY AND TRINITY OF GOD

DISTINCTIO XLVII.

DISTINCTION 47

Opera Omnia S. Bonaventurae,
Ad Claras Aquas, 1882, Vol 1, pp. 837-838.
Cum Notitiis Editorum Quaracchi

Latin text taken from Opera Omnia S. Bonaventurae,
Ad Claras Aquas, 1882, Vol. 1, pp. 837-838.
Notes by the Quaracchi Editors.

Cap. I.

 

Quod voluntas Dei de homine impletur, quocumque se vertat.

Chapter I.

That the Will of God concerning a man is fulfilled, whithersoever he turns himself.

Voluntas quippe Dei semper efficax est, ut fiat omne quod velit, et nihil fiat quod nolit; quae de homine semper impletur, quocumque se vertat.  Nihil enim, ut ait Augustinus,1 in libero arbitrio constitutum superat voluntatem Dei; etsi faciat contra eius voluntatem, tamen contra eius voluntatem, quae ipse est, nihil putandum est ita fieri, tanquam velit fieri, et non fiat; vel nolit fieri, et fiat.  Illa enim voluntas, ut ait Augustinus in Enchiridio,2 semper impletur aut de nobis, aut a nobis.  De nobis impletur, sed tamen non implemus eam, quando peccamus.  A nobis impletur, quando bonum facimus; ideo enim facimus, quia scimus placere Deo.  Ita et de homine semper Deus implet suam voluntatem, quia nihil facit homo, de quo Deus non operetur quod vult.  Non enim vult Deus, ut peccet homo quilibet.  Si autem peccaverit, poenitenti vult parcere, ut vivat, in peccatis vero perseverantem punire, ut iustitiae potentiam contumax non evadat.  Sicut alios ab aeterno praeparavit ad poenam, ita alios praeparavit ad gloriam.  « Et haec sunt magna opera Domini, exquisita in omnes voluntates eius,3 et tam sapienter exquisita, ut cum angelica et humana creatura peccasset, id est, non quod ille, sed quod voluit ipsa fecisset, etiam per eandem creaturae voluntatem, qua factum est, quod Creator non voluit, impleret ipse quod voluit:  bene utens etiam malis tanquam summe bonus ad eorum damnationem, quos iuste praedestinavit ad poenam, et ad eorum salutem, quos benigne praedestinavit ad gratiam.4  Quantum enim ad ipsos attinet, quod Deus noluit fecerunt; quantum vero ad omnipotentiam Dei, nullo modo id facere valuerunt.  Hoc quippe ipso, quod contra eius voluntatem fecerunt, de ipsis facta est voluntas eius.  Propterea namque magna opera Domnini, exquisita in omnes voluntates eius, ut miro et ineffabili modo non fiat praeter eius voluntatem quod etiam fit contra eius voluntatem; quia non fieret, si non sineret, nec utique nolens sinit, sed volens, nec sineret bonus fieri male, nisi omnipotens et de malo posset facere bene ».5  —  His verbis evidenter monstratur, quod voluntas Dei aeterna semper impletur de homine, etiam si faciat homo contra Dei voluntatem.  Sed attendendum est diligeter, quomodo in superioribus dicitur, fieri aliquid contra Dei voluntatem, quod tamen non fit praeter eam; et qualiter intelligendum sit illud:  quantum ad se, fecerunt quod Deus noluit; quantum vero ad omnipotentiam Dei, nullo modo id facere valuerunt.  Videntur enim ista superioribus6 obviare, ubi dictum est:  Voluntati eius nihil resistere.

Indeed the Will of God is always efficacious, so that everything which It wills, comes to be, and nothing comes to be, which It does not will; which is always fulfilled concerning a man, whithersoever he turns himself.  For nothing, as (St.) Augustine1 says, constituted in free will overcomes the Will of God; even if it works against His Will, yet against His Will, which He Himself is, nothing must be thought to be so done, as if He wills (it) to be done, and it is not done; and/or He does not will (it) to be done, and it is done.  For that Will, as (St.) Augustine says in (his) Enchiridion,2 is always fulfilled either concerning us [de nobis], or by us [a nobis].  Concerning us It is fulfilled, but yet we do not fulfill It, when we sin.  By us It is fulfilled, when we do good; for, we do (it) for this reason, because we know that it is pleasing to God.  Thus too, concerning a man, God always fulfils His Will, because man does nothing, concerning which God does not work that he will (it).  For God does not will, that any man sin.  But if he has sinned, He wills to spare the penitent, so that he may live, but to punish the one persevering in sins, so that the contumacious may not evade the power of Justice.  Just as He has prepared some from eternity for punishment, so He has prepared others for glory.  « And these are the great works of the Lord, exquisite in all His wills,3 and so wisely exquisite, that though the angelic and human creature had sinned, that is, had done not what He, but what he had willed, He even fulfilled, through the same will of the creature, by which there was done, what the Creator did not will, what He did will:  as One most highly Good, using well even evils for the damnation of those, whom He justly predestined to punishment, and for the salvation of those, whom He kindly predestined to grace.4  For as much as it concerns the former, they did what God did not want; but as much as regards God’s Omnipotence, they in no manner prevailed to do it.  Indeed in this very (thing), that they worked against His will, His Will was done concerning them.  For indeed on this account great (are) the works of the Lord, exquisite in alls His wills, so that in a wonderful and ineffable manner there did not come to be apart from [praeter] His Will what was even done against His will; because it would not have been done, if He had not allowed (it), nor indeed did He allow (it) as One unwilling, but as One willing, nor would as One good would He have allowed that it be done in an evil manner, if as One omnipotent He could not also work well of evil ».5  —  With these words there is evidently demonstrated, that God’s Eternal Will is always fulfilled concerning a man, even if the man works against God’s will.  But there must be diligently attended to, in what manner there is said in the above (sentences), that something is done against the will of God, which is not, however, done apart from It; and in what manner this must be understood:  “As much as regards themselves, they did what God did not will; but as much as regards God’s Omnipotence, they in no manner prevailed to do it”.  For these (words) seem to withstand the (words) above,6 where it was said:  “Nothing resists His Will”.

Verum, ut supra7 diximus, voluntas Dei diversis modis accipitur, quae diversitas in praedictis verbis si diligenter notetur, nihil ibi contradictionis reperitur.  Ubi enim dicit, non fieri praeter eius voluntatem etiam quod fit contra eius voluntatem, dissimiliter accepit voluntatem, et non ipsam voluntatem, quae Deus est et sempiterna est, sed eius signa praedictis verbis intelligi voluit, id est prohibitionem sive praeceptionem et permissionem.

Indeed, as we have said above,7 the “will” of God is accepted in diverse manners, which diversity in the aforesaid words, if it be diligently noted, nothing of contradiction is found therein.  For where he says, that there is not done apart from His Will even that which is done against His will, he accepted “will” in a dissimilar manner, and he willed that there be understood by the aforesaid words not that Will, which God is and (which) is sempiternal, but as the signs of It , that is a prohibition or preception and a permission.

Cap. II.

 

Ex quo sensu quaedam dicuntur fieri contra Dei voluntatem.

Chapter II.

In what sense certain (things) are said to be done “against” the Will of God.

Multa enim fiunt contra Dei praeceptum vel prohibitionem, quae tamen non fiunt praeter eius permissionem.  Ipsius namque permissione omnia fiunt mala, quae tamen praeter eius voluntatem sempiternam fiunt.  Sicut Augustinus dicit super illum locum Psalmi:8  Ut non loquatur os meum opera hominum.  Opera enim hominum dicit ea quae mala sunt, « quae praeter Dei voluntatem fiunt », quae ipse est, sed non praeter eius permissionem, quae ipse non est.  Appellatur tamen ipsa Dei voluntas, quia Deus volens sinit mala fieri.  Fiunt et contra eius praeceptionem vel prohibitionem, sed non contra eius voluntatem, quae ipse est, nisi dicantur contra eam fieri, quia praeter eam fiunt.  Contra eam quippe nihil ita fit, ut velit fieri,9 et non fiat.  Quod evidenter ibi Augustinus notavit, ubi ait:  Quantum ad ipsos attinet, quod Deus noluit fecerunt; quantum vero ad omnipotentiam Dei, . . .

For many (things) are done against [contra] God’s precept and/or prohibition, which, yet, are not done apart from [praeter] His permission.  For indeed by His permission all evils come to be, which, however, come to be apart from His Will.  Just as (St.) Augustine says on that passage of the Psalm:8  That my mouth may not speak the works of men.  For he says that the works of men (are) those which are evil, « which are done apart from God’s Will », which He Himself is, but not apart from His permission, which He Himself is not.  Yet that is named “God’s will”, because God as One willing allows that evils to be done.  They are done both against His preception and/or prohibition, but not against His Will, which He Himself is, unless they are said “to be done against” It, because they are done apart from It.  Indeed against It nothing is so done, such that He wills (it) to be done,9 and it is not done.  Which (St.) Augustine evidently noted there, where he says:  “For as much as it concerns the former, they did what God did not want; but as much as regards God’s Omnipotence, . . .

1  Enchird. c. 95:  secundum sensum.

2  Ipsa verba Augustini immediate sequuntur.

3  Psalm. 110, 2.

4  Codd. A B C et edd. 1, 6 (5 in marg.) gloriam .

5  Enchirid. c. 100. n. 26.  Pro ultimo vocabulo bene codd. B E bonum, et edd. 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 bonum bene.

6  Dist. XLVI.

7  Dist. XLV. c. 6.  —  Paulo inferius codd. A B D dissimiliter accipit pro dissimiliter accepit.

8  Enarrat. in Psalm. 16, 4.  Post textum Vat. addit in sensu.

9  Ita codd. et ed. 1, in aliis edd. quod.  —  De sequenti textu August. vide hic notam 5.

1  Enchiridion, ch. 95:  according to its sense.

2  The words of (St.) Augustine there are in the quote which next follows.

3  Psalm 110:2.

4  Codices A B and C and editions 1 and 6 (5 in the margin) have glory [gloriam].

5  Enchiridion, ch. 100, n. 26.  For well [bene] codices B and E have good [bonum], and editions 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 have good well [bonum bene].

6  Distinction XLVI.

7  Distinction XLV, ch. 6.  —  A little above this codices A B and D have he accepts [accipit] for he accepted [accepit].

8  Enarrations on the Psalms, Ps. 16: 4.  After the quote, the Vatican text adds in the sense [in sensu].

9  Thus the codices and edition 1, in the other editions there is read after this which is also not done [quod et non fiat] for and it is not done [et non fiat].

 

p. 838

nullo modo id facere valuerunt; ac si diceret, fecerunt contra Dei praeceptum, quod appellatur voluntas, sed non fecerunt contra Dei voluntatem omnpotentem, quia hoc non valuerunt, illud valuerunt; et ita per hoc quod fecerunt contra Dei voluntatem, id est praeceptum, de ipsis facta est voluntas eius, id est, impleta est voluntas eius sempiterna, qua eos damnari volebat.  Unde Gregorius super Iob:1  « Multi voluntatem Dei peragunt, unde mutare contendunt, et consilio eius resistentes obsequuntur; quia hoc eius dispositioni militat, quod per humanum studium resultat ».  —  Hic aperte ostenditur, quia dum mali consilio ac praecepto Dei resistunt, quod voluntas Dei appellatur, ea faciunt, unde voluntas eius, quae ipse est, impletur, quae dispositio vel beneplacitum vocatur.  « Nam, ut ait Augustinus in Enchiridio,2 quantaelibet sint voluntates Angelorum vel hominum, bonorum vel malorum, vel illud quod Deus, vel aliud volentium quam Deus; Omnipotentis voluntas semper invicta est, quae mala esse nunquam potest, quae etiam, dum mala irrogat, iusta est, et profecto quae iusta est mala non est.  Deus igitur omnipotens, sive per misericordiam cuius vult misereatur, sive per iudicium quem vult obduret, nec inique aliquid facit, nec nisi volens quidquam facit, et omnia quaecumque vult, facit ».

they in no manner prevailed to do it”; as if he said, “they worked against God’s precept, which is named “(His) will”, but they did not work against God’s Omnipotent Will, because this they did not prevail (to do), that they did prevail (to do); and thus through this, that they worked against God’s will, that is (His) precept, there was done concerning them His Will, that is, there was fulfilled His Sempiternal Will, by which He willed to damn them.  Wherefore (St.) Gregory (the Great says) on Job:1  « Many accomplish [peragunt] the Will of God, which they strive to change [unde mutare contendunt], and they comply [obsequntur] with His counsel as ones resisting (it); because they serve [militat] It by a disposition of that, which results through human study ».  —  Here there is openly shown, that while the wicked resist God’s counsel and precept, which are named “the will of God”, they do that, by which His Will, which He Himself is, is fulfilled, which is called (His) “disposition” and/or “Good Pleasure”.  « For », as (St.) Augustine says in (his) Enchiridion,2 « however many be the wills of Angels and/or of men, of the good and/or of the wicked, (be they) either of (those) willing that which (is) God, and/or (something) other than God; the Will of the Omnipotent is always unconquered, which can never be evil, which also, while It imposes (the penalties of) evils, is just, and That which is (indeed) just, is not evil.  Therefore the Omnipotent God, whether through mercy He is merciful to whom He wills, or through judgment hardens whom He wills, neither does anything iniquitously, nor does anything except as One willing, and does all whatsoever He wills ».

Cap. III.

 

Quare praecepit Deus omnibus bona facere et mala vitare, sed non id ab omnibus vult impleri.

Chapter III.

For what reason did God precept to all to do good and avoid evil, but does not will that this be fulfilled by all.

Ex praedictis liquet, quod voluntas Dei, quae ipse est, semper invicta est nec in aliquo cassatur, sed per omnia impletur.  Consilium vero eius atque praeceptio sive prohibitio non ab omnibus implentur, quibus proposita et data sunt.  Neque ideo praecepit omnibus bona vel prohibuit mala vel consuluit optima, quod vellet ab omnibus bona quae praecepit fieri, vel mala quae prohibuit vitari — si enim vellet, utique et fierent, quia in nullo potest ab homine superari vel impediri eius voluntas — sed ut iustitiam suam hominibus ostenderet, et mali essent inexcusabiles; denique, ut boni ex obedientia gloriam, mali ex inobedientia poenam sortirentur, sicut utrisque ab aeterno praeparavit.  Ea igitur, quae omnibus praecepit vel prohibuit, a quibusdam voluit fieri vel vitari, sed non ab omnibus; et quaedam personaliter praecepit et in veteri et in nova Lege, quae ab eis quibus praecepit, fieri noluit, ut Abrahae de immolatione3 filii, et in Evangelio quibusdam curatis, quibus praecepit, ne cui dicerent.

From the aforesaid it is clear, that the Will of God, which He Himself is, is always unconquered and is in nothing cancelled, but is through all (things) fulfilled.  However His counsel and also (His) preception or prohibition are not fulfilled by all, to whom they have been proposed and given.  For that reason neither did He precept to all (to do) good and/or prohibit (them to do) evil and/or counsel (them to do) the best, to the extent that [quod] He wanted the good (things) which He precepted, to be done by all, and/or the evils which He prohibited, to be avoided — for if He wanted, they indeed would also have been done, because in nothing can His Will be overcome and/or impeded by man — but to show His Justice to men, and so that the wicked would be inexcusable; finally, that the good would out of obedience be allotted glory, the wicked out of inobedience punishment, just as He prepared for each from eternity.  Therefore, by this (Will), He willed that there be done and/or avoided by certain ones, but not by all, those (things) which He precepted and/or prohibited to all, and He precepted certain ones personally both in the Old and New Law, (to do) those (things) which He did not will to be done by those whom He precepted, such as Abraham concerning the immolation3 of (his) son, and in the Gospel after having cured certain ones, those whom He precepted, not to speak of it.

1  Moral. VI. c. 18. n. 29.  Codd. et edd., excepta 7, 8, citant:  Gregorius super Genesim.  Textus autem a Magistro non parum est mutatus.

2  Cap. 102. n. 26.  In quo textu sola Vat. cum originali aliud volentes pro aliud volentium.

3  Vide d. XLV. c. 7. nota 3.

1  Morals, Bk. VI, ch. 18, n. 29.  The codices and editions, except editions 7 and 8, cite:  (St.) Gregory (says) On Genesis [Gregorius super Genesim].  Moreover the text has been changed not a little by Master (Peter).

2  Chapter 102, n. 26.  In which text the Vatican edition alone, together with the original, has (those) willing [volentes] for of (those) willing [volentium].

3  See d. XLV, ch. 7, footnote 3.

The English translation here has been released to the public domain by its author. 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. Items in round ( ) brackets are terms implicit in the Latin syntax or which are required for clarity in English.