Pars 1, Cap. 1
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/5/d/1/q/bon-brev-p1-c1
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### Chapter I. *On the seven things with which theology deals, in summary.*

At the outset it must be understood that sacred doctrine, namely theology, which deals principally with the first principle — that is, with God, three and one — deals with seven things in all: namely, first, with the Trinity of God; second, with the creation of the world; third, with the corruption of sin; fourth, with the Incarnation of the Word; fifth, with the grace of the Holy Spirit; sixth, with the sacramental medicine, and seventh, with the state of the final judgment.

Now the reason for this truth is this: since sacred Scripture, or theology, is the science giving sufficient knowledge of the first principle according to the state of the way, according as it is necessary for salvation; and since God is not only the principle and exemplar of things, *effective* in creation, but also *refective* in redemption and *perfective* in retribution: therefore it deals not only with God the *creator*, but also with the *creation* and the *creature*. And because the rational creature, which is in a certain way the end of all things, did not stand, but by its fall needed to be repaired; therefore it deals with the *corruption of sin*, the *physician*, *health* and *medicine*, and at last with the *perfect cure*, which will be in glory, the wicked having been cast into punishment. — And therefore it alone is *perfect science*, because it begins from the *first*, which is the first principle, and arrives at the *last*, which is the eternal reward; it begins from the *highest*, which is God most high, the creator of all, and arrives at the *lowest*, which is the infernal punishment.

It alone is likewise *perfect wisdom*, which begins from the highest cause, as it is the *principle* of things caused — the point where philosophical knowledge comes to its end; and passes through it, as it is the *remedy* of sins; and leads back into it, as it is the *reward* of merits and the end of desires. And in this knowledge there is perfect savor, the life and salvation of souls; and therefore the desire of all Christians ought to be inflamed to learn it.

From these things it is clear that, although theology is about things so many and so various, it is nevertheless *one science*, whose subject, as that *from which* all things are, is God; as that *through which* all things are, Christ; as that *toward which* all things are, the work of reparation; as that *around which* all things are, the single bond of charity, by which things heavenly and earthly are joined together; as that *of which* all things are as comprehended in the canonical books, the credible as *credible*; as that *of which* all things are as in the books of the expositors, the credible as *intelligible* — according to Augustine, On the Usefulness of Believing, because « what we believe, we owe to authority; what we understand, to reason ».

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